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Post by Myst on Jan 2, 2020 16:42:35 GMT -5
(shout out to my phone giving me no indications of a new post also its fine! i'm excited to see where this goes! and nah i was just curious lol)
The demon had essentially stopped listening to the prince, finding that his words weren't indicative of a question or better suggestion on what should be done. To him, this meant that he would be leaving soon, and he would be able to get some much-needed rest. His suspicions were confirmed when the other left moments later. Good - it wasn't as if there was much he could do in his current state anyway. Letting his eyes slip closed once more, it didn't take him long to fall asleep.
----
Kiran had made herself scarce after her brief meeting with the thief. She'd found a secluded area and finally read the letters, burning the ones that didn't pertain to the current matter with her dagger. In the end, she was only left with four, two of which were short and vague, generally asking if the job would be taken. One was detailed. It went through what needed to be done, how many people were to be sent, as how travel would be taken care of. She was meant to be killed alongside Oswald. While she couldn't speak for the other, her death would leave the kingdom in shambles. She was currently working to transition into the position of queen, and as it stood she handle a large portion of the land's affairs. Alongside this, she was an only child, and there was no chance of there being a new heir, not with her father gone and her mother's constant refusal to remarry.
The last letter was odd, though likely a response to some question. 'It seems the war is far from over. Should it continue like this, I'll be leaving. I suggest you do the same.' An odd statement, especially given the circumstances. Then again, she supposed she'd have to agree. After all, she was here for a reason, right? Securing the letters back in her pouch, and started off again. Sure, she knew a little bit more, but it wasn't enough. Not enough to get her to where she needed to be. There was still a lot missing in her mind, and the most important part was how this led back to the castle. While she had no proof, part of her knew it had to. There was no way that it didn't, especially since Ereva was absent at both the party and the negotiations.
The freckled woman took to wandering about the streets, noticing how crowds thinned out as people turned in for the night. Right, it was getting late. She had far surpassed the three-hour limit she and the other royal had set for each other, though at this point she was unsure that she cared. While she would have preferred to stay out for a few more hours, she needed to eat. If she didn't eat now, it was unlikely that she would eat later. No, she'd either pass out after pushing herself too hard or simply go to bed with an empty stomach and pass out the next day. In reality, neither option was viable, which meant that she needed to head back.
So, she finally found her way back to the tavern. It was a few hours after the others had gotten back, and she wasn't entirely sure what time it was. Though, she wasn't sure that she cared as it didn't matter. No, she would rise with the sun and get back to work. With this in mind, she made herself at home at a small table, waving over a barmaid and ordering food for herself.
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Post by Amber on Jan 2, 2020 18:35:32 GMT -5
(Ah no worries. It happens. And that's good! I was concerned it was too much.
Also should we go ahead and do a time skip here?)
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Post by Myst on Jan 3, 2020 12:47:30 GMT -5
(nah man it's all good! and sure, sounds good to me!)
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Post by Amber on Jan 3, 2020 13:00:38 GMT -5
(Okay, I'll get a reply up soon~)
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Post by Myst on Jan 3, 2020 14:36:24 GMT -5
(Sounds good!! c: )
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Post by Amber on Jan 3, 2020 16:26:06 GMT -5
The Zaestrin princess had returned safely the previous night. Oswald didn't have to wait long for her arrival and didn't approch until she had finished her meal. Once she had a chance to relax, the prince told her the events of the day. From the first meeting with the elf to Tempest gaining her panther-like companion he left no detail out. Of course it caused his recount to drag bit in some places, but he wanted to be sure she knew everything. As he spoke, the half-orc was worried with how Kiran would react to the news. By the time he finished she seemed to had taken it well, but he couldn't be sure. Kiran wanted revenge for what happened at the party, which he could hardly blame her for. But now that she knew of Ga-Julei, it was unlikely she was happy with the prospect of working with him to a degree. Even still there was really no outburst from the woman. Being tired likely helped with that. It had been a long day for all of them.
Oswald didn't speak with Kiran long. They had a meeting in the morning and he needed all the rest he could get. After parting from the Zaestrin royal, he was glad for the day to be over. All he wanted to do was rest. When the prince reached his room, something felt off. He couldn't explain it, but something was different about the room. Everything was still in place and well kept. It didn't appear anyone had entered while he was away, but he couldn't shake the feeling. He was tired. Yes, that's why things seemed to be off. Even when he found his bag with dull Indra's Blessings he simply assumed he had remembered wrong, nonethewiser to the thief's snooping earlier. Tired and needing a rest, he had gone to sleep for the night without incident.
When the prince got up that morning, he went down to the tavern almost immediately. He found the thief already awake. It seemed she was waiting for the party. It was an unusual find, especially because she preferred to be on her own. Of course she also seemed to be a woman of her word. She stayed when she could've fled. Why don't you run? He thought as he narrowed his eyes. He wouldn't have the resources to find her immediately and she had proven rather illusive in the past few years. Nobles wanted to see her jailed or even killed for her crimes, but she managed to evade capture. Did she even know that he wouldn't be able to find her if she left? If she did, that only made her reson for staying even more perplexing. Oswald sighed. That was something else he would have to be worried about when everything was done with. People would react negatively for allowing Tempest to go free. The prince sighed and cleared his head. The group currently had other worries to focus on. When everyone had joined together, they set out for the noon meeting, not wanting to be late.
As the party headed to their meeting with Ga-Julei, Oswald was both eager and worried with what it would bring them. He had done fairly well yesterday, but of course he had the help of Cruva. The feeling of unease was growing again. Would he have the same composure as the day before? Could he manage working well under such stressful circumstances? The half-orc didn't know. He took a deep breath. He could do it again. The others were there with him and he would be fine.
-0-
The previous day had been rather productive for Kell. She had found some messages she could use as a bargain if she needed and had gained an animal companion, which would be interesting to learn more about. Most important of all- in her mind at least -was the new discovery she had made about herself. Somehow she was able to capture the energy of the Mithran glowy stones by breathing it in. It lead to eight different sources of energy, though she didn't really know what they did. Some felt quite familiar. She had briefly tested those, though hadn't gotten far with it. Other reserves were completely new. She hadn't bothered to use those sources yet, concerned with the attention that could be drawn to her. Kellan forced herself to wait to really test her abilities, waiting until she was truly alone to do so. An inn room was no place for something like that. Until she could have that oppertunity, she would have to find ways to gain information. Somehow. Perhaps the half-orc princeling would know something from one of his stories. For now she would just have to figure it all out on her own. The thief didn't mind that, she had figured plenty of things out before.
As usual, the theif seemed to be the first one awake that morning. She was up before sunrise, which was typical for her as she was an early riser. Although the room was rather dark, she could make out a few details. The feline creature rested beside her bed, though began to stir as she got up. As she moved to change, Kell noticed that a small bit of her power reserves were gone. It was an odd find considering she hadn't use any of them, though figured there was some kind of explanation for it. When she finished getting ready, she planned to leave her room for the day. Only something held her back. Although she planned on waiting to tap into any of her reserves, the pull of curiosity was too strong. So, she decided to try out some of her abilities. Taking a spot on the floor, she began to really feel her sources. The first thing she noticed was that some of them were similar. She couldn't quite understand why, so she began to burn one of the reserves. Four white, translucent lines sprang from her chest and stretched all around her. She froze for a moment and glanced towards the feline. He didn't react. Maybe he doesn't see them. Most of the lines were thin, about the size of a strand of yarn, and glowed only slightly. A few were a little thicker and brighter. Careful not to mess with any of them, Kell slowly got up and headed to the lines closest to her. The others seemed to follow, a few fizzling out as she approched a drawer. She opened it and revealed the glowy stones she kept tucked away. Kell pulled the gems out and curiously gazed at them.
The thief forcefully pulled on one of the lines and a stone shot upwards. She quietly yelped in surprise and stepped back, the gem barely missing her. The panther-like cat stared at her, tilting his head slightly. Was he judging her or just curious? Kell shook her head and turned towards the blue gem, which was now still on the floor. The young woman narrowed her eyes before moving to the opposite side of the room. She drew in a deep breath and pulled on the stone again. The gem came flying towards her at an unexpected speed. She immediately stopped pulling, though it still streaked towards her. Kell didn't have time to react as the small object hit her chest. She stepped back slightly, surprised at how fast it was. If I'm not careful, I could kill myself, she thought, grimacing. She leaned down and picked up the gem once more, twisting it between her fingers for a moment. Narrowing her eyes, Kell reached for another source. It felt similar to the one she currently burned. Like it was linked. Focusing on the gem again, she flared whatever power lied within her. The gem almost jumped from her hands and was being pushed towards the other side of the room. It hit the wall with a soft crack and she was being shoved backwards. She immediately stopped burning the source and managed to regain her balance. "Interesting," she mumbled. Kell pulled the stone on the opposite side of the room towards her, this time with less force. It came at her, though not as fast as before. She grabbed it from midair and stopped pulling on the line. That's enough for now, I think. Kell placed the gems in her pocket and began to start her day.
That was hours ago. Now she was traveling through the small town between the Mithran and Ereva borders, heading to some meeting. The thief kept her hood up and the lower part of her face covered. Kell kept an eye on her surroundings, though she wasn't worried about much as she had brought her feline along. The theif didn't think it was a good idea to keep him cooped up in the room, risking whoknowswhat kind of trouble. You'll need a name, she thought absent-mindledly as she glanced at the beast. He stayed beside her as they headed to the meeting place where Ga-Julei would be waiting for them. For one reason or another he had wanted to meet with everyone in the party. Although she wasn't excited with the prospect, she was quite interested. According to Oswald he was an informant of some kind. Those types could be rather useful, beyond the potential of a contact if she began thieving in Ervea.
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Post by Myst on Jan 8, 2020 1:39:55 GMT -5
(Hi! I took a surprise trip to Maryland and forgot my laptop! I’ll be home on Friday and able Respond then c: )
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Post by Amber on Jan 8, 2020 2:18:50 GMT -5
(No worries. I hope you're enjoying Maryland!)
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Post by Myst on Jan 11, 2020 12:58:51 GMT -5
The princess had returned to the tavern with irritation bubbling just under the skin. She felt as though she had made no progress and the shortest letter bothered her the most. Still, it didn't keep her from eating or speaking with Oswald when he approached her. Or listening, that is. She had quickly opted to stay silent while he recounted his and the demon's events of the day. An interesting set of events, really. Admittedly, she was a tad surprised that he had willingly entered such a place, much less stayed for as long as he had considering what Cruva had done with his vessel. That, and he knew who Ga-Julei was, even set up some meeting with him.
If she were being honest, she wasn't happy. She didn't want to work with him, nor speak with him. No, quite frankly she wanted him dead. Nothing more, nothing less. After the prince had left, Kiran left the tavern once more. There was no reason for her to stay as she had no plans of sleeping. For the night she wandered, eventually landing herself at the shop Oswald had spoken of. Interesting, it seemed one of the glass walls had been repaired already. Well, that was something. Nothing came of it of course, as the shop was closed, but it was nice to see.
By the time she had returned, the sun had come up and the thief was in the tavern's main area. She posted herself against the wall next to the door, arms crossed over her chest. In reality, she didn't want to see the elf. Well, no that wasn't true. She just didn't want to see him alive. She wanted to be the one to drive a blade through his heart. Bleed him like a stuck pig, make sure he knew the pain he caused by giving it back ten fold. To eliminate the risk of him working for against her kingdom ever again would honestly be one of her greatest pleasure right now. Unfortunately, she already knew it wouldn't be the best course of action.
So for now, she traveled in silence, hood pulled over her head and casting a shadow over her eyes.
----
Cruva had reclaimed his human visage sometime in the night. While it wasn't as comfortable, it was better this way. He'd slept rather well given the circumstances, though rose with the sun. Rather than leave his room, though, he gazed out of the window, watching at the town seemed to wake up as well. People getting ready to open shops and what not... It was interesting. Zaestro was a generally nocturnal land, so this was new for him in a way. Still, he didn't leave the room until he saw Kiran re-enter the tavern. Well, what had she been up to?
Coming downstairs, it wasn't long before they left. By the time they did it was nearly noon, meaning they needed to be there soon. Like his summoner, he was quiet, though did spare a glance at the feline. It was an interesting creature he'd made - maybe he'd make more anyways. Although, he supposed he would have to name them if he did... Still, it would be worth it. After all, they'd be prime hunters in the mountainous region aside from the dragon species.
As for the thief he'd granted the animal to, it seemed she'd done something. Whatever energy that had been unnamed when they met was certainly more distinguishable now. It was more easily pinned as the energy of a deity, Indra to be more exact. It was interesting, but not enough for him to speak on it. No, it seemed she was doing just fine without his input, and he wasn't the type to give out information unless it was asked for. Besides, he knew she wanted no part of this group, so there was even less reason for him to speak up on the matter.
It wasn't long before they were approaching the building, meaning it was nearly time to get this meeting underway. He personally didn't see why they needed a meeting - written communications would be just as well. Though, it wasn't had to intercept them, he supposed. Glancing at Kiran, part of him wondered exactly how well this would go.
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Post by Amber on Jan 11, 2020 16:45:49 GMT -5
The princeling walked towards the head of the group while the princess and guard took to the middle. Everyone was quiet. As they walked through town, the damage from yesterday was still apparent around them. People were still cleaning up debris and shops were starting repairs. I should've been more careful, the thief thought as she passed by shattered pieces of glass. As they walked, the wells of power almosted seemed to be pulling on Kell. Urging her to use them. She wanted to tap into them and continue to test out all she could do.
Kell reached out into her reserves and picked one from earlier. It allowed her to pull on the very things that gave her power it seemed. Beyond that, it would lead her straight to the gems, which was rather useful for the thief. There was something wanted to try out with the power. The cat didn't react when the white lines appeared. It didn't mean much, but if the lines were invisible to everyone but her, she had to know. Kell started to burn the source, then immediately stopped. Am I really about to do this based off some little hunch from this morning? Yes, she was. So she burned away. Like before, thin, partically teansluscent lines sprang from her chest leading to more of the glowy stones than before. The thickest line was only about a quarter of an inch. None of them bended and were all impossible to miss. People passed through them, causing the lines to dim slightly. But no one stopped her. No one freaked out about sudden white cords that stretched outwards. They were only visible to her. She shifted her attention away as the others continued on. It seemed they were almost there.
Oswald walked at the front of the small group. As they passed through the streets, the prince had to stop himself from gwaking at the various stands and shops. The Gumiho's words almost echoed back to him for a moment. They did stand out within the town unfortunately. However they didn't have time to browse and change their clothing, they had a meeting to attend to. They quickly reached the alley from the previous day. Oswald smiled slightly as he made his approch to the door. It was a repeat of yesterday. He knocked and a woman answered. She let them in and they headed into the tavern area. Shady-looking people filled the room and chatted amongst themselves. Oswald looked around for Ga-Julei. They were a bit early, but it wouldn't be a problem. Probably. The prince glanced towards his companions who all seemed to be studying the tavern, which wasn't surprising. They gained a few looks from the various patrons, but no one approched them. Where is he? He wondered as he searched for the informant.
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Post by Myst on Jan 12, 2020 7:47:13 GMT -5
The curly haired woman didn't speak a word to anybody, keeping her overall thoughts to herself. They weren't ideal for the situation, and as it stood she had nothing good to say. She wanted the man dead, and she found no exceptions to this idea. Maybe not even immediately - the thing was, she just wanted him to suffer. The stab wound on her arm was finally beginning to give way to a scar, one that she'd purpose left. Had the medics back at the palace taken care of it, nothing would have been left of it. No grim reminder of what this man had brought upon her kingdom. So, she kept her mouth shut and eyes forward.
The demon, on the other hand, was taking in all the wreckage left over from yesterday. Broken glass, shattered wood from beams once supporting the surrounding structures. It was almost a little disappointing to him that he wasn't the cause of it. Still, the amount of damage that had been done was rather impressive. The only thing that truly distracted him from it was the shift in energies behind him. A spike, if you would. He could feel it, though he couldn't see it, and it's intensity was enough to bother him. Just not enough to turn around and face the assumed source of it.
Rather, he focused on the change in settings as they were let into the building he'd spent a large portion of his night in. It seemed as though most of the people he'd seen the previous night, though there were some new energies here. Glancing at Kiran, he noted she already seemed to be scanning the room in search of the man described to her last night. He would have done the same, though Cruva's attention quickly went to a human that was quickly approaching.
As soon as he was close enough, he addressed Oswald. "You're here for Ga-Julei, yes? Please, follow me." Without another word, he turned weaving his way back through the crowd towards the office two of the four had already visited the previous day.
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Post by Amber on Jan 12, 2020 13:39:20 GMT -5
As they waited for someone to get them, Oswald took a quick glance around. Some people stared while others made their watching less obvious. Of course a group like theirs would draw attention. It wasn't exactly normal for three humans, a half-orc, and some strange cat creature to be standing around a tavern. As a bit of nervousness began to rise in his chest, a man approched. He asked about Ga-Julei before asking them to follow. The prince trailed behind the human as they were lead to the elf's office. Just as before there was a guard out front standing watch who barely acknowledged their arrival as they were led in. The room was the same as before. Books lined their cases, weapons decorated the wall, and it was full of furniture. Oswald took a seat on the couch from yesterday. He quietly watched as the others took their seats, wondering what the meeting would hold for them.
The thief had noticed a few things when the group entered the building. One, it was a clear hangout for criminals. Anyone with even half a brain could see that. Two, there were less sources of the gems inside. That also didn't really surprise the woman. Many of the lines lead to walls, doors, and windows. How thick does a wall or door have to be for this not to work? Lastly, as they entered the room it was clear this Ga-Julei liked the finer things. The weapons on his wall seemed to be very well made as was the furniture around the room. As everyone took their places, Kell chose one of the chairs and spun it around before sitting in it the wrong way. This earned a disapproving glare from Oswald, but she didn't care. Her feline sat nearby, eyes and ears alert.
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Post by Myst on Jan 13, 2020 12:59:25 GMT -5
The elf didn't bother looking up from the letter he was writing as the group entered. His currently reality was that he was addressing a matter that required attention at least a week ago, but it just hadn't been at the top of his list. Now his contact had gone and made a mess of things rather than following the backup protocol they had been given and he had to fix it. Fixing a broken gryphon egg meant to be given to be transported to Zaestro was not an easy fix. Fortunately, he did have a few up plans up his sleeve, but it was just a matter of getting them into action.
When the door closed once more, however, amber eyes glanced up briefly as the four sat down. The freckled woman had herself more or less leaning on the arm of the couch beside where the person he could only assume was a guard sat, the half-orc from last night resumed his previous place, and the masked woman claimed a chair. And of course... "I see you've brought the creature with you," he murmured, looking back down at the paper as he continued to write. He didn't have much more to include, it was just something he wanted done sooner rather than later. After all, this was becoming a time sensitive matter for him as breeding season was nearly over for the species. After this, it'd been a little more than a year before they began to brood again.
"You called this meeting, mind giving us a bit of attention?" Kiran was already annoyed. She didn't want to be in the same room as him, but here she was. Yet, it seemed he paid them no mind. In fact, he didn't even give indication that he heard her. It only irritated her further, but she didn't move yet.
Ga-Julei didn't look up this time, finishing up his letter and folding it. "It's not my fault you got here early. You aren't my only obligation, you know." This earned a glare from the woman, one he took note of. Sealing the letter, he set it back down on the desk in front of him as he finally sat up straight in his chair. Amber eyes looked over each person with careful consideration, though his gaze never lingered long. "Right. So, as part of my best interests I did my research on you lot. It's interesting having two royals in here, though I suppose considering the circumstances I shouldn't be surprised. I will say, I didn't find much of anything on the guard... As for you," he paused, looking at Tempest. "I've heard you're a very wanted woman of many names. You've a wonderful reputation in my line of work, you know.
"Now, as for what you're all here for, I like to get everything done at once. Granting immunity, a plan, things like that. You want answers, and I'm quite short in terms of past payments. The noble who hired me is part of the royal court based on the parchment used, and it seems they think they can short me. I don't quite care if they live, I just want the rest of my payment. In return, I'm able to provide any needed resources an accommodations to help you achieve your own goals. Before I continue, are we in agreement?"
Cruva, who had heard the deal before, didn't bother to listen much. What he liked was that there wasn't much to be found on him. Good, it needed to stay that way. What had the potential to be a problem was what he'd found on everyone else. Though, he supposed that depended on their reactions. Still, it was bothersome that he was able to find so much so fast - it had only been little more than twelve hours.
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Post by Amber on Jan 13, 2020 15:27:52 GMT -5
Ga-Julei studied them for a moment, which made sense. It's what she would've done. What she already did to a degree. He didn't make any comment until his eyes fell on the cat. So he was uncomfortable by the feline. Her blue gaze drifted towards Oswald and Cruva for a moment. What exactly did you do to this guy? She was pulled away from her thoughts as Kiran spoke. She was growing impatient, or perhaps she already was that way. It didn't matter, the elf paid no mind to her words. Kell stayed quiet and continued to study the room. She knew how to be patient. She had met plenty of people like Ga-Julei before and had often even worked with those types. It was best not to rush them. He responded to Kiran before falling quiet again and finishing his writing.
After a few more minutes of going over his papers, he finally looked up again. He was quiet for a moment before revealing what he knew. He knew Kiran and Oswald were royals. Unsurprisingly, he didn't know much about Cruva and as for her, he knew of her work. So she hadn't been as careful as she thought if he were able to find out where she was. Then again with an information collector like the elf, it would've been diffcult to cover up her tracks completely. Instead on focusing on the fact he knew she was more or less working with the royals, his other words rose a interest. Unlike Ga-Julei who sticked to the shadows and was careful that no one knew who he was, Kell was not that. She liked people to know her name, for targets to be wary of her. She smiled lightly at the elf's words, a bit of pride rising in her chest. The thief went ahead and pulled down her hood and scarf. There was no point in hiding her face now.
Oswald glared at Tempest. How could she be so relaxed and comfortable right now? How could she be smiling? He was able to find out information about them within hours of their first meeting. He knew who he and Kiran were. The nervousness was setting in and soon there was a bit of panic flooding his mind. Oswald breathed and tried to push the negative emotions from his mind. He wasn't sure how long it would last, but didn't dwell on it. He focused on the informant instead, which was just as important. Ga-Julei wanted to get everything done now. Plans, payments, safety for the group, and other things to help them along their journey. It would all be discussed today. Drawing in a deep breath, Oswald nodded. He wasn't entierly sure if they had a choice now that the informant knew who they were. If he wanted too, he could easily make their mission more dangerous than it already was.
"I believe we're all in agreement." He glanced at the others. Tempest gave a slight nod and he knew Cruva would be okay with it. That was all good, but then what about Kiran? His eyes shifted towards the woman. He could only hope she would be fine with it, but judging by her glares aganist the elf, he couldn't be sure. Well, he knows who we are. Maybe that will count for something for her. Although he didn't exactly trust the elf, he also knew he likely wouldn't reveal any information about them if they were working together.
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Post by Myst on Jan 16, 2020 17:02:33 GMT -5
Sure, the other three were in agreement, but the princess was not. She had no reason to be. With the information he'd already let go about the noble, she could just as easily leave and take care of this herself. She wanted to do with the elf who now seemed to be staring her down, waiting for an answer. It was clear that the other three didn't have a problem with his proposal, but it was also very clear that she had no desire to be here at all. Despite this, she supposed having an insiders help with expedite the process. Then everyone would get to go their separate ways in a more timely fashion. Not that they had to be here with her anyway, but they were. Still, she had to consider their feelings, and she assumed they all wanted to go back to their lives just as badly as she did. This meant agreeing would be the best option.
"Fine." Her tone was flat as the word left her lips, but it seemed the answer was satisfactory for the other.
The elf nodded, rolling his shoulders once. "Good. Now, I need to know the exact goal, otherwise there's only so much I can provide. If you want a dead man, fine, that's an easy fix. If there's more, then now is the time to speak up."
"I need to find the core source of attack on the party and why it was ordered." Kiran's answer was simple, and it was true. Would like she like somebody to die for it? Maybe, however that wouldn't truly solve the problem. The real problem was that negotiations for peace for conducted and immediately violated, which meant somebody wanted the war to continue. This was something she wouldn't stand for, especially considering what had happened.
Ga-Julei nodded slightly. "Right, likely some extended time in the castle, then. I'll be moving the four of you from the tavern to my estate, as its better guarded, and quite frankly, royals become more easily recognized the closer you get to the castle. They aren't happy about the bloody accessories you sent back, by the way." This earned a low chuckle from the guard, which he made a mental note of. Yet, this wasn't his main concern. "The court tends to hold weekly meetings, and I personally hold bi-weekly meetings with those I own. The current man in question has stopped attending since the incident, however, I believe he's only a stepping stone. I'll be honest, he isn't a smart man, just skilled enough to have value to the king. With this in mind, he should be hypothetically easy to get to. Luckily for you lot, my next meeting with them is in two days, so I figure at least one of you should be in attendance and we can start there.
"As for immunity, there are rings waiting for you all at the estate. The guards are familiar with them and will let you be. Should you be detained, it will be for show and you'll be taken to a separate area, I will be notified, and I'll take care of the rest. From there you'll be immediately released and should keep a low profile. The rings are to be returned no later than your departure." Pausing, he glanced at the four of them. "As for accommodations and resources, I'd like to be informed as soon as possible, so I suggest telling me in person rather than in writing. With that being said, does anybody have anything in mind at the current moment?"
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Post by Amber on Jan 16, 2020 20:03:34 GMT -5
Oswald glanced at Kiran for a moment. She was silent as she and the elf eyed each other, as if posing some unspoken challenge. The half-orc furrowed his brows, unease growing in his chest. Had he made a mistake by agreeing to see Ga-Julei? Perhaps he should've given time for the princess to think over it, to come to some sort of decision herself. Too late now, he thought as he watched the woman. After a tense few moments, Kiran finally spoke up. A simple "fine" was all she gave, which seemed to be good enough for the informant. Ga-Julei asked if they had anything else in mind. Oswald thought about the elf's words for a moment, but didn't know what to add. He had no real plan and had really been following Kiran's ideas since the party. He glanced towards the Zaestrin royal who was already answering the man. The prince nodded along as she spoke. He was trying to support her, though didn't know how good of a job he was doing.
The prince shifted his attention back towards the informant as he answered. Moving from the tavern didn't sound like a bad thing and from the way the man described it, the estate sounded safer. Also more comfortable. The half-orc briefly glanced at the demon as he laughed. Kiran had mentioned the Erevans knew about their coming arrival. That was probably how. He turned his attention back towards Ga-Julei. There was a meeting set in two days and he wanted one of them to attend. That would make sense. As he mentioned, it would be a good starting point. The elf finished going over the other important things like the rings before asking if they needed anything else. Oswald opened his mouth to reply, then imeaditly closed it. He would have to think over for a moment.
The offer was good. Almost too good in the thief's opinion. Perhaps it was her years of building up a paranoid view of such an offer, but it sounded like Ga-Julei wanted them where he could keep an eye on them. There had to be something more he wanted. Something more than money that they could give him. The power of royalty behind him? A safety net of some kind? Blackmail? Perhaps something else entierly different that the thief couldn't see yet. Kellan couldn't know for sure. For now she would play the game and see where it would lead. It would certainly make it harder for her to try out her newfound abilities, but she would get by. Besides, there were other things she needed to know.
"If you can manage, I would like a map of the building we'll be staying at. A map and description of the area around it would also be helpful," the theif stated. She hated to go into somewhere new blind. By studying a map, she would get an idea of what to expcet.
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Post by Myst on Jan 18, 2020 11:41:41 GMT -5
When nobody protested the move to the estate, the raven haired man gave a slight nod to himself. Good, it wasn't as if they had a choice in the matter. Their belongings were being moved as they sat in his office, and surely by the time they got there everything would being in their respective rooms. As for the meeting with those select few members of the court, he supposed they would have to sort that out themselves as he didn't particularly care which one of them was in attendance. So long as somebody was able to relay the information back to the rest of the group, he didn't really care which one of them showed up.
As for the accommodations, it seemed only one of them wanted something. Ah, he should have expected as much. It was a simple request, one that was quickly taken care of and quickly forgotten. He didn't keep anything of true worth at this particular estate, and he mainly kept it for housing contacts when it was required. Opening the bottom draw of his desk, he shuffled through his papers before coming out with three separate sheets. Rolling them up together, he stood from the desk before walking over to her and holding them out for her to take. "There's a map of the first and second floors, as well as everything within a half-mile radius of the estate." The two maps of the building itself was noted with escape routes should something go wrong. The maps were detailed, color coded, and drawn out neatly, something he valued about this. Valued enough to have copies made for him.
When she took them, Ga-Julei turned away to look at the others. Nobody else had spoken yet, though it wasn't enough for him to assume they didn't want anything. No, he never made such an assumption. Though, he had a request of his own. "You, guard - why is it that there was nothing on you? I found nothing beyond your record's as Kiran's personal guard."
"Because that's all there is," Cruva answered simply, not intrigued enough to look up. He already knew that. His only concern was the informant finding true texts on him and attempting a summons. Not that it was likely, but it was always a possibility. Speaking of which... "I want all copies the texts the wizard you hired to summon a demon burned."
"So Priscilla was telling the truth then... Hm. Useless court wizard he would've been," the elf mused. "Fine, I'll take care of the copies I have, but I don't speak on behalf of Ereva. If you don't mind my asking, though, how do you know there was a summons?" It had been an isolated event, one that he thought he'd cleaned up rather nicely. The bodies had been disposed of, the building cleaned out, and news of it had been minimal.
"I'm the demon."
Kiran watched the exchange, slightly amused at the disbelieving look that overcame the elf's face at the simple answer. He was probably wandering how such a man could be a demon, how somebody who served a personal guard would fit into such a category. Furthermore, he was probably wandering how somebody with Cruva's current appearance would do such a large amount of damage. The lack of understanding was almost enough for her to move past how much she wanted to stab him in the shoulder. Almost. Instead, she turned to Oswald. "Any resources or accomodations you'd like to ask for?"
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Post by Amber on Jan 18, 2020 14:38:32 GMT -5
Kell grabbed the maps with a nod. She would look at them later, though they seemed to be well-made. They would be rather useful during their stay, however long it would be. Although she wasn't excited about sticking around for long, she also knew there would be less trouble going forward. Meaning she would get to leave sooner. She wasn't particularly worried about the job. With the help of the informant- who she didn't find herself trusting -things would hopefully go smoother.
There was something else she wanted to ask about, but the thief knew better than to say anything about them. The glowy stones. That was another thing she would have to find accommodations for somehow. Her reserves wouldn't last forever as she used them. And she didn't even need to do that. Some of each reserve had disappeared while she slept. She would need to track down sources of the stones and collect them. Kellan dared not say anything about the gems. The demon probably already suspected something was up with her. She didn't want the others to know what she could do, especially the informat. Sure he appeared to be their ally for now, but what about later if he needed something? Blackmail was a possiblity she had to be wary of.
The prince watched the thief for a moment. A set of maps was a good idea. His gaze shifted towards the elf as he asked about the guard. Oswald barely listened to the conversation until Cruva revealed he was a demon. The half-orc straightened, eyes slightly wide as as he glanced between the guard and the princess. They were obviously okay with it, otherwise they would've kept quiet of the fact. Despite that, the prince couldn't help but be a little uneasy. Kiran speaking up took him from his thoughts. He looked at her for a moment and quietly sighed.
"I don't know," he answered. The half-orc paused for a moment and scratched his chin. What is something that I can do? That I can help with? The question lingered in his mind for a moment before it hit him. Research. "Actually it might be useful to know the history of the area. Maybe some information on the noble houses and of course getting to know the Erevan royals better. So I suppose books, letters, ledgers if there are any, and rumors about the royals and prominate noble houses would be useful." If they were supposed to interact with nobles, they would have to know just who they were dealing with. He glanced back at the woman.
"What do you think?"
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Post by Myst on Jan 19, 2020 11:41:47 GMT -5
The demon knew a lot of things as it stood. He knew that Kiran was itching to drive a blade into the elf's shoulder (very unlike her, honestly), Oswald was nervous as ever (not a new revelation), and Ga-Juulei didn't believe him when he said he was the demon. He also knew that the thief had been dipping into her godly energies, testing them out. He knew it to the point of almost being annoyed, however his annoyance stemmed from the random changes in energies around him. It disturbed his focus, and quite frankly was just a nuisance in his eyes. While he didn't care for what she did, he preferred she didn't do it while he was around.
While knowing less than her guard, Kiran knew all she needed to know for the moment. The elf didn't believe him, and he was a large informant. She wasn't a stranger to informants of his type, and did well with those who had hidden intentions. That is to say, she didn't give into things that weren't discussed prior - she was raised better than that. Unlike Tempest, she wasn't worried about the possibility of blackmail or things of the sort because she'd be able to handle it. It was something to could take care of when the time came. For now, she focused on the prince's words, nodding slowly as he spoke. Having history on the noble families as well as the kingdom itself would make sense given the current task, though he was better with that than she. She had no interest in looking into the logistics of each family.
"I think it's a good idea," She responded smoothly, giving a slight nod. He would surely know what to do with the information he requested, so she'd leave it to him. The freckled woman's gaze turned to the elf, who seemed to be considering the request. He'd done the same with the maps for a brief moment, so she wasn't surprised.
In reality, the elf was thinking of the best way to provide this. It was a lot of information to compile, it wasn't something that he'd be able to walk away with today, it just wasn't possible. The book he had on the families alone were sorted by last name, although he supposed he only needed the current families in the court. The ledgers were hefty as they each spanned a few years for the sake of keeping things compact, and there were a multitude of letters. When it came to the letters, he couldn't be the one to decide which ones were and weren't important, so he'd have to give all of them. "I'll have any relevant literature sent to the estate by the days end. As for rumors, I'll send word of them sometime tomorrow."
Turning, Ga-Julei made his way back to the desk, though didn't sit down. Rather, he turned to one of the book cases, pulling out a large, leather bound book. Opening it, he flipped through some of the pages before closing it again. Coming around to the front of the desk, he held it out to the half-orc. "Take this for now - it's a basic history of how the current families came to be part of the court, their positions, and who they replaced if applicable." Once the book was removed from his hands, he turned, walking to the back of the desk as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Should anything else be needed, feel free to seek me out on your own time. It's not uncommon for at least two people from a group to ask for things separately. If there's nothing else any of you would like to discuss, then I'll be arranging your travel to the estate."
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Post by Amber on Jan 19, 2020 15:35:45 GMT -5
The half-orc nodded. He was glad he and Kiran were in agreement, though it wasn't like she would've shot him down. That was something he appreciated about the woman. Beyond the agreement, a bit of excitment tugged at Oswald. It had been too long since he spent time in a study going over various texts for his research. He was eager to go back to the familiar scribbling of notes and hours spent in near-silence among books. The unease almost melted away and he found himself smiling at the idea. The elf speaking up pulled Oswald back to the current matter. Right, he asked for a lot. Hopefully I can get all that I need, he thought ad his gaze flickered towards the other man.
The prince nodded as Ga-Julei answered. Of course it would take time to collect everything he wanted. That didn't surprise him. It was a lot to collect, assuming he even had everything Oswald wanted. "Right. If it gets here by the end of the day, that'll work for me." He paused as the black-haired elf made his way back towards his desk. Turning to one of the bookcases, he pulled a leather-bound book. It was rather large, but seemed to be something for the prince's request. The half-orc took it as Ga-Julei began to explain what it held. Oswald nodded, another smile creeping on his face.
"This is great. Thanks." The prince began to flip through the pages, skimming through some of the writing. He saw noble house names, terms that fit within the court, and some house emblems. He closed the large tome and glanced at the others. No one said anything else. His turned towards the elf as he gave a final few words. "I believe that will be it," Oswald responded. He glanced at the other to see if they agreed. Tempest gave another simple nod, though seemed disinterested in what conversation remained. He slowly began to sit up, ready to head whever they were needed next. He glanced back towards the informat once more.
"Is there anything else we need to discuss? Also where do we bring our things?"
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Post by Myst on Jan 19, 2020 16:19:11 GMT -5
Ga-Julei only nodded when he was thanked, turning to look at the large map on the wall behind him. It consisted of the three kingdoms and the land between them. Since it seemed they were done here, he needed to figure out what he was doing about the gryphon egg. A faster path needed to be planned, which then required a safer yet faster mode of travel. What was more of a hassle was that the latest they could leave was midnight, otherwise the deal would fall apart. It wasn't until Oswald spoke up that he glanced back over his shoulder. "You don't. Your belongings are being moved presently."
"Why are you moving our things already?" the freckled woman asked. It wasn't an idea that sat well with her, especially since she didn't know who was touching and moving her things. Something could be broken or missing by the time they get there, and she wouldn't stand for that.
Turning around fully, the elf eyed her. "I didn't give you the option of moving. Since you'll likely be staying for more than three days, it's easier to move you now than after something goes wrong. The sooner the better." Before she could open her mouth to protest, he looked at the door. "Auri! Alert their escort, they'll be leaving." There was a knock on the door, a signal of acknowledgement, and nothing more. Turning back to the map, he didn't really acknowledge them again. "The horses you rode in on as well as your escort to the estate will be here shortly. If you need me, send the demon. I hear they can teleport." The way he said it was almost sarcastic, indicative of the fact that he didn't believe the guard was a demon.
Cruva didn't respond. Instead, he stood as he found they were done for the day. There was no reason to stay any longer. While his summoner stood with him, her eyes didn't leave the informant. She held not even a shred of trust for the man, and she had decided early on that she had no reason to.
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Post by Amber on Jan 19, 2020 19:18:26 GMT -5
Oswald blinked in surprise. He didn't like the sound of that. Fortunately, Kiran was the one to voice his concerns and speak for the group. Unfortunately, it seemed the elf didn't care. A spike of worry shot through the prince. Did the informant expect for something to go wrong? He didn't have a chance to ask as the man was already calling for their escourt. A knock at the door was followed by information about their horses and a sarcastic-sounding remark about the demon. So he didn't believe them? Oswald took a quick look towards the informant for a moment. It didn't really matter he supposed and it made sense. Perhaps Ga-Julei simply though they were making things up to seem more threatening. The prince didn't dwell on it and instead got up to follow the guard and princess out.
Kellan passively listened to the rest of the conversation. She nodded at Oswald's suggestion and smirked when their belongings were mentioned. Sure, they probably moved some of what she owned, but she knew better than to leave valuables just lying around. She would go back and collect the things she hid later. It didn't sound like the estate would be too far and she could manage it in secret. Probably. Assuming that she had ways to leave desecretly. The thief got up, placed the chair back, and began to go. For now she followed the party away, her feline trailing just behind her. The white lines contiuned to point to various sources of the gems as the reserve burned away. Once they were out of earshot of the elf and his door guard, Oswald looked towards the theif. She cocked a brow, wondering what he wanted.
"Hey, Tempest, did you pick up anything weird from him?" He asked in a low whisper. He seemed worried. Of course, he always seemed worried. He was probably concerned someone would overhear him. It was no surprise he would try and be quiet about asking such a thing.
"What do you mean by 'pick up anything weird'? Like if he was lying or if he was hinting at something or another thing entierly different? If you want to know a truth, I'm not the best person to ask, but I know he is." She paused for a moment and gestered to Cruva. "But if you're wondering about anything else, the answer would be no. I didn't really pick up anything weird from him." It was a partical lie. She didn't trust him and believed he had ulterior motives in mind. However she also didn't want the prince to worry about yet another thing. The half-orc frowned.
"Really? I'm mean you're a thief, and thieves are supposed to be good at reading targets I've heard. An informant would be no different, right?...Or maybe you're not as good as they say." There was a slight mischievous glint in the man's eyes. He was clearly baiting her into revealing something. Kell was smarter than that. It was also clear he knew nothing about criminals- especially thieves -but stereotypes and whatever odd information he heard about the more infamous ones.
"Look, just because I'm a thief doesn't mean I know everything that has to do with criminals. In fact, there are only a few things that overlap between the two jobs. Point is, I didn't really read anything from him. Also don't doubt my skills. Not only is it rather insulting, but I'm better than you know." She said her piece and had fallen into silence as they made their way out. Oswald didn't say anything more and took his place back ahead of her. She smirked slightly, fine with the outcome.
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Post by Myst on Jan 24, 2020 20:14:23 GMT -5
(Classes have been killer - once I finish putting together this closet I’m gonna get on my laptop to get something up tonight)
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Post by Amber on Jan 24, 2020 20:29:31 GMT -5
(Ah yeah the semester started up for me too. Don't worry about it and take your time~)
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Post by Myst on Jan 24, 2020 20:46:08 GMT -5
(Ahhh thanks hun ^^ this is just one of my few rod that I like responding from a computer better just cause I tend to flesh things out more and I hate doing that on my phone
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Post by Amber on Jan 24, 2020 22:04:00 GMT -5
(Of course! Yeah, writing on mobile is diffcult. It can be hard to knock out more than a paragraph or two.)
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Post by Myst on Jan 25, 2020 16:41:21 GMT -5
The demon didn't pay attention to the exchange going on behind him as they navigated back out the way they came. He didn't care for the subject, nor what it could mean for the group. As it stood, he had no reason to care for any possible hidden intentions the elf may have. They did not concern him until he was told to be concerned about them. The sheer nature of his existence deemed that he only cared for things that affected him directly. This would not, meaning he didn't have to care until Kiran deemed it so. "Leave me out of it," He muttered, easily recognizing that the thief was referring to him in terms of honesty. He wanted nothing to do with the conversation, and he would stay out of it.
Once out side of the building, it was quickly noted that all four horses had already been gathered and were currently being managed by a woman who was maybe five feet and six inches tall. Her own steed was standing by idly, clearly used to being around a larger group of animals waiting for escort. She didn't look up as the door opened or when the group exited the building. "Mount your horses, they're restless and I'm not here to babysit them."
"Valiri, why so rude?"
She looked up at the guard's voice, clearly unsettled by the fact that one of them already knew her name. Not that she'd played on telling them what it was, but it still bothered her. Her eyes landed on the tallest of the group, black eyes narrowed into a glare before she realized who was she looking at. "Cruva... It's been a few centuries."
Cruva raised an eyebrow, though gave a slight nod. It had been quite sometime since he'd seen the other woman - he'd dismissed many of the demons meant to serve him long before being summoned. He'd been enjoying doing his own thing and wreaking his own havoc on the world. She had been one. "I see you took your freedom well - I suppose you foresaw this?"
"I did," she answered, mounting her horse as she notice Kiran taking the reigns of her mare and doing the same. "C'mon, then. I'll be leading the four of you to the estate." It wasn't far, not by her standards. It was on the opposite side of town, further from the Mithran border and only ten miles out from the beginning of the valley. The ride itself was maybe two miles, though on horseback it would seem like much.
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Post by Amber on Jan 25, 2020 21:10:04 GMT -5
Oswald flushed slightly as Cruva grumbled at them. Tempest didn't seem to care. His attention pulled away from the conversation and towards the woman who stood with their horses. There wasn't anything noticable about her until Cruva said her name. So they knew each other. The prince didn't ask any questions, if it were important the demon would've said something. The half-orc tuned them out as he headed to his horse and mounted the beast. He had other things to worry about and look forward to for the time being. Oswald was excited to begin his research. It had been too long since he was surrounded by the scent of ink and paper and the sound of turning pages. The thought made him smile.
Unlike the prince who had other things to capture his attention, the thief watched their escourt fir a moment. Kell rolled her eyes at the woman's annoyed words, but didn't say anything as she headed towards her horse. The cat followed beside her as she mounted her steed. The stallion was uneasy by the presence of the feline, though he kept his place. The woman patted the horse's neck in an attempt to calm him down, though couldn't be sure if it was working. For the moment, something else captured her attention. The woman- Valiri was her name apparently -and the guard seemed to know each other. Besides that, it seemed she was a demon judging by her words. The information held no value for her at the moment, so the thief didn't dwell on it. Much to her relief, they were soon on their way to the estate. The group got a few looks. She assumed some of it had to do with the feline. I have to think of a name for him, don't I? She thought as she glanced at the beast. There was no time for that now, she had plenty of time to think of something later.
(How do you want to progress from here? Let then settle in and go from there?)
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Post by Myst on Jan 25, 2020 21:20:08 GMT -5
(Yeah I think so cause I’m not exactly sure of what the next actual progression should be yet)
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Post by Amber on Jan 25, 2020 21:28:28 GMT -5
(Alright, sounds good to me. So maybe we have them arrive, split off to do their own thing, and then maybe have a time skip to a few hours later or the next day or something? They also still need to decide who will be attending that meeting and I think that's it.)
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