/late morning bump - had to deal with a four hour car dive with crisp editing.... so... he gets bump

Tobyas overheard the young highlander at the stable yard. His heart leaped into his throat. Crispian surely could not be guilty of beating anyone! He was too kind, and gentle. Such was not a truth! He sped back to the city on horse and went straight away to find Tannir, but the lad was missing.


It was most unlike Tannir to leave the city for more than an errand. Toby began to ask around the church area, seeking those intinerants he knew, and the friars of the defenders. Finally, in desperation, he headed into the Shadow Quarter, beyond the Shadow Guild complex.


This had been home to him until recently. He easily made his way about, passing through areas most citizens of the city would not go. It took him but a few minutes to find the old areas he knew so well. He passed the Mermaid, for he would never go there again. Then, he ducked into Mama's.


The sleazy dive had almost been like a second home on those days he could get away from the Mermaid. Most of the faces that looked up at him now, though showed apprehension. For this Tobyas was a full-fledged battle cleric, not the boy-prositute he had been. He walked directly to the bar and paused to survey the room. "Wine," he said the barkeep, slapping down a copper coin. The wine was bitter and watered. He sipped from the clay goblet and then saw the face he sought.


With a bold stride, he walked up to the woman. "Ulega," he smiled to her, "I need your help."


She openly appraised him for a moment, and then recognition set in. "Toby, ye need a help I cinnae give ye," she purred, leaning into him. "Or has the noble-boy tired of takin' the poke, eh?" She grinned a wicked grin, knowing perhaps more about Toby's bedroom habits than any other.


Toby actually blushed, having forgotten the casual manner of sex in this part of the city. "Not that kind of help," he said as he drew he to a quiet corner. They spoke for some time, in hushed whispers. Finally, the woman stood, kissing Tobyas on the cheek.


"ou must be in love, Toby. A year ago or less, you would have rolled 'im fer 'is purse and moved to the next one." She smirked. "I envy dat, lad, and I'll 'elp ye." Then she left the building, vanishing into the street with skills an infiltrator would kill for, as she was well aware.


Within an hour, there was not a gate or doorway near the Shadow Guild that did not have eyes or ears in them. And more watchers were about than one would expect.


Tobyas sat back, hood pushed from his head. His plain cloak and chain mail kept the splinters of the worn bench from poking through. He smirked. Arcalan might work deadly magicks and dangerous plots, but no one could cross the dregs of Camelot and get away with it. A new emotion crept into his heart - Just Vengence. And he swore the Almighty that retribution would be his.

The two twins sat opposite each other. Crispian looked haggard, ragged, and almost spent. Jashen looked like better, but his eyes danced with anger and a malicious glee.

“There’s not else to it, Jash,” Crispian said again. “I’ll just have to turn myself into the King and resign my post, before he can take it.” His words were thick from ale and he gestured a bit more than he needed to.

Jashen shook his head. “Who else could lead as you have, Cris? And no one will believe these charges! They’re insane!” He had almost had enough of the self-pity that Crispian was wallowing in, and was even debating taking him outback of the station for a sound drubbing, even if Jashen himself might end up losing.

Crispian rubbed the back of his neck with one scarred hand. “I’ll put you up to replace me as Seneschal,” he continued on, as if his brother had not spoken. He was now leaning on one elbow, head bobbing forward. “You’ll do fine. Hell, some people might not even notice,” he muttered, tipping the mug up and getting more on his shirt than in his mouth. “It’ll be good for you,” he managed to get out, eyes failing to focus on Jashen, sitting two feet away.

“Cris, you don’t understand what is at stake,” Jashen said, launching into the argument for the hundredth time, but then he saw that Cris was quite passed out. It was interrupted by the approach of a guard in the King's Livery.


((Editted to match the next post's line))

 

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As Crispian sat drinking his ale with Jashen and arguing over who should take over his role as Seneschal of the League the door swung open and in walked a troop of armed soldiers. All of whom were wearing the crest of King Constantine.


One of them, the officer by the looks of him, stepped forward and extended his hand toward Crispian. He was holding a parchment and offered it to the young Lord.


"Crispian Pontiff, you are charged with the assault of Pompin the Crier. You have been accused of unlawfully and maliciously attacking and unarmed man and must answer these charges before His Majesty, King Constantine. Surrender yourself at this time and accompany me to Camelot." said the officer most matter-of-factly.

Crispian looked up from his ale, and then at his twin. He gave him a grim smile as he rose, taking his sword and offering it pommel first to the officer. "I surrender myself to the King's justice," he said rather formally, giving his shield into Jashen's keeping. With a set of shoulder worthy of any in his station, he faced the officer.


"Let's be to it then," he said.

 

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Two of the guardsman stepped forward and began to shackle the young Lord but were stopped abruptly.


"Nay! His Majesty gave strict orders that if Lord Crispian surrendered himself peacefully that he not be shamed by wearing the shackles of a common criminal. We shall take him at his word and allow him to ride, armed, with us to Camelot." said the officer.


With that he handed Crispian's sword back to him and led him from the hall.


The ride back to Camelot proved to be quite uneventful as Crispian was true to his word and came without a fuss. The men led him through the back gates so that they might not draw undue attention to the man.


They led him through the dimly lit halls until they came to a room that bore the crest of the King. There they turned him over to the King's personal guard who in turn led him into the chamber. As Crispian entered he saw the King first. Sitting in a high-backed chair staring intently at him as he entered. Then he noticed his accuser, Pompin. He sat red faced and obviously scared. The man looked as if he had been crying for hours.


Then from behind a pillar stepped a familiar face. The long red hair gave the man away as surely as his deep voice.


"Crispian, lad, come and sit. We have much to discuss." called Arguyle MacFadden.

His Hired hand just got another mission or some thing from some Crispian. His friend Tobyas has gone, Achou thinks it is time for a mission of his own.

“I do not think I need to tell him, his brother his here and it is one a short ride to Camelot. Btu Could you let Jashen know that I have left if he asked” Achou asked the bar keep as he slid him a silver and a small note.

“aye lil’ one I can tell him and give ‘em this if he asked” The bar keep said placing both the coin and the note in one of his pockets

“I shall return in a day, three at the most, just be sure he finds out, ByeYas” and with that Achou let Cornwall.


The ride north was uneventful, with only his thoughts to keep him company, The who point in this trip to the capital was to speak with the master Cabalist for some mission he wanted Achou do take care of. Not like he has the time for these little tasks. But it pays the guilds dues, and they are not that tedious just out of the way. His thoughts often wander from wandering what Tobyas was doing and where he went to what Crispian needed with Jashen. Ahou’s only guess is that every thing had to do with the “lady” Arcalan; if she can be called that; and some mess Crispian had gotten him self in to.


I was shortly after noon when Achou arrived in Camelot. He had not spent much time in the city, but as a kid spent enough time to know his way around. Getting to the Master Cabalist was easy, far easier that he recall. But then with all the new merchants and the seemingly shrinking capital, that is not to be surprising.


After a short talk with the cabalist, Achou needed a drink, walking to Mama’s for it was the best place in the city. Achou was mumbling something about being a farking massager boy, and had if it would not cover his dues, he would have just laughed at the quest. But his dues are due, and this will take but a ½ days of travel to take care of.


“Ulega, I need a whisky! And Emily would like a cognac!”

The cleric looked up from his wine to see the hulking emerald shape lumber through the door. The short Saracen before it could only be Achou, aspiring Cabalist. Tobyas slid from his seat and made his way over to the former Guild mate, and constant hunting companion.


"Master Achou, what good timing is your arrival. Join me at my table?" He indicated the worn table near the rear of the place and turned back to it, settling into his seat again.

Emily, the sim was the first to go, Achou followed after grabbing he drinks.


"Well, of the people I expected to find here, you were not one of them, but..." Achou had started to say "HiYas Toby! what brings you to the finest and funnest pub in all of Camelot?" setting the now three drinks down on the table and seemingly not to take a breath

"I have come to be and Erron boy, sounds fun huh? but you have yet to tell me, what brings you to this fun place? I do like to now, also have you see the"

achou pauses of a monent and lowers his voice quist a bit

"...the Lady, Arcalan, Crispin or Jashen, or know whay I passed some horsed guards on the way here"


After all that Achou leaned back and sipped is wiskey waitingh for a relpy ot few

Tobyas sat back with a small smile. If he had thought the Cabalist was a bit squirrelly on the hunt, his endless stream of dialogue would only add to that impression now. He sipped again from the bitter cheap wine. "This place used to be sort of like home, before I found the church," he said quietly, making a sign of blessing. "In truth, Master Achou, I used to earn my keep on this street." He was completely unselfpossessed of the statement.


"To your second question," he looked about and also lowered his voice, "I have not seen Jashen or Crispian since I left Cornwall for some time in prayer. However, I did hear that the Seneschal has been arrested, or at least is under warrant to the king." He smirked a wry smirk. "And I have people looking for Arcalan." His blue eyes went flat for a moment. "And I aim to find her."