A New Beginning (thetwo)

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

“A while ago, supposedly a group of Yukto soldiers went AWOL and became bandits. They've been raiding merchant caravans passing into the area... officially, this is a problem that the Yukto army should deal with as they are deserters, but they aren't actually doing anything about it.” Jack paused to lean in closer himself and spoke the next part in a low voice. “Unofficially, I believe those 'bandits' are still on the Imperial payroll. They've been hitting every merchant caravan EXCEPT for those from Yukto and those Yuke merchants have been making a killing from being the only ones bringing in supplies... and the Yukto army is getting a cut of it.”

Jack brought his mug back to his lips again only to look betrayed at it when nothing pour forth. “Anyway, if some enterprising individuals decided to take the initiative to attack the bandits then the Yukto army wouldn't be able to say anything having already declared them criminals. And if some of the gold and supplies disappeared who would be able to prove who took it? The people here would be glad just to hear that the bandits are gone.”

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Amy pursed her lips thoughtfully, considering. "Hrm... the soldiers might not be able to do anything overt after the fact, but somehow I think that succeeding at such a task and sticking around would be only marginally safer than failing. If someone intelligent and responsible wished not to be involved, where do you think she would avoid going, and when?"

Of course, he could be lying. He could be a Yukto spy, laying a trap for rebel sympathizers. Or he could be an ordinary thug, hoping to lure a victim out of the safety that a town full of soldiers provided. Or he might decide to become one of those after she showed up. Of course, if he was telling the truth then his life was in her hands as well, though probably the Yukto army didn't employ many women, given their apparent attitude towards them. Was it worth the risk? Of course it is. What's the worst that can happen? I mean, it's not like I didn't sign up for rough non-consensual sex and similar.

After he had responded, she took her cup back to the bartender, and headed up to her room. She hesitated at the doorway out of the bar area, but decided on reflection that a wink at this point would probably be promising something she didn't yet intend to give. But whatever she was going to do next she'd want at least some of her things, so she continued towards her room.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

“Perhaps, but how else would it work?” Jack grinned. “I suppose that someone intelligent and responsible who didn't want to be involved wouldn't head towards the biggest tree visible from the town gates. Nor would she be there at about noon, because she wouldn't be involved in such goings ons.”

Jack rose from his seat with a friendly nod at the same time she did. While she headed for her room, he appeared to be heading to the bar for his refill. She quickly found her room and through the view of her window she could see that twilight had fallen upon the town and several of the soldiers were being relieved for the evening. Several of them were making beelines for the bars, including the one on the first floor of the Inn.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Amy stared out the window for a moment, considering her next move. If there were soldiers in the bar now it would be a little more interesting. Or at least more dangerous. A walk around the town... would also be dangerous. Probably more dangerous. She went into her pack and took the cloak, but after a moment's consideration left the sword. She would inevitably draw it if she got into a fight, and she'd end up in the soldiers' prison before she could even start her little quest. Instead she took the cloak, which might help disguise her shape, and even come in handy in a fight as long as it wasn't too firmly attached.

Then she slipped back into the bar, hoping to pass through it to the streets without attracting too much attention, and especially without the young adventurer noticing her. The streets might be more dangerous, especially as it started getting dark, but it might also offer a chance to see if there really was a rebellion. Verifying at least some of the man's story would be wise, because she somehow suspected that the soldiers wouldn't lift a hand to help if he decided to rape her just outside the town.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

As Amy descended back down the stairs, concealed with her cloak she found that several soldiers were already well on their way to inebriation. A couple were at the bar making crude passes at the unnaturally busty barkeeper who had an expression of barely concealed disdain for them. The barkeeper looked up at her briefly with a raised eyebrow but didn't make any attempt to draw attention to her. As the one keeping track of the rooms, she has probably deduced who Amy was without needing to see her face. Over in a corner, the adventurer was clearly preparing to head back to his room lest he draw unwanted attention from the new arrivals. A couple of soldiers were passing bottles amongst each other, signaling that this was a poor time to start drinking to any who noticed.

?????

Aside from the barkeeper, no one paid any mind to the cloaked figure who was heading out into the young night. There were still soldiers watching over the street but they weren't as numerous as they had been in the day and there was practically no civilian traffic on the streets. It was probably relatively safe on the main street heading in and out of Newhaven, but it was unlikely to play host to anything more illegal than a fraudulent business. She could see several smaller roads fanning out both east and west into town, as well as dark alleyways, that were more likely to reveal a lead.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Leaving the town was... Actually, it might be worth a try leaving the town. Now that I think about it, I didn't actually see the gate guard write anything down when he bonded my sword. If they let me just walk out now, then I should probably just carry my sword. If I really have to use it, I can just leave it in my room or something when I need to leave town. It would still be a risk, but less so then before...

Amy decided that the first step should be the town gate. Maybe actually trying to leave wouldn't be wise - if it turned out they were checking for people who were supposed to have peace bonded weapons, then not having hers could lead to awkward questions. Just watching the gate for a while should be enough to determine if people were being checked for missing weaponry.

After that... well, going down a dark alleyway would be stupid. The smaller streets would be wiser, as long as she stayed away from especially dark places and the mouths of alleyways. Just seeing a rebellion would be enough, she didn't have to experience it firsthand.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

When Amy found her way to the gate, she found it a lot more heavily guarded then she had expected. It was also sealed up tighter than a nun's chastity belt as she could see that several people had been late in returning to town and were pleading the guards to let them in. Then she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.

There were sections of the wall that had been damaged by explosions and been poorly patched up. Could they have been damaged during the seizing of this town? It would be easy to imagine that the town had thrown up the proverbial white flag when the walls fell as the guards didn't seem to inspire a lot of confidence in their abilities. She could even see some sections of the wall that were so damaged that a determined person could probably sneak through.

And if the flicker of a shadow she had spotted further down the wall was any indication, then someone else had the same idea. This sort of curfew was probably nothing new, but somehow a large group of people had forgotten about it and had the attention of all the nearby guards and soldiers.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

So the gates were kept well-guarded, but there were holes in the walls? Curious. That meant, in practice, that the law-abiding sort of person would be kept in or out perfectly, while the less-honest might sneak through unseen. It also meant that she might be able to get her sword out even with the peace bond broken, if she needed to.

Amy thought about that for a moment. How would she go about sneaking out? Well, aside from the business with being quiet and wearing dark clothing... Well, distracting the guards would help. With, say, a large crowd of people managing to argue with the guards without either breaking any laws or being inside the city where the soldiers might drive them off.

It did seem rather unlikely that the curfew was new, or that so many people had honestly forgotten about it. Amy nonchalantly moved down the wall, carefully watching the various poorly-patched holes for more signs of movement. She avoided, however, crouching down or sticking to the shadows. If someone saw her doing that, they'd think she was up to no good. No, she was just taking a stroll along the wall; nothing for the guards to worry about.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

As Amy walked down the side of the wall she could get a closer look at the poorly patched sections of the wall. It looked as though whoever was supposed to be repairing it had all the reinforcement and a good chunk of the lumber set up to pour concrete in but simply hadn't gotten around to it. While it was possible that the Yukto merchants simply weren't bringing in enough material to do so yet, it seemed as though the locals responsible for making the repair weren't in any hurry and might even be stalling.

As she passed through, the shadows around her almost became unnaturally still and she could swear she was being watched. Carefully examining her surroundings, she noticed a bundle that she hadn't seen on first glance that had been dropped near the mouth of an alley way.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

A chill ran down her spine. Being watched shouldn't have been unexpected, but by who? If it was the still-theoretical rebellion, then that was probably fine. They wouldn't be kidnapping people off the streets, and even if they did they would presumably be better to their prisoners then the Yukto. But it could also be soldiers watching for hints of rebellion.

And that bundle... if I'm being watched, then I'm probably intended to go pick it up. I mean, if they were delivering it to someone who was expecting it, then it wouldn't be in plain sight. But is it a message, or a trap?

Well. Amy hadn't gone for a walk to ignore clues and similar possible intrigue. She casually walked towards the bundle, her eyes trying to pierce the too-still shadows of the alleyway. If it was a trap, then there would be people there, ready to grab her. There might even be - she glanced around as she got closer to the package - someone to push her in or cover her mouth. By the time she reached the package, her heart was drumming and she was working to keep her breath steady. She would prod it once with her foot, and if nothing was amiss pick it up as quickly as possible, ideally without even stopping.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

If it was even possible, she could swear the shadows had grown stiller yet as she approached the package. The entire area seemed to be holding it's breath as she prodded the package with her foot and she noticed that the bundle had come partially undone when it had been dropped. She could see several small packages within and the smell of something that almost resembled gun powder wafted out.

There was only one reason to be smuggling these packages into the town. As she reached down to pick up the package, she became aware of sudden movement out of the corner of her eye.

?????
Success

Amy was able to get an arm up to block her eyes from the dirt that had been thrown into her face. As she got a good look at her attacker, she could see a hooded figure with a feminine face grab the bundle she had just been examining and dash into the alleyway.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Amy licked her lips. To follow, or not to follow. The woman had thrown dirt at her, so she probably wouldn't be exactly friendly if she was followed. And there was still the feeling of being watched, plus someone had put the bundle there in the first place, so the mystery woman likely wasn't alone. That suggested not.

And this probably qualified as proof of a rebellion. They almost certainly hadn't been smuggling fireworks, and that hadn't been a government-approved transaction. Of course, a rebellion that left dangerous packages sitting out in plain sight rather then putting it a few feet further into the dark alleyway... well, that wasn't the best sign. Maybe it had been a simple mistake, or maybe it had even been a trap that wasn't intended for a nosy foreigner.

In any case, since she didn't intend to follow the woman into a dark alleyway at this time, Amy started walking away, still keeping her eyes out for whoever might be watching her. She had accomplished her goal for the evening, at least in her own mind, and anything further would be needless risk. Time to return to the inn.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Deciding to leave well enough alone after finding what she had been looking for, Amy made her way back to the Inn. The feeling of being watched didn't leave her until she had stepped back onto the main road and she could see past the blockade that the crowd that had gathered there had thinned out a bit. Not that this mattered to the guards as they were moving to set up camp as annoyingly close to the gates as possible.

As she drifted close to the Inn, she found a flow of the more light weighted soldiers meandering out of the bars. Several were making their way further into town but some seemed content to try to find somewhere discreet to nap rather than face any punitive measures for returning to their camp intoxicated.

“Hey...buddy!” One of the more lucid of the drunks spotted her walking down the street and slowly made his way towards her... but judging by the drunken sway in his step, she could probably briskly walk away from him if she didn't want to deal with him.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Amy glanced up at the drunk. A drunk might talk more freely than he would sober... but it was just as likely that instead he'd decide not to take 'no' for an answer. Actually, probably more likely. No, best not to risk it. She decided to ignore him, just blow past him and into the inn. Of course, once she was inside the inn, there would be soldiers who weren't quite as drunk, and she wouldn't be able to just walk around them if they decided to accost her. She had gotten out without anyone really noticing her. Getting back might not be as easy.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

“...fuck you, too!” Amy heard the drunken soldiers shout as she blew past him and she could practically hear the sound of him flipping her off. As she entered the Inn, she spotted him staggering off to find someone else to accost.

The bar room wasn't as packed as it was earlier but there was still a decent amount of soldiers loitering about. The young man was long gone and one could sympathize with him considering the rough nature of the remaining crowd. A group of soldiers were playing cards in the corner and it was clear that not only money but potions were being wagered.

Over at the bar, one remaining and stubborn soldier was still trying to proposition the bar keeper much to the annoyance of practically everyone in the bar bearing an empty glass. He caught a sight of Amy and noticed she wasn't a returning soldier.

“...someone who actually paid for their room." The bar keeper stated plainly to her wooer, before getting a slightly predatory grin. “Speaking of people paying for their rooms...”

The direction the conversation had turned finally got the last hold out to give in as he quickly vacated the bar. Almost as quickly as he had left, she found herself inundated by orders for new drinks and probably wouldn't be available to talk with until she had filled them.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Amy bit her lip. Another drink before going to bed might be nice, but there were a lot of alchemical potions floating around. And of course all the soldiers holding them. Even if she kept them out of her wine, she'd have to put up with the soldiers. And then there was the wait for the bar... well, the bartender might let her skip in line a bit, but that would only draw more attention.

She shrugged. The sooner she got to sleep, the sooner it would be time to start the quest. She started making her way up to her room.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

The soldiers didn't seem to pay much mind to her as she slipped back upstairs. There were signs that several of the other rooms were now occupied by the drunken soldiers trying to sleep off their inebriation. Entering her room, she found it much as she had left it and after completing her personal preparations for sleep she got into bed. Between the warm sheets, she quickly found herself dozing off.

Sometime during the night, a strange sensation in her gut awoke her from her slumber. Half-asleep she could almost sense someone out in the hallway. It could be the Inn Keeper but she wasn't certain. It might be worth checking out, but it was also likely that it was nothing to worry about.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

Hrm. I've never failed to get a good night's sleep in the Egg. Just not worth the time it would take to simulate tossing and turning all night. So if I'm waking up...

Amy slipped out of bed and quickly pulled on her discarded shirt and trousers, as there was nobody she particularly wished to meet in her underwear at the moment. Then she walked up to the door and listened for a moment, doing her best to stay quiet. If there was more than one person, then opening the door probably wasn't a good idea. But if there was only one, she would cautiously open the door until she could see whoever it was out in the hallway.

 

[NorthernCross]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

As Amy listened at the door, she could hear quiet foot steps in the hallway. They weren't the heavy footsteps of a soldier that she had been half-expecting but much lighter ones. She could hear the sound of a key turning in a lock and a door quietly opening. After a few moments, she could hear the door being silently closed before the foot steps resumed and the sound of a key turning was issued again. Did whoever was out there have a skeleton key?

As she carefully opened the door, she saw the Inn Keeper swiftly enter a room and after a moment exit again. In her hands, she held a basket filled with linens but underneath she could see a bottle sticking out slightly before it had a linen pulled over it.

?????

The Inn Keeper hadn't noticed Amy and quickly began moving downstairs with her stolen goods. The basket she held wasn't too large, so she probably hadn't taken enough to be easily noticed after a night of heavy drinking.

 

[thetwo]

Re: A New Beginning (thetwo)

The innkeeper was visiting various rooms in the dead of night, and carrying bottles with her as she did so. Presumably she was stealing alchemical potions from soldiers. And she either had copies of all the room keys, or a master key. That was hardly unusual, but it did make Amy feel a little less secure. From what the woman had said, she couldn't directly stand up to the soldiers with any expectation of success, so if one decided to "request" a key to Amy's room, he'd get it.

But why was she taking the potions, that was the important question at the moment. It could simply be to sell, given that the soldiers had a monopoly on the alchemists and that they weren't paying for their rooms. Or perhaps she was looking for a cure for the ones she had been forced to drink. Or maybe they were addictive, and she wanted them for herself. Maybe she was donating them to the rebellion for any of those reasons. Or maybe she wasn't above spiking someone's drink herself. After all, it was a feeling in my stomach that woke me up, and the only thing I've had since starting was wine she poured herself...

Well, there was one way to find out. Amy slipped out of her room, closed the door behind her, and followed the innkeeper down the stairs as quietly as she could.