HLoM: The Firebird, Chapter 2

[Nathan of the FoS]

"Well, let me know when the response comes to you." Lena said with a wry smile, drawing Ushka back as well.

Tara nods coolly. "I will, Baroness. Thank you," she replies, her expression guarded.

"We-we, ah, we... we h-had been pla-planning to-to-to stay the night, Fre-Freyif...yin?"

"Anchoress, Seigneur Blackwood, that's the title you're looking for," Tara says, with just a hint of teasing in her voice, saying the two titles in fairly fluent High Mordentish. "Though most of my flock here call me Dommra, and some Goodyf. Any of them will do. If you'll stay the night…" She pauses, looks at each of you again, and seems to come to some decision. "Perhaps I might call on you this evening? If you're staying anywhere in town, Freiherr Isfahani, I'm sure you'll be able to get as much introduction to uisguebadh as a man could want. It's a great local speciality."

She gives Avram a warm smile and is about to make some parting pleasantry to him when Vasili puts forward his riddle. She is about to give a fairly tart answer to it herself (rather to Renhalt's evident dismay) when an expression of recognition crosses her face. "Wait. Vasili Boritsi. Your father is Sulo? I suppose he must be. Well."

After giving Vasili several seconds' examination, her face a bit stern, she relaxes slightly and smiles. "I don't suppose you remember me? Your parents asked me if I could help you when you were…indisposed. I did my best, but I'm afraid your father wasn't much impressed. I'm glad to see you found someone who was able to help you."

[Isabella]

"Renhalt, I have a riddle for you: what has a Barovian name, Forfarian hair, Borcan deity and a Mordentish manner of worship?"

"Va-Vasily!" Richard protested, shock without anger.

"Anchoress, Seigneur Blackwood, that's the title you're looking for," Tara says, with just a hint of teasing in her voice, saying the two titles in fairly fluent High Mordentish. "Though most of my flock here call me Dommra, and some Goodyf. Any of them will do."

"D-Dommra," Richard repeated like a schoolchild, staring at the ground even more sullenly as he flushed. "I-i-if there's anything we can-we can... if-if-if there's anything I-I-I... if th-there's anywhere you w-would pre-prefer to-to-to... to call upon us..."

[NeoTiamat]

Lena bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. Congratulations, Vasili. She decided, at that point, that she liked Tara Kolyana, even the feeling did not appear to be mutual. She watched to see how this little duel would unfold.

[DeepShadow of FoS]

She gives Avram a warm smile and is about to make some parting pleasantry to him when Vasili puts forward his riddle. She is about to give a fairly tart answer to it herself (rather to Renhalt's evident dismay) when an expression of recognition crosses her face. "Wait. Vasili Boritsi. Your father is Sulo? I suppose he must be. Well."

"Yes, he must," Vasili says, his mouth pinching a little at the corners as he says it. As Tara examines him, his public persona melts away, like a child who suddenly realizes his mother is watching him play with his friends.

After giving Vasili several seconds' examination, her face a bit stern, she relaxes slightly and smiles. "I don't suppose you remember me? Your parents asked me if I could help you when you were…indisposed. I did my best, but I'm afraid your father wasn't much impressed. I'm glad to see you found someone who was able to help you."

"Remember? I 'don't suppose' I could forget you--" Vasili says, then trails off;* it may not be the time for that line of thought. "Don't take it too hard that you disappointed my father. You are in excellent company there. There are those of us who have to find new ways to disappoint him, just to keep it fresh. As for my recovery...many were my wounds, and many the hands that healed them. I live my life now to make their efforts meaningful."

[Nathan of the FoS]

"That is a worthy goal, Freiherr Boritsi," she says, smiling slightly. "I'm glad I could be of some assistance to you. I wouldn't worry about disappointing your father; do right, as much as you can, and let that suffice. " For a moment it seems she is about to continue, but apparently thinking better of it, she turns back to Marcel and Richard.

"Wherever you're staying will be fine," Tara says to Richard. "I should be able to come after the dinner hour." She hesitates briefly, then, perhaps deciding not to torment the young knight further, doesn't offer to take him on her errand of mercy. Marcel, obviously somewhat puzzled by Richard's reaction, elects not to draw attention to the awkwardness between them by commenting on it; instead, he asks merely, "Could you look after my things, Richard? And I'll see you after dinner."

"We'll be at the sign of the Three Feathers," Renhalt supplies. "Please do come."

She nods, gives Richard another look, and the two anchorites set off together.

"And now," Renhalt says, clapping his hands and rubbing them together, "let's go introduce Altan to uisguebadh, shall we?"

[Isabella]

She nods, gives Richard another look, and the two anchorites set off together.

"Goodbye..." Richard whispered, raising his eyes to watch them go long after they'd turned away from him. With a soft sigh, the young man ran his hand around Maya's neck for a moment, then went to go herd Marcel's various things.

[Kaitou Kage]

"I eagerly await this introduction," Altan said. "Lead the way, Freiherr."

[Revka et al]

As everyone starts talking about new ways to get drunk, Cattia leans over to Lena. "Would you care to run a few errands with me, dear? I hate going alone."*

If Lena is agreeable, Cattia will announce to the group, "While the guys go be guys together, Lena and I will go be girls together."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

*Cattia is sincere, but if Lena doubts that, Cattia will make a Diplomacy check at +13
[dice]0[/dice]

[Nerit]

From down the lane the sound of hurried voices came tumbling, what sounded like a hushed argument.

"The sooner we get this business done the sooner I can return to the Isfahani Younger…"

Two Rashemani appeared, one a man and the other a young woman with a glare that could melt lead. She frowned at the Rashemani man before she noticed the crowd. Then her light brown eyes scanned the room and she bowed to the Jarenberg present. Many black braids fell about her shoulders as she did so, and a quiver full of arrows clattered a bit against the strung bow hooked in a sling over her shoulder.

If there was one thing to turn a Mulani eye, it was likely a Rashemani woman with a weapon.

But like many Rashemani, she had a round face and couldn't have been more than five feet tall. Her long overcoat was button-down and short-sleeved, over a few other layers, still quite in her people's fashion. Underneath the tunics were pants and some well-trekked leather boots.

"My apologies for intruding, Freyrren Jarenberg," she said quietly, and took a step back, though she didn't drop her gaze. She steadily watched the foreigners, especially Richard, but she nodded once at Avram, and glanced at Altan.

[NeoTiamat]

"That is a worthy goal, Freiherr Boritsi," she says, smiling slightly. "I'm glad I could be of some assistance to you. I wouldn't worry about disappointing your father; do right, as much as you can, and let that suffice."

"Wise words." Lena murmured, sotto voce. She watched Marcel and the new anchorite depart, drumming a manicured hand against the side of her skirt. She had the strangest suspicion that something significant had just occurred (or more accurately, that they had just met someone quite significant), though details would have to wait until she could get Richard alone and apply thumbscrews to him.

As everyone starts talking about new ways to get drunk, Cattia leans over to Lena. "Would you care to run a few errands with me, dear? I hate going alone."

If Lena is agreeable, Cattia will announce to the group, "While the guys go be guys together, Lena and I will go be girls together."

It took all of Elena von Zarovich's aristocratic training not to let her brow rise (too much) at this unexpected request. She weighed the likelihood of something interesting occurring versus the likelihood of Cattia attempting to murder her, and decided the former outweighed the latter. Though 'go be girls together'. Really. And 'Dear'.

"Of course." Lena said with perfect aplomb. "Lead on, My Lady of Jarenberg."

"My apologies for intruding, Freyrren Jarenberg," she said quietly, and took a step back, though she didn't drop her gaze. She steadily watched the foreigners, especially Richard, but she nodded once at Avram, and glanced at Altan.

Lena cast a sidelong glance at the newcomer. Well, this promised to be interesting. Lena closed her eyes for a moment, and then a certain tiny red fox appeared at her side. If the girls were going to go out, then all the girls were going to go out (Maya and Leila were not invited).

[Isabella]

"My apologies for intruding, Freyrren Jarenberg," she said quietly, and took a step back, though she didn't drop her gaze. She steadily watched the foreigners, especially Richard, but she nodded once at Avram, and glanced at Altan.

It was almost comical for Richard to try and look at the newcomer, given the gap in height between the two. He shifted into a relaxed posture as he saw her, making himself a little less tall. There was a slight furrow in his brow, the slightest hint of a smile on his lips. "No intrusion, donna," he said, with an amused and somewhat self-aware look on his face, then bowed.

He tilted his head to note the strung bow, once standing up straight again. "Is-is there some trouble?"

[The Whistler]

"Wherever you're staying will be fine. I should be able to come after the dinner hour."

“Farewell, and godspeed.” The deity reference in that phrase was gender-neutral in Hazlani Vaasi, thankfully.

"My apologies for intruding, Freyrren Jarenberg," she said quietly, and took a step back, though she didn't drop her gaze. She steadily watched the foreigners, especially Richard, but she nodded once at Avram.

Avram nodded back, more sober than Richard. A Rashemani could tell, with other Rashemani, and one with that sort of loadout clearly commanded some respect among their peers.

[Nathan of the FoS]

The other Rashemani--a man in his late twenties, tall for a Rashemani and broad-shouldered for anyone, with a nose that has obviously been broken at least once--bows as well, removing his heavy felt cap respectfully. "Freyerrn, goodmun," he rumbles. "Law an' Light be with ye. Freyer Isfahani, we're glad to see ye." His western-Rashemani accent is quite a bit thicker than Avram's or the young woman's--thick enough that Richard, in particular, has a hard time understanding everything he says. "We're been told we might find ye in the road, praised be the Name we're come across ye here."

At Richard's question, he puzzles for a long moment, then says, "No, freyer, no trouble, we're just not of a mind, Nuray an' me, about if to stay on th'road an' do some business this night or wait the night here and go on early. Uh, this's Nuray Solak," indicating the young archer with a tip of the head. "I'm Rojan Arnolfssen, yer servant."

[Nerit]

"No intrusion, donna. Is-is there some trouble?"

Nuray peered (up) at Richard through a narrowed eye, perhaps skeptically. She gave him a once-over, and noticed his sword and accoutrements. It seemed, like everyone else Richard came across, Nuray had no reply for the strange title he'd bestowed upon her.

"We're been told we might find ye in the road, praised be the Name we're come across ye here."

... "No, freyer, no trouble, we're just not of a mind, Nuray an' me, about if to stay on th'road an' do some business this night or wait the night here and go on early. Uh, this's Nuray Solak."

She bobbed her head again at her introduction, then looked to Altan. "Yes, Freyer Isfahani, it is fortunate that we run into you, since my--our business is in service to our master, the Isfahani. I," she looked chagrined again, "we have been tasked with recovering a matter of import from the Jarenberg's employ, and I would like to continue on, but Gudman here thinks we will be beset with bandits and beasts. If you could not assist us, Freyer, for surely as cousin your word has some weight in this matter…" Nuray glanced dubiously at her colleague.

[Kaitou Kage]

Altan pursed his lips and looked Nuray and Rojan over. He concealed most of his disdain. His uncle had spoken highly of these, so as Rashemani went, they must not be terrible. He allowed them a smile after a moment.

"Indeed," he said to Nuray. "There are brigands on the roads. We tracked some on our way here."

He heaved a sigh. After tonight he'd likely need some uisguebadh.

"Very well," he said to both Rashemani, "if my uncle insists, I will aid you in your task. Shall we sit and talk?"