A Common Wander

[Milton]

Milton ignored the woman. He was strangely interested in her more now that she deserved to be shaken about. It would have been nice to get the truth from her.

Liars were fun. Milton hated them.

He lead James to the fountain, using its waters to cover his words. As he talked he ripped off that removable, poorly sewn patch off of his robes. It still had the streak of blood he had taken off of James’ mussel. Cleaning it in the fountain, he worked out the stain.

“I don’t like her.” he told James, “She must be holding a lot back from us, more than this.” He gestured over his shoulder to her.

“Bandits are bandits, we are not the best to take care of them. I wonder why she wants to track them down even in her state.” His deep voice was a bit upset that she was using them, but he was still passive due to the fact he had already agreed to help.

It seamed as if he had more to say, but unless James had input that was all the healer would speak for the night. He stitched the patch of cloth back on using a needle hidden in his robe’s sleeve and a loose string he found dangling.

The patch of cloth still had a faint mark from the blood, but just like the last patch it would get much dirtier before he would replace it.

When James led him back to the tavern he followed the boy to the fireplace. He didn’t take a seat, but rather leaned against the wall. Hallow eyes stared at the liar as Milton ignored the others.

It was great to hang with James, and being so careless with him almost made his stomach pain not so bad.

He still didn't regret not taking the woman's offer however.

[Joe]

As Joe followed Lemac back to her table he spoke, "I remember you vaguely. It seems our paths never truly crossed in all my time here. I'm afraid I don't have much good news though, my last few leads are taking more time then I was hoping for. I fear the trail may be growing too cold already." Joe pulled the seat out for her as they approached, then he sat accross from her. "That is, unless you have something else you're not telling me about." As he spoke Joe looked over to see James along with Milton looking much too casual by the fireplace. Sigh, well, I guess he's agreed to this too. Joe gestured to Milton to join them, at the same time he spoke to James's mind. "Thank you for all your help, friend. I'm afraid I won't be needing your assistance today afterall though. If you want to stick around for dinner though, I'm buying."

[Courtesan Lemac]

:Lemac looked across the table to Joe, she usual smile gone.:

"Joe, as you know I have not been back to Cartes very long. We crossed paths for a moment in this very tavern, right over there."

:Lemac pointed to a table closer to the fireplace.:

"Even though Ebon arrived and I matters to discuss with her. I felt that you where a good person. So I will share what I know of the events with you."

:Lemac took a small sip of water, privately saddened that it was not wine.:

"Soon after I was finished with Ebon, I went to the Dancing Dryad to check in with one of my contacts. Well there I was informed of an attack on a convoy in route to the Salamander port. Some of the items where bound for my estate, as gifts to my guard force. Weapons and Armors if you will, not necessarily of the mundane nature. I wanted to insure there delivery, so a friend and I tagged along. Myself under the guise of Evening Star Macht. To keep matters simple, we where attacked buy an oddly large force. My friend and I did what we could to stop them, but it was only small hand full defend the convoy. Not enough, my friend gave her life to spare mine, and I was knocked out soon after. From what I could see they got off with a fare number of the crates the convoy was transporting, two of which where mine. I haven't taken the time to see which of my crates the got. I was going to see to that in the morning."

:Lemac finished her glass of water.:

"But I know far to well that I am not in th best of condition to go after them to get back what is mine, and see that those who killed my friend pay. If you need I can send one or two others to go with you, should you need the extra help. That and there is something about Milton that seems out of place, though I am sure he would say the same about me. But I must ask you what all you of the attack so I can insure that I send the right people to aid you if you need."

:Lemac looked to Joe, she held no sign of playing about, and her usual smile was still lost in the concern of what she needed to do next.:

[James]

A wolfish chuckle resonated through the psychic channel Joe and James spoke through. "I think I want to travel with you for a bit, Joe." He wasn't asking to accompany; he was stating that he would come. The wolf arose slowly from in front of the fireplace and stretched, yawning widely. James went out of his way to nuzzle Milton a little and then sat by Joe and licked the man's hand. If Joe were to look down he would see an almost anthropomorphic smile upon the wolfwere's face. He didn't say anything about Joe's offer for food; human food too often tended to be plentiful with meat and grains instead of vegetables and fruits. At any rate, if Joe brought it up again he probably wouldn't mind having some.

James took a suddenly hard look at Lemac. This is the woman he had met before; he barely remembered her. He blatantly remembered the ring then and questioned the value of such an item. Perhaps he would ask later when Joe was not so busy. Sitting next to his newest friend James looked about the tavern, taking in the sights of this building, contemplating what they were all about to do.

[Milton]

Listening to Joe’s discussion with the woman, Milton was almost glad that the trail was going cold. That means that he would get to go soon. The goody good smoothly opened the table up for the woman to tell her secrets. Even though the healer gave Joe credit, he still thought his way would have been better.

The offer to join them was rejected with a shake of the head, at least until James nuzzled him. As he moved over he listened to the nameless woman’s reply. He was waiting for her to contradict herself again. She had somewhat of a good reason to pretend, he guessed. But he still didn’t like her for it.

Then she changed her side. Instead of being nice and telling the truth, she went on to call herself weak and again to try to use them. She even offered help from other people on top of them. And then, she insulted him; even if something about it made it a complement as well.

How rude she was earned an empty stare at the woman nearly turned to a glare. However with as amusing as the ‘out of place’ comment was, he couldn’t help but smile at her, too. It was almost a perfect match to an overly drunken man’s leer at a woman, but for different reasons.

He waited until she noticed before moving on.

“It would help if we knew more about what they took.”

That is, it would help if him, James, and or Joe were going to let her use them more.

Only now did he sit, his chair a few feet from the table.

[Joe]

"Ahh yes, I rememer. Well, Lady Lemac, any help you could offer would be appreciated. Though for the time being I was hoping to keep things as discreet as possible. But you say that you got word of the attack beforehand? If you could check with your sources, or even get them in contact with me, perhaps the trail isn't so cold after all." He paused a moment as a barmaid came by.

"Can you bring me a bowl of apples please? And maybe some bread and cheese as well? Thanks." He gave her a small wink as she walked away, passing James as he came trotting to the table.

"Sorry," He continued, as he absent mindedly stroked James's head when he felt the boy lick his hand. "I have another lead to follow up on still, but I'll be at the palace tomorrow afternoon, anyone you'd like to send can just ask for me there. "

"I do agree with Milton," Joe said after the man came closer, "anything you'd like to divulge of the contents of the cargo would help greatly." After speaking he leaned back in his chair a bit and looked to see if the waitress was coming back by yet.

[Courtesan Lemac]

:Lemac looked about the table and smiled.:

"Well once I get back to my room at the Red Garter Inn, I will open the chest that was not taken and see what it holds. I am hoping that it will hold items other then weapons and armor. If that is what it is holding then a good number of magic items have been stolen. I will also have to compare that to the inventory list that will also be waiting in my room. I am not fully aware of the contents of the second chest. But as I said I will get back to in the morning."

:Lemac stood and gave the group a quick a bow and slipped out of the tavern. After a brisk walk she was at the Red Garter Inn.:

[James]

James sat idly by the table during the conversation, successfully growing mildly interested. This situation was a little bizarre, it seemed, and he knew it. Keeping the information to himself, James decided to speak with Joe. "Follow her. We should stay in the same inn she does... I share Milton's obvious uncertainty of this woman." James' words were strangely articulate when he spoke; he was obviously putting forth much more effort in organizing his communication.

When Lemac dismissed herself quickly James glared at her and scoffed. There was something wrong here and it didn't take a humanoid to figure it out. Moving over to Milton the wolf nudged him from behind and nipped his robe and pulled upwards and towards Lemac a little. If Milton had looked down at James, the healer would have seen an obvious look of worry and disappointment.

[Milton]

Milton sat quietly as the others talked. Though he didn’t much care he was still listening for the woman to slip. Joe had asked a question she didn’t answer, however Milton hadn’t heard her say what Joe heard. At least Joe agreed to learning more about the things she had.

So there were magical things as well as weapons and armor. Which meant that her load could have been specifically targeted. Milton only noted this because it showed which one she’d rather have stolen. Her answers were not as detailed as they should have been.

It was just more support to say she was hiding things.

Especially when she headed out. After glaring at the woman’s back Milton turned to Joe. He wanted someone to follow her.

James seamed to think the same, and he brushed the wolf’s cheek with a nod when he nudged and pulled on him. He turned to Joe.

“James should follow her. He’d be more discreet. Someone else could lag behind if needed.”

This wasn’t something he was tricked into, it was now something he wanted done.

[Joe]

"I agree with Milton," Joe said to James silently, "Me suddenly staying in the same Inn as she is would be very suspicious considering I have a regular home in Titan. Milton, on the other hand seems to be a little more of a wanderer. Maybe the two of you should go to that Inn. Can you track her scent easy enough?"

He then spoke to Milton, "I think that it might be prudent for you to accompany James. It would be better to have a wolf accompanied than for him to be wandering through her Inn alone. You travel quite a bit, am I right? It wouldn't be that conspicous for you to stay at the same Inn as Lemac. If this is ok with you, in the mean time, I will check on a few other leads and see what I can come up with." He then spoke just to James again, "Don't judge her too soon though, she has been a citizen of Titan since before my time here. She may be hiding something, but I don't think she is a bad person."

[Courtesan Lemac]

:Lemac walked very calmly back to her room at the Red Garter. Her room was the entire upper floor of the inn, this due to the fact that she owns the inn. She was not ready to think about the bandits got away with. So she walked to the bath room, a hot bath was waiting for her. She slipped out of her clothes and stepped into the hot soothing water, it did calm her a bit. It had been a long day, and a lot had taken place. She lost one of her contacts in this city, it would take some time to find a suitable replacement. Though she could try and ask a favor of Ebon Ashe, she wanted some one she could trust fully. After a few minutes she let out a sigh and looked to the pile of clothes that now lay on the floor next to the tub. The focused her powers on a slip of paper hidden in her dress. A moment later the rose on her wrist began to glow and the slip of paper floated free of it's hiding place and in to Lemac's hands. The inventory of the two chests that the caravan was moving, both of which where simple bait to lure the bandits out of hiding. She looked at the lists and smiled, what was written on the paper didn't matter, it was nothing more glorified list of the contents. The first chest was written to contain a variety of magic arms and armors, noting to fancy. The second chest was a far more glorified list, various artifacts. A few of which where highly sought after. Lemac new her contact didn't work to hide what was on the lists. Lemac knew that what the lists contained was false. The true contents of the chests where hidden on the back of the paper, naked to the eye, but one with a trained sense of touch, and knew how to read the code could very easily know what the chests held. The first chest held nothing more then basic non-magical weapons and armor. The second held a few fake artifacts, and a hand full of minor cursed items. Nothing that would cause the bandits any harm, just slow them down greatly and make them very ill. The second chest was what the got away with, Lemac wanted to see the faces of the bandits when the opened the chest and started playing with items. Lemac dropped the list to the side of the tub and slipped deeper in to the water of the bath. As the water began to lose its heat Lemac stepped out of the bath. Pulling a towel from the linen closet, she pulled it about her body and walked to the bed. It was not long after she laid down that she was asleep.:

[James]

The dog watched silently as Lemac exited upstairs, ignoring Milton's brush against his cheek. It was interesting considering that Lemac acted as though she owned the place. After losing her from sight, James turned his head back up to Joe and answered his question. "Yes, you're right," James spoke mentally to Joe. He paused, deciding whether or not to respond to Joe's question. He finally decided and thought to Joe, "Yes. I can smell her easily enough. I actually think she lives here, really. Her scent is everywhere."

He looked back at the stairs in the middle of his response. Thinking about Joe's words on judging, he semi-consciously nodded but knew deep down that he wouldn't be able to trust her. He never trusted people with suspicious actions, at least until his suspicions was lifted.

James was definitely interested now in solving the matter of the moment. It kept from from being bored.