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Bidding goodbye to the others, Kellan watched Pisca head south down Main Street, then looked at the Barracks across the avenue, deciding where he would go . . .

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Kellan debated his next move for a few moments, desiring a warm bath but knowing that it would likely lead to him falling asleep. Besides, there was a certain amount of unprofessionalism in showing up like he was. Part of their job was to insulate these people from the realities of what they did, Alergast had taught him that, and he had always managed to go about his business with a smile.

He crossed the street and entered the barracks where he took comfort in the familiar smells and his bed, neatly made, just how he had left it.

He set his weapon in the rack and with a groan worked on shedding the heavy chain mail armor which at this point had come to feel almost like a second skin. It hit the floor in a filthy heap and a clatter where it was soon joined by his soaked gambeson, his mud encrusted boots and his trousers. Only the tabard was spared, which was hung on a peg near his bed.

With the aid of a bucket, a rag and the barrel of rain water that sat beneath the eave Kellan scrubbed and scrubbed, first at his equipment and then at himself, the cold water bracing as it drained off him into the stone flagging beneath. Despite a few grimaces and his shivering, it had the intended effect...he was clean and now wide awake as he walked back into the barracks still dripping and found his little used civilian attire in the small chest at the foot of his bed.

A rough spun creme colored linen shirt, some loose buckskin pants and a more normal looking belt upon which to hang his pouch and knife.

And so clad, he worked up his nerve at set out for the Rusty Dragon, where he hoped to find Ameiko, dinner, and some word of what had become of Shayliss in his absence.

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Kellan approached the Rusty Dragon, which hadn’t seemed to change at all despite the many events that had happened over the past year or two.  It was right in the swing of the supper service, so people were going in and out of the establishment pretty regularly.  Kellan held the door for an older couple as they left, then entered the inn’s public room.

The warmth of the room was always welcome after the biting chill of Sandpoint’s autumn evenings, and the good cheer of its occupants even more welcome.  Humans are resilient creatures, and those here at the inn seemed determined to have a good time despite the recent murders at the inn.  It seemed as if most believed that the tragedy was a one-off affair, conducted for strange reasons surrounding the other strange rumors regarding the mill, and that others living in town need not fear.

Miery the barmaid flashed a smile at the guardsman.  “Kellan!”  She said excitedly, looking happy to see him.  “Here, have a table!”  She gestured him toward one of the taproom’s smaller, two-person tables.  “Do you have an order, honey?”  She asked, her long blonde braid hanging over one shoulder.  “Tonight we’ve got prime rib with Ameiko’s special sauce, and then chicken in wine sauce with pasta.  Both with baked potatoes and green beans.  What’ll you have?”

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"Hey there Miery " Kellan greeted the barmaid as he leaned in for half a hug "The prime rib sounds great, thanks " he smiled and took a seat "And some beer please" he added before she got too far away.

As he sat at the table, his skin still tingling from the cold bath, he allowed himself some time to savor the sights and smells of home one last time before they headed out in the morning. Who knew how long they might be away? Weeks? Months even?

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"Right you are, sergeant.  Coming up shortly!"  Miery gave Kellan a saucy grin before disappearing into the kitchen.  She reappeared shortly thereafter, moving to the bar to grab a beverage from Dannin, which she immediately brought back to his table.

"Here you are," she proclaimed, plunking the frothy golden beer down on the table.  "On tap from the Two Knight Brewery.  Your meal will be out in a bit."  She flashed him another smile, then moved on to see to her other tables.

"Kellan!"  Ameiko Kaijitsu appeared as Miery left, also smiling.  The innkeeper slid into the seat opposite the guardsman.  "It's so good to see you!  I hardly believed it when Miery told me you were here.  Where's the rest of the group?"  Her grin slipped slightly.  "All good, I hope?"

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This message was lightly edited by the GM at 05:39, Mon 29 May 2017.

"Hey Ameiko...and Good, tired, but good" Kellan replied with a few slight nods as he took up the beer and sipped at it. He let out a satisfied sound as he set it back down and smiled at Ameiko. All this time she had been so free with her hospitality and advice, with a smile and a warm greeting. He knew that he would get nothing of the sort in Magnimar, no matter how much coin they had to spend.

"The others are getting ready, we are leaving again in the morning, more business. But we think we managed to more or less get to the bottom of what happened here at least." his relief at that notion was obvious. "So that's something" he added with a weary smile.

"How about you?" he asked in turn, his head cocking just a bit. "How have you been holding up?" That business with her brother was still fairly recent after all, and while they had managed to spare his life in hopes that he might one day find his way, Kellan knew that it had to be hard knowing that he was out there, somewhere, doing who knew what.

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"More business?"  Ameiko looked put out.  "They're sending you out again?  When you just got back?  That doesn't seem very fair."  She frowned.  "They should give you some time to rest up, at the very least."

"Things here have been good, although of course the murders cast a pall over everything."  She looked sad.  "Katrine Vinder was well-liked.  I liked her too.  It's still hard to believe that she's," her voice caught, "that she's gone."  Ameiko looked out the window for a while, then back to Kellan.  "So you caught whoever did it?"  Her voice hardened a little.  "And brought them to justice?"

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This message was lightly edited by the player at 06:20, Wed 31 May 2017.

Kellan thought for a moment about how to answer that question. "I'm sure Mayor Deverin is going to want to tell the people about it in her own way, but yeah, we caught them, and we took care of it" he took another sip of his beer and was silent for a moment.

"With any luck things should calm down again around here, we got the one actually doing the killing" he assured her "But it sounds like other people may have been involved in some way...so, we are going to follow up, make sure it's done right...just in case"

"I...ah, don't suppose you've seen Shayliss around by chance?" he asked softly, as if it was some kind of secret.

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"I knew you would take care of it," she said, smiling.  "You five are Sandpoint's guardian angels.  You really are!"

Ameiko's face fell when Kellan mentioned Shayliss.  "Not much," she admitted sadly.  "She and Ven are still dealing with the loss of Katrine, I think.  The General Store's been closed ever since . . . since what happened at the mill."  She shook her head.  "That's not something anyone should have to go through.  Not the way they did."

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"No...no, I had thought that maybe..." he trailed off. "I was thinking about going over there after this, at least, well letting them know that we had taken care of things"

Even as he said it it sounded bad, and it dredged up uncomfortable memories. What was someone supposed to say in situations like that? Some prefered it straight, Vinn might in fact...but Shayliss...what could he do to soften the blow?

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Ameiko gave the guardsman a measuring look.  "I think she might like that," she said, sensing the guardsman's hesitance, "if you have the time to spend with her.  But if you're leaving tomorrow morning, that could be an issue as well.

"To come back and have her deal with all her feelings for you only to leave again?"  The innkeeper shrugged uncertainly.  "I don't know how she'd react to that.  I know she'd be glad to see you, but if you were to leave again right away?  It might be best if you simply left word for her and talked when you had more time to devote to her."  Ameiko looked uncomfortable.  "I'd be happy to give her a message for you and explain what's been happening.  But it's up to you."

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"A message?" Kellan replied as he leaned back a little in his seat. He had not considered a message, the farmboy always having to do his speaking face to face whenever possible. It was not as if his family had ever been able to afford a wealth of paper or ink, and it was not often that they had reasons to put pen to paper...but this might be an exception.

"That's, not a bad idea." he told her after a few moments consideration. It certainly solved his time problem, and avoided a lot of difficult confrontations right at the end of a long and draining series of events. It would give them both time to rest, recover and get their thoughts about them.

"If you'd be willing to drop it off to her, I might just take you up on that"

"AMEIKO!"  The gnome rushed into the common room with arms wide as the wings of a soaring bird.  In fact, that may very well have been what she was pretending to be, a she performed a very fair impression of a diving swoop that turned itself into a banking turn that swung a lazy circle about the feet of the publican and owner of the Rusty Dragon, bringing her full circle to Amieko's front and center, where, with a small hop and arms raised in a very presentational manner, she gave greetings.

"Good evening.  How are you?  It is me, Pisca."

"Stomper."  Pisca turned to the guardsman and dipped in a curtsy.  "Long time no see," she winked.

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"Of course I'd be willing to do that for you, Kellan."  Ameiko put a comforting hand on the guardsman's shoulder.  "You've got a lot going on right now.  If there's anything I can do to help make things a little easier for you, I'm happy to do it . . . ."

At this point, Pisca entered the Rusty Dragon with a shout of Ameiko's name.  Patrons turned and chuckled as the gnome soared across the taproom, ending up in front of its bemused owner.

"You're hard to miss, Pisca," Ameiko smiled.  "Somehow I could tell it was you.  Can I get you something to eat?"

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Cato entered the Rusty Dragon, lost in thought about his conversation with Brodert and his longer tutorial with Aeren, and looked up to see Pisca and Kellan already there.

"Ah, great minds think alike, I see.  Mind if I join you two?"

He perks up at Ameiko's question.  "I'll take something as well.  I presume you know the latest news?  One last meal at the Dragon before we head out.  Only the best to remember Sandpoint by, right?"