POVERO Chapter Six

[alhoon]

THE MARKET DISTRICT

"Thank you and thank your God Titus. " Fild said. Then he replied to Damien "Thank you for getting us out of that bind. And of course I would agree to go to the Randevouz! We didn't do that much running to miss the wedding!"

[ewancummins]

SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING


Elissa and her companions flee the park, taking a long series of detours to avoid night-watch patrols and Holbin guardsmen. And of course they don't wish to meet those mysterious ambushers.

After a long walk around and through the city, they arrive at the little overgrown vineyard (which had been the lair of a gang of robbers the party fought for Aldron Folbre).

GERTIE and TOM check out the cabin on the site. It appears empty, safe to enter.


........................


(Earlier, relative the the scene above)

FILD, TITUS, and DAMIEN

Riders and foot patrols sweep through the neighborhoods of the eastern city, forcing Damien and the others to make detours, hide under archways, and at times run down alleys to escape attention.
The closer they get to the park, the heavier the presence of armed, inquisitive men becomes.
Still, with Fild's night vision and Damien's stealth, the trio makes it to the park as the bells toll midnight, without being captured.

After entering the big park, they wander a while, lost, until they hear sounds of a fight. Hurrying on, they discover the stone circle and earthen mounds of the Dancing Maidens. No one waits here. But the grass has been trampled. Looking about, Titus finds a torn swatch of bloody cloth on the ground. The blood is still warm.

The party has little time to examine the scene, because lights appear in the trees to the north, accompanied by the noise of riders and the baying of bloodhounds.

Damien hisses " Let's get out of here!"

[VAN]

Tom looks from the window one more time and then enters. He whispers to Gertie:

"I'll check the tunnel with Gem you two stay here."

[steveflam]

"K, no problem."

[ewancummins]

THE CELLAR & TUNNEL


Tom and Gem go through the small house and down into the cellar.
All clear.
They check the tunnel. It's empty, too.
Things seem much as the party left this area.

[Varrus the Ethical]

Damien hisses " Let's get out of here!"

Titus nods emphatically.

[ewancummins]

THE PARK


Damien leads the party into a copse a fair distance from the stone circle.
Once hidden from searchers, he turns to Fild and Varrus and says,
"Something's gone wrong with the rendezvous.And there sure are a lot of men out searching-- for the girl, I guess. And for us, I think. Where should we go now?"

[Adam]

Alfonse comes into the house, fretting and trying to clean things up for the girl.

"Apologies, Elissa, this isn't necessarily our mess," he says, sweeping a broken piece of furniture out of the way.

[Varrus the Ethical]

THE PARK


Damien leads the party into a copse a fair distance from the stone circle.
Once hidden from searchers, he turns to Fild and Varrus and says,
"Something's gone wrong with the rendezvous.And there sure are a lot of men out searching-- for the girl, I guess. And for us, I think. Where should we go now?"

"I'd start with somewhere that isn't here," Titus says. "We can think about trying to find the others when we're not in imminent danger of discovery."

[alhoon]

PARK:
"As unfortunate it is... if they are told to look for a gnome, I'm a giveaway. You two could say you were taking a walk. I could too to be sincere. But they won't believe me and they've proven they're quite liable to cut me to pieces.
So... let's go to someplace else. What was the name of the Tavern? The 2nd place? "

[ewancummins]

PARK:
"As unfortunate it is... if they are told to look for a gnome, I'm a giveaway. You two could say you were taking a walk. I could too to be sincere. But they won't believe me and they've proven they're quite liable to cut me to pieces.
So... let's go to someplace else. What was the name of the Tavern? The 2nd place? "

PARK


Damien says,

"Which tavern? You mean the public house where we met with Master Folbre?"

[ewancummins]

THE CABIN IN THE VINEYARD

Alfonse comes into the house, fretting and trying to clean things up for the girl.

"Apologies, Elissa, this isn't necessarily our mess," he says, sweeping a broken piece of furniture out of the way.

Elissa Holbin nods to Alfonse.
She waits in a corner of the main room while the man tidies up for her.

After a moment, she turns to Gertie and says,
"You haven't got a mirror, a comb, clean clothes, and things like that , have you? I must look a frightful mess."

Indeed, the young lady's hair hangs in tangled disarray and sweat shines on her face. Her nightgown has torn at the sleeves and the hem. She's missing her right slipper.

[Adam]

"In the morning, I can take care of it magically. Until then this will have to do. Is there anything we can get you in the meantime? Food? Perhaps you'd like to retire for a brief slumber?"

He looks at the others and nods his head towards a private corner. "In the meantime, my compatriots and I need to discuss our next move."

[ewancummins]

CABIN IN THE VINEYARD

"In the morning, I can take care of it magically. Until then this will have to do. Is there anything we can get you in the meantime? Food? Perhaps you'd like to retire for a brief slumber?"

He looks at the others and nods his head towards a private corner. "In the meantime, my compatriots and I need to discuss our next move."

Elissa says,
"Yes, please, some food, some wine, a bed. I'm very tired."

[alhoon]

PARK
"Yes, that one. The one we met Aldron"