IceAndWave/ALittlePieceOfDesolation

A Little Piece of Desolation

In which lies are told, family is reacquainted, and military frustration expressed...

The 13th Day of Descending Wood, Realm Year 763

The remainder of the Jaunty Rose's journey west along the coast is uneventful, at least compared to what occured on the island and its aftermath. The sailors adapt fairly quickly to having a clutch of yard-wide crabs scuttling all over their ship, and in return the tseravites soon learn to keep out of the way when sailors are in a hurry.

The trio of Dragon-Blooded have their journey end somewhat sooner, as they disembark the barge on a large boat rowed by a couple of beefy sailors, the small fishing town of Broken Back visible in the distance as a grey stain on green plains. Left on a grey beach, beneath a grey sky, they are left to wonder what is happening in this out-of-the-way corner of Creation that has the Realm so interested.

Sian is indeed wondering that.

Venia is more wondering what she ever did to anger the Dragons so.

Cassia is wondering what she's going to find here. And liking the solid ground once more.

The beach is shielded from the view of the town by a series of dunes, the sand-grass that covers them waves in the sea-breeze, in time with the lines of sand that dance across the beach.

Venia looks around, "How very... gray."

Sian shrugs a bit, shouldering his pack. "I've seen worse."

Cassia picks up her own small pack, "Doesn't mean we have to like it."

Venia sighs. "I know. But I feel half asleep already, and I just got here." She follows suit with the pack-lifting.

Sian just starts off towards the town, not waiting for them to finish complaining.

Cassia sets off after him.

Atop a large dune Broken Back is clearly visible as a collection of grey stone houses, with a large grey pier protruding some distance into the grey sea. Thin lines of grey smoke rise from chimneys, and the only real sign of colour are the large Realm warships anchored just off-shore, one bearing the colours of House Cathak, the other House Cynis.

Venia obviously follows, stopping to look mildly across over at the two warships.

Sian just notes them as he continues, but neither comments nor stops.

"I recognise Cynis...the other sign is..?" she asks, stopping with Venia

"Cathak," Venia says, "Regimented, martial, proud."

"All of which are easy to take advantage of." Sian comments from up front.

Cassia nods, glancing over the ships once more, both a lot bigger than she is used to from Tideholme's docks.

Rounding a hill more colour is visible, this time in the form of a large white pavillion that has been set up to one side of Broken Back. A large number of brightly coloured flags fly from them, bearing the symbols of the Realm, the Great Houses and several with personal mons. The Realm's overwhelming presence, this far from the Blessed Isle, is reinforced by the large number of soldiers that can be seen.

Venia feels much better about the color, though is a bit worried about the very strong presence. She opens the front of her coat, carefully arranging her dress to be more impressive, then follows Sian.

Sian eyes the upcoming village casually, looking for a place to stay. An inn, or something.

Cassia walks at Venia's side, looking around curiously as she does

Venia seems almost impatient for something now, though is of course too refined to just shove Sian around until he finds them a place to stay.

The sea breeze makes the flags snap and crack, while the ships remain an ominous sign of the power of the Realm, should it so wish, to annihilate the town of Broken Back so thoroughly that no evidence of its existence could ever be found. A further sign of the power of the Realm is more immediately visible in the form of a patrol of soldiers in the scarlet jackets of a Realm legion striding up to the just-arrived strangers.

Sian stops some distance off, making it clear that he is not going to resist or flee the soldiers. For the moment.

Venia shrugs, and leans against him, deciding to get out of the wind for a bit while she waits.

Spears at the ready, points gleaming feebly in the grey sunlight, the soldiers hold the new arrivals at bay. "State your business!" one of them, presumably the fang-leader, barks.

Sian puts his hand up. "We are here for the meeting. This is Broken Back, yes?"

"Yes, this is Broken Back. And what are y... what meeting? I wasn't informed of any meeting."

Sian points at the large pavilion. "That one. Unless I got the details wrong..." He puts his pack down and starts to search through it, frowning.

Venia supresses a laugh.

The soldier looks thoroughly confused, his gaze drifting over the companions of the one he just tried to accost, "That is the officers' quarters, I suppose they'd be talking about what's going on here there..."

Sian locates a sheet of crumpled paper, coated in intricate writing (It's Old Realm. A list of appropriate offerings for beach-dwelling spirits). He frowns at it, looking over at the pavilion once, then back to the sheet again. "Wonderful." He sighs. "Look, there is at least an inn here, right? They got that much right?"

Pondering what to do next the soldier seems to reach a decision, and lightens up considerably, "I'll escort you to see Captain Kiela, she can sort this out."

Sian takes a brief look at the paper again, then stuffs it back into his pack. "If you're sure... I don't really want to bother anyone until I get this all sorted out, though."

Venia sighs, and unbuttons another button for future use. "Don't worry, dear. I'm sure the nice captain will sort all of this out."

"This whole area's under the direct control of the Scarlet Empress. Everyone needs to be processed. Captain Kiela handles that." The soldiers form up into a rough escort around the trio.

Sian looks back at Venia, every inch the uncertain servant. "If you say so, my lady." He nods at the guard captain.

Venia makes sure to keep Sian between her and the wind, but is otherwise completely unconcerned with this processing.

Cassia looks up at Venia, then pulls the furs she wears about her more warmly. She isn't concerned if Venia isn't.

The walk to Captain Kiela is not a long one, billeted in town she is currently staying in one of the small, largely identical grey houses that make up Broken Back. The sergeant knocks and enters and Kiela looks up, a woman who might be considered attractive were it not for the large scar that almost bisects her face, the wound having also destroyed her left eye. "Who are these people, sergeant?"

Sian looks around somewhat nervously, hoping these people won't delay the important business his mistress is on.

Cassia looks wide eyed at the captain, before guiltily looking down, though before she does, she lets the details of the captain and the office sink into her memory.

Venia steps forward and nod courteously. "Cynis Venia and her entourage. We're here to see Otori."

"General Otori?" Kiela blinks (the open socket of her left eye twitches disconcertingly), and dismisses the soldiers, "Does he know you're here?"

"Not yet. I arranged the surprise visit with one of the underlings. Trust me, he'll be ever so happy to see me." She grins meaningfully.

"Ah," Kiela nods. "Of course," she reaches into a drawer and fishes out a handful of glass spheres, each one with a small glowing white light inside, "Take these. You can go anywhere except where they change colour."

Sian takes them carefully, and hands one to each of the others, rather relieved that they're okay. Outwardly, anyway.

Venia nods. "Of course. Would you know where he is at the moment?"

Cassia takes hers with a small smile in thanks to Sian.

"In the pavillion, most likely. If not, I'm sure someone there can tell you where he is."

"Thank you very much." Venia bows slightly, and then whisks off to see Otori.

Sian leads them out, as servants are required to do.

The pavillion is a large structure, fully twenty yards across and almost half that in height at the centre. Hundreds of taut ropes sing in the breeze and the fine material that makes it up flutters ever-so-slightly. The entrance is clearly marked by an opening and a congregation of soldiers.

Cassia walks by her lady's side quietly, looking around curiously, unless told otherwise.

Sian fidgets a bit, and looks to Venia for orders.

Venia presents the little orb to one of the soldiers to make sure she can go inside, peeking in even before she is told with complete assuredness she WILL be told it is alright.

The soldiers look puzzled at Venia for a few seconds before waving her and her entourage into the pavillion. Inside, sunlight plays over a small pond filled with fish that appear to be made of living gold, while next to it a spectacularly complex clockwork mechanism seems to dance and twirl around on its table, achieving nothing but doing so wonderfully.

Several partitions seperate sections of the pavillion out, one of which has several voices in quiet yet urgent discussion coming from behind it.

Venia cocks her head to listen for Otori's voice, regretting how long it's been since she's seen him.

Cassia perks her ears up a little, listening carefully to the discussion, her head though, walking by Venia's side.

Sian draws back a bit now to allow Venia free motion, since this is her arena.

Venia sends Cassia to knock on the partition and tell Otori that Venia is here, giving a short description of him as is needed.

Cassia nods "Yes, my lady." and walks to the indicated partition, knocking.

Otori is a tall but muscular man, his black hair cropped short for practicality and leaning over a large table together with two others who bear the manner of officers of the Imperial Legions; a woman with dark skin and unruly silver hair, and a short bald man wearing the robes of an Immaculate. Otori looks over at the knocking and frowns, puzzled, "Yes?"

Cassia bows, before she straightens herself "My Lord Otori, the Lady Cynis Venia is here to see you."

"The Lady... " he blinks and grins, "Little Venia's here?!" He rushes past Cassia and out into the centre of the pavillion, grabbing Venia in a huge bearhug and lifting her up off the ground, "Hello, sister," he kisses her, "It has been too long."

Venia laughs, lightly, given the hug. "It has been a while, yes. I'd never have expected to find you here, though."

Cassia pads quietly after the general, settling herself at Sian's side.

Sian relaxes upon seeing the pair, just lifting his eyebrows to Cassia in acknowledgement.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?" Otori's grin fades slightly, "Weren't you in trouble?"

"It's... mostly resolved. I'm here because everyone else seems to be here. You were a welcome surprise."

Venia nods at Cassia. "My semi-protege." And then she nods at Sian. "My majordomo."

Sian bows deeply, of course.

Otori put Venia down gently and smiles at her, "Well, it is good to see you nonetheless. I don't get to go home often, these days," he gestures vaguely indicating the pavillion and, by extension, his generalship.

Venia chuckles. "I can see, and know the feeling."

Otori takes a seat from the several scattered around, and gestures for his guests to do likewise. Once seated he turned to Venia, "So, really, why are you here?"

Sian does so, after silently offering Cassia her choice of seat.

"Honestly, to see what's going on. It is not often Cathak and Cynis converge on a place like... this."

Cassia takes a seat next to Venia, with a smile of thanks to Otori, and the barest nod to Sian, listening to the conversation as she looks about.

"True. And we don't even know what this is..." he shrugs, frustration obvious.

"Oh? Maybe I can help somehow."

"I'm willing to take any help I can get right now," Otori sighs, "My orders came from the Empress herself, and I have only been able to report failure back. I don't know how much longer I can stay here."

"What exactly does she want?"

"She wants..." he looks up for a moment, "There is a place, not too far from here, buried under some hills. It was manned," he laughs suddenly, "operated might be a better word, by some of the walking dead. Some very powerful ones. It cost us a full dragon of men to beat them down and take the place. But, by the time we got there, it had sealed itself. Five hundred men dead, and for nothing!"

"The Empress knew about it, don't ask me how, and she told me that she wanted what was inside, whatever the cost," he shudders, "Have you ever seen the Empress? She looked into my eyes when she said that, and all I saw was..." he shudders again.

Venia puts her arm around him. "Only from afar. The worst I've ran into was Belar. So you can't just break in?"

"We've tried. It's cost us another thirty soldiers," Otori grimaces, "And they weren't quick and clean deaths, either."

"Ouch... usually there's a necromancer involved. Nobody around knows of any pale people with bad odor?" She smiles weakly at the joke.

"Honoured General," a voice from the partition is accompanied by the silver-haired officer, "We must finish our preparations for tomorrow quickly."

"Of course," Otori sighs, "I'll be there shortly, Thea." He stands and bows shortly, "Talk to Kiela when you leave, she'll arrange places for you to stay while you're here."

Venia nods. "Thank you. See you soon, in a less urgent setting?"

"Wild yeddim couldn't keep me away," Otori grins and kisses Venia's forehead again, before standing and returning to his comrades.

Venia smiles a bit, and nods at Sian and Cassia, ready to return to Kiela.

Sian stands! And follows, when ordered.

Cassia stands and moves to her side, starting to walk when she does. When she is a little departed, "Your brother seems to be a good man, Venia." she smiles

"He's very nice. I looked up to him when I was younger." She thinks a bit. "Still do. He's quite tall."

"Maybe you're just too short?" He smiles a bit.

"Hrmph."

Cassia just grins.