((EDIT: Advantage roll on Anearis's Persuasion: 14)

While Anearis had truly been an employee of Fortunus, this was outside of his wheelhouse and there would be a learning curve. The red-headed stable boy mutters to himself, while he slinks away. “The Archmeister’s apprentice would know that the horses are property of the business itself, and they require an actual employee to take them, not demands of contracted help. Can't believe we're taking orders from dirty elves...” Though Ura and Anearis hear most of what he's saying to himself as he does so.

The initial stable boy watched as his peer disappeared further into the building, before stepping up to talk again. "Yes sirs, right away sirs. Do you require a lead horse to be saddled, or just two for the wagon?"

The cart is nearly completely packed, and left very little room, for much else other than the crates and a driver and single passenger. Uthal kept a keen out and was able to confirm that other than the two stableboys talking with Ura and Anearis, there was no one else around.

Uthal starts getting concerned that things are taking to long. He turns to Donovan. "You, small human, can you go see what's taking so long with them? We're the guards, we'll guard." 

"We'll be needing that lead horse for the head guard," Ura says quickly, thinking of Ander.  "Thanks," she adds as an afterthought, because the service industry is always underappreciated... even if the other stableboy was a little shit.   

Ura turns around and, out of view of the help, gives Anaeris a scorching look that says The complete demolition of my pride to save your terrible attempt at lying had better be worth something, because I'll remember this in the future.  I'm counting your sins!  At least, that's what she hopes she conveys as she stomps behind him, waiting for her "charge" to lead her back to the stables.

“Certainly, sir.” Donovan lifts another crate into the wagon, and surveys the rest, with the normal worried look that seemed to encapsulate his person, before turning back to Uthal. “I only have a few more and then I can go lend them a hand.”

He goes to lift one of the remaining boxes, when inspiration, or at least realization strikes. It’s difficult to tell exactly what, by the sudden change in his expression. It is, however, soon confirmed as he lowers his head and walks a few steps closer to Uthal. “I’m sorry, sir, I failed you. I only now remembered about your other armor.” He raised his gaze slightly in order to see the Goliath’s reaction. “There was an animal carcass, among the gear attributed to belonging to your party; but likely just some poor creature involved in the necromantic sacrifices, so we threw it out. I went to see if perhaps I missed your othet armor and it was beneath the rotten creature, but by the time I got there, it was gone. The crate was empty.” He hangs his head lower.

The stable boy responded promptly to Anearis and Ura’s request. “Yes, sirs.” He then exited the building and moved flat against the wall in order to pass the two of you but not dare to invade your personal space. He made his way down the putter wall to one of the large latched doors, and after opening it slightly, slipped in and out of sight.

In response to Ura’s glare, Anearis gives her a simple thankful nod. He follows along and heads back to the wagon, where Donovan, Uthal and Ander still are.

Uthal just shakes his head at Donovan. "That carcass was the armour. What do you think my people wear?"

Donovan let out a light forced chuckle, as though attempting to join in on a suspected joke, but it trailed off to a stop, seeing that Uthal’s face was more serious than joking. “B..b..but, sir. It smelled as though the poor creature had been slaughtered and left to decompose in the sun.” Uthal could see tears nearly well up within the young boy’s eyes. “I..I..think I should go, help with the horses.” Donovan turned and ran out of the building, half embarrassed and half afraid of what Uthal’s next move might be. He had inadvertently insulted the Goliath, and thrown out and then somehow further lost his armor.

Uthal chuckles and looks over at Ander. "That should keep the boy confused for quite a while. And it was amusing. Plus now he might spread the idea that Goliath's just wear the skin of things they've slaughtered which will make people slightly more afraid of our kind. Intimidation without having to do anything is always nice." 

Ura sees Donovan running towards Anaeris and herself, and steps in front of Anaeris, the way she thinks a proper guard would do.  She holds out her hand imposingly and says "Not so fast, pipsqueak!  Can't you see I'm guarding Solomon's apprentice here?"

Heh!  Maybe this guarding schtick isn't so hard after all!

Her comically stern expression softens when she sees the snot and tears practically running down Donovan's face.  "Oh boy... what happened to you, kid?  You okay?"

"Don't be too cruel. He's a good lad." 

Ander continues rubbing at his face, using the flat of his sword as a crude mirror.

Donovan may not have even heard Ura's questioning of concern, as in response to the first line of questioning, having quickly followed the lesson he had just received from Uthal, the boy began stammering uncontrolably. "I...I..I..I.IIIIIIIIII." He seemed to be caught in a loop, unable to go any further and continue repeating himself over and over in a quickening pace, until the boy dropped to the ground.

Its about this time that the latched door swings open completely and the stable boy stops at this scene, one of the horses in tow.

Ura puts her hands on her knees and leans over the fallen boy, watching him roll around on the ground.  "Hey, kid," she says companionably.  "Don't you also work for Master Solomon?  You idolize him, don't you?  What would he say if he saw you rolling around on the ground like this just because of one simple question?"  Reaching down, she pulls the boy up to his feet.  "If you want to be like Solomon, you have to think like him.  Cool under pressure.  Smart.  Suave, even, despite being nearly blind.  You're not even blind!  Try being more like him.  He must've seen something in you if he agreed to let you work for him.  Live up to that belief he has in you, and don't shame his good name, eh?"

Though Ura sounds encouraging and earnest, the thoughts running through her head are more along the lines of "Oh my god, this little fool, he's going to attract unnecessary attention to us!  Better get him back on his feet and wide-eyed and bushy-tailed again before he starts foaming at the mouth...."

Deception: 2

Seeing the stable boy coming and eyeing the situation, Anearis turns and walks up to him to try and distract him from Donovan and Ura.

"Ah! You are just in time. Please, bring the horse over to the wagon. We are already behind schedule."

He then claps his hand to try and make him quicken his pace.

Donovan finally raised his head, wiping away the waterworks pouring from his eyes, and attempts to recompose himself. Even though it was only a matter of minutes a distinct redness is stuck around his eyes, but he pushes through. “You’re...you’re right, sir. I can do better. I can BE better.” 

With somewhat of a new found pride, Donovan turns and heads back to the wagon, to finish packing.

”Okay...I’ll have the horses ready in just a few moments.” The stableboy, having just joined midscene, wasn’t at all sure what he had just witnessed, but decided to ignore it, and led the first horse to the building that housed the wagon. He returned twice for the other two horses, and after approximately 10 minutes, the wagon had been pulled from the stall and stood ready on the road, leading west.

The wagon was filled with various sized crates and boxes. Only the front remained open for someone, or two rather thin someones, to sit. The stableboy held the reigns of the lead horse awaiting note of whom he’d be passing them too. Donovan remained within the south building, just watching through the window. 

Anearis stepped up and climbed up on the front seat of the wagon. He thanked the stableboy with a nod and beckoned the other three 'hired guards' to get moving. Anearis had ridden horse before, but had never from a wagon. This day was decidedly full of first times.

Ura, finding herself to be suitably thin, scampers onto the wagon and shoves Anaeris over a little, squeezing into the seat next to him.

"What?  I'm your personal bodyguard, sir.  I can't be doing that if I'm too far away from your body, now can I?" she says, giving him another sharp grin that screams Don't you dare push me off of this seat!

The stableboy watched the interaction as Ura climbed to the seat next to Anearis, forcefully. However, he turned back to the horse he held, deciding that he was in no place to question the choices of those in positions higher than his own.

”Giant, I have something for you.” Felix approached Uthal and holds out a stack of what appear to be letters. “The correspondences between your father and Trevor. The information is valuable but I thought you’d want them as a last remaining keepsake of his memory.”

Uthal takes the letters, confused about what Felix means. "I assume by father you mean Cedric. If Trevor has been in contact with the clans we have other issues. And what do you mean to his memory? I'll see him when this is done and I go back."

The letters are bound together in an organized stack, with a piece of twine. 
“Yes, of course. Perhaps I misspoke.” While Felix’s voice sounded convinced of what he was saying, his eyes told another story. “Well, you all best be on your way. I heard there’s already been another attempt on your lives. And here.” Felix reaches back into his robes and pulled out some additional papers, these ones somewhat more disorganized, and places them in your hand with the letters. “What little we know this far about what’s ahead. So that you may all have some sort of reference out there. Good luck.”

((Uthal add Cedric Letters, Felix’s Map, and Ruins Notes, to inventory))

Ura leans over as the cart passes and calls out to Felix with a wave, "Hey, thanks buddy!  You're a good egg!  Don't ever change."