Elleross looks over and shakes his head sadly.
i am afraid fear and ignorance have conspired to rob our good ink keeper here of any wits he was born with. he says disappointment in his voice A word of caution for you Emil, I would be careful where you point that bow , if by some monumental error of judgement you should decide to shoot that thing, it will be the biggest mistake of your life. he says as he sips calmly at his wine and he gesticulates toward Corum with the glass things like this tend to upset my friend here. You won't like him when he's angry, believe me the old elf says as he gathers his pipe and chews on it thoughtfully.
we have already told you that we are not the ones the witches of the tower are seeking, I suggest you put away your bow and bring us some more drinks and we will say no more about this unfortunate mistake the old elf says as he turns and fixes Emil with a steady gaze.
Corum sighs and slowly stands to face the barkeep. "All I wanted was a hot meal in peace." He fixes the man with a flinty gaze and speaks in a calm voice. "My friend here is wiser than I. He would think twice about rushing a man with a crossbow. I have done it oat least three times. Every time it turned out badly for the chap with the crossbow. Don't make it number four. You seem like good folk here. I don't want your blood on my hands.."
Intimidate
He slowly begins to edge toward the bar as he speaks, leaving his axe leaning against the wall next to the table.
Slow on the uptake as Sapphire tries her best to translate everything as it happens. Greyston stands slowly. "Both of you relax, throwing threats around isn't going to help anyone. Some of these people are superstitious we should atleast try and reason with them. Force on force is not always the best option."
As he finishes speaking he looks to the bar man, holding his hand up to show he has no intention of hurting him.
As the tension builds Nadya shouts out again.
These are my guests Emil. We'll leave but I'll remember this and I daresay others will too.
Come on, let's go. No sense endangering others
Thank you for your stew, it really was as good as everyone said. It's a shame that the hospitality did not live up to the same high praise.
Sapphire ignores the crossbow, standing up and adjusting her furs then walking out at a normal pace.
We've nothing more to gain here anyway, let us be about our business
she hangs back, waiting for the others to move with her towards the door before she actually leaves.
Elleross follows Nadya and sapphires lead and stands up.
I agree Sapphire the hospitality in some parts of the North it seems is as cold as the weather he says come on Corum, let us leave these folk to it. We have other business in town . turning to the priest he inclines his head
it was good to meet you father, I am sure our paths will cross again he says tucking away his pipe he follows Sapphire out of the inn.
The fat priest nods to Elleros.
Ney bother, old feller. Sorry some of us are too block-headed not to see past the end of our noses. Stupid sod only knows his own name because his shrew of a wife shouts it at him all day.
He turns then to Sapphire.
My lady, I will count the moments with baited breath for when we meet again. he offers her a big grin through his red beard and you notice he has two gold teeth that shimmer when he smiles.
As you head outside, Nadya appears in a furious mood.
That's typical. Nazhena puts so much pressure and fear on the people of this village that they just start jumping at shadows. she says darkly.
Corum stands his ground and watches the barman closely as the others file out of the taproom. He reaches out and takes his axe from where it leans against the wall and slowly backs out of the room. As he steps outside he shrugs. "sheep! Seeing wolves everywhere."
Greyston stares on at the man with the crossbow, but takes the hint as the others stand and follows them out. "This is to be expected... we have to show them change to expect anything else. I'm just glad most of the town is not like that man." Greyston look around the street.
"Maybe when we finish our business, the people of Heldren won't be the only ones affected by it. It could help them all." He again looks around.
yes Greyston , as you say to be expected. I've been expecting that reaction ever since...well for a while now though I didn't expect the reason for the reaction to be what it was he says somewhat cryptically.
best get used to that kind of reaction , ex prisoners are often treated this way. he muses to himself as they step out into the cold once more.
don't let it bother you Nadya, come show us more of your village. where shall we go next? he says to her
Nadya stalks off, leading you to the small collection of stores in town.
Sapphire has a good look at all the unusual things for sale, some familiar and others less so, but does not purchase anything. She stops by the general store and trades much of the party's unneeded goods, keeping up the appearance of traders at least at a cursory glance.
Corum accompanies Sapphire as she takes their goods to trade. Ever watchful he keeps sn eye on the inn in case someone is sent for soldiers from the tower. None of the goos in the store appeal to him so he puts his pouch of coins, his share, into s samll pouch which he tucks into a pocket of the tunic he wears under his armour.
When the others are done he turns to Nadya and says. "It seems lodging at the inn is out sowhete can we stay the night?"
Well if you don't mind floor space, you can stay with me. Nadya replies. and it looks as if we will eat well tonight. he adds, seeing Nasrin and the wolf padding through the town, a deer carcass carried across her shoulders.
As she passes the villagers few of them bat an eyelid at the bloody animal and some doff they caps or touch their hoods in greeting as she passes.
He looks so much happier. Nadya says of the wolf. I thought I was doing him a favour keeping him with the dogs but he was born to run.
She leads you back to the cabin where you are finally able to relax and enjoy a homecooked meal. Nadya proves more than capable in the kitchen as well as the field but slow cooking joints of the venison for hours in a stone oven to the rear of the building.
In the evening she tells you stories of the north, the state beauty and harsh reality of the land.
Later as she excuses herself to put the boys to bed, you take a good look around the living area that will serve as your bedroom for the night.
There is a distinct lack of decoration that speaks of Nadyas practicality. The exception is a single wood carving above the mantle of exceptional quality.
It depicts a man, a woman and three children, all standing before a cabin.
Corum thanks Nadya for her hospitality again and they head back to the house. They eat well that night. Each of them filling their bellies with the hot succulent meat. The mealnis delicious after days of trail fare and cold weather.
Perception
Corum spots the picture and calls Sapphire over. He nods to the etching and says "Does that remind you of anything? Looks like that doll thing we fought."
He shudders. "Bloody witches. This magic business is too strange."
"It sounds like a palace compared to how we've been sleeping." He smiles at Nadya. "I can't say it anymore I.. We really appreciate everything you've done for us. I just hope we can repay you someday. He then looks at the deer Nasrin bagged. "I'm pressive hunt Nasrin." He then spots the wolf bound to her heel. "Will this one becoming with us?"
--
Focusing on the girl Corum points out he sees the resemblance too. The bloody battle in the small hunt, he did more damage than good but he's changed since then.. they all have. "I can see what you mean Corum, Maybe one of the witches has been here and used her likeness? I've no knowledge on any witch craft."
To Greyston and Nadya the feral girl simply says, "We have come to an agreement. We will hunt together. He will run as he likes and chase bigger prey."
* * *
Once inside and settled in, Nasrin keeps noticing the woodcut. A cabin and a family. She assumes it's Nadya's and then makes a dreadful connection. Her daughter is gone. She says nothing, but something gnaws at her. Where is the red woman's girl child? Taken by the witches? Nasrin frowns, not knowing how to express her grief at another family broken by these Jadwiga.
Aye, well you're welcome to stay as long as you like. Nadya says. I know you've business elsewhere though and it'll get crowded once Thora comes back like as not. she says, a shadow passing briefly over her face.
That's what was missing. Thora. Nasrin clears her throat. "Thora is safe. The Witches have no hold on her, and will never again." She offers a wan smile to the woman that's been so generous. "We will make sure at least one witch pays with their life for what was done."
Nadya looks puzzled and slowly stands from laying a pile of furs on the boarded floor.
What do you mean?
Greyston notices the sadness in Nadya as the little girl is mentioned. Then the realisation hit him at her words she has no idea that her daughter is dead. He goes to speak but holds back, unsure of what to say or what would make her feel better. I don't know what to say, I can't bring myself to tell this woman. This poor woman has lost a lot.. that poor little girl.
Nasrin shrugs, still unsure of what to say to Nadya that might console her. "We found what was done to her and destroyed it." A glimmer of a tear comes up in her eyes as she imagines her own brothers made into what little Thora had become.
Nadya takes a staggering step back, her hand instinctively rising to her chest like she had just been punched. Her face scrunches up into a mask of anger.
What the hell are you talking about, destroyed it? Have you seen my Thora, is that what you're saying? her voice rises steadily in both volume and pitch.
"When we were coming here, to the portal, we found a hut. There was a spirit nearby. The shade of a playful child. In the hut, there was a doll, an aged little girl with mismatched eyes. She was set on a chair watching the woods through an open door. It came to life, and sang to us, 'I'm Thora, do you want to dance with me?' and attacked us. We destroyed it." By the time she finishes her story tears are falling down Nasrin's face.
Hearing Nasrin explain every detail, turns Greysons stomach in knots. Quickly standing he moves over to Nadya, offing his hands her to as he holds hers. "Nadya." He focuses her on him staring in to her eye's. "What Nasrin said is turn... We met a little girl, we didn't know who it was. But Thora she was a spirit, it was watch magic it seemed like they trapped her soul in the doll..." He begin to explain it but only finds the same words Nasrin said, there is no easy way to give someone this news. Unable to finish the story he holds her, the only thing he could offer is a shoulder to cry on.
The agony elf settles back Into a chair and dozes lightly as their host prepares the children for bed.
He is warm and well fed after their delicious meal and he is weary. The events of the last few days catch up with him somewhat and he drifts away.
The huge fire place roars to life as he enters and his footsteps ring on the black marble floor as he strides across the room.
The chair and the statue of Nadya remain but they aren't his focus for the moment, for now he wishes to relax and lose himself for a while in contemplation.
Next to the great hearth he depresses a stone on the side and the back of the fireace suddenly drops away.
The fire suddenly parts like a curtain as he passes and he winds his way up a stone stairway that ends in a wooden trap door.
Pushing it open he emerges onto the top of the pearl tower, the three needle like points that form the top of the tower rise up above him as he steps out onto the perfectly flat roof of the tower, the floor is black obsidian and polished like a mirror.
Moving to the centre the floor he stands relaxed hands clasped behind his back as he turns his face to the heavens and loses himself in the riot of colour that writhes across the starlit sky like some vast cosmic serpent[/i]
Rousing himself as the tone of the coversation around him changes abruptly he stands and looks across at Nasrin, Greyston and Nadya.
could it have been her daughter ? Why would the witches take her? How can Nadya not know what has happened to her these and a dozen other questions race through his mind and he says softly
Nadya please try and calm down. I fear we are jumping to conclusions.
It is true we encountered a spirit on the other side of the portal, along with this Doll guardian. But we have noticed several uncanny similarities between our side of the portal and yours.
We don't know anything for certain, please tell us about your daughter. Where is she? Elleross says his tone calm and steady.
Listening to her companions speak, Sapphire puts two and two together, looking at the woodcut and seeing what the others have.
Nadya, we don't know for sure, but everything we have said is true. There was an animated wooden doll that was posted as a guard in a witch's hut near the Heldren portal. It spoke like a little girl though it had the carved visage of an aged face. The face we've just seen in your woodcut there
she points. Her shoulders dropping and a tear coming to her eye, she continues
I am so sorry for your loss, we'll make them pay
Nadya's face twists and she looks shaken and as though be might fall ill.
She stumbles back into a wooden bench that scrapes along the floor with a resistant grunt. From within the room is a whine of despair but it doesn't come from Nadya, whose chest simply heaves and an odd coughing wheeze is all that escapes her lips.
My... my girl... she's... Nazhena took her to the Pale Tower. She's ther. You have to be wrong. You have to be wrong.
I have been trading with the Kellids for food to feed the village and Nazhena's soldiers. Whilst I was away Thora somehow insulted the witch. I don't even know how they met! She took my girl as punishment and when I went there to plead for her she told me she would release her in exchange for the biggest shipment of food ever. I... I don't know why but that's what I was transporting when I ran into you.
she wails and then the tears come, in great floods though not of despair but of seething anger.
Carefully, like she's holding one of Greyston's bombs, Sapphire tentatively reaches out to Nadya and wraps her arms around the woman.
We'll go there first thing in the morning and find out what has happened. If your Thora is there we will bring her home.
she looks Nadya in the eyes
One thing is for sure, we won't leave the tower until the witch is no longer a threat to this town
The old elf listens with only a little surprise as Nadya tells her horrific tale.
It is nothing less than he would expect from their kind.
faithless and ruthless! these jadwiga will pay for all the hurt they have caused.
They think they are untouchable, it's high time someone taught them the error of their ways. If Nadyas daughter lives then I will see her returned to her mother, no matter the cost he thinks darkly.
Watching as Sapphire wraps her arms around her he is at a loss as to what comfort he can offer this tough woman.
Nadya, believe me we share this pain with you. Some of us here have suffered greatly at the hands of the Witches. Myself included, I know the pain you feel but you must not lose hope. We don't know anything for certain. he says thinking about his dear wife and his eyes glitter with tears that will not fall.
we leave tomorrow, Sapphire is right we will do everything we can to return her to you .
he says sincerely
Nasrin has an idea click, like lightning bursting a stone. "Then you deliver the food. We are either with you as guards or hidden in the sled as your payment. If we're lucky, we can get very close, if not inside Nazhena's tower." She finishes by wiping her tears away with her fingertips.
Greyston just looks on, at a grieving parent is there nothing more sad in this world. We saw.. did we see her spirit? could this just be some witch magic, we should hold out some hope that she still lives." Lost in thought, he quickly regains his wits. "We are going to the pale tower... We will find Thora, we'll make them pay for ever taking her. As everyone else has said, that tower is coming down this tyranny wont stand."
I'll kill them all if they've hurt her. I will kill them all.
She wanders from the room as if in a daze, going into her twin sons room and though they don't know why, lying with them, weeping herself to a restless sleep
Corum looks around the room with a sad expression. The mood has darkened considerably in the last few minutes. He spreads his bedroll on the floor, removes his armour and wraps up in his blanket to sleep. Looking at the others he says.
"Long day tomorrow. We should all sleep.wake me for the last watch."
The day dawns pale and blue, the first rays of sunshine creep over the high mountains to the north and crawl lazily over the snowy landscape to scratch at the walls of Nadya's cabin.
Corum, unable to sleep soundly even here, insists on taking the last watch of the night and squints his eyes at the burgeoning light.
He considers everything they have been through, the trek through the BOrder Wood, the deadly fight with the Moss Troll Teb Knotten and then coming here to Waldsby, a village so similar to the one the other side of the world. That is the thought that makes his head spin like nothing else.
Magic has always been a terrible wonder to him and the thought of being transported a thousand miles across the world, when it took him half his life to make that journey the first time, is the real reason why sleep is difficult to embrace.
As he sits facing the window, musing all these things, he beings to see movement in the snow.
Sleds. Three of them. They glide toward the village in a plume of dusty snow, the dogs eagerly heaving forward, dragging their load. Which is a squad of soldiers - fifteen of them in total. He can see their pikes glinting and their heavy cloaks billowing.
Within moments the sled pulls into the village and the soldiers dismount, splitting up and scattering throughout the buildings. Several of them start hammering on doors, whilst one - flanked by others - heads toward the inn the party frequented last night.
Six of them head toward Nadya's cabin. When they reach the door, they start hammering.
Nadya Petska, open up! This is the Guard of the Pale Tower, open up!
As Corum watches the soldiers enter the village he begins waking the others. "Trouble!" he says and as the six soldiers approach the house he picks up his axe and stepa out of the door. He stands on the porch, feet planted, his axe held in both hands. All fur, steel amd muscle he is an imposing sight. He fixes the men woth a steely stare and speaks in a firm voice. "Stop right there! Who are you and what do you want?"
Nasrin rouses with Corum's warning. She stands up fast enough she feels her hunger rise in a swimming sensation in her head. Steadying herself, she grabs her spear and whispers a prayer to the spirits of this place. She immediately heads out the back door with Jagar grinning at her heels. She spots Nadya in the kitchen, "Someone talked. Get ready."
Nadya leaps out if bed, dressed only in flannel night clothes, her red hair streaming behind her like a blaze.
She snatches up her axe as she runs from the room.
Boys, you stay where you are! she shouts into her son's room. Don't come out for anything until I come get you!
She dashes out just as Corum opens the door to the soldiers and she places axe beside it, out of sight but in easy reach.
Our business is with Petska, not with whatever animal she has brought in from the cold! the man sneers.
What do you want? Nadya says It's alright Corum, they are just doing their duty. her eyes look to the big barbarian, full and pleading. My boys are in the house, please don't!
You are to come with us. the soldier says. The sergeant has questions for you about some southerners that came this way.
Corum laughs derisively. "That's me. But I am no Southerner. Tell the sergeant he can come and ask me his questions himself."
The questions are for Petska, she's coming with us.
Corum snarls. "she stands behind me. I stand in front of you. You have a choice. Leave without her or try and get through me. The last one will be painful."
Intimidate
Getting up he grabs his satchel and heads for the front door."Corum, step aside... they are just doing their job." Greyston whispers. "We don't want to start a fight yet!" He places a hand on Nadyas shoulder, trying to see how she is reacting to all this.