Miroslav calls to Oleg then turns the still magically bound and gagged Pyotr over to the Varangian saying..."I trust you and Radvila to keep an eye on him while we decide on a course of action. Do not let him free or ungag him...if he has to piss, let him swim in it. If he wants to play the child he can wet himself for a while eh?"

Then to Dyanna..."You make a good point...perhaps we should cut his tongue out and lop off his hands before imprisoning him?"

Then he turns his back and follows Jean saying..."Yes food! Then we sleep. Dobrynya and his men are securing the area for now. We can continue the discussion about what to do with our little thief in the morn...for now I am weary of this day."

Zmija sidles up next to where Miroslav gives over the half elf to Oleg. He quickly goes through the clothing of the prisoner and finds the cube and holds it up..."I assume the both Dyanna and Balthazar would like to join me in examining this cube. Anyone else?"

he then gives Miroslav a stern look and says..."I suggest you leave this mans fate in the hands of Lord Dobrynya. He will be regent over this city and unless Sviatoslabv himself decides to camp here, will be the one with true authority."

Jean watched Alyna leave and was completely unaffected by her tears. Of course. He felt nothing at all. The pain and hollow feeling in his breast was clearly a cramp from the long period for which he had been wearing his Hauberk...his enchanted Hauberk which was supple as cloth and weighed no more than a heavy tunic.

That was it certainly. Just fatigue.

He approached Zmija as that worthy addressed Miroslav.

"If Lord Dobrynya is to decide the boys fate I would like to be present. It was into my hand he was delivered and while I would not seek to thwart justice I would like to speak my mind before his fate is sealed."

"If harm comes to Pyotr, that is not justice," replies Dyanna.  "But - my actions in the fight notwithstanding - perhaps I have no voice here to testify on his behalf.  Perhaps, had I not cast the blanket of silk upon the mongrels' first rank, the four of you would have held firm, unscathed.  Perhaps, had my arrows not found some marks, you could have stood alone!  Had Jaleh not dealt death to our foes, had Alyna not healed the sick and wounded, you would still be standing in front of open gates for the Lord Dobrynya and handing him a city freed by your hands alone."

Pausing a moment, she finishes her speech to no one in particular, "Perhaps next time when we battle I will recall such attitudes from my allies and watch in womanly wonder at their exploits!"

Turning then she searches out Gultunga and shouts, "And next time I'll sit quietly as you try to ride a horse and let your balls fall off, you foolish ape!"

Walking from the others she approaches Zmija and quietly says, "I would repair with you and Balthazar to learn more of the gate - and at some point would replenish my spells.  I would as soon stay away from the main force right now, but would have my voice heard tomorrow if the Lord is to make judgment on Pyotr."

Alyna was a little surprised that the knight did not follow her. Not many men would be able to resist, but these were extraordinary circumstances.

Or I am losing my touch.

Shaking off the troublesome feeling, she instead remounted her horse again and led it over to the Regent. Turning to him, her eyes still shimmering, she spoke: "My Lord, now that the situation has been cleared up, I would ask you to show kindness to the people of this town and to the captured boy. Sir Jean's noble wish has already healed many, but there could still be mercenaries roaming the streets. New suffering could transpire."

When Alyna heard Dyanna shouting, she was barely able to keep herself from laughing. "Foolish ape". Brilliant. Yet, her face showed no amusement, as the situation of the city was not under control yet.

"Aye, no more ill will come to these city folk should they accept the rollover of government peacefully. I cannot promiise not to harm those who will try to stop the Knyaz's wishes. As for the boy...er man who has been captured. I will hear of this tomorrow after we break our fast."

He nods his head and hops back up onto his mount defying his age and says..."Now I suggest you find a rom and rest for the evening. I have matters to attend to that are quite pressing." Without waiting for a reply he wheels his horse around and is gone.

As Dobrynya left Jean studied the Pecheneg pony that Alyna sat on as if it's health was suddenly of great interest to him.

After a moment he looked up at her and spoke, "Would you consider...dining with me Alyna? I would that we avoid any further conflict caused by a lack of understanding."


The man had faced the awesome elemental might of an Efreet without so much as a twitch but clearly the woman had him off balance. His normally proud and powerful voice was noticeably nervous when he addressed her.

Looking at the Frankish knight, and back to Jaleh, A'kos says, "Like I said, he'll be REALLY insufferable..."

A mess has been set up by the Rus near the gates on the inside of the wall. Definitely food to be had but camp fair mostly...but augmented by what the cooks can scrounge in the nearby kitchens.

Several houses and buildings have been taken over as barracks. A large house for the women folk has been secured and guards stand by. The house is very large and each woman can have her own room if need be.

Zmija has set up a base of operations for the Regent in another building. The back room of which Zmija has taken for himself and the study of the cube with Balthazar and Dyanna.

Gultunga and several others has amassed a small fortune looting the bodies of the Pechenegs. It is also kept with Zmija. A herd of horses is also recovered and is outside the city wall with a small guard. Dobrynya has made it clear to all teh Rus that the spoils of the battle of the gate will go to those from the Heart of Oak.

Alyna was pretty sure she had done everything in her power to help the people of this town. Others had done far more, but hopefully her words had resonated with the Regent. She noticed the Frankish Knight standing there. That made her painfully aware of the fact that her legs were exposed again due to her hastily mounting the horse.

When he spoke, she turned her head, smiled at him and extended a hand, so that he could help her off the horse. "Of course i'll accompany you, Sir Jean."

I'm not losing my touch after all.

In reply to A'kos, the Falcon (msg #232):

Loukas laughed at A'kos's comment about Sir Jean, but when he speaks it is clear that he has gained a new admiration for the Frank, "Perhaps, but at this point it will be justified... Not that it will be any easier to take, I suppose."

At the end of the battle and the peculiar situation that has followed Loukas could not help but feel not only exhausted, but at loose ends. He could not help but feel rather disinterested in whatever loot there was here at the gate, nor could he feel any particular pride in having come up with the strategy that to some degree had gotten them to the victory. He could not help but hear his uncle's voice in the back of his head, "Luck has everything to do with everything and one's situation too often has everything to do with luck. The rest is up to you."

He takes off his gloves as he approaches Miroslav, and pulls out a flask "Well, my Captain, I share your weariness, but it seems as if this night would be a good one to drink too much and sing too loud before we sleep."

Sorry I wasn't able to get online long enough to keep up with the game over the weekend.

Balthazar turns visible once more and shakes hands with Sir Jean, but warns him that it is probably his fate to meet that Efreet once more, then winks adding it was probably worth it considering the attention Alyna is giving him.  Balthazar then says to Miroslav, "I can't wait to hear Pyotr's explanation for his actions.  This ought to be good!"

Then he sits down with Zmija and Dyanna to study the cube.  He laughs, "Heh, what are the chances that the previous owner scribbled on each side where it leads?"  When he gets a chance, Balthazar will memorize read magic just in case something is written on the cube that can only be seen with that spell active.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:00, Mon 01 Mar 2010.

To Balthazar she says, "Of certain one side leads to the elemental plane of fire - though it begs the question can water, wind and earth be reached using this device as well?  I would like to talk with Pyotr to hear what he learned in his impromptu experimentation."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:34, Mon 01 Mar 2010.

Giving the dancer a hand down Sir Jean scarcely glanced at her exposed legs. In fact he so pointedly did not look at them that it was painfully obvious he was aware of them.

As her feet touched the ground he spoke continuing to use the speech of his homeland.

"I expect it will be soldiers fare. There is ought else to be had until the city begins to settle down."

After they walk a short distance in the direction of the mess tent he asks, "So how did an eastern girl come to speak the language of West Frankland?"

The non-combative side of the Knight is apparently very polite. A situation many witnesses find mind wrenching as he has never so much as hinted at having a non-combative side before.

          Gultunga gathers as many of the Byzantine mounts as possible and brings
them to the designated area to releave them of all the booty thats been secured
upon them by their former masters.

Barmak accompanies Gultunga in his gathering, aiding as he may to add to their growing fortunes.  He mutters occasionally about the soft-heartedness of women, though judging by his expression his words are not said in flattery.  He vows to be present at Pyotr's trial, whatever form it may take under the Kynaz's law.

Once the work of looting is done, he makes his way to the mess to find nourishment, hoping there will be wine to soothe his frayed nerves.  "One can only face death so many times in a day," he says wearily to Gultunga.  "Your folk may be accustomed to living lives fraught with endless danger, but I am not."

"Well, we know another face leads to a cold place with a bridge, that's where I saw Pyotr flee to.  Actually, if you're curious as to what happened when I went after Pyotr, I arrived invisible on the scene as Basrakan was raising his scimitar to slay Pyotr.  I dashed for the cube - I could have had it so easily - but I stubbed my toe on a loose rock and fell flat on my face [OOC: I rolled a 1].  Neither Pyotr nor Basrakan even noticed me.  Then Pyotr picked up the cube, pressed the face that led to the cold place, and disappeared into it."

As soon as Alyna landed on the ground the skirt of her dress fell down and her legs were out of sight. Naturally she linked arms with the knight when they started walking, at which point the slit up the right front of her skirt revealed her long leg again with every step.

Alyna had only showy dresses, for her it was like a uniform.

Smiling up to the knight, she said: "Oh, do not worry. Although I enjoy a good meal, i am not that spoiled to expect one here, in this situation."

When he asked where she learned Frankish, she answered: "I have been travelling before I came to Constantinople, and my journeys took me to the northern part of your charming country, among others. Do you know Archbishop Artold of Reims? I was there on his invitation. I like learning languages, and yours is such a beautiful one. I stayed a while and learned it there."

Walking on, she asked: "And you, good Sir? What brought you here? I was rather surprised to see a Frankish Knight here."

"I know of the Archbishop but if I met him it was when I was very young. I traveled with my father during our war with the Magyars, A'kos' people, and so had little exposure to court life."

"As to why I am here it is a simple matter truly."

"Where I am from only the oldest brother may inherit. A man must either be born first, be willing to kill his brothers, or be willing to seek his own fortune."

"I love my brothers and so here I am."

Jean left her for a moment and returned with two steaming bowls of food and two wooden spoons. Finding a quiet spot in the lee of the walls he threw his cloak on the ground for Alyna to sit. Handing her one of the bowls he sat as close by as he dared.

"I have seen much of the world but had time to learn very little about it. I have letters and can speak Greek fairly well but I am far from a linguist.

"Those were days before Geza's soft rule, and his wish to suckle at your church's breast," called A'kos to the knight.  "Days when Magyars rode hard with the vicious fury that nations feared."

"Ah, for days long past!"

Jean rose and walked to where the A'kos sat eating. He stood over the Falcon with a hard look in his eyes and a hand on his sword.

"And we rode those fearsome Magyar invaders into the ground, destroyed them, and drove their remnants out of our lands."


He pauses and then his voice changes slightly.

"Had I known their were men of your quality among them the loss of so many would have made me weep."

"You faced the Efreet and stood with me when others, even some of those who have been with us from Byzantium, abandoned me and fled."

"We have been at knifes edge since we met...Before God I apologize for any slight I have done you."

"If you would allow it I would call you my friend."

And suddenly Alyna was sitting alone. She smiled to herself, whispered something that sounded like a comment about the behaviour of men and considered retreating to the house that was reserved for the women. It would show this frankish knight.

But instead, she just cleared her throat, so that it could be heard clearly by the two men.

Having not retreated to the women's quarters yet, Jaleh was still sitting next to A'kos when Sir Jean walked over threateningly at first. She was almost certain there might be a fight or argument, but that faded quickly when the knight changed his tone. She listened to Sir Jean give his apology and shifted her position slightly to lean against A'kos and remained silent as she watched Sir Jean and listened for what A'kos had to say in return.

"You know of the story of how I received this sword?" asked A'kos, squinting up at Jean and chewing thoughtfully.  "Won from a knight, perhaps of your own order.  A good man, and honorable combat.  He died well.  In another life I would have stood at his side in battle...perhaps.  Instead, the Winds send me you."

"In honor of that dead knight, aye, I will call you friend...and perhaps more importantly I will call you comrade."

"Now, go and sit next to the young lady, Sir Jean, before her legs get cold..."

A'kos offers a low chuckle and a wink to Jaleh, then nods his chin toward where Alyna sits.

"Go!" he laughs when Jean pauses.

Jean walked back to Alyna and sat down somewhat closer than before.

"I apologize but I felt that needed saying and had I waited until later I would have had to interrupt their...rest."

He picked his bowl back up with a smile. "Barring an attack my attention is exclusively yours for the remainder of the evening."

"Where were we?"