She stands easily and gestures. "So? Shall we go down? You'll need to talk to her either way."
"Yeah, I need to tell her that she needs to stay away from me," she says turning and heading towards where the shed roof provides the way down from the roof.
Over the next week or two following the foiled execution, Rozalia begins dating Iolaire more seriously. With all of the money she has earned working for the Korvosan Guard, she has more than enough to provide for her lifestyle. She curtly informs Pilts Swastel that she will no longer be performing at Exemplary Execrables and humiliating herself for coppers. The oracle is more focused on preserving her dignity, at least as much as the playful fairies that continue to pester her will allow.
Unlike the intense and somewhat dangerous romance between Aurelia and Nicoleta, Roz decides to take her time with Iolaire. She takes the elf out to dinner and shows her some of the nicer parts of the city, and while they cuddle and share some chaste kisses, Roz has yet to push things further. She heads off each night to perform her required obedience to the Green Mother alone, bringing herself to climax in the undergrowth and whispering secrets to the fey queen.
Roz doesn’t buy Aurelia’s story about cutting herself, but it’s not her place to question it. She dutifully heals the woman before departing to resume her interrupted date.
Iolaire seems to be very much enjoying dating Roz. She is fairly shy and cautious with intimacy, but its obvious to Roz that she enjoys and wants the attention and the company although she doesn't push for the relationship to progress to the next level. Whereas Vox seems to take intimacy as a matter of course and general pleasure, Iolaire seems to have precisely the opposite attitude and, as Rox can tease out over their dates, she has never had another partner for more than a brief period. Long term intimacy is a new concept for her - both exciting and somewhat scary.
As they stroll together through one of the parks in Korvosa’s heights, Roz turns to Iolaire. ”So, you don’t talk much about your past. You’ve obviously been around the block a few more times than I have. How did a girl like you find yourself in a place like Korvosa?”
Aurelia is overwhelmed with guilt and can't stand the thought of facing Nicoleta again. After she finally pulls herself together, she does what she can to clean the blood off her body and get to a point where she looks somewhat normal again and puts some clothes on. She stuffs her bag full as much as she can and inks a note to Roz.
She looks back over her shoulder at the bloody bed, her beautiful silk dress laying at the foot of it. She stares at it, letting her eyes blur with tears as she once again chides herself for messing everything up. She writes a note that says "DO NOT DISTURB" and pins it to the door with a dagger before walking down the hall and slipping a note under Roz's door before slipping out into the night.
Thanks for your help tonight, I appreciate it. I don't know what I'd do without you looking after me. I decided I am going to visit a friend in Midland for a little while, try not to miss me too much. I've slipped a few gold into this letter to cover any room expenses should they arise.
Tell Nicoleta I'm sorry, please. I didn't mean to mess everything up. Tell her I'm an idiot.
XOXO,
Aurelia
As far as she seems concerned that's the end of the conversation, and she only waits around long enough to return Iolaire to somewhere safe before leaving, now that the excitement is over.
--------------------
The next night it is Vox who accosts Nicoleta and unrolls a piece of parchment. No matter how impulsive the drow often is, it appears that she takes her self-appointed role as protector of the West Dock seriously, and has the data to prove it.
"This is the West Dock." She says, "This new guard is a man called Charlus. He was on the dock watch force and I'm pretty sure that he was being paid by Lamm to overlook things. Now we've dealt with him, Charlus is moving in to the space. He's got a posse of other crooked guards and the usual low-lifes. They're mostly into extortion right now, and slavery - taking kids like Lamm did. I don't want this to happen. So I'm going to kill him, and make it obvious. We dealt with Lamm quietly, I'm not making that mistake again."
She goes on to outline her plan, which simply seems to be to ambush Charlus after he finishes his watch shift and goes to check on his 'extra-curricula' activities.
"He might have some friends." She says calmly. "They're with him on this which makes them guilty. All their songs end tonight." She pauses for a moment and fixes Nicoleta with a white-eyed stare. "Is that a problem?"
As they stroll together through one of the parks in Korvosa’s heights, Roz turns to Iolaire. ”So, you don’t talk much about your past. You’ve obviously been around the block a few more times than I have. How did a girl like you find yourself in a place like Korvosa?”
"My father brought me here." Iolaire says with a shrug. "We left Kyonin when I was very young. I didn't know why until recently when... all this happened. I never knew my mother so I guess she must have been a... a drow. So my father took me and we left Kyonin. We came here and settled down. He was a smith, so when we got here he found work and eventually got his own shop - the one I work now. He trained me." This earns a smile, she clearly has fond memories of her father and growing up. "Then, about twenty years ago, he left. He didn't say why but I think... I think he was going to try and find my mother."
She takes Roz's hand and squeezes a little. "I hope that they'll both come back one day. And how about you? Where did the faeries come from?"
Rozalia pulls Iolaire to a bench to sit while she tells her tale. ”Believe it or not, they saved my life. I was orphaned when I was very young. Gaedren took me in, made me work for him. Lamm’s lambs, he called us. Sick freak. I turned out to be short and fat and he mocked me mercilessly for it. When I couldn’t do the jobs he wanted me to do, he beat me within an inch of my life and left me in a garbage dump to die.”
The oracle looks away, fighting against the rage the memories bring back. ”That’s when the fairies found me. Said their queen would heal me, keep me alive, for a price. I took the deal. Got a lifetime of humiliation and obeisance to the Green Mother in exchange, but at least I ain’t dead.”
"That's Charlus." She whispers, pointing to the slender man on the right hand side. "I'll get him first, go after whoever you want, just don't let them..."
Whatever she is about to say next is cut off by a crash of boxes as a stack of crates overturns in the alley below, blocking the guardsmen's path. Four figures, all clad in rough masks and voluminous capes leap onto the makeshift barricade, armed with clubs and knives.
"Halt evildoers!" One cries in a high, clear voice. "This is not your town, to degrade in filth and ignominy! We, the Voices of Justice, will stop you!"
Charlus laughs outright as he and his goons draw thick truncheons from their belts. "Go home children!" He commands, in a thin and nasal voice. "Before we give you all a good hiding!" The 'Voices' stand fast as the men advance on them and a creak next to Nicoleta's ear has here glancing back at Vox. The drow has her bow drawn and her white eyes flicker to the dhampir briefly.
"Get down there." She says. "I'll get their attention."
As Nicoleta jumps there is a whistling sound and the truncheon goes flying from Charlus's hand, pinioned by a black arrow. "Leave them alone coward." Vox calls from above, silhouetted against the moon like a dark angel of vengeance. "Your song ends at my hand tonight!"
"He was a real batard" Iolaire agrees, "He deserved everything he got." She squeezes Roz's hand and appears conflicted for a moment. "Could you tell me... what actually happened? I don't really know what happens when Vox is out. We can... leave each other memories I suppose, but I think she shields me from the worst. So could you tell me, truthfully. What happened? What did we, did I do?"
”You gave him a clean death, probably more than he deserved,” Roz tells Iolaire. ”Sliced his throat open with one cut before kicking him into the water. He was dead before his pet gator got to him.”
Iolaire winces slightly before setting her jaw and sitting up straighter again. "Good." She says, actually sounding as though she means it. "It was a good thing we did, and at least we did it well." She forces a smile, "So, something more cheerful. Heard any good secrets recently?"
Roz grins. "But of course. Secrets are my bread and butter, after all. I've heard some juicy tidbits about the city's thieves' guild, the Cerulean Society, and its Guildmaster Boule..."
The oracle spends the rest of the evening dishing out the latest serving of hot gossip.
Chapter 2: Seven Days to the Grave
7 Calistril, 4708 AR
Over the past few weeks, Nicoleta has felt periodic surges of emotion from her empathetic connection with Zellara's harrow deck. Most of these feelings have been approval of the way she and Vox have continued to clean up the streets along with general unease regarding the state of affairs in Korvosa. This morning, though, the dhampir feels the strongest urge to date. Zellara wants Nicoleta to perform a harrow reading for the party--indeed, the monk feels Zellara's intense worry that something dire is on the horizon...
The monk is wearing a dark-gray gi for this excursion. Combined with her olive-toned skin and dark hair, she blends into the shadows almost as well as Vox. When directed to engage amidst the drow's distraction, she smiles enough to show her white teeth in the darkness.
Moving nimbly down from their perch, she moves around to the side of the group and waits for Vox's mini-monologue. She times her first attack right after the dark elf disarms one of them with an arrow. Snaking in from the side, she sweeps the legs out from one of the other men. She's on him in an instant, dropping an elbow on his exposed throat and crushing his throat, leaving him gasping and clutching his neck.
Her presence now announced, she moves warily to the hanger-on as he and Charlus look between her and the dark archer. "You take care of that one," Charlus snarls. "I'll get the one with the bow." Nicoleta displays her teeth as she gives a come-closer gesture to the other man.
"Ain't you a cocky b!*$&," the man says as he hefts his club. "And I'd say that you've got balls for brains," the dhampir answers. "But that might be giving you too much credit." The truncheon swings through the air, just missing her as she pulls back just enough to avoid the weapon. "Nice try," she says with a laugh. "But I'm a little fas... " Whatever else she was going to say is cut short as a follow-up fist sinks into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She stumbles back, attempting to pull air into her lungs, so the second swing of the club just manages to catch her by the ear. The man laughs. "I said you was a cocky b##%#."
Feeling liquid trickling down the side of her head, the monk is a little more wary as she circles her enemy while keeping an eye on Charlus as well. Attempting to put aside the rage she feels at the man's laughter, she focuses on her breathing.
If one loses focus, one has already lost the battle.
She watches her opponent and continues to move in a circle to position him where she wants him. Her maneuvering is successful when the man can't resist glancing to the side to see what the dark archer is aiming at now. Taking advantage of his momentary lack of attention, she dashes in and kicks at his knee. He grunts in pain and stumbles. In an instant, she's clinging to his back with one arm around his neck. Ignoring his struggles, she tightens her grip. He drops his club and attempts to free himself from the strong woman, but his efforts are fruitless and the dhampir is rewarded when he finally drops to the cobblestones beneath her.
Nicoleta takes a moment to finally catch her breath, trying not to look at the exposed neck on the ground in front of her. The haze of rage boiling around the edges of her vision taunting her and urging her to taste just this once.
She turns her gaze to see how her companion fares.
~~~~~
There's a soft knock on Aurelia's door a little after breakfast. When she finally answers, Nicoleta is standing there, looking nervous. One of her ears is swollen and her movements seem a little stiff.
"Umm ... Hey ..." she begins nervously. "I know we haven't talked about ... about what happened. I know you probably don't want to have anything to do with me anymore, but ... well ... I still wanted to apologize for how I ... for what I did. I guess you were trying to do something ... something nice."
Her nervousness begins to turn to anger.
"I'm shit at this," she says in annoyance. "I get it. I f+~#ed it up. But you're probably better off hanging around with anyone else but me. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry."
~~~~~~
Feeling the draw of the cards, Nicoleta gathers those of the group that she can find into the common room of the inn and readies herself to do a Harrow reading. She lays out a cloth over the table and sits for a moment taking cleansing breathes before pulling out the beautifully illustrated cards and shuffling them. She has each member of the group touch the deck before she begins laying out the cards.
Once the tableau is arranged, she attempts to clear her mind of preconceptions and let the images of the cards present their own story.
When she answers the door, she tries to speak first but Nicoleta beats her to it. She lets the monk say her bit as she stands in the doorway, listening to her fumble through her words. When she's done, she steps back and motions for her to come inside and shuts the door behind her.
She leads her into the room and asks her to take a seat before sitting herself. She folds her hands in her lap, looking over at Nicoleta. It's at least a minute of silence before she speaks.
"I spent a lot of time thinking about this the last few days." she starts, trying to find the right words. "I appreciate your apology, but it's not your fault. I messed it all up, Nicoleta. I was trying to do something that I thought would show my dedication to you, but it was a poorly conceived plan that I shouldn't have even considered without thinking of possible consequences. I didn't take into consideration how you might react. I just, I don't know. I don't know what I was thinking." she looks down at her lap.
She absently runs her thumb over her neck where she cut herself. "I told Roz I cut myself trying to cut a piece of my hair for you, I don't think she bought it."
Looking back up at the monk, she sighs. "I did a dumb thing and got hurt because of it. I don't always control my impulses and think my brilliant ideas through enough before acting on them."
"You're a beautiful woman and there's something about you that ... well ... most of the time it just pisses me off, but ..."
The dhampir steps closer and seems to be taking in the woman's scent. Her head leans down to brush her nose below Aurelia's ear. "Sometimes I almost can't control myself." She pulls away abruptly. "You should probably stay away from me," she says in a husky voice before turning towards the door.
As each of you tap the Harrow deck, a card slides out of its own accord and flips over. Each of these cards is from the suit of Shields.
Aurelia draws The Desert. This card represents an environment too difficult for anyone to survive without help. Like the sphinx depicted upon it, when the time is right, she shall be the source of her friends' salvation.
Iolaire draws The Trumpet. This card depicts an archon who dives aggressively and righteously into danger. If the elf is bold and true to both her selves, she will triumph over evil.
Nicoleta draws The Sickness. This card represents corruption, famine, plague, pestilence, and disease. She feels she must hone her constitution to resist all of these mortal perils.
Rozalia draws The Survivor. This card represents one who has managed to survive a terrible ordeal, when everyone thought her lost. Despite the long odds, the oracle’s magic will allow her to stand tall—metaphorically speaking.
Nicoleta collects the cards and shuffles them together before laying them out in a nine-by-nine grid. The first row represents the past, that which has come before. She flips them over one-by-one, revealing The Inquisitor, The Keep, and The Joke. Korvosa has changed, and not necessarily for the better. Those changes are now immutable, and no amount of quiet strength or perseverance can alter what is in motion. Those who have orchestrated it see it is a cruel joke, the punchline of which means death and decay. For The Joke is of opposite alignment, and Nicoleta gets flashes of the mad prophet who accosted Aurelia on the streets several weeks ago, cackling even as blisters erupt on his face and he falls to the ground, coughing blood...
The second row represents the present, that which is happening now. Nicoleta flips the cards over, revealing The Crows, The Avalanche, and The Teamster. The Crows are in the same place as the first harrowing—murder, theft, loss of loved ones. Here the dhampir sees carrion birds looming over fields of sick people. This leads to a great disaster: an unthinking panic and destruction that overruns all. But the city has no choice but to press on, driven by external forces beyond its control.
The third row represents the future, that which is yet to come. Nicoleta flips the cards over, revealing The Publican, The Trumpet, and The Queen Mother. In the dark times on the horizon, you must find refuge in friends and fellowship. Only by working together can you fight the coming darkness. Nicoleta sees Vox in The Trumpet leading the charge against the carrion bird’s, including their apparent leader, a crow the size of a roc with dead men spilling from its beak. But looming above them all is a beautiful woman with ashen skin and a blank face, her motives as inscrutable as her visage.
As always, the harrowing is vague, but with luck, it might guide you in the days to come...
Aurelia closes her eyes when the dhampir steps close. "Yes, I probably should. I was really scared, Nicoleta. I gave myself entirely to you and I almost lost it when-" she doesn't' finish that, but shakes her head and says instead "You could have easily killed me."
She swallows the lump in her throat and opens her eyes as the woman walks away from her "But you didn't. You proved to me that you have more control over it then you give yourself credit for. You can go if you like," she reaches out her right hand towards the monk. "Or you could stay. I think I'd like that."
"So, can someone sum it up for me? This is a lot of pieces, what is it telling us? Kill this big bird that vomits men?"
"Yes, I could have killed you. And I wouldn't have felt bad at all until ... until afterwards," the monk says, her eyes searching for something else to look at rather than the mesmerist. "But you smell so ..." She takes a half-step towards Aurelia and her eyes finally settle on the woman and the healed injury on her neck. "Did Roz heal you ok? It doesn't hurt anymore, does it?" One hand reaches out and touches the fading scar with tenderness.
~~~~~~
"It looks like a plague is coming," Nicoleta says with a frown. She collects the cards and puts them away, all the while looking around nervously to see if anyone else was looking or listening.
"Roz? Do you have magic to prevent or cure disease?" she asks before looking around again. "I think we're going to need it."
”Roz likes to spread disease when she spreads her legs, not prevent it!” the fairies laugh.
Roz scowls. ”I don’t, unfortunately, though it might be wise to see if one of the churches has some scrolls or a wand.”
"I hate getting sick." Iolaire says with a grimace. "If we want to lay in some cures we should probably get them now. And I really don't want to think about why Vox is fighting a giant crow."
"I killed Lamm." Vox says, drawing her long curved sword slowly. "I cut his throat and fed him to a crocodile to free this district from scum like you and him. I do not need another little s*%t like you trying to set up another little crime empire. So you, Charlus, you get to be my example!" Vox glances up, her white eyes raking across the figures on the barricade. "Luckily for you, we have an audience. So you get to die quickly."
In a blur of motion Vox slashes neatly through Charlus's throat, the blood spraying an arc across her white hair before turning to the 'Voices'. "And what are you playing at?" She asks sharply.
"We want to help!" The shortest figure blurts out. "We heard about you, what you're doing. We want to help you! To make the city safer!" Vox stalks forwards, and the group all shrink back slightly, but none of them turn, or run. Vox examines them all closely, looking practically demonic in the dim light, before turning to Nicoleta.
"What do you think? Can they be trusted?" She asks, before noticing the remain thug, sprawled on the ground. A quick slice sends another streak of bright blood across Vox's face and frees Nicoleta up to examine the younger vigilantes.
"I'm fine." she says with a small smile. "Roz's magic is amazing and you can never tell I was so foolish. Not a trace on this flawlessly beautiful skin." she says with a bit of flair, dragging the back of her fingertips down her neck as she elongates it and stretches her head to the side.
When the monk reaches out to touch her neck, she holds her head to the side as if it were pinned there, letting the dhampir feel where the wound had once been.
She whispers "Do you forgive my foolishness? I will never do that again."
We have enough money, perhaps we could pitch in for some wands or potions or something?
When the vigilante's blade ends the life of the man on the ground in a spray of blood, the intoxicating scent is too much. With a snarl of mixed hunger and frustration, she falls to her knees and latches her mouth over the man's neck catching the last of the pulsing fluid in her mouth. She feeds frantically, barely hearing the words Vox says to her. The only sound in her ears is the fading heartbeat of the man on the ground.
When she finally looks up with blood dripping down her chin, she lets the words register.
"What do I think?" she asks. "I think that they should find somewhere away from us. There's nothing but death around us."
~~~~~
"I will not lose control with you again, no matter how you tempt me," she says with a sneer. "If something happens between us again, it'll be because we both want it." She leans in close and just barely touches her lips to Aurelia's. "Now would not be a good time."
She turns and leaves.
~~~~~
Nicoleta frowns. "I would help out, but my money went ... elsewhere," she says.
Ouch. Whether intended as a slap in the face or not, Aurelia can't help at flinch at Nicoleta's words, her eyes doing a slow-close at the comment. After a heavy sigh and slight shake of her, she says "Well I seem to be flush with wealth because apparently I'm f!&&ing terrible and understanding what to spend it on. I'll chip in whatever is needed."
She pushes up out of her seat and declares "I'm going shopping.", walking out the door.
Shortly after the harrowing is complete and before Aurelia can leave, you receive a visit from Field Marshal Cressida Kroft. The woman looks less harried than your previous interactions, though her eyes still show signs of worry. She is dressed in civilian clothes and asks to speak to you somewhere private.
Once away from prying ears, the field marshal sits and begins. ”Thank you for meeting with me, ladies. I have some disturbing news. I have received advance word that Queen Ileosa intends to restructure several elements of the city’s military organizations. Rumors of disbanding some or even all of the groups in favor of new organizations are on many lips, and with events running the way they have of late, I am increasingly afraid that Queen Ileosa’s inexperience as a ruler is going to result in some poor or even disastrous decisions.
“Events are moving swiftly in Korvosa, and in a direction that makes me nervous. More importantly, my ability to finance your missions will almost certainly be diminished as the new leadership realigns and restructures elements of the Korvosan Guard. I even worry that my position as Field Marshal may be in jeopardy. My goal at this point is to not make waves and to cling to my post as tenaciously as possible so I will remain in a position to protect and represent the men and women of the Guard I have grown to trust and feel responsible for.”
Kroft lowers her eyes, then she clears her throat and looks up at you again. ”All of this is my way of informing you that, for all of our best interests, you should no longer consider yourselves official agents of the Korvosan Guard. I hope you will continue to fight for Korvosa and her citizens, and I promise to aid you as I can, but I can already foresee a time in the near future when the power of the Korvosan Guard may not be enough to protect those who serve the city.
“In any event, I will keep tabs on you and contact you if I have an opportunity for you. I do not need your aid currently, but I imagine it won’t be long before your services will be required once more.”
"No!" Aurelia cries out. Everything is falling apart! Her shoulders slump as she staggers back a half step, her head falling to her chest. Her dream job was at end shortly after the unfortunate incident with Nicoleta.
What's next?
"Great. Sure. Yeah. We'll keep fighting the good fight." she says without any enthusiasm. Sighing, she shakes her head and then looks up at Kroft. With more sincerity she says "Thank you, Field Marshall. We've had a rather great relationship going these last weeks and we enjoyed cleaning up this city regardless of the coin you paid us. This work needed to be done and it's just a bonus we were able to see to it personally."
"I wish you the best luck with your difficult situation. If you do need of our services, we shall heed your call."
Nicoleta thanks Kroft for her previous largess, but once the woman leaves, she gathers the others around again.
"Kroft's coin or not, we're going to be involved in this," she says. "By the reading of the cards and what she said, this shit's about to get serious. A plague on a city the size of Korvosa is going to be our own version of one of the layers of Hell." She shakes her head. Ignoring Aurelia's earlier outburst about gold, Nicoleta stands and takes her by the arm. "You and I are going to go shopping."
Once they've exited the inn, the dhampir leans in close to the mesmerist as they walk.
"Look, I think you're mad at me for the gifts I gave you," she says hesitantly. She reaches up to touch the stone hanging around the woman's neck. "I am sorry that it means that I don't have any gold to contribute for what we're going to need, but I don't regret giving them to you, ok?" She frowns. "You deserve more gifts like that."
She's silent for another half a block.
"Were you able to save the dress? You looked really pretty in it."
Walking along with Nicoleta, the mesmerist apologizes "Look, sorry about that. I shouldn't have acted that way. I just panicked at the thought of losing this lifestyle we've been living."
Reaching up and touching the stone, she shakes her head "I'm not upset with you for spending your gold on me, I love it. I meant what I said. It's still the nicest thing anyone has done for me."
She nods to Nicoleta's question. "I had taken it off before, so yeah, it was clear of you know." She shivers, shrugging off the thought. She walks a few steps in silence before turning to look at her, her violet eyes looking into the dhampir's dark ones ."Did you mean that? What you said about me and the gifts?" She hesitantly reaches out her left hand to take the monk's into her own to hold it as they walk.
Nicoleta stops in the street and turns to look at Aurelia. She tips her head down and looks up at the mesmerist. "Hey, you've known me long enough to know that I don't say shit that I don't mean." She gives her a gentle shove and then begins walking again.
You purchase a few scrolls and peruse the city's markets for the remainder of the day. You can't help but notice the wanted posters adorning numerous businesses, declaring a royal bounty of 5,000 gp for the capture of the king's assassin, Trinia Sabor. Wildly embellished news of the botched execution has spread quickly to every corner of hte city, leaving all to wonder why Korvosa’s long-absent hero, Blackjack, chose now to reappear and why he rescued a sentenced killer. Not a few tongues also wag about the mysterious armored figure who was there at the queen's side, resplendent in her crimson-highlighted plate armor and red-plumed helmet.
The next morning, a short, cryptic note arrives for you:
My friends, I hope this note finds you in good health in these dangerous times. In light of the recent unrest, I feel that I could provide some tips on self-defense to adventurers such as you, and would be most gratified to meet with you for these lessons, offered gratis, at Orisini Academy. I eagerly await your arrival.
Vencarlo Orisini
"The fop is probably bored silly babysitting T... our friend," Nicoleta comments, looking around at the common room to make sure no else is listening. "She seemed like a bit of an airhead."
She rises from her stool. "I'm going to get changed and then we can go see what's on his mind."
When she comes down from her room, she's garbed again in a traditional Varisian dress with splashes of red and yellow throughout it. Her broad hat is on her head and brass bangles jingle around her wrists and ankles.
Iolaire appears to be the one going on this adventure. On the off chance Orsini is serious she'd definitely benefit more from some lessons...
"You'll do." Vox decides with a nod. "Tomorrow. Go to the blacksmiths shop on Canary Street. Tell her that I sent you, she'll let you in and explain how things work. If she doesn't believe you then tell her that you were here and describe what happened. That will be enough. Now go!"
The Voices scurry off, chattering amongst themselves as they do, while Vox turns to the dead man on the floor. "So Charlus... what are we going to do with you?"
--------------------------
The next day the body of a city guardsman is found in the West Dock marketplace. Black arrows protrude from his arms and legs and someone has ripped his shirt open and carved a word into his chest. Slaver.
The mans tongue is missing from his mouth, and is instead pinned to a post twelve feet away with a note. "His was a song of pain. It is ended. I would hear the people sing again! Vox."
Aurelia frowns when the monk so easily break their hand hold to make her comment. "Okay, because it was nice is all and-" She nods and straightens her posture. Suck it up, buttercup. She's making you too soft, you need to get your tough side back in place. Shake it off.
Sniffing unnecessarily, she strides alongside of the monk while they head off to do their shopping. Masking her feelings and putting on a vacant look as she goes about her daily business nonplussed about the comments and actions that just took place.
Reading the note, the mesmerist comments "He doesn't want to give us lessons, he wants to talk about something else, Iolaire." nodding to Nicoleta's response. Still, she smiles. "I'm glad you're coming though. I find you coming much more pleasant than your other half." She leans in and whispers "She scares me."
"I bet Roz is really glad when she's coming," Nicoleta says, snorting rudely.
Roz rolls her eyes. ”Don’t be jealous, love.”
When you reach the academy, you see a sign hanging from the front door that reads, “Classes Cancelled Today.” A few moments after you arrive, a serious-looking Vencarlo appears and ushers you inside. The swordsman thanks you for responding to his cryptic note and leads you down a hall and into a study, the windows of which are tightly shuttered and curtained.
Wearing simple traveling clothes, Trinia Sabor holds a wide-brimmed rider’s hat and a wig of long red curls. Trinia appears nervous and excited, and upon sighting you she smiles. ”Good to see you again,” she says.
”You might have guessed the reason that I called you here,” Vencarlo says. ”The matter is simple: Korvosa is no longer safe for Miss Sabor. I’ve arranged for friends in Harse—a couple of well-respected ranchers—to take in our beautiful renegade until this whole ‘assassination’ foolishness blows over. It’s the first leg of the journey where we find our problem, though. Ever since the queen’s put a price on her head, mercenaries, soldiers, and the queen’s new armored warriors have been searching for the young lady tirelessly. They’ve stopped by here three times so far, and each time I’ve only just barely been able to turn them away without inviting a search. My most reliable contacts have gone to ground in light of the recent uprisings, and Her Highness’s bounty for Trinia’s capture makes the use of new agents inadvisable. Thus, after some time to let her trail cool, I turned to you resourceful lot. Care to escort a lady home?”
"I'm surprised that whoever's scripting this fiasco hasn't conjured up another scapegoat," Nicoleta says with a shake of her head. "It doesn't seem like they actually care who pays the price as long as they've got someone to feed to the masses."
She looks Trinia up and down. "Do you think you can keep from panicking if someone at the gate starts asking questions?" she asks the girl with narrowed eyes.
Trinia meets Nicoleta's gaze and nods firmly. "Yes. I'll keep my cool, but I'll let you guys do most of the talking."
"Yeah, that'll go well," Nicoleta mutters under her breath.
The dhampir collects whatever information she needs to identify the people in Harse that Trinia will be passed along to.
"So, what's that? Like a three, four day trip?" she asks trying to remember where exactly Harse is. "On foot, I imagine, 'cause I don't like horses and they sure as shit don't like me."
”It’s 60 miles to Harse, but you don’t have to take Trinia all the way there,” Vencarlo says. ”You need only to escort her to a wayside inn along the road north called Trots, where you’re to hand Trinia over to a man named Jasan Adriel, a friend of mine who owns a horse ranch in Harse. It’s only a 12-mile trip to Trots.”
Vencarlo hands you a pouch of 20 gp to cover a night at the inn if you don’t want to make the journey back to Korvosa immediately.
Before they leave, Nicoleta hands Trinia some clothing. "Here, put this on first," she says. Holding up the garment, it's one of the monk's gis. "That way there's an excuse for you not to talk to anyone," she says with a grin. "I'll just tell them that you've taken a vow of silence." She shrugs. "It's not unusual."
She looks at Aurelia. "We're going to be spending the night at a placed called Trots," she says with a raised eyebrow. "Why am I not inclined to eat or drink anything there?"
Aurelia watches Nicoleta do all of the talking, not feeling up to being especially social today for some reason. She pays attention to the upcoming mission, frowning they won't be getting paid for it.
It's alright, it's saving an innocent woman's life. That's all that matters here.
When Nicoleta makes a joke about their destination, she chuckles "Funny. I didn't know you had such a sense of humor, Peaches."
Putting her arm around Trinia she says "Don't talk. Stick with us. Everything will be just fine." She leans in and whispers "And if Roz tries to pull that [i]It's the fairies bullshit, hold your nose."
"What do you mean? I've got a hell of a sense of humor; Just ask anyone," she says with a grin. That grin fades a bit when the woman puts an arm around their charge.
"Enough talk," she snaps. "The sooner we get out of here the sooner we get back."
"Enough talk? I'm all mouth. Didn't you tell me that once? I don't think you've ever actually asked me to close it before, Peaches."
She starts walking and turns to Trinia, arm still around her she says whispers "So, Trinia. You staying with me tonight then? Are you a big or little spoon kinda gal?"
Nicoleta's eyes narrow as she hears Aurelia whisper in the poor girl's ear. She leans in to Trinia herself. "Aurelia prefers the little spoon and don't worry about that rash at all. It's only gotten a little bigger and I'm sure it's not contagious at all."
She then laughs and makes her way to the door.
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Aurelia drops her arm and moves them to her waste, her mouth hanging open to respond. " OH! No you did NOT say that! That's right! Keep walking, tough stuff!"
"Hmmmph!" she grunts, turning and putting her arm back around Trinia. "Don't mind her, she's just jealous."