Dawn was just beginning to light up the edges of the sky as Addie finally made her weary way back to Nethrida’s farm from the Rusty Barge. After taking Septimal Caine’s leave (see HERE) she had spent another hour searching for the dog Sneeze but was unable to find the animal anywhere. She was comforted however from the sense of warmth and contentment she was receiving from the mutt…as for HOW she was feeling the dog’s situation so acutely, she was saving that curious question for another day.
Arriving at the farm, Sneeze was curled up on the doorstep, as if waiting for her. Addie sighed to herself, petting the dog softly and then pushed the door open, as she had been told to do whenever she visited. Slipping inside, followed by the dog, she came upon most of her companions in the main room in a high state of tension. Xandilif lurked near the fire keeping an eye on a visibly distraught Finch, who was wrapped in a blanket. Eduwiges was pacing as Ryn fussed over Nethrida, who hovered in the doorway of her room looking like a horse had run her over, coughing occasionally.
Through the scene bustled Ynna, furiously cooking out of upset, the air filled with the scent of chicken stew and fresh bread.
As Addie entered, still wrapped in a newly aquired cream and silver cloak, Xandilif was in mid sentence….”…that is all well and good but we ain;t gonna know more until Ane wakes up.”
The newcomer stared. “Ane? You found Nethrida’s sister?”
Ryn nodded sullenly, and explained to Addie all that had happened on the beach.
Moving to look in on Annedyl, Addie stopped to stare at the bedraggled wreck of Nethrida. “In Bema’s name, what happened to YOU?”
Neth coughed….”I fink I tatt da sniffalsm dovin in ahter Hani.....”
As Addie looked through the open door, Ane was thrashing in her sleep, muttering to herself “He is chasing me….HE is chasing…me” over and over again.”
It was true she did not much care for Ane, but her heart went out to the woman at any rate, yet as she started towards her bedside, the voice of Ynna cut her off. “There, there now Miss Addie, best leave her be for now. She is warm and dry and safe, and there is nothing more to be done for her now. Trust me, she won’t thank you if she wakes up to you hovering over her, seeing her in her present state.”
Ynnabeth started putting crockery bowls out as Addie started to protest and Finchley hurried to sit at the table, blanket and all. “I know it may seem harsh, but I know both my girls well. They are fine women of Gondor, and thirty years and thirty pounds ago I was just as they are, fighting for my home against evil most foul. I know the way they think, as they know the way I do, and they are both as difficult as I was once upon a time. Between the two of them, my two daughters make one hedgehog.”
Addie stared, confused, but reached for the warm bread Ynna was just putting out.
Ynnabeth smiled and brought Nethrida tea. “When the wolf noses too close, one rolls up into a ball and the other is the prickles..I reckon ya don’t need me to tell you which one is which.”
Nethrida nodded slowly and mustered a weak smile, looking at her mother with as much pride as she could manage. "I agree, she will be alright Addie. But we must watch after her, for she may yet be in peril... And if her leg is as big a hindrance as to result in an honorable discharge...then why try to flee, rather than fight back against the assailant?'
Eduwiges chuckles, 'We won’t know that till we can ask Ane, but you surely do know your girls, Ynnabeth…now could I have some of that soup?' She sat down at the table across from Finch...'
Ynna smiled. “Oh of course dear.....I am so sorry...' and set bowls down for both Edu and Finch, with hunks of steaming sourdough.
Finchley looked up, eyes ever so slightly glassy. "Surely there's somethin' that can be done about that leg. Maybe she can't resume the duties she had before but maybe there's something else she can do."
Xandilif spats into the fire..."I had a look at it...it's bad...healed all wrong. Lord Fancypants may be able to do somethin' with it, but even then, no captain worth his passage will let her on a ship. Can’t depend on that leg. Command is right....her sailin days are done. She must know that…”
Nethrida blew her nose and sighed, 'She is... A formidable fighter... Perhaps if her leg could be made... Even a bit better she may yet find something...?'
Addie had sat herself down just in the doorway of Ane’s bedroom, despite Ynna’s warning, and was watching the woman struggle with her dreams. Something seemed familiar to her about her movements, but she could not put her finger on it. When Ynna approached her, she started guiltily and for a moment was young Addie again, contemplating the punishment for disobeying the lady of the house. Ynna just smiled and brought her some more warm bread, dripping fresh butter. "You are such a dear...this is fine, Miss Addie. You have to follow your heart, sometimes you forget that, am I wrong?”
Addiela nodded a thanks and takes the food. She smiled brightly for a moment in the warmth of the house, but then it faded as her expression turned serious again in her duty to watch over the woman and the room.
Eduwiges looked up from the food, 'Why can’t we take her to where she can be healed, and she can return to the sea?'
Finchley frowned. "Exactly... maybe she can do somethin' else. She's got experience, hasn't she? Just cause she can't sail doesn't mean she can't use what she knows... There ought to be something she can still do. It's--..." Finchley set her bowl of soup aside, swallowing whatever it was she was going to say and looking... incredibly troubled.
Xandilif looked uncertain. 'It's war time...I assume she could find some comission...if she asked for one or bothered to look. Town militia maybe..coast guard?”
Eduwiges shruged, 'Pfft! Town militia? She is way too proud to be a soldier for rent... She will just need aid getting her pride back.'
Nethrida shook her head, 'Nay Edu, unfortunately Lif is right... The regular Army will not accept her either... As much as it pains me to say, but even I would not have accepted her into my company...'
Eduwiges shook her head, 'You Mundburgers have your heads stuffed too far up your regulations. Ane and I aren't pals but I feel for her problem. I want to see her put right again. How can we do that?'
Nethrida took a deep breath "It... Isn’t a matter of regulations, Edu... It's a matter of her being unable to bring her best to bear, and therefore risk not only her own life, but that of her comrades."
Carneryn lifted her head off the doorframe, holding Neth’s hand. "Isn't it a little soon to be thinking of what Ane can possibly do about her leg in the future when a killer is still at large?"
Ynna looked at Ryn...."Oh child..this is all quite frightening and more than a bit strange...but there is ALWAYS a killer loose...if not orcs then corsairs, if not corsairs then a storm, if not a storm then something worse...we are used to life under a blade here. That is what made both my girls what they are, not to mention my Revion. If we don’t look to the future, we would collapse under the sheer despair of it all.'
Addiela glanced toward Ane again and her crystal blue eyes studied the woman's facial expressions, trying to get a better read on her nightmare and failing.
Carneryn looked mildly annoyed "Sure... Maybe there is a future, maybe there isn't... but is there anything we can do for Ane right this moment concerning her discharge?"
Nethrida shook her head, 'We cannot restore her leg to the way it was, I doubt even elvish medicine, wondrous as it is could manage it.'
Eduwiges took more bread, ripping the loaf roughly, 'I seem to recall you being injured quite severely yet here you are Neth. You were healed, no one cut you off. She just needs a little elven healing and some time I think.'
Nethrida nodded sharply at Edu "Yes, because I was lucky enough to have the proper treatment... Her leg has already "mended" improperly as it was.”
Finchley look helplessly at Neth. "She can STILL bring her best, just maybe differently," she whispered quietly, turning to look into the fire.
Eduwiges Points at Finchley, her mouth full. 'She’s right...I just hope when she wakes she can lead us to the bastard who did this to her.'
Frustrated with the conversation, Ryn walked out the door in search of air. Ynna watched her go...and frowned to herself. Bringing more tea to her eldest daughter, the woman whispered, “Well....quite the moody one, isn’t she?”
Nethrida smiled a little bit and took the cup. "Thank you... She is... But she has seen much adversity..."
As the group continued to eat in sudden silence, the sound of a horse riding up echoed ominously. Standing on the doorstep, Ryn watched a now familiar figure ride up at a gallop. “Caine?” she called in surprise.
Before the horse had come to a halt, Septimal Caine swung out of the saddle, conspicuously without his cloak, so his mail and arms were clearly visible.
Looking at Ryn, he asked “Where’s the Warchild?”
''Inside...'' Ryn said gesturing to the door considering for a moment just how many names Xandilif and Xanderian seemed to have.
Within the farmhouse, Finchley turned away from the fire and stepped up to Neth to take her hand and pull her gently towards the table and, more importantly, the food. "Neth you should have some soup."
Nethrida stumbled and staggered as she was pulled along, but followed after anyway. "I... Didnt even think of that... With Yula's murder..."
Finchley pulled Neth more carefully towards a nearby chair and made her sit down in it. "In your condition, it's important." She then turns to the table again to get a fresh bowl of soup for Neth.
A sharp knocking at the door drew every eye. As she was closest, Edu opened the door, her bare sword in her other hand. "Oh…Hullo Caine. What brings you by?”
The Knight stepped past her, looking harried. He glanced around until he saw Lif. "All hell is breaking loose in the town...When the old woman's body was brought in, the Captain went to turn the Corsair loose...only he wasn’t there. He picked the lock and scarpered, no telling when.
Nethrida froze, and stared into the soup bowl, a look of dread came across her face.
Carneryn moved back inside and over to Neth tiredly "Can't we get one moment to sleep?"
Eduwiges asked, 'When was the last he was seen Caine?'
The Knight had been prepared for the question. “Last anyone saw him that little drunken barmaid took him food about an hour or so before you came in with the body...'
Finchley's mouth had dropped open. "He... what?”
“He picked the lock clean, a real professional it seems....and it gets better.' Septimal Caine smirked without humor.
Finchley grimaced. "... What do you mean by 'it gets better', sir?... Usually that means it got worse."
“Yep…that it does.” Caine let his Gaze sweep the room. 'He also picked the lock on the weapons rack in there...from the empty pegs he has a sword and a dagger now. Sounds like he has decided fishing isn’t for him after all. A mob is going house to house now...nothing that Captain Kraddock says is changing their minds....as far as they are concerned, they tried Mercy and it just got them another body. Now they want blood..and any blood will do.'
Finchley was horrified, 'So they think he did it? That's--... I don't believe that. He can't have.'
Carneryn grumbled softly "And in his opinion he did everything right and was still persecuted..."
Caine sighed. 'Whether he did or not, they have fire in their eye, and he has a sword...somebody is going to die.'
Eduwiges cursed, 'Fools! They had best not come here.' She walked over to her gear and reached for her longbow.
Lif put an almost affectionate hand on Edu’s shoulder. 'Slow down Rohan....you really want to go to war with the whole town? Once you ride on, assuming you do, it will be this house that will bear the brunt of it. Talking wild and shooting arrows ain’t gonna solve this.'
Finchley clenched her fists at her sides. "Ain't /anyone/ here just sick and tired of all this death?" she snapped and glared at the door. "Mister Farage didn't do it. Is anyone aside from that lot out there even lookin' for him?"
Xandilif held her hands out. 'Listen….if they get this far, let Ynnabeth deal with them...and Babygirl, the best anyone can do for that poor bastard is NOT look for him.'
Finchley looked at Lif and pretended she wasn’t about to cry in sheer anger, frustration, and something else. "It ain't right, Lif... It just ain't right. Is there nothin' anyone can do? If there's anythin' at all, just tell me and I'll do it."
Xandilif patted Finchley's head. "If he was able to pick that lock and be gone before anyone knew wiser, then odds are he won’t have much trouble keeping ahead of that bunch of morons...my worry is more what he will do if he is desperate. He is STILL what he is…a man of Rhun and a Corsair.
Finchley had actually started crying but wiped away her tears angrily. "It's not fair. It doesn't matter what he was or is. He wasn't even given a proper chance at startin' afresh."
The champion took another piece of bread and absentmindly fed bits to Finchley as she talked..."OK, lets stop for a minute and think. What WAS that old healer doing out on the beach at night? Looking for the killer? Why? If she knew something why not go to the mayor, or Kraddock, or somebody?'
Finchley nibbled on the pieces of bread handed to her between wiping at her eyes, still looking rather cross but the food calming her. "Ynna... what sort of person was Yula? You said you knew her all your life, Neth. Did she even know about Ane's leg?'
Ynna looked at Finchley...."If I were a charitable soul, I would say she was very curious, had a mind for science, had her hand on the pulse of the town. However things are past the point of charitable, so it is time for honesty. To be frank, she was a busybody...she knew everyone's secrets and liked knowing them'
Eduwiges nodded sagely, 'So she knew the killer and had the dirt, a foolish attempt at black mail?'
Ynna shook her head. "I fear you think too grand for Linhir, Miss Eduwiges...Blackmail? Lands no…she just liked being able to smirk at people like she knew what they wanted to hide, and have them shuffle and toady to her. She just liked knowing whose hand was in whose cookie jar, if ya follow me...'
Eduwiges nodded, 'Which means the killer IS a local.' she walked over to Lif and spoke to her in a low voice. The two began conversing in whispers as the others continued to debate.
Addiela walked to the doorway, 'If Yula was killed on the beach, she likely found the killer exactly where she was looking for him... We should go back and look.. and be prepared for a fight."
Ynna sighed again...."I don’t think Yula would mean harm...but she may certainly have noticed something she was not sharing...and gone to see the truth of it. However I can’t imagine she went knowing she would be facing this killer...she was haughty but certainly not foolhardy As for knowing about poor Ane's leg...I don't know. She may be my daughter but also a grown woman, I don’t go asking her about her doctor visits unless she shares...
Finshing her conversation with Eduwiges, Xandilif tossed the blade Edu had given her onto the table with a dramatic clang..the ruby red gem set in the pommel gleaming evilly
Carneryn raised a brow shakily "What is that?"
Finchley turned to look at the blade tossed on the table and grimaced a bit. Addie just stared when she sees that gem.
Eduwiges crosses her arms and stared blankly at the sword until Addiela tore her glance from it to look at her. "Why do you have that?"
“Two men attacked me last night in one of the alleys by the wharf while I was checking the taverns for Ane.” Eduwiges pointed to the sword on the table and crossed her arms across her chest again. “One of them was armed, with that.' (To read more of her adventure, click HERE).
Xandilif sighed. “That red gem means that the Cult of the Blood Eye may be involved in this, so that is a problem...or they may have nothing to do with it. I know from the Hounds that they been running smuggler outfits all along this coast....maybe that is who this bastard was, just a smuggler...but tell em the rest, Edu.'
Eduwiges looked down "As for the Blood Eye, my father left me a gem like that after he died.' she reached into the pouch between her breasts and pulled the ring out and showed it to Finch and Ryn, who had not been with the company then. 'That led us to the man who had my father murdered. We have found this gang stretches from Rohan, to Gondor, to Bree-land, probably further. They are smugglers, blackmailers and murderers, Bema only knows what other evil things they are involved in.'
Xandilif leaned back against the fireplace. 'Tell em the rest...about Ane.'
Eduwiges scowled, 'Before I tell the rest,' she looked at Neth and Ynna, 'You should know that both of these men have paid for what they have said and done...The two men told me that Ane came into the tavern they were carousing in and took a half a dozen or so of them out into the alley, where they, 'Gave it to her' They threatened the same with me.'
As the others stared, the banshee cleared her throat. 'We don’t know what went on...don’t much matter...they could have been playing draughts for all we know...what matters is that first part. According to this joker, whatever went on was ANNEDYL’s idea...that right, Greyhound?'
Eduwiges nodded, 'Aye, thats what this bastard said. I believe he was truthful. My dagger was up his nose when he told me what happened.'
'So...does this kind of thing sound normal for Annedyl? Or is something wrong?' Xandilif looked pointedly at Nethrida, who just shook her head, dumbfounded.
A slow fear dawning, Addiela walked near Ane's doorway, looking towards her companions and said loudly enough for the woman inside to hear it, asleep, faking sleep, nightmare or no. In Addie's mind, it's time for her to wake up and talk. "You all said that Ane was at the water with the fresh murder, aye? I thought it odd enough that she would send for her sister, one she despised for being given glory, to come and aid in a way that might mean even more glory for Neth. It is clear we -were- called here for a purpose and I know Mans is involved, I heard him speak to me."
Eduwiges dropped her spoon, 'Wait? Mans spoke to you?'
Carneryn looked to Neth suddenly "The laughing on the wind!"
Nethrida blinked a few times. "I... Thought it was just the wind itself... Not Mans..."
Suddenly Ryn cried out, her mind flooded with the intense sensation of dark spirits, but guarded, protected...not simply a fell spirit, something....different.'
At Addie's feet, Sneeze began to whimper as from Ane's room, a low, dry laughter would begin...a laughter many of the company had heard before...it brought images back...of the debacle in the Thirsty Seer, of Xan lying dead, of Hawke plummeting off the cliff, of the screaming skulls festooning an Orc chieftain….other images came as well, that none recognized, but all brutal and evil.
Eduwiges looked at Morinehtar, the gems on the pommel glowing bright blue.. 'Elbereth!' she muttered as Addiela clutched at her chest, a pain from her heart radiating through her body.
Xandilif gripped the hilt of SilverWand firmly, and slowly turned to look at the open doorway into Annedyl’s chamber.
In the doorway stood Ane in her flannel bed clothes....but it was not Ane...her eyes burned with a pale fire, and when she opened her smiling mouth to speak, it was in another's voice. "I have been waiting for all of you to wake up...you are certainly slow. I was growing afraid I would need to slay this entire, pitiful town…'
Addiela staggered back from the doorframe, barely able to hold herself up.. but she was staring at the figure with pure hatred. “Mans….”
Nethrida moaned, 'N...no... Annedyl! Y...You let her go!'
Ane laughed softly, the sound chilling..."Yet to be honest, the delay has given me time to properly evict the old tenant from my new home...but I am glad to be able to stop simpering now.'
Nethrida pointed in accusation at the figure, though her arm wavers. "G...Give her back or there's nowhere.. Y...You can hide" she hissed and took a staggering step forwards.
Ynnabeth just stared, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Annedyl? What are....what is going on? Nethrida?"
Eduwiges crouched and leaned forward on her toes. 'By Bema and Elbereth! Get you gone foul dwimmor or you will not escape this time...!'
The figure grinned at Nethrida like a death’s head, a smile she had never seen on her sister before that which made her skin crawl...."No...I am not done playing with her yet...see?" Suddenly her face changed and her eyes were filled with terror, her voice reverted to Ane's, shaking. "Neth?...Neth...run..get mama away from here...leave me..LEAVE ME....I ...he...he has me....I am lost…I…I killed them ALL…."'
Finchley felt a horrible chill run up and down her spine at that information and she ran to the doorway to attempt to pull Addie and Ryn out.
Nethrida's eyes immediately widened, the threat not lost on her. She moved herself in front of her mother, to make sure she was protected, and looked over her shoulder. Tired and ill as she was the thought of her mother in peril had sharpened her tone a little "Mother... Get my sword... and give to me.. We have to leave..."
Ane smiled again like a wolf. "Leave if you wish…I will find you again soon enough. I must admit, I owe you all a debt of thanks...in many ways this shell is so much more suitable then the Rohan wench....'
Addiela snarled, 'You would die before I let you have my body and mind, Mans!'
Suddenly Ane was so close to Addie she could smell the scent of blood that lingered in the woman's hair. Whispering in Addie’s ear she hissed “How do you know I haven’t had them BOTH already, bitch?” Addie staggered back, the malaise of evil almost overwhelming.
Eduwiges grabbed Addie’s hand and pulled her back, her sword in her other hand. “All of you spread out! We cannot take her all bunched up like this.'
Ane laughed again..."You cannot take me at all! Why fight me, Eduwiges of Faldham....when you have other foes to play with....' Ane held up her left hand, and the red stone of Sindya, the Ring of Artifice glinted in the firelight, as they could practically feel perception flowing like water around them.
Suddenly Ane darted forward, catching them by surprise, whirling past all of them like a dancer, lightly and easily, avoiding all of them and tumbling out the door in her bed clothes, hair loose....to where the angry mob had slowly been advancing up the Post road toward the farm, seeking the Corsair.
As she seemingly stumbled into the advancing torchlight, Ane screamed out piteously..."HELP!!!! He is here...the corsair Farage is the Linhir Ripper and he is being hidden by the elf.....OH HELP US!!!!! He threatened to kill my family, like he did those poor girls!!!'
Everyone stared out the front door in shock to behold Ane, weeping in the arms of a startled but very pleased Roric who led the mob. She looked back towards the company and smiled like a naughty little girl as the locals advanced, calling for blood as if the simple farmhouse before them were an orc encampment.
Hurriedly Eduwiges slammed the door and pressed her back to it. "We need to find a way out of here..."
Finchley watched the door slam and tensed up before letting out a quiet and utterly unexpected, "SHITE." She backed away from the door to stand in front of Lif, both daggers drawn now as if she could protect Lif who probably needed no protection. She would try anyway.
Caine looked at Finchley, then at Xandilif, scratching his chin..."Do all your vacations turn out like this?'
