The Offer

After a long sleepless night and now some hours of hard work, the party and Petr's family is exhausted, physically and mentally, but things are not over yet. Taras, who has been working as hard as any even with his useless arm, can be heard to be speaking with his father in loud terms, but in an unknown human language. It is quite different than the Latin tongues most of you are familiar with, and yet has no resemblance to Asif's native language either. After this goes on for some time, Petr gathers all of you together. Just as he is about to speak, Kuzma interrupts him, "I think I have some good news for you," she says with a huge grin on her wrinkled face.

She points toward the kitchen, where Ullar has risen to his feet. His injury is bandaged, but it was not a severe injury in any regard. Kuzma cackles with delight, "Let none say my goddess is not a strong one!" At that Petr throws his mother a severe glance, to which she responds by waving her hand dismissively. "These are not followers of the Church, my son! That is clear, thickhead! You have become paranoid." Petr's look does not fade, though he looks away from his mother's scolding.

The warrior stumbles forward, gazing at his legs and Kuzma. "How.. How... how did you do that? This is amazing! I can walk again!" A huge smile appears on Ullar's face, all forgetting about the misery he was in last night.

Marika has just rejoined the others, having renewed her magic as best she could manage, and hoping to consult with Kuzma in order to coordinate their healing efforts. She cries out in amazed delight to see Ullar on his feet, and rushes to embrace first the warrior, then Kuzma. "Your goddess is indeed mighty," she tells the old woman. "You've probably got me in trouble with MY goddess; she'll want how soon I can learn to match your skill." She shoots a grin at Petr, hoping he's convinced now that he's among fellow pagans.

Kuzma smiles, "That lady you hold up on high would more wonder how to best my lady's husband. She is a war goddes, no?"

Ullar hugs Marika a little harder than she might expected, the warrior if filled with joy! "I can walk again, I can walk again!" he calls out, while dancing around with Marika in his arms. Then.. realizing the beauty he has in his arms.. he gently puts her down.

"Sor..Sorry Marika.." the warrior stutters... "it's just that I'm overcome with joy and I didn't think of what I was doing!" A blush returns on his face, another sign that the warrior is back to normal.

"That's all right, Ullar," smiles Marika, recovering the breath that was knocked out of her by Ullar's enthusiastic embrace. "I didn't really need all my ribs anyway."

"Just kidding," she adds quickly, not wanting to embarrass him further. "Hang on a moment..." She sorts quickly through her satchel, which she has taken back from the storage room, and brings out the familiar circular piece of cured leather, engraved with runes and holy symbols. "Aes armatus din saggezza mag praesidium," she chants, passing her right hand over the leather while her fingers dance through an intricate series of gestures. "Tollerza khan."

She presses the leather against Ullar's chest. The luminous glow which briefly envelops his body is barely visible in the bright daylight, but he can feel the protective barrier which was dispelled in the attack on Kalanos' ship fall back into place.

Once Ullar can walk, Xania avoids him utterly. She spends her time studying and talking with Marika and the others, but keeps well away from Ullar.

Petr resumes "It is good that you have regained your comrade. His strength will be needed." He looks out toward the stable. "I did not wish to ask you this, but my son has insisted and I understand his thinking. Those snake goblins you saw that killed my clan members, stole horses from us. Very valuable, white riding horses. We have spent the last six months training them to take riders, taming them and teaching them the love of a good mount. Now they are lost to us. I fear that without them, our resources are not enough to rebuild our home, and we shall be vulnerable the next time the goblins come. We were fortunate this time that fate dealt you to us, but I do not wish to trust fate again with the lives of my family. Bluntly put, we need those horses back to rebuild. Now I certainly understand if you wish to leave our home immediately, as we have been poor hosts at best, but several of you have wounds that only someone of my mother's gifts can heal, and that will take time. You are more than welcome to rest here during that time and heal your injuries. You will eat and sleep well here, I assure you. However..." At this he swallows hard before continuing, "We really need those horses back." He falls silent.

Taras steps forward, waving his one good arm about for emphasis, "There were forty horses. They cannot hide tracks of so many. Goblins are notoriously poor at such things in any case. Also, they cannot easily sell them, as the market for such horses is predominately a human one. I fear that they have stolen these wonderful creatures to eat them!" He states that with extreme emphasis, "We cannot allow that. Months of hard work lost, and such fine animals goblin-food!" He shakes his head angrily, "No, we cannot allow this!" He looks pleadingly at Marika, "I cannot retrieve them alone, but with your help, I can. The goblins cannot ride the horses, and there are enough steeds in the stable for the entirety of your group. We can catch them before sunset, and they are a cowardly mob. They will surely cower from a fight in the light of day! Please, help me!" His case concluded, Taras steps back to hear Marika's response.

In Marika's opinion, Taras is too badly injured to even think about riding down a band of horse thieves, but she knows better than to try to talk the strong-willed youth into staying. Still, her face betrays her doubts as she thinks of the terrible injuries that have already decimated her friends and Petr's clan. Rhune and Xania, though, both seem ready and willing to go, and it truly would be a shame if Petr's family lost a half year's labor on top of everything else that has befallen them...

Petr briefly intercedes, "You are not required to do this, of course, as we are deeply in your debt already. Whatever Stephan paid you, you have already earned. If you wish to depart, there will be no hard feelings. However, if you do choose to stay and help, I will offer you twenty gold sovereigns apiece for your services. This is the reserve of my clan, but if we can recover the horses, we can earn enough to more than compensate that and repair our losses." He halts awkwardly, his head down.

"I'm with you if you want me," Marika tells them. "But I was a city kid; I know as much about horses as I do about dragons. I'm afraid I might slow you down."

Xania clears her throat awkwardly.

"I'm not one to do something for no reason, and this seems like a pretty dangerous job. But, I have an eye for horses--always have. Could we perhaps come to some other arrangement, maybe a cull from your herd or a chance at purchasing one of your fine horses at a later date, when I can afford one? Hate to see good horseflesh in the hands of goblins," she mutters.

Rhune looks at the others, though she is very tired and would like to get some sleep, "I will offer my help as well. A horse would be nice, but the money is fine by me." she replies turning to look at Petr. Then she looks down at her tattered leathers and clothes, "hmmmm... anyone have a leather tunic I could use though?" she asks as a slow blush rises in her cheeks.

Asif gasping for breath after his frenzied activity upon the battlements, looks down upon the courtyard with obvious interest in the slim form of Rhune, and returns her smile, but then obviously embarressed drops his eyes. To the heavens he shouts.

"Aten is great! Aten is great! Praise be to his greatness!" Asif then leaps the stairs in a couple of bounds and reaches the courtyard, and crosses over to Rhune. "Aten be praised that you well! Efendi great are you to me. Come clothes give I to you."

Asif ushers you forward into the main hall of the manorhouse to where he has his meagre possessions. He removes a black cloak from his tied bundled blanket of goods and puts it around her shoulders. "You take, keep warm you this day. Happiness you give by acceptance" He touches his heart and bows his head.

She smiles at the young man. She pulls the black cloak farther around her shoulders, "Thank you Asif. I appreciate it very much." she mimics the young man's movements, bowing and touching her heart. "How do you say thank you in your language?" she asks him as she reaches out to touch his arm lightly.

Asif smiles with the acceptance of his gift. He then replies to her question.

"In the tongue of my people, we would say Kattar kheirak. Now we must go see how others fair this day. I try help. Well am I. No hurt do I bear, from greenskins. Others not so kindly blessed by fate this day. Help we must!"

Rhune smiles and says, "Kattar kheirak, Asif. And yes we must help the others as best we can," she agrees and follows the young man to where the others are.

Sam twists and turns in his feverish sleep. "Why cannot I find a place where there are just enough cheeses to keep me.... oh please do not touch my money belt little man... ahaha.... no... I was.. uh.. yeah.. thats it... " Sam's blabber goes on and on for at least ten minutes and soon it becomes very confusing to all of you (as it makes no sense whatsoever).

While the others are discussing things with Taras, Ullar tries to gain eye-contact with Xania. However, it's clear that she is avoiding him and the warrior falls silent again, hesitating whether to approach the Magi or wait until she speaks to him again.

Then his head comes up again, bright blue eyes smiling if they could and the ex-gladiator walks over to Kuzma. "Lady.. I owe you big time. If you want me to get those horses.. I'll do it. I can even ride the beauties and I will try to get as much of your horses back as I can."

Then, facing the rest of the party. "Ok, I know we still have wounded among us and I know it was a real hard battle last night," a shudder running done his spine while remembering the, luckily for him temporal, paralisation of his legs, "but I owe Kuzma a great deal for returning my mobility. Therefor, I will go for the horses as soon as possible. It seems that Rhune, Xania and Marika are already with me, but who of the men are coming as well?" Ullar adds, feeling a tiny little uncomfortable with three ladies around him.

Concentrating a little in thought Rhune speaks, "We have me, Xania, Marika and Taras going already. With Ullar that will make five. Perhaps we should go just with that number. We do not want to leave the settlement undefended for any length of time. If we can sneak up on them, perhaps we can get the horses witout too much bloodshed. Unless anyone else has a better plan?" she asks looking around at the others as she adjusts her black cloak a little.

"Ehm.." Ullar interjects.. "As far as I know we don't have a clue how many of those pesty little green bastards are left. So.. sneaking up is ok but I rather have a large taskforce ready in case things get out of hand"

Rhune replies "Yes there is that, isn't there. I suppose having a large group would be better. And perhaps while one group distracts the goblins the other could free the horses. Then we could all fall back and return here," she replies.

The group is distracted for a moment as Jacobus wakes up, still groggy from the axe blow, "I have one hell of a headache!!" he says weakly. He sits up rubbing his back and his head. He looks around trying to fathom what happened. "You want us to go recover some horses ??" he raises his hands "Whatever!! Since leaving the mines, my life has taken some bizarre twists and turns, I seem to be blowing in the winds of fate."

He manages to grin "Perhaps I should of just joined the church of the converted?" he chuckles to himself "but then I wouldn't be able to annoy anyone, especially the Bishop, now that would of been a shame."

Jacobus looks around the group "Sorry, I do tend to speak to my self occasionally." Jacobus tries to regain his feet, hoping someone will aid him as he tries to find somewhere comfortable to recover, namely the table he was lying on before.

Rhune looks around at Jacobus and smiles, "Here let me help you," she says crossing over to help to the table to lay down on.

Jacobus smiles at her "Thank you Rhune, it's most kind of you!!" Jacobus lies down slowly and hopes it's going to help his aching head. "I feel like I've been pummelled by a mace, I was never one to enjoy fighting, I prefer more subtle arts than outright warfare. I have often gazed at the soldiers in the city, I wondered if they knew that all their years of training may come for naught if the first arrow of a battle slays them. What a waste of their lives."

As she helps him down on the table, the black cloak that Asif gave her is pushed aside to reveal her rather racy outfit. Unable to help Jacobus and adjust the cloak any, Rhune blushes a little as most of her salient features come into view. "Yes a well placed arrow is the bane of any who seek war as a way of life, just as it is the bane of those who seek adventure as well." Once he is down on the table and resting, she returns to the others.

Jacobus grins despite his headache, "Very nice Rhune," he says "I am beginning to feel much better already, the fogginess is beginning to clear." He smiles friendily at her. "Now that is better than any healing that the so called Gods can provide."

She smiles and lays her hand lightly on his shoulder, "That is good. Perhaps in a little while you will feel much better," she says as she turns to leave.

Jacobus smiles, "I truly hope so for then I shall endeavour to appreciate your stunning form with more passion, compliments that shall only be surpassed by the words I speak regarding your visage." Jacobus smiles and bows his head to her "Mil'lady."

Rhune blushes to the roots of her ears, "We shall see, Jacobus. But somehow I think that you are feeling much better now." And with that she quickly takes her leave adjusting the cloak in the process.

Marika listens thoughtfully to the exchange. "If we send a smaller force, it should consist of our best riders, warriors, and woodsmen. I'm afraid I leave a lot to be desired on all three of those counts, and all the magic I've prepared this morning is for healing and defense. But if we want every able-bodied person to go, I'll try to learn how to ride on the way..."

She glances toward Petr and Taras. "What do you two think? You have a better idea than we do of how many snake-clan attackers there were, and of how badly goblins despise fighting by daylight. How many of us do you think it will take to recover your horses?"

Taras responds with a thoughtful look, "There appeared to be perhaps forty of the attackers, but it was difficult to tell. There seemed to be hundreds of attackers when the siege started, and only a dozen came from the south side, but there were many fires and lots of noise from there. Then when the group stole the horses, that noise went away. Yes...I would guess perhaps forty, as many as of the Red tribe. With so many, obviously we will need the strength of every man standing...I mean every person standing," he says with an anxious look at the group in front of him, predominately women. "I think if we charge into them and wreak havoc, they will run like the cowards they are and we'll get the horses back for nothing, but if you desire to use a more sneaky tactic, we can do that." His tone clearly indicates his preference, but he waits for Marika and the others to respond.

Petr briefly interjects, "Have no fear about defending the home during the day. I think the goblins will not be back until night. However, do not travel far, as they may return as soon as the sun goes down. I do not think the goblins could have gotten far." Turning to Marika, "As for your fears of not being a rider, our horses are obedient and friendly, and I think you would find the experience not unpleasant, though you may be sore afterward." He chuckles a bit.

Looking at Xania and Rhune, "I half expected the elf to desire one of the horses, but I understand it from a woman of your beauty as well." At this a distinct frown from Darya, and Petr stumbles on, "In any case, perhaps we could part with one of the horses, but that would have to be in payment for the entire group, as these animals are quite valuable. If you wish to purchase on, arrangements can certainly be made for that. I am certain that with the various coins that your elvish companion retrieved from the goblin corpses could make up the payment for a second horse. And if we manage to retrieve and sell the horses, as your share of the profits perhaps one or two more might be made available." He seems mightily to be struggling between businessman and thankful father. "In fact, if the prices are good enough, it may even be possible to offer each of you one and still manage enough to keep us healthy for the winter."

Rhune had packed everything that she had gotten from the goblins and put them in a pouch. She leaves this with Matteo for the time being. Looking around at the others, "If we are going then we had best be at it. I do not want to be out in the woods with 100 goblins roaming around at night. Like I said perphaps a combined attack might work better. If most of you could make the charge, I could either use my bow or sneak to where the horses are being kept and try and free them. I will abide by whatever tactics the group wishes. However we should find the group before we commit to a plan........just in case," she replies to Taras and Petr.

Ullar just nods, still astonished about the return of feeling in his legs. Again he expresses his gratitude to Kizmu.

"We are tired, but so are they I guess. We better head off A S A P," the warrior adds to Rhune's words.

Marika nods in agreement as Rhune speaks. "We're all so damned tired and beat up right now that our bark is worse than our bite. Our best chance might be to come thundering in, yelling like banshees, Xania tossing off light shows, and scare off the goblins without a fight. If Rhune and a few other archers could sneak ahead and flank them from the woods, they'll have no way to guess our true number. With luck, the daylight will dazzle their eyes badly enough that they won't notice if a few of the horses in our main group are riderless. But we shouldn't get too attached to any plan before we see what we're up against."

"I've always wanted to be a banshee." laughs Xania.

As the others plan the expedition and prepare the horses, Marika confers with Kuzma about the wounded. If the older woman thinks it will improve their chances of recovery, she uses her healing magic to help stabilize Urak or Sam. Otherwise, she concentrates on helping the rest of her battered comrades get in shape to travel.