Rondald was breathless as he followed Terri into the stables with only the light of a single lantern to see by.  It was not even dawn yet and his wife was already a tizzy of energy, chatting so non-stop that it was beginning to make Rondald's mind hurt.

In truth, she had been excited for weeks.  She had been the one pressing the hardest for everyone to come to Craine when word had been passed of the promised reward.  It wasn't greed or expectation of anything grand, and indeed Terri's expectation of the reward was very modest.  It was the how that seemed the most important to her.

"But we are going to be personally recognized, Rondald!  By a Duke!"  The memory replays itself in Rondald's head, reminding him how he was swindled into agreeing to go.

Though Rondald was in no way looking forward to the event, he had to admit that it seemed a small price to pay for his wife's good tempers.  Indeed, she had been as happy as Rondald could remember over the last few weeks.  There had been spots of anger here and there in the prison of Perdition, but by the time the mission was through she had been as thankful and as doting as she had ever been.  She had made herself invaluable on several occasions during the trip back by keeping the peace with Finn, distracting him when he reminisced (as he often did) about all the mistakes they had made and the treasures they had missed.  Here in Craine, she had been productive and engaging, offset only by the few brief stints of nausea from some passing sickness.

So if a little social discomfort was the cost for keeping his wife in such good spirits, Rondald was willing to pay it.

"Hey girl!"  Terri steps into the stall which holds one of their two mules, the chestnut colored female with a softer temper than their wide-shouldered gelding.

Nodding towards the stable-hand mucking out the stall across, Rondald pauses for a moment, thinking he recognizes the man, though after a moment he throws the thought aside.  After all, they had spent a few weeks now in Craine waiting on the pleasure of the Duke, and there was no doubt he had seen the man here in the stables or else walking about the town.  Rondald turns to his wife who is wearing a new, pale green dress with ivory lace about the hem and sleeves.  Hung by a silver chain about her neck is the large ruby that was the most of her cut from the last job.  Still, there she stands, in all her finery, rubbing the mule's soft fur just between the eyes.  Rondald can't help but smirk at the sight, knowing that she is far more at home here with the animals than she would be in a hall full of nobles.

"Don't worry girl, we'll be back soon!  And we'll give you oats, because you deserve it.  Not to worry, we won't be here much longer, right Rondald?"  She turns her head to her husband, though she does not wait for an answer before she turns back to the mule and continues.  "Just a day more and then it's back for home."

OOC:  It is 0400 on the 13th of June, 2005.  Note that this is before you have gone to the gathering with the duke, and you do not yet know that you have been knighted, nor that Terri has not been recognized at all.  Feel free to respond as you see fit, though I do need a bit of admin from you before we progress.  What do you plan on taking with you to the Duke's palace?  If I don't get any answer, I'll assume that you take only your weapons and armor.  Also, if you wish to have sold anything prior to this point, give your character sheet a look over and let me know what and I'll give you a quote on all the items you want sold.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:56, Mon 20 Apr 2020.

Rondald was concerned about the ramifications of making a mistake in the court, but he was equally aware that they had to be there. He had grown close to all of them, but even closer to Terri, and seeing her so happy made it all worthwhile.

"Perhaps you should spoil yourself with some silk underwear, dear. So you can enjoy it even when you should not be seen to be too wealthy."

Fine clothes we're nice to wear in the right place, but much of the time in their line of work the attracted the wrong sort of attention. But then, the clothes he was used to wearing seemed out of place here. In all honesty, so did he. They had sold all of the cheap weaponry and the old suit of mail. This leathers we're so much more comfortable, not to mention stylish.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:43, Thu 23 Apr 2020.

The "reward" of the duke had not been what Rondald was expecting, that much was sure.  But to say it had been not what Terri was expecting (despite the fact that she had expected very little) would be an understatement.  While Rondald was recognized perhaps the most of all, Terri had been recognized none at all, she had perhaps even been seen as an extension of Rondald.  Some had even been surprised that she was there at all when Rondald had been congratulated after the fact.

While Terri had been boisterous and positive all the way to the duke's castle, and she had put on airs of contentment during the event, her demeanor had changed quite markedly the moment they had walked out the front door of the Duke's castle.  She had become brooding and quiet, and Rondald could feel, more than see, the unfettered rage that boiled under the surface of her skin.  At least Rondald knew for once that it wasn't his fault.

The quiet at least gave Rondald some time to think.  For he was perturbed, not just by the honors that had been bestowed upon him, but for the offer which had come as he had tried to make his way quietly out the door.  Thomas had approached him, and handed over a letter which had nothing but his name on the front and a wax seal on the back holding it closed.  He had broken the thing open as he walked away and down the street, Terri already too deep in her funk to notice.

Rondald,

Pleasure meeting you today.  Perhaps if you feel the same you will consider a short term employment.  I find that in order to keep peace in the Duchy I must expand our citizenry and integrate ever more freely along our borders.  My recent expedition is in an area you are familiar with.  I am establishing a small town on the tri-border near al-Wazif and Caithness, that will be looking to mine the local area for various minerals and expand trade along our less populous borders.  I believe this effort will be vital in keeping the peace with our neighbors to the south.  I find myself in need of a good sherif to establish the law on Three Corners.  I can think of no man more fitting than yourself.  If you find yourself agreeable, please return correspondence and I will be happy to discuss terms.

Kind regards,
Duke Bran

Rondald's thought enveloped him as he walked, wondering exactly what the job of 'sherif' would entail not to mention how well paying it was.  He had always expected he would simply head back to Raphael after going to Craine, and the thought of going back to Three Corners had never even seemed to be a real option.

This was the way that Rondald and Terri made their way back to their hotel, each brooding, the one over their his future, the other over her past.  It kept them near silent all the way up until their hotel room.

"Rondald, did you not lock the door?"  Terri's voice is accusatory, though Rondald knows full well that he had locked the door prior to putting the key in his pocket, yet here it lies the latch undone and hanging just shy of closed.

Terri hurries a step forward, pushing the wooden portal open before Rondald can reach it, though she stops there in the doorway, drawing a loud, slow breath.  "Oh my god."

Rondald hurries behind her to see.  The room has been thoroughly rummaged through, their clothes and things are strewn everywhere... Rondald's first glance is to the corner where he had laid his crossbow and ammunition, all of which are missing.

OOC:  You definitely locked the room before you left, but the doorway was slightly open when you got here.  It is obvious that things have been taken, though you can't figure out everything at a glance.  Roll vs. IQ+2, for each point you make it by, I'll let you in on one item you are missing.  It is worth noting that all your animals, as well as your tack, are in the stables, which you have not looked at yet.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:21, Tue 28 Apr 2020.

"The door was definitely locked, but I suspect we both know what they were after. What Finn said no one knew about..."

Glad he was wearing his knife and axe, he looks around angriy.

"I don't see my crossbow. We should check the animals were in the stable, and ask who was seen leaving with a crossbow. I will lock the door on the way out for what it is worth..."

He keeps everything he was carrying and waits for Terri at the door.

"I think I have a way to make the Duke recognize your contribution, too. We should talk about it later."
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:48, Sat 25 Apr 2020.

Rondald searches the room quickly, knowing he is missing quite a lot of her personal effects, though he can't quite put his finger on everything...  His shield had certainly been sitting just there and was now gone.  So too was his bag and the various things within...  His first real thought though, is for the mules.

"Shit you are right!"  Terri slaps her head, and the two set off (after carefully locking the door) down to the stables.

A quick glance is enough to ensure that the two mules are still accounted for, not to mention the tack hanging on the wall of their stable.  Terri walks into the stall to comfort her girl (or perhaps to let the animal comfort her) though Rondald turns his attention to the stable hand.  As Rondald approaches, the man pulls a flake from a bail of hay to feed to one of the animals.

The man has sandy brown hair and a prominent jaw.  Though he is not large, he seems well muscled and has a thin film of shiny sweat beading on his forehead to match the thick, dark stains of sweat that pool underneath his neck and his arms and at the wrists of his leather gloves.  The man's skin is worn and a dark olive color, reminding Rondald of the men he knew on the ship who spent near all their days in the sun.

"Can I help ye?"  The man stops, leaning back on a single hip as he sees Rondald approach.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:50, Tue 28 Apr 2020.

"Not sure. Say, you don't look like a local. Where are you from?"

He watches carefully the man while Terri checks the gear.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:23, Tue 28 Apr 2020.

"Me?"  The man seems somewhat taken aback by the question, though he answers easily enough.  "Suppose I'm not really a local, but I've been here a few years.
 As local as anyone else I suppose.  Though I'm from a small town out east fore that.  Jess on the outskirts of Yibyorak.  How come?"  The man leans slightly on the wall.

"It's all here."  Terri's voice comes from the stall before she reappears heading towards their gelding.  "Let me check the other one too."

"Fair enough then. So you would know if there were folk here who did not belong here? Came without a crossbow, and left with one, for example?"

He smiles and nods to Terri, getting out of her way if needed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:26, Fri 01 May 2020.

"A crossbow?"  The man asks, seeming surprised.  "I've been in the stables most of the afternoon, It's feeding time you know?  But I can ask around for you I suppose.  Can't imagine somebody toting around a crossbow in broad daylight would be that hard to remember."

"It's all there."  Terri comes back from the other stall, the concern on her face somewhat relieved after finding the mules unharmed, though she still has her face set in determination.  She steps forward to Rondald, "So what do we do?"  She asks, her fine dress at odds with both the stable and her scowl.  "We're not going to just let this happen right?"

"Hell no. But whoever did this planned it well enough, I think. Probably looking for something in particular, which we did not have, so I suspect we have not seen the last of them. For now, we will ask this young man and the innkeeper, who has probably been bribed to say nothing, to a few questions. Lets get all this up to our rooms for tonight.

Young man, if you could please ask around, and look after our mules. Thank you."

If he has any money, he will give him a silver or something similar.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:05, Sat 16 May 2020.

Terri nods, a look of concerned frustration on her face.  "I'm not sure it's any safer up there, though I will feel better having it close.  Too bad we can't do anything better with the animals."  Terri looks over to the stable hand, smiling slightly before saying, "Thank you for taking care of them."

The man nods back with little fanfare, though he thanks Rondald when the sailor hands him a silver penny.  "I'll keep an eye out.  An if'n anyone knows about your crossbow I'll let you know."

OOC:  You actually took all of your money with you - I didn't want to cripple you overtly for this adventure.  Where do you want to go now?  You sort of mentioned two different possible avenues in your speech (talking to the innkeeper and taking all the stuff upstairs) though you didn't state you were doing either of them in your actions.

"Thank you"

OOC:  Yes, we would most definitely have had all our valuable with us, much like we take our wallet with us today whenever we go somewhere. it should be assumed with us unless stated otherwise.

Rondald will take the items upstairs with his wife, before heading down to speak to the innkeeper. If Terri wants to stay in the room or come with him, he will let her decide, but room will be locked either way.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:27, Fri 22 May 2020.