"You could have knocked, I'd have opened the door for you and saved the good innkeep some repair costs." I say as I relax my grip on both the pistol and saber and lower them slowly to the ground and then straighten back up.

"I'm not who you think I am, though my name is in fact Michael. And based on the time you chose to burst into my room, Just be happy I'm decent. I'm willing to comply with you, understanding that I look like someone else, but could we stick around for a day here? Im having some clothes tailored for me and I already paid. And what has this man that looks like me done that he warrents three well trained law officers? I was hoping to become a deputy if it wasn't for my tragic similarity to .., what's his full name anyway?"

The clear leader laughs. "Well, if it please his royal highness, I don't see why we need to leave Clayton City." But he looks at you skeptically too. "I hope you know that none of this play acting is going to get you out of paying for your crimes."

His two deputies approach, one with rope, while he continues to speak, "Flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. [insert your real last name here]. If I took the time to list your crimes, we would be here all night. Rest assured, you'll hear them all tomorrow."

One of the deputies commands you to turn around so he can tie your hands together while the other bends over to collect your saber and revolver. Their leader takes steps into the room now, his shotgun still in your direction despite his deputies.

I comply, turning around and extending my hands behind me to be tied. All the while fighting to keep calm. I won't hurt the law enforcement here, or run. That just would make me look like I really am this villain... Who has my name...

"I won't resist, I know you don't believe me but you have the wrong man. If I really look so similar I might be able to help you find him. And I thought the town was renamed Desert Pass?"

He tuts at you when you talk about helping find him, smiling. Then, when you mention what you thought the town's name was, he whips his hand back and across your face. You taste blood in your mouth after the strike. "Like I said...it's Clayton City." Then, he gently, mockingly pats you on the cheek. "But thank you for being a good pup and coming quietly."

On the way out, he and the deputy holding the other end of the rope lead you, while the other deputy walks behind you with your possessions. The big man accidentally bumps into a young woman tending to patrons as you're walking through the bar. She almost falls, but recovers without spilling her pitcher. The man grabs her roughly by her chin, pushing her cheeks in slightly. "Watch where you're going," he grunts, then releases her.

"Yes, Marshall." You hear the quiet voice, when he finally lets go.

The Marshall and deputy in front continue to walk out the front. It's the first time that the deputy has given you any slack in the rope.

Swallowing my own blood, and beginning to re-evaluate my opinion of the man, I say "As you say"

After the altercation with the young woman, I'll say in a firm voice "You know you really should be more respectful of women, and gentler at that." and my opinion has shifted to firmly negative and I start probing at the rope with woodcrafting, hoping it works, to determine how strong it is.

"You're one to talk, crook!" He doesn't bother looking back at you, but you see the glances of other people in the bar, and some nods of assent.

You reach out with your woodcrafting into the ropes, and finally you feel something definite as you touch the furies within. The rope is strung tight, it's well-made and would be hard to break with brute force. Maybe if you had an earthcrafter's strength, but you doubt you could just rip apart your bonds.

The same tensile strength runs all the way down the rope and into the deputy's hands.

"I keep telling you, I'm not a crook, and I definitely don't mistreat women."

The nods of assent, did they come at his comment about me or my comment about him?

I'll see if I can call upon earthcrafters strength then, I may need to turn the tides here.

Once we're out of the inn, I'll ask "So where are we going anyway, and perhaps you could start telling me this crimes you think I did?"

They seemed to be directed at you about your comment.

Once you're outside the tavern and have contact with the ground, you reach out to the furies beneath your feet, and actually do feel them. But when you try to pull strength from them, you feel like you make some sort of error and feel it drained out of you toward the ground instead.

Your arms and legs suddenly feel very weak, like you might fall.

The marshal shakes his head, "Burglary, bank robbery, murder, inciting civil disobedience, and that number you did where you kidnapped the Governor's daughter sound familiar to you?"

Well that definitely backfired, and I'm not about to try three on one in that case.

"Nope, not particularly, but it sounds like you're after a pretty dangerous man. Never met any governor, let alone their daughter actually. Is this going to be a long walk? It's been a rather long day and my legs are fairly tired."

"Get a move on and it'll be a lot shorter." Turning left out of the pub, you walk down the road. The law office is right down the street and has a direct view of the busiest section of the city, including it's busiest crossroads during the day, you recall.

The law building has an open space with a chair out on its porch. Inside, you see there's a walled off space that reads: "Marshal" in big, bold letters. Aside from that, there's a single desk and three cells lined up all with a bucket and a bed in them. Currently, there are no criminals in any of them.

The deputies put your things in the Marshal's office, and let you walk into the jail cell while they and the marshal stand watch. The deputies start walking out the front once you're under lock and key, but the Marshal stops them by clearing his throat and saying, "And where do you think you two fools are going?"

One deputy speaks up, "Home, Mr. Clayton."

The marshal massages the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger. "Not tonight. I want both of you here on watch until I return. I've got to ride and see my brother tonight. He'll want to know that we've captured the Gent here."

The deputies yawn, but nod,"Yes sir..." Then, Marshal Clayton walks out and the two men get out a deck of cards right away as he leaves.

I sit down in the bed, massaging my muscles and wishing I had my strength back in them. After a few minutes, I'll speak up, talking to the two deputies.

"Clayton seems to really hate who he thinks I am, doesn't he? Mind telling me exactly what this Gent did? I know the charges, but I assume there's more of a story, and a reason the only map I've found has this place's name crossed off and changed."

I'm trying to talk them into trusting me, perhaps I'll get lucky and they'll fall asleep.

One of the boys speaks up, "Well, what did you think was going to happen after you ran off with Rosalina?"

Then, the older of the two deputies punches him in the arm. "Keep your mouth shut, Linus. Marshal wouldn't take kindly to us talking to him." He looks at you, "You be quiet, too. You can spout those lies all you want, but we know who you are. Your tricks won't work here." Then, he continues playing cards with Linus.

"This is over some dude stealing your boss's girlfriend? That's just sad, though based on how he treats women it's probably for the best. But tell me this, if I ran away with Rosalina, why would I be here without her?"

Do I see where they kept the key?
Are my hands still bound?
And do the deputies have weapons on them?

The older deputy replies, "What are you talking about? She's the marshal's niece, the governor's daughter that you," he hesitates. "She's the one that you kidnapped. Who knows where you put her? But the Marshal and his brother will get it out of you tomorrow, I've no doubt."

Your hands aren't still bound, and the keys are on the desk that they're using to play cards. Each deputy has a holstered pistol and the older of the two has a shotgun on the desk they're at.

"Ah, that would explain the anger quite a bit better. Them getting information from me that I don't have is quite difficult however."

I'm going to concentrate on the air furies for a time, preparing to try what I haven't been able to succeed at yet. I want to go invisible like I saw Attis do, that should make them investigate, which should require opening the door, which is when I'll slip out and lock them inside. If all goes according to plan.

It takes a minute and some concentration, but soon you start to see results. You lift your hand to obscure their vision of you with wind furies. It requires both hands in front of you and you can only focus on one side at a time, but the air shifts and you believe that it starts working when they turn toward you.

"Wha?" the older deputy asks.

Then, Linus says, "Where did he go??"

The older deputy's eyes narrow suspiciously, and he grabs the keys, moving close to the door to investigate. "Stay there, Linus." He looks intently through the cell, but his eyes never rest on your location as he sweeps it, fiddling with the keys as he does. "How in heck did he get out?"

I stay as still and quiet as I can and focus on my crafting, and getting ready to move quickly. As soon as the older deputy is in the cage I'll wait for him to examine a wall or corner, during which I'll move out of the cell keeping the invisibility on Linus with the older deputy having his back turned to me as I quickly get into position where they both can't see me due to the crafting again. Then I'll work my way towards my way towards the door. Once there I'm going to open it as silently as I can and slip out, and then try flying up to the roof of the building. I want to know what's going on and don't have a better place to hide for now.

When you finally reach the exit of the jail, you have a throbbing headache and it feels like your eyes are somehow crossed from the complexity of that crafting. You aren't sure that you can fly to the top of the jailhouse, but lucky for you, you find a ladder.

The view from up there of the expansive flat landscape with a mountainous backdrop is beautiful. Only one building in town still has its lights on (aside from the one you're sitting on)--the tavern/inn down the street.

Suddenly, you hear some dry twigs break and sand being displaced at ground level, behind the jailhouse.

I lay prone, listening carefully to the noise, hoping for talking from the two deputies.

You don't hear anything else for a minute, but then you hear a horse whinny.

Someone below speaks very quietly. The voice has more grit to it than either of the deputies inside the jailhouse. "Go keep the horses quiet. I still need to set the dynamite."

I head over to the edge that I hear them from and stick my head over.

I talk softly down to them "Hold up, no need for that, I'm out. I'll be right down. I'm coming down the ladder"

And I'll head down the ladder as quietly as I can, keeping an eye out for the deputies coming out the building and sneak around to the back to what I presume is my rescue.

You climb down the ladder, and narrowly avoid the deputies seeing you through the front door. You hear one of them say, "What was that..." from inside the jailhouse.

Behind, there are two men dressed in black, long leather dusters and black hats. One has a grin that sparkles with a gold tooth in the moonlight. "Grab a horse, boss. We've gotta get outta here before those fools inside realize you're missing."

I nod at the man, grinning myself at having slipped out in time to avoid the need for explosives. This may bolster a reputation as well, escaping without direct conflict. I'm very interested to meet this man with my name. He may be a wanted man but it seems he has his reasons. This Marshall is a jerk.

I move quickly to the horse and mount up, glad to have my experience from riding briefly in Alera, and follow my rescuers. Once we're on our way I'll ask:

"How'd you find out I was caught so fast, not that I'm complaining, the rescue is appreciated."

I'm holding off on mentioning I may not be who they think I am, I figure that'll be easiest to sort out when we're not running.

"Well, we've been looking for you for two months now riding all around the New Segal settlements all the while without a trace of you. So when we heard word that you'd been seen here, we came riding and saw the sheriff hauling you into the jailhouse."

Gold tooth nods to everything the other rider said. "What happened to you, Gent? Where'd you go?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I think I may have taken a blow to the head, I remember very little, although I'm quickly remembering disliking this marshall. Mind filling me in on our operation, maybe it'll jog some memories? and details on the surroundings, feel fairly scrambled."