Fundamental Change

Fundamental Change

Postby Kestrel » Fri Jan 10, 2014 5:57 pm

There was something happening at the tavern. It drew many a curious stare and subsequent idle hands.

The grounds were a bustle with a small company of seasoned men and well-bred horses. They were clearly weary from their travels, having just arrived. They appeared well-kept in protective armor that gleamed in the winter sun and their coin pouches were heavy at their belts. Their weapons were safely sheathed so as to not appear quite so dangerous. The shrewd manner their eyes swept over the snow-covered property belayed that assumption and assured that their mettle had been tested in combat. There was a crest upon them, each and every man present, the winged form of a delicate bird emblazoned on chest, pauldron, weapon, or buckle. Their varied features revealed their likely mercenary origins, but they had traveled together. They fought together and it showed in every movement.

A dwarf, bearded, with leathered skin and roughened features eased from his mount and muttered under his breath about the cold. He stomped his boots and handed the reigns to a man patiently waiting nearby to lead towards the stables. The other men showed him deference, despite his stature, and he marched towards the tavern door with purpose, straightening the heavy gear he wore as he went. Two muscled fellows trailed at his back to stand at either side of the door. His steps were heavy upon the wooden porch and he shouldered inside, his beady black eyes ghosting over those gathered. Idle hands likely found themselves busy again and he snorted, finding no obvious danger here. He made his way towards the man tending the bar and ordered a stiff drink, peering closely at the other man. "Three of your best rooms, for an extended period if possible." Despite his grizzled appearance, his vocabulary marked him as a educated, but foreign. The drink was thrown back and the price was haggled. Once the deal was struck, he turned and lumbered outside again, his age showing in every stride he took. Bad knee. The right one.

He paused just outside and lifted a hand to wave to a figure down the path. The slim figure sat astride a massive warhorse that danced sideways and mouthed against its bit in anticipation. At the wave, the form moved closer. The draft horse was quite tall, its great feet feathered with longer fur. There was a blanket of white splashed on its croup mottled with black. A well-muscled, stocky fellow reached out to catch hold of her waist to ease her to the ground and the top of her head barely reached his shoulder. The well-oiled leather of her attire gleamed, tightly fitting. There was decorate stitching upon her chest - two crimson wings. An expensive sword sat upon her hip, though it hardly appeared decorative.

She brushed at the front of herself to rid her of the dust traveling upon the road accumulated and adjusted the gloves upon her hands. The same delicate bird was upon her shoulder, a pauldron much more intricate than her men's adornments. Another sterling bird-wing shone at her temple. Her hair matched the red of her belt, cut short and combed back on the right of her head and falling to under her breast on the other. The wealth and prestige she held were written quite clearly in every movement she made, in every care she took. This was their leader. Casting a brief grateful smile at the man who had assisted her, she moved forward towards the tavern awaiting her.

The grizzled dwarf lingering expectantly at the door nodded with respect to the slight woman and shifted to allow her entrance. She passed within and allowed her glacial colored gaze to drift over each and every patron and worker. Each of them received acknowledgement and a warm smile that brightened her countenance considerably. She almost appeared shy in that moment, with every eye focused upon her. The dwarf at her back cleared his throat and pressed a key to the best room into her palm, nodding towards the stairs. She turned her head in that direction, revealing the three scarred gashes that cut across the right side of her face that almost seemed to shine in the dim light. Silver-blue in color. Another smattering near the bridge of her nose like freckles. Battle scars.

She leaned back, behind her, to murmur to him. With that, the woman vanished up the stairs.

He watched her go affectionately before clearing his throat and lifting his voice. "The Lady Egris Verreaux wishes to extend her modest thanks for your gracious allowance of rooms." He seemed genuine enough in his words. "Any food or drink you may consume this night will be paid by her shillings. She suggests that you work to clear the kitchen of its food, for there will be more supplies arriving on the morrow." He nodded towards the kitchen staff peering out at him, his voice boisterous enough to draw attention. With that, he disappeared upstairs with another three of her most capable looking soldiers. The men upon the lawn painstakingly cared for the horses before they climbed astride their own to find other inns, other taverns within the city walls.

The morning would bring hope. The stores of the tavern would be full nearly to bursting, as was her relayed promise.
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Re: Fundamental Change

Postby channe » Sat Jan 11, 2014 2:28 am

It didn't take very long for Agnieszka to be told what was happening; the next morning, her first task is to saddle one of the horses stabled behind the Meetinghouse and head out to the abovesaid tavern dressed in her best Myrken colors: the green tabard with the golden tree, Militia leather armor, her own crystal sword, gloves, a homemade winter scarf around her neck. A rich woman coming to town and using her shillings to rent out an entire tavern wasn't news; a rich woman doing the very same thing and bringing unwanted relief supplies was another. While the supplies would be welcome, she thinks, she needs to make sure that this was true help and not another vicious opportunist -- like what Catch was doing, like what Gloria was supporting. And they were still days off from being able to pull off the redistribution --

-- so Agnieszka, being in her heart a woman completely suspicious of every human motive, does not arrive at the tavern with an official retinue. She stables her horse, noticing the livery of the visiting animals and failing to connect it to any realm of which she knows. She'll then wander into the tavern and order breakfast with a hot mug of refillable black tea, and wait for something to happen.
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Re: Fundamental Change

Postby Kestrel » Sun Jan 12, 2014 4:02 am

There was a man in the tavern when she arrived. He was seated towards the back with a meager spread of breakfast before him. He had shed his heavy armor, but there was an ornate ring upon his hand with his Lady's seal. His gaze flickered up at Agnieszka as she slipped inside the tavern, but soon went back to his breakfast. He ate as if he were ravenous, though perhaps it was better fare than he was used to, on the road. Another lumbered downstairs, his heavy steps making the stairs whine in protest. He joined the man at the table and snatched a small piece of bread from his plate. The first made a noise of protest and attempted to snatch it back from his fellow, who laughed and popped the scrap of crust into his mouth. The first rose to his feet, his chair scraping against the wooden floor. The two tussled together, laughing, for a moment, bumping into the table and spilling the drink there.

A voice cleared and the change was immediate. They stood tall, chins high and arms behind their backs. At attention. Rigid. Military. The stalwart dwarf stood at the top of the stairs, his disapproving stare cast down at the two. "Don't you two have somewhere t'be?," he growled, his voice gritty as rocks grinding together. The two men grabbed at the food upon the plate, shoving the fare into their pockets. They worked together to straighten the table and chairs before scrambling to get out of the door. The dwarf's sour expression shifted and he allowed amusement to flicker over his face before he cast a glance towards the councilwoman. He gave a short nod before whirling to move back to his room.

Everything went quiet again.
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