Arren casts the corporal a sidelong glance, muttering a quiet thank you in response to the praise. He doesn't react much as Peite talks about his time as a guard — until he mentions the accident. At that, the sergeant turns to look at him directly, surprise flickering across his face. "So that’s why he hides beneath the helmet."

He finds himself wondering what kind of accident it was, and how deeply it must have changed the corporal. But he doesn’t ask. Maybe later, when they know each other better. For now, he just offers a brief, understanding nod and continues walking in silence. He would have stayed that way, too, if not for the elf’s next question.

The sergeant takes his time before answering. It hadn't taken long for him to feel part of the team ... once he started serving under Lieutenant Tireur. Unlike the other superiors he'd known, the lieutenant made him feel welcome almost from the start. Before that, Arren had never truly felt at home. Maybe it was his quiet nature. Maybe it was because he wasn't from Katto like most of the others. A Half-Elf from Etana in the Katto army — it was an unusual combination. Perhaps too unusual.

The thought reminds him that there isn't much time left to serve under the lieutenant, as Tireur is nearing retirement. A pang of melancholy tugs at Arren, who suddenly realizes he's going to miss having Walnuts around.

Realizing that he's taking too long to answer, Arren finally says, "It didn't take long. The lieutenant certainly made me feel welcome from the very beginning. He's going to retire soon, so I'd suggest you make the most of the time he's around. He's an exceptional superior. I'll try my best once he's not around, but," he pauses and gives a slight smile. "let's just say that Lieutenant Tireur set the bar high."

Clearing his throat, Arren shifts the topic back to the journey ahead, feeling his first answer was incomplete. "Coming here wasn't in the Commandant's initial plans, and the prison is far from where you were before. So, I'm not sure if she intends for us to resume our previous journey or do something else. Either way, it's common for our travels to take us to other military outposts. So we should be able to acquire some weapons, though the quality and availability may vary depending on where we go."

'Corporal Peite' listens to the Sergeant as they make their way to rendezvous with the Commandant and the Lieutenant. He genuinely cares about this lieutenant. I wonder if that is usual in the military.

He almost starts to feel positive about joining this company. Focus, this is only a means to an end.

"You only came to Tus because of the prisoner that escaped then? Was it just that someone escaped, or because of who escaped, that drew the Commandant here?", he asks, unable to rein in his curiosity. She asked some unexpected questions, there must be more to this.

Arriving at the prison's gate, you see Lieutenant Tireur and Commandant Nattensbarn already waiting by the carriage outside. There's still some time before the intended time of departure, but once the Lieutenant sees you two, he waves and calls: "If you're done in there, come over and let's ride! We've got some way ahead of us, the sooner we leave the sooner we'll arrive! If we're fast enough we might even sleep with a roof over our head!"

The carriage, small and plain - almost spartan - has very little room inside. Inside, there are two benches facing each other, with little space for legs in between. One bench is now completely occupied by large stacks of papers, scrolls and parchments. Some of them have rolled to the floor, too. The space between the benches is filled by a small wooden table acting as a desk, on which rest a few more stacks of papers. On the other bench - that which faces the same way as the carriage - there's a standard-issue military backpack with the Commandant's belongings, taking about a third of the bench. 

There's space for two people at the front of the carriage - a coachman and one other - and a storage space at the back, where two more can somewhat comfortably sit. In the storage are stored Arren and Walnuts' belongings, along with a few items which serve all the crew - mostly related to food. Lieutenant Tireur has crammed everything together as best he could to make room for Peite's equipment.

"You sit at the front this time Sand, I won't be able to steer well with this arm." He raises his splint a little as a reminder of its condition. "Corporal, you join our Sergeant at the front. Sand, make sure he understands his new duties and introduce him to the horses."

Two brown stallions draw the carriage (OOC: Feel free to name them). The Commandant has just finished harnessing them to the carriage. Despite her position, Arren knows she often insists on tending to the horses herself. She claims it helps her clear her mind, but Arren is certain she just loves the animals, and that she loves animals in general. She walks to the carriage's door but stops before climbing in. "This prison needs more attention than I can give it, and we might be needed somewhere we didn't know before following this earthquake. We're headed to the capital then," Bryn can make out loathing in her voice, which she doesn't even attempt to hide, "but we'll make a few stops on the way. We're first headed back to the hamlet we last stopped by. I hope we can make it before nightfall, but otherwise, we'll sleep outside. Sergeant al-Nasrid, drive well but don't work the horses too hard just for a roof."

You have several hours to ride side by side. Arren, please make an Animal Handling check. 

As they approach the carriage, 'Corporal Peite' makes sure to stop and salute. "Commandant Nattensbarn, Lieutenant Tireur. Yes sir, I am ready", he says replying clearly to the Lieutenant, still with that same gravel to his voice he used earlier.

He looks at the inside of the carriage, noticing all the stacks of papers, scrolls and parchments. It's a miniature scriptorium! Not what I expected to see with soldiers. These three must have some special purpose and remit.

He quickly realises there is no room inside for the Sergeant and himself, and turns his attention to luggage storage, climbing up to carefully wedge his bag in amongst the other belongings.

He does as the Lieutenant then directs, moving to the front of the carriage to be introduced to the horses. He calls the Sergeant 'Sand'. He does have the look of the desert folk about him I guess, with thatgolden-tanned skin.

He is not much of a horse person, and keeps a little distance at first, waiting for the Sergeant to do the introductions.

As the Commandant announces their direction of travel, he smiles a little under his mask. The capital. She doesn't sound happy about that at all. It is more my scene though, and a good place to detach myself from this company. Although if I can learn more about the prisoner with them, and how the Commandant knows the name 'Breithe Staidear', it may be worth sticking around.

When the Sergeant is ready, he will join him sat at the front of the carriage, turning to look back briefly as they leave Tus Prison behind. Let's hope this is the last I see of it.

Hit Dice: 3+2=5

(OOC: Fair - happy for Arren to answer the question from earlier on the way to the carriage (I can retrospectively have Bryn reply if needed) or decide to answer later on the road as they reached the carriage before he could. Or avoid the question altogether I guess, although Bryn will likely ask again at some point if so)

"A messenger came five days ago to inform us that the Commandant's presence was urgently required at the prison. That was unusual. But then again, so are prison breaks with prisoners vanishing like that. I think the escaped prisoner was a Levickan human. An old man. He supposedly ended up in prison for a minor theft. Strange, for a Levickan man to come all the way here to steal something not of great value." Arren shakes his head. There definitely had to be more to it. And then, there were those caves they hadn’t even heard about — and they were definitely not natural. What was going on?

Once they reach the carriage, Arren spots the Commandant harnessing the horses, and the beginning of a smile reaches his eyes. He liked seeing her around the animals. At those moments, she seemed more lively than ever, less tired, and free from the weight her shoulders usually carried. He was pretty certain that if she were the one steering the horses instead of spending the journey buried in paperwork, it would do much more for her health than anything any doctor could ever recommend. "Of course, ma’am," he answers when the Commandant orders him not to exhaust the animals.

When she informs them that they are returning to the capital, Arren immediately glances at Walnuts, giving him an unmistakable uh-oh look. Not adding anything else, he signals for Peite to follow and walks up to the two brown stallions, gently caressing each of them on the forehead.

"So this one is Choco. And that one is Mocha." Anticipating the surprised look from the corporal, Arren shrugs and adds, "The Lieutenant has a particular sense of humor. And a sweet tooth, I guess." He continues, "Choco is the older one, and Mocha often insists on taking the lead. We have to be careful to make him slow down a bit, or he'd run off on its own if he wasn't tied, unbalancing the carriage. But they're good, sturdy animals. You won't have trouble learning to handle them. Here, I'll show you."

(Animal Handling: 13+3)

'Corporal Peite' is a little surprised by the naming of the horses but it is the quiet, "Huh", sound that gives that away more than his expression behind the mask. A bit of whimsy from the Lieutenant, an interesting fellow for sure.

"I am normally a quick study", he replies regarding learning to handle Mocha and Choco.

Once underway, his thoughts turn back to what the Sergeant had mentioned about the prisoner escape, and the purpose of his unit coming to Tus Prison at this time. He had questions at the time, but there was no time to ask as the lieutenant had spotted them.

"So this is a special unit for dealing with unusual events? I mean, you are right it doesn't make sense for the Levickan to travel so far to steal something of little value. But are you only considering monetary value? What about sentimental or intellectual value?", he asks once they are underway and the noise of the carriage offers them some discretion. How much he cannot tell mind. "And did you notice the tunnels we fell into weren't natural? Someone went to a lot of effort to excavate those, and not with a pick and shovel. Whoever he is he has powerful friends".

He looks across to the Sergeant, wondering if he is being too curious and too familiar with his questions. He also wants to gage whether he is telling the truth, and not lying or holding anything back.

Insight: 16+5=21

(ooc: not that it matters a lot but I meant that the Lieutenant named them :D )

"Do you mean you got transferred to our unit but don't know anything about it?" Arren arches a brow, giving the corporal a scrutinizing look. "Your superior didn't brief you? What was his or her name?" He finds this strange but decides to make the explanations anyway.

"Commandant Nattensbarn is the quality control expert of Katto's army. She's in charge of inspecting and reporting everything that happens in our ranks. Any operation or proposal has to go through her, and the same happens with accidents or unusual events — like the one that happened in Tus prison." He pauses briefly. "Her position is quite unique. I've never heard of anyone else with a similar role. As you can imagine, it often involves a lot of travel. The Lieutenant and I are tasked with her protection. And from now on, so are you."

Arren studies the man for a moment before continuing. "Speaking of which, how would you judge your fighting skills? I take it you haven't seen much action in the prison, but I hope you've had regular training." Without waiting long, he adds, "We should train together as soon as we get the chance. It's important that we know each other's strengths and weaknesses to do our job well."

Regarding the escaped prisoner, Arren says, "I don't really know more than I've told you. But coming from Levicka, I'd worry more about intel than anything with a specific monetary value. We'll be informed in due time." He pauses briefly, then continues, "And yes, those caves, carved with cubic shapes, were definitely strange. I take it none of you at the prison knew they existed? No wonder the ground fell out from under us. Didn't the ground shake there often? It would've been a serious oversight not to investigate if that had been the case."

With many hours ahead of them, Arren quietly observes the corporal's movements — how he speaks, what he knows or doesn't, and whether he shows any unusual behavior. If he claims to have been injured, does he favor a leg or show stiffness in his arm? Arren takes careful note, not so much out of personal suspicion, but because Nattensbarn commanded it. (ooc: not sure what to roll, insight as well? 11+1) 

(OOC: He's not lying nor holding anything back. But with that insight roll, I guess you notice he is studying you.)

((Bryn may (or may not, your choice) answer Arren's questions before the events of this post. If we happen to cross-post or one of us posted before seeing the other's post, then your entire post happens before this one.))

"Can I get some quiet in here?" Commandant Nattensbarn calls from inside the carriage. "Even over the horses, I hear you so loud your words end up in my reports!"

Usually, when one person sits at the front and the other at the back, you don't speak much during your travels since that would require shouting and that disturbs the Commandant's thoughts. You actually don't think you were too loud just now, and Arren suspects she just didn't want to hear Arren's apparent admiration of her in his description of what she does. Nonetheless, you understand you should mostly keep quiet for the remainder of the day.

Arren drives well, keeping a good pace without tiring the horses too much. The Commandant hands him a not-so-detailed map of the area before they depart, and quickly explains the route he needs to take. Nothing difficult, but she leaves the map with the pair in the front to consult in case they need it. There aren't too many intersections, though, and you mostly just follow the road. By nightfall, you still haven't reached the hamlet. Looking at the map, you believe you're very close. The Commandant keeps working until the last light, at which point she can't see well. With so many papers lying in there, she doesn't want to light a lantern inside while the carriage is moving, lest it falls and set the entire carriage aflame. When told there's just a little more though, she trusts Arren's judgement and doesn't order him to stop for the night.

When you finally arrive at the hamlet, the dark night sky is already adorned by the stars. There are very few buildings here, but one of them serves as a small inn, as well as a tavern and a place to trade goods. In other words, it's the hamlet's main contact with the rest of the world. In a hurry to reach Tus as quickly as you could, the crew passed through here without stopping the other day and slept somewhere in the way. Sleeping outside isn't uncommon for you, but sleeping under a roof always feels better. Especially now that the nights grow longer and colder with each passing day.

There's a stable where you can leave the carriage and the horses for the night. A middle-aged Human greets you when you arrive. He has just locked the stable, but he's not going to refuse the military's request to stable their horses, and the gold they pay him for it. You notice, there are more donkeys and mules than horses, though those are present too. When you get off the carriage, but the Commandant remains quiet inside, Lieutenant Tireur opens the door and inside, finds her asleep against her backpack. "Twice in a day! If she's not careful she might even not be tired tomorrow." He pauses for a moment. "Don't tell her I said that though." Arren already knows, and this remark is mostly aimed at the Corporal.

He then wakes the Commandant gently, and she quickly springs out of the carriage as if she never fell asleep, not saying a word about it. She takes her backpack with her, already packed with what she intends to take with her. Lieutenant Tireur opens the storage space in the back and pulls out just his bedroll. "Might want to take yours too, Corporal. You never know who slept on the bed before you. Well, if you're planning on sleeping, that is." You two can take anything with you if you want, or leave here for the next day. Once you take all you want, the Lieutenant will close the storage space and lock it.

In such a small place, the inn-tavern doesn't remain full until late. When you get there, only a young Wood Elf acting as a bartender and caretaker of the inn is there. He's playing a solitary game of cards, but he seems rather bored. Commandant Nattensbarn asks for one room for all four of you, but once the caretaker explains there is no room large enough, she settles for two rooms instead and pays for both. Arren knows you usually sleep in just one room, where Arren sleeps, the Commandant keeps working for half the night (Arren is already used to the quiet noise of the quill on paper and the soft candle's light) and the Lieutenant trances, conscious just enough to keep watch through the night instead of requiring watching shifts.

The Commandant takes one key and heads into the room immediately to resume her work. Lieutenant Tireur frowns and gives Arren the second key. "I don't think she's planning on joining us for dinner. Again. You two share a room tonight, but before that, order us three some food. I'll try to convince her to at least get a bite before she dives into her work again." He then follows the Commandant upstairs to the room she went into.

The military provides field rations which are stored in the carriage, but whenever possible, the Lieutenant - and Arren probably too - prefer eating actual food. In places like this, a mere couple of silver coins can feed all three of you well enough, which isn't much compared to your salary, and yet it comes out of your own pockets.

You're free to do as you like until morning, though you're expected to rest so you can serve properly the next day too. You could spend a couple of hours here and still get a good night's sleep, though. The bar offers food and drinks, and that's about all it has to interest you unless you're also interested in hay, bags of wheat or barley, and those kind of goods produced by a small hamlet of farmers.

“I was of course aware of the official details”, ‘Corporal Peite’ says when given the chance to reply, thinking fast. “But I was not expecting to be investigating unusual occurrences such as this, which is why I thought the official detail might not have been the whole story. My direct superior was Lieutenant Ubwipi, the gnome you met in the interrogation room”, he adds. I hope that tracks, I really need to think before I speak.

When asked about his fighting skills he gives a small shake of the head, "Not much opportunity for training at the prison, without the proper weaponry. We are mainly taught to subdue. It would be good to blow away the cobwebs if I can procure a suitable weapon". He will probably take my head off if I spar with him!

"We have had not experienced shaking of the ground before this happened, although it could have been localised to other areas I suppose", he feeds back.

He becomes cautious of saying too much after noticing the Sergeant seems to be studying him. He doesn't complain about any injuries, his bruising having settled after the short rest, and tries to keep the focus on the Sergeant. 

"The Lieutenant called you Sand. Would I be right in thinking that is a nickname?", he will ask at one point.

He makes an observation at another point, "The Commandant didn't seem pleased to be going to the capital".

Deception: 12+6=18

(OOC: Apologies Fair, I made the assumption it was the Commandant that named the horses as she was so invested in them, even after reading the word Lieutenant. I have changed my post.

As mentioned by FireCat, this happens before their post because I didn't see it when I posted. Possibly he won't ask the questions at the end mind).

When the Commandant calls them out for speaking too much, Arren's back straightens, and a brief look of mild regret flashes across his face. He hadn't realized she would be listening. It's true that he and Walnuts usually keep their conversations to a minimum during these journeys, out of respect for the Commandant's work, but with the new recruit around and so many questions coming from his side—which Arren finds entirely reasonable given the situation—he'd simply forgotten about this. In any case, Arren appreciates the reprimand, as he can feel his social battery draining. For someone as quiet as him, he had spoken far more than usual. He sighs, gives Peite an apologetic look, and finishes the rest of the journey in silence.

Once they arrive at the inn, the Half-Elf quickly grabs his bag with the bedroll and a few other things, accustomed to these routines. He's relieved to find that the Commandant has managed to get some rest, but is far less pleased when Walnuts indicates that she'll likely skip dinner again tonight. Arren frowns, but says nothing. Yet. Instead, he heads to the room he's sharing with Peite, drops off his things, and returns downstairs to order dinner for the others. Seeing the young bartender's bored expression, he asks, "Quiet day around here? Nothing out of the ordinary?" Not that he expected the bartender to announce anything exciting, like an old Levickan human in prisoner's clothing having a drink in that specific inn, but it never hurt to ask.

While they wait for Walnuts to come down, Peite tosses a few more questions at Arren, who answers. "Sand? Oh, yes. It's a nickname. My mother is Etanan. We lived there until I was four, when we had to move to Katto." Arren absently traces the tattoos on one of his cheekbones as he speaks. Peite would likely recognize them as a style common to the desert people of Etana. "I hardly remember our life there, but I like the nickname. It reminds me of the side of my heritage that I favor." After saying this, Arren blinks, unsure why he shared that. How unnecessary. He looks at Peite apologetically. "Sorry, I didn't mean that I have anything against elves. I just don't favor the particular Elf who sired me." Arren pauses, clears his throat, and continues. "Where do you come from, corporal? Also, what is your name? I don't believe I've caught it. Mine is Arren al-Nasrid."

Answering the other question, he tells the corporal, "The Commandant hates it back there. We only return to the capital when we have no business elsewhere. For her, it means catching up on all the unfinished paperwork that piles up while she's away. She much prefers the practical work of actual missions. Just… be careful when the capital's our destination. She gets moodier than ever."

When Walnuts finally comes down for dinner, and if he's comes alone, Arren looks at him with concern, "We need to speak to her. Urgently. It doesn't matter how much she cares for her work—if she keeps this up, she won't be able to do any work at all. We need to make her understand that," he says, then adds with a hint of uncertainty, "…somehow. Shouldn't we speak to her, Lieutenant?" Arren glances at the corporal, clearly uncomfortable speaking of this in front of the new recruit, but recognizing that Peite is now part of the team and needs to know about this too.

'Corporal Peite' is not unhappy when the Commandant calls for quiet, especially if she can hear their conversation. She's got decent hearing, something I will need to be mindful of.

It does go a little against his old nature to sit for so long in silence, but he has had a lot of practice at being quiet in the last five months with his incarceration, so the trip is not too uncomfortable for him.

Once they arrive at the hamlet, and the Lieutenant hints towards the Commandant's lack of regular sleep, he nods in assent to remaining tight lipped about the comment.

"Yes, Sir. I will gather what I need now, a wise strategy", he replies and heads to the rear to take out his bedroll, and some letters for a bit of light reading. He will of course not require proper sleep, merely to trance. Hence the need for some reading material.

He waits patiently as rooms are sorted and keys handed out, and then follows the Sergeant upstairs to leave his belongings. On the way down, he excuses himself in order to take a comfort break. Once away from prying eyes and ears, he once again adopts a magical disguise. Nothing extravagant, just enough to alter his face under the mask with a large ugly scar, just as the real Corporal Peite had. He will also make sure his skin tone is subtly altered and also make his bone structure slightly different. He doesn't create an image of the mask itself, just his features underneath. He is careful not to do anything he wouldn't be able to replicate with mundane materials as well. If only I had my disguise kit now.

Once ready, he makes his way down to the dining area to wait with the Sergeant for both the food and the Lieutenant. And possibly the Commandant.

As they sit, he listens to the Sergeant explain his nickname and where he is from. Even going as far as to speak of his heritage and parentage. He is very open. A ploy to gain trust perhaps? It is not a bad strategy, and one I have used myself.

"You had to move, sir. There sounds like there is a story there. One for when we are better acquainted, perhaps. Much like using your nickname. And don't worry, sir. I do not take any offence. It must be conflicting having two heritages to deal with, and parental issues on top", he replies. If his mind is full of thoughts of the past, perhaps he won't be so focussed on what I am saying.

"I am from the south, not hard from where we are, but much further south. I know what you are thinking, I have gone as far from home as possible, I must be running away from something", he says and his fingers brush his mask. "Anyway, my name is Tace. Tace Peite", he says, and if it is custom to shake hands or something in Katto he will offer to do so.

He then quiets again and allows the Sergeant to speak of the Commandant's thoughts on the Capital. "Thank you for the warning, sir. I am keen not to make a bad impression. After the start I have had, and two rebukes already".

If the Lieutenant arrives without the Commandant, he remains silent as they talk about her health, realising it is not his place to interject.

When food arrives, he will try to eat discreetly, turning away from everyone and lifting his mask for each bite. He would have chosen a chair by a wall or in a corner to help with this. He does allow a little to be seen under the mask though, if someone were to be looking. Not much, possibly just the briefest flash of the bottom end of his scar. It is necessary to be purposeful, even though he wants nothing more than to eat the food as quickly as he can and ask for seconds after having prison fare and portion sizes for almost half a year.

The young Elf pauses his game to serve Arren. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it. "It's not exactly a bustling city here, sir soldier. The only things not quiet are the cattle and they too have kept to themselves lately. Well, as much as they can. But!" He exclaims just as he places a drink in front of Arren - water or something stronger, whichever Arren ordered. "It's home, besides, people on the road like yourself need us, so if it weren't me somebody else would sit here. Maybe my lazy brother." The last remark, it seems, is intended as a joke.

It doesn't take long before Lieutenant Tireur climbs down the stairs, alone. To Arren's concerned look, he can only reply with a shrug. "You know how it is. 'We're behind schedule' this and 'we're behind schedule' that. Then a list of all those 'incompetent fools' who cannot do their work right, piling more work on her. And her decision to head to the capital, although justified, doesn't make her any less stressed about all this. But hey, maybe she'll listen to you." He sits down next to Arren. "The worst that can happen is she'd yell at you to get out, but maybe you'd convince her to eat, or sleep. The gods know she doesn't listen to me in these matters."

It's not too long before the young Elf serves the three of you with the food you ordered. It's a simple meal, but much better than anything either of you three ate in the last week, even more. Neither field rations nor the thing they call food at the prison raises the bar too high, though, and all of you have eaten better in the past. Nonetheless, it's cheap and satisfying.

Lieutenant Tireur also offers to buy you all a round of drinks, and seconds for those who want it - a kind of welcoming party for the new member of the crew. He'll eat and talk with you for a while - though he doesn't even finish his first drink. Eventually, once you're all done, he'll return to the room he shares with the Commandant. Just before that, however, he'll remind you: "We're leaving when the Commandant wakes up tomorrow, so at sunrise unless her body finally protests against this horrible sleeping regime. I suggest you be ready to move before that if you don't wish to be woken up by an irritated Commandant."

Arren thanked the young elf for the meal and for their service to travelers on the road. Truly, without people like them, journeys would be far more difficult. He ordered a beer — after all, a day that began with a bear fight deserved something stronger than water.

When Tireur suggested he might speak to the Commandant himself, Arren's first reaction was to display a look that clearly said, "She’s going to eat me alive" . But then the realization hit him: with the Lieutenant soon to retire, that responsibility would fall to him. There would be no one else to handle it. He let out a slow resigned breath, and nodded. He would speak to her in the morning.

He enjoyed a second beer, courtesy of Walnuts, and raised his glass in greeting to Corporal Peite. When the Drow eventually retired for the night, Arren lingered in the common room, savoring the quiet. If Peite went upstairs first, Arren passed him the key before returning to his drink. He took his time finishing it, finally rising with a quiet nod to the young bartender before heading up. Once in the room, Arren didn't say much to the corporal. Instead, he fell into routine: checking the state of his wounds, inspecting sword, shield, and chainmail, cleaning and sharpening as needed. It was a habit he never neglected after a fight.

When the Half-Elf finally settled onto the mattress, his muscles ached, but sleep came fairly quickly. The day had been long, and it weighed heavy on him. And maybe it was because he'd spoken of his origins to the corporal, but his dreams carried him back to Etana. He saw the tiled walls of his childhood home, and saw himself tracing the geometric patterns with a finger as he used to do. As a boy, he had tried to draw them, and though the result was as clumsy as could be expected from a little boy, his mother, Samira, would smile and praise him anyway.  Then the dream shifted. Muffled voices in another room. He couldn't make out the words, but they were tense and angry. A door slamming. His mother in tears. The house suddenly crumbled into sand beneath his feet, and he was falling. Down and down into darkness. He recognized the fall — the same drop from the prison that morning — but this time, he was falling endlessly. Never reaching the ground, just falling forever.

Arren jerked upright in his bed, the first rays of light already slipping through the window. He caught faint sounds from the next room — a clear sign that the Commandant and the Lieutenant were already up and about. He dressed quickly, then glanced over to find Corporal Peite was already gone. Nothing strange, since he was an Elf. The Sergeant was accustomed to this after sharing the room many times with the Lieutenant. 

Later, when they're almost ready to leave, Arren approaches the Commandant as she tends to the horses. He figures this is the best moment to speak, since it's when she looks most at ease. He clears his throat softly, and says, “Commandant, if I may have a word.” He hesitates for a moment. "She's going to eat me alive… but I have to try,"  he thinks. The Sergeant straightens his back and speaks carefully. "With all due respect, ma'am… I know the Lieutenant has already spoken to you about this, and I apologize if I'm repeating his words. But we are concerned for your health. I understand the demands of your position, there's always more work, and your dedication is unmatched. But if you don't rest, if you don't eat properly, it will catch up to you. We are here to protect you, Commandant. But no amount of protection will matter if you don't also care for yourself. Please… just a couple more hours of sleep, and three meals a day. That's all we ask." He hesitates for a breath, then adds gently, "I would rather you do this for yourself. But if not, then do it so you can keep doing your job as impeccably as you always do." 

"Perhaps take her up a portion of food and a drink at least?", 'Tace' interjects quietly as the Sergeant and Lieutenant seem to go quiet about the Commandant. He was a little way through a beer at this point, his first in five months, which likely made him more willing to interject. Best leave it at that, it's not worth risking totally losing my wits.

He accepts the offer of seconds from the Lieutenant, and for his second drink, he will enquire if they have something like a light apple cider and if not just a water.

He will make small talk for the evening, mainly about tomorrow's journey and what to expect in the capital. He also thanks them for welcoming him to the unit.

He will head up before Arren, taking the key and leaving it in the unlocked door on the inside. He lays out his bedroll on top of whatever passes for a mattress, and sits cross legged atop it having taken his boots off. He will spend the first part of the night in a trance, making sure he has a view of the room. His mask will remain on as he does so.

He notices the Sergeant arrive, and is aware of his routine, but does not stir.

Once he feels rested, he will quietly collect his things and leave the room, locking the door to the room as he leaves and sliding the key under it. He makes his way down to the common room, where he will find some light and sit reading the letters he found amongst the Corporal's belongings.

Having read the letters and digested their contents, he will ensure he is ready well before time to set out at sunrise. Assuming the Commandant is up as early as the Lieutenant surmised.

(OOC: Arren will obviously wake up to an empty room, but will find 'Tace' in the common room,)

"I tried that," Lieutenant Tireur replies to 'Tace', "but she wouldn't place the food - any food - anywhere near her work, in fear of ruining what she's already finished. And if I leave a tray somewhere else... it usually remains there untouched, or just barely. Maybe you noticed the apple I convinced her to eat this morning, during the questioning in the prison. She took, one bite." He also raises a finger to further emphasize the small number. "And as you may have noticed, she's not one of those larger Humans whose single bite can devour over a quarter of an apple."

The night passes uneventfully in the inn. While reading his letters, Bryn notices the inn's caretaker finishing his game, gathering the cards and then going off to trance on a nearby designated comfortable chair where he can still monitor the inn in this half-conscious state. As many Elves are taught to trance, but for some reason no other race can do so as efficiently, it is not uncommon for Elves to be keepers of places such as this, where strangers might wander during the night.

When Arren awakens, he has an inexplainable feeling that he was being watched, just a moment ago. But looking around, he's alone in the room, and the second-story window is too high for any normal person to look through. If Arren decides to look through it, he doesn't see anything unusual. Either way, the feeling soon passes.

As promised, Tace sees Commandant Nattensbarn exiting her room shortly after sunrise. She doesn't look like someone who has rested well. She doesn't look rested at all. She looks almost half asleep as she climbs down the stairs with her backpack with her - she doesn't intend to go back into that room. "Good morning Corporal, glad to see you're ready." She mumbles as she passes by. You feel this was more an acknowledgement of meeting her expectations than a proper greeting. She heads immediately into the restroom.

Shortly after, Lieutenant Tireur walks out of the room with the little equipment he took with him. He locks the door behind him and climbs down to the common room, stopping briefly to knock three times on the door of Arren's room, making sure he is awake before continuing downstairs. The young Elf at the bar, already awake for a few hours, accepts the key and greets the Lieutenant for a good day. Unlike the Commandant, he looks fresh and energetic. "Good morning Corporal, glad to see you're ready." His intonation resembles the Commandant's almost perfectly but with an added lighthearted humour mixed within.

The Commandant soon leaves the restroom. She no longer looks like she did just a moment ago. Tired, sure, but wide awake. Along with Lieutenant Tireur, they leave for the carriage. "She likes to handle the horses alone, so we're going ahead and do that." The Lieutenant pauses briefly at the door. "Join us when Chuckles wakes up. Don't take too long though, if you value your life." That, too, Bryn can tell, is a joke. Probably.

Less than two minutes after the Commandant and the Lieutenant leave, Arren climbs down the stairs to find Corporal Tace waiting. Together, you head to the carriage and arrive just a little before the Commandant is done harnessing the horses. Just in time for Arren to speak with her before she's done. She listens while she works, attentive but without responding or reacting in any way before Arren is done. And then a little more. While Arren is certain she listened through, the Commandant does not respond, and Arren knows better than to push it any further. When she's finally done completely, after petting Choco and Mocha each once, she turns around towards the carriage but stops. She looks at Arren and says: "I'll think about that." Then proceeds to climb onto the wagon.

The Commandant pulls out the same map she gave Arren the other day and hands it over to him again. "We're currently here, and we're headed west on this road." She gives the instructions for today's travel, but it's short and simple. "We're probably going to sleep under the sky tonight, pray there won't be any rain." She announces to all of you. She then climbs into the carriage and closes the door behind her.

Lieutenant Tireur waits until everyone place their equipment in the storage space at the back before closing and locking it, then sitting on top. Given no instructions, 'Tace' can choose where he wants to sit, but either way, you don't expect to talk a lot.

Your carriage exits the hamlet, the sky is morning-grey and the folk just start heading towards their fields, greeting each other or yourselves if they pass by, perhaps mentioning how cold it is at this time of the year. Arren drives the carriage well, and the journey is uneventful. At noon, you stop the carriage by a small hill and Lieutenant Tireur quickly hands out field rations for the three of you. Not the lunch either of you dreams of, but it will satisfy your hunger. Usually, Arren knows, you'd only stop to take the food out of the storage and eat while driving. It's a little uncomfortable but the rations are made to be edible with a single hand while the other keeps the horses on the road. However, this time, Commandant Nattensbarn climbs down from the carriage and takes a ration to eat as well, to your surprise. She wouldn't eat inside the carriage, so you all get to eat by the side of the road while sitting in a circle on steady ground.

Commandant Nattensbarn takes only a few bites before she places the food down. "An Elf from Levicka is the last of his line." She starts unexpectedly while you eat. "A lesser noble house, as there are many of in there, but a noble nonetheless. He has a wife, but she dies delivering a baby that doesn't survive. Grieving, the Elf remains in his room for over a year, almost without setting foot outside." She pauses to make sure you're listening while you eat, especially lingering on Arren for a moment. "He then one day disappears, presumed dead for quite a while. Several decades pass, and just a few months ago he reappears in Pohja, spotted by someone who once knew him. They talk over a few drinks and the Elf drinks a little too much and says a few things he probably shouldn't have. Though we don't know what he said exactly, the Levickans suddenly initiate a search for him all over Dite. They try to keep it from us of course, but more interested in finding this Elf, they don't do a very good job hiding their search."

Lieutenant Tireur finishes his ration and, noticing how the Commandant speaks to avoid eating, makes a show of it to make sure she notices. In response, she takes just a couple bites more before placing the food down again and resuming. "His name is Breithe Staidear. We learnt that he was a scholar, a researcher, back when he still lived in Levicka. He must have travelled somewhere and discovered something important for the Levickans to want him as bad as they want, but at least that they keep hidden well. Currently, we have no clues on the matter, but the top brass wants me to look into it. Of course, we don't have the time to find a person who might be anywhere in Dite. Then, suddenly, this prisoner escapes and we're summoned to inspect the prison. I ask that they question a few of the Levickan prisoners in there to see if they know anything and also to see how they question their prisoners there.

"The two stories, seemingly unrelated you might think, become connected when that last prisoner said the Staidear family sent him. As I mentioned, to our knowledge, Breithe was the last Staidear. Even if he had children during these few decades when he was gone, none of them would be considered 'elderly' as the prisoner mentioned." She pauses again, takes one last bite and pushes the food away, visibly disgusted. She gives Arren a stern look that he can only translate as 'I hope you're happy now'. "I was convinced the prisoner didn't know anything when I pressed this matter, and so, he is either a good liar or our intel is wrong. More likely, in my opinion, is he was a spy with a bad cover story. But conveniently enough, the floor crumbled under our feet and nobody has seen him since."

She stands up and dusts off her uniform. "Alright, story time is over. Take your rations with you if you haven't finished, we're not stopping until nightfall." She'll then climb into the carriage and close the door behind her, ready to resume her work.

Arren doesn't give much thought to the brief feeling that he's being watched. It doesn’t make sense, but he looks around just in case. Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, he dismisses it. Perhaps it's simply a feeling from the weird dream he's had, but as usual with dreams, it slips away from his mind almost immediately.

When he finishes speaking to the Commandant, he imagines a scenario where she turns from the horses and glares at him for daring to suggest how she should take care of herself. But instead, she surprises him by saying she'll think about it. Arren's posture shifts, standing less rigidly than before. His shoulders relax, and his gaze softens as he watches her. He says a simple, "Thank you, ma'am." Deep inside, he feels a quiet sense of relief, though he knows he'll have to wait and see if she actually follows through. Nonetheless, he's glad that his words were heard. Arren then follows the Commandant back to the carriage, and as she enters and closes the door, he shares a glance with Walnuts, widening his eyes slightly as if to say, "Well, it didn't go badly."

When they stop to eat and the Commandant joins them, Arren can hardly believe it. Though it's not apparent on the outside—he remains as composed as ever—inside, he's pleased that she's listened to him. If she keeps this up, she'll be less exhausted, and maybe even in a better mood. After all, who can be in a good mood when they're always tired? In any case, the Sergeant acts mostly as though nothing has happened, keeping this small victory to himself. He does give her an thankful nod to her "are you happy now?" stern gaze, though.

As the story of the Levickan elf unfolds, Arren listens attentively. There's definitely something worth investigating here. It seems unlikely this is a mere coincidence. "Could the baby have survived without the father knowing? Or perhaps he had more family he wasn't aware of?" he ponders, wondering how they'll delve deeper into this. Maybe the capital will offer more resources to pursue the few leads they have.

'Tace' goes with the flow during the morning, saluting both the Commandant and the Lieutenant and returning their morning greetings, noting how they used the exact same wording but with slightly different inflection.

He also notices the transformation in the Commandant as she exits the rest room, and wonders whether a simple splash of water can effect such a change or if something stronger is at play. Could she be using stimulants to maintain her hectic lifestyle amid a lack of sleep?

He nods across to the Lieutenant when he urges haste in getting out to the carriage. "Yes, sir!".

When Arren appears, he gives a third salute. "Good morning, Sergeant. Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't disturb you when I left". Don't repeat Chuckles whatever you do!

When they get out to the carriage, he takes his seat from yesterday, unless there is one that will allow him to sit in solitude free. He listens as Arren approaches the Commandant about taking care of herself, but doesn't bring it up. In fact he rides in silence, his mind elsewhere as it is consumed by the contents of the letters he read.

He has no idea when they stop for lunch that such a thing is unusual. It is awkward to try and eat in front of the others in the circle, and so he leaves his rations until he is back on the carriage. That allows him to fully concentrate on the story the Commandant weaves.

He is hooked from the moment Levicka is mentioned, and listens in rapt attention as she goes on, eventually mentioning the name Breithe Staidear. So that is how she knows the name Breithe Staidear. But her turn of events doesn't quite tally with what I know.

When she mentions the Levickan prisoner being a good liar or their intel wrong, and concludes he is likely a spy with a bad cover, he sighs inwardly. Who would have thought making up an elderly relative of a minor noble would come back to bite?

The Commandant is obviously astute, and he watches her closely before she heads back to the carriage, for any sign she is suspicious of him. He senses that now is not the time for asking questions, for him anyway.. And as he takes his rations back to his place on the carriage, his mind races. What did Breithe Staidear find on that expedition of such importance? And why did the Commandant's intel suggest he locked himself away for a year before disappearing, when he was obviously still researching right up until leaving? And who was the prisoner that escaped anyway?

So many questions without answers, and all with a backdrop of traveling the Capital, which would introduce further complexities to his ruse. It is only a matter of time before they find the body of the real Tace Peite as well. Whatever I am doing, I have to be gone before that message gets here. In fact, why had they not found him before they left, if they searched for the prisoner being interrogated. Did they think that prisoner had also managed to escape, and the floor crumbling at that time was not a coincidence.

Not being able to openly ask questions made finding things out very difficult, but the more questions he thought of, the more unlikely it seemed he was getting away with this.

Insight (on the Commandant regarding the stimulant theory): 10+5=15
Insight (again on the Commandant, but to spot any signs of suspicions she might have about him): 13+5=18

 

When Arren appears, he gives a third salute. "Good morning, Sergeant. Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't disturb you when I left"

The Sergeant returns the good morning and says, "I did. And you didn't disturb me. I'm used to sleeping even with the sound of the Commandant's quill scratching over paper, but I didn't hear you at all." He pauses. "You're pretty silent."

He seems about to say something else but hesitates. Then he finally asks, "Did you...?" He searches for the right words. "Did you notice if you were being watched at any point? I had the strangest feeling when I woke up that I was, but you'd already left. It's probably nothing. But just for the sake of security—if you notice anything strange while you trance, tell me."

"Being watched?", 'Tace' replies a little surprised. "No, I didn't notice anything like that. But I will be mindful in future, sir". The sergeant doesn't seem like the jittery, paranoid sort. I wonder what that is about.

Bryn can see small water droplets attached to the Commandant's hair when she exits the restroom. Although it seems she dried her face afterwards, he's certain she did wash them. If she did anything else, he is unable to tell. Later, when trying to figure out whether or not she suspects him of anything, he has a feeling that she doesn't suspect him, but also that she is vigilant and aware of everything around her, but especially watchful for anything he does. He doesn't know she told Arren and the Lieutenant to watch him closely.

Resuming your journey, you ride along the road for a few more hours. For the most part, you drive between wild fields and small untamed hills, and later through a grove of trees whose brown leaves now cover the earth. The area isn't very populated, and nature remains mostly untouched. Arren knows - and Bryn can only assume - that these landscapes will change as you get closer to the capital. On your way, you noticed a few wagons coming from the other direction - merchants travelling with their wares, mostly. Perhaps to the hamlet you just left, perhaps to the prison, or other locations in the area. As you are on the road that leads to the capital, it's not strange to pass other wagons on the way. They greet you as they pass, but nothing more. You also pass a small town on the way, but there are a few more hours of light left, and you ride past it without stopping.

In a late afternoon hour, the road leads up a hill and around it. The hill, although not too high, is steep, and the road is narrow. Two carriages might be able to just barely pass by one another if each goes off the trail a little, except there is hardly any space to go off the trail without hitting the earth-wall made from the removal of the ground that made the road on one side or risking rolling downhill on the other. On the hill grows a grove of tall yet thin trees whose red-brown leaves seem to almost shine in the late day's orange light. While riding this road, you notice the road is blocked ahead of you. A tree seems to have fallen on the road, blocking passage on the road, and on this steep hill, there is no way to go around it with any kind of vehicle. As you get closer, you also notice a small hand-drawn cart with a few sacks on it, and a Human woman wearing simple farmer's clothes sitting on the fallen tree's trunk next to it. When you come close enough, she gets off the tree.

"Oh, thank the gods someone is here." She calls once Arren stops the carriage, as he's forced to do. "I had already considered heading back to town before nightfall. Oh, soldiers!" She exclaims joyfully - and loudly - once she notices the uniforms. "Wonderful! Could you help me with this trunk? It's not too thick, so I think we might be able to move it out of the way if you have a few strong hands in there."

Commandant Nattensbarn peeks out to see why the carriage stopped. "See if you can move it. Circling back will cost us too much time." She commands from within the carriage. Then, she adds quietly: "But be vigilant, this area is known for housing a few gangs of bandits." It is precisely for these occasions that the Commandant travels with bodyguards, and Arren has dealt with such bandits in the past. Usually, however, they avoid carriages protected by armed soldiers, such as your own.