Virgins to the Night [WFRP]

[BloodyAngel]

Lynn Foerster

Y' wan' me to... get into... a fistfight? Lynn asked, confused, So... ye' can watch?

For several moments she made an odd face as she tried to comprehend what she was told. Was it some sort of odd come-on? Was he drunk? She tried to imagine what would have happened if a man back home had told one of the women in town he'd love to see them "off brawling while I cheered on". She was pretty certain that her father would've beat the tar out of any man who said he wanted to see her get a beating. City folk were strange.

Ah... Thank you? She finally said, But ah'm torn up still from th' turtle. An' ah fight for Sigmar... no' for... ah... cheerin'? Glory. Tha's the word, right?

[Another_Poet]

Lynn

The big man smiles. "That's the word," he agrees. "Though the money ain't bad, either."

He introduces himself as Danver; he seems friendly enough, but soon he's called away by his mates. Lynn goes back to her cup.

The doctor had said: drink red wine and don't eat any food. It was supposed to help with the blood loss? But Lynn finds herself feeling quite woozy, far more than a cup and a half of wine should manage. By the time the others come in, she has a hard time standing.

~

All

In time, everyone makes their way to Ritten House. The nobility are the last to arrive, a sullen and silent Rudo drifting beside them.

Ren's entry arouses some interest. "His Holiness!"

"Aww, he didn't get a spot in the coach," someone observes.

Supper is luxurious by most standards: stew and brown bread, two of the game birds with a side of mash, some smoked river trout and capers, a bit of beer or wine as desired. By elven standards, however, it's harsh fair. To Aquin the birds taste dry - how old were they before they were hung over that fire? And if there's a single leaf of roughage anywhere in the house, it doesn't make its way near their plates.

It's truly an odd assembly, their little company. In time they make their way up to two private rooms, one across the hall from the other. Lynn has to be carried. Rudo hasn't said a word all through dinner, and he turns his back to Kurt in bed. Aquin and Ren share the other bed, and across the way, Elodie prays that Lynn doesn't snore.

Downstairs there's music till late, but they fall asleep with ease.

~

Scene 3: Being Discreet

Dawn comes and goes without waking the coach guards. They are simply exhausted. If it weren't for the sound of other patrons in the hallway, they might have overslept

But it seems that much of town feels the same way. The long, narrow great room of Ritten House is still largely empty when they come down. Milk and whey is available, and slabs of toast with butter.

A man by the bar bows his head toward Ren. "Morning, rev'rend."

[Tribe]

'Mornin',' Ren replies to the man at the bar, walking slowly and rubbing his head a bit. His hair is disheveled but he hasn't felt this good for years.

He leans against the bar and gives the man a sideways glance.

'You know I'm not really a messenger of the gods, right?' he asks, trying to look apologetic and rakish all at the same time. 'Not that I'd say no to such an appointment, but ... well, you fellas had me at a bit of a disadvantage last night.'

He shrugs.

'My mind was on other things.'

Ren smiles and wonders where Sarie is, although given the late morning time, he figures she's off somewhere doing business.

[Another_Poet]

The gent feigns astonishment. Catching his eye, the man behind the bar matches his look of shock.

"Not a real pries'! I was just about t' make a donation."

[Tribe]

The gent feigns astonishment. Catching his eye, the man behind the bar matches his look of shock.

"Not a real pries'! I was just about t' make a donation."

Ren smiles and reaches for his pouch.

'And in the spirit of donations, how's about I buy us an early morning ale?'

He nods to the man behind the bar and puts up two fingers.

'We'll take two of your festival best, thanks, good man.'

[Another_Poet]

The bar man sizes up Ren, and dutifully goes for the pour. It's the same chap from last night, early 20s, blond, and looking very much not like a morning person - but friendly enough.

A pair of giant, foaming mugs appears on the bar.

"Four pence, reverend."

Rudo, for his part, is more interested in the food; he goes through two bowls of whey and a fair amount of bread, asking about eggs in between courses.

"Doesn't hurt to have a pre-breakfast before we go see that priest," he said to no one especially. "Who knows what he'll serve."

[BloodyAngel]

Lynn Foerster

Lynn dragged herself from her room come morning as a bedraggled mess. Her clothes looked slept in and she somehow gave the impression of bed-hair despite having only the faintest hints of peach fuzz atop her head. Bleary and half-lidded, she sat at the nearest table, not seeming for several moments to realize who else was down here.

Mnnnnn? Ren? She said finally as she realized where she was and her face changed to an expression of disapproval, Where's yer lady friend?

[-Sentinel-]

Kurt awoke very early, as usual, his body and mind still conditioned to the austere lifestyle at his order's fortress. By the time he got out of his bedroom, he was impeccably shaved and dressed. He had not seen fit to put on his armor today. He rapped quickly on the door of Elodie's bedroom to wake her up - she would not sleep late on his watch. If he was to act as her bodyguard, they would have to play by his rules, not hers.

[Tribe]

Mnnnnn? Ren? She said finally as she realized where she was and her face changed to an expression of disapproval, Where's yer lady friend?

Ren wasn't really that keen on drinking ale so early, so he took the opportunity of Lynn's voice to put the cup back on the counter and turn to his travel-mate.

'You're looking good,' he said with a smile. 'That doctor must know his business.'

He nodded to his bar mates and then left to sit with Lynn.

'Sarie's working someplace, I guess,' Ren said airily. 'She's amazing.'

He sat with his hand supporting his head on the table, eyes looking to the roof. All night he'd been thinking about her, about what she had said.

I'll marry you Ren Hardenberg. You just have to prove yourself.

Suddenly his grandfather's voice interrupted his reverie.

Don't forget the ...

But Ren waved it away and looked at Lynn.

'You know what?' he said brightly. 'After we wrap up this business with the priest, we should definitely take a look around the festival. There must be ways to make some gold in this place, and if I can get some more gold, then I can buy a ring for Sarie: a ring to show my honour, my commitment...'

Ren broke off and looked at Rudo.

'Is that little guy eating our food?'

[Tranquil]

Elodie ignored the knocking at the door. She did the best she could to make herself pretty without the assistance of a lady's maid. It was time to flatter Kurt, time to make amends to the moping halfling, time to maneuver herself closer to Duncan Vargas, time to make all of Kusel fall in love with her.

With one hand ready to open the door, she took a deep breath and smiled broadly. Elodie made her entrance into the corridor.

[-Sentinel-]

Kurt scowled at Elodie for her lateness, but did not comment on it - he always found it hard to criticize her when she wore her radiant face. Muttering under his breath, the squire went down the stairs to order a simple breakfast of bread, cheese and gruel and arrange something better for his cousin.

[Another_Poet]

Kurt finds it difficult to order finer fare for Elodie; the lad behind the bar is only half awake himself, and breakfast in Kusel seems to be little more than nosh.

"Mother hasn't cooked anything yet today," he explains.

'Is that little guy eating our food?' Ren asks Lynn.

Rudo, who has been stewing in silence, throws his spoon back into its bowl.

"Of course!" he says too loudly. "I'm stealing food! That's what halflings do, isn't it?"

He stands up, a less imposing gesture than he perhaps intended.

"I've had about enough of all of you. At least you all have families to go home to! What've I got? Nothing, that's what!"

All eyes fix on Rudo. Meanwhile, the front door opens. People have been going in and out all morning; the bartender hardly gives it a glance.

Then he looks again.

A gendarme has entered. Behind him is a woman. She wears an iron cuirass, expertly hammered to fit her chest, and military trousers. At her left hip is a sword; on her right, a pistol. Her twenty-something years and fine features are concealed by a mask of total austerity. Whatever authority the gendarme might have is completely subsumed in her presence: there is no doubt she's in control here.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she says quietly. "Rudo Silverpockets, merchant guard from Talabheim, I presume."

She scans the rest of the common room.

"Will you please assemble your company."

[Tribe]

Ren sprawls himself out of his chair, almost knocking the table over, as he stands up at the ready.

He finds himself totally enraptured by the woman, but suddenly finds himself without any kind of symbol of his position as professional adventurer. Composing himself as best he can, Ren crosses his arms over his chest and looks towards her without any comment.

By the Gods, she is incredible...

[BloodyAngel]

Lynn Foerster

Oh... yer courtin' all proper. Lynn said with a less disapproving tone, but still an odd twinge of irritation, Good on you.

Before they could speak much more on it though, others in the room demanded her attention. Lynn stood from her seat at the arrival of the woman, looking every bit the part of a professional military commander. Lynn gave a respectful nod of her head but didn't seem to defer nearly as much to commanders and aristocracy as she had the priest from yesterday.

She DID give Ren an annoyed look and roll her eyes at his slack-jawed appraisal of the newcomer however.

Hones'ly...

[theherocc]

She scans the rest of the common room.

"Will you please assemble your company."

Aquin stands, happy to be given a reason to ignore the rest of his poor excuse for a breakfast.

"I presume you mean my company. What can I do for you?"

[Tranquil]

Elodie beamed at the new arrivals, raising her eyebrows expectantly. She straightened her dirndl, which did not need straightening.

[-Sentinel-]

Kurt gave the woman his attention, though there was a frown on his face. His conservative sensibilities found the notion of a warrior lady hard to accept.

[Another_Poet]

The woman looks to Ren and Aquin as they stand up, glance flickering coldly over those who stay seated.

"You are perhaps Aquin of Palanique," she says when the elf takes responsibility for the band. "I would like to ask all of you some questions."

The gentleman who had been sitting nearby has found his way out the door, his mug of ale mostly untouched. The bar man finds cups that need some serious polishing at the far away end of the bar.

She approaches, the gendarme fanning out a bit from her. Neither of them take a seat. The woman's posture is much more rigid than that of the gendarme; he looks like he'd rather lean against the bar if she weren't watching.

"At the gate you stated you had encountered some sort of unnatural beast on the road. Can you please explain what business brings you to Kusel?"

"What sort of creature, or creatures was it? How many were there?"

"How many miles out did you encounter it?"

((There may be more questions, after you answer these.))

[theherocc]

"At the gate you stated you had encountered some sort of unnatural beast on the road. Can you please explain what business brings you to Kusel?"

"What sort of creature, or creatures was it? How many were there?"

"How many miles out did you encounter it?"

((There may be more questions, after you answer these.))

"I don't believe I described it as unnatural. It was a turtle. A large turtle. It would have been half a day's ride out from your delightful town." Aquin looks around to his group. "As for our business, that tends to be our business."

[BloodyAngel]

Lynn Foerster

Shell's probly still out there. Lynn said, out of turn, We done dragged it off th' road once it was dead.

The look on her face suggested she had no idea in the least that speaking out might offend. She was not hostile or insulting, instead just seeming confused at the amount of respect and pomp being shown to the woman.

[Another_Poet]

Shell's probly still out there. Lynn said, out of turn, We done dragged it off th' road once it was dead.

"There was only one?" the woman asks. "And your company killed it?"

Aquin looks around to his group. "As for our business, that tends to be our business."

The blonde-headed face swings back in Aquin's direction. The eyes are flint. But it's the gendarme that speaks:

"You'll answer the Constable's questions," he says. "And address her as ma'am."

[Tribe]

"You'll answer the Constable's questions," he says. "And address her as ma'am."

A dress? 'I think she's dressed fine,' Ren said, a little airily, looking at the constable. He blinks hard and seems to shake himself back to sense. 'I mean... we're not here to cause any trouble, ma'am. We're happy to kill any monsters you might have lying around the place.'

Ren shot a smile at Lynn and Aquin and then realised they weren't smiling back.

He shrugged slightly and then fell silent.

Maybe I should just look, he thought.

[Another_Poet]

The constable turns toward Ren. "Then please explain to me your business in Kusel."

Only if that's answered, she also asks them:

"Are you sure there was only one?"

"Why did it attack you?"

"What makes you think it was natural?"

[BloodyAngel]

Lynn Foerster

Not sure t'was only one. Only SAW one. Lynn said, exasperated, It was on th' road an' wouldn' move. Tried t' shoo it an' it got a hair up... so w' had t' end it. Don' y' have road wardens here fer this sorta thing?

[-Sentinel-]

"Then please explain to me your business in Kusel."

Kurt answered for Ren: "Package to deliver to the Morrites. As a squire for a Morrite knightly chapter, I'm a lay member of the cult. My comrades are hired help."

"Why did [the turtle] attack you?"

"It was in the way of our coach. We tried to get it to move. So I guess we're the attackers." There was a dry note in Kurt's usually serious and businesslike tone.

"What makes you think it was natural?"

"I don't think it was. Never heard of any natural turtles reaching that kind of size."

[Another_Poet]

The constable accepts Kurt's account of their business. She listens to both his and Lynn's reports with keen attention, as if inspecting each detail for inconsistency before committing it to memory.

"Don' y' have road wardens here fer this sorta thing?"

"Indeed we do," she muses softly. "They will be notified and I will dispatch a message to the homesteaders in that region as well. Grimm, make a note of that."

"Yes ma'am," says the gendarme automatically.

She looks back to them, particularly at Kurt. "You did the right thing to kill it. How long are you staying in Kusel?"

[theherocc]

Aquin was still standing. He was moving his head back and forth with conversation, bemused. Humans...

[Tribe]

As the constable and Kurt exchanged information about the brush with the tortoise, Ren wondered whether they were getting themselves into trouble or making a name for themselves.

It was difficult to tell.

At one point, the woman seemed to take their exploits as being a mark of usefulness, but then she would bark some other question.

And a part of him felt that the whole episode was something of a diversion.

His arms were crossed over his chest, one hand pressing against his shirt where underneath his opa's map was carefully folded and folded again. The old man had told Ren that all sorts of unusual folk were after the map.

Looking at the woman, Ren couldn't help but think she was the daughter of one of his opa's men, or perhaps grand daughter. Maybe she had tracked him down just as he was supposed to track down the treasure.

Even so, at the moment she hadn't really given him much attention - and that was good. Ren took after his opa: had the same dark blonde hair, the same curve to his nose. Any hunter who knew his (or her) stuff would be able to put two and two together.

And his spear was sitting up in the room.

Not that it would be much use anyway.

Ren found his eyes travelling to the woman's torso, so lovingly wrapped in armour, so impenetrable. The way her breasts seemed to be ...

Ren shook himself and started to look up at the ceiling.

It really wasn't the time to think of breasts - armored or not.

[-Sentinel-]

"How long are you staying in Kusel?"

"Can't speak for my colleagues," answered Kurt. "They were only hired for that job, so they can leave whenever they want. Elodie and myself may be here for a few days."

[Another_Poet]

"They were only hired for that job, so they can leave whenever they want. Elodie and myself may be here for a few days."

"Yes!" says Elodie, leaning in lovingly by her cousin and smiling at the constable. "Why, there's a festival coming up, isn't there?"

Rudo gives a snort, but Elodie continues.

"We'll probably stay at least till then, constable...?"

The woman looks Elodie up and down and gives the slightest of smiles. "Von Lansing."

She surveys the rest of the group once again. "Grimm, is there anything else?"

"Not that I can think of, ma'am."

"Very good. I hope you all enjoy the festival." Any warmth that might have crept into her voice vanishes with a final glance at Lynn. "And for the love of the gods, get this one a new shirt."

With that, the constable turns and paces out of the hall, her back as straight as when she entered. Grimm tips his hat at them and follows her out.