[center]
[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
[/center]

Two days later, the Kirins gathered at Hien's request once more. With the addition of another person. Seated at Hien's right at the table was a scruffy, ragged man in an eyepatch and tricorne, clad in a crimson coat far more elaborate than the rest of his getup.

[b]"Thank you for coming. It took some doing, but I believe we've found a solution to your transport woes. May I introduce the good Captain Bikke, whom I'll turn the floor over to."[/b]

[b]"Thank ye kindly, milord Hien."[/b] Bikke grinned, lighting a pipe taking a few puffs before continuing. [b]"Now, I be hearin' from our mutual friend here that ye be in need of transport. Yarr, I'll keep it short: got a crew and ship in me possession, but there be a frigid wench in charge of the local n'eer do wells. Mizutani Tane be her name, heard a few of ye be familiar already."[/b] A pointed glance in Izayoi's direction, who glowered at the obvious pirate.

[b]"Me and me boys been running [i]errands[/i] fer ol' Hien here fer quite some time. Valheimr be a pain in our arses too. But given that we ain't quite [i]official registered sailors[/i] with th' local authorities, we pay a little helper's fee to that resident crime lordess t' take care of that problem, as it were. Though it seems that arrangement ended on her part. Cunt be demandin' exorbitant fees just tae let us stay in port, threatened to tip Valheimr warships off if'n we made a break fer it."[/b] He leisurely blew out a few smoke rings before going on.

[b]"Yer all seemin' like smart lads 'n lasses, can see what I'm gettin' at here. Gimme Mizutani Tane's head, an' ye'll get free passage tae Costa del Sol. Yarr."[/b]

[b]"And there you have it. Apologies for the runaround, but there truly are no better options."[/b] Hien gave a rueful grin. [b]"We don't have much on the woman's movements, but she still lives exactly where you knew her last."[/b] His sentence was punctuated with a glance in Izayoi and Ciradyl's direction.

[color=#736AFF][b]"Understood."[/b][/color] Izayoi bowed her head to Hien before turning to face Galahad and the others. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"Her manse is in the trader's district, to the southwest of where we are. Our best chance of actually catching her there will be to assault under cover of night. Unlike with the prison, we've no further information in terms of blueprints or inside information. Any more intelligence will have to be gathered on-site. We ought to depart at sunset."[/b][/color]

___

Garishly opulent and several stories tall, Mizutani Tane's mansion stood out among the spires of the market district, a walled garden blocking off the riffraff from the manse itself. As they approached from a side street, Izayoi scowled up towards it.

[color=#736AFF][b]"For years, I had put serious thought into simply walking through the front door and putting everyone within to the sword. But that was back when I was unassailable. We will need more forethought than that."[/b][/color] Her gaze turned towards Galahad and Esben, being the two other main tacticians of the group thus far.

[color=#736AFF][b]"As I am aware, there are multiple points of entry once we clear the walls. Either we scale the exterior, or infiltrate through a side entrance. That, or we do as my younger self would have and charge through the front, as foolhardy an idea as that is."[/b][/color]