Clive's words slammed into him like a hammer, fucking perceptive people who returned twice from the dead man, it took everything from him to not flinch immediately, what should he do, deflect, defend, or fold? It wasn't that he was against sharing his circumstances, he just needed time to figure how to do it.
"Well, whatever it is just take care of yourself ya hear? Don't want you losing your head like that Zigmund did."
...
He felt his shoulders sag, tension bleeding away "Sorry for worrying you, the whole sharing memories is just... strange, I am coping with it for now, and with the consequences" He offered the man a grin "Thanks for not pushing"
After a couple moments Barracker joined him, posture rigid as if a tensed coil, waiting for the right moment to spring.
“Sir James, I have pledged my loyalty to you. I have vowed to follow your orders in all things.” Barracker placed a firm hand on James’ forearm and looked him dead in the eye. “Everything I hold dear is in within those walls. We must… must get inside the city.”
He looked at the other man.
As a native to Mythera there was doubt he knew the way the Witch Queen conducted war so the way he reacted knowing the town he called home was about to be attacked was normal, now how to reassure him?
He was a fighter and an active person, so the best way to calm him down was to- "We will get inside, we just need to be smart about it, I can promise you we won't just abandon the people there" He gave the man a grin, reassure him and reinforces the bond "After all, that's where the people our dear friend Kassel wants to protect live, just let us see what the situation is first if we can act without being discovered all the better" -give him a plan, something to latch on and a way to act.
So he was correct then, he had held on the small spark of ope that the situation had been resolved long before they arrived but luck wasn't on their side apparently. As far as he could see there was a standart set of tactics at play from the part of the Army, he didn't know every single part on the sieges, his talents made him more useful as an assassin and scout but he had some experience, the barrier covering the city was a good starting move but General Saladin nothing if not a patient and clever man, depending on how many Cogheads he had they could be in trouble, that he had decided to bring the Lizard Cavalry was an ingenious move from the old bastard as they would benefit a great deal from the terrain.
As expected from the The Marquis.
He grimaced at the words of his party "Good move but less effective than you might think, see those watchtowers? Remember how Zigmund could do weird shit? Its because the forces of the army are not all human so as a rule they tend to keep someone with dark vision as a sentry, wouldn't surprise me if we found vampire fledgings as watchers" He turned towards Clive "If you are sure you can make it then I will take your word for it, I will just ask you to tell them to send a message to Fornost, doubt they can do anything to help us but they may be hit next" A thought etered his mind and after a moment of hestiation he vocalized it "And, if you have the opportunity you should try to find mercenaries, the land is ripe with war so you may be able to stumble on a company, here, is not much but it may be useful to you" He handed the other man his money pouch.
Giving the man a nod he turned to the next group Fenna and Adam were talking about using Sil as a messanger, the inheret risk with that was wither group could mistake her as part of the enemy camp and shoot at her, he jnew she was extremly agile in the air but better not take any chances, opening his bag he pulled a white rag, he had bought them as emergency bandages but now case it was their time to shine, he extended them towards Fenna "Here, is custom for messanger birds during war time to have a white flag tied to their leg, should keep her safe from the army until they realize she is with us"
It would tip of the old bastard that something was afoot but that was an acceptable consequence of remaining unknown.
Speaking off.
"I agree that we should try to get in but trying to do so in the open is a recipe to disaster, while we may be able to do so the risk is too great" He looked at their faces, knowing each of them would gladly accept more pain in exchange for reaching theri goal, pain he wanted to spare them "Luckily it is not needed, the shield blessing that I use is designed for deep ocean exploration, as a result it grants underwater breathing as long as it is active, it had not been relevant to any of our fights so far but it may be the key to reaching the city withouth engaging with the enemy, we reach the river withouth being detected it should be a simple matter sneaking in, we just need to inform the guild leader so we don't spook anyone when we burst from the canal next to the guild" A tough crossed his mind "Everyone here knows how to swim right?"