Chapter 1 - Summer

Sans ~

She shakes her head, subtle, at your question about the baron being a known face.

"I've not seen him about m'lord. In fact, gossip says he is a newly appointed diplomat, for his majesty, the Duke of Strif. Mayhaps this is his first time out of his lieges duchy."









Sans & Issac ~
You both hear a booming voice cut through the crowd, directed at the young woman you're questioning.

"Don't worry lass, he won't bite you! Despite what his appearance would suggest!"

If you turn to look, you'd see two mounted Gold Coats riding toward the roadside Inn.

The booming voice continues, "Sans Visage! As I live and breath, man. How in Maker's Mercy are you?!"

Villagers sign against the young musketeers curse.
The captain riding next to him nods her head in greeting.

"Witherwood is a lovely area," Elaine comments without much feeling, not moving from her place and only barely turning her head to keep the man in her view. "But I heard that it recently experienced a rise of banditry. It's a shame that some people are willing to harm others for personal gain like this, isn't it? Or perhaps to help people who do it avoid the law..."

She locks her fingers before herself and rests her chin upon them. "But you seem nervous, sir. Maybe you should take another drink. For poor René, and to soothe the mind?"

Sans frowns at the interruption, then relaxes at the appearance of his comrades-at-arms.
He first salutes the other rider. "Mon Capitaine," he says in deference, touching the brim of his hat.

He then turns to the other. "Mathis! Look at you, fellow! At least I have an excuse, to be ugly!" he jests addressing Mathis.

He then turns more serious. "Wish we had crossed paths on a merrier occasion... We have the attempted kidnapping of a Noble on our hands, and the murder of his valet..."

Sans will report to the others the events of the day, their intervention and their findings so far.

Elaine ~
As if following a command, the carriage driver takes another drink.

He takes a deep breath. "Yes you're right of course m'lady. Times are hard round those parts...and folk are doing what they can to provide for their families."

This game of cat and mouse has worn on the fellow--he's not equipped of spirit to keep up. You've rung him.

"Look...I...I ain't a carriage driver. I just drive my Da's wagon to market. A week ago, a man on horseback approached me on the fair road an' offered me coin--a lot of coin--to wait at a carriage house for his lordship to arrive. The horseman provided the carriage, even. A real nice thing from Strif."

"Anyway, his lordship, the baron, arrived 'bout a day ago and he climbed aboard with his man and off we went."

He drains his cup. "I was also told if something should happen along the way I should just let it be...I didnt k ow what it'd be! I just took the coin and agreed!"

Sans ~ The Captain listens passively, though raises her eyebrow from time to time.

"Impressive." She says of the tale and your deeds.

Mathis chuckles and comments to the Captain. "To think I didn't want to ride out this morning. Now I'm glad you dragged me out of camp so I couls hear this tale!"

Captain Alarie narrows he gaze at Mathis. But she speaks to Sans and Issac. They are both still mounted.

"And what's the next step here gentlemen? I assume you have this under control?" She raises an eyebrow.

"Yes, Mon Capitaine. Although... We tried to talk to the Baron that we rescued from those masked brigands, but got very little out of him. Was more annoyed than grateful. He is the Duke's favorite cousin, it seems. Perhaps he would be more cooperative to an officer of your standing, Mon Capitaine? "
He suggests.

" one of us could accompany you, Mon Capitaine. The Baron withdrew in his quarters of that Inn. "

"It sounds like you have it under control." She inclines her head. "We need to feed and water our horses."

She heels her mount toward the dark interior of the stables. "Come along Mathis. This isn't a social call."

Mathis frowns then shrugs at Sans. "Don't mind her if she came off a bit stiff. I think there's a lot on her mind. A letter came from up north--up past Witherwood; from a contact of one of our Gold Coats. Seems Jonathan Jullien, a fellow musketeer, is missing. I think Capitaine Alarie is the one who sent him up there. It's probably weighing on her"

He tips his hat and rides to follow the captain toward the stable. "Don't leave before we get a dink, eh?" He calls back to Sans.

"Oh, that's rough friend." Aloys said, pouring himself a glass from the bottle the man had on the top of the bar before tossing in back in his throat. Shaking his head and letting out a refreshing breath, he'd turn back to him with a smile. "You're an accomplice to the attempted kidnapping of the baron, the murder of his valet, and the attempted murder of four of Her Majesty's Gold Cloaks. The sentence is certainly death by hanging for treason." It was a nonchalant and friendly tone that Aloys had as he narrated likely the end of the man's life. Looking around, he would lean in closer.

"You do have a chance to save yourself; you have to tell us everything that happened and if there is something worthwhile there, we could help you. Who was this man that hired you? What did he look like? Any scars, tattoos, anything that made him stand out? Did you hear anything else? Who else was in on it?"

Aloys ~ The carriage driver turns paler at each word out of your mouth. His eyes are wide and mouth agape by the end of your exchange.

"Sir. Please, listen to me. I'm just a bystander. Just a man who wants to better is life." He makes the sign of the gear over his heart. "It was evening when the rider approached me. A man." His eyes dart, thinking hard.

"The sun was at his back...I don't know!" He found something to latch onto. "His speech! His speech sir, it was high! He spoke with a noble bearing." Stammering. "He appeared to be tall. And perhaps he was grey at the temples! And his horse sir; I'm certain his horse was a fine animal! Much too fine for the farmers and laborers who live near me!"

The carriage driver rips his purse from his belt. He throws it on the bar top. A gold crown and two silver marks roll out. By the sound of it, there are more coins within.

"Take it sir. I don't want to coin. Tis blood money. I'm an honest man. Would never hurt a soul."

"He told me to take the coin, drive, and allow whatever happens to happen. He...he told me...perhaps he told me that some folk would be stealing the carriage--I admit it. And that I was not to arrive at this here inn before morning. So I admit, I drove slow through the night sir. But that is all."

Sans waves Mathis goodbye, and turns his attention back to the village woman.
"You have been most helpful, Mademoiselle. Can i buy some of your fine apples, there?" he says, offering some coins.

"Where did you say your Dad's orchard was?"
He will make sure he has clear directions to the place where the woman thought she saw the brigands earlier that morning.

Sans ~ She's happy and flattered to give you 5 apples for 1copper penny, as we'll as providing you with very clear instructions on how to get to her father's orchard.

Elaine listens to the carriage driver and Aloys with her usual expression of slight boredom, the one she comes back to wherever she tries to hide her actual opinion of the situation. Which, in this case, is mostly disgust. What a tearjerking story this man weaves, when barely moments ago he was perfectly fine flirting with barmaids and drinking fine wine; wine bought with the money he now throws away in a grand gesture. She never understood this particular way of thought - if you got what you wanted, if the dirty deed is done already, then why give up the spoils? It seems like the least good way to atone for your actions.

"If you don't need this money now, then donate it to an orphanage," she comments coldly as the man runs out of breath. "Maybe at least some good will come out of it in the end." She pauses, then adds: "Your meeting with this man. Where exactly did it happen? What was the closest building?" Her thoughts go towards The Fox and the Hound the innkeeper told her about, but even if the establishment has nothing to do with it, it would be useful to know where to search for potential witnesses.

As the man rakes through his memory - or trembles in throes of his suddenly awakened conscience, she won't claim to know what's going on in his head, - Elaine tries to catalogue all the local nobles in her own mind. Sorting through those who are tall, have a distinct way of speaking, grey hair and at least some knowledge of horses. The criteria is vague as they come, but it still removes most of the noble youth.

Elaine ~ There are so many folk claiming titles these days perhaps--Nobility of the Robe mostly, folk who've bought their way in to the peerage that it'd be impossi--wait...wait.

Tall? Older, but perhaps not too old? A noble bearing? And fine horses? Could the carriage driver have spoken to Count Robert Dimont? Your mind would form a picture of him:



And you'd recall his lands--the finest horse bearing lands in the Queen's own duchy--are not too far from The Witherwood:



He is one of the richest lords in the Queen's duchy. Have you interacted with him; and if you have how did you feel about him?

---

The carriage driver looks defeated at Elaine's admonishment. But he answers her and clarifies.

"Twas about a days easy ride from here, where I met the stranger. It was near Witchop Crossroads. I was near the pig Gear Tower, where the flying ships sometimes tie off--my families farm ain't far from there you see..."








He paints a mental picture for you, of where this happened:

Sans turns to Issac, asking his comrade's opinion. "What do you reckon, mon ami? A failed kidnapping here... a pampered Baron... And on top of that, the news from North are no good... a missing musketeer could be a lot of trouble. I wonder what kind of mission he was sent to fulfil. Jonathan Jullien... let me think..."

He tries to recall if he heard anything of the missing Gold Coat during his training and his brief career as a fully fledged Musketeer. He shakes his head slowly. "Nah... doesn't ring any bell. You heard the name before, Issac?"

Aloys eyes the bag of gold that was put there and he would reach over to take it, even as Elaine brought up the fact that the man could donate it. Slipping it under his coat, he spoke up.

"My comrade is right, though you have shown you are of poor moral fiber. You are to stay here at the inn until we retrieve you or relieve you, you will help us identify this stranger." Aloys looks towards Elaine, ready to see if she has any other questions or if they could relieve the man to his cups and sorrow.

The man looks stricken, or maybe shocked. He nods dumbly at Aloys. He plops down on a stool and stares at the wooden bar top.

Elaine purses her lips, am expression of recognition passing over her face. Count Dimont. Out of all the counts in this fractured land, it had to be this man - it had to be this county. Why must nobles Elaine knows always get entangled in these things, to her great misfortune and despair? And in person, no less. The gall of some people... Having to deal with someone from her past would be a cherry on top of this murder-kidnapping cake, and she'd much rather this man didn't get himself involved at all.

With their counties being not too far away from each other, Elaine and her brother had plenty of chances to enjoy dubious pleasure of interacting with Count Dimont - and more importantly, with his two brats. Both sons, both fine riders and swordfighters, resourceful and not bad-looking - but annoying to no end, their egos as vast as their father's riches. The enmity between two pairs of siblings was quick to spark, catching like fire on a haystack and growing stronger with every new meeting their parents arranged. In hindsight, it was rather childish of all of them to waste time on one-upping each other, but they did, and they delighted in every victory. She wonders if the brothers are still living here. If they do, encountering them again would be an experience for sure.

The worst thing is that Count Dimont is smart. Not book-smart, like herself; no, much more effectively smart. There was a reason he was still rich and held his position at the top for so long where lesser nobles fell to ruin, especially in the recent years. And a smart noble who knew her before Elaine joined Golden Coats was a capital threat to her position. Someone who was aware she had no interest in weapon arts... Bitter irony is that Elaine herself told him that, her younger self intrigued by the count and his calm, authoritative attitude. Hmm. She almost wishes he was framed; his fools of sons aside, the count himself wasn't a bad man in her opinion. Then again, it was long ago...

Seeing Aloys looking at her, Elaine simply nods to indicate her lack of interest in the miserable man and stands up from her seat. The "driver" is thoroughly scared, no doubt, and unlikely to be a problem, so she sees no reason to question him further. "Join me," she request of Aloys and heads towards a corner of the room, strategically chosen so that the interior acoustics mask their voice to an extent. She waits for the other musketeer and once he is here, doesn't delay in relaying the information: "I have an idea of which noble rider he spoke to." Elaine quickly describes the count - leaving out her history with his sons; it's embarrassing, - and adds afterwards: "I also learned earlier of a tavern where shadowy types dwell. It might warrant investigation too."

"Strange times indeed Sans. I say we go meet up with Aloys and Elaine, see what news they have. Grab a drink while there, of course, then investigate the area Ms. Delafosse mentioned."

As Issac heads toward the inn, "Oh, and acquiesce to Mathis's demands for a drink." with a merry wink.