A5G

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[GM Post]

"Five days..?" For the first time, the zombie-corpse showed sign of confusion. It faded quick enough though, as the dead hunter decided on an answer. "No. Preparing at home." It absentmindedly reached for its pocket, glancing and squinting down with confusion to find it turned inside-out. One berry still stuck on the fabric. Birk the zombie jerkily took it and popped it into its mouth. "No. No prince." The rotten berry summarily slipped out and splattered on the ground. The zombie continued chewing at nothing.

"Roof leaky. Need fixing soon. Bread and egg breakfast. Food low. Few coins. Trees browning. Winter close. Checked trap. With Reinhold. Three r-r-rabbits. Trail muddy. Some fence rotting. A few goats grazing. Old barn. Even older Gerhard. His wrinkle. Trade in. Farm. Flour and eggs and milk. Some sausage. Saw Hilda. Her tits very nice. And the hips. She smiled at us." A staggering, uneven smile crept on the zombie's visage. "Chickens. Rotting fence. Muddy trail. Two huts. Roof leaking. Bertolf and I-I-Ingmar. Not happy. No catch. Into h-h-hut. Map. The royal forest. We see path. We see mark. Where d-d-deer goes. Reinhold and Bertolf argue. Ingmar quiet. Take coins. Back out. Muddy trail-"

There seemed to be a lot more to be said, if one were patient enough to hear of the hunter's entire day.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[NPC Post]

Delving's disdain only grew at the way his "guest" behaved, much closer to a common thug than an imperial tutor. Peasants. They were all lacking from the very get go, regardless how much polishing was done. Give them an inch and they let it get into their filthy heads.

Then Henri dropped the bombshell that the prince's actually gone and gotten himself kidnapped. That's not something the constable would've expected, though in hindsight it made sense why Matilda wasn't present at the scene earlier. Still, Aaron regained his composure and leaned back on his seat. There's no confirmation yet. He regretted not reading the elf's order earlier on, but only a bit - the authenticity itself was suspect if they had to weasel their way in like that.

Of course, the short moment was filled with the lowborn continuing to prattle as if he's Fredricus himself. To him, a Delving. Not even the king would disrespect him to his face like this. Aaron's temper flared, and the accusation and obviously magical phenomenon only pushed it over the top as wrath superseded any hint of fear and sense.

"You dare come and threaten me in my own office?! Know your place, worm!" Aaron stood, his chair shoved behind him as his hand reached for his sword. His bellow was loud enough to somewhat shake the mounted animal heads as hurried footsteps rapidly approached from multiple directions. "Men! Arrest this renegade at once!"

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[NPC Post]

The constable didn't like Henri very much. It's unthinkable for someone with unclear background to be tasked with tutoring a member of the royal family, yet Fredricus was strangely adamant about it. And beyond that, the man himself unnerved him for a reason he couldn't quite put his hands on. He felt human, but only slightly bit off the mark. It's like... something that pretended very well to be a man. But it's not one.

"No need. State your business." Delving eyes the stacks of sodden trunks with distate before staring back at Henri, his brows scrunched even further at the inquiry. "I am unaware that this issue have anything to do with the imperial tutor. I will need a good reason to disclose an... ongoing investigation with you, Ser Henri."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

Satisfied with Sparky's planning, Yvonne faded from the discussion as she returned her attention to her meal. She did catch the room number, finishing the food quickly and feeling the familiar tingle of alcohol in her fingertips. Yeah, that's some nice and strong stuff right there. Definitely would recommend.

Upstairs, the mercenary found herself in a double room with presumably Sparky inside the bath. Not really feeling like waiting, she simply strip the armor and gambeson layer and leave them on the available hanger while her weapons went on a bedside table save for the rondel dagger. Now that she felt much lighter without all that weight, Yvonne stretched before collecting a bathrobe and a towel and descended back down to the communal bath.

It's completely empty. There didn't seems to be any other guests beside their little party, so she's got the whole place for herself. Nice.

Letting herself relax, Yvonne sighed wearily as she cleansed herself of the grit accumulated through the day. She sported more than a few scars than a woman her age normally have, various deep cuts that left pale lines once they healed. Minor injuries hardly leave a mark somehow, otherwise she'd have way more than these. But even then there's still a significant number lining her body, though none were anywhere near recent. It's an undeniable indication that she's gotten better over time, if nothing else.

Stretching once more, Yvonne set to work on cleansing her hair. It's the only source of vanity she kept despite the risk, braided and bunned out of the way. It now spread across the water like soggy seaweed, just combing it into an acceptable will take so much time. Then there's the actual washing and whatnot...

About an hour later, a tired Yvonne barely registered the unoccupied bed before falling on it like a log. She's out cold almost immediately.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[NPC Post]

"Come on in."

Aaron Delving was seated by his table, frowning on a piece of paper that he placed face-down as Henri entered the office. The table was made of some hardwood with a dark furnish, heavy and opulent with decorative carving filling most of its front. The surface was mostly immaculate, a few decorative tinkets artfully lining the place. The walls was adorned with various trophy, the crest of Delving family the first and most prominent thing to see on the far side as one entered the room. It looked less like a constable's office and more like the personal study room of a noble, but considering the Delving's position this much wouldn't be much out of place.

"Please take a seat, Ser Henri." His intonation was curt, offering the exact amount of respect demanded of an imperial tutor and not an ounce more. "You've come a long way from the castle."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[GM Post]

The crows were intelligent animal, enough to hold gratitude and grudge, but they're also simple animal. Some fat, juicy eyeballs were great and all, but the dinner was face-down so they couldn't get to it and now that it's walking and talking again they'll probably not get any chance again. The grapes were nice alternative though, different taste palate but still good all the same. Not to mention the sheer quantity of it! All thanks to the rather unusual bear, who provided food instead of competing for it.

This one's alright.

Thus, when asked about the bunch of arseholes that inhabited the ruin, the crows were more than gleeful to share what they knew especially knowing that the bear and his friends had a couple bones to pick with them. Six different faces were mentally sent back, the features surprisingly clear for a bird's memory. All were accompanied with at least a hint of dislike, but two in particular the crows really hate above the rest. Apparently they took shots at the fellow crows, actually taking one down before. There's a rather pride(?)ful impression from one of the crows that it actually manage to shit right on one of them in recent times. The crow can tell that its target was very, very, displeased by the act.

That pleased the crows immensely.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[GM Post]

"Dont be so morbid Ser! I'd rather enjoy life to the fullest instead of thinking about death, aye? Safe trip!" The captain waved until Henri was out of sight before hurrying back into the guardpost, most definitely so he can properly hide the cache of treasure from any potential surprise inspection.

*****

"Any inquiry should be forwarded to the nearest constabulary office." The guards at the mausoleum said in near-synchronious monotone, as if they've either rehearsed or more likely repeated the same line so many times that they knew it by heart and at the same time hate it so utterly. There's no visible sign of commotion or whatever in view, it all looked just like usual.

Or, well, as usual as post-assassination-attempt can looks like anyway.

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[NPC Post]

Anderson carefully went through the laid-out tools, pausing a bit longer on the torture implements. Took out a couple thing before placing them back. Then the squire brushed his hands off some imaginary dust before shrugging. "These haven't seen any use for a long time, ma'am." Not sure why would the kidnappers have it though. The prince wouldn't know any state secret, and would worth more unharmed anyway. Probably just in case they needed it?

He walked over to pick up the parchments. Only little bits of corner that remained unburnt, and looked like someone scattered it recently. Henri? The largest piece was weirdly shaped, and completely blank. There's signs of restoration attempt there, but nothing important was recovered. A shame, but it's just another dead end after half a dozen other dead ends. Anderson didn't let it get to him overmuch.

The reanimated corpse was... unsettling. And the jerky movement expelled even more of those rotting stench, Anderson subconsciously took a step back as he fished a handkerchief to cover his nose. Goodness gracious, that was horrible. Dame Matilda seemed unaffected though, she began questioning as soon as she got the chance.

"They. Live. In Hdur. Eastern side. By the fo-fo-forest. Stone's throw. Away. From. Old Aldebert's. Farm." The zombie said in choppy, raspy voice. "Nowhere. Never see a prince. I do-do-dont know. Never see. Prince."

Anderson's brow scrunched. There seemed to be a great disconnect between the expectation and what the corpse spout out. He stepped forward and to start over from the beginning this time.

"Who are you?" Demanded the squire.

"Birk."

He waited for more. The corpse had no more. Sighing, Anderson rephrased.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I h-h-hunt. In the forest. So-so-sometimes. Royal ground. Secretly."

He had to hold back from clicking his tongue. Was this corpse unrelated to the kidnapping? It cant be yet another dead end, could it?

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[GM Post]

"Gosh, thank you-" The captain's eyes widened as he took in the faded label, still clearly legible despite. "I'll be darned, this is almost eighty years! Thank you ser!" Then he comically covered his own mouth, turning and shushing to the rest of the guards as if it wasn't him that just yelled. Thankfully traffic was scarce around this time, and those same contingent of guards will soon enough be accomplice that benefit from the aged liquor. They'll keep mum alright.

"Ah. Well, I'm sure you know that there was an attempt on the king's life not long ago." The captain not-so-discreetly passed the bottle to one of his men, with pointed instruction to hide it well until they're off-shift. "There's some kind of commotion in the mausoleum ground earlier. Not sure what happened exactly, but heard that there's royal guards injured there. There's no manhunt order though, so I guess it's resolved already? Or it's some nobles that got into the scuffle and they're keeping it covered. Ain't got nothing to do with us lowborn here, ser."

Sovereign's Will: A Fantasy Roleplaying Game. [CONCLUDED]

[GM Post]

"Please pardon the youngster, Ser Henri. We're all quite on edge after recent development." The gateguard captain hurried out at the commotion, waving for the rest of them to stand down. The man let out a sigh of relief as the signs of hostility slowly bled out of everyone. Great, he didn't need any more incidents. The very top of the totem pole had been rather antsy, and the anxiety had thoroughly bled down the ranks. Just about any mistake can lead to harsher punishment these days. "I can tell you that there's no elf among the traffic in or out through here today. We've inspected everyone thoroughly."