IceAndWave/TheGreenRiverIncident1
The Green River Incident - part 1
In which tea is drunk, guards are browbeaten and a far-too-old corpse discovered...
The 12th Day of Descending Water, Realm Year 763
The silver roll deposited by the frost-face spirit unfurls in Sian's hand to become a paper-thin sheet of the metal, with a fairly detailed map of the area etched on it in black and green ink. A line leads from his current position on the side of the mountain and down into a small forest in the valley below. A mote of green light appears above the cave on the map, lengthening out into a small arrow that points down the mountain.
Sian looks at the map, memorizing it in case of some accident, before rolling it back up again and sticking it carefully in his pack.
The dawning sun soon disappears behind the clouds that wash in, and the air in the cave grows chill - more so than it has been the last few days, causing Aia to shiver and then wake up, looking cold. "Brrr..."
Sian scoots over. "Morning. Here." He grabs the other blanket and drapes it across her. "I'll get some breakfast cooked up."
Aia smiles up at Sian, "Thanks, that'd be nice." Sitting up and wrapping the blanket around her thin body, "How much longer are we here for?"
"Leaving this evening. The call came about an hour ago." He lets her sample the eggs.
"Oh, good. Yummy!" she tucks in to the food, "Was it yes or no?" Aia mumbles around the food.
"Yes. At least, I hope so... he's given us an audience."
"Oh, then it's alright," Aia smiles, "You can talk anyone into anything..."
"Heh. I like to think I can, anyway." He serves up the food properly, and settles into the blanket with her to eat.
Aia snuggles up against Sian and proceeds to eat the food with her usual gusto, packing everything away into a body that seems far to small for what she puts into it. Sian watches her with a faint smile. "Have a good sleep?"
"No thanks to you," she nudges Sian's ribs.
"Oof. I'm hurt... and besides, I didn't hear you complaining at the time."
"Only because I couldn't..." she grins, kisses Sian and gets back to eating.
"Very true." He eats the eggs quietly, the occasional question forming in his mind.
Aia finishes her plate, cleaning it thoroughly, and then snuggles up to Sian some more, "It's a lot colder now."
"Yeah. I can carry you, if you like. Let you stay curled up in that blanket all day."
"I'll be fine. I have this nice warm coat that Ketari gave me."
"Well, up to you." He stretches slowly. "Ow, sore muscles... that'd be your fault."
"You should have let me be on top more..." Aia grins wickedly, and slips out of the blankets, shivering as the cold air strikes her naked body before she pulls on several layers of clothing.
"Maybe later." He likewise locates a warm jacket and shrugs it on, while looking at her with a faintly curious expression that fades when she turns.
Standing at the cave entrance, Aia looks down the mountainside, "Where do we go?"
"Valley, not far from here. Take us maybe a day to reach there." He shoulders his pack, handing hers over when he's done.
Aia hefts her pack, and ties the straps on, "OK," she looks around at the cave, her eyes distant for a few moments before stepping out and smiling at Sian, "Lead on, O Chosen of Danaa'd."
"Ack, don't call me that." He waves vaguely at her to stop as he starts down the mountainside. "I have just enough water in my veins to make me a Chosen, but I've never felt like one."
Aia grins and heads down the mountain after Sian, while he is quiet and thoughtful, for the most part, following the first bit of the path by memory.
The journey down the mountain is, somewhat naturally, faster than the trip up - barring the occasional slip on a snow-covered rock or detour around a small boulder dislodged by a recent avalanche, Sian and Aia are soon a large way down the mountain, and the forest comes into clear view some distance below. Sian breaks out the map here, following the green marker and working his way steadily towards the woods.
"Where are we headed?" Aia asks.
"That-a-ways." He points, in a direction that looks just as wooded as any other.
"What's there?" she looks.
"Supposedly, the forest king." He shrugs. "Guess we'll find out when we get there."
Feeble green light spills down into the forest through the snow and leaves above, rendering the woods in shades of black and green, the lights of dancing fireflies, or maybe forest spirits, swarming around the hefty groaning trunks of the forest. Sian relaxes somewhat. "I've always liked Wood spirits. 'cept for Juen."
Aia inhales deeply, "I like the smell of a forest. It's alway relaxes me."
"Yeah. Only thing better, to me, is the seaside. Or the smell of your hair." He smiles.
Aia blushes slightly and smiles back. Sian puts an arm around her waist as they walk, occasionally checking the map for reference.
The light above the map glows brighter as Sian approaches the end of the path outlined on it, the forest atmosphere getting darker and richer the further they go, more and more light provided by the forest itself, until the pair are seemingly surrounded by a cloud of lights. Sian tilts the map this way and that. "Not far now."
The map glows brightly as Sian rounds an ancient tree and sees what looks like an archway filled with green smoke, swirling and spilling across the ground. Suddenly, the map lifts off out of Sian's hand and drifts of its own accord into the portal where it vanishes. "I can only assume that's a sign that we've arrived." He considers, carefully putting a hand into the smoke to test it.
The smoke is cool and slightly damp to the touch, as well as being refreshing.
Sian draws his hand back. "Come on, then." He squeezes Aia's hand reassuringly, then steps into the smoke. Strange images and sounds assail Sian's senses as he passes through the doorway. The scent of loam and the feeling of great age wash through him, and every heartbeat feels like a hundred years, before he emerges, Aia in hand, from another identical portal, filled with the same green smoke.
Sian takes a few moments to regain his senses, and sees the wood spider he spoke to in the Frozen Tempest Court.
"Greetings, Exalted, I am most gratified to see you once again," the envoy bows to Sian.
Sian bows deeply. "Greetings. I am most grateful for this audience."
"My master will see you shortly. In the meantime, might I offer refreshments?" A pair of chairs and a table literally grow out of the ground, shaping themselves from plants in a matter of heartbeats.
"That would be most appreciated." He seats Aia, then himself.
A snake appears, bearing an ornate tray made of green jade, on which are a pair of cups and saucers containing some steaming drink. With practiced grace the snake deposits the tray on the table and then disappears underneath it. Sian takes a small sip of the drink.
Aia, strangely dainty, takes the cup and sips too, smiling at Sian, "Nice."
"Very nice." Sian takes another small drink. "You be good, okay? If I ask you to do something, please do it." He gives her a stern look.
"I will," Aia nods carefully, "This place feels different to the Court."
"Yeah. I would guess that most people do what they're told here... not much debate." He takes another sip and sits back.
After some minutes the wood spider appears from behind a tree and scuttles across the floor, "My master will see you now."
Sian looks up. "Ah, thank you." He drains his drink, gesturing to Aia as he stands.
The wood spider backs away as Sian follows him into the presence of the Forest King, the table and chairs turning pale brown and then rotting away as quickly as they grew, leaving nothing but the tea service which is carefully gathered by the snake and taken back to wherever they came from.
Sian keeps Aia close at hand, after warning her again to be good.
The Forest King awaits in a large open glade, golden sunlight forming a beam which lands directly on the ruler of this forest, who has taken the shape of a large deer, 12' at the shoulder, exquisitely carved from light wood, with eyes that glitter like emeralds and huge rack of antlers shaped from ebony.
Sian bows deeply before this great, reverent figure. "My lord."
The King nods in response and speaks, with a soothing voice that resonates from every tree in the glade, "My servant and envoy informs me that you wish a boon."
"Yes, my lord. I have heard great tales of the powers of the forest kings."
"What you ask is no small thing. Is the subject of this request aware of the obligation that will be placed upon them?"
"I was hoping, my lord, that the cost of the deal would be placed on my shoulders. It is a gift, that I ask, and she who is to receive it should not have to suffer for my desire to please."
The King's eyes glitter brightly, and he closes the distance between him and Sian, the sunbeam staying on the powerful elemental, "You truly wish to give such a gift to one you barely know? Yes, I am aware of the plight of Sena Riel, Koromo and your part in the affair."
Sian manages to hide his surprise at that. "I was not aware the news had spread this far. But yes, that is what I wish. Whilst she remains beautiful, the loss of her sight is saddening, and I would return it to her."
"Such a thing is within my power, it is true. But it is not an inconsequential thing, and so I am forced to wonder what the envoy of the Whitewall Syndics can offer in return." The Forest King walks back to where he came from, "You are already in service to those cold kings of ice and silver, and I would not break such a bond. What have you that you can offer me in return for this gift?"
"Little. As you say, I am but an envoy... by myself, I have no power or wealth. But whatever you should ask, I will attempt it, if you will restore Sena Riel's vision."
"Then your task shall be one suited to your talents. On the edge of my territory there lies an encampment of humans who insist on taking my trees without the correct payment in offerings and prayers. They have been an irritation for some time now, and your arrival is fortuitous. Correct this state of affairs and I shall restore the sight of the beautiful Sena Riel."
"Then that I what I shall do. Thank you, my lord."
The Forest King turns away to look at the back of the glade, signifying the end of the audience, and the wood spider appears at Sian's side to lead him out of the chamber. Sian is led, rather pleased.
Out of the glade and into one of the many rooms of the Forest Kings arboreal palace the spider leads Aia and Sian. On a large table of black stone lies a wood-bark map which shows the location of the encampment, and a pile of thinly chopped wood slices. The spider climbs up onto the table and cleverly rolls up the map before presenting it to Sian, "This will show you the way."
"Thank you. We are to leave immediately?"
"My master informed me that upon your mission being successfully completed he will send a messenger to Sena Riel asking for her attendance. It is only then that your request will be honoured."
"Then immediately it is. Sorry, Aia... no time for a bath." He offers an apologetic smile.
Aia smiles back, "It's OK - you smell worse than I do."
Sian makes a face at her, then faces the spider again. "I shall return when the deed is done. Until then." He bows slightly, and turns to leave.
A large firefly appears to lead Sian out through the maze of corridors and passages that is the home of the Forest King, leading him eventually to a large gateway guarded by a quartet of blade-mantis, and thence out into the forest proper.
Sian thanks the fly with a mote of Essence and studies the map. "A few days travel, each way. And there's a river halfway, so we can bathe there. That okay with you?"
Aia smiles and then frowns, "Did that seem a little too easy?"
"A little. But I'm not going to dispute it... even if I wanted to, what could I do? If he doesn't hold up his end of the deal, I am fully within my rights to report his actions to the nearest court."
She nods, "OK. I just worry sometimes."
"You should. Being suspicious keeps you alive up here in the North... you just can't let paranoia take over." He starts walking. "We've got plenty of rambling hermits already around here, and tribes dangerously protective of their lands. Last thing I need is for you to get all weird on me."
The journey through the forest is fast and easy. There is an obvious path matched by the line on the map, clearings with fresh water and easily collectable berries and nuts appear at the end of each day's walk, the whole thing taking a full day less than would have been expected. It's almost as if the forest itself helps the pair on their journey.
The 15th Day of Descending Water, Realm Year 763
The journey ends with the path and a sudden emergence into afternoon sunlight, eyes blinking for a few seconds before they adjust to the scene of destruction ahead. At the top of a hill Sian sees a wide swath of stumps, almost a mile deep and stretching for twice that in either direction. Sian grimaces. "If this is indeed done without the proper ceremonies, then these loggers have a lot to answer for."
Some distance from the base of the hill is a large town with a hefty pallisade around it, and several teams of loggers can be seen lugging freshly-felled timber down to the town, behind which several large log-rafts can be seen in the river, waiting to be ferried downstream.
The walls of the town are patrolled, and even at this distance the gleaming metal of their spears and armour can be made out, while from inside the town numerous streamers of grey smoke rise into the blue sky, as shops and inns and other places of business go about their day-to-day lives.
Sian is very not-pleased by all this. He starts off towards the camp, channeling a little Essence to make it quite obvious what he is. Aia takes it all in and whispers, "I knew it was too easy."
"Mhmm." He squeezes her hand.
Several soldiers come out of the guardhouse to meet Sian as he walks down the hill, all dressed in chain and green-dyed leather, weapons well-oiled and showing signs of frequent use. "State your business."
"I'm here on behalf of the Forest King. Sian Nerivus, of the Whitewall Syndics." He draws himself up to his full height, looking every inch a Dragon-Blood.
A scarred old soldier draws himself up, looking resolutely unimpressed, "Well, I'm Shattered Rain, sergeant in the guard of Green River, and I don't let anyone in that I don't like the look of." He looks Sian up and down, "And you know, I don't like the look of you."
"Like or dislike, I don't care. Simple fact is, you either talk to me, or I get my lords involved. I'm sure they'll be most interested as to why you're logging their ally's forest unlawfully."
"Unlawfully?" the sergeant grins, "There's only Green River's law here, and anyone who thinks different can just fuck off." He reaches out to push Sian back.
Sian just steps back. "Your choice. I'm offering you a chance to explain yourselves, rather than have the forest spirits slaughter the lot of you."
"They've tried," the sergeant grins wider, showing a mouthful of broken teeth, "See the top of the Baron's tower?" He gestures vaguely with a spear and, just over the pallisade walls, Sian sees a large tower of wooden construction, at the top of which, impaled on a large spike, are three blade-mantis.
Sian keeps a poker face. "The scouts, yes. The King told me about that... nice job you did of fucking up the negotiations, I might add."
The sergeant's grin fades for a second, "Negotiations? What the fuck are you talking about? They slaughtered seventeen of my men!"
"I'm sure. After you attacked them, smart guy."
He turns and looks up at the blade-mantis again, "Do they look like negotiators to you? I know soldiers when I see 'em."
"Escorts. I imagine the real negotiator took about three seconds to see you kill off his bodyguard, before heading back into the woods to make his report."
The sergeant looks worried now, "Yeah, well... no-one told me about any negotiators..."
"Not my problem that you're hostile. As I said, I'm just here to stop you all from getting killed for no reason. When the spirits come, they'll wipe you out, unless you start being real nice, real fast."
There's some nervous shuffling amongst the men behind the sergeant, the memory of seventeen men dying at the hands of three spirits obviously still fresh, and the thought of an army of the creatures is not encouraging. One of the soldiers nudges the sergeant and whispers in his ear for a few moments, the latter's face moving from anger to worry in a matter of seconds. "Yeah, well... umm... Perhaps I should let you in, then. Speak to the Baron, you can. Sort this mess out."
"Good plan." He offers a not-very-sincere smile
The wooden gate opens slowly, the whole-log contruction lifting up on thick ropes, allowing Sian to enter the bustling, and extremely dirty, town of Green River.
"Lovely." Sian says as an aside to Aia.
Green River appears to consist of a single main street that leads down to the rudimentary docks on the riverside, and innumerable side-alleys and back streets, many of which stink of piss and shit and worse. People of all ages, sizes and colours walk back and forth, many of them obviously loggers employed to knock down the trees of the Forest King's domain.
Pretty much all of the buildings within the pallisade are of chinked log construction, while the street itself is little more than mud packed to stone-hardness by thousands of feet using it every single day.
Even better thinks Sian, heads off to what looks like a council building, the one building in Green River that has a stone construction, at least on the first floor, the remaining two being of the same wood as the rest of the town, albeit of higher quality. The fact that there are guards posted in front of the building lends weight to the impression that it may be of some local importance. It is not, however, the Baron's tower.
Sian approaches the entrance to the building, but once again,entry is barred by the guards, spears crossed in front of him in a firm gesture of non-entry. "I don't know you, do I?" says one of the soldiers not holding a spear, who looks better fed and more intelligent than the others.
"Nor do I care about you. I want an audience with the Baron."
The soldier's eyes open wider as he suddenly realises that he is speaking to one of the Chosen, and his tone of voice changes, "I'm sorry, sir, but the Baron is busy at present and is likely to be so all day. He is in an important meeting."
"Then get me a room at whatever passes for an inn here, and organize me a meeting for when he's free. Simple!" He looks rather annoyed at the moment.
"I shall see what I can arrange, sir. If you wouldn't mind waiting for a moment while I send a boy."
Sian just lifts his eyebrows in acknowledgement, making it clear he shouldn't be kept waiting.
The soldier disappears inside the building, and a few seconds later not one, but two boys come running out of the tower, one heading up the main street and into a large building with raucous laughter emanating from it and the other in completely the opposite direction.
Sian just waits, leaning against a wall and frowning at the soldier.
The boy who entered the tavern returns in a few short minutes and, somewhat breathlessly, looks up at Sian, "I've got you a room, m'lord."
"Good." He looks at the soldier. "When the other messenger returns, that's where I'll be."
The tavern itself (a crudely-painted sign above the door names it "Blue-Sky House") is filled to bursting with the rough types that often congregate in out-of-the way towns like Green River. There is much laughter and plenty of swearing, both in a number of languages, and the floor is coated with a mixture of weeks-old beer & sawdust.
The boy ducks and weaves through the heaving crowd, making his way to the bar and thence to a narrow and somewhat rickety staircase to one side. Sian follows rather reluctantly, keeping Aia very close indeed.
The stairs creak unpleasantly as Sian climbs them, and the sounds of the second floor are scarcely any less. The boy leads to a small door at the end of a corridor and opens it, "Your room, m'lord."
"Thank you." He flips the boy a small coin. "Now out."
The room is tiny, less then clean, and judging from the moans in the adjacent room, normally used as part of the tavern's sideline business as a brothel. Sian spreads his coat over the bed for Aia to sit on. "Wonderful town, isn't it?"
Aia crinkles her nose and says, "I've seen worse... I think..." Perhaps surprisingly, she only had to slap eight men on her journey across the tavern, with Sian managing to glare off the rest.
"Well, you'll be staying close to me. I get the feeling that if you got lost, you wouldn't find your way out again." He sits next to her, putting an arm around her waist.
Aia snuggles back and smiles, "I can always find you." She kisses Sian lightly, and then grimaces as the transaction in the next room reaches it final, and loud, conclusion.
Sian winces slightly. "I hope Sena appreciates this."
"She will. I'm sure of it. I just wish the Forest King had told you about... all this," she waves her arm around vaguely.
"Eh. I knew it wouldn't be a small task." He gives her another squeeze. "Want some sleep? I gather we'll be waiting a while."
"I'm not sure. With this bed I think that we wouldn't be the only two sleeping in it..." she shudders.
"Ick. Here." He lies back. "You sleep on my chest often enough, so once more won't hurt."
Aia snuggles up against Sian and smiles, "You're so good to me."
"Can't help it." He grabs the jacket and drapes it across her. "You make me happy."
Aia closes her eyes, purring slightly, and doesn't even let a new set of messy liquid sounds from next door disturb her as she naps on Sian's chest.
Sian is content to simply relax and wait for the message, idly scratching Aia's ears as she sleeps.
Approximately one hour and two customers later there is a polite knock at the door.
"Come in."
The boy who led Sian to the Blue-Sky House enters, "I am to tell you that the Baron regrets that he will not be able to see you at all today, or tomorrow."
"Then when?"
"I don't know, m'lord. Yosen only told me that."
"Who is Yosen? The baron?"
"Yosen is the Baron's secretary," the boy begins to cringe under the unexpected inquiry.
"Hrm. Wait outside... I'll be out in a minute, and I expect you to take me to him."
The boy backs out and closes the door as Sian wakes gently wakes Aia, "Hey."
"Mrr..." she stirs and opens her eyes, "Hey..."
"Wakey wakey. We're going for a walk, and I don't want to leave you here."
She slides off Sian's chest and stretches, joints creaking as she stands up. A smile, "I don't think I could stay here, not with that sound all the time..." She points at the wall, which is shaking quite vigorously.
Sian smiles a little. "Good point." He stands, attempting to brush the worst of the grime off his pants. "I'll try to have this all finished as soon as I can. Then we can get back to the court, and get you a nice big, bubbly bath."
"Mmmm... nice," she winks and Sian and, done with stretching, opens the door for him.
Sian gets the boy to lead them to this Yosen, secretary to the Baron of Green River, who resides within the large stone-based structure that Sian visited earlier. Unfortunately, once more, his entry into the building is prevented by the guards outside.
Sian glares them down. "Move, would you?"
"I'm sorry, sir, but entry into the Emerald Hall is strictly forbidden without an appointment."
"Then I would suggest you get me one."
The guard looks confused at that, and at that moment a short, self-important looking man with immaculately coifed hair and wearing fine silk robes walks out of the door, "What is going on here? Who are you?"
Sian makes sure to look impressively Dragon-Blooded. "Sian Nerivus. I serve the Whitewall Syndics. Are you Yosen?"
"I am Yosen, secretary to the Baron, yes. What of it?"
"I want words with you." He gestures back towards the man's office.
"I am sorry, but I am dreadfully busy dealing with the Baron's affairs. Unless you have something pertinent and important, I am very much afraid that you will have to wait."
"Your town is going to be destroyed if you don't let me see him. Important enough?" He crosses his arms.
"Destroyed? Is that a threat?"
"No. It was an attempt to get you to listen to reason. I'm the only thing keeping you people alive at the moment."
"Oh... you are the one who arrived at the gate earlier... No, we are quite safe here. The Baron made treaties with all of the proper local gods before even a single tree was felled."
"It would appear not, by the spirits nailed to his tower." Sian frowns down at the man. "The simple fact is, the Forest King sent me here to get you people to either leave, clean up your act, or die. I know which I'd rather avoid."
Yosen looks at Sian with a mixture of anger and fear, taking in the dire warning and looking up at the impaled blade mantis. "But I was assured... the Baron said... we have a treaty!"
"Obviously, you were lied to." He turns, and points at the dead spirits. "Those three killed seventeen guards. And there are thousands of them in this forest. If you don't want them descending on your town, I suggest you get me an appointment."
"I..." Yosen looks around, "I think this would be better dealt with inside, away from the streets, in civilised surroundings." He turns and walks back up the stairs into the building, the guards moving to let Sian pas.
Sian follows, Aia in tow, as Yosen leads him inside, and into a small office off the main corridor. Sheafs of paper cover most of the surfaces in and there are numerous inkwells scattered about. Yosen gestures to the seats, three of them, on the other side of his desk and then sits down himself. "I can't get you an appointment to see the Baron, he is simply too busy."
Sian gestures to Aia to sit, but himself remains standing. "Busy doing what? Working out more lies?"
"No. He's just out of Green River at present, working on a trade agreement for our wood."
"No, he isn't. And stop lying to me."
"What? I don't know what you mean!"
"Yes, you do." Sian frowns deeply at the man. "And unless you start telling me the truth, I'm going to get annoyed."
Yosen shrinks back into his seat, cringing away from the Exalt before him, "Oh gods, I'm sorry. It's just that... I... I haven't seen the Baron for over a year. He's been gone so long, I don't know what's happened to him."
Sian's frown lightens somewhat. "Then who runs this town?"
"I do, and the councillors. It hasn't been easy keeping this quiet."
"So where'd he go off to?" Sian takes a seat, letting the man breathe.
"I don't know!" Yosen wails, "He just disappeared one day. We spent a week combing the town to see if he was holed up somewhere, but nothing. No news, no hints, nothing. And now the spirits are attacking us. Why?"
"Hrm." He thinks for a bit. "Let me have a look at his tower."
Yosen nods and stands up, "Very well. We should take the back door, it's more discreet."
Sian again gestures to Aia. "After you."
Yosen leads Sian out of the building via a largely hidden door in a back alley a short distance from the Baron's tower. A quick scuttle across the street and the three are inside the tower, via another back door. The inside of the tower seems very Spartan in comparison to the somewhat ornate interior of the Emerald Hall. No real decoration of any kind, just a tower built from well-fitted planks.
Sian starts to look around, making idle conversation with the man as he does. "Was the town always this... dirty? Or has it just been since the Baron left?"
"Oh, no - Green River has always been like this. The loggers are... rowdy people, and don't mind it much." Yosen shudders slightly at the mention of the loggers.
"Yes, well, I suspect the spirits might. Correct offerings and all that are good, but do you really want something like this in your backyard?" He gestures vaguely outside, still snooping around the room.
"I know I wouldn't. But cleaning up would require hiring someone, and the Baron always said it was a waste of money." He looks over at Sian, "The Baron's quarters were upstairs, I believe."
"I know. But if he left, then he probably did so from this floor, rather than jumping out a window or something." He lifts an eyebrow at the man.
"Oh..." Yosen looks somewhat shamefaced.
Sian lets him stew for a bit as he looks around before hmpfing to himself. "Upstairs we go."
The upper floor of the tower, for there are no intervening levels, just a long flight of stairs, appears almost as spartan as the first floor. Three rooms make up the level, a bedroom, a main room and a small room off to one side, the door hidden in a corner. This room is the most interesting, because although the floor behind it is completely bare, there is a long-dead corpse in a corner dressed in fine clothes, and spaced out in a circle on the bare floor are five pyramidal shapes, each carved from one of the jades.
Sian frowns at it, stepping around the circle carefully and moving over to the corpse. "Let me guess... your beloved Baron?"
Yosen gasps, "Oh, no - the Baron. What are we going to do?" He sinks to his knees.
Sian inspects the corpse carefully, ignoring the man for the moment, then stands, pondering to himself. He's silent for several minutes, before finally speaking up. "Only gone for a year, you say? This corpse has been dead for nearly a decade."
