The main hall of the keep.

Difyr went into the main hall, looking for Xavier. She was mostly doing this to humor her patient but if Ila was right this could explain a lot about Nelek's behavior.

Xavier was directing his men to scour the keep to look for towels, spare clothing, anything that could be used for the comfort of the refugees.

"Xavier!" Difyr called as she approached the man. "The girl, Ila, wants to talk to you. She has a story..."

Xavier saw his last man off and turned to Difyr. He arched his eyebrow. "A story? Now that sounds interesting."

"She has been through a lot of trauma." Difyr said in a low voice. "She may be having trouble telling the difference between reality and fantasies she made up to cope... But I told her you would listen to what she has to say."

"As long as she is quick about it. I could use some amusement after such a long evening, but there is much to be done to see to the comfort of everyone until we have supplies. Take me to her."

"It's not an amusing story." Difyr said heavily, bringing Xavier to Ila.

->To the Healing Room.

Sileas still had not come back. She was taking too long. Yehudit picked up her stick and began hobbling towards the door.

Liadan wildly looked around the hall, then spotted her daughter heading for the door.

"Yehudit!" Liadan cried and ran to catch up with her. "Where are you going? You need to get of your bad leg immediately- you've walked too much today." Liadan fussed.

"Stoppit, my ankle is fine." Yehudit protested. "I was just going after Sileas."

"I don't see Sileas." Liadan gently pushed Yehudit to the floor and used her own cloak to prop up her ankle. "You are not going out alone." Liadan did not trust all those knights around her daughter. "You're staying in here."

Yehudit scowled. "I want to be with Sileas!"

"Sileas isn't-" Liadan heard a shout. "Hush, what was that?"

Sileas stepped into the main hall, both arms now around a squalling Olivia. "I wonder which room Difyr is in," she wondered out loud.

"Sileas!" Yehudit shouted, getting to her feet. "Where did that come from? Hey, is that one of the..."

Sileas grinned and nodded, opening her cloak further. She turned toward the door with a wide smile as her father entered the keep. "Yes, it's Olivia. Do you know where Difyr is? We need to get her and Papa looked over."

"Uncle Shawn!" Yehudit squealed, happy to see that her uncle and one of the babies had survived. She hopped over to Sileas, forgetting about her walking stick and how much her ankle hurt.

"I can show you where Difyr is..." Liadan frowned at Shawn. "Brie?"

Shawn's eyes filled with tears he had yet to shed. He shook his head sadly. "By the time I was out of the rubble of the barracks and to the forge, it was too late. It looked like she had had only time to hide one of the babes." He looked on the verge of collapse, broken at losing the love of his life and three of his children.

Why Shawn and not Brie? Liadan sighed heavily.

"This way." She said, voice shaking from fighting back tears as she lead them to the room Difyr was in.

"Come on Papa, you need to be looked over too," Sileas prodded her father before following her Aunt to Difyr.

Liadan tried to smooth back Ertzel's hair- but it was as wild as her own. "We did nothing wrong, those who attacked us were momzers- they have no reason for doing what they did... But we are going to be all right. We are safe here. We just have to stick together." Liadan wished Aron was sober right now, the children needed their father, not just her.

"These men from the King...they're going to protect us and help us rebuild? Will we be going home? Can we go home?"

"I don't know if we're going back." Liadan admitted, she hoped they would go home- there was nowhere she loved more than Buckley Village. But there was so much damage, so many innocents murdered. "I hope so. We will be staying here for a while, for now this is home." Liadan looked about her, it was better than where Liadan had been staying when she was Ertzel's age- she had been living on the streets then- but she had always wanted so much more for her children.

"Are they going to go back and see if anyone is still alive under things, Mama?" There were a few of her friends she had not seen yet, but then their parents may have gone to Portside.

"They have brought back a few more survivors." Liadan realized her daughter had not been told yet. "Uncle Shawn survived, and your cousin Olivia."

Ertzel cheered up at that. Despite the knowledge that her mother didn't like Shawn for whatever reason, Ertzel loved him. And at least one of the babes had survived. But then her face fell again. "But not Aunt Brie, Sarah or the other two babes?"

Liadan's eyes teared up. Apart from Aislyn, Brighid had been her closest friend. She hugged Ertzel close.

"No." Liadan said in a choked voice.

Ertzel began to cry. "I feel bad for Uncle Shawn and Sileas. What can we do for them?" she said, hiccuping.

"Be there for them." Liadan said, thinking she would have to do more for Sileas. The girl had lost her mother and Aislyn was too deep in her own grief to mother Sileas. Liadan rubbed Ertzel's back. The younger children did not understand what had happened but they were all crying too.

Ertzel nodded. "Whatever they need. I can help them watch Olivia while they do whatever they need to do."

Liadan was so grateful her husband and children had all survived. She did not think she could live if she had lost any of her children, she loved all her babes so much.

"Are they going to go back to the village to see if there are supplies that can be used? Like food and fabrics for clothing and the like? Or do you think he'll just send men to Portside to buy what we need?"

"I don't know, but they will probably go back to the village and look." Liadan said.

Ertzel nodded and nuzzled against her mother.

Ertzel was so anxious that they go back to the village, Liadan hoped her daughter would not be too disappointed if there were no other survivors. Liadan kissed the top of Ertzel's head.

Ertzel slipped her arm around her mother's waist and tried to relax.

"We should find a room for our family to live in so we can have some privacy." Liadan said to Ertzel. "Do you want to help me find one?"

"All right, Mama." Ertzel got to her feet and wiped at her eyes with a scrap of fabric hanging from her sleeve.

Liadan winced. Her children in rags. "Aunt Aislyn is staying this way, we should stay nearby."

"Should we somehow claim a room for Uncle Shawn? He's not so badly injured that he will have to stay in the healing area long is he?"

"I don't know, it didn't look too serious." Liadan said.

"Then we need to reserve them a room. I'm sure they will want their privacy."

"We can look for a room for them too." Liadan said, though she was more concerned about finding a room big enough for her own large family.

Ertzel nodded and followed her mother.

Liadan tried the first door they came upon. It was much too small for a family of eight. But it might do for Sileas, Shawn and Olivia.

Ertzel peeked in the room over her mother's shoulder.

"It's too small for us." Liadan said regretfully, there was furniture that looked to be in good shape in the room.

"It is a little cozy," Ertzel said.

"There has to be something bigger." Liadan said. "It's too small for all of us."

"Then we keep looking." She glanced around. It appeared everyone was choosing rooms and marking the door in someway. "We need to mark this for Uncle Shawn. Think we can carve his initials in the door or something like the others?'

Liadan took a twisted fork from her pocket and used it to carve two crooked S'es on the door.

Ertzel nodded her approval. It looked like what everyone else was doing. It also helped that it appeared almost everyone was settled in their rooms.

Liadan looked about worriedly. Pretty soon all the good rooms would be taken, if they weren't already.

"What are you waiting for Mama? Wouldn't it be nice if the one next door was big enough and free?"

Liadan nodded. She shut the door and went to another door. With great anticipation she lifted the latch and pushed the door open.

"Well?" Ertzel asked, trying to squeeze in to see past her mother's arm.

The room was perfect. It was big, but not too big. There were even a couple beds.

"I think we found our room." Liadan said.

"I'll go get the little ones and the few things we managed to bring." Ertzel hurried off to her siblings.

Yehudit spotted Ertzel with her other siblings, but her mother was nowhere in sight. Perfect.

"Ertzel!" Yehudit called, hobbling quickly.

ERtzel stood up with her arms filled with the few items they'd been able to bring. "Yehudit." She smiled as they neared. "Hi, Olivia."

Yehudit picked up a badly dented bird cage- her mother kept some odd things. "Ertzel, could you watch Olivia?"

"I don't see why not. I just need to take the little ones and these things to Mama. She found a room for us right next to Aunt Aislyn." She eyed her sister and cousin. "But why do you need me to watch her?"

"You can't tell Mama." Yehudit started.

Ertzel scrunched up her face. "You know Mama always knows when we are lying or even telling a fib."

"Just tell her I'm with Sileas." Yehudit said. "And Uncle Shawn can't watch her because he's hurt."

"All right. Follow me so I can get every one settled and I will tell her I'm staying in the room we marked for Uncle Shawn and Sileas until one of them can be there. So no one else takes it."

"Ok." Yehudit agreed. She hobbled after her sister.

Sileas followed them both, bouncing Olivia from time to time.

Ertzel led them down the hall and showed them Shawn and Sileas's room, then she went next door to drop things off.

"Mama, I will be next door in Uncle Shawn's room watching Olivia. Yehudit and Sileas have something they need to do and asked me to watch her."

Wulfsen strode into the hall, dressed in a fresh shirt and his pants properly belted.

"Xavier, I am going to take a trip to the village." Wulfsen announced.

Xavier turned with a puzzled expression. "Going on..did you not just return from the village? We have a situation here that we need to discuss. Not that I have any idea how to explain it that you will believe it."

"Sileas believes that her mother is wounded but still alive, she's desperate to go back to find her. I couldn't make her give up on her mother, but I can't let her go without an escort." Wulfsen frowned. "I'm sure you and the men can handle whatever it is."

So my suspicions were right, you are returning for Sileas. Always did have a soft spot for her. "I see. She will definitely need the protection and a shoulder should she discover that her mother is truly gone." Xavier shifted his weight. "We will do our best but when you return we will need to speak on it. It's not anything we have come up against before."

"I will return soon." Wulfsen said and left.

Aron found Xavier in the main hall and walked over. "Excuse me," he said as the younger man spoke with the other men. "I was wondering if you have seen Sileas and Yehudit?"

Xavier looked a bit uncomfortable but answered truthfully. "I haven't seen them since they came back with Captain Spenser and headed for the kitchen area with the baby."

Liadan was not satisfied with Xavier's response.

"Where is my daughter, you pervert?"

Xavier blinked. He was not and had never been a pervert. It was obvious this woman didn't like him and he didn't really care. "I don't know about your daughter. I only know that Sileas and Wulfsen returned to the village. Apparently Sileas felt in her heart that her mother was not dead. No mention was made to me of your daughter." He turned on his heel and walked away to discuss the mermen situation with his men.

Liadan swore a blue streak. Where Sileas was, Yehudit would follow.

"The village isn't safe, there could still be raiders." Liadan said to Aron when she finally stopped swearing. "We have to find her before something happens to her."

"Then I guess we had best start walking." Aron headed for the doors.

"I'm going to kill them." Liadan said angrily, storming to the gates.

"Your daughter and niece? Seems a bit harsh. What do we have for weapons?" Aron asked.

"No! Wulfsen and Xavier. Taking them out of the keep, letting them go, not even letting us know... After I save Yehudit I'll use a fork to take out those men's eyes!" Liadan frowned. "I don't care about weapons."

Aron sighed. "I don't think Xavier had anything to do with it at all." He sighed again. "You know how Sileas can get, she would have gone with or without Wulfsen. Especially if she was convinced she had a chance to save her mother. At least if Wulfsen is with them, they have a trained warrior to watch over them."

"They should have told me." Liadan said. "Yehudit is my daughter, she's not strong enough for all the dangers out there."

"And I am certain Sileas told her that." Aron thought for a moment. "Do Wulfsen and Xavier even know us? They know Yehudit of course from when she visited with Sileas over the summers."

Liadan shook her head. "No excuse for letting them go, especially not Yehudit. Yehudit can't even run with her ankle being how it is."

"I'm just saying Sileas would have gone regardless what Wulfsen may have said and done. And you darn well Yehudit would have dragged herself after her. If I had any inclination that my mother could have been still alive, you can be damned certain I would have gone regardless. If you would have been left behind, presumed dead, wouldn't you have wanted someone to come look for you?"

"Not if it meant my daughter was put at risk!" Liadan snapped.

Aron sighed and set off down the road toward the village.

In reply to Xavier DeVale (msg # 80):

Wulfsen yawned when he found Xavier in the main hall. "Sileas was right, her mother was alive. She's with the healer's now.

"That is the best news I have heard all night," Xavier said honestly.  "At least the night seems to be calming down down."

"Calm for now." Wulfsen said. "Sileas's mother was badly hurt by the raiders, so was another girl... We figured out who was behind the raid."

"At least we know who to hunt for in relation to the raids. We had a girl attacked here before you returned the first time." Xavier rubbed his temple. "We had thought originally that it was Nelek, Aislyn's husband but it wasn't."

"Then who was it?" Wulfsen asked. "Not one of our men I hope!"

"No, but you're never going to believe me. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed the girl who told me, nor the healer who confirmed it." Xavier eyed him. "Maybe we should find some ale or something."

"All the ale you can get." Wulfsen said. He had seen some terrible things and he doubted that Xavier was going to tell him anything that would make him feel any better.

Xavier left one of the knights in charge and headed for the stairs toward the kitchen area. "I heard there was wine down here, there must be ale too."

"Wine, ale, even absinthe would be good after the night I had." Wulfsen said.

"What I have to tell isn't going to improve your night." Xavier moved behind the bar and rooted around. He grabbed a pitcher and two mugs and set them on the counter. Then he checked the keg behind the counter, gratified to find it had something inside. Xavier filled the pitcher.

Wulfsen sunk down at a table.

Xavier set the pitcher and mugs on the table and sat down across from Wulfsen. He filled the two mugs. He didn't know any other way to say this other than to just say it. "Apparently there is a race of shape-shifting mermen off the shore. Supposedly they took Nelek and replaced him with a man who assumed his persona." Xavier turned his attention to his mug of ale and slowly drank it."

Wulfsen stared. "What happened to the real Nelek?"

Aron had no idea where his family was and he was too exhausted to search the keep. After Shawn had said he was going for a walk to clear his head, Aron returned to the hall, found a spot against the wall and nodded off.

Aislyn hurried through the halls of the keep, calling out for Lord Thornblade.

Wulfsen was despairing of ever finding Sileas when he heard a woman calling him. He turned to the voice.
"Hello? Mrs Gerthrim?"

"Lord Thornblade! Thank goodness. Sileas, Yehudit and Questa are out there battling one of the mermen. He tried to take Millie. They need help out there!"

Wulfsen was still walking funny, but he tried to walk funny faster. "Where are they?"

Millie replied, "Down from the gate coming toward the keep. Almost to the edge of the woods. There's a drop off that I fell from."

Wulfsen knew the area.

"Find Xavier and tell him what's going on." Wulfsen hoped he would not need backup, but it would be better to have it and not need it than to be overwhelmed.

"We will," Aislyn promised. Now that she knew the area, she could drop Millie off with Difyr while she searched for him.

WUlfsen walked funny out of the keep.

Aislyn nearly bumped into Xavier in the hallway down from the healing room. She gave him all the information on what was happening and he took off. She returned to the healing room.

"We need to find a large room with lots of shelves, ideally. Large enough to hold all the contents of a manor," she said as they entered the hall.

"Good luck at that, evry right good big room 'as been taken over... And evry shelf taken for buildin'." Questa pointed out.

"Maybe something down in the cellars. It would be better if it were a private area anyway. Not so many prying eyes. I don't know what I might find." Or what might happen.

"Maybe." Questa said doubtfully.

"Or in the cellars beneath the kitchen. I would wager no one has been down there as of yet."

"Some bloke lookin' for a drink might." Questa said.

"He wouldn't be after shelves though if he were looking for a drink. If we find a drunkard down there, we'll just clock him over the head and get him out of there. If we find a suitable room, we'll have to fashion some sort of lock.

"And tidy the piss puddle from the corner." Questa wrinkled her nose.

"Wouldn't be the first time." She thought for a moment. "If the room is large enough, we can even make a living space. It'll be easier to duck Yehudit if I'm not upstairs."

"Outrunnin' a cripple is dead easy." Questa said.

"You're not giving her credit for persistence. And I wish you wouldn't call her that. It's mean."

"But she is a cripple. Her leg is no good... She's so slow now that 'er ankle were ruined, init?If she were any tougher 'er leg would be better and she wouldn't be a cripple." Questa explained.

"It doesn't matter if it's what she is, it's just a mean way to refer to her. And it's not because she's soft or weak, her bone didn't knit properly I reckon. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I'm not allowed to be around her, so we need to find a spot we can call our own that she won't know about."

"A ladder or any stairs would put the mockers on 'er." Questa said. "She 'ad a fancy 'ealer, why didn't 'er poxy ankle 'eal?"

"Sometimes it's simply because of the way the bone breaks. It wouldn't surprise me if Andy crushed part of her ankle bone."

Questa pondered it. "I fink she were too soft ter recover from it."

"No, I blame the seriousness of the injury itself. He really did a job on her."

"Andy 'urt yer worse. But yor not even limpin'." Questa said.

"He didn't stomp on my ankle. And we don't know that I'm truly healed. I mean, yes, I kissed Larrigan and loved him with all my heart, but that doesn't mean I would ever have been able to be intimate with him. It could have been I would freeze up or freak out or something."

"Wulfsen wants ter snog yer... I fink if yer asked 'im 'e'd be willin' ter help yer find out if yer can ever be intimate." Questa suggested. "Not like yor a virgin or 'ave ter worry about getting preggers."

"It's just...it's not how I want my real first time to be. I don't know, maybe Lia's right. Maybe I am a danger to everyone. Hell, it's my fault that Max died. Maybe I should just be one of those crazy old ladies living in a cottage in the woods. I'm not good enough for Wulfsen. He deserves someone who knows how to be a lady, that everyone doesn't talk about because she's not a virgin. That can give him children. I don't think it's meant for me to be happy."

She glanced at Questa. "There are quite a few moments that I wish the raiders had killed me so I could be with Larrigan."

"Yer never 'ad a roll in the hay wiv Larry, isit?" Questa gave a sad whistle. "But it's not like Wulfsen's never been 'round uvver girls. Yer know men like 'im probably visit broffels and 'ave girls all over the bloomin' place."

"No, we never had a roll in the hay." Sileas sighed. "it's different for men. They're not frowned upon for having women on the side. I'm thinking it might be better for everyone that after we take care of the mermen, I just disappear forever. I'll miss Mama and Papa but I'll just be a weight they will never be rid of." Sileas wiped at her eyes, feeling a little moisture forming. "Let's go see what's under the kitchen."

"So yor plannin' on runnin' oray!" Questa said. "Yer kept sayin' yer wouldn't, right, but now yor sayin' so... I knew it! Blimey!"

"I wasn't going to before, not until it was made perfectly clear to me that I'm a horrible person and a danger to everyone I come near. My only other choice is convincing my parents to go with me to Grandmama and Grandpapa. I had already told them I was going there."

"Yor runnin' oray because of that crazy ole bint. Yer know yer could take 'er." Questa said.

"I'm running away from pain and misery. Too many dreams have been shattered, my heart's been broken too many times. I can't live my life ducking someone who is like a sister to me because her mother has decided she hates me. I'm going to do nothing but cause a huge rift in the family. But then Galina said I was created for the purpose of destroying the family. I guess I have."

"Yer've always put too much stock in family... All yer need is a good strong gang and a piece of right good territory." Questa said.

"It would have been better if it had just been me, Mama, Papa and my sisters. If we'd gone to Grandmama and Grandpapa once Papa was healed and we had just stayed there."

Questa thought a moment. "There's a bit of a gang in Portside we could probably join... I weren't in the chuffin' gang but I ran wiv them sometimes."

"I would only bring them problems." Sileas shook her head. "Remember what happened when I tried to pick a pocket during that one trip to Farthington. No, that life just isn't in me any longer."

"Yor just out of practice... Try pickin' a couple pockets and yer'll get good again." Questa said.

"If I don't get  murdered or caught first," Sileas reminded her. "I nearly lost my life in Farthington over that."

"Just practice on these blokes yer call family. Right. They won't murder yer over a couple nicked coins, right, will they?" Questa suggested.

"No, of course not. But they're going to want to know why I'm picking their pockets," Sileas pointed out.

"Tell them it's a game. wot do them soft rich people call it... A lark." Questa said.  "Yer used ter be the best."

"Hmm, well until we start getting back to normal, there won't be much in the line of amusements. Except those we come up with ourselves. But first will be figuring out the books and talismans from the manor."

"It'll be 'ours before they're back... Even longer or never if they run into trouble." Questa reminded Sileas.

"Xavier is an excellent fighter and I believe most of these knights are of the King's own men. But we still have to find a place for them to bring the things, we need to begin to search."
This message was last updated by the player at 03:02, Wed 06 Jan 2016.

Questa sighed, Picking pockets was so much more fun. She missed the old days of when the gang would compete to see who could pick the most pockets, and who got the most swag.

Sileas headed for the kitchen.

Wulfsen was talking to a couple of his knights about a trip to Portside. He smiled when he spotted Sileas.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 157):

Sileas managed a small smile. She stopped walking and waited a short distance away until he was done.

When Lek realized they were talking about going to Portside he did not waste any time.

"We need to go to Portside!"

"Lek, let him finish speaking with his knights. We'll find a wagon or a few horses." Sileas wished Lightning was in condition to be ridden. She would love a nice long ridge like that.

Wulfsen blinked, disoriented by Lek interrupting his knight.

"Why do you need to go to Portside?" He asked Sileas.

"Sailors!" Lek declared, holding up the map. "We need to find sailors."

Sileas groaned. "Lek, if you interrupt Wulfsen, he won't let us go." She glanced at Wulfsen. "He's very anxious, he's found an important clue and wants to save his father. Please forgive his excitability."

"Is that a map?" Wulfsen asked curiously. He did not blame Lek for being excited.

"Ila drew it." Lek bounced in place. "A sailor is bound to know where this island is, then we can go find Papa!"

"Questa and I can keep an eye on him and pick up a few things while we're there also. We were hoping you would let us take a wagon and go," Sileas asked hopefully.

Wulfsen scratched his chin as he looked at the map. There were not a lot of details, but it was something to start with.

"It's a good idea to show it to sailors." Wulfsen said, frowning. "The three of you can't go to Portside alone, it's too dangerous." Wulfsen pondered if he could escort Sileas to Portside himself.

"We would be agreeable to going with some of the men but we wouldn't want to be an inconvenience or get in their way." Sileas frowned. "Portside isn't that dangerous, if you know where to stay away from. It's not like the mermen or the raiders are there."

"I wasn't worried about Portside itself, but the road to it." Wulfsen said. "I'll see to it that you don't have to travel alone."

Sileas nodded. "We'll be ready and waiting down by the stables. Do either of you need to grab anything?" Thankfully her coin pouch was still on her belt, hidden under her tunic.

"Millie!" Lek said and darted to the healing room.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 20:06, Wed 13 Jan 2016.

In reply to Lek Gerthrim (msg # 171):

Sileas blinked. She looked to Questa. "Can you go to the healing room and get my bow and my quiver? Aunt Lia and Yehudit are probably still there."

Questa scowled. "Yer should go in there and give that crazy muvver a punch in the face and cop yor bow and arrows yorself."

"It would just cause too much trouble." Sileas wasn't about to admit that she had always admired and looked up to Lia and didn't have the heart to do so. She was only protecting her daughter, after all.

"Can't be fun walkin' on eggshells all the time. Not so bad, right, I'll cop yor bow, softy." Questa grumbled and prowled towards the healing room.

As Questa walked away, Sileas turned, muttering to herself "And maybe it's because I know Aunt Lia's right."

"What's this?" Wulfsen asked. He had missed Sileas's fight with Liadan Buckley.

Sileas started, not having realized she had spoken loudly enough to be heard. "Aunt Lia has forbidden me to be around Yehudit. She said I do nothing but lead her into danger and that I'm a bad influence. It wasn't enough that I told Yehudit to go for help, I should have taken her to safety before helping Millie. Yehudit would have just followed me back and Millie would have been dragged off." Sileas sighed. "Women just don't act the way I do. I'll never be good enough."

"You've always protected Yehudit, like all your cousins." Wulfsen said. "There really wasn't anything else you could have done that wouldn't have resulted in Millie getting taken... Yehudit needs to learn her limits."

"I know. It's just...I've been thinking, and I really don't know how to act ladylike and proper. It's never been my way. And it seems that most of time is spent protecting my cousins. Except for when I couldn't. It was my fault that Andy grabbed her and injured her so badly."

Wulfsen raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think your Aunt cares about you being ladylike and proper? She's not exactly..." Wulfsen shrugged. "I think it's better to protect those you care about than being ladylike. It wasn't your fault that Andy went after Yehudit, and didn't you save her from him in the end?"

"I had thought she would understand, having heard the stories of her exploits with Mama and Aunt Aislyn when they were our age, but...Apparently not. I did save her, but he only took her to hurt me," Sileas admitted.

"That still doesn't make it your fault." Wulfsen said. "Do you think this will blow over?"

"With Aunt Lia?" Sileas gave a mirthless laugh. "From what I understand, she hated Papa the moment she saw him holding Yehudit when she was a babe. She still despises him. I feel like I'm being cut off from my family. I can't even go to Mama in the healing room unless I know Yehudit's not there because she'll just follow me anywhere I want to go."

"What about Mr Buckley?" Wulfsen asked. "Can he reason with her?"

"He's never had any luck with it. They usually end up fighting when he tries. If he could reason with her, she would like Papa."

"Why is Mrs Buckley like that?" Wulfsen asked.

"Honestly? I don't know. I mean, I know she had a hard life growing up and that she had spent some time in custody and that's why she doesn't like guards. But Papa wasn't a guard then. She was angry that Uncle Aron and Aunt Aislyn let him hold Yehudit without her permission. She didn't know him, and that was all that mattered."

"Who held me without permission?" Yehudit's walking stick clunked angrily against the floor.

Sileas took a step backwards. "You can't be here. I have been told in no uncertain times to not be around you."

"**** that!" Yehudit said. "I'm old enough to decide where to go and who to be with."

Sileas hung her head. "This is not going to end well." She glanced at Wulfsen. "Please tell your men to be gentle with me when Aunt Lia has me arrested for this."

"If my men so much as lay a finger on you they'd have me to answer to." Wulfsen said. "Yehudit's of age, isn't she?"

"Mama hates guards and knights." Yehudit said. "If she wants to do something she'd come after you herself, and you can take her."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:56, Thu 14 Jan 2016.

"Yes, Yehudit's of age. Yehudit, I don't want to have to fight your mother. Even though she despises me, I love and admire her. I have no desire to fight."

"Then let her beat the tar out of you. I'm hanging out with you and she can't stop me." Yehudit said stubbornly.

Sileas bit her lower lip. "Fine. I know when I'm against a wall."

"Yehudit Buckley! I told you to keep away from her!" Liadan said angrily.

"You see?" Sileas said to Wulfsen. "Aunt Lia is very overprotective of Yehudit. Always has been, always will be."

"They 'ad a good yellin' row." Questa said as she followed Liadan Buckley, she raised Sileas's bow over her head. "Can I wack 'er over the bloomin' noggin?"

Yehudit swore at her mother. "And I'm going to Portside with Sileas!"

Exasperated with her aunt, Sileas looked at Questa. "Don't break my bow."

Liadan snatched the bow from Questa and looked like she might break it herself. "Yehudit is staying at the keep, it's too dangerous out there."

Sileas had had enough. She stormed over and made a grab for her bow. "You need to understand Yehudit is of age and can do what she wants. Neither of us can control what she does. Now give me my bow and back off," Sileas snarled.

Liadan shoved the bow into Sileas's hands.

"You have to understand how dangerous it is for Yehudit to leave the keep. Tabor hated me because I saw through him and didn't keep my mouth shut. What do you think he and his friends would do to my daughter if given a chance?" Liadan snarled back.

"If you would have bothered to ask, Wulfsen is not letting us go without protection. It's not going to be just us. You should have known full well that even if I tried to push Yehudit away, she is going to follow. With or without me agreeing. I think it's a bit safer if she's with others." Sileas narrowed her gaze. "And didn't I hear that Tabor has already been IN the keep, trying to take Aunt Aislyn?"

"And Millie was almost grabbed just outside the keep!" Liadan snapped back. "Yehudit can be better protected inside with her parents."

Sileas roared and turned away. Then she turned back. "Well if you'd rather her just follow on her own with no protection, that's not on me. It's not my job to set boundaries and teach her to mind them." Sileas turned to Wulfsen. "I'll be in the stables."

Liadan was furious and wished Aron was well enough to help her in this. "Yehudit, it's too dangerous out there."

"I am going with Sileas." Yehudit said and hobbled after Sileas.

Aislyn stood in the main hall with Brie, directing a few of the young ladies who decided to help out in the kitchen with setting up the tables for lunch.

"Hurry up with that food!" The person complained to Aislyn. "Have you found your daughter yet? Was she still wearing any clothes?"

Aislyn watched one of the girls carrying a trencher to the person. She longed to respond but Brie simply held her by her upper arm, shaking her head.

Ila reminded herself that she did not have to fear running into Tirto or any of the other Ragans in the main hall. The Ragan family had taken their midday meal to eat together as a family, away from the other refugees. Even so she was still very nervous and her hands shook as she set the tables. She was carrying a tray of silverware when she heard that rude person ask Mrs Gerthrim. It so startled her she dropped the tray. The silverware spilled onto the floor with an even louder crash.

Ila knelt down to collect the silverware from the rushes. "I'm sorry... I'll go down and get more." Ila stammered.

"Can't you get any decent help around here?" The random person glared at Ila. "Are we to eat with our hands like savages? We're not all Buckleys you know. Not everyone is a slut or a bastard."

Ila cringed, her vision was blurring with tears. She had to get out of here, away from that rude person. The insults were directed at Mrs Gerthrim's family but they hit too close to home for Ila to feel comfortable.

Ila hoped she had gotten all the dropped silverware. She picked up the tray and fled the main hall.

Aislyn had had enough. She broke free of Brie and stormed over to the table. "You don't have to eat here, you know. You can always ask for a horse and ride to Portside for your meals. Maybe you'd find company more to your liking there."

"I have as much right to be here as you or anyone else does!" The random person snapped. "Just because you were a mediocre baker at home does not make you a great chef here. You can't feed us pig slop and expect us to swallow it without complaint!"

"And as I said, you don't have to eat it." Aislyn was very tempted to grab his knife and drive it into his back.

"If you're going to feed us it's your duty to feed us something edible." The person said. "Stop spending so much time rolling in the hay and actually cook something decent."

Aislyn snapped. In a flash, she grabbed his knife from the table and brought down in his back before Brie could reach her to stop it from happening. Aislyn drove the knife in as far as she could.

The person screamed bloody murder. No one was sitting near this person because this was the worst person to sit near (Including Open-mouth-chewer Harry), but the closest jumped up from their benches.

Aislyn backed away slowly, mortified by having lost control. She looked to Brie helplessly.

The person continued to scream. "Not only are you a terrible cook and mother of a slut you're a murderer!"

Aislyn rushed back over and yanked the knife out before plunging it in again.

The person shrieked. "You can't even stab properly!" He added an inappropriate comment about Aislyn's marital relations with her husband.

Aislyn twisted the knife. Then she grabbed his head and began slamming it against the table.

"Stop, milady!" Sir Excessive Force grabbed Aislyn's arms and began to drag her away.

Aislyn burst into tears. "I don't want him in my kitchen or anywhere near me or my family!" Aislyn cried out, going along quietly. "I can't take any more."

"Come along now." Sir Excessive Force was almost gentle as he escorted Aislyn out of the main hall to take her to the dungeon.

Meanwhile Green the medic began examining the stab wounds.

This message was deleted by the player at 16:54, Wed 11 May 2016.

In reply to Sir Excessive Force (msg # 230):

Aislyn wiped at her eyes, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her breath hitched in her throat.

Ila was afraid of what Tirto would do if he caught her alone again so she slipped back into the main hall. She was worried that she would get in trouble for not bringing the silverware, but not many people eating. It looked like everybody was distracted by a bloody person laying on a table with a grim looking medic working on it. She heard Aislyn had done it.

Ila was shocked. Mrs Gerthim had been so kind to her as she taught her how to bake. But Ila remembered when they first met, how Aislyn had beaten Mazi with a broom- Mazi deserved it. Aislyn was capable of violence, but "She must have had a very good reason." Ila said quietly.

Ila felt eyes on her, she turned to see Tirto standing on the dais. Ila was afraid he was going to announce to everyone in the hall of what she is. But he only mouthed I will ruin you. He got down from the dais and left the main hall, going outside.

Ila shivered and sought out Brighid Spenser.

Brighid ws being run ragged. "Oh, Ila. Thank goodness, there you are."

Ila wondered if Mrs Spenser would be so glad if she knew what Ila used to be. Ila shivered. "What happened? Did Mrs Gerthim really do that?"

"I think she finally had enough," Brie said softly, nodding a bit. "He was bad-mouthing her daughter and wouldn't stop. Between losing her children and finding out her husband was an imposter, it was more than she could take."

"I heard him earlier." Ila said uncomfortably. "Millie is a good girl."

"Yes, she is. He also said some horrible things about Aislyn's cooking. She told him he was free to eat elsewhere."

"What should I do?" Ila asked. She was feeling strung out.

"Just stay with me and help fill trenchers when people come in for food."

Ila nodded, though she felt anxious and wanted to hide somewhere.

"Murdered?" Lek was surprised, but even more surprised when he pushed open the door to the Hall and saw what looked like a bleeding dead man on one of the tables. He ran over to Aunt Brighid. "Brie- what happened?"

"Oh, Lek," Brie whispered softly. "It's the worst thing imaginable. That man was being horrible and kept pushing and pushing. Your mother, she was pushed too far and went after him," she told the boy.

Lek was horrified. "Mama killed him?" He couldn't believe it. He thought everything was going to be all right now, he had found Papa.

"She did. He even continued to insult her when she had stopped. Lek, you have to understand. Your mother has been walking on the edge for quite a while. He was saying vile things about Millie and she couldn't take it. She asked him to leave and he refused."

"Where is she?" Lek asked, tearing up. "I found Papa, Uncle Shawn put him in the dungeon."

"One of the knights took her to the dungeon," Brie said sadly.

Lek almost perked up. "Then she and Papa must be back together already!"

"Maybe. Though they might not even allow anyone to see her."

"But Papa being gone was part of the problem!" Lek nearly howled.

"I understand that. But the knights won't know that," Brie said quietly.

Lek shoved a hand through his hair. The knights had to see, surely Xavier would understand. Lek turned and ran for the dungeon.

Helen stood in shock at the whole scene. A murdered man on the table, the boy talking to Brighid, mention of Aislyn in the dungeon... All these things spun through Helen's mind as she tried to think of something to do. This is probably none of my business anyways, she thought, but the idea of the sweet young woman she knew as Aislyn murdering someone was too much for her. Trembling, she turned to Brighid, hoping that she could help her figure out what to do next.

Brie let out a sad sigh. At least Shawn was back, hopefully he could help extricate Aislyn from the trouble she was in. It seemed obvious to Brighid that her friend had broken from reality, at least for a while. Then she blinked. "Yes, Helen? Do you or Elizabeth need something?"

"No, she replied hesitantly. "I was just awoken by a horrible racket and came to find out what was going on." She then remembered that Elizabeth was still in her room. "Well, if everything is taken care of, then I guess I'd better be heading back," she said quickly, turning to leave the room.

"All right," Brie said. "You know where to find us if you need anything."

People were beginning to complain about the lack of clean spoons in the hall. Ila shifted uncomfortably. She was afraid of getting cornered by Tirto again if she went back down to the kitchen. But if someone else went down there would probably be questions about why silverware was all over the floor.

In reply to Brighid Spenser (msg # 256):

"Thank you!" Helen replied. She went down the stairs and back to her room.

"Where are the spoons?! Am I supposed to eat this with my fingers?" An angry voice demanded.

Brie glared at the man. It seemed like everyone was trying to cause trouble in the hall. "Ila, we need more spoons," she said quietly, handing a handful to one of the girls serving the tables.

"Oh." Ila paled. She did not want to go down there alone, Tirto could corner her again and she did not think she could fight him off a second time. But if she refused something as simple as fetching spoons she could get herself kicked out of the kitchen entirely. Ila hesitated.

Brie glanced at her. "Is something wrong in the kitchen?"

Silverware strewn on the floor, a tray that probably is cracked. Oh, and a guy who wants to have his way with me and to charge other guys to have their way with me might be waiting for me to go back down there so he can try again. Ila thought but did not say it aloud. She looked down.

Brie sighed. "Maria? Can you go to the kitchen and retrieve more spoons?" she asked one of the other girls.

"No." Ila realized that Maria was bound to notice the mess, and mention it. "I'll- I'll get them." She stammered.

"All right," Brie said. "Never mind, Maria."

Ila shook as she headed for the kitchen. She looked as if she was going to her own death.

Ila returned, still shaking and panting slightly from running all the way from the kitchen. She offered Brighid the wet spoons.

"Thank you Ila," Brie said, taking the spoons to lay  beside the knives.

"They're wet!" Cort complained. "Are these even clean?"

"Of course they are. Freshly washed," Brie stated.

"I'll bet she only dunked them in water." Cort picked up his spoon between two fingers and deliberately dropped it on the floor. "Get me a clean spoon."

Brie wiped a spoon off on her apron and took it over. She set it on the table in front of him. "I don't know why every one has decided to be arses today but feel free to eat your evening meal in Portside."

"First you people are too uppity for a couple maggots in your meat, next you try feeding us like we're pigs at a trough." Cort picked up the spoon and threw it at Brighid.

"Maggots in meat is not healthy, it has nothing to do with maggots. If you want to be ornery, go to Portside. Now."

"I'll be as ornery as I want!" Cort snapped. "Especially if you have filthy spoons!"

"And we don't have to serve you." Brie turned on her heel and walked off.

"Tough crowd." Ila nervously said to Brighid.

"I don't know what's gotten into them, but they're less behaved than most small children and Questa when she had first arrived."

"If they can get away with behaving badly they will." Ila said unhappily.

"That's why I told him he won't be served. If he keeps wreaking havoc, I'll get one of the guards to remove him."

Ila crossed her arms over her chest. She had a feeling things were only going to get worse. Especially with Tirto causing her trouble. She did not feel safe. She shivered.

"I'll speak with Wulfsen or Xavier about having some guards here at meal times. Obviously it's needed."

Ila thought if Tirto told the guards that she was a whore it could make things even worse. She had entertained guards and even knights at the Crimson Dove. Her mouth felt dry and her hands shook. She realized she was beginning to panic.

"The time for afternoon meal is almost over. Why don't you return to the kitchen and begin clean up?"

"Uhm." Ila had picked up the tray and most of the scattered silverware- enough to prevent any questions. She did not want to be here, but she still was afraid to go in the kitchen alone. She felt like something was squeezing her throat and it was getting hard to breath.

"Ila? What's wrong?"

Ila shook her head and touched her throat. She felt like an invisible hand was strangling her. She was getting dizzy but she tried to calm herself down.

Brie hooked a chair with her foot and dragged it over. She guided Ila to sit down on it. "Lean forward," she said. "Someone go get one of the healers."

Ila perched on the edge of the chair. Her chest felt so tight. It was hard to breath. She clenched her fists.

Brie rubbed her back and spoke gently to her as one of the girls flew to the healing room.

"If you knew you wouldn't be so kind." Ila whispered and flinched away from Brighid.

Aalyssa hurried into the hall and passed everyone. She knelt in front of Ila. "What is it, Ila?"

Juniper could hear all the commotion once she entered and quietly remained on the far side of the room, watching the events unfold.

"I need to get out of here." Ila told Aalyssa.

"Why don't we go to my...no...your room and we can talk?"

Ila nodded. Her chest was still really tight but it was getting a little easier to breath.

Aalyssa slipped her arm around Ila and waited for her to stand.

Ila avoided looking at Brighid, certain that her apprenticeship was gone. She kept her head down as she let Aalyssa lead her out of the hall.

Brie watched, confused. She could see Ila was afraid but didn't understand why she wouldn't tell Brie what was wrong, so she could help.

"Just sit down and leave whenever they feel like it!" Cort mocked.

Brie rolled her eyes and ignored him.

Juniper slowly approach from the shadows, towering above the others in the room.

"Hello. I was told there was a doctor in this keep. Could you direct me?"

She was filthy and was in much need of a bath. Covered in dirt and blood that wasn't hers. She was quite jarring.

Brie, of course, was quite accustomed to Shawn coming home in somewhat the same shape. To some extent, Sileas too. She and Yehudit had always been off exploring. "Aalyssa just left with Ila, but I can take you to the healing room and check if Difyr is there."

"Many thanks."

Juniper bowed her head slightly and followed the stranger to the healing room, the pain numbing effects of her earlier portion had worn off and she was feeling the full effects of her wounds.

---to The Keep

"Food! Struth!" Oscar started helping himself to someone's plate.

Sileas was mortified. She grabbed his arm to pull him back. "They are still serving, so we'll find a table and sit down. I don't see Mama or Aunt Aislyn though." She gave Wulfsen a concerned look.

Wulfsen saw what looked like blood on one of the tables. He frowned. "I'll be right back."

He went over to talk to some of his men for a few minutes, when he returned he looked even more bothered.

"Mrs Gerthrim has... gotten into some trouble. She was taken to the dungeons but I don't think Xavier would keep her in that place for long. I need to go find out what's going on." Wulfsen wanted to eat with Sileas and Oscar, but damned responsibilities like supposed to be running the Keep. He kissed Sileas's cheek.

"Damned filthy hoodlum!" Cort complained.

"Aunt Aislyn? In trouble? Do you want us to come along?" Sileas inquired. She glared at the man who spoke. If looks were capable of killing, he would have been face down on the table. He was right about one thing. She glanced at Oscar. Yes, next stop would be a bath.

"She stabbed a man to death on that table." Wulfsen said in a low voice in Sileas's ear. "From what I understand he probably deserved it but it doesn't sound like she has been doing well. You can stay here and eat if you want. Hopefully this won't take long."

Sileas paled. That didn't sound like Aunt Aislyn, no matter how he might have deserved it. "We'll stay here and then I'm going to have someone bring bathing supplies to my rooms. Someone needs a b-a-t-h."

Wulfsen slipped his arms around Sileas and kissed her. Then he tousled Oscar's hair and headed for the keep.

One of the serving girls brought two trenchers over and filled their glasses with water.

Oscar did not know what Sileas was talking about, and flinched away when Wulfsen tousled his hair, expecting a smack. Then food was brought before him. Oscar dug in like a ravenous wolf.

"Eat slowly, you don't want to make yourself sick. No one will take your food from you," Sileas said as she tucked into her own.

Oscar hunched over his food. He did not slow down. What he didn't stuff into his mouth he stuck in his pockets.

Sileas thought back to her first days with the Spensers. All the food she nicked from Aunt Aislyn and all the lectures from Yehudit at the market. He would calm down with time.

Oscar swallowed without chewing first. Now he was choking. He fell to the floor.

Sileas jumped to her feet and scooped him up to a standing position. She began applying pressure beneath his rib cage.

Oscar gasped and spat a slimy chunk of food right into Liam's face. More food spilled from his pockets.

"EWWWW" Liam exclaimed, wiping at his face.

Oscar then proceeded to throw up on the floor.

Sileas knelt behind him and rubbed his back lightly.

Oscar turned and threw up on Sileas.

Sileas grimaced, but her sisters and a few of the school children had been sick on her before. If she was going to be a mother, she would have to get used to it."

Oscar wiped his mouth with his sleeve. He had never had that much in his stomach before, and had never thrown up so much before. He wondered if he was going to die.

Sileas accepted a napkin one of the serving girls rushed over to her and wiped herself off. "This is why I suggested eating slower. You don't have to worry about someone taking your food any longer. You need to slow down and chew."

She felt for the girl who was cleaning the floor.

"That filthy urchin brought plague!" Cort shouted, trying to start a hysteria. "All streetkids should be drowned like kittens! They spread disease!"

"Oh honestly! Maybe you should learn about the symptoms of the plague before you make ignorant comments. Personally I think bigots should be drowned."

"You're nothing but street trash too! Shawn was daft to take you in." Cort said.

Sileas decided it was probably a good idea to not let Oscar eat more. Ignoring the ignorant man, she looked at Oscar. "Come, let's find someone to get what I need and we'll go down to our rooms."

Oscar drew his knife. "Let me open 'is froat first."

"No, Oscar, as tempting as that is, I suspect there's been enough violence today. It also won't solve anything, it would simply land you in trouble."

Oscar angrily glared at the man. "If yer let 'im walk on yor 'e'll keep stompin' on yer."

"Or he'll grow tired of his little game because he gets no response. Come, we have much more important things to do."

"But the bleedin' food..." Oscar looked longingly at what little remained on his plate.

"Evening meal. Once your stomach has settled. We'll make certain to get a smaller portion, and I want your promise you will slow down and chew your food."

Oscar pouted. "But I want a bit of food. Yer said I'd cop lots and a bit of food."

"Well I'd say you copped plenty of food if I can go by your pockets," Sileas told him. "We'll go to the kitchen and get something, but there's no point in your eating until your stomach is settled down."

"Not fair." Oscar sulked.

"You don't want to throw up again. That makes eating kind of pointless, don't you think?"

"I shouldn't've frown up. I'm not drunk and I'm not sick." Oscar was confused.

"It was simply because you ate far too fast and without chewing it up properly. It's as simple as that."

"Not 'avin' food makes a geezer sick. Havin' food can't make some bloke sick." Oscar argued.

"Oh, Oscar...yes it can."

"Unpossible." Oscar insisted.

"The body is very strange and there's a lot we don't know about it. I wouldn't discount anything as un...er...impossible."

"Like 'ow girls can't pee standin' up?" Oscar asked.

"That's not impossible either," Sileas said. When on the streets, she had known a few girls on the gang that had done just that.

"Cop pee all over yor legs." Oscar said.

"I never said it was pleasant."

Oscar then turned to a support post and looked like he was going to pee on it.

Cort exploded.

"Oscar! Oi! Stop!"

"I won't cop pee all over my legs." Oscar said calmly.

Questa was munching on some bread and thought the scene was hilarious.

"Is 'e markin' territory?"

"I never said you would. All bathroom activities are to be performed in the privy," she told Oscar. "No, he was trying to make a point," she said to Questa.

"No, this is me territory! Blimey!" Oscar exclaimed.

"No one will take that post from yer- they won't want it." Questa told Oscar, laughing.

Sileas wasn't at all certain she was going to survive trying to retrain Oscar, not with Questa around. They were already becoming two peas in a pod. "Let's get to the kitchen and then our room. Hopefully we'll bump in to Xavier so we can request a bed for Oscar."

"Beds are overrated." Questa said. Even after years of being 'civilized', Questa preferred sleeping on the floor. Beds were too soft, unnatural.

"No, beds are the best things ever," Sileas argued as they walked.

"Too soft, like sinkin', right? Can't sleep in them fings." Questa said.

"It's like being wrapped in the safety of a cocoon."

"Trapped." Questa said.

"Safe. Warm."

Alastair went to go get food at the main hall, sitting, as usual, by himself. That was fine, though- whenever someone decided to get close to him, it was rarely to make friends. It was the price of having fiendish blood in your veins- lots of strength and endurance, but your social life tended to suffer. Which was why he only came out into the main keep for food.

He looked around him as he ate, lacking table manners and eating and drinking noisily. The food was good, today- meaty and filling, just as he liked it.

Juniper was sore. From the fight she had had to the long journey here and the bed that was much too small. She entered the main hall wearing a simple set of some dark tunic and pants. Few heads turned to see the giantess as the news of her arrival had already circulated the keep. She saw the open food and sleepily stepped over, yawning and stretching.

Alastair paused as he saw Juniper enter. He had heard of the woman before, of course- it was hard not to notice a woman of her size and, he had to admit, attractiveness- but he had never actually seen her in person. He certainly had never actually talked to her, as she moved closer towards him.

"Uh, um, hello," he said as she approached, rather awkwardly. "I, uh, I'm Albion." He gulped. "N-nice to... meet you?"

Junipers first thought of the day was her stomach. The sounds and smells of her breakfast was barely enough to rouse her from her warm bed. So once someone spoke to her it took a minute for her to actually process the person she was being spoken to by.

" Uh...Morning? Hello."

She sauntered on, making a mental note to return to the table once her plate was full.

It was presumptuous of Alastair to think she would want to speak to him, he thought to himself glumly. He was eating rather slowly- in no small part because he tended to eat far more than most other people- and he knew he would be there a while. And yet, he was feeling embarrassed enough to wish to depart right away, his growling stomach be damned.

He simply kept his head down, in silence. He'd already made a fool of himself once today, he wasn't going to do so again.

Wulfsen tried not to think about how he would rather be waking Sileas with kisses than eating breakfast with her father. He picked up a bowl and put a ladle of porridge in it.

Shawn fixed a plate with toasted bread, some chunks of cheese and a small pile of fruit. He found a spot to sit down, noticing Juniper in conversation with a young man he didn't know.

After a moment Juniper took a seat across from Alastair, plate and mouth full. She was more awake now and blinked slowly as she spoke.

"Have we met before? I do not recall seeing you here before."

She took another bite of the meal she had taken. She had taken only as much as she needed and left plenty for the others of this castle.

"I'm Juniper."

Wulfsen looked at his porridge. He was so, so tempted to slip off and sneak to Sileas's rooms.

Shawn took a bite of his cheese. He eyed Wulfsen. "I'd like you to join Brie and myself at the farm site. I'd like your opinion and if we all agree, get your blessing on the location."

Alastair froze, unsure of how to go forward with the situation. He had expected the woman to leave- he hadn't expected her to come back.

"Uh, I'm, uh, Alastair," he said, nervously. "Blacksmith. I, uh, don't usually leave the armory. So, uh, you know, I don't really see a lot of people. Or get seen by, uh, a lot of people." He looked down at his plate. "Probably for the best, anyway."

He looked up at her, and blushed before immediately looking back down. "So, um, what is it that you do? Here, I mean. Professionally."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 02:16, Mon 17 Oct 2016.

"Okay." Wulfsen agreed, not listening.

Juniper nodded her head slightly as she listened to him speak, still eating. She has made a point to check out the armory but hadn't in her short time here.

"Well originally I was only her for a short time. But I've been asked to stay as a commanding officer of the troops here."

"Oh. Um, that's, uh, pretty cool," he said, still gazing mostly at his food. "And, uh, that's fine. Most people don't, you know, unless there's a fight going on, or their weapons or armor need repair. I also shoe horses," he blurts out.

He looked up at her, and gazed into her eyes. Immediately, he could feel himself blushing. "So, um, you're a commander? You been in the military for long?"

"Yes actually. Born and raised back home. The keep here needed someone to help and I accepted. Im a friend of Sileas."

Juniper continued to eat as she spoke and gave a slight wave to Shawn sitting a short distance away.

"Oh. Um, I don't really know Sileas. Or... anyone, really," he said, looking away again. "Sorry. I'm sure you have better things you could be doing than talking to me."

Junipers plate had almost run dry now and she was feeling much more awake.

" Nonsense! Until the others say otherwise Im free all day. What are your plans?"

"I was, uh, just gonna get ahead on smelting some iron..." He was beet red now, and quickly polished off what remained of his food.

"I mean, um, to... uh, what would you like to do?" He said, having trouble looking her in the eye.

"If you wouldn't mind giving my blade a hone if appreciate it. I have gotten it worked on in weeks. I'll bring it round in a few?"

Juniper stood, leaving her plate and not waiting for a response. She made her way towards her lodging to retriev her gear and clothing.

"Weeks? Uh, I mean, I guess, yeah. I'll meet you down by the forge."

He hustled down to get ready. It was the closest he had ever come to social interaction with a pretty woman, and he wasn't going to blow it. He hoped.

In reply to Wulfsen Thornblade (msg # 380):

Shawn knew Wulfsen well enough to know when he wasn't paying any attention. "Only problem with the site is the naked green man who I spotted among the trees. He doesn't seem dangerous, bt who can tell?"

"Not like he can hide a dagger anywhere." Wulfsen wondered how late Sileas was going to sleep in today.

"Well, that's true, but I don't want him exposing himself to Brie and the girls. There also seems to be some sort of circle scorched into the ground near where he stays close to."

Juniper stormed into the Main hall, sword and armor in hand. She was confused and annoyed and needed to distract herself. She sees Shawn and Wulfsen sitting and decides to join them.

"Morning."

"That's nice." Wulfsen wondered if Sileas would always sleep in this late. He barely nodded to Juniper.

"Morning, Juniper." His eyes were full of laughter. He motioned his head toward Wulfsen. "He's not paying a bit of attention to what I'm saying. "What I'm really worried about though, Wulfsen, is that huge purple elephant with him. It might trample crops or someone."

Juniper chuckled at the joke, patting Wulfsen on the back.

"What are we talking about gentlemen? " 

"His mind is focused on Sileas's room, since she doesn't seem to be up yet. I was trying to talk to him about farmland, but I wasn't getting any real answers."

"Farmland aye? Where is this farm set? Is it near? "

Juniper had waved over a server carrying a few mugs of liquid, taking one in hand and giving it a quick look before drinking a mouthful and sighing.

"And where is Mrs lovely? Still in bed after a long night?"Juniper joked with the dreamy eyed Wulfsen, giving a quick shove and laughing.

Wulfsen blinked, then blushed. "We're not married yet, but soon."

In reply to Juniper Alva Sparks (msg # 397):

"Aye, I have a spot all picked out, I'm just waiting on Wulfsen to approve it so I can start on the house," Shawn replied.

Difyr hurried in. "Mrs Gerthrim wants to see you." Difyr said to Wulfsen.

"But Sileas should be coming up soon." Wulfsen was aching to see her.

"She's very upset and insistent." Difyr said. "Something about Lek becoming a knight?"

"Lek, a knight?" Wulfsen was surprised. "Where would he get an idea like that?"

"He mentioned it to me, but I was hoping it would dissuade him when I said I would talk to his parents. Or better yet, that his parents would have dissuaded him."

"He's of age, the best we can hope for is he's dissuaded." Wulfsen said.

"If Aislyn is asking for you, it doesn't sound like he is. He's really not qualified to be a knight, he has no fight experience at all."

"It would be years of training before he can become a knight." Wulfsen said. "He'll probably quit before then."

"If he can't be dissuaded by words, perhaps you can have the master-at-arms make it so difficult on him that he quits," Shawn suggested.

"It's not easy to begin with." Wulfsen said. "Why would he want to become a knight in the first place?"

"Because he's fancied himself in love with someone and wants to be able to protect her. And he wants to kill people like Jack who wants to harm women. Noble endeavors to be certain, but it's just not the lad."

"Then it's going to be even harder to dissuade him." Wulfsen groaned.

"Aye, it is. That's why I'm thinking that pushing him past his limits is going to be the way to go."

Wulfsen was not sure Lek could be dissuaded. "Well, I'll try talking to Mrs Gerthrim."
He longingly looked towards the kitchen, certain Sileas would come up at any moment.

"Good luck," Shawn wished him. "When you get a chance, I have a spot of land I'd like to discuss with you."

Juniper had sat back for most of the conversation, until now. She leaned over the table to get closer to each of them.

"Why not let the boy learn to fight? Its a dangerous world out there. Hell even i could teach him. It'll teach him to be more self sufficient."

"Several years ago, Lek and his younger cousin Ertzel were kidnapped. He killed a man to protect her, and was guilt ridden until even now. Learning to fight is one thing, but he wants to face down people like the raiders," Shawn said with concern. "If he had ever shown any inclination before about wanting to fight, I would perhaps feel differently. Ultimately, it's not up to me. His mother lost most of her younger children in the raid, I doubt she will accept him putting himself in harm's way."

This message was deleted by the player at 04:51, Sun 20 Nov 2016.

Juniper furrowed her brow as she began to speak, slightly more fired up than before. She was strongly against the idea of anyone being refused their right to defend themselves.

"And does she believe the best way to keep him safe is to keep him unarmed? Sheltering him cannot save him forever. I want to speak to the woman. Where is she?"

"I believe she is down in one of the healing rooms. She lost three of her children in the raid, and Lek is the only remaining son. She is just scared. He's never shown himself to be much of a fighter in the past, so I'm sure this has taken her by surprise."

Fighting back tears, Liadan made sure all of her younger children were fed. But Liadan only picked at her food, her appetite gone in the absence of her husband.

Vikki began throwing things at a kid sitting at another table, starting with a plate.

 

Wulfsen pulled out Sileas's chair before the Lek could get it. He politely waited for her to sit down.

Sileas sat down, looking up at Wulfsen and smiling.

Wulfsen went to push Sileas's chair back in. It caught on the rug so he had to push a little to hard and smashed Sileas's ribs against the table.

"Owwww!" Sileas exclaimed.

"Oh no! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Wulfsen yanked Sileas's chair back.

Sileas rubbed her side. "I just wasn't expecting that."

"Are you all right?" Wulfsen fretted, feeling like a horrible person.

"I'm fine," Sileas assured him.