Necessity or not, that's just not cricket.

[Jim the Viking]

Tavath sat down heavily on a tussock crowned by a pair of spindly rowans.  Around him, most of his Muster were lounging and chatting about the most recent scrape they'd gotten out of.  It was an ugly, messy, filthy affair, and Tavath would have just as soon forgotten about having to lead those two dozen men through a windstorm that would have stripped the flesh off of anyone not covered in leather thicker than their thumbs.

He'd have rather forgotten, too, that Conlan decided that he absolutely, positively couldn't resist doing...well, whatever it was he did when the bandits ambushed their little column.  Not that he wasn't grateful for that burst of light and whatever power had stunned them for the few moments it took to form a proper battle line, mind you, but the man used magic.  Not bad enough that the man was a mage, but to actually use that?  Ugly wasn't even going to begin the fallout.

Off in the distance, he spotted a rider coming hard toward their little encampment.  Squinting and shielding his eyes from the sun, Tavath could just barely make out the insignia of a Knight of the Lily and cursed.  The Mordecai were pulling out all the stops with this one.

Sighing, he got to his feet and made his way toward the newcomer, his spear resting on his shoulder and shield slung upside down to make sure she knew he didn't mean her any ill will.  There was liable to be plenty of that later, when he explained that no-one knew when or where Conlan ran off to in the night.

[Rhindeer]

This was one of those messy issues that cropped up now and then.

It was always messy when a man used evil to save he and his friends from evil. The story had quickly reached the Mordecai and she had volunteered for the job, eager to get out and do something, but not eager for the actual task that lay ahead. At the very least, however, she could see the man laid to rest and hope that he understood why it needed to be done. True, he'd saved his friends, but at what cost? That was one of the ways in which magic tempted and deceived; people pointing to that singular act of good as proof while forgetting that that was exactly why it was so dangerous and exactly why it lead people astray and all the lives and destruction that had occurred because of it. It was what fueled the powerful windstorms that wreaked so much havoc every year, a result of Serendipity's abuse of it.

It was what doomed Fell.

They could not afford to open that door and let that inside their nation, not for anyone, not for their own safety. That did not make her task any more pleasant, however, justified though it was.

Sighing, Siobhan drew her horse to a stop as the soldier came to approach her, forcing a smile small.

"Ansgar's grace upon you," she greeted with a polite nod. "I heard ya had quite a scrape the other day."

[Jim the Viking]

Tavath nodded a greeting to the Knight and looked back to his men.  There were, he knew, more than a few who felt that the decision to report Conlan's...breach of etiquette to the Mordecai was unwise.  There were also those who felt that they should be the ones looking for Conlan, not one of the Mordecai, nor even a Knight.

He looked up at the Knight and shook his head slowly.  "Aye, we did, lass," he said with a shrug.  "Ambush about three leagues nor' east of here.  Conlan managed to stun 'em long enough f'r us to get into line.  Woulda been overrun without it, I reckon."

Tavath sniffed and looked back at his men.  "The lads, well, some of 'em aren't going to be takin' kindly to ya, lass.  Just so you're prepared.  Conlan's an old hand with us.  Some of the lads, they think you're just gettin' in the way.  If you'd be beggin' my pardon for sayin' so."

[Rhindeer]

Siobhan blinked in surprise, not quite sure what the man was trying to say. While his words were straightforward enough, and while she understood that it was difficult for men to believe their faithful friend could do such a thing--especially one who had saved them--but she felt like there might be something else there.

She gave the man a puzzled look. "They would rather a mage go free?"

[Jim the Viking]

Tavath said nothing for a moment and simply looked back to the encamped infantry.  After a moment, he sighed and looked back at the Knight.  How, exactly, was he to explain to the Knight that Conlan was more than just a friend to those men, he was more like a brother?  He looked at a point somewhere above and beyond the Knight's left shoulder shook his head.

"No, ma'am, they'd not," he said slowly.  "There's more'n a fair few, though, who'd rather find him on our own, if ya follow."

[Rhindeer]

"Well, I won't keep ya from that," Siobhan said, "and anyone wants to help can. I just gotta be here for, y'know..."

The execution. It was only proper to have a Mordecai as witness, though some mobs had been known not to wait before they carried out justice. She left that unsaid, though, because it was all pretty unpleasant and she was hoping he'd get the picture without her having to spell it all out. She didn't enjoy this aspect of her job, but it was necessary for the greater good.

"'Sides," she added with a shrug, "the search'll be easier this way. If he's a mage, he won't be able to hurt any of ya."

[Jim the Viking]

Tavath nodded and sighed.  He knew exactly what she hadn't said; murdering Conlan wasn't going to be easy for him to do and, unless he'd misread the men, there weren't many keen on actually doing the task either.  Still, he decided, better to have lied to a Knight than suggest that most of the lads were ready to let him go for what he'd done.  That would've just caused a bigger headache.

"Well," he said after a moment's pause, "If it's all the same, ma'am, I'd rather they stay here.  None of 'em know where Conlan took off to, but were I him, I'd have headed over that way."  He gestured to a long, low ridge southwest of where he stood with the Knight.  "'Sides," he added, "Lad's likely scared an' the last thing I'm gonna want to do is corner a frightened mage with a score of spearmen.  Don't want any of the boys getting...well, gettin' injured unnecessarily."

He looked back to the tussock and shrugged his shoulders.  "If ye'd want to head that way now," he said with a hint of resignation in his voice, "I'd say we could make it there and cover a good quarter of the base 'fore nightfall."

He looked back at the night and inhaled sharply - he'd been so focused on the task at hand he'd forgotten the proper etiquette for greeting one of the Mordecai.  He saluted quickly but sharply and bowed.  "Sergeant Tavath Gunderson, ma'am," he said as he straightened.  "Pleasure t' meet you."

[Rhindeer]

Siobhan followed the man's glance and nodded, trusting his instincts. After all, he knew this area--and these men--better than she did so she valued his judgment.

"No, the less folk the better," she agreed. "I wasn't gonna stand in the way if they insisted on comin', but I'd prefer fewer. Less noise." And, like the man said, less chance of spooking him and thus driving him to do something drastic. The soldier would know what was coming for him and be afraid--but hopefully he would accept this with grace.

A motion out of the corner of her eye drew her attention back to the soldier and she returned his salute briskly. "Would that we could've met under pleasanter times," Siobhan said with a weak grin. A lot of things could fool her, but she wasn't convinced he was pleased to meet her at all, all things considered.

"But it's nice to meetcha all the same! I'm Siobhan, Siobhan Abel." Another glance in the direction of the ridge, absently stroking her horse's mane. "Ah...I don't mean to rush ya or anything, but I don't wanna draw this out. When ya gonna be ready to go?"