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Avalyne Lomasa is walking down the road, a basket of herbs on her arm.
Lorana Lomasa rides into the crossroads with a twinkle in her eye and a tune on her lips. The armored woman hums cheerily as she heads for the stables at a walk, nodding politely to passersby as they move out of her way.
Avalyne Lomasa steps out of the way and sighs as she looks in envy to the horse, then at the long road ahead and sighs again.
Offering a small saddled bow, Lorana passes by Avalyne and then dismounts, handing the stableboy a few coins to take her mount. The woman stretches a little (as much as one can in steel full-plate) and starts on a casual walk towards the tavern.
Avalyne Lomasa looks in curiosity at the woman in armor, she seems rather impressed actually, "Pardon me miss, that is a lovely mount." She is standing in the road with a basket of herbs, Lorana string all badass like to the tavern
"Thank you," Lorana replies pleasantly, smiling as she look Avalyne over lightly, "Seamel-bred, Lomasa-trained. A gift from my lord father."
Coming into view from the Central Bazaar, Vernius Zahir can be seen. He is talking to a local merchant, somewhat quietly. Before getting any further into the crossroads, Vernius hands the merchant some money in exchange for a small vile of something. He carefully places the vile in his interior vest pocket, thanking the merchant then proceeding down the crossroads, smile on his face. He nods to some of those who he passes.
All six moons that float over Fastheld are showing tonight. They chase each other across the sky - the cerulean orb of Herald, crimson Dayhunter, verdant green Stormwatch, the violet Serpent's eye and the matching grey pair of Torch I and Torch II. The night seems peaceful, with the land not stirring with the faintest breeze. Just outside of Lightholder Crossroads, a solitary horseman rides as if all of the shadow mages in the land were on his heels. Though, given the activity of late, it's possible that they are.
As this man enters into the small village, he lets out a loud cry. "Help, help! Sweet Light, someone help me!" he shrieks. Torchlight falls on his features as he thunders through the roads not meant for such speed. He is of middle-age and of poorer descent. Features are plain at best and he has eyes of a very light blue and grizzled grey hair that flies every which direction, providing an almost crazed look. "Oh, for the love of the Emperor, someone aid me!" he screams as he hauls his exhausted mount to a halt outside of the tavern and he half falls to the ground.
Avalyne Lomasa is about to reply to Lorana when the man gallops up and near falls to the ground, picking up her skirts she runs to him, "What is wrong? Are you injured?" She looks him over critically, "If you are then tell me, I can assist you."
Lorana rushes to the man as well, slower thanks to the tin can weighing her down. And louder. "Attacked? Pursued?" the Baroness adds to the questioning, casting her emerald gaze down the road in the direction from whence the man came.
As Vernius gets further down the crossroads, he hears the cries for assistance, and turns to see the rider pass him by with some speed on horseback. Picking up some speed, he catchs upto the man, who is already being questioned. His left hand resting on the grip of his sword, prepared to ready it at a moments notice. He nods to Avalyne and Lorana, then looks at the rider. He doesn't ask the obvious questions which have already been asked, simply states, "If I can be of any assistance, let me know."
An elderly gentleman totters his way over to look at the man on the ground and shrugs his shoulders. "Do not worry about that one, my Lady," he says with a scowl. "He comes through here once a month screaming his nonsense. His mind is a bit addled from one too many hits to the head." He leans over to kick at the man on the ground. "Don't be scaring the gentle Ladies, Farren," he snaps. "Just you mind your own and get back on that horse and move on away from here. You know we don't care none for that talk you bring here."
The man known as Farren huddles on the ground, flinching away from the words and kicks, instead reaching up to cling to Avalyne's skirts, weeping. "Gentle lady, oh please, oh please, gentle lady," he whimpers. "Don't let them hurt me. Don't let them take me away." He buries his face in the hem of the skirt, careless of the fact that he is rubbing the grime of his face into the cloth.
Avalyne Lomasa looks at the elderly man then at Farren, "I do not understand, who wishes to take you away? Who wishes to hurt you?" Shaking her head at the man tossing kicks around she says, "Kicking him means only I will be treating the resultant bruises." Before looking back down at the crying man, a sigh for the ruined skirt.
Lorana inserts herself between the old man and the one known as Farren. "He has done nothing to earn that, and you will not do it again," the Lomasa says sternly, hand resting on the gothic axe at her hip, "If you have nothing helpful to do here, return to your business and let us worry about Farren."
The Zahir nobleman listens to the elderly man speak, then looks down at Farren who has his face burried in Avalyne's skirt. He leans down, pushing the man away from her, "Unhand her, and start speaking straight. We cannot help you if you won't tell us what's wrong." He then looks up at the old man, and the woman who has put herself between the two of them - she seems to have the old man under control.
There is a brief flash of anger from the old man before he bows down before Lorana, "Begging your pardon, My Lady," he says. It would take a keen ear to differentiate the deference to a noblewoman for the annoyance and contempt. "This man is nothing but a thorn in our sides. He steals from the good, hardworking people who come through here and wastes our time with these made up fantasies. He's nothing but a courier and a poor one at that." He shrugs and totters off again.
Cringing in fear, Farren pulls away from Avalyne and throws himself before the Zahir, groveling at his feet. "Kind Lord," he whimpers. "Oh, kind Lord, please help me. There were men chasing me as I made my deliver..." He peeks a glance up at Vernius and flings himself away, shrieking in terror. "Oh, bad man, bad man," he squeaks, backing away on his behind. "Evil, evil Zahir man. They chased and hunted me. The cawing of their ravens, the laughter from their cold, cold mouths. Oh, save me someone, please! He will take what's precious in my belongings and slay me. Help, help!"
Avalyne Lomasa watches the man as he goes sliding along on his backside, "I do not know that I would be of much help to you at least," she looks down to her grimy skirts then back to the man, "If you are not injured anyway." She looks to the two new men and raises a brow at their presence, keeping quiet for now.
The armored woman sighs and rubs at her nose as the old man leaves. "Calm yourself, Farren," Lorana says, tone kind as she looks between Vernius and the frantic man, "I swear on my honor as a Lomasa, I will do all in my power to keep you from coming to harm. Please, stand and explain what you're on about." She turns her head away to regard Vernius and offers him an apologetic smile.
The reaction of Farren startles Vernius, for all but a moment. He stands back, looking at the others, then back at the man. "Are you calling me evil? Or are you saying that Zahir are chasing you?" He is somewhat confused, looking at the others. The noblemen waits to see the answer before introducing himself - as a Zahir - to the others.
"Oh, great Lady," Farren babbles to Lorana. "I was riding through from the River District and minding my own, you see?" he says, gesturing back and forth nervously as he climbs his way to his feet. "But all of a sudden, there are men all around me. Mean, evil, nasty men bearing the sigil of the raven. These dark, evil men were Zahir and chasing, chasing, chasing all of the way here. My poor Bessie is just too tired to lift another hoof but she brought me safely here." He throws his arms around the horse's neck. The mare is, to put simply, a nag. Ugly and old, but the horse nickers in familiar greeting to the man. "They wanted our precious cargo, great Lady. Oh, please, please, please do not let the evil Zahir take my precious cargo!"
Avalyne Lomasa sighs yet again, this time at the inefficient goings on of the man, "And what would your precious cargo be, that these men were so intent upon it as to not catch you?" she brushes at the grime on her skirt and grimaces as it smears. With Lora's next question claimed by the other Lomasa, she turns her gaze back down the road with a thoughtful frown. "If they didn't get it... why did they stop pursuing?" the blonde asks, "Not to be rude, but your horse isn't exactly a charger. They should have been able to catch you."
More talk about the 'evil Zahir'. Vernius sighs, looking to the others and taking his hand off of the grip of his sword. He takes a step back, looking at the man, saying - but not so much directed at him. "Perhaps now is not a good time to mention - I am Zahir, hmmm?" He waits to see the reaction of the others, the man, and hear what this 'precious cargo' is.
Farren cackles as he pats Bessie's neck. "The most valuable cargo anyone can ever carry, great Lady," he says. "Information. Nothing but great great great information!" He moves a hand to rest over the saddlebag that looks painfully empty. "The people chased and chased but they are no match for my quick footed Bessie. And when they saw the lights of the village, they knew that they couldn't hurt me. Farren triumphs again!"
Avalyne Lomasa just gives the man a look that says plainly she doesn't believe a word of it, "Were they on horseback or on foot? Because honestly, if they were on horseback then your horse should not have been any match. As for information, that is easy enough to garner, besides, from your welcome the people here seemed more willing to turn you out then give you shelter. What sort of information would they be so desirous of that they would chase you only to some village lights but no further?"
"You being a Zahir means nothing, my Lord," Lorana remarks mildly, "The actions of a few do not define the whole, and for all we know these were simply bandits in Zahir garb." She lowers her voice and leans over to Vernius before adding very softly, "Or imaginary." She lets Avalyne handle the questioning, staying alert just in case it turns out that someone does want to kill the nutty guy.
Or attack, kidnap, torture, tickle...
"Perhaps you are right, dear lady. But my presence only stands to aggitate the man further. While I admit not all Zahir are perfect, or trustworthy, I am not like them." The Zahir noble says, chuckling. If only you can take a man by his word. "Vernius Zahir." He says to the women, introducing himself to them. "And now, it would be interesting to know what sort of information this man carries."
Farren leaps in front of the saddlebags, shaking his head and pointing a finger at Vernius, "No no no no no," he says frantically. "It is his plan all along, all along I tell you!" he squeaks. "He wants the information. He will take the information by any means necessary!" he wails. He falls to the ground before Lorana, "Oh, great lady, please help me. Please, please, I beg of you, help me." He stops and perks. "I will take you to the place. To the secret hidey places where they chanced on me and you can see that they were after me. Yes, yes, I will show you where they were and then you can protect me!"
Avalyne Lomasa rolls her eyes at this theatrics, "Dear me, why do I bother asking questions? Tis clear I am to be ignored."
"And asking him for the information he just protected from, as he says, 'evil Zahirs' helps how?" Lorana musesto Vern, smirking, "Baroness Lorana Lomasa. A pleasure, Lord Vernius, in spite of the circumstances." She shrugs one shoulder, awkwardly thanks to her armor, to Avalyne, "he will not share so long as a Zahir can hear, that much is clear." Her attention returns to Farren, then, and one eyebrow raises in clear suspicion. After a few moments' consideration, she nods. "Very well. Show me."
"I can assure it it was not me, good sir. I don't even know you!" Vernius replies, chuckling. He looks to Lorana, "If needed I shall remain back there," he points to a place at the other end of the crossroads, "So he can tell you the secrets he hold without me knowing." He chuckles again.
"No no no no, information is to be kept between the right parties," Farren says, shaking his head. "You can't have my information. You can't you can't you can't!" He backs away from the ground a little, eyes narrowing, even as they dart back and forth between the small group. "You're all in it. I see it clearly now. You're all out to steal my information! I won't let you! I won't let yooooooou!" He grabs Bessie's reins and starts to run away in the opposite direction.
Avalyne Lomasa moves to touch the man's hand, "It is fine, do not tell us we will not ask for more." To Lorana she says, "And if you are going then I am going as well, I do not think it wise to have only one with him, no matter how able you obviously are to protect yourself. I will rent a horse and come to be sure to be able to treat injuries, I care not for this oh so important information."
"I asked you for nothing more than to show me where they found you," Lorana points out tiredly after the fleeing man, "If you run, I can't protect you!" She looks to Avalyne, then, "If the man returns and we do go, you are welcome, so long as you can show the wisdom to flee if necessary. I'll not have anybody engaging in heroics for my sake." She smiles to Vernius, "Apologies, Lord Zahir, it appears that the information will not be forthcoming for anyone. No matter, I wasn't concerned about it personally."
Sighing as the crazy man flees on horseback, Vernius just shakes his head. "I guess we will never know now shall we?" The Zahir jokes. "Maybe next month when he comes back this way crying the same thing as the old man said happens we can find out more." He chuckles again, and looks to Lorana, "No need to apologize, fair lady. I am only happy to assist."
Oh my, would you look at that? It looks like where Farren was on the ground is a scrap of parchment. On it is the personal crest of Duchess Dianna Lomasa.
Avalyne Lomasa picks up the parchment in curiosity, "Hmm, I think this should go back to Di. Undoubtedly the great information the man was on about, as it is hers she should have it." she tucks the parchment away and nods to Vernius, "I am Avalyne Lomasa, a pleasure Lord Zahir."
Lora notices it, too, but is only just starting to bend when Ava takes it up. "As a Lomasa House Guard, and her Grace's sister-in-law, perhaps I should be the one to pass it on?" Lorana replies to Avalyne mildly, "Forgive me, but it is difficult to trust a woman I've only just met with a missive from our Duchess."
The Zahir noble looks at the parchment, then to Avalyne. "A pleasure to make your aquaintence as well, dear lady Lomasa." He listens to Lorana request the parchment, and does not interfere, he will allow the two to argue over who should take it.
Avalyne Lomasa gives Lorana a wide smile, "Then perhaps we should do so together, that way we needn't worry to much on the correct method of transport and distribution. I am her cousin, I know her quite well but it is true that trust is not something that should be so quickly doled out for her House Guard."