Fluff Fang-Bot nods and moves to follow after Rings, doing their best to step where Rings does.
Popcorn does her best to not loudly boast about how easily she swung over the fence and also follows after Rings.
Rings knows what they're doing, so Bottlespeaker sushes Twinsprout and carefully follows the group. He dims his light and joins hands with the leshy in front of him to make sure he doesn't stumble.
With the lights dimmed, everyone does their best to follow Rings through the darkness towards the greenhouse. Darius, having no sort of nighttime vision at all, is forced to more or less either keep one hand on someone's shoulder or otherwise be haltingly nudged along. More than once he stumbles over his own feet or shuffles them loudly over the stone walkway that winds through the property. Still, even with all that, everyone manages to make it without causing a big ruckus. No lights suddenly flare in any windows, nor do you hear any unusual noise yourselves.
Now that you've drawn up close to the greenhouse, it's easier to tell that it's constructed almost entirely of glass and metalwork, both functional and ornate. After motioning for the rest of you to wait, Rings carefully approaches a door set in the western wall and very gently tries the handle...and finds it locked. He then moves to check the windows, finding that they too all seem to be locked...until he reaches a window on the southern side of the building and discovers that someone must've forgotten about this one. Rather than lift straight up the windows here are designed to open both upward and outward, likely to allow for fresh air while deflecting inclement weather. Rings thinks that everyone should be able to fit through, though - except for Darius.
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Rings motions the other leshies towards the window. "We'll go in first. Then if it's safe, I'll unlock the door for you, Darius."
He nods and then slips into the window.
Rings continues to take the lead and carefully lifts the window before climbing through. Though darkness envelops the world outside, this haven of glass and greenery pulses with an ethereal glow. Delicate blooms unfurl their petals, revealing hues of moonlit ivory and midnight amethyst while shadows dance and play upon the glass panes. The air is warm and humid, even at night, and filled with the scent of greenery and damp earth. There's even a small fountain, the flowing water providing a quiet but pleasant sound.
As he scans the greenhouse, two things catch his eye. First, he spots the missing Summer Shade and Willow Shade sitting within decorative glass bell jar displays. The pair look worn out - in fact, they're asleep within their prisons - but otherwise whole and unharmed. The second thing he notices is the presence of four other leshys stationed around the building, leshys that he's never seen before. They don't appear to have spotted him or the party. Yet.
Bottlespeaker whispers to Twinsprout to cover the light-emitting pebble with something. He doesn't want to attract any attention if they can avoid it.
"Rings, I'll follow your lead. You're the expert in this, do whatever you think is best," Bottlespeaker whispers.
Despite his words, he seems distracted by the pretty flowers and other flora in this greenhouse.
Rings motions for them to enter the greeenhouse. He points out the leshies and then to Summer Shade and Willow Shade in the middle of the greenhouse. "If we can sneak them out, we don't need to bother those leshy guards."
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“What if we make him make a distraction?” Popcorn suggests, a gleam in her eye reminiscent of Glimmer’s mischievous grin as she gestures towards Darius. “He tries to open the door or something, the guards - why are there leshies here? - anyway, the guards go check that out, Rings sneaks in and gets the sprouts, and we leave.”
Rings motions for the rest of you - sans Darius obviously - to follow him through the window and then points out the missing leshys as well as what look to be four resting leshy guards. A whispered conversation ensues as to whether you should ambush the guards or try to simply sneak back out with Summer & Willow. Popcorn, feeling vindictive and mischievous, suggests utilizing Darius as a distraction...
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Fluff Fang loves the idea of using Darius as a distraction.
While at first Rings wasn't 100% sure, as you peer more closely at the mysterious leshys you realize that they're actually asleep as well! Clearly they weren't anticipating anyone breaking into the greenhouse when the manor itself would surely be a more attractive option to would-be thieves.
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“Try to get them first,” Popcorn suggests as she notices Reaching Rings hesitating. “We’ll watch, and if they start noticing you then we’ll send Darius to the door.”
Rings simply nods and then begins moving slowly towards Summer Willow, hoping to get them out.
Fluff Fang watches nervously.
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Bottlespeaker is conflicted about using Darius as live bait, but Twinsprout threatens to keep whining all the way back to the village if they don't, so he reluctantly agrees. He will be close behind Darius however, so Darius doesn't get hurt too badly.
Darius does *not* look thrilled at the prospect of being bait but after the thrashing you gave him earlier, he clearly knows not to object. Instead, he simply gives a resigned nod and settles back with the rest of you to wait and see if Rings can sneak the two captive leshys out.
Rings eases his way over to the first of the two captives, noting that this one is Summer Shade once he's close enough to get a good look. He carefully picks up the bell jar containing the little leshy...and Summer doesn't even stir from her slumber. Seems like her ordeal has worn her out.
Next, he moves to collect Willow Shade. As he picks up the jar, the movement rouses Willow from his slumber. The lavender leshy stares blearily at Rings for a moment, confused. And then surprise and recognition dawns on his little face and he begins squeaking and gesticulating wildly from within the jar. Though the sounds are muffled by the glass, they are audible. Yet three of the leshy guards continue to sleep, blissfully unaware that anything is amiss. The fourth, which looks like an overgrown wisteria, sighs, shifts...and then continues to snore softly.
Rings makes a closing motion with their digits to try and get Willow Shade to quiet. Then the fungus begins to move back towards the open window.
Rings manages to communicate to Willow that he needs to pipe down for the moment which the little leshy finally does, making a comical zipping gesture against his face to show that he understands. And with that brief scare past, Rings is able to make his way back to the open window without waking the four leshy guards.
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Rings places Summer and Willow outside the window, frantically motioning to the others to get out. "Come on, let's get out of here!"
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Popcorn deliberates poking Darius to make him make a sound and spook the other leshies into attacking him, but decides it would be too much hassle and she really didn’t feel like arguing with Bottlespeaker and Fluff Fang the whole way home, so she nods, takes the bottle holding Willow Shade, and heads for the fence. Soon, she mouthes to the sprout. Shhh.
All goes according to plan and Rings is able to spirit the two kidnapped leshys out of the greenhouse without altering the leshy guards. With your recovered friends - and Darius - in tow, you beat a hasty retreat from the scene and from the town of Rosentry entirely. Though traveling into the night isn't ideal, you decide that it'd be best to put as much distance between yourselves and the Meliosa Estate as possible before morning comes and the absence of the lavender leshys are discovered. Thankfully the night sky is clear and the moon shines brightly down, providing just enough dim light that everyone is able to follow Rings as you head back down the road towards Petalbrook.
By the time your eclectic party once again finds itself on the doorstep of Crystals and Candlewax it's past the witching hour and your bodies are definitely feeling the strain of the very long day that you've had. "So, uh...I guess that's it, innit?" Darius whispers as he carefully unlocks the door to his shop/residence. "I mean, uh, you can rest here for the rest of the night if you want, but I figure you'd all feel more at home out in the woods..."
His voice trails off and he's clearly not really sure of what else to say. Both Summer and Willow Shade, long since freed from their jars, scowl and make ugly faces at their former kidnapper. There might even be a rude gesture or two mixed in there as well, though where they would've learned such things is anyone's guess! Though realistically, it's probably Glimmer's fault...
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After the briefest of deliberations you opt to pass on Darius' offer to stay at his shop and continue on your way...though not without some grumbling from Popcorn who still feels that the alchemist has gotten off way too lightly for his involvement in all of this. But it's also very late and you're all very tired; with the Shades now safely rescued, perhaps justice can wait until you've had some sleep.
The rest of the trip back home to the Verduran Forest is blessedly uneventful and everyone crashes hard, needing to make up for lost sleep. But your return hasn't gone unnoticed and by the time you wake the next day, word has spread of what you've done and you're greeted as heroes - not just by your fellow leshys but by the other creatures who call the forest home. Though you know that some degree of vigilance will always need to be maintained - after all, the safety of the woods lies on your shoulders - for now you're content to relax and enjoy a well-earned rest and celebration. In fact, Glimmer already seems to have the whole thing planned out and ready to go, which she's eager to explain in thorough and exhausting detail!
And the tale doesn't end there. Word soon reaches the forest that there's been a big uproar in some of the nearby settlements, which began as dispute over stolen floral arrangements and quickly escalated into a major scandal regarding the unlawful kidnapping and enslavement of sentient, sapient beings. While the fallout is still ongoing, it sounds as though the reputation of one of the nobles from Rosentry is in tatters and that the local alchemist of Petalbrook has been implicated as an accomplice. With Crystals and Candlewax now closed until further notice, the locals lament the lack of freshly-made candles but are hopeful that whoever steps in to fill that gap will stock scents other than jasmine...
Bottlespeaker crashes hard and does not wake up for a full day after their rescue mission. When he comes to, he celebrates with the rest that this mission has a happy ending, but as soon as he hears that Darius is in trouble, Bottlespeaker disappears from the village once again. Darius was a bad man, but he did (begrudgingly) help them, and he needs a defendant right now. Bottlespeaker heads to Petalbrook, with Twinsprout in tow to teach her about life lessons and redemption.
Whether he's successful in getting Darius a sentence reduction is a tale for another time...
With the kidnaping of leshies now on his mind, Rings begins to try and keep a better track of the plantfolk. Hopefully the uproar from the townsfolk will make them think twice about trying anything like that again, but he tries to inform others of the potential dangers to being plant-napped and for everyone to keep an eye out for each other.