Move 192: Taking Care of Business
Milborne--Afternoon, 11 Eleint 1374 DRWith Garyld's informing Daelen that the Wolf Woman he had heard about was probably another name the locals had for the druid Oleanne who lived in the Thornwood, the meeting with Lord Carman came to a close, and the members of the group departed to take care of various things around the small village. Jana and Echo went to Nafton's stables. Blacky went to the smithy to check on the progress of the silver weapon he had commissioned. Aloysius headed in the direction of Rastifer's general store.
Aloysius arrived at the general store to find it much as it had been on his previous visits: stocked heavily and in a confusing manner. It was nearly impossible to find anything there without asking Rastifer himself.
Aloysius looked about the store to see if he could find the proprietor. "Hello?" he called. "Is anyone about?"
Rastifer, who came to the front when the door was opened, was quite easy to find.
"Oh," muttered Aloysius, "there you are." The mage looked about the interior of the store. "Need have I of some items," he said. "I'll need a pair of pants and a shirt in my size that are suitable for wearing whilst attending the soil. I'd also like a straw hat. I need 2 small glass vials with lids, and a sprig or two of St. John's wort, if you have it."
Rastifer rummaged around through the store and produced the things Aloysius asked for. "Here you go," he showed Aloysius a pair of breeches and a tunic and a straw hat, complete with a large straw flower.
"The clothes will be 3 gold, all told. The herbs you want are 5 coppers for a pound dried. The vials are 15 silvers each. So that's 6 gold and 5 coppers."Aloysius fished the coins out of his pouch. "Many thanks, sir," he said as he gathered his goods. The mage headed out the door and back to the Baron in search of a private room.
After Aloysius paid Rastifer, he began to walk out of the store. As he reached the door, he turned back around. "Oh yes," he said, "I also wanted a bandana. I have seen many farmers wear such things around their necks. Prefer would I one of red, but dark blue will serve as well."
Jana and Echo went to Nafton's, where they found Nafton and another man cleaning out the stables.
"Hello Nafton, Sam," Jana said to the men, giving them each a friendly smile. "Nafton, this is my friend. We're going to leave in the morning, but I'd like to take Daisy Belle out for a little exercise." She collected her gear and saddled up Daisy Belle, shortening the stirrups a bit. "Need help?" she asked Echo helping her up into the saddle if need be. She finished adjusting things for Echo's height. "Uhm, you ever do any riding before?" she asked.
Echo looked at the man with Nafton with a puzzled look on her face while Jana messed with her horse. "What? Oh, yeah," she said, breaking off her stare at the other man, "I've done some riding before, not much though."
"Good," Jana said, smiling. "Then you sorta know what to do and all. Daisy Belle's pretty easy to handle. Doesn't spook easy." She lowered her voice and added, "I swear I've seen that guy Sam before, but damned if I know where. And... Well, I'll tell you later." She turned to Nafton and asked, "Be okay if I took Dancer out for a bit, get her used to me before our trip?"
Nafton nodded, "Go ahead, but be careful with him. He's already been out once today for training."
Jana nodded. "We'll just walk around a bit." She saddled up Dancer, keeping her eye on Echo lest she get into trouble with Daisy Belle. As soon as she had the horse ready, Jana mounted and started off toward Daisy Belle, seeing how Dancer handled before she got too close.
Dancer was obviously not happy about having an unusual person sitting in his saddle. He sided stepped a few paces before Jana was able to get him to cooperate at all. Nafton watched them with an expression of concern and Sam stopped shoveling out the stalls long enough to make sure everything was going to be okay before he went back to work.
Jana tightened her grip on the reins. "Dancer," she said warningly. Once the horse began to cooperate, she loosened up very slightly and said in the same soothing tones she used with Daisy Belle, "C'mon, boy, 'S'okay. I won't hurtcha." Jana held the reins in one hand and patted Dancer's neck with the other. "There's a good fella. Talk to Daisy Belle; I'm not so bad," she assured the horse. Jana returned to a two-handed grip and called out to Echo, "How're you doing?"
"Okay, I think," Echo replied. She did not look very comfortable on the horse, but she did not look in much danger of falling off either. "Where to?" She waited for Jana to lead.
Nowhere in particular," Jana said with a smile. She seemed more relaxed than she had in quite some time. She headed out away from Nafton and Sam. Once well out of earshot of anyone else, Jana said to Echo, "That guy Sam. When I was here earlier, he had a dog he calls Ghost. I could swear it's Snow. I'm not sure if I ought to tell Daelen." Jana peered critically at Daisy Belle's saddle. "You comfortable? I mean, if I made it too short or something, tell me and I'll fix it. It's bad enough you having to go traipsing across the country. Y'oughta at least be comfortable doing it. Think I'll see if I can pick up a tent, in case we have to spend a night outdoors," she said, talking more to herself than anything else. She fell silent for a moment, then said with a sigh, "Sam told me he doesn't know who he is. Just found himself wandering, and Snow, Ghost -- Ghost was with him. I gotta say... if it is Snow, well, that Sam guy, he loves that dog. And damned sure looks like Snow loves him. So, I'm sorta thinking it might be best if Daelen went off to look for this wolf-woman, who I assume is Oleanne."
"That guy has Daelen's dog?" Echo asked increduously. "How'd he get Snow?"
"He doesn't seem to know," Jana replied. "Said he found the dog, while he was wandering around. Says he doesn't know who he is or where he's from or anything. Sam's not even his real name, they just call him that."
"I think you have to tell Daelen," Echo said. "Sam must be expecting the dog's real owner to come get him. It's not going to help things between you and Daelen if he figures out you knew and didn't tell him, either" she added quietly.
"Sam says he's Ghost's real owner," Jana said in a quiet, sad voice.
"Oh," Echo replied. "I thought you said he found him. Maybe it just looks like the same dog?" she asked. "I've seen Sam somewhere before, but I don't know where."
"Well," Jana said, "he said Ghost was just there, so I don't know how long he's had him. His memories don't go back very far, he says. So I guess it's possible he's had the dog a long time and doesn't remmeber it. I mean, it looks like Snow, but then, I mean, he's a dog. Lotsa dogs look like that..."
"Daelen would know if it's his dog though," Echo said quietly. "And that guy, I can almost place him. It's like an itch that's just out of reach. Maybe some of the others would recognize him."
Jana stared ahead, her shoulders slumping with a defeated sigh. "I guess you're right," she admitted. "I guess I oughta tell Daelen it might be his dog." She sighed again. "But the dog oughta have a say in this. I mean, if Ghost is Snow, oughtn't he get to stay with Sam if he wants to?"
Echo nodded, "Probably so. He should get a choice about going in the tunnels just like everybody else anyway. I don't think a dog will like that much."
Jana nodded her agreement. "'Specially after Snow's trip into those mines." She looked back at the stables. "I guess everything's okay to leave tomorrow. Nafton said Dancer'd alreay'd been excercised, so I don't wanna overwork him."
Blacky arrived at the smithy to find Semeren, the giant of a man who he knew to be Jelenneth's adopted brother. He gave Blacky a sad smile, "I heard you was back in town. Me and Walright worked hard to get your weapons done." He showed Blacky the hand axe he had commissioned as well as a dagger and some arrow heads that the smiths had made for others in the group. "Andren came to see me. He said Jelenneth's still missing."
"Don't lose hope. We have some leads and are returning six days hence to follow them. We will do our best to find her." Blacky consoled the large man. "I appreciate your quick work. How much do we owe you?" He askedBlacky arrived at the smithy to find Semeren, the giant of a man who he knew to be Jelenneth's adopted brother. He gave Blacky a sad smile, "I heard you was back in town. Me and Walright worked hard to get your weapons done." He showed Blacky the hand axe he had commissioned as well as a dagger and some arrow heads that the smiths had made for others in the group. "Andren came to see me. He said Jelenneth's still missing."
"Don't lose hope. We have some leads and are returning six days hence to follow them. We will do our best to find her." Blacky consoled the large man. "I appreciate your quick work. How much do we owe you?" He asked
"When folks been gone as long as she has," Semeren said, "they don't usually come back. It's been four rides since Midsummer, when she disappeared." He shook his head and looked the weapons over for a moment, "Seventy gold is the lowest Walright will let me charge you for the lot of 'em. The dagger is for the skinny short girl and the arrowheads are for the elf."
Once his business with Semeren was finished, Blacky went down to the boathouse. He was able to find a riverman planning on going to Thurmaster the next day willing to give them passage for 5 silver a head.
"What time do we leave?" Blacky asked "I will have to find out how many are coming. There will be myself and one other at least."
"After the hangings at dawn," the man replied. "I'll be watching this place for Capella 'til then. She's the local executioner," he added by way of explanation, indicating a tough looking woman in her mid-thirties wearing a leather jerkin who was patching a boat.
"Is it OK if we pay you when we leave?" Blacky asked.
The man agreed to the arrangement.
Aloysius came back from Rastifer's store and headed towards the inn. A few minutes later, Blacky reappeared from his errands as well. Jana and Echo had not yet returned from Nafton's. By this time, it was midafternoon.
Rennirolas took the young shepherd Gerrd in hand as he left the meeting. He returned to the inn, and went to speak with the keep. "Sir, I will need a room for the next five or six days, if you please," the elf said simply.
Renn gathered his belongings and led Gerrd along with him to his room. After he washed his face and combed back his hair, Renn belted on his longsword, slung two quivers over, his shoulder and took his longbow in hand. "Gerrd, we'll be getting you home now boy," Renn said softly, a sad smile on his face.
Renn followed Dariuss directions, and began to lead Gerrd to his home.
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