The House of Leaves

Polished — 2020/04/30

Baet and the brothers now play cards from the beginning. Duboha is no longer attendant to Scurra’s return. He is out looking. Polished 2020/05/11

The first night at the fancy house, Baet saw the brothers Homoth and Komotz playing cards, and was happy he was assigned the first watch. He had Toar stay up a little late and explain the mechanics of the game.

The second night, brothers played several games against Baet—who proved to be a fast learner.

The third night, the brothers broke out the copper, and began to play each other for money. They tried to tempt Baet, but he gently refused. "You must remember,” he said through Toar—as the young wanderer was late going to bed. We were all in prison little more than a week ago. All our stuffs were taken," he said as he continued on his way. "Even the duke borrows coin."

Homoth and Komotz stared at each other for a long second, surprised that they had not realized this. "You do not play for lack of coin?” Homoth began. “Well, I have too much of it!" he declared, and pushed a stack of copper bits toward the Saot guard. “I tire of taking my brother’s money.”

"It shall be quicker for me to take money from two men instead of one," Komotz noted and pushed a few of his own coin at the Saot with a nod.

Initially, Baet refused their charity— but the brothers continued their insistent pleas. The Saot’s palms itched to hold cards. Figuring the hours would be long and tedious if only he watched the game from afar—and since the brothers made such a demonstration of wanting him to play—he allowed himself to be persuaded.

After all, it was only copper. How much trouble could it cause?

The three men whiled away the hours as they played card games that were new to Baet. But the Saot was a consummate gambler, and he quickly divined the mechanics of their foreign games. With lady luck on his side, Baet lost little and gained a great deal. He collected bits and bots from the generous brothers as they scratched their heads in disbelief—not really missing a couple of silver. Indeed, they were quite amused by the Soat’s winning streak.

Deep into the night—as the next guard was approaching— Aim banged through the door with Elpis over one shoulder and Wenifas leaning on the other. “Coming through!” he bellowed as he stepped into the room, and immediately handed off the priestess to the first available hands; those belonging to Baet. Her face was a mask of trepidation and askance as she held a fussing and irritable Evereste. The beautiful priestess was not her usual dour self, but seemed sapped and completely lost. Baet took her in hand, and Wenifas was only too happy to accept his support—a fact that excited and concerned the guard. With a flutter in his heart, Baet led her to a couch and had her sit.

Wenifas flounced on the couch and almost spilled her babe. Her hair was a tangle. She favored her right hand and she absently tried to comfort her daughter. In her time missing, she'd developed quite a smell.

Aim then proceeded to carry the heavily bandaged Elpis up the stairs as Scurra closed and secured the door behind them.

Woken by the ruckus, others poured out of their rooms. Saleos and Toar squawked and poked about the edges of Eplis’s bandages as they followed Aim into his bedroom.

Celesi ran down the stairs, passed the men, and joined Wenifas on the couch. She wrapped the priestess in a hug. Evereste fussed and whined. It took Wenifas several beats to notice anything was wrong with the child. With a frown, Celesi gingerly pulled the girl from the priestess.

"I..." Wenifas began to protest.

Celesi wrapped her in a hug, then kissed her, as she took the babe. “My sweet sister, you must relax,” she began. "You have obviously suffered something dreadful, and I have had too much rest! Let me see to your babe. I shall care for her as if she were my own."

WIth tears in her eyes, Wenifas passed Evereste to the young Trohl. "She needs food. She needs changed," Wenifas confessed. She collapsed back into the couch. "I’ve had nothing to give her," she pouted as tears formed in her eyes.

"Hey... hey! It's okay!" Celesi soothed Wenifas and stroked her hair. "We're all here for you! Sit, relax, and I will see that she is tended."

"Where's Meu?" Wenifas asked.

Celesi frowned and shook her head. “She is not here,” she said, as there was still no sign of the old, slender redhead.

"There are so many of us missing!" Wenifas buried her face in Celesi’s shoulder. She didn’t want to mention their names; Claiten was lost… and Derris even more so.

Celesi turned toward Baet with a critical eye and used some of the steel Meriona had instilled in her. "Get some food," she ordered the myopic guard. "Get fruit and soft things for the baby.”

More than happy to be of assistance to the priestess, Baet went into the kitchen and searched through the pantry and chill box. He assembled a plate of berries, a soft pear, milk, and honey; the light sort of fare he preferred when he was sick. He returned as Celesi finished with the child's diaper. Wenifas was slumped to the side, her eyes closed as she breathed even. Was she asleep so soon?

Celesi took the plate from Baet with one hand and gave him the spent diaper with the other. "Thank you," she said in a formal manner and gave him a bit of a smile. She thought the guard should be encouraged for his good behavior as she turned back to Evereste.

"Thank Jeiju!" Traust stated as he arrived in the room with the duke and Carringten in tow. He was all too happy to see Scurra and Wenifas; and to know that Elpis was also home. They may be in a sore condition—especially Elpis—but that was much preferred to being lost. “What has happened?” he asked.

"We were ambushed at the Lady’s estate," Scurra cut in. "We had to fight our way back to the road, and during the fracas, Elpis was cut under his arm. I didn’t see how it happened. It was a shallow strike—but I believe it nicked his artery. He bled something fierce.

“For a time I thought he'd bleed out,” she continued. “But he humped the hill, and we've been lucky—since I’ve never been to this house and didn’t even know the neighborhood,” she glanced about, pleased by its opulence. “We were chased from the Lady's estate and managed to lose them as we approached near the slant streets.”

"I was right to think they might go after our friends—but I did not expect them to do so immediately," Truast frowned. "I should not have sent so few to go to the Lady's house."

Scurra shook her head. "Even if all of us went, you would not have sent enough. There were so many. We only escaped because the Lady was brave and warned us. I believe that is why she paid such a heavy price.” She paused for a long second, then glanced about the room, and asked her own question. “Have you seen the wanted posters?"

“Wanted posters?” Traust began. “I’ve not been off the property since we arrived—except to check our drops.”

Scurra shrugged. “We saw a couple yesterday—though they look nothing like us.”

"What are we worth?" Andrus asked.

"The lot of us?" Scurra pointed about her Jindleyak cousins. “A hundred chit a piece.”

Andrus frowned. "A hundred chit barely seems worth it."

"The ones they really want are my brother, and the foreign duke," Scurra said. "It seems to be accepted they somehow orchestrated Kezodel's death. They're the real prize: five thousand chabling a piece."

Duboha gave an appreciative whistle.

"It's fake money, no matter the amount,” Komotz snorted, “It's like they don't really want to catch us at all."

"They're forced to stick to their lies," Traust noted. "And even thiough it’s a lie, it is a generally accepted lie. Five thousand chabling would see a frugal man through many years.

“But enough of the price on our heads,” Traust continued. You were running from Degorouth and Ministrians near the slant streets. It took you three days to get here from there?"

Scurra gave a nod and continued her story. "We got away, but we were going the wrong direction. We decided to backtrack through the tunnels of Beletrain, which got us away from the Degorouth and Ministrians—but brought us other problems."

"No!" Homoth's eyes grew wide at the suggestion. "You saw naga!?"

Scurra bobbled her head about, shaking and nodding all at once. "I wouldn't say we saw it," she admitted, "but we certainly had a run-in with one of the bastards," she leaned close to Traust. "You'll notice the priestess is missing her boy," she whispered.

Celesi's eyes went wide at the statement. She searched about room, though she knew she would not find the lad. No wonder Wenifas was so distressed! The others shook their heads. Celesi thanked their stars that Wenifas was oblivious to the conversation. With a lump in her throat, Celesi cradled Evereste a little bit tighter.

"Well, there is some good news," Traust cut in. "Your brother is awake—or should I say he is out of his coma. How he sleeps through all this noise is beyond me."

Scurra gave a nod. "If he is well, then we should wake him. I'd like his opinion on Elpis."

"Saleos will see Elpis settled," Apulton said as he stood. "But since you ask, I will see that your brother is roused." He said as took the stairs two at a time.

"Figures you'd be the one to see a naga," Homoth continued to complain.

"The naga," Scurra repeated. "Damned thing tried to take my head off with a mallet! I just heard it and managed to dodge—but I lost my footing and fell back. I lost my torch. Lucky for me, the beast turned on the others, or I’d be dead.

“The beast smashed up your cousin, and turned on the priestess, and the priestess saved us all,” Scurra continued. “She found a black powder bomb in the folds of my brother's cloak and smashed its face. Notice her hand,” she said to Celesi.

The apprentice Jay eyed her friend’s hand and noticed the loose bandage.

"Anyway, the beast screamed and disappeared back into the murk with it’s face on fire—but it took her boy too," Scurra hanged her head. "What were we to do? We could not search for him…" she began to choke up. "After the naga, I put another rag around Elpis, and we limped for the exit at full hobble,” Scurra continued. “We came out of the tunnels at Fowler's Auction. His daughters made help—but they were rubbish. Fowler promised to send word and asked that we stay until you could come get us. I assume you heard nothing from the man."

"Not a thing," Traust confirmed. "We've checked our drops religiously and received no word from anyone."

“I didn’t trust the man,” Scurra frowned. "He wouldn't stop staring at the Ministrian's tits. It's not too surprising since he didn't seem that interested in the honor of his own daughters. Poor Elpis needed sleep—and not the kind those girls offered," She shrugged. “I suspect he was building up the courage to betray us—so we didn’t stick around too long.

“After a short night, we snuck out and made for the apartment in Peverly,” she continued. “We stayed a night there and rested up—which was the only decent sleep I’ve had in days. Last night, we stayed in a ditch among some homeless, and about sundown we ran across Aim near the Church of Muaha Dalinfoers.

“It’s been slow going, as I dragged a half dead man, and escort a woman lost in her sorrows,” Scurra complained. “Each time I turned around, the priestess was wandering off and Elpis was doing his best to die on me! We were forced to take a lot of breaks and this city is way too big!" she finished with a dramatic wave.

Her anger didn't last. It melted into a smile as she stared at the concerned faces all about her.

"By god, it's good to be among friends!" She said as she hugged those nearest to her.

Traust turned to Apulton. "Did you wake the brother?"

Apulton gave a nod. "He means to see Elpis before he comes down, and he says he has something to calm the priestess if she’d like."

Celesi turned to Baet, who was oblivious to the conversation. She spoke to him in Ministrian. "Will you see the lady up to my room?" she asked.

Baet nodded and gently picked Wenifas off the couch. To the Saot's delight, she laid her head against his shoulder. Despite the dirt and wear of her misadventures, she was still a sight to see—and now that the babe was changed, she didn't smell quite as much as before. He carried the priestess up the stairs as the others continued to converse. At the end of the hall, he shifted her weight so he might open the door—and felt a familiar lump press against his chest. It was the shape of a musket, and he thought it must be Cloud Breaker tucked under her cloak!

Baet glanced about the hall.

Sure that they were alone, Baet shifted the woman in his arms—and despite her moans of protest—he felt about her person that he might retrieve his weapon. With a moan and a whimper, Wenifas protested his touch. He shushed her as he continued to dig about the layers of her clothes, as he tried to reclaim the musket.

Across the hall, the door popped open. Krumpus stepped from his room, looking haggard and worn. The angry scar no longer smoldered as it had in the Great Court—but it still added a ghoulish element to his scowl as he noted the Soat guard’s hand buried in the priestess' clothing.

"It's not what you think," Baet pulled his hand free.

With a snort, Krumpus opened the door to his room. He berated the Soat guard in Trohl as he waved for Baet to bring the lady in and set her on the bed. Then, the shaman pushed him out of the room and down the stairs while Baet protested his innocence.