Game thread - It begins...

Arden nods at Phineas as he cuts a bit of dried cheese with his belt knife and chews it, unable to disagree. "How do I intend to navigate the mire? By telling them we'll throw in with them, or at least doff and burn these blasted colors. I've been trying to see which way the wind blows out here, and I see the smoke going in only one direction."

Pausing, he looks the priest in the eyes -- and then does the same with Aaxi, and Tamblyn. "But we all need to be of a mind on that." Gesturing to Swaneke, he quietly adds, "And then we have this fool to fret over."

There's a pregnant pause, then the soldier finishes. "What say you all?"

"That is what we're talking about," Arden says to Arnd, ignoring Swaneke's mewling.

"Arden is right," Phineas said to the others quietly. "Pragmatism should tell you that much, whether you agree politically or not."

"We can leave you here, and we just might, simply because you whine like a baby," Aaxi snaps at Swaneke. "Stop your whinging and let us think."

Aaxi realizes that they could throw in with this lot for now and change their minds later.

The crackle and snap of the fire rises to the fore for a moment after the halfling chimes in, then Arden raises and eyebrow towards the farm lass, Tamblyn. He is trying to gauge her reaction as he removes his colors, the cheaply-made tabard they were all forced to don. Into the fire it goes as he addresses the girl with his gravel tones.

"And where's your head in this, Rose? Are you with us?"

"I don't know about you all," Aaxi says quietly, an indignant expression clouding his face. "But I'm not letting anyone blindfold me!"

Arden rose early with the intention of talking to the camp leaders, now that the group was of a mind to abandon Emil's misguided cause. His rebel livery is gone, and he nods at the halfling.

"It'd best not come to that," he says, looking at the others. "Come on. Let's go make our peace with this lot."

When Phineas became aware of the sounds of morning that were spreading through the camp he roused himself, reluctantly. With as tired as he had been in the wee hours when he finally laid back down to sleep, even the cold hard ground had seemed like a luxury. He knew that he couldn't afford to lay in, though. It wouldn't help his situation if people decided that he was a layabout. Laziness was not considered a virtue by most people, himself included.

He greeted everyone with a smile, then excused himself to perform his morning devotion. He didn't bother looking for a spot where he might have a little privacy. He had no such expectation. Instead, he headed for a large rock near the center of camp that rose about four feet from the ground and was roughly rectangular. He climbed on top of it, knelt down with his face to the rising sun, and began to pray.

Morning devotion wasn't an elaborate ritual. It was a simple reaffirmation that members of the Holy Court recited at the start of each day. It was a promise, really, to respect the gift of life, to honor its inherent obligations, and to protect the freedom of those who do the same. When he finished his prayers, he slid down from the rock and rejoined his new companions. It wasn't long before the marching call was sounded.

Phineas could understand Aaxi and Arden's reluctance to be blindfolded, but he couldn't blame the militia for taking steps to mitigate the risk that they were taking.

"Would it be so terrible to show these men some respect?", Phineas asked when they voiced their objections. "If they want us to wear blindfolds it is because they have something that they believe is worth protecting. They have no reason to trust any of us. We have an opportunity to show them that we understand their concern; that we are worthy of their trust. Or, we can give them further cause to question our motives.

Think of it as a gift, because, the truth is that a blindfold is going to protect us a lot more than it protects them. Me? I'll wear the blindfold."

"Give them some more power over us and there's no telling where they might stop. No, priest. I won't be blindfolded and be totally at their mercy."

When the priest finishes his devotions, returns and then voices his opinions, Aaxi digs in and Arden straightens his sword belt. "A gift?" he says skeptically. Clapping his shoulder, where he's been branded, he adds, "I have one of those from Emil, and I'd rather not have another."

Still, he's a reasonable man and values the cleric's perspective, even if he doesn't exactly share it. "We'll respect them well enough. Have we not thus far? They have us outmanned and not a one of us believes in the rebel cause save him." There's a gesture towards Swaneke, then the bearded man shrugs his shoulders. "I mean to ask them to free us from this half-hearted imprisonment. There will be no need for blindfolds if they don't show us anything worth seeing. Can I have your support when I talk with them?"

But before the holy man can answer, the militia makes their move, beginning the process of blindfolding their prisoners.

"Wait," Arden says, holding up a hand as they come for him. When his fuss (and Aaxi's) brings forth someone that the soldier hopes can be reasoned with, he tries to keep his tone measured and calm.

"We only wish a discussion. There was talk of rested minds coming back together, and of our release should we leave our troublemaker with you. We've tossed the colors we were forced to wear, despite the risk it presents to us should we encounter one of Emil's patrols. We only ask that we be allowed to simply carry on our way, troubling you no further."

Arden squints a little at the woman, then he points at Swaneke. "Last night the offer was made to let us go on our way if we agreed to turn over this man to you. Why has that been retracted?" In truth, the man isn't sure he's ready to do that just yet, mainly because of Rose's reaction to the idea the night before.When the blindfold is brought before the warrior he allows it to be tied on, though he's hoping the priest will speak up and voice his own concern. When he doesn't, he asks one final question. "Where are you taking us? To a main camp of some sort?"

"We gave you Swaneke! You won't be putting some dirty piece of cloth over my eyes."

Aaxi's glare reiterates his intention to resist. It's not that he's a man of principle. Far from it. Being branded took something from him, and this further insult to his personal freedom would not be tolerated without a fight.