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The decaying finger strikes Verik in the chest and he stares at it as if it was a snake.
Karralo recounts to Verik everything he has already told the group, with much apologizing and blame-shifting to the other three. Verik's face turns ashen, hardening as he looks around the slaughterhouse with this fresh perspective. He clenches his jaw and stares down Karralo, but he addresses Shrike when he speaks.
"No. I am to blame here." A trace of the former sergeant of the guard. "I was their commander, and I was blind to what they were doing. The responsibility is mine."
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Audria flinches as she sees Dal fling something Verik's way. The color drains from her face as she realizes what it is. Without the anger there to insulate her from the horror of what happened here, she feels her stomach churning from both the sight of the finger and the smell. She grabs Dal and drags him outside to see the wagon Shrike mentions and help her find someone that can help if it turns out she can't pull it herself.
After she closes the door behind Dal and Pockets, Audria leans against the wall and closes her eyes. She hurts. Pain that can't be healed or mended with blessings or magic fills her as the full weight of the situation hits her.
"I-I thought the worst people I'd ever run into were Lamm and H-Halvara. I-I-I w-was wrong. I was so wrong. I was so stupid," she says before crumpling and curling up at the base of the wall. Her body shakes as she silently sobs into her knees.
Talanaliel hops off Audria's shoulder and changes into the half-elf form. She sits next to the young paladin and holds her as she cries.
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Anticipating a bit of a tongue lashing, Dal let himself be pulled through the doorway. Though he doubted he could have resisted much anyhow, Audria was surprisingly strong.
“Right. Before you say-”
Audria closed the door just as Pockets squeezed through.
"I-I thought the worst people I'd ever run into were Lamm and H-Halvara. I-I-I w-was wrong. I was so wrong. I was so stupid," she says before crumpling and curling up at the base of the wall. Her body shakes as she silently sobs into her knees.
“Hey, hey, hey.” Dal said as he lowered himself to his haunches. He had completely misread teh situation. He eyed half-elf Tally as if asking permission but did not wait for any confirmation.
“You are not stupid to think that Lamm was as bad as it gets. You’re not. You’re a good person. And good people have a hard time understanding how people can do bad things, evil things.
I wish I was more…more like you. I see the way you looked at these men, the way you’ve looked at all of the people who we’ve come up against. You have this…this compassion, this forgiveness that you seem so desperate to give to people who don’t want it. But they need it. They crave it even if they don’t realize it.
I try to be that way. I think all of us try. Well, maybe not Abella,” Dal added with a smile.
He placed a hand on Audria’s back. "But you don’t try, do you? You just are.
You’re not stupid, Audria, you’re just setting the example for what we all should be. And you’ve set the bar pretty damn high.”
Dal exhaled and slowly rose to his feet, eliciting a cracking sound from one knee. “Alright, you’re allowed two minutes to wallow. Then it’s back to work. Otherwise, Pockets is going to set up permanent residence in your lap and you’ll never get up. No matter how freakishly strong you are.”
Pockets flicked his tail at Dal and bunted Audria’s chin with the top of his head. His rear somehow managing to place itself directly in front of Tally’s face.
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Talanaliel nods as Dal asks his silent question. She can feel the way this whole ordeal had put Audria through the wringer. That deep abyss that had been yawning before them only seems to get deeper and wider the more they learn about what is going on. She listens to Dal, and pours out as much love and kindness as she can through the link she and Audria share. Dal is right, even if he has the unfortunate tendency to hang around with cats. Oh well, mortals can't be perfect, can they?
Wa-- What?! Did that little beast just...
Talanaliel blinks in surprise as she finds her field of view filled with Pocket's rear end. She pouts as she feels Audria's spirits lifting as much from Pocket's affection as from Dal's humor.
"Rotten li'l beastie! I don't get... why..." Tally begins to say as she reaches up to move the cat's derriere from her face, only to find her hand petting him and, to her shock and horror, herself enjoying it! Her pout melts into a wide-eyed expression of confused wonder.
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Audria feels the love, the comfort that both Dal and Tally try to give her. If she is being honest with herself, she doesn't want to hear it, but then Dal says something that causes all of the noise in her mind to fall silent.
Dal wishes he was more like me?
The young paladin looks up from her knees, her eyes red and puffy her freckled cheeks stained with tears. She doesn't know if she believes everything Dal is telling her, but she can't ignore that Tally believes it, possibly even more strongly than he does. The others tell her she's a good person, a kind person. They tell her she's not stupid, and if so many people are saying that she's better than she believes she is, then doesn't that mean she's wrong about herself?
She winces as she hears Dal's knee crackling, then blinks as she feels Pockets bunting his head against her chin. She can't help chuckling a little at Dal's joke even as she can feel the process starting as she pets the orange tabby. Would that be such a bad thing, though? She could think of worse punishments than to have a cat that you can pet holding you down. She laughs when she feels, then sees Tally's confused look as she starts petting him too.
"I guess I needed to hear that," she says softly as she feels Pockets shifting over onto Tally's lap. Her voice sounds stiff and creaky from her crying. She looks up into Dal's face, the smile fading as she tries to find the words she needs to convey what she feels. She stands up and walks over to the wagon as she tries to marshal her thoughts.
"Honestly, I'm surprised that anyone looks up to me, or even wants me," she says, drowning the voice telling her to shut up with thoughts about the wagon. It's big. It looks heavy, really heavy. "I've always looked up to you, I think. Ever since you helped pick up Eliana's and my spirits that day, I've wanted other to feel like that. Lamm always told me I was nothing without him, but Halvara..." The wagon looks sturdy. That's good. Malder wears a ton! I don't know how he manages to even walk. "Halvara was my mother's, I guess you'd call her a mistress? Madame? She was the one that ran the brothel we lived in. And..." Audria's voice trails off as the feeling of hands around her neck as she drowns blots everything out. She closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath, feeling Talanaliel's presence like a soothing balm on a painful cut. The feeling, memory? Whatever it is fades as she clings to that warmth like it is her only lifeline and chance for survival.
"She asked me why anyone would want someone who wasn't even wanted by their own mother when I asked her why she was throwing me out after my mother died." She picks up the tongue of the wagon and frowns as she feels how heavy it is.
"I think we're going to need some help. Do you know anyone that has animals that can pull this wagon, or has a wagon we can use to move the deserters to the Citadel," she asks, her voice still creaky, but sounding a little more like her usual self.
Verik's face turns ashen, hardening as he looks around the slaughterhouse with this fresh perspective. He clenches his jaw and stares down Karralo, but he addresses Shrike when he speaks.
"No. I am to blame here." A trace of the former sergeant of the guard. "I was their commander, and I was blind to what they were doing. The responsibility is mine."
"Not the question." Neither mask nor croak changes. "Why'd you quit. Where'd you get the money for free meat. What've we stepped in?"
Verik shakes his head, refusing to answer. "Who are you, anyway? You're not with the Guard, yet you claim the Field Marshal sent you."
At the mention of an animal or a wagon, Dal shook his head. “No such luck. Not at this time of night anyhow. I think we’re going to have to be our own workhorses. Though I can make things a little bit easier for a while, at least. Cast a spell to make one of us probably you a giant. Give that person some extra strength for a few minutes. Other than that, I think-”
Dal pulled the door open.
The doors to the outside pen creaked open.
“-we’re just going to have to work together to cart this lot back.”
If Tally heard Dal or even took offense is an open question. Her expression hasn't changed, but now she has Pockets fully on her lap and is busy giving him a belly rub.
"I think she's warming up to him," Audria whispers as close to Dal's ear as she can get when she notices.
She sighs when he tells her they're out of luck.
"Couldn't we ask the Citadel for help," she asks. "I could probably do it, but it'll be slow."
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"Told you. We're dog catchers. Tonight anyway. Didn't want the job. But turns out some dogs need catching." The bird-masked elf had seemed angry during the fight, when she thought Vancaskerkin might be lying to them. Now that rage is coiled tight behind swift, economical movements punctuated by total stillness, and her voice harsh and cynical but steady. "This one already told us about the outside money. But anyone could see this wasn't your idea. Quit the Guard to run a half-charity butcher shop. Not very heroic. Or profitable. Or something needing five fighters. You're protecting someone. Better think about whether they'd do the same for you."
She leaves him in the custody of Abella and Pip, and goes upstairs again to look for information in the room where he had been passed out over the desk, as well as the room the other two were playing cards in.
Audria sighs again. She ducks back outside and takes off her armor, leaving it and most of the rest of her gear in the driver's seat of the wagon. She asks Dal to watch it while she begins hauling the Cow Hammer Boys to the wagon and getting them up into it.
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Shrike goes to check over the upstairs rooms. The one in which Malder and Baldrago were playing cards has little of interest - the table, chairs and four thin bedrolls rolled up against one wall. In Verik's room, another bedroll, this one augmented by a couple of blankets and pillows. The desk, its drawers full of yellowed ledgers from the shop's former owner, crumpled bills and letters from creditors. A table and three chairs sit to the west, with more recent papers strewn over the table's surface. One of the papers is pinned to the tabletop by an exquisite silver dagger.
The paper is a letter, more of a short note on expensive paper still holding a very faint perfume, sharp and exotic:
"My dearest,
Things are somewhat tense right now and I dare not come to you. Continue the work we have started. The city needs you more than ever now.
Yours,
M."
As she returns to the group, passing through the slaughtering room a muffled, somewhat echo-y voice sounds from... under the floor?
"food?"
Meanwhile, Audria struggles to load the three unconscious guards into the wagon. Who knew that unconscious people could be so heavy. Even after stripping them of their armour and weapons, it takes a few attempts to haul them onto the bed and secure them. Verik winces as he witnesses her plight, even taking a half step forward as if to help, but with his hands bound behind his back that is hardly possible.
Shrike stuffs all the recent-looking papers and the silver dagger into her pack after reading the note and wrapping the dagger in a rag. On her way back through the slaughtering room to show the others her finds, she jumps like a startled cat when she hears the unexpected voice, and lands with her hand grasping for her spear.
As quickly and quietly as she can, she hustles out of the slaughterhouse to where she can hear Audria loading the Cow Hammer Boys into their own wagon. Shrike pauses, nonplussed by the sight of her pushing on Baldrago's bent knees in a way that bends them further but does not actually slide him into the straw-covered bed. This had not occurred to her. She knows full well the girl has plenty of muscle when she sets her mind to use it, but she acts like she's never picked up a deadweight body in a fireman's carry before. Maybe she hasn't.
It's a problem for later. To all the rest she says, low and urgent, "There's someone — something — in there. Under the floor."
Shrike moves catfoot back to the very inside edge of the slaughter room. She takes out her bow, an arrow nocked but not drawn, and looks about warily for the source of the voice. There are grates in the floor, below one of which was the finger Dal and the cat found — could it have been coming from the sewers? Something attracted by the blood and entrails, or maybe the sound of the grate being moved?
Peering through the grate where the finger was found, Shrike can see the surface of the stagnant water rippling. Something like a large fish floating on the surface, spiny barbs along its sides and... three eyes on its back? The eyes are blinking lazily, out of sync with each other.
Then it submerges, disappearing from sight.
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Shrike's thoughts about Audria's attempts to load the wagon are right on the money. The young paladin has been taught many things in the two years since she was one of Lamm's Lambs herself, but how to handle unconscious men that were taller than her and quite a bit heavier than her is not one of them. By the time Shrike sees Audria working on getting Baldrago into the wagon, she's already mud-splattered and bedraggled.
Parns is the first of the three unconscious Cow Hammer Boys to get loaded. Her first attempt got him leaning against the back of the wagon while she clambered into the bed and started lifting the man by his shirt. She got him three-quarters of the way up and half-way to half-naked before things turn sour for her. Parns falls forward and faceplants, his weight flinging the off-balance Audria to land on her back in the mud with a yelp and an oof. Her next attempt sees her laying Parns on his back and trying to pull him up by the legs. This works, somewhat, though she does bang his head on the bed when she gives one last heave to get him onto the wagon.
Baldrago is the next one. A comedy of errors ensues as she finds that she can't do what she did with Parns. She keeps having to shift his center of balance to make any progress, but she does get him up into the bed well enough that she only has to push on his legs to finish with him. Her feet slide as she tries pushing him in the first time. She slips and bellyflops on the ground, covering her front with mud as well. The second try, the one that Shrike sees after hearing the voice, doesn't go any better. Her hands slip a moment after Shrike closes the door, causing Baldrago's legs to decompress like springs and kicking Audria in the belly. She's sent rolling back several feet before she stops in an ungraceful pile with heels over her head. She finally gets him fully into the bed of the wagon on her third attempt. Unfortunately for him, his pants are pulled considerably higher than is comfortable in the process.
Malder proves to be the most difficult. The corpulent man's clothing keeps slipping as she drags him to the wagon, making it hard for Audria to keep her grip. Her first try gets her under Malder and standing for all of three heartbeats before her feet slip and she's crushed under the man's weight. She wriggles free, but loses a boot in the process. Her second try makes a little progress, at least she manages to get the fat man where she could, in theory, pull him up into the bed. Malder's shirt gives before gravity does and sends Audria falling back with another yelp of surprise into the bed while holding the now ruined garment. She groans as she sees all of her progress reset with Malder lying face down on the ground. Her third try comes after she finds a rope. She manages, barely, to lift the man by his belt with the rope and roll him into the wagon.
After the ordeal of getting those that were knocked out into the wagon, it's almost a relief to just have to help Verik and Karralo into the wagon.
When the other come out after finishing their investigations, they find Audria leaning against the wagon, panting, cheeks flushed, hair and clothing in disarray, and covered in mud. Tally is sitting next to the door with Pockets, Dal's familiar, in her lap and her hands busily petting the feline.
Shrike barely clamps down on the instinctive urge to jerk back from the grate, away from the clearly unnatural fish-thing in the sewer water. Instead she remains still and calm until it sinks beneath the surface again, and then slowly eases herself away from the edge.
She motions everyone out of the room into the little covered yard where Audria has succeeded in her self-appointed task. Not without difficulty, it seems. If they unload their cargo at the Citadel, Shrike will have to show her how an ungainly, poorly distributed weight with no proper handholds, like a man's unconscious body, can be slung over the shoulders and lifted with the legs and hips, not just sheer arm strength. "Got something's attention," she says. "Time to go."
Suiting action to words, she jogs for the gate they came in by, pushes both sides open, and then hustles over to the wagon and picks up one of the two shafts in both hands, clearly making ready to start pulling it through the streets. The shrike mask turns to the group. "Push or pull. Your choice."
Audria's expression says volumes about how much she is looking forward to the coming trip back to the Citadel. That is to say about as much as she would look forward to being under Lamm's thumb again. She picks up the other shaft and starts pulling.
Tally looks up as Shrike says it's time to go, then she looks down at Pockets. It appears that Dal's warning is prescient.
"Um, how do I get up," she asks.
Abella is suddenly behind Shrike as she spots a strange creature. ”Oh! How delightful! I wonder what it is?”
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Abella and Shrike both realize that the strange 'fish' is in fact one small part of a much larger creature, one that is quite at home in sewers. Otyughs have been part of Korvosa's refuse disposal system for quite some time, so it isn't very surprising that one has found its way to the veritable cornucopia of offal that is the butcher's shop.
A shamefaced Verik and Karralo refuse Audria's help to get into the wagon, electing to walk alongside it instead. "Miss..." begins Verik, fumbling for words. "I am truly sorry for, for the trouble. I thought we were doing something good." He gives Karralo a dirty look and a kick in the ankle.
Getting the wagon rolling is the hardest part, and it takes several tries to finally get the wheels turning. Maneuvering it through the gates and the narrow alley is another frustrating moment, but once they are on the street with the cobblestones beneath them the going is easier.
Audria feels a flicker of anger flare to brief life again, but she's too exhausted to sustain it.
"Didn't you both make an oath when you became guardsmen," she asks, there's no heat in her voice, but neither is there any give.
As Audria and Shrike lead the wagon down the street, Tally, carrying Pockets if the cat allows her, leads Dal a little ways from the group.
"Thank you," she says quietly. "Thank you for what you said to Audria. I didn't hear all of it, but I know she felt better afterwards."
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Abella is suddenly behind Shrike as she spots a strange creature. "Oh! How delightful! I wonder what it is?"
Delightful? Shrike is silent, not wanting to alert the creature any more than it has clearly been alerted, but the mask turns toward Abella with the recognizable incredulous slowness from when Audria took an impromptu dip in the Jeggare. An otyugh. Delightful. The vile, unnatural beasts may be necessary for the city's waste system to function, but they also regularly burst from the sewers and attack people indiscriminately. It is probably less than six months since The Korvosan Times reported the last savaging of an unlucky passerby.
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With everyone helping push or pull the wagon as best as they can, it is not that very long until they manage to turn into one of the main thoroughfares, and from there it is less than half an hour until they run into a night patrol. After recognizing Verik and a brief explanation, one of them replaces an exhausted Audria at pulling the wagon while the other runs ahead to find some horses.
An hour or so later and make it to Citadel Volshyenek, where the officer on duty records the arrival of the prisoners. "The Field Marshal will see you in the morning. For now, I'd say to get some rest, you look like you need it." The last part is accompanied by a sidelong glance at an extremely muddy Audria.
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“Yeah, imagine waking up and that’s laying on your chest,” Dal said.
"Mmm. He's lucky he's adorable," Tally grumbles. Her irritation lasts all of a few moments before she's petting Pockets again.
"Is it harder to find them, or harder to show them a better path," Tally asks. "I believe that people want to be good people, but life can change them. Some learn to be monsters because their parents were monsters. Some learn to hate because that's all they were ever shown. Audria could have turned into someone like that Embercat person or like Parns and Malder if others hadn't shown her kindness."
She keeps walking a few more steps before looking up at Dal.
"Have you heard of a half-elf named Halvara," she asks.
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Audria's eyes narrow and her lips thin.
"See? Oaths and promises are nothing more than fictions we tell ourselves and others," she hears Halvara's, or was it Gaedren Lamm's, voice say. Perhaps it was her own.
No, I'm just tired, she tries to tell herself, but even as the thought passes through her mind, she knows it's a lie.
Audria is dead on her feet by the time they arrive at the Citadel. The mud has begun to dry and flake off, but its clear that both the young paladin and her clothing will need a good scrubbing. She nods at the guards when they suggest a good night's rest and waits for Tally to hand Pockets back to Dal.
"W-when will the Field Marshal be expecting us," she asks, her voice rusty from the long haul, the late hour, and the emotional ordeal she's been through.
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"Just come by when you can. She's been working so much lately, she practically lives here," responds the night sergeant, a smile creeping on her face before she remembers herself and clears her throat. "I will leave her a note that you were here, so when you return she'll slot you in right away."
She takes half a step closer and lowers her voice. "Thank you for bringing them in alive." Her glance slides sideways to Verik, lingering in a way that suggests she's particularly grateful for a specific live specimen of ex-guard. Indeed, even unshaven and disheveled, Verik Vancaskerkin is undeniably a handsome man.
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For a brief moment, there's a flash of incredulity that turns into something ugly in Audria's eyes before she can banish the expression from her face and put on a smile to try and hide the hurt as well as how worn out she is.
"Oh, um, W-we try our best," Audria says, putting on a smile to try and hide how tired she is, but it doesn't fool anyone and quickly fades before Audria turns around to the wagon.
She pulls out the sack that they'd dug up from under the water trough from where she'd put it on the wagon and hands it to the Night Watch Sergeant.
"Could you put this away someplace safe with a note that it's evidence of crimes that Karralo has confessed to them being a party of? If you've had any missing person cases in the area since they, ah, left, you might find some answers in there for them."
She turns back to the wagon.
She pulls her pack, with her armor strapped to it, and her halberd out of the driver's section of the wagon and starts off towards the Sanctuary of Shelyn.
The sergeant's face falls a little as she receives the large bag. "Of course. We'll take inventory and write everything down." She seems not to notice the emotions that Audria is restraining.
Tally changes back into a song bird and lands on Audria's shoulder after they are out of sight of the Citadel. She can feel the sickening churning in the young paladin's emotions after handing off Verik and his men to the night watch.
"Audrie," she asks softly. "Audrie, what's wrong?"
Audria stops and looks at Tally and thinks about the question. What wasn't wrong? It feels like she's forgotten how rotten this city could be, or that she never knew how bad it could be to begin with. She feels sick that men like Parns, Karralo, Baldrago, and Malder were and probably still are in Guard uniform, maybe even Sable Company uniform. She feels...
She feels numb. She feels nothing.
"I don't know, Tallyfeather," she admits. "IF everything's wrong, then is anything? How deep does the rot and corruption run? I feel like I'm more like a sheltered princess than someone who really knows how bad it can get. I feel numb. I feel like I won't ever feel anything again, and that... that scares me."
She looks Tally in the eyes as tears well up in hers.
"Why did Shelyn pick me and not someone smarter, wiser, or stronger? Triana's braver. Eliana's more graceful. I'm... I'm just someone no one wanted it."
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Tally hops off Audira's shoulder and transforms into the brown-eyed half-elf she'd become back in Castle Korvosa. Audria starts to ask what she is doing when Tally slaps the young paladin across the face.
"Stop talking about yourself like you're worthless," she says. "Do you have any idea how much it hurts everyone that cares about you to hear you say that? Don't you feel my pain whenever you say those things about yourself?"
Audria stares at Tally. Tears cut lines though the mud and dirt on her face as they flow from her wide-open eyes. As her mind catches up with what is happening, she looks down at the ground. Of course she could feel Tally's pain. How could she not. It was just one more reason she thinks, no, she knowns that she isn't the right one for this. She can't do this! She's not smart enough, fast enough, nor wise enough.
"Tally, I--" Audria starts to say before Talanaliel cuts her off.
"No!" The songbird turned half-elf wraps her up in a hug. "You are good enough! You are wanted! Eliana was so happy when you told her you decided to use her last name. Brother Theolan was so proud when you became a member of the clergy. Shelyn didn't pick you out of pity, Audrie," she tells the young paladin.
"I know it hurts. I know about the nightmares. I see them sometimes," Tally says more quietly as she feels Audria start to sob. "Whatever Gaedren Lamm and that Halvara woman said was to hurt you, and if we ever see Halvara, I'm slapping her in the face. So what if you made a mistake with the Cow Hammer Boys? We're all fine. No one's got any scars from this one." Tally tightens her hug around Audria's shoulders and pats her on the back.
"You can't save everyone, Audria. No matter how hard you try, and you'll go mad if you do. Do your best to live a good and honest life, isn't that what Mister Bartholomew and Brother Theolan have taught you? It's okay to hurt, but don't leave it to fester. Draw the pain away. Dance it away. Sing it away. Do whatever you need to feel better. It's okay to stumble, but don't let your failures define who and what you are. Dal looks up to you. Eli looks up to you. You have so many people that are proud of what you have done."
Tally lets go and holds Audria's face in her hands as she smiles and closes her eyes as she touches her forehead to Audria's.
"You're my friend, Audrie. You're braver, stronger, and tougher than you know," she says quietly. "I'll be here to tell you however many times it takes for you to know that in here." Tally pokes Audria in the chest where her heart beats.
"Tally, I-- I--" Audria tries to speak, but the words break into sobs as she buries her head into Tally's shoulder.
"I know," Tally says. "Let it out. Then, we're going to see about making you feel better."
After Audria's calmed down, Tally guides her to Trinia's apartment. The cheerful painter has a short way with mopey-ness, and the visit is bound to do Audria some good! Tally smiles as she imagines what Audria catching up with her friend will be like.
Ah, she feels better already!
Shrike doesn't talk as the group pushes and pulls the wagon back to Citadel Volshyenek. She is still thinking through the strange note and dagger, and staying on guard for any attack or for Verik and Karralo to try to get away.
So the money here is his lover. A wealthy woman — perhaps even a noble. The flash tickler likely a gift from her. For it to be stabbed through the note refusing to come see him: a rift. He's angry. There's the drinking explained too. But if he, and by extension she, truly didn't know about or approve the Cow Hammer Boys' activities, what is 'the work'? Why pull him away from the Guard? It can't just be for the sake of this not-quite-charity butcher shop. Did she want a group of thugs at her beck and call? Hiring private guards or mercenaries as needed would be more efficient.
I hope she's as tired of him as the length of that note made it seem, or we may have made a powerful enemy by taking away her favorite toy. Just wish I knew what game she was playing.
Upon their arrival, Shrike steps away from the wagon and waits for the prisoners, including Verik and Karralo, to be taken through. Only then does she finally take the papers and the dagger out of her pack and show them to the others, as she has been wanting to do since she found them. "Maybe the answer to why he'd desert. Just not why 'M' wanted him to. Or who she is. That's for the robins, I guess."
One of the papers is pinned to the tabletop by an exquisite silver dagger.
The paper is a letter, more of a short note on expensive paper still holding a very faint perfume, sharp and exotic:
"My dearest,
Things are somewhat tense right now and I dare not come to you. Continue the work we have started. The city needs you more than ever now.
Yours,
M."
It is too late now to object to the sack full of jewelry and blood money being handed off to nameless robins who might be tempted to help themselves. In for a pinch, in for a sail. When the group has all seen the note and dagger, Shrike wraps them together in a rag, ties the ends and makes to hand it to the same night sergeant who took the sack.
"Something else. Kroft said she had questions for Vancaskerkin. These might tell her where to start." She keeps hold of it for a moment after the Guardswoman puts her hand on the ragged package. Shrike had not missed the relief with which this particular robin had greeted Vancaskerkin's uninjured return. She makes sure her croak is flat and neutral. "So can we." In case any of it gets 'lost,' she does not add.
The impassive mask stays trained on the sergeant for a moment, until Shrike has noted any identifying details she easily can. She will remember this Guard's face. Then she lets go of their discovery and turns away to head home, planning to take the Shingles at least once, to confuse her trail if anyone or anything tries to follow. She has just enough presence of mind to first find out when Audria is planning to follow up tomorrow.
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"Audria! What brings you here at this hour? Not that I mind, of course, but... is everything alright? You don't look like everything's alright, so I'll assume it's not. What can I do? You're the strong one so I'm not going to offer to beat them up, but I can write some absolutely vicious poetry about them, how's that sound? Just utterly thrash them in verse, set to a jaunty tune. Or! I can draw caricatures of them, make everyone laugh at them!"
As she talks, she clears enough of the mess in her small apartment that Audria can sit down, and begins to make tea.
Tally had turned back into a thrush before Audria had entered the building where Trinia lives and hops about to avoid getting in Trinia's way as she hugs Audria. Despite the melancholy mood she's in and the horrors this night has revealed, the young paladin laughs. Her laughter quickly turns into quiet sobs of relief as she knows, truly knows, that both Eliana and Trinia are alright and safe.
"Wh-when everything went mad and I c-c-couldn't--" she blubbers. "You're safe. You're safe and I couldn't be more relieved."
She lets got after another moment to regain some of her composure. After Trinia has cleared enough for her to walk in and join her, Audria squeezes in and sits on the chair that had been cleared off.
"Sorry about coming so late. It was Tally's idea," Audria apologizes. "Um, you-- you never went by a butcher's shop called All the World's Meats in the past week or two, did you," she asks, a sudden, sickening thought crossing her mind.
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Perhaps it is her intuition that has Trinia list all the acts of kindness that her neighbours have been doing for her - and Audria knows they are all rather poor, so it means a lot for them to share the little they have.
"...so I said not to worry about the dress, I could paint over the stains and make it even prettier than before! Anyway, what about you? How have you been all these weeks? Will you tell me what happened?"
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Audria smiles as she listens to Trinia. It's a tired smile, but a smile nonetheless. Audria is about to ask Trinia about that secret project she kept hinting at for months before the whole crisis in Korvosa started, but then, Trinia asks her what she's been doing. The smile fades as she thinks about what all has happened.
"I think that's one reason Tally brought me here," she says quietly after sipping the cup of tea Trinia had given her.
"Do you remember Ellie talking about that big party she had to perform at a few weeks ago? It was on the night everything went crazy. It was also the night that I found a Harrow card in my sketchbook." Audria spends the next couple of hours telling Trinia everything, except about Merula and Shrike being one in the same. She starts with meeting Zellara then moving onto the raid on the Old Fishery. She goes pale as she recounts killing Giggles, and paler still when she tells Trinia how Gaedren Lamm died while she was holding him. Reliving finding out about Zellara being dead sends a shiver down her spine.
She cheers up a little when she tells how she and the others found the Lambs that had scattered that night, even managing to laugh when Tally pipes up about getting chased by an ettercap and a swarm of spiders, only for the cloud to return when she talks about Embercat and the Red Mantis hopefuls, and killing someone else. Her voice grows very quiet when she mentions the conversation with the lone surviving assassin and how twisted and warped his view of the world seems to her. She finds comfort and strength in rescuing all of the children, though.
"We saved Silver Sven. I think you'd like him. He's a bit odd, but then again," she smiles as she gestures to herself and Tally. "I think he's still at the Sanctuary."
She tells her about meeting Dalmano and Pockets, along with her little faux pas when she was trying to sooth Tally's fears. She even laughs when she talks about Tally warming up to Pockets, and revealing that Tally can change into a humanoid form, much to Trinia's surprise when two people and a tiny songbird become three people.
"See? I'm big enough to hold a kitty," Tally proudly proclaims.
"Just wait until she finds some kittens or puppies," Audria says with a snicker. "She'll be smitten by kittens!"
Unfortunately, the good cheer fades as Audria tells Trinia about the Night of the Hellknights. The riots and the fear she felt come back with vivid clarity as she recounts her fight with Embercat and her thugs and finding Zacharias on death's door afterwards. Her voice breaks a little when she tells about her conversation with Bartholomew the next day.
She tells about getting invited to King Eodred's remembrance and seeing Eliana safe for the first time since the chaos started. She chokes up when she tells Trinia about taking Eliana's surname and Eliana's reaction to it. She talks about Dalinius walking in when she was having a problem with her hair, namely it growing a lot after Jessica had been teasing her. She then mentions meeting Queen Illeosa and how she didn't seem to match what others said about her.
The young paladin tells about how they had been asked, well how Dal had been asked, to check up on a family in Trail's End the Soldado's, and running into Grau Soldado before that, and getting him cleaned up before getting him back to the Citadel. She smiles as she talks about Brienna, her brothers, and the gnomish twins they had rescued from Lamm and gotten back home. It is also the last time she smiles while telling her tale as she goes into what happened yesterday and early this morning.
She tells Trinia about the Field Marshal asking them to bring in Verik Vancaskerkin and the men who'd defected with them. She talks about trying to learn more about what was going on and to make an attempt to persuade them to come back to the Citadel. She looks utterly miserable as she describes her failure, then she tells Trinia about what Dal had learned and how that wasn't even close to how horrible the truth was.
"Th-they killed people for money, then cut them up and handed out the remains like they were cuts of beef or pork. It was... It was horrifying hearing that man confess, and when I think about the way the two that answered the door looked at me and Tally, I just... I just... I want to be sick!"
She is quiet for a long time after that before she manages to find her voice again and finish up with delivering the Cow Hammer Boys to the Citadel. She tells how Tally tried to slap some sense into her and then brought her here afterwards.
By the end of her tale, Audria is drained and leaning on Tally's shoulder as she fights to keep her eyes open.
"An' that's it. Tha's wha' I've been doin'. S-sorry. Shouldna kept ye up. N-need t'go... gotta... meet..."
Her voice trails off as she loses her fight with sleep.
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Elric Rivers sits astride Galewing, his bonded hippogriff companion, as he weaves his way through the bustling streets of Korvosa. The journey from the harbor is a stark contrast to the open seas he's grown accustomed to over the past months. The city's turmoil is palpable, and the tension in the air is as thick as the sea fog he's sailed through countless times.
As they approach the Great Tower, Elric can't help but be awed by its imposing structure. It stands like a silent sentinel over the city, its black marble walls glinting in the sun. The sounds of the city seem to diminish in its shadow, replaced by the distant clanking of armor and the occasional snort or screech from the hippogriff aeries high above.
”It won’t be long now before we can use the top entrance instead of trotting through the streets like this,” Elric remarks as the approach. Despite the powerful muscles rippling under Galewing’s sleek coat, the young hippogriff is not yet strong enough to carry a fully grown and armored marine in flight.
Navigating through Aerie Street and Baker Street, Elric passes fellow marines of the Sable Company. Their faces tell stories of recent battles – lines of fatigue, eyes shadowed with the weight of their role in quelling the riots. The smell of smoke lingers on their uniforms, a sensory reminder of the fires that must have blazed during the chaos.
Reaching the base of the Great Tower, Elric dismounts from Galewing. The hippogriff, sensing the familiarity of the place, relaxes slightly, his feathers ruffling in the gentle breeze. Elric hands Galewing over to a stable groom, who approaches with a mix of respect and caution. The groom is adept at handling these majestic creatures, knowing exactly how to calm and stable them.
As Elric enters the Great Tower through the main entrance on the third floor, he is immediately struck by the contrast between the outer turmoil of the city and the disciplined calm within. The walls, thick and reinforced, muffle the sounds of the outside world, enveloping him in a surreal sense of peace.
He is swiftly escorted through the tower by one of the marines on guard duty. They pass the armory on the ground floor, its rumored magical arms and armors hidden behind sturdy doors. The faint scent of oil and metal emanates from within, mingling with the more pungent odors of recent battle clinging to his escort’s armor.
Ascending through the tower, they move past the classrooms and training areas dedicated to hippogriff riding. The sounds of instructors' commands and the distant beat of hippogriff wings are a familiar comfort to Elric.
They continue upward, passing the barracks housing his fellow marines. The close quarters are a hive of activity; some marines are tending to their gear, others resting, but all share the same look of weary determination.
Finally, they reach Commander Endrin's office. The door stands tall and imposing, a silent testament to the authority and responsibility that lie within. Elric takes a deep breath, preparing himself for the meeting that awaits. The other marine gives him a nod before departing, leaving Elric to face the imposing door on his own.
Taking a deep breath, he knocks and awaits an answer. Within seconds, a firm voice from within command him to enter.
Inside, Marcus Endrin, the esteemed commander of Sable Company, stands by the window beside a tall raven-haired woman wearing the familiar red armor of the Korvosa Guard.
"Marine Rivers, reporting as ordered!” Elric says sharply, straightening to attention in the presence of the two high-ranking officers.
"Ah, Marine Rivers! Glad you could make it despite the chaos in the streets. I trust you know Cressida Kroft, commander of the Korvosan Guard." Marcus Endrin says, his tone friendly but resonating with authority.
Elric, feeling a mix of pride and surprise, remains at attention, his gaze steady.
"It's an honor, Commander. Serving the Company and Korvosa has always been my foremost duty." Elric replies, his voice firm yet respectful.
Marcus nods approvingly, a hint of a smile on his stern face.
"At ease, Marine. Your valor aboard the Harpy's Fury has not gone unnoticed. The captain's reports spoke highly of your courage against the Riddleport pirates and your exceptional bond with your hippogriff companion. Your dedication is commendable, and it has earned you more than just our gratitude. I'm pleased to announce your promotion to sergeant, effective immediately. Normally, you would be assigned a squad to command. However, the current unrest in our beloved Korvosa alters our usual procedures." Endrin continues, his tone becoming more serious.
Cressida Kroft steps forward, her presence commanding. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, assess Elric with an experienced gaze.
"Sergeant Rivers, the city is on the brink. With the king's sudden death, tensions are high, and the presence of the Guard, Sable Company, and the Hellknights is only part of the equation. We have civilians caught in the middle, scared and angry." She explains, her voice carrying a weight that speaks of many battles, both physical and political.
"Your new role will be to serve as the military liaison for a group of private individuals who are assisting us in restoring order. Your uniform, your presence, can make a significant difference in preventing unfortunate incidents. This assignment is part of a larger cooperation program, as a number of your fellow marines will be assigned to the Korvosan Guard, while select guardsmen will spend a few months training with the marines" Kroft adds, her eyes meeting Elric's.
Elric listens intently as Commander Kroft explains the delicate situation at hand. Once she is done speaking, he nods, accepting the responsibility.
"I understand, Commander Kroft. I'll do my best to uphold the peace and assist in any way I can." Elric responds, determination evident in his voice.
Marcus Endrin gives Elric a firm nod, signaling his confidence in the young sergeant's abilities.
"We have faith in your abilities, Sergeant Rivers. You are dismissed. Report directly to Commander Kroft from now on. This task is too important for any missteps." Endrin states, his voice leaving no room for doubt.
Elric salutes sharply, his expression resolute.
"Thank you, commanders. I won't let you down." He says, before turning to leave with Cressida Kroft.
Together, they exit the commander’s office, their steps echoing in unison.
”You can leave your hippogriff here for the time being. There should be plenty of time to return to get it once you are introduced to the group,” Commander Kroft says as they approach the tower gates and head towards Castle Korvosa though the uncertain streets of Korvosa to meet the group of adventurers. The fate of the city, now teetering on the edge of chaos, rests in part on their shoulders.
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The smell of freshly baked bread tickles Audria's nostrils as she awakens in Trinia's bed, comfortably wrapped in blankets. Trinia is just saying farewell to one of her neighbours and placing a cloth-wrapped bundle on the table, clearing away paints and brushes.
"Good morning! Come, have something to eat!"
Aside from the bread, still warm from the oven, with a thick crust covered in sunflower and sesame seeds, there's some cheese and sliced apple, and a small pot of honey. Trinia takes an uncharacteristically serious expression once Audria is seated and eating.
"Audria, what you told me last night... that's a lot. Even the strongest person in the world would get overwhelmed by all that, so don't blame yourself for anything, you hear me? You are so incredibly brave and kind, I wish I had a crumb of your courage. And I know you feel like you aren't doing enough, but you are! More than enough! No one can ask any more of you, and that includes yourself." She trickles some honey on a thick slice of bread and takes a bite. "So! I want you to take a break when you can and do something fun. Something just for you. Deal?"
By the time everyone is assembled again, the day is creeping towards lunch time. A note from Pip was delivered to the Sanctuary, conveying his apologies and informing of a new position that he would start soon as a tutor and companion for a family in East Shore. He writes with some humour that his exploits lately have meant too many missed meals and lack of sleep, a lifestyle better suited to those who don't mind these things so much.
Back at Citadel Volshyenek, new sights greet Abella, Audria, Dal and Shrike as the familiar livery of the Sable Company marines is noticeable among the crimson uniforms of the Korvosan Guard. The group is swiftly directed to the Field Marshal's office and ushered in after only a brief wait.
The Field Marshal looks a little better than yesterday, like she finally got some proper sleep. The smile on her face is genuine as she gestures for everyone to take a seat, falling abruptly as she notices the absence of Pip. "Please don't tell me..." she begins, but her concerns are quickly put to rest when she hears that Pip is alive and well.
"Sergeant Calia wrote a note for me and I had a chat with Verik and his men already this morning, so I know the important parts already." She grimaces. "What a damnable business! Who thought that five of our own could sink to such abominable depths of depravity. And yes, I am including Verik here, even though he professes ignorance of the murders and the- Cannibalism! In my city!" Her temper flares, but she quickly brings it under control again, taking a few deep breaths before continuing.
"I cannot thank you enough for bringing this to light, and for apprehending Vancaskerkin and the others. We'll try to find the relatives of those they murdered and stole from, but we're stretched thin as you know. If you come across any leads, please bring them to me." She reaches down to open a locked drawer in her desk and retrieve a hefty coin purse.
"Your reward, as promised. And if you need a safe place to stay, or to rest - you are always welcome to a spot in the barracks here. Now, I would like to ask all of you something. As Field Marshal, I am no stranger to commissioning independent parties to help the guard, and you are exactly the kind of people I would like to work with, on a more permanent basis if you are willing." She leans back in her chair, expectantly.
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Dal watched Shrike go then turned back to the Guard.
“You know,” he began. “I have genuine empathy for Verik. Sure, he abandoned his station but he was seeking to help the people when he felt like the system was failing them. And then, those he trusted to aid him, abused Verik’s trust and committed unspeakable crimes behind his back.”
Dal squeezed his eyes shut then opened them wide in an effort to fight off sleep.
Exhaustion
Pockets flopped onto his side at Dal’s feet.
“I know, bud. We’re about to head home,” Dal said to his familiar. Then, addressing the Guard once more, “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone his actions. No need to bust out the manacles,” he forced a chuckle. “I just mean that I think Verik thought he was doing the right thing.”
Exhaustion
Hunger
“Alright, alright,” Dal muttered as he scooped up the feline. “Hopefully the rest of your night is quiet,” he called to the guard over his shoulder.
“I need a place to crash tonight,” Dal said.
“Dalmano! It’s so late. And you’re filthy!” The elderly woman, Sister Aspexia Sorphus stuck her head out into the street, peering down both directions before ushering Dal inside and locking the door behind him.
“Yeah, I was helping the Korvosan Guard clean up some of their spilled garbage.”
The Priestess guided Dal through the halls to a room lined with double-stacked cots. “I’m sorry, the best I can do is set up a pallet for you. It’s been…” Aspexia gestured to the dozen or so sleeping bodies in the cots.
Dall smiled and waved away her concerns, “I know. And I can do it. Are the blankets still in this closet?”
“No, we had to move things around a bit recently. I’ll take care of it. You and the prince just go take a bath. I don’t need any of these poor souls waking up to the sight - and smell - of you,” Aspexia shooed the pair along.
A short while later, a clean and very irritable Pockets set aside his negative feelings long enough to eat a small dish of baked fish. Aspexia had set the bowl on the floor beside the blankets and the pillow that was meant to act as his and Dalmano’s bed for the night. Dalmano had, of course, fallen asleep before eating anything. No worries, the thick stew would not go to waste.
Terror
Pockets shot a look to his sleeping partner. Dalmano was having one of his nightmares again. He gulped down the last of the fish then turned to start on the stew. Dalmano stirred again
Pockets huffed at the stew -it would have to go to waste - then curled up in Dalmano’s armpit.
“This whole business of taking care of a human is exhausting,” Pockets thought.
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Audria's stomach growls as she smells the bread. Part of her cries out for more sleep, but her belly's protestations soon win that argument. She sits up and looks down at her clothing through the cascade of strawberry blonde hair falling over her face. Her clothes are even more rumpled than she remembers them being, but they are clean. She looks around the apartment and sees Trinia at the small table laded with still steaming bread, cheese, sliced apples, and honey. She nearly trips over her boots when she gets up and starts walking over, but manages to catch herself. She turns to Trinia as she sits down with a smile on her face, but the laugh she feels dies stillborn as she sees the serious expression Trinia wears.
Audria listens to what Trinia has to say without interrupting or trying to deny any of it. Not only could Trinia read her like a book, she'd become like a big sister to her and Eliana over the years, even before the two Lambs left Gaedren Lamm and joined the church. Trinia, Tally, Dal, and Mister Bartholomew, all of them kept telling her that she is more than she believes herself to be, that she's better than she lets herself believe she is. She keeps going over their words over and over again as she spreads some of the cheese over the bread and puts some of the apple slices on top. She drizzles the honey over the whole thing before looking up at Trinia.
"Alright, you have your deal," Audria says as she smiles, feeling a little better. "I would love to see Magnimar," she says as she takes a bite of her breakfast. "Ellie, Tally, you, and me, Just sail up the Lost Coast and see the City of Monuments. Maybe we'll even get to paint the Lady's Light."
Audria takes another bit and chews happily as she thinks about her seed of a plan. She swallows and starts to say something else when she hears the ringing of bells. One, two, three?!
"Oh no. I'm late!"
She scarfs down the rest of her breakfast and fishes out five gold from her purse and puts it on the table before scrambling for her boots. Tally, who'd been happily eating her third slice of bread looks to Trinia and then to Audria with a confused look.
"Late? For what," Tally asks.
"I was supposed to meet the others back at the Sanctuary," Audria answers as she hops on one foot as she struggles to pull on her left boot. "Sister Jenelyn is going to kill me if I don't manage to look presentable!"
"Why--" Tally starts to ask before she catches up to Audria's line of thought. "The Field Marshal! We're supposed to meet her this morning."
"And we're late! Sorry Trinia, I'll come by later. You still haven't told me about that secret project you kept teasing," Audria says as she finishes gathering up her gear and heads for the door. "The coins are for you, by the way! Thank you for breakfast. Hopefully I can stay longer next time."
Tally turns back into a bird and rides on Audria's shoulder as the young paladin passes through the door and rushes down the stairs.
Audria, having recovered somewhat from her run to the Sanctuary and learning that Pip had moved on, looks at the coin and wonders if Brother Theolan would accept it this time. She hardly needs it, not when the Sanctuary provides so much for her.
"What exactly would we be doing," Audria asks as she tries to not fidget with the holy symbol around her neck.
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It seems at first that Shrike will remain standing despite the Field Marshal's gesturing them to sit in the several padded chairs jostling for space before her desk. But when the others sit, she does too, perching very straight-backed on the edge of the seat farthest from the desk.
It is hard not to like the straightforward boss robin. She has been nothing but decent and honest with them. Shrike reminds herself sternly that a fish rots from the head, and the robins overall are useless or worse. Even last night's escapade reinforces her private opinion that they are better at pushing paper than hunting predators. Still, it cannot hurt to hear Kroft out. But the words permanent basis clearly set her back up. Shrike is on her feet again by the end of the Field Marshal's offer, and her wariness is palpable in the way she leans back on one foot, ready to bolt.
"Not a mercenary," she says flatly. Audria might have things she wants to know before making a decision. Shrike has things she wants Kroft to know. "If you got a real problem that's one thing. If it's just money — keep it."
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Despite the late bedtime, Dal appears to be in a better condition than usual. His clothes have been washed and pressed. The threadbare, wine-colored coat he normally wore had been replaced with the dark purple, embroidered one he had worn to Castle Korvosa. However, he still wore the rest of his more lived-in attire.
Dal slipped into one of the seats offered by the Field Marshal and Pockets hopped up into his lap. The smell of honeysuckle followed the tabby - a nice change of pace from the usual scent of trash and musk.
“I have to agree with my concealed compatriot, Marshal, I have some reservations about continuing any sort of long term working relationship here,” Dal said. He made a point to not look at the heavy purse sitting on the desk. His time with this group had done wonders for his urge to scrounge for every pinch he could find.
“I have no problem helping out with issues like last night but, I’m not looking for employment. I mean - and no offense intended, Marshal - but the Guard doesn’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to helping the common people. Hell, I could probably walk through that door and meet a handful of guards who’ve arrested me for doing the right thing in the wrong place.
That being said, if you have something that could pose a genuine threat and you need some unsanctioned assistance,” Dal gave each of his allies a glance before continuing, “I’m sure we could help in some way.”
The Field Marshal puts her hands out. "I'm not trying to recruit you for the Guard. What I have in mind is more along the lines of independent contractors." She looks at Shrike. "I have a multitude of real problems. And just as many constraints in how I deal with them, or even if I am allowed to deal with them." She pauses for a moment, letting her words sink in.
Inclining her head to Dal as to concede a point, Cressida Kroft sighs. "I am... aware. Believe me, it is something that I have spent most of my career attempting to rectify. I have not been as successful as I would have liked." She bites her lip before continuing. "Perhaps my choice of words was poor. I meant 'permanent' as in me having a means to contact you if there is a need for your skills, as well as some perks and allowances, should you get into trouble. I am beyond grateful that you solved last night's situation without bloodshed, and I fervently hope that the trend can continue, but if you ever seriously hurt or even kill someone in pursuit of your mission, I will do my best to defend you." She raises a finger. "That doesn't mean you get license to kill indiscriminately, which I am sure is something you don't need to be told."
She folds her hands together, leaning forward on her desk. "If these terms are more agreeable to you, there is a matter that an old friend has brought to my attention and which I am powerless to solve... officially."
Audria doesn't know how she feels about this. On the one hand, it could be a good way to help the city, But on the other hand, she's wondering how much of this falls into that gray area of things that are not technically illegal, but are still circumventing laws. The raid on Gaedren Lamm's hideout and the death of him and his gang was something that could only help Korvosa, but now Audria is uncomfortably aware that it was an act of vigilantism. The fight with the assassin hopefuls was more straightforward, but it could also be argued that killing some of them and not informing the guard, not to mention leaving that one man tied up in an abandoned warehouse, was breaking the law.
Tally soothes Audria's nerves through their link and by rubbing her head against the paladin's cheek. There was no use worrying about any of that now, and if the Field Marshal of the Korvosan Guard was going to arrest them for any of that, then she'd have already done so. She can hear Shrike's voice telling her how naive she is, but she pushes the thought aside.
"Field Marshal Kroft, I can't speak for anyone else, but if you want my help, then I'm happy to offer it. I had hoped that we could have brought Verik and his men in without any violence, but--" Her voice trails off as the still raw emotions come back to her.
"It didn't stop you from killing Lamm and his cronies or that assassin wannabe, though, did it," Halvara's voice cooes in her head. "Canary? Ha! More like Rat."
Audria closes her eyes and tries to push the thoughts out of her mind, to do what Mister Bartholomew had told her, and to remember what Trinia, Merula, Dal, and most importantly, Tally had told her. Those thoughts and memories help, but the half-elf is still there, just outside of the wall Audria is trying to build and ready to tear them down whenever Audria lets her guard down.
She opens her eyes again and looks to the others to see what they thought and would say.