Maer stood on deck with the others and looked at all the water in the gradually increasing morning light. Seeing all that water was one thing. Being on a wetlander boat on top of all that water was entirely something else. True, he had been on a boat just a few days before when they had left Falme after that strange business involving The Dragon and the cursed whitecloaks. Whitecloaks... he frowned and watched the preparations to leave. His hooded gaze took in Maeslyn and Fiznak talking quietly off a few paces and Eliesanna and Vaid. They all seemed eager to leave.
He shook his head in frustration and spoke to all of them, but out of earshot for the captain and sailors. "We have to finish our business before we leave this cursed place. I, for one, owe to t'oh to a certain wetlander ...Whitecloak." His voice was level and even, yet it carried and edge to steel in it.
Eliesanna shook her head. "I don't think that's going to work, Maer. The man who rescued us wants us out of Tanchico! I think if we violated our oath and stayed, he wouldn't be happy. Not at all. You heard what he said, if we're not on this boat when it sails, he's going to kill the captain. And, I don't think we'd be far after."
Maeslyn, overhearing, nodded, broke away from Fiznak, and then spoke in a low voice. "Eliesanna is right, Maer. We must leave Tanchico now."
A sailor walked by carrying coils of rope and she lowered her voice. "Come, let us go below deck to our quarters and confer in private."
She led the way past a door or hatchway and down some narrow stairs to their below-decks quarters which consisted of two narrow rooms with doorways facing each other. There was enough light coming from the open hatchway that they could make out their rooms. Each consisted of two bunk-beds apiece capable of bedding four per room, one for the women, one for the men. The decor was plain, entirely functional, and virtually non-existent. Yet they were gladdened to see any belongings that had been taken or left at the palace had been returned.
They met in the dimness of Maeslyn's room and stood, leaning against walls or or sitting on beds. She sat on a barrel facing them. "I know what you're thinking Maer. And you too Fiznak. I can see it in your eyes. You want justice done." She seemed to struggle with herself. There was a twisted grimace for just an instant, but was covered over with typical White Tower coolness and practiced Aes Sedai composure. Yet her eyes belied her feelings. They flashed in anger, as she spoke. "Believe me, I would like nothing more than to mete out justice on Master Carridin for his--" she paused and took a deep breath "--his ill treatment of all of us. But right now our priorities must remain focused on what is most important."
"Remember what Belayne said before our masked rescuer led us to this relative freedom," she paused and the others knew that her leaving off the honorific 'Sedai' spoke volumes about what she now thought of the woman. "She said she and some sisters were going to Saldea to set loose a Dragon of their own making on the world," she paused and shook her head. "And to cast down the real Dragon!
"Letting lose a False Dragon is bad enough. But if the real Dragon is killed or deposed then the world is doomed! We must follow after her and, if possible, stop her. Well, I must at least. I cannot force you to go with me. But I fear that staying in Tanchico will likely be a death sentence either at the hands of the White Cloaks or at the hands of our masked friend, who it seems, is not above killing to see us gone from here.
"The Wheel Weaves as the Wheel Wills, or so the saying goes. And I think we are now part of the pattern of this age. Captain Feedrin and the White Swan here will take us to Bandar Eben, in Arad Doman north of Falme. It is en route to Saldea. Perhaps this is just coincidence. Perhaps it is something more. Regardless, I intend to stop Belayne and any Black Ajah helping her."
Silence fell and the party all looked at one another. Black Ajah. False Dragons.
A bell aboard the ship rang out loudly from the deck above, shattering the silence and signaling the ship would be sailing soon.
"I must make some arrangements with the Captain," Maeslyn stood, nodded to the others and left, leaving them with their thoughts.
---
GM Note: The ship will be sailing in about 15 minutes judging from the bell tolling. If there's anything you want from the inn (such as Vaid's dog, Virtue--I forgot about him--sorry! But he's probably still there whereever you would have left him--tied up or some such thing); or if there's any other pressing business in the city let me know. Captain Feedrin will send out runners if you need anything.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
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Fiznak follows Maeslyn to the top of the ship. Staying out of her way, but always watchful. His wrists are still bloodied and crusted, and it looks kind of frightening.
ReplyDeleteThe memories of their captivity and Maeslyn's screams were too raw to let her out of his sight. He longed to hold her in his arms as they did the first night when he gave his blood oath to her.
"Blight, nor the light, nor the dark one himself shall stop me again from protecting you," he said to himself as he watched her on the deck of the ship. Fiznak's knuckles whitened on the pommel of his sheathed sword...
Then he remembered something...she loved flowers and scented things--she had mentioned this once before. Quickly he spoke to one of the runners on the ship and gave him ample money for a basketful of fragrant and beautiful flowers and a rare Domani perfume which cost a great deal, but would assuredly please her. She need not wear it if she wish, just smell it.
OOC: Awesome Fizzy! Btw, what money did you want to use? Remember you lost everything when you were robbed by Bors. That said, looking in the pouch that the man who rescued you gave you, you see 5 precious pieces of jade. You think each one is worth about 20 silver marks (For reference, 1 silver mark is the equivalent of a gold piece in d&d games).
ReplyDeleteOOC: Ahhh...that's right. And here I was thinking I was a rich man. I didn't think that I would have taken all my money with me to get Keb, seeing as how I planned on returning rather quickly, but alas. I will use however much it takes. I think once or two should do?
ReplyDeleteThe runner Fiznak sent, a youth in his teens who hung around the docks and served the needs of the various merchant vessels, returned just as the vessel was about to push off. He was breathing hard and he fairly nearly stumbled beneath the weight of his burden--a large wicker basket with a rather amazing display of spring flowers--an incongruous site at this time of year so late in the fall.
ReplyDeleteThis was coupled with a heavy box wrapped in heavy brown paper and tied with a string.
"Here you are milord," the young boy said, handing them to Fiznak along with his meager change, a mere 10 silver marks.
He took the items along with the remaining coin and breathed in deeply. It combined a curious smell of spring-time, and cinnamon. That latter scent had to be the Domani perfume.
The season, he knew, was in the late fall and it was no wonder the price was so steep for these flowers. Someone must have tended them with great care in a protected environment or else had them imported from warmer climes rather recently.
They wouldn't last long, he knew. But that was a reminder that the soft and beautiful didn't last. And that knowledge made their beauty all the more poignant.
Fiznak nodded his thanks to the boy and then turned toward Maeslyn's quarters, bearing his gifts.
All along the ship, sailors stopped their tasks to gawk or catcall or merely to nudge each other and wink knowingly as Fiznak passed.
ooc: I'll be posting the next adv sometime tomorrow night if possible, so if anyone wants to say or do anything else in this thread, now is the time..