Derren Krenshaw

The Last Kings of Orion

Antoine listened along with the introductions, noting the various colors of those speaking. A young, blue-haired and bright-eyed man followed by an older, rougher career-workman followed by a soft-spoken, timid young lady followed by the sure-spoken lady who looked right at him.

Antoine couldn't help but smile wider in return for the nod, mood rapidly rising, quite the collection already, the third shift seeming like it could be quite the enjoyable time. Who might he get to speak with over the course of this shift? Maybe someone who's native language he didn't know yet? Was that too much to hope for? He had been able to speak with everyone he had woken up at the start of the shift -one of the reasons he had been assigned that block- but he hadn't gotten to learn any. It was a missed opportunity that was almost criminal on it's own. He hadn't gone and gotten this gift to never use it!

Though, that wasn't really what he should be thinking about right now. As each speaker got up and sat down in turn, a needling thought bored its way to the fore of Antoine's mind. Despite the news that had only just been broken to the masses, despite how much of a bad idea it seemed, he couldn't help but feel that one from his group should speak before long. Everyone needed to know that he and his fellow Techs were in much the same boat, and possibly moreso. The loss of security, the loss of trust was keenly felt by those who only wanted to ensure life continued aboard the Copernicus.

And yet no Tech had stood up yet.

Well. They say if you have the idea, then you're the best person to carry it out...

"Down we go, Mowzer," His cat let out a rather indignant yelp as Antoine lowered him from shoulder to ground. Mowzer spared a moment to glare up at his Human, flicking his tail in dismissal before slipping away into the ship once more. "Sorry buddy, there are protocols, you know?"

Mowzer didn't know, and wouldn't care if he did, but that didn't stop Antoine from trying. Straightening his shirt once more, the Tech stepped forwards to draw attention from the seated crowd.

"Good day, I am Antoine Eadoré." A warm smile was offered to those who looked his way, Antoine nodding politely along with his words. "In addition to serving as a translator should the need arise, I am one of the many Cryotechs awake for this shift- And it is in that capacity that I would like to say a brief word..."

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, and ensure he had their attention, before diving right ahead.

"In the wake of the news we've all heard, I imagine many are concerned for their family and loved ones who are still asleep now. Each of you has spoken with myself or one of the other cryotechs aboard as you woke, and I want to let you know that we will do everything in our power to reassure you that those sleeping are very much safe. If you have any questions or concerns, you need only to ask."

He scanned the room as those last words spoke, gaze falling over everyone before he offered a shallow bow and stepped back, moving to the edges of the auditorium once more. There we go, his responsibility for this meeting was done, and maybe he could get that vacation soon. It had been nothing but non-stop work ever since he woke up, helping ensure the third shift all awoke properly, that the second shift was asleep safely, and that no risk was posed to those sleeping through both. Something of a break was desperately needed.

On Winding Roads (Lillian & Derren )

Alexi chuckled nervously in reply to Katherine's... jibe? It had to have been, she seemed in too high spirits to actually have taken offense. Hopefully.

"I guess we did, didn't we?" He offered her a wary smile, following at her side as they made their way out of the city. Just in time, it seemed, as the crowds Katherine had warned of were already building the closer and closer they got to the gates. Early risers, the farmers were, by necessity. Alexi nodded to those few he happened to make eye contact with, but more than not kept his eyes forwards, breaking only when Katherine moved off to the side.

Ah yes, they were to ride their horses, not simply walk them. It was an obvious enough thought, really didn't warrant 'realizing' at all, and yet...

Well, they always said you never forget how to ride a horse.

Alexi mounted his horse cautiously, but successfully, managing to pull himself up to sit comfortably as Katherine turned over to him. He returned her words with a nod and smile that might have been more relieved than was necessary. It was hard to help, the thought that he could set the pace more than welcome to one who hadn't ridden a horse in longer than he cared to admit. They needed to make time, certainly, but at least he didn't have to worry about his escort starting them off at too fast a pace and causing him to embarrass himself.

Not that starting off at a crawl wouldn't do the same.

"Very well then, let's go boy." Leaning forwards to whisper the second half to his horse, Alexi managed to nudge his mount into a stately walk. He took a moment to adjust to the rhythmic bouncing upon the saddle as they began to move forwards, recalling similar experiences from before until finally pushing his horse into a steady trot. No reason to wear the horse out, and if it seemed they weren't making good progress after a while -or if Katherine seemed impatient with the pace- he could always go faster.

For now, at least, they seemed to move well enough, Alexi slowly recalling more and more of his childhood romps on horseback as they continued down the road.

"I guess you don't forget..." He murmured the words to no one in particular, focusing on his riding and the road before him... while trying to ignore the forest they would soon have to enter. It wasn't the swamp, and the road was one that saw decent travel, but those were not the comforts they could have been.

Better not to think of it for now.

The Last Kings of Orion

Antoine straightened as Ms -no, First Sergeant- Larson called attention, Mowzer nibbling at his cheek indignantly as the scritches paused. Military discipline didn't fade so quickly, it seemed, though he relaxed quickly once the 'at ease' call came. One hand returned to keeping his cat well and happy then, the other falling down by his hip, thumb hooking into the pocket of his khaki's for support.

And he stayed pretty much like that, despite the news that rocked everyone else back, despite the storm of questions and worries that then surged forwards. He remained steady and calm at the edge of the mass, idly petting his pet, only the faintest smile still remaining.

It wasn't that he didn't care, or didn't agree what happened was horrific, or anything close to that. But unlike most of the crowd gathered to hear these words, he had already known the news- if not every detail.

A medtech killing his cryo-patients? Taking advantage of the then-helpless human beings he had been chosen to oversee? Oh yes, every medtech had heard of that. The news of security changes hadn't told them why, at first, when they were woken up to prepare for the third shift, but it hadn't taken long for word to get out. Whispers traded from the techs of the second shift during those quiet days when barely anyone had been awake. Rumors that flourished even now, after the third shift had woken up, finding nothing but more evidence to support the claims that yes, this had indeed happened.

And every one of Antoine's peers had been asking the same questions: Why? How?

Much of the cryo process -from going to sleep to being woken up- was automated, it had to be. No human could be trusted to accurately calculate the dosage needed for each individual aboard the Copernicus- No human could trust they had accurate enough information on everyone to even attempt such a feat. To drug someone to the point of near-death, where the brain functioned only the absolute barest minimum required to be woken again, called for a kind of precision humans simply weren't capable of.

But they were capable of programming computers that could perform that very task. Computers that could take near-perfect measurements of a person's health, and know precisely the dosage required to induce the state needed for cryo-sleep. Computers that could evenly cool the body down to near-freezing, maintaining the delicate environment required for preservation. Computers that could then warm the body once more, leaving only what residual drug remained as the 'symptoms' of waking from cryo-sleep.

It was work that required repetitive perfection. That was why the computers were set to do their job and only their job. That was why the Techs kept constant watch to ensure no changes led to bugs in the programming, that the computers were kept in top condition, that even in the remote case something went wrong, a human hand was there to fix it.

But this time, a human hand had broken it all. How had he bypassed the security protocols he should never have had access to? How did he manage to individually thaw and re-cool sleepers without any alarm being raised? People were vulnerable in cryo-sleep. That's why there were computers, there were checks, there were walls even a tech couldn't be able to bypass... shouldn't be able to bypass.

But one had. And now everyone knew.

"What do you think, Mowzer?" He murmured the words softly into his pets ear... who promptly turned to rub his cheek down Antoine's nose. "The next round of checkups will be fun, right?"

Shaking his head at his own bad joke, the Medtech smiled a little more and kept himself at the back of the crowd, tending to his cat. It'd be curious how many of his peers had chosen to attend this meeting, if there were those who were too scared to stand in public when the news was dropped. Nothing to blame them for, really, but it was good to hear the official word. Good to see the human reaction. Antoine made no attempt to raise his voice in question alongside the others, or to whisper in horror between those around him, but he did watch, and listen.

It was a bit like rebreaking a bone in order to set it. Painful for all involved, but necessary to heal. This was the low, right here and now, and he hoped others could see that too. The break was made, the setting was in order, and the healing would soon begin. It would only get better from here on.

The Last Kings of Orion

Sure enough, Antoine wove his way through the familiar hallways and corridors to make it to the auditorium before any speeches had began. That meant he was still early, by technical definition, which worked out perfectly: It meant he got to enjoy the forest!

He poked a nearby tree as he walked over to the crowds, grinning as his hand sunk through the holographic trunk. Never could do that back on earth, now could you? He poked his hand through again and grinned all-the-wider, skirting the edges of the crowds and keeping his back to the auditorium wall.

Even from there, he soon-to-be speaker was visible. Ms. Larson if he was remembering the correct sleeper file. A soldier... like many it seemed, the familiar gait, bearing and mannerisms of the disciplined militant standing out amongst the various peoples that passed under his eyes. On the topic, it seemed military history had appeared quite a bit in the sleeper files, more than typical in a cycle, perhaps?

Was that an intentional decision, what with what happened before?

Or maybe not. Antoine poked a tree once more because he could, and shrugged off any further contemplation on the subject. Things were going to get... interesting enough, without trying to feel concerned, so why try to feel concerned? It was all past, and while there'd certainly be some suspicions, fears and likely false accusations, in the end nothing serious would come of the talk they were about to hear.

Which was good for more reasons than one... and anything good for more reasons than one was not something that ever had to be worried about.

With that bright thought in mind, the medtech moved to lean against the wall at the edge of the 'forest' when a sudden, sharp series of pains caused him to jump. They started as simple tugs up dark khaki pants, but then drove through the thin fabric of his light-blue buttondown inciting a desire to shout that he skillfully drove down. Too many years spent admonishing battlefield patients on crying over 'minor' wounds to act pained today, it'd be hypocritical.

No, instead Antoine jumped, flinched, then cast a sidelong look towards his shoulder, now occupied by a rather pleased-looking Bengal.

"And hello again, Mowzer." He reached up to scratch his pet under the chin, rewarded by a yowl and nip at his ear from the cat. He took it all in stride, Mowzer apparently deciding that was punishment enough, and accepting the scritches as he settled down on Antoine's shoulder. Front paws reached down to dig into the fabric over his upper chest, back paws fell back to rest just over the shoulder blades, and everything in between rumbled with a contented purr.

Well, his cat had found him again, as expected.

"Quiet down now, shhhhh." He moved his scritches up to behind Mowzer's ear, the cat purring only louder in rebellion. At least one ear was still clear to listen it, which would have to be enough.

Quiet apologies to the madam speaker, but Mowzer demanded slightly more attention, even now.

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

Takahiro didn't bother collecting the jug, nor the table, nor the cups.

"I am sure he will." The same cold look never wavered from his eyes, no smile crossing his lips to try and meet the one on Galina's own. He paid no mind to the thinly-veiled threats of her words, rising to them would only cheapen himself.

Galina would carry his message, and her family would either acquiesce or retaliate. The former -while unlikely- would certainly allow Takahiro to continue his efforts within America fairly easily. Sure, other countries were operating within it's borders as well, but now Takahiro's people had practice. He would push them out as he came across them, just like the rival gangs within his home country.

And if they pushed back? Took offense to his warning and pressed him to test the weight of his words?

It would be the same as those gangs that had refused to back down. Only the taste of noble blood was sweeter.

Walking calmly to the door beside Galina, Takahiro rapped it lightly with the end of his staff, striking a clear bell that sounded throughout the room. The door opened only a moment after... To reveal a man quite tall for his Japanese heritage, broad-shouldered and clean-shaven, though wearing a suit fitted perfectly to his physique.

"Takahiro-sama." Daisuke spoke curtly, offering only the shallowest of nods, dark eyes never leaving Galina. He stood a step away from the door, one hand resting almost casually at his hip, the other tucked within the jacket of his suit.

Takahiro, for his part, merely nodded in return, turning back almost in passing to regard Galina.

"You can go. Klara is safe, our turn to leave." He turned his back to the Russian spy then, stepping forwards and around Daisuke, trusting his fist to move should the need arise. Otherwise, he moved to walk further down the hallway, away from where Goemon had led Galina down before.

Daisuke knew these levels of the ship, he'd know a quiet way to where they needed to go. Given his fist was here instead of his voice, Selvin was already on the boat, and Goemon standing by. All was set, all was complete, now they only needed to leave.

On Winding Roads (Lillian & Derren )

"Good Morning, Ms. Galt."

Alexi returned Katherine's greeting with a raised hand and wide smile. Sleep preformed wonders on a person, the worries that had been building up all this while seemingly erased now. Sure, he wasn't actually in Avantshire yet, sure he didn't actually have the documents finished yet, but he was on his way, finally.

That was lining enough, for him to ignore the groaning clouds.

"I believe I am ready. The faster we can get to Avantshire, the better for everyone." A simple nod accompanied the words, Scribe falling in beside his escort as they began to move out from the courtyard. She wore her armor again -as she probably should of course- and her horse was... In keeping with her profession? The steed certainly looked rough enough to think it would jump right into any fight it was pointed at. The sight made Alexi's own horse seem almost dainty by comparison, though that was probably the truth of it. Travelling steed or no, he had asked a man used to wealth to secure it for him, and a horse for wealth was what he had received.

Familiar, but maybe not the best choice? Time would have to tell.

"Ah- And this counts as the start of our contract, yes?" Alexi slipped a small pouch from under his cloak, held cautiously in the hand not leading his own mount. Dealing in money was easy to end up becoming troublesome, and needed as little fanfare as possible. He raised the pouch slightly to catch her eye. "The first part of your payment, as promised."

They were coworkers now, peers bound by roles defined within an agreed-upon contract. It was... comforting, in a way. Of course, Katherine was the more knowledgeable -and skilled- one for this venture, the one who would actually see them across safely. But he held the maps to help guide their path, and the funds to compensate her efforts. She trusted him to guide well and pay her, he trusted her to escort him with skill.

Broken down into such basic pieces made things easier on the scribe. Business transactions were something familiar, even if the particulars of this one was novel. It was far preferable to how out-of-depth he had felt only the day before, and he was determined to take it as a good omen.

After the events of last night, he looked for every good omen he could find.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Familiar... did not always make things easier to bear.

A bright flame sputtering out, a man he had barely gotten to know falling away, a enemy he had never gotten to fight dragged down in a final defeat. There had been battles like this, there had been wars like this, even if the scenery was so utterly alien to anything he had known before. There were always times like these...

And like always, Semyon wished that wasn't the case.

They had... won. Fenris was dead, the threats posed to the world defeated for now. Everything they had been asked to do... they had done.

All that was left was to return to the realm of the living.

And Semyon did so. Only Daisy there by his side, to accompany him through the gate.

"Thank you..." The Wight looked out over the ruined hilltop as he whispered the words. Even here, people were missing. Atticus. Anastasia. Both forces had suffered losses. It always happened. "That... tells me something. A lot."

He didn't look over at Daisy, didn't dwell further on the thoughts her words had kindled. The young lady he had never gotten the chance to really meet was crying beside Henry Grimm. Tamarind was with whatever had been left of Max-or-Thadd. Gabriel was walking away... yes... that might be a good thing.

A buzz distracted Semyon, briefly, the Wight pulling out the cell phone that had somehow survived within his coat. More missed messages, of course there were. Bain and Hoyle's man branch was in ruins, the plans he had been making before delayed... probably for too long. It happened in conflicts, deadlines could almost never be met on time.

He stood there a moment longer, then shook his head and turned away. The ground was torn and rutted by the devastation Fenris had unleashed, but his feet kept their balance without care. Each step took him away from the rest, down towards... whatever he happened to find.

He'd make it to a town, or village, or city. He'd find a ride, or contacts, and eventually return to Boston. In time, the company would contact him again. To research, to guard, to fight, to consult, whatever the need happened to be. He'd come across scenes like this one, again. And again. And forever again and again.

At least until he had a village once more. Until then, ten years or a hundred years in the future, with everyone who had managed to survive as long as he... and maybe some who had been surviving long before...

Those thoughts in his mind, Semyon's lips managed to tug themselves upwards in the barest hint of a sad smile. It was the one hope that made times like these bearable. He'd walk through war after war, loss after loss, empty victory after hopeless defeat, if only it meant he'd succeed in the end. To have a small village hidden within the empty expanse of an unforgiving land. To stare up at a boundless sky, stride across hoarfrosted ground, and share stories before towering bonfires. To have a scene that familiar, would be nice...

...It would mean he'd finally have something familiar, that he wanted to bear.

The Last Kings of Orion

Antoine yawned with mighty effort, straining to stretch his mouth as wide as it could go, to truly enjoy the simple pleasure of yawning. He felt he captured it fairly well, and so yawned a second time, and a third as his body seemed to feel it was appropriate. One of his fellow shift-mates frowned at his display as she walked past his terminal, seemingly unimpressed by the wink he tossed her way in response. She stomped her way down the hall, painting a nice picture for the medtech to dutifully appreciate, but one he wouldn't be adding his own touches to anytime soon.

A pity. Though maybe for the best for now, and for a short while to come. But that was just the same misfortune life loved to throw in the way. It would pass, just like the change had, and everything before. And when it did? Well, there would be more than one nice picture painted with his mark found within the brushstrokes.

Turning his attention back to the display before him, Antoine ran the checklist one final time. Everyone slated for the current shift was awake, everyone else's cryo beds remained in perfect condition. A couple problems had arisen during the waking process, a few more stemming from hasty corrections or problems everyone would know of soon, but nothing major. The bugs had all been flushed out, none of the sleepers were in danger, and everyone awake had already been checked out and briefed on the discomforts cryo-sleep would have for the next few days. All in all, a job well done by Antoine and his peers.

He yawned once more for good measure, arms reaching almost to the rounded ceiling as he stretched. The hall bearing this terminal was filled with those still sleeping , the last sector he had needed to check, and now it was finally time for a well-deserved vacation... After the auditorium meeting.

"Wonder if they'd notice if I didn't show..." He mused the thought aloud as dexterous fingers logged out of the terminal before him. Eyes blinked down at the last moment before the screen went dark, narrowing as they caught the time, a slight sigh escaping the man's lips. "...Eight hours already? Where does the time go?"

Walking away, Antoine pulled a small plastic box from the pouch slung across his shoulder, partnering it with a plastic bottle of clear water. The box was barely larger than a bottle cap, opened to reveal a quartet of pills the man promptly popped into a waiting mouth. A swig of water washed it down, followed by a second as he recognized the truly refreshing qualities that water held. Amazing how a liquid that held so little could somehow taste so good, it warranted a third swig, for sure.

"Speaking of 'where did something go'... MOWZER!" The words echoed up and down the empty hall as Antoine meandered towards the auditorium. His Bengal was nowhere to be seen, having wandered off sometime before, though he was hardly worried for the cat. Mowzer was his own cat, perfectly capable of taking care of himself. It was something of a blessed miracle when Antoine discovered his pet had been placed in one of the few beds tailored for animals. That fact was more than enough to let his pet wander about without concern.

"Mowzer! Mowzah Moouuuuwzer Mousayer!" He shouted through the halls because he could, taking another swig of water for good measure, and feeling he would probably make it to the auditorium with time to spare.

~-~-~-~-~

Mowzer had been content to lie down on one of the strange things his Human had slept in for a while, watching his Human stare at a blinking thing and occasionally scritching him behind the ear where he liked it. He amused himself by watching the little symbols on the blinking thing- especially the ones that kept changing yet repeating. First the close one would change, then the middle one, then the close one would repeat, then the middle would change again. Finally, the far one would change, and the close and middle ones would repeat. It was really quite fascinating, enough that Mowzer had tried to catch the symbols and keep them for himself.

His human had stopped him though, a grave offense that Mowzer repaid by turning his back to his human for some time, looking back only when he realized how much he missed the repeating symbols.

After a while though, even they got boring. His human would still give his scritches and say soothing sounds from time to time, but it took far too long before he did it again. Obviously his human was more interested in the blinking thing right now, so much so that he wouldn't share. That meant that Mowzer would just have to find his own fun thing, one that he wouldn't share with his human.

So there.

He took off on his own then, wandering through the giant tubes that weaved their way through his home. She rubbed his cheek and chin on each corner and jutting object he found, marking this newest of paths so he would always know where it was. He came across some other humans as well, most walking quickly, some exceptional members stopping to coo or pet Mowzer- which he repaid with rubs against their hand and leg.

One very, very bad human tried to pick him up. A grave offense indeed, but Mowzer scolded him harshly and pushed himself free, gallantly choosing not to claw the human's arms to pieces and instead trotting off to slip into one of the various small-tunnels that wove through the large ones.

He traversed those for some time, leaving only when his nose caught the scent of food. The humans who held the food were good humans, responding well to Mowzer's demanding purr and offering him a few samples of what they had. It was a ritual he repeated across what turned out to be a rather large area of the house, and finally he was left deliciously full, and well-scritched as a bonus.

Time very well spent he thought, and so it seemed it was time to find his Human once more. Likely his human had gone and gotten lost somewhere, as he usually did when Mowzer left. But it wouldn't be a problem. This house was large, but his Human was always easy to find.

So he trotted off once more, stalking through corridors and crawlspaces and he searched to tell his Human of all the fun HE had, and didn't share.

Masques and Daggers (Derren Krenshaw & Igraine)

"Sake." Takahiro said simply, reaching over to grab the jug. He proceeded to fill both cups as he spoke, first Galina's, then his own. "Drink from home. Not wine, made different."

He punctuated his words with another sip from his now-filled cup, savoring the taste of his homeland. Sake meant a lot to Takahiro, it meant a lot to his entire clan. Illegal breweries, smuggled barrels, 'tax' on drinks in gambling houses, the drink brought life to his family in more than just spirit. In a way it was unbelievable, that he could drink it so casually now, so far away from his country. But that was merely a testament to how far his family had come already.

And they would go further. Much, much further.

"For drug..." He placed the cup back on the table, grinning once more. "Familiar with effects. Noticed it early in drink, played drugged, worked to not forget." He raised a finger to tap it against his temple briefly. "Forgot some still. But remember most of night, up to drink, being drugged, losing goal, enough. Didn't check to see if drunk much, did you?"

He paused a moment to raise an eyebrow towards Galina, before shrugging his own gesture off and continuing.

"Last, why..." He pondered the question for a moment, as if he had never wondered 'why' before. Finally, he spoke, gesturing first towards the closed door behind them. "Because I needed test Goemon? He learns well, but always needs training..."

Takahiro paused to ponder again, then gestured towards himself. "Because I needed learn about spies? Bad to get caught again, need learn more about Russians."

Finally, he took a moment to sip from his cup once more, downing the liquid held within entirely before placing it down. He leaned forward, then, eyes boring into Galina's own as his voice dropped low.

"Or because you need know something; I do not like competing- family does not like competing. We have goals, have tasks, have plans. They happen in everywhere, but I am in America. Others get in way once? Fine. But need be warned... Will not like second time."

Takahiro leaned back once more, regarding Galina with something close to contempt in his eye. "Not everything need 'greater reason'. Some reasons great enough: Family, pride, honor. Threaten those? Money isn't problem, time isn't problem, trouble isn't problem."

Taking hold of his cane, Takahiro rose, voice rising to match. "Keep Demidov family out of America coast. Keep away from my territory. Brought you here to give message- now you have it."

On Winding Roads (Lillian & Derren )

"Stay safe."

Alexi matched Katherine's bow with one of his own, waiting a beat after she disappeared into the night before turning towards his own room. The still-burning light from Edda's window brought a quiet chuckle from the Scribe's lips as he passed, not surprised -though certainly amused- that the Sister would watch to ensure he was alone in his final steps back home.

Well, he had approached her door late at night with a woman by his side... And had Charles come by to make matters even more suspicious. Hard to blame the pious Sister, really.

Tonight though, Alexi could say he was glad to stumble alone into his bare, darkened room. The day had been a long one to start with -the scribe up long before the sun working on the still-unfinished translation. Everything that had happened this evening, from the stress of searching for an escort to the attack and everything between and after, had only piled the exhaustion higher. He barely made it the few steps from door to bed, making sure he dropped his pack off with some semblance of care before collapsing upon the stiff mattress. Sleep found him almost instantly, a blessed mercy, one not even the brief worry that he might not wake up before dawn could stave off. Such concerns would be dealt with later, when the soft sigh of his breath no longer lulled him further down into heavy, dreamless sleep.

~-~-~-~

Luckily, such concerns didn't need to be dealt with, after all.

Years of early rising caused him to stir before the sun, groaning against what light found his eyes as he for a moment contemplated rejoining sleep and damning the consequences. But no, not today. He had a job to complete, a journey to start, and he well knew that God did not easily grant second chances. This was his time to grab or let pass, and there likely wouldn't be a second.

So with grumbling that he hoped couldn't be heard past the walls of his own room, Alexi stumbled out into the world of the awoken.

Sleep-clumsy hands found a pair of clothes that hadn't been slept in, and somehow managed to swap them on with something resembling competence. They were of the same theme as before; expensive fabrics undyed and undecorated, a heavy traveler's cloak completing the ensemble to combat the pre-dawn chill. His pack was still nearby, packed with the food and supplies he thought he needed, along with the documents he still had to complete. Alexi spared a moment to root out the gold coins Katherine would ask of him from the depths of his bags, otherwise keeping only copper and silver in the small pouch on his person.

It wouldn't do to advertise wealth, after all. One who lived on church grounds was encouraged to practice the appearance of frugality, and more pressingly, he who didn't make a show of his wealth was less likely to be robbed of it.

Not that it had stopped the attackers from the night before.

A cold thought that helped shake the dregs of sleep from his mind, but Alexi chose not to dwell on it now. He was awake, he was ready, but Dawn was rising, which meant he needed to be out and in the square, lest Katherine feel he made light of their arrangements.

So he moved quickly, shouldering the pack once more, and bolting behind him a room left with naught but a single pair of worn clothes, books, and what few supplies he felt he wouldn't need. More bare than usual, likely to be cleaned out before he returned, but it hardly mattered now. Now was when he started his journey, and so the Scribe stepped quickly out from behind the shielding hedgerows and into the square itself, Dawn just breaking behind the grand scene of the Cathedral as he scanned the area for his escort.