"Okay!" Cassandra claps her hands together. "I'll watch your progress from up above and look out for danger."
Cassandra draws a lump of wax from a pouch on her belt and presses into it with her thumbnail.
"If I see danger you'll hear the sound of a lark."
A bird sings by Tolenn's ear, though there's no bird to sing.
"I'll try to put the bird call on the side the danger is coming from so you have some warning."
Amira sighs to herself at Cassandra's insistence on going against plan. Between her absolutely having to run on the damned rooftops despite the fact that it was one of the places the guards would be looking, and Tolen's determination to be the sacrifice distraction, she had her work cut out for her.
"Well whatever we're doing we need to get on with it. We'll need disguises for anyone not openly painting targets on themselves." she says dryly.
Terri disguises herself as a just a simple traveler heading out of town.
Once they are on their way, Terri turns to Trinia, "So, what are you planning on doing when you get back to Harse?"
Trinia smiles at her friend. "Well, I like to paint more, it's true, but I think all that's happened the last couple of weeks would make for an excellent tale. I think I'll commit it to paper, maybe even start working on a song for it."
The blonde-turned-redhead asks, "So how about you guys? What's next?"
Amira smiles quietly to herself realizing that the city was looking out for her. Not only was her disguise effective, but every moment someone would choose to look at her face, a child would cry out, or a horse neigh, or a a sudden fight would break out nearby, each time drawing attention away from herself and their group.
Terri shrugs, not sure what was next for her.
"I'd love to hear your song when it's done. Until then, who knows what I'll do."
The group waits for Tolenn to gather up her mount, then heads out into the street as Cassandra goes to the rooftops. Disguised as four everymen, or women, as it were, the first leg of the journey seems to be going well.
Trinia looks to the others, nervous smile on her face. "I can't thank you all enough for this..." She quiets down as a couple of Korvosan guards pass by, their eyes on the group. Suddenly, a fistfight breaks out across the street, a melon vendor coming to blows with a would-be thief, and the guards run to intervene.
As the group makes slow but steady progress, they near High Bridge, the crowd heavy around the bridge as all are looked over by the guards as they cross to and fro. The armored men and women frequently pull out 'suspicious' folk and question or frisk them. As the day wanes, the traffic becomes thicker.
Suddenly, as the three come to a relatively open spot in the square directly before the bridge, a beggar comes out of the crowd, grabbing onto Amira's shirt sleeve. "Alms! cough Alms, ple- cough please. A bit of copper cough to buy some herbs!" The man devolves into a fit of coughing. A splotchy red rash covers his face and the exposed parts of her arms, blisters the size of coins prevalent on the exposed flesh.
More out of reflex than pure spite Daud plants the bottom of his boot on the coughing man's head and stomp-kicks him away from Amira.
Surprised by both the diseased man and the violence of Wednesday's response, Amira takes a step back, her mind already processing the scenario. Without getting closer to the man she begins a chant, her eyes taking in the man's symptoms, her mind reaching out to the city combing through history of outbreaks and plagues, connecting to other cities within the land.
A couple of guards take notice of Wednesday's action and start to make their way towards the group. Trinia scowls at Wednesday's treatment of the beggar, then gives the guards a worried look, trying to maintain her composure.
"Ah! Wednesday! Amira! The plan was to NOT bring attention to ourselves.
Tolenn maneuvers her horse through the crowd to come between her friends and the approaching guards; ideally blocking the guard's line of sight.
"Hail Guardsmen! Saranae's Grace upon you this fine day!" she cries out , "I seek a number of my brethren who were to pass by this way. Have you perchance seen my like this day?" she asks loudly, hoping her friends take the opportunity to disappear into the crowd without attracting any more notice.
Wednesday! Why'd you do that?!
Terri lets out a gasp as Wednesday kicks the poor man aside. She shoots him a brief glare before fishing out some coins from her purse.
"I'm so sorry for my friend's behavior. Please, take this and my apologies," she says quickly and quietly to the man.
"Dammit Wednesday!" Amira hisses as she sees the attention drawn to the group. "Don't touch him Terri, he has it. Vorel's Phaege, that's what the disease is, so does that merchant over there and one of the guards approaching us. We need to get out of here now, it looks like Tolen's trying to get their attention."
"Which is why I was trying to keep him from coughing on you!" he hisses back to Amira while fighting back all his instincts to yank Terri away from the man.
"Yeep!" Terri squeaks as Wednesday yanks on her tunic. Her hand just open enough to send the coins flying in all directions.
Cassandra watches the events unfold. Ew. Old beggar plague coughs. And worse. Guards. And it is too late to do warn anyone. What to do. What to do.
Cassandra runs to the opposite side of the building. She whirls her grapple and releases, aiming for a window. She wants to shatter some glass. Lots of glass. Noisy, noisy glass shattering.
The guards look up at the mounted warrior, one curtly replying, "Ain't seen 'em, Miss." as they work their way around the horse, one even going so far as to say, "Hey you there, come here!" He of course is pointing in Wednesday's direction, though the group is not quite in the guards' field of view yet.
Terri, feeling sorry for the old, afflicted beggar, pulls some coins out of her pocket, starting to hand them to the man. As the diseased man regains his feet, muttering and hacking, Terri reaches forward, only to be yanked back by Wednesday, the coins held loosely in her hand flying into the air to scatter around the square. There is a small stampede as the less well-to-do of the crowd madly dash to the sound of falling money.
The guards look about uncertainly, then the distant sound of breaking glass makes the two's mind up. They dash off in the direction of a nearby building as the three party members and Trinia disappear into the crowd.
"And we're fleeing..." Daud muses while shuffling about in the crowds with the others.
When she runs out of rooftops, Cassandra will scramble down to an alley and then walk out and join the crowd, working her way towards her companions so she can cross with them.
The group of four makes their way across the bridge slowly, following the press of those around them as Cassandra suddenly joins them halfway across the structure. Tolenn, meanwhile, now trails the group, having more trouble guiding her mount through the thicker crowd.
As the group slowly wades through the crowd, Wednesday notices a person he just rubbed shoulders with has the telltale signs of Vorel's Phaege. Terri just manages to scramble out of the way of a young woman with rashes all over her face, coughing profusely as she struggles along.
"This is bad, we're at the beginning stages of a full on plague." she whispers. [b][/smaller]" Now I'm doubly glad we're getting you put of the city."[/spoiler][/spoiler]
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Trinia looks at Amira, concerned. "What? Plague!?" She looks from Amira to Terri.
"It came in on that ship that got blasted the other night. You saw the leper that jumped her, look around. It's spreading fast. To be safe we should burn all our clothes once we're out of the city, your's especially Trumpet." he whispers back to the girls.
"Uh, then how do we get back home without getting arrested for running through Korvosa buck-naked!" Terri hisses back at Wednesday.
"We can find other clothing when we stop for the night and burn this stuff. But speaking of buck-naked we should check each other for signs of rash when we have the chance." Amira whispers back
"Agreed." Daud nods gravely at Amira's suggestion, the fact that she might already be a carrier was already starting to weigh on him.
Trinia shakes her head, a look of consternation on her face. "What? No! I'm not burning any clothes! I think these threads look quite nice on me, thank you." The bard still looks confused, not able to process the severity of the issue.
Trinia looks at Amira, "I thought you guys were just getting me out of the city...are you going all the way to Harse?"
"If that's what it takes to keep you safe, then yes, taking you to Harse AND burning your clothes. Unless you want to look like that leper that attacked Trumpet?" he offers in order to get through to the bard.
"If we go all the way to Harse, by the time we get back at least a third of the city could be sick."
"And how would we prevent that by staying here? Do you know of a panacea that can counteract it? Or do you intend to buy scrolls for every single citizen of Korvosa?"
"We haven't exactly warned anyone, have we?" Cassandra points out. "The guard or the Acadamae or the temples. We know where the disease came from and we didn't tell a soul."
"And what would that have done?" Daud counters. "The ship is at the bottom of the river and the money had already changed who knows how many hands by the time we went to the girl. There's no way to contain it short of walling up the whole city."
"It's only been one day since we learned of this. I think warning the guard, the Acadamae, and the Abadarians would be wise, but we can't let ourselves panic. We need to keep our heads clear and realize that we have to take some risks if we're going to help anyone."
Daud almost stops walking, a puzzled look spreading on his face. "You mention the Abadarites, and there was one back there at the girl's house. But what about Sarenrae? She is the Goddess of Healing after all... or do you think coins can sure everything this world brings?"
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"You do like to argue, don't you?" Cassandra notes before she cartwheels forward so she can walk on her hands for a bit.
"Why don't we ask our escortee what she thinks we should do? It is her we are protecting so I think it is her decision."
"I like pointing out flaws." he drolly says as he pushes Cassandra's legs to the side to topple her.
"I'm honestly insulted that you'd think that about me. Brienna got sick after picking up a bunch of coins in a strange box. If the coins can carry the disease, then who'd be in a better place to stop it than the Bank of Abadar. Besides. I wasn't saying we shouldn't inform the other churches, just that at a minimum, we need to inform those three," Terri tells Wednesday, her tone and voice making it clear that she is miffed at the man.
Daud just shrugs at the priestess' defense. "Coins or no it's the disease that needs to be stopped. Diseases can be tracked and contained, coins? Not so much. Especially if there's nothing unique about them other than being carriers for the disease."
Surprisingly, the group makes it out of Korvosa with very little incident after that. Trinia laughs in relief as Tolenn joins them a mile or so down the road, her green eyes delighted.
She then turns her attention to Wednesday. "The man was ill, I did see that. I'm still not burning anything. I'm no fool, well maybe I am...I may never return to Korvosa, or it could be quite some time. I won't spend it burning my clothing every evening because of some mystery disease." The blonde's brows furrow in anger and defense of her friend.
"I don't know about some ship or coins or anything like that...but I know a negative person when I see one. Your companions need lifting up, sir, not continual digs against their ideas. As much as you have helped me personally, for which I can never thank you enough, you seem a bitter soul."
She turns to the group, "Well, it's the beginning of my life's next chapter!" She giggles nervously. "I really think I should probably head to Harse alone. The road is relatively safe, and you guys seem to be needed in Korvosa. A hero's work is never done, it says so in all the best tales." She smiles at you all, coming up to Terri and giving her a firm hug, resting her head upon the priestess' shoulder.
"Be careful, all of you, even you, sir. When next we meet, I shall tell you the tale of the heroes of Korvosa." Assuming you all agree, she waves with excitement before traveling along with the general outrush of merchants still on the road, quickly lost to sight.