[Beud]
Beud kept her hoofpick, and while she didn't truly trust the Fhaolain she considered that she could afford to withhold judgement. Rudolpho - obviously a mage - was with her, and between the pair they could take down one Fhaolain, even if he had darkling magic. And having seen the McLenan and Iogan go past there could be an element of truth to the man's statement about Geill and his get.
All she knew was that they needed to hurry and find the Chief - after that he could decide the truth or lie of the Fhaolain.
[Rudolpho]
The young gypsy turned to Beud questioningly. "How do we go about finding the chief in all of this commotion? I'm really not sure where to look. Do you know where we might go first?" Rudolpho wondered if they should find Thomis, Laurelyn, and the others first. They might know what to do. He noticed Beud held onto her hoofpick. He figured it was because she still didn't trust Fionn like he thought, but it was just as well she had a weapon to defend herself with if the need arose. "I just wish I knew who was who and what to expect."
[Fionn]
"McLenan ye will know by their tartan," Fionn answered, describing the pattern and colors in brief terms. He had forced himself to slow as they left the stables and turned back to the Dun. Though he wanted to run, he knew that the girl at least -- if not Rudolpho -- would be left behind. "Gairge Hillrover ye hae seen, and Geill who sat next to Thomis Parch at the feasting." But the others? How would they know who among the Hillrovers could be trusted? "Trust only the chief," he added as they came to the side door leading back into the fortress, "Laurelyn, and the high bard." Bard's oath not even a Fhaolain would break.
He did not want to think -- and from the girl's expression, she did not either -- that the treachery had spread further than Gairge. Not even to Geill. But speak accusations to the wrong person, and they could find themselves gutted before warning could be given.
[Beud]
"The hall," Beud said, "Te see how many the poison got to."
From the direction of the courtyard were the sounds of men and weaponry, but no fighting - yet. Beud hesitated as they neared the route that would take them into the warriors' midst.
Then she turned down a side route. "Tis better that none ask questions yet," she said over her shoulder, "Nor do we knew who might be out there....if Iogan or the McLenan...." she spit the names out, "....See ye're Fhaolain about they'll knew semthin' is amiss. This way will get us back to the kitchens and the feasting hall."
[Rudolpho]
Rudolpho was glad that Beud had accepted Fionn (for the moment), and was doing her best to take them down an untraveled and quicker route. The sooner they got there, the sooner he could begin to look for Laurelyn and the others. With luck, she would be in the feasting hall and not too many people had drunk the poisoned wine. If they had, maybe Keir could do something for them before it was too late. A dreadful thought occurred to Rudolpho just then. -What if someone from our group drank the poisoned wine? What if it's too late?- Shaking his head, he chided himself for thinking that way. -They'll be all right. They have to be!- He kept thinking positively, but had subconsciously begun running faster.
[Fionn]
The highlander did not pause when the girl turned to lead them another way. Anything to avoid those who might be surprised to find him no longer with Sannt .... "Slow a bit," he murmured to Rudolpho as the boy sped up, "or else ye might spit yersel' on a blade coomin' ta other way." Those in the courtyard had seemed to be less panicked, and moving more orderly -- but those still in the hall, if the poison had set in, might be spooked.
[Rudolpho]
Though it was hard
for Rudolpho to force himself to slow down, what Fionn said made
sense. He would be of no use to anyone dead or injured so he slowed
his pace. He looked over to see how Beud was doing and masked his
intereset with a question. "Are we almost there yet?"
Outside the locked door, the distant sounds of men-at-arms preparing to meet the coming attack could be heard. The piper's song had faded, but only to be replaced with muffled shouts, as if now -- even before the attack began -- something had gone awry. Rue, only slightly disturbed by the sounds, stretched out her arms and yawned. Apparently the babe felt no lingering effects from the attempt to toss her headfirst over the battlements with her mother. Her dark eyes blinked, and blinked again, trying to focus on Keir, or the walls, or perhaps the ceiling.
Or perhaps the hands pushing aside a pile of blankets in one corner of the room, and the dark-haired head climbing out of them. The woman who appeared, her own dark eyes blinking at Keir, paused for a moment, and then finished climbing from the blankets that had been delivered for Laurelyn and her companions earlier. As she retied the stays of her bodice, still kneeling on the stone floor, she considered Keir and his staff. "Gude eve to ye," she said in a low, rich voice. "Me man an' me were here," with one hand she indicated the blankets, "'fore the piper called him, and I hid when I heard ye coom in."
[Keir]
Keir had been listening
to the darkling beetles in the hall as they scurried about. All they could
tell him was that the Big Folk were on the
move, they were no
help in identifying friend from foe. He jumped straight up and whorled
around at the sound of the stranger's movements, instantly wondering how
she had escaped his notice. Silently cursing the multitude of odd smells
in the ancient Dun for obscuring the hide-away, he gripped his staff firmly
and braced himself. "Well, now you're here so stay right where you are!"
[Rue & ?]
Rue blinked again, and waved her fists, as if disbelieving that a woman with such high cheekbones and fine skin should be wearing such a plain dress and giving a tumble to one of the young clansmen.
"Oooh, what a wee bairn," the woman breathed as she caught sight of Rue. She pushed herself to her feet -- tall she was, and slender, and her head a thick, black cloud about her face -- and looked from Keir to infant and back again.
[Keir]
The healer quickly bounded between the strange woman and Rue. She might be a relative of the Mistress but as recent events had proven, that didn't mean she could be trusted and for some reason, perhaps the shock of her sudden appearance, she made his hairs bristle. "Aye, and no concern of your's so just sit yourself back down in the corner and keep quiet." He waggled his staff in her face to emphasize his threat.
[Rue & ?]
Rue gurgled a bit, to express her surprise at the strange turn of events. The woman, though, just looked down at Keir with those large dark eyes, and then over him towards the babe. He might as well not have been holding the staff -- though she did not try to push him aside or pass him. Her eyes moved back to Keir as she lowered herself back to the floor, long legs folding under her. She tucked her skirts in and a slow, slight smile appeared on her lips. "Brave wee warrior," the woman said, "will ye guard us 'gainst the attackers?" Her tone was not scornful, but she seemed profoundly undisturbed by the sounds outside the door.
[Keir]
Keir knew that look and tone all too well and it rankled him. -Fine,- he thought, keeping his indignation under control. -Underestimate me, that's one for me - I'll not do the same.- "Wouldn't have thought that guest rooms would be open to such... such activity." He looked at Rue, grateful she was too young to understand. "And what attackers are you referring to?"
[Stranger]
"The lusty yeung men take thair pleasure where they find a free pallet," the woman answered easily. There were more voices outside the door, and at the sound of some of them, she smiled, slowly, and looked again from babe to Keir. "That wude be the chieftain's daughter," she said, almost laughing, "coom back with her man to get her blade no doot." She began gathering up her dark hair as if completely undisturbed by the continuing echoes of the pipes, pulling it over one shoulder to straight plaiting it into a loose braid. "Mayhap ye shude check?"
[Keir]
Keir's big brown eyes flicked to the door and back to the woman, more suspicious than ever. Even his keen ears couldn't make out the owners of the voices in the hall through the stout wooden door. She could be bluffing, trying to draw him away from Rue maybe or just to get him to turn his back on her. He knew he'd have though and edged slowly towards the door while keeping her at the edge of his vision. However, when he leaned an ear against it, he had no choice but to lose sight of her and the babe.
[Rue]
As quick as that, without even seeming to move, the woman was at the baby's side. She did not lift the infant, but bent over her, long fingers brushing the thick black hair on Rue's head, crossing over the still soft spot on the top of her skull. Stooping over the babe, dark braid sweeping forward, meeting the stare of Rue's wide, black eyes, the woman smiled, slowly, with a look of ownership, and pressed her lips -- gentle as a mother's kiss, gentler than Rue's mother ever would -- upon her forehead. At the touch, Rue's eyes opened wider. But the even fainter touch of the woman's breath on her skin caused her to hiccup, and then start to cry.
[Keir]
There was no doubt now that the voices belonged to his companions so Keir unbolted the door as relief washed over him. That ended instantly at the babe's cry. He jerked his head around and spied the woman hovering over Rue. The door was swinging open as he dashed back towards the pair by the straw pallet. "Hey there! What are you doing?" The alarm in his tone matched the one in his heart.
[Stranger]
"Blessin' her," the woman answered simply. She straightened and stepped away from the baby, as if she had finished what she had come to do. "Neither mam nor da want her, wee man," the dark-eyed woman answered. In the flickering torchlight, she might have been taller, or more slender, and her gown less coarse wool and more moonlight. "She be kith, and she has need of the blessing, e'en if her oncle wude not have me gi'e it." Again she smiled, one corner of her mouth turning upwards. "Shude you have it, too?" She stooped again, as if to buss the Hortus himself, but stopped, dark eyes laughing. "I think not." And as the door opened, she straightened again, half-turned, and faded into nothing.
[In the hall]
[Ulric]
Ulric kept level with Laurelyn as she headed for her rooms, and regretted that his fitness level was not at its best.
As they passed one doorway, someone emerged and he saw the flash of metal. Instinctively, he dodged backwards and drew his hammer back for a mighty blow... then hesitated.
"You..." he exhaled, temporarily forgetting the woman's name. Slowly he relaxed, letting the hammer return to his side.
[Laurelyn]
Catching sight of Daron the storyteller said to both Ulric and Thomis, "See if she's seen any of the others...I need to get my weapons."
She knew that while Ulric still had trouble with Common that he managed well enough, and she had no doubts that Thomis would take a head count. And get Maeve settled. And while she worried at how pale Daron looked there was no time to inquire.
Despite her hurry to reach her Da Laurelyn didn't barge into her rooms - she listened and went in cautiously. But no ambush waited her in the dark, chill room.
She didn't light a lantern; habits born in Montfort, that still held her in good stead, had made her lay clothing and weapons out on her bed. She had also made sure to familiarize herself with the pattern - in case she needed them in a hurry. With desperate strength she tore at the fastenings of her gown, till she could free herself of the fine material and trade it for serviceable trousers, wool tunic, and traveling boots.
With focused fury Laurelyn strapped on her sword, and placed daggers into boots, and on her belt.
Then she headed for the hall.
[Thomis/Maeve]
Thomis waited patiently, unmoving against one wall so he could watch the comings and goings from either end of the hall -- and so he could watch Maeve, who seemed more than a bit unsteady on her feet. Still no sign of Fionn or Rudolpho, or Keir.
But sound of Rue, for that wailing behind one wooden door could only be the infant. Maeve lifted her head at the sound of outrage, not looking relieved but merely tired. "Cianna," she murmured, and stumbled to the door to push it open to reveal Keir standing guard, stave in hand, over the child, who lay on the straw pallet beyond him.
[Keir]
Eyes wide, Keir spun round to the door and Maeve, then back again to where the mysterious woman had just been. He'd seen people teleport before, Shan especially, but he needed a special tree and there were certainly no camphors here. "Huh? What? Where?... How?"
[Thomis]
Thomis raised his eyebrows -- there was one more member of the party located. Two, actually, for apparently the Hortus had been the one to spirit Rue away from the attack on her and her mother. But Keir seemed more than a bit confused ... "Master Keir?" He placed one steadying hand on Maeve's elbow. "It is good to see you and the babe well." He guided Maeve into the room, and settled her down on a stool. "I think the girl will need something for her face." Something to reduce the swelling, and the pain. Not to mention the straightening of her nose.