Zion: Light of the New Moon, Ch 1.1. Myre
Zion - Light of the New Moon Chapter 1.1
Myre This Isn't a Game
Myre's group gained +1 Favor from the last Event Arc. Josh and Lady Marion both succeed in their check, increasing the bonus by another +2.
Dearest Miri,
An interesting thing happened today. We were past the Periphery of Myre... maybe two or three hours of travel, when Valda, that squirrel I told you about suddenly found a stow away! A ten year old girl hid in the cargo! Some of the guards had a field day making the little girl cry with threats of torture and execution... I just don't know how asses like that can get approved for service to the city. By the time her father was picked out of the caravan laborers she was in tears and shaking all over. The guards then started right in on threatening her dad! Goddess! Weren't they ever young once? Were they orphans that didn't know what family meant?
Thank Tah'aveen, Lady Marion showed up and dismissed the guards to go back to their duties. I was assigned one wagon back so I had a chance to see everything. The priestess calmed the girl and told her father that everything would be resolved, but, since the caravan wasn't about to turn around, the girl might be stuck with us. Her father, of course, was pleading and begging to have someone take her home, but Lady Marion made no promises. "We need every last hand, paw, and talon we brought." she told him, "BUT," she said, "there IS still the matter of what would happen if added to our number we would have to subtract." It was one of her many rules about balance, or so I heard.
Right about that time, Anor-Roc, who had been watching the whole fiasco right beside me excused himself, hopped down off the wagon, and sprinted forward to catch up with the wagon where the priestess was in a fresh argument, this time with the red squirrel, Valda. "You can't send her back to Myre! Without some form of protection she and anyone you send with her will get 'made dead' in no time."
"Despite how much I agree with your point, Miss, there are rules to be observed." Lady Marion announced, "Which is why this is not a decision I can make lightly. I will need time to consider the options." she looked at the girl in a way that made her father kneel down and pull her away from the priestess.
"It shouldn't be a hard one to make!" the squirrel announced for the whole of the woods to acknowledge, "If you're worried about her getting under foot, let me take care of her."
Lady Marion shook her head, "No... I'm afraid not. This isn't a matter of who will watch her... this is about cosmic balance."
"You mean cosmic bullshit." the squirrel profaned. Yea... I said 'profaned'... I mean, it is an affront to the Goddess, but I kinda found it a little funny.
By that time, Anor-Roc had caught up to the wagon and had hoisted himself inside. In a way I'll never understand, the coy-wolf managed to calm down not just the squirrel, but also the priestess, the laborer, and the little girl. He talked quietly with them... so quiet and reasonably in fact that I really couldn't make out what it was he was saying. In the end, I guess, he convinced Lady Marion to sleep on it and consider all viewpoints. Valda agreed to put off her hysterics, and the father was given the rest of the day to tend to his daughter.
Before returning to my wagon, Anor-Roc knelt down and spoke quietly to the girl. He reached for the bracelet around his wrist and I saw him pull one of the dangling charms off of it and hand it to the little one. He said something and rested a paw on her head, ruffling her curly locks before he hopped out of the wagon and stood by the side of the road until the one I was on caught up to him. I reached a hand out and he took it with a pleasant "Thanks.", and I helped him up.
"You seem to have a way with children." I pointed out, watching the girl with her father; she didn't seem quite as upset.
"Thank you." he took the observation as a compliment... which I suppose it was, "I've had some practice." he smirked.
"So what happened there?" I asked.
"Things got blown out of proportion... happens a lot with little pups." he explained.
"Human children are called kids."
"Oh... so like goats." he smiled. "That's good to know." the coy-wolf took a seat on a barrel, "Anyway," he continued, "I'm sure things'll be just fine."
"Why's that?" I asked, "I'm not sure Lady Marion is going to be happy with an unexpected addition to the caravan."
"Because," he explained, "I told her that there'd be no way for whoever brought her back to Myre would be able to catch back up with us, so either we're left with another member of the caravan (or one half of one considering her size), or else we'll be minus one whole traveler."
"And you don't think she'll send the girl back on her own?" I asked, bringing up the obvious solution.
Anor-Roc paused for a moment, "Nah." he shook his head, "...no..." he continued, "I mean... of course she wouldn't...." he was quiet for several seconds, "would she?" When I didn't answer, the coy-wolf hopped back out of the wagon and ran to catch up to the one ahead of us a second time. He meant well... I just hoped it wouldn't end poorly for the little girl. I was so busy focused on the sprinting coy-wolf that I didn't notice a second passenger hop into my wagon with me.
"What's up?" asked a voice from the side.
I'll admit that he caught me by surprise but, then again, I heard it's something lion cubs are good at. It was Josh, the young acolyte that traveled with the priests. He was hanging onto the lip of the wagon, peeking up over it at me.
"Get up here before you fall and hurt yourself." I encouraged, grabbing his paw and helping him up.
"Don't worry... I'm good at climbing." he announced, and hauled himself up without my help, "I'm not a cub."
"Oh..." I joked, "Sorry... I didn't know you had a fur problem... I thought only cubs didn't have manes."
"Cubs AND girls." he countered, rubbing the top and sides of his head where short, reddish-gold fur was JUST noticeable, "and I have a mane... it's just short right now."
I couldn't help but laugh at that, "Well, I guess I'm mistaken. Then I suppose the next step is for you to join the city guard?"
Josh laughed at that, "No. I'm gonna be a priest. I'm already training."
"And your parents think that's a good idea?" I smiled.
"Oh... I don't have parents." he answered, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Let me tell you... I wasn't really smiling after that. "So what's going on up there?" he asked, peering forward toward the newly started argument about the stow-away.
"One of the laborers had his daughter stow away in the supply wagon." I explained, still a little off-balanace from the discussion with the lion cub.
"Well..." Josh noted, "I see Lady Marion up there, so I'm gonna see if I can help." he patted me on the head, "And don't worry about thinking I'm young... a lot of people make that mistake." He hopped right out of the wagon and was gone.
The little lion was a welcome interruption to the monotony of travel, but his presence was a chaotic one... it seemed almost strange to think of him as a future priest but, then again, I suppose I never figured myself for the city guard either. Considering my limited options to keep my myself busy I realized I couldn't keep focusing on the little girl so I had to consider something else. As it turned out, the wagon masters always needed additional hands.
I haven't been worked so hard since training at the barracks. If you knew anything about caravans you'd understand-- the wagon masters are practically slavers. Guard patrol in Myre is boring, but at least all you have to do is play look-out. In a caravan you do all that PLUS get used for manual labor. One of the caravan leaders seems to think I'm his personal slave worker. I swear to Tah'aveen if that elephant calls me over to help move boxes one more time I'll 'reorganize his cargo' but good. Lord Dalton would object if he knew, I'm sure-- honor and duty were always important to him.
On the upside, we're making really good time. Bahrla Splithoof, the minotaur woman turned out to be a skilled guide in the Wild Lands. Several times some of the caravan leaders let the guards know that we were spared having to put our lives in danger protecting the caravan because of her route changes. At some point I'm almost hoping we end up having to deal with some kind of attack so I can leave the elephant on his own... maybe he'll finally realize what guards are for.
Miri, as time goes by I'm starting to think I wasn't born in the right town. All of the 'have to's and 'must do's and 'it is your duty's are starting to make me think I'll die from an explosion of pent up anger before I can live to be an old maid. Lord Dalton could see it, I bet... which is why he probably chose me for this... well... one of the reasons he sent me, I guess. We both know the other reason... the REAL reason, even if we don't talk about it. I've been thinking more and more about you lately-- I hope things are going well on the estate... and that you don't have any fat elephants telling YOU to move boxes.
Oh! You remember Keeland Reilly? I got assigned to one of his patrols, which was really great on a number of levels. Not only did it get me away from that slave driving wagon master, it also gave me a chance to talk with Sergeant Reilly. Four guards went with us... six in total taking a half dozen feral horses and riding up and down the wagon line several times. The shepherd had us travel in groups of two, and he chose me as his partner!
"Leijh, right?" he asked once we were alone... just the two of us and our mounts.
"Yes, Sir." I answered, feeling a little giddy that he DID know my name.
He chuckled and held up a paw, "Please... we aren't in Myre anymore-- you can do away with the formality." The casual comment caught me by surprise; he was a soldier of Myre; everything was supposed to be formal. I guess he must have read my face because he added, "It's just the two of us... no need to put on airs. Vall me Keeland."
"Okay.... Keeland." I remember giggling-- oh GODDESS how embarrassing. I think I was blushing too. As far as I can tell, looking back, I don't think he minded at all; his tail was wagging and everything. If I can have more patrols with him this entire trip will be worth it. I'm deluding myself and I know it though... I'm not here to make friends... which, I guess, brings me to the main focus of the first day out of town: I wasn't any closer to Liam than I'd been when things first started.
The little I saw of the fox was usually during breaks or down-time. He kept mostly to himself, which I suppose was to be expected. I assume he's probably out of Grace by now... from what I heard he didn't have a chance to get any real supply of the drug before escaping town. He didn't think things through, I bet... what did he expect to accomplish heading out into the Wild Lands where it'd be impossible to get what he'd need to live? I'll keep an eye on him but as soon as the shakes begin I know it'll be a good indicator that I'm right. I got too skilled at identifying Grace withdrawal over the years... I guess it's just more proof that Lord Dalton really is good at putting every kind of skill to use.
* * * * *
The Myre Caravan is on its way to Zion!
The first part of Chapter 1 presents the group's first of many decisions.
Contributing readers now get to choose the way the party will face this situation. Myrneese Contributing Readers each get 1 vote on how to proceed. Anyone may spend 1 Willpower to get a second vote (with a successful social roll, Target number of 20). The following options are available:
1) Send the girl home by herself. She almost certainly won't survive. SUCCESS
2)Send the girl home with a rider. Their chance of survival is slim. SUCCESS
3) Let the girl stay under the care of Valda. She ran an orphanage, you know. SUCCESS
4) Let the girl stay under the care of Anor-Roc. He's good with children, right? SUCCESS
Contributing Readers, make sure you make your vote before midnight (pst) on Friday, June 3rd.