A bard in time saves...

[Metarie]

Metarie nodded. That sounded like something Camulous would do. Metarie turned back to the the wardrobe to open a drawer. Retrieving a pair of socks, she closed the drawer, shut the doors, and picked up her shoes while Lanya thought of her next words to say. Metarie settled by Lanya and began to put on her shoes.

"I have not yet decided how much longer I will remain here. The danger is passed, and there is a point where I become a burden rather than a guest. If it is no trouble, I would like to remain for another day or two - so that I might be sure I am fully recovered before traveling on. Though I admit I could use time away, for myself, today."

Metarie nodded. "Lanya, you are no burden. Two more days? Perhaps, but not today." A little glint of her natural good-natured humor twinkled through. "You are most definitely welcome to stay. But if you begin to smell, I will have to throw you out." Metarie added the last bit as she pulled on her shoes. A slight smile curved her lips. The smile disappeared quickly enough as she stood.

"Lanya, I am sorry... for my foolish and reckless behaviour. I have no excuse for it." Metarie plucked an cardigan from her wardrobe and pulled it on - almost severely. She did not wish to speak of things she could not or did not want to explain, but she felt it necessary to apologize. The cardigan was a deep blue color. It was largish in size. The knit fabric enveloped her and the sleeves covered her hands slightly. Metarie looked deceptively frail within it.

"I was asked to give you a place to stay only. I am no warden. The Captain said the assassin has fled. If you feel safe enough and he agrees, I see no reason why you cannot go out. If he has left, then he is not here to consult , well then, you will have to make as informed decision as you can." Metarie smiled once again and gestured to the door of the room.

[Lanya Caliope]

Lanya looked startled as she shook her head, not understanding the reason for Metarie's apology. But a moment later she nodded instead, to make it clear she accepted the apology for what it was. She knew that one did not always have to understand an apology to accept the intentions behind it.

As Metarie continued, Lanya considered her words in reply. She wasn't entirely sure she believed the captain's word - not because she did not trust him, but because it was possible he'd been misinformed. He had told her Lucian was dead by execution, but Lucian was alive and now well. It did not paint the captain as a liar, but it did cast doubt upon his other declarations.

"Metarie, I have lived through taverns and bars for several years now. You would be amazed at what you would need to do in order for me to cast judgment upon your actions."

She grinned as she finished her statement, her tone alight with humour. It was a jest that was layered in truth; Metarie had done nothing which could make the bard cast a sideways glance. If she had topped off her actions by strutting through the house naked and drunkenly raving in the captain's face...perhaps she might have warranted a raised eyebrow.

"Whether or not I feel safe is not something I wish to dwell on. I do not want to live my life glancing over my shoulder, forever wondering."

Better to put one foot in front of the other, day by day, and continue on her path. She had lived out this play, been put to trial and even convicted of a false crime. There was no affection lost for this city, and her only true connections were a gypsy who was now lost to both of them and a healer who she felt at best a companionable distance with.

She nodded slightly to herself and started for the door. She did need to leave if she was indulging in fits of self-pity. She was not a natural dour person, for all she kept her moods to herself, and didn't appreciate her thoughts remaining in such a low state. The longer she allowed herself the luxury of wallowing, the more natural it would seem, and damned if she would become the type to wade in self-pity.

"I will be back in a few hours. Will you still be here, or?..."

[Camulous Smithson]

There was no more flexibility or time for speeches with Camulous. He was set on a single course of action, and the man's stubbornness was hammered in with years of military training and command.

Things needed to be done. The purpose for which he had returned to Metarie's house - to use one of the ladies in the historic district in order to find out why Moryldar's favorite battlemage was seen leaving the old ruins with Zhou and another woman - was still in the air. Metarie was his first choice because she could use her charms to get information from certain people who would never speak to Camulous. But with Lucian, and now Everett somehow involved, it was safer to find someone else and keep what he knew to himself.

The threat of arrest often did the trick. Even someone like Everett didn't want to spend time in a cell. Never mind what the guards would do if he kept shooting that mouth of to them. Idonir was a saint compared to some of the people they hauled in there. The other ones didn't all like ladies, either.

"Shut up and go."

He grabbed Everett's shirt then and started forcing him out, careful not to leave himself too open. Having one of Everett's arms limp made that job easier than usual.

Once outside he gave another shove and let go. Lanya's song came floating through the open door and they both heard it. Muffled by the house, it was still audible. Whatever effect it had on the captain was his alone to feel, but it must have had one because he didn't go back inside.

Instead, he reached behind himself and pulled the door shut. The thing could barely close on its bent hinges.

It was words enough. No more were forthcoming from him. From here on the biggest danger to Metarie and Lanya was Everett. If he kept nosing about, Moryldar just might decide to pay attention to them and find a reason to want Lanya dead once more. Camulous knew where to look first if something like that happened.

He started to walk back home, realized he'd forgotten his hat inside, and decided it wasn't important enough. The music stopped, but he still felt awkward inside that house. It was too nice for him.

[Alibi of Tyrants]

Surprisingly, Everett caught himself when he attempted to rebuke the Captain's point. No, it wasn't because Camulous was right. It was because Everett realized that he wasn't going to gain anything through postulation alone; it was also exasperatingly apparent that the thick-headed fucker that manhandled his gimpy, one-armed ass wasn't going to allow him to ask the questions that he needed to ask. So what if he was being self-righteous? Somebody needed to point out these things to these people, however obvious they were---and if Camulous was going to sit there with his thumb up his ass and not say a damn word, then it would've been up to him to spur some thought in that damn household. But that was another matter.

After being gracelessly shoved out of the door, Everett staggered for a couple of steps. His inert arm completely toyed with his body's equilibrium, its immense weight causing him to shift glaringly to the left with each heavy step. It was a good thing that he had experience dealing with this sort of thing or otherwise he would've been put on his ass with a little finger-tap. Shifting all of his strength and weight to the right side of his body, Everett managed to pull himself to a stop and keep himself straight up. The detective turned around and gazed at the Captain one last time, eyes narrowed into slits. The bastard didn't even need to tell him to shut up---there were no words Everett could articulate to describe his frustration, no words to change anybody's mind about anything.

That was okay, though. If he were being pushed out of here, he'd find another way. Like it or not, he was involved in this little investigation now. First things first, though.

He needed to get to Rosalee. His arm was shot to shit, and Metarie obviously wasn't going to help repair it after he had hurt her feelings. Not that Everett regretted doing so, but he felt that maybe it wasn't such a hot idea to go in there with his teeth snapping in retrospect. But then again, you can't get anything like that across to somebody like Metarie in any other way. Sugarcoating it just smooths it over and makes it even more apparent for the next time and Everett didn't believe in "next times." With the lifestyle that he has led over the course of the years, there was a slim margin for error involved and it made him nearly merciless, accordingly, for fuck-ups like Metarie's. But with Rosaleee involved, being the one fixing his arm...bleh. He was probably going to get his ass kicked for even walking into her office.

Secondly, he needed to hit the streets. This Lanya chick wasn't exactly going to be forthcoming with any information; he could already tell that she was a closed book, reluctant to mention anything about herself unless it's in the present tense (and even that seems like a shitty wager to bet on). If she's been here for any amount of time, he has got to find out something about her. Everett gets the feeling that there's an answer somewhere in her past, something that connects her to what's going on with Morlydar. He would find it out, somehow and some way. Even if it meant throwing himself into a pit of vipers, this meant a BIG chance to take on somebody who has been virtually untouchable for years.

Finally (and firstly), he needed to find a toilet. He needed to take a humongous crap.

And so with that, Everett goes in the opposite direction of the Captain, all the while listening to a haunting yet melodic dirge emanating from Metarie's house.

[Metarie]

Metarie nodded. "It is important to make your life your own. Choose your own steps..." She did not mean to echo the sentiments spoken of the night before, but Metarie knew all to well what it felt like to be powerless. She also knew all too well the need to assert control over her own body.

"I will be going next door to the smithy to see if he can repair the door. Other than that, I will be in my garden. I think I have not tended to it as I should."

Metarie smiled at Lanya. Metarie had started to caution Lanya to be careful and keep herself safe. But the thing she held in her hands, innocuously wearing the guise of an instrument, would protect her. Metarie could see the magic of the thing and its magic was not healthy. In Metarie's estimation the thing was cursed or possessed, perhaps both.

Metarie crossed to the door of the bedroom and opened it. The only sight available to her was an empty table with chairs askew. An empty table and... Camulous' hat. Why seeing it caused her gut to wrench, she could not explain other than to assume the feeling was guilt. Metarie had known the pair had left. She had not lied when she said her hearing was good. She would have heard them and smelled them had they remained in the house. The door also had a distinct enough sound when it closed now.

Moving to the kitchen, she lifted the hat from the floor and sat it upon the table. "I hope you have fun and I am sure I will see you later." Metarie turned to smile at Lanya. "Thank you for the breakfast. I hope you will make those again."

[Lanya Caliope]

Lanya continues here:

http://www.tharshaddin.com/rp/viewtopic ... 743#p17743

Ree continues here:

http://www.tharshaddin.com/rp/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1796