The foursome made their way back to the basement of the Sly Widow from two different directions seeing the town of Arnach in chaos, with escaped prisons and a few stray undead...and now the Donjon in flames. Before leaving Edu, Xan and Calidis at the forest edge with Ungoledain, the Tasakh informed them she would contact them when the moment was right. This left everyone somewhat uneasy.
Almost as soon as they arrived, Dee fell asleep and remained that way for quite some time. She was clearly exhausted and still recovering from the toxin of the spiders. The others soon followed her and slept for nearly a full day, trying to recover from their ordeals. None of them slept well but Elsa was racked with nightmares.
On the second day, Big Boss peered at Dee as she slept. "Bullroarer's Balls, the Shadowslip looks like a pie someone sat on. What did they DO to her?'
Sitting at the bar after sitting beside her mother for hours just watching her, Eduwiges took the occasional sip of grog and looked at Big Boss. She cracked her knuckles, 'Do not touch her, hobbit or you may grow shorter before the day is through...'
Calidis also shot a look toward the boss, from where she sat tending the woman. "Whatever they did to her, you can be certain that she will not be helped by your tongue."
The hobbit raised both eyebrows, which considered the skull tattoo that covered his face looked almost comical. "Welllll...aren’t we all protective...what DID happen down there?'
Eduwiges looked at her shoulder where her new spider friend was resting. It bristled at the hostility in her voice and trembled, wanting to go after the hobbit.
Calidis sighed, refusing to look at Edu’s shoulder, 'A great many spiders happened down there.'
Eduwiges glared at the crime boss, 'And before you say anything stupid, THAT woman,' she gestured at Dee, 'Is my mother.'
Big Boss just stared at Edu. "Here, pull the middle one, it does tricks. She is yer WHAT?'
Eduwiges frowned, 'My mother you buffoon' She grabbed his finger and bent it back, holding him in place, hurting him. 'Got anything else smart to say?'
Big Boss did not seem to mind the pain, and waved the several large thugs who had risen to their feet away as he took his hand back. "Oooohhhh the big folk are grumpy today. What ya want me to do, run around and complain that yer gonna blunt my knives and crack my plates, ya cloudheaded freaks?'
Ellsabeth entered the basement from one of the side rooms, remaining rather quiet as she went straight to the bar taking a bottle of whiskey and started to generously help herself to the contents of the bottle.
Xanderian rested a hand on Elsa's shoulder gently as Calidis sighed and held Dee close so that she might stay warm in her vulnerable condition. "The whole city up above is in chaos."
The halfling nodded happily. "I know, it is FANTASTIC...I owe ya all one for that. It's like a smorgasbord of scum!'
Ellsabeth leaned against the bar, bottle in hand as she turned to face her friends and listened to the exchange as she consumed more of the whiskey. She smiled weakly at Xanderian.
Eduwiges drank her grog and looked at Elsa, 'You ok over there?'
Calidis glanced over to Elsa with concern, noting how drawn and disturbed she looked. This was the first they had seen her since they had all returned. "... I assume the plans above ground did not go so well."
Ellsabeth was rather quiet for a moment then nodded grimly. "Peachy. Not everyday you get to burn down a prison."
Xan smiled and stroked Elsa’s hair. 'Yet you live and your goal was accomplished…that is a success, however it was managed.'
Calidis inclines her head a bit, still looking at Elsa. She did not believe for one second that Elsa was alright but chooses to remain silent on the matter for now. She had confidence that Xan would see the girl was tended. She glanced at the sleeping Dee. '... I do wish we had more of Addiela's salve. Perhaps that would help.'
Xanderian shook her head softly, remembering the LAST time Calidis had administered that salve to Edu, the cure having been worse than the woman’s injuries. 'Perhaps it is for the best that we do not…'
Ellsabeth held up the whiskey bottle shaking it a little. "They got good salve in these bottles."
The hulking Reg slipped into the room, looking nervous. "Umm..Big Boss...the Queen Pigeon is upstairs. She is alone, or looks alone. I don’t figure she is EVER really alone but whatever... she says I had ta bring ya a message, word fer word.'
Eduwiges lifted her head up, 'The queen pigeon?'
The halfling sighed. "Not a surprise..ok....what did she say?'
Reg cleared his throat and put on a high, feminine voice. "Tell that malignant, skullfaced pixie I want to talk to the Monk of Osgiliath and her comrades or this place will be so full of Doves that you will still be cleaning birdcrap out of the beer glasses next year…and get no business done in that time at all.'
Eduwiges remembered the Doves from her conversation with Ordan. It was the street name for the Pale Kestrels, the Minas Tirith company that basically acted as Gondor’s police force. She puts her grog down, stood up and pulled out Badu Druit and set it on the bar. She watched the door as if an army of Doves was about to charge to capture Dee and resumed drinking.
The hobbit sighed again. "OK, go up and see what she wants. She won’t come down here, at least not without an army.'
Edu frowned. “Who will watch over Dee?”
Ellsabeth shrugged, 'They are too busy putting out the fires to worry about much else right now. Noone will bother her down here.'
Eduwiges shook her head firmly, 'I just found her. I do not want to lose her like I did the others. I was helpless to save them, but her, I will give my last breath for.'
Calidis smiled soothingly at her friend, 'If you like, I can carry her again. She will be safe with us.'
Eduwiges nodded, 'Well mayhap, let us bring it to them.' she picked up her curved greatsword and trooped up the stairs with Xan and Elsa.
Calidis hoisted the unconscious Dee into her arms and followed after.
As they entered the currently crowded yet strangely silent main room of the inn, a woman was sitting at the bar in grey and scarlet armor, a long grey cloak with feathers draping the shoulders pushed back. She was drinking an ale calmly, apparently either unaware or not caring that everyone else in the bar is looking at her as if they want to hang her, or worse...much worse.'
Xanderian nodded to herself, as if having been expecting this to be Reg’s “Queen Pigeon”.
Calidis raised her brows at the sight of the woman and whispered to Xan, "Is that... Larol's sister? The one who we saw at the memorial in Minas Tirith?"
Xanderian squeezed Cal's hand and nodded, then sat beside the gray clad woman at the bar. "Hail Captain Lianna...I trust you are well?
Eduwiges moved up to the other side of the woman, calling for a grog. She leaned on the bar with her elbow, her other hand free as Elsa stayed a bit back, watching.
Xan glanced down the bar. “My friends...may I introduce Captain Lianna of the Pale Kestrals, House Palaniel.”
The woman turned her head to the group and nodded then raised both eyebrows at what Cal was holding. "By the pier, is that actually her? The Shadowslip? I had half wondered if she might be a myth...why did you bring her up here? Ahhh…not overly trusting of your halfling host? The first born are ever wise…”
Calidis held the unconscious woman closer to herself, protectively, and remained silent.
Lianna smiled to herself. "She looks smaller then I would have imagined.” She looked back to Xan, the smile disappearing. "I am not actually here....you have not seen me, nor I you...I do not even know for certain you were in Arnach. You are just rumors, and the Doves do not chase rumors.'
Eduwiges took the grog and dropped a coin, speaking with scorn. 'So, we are all non-existant? Is that it?'
Lianna nodded. "For the moment...Eduwiges of Faldham.'
Eduwiges choked a bit, 'You know me?'
Lianna nodded again. "I know all of you.” Her gaze hardened as she continued. “36 and 9. 36 and 9 are the number of guards and civilians who died in this little escapade of tours. The Doves have things under control....without a prison to put them back in we had to do quite a few improvisational executions...but quiet is restored, mostly.'
Calidis looked dismayed for a moment but then narrowed her eyes. "And what have you to say of that which resides under the prison? Did you know of it?"
Eduwiges nodded, 'The lid was going to blow off in this place anyway. Blame yourself for what is under there'
The captain sighed softly..."That is part of what we need to discuss. You are not to tell anyone of the Ungoledain or their connection to the Donjon of Arnach. If you keep this all quiet, you were not here...and the Doves have no idea what became of the Shadowslip in the chaos.'
Eduwiges drank her grog and shrugged, 'It is no skin off of me, as long as Deirdre stays safe. That is fine by me.' But she looked at Xan for reassurance.
Xanderian nodded softly. "I see no objection to that...but why?
Calidis glared, 'Indeed, what is there for you to gain out of us keeping quiet?'
“Who cares if anyone learns that Ungoledain were under the Donjon?' Elsa came closer to the conversation, still unsteady from her own trevails.
'The Ungoledain are...” Captain Lianna lowered her voice even more, seeming to bury herself in her feathered cloak. “…a matter of security we do not wish discussed, due to other matters. I am not at liberty to explain more, nor do I know the entire answer but your silence will save you from some considerable charges....and mean that we do not need to execute Daedre the Shadowslip. Officially she is still wanted on more more counts then I could list in an hour…unofficially, Gondor is content that she NOT be imprisoned in Arnach, and that she has what it is we suspect she left with. Do not ask me to be more specific because I cannot.'
Eduwiges shrugged again, 'Still fine by me but one other thing, I want to know how you know me?'
Lianna looked at Eduwiges as if dealing with an unusually curious but somewhat dense child. 'It is our business to know things, especially certain things, and we have been watching you ever since you first entered the orbit of Bark and Bite....umm...the sisters. Near Bree wasn't it in a drafty little cottage, one rain swept night, and then you took part in the assault on the Dourhand soon after?'
Calidis narrowed her eyes at Lianna, suddenly defensive. "Their names are Xandilif and Xandarian….Not Bark and Bite."
Xanderian patted Cal's hand softly, soothing her.
Eduwiges looked at Xan in surprise then back at the Captain, 'What in Bema's name? You Doves have long sight and ears. I am nothing but a woman blessed with a strong blade and good friends, so I would ask you to hold your tongue.' she cracked her knuckles for emphasis.
Lianna smiled, surprisingly openly. "Indeed...just a woman blessed with a strong blade. I am glad that we are clear about all of this. If there were not such...irregularities in Arnach with it's Lord away playing soldier, this would not have been as simple a conversation and prices would have had to be paid.'
Eduwiges calmed but still looked grumbly, 'Well….you stay off our toes, we will stay off of yours, that sounds good. Thank you Lianna.'
The Captain finishes her ale and stood, ignoring the inherent disrespect of Eduwiges using her given name without permission. Raising her voice slightly to be sure the bar heard her, she said, "Tell the Brownie downstairs he and his ilk have three days, then the Doves will close this city tighter than a Pelargir maiden on her wedding night.' She paused, voice dropping again. "I will also say this Xanderian....I truly hope you know what you are doing…and I have an answer to a question you asked one of my staff. Intelligence DOES report that a human woman has been seen in Kheledul, apparently in charge. She has been identified as the same old woman who fled Gondor some weeks past after wreaking havoc in Pelargir.'
Calidis went somewhat pale and looked to Xanderian.
Xanderian nodded thoughtfully. "I had assumed as much but confirmation is welcome.
Eduwiges crushed her grog flagon with her hand at the thought of Man's back in Kheledul, grog spilling over and onto the bar.
Lianne noted the reactions and continued. “I can also tell you, off the record, despite the most...shall we say, intense...pressure by the Captain of Elendil’s Vanguard, Gondor will not be attempting to apprehend the fugitive at this time.'
Calidis just shook her head to herself. She dreaded the recounting of this news to Nethrida when reuniting with their friends.
Eduwiges closed her eyes, remembering Xan's blood all over her back in Kheledul. The elleth laying limp in her arms. 'Lets go kill the bastard.' she growled.
Lianna shrugged. "From what I hear, you have business in other climes, Eduwiges of Faldham and your road lies a different direction. When you turn your attention back to Kheledul, lets us know, we may be able to make an...arrangement. While Gondor does not wish to take on the risks and costs of a campaign so far from our shores at this time, I can tell you, on behalf of my father, the resources of House Palaniel will be yours should you seek out this woman you call Mans. The Margrave wishes the thing that slew his Twilight son slain in turn....one way, or another, whatever the means. As for me…As Captain of the Pale Kestrels I want a threat to the realm stopped to honor my dead brother’s name. I wish the last thing that monster hears to be the name Septimal Caine, so it knows why the blow has fallen.' By the end of her speech her hands were clenched in fists, trembling at her side.
The Captain paused and smiled ruefully again, regaining herself. "And this conversation ALSO did not happen.'
Calidis nodded, moved despite herself. "None of us were here."
Lianna turned smartly to walk towards the door, stopping and staring at the thugs blocking her path until they stepped aside. As she opened the door she looked back. "Oh...and PLEASE get out of Arnach, Monk....yesterday if possible."
