Fall is coming to the Northland. The leaves are beginning to fall, and wind sweeps them across the cobbled Kingsroad. Here under the permanent night of the Shroud, things are as gloomy as Brion remembers them.
He hums a tune as he limps north along the Kingsroad, towards the old walled city of Camars, trying to ignore the injury in his thigh that the Vorghol minions dealt him just yesterday, and drawing his cloak about himself as he curses the cold.
It has been some time since his last visit to Camars, and the safehouse he knows awaits him there. The city is set deep in the foothills south of the capital, Dolgur, surrounded by thick pine woods.
The guards on the wall call down to him, as he draws up to the massive gate in the old stone wall. "Name yourself and your business, stranger who would enter Camars!"
Brion says, "Good day Sir! My name is Brion...I'm an entertainer and teller of tales. I seek a hot meal and shelter from the road. I've been traveling for days!""
A grizzled sergeant emerges from the gatehouse to examine Brion. He looks him up and down. "Brion, eh? You look right familiar, you do. Didn't you sing at a banquet for Lord Valkris not six-month ago?"
Brion says, "I did indeed..a fine affair I do recall...Sergeant...?"
"You were right good, and it's Sergeant Grimlor, sir." he chuckles. "Here, lads, let's let the songbird into the cage, eh?" He taps Brion on the shoulder, amiably, chuckling, then stops. "Sir, your leg!"
Brion grimaces slightly. "It's nothing, good Sergeant. I was set upon on the road by bandits. I managed to escape with this wound..but alas, my horse was taken. Perhaps they were critics who didn't like my singing?"
Grimlor looks concerned. "'ere, right sir, you'd best have that seen to. Allow me to recommend a fine healer, sir, if I may say so..." then idly holds out his hand while pretending to look away.
Brion shakes Grimlor's grubby hand while slipping him some coin. "Thank you sir..that would be appreciated."
The sergeant points down the main street, through the open gate, which is lined with oaks and rowans. "That'd be Dylare, sir, straight down on the right, sir, across from the Nameless Tavern and Dras' smithy."
Brion smiles as he limps away. "Thank you ..and good day to you!"
Brion limps off down the streets of the darkened city, which is lit by torches and glowstones. It's only a short walk down the streets to the smithy he seeks, on the left, a modest-looking barn behind a corral fence, which stands next to a nameless tavern. The populace, Reith and Urag slave and the occcasional Tobon, avoids eye contact with the stranger as he walks, like most Tol Nedrans would.
The door to the workshop is slightly ajar, and Brion hears a commotion from inside.
Brion clutches the hilt of his familiar rapier and approaches the door cautiously.
A big Urag is cheering on a dark Northerling in furs, who is smashing firewood into flinders with a gleaming, heavy warhammer. Dras the smith looks on, quietly beaming as the tribesman tests what appears to be a brand-new weapon.
Brion enters the smith and beams a smile at the occupants. He thinks: Has it been two years since I have seen this lot, at the battle of the Westwall? He calls out, "Good day, gentlemen!"
Spotting the limping form in the doorway, Khom-bei drops his hammer. "Brion!"
As Brion enters, a small dark shape drops down from the rafters and lands at his feet. The Gholibin, Ugash, squints up at Brion. "Hey! It is friend of ours!"
Thragga whirls. The massive Urag has a big wineskin in his hand. He recognizes Brion and snorts. "Just in time for the party, as usual..." he rumbles.
Khom-Bei says, "Brion, you are injured! Come and sit, I'll fix you right up."
Brion says, "It has been a while...you are all a sight for tired eyes. Especially you, Thragga."
Thragga belches, amused. "Kane! We got company. But don't tell Verraine, she'll get all kissy-face with handsome here..."
Kane climbs up from the basement and upon seeing Brion gives a rare smile. "Brion, what are you doing in these parts?"
Dras approaches the cloaked man and claps him on the shoulder. Ugash goes to the door and bolts it behind Brion.
Brion looks at the wound in his leg, then back at Kane. "I've been making friends...You say Verraine is here, as well?"
Kane says, "Yes she is, but there are sad tidings. Her parents are both gone."
Brion says, "I'm sorry to hear that..they were good people."
Thragga slaps his fist into his open palm. "But we avenged Taggart and Irian!" he cries.
Khom-Bei says, "It is worse than you know, Brion. Our codes may have been learned, we may all be in danger."
Brion says, "It was only a matter of time until those codes were learned...."
Kane approaches the newcomer and extends his hand, "It's good to see you boy."
Brion grins and clasps Kane's outstretched hand."You as well, old man."
Kane says, "Old man? Not old enough that I can't teach you a thing or two with that fancy blade of yours!"
Brion says, "So...did anyone offer wine? I'm parched. And Verraine is here you say.....hmm..."
Thragga tosses his wineskin to Brion.
Kane says, "Verraine is here and safe."
Brion motions thanks to Thragga and drinks from the wineskin.
Kane says, "I haven't seen this many of us in one place in a long time. I wonder if it is an omen."
Ugash pokes at Brion in his wounded leg. "Hey, you play us a tune! Ugash will play along..." He pulls his squeezebox from around his neck and it gives a horrid gurgle.
Kane says, "Now we're in for it!"
Brion grimaces at the poking. "Ugash...even I can not carry a tune to accompany your squeezebox, but I will try."
Kane sits and takes the wine skin from Brion and takes a long swig. "I'm gonna need that."
Khom-Bei stands and moves toward Brion with a determined look on his face. "Time enough for singing later, let me take a look at that leg before I have to whittle you a replacement."
Brion says, "That would probably be for the best. ...so..Verraine is here you say?"
Dras, the burly smith, serves Brion a plate of sausage and black bread.
Brion says, "Ah.Thank you Dras--much appreciated. I haven't had anything warm to eat in days!"
Khom-Bei says, "Yes, yes, yes. Downstairs with you. Now! Food and drink and song can wait a few minutes."
Kane says, "That's the third time you've asked and the answer is still the same, yes."
Brion says, "Well it's been a long time"
Kane says, "Don't leave your food, boy. Thragga looks hungry."
Thragga is eyeing Brion's plate.
Khom-Bei places a hand on Brion's arm and hauls him upright. "Bring the plate, if you must, but move your wounded ass downstairs."
Kane loks at Thragga and says, "Don't you have shoveling still to do?"
Thragga frowns. "Yes..." he complains. "All horses do is eat, and then shit it out all over my clean stableyard."
Brion hands Thragga the plate as he stands. "Here Thragga, you can finish this if you'd like. "
Kane gets up and says, "Come on, I'll give you a hand."
Thragga takes it and the sausage is gone in an instant.
Kane says, "You'll spoil him boy. We're trying to keep him down to six squares a day.""
Khom-Bei steers Brion toward the stairs. "Let's go. The healing begins now."
Kane says, helping Brion limp down the stairs, "Drop that plate and grab a shovel my lazy green friend. We still have to earn our keep."
Thragga sighs, picks up the shovel and returns to his chores.
The safehouse is out back, downstairs from the storm doors that open on the stableyard. There's a small room, with a secret door into some larger rooms that open on a small common area. Inside, a young woman works diligently at a scroll, fingers stained with ink.
Khom-Bei says, "Verraine, come see who's come to visit!"
Verraine looks up from her work. "Brion?" she cries, delighted. She jumps up from the table she works at and rushes to embrace him. "It's Brion!"
Brion smiles and returns the embrace. "It is good to see you! It has been too long. I am sorry, Verraine. I heard about your parents."
Khom-Bei clears his throat pointedly. "I truly hate to interrupt, but someone has been bleeding and I need him to come with me."
Verraine bites her lip, and looks away. "Thank you..." she says. She pauses a long moment. "Very well, Khom-Bei, but I have just one thing to do before you heal Brion..."
Verraine smiles at the singer, draws back her hand, and lashes an open palm across his face. Whack! Inky streaks mark Brion's handsome face. "That was for disappearing on me, after the battle..." she spits.
Khom-Bei walks toward the sleeping chamber, "Very well, send him along when you've finished with him."
Brion says, "Easy beautiful, I had my business to take care of!" Then he tenderly embraces Verraine, then slowly lets his hand slide down her back to her firm buttocks. Patting her rump he says, "Don't worry Daddy will make it all better."
Verraine attempts to squirm free. "Your wound..." She looks over Brion's shoulder, to Kane, for assistance.
Kane says, "Hands off the lady's arse boy, you know it's not good form."
Brion waggles his eyebrows, but relents his grappling with Verraine. He turns to Khom-Bei. "My leg pains me. Can you save me?"
Khom-Bei smiles. "I'll try to leave you a stump you can tie a peg onto."
Brion leers at Verraine, who turns away and folds her arms. "The ladies love a peg leg." He wipes the ink from his cheek with an expensive kerchief, and consents to Khom-Bei leading him to healing.
Khom-Bei leads Brion into the sleeping chamber and closes the door behind them.
Verraine blows out her cheeks. "Who invited him?" she asks of Kane.
Kane says, "It seems the wind did. Kane sits down at the table and motions Verraine to join him. "Now tell me about what you have been scheming these past few days while I can still get a moment of your free time."
Verraine pushes the scroll to Kane. "I am devising a new code. A simple cipher substitution...see?" She shows you the letters, one for another. "These ciphers have served us well in the past. My father taught me how to do it..."
Khom-Bei directs Brion to lay on a bed with a wave of his hand as he gathers his healers kit, a basin, and a pitcher of water.
Brion lies down. "She's crazy about me!" he boasts. "So what are you four doing here, Khom-Bei?"
Khom-Bei talks as he works on Brions leg. "We tracked those who killed her father and mother. We killed them and brought her here to rest."
Brion winces as Khom-Bei works on his lacerated thigh. A dirty sword wound, no Vorghol bite. "Damn...easy on that. A little too close to the ol' family treasures..."
Khom-Bei cuts Brions breeches away from the wound with a small, razor-sharp knife and begins to clean it none too gently.
Khom-Bei smiles a tight smile as he works. "Perhaps there is something that needs amputating here?"
Brion shakes his head. "Don't get any ideas, healer."
Khom-Bei chuckles softly. "Brion, if I had any ideas about keeping you away from Verraine, you would never know until it was too late."
The singer scoffs, "So she's all yours now, hm? I always thought she was sweet on Kane."
Khom-Bei sprinkles some herbs into a small piece of cloth and wets them from the pitcher, mixing a healing poultice. "Brion, I love Verraine as the daughter of my friends, no more. My woman died many seasons ago and my heart is with her still. But I will not have you hurt Verraine."
Brion nods. "Me?" he says, waggling his dark eyebrows. "You're thinking of someone else." He hisses as Khom-Bei painfully applies the poultice, rolling his eyes.
Khom-Bei wraps the poultice onto Brion's leg and pointedly cuts a tie for it. "Let's hope so."