Difference between revisions of "DKMortals/SessionThirtyThree"

Revision as of 09:02, 3 April 2010

[ST] Avir and Rabbit are gone, perhaps into the very maw of madness and destruction itself. The other Once Dead march onward. The Shadowland seems to slough off their bodies like a shed skin. The day is still bitterly cold, but the snow looks less like ash, the sun shines more brightly, and the sky is a pale blue above the rolling hills.

[ST] "Tanstaad is a day or two's travel to the northeast," Selza judges, squinting towards the horizon. "You'll understand if I'm not glad to see it again."

[Miruna] He spits at the ground. "I'd agree."

[Obligatory] Obligatory Sunshine turns back from looking over his shoulder at where they had been. He kept expecting the others to catch up. He's shivering slightly; Laughing Jek at some point managed to genially approrpriate the wool wrap he had scavenged. "I'm sure your family will be pleased to see you again."

[Obligatory] He looks at her with earnest innocence.

[ST] "What family?" She nods at Miruna's gesture. "Let's get moving."

[ST] Savage Bear Daughter watches the tableau silently, cocking her head to one side. Jek just shrugs.

[Obligatory] Obligatory considers making some comment about the beckoning warmth of home and the solace of golden memories, but Selza's expression does not invite it.

[ST] "Are we waiting for Avir?" Selza asks. Red pulls a face behind her back.

[Miruna] "No. Selza, point." Bear_Daughter had been point before the last break, but Selza didn't need anyone bothering her. And she'd be competent, probably. A better bet than Jek.

[Obligatory] "Stopping at the Emerald would be better for the wounded," Obligatory agrees. His own marks were nothing to speak of: a scarred ear and chapped lips were the extent of it.

[Miruna] Avir was on his own. Maybe he'd be back if he didn't go into that side tunnel. If the ghost wsasn't behind with friends. But they were close to delivering their message, and a day spent waiting would matter. He would make it matter.

[ST] With Selza in the lead, progress across the tundra is something approaching endurable. The cold hammers at the group viciously, and Selza's pace is not as fast as it could be. She halts from time to time, perhaps remembering the last time she came this way. There are enough rations left from the remains of the elk to keep their diminished numbers fed.

[ST] The first night is clear and bitterly cold, as so many of the others. A wolf howls somewhere in the distance, but the group is not disturbed.

[ST] By the time evening is falling on the second day, Selza tops a last hill and nods. "There it is." She points across a sweep of country to the stone wall and arched tunnel surrounding Tanstaad.

[Miruna] Wolves, that'd be nice. The elk was sustenance, but blood and fresh meat would be welcome.

[Obligatory] "It looks like a welcoming place," Obligatory says, nodding his head to her. He stops when she does and shivers politely as he waits for her to invite them into her home.

[ST] Selza shoots Miruna a look, as if to say: "Do we really have to do this?"

[ST] A little dugout has been clumsily constructed near the door. It flickers with orange light from within.

[Miruna] He trudges to the tunnel entrance. They were there. If she wanted to desert instead of seeing her old life again, he was past caring.

[Obligatory] "You will have to show us around while we are here," Obligatory says blithely as he follows Miruna down the hill, either ignoring her discomfort, or deaf to it.

[Miruna] The guard would probably be useless. Stoping to let him inspect them wouldn't get a message to the town any faster than going themselves. And he wasn't in the mood to deal with it. He walks into the tunnel, not bothering to stop to be challenged. "Nothing much there. That guild woman still there when you left?" She might be able to help them better than whoever the new mayor was.

[ST] As the footsteps of the others approach, a figure scurries out of the dugout. The figure is tall, but tight, bundled clothing prevents much else about it from being seen. "Who goes there? Why have you come to Tanstaad?"

[ST] "Hey!" He calls after Miruna. "You're- you're supposed to stop!"

[ST] "She was still here when I left," Selza says. "I do not know if she remains."

[Obligatory] Obligatory is walking quickly after Miruna, but he stops, clapses his hands together, and bows in the way of the Quiet People. The words tumble out. "Forgive us. Our leader is in a great rush. He is eager to meet your leader. Perhaps you can find her?"

[Obligatory] A white lie, Obligatory Sunshine excuses himself. If Miruna did not do the appropriate thing, surely it was the duty of subordinates to smooth things in his wake.

[ST] "Her?" the figure says, following along behind them. He staggers a bit. Evidently, the Emerald has not improved its security since Miruna was last here months ago. "Our current leader is Gaf."

[ST] Selza gives a disgusted grunt.

[Obligatory] "I beg your pardon, of course." Obligatory does another bow-and-hand-claspe gesture. "Cultural ways differ. Perhaps you can alert Gaf to our presence here?"

[ST] "S-sure." The guard races ahead into the broad tunnel, feet clattering on the stone.

[ST] "Well, they shouldn't have any trouble defending themselves against the Lunar bitch's armies," Red adds sarcastically. "What are we worried about?"

[Miruna] "If theres a few spears waiting at the other end of the tunnel, its on you," he comments to Obligatory. And smiles.

[Obligatory] "I would do my duty, of course," Obligatory says with dignity. "But I feel that in such circumstances negotiation, rather than futile resort to violence, would be the preferred strategy."

[ST] A small valley winds away below, a battered dirt road leading to a cluster of homes arranged in a ragged cross. One in particular stands out, a two storey building with a stone foundation. The others are all wood and thatch constructions. There are no spears waiting - just the Emerald Miruna remembers, all its shutters still pulled tight, the air full of glowing snowflies. Snow lies heavy on

[ST] the houses. The guard rushes ahead, yelling out for Gaf.

[ST] In the distance beyond the town, the great two-tiered Guild wagon is missing.

[Obligatory] Obligatory Sunshine looks around at the town, then at Selza, with equal curiosity.

[Miruna] Miruna continues on to the houses at the same steady pace they'd held for hours. He wondered if they would really be able to help him send a message faster than walking. He hadn't been thinking much past getting here, someplace. They could send runners, if any were willing to go. If they trusted any to survive to the otehr end. THey could provision here at least, and that would help.

[ST] Selza stands with her shoulders squared, staring ahead. "Elder Gaf, huh." As if the statement has summoned him, a figure emerges from the meeting house, hurriedly confers with the guard, then begins to trudge up the hill towards the Once Dead as they descend.

[ST] When he gets closer, Miruna recognizes him - the determined cast ofjaw, blond hair, blue eyes. It is Gaf, who aided him in his first mission to the Emerald. "Greetings-" the man begins, then trails off as he gets a better look at them. "What- SELZA? What... your ear?"

[ST] Selza does not reply to his welcome.

[Obligatory] "Is he a kinsman of your's?" Obligatory asks her hopefully, in a low voice. These people were not of the Quiet; decency alone would not move them, Obligatory knew well.

[Miruna] "Speak when its wanted," he tells the kid, quiet, then raises his voive to hail the Elder. "We're back. Trouble behind. Need to send a message. Get us food."

[ST] "He is my cousin's husband." Selza tells Obligatory quietly, more to silence him than anything else.

[ST] "Trouble?" Gaf looks over Miruna's shoulder, as if the trouble is right behind him. Red raises a hand and waggles her fingers at him insultingly. "What kind of trouble?"

[Obligatory] "Ah." Obligatory stifles any furthre outburst, content to gaze hopefully.

[Miruna] He glances over the mans shoulder, and yells at the guardsman, who looked like he was scurrying even when he stood still. "Food!" If Gaf wasn't going to give the order, he didn't mind. "An army through the mountains. Probably need to start packing. Not enough here to hold out." The tunnel would be brilliant for defense. But they'd need more defenders than the few that had just arrived.

[ST] "What-" Gaf scratches his chin, eyes darting between all of them. "An army? But- ah- uh- food. Food, yes, come with me, we had just set out a meal at the Pony. You're not the first guests we've had tonight."

[Obligatory] "Who else will we have the honor of dining with?"

[Miruna] His eyes narrow. Spies?

[ST] "Emissaries from the Elk tribe," Gaf says, already moving. He doesn't seem to want to look at any of them for too long. "Searching for missing tribe members. Ah, that... other man..." Gaf searches. "Avir. He's not with you this time, yes?"

[Obligatory] "He is coming," Obligatory says, smiiling. "He will join us."

[Miruna] "No. Elk tribe?" Tribes-people. Tough, might be a help. Certainly the ringwall of the Emerald would be a better defense than the plains. Maybe move the tribe in. And they could dragoon messengers, or at least animals to ride.

[Obligatory] Apparently, the boy was difficult to shut up. He leans towards the light and heat longingly.

[ST] "He's dead," Red offers. Gaf doesn't know who to believe as he continues to lead them down towards the meeting house pell mell, as if he can escape the news they bring. "Ah, if he does arrive, it is not that we are not appreciative, but since the incident, there have been some rumors. It would be best if he remains without."

[Miruna] He grunts. They'd realized, probably. Well, he wasn't the first to tarnish the name of the Once Dead. It was black already, and with cause enough.

[Obligatory] Obligatory looks at her. "You're just mad he let you fall into the frozen lake," he says factually. Then, more loudly: "Rumors?"

[Miruna] 'How many of the tribes? Train any militia since I was last here?"

[ST] "The militia is larger than it was," Gaf says. "I feel we could face most threats we're likely to."

[Miruna] "Nothing that needs repeating, I'm sure," he interjects. He'd been there too, and had tolerated the man afterwards.

[ST] He leads the group into the town square. Even shrouded by snow, the places where the Dogs of the Unbroken Earth clawed at the stone foundations are still visible. Gaf leads the way to the Pony and opens the heavy wooden door, ushering the Once Dead inside.

[Miruna] "When I said an army, I meant it."

[ST] "Then we have preparations to make."

[Miruna] He nods. "If you plan to hold, we may stay." If others were carrying the message further. IF this place had a hope.

[ST] The woman behind the bar looks up at them as they enter, her mouth suddenly narrowing in disgust. She wipes the bar furiously. Greta has not forgotten Miruna's comments, and his companions share her ire.

[Obligatory] Obligatory Sunshine hesitates. He was not sure the messages of others would be effective. But he would seem a coward to say so.

[ST] "I'm sure the rumors have to do with Avir's... friends, kid." Red tells Obligatory.

[Obligatory] "Friends?" Dim, or just trusting?

[ST] "All those ugly women, probably," Jek cuts in, meeting Red's eyes. She chuckles.

[ST] At the far end of the bar, a pair of trestles has been set up. A few guardsmen sit there, across from three men and one woman - a girl, really - whose garments and tattooing mark them as being of the Elk tribe.

[ST] The girl is about fourteen, and she eats stolidly, eyes downcast, her hair winding down her back in two long braids.

[Obligatory] Obligatory smiles at her.

[ST] She glances up; her eyes seem to pass right over him. She drops her drinking bowl when she spots Miruna, splashing fermented milk over the table's surface. No one seems to notice.

[Miruna] He stamps in. "Get us food," he tells the woman, before turning to the tribes men, sitting on a bench at the table next to theirs. "Trouble coming. How close is your tribe?"

[ST] A woman sits at a table in the corner. She is beautiful, with long blond hair and soft blue eyes, but something about her seems haggard, strained. She dangles a small bauble on a chain in front of her eyes, smiling softly.

[ST] Jakka continues to stare at Miruna. The tribesman to her left, a tall, bald man, nods in greeting. "Tribe has moved north to winter near Bertram's Ford. We're out looking for a hunting party of ours. Vanished somewhere south of here. Seen them?"

[Obligatory] Obligatory's brow knits together as he tries to recall what direction the slain party they had stumbled across was in.

[ST] Greta shoots Miruna a murderous glare, but at Gaf's nod, she withdraws to the kitchen to fetch refreshments. Gaf gestures for the other Once Dead to take a seat. Selza stares determinedly into the surface of the table, shooting the occasional glance at the woman in the corner.

[Obligatory] "Perhaps. We saw a group of people who had been killed by Wolfmen." He tries to think. "I think Avir- he is the one who has fallen behind- found some jewelry that could identify them, but he has been delayed."

[Miruna] He grunts. "Dead, I'd guess. Army may have gotten ahead of us. South of us," he corrects himself. His hand curls into a fist on the table as he curses himself for clinging to the hope that they could be faster than the horde. Or its foragers and vanguard, having to forage for supplies, having to rest when the wind got bad, half-starving and dehydrated.

[ST] "This is dire news indeed," the bald man returns, fixing Obligatory in his gaze. "If one of your people can be trusted to tell the truth to a free man."

[ST] "Please," Gaf interjects, as more food is brought out. "Let us not fight. We are all friends here, Gunnar. Now, Miruna... what army do you speak of? What threat do you claim bears down upon us?"

[Obligatory] Obligatory Sunshine stiffens. "No one is chained but by chains of their own making." He gestures to the others. "But ask any of them, if you do not trust my word."

[Obligatory] He stands, bows smoothly to excuse him to the others, and goes to sit by the silent woman in the corner. It did not seem right to ignore her as the others did.

[ST] The woman looks up briefly at Obligatory, giving him a small smile, and returns to her bauble, a shiny red stone on a leather cord.

[Obligatory] "Hello," he says hesitantly. "I am Obligatory Sunshine. That is a pretty necklace." She seemed simple.

[Miruna] He nods vaguely to her. He did not want a reminder of what he'd saved her from. "Magdala and her pack again." They would remember her here, of course.

[ST] She seems not to notice him, lifting the necklace and turning it to watch it sparkle in the light. "Hello." She says eventually, so softly he barely hears it.

[ST] At Miruna's claim, there is a sharp crash. Greta has dropped something in shock. Instantly, the room explodes into furious, disbelieving shouts.

[ST] "Magdala's dead!"

[ST] "You can't be serious!"

[ST] "What?!"

[Miruna] He was tired, the knowledge of the doom falling on them old and dull to him. He spoke of it almost casually, without the trembling and fear another might make of it. Just weary.

[ST] Only the woman in the corner fails to react. Gaf waves a hand for silence.

[ST] "If this is true, it is the worst news of my lifetime. Are you certain, Miruna? The Twisted Hills people raise that rumor every year or so just to intimidate us."

[Obligatory] "What's your name?" Obligatory ignores the tumult. Let them get it out of their system.

[Miruna] It's slightly startling, the reaction, even if it would ahve been obvious if he'd thought. Even if it matched the disdain he had for them in the first place. "I saw her. Told you you needed to get ready to run."

[Miruna] "Even if its not her. Its the Twisted Hill people. All of them. You could hold here, maybe, maybe if you had well trained defenders. In lots."

[ST] "We don't have enough..." Gaf says, leaning back. "I've been doing what I could, but the Emerald went poorly defended for so long. We've got maybe two score militia members. Maybe... all of them? ALL of them?"

[ST] The woman looks at Obligatory and scuffs a fingernail across the surface of the table. "Shinza."

[Miruna] "The children too," he smiles, vicious. "Maybe we could take the heart out of them if we can get to them." Planning was for later. He looks to Gaf again. "You have any way to send a message to Icehome? Airships coming soon, anything faster than walking there?"

[Obligatory] "It's nice to meet you Shinza. Are you related to Selza too?" Obligatory glances up every now and then from his slow, careful conversation with Shinza.

[ST] "We've got no choice but to evacuate, if what you say is true," Gaf says. "We can't hold here, and we can't march everyone across the tundra in the depth of winter. We need airboats... and none of them stop here. The closest is-" He coughs. "Well, you know this, the closest airboat stop is Bertran's Ford. It's how you arrived here."

[Obligatory] Obligatory relaxes slightly as he realizes they weren't planning a mad defense. He was never sure when Miruna was serious about those.

[ST] "Selza is my cousin," Shinza says, suddenly energized. "Gaf is my husband. Elder Swan is my father." Her smile wavers slightly; she scowls into the red stone.

[Obligatory] "Selza came to visit you," Obligatory observes for her, steering away from the father.

[Obligatory] He glances at Miruna, then at the Elk tribepeople.

[ST] "Selza went away." Shinza says. For no apparent reason, she begins to cry, softly and silently. No one seems to notice.

[ST] Selza is doing her best to pay attention to the table before her.

[Miruna] He nods. "Sensible. Especially if the tribe isn't close behind," he nods to the tribes-people, then noticed Obligatory and Shinza. Fool, bringing her to them. They could only bring her pain, and her them. He'd better teach him not to meddle. Later.

[Miruna] "Tell people to pack. Light. If they can't carry it, leave it, unless its alive. Bring weapons, food, enough for twice the length of the journey." He didn't need to remind about clothes, not here.

[ST] "We can bear your north on our elk," Gunnar offers. "Some of us must continue the search, but others would do well to return to the tribe now." He gives Jakka a friendly clap on the back, jostling her bowl of milk again.

[ST] "I don't want to go back to the tribe," Jakka says, her voice soft. "I want to kill all the wolves, like they killed my brother." A milk mustache drips from her upper lip.

[Obligatory] Obligatory gingerly wraps his arm around her shoulders, alert to a possible rejection of the touch. Something was hurt inside her.

[ST] Shinza draws back from Obligatory sharply, falling to the floor, the necklace clattering away. She begins to shriek, loudly, interrupting the negotiations.

[ST] "What are you DOING?" Gaf shouts, beside himself with rage.

[Obligatory] Obligatory raises his hands. "She was upset. I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

[Miruna] Miruna stands as quickly, steping to Obligatory and backhanding him. Should have stopped him earlier. He curses himself before beginning to think of helping the woman. Too late, she had skittered past his reach, and he doubted it would help to move after her, surely.

[Obligatory] Obligatory backs away, wincing a little from the force of the blow.

[ST] "My wife is... not well." Gaf says. He kneels beside her as Miruna strikes Obligatory, picking her up and guiding her back into her seat. With pained tenderness, he gropes around for the bauble and places it in her hands. "Here, Shinza, look." After a moment, she quietens again. Most of the people in the room try very hard to not notice what just happened.

[ST] "They really breed champions in this Emerald," Red remarks, giving Selza's shoulder a shove.

[Obligatory] "So I see. You have my sympathies. He looks at Selza. "Perhaps-"

[ST] Selza gives Red a withering, murderous glare. Red actually looks taken aback at its intensity.

[ST] "... in any case," Gunnar says, leaning forward. "We had best make our decision, soon, if the army is on it's way."

[Obligatory] "I will pray to the Silent God for your wife's recovery," Obligatory says quietly, then retreats to the door.

[Miruna] "We talk later, if Selza lets you keep your other ear. Go, guard the door," he commands.

[ST] "I'll go with him," Selza says, eager for any chance to get out of the room. She rises and exits stiffly after Obligatory.

[ST] Gaf clears his throat.

[Miruna] He nods. "Best now. We'll go with the tribes people, we need to get word to Icehome as fast as we can. We'll warn them that you are coming. Hopefully they can get things together to help you." He didn't say there wasn't a real hope of it. Not of airships, especially. Everything would be requistioned, panicked, nothing and noone would be spared to help refugees. But that was their best chance.

[ST] "We'll prepare immediately." Gaf says. "If we have to wake everyone in the Emerald." His sigh is heavy. "I had hoped our troubles were over."

[Miruna] He smiles, grim "there'll be troubles enough for us after we die too. Like flies and rats, everywhere coming from the mud."

[Miruna] He looks back to the tribesman who had seemed to be the leader. "How fast can we go?" He'd thought of leaving his injured at the emerald when they arrived, but he would carry them with him if there were the animals. He couldn't save the EMerald's people from their fate, but they were his men.

[ST] "Fast enough," Gunnar says. "Much faster than a man, especially in this snow. If we push it, we could be at Bertran's Ford in a matter of days."

[Miruna] He nods. "We'll need to. Send someone to your tribe as well. We'll need to gather the fighters, the rest need to move away. From what we saw, Magdala doesn't plan on leaving anything she passes alive."

[ST] "A wise plan," Gunnar answers Miruna. "And one best done quickly."

[ST] "You can tell your man I know he meant no harm," Gaf says, seating himself across from Shinza. She doesn't look up from her toy. "She reacts in strange ways. She used to be worse before I bought her this stone. Guess the Guild's good for something after all."

[Miruna] He sighs. "The boy doesn't need encouragement, and he won't get any from me. He's been prying all day." He'd been pressing on Selza as much as Shinza. Needed to learn when to leave well enough alone with the Once Dead. The ones who didn't brag of their past mostly would kill over it. And some of the braggers would too, past the lies or sober.

[ST] "Very well." Gaf says. As the group disperses, he stops Miruna, grabbing his elbow. "Selza- she is well?"

[Miruna] He doesn't look away. "Well as she can be. She's home with us." As home as she would be anywhere. She belonged, certainly. The other trainers had agreed as much back when this had been a training mission. Before they'd all died. She had been one of the ones they'd all expected to make it. Hell, Jek still hated her for making him sleep outside.

[Miruna] Not that he would have given the man a different answer. Her problems were hers to keep now, and he needed a fighter like her. "Does your guard have weapons?" They would need to take some, incase.

[ST] "Good." He says, nodding. He seems eager to answer Miruna's question. "Yes. Nothing great - hardened ash spears, mostly, a few hatchets. You're welcome to what you want. You look hard pressed. I won't ask."

[Miruna] He nods, thankful that he wouldn't have to take them against the man's will. Not that he wouldn't have. "We'll leave you what you need." To run, anyway, not to save them. Ash spears wouldn't be doing that.

[ST] With that, the guests in the Pony disperse, the tribespeople rushing to prepare their mounts, Gaf leaving to spread word to the rest of the Emerald, and Greta upstairs to sort through her belongings as fast as she can.

[ST] Jek goes behind the bar and helps himself to a keg there. "Not like she can carry it with her, and I'd hate for the wolves to smash the place AND get drunk," he says. Red and Savage Bear-Daughter join him.

[Miruna] He grunts. "Pour one for me. And don't get too drunk to ride, or we're leaving you." He says the last as he walks out the door.

[ST] Outside, Selza claps Obligatory on the back. "I know you meant no harm," she says. "But some things are best not talked about. Some pain is too... fresh."

[Obligatory] He nods. "So it seems. I'm sorry for having made it worst." He hesitates. "Your cousin misses you."

[ST] "She doesn't miss me," Selza says. "She doesn't miss anything. And she has her husband."

[Obligatory] Obligatory Sunshine chews his lip and looks at the horizon, beyond which lay beastmen and monsters. "I think you are wrong," he says quietly. "I think she feels, and thinks, profoundly."

[Obligatory] He looks at Selza, then away. It would be mere cruelty to add the corollory: that she did worse for Selza's absence.

[ST] "I'm Once Dead now, Sunshine," Selza says with a sigh. "It's not my job or place to fix this. Only Gaf can do that. He loves her enough."

[Obligatory] "I hope he can," Obligatory says solemnly.

[Miruna] He sighs. "The boy doesn't need encouragement, and he won't get any from me. He's been prying all day." He'd been pressing on Selza as much as Shinza. Needed to learn when to leave well enough alone with the Once Dead. The ones who didn't brag of their past mostly would kill over it. And some of the braggers would too, past the lies or sober.

[ST] "I hope he can too," Selza replies to Obligatory after a long time. She leans against the railing out in front of the Pony, gazing across the snowy ground. A snowfly lights on the end of her nose, and she swats it away.

[ST] "I hope they're both happy."

[Obligatory] Obligatory glances at her curiously, but doesn't ask any more questions. Whatever it was that had scathed her cousin, scathed her too. He would pray for them both: it was all he could do.

[Miruna] He sets his eyes on the pair at the door. "Selza, you remember where the militia keep things. Go, get weapons for all of us."

[ST] Selza seems glad for the activity, pushing herself away from the railing and leaving without another word.

[Obligatory] Obligatory looks at Miruna. He has a light fall of snow melting in his hair. "You wanted a word with me?"

[Miruna] He grunts, takes a moment, then answers. "In the Once Dead . . got a lot of Princes. Selza, she wanted to be here, she'd have stayed, not gone of to us, yeah? Some of the others, well, Jek's not the meanest, least put together sod of them." He doesn't mention himself. "You go prying into them, they won't be so nice about it."

[Obligatory] "Some wounds must be lanced to heal," Obligatory says seriously. "I do not think it is healthy the way Selza hugs her pain to herself. Jek is another sort." It was not the way of the Quiet to gossip, so he falls silent.

[Miruna] "Some wounds heal over, you poke them and they bleed again, get infected. And some people react badly to getting poked where they hurt. If it isn't your problem, you best not make it your problem. Selza, she's a good girl, but you don't want to make her remember what she left. I'm telling you that now. Shinza neither. It cost them both a lot to leave it, so you leave it be."

[Obligatory] Obligagory looks at him thoughtfully. "Of course I will do my best not to worsen their hurts, either of them." He leaves much unspoken.

[Obligatory] He would trust his own judgment.

[ST] Soon, the Emerald is coming awake, lights appearing in the windows, hurried shouts ringing out, the crying of babies rising into the night sky.

[Obligatory] The best way to deal with a bully, his father had taught him, was to be as water and let their blows fall where they may. Never give them the fight they want, nor anger, nor temper. He had forgotten that, on the ship. He did not mean to do so again.

[Miruna] He scowls at him, peeved as well as angered. "You are stubborn. That's good. You made it here, tougher trek than we planned to make with you, theres that too. But do you really belong with us? You know whats coming. Are you willing to fight it? I mean, not just that she bitch, but all her followers? Are you willing to be more than a body on someones spear when the fighting comes? Your sisters, we talk to Annar, o

[Miruna] Your sisters, we talk to Annar, one of the other medics maybe, you get your medicine, most like. Hell, I have money I won't need." He'd be dead soon, unless he missed his guess, and no family he wanted to see richer. "I'm not going into a battle with you less I know you will fight."

[Obligatory] "I swore the same vow you did," Obligatory Sunshine says serenly. His eyes are very clear when they meet Miruna's. "The wise fight in less obvious ways, my people say." He frowns slightly, and rather ruins the effect by adding, "And anyway, the Quiet would never take me back as one of them."

[Miruna] He pushes him hard back into the wall with one arm, shaking a double finger of the other under his nose as he leaned in close and raised his voice, inverse to the nearer distance. "You fighting with me, I want to see you fighting obvious." He takes a breath, and starts again, bouncing the man off the wall again as emphasis. "Wise men don't fight on the line, they get us to do it. Will you kill someone that we need dea

[Miruna] "Wise men don't fight on the line, they get us to do it. Will you kill someone that we need dead? One of the bastards coming over the mountain to kill us all, right, better dead, keep her from killing children, destroying our towns, yes?"

[Obligatory] Obligatory clearly knows how to take a blow; he lets Miruna thrust him against the wall without tensing up. "Better if she goes away without any killing at all Fighting and burning and bleeding didn't stop her the first time, did it? Such methods never do."

[Obligatory] He takes a breath. "I do not think we see things so differently, in some ways," he says earnestly, hardly tripping over his flowing periods. "The battle is not over until you've won it. I understand that. I merely see a different battlefield."

[Miruna] "Oh, better we let her do what she wants. She kill us all, then theres no more violence left, uh? Cause she won't stoip if we ask, less we ask deadly."

[Obligatory] He edges a little bit away, rubbing the back of his sore head. "Though I wish you would stop hitting me."

[Miruna] He snorts, half laughing. "Make me. Easier to stop me than her."

[Obligatory] "All peaces are negotiated, except those that end in utter ruin. It is only a question of ceasing to be stupid before violence and death and murder, or after."

[Obligatory] He runs off before Miruna can hit him again. "And if it must be utter ruin, why should we compound the sins by striving so to make it them and not us ? Have they not also a right to life ? Are not the righteous rewarded in the next life?"

[Obligatory] He lifts his chin, defiantly presenting a square target. "But I do not expect an outsider to understand." He says outsider like other men might say cowdung.

[Miruna] He yells at him. "She gave up her right to life when she came after me, and don't you forget it! Next life we'll be the same, so'll she. Can't have a nice life less you make others let you have it. Thats what we do. We make the world leave the Haslanti be. Your people, all their wisdom and peace, thats why they are slaves. Well, we are a free people, and we will stay free in our enemies blood!"

[Obligatory] "You are chained to a cycle of violence and blood," Obligatory says compassionately. "That is not freedom. Freedom is something carried on the inside. It is not a bauble to be bought with blood."

[Obligatory] He may as well have been speaking straight from the Quiet litgury.

[Miruna] "When they come and we don't fight them, when they are standing in our blood, laughing as everything our people built burns. Thats free then, uh? All thats left of us will be ghosts haunting the land, those that haven't escaped to Lethe. You saw Two-Bits. She was a person before. Tell me she's free now!"

[Obligatory] "Well, we could also run away. Or make some deal," Obligatory points out helpfully. "As for Two-Bits, she clings to old griefs. It is very troubling. Such things do not occur among the Quiet."

[Obligatory] That was true, though only in an absolute sense because it was agreed among the priests that any person who left a ghost had never truly been of the Quiet to begin with. Ghosts was noisome things.

[Miruna] He snorts. "Perfect people, your lot. A lot of ghosts left by Magdala. You want all of Haslanti like that town we just left." He shudders. "Thats what she brings. Make a deal, hah! You heard her. She wants us all dead. THats what we can give her. And thats what she'll take unless we stop her, nothing else."

[Miruna] Those that weren't listening were watching them. He saw eyes, probably more if he looked for them.

[Miruna] Well, those not panicking and trying to pack their dining table and plates, to save them from Magdala. He'd need to make a pass through town and break all that before people got themselves killed trying to protect it.

[Obligatory] "I don't want ANYONE to die. That's the whole point," Obligatory tries, but he sees no comprehension in Miruna. It was inevitable that outsiders closed their ears to the truth, trapped as they were, or so the priests said.

[Miruna] "Point me a place where no one dies."

[Obligatory] "No one escapes death," Obligatory says, rolling his eyes. Some of his youth shining through the glaze of riightousness. "No one escapes disease, but we have doctors all the same."

[Obligatory] Or at least, people who could afford them did. The Quiet made do with crones and old men who sometimes helped, and sometimes and only wasted a great deal of pepper.

[Miruna] "And we have murderers, so we have us. Or the watch, whoever goes and kills the normal murderers when we don't do it."

[Obligatory] Obligatory shakes his head slightly, frustrated. "Better they were taught better when they were young, than harvested when they are old." He suddenly notices all the staring eyes. He blushes. "We are attracting attention," he says diffidently.

[Miruna] "They want to watch, I'm not stopping them. Guess you won't either, eh? This teaching, all of you recieve it as you grow up, yeah? And none of you grow up and kill people?"

[ST] They are indeed, though most of the Emerald's residents are too shocked by their arrival and the horrible news to do anything but stare.

[Obligatory] "No," Obligatory says simply. He had never heard of a Quiet murdering anyone. Once in a great while a Quiet shocked the community by becoming a thief; Obligatory quietly suspected the Quiet had a natural advantage in that area, so few noticed them. But that was a lesser sin, like thinking ill of a person, or touching the head of a child.

[Miruna] He lets out a sound, half grunt half yell of exasperation. "I call you a liar!" With that he turns his back, half hoping the man would attack at the provocation, knowing he wouldn't, and stomps away. There was much to be done.

[Obligatory] "My people have another saying," Obligatory Sunshine calls out after him. There's a measured pause. "Only a coward hits those who will not hit back."

[Obligatory] He turns and walks the other way.

[Miruna] "Your people are fools, and if they said that to my face they would be dead fools. If you say that to me again, so you will be too."

[Obligatory] "Only a coward," Obligatory repeats. "I will let your conscience guide you, then. For the sake of peace."

[Miruna] He growls, but to himself. The pest was beneath his notice. A problem to be handed to someone else, and damned if he would march with the man. There was much to do, and one of them would set about to do it while the other played with his dreams and died by them.

[ST] The residents of Tanstaad who have gathered to watch murmur uneasily amongst themselves at the exchange before moving off to continue their preparations.

[ST] Within the hour, the elk are ready to go. Complaining all the while, Jek and Red (more than a little drunk now) stagger into the saddle behind the tribespeople.

[ST] Most of the Emerald is too busy with preparations to turn out and see the group off, but Gaf waves at them as they ride past the tall structure of the meeting house, Shinza standing numbly at his side.

[Obligatory] Obligatory meets her eyes as they pass. "Gods be with you," he says, with obviously heartfelt sincerity.

[ST] Selza does not look back at them. Of all the people who could stand a drink right now, she thinks in annoyance, staring at the back of Jakka's head hard enough to drill a hole in it. The ragged column winds north, and behind it the Emerald shakes itself to wakefulness and flight. Children shout and babies cry as they are pulled from sleep and hastily dressed.

[ST] Shinza fixes Obligatory with her gaze, suddenly sharp, clear, and all the more pained for it. "Thank you, Sunshine." She says, then stops, placing a hand to her mouth as if startled.

[Obligatory] He grins at, pleased, and then they sweeping past.

[Obligatory] "I'll see you again!" he hollers, waving goodbye enthusiastically like a boy, and then the elk is bucking in annoyance at the tack of the elk in front of it, and he is struggling to control his mount.

[Miruna] He rides at the head of the party, and misses the moment, grim in his own thoughts, plans, guesses as to what they would make of it in Icehome. Gunnar rides beside, and they brood separately together.

[ST] The Once Dead move north. The hordes of the Winter Wolves approach, and the drums of war begin to beat. The lives of thousands hang in the balance. The Winter War tenses and prepares to spring.