After His Excellency’s forces are well out of sight, Varel crouches down by Nibben’s unconscious, bloody form. “Poor little thing,” she clucks before calling upon her powers to restore his body. He blinks his eyes open to find her sprinkling him with powdered rose quartz, his wounds fully mended.It is early morning. The air is still and all is quiet save for the calls of birds high above, flying to some destination known only to them. Freybourne, home of the College of High Summoning, lies only a few days of easy travel to the east.
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Laurie continues to sit on the side of the road, lost in her own thoughts, still shaking slightly.
Nibben looks around, surprised that his wounds have healed.
"I want to thank everyone that stood up for me back there. I truly appreciate it, and it's good to know I have friends I can count on."
"I hate to trouble you after your ordeal, but if your wounds are healed, Salbadore and I must be going soon. You are welcome to accompany us, but if we do not make haste, we may be late."
"Well, I suppose I could go with you. I have a mystery on my hands and I need time to ponder it anyway."
Salbadore has been counting the coins that Constantine gave him.
"Right. Orthos and I are quite happy to remain in a company until we reach Freybourne," he says. Stealing glances at the sky, he adds, "for safety's sake."
He jostles the bag of coins in his hand. "But first, I should find it right to divvy up your rewards. Let no one say that fairness and honor are foreign to Captain Constantine and His Excellency's military."
Salbadore wants to hand out money: come and get it.
Laurie stands and dusts herself off, then walks over to Salbadore. "I guess I'll go with you guys to Freybourne. Not much else to do right now."
"Very good, Laurie. And here is your reward for service." Salbadore takes her hand and stacks ten gold in her palm. "Not much, but I'm sure the satisfaction of having fulfilled both your curious impulses and your duty to the Genomancer makes it worthwhile."
Laurie snorts. "My duty? If I didn't think that I would have been in that cage as well, I sure as hell wouldn't have joined this caravan, but the Captain didn't exactly give us a choice."
Maybe a little confused, Salbadore furrows his brow. "No more than any other loyal subject of the empire can be asked." As he finishes piling the coins in her hand, he nods and adds, "Not usually with pay, either. Considering the Lieutenant beat you so badly-" the last coin clinks "-I'd say he wasn't charmed by your service."
"But I've no quarrel with you, and I have yet to return the favor of saving my life . . ."
"I completely agree with you Laurie! Being pressed into service like that is shameful! And that cage was truly awful! That said, I did make out with a new a spoon, so maybe it's even."
Markus perks up at Salbadore's last comment. "Oy, mate. Speakinna savin' lives. 'ow boutcha ken us wot that magic box about? We all been fekked by goblin o' lash o' snake-.. er.. (looks at Nibben) by bad folk. 'Ow boutcha light th' dark onnat goodie box o' ye nicked. I atleas' wanna ken wot I dyin for."
He then holds his hand out expectantly as he nods toward the bag of gold.
"Which - yes, Master Gnome - brings you into the picture. Why don't you come forward and take your reward?" Salbadore isn't smiling anymore; indeed, he looks a little shamed.
Regardless of what Nibben does, Salbadore continues. "I mean no harm, really. It's just that all this curiosity is infectious - and now I am quite curious myself about my companions."
Markus turns to Nibben.
"Sorry boutcha back, pip. Iffinnit 'elps, ya no' th' only ona us tha' beena tha' befo'."
*plink-plink*
Salbadore drops a couple of gold into Markus' hand. "One-two. I don't rightly know what is in the box."
*plink-plink* "But I'm sure it is of the utmost importance."
*plink-plink*
"We've all suffered hardships, aye. Those eight soldiers are dead. More, the coachman and guard who brought me to Lakewood."
*plink-plink*
"And my two chums are dead and dead, mate."
*plink*
"I'm grateful to you."
*plink*
Orthos steps up to Salbadore after Markus is done. "Yeah, this wasn't really what I was expecting when I was sent out, but I think we're pulling through quite well."
Nibben walks over to claim is reward. "That's kind of you to share. Thank you."
"Do you not wonder, Orthos?" Salbadore hands ten coins to the wizard at his side. "Not at a gnome's concern for his kith, for even in these days of enlightenment, it is natural to feel most strongly for one's own kind."
He takes Orthos' elbow chummily. "But it does beg a question - should we be traveling with blokes so intent on sharing company with an Imperial prisoner?"
"Of course."
*plink-plink-plink-plink-plink* in Nibben's tiny hand.
"You understand my interest in your motivations, I hope."
*plink-plink-plink-plink-plink* goes the rest of the coins in his other hand.
Markus looks around, an idea visibly appears on his face.
"Roit then, trust issues. 'Eresa plan. We all says somethin no one know of us, we clear that?"
Markus looks around again. "I'll start iffin' we all agree."
"Nay, Markus. What I am interested in is very simple."
Salbadore begins to draw a triangle-circle combination on the ground. "This, if you're wondering, is transport."
He keeps talking as he draws. "What I want to know is whether a loyal servant of His Excellency is wise to travel with persons bearing such marked interest in an Imperial prisoner?" Searching Orthos' face for signs of support, he continues, "I've no fear from you as thieves. And I doubt very much that my life is in danger - such as it is, it will be at your service when the time comes. Suffice to say that I am duly interested in your" - he is addressing first Laurie and then Nibben - "reasons for violating our duties to His Excellency. On account of my own loyalties."
"And if that doesn't convince you: Why then, just remember that I highly recommended you to the captain! That may very well be the reason that he decided to reward us at all. In light of all this snooping-poking business, it is not likely that Constantine, shall I meet him in the future, will ever again mistake me for a good judge of character!"
Mayna circles overhead.
Laurie looks at Salbadore. "Not all of us have reason to be as loyal to His Excellency as you and Orthos here. I was curious, so I looked." She rubs her head and grimaces. "I don't think I'll be doing *that* again anytime soon."
"I don't have much loyalty to anyone other than my people. And my people are being kidnapped and I need to find out why. That poor old gnome has been taken because of his genius."
"Oh!" Without looking directly at her, Salbadore nods his understanding as he tightens his gloves. "You are are naive to be so curious on a military caravan!" he admonishes. "Ha! - but who's to blame a lass?"
Nibben explains about the old gnome. The young wizard bites the inside of his cheek. "Then please do travel with us and tell us more. Perhaps there is something more to the caged geezer."
He looks around at the crowd. "I suppose if there's six of us, I won't be needing a horse." Salbadore kicks the sigil he had been drawing earlier, erasing it.
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