Cathy spits on the ground when the Principle makes his offer. "Nah, you can rakk that an' shove it up where the sun don't shine. I'm already in too deep with one boss, I sure as **** don't need another."
As they emerge back on to the street, her nostrils catch the smell of smoke. "What the ****?" Her spell of protection has long since worn off, and she shrinks back towards the shadows, drawing a pair of knives from her boots. That helps, a bit. She looks at the others. "What we s'posed to do now?"
Inside Lorick's eyes widen when he sees the valuable looking trinket. He glances around at the newly formed group and clears his throat. Well, this looks like a jewel of great price he says, picking his words very deliberately and watching the others to gauge their reactions.
Outside he says We get to Lamm and get this work complete is what we do.
Cathy has already nonchalantly pocketed said jewel (for "safekeeping" you understand). She gives Lorick a sideways glance at his choice of words - it can't be accidental that he used the same phrase as on that mysterious card. (She's good at thieving, but very bad at cards.)
Once they're outside, she is even more expressive. "Get to Lamm?! Through that?!" She points - or rather gestures - in no particular order at: the mob surrounding the wounded and fallen griffin rider; the Hellknights swarming down the other end of the street; the looters; the direction from which the alarm bells are sounding; the flames rising from the nearby street; before she gives in, just wildly gesticulating all around her at the city which has exploded into rioting and violence. "How in the ****ing **** are we supposed to ***** DO THAT?!?!?!?!?!?!"
Annelise gives the shouting theif a thouhghtful look, her green eyes reflecting the fire of the city. "Well I *was* going to sugest we try not to atract attetnion."
”Now what did you call this trinket, exactly?“ Darius asks Lorick, turning towards the man. Very interesting choice of words..
”As for how to make our way through the city… We better stick to side streets and alleys, off the main streets. Go through Lancet street, for example. “ Not that he had any idea where Lancet street was, but did the others get the same mysterious message..?
”And what the hells is going on in here?“, he nods towards the chaos. The king is dead, apparently. But why this riot? Perhaps he should have been paying more attention to politics.
He looks at the wounded griffon rider, and feels a bit sorry for the man. But that’s the risk you take joining the guard. Or army, whatever they actually represent.
Hrmk... It's a good thing he had played plenty of poker, otherwise it'd be far too noticeable how Kaio choked at that selection of words. This better not be a cosmic joke. "Lancet Street? It'd be my third choice, but let's go."
Stepping outside the pandemonium does seem entirely logical. It was just that sort of week. Yeah. Bleh. "Bleh." Succession didn't seem like a smooth thing; better keep that in mind for whatever scheme they were about to be dragged into.
...Hopefully it'd end up better then for that poor soul ...
”And what the hells is going on in here?“, he nods towards the chaos. The king is dead, apparently. But why this riot? Perhaps he should have been paying more attention to politics.
Annelise shrugs. "City's a powder keg. Has been for a while. Sprise you haven't noticed." She gives a long look at the mob approaching the wounded solider, and sighs. It's not her business, and a week or so ago she would have walked away without even thingiking about it. But now, from somewhere, she has a determination to do beter. She isn't fond of the police, they let too much go on without stopping it. Between them on one side and people like Gaedren Lam on the other, no wonder the city is burning. But letting them tear this guy apart is - wrong.
That's still a word that feels strange to her.
She walks up to the looters, friendly like but willing to be UNfriendly if it goes that way. "this is a bad night. Don't maek it worse by becoming murderes. You can't walk back from that."
Having run out of earthly troubles to point at, Cathy gestures flamboyantly to the sky as Annalise moves towards the nearest danger. "First she tells me not to attract attention, and then she walks right up to it! What is with that?!?!"
The Principle grins at Darius. "You leech the color of their wings by steeping them in a distilled wash of Plerebic acid, ratio 1:16 with purified water. Neat, eh? My own invention. Well then, cut these bonds and I'll be on my way."
The looters stop their advance, eyeing you warily. One large youth steps forward, his fists clenching and unclenching. "Well lookit the goody-two-shoes then! All about saving the day and all that rubbish. And they call this a bad day, hah! This is a great day, chinny?"
A rustle of laughter runs through the crowd, nervous, tinged with malice.
”Remember, don’t try anything funny. And get out of town immediately,“ he adds to the Principle.
”YOU MAD!? “ Darius screams after Annelise. ”That guy is not our problem! “
But too late. The fool woman is already by the looters. Can she talk her way out of it? Expecting the worst, Darius’ hand moves to his spell component pouch.
Annelise ignores the dramaticss hapning behind her - everyone's a critic - but it distracts her enough that she can't get a god read on the crowd. Doen't matter. She shifts her stance a bit, dropping a hand to the spiked chain at her belt. It speaks louder than words that she wears it there: waht do *you* have there, pal? A coin purse? Maybe a dagger? Cute. She can bring pain and hurt on a level these guys just aren't ready for.
She gives them all another calm look. "Go home. Now."
The largest youth blanches, his face emptying of color, and they break ranks, disappearing into a nearby alleyway. The griffon rider sits up, a whoosh of air escaping him as he winces, and brings a tentative hand to his leg. His eyes pass over you, and widen, and then relaxes.
"Oi. Thank you. Heroes. My mount is dead, and my leg is busted. Can you help me to Castle Korvosa? The Sable Company won't forget your kindness."
Annelise snorts as the gaurd calls her a hero. "Kid, you have been reading all teh wrong stories." She's about to sugest that he get himself into whatever shelter he can find and wait for daybreak, when se catches the look of hope in his eyes. It reminds her of the look Rhian gest sometimes.
Damn. This whole being good thing is going to be a real problme.
"I am not carying you through streets full of rioters." She looks at the boat morred on the riverside. "On teh other hand, if that boat is any good we could float up to teh castle."
She looks at the others. "Any of you know how to sail?"
Cathy looks at Annelise in a moment of shocked silence; she is this close to snapping that this is not her problem, spinning on one heel, and stalking away... but two things stop her.
The first is the crash of masonry nearby as a burning house collapses in on itself when the timbers give way. Is she really about to head off, by herself, into a city that has clearly gone mad?
The second is the whispered voice from somewhere within her, a dim vestige of a memory of pride or self-respect or something equally unfamiliar: you help this guy, and he owes you. Or do you wanna be under Lamm's thumb forever?
She blinks, and nods at Annelise. "Right you are. Let me go check the boat out." It's not a bad idea, get off the streets but still keep moving. The sort of thing she should have thought of herself. She deftly scrambles up aboard the ship, doing her best to inspect it for river-worthiness.
"Sail? Hah. Not the sort of sharks I'd deal with ..." But yes, floating sounds safer then traversing the city. It was, like they said, insane. "Let's find some oars. We'll make it without tangling ourselves into the rigging..."
"Never been on a boat. But how hard can it be, right?" Darius laughs and spreads his hands.
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Annelise' father - a fisherman - was killed by a devilfish when she was 3, probably while he was no more tahn 100 metres form the shore. She gives Darius a long look. "Best not to say stuf like that. You never know who's listnig."
I Uhh... Don't really know how to swim so just don't get me in the drink okay?
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Cathy gives a derisive snort. "In the Jeggarre?! Swimming ain't the least of it! You forgotten what happened to that poor ****er Lamm threw in the river?"
(He hadn't done it himself, of course. Sia did it. But Cathy decides not to mention that bit in front of Sia's boyfriend. She's an addict; she's not stupid.)
She shudders. "I dunt even know what that thing was that took him, but drowning woulda been a better way to go." She can still remember the churn as the water went white with foam, and then pink with blood. And the screaming, suddenly cut off as the poor sod went under.
Hearing this, Darius casts a glance towards the murky waters, and shivers. Never much of a water person, and Cathy's story makes him regret agreeing to the boat-plan.
"We going or what?" he asks, putting on a brave face.
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The old fishing ship is seaworthy - barely - as far as Annaliese can figure, or at least it will make a good enough barge. Which is both fortunate and not; Castle Korvosa is decidedly inland and the easiest way to reach it would be to travel upstream, against the current, which the old derelict won't do. However, the soldier nods as these constraints become apparent. "Downstream is fine. Citadel Volshyenek is there, and I can report and get orders from the guard." The soldier is right, Volshyenek is as the eel swims, perhaps a half mile.
And so, you unmoor the fishing craft, its sails flapping, tattered and useless in the wind, the morning crisp, sounds of conflict echoing across the water; shouts, the ringing of metal, and even in staid East Shore across the river, a rattling boom, followed by smoke that chokes the Jeggere river, obscures your vision.
Using parts of the ship's decking as poles, you push the boat downstream, a slow and deliberate pace, staying close to West Dock where the current is mild. The billowing smoke from East Shore keeps you hidden, you make good time in relative safety. Occasionally you hear the collapse of a building, a scream, catch the glint of something flying overhead. But you are safe.
The soldier - his name is Grau, Grau Soldado - pulls a pewter flask from under his tabard and takes a long pull, before offering it around. His eyes are ringed with dark circles, he's unshaven; a shaking hand scratches at greying 10 o'clock shadow as he peers into the smoke.
"It all lit up..." he murmurs, "The whole city within a couple of hours of the church bells ringing. Like a pot of boiling oil. " Blinking, Grau looks in the direction of Castle Korvosa. "The King kept up his secret affairs to the day he died. Ironic, in a sense, if what I've heard is true - that he was murdered in his sleep by one of his lovers."
Falling silent for a beat, he looks to you, scratching again at his jaw. "The Sable Company won't forget this help. I'll make sure of it."
Ahead, a massive shape looms at the edge of your smoke-filled vision; Citadel Volshyenek the fortress and landmark that marks the southern end of West Dock and the beginning of High Bridge looms. It is quite here, ominously so; for the first time you can hear the lapping of the river's current against the sides of the derelict boat.
Didn't expect y'all to take the ship :)
Cathy snorts derisively at the guard's story - murdered or not, the affairs of kings are as distant to her as the affairs of the gods, who cares? She looks down at the river and concentrates on poling this damn ship to wherever it's supposed to go. She's not a river-rat, so she depends on someone who knows the way.
Still, the promise of a favour is not nothing. She gives this Soldado a once-over before borrowing his flask. "So, Sable Comp'ny, then. Watcha do when yer not fallin' outta the sky?" She's familiar enough with the watch (which is to say, she does her best not to get caught by them when she's on the job); but the beast-riders are something else.
Yeah. Go with the flow; maybe that was the best course in these troubled times. Kaio sits down and takes his turn of the bottle. Hopefully it was something strong. "It's been a tinderbox for so long, never would have guessed it'd be this bad though." he agrees. Idly he ponders what one even talked about in times like this. The one he'd really like to ask a few question were this strange sender of cards - just hoped they wouldn't find them with a city sized match in their pocket. "But yeah, us reasonable folks should look out for eachother..."
---
"Hmm. Much quieter then I'd expect - you think every single guard is out on the streets?" Kaio wonders out loud as they approach the hulking shadow of the fortress.
"So, king is dead, eh? What's the fighting for? Who's fighting who? The city looked like battlefield." Darius is edgy of having a guardsman around - they never were a good thing for him. So he just keeps asking questions to hide his nervousness.
Kaio's observation makes the wizardling to look around for the first time in a while. And it's true, it's oddly quiet. Never before had he felt the absence fofguards a bad thing.
"Hey, uh... Grau? Where's everybody? Did all your lot go downtown?"
Let's just get going... we get griffin here to his safe spot, we need to get to ours too until this whole damn business calms down.
Annelise mostly keeps an eye on the river as she navigates their way forward. She keeps her head down when Grau intronduces himself, info is useful but attention from the guards is not. She doesn't ask him anything. She turns to look at Lorcik as he talks about finding a safe spot. "I'd put good money that this boat is the safest place to be right now. Soon as we get back into the city, we're looking at trouble."