Too Long Inside

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

Cade paid little attention to her as he munched very happily on his sausages and cheese. Taking a long sip of the drink, he turned slightly toward her and asked, "Hmmmm? Oh, you mean our second class Guard Archer friend?" Taking a few quick bites of the dark bread and chewing with his teal eyes closed, he sighed contentedly. He continued, "He'll be put up in a holding cell under the barracks until we wake up tomorrow." He licked his knife clean. "At which point, we'll go down there," he said, jamming the knife into its sheath, "and I'll interrogate him." He turned to look at her in the face, a queer glint in his eyes and a smirk on his face. "He'll tell me what he was doing here, what they want with those people, where they're keeping them now, and what his mother's middle name is."

[Ziako]

"I didn't realize his mother's middle name was necessary tactical information..." She turned toward him giving him her best smirk. "It seems I still have a lot to learn about military matters but if you insist on leaving me out of the interrogation," she lightly shrugged, "I will have a lovely time shopping in the marketplace. Until you finish with whatever obnoxious masculine things you have to do." She turned back and swallowed the remaining liquid in her mug. Finished with her meal, she pushed her self away from the bar and stood. It was only early evening and she was far from tired. "If you'll excuse me Cade, I think I will go clean up, change, and come back. I think I could probably beat the three men at the third table from the left at cards." Her smile broadened, "And It would improve my temper to relieve them of their wages."

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

"His mother's middle name is very important: the Drow tend to use the same names over and over again. If you would LIKE to sit in on the interrogation you could, but you may enjoy shopping more, as you say." He took another sip from his mug, keeping her in the corner of his eye. "Might as well take their money, Oceanjumper. If you can win it from them, they don't deserve to keep it." He smiled and decided to turn his "blind eye" toward her. "Just keep yourself in one piece, kid. I'm going to sit here a while longer and enjoy my return home." He sighed happily and propped his elbows up on the scrubbed, clean counter.

[Ziako]

Ziako was certain Cain had yelled something to her as she left, but she didn't care enough to turn back around and figure out what it was. If It was important he'd tell her again. She washed some of the dirt from their travels at a hand pump in the back and headed back to their room. It was a modest sized room oak paneled walls and oaken floors. She put her back down and sifted through its contents she hadn't brought much in the way of nice clothes. She had resigned herself to traveler's pants and thick wool shirts cut in a fairly manly fashion for the trip, but she did find a single long wool skirt thrown in her bag that flattered her enough to make her look disarmingly female. She tied her hair back in a fairly feminine half ponytail and completed the effect with her good cloak. She turned looking into a plain standing mirror. She looked childlike and yet decidedly feminine at the same time. It would do to disarm the men as long as no one asked about the long scar obscured by the rabbit fur.

She walked back out to the the common room glancing over Cade up against the bar. She walked to the table with the three men deep in cards. She smiled sweetly, "Mind if I join you?"

The three men turned to her and glanced to each other. The youngest one maybe twenty years old smiled back. He was fairly handsome, clean shaven with Dark hair and Dark eyes. He was nearly as broad shouldered as Cade and he wore good sturdy clothes if not the most fashionable. He waved wholeheartedly toward the empty chair at the table. "Of Course, It would greatly improve the company." The other two men simply grumbled incoherently.

"Thank You," giving the man another warm smile. Ziako sat down gracefully and let the men deal the cards.

"I'm Rakil by the way." He leaned closer to her his voice coated with honey, "And you are?"

She smiled sweetly again, "Ziako, but my friends call me Zia." She was a little perturbed the man was laying the sweetness on so thick, but what could she expect from tavern hall gamblers. She smiled lightly and picked up her cards.

"Zia it is then."

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

Paying little attention to Ziako once she had left, Cade leaned in on one elbow to Shylla. He knew that Ziako could hold her own and if she got into trouble could bail herself back out again, though he hoped she would use common sense and not get knifed in her proceedings. Somehow, he doubted the likelihood of that situation, trusting wholly in her fine abilities of robbing men blind. He was preoccupied, however, in his own assignment. Before he was ever a man of any community, he was first and foremost a soldier and he had to follow his orders, however much he seemed to throw scorn and disobedience in his commanding officer's faces. "Shylla," he started, "I have a question for you."

"Well, go for it," the older woman said, tucking her cloth into the tie of her apron. She was a clean woman and the only reason the inn had a grubby feel was because of the condition of her clientele.

"Have you seen more Drow than normal recently? Tell me about Wintersgate's relations with them."

She blinked once, pushed a stray gray lock behind her ear with a resigned sigh and looked away from him across the faces of the locals. "Look, Den, I'll be frank. You haven't lived here in nigh on six years, is it?" She waved a hand absently. "Doesn't matter. Point is, it's been a while. It may look like not much has changed. We still haven't got the courtyard fixed from your accident; haven't even fixed that blasted lamp at the tailors. But I'll tell you what, the Drow have been closing the noose around here for some time. Started out small: a few raids here and there, nothing too big. We kill 'em like the next Northern town, but they kept comin' in bigger and bigger packs and we're runnin' out of soldiers. You think Snowhaven's got it bad up there? You don't know nothin'. We're down to a few dozen soldiers where we had a couple hundred before. We were tempted not to send the recruit caravans on to you all up there; meant to keep some of them for ourselves, but we know if we sell you all short, we'd get hit even harder from the mountain tribes." She leaned in to him so they looked straight into each other's eyes. "Den, we're bein' squeezed out. They're killing anything making its way here whether that be people or goods." Her eyes drifted up to the group at large again, focusing in on the table where Ziako sat. "I hope she's careful with that Rakil. Looks as though he could use another drink," she muttered, her eyes sparkling as she prepared another house special, smoke billowing out of the top of the glass, the scent of pine cones and snow strong.

"She'll be alright," he said, trying to smile.

"Weeeell, just in case."

[Ziako]

She wasn't certain if Shylla had slipped something into Rakil's tankard of strong house liquor for her sake or if the liquor was simply finally beginning to effect him, but she was damn grateful to the older woman either way. Rakil was beginning to tilt back and forth slowly and making stupid decisions. The other two had been decimated by the combined card playing ability of both her and Rakil, each of them had left a full two gold poorer that had divided evenly between the two remaining players. The two had even begun to gather quite the audience as surrounding tables scooted over to observe the game. It was simply getting easier to win as Rakil became more drunk. Unfortunately, It was also becoming more difficult to keep her temper in check as the conversation from the man became more lude. It also didn't help that most of the observers were snickering about the jokes as well. She was certain she could take on the entire room, though she was also certain it would not end well for her. She also knew a few of the men in the room would probably leave in horrendous shape if she did. It was a particularly fine hand that she decided to make her final move on. " I'll bet everything", she smiled coyly at the man across the table hoping he would take the bait.

He swayed dangerously in his seat, "You *hiccup* ain't got nothin' little girl," Ziako made a mental note to kill him for calling her little girl later. "You tried this one *hiccup* before. I call." He showed his hand revealing three of a kind in nines. She smiled sweetly again at Rakil and turned her like she would a fan toward him to reveal a straight flush. He jumped up from the table quickly probably too quickly as his head took a nose dive back into the table followed closely by the rest of his body. The cards were scattered, but the coins had already been taken up by the woman and were quite safely secured in her coin purse. The man's next move surprised her immensely when he attempted a slow and unsteady swing at her head. She easily turned the blow with her left hand yanking him forward by the wrist and connecting her right hook to the right side of his head. She didn't perceive any bones cracking, and they shouldn't considering she had only given him a tap, as she connected around the area of the ear.

She patted the man on the back of the head as he fell slumped across the table, "I had a wonderful evening." She nearly sang the words and smiled lightly again at the unconscious man and walked over to the counter where Cade still sat. She slunk into the chair next to Cade and prepared for what she perceived would be a severe tongue lashing as she attempted to make herself as small as possible to attempt to avoid the notice of the older woman.

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

Shylla gave her a severe look as Ziako slid in beside Cade. "Normally, I'd have just a couple of stern things to say to you, young lady, but as it was Rakil who took it, I'm willin' to let it go." She gave a wink and a smile hidden behind her professional stance.

Cade took Ziako by the arm gently and hopped from his tall stool, bowing his head to Shylla. "We ought to be out of your hair by tomorrow afternoon, madam. Thank you for your food, and may the Light be with you and your establishment," he said by way of formality.

She closed her eyes in acknowledgment and dug out a thick iron rod from beneath the counter, handing it to him. "And on your enterprise."

Deniel led Ziako upstairs to their room, carrying the rod in his other hand. Upon closing the door, he wedged the bar across it and made his way to a chair beside the window which was open a little to let the night air into the room. Dumping his pack onto it, he said without looking at her, "Enjoy yourself? You seemed to be successful." He leaned his sword against the chair and turned his head to appraise her, an amused smile on his lips.

[Ziako]

"I try, though I don't know how everything turns into a fist fight." She sighed, "I only took 6 gold off the guy." She replied indifferently waving a hand as if dismissing the comment as she fussed with the items in her pack, "Oh, and you'll be happy to find out he's a local tracker who's been monitoring the Drow attacks. He seems to think they're coming from somewhere in a ridged valley to the Northeast, but that's all he had." She said without turning to look at him. She unceremoniously kicked off her shoes and sat nonchalantly on top of one of the beds facing toward Cade. "So, get some sleep and see what our "new friend" says tomorrow, that the general plan?"

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

Standing a while giving her an appraising look, Cade fiddled with the ends of his sword belt before turning back to the window. He threw it open with more force than was required and stood with sagging shoulders, bracing against the sill. With a sigh, he withdrew an old, torn map from his pack on the chair seat and spread it on the floor. "Probably in the mountains between Snowhaven and Wintersgate," he said, tapping a set of spiked ink peaks in the region. "I know the region well enough. Ah, it doesn't matter. I'll go back if I have to," he muttered under his breath. Straightening, he put the map away again, tossed his cloak on top of his things and stretched himself out on top of the other bed. He closed his eyes with his arms tucked beneath his head. "Plan? Mmm," he hummed sleepily, "yes, listen to the Drow, see if he confirms your friend's information. We'll need to be up early to do it, though. Morning light hurts them more than the afternoon, and I want to exploit that if I can. Market'll be out and in full swing by then, so you can entertain yourself there or at the interrogation, whichever."

[Ziako]

"As much as I would love an interrogation...", she replied her voice laden with sarcasm. "I kill them, I don't talk to them." She stood and quickly made about getting ready for bed. She turned to her companion and gave him a light smile, "Night Cade." Before, she returned to the bed she had strewn most of her belongings across and promptly went to sleep.

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

During the night, the air coming in through the open window off the mountains and the snow grew cold, but not cold enough that Den woke. He slept through the howling of the wolves and the cries of the Winterbirds that sounded similar to wind in the treetops with another undertone of some emotion that bordered on unnameable. A dark face framed by thin moon-touched locks peaked in at the window's corner for only a second, its red eyes dark and roving, before it again vanished out of sight. A long while after that, a more humanoid voice carried beneath the birds and the beasts. Den rolled over and muttered, "You can't have it," but did not wake.

The morning's light was clear, unimpeded by the cloud cover that had threatened the day before. The light on the snow outside was brilliant and bounced into the room through the open window with vigor. It was still very early when Cade rolled over and opened his eyes blearily. He preferred to wake this way, with the natural light fading his dreams from his mind rather than having any one person shake him roughly awake and jar him into mute anger. Rubbing his arms with thick, slow, sleepy hands, he sat up and glanced at Ziako's bed only to be sure of his surroundings before he stood slowly and ambled to his things. He was not hungry yet, but knew that after his work was done he would have a towering need. Remembering what Ziako had said the night before, he quietly took his things and left the room, letting her sleep until she woke and went her own way among the market. He hoped she would be polite and not make too much ruckus while he was attending to business. Strapping his things on, he exited the inn, headed toward the round tower in the center of the barracks building.

[Ziako]

It was mid-morning when she finally awoke with light streaming through the window. It had been a pleasant enough sleep. Sitting up, she looked around the room to find Cade had already absented himself. It wasn't surprising he was probably off playing with his Drow. She let out a heavy sigh, got dressed in traveling clothes in case they had to leave today, and began repacking all her equipment that she had strewn about the day before. She had finished repacking placing her traveler's cloak on top and wearing her nice cloak. She was headed to the market after all. Since Cade had left without waking her, he had pretty much given Ziako leave to do what she pleased. She slung her pack and walked into the common area, where she said a quick goodbye to Shylla and made her way into the already somewhat bustling street.

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

When Cade entered the tower's base, he was immedietly accosted by a guard who directed him through a door in to the barracks and to a staircase that led to a room underground. There, next to the sullen, dark-faced Drow stood Commander Rezir, several long, thin-bladed knives dangling from his fingers. "Cade," he said quietly. The room was quiet, dim, the only stray of light coming from a small, rectangular, barred window high up in the walls through which the morning light sparkled in a square beam to the stone floor across from the Drow. Cade stood on the last step, looking over their captive. He still had defiance imprinted in the lines of his face and the glint in his red eyes. The violet of his skin had deepened in the room's shadows to the same color as a bruise.

Cade's resolve strengthened in that face and he stamped down from the last step and strode to the Commander's side. "Has he said anything yet?" he asked, gesturing to the bloodied tips of the knives and looking from a few steps distance at the puncture wounds still slowly oozing on the Drow's arms and sides.

Rezir shook his head. "Not yet, but we'll get it out of him."

Cade shook his head. "Please go. I'll take care of this. And besides, my companion will be in the market today, and...you know." He laughed and grinned, then grew somber again and stepped squarely in front of the Drow after patting Rezir on the shoulder as he ascended the stairs. Cade left the blades on the ground at the bottom of the stairs, untouched. He evaluated the patch of light on the ground, then squatted and looked directly at the Drow who stood tied in the shadows. "You're a Guard Archer of second class, correct?" he asked.

The Drow glared and spat at his feet, narrowly missing his boot. "Dahn daelanza. Ptan."

Cade nodded slowly, understanding that he would get nearly nothing from him in Common. He hoped his rough knowledge of the Drow language would be enough. He sat back on his heels and looked up at the window, then back at the Drow. "I have all day, you know," he said. "I have no problem waiting until that light drifts its way over to you and then just cornering you in it." The archer snarled, pulling his lips back to show his long canines. "Well, then, cooperate: tell me where you're hiding out, where the villagers are and why you want them, and I'll cover up the window for you." The Drow hissed angrily and stood sullenly for a few moments, watching the white light from the window on the floor.

[Ziako]

Ziako wandered around the stalls in the market unable to find what she was looking for, but enjoying the lively atmosphere. It was not a packed market, but there were significantly more people than a particular day in Snowhaven. It seems her exploits from last night had garnered attention because their was more than one person in the square giving her a wide berth. She stopped at a baker's shop to find some rye bread in case the mission took longer than expected. She finally found the tailoring stall that she was looking for tucked into a back corner of the market. It was a well built stall with it's shade made of silk. She walked up to the stall and immediately recognized the same type of cloak she was in the habit of wearing. This was not lost on the shopkeeper either. "Hello, I see you already a fan of my wares?" He was about Cade's age, but while Cade was solidly built and heavy skinned from a lifetime of fighting, this man was thin, short, pale, and soft skinned possessing none of the healthy qualities of the men in Snowhaven. She guessed he had never been in a fight in his entire life. She did observe calloused fingers on the other hand which meant, if nothing else, he was good at his trade.

"Yes, I am. I got this cloak as a gift. I loved it so much I thought I would find one for my little sister." She smiled and settled in for what she assumed would be a long negotiation even though she had yet to pick a cloak yet. Datalis had mentioned the man he had brought the cloak from would scalp every cent he could out of you.

"Of course, you look for children's cloak than?"

"No, for a woman a little taller than me." A cloak was not useful for a child unless they could grow into it, a simplistic rule from those who lived in Snowhaven.

"Ahh, I know perfect." He took from one of the storage crates a deep navy cloak trimmed in white fox fur. It was heavy wool but well spun and soft. It was exactly what Ziako was looking for. This fact however was not lost on the tailor. "I see you like. I give you for... hmm, 25 gold."

25 gold was robbery and he knew it. He was just gauging whether or not she was a an easy sale. "Your also in the habit of robbing customers of hard earned savings. I wouldn't pay more than 6 gold for it." This banter continued until settling on the fair price of 12 gold, which considering her win last night only set her back 4 gold from when she left Snowhaven.

It was midday by this point and having nothing better to do with her time she walked toward the guard complex to see how Cade's "chat" with the Drow was going.

[Lavinia Lionsgrave]

The threat of light spurred the Drow to speak in short, clipped, often rude sentences in undercommon. He did not want to burn anymore than Cade would have volunteered to jump into a sandbug pit in the summertime. The information was slow-coming and patiently extracted. Cade had hunkered in, sitting cross-legged in front of the Drow, asking questions and translating in low, slow mumbles to himself. "Eastern hills...with...emnatas...ah, twenty five.... What? Renta...units? Ah, that's as close as I.... Who's commanding them?" he asked, suddenly directing his train of thought on to the Drow.

He shook his head. "Tahlti emora Gnarlflal. Kinsa eltasib," the Drow spat, giving Cade an appraising look as though watching the older soldier for some sort of reaction.

"Gnarlflal?" Cade reiterated, tasting the half-word for a moment, thinking back to his vague knowledge of the language and trying to find the translation. The name seemed familiar, but it took him long enough to figure out the translation that the archer lost interest in how he would take the news and returned his eyes to the square of shimmering light that was growing brighter as the sun passed into late morning, drifting closer as it did so. "Wait, Gnarlbranch?" He snapped and stood suddenly on his feet. "Of course! He would want to stop anything getting to Snowhaven!" He paused, pleased for the moment with his revelation, but as he contemplated the implications of it, his shoulders sagged and the Drow laughed through his grinning teeth at the older soldier. Cade seemed to fold in on himself, resting his elbow on his belt and his chin on his fist, contemplating the stones at his feet. 'This could be bad,' he thought, completely oblivious to the dungeon around him for the moment. 'I could end up in all sorts of trouble with all sorts of people if my hunch ends up following through.'