1629, Fire Season, Fertility Week, Godday
Context
Xenofos is staying at the Palace by invitation of the Queen, who wanted to make sure she could keep an eye on people. Session S.5-W-12.
Events
It is rather late in the evening when Xenofos walks back to the royal palace.
The scents and smells of the day still hang in the air. Chalana Arroy’s festival brought something like peace to a shattered community, and the people who are out picking their way through burned buildings or newly-painted walls are looking less strained. Wilmskirk has an active night life now, and is a different sort of place to the Wilmskirk of Xenofos’ first visits. A mural showing a mooning Wolf Pirate being used as target practice is being sketched out by apprentices, and someone has organised a soup kitchen from leftovers from the day’s feasting, and is charging a song for any supper.
Xenofos nods at the mural.
The full red moon hangs above, but then again, she is always there. Today she is just more visible.
The palace is mostly closed, but the great doors are open a touch, and the guards outside seem to be mostly alert, as opposed to merely decorative.
Xenofos nods to the guard and announces himself as he approaches as Scribe Xenofos, a guest.1(X: 00 in the heortling may mean something though…. Maybe koumiss made his tongue slip, maybe he talked Praxian.)
I don’t think he’s staying here.” One guard looks at each other. “He was last night but he’s gone to Wilmskirk.” Which…. is odd.
The man is obviously confused, but Xenofos is not in a mood for long chat but proceeds towards the doors with a friendly nod.
One of the guards asks, “Sorry, stranger. Who were you?” He just about gets an arm into the way, across the gap in the doors. He does not seem aggressive, but he certainly does not look welcoming.
Xenofos mutters a few words in Firespeech and touches the door with palm of his hand. Street in front of the door is lit by a bright glow of lantern spell. “You have eyes neighbour, but you don’t see?”
The guard makes a face. “Sorry. I thought you were asking for Xenofos. Go right in.” He appeals to his friend, who says, “Everyone’s probably had a bit to drink today.”
“I know I have, no harm, no foul.” Xenofos walks in.2A failure on Heortling.
Behind him there might be shrugging, but there is no attempt to stop him, and one of the guards says in a friendly tone, “Enjoy the night.”
Within there are the sounds of a few people working or merrymaking, as the occasion calls for.
Once in Xenofos goes to well for a drink of water.
There is a well in the corner of the kitchen, and the great hall still has several pots of water out, possibly against the hope they will be used for more than wine. Cups are easier to come by in the hall.
Xenofos raises a new jar with the pole of the well and drinks some, looking at the Moon as he does so.
Her light creeps in, as the fires are banked behind him. The water tastes good, though, and is cold even on this warm evening.
After drinking Xenofos shakes his head a bit and goes to stables to check on the mounts. No doubt they are well tended, nothing less is expected, but a cavalryman does look for his mount himself. As would any warrior of the Tribe too.
All well looked after, and next to a few tired-looking horses, and several fresh ones he does not recognise. Someone has set up a messenger system already.
Xenofos pats his own horse and talks to it quietly. He gives a few words to mounts of the others too, but does not get too close to Varanis’ horse out of old habit.
After that detour he quietly walks to the room where he left his shield, javelins and other baggage.
Yamia’s chariot horses are here. She is staying at her father’s, but the animals have been lent to the King. They look hopeful of treats as he passes.
His room is a small one next to where Varanis was staying: she has gone to guest at Silor’s tonight.
Quietly he writes down a few notes. After that he takes off his sword belt and sits at the edge of his bed.
He unsheaths the rapier and starts going over it with the sharpening stone. There are no nicks.
Before breakfast Xenofos nods to a servant girl and asks her if she knows where the Queen would be at the moment.
“Pig,” replies the young woman. Her tone is not matched to the insult.
“The sty?” Scribe asks.
“Yeah.” Off the woman goes.
Xenofos has a decent idea where the pigsty would probably located3Passed Manage Household and he walks that way.
Indeed, Ivarsa is there, or nearly there; she is walking away, skirt tied up to her waist by the hem, so that it just about covers her thighs. Fortunately, she is walking towards the kitchen as Xenofos is coming out of it. She gives him a nod and keeps walking as if to go past.
“Good Yelmrise Green Lady, could I have a few words with you?”
“Orlanth’s blue balls.” It’s a low mutter, but it carries in the morning air. More loudly she asks, “Is this going to be expensive?”
Xenofos raises an eyebrow. “I don’t think so?”
“Not that I wouldn’t listen, I just like to be warned.” The Queen looks down at the empty bowl she carries, and does not offer it over. “Hit me with it.”
Her accent is not from Wilmskirk, but probably from further to the West4Passed Speak Heortling to understand this., among the Locaem that also brought forth her husband. It is also much less refined than his. This is a peasant, promoted.
“Long story short, the Librarians of Wilmskirk now know who stole things from the Library. That may not be of much help since it was a Wolf Pirate.” Xenofos shrugs.
Ivarsa nods. “Right. It’s good to know.” She does not assume that is all, but waits to hear if there is more.
Xenofos nods. “However, at least the tablet that ended in my satchel was also handled by Eurmali, likely a local resident. There is no evidence they would have touched anything other than that. But there is no evidence they did not touch it either.”
She wrinkles her lip. “Anyone I have to know about?” Her gaze is impressively direct, like this is a problem for now and so all attention will be on it.
“I don’t know to be honest. But I have informed Silor, the woman was known to her by repute.”
“Oh, right. Them.” Ivarsa leans slightly so that she can spit on the ground. “The Brotherhood. Big bunch of bit… let’s not start the day off by swearing. Yei, I know of them.”
Xenofos bows slightly. “If the Trickster is involved my colleagues at the Library may need some aid. Illusion can sometimes make it harder to see the Truth. It certainly affected my vision of what happened. But there is no direct lead saying these people were involved in more than displacement of the tablet.”
Ivarsa’s expression clouds. “I get you. I’ll work out how to lean on them and find out. Somehow. And if any mousy-looking women give you an odd-smelling drink, tell ’em I want to know what’s in it. Anything else? Yelm’s climbing and my husband’ll notice soon.”
“That would be all Green Lady, I hope at least some of it may be of assistance.”
Ivarsa nods. “Right. Back to give the upright ones breakfast. If you die, make sure people know to hunt down the Brotherhood of Equals, but don’t go after them otherwise.”
- 1(X: 00 in the heortling may mean something though…. Maybe koumiss made his tongue slip, maybe he talked Praxian.)
- 2A failure on Heortling.
- 3Passed Manage Household
- 4Passed Speak Heortling to understand this.
