[center][h1][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5157586][color=MediumAquamarine]Arin von Astastel[/color][/url][/h1][/center]
A voice came from behind Vuthaternock, “[color=MediumAquamarine]If this was an option, you should have told us when I asked the others to report the body.[/color]” Arin was looking at the wyvern devouring the man with keen interest. He was brewing potions when he saw the dragonborn walk outside with a body and was curious what he was planning to do with it, especially since no one called for the guards just yet. “[color=MediumAquamarine]It would have saved us the trouble of reporting it… but now that you did that after Mr. Greye most likely told the innkeeper… well, you know that makes him look bad, yes?[/color]” He turned his attention briefly back to the dragonkin, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I do hope you have the perfect excuse to tell the innkeeper or guards.[/color]” 

He let a few seconds pass to admire the creature in the distance. “[color=MediumAquamarine]Does your cousin have a name?[/color]” He also wondered if it was who Vuthaternock was talking to every now and then. It was comforting to know that the dragonborn didn’t spend time speaking in draconic out loud just to show off that he can or that he lacked the ability to keep his internal monologue, internal. 

Arin stayed outside just long enough to hear Vuthaternock’s response before he remembered that he was in the middle of brewing potions. “[color=MediumAquamarine]Well I shall leave two to it. I must return to the kitchen before I burn the potions.[/color]”

All of Arin’s tasks ---cleaning included--- completed only after the sun peaked out from the horizon. More and more people were waking up and becoming more active. The potman of the inn walked into the kitchen just as Arin confirmed the crystalized essence was fully absorbed by the wooden ring.

“Good morning, sir. You must be a very early riser, or you never went to bed.”
“[color=MediumAquamarine]It would be the latter.[/color]”
“Oh… it must have been a very important duty if you had to stay up all night.”

Arin offered a polite smile, avoiding a direct response. Instead, he thanked the lad, and by proxy the innkeeper, for allowing him to use the kitchen for the night. He reached out his hand towards the area of the kitchen he borrowed, as if to present it to the potman, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I made sure to clean up after myself. I hope this will suffice.[/color]”

The potman perused the kitchen, touching areas of most concern to him with his finger to see if anything would stick to it. His face lit up at the clean finger, “It is more than satisfactory, sir. You practically did my morning chore for me! I have never seen this kitchen this pristine before!” The young man covered his mouth, realizing that he probably shouldn’t have said that. He quickly tried to change the subject as subtlety as he possibly could, “I didn’t know nobles can clean up after themselves so well!”

[color=MediumAquamarine][i]I imagine that is what the nobles pay servants for.[/i] [/color] “[color=MediumAquamarine]I am not a noble.[/color]”

The potman looked surprised, “You’re not? You could’ve fooled me. I thought only nobles wear those clothes.”

Arin looked down at his attire. As the potman pointed out, his clothes were the kind commonly worn by nobility and wealthy merchants. The materials that made the outfit were valuable enough to buy most, if not all, of Timberholde. At the end of the day, however, it was a costume. Something to wear to feel important in front of people of influence to make them feel important. Outside the capital boundaries, it was a target.

Everything had been so rushed, Arin forgot that he was heading into a territory notorious for overflowing with lawbreakers, with luxurious garments on. He was careful when he chose the wooden ring to serve as a detector ---it was made of wood found anywhere and it had no decorative engravings, making it an unappealing item to steal---, but it would be meaningless if he was mugged because of what he wore. He needed to change.

Arin inspected the young man in front of him, who looked like he was as tall as Arin was and had close enough body types. The potman shifted uncomfortably under Arin’s gaze, “Is there something you need, sir?”

“[color=MediumAquamarine]As a matter of fact, there are a number of things I need. Can you run a few errands for me? I will pay you once you are done.[/color]”
“I can,” the potman sounded a little hesitant, unsure what the elf needed him to do.
“[color=MediumAquamarine]Do you have an apothecary or an herbalist?[/color]”
“We do.”
“[color=MediumAquamarine]Excellent,[/color]” Arin fished out a list and coins and handed them to the other man, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I would like you to buy these ingredients. Get as much as you can with the money I’ve given you.[/color]”
The potman visibly relaxed, seemingly relieved that Arin wasn’t asking him to do something unusual, “I can do that.”
“[color=MediumAquamarine]I would also like to buy your clothes off of you.[/color]”
The man stared dumbly at Arin.

A beat later Arin spoke, “[color=MediumAquamarine]Let me rephrase that. I would like to acquire some less flamboyant clothing. This trip was a bit sudden, so I did not have time to pack proper travel wear.[/color]” Arin spread his arms out to the sides, “[color=MediumAquamarine]It looks like we are of similar stature and build, so I thought I could persuade you to let me have a set of clothing… Unless I am mistaken in assuming that your village does not have a clothier.[/color]”

The man laughed a bit, “No, you are correct. Our village is much too small to have something as fancy as a clothier. My mother had to make my clothes.” He looked Arin up and down before his eyes stopped at the shoes “I have some clothes that I can give, but I don’t have any spare shoes.” He stuck one foot out and wiggled it, “These are the only pair I have.”

“[color=MediumAquamarine]The clothes will do, thank you.[/color]”

While he waited for the potman to come back with the items he requested, Arin decided to try out the ring. He needed to see if the item would work as intended and to make alterations if necessary. More importantly, he needed the ring to recognize and memorize Rynn to prevent it from responding to her in the future.

When Arin placed the ring on, he immediately felt it resonating with something ---the blood that flowed within Rynn--- nearby. Though it didn’t physically emit a sound or move, the ring “sang” directly into the wearer’s mind. It was a sound that would always be “heard” even in the loudest of places but can never be heard by others besides the ring-wearer. 

The song grew in intensity as Arin got closer to where Rynn was. When he reached the door to her room, it was impossible to ignore. It was even difficult to concentrate on what he was doing. Something to adjust, Arin vaguely thought. He remembered knocking on the door   as      the
world
[center]started[/center]
[right]to---[/right]
Trwil. Sipn aornud. Lkie a brllooam dance. The wrold daecns to the music. Nhtoing sayts sltil long enoguh for him to get his biaengrs. He tkihns he hreas Rynn, but the snog it stuhs it out. It stuhs amolst envyerhtig out. It gets worse. She’s cnmiog. She oneps the door and the olny thing he is able to do is garb on to her for daer lfie. The song is so luod now, he flees lkie his head is auobt to eloxdpe. It geivs him no time to reregt. It gives him no tmie to think. It gvies him no tmie to do ahinntyg. He just exsits. The snog eitxss. It just sings, sngis luod and porud. Of teihr boold, a glrouios hrsioty pseasd dwon form gienoaertn to gotenaerin. It ddeanms aeottntin, it dnaemds paisre and more. Mroe. Why won’t you lstien Arin? Tiher one and olny aeidncue. Ltsein. Look. It’s rhgit here. The key. Look at it. Look at her. She lokos at you. She’s lonoikg at you. You see her. Arin sees Rnyn.

As the song started to subside, Arin’s brain regained functionality. He noticed that he was staring at Rynn’s face and grabbing her arm with an iron grip. The ring touched her skin, memorizing her. He just needed to stay like this until the ring had nothing else to sing about. He also became keenly aware that he felt more than a little queasy. 

He closed his eyes and focused on taking deep breaths. With each breath he loosened his grip. As soon as the song was completely silenced, Arin pulled his hand away as fast as he could, almost as if Rynn was made of fire. 

“[color=MediumAquamarine]Many apologies,[/color]” Arin rubbed his forehead to alleviate the headache that was forming. He stood like that for a while before finally speaking, “[color=MediumAquamarine]I wanted to report to you my findings. Though… now that I think about it, maybe I should have waited until breakfast when everyone is around to hear it. [/color]” He sighed and straightened himself, “[color=MediumAquamarine]Well, I might as well tell you now seeing that I have your attention and I do not want to make this a wasted trip.[/color]” 

Arin took a step away from Rynn, feeling that he was still too close for either of their comfort, “[color=MediumAquamarine]After analyzing what samples I could obtain in the allotted time, I came to the conclusion that magic was not used to break into the vaults. If some form of magic was used, it was the ones already in place.[/color]”

He waited for the words, and the implications that came with it, to sink in. “[color=MediumAquamarine]I understand you want to believe your family and those who work in the palace took no part in the theft in any capacity… but unless the spells on the vault were public knowledge, we can narrow our suspects down from the entire population to those who are, or were at one time, close to the crown, whether by blood or not. At the very least, someone who has intimate knowledge of the castle’s architect was involved.[/color]” The name Callin crossed his mind. “[color=MediumAquamarine]I am willing to change my mind once we find evidence that proves otherwise, but with what we have, this is currently my strongest hypothesis.[/color]”