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Buoyed by the priest's observation, Marieke walks along until she stops and slaps her thigh in anger. "All this talk and I've forgotten the reason I've come." she says crossly, angry at herself. "The poppinjay, Franz, one of his Uncles men claims to have see a ratman entering one of the sewer entrances. I didn't see this creature, but the 'man' swears to it. What assistance can Sigmar's church provide to combat this threat?" Marieke hisses urgently , trying to prevent prying ears from hearing.
At the priest's praise of the witch hunter's wisdom and good judgement, she gazes wistfully up at a particularly glorious scene depicted in stained glass. "I hope one day Sigmar sees me fit enough to be a witch hunter like him."
Marieke frowns, thinking furiously, "Um, he said it was black and shone like a rainbow if you looked at it cross-wise, something like that. He said it could corrupt the whole city, if his suspicions were true, and that the Vernites were a foolish lot of dreamers that thought they could harness the power of chaos against itself." she said, the furrows in her forehead becoming deeper the more she thought of what could possibly happen if what the Witch Hunter said was true.
Marieke lowers her voice, "He's looking for a book. The Witch Hunter asked us to see if the Verenites had it. Franz volunteered to take a look." she says.
Mareike mirrors the priest, cocking her head as well "Franz? Or Herr Franz as he prefers? He's a puffed up military type, handy with that pistol of his , I'll grant him that. " Mareike's eyes narrow on the priest, "Why do you ask?"
"Alone? Oh no, I had help, that's for certain. There's Rangnir and Fernis...two dawi, they've adopted me, they're just outside. And Franz, he's visisting the Verena temple next door. And we had a Morr priest along with us, but he wandered off. And of course His Lordships's men and dogs.
Well, I think all of the people at the lodge were von Bruner's , 'cause Aschaffenburg didn't seem aware of what was going on...right,right they poisoned him... Marieke says , shaking her head "All these goings on...they get me confused. I just want to do Sigmar's will and burn them Chaos-ers !"
Marieke pales for a moment as the priest asserts that what she had face had in reality been a real demon. She then notices his last question. Frowning, she says "von Bruner? No, it was Lord Lord Aschaffenberg's manor...though his servant did say it was new to him. Who is this von Bruner?" she asks abruptly.
Marieke glares at a too curious acolyte so fiercely he beats a speedy retreat out of hearing. Turning back to the Priest, she continues , talking softly "The painting? Hmmm, lets see, the dawi saw it in the library, then when the beasties attacked the manor, that b&!#% carried it onto the roof. Franz shot her, but it was floating up there....attached to...nothing. It seemed important so I climbed up with a torch and tried to burn it. ". She pauses to see if the Priest was following along, "Well, it didn't burn so I had to try to cut it with my knives, so I jumped on it and hung there by my knives , and kept stabbing it until it, well....died? or fell apart. I don't know. I just know that the picture moved, like I was looking out of a window. That beastie in the picture moved , really fast, like it was angry at me. I'm glad I finished the picture off when I did, I think that thing would have come right out of the picture...." Marieke trails off, thinking about was might have happened if she hadn't been successful back at the manor, a slight trembling taking over her limbs until with a deep breath she brings herself back under control.
Marieke's eye glow with fervor as she nods, her mouth set "Yes , in the forest. We killed Gors and ungors and a great horned beast. See this is where one smashed me," she says , pulling her tunic and armor aside to show her bruised shoulder. She stops then, memories flooding back, her eyes darting about in sudden fear, the shadows of the various alcoves seemingly harboring unspeakable creatures just out of sight. Without realizing it, Marieke brings her ax up as if to strike as an elderly worshiper shuffled past. With a start, she snaps the weapon back down to rest on the floor. Taking a deep breath she looks at the priest with an embarrassed face. With a halting voice she continues her tale "There was a picture that moved and floated.... it had a flying beast within it....I...I...killed the picture, but not before I could see the beast...so close...so close!!" she almost shouted, her voice echoing within the vaulted cathedral. She almost collapsed then, the fear almost consuming her, but she remembered where she was and who, no...what she was, and straightening, her face hardening as she looked directly into the priest's face, awaiting his response.
Finding it hard to tear her eyes away from a particularly gruesome tapestry : a barely armored man,wielding a flaming sword, laid into a host of corrupted people and their demonic master, Mareike turns to meet the priest's gaze. "They are wonderfully inspiring...my heart sings at the glory shown here." Mareike says softly, her voice raspy with emotion "My own feats pale in comparison." she says with downcast eyes.
Marieke strolls among the military relics on display in the cathedral, her eyes gleaming as she gains inspiration from this charred spear, that pitted and scarred axe, this chewed up piece of armor. Her focus is such that she completely disregards any disapproving glances she gets as she thoughtlessly bumps into any other faithful.
Her eyes and mind clear for the first time in what seems like ages, Marieke straightens from where she had been praying. Turning she looked down the length of the cathedral, ignoring those others praying nearby. Making her decision, she strides across the temple to the martial displays along one side, hoping to find inspiration there.
Mareike blinks in the abrupt dimness of the interior of the cathedral.
Looking to the side she notes the various clergy clustered here and there, as well as the lay-worshippers scattered among them. Her eyes glance over the monuments to the bravery of Sigmar's followers before settling on the altar. Striding confidently she takes the central aisle towards the high altar, stopping at the last pew to take a knee and begin praying.
Mareike pauses for a moment once she gains the top of the stairs, on her knees, gazing up at the towering cathedral looming over her. Standing she doesn't even notice the pain from the scratches she incurred upon her knees. Taking a deep breath the pushes the large wooden door and enters the Sigmar-centric side of the cathedral.
As Marieke draws nearer to the magnificent cathedral, she feels as if all the shadows and fears are scoured away , a feeling of euphoria coming over her. At the bottom of the steps leading up, she falls to her knees face raised and begins to ascend the steps on her hands and knees, a supplicant to Sigmar's grace.
Marieke's face is a war between zealous intent and respect for Fernis' regard. Her inner battle becomes moot with Franz' statement. Somehow looking both relieved and angry at the same time, she watches Franz stalk away to the temple. Blowing air out of her lungs, she turns and give a respectful nod to the witch hunter then follows Franz.
Her face set in resolve, Mareike nods to Reiter "I'll go see if they have this book... what should I do with it if I see it? Destroy it?" she asks.
"Any why would these people bring such a book into Sigmar's cathedral?" Mareike asks , horrified.
Mareike stares at the witch hunter as he reveals his concern and ....anger. Her eyes blinking, she can't really think of a response right away, her mind churning. Her thoughts are interrupted by Franz' comment and question. Without realizing, Mareike snaps a quick glare in Franz' direction... then her own suspicious nature takes over and she focuses her gaze on the witch hunter...waiting.
Squirming in fear under the witch hunter's gaze, Marieke nonetheless felt honored by his attention, savouring the intimidating contact. In a breath, the moment was over and she stood there her mouth opening and closing, not sure whether to take the man's words as admonition or compliment...or both. Somehow finding her voice, she says "We haven't been to the cathedral yet... we were on our way there just now. " she frowns , trying to remember her catechism ,then remembering that Verena was wife to Morr, goddess of Truth. Not sure why the witch hunter would recommend that shrine, she says uncertainly "Surely I should pay my respects to Sigmar first?"
Mareike almost jumps out of her skin at the sound of the man's voice so close. Her axe came up slightly before she realized that the form in the shadows wasn't a demon but a man...a witch hunter. Mouth a little agape, she watched Fernis confidently introduce himself to the man, she felt compelled to do the same. Her insides trembling, sure that those cold, cold eyes could see all that was impious and wanting within her, she nonetheless brought her faculties together enough to extend her own arm as had Fernis. "Marieke, Sigmar's anvil" she says, somehow meeting the cool judgement of those grey eyes.
Walking up to the cathedral, Mareike is overcome with fervor. Seeing this huge edifice in honor of Sigmar, almost makes her weep. "It's so beautiful" she says, voice breaking with emotion.
Unexpectedly Marieke pauses at Franz' suggestion. Seeming unsure, she says, mostly to herself "The clergy wouldn't see 'me', would they?" For a moment, unseen demons plague her thoughts with doubts and worry and fear and she looks all of her 17 years.
Turning to her "kin", she asks "Will you accompany me , your words would give weight to my own."
Marieke crosses her arms and frowns, following the conversation , but thoroughly uninterested in the political implications of meeting the Baron. Ignoring Vern ,she turns to Rangnir and Fernis "So, it's just us then..." and begins marching across the courtyard towards the Baron's tower.
Frowning at all of this talk of Balls and more talking, she brightens a bit at the talk of possible strategy. "If the beasties aim is to infect, wouldn't the food and drink for the ball be a target?" she asks confidently to hide her uncertainty in the face of her adoptive kin.
Mareike listens to Fernis' tale with wide gleaming eyes, avidly taking in each detail, her face almost glazed over in appearance as she plays the scene over in her head, but replacing Fernis with herself, destroying the evil ratmen in the name of Sigmar! With a start, she realizes that Fernis has ended his tale and was giving her an odd look. Giving him a weak smile she hears Vern complaining again and turns towards him with a scowl; refraining with great effort from admonishing the man. Rolling her eyes she thinks "A Ball! We have darkness all around and all he can think of is a dance for idiots?"
Just about to deliver a blistering rebuttal to Franz' scolding, Mareike subsides with Fernis' words, crossing her arms across her chest and frowning at the ground as she listens to Vern's accounting of what he saw.
Mareike walks over to Vern and grabs him by the ear and drags him squawking overto Borgun. "This useless man saw the beast." she says, releasing Vern's now reddened ear once he was in front of the Dawi elder "Go ahead, tell 'im what you saw, and make sure you show proper respect!"
Marieke attempts to imitate the bows of the others, the scowls at the white haired dwarf as she tries to hear above the din of the machinery. She follows the rest out into the relative quiet outside the workshop, shaking her head from the ringing in her ears.
Marieke follows, muttering to Fernis "I don't understand, why is a brewmaster so important?"
Marieke is surprised by Rangnir's offer, and hurries to get up, all gangly arms and legs. Hearing Franz' comment, she frowns "Too much talk! The threat is there or it isn't. If it is ....we burn it out!" she declares, with a youth's confidence in the rightness of her opinion.
A bit mollified by Fernis' offer to teach her his language, Marieke settles down and listens to the conversation, only twitching and flinching occasionally as she thinks she sees a ratty face staring at her from the shadows, only to disappear when she turns her head quickly to look directly at the apparition.
Mareike watches the conversation between Fernis and Rangnir, her frown deepening into a scowl, unable to understand a word. "What are you talking about?" she bluntly demands.
Marieke frowns as the dwarves abandon her upstairs again. Turning to the barkeep she "We'll have what we had before...and some food." she says brusquely then sits down in her previous chair. When, Franz sits down with her, she asks "Do you think your cousin was talking about these rat-men when he asked us to do some rat catching?"
Though she was ready to charge into the sewer in chase of whatever Vern saw, Marieke held herself back and accompanied the others back to the inn.
Snatching her ax from where is hung from her belt, Mareike almost shoulders Vern out of her way "Where is this abomination?" she demands.
Mareieke first makes a motion to assist the dwarves, but at Franz' suggestion nods and steps out the back door.
Marieke sticks her head in to look at the stricken dwarf. Straighening she glares at the priestess and asks "What's wrong with him?"
Marieke grimaces then nods in response, seemingly distracted by the crowd of supplicants. Out of the corner of her eye, several faces transform into demonic caricatures, only to resolve back to the pitiful peasant faces A crow's caw from above, causes a flinch, it sounding too much like the cry of the beast from the floating picture She attempts to present an air of interest in Rangnir's question but one eye continues to twich as the crowd plays on her frayed nerves.
Marieke stops dead in her tracks, a look similar to that of a light-dazed deer on her face. Her evident surprise at Franz' concern flashes across her face, equally quickly replaced by her characteristic frown. "Um...I...ah...I'm still bruised all over, sore in most other places not bruised, but Sigmar's burden is an honor to bear, Franz...um...Herr Fletcher." Marieke stammers, clearly unsure how to address Franz out in public as they are.
"Well, that's a nice piece of good fortune, Sigmar be praised. " Mareike says , following the others.
Mareike's inappropriate question Why is Franz talking to that big tub of lard? is forestalled by Rangnir's motion to keep quiet and in-obtrusive. She contents herself with crossing her arms and frowning .
Mareike looks between the two dwarves, confused "Poor kin? There was another dwarf out there? I never saw one! "
Having entertained herself tracing patterns on the table top in the condensation from the beer stein, she looked up in surprise a the face on the normally stoic dwarf. "What happened down there?"
Marieke waits pensively for the food to arrive, sipping at the beer that had been brought, trying not to make a face at the taste.
A first, Marieke began to bristle at being excluded from the dawi's sojourn to the basement. But the dwarves' comments mollified her rising temper. Turning to the barkeep she says more confidently than the felt "A trencher of whatever's roasting, bread and if you have soup or stew on. We've had a busy couple of days and haven't had a decent meal in as many."
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