2nd Day of Needfest, 565 CY

The Brass Dragon Inn, Furyondy

The company of men slowed and spread out as they approached. The front line of horses stopped about thirty feet from the front door, and three of the knights dismounted. One was clearly the commander; a knight banoret. Carrying a leather tube in his hand (His left hand, thought Argo. He wants to be ready to draw his sword, if needed), the noble strode as briskly as his full field plate would allow up to the eight individuals assembling outside. His opening remark was addressed directly to Elrohir and Aslan.

"Elrohir and Aslan, citizens of Furyondy and subjects of the Crown..."

Elrohir folded his arms across his chest. He knew he wasn't going to like this. "Yes?"

The soldier cleared his throat and continued. "I am Sir Charlt of Willip, loyal servant of Baron Chartrain. Both are you are to be taken, in arrest, to the Lord Magistrate of Willip, there to be tried of your heinous crimes."

That caught everyone off guard. An off-key chorus of "What?" erupted.

Sir Charlt seemed prepared for that reaction. He continued without missing a beat. "Two days ago, upon the morn, Elrohir and Aslan were observed in several areas of Willip, committing most grievous acts of murder and bodily harm upon the innocent civilians of that fair city. Storefronts were damaged, property stolen- I have the full list of charges here," he stated, indicating the scroll he held.

Elrohir shook his head. "We don't need to hear that. We did none of these things! How could you-"

"Please read the charges, good sir," interrupted Aslan, causing both Elrohir and Argo to glare at him. "I for one, wish to know the full scope of these falsehoods against us."

Sir Charlt shook the scroll out of the tube, unfurled it and began to read. As to the manner of the assaults, Aslan and Elrohir would appear out of thin air in one section of the city. Elrohir shot arrows at anyone nearby, using his sword if anyone managed to close within melee range. Aslan, meanwhile, would change into several monstrous forms, primarily an ogre, and would go on a rampage, although not mindless enough as to miss robbing several storefronts. When the city guard would close in, Aslan would simply teleport himself and Elrohir to another part of the city and begin the cycle anew.

There was silence when Sir Charlt finished reading and returned the scroll to its tube. It didn't last long. Aslan spoke first.

"Of course, we want to clear our names. I can transport myself and Elrohir to Willip immediately-"

"I'm sorry Aslan," Charlt interjected, raising his hand. "I have strict orders that the two of you are to accompany my troops back to Willip. If you vanish from my sight at any point, the Lord Magistrate will consider that an admission of guilt. You must divest yourself now of all weapons and armor."

"I think not!" shouted Elrohir. Talass whispered something in his ear, but he apparently shook it off. "After all we've done for your people, you now accuse us of this? We have obviously been framed! Do you really believe we would be capable of such evil acts?"

Sir Charlt was clearly making an effort to look unperturbed. "I am not the one with the power to judge this matter. The Lord Magistrate is."

"You realize, good sir," Aslan said, "that many witnesses can place us right here two days ago."

Charlt raised an eyebrow. "Many more will place you in Willip. And besides," he noted, a smirk barely visible, "does not distance matter little to a man of your abilities?"

Aslan fell silent. He hadn't thought of that.

Argo chuckled and shook his head. "I always knew you'd crack one day, Aslan."

"Argo!" snapped Talass. "Your stupid quips won't help us here!"

Argo assumed a nonthreatening stance. "Do not worry, my good lady. I am sure that Sir Charlt here does not truly believe that all of us have turned evil, for we would have to be, to shelter such vile criminals," he finished that statement with a look towards the knight. Sir Charlt appeared to silently consider that line of thought and found it disquieting. His tone when he spoke again however, remained firm.

"Will you comply with these orders?"

"Of course they will," replied Argo, looking at his companions. Both nodded, Elrohir somewhat sullenly. "But first, you must have been traveling at a hard pace these last two days. All of you will be served food, drink, and lodgings if desired, all free of charge!" Argo gestured grandly.

Cygnus frowned. "Argo, that would cost us-"

"Not any less than our due, good Cygnus!" The ranger cut across the mage. "We are after all, subjects of this land!"

Sir Charlt however, shook his head. "We have our own," he stated before moving off to speak to his men.

The party made preparations while the knights and their hirelings ate and rested. It was decided that Argo, Cygnus and Talass would accompany Elrohir and Aslan to Willip. Caroline was not happy at being left behind.

"Talass is going," she pleaded to her husband.

"She is the wife of the accused. I promise you, love, when I am accused falsely of a crime, you can come with me to the Magistrate." He kissed her lightly on the cheek. Caroline did not seem very mollified but managed a half-smile and led the children back inside the inn.

Cygnus approached Elrohir. "I'm guessing it's a wizard who's doing this, but he'd have to be a pretty powerful one, to polymorph and teleport like that. Who, and why?"

"I don't know," the ranger replied, "but be careful, Cygnus."

"Me?" The wizard seemed surprised. "You're the one heading towards the chopping block."

"I believe he means," offered Aslan, coming up behind him, "is that if this unknown mage can teleport around Willip, he could teleport here, too." His gaze moved to the inn. "We have children to protect. And much else, beside."

Argo went over to Tojo and Tadoa. "There's a lot of ground to cover here. I'm counting on you guys to help Caroline out here."

Tadoa nodded soberly, but Tojo almost seemed amused. "You assume your wife needs our herp. We may need hers. She is stronger than you think, Argo-san."

"I know," he nodded. "I hope so. I've got a nasty idea forming in my head, and it makes me frightened. Very frightened."

He turned away and started outfitting himself for the trip to the city.