A/N: The world was created by our DM, and for further information check out our wiki. The characters and situations belong to members of our DND group. This was collaborative work of myself, Duff, and Stuit. I have several other chapters to put up, but currently a group is playing in this campain. If I post the next chapter I'll spoil the surprise of their campain. Once they are done I'll post up the remaining chapters. Please review and enjoy!
Day 1
In a flash of light, Jenos Idanian appeared in the entryway to the Blade and Flute Pub. This time, however, he appeared fully armored, with his greatsword drawn and at the ready, which startled nearly a dozen nearby patrons. From the bar, his youngest daughter Irina looked up. As her eyes met his, she nearly burst into tears and would have immediately ran to hug him if not for the drawn weapon. In the twenty-six years of her life, she had learned better than to catch her father off guard when he was in combat mode. She meekly smiled and walked towards him. "Poppa, Tirai said she spoke with you. I'm so sorry."
Jenos forced himself to contain the rage that had been building up within him, and holstered his weapon. "Hello, my baby girl. Where is Daniel?"
"He's next door, with...with Jenos." She smiled carefully as she looked up at her father.
"Grab your gear, sweetheart. There's work to be done." Turning on the heel of his boot, he forced his way out the door and headed to his home, Anthatal's Hospitality. He stepped into the manor to find a scene that further broke his heart. His entire family was gathered, sitting around the central living area. For once in his life, Jenos had managed to step in upon a group of people while wearing full plate and not distract them from their catatonic state. His eldest son Daniel sat in a rocking chair as his wife Callista sat next to him with her chin resting on her husband's shoulder, clutching a small child in her arms. The young couple had married two years ago during the Guardians' visit, and if the circumstances had been different, Jenos would have been beaming with joy to see his first grandson. Beside them, his youngest son Alexander - now 14 years old - sat awkwardly, looking around and acting as if he were terribly lost in a place that should have felt like home to him. Standing near the hearth were Tirai Osdarin and Tirai Idanian: the younger looking down at the fire, and the elder looking towards the stairs as if she expected to see someone walk down them at any moment. Artorus Odegree, the elder Warblade's son-in-law, sat near the fireplace, nursing a flagon of what was likely to be a strong beer.
Jenos knew that his family was feeling a similar agony to what was running through his soul, but found himself unable to find a soft-spoken voice to convey his greetings. Instead, he steeled his resolve and let the rage billowing within him to flow slightly, and took a position of command that borrowed from his years leading the Luminar military. "Daniel Idanian. Report. What happened, son?"
The entire group stopped and looked up towards the doorway, conveying a multitude of expressions. Tirai Osdarin's face simply stated to Jenos, I'm here if you need me, old friend. The look on Alexander's face dug deep into his father's heart as if saying, Why weren't you here to protect her? His older son looked up at him with an expression that told the Guardian, This was supposed to be a much better moment, father. His oldest daughter regarded him blankly, unable to convey anything beyond I really need my Poppa right now.
Finally, a voice from the fireplace spoke up as Artorus stood. "Sir, if I may."
"Speak, son."
Artorus set his mug down. "Three days ago, an assassin broke into the pub next door after hours. As near as we can tell, he waited until Claire and the rest of the staff had left the main room, and headed directly up the stairs. There was no sign of forced entry into any other room; he knew where he was going. A few patrons, when asked the next day, said they had noticed a man matching his description on a few occasions - he was likely scouting the area." He cleared his throat and continued. "He went up the stairs, in what we believe was an attempt to kidnap young Jenos. We believe he may have been hired by someone in the city's government. Aunt Lexie managed to fight him off - she was a tougher woman than most gave her credit for, sir; I don't think I would have had a chance against this guy. He was clearly a professional. She dropped him, but not before he managed to land an attack on her with a dagger. It was poisoned with a substance that none of the military's scryers or wizards could identify. She tried her hardest to fight it, sir, but in the end we lost her."
Jenos once more fed upon the bottomless vat of hatred stewing inside of him. You can fall apart later, Idanian, he told himself. You're a warrior. You don't stop until this is resolved. "Where are the remains of the assassin?"
"Sir?"
"You heard me, Lieutenant. Where are his remains?"
The young man paused for a moment, conveying a look of mild fear at the elder Warblade. "They're in the garrison, sir."
Jenos turned for the door. "Fetch a priest and gather me the names of any Chamberlains or dignitaries that would have a motive to kidnap the child."
This time Daniel spoke up. "Father? What do you plan to do?"
The Warblade stopped at the doorway but did not turn around.
"Revive the assassin. Interrogate him." He paused and rested his hand on his greatsword's massive hilt. "And then I'm going to beat him to death and have him revived again." He started to exit the manor. "And then I'm going after
anyone in the church or government who had a motive. I'm not going to stop until there's nothing left to resurrect."
Tirai Osdarin watched her friend walk out the door and sighed. She had known him for nearly his entire life, but had never seen him so pained or enraged. Once more, it's a good thing I'm here to look after you, old friend. "That man's going to leave a river of blood behind him until he finds out what he wants to know." She turned to the rest of the gathered family members. "Daniel, get to the garrison and see to it that nobody is foolish enough to get in your dad's way. I've never seen rage like that in a man's eyes before. I wouldn't put anything past him right now." She pointed to her namesake, Tirai Idanian. Years of being stuck in the head of a tactical mastermind might actually prove to be useful, girl. "Sweetheart, I want you to go with your brother. If your dad will stop and listen to
anyone, it'll be his little girl. Try to calm him down. Try to get him to come back home." As the younger Tirai nodded, Irina strode through the doorway, wearing her armor and wielding two rapiers. "Irina, take Artie and follow the leads you two have been collecting. Find out who was most likely to have ordered the kidnapping. Artie, start by talking to the different garrison units. Irina, you should head to the keep and see if you can't find anything amiss." Another voice chimed in from a chair in the middle of the room as Alexander snapped out of his reverie. "Aunt Tirai, what can I do to help?"
Tirai walked over to his chair and knelt down. "Your father is very sad right now, even if he isn't showing it. He's pretending to be a tough right now, but you and I both know he's hurting inside just as much as we are. I need you to be here to help him when he comes home."
Alexander paused for a moment, an odd look in his eye, considering her words. "When will he be back?"
She looked towards the doorway. "Soon, darling." I hope, for the sake of anyone who may get in his way. "Very soon."
--
Tirai managed to catch up to Jenos just as he was entering the garrison. Daniel had managed to keep everyone out of his father's way but it hadn't been easy. The garrison's commanding officer respected Jenos, but he could only take so much of other people bossing him around before he snapped. "What is your business this day Guardian Idanian?"
"I want to see the body of the assassin that killed my wife."
"He is fairly cut to ribbons." The commander showed them to where a wooden casket sat. "He is to be buried in Potter's field tomorrow.
"Open it."
"No."
"Do as you are ordered commander!"
Daniel laid a hand on his father's arm, "He is dead. Mother killed him. We are lucky she managed to leave him in enough pieces for us to interrogate his corpse."
"Then what did you find out?"
The commander crossed his arms across his chest, "The priests have asked him all of the questions we can think of, and he refuses to tell us anything."
"Then make him talk!"
"How do you make the imprint of someone's soul, someone who wouldn't tell us anything in real life, tell us all his secrets?" Tirai tried to reason with her father.
"I want to question him."
"We can arrange for a priest, and a scribe to come here to …assist you. Would that be satisfactory? " the commander said trying to hold his frustration.
"Make sure they know it is urgent."
The commander nodded, and turned to leave. "I'll see to it that they bring the transcripts of the previous interrogations. Maybe you will see something we missed." When he thought he was out of ear shot he mumbled, "Fat lot of good this will do us."
ANY Particular questions he might ask him?
Daniel went off to the Church to let Tirai's husband get food
Father Gilbert closed his pouch of herbs. He still was rather irritated to be awakened from his warm bed in the neighboring Church. He knew he would be called upon to deal with the health and wellbeing of Luminar's guards when he took the job at the Church of Goddess's Grace but this was starting to get ridiculous. He turned to look at Jenos. "Guardian Idanian, let the man rest in peace. Let the Goddess decide his fate. There is nothing more than can be done this night."
"He HAS to know more." Jenos snarled.
"Poppa, I don't know what more we can do tonight." Tirai laid a hand on her father's shoulder.
"I must return to my temple." Father Gilbert bowed to each of them. As he turned to leave he stopped, "Lady Tirai do you want one of my associates to bring food to Steward Idanian? He has guarded your mother for many hours."
"No Father Gilbert, we will see to my brother." Tirai shock her head. Father Gilbert nodded as he looked back and forth to them, then took his leave.
Soon as the priest was gone Jenos turned to his daughter. "Did some one try to hurt her even now?"
"No, but mother is revered by the people. Her death is hard on the people as well." Tirai steered Jenos out of the building. "We could not protect her in life perhaps he can protect her now in death." She said sadly.
They walked silently, until she spoke again, "Did you want to see her?"
He merely nodded.
Though late the priestesses of the Church of Goddesses Womb let the two of them into the church. "I will leave you both to your sorrow. Lady Tirai, your husband is eating with our Abbot, do you wish to join him?"
"Will you be alright Poppa?"
"I need to do this by myself. Go on, join your husband." He didn't look at her. She nodded and followed the priestess away.
All that could be heard in the great church was the clanking sounds of his footsteps toward a candle lit chapel. It was his and Alexis's private chapel. When it was build it had been a highlight of his life. It was another sign of his notoriety as a Warblade. He would have a sign on earth that he was a heavenly warrior. It was a place Alexis could come and be closer to her friends, and the Goddess herself. Now Alexis lay in state there.
As Jenos approached he saw someone already kneeling by the altar where she lay. The elder Guardian stood there watching him for a few moments before he finally spoke.
"I couldn't protect her Father." Daniel spoke near tears. "I am the oldest Father. When you aren't here I'm the man of the House. I'm a captain in the army and I can not even protect my own mother. All my training was for nothing, if I had to have my mother save my son. I wasn't there when my family needed me."
"Your mother would lay down her life for anyone of us, especially her children." He spoke softly as he came to stand next to his son.
"She shouldn't have to do that."
"She's been doing it since you were born." He laid a gauntleted hand on his shoulder.
"I know the story. She gave her own life so that Cassandra could have the power to defeat the dark god. All of you died to save us all." He stood up and spoke bitterly.
"You know that story but you don't know everything."
"I've hear the stories from her own mouth. How you left the village. How you traveled through the darkness. How you saved the city from an evil demon. I have heard all the stories, Father!"
Jenos' temper got the better of him, and he picked up his son by the shoulders and slammed him into the side wall. "Yes you have heard those stories but do you know you mother nearly died giving birth to you. If it wasn't for the blessings of the Goddess she managed to give birth to the sister. She was willing to die to bring you into this world." He shouted into his son's face. "She was four moons pregnant with your sister when she took her place on my flank during the blood fire hordes invasion. She fought because she wanted to protect you all. We were the last line of defense for the city, and if we fell the city was lost. To save us all she risked her life and that of your own sister's to make sure we were safe."
Daniel looked away, ashamed as his father released him. Near tears he spoke, "I should have been there for my son; for my own mother."
"You and me both" Jenos whispered as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder.
They were silent a few moments when they heard footsteps coming towards them; both men placed a hand on their blade.
Tirai and her husband, William, stepped around the corner into the doorway of the chapel. "Do you two want a few minutes before we head back to the house?"
Wiping his face Daniel nodded, "I'm ready to head back, Father?"
"Give me a few minutes." The three of them nodded and left Jenos alone in the chapel.
Jenos turned to make sure that the door had shut behind him, then knelt beside his wife. She was placed before him dressed in a dignified blue dress with a shawl – if Jenos' memory served him correctly, brought home by one of the children on their adventures. She looked peaceful, as if she would wake up any minute and welcome him home. In her tiny hands she held a simple dagger, not too dissimilar from the blood-stained dagger that Jenos still carried on his person, and a tasteful bouquet of meadow violets. Though she had a few stray grey hairs beginning to show, she still looked just as beautiful to Jenos as she had when they first wed.
He stayed motionless for several moments, his mind unable to fully process the events that had unfolded in the past few days. As the realization hit him that the love of his life was truly gone, thirty years of hardened resolve borne from fierce combat melted away. Though his battle-scarred body armor remained, the man underneath suddenly felt very vulnerable, naked and lost. As his final defenses broke, he fell to his hands and elbows with a metallic clanking sound and, unable to hold back his pain any longer, burst into agonizing tears, sobbing uncontrollably.
Just outside of the chapel, the muted sound of metal on concrete caught Tirai's attention. Unsure of how her father might be reacting, she carefully suggested to her husband and brother that they might find somewhere else to keep occupied. As they headed off, she carefully cracked the door open and peeked inside to make sure he was all right. In her entire life, Tirai's father had always been the resolute wall of control. He was always the calculated, determined man who could not be broken; she never imagined in her wildest dreams that she would ever see him broken down and crying. The sight made her heart, which was already heavy and weary, fall even further in her chest. Trying to fight back tears herself, Tirai briefly considered running to his side, but decided against it and quietly closed the door to leave her father to his grief.
Eventually, Jenos managed to get the strength to return to his knees and regard his wife. Still crying what few tears he had left, he reached for his wife's hands, then paused and tugged his gauntlet off before finally placing his hand on hers. It felt cold and stiff, which only served to scatter the pieces of his broken heart even more. "I'm sorry," he told her through sobs. "I'm sorry I left, my love... I should have been here. My place should have been by your side..." he fell once again to the floor, no longer crying but still sobbing painfully.
When he stepped out of the room nearly ten minutes later, Tirai was there to meet him. "Daniel is arranging for two guards he is friends with to stand guard tonight while William is on duty."
"Thank you," Jenos said, attempting to keep his voice steady but failing miserably.
"You're welcome Poppa." She smiled up at him, "Let's get back home."
When Jenos and Tirai returned to the inn, they found the house in an uproar.
Tirai spoke for her father as she entered. "What happened? Is anyone hurt?"
A subdued voice sounded from the crowd. "No one is hurt, but Alexander is missing."
"What do you mean, missing?"
Tirai Osdarin wiped her brow. "One minute I turned my back and he was gone."
This time, Jenos finally managed to speak. "Didn't you look for him?"
"I assumed he went off to brood. He is as broody as you are."
"How long ago was this? A few hours?"
Artorus come in from the back of the house. "He isn't in the barn."
Irina came in from the kitchen. "I tried the fighting ring; he wasn't there either."
"Could someone have taken him?" Jenos asked, voicing what was on all of their minds.
"Or did he run away?" Tirai Idanian mumbled.
Irina let out a curse and ran up the stairs to Alexander's room, only to be followed by Tirai and Daniel, both shouting for her to wait. But it was too late; Irina didn't get two steps inside his room before she was getting sick in a bed pan.
Tirai walked up behind her. "It will stop in a minute. I tried to stop you. Alexander had me trap the door for him."
"You what?"
"It's a minor thing, unless you know to turn the handle a certain way you are hit with a quick toxin." She shrugged. "It's harmless but effective."
"Easy for you to say," Irina said, still feeling a little green.
"All it does is make you severely nauseated for a while, and make your hand red."
While the girls were bickering, Daniel looked around the room. "Seems normal to me."
Tirai took a quick look around, careful not to touch anything. She motioned for every one to leave the room, and after a few minutes announced to everyone, "His pack is missing, and the bow mum gave him."
"Ah shite, he wouldn't." Daniel barreled past his sisters to his mother's room.
"What's wrong?" a voice shouted up from below.
Daniel came back out of the room, "It's gone too."
"What is?"
"Mother's sword." Daniel hurried down the stairs.
"Mum doesn't have a sword." Irina followed him down.
Tirai had a wry grin on her face. "You never sparred against Mum, did you? Or saw someone get on her bad side?"
Both Artorus and Irina shook their heads. "She only carried a dagger, far as we knew."
Tirai came down. "Things are not always what they seem."
"Where could Alexander have gone?" Rachel shouted to get them back on track.
"Where have I gone, Aunt Rachel?" Alexander's voice came from behind Jenos' right shoulder.
"Where have you been?" Rachel shrieked at him, doing a good impression of enraged dragon.
"Finding out what obviously you couldn't." Alexander raised an eye brow, not amused.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Daniel asked as he crossed his arms angrily.
"It means this." He placed a small glass vial on the table before them. "That is what 'poisoned' mother, but it didn't kill her."
"How the bloody hell do you know that?" Irina asked in astonishment.
"Mother isn't the only one who has contacts."
"You are just a child. You should stay here until we know it is safe." His older sister Tirai put a hand on his shoulder. "Just give us the information and we will follow up on it."
"Safe? Mother was not safe here; none of us are. Do you not get it?"
"What I get is we have a spoiled brat who wants to play with the big boys and doesn't know what he is getting himself into," Daniel snarled.
"Spoiled brat, am I? What have you found out in your days of searching? I spend a couple hours talking to the right people and get more information than all of you have in two bloody days." He spins on Tirai, "And I am not some babe in your arms anymore." He was angry by now, and bitter.
"We don't want you hurt," Rachel said as she looked at him in sympathy.
"Why? Because I am the baby, or do think I can not contribute to this mission?" His eyes flashed with an unnatural fury.
"You're our little brother; we don't want anything to happen to you."
"I am younger than you, but I am no longer little, or have you not noticed?" Furious, he turned and stormed off.
"I'll go after him," Irina said as she headed towards the recently slammed door.
"No," Artorus put a gauntleted hand on her shoulder. "Give him a minute, and then I will go talk to him."
"What has gotten into that boy?" Rachel held her head. "Why won't he do as he is told?"
"Because he is right," Artorus said simply.
"Pardon?" She asked.
"Alex is nearly as tall as Daniel, and he is only fourteen. The boy as always been talented, why can't he help us?"
"Because he is just a boy. He has no business in the middle of this."
"He won't be a boy much longer. He has already nearly completed his apprenticeship, and in a couple of years he will be of age. As much as you want your babies to stay babies, they do grow up." He smiled down at his mother.
Rachel pinked slightly, remembering when she and Aleron had the same discussion in regards to Artorus himself. "No, they have to grow up someday, but all mothers wish it to be just one day longer."
"Alex is grieving for his mother, and he wants to help. Let him try and it is better to work with him than against him. As much as I would not want to get in Jenos' way, I also would not want to get in that boy's way when he puts a mind to something."
Rachel sighed. "I just wish Alexis was here. She would know what to do with him."
"If she was here he wouldn't be doing this, well not as much anyway." He bent and kissed his mother's cheek. "I'm going to go look for Alexander. Hopefully he has cooled off enough by now."
Alexander was attempting to throw pieces of straw across the barn when he heard the sound of boot clunks coming into the barn.
"Are they sending you to call the 'Little One' in for dinner?"
"No, I came to see if my friend Alex was doing alright in here."
"Sure…"
"Like it or not they are worried about you."
"Hardly, they are worried about the little lost boy." He threw another piece.
"They are family, and they worry about all of us from Daniel down to baby Jen." Carefully Artorus climbed the ladder to the hay loft.
"I know, but I wish they would quit treating me like a fragile baby."
"In their eyes, you are fragile."
"Gee thanks."
"Alex, think about it. You have always been weaker than the other Anthatal children. You have always gotten your backside handed to you when you have stepped into a fighting ring, unlike the rest of us. "
"And Irina hasn't thrashed you a time or two." He gave Artorus a slight wry grin.
"I let her win," He grinned. "Seriously, you were your mother's baby, but I don't think she EVER underestimated you, did she?"
"No, actually half the contacts I went to today where ones she introduced me to."
"Like it or not, you are the youngest, and will be protected by the older ones." Alexander glared over at him. "Listen, until you came along Irina and I were the babies. Mum was determined to make me into a fine priest, or monk like my father, but I was just as determined to become like Uncle Jenos."
"I guess it didn't go so well?"
"No," he chuckled. "Alex, we want to protect you but like it or not you are good at what you do. I can't promise that the others won't look at you as "the little boy" anymore, but I will try to see you as the man you are turning into. Just don't blow it ok, Squirt?"
"Alright…" Alexander sighed.
"I'm going back inside and get some dinner. I'll make sure Danielle saves you a plate."
"Thanks." He continued tossing the straw.
Artorus stopped in the middle of that ladder." Oh I forgot. Where did you get that stuff?"
"Sorry, that's a trade secret, but I found out what it does from mom's apothecary friend."
"Good idea to go to an honorable source." He started to go down the ladder again when Alexander spoke again.
"Artie, he did want me to give you and Irina a message." Alexander had a mischievous look on his face.
"Which is?" He looked up at the boy.
"He hopes Irina is alright. She hasn't been by the past couple months to pick up her potions."
"Which one is that?"
Alexander didn't say anything, just gave him a wicked grin.
"Ahh crap…" Artorus lost his footing on the ladder and fell to the ground.
--
It was a few minutes later when Alexander poked his head back into the kitchen. He saw Artorus and Irina by the bar.
"...but you told me you were taking them."
"I have been. Do you honestly think I'm that stupid? I have to travel with His Eminence in two months, and I'm not jeopardizing that."
It was then that Artorus spotted him. "Hey Squirt, returned to the land of the living?"
"Hi Artie, hi Irina."
"What is this about me not picking up my potions?" Irina asked pointedly.
"Oh that, the apothecary wanted to know if you were alright. You hadn't picked up your cure serious potions for the past couple months. He was thinking the 'combat school' had gone out of business." He stood there with a smirk on his face while Artorus looked gob smacked.
"Father Gregory was kind enough to visit most nights, and use his wand of healing, so we haven't needed them." She then turned to her husband, "Artie, you didn't think that those were…"
"Well, I, uh…"
Irina couldn't help laughing. "Not funny Squirt."
"Well, I thought it was."
Smiling, she glared at her brother, "Kindly leave the torturing of my husband to me."
"But its fun watching him make a fool of himself."
"Now that everyone has cooled off," Tirai Osdarin spoke from the other side of the room, giving a pointed look at certain people. "Each of you give a report of what you have found."
Daniel stepped forward. "It took us few hours but we did manage to piece together what the assassin would tell us."
"I thought he was dead?" Irina raised an eye brow.
"He is, and I have to say, I never knew mother could be so vicious." Daniel winced at the memory. "I thought only father could do that much damage."
Jenos, freshly cleaned and changed, chimed in from the bar as he nursed a flagon of ale. "I loved your mother but she had a vindictive streak a mile wide. We are just lucky that she left him in enough pieces we could interrogate him."
"Pardon?" Artorus looked confused.
"If a corpse doesn't have a functioning mouth, or is in too many pieces the spell to make them talk to you, it won't work," his sister-in-law Tirai leaned over and whispered to him.
"Anyway, it took a lot of tries but we did manage to get more information out of him."
"A name of who did this?" Alexander asked hopeful.
"No such luck. His job was to sneak in and take little Jenos for ransom. He was to bring the child to a market square, and receive his reward there. It was to be nice and simple, until he ran into mum. Then the plan got blown to hell."
"Find anything else out?" Irina asked.
"That is be best we could get. The guy doesn't like 'goody two shoes' and was very strong willed."
The elder Tirai nodded. "Irina, you and Artorus were sent to find out who would want to do this. What have you found out?"
Irina pulled out a piece of parchment. "On here is a list of everyone who MIGHT have a reason to do this."
"I'll take that." Jenos stepped forward to take it from his daughter.
"No! You are just going to go break down a few door of innocent people." She pulled it back.
"I will find out who did this to your mother."
"Soon as they see you coming, they will run. Subtlety is not your strong suit," Daniel commented.
Seeing that her father had no intention of backing down, Irina pleaded to him, "At least let us narrow down the list a little before you start knocking heads together, please?" Irina looked to her father with the signature Please, dad? Look to her eyes. Jenos gave her a resigned sigh and motioned for her to continue.
"The family has made a few enemies over the years."
"No kidding," Alexander mumbled, but was silenced with a glare from his father.
"There are orders of the clergy that are still not pleased with the guardians putting a female on the throne. Add in the others that are upset that the guardians brought in a country girl to put on the throne, and start to see why it is a very long list."
"If we didn't, the world would still be in darkness."
"There are people out there who wonder if it would have been better to left well enough alone." Tiari commented.
Jenos groaned.
"There are various families that don't like that we hold a considerable amount of political power around here. There are people who don't like the pub for how good of business we do. There are jilted people who don't like that father didn't marry his daughters off to wealthy bishops or cardinal's sons, instead of who we wanted to marry."
"If I had my way you two would have been locked in a tower were no man could get to you, but I wouldn't have my grandchildren to spoil if I had done that." Jenos motioned for them to continue.
"The long and the short of it is that there are A LOT of people who have a grudge against us, but few who we think have the resources to do this to us."
"Any idea which one's they are?" Daniel commented.
"It will take some looking into." Irina sighed. "I did run into Cardinal Jean- Michelle. He said he wanted to officiate over Mum's funeral tomorrow, and he needed to speak to you soon as it is over, Father. He said it was important."
"That was kind of him," Jenos nodded. "I'll speak with him soon as I can."
Seeing her sister finished, Tirai came forward to give her report. "While I was at the garrison I found someone from our intelligence network was contacted by Dark Angel." Daniel, Irina, and Artie nodded.
Jenos scratched his head. "Who?"
"Sorry, in the past year a spy for our forces has been working behind the scenes for us. He, or she, has helped us uncover several plots against His Eminence," Irina spoke up.
"Can you trust this Dark Angel?"
"No, but who ever he is he has not lead us astray yet."
Jenos waved for them to continue.
"According to my source, He can confirm Mum's 'assassin' was out to kidnap little Jen, but ran into a snag."
"Which was?"
"Mum," She smiled slightly, "Mum was not supposed to be there, and wasn't supposed to be that deadly. There are few that remember what she could do back in the old days." She gave an apologetic look to the adults in the room. "General public doesn't think her to be much of a threat. Mum was Lady Idanian, the only mortal guardian. She has the power in their connections and influences to make or break anyone. "
"Mum, harmless? Hardly. I mean, look who she married... no offense, Poppa." Irina smiled at her father.
"None taken."
"Alexis McCoy-Idanian was one of the best assassins I knew of, not that she spread that around of course." Irina continued. "Why would anyone think she was harmless?"
"Public versus public image, she wanted the general public to think she was harmless." Alexander spoke up. "A good defense is to appear weak and set the trap."
"Except this time she got caught in her own trap." Daniel sighed.
"Mum was too good for that, beside that substance you found wouldn't kill her. Make it so she couldn't move for a few hours, but not kill her," Tirai explained.
"That isn't what the priestess said."
"Priestess?" Jenos raised an eyebrow.
Tirai Osdarin leaned over, placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered to him. "When we found her we called for a priestess from the Church of the Goddess's Womb to come help." Jenos nodded that he understood.
"Then she was wrong." Alexander challenged.
"She was a healer. Taking care of situations like this is what she does." Daniel raised his voice to his brother, only to receive a glare from his Aunt Tirai.
"What if she didn't heal mother?" Alexander tried to speak civilly.
"She did everything she could to save Mum's life. I was holding Mum when she died, Alex." Tears crept into the younger Tirai's voice.
"How long after the priestess got there did mum die?" Alexander asked.
"It wasn't long, a minute, maybe two."
"That's what I thought." Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose, and started to walk off.
Artie finally spoke, letting the others do most of talking, "Alex, what are you thinking?"
"Doesn't matter." Artie took hold of his arm.
"Tell us what you think Alex." Artie tried to get him to understand he was asking the man Alex to stay, not the little boy Alexander. "I want to hear your thoughts."
Sighing, Alexander spoke, "Those that heal can also kill."
Those in the room gave him a blank look.
He tried a different approach, "Our own family history shows that from light also comes darkness. Lady Cassandra bore the greatest evil and darkness this world has ever known, but she also was the greatest source of light and goodness this world has ever known."
"That isn't a pleasant thought."
"True, but just as spells heal they also can also damage."
"Mother wasn't damaged by anything other than that one blade strike," Daniel intoned.
"There are spells to poison, and they are far deadlier than anything you can find on the blade of an assassin. What is to say that the priestess didn't heal mother but poison her? Not even the best alchemist in the city could identify the poison that killed her. What is to stop someone who we trust also from betraying us?"
"Nothing is stopping me from seeing if she can't heal this," Jenos said with a determined grunt as he reached up for his sword and headed out the door.
Off to the side, Tirai Osdarin held her head as she mumbled a few choice words about her old friend's temper. Without being told to, Daniel and Artie followed Jenos out. Alexander walked over and spoke in his Aunt's ear.
"Auntie, I don't think father would appreciate you calling him that; besides, I didn't think you knew that language."
"You weren't supposed to hear that." She blushed slightly. "Being around your mother for nearly thirty years I had to learn something from her. Besides, your father wouldn't ever..." she began, but stopped herself. "But you should go; I have a feeling you may be the one cleaning up the mess this time."
--
To say the priestesses of the Church of Goddess's Womb were terrified was an understatement. They were finishing their prayers when the barred door to the church burst open in a shower of splinters to admit a very angry, fully armored Guardian. The Idanian family had been patrons of the church for nearly thirty years, and they had never seen Guardian Idanian this angry.
"Where is she?"
The high Father of the church came forward, "Your wife, sir, is in your family's chapel. She has been prepared for her burial tomorrow."
"Not my wife. The priestess!"
By then Alexander had caught up to group, "Father Bryan, we are looking for the priestess that came to aid my mother these two nights past." Alexander tried to stay diplomatic.
"I do not understand." He looked to all four men as Daniel and Artorus entered behind the youngest Idanian child.
"Father, when we found my mother, Alexis Idanian, had been attacked, we called for a priestess came to heal her. She said she was from your church. Where is that priestess? We must speak to her."
"None of my priestesses went to your home that night, but I believe one of the pilgrims guides may have gone. It isn't uncommon for Pilgrims to come to the city and give offerings to the goddess, especially at the churches patron by a particular guardian."
"Then where is this pilgrim priestess?" Jenos said through gritted teeth.
"If she is not at the temple, where can we find her?" Alexander tried to keep the situation from escalating.
"The night that your mother died we had many here at the church. Your wife was even here for services, Master Daniel."
"Yes, she was."
"None of my priests knew of the incident until Brother Robert escorted Master Daniel's wife home."
"I must know where all the pilgrims were from and where they have gone."
"I will tell you all that I can." Father Bryan looked at them honestly.
They hadn't gotten far before someone came running into the church; it was little Tirai. "We might have something."
--
"You're telling me that Claire saw who did this?" Jenos indicated the elderly woman who had been their cook and housekeeper for the past 35 years.
"No, after all of you boys left - and thanks for leaving us with the kids," she growled then went back to business, "we started talking about that night. Claire brought us something to drink, and heard us talking about the priestess."
"What did she say?" Alexander asked.
"Claire mentioned the priestess that treated mother had been in the pub that night. She didn't come from the temple."
"Then how do we find her?"
"Other than putting feelers out into the city and knocking on a few doors I don't know what more we can do."
"I'm going to start breaking down doors until I find her." Jenos headed for the door.
He didn't count on Tirai stepping in front of him. "No you are not! You are going home and staying put. You are not helping any by banging down doors and scaring innocent people to death. You aren't the only one hurting."
"I must find out who did this!"
"Find who? A five-foot tall, female Luminarian priestess, with dark brown hair and eyes?" Tirai felt for her father, but had finally had enough of his attitude. "She could have come from any number of towns. You might as well round up every female in the city and interrogate them, why not the whole county? The whole kingdom? Let us do our job, Poppa. Now go home!"
Had it been anyone else but his little Tirai speaking to him in such a manner, Jenos would have been likely to have a blade at their neck. Coming from Tirai, however, he had no choice but to stop and listen. "You promise to give me any news as soon as you get it?"
"Yes. For now, get out from underfoot."
--
An hour or so later Artorus stepped down into the basement fighting ring; he gave a sad smile at what he found down there. He leaned on the door way watching. In the middle of the fighting ring Jenos was practicing his art. As he watched, Artorus had to admit that Jenos was a master at the art of swordplay. Just as a painter made each stroke count, so did Jenos. Every strike and stroke was lethal. When he was younger he would sneak down and watch his 'uncle' practice. Then he and Irina would attempt to replicate his moves with their toy swords. Even after years of study he doubted he would ever be as good as his now father-in-law.
"Are you going to stand and gawk all day, boy?" Jenos said as he moved from maneuver to maneuver flawlessly.
"Some things will never change." Artorus walked over to him.
"Did you come down here for something other than watching me?" Jenos sheathed his great sword.
"I came to challenge you actually, sir." Artorus grinned and picked up a staff off the rack.
"Last time you did that you ended up a bloody pile of meat, if I remember correctly." He took a drink of water from a bucket.
"The last time involved thinking you didn't trust your daughter, and my own stupid bravado." Before Jenos could say anything he continued, "You set me straight on that, and I still have the scars to prove it. I came to challenge you to a sparring duel. Since my father isn't here I thought you would like to beat the crud out of some one by the name of Odgree. "
Jenos couldn't help the slight turn up of his lips, "Fine, but you know I could kill you."
"Then no blades, only wooden staffs; no armor only our shirts and quick thinking." Artorus tossed him a wooden staff.
"You have the potions?" Jenos took it and spun it in his hand.
Artorus pointed to a bag hanging on a hook by the door. "Standard kit, and the emergency one is behind the bar upstairs."
"Then let's get started." Jenos gave him a wicked grin as he began his attack.
It was an hour or so later when Irina came down stairs. Both men were sweaty, and dirty. "What did the two of you do?"
"Beat the crap out of each other." Artorus said, exhausted, as he held his ribs.
"What did you do to him?" Irina charged up on her father.
He held his hands up. "Nothing baby doll. We were sparring."
Irina pursed her lips annoyed. "If I didn't know you needed to let off some steam I'd be angry."
Jenos hid his eyes for a moment. Irina's 'look' at him reminded him of Alexis when she got upset. Clearing his throat, Jenos changed the subject. "Artorus, you are a good fighter. I'd like to know how you managed to ward off some of my blows."
"I'm my father's son." He gave Jenos a cheeky grin. Jenos' glare made it melt. Clearing his throat and putting his weapons back on, Artorus spoke again. "My father gave me a wedding gift, and I used it tonight."
"What magic did you use against me?" Jenos didn't look pleased.
"Artie, you didn't!" Irina looked at him amazed.
Stiffly Artorus straightened his shirt, and held out his sword hand. On it was a simple silver ring with a dark stone on it. "Father gave it to me when we got married. It protects against bludgeoning damage. He thought it would keep me from getting too many whacks to the back of the head from my wife." Artorus sighed and looked up at his father in law. "Before you get angry I want to say that I knew you needed to let off steam and this helped me help you. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings but I did it to help you, Sir."
In spite of himself, Jenos couldn't find any anger to direct at the young man. He simply sighed. "Artorus, I've lost my wife and I couldn't even be here to defend her, because for the past thirty years I've been a warrior, being at best a part-time father and husband. I'm too enraged by my own inability to care for my family to properly lend a hand to anyone, and my own daughter has relegated me to sitting on my hands until she tells me otherwise. I've lost the luxury of being proud, son." He set his staff down and reached for a towel. "Thank you for entertaining an old man's whimsy."
"Come on, it's late." Irina tugged on her husband's arm, feeling awkward at being unable to find a way to respond to her father's broken spirit.
"You go on it will be just a minute." He bent and chastely kissed his wife.
"Don't be too late." She headed back up stairs.
He looked to his father in law sheepishly. "I wanted to give you this before I left." He reached into the medical bag and pulled out a dusty liqure bottle. "This is the strongest stuff I could find. It won't make the pain go away but..." he sighed and handed to his father in law.
Jenos looked down at the bottle, lightly brushed away some dust from the label, and smiled. "Here's hoping there will be enough left for us to all share when this gets solved, Artie. Again, thank you. I guess Irina could've done a lot worse."
Artorus patted him on the arm and went upstairs to his family, leaving him alone.
--
Jenos returned to his room with the bottle, and eventually spent most of the evening draining it. When he did finally fall into bed, he knew he would sleep soundly if not peacefully. He wasn't sure how long he had been asleep when he heard the sounds of a flute. He looked over to the window seat and found Alexis upon it, playing a soothing tune. He was out of bed in a flash and hugging her with all his might.
He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent, only to find that she had none. He didn't care, though; she was back in his arms.
"Jenos… Jen, put me down. I'm glad to see you too." Alexis laughed as he swung her around.
As Jenos sat her down, he noticed that Alexis looked different. Her hair had less grey, and the lines she had earned from her worry about him and caring for the children were gone. If Jenos didn't know any better, he would have swore she was the same age as their daughters. That didn't matter to him, however; she was alive, and back with him. "I thought you were dead."
"Jen, I am dead. I have been for days now." She looked up at him sadly.
"Then what?"
"The Goddess felt I needed to stay near you and the others for a little while. I have some business I need to take care of before I decide."
"What do you mean, decide? You belong with me sweetheart." He was kissing her between sentences, just happy to have her back.
"I am with you." She smiled at him slightly, "Jen, tell me that little Jen is alright."
"He is fine. That guy didn't lay a finger on him."
"Good, but I wish I knew why Jenner was after him."
"You knew the guy?"
"Jenner was a mid level skilled thief, and trouble maker. He preferred kidnapping over murder."
"Did you know he was coming?"
"No, but I heard rumors that someone was interested in little Jenos."
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"If I alerted everyone to every time someone mentioned doing ill to our family we wouldn't get a bit of sleep. I didn't alert anyone until there were more solid indicators."
"Were there any?"
"No unusual people spotted, any more than the normal people. We are a pub after all, and can't turn away all unsavory characters. They do pay well."
"Anything else you can tell me?
"Trust in your children." After she said that she noticed the mist creeping up on her. "Do what you feel is right."
"Don't go, please, I just got you back."
"We shall see…"
"Alexis, stay…" Jenos awoke with a start. Only there was no one there. She was gone.
Jenos couldn't get back to sleep and went down to the common room. He wasn't surprised to find someone already there. "Hello, Tirai."
"I thought you would be down here tonight."
"It used to be Alexis talking to me after one of your visits. Now it's reversed."
Tirai turned to regard her old friend. "Would it make you feel more at home if I pretended to not believe you, insisting that it wasn't real?"
For a moment, Jenos almost forgot the events of the past few days. "What is reality, Tirai?" he asked her, repeating a line from nearly nearly four decades ago.
His friend simply smiled and, moving to the fireplace, motioned for her friend to join her. "The kids are all off to bed. Let's talk."