Arisha and James move quickly after the man, trying to cut him off from his escape attempt.
Realizing the man may have gotten to the ladder before him, Angus turns to Harbinger, gesturing at the door, "Harbinger Guard!"
Then calls to the others outside, as he shoots up the ladder into the loft, "We think he's headed to the loft, I don't know it there is an exit from up top."
Pausing for a brief second at the top of the ladder he begins to look around.
Pointing at the inked leg on the wall, Angus calls out, "There he is!"
Yurishi Yumiko you just miss the ink on the leg but feel as is something is moving by you, you turn to follow and watch as Sajurai Katsumi draws her steel and makes a deft cut across the path of the invisible man... withing miliseconds he becomes visible again as blood splatters everywhere. He is probably dead before he hits the ground.
The sound of heavy horses riding torwards the fort become apparent in the air and those of you one the wall can see what appears to be a dozen soldiers in house Medvyed army come riding up. You can see Seraphina try to hurry torwards the wagons of the caravan you all traveled with but it was too late, they noticed her.
Oleg clapped his hands and cheered again.
"Boy sharp eyes on your group, thats good, might make the bastards a bit warier when they try again."
He began laughing though it suddenly cut off when he realized that well, they would indeed come back probably with a bigger force.
"Ah hell."
He muttered before shaking his head. He motioned for you folks to close around. Interupting that almost perfectly was a knight on horseback with Miss Seraphina in tow.
"Well friends, it would seem my father thinks otherwise of my excursion out this way. I must deal with that...again. I do hope to be back. Remember the charter, we are to explore these lands and deal with the bandit issue. Here Angus, hold on to this."
She began pulling out the charter and handing it to you Angus. The helmed knight cleared his throat and she rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Fine... fine we will be going now."
As he turned away she glanced back at the group.
"I'll be back."
She mouthed as they rode off.
Hearing the movement near the ladder, and the thud on the palisade, Angus smiles to himself. Moving out of the barn he pats Harbinger on the neck, asking the horse, "What do you think, Did our foul mouthed foe meet the poet or the dancer."
Hearing Oleg clapping and cheering, he's surprised by the sound of horses and Oleg's expletive. Expecting the worst, he steps out of the barn, followed by the big grey. "What the..." When he sees he Medvyed tabard, he sheaths his sword, but continued approaching quickly, 'Blast, Blast, Blast.' Glancing from his cousin to the groups leader, Angus is stunned when she draws out the charter and hands it to him. Frowning and ready to argue, he glares at the helmed knight, but accepts the rolled up piece of paper. Making eye contact with Seraphina, he tells her. "I'll hold on to this until you return." Nodding as she mouthed that she would be back.
Harbinger, sensing something was wrong, let out a low nicker and pushed Angus' shoulder with his head. Pausing, patting the horses neck, he lets out a sigh, "It'll be alright." Turning as he looks to the four ladies, he shrugs, not sure what to say.
Realizing they had not really told Oleg what they were even doing there, he hands the shop keeper the rolled paper, "This is what she was talking about."
Katsumi says, "One way or another, the matter is settled. The body will need to be disposed of."
Yumiko didn't see where the man was but Katsumi obviously had since she sliced right through him. Yumiko saw the blood begin to ooze and heard him fall as he dropped to the palisade dead. Yumiko looked up at Katsumi and then shifted closer to her pressing her body against her Mistress and said softly, "Well done Katsumi-chan."
After a moment she shifted back a step to put some space between them and said, "I will search him when I can see him again Mistress. I think you might want to find out what all the ruckus now is"
Yumiko made sure to stand back from the blood and waited for the bandit to become visible again as she snapped closed and slid her fans into their spots in her dress. She knelt down on her heels then and waited patiently. Once the bandit became visible again Yumiko rifled through his clothing and gear for anything of interest before taking her findings back to the others.
While handing the charter to Oleg, Angus hadn't even thought about whether the man could read or not. "It basically says were to clean out any bandits."
Looking at the carnage around them as he hear Katsumi speak of disposing the bodies. He turns to Katsumi nodding, "Looks like we should bury or burn this lot."
Oleg handed you the charter back and merely nodded.
"Me and the missus are in your debt. Ive some gold hidden and left over from an earlier trader its yours for your aid. I wish I had more so that i could entice you to stay. Im sure those bastards will be back in a few days with a bigger force now."
He finished glumly. As he was about to let out one long sigh the door to the home there opened and out stepped a beautiful slightly younger woman in a well made but common enough dress.
"Oleg, Really? Listen you folks are welcome to stay here free of charge as long as you would like. Use the bunkhouse. We are very greatful for what you've done. Now get cleaned up, I will have supper done in a bit."
She smiled sweetly at you all and hurried back inside.
Accepting the charter back from Oleg, Angus smiles a little embarrassed, as the man offers the last of his money. Before he can responded, the young woman comes out and informs Oleg that they could stay in the bunk. Chuckling as the woman went back into the house, 'ten to one that's his wife.'
Gesturing after the woman, he looks at Oleg. wife? Right?" smiling, "Not that it matters, wife, sister, first cousin on you mothers side. Your both safe with us here. As for your gold. Keep it. We're here to help, not be a burden."
He motions to the thugs, "We'll take their gear and the animals, that will be enough." Realizing he had spoken without talking to any of his companions he looks around at the ladies. Knowing that he had spoken as Saphira would have, he looks at them hoping they would agree with him.
Turning back to Oleg, "We need a base of operations." He gestures towards the bunkhouse. "Use of the bunkhouse would be appreciated," Gesturing towards the barn as he turns to address his companions. "You ladies take the bunk house, I'll sleep in the loft, it will let me keep an eye on Harbinger."
"Money is not my motivation," says Katsumi simply. "If these brigands continue to threaten the people of this region, they will meet the edge of my sword."
With the initial battle with the bandits over, Madam Fortuna makes her way into the fort. You can all see the excited light in Oleg's go out and he glowers at the traveling merchant.
"Come for your order then Madam?"
He managed to sputter out. There was laughter from Svetlana, Oleg's wife and she rushed over taking the older woman's hand.
"I'll set some tea, don't mind him, he's just all overexcited with the bandit's and all."
She paused and looked at you folks.
"You are welcome to join of course."
She added before hurrying to the large building they used as a house.
Pausing, realizing Oleg wasn't really listening, he follows the man's eyes towards the gate. 'It's just Madam Fortuna, I wonder why he's glowering.' Raising an eyebrow, 'her order?' Looking from Oleg to Svetlana, as she greets the older woman like shes long lost family. 'Overexcited? He's not the one who did the killing.'
Nodding politely to Svetlana as she 'welcomed them to join.'[/i] Watching as she hurried back into the large building. He turned to Oleg and asked. "Welcome to join what." Then gestured towards the dead bodies lying about the fort-yard. "Should it wait until we clean up the carnage? Or are we in that big of a hurry?
Yumiko arrived just in time to hear that she and Katsumi would be in the bunk house for the night. She dropped the pile of gear from the dead bandit and said, "He did not have good stuff." She heard Oleg's wife mention getting tea ready and said, "I come help with tea."
Yumiko turned to Katsumi and said in her native language, "Tea will be ready shortly Katsumi-chan." With that the maid scurried off after Mrs Oleg.