The Exodus: Path of starlight

Here is a link to the OOC: for those interested.

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=632273

The port of Ebonreef, a bustling sea city that is currently filled past even holiday limits. The streets are lined with people every day, throngs of pedestrians litter the road, messengers travel on swift horses or on the few tamed gryphons. The upper echelons of society travel by golem drawn carriages, or with a small army of bodyguards since news of the latest defeat for the Imperial army within just a few days of the city. The latest military intelligence places the nearest force of the barbarian horde, or Ying'Tee as they call themselves, 35 miles away to the east, with only two forts between them and the civilian population.

Everyone is on edge, necessities like food, clothing, and medicine have sky rocketed in price, leading some of the populace to hoarding, and others to stealing or rioting. The police have stepped up their presence, not only on the street but also in terms of armaments. Nearly every one of them goes about in full armor, riot shields and electrified batons at the ready. However even in the midst of all this madness there are some shimmers of hope, relief societies have put together housing and soup kitchens for those displaced from their homes. While others have welcomed refugees into their homes, making them part of the family. The greatest hope though, lies under the canvas in the shipyards, a massive project which has provided jobs for hundreds, and left thousands guessing as to its purpose. The vessel is nearly complete, standing over 3/4th's of a mile long and easily half a mile across. However even experienced seamen have never seen a vessel quite like this, bits and pieces that they expect are either in the wrong place or missing all together. The mystery is furthered by the fact that there have been no public declarations as to the new vessel even though all that's left is the decorative trim on the sides of it.

Alex Brooks: Its been about three weeks since you've arrived at Ebonreef, and the sheer mass of people in so small a city still surprises you. Thanks to your medical training you managed to find work right away, as a nurse at the local hospital. In addition you've also been volunteering a few hours a week at the local community help program, seeing to those patients who either arrived wounded, or are unable to afford the services of the hospital. You've just finished healing a young lad with several scraped knees when you hear a hustle at the front of the building. Turning to investigate you spot several men slowly lowering down a woman onto a bed, one of her legs clearly encrusted with dried blood.

Orchid Olivia Owens (Or O*3 for short ;P): The first day after discovering the fate of your brothers was probably the worst of your life. The pain of the body mingled with the pain of the soul, eventually overwhelming you, then the sky itself shared your grief as it showered the land with a light rain for nearly an hour. Thankfully shortly before dusk a family traveling by wagon to Ebonreef discovered you wet and soaked by the road. They took you in, giving you food and warm blankets, bandages for the wound on your leg, and a place to rest and cry out the worst of what has happened to you. The father Ray, his two daughters Nancy and Elice, and his wife Mina care for you over the journey. However just as you come in sight of the walls of Ebonreef you become feverish, an infection having pierced you sometime after your wound. The last few hours into the city become a feverish blur as the wagon rolls relentlessly onward. Suddenly you feel the hands of men under you, lifting you into the air, and eventually loading you down onto a bed which doesn't shake and rattle every other moment.

Trevalyan Hotchkiss Bennett: Ebonreef has proved to be a mixed blessing. Since there are so many refugees here picking pockets and avoiding the press gangs for those who haven't served in the army has been so easy to border on childs play. However, with the excessive cost of food and rent, you are still barely ahead of when you first entered the city. The airship rumor that originally lead you to this port seems to actually have some truth behind it surprisingly, but you arrived too late to join any of the construction crews, and nothing has been mentioned anywhere about people being hired to pilot the vessel. Currently you are holed up in a modest inn/tavern, the Drunken Gryphon, and from the sounds of it downstairs either the Ying'tee have already invaded the city, or there is a barfight of epic proportions going on downstairs.

Orin Minea'r: Considering your next assignment, your arrival in Ebonreef has been an unparalleled experience of boredom. You've been unable to so much as see this new ship, being forced instead to deal with a mountain of paperwork, most of it dealing with not talking about your newest position. Shore leave has made life a little more interesting, but with so many people crowded into the city finding a room, or even a place to sit, is nearly an exercise in futility. To top it off the occasional riot and the insane prices for necessities has eaten a large chunk out of your pay already. As you approach the Drunken Gryphon you realize your hearing more than just the sounds of packed humanity all around you. This point is further emphasized when a large man is sent flying out the doors, collapsing in a heap before you and Davin.

Rosalyn Jacobs: While leaving home has left you bereft and feeling as though you should have done something more, either stayed or been more convincing to make your parents leave, Ebonreef has been good to you. The massive population has made the price of medicine sky rocket, and for you that means great business. While you aren't able to locate any of the rarer herbs so far on your explorations, many of the common herbs are providing you with plenty of funds. Or they would if housing costs weren't quite as excessive. Currently you are renting a loft from a family that lives on the outskirts of town, and while they haven't been welcoming you with open arms, they aren't unkind either. At the moment your in the market, haggling with a grim faced man over the price of your groceries when there is a flurry of activity in the booth next to you. A young child, is screaming and trying to break away from the grasp of a shopkeeper.

Marcus Trelawmane: The streets are jam packed again, and even with using his staff more for walking support than his arcane calling, its still difficult getting by. Wandering the market square he nibbles on a newly purchased sandwich, when he spots a gathering of people farther ahead. Its a small family of performers, doing their act in hopes of earning some money. Intrigued Marcus comes to a halt before them, watching their show with interest.

Orchid

The movement seems like rocking as the haze of blurs wander past her glazed eyes. Her words hardly sound above a squeaky whisper as the light seems different then the day before.

"Those .. things.. killed me Persus... them babies.... all gone.. blood and fire.... find.. safe.. is it ....safe..."

Still a small piece of the arrow lingered in her leg making it throb and ache, the infection building as puss hides just below the surface and makes her act strangely.

Rose looked around pissed off. Her entire week's salary for one loaf of damned bread? That was insanity! As she haggled with the shopkeeper, she couldn't help but hear a child screaming for someone to let them go. Rose couldn't help it. It sounded like her sister and her heart ached to find the voice and where it was coming from.

As she looked around she got her hopes up, praying her parents had decided to come and leave the home. Of course when she found the voice it wasn't her sister. Her shoulders slumped but she went to the girl anyways. Taking a small worry doll out of her bag she went to the girl.

"Hello there. What's your name?" she asked.
"Alice." the girl replied and Rose beamed at her.
"Well Alice, this used to belong to my sister, but I think it would be better if you kept a hold of it for me." she said, handing the girl the little doll.

Alice grinned and gingerly took the doll and her mother (assumed) told Alice to thank the nice lady. Alice thanked her then ran off into the shop. Rose turned back around,waved at Alice's mother then went back to argue for her week's food.

Marcus Trelawmane: Marcus wanders down the lanes, one hand on his staff, the other entwined securely around his sandwich, determined not to lose his prize to pick pockets again. I still can't believe the cost of food here, it used to be so easy to find a cheap tasty meal. Now even those with jobs have to haggle for day old bread and oversalted meat. Marcus takes another bite, grumbling mentally for a moment, when a sound catches his notice.

At first he can't quite make it out, the press of pedestrians making it feel more like walking through a never ending carnival rather than a small port city. Then he hears it again, the melodic sounds of a flute being played. Curiously he heads towards the sound, and soon finds an unmoving crowd blocking his path. He tries to push through, but can't make it past a pair of hugely muscled men. Sighing in annoyance he takes another bite of his sandwich, finishing it off and freeing his other hand. "Virialous e veste." He mumbles, as he uses his magic to call forth storm winds, and directs them to lift him up into the air, about 15 feet above the surprised faces of the locals. From his vantage point he spots a small family. An ancient woman, two young teenage sons, and a tiny child who couldn't possibly be more than 7.

The smallest one is playing the flute calmly, somehow blocking out the shocks of amazement coming from the crowd the flute plays on calmly, as though the noise was no more than a gust of wind. The boys are working up some sort of juggling routine, one working with a set of balls, the other with a set of cooking knives. Marcus watches in amazement as the two each juggle their own set of instruments, then on some cue from the music they switch mid air, tossing the balls and knives between them as though it were the easiest thing in the world. The old woman has a pair of cards, and appears to be doing tarot readings, and in these terrifying times she has a huge line waiting for their turn to find out what fate has in store.

Marcus watches in delight, as all of the players are using their natural skills to preform. The boys work in a tandem, timed almost certainly off the music. As the flute player reaches the end of the song they form a circle in the air with the others tools, and on the final note give a bow to the crowd. The locals gasp in shock, as the knives and balls fly down towards the seemingly unaware young ones. In shock Marcus reaches out with his wind magic, planning to divert the path of the blades, but he is too slow. Instead of impaling the poor youths, the raise their hands and catch each one without even bothering to look. This sets off a huge fan fair of cheering, while the flute player brings out a hat for any tips from the audience.

There is a moment of quiet then, for while the performance has been incredible, there are so many who are stretched to the edge already. The young mage reaches into his coin sack, grabbing one of his few gold imperials, and is about to aim a toss when a thought crosses his mind. If they see that much money being tossed down, it could damn well start a riot. Thinking fast he descends before the crowd, doing his best not to blow over the small child as his storm winds dissipate. Sliding two silver pieces over the gold to cover the sight of it, he drops them into the hat, giving her a conspiratorial wink. After the show of money the rest of the crowd begins to chip in, even if all they can spare are coppers and the occasional silver. Marcus stands to the side, making sure no desperate souls try to steal the growing mound of cash. As the locals finish dropping off their thanks he turns to leave when he feels a hand tug on his robe.

Turning he sees the young child point over towards her grandmother. "Granny says if you are willing to wait, she will give you a free telling." She looks around for a moment then says quietly. "Since you were so generous with the gold coin, and getting the rest of the crowd to contribute."

Having already spent all of his pocket money on the performance, and still having a few hours with nothing to do he agrees, settling on a nearby bench as the line slowly dissipates. Oddly enough as time goes by two others join the family of performers, what can only be their mother and another smaller child. The mother carrying a bag of food while the child runs around the mothers legs, playing with some sort of doll.

“No sir,” the boy said carefully, his eyes on the rags bound around his feet, a poor substitute for shoes. “He wouldn’t take it.”

Bennett swore softly. “You offered him the full thousand?” he asked without expectation. His instructions to the child had been clear, and the boy was no idiot. Bennett would not have selected him for the job had the waif been a fool. There could be little doubt the child had offered the guard the entire bribe.

“Yessir. All of it,” the boy said in a near whisper. Clearly he was terrified to be the bearer of unhappy tidings. Bennett understood his fears. He’d had his own share of rough treatment as a child of the street. It had been his adoptive mother’s creed that “Little Val” should learn firsthand the cruelties of the world. True, she’d always sought to shield him from deadly harm, but he had taken his share of beatings and more, and by his thirteenth year he’d no longer wished her protection anyway.

He studied the lad now, watching the child’s large eyes dart back and forth from the wooden planks at his feet to the plate of hard cheese and bread at Bennett’s elbow. “Did he say anything, boy?” he asked. “What were his exact words?” Much could be gained from only a few words, and it was necessary he know everything. His chances of boarding one of the airships might well hinge on a single fact, a lone detail.

The boy squeezed tight his eyes in recollection. “He said … he said … ‘Not worth my life.’ I think that’s what he said, sir.” The child opened his eyes just enough to cast one more furtive glance at the food.

“Take it,” Bennett growled, nodding toward the plate. “And come back at dawn. I’ll want you here twice each day, sometimes to run errands, sometimes not. Perform well and you’ll be given a gold sovereign at week’s end.” The child, thin and clearly famished, snatched the wooden dish and darted out the door. He’d said nothing, but Bennett knew he would return.

“Dammit!” he swore aloud. Bribery was the prudent way of entry to one of the ships. Eglantine had provided him well with money for just this task, and Bennett had been willing to use all she had given him. (He knew he could always find more; indeed he’d spent the last week picking up just enough for his expenses.) But the guard’s words – assuming the boy had reported them truthfully – made clear that the emperor was allowing nothing to chance. Only those selected were to leave Ebonreef for the new country, a fact that meant he would need to get aboard secretly.

Leaning his chair back to rest against the wall, he considered. Had he two months at the great aerial dock, to establish its rhythms and ferret out its dark places, he had no doubt he could get aboard a ship safely. Yet the preparations so publicly underway made clear he had nowhere near that amount of time.

An accomplice, then, he sighed to himself unhappily. Bennett worked alone wherever possible. It was safer and allowed him far more freedom of movement, but he seemed to have no choice in this case. “Worse,” he grumbled to himself, rising to stretch, “it’ll have to be a local. Someone who knows the docks.”

Slipping a knife into one boot, Bennett prepared to leave his room. He had little doubt he could find someone of the right character and temperament for the job; it was ability that always worried him. Still, if the ruckus currently raging in the inn’s common room was an indicator, he might at least find a man good with his fists.

Might be enough, he thought as he slipped through his door and headed for the stairs.

Seeing the woman in that bad of shape Alex cursed under her breath"Damn why is this bad of things happening to the young and innocent these days?"She rushed over to the women along with other Doctors wheeling her away gently stroking her hair"It's going to be okay ma'm we're going to help you out alot."She kept repeating making sure she felt she was not there to harm the women.

(Update time )

Slowly afternoon fades to evening in the port of Ebonreef. The city begins to settle down for the night, or as much as the overcrowding allows for. Apprentice mages walk the streets, lighting the lamp posts with multicolored flames, giving the streets a disorienting effect for those new to an imperial city. Greens, blues, and reds swirling in different districts, all of it changing how nearly every segment of the city looks. Vendors close up their stalls while taverns, poker dens, and brothels all come alive for the night.

A messenger rides in through the gates just as they are about to close for the evening. His horse stumbles a few steps before collapsing in utter exhaustion. Not even stopping to call for a groom the messenger reaches into the saddle bag and takes off at a run. Soon he reaches the gated home of the governor, slamming on the gate with his fist quickly earns him the attention of the guards. Once they see the emblem, they escort him into the building, though he is so close to exhaustion they have to nearly carry him half the way. He soon finds himself in the private study of Governor Greg Macallus.

The older nearly balding man pours two glasses of whiskey, sipping the first as he carries the second over to the gasping messenger. "How bad is it?" He asks, his words calm, but a faint twitch near his eyes betrays his nervousness.

"Very bad sir, I have a written report about the battle at Spire stronghold, but the short version is they were nearly killed to a man. Maybe 15% managed to break free and are headed this way, most of them wounded." He reaches over, downing the whiskey in a single pull.

"Merciful gods, that was the largest fighting force in this area, and they swept them aside in less than a week." Greg collapses into his chair, head in his hands.

"It gets worse sir, even with the losses the barbarians have taken, they still have a nearly unused reserve force. I don't know exactly how large it is, but its certainly past five thousand, maybe even as much as ten thousand men. If we are lucky they will take their time looting the farm steads on the way here, and it will take them 3 days to gather a force large enough to begin assaulting this city. If our luck is anything like its been, they will be hear tomorrow by noon." The messenger says, despair drenching his voice, his eyes hollow and hopeless.

The shock of it all floors the Governor, and he collapses to his knees, knocking over the bottle of whiskey, and it shatters on the floor at his feet. His guards rush in, fearing an assault, only to find an old, tired man weeping into his hands. The sight disturbs them both deeply, but Greg is a man of action, and collects himself after a minute. "You, take this man to a guest suite and get him whatever he asks for. As for you, I need you to bring me the dock warden now, I need to know the latest progress of the special project." He start to head to the door then pauses a moment as his hand reaches the knob. "And once your done with that inform the gate captain to double the watch on the walls from here on out, for all the good it will do."

Smiley and Landiek: The operation is a success, the infection purged entirely from her system. The combination of magic and science making the recovery process greatly accelerated, and Orchid should be on her feet and moving by morning. As Alex approaches the end of her shift a messenger reaches her, "Our time here is nearly over, I have been informed that we will be leaving tomorrow as dusk falls, ready your things and say your goodbyes tonight."

Hermes: The Drunken Gryphon might have sounded like rowdy party upstairs, but down in the serving room it looks like a hurricane has hit. There is only one table not shattered or flung on its side, and that is only because two very large men are guarding their drinks on it. While it is clearly a free for all, your trained eye can pick out three factions, dock workers, inner city laborers, and anybody else unfortunate enough to have been away from the doors when this started. Already there are several customers passed out, some from drink, the rest from the beatings they've taken. Only the city rule of peace bonding any weapons larger than knives has kept there from being any obvious fatalities yet.

Nympho: Groceries in hand you start heading towards your new home. Normally walking alone down city streets this late at night would be dangerous, but even with it being an hour past sundown, there is still hordes of people on the street. As you are about to reach the door you hear somebody shouting. Turning to look you see a cluster of people gathered around an observation post that the city has stopped using. You follow the direction their pointing in, and while it takes you a few moments to notice it against the darkened sky, you spot a plume of smoke rising in the far distance.

Marcus: The sun sets just as the last of grandmother's fortune telling customers finish. Being ushered by the flute player, he sits down to find the old woman casually shuffling a deck of cards. She says nothing for a minute, and just as he is about to leave, she spreads them out face down before them, her voice rasping slightly as she says. "This telling is on the house, as we would not be eating tonight if you hadn't stirred the crowd kind sir. Now pick three and I will do my humblest to divine what fate has in store for you." He points at three cards, and she reaches out and separates them from the deck, putting the rest over in a pile. As he is about to ask a question he finally sees her eyes from under her shawl, and is shocked at the milky orbed sight that pierces him, for the old woman is clearly blind.

Orchid thanked her doctors for the miracle they gave her and marveled that she still kept her leg as she walked about on it.

Being what most considered poor she gave as she could by mending clothing and creating bandages for quick kits. Another wonder was her ability to cook satisfiable meals with little to nothing and have leftovers for two or three more "guests".

Orchid was traveling near her bed when out in the hall she overheard someone talking.

".....we will be leaving tomorrow as dusk falls, ready your things and say your goodbyes tonight."

Orchid froze and waited to see who walked from the hall so that she knew what was truly happening. Someone else talking about supplies being moved. Now her curiousity was pricked as she sought out the one face that stayed constant during her recovery. "please I need to talk with the healer called Alex."

Nodding her head to the messenger she turned her head to the voice calling out to her request she nodded walking toward the girl who had just recovered"Yes i am the healer you are requesting, is there a problem?"She looked at the women with a small amount of concern.

Bennett didn’t know whether to laugh or weep when he reached the bottom of the stairs descending from the second floor; the chaos of the fight bordered on buffoonery. He was, however, quite certain which the owner of this dump was doing. The damage was enormous already, and it was clear most of the combatants were partial to more. Might be an opportunity there, Bennett noted to himself. It was clear his bribe money would not get him directly aboard one of the airships, but this inn keeper was about to have a sizable leap in expenses - expenses he, Trev, might help defray in exchange for help of his own. Tavern masters, after all, had notoriously good contacts.

“Almost as good as a madam’s,” he chuckled to himself as he slipped into the shadows to observe. His thoughts strayed back to Eglantine and his many “aunts.” We’ll be fine they’d assured him, pushing him into the darkness on that final night in Dunston. Even barbarians need whores.

Not for the first time, he wondered if he’d been wrong to leave them. There was nothing he could do, of course, and yet the thought of what might happen to Eglantine and the others nagged at him. When a bottle smashed near his hand, he called himself back to the moment, angrily chastising himself for letting his thoughts wander, and, still shifting toward the bar along one wall, quickly studied the various fighters. Most were hopeless: drunken rowdies and little more. One, however …

“Who’s she?” he asked the barkeep who was – amazingly thought Bennett – still behind the counter guarding the stocks and looking relatively contented, all things considered. The man looked blankly at him until Bennett slid a silver sovereign across the counter. He nodded toward a lithe woman, who had, in tossing across the floor one burly oaf, attracted the attention of three of his mates.

“Ah,” the man smiled, snatching up the coin with a grunt of approval, “That’s Sarah Forester. She – “

But Bennett had already moved away, weaving his way through the fighters toward the girl who had by now backed against one wall to keep the three men in front of her.

Trev smiled. Three large men, backs to him and oblivious.

It was his kind of fight.

Orchid looked up and took a deep breathe. "I overheard some talking, who is leaving and where are they going?"

Orchid noticed some differences in the way some of the people acted, it reminded her of her losses, fleeing the horde. "Has the ,,,,,, have they come here.... is this the end?"

Alex bites her lip looking at the woman she nods"Yes, i'm afraid so, they are coming and there isn't much time left to do anything about it."

She watched her face and let out a small sigh"I have been told to get my things and say goodbye tonight, this will be the last of my time here."She shrugs.

As Rose approached her rented home somewhat absent mindedly, not really noticing the gathering at the observation area until she had the key in the door. Curious, Rose set the groceries in the house before going out to look herself. Being so short and small, she couldn't really see around anyone so she climbed the tree next to the deck. Smoked billowed in the near distance and Rose's face grew pale.

"They're so close..." she whispered to no one in particular.

Jumping nimbly from the tree to her feet, Rose dashed toward her house. She grabbed a bag of things, clothes possesions and such from her room and left a note for the family she lived with and that week's rent. She felt she needed to leave them with at least Some money. After that she wrote one more note, to her mother, father and sister, bleakly hoping they had made it. She told them how much she loved them and one day that they would be reunited happily. Tears blurred her vision as she heaved her bags onto her shoulders and back. She couldn't stay and had to get out of her newfound home.

Rose ran out the door, tears still streaking down her face as she ran back through the marketplace. The little girl she had given the doll to was running around and before she knew it Rose ran smack into someone. She looked up into the face of a handsome man, outside the Tarot booth. A little shocked Rose mumbled an apology before starting to head to the post office.

Orchid stared at the woman in disbelief "What about the patients that are still ill? Is the staff recommending that you abandon them?"

Then a deeper realization sunk in. "Is the staff using us as bait to get away?"

Marcus Trelawmane

His mouth open in shock, the question vanishes from his mind in a moment. He stares numbly as she pushes the three cards forward. "The three you have selected, shall help to portray your past, your present and your future. For it is only through understanding all three that a true fortune can be obtained, when you are ready tap the card of your past." A tingle of suspense passes through Marcus, but he quickly shakes it off as superstitious fear. The ancient woman reaches over, revealing the card, and unable to stop himself Marcus gasps in surprise, its Death. His eyes wide he looks at her, but her wrinkled face reveals nothing, merely gesturing for him to select his next card. His hand shaking slightly he reaches out and taps the next one, and the old woman reveals it, The Tower, bringer of change and upheaval on a grand scale. Then without even waiting for him she flips over the third card, Gaia, the bringer of new life.

"These three are representatives of your fate. At this point in time, your past is severed from you, as unattainable as life after being visited by death. Your present is marked with chaos, not only in events around you, but also in events that are solely yours to experience. Finally Gaia brings hope for the future, new life bursting forth from the death of the old. As you leave this place you will begin to understand, slowly of course, that you must change on the inside as well as the outside, to complete your transformation and become what you were meant to be." The old woman says, her calm serene voice broken by a fit of coughing after her monologue.

"Wait, how can you know that so clearly? I know my life as a military mage is gone, those damn barbarians ended that as surely as if they'd slit my throat. But how ..." He pauses suddenly as he realizes that he has not spoken the names of any of the cards he has chosen. Certainly based on his reaction to the first one the old woman could have guessed it, but the other two he took in silence. His voice trembles slightly as he asks "How did you know what the cards were, I never mentioned any of their names, and none of them are marked as I can see." He pauses for a moment as a final question enters his mind. "Is, is this set in stone, or can I change my fate?"

The old woman recovers shortly, though her breath is still raspy. "Not all magic is flashy, or as pronounced as yours. But nonetheless it is there, with a power all its own. As for the telling, nothing is set in stone, you could fight it to the end of your life, you could die tomorrow, but this is what is layed out for you, and if you can take it and make it yours, it will bring you fulfillment to a degree you never imagined possible. It won't always be rainbows and honey, but it will be what you need, and its in arms reach, remember that." She quickly descends into another fit of coughing, and her family comes over, concern written on their faces.

"Sir, thank you again, but grandmother needs her rest, the journey here was quite taxing." Says one of the teenage boys, his hands guiding the woman over to a bench where she can lie down in relative peace. Marcus nods his thanks again and turns walking back into the marketplace, his mind entirely lost in the meaning of this fortune telling. When suddenly he smacks into something, or something into him. Shaking his head in surprise he blinks down at a small woman, her hair puffing out slightly. She mumbles something and starts to turn heading away from him. He reaches out, his arm locking around hers as the last bit of the grandmothers prophecy repeats itself in his head. In arms reach ... Marcus gives himself a mental shake, and says "Pardon me miss, I wasn't watching where I was going, are you alright?"

Rose turned to leave in her hurry but stopped when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned to him and gave him a coy smile, listening to his explanation and she giggled.
"Its okay, I wasn't really either. I was just in a hurry to get to the post office." she said as she stopped and was somewhat intrigued by him. Before she could stop herself she invited him along with her.

"Would you like to accompany me? I was going to go there then to the Inn for a drink."

Rose turned and started to walk, waiting to see if he would follow her, turning once to address him again.

"My name is Rosalie by the way, but most people call me Rose." she said smiling and turning back around to venture through the crowd.

Marcus

He blinks in surprise as he notices how cute she looks, though that could just have to do with the brilliant smile she is flashing his way. Suddenly she invites him along, tempting him even further with the promise of getting something to drink after.

"Well I suppose I could go, hard to say no to an attractive woman and the offer of drinks. Though ..." He finishes mid sentence as his stomach suddenly growls, speaking up for him. "Though lets make sure they've got some food, not sure how long I'll last without dinner." He says with a smile as he follows after her.

As she introduces herself he gives her a slight bow and says "A pleasure to meet you Rose, I'm Marcus Ophelius Trelawmane, but I go by Mark, its easier on the tongue." He follows her into the crowd, though with his limp and her lithe form he barely keeps track of her as they reach the post office. He leans over, rubbing his recovering leg as she pays for postage. As she comes out he waves over to her, standing up again. "So you got any place in particular in mind? Or just the first place with food and drinks that are edible?"

Rose giggled at him and started on her way, weaving easily through the crowd but slowing when she notices his limp.
"Well Mark it is nice to meet you. And as for food I think we can work that into the schedule." she said with another small giggle. Her voice chimed softly as she spoke to him.

As they made it into the post office, she quickly paid for postage and sent her letter off to her family; if they were still there. She walked over to Mark and offered a hand to him to help him stand but he had already gotten up. Pondering where they were, she knew the tavern was about a 5 minute walk from where they were.

"Well theres a nice little place about 5 minutes from here, that is if you think you can make it." she said with a coy little smile on her face, threading her arm in his as she started off again.

Marcus

Marcus is surprised when she slides her arm around his, but he doesn't back away either. "Oh I'm sure I'll survive, besides even if my leg gave out right now I have other ways of getting around." Marcus says with a smile, snapping his fingers and summons a current of air to lift them both off their feet for a moment, causing them to hover slightly before settling down. "However if the doctor catches me 'cheating' anymore on my walks I probably won't survive their wrath, or their cooking."

Marcus gives an exaggerated shudder as they make their way through the crowd. The inn itself is surprisingly even more packed than the streets, but since they arrived between dinner and the heavy drinkers they manage to just barely get a corner table to themselves. He pulls a chair out for her, then slides into his own seat, staff resting against the back of the chair. "This seems like a pretty nice place, don't think I've eaten here though. What would you recommend?" Marcus asks Rose as the waitress weaves her way over to them.

Rose senses Marcus' hesitance but he seems to relax as they start to walk. She gasps and grips his arm a little tighter as all of a sudden they are lifted into they air then settle back down.

"Mage, huh? I should have known" she said laughing and continuing on their way, listening to his "horror stories" of the doctor's cooking.

"I'm sure it can't be as bad as my mothers. She used to burn oatmeal." Rose mused, remembering how terrible the kitchen would smell when her mother attempted to cook. Once at the inn the two of them pack themselves into the already crowded area, finding a somewhat secluded table towards the back and a perfect gentleman pulls her chair out for her before sitting down himself. Rose grins at him and suggests the steak to Marcus, smiling.

"I prefer the steak to the salads. They're always dry which makes no sense..." she said with a confused expression on her face.

landiek said:

Orchid stared at the woman in disbelief "What about the patients that are still ill? Is the staff recommending that you abandon them?"

Then a deeper realization sunk in. "Is the staff using us as bait to get away?"

Click to expand...

Alex shudders hearing her words she shakes her head not wanting to talk about it"I'm not sure really Ma'm but your well now, you'll be okay to journey on.."She shakes her head once more"I'm sorry."

That wasn't much of an answer but it gave her a positive reply as her eyes darkened and her mind went back to getting to safety.

"unhook me then and be on your way.. flee at the expense of others." Orchid chided as she knew first hand the devastation that was coming, she escaped it once but doubtful she would be so lucky the next time.

"I hope you find solace in the blood of those you abandon along those halls that you pass on your way to where ever it is you go."

This was a deeper pain then Orchid thought she could endure as tears fell down her cheeks. How could they just give up and leave wounded people behind?

Marcus

"She, burned oatmeal?" Marcus asks with an incredulous tone to his voice. Giving himself a mental shake he goes on. "Well, doc actually has a decent amount of skill in the kitchen, the problem is more his personality. He tends to, like experimenting, and not just on human subjects. I was once subjected to a meatloaf oatmeal with sprouts soup." Marcus gives a faint shudder as they head in.

"Steak? Now your talking my language." Marcus says with a smile, then before the waitress leaves he also orders a bottle of red wine. When she returns he raises his glass in a toast to Rose. "To new friends and new experiences." He says with a smile as he takes a large gulp. "So tell me about yourself, are you passing through or do you live here in the city? *After her response* "I myself have only been here a few months, though I did study magic here years ago. However the barbarians decided they didn't like me on the front." Marcus pats his bad leg. "So I'm back home trying to figure out what to do with my life now. What about you, what do you do for work?" He says, more questions clearly on his mind, but the arrival of the steak quickly distracts him.

Rose giggles at the expression on Marcus' face as he hears about the oatmeal, then shivers herself at the thought of the Doc's experiments.

"Sounds repulsive." she said softly, shaking herself out a bit.

Rose grins at his choice of wine and takes her own glass daintily in her hand
"Red wine hm?" she asks then raises her glass to toast him, smiling at his speech. Soon the food comes after he asks her a few questions she willingly answers.

"I live her, I rent a place down the street since my family was unwilling to come with me. My sister, mother and father stayed on the outskirts. I make money by tracking herbs and making medicine and things like that." she said, chewing slowly on her steak and listening to him speak.

Update:

Greg leaves the royal families quarters, having just informed them of the ominous report he's received. God, if we'd have just a month, no even a week we could have enough airships ready that we could evacuate this city, but now ... As he returns to his study to await the dockmaster. He tries in vain to set up the plan for readying the city defences, stretching out the guard rotations over the 4 days expected to need to evacuate the populace, but his mind keeps wandering. Visions of past battles flash across his mind, and the human wreckage that is always left afterwords. Piles of bodies, loved ones broken with grief, homes and businesses ravaged.

Shaking himself out of his reverie, he goes to the cabinet, and begins pouring himself another glass when there is a knock at the door. He settles down into his chair, grunting to come in. The door opens and the dockwarden Michael enters. He pauses a moment with his mouth open, seeing Greg who is usually so collected looking well onto his way to smashed. "Its them isn't it?" He asks, his voice quiet and somber.

"It is, they've crushed the imperial forces. We can expect their reserve force sometime in the next few days. With any luck we can hold them for a day, two at the most. But as soon as their main force gets here this city is toast." Greg says, his voice hopeless with the weight of certain doom.

"Gods ..." Michael says, nearly stumbling into a nearby chair. "What can we do?"

"After I finish this round I am writing up an imperial commision, you are to inform the various captains that all of their vessels are being used for the evacuation. If they have any cargo they are to dump it into the ocean, and fill their ships with as many civilians as possible. I will loan you several squads of soldiers to ensure their cooperation."

"I don't know if even that will be enough, your asking me to tell them to throw away fortunes they've worked years in the making. And we both know there is no way the imperium will be able to reimburse them." The dockmaster says with a resigned sigh.

"So I'm supposed to sit back and let these people be butchered for the sake of their money?" Greg nearly shouts in rage, rising from his chair.

"Did I say that? Did I ever say their lives are worth less than gold and silver? No, no I'm just trying to make you understand that they will fight this, some might even try to flee the docks before we can get troops on board to ensure they do their duty. I need to make sure you understand the sacrifice your asking them to make." Michael says, a faint flush of anger crossing his face as well.

"This is a time of sacrifice for all of us, nobody is getting through unscathed." Greg says somberly, as he collapses back into his chair. "I have ordered the gates to the city sealed as soon as the remnants of the legion reach us, that should help cut down on the amount of saboteurs who get in. Still I expect them to be here within the next day, three at the most if we are unusually lucky. You have to convince these captains, by fear, greed, or anything else you can think of to evacuate these people. Have them sent to the capital, that is the best hope they have."

"You keep saying them Greg, but I get the feeling your not counting yourself amongst them." Michael says, a nervous tone to his voice.

"You have your orders, goodnight and goodbye Michael." The governor says, turning to look out the window as the dockmaster leaves. So this is my twilight, very well I'll give those bastards hell for showing up on my door.

Setz Figaro: You ride in through the gate of Ebonreef, two wounded imperials strapped to the cargo container on back. The local garrison commander had sent you to pick up a status report from the forts, and one hell of a report do you have. Both brigades butchered, the only survivors with more than 3 to a platoon are those who were out on patrol at the time. Even those are heavily wounded from fighting a running retreat. You run a hand gently over recently refurbished Hillskipper (effectively a three wheeled motorcycle, two in the back, one in the front. This model covered with a long set of sheet metal over the fragile runed core stone which provides the power to run it for hours at a time.) as the gates of Ebonreef appear in the distance, a breath of fresh air and sanctuary, if only for a short while.

After half an hour of driving you are ushered into the city, and directed towards the nearest hospital. You are met by a group of doctors hastily awoken from their beds, as well as a few nurses and some curious patients wondering what all the racket is about.

Alex and Orchid: Your discussion is interrupted by a small army of medical personnel bustling through the halls, dragging the two of you along towards the front. As you separate from the crowd a noise draws your attention towards the road. In a moment you see a Hillskipper round the corner a pair of groaning soldiers strapped to its back.

Marcus and Rose: Dinner continues on, the mood pleasant and arousing. However as the meal is finished the sound of trouble can be heard over the normal murmuring of conversation. A voice shouts out over the din "The end is coming, we are all the living damned. Kneel and repent your sins before its too late, the Autumn lord's disciples will ..." Across the room you are able to see a bedraggled man being pulled off the top of a table by several of the Inn's workers. After a short scuffle they drag him out the door, but the mood inside has become bleak as unspoken worries crawl to the surface in the patrons minds.

Trevalyan: *on hold until Kitty stops playing with the catnip and posts *

(I think thats everybody, if I somehow missed somebody let me know. Now for FOOOOODDD! )