[IC] When the Flames Die

[DrowsyPangolin]

Lily was a bit surprised when the thin man took a seat by her. She looked him over for a moment before taking a long drought from her flagon. Fifth drink. She smirked. "Heh, Maybe. I'm not really familiar with the local brews, though. Any suggestions?" She took another drink from the flagon, emptying it. Her blue eyes glanced back to the newcomer. She noticed him taking a look towards the table. Maybe he was just curious. Lily smiled. "Oh, Lily, by the way." She extended her hand towards the man. "And you?" Her voice remained calm and cheerful, and a grin crossed her face.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth assumed he'd be taking the cot for the night, which he didn't particularly mind as long as it wasn't uncomfortable. Sophia's offer made him perk up, and he dismissed Sophia's invitation to drink as he took his place next to her at the table. "Mm... Not tonight..." Harker, with wandering eyes, caught the man looking at them from a distance at the bar, but he quickly turned his gaze away as if that would make the man forget Gareth spotted him. "I'm tired." The half-elf complained, and he rested his head on the table, where he swore he could almost fall asleep if the wood wasn't so hard and scratchy.

[Sightles]

Sir Jason smiled as the faired hair girl responded to him, "I suggest the Arbor ale, it's actually quite great. It's a doozy, though." Jason replied, as he pointed out the Arbor ale, "I'm Amos Loche, nice to meet you." Jason put on a bright smile, as he took the girl's hand and shook it, "I frequent the Crossroads Inn a lot, and I haven't seen you around. Are you new to the glorious capital that is Mullen?" Jason ended his last sentence with a bit of a scoff, smiling charmingly as he did so. His appearance was off putting, considering the amount of charisma he spoke with, "I could show you around the town if you wished, if you're a tourist." Jason knew Mullen like the back of his hand, and could navigate it even if he was blindfolded. The small amount of time he had spent on Mullen was not wasted on trivial and trifle things.

[DrowsyPangolin]

"A pleasure to meet you, Amos. I'll try that out, no worries on the strength." She winked at the man and hailed the bartender, requesting a mug of Arbor ale. As her cup was filled, she turned back to Amos. "I've only been here a few days, actually. I'm actually a merchant. I sell silver, but it seems people here in Mullen aren't too fond of my wares." She faked a pout, taking a sip of the Arbor ale. "This really is quite good, thanks for the recommendation." She thought over how to continue. The man's charisma was a bit overbearing. "I actually haven't seen much of the city though. I'm sure there's quite a bit to see." She smiled, taking another sip of the drink.

Sophia glanced towards Gareth, taking a long drink. She was tired too, that was why she was drinking. Maybe if she could get drunk enough she'd actually get some sleep. She reached out, patting Gareth on the back. "I'm sorry Gareth, hopefully the room will be ready soon." She looked over towards Eva, who kept glancing towards the woman at the bar. She had never seen the blonde woman in her life, and was curious as to why Eva was so interested. She looked around the room, noticing a blonde woman in a black robe sitting across the room. She seemed to be wearing some kind of eyewrap.

[BingTheWing]

The Guildmaster's hard-boiled leather breastplate had saved him from an almost certain grisly demise, but one stray bolt had slipped through his shoulder guard and into his limb. He let out a savage howl of pain. Immediately, a cloak holding a satchel smelling of herbs and strange concoctions ran over to his side, but the Guildmaster forcibly pushed him away. "I AM NOT TO BE CODDLED!" bellowed he in an almost savage fashion, as he quickly pulled out the bolt from his shoulder. "Put that fire out!" Two more cloaks grabbed a bucket each as they quickly ended the flame. Suddenly, the Guildmaster saw four cloaks with crossbows attempt to pursue the girl, but he raised a hasty hand. "Don't catch her. Just... observe her." He turned to Adrian, who was already on his feet. "As punishment for your misdeeds, you will -DISCREETLY- monitor the girl's actions for a full twelve hours. Six hour rest. Then again. Repeat until the next moon. Take some of these buffoons with you."
Adrian subtly nodded and led several cloaks out of the warehouse, into the dark night.

[ravenDivinity]

"It's fine." groaned the squire, resting his chin on the table and looking around the room once more. It seemed the man watching them was now engaged in conversation with a girl at the bar, and so Gareth comforted himself that the faces that might have been looking at them were directing their attention elsewhere. He was not content with their situation. The trio was caught up in the darkest affairs of Mullen, and here they were in the inn in public where they earned themselves curious looks. If anyone spotted them belonging to the group after Sophia, they'd be screwed.

[Epsir]

Alastair returned from the back halls of the Crossroads to join the other bartenders, still smiling, "Oi, your room is just about ready, the double needs to be cleaned out before the bed comes in! Thank you for your patience," she called out to the recently arrived trio, unsure of whether or not they heard her. They stuck out like a sore thumb, but that wasn't necessarily an oddity here, they gathered vagrants and wayfarers by the dozen and that was part of what had brought the obsessive story collector Menhem to the job. The fact that a relative owned the place had simply made it easier for her to find a way in. There were a couple of interesting customers in the bar that night, between the blind black-clad and the two confrontational ones she'd watched during the fight. That woman had left her cloak here and the other had yet to return. There was a lot of eavesdropping to do if she couldn't work up the will to actually go and talk to them as she sometimes did. That was if the night didn't ramp up yet again. The procedure following a bar fight was quite alien to Alastair, but she assumed the guard would be down at some point if their concern hadn't ended with the bodies being hauled away.

---

Her head was spinning, that moment of clarity cost her more than she could appreciate. The investigator had not expected the cloaks to fire upon someone she supposed was their leader. Perhaps he wasn't, either way, she'd had to disappear in a hail of bolts rather than exiting quietly in the wake of their surprise. As used to sprinting through pain as she was, the scout ran as far as she could, before she'd cleared enough to know she needed to duck into an alley for just a moment. Maria collapsed into a heap against the side of some house, trembling in the slow recession of her adrenaline. Nausea welled within her, her organs felt as though they were caught and grinding. Shaking and chattering her teeth, she quickly did away with the remaining bindings around her left wrist. It was then she noticed the trail of red seeping down amongst the wine already on her shirt. Her hand crept up her arm, feeling. A barb of pain turned in her left arm, and all at once the veil of her rush lifted and a fire burned beneath her skin. A long, shallow line had been cut down her forearm, she'd been grazed at some point. Kicking her legs out wildly and forcing herself up the wall, the girl began giggling to herself at the sight of blood staining her sleeve. She... needed her cloak back, more than anything at that point, and set out down the alleyway to find another street and start making her way back to the Crossroads. In intervals she had to stop and fight the urge to heave. With any luck, Lily was still there waiting for her. Her giggling continued. Luck, me, tonight?

[DrowsyPangolin]

Sophia smiled, waving at the bartender. "Thank you miss." Good, they'd have a room soon and she could hopefully get so me rest. She looked towards Gareth. She felt bad for the boy. He'd risked life and limb for her, and it was clear he was exhausted. She felt sorry that she had no way to repay him. "Gareth, are you sure you don't want some food? Anything at all?" The Princess took another sip of wine. She looked up. Eva kept glancing across the room to the bar. "Eva, what are you looking at?" The Tauran woman glanced towards her for a moment. "Oh... um, nothing, Princess." Sophia looked at her with a complete lack of belief. Something was going on, and she was uncomfortable not knowing what it was.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth shook his head. "Yes, I'm sure." He sighed heavily, and he looked around the room inactively. If nothing else, their lodgings were just about ready, with some minor preparations needed beyond but basically complete. Within good time, Harker could be laying in a cot and getting somewhat decent rest. He shivered, though, the image of the Taggerung scarring his mind, and he couldn't shake it from his head. Not yet, at least, not when he'd seen the aftermaths of its murders. He tapped his foot under the table, which might've made him seem impatient despite its merely being a tactic to keep him awake. 'Come on, come on...'

[Epsir]

A man appeared from the rear of the tavern, bearing a small wooden plate in one hand. It took a quick question at the bar to determine who exactly the plate was going to, but in short order he found himself approaching the table occupied by the trio of new guests. The black haired young man quietly set the plate down at their table, showing the ordinary looking key on its surface. The iron key was engraved with a simple '2 0 1' on its side, and he was quick to explain its significance in a delicate voice. "Your room is the first on the left of the second floor. It's been made ready for your stay and it's yours until tomorrow evening. Please sleep well," he suggested, unawares of what exactly the party had been through, before he made his exit back to the rear of the tavern. Apparently, not one of the barkeeps. The Crossroads had finally begun to slow down for the night, or rather the morning, and slowly, a pod of one or two here and there, people were filtering away. They did not close in night, miming their restless traveler clientele, but the people of Mullen and what few regulars they had did eventually get tired.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Sophia noticed Gareth's apparent restlessness, but was distracted from it by the appearance of a man from the back of the inn. He gave them their key, and informed them of the location of their room. Finally, some rest could be had. The Princess emptied her glass in a single motion and hopped down from the barstool, bringing the wine bottle and Jezin's helmet with her. She thanked the man as he went back to his job, and made her way towards the stairs. Every step was a labor, and she was beginning to realize just how exhausted her body was. After what seemed like miles, they finally reached the door. She unlocked the door, and it opened with a creak. The room was pleasant, and two beds lay within. A smaller cot lay across the room. Though it wasn't as large as the other two, it still looked quite comfortable. Sophia glanced around for a moment before taking a step forward. She turned back and looked towards Gareth. "I'll take the cot, I'm the smallest anyway." She made her way across the room, sitting down on the small bed, placing the bottle and the helmet on a nearby table. She removed her shoes, necklace, and circlet, and placed the latter two items on the table as well. Finally, she reached to her side, removing the flute from it's pouch. She half expected the instrument to be smashed beyond repair, but was surprised to see it still apparently in working order. A faint smile crossed her face as she placed it beside her other belongings.

Eva followed the group to the room, and was the last inside. As soon as they entered, Sophia began preparing herself for bed. The Tauran sighed. There was still one more matter to attend to before she could sleep. She looked between the squire and the princess. "I'm sorry if I seemed suspicious earlier... It's just... that woman, the blonde one at the bar... she's... one of the people I mentioned earlier." Lily Tosli, the Mockingbird. She'd met the woman once or twice, and though she wasn't particularly fond of her, she didn't doubt her skills. "You two get some rest, I need to go see what's going on with them. We should be safe here, so sleep, it's been a long night." Eva took the key to the room and turned. "I should be back shortly. I'll try to be as quiet as I can." With that, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth placed his bow and quiver down on the table next to Sophia's things, and he unhooked the sword from his belt, the sword also on the table now. Harker sat down on the other bed slowly, and however tired he was, he didn't feel like he could sleep just yet. An oil lamp kept the room lit in the corner, and he rose to blow it out, but after that he lied on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Thoughts plagued his head, and he rubbed his eyes, him stifling a deep and loud yawn. Even upstairs he could still hear some of the muffled activity downstairs.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Sophia fell back against the cot. Lying down felt good after everything that they'd been through that day, but terror still lurked in the back of her mind. That night had changed everything. She hadn't been used to things like this. She'd grown up the privileged princess of Lyok. She'd never wanted for anything. That's not to say she didn't know any suffering. When she lost her brother, it had hurt considerably, even if she was too young to fully understand it. When she saw the poor mulling about in the streets, downtrodden, it made her sad, but now she had experienced true terror. Now she had felt loss, and if not for the actions of a few dear friends, she'd likely be dead or worse. Sleep didn't seem to come easily, so she rolled about for several minutes in the silent darkness of the room. She couldn't find rest, even now. The princess had no way of knowing if Gareth was still awake, but she decided to find out. After a few seconds, her light voice drifted across the room, scarcely more than a whisper. "Gareth... are you awake?" She rolled over again, turning towards where she thought the boy might be in the dark. "I... I can't sleep."

[ravenDivinity]

"Yes." Gareth rolled onto his side, and his dull blue eyes seemed to pierce the darkness as the two who'd finally experienced loss stared at each other. "Neither can I." In the pitch black of the room, he knew Sophia couldn't see it, but he had a few tears running down his face. On any other night, he would've been at his old home, and he wouldn't have experienced the past few days if he hadn't visited the castle on the eve of the coronation. Harker did not deserve entanglement in the affairs of the kingdom, but he was submissive to the point where he allowed himself to make a vow to see the coronation. 'How tragic that turned out,' he thought. 'I'm so stupid.' If he didn't join the Order as a squire, if he didn't deliver Redwyne's package, if he didn't promise to Thomas that he'd come to the tournament and to the feast. He blamed himself for engrossing himself in things he had no business in. Even in all of his suffering, he continued to neglect to mention how much he despaired.

[DrowsyPangolin]

At least she wasn't alone. It seemed Gareth was awake as well, unsurprisingly. Who could sleep after what they'd been through? Still, they had made it through the night, despite all odds. Sophia wondered what was on the boy's mind, if he felt the same worry and fear that she did. She remained silent for a while, trying to think of something to say. Eventually, words came to her. "Gareth... I'm... I'm really thankful you were there tonight. If you hadn't been... I shudder to think what may have happened..." She sat up in bed, shaking her head. "I know it's selfish to say something like that. I'm sorry you've had to risk your life for my sake, I really am. I never meant to put anyone in danger... but still, as selfish as it is, I'm glad you were there, Gareth." Her voice was a bit shaky, as if she were trying to hold back tears. She was flooded with emotions. On one hand, she was overwhelmed with sorrow and guilt. Jezin, Alia, and Jorun had all died for her sake. On the other, she was thankful to be alive. Of course, neither of these feelings could match the fear, the dread in her heart that they weren't safe, that the same monster they'd seen before would appear to take her at any moment.

[ravenDivinity]

"It's alright..." Gareth paused for a heavy amount of time, the silence paining him and likely Sophia as well. It took a while for him to fill that void of sounds with his melancholy voice. "I'd rather walk with someone in the dark than walk alone in the light." His words highlighted many of his actions over the past few days, over the years he lived. He stayed by Sophia to guard her, and he comforted her during the greatest of losses in the face of their unfamiliarity. "And... you're a friend. I can't lose you. Not now." Harker didn't plan on letting go of another life after the things he'd seen. He rolled onto his stomach.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Sophia listened to Gareth as she sat in the dark. Somehow, the words comforted her. Even if everything was going to hell, at least she had a friend. She felt a tear fall down her cheek. She wiped it away, silently cursing how many tears had fallen that night. She looked across the darkness to where she thought Gareth was. "You're my friend too, Gareth... and... and I don't want to lose you to all of this either." She felt more tears falling down her cheeks. There was no point in even trying to stop them now. She took a deep breath, trying her best to steady her voice. "We'll make it through this, Gareth. I promise that much. The two of us will make it through this mess." She was trying desperately to believe in her own words, to escape from the hopelessness that felt like it was closing in on them from every direction.

Eva made her way out of the room, and was walking down the hallway, about to descend the stairs back to the bar room, when she heard a gruff voice from behind her. "Stonewater, would you mind explaining exactly what's going on here?" She recognized the voice immediately as Haeryn Blacksand, a senior member of the Faceless Legion. She turned slowly to see a figure standing before her. The man was tall, but most of his body was hidden behind a cloak of ink black. His face was covered by a mask of steel. "Haeryn... so, you're here too, I was wondering exactly who they sent." The figure took a step forward. Eva spoke again. "I saw Tosli at the bar, is Celeste here is well?" The man's head turned slightly to the side. "Yes she's here, did you not see her down below? Because she certainly saw you. She's the one who told me to find you." Eva froze. She had missed the woman entirely. The cloaked man spoke again. "I ask again, why are you here, and why did you bring the Princess?" Eva looked to the floor. "We were attacked. Tremora is dead. Two servants are dead, and the Princess is in grave danger. I need your help."

[BingTheWing]

"What are they doing now?"
Rat's whispered words seemed to ricochet from every brick in the grimy alleyway just beside the Crossroads Inn. Another cloak had an ear up to the window, dressed in full black mask and hood. His crossbow was slung over his back.
"They're moving upstairs into Room 201, sir." The cloak effortlessly and silently bounded up to the respected window. He was soon holding onto a ledge with one hand, careful to maintain his head just outside the window's edge.
"Keep quiet. These are the only eyewitnesses of the Taggerung we've picked up, and we can't afford to lose another one. There's also a member of this Faceless Legion balderdash that's there. Is he?"
"I think so. I hear him." The cloak pressed his head against the wall slightly tighter. "They're just talking about some emotional claptrap, sir. Is this really necessary?"
"Keep your bloody mouth shut and observe. After a few hours they usually loosen up the important information."
"Where's Adrian, by the way?"
"Oh, I forgot. You weren't there. Apparently he was followed by a.. girl to Fourteen who we soon learnt was part of those Arcarti Scout dung. Girl escaped and now he has to do recon work until next week."
The cloak smirked. Adrian had always been a bit of a buffoon. He chuckled silently to himself for a moment, then resumed his surveillance.

[ravenDivinity]

Gareth fell silent after Sophia's words. They promised that Gareth and Sophia would make it out alive, but something picked at Gareth's optimism and caused him to question the odds of their survival. He felt doomed to die because the tragedy obscured all of his hope, and it became difficult to see the light. To think he used to stress over finding himself a man to love. The issues that faced them now were graver than relationships, more perilous than the lives they led before. Others searched for glory, for treasures, but Gareth and his companions sought a way out, liberation from their trials, a heaven on the other side. Then he stressed over his own survival. If he didn't live, he'd never rise to better occupations or find out what love would even be like. Harker wondered what the morning would bring.

[DrowsyPangolin]

Sophia's hand reached out in the dark, finding the edge of the table on which she had placed her belongings. She felt around for a moment, eventually finding the wine bottle. She uncorked it and took a long drink, straight from the bottle. It wasn't an action befitting of a princess, but at this point she didn't care. She took one more drink before recorking the bottle and placing it clumsily back onto the table. She laid back onto the bed, her eyes piercing through to the ceiling. She could feel the wine taking effect, but still she couldn't sleep. "I used to think things like this only happened in stories. But... that thing we saw... Gareth, I've never been that scared before." Her voice was scarcely more than a whisper, but every bit of fear in her mind was conveyed through it. Taggerung. That name, that face, that thing would haunt her for the rest of her life.

The cloaked figure shook his head. "What attacked you?" Eva's eyes fell to the floor. "They call it Taggerung, or Cain. It's... not human, strictly speaking." The masked man stared at her for a moment. "Eva, you know we can't interfere publicly, for us to just march into the palace... it'd be an act of war, they'd hang us all as spies." Eva's fist clenched at her side. "Then come up with something, find a way to justify you all being here. Don't act like that's not possible. You and I both know that Tosli could forge a royal decree with ease." Haeryn took another step forward. "Do you have any clue what the Empress would do if she knew her word had been forged?" Eva glared up at the man. "Not nearly as much as she'd do if her own flesh and blood perished due to your refusal to act." For a moment, the two stood in silence, their eyes locked. "I'll report back to Celeste, and she'll decide what needs to be done, but acting rashly in such a situation is dangerous." Eva looked to the floor. "Oh, and one more thing... who is the boy with you, and how much does he know?" Eva looked up, wide eyed. "His name is Gareth Harker. He knows very little about exactly what's going on, and he risked his life to save the Princess. There's no need to do anything about him." The masked man's eyes flashed beneath his mask. "Very well then, goodbye Stonewater, until we meet again." The man walked down the hallway, fading into the dark.