Robert
Sir Heath Romanov
Castle Grunewald, Vallen

He ran a hand through his hair, unsurprised that she had questions regarding his actions. "I've known Cecilia for the better part of my life. She is my oldest friend," Heath began, averting his eyes and choosing to stare at a strange, portrait of a hog that had been sketched right onto the wall. "I would consider her more of a little sister, in fact. I'm not sure why she was hunting Nickles. She refused to tell me." 

The sword at his side was still coated in her poisonous blood. He bit down hard on the inside of his bottom lip, drawing his own blood. A strong part of him wanted to go back down to the dungeons, gut the servant to procure the key, and let Cecilia go. *She had injured the Duchess of Astoria*. It was a grave mistake on her part and it angered him for more reasons that one. *She should have known better*. He had always told her that for an animal, her survival instincts were abysmal. He did not see this ending in any way other than with Cecilia being made into a pelt or rug for the Shitblood king's study. Perhaps that night would have been Heath's last chance to speak to his friend again.

It was Anyanka's simple request that stopped him. "Of course I'll lay with you," He answered. He would make the right choice for once, pushing the image of an injured Cecilia alone in her cell out of his mind. He let his sword fall to the ground and laid next to Anya, taking her hand in his.
Katherine
Anyanka Durkhan
Vallen, Taemar

His explanation of the woman didn't give any answers as to why she had been in the house chasing a child or who she had been working for, but it did lend an explanation for the way he kept averting his eyes towards the door. There was a moment of contemplation crossed his features, and then the golden man took her hand and Iaid down beside her. Her fingers laced in his with half strength, finding her energy had to be focused more on avoiding gritting her teeth at the shift of the bed and body as he took his place. 

Whatever he had given her to help with the pain was wearing off, slowly but surely. She didn't know what it had been, or how to obtain more either. There were a few things she could try, things she had learned back in Kath and since the sigils that scarred her arms had been carved. But she couldn't attempt them with Heath here, the idea of trying and failing before an audience was bad enough. When it was _this_ particular man as audience it was worse. 

She let her eyes closed, her head lulling to the side to allow her forehead to graze his. His tone was still running through her mind, and with every breath that passed she found it harder not to whimper or scream as the ache spread through her, pulsing with increasing intensity. She pulled in a deep breath and squeezed his hand, letting her eyes open halfway.

"You know I won't have a choice but to act on this, Heath." She started softly, her eyes roaming his familiar features, so lovingly defined by age. "If your friend remains in the dungeons, she won't survive tomorrow. If she somehow escapes, and she's _ever_ found in my territories, every citizen of Astoria and South Feyshore will have permission to kill on sight." There was a beat, and she released her hold on his hand, giving him the choice to unlace and pull away if he wished. In the same breath however, she tilted her chin, stealing a kiss from her old paramour. 

"It's a good thing her only friend was here with me all night, I'd hate to wake up and find she'd managed to escape the dungeons." She murmured, prepared to watch him slide from her bed once more to go play the hero for someone else.
Kevin
Danico Flerantres
Vallen, Taemar

On following the directions given by a kindly guard, the alchemist made his way to the room said to be the sleeping place of the Duchess Anyanka Durkhan. Hand holding the bag at his side still, Danico knocked at the door, pushing it open slowly as he poked his head into the room. "Duchess?" He requested, though upon seeing he was right he made his way in anyway. "My apologies for barging in, Duchess." The alchemist mentioned as he reached into his bag, nodding at Heath sitting on the bead next to her. "Heath", he pulled out a wooden salve with a cork firmly stuffed into its orifice, passing it to the man. "I apologise for taking a couple of hours. Preparing these in a kitchen of all places was not something I had prepared to do on my trip here. This wood salve is the numbing ointment I handed you prior. Apply it the same you had before every four or so hours and the outermost pain should hold at bay." The alchemist inspected what he could of the Duchesses wound from a respectable distance, not wanting to tread on toes as she had likely not long woken up.

Reaching into the bag once more, the alchemist pulled out a clear vial full of a faintly glowing yellow liquid. "This second vial is an energy booster. If you feel that, come some time, you lack the strength to walk then I suggest drinking this." He flicked the butt of the vial, causing the contents to churn in their container. "Should it come to that, you must first fill your mouth with food, poor the vial in and then swallow all at once." He chuckled slightly at his following thoughts- "Not only will that mask the taste.. Trust me, it's not good." He mentioned as he closed his bag. "You must also drink it with food, lest you find yourself losing your dinner on the floor of your bedroom." Clicking his tongue against his gum with a wink, he turned on his heel to return from whence he came. "I'll come find you tomorrow, Duchess, to inspect your wounds. Do try to get some rest." With that, he waved to the two as he made his leave once more.
Kathleen
Jazzy
The burnt thimble, Vallen

Had Jazzy been slightly higher and just a little less aware of his surroundings, he was sure he would certainly have made a suggestion. Maybe invite the younger man to his apartment for a more *Private* Performance."Maybe after your business with the courts you'll give me the honour of letting me hear you play." He said instead, giving a charming smile.

Intertwining his fingers he placed his chin atop them. Mostly to still the slight tremor in them."The plague hasn't changed much for me here. Taemarians have never been one for education and my ballads don't tend to do well. Though if you want ditties about king Bradai's harem or the late Cleburn's whores, I can happily provide."
Lawrence
Kallophon
*The Burnt Thistle*, Vallen

Kallophon chuckled. "I've heard my sufficient share of ditties about queer kings and their ..." He said, trailing off into a yawn before continuing, "... Their women. Look at me, withering away. I think I ought to retire for tonight. King Gregor said he wants me to perform more tomorrow when the council itself is afoot, and I best be at my sharpness if I'm to woo Queen Anyanka or the Romanovs." He smiled fondly at Jazzy, and he leaned over to squeeze his shoulder. "Goodnight, my handsome Azaryan friend." 

Kallophon stood up, tucking his strange lyre and a light leather bag underneath his arm, and walked out of the tavern.
Robert
The Musicians
Vallen, Taemar

The wind had picked up outside, howling through the trees. There was a group in the distance. A naked, ghostly figure hunched over a heap on the ground just beyond the road at the mouth of the forest. Its spinal column jutted out on full display until it straightened, looking back at the opened doors of the tavern. Slick blood covered its mouth and neck, glistening in the torchlight. 


The heap convulsed, digging its fingers into the ground. It was a man. Another man was slumped lifeless against the trunk of a tree, bleeding out steadily from two gashes at his ribs. His face was the most distinguishable. A musician by the name of Arnaud. 

"*NO, please... Stop*!" A woman named Imogen cried, trying to pry the figure off of the body on the ground. She dug her nails into the creature's flesh as hard as she could. Alas, her efforts were for naught and the figure bent its long neck down, tearing at the flesh of the man's throat. He stopped moving. "BERTOLT!" Imogen wailed. She fell to her knees. The figure leapt and tackled her back onto the ground, pressing hand on her chest until her ribcage audibly cracked. Her eyes widened and she let out a choked gasp as blood spilled from her mouth. Her eyes never closed again. 

"*Good boy, Spitza*," A man rasped, looming by the trees. His disheveled beard was unmistakable. Kenmath Vaughn grinned his crooked teeth, petting the last remaining member of the Blood Breed. Spitza spat out a silver, dragonfly hairpin into Kenmath's outstretched hand. "Dirty thieves deserve what they got," Kenmath said with a shake of his head.

 He looked over at the man who stood by the tavern, raising a hand in greeting. 


"Ah, Hog player! Get some sleep before the council tomorrow! We shan't accept a groggy goose. The king will be *Quite* Displeased if you slumber through the meetings," Kenmath called cheerfully, using an old rag to clean Spitza's face.

He flashed him a wide grin before hobbling off down the road, back to Castle Grunewald.
Joann
Siona studied the young woman on the horse, trying to make up her mind. It was not the response she had expected, though at the same time it felt completely fitting. How else might someone respond to a stranger, someone who they had never met, who had come from a crowd just to challenge their assertion about a maybe or maybe not extinct animal? 

Siona didnt move, and let the silence hang between them. Beneath her cloak, she rubbed her thumb and forfinger together, and tic she had developed when she was thinking. On the one hand, she was almost certain she was correct, and that the Owl Griffen was in fact an extinct species. But on the other, if she was wrong, it would be an incredible find. For one, it would be an incredible story to relay back to her caravan, something they no doubt would be able to turn into an excellent play. And on the other hand, the academic in her was overjoyed at the prospect of being able to take part in an expedition to prove an animal, long believed to be dead to the world, was in fact alive and kicking.

"I'll come," She said at last, "If im payed. Half now, half once the expedition is complete. I wont settle for anything less."