Fantasy Setting Summer Dawn

[Goonfire]

Crow felt a pair of hands grab his, and his eyes went wide before he realized it was only Az. It was a relief that she was able to build on his idea to keep Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumbass guessing.

Ducking inside through the trapdoor, there was no relief to be had. The shift change was happening, just according to schedule. Heavy footsteps approached from deeper within the ship, prompting the nervous inquisitor to squirm into the shadows beneath a long table made to seat six.

LazyDaze Zazz

 

[SilverFlight]

The 'vendor' had not been expecting an attack, so when Ora came out, weapon poised, he took the blow without so much as a yelp and fell flat, unconscious.
The empty-eyed prisoners looked up and some stirred, wide-eyed, looking first to the fallen kidnapper, and then to their prospective rescuer.
A man stood up and pushed his way to the front. He had ears that drooped down to his shoulders and a large, feline nose. His clothes were finer than many of the others, his eyes were big and his hair sported a familiar brown curl. A tufted tail twitched anxiously behind him.
"Did...did Gideon send you?"
Just then noises could be heard down the hall. Two guards up on the balcony were arguing about which one should go down to check the prisoners.
"Whatever you're going to do, make it quick!" He said in a hushed tone.
Flutterby

Te guard that had been left to deal with Trileon lunged angrily, trying to grab the unruly trickster and pin her arms behind her back.
"You just made a horrible mistake girly!"

~~~
The small door in the Gate at the front of Gideon's estate swung open and a flushed servant (who had run up from the mansion) stood looking at the woman greeting him.
"Oh! I was told about you. Please come in."

Gideon was sitting in his study, watching Lohrithe carve. "I hope you plan on sweeping my study floor when you're done." He said in a half-serious tone, watching the flakes of wood fall from the worked piece.

The servant guiding Nova showed her in and Gideon rose to greet her. "This is very good." He said with a pleasant smile. "Now we're working our way up to a proper force. Well met. Can I get you refreshments while we wait?"

mothspit Zazz

Pyrrhus was just tall enough to see the ship's group from his vantage point between two tall buildings. He had his fingers to his mouth and one hind leg rubbing the back of the other with nervous tension.
"Ooooh watch out, they're going to turn around!" He whispered.
Desrick was watching Trileon's fight with the guard, only now catching on to what she was doing. He wouldn't intervene unless he saw things going badly.

Suddenly something caught his eye. A figure was striding purposefully down the docks towards the ship. Desrick caught his breath as he recognized the long silver-blond hair and prominent, hawkish nose.
"It's Lassard!" He hissed and Pyrrhus jumped.
"Are you sure?"
Desrick pointed to where Lassard was making his way toward the gangplank.
"Oh no..."
Zazz LazyDaze Goonfire

 

[mothspit]

The guard that had been left to deal with Trileon lunged angrily, trying to grab the unruly trickster and pin her arms behind her back.
"You just made a horrible mistake girly!"

~~~
The small door in the Gate at the front of Gideon's estate swung open and a flushed servant (who had run up from the mansion) stood looking at the woman greeting him.
"Oh! I was told about you. Please come in."

Gideon was sitting in his study, watching Lohrithe carve. "I hope you plan on sweeping my study floor when you're done." He said in a half-serious tone, watching the flakes of wood fall from the worked piece.

The servant guiding Nova showed her in and Gideon rose to greet her. "This is very good." He said with a pleasant smile. "Now we're working our way up to a proper force. Well met. Can I get you refreshments while we wait?"

Trileon did little to struggle in the mans grip, allowing herself to be captured with a small nod directed at Desrick and Pyrrhus, who both, for some reason, looked absolutely terrified.. "Easy now, there's no need to be so rough. I'm sure we can sort this out amicably.."

~~~

"The Silver Band sends their regards; I was the only one willing to make the journey." Nova grunted approvingly, admiring the craftsmanship of the glittering home with a whistle, "Yes, please. Some meat too if you've got it, been a couple marks since I last ate.."

Speaking of meat, Nova recognized a fellow drow, happy carving away at a wooden art piece. Most notably, he was.. shirtless. Huh. Was he here responding to the advert, too? He certainly was a cutie. With a raise of her brow, she removed the robe around her shoulders and draped it over the back of a chair, which she then sat herself in, "..Good to see another one of my kin, don't typically see many of us around. Name's Nova." She shot him a small wink, a charming smile plastered across her face.

Looking back to Gideon, she inclined her head to him respectfully, "Heard you got a nasty Evereach problem. Tell me about that."

SilverFlight Zazz

 

[Flutterby]

Ora hadn't expected her strike to be quite so effective. Her swing carried her off balance, but her tail shot out and caught her as the kidnapper fell. The dwarf took one breath, then another, and then straightened up. She stared out at the prisoners, and they stared back, until one stepped forward.
It took her a moment to identify why he was familiar, and then she said softly, "Yes, Gideon wants to get you back to Mari straight away." She glanced around, and then gave a nod at his urging.
She raised her eyes to the rest of the prisoners and said, "We've come for all of you. To return you all home, in time for breakfast. But we'll need to work together. With you, we out-number the guards and can all but walk out of here. There's a team taking care of the ship, and more help waiting outside."
She reached into the cart, and pulled out her pack. "In here, there are improvised weapons. Arm yourselves, if you're able."
She motioned to the fallen vendor. "Let's hide him in the cart, wheel the cart out of the cell. Then take the guard that's coming to check. Hurry everyone, it's now or never!" Her voice was still low in volume, but urgency had overtaken it. She moved to pick up the arms of the fallen man, lugging him awkwardly toward the cart. She couldnt wait and see if the prisoners would help her- she had to start and just hope they would follow.

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas simply smiled at Crow's efforts. He might have wondered what would happen if Crow had actually went crashing, or screaming over the ledge. As great of a scene that would have been, alas, it was not meant to be. Iolas returned the nod, happy that he was understood after Azaria signaled them to go ahead. Now he would not have to worry about being caught from behind. However, he was amazed that she took the most dangerous route effortlessly. As skilled as Iolas was, he would never be able to do something like that. Especially with the ease at which it was done. Iolas raised an eyebrow at Crow once more. He was certain he would go splashing in the water anytime now; he was even tempted to wait and see when it would happen. When Azaria sprung her trap Iolas chuckled, "Everreach must be running out of talent," Iolas stated playfully as he took Azaria's hand and climbed back up on the ship after Crow. "Alas ye ol ledge, I will never forget thee..." once they were all back on the ship, he would follow Azaria with his hand ready to unsheathe his sword at any moment. That was when the guards were coming for their shift change. He saw Crow quickly take his position Iolas glanced around and took a spot in a shadowy corner closer to where the guards were entering to take advantage of their peripheral vision, rather the lack thereof.

Zazz Goonfire

 

[Zazz]

"Of course," Lohrithe replied to Gideon in all seriousness. He wouldn't just leave a mess in someone's home. "I started this before leaving Cyndara, for Ora, but I have yet to finish it."

The drow looked up from his work when a woman was led in. He glanced at Gideon, briefly. Surely he knew who to trust with their lives. The woman was beautiful, and, like Azaria, held some resemblance to his kind. He noticed the similarities between them, as well as the differences between them and him. It seemed that the halflings did not carry the dark sclera of the drow, but did sport sharp canines. "Greetings, Nova. I am Lohrithe." He smiled, the gesture reaching his midnight and grass eyes.

 

[Zazz]

Azaria quickly thought back to the intel they had been given. Two upstairs, three down below. Well, clearly, that was backwards. So there were at least two guards down here with them. Soon to be swapped, so four. The other guard was still knocked out; there were only two sets of footsteps above them, coming this way. Fools, leaving the upper deck temporarily unguarded.

But something wasn't right. She couldn't put her finger on it, but the hairs on the back of her neck prickled with a warning.

The halfling elf took to the shadows, taking up the other side of the door, opposite from Iolas. She hoped to both gods that Crow would have the sense to stay quiet.

 

[Goonfire]

Indeed, Crow had sense enough to stay quiet as the guards switched shifts. If his guess was accurate, another guard was going to enter soon after that one passed, and that meant said incoming guard would have a direct line of sight on the other two. Crow’s heart was in his throat; they had come this far undetected, yet things were quickly growing more difficult. If he knew of Lassard’s presence, he would be a lot more tense.

 

[SilverFlight]

The guard shoved Trileon roughly. "There'll be nothing 'amicable' about what's going to happen to you."
The door was opened and Trileon was pushed through. He walked her slowly down the ramp toward the prisoner cell.

The prisoners looked startled as they listened to Ora. Most of then did not move, but glanced fearfully in the direction of the arguing guards. Then a shadow appeared at the top of the ramp. Suddenly one rose, a determined look on her face.
"I'm going home to my husband." She said, taking one of the makeshift weapons Ora provided. Mari's father took one as well, and soon the strongest and biggest were rising, herding the old and meek behind them.
They looked to Ora as she shadow on the ramp grew.
Suddenly the guard appeared with Trileon being pushed ahead of him. He stopped just before the cage, noticing it was open. His eyes slowly trailed up to the prisoners, and the weapons in their hands. They looked fearful, unsure, now that a fight was directly in front of them.
Flutterby mothspit

Lassard paused, frowning as he surveyed the ship's main deck. The walked brusquely to the small set of stairs that lead directly to the captain's quarters door, pushing it open gently. The room had been searched. Lassard scowled and moved quickly to the guard, still sleeping, by the trap door. The elf took his own set of keys and opened the door, sliding silently into the lower hold.
The room was pitch black, but he could hear the frightened breaths of the men and women set to be shipped.
Whomever was here, he was sure they would come. Lassard stepped up against a wall, and waited.
Zazz LazyDaze Goonfire

Desrick and Pyrrhus looked on.
"This is very bad." Pyrrhus said, tapping the tip of a hoof on the cobble, a nervous habit.
"Lassard knows both our faces...we can't help without giving away our purpose..."
"We wait then...oh I hate this!"

 

[LazyDaze]

Iolas was not an impatient man, but he did feel like they were resting on their laurels. They were merely reacting to the situation instead of creating the situation and the more time they wasted the harder it would become. Once the first guard passed, unknown to their position. The other guard had not come yet but was going to come soon, and they would be in his line of sight. He weighed the possibilities, and everything they had to do, and it would only become more difficult with all the guards walking about. Before the guard officially left the room Iolas turned to Azaria and made a gesture as if he was slicing his throat. He was telling Azaria to take the guard out now, but also made another gesture to signal that she should still keep him alive. Iolas would take the other one, but he was sure Azaria knew the situation as well. By the time the other guards find them, they should have already got the prisoners and escaped the ship. It would also make moving the prisoners much easier. Iolas crouched and waited for Azaria to make her move, before he made his. He took only a brief moment to examine his psychological condition. For some reason or another he had been on an unusual edge the entire mission. His natural demeanor helped minimize his agitation but it was eating at him little by little. He raised his scarf as he dismissed these thoughts and focused on the matter at hand. Everyone was counting on them.

Zazz Goonfire

 

[Zazz]

Azaria didn't hesitate; she promptly struck the man in the back of the head with the heel of her hand. Quick as a whip, she slipped around to his front to catch him as he fell, lowering him to the ground, leaving the other guard to Iolas. Holding the unconscious guard's shoulders, she motioned for Crow to come over and help her move the body out of the way.

 

[Goonfire]

Crow peeked out as Azaria walloped the guard and caught his unconscious body. He followed the prompt and lifted the guard’s legs to make this easier. The fat bastard was dragged beside a beer keg—just out of plain sight—and placed him there with his back against the wall to give the illusion that he fell back while drunk. For the sake of believability, Crow dumped a half-full tankard of beer in the floor and gently sat it next to their victim, so it wouldn’t make a noticeable sound.

Zazz

 

[Flutterby]

Ora, finally, let her shoulders relax in relief as one, then two, then all the prisoners came to join her. She helped with the weapons, then nodded as they gathered. She gave a quick request that someone, or two someones, carry their newest friend, who was still asleep. She was just turning to lead the way, when the guard stepped out into view.

Her heart jumped into her throat. She had hoped they could disable him, quietly, and hide him with the other guard. But now, it was almost certain he would give a yell before she could get to him. The only person close enough was Trileon, but she didn't seem to have the upper hand there.
The guard's eyes finally took in the armed prisoners, and Ora's eyes slid to the single cell gate that stood between them.

Ora abandoned her idea of a quiet escape, and instead waved an arm and hissed, "Everyone out of the cell! Stay together!"
The dwarf lunged forward, brandishing the candlestick, to block the guard from getting to the gate and closing it. There wasn't even a fraction of hesitation as she raised the candlestick and aimed as high as she could without losing power, which would put her first strike around his shoulder.
"Time to go, Trileon," Ora said, in a hushed shout, this time as she swung low and aimed for the guard's kneecaps.
Just need to get Trileon, and then we run. Get Trileon. Run. Would the guards even be able to stop a stampede of frightened villagers?
mothspit SilverFlight

 

[HumbugPie]

Pearl stood in the shadows outside of the flour mill, noticing a curfuffle near the front entrance. She watched closely, but just far enough in the distance that the guard would struggle to see her. The woman's calm nature intrigued Pearl. How was she so nonchalant about being manhandled? Gideon certainly knew there would need to be extra help here. But Pearl was hesitant to fight; instead she opted to wait until the guard dragged the woman off before moving closer to the building, sticking close to the walls to stay unnoticed.

The sound of voices followed by metalic clanking urged Pearl to reveal herself from the darkness, but, of course, not without a prior glance around the door to see what was happening. She saw a dwarf wacking a guard with a candle stick and a large group of prisoners stood behind her. If now isn't the time to help, then I don't know when it will be. Pearl unsheathed her cutlass, faltering slightly before driving it towards the guard's arm that held the woman in his clutches.

Flutterby mothspit SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

"Wait..who's that?" Pyrrhus has spotted the young woman as she slipped into the flour mill.
Desrick caught her too and frowned. "I don't think that was a guard."
"You think she saw Trileon taken and wanted to help?"
"Either way, I'm done waiting."
Pyrrhus bit a knuckle and stamped a back hoof as Desrick took the axe from its sheath on his back and sprinted across the street.
HumbugPie

The guard parried Ora's first strike, but he wasn't used to fighting dwarves and the shot to his kneecaps felled him. He hit one with a shout and the other two guards stopped their arguing. Ora's strike had saved the man from taking a fatal strike from Pearl's blade. Instead the weapon clanged against his helmet and he fell unconcious. The other two guards were coming now, but the prisoners were moving, an unruly herd of bodies dashing for the entrance.
The two guards took the stairs two at a time, running past the now empty containment cell, swords unsheathed and raised.
Desrick reached the doors just as the prisoners did and they stopped short for one terrified moment.
"I'm a friend! Gideon's men are waiting for you across the street. They'll get you home!" The prisoners needed no more explanation than that. They dashed past the orc while Desrick went to help his friends.
"This isn't your fight." Desrick came up behind Pearl, though his eyes were focused on the advancing men. One lunged for Pearl, the other made a grab for Ora.
Flutterby mothspit HumbugPie

The ship was slowly being relieved of its guards. Lassard could hear his enemies' work on the upper deck. Enough was enough. He took a small gilded whistle from his pocket and blew hard. The shrill sound rang through the entirety of the ship. Three short blasts. The alarm code. The two guards on the main deck rushed for the stairs. Reaching them in a few seconds, while Lassard came up the steps to stand between Azaria, Iolas and Crow, and the prisoners.
"Well well. The rats are slightly bigger today it seems." He chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. His sword glinted by his side as he took in the scene.
"Don't you know tresspassing is a crime?"
Zazz LazyDaze Goonfire


Godhowsae The Gunrunner

 

[Goonfire]

The loud whistle made Crow bolt up. Footsteps grew closer; he had under ten seconds to formulate a plan. Since he couldn’t possibly win in a fight, he had to get the enemy in a better position—both physically and mentally.

Thinking fast, the inquisitor pressed his back against the wall and put up his hands as though he was surrendering... to Az and Iolas. His eyes were fixed on them initially as Lassard and his remaining security detail entered, and then he glanced over. Lassard... that chilling bastard didn’t look easy to fool. “Praise Summrbrynde!” He cheered breathlessly, dramatically letting his shoulders drop. “I need help over here, please!”

SilverFlight Zazz LazyDaze

 

[Zazz]

Azaria froze at the sound of that stupid, elvenly slick voice. It sounded just the same. How long she had waited to slit his throat and watch him bleed, to make him pay for what he had done to her father. What he had done to her family. Subconsciously, she ran her thumb across the tattoo on her face that covered her scar. Lassard hardly looked different than he had when Azaria was seven years old, except perhaps a tad older. Elves aged too well to really guess one's lifespan. Iolas, even, looked younger than he was. And she had no idea how old Lohrithe, the dark elf, was.

Though her blood boiled with the need to sever arteries, the assassin played along with Crow's ruse. "General Lassard is unlikely to help you escape from Everreach, fool." She already held both daggers, and held one pointed at Crow. "I'll have your head for another word out of you."

To Lassard, she said, "We are here by orders above your paygrade, sir. Perhaps you might aid my associate in searching the rest of the ship for the other fugitive rumoured to be hiding here."

 

[HumbugPie]

Pearl looked down at the unconcious guard laying out on the ground. Even if it happened by chance, she actually managed to contribute to a fight for once! Both terified and proud of her achievement, she had a slight grin on her face as she put her cutlass back into its holder, trying to control the anxious shaking of her hands. Though this was short lived... she turned around after hearing a deep orcish voice behind her, quickly being grabbed by another guard. Luck followed by impending doom was definitely not a new concept to Pearl.

"I don't unsheath my sword that often. But now I am regretting my decision." she scowled, the man's hands tightening around her forearms. Pearl dragged her feet backwards, trying to stomp on his toes with her boots in order to make him let her go.

SilverFlight Flutterby mothspit

 

[LazyDaze]

Just as Iolas thought, things rarely go according to plan. He wasn't as familiar with Lassard as the others, but through many battles he could guage the enemies strength by presence alone. His presence was great enough to make the guards inconsequential. Iolas didn't flinch when Crow began his ruse. Iolas knew this was of no ill will. They were in a bad position after all. Then Azaria, the wild card that she was, proceeded to play her part as well. Under the darkness of his cloak, Iolas raised an eyebrow. (My my, things are worse than I thought...). He was certain Azaria would go rushing in with some insurmountable blood lust, but she unexpectedly played it cool. Well, cool by her standards anyway. Iolas would have preferred not to show himself this early, but to add some credence to Azaria's words Iolas slowly turned his head to toward Lassard under the shadows of his cloak while keeping a relaxed but ready hand at the hilt of his blades.

Although his expression was barely visible, he maintained a calm and authoritative demeanor. He called back to his Everreach days in which he was arguably their most active soldier. The soldier who nearly reached the top of Everreach as a commoner. To the days he was a machine, a murderer. "Looking at Lassard, he could see himself. Blind, uncaring, and cold. He was doing what he thought was right, or what he was told was right. Could he be saved, or would he have to be slaughtered and forgotten?

Zazz SilverFlight Goonfire

 

[mothspit]

Trileon needed to act quickly, dark eyes assessing the situation as they peered around the many faces in the room. One of the guards was making a move for Ora. The guard that captured her was now unconscious, and with the arrival of a new mysterious stranger, coupled with the escaping prisoners, the beast woman had seemed to be forgotten about in the chaos. Ora had been kind enough to save her from the now passed out guard, perhaps she could return the favor. She shoots a small glance at Desrick, then at Pearl.

"If you'll excuse me--" She launched herself forward toward the advancing guard, past Ora, two shimmering golden eyes making way for a nasty pair of beast-like hind legs. She bounded toward him with a terrifying height, and with a swift jump, her feet made firm contact with the center of the guards chest-- He's seen flying across the room, but the force wasn't enough to knock him out of the fight; Soon, he's up again, coming toward her. Trileon turns back to the others with a hard look, her legs returning back to their normal state. Now, it was her fists that had transformed-- Two large paws and sharp, nasty looking talons.
"I'll take care of him. Go!"

Flutterby SilverFlight
mention: HumbugPie

 

[SilverFlight]

Gideon ordered the food and drink and settled back in his chair, gesturing for Nova to take a seat.
"Who doesn't have an Evereach problem nowadays?" He countered with a rueful smile. "It seems they have their fingers in every pie. It's time someone took a ladle to their wandering hands. That's why I called you, among others. Those others are running a quick errand. Hopefully they'll be back before the mid-rest mark." There was a hint of worry behind Gideon's casual smile.
"The next steps are going to require a little more finesse. I hope you're up to the challenge."
Zazz mothspit

Desrick growled as the guard grabbed their new ally. He stormed over, giving the man pause before raising a meaty fist and bringing it down over his head.
"We should go." He said definitively.
The prisoners began to file out of the building and in the distance Pyrrhus could be seen motioning to them from the shadows.
"You shouldn't be seen here." Desrick told Pearl, a little surprised she hadn't reacted poorly to seeing an orc. They were not creatures of the daylands. "If you're willing to help us, Gideon might want to speak with you."
HumbugPie mothspit Flutterby

 

[Flutterby]

Ora didn't have much time to consider the arrival of the new woman, even thought she really wished she did. What was a water elf doing here? Did it matter, when she was helping them?
The elf knocked the guard out, Trileon went after the guard that tried for her, and Desick took out the other with one swift hit. It seemed like the chaos was over as quickly as it had started, and they were left standing in a room with the candy cart and downed guards.
"Thanks Des, Trileon, and.." Ora looked at the water elf, and gave a small shrug, "um, you." Ora gave a quick glance around, and then a strong nod. "We need to get the others and get back to Gideon's before anyone else comes to check on this place." She picked up her bag, and threw it over her shoulder, still carrying the candlestick in her dominant hand. "How is the team on the ship doing?" Her question was directed at Desrick, as she made her final check of her person and then made for the ramp to leave.
HumbugPie mothspit SilverFlight

 

[The Gunrunner]

Vulgo Teutogen

The ride to Brynson had been long, and tiring. Vulgo was relying mostly on willpower to keep upright on his horse when he and Andras rode through the front gates. Needing time to think and rest, they rented a tavern-room in the merchant's quarter. It was in the middle of the night that Vulgo heard the three knocks on their door. He answers, seeing a man in a green feathered cap - A messenger, judging by the satchel of letters. The man was in the middle of a forced smile, before freezing upon seeing the clansman. Though the messenger certainly didn't know Vulgo's origins, it was still clear that he was not... from here. The messenger quickly clears his throat, taking a letter from his satchel and handing one out "Message for you, ser." Vulgo stares at him for a moment, his tired mind taking some time to process it, and then shakes his head - "Not for me. I don't get letters." The messenger chuckles, "You certainly fit the description. It's from Gideon, ser. You are a mr. Teutogen?" Again, Vulgo stares, then firmly takes the letter. He flips a coin to reward the messenger, then shuts the door for some privacy. His eyebrows furrow at first as he reads the letter, concerned and confused. Then, slowly, a grin breaks his bored expression. He turns to Andras, presenting the letter "I think we've been hailed, sir."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------​

The next morning, Vulgo rides to Gideon's house. He knocks eagerly on the front door, cupping his hands on either side of his mouth "Gideon! You've a guest, I hope you still remember me!" He was wearing his armour and tunic, as always. Armed, as always. Though these days he had an excuse for it aside from some healthy paranoia. He looks back to Andras, waving him over "Come, sir, Gideon is a good man. I'm sure that you could talk to him about your problem as well."
SilverFlight Godhowsae

 

[HumbugPie]

Pearl watched as her new found comrades beat up the last few standing guards. She was astonished at the beastwoman's strength and how her body morphed. With all of the chaos, she barely had time to think about the orc, either. One by one, memories of the stories her parents' servants had told her came flashing back - a dark land, its mysterious people; those stories weren't just simply tales. They were truth. She wanted to know more about them, but now wasn't the time for questions.

As the beastwoman delt with the increasingly angry guard, Pearl placed her ocean blue hand on the handle of her cutlass - just in case it was needed. "I know I shouldn't be. I had to help when I saw what was going on." she looked at the orc, gritting her teeth in hopes she hadn't made the situation worse. The mention of an old friend and the chance of seeing him again raised her hopes, "yes, I recieved his call for help. I haven't had the pleasure of seeing him again. Its been years."

Pearl turned to the dwarf, "Pearl. And you?" a small smile appeared on her face as she acknoledged the orc to be 'Des' (which, obviously, sounded like a nickname) and the beastwoman to be 'Trileon.' She felt a little awkward, being so abrupt in the way she appeared. But they needed help, clearly.

Following the dwarf, she marched on forward. However awkward that situation was, she was excited about the prospect of new friends.

SilverFlight Flutterby mothspit

 

[SilverFlight]

Lassard eyed the three of them. He was one of the most deadly soldiers Evereach had, but he was also cautious, and Azaria and Crow had thrown just enough uncertainty into this mind to make him pause.
"'Orders above my paygrade'? That is very high up indeed. How did you and your...quarry, come to be on this ship?"
His eyes were sharp as glass as he looked the three over, pausing ever so briefly on Iolas' covered face. His hand was resting gently on the hilt of one of his swords, and anyone who had dealings with Evereach knew it could be drawn in the blink of an eye.
Zazz Goonfire LazyDaze