The Wait (Cont. Dire Summons)

OOC: This thread are for those who were just in the "Dire summons" thread, but didn't go to the infirmary. I'm guessing..Rensain, Bathory, Vlad, Ralean and whoever else wants to join in. Thanks.

A couple of hours had passed by, and Ava Bathory had tried to make herself comfortable in a chair near the hearth of Vladamir's Study. The staff were cleaning up the Ursine corpse in the war room, and no doubt would be busy with it for some time. So instead, all had congregated in the privacy of Vladamir's office.

Ava was still in shock, her glass of water shaky. There had been no news of Angel's predicament, and to her, that was not a good thing. She rubbed her temples and sighed, taking another sip of water.

"We should hear something soon enough..surely.." she shrugged, feeling miserable.

<< Vlad stnds in front fo the fire, the whole mess replaying in his head>>

We will know by the bells. If they ring out before the sun rises...<< he lets the thought trail off>>

For now we have more pressing matters, and the Queen is beond our help. Her fate is in the hands of the gods and the healers, and Jaric has the best of both. We on the other hand, have work to do. Rensain, another drink for your nerves, or are you feeling better now?

{"I'll have another drink, if I may. This is most shocking - if we lose Angel, who knows what could happen to both realms? She was the peace treaty that kept us all together, and we will have to contend with an angry Jaric."

He gulped, shaking his head, his face pale and withdrawn. "My head still hurts from being thrown into the wall - but I dare not bother the infirmary." He remained in his seat, watching the fire.}

~Ral steps into the study, weapons sheathed at his sides. He was mostly recovered from the brunt of the beating, the rest just bruises and sore muscles. The tension from the fight and adrenaline had left him sore and tired, but he was on edge, though still in relatively good spirits. He walks silntly to the decanter of drink, pouring himself a glass as well and quaffing it in one long pull before pouring himself another.

He put himself into a chair, leaning forward in an uneasy posture, glass between his hands, staring past Vlad into the fire silently.~

Ava watched as Ralean came into the room. She barely looked up to see who it was. Sniffing, she pulled a hankerchief and dabbed her eyes. "Now what are we going to do?" Unable to sit, Ava got up and walked to the drinks cabinet, pouring one for herself.

"Ralean has the right of it, we should all just get drunk - there's nothing else to do." Her voice wavered, and even to her own surprise, she just started to quietly sob. "Vlad...go and do something..go see her and do something. I don't want to see her die....that bitch Marguerite will come after me next."

~Ral grins in spite of himself, giving a chuckle. "I'm not getting drunk. I'm calming my nerves. That was a hell of a stupid thing I did." He gives a soft sigh. "Best be getting ready, I suppose." He looks at the others. "At least we have an advantage over the furred bastards: the heat. Unless they assault icehold directly, they'll drown in sweat."~

{Rensain leaned back into his leather armchair and sighed. With contemplation he looked down at his drink and then brought the glass to his lips, his eyes focusing on the fire. The castle seemed eerie and quiet, despite how heavily staffed it was.

After a few minutes, he swirled his drink and looked back up to the others present. "Ralean, you were most brave in there. Stupid, and brave..I have to ask, why do you have such a death wish upon yourself? You could not have taken on the Ursine alone. No matter, you did your best, you offered a distraction. Its a shame the beast didn't take the bait. They clearly have more intelligence than I first thought."}

~Ral looks at Rensain a long moment, and laughs, a hearty laugh. "It seemed like the thing to do, at the time." He takes a drink of wine before continuin, his tone casual.

"Though, I suppose we can't expect a man of your...delicate nature... to quite understand that when one is pressed against a wall, one must often times simply push back." He raises his glass to Rensain. "Besides, I've skinned enough of the bastards to know quite well what my limits are. Perhaps what you disdain as foolhardiness and stupidity is simply something you're not familiar with, as befitting a man of your...docility. I was quite aware of the risks, and well aware of what I was doing."~

<< Vlad leans his head against the wall listening to them prattle on behind him>>

If you two start bickerring now I will make you both wish the bear had eaten you. The last thing we need is a rudge developing.

<< He listens to himself and laughs>>

Dear gods, how desperate have we become that I sound like the voice of reason.....I need another drink.

<< he turns to the table and grabs the nearest bottle, taking a long pull before lowerring it from his lips>>

Ralean, I want the bulk of the Aegean troop to fall back to the thunderlands. The storms there will be something the bastard has never seen before, we will make him come to us there and fight him where his wings will help the least.

~Ral grins at Vlad. "Grudge? Between Rensain and I? Never! We're simply bandying words like old friends." He raises his glass to Rensain again before finishing and standing.

"Aye, they'll be removed back to there." he refills his own glass, standing next to Vlad. "A nominal force will be left in Grorr, as a cover, good men with no families. They have orders to fall back into the dwarven caves during the attacks. The dwarves themselves are...well, as prepared as dwarves always are, and the Stag is ill prepared to fight in the tunnels." He smiles thinly. "We'll bleed them."~

Bathory sneered at Rensain because she hated him, and smirked at Ralean for getting the first hit in and making a comment. Her hand came down to her stomach and it rested there, on the small bump that was clearly in the way of making her look good.

She slumped back into another seat next to the others. "The Thunderlands is a good option..what other places might there be that we can lure them into and trap them with? That is our advantage after all, we know the land better than anyone."

Ava took a sip from her drink and looked at Ralean again, raising her glass to him. "You're well prepared, sir. You always were a good general."

((Bathy, I giggled a little at that first line, no lie.))

~Ral nods. "The desert heat, but that works against us as well. F'Tallian, perhaps, for the heat and humidity, but...well, we know how that goes. Heavy forest negate their wings, but they still have the advantage of their senses. I suspect a small force of men could fight a guerilla war, with the right men to lead them and teach them. They'd be at high risk though, but any time they gained us would be worthwhile."

He looks to Bathy with a smile, nodding graciously. "I just think of exactly what I'd hate to face as a soldier, and I do it to them."~

<< Vlad shakes his head>>

Geurilla warfare works in their favor. Trying to hide a group of armored men in the forest, sweating and tense, from a pack of hunting wolves is nearly impossible. Give those wolves a man's intellignece and swords and we are going to lose everyone we leave to harass them. The beasts fare better in the wilds. Our best bet is to fight them in the caves, and in the cities, where we can negate their flight and their senses.

Hard to tell an armed man from an unarmed one in a city tha smells of so many.


<< He looks at Ralean>>

I am sending you and the Hunter on an errand. I want you to peak in on the royal brats in F'tallian. Do NOT engage them, simply see if we can determine who's side they have chosen to lend their will to. If it becomes apparent they work with either of our enemies, then let the hunter take whom he will, and leave their ruined city ablaze.

~Ral nods. "Aye, I agree. Unless the bastard gets ahold of local fauna for his little menagerie." he chuckles. "Imagine his armies with access to snakes and scorpions. No matter. They die all the same."

He grins in spite of himself at the mention of Verran. "Aye, we'll take a peak in on the little brats, and if need be, silence the lot of them." he gestures idly with one hand. "For argument's sake, can we get the admiral to give us his best recollections? Any information helps, and as I recall, he's one of the few to have been there." he frowns a moment. "Who will take lead of the armies in my place?"~

~Ava nodded to Ralean when he spoke of what he would do to the enemy, her demenor relaxed until the discussion turned to killing her twins. Then her body straightened upright. Her eyes narrowed.

"No. Thats not an option...they are ours, Vladamir. If they have not turned to the enemy, find another way. It is our fault, we did not keep them closer and now they run amock in F'tallian like a bunch of wildlings. Can't you simply bring them back? Is it truly too late?"

They were her children, after all, despite how cold she usually was, Ava did not want to see them dead. A pity they would never return the favor for her. Getting up from her seat, she walks to the drinks cabinet and pours another water.

Looking at the cool liquid in her class, swirling it around nervously, Ava looked up at Ralean and Vlad.
"Who will take lead of the armies in your place? A good question. There's Jared. After that, I do not know. Personally I think we need you here, Ralean. After all, if the Queen dies...well...who knows what will happen next? Forget the twins, Aegis soil needs protecting."~

<< Vlad looks at Ralean like he just asked the dumbest question in the world>>

These are Auroran soldiers now, and Aurora is at war. Who do you think will lead them Wyrmslayer? You may rest easily knowwing that my dear brother will not allow his wife's death to go unanswerred, he will lead the army, and there will be a battle the likes of which the Stag is unprepared for.

The Beast has dealt with Jarc angry before, but his men love the Queen almost as much as their King, and the people of Aegis liken her to a new savior. I almost feel sorry for the bastard...but I have dibs on making him into slippers.

<< He looks at Bathory>>

If they have sided with the enemy, if they belong to the Bitch, then they die. I do this now to see if they can be saved, if not, we can and will NOT risk them joining the battle.

~Ral laughs at Vlad's look. "You know as well as I do, that, circumstances as they are, that man will be in no condition to fight an intelligent war." she shrugs. "but no skin off my teeth." he shrugs.

"However, the Hunter and I are more than willing to stalk your whelps and determine their loyalties. And we won't hesitate to make the kill if need be." his voice has a soft, cold edge. This work did not require warriors, or soldiers. It required killers, and despite it all, that was an easy mentality to fall back into. He knew what was being asked, and what he may have to do. Aye, and the risk too, if they made mistakes.

"Though I suppose we should make haste if we are to enter the forest. We must gather supplies, and our hunting gear, and the last of our party, and speak with the admirial to gain what little knowledge he has of the defenses and garrison. Where is the Hunter?"~

<< Vlad's eyes go distant for a moment before snapping back into focus on Ralean.>>

He is waiting for you in the courtyard. Make preparations as needed and be done with it. And Wyrmslayer...if it comes to the worst, if they must die, do it swiftly and mercifully.

<< He waves him off then, dismissing him to do as he needs.>>

Oh, do remember that you go into elven lands, and the Hunter's tendencies will need to be checked.

~Ral nods. "I would do no less, Baron." He nods to the others, turning and making his way out to meet the Hunter.~

((Continued in Grorr!))