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[Ardas]

The queen and Kathos should be bringin in the patient at any moment. Please set up a clean bed and your station in my tent. As bad as it may sound coming from me, we need to keep the Fox away from the queen...

[Shootandrun]

Kathos entered in the camp slowly, carrying the Arctic Fox easily and ignoring the soldiers around him. A man told him the doctor was in Nikephoros' tent, and Kathos silently blessed the marshal. He reached the tent and placed the general on the bed, carefully. After that, he turned towards the doctor.

"He's got a few broken ribs, at least. Make sure he survives. If that man dies, you follow him."

Then he turned towards a soldier watching the scene.

"I need to talk with the Marshal, as soon as possible. Bring him here."

[Ardas]

Nikephoros got back to his own tent as soon as he heard that Kathos is back with the queen and Arctic Fox.
He then spoke to Kathos.

What on earth happened? It was supposed to be a peaceful negotiation and you bring him here with broken bones. But its no use berating you, it should be the queen getting her ear chewed off. We can use him to force the garrison to surrender and let everyone go. But I don't know what to do with our "lovely" monarch

[Shootandrun]

"He stopped the negociations, and the queen did not like that. She tackled him to the ground, and thanks to her armor she broke a few ribs. However, that does not matter right now. The Queen nearly killed the enemy general during peaceful negociations - if the soldiers learn about it now, we risk a civil war. I don't know if we can stop it from happening, but we must try to slow things down. If the soldiers inside the city see our forces divided, they might try to end the siege in a single battle - it would be our doom."

He paused. He looked very tired.

"Tomorrow, I'll make a speech to the men and try to convince them that things are not as bad as they look - I will have to lie, I fear. Tell your officers that the soldiers should not talk about that before I explain everything. I don't want anybody to talk with the general - Tala, the Queen, you and me can enter in this tent, and that's it. The doctor will sleep in here to make sure the man remains in a good state. He must not talk with the soldiers."

Another pause. He got rid of his helmet and said nothing for a few seconds.

"I must talk to the Queen. This disaster can still be stopped, if we react quickly."

[Ardas]

"I am afraid that the queen will have to be kept out and away from the man. And I don't think we need to explain anything. As a Marshal I will speak to the soldiers and keep everyone calm, I will simply say that queen feels ill and needs some time off."

Nikephoros calmed down a bit.

"You can handle her. She must understand that from now on she cannot do anything without consulting at least two other officials. Such antics can get us all killed. Tala is working with me, guess I can get her to help me out with the soldiers. My regiment and yours is enough to keep Arctic Fox and the queen in their tents and away from all the commotion."

After a a brief pause Nikephoros asked.
"Before you go to Laythe, tell me, do you think we can use the general to force the garrison to surrender? We kidnapped the man and Ligorian name is already blemished, but it would be foolish not to use the situation to end  the siege without bloodshed."

[Shootandrun]

"Marshal, I respect you and I am sure that you are a talented officer, but you do not seem to understand the political implications of the current situation. If we do not calm thing down, our men will react. Some of them might leave the army - hell, some of them might decide that they could rule better than the queen, and then we would have a civil war to deal with. Tomorrow, I will talk to them and try to calm everything down - I know how to talk to soldiers, trust me. If the queen decides that we are working against her, we are doomed. Do not confine her to her tent. Let me do the talking, marshal. We will deal with her once this war is over - one way or another.

As for the general, we will see. After I make sure we will not have to deal with a rebellion."

Go to the Queen

[Taricus]

For Kathos, finding the queen was fairly easy, as she had returned to her own tent. Her bodyguards nodded at Kathos as he went inside.

"This about the general?" Laythe's voice sounded weary and tired, as if she had aged a decade or two.

[Shootandrun]

"Of course it is. You kidnapped and nearly killed the enemy general during peaceful negotiations. Now, of course, you have the general, but your reputation is ruined... As well as other things. The soldiers will not be pleased. Alot of people in this kingdom will hate you because you did this, and alot more will fear you a little too much. If we do not react quickly and effectively, we might have to deal with a civil war or massive desertions - it's that bad. If I may ask, Your Grace - what was so important about the general that you had to stop him?"

[Taricus]

"Any reputation that we have is in no danger as long as no-one finds out and spreads the word that we took him like this. However, I do agree that we need to deal with any uprisings as soon as possible.As for the general, maybe that plan of his, maybe for the chance at a swift victory. What's done with him is done. I never intended to beat him to near death though..."

[Ardas]

Nikephoros made sure that Kathos' and his own soldiers guarded their tents and that place was searched for all that saw the incident. As long as they were from the loyal troop, there was no danger that they would talk. Camp was already alerted and all the soldiers were ready for any sally from mileth. Alternatively, an order to storm the place could be given. But Nikephoros knew that nothing will happen until he gets to exchange a few words with Arctic Fox.

On his way to his tent he wondered why did he let Laythe go off like that. Stupid woman, wreaks havok and walks right into all manner of trouble. It should have been him and Kathos talking to the fox, not her. It was obvious that Nikephoros would have to assert his position and make sure that this campaign would carry according to his plan. He already messed up by letting this situation happen.

[Shootandrun]

"We'll have to be extremely careful with the soldiers who saw all this. They must not be in contact with the other troops until the siege is over or we convinced them that things are not as bad as they think. The marshal suggested that we use the Arctic Fox to force the garrison to surrender - but if we do that, the troops will probably know about it. But yes, if we are lucky we might convince the rest of the world that we did not break a peaceful negociation the way we did."

He sighed.

"We will have a little chat to the Arctic Fox as soon as he is awake. I do not mean to offend you, but it will be best if you are not there while we discuss. I will talk to the soldiers who saw all this tomorrow - or maybe Nikephoros will do a speech by himself, he seems to think that I have no experience in anything related to war." He smiled for the first time since the 'problem' with the enemy general. He found Nikephoros quite funny with his "I am the only competent man in this army" attitude. I suggest that you stay in your tent for a few days - that might make the soldiers think that you were wounded. That way, they might believe that even if there was a fight, you were initially the victim and not the attacker."

[Taricus]

"Very well. As for me being confined to my tent, it's acceptable as well as me not being present when the Fox wakes up as well. I assmue that's all you wanted to see me about?"

[Shootandrun]

"Yea, that's all... I need to rest. We'll keep you informed about everything that happens in camp while you are confined."

He left. Before he returned to his own tent, he told the soldiers guarding the tent where the Arctic Fox slept that if the general waked up, he had to be informed as quickly as possible.

[Dwarmin]

Meanwhile...

Veritas hummed to himself as he lowered down the Ligorian Flag from it's stand near the Lady's tent-it had a small tear in it, not noticed really by anyone. She had bought this one herself-it was very large, with bold, vibrant colors and a reflective silken sheen. It wouldn't do to have a tear in it.

He mended it himself-a quick job, he took his time-but, of the seam would probably fall apart in an hour or so, what a pity...

He did so for three hundred seconds exactly. Veritas had always been good with numbers and time, even back when he was a slave. He supposed that's why the Lady rescued him, and took care of him now. And of course, he couldn't talk-who better to keep secrets?

After five minutes, he placed the flag back on the line and raised it.

Upside down.

Hurriedly realizing his 'mistake' he hooted under his breath, and drew it back down slowly, before sending it back, rightside up.

...

In the highest tower in Mileth, the man assigned to watch that specific spot, and that specific flag with his spyglass, looked at his code sheet

-Ligorian Flag lowered for Five Minutes, then raised upside down.

= Treachery

He informed his watch partner, who went to inform what remained of the Arctic Foxes command staff of what they had seen...

[CyberGenesis]

Ask if the Smugglers might be interested in having their work made that bit easier, in exchange for a little coin.
Assuming the answer is yes, have men visit cowardly guards to tip them off that they might get hurt if they spend too much time hanging around the docks.
Back up words with deeds by having the Fist patrol the docks and discourage any guards they find from hanging around. I'm thinking knuckles to the face, sword to the gut, and the corpses left lying in the streets.
Should the guards make some sort of organised attempt to reclaim the docks, send Hugo and more of the Fists to whittle them down with ambushes.

[4] The smugglers are always looking for a way to increase their 'sale potential'. They agree to pay the Fists .5d per season to maintain a presense in the area (Smuggling gets a free -1 to difficulty in Ligoria). [6] The cowardly guards are easily pushed off, but they can't seem to shut up about their 'hellish days at the docks' [4-1] The guards actually do attempt to push the Fists back out of the docks district, [4] but the recent chats with the Razors have cause them to [6] show up in force after hearing about the attempts to push the guards out. [2] They manage to assist the Fists, but this causes a bit of concern in the area from merchants as well. One of the guard captains calls for a meeting with all sides involved. The meeting would detail the Guard's lack of presence in the Docks District in exchange for the Gangs involved keeping body counts to a minimum. The Captain is sure he can bluff the reports, so long as things don't get out of hand - or else he'll have to call regiments into the docks to thin out any problems.

If he tries anything, like screaming for more guards or having his current guards attack, or fleeing, Kill them.

((I forget his name too, its in here somewhere - ill look later))

Attitude roll: [4]
"So i continue sitting on my ass, you'll clear out the thieves and cutthroats and i have to do what exactly? Leave you alone?"