"...for dinner with the owner of the ranch herself?"
"True, but this fine personage wants something from us. Qhude has a good eye for fast practice and if he puts the well heeled off their stride it might make it a tad harder to fool us into doing something unplesent. I will see what Jeggare has to say. If nothing else I can leave word for Qhude and N'bellocq to avenge us in case the canapes are poisoned."
Jakob found him walking into the town just as he reached the outskirts himself.
"Ah Jeggare! Just who I was looking for." Jakob falls into step with him. "It seems a Mindra Macini has asked those who 'defended Jeggare's caravan' to dine. I am not sure if the invitation is meant to include the entire crew but the wording is rather flexible...
In any case what can you tell me about this Macini? Trustworthy? Fair? A nonentity or a bad hat?Also N'bellocq and I had a bit of a conversation with a Salgarth Macini and a Rutilus Wintrish in the Maw. They seemed to be trying to impress me for some reason. None to happy to have N'bellocq near though. the two of them implied they were working with a local wizard named Zesaste to make the ranch pay more but this is causing 'disagreements' on the council.
You are a good judge and this is more your ground than mine. Can you tell me anything about these people? I am beginning to feel that we are brushing against webs here. I would like to know the spider before i feel the fangs."
"You just caught me on my way to town, but it is not like I had any particular destination in mind," Kieran replies with a shrug. "It would therefore be my distinct pleasure to accompany you to this dinner, my dear and beautiful Lady," the half-elf continues with a smile, equal parts mischief and affection, and a somewhat exaggerated bow.
"Unless you intend to take as much time to make yourself presentable as Ansha does, you should still have time to see the town," she laughs at him fondly. "I thought Ansha would prefer as much advance notice as possible, however. Is she still within? Jakob was buying new clothing, the better to impress the ranch owner, after Qhude's misstep." She steps a little closer to lay a hand on his chest. "I don't suppose you brought with you from Eleder the clothing you wore to the Custodian's gala?" she smiles up at him. "You looked remarkably ... persuasive that night."
.
The pressure of the hunt over. N'bellocq enjoys the gentle tiredness that envelops him as they walk. Walking with the caravan at such a slow pace, for so many days, it felt good to get out and stretch one's muscles and senses.
As they walked, N'bellocq recollects the strange fellows he met yesterday. "Jacob and I met two colonials in the tavern last night. They seemed to be from the local ranch and interested in our group and our travels...or should I say Jacob's travels. They had little to say to me and I in return, but they seemed very intent on seeming nice, and they bought us food and drink. But it was strange none the less."
Qhude listens, but cannot fathom any reasoning "No doubt their reason will emerge from the shadows eventually brother... but it is a strange thing." shifting the weight of the doe upon his shoulders as he continued to walk.
"Ah Jeggare! Just who I was looking for." Jakob falls into step with him. "It seems a Mindra Macini has asked those who 'defended Jeggare's caravan' to dine. I am not sure if the invitation is meant to include the entire crew but the wording is rather flexible...
In any case what can you tell me about this Macini? Trustworthy? Fair? A nonentity or a bad hat?
Also N'bellocq and I had a bit of a conversation with a Salgarth Macini and a Rutilus Wintrish in the Maw. They seemed to be trying to impress me for some reason. None to happy to have N'bellocq near though. the two of them implied they were working with a local wizard named Zesaste to make the ranch pay more but this is causing 'disagreements' on the council.
You are a good judge and this is more your ground than mine. Can you tell me anything about these people? I am beginning to feel that we are brushing against webs here. I would like to know the spider before i feel the fangs."
Jeggare smiled softly in greeting to Jakob and listened closely to him.
Mindra has a fondness for skilful risk takers- adventurers and their ilk, elite warriors etc. She is used to outsourcing extra security and pays troubleshooters well- the invitation is not extended to me and mine. She runs the ranch to her ancestor's traditions; she is a good woman. But try not to let Qhude make her angry or offend her. I consider her more than a mere acquaintance.
Jeggare frowned as Jakob told him about the meeting with Salgarth and Rutilus.
Salgarth has caused friction on the council and with ranch business since he returned to Freehold after several years in Eleder. Be wary of that one. He hides his intentions behind smiles, but Mindra told me that according to the decisions he tried to pass when he first came to Freehold, he would see the ranch hire only Mwangi workers and pay them wages more in line with an Eleder business.
Jeggare patted Jakob on the shoulder as he quickened his pace into the town.
I doubt whatever Mindra has in mind for you has anything to do with Salgarth. Leave the politics to her and her council.
Having grown impatient with waiting in the Maw's common room for the elf to come downstairs, Tebati ascertains which room she is in and goes to find her. Rapping at the door, she calls, "Ansha? It's Tebati."
Can't I get a little peace and quiet? Ansha thinks with a sigh at Tebati's knock on the door. She had been enjoying a very long, relaxing, hot bath. Slowly, reluctantly clambering out of the tub, she moves over toward the door, dripping a profuse trail of water as she walks. Unlocking it and opening it wide, she gives Tebati a slightly annoyed look and asks, "Did you need something?"
Tebati's eyebrows raise slightly at the naked, dripping elf's appearance at the door, but she replies coolly, "Only to deliver an invitation. We have been invited to dine at the Freehold ranch with Mindra Macini today."
Ansha blinks at the news, seeming not to notice the look Tebati is giving her. "Oh," she says, her melodious voice betraying her surprise. She quickly regains her composure and continues, "What time do they want us there?"
"Alas, I did not," Kieran replies, taking Tebati's hand in his, "which means I actually have a destination in mind after all, a clothing store."
"And considering Ansha is just going to be informed about this invitation, that probably means I will have ample time to shop," the half-elf says with a soft chuckle. "See you in a little while?" These last words are accompanied by a light kiss on the priestess' lips before he turns away and towards the town.
"And for your information, beautiful Lady," he turns and winks before getting too far, "my intent that night was to act the proper gentleman and apologize for my blunder. It was my great fortune I am not much of a gentleman after all."
"Alas, I did not," Kieran replies, taking Tebati's hand in his, "which means I actually have a destination in mind after all, a clothing store."
"And considering Ansha is just going to be informed about this invitation, that probably means I will have ample time to shop," the half-elf says with a soft chuckle. "See you in a little while?" These last words are accompanied by a light kiss on the priestess' lips before he turns away and towards the town.
"And for your information, beautiful Lady," he turns and winks before getting too far, "my intent that night was to act the proper gentleman and apologize for my blunder. It was my great fortune I am not much of a gentleman after all."
"Then perhaps it was I who was persuasive," she laughs, "or, at least, quite ready to be persuaded." She watches him go with a smile before entering the inn.
Ansha blinks at the news, seeming not to notice the look Tebati is giving her. "Oh," she says, her melodious voice betraying her surprise. She quickly regains her composure and continues, "What time do they want us there?"
"At dinnertime," Tebati smirks. "Have you enough hours of daylight left to prepare yourself? Jakob and Kieran are purchasing new clothes for the occasion."
Ansha's lips quirk into a thoughtful half-frown. "Yes, definitely."
She looks over her shoulder back into her room, then wonders aloud, almost more to herself than to the Mwangi priestess, "What sort of dress code should we expect? I don't know that they will appreciate my travelling clothes." She glances at her corset, skirt and boots, lying near the tub, then turns her gaze to the backpack into which she had stuffed her elven-tailored evening gown, last worn at the Grand Custodian's gala the night of the Trials of Grallus. "And my formalwear may be a bit too formal...."
Tebati shrugs. As with Qhude and N'bellocq, the very concept of having different types of clothes to wear for different occasions is new to her. "The invitation is not mere hospitality; the boy's message made it clear she had a proposal for us. Jakob expects it to be political business of some kind. Perhaps we should dress to look capable rather than decorative?"
Ansha lets out a heavy sigh and tosses a segment of her sopping-wet hair over her shoulder, inadvertently flinging water at Tebati. "Yeah, I suppose. Maybe I'll get to wear that gown again some day...."
She turns to look at the Bonuwat priestess again and a flicker of a smile appears on her lips. "I guess the traveling clothes it is, then. I doubt I'd find much in the market that suited my sense of style. Though it may not hurt to go look, and I had intended to look around today anyway. Care to come?"
Tebati smiles. "For those neither colonial or Zenj, I expect there are few options among the clothing stalls," she agrees, "but we will not know for sure unless we go look. May I suggest the traveling clothes in the meantime, lest you cause a riot in the marketplace? I doubt the leaders of Freehold would look with more forbearance on a woman unclothed in public than on Qhude's bloody shorts."
"But I do so love causing a riot," Ansha deadpans. "Besides, I'm sure most of the men in town would say there's a certain charm to seeing a naked woman." She leaves the door open as she turns and walks over toward the towel she had laid out on her bed, one foot slipping on the wet floor before she catches herself. "Give me a moment?"
Tebati rolls her eyes with a smile while the elf's back is turned. "I'll be in our room," she tells Ansha, "when you're ready to go." She makes sure the door is shut securely, lest any of Bellis Mara's guests stroll by and give her reason for another complaint against the party, then returns to her and Kieran's room to meditate in front of the window, having little confidence that Ansha's definition of a 'moment' coincides with hers. It must be a consequence of having such a long life, the conviction that one need never hurry. If I believed I had centuries to spend, I might not seek to wring all that can be extracted out of every moment either.
"A moment" apparently meant a half-hour, as that is when Ansha finally shows up outside the room Tebati and Kieran share. Dressed in her usual corset-and-skirt outfit, the elf looked flushed, as if she hadn't been out of the hot bath for more than a few minutes. In fact, the elf still looked wet, and she seems to have rushed her preparations for the day--which probably explains why her long blond mane is up in a bun. "Sorry about the wait," the elf says, not meaning a word of it. "Ready to go?"
Tebati smiles, grabs her pack, and walks with Ansha down the stairs and out of the inn. The day is beautiful, and her heart is light. "It's been a very long time since I've been shopping with another woman," she confesses to the elf. "I used to go to the market with my sisters and cousins and friends all the time back in Nantambu. We had little to spend, but it cost nothing to look. The boys would come out too because that's where the girls were, and we would whisper about them even as we pretended we hadn't noticed them." She smiles a bit wistfully at the memory. "Since I left Nantambu, I haven't had any female friends, and in Eleder, we were under guard and not at liberty to stroll the streets. This feels ... free."
As the two walk, Ansha's eyes roam their surroundings, smiling flirtatiously at any passerby who meets her gaze. "It's been since, well, Kyonin for me," she replies, letting nostalgia creep into her voice as she continues, "I would meet my friend Inari as she went to meet her tutor and I to mine, and we would fill one another in on the latest gossip. Who our latest suitors were, what silly antics they were willing to do to win our favor....The boys whose gaze lingered on us as we walked would probably have rethought their own ambitions, had they known."
She shakes her head, frowning, "But those days are long past, and Crown's End was really no place for a woman, even if it is run by one. I was hardly going to let my...my guardians' killers into my heart."
Tebati wonders for a moment how long ago it was that Ansha and her friend were girls in Kyonin: long before she herself had been born, and her mother as well, no doubt. "Whom do you let in?" she asks, almost rhetorically. "Of all the lovers you have taken, has there ever been one you've truly loved?"
I never did quite understand why so many humans equate love and sex. Ansha shrugs, replying, "What does love have to do with sex?"
"Well," Tebati laughs, "one can often lead to the other, no matter which side of the equation you start on. But leave your lovers out, if you prefer. Have you had a true friend since you left Kyonin? Someone you value above their actual ability to redound to your advantage?"
Ansha smiles wryly in reply. Sobering, she admits, "No. Too many years on the road with my...with Baelyth and Sahtara. And then more years surrounded by their killers. Has Kieran ever told you how we met?"
"...A little," Tebati allows quietly. "Mostly of his own part in Crown's End. It is not a past he revisits eagerly."
"Aye, well...It isn't a part of my past that I revisit eagerly, either." Ansha shakes her head. "At least they were avenged. Cold comfort that it may be."
Tebati nods and walks several paces in silence, feeling the same helpless inadequacy of response as when she thinks on N'bellocq's lost years. If there is ever any answer to be given to suffering, she knows that she, with her happy childhood and untroubled past, is not the one to advance it. Seeing the market come into view at the end of the street up ahead, she offers Ansha a smile. "For today, at least, I will be happy to walk with a woman, looking at clothing and jewelry and talking about men. I have been alone since leaving Nantambu, but first I found N'bellocq and then the rest of you, and now I feel among friends and family again."
Ansha smiles faintly in return. "It's a family, of sorts," she admits, "Though at times it seems almost as dysfunctional as my own."
She pauses a moment, seems about to add something, then shakes her head.
Jacob falls into step with the caravan master.
"What of Zesaste the wizard? Do you know anything about him? More importantly are Mindra and Salgrath related or is Macini a common last name around here?
And as for Qhude I have more pull with the screaming jungle than I do with him. I do not know how he will do it but he is likely to offend."
"Is that not what makes family?" Tebati smiles. "Our inability to choose those with whom we share blood? If I had had my choice of teams to be a part of at the Trials, I would have competed with the Kalabuta and never known the rest of you except as adversaries." She nods toward the clothing section of the well-organized marketplace. "The clothing merchants are over there," she informs Ansha. "That is where I found Jakob buying his new garments this morning."
"There's something to be said for one's family not engaging in campaigns of slander, manipulation and assassination, all the same," Ansha replies after a moment's pause. The elven enchantress glances around, trying to see whether there are merchant stalls peddling perfume nearby.
"This is it?" she replies, a bit disdainfully. Sighing, she continues, "Well, let's see whether they have anything worth trying on--let alone buying. What sort of outfit are you looking for, anyway?"
"I ... hardly know," Tebati demurs, having little conception of what is considered formal attire except for the Avistani fashions she disdains. "Something colorful?" she ventures, consulting only her own preferences. "And nothing colonial." She glances at the elf a little self-consciously. "You've seen him with other women. What does he like?"
Ansha seems a bit taken aback by the question. "I...I can't really say that I've paid much attention to it." Frowning, she adds, "Uh. He would probably say that you should be yourself. So, colorful. Maybe a lighter color? I'm sure the contrast would look wonderful."
She places a finger to her chin in thought for a moment. "Actually, if we could find a proper storefront rather than a marketplace stall, we might be able to get someone to assist us with our particular problems. Maybe we should look around town a bit more?"
Tebati smiles to herself, unsurprised that Ansha has the same effect on herself as she does on most men: namely, the inability to perceive other women in her immediate vicinity. "I have never shopped anywhere but a market stall," she shrugs. "Where would one find such a store?"
Jacob falls into step with the caravan master.
"What of Zesaste the wizard? Do you know anything about him? More importantly are Mindra and Salgrath related or is Macini a common last name around here?
And as for Qhude I have more pull with the screaming jungle than I do with him. I do not know how he will do it but he is likely to offend."
I only know he is something of a hermit. Salgarth is Mindra's cousin. As for Mister Qhude... Perhaps Miss Ansha could enchant him to co-operate?
Jakob was not entirely sure if Jeggare was jesting, despite the half-smile on the caravan master's mouth.
Qhude and N'bellocq returned to the caravan to find Jakob waiting for them, while Ansha and Tebati shopped for evening wear; the pair eventually found an elegant little dress shop very much in a colonial style- Tebati was likely not impressed by the clothes within but Ansha found that the stock was quite varied.
Kieran had a nice wander around the town of Freehold and noted several shops that could feasibly be of use to him and his group- a couple of smithy's, Cruthoniax's Curios, as well as an local alchemist who apparently brews her own potions. Most other merchants are congregated in the market square.
By the time evening had fallen, the group had rallied in the clearing by the inn; ready to make their way to the main ranch building together.
Keeping the various stores in mind for future reference and having purchased clothing quite like the ones he had worn at the Custodian's ball, Kieran returns to the inn to rest if time permits and get ready for the dinner he and the others have found themselves invited to. Except for his new clothes, the rogue makes sure to take his dagger and his lockpicks with him, preferring to be prepared for the eventuality that such items might be needed.
Once the group is gathered and ready, the half-elf approaches Tebati. "Do you approve, my Lady?" The question is accompanied by a bow of his head to her and an offering of his arm for her to take.
"Let's try...that way," Ansha says, picking a direction. After a bit of wandering, they do in fact find a shop. Ansha ushers Tebati inside, though her expression turns a bit crestfallen when she sees their inventory. She browses for a while, making note of any particularly interesting dresses--and ultimately decides that she'll just wear the evening gown she already owns. "I suppose it was too much to hope for that a shop in Freehold would cater to exotic tastes in clothing like yours or mine," she offers Tebati wryly. "Back to the marketplace? I was wanting to look for a perfumes merchant, too."
Ansha pardons herself as she returns to her room, digging up her Kyonin-tailored evening gown and using a cantrip to clean it and make it presentable. Letting her hair down, she finally takes the time to properly dry and brush it. Unable to afford the time to have it styled, she puts it back up in a simple, elegant bun. Finally, she slips into the gown and ensures that it is appropriately accompanied by well-placed jewelry, and returns to join the others.
"Well, I hate to wear the same outfit to two separate formal events, but at least you lot are the only ones here who've seen me in this," she laments. "Shall we go?"
To Jeggere, smiling. "Oh I think she hath charms to soothe the savage breast. Actually a word to Tebati might carry more weight with..."
"..Hello Qhude. Hello Nbellocq. Looks like you were successful in your hunt."
Qhude is bone tired, but pleased as he and N'bellocq return to the camp of Jeggare. With dead impala still astride his shoulders he thumps his chest with a bloodied and be-roped fist in lieu of a handshake of greeting to Jeggare and Jakob. "N'bellocq shot well, and there is plenty of meat to eat tonight." before finding out that they were to attend another this evening. Brow furrowing momentarily as he considers, Qhude takes the invitation at face value - replying with a nod of assent "I will come" before ushering N'bellocq to follow to the area of the wagon train set aside for the kitchens.
Working swiftly, but as calmly as possible Qhude skins his doe - attempting to preserve the antelope's hide...
Survival:
...and readying the corpse for cooking. As N'bellocq prepares his own buck, Qhude thanks him again before severing the head and de-fleshing the horned skull. Scraping as much of the flesh and skin from the trophy, he then imposes upon one of the cooks to allow him to set a cooking fire with a massive pot of water to boil. The horned skull is left to boil and cure in the water so that when Qhude returns later tonight it would be cleansed and able to be removed.
Only then does he allow his tiredness to catch up with him, wallowing a few moments in rest before requesting water to cleanse himself. He washes from head to toe with cold water, removing most of the blood and gore from his frame as well as giving his shorts a partial scrub and rinse... though they retain some of the antelopes more stubborn viscera upon them. Warming and drying himself and his shorts by the fire Qhude readies himself for the night, and reflects upon a successful day at hunt.
After preparing, he regroups with his umkhaya before the inn of the angry small woman wearing naught but his shorts and carrying a single dagger - all other items left at Jeggare's camp.
Ansha sighs and glances at Tebati when she sees Qhude's still-bloodied pants. When no one is looking, she murmurs the words to a cantrip of prestidigitation and, doing her best not to stare at Qhude, tries to clean his pants the rest of the way.
Qhude pays Ansha no mind as she discreetly acts to render his attire more socially acceptable.
"Let's try...that way," Ansha says, picking a direction. After a bit of wandering, they do in fact find a shop. Ansha ushers Tebati inside, though her expression turns a bit crestfallen when she sees their inventory. She browses for a while, making note of any particularly interesting dresses--and ultimately decides that she'll just wear the evening gown she already owns. "I suppose it was too much to hope for that a shop in Freehold would cater to exotic tastes in clothing like yours or mine," she offers Tebati wryly. "Back to the marketplace? I was wanting to look for a perfumes merchant, too."
Tebati has been browsing the wares with more curiosity than interest. How do colonial women move in so many folds of cloth and so many layers of skirt? It is colder where they come from up North, I suppose, but are their daughters still so frozen after so many generations in Mwangi lands that their blood has not yet thawed within them? Startled out of her thoughts by Ansha's approach, she offers the proprietress an apologetic smile as she follows the elf out of the shop and back to the marketplace. Disappointed that she cannot find any clothing in the Bonuwat style, she wonders if she purchased a length of cloth, she could find a seamstress to fashion new clothing to her specifications. It would not be in time for the dinner tonight, of course, but it might be wise to acquire a spare garment while in town; even with mending, what she has can't last forever.
She follows Ansha on her quest with interest, enjoying both browsing the wares in the various market stalls and the novel sensation of shopping with someone who actually has the coin in her pocket to buy some extravagant luxury if she finds what she wants.
After using mending to repair the worn and threadbare places in her shift, Tebati imposes on Ansha to freshen the garment with her cantrip while she is preparing her own gown. The Mwangi woman's standards are much less exacting than the elf's so it doesn't take long. Returning to the room she shares with Kieran, she takes down her glass chimes from where she hung them to catch the light in the window and drapes them around her neck for decoration and a splash of color. When she is done, she, like Ansha, is dressed virtually identically to the night of the Custodian's gala.
Once the group is gathered and ready, the half-elf approaches Tebati. "Do you approve, my Lady?" The question is accompanied by a bow of his head to her and an offering of his arm for her to take.
The smile in her eyes answers his question in the affirmative, as she slips her arm through his. "Ansha and I went out looking for new clothing as well," she confides, "but there must be few Bonuwat women or exotic northern elves in Freehold, as the wares we saw for sale failed to tempt us." She stifles a chuckle at Ansha's lament about having to wear the same dress on two occasions. "I trust," she teases Kieran quietly, "you will not be mortified to be seen with me in the same garment I have worn before?"
Exiting the Lion's Maw, Tebati is both surprised and pleased to see Qhude and N'bellocq. "Cousin! Qhude! I feared you wouldn't return in time to meet the ranch owner with us. You must have found quick success on your hunt." She ignores Ansha's glance but presses her lips together tightly to contain her amusement as the stains on Qhude's shorts begin systematically to disappear.
Nodding to the Sangoma Qhude replies "We came upon impala soon after leaving the town. Two gave their life to us... though it seems that their meat will not be needed this night?" refering to the upcoming dinner to which they were all invited.
Tebati grimaces apologetically. "I hope the meat will not go to waste. The caravan workers can feast on it tonight, if we cannot. But the boy with the message from the ranch did not find me until well after the two of you had gone. Still, I am pleased you are both here, to hear with your own ears and judge with your own hearts whatever proposal this Mindra Macini lays before us."
Grunting Qhude states simply "Hopefully she offers more than merely words... I have not eaten since before the dawn and bear a monstrous hunger"
"I can think of no occasion that I would be... mortified to be seen with you," Kieran says sincerely, before his tone becomes a little more teasing. "Though I do hope you will not think too ill of me when I say that it is not the clothes that interest me so much, but what is underneath them?"
"Having seen N'bellocq's appetite, friend, and hearing you say this," the rogue quips with a barely supressed chuckle, "I am starting to fear that whatever food will be waiting for us might not be enough."