Stumptown

Posted on 12 Nov 2020 @ 7:48am by Mage Kalian Winter & Warrior Martin Josceran & Rogue Cainan Sauvage & Rogue Elinowy Ursulas

1,765 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Lore's Labour's Lost
Location: Guard Station
Timeline: Cloudreach 16th, morning
Tags: Kalian, Elinowy, Cainan

OOC: after "The Best Beans come from Antiva" and "Rising with the sun"

Kalian, walking just ahead of his two new friends, arrived at the Guardhouse and opened the front door just as three guards – two men and a woman - were leaving. He stepped back, held the door open for them, and bowed his head deferentially. Though Martin was a reasonable and fair-minded man, it was usually best to keep a low profile around guardsmen. Kalian's two companions, however, would stand out anywhere.

The flowing scarlet robe billowing out as she approached the Guardhouse, Elinowy indeed made quite the impression. The Guards in practiced reverence moved back a step as she approached. She lightly nodded to each as she passed, reining in her robes by placing her arms firmly against her sides. She certainly stood out to the eye, her tall stature, becoming face and the fierce red of her robe and hair could easily take attention away from her other two companions.

The guards had been about to walk past the small group without further ado, until their leader noticed that the Chantry sister appeared to be headed to the station. He stopped, eyes pausing on her face as he registered the fact that he did not know her, then down to take another look at her scarlet garb, then up again.

"Sister, I see you're headed to the station - is there anything we can do to assist you ?" Enguerrand asked, polite but a bit distant, somewhat put off by the fact the Sister was clearly a foreigner to Jader. Although he only rarely patrolled the Chantry area, he did go to the Sunday Chant every week, and he'd have noticed such a... striking figure.

Elinowy paused by Enguerrand, "I have an appointment with a Guardsman by the name of Josceran. I am to provide testimony to an altercation at a Tavern last evening. I would also like to inquire of the fate of the suspect. I believe he is a man who might embrace redemption." she stated, giving the man the look of one waiting on a bellhop to port their luggage.

Kalian gripped the door tightly, still holding it open. There were guards like Martin, sincerely dedicated to helping people and upholding the peace as best they could. And then there were other city guards… overly enamored of their own importance.

"I... see," Enguerrand said, his tone suggesting that he really didn't. He shared a glance with his two companions then shrugged. Clearly this was Martin's mess to deal with, and he was happy to have as little to do with it as possible. "Martin did mention having to see witnesses. We'll leave you to it then. Thank you for doing your civic duty, sister. And you as well... huh... do I know you ?"

His sharp gaze stopped on Cainan's face, then Kalian's, struggling with dim remembrance.

Kalian bowed, trying to project the persona of an ordinary concerned citizen, and definitely not an apostate mage. "If you've ever been to the Raven's Roost tavern, you may have seen me working there, ser."

Josceline, a new and eager recruit, rested her hand on the hilt of her sword and huffed, impatient to get to the docks and investigate the rumor about smugglers. But she and Géraut had to wait for the more senior guard Enguerrand, who still hesitated, his gaze lingering on the handsome gentleman.

Cainan kept his Wicked Grace Face in check, but took in the demeanour of his new acquaintance with interest. The guard, who Cainan had met several times under the influence of many drinks, did not seem to register their acquaintance either, which was probably for the best; Cainan had previously taken the man for a week's wages in an ill-conceived bet over who could climb onto the tavern roof first. The guard had not been particularly graceful as he had taken his tumble, but the wine and spirits he had imbibed had at least protected his bones somewhat, if not his pride. But it was the hairs on the back of Kalian's neck that interested him, and he wondered if he had been in a similar experience with the guard in the past; to his credit, if the guard recognised either of them, he had definitely perfected the art of disguising his suspicions and intents behind a veil of complete and utter dim-witted vacancy.

He met the gaze of the guard with a dashing smile that conveyed an air of complete and utter lack of concern as to whether the man recognised him or not. "Well, we should certainly be along, lest bureaucracy be left unserved," he said, brightly, intentionally missing out the word justice. The woman with Enguerrand shot him a dirty look, but Cainan had the distinct impression that any word longer than three syllables did not register with the leader of the patrol.

She continued to shoot him a glare as they left, and Cainan wondered if he should stop by later and annoy her some more; Guardswomen could be very interesting in the boudoir. He watched the three leave for a moment, tipped an imaginary hat to Kalian who still held the door, and sauntered into the guardhouse.

Kalian released his held breath in a quiet hiss as Elinowy and Cainan entered the guardhouse and he followed along behind.

Johann looked up from the front desk at the strange trio. A strikingly beautiful Chantry sister, a nobleman and… his servant, most likely. "May I help you?"

Kalian cleared his throat. "Excuse me, ser, we are here to see Guardsman Martin Josceran. Is he in?"

Johann took his time to finish writing his entry into the book before he looked up, gauging each of the visitors in turn. His gaze lingered a bit longer on Elinowy, on account of her presence being the most unexpected. Then again, he knew Martin attended the Chantry regularly, so it'd make sense they'd seek him out specifically, he supposed.

That didn't explain the Rivaini-looking man, or the well-dressed gentilhomme though.

Johann had made it long enough in the Jader constabulary to know that sometimes it was better not to ask too many questions, and he felt like this was one of those times.

"I'll check," he said finally. "Please wait here." He closed his ledger after making sure the ink was dry and went into the back room, with a last glance at the unlikely group at the door.

Kalian, Elinowy, and Cainan were left standing in the foyer whilst the guardsman scampered off to – Kalian hoped – fetch Martin. Vaguely concerned any conversation might be overheard and used against them, he regarded his two companions. In their presence, he was practically invisible.

***

Martin had just finished preparing the testimony reports, based on what Kalian and the Chantry sister had said the night before, when Johann came in. The older guardsman eyed him with a somewhat sardonic look.

"So, what trouble did you get yourself into, Martin ?"

"Hmm ? What do you mean ?"

"They're a Rivaini, a Chantry sister and some sort of rich fellow asking for you. Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke actually. A Rivaini, a Chantry sister and a rich guy walk into a guard station...? If that doesn't spell trouble I don't know what does. Pray do let me know what the punchline is." Johann snorted. "For your sake I hope it doesn't involve an actual punch."

Martin rolled his eyes. Johann was sometimes a little bit too enamoured of his own wit, to his detriment.

"Nothing of the sort, if you must know. They're witnesses to a crime. The loudmouth in the second cell ?"

"Oh. That one. Foul language for sure. I, huh, may have dropped his breakfast. So much swearing makes my hands shaky, you know." Johann mimed a shaking hand to illustrate his meaning.

Martin stood. "Anyway, I'll take care of this."

"You do that. I got accounts to finish for this afternoon. The boss is meeting the Sénéchal and asked for something up-to-date, not that anything would make the old codger happy."

"They'll be in and out, don't worry. We won't disturb your mathematical efforts. I mean, I'd love to help, but like you said I have my own trouble to handle." Martin grinned, and Johann sniffed in mock disdain.

"As if I'd trust you to put two and two together."

Gathering his papers, quill and inkwell, Martin followed Johann back to the front office where Kalian and the sister were waiting, and - who was that? Martin frowned. He'd seen that gentleman speak to the sister, but he hadn't expected him here today. He came around the front desk while Johann went back to his seat.

"Kalian, Sister Elinowy, thank you for coming. And, huh... I'm sorry, I don't think we've been introduced, monsieur...?"

Cainan gave a little bow, a flourish of his hands. The number of times he had graced the cages for the night, it was a wonder that so few of the guards had actually recognised him. Of course, it had only ever been for the night - it had always been Cainan's experience that it was the bureaucracy of the guardhouse that was the main deterrent to recidivism, and not the complicated (and frankly class-based) system of justice practised in Orlais.

"Monsieur Cainan Sauvage, at your service," he said, returning to his relaxed stance. "I offered to escort the Good Sister for the morning; one can never be too careful on streets so rough," he said, with a smile. "And your name, sir?"

The memory finally clicked in Martin's head. Sauvage. So this was the Mister Sausage who had roughed up that whiny Fereldan mercenary, Weylin. Funny, he didn't give the impression of someone who could be so tough in a fight. Then again, he did carry that rapier with the comfortable ease of someone who knew how to use it.

"Martin, Guardsman Martin Josceran." Funny how this Monsieur Sauvage didn't look at all worried. Maybe he didn't know about the complaint.

Kalian looked from Martin to Cainan curiously as the nobleman introduced himself. Martin seemed suspicious, but then Martin had questioned Kalian at length about his motives so perhaps suspicious was Martin's natural state of being… or a side effect of his profession. He shifted uncomfortably. The guardhouse was not a place he wanted to linger any longer than necessary, and reminded him why they were there. "Sister Elinowy and I are ready to make our statements regarding the prisoner."

 

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