"Jon, whatever it was we all felt it, and the effects on everyone's magic has not gone unnoticed. Even by those with lesser gifts."
Alanna sat at the opposite side of the room from Jon, but she didn't need to raise her voice at all, the meeting was an intimate one, including only
those closest to Jon. Numair sat silently in on the other side of the room scrying into several mirrors while Queen Thayet, Myles, Alanna, Raoul of
Goldenlake, George, The Lord Provost, Duke Baird, and Commander Buri all sat quietly giving input towards what had happened early that morning.
"I know where we should start"
All heads turned to Numair.
"I'm getting hazy readings but all contain the image of a house in what looks like the lower city."
George grinned, excited at the prospect of returning to his old stomping grounds.
Jon stroked his beard in thought, looking troubled.
"We should only send a few people down to investigate, George and Numair—no Alanna not you it needs to be inconspicuous as possible especially in the lower city."
Alanna had risen to prepare, and sat back down with a glare, but conceded that her flaming locks and unusually eyes attracted more attention then
not. George placed a comforting hand on his wife's shoulder.
"We will be ready to leave in an hour."
Jon nodded, concluding the meeting.
•••
Maeve knew she was in trouble. Even with the cloak, she stuck out like a sore thumb. She just couldn't help but stare at all the wonders that she
had never seen before. Also, although everyone spoke english, it was accented in a way she had never heard before, and used vocabulary that was
more befitting of an era long ago. She stayed quiet, and feared greatly anyone attempting to speak with her. Her head was still pounding, and she
knew that finding a CVS and some Tylenol was not going to happen. Her biggest concern at the moment was that she had clearly been pegged as an
easy target becasue she noticed some men had been following her for some time. Luckily, wherever (or whenever as Maeve began to understand
was the more likely case) she had teleported she had retained the items in her hands and pockets: which happened to be her keys. Her keys, like
many women in her neighbourhood, contained a variety of small weapons; pepper spray was her first option. She placed her hand on the little bottle
incase things got dicey. She walked down the cobble streets attempting to dodge the horses, when she was jostled down and pushed into an alley.
Brushing off her cloak, she knew she was in trouble now. The alley was blocked at the far end by crates, and the end she had just fallen from was
taken up by three men.
"Hullo lass, fine evening for a walk." The man who had spoken was clearly the leader, she noted the other two sparing glances at him and waiting
for his signals. "Yuh look a little lost, but don't worry we're some o' the best tour guides you'll find round here."
He grinned, showing off rotted teeth. The others mimicked his cruel grin, eyes hungrily looking at her. She noted that under their ill fitting clothes,
they were hard muscle. Pepper spray or no, she was screwed, but she pulled it out.
"No thank you. I think I'll go now."
Her response seemed to amuse them, they laughed and started closing in on her. She tried to stay calm but her hand holding the pepper spray
shook. The leader with the rotted teeth jumped at her. She sprayed the pepper spray and he fell back in pain clutching his eyes, the other two
hesitated and she took the opportunity to attempt to run through them. The one on her left snaked out an arm and grabbed her around her waist
causing her to fall backwards onto her back. She tried to get up but was tangled in the cloak and the awkward skirts. The man that had tripped her
stepped on her wrist forcing the pepper spray to drop.
"Youll pay for this girlie."
The man who had been sprayed towered over her, eyes bright red and swelling at the edges. His nose was running and his voice was hoarse. The
man started slowly unbuttoning his pants while the other two held her down. She shrieked and started wiggling as the rough stone scraped her
exposed arms.
Suddenly the pressure in her head that had been building since she had woken up seemed to explode into pin pricks of light in her vision. The walls
of the surrounding buildings blew out burying the man on the right and knocking out other two. Sitting up she looked around and noticed that the
explosion had missed her entirely and the dust didn't even fall on her. The pressure in Maeve's head had subsided leaving her able to focus. A
crowed was forming looking at the pile of rubble and the men.
A whisper was taken up from someone in the back.
"Sorcerer."
She blanched.
"No i-it, i-i- I didn't do anything!"
She spoke quietly attempting to match their accents. It did no good, the suspicion was palpable within the crowd.
"Halt in the name of the King's justice!"
Someone had summoned the guards.
"No please, I, they—"
She reached out her hand and the pavement in front of her exploded throwing back those closest to her, and knocking the guards back. This created
utter chaos, in which she melded into running with everyone else down the street. She ducked in-between two un-exploded buildings, with laundry
lines hung out create a small tent for her to crawl under.
She pulled her knees to her chest and let the tears started sobbing uncontrollably.