/bump


I will try to explain Bas' background... but I don't know how he wishes to return yet, so till I know, I wont mention anything (though if he beats me to it <winks to basaia> I wouldn't mind).

Annika.... Annika....

The name stuck in Arcalan's mind. Why? What significance did it hold?

Once lexi had contradicted her story about growing up in Camelot on the streets. Arcalan had managed to trick her into mentioning a Grandfather of some kind, from the bearded lake. Apolexia was surely an assumed name, but Arcalan had becaome curious about this girl's past. Annika was another clue.

It was evident Lexi didn't want her Grandfather revealed, for she'd hidden him from Crispian, and blanched at his mention when Arcalan confronted her with her lie. Tricky work, but Arcalan had time enough to investigate. The peoples of Llyn Barfog were friendly towards her for her part in slaying arwanite invaders, but how much could they tell her of Lexi?

Arcalan's new face among the League was beginning to take root. She was known by her kindness and generosity, even accepting blame for lexi's misdemeanours and backing down from insults. Her patience was paying off, and soon the next phase could begin. The house of Hammerfel would be her target...

Still though she sought Crispian, who she had not managed to find in several days, to see if her spell upon him worked.

((Edit: see the end of Price)))


For now though she must content herself. The League was focusing upon Lexi and the discontent up North. Arcalan dismissed the idea of civil war in a time when Midgard was so strong a foe.. Albion would crumble for certain if that were the case.

Nevertheless the fears gave her room for manouver. She had already made provisoon for a trip to Tepok's Mine, to see how the goblin progressed in her Master's wishes. All this had been only one step in the plan of an immortal... but Arcalan would be there for the final part, and power beyond measure would reward her.

Crispian thundering into the north gate of Camelot leading a second horse on which was Tannir, his squire. He also brought a recovered Aceramar, both found in the wilds of Snowdonia and nearly out of their wits.


The fierce scowl on his face made guards follow his orders quickly about getting the two men to aid. The shattering of D'Vena's control on them seemed to have had extreme physical side effects as well as the expected mental torment. Crispian prayed that both would return to normal quickly.


The Elven orb against his chest still pulses warmly, as it had since he got it. There had been the few moments following D'Vena's death that it had cooled, but then it had pulsed to light again. He thought he knew what it meant, but was planning to confirm it later that day with a friend, if a meeting could be arranged.


He followed the litter-bearing guards into the city to tend to his men. Someone was thinking to cross the League, and Crispian. Whomever that was would find some trouble lurking from the mild-tempered Seneschal.

 

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Ilara watched from the shadows as she always did, trying not to come out for any reason. She was not good at it, but her goddess helped her blend in, and she could obtain information without even being present. She watched as Apolexia seemed to have a troubling day. Yet, when Rhizzia had told her to go and make some dishes from the pottery shop in Humberton, and when Arcalan agreed to come along to help... Ilara followed them to the shop, watching.


Rhizzia wanted a hundred plates for the wedding. But yet while Apolexia was firing up the plates at the pottery shop, her gaze turned to Arcalan. Interesting. Arcalan was putting some plaster into the clay, along with what looked to be some kind of gem. Apolexia took the clay, and when she went to heat it up... Ilara was thrown back from the potter shop as an explosion brought the place to the ground. Shaking herself off, she saw Apolexia walk over to Arcalan, coughing from the smoke, asking what had happened. Hecathia smiled. She knew that the so-called niceness of Arcalan was all a ploy, but till now she could never prove it. She watched as some of the guards carried Apolexia away to the guild hall.


Ilara decided to watch Arcalan a bit more after the explosion, but since the guards were investigating the scene, she couldn't get near the remnants of the shop to do anything else. Walking upstairs to the guild hall she laughed at what she saw. Hanging from a hook, was Apolexia, by the collar of her robe. Next to it was a sign: "Do not remove! - Rhizzia". Ilara sat down, watching Apolexia squirm around. Managing to rip the collar of her robe, she was able to get down from the hook, and then retired to her room for sleep.


---------Later that Night However-----------


Tashtego walked into the guild halls, looking happy as normal. And why not? So many good things happening with the guild, Lexi had stayed out of trouble for two days, Rhizzia was getting married, Kymeri was getting married, it was the twin's birthday coming up in a couple of days... Lexi walked down the guild hall, and walked over to Tashtego. Apolexia sat there, trying to explained what happened. Then Tash asked if she had looked for any evidence herself.


"Go over there, an look fer it...would ye like me ta come along with ye?"


"The damn guards looked already... nothing..."


"So, ye are tellin me ye din look yerself? Noe anyone else in the Guild?"


"How could I? When I got back Dracarn came in, left, then Rhizzia hung me by the collar of my robe on a hook, and furthermore Im grounded for the day! I couldnt leave without getting in more trouble..." letting out with a sigh. Hecathia remembered back as Rhizzia having grounded her for the day for causing trouble in the morning service of church.


Tash formed a smile, and idea coming to his head. "Ok then, would ye like me ta go o'er there an look fer ye?"


"es Tash... I would love you to see if you can find anything... though knowing that farkin witch.. she planted stuff against me!" referring to Arcalan, convinced she had something to do with it all.


Tash snapped back, "STOP USING THAT WORD Lexi!" trying to get her to be more ladylike. Apolexia promised not to use that word anymore, so Tash continued. "So then, be there anythin I should be lookin fer when I get there?"


"I don't know the first thing of pottery..." Apolexia frowned.


"Well, luckily I do then... me... sister... used ta be a real wiz at it."


Apolexia smiled, jumping up giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Tash!"


Tash blushed lightly and smiled. "e are welcome me sweet Lexi, now be good while I be gone."


Apolexia agreed, heading upstairs back to her room. Tashtego left the guild hall, Ilara following closely behind, down to the potter shop... what was left of it, a huge mess made. Tashtego looked around. 'Clay Casing? Bulk of the Kiln?'... continued to look. 'Shattered pottery?' goes off to look through the whole place. Finding ablsolutely nothin but large lumps of fresh clay, dying agents and sculpting tools, Tash casually picks up a piece o the broken clay and thinks a little. Nessin with the clay piece, it crumbles ta dust in his hand, leavin tiny crystalized peices of... what be this? Curiously, he picks up a few more pieces, and begins finding more and more of the crystallized pieces of an almost glass like substance... 'Now that don belong there!' Tashtego does a little test with a small sample of the pieces of crystalling and... BOOOOOM! 'OUCH! Luck y I had me shield ready an me helmet on...' he chuckled. Looking to the remainder of the pieces, he tucks them away in his pouch, finding something at least he heads to camelot.


Ilara watching this whole time, follows Tashtego back to the city. Thankful it is nightfall, for it is more easier to blend in here than anywhere else. She saw Tashtego experimenting, and had an idea that she had been waiting on acting upon for sometime now... reaching into her pouches taking out a blue robe, she put it on over her leather armor. Taking the arcanium scimitar she had paid another to get from Apolexia, using some funds made by selling her shields, she coated it with an imbalancing poison... and followed Tashtego closely.


Tashtego stops just shy of the first mighty pillar, feelin eyes on his back, quickly turning around he sees nothing. Scanning the distance fer something or someone yells out: "Who be there!?" Finding nothing or nobody in the distance, begins walking again towards camelot, Ilara following closely behind, waiting for a chance to strike. 'But whoever it be, still be back there, for I can feel yer eyes' Tash thought to himself as he walked. Reaching the gate to Camelot, looks back fer one brief second, still feeling like hes being watched. Walking on back from the gates turns down the street that would soon turn into the one leading to the league. Spinning around again, he saw nothing. He called out: "Show yerself!" Ilara saw her chance.


Walking around the back of Tashtego, carrying a Duskwood Tower Shield she had stolen from Apolexia, she brought the shield down hard over Tashtego. Tashtego slumped to his knees, grabbing for his asterite war mace he swung behind him at his mystery assailant. Ilara had the surprise, she meant to keep it. Ducking under the war mace and unsheathing the scimitar she slashed at Dracarn's side, his armor providing little protection against the power of the arcanium blade. Dracarn now facing forward down an empty street, on one knee, reeling from the effects of the poisonous blade. He found himself quickly losing consciousness... performing his skullbreaker style, bludgeoning the neck of Ilara. Ilara collapsed to the ground, dizzy, the blow almost being enough to knock her out in one shot. Tashtego was on his knees, still fighting to stay awake, both of them struggling. Tashtego started to turn about, and Ilara knew that she couldn't be seen, so with her energy spun as Tashtego did around. All she had to do was wait for the poison to get too much for Tashtego, and he would collapse under the strain of the blow to the head earlier. Tashtego seemed to know this as well, and with his last bit of energy flings his head backward at whomever was there, falling over as he does, letting out a yell: "GUARDS!!!" Ilara dodged the head-butt, but was crashed upon under Tashtego's weight, pinned to the ground. Tashtego's hand was able to reach back and yank a piece of the collar from Ilara's robe as he sank unconscious. Struggling, she was able to move Tashtego off, though the delay meaning she had little time. If it was in the daytime, guards would've been about, someone would've seen this all. But it was not. Dropping the scimitar down next to Tashtego, she then searched him for the crystallized substances. Finding the pouch, she then turned back to Tashtego. Smiling she mocked him, "Imbalancing poison... you'll awake soon... Im sure... and when you do... you'll find a blue torn robe, a scimitar, and this shield..." throwing the shield down next to Tashtego. "too bad I dont wear robes either..." throwing off her robe revealing her dark blue leather armor. "Oh, and here, a present for you." tossing a hilt on top of Tashtego's body.


"There was a noise over here! Come on! Someone cried out!" Ilara looked down the streets, seeing the guards coming to the scene. Smiling, she set off for the shadows, and to find her safely away. A safe distance away Ilara tossed the pouch in her hand, then putting it away. "Im sure Arcalan would like to see this..."


(( passes the 'stick' to Apolexia ))

Apolexia was bored. Can't craft... can't hunt... slept most of the day she didn't want to sleep now. She thought to her sister Azi, her father Judan, and then decided what she could do. Coming down to the guild hall, she announced she was going for a walk, and set out the dark streets. She walked over to Judan's shop... 'Closed for the night' a sign was posted. 'Maybe they are home...' Lexi thought, going to the Hammerfel home, her home... but noticed it was locked and no lights were on. She looked up to the second floor, and realized they had probably gone to sleep. With a sigh, she headed back to the guild hall.


Meanwhile... Tashtego stumbled into the guild hall with some help of the guards. Crispian turned to them, thanking them, then helped his friend and brother of the league to a chair.


"I need a healer! Poison!" He exclaimed.


"I knocked whoecer it was pretty good.... but.... uh" Tash said in a semi-conscious state.


Cranthor looked up from his sewing. "Let me try..."


"Please! My brother is an infiltrator now, so I know some of this!" Crispian exclaimed.


Tash tried to get up but fell back again. "Twas... a woman..." Cranthor placed his hands over Tashtego's heart, and muttered a few prayers.


Heathyr came running to Tash. "ou said poison?"


"There... That is all I can do for him. I hope it helps." Cranthor remarked, her healing powers trying to help Tashtego fight off the ill effects.


"I... heard her voice..." Tash said.


Crispian immediatly jumped at this, wanting vengeance on any who would attack his brother of the league. "Whose?!"


"I don...I don know..." being unconscious when he heard it.


Lexi had reached back to the guild hall, seeing her friend crumpled in a chair she immediatly rushed over crying out: "TASH!" Crispian scowled at Lexi, obviously thinking ahead. Cranthor meanwhile walked around, lighting a couple of lamps that went out. Lexi knelt down by Tash. "What happened?!"


Tashtego held his head. "Och me head. Someone colcocke me good"


Taking out a piece of wet cloth she rubbed Tashtego's head with it. "Tash..."


Crispian told Lexi. "Aye, and there is a stink of poison too!"


"Poison?!" Lexi exclaimed. "Tash, did you see anyone, hear anything..."


Tashtego weakly got to his feet, Crispian and Lexi helping him up. Opening his hand revealing a small blue piece of cloth, he said: "I have this... find the person who wears this and ye have me would be assassin."


Lexi's eyes froze at the substance. She knew what it was well. "Cloth... woolen cloth... this is to a collar of the robe... much like where mine was torn earlier today... even my same color..."


Tashtego visibly tried to shake the effects away. Crispian swallowed, turning to Lexi. "Lexi?"


Cranthor returned to his sewing, knowing nothing else can be done to help. "Let me know if I am needed."


Lexi turned to Crispian pleadingly. "I didnt do anything! Tash..." turning to tash. "What happened, what else did you find?" Tashtego tried to remember what there was when he was rolling on the floor. He finds a bronzed hilt wedged between his weapon haft to his mace. Lexi reached down to the bronzed hilt... her mark 'AA' on the hilt (ApolexiA). "This is one of mine..."


Tashtego looked to Lexi. "m'la...dy?"


"B... but... I didn't do this!" Lexi exclaimed. "A... a weapon, was there a weapon, tash..."


Tash tried to remember. His head still spinning. "Um... aye... there were."


"What did she use? If you can remember, much can be told about one by a weapon they use..." knowing this to be true, a weaponsmith by trade.


"The first blow hit me on the head..." Tashtego said, taking off his helmet.


Lexi looked confused. "It had to be a strong weapon to hit you that hard with a helmet on..."


Tashtego inspected the dent on the helmet. "Uh...the falt o a blade could do this aye, if it were a mace or hammer... ohhh me head... it... it would be much larger. Crispian?" turning to crispian.


"Aye brother?"


"At the gate, go, in me stupor, I left one o her weapons, can ye?"


Summoning Ardy and Lynis, two faithful companions, he sets his cloak in place. "We shall return. Lexi, don't leave."


Lexi nodded, taking the cloth to Tashtego's head, trying to calm him. Rhizzia walked in, worn from the day's ventures, immediatly looking to Tash and Lexi. "Whats happened?!" she exclaimed."


Lexi jumped up. "He was attacked ma'am!"


Rhizzia looked to Lexi, "By whom, do you know?"


Crispian walked in, answering Rhizzia's question. "She is under arrest, Rhizzia, for Assault, Poisoning, and possibly murder."


Lexi turned quickly to Crispian, not believing the words. "Im under... arrest?!"


Rhizzia stood firm, having given legal status over Lexi for a month, she felt it her duty. "Not until i hear what happened she goes no where."


Crispian walked over to Lexi holding out a Round shield and an Arcanium Scimitar. Crispian looked miserable... crushed... betrayed... but a beam of light shone from Lexi's eye. "Wait! You see! Im innocent! That shield was stolen from me you remember?!" thinking back to a week ago when all her shields were taken from Lord Urqhart's vault by some imposter.


"She is my responsibility...She stays here until she gets proper council..."


Crispian looks to Rhizzia, unable to look at Lexi. "Council?! She goes to the king!"


Lexi got behind Rhizzia. "But I didn't do this!"


Crispin clenched his jaw. "Rhizz, it's the law, we have no choice."


Lexi clutched Rhizzia by the arm, tears coming to her. "Please... I didn't do this!"


"No authorities... Until we figure this out... No one knows... If we cant figure it out then she can go to the king..." Rhizzia trying to remain firm for Lexi.


The Seneshal had had enough. "Sir Tashtego, Lady Rhizzia, need I remind you of the oaths you took from my hands?"


Tashtego looks to Lexi "Lexi, ye did this...I canna believe this.."


"I took no oath, my oath is to the church!" Rhizzia exclaimed.


Crispian scowled. "Rhizzia! You are a knight of the league!"


Lexi meanwhile was trying to plead with Tash, tears in her eyes. "Please... I didn't do this... I swear..."


Rhizzia looked to tashtego. "Can he prove SHE did it?"


"Though I may have taken yer Oath Brother Crispian, I canna see how whe could have done this ta me..." looking over to his sweet lexi...


Crispian glared at Tashtego and Rhizzia. "PROOF is not the matter here, evidence is!"


Cranthor finally spoke up from her sewing. "Is there an accusation? You must have one first before you can do anything."


Rhizzia and Lexi both said, "AYE!"


Tashtego was almost at a lost. "....Lady Rhizzia.... um.... there be the proof.... be it real or planted...."


Lexi gasped, continuing to hide behind Rhizzia. Rhizzia turned to Tashtego. "Tashtego... Look upon this poor innocent face and tell me she did this! Can you?!"


Lexi tried to put on her most brightest smile. Crispian immediatly glared at her. "Spare us the smiles, Lexi. They are oft used and of little effect!" Lexi's smile quickly vanished as Tashtego spoke.


"Lady Rhizzia, there are thins me and sweet lexi and shared together and tests I have given her....trust me when I tell you this, it not be her."


Rhizzia told Lexi to goto her room, that she wasn't helping any. Crispian turned to Ardy, "Follow her, she IS under arrest."


Rhizzia hearing this called Lexi back down. "Crispian's right... you don't have permission... but..."


Crispian's eyes narrowed. "BUT?"


"Come here." Rhizzia spoke. Whispering to Lexi that she should leave quickly seeking the confines of the church... Lexi shook her head, knowing to run from this wouldn't help any. Then, Tashtego called her over to him.


"I can solve this I believe..." he said.


"Please sir Tash." Crispian spoke.


Lexi walked over to Tash. "ou trust me right?" he spoke. Lexi nodded. "Then sit down here where I can see your neck."


Lexi sat down, but then looked to Tash. "But my robe was ripped earlier! I swear! Thas why its ripped!"


"Aye, I not be interested in yer clothin sweet Lexi..." looking to the back of her neck, not finding a scratch.


Crispian beckoned to Rhizzia. "Go get your sacred scrolls Rhizz."


Rhizzia left the guild hall, doing as she was told. "Crispian..." Tash began to speak.


Crispian turns on his knight. "Hold your tongue good Sir! We shall await Rhizzia!" turning to Cranthor. "Cranthor, can you fetch me a robe suitable to lady Lexi?" Tashtego looked hurt and a little angered at this attack by his Brother and friend but says nothing. "Open collared please."


Cranthor nodded, leaving the room she comes back a moment later with the desired robe. "Here mi'lord."


Rhizzia came back in with her sacred texts and thrusts them at Crispian in anger. Crispian held his hands back. "Hold them for a moment." Handing the robe to Lexi. "Go change into this."


Lexi looked around the room. "Milord, can I go upstairs to change please?"


Crispian nodded, then looked to Lynis. "She will accompany you upstairs, now go." Going upstairs with Lynis she changed into the new robe, then coming back handed the other to Crispian.


Crispian turned to Rhizzia. "Rhizzia, for this act, I free of you of pledges to the League and ask you act as a witness of the church, will you?" Rhizzia nodded. "Sir Tashtego, please take holy scripture in your hands..." drawing his sword.


Tashtego takes the scripture. "What is this for?"


Crispian holds his sword cross-styled to Tash. "I ask you to swear now by this holy text, and by the relic in my blade, that you will speak no falsehood on forfiet of your life and soul. Do you so pledge?"


Tash looked confused, but spoke anyhow. "es, I pledge it. I pledge to tell the truth my brother Crispian... as I have always done in the past..." he added.


Crispian called over Lexi. "Lexi, show me your neck.


"es Milord." walking over to crispian arching her neck down to reveal the back of it. Crispian looked at the unmarred skin.


"Sir Tashtego, would this be the neck of one you violently ripped the cowl of a robe from?"


"It appears ta be yes..." Lexi frowning at this.


"Lexi, please take this." hefting the scimitar to her. Lexi handled the blade easily enough, having worked in arcanium she was familiar with it, and the curve of a scimitar not being much different from the curve of her jambiyas or sabre. Crispian sighed. "Hand it back please." Lexi did as she was told. "Arrest her." he said in a cold voice.


Tashtego couldn't believe what had happened. "Wait! I know she did not do this!" he exclaimed.


Crispian fixed him with a dead stare. "And why is that?"


Tashtego looked at Crispian unfliching. "Because I hit me assailant heavily with't me mace usin me skullnreaker style. No one could have walked away from it withou a serious bruise! I am sworn ta tell the truth as I saw it."


Crispian nodded. He could not go against the word of his knight, especially after swearing to be truthful. "Very well, then. Lacking MORE evidence, I place her in YOUR custody, Sir Tashtego."


Tash got to his feet. "I thankee me good and noble Brother Crispian." Takeing him in a brothers embrace.


Crispian claps Tash on the shoulder. "Now please, let us set this aside until the morrow. We all should rest."


"...and I shall piece this puzzle together, this I swear ta ye me good Brother Crispian."


Rhizzia and Crispian both headed to their quarters, then Lexi remembered something, and went to Tash. "Wait Tash, did you find anything at Humberton?"


"Aye, I did..... I found a most peculiar substance in the pottery... a crystallin substance... I tested it and it nearly took me head off in the explosion."


"Where is it?"


Tashtego searches his person noticin the missin pouch. Lexi threw her hands up in the air. "It....it was here.....the assailant..."


"Great... now I still have no proof I didn't do this... thank you though Tash..." reaching up kissing him on the cheek. "Though it looks like I'll be sleeping in your quarters for awhile, I'll move my stuff there before I goto sleep. Night!"


Tash smiled. "Good night my sweet Lexi, I shall be up there soon."

/bump till tomorrow

Grinning from ear to ear, Azi skipped lightly down the ramp of Lethantis. She turned yet again and looked up to the tower window, waving and smiling at Ascot, whose lithe form shifted in the flickering lamplight as he waved back.


She gave the stable boy twice the fare for a horse and mounted gracefully, pulling her cloak around her as the chill wind whistled past. It had been such a pleasant supper, a well-needed break from her sister's antics. She had felt guilty at first for slipping away unannounced, but it had been worth it in the end.


They had talked about many things, Lexi, D'vena, and then Arcalan. Ascot, in his wisdom, had given her insight to a few things that hadn't occurred to her, and now she had a few things to keep alert to. Time would answer questions, she knew. She brushed her finger over her lips, still feeling his kiss there, and smiled.

Hecathia looked about for Arcalan... 'It appears that witch is away for awhile...' she said to herself. Sitting down she writes on a scroll.


'To Arcalan Hemlos:


I know you are playing a ruse, your niceness is not who you really are. I have saved you from the others finding out, for I have the proof they needed of linking you to the explosion at Humberton. I need to speak with you, immediatly. I am running out of time and I feel without your help the others will know that it was I who attacked Tashtego that night. You can turn in this note to the others, though remember, I still have your shards that caused the explosion. Turn me in, and your ruse will fall as well.


We are not enemies... and I hope to know more about you, we may have more things in common than you think.


Might the goddess grant you protection.


Hecathia Daiga'


Wrapping up the scroll, sealing it tightly, she walks into the guild hall, dropping it into Arcalan's office, then walks out before anyone ever knew she was there.


'It is time to decide Arcalan. Do not disappoint me...'

((Arcalan has an OFFICE? hmmmm....))

 

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((This might go deeper then even you know Crispian!))