Move 195: Snow Business
Milborne--Pre-dawn, 12 Eleint 1374 DRThe group stood in the yard at Nafton's for a few minutes before the man reappeared with the two horses. Dancer nickered nervously at the strangers and took a few steps sideways before Nafton calmed him down. He turned both horses over to Jana and Echo. When asked about Sam, he replied, "Sam's gone to the hanging. He's never seen one before, that he can recall anyway. Or an orc either, for that matter." Nafton snorted and turned his attention back to the dogs in the yard. The sky was beginning to lighten some now;
sunrise would be in a few minutes."I suppose it can't be helped then," Daelen muttered, heading towards the event.
Jana thanked Nafton and began to saddle the horses, strapping a new-looking bundle to the saddle bags on her horse. She watched Daelen head off toward the execution and turned to Echo. "You wanna assume he won't do anything stupid and head on out?"
"I think he'll be fine," Echo said. "He's got a few people here to look out for him," she said with a nod
at the rest of the group. "We should probably go since we still have to find out exactly where we're going."Jana nodded and held her horse steady so Echo could mount, then she mounted the far less cooperative Dancer herself. "I expect we'll be back in three to four days," she told those remaining as she left. "We're heading to the Blessed Wood to see a gypsy named Madame Zolta. Don't worry unless we're gone more than six days; what I'm going for might take a little longer than expected."
"Stargazer shall have no part in the executions, not e'en that of spectator," Aloysius said. "Eric, I
shall be down by the river whene'er thou art ready for departure."He turned briefly towards Jana and Echo. "May Mystra guide your steps," he added plainly. He headed for the river.
Jana looked a Aloysius, mildly surprised. "Uhm, thank you," she said, then with a slight smile added, "stranger."
As he strolled off towards the river, he glanced back and flashed the two women an enthusiastic version of his painful smile face.
Azrun nodded, "I, too, have seen enough death for a while. Aloysius, I'll go with you. Perhaps we can discuss crops," he said smiling. He stopped and looked to Jana and Echo. He looked a bit sad for a moment, "You two take care of each other. I want you both back here soon. I just got back with you guys. I'm tired of missing you all." He smiled and walked off after Aloysius, "Wait up, Farmer Al!"
Jana nodded. "We'll probably be back before you are."
"Hey! I could use some help carrying our cargo down to the river. Unless you don't want to take it of course." Blacky said, standing with his hands on his hips.
Jana and Echo left the village on horseback. Daelen headed to the east side of town where the hangings would be taking place in a few minutes. Aloysius and Azrun headed down to the river. Blacky requested some help moving the heavy chests.
An amused grin rose on Aloysius' face. "Eric, methinks thou could carry the boat entire all the way to Thurmaster, passengers and all. Howe'er, Stargazer shall assist to the extent he can. Advise me as to when you wish to go and perhaps I can bear a small sack or something akin."
...and Arachne finally slunk into the common room at the Baron. She got herself some breakfast and also inquired dispiritedly whether the hanging had been completed yet. The reply was uncertain; the anticipated cheer hadn't gone up yet. So Arachne finished eating and then set out without energy for the hanging. There, she tried to figure out where a person of minimal stature could stand so as to see something besides the backsides of other people.
Azrun laughed, "Yeah, I can help carry some stuff too."
Aloysius, Blacky, and Azrun made it down to the river, near the boathouse, with the heavy chests. Aloysius and Azrun talked among themselves for a few minutes. The riverman who was giving them passage on his barge was outside the boathouse and let them know they could go ahead and load their cargo.
Aloysius hauled whatever he could to the boat, leaving the heavier things for Blacky. Turning to the riverman, he asked, "What is the going rate for a round trip from here to Thurmaster? How long will it take for us to get there?"
"Five silvers a head to get there, just like I told him yesterday," the man motioned towards Blacky as he spoke. "I'm going on down the river, so you'll have to find another way back if that's what you're looking for." He glanced at the river and the sky, then licked his finger and held it up in the breeze, "I figure we can be there by mid-afternoon if Capella gets back soon so we can get going."
"Hmmm . . . .thoud didst say 'down river'. What, praytell, is down river from Thurmaster? Ne'er afore have I been there."
"A number of villages you probably haven't heard of if you haven't been there," the man answered. "The nearest city down river is Berdusk, after the Churnett joins the Chionthar."
Azrun looked out over the water and then back to the boatman, "Who's Capella?"
"Capella is the keeper of the boathouse here," the man said. "She's also the local executioner, so she's kind of busy this morning."
"Oh dear," mumbled Aloysius. "Say," he continued, turning back towards the riverman, "how many inhabitants reside in Berdusk? Is it anywhere near the area referred to as 'the Blessed Wood'?”
"Nope," the riverman replied. "The Blessed Wood is just south of Thurmaster. Berdusk is several days from here. I don't know how many people live there. It's a big city."
++++++++++
Daelen made his way to the edge of town where the crowd had assembled for the hanging. Up near the front was a man with a large white dog that looked like Snow.Daelen tried to contain his excitement as he moved to the front towards the man and the dog. Once closer he tried to see if he could recognize the man, all the while hoping the dog was Snow and would recognize him.
The dog, which Daelen could swear was Snow, jumped up on Daelen. The man, completely unfamiliar, called the dog back, "Ghost, down." The dog looked from one to the other for a moment and got down as he was told. "Here," the man told him, prompting the dog back to his side. "Sorry sir," he said with a smile, rubbing the dog affectionately. "He gets rowdy sometimes. All the people've got him excited today."
Several people that Daelen recognized from around town, notably Lord Carman and Garyld stood nearby, were standing nearby. The orcs were led out of the jail by a couple of guards.
Happy to have been recognized, Daelen was surprised when the dog obeyed the other man so readily.
"No harm done, I like dogs. How long have you had him?" he asked conversationaly, though keeping an eye on the man.
"I don't rightly know, since I've lost all my memories as I'm sure you've already heard. Look," the man said, cutting right to the chase, not unfriendly but very seriously, "if you're that guy who lost his dog, I'm real sorry for you, but this is my dog. I've lost my family, my friends, my whole life. All I've got is my dog." He gave the dog another affectionate rub.
A woman in a leather jerkin was covering the orcs' faces and leading them, along with their guards, up on the shoddy gallows that the town had. One of the orcs spit on the woman, but if she noticed at all, she ignored it very well.
"I can't see how you have a right to claim he's your dog when you can't remember anything." Daelen said harshly, then shook his head and raised his hand as if to take back the comment.
"Sorry. Look, all I know is that he really looks like my dog and he seemed to recognize me. We're both reasonable people here..." for a moment Daelen considered the situation, looking intently at the dog, "What if I help you get your memory back? There has to be a wizard or a priest or someone who can do something. Then you can get your life back, and I can get my best friend back and everybody's happy."
"Ghost jumps on people sometimes. And you're not the only one whose dog is his best friend," the man replied, not looking incredibly pleased with Daelen after his outburst. "He saved my life and he's my dog. No one here can help me get my memory back. They've tried. So they gave me a job and now I get to start my life over," he said, a little bitterness creeping into his voice.
Arachn approached from the back of the crowd.
"How did you lose your memory?" Arachne asked the man. "Hi Daelen,"she added in an aside. "Has the dog perhaps lost his memory, too?" She stared at the beast, wondering if it really was Snow or was simply that
all white dogs looked alike to her. "I'm Arachne Convola," told the man. "A friend of Daelen's." She considered a moment. "That was sort of a stupid question," she decided, "asking you to remember how you lost your memory. Does or did your head hurt at all, as though you might have hit it against something?""No, my head didn't hurt, and I have no idea what happened. I came to my senses out in a field somewhere and Ghost took care of me then he led me here so I could get help. He was with me, and he helped me, so that's how I know he's my dog," he added with an perturbed look at Daelen.
The man stopped talking to watch the actual hanging of the orcs, which only took moments. "I've got to get to work," he told Daelen and Arachne. From where they had been standing nearby, Garlyd and Lord Carman, wearing a very large sword today, walked over and greeted the man with a "'Morning, Sam." Sam nodded at them as he took Ghost's lead and started walking off as the crowd dispersed.
Arachne watched also, but absently. Her mind was on remembering and not remembering, and how one might lose one's memory without physical trauma. She knew that Professor Faire had spoken of ways, but she wasn't really familiar with them, though illithids _had_ figured in the possibilities...
"You won't like my saying this," Arachne murmured to Daelen softly, "but even if Ghost _is_ Snow, if you're planning to go back down underground, he might be a lot better off staying with Sam than going with you."
Daelen nodded somberly. "You're probably right. Besides, wouldn't be fair of me to take away the only thing he has left... Snow'll take care of him." he said with a sigh, then looked down at the gnome, "You planning on taking the boat too or were you gonna help Olaf with the supplies?"
"Boat?" Arachne asked. "Jana was arranging horses -- Oh, is that how Aloysius is getting to Thurmaster? I wasn't paying attention last night," she sighed. "I had a brilliant idea that turned out a fiasco -- a _small_ fiasco, because nothing about me _isn't_ small. It's over with now..." She gestured vaguely at the swaying orcs. "I wonder if Gruumsh really will punish them for letting themselves get captured and executed? I think that's how it works, but -- well, it's an orcish thing --" She glanced back at Daelen. "Oh -- the boat or Olaf? A fat lot of use I'd be to Olaf. I can't carry anything, have no idea what stuff we need for supplies, and wouldn't remember the list if someone gave it to me." She sighed and kicked the dirt. "Actually, I think Aloysius had suggested that I might fly ahead to Thurmaster and warn Tauster that we were coming." She shrugged. "I guess I'll go visit the boat and see if Aloysius still wants to risk entrusting me with that errand of diplomacy." She shook her head, started that way, then stopped. "What about you?" she asked Daelen.
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