Café de Nuit

Ino-


Glimzine asks-


''Inovidil, is there anything else I can do to help you?''

Shana stares silently into her drink, lost in thought. She heaves a sigh and turns to look out into the room, enjoying the song. A look of determination comes across her face as she looks at the joyous scene.

"no harm will come to them that I can ward off" she mutters

the Old Shell-

The crowd joins in the rousing final chorus of The Cormyte's Boast, the inexpert singers among the gathering making up for their lack of skill with plenty of enthusiasm:




''And in this land I'll proudly stand
Until my dying day, sir;
For whate'er a king o'er all command,
I'll still be a Cormyte brave, sir!"

There is applause all around, and much quaffing of ale and wine. Someone calls out-

''Azoun, Azoun for Cormyr! Here's to our young king, friends! Long life and good fortune to him!''

More cheers.

''Aye'', says another patron with his foaming mug upraised, ''And here's to his goodly aunt, the Princess-Regent Alusair. May her banner be ever covered in glory, and her foes be trodden down in the dust beneath the hooves o' her horse!''


''Alusair! Steel to guard our king's throne!''

On seeing Shana across the bar Threan just shrugs his shoulders then orders some thing to drink from the serving girl . Deciding to see who Shana may be meeting here and in doing so gets in a better position be hidden(1) from her table while also observing who she may be meeting here .




1.Hide check sent to you Ewan via PM .

The Old Shell



Nelly the young bargirl now turns her attention back to Shana-

''Mistress Shana, you aren't joining in the celebrations? ''

Shana looks back at Nelly and smiles.

"you're right! I should stop moping and get some celebaration in. After all, its not every day we get royal visitors."

She begins singing along with the rest, but quaffs ale sparingly, trying to relax and enjoy herself, but still occasionally looking worried in quiet moments

The Old Shell-

Shana catches Nelly's words, above the din and clatter of the common room.



''Oh, well, the royal party has not come just yet, Mistress Shana. I don't think they'll be here till the end of this tenday. The Regent, she sent three ships of grain and other stuff- as a gift to the people of our city. The ships arrived about noon, I think. Everyone's been so happy since the news got out! ''




Someone calls out:

''Song, song, another song!''
Another voice says-

''Old one, gran'ther, sing us something, an it please you!''

Over by the fireplace sits the old blind harpist and singer, the one whom Jamethon had befriended and brought down from the North. He's finished tuning his harp and drained his mug. Now he speaks, his quiet voice barely audible amid the babble of the crowd,

''Yes...I'll give you a song. ''

Marsember Militia HQ


Balzar and Jamethon are kept waiting for a little while, duriung which Jamethon is not very conversational. Jamethon delivers a report to a certain Sergeant Talbot.


''Balzar, please wait in the dayroom. I shall not be gone long.''

During that time, a couple of younger militiamen invite Balzar to throw dice with them [they are , apparently so, off-duty and bored]. Two other are chatting about a shipment of something or other having arrived- it sounds like a big deal.

Jamethon returns from giving his report.

''Balzar, I've asked permission to involve you in an investigation of the cucumstances of this matter with Rardi and the others. Sergeant Talbot said it's fine by him- but we'll need to speak with Watch-Captain Rask. Do you mind waiting fror him? He's expected to come back here tonight, maybe soon.''

I will have Balzar mention to Jamethon, that maybe the Temple should be apprised of the situation. Rardi obviously couldn't do it and I've no other p.c to do so. It is something I would have done.

Balzar graciously accepts playing diece with the men while Jamethon goes and gets information. When he comes back and Jamethon informs him of his situation, he quickly surmises that although he needs to act quickly, perhaps it be best to wait for Rardi's superior.

"I guess it be best if we wait for Mistress Silverhelm's superior officer. Maybe he will have news about Archedius as well, Jamethon. Sure we could wait for him, that's pretty acceptable. I just want to let you know I am very worried about my two friends. Jamethon I think it may be a good idea to go inform the Temple of the Morninglord of Rardi's situation, maybe they could help her?"

Rardi-


Rardi is wakened by keys unlocking the door of her new room. The bailiff enters, flanked by two armed guards. The bailiff speaks-

''Rardi, would you like to see Archedius Tagaris before we bury him? I...I feel it right that I should ask.''

Rardi opens her eyes at the sound of the door opening. When the Bailliff enters with the two guards, she is undure of what to expect. The Bailliff has been kinder and she has changed her attitude towards him.

His qustion takes her completely by surprise. She blinks once, then swallows and before she knows it, tears stream down her face and she sobs, hiding her face in her hands. She doesn't really care that the men see her cry, Archedius had saved her life and had been her friend for many years.

Not even bothering to gather her composure, she looks at the Bailliff through teary eyes, speaking in a squeeky, broken voice "Th-tha-nk you. Yeah, if that be on tha up an up with you, I'd really like that....*sniff* *sniff*"

She rises from her bed and approaches the three men, one hand at her side, the other wiping her red eyes. Not ashamed of her reaction she waits for the Bailliff to lead her to Archedius. In a low voice she says
"Sob... would it be all right if I said a few words to lay his soul ta rest? I is a priestess of tha Morninglord after all....... sniff.... sniff.... no spells......he were me dear friend after all........"

She breaks down once more as she follows the three men, she has the composure to utter to the Bailliff "Th-th-ank you f-f-f-er yer ac-c-tion, sir."

Rardi, in the Bailiff's gaol


The bailiff and his men lead Rradi , still with her hands chained but ungagged, down the hall and then down a flight of stairs.

The bailiff says to Rardi.

''There is no need to thank me, Sergeant. Of course you may pray for him. In fact, we must bury him soon, and I would like you to preside over the ceremony. Your friend was a warrior. He deserved a better death than what he got- and I know that you'd not let him go with that monster, had you to do it all over again. ''

Now, Rardi has been led to a big wooden door. One of the bailiff's men swings it open and Rardi can see a big cellar, illuminated by four lanterns attached to the walls. Inside, under gaurd of three armed men, are two bodies on stone slabs: one is covered by a white sheet, the other is obviously that of Archedius, still dressed in last night's clothing.

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2225502/

16 plus whatever else she has to see how he died

Rardi acknowledges the Bailliff's words with a nod. She's stopped crying now, but her eyes are red and with both hands she reaches up and rubs her eyes, but it only makes matter worse. Gathering her pride, she takes a deep breath and follows the men. Passing through the big wooden door, she comes upon the scene before her.

She is half sure as to whom is under the white sheet, preferring to concetrate on her friend, now deceased. Seeing him she begins sobbing again and approaches him, eyeing his body, discerning how he died. Through teary eyes she can in fact see how he died. She cries now, chest heaving as she looks at her deceased friends corpse. Looking back, even crying, she says "Sob.... I ..... I .. Be ready as I kin be, unner tha circumstances......"

Rardi

Rardi can see that someone has used some kind of very sharp blade to cut open Archedius' head, removing his crown. The cut is very clean, just as with the headless bodies in Delthrin's lab. His skull is empty of brains. Archedius' face is distorted in death, but still recognizable. He's covered with a lot of old scars, but shows no recently made marks other than the surgical cut that has removed the top of his head.

Rardi looks at the Bailliff, a question on her face as he points to the covered body "Tha be... sniff.... who I think it is? Might I see?"