[RP] Feeling like a sucker...

[Felaion]

"Aye laddie, I agree." For once, Harain refrains from clapping Haelewulf on the shoulder or back in greeting.

"So, wha's th' plan?"

[Sayvara]

Sayvara turns... more than a little relieved to see Wulf up and moving... a smile at the corner of her mouth.

- Hey... super-trooper... come get something to eat.

As Wulf comes to the table she reaches next to her and pulls out the chair for him. Listening to Wulf laying out the detail she nods and continutes.

- Aye... what Wulf said. This was one highly irregular killer. From what I heard of the others when we... retreated... (the word tastes awful in her mouth, one can tell) ...we should all have been dead by now. I mean, any normal killer just moves in, wipes everyone out and leaves as fast as he can. This one toyed with us... gave us clues... and kept from striking.

She grabs another mouthful of bacon and chews before continuing... pondering...

- I don't know... I havn't heard of anyone acting like this other than in stories and legends. It's almost as if he takes his... "business" much too seriously. It's like a... ritual with this one.

[Felaion]

"I nay like th' sound o' this one'."

Harain finishes his meal, and pushes his plate aside.

"So wha' 'appened? 'ow did 'e outsmart ye?"

[Sayvara]

- He didn't! We - or *I* - knew full well it was a trap and led the Thorns right into it, hoping armor and mere force would be able to smash the opposition. What happened was that the friggin' bastard bested us! I have never seen anyone move like that. And the shot that took out Wulf... it just went straight through his armor! I have never seen anything like it.

Sayvara is working herself up. She pokes her fork so hard into the remaing slice of bacon on the plate that the porcelain cracks in two.

- Damn...

Beth is promptly on them to pick up the pieces with a smile and a wink.

- No worries dah'lin. It's on the house. Seems you have worse thing to keep your mind on anyway.

[Haelewulf]

Wulf returns Sayvara's smile, a smile that widens slightly in amusement when she breaks the plate.

"If you've got any more food, Beth, I'm ravenous," he says, a twinkle in his eye. "Assuming you've got any plates left!"

The smile leaves his face as he speaks again.

"This fellow is cocky... but with good reason. And above all, he is prepared. That bodkin arrow was all but designed to pierce armour plate... and the poison... he isolated us and neutralized us. We must be careful not to underestimate him again... but we must also be wary of overestimating his abilities. Remember, he has lost the definitive advantage he had over us - surprise. We now know how he works, and we will be more careful in the future."

Wulf shakes his head again.

"If only we knew why he spared us. Everything else spoke of consummate and ruthless efficiency..."

[Sayvara]

Sayvara nods... pondering.

- Yeah... he's definately not your run-of-the-mill contract killer. I mean ever since I left Minas Tirith I have worked with a range of hire-blades. Some of them turned out to be... less then honourable. But those that ignore the law usually come in two categories: Greedy little rats, or large gangs that exploit an entire area.

She takes a sip from a cup of water before continuing to relay her experiences.

- The latter ones just bully their way through to get whatever it is they want... kind of like Terlion's gang. They thrive on fear and intimidation. And the "rats" are cowards... striking ugly and quick without having to expose themselves to any real danger. True "professionals" - if we can call them that - are rare and far between. I have never come across one before. Heck all I ever have seen of them are some suspected deaths that just as well could have been unfortunate accidents!

She leans forward on the table, speaking more quietly. Her voice - as filled with anger for their attacker as it is - cannot hide the fact she is awed and puzzled by him.

- This guy(!) was something completely out of the ordinary. Giving up such a clear advantage... toying with his mark... going toe-to-toe with us despite being completely outnumbered... not to mention knowledgable in poisons and tricks, such as smoke bombs and knockout drops. He's something else. Something tells me... he's experienced beyond that what humans could ever be...

[Felaion]

Grunts, and scowls, his face begoming aged with wrinkles.

"Nay outsmarted ye? It sounds bloody well like 'e did outsmart ye!"

Crashes his fist onto the table to prove his point.

"Start thinkin' lass... canne ye see it? E' planted th' bait... summin' 'e knew th' Thorn cul' nay refuse to 'elp."

Guestures widely around the inn, taking in most of the clients.

"'e made sure it were ye in charge lass. Some'ow 'e knew ye wul' be put under pressure by th' Captian. 'e played off that. Then lass, 'e stands ye up with tha' dummy, makin' ye feel foolish. 'e knew ye cul' nay back down off that... then 'e twisted th' knife with th' name o' Terlion. 'e knew tha'd stop ye thinkin' straight. Yer 'ead were screamin' at ye tha' it be a trap! Bu' ye nay listened. It's yer fault lass, ye put yer folks exactly where 'e wanted them. Everythin' be too perfect, too planned. A bodkin arrow lass! It were designed to 'it Haelewulf. Every step 'e made were planned..."

"...an' now ye be sayin' 'e's super'uman. BAH! Ye're jus' tryin' to find an excuse. Ye were outsmarted lassie, an' tha's the truth."

[Sayvara]

- Call it whatever you like Harain. Out-smarted, out-fought, whatever! Yeah, I know I made a bad call dashing in there. I can only thank our luck that this mistake didn't kill us off.

She angrilly sets the cup of water down on the table with a sounding clank... splashing water over her hand.

- Rest assured we won't be doing that mistake again.

She groans and puts her hace in her palms again.

- Only problem is that he will know that too. We have to think two steps ahead of him.

Dropping her hands from her face again gives Harain an angry glare.

- And no, I didn't say he was "super-human". I meant non-human. He doesn't fit the build for a dwarf or a halfling. So if he's not a human that just means he's... an elf. I think we should have a good chat with Lirandel or Faradir... or maybe even Alwen

[Felaion]

"Well lass, tha's a start. Th' Captain seems to know th' mos' abou' 'im... bu' 'es nay 'ere."

Harain pats Sayvara comfortingly on the shoulder with his hand.

"Le's think through wha' ye know abou' th' attacker. An Identity cul' break them."

[Haelewulf]

Wulf shakes his head, raising an eyebrow at Sayvara.

"Self-flagellation achieves nothing, Sayvara. Rest assured that even if you had backed down, I would have gone on alone... and perhaps not have survived the night. We were outmaneuvered... but none of us died. Get over it and set your mind to this new challenge, and perhaps when next we run across him, it will be on *OUR* terms, not his."

He frowns, his face perplexed.

"What troubles me more than anything else is how perfectly orchestrated this was. Who knows of Terlion's name? The arrow is less remarkable; many of us wear plate. Nevertheless, this fellow knows us all to well... or so it would seem."

[Sayvara]

- Kicking one's ass 'til it smarts serves as a good reminder to not make the same mistake again.

She turns to Wulf and looks directly at him.

- Also, I'd like you to reflect upon what you just said. You said yourself that if I had given a different order you would have disobeyed it... and most likely died. I usually trust your judgement Wulf. Please don't make me regret that by having to put flowers on yer grave.

She empties the cup of water.

- Orders are to be followed... agreed? You can voice objections if you like but I expect myself and Lirandel to be heeded if we overrule those. Got it?

[kellidir]

"You're not allowed to die wulf ... you're not allowed to leave me alone"

Kellidir sat down on Haelewulf's knee and leaned into him, putting a mug of thick green liquid on the table in front of him before cuddling into him while yawning.

"Drink this."

[Haelewulf]

Wulf wraps an arm around Kelli and with a grimace of distaste, takes a sip from the mug.

"Ungh..."

He looks over at Sayvara, his face grave.

"Orders have their place, Sayvara... and in the heat of battle, I will obey, if only to preserve the lives of those around me. Moreover I will never attempt to convince another to disobey your orders. But I will *NEVER* obey an order that costs the life of an innocent in place of my own, and while I have come to rely more on the judgement of Lirandel and yourself, the memories of deception and manipulation are still all too fresh for me to trust you both implicitly. For now, I trust your motivations... and that will have to suffice."

Wulf pulls a face, then downs the rest of the mug.

"Ack... in any case, chances are you'll be putting flowers on my grave at some point. I would have the headstone read, "Died protecting the weaker.""

He kisses Kelli's cheek.

"Not that I'm planning to die any time soon."

[Felaion]

"Ye'd bes' nay die soon laddie..."

Harain grimaces a little, running a broad finger down the blade of his axe absently.

"I'll nay comment on 'ow we Dwarves respect orders either... 's nay th' time or place. I did jus'-

Harain Firebeard was suddenly cut short by a loud crash, followed by a thud. Instantly leaping to his feet, with a reaction time rivaled only be the elves, the Dwarf manages to have his axe in hand and ready for action mere seconds after the noise.

It however took this long for the sout-hearted Dwarf to realise the source of the noise... a long arrow imbedded into the table at which they were eating. Only a short distance away, broken glass littered the wooden floor around a shattered window. The patrons of the inn had worked themselves up, and many were in a state of panic. Elizabeth certainly was not pleased, and strode over to the table at which the Thorn sat in an attempt to assert some form of authority.

All of this, however, mearly led up to the real meaning for everything that has transpired. For rolled around the shaft of the arrow, was a short sheet of parchment. When unrolled, writing could be clearly read in an neat, scribes handwriting.


Sayvara Aellan,

A black mark has landed on your soul, and the time has come to die. Inform your allies, especially Kellidir Vallisdotter and Haelewulf, the son of Phindor that they will not be harmed should they place themselves out of the path of the shadow of the White City. You will die on the Day of Two Trees. Beware the Day of Two Trees.

This fire shall be put out.

Gwann-Orgaladhad.

[Sayvara]

Sayvara grabs the note and reads it. She narrows her eyes and does not pass the note on to the others. Instead she reads it out loud to the three Thorns present.

- "...the shadow of the White City. You will die on the Day of Two Trees. Beware the Day of Two Trees." Signed, Gwann-Orgaladhad.

She rolls up the note before anyone else can read it, tucking it away carefully, as if not wanting to ruin a vital lead.

- Well now... a conciderate murderer. I am so relieved. Kelli, Wulf, think you could do me the favour of staying strapped to my chest and back on the Day of Two Trees, hm?

A grim smirk on her face before turning serious.

- I am taking this to the elves... let's see what they can make of it... hopefully they have this "Gwann" on record. The Day of Two Trees.... how many days does that give us? Give me?