"Eh...Guys!" Ullar calls out from the top of the tree. "Ehm...could you please get me out of here? Pretty please? I doubt this tree is going to hold me much longer..."
Jacobus notices Ullar hanging from the tree and can't help but laughing at the sight of the big warrior. "Are you planning to stay up there all day ?" he calls up. He moves over to the others, unable to think of anything to aid Ullar.
It's at this point he notices Sam's still form. He is greatly saddened by the little halfling's death, even though he didn't know him very well. He moves over to Xania and Rhune. "Are you both alright ?" he asks them as he eyes up the two guards. "Are you going to contest our claim to these horses?" he asks both of them. "Personally, I think there's been bloodshed enough today, don't you?".
"Pretty much," repliesXania. "Better than some," she says, looking at Sam and shaking her head.
"I am fine. Thank you," Rhune replies wearily. Jacobus sees that she is close to exhaustion.
Jacobus goes over to the still form of Fyodorll and searches it thoroughly.
Ullar sighs, knowing that his own welfare is of a much lesser concern than the nearly fatal wounds of Asif and Marika. Therefore he ceases his attempts to draw attention and carefully, VERY carefully he tries to move down, looking for and trying out the branches first before he puts his weight upon them.
A couple of times branches snip under the warriors huge weight, but it seems as if Ullar is tremendously focused on getting down safely. But if he will succeed....?.
Looking up toward Ullar as he shouts, "Ullar wait, don't move we will try and get you down,." Rhune calls to the big man.
The big man shouts something back: "Take care of Asif and Marika first! I don't have a clue how you could help me get down, so I'll try it, very carefully, step by step on my own. But if you could get a blanket or something, and 6 people to hold the blanket, I could jump upon it!".
Xania smiles, "You'd just go through it with your luck." Ullar does not hear the joke, however, intent as he is upon falling to the ground.
Ullar's bad luck continues, as a previously safe-appearing branch breaks cleanly off when Ullar puts all his considerable weight on it. He grasps for a higher branch, but cannot hold on and falls nearly twenty feet to the ground, landing on his back with a resounding thud. You all fear the worst when you hear him groan with pain, but sigh with relief as he climbs up to his feet slowly. His body aches, but still works, fortunately for him.
Xania moves toward him only to halt when she sees he's ok. She then turns back to the two guards, as if she is totally unconcerned with Ullar's fate.
The warrior groans, and pretends he hasn't seen Xania getting closer. "My back hurts...." he says, while making some kind of funny kick towards the tree as to express his anger to it.
Very slowly the ex-gladiator arises, still moaning. He checks if he still has everything (two arms, two legs and a empty head) and walks, slowly, towards the rest of the group, cautiously stretching his back, looking at Marika, Asif and…Xania.
Jacobus sheathes his longsword and looks at Ullar, "Very graceful landing my friend, you never climbed trees when you were a boy?".
The warrior replies with yet another groan.
"Trees don't like me, I know that for a fact now!" and he rises his fist to do some cursing towards the tree he just fell out of.
Xania keeps a watch out of the corner of her eye, to make sure the other warrior is not seriously harmed.
Rhune smiles at Jacobus' comments. Turning to Ullar, "Are you all right?" she asks him as she sees him get up she sighs. She is glad that he didn't hurt himself more.
"I guess so," the warrior replies, rubbing his painful back. "Seems you have gotten us two new friends?".
Then, whispering so that only Rhune can hear it. "I hope they are not working for any church authorities, otherwise we might be in trouble."
"I don't think so. But we can find out later. Sort of work it into the conversation and see," she replies also in a low whisper.
With a look which should conceal his suspicion, Ullar looks at the two bodyguards, unknown what to think of them yet. He tries to determine what to do and what to say to them, but Xania is talking and the warrior can do nothing but keep silent and stare...at her. However, as soon as someone looks at his direction, his eyes focus on the ground and his head twists and turns a little.
As Rhune and Xania speak with the two men, Jacobus unceremoniously searches Fyodorll, who fumes angrily but sees her situation is hopeless without the two bodyguards assistance. Gradually Ullar comes over and keeps track of the men and Fyodorll while Rhune and Jacobus begin to search the bodies.
Fyodorll has chain mail under her blue robe, along with her long sword, long bow, and quiver of two dozen arrows. None appears to be magical. She has a beautifully engraved gold ring on her finger and about two score pieces of platinum in her belt pouch. She also carries a scroll tube in that same belt pouch. None of this (particularly the armor and the ring) does she part with easily.
Leslie looks uneasily at the two stripping Fyodorll of her possessions. When the contents of the pouch are revealed, he speaks up. "Some of that money belongs to Forte and me, payment for services rendered." He chuckles slightly. "I doubt miss Fyodorll here is in position to object to me resigning from her services, and getting my due... Not that she's likely to keep me on after this." He shrugs, and collects his wages.
Rhune looks up at him and smiles, "We will see about that. Would hate for you and your friend not to get paid for doing your jobs." She is visibly relieved that they don't have to fight the big guys.
"If you join with us, you get an even division of everything," adds Xania.
"That's the best deal I've heard in a long time," says Forte. "What exactly would we be joining you to do?" he asks.
Rhune laughs, "THAT is a long story and one best told over a fire and some food. But first help us with our companions. We need to know if we are staying here for the night or going to try for Taras' village? I don't think Marika or Asif should be moved but I am worried about the village," she says returning to a more serious topic of conversation.
"If we return to the village, we'll have to carry the injured somehow...Maybe a litter pulled by the tamed horses?" Forte suggests. "It's too bad those wagons are in such bad shape. How far away is this village?".
Rhune looks thoughtfully, "I am not sure. It isn't far I don't think, Taras would know better," she answers in a thoughtful voice.
"Right now, we need to get these horses back to their rightful owners." Xania laughs suddenly. "Not that I really speak for the rest of us, but that seems like the best way to handle things. We could definitely use more help in a fight."
Are you *expecting* to get into more fights?" Forte asks. "I guess I should put all this training and muscle to some use..."
"Well, being a mage I prefer to get in no fights at all. But it seems to just happen somehow. Maybe we're just a bunch of hotheads." Her dark eyes flash with amusement.
Rhune glances at the book, but it is gibberish to her. The words seem to move about the page and make no sense at all. The four men in the corral wear black leather armor and carry short swords. They appear to have nothing else of value on their persons.
Rhune absent mindedly puts the gold ring from the woman on. She eyes the chain mail wondering it if is elven chain mail. She is not sure if any of the others could use it,, but she could. She will have to ask either Xania or Marika if they can detect and identify the items. As for the rest she puts in a pile for the others to look over.
Jacobus, meanwhile, under the spiritual guidance of some watchful angel, decides to tear apart the contents of the two wagons they are not taking. He does so with an alert eye to valuables. Fyodorll's wagon is nicely furnished with cloth, a fine bed (quite worn) and various nice outfits that any of the ladies could wear if they were of a mind. Other than that, there are several ledgers written in elvish that Jacobus has no time to peruse, but tosses in the back of the wagon. Rifling through the other left wagon and the one that they are taking, Jacobus manages to dig up the goods of the four men. They had some nondescript clothing, plain bedrolls, quite a bit of trash, empty bottles, and 6 platinum, 108 gold, 1584 silver (of which 288 are small English shillings), 8400 copper, and one golden die cube with engraved spots. The coins were scattered in footlockers, in pockets of clothing, and laying about. The more valuable coins were in small purses, though the die was merely sitting on an upturned box in the middle of the abandoned wagon.
After Marika, Asif and Sam are placed in the wagon, Rhune sees that everything else is placed in the wagon: This includes all the armor and weapons taken from the others. If no one in the party can use them then the village will have extra armor and weapons to use. She very gently sits down next to Asif and places his head on her lap. She uses his robe and her cloak to keep him warm. She puts any other cloaks over Marika to keep her warm as well.
Marika's eyelids flutter for the first time since she fell, and then her eyes open fully. She stares blankly at the blurred face that she sees hovering over her, until at last a hint of recognition appears in her eyes.
"Is Sam...?" Her lips form the words soundlessly, and she seems to understand the answer, as a tear forms in one eye and rolls down her cheek before she drifts once more into unconsciousness.
Rhune then looks around, trying to figure out what time it is and how they can possibly alert Taras' family that they are relatively safe. If they have to stay here for the night at least they will have some cover. She binds and gags the woman. After looking at the book, "Xania, Marika. I can't read this. The writing seems to crawl across the page like little ants to me. Maybe one of you can read it?"
Xania says, "Later. If it's wizardry, I'd have to cast a spell to read it, and I don't have any more memorized today."
Rhune informs them once they have the woman secure, "Xania, you use daggers more than I do. I found this one when we were ambushed on the river. I know that it is magical and that seems to hit what I aim for," she hands the magical dagger over to the woman.
Xania looks at Rhune, quite startled, "Thank you," she says softly, taking the dagger. "I will try to put it to good use."
Rhune smiles, "Perhaps you can put it in the shoulder blades of the bishop for me," she says to the young woman.
"I don't know him, but I'd be happy to oblige. People should be free to worship who they choose. Or not to worship at all if they so choose," Xania replies, all trace of humor gone from her voice. She eyes Leslie and Forte to see what they think of this statement.
"Or to serve whom they choose. Or not to serve at all," says Forte grimly, still angry at his father's attempts to force him into the life of a small village clergyman.
"Then we are in agreement," Xania nods.
Rhune nods and smiles, "Looks that way. We can talk more about it later. Right now we need to figure out what we are going to do about Marika, Asif and the horses and Taras' village," she replies as she heads towards Asif. She is worried about the young man. She rather likes him and his curious ways. She is also worried about Marika. She has grown to like all her companions. As she walks she stops by Sam's body and looks down at the little man. Kneeling down she lays her hand on his chest. Tears begin to flow again. Looking up and around to her companions, "We need to bury him," she says in a voice filled with sadness.
Jacobus moves over to where Rhune is kneeling by the body of Sam, he places a reassuring hand on her shoulder as he watches the tears roll down her cheeks. "He's gone to a much better place," was all he could simply say.
She looks up at him, "Yes, I suppose so. He could be annoying at times but he is....was a very nice person. We need to bury him now," she replies to him as she dries her eyes on the hem of her cloak.
Forte asks Rhune, "Do you want to bury him around here?"
Xania says softly, laying a light hand on Rhune's arm, "Don't you think we might want to take him back to Taras' farm and bury him there? It seems a safer place than this and a happier place for him to rest also."
"Yes that probably would be a better place for him, I think. Thank you Xania," she replies. Looking toward the big man, "Thank you Forte, for wanting to help."
Xania nods, "I didn't really get to know him at all." She shakes her head at the small dead form.
The ex-gladiator, gazing at Xania, just nods, not finding the right words to comfort anyone.
He then moves over to Asif and Marika, just checking on them. If necessary, he binds their wounds to the best of his ability and then calls over to Forte.
"Hey…big guy two, could you give me a hand here. I heard you suggest to make something to carry the wounded back, but I've forgotten what it was. Can you help us out with it?"
"It's called a litter," Forte explains. "Just two branches or poles, with some cloth stretched between them. Or a blanket. We can tie the injured to the litter so they don't fall off. Then we can tie the litter to a harness, and a horse can pull it. Of course, it may be a bumpy ride." He looks thoughtful for a few seconds, then suggests, "Maybe we could tie the other end of the litter to a second horse. It might not be as bumpy that way."
"Either way, it will slow us down considerably."
"Could we tie it between two horses?" Xania asks.
"I don't see why not...unless we have to travel a narrow path in the woods, or cross a narrow bridge. It'll be easier to keep an eye on the patient, too."
"Does anyone have a blanket we can use? We'll need two of them. Plus some rope to tie everything together."
"Should I make one for your little friend as well?" he asks, looking at Sam's body.
Xania shakes her head. "Sorry, I don't even own a blanket." She smiles ruefully.
Forte looks around for something to build the litters with - perhaps some planks from the decrepit wagons - assuming someone else will take care of Fyodorll. He tries to just rip a "side" off the wagon, and use it without a blanket.
Rhune helps Forte look for things to make the litter. She uses any cloaks that she finds or blankets from the guards' packs. Once they have this all set she looks over at the woman, "What are we going to do with her? I hate to say it but I don't really trust her. She has proven to be murderous, treacherous," she looks around clearly at a loss as to what to do with the woman.
"I will kill her, if you like," Xania asks, drawing the new dagger Rhune gifted her with.
Rhune looks over, "I don't like, but it may be the only thing we can do." Then lowering her voice so that the woman can't hear her, "She has contacts with the church and the bishop. She could tell them were we are," she looks at the woman sadly. She is saddened that another elf has to die, but can't see any other alternative at the moment.
Fyodorll begins to shake her head violently when the talk turns to killing her, but she can no more break free of Forte's grip than she could retain his loyalty.
Xania, not unneedfully cruel, doesn't leave the woman long to worry about her fate. She simply walks over, takes off her cloak so as not to sully it, and slits her throat. She makes it as quick and painless as she can and tries to avoid the majority of the blood. She cleans the dagger on the woman's clothing. Once done she walks off to look at the horses, a very cold expression on her face.
She remembers belatedly to retrieve her cloak. She comes back for it without speaking or looking much at anyone.
As the others are deciding how to make the litter, Taras yells out from the opposite side of the clearing, "Wait! One of these wagons just might roll after all, if some of you fellows will give me a hand!".
When Leslie and Ullar come over (Forte is occupied with disposing of Fyodorll), Taras points out that the rear wagon has two functional wheels, and the others have one apiece, so with some switching around, it appears possible to get this wagon (rather the most decrepit one of the lot, really) moving, though not quickly.
Some hours later, Taras has managed to coordinate the jury-rigging of the wagon so that it will serve as a transport for the injured. Asif and Marika are put inside along with Sam, while Rhune accompanies them. There is just enough room to stuff the items taken from Fyodorll and her men.
Taras then manages to hitch the herd of white horses to the wagon with a complicated series of knots, somehow keeping them all under control from his mounted position in front. With so many drawing the wagon, they do not have to strain, though progress is slow. Taras also reclaims those borrowed horses that you all rode in on, "You may take the horses of that thief for your own. They are yours, rightfully, now."
"Taras, since I am riding in the wagon, you can hitch my horse to the wagon. The more we have pulling it the better I think." Rhune tells him.
Taras chuckles a bit "I think that thirty horses is quite sufficient to pull one wagon already, but one more cannot hurt." He steps down briefly and ties all the horses that the group will not be using onto the web of harnesses already there.
Xania checks the horses well and picks out the best of the lot, one that Forte or Leslie can tell her used to belong to Fyodorll. It is a fine animal, about equal to the magnificent but somewhat untamed white horses, and lacking their injuries. It appears Fyodorll took very good care of the horse, as it is quite fit and very healthy.
Forte tells the party that the warhorses were promised to him and Leslie by the now-deceased Fyodorll. Forte follows Xenia's lead, washing off any blood spilled on him during Fyodorll's death.
Wordlessly, Leslie saddles up the other warhorse, nodding when Forte claims them as wages.
Even though she is exhausted she still running on adrenaline at the moment, Rhune does what she can to make Marika and Asif comfortable. She stays with Asif for awhile. In fact when he comes to he will find his head in her lap. It is about then that she does give in to the exhaustion.
Several times during the long ride back to Sukiskayn, Marika's eyes open briefly, but she only gazes up from her litter into the sky, dazed and bewildered, with no sign of recognizing anyone. Once, she starts as if frightened and struggles weakly to sit up. She manages only to reopen the vicious wound that Fyodorll inflicted in her neck. Dark blood oozes through her bandages as she falls back in exhaustion and returns to a fevered sleep.