Shadlah takes in the tale, nodding and confirming as Ziomarra goes. She sits close to the fire, letting the light play over her tanned and weathered skin, stroking Rowenna from time to time with her bare toes. She sips at a glass of wine, but grimaces as she does so, not overly fond of the taste.
"You have been through much, then," she says, staring into the fire. "And now you welcome a stranger to your midst. I hope I am not meant to replace your lost companion, as I doubt I ever could."
"I can't speak for everyone else, but you need not fear that I feel that way. Nalathi was who she was, and you are who you are. I'll miss Nalathi, but I look forward to getting to know Shadlah," Joanna says, a small, honest smile on her face.
"As Ziomarra says, we are trying to collect the pieces of the Sihedron so that Varisia has a defense against whatever may come. Who knows where our path will lead next after we have found the next piece and dealt with the derro preying on the people of Magnimar," she says to the shoanti woman, "We've already been out to Ravenmoor, and who knows where next we'll end up."
Joanna looks to Ziomarra, Arsith, and Briana for a moment before turning to Shadlah once more.
"If you are traveling with us, I should let you know what the others here know. I'm a follower of Iomedae, a knight in her order, but I am also the scion of House Whitehall. My step-mother, from what Mr. Donovan and Brother Titus have said, isn't too happy with me being out and about. I'm not sure how far she'd go to get me back under lock and key, but I do know she wants me to be married off to increase her own influence. Obviously, I'm not so thrilled by the idea," she finishes dryly.
"Derro?" Shadlah asks, picking up on Joanna's words. "If they were behind the disappearances, why do people continue to go missing? Just a few days ago, I found that the alchemist Billivin had gone missing. Though his shop showed signs of a struggle, there was no sign of him."
After a moment's thought, she takes a deep breath through flared nostrils. "I carry no baggage spare my guilt," she says quietly. "Perhaps soon, I will tell you of my last party. But this night holds too many sorrows already."
"We only found out about it while on our way to Ravenmoor. As far as we can tell, the guard is still getting things together to hunt them down. We don't know anything more than that, and to rush in unprepared would only lead to more deaths," Joanna explains, almost as if she was having to convince herself as well.
When Shadlah mentions her last party, Joanna gives the shoanti woman a sisterly hug.
"Take your time, but know we'll be here when you need to talk," Joanna says, "take it from someone who almost destroyed themselves with grief, it is better to talk than to bottle it inside, but I also understand why you'd wish to save that conversation for another time."
Ziomarra nods at Joanna's assessment of the derro issue. "Agreed. While the derro threat is real, we need more information before we can take any effective action. For now, let us focus on the task at hand: further exploration of The Crow."
Looking to Shad and her friends, she simply says, "It would appear we have all lost those who were close to us. We all grieve in our own ways, but none of us have to bear that burden alone."
Zee stays up for another half-hour or so, then excuses herself and heads to her guest room for the night.
As Ziomarra expresses her intention to head towards bed, Unselm appears at the door, "Dinner is served"... Gesturing towards a large set of double doors, he politely coughs, "The Venture Captain wishes to discuss your plans for tomorrow..."
...as the doors ooen, Lady Heidmarch - who is sat at the head of the table, gestures for the friends to take a seat...
Teldon continues to pour over the musty tomes, blissfully unaware of the passage of time...
So lost in his books is he that Teldon fails to notice the door open behind him... the light of a candle and a gentle cough finally alerts the student to Unselm's presence. In a quiet whisper, gravelly and hoarse, "It is a thing of wonder yes? This library...". He cracks a thin smile, the first time Teldon has seen him 'cheerful'.
"Dinner is served".
Teldon quickly commits his page number to memory and stands. "I have yet to find the library that isn't," he replies with a smile, "please, lead on."
As the two men head toward the dining room at whatever pace is comfortable for Unselm, he inquires, "What type of jobs did you do before taking up employment in the manor?"
"Well, we can't get a good night's sleep on an empty stomach, can we? Let's see what our most gracious host has on the menu tonight," Joanna says with a cheerful grin as she helps guide the others to the dining room.
===
Joanna politely waits for the others to take their seats before sitting near Shadlah.
"Thank you, milady, for inviting us to dine with you," she says politely as she waits for the appropriate time to eat.
"It's a tale for another time," the Shoanti says quietly, returning Joanna's hug with one arm. At the mention of dinner, her stomach growls, and her tanned face flushes slightly.
----------
Her movements stiff and awkward in the dining room, Shadlah sits in the first seat she sees, not touching anything else as if unsure of what to do.
Noticing Shadlah's discomfort, Joanna leans over to her and whispers, "Start from the outside, and work your way in with the forks and spoons. The rest is all silly rules that even sticklers for decorum find bothersome."
Arsith seats facing Joanna
Whatever will be on the menu will be a welcome break from road rations.
Not to mention that nightmare of a meal in that dreadful little town...
The white haired woman shivers suddenly
Enjoy yourself and relax, Shadlah. That's the best thing to do.
As Unselm escorts Teldon towards the room from where the smell of a warm meal wafts appetisingly, the hunched over fellow picks his words cautiously, ”I was a… mmm, Pathfinder… like you… My last field mission... well, it didn’t go well”. There are a couple of moments of awkward silence, punctuated only by the tapping of Unselm’s cane against the tiled floor, before he finishes, ”Lady Heidmarch gave me a second chance… although, it may well be that my exploring days are over”. Pushing the doors to the dining room open, Unselm ushers Teldon into a room where his friends – sat around a long table with Lady Heidmarch at the head – are waiting…
The meal itself is fine fare, a warming soup followed by a delicious stew… quite a change from the subsistence rations which kept the friends going on the trek to and from Ravenmoor, all accompanied by fine wines for those who want them… as talk moves on from the exploits of the last month and towards the forthcoming exploration of the Crow, Lady Heidmarch tells the pathfinders a little of her expeditions to other Thassilonian ruins – she warns them of traps still powered by arcane energies, of strange beasts that somehow have survived through the ages, of demons and devils bound to the temples and monuments of the long dead civilisation through contracts or ritual, of the importance of working as a team and, finally, of the importance of documenting everything.
”You should plan for an extended visit out at the Crow – Sir Canayven and I have only found anecdotal evidence of what lies beneath that piling… but it is a fair guess that you will not be able to fully explore within the day.”
i had deduced all that already, Teldon reflects with a twinge of disappointment when Unselm throws open the doors to the dining room.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he offers taking a seat next to Briana. He enjoys the food and the lady's anecdotes but when she mentions the importance of documentation he replies with a hint of indignation, "You were dissatisfied with the thoroughness, or inclusiveness, of my notes?"
”Teldon, your notes are impeccable… both in terms of their accuracy and their thoroughness… my comment was certainly not a criticism of your ability to maintain a journal – I merely wished to remind you all of the importance to catalogue what you find. With ruins as ancient as those which we study, one false move can bring down entire structures – your journal ensures that, in such an event, we don’t lose everything”, savouring a glass of red wine, Lady Heidmarch continues, ”Teldon... There is something we should talk about after supper though – just yourself and Briana for a few moments”
"I think we should head to the Crow by boat in a similar manner to how we went last time. I believe that the weather will cooperate by providing cover of light fog in the morning for the next few days. We might want to buy our own boat this time, especially if we expect to leave it docked at the landing for days on end. We should bring our camping supplies with us, too: If what Lady Heidmarch suggests is true, we may end up underground for days on end. I think we would only need a day to supply ourselves for the expedition and secure a boat. I have also heard tale of magical bags that are bigger on the inside than the outside: If we could get our hands on one of those, it would make taking our supplies with us all the easier."
"A magical bag would be quite useful but I believe it is beyond our means, especially if we hope to buy a boat" Teldon offers. "We left the Tower Girls' boat with Zee's friend but didn't actually sell it... couldn't we use that?"
When Lady Heidmarch requests a private audience he answers, "Certainly."
she seems uncomfortable... I wonder why...
Joanna finds the meal quite welcome after nearly starving herself half to death. Many things may have changed since Ravenmoor, but Joanna's seemingly insatiable appetite and bottomless stomach do not seem to have been among those things, as evidenced when she sheepishly asks for seconds, a fourth time.
Joanna listens throughout the meal and the discussion afterwards, but finds herself, troubled, by Lady Heidmarch's words.
And it seems to be with Teldon and Briana. This is most curious.
"Do we have a way to mark where we've been? I should have thought of that earlier, but it didn't come to mind until now," She says when the topic of what to bring comes up.
With a smile, Arsith gives some of her own food to Joanna.
It's a pleasure to see you having an appetite again, sweetie pie.
Strange.. Is there a law that Pathfinders shouldn't fall in love with each other? That would be stupid.. I doubt it.
She turns to the newest addition of the group, trying to make her feel more confortable
So, Shadlah, do you enjoy the meal? Do you want or need something else? I don't know much about Shoanti, their people and customs, I'm afraid, so I hope you will be able to enlighten me.
Taking the advice offered, Shadlah tries to relax - as much as she can, anyway. Her broad shoulders remain tense, the lines of her face hard as she eats her stew. At least it's hearty fare - rich and earthy, full of root vegetables. Apparently being a living conduit for the plane of Earth brings with it certain tastes. She leaves the wine, though, craving a strong ale but uncertain of whether to request one.
"I am accustomed to long days 'in the field', as it were," Shah puts in, "and if anything, I look forward to a stay of more than a few hours. To be surrounded by such marvelous stone will be a wonderful experience." Suddenly aware of the several pairs of eyes on her, she is grateful when Lady Heidmarch speaks up again.
"I can not help with a boat, but as for the magic bags you mentioned..." Shadlah reaches beneath the table and draws her well-worn haversack, going to drop it on the tablecloth but thinking better of it at the last moment, instead handing it to Ziomarra. "I believe this is a similar design. Mitrovic told me it would hold far more than an ordinary bag of its size, and I am inclined to agree, having carried everything I own in it for several months."
By the time Joanna asks for her fourth serving of seconds, Shah feels better about asking for her third, even if it's just to pick out the parsnips and potatoes. She glances across at Arsith in surprise, mulling over the question for a moment. "The meal is satisfying, and I want for nothing. I am among the tshamek, and their customs are my own. On the Plateau, though, there is little room for secrets. What can our hostess say to two of our number that she cannot say to all?" As the words are out of her mouth, she realizes what she's said, and quickly averts her guilty eyes from Lady Heidmarch.
As Shadlah speaks, there is a sudden ‘atmosphere’ within the room… Lady Heidmarch, running her finger around the rim of her wineglass, considers the bald Shoanti at her table… for a few moments, the only sound is the crackling of the fire burning in the hearth...
...and then, setting her glass down and smiling to herself, ”Forgive me Shadlah, it is many the year since I was out on Storval Plains – here in Magnimar, one gets so used to the intrigues and politicking upon the 'Summit' that you forget the undeniable truth that hidden words can not stay hidden… nor that, between those in whom you are to entrust your life, there should be no secrets. Your folk understand this… your very survival has sometimes rested upon these truths”
”Very well, I shall speak unguarded…”, once more Lady Heidmarch is gently drumming her fingers on Teldon’s journal, ”It appears that two of you have become very close whilst you have been a group… very close indeed. Now there are no rules, no guidelines nor any restrictions as to this… and Desna knows I am the last person who should be saying this… but your survival as a team – and your work as pathfinders – may dictate that hard decisions may one day need to be made… that you may need to put the safety of the group or the work of the society ahead of your feelings for a particular person. There have been times when I too have let my feelings cloud my judgement… and…”, Lady Heidmarch’s words trail away as she looks away for a moment.
When she turns back to the table, she is glassy-eyed but, maintaining her composure, ”I will say no more of it… I am happy for you Teldon… and for you Briana. But, please, think of what I have said… remember the dangers which you have already faced… and those which you have yet to face – your success will be because you worked together… all of you, for each other”.
At Teldon's remark about the boat, Zee taps herself lightly on the head. "Of course! I forgot we still had that. Gianya will certainly still be holding it for us! One less thing to arrange." To Joanna's question, Zee responds, "Well, no, but chalk or charcoal is easy to come by. We can use that to mark the walls."
Zee visibly tenses as silence descends upon the room in the wake of Shadlah's remark. Sipping her wine, she glances between her hostess, Shad, Teldon, and Brianna.
She smiles at Lady Heidmarch's final conclusion, and can't resist adding, "I think we've all learned to trust each other in the field, and not to try running off alone: Together, we're much stronger than than the sum of our individual abilities." She meets Joanna's gaze, raises an eyebrow, and smiles knowingly.
"And, the journeys of the heart are at least as profound as the journeys of the body. I, for one, could not be happier that my friends have found each other!" She raises her glass in a silent toast to Teldon and Brianna. Turning to the Venture-Captain, "And, if I may be so bold as to say this, among my people, strong feelings are a strength. I have found that my heart makes better decisions than my head alone. I have never regretted letting my heart guide my actions... while I have regretted making the 'logical' choice when my heart told me otherwise."
"And if Briana or Teldon found themselves in the position of having to choose between saving each other or the rest of the group... or the Sihedron... what choice would they make? It is a hard thing... there is no right choice...", Lady Heidmarch addresses Briana and Teldon directly, "and, by Desna's grace, I pray neither of you are ever put in that position... It is... too hard". Briefly contemplative, Lady Heidmarch pours another glass of wine...
"Come now... Let us not dwell on this any more... May I propose a toast?", Lady Heidmarch raises her glass, "To your success! To the Society! And... to our Lodge!"
Teldon raises a glass, "Hear, hear."
there's something else she's not saying... perhaps something about what happened in those ruins... I'll wait and speak privately with her as she asked... I wonder how her warning is effecting Briana?
hmm... anger... at Lady Heidmarch, but also at me... I suppose it is my fault that she found out... it's not just anger though... fear? unease? maybe she's concerned Lady Heidmarch is right...
do I try to comfort or reassure her? should I try to hold her hand? look how tightly she's squeezing that chair arm... maybe I better wait...
Suddenly Teldon begins to look a bit uneasy.
Joanna raise her glass in toasting, as well as giving a Hear Hear of her own, but her thoughts are elsewhere.
Hard choices rarely have a right answer, and what would you do, Lady Whitehall? Would you do your duty? Would you save your friends? Would you sacrifice it all to save only one?
I'd pray for guidance and strength. Teldon may think I can't be a sword and a shield, but there is a reason one warrior carries both into battle. If faced with that hard choice, I'd pray for the courage and the strength to save them all.
With the empty dishes and plates taken from the table and the fire starting to dim within the hearth, Lady Heidmarch suggests that a good night’s rest is in order, ”Who knows what you will face tomorrow… best to get some sleep now and, come the morning, I shall ensure you have sufficient provisions for several days away from the city”.
Standing and moving next to the fire, she tells the friends that the rooms they stayed in last night have been prepared, ”…and Teldon?”, offering him his journal, ”This is yours…”.
Teldon walks quietly to the fireplace and retrieves his journal. He waits there watching his companions leave until they are alone .
Once he and Briana are alone in their room once more he takes her hands in his and says, "I'm sorry that I angered you."
”Teldon, you are an intelligent man… more so than many… think about what I have said and steel yourself for the day that you may need to make the same decision”, after the apparent coldness of her ‘warning’, there is now a warmth in Lady Heidmarch’s words, ”Sleep well Teldon… believe it or not, I am happy for you… and for Briana too”
Teldon snaps out of his quiet reverie as the Lady expresses her hapiness for him and Briana. "Thank you," he quietly answers, then with a quick bow he takes his leave and returns to his and Briana's room.
* * *
Still at dinner...
Zee nods knowingly at the Venture-Captain's concerns about her friends' relationship. She smiles slightly, and remarks softly, "One can see most clearly on a starless night. We cannot change the past, but there are always regrets. We make the best decisions we can at the time, and hope that our hearts have led us well. What more can we do? As my grandmother told me, 'Good judgement comes from wisdom, wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from poor judgement.'"
Those words set for a moment as their host refills her own wine glass. Zee does the same.
As Lady Heidmarch breaks the tension with a toast, Zee raises her glass and adds her voice to the others: "To the Society!"
As the dinner winds to a close, Zee pauses a moment to speak with Lady Heidmarch, but then notices that Teldon needs a word with the Venture-Captain, and she withdraws to her own chambers.
* * *
In her room, Zee wraps her grandmother's kapenia around her shoulders and takes her Harrow deck from its case. She lays out a fast reading for herself. Nodding at the cards that come up, she then puts her deck away and goes to bed.
* * *
Zee is driving a caravan across the open moors near Ilsurian. The sun is shining, and the pair of draft horses seem spirited. "Oh, Zee, it's a beautiful day!" says Nalathi, sitting next to her in the driver's seat.
"It most certainly is, my friend!"
"Where are we going, Zee?"
Zee puts her arm around her dimunitive friend's shoulders. "Does it really matter? It's the journey that's important!"
"I guess you're right, Zee. I guess you're right"
The road is open, the sun is warm, and the future is limitless...
A sunbeam shines through a break in the curtains and illuminates the room. Zee awakens in a very good mood.
"I can think of no topic more deserving of it's own tome than the kindest, wisest, most beautiful woman I've ever met. I'll run out in the morning and grab another journal."
Teldon brushes Briana's hair back with his fingers and softly kisses her neck where it meets her collarbone, then adds, "And I'll look for some new treats for Rowenna while I'm out, she must be getting tired of the fish by now."
Joanna wakes up the next morning and goes through her morning routine. Washing her face to wake her up all the way, stretching, blade and footwork, washing the sweat from that off, then getting fully dressed and ready to eat.
Somehow, she always woke up ravenous, and the cook had made pancakes. By the time the others had joined her, her first stack was well on it's way to an unfortunate demise, death by hungry teenager.
Feeling ashamed over her faux pas, Shadlah finishes the meal in silence. Though she raises her glass mutely for the toast, she avoids eye contact with the hostess, as well as Teldon and Briana, though she does note the girl's distress.
After being shown to her room, she stares at the bed for several hard moments before stripping down and climbing in. The mattress is clean and intact, not moth-eaten like the beds at the Burly Griffin, or tattered like her own bedroll. The pillows are warm and soft.
Sleep is impossible. As she tosses and turns in the bed, trying to get comfortable, reminders of her own embarrassing blurt at dinner fill her mind. Guilt racks her for sleeping in comfort, and just as she finally feels sleep coming, Alessa's cold, glassy eyes stare at her from the darkness.
Shivering, Shadlah relents. She takes a blanket under the bed, wraps herself in it, and tries again to find sleep. Shortly after her head hits the hard floor, sleep finds her.
----------
When Shadlah wakes on the hard floor, she feels... better. Yestedrday had been trying - new people, a formal occasion, and an embarrassing misstep. Today would be better. It had to be.
She pads downstairs for breakfast in her clothes and wrappings, chain shirt slung over one arm, haversack on her shoulder, and stops at the sight of Joanna demolishing her breakfast. Hesitantly, she takes a seat. "I hope that was not supposed to satisfy all of us."
In the morning Teldon rises early and kisses Briana goodbye before she begins her meditation. Stopping downstairs, he quickly assembles a sandwich from two pancakes and some sausage and nods to Jo as she enters the dining room while he's leaving. Outside he grabs his horse and heads out for some quick errands: buying two new journals, provisions for a few days in the Crow, and some quail jerky cured with a little catnip for Rowenna.
Arsith get a full night sleep, a rare occurence these days. All the stress and nightmares from Ravenmoor slowly fade away.
She sits on her bed, stretches, rises and washes herself.
I need some new clothes. Something brighter, cleaner and maybe more colored.
Still naked, she brushes patiently her hair, something she didn't payed attention to for some time now, wincing when the brush is stuck in her long white mane.
They are still white, and will probably remain that way. I'll need something to tie them.
She finally put some simple clothes on, a loose fitting grey dress and high boots.
I really, really need new clothes. But let's eat something first, I'm hungry!
She gets downstairs, and walks to the dining room.
Of course, Joanna is already here and eating.
Hello, sweetie pie! How are you this morning? Still hungry?
Smiling, she kisses the holy warrior crown of hair.
Zee gets out of bed and washes up, and then dresses for the day. Slightly annoyed that she overslept and did not get to watch the sky turn from black to blue while the stars winked out in the daylight, she meditates for a few minutes before performing her morning Harrow reading.
...Neutral
...Good
Ah, The Cricket! A traveler who is fleet of foot who enjoys the journey and the rewards at the end!
She then arranges her cards in several esoteric patterns and studies their interplay for about half an hour.
Gathering her cards, she heads downstairs to the dining room, finding most of her companions already there. "Good morning, ladies! Joanna, did you save any pancakes for the rest of us?" She enjoys a hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage, and fruit salad, and a steaming mug of strong Vudran tea with cream and sugar. She then notices that someone is missing. "Is Teldon already running errands or is he still sleeping?" she asks Brianna.
"Errands," Teldon answers, walking back into the dining room and placing a piece of the new jerky down in front of Rowenna, "but now that I've familiarized myself with the city I can be quick and efficient."