Mas Bagus

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

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When the baron started eating, so too Jazdia started scooping her oatmeal. Not because of suspicion, but genuinely due to respecting the host himself. It was not proper table manners for a guest to eat before the host started digging.

As for the concern regarding poisoned food, she would know it on the first bite, and so far nothing seemed out of ordinary, being an elf and food connoisseur herself, she had great confidence in detecting and avoiding that kind of old-fashioned assassination.

The Rosenving daughter was eating as well, probably having a similar mindset. Jazdia herself was already on her third scoop and washed it down with some milk.

"Nice place." Said Jazdia, glancing at the corners, and dusty furniture, and ceiling before turning to the host. "Very vintage yet a rare style nowadays... I always have things for unique decorations, you see. I own a restaurant and our patrons like it when we change the decor that matches the season. And you have a great cook too."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Jazdia formally smiled back at him, before shifting at Matilda with nudging glance. "I am sure madam guard captain would appreciate that. Though, our initial intention was to request a service from your physician so our Captain will be treated with more than just first aid."

The Baron gasped. "By the Gods, how did the good dame received such injuries? I'll have the village doctor summoned at once, worry not. There's a room available-"

"That will not be necessary." the orc paladin said bluntly. "We do what we came here for."

"Ah, come on capt', there is no harm in it." Jazdia turned to the Baron again, who now smiling nervously. His reaction to Matilda's injury was pathetic to the point she wondered if the old coot knew how obvious it was. The elf however wanted to prolong this tango and subtly dismissed Matilda's objection.

"Appreciate it, Baron... I am sure our captain can enjoy some breakfast while she waits for your personal doctor."

Steadily, in a way that involves hidden carefulness yet masked with deliberate politeness, Jazdia walked inside the room, followed by the others. Some creaking could be heard when the half-bear druid walked past her toward his own seat. The faint glow in her eyes activated, and in the effort to search for a trapdoor or other nefarious contraptions, she found a very ordinary cellar, below it was an empty dungeon.

"Well, good luck finding a chair for you, Mr. Cedar." she quipped before their host could notice her intense stare toward his basement.

The Baron entertained them at a long table in the middle of the room where he sat at the right end. As he clapped his hand, several servants came from the door at the north side of the room, bringing trays of food and drinks. A very deadpan yet courteous servant handed Jazdia a pipping-hot oatmeal porridge with blueberry and apple topping, while the others were to help themselves with various loaves of bread, soup, and meats. Pretty wholesome indeed.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

When the servant returned to the tower to inform his master, Jazdia let out a heavy sigh. Yeah, she knew how she looked like, entering their domain like nobody's business, inordinately flinging Fred's seal to gain entry, all while being a complete nobody in this realm's geopolitical chart.

And likewise, except for the bare-bones information about his terrible financial acumen, she knew nothing about this Baron. Kindeance had been a conflict-free country for a century, and in such a peaceful state, the profiles of its dignitaries were often overlooked save for those at the top. That was one of the reasons why Jazdia thought it would be a great idea to invest in their hospitality business. Now such Tacid assessment had been turned upside down, naturally. Who would be willing to spend their time in a hotel located in a country where its King was assassinated on his doorstep and its prince kidnapped?

Maintaining her bearing, it would be best to just get on with the flow. But before they meet this Baron, Jazdia activated her eyes and scanned her surroundings. Should have done this the moment they walked into this place, but that would betray the neutral, yet still hospitable reception.

The tower was still covered with a magical curtain, but the gap was more apparent here compared to when she viewed it from the faraway treelines. She will deal with it later, after she was done with nearby houses, unknown alleys, and the high rampart behind her.

What did she see?

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The elf frowned, the struggle to understand the Druid's words was so real she wondered how they could manage to communicate so far.

"Put your clothes back on," she answered, as a matter of fact.

"You made a fair point. But this is how the entire operation will be played out anyway. If I have more freedom to choose, we should return, bring reinforcement and dabble in a blatant show of force so the Baron has no choice but to kneel before the might of Kindeance army." Jazdia shrugged and intentionally made eye contact with Matilda.

"But we don't have that luxury, and the King, Fred demanded to have his boy rescued in four days no thanks to our Golem Friend.

We will get inside, come hell or high water. Traitorous as they might be, I don't think they will be stupid enough to throw us in a hole from the get-go. That's where I am putting my bets on; if they harm Matilda, Fred will come for them, and with the bridge destroyed, I doubt they would be able to make a tactical retreat anytime sooner. Which will leave them with the option to remain in their castle and endure a total siege. This is not a foolproof plan, indeed. The enemy might know some of us, or not at all. It is a gamble, but one that still has room to compensate should we lose the bet. The enemy is not as resourceful as their impressive magical barrier suggests. If they do, they should have sent their cavalry to hunt us down the moment Matilda triggered the trap."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Jazdia listened, and at the same time observed the castle with her eyes. There were no sizable forces being prepared or mobilized. She had suspected that there was a connection between Pesti and Fanghorn, and had prepared several countermeasures to deal with their reactions, but now everything played as if it was not the case. Apparently, the enemy was blind, even more so than herself.

Her attention shifted to a certain bear who climbed onto the cart and began some healing spells. Some reprimand or two ought to be in order, but to think that the bear was here and not somewhere else in the forest doing God knows what, maybe she didn't need to freak out

"Wha' hit ya? Ain't ne'er smelled da likes. Mebbe summat I should look ou' fer?"

"The usual saltpeter and black powder." the elf chimed in. "Enchanted with condensed mana and runes for remote detonation."
Jazdia knew she might overlook a few elements, but knowing that Matilda was there and glared at her like an angry warrior with a wounded pride, she stopped right there and gave her a playful wink instead.

"I have received a report from our hunter. Is there anything interesting in the scenic route you took, Mister Bear?"

The bear hummed. "Nothin' un'us'al. Jus' trees 'n grass. Pesti road an' the bridge south shoul' be all over-growed li'e at' 'ere patch near da gate buh naow."

It took several moments for Jazdia to fully comprehend what she heard, and she was damned sure she heard it right. The forthcoming interrogative uttered instinctively. "You what?!"

""I's assumes 'as whatcha wan'ed, seein' as ya wan'ed da roads all closed like. Aint nobuddy gittin in er ou'.
Wunner why the sides aint all o'ergrowed.. 'hem fellas in da castle spotted li'll seedlins in da dark er what?"

"It was not what I--"

The bear looked at her indifferently.

Yeah yeah, druids were a such piece of work, but to think he took a literal meaning of her order, it was... confounding indeed.

"So you are saying we have some more of those vicious vines growing on the road somewhere between Pesti and this place?" she touched her forehead, but immediately regained her composure. "You know what? I will see this as a blessing in disguise. There will be nothing coming behind us when we deal with this damned castle."

"So, if I'm getting this right, we'd just stroll in there? And then what?"

At the Rosenving daughter, Jazdia nodded. "We will improvise, but the objective is to reach the tower. I have considered all the options we have. I saw a single passage leading to the inner complex, but relying on a single rat-way, without knowing what awaits us at the end of the route is ill-advised. Our other option is to go loud and assault the compound. This too is a risky, stupid move and prone to causing collateral damage." she paused, feeling a tingle as she glanced at the destroyed bridge.

"We will approach the castle peacefully. As King's Agent normally would. Our dear Captain here is our perfect excuse to infiltrate the place, invoking the law of hospitality in the process. We are King's People, tasked to retrieve the Prince per His Majesty's order, we were attacked on our way to the Western Province, but unable to return to the Capital due to a very unusual overgrown blocking our way back. We are there to seek shelter while we wait for help from the Capital."

Jazdia exchanged glances at everyone present. Some of them would require a stronger alibi, but she was confident. With Matilda with them and her sealed document, they will manage.

"Once we get in there, it will be easier for us to plan ahead and improvise if the enemy somehow discovered our true intention. We will meet the opposition at our optimal number, undivided. Any more questions?

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"Then go!"

The lack of tonality in her statement should reflect the direness of the situation, but somehow Jazdia didn't view it as such, but rather, Matilda sounded more like a pouting child who felt being left out alone while the other siblings partaking in some wonderous activity.

The elf walked closer. The value of Matilda's life was not her immediate priority, nor something she intended to address, but if it can go both ways, why not?

"Bring him back safely, I'm counting on you." The orc tilted her head with great difficulty, meeting Jazdia eye to eye. "And if the opportunity present itself, do pay the dead back in kind would you?"

"You are giving your trust to a snake," Jazdia said, it was a solemn whisper, yet sounded like a threatening hiss. "And you will witness the meaning of my words sooner than you could have imagined. And You will not be able to resist."

She let the others speak about the matter first. Kaito suggested securing a cart to bring Matilda back to the castle while the others take a breather. Solomon agreed with his plan and expressed his concern for Matilda's well-being.

For a moment, the doctor paused. The shadow he planted on Matilda revealed itself, apparently bearing information about opposition in Pesti that had organized some unfruitful search on their tails. Just like what Jazdia had predicted.

“Dawn breaks--"

The ancient spirit spoke again. Good news, really, though Jazdia had a hard time imagining what had become the gates and walls of Fanghorn right now. She now feared that their biggest obstacle would not be about how to deal with the enemies inside, but rather how to get in instead. If those in Fanghorn fortified themself and the place became impenetrable, that would render this operation into a deadlock.

"You will see the payback yourself." she said to Matilda, then to everyone else, she announced resolutely. "We will bring Matilda to Fanghorn, and see if they are despicable enough to violate the sacred hospitality."

Jazdia glanced at Matilda again and smiled. "See? I told you."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Jazdia was a bit upset with the closing. According to their account, she deduced that the mercenaries were also oblivious to what they had gotten themselves into. That also means the group was hired at a rock-bottom price, and very incompetent they basically let their employer double-cross them like this. She wondered what Yvonne had to say about it. Though rarely expressed, honor amongst freelancers was still a norm.

Done pondering and returning her attention to Matilda, Jazdia's expression was steeled. To think it could have been her makes the elf shudder.

"Now we only have Fanghorn to look into." she said, fully acknowledging that this time it shouldn't be stated in certitude but she did anyway. "But obviously, we-- I can't overlook the fact that you are not in a condition to fight. We can proceed without you but we can't spare anyone to usher you safely back to Rascade or Hdur if the swift action to rescue the prince is still on the table."

The elf shrugged. She had a plan, obviously, but that will wait for Matilda first. To adapt and be adjusted accordingly. It was never an effective way of deciding things, but due to the duality of the leadership, it was given.

"There, I have said my part. Ultimately, you have to decide it yourself.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

The gloomy night has faded, along with the mist among the trees. Their pace was faster, for the trail had become easier to follow. Yet, to be able to discern the silhouettes of persons on the far end of the road, Jazdia had to activate her eyes, hopefully for the last time this morning.

"Glad you made it out alive!" she greeted as they arrived at their unspecified rendezvous point. The elf spared another moment to give up her assessment after she dismounted from her horse. "And glad you you didn't bring additional company."

Jazdia recognized Chonan and Veronica, and of course, Matilda herself, who seemed a little bit worst for wear. Scanning her purely out of concern ... her prior assessment was definitely an understatement.

Guiding the horses, and by the extent the party off the road, they gathered in a clearing surrounded by enough trees and foliage that at least give them some cover from the passing patrol. Then, Jazdia spoke again.

"We cannot go far with this makeshift sled. But that's the least of my concern. It appears that the enemy's capability to coordinate their countermeasure is not as sophisticated as their magical enchantment." Jazdia yawned, though the sun had arisen, the light it radiates was hardly replenishing. "Still, there are some riddles and decisions we must solve and pick. But first, a full report would be nice. Just keep it simple."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"Unnamed local mercenary," The connection was so bad whatever was said from Yvonne's side was still on hold, so she turned to Kaito instead. "Rings any bell? I believe they were not part of Miss Noble's company. Their leader got injured by the explosion, so the situation is a complete mess over there. A misunderstanding I reckon, and considering nobody was trying to defuse the situation, we should at least expect pitchforks and torches. Classic!"

She waited for a moment. Still no reply from Yvonne yet.

"Say, I am wondering if Matilda brought an important trinket with her, something that indicates her service in the small circle around the king himself. I am sure the investigation would be a lot easier if that was the case."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

"Local mercenaries? Who hired them? And for what purpose?"

Jazdia soon realized that half of her message was lost in transmission, probably colliding and overpowered by Yvonne's incoming message.

"Say, if you're coming here maybe get the cart we hid earlier? Ain't no way to move Mattie on a horse. Ah, would be great if our bear can leg it faster too."

"The bear is not with us. It would take some time to refit the cart with one of our horses. I can do that for you, but if you want to depart quickly, I suggest you look for another transport in that village. Hang tight, we will be there for one hour! It seemed the diplomatic approach is no longer viable from your end. You are free to defend yourself, but keep the body count at a minimum, yeah? Do you still want me to bring the cart or not?"