OEW: Remnants

[mistral4543]

As she stepped into the tavern, she smiled wryly. True enough, no one was manning the counter and customers milled around grumpily. Half sighing in defeat, she was about to turn towards the door when she noticed a figure.

His head tilted upward, he seemed to be studying the ceiling in a very concentrated manner. Just what could be so interesting about it, she wondered. Unless...

He knows something about this place.

Heart pounding, she marched up to him - don't lose yet another clue! - and coughed slightly to get his attention.

"Excuse me... do you know this tavern well? Or the owners? I seek information on an urgent basis."

[Deiter Leafblade]

Taking his eyes off the ceiling, Deiter moved his gaze to the woman before him. Her question surprised him. Could he trust her to say anything? He had easily trusted the children and the people of Geoma village, but that was a matter of life and death for him. Green eyes studied her for a minute. Here he was, about to leave with Chani, hoping to salvage and repair whatever was left of their relationship, and this woman was in need of him, or Chani, or both.

"Yes, I know the tavern well." He continued to watch her, curious to what her business with his information was, and if he had made the right choice in saying anything.

[mistral4543]

It took quite an effort, but she managed to stop herself from ejaculating a jubilant cry of relief. Trust your instincts; they haven't let you down much so far. Then, noticing that he was appraising with a watchful eye, she gave an embarassed laugh, her right hand raising to rub the nape of her neck.

"Then perhaps you can tell me something about someone I seek." Was it safe? Would revealing the name bring greater danger to this cousin she had never even met? Her black eyes took in the appearance of this worn traveller of a half-elf. There's nothing for it. No gain without a gamble.

"Mistral..." She coughed a little shakily, then returned his stare firmly as she continued. "Mistral Freelight. Do you know her and if so, how is she?" The air seemed to be wheezing about her over the next thirty seconds, and she gripped the hilt of her longsword for assurance.

"Please, it is a matter of..." she paused, hunting for the right words. ...not a matter of life and death; there's no need for dramatics... what could be the equivalent of importance? "... a matter of fulfilling the dying wish of a concerned person, that I know this."

Having committed herself, she now wondered if she had revealed too much. That was the curse of conversation, especially dialogues where one needed to extract information; one never knew where to stop.

[Deiter Leafblade]

Mistral? He realized he hadn't thought of Mistral and Larry since his return. Would mentioning the person he considered as a friend endager her? The urgency in the woman's voice though seemed to dismiss the idea that she sought to harm Mistral.

"Mistral Freelight... Yes, I knew her. She married a man by the name of Larry Silverfall. I haven't seen either of them in four years I'm afraid." What was it that this woman needed with Mistral? Was she family? Deiter leaned back in his chair and broke eye contact with the woman. He doubted Mistral wanted him to be caught up in her affairs.

[mistral4543]

So her cousin had found a companion for herself, on top of inheriting what was rightfully hers. The male's reluctance to divulge further details was proof enough of his friendship to her.

You needn't have worried, Grandma. Or rather, she need not have worried as far as the tavern was concerned... her friends here certainly bore enough loyalty to protect her. No, she had left of her own accord four years ago with the man that she loved, and who could blame her? It appeared that this Mistral character had been far more fortunate than herself in all aspects of her life. Was she envious? Do not answer too soon... you may feel more than you care to admit.

Taking a step back herself, she wondered what else she could hope to extract from the half-elf, before she lost this precious contact again. Gone four years, so anything recent would be unknown... the tavern was built around the same time that Mistral parted with these friends of hers. What could have happened, apart from matrimonial bliss that begged for privacy?

Inhaling deeply, she faced the half-elf again. "By the way, my name is..." a moment's pause, before she went on firmly. "... Acacia." Subconsciously, her fingered the pendant; even through the tunic, she could feel its warmth. "May I know your name, please? And would you happen to know where Mistral could be staying?" There were two possible locations, certainly. "For instance, her ancestral home or her residence after marriage?"

Suddenly, it seemed as if there were an entire world of questions she wanted to ask. She could only hope that she had displayed sufficient reliability for him to provide the information she needed.

[ 08-05-2006, 03:24 AM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]

[Deiter Leafblade]

Curiosity started to get the better of him as he returned his gaze to her. "Deiter, and as for the rest of your question, what is it that you want with Mistral?"

Deiter didn't want to make it a habit to give out information on friends per request. The woman seemed harmless enough in the matter surrounding Mistral, but how could he say for sure? All he had was a name, and she hesitated before giving it out. He wasn't quite sure if that meant she was unsure of herself to respond or that it wasn't her true identity. The half-elf felt it was a mixture of both.

[mistral4543]

She could feel her cheeks flushing deeper at his counter-statement. Just how ridiculous is this going to sound? As she weighed the words forming in her mind, she shook her head slightly. The prospects were not good at all; he was going to think her completely batty.

But what else was there to do but lay the truth before him? And really, Grandma, you can't blame me totally for what will come out of that. After all, how can I elicit information without parting with any? All the cares were swimming around her head as she faced him, trying to mask the sheepish grin forming on her lips.

"To be honest, I don't know myself what I need to do with her." The words emerged slowly, as she tried to reinforce rationality where there appeared none. "I was merely told by a dying relative to come to this tavern, if I could... and this much, I have done." Yes, keep the element of truth as naked as possible. "I was asked to be useful, and I do not know whether I was meant to help out here in this tavern. But I do believe that my relative wishes me to contact Mistral, and that is why I seek your help in doing so."

There. She had said it all, and what was left to do was study his reaction to a string of near-gibberish. Would he send her off on her way, or grant the assistance she needed?

The die had been cast, and the consequences would have to be borne.

[Deiter Leafblade]

A frown started to appear as he thought over what she had said. He stood up then and faced her. "So you're telling me that you want me to tell you where I think Mistral is, to fulfill some dying wish, and yet you have no idea what it is you'll do once you make contact with her?" He watched her intently, as if to drag every truth out of her that he could. "How do I know that you don't wish to harm her? You said it yourself that you have no idea what it is you'll do with her." The past hadn't made Deiter a very trustful man.

[mistral4543]

Each moment that passed had grated on her nerves a fair bit, yet if she were to view it objectively... this little interrogation bought not just Deiter, but herself, some time.

Precious time to think.

What I really need from him is her new marital address. Her brain was now rapidly processing all available data. But surely her own servants back at the ancestral home would know where she was wedded to. The obstacles were falling apart, one by one, and thanks to this suspicious half-elf. There are people who know where the Freelight residence is; I don't need him to tell me this. Her neck and facial muscles relaxed. He can't tell me anything beyond what happened 4 years ago, anyway, and in fact the household can fill me in on the details. A sparkle came to her dark eyes. And I... I can prove my connection to the family!

As each fact compounded and rejuvenated her half-defeated spirits, she found herself to be even enjoying this repartee.

"If I'd wanted to harm her, don't you think that I'd have chosen my words more carefully?" Her tone was dry. "Consider how silly you'd feel if you had only this piece of information to go by, and were sent on a senseless errand like this." Sorry, Grandma, but that's just what it appears to be... a wild goose chase, without much logic to it.

As much fun as this battle of wits was, it had to come to an end. Just like this foolish search. And the sooner, the better.

"Since you obviously don't trust me well enough to divulge Mistral's whereabouts - and indeed, your loyalty does you credit - I will trouble you no further, Deiter." She nodded briefly.

"I bid you farewell." She turned to go, her left hand on the hilt of her longsword.

[ 07-08-2006, 08:00 PM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]

[Killing Spree]

Chani shuffled down the stairs, her jaw firmly set and her eyes filled with a vague determination. She clutched the strap of a well-worn leather bag in one hand, and a smaller satchel swung over her shoulder. Seeing as she had no idea where she was going, she would probably be caught highly unprepared for some situation. The bags contained little more than a traveling wardrobe and some very basic supplies. It wasn't likely to matter though. Even if her wilderness survival skills had grown a bit rusty in the past few years, she had gained some other talents in that time, and improvisation was certainly among their ranks.

Silently she walked past Deiter, only lightly touching his arm to indicate that he should follow her out to the stable.

Arrakis wandered through the bustling streets of Athkatla with shades of puzzlement ranging from awe to disgust. He seemed like a time traveler who found himself in an era of incomprehensible primitivism. Simply being in the city made his skin crawl, and yet he knew somewhere within it he would find some simple truth that would bring his journey to an end.

Though without clear aim, he walked at a steady, quick clip. Instinct told him that there was much to lose if he left the city without fulfilling some part of his task. Uncertainly, he navigated himself to the district of his sisters' tavern. Though he had no desire to see her, or even any readily available recollection of her, it was as good a place as any to start.