Visit to the Red Hospice [private]

[davkul]

Davkul could not be sure exactly how all this might playout with nor without his intervention. The goings-on within the Hospice seemed far more dire than seeing Justice come to the Black Knight for his crimes. Between the Matron reacting to being forced to speak the truth to the questions asked with such violent coughs and choking and the talk about the still unseen Mariette .. he had no choice other than to work with the enemy to uncover the truth.

A distraction of his own came when the red-headed Squire appeared to nearly faint a step forward finding the Hellborne helping to keep her upright. Although he was not certain there were any injuries being suffered from there were other things that might help. The fact that he could help meant that Davkul acted to do just that .. channeling positive, healing, energy into the woman with a little something extra to pull off the draining veil of fatigue that seemed likely to be what was dragging her , almost literally, down. ( Skill: Mercy [Remove Fatigue] )

Davkul sighed, between the reaction of the woman to either her accidental use of him for support or was it the touch to heal the unseen hurt and fatigue that weighed her limbs down? No matter .. it stilled earned her his attention when she replied with a simple confirmation that following the orders of the Black Knight were best for the situation.

" I will then .. but this better not all be his doing. "

He at least would step other .. a little more quickly when it was announced that his presence, and the zone of truth, were to blame for the Matron's condition.

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

So fixated on that which was going on around her – and more specifically, the Hellborne – it took some time before Lovisa even realised that the energy within her had rekindled. Lifting an arm curiously, she noted that the hand no longer trembled of its own volition and in fact seemed quite steady. The strange gnawing emptiness that came with extreme physical exhaustion was no longer present, that in fact she was beginning to feel almost normal. Or what would pass for normal for someone who had not spent part of their life rigorously training their body. It would still take some effort to hold a shield again, but she suspected she was no longer in any danger of toppling at the behest of a stiff breeze .. but just to be safe, she decided to keep her remaining crutch. Just in case the effects were temporary, or she had overestimated her ability.

Her eyes were on the Hellborne and laced with suspicion. Was he responsible? And if so, why would he?

That concern was soon pushed to one side. If she were no longer as weak as she was, she would be more than capable of continuing her 'crusade' against Mariette! Lifting her head to address her mentor once again, she was given pause by his expression. The scowl did not unsettle her. The narrowed eyes did not unsettle her. It was the dawning realisation of what they represented that unsettled her. The look of a superior taking in the actions of an errant recruit who was defying a direct order. Whether it was with due cause or otherwise was irrelevant, he had extended the offer of knighthood and she had accepted it, and until such a time as she rescinded his teachings or even surpassed his ability - as unlikely as either of those, particularly the latter, were – she was required to follow his word without question. She hadn't been removed from the Academy for very long before she had forgotten even that basic regulation, had she? Just how long would she have lasted before she was removed from her squad for something else? Insubordination? That was worse than the trumped up reasons they had already used.

Biting back a grumble, she set her expression and merely straightened her back, putting her weight on her crutch while bringing her forearm across her chest in order to salute (however shaky) the Black Knight, turning her body and her attention to getting out of that office before he had cause to tell her a second time. No, she did not remember where her chambers were but in the very least she could try and feel out the way back: and if Rhianwen and the Hellborne were required to accompany her she was certain that they would keep pace once they left the office.

Rhianwen simply didn't know where to begin. Her Matron appeared to be choking to death right in front of her and there was nothing that she could do to prevent it .. and according to one mans word – who directed the devil and the Hospice's oddest patient – it was down to some manner of compulsion, that centred around the horned one? She had been directed to the Matron's aid once before by this man, but upon her arrival nothing had been amiss .. and so if it were truly his presence that caused it he should certainly be removed from the area of influence as soon as possible. Rhianwen wasn't stupid by any means, just easily spooked by the unusual, and so she would see to it that this was carried out before things got out of hand.

''Meica Wing, third storage.''

She repeated the words when prompted and certainly without a stutter, waiting only a moment for recognition to follow before pressing on with the explanation.

''It is an unused part of the Hospice, cordoned off during an outbreak of a plague that resisted all attempts to thwart it some years ago. The Sisters are told to steer clear of it due to the unstable nature of the building, but most avoid it out of superstition. The storage rooms are beneath the wing, not difficult to find I imagine ..''

Looking back at the Matron, she imagined that the Knight would find a guide in her should the compulsion wear off before she expired. Biting her nip nervously, she nevertheless briskly moved from the older woman and turned her attention to Davkul: suddenly a woman to be reckoned with, as she now walked in the shoes of authority and had a task to carry out, which naturally strengthened her resolve and ability to interact with the strange man without her earlier wilting.

''Come along then. We will be doing no good here if we tarry overlong.''

A small smile, and the Sister removed herself from the room with only a single glance back at the imposing Knight and her troubled Matron. She sorely hoped she was not making a huge mistake leaving them alone but .. what else could she do given the circumstances?

[Kythin Steelfang]

An errant recruit could ruin a good deal if they were allowed to retain such a trait without being broken from it. An immediate measure would have to be undertaken to curb the unwanted tendacy from his Squire .. though not greatly enough that she would be unable to lead in her own right. What point would there be in taking a Squire if she proved incapable of fulfilling her eventual duties?



Between Rhianwen and Cosima he possessed enough to concern himself without involving the dissent of his underling. The success in ordering both the young Hospice Sister and the Paladin off in the wake of Lovisa allowed Kythin to focus on the matter of Cosima. The bonus of information from Rhianwen about the Third Storage of the Meica Wing meant he now possessed a location for the likely whereabouts of Mariette.



A location that the Matron whom still likely struggled to breathe knew well by all appearances. Now that the Hellborne had vacated the vincinity he imagined she would once again begin to recover thus earning the Black Knight forcing her onto her feet, whether she liked it or not.



" Will I find only Mariette in those storage rooms .. or do you have others hidden away there? "



A simple reason lay behind that question though he did not prove quick to elaborate .. only demanded the answer. An answer demanded even as he forcibly ushered the Matron from her office towards the Wing and indeed the third storage hidden within. Certainly not kept as bay by the unknown much less baseless suspicions the Black Knight continued on into the wing of the Hospice that harbored the Prisoner that likely unintentionally caused a breach that would bring the secrets of the Hospice itself into the open.



While questioning Cosima with other Sisters likely to take note would certainly be unwise .. what little he already asked came in low tones and attempts at more than a whispered response would certainly earn unpleasantness for the already weakened though stern crone.



" I trust you realize you will be accompanying me the whole way to your hidden Prisoner. "



While the Black Knight manhandled the Hospice Matron towards the likely hiding place of the attempted Murderer and Hexenbeist known as Mariette those he sent away from the Office of said Matron were already being greeted by two of the Soldiers in service to Dunsany, through their service to Sir Birtel ven da Retigg whom counted among the first to switch sides from the Grand Duchy and its ruling Lofgren Family to their old, revived enemy; Dunsany. 


Unlike their liege they were not clad in the Blood-Red Plate and Mail of the Blood Knights of Kullyr; rather these two upstanding soldiers were clad in the Black and Azure of the Resurgency. They were quick to think note of the trio coming their way even if they were not quick to offer the stubborn Squire of the Black Knight their immediate aid. Instead the pair parted to each side of the doorway to allow her entrance though any attempt by the Hellborne Paladin and Hospice Sister earned the crossing of their blades infront of them. Naturally they were under the orders of the nearest leader in the Resurgency; Lovisa herself in the absence of her Master, Sir Birtel, or even the Mysterious Messenger that served them. 


" Apologies, MiLady, MiLord. We may not allow either of you to enter without the express permission of Dame Ascheberg. " 

[davkul]

An unfortunate circumstance to see blame cast his way for the suffering of the Matron , whether intentional or not. Understanding that she may well be guilty of something did not lessen the issue at all. A fact that could further demonize the Hellborne in their midst meant revulsion and retaliation would come his way first and the Black Knight second, and finally the redheaded Squire whom was in far less suitable condition to ward of any such assualt on her person.

Here he was despite those concerns in the lead of an increasing pack including the redheaded woman and Rhianwen. While equally as present for the exlaboration of the Matron's supposed words Davkul knew there were other matters to attend to if the Black Knight was indeed to be believed in such circumstances. The precautions of the men clad in Azure and Black provided reason enough to see to the reciting of the Prayer of Truth-Seeking a second time in order to see the zone re-established in the presence of Rhianwen.

" You heard the Black Knight as well as I, Sister. Are you in league with whom or what is commanding the Matron? "

The phrasing could use some work he knew though he imagined he would have plenty of practice ahead of him. After all, how many Sisters filled the Hospice? If this young woman proved honest .. then there were others to question, many others that could well be antagonised enough by the questioning to attack if not disabled as the Matron had been and the lot of them women. By the Twin Gods he was getting too Chivlarous for this..

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

''Pardon?''

Rhianwen offered up a confused glance to the Hellborne when he delivered to her a most unusual question, her large eyes once clouded with fear now bright with curiosity and a budding excitement. This was far more than she was used to, the day to day activities of the Hospice oft revolved solely around tending to those in their care and what other mindless house duties as required .. but all this drama and intrigue seemed to have fallen straight from between the pages of a novel stuffed secretively underneath her mattress. Nevertheless despite all that she still found his question an odd one, and with a mind to the choking Matron's own response when subject to the inquiry of these armored men she answered Davkul slowly .. and very carefully.

''The only one I am in league with would be the Red Healer, as I am sure the Matron is as well. Who else she might have allied herself with .. I do not know .. but I am certain of my own.''

A firm nod was granted with the conclusion of her statement, and she waited for any ill effects to make themselves known, a breath drawn in and held in her lungs .. the woman then audibly sighing as a relieved smile twitched at the corners of her lips, finding herself unmolested by whatever outside force had affected the Matron. That relieved smile shifted slightly in the silence that followed, Rhianwen turning her eyes up to the significantly taller man and regarding him carefully before swallowing.

''I am sorry for my earlier reaction. It was very rude of me, I hope I neither hurt nor offended you.''

She was hesitant with her words, but they were indeed genuine as he would no doubt be able to tell from within that zone of truth, her smile shy as a faint blush dashed itself across her cheeks as she referred back to their first encounter when she delivered him to the Matron. Once you looked past the horns, blazing eyes, and tendency to point his pistol at passing knights he really was quite attractive in a rugged, somewhat wild way, and the Sisters weren't exactly subject to a vow of celibacy ..

Ahead of the pair, Lovisa rolled her eyes as the pretty Sister gazed at Davkul in what she imagined to be a sickeningly adoring fashion, though she did file away her statement for later use. At least there would be one other person she could count on as being free from whatever influence was pulling the Matron's strings, perhaps the rot was not so deep within the Hospice as originally feared .. or perhaps, it had run deeper still and Rhianwen was one of the few unaffected. She shook her head to clear the cluttered thoughts from within, and felt gratified that the action did not spur on a bout of dizziness, though the fact that it was the Hellborne that had whisked the fatigue from her body left a sour taste in her mouth .. a muscle in the woman's cheek then twitching with annoyance as she heard Rhianwen giggle endearingly for whatever reason. Giggling! However musical it was this was hardly the place nor the time.

The red headed woman scowled in a fashion not unlike her mentor and moved past the guards without truly registering them, stopping only when she heard them bar both Davkul's and Rhianwen's entry into her room. For a brief moment she had a surge of spitefulness and considered not allowing either within her little sanctum .. but this sensation did not last long, as doubtless word would get back to the Black Knight sooner or later and add on an additional penalty to her existing debt.

''The Sister and accompanying .. Paladin .. are to be permitted entry, Sir Steelfang's orders.''

The word Paladin stuck behind her teeth as she addressed the guards: though she had clearly heard her mentor refer to him as such, she thought it some cruel jape that a demonblood would be considered as something of a holy warrior.

''.. and Dame is .. inaccurate. I will merely serve Sir Steelfang.''

Yes, she still did not consider herself a true squire yet, given that her initiation was interrupted and she had gone missing for such a long stretch of time, so she was certainly not going to begin to claim such a lofty title of Dame. Perhaps when all this was over and done with such a thing could be addressed, but for now there were other things that needed to be taken care of. With little regard for the company she kept, she fell to her knees by her bed and rummaged around beneath the wooden structure, pulling out a small selection of neatly folded clothes. They were the purest white linens she had initially brought to Hexenthal's Chapel to wear as part of her silent Vigil, and were the only items the Sisters would allow her to keep .. thinking that an excitable (if weakened) patient with access to arms and armor could soon become a danger to themselves and those around them. Turning her back to the Sister and the Hellborne, she worked on removing her soiled garments and replacing them with the clean linens. She would have much preferred to bathe thoroughly before the exercise, as given her state of weakness she had been unable to do aught more than run a damp cloth across her skin to remove excess sweat .. but beggars could not be choosers, and now that she had strength in her body however temporarily, she wanted to improve her current state.

There were brief flashes of red glimpsed along the tops of her shoulders, at the small of her back and along her hips as her shirt was removed and swiftly replaced with the new one, the woman moving quickly enough so that there was barely any moment where she was entirely unclothed. Unconcerned, she tightened the sash of the trousers and balled up her old clothes to be disposed of at a later time, putting them to one side to free up her hands so that she could grab the greasy strands of red flowing from her scalp and force them into some degree of order .. a quick braid that was turned in on itself to prevent unravelling in lieu of an actual ribbon or even piece of string to hold it in place. Once all this was accomplished the woman took to stalking the small room like a cat, occasionally glancing towards the door in the hopes of witnessing Kythin stride confidently up the hall with Mariette in chains of some kind. Discovering that nothing of the sort was happening, she instead turned her attention to the Sister who had been charged with making sure she made it to her room in one piece, the voice that left her lips perhaps a little sharper than she had intended.

''Did Mariette perhaps have any close friends among you? Did the Matron treat any Sisters especially kindly compared to the rest?''

Two lines of questioning really, given that how the Matron had chosen to deal with Mariette at least implied that the two were not in league. And speaking of ..

Matron Cosima stared at the Black Knight through a haze of pain. Yes the sensation of a constricted throat was slowly leaving her, but a dull ache remained and her vision was still reminiscent of trying to stare through glass darkened by firesmoke. Gradually she closed her eyes and leaned against her own desk for support as she sought to pull herself back together, taking slow deep breaths through ravaged passageways that shook and twitched with lingering discomfort, the air itself labouring to get to where it needed to be. There was a visible flicker of annoyance across her weathered features as Kythin continued to talk at her whilst she gathered herself, but she attempted to mentally push him to the background until she felt that she was capable of dealing with him efficiently. And by that, her first goal was to ensure that she got out of this with her skin still intact .. whether it was to ensure safety from the Black Knight, or safety from those who towered over her unseen.

''I am aware, thank you.''

Though her tone was as sharp as ever, there was a faint wavering toward the end which encouraged a small hiss of annoyance. It would not do well to continue showing signs of weakness, though it was in truth a futile thought as the sharks were already aware of the blood in the water. Nevertheless as was noted before she did have her pride, and so she would only move once she was good and ready, taking that time to steady herself until she finally opened her eyes and stared evenly at the Black Knight for a moment before she moved for the door. Yes, she was certainly aware that she would be required to accompany him through the Hospice itself .. possibly to ensure that she did not contact her masters and inform them of the goings on. The thought sent a brief shiver down her spine. She had not initially intended to deliver Kythin to Mariette personally and instead had hoped that Rhianwen would guide him through the building, but then at the time she thought that she was dying, and now the task fell to her.

It was with a hint of reluctance that the older woman navigated the way to the Meica Wing, though this degree of hesitancy wasn't obvious to casual observance. They would pass the occasional Sister who offered up greetings to the Matron and sideways glances to the Knight, and from an outwards perspective everything did appear to be normal. The Matron was clearly giving the Knight a tour of the Hospice, perhaps he was to become the latest benefactor? She even offered up the occasional piece of Hospice History when she thought that it would help with the charade .. but however it unfurled they would nevertheless reach their goal in good time. Gaining access to the Meica wing required going through several doors that were locked tight against unlawful entry, large keys taken from a weighty ring at the Matron's waist that would allow access to each door in turn, the heavy wood groaning in protest as she made her way through, waiting until Kythin passed before locking them behind her. The halls after the first door were markedly different from the rest of the Hospice as they had not fallen victim to the frenzied cleaning session that had occurred for Kythin's visit and so dust coated every surface, spiders long since dead having left empty webs in lofty corners. The doors were closed and barred with thick planks of wood to discourage re-entry.

In silence were these halls traversed, their footsteps loud in the air as the background noise of the active sections of the Hospice faded into nothingness, and it seemed well and truly as if they had entered another world completely. Matron Cosima led the way to another door, hesitating at it briefly before gripping firm the key that would unlock it and doing the deed: this entryway opening up to a series of cold stone steps that dropped into the belly of the earth. Taking an unlit torch from its place on the wall, she removed a small device from her person and lit the item to cast a light down the staircase and steadied her balance as she set her foot on the first one, the temperature dropping noticeably as they moved below ground. There were no windows at this part of the Hospice, and so the torch would be a welcome concept as it illuminated the slightly damp walls that surrounded them, ensuring that the Matron did not slip and shatter bones before Kythin could get the justice he desired. After what may have been somewhere in the realm of twenty seven steps, they reached the bottom and were given view to a long thin corridor that was dotted with a series of doors.

''Hmmph.''

The sound of the Matron's voice was swallowed by the cold stone and empty air almost as soon as it had left her lips, some form of noise insulation placed on the immediate area to ensure that nothing would reach ears they were not supposed to. It would be a coin toss as to whether Kythin had heard her or not, but the insulation would become more obvious the further away from him she drew, as the previously echoing sound of her footsteps would become dull and then drift into silence all together if the distance became great enough. After a moment, the Matron stopped in front of one door in particular, markings on the floor indicating that it had seen a fair amount of use, the woman touching the torch in her hand to others just surrounding it before she removed one more key and inserted it into the lock. Flicking an eye to the Black Knight, she turned the key with an air of finality and pushed the door on its hinges once the tumblers had fallen into place, and stepped over the threshhold.

The stink of body odour mixed heavily with the aroma of despair as the air within filtered out into the hall, a faint hiss sounding as light gradually filled the storage room that the Matron had spoke of during one of her near death truth induced fits. The walls, the floor, and even the ceiling was filthy save for where curious markings had been scrawled upon the dark stone in bright chalk that glowed when the fires light brushed against it, circles and glyphs formed carefully parallel to one another on all four surfaces, and in the exact center of the room there was a woman.

Chains fell from the ceiling, shackles bound tightly around her wrists to ensure that even if she had the ability to move across the warding that restrained her, the iron itself would prevent her from venturing forth from her prison. Within the circle there lay a wooden slop bucket that was also chained, though its end was secured to the opposing wall so that items could be delivered or removed safely without the Matron – or her subordinates – needing to walk too close to the dangerous creature held within.

''And there you have it.''

The Matron's voice was muted, a hand lifting to indicate the figure within the containment ward. The other woman was slumped, resting against the ground with her arms elevated above her head, honeyed strands tangled and obscuring her face, her Sister's uniform removed and replaced with a basic garment designed to keep her modesty and nothing more. When the door had opened Mariette had not moved. When the pair had stepped within, Mariette had not moved. But when the Matron spoke, when her voice pierced the veil of silence and reached through that limited area of influence Mariette's head snapped up immediately. Lovisa would recall a soft kind face, a woman who was often considered plumply pretty with wide beautiful eyes. Though the Mariette then was a far cry from the woman held within the storage room today .. the scratches that she had been given during their scuffle at Lovisa's bedside had fouled during their healing, sharp strips that broke through the skin with an angry red lined with a worrisome green tinge. Thin black lines cracked the skin around her mouth and eyes as if her face itself slowly shattered like a broken mirror, her pupils so small as if to be non existent as the iris took over the majority of red lined sclera. A low sound gradually fell from dry lips, the chains rattling as the contained woman slowly utilised what little strength remained within to pull herself shakily to her feet. It was only when the corners of her lips twitched that it became clear that the ragged, gasping noise was actually the sound of Mariette laughing.

''What .. is this Cosima? After .. all my pleads .. you have finally .. finally come to feed me ..?''

Mariette's eyes slid to Kythin, finally adjusting to the light in the room, and she frowned doubtfully.

''This one .. looks like he .. would need some work. Poison? Have you .. filled his veins with .. something foul .. deaden .. the .. body .. pollute .. the flavour?''

She laughed again, the sound weak and deteriorating into a series of dry body racking coughs. The Matron did not offer up any reply nor explain the meaning behind Mariette's words. Merely stood in silence with her hands clasped in front of her, lips pressed firmly together, eyes straight ahead at the creature before them.

[davkul]

As much as the evidence before Rhiawen could cause worry over being questioned in such a manner by the Hellborne now accompanied down the halls of the Hospice .. he possessed no such concerns. If this seemingly innocent Hospice Sister was as she appeared than answering the question honestly meant no harm , intentional or not, would come to her.

Once satisfied that the process of answering did not cause an unpleasant reaction as the Matron had suffered Davkul acknowledged the need to turn his attentions elsewhere .. only to find distraction with the apology from the woman.
The words earned little in terms of reaction .. prior to the thought that it would be rude to not respond.

" Think nothing of it , Sister. I was desentizied to such reactions months ago. "

The 'sickeningly look of adoration' did not go unnoticed by the man nor did he ignore the possiblities that could come of it. Duty was all well and good, yet without a live outside of it .. well a sense of duty could be as dangerous as any other .. obsession.

Perhaps for that reason alone he chose not to guilt Rhianwen over her peers unwillingness to render aid to their Matron seemingly due to the appearance of the man asking .. or was there something deeper that garnered a lack of aid? Something to think on as he questioned other Sisters no doubt.

A little flirtation on his part with the Sister in their company was not easily passed up .. the cause of the endearing giggle perchance? Only Rhianwen truly could be certain of such things.

None-the-less his place in following after Lovisa as both he and Rhianwen were inevitably led to taking notice of how certain matters were reacted to .. matters of station due or lack thereof when title was involved .. wholly beholden to a rigid heirarchy. A soldier was often enough simple to pick out of a group when some attention was paid to their actions and reactions. Though diminished physically the red-head did not lack a few of those telling features.

While taking note of such things on the way inside her chambers led to a rather immediate notice of her evident decision to change her current attire. He shifted both his gaze and the position of his body away from the woman before nary a glimpse of red could be noted at all.

" I should see to the questioning of the other Sisters. If there is a conspiracy at hand .. then they no doubt have been subjected to the same preventive measures as Matron Cosima has been. "

Annoucing this earned the sight of the Paladin setting his path towards the exit from the soldier-protected room. No doubt they would question little long as Lovisa remained in the Black Knight's immediate service.

Looking to Rhianwen and Lovisa as the latters' own questioning began meant he limited his parting to a nod prior to making good on his need to exit the room. He did not doubt that many would refuse to answer at all. If none answered at all then he would inevitably be forced to return to the chamber of the red-head rather than remain in the presence of those of very unknown loyalties.

[Kythin Steelfang]

Thus far subjecting himself to this Hospice Matron had been something of a trial in and of itself. Kythin did not care for the flippant way this old woman turned manipulated puppet with no sense of her place when the Black Knight came calling. Once the woman finally came to set her feet on the hospice floor and begin proving minimally useful his focus on the matter became a single-minded matter of seeing the half-finished plan in his mind come to fruition.

No matter how the sight of the Matron leading the Black Knight through the Hospice appeared to the lesser Sisters. Kythin made no actions to lift the veil off the situation at hand. The less that knew about what was really going on .. the better. As the unlikely pair progressed through to the unoccupied and silent Mecia Wing; Kythin allowed his focus to expand to bring his surroundings into his perceptions as much as his senses and view could allow.

Although possessed with many an obvious difference in appearance, cleanliness, and age alike Kythin paid far more attention to the dust on the floor was not more disturbed than reasonable for a single trip of Mariette being brought through and a potential few visits of the Matron herself. It would not do to presume the Matron acted alone in dealing with the hexenbiest. The torch being lit garnered an annoyed sound from the man already capable of seeing in the dark for quite a distance. The annoyance earned itself a place alongside the many other nuisances suffered through due to the Matron's insolence since his arrival in the Hospice.

Amongst the dust and relative silence of the Mecia Wing .. Kythin finally set his sights on Mariette as cued by the Matron's words. The Knight scowled though not without something coming of it this time around. A hand came to settle at back of the neck of this unfortunate Hospice Matron and lent his strength towards the choking pressure that ensued while his gaze shifted to the captive Mariette.

" The Black Knight has come, Mariette, and you owe quite the debt indeed. "

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

When the Hellborne saw fit to telegraph his motives, it earned him nothing more than a passing grunt and an impatient wave of her hand, though her eyes narrowed suspiciously despite the dismissal. She could not be certain just how much trouble the demonblood could get into within the Hospice, a wolf set amongst the sheep, innocent Sisters falling prey to his wanton flirtation, his line of questioning but a ruse, skulduggery designed to lure them into a false sense of security until they fell into his filthy clutches ..

''Ms. Ascheberg?''

Lovisa frowned, tearing her attention away from Davkul and returning it to Sister Rhianwen with a slight shake of her head and murmured apology. Despite the horns and eyes, he was an alleged Paladin of Truth and Justice, she would just have to hope that his quest to discover just what was going on in the Hospice would outweigh any other urges, fiendish or otherwise. And that the Sisters were not as empty headed as they outwardly appeared. For the moment though, her main concern was the information she had wished to pull from the Sister presently in front of her, and once the other woman was given her full attention – after glancing over at the Hellborn .. perhaps dissapointed that he would not question her further? - she began to answer the squires line of inquiry in earnest.

''Mariette was a friendly one, always smiling and with nary a harsh word for anybody. But despite that she did like to keep to herself, and it was only with the cajoling of many Sisters that she would join us for group activities outside of our assigned meal times. It never felt as if it were a personal slight when she turned us down though, she was always bustling around the place seeing to the other patients. Usually those who were most terminal .. they almost seemed to thrive underneath her care, before they moved on.''

Rhianwen frowned, a little puzzled as she hesitated, before apparently dismissing the feeling.

''But no, she did not seem to have anyone that I would call a close friend.''

Lovisa watched the woman a moment, before nodding her head slightly and encouraging Rhianwen to carry on.

''As for the Matron .. Not particularly? Yes she would speak to each of us, but she only paid particular attention to those who she felt were shirking their duties. Otherwise she did not do anything that could land an accusation of playing favourites with the other Sisters. It helped to keep things in order you see, no one individual would be singled out by the others as having preferential treatment as we were all treated the same.''

A smile lit Rhianwen's features, certain that this was proof of the Matron's own flawless ethics despite what everyone else seemed to be touting about her superior. Lovisa however tilted her head to one side and stared past a point somewhere to the Sisters left as she considered things, prior to snapping her eyes back to the young woman with a sudden urgency.

''Those Sisters .. did Matron Cosima seem particularly harsh on any one? Did any Sister make mistakes that .. in hindsight .. appeared particularly careless, or stupid, in light of her training? Think!''

''I .. well .. Perhaps .. Sister Lleri seemed to receive more dressing downs than hot dinners for a time. Sister Tegan .. and Sister Cristyn? Those two are as thick as thieves, but the number of times they needed to be reminded not to .. Ms. Ascheberg .. ?''

The guards stationed outside of Lovisa's rooms would not hinder Davkul in his exit, indeed they may as well have encouraged it as that meant one less individual they had to mind while awaiting further instruction from their superiors. So when Lovisa suddenly darted from Rhianwen's side in order to grab Davkul, he may have already made significant lengths to distance himself from her room. Waving a hand at her guards as she passed to forestall any protestations on their part – she would be returning, she needed to wait for Kythin after all – she utilized the potentially borrowed life in her body in order to sprint after the retreating man.

''DEMONKIN!''

Certain to grab his attention no matter which passageway he had turned down or how far he had gone, the voice primed over time in the training yards with playfully deaf sergeants would vibrate across the walls and tremor even to the soles of ones boots with its force to the point where the last of her breath vanished from her lungs and she was forced to halt her progress, doubled over with her hands resting firmly on her thighs till she had regained the air she required to speak.

''Sister .. Lleri. Sis..sister Cristyn. Tegan. Sister Tegan. Start .. find .. start with those three.''

Whether he had been privy to Rhianwen's revelations was irrelevant, she would deliver those names with all the authority she could muster .. which was .. a pathetically small amount .. before she straightened and smartly turned without waiting for a response, and limped back to her room certain that she had overdone it once again. If her suspicions were correct however, it would all be worth it, and they could begin to unravel the web within the Hospice. Otherwise .. it was as good a place to start as any, and perhaps Sisters who felt they had been treated too harshly would have something interesting to divulge about the Matron.

As for Kythin Steelfang ..

''What .. did .. you .. say?''

Mariette's eyes narrowed as if peering through the darkness, moving from the now restrained Matron to the face of her captor. Long moments passed with the only noise that of the struggle Cosima enacted against Kythin's hand, the woman digging in her heels as if to prevent him from flinging her at the chained beast before them both. A sudden howl was ripped from the cracked and bleeding lips of Mariette, the sound building as it rocked from the walls of her prison and was joined by an unearthly screech. A flash of light as something horrifying spewed from her mouth and backfired, energy ricocheting from the wards that contained her, the sickly stench of burning skin soon following as flesh and hair sizzled in the aftermath of the frenzied ill timed release. Her chains were rattled, the broken woman climbing to her feet and tugging on them as if she could rip them from the ceiling, utilising physical strength where her instinctive burst failed .. and her screech only reached newer heights as this yielded results no different.

''YOU FOOL! Why have you brought him here? You have damned us! DAMNED US! He will be digging our GRAVES! Your death was assured the moment you invited him into this house! WHY? WHY YOU STUPID WOMAN!''

Her eyes were wild with fear as the scratchings on every surface of the grungy room began to spark with an energy of their own, the wards seeking to contain the hysteria of the creature within as she began to throw herself bodily at the space between them. It was as if a physical wall kept her from crossing the incoherent scribbles on the floor. Each time she collided with it, the sound of impact emphasised her howls of pain, the stench growing with each one, the woman showing no sign of ceasing her barrage.

The Matron .. had nothing to say for herself, only flinched each time Mariette threw herself at the barrier, her own slightly hooked hands rising to scrabble at the Black Knights iron grip so that she might yet escape. It was a fools dream, but the instinct to survive was still present in this one.

[davkul]

He would not have liked these thoughts Ms. Ascheberg had running through her head about him. Fortunately as easily abused the power given by his Gods might be it was no sort of mindreading on par with any Psionicist. As innocent as some of the Hospice might be it was clear that many were not nearly as innocent as Rhianwen.

More interested in ferreting out the truth of things meant the Hellborne in question felt more inclined to focus on that task than any number of nubile Sisters among the Hospice's number.

A shout of 'Demonkin!' proved rather difficult to ignore and she did earn his acknowledgement with a brow rising before the names were given.

" Lleri, Cristyn, and Tegan hmm? "

Course Lovisa did not remained long enough to question any further. Hardly unexpected given the way she'd been glaring at him up to that point. Now at least he possessed names to focus on. It would take a bit to find those few bearing those names.. he'd start with Lleri a little asking around would bring the woman out.

[Kythin Steelfang]

" It would seem my reputation precedes me. "

An infamy such as his was a particularly sharp dual-edged blade long as its swing arc'd through both Dunsany and Kullyr alike.

Now his less than sterling reputation drew out the worse part of this hexenbiest that had attempted to make a meal or sacrifice of his squire. He knew well his Squire would not see sense in making any sort of deal with her would be murderer .. though he knew his way around specifics and his words would not exclude eventual punishment from being dealt.


" If I planned to annihilate all of you the Sisters would not still live and neither would Cosima here. How lucky you are that I want answers. "


The Matron remained in his rather literal clutches long as there existed a reason to keep the status quo on that matter. The life of the Matron was in his hands.. and while ending her life would be satisfying for a moment or two .. little would it help secure the Hospice. In fact, quite the opposite would come about if the Sisters that were ignorant of the part she truly played were left with the veil in place? They would have no reason to question beyond what they saw. A brutal Black Knight removing their impartial Matron from her seat.


" She has quite the peculiar reaction to truth spells cast upon her. You are no ally of hers nor are you on the side of whatever masters that pull her strings. Someone like you may have been quite capable of learning what those who were suppose to be here would overlook out of fear or ignorance. Tell everything you know and you might well live a little longer in my custody. "


Neither his chosen Squire nor the Hellborne Paladin spouting off about the Divine Twins of Truth and Justice would accept such a turn of events. He counted on that fact to provide Mariette with the justice she deserved through one of the parties most harmed by her actions. While Lovisa with enough time could recover enough to mete out her own justice .... the fallen patients that whose trust had been broken through her actions required a much different sort of Champion. The Hellborne would serve just as well as any other combat-ready Kullyrian native. Kythin was not so blind as to believe the people of Kullyr whether within the Hospice or outside it would cheer at a foreigner chosen by a monster out of myth and legend more than the reality of his brief tyranny over their heads as his Knight. 


The matter of guiding the situation to result in his Squire and the Paladin taking such actions? Well that fell squarely on his shoulders, however broad they might be. 

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Abruptly, as if a zone of silence had been dropped over the chamber, the noises from the captured woman ceased. Arms drifted to either side of her body in so much as allowed by the chains that kept her shackled to the ceiling above, and the crackling sparks that ran across the glyphs throughout the room gradually quieted and lost their glow. Mariette stood there in silent contemplation, watching the Black Knight and his captured Matron from her first rate vantage point in the centre of the room, her chest rising and falling with a sign of the effort she had expended in throwing herself at those barriers. Finally, a low breath escaped her lips and offered up an eerie hiss to the silence of the chamber, the hair standing up on the Matrons neck as the sound hitched and fell and jumped: only realising once the smile was seen between the curtain of greasy strands that the other woman was laughing.

''Did she .. now .. ? I think can guess what it was they asked you, Matron.''

Lifting her head, hair fell back away from her face with bloodshot eyes seeking out the Matron and pinning her with the force of her stare. The hissing, dry laugh continued though devoid of energy as it was, the captive leaning forward and almost resting against the barrier even as it crackled and spat in warning with the proximity of the hexenbiest. Those eyes slowly dropped to the floor and ran up the Matrons body as if she were a hot blooded young man seeing a pretty girl for the first time, that almost lascivious gaze sliding to Kythin as nostrils were flexed with a long deep inhalation.

''I could smell it on her when I first arrived. She stank of obligation, shackles that bound and restricted her movements beyond the day to day running of those Hospice. Perhaps even her thoughts were constrained. The origin of those chains were unknown to me then .. All I knew was that .. it isn't normal .. is it? What oh what could have happened to this Matron? It was a puzzle. A diversion. A way to pass the time in this wretchedly dull building.''

A pause, another quiet hissing laugh.

''But then, I suspect this is not telling you anything you did not already know.''

Cracked lips were spread briefly into a smile, blackened teeth exposed before the hexenbiest shifted backwards and sat herself down on the ground as well as she were able, pulling the tatters of dignity around her breaking body. As her arms were once again pulled overhead like a puppet on the end of its strings, this act was significantly difficult, though with the way she held her head and stared levelly at the Black Knight and the Matron – completely at odds with her formerly frenzied self – she had been able to manage it. How long this would last was not easy to say, but for now civilization had returned to the room, however tenuous.

''You say that I might well live a little longer in your custody if I share what I know about the Matron. But I ask you, what incentive is that? Who cares if I am given five minutes clemency when you intend to kill me anyway. What difference would that make, save that I get a little longer to contemplate my death and what I may be in store in the thereafter. I am the only one who holds the information you want so badly, I think that it is worth far more than the potential for a little more time.''

Mariette may very well have been playing with fire, counting on the assumption that no one else within the Hospice that held the information she did were as free with their tongues as she could be. And clearly, when the Matron herself began her struggles anew, pulling against the iron grip of the Black Knight, it lent weight to that theory.

''Do not be swayed by her words. This beast knows of little more than her own crimes within the Hospice, one of which was intended to be your squire!''

Reminding him of the act committed against his charge was a dangerous play, as while it highlighted Mariette's part in her ordeal it also underscored the Matron's unwillingness to step in before the drug had been administered. Yes, the Matron had slid that dagger neatly into Mariette's own back, but were it not for the qualities of Lovisa's blood the squire could very well have been dead all the same: and Kythin none the wiser. Nevertheless, the Matron braced herself for the inevitable squeeze .. perhaps even for the rush of are as she was thrown across the room with her brittle bones impacting against the cold stones.

In a different part of the Hospice all together, the Hellborne was making his way through the corridors inquiring after the location of Sister Lleri. For a time, his investigation bore little in the way of fruit. He was sent hither and yon by Sisters sure that she had last been seen at varying locations, and Davkul could have fashioned a rather accurate map by the time he was done marching up and down the halls. The building was a virtual labyrinthine complex, precious little signage existed and each set of halls and walls were damn near identical to the next: the only things different would be the view out of various windows or the Sisters themselves that moved throughout. Fortunately they steered him in the right direction whenever he took a wrong turn looking for the communal eating area, and somehow finding himself outside in the middle of the herb gardens or other such nonsense. Now whether there were a few individuals within the Superfluity of Sisters that were deliberately steering him wrong, one could not say .. but no one would blame him if after the fifth wrong turn he was beginning to suspect that forces were at work to keep him away from Sister Lleri. But should he enact his Zone of Truth once again, he would not find so much as a white lie on the grounds .. at least when it came to the location of the wild goose he was currently chasing.

After a time however, the Sister in question would be found. An elderly woman with a heavily creased face and a surprising amount of black in her hair would slowly instruct Davvy to the Sisters location: through halting words filled with the trembling of age she would explain that Sister Lleri was on laundry duty that evening, having swapped with a different Sister in repayment for a favour some days past. The location of this room? Why .. just down the hall he had trekked, one left, two rights, down the stairs that were revealed by the second door on the side and the door past the coal room would be the laundry.

The room itself was empty save for a single woman who was seated at the side of a large water trough at the far side of the laundry, stonework rising up from the floor to contain the water that could be pumped directly into the trough. A hand worked the pump lever until the level was sufficient, various robes and shirts of the Hospice selected and dunked into the trough, where they would be dragged onto a thick slab and a hefty soap brick would be rubbed against the material, suds forming as she utilised the friction from the stone to scrub away the stains before the item was thoroughly dunked until it was rinsed clean. This process would be repeated multiple times before she would even think to utilise the ringer at the end of the trough, squeezing out every possible drop so that once the clothes were draped carefully over the poles lined up within the large room they would dry in good time. Of course, it wasn't as efficient as drying outside .. but the weather had been poor as of late, summer had passed and the time for sparkling white sheets waving enticingly in a warm breeze was over.

For now however, she concentrated on spreading out the cloth to inspect and determine whether she had used enough force for stain removal, or if she had to drop it back in the trough and start again.

[Kythin Steelfang]

Silence. Little other than silence came from the Knight during the grandiose speech Mariette provided for her own benefit. The argument raised over how little his assumed clemency might be worth. A scowling mask existed between he and what the two witnessed of his expression. A mask that allowed his thoughts to remain largely unreadable. The same could not be said of his reaction to the Matron speaking up in a vain attempt to keep the secret of the Hopsice and those served by the knowing few unknown.

" I believe you both have forgotten what the kingdom of Dunsany harbored prior and during the short reign of Aaron Hexenthal. Need I remind you of how simple it would be to take your heads and have my answers through those same black magics. What retricts your tongue now may not in death. "

Kythin did not smile over his presumed victory in logic over the two. What occured instead was his gaze shifting to Cosima.

" Why do you insist on bringing up recollections of your own crimes, Cosima? Is it your belief that I have forgotten your own guilt in the near-fatal situation you placed my Squire in? My offer of clemency existed for you both for I have need of neither of you. It came only as a means of allowing you to feel better about yourself and Mariette to cling to the mortal coil a little longer. "

He gave the Matron a sudden shake prior to turning his focus upon the two of them. Both caged in different ways and unable to pry themselves out of the situation without his aid.

" I gift you one more chance Mariette. Speak of everything you know about the Hospice and the Matron's dealings with her unseen Masters. In exchange I will allow your continued existence, restricted to my service. Certainly serving under my command is better than rotting in this cell. I have made you both aware of what happens if you reject my proposal a second time. "

While the grip on Cosima tightened a much less restricted hand reached for the hilt of his sword. The sound of metal slowly being pulled from its sheathe had filled many hearts with dread before and these two would hardly be the last.

" I suggest you decide quickly for your time is short. "

[davkul]

Davkul loathe the part of the job where he needed to search every nook and cranny for one person heard of at the end of a bread crumb trail onto another! Truly mid-way through the process of dealing with one Sister after another the Hellbred wondered if this was how the mythical minotaur felt. How easily his mind desired to steer itself to hating the sisters that seemed to be direct him anyway save where he needed to be. Eventually his determination lead to the elderly woman with the heavily creased features. Slow though the speech might be Davvy waited patiently through the instructions toward where Sister Lleri could finally be found despite the lack of proper aid received up until this old woman.

The trek in following the instructions leading Lleri's way were taken to the 't' till the Sister in question finally appeared at the end of his path. How might he piece together what this first of the three sisters that Matron Cosima happened to be particularly harsh with? Lovisa knew a bit more of such than existed in his mind. As useful as the presence of the redheaded Squire and the honest Sister in her company might have been .. Davvy understood this task was better taken alone. How else could he assure that he received the answers necessary to unravel the truth?


" Sister Lleri, I presume? "

He asked as his armored footsteps made his approach an obvious one no matter how fleet-footed the demonkin might prove without the piecemeal mix of leather, chain, and bits of plate where necessary. Davkul appeared as something of a horror with that blue hood of his up and over his head and horns. It left only his shadowed face to the view of on-lookers paired with the fiery eyes staring back at them. As aware though he was of how their Matron reacted to his divine gift to ferret out the truth .. this one would have to be subjected to much the same. Davvy elected not to wait for the whole attention of the woman doing lady.. if she responded with a positive answer that she was Sister Lleri an arm would extend to touch her forhead. [ Skill: Touch of Veracity ]

" Tell me everything you know about Matron Cosima. "

A rune would form as the divine gift of his Gods took form in a more focused form upon the Sister. The Twin Gods of Trust and Justice would aid in his quest to illuminate the falsehoods of the Red Hospice. That much Davkul would be certain of!

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Mariette did not so much as blink during the ultimatum Kythin laid bare, nary a twitch of a lash nor shift in her level gaze as it was blatantly spelled out that if she did not spill her metaphorical guts on this matter, then the Black Knight would be more than happy to aid her in a very literal manner, and then animate the remains. It would seem that this man tended to get what he wanted, and when he wanted, as neither his tone nor stance nor grip on the Matron's throat implied otherwise, so self assured was he that things would progress as he desired one way or another. Whether she lived, or died, he would succeed. While some fatalistic part of her wanted to know what happened to those who denied the Black Knight, her survival instinct was far more pronounced than the little black spot in every life that fervently wished for death: and so while it would take her a moment or two of .. perhaps gloating .. as she shifted her eyes to the Matron, the hexenbiest would eventually deign to deliver what Kythin Steelfang wanted.

This was preceded by a slowly forming smile that was positively blithesome in appearance, and despite her merry countenance (or more accurately, because of it) it made the Matron's blood run cold, the woman kicking up another fuss.

''You cannot! It would be better to die by this man's hand than the alternative that will be in store for us!''

Whether she was prevented from elaborating by that geas or simply chose not to, the Matron's warning did not go into further detail though her voice rose in pitch and veins stood pronounced from her neck beneath the crushing grip afforded by the Black Knight. And while her words seemed to carry with them the weight of a portent most dire, all it succeeded in doing was encouraging Mariette's own personal amusement: a deeper laughter than before escaping from cracked lips as her eyes positively teared up with mirth. Shaking her head slightly, she allowed her outward expression of enjoyment to die down a little, though her words still carried with them a touch of laughter.

''Oh but don't you see my dear Cosima. Should I divulge everything I know, the Black Knight has all but promised me protection from the very things you fear! And I know who I would trust more. As troublesome as a man bound by Code and Law can be, that is the side I would rather be on when your string puller realises that eyes have turned his way.''

A slight toss of her head, clearing greasy strands from her own vision so that her eyes could pin the Matron down with her certainty.

''Whereas you .. you are a little stuck, aren't you?''

Mariette certainly understood that her life would not be guaranteed should she give Kythin what she knew, but given that he was damned determined to get what he wanted at whatever cost to herself, even she could see that the greater chance of survival lay with greasing his palms, in a manner of speaking. Especially once those on top realised what was happening .. regardless, Mariette settled down once again and ignored the squawking noises emitted by the Matron, instead focusing on the steady gaze of the man who held her. A dry tongue was released to moisten cracked lips – a futile act to be sure – as she organized her thoughts, and found a place where she could begin.

''The Hospice was originally – and to a degree still is - a Hospice: a place where the terminal were to find some measure of peace before they died. Though we live in a world of miracles, not every adventurer or child can be cured .. some can not afford the treatments, others are struck by a disease so ancient that no priest could begin to remove it: whatever the reason, this building and others like it would be where they came when they had no where else to go. Not everyone dies within these walls, as the occasional miraculous recovery can happen rare though it is, but the majority do. And these bodies were claimed by family members if they had them, sold to the surgeons and scientists for study if they did not, or otherwise were interred within the Hospices' own graveyard. As for Matron Cosima .. I do not know if she was always under the employ of her Puppeteers or if it was something that came to her gradually, just that from the time I came here she was dancing to their tune.''

Mariette knew that the Black Knight would likely be impatient, so while she explained the basic nature of the Hospice as it was first designed, she did not delve to deep lest it backfire on her in a fantastic fashion.

''Not all those who die within the Hospice make their way back to their families, or the surgeons, or our crypts …''

Trailing off, she delivered a brilliant smile to the Matron, whose own sounds went up several octaves and would continue to do so unless Kythin decided to clamp a hand around her mouth.

''… some are carted off to parts unknown, under the direction of this Matron, for a man referred to as Horfire Skalzahn.''

The eventual howl released by Cosima encouraged even the hexenbiest to wince, the woman turning away briefly before lashing out with a foot and sending the chained bucket clattering out of her containment. Peevishly, she rounded on the older woman and pulled at her chains, her face one of fury as the other continued to make a spectacle of herself.

''Cease your wailing, it will do you no good now!''

Whether the Matron stopped of her own accord or was corked by Kythin, in any case silence returned to the makeshift prison and Mariette delivered a satisfied smile and settled back into her sitting position, attaining as much comfort as she could considering her arms were still positioned somewhat over her head by the chains attached to the ceiling.

''How high up in the food chain this one will be is not known to me, nor do I believe that he is the cause of the Matron's verbal muzzle, but he is the one she reports to, and the one that sends the greymen. The bodies that are selected to veer from their intended course have been those that belong to people of power: adventurers, the magically inclined, half-breeds or the tainted, aberrations of the bloodline. Anything or anyone with a spark.''

A slight squint of her eyes, followed by a chuckle.

''Your squire would have been such a one. Had she not survived, perhaps you would have eventually found a missive informing you of her death but that her body was cremated for our safety, some contagious and highly dangerous disease perhaps. That is, had you even been informed at all.''

A lift of her shoulders rattled the chains, her attention shifting back to the captured Matron with a small smile being delivered. No doubt she was wondering just what else could possibly go wrong .. how much Mariette actually knew regarding the secrets within the Hospice. Little did she know, but through several feet of stonework another interrogation was taking place as a Paladin of Coleus and Daleus, Truth and Justice, invoked their abilities and touched the forehead of a Sister whose only thoughts so far that evening had been to scrub some laundry clean.

The noise of the Paladin making his way into the laundry room was startling to say the least, an alien sound out of place with the soft churnings of water as cloth was moved in and out of the trough and rubbed against the rough stone. Sister Lleri jumped a fraction, then jumped some more when she actually turned her head to view the intruder: those fiery eyes burning from the depths of a darkened hood were very eerie and made the hair on the back of her neck stand right up. The woman dropped the dress she had been cleaning and rose from her kneeling position, stumbling back a pace or two until she encountered the wall, a small squeaking noise evacuating her mouth when the disturbing man not only advanced on her as she retreated, but even knew her name!

''W-w-w-w-what is it th-th-that you w-w-w-want?''

Though she did not confirm nor deny her personal title, it did not seem to matter as the fire eyed beast descended on her nonetheless, the woman shrinking into the wall, screwing up her eyes tight and shaking like a leaf as her forehead was tapped and that glowing rune inscribed. And then .. and then ..

She was asked about the Matron?

A touch of confusion wove into the fear, the Sister lifting her head and opening an eye to peek at the Hellborne, wondering why he was asking questions instead of tearing her soul from her body and sacrificing it to fell gods, or whatever it was people like him did. And keep in mind, she had yet to see his horns .. perhaps he would have reduced her to jelly with a look if he'd had the poor idea of keeping his hood down! After a few minutes of her soul remaining intact and her own self untouched save for the light tap on the forehead, Sister Lleri gradually unfolded from her near fetal position and tilted her head at him, wincing slightly once the words had left her mouth as if she feared retribution .. though naturally, none came.

''Who wants to know?''

Once she realised that she was not about to become disemboweled at a moments notice, she gradually sidestepped around the Paladin until she was able to put a little distance between them and studied him from a distance. If you subtracted the glowing eyes .. he looked not that much different from the soldiers that sometimes came to visit comrades who were staying with them. This fact allowed her to relax a little, the woman visibly deflating as she continued to watch him. Yes she was still on her guard, but she no longer looked like she expected him to rip open her belly and spill her entrails into the bubbles.

''You probably met the Matron yourself haven't you? You wouldn't have gotten this far into the place without running past her at least once I'm sure. But on the rare chance that you haven't .. Matron Cosima is a pinch faced woman who runs the place with an iron fist. She makes sure all the duties are seen to, the patients well cared for and that anything that needs doing is done. She can be a bit of a harpy at times, but I suppose she means well .. It's a hard job being Matron, and if something goes wrong you're liable to take the blame for it no matter what.''

Sister Lleri stopped talking and lifted a hand to her mouth, stifling a giggle.

''Pinch faced harpy? Don't tell her I said that, she'd tan my hide!''

Shaking her head slightly, the mood having lifted somewhat, she moved back to her laundry and resumed her place at the stone: dipping her hands into the water and retrieving the fallen dress. Taking hold of the soap block, she rubbed it against the material fiercly before grabbing the dress in both hands and scrubbing it against the textured surface. Stains and odours within the garment were washed away by the bubbles, Sister Lleri dipping it in the water several times to rinse the soap away before she judged it clean.

''But the Matron is in charge of the Hospice, and if she tells you to jump you don't even bother asking how high because she expects you to know already and be halfway up in the air before she's even finished speaking. I can't even remember how many times she's taken it for granted that we know what she wants and when she wants it done by, and I've landed in hot water because of some half assed instruction she left. How was I supposed to know that she wanted John Smithson and not Johnson Smith wrapped up for the greymen to take? If I were her I'd be sure of giving clearer instructions if I was operating some shady business dealings out of the Hospice … oh … wait …''

Sister Lleri trailed off, her expression turning first to one of mild surprise and then one of confusion.

''What did I ... why did I …?''

Gripping the dress, she rose stiffly from her seat at the stone and moved to the wringer and gradually fed the material through it, turning the handle and squeezing the water from the garment.

''The Matron is in charge here, and that's really all there is to it.''

The Sister then clamped her mouth tight: this fiery eyed creature seemed far too easy to talk to, and she'd had a feeling she may have said too much.

[Kythin Steelfang]

" Do not tempt me, Cosima. I will be happy to show you just how greatly you err in your arguement. "

While he did not heavily advertise his time among the cultists that worshipped the God of Torture deep in the swamps of Madder it remained a part of his life. The knowledge of how to torture without ending a life retained within his memory. Kythin allowed a shift of his visual focus from Cosima towards the Hexenbiest within her cell. Naturally Kythin listened when Mariette provided the details sought in this matter.

The arrogance of the Hexenbiest earned his notice; while at the same time failed to nudge him towards action against her. The haughtines Mariette displayed over the apparent reversed situations the other now faced was not lost on the Black Knight. Though he quickly wearied over the dramatics aired the showmanship was allowed without turning his blade upon Mariette. The renewed wailing of Cosima earned a gauntleted palm over her mouth paired with the press of the sharpened edge of that bloodglass sword .. the pulse of corruption felt beneath its blood-red, transparent surface.

" ... Horfire Skalzahn. "

The name brought to mind the draconic tongue in a minimalistic way. Much akin to the Frostblood Orcs and their half-human bastards that existed in savagery within the Northern most extent of Rumerian and Alzorc. Now due to his influence over them after taking the spirit of a Great White Wyrm into his mind and the Mark garnered a good deal of potency in force of undisciplined warriors for Dunsany.

Alas the subject of the Frostbloods did not matter in the here and now. What drew his mind towards the orcs in the first place was the name.

" A spark? "

The phrasing draw his mind away from the matter of the name with its draconic semblance. Although he possessed little knowledge of necromancy much less other magics the fact such magics could be used to raise an unliving army existed as something experienced first-hand by the Black Knight. When such undead often kept their capabilities from their past-lives the factor of much of their number being claimed from the ranks of fallen adventurers was all too easily seen as something that could not be allowed to continue all too close to Dunsany.

" Did this Hospice escape the horrors brought upon these lands by Hexenthal and the Five Masters? Why else would you have been such a fool, Cosima? "

Kythin asked, the words clear and directed as was his narrowed gaze upon Cosima where he held the fool woman practically aloft. Luckily she earned the cold of the stone beneath her feet though not the relief of that strong grasp moving .. not even a centimeter.

By now things were no doubt too far along to prevent whatever was truly at work involving the undead risen from the hospice-gathered dead. What could be done would please his God with the strife both his people and those under the Banner of the Grand Duke would suffer through and those deserving would survive. If he provided the necessary catalyst to set the populace to wanting to survive the coming horrors of the undead - for the third time.

Or so he believed would be the case.

The once-tight grip eased away from the throat of the Matron only for the woman to earn a well directed blow to the temple. As much trauma as she may have gone through that day this would be significantly minor in comparison. He merely required that she in a state that made her unlikely to cause a fuss. Unconsciousness suited her well. 

Afterward attention returned to the story-spinning Hexenbiest within her very own cage. 

" I believe it time I convene with a Paladin that can verify the truth of your tale. How convenient one such man has chosen today to visit the Hospice. "  

[davkul]

Much could be gleamed from truths unbidden from the mouthes of those afflicted with the Touch of Veracity. Much hurt could come from the petty, white lies that filled the air on a daily basis. Davkul knew both these facts all too well to ignore anything Lleri said under the divine rune that marked her.

" Yes, I have met the Matron. She seems quick to lie with her every breath. "

Much the same as Lleri would be if not under certain effects. Truly how enlightening could such a thing prove beyond what already had been said?

Davvy listened and listened well all the more with the onset of particularly questionable matters. Talk of Greymen and their shady business dealings with the Matron earned all due attention. It left a sour look on his face that a woman spoke these lies and thus put him in a rather difficult position. The frown only deepened as his hand fell to his firearm which was summarily pressed to poor Lleri's knee-cap.

" I hope you will accept my apologies for what I must do if you do not speak more of the Matron and her dealings with these Greymen. I do not desire to bring you pain.. but you willingly withold information on the crimes of your Superior. As commendable as your loyalty is.. I am duty-bound to have the truth in order to carry out justice even if I must ruin every limb until you talk. "

Gods. Threatening a woman? The viliany at work within the Hospice truly had best be worth such a stain on his honor. Especially as Lleri did not seem to be afflicted with whatever made Cosima a choking wreck rather than speak the truth.

[ Intimidate Check | Bonuses: Cha +4 ; Skill(s): Intimidating +5 , Weighty Words +10 ]

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1-20

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Whilst the Black Knight terrorized two captives and the Paladin did likewise to one of his own, Lovisa was irritably pacing the boundaries of her room. With each pass of the bed she had been confined in for so long, she felt as if the walls were growing closer together until she was certain that they would eventually meet in the middle. Since she had woken up after her months long 'sleep' she had craved the boundless energy she appeared to be displaying at this time, energy to act upon her will, and now that she finally had it, she was restricted in her movements not by physical limitation but by verbal decree! It was maddening, but she dared not go against her mentors word lest she find herself tossed out on her ear with another path closed to her. She did not wish to return home, for as much as she loved her parents she equally despised Gloaming and its other inhabitants with precious few exceptions: to slink back with her tail between her legs would be just rubbing salt into an already festering wound.

Sister Rhianwen was seated on the only chair within the area, and was watching the other woman's movements with a hint of amusement. She had been charged with making sure that Lovisa did not do anything that extended her convalescence, and as long as she did nothing more than impatiently walk back and forth or occasionally check with the guards stationed at the door, nothing worse than expending the excess energy gifted by the Paladin would occur and Rhianwen would not have to test the limits of the squire's honor, or the guards willingness to interfere. Her hands rested neatly in her lap, and the Sister found herself wishing that she had her needlework, for as entertaining as watching an angry woman could be at times, after perhaps the thirtieth pass of the bed and chair the scene was beginning to get a little samey.

''I'm sure everything is all right .. if something had gone wrong, word would have been sent by now.''

Word, or evidence as part of the Hospice collapsed into rubble for seemingly no clear reason at all, at least not until the Black Knight removed himself from the wreckage .. Rhianwen allowed herself a little giggle, quickly stifling it after she received a glare for her troubles.

''I feel as if I have been trapped within this room for months, and this Hospice for nearly a year!''

The Black Knights squire all but growled out her frustrations, reaching the far wall and lifting her hand as if to strike the inoffensive barrier but thought better of it. Best not damage her body any more than she already had, if something were to happen and her assistance – however small – was required it would not do well to cripple herself beforehand. Heaving a sigh, the blood haired woman placed both hands against the cool stone and then rested her forehead against it, blocking out the rest of the room and willing her ire to sink into the porous material. Soon. Something had to be happening, and Kythin would return soon. Then all would be well, and she could remove herself from this wretched prison without incurring her mentor's wrath into the bargain.

''…......''

Fuck it.

Pushing herself away from the wall, she quite simply brushed past the guards and continued down the hall, ignoring whatever protestation may have been voiced by any of the individuals within and without those rooms. She had given the Hellborne three names to seek, Lleri, Tegan and Cristyn, and she dreaded to think just how he would manage to make a hash of things .. however low her opinion was of his bloodline though, she had to admit that his ability to question others was very affective: but he was only one man, how could he locate three sisters all at once? She would be remiss in her duties if she did not attempt to locate any of them herself. At least, that is what she will tell Kythin if she gets caught ..

.. who was presently letting a Matron know in no uncertain terms just what he thought of the current situation.

Mariette watched Kythin as he clamped a hand over Cosima's mouth to still her noise makings, even going so far as to give her a mighty clout to chase her into a slumber, the frail woman going down with nary a peep without being given a chance to defend herself verbally against his accusations. Though the confined hexenbiest didn't display any outward sign of amusement regarding the matron's literal fall to earth, it would be sure that inside her own mind she was singing with joy. Whatever she may have been, she had worked hard at her little masquerade within the Hospice to ensure her stay and so had incurred her superiors wrath on occasion, so it was only natural. She took a moment to take in the sight of the woman crumpled in a pile of fabric and twisted limbs before she returned to an earlier question delivered by the Black Knight.

''Yes, a spark. Magic.''

She paused. Mariette was careful to school her appearance as she said this, though he had picked up on the reason why dead bodies had been shipped to other locations within Arith she was surprised that he had not caught on to her meaning behind the 'spark', why those particular bodies had been selected, what made them important above all others. Given that Kythin had now turned from verbal ravings to physical altercations she did not want to give him the impression that she was insulting his lack of education on the matter. Clearly with his use of arms and armor he was not magically inclined and so could be forgiven.

''Whether established through an innate connection or induced by hard study, those who come to this Hospice with a spark of magic are marked for the greymen, watched carefully until they expire, wrapped up and delivered to Skalzahn with a pretty bow. With the nature of the Hospice being as it is, it is exceedingly rare for their expiration to be induced. Adventurers or those willing to dabble in powers beyond their understanding are as common as muck, and so this agreement has withstood the test of time and would have continued to do so were it not for that red scaled bitch.''

A pause, a rattle of chains as she inclined her head.

''My sincerest apologies. Your pupil.''

Apparently her desire to not set Kythin off was tenuous at best, but the poor woman was starving, so her grasp on common sense was not the strongest and so the occasional slip was made.

''As for the Five Masters? Now that is an interesting tale, as how many in Arith could lay claim to a fragile immunity to the trials that they inflicted? Though that blessing was not delivered by some powerful talisman, easily recreated. And with Hexenthal? Perhaps not so much, it was before my time here. I suggest that you would have to ask the matron again but .. oops?''

Bloodshot eyes turned to the fallen woman, and this time she was unable to mask her feelings and a small tittering giggle was released, a hand moving reflexively to cover cracked lips that didn't quite make it given the iron that bound her even within her magical cage. When the emotion finally passed she was able to heave in a deep sigh, grimacing ever so slightly as she unfolded her body from the seated position and pulled herself up to her full height, arms lowering with the shift and some feeling returning to her fingertips as the circulation established itself. Her expression was somewhat blank once she returned her full attention to the Black Knight, her voice a little flat whereas before it had contained a taint of amusement.

''This convening. Obviously you intend to do so before you dissolve my bonds.''

If so, she hoped that it would not take long, as she was growing quite tired of her predicament. She also hoped that there would not be some trick involved; maybe knocking out the matron had been a little hasty? Perhaps the paladin could wake her up and pray that the wards were not linked to the geas that had the matron all tied up. Speaking of ..

''W-w-what a-are you d.....''

Sister Lleri's stumbling words gradually trailed off. The pistol had been easily spotted as the Hellborne advanced towards her, interrupting her work as her hand grew slack from the handle of the wringer until the machine halted its motions and water failed to trickle from the rollers. But it wasn't until the weapon was pressed to her kneecap that things really began to happen .. or rather, stopped happening, as the Sister fell into a dead faint.

Today was the day for falling Sisters, it would seem.

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) for her, her respite from the current situation was absurdly brief. Though chased into unconsciousness as she was by the paladins incredibly intimidating presentation, her body folding and collapsing in on itself, due to her proximity to the wringer she caught her head quite smartly on the machine, and then again when she finally hit the floor. It had the effect of a stern slap across the face, bruises and all, perhaps even jostling loose a tooth, and the poor woman was dragged up to reality before she had even finished succumbing to sleep. Davy had quite the effect on women it seems, leaving them in various states of disorientation, though he had a greater impact on Lleri than he had intended.

The woman groaned and lifted a hand to her head, wincing as she touched at the tender skin, her eyes opening and drifting around the laundry room only to finally lock on the Hellborne again, with something of a squeak leaving her mouth as she did so, another one sounding as she spotted the pistol. It was no longer levelled at her kneecap, provided the sequence of events had happened so fast he had been unable to react, the weapon would now be pointed somewhere in the region of her own head, adding to the effect.

''The .. the .. uh the .. the greymen? I do..don't kn-kn-know what you .. umm .. yes. The greymen. Men. Wearing grey .. with the wagons .. and grey ..''

She blinked rapidly, staring down the barrel of the blackpowder weapon. She fancied she could see a spark of light past the darkness, and another squeak was offered.

''They take our dead! Not all of them. Just some of them. Matron tells us who. We clean the bodies, wrap them up, store their stuff. We uh .. We get paid for how many we give them. Sometimes extra. Don't know why. Heard them talking once .. unnerving people, swear they said something about feeding .. something .. Matron hurried me along, said I was being lazy so I didn't make much of it. Different greymen sometimes, but always with the same wagon. Just stack the bodies inside like sacks of flour and then off they go. They wear grey! Robes. Hoods. Kind of religious. Like priests. They don't give us names. Look at us weirdly .. caught one staring at me with a pitying expression .. I didn't much like that ..''

Trailing off, she abruptly lifted her hands with palms outward and in front of her face, wrists crossed as if fending off the Paladin. The woman was visibly shaking, and her voice sounded as if she was growing close to tears.

''That's all I know! I swear! I just do it for the extra coin, the Matron doesn't tell me anything beyond who to clean and when to move them!''

Her hands fell as soon as they had risen, the woman clambering up to her knees with a look of excitement and a bit of hope on her face. Fingers were used to grasp Davvy's clothes, the edge of his cloak or breeches, the hem of his sleeve, anything within reach as she tugged.

''There's one coming soon! Two days from now. Collecting .. Brennig, a man brought in a week ago with his lower body crushed. Terrible accident .. don't know why they want him but Matron says to get him ready in time. Horrible. Please don't kill me!''

She had moved from stammering explanations to outright begging, her voice hitching and falling until eventually she fell into pure wailing, fat tears rolling down her face and soaking into her uniform. But she had honestly told him everything she knew, holding nothing back, certain that the scary man with the flashing eyes and horns would blow her knees clean off if she dared to tell even the smallest fib.

[Kythin Steelfang]

Once more the Black Knight found reason to believe lacking the spark of magic that should have been his birthright might well be a good thing. It was not a revelation Sir Steelfang was at all pleased with when even lacking in arcane knowledge himself .. he'd seen enough of magic of all three varieties to know nothing good could come of magically inclined corpses being gathered up en masse.

When paired with his already existing awareness of increased sightings of the undead in increasingly less isolated portions of his territory and Kullyr proper. Steely eyes shifted their gaze from the unconscious Matron to the Hexenbiest. He was a man of his word ... that much was true. Little did that mean the Black Knight would not twist the interpretation of his own agreement.

More than once had he considered feeding Cosima to the irksome beast. An equal number of times did he note how foolish giving such a creature renewed strength in his presence. No, better to send in those among his men with strong wills and one or two with a thorough grasp on divine magic. In the mean time he went through the trouble of retrieving Cosima from the floor and hefting the dead weight over his shoulder.

" I will send my men to retrieve you soon enough. It will take time to acquire suitable sustenance for you. "

Thus without another word to the caged beast Kythin made his exit in order to put some distance between he and Mariette. There existed as well the need to put his men on alert. Most pressing of all .. was deciding how best to deal with the Red Hospice. Upon stepping out of the prison chamber he made progress in returning to the Hospice proper.

" Well Cosima seems its time we shed light on your doings to the sisters. See what they make of it.. "

A difficulty existed in illuminating the truths of the Hospice even within its own walls. How many of the unaware among the sisters might spread the word? Thus bringing the wrath of the Greymen down upon them and the Hospice itself. Might he be able to find a use for the Hexenbiest in serving as the unwitting guardian against the Greymen? It would require both incentive and some manner of powerful enchantment that his limited sources of magic within the Resurgency might well be unable to muster in quantity nor quality enough. 

The unconscious Matron of the Red Hospice received a shift on that shoulder of his only for movement to resume. Whether through protesting Hospice Sisters or visitors who had managed to arrive before he and his men .. Kythin either brushed them aside or ignored their attempts at intervention altogether. When he did stop it was upon arrival at his Squire's chambers .. or more likely upon running into the fiesty young woman with the hair red as blood outside the room in which she'd been ordered to remain. 

Rather than give his Squire a verbal dressing down his steely gaze instead drifted to the Sister that had proven moderately helpful. Whats was it the Paladin had called her? Rhiaoun? No, Rhianwen? Yes that was the one. 

" Go find the Paladin, Sister Rhianwen. I would like to hear what he has discovered for myself. I suspect we will find he has discovered matters far from pleasant. " 

[davkul]

These insights were by far more unsettling than what he expected to discover. Agreeing to investigate at the 'suggestion' of the Black Knight might not have felt right at the time of its happening. Now matters were illuminated enough to be much too aware that the situation required strange bed-fellows indeed to resolve without the guilty parties finding other means to claim the corpses they sought.

" How many families do you think are unaware of what happened to their loved ones due to what you have been allowing here? "

A simple question with drastic moral consquences if pondered too long by the guilty. Lleri served only as an pawn unable to bring herself to disobey the Matron that ordered her about. A sychophant at best or a woman far more broken than he knew at worst. The pistol earned its return to its holster while Davvy re-focused both gaze and attention upon Lleri.

" On your feet, M'lady. I am afraid I need you to come with me. "

Rather than act forcefully he offered a hand to help the woman up. The other reaching to those bruises to part with the healing energy necessary to do away with them. A kind act that would help to rid of the tenderness, if not instill a little trust in the man that had just interrogated her.

How unfortunate that he found himself seeing fit to bring this poor woman into the presence of the Black Knight. It left the taste of bile on his tongue to think of the actions being undertaken in that instance. Least he knew his own proximity would serve as a brief shield if not a proper ward against an immiediate demise for Lleri.

Alas he lacked the knowledge of where Steelfang might have wandered off to .. leaving his feet to carry him in the direction of the Squire instead.

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Mariette knew deep down that she would have to be careful with this man; even if she had not attacked his squire, he had a reputation and was counted as someone to be watched. She would not be surprised if he turned on her or had some ulterior motive towards freeing her from this cell .. but it was her only option. Even if the other Sisters of the Red Hospice knew of her predicament, or by some chance found her, there was no guarantee that they would be willing or able to strike the wards and release her. Had it happened earlier on she may have been able to play the 'damsel in distress' card, spin some tale that painted her as truly a victim to be pitied: but enough time had passed with sustenance so sorely lacking that her physical appearance had changed enough to make even the most gullible fool wary of trusting her.

And so when Kythin made his promises and hefted Cosima out of her prison, Mariette would merely press her lips together in a semblance of a smile and dip her head before settling back into a position that was as comfortable as she could make it, given that her arms were chained to the ceiling and she was lacking in any comforts save for the shift that covered her body.

''Give my regards to your squire.''

She just couldn't help herself.

Kythin's progress through the Hospice was met with .. much confusion. The Sisters he encountered seemed to alternate between flocking around him and flapping their hands like agitated birds concerned over their Matron's condition, or fleeing as soon as his stony countenance was viewed from the other end of the hallway as word spread. A few brave souls did indeed attempt to impede his progress, but it was not unlike trying to stop a boulder from rolling downhill: once it had started, you either got out of the way or you got mashed into the earth beneath it. Fortunately, none of the Sisters present had any degree of combat prowess, so even the most gutsy woman could do little more than tug at his arm with a tearful entreaty, shocked reprimand or outraged demand for explanation, and all Kythin did was push through them as if they were but wheat in the field.

It would be with this congregation of twittering women that he ran into his squire, almost literally as she came marching around the corner with determination on her face. Determination that wilted in the presence of his withering gaze. When his eyes passed over her she steeled herself for a verbal or physical rebuke from the man she had agreed to obey, if not outright sworn fealty to when she became his squire, and when none came the sense of dread that had begun to bubble in her gut at the start of their encounter only got stronger. Her excuses were forgotten in his presence. She did not at first register his words to Sister Rhianwen, who had naturally heard the fuss caused by the other sisters echo through the halls and had peeked out of the room to see what was going on, or notice that Kythin carried a particular interesting piece of cargo, or that he had pulled with him his own personal fan club. She was instead momentarily struck dumb by the fact that he had not said a word .. which must surely mean her punishment was going to be severe.

''Yes, of course. I believe he was looking for Sisters Lleri, Cristyn or Tegan, women suspected to be directly involved in this matter. Depending on how things went, he could be anywhere.''

Lovisa was finally pulled out of her internal loop when Rhianwen expressed such to the Black Knight, the Sister passing her eyes over the unconscious body of Matron Cosima and wisely choosing not to make mention of it. Instead, the Sister turned her attention to two of the twittering women, and with an authority she certainly did not have, directed them to locate Cristyn and Tegan (and by default, Davkul, if he was with them) while she herself extracted information as to Lleri's location. Accustomed to following orders delivered by a stern tongue in the right tone, the Sisters clinging to it like a buoy in the harbour and sped off to find the women while Rhianwen flapped her hands at the annoying assembly.

''As for the rest of you, the Hospice still needs to be run while the Matron is indisposed so I suggest the lot of you return to your chores. This will all be straightened out, and you wouldn't want to make anyone angry now, mmm?''

Quite right.

Lovisa watched as the women reluctantly dispersed and Rhianwen sped off eagerly to track down Davkul, leaving her mostly alone with her mentor, save for the guards at her door. The corner of her mouth twitched up a little when she settled her eyes on Cosima's unconscious state, feeling pang of satisfaction that the woman appeared to have had her comeuppance and somewhat disappointed that she had not been there to witness it. She noted that Mariette was so far unaccounted for, and turned a questioning glance to the Black Knight in order to say as much.

''What of the other?''

She did not know whether the woman was alive or dead, and had some conflicting feelings on the matter: she wanted to be the one to put the creature down. But there was at least one thing she was certain of, despite her earlier concerns Kythin had returned and things would once more progress .. and she may even finally be allowed to leave the Hospice. The only thing that was missing was the Hellborne ..

Sister Lleri did not have a reply for Davkul when his question was posed, rhetorical though it may have been, instead merely stared up at the man with wide glimmering eyes and something of a wobbling lip, her breath still ragged in her lungs with tears dripping off her chin. She certainly didn't look like a criminal mastermind, but then the really good ones often didn't, its one of the many ways they stayed in business. In this case though, Sister Lleri was merely a pawn on the chessboard directed as an as yet unseen hand with no real idea of the owner nor motives. The woman flinched as his hand came down, though as it stopped at a reasonable distance and did nothing aggressive, his pistol failing to materialise in his palm and blow goodness knows what at her, she merely stared at it until she gathered up enough presence of mind to actually take hold of the limb and scramble to her feet. Her robes were in disarray and her stance cowed, but aside from a nasty fright she was none the worse for wear: even more so when Davkul was nice enough to impart healing to the bump on her head and other minor scrapes she had achieved when she had fallen to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

Meekly, she stumbled along behind him as he dragged her hither and yon, a prisoner of a secret war she didn't even realise she was part of.

Because of his intent to return to the Black Knight's squires room, he would eventually cross paths with Sister Rhianwen who was of course, on her way to find him by way of locating Sister Lleri. The cowed Sister of course burst into fresh tears as she saw the kind hearted woman, running over and hiding behind her, taking hold of her robes and telling her all about the scary demon with the blackpowder weapon who had fiercely interrogated her. This of course earned Davkul a bit of a glare until everything was cleared up, and instead that glare was then delivered to Lleri, more rightfully so, as well as an admonishment to straighten up and wipe her face and stop her blubbering, she was alive wasn't she?

Eyes were rolled and things moved on, the Sister giving the Paladin a small smile and directing his progress through the Hospice, utilising a short cut rather than the long rambling way the poor man had been forced to take on his original hunt for Lleri.

''Sir Steelfang has returned with Cosima, and is currently waiting for you. We'd best not keep him waiting, he did not seem in a particularly good mood.''

Which was of course his default expression, but Rhianwen wasn't to know that!

[Kythin Steelfang]

Kythin held his tongue for no other reason than the knowledge that Mariette would meet an end as deserved as it would be terrible. A small smile emerged at the thought gave him an instant of a dark sort of pleasure that struck its chord with something dark and vicious within him. It took practically no time at all to reverse his path into the warded prison of his quarry to his destination.

A destination the Black Knight stopped several good yards shy of with the likes of his Squire and the Sister intercepting him along the way .. and by accident no less. Lovisa earned a brief look of assesment prior to the inevitable shift of visual focus to other matters, the Squire could wait.

The Black Knight took a moment to appraise Sister Rhiawhen, noting how well she took to dealing out orders as if the position of Matron were already hers despite a lacking of winters under her belt to make such a claim for those dark and likely bloodstained slippers.

Those inquiries from his Squire about the potential whereabouts and condition of her own would-be murderer earned little more than a comtemplating silence from the man considered her mentor in knighthood. She earned naught save silence until Rhiawhen and the other sisters ventured elsewhere to carry out orders and chores respectively.

" A matter for another time, Lovisa. Let us suffice that you will have your pound of flesh and blood out of your attacker. When more important matters have been put to rest. "

Kythin brought a hand to the shoulder of the woman with the blood-red hair that happened to be his Squire. A squeeze given before the weight of his palm rose to vacate that spot altogether.

" Back to your chambers .. we will await the Paladin and the Sister inside. May well be that we will have to draft the Paladin into the fold for event to come. I do not relish dealing with another horde of the unliving without a holy blade about to cut them down at the source. "

Alas, there truly were somethings that a dark, unholy blade such as his could not handle no matter how great his strength or honed and tempered his rage. Pushing pass the Squire, Kythin sought out a seat to await the rest of their improntu group against the conspiracies abound within and without the Red Hospice.

[davkul]

Sister Lleri certainly lacked the countence often attributed to a criminal mastermind .. much as Davkul possessed the visage of a demonic brute. A fact the Hellbred male was far too use to taking advantage of in the course of what he saw as right and just. Least he'd succeded in procuring the answers necessary to begin the end of the criminal enterprises that the Hospice seemed to be at the center of .. or just one facet of an even larger problem for the Grand Duchy.

Coming upon Sister Rhiawhen came as a pleasant surprise , the woman earning an unbidden and wickedly flirtatious grin out of the Hellbred. An expression that eased back quickly at the attempt at garnering undue sympathy from Rhiawhen that Lleri made quite the attempt at earning. While the Sister glared, Davvy crossed his arms over his chest and leveled an unimpressed look towards Lleri for the little manipulation tried and failed by the pawn in a less than grand game.

" Doubt he's ever in a good mood. "

He might have been holding back a good bit more in terms of elaboration about what he thought got the Black Knight giddy.

" Fucking Butcher .. why did he have to be right about the foulness at work here. "

These crass words came in hushed tones that he sought to make low enough that the supposedly innocent ears of the Sisters would not catch on to the accursed speech!

Soon as the three of them joined the Black Knight and his Squire within the Squire's own respite within the Hospice .. Davkul began to speak without any urgings from either of his companions or the representatives of Dunsany among them.

" Lleri tells me there is to be a transfer of a corpse to a group the Matron and Sisters in the know call the Greymen. I know not what they may be up to though I have my suspicions. What matters is that if we are to get to the bottom of this .. we will have to let the delievery go through uninterrupted .. and follow them after. "

Why did the Twin Gods see fit to force his hand in working with the likes of the Black Knight for the greater good of Kullyr and its people?

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

Lovisa had waited anxiously as the brood of hens stilled their clucking and were scattered to the four corners of Arith by Rhianwen, waited anxiously until Kythin finally turned his attention to his less than stellar squire and offered his opinion on the matter with her inquiry voiced. A surge of unusual emotion chose to squirm within her gut: satisfaction, twisted glee, faint reservation, touch of disappointment, and a hint of bloodlust. However this was expressed on her face was unknown to the woman, though it was clear with the slight twitching at the corner of her mouth and a crimson glint to her pupils that somewhere in her was an eagerness to carry out the task of dealing with that horrid horrid woman. Perhaps a knight was supposed to be more honourable, forgiving and kind .. but she was still a squire, learning how to 'turn the other cheek' as it were, but damned to the hells Mariette had pushed poison into her veins and Cosima had knowingly enabled the hexenbeist with her inaction. She could learn to be a better person .. after.

She very nearly flinched as that strong hand was dropped onto her shoulder, the filthy emotions within sent fleeing with the surprise of his movement, and the sense of .. reassurance .. the contact brought with it. The twitch evolved into a fleetingly awkward smile as she regarded her mentor, resisting the urge to grip his hand as if that movement alone would spoil the moment: instead returning his gift with a firm nod and words of compliance, turning her feet towards the room that had been her prison for so many months, returning herself to the edge of the bed she had known quite intimately. Each whorl that patterned the wooden frame, each crease in the cheap mattress and linens that covered it were so known to her she could trace them expertly with her eyes closed. She would be well shot of them, and soon.

''I do not trust the Paladin.''

She did not speak to disobey, rather was just voicing the thoughts in her head as they came, her face displaying a flicker of the distaste that she had for the Paladin. Though he absurdly commanded the absolute truth from those in his presence, and had indeed sped her recovery with but a touch .. he was still demonbred by those horns and those eyes, and could not be trusted. She did not turn directly to watch Kythin as she spoke, and so if her words changed the look on his stony visage she would remain unaware of such: instead, she watched the doorway, waiting for the return of the Paladin in question and Rhianwen.

''He thrust a blackpowder weapon in your face and named you Hexenthal's Butcher. He will turn. The question is only when he will do so. He is a liability.''

Though she spoke of the inevitable betrayal at the hands of the Hellborne, she did not doubt Kythin's ability to put him down once he did so. She was just concerned how much the Hellborne would ruin on his single minded crusade against her mentor. It left a sour taste in her mouth, the fact that the Black Knight was unfortunately required to rely on this man .. were there no others at his disposal with the same skill set? Not in this building naturally, but elsewhere in the world .. she did not relish the thought of having to work with Davkul in the long term. If it wasn't his hatred of Kythin that tripped them up, it would be his equally infuriating flirtations with anything in a skirt, a fact that was proven as she spied three figures coming up the hallway in front of the room, one of which most definitely that of Rhianwen whispering something into the Hellborne's ear and offering a little giggle as she pulled away, no doubt in response to a rakish grin almost hidden by the shadows of his hood.

Ugh.

Lovisa's arms were crossed, and her expression almost as stony as that of her mentor's as the three entered the room and settled in for a briefing, Davkul launching directly into his assessment of the matter. Whatever negative feelings she held for him, they were squashed down by the urgency of what had been uncovered in this Hospice. Lovisa was horrified at the thought that the Matron had been feeding bodies to some group known as 'Greymen' .. but for what purpose? She turned to observe the still unconscious woman – Kythin's strike was absolute, she actually wondered if she hadn't passed on while they deliberated – just what had she been up to ..

''What are their systems? How thoroughly do they check the bodies, and how often do they arrive? I am loathe to give these Greymen any more corpses to defile, but what other choice do we have?''

Following them to their base of operations would at least mean that any bodies that had been sent could easily be retrieved and returned to their proper families for a decent burial. However unpleasant the initial thought was, it was certainly better than not doing anything. She nevertheless looked from Davkul to Kythin – ignoring for now the sniveling Lleri who had upon entry to the room went as white as a sheet once her eyes had fallen on Kythin with the Matron oh so helpfully hanging over his shoulder like a decorative scarf – hoping that her mentor would have some input that would at least mean no one else had to risk losing the remnants of a loved one to goodness only knows what.

Though each person was affected differently, everyone native to Arith had lived through the horrors of the Five Masters where the dead refused to stay dead, corpses walked the streets and skeletons clawed their way out of the ground. The Triple Eclipse had been a soul crushing experience, and though she had not been at the battle to witness what had occurred, rumours had flown freely: had she the nerve, she would have asked Kythin what it had been like to be at the center of it all. But since the Triple Eclipse, the common man was ever wary of the dead, and held a particular scorn for those who would not allow them the rest they deserved. Why else, would an organization collect bodies from the Hospice, and why else would the Matron go to such lengths to keep it a secret. It had to be something abhorrent.

[Kythin Steelfang]

" An act not entirely uncalled for from his perspective. My actions during the brief reign of Aaron Hexenthal could easily be defined as those of a butcher chopping the meat of farm animals for the roasting pits. " 

Knowing how little knowledge of the events were possessed by his Squire .. the irritation over the Paladin badmouthing him proved understandable where he stood. A matter he pondered a little more as he dropped the still unconscious Cosima into a chair and preceded to bind the arms of the woman to the arms of the re-purposed piece of furniture. 

" He knows only what experienced himself and the narrative put forth by the victors. " 

Finishes off the binds meant to keep Cosima in place earned a follow up in the form of a gag .. if only to keep the woman quiet once the rise to consciousness came about. 

" That said his choice of weapon would only have allowed for a single shot without reloading. His awareness that throwing his life aware would be foolish is all that stayed his hand. Now that he is aware of a potentially greater threat to his homeland than I? He will play his part until only I remain a danger to Kullyr. " 

Turning his steely gaze on his own Squire finally earned the woman a question of her own potential liability. 

" Many commanders would consider your hatred of demonkin in these circumstances a liability as well. He possesses the capabilities of an Inquistor that I will not be able to replace easily. Until the Greymen and their masters have been dealt with .. let your hate empower you, but if it leads you to compromise what must be our focus .. I will put you down same as I will the Hellborne if necessary. " 

The impending return of the demonkin in question seemed well timed with his silence. Perhaps his Squire would find herself unwilling to speak of those matters with the subject of her ire in closer proximity. 

The knowledge that came of the return of the Sisters and the Paladin confirmed what had been learned from Mariette. 

" We will have to hand over the corpse. We have no time at all to secure the services of a Priestess of Misha to disguise one of our own as the corpse. " 

A pity that the services of an Illusionist of the magical variant would be greaterly frowned upon by his men. One of the rare instances where magic would prove practical and they were bereft of its services. Making use of what was available to him would suffice if they thought tactically about their needs here. 

The matter of their systems and the like earned Lleri the unsympathic gaze of the Black Knight. 

" Well Inquistor .. " 

He said, shifting his gaze towards Davkul with a rising brow. 

" If she knows anything more .. pry it out of her. I recognize plainly enough you would prefer my methods of making her talk not be brought to bare. " 

A final shift of his eyes led to the majority of those in his immediate authority earning his attention. 

" Rhiawhen, until this matter is dealt with in its entirity, I place you in charge of your peers. Work with your new friend as necessary. We have only a few days to put a plan in motion. If it fails they will find other means to secure bodies. Slaughtering members of adventuring companies most likely. " 

An issue he did not care to bring about ..if only to avoid having the attention of the Obsidian Heart brought against matters too close to his domain. 

" Lovisa, find your gear or commandeer the arms and armour of those cared for here. " 

[Dame Lovisa von Ascheberg]

No. Lovisa couldn't claim to know all about the Black Knight, only little more than any random individual coming off the street, and the admission he gave turned her fragile stomach even as her logic filed it away as a necessity. Knights served those they had sworn their oaths to, to do otherwise would make them no different from common mercenaries or street thugs, even if the actions of their liege were not always ones they agreed with personally. She did not know whether he had enjoyed his time as a ''Butcher'' for Aaron Hexenthal, and though the question slipped to the tip of her tongue she held it back .. whether this was out of a sense of etiquette or the realisation that she may not like the answer, that it could shatter the loyalty she held for the man was uncertain. Best let sleeping dog's lie and all that. The only thing she could be sure of, something that had no doubt been mentioned time and time again, was that he was the man responsible for her new path, sense of purpose. And though she did not know it yet he would also guide her towards a great strength and bringing her to realise her own potential, shattering her preconceptions and demons. She might even be his myrmidon.

Eyes followed his actions as he bound the unconscious woman to ensure that she would not pose a problem once she had pulled herself from the murky depths of her sleeping mind, a shoulder half lifting though without the verbal accompaniment she may have given before. Kythin may have ranked the Hellborne's sense of self preservation and priorities to his country higher than his animosity, but Lovisa wasn't so sure .. though a moment later she was reminded of the act of mercy, the succour he had granted her failing body. Reviving the one who had deliberately stepped in front of that same pistol to prevent him from firing a shot at Kythin. At her full strength she would have been more than capable of preventing him from doing the same, why make an ally of his enemy stronger? Lip was chewed with uncertainty, a frown furrowing her brow. The Hellborne was confusing. She had preferred when everything seemed more black and white, more clear cut than these shades of grey she kept being introduced to. Kythin's next words encouraged her back out of her self reflection, the frown of confusion replaced with one that bordered on anger, her jaw thrust out stubbornly.

''You did not - and will not - see me thrusting a weapon in his face simply because I do not like him''

She was actually somewhat insulted. Eyes flicked over to the Paladin in question. Perhaps if he couldn't keep his amorous nature with the Sisters under control, he would find her weapon directed somewhat further south of his face. At least once the danger had passed, this wretched business concluded.

''I have more discipline than that.''

Pointed emphasis as her eyes remained on the Hellborne.

Though Sister Lleri proceeded to babble on about the Greymen's work patterns, giving all present a better indication of what they were dealing with in line with what she had already told Davkul, Lovisa was disappointed to learn that there was precious little they could do about it that moment. Perhaps it had been too far reaching of her, this operation had been going on for goodness only knew how long, how realistic was it to imagine that it could be foiled merely hours after learning about it? They had two days within which to figure something out. Though Cosima was under their immediate control, bound and gagged as she was (a fact that gave her some measure of satisfaction) there was no telling what the powers above the former Matron knew, when they would be discover what had taken place this day and proceed to cut off the Hospice from their operations. This next collection might be their only chance at following them. As Kythin said, they could very well start directing their focus toward another source though with consequences that would be further reaching than just picking bodies up from a Hospice like vultures. She hoped that things had not already turned sour, that another lurking within the Hospice hadn't already sent word to whomever operated above the Greymen and cancelled their scheduled arrival.

''Well yes, I suppose I could. It would do well for a familiar face to keep things in order ..''

Rhianwen responded in a diplomatic fashion, acceding to the order with what could be described as a relieved tone but without going into the concerns that were lurking underneath same. If the Black Knight had attempted to take the reigns of the Hospice himself there may have been some push back from the ladies. Though Cosima had not been universally liked, they had been their Matron, and if the status quo was upset too much it would not have been unthinkable that an individual or even a group would have made efforts to contact the outside in the hopes that said Knight could be ousted before anyone had made progress to intercept or track the Greymen as they took their quarry. Thereby foiling the best chance they had. Of course there was nothing stopping Kythin from bullying Rhianwen regarding the running of the Hospice during this occupation, but eyes slipped to the Paladin Davkul, a tentative smile for the man that had initially terrified her. He would be her champion against such, she was sure of it. She would be caught batting her lashes at the man before she withdrew to corral the other Sisters and appraise them of what she could without sending them off into a panic, sweeping from the room with a rustle of skirts and an air of grim determination, grasping Sister Lleri by the arm and dragging her along for the ride.

''Yes sir.''

Lovisa's attention snapped from the twittering Sister and back to her mentor, watching his face a moment as the directions were delivered, a pause to ascertain that they were his final instructions before she too exited the room: leaving the Black Knight with the Hellborne Paladin, a brief glance offered to the former Matron bound and gagged to the chair. She was still unconscious, but the occasional stirring indicated that she would be rising from the forced slumber soon, ready to meet the gaze of the Inquisitor that awaited.

In due time the would-be Squire's own equipment would be retrieved, supplemented with gear no longer required by the crippled and dying adventurers of the Hospice, and she could count herself ready to face what she thought was coming.

It wouldn't be quite what anyone expected.