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[Dwarmin]

Tala took the chain in hand, feeling the intricate links flowing between her fingers. Tala's mind was already looking for some sort of pattern within it, something hidden-that would mean something, only to her...she guessed Pashas mother had worn it, and gifted it to her son such a reason as this. She could almost hear a voice in the back of her mind.

Take care of my boy, you hear me?

She kept respectfully silent, as she hooked it behind her neck, letting the length fall onto her chest. It seemed natural that it should be there. Tala was a creature of omen, though-and Pasha must have known, to be giving up his lucky charm for her. She had to give him something soon...fate need not be tempted at this moment.

She could only hold the silence for a moment longer-anymore, and the tension would become unbearable. She said the words she had perhaps been wanting to ever since they had met.

"Oh, and-Yes, Pasha Dolgrouki. I will marry you. What did you expect me to say? "

And, so it was. They laughed, and kissed, tenderly embracing each other with renewed passion-confident that whatever tragedies and hardships they would face in the future, would be balanced by all these small simple joys.

There is a certain feeling that one enjoys in these moments-not of loss of self, or being tied down to another-but the feeling that two souls have merged into one body, perfectly balanced and utterly right. Words do such little justice to the feeling.

It was so touching, even Wilhelm couldn't help but shed a tear.

....

She reached into her small travelling chest a moment later, the one hanging from Emeralds side.

"Take this gift as well. My father wore this ring. He told me the man who wore it, would not die as long I loved him...and yet, he still gave it to me from his own hand."

Tala held out the ring to Pasha. It was a simple thing, a sturdy steel loop with a wild rose engraved into the circular face-the bud of rose was a tiny, sparkling amber colored gem. It had always felt warm to her, especially if she held it in the Sunlight-like a living thing. Of all the things Tala had, it meant the most to her-a ward against evil, one whose power flowed from her, and her alone. So, she could protect him, even when she wasn't there...

[Taricus]

"Milords? This is nice and all but I do suggest we start running. We may have 'accidentily' pissed off a fairly large bear. I do say that we might want to start running before we marry it's claws, teeth and stomach, And I'd prefer not being eaten after we had the luck to survive the dragon empire's army. I'll lead on, just tell me where to go."

Wilheim was glad that most of his wounds were on his upper body, and that the worst ones had healed enough (Thanks to some rudimentry first aid.) that he could run. This would be a tale to tell, if he survived.

[micelus]

It was still spring, and Retycl was still tired of the season. The constant calls of the birds and their incessant "deliveries" on the tents  were driving the hatcuri mad. But then again, better to be mad than to be bored as the poets said.

Retycl right then was on a make-shift jetty, watching the waves come and go. It helped relieve the boredom. As he was watching, he saw something in the distance. A ship. As it came nearer, he recognised it as the Prescient. Took him long enough, Retycl thought.
-----------------------------

As the ship docked, Retycl's immediately climbed aboard and wondered, where was William and his men? "Dead, milord. He didn't return or anything. So we came back."

William, dead?

"Where did he go, and did you see the corpse?"

"He went to Polca, some crazy plan of his. Told us to leave if there was no red flag over the city by morn. So no corpse, ambassador."

Well...the captain had no reason to lie and he had always expected William to die...But without a corpse, it was hard to believe. But best to accept it for now.

"Captain, ready the ship for sail. We head to Dalannor, after your men rest of course."

"Uh, yes...Ambassador."

Sail to West Dalannor and meet with this Captain Nitha Ferrin.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Pasha smiled with relief as he held her. In the moment between his proposal and her anser he had still believed that it wasn't going to happen, that he was still in Lord Marlax's dungeons and all of this was a hallucination caused by one of the many drugs his torturers liked to force on the prisoners, that he would wake up and still be locked away in a sunless room with the rats and spiders crawling about his toes. But no, no chains bound his wrists, no stones stood between him and the world. That was going to be a problem as soon as Wilhelm spoke up, but right now Tala was still reaching into the chest hanging from Emerald's saddlebag. She produced a ring - a ring of as much value to her as the necklace he had given her was to him. It was simple but not common; a respectable design that would fit well on a man's finger about his size. He removed his left glove and slipped it onto the appropriate finger.

This is the first chain I've willingly submitted myself to... he thought, looking at it. He was now bound to her fate, and she to his. I'm sure she will want to begin planning the wedding soon. I can't wait either. He was feeling elated, excited, like all the tension that had built up over the march was flowing away. He put the glove back on for the moment and helped her and Wilhelm onto Emerald. The man was injured and he needed someone to help him stay saddled, and it would be easier for the horse to carry them. He took the reins in his hands and began leading them off, away from the bear Wilhelm pointed out was waking up and seeming rather angry.

"Probably leaving hibernation late and is just hungry," he said to the scout as he turned Emerald south. "I don't think everyone will be too surprised at this turn of events. All the same, we should see the Queen and tell her the news... and you can write invitations, and I can stand around grinning like the village idiot," he said, this to Tala. He laughed at himself. "Sorry, I'm a little... I don't know right now. Excited, and nervous, and joyous..." Pasha ran his free hand over his hair, brushing some of his bangs away from his face - only to have them fall back into place as soon as he moved his fingers away.

This is really... it. Ah... calm down, Dolgorouki! You don't need to fall into hysteria, no matter how happy you are! He looked up at Wilhelm again. "Sorry if I'm acting like such an idiot, I mean... well, have you ever been in love?" he asked rhetorically. He turned his eyes back to the road. It would be a walk back to Talama, that was for sure, but not as long as the march had taken; they could move at their own, faster pace, and he had every reason to want to get there as soon as possible. And I need to have a chat with Queen Laythe as soon as I can. I have a few things she needs to know about me and my family...

[Dwarmin]

Tala was surprised to see Pasha so...exuberant. It was like as if someone had turned back the clock-erasing the years of hardship he had endured, making him more like the young man she had met back in Dalannor. Was it possible? To forgive yourself? To be reminded how young you once were, and could be again...that not all that was lost stayed lost?

["I don't think everyone will be too surprised at this turn of events. All the same, we should see the Queen and tell her the news... and you can write invitations, and I can stand around grinning like the village idiot,"

"Lucky me, that your smile is only the least of your best attributes..."

She laughed brightly, as they made progress toward the road back to Talama, where any remnants of the army would be travelling on.

"Pasha, my love, you seem now as you did all those years ago, when you were waiting outside my apartment with nothing but flowers and a nervous smile...it's good to see you this way, again. It gives me hope....for myself."

Tala hadn't much hope for anything in a long time. Things could change, who knew?

It was at this time, the cold rain that pounded Ligorias army visited the trio as well. Tala found it didn't bother her, even if her hair and clothes were getting soaked. If anything, it was a cleansing rain.

Let it pour, she thought. I'm long overdue, closing her eyes, and tilting her head upwards to face the Heavens.

Action: Tala, Pasha and Wilhelm rendevous with the retreating elements of the Ligorian army.

[vagel7]

Franz stepped out of the carriage and put on his large blue, gold-trimmed, feathered hat before observing his surroundings. He was standing in the city centre. Much has changed from when he last visited it.

Head to the palace and get an audience with the Queen.

[Taricus]

Head to the palace and get an audience with the Queen.

You head to the Palace, only when you there do the guards tell you that she is out on campaign, and is not likely to return until the summer.

[vagel7]

Hmph, the Queen is away till the summer, Franz can't sit around for that long. He needs some other task, preferably given by the state so he would be known by the time the Queen gets back.

Offer spy and assassination services to the ministers and if that does not work then offer them to the state bank.

[Taricus]

The guards direct you to one Avitus Traianus at the university, saying he's the regent while the queen is away.

[vagel7]

Excellent, a regent. He hasn't heard of Avitus Traianus. Sounds like a cardinal or something like that. Franz doesn't like priests a whole lot, they look badly on certain actions and badly on the people who perform those actions. Yet they themselves greatly enjoy the vast amount of "forbidden pleasures", he once met a priest who had his own personal harem and was trading with young female slaves. Unfortunately the priest had an accident while out hunting, poor bastard's corpse was missing the head. Either way he will go and speak with this Avitus.

In the University he was led to Avitus by a kind servant.

Taking an elegant bow Franz spoke: "Sir Avitus, may we speak in private please, It is important."

[NUKE9.13]

The University turns out to be a construction site (an old watchtower being modified). Entry is denied to you as,
"'s dangerous, sir, could be fallin' stones and stuff"
Before you can press the worker barring your way to let you in anyway, you are approached by the man overseeing construction.

"Is this insolent whelp giving you any problems, sir? He's a lying bastard, its perfectly safe. Can I help you, perhaps?"

[vagel7]

Franz takes an elegant bow.

"Good day sir! I hear that you are serving as regent while the Queen is away. I have some important things to discuss, they are private though."

[NUKE9.13]

"Wait he's not the mffmff"

Hugo smiled at Franz even as he held his hand over the worker's mouth.

"I see. You, get back to work. I'll deal with this."

The worker wanders off, shaking his head.

"So, what sort of things did you need to discuss?"

((Hugo van Vissersdorp, at your service. But don't tell Franz that, this might be useful))

[vagel7]

Franz noticed how this wasn't exactly normal. However he chose not to show any suspicions that he might have and just raised his alertness level.

"Please walk with me to a more private spot."

Reaching a more secluded spot and making sure nobody is overhearing them, he starts speaking.


"I am Franz LaWitch, member of the LaWitch family. I have come here to find work for myself, I am in fact a spymaster and an assassin. My fees however are large as I am just no normal murderer, I am a master assassin.. I also have an intention to start a guild of sorts for highly professional assassins, trained by me. For that guild I need your support, the guild would however in time become totally independent, but still holding your interests at hand.
I would be working as an active assassin until I have laid the foundations of the guild, that is alchemists, engineers, a guild HQ, spies and assassins.

((For any further reference, my guy is armed with a chiavona and 4 knives, 1 is hidden.))

[NUKE9.13]

Hugo looks surprised. Shocked, even.

"I... uh... I see."

This man... surely a blessing from the heavens. Hugo silently thanked the Bright One.

"Well, obviously this is not the place to discuss such things. But I know somewhere more... suitable. Visit the Bleeding Scales tonight- its an inn in the center of town- ask the bartender to speak with Kraai. He'll let you through to the back, and then we can talk."

Hugo leads Franz out of the construction site, and points the way to the Bleeding Scales. He then drops a few coins in the workman's pocket not to mention the hilarious joke he pulled earlier.