Duty Calls

[Ivory]

"Indeed," Audric agreed, lifting up his tankard slightly.  "To completed quests and to the defense of a good man," he said with a smile.  "Long live Duke Calent."

So saying, he tipped his head back and took a great swig, swallowing at least half the tankard in one, mighty gulp.  He almost set down the mug, then laughed out loud and added, "And to new friends and the best mutton stew in Connlaoth."  His second swallow finished up the ale that was left in the tankard, just in time for Rosie to bring him a refill.

He dug heartily into his meal for the first three bites, then asked curiously, "I've never really been on friendly terms with the Mordencai.  Do your people retire?"  It seemed like a random question, but, hey, it was something to talk about while they ate!

[Ycharley]

Minala lifted her empty tankard to the toast with a smile. It was always good to see a soldier in a tavern, it gave you a look at there true colors. Lets you see beyond the stone wall that every soldier put up to deal with the things that they were forced to deal with.

Minala began to eat, the stew tasted better than it smelled, if that was even possible. She laughed at his question, it seemed a little silly to her. "No we work even past our graves on into the after life." She started with a joke, taking another bite of the stew. "No we can retire just like any other soldier, though, most of the time, we are killed before we decide we want to retire. We are always put on the front lines, gives us more chance of getting killed then the average soldier who doesn't. Plus, the pay is outstanding, makes you not want to quit. And for me, well, to most of the world I'm an old maid, there would be no place for me," She explained between bites.

[Ivory]

Audric listened with a curious ear, though his attention, mainly, seemed to be on his stew.  At the end of her explanation, he nodded slightly, then shrugged.  "It came up once."  With an amused expression, he added, "Guess I lost the bet."

There weren't real stakes involved -- not really.  It was just a friendly competition born from too many drinks and too many hours of boredom and speculation!

"So I guess you start work tomorrow, huh?"  He wondered what, exactly, that would entail.  And if she planned to spend all of her nights in the tavern like this...  It would certainly be...an enjoyable way of doing business!

[Ycharley]

Lilly laughed, taking her time to answer his next question. She sat there and ate the majority of her stew, savoring the incredible flavor. She was going to have to take Rosie with her so she could teach the tavern keeper at the border how to cook.

"Yeah, tomorrow is when I am officially on duty. I'm only allowed a few hours every day to leave the palace sense my abilities are more efficient the closer I am. But yeah, I'll probably spend those precious hours here," She spoke laughing. She leaned back in her chair, resting her hands on her stomach, she was stuffed.

[Ivory]

Audric frowned thoughtfully into the bottom of his soup bowl, his spoon scraping up the last few precious drops of the delicious meal.  Once he had devoured all that he could, he simply turned the spoon upside down in his mouth and let it linger there, sucking on it a bit as he thought.

If the plotters were smart, they would know a Mordecai had come to town and was staying in the palace.  Depending on their plans, that was a problem -- but, if magic-users were behind the plot but not actually involved (a disturbing but likely scenario), she was but one more guard to avoid.

It was frustrating, he thought, not having more information!

Well, he would have plenty of time to think on it later.  Preparations were already in place, and there was nothing more they could do but take further precautions and search for more clues.

Tomorrow.

"I'll be interested in seeing your fighting techniques," he said musingly.  "What's your chosen weapon?"

[Ycharley]

"The two on my back, I'm a master at both. I'm an offensive fighter, I was never any good with a shield it always slowed me down," She spoke with a shrug, adjusting her top slightly. She was starting to get tired and restless. She didn't practice like she did on most days.

"What is your weapon of choice?" She asked sitting up. She planned on only giving him the time to answer before she stood to say her good byes. With his answer she stood, her back popping as she did.

"Well my friend, I think I will pay my bill and head back," She informed his with a slight almost mocking bow. She then turned on her heel, placing more than enough to pay her bill on the bar and left.

As she walked a plan started to form in her head. A way to draw the culprits out of hiding. She made a few very discreet stops, spreading a rumor. She then returned to her room with a smile, she had a feeling in her gut that it would work. 

[Ivory]

"Call me predictable, but I like a good, sturdy longsword at my side."  He grinned and patted the hilt of his weapon.  It was an old friend, and it had gotten him out of quite a bit of trouble over the years.

He looked surprised when she rose to go -- but, he supposed, she had a long day ahead of her tomorrow.  They both did!

After they parted ways, he nursed the ale he had remaining in his second tankard and headed to the bar to mingle with some of his men before heading back to the palace himself.

~+~

Audric awoke much as he did every morning.  He rolled off his bunk with a yawn and dragged himself over to the basin to splash some life back into his face.  It helped.  A little.  Blearily and still yawning, he poured himself some extra strong coffee (the only way the barracks cook made it) and helped himself to some corned beef hash as his men started their morning chatter around him.  With breakfast complete, he went back to the tiny desk in the corner of the barracks to review his orders and to check for any messages.  And then, at last, it was time to see to the men.

Morning muster passed without anything exceptional occurring in the least -- and it was only then that he remembered the Mordencai.  He scratched his jaw, realizing with some irritation he'd have to shave at some point, as he looked towards the palace, which stood bleak in the gray light of dawn.  He'd forgotten to tell her when drills began...

Well, she'd be down when she was ready, he supposed.  After all, their drills would take them well into the morning...and, if she was the soldier she seemed, she wouldn't sleep in until noon.

[Ycharley]

Minala hadn't slept for long that night. If someone had went to her room they would have discovered she was not there and there had clearly been a struggle there that night. She had been taken from her bed that night. She had set the rumor off into some of the staff that the duke was staying in the room she was actually staying in and that he would be moved off the next day.

Even after they had realized she wasn't the Duke she was dragged out, and beaten for several hours in interrogation. She had leaked the fake information she needed and let the messenger be sent before hacking her way out.

Minala stumbled her way back into the large palaces courtyard. It was clear she had been beaten, her cheek bruised and her lip busted. She had truly one hell of a night. She saw the men training, saw the back of Audric, or what at least looked like Audric. her vision was blurry and she was slightly dizzy, but she would never admit it.

She made her way to the men training, she was still planning on helping them train, just what she said she would do the day before.

[Ivory]

Audric had just given the order to begin when one of his man -- his sergeant, who was known for his colorful language, anyway -- uttered a string of profanity that would have made a sailor blush.  Audric whirled around, his hand going to the hilt of his weapon from long habit, to see what was happening behind him...and a few colorful phrases left his mouth as well.

Needless to say, the men did not begin their exercises -- and Audric didn't enforce discipline either.

"What the hell happened to you?" he demanded, his light blue eyes darkening like a coming storm.

[Ycharley]

Minala didn't walk all the way to them, but stumbled to a near by tree to prop herself against. She motioned for Audric to come to her before leaving over and spitting out some of the lingering blood in her mouth. She had discovered that there was either a leak in the palace staff or the members of the plot had infiltrated that palace. Plus the night guards sucked and after she chatted with Audric she was going to kick there ass.

She might feel and look like crap, but she still had a bit left to dish out.

[Ivory]

Audric didn't spare his men even a glance as he crossed the yard, covering it, seemingly, in only a few long strides as he stalked towards her.  His body was tense, his expression hard, and his jaw set; if she had been a villain, she wouldn't have lasted long under that unforgiving gaze.

Reaching her, he placed a hand against the tree and crouched down before her.  They were out of earshot of most of the men, and, certainly, no staff member was willing to come anywhere near Audric with the anger he bore on his face.

As much as it looked as though somebody soon would die, he bore her silence patiently.

[Ycharley]

"It isn't good," She started with a sigh, rubbing her temple. The anger on his face didn't seem to faze her in one bit.

"For one, I was kidnapped last night so as soon as this conversation is over, I'm going to deal with the guards on duty last night," She continued, shooting the guards a dirty look over Audric's shoulder.

"There is either a leak of some sort or the people involved in the plot have infiltrated the palace. You can't trust anyone. They didn't know I was a Mordencai, so I don't think it was any of your guards," She said with a sigh. She rubbed her wrist slightly, they had started to turn a dark purple.

[Ivory]

If it was possible, Audric's face darkened a shade further.  His anger wasn't directed towards her; she just seemed to be caught in the radius.

"Curio," Audric called, lifting his voice.  He knew the men were watching, of course.  Eyes still on Minala, he waited until he could hear his sergeant's boots on the ground behind him before continuing quietly.  "I want the men who were on duty last night in the north barracks."

Curio's face registered first surprise, then suspicion.  "What should I tell them?"

"Nothing," Audric answered, simply, glancing over his shoulder once at the other man.  "Just tell them to assemble and wait with them for me.  Take Edward with you.  If anyone is missing -- anyone at all -- or if you overhear or see anything suspicious, send Edward to me.  I'll be with Minala in her chambers."

And that reminded him...

"And send up the palace surgeon."

Curio nodded and moved back towards the men, not asking for further clarification.  Audric waited for him to leave, then asked, "Do you need help standing?"

[Ycharley]

She watched in silence, letting him handle his men, closing her eyes and relaxing, meditating in a way, until he asked her a question.

"I walked all this way, I can make it to that damn room," Minala said with a frown, slowly opening her eyes. The pain was slowly starting to wear away her happy front. The longer she stood the worse her mood would get.

She stood up straight, her joints popping loudly at the sudden movement. "Well lets go on and walk there."

[Ivory]

Audric trusted his men with his life -- and, more importantly, with Calent's -- but, perhaps that judgement had been too hasty, he thought.  Curio, he thought, he could trust absolutely; he was a good friend and an honorable man.  But how well did he really know the rest, he wondered?

The walk to the room she had been assigned was a relatively short one.  Once there, he held open the door for her, then followed her inside.  Pausing just inside the door, his frown deepened.  The room was, indeed, in disarray, and he wondered how it was that no one had heard anything...

He took a moment to thoroughly poke through the room, searching for clues and for anyone who may have been left behind to ensure Minala did not return.  Once done, he returned to stand, moodily, near the doorway.

"How do you know?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue after such a long silence.  "How do you know they didn't know you are Mordencai?"

[Ycharley]

Minala turned a chair upright, then sat down with a deep sigh. She wasn't in a hurry to answer him, his men clearly needed more training. She looked down and adjusted her top slightly, the chainmail and cotton undershirt were ruined. She turned, catching a reflection of herself in the window. She jumped slightly, she looked worse then she thought.

"I know because they think they tortured the truth out of me, they think a Mordencai is coming in a couple of weeks, that I was sent to prepare the palace for the Mordencai," She snapped. Minala interpreted his question as almost and insult to her knowledge and abilities, as if he doubted her.

She took a deep breath, exhaustion and pain making her extremely short. She knew she would head back into town before too long so she could buy a replacement for her top. Plus she could use some more of Rosie's cooking. You would think that she would get a little bit more sympathy after spending the night getting tortured.

[Ivory]

Audric's expression barely changed -- and it certainly didn't lighten any.  His eyebrows lifted slightly -- but then they fell back down, giving him a softer, more sullen expression.

He'd let that go.  Torture and all that.  Also, no one was exactly a peach when they had little to no sleep.

So whoever had taken her didn't know she was a Mordecai...  Obviously, that meant they had missed her arrival the previous day.  It also meant they were either non-magic users, or they hadn't tried to use their magic on her.

However, that left a rather big, gaping question: if they didn't know she was Mordecai, why did they kidnap her?

There was no use in getting any more emotional about this than the cooling rage Audric already felt.  Emotional men made mistakes...and Audric felt he had a lot to be emotional about here.  So, taking a deep breath, he asked calmly, "What can you tell me about the abduction?"

[Ycharley]

Minala stood, she started to pace slowly, from one end of the room to the other. Pacing made some people more nervous or anxious but not Minala. It calmed her mind and helped ease the pain that was resonating through out her body.

"Last night, I had a plan, a plan to figure out how close the coup was..." She trailed off. She was torn, partially glad she had done it, and partially, she hated that she had done something that wasn't thought out at all.

"I started a small rumor among a few of the servants last night, that the Duke was going to be moved to my room and I would stay in his because he would soon be moved out of the palace, I acted like I was completely drunk, I didn't think someone would try to kidnap what they thought was him," Minala trailed off.

[Ivory]

Audric's face flushed -- and this time there was no mistaking the anger in his eyes.  "You did...what?"  His tone was heavy, disbelieving and dangerous.  Did she realize what she had done?  Not only had she risked her own life, but she had risked that of the Duke as well!

If her attackers had been at all thorough...

He inhaled deeply, pushing those thoughts away.  That was for another time.  Right now, he had business to sort out...and chastising a Mordecai was not part of that business.  Yet.

"I see.  And what can you tell me of the abductors?"

[Ycharley]

"They aren't very smart to start out," She said rubbing her temples, "though they are very determined." She took a deep breath, the original dizziness was starting to turn into a throbbing head ache.

"They speak Sindarin," She chuckled darkly, "What they didn't know was I'm fluent in Sindarin," Minala looked up at Audric.

"So before you get all pissy and miss out on the best part calm yourself," She said with a sigh. "I know there plan," she said crossing her arms in satisfaction. She had learned you had to take risk to get results. She would have thought that him once being a soldier would know that.