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Benny's warning to not tell the Count she was a cleric seemed to confirm Galiena's suspicions: the artifact that once belonged to Pendril the Darkheart was indeed desired for some vile purpose. It was a warning she would not take lightly and she nodded her understanding.
"I will go speak with him then, and heed your warning," she told them, keeping her own voice lowered as well. "Is there a courier service here, by chance?" she asked as she stood and took a final drink from her mug. "I should at least let the Order know I will be a few days delayed in my return."
"I will go speak with him then, and heed your warning," she told them, keeping her own voice lowered as well. "Is there a courier service here, by chance?" she asked as she stood and took a final drink from her mug. "I should at least let the Order know I will be a few days delayed in my return."
Galiena bid a farewell to Benny, Marco, & Wilson and stepped out onto the porch of the Headless Horseman where she paused to tuck the symbol of the sun necklace under her shirt and out of sight before crossing the road to take a path through the gardens toward the Mage's Library. She had taken note of the building when she'd first entered Bess, surprised at how large the structure was and had been intending to visit it anyway just to satisfy her curiosity.
She was halfway through the gardens when she changed her mind and altered her course, deciding to visit St Hendricks Cathedral first. Perhaps she might learn something there about Count Leonard and his motivations for wanting such an artifact.
The Adept climbed the stairs and let herself in the main door, taking a quiet look around to ensure wasn't interrupting any prayers.
She was halfway through the gardens when she changed her mind and altered her course, deciding to visit St Hendricks Cathedral first. Perhaps she might learn something there about Count Leonard and his motivations for wanting such an artifact.
The Adept climbed the stairs and let herself in the main door, taking a quiet look around to ensure wasn't interrupting any prayers.
The sight of the dirty child tugged on Galiena's heartstrings, reminding her of the stillborn boy she had birthed two years ago now. She had been unwed at the time, feeling lost, and had gone to the Luminites in Ashdown soon after. They had taken her in and she soon became a firm follower of Veris and Aeon, eventually admitted into the order to begin her training as a cleric.
She pushed the thoughts of what might have been away and forced herself to smile down at the ragged child, ensuring her kept a grip on her coin purse. She could not help but be slightly suspicious of him as well, knowing street children tended to have a reputation for pick-pocketing.
St. Hendrick's Cathedral could wait a short while...
"I would do better than that, fauntkin. Shall we go over to the inn and make sure you get a proper meal into your belly?"
She pushed the thoughts of what might have been away and forced herself to smile down at the ragged child, ensuring her kept a grip on her coin purse. She could not help but be slightly suspicious of him as well, knowing street children tended to have a reputation for pick-pocketing.
St. Hendrick's Cathedral could wait a short while...
"I would do better than that, fauntkin. Shall we go over to the inn and make sure you get a proper meal into your belly?"
She smiled at his enthusiasm and his perceptiveness. "I'm Galiena," she said, answering his last question first as they walked back toward the Headless Horseman that she had just left.
"And you're right. I've only just arrived. I'd been intending to simply pass through and head back to Ashdown, but it seems there may be a matter here that draws my attention."
She opened the door, ushering him in ahead of her, then approached Barkeep Douglas. "Any of that roasted pork still available?" she asked, setting down a few coins. "My friend Tristan would like a plate."
"And you're right. I've only just arrived. I'd been intending to simply pass through and head back to Ashdown, but it seems there may be a matter here that draws my attention."
She opened the door, ushering him in ahead of her, then approached Barkeep Douglas. "Any of that roasted pork still available?" she asked, setting down a few coins. "My friend Tristan would like a plate."
After thanking the barkeep for the drink, she choose the table closest to the bar for Tristan and herself to wait for his food. She was about to ask the boy what might have become of his parents when Douglas caught her attention.
"Nevermind what?" the cleric prodded, wondering if perhaps the barkeep knew something of this child's story. Perhaps he was skilled enough at begging that he convinced every sap that walked through this town to buy him a meal.
"Nevermind what?" the cleric prodded, wondering if perhaps the barkeep knew something of this child's story. Perhaps he was skilled enough at begging that he convinced every sap that walked through this town to buy him a meal.
She had been expecting some sage advice or perhaps a warning about the boy or even the men she had been speaking with earlier and was a bit surprised the barkeep would ask a stranger to run an errand for him.
"I apologize. I have another matter I must attend to after getting a meal into this one," she said, indicating toward the boy. She was worried that if she delayed too long, she may not find the Count in the Mage's library.
But she did hate to say no when someone asked her a favor, so quickly added. "Once my other affairs are in order, I'll check back to see if you are still in need."
"I apologize. I have another matter I must attend to after getting a meal into this one," she said, indicating toward the boy. She was worried that if she delayed too long, she may not find the Count in the Mage's library.
But she did hate to say no when someone asked her a favor, so quickly added. "Once my other affairs are in order, I'll check back to see if you are still in need."
She listened carefully to the boy, eyebrows scrunched as she noted with concern the fact that there seemed to be multiple factions involved in whatever was really amiss here and she didn't yet have enough information. It added a whole new dimension of possibilities to the mission into the catacombs at Plyren. Could this be a base of operations for these "bad sorcerers"?
"Do you know what kind of things they stole?" she asked when he was between bites. "These bad sorcerers?"
"Do you know what kind of things they stole?" she asked when he was between bites. "These bad sorcerers?"
Galiena nodded, realizing as she did so that there was probably little point in trying to hide what she was from Count Leonard, as Benny has suggested. If the boy had already figured that out, she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret from the Count for very long anyway.
"I was on my way to go speak with this Count of yours, actually," she said. "I should go before he departs for the day."
She hesitated, feeling as if by feeding him, she had somehow taken responsibility for Tristan and was a bit reluctant to just leave him to his own devices. "You know, the Luminites sometimes need boys like you to run errands and do chores. If the order here is anything like my own, they would ensure you had a full meal in your belly every day," she gestured to his nearly empty plate, "and a safe place to sleep."
"I was on my way to go speak with this Count of yours, actually," she said. "I should go before he departs for the day."
She hesitated, feeling as if by feeding him, she had somehow taken responsibility for Tristan and was a bit reluctant to just leave him to his own devices. "You know, the Luminites sometimes need boys like you to run errands and do chores. If the order here is anything like my own, they would ensure you had a full meal in your belly every day," she gestured to his nearly empty plate, "and a safe place to sleep."
"I believe you will," she told him with a smile to his comment about becoming a knight.
After bidding goodbye, she did indeed hurry again toward the library, skipping St. Hendrick's Cathedral for the moment. She could visit it later, after speaking with the Count.
As she entered, she looked for someone who seemed like maybe they worked there. "Excuse me," she asked, "Is Count Leonard here? I seek an audience with him."
After bidding goodbye, she did indeed hurry again toward the library, skipping St. Hendrick's Cathedral for the moment. She could visit it later, after speaking with the Count.
As she entered, she looked for someone who seemed like maybe they worked there. "Excuse me," she asked, "Is Count Leonard here? I seek an audience with him."
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