Praxius looks across to Rae, the smile stillon his face.

”Reli is the Commander of the Hylian forces, but also a suspected traitor. In my mind anyway. There was either an assassin trying to blow Reli up, or trying to deliver some explosives. And Reli was incredibly evasive”, he says matter of factly.

”Ill?”, he replies to Paca, “not in the least, I feel great”. He looks down at his hand, noting the colour.

”It has been years, perhaps decades, since I changed season. The Lost Woods were so…depressing. It is nice not being so…blue”, he adds with a chuckle.

”It is a shame about Dagoro, I would have gone with him if I’d known. Although I do still want to get to the bottom of the issues in the city as well. I can’t believe you all met the king!”.

“Interesting,” Theo says as he comes in and sits down. “According to Shiek, outside of the King and the Princess, the traitor is likely either Reli or Lord Bast Verik, one of the council members. From what you’ve said, it seems there’s at least something going on with Reli that needs to be investigated.” He sighs, finger tapping on the table. “I’m am a little sad that I didn’t get to talk to Dagoro more, but such is life. As for meeting the King, I don’t think I got to. As soon as we found the Princess, Paca and I ran to come find Impa.”

Theos brows furrow, thinking about the past day’s events. “Something is bothering me, though,” he says, taking out his slate. “How did the Poe know about these? And why is the Royal family keeping them a secret? Wouldn’t it be more useful to give these to the leaders of each of the races so they can communicate quickly?” 

"Where do we start? I don't know much about these people but if we can get an audience with a suspected traitor, my magic can help to provide some truth from them. Perhaps this Reli is the easier place to start?

Quiggley listens to all that has happened to the group before speaking,

"I doubt commander Reli or Lord Verik are complicit traitors. I'm sure they both helped contribute to what happened over the celebration, but I am also sure a thorough investigation will reveal events happening that provoked each to do what was in their character to do."

"That is most probably why you found the commander evasive and why Lord Verik is missing. Both realized they had been played and either wish to have proof of their innocence or escape where that's not possible."

"I don't see either, one a commander basking in a chance at glory, the other a fast rising noble with extreme prejudice, having the patience to get control of the diverse forces we met during the celebration, trust in their ability to act independently of oversight, and act in a coordinated fashion that indicates back up plans, dedication to service, fear of failure, and an ability for the plan to adapt to the unplanned for, like us."

"No. This was a patient calculated plan with many diverse participants of an opponent who is so sure of the plan they have no reason to be on the field as it plays out. In fact they expect their agents to die before failure. I think the Poe and the would be assassin are the only actual agents we found."

Quiggley accounts before addressing Theo's question, "I don't believe the Poe knew what was in the loose brick any more than I did. It just didn't want me setting off any kind of alarm that might bring more attention, or that is my guess."

"As to where to start we know the following clues, the army retreated towards the mountain. The Poe threatened something in the Orchard (?) That Paca must protect. Lord Verik was compelled to give away half of the Orciana (?) While the other half was stolen by the Poe. Something was taken from the princess but she was left alive."

"I think our first step should be to attempt to return the tablets to the King. Second leave Paca's half with the king. If our opponents plan was to get a hold of both pieces out of the kings knowledge then bringing it with us just enables that since said opponent knows step 3. Step 3 go to the ambush in the Orchard (?) And see what we can learn."

"Anyone see something I missed or a flaw in my assumptions?" Quiggley asks.

Praxius gets up and paces back and forth, his hand stroking his chin. He turns to look at Quiggley, the index finger of his right hand pointed into the air and waving back and forth slightly. He opens his mouth to speak....

"Nope", he says shaking his head, "I didn't follow that at all".

"Sounds smart though, so worth considering. As for who leads them, the Bokoblin I questioned said it was a white maned Lynel named Lyeuk. Dagoro said his Pa might know them, but maybe others do too. We could ask around?"

Paca says to Quiggley, "No offense in your judgement or thought process, but wouldn't it be better for me to hang on to the Ocarina. I mean, the other half was already stolen from under his nose. I would prefer I hold on to it. Plus, I feel a certain connection to it I can't quite place yet."

Theo remembers something from history, a detail he had forgotten until now. “I believe that Lyeuk was the name of the General under the Calamity, but I believe Lynels have short lived, so it’s probably a descendent. Other than that, I don’t know anything about that specific Lynel. We could try asking someone like Impa who may know more.”

Praxius wanders over to Theo. "A descendant, they would certainly have cause to hold a grudge. I will happily go and see Lady Impa again if she might know something. She may also know what happened to Commander Reli", he says, his smile still evident.

"And don't worry, Paca. No-one will take your instrument from you while I am by your side, and there is breath in my lungs", he adds, also jovially despite the subject matter.

"So, we head back to the castle today, or wherever Lady Impa might be found?".

Quiggley shrugs at Paca, "The instrument was given to you, it's yours to decide what to do with. I have warned you as to the probable reasons as to why as well as the easiest precautions to block those possibilities. Still the choice is yours. It could be the Poe merely used the orchard as a diversion to buy itself time to escape. I should note I doubt this option, since it could pass through walls, fly, turn invisible, and make itself appear as others, but it is possible.,"

"Since we also need lady Impa if we are to go to the orchard, she does seem to be the person we need to see. I don't see any reason we can not return the tablets to her instead of the king."

Rae finishes her toast as she listens to the group, and takes a moment to quietly wallow to herself, "Sigh, I left my harsh home to try and enjoy a smoother life within the Zora Domain; only to have my livelihood seized from me.  Then to avoid further intrusion upon my life, I leave the Zora Domain; only to find myself wrapped up in an even greater conspiracy.  It seems as though trouble always has a way of finding me."

The yellow zora brushes herself off of any crumbs and cleans up her area before commenting to the group, "So it seems we are to visit this Lady Impa then.  I am ready when all of you are."

"Trouble doesn't find you, Rae! Life is just full of many beings who are all trying to get enough ahead to enjoy a little rest without worry, who unfortunately can not see or know all that the trying will caused to come into effect. What you experience as trouble is just someone else's  struggles. We can look at it as trouble and struggle against it or we can view it as opportunity and struggle with others, but no one gets a struggle free existence. So good news! We're all probably gonna die from whatever this is, And, the dead don't have to struggle. Usually. Unless they are brought back. By lazy wizards who want rest..."Quiggley will try to explain eencouragingly,  and fail.

"ah, right. Let's go!"

"Why the doom and gloom?", Praxius says not letting the talk of trouble and struggles and death get him down.

"Right now we are alive, and the potential we have is endless. Let's go beat some doors down and find those opportunities", he says and starts towards the the door, whistling a tune he hasn't thought of in decades.

Performance: 18+1=19

Paca smiles as Praxius begins whistling, "Praxius I did not know you were one for music! Let me join you!" Paca listens to Praxius whistle the tune a few times before attempting to compliment his whistling with a pan flute. He struggles to replicate it though as it is very unfamiliar to him.

Performace: 1+11 = 12

Theo smiles to Rae and Quiggley as Paca and Praxius do their duet. “Well, let’s get going! We’ve got a full day ahead of us, and a bunch of things to do!” Theo puts down his cup of milk and heads towards the door.

Stepping out into the mid day sun, unfortunately wind has a hard time reaching this far into the city so your sense of smell is isntantly bombarded with charred wood and ash, While the fires have been out for some hours now smoke still lingers over head and likely will for some time. The city is noticably quiet, in direct contrast to the city that felt alive the day before. A somber feeling ligners in the air, no songs are sung, no tankards are raised as the dead are laid to rest. 

Theo takes the lead, actually bringing you down a somewhat familair street. You passed this way the day before on your way to the WillFull Wander, in which you still had a room booked for another day. It's not too far out of the way as Impa is likely at the castle and you will pass by the connecting street leading to the inn on the way, so you take a small detour to let management know you will no longer be needing the room. 

Unfortunately it seems the Wander was one of the buildings struck by the fires, the once large and glorious inn is now nothing more than a pile of charred ruins. "Oh" You hear a familiar voice on the site, a female knight is overseeing the attempts to recover anything of value from the burnt building. "Alright, lets try......the south bath house this time." Knight Feld stands among a few dozen soldiers, directing them as to where to search. Of course the search for survivors in the ruined remains has likely already taken place, now they scour for things of import. 

Do you wish to stop for a moment and talk to Knight Feld or continue forward to the castle? She has not noticed your apporach as of yet.

"What a shame", Praxius says to the other as he spots the remains of the Wilful Wander, "It was a mighty fine place whilst it stood".

He wanders closer, waving to Knight Feld. "Ho there, Knight Feld. I would ask How goes it?, but I can see not too well".

He takes a look around, surveying the scene for a moment.

Perception: 12+4=16

Quiggley will fly up over the ruins of the willful wanderer and look around as the others talk with knight Feld. He considers if the building truly burnt to the ground because of the attack or if the attack simply allowed an excuse for the city to be rid of it's brothel?

Perception 1+2= 3

Praxius, 

Knight Feld greets you and your companions with a feigned smile and a small nod, Her eyes are bloodshot and strained. It is likely she has not slept yet, given her first duty is to the city. "Greetings Praxius....Unfortunately you are correct, it isnt going well." The soldiers break off and begin to search through the piles of burnt and charred wood. 

"How fares you and your companions? I trust you are well rested?" Knight Feld turns her attention from the burned wreckage, seemingly welcoming the momentary distraction. 


Quiggley, 

You rise up into the air and look down on the rubble, unfortunately it seems that there is still a layer of smoke lingering over the building. It affects your eyesight, causing your vision to blur and your eyes to tear up. 

Quiggley rises higher and rubs his eyes to clear the smoke and tears.

"New day, new dawn", Praxius says philosophically, "and the sun is shining. The world moves on, even after the terrible events of yesterday".

"Is there any more news as to who and what did all this? Did Commander Reli return?", he adds, a shadow crossing his face very briefly as he mentions Reli, before the smile re-appears on his newly green tinted features.