"The wheel has fae residue upon it. I do not believe the wheel was cracked by a pothole, but instead by some cantrip or sorcery."
He notices Theli sitting inside with Kara and Isolde.
"Who's the new passenger?"
Branok goes quiet at this news.
"Well then you'd best see to it master druid... I know little of such matters. That is Theli. She is paying Magan and the rest for an escort out of town. Apparently her life is in danger from some unknown threat."
Theli sticks her head out of the side of the carriage.
"Ah! The elusive number four," she drawls sardonically. "I was wondering when you'd show up. Your friends seem to have upped and left their charge."
Having already dismissed her as the source of the arcane threat, Gawen doesn't respond immediately to Theli, continuing his quiet conversation with Branok.
"We should get the wagon out of sight and repaired as soon as possible. If all they've done is prevent us from leaving, it may be that they're waiting for something - perhaps reinforcement. I'll see if anyone can direct us to a repair shop that will get the job done quickly."
Turning now to their new passenger, Gawen says "Theli. What is the nature of the threat you face?"
Theli pales.
"I already told your friends, I don't know," she answers, her voice quivering. "Something has been slowly but surely killing off my colleagues and now it is coming for me."
Just what we need, thinks Gawen to himself, another set of mysterious foes chasing us.
Out loud, he says, "I see. Stay close to Kara, she is well qualified to protect you."
He looks around for any nearby guards or shops where he can ask for the location of nearby workshops.
Still in the centre of the city as they are, these streets are still relatively prosperous and guards can be found in numerous places. Gawen is directed about half a mile up the road, past the temple towards the castle, where most craftsman gather.
Gawen thanks the guard and asks whether he'd be willing to keep an eye out for Magan and Felix returning in order to point them in the right direction.
The guard, while congenial, is not going to go out of his way to aid a passer-by.
It takes less than fifteen minutes for Felix and Magan to march up the road to the Black Horse, although they do not see Arthek's man along the way. The inn is a two-storey timber and brick building, with unusually high ceilings, surrounded by chaotic streets and noisy taverns. The street outside is crowded with drunken brawlers and the town guard.
Back at the carriage Theli snaps at Kara.
"When will we be leaving town? Do you intend to just sit here in the middle of the road?"
Calmly places a hand on Theli's shoulder, and while she didnt understand Theli, she points to the wheels of the wagon, and then looks at the woman. She then calls out "Branok, can you explain to her that we still can not move far or swiftly with a broken axle? This is why I prefer horses or my own feet. Soft silly woman, she needs Freya in her life." She then pulls out her tome of Freya, and starts to read passages to Theli, pointing at them, if nothing else to try and teach the woman patience.
Theli sighs dramatically and calls out in Saxon, ignoring Kara's preachings.
"Drive up to the castle. I'll make sure they deal with it expediently..."
She turns back to the northern warrior.
"Gold invariably accomplishes more than prayers, girl."
Gawen offers a silver coin in exchange for the guard's kind assistance.
There is a brief exchange as the guard makes it clear to Gawen that he'll keep an eye out for Magan and Felix in exchange for five silver pieces.
Another man that Felix recognises leaves the Black Horse. The one the prisoner named Jowan. He seems to be headed south.
Gawen reluctantly parts with a small part of his earnings, and returns to the wagon.
"The guard will keep an eye out for the others. We should get moving now."
Slowly, with the odd jolt here and there as the damaged axle takes a bump, Branok drives the carriage up towards the castle. The fortress is surrounded by a broad moat, traversable only via a large wooden bridge. Most of the support services built up around it, such as workshops, are outside of these fortifications.
Branok climbs down from the driver's seat and exchanges a few words with a woodworker outside his shop before returning.
"If we want it done today, he wishes to speak with Lady Kara."
Magan gestures to Felix to come with him.
They silently follow Jowan, keeping their distance and hoping he'll turn down a quiet alley where they can jump him.
Jowan sticks to the main streets for the most part. He is wearing a dull breastplate under his heavy cloak and has a bow slung over his back. He seems to be moving in the direction of the temple.
A shudder runs down Magan's spine.
They must have been watching us for a while.
He continues to follow, looking for the opportune moment to strike.
Frowning, as she was pretty sure outside of her group she knew no one here, she would come in to talk with the woodworker, curious as to why he wished to speak with her. She knew ships, not wagons.
Near the temple, Jowan pauses and swaps a few words with a guard. Some coin is exchanged and he begins to walk back north.
Theli protests as her bodyguard gets up and leaves the carriage, but chooses to remain nevertheless. The workshop is dim and cramped inside, full of half finished furniture and other nick-nacks. A huge mast hangs from the low ceiling and candles here and there light the way.
Standing behind a workbench is a small and stocky man, who Kara can only assume must be the man that asked for her. He looks up and squints over, beckoning her closer.
"We see few enough warriors of the gods in these parts," he begins in Saxon. "You cannot hide what you are. You carry yourself as though you were a valkyrie of Woden's own hall."
He lays down his tools and walks up to the tall woman.
"Your wagon needs a new axle I hear. That isn't cheap nor a small amount of work, especially if you want it done today. Your friend the monk was very insistent about that. I could be generous for those on a mission from the gods... but I require a favour in return."
He thumps a hand on a wagon wheel stood besides them, leant up against a wall.
"You see this? This is holly oak. This kind grows in west Frankia. It's tough wood - highly valued in wagon construction. It's usually sold to me by merchants who sail between here and Frankish ports, but of late supply has been... difficult. Pirates raid the traders, and they have made my work expensive."
The man's eyes narrow as he talks of the pirates.
"The crew of the Howling Ghost are lodged at the Waterfront. See to it that they are no longer a problem and you shall have your axle."
Frowns at the man's description of her, and she moves her shoulders in an unconscious manner as those words gave her a funny feeling, like an itching on her back that needed to be scratched. She was not sure how the man knew of her, but she was tall enough to stand out, among the people here, even if she was of somewhat average height back home. She looks at him, before asking a few questions about the crew.
" You understand that I am not alone in this venture? I doubt I could by myself handle a whole crew. What information do you have about their numbers and a location of the Waterfront, for I will need to speak with my team. If we could not do this, what is your rate? I can not accept something we may have to turn down and pay for without knowing the cost of failure."
She says evenly, knowing they had Theli and the other two innocents with them in Branok and Isolde. It would be hard to manage all of this, but for them to continue she would if needed. She also did not wish to ask Theli for the money, even after her offer to pay, for the woman was a might touchy about things.
"The Waterfront's an inn down on the quay," the carpenter elaborates. "I'm sure you and your companions can handle a crew of pirates. They're out of their element on land. The full crew is about twenty men, but if you slay their leaders the others should scatter."
He hesitates.
"Of course, if you do wish to simply pay for repairs I can do the job for one hundred silver pieces... but it may take me some time to get to your ticket."
Thinking on her reply, she prays over the choice. It was clear that the pirates needed to be taken care of, but she also did not want to over commit the group to things they could no handle. They were small in number and they already had two jobs. A third may be foolish. But at the same time, 100 silver was much more money than they could afford to spare right now. She says after some more prayer and thought " The right thing is to ensure all commerce comes in swiftly for all. We shall snuff out the pirates, but you must be quick on the wagon work. And watch out for anything that seems unnormal with it."
The carpenter nods in satisfaction and grasps Kara's forearm firmly in agreement, looking her steadily in the eye. His grip is strong - his work clearly keeps him fit.
"Then I'll get to work right away. Please give my thanks to your companions."
Meanwhile, it becomes clear to Magan and Felix that Jowan's path is taking him towards the castle.
Kara grips his arm in the same fashion, grinning as she enjoyes the nice feeling of a strong male grip, knowing this far south it is a rare thing,
" It is always a good day for Freyas glory. I can not say they would be happy, but we shall do it. Do you mind if we leave some pf our group here while we do it? We have a priest and young warrior with us."
Even if he answers negative, Kara accepts it and goes out, explaining fully to Gawen the conditions and where the pirates stay, while suggesting they burn their ship first.
Since the carriage must remain at the workshop anyway, the carpenter, who introduced himself as Jago, agrees that Branok and Isolde may remain there for the time being. However, he does indicate that they might be more comfortable wherever they had spent last night.
Out on the streets, Magan and Felix see Jowan enter a local tavern on the road outside the castle moat. From here they can see their carriage standing nearby, outside Jago's workshop. Pen is sat upon the vehicle's roof and begins to bark in their direction.
Gawen sighs. "If burning a pirate ship is what will speed our journey, so be it. We should consult with Magan and Felix though, no doubt they'll..."
He is interrupted by a bout of frenzied barking from the roof of the carriage.
"Beth ydyw, bachgen?", asks Gawen, clambering up and looking in the same direction as Pen.
Magan locks eyes with Felix and nods towards the door of the inn. He walks inside, and looks around quickly for their quarry.
Gawen barely manages to make out Magan and Felix slipping inside the inn a little over 60 feet in the direction Pen had been barking in.
As they enter the building, Magan spots Jowan disappearing up a flight of stairs to the first floor.
Magan picks up the pace, one hand already feeling for an axe as he moves to follow.
As Magan crests the staircase he spots a flash of fabric as Jowan hops out a window, his cloak flapping behind him.
From on top of the wagon, Gawen frowns. He was sure that Magan and Felix must have seen Pen at least, but they were apparently more focused on something else.
Unsure of whether he should go and find them, or whether his presence would tip off their quarry, he keeps watching.
"Think I saw Magan and Felix," he says down to Kara. "Still following that man, perhaps. Did you see who they were following? What did he look like?"
Kara turns and strains, hoping to catch a glimpse of what Magan and Felix were chasing. She would answer depending on what she saw, but either way she would try to think how best to inform them of their new mission.
Kara does not see Magan or Felix anywhere amongst the people in the street.
Magan rushes to the window only to see Jowan's back vanishing left atop the thatch of the roof.
Magan sighs, this was not his idea of fun. He gestures to Felix to lead the way.
"I think you has better take the lead here".
Felix nods to Magan and climbs out of the window after Jowan.
"Leaves this to me."
Felix quickens his pace to catch up with Jowan whilst trying to not let himself be noticed.
Jowan is crouched atop the roof drawing his bow, he has the carriage below him in his sights. Concentrated as he is on his shot, he doesn't see Felix coming up behind him.
Felix pulls out both of his daggers and thrusts them into Jowan's back, aiming for between third and forth ribs, where the heart rests.
+ 1(wound)
Magan climbs onto the roof a little behind Felix, just in time to see the well aimed knife strike between the man's ribs. He let's out a growl and leaps forwards to attack Jowan from the other side, shield and battle axe quickly in his hands. He fixes Jowan with a piercing stare, looking for any gaps or weaknesses.
studied target
Felix's first strike finds a gap in the armpit of Jowan's armour and digs deep, nicking an artery. The second is deflected by his breastplate.
On the ground, Kara and Gawen spot the commotion on the roof.
+1 Wound
Felix stabs again at Jowan with both daggers, but still only strikes true with the first. Jowan staggers under the onslaught.
Magan follows up with axe and shield, hitting Jowan hard twice and leaving him winded. Stumbling as he goes, Jowan draws back from the fight and jumps the gap to a neighbouring building.
Felix takes a last stab at him as he goes, but only finds air.
Spotting Jowan running along the rooftops, Kara draws her bow and takes a shot, but her arrow is high and he ducks it.
Muttering a few soft words in Welsh, Gawen's eyes cloud over and his shadow shifts slightly as he calls an eagle forth from Annwn.
Felix chases after Jowan, leaping roof to roof to keep pace with him.
Magan puts his axe and shield away as he walks forwards towards the edge of the roof. His bow is in his hand in the blink of an eye and he stares down the shafts of an arrow that wasn't there a moment ago. He breathes in, exhales and releases the arrow, watching it fly towards its mark, a little gap under the arm that he had noticed earlier when they were following up the stairs.
[i] Odin guide it [i]
Before it even ends its flight, he is calling out for the benefit of any onlookers.
"Stop, Thief!"
Magan's arrow makes contact, but is deflected by Jowan's breastplate.
He continues runnning and drops off the far side of the building.
Kara sees Jowan go out of sight, and knowing that her friends may need help, she tries to give chase, while she would keep herself near Theli. She wasn't sure what Jowan stole, but she would not go out of sight of Theli, as she was unsure what all this was about.
Gawen also remains Branok, Theli, Isolde and the wagon, reluctant to abandon them for an unknown foe.
The eagle dives after Jowan, attacking him as best it's able.
Gawen's eagle swoops after Jowan, but its grasping talons find only armour.