It was the explosions in a half-reconstructed street adjacent to the tent city that first made John the wainwright wonder exactly what the hell was going on. Rumors had been flying about a battle at some Citadel out in the forest, and about some mad bard running through Montfort trying to stir up folks against the Church itself. Deborah Clausen had muttered something about godless witches who would do better to go back to wherever they came from and leave the city in peace. Most of the others living in the tent city had shook their collective head and wondered aloud what trouble the Refusers would manage to cause for the innocents of Montfort this time around.
Apparently, a fresh batch of chaos had just landed on their doorstep. Iris, one of the street urchins Allenel used to run messages back and forth (as Toby once had done, before becoming half-respectable as the ward of Barnabas Portnoy) came scurrying through to say that a bunch of magic-users had confronted another bunch of Inquisitors, and things were starting to look nasty. Before too long, sounds of explosions and some sort of yelling back and forth confirmed her report.
[Brion/Geiren/Morrighu]
Geiren and Brion had been helping the tent city volunteers patrol the outskirts, though they were on the opposite side of the tents from the fighting. But this didn't keep the reports of fighting from reaching them - nor the sounds from carrying. They both had changed direction to head back towards the Politi tents when Flivit - one of the new recruits came running up to them.
"Master Hillrover.....," the girl called out, just before skidding up to them. "Likki said to tell you the folk are bottlenecking - trying to head out of town....People are scared." Flivit's own wide eyes lent truth to her statement.
"Sweet...," Brion muttered, getting a firm grip on his blackthorn shillelagh. Though these days he also kept his sword strapped to his back. "Wvern," he said to Geiren, "Mind keeping an eye on Allenel - throw him in one of those nice, woven carpets and get him out of town if things get too close. The people need him alive." He turned to follow the girl and get the volunteers coordinated.
"I will," Geiren promised with a nod, before heading at a jog back towards the Politi tents. He ignored the scenes that flashed before his eyes - scenes of fire and madness; scenes of blood yet to come. On the wind came the barking of the Hunter's hounds. Geiren broke into a blind run.
[At the Politi tents]
At the first reports of battle Morrighu had carried out what few belongings they had, and had settled carefully onto a stool as yet another wave of nausea demanded she rest.
From her vantage point she had watched Kit slip back into Linnell's tent.
The pale Elven woman's face showed none of her fear for Geiren - though relief washed over her beautiful countenance when he entered the tent. Even though his dark eyes were only vaguely seeing her - so caught in the sights of the future was he.
[Erline]
He watched from the edge of the tent city as the rumor and truth began to mix and carry through the populous. He rose from his seat and spoke to one of those passing by, asking for directions to the Council tent. He went openly, the white of his clothing almost blindingly clean. He walked to the Council tent and requested entry from the guard.
"I am Erline and I wish to speak with the Council or their representative."
[Darmon]
Soon after the the skirmish with Its'shyn, and after he had known that Cari was no longer his captive, Darmon began to make his way toward the tent city. He had stopped briefly to pray to his god and had communed with nature once again. As he approached the tent city he could hear sounds of a disturbance. Darmon picked up his pace to make sure that all was well, and to see if he could help if something was amiss. It seemed the noise was coming from the far side of the city. He decided to cut through to make sure that the people who could not defend themselves were safe. He started toward where he knew the central area of the city to be.
[Allenel]
The lawyer pushed his way out of the Council tent, leaving a handful of members inside to continue bickering about what should be done. Deborah Clausen had looked inclined to simply declare the meeting adjourned and set about making sure there was a half-organized evacuation of the tent city; but when Allenel stood with a short nod to make his way outside, she had simply shrugged in exasperation. "Go to our guests," he said quietly to Barnabas as they both stepped outside, to find a stranger confronting the guard. "Tell them to prepare for immediate departure."
Barnabas paused for a moment to size up the unknown man, before setting off towards the Politi tents. Allenel remained where he was, blue eyes calm, but itching to find Brion and John, and others he could rely on for a level-headed response to the growing conflict just outside the barriers of the encampment. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked politely.
[Erline]
"I came to offer my services and other things you might need." He reach inside of his cloak and pulled out three patches." Lay these on the ground and each one will become a large wagon with oxen. It will give you something to start loading your children into." He looked at Allenel, his purple eyes gleeming, "I also have more tents if time prevents you from taking these." He looked toward the sounds of battle, "If you have need of me I will be at the entrance to the tent city. I will endevour to keep the fighting from entering here. Before I go though is there anything I can do for you?"
[Harrican]
The young gnome came running toward the council tent and Allenel. Out of breath he gasp out, "De cook says, we be ready to move, in an 'our. 'e say we have one extra wagon ye can be usin and ta ask ye if there be anything else ye be needin."
[Leticia]
Leticia tried not to flinch at the sound of distant battle, nor to give into blind fear. The last time she had heard such sounds had been when she had fled the massacre at the Festival - and she had _almost_ made the safety, or at least assumed safety - of her shop. The building had blown just as she made the doorway. She had been truly blessed that her body had landed in the open, and a neighbor had been kind enough to take it to the Church for one of the mass resurrections. In the early days - before she had acquired responsibilities on the Council - she had spent her days thanking the Redeemer for her life. And for raising her unblemished. Sometimes in her nightmares she dreamt of being trapped in a scarred, disfigured body.
Now she held herself steady, waiting to see where she could be of the most use in the evacuation.
[Nicolai Paevel]
Seeing the panic that threatened to overwhelm the tent city, Nicolai turned to the nearest person with a calm head. It was Leticia, who stood looking lost or uncertain. He touched her shoulder, "Leticia. I'm going to go get the wagons from my ranch. There's enough room to house the sick and the young children. Can you gather anyone who needs shelter here while I go bring them?"
[Allenel]
Allenel commandeered the nearest person -- John, the wainwright -- and directed him towards the gnome and the stranger, Erline. "Wagons, children -- get going." He paused before hurrying off, to add a quick, "Thank you," to both who had offered assistance. Around them, the common people of Montfort were showing the first signs of panic.
[Elwynn]
The broomstick
spiralled down towards the tent city, a somewhat harried elf maid seated
upon it. The spin which it had been knocked into during the battle
seemed insurmountable, and surely would have been, had another pilot been
at the controls. Elwynn pulled out of the spin less than thirty feet
from the ground, and levelled the broomstick at less than ten. Unfortunately
for some of the denizens of the refugee camp, the broomstick plowed into
a row of tents and began ripping their canvas shells one by one.
Refugees scattered everywhere as Elwynn finally managed to regain control,
shaking the tents loose from the tip of her broom and fluttering into a
heap on the ground.
Elwynn surveyed the damage below, and realized
that further collateral damage was likely. She pulled her magic mirror
from her hat and sent a message. Then she turned and, climbing slowly,
returned to the battle scene.
[Allenel]
He was only halfway to the Politi tents when the unmistakable smell of smoke filled the air. In the distance, at one edge of the encampment, increasingly thick clouds of soot rose up. No time to stop and ask what had been stored there, nor even to worry that someone, somewhere, would have the good sense to segregate the burning materials from the rest of the tents. No time to continue his trip to find Kallin. Time only to grab the nearest bodies, call for buckets, and start to run.
[Darmon]
As he made his way through the tent city, Darmon noticed the people in various stages of packing their belongings. -It looks like they are getting ready to move again. Based upon the urgency, they fear for their safety.- As he was pondering the details of the people's move he noticed yet another crucial detail. As a wagon was rolling by he noticed they pin holding the wheel on, loosen and fall out. It would not be long before the wheel fell off. If it fell off when the wagon had any reasonable speed, it could be disastrous. He closed the distance, scooped up the pin, and got in front of the driver's horses. "Hold sir, you wagon needs a minor repair." Having stopped the man, he placed the plug into the wheel, converted his sword to a mallet and ounded it into place. Having done that he motioned the man on nodding politely to the man's thanks.
[Nicolai]
He lept onto Glorystryder's saddle, and was very glad he'd chosen to ride the warhorse. The noise and confusion would have startled most horses, but Glory was calm. He took off towards his ranch as fast as he dared to ride through the tents and crowds. As he cleared the tent city's edge, he heard cries of fire. He hoped they could control it, the crowds were panicked enough already. Now that he was clear, he pushed the stallion for everything it was worth, riding as hard as he could to bring help for the citizens of the tent city.
[Leticia]
Leticia gathered her wits enough to take Nicolai's suggestion and hurried out to help load children up into the wagons. As long as she concentrated on making soothing sounds to the wailing babes she pretended not to hear the clamour of battle - that was working its way nearer. Only for the briefest of seconds did she think with regret of the ballgown Mr. von Burian had given her, which lay wrapped against leaks in her tent.
[Yals]
Near where Darmon spoke with some children worked Yals; a tall, slender man that people had come to know as a fine carver and helpful soul, who gave his little statues as gifts to the youngsters. He had told them that he was a woodsman who had been driven into town by the fires that destroyed the trees and his livelihood. Now he helped carry toddlers and goods as families hurried towards the wagons.
As he passed Darmon he sent, ::Brave Paladin - thy music may soon be of need. Don't forget thy gift.::
Aloud he said, with a voice as melodious as spring water after a thaw, "They're loading over this way."
[Kisa Paevel]
The girl slowed her horse as she entered the tent city. Riding slowly she called to anyone with a wagon that the Paevel ranch had shelter for children and any other who was unable to face the elements.
When she neared the area of the fire, Kisa dismounted and tied the mare. She approached the fire and joined those who were fighting it with water and shovel.
[Erline]
He made his way toward the sounds of battle and found the fire was starting to rage even further toward the tents. Erline saw the storm being summoned over the city and cast a spell that would draw part of it over the tent city. While he waited for the clouds to rise he grabbed a shovel and joined those that fought the blaze.
[Allenel]
It took some doing to organize a fire brigade, though John's fierce shouts and brawny frame eventually were enough to draft enough of the able-bodied adults. Buckets, bowls, anything capable of carrying water were quickly brought to hand by one set of "volunteers," while another group started the unpleasant task of tearing down the surrounding tents in order to keep the flames from spreading. By the time Allenel felt things were under enough control for him to leave, the young lawyer was covered in soot.
And by then, the families whose tents had been so summarily ripped apart had calmed enough from their fear of the fire to grow angry. In trying to smooth frazzled emotions, Allenel found himself in the middle of a fist-fight being born. Alan Cooper and his three sons and two nephews, facing off against John, Allenel, and a couple of other of the ad hoc firefighters.
[Deborah]
In another part of the tent city, Deborah was busy rounding up children and widows, packing boxes, rolling blankets. Periodically, Iris or another messenger would rush into the Council tent with a breathless report of the spreading fighting in the streets. Thorns strong enough to pierce armor, fireballs, billowing clouds of smoke. As she worked, she whispered a quick prayer for the Inquisitors who were under attack by the wicked Refuser witches. And for the residents of the tent city, who from the reports, seemed about to turn on one another.
[Brion]
Having gotten some of the volunteer militia heading out with the first wagons - to guard the children and pregnant women once they got to the woods -- Brion went looking for Allenel.
Pointed fingers led him towards the remnants of the fire brigade. He shook his head at the sight of the men squaring off, and after getting a better grip on his shillalegh he stepped forward. As he worked his way besides Allenel, the war piper said, "Tad Cooper, I thought ye knew ye're supposed to be helping to keep the peace? _Not_ start a ruckus."
Brion's voice was calm, but as he looked at Cooper's nephew - one of the trainees, his blue eyes were stern as he looked down on the men.
[Leticia]
As they loaded another wagon Leticia kept trying to focus on the work, but her slender body kept shivering everytime the sound of fighting grew loud enough to be heard.
[Tad Cooper]
The young man flushed to the roots of his hair, and shifted uneasily from foot to foot, obviously ashamed to be caught by Brion Hillrover while confronting John -- a fellow member of the volunteer watch. But family was family, and his family had lost practically everything -- his parents, his sister. Only his brother, and his uncle and cousins remained. And the little that had been contined in the family tent that had been pulled down. When his uncle looked sideways at him, not speaking but letting everyone know that he wondered where the boy's loyalty would fall, Tad ducked his head and fell silent.
Alan Cooper turned his angry brown eyes on Allenel. "It ain't right," he went on as if Brion hadn't spoken, "just knockin' the tent down like that." The older man's voice shook, whether from ire or grief or fear, or a combination of all three. His sons behind him nodded in agreement with their father, though his other nephew looked to be as uncomfortable as Tad.
"Alan," the lawyer started softly, "there is a fire." In his soot-covered face, his blue eyes were calm, though he felt a growing impatience at the precious time this stand-off was costing him. Behind him and John, the brigade continued to work, trying to catch every spark, every flying cinder.
"Let 'em knock your tent down, then," Cooper answered, stepping closer to Allenel and poking him firmly in the chest. "Let 'em just toss aside everything you got left in the world like it's nothin'." His voice started to rise, and the next time he reached out, he half-shoved Allenel himself.
[Brion]
Brion stepped between Cooper and Allenel, and said, "Ye hold there Alan. There's no time for fighting amongst ourselves - not with Montfort embattled and wifes and young ones at risk."
[Erline]
He stayed in the background and watched gathering clouds, soon there would be rain. He glanced back toward the city and saw the funnel cloud start to descend. Trying not to make his actions apparent he cast a glamor across the sky between the city and tent city. The glamor showed the gathering clouds but not the tornado about to descend upon the town itself.
[Dallan, Ayla, Rangers]
There came a sound like approaching thunder from the south. The Rangers of Havenwood, called to the tent city by Elwynn's summons, checked their horses and dismounted. Dispersing quickly into the crowd, they began helping with the evacuation, packing the wagons and trying to keep order. In the middle of them, Dallan sat besides a tall elf-maid with flowing red hair. She was dressed in shining grey plate mail, with a huge broadsword in a scabbard attached to her saddle.
"I did not come all these leagues merely to carry bags and load wagons," the elf-maid was saying. "We were told that there was a war to be fought here. Where is the Princess Elwynn? Should the royal house not lead the Knights of Elvenesse into battle?"
Dallan smiled to himself. Lady Ayla of the Queen's Knights was very stern, for an elf-maid, but she was young and confident, and perhaps would mellow in another hundred years or so.
He pointed skyward. "There she is, Lady." He said with a laugh, "Now if your warhorse there could grow wings you could follow her. I expect, however, that the battle you seek is in her vicinity. "Then that is where I must go." Ayla said. She spurred her horse forward and charged towards the fray, crying an elvish battle slogan as she did so.
"Excitable one, isn't she?" one of Dallan's Rangers said.
"True. But she has a nice smile." Dallan replied.
[Paul/Kallin]
Back at the Politi tents, where Allenel had been headed before being waylaid, Barnabas Portnoy stood guard. Iris darted in to half-stammer a quick update about what was happening beyond the sheltered circle. Growing winds, roof-tiles blowing off, tents being knocked down by strong gusts, Inquisitors reportedly sucked into the sky itself. The little girl's thin face was animated with excitement, and she simply scampered off again when Barnabas suggested gently that she might want to find a wagon and leave quickly. "She's as headstrong as Toby," he observed quietly as he tamped more tobacco into his pipe and worked to light it.
"But without the boy's luck," Paul answered, as he paused in the tent entrance. Barnabas looked at the mage sideways, wondering what the other man had seen in Toby, what patterns curling in the child's colors. But Paul simply half-smiled before ducking further in.
Inside, in the outer tent, Kallin knelt unmoving, with a distant expression in his eyes that told Paul the other mage still spoke with Lanaera, far away in Jord. A glimmering thread snaked around the tent, and cast itself <out> to land hundreds of miles away in another's grasp. And when Kallin snapped it short and stood, Paul could see that the conversation had not gone well. "Not yet, she says," Kallin half-snarled, and ran a hand through his black hair impatiently. "Just a little more time."
Time to try to do what Kallin had done in etching the mosaic at Barnabas' farmhouse -- or at least to make certain he could not drain it once it came to rest in Jord.
Neither of them spoke that part aloud, but both thought it. Even now, with the tent city on the verge of panic, Lanaera made them wait.
[Allenel]
"Alan," the lawyer started softly, "there is a fire." In his soot-covered face, his blue eyes were calm, though he felt a growing impatience at the precious time this stand-off was costing him. Behind him and John, the brigade continued to work, trying to catch every spark, every flying cinder.
"Let 'em knock your tent down, then," Cooper answered, stepping closer to Allenel and poking him firmly in the chest. "Let 'em just toss aside everything you got left in the world like it's nothin'." His voice started to rise, and the next time he reached out, he half-shoved Allenel himself.
[Brion]
Brion stepped between Cooper and Allenel, and said, "Ye hold there Alan. There's no time for fighting amongst ourselves - not with Montfort embattled and wives and young ones at risk."
[Alan Cooper/Allenel]
For a moment, Alan Cooper looked as if he were hot-headed enough to take a swing at Brion Hillrover. But the other man, informal commander of the volunteer watch, stood a good half-foot higher and all present knew that the auburn-haired man could swing his shillelagh with both force and accuracy. "Fine," Alan finally said softly, and behind him those who had lost their tents to the firefighters -- still hard at work chasing down cinders -- muttered in discontent as he turned and led his sons away from the confrontation.
Only when the Coopers had disappeared back into the crowd did Allenel release his pent-up breath. "This could turn very messy very quickly," he pointed out unnecessarily to Brion. Seeing the fire brigade well staffed, he spent some time to speak individually with the others who had lost their tents.
[Paul/Kallin/Barnabas]
Paul slipped into the tent that had been given to Morrighu and Geiren to find that the Elven woman, her cold colors shimmering with a hint of the warmth of the babe she carried, already had packed up everything that she and her husband would take to Jord. "Not yet," he told her, explaining briefly that for some unexplained reason Lanaera was not yet prepared to receive a teleport at the estate outside Jord. He could not tell from her collected expression whether Morrighu realized the possible reasons behind Lanaera's insistence on delay.
[Darmon]
He was slightly startled to hear Yals' sending but recovered himself immediately. He continued to where he heard the sounds of an altercation. As he walked, he mused on the pipes that were given him. They were explained to have magic about them. He had not had time however to discover what it was exactly. He reached into and inner pocket and produced them. -There is one way to find out.- He put the pan pipes to his lips and began to play a light hopeful tune.
[Alan Cooper/etc.]
Allenel may have left, and Brion Hillrover with him, but Alan Cooper and his sons and nephews continued to linger in the general area of the on-going firefighting. Gathered around them were the other families who had lost tents to the brigade's efforts, and an angry muttering began to grow, until a few were almost shouting. Tad Cooper, at the edges and increasingly nervous, looked around for any members of the volunteer watch, but all he could see was that blonde elf who had been only half-heartedly working with the watch since her arrival on the arm of that flashy circus ringmaster.
Tad detached himself from the group to sidle over towards her, freezing momentarily as she glanced up from her task of packing a crate for the Wilsons. She truly was lovely, even in her worn clothing and with the smudges of soot on her face, and those green eyes ... Tad shook his head to clear it, remembering what had brought him in her direction. "You might want to go tell Allenel, this group is headed towards his tents." He paused a moment while she blinked, and continued to stand there as she straightened from her crouch by the crate. She looked even better standing up. When she didn't say anything, he made his way back to the grumbling group.
Amaranth stared after the young man, hands on her hips and a displeased look on her face. Damn it, that was what she got for listening, just once, to that voice of her brother's in the back of her head. -Do something useful for once, and work witht he volunteer watch.- The voice had carried a slight note of scorn, enough to goad her into approaching Brion Hillrover and stammering out a convoluted statement that maybe, sometime, she could help out, after all she had two good hands and was a bit more than competent with a sword. The big auburn-haired man had been skeptical, but tolerant. And now, a few weeks later, she found herself in the midst of an evacuation, fighting with Inquisitors just a street away, and apparently a riot a-borning. "Last time I listen to you," she muttered.
"Better if you listened more often," Alexandrin responded softly, though this time not so his sister would hear the ghostly echoes in her head. Somehow, from the way she continued to stand there, the wraith knew she was unlikely to search out Allenel Gilford -- the girl had avoided the lawyer as if he carried some hideous plague. He gripped the hilt of his incorporeal sword -- as solid to his transparent hand as it had been in life, but of no use against the living -- and watched with a sinking feeling as the crowd around Alan Cooper began to move.
[Allenel]
The sky overhead had darkened, a strange greenish tint on the horizon which the lawyer noted uneasily -- an unfamiliar shade, and one that undoubtedly did not portend well for Montfort. Then again, lately, not even sunny skies had carried favorable omens with them. Already strong winds increased to gusts in some places, casting aside a few of the less securely anchored tents ... and near the fire, stirring up smoldering embers to a blaze, that moved from tent to tent, cinders flickering through the air to land here and here and here, faster than the brigade could pursue.
[Brion]
Brion stayed at Allenel's back - with shillalegh at ready.
[Politi Tents]
In the circle of tents Allenel and Barnabas claimed as their own, the Politi continued to wait for the signal to teleport to Jord. Paul sat quietly on a box, staring at his hands and listening to what the threads told him, of mage's fire in the continuing battle with Inquisitors, of a growing storm, of slowly growing fear among the people. He listened so closely, that it took him several moments to recognize a muffled shouting of a crowd beyond the outer circle of tents.
[Morrighu/Geiren/Kit]
Geiren sat on the floor near the tent entrance, forcing himself not to rise and pace - knowing that such activity would only make it worse for the others. His sheathed sword lay across his lap, and his fingers were twined so tightly where they rested on his bent knees that most would swear bones would snap. He looked at the floor, not daring to show the growing madness in his eyes to the others, and listening to sounds of the evacuation beyond the tents. And to the Hunter's Hounds that ran invisibly through the streets of Montfort.
From where she sat Morrighu watched the others and softly began to sing a lullaby. And though she didn't dare use any of her abilities to enhance the song the music was soothing. While she knew that the laying of the mosaic took time she also knew from observation that it probably shouldn't take this long, and she wondered if grief and stress had gotten the better of Lanaera's judgement. Outside came the sound of angry people.
Back in Linnell's tent Kit pressed her vulpine body as close to her friend as possible. The smell of smoke and the sound of loud voices terrified the foxling and reminded her far too vividly of the Festival.
[Yals]
To Darmon came the touch of a mind voice, ::Speak to the rain through the pipes - ask it to aid where it can. Though what comes is a mage storm and the fires will be beyond stopping - fed by the winds - you can protect some from the fire's hunger. At least long enough for them to flee.::
The weathered artist moved closer to where
two children, but not close enough for them to note him. His green eyes
showed his sorrow, for both girls had been twisted and hurt - just as the
land had been twisted and diseased. Green anger danced in Yals' ancient
eyes for the briefest of seconds - neither the land nor its children were
beyond healing - but it would be hard battle to stop the final rot of Montfort's
soul. Though he moved no closer he called out to the family, and the folk
in their vicinity, "Hurry! The fire moves closer! There is another wagon
being loaded."