Offering Trina a smile and a wave. Desna please don't make me a liar. Turning to look at Searok and shaking her head, "Really."
A couple of days pass without incident. The town continues to be on high alert, with Hellknights, guards, and anyone out looking for some easy money in search of Trinia.
At last the time comes to return to Citadel Volshyenek and collect your fee. Almost as soon as you set foot on the street, you notice something different. A sense of broken tension, perhaps? Fewer people congregating in small, heavily armed groups, glancing furtively in people's windows and peering suspiciously at any passing young women?
The reason why becomes clear as soon as you pass a town crier.
"Hear ye, hear ye! Regicidal traitor Trinia Sabor captured last night by city guard! Found guilty in closed trial this morning! Public execution scheduled three days hence! Hear ye, hear ye..."
Needless to say, this does not square with your memory of events.
Arriving at the Citadel, you find the guards in a rather tense state. Most are keeping their heads down, diligently doing paperwork. One reason may be the Shoanti; a small group of them, in full tribal garb, are standing around glaring sternly at anyone who looks their way. They appear to be guarding a much older Shoanti man, who is sitting on a bench outside Cressida's office, looking grave.
But if you were taking bets on why the guards are nervous, odds would favor the shouting. An unholy row is going on in the office; Cressida can be heard arguing with a male voice. He's staying calm. She is not.
"YOU ASSURED ME EVERYTHING WAS FINE!"
"I tell you, it is. I rushed over as soon as I heard. Nothing to report."
"YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A MISTAKE?!"
"No, I expect you to believe it's a lie. You're too trusting, Kroft. I'll look into this, I swear. Now pipe down, there are people outside."
Cressida's voice mutters something too quietly to be heard through the door, which opens. Vencarlo strides out, a troubled expression on his noble features. He brightens slightly when he sees you, then addresses the Shoanti.
"I do hope you gentlemen won't mind waiting a couple more minutes." Vencarlo points at you. "She'll want a private word with the four of you first."
"Really."
Searok, clueless as ever, just shrugs and says, What?
On hearing the proclamation, Searok is rather proud of himself. Lookee der! She was tried an' convicted! We helped brin' a kingslayer to justice!
"She'll want a private word with the four of you first."
I'm sure she will! She probably wants ta thank us fer a job well-done! Searok says with a self-satisfied grin.
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"Really."Searok, clueless as ever, just shrugs and says, What?
Sighing and looking down at Searok before walking off, "She isn't guilty."
---
Returning to her little home and doing what she can to clean the day from her before curling up in the too big bed to sleep for far to long. Tossing and turning throughout the night.
Her restless nature and the need to know that she did not send an innocent woman to the gallows is the only thing that makes her leave the lonely bed. Though apparently she has to wait to learn Trina's fate.
Taking to playing for hours on the street corners. Playing until her fingers hurt to much to continue.
----
Normally a visibly cheerful woman but the news of the day has made it impossible for her to even fake a smile. Opting instead to glare at the inhabitants of the world. Agitation overrides curiosity at the Shoanti group.
Nodding at Vencarlo and striding into the room. Waiting for the others to enter and the door to be closed before focusing her glare at the captain, "So what happened?"
"I'm not actually sure what happened. Maybe nothing. Just as I asked you to retrieve Trinia, I asked Vencarlo to keep her out of sight. Same reason; deniability. I don't want good guards to get in trouble for knowing about this, and I don't want bad ones to know about it period."
"The guard you left her with drove the wagon with her locked up in the back to a designated location, and abandoned it. Vencarlo picked it up and took her somewhere. He owns property all over the city, even I don't know where he stashed her. In a city where wretches like Devargo trade in information, Academae students will cast any spell you ask in return for drinking money, and imps may be peering out of any drain, the best way to keep secrets can be to not know them yourself."
"The plan was to wait a few days, until things died down and everyone would assume she had fled the city. Then I could arrange for her interrogation, without the threat of a riot or the damned Hellknights hanging over our heads. Instead I receive word of her capture and imminent execution. Vencarlo insists that she's still where he left her, but I can't verify that without going to look, which may be exactly what I'm supposed to do. He's never steered me wrong before, but they have someone locked up at the palace, and I'd damn sure like to know who."
"Anyway, not your fault. You played your part, and are guiltless in whatever goes down. Captured the girl, handed her over to a city official, no one can say you did wrongly. So here's your payment."
Cressida takes a small wooden coffer out of her desk, places it on top, and opens it to reveal 100 platinum crowns.
"As agreed. Now, there's another little task that has come up, and it might be right up your alley. It'll pay another thousand sails. I could use the guard for this one, but I've heard that a few of you might have knowledge and experience that is particularly relevant to this matter."
"Ever heard of a man named Lamm?"
Shaeda tries to act like the doesn’t recognize the name Lamm. She looks to her friends, ”Do we owe it to the girl to see if she is ok, or if this is all some big mistake?”
Glancing over at Sheada, "Yeah, I think we do."
Looking back at the captian, "Yeah, I've heard of him but I will have to bow out of that one. I need to make sure Trina is ok."
Sighing and looking down at Searok before walking off, "She isn't guilty."
That ain't what da law said.Searok retorts.
"Ever heard of a man named Lamm?"
Heard of him an' heard he was dead! Searok says while spitting on the floor for emphasis. Good riddance, if ye ask me!
Searok then realizes that he probably shouldn't have spit on Cressida's floor and uses the toe of his boot to try and wipe away the offending spittle.
Hearing the Old Man's name mentioned completely caused Makall to ignore the concern about the girl that the others were having at the moment "Why is this Lamm so important to you Captain Cressida? Many of the Poor Quarter's has heard of Lamm and probably had some dealing with him. That he is of some import to you makes me wonder why?"
"Gaedren Lamm, blight on this city though he was, is no longer a concern to me. He's no longer a concern to anyone, save perhaps some denizens of the lower planes. Word on the street is that a few days ago he was killed. Circumstances unknown, but seeing as the whole city went to hell that night, it doesn't bother me in the slightest that he took a head start. Maybe a business deal went sour, maybe some of his associates took advantage of the riots to shuffle themselves to the top of the deck, maybe his luck just finally ran out."
She takes a long sip from her coffee and gazes at the ceiling to avoid seeing any incriminating expressions that might or might not cross the face of anybody present. You get the feeling she has her own theories about the end of Gaedren Lamm, and is keeping them to herself.
"No, my problem is with his son. Rolth Lamm is a failed Academae student, who was expelled when he was caught butchering vagrants to use the parts in some sort of experiment. Charges were never filed, to avoid a scene. The man's been as much trouble to Korvosa as his father ever since. I suspect he never ceased his work, and may be responsible for any number of deaths, but I have no proof."
"Until now, that is. And damn the luck, but not only has my shot to finally put him away happened while I have a million other crises to deal with, but it also threatens to cause a major diplomatic incident."
”That is all quite interesting about this Lame fellow, Gendry was it? Do you think the son is involved with Trinia’s situation? I agree with Emma, we need to check on that girl.”
If ye want us ta take care of this Rolth fellow, then just says so! Searok says exasperated.
Crossing her arms, "I'm gonna go find Trina first and make sure we didn't hand over an innocent woman to the gallows. After that I am happy to chase down your monsters."
"Obviously I can't order you to do anything, you aren't my employees. I only ask that if you do discover the girl's whereabouts, you keep quiet about it, including to me. If she's imprisoned at the palace, there's nothing we can do but incriminate ourselves. And if she's not, someone might be trying to flush her out, or be led to her."
"Either way, I'm sure you can still catch Vencarlo if you hurry."
Are we really gonna check on tha lass when we can take care of a Lamm? Searok asks still not believing that Trina is innocent and not deserving of her fate.
Closing her eyes for a moment and taking in a calming breath before looking at Searok, "You do not have to but I am not going to let her death hang on my soul if I can avoid it."
"Here is the problem. If we free her are we not to become the same fugitive. We need more information before we set out to free her. Some evidence that we can bring that shows her innocence."
”You know I’m with you Emma.”
Searok sighs-audibly. Well iffen ye all want to look after tha kingslayer than we'll look after tha kingslayer and let this other Lamm fellow get away. Searok says with an air of resignation.
Heading outside, you do indeed spy Vencarlo fairly quickly. He's walking briskly away from the citadel, seemingly going about his business like any normal gentleman.
However, as you approach you see him do something rather strange. He walks up to a carriage, presumably his own, it's fancy enough, and enters. However, you see him exit the other side almost immediately, and the carriage leaves without him. He has also pulled up his collar to conceal his face slightly, and looks around furtively.
Having apparently decided that his little deception was a success and any watchers think he left in the carriage, Vencarlo steps into an alleyway.
"Let's see where he goes." Makall pushes the others onwards to the alley.
Well! Ain't he a strange one! Searok says as he joins Makall.
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Subtly has never been one of Searok's strong suits, and is never more evident as when he tries to 'tail' Vencarlo.
Using the innate stealthiness of her kind, Shaeda shows Searok how it is done.
Looking at the shorter members of the group and shaking her head. Queitly mumbling while looking as if she were pulling a string from her lips.
"I'm gonna stay close to him and this will let me give you directions. And you can whisper back to me."
How can we whisper back to ye when ye ain't here? Searok says not understanding the intricacies of magic.
Pulling away from Shaeda and Searok, the much quieter Emma is able to approach the alleyway she saw Vencarlo enter and peer around the corner.
The alley is narrow, barely wide enough to allow a full grown man to pass through it, but widens out slightly after around thirty feet, after which there is a dead end and a small courtyard of sorts which may have once been a garden. Not for some time though, unless someone has discovered a way to grow beer bottles and empty tins.
Vencarlo Orisini is holding a wand, and attempting to use it. Not entirely a surprise, you saw him perform magic once before when he purchased a wand of Erase and used it to obliterate graffiti. He seems to be having trouble now, though, as he shakes the wand repeatedly, cursing under his breath as no more than a few sparks come out.
At last he manages to activate the spell; Four glowing red lights emerge from the end of the wand and hover in front of him. He concentrates and they arrange themselves into a diamond shape, then float skyward until they are hovering above the alley.
His odd task done, Vencarlo leans against the least filthy bit of wall he can find and waits.
Makall puts his hand on Searok's shoulder quieting the dwarf before his loudness alerts Vencarlo.
'Emma what is going on? Do you still see Vencarlo?'
Tilting her head and watching Vencarlo. "Yep. Just stay on the street since he is in that alley. He is doing something with a wand.. Hmmm, well he made lights. I guess he is signaling someone. Can you see the lights from the streets? If so tell me what shape you see."
From the street the lights can't be seen. Possibly that's the purpose of walking so deep into an alley before setting them off, so they can't be seen, except from the rooftops.
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Gah! I can hear Emma in my head but I don't see the lass!
Eventually whatever signal Vencarlo is sending receives a response. A figure appears on the rooftop and drops down into the alley. He is dressed head to toe in black, complete with a black cloak and hood, and a bandana covering the lower half of his face. On his belt is a silver rapier.
He lands lithely on the ground, and addresses Vencarlo in a gruff voice.
"I don't like to be this close to the guard. If they see me, they must attempt to arrest me, and I would not like to see them hurt. What's wrong?"
Vencarlo's demeanor could not be more different than when you heard him calmly arguing with Cressida. A half dozen expressions of distress cross his face at once, and he pulls at his hair in agitation. When he speaks his voice is much higher than when you heard him a few minutes ago.
"Everything's wrong! I don't think I can go through with this anymore! They arrested someone and are going to execute her! You said no one would be hurt this way! You said-"
The stranger interrupts. "I said, and Orisini backed me up. The best place to hide is right under their noses. He's taking a terrible risk on your behalf, you know. You're endangering him too by carrying on like this."
"Vencarlo" snatches a hairpin from his locks and holds it out to the other man. The instant it is removed, it transforms into an old gray hat, and the features of Vencarlo Orisini are replaced by those of none other than Trinia Sabor.
"Take it back. I'll turn myself in. I can't let someone else die for me."
Tilting her head to the side and keeping hidden, Great so they have someone else.
Emma recognizes the man in black, or at least his costume. For over 200 years Korvosa has had a defender, who strikes from the shadows and defends the downtrodden from injustice and tyranny. This is none other than Blackjack.
Due to his legend reaching back so far, no one is sure of his true nature. Is he of a long lived race, an elf perhaps? An immortal being who looks after the city-state in the way that Andoran is said to have a celestial patron named Talmandor? Or merely a succession of people taking on the same identity?
Regardless, there have been no confirmed sightings of Blackjack in about ten years.
Quietly mumbling to the others, "She is alive and Blackjack is here."
Taking a steadying breath and stepping out of the shadow with both of her hands up. "Maybe you don't have to do that. There is no reason for you to die. Someone higher up is trying to pin the blame on you."
Blackjack looks sharply in Emma's direction, and Trinia spins around with a small yelp.
"She's...one of the people who caught me."
Blackjack gives Emma an appraising look. "Not half bad at skulking, lass. Although wearing a more muted color palette might help. You think it's a frame-up too? Well so do I, and so did Orisini after talking to Trinia himself. It's the only explanation that makes sense; since the minute the king breathed his last, people have been saying the queen had something to do with it."
"I'm not necessarily saying she did, mind. Orisini thinks so, but he's a hothead who'll blame the city's rulers for everything from the price of bread to the death of Aroden. Regardless, Ileosa has every reason to be seen as seeking the killer, and ending the matter quickly. The sooner the scholars can write "Justice was done" in the history books, the more stable her rule."
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Did she jest say Trinia has a blackjack? Searok says not liking the commentary going on in his mind.
Smiling at Blackjack, "Wasn't planning on skulking today and yeah I think it is a set up."
Looking at Trina, "I'm glad you are ok. We were worried when we heard you were set for the gallows."
Blackjack says "Trinia, you'd better put the hat back on and catch up with Orisini. Look like someone else until you reach him; his carriage is recognizable, and so is he. I don't want someone to spot him walking the street after his ride just passed by. The whole reason you're being him to begin with is that the guard is loathe to bother wealthy and connected, but there are Hellknights in the city now and they have magic and no such reservations. And don't worry, I don't intend to let anyone die over this. I'm looking into the matter, but I can best do so if I don't need to worry about you as well."
Now he speaks to Emma. "As for you, the reason I'm being so forthcoming in your presence is that you just wandered into a clandestine meeting between an urban legend and the most wanted fugitive in the city, less than a block from a guardhouse. Even if you could get someone to believe that, the only person you could actually lead them to is a big man in this city, and it would be unwise to implicate him without proof."
"But you say you believe Trinia was framed and are concerned for her, and I want to believe you. I do believe you. And if I've judged you correctly, I think you won't want to see another innocent die for crimes neither of them committed. If the queen goes through with this execution, I will have to intervene. If that happens...can I count on you and your cohorts to provide an assist?"
Shifting from one foot to the other, "I cannot make any promises for other people but I am loath to let innocent blood be spilled so yes."
"Thank you. I don't want anyone to endanger themselves. This is about preventing innocent blood from being spilled, so I will not seek your involvement if I feel it would be too unsafe."
"The execution is in three days, and I need to make plans. If you don't hear from me, then I have found another way to stop it, but otherwise I'll be in touch."
(To Trinia)"As for you, put on the hat, catch up with Orisini, don't let anyone look at you closely especially Hellknights, and stay out of sight. You have more friends then you realize, and to risk yourself is to dishonor them."
Trinia bites her lip and nods silently. She dons the old gray hat, which turns into a bonnet as she takes on the appearance of a milkmaid. She thanks Emma, then exits the alley in the direction the carriage went.
Blackjack gives Emma a deep bow, then climbs the wall () and clambers off over the rooftops.
Looking up, "You don't know where I live or my name so how would you find me?"
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"I know Korvosa. If you live in this city, I'll find you."
With that Blackjack is gone.
Sighing and leaning against the wall for a moment. My life has become madness! Quietly mumbling to the others, "I'm on my way back. We need to go somewhere where we can talk in private."
Pushing off of the wall and walking back to the street. Offering the others a tired smile before continuing down the road.
Dead lady's house will work or can ye jest continue to talk in our minds?
Smiling at Searok, "It is not actually in our minds. I it is a really quiet magical whisper.
Waiting until they reach Zellara's house. Plopping in a chair and leaning her head back to stare at the ceiling, "So Trina is still alive and free. Korvosa's vigilante hero Blackjack is helping her. They plan to stop the execution. Apparently who ever is slated to die is disguised as Trina. And Trina was the Vencarlo we saw today."
Letting her head shift so that she is staring at the door, "I agreed to help them. I think I have to attend an execution now."