"I accept your apology.", Alyna said, smiling at the knight. "You did not let me react to what you told me. Would you mind telling me where your home is? Maybe I went through it on my travels. And what lured you to Constantinople?"

Alyna was curious about this knight, who had shown such bravery and wit in face of the monster. She knew life was not easy for any non-firstborn in the frankish empire, she had seen many young men leave their homes, never to return, at least not while she was in that land up north.

Loukas had no knowledge or interest in the cube, was not interested whatever loot was to be had, and felt a bit unsure what to do. Besides drink... He was standing off to the side of A'Kos and Jean's exchange and appreciated their bonding, but Jean's claim that he had been left alone... As if everyone else had run thoughtlessly away rather than moved to tactical positions for what appeared to be a forthcoming melee cut deep. This pompous goon finally does something useful and suddenly his judgement is justified? Suddenly the pride he'd not felt moments before in his earlier strategic thinking was reborn.

He began to speak and stopped himself. Whatever he said would only initiate a clash. Regardless how clever his argument is would only make him look like a spoil-sport at the very best. Sir Jean had acted heroically and, frankly, thought faster than he had. So, Loukas took a deep breath, said nothing, and let the Frank enjoy his moment. It was deserved.

"Well my home is in Arzillieres which is in Champagne south of the Ardene forest. The land there is as beautiful as any you will ever see."

"As to why I traveled to the Great City. It was a place that I had not been and one of great opportunity. You see my father is the Baron of Arzillieres and a Knight Captain of Emperor Lothair. He casts a long shadow and I wish to know that my accomplishments are my own."

"Closer to home and I would always suspect that my achievments were charity for a poor forth born son or manipulation to gain favor with a father to poor to support all of his get."

"I wonder where that cold place was - could be anywhere from certain parts of elemental air, to the middle layers of Hell.  Pyotr really needs to be here..."

Dyanna ground her teeth in frustration at the situation.

Jaleh laid backward across A'kos' lap and looked up at him. "Was that true, what you said about the knight and your sword? Tell me the story."

"I agree Dyanna...I cannot see a way for us to safely test this object out at all. At least if we had some idea of a few of the portals it opens we would have a lesser risk. The Lord Dobrynya will pass judgement on the little man tomorrow. We must at least make sure that he understands the risk we will be taking to go at this thing blindly."

By no means do I want to cut this nice roleplaying short...so keep going with this thread as long as you want. Tomorrow I will be opening a new thread for the Trial of Pyotr.

"Well, I think we've done all we can for now.  The next step is to find a library that might contain legends or references to the Cube.  What do you two say we head back to the safety of the army encampment, where I will stir up some nice rabbit stew for you both, followed by my special chocolate cake?"

"What seasonings do you use in the rabbit stew?" asks Dyanna, the roaring of her stomach revealing her hunger.  "I'm fair to good with a bow shot...if they're not moving.  A few nights it was my arrows that kept me fed out in the wilds."

She looks sad as she says this.

"Ach," replies the Falcon, his hand stroking Jaleh's hair.  "A challenge fought that probably should not have been, a challenge accepted by one too young, a challenge given by one too old.  At the end, he thanked me for offering him an honorable death, landless, holdless, poverty stricken."

A'kos goes quiet for a moment before adding quietly, "Even in my youth I saw the heedless recklessness of my action when he breathed his last, and I carry his sword to honor him."

Reaching up to touch A'kos on the cheek in something of a comforting or at least caring gesture, Jaleh continued. "So, he was an old knight and challenged you. Why, what was the purpose in challenging you and for what?"

In reply to Sir Jean D'Arzillieres (msg #252):

"Ahh, the beautiful Champagne.", Alyna answered the knight. "Such a wonderful land. You must miss it terribly." She softly put her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes, searching for something in there.

She sighed. "I sometimes miss Aleppo, too. My family is still there, but I had to go to Constantinople to pay for their lives. Still we were lucky, many others did not survive the sacking of Aleppo. War produces so many suffering. I do hope this city's suffering is over now."

Alyna then looked over to where A'kos and Jaleh were getting very close. She said: "On another subject, how long have these two been together?"

In reply to Alyna (msg #261):

"For almost as long as I have known them. Though they sometimes act as if they had been together far longer."

"I see.", Alyna answered, a little disappointment in her voice. It was not because of A'kos and Jaleh of course, but because the frankish knight did not seem interested in her past life. But instead of showing it, she just smiled at him, her smile that gets men's knees weak. "I can surely see that being in combat can make people appreciate life and love. I hope those two are careful though." She added in a low voice: "This Jaleh scares me. There is something in her eyes that makes me shiver."

"For awhile I followed the banner of the boy Prince Koppany, though he paid but lip service to the blood pact uniting the tribes, and soon I grew weary of serving a pretender," replied A'kos.  "I left to wander, to raid and to travel...it was during these excursions, soon after my eighteenth year day that I crossed paths with the knight.  He spoke in earnest of his God, but I grew weary of Gods in the arguments among my folk...it seems religion has done more to tear down the fabric of my folk than build it up.  I would have let be, though, yet he called me but a heathen boy.  I grew enraged."

"In retrospect I think he meant it only as an observation...that realization causes me no lack of shame.  When I bade him renounce such things he said to do so would be to renounce is God, and that he would not do.  I cursed his name, and he grew wroth...and the challenge, once given, would not be undone."

"I knew as soon as we crossed blades that I would win easily," sighed A'kos sadly, his dark eyes reflecting the light of the fire.  "I let him control the temper of the fight, gave him a measure of dignity in his final stand but he drew close and scored a hit, and I struck him down.  I knelt over his still form and we talked a moment and then he died.  This blade is his - I carry it in his honor."

In reply to Alyna (msg #263):

The smile had a noticeable effect on Jean and he returned it with a bright smile of his own. (ooc if it matters Jean also has a very high charisma. he just doesn't use it as much)

"I do not believe that careful is a part of the lives they have chosen but I would estimate she is more dangerous than most of the men I have known. They are safer in danger than many are in their homes."


He gestured around at the city.

"We came as conquerors but after the fools who rule this city brought in the Pechenegs our presence has most like staved off another tragedy such as your home suffered. Though I am not the most pious of men it is in things like these that I see the hand of God."

"I agree. Who knows what these beasts have been doing. I fear we will get more bad news in the morning. And i hope that the suffering is over for now. It all will start again when the Romans come. And they will come with anger. But until that happens it is the responsibility of the conquering army and it's commanders to make sure that the people are safe."

Alyna almost regretfully removed her hand from the knight's arm. "I thank you for the meal and the conversation. I will retire now to the women's house. Will you escort me there?"

"You lived out in the wilds?  Wow.  In Jerusalem, where the Hedonites are headquarted, as part of my induction training, we had to live out in the woods as ascetics for two weeks.  The idea of the exercise was to understand the difference between wanting and needing.  Zmija, you are probably familiar with that kind of lifestyle.  I still get shivers thinking of those times.  That's when I learned how to use the bow myself, though I confess that when the instructors weren't around I switched to magic missile. Hunting rabbits is quite simple when you can't miss. Anyways, I use garlic, salt, pepper, a little paprika, and then I add rosemary and thyme."  He goes on to describe it like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kao8Yn-_EOs
This message was last edited by the player at 01:23, Fri 05 Mar 2010.

In reply to Alyna (msg #266):

Jean stood and offered the dancer a hand up.

"It would be my honor Alyna."

He adjusted his baldric and once more offered her his arm.

Alyna took the offered hand to help her get up, but the knight could feel it was more of a courtesy than actual need. She then took his arm and let him lead her to the women's house.

"Thank you again.", she said, when they reached the house. "I enjoyed spending time with you." Then she rose up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before she turned and walked past the guards into the house. She turned her head once more before she entered, a sassy smile on her face. Then the door closed behind her.

Alyna went to the room that has been assigned to her, undressed and went to bed. This has been a very long day, and she needed some rest. Tomorrow would not be easier, she feared.

"Aye. Twas my pleasure as well."

Jean stood for a few seconds too long watching Alyna leave. He had not been prepared for the kiss.

Finally, shaking his head to clear it, he sets out in search of Oleg and Radvila.

Jean has no problem finding Oleg and Radvila and their ward...Pyotr.

Jean enters and wasting no time speak directly to the two guards, "I would appreciate if you would leave me with the boy. I will take responsibility for him while you are away."

Both Oleg and Radvila look abit apprehensive about this but how can they argue with the one who brought the prisoner in? They close the door behind them as they leave to wait in the hall.

Jean picks up the youthful mage and sits him in a chair. He then moves a second chair opposite and sits in it himself.

"I have come to speak to you and offer a bargain. Will you hear me."