"Well, no offense to the crimson corsair," Captain Ridger began, "but the man knew the passphrase and disguise magic isn't such an uncommon thing. My employer said 'no questions' so I didn't ask any. It's as simple as that really."
As he began sipping his tea again, Coley began humming a short tune to himself.
At mention of the passphrase, the captain began humming as an annoying rhyme kept repeating over and over in his thoughts. "Have you, sir, a bed not smelly? Why right this was into my belly!"
From the shadows of the corner, a lightly whistled tune could be heard piercing the voices of the crowd. The melody matched that which preoccupied Ridger's mind. Arion slowly strode towards the man and began chanting the lyrics, "Have you, sir, a bed not smelly? Why right this was into my belly!"
Arion's face tilted forwards, his eyes looking upwards into Ridger's, not unlike a wolf stalking a trapped lamb. Stopping beside Lureene, Arion rested his hand upon her shoulder and, gaze still locked upon their captive, said, "Magic is not such an uncommon thing."
Captain Ridger blinked twice, as he tipped his teacup towards his waiting lips only to miss and spill its contents in his lap. Paling visibly, mouth agape, he turned to look at his crew and the older Setenbori man who just rubbed her forehead and grumbled something unintelligible.
"B– whu–" Shoulders slumping, he groaned, "Bugger me, he read my mind?!"
"Aye, an' played ya fer a fool," Captain Fingel said with a nod, tossing him a napkin to clean himself up with.
"Course, 'at begs tha question, who in tha noine 'ells did tha good Baron truly mean for ya to ferry, an' what kept 'em from reachin' ya?"
"I believe, Captain, that our friend's passenger is someone I encountered this morning. His absence could be attributed to his death; he tried to kill me but I got the better of him. If you'd like, Ridger, I can bring you his body and you can deliver that. Maybe I'll even go with you."
Arion shifted to studying Amhranai. He bowed his head slightly towards her and said, "The Rapier is lean yet can be deadly as the warhammer. I know You are not boasting, but my estimation of You grows. I would learn more of that encounter. Indeed, would it not be best for us to hold a brief council elsewhere, before interrogating the half-Zuck prisoner? Our Lady, Scylla...her claims to this shipping lane and to the person in chains...they would be best discussed in private. I wish to join our Dwarven champion soon."
"Scylla?!" Even though the rest of you could tell that Arion was trying to throw the merchant captain off, the fact that a Scyallan had so recently closed off Light's End brought alarm to Ridger's portly face. "Y– you c– can keep the body. We were just supposed to give him a ride, nothing more. We don't want any trouble with Scylla, honest!"
"Well, you know how it goes, cousin. He attempted a clumsy attack on me that left him quite exposed and, before his knife was halfway to my face, I had lodged mine in his chest. Quite simple, really." Blurred movement followed by a flash of metal and then a thunk of something driving into the table left a quivering blackened dagger before Ridger, not far from the wrist attached to the hand that caressed Lureene's fingers. "Just like that.
"Now then, Captain Ridger, I suggest you find a new employer or you might find yourself with the same terminal affliction as the man you were supposed to be delivering. I'm certain Princess Kirmoon can find some work for you; there should be no shortage of shipments for skilled crews." Amhranai leaned forward and removed her dagger from the table and waved the point back and forth to encompass Ridger and his crew. "And if I hear that any of you speak with your previous employer-and trust me, I will-not even Balezu's icy grip will save you from my wrath." Sheathing her blade, the elf now regarded her companions. "I have nothing further to say to these people so, if you're satisfied, I believe we can move on to Catone."
Arion moved to take up a cup of tea and stood behind Ridger and his crew. With a wink to Lureene and a slight smile he sipped tea and considered their options.
In answer to Amhranai, Arion nodded and said, "Satisfied. Let us convene elsewhere and share what each knows of these matters. Then, to deal with the other prisoner. As far as I am concerned, these fish can be thrown back. Let the loss of a little rice and diverted schedule be a reminder when weighing risk versus reward; when invitations to dabble in dangerous schemes seem tempting."
As he made an exit, Arion set the cup down and met Captain Fingel's eyes, saying, "They are at Your mercy, Mad-Madame-Marauder. Thanks for the tasteful tea."
To his female team he offered, "Littoral Ladies, shall we?" and made his way towards where he guessed Grak might be guarding the suspect.
Lureene schooled her face to avoid showing any surprise on hearing Arion mention the Scylla. I hope the next time I run into her...will never happen!
As she rose to her feet, she gave Ridger a dazzling smile a sympathetic look in her eyes. Leaning forward to give him another glance of her inviting cleavage, she added under her breath "I really think you should take her advice, Captain. I don't think I could...control HER any more than you could control the tides!" She turned to leave with Arion and just before leaving the mess hall waved at him, "Nice to meet you!"
Sasha gave Arion a curious look. Although she certainly was enamored of his elegant speech, there were times that he quite frankly lost her.
Littoral...? Clitoral? What's that got to– Ah, who cares!
With a shrug of her shoulders, Sasha waved good-bye to Ridger and his men and chirped, "Hey, wait for me you two!"
Beaming an enthusiastic smile, she asked, "Sooo.... want to try out a hammock or something?"
It didn't take long for Ridger and his crew to hurry back to the Swollen Sprite and cast off. In fact, they were lucky none of them tripped over themselves as they hustled back across the boarding planks. With a sigh of disappointment, Captain Fingel turned to Arion, his two lovers, and the others and said, "Well so much for my stint as a blood-thirsty freebooter. Are we to follow at a distance or return to Port Eldarion?"
Lureene turned to watch the Sprite sail off into the distance. Idly pulling on a lock of hair, she asks "Well, did we find any other incriminating evidence on board their ship? If not..." She waved off where the prisoner was being held, "I suggest we head back. We got what we came here to receive."
"Sadly, the most tantalizing tidbits from the Sprite are those belonging to the lewd namesake painted upon her prow. Ah well..."
Turning to face the quarter deck, the Captain called out, "Bring us about, Mavato, we're going home..."
Meanwhile, down in the brig..
Darvesch paces back and forth, staring down the prisoner, constantly shifting his grip on his axe. "So.. Were you the one responsible for summoning the Queen of Lies?" Understanding he's gagged, he waits for a nod or a shake of the prisoners head.
Bound hand and foot, with a gag in his mouth, it was difficult for the prisoner to answer in anything but the simplest black and white terms — yes or no. That didn't mean that he didn't try though.
At Darvesch's question, the man gave a groan of frustration and shrugged his shoulders as best he could given the circumstances.
Although Arion, Amhranai, Lureene, and Sasha were still topside, Amelia had seen fit to bide her time in the company of the itinerant dwarf, the two of them keeping eyes on their prisoner.
"A funny boy joo ah," Amelia chuckled, "as if somebody might not know if mebbe dey had any part in a big mad mutha like dat comin' outta da blue!"
The dwarf paces in frustration, tightening his grip on his axe. "What do you mean, "I don't know"? You either did, or you didn't!"
Darvesch looks to Amelia. "This would be so much easier if he could talk." He looks to "Toni". "But that's just not going to happen."
"Now. Let's try this again. Did you, or did you not, perform the spell that summoned Avoreen? He says as calmly as he can, obviously still furious.
The prisoner wagged his head from side-to-side, looking at Amelia imploringly, mumbling in protest as if at the very nature of the question before finally rolling his eyes and nodding, as if he expected that it didn't matter how he answered.
"Tell joo what, mon," Amelia shook a finger even as she cradled her ocelot against her chest, "joo be a good boy an' tink joor ansahs an I'll jus be readin' dem thought hmm?"
With a sigh of exasperation, he nodded, face wrinkling a bit as Amelia perused into his surface thoughts. "Ah, Ugorji, so dat's 'is name... So Ugorji, mebbe you can tink on what da mastah dwarf jus axed joo..."
Above decks, Arion hugged Lureene's hips up against his own as he watched the scow released back towards Freetown. Këowyn's sarcasm left him smiling as he looked deeply into those gems from another plane, the windows of Lureene's visage and said to her, "I agree my Dear. I had thoughts of hiding upon their ship and watching to see who, if any, might be in port to meet our suspect. But it would seem less fruitful to track the tools of assassins rather than staying near their target. Our place is at the side of our Princess; whose orders remain, to bring this person back alive. The sooner the better I deem."
He shifted his gaze and smiled at Sasha, adding, "Moreover, though I have heard that the motion of the ocean is important to lovers, I would prefer to enjoy our well deserved 'shore-leave' upon cushions of the Villa, not squeezed into old pirate hammocks. And well deserved it is. This mission has been a triumph for You both. I am quite proud of You."
Having begun to share information among themselves as they relocated, Arion continued to absorb what each in his team had to reveal of their experiences that day.
He nodded and questioned here and there, and after the debriefing turned to Lureene and said, "If You please, my Dear, I would join You in scrutinizing the magic items, but first I am drawn to assist the good Dwarf and our new Native ally. You may find me interrogating the prisoner."
Lureene basked in the body heat generated by the Sky Elf, and nodded in agreement. "My thoughts exactly! We DOOO think alike!" She resisted the urge for an intimate gesture and instead pulled Sasha into the embrace and whispered into the redhead's ear. "As am I, Sash. You were magnificent there!"
In reply to Arion's question, she thought for a moment before replying, "I would like to join you for the interrogation, but I believe I will watch the experts at work from the shadows here. It would be interesting to see how he would react to seeing me face-to-face...especially considering my resemblance to Mother!"
Magnificent?
"Yeah, that sounds like fun, Ellie!" Sasha squeezed her two lovers tight, kissing them each upon the cheek. "Come on, let's see what Mealy and Darv have been up to with– OOOH! Think we should paint your wings red so you can give him a good scare?"
As those who had interrogated Captain Ridger descended to the brig, they could hear Amelia speaking in a far off tone, as if the words she spoke were not entirely her own...
"I did cast a summoning ritual yes. Avoreen was the one who answered, yes. Yet how it is that one such as she answered my call? I do not know. If I had the power to command obedience from such a being, do you think I would be here now?"
"And what was your intention for your summoning? What were you trying to summon in the first place? And why?" Darvesch asks.
Amelia's catlike eyes narrowed as she felt hesitation from Ugorji. "Don' be makin' me sick muh keetee on ya naw..."
Lureene's eyes flashed at the thought of impersonating her Mother. "Sash...I do NOT need to change my appearance to scare him!"
"Grraaawwr!" Sasha bit her lip in excitement, eyes gleaming at Arion in the dimness below, before hushing up as she heard the prisoner speak thru Amelia once more.
Shifting uncomfortably at the odd noises coming from around the corner, Ugorji answered thru Amelia, "My intention was to summon an advisor for my people."
"Was it the kind of summoning that, should the summoned creature be killed, it is instead unsummoned?" He asked out of curiousity.
"It was a planar binding that I attempted, if that is what you mean. Yet with one of her power," he shrugged, "who knows what she is capable of..."
As far as any of you could tell, it seemed as if he was answering truthfully thus far.
He looks to Amelia, "Thanks for acting as translator." Not entirely satisfied with the answers he got, Darvesch waits for the rest of the crew to join him before heading off to a private quarters to catch his breath.
Arion paused at the side of Darvesch as they approached each other. Laying his right hand upon the Dwarf's right shoulder, staring past him, at their prisoner, the Elf said in a low voice, "It has been a long, trying day, Inquisitor. Thank You for binding and gagging this...person; and for not crushing them like an overly ripe melon. Your restraint is admirable. I must say, You are far and beyond a paragon, compared to the petty criminals from my sordid past, who called themselves Dwarves. I shall resume the watch. The Captain has turned us towards Port Eldarion. May You find rest as we head back."
"Nitey nite, dwarf mon," Amelia said cheerfully, attention still fixed upon Ugorji. After Darvesch had made his way past Arion and the others, she added, "Joo tree, quit ya lurkin back dere. Come on out here an git wit da talkin!"
Lureene walked behind Arion and Sasha allowing them to draw the attention of the bound prisoner. She waited a moment for her protectors to position themselves before her voice rang out, clear as a bell. "A planar binding spell you say? And what was the SERVICE you required for your advisor to win its freedom?"
The Elven Investigator walked slowly towards Ugorji. The expression upon Arion's face hinted at a knowingly wry smile as he rhetorically asked, "Yes. One of her power, who indeed knows of what she is capable?"
Arion's eyes led Ugorji as the Elf turned to look at the winged form of his blonde companion in the distant shadows.
He added, "The ruling tormentors of the Abyss do not find pleasure in being treated as servants, coerced into menial service."
"Ah, I recognize that voice... The daughter Avoreen spoke of, Lureene." Ugorji bowed his head as best he could considering how he was bound before giving a muffled laugh at Arion's observation. "Your man has it right, Lureene. A pity you did not answer instead for I saw today that it is you who has the Princess' ear."
Ugorji took a deep breath, releasing it slowly before continuing to think upon his answer so that Amelia could related it. "To answer, I had thought reaching peaceful accord with Rivermarch within a year's time was a reasonable goal. However the point is moot. My magic circle could not contain one such as Avoreen. Our negotiations were... brief."
Lureene was struck speechless, being taken by surprise by Ugorji's answer. Arvoreen has spoken of me...he wanted to bind ME??! He is looking for peace between Rivermarch -- that is where Port Eldarion lies, I believe -- and whatever Dafari faction Ugorji represents...I know 'Lis will be VERY interested in hearing more of this...
She stepped forward and reflexively grasped Arion's hand for comfort as she replied in a more subdued voice. "You wished to bind ME to serve your purposes...as my friend here has stated, I do NOT look kindly on such a course of action. Still...you have the chance to atone for your actions, as long as you continue to be truthful." She turns to stare at the mage, her blue eyes piercing his own. "NOW, who do you serve? What Dafari faction felt the urgent need to resort to bondage to simply gain an audience with Princess Kirmoon?"
Something in Ugorji's demeanor ignited Arion's rage and the Elf rushed at the kneeling culprit. Furiously swinging his arm upwards, Arion prepared for a backfisted blow to send Ugorji across the room.
Insolent peasant! Your plots rot with you in a tragic circle of...
But the strike did not fall. The Elven Agent mastered his wrath enough for the moment. Eyes of an ancient race, in display of obvious distrust, pierced the bald enemy. " with Rivermarch!?! It is not your role to assume leadership in political dealings here! If it were not for THE Princess your lying head would have been all that was kept as a trophy."
Arion pointed to Lureene and threatened Ugorji by saying, "This Divine Being, far more than 'having the ear' of our wise Vicereine...perhaps she should show you what it means to be the slave of vengeful Outsiders. Your lies about 'peaceful pacts' come back to curse you and may you die with your schemes. But I assure you, not before we peel every last bit of information from you, if I have to unthread your innards like rotted twine. And if you smile at me mockingly again, you'll be spitting the information through toothless, bloody gums."
"Bondage..." Ugorji's laugh at the irony of his situation was cut short by Arion's wroth.
Amelia tensed up as the man shrank from the elf, and it took her a few moments to regain her concentration. "Bit of cour-te-sy if ya please! I'm in da mon's head, ya feel me?"
Looking back at the captive mage, Amelia spoke in their native tongue for a moment.
Cackling a bit, Amelia said, "He's wond'rin if all elves be so hot-headed as joo, A-ri-on. Tinkin' maybe dis was not so good an idea aafta all."
"Quite," Ugorji thought, scowling at his captors. "Now to answer the Lady... No. I did not think to bind you. Prior knowledge of your existence would have been prerequisite. My meaning which was obviously mistaken was that you, Lureene, would have been far better suited to affect a beneficial outcome. As for who I serve, the elf is wrong. I serve the people of Freehold and the court of their chosen sovereign, King Makatimbe."
Although none of you were particularly apt to believe the man, even Amelia, who voiced his very thoughts, could not sense if he was being duplicitous. Regardless, it was certainly a bold claim indeed!
"Oh wow," Sasha brightened for some unfathomable reason, "they pick their own kings? That's kinda like what we do back home!"
Not entirely familiar, yet, with every secret organization or counter-movement in the region, or suspected allies abroad, Arion could only speculate about suspected enemy plots. However, the Elven Agent had intently researched the political systems of Dafar. He knew enough to realize that what Ugorji spoke was, in effect, open treason.
Watching the prisoner, Arion displayed no sympathy for whatever tribal notions their people imagined were justified. In the mind of the Elf from Ilmarond, these backwards heathen were fortunate that Avoreen did no harm to Princess Kirmoon.
Hot-headed? You would soon discover how frost-blooded our people can become, had your plots led to the demise of our Princess. Armies of the North would have surrounded your pitiful excuse for an uprising, besieged you to starvation and turned your precious jungles into your funeral pyre.
Arion stopped his thoughts from transforming into a verbal outburst.
This deluded fanatic is not our peer with rights to openly discuss policies. For the Princess, I must restrain my own impulses.
He stared at Ugorji and responded to Sasha, saying, "No, they do not. No province of Dafar has the right to independently name its own ruler. They CERTAINLY have no right to summon outside parties in an attempt to press whatever agendas they assume are theirs to enforce. Both insurgencies are acts of treason. However, this is not a diplomatic caucus, and THIS is not a recognized delegate. We leave matters of national policy to our wise and ORDAINED Vicereine. Otherwise we become degraded militant rebels like this..."
Arion trailed off, governing his disgust at the thought of scheming, interwoven plots festering in the sweaty jungle undergrowth. He stood up and, shaking his head, fighting back displays of contempt, he withdrew as if about to exit the area of the brig.
Ugorji's eyes grew dark at Arion's superior attitude. "Was it not your King's stated purpose in coming here to aid we Zucks in achieving self-rule? Or do you now let slip what many have come to suspect: that Aramandil aids neither Zuck nor Patrician, but swells his coffers with Mestaran gold."
The man gave an audible snort and shook his head. "Your 'wise' Princess not only has yet to be ordained as Vicereine, but I can see it now... in Lureene's eyes, I can see it — your Princess is an idealist. She has no idea that the true value of this so-called Protectorate lays in preventing Mestara from being out-flanked by an potential alliance between Mallos and Malatesta, does she?"
Arion spun around and carved a hole through Ugorji with a stare. In a slow and measured manner, despite the brewing tempest beneath his words, he said, to Amelia, "If You would be so kind as to end Your connection to the ravings of our captive. Your tolerance during this session is valued. Unless anyone else has another question before I silence the prisoner?"
Amelia patted Arion's arm with a thin hand as if to comfort him, the slits of her hazel eyes locked upon Ugorji. "Joo may tink yaself clevah boy, tryin' ta sew doubt, but Ah have seen tings... Some dat would make ya shed joor skeen like da snake ya are ta git away. Dat Princess girl meebe young, and meebe iii-de-lis-tic, but da speereets be wit her jus da same."
Waving to Lureene, Amelia asked, "Joo dere, pree-tee girl, joo got anyting else? Dis one's geevin' me a headache naw."
Sense Motive Checks:
Time: 3:00et (evening, 9:00pm)
Alis groaned as she entered her chambers at the villa. She handed her scepter to Tiniel before sitting cross-legged atop her bed next to Tut and Jasmine. Scratching both behind their ears, she asked softly, "Have you made sure to bring Jasmine enough to eat, Tut?"
Nodding enthusiastically, the little monkey chirped back, "Oo! Oo!" and held up a little basket in which squirmed a profusion of fat, beige worms with dark heads and banded tails. Picking one up by its tail, he held it up before the fennec's snout. With an almost blasé disaffection, she sniffed at the grub a few times before snacking upon the crunchy treat seemingly more out of boredom than actual hunger.
Uugh...
With more than a bit of apprehension in her voice, the Princess asked, "You... haven't let any of those get away from you... have you, Tut?"