What really happened to Jade???

~He let Tiberious take him aside, and felt his brothers firm grip on his arm. He wouldn't struggle. Morningstar had a lucky escape today, but he would get him one day.~

~He sent a mindlink to Erika~

"Say whatever you have to, to save yourself."

~while all the commotion was going on little jade had got inside the house she had found a small dagger as she walked over by her dad and got hit by a happy wave. which made her giggle outloud then quickly be quiet but he would know she was there. as she cut the ties on the outside of the sacks and started to pull cut them off. She might look like 5 or 6 but she still was the older jade and her steady hands. Cutting the bag up until she smiled down at her father. And ungagged him. She then stop as it seemed Tib had Louis and the duke said he was coming to search the house. She put the dagger in her little boot. and crouched down behind her fathers body on the floor still partly tied up as she watched the door.~

~she winced alittle bit that hit in the face art gave her actually was starting to hurt. she reached up ow yeah that be the spot. Now that was going to give her a black eye if it hadn't already turn black. She stepped out of the shadows to be in the light more you could tell she had been in a fight.~


~ml to louis~ "I have never left you and I will not now. I am at fault of this just as much if not more."

~she looked at the duke she raised an eyebrow~

"Now why would I turn on my husband you have no idea what all we have been in and survived. As for that man on the floor in there. How do you think he got knocked out. He hit me first and I just defended myself. He broke into our home and he attacked me. Louis distracted him and I got lucky swings in that knocked him out. Yes Morningstar is a trouble maker. Around town people were saying he raped a young woman after beating her. There have been many things that man has done and nothing was ever done about it in the past. Now we have assault and battery of me and whomever was that young woman."

~ml to louis~ "Love where did we do with that root that is to fix Jade. I am going to have to hide that or avoid it."

(As he stepped into the doorway, he turned to speak to Erika)

"Rest assured, I will get to the bottom of this - despite what i've heard, i'm not as nieve to believe all that I see and hear. Nonetheless, I refuse to allow any sort of underhanded vigilanteeism, deserved or not. All parties involved in this will be summoned to the keep for further questioning."

(He stepped in to the house, noting the girl and the tied down man)

"Good god! What's going on here?"

~looked up to the man her big blue eyes.~

"I was tryings to helps him." ~she then spotted erika and backed up some away from her father being very defencive~

~followed the duke inside the house and saw the little brat. She growled make a fist.~

~ml to louis~ "Well that stuff worked well." ~she looked closer and then she saw the necklace on the girl.~ "Love I think we are going to be in some major trouble...Looks like your brother has claim on Artimus's daughter which is interesting."

Artimus felt his bonds being broken and the sack being removed from around his head. He blinked and turned to look at his saviour. Jade.. What was she doing here?
Before he chance to say anything, Erika walked in followed by a stranger. Now the voices weren't so muffled, he could hear Tiberious and Louis. That explained Jade being here...

He looked over to the stranger. It seemed he was at least trying to help Artimus out.
His ankles were still chained, so he could stand up, but at least he had his hands free now.

Would you believe, I stopped by to ask if they had any potato sacks they didn't need...

~she moved back enough to hide behind a chair. She was trying not to be scared. But the kid side of this spell was coming thru. Really... don't start...oh god... She got a big pout lip and was starting to sniffle as she whimpered a little from behind the chair not knowing that other person. really jade...stop this. you are a grown woman trapped in this little body.~

(Leto smirked while looking at Artimus)

"Half an hour ago I wouldn't have believed you, but ive heard some interesting claims in the last ten minutes.I am Duke Leto de Vries, and I'm afraid you'll have to do me the honour of returning to the keep with me and the other residents of this house once we have you out of those chains. Rightly or wrongly you've been captured and threatened - but as Corporal Farstrider has pointed out, i'd be negligent in my own duties were I allowed to let you walk away unquestioned. I'm sure that we can get to the bottom of whatever has gone on here, and proceed from there."

(He turned to Erika)

"I presume you have the key to these chains?"

~she sighed and then nodded~ "Yes I do." ~she walked over and knelt down and moved to unlock the chains. She grumbbled as she did it and didn't make eye contact cause she knew that cocky grin would be on his face. She turned her head and glared at Jade then smirked at her. Having Jade little put her more out of the game.~

"There." ~she said with a hint of anger in her voice. stupid nosey duke.~

(He watched as the chains were released, then called out to Tiberious)

"Lieutenant - bring the Corporal in here - we shall discuss this in here for all to hear."

~He had put a pair of manacles on his younger brother, who fortunatly hadn't resisted. They both knew that with Tiberious, duty came before family. He had double checked Louis had no other weapons on him was about to take him down to the keep when he heard the request from the Duke.~

"Come on. You don't get to sample the food there yet."

~He pushed him into the house. In the kitchen area he saw Artimus's sword belt, which he picked up and , then pushed Louis into the living room, spotting Artimus on the floor and Jade hiding behind a chair. He put Art's sword belt on, to keep it out of the way for the time being.~

~He looked over at Erika, seeing a nice bruise forming on her eye. Looks like Art gave a few punches before he went down.~

~He moved Louis over to a chair, then stood near the Duke, watching the three (Louis, Erika and Artimus) carefully.~

~she watched everyone her eye killing her but just ignored it. she was more consider about louis and what was going to happen to him. That damn duke lurking outside our window. She saw that Tiberious was all business. She leaned against the wall as she waited for this duke to figure out things. She made herself busy with messing with her gloves alittle then glancing to everyone.~

~she smiled as she saw tib come in with louis in manacles. She was less scared now with him in here. She still stayed behind the chair to stay out of the way. She watched that duke guy everyone seem to be listening too.~

~He knew he didn't have much chance to resist, so he let Tiberious put the manacles on him, then prod him like cattle towards the house. His eyes found the scene in the front room before he was pushed into a chair. He glanced over at the little girl, also spotting her pendant. Ah, now he understood what Erika was saying.~

~That cocky bastard on the floor might have thought he was safe for now, but he would get what was coming to him. He looked over at the Duke.~

"There was no acts of vigilanty occuring, Sir. I think you misunderstood my intentions. I will admit I said I would kill him, but I did not mean it literally. It was simply a figure of speech. And he did break into this house and attack Erika."

(He looked at the scene - the chains and heavy-looking sacks of particular interest.)

"Is that so? I shall consider that. You should probably be told that I'm only here because your scuffle was so loud I heard it from the street."

(He turned to Artimus)

"Despite my timely intervention on your behalf, I think its time you explained yourself - I highly doubt this is just a simple case of assault. The truth, please. "

Artimus had finished untying himself, and stood up, keeping a respctful distance from Erika and Louis, as well as the Duke and Tiberious. He didn't glance at Jade; he knew where she was.

He of course had no idea what they had been planning for him, so was totally unware how dangerous the situation was.

First of all, Duke leto, I should introduce myself. I'm Artimus Morningstar.
I was conducting a small private investigation, and came here to see Lou... Corporal Farstrider. I thought he, or.... his wife might know something.

He glanced down for a moment.

It's true that I did hit her first. He glanced back up to the Duke.
As for what happened next, I don't know. I must have slipped and hit my head.

He didn't want to admit he'd been beaten by a girl.

Me and the Corporal go back a long way. I trained him many years ago, when he was a young guard.

He couldn't meet Louis's eyes as he spoke.

(He remained expressionless as Artimus spoke, noting his admission silently)

"I d rather not pry sir, but I think in light of events here you best share the details of your investigation. Then I can decide for myself what's really going on here."

His tone through this remains flat and emotionless.

On a recent visit to this city, my daughter was attacked by some drunkards, I came to rescue her. Most of the fight was observed by Duke Serafin. Following that attack I was helping my daughter to safety - she had been injured.
I later heard a rumour that I had carried out the attack, and had in fact raped the girl, as I had been seen carrying her around. And unfortunatly I have a certain reputation already, which doesn't help matters.
She has since recovered from her injuries, but was attacked again yesterday. Which is why I came to be in the city. I came here to see if Corporal Farstrider had any idea who might have wished to see my daughter injured.

His eyes turned to look at Louis, then Erika, then over to Tiberious and back to the Duke.

I have no idea why Lt. Farstrider is here.

~she came out from behind the chair and then hopped up on the chair. it seemed safe enough and art and tib were both here. She listened and watched everything. she wiggled her feet on the chair. and noticed a loose thread and started playing with it.~

"I asked hims to come check on daddy. Cause I knew somethings was going ons." ~she looked up at the duke.~

~He turned to glance at the Duke.~

"THIS is the attack Mr. Morningstar was talking about. The girl I know is older than this. Somehow she has been turned into a young child."

~He turned back to Louis~

"And if I find out this was you..."

~She glanced at tib as he said that to louis and her eyes got wide and then she just watched the ground. Not making eye contact. The one person she other then louis that could make her spill the beans was tiberious.~

"So let me get this straight, this young lady - woman (he corrected himself), has been subjected to attacks twice and you have no suspects? You'll all forgive me if I find her to be a priority ovr your squabbling."

(He turned to Artimus)

"I presume you have reason to suspsect one of these two as the guilty parties?"

(He noticed Erika's subtle movements, and addressed her next.)

"Cat suddenly got your tongue dear?"

~she glanced over to louis then back over to duke~

"No sir." ~she shifted in her standing this was all going to hell. She glanced to Tiberious then back to the duke then to the floor not really wanting to say anything.~

~she stood up and walked towards louis and took a deep breath and closed her eyes thinking back to the attack from behind. She then looked at him and tilted her head at him.~

~she turned to the duke~

"Please excuse my appearance. I am not really a child but a young woman who was changed by some potion. Yes I was attacked twice. The first time was by some saliors and the other duke here took care of them and hauled them off to jail. My father here had to help me as my eye and face was swollen from being hit and beaten. As we walked thru town everyone started to talk about it being what it wasn't. Then the other day I was giving out some supplies to people who needed them and I was walking my horse towards one of the gates and I was jumped from behind. From the smell of louis here. It was him and where louis is usually erika isn't far. They threw one of these potato bags over my head and had me tied up and then cut a slit in the bag and forced me to drink some potion and then they put me back by my horse. By the time I got back to our camp I looked like this." ~she had paced a little explaining things~

"So my father and myself came to the cape to check out things."