After a long and restful night of not-too-vital incidents (for most of you) you go down to join the others at breakfast. It is still early, and the Naicas seem to be sleeping in.

"I suppose we shall have to wait to make our farewells," says the prince. "I suppose it would not do to simple slip away quietly before they awaken." He sounds a bit regretful.

"Sir did you ask someone to polish your boots last night?" Mindartis asks.

"I put them outside my door to be cleaned, yes," says the Prince. "I found an interesting note tucked in one of them.  The boot boy complimented me on the vigilance of my guards."

"All I got was a lot of complaints about dust and grime." Raven says with a yawn.  "Otherwise a pretty uneventful night."

"Ya... i... may have been a bit paranoid and took a good look at them. You can never be to careful with shoes."

Elwin simply stuffed his face as the topic of the boots came up. It did help diminish his blushing a bit; perhaps he could make it through the conversation with no one asking him any questions.

We had a visitor, a common thief tried to break into a room, I think at at random - turned out to be ours Nodding at E and showing off his new extra thieves' tools The bouncer knew him by name and threw him out. I had done some damage. My first time being invisible though. Been caught stealing - once - when I was five...

Quentin is quiet at breakfast eating his food and only speaking up to say, “My watch was quiet. No boot thieves or anything.”

Wait, is there embarrassment about late night foibles? I overreacted to a random drunk thief. I have a conspiracy theory that it was intended to distract or lower my guard in the future. Is there a pattern? Maybe Del is that guy, always thinking everything is connected

"I think you're fine," Mindartis chuckles. "How about you Elwin, anything interesting happen on watch?"

Elwin continued his faster-than-normal eating pace.

"...Elwin..." Mindartis says, "my sister does that when she wants to avoid something. What happened?"

As Elwin continues to pretend not to hear the question, the Naicas start to show up for breakfast. Prince Lintelér makes his good mornings and farewells at the same time, cheerfully resisting Amryn's urging that he stay longer.  When you are ready, he leads the way out to the stable.

Hogthimble and the children are there waiting, Hogthimble with a very shamefaced expression.

"Good morning, Toth, Cara," calls the prince.  "We shall be taking you home to the Freeholds now, and your father's farm. Hogthimble, why are you looking so guilt-ridden?  Has one of the horses thrown a shoe?"

"Er...your highness," says Hogthimble, twisting his cap in  his hands. "Ye know that gold ye had me hold on to for ye? Well, there was a dice game among the stablehands last night...and...and..."

"Well, well, they were bound to get it all in the end, one way or another," the prince sighs. "Let us hope we won't need it.  Saddle up Rusco for me, Hogthimble, I think I shall ride today."

As the halfling rushes to get the sorrel saddled, the prince explains, "The Freeholds are a patchwork of small, independent farms and land holdings. They used to be Naica lands, until the Naicas sold, gifted or gambled them away.  The Athelow farm is one of a cluster of small freeholds in a place called Shepherd's Dell, about half a days ride from here."

"I will stay in the cart again." Quentin says as after the Prince says he'll be riding. 

I think we should assume we need to take care as we ride - it may not be true yet but may be soon, might as well practice. Either Lord Mindartis or Brother Elwin as rearguard? Del suggests And the other join Sister Raven in the lead?

Del rides near the carriage, playing fiddle as we go (which also means ready to cast). He can spell Q in the box if the kids become too much

Raven walks into the stables, her tunic swishing as she walks, though it appears she might be doing so on purpose, as you would have all seen her move without making a single noise often enough before now. Her black hair is loose to her hsoulders, and flowing down her back from there. She moves directly to the stall that holds Rose, running a hand over the dark chocolate mare as she listens to the accounting of the game where the prince's man lost the other part of his gold. She keeps her own council over this, but is actually not overly surprised by the fact.

Taking time to saddle Rose herself, and double-check the saddle straps, as well as her own gear, she leads the mare out of the stables as the others are mounting up. Climbing up into the saddle herself, she arranges her tunic and moves towards the front of the group, ready to scout the path ahead once they are ready to move out.

The slight breeze outside ruffles her hair as she glances over a shoulder, taking in the sight of the prince mounting his own horse. Raven checks her swords in their sheaths, making sure they are easy to draw, then slamming them back in again.

"I will head on a bit, checking the path forward." She announces as everyone is ready. She then turns her moutn and heads down the road, following the path laid out for them by the prince.

"I can take the rearguard," said Elwin. As he rode past Mindartis, he whispered, "Sorry, friend, I was just too embarrassed. It was nothing major though... I can fill you in later if you still care to know." With that, he headed toward the back of their group.

Quentin will sit in the cart and if the children are in there will do his best to keep them and himself busy and distracted. Telling them all about the demon fight hoping it'll keep their attention. 

Performance: 9

It is another beautiful spring day. The vineyards, hop gardens and farm fields surround you as you as you ride, but even in Naica territory, where there is so little land to spare, trees line the fields and roads, small patches of well-maintained forest dot the landscape, and sometimes, right in the middle of a plowed field, you will see a great and ancient tree standing. 

After a few hours, you start passing small, scattered farms, and the kids start to recognize and eagerly point out familiar sights. They are as hyperactive as bugs in a bottle, bouncing around the carriage, one moment terrified of what their punishment will be for running off in secret, the next thrilled at the thought of their father's reaction to the fine new plow horse they have brought home. Even Quentin's lurid tales of demon battles can no longer hold their attention.

You finally come over a hill and dip into a vale, in sight at last of the Athelow farm. Staring out the windows of the carriage, the children suddenly become silent.

The door of the house hangs open.

Some of the outbuildings have burned down.

No living thing is in sight.

Quentin turns to the children and say, "Stay here." As he exits the carriage to join with the group and say, "What happened here?"