Note: I apologize greatly for the delay, yet I was having trouble on deciding which route to go for the Fire Stone. Ultimately, however, I think I've found a way.
Special thanks to Falchion1984 for editing and co-writing!
Meeting with a Witch
Atop Vuscav
The morning sun peeked over the nigh-boundless horizon of the ocean, alerting Vuscav's passengers that another day had arrived. Further, they noticed that the sun had continued to crest sooner each day than it had the day before. As the pattern had held since they'd set out from Altena's icebound shores, and the sea breeze had grown steadily balmier, that had to mean Nevarl was drawing near, and that they were ever-so-surely approaching still greater danger.
"Sirhtan is the capital of the region, and easily the biggest trade center," Hawkeye informed the others. "It has a port where, years back, it did a bustling trade. With the problems producing goods and finding buyers lately, and I'm guessing Mana's weakening had a lot to do with that, the port's been pretty quiet for the past few years."
It was not lost on his small audience that his normally coy and smiling face had darkened at that And, that shift in expression was not misleading. Quite a few trades taken for granted in other parts of the world were much more challenging in the desert. Still, such goods as brassware, glassware, silver, dates, sugar, figs, pistachios, gemstones, jewelry, frankincense, myrrh, pipe weed, silks, handwoven carpets, and a myriad of other delights for the eye and the tongue had sold well abroad.
Or, at least, they used to.
However difficult it was making the goods, getting them to potential buyers was harder still. Shipbuilding in a land like Nevarl was a daunting prospect, and hiring vessels from abroad was freightfully expensive. Naturally, this meant the "financiers" of such trades were obliged to up their asking prices to cover the expense.
Hawkeye had slipped in and out of Sirthan often enough to know that these "markups" were, if he was speaking in charitable terms, "excessive". As for what he'd say if he wasn't speaking in charitable terms, it involved a variety of words unsuitable to polite company.
When the goods were still selling, and those who worked hard to get them to market were still getting paid, this was fine. But, inevitably, things changed. Demand for finery and exotic snacks plummeted during the Peddan War, especially once Flamekhan's decision to ally with Peddan became more widely known. Black markets, not unlike the one in Beiser, began cropping up and offering similar goods at a fraction of the price for the genuine articles. And, thus, much like the oasis in Diln was slowly but inexorably doing, Nevarl's foreign trade dried up.
That had done a lot of damage to the people the Thieves Guild fought for - used to fight for, anyway - but it also meant that the small group had more immediate problems to consider.
"No offense, big guy," Hawkeye said, knocking gently on Vuscav's shell and trying, unsuccessfully for his customary smile. "But, even if there was still traffic at the port, you don't exactly blend in. We will have to enter Sirhtan to get water and supplies, but disembarking at the port is a terrible idea. People would spot us miles off. And, we need to keep out of sight. It'd be better if we hugged the coastline further south. That way, maybe we can find a landing site along the shoreline and sneak into the city from there."
"Assuming that enemy forces won't be waiting for us," Riesz added. "You did say that witch likely has the city under watch, at best. But, given our options, we don't have much choice."
"Unfortunately not," Hawkeye agreed. "You know, maybe I could sneak in first and check the place out before the rest of you come in."
"Are you certain?" Riesz questioned, surprised by the young man's sudden suggestion.
"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I know this country," the Nevarlan told the young queen. "I know how to move about unseen, and I'm already acclimated to the climate. This is a foreign land for the rest of you, not to mention enemy territory. Besides, we want to get our supplies and be on our way without being seen, and it's kinda hard to hide a group of six. Especially when five of those are…from out of town."
Riesz could see the logic in his reasoning, and yes, strategically, that would be the best course of action. Regardless, however, the blonde couldn't conceal her worry. Not when, despite his blithe air, Hawkeye had already had several brushes with death at the hands of the very people whose domain he'd be infiltrating. "Very well," she said. "Still, be careful."
"Don't worry," Hawkeye assured her. "If Belladonna's goons haven't caught me yet, I doubt I'll get snagged now."
"It's not your skills I doubt," Riesz told him. "It's just-"
"Hey!" Angela suddenly interjected, gaining everyone's attention. "I see a beach up ahead!"
The party looked ahead and saw the Altenan Princess was right: just a few miles of ocean rested in between Vuscav and the shores of Nevarl. The city itself still lay some distance off, indistinct from this far away, but the lack of noise one might expect from a bustling port did not offer reassurance as to how Sirhtan was faring under Belladonna's "governance". The remainder of their journey wasn't long, yet the anticipation made the trek all the more unbearable. Aside from the desert sun, which would soon be beating down on them relentlessly, the uncertainty of what they would find made the prospect of what might greet them all the more daunting. Finally, however, the great turtle reached the shallows and heaved himself up onto the sandy beach, allowing the six to hop off and begin their mission.
And that was when a pair of hidden figures made themselves known, emerging from behind twin boulders situated opposite each other on the narrow path that led from the shore to the stretch of desert between the small beach and the city. Hawkeye, cursing his lack of foresight, recognized the old trick, as the rocks had been specifically placed to conceal the two familiar friends.
Or, in this case, fiends.
"Greetings be to the Queen of Laurent," Bill greeted with a small bend at the waist and no small amount of sarcasm, Ben following suit.
"And to the Crown Princess of Altena," the other ninja's twin added, also with a mocking tone. "Rather fortuitous, so many of our enemies crossing our doorstep."
Duran drew his sword and vaulted to his feet, interposing himself between the two shinobi and the violet-haired young woman, and trying not to grimace as his hand was burned by the metal grip, now quite warm from the hot sun. Before he could dismount the rather unusual steed the group had used to cross the ocean, Hawkeye had already leapt onto the sand, facing his two former companions with his daggers at the ready.
"Wood, ivory, horn, or bone," Hawkeye said to Duran, though he kept his eyes on his old, perhaps "former", friends. "Metal heats up fast out here."
"Speaking of things heating up," Bill said, Ben adding afterward,
"She's been simmering with anticipation to see you as well, murderer."
The thief shuddered lightly, yet salvaged his customarily smooth poker face. "By 'she', I assume you mean Isabella?" Hawkeye questioned, allowing his brow to rise.
"That's 'Lady Belladonna' to you!" Bill hissed, raising his fist in his former friend's direction. "Treat a higher being with the respect she deserves, you filthy mortal!"
"Funny, considering you're the same thing in your 'Lady's' eyes, aren't you?" Angela spoke up, interjecting herself into the conversation. "From the way I see it, she considers you just as expendable as he is!"
"And you would know a thing or two about being considered disposable, wouldn't you, Princess?" Bill retorted, and Ben picked up his cue smoothly.
"Speaking of, how has your dear mother been as of late?" Angela answered only with seething silence. "Or your dear teacher, Jose?"
The young woman's anger was replaced with shock, her green eyes pulsing wide. She was distantly aware of Duran, still wincing against the pain of drawing a bronze sword barehanded in the hot sun, launching himself off the back of Vuscav and joining Hawkeye on the shore. Though both the fighter and the thief were poised to strike, Bill and Ben did not attack. "How do you know things like that?" the promising young soldier questioned, shield at eye level and sword at the ready.
The two ninjas glanced at each other, then back to Duran and Hawkeye. Their hoods and veils concealed most of their features, yet there was an almost gleeful glint in their eyes, as if they were quite anxious to tell them all something.
"First thing's first," Bill said, stepping to the side, everyone was then able to see another figure approaching the party over a nearby hill of coastal sand. "We mention treating our lady with respect, because…"
Sure enough, the approaching figure was revealed to be an all-too-familiar red-haired woman. As Belladonna drew near, standing in between the two shinobi, her golden, cat-like eyes regarded the six youths before her with a malevolent gleam.
"She has requested an audience with you," Ben finished.
Taking her cue smoothly, Belladonna offered her rivals a welcoming grin, yet one with an unmistakably predatory undertone, accentuated by how her canines were slightly sharper than that of the average human.
"Hello, little bird," the red-haired woman greeted, eyes flashing a golden yellow. "You've spent a good while flying far, haven't you?"
Hawkeye didn't answer, yet Belladonna didn't appear offended. Rather, she seemed not to react to the sleight at all, her smile widening.
"Welcome home, Hawkeye," she greeted, then noticed Riesz approaching the thief from behind. "Ah, and greetings to you, Your Highness," she gave a small, mocking bow, Bill and Ben quickly following suit.
Needless to say, the long-haired blonde was not amused in the slightest. "You didn't come here just to have some light conversation," she said plainly, yet it was clear she was holding back barely restrained fury. "Where are Elliot and Jessica?"
Belladonna raised a brow. "Hm? Did you forget about Flamekhan? Or does Olbex's former Second-in-Command mean nothing to you?" she questioned Riesz, who, in turn, said nothing. "Hm, can't blame you if that's the case," she said, her gaze shifting to Hawkeye. "Oh, that's right, you still think the world of that man, don't you?"
The violet-haired thief was puzzled. "What are you playing at?"
"Oh, never mind, I'll save it for later," Belladonna shrugged. "For now, however, aren't you more interested in someone else?" she then brought out a familiar-looking necklace, the thief's breath catching in his throat. "Someone that you set out to rescue, once upon a time?"
The Desert Capital Sihrtan
While it hadn't been nearly as long as it felt since he'd last entered Sihrtan, Hawkeye couldn't help but feel as if he were stepping into an entirely different city than the one where he'd completed that last heist with Bill, Ben, and Niccolo. True, to the casual observer, nothing appeared different. People still roamed about, both the well-off and those just barely hanging on, yet there was an almost crushing weight that appeared to be on everyone's shoulders. An oppressive sensation in the air that was different from the already harsh heat.
"So, Young Queen of Laurent," Belladonna began, turning to spot Riesz, who was surveying the city with a troubled expression. "What do you think of Nevarl? Are we making a good first impression?"
The blonde young woman tightened her jaw, eyes closing as she tried with all her strength to contain herself. But it would be easy, it would've been so easy to just reach out and impale that demoness right through the gut. Yet, she had to keep herself in check. Not for any semblance of care for Belladonna herself, but for Elliot. Besides, she doubted her father would approve of such brutality. Such behavior was not befitting a Princess, let alone a Queen.
"I think," she began, swallowing her more caustic opinions about Belladonna's "first impression". "It is a land with the potential to be great," she said. "It is just unfortunately blessed with a peculiar sort of luck."
The red-haired woman raised a brow. "Hm? How so?"
Riesz's blue eyes narrowed. "People like you always seem to get into power."
While this verbal fencing match was underway, the others kept a close watch. Aside from those few on the streets who noticed them, and rarely regarded them with friendly eyes, they also realized that Bill and Ben were intentionally keeping them away from Reizs and Belladonna. When Duran and Kevin tried to approach, the kunai sheathed at each twins' hip began to inch its way free. Hawkeye, having anticipated this, didn't move, yet he still kept a wary eye on Belladonna and Riesz, watching with no small amount of dread as the two conversed with each other.
"People like me?" Belladonna questioned. "And who am I, in your eyes?" she spoke in such a way as if she were daring the young woman to insult her. Surely she saw the glimpse of her true form upon reaching the shore, right? In point of fact, the Mavolean had made sure of it.
"A usurper, yet not in any classic sense, or even one most would consider justified while looking at it from the outside. For, while Flamekhan has taken the place of Oblex as leader of the Thieves' Guild, he achieved his position through both the untimely death of his predecessor and operated the guild in good faith," Riesz answered. "Even if we were on opposing sides," her eyes shifted toward Hawkeye. "Oblex at least had enough wisdom to judge those closest to him fairly."
Belladonna said nothing at first, lips compressed in a smooth but grim line, as if she were unsure of just how to respond to the young queen's words. Soon, however, a smile crept onto her face. "You speak well of your grandmother's killer," she observed. "Better than what the rest of your people have had to say about us, certainly."
Riesz's eyes narrowed. "That too, isn't right," she confessed. "This entire conflict isn't right, yet only one of us is willing to do anything to put an end to the violence."
"Are you?" Belladonna inquired.
"What do you mean?" the young queen asked warily.
"You could always surrender your nation's Mana Stone to us, and give us no further reason to plan a counterattack against you later to take it back," the redhead woman told her. "The boy was a…very important prize, but he wasn't all we needed from Laurent. Who's to say we won't return for the Windstone? In fact, what if we aren't the only ones keen to take it? And, bear in mind, the Beast inside has already tasted blood," she reminded her. "Blood of someone you know, in fact."
Riesz's eyes went wide and her grip on her spear tightened. "How did you…?"
"Know of Harcypete's attempt to best you? Surely you remember the little demons roaming around Heavensway at night, right?" Belladonna asked, her eyes flashing golden once again. "We have eyes everywhere, Your Highness," she then smiled at seeing the blonde's shoulders stiffen. "It doesn't have to be her," Belladonna assured. "It can just as easily be someone else. The Benevodon isn't picky," she explained. "It can't afford to be. It hasn't had a taste of anything, let alone had any contact with the outside, since it was first sealed up. Offer it a life, the Stone will be activated, and neither us nor our…competitors will have any reason to trouble you further."
The blonde furrowed her brows in disgust. "You truly believe me to be so low as to strike such a depraved bargain?!" she hissed. "I wish for NO blood to be spilled, period," she firmly stated. "And, the sooner your horde of hellish beings are taken care of, the sooner the innocents here will be free from your wickedness."
"Oooh, you wound me, my dear," Belladonna moaned in mock distress. "Despite the pain I've caused you, you've certainly been kinder than the others I've encountered over the years."
"That will end, and very quickly, if you keep playing around with us," Riesz responded. "Thus, I'll ask again. Where are Elliot and Jessica?"
Belladonna didn't answer at first, although her expression made it clear that the Queen's resolve was both amusing yet somewhat frustrating as well. "Bill, Ben," she began. "It's all right," she urged them. "You can let the little bird come closer to his dear lady."
"'Little bird'?" Riesz echoed, looking unimpressed. "A bit obvious as barbs go, don't you think?"
"Oh, I don't know," Belladonna drawled, feigning thoughtfulness. "Little Birds tend to fly away from predators, and this one went quite a distance, didn't he?"
Before the amazon even had the chance to retort for the veiled accusation of cowardice, a violet-haired, tan-skinned young man practically teleported to her side, Riesz taken aback by the speed at which the thief had entered the scene. Hawkeye quickly looked her over, then directed his attention to Belladonna. Bill and Ben still continued to interpose themselves between the small conference and the other companions.
"See?" the woman smirked. "He's already marked you as his favorite," she glanced at Hawkeye. "Isn't that right, birdie?"
"Where are you leading us anyway?" the young man demanded, in no mood for the woman or her teasing.
"Oh, just a little place in the center of town," Belladonna assured him. "You should actually be able to see it from here, if you look ahead."
The thief and young queen did just that, both of them spotting the same location, yet what went through their minds at the sight of it couldn't have been more different. To Riesz, it looked like just another lavish estate amongst many, albeit one that seemed to be crumbling in these harsh times. But, she quickly recognized Hawkeye's shock upon realizing where exactly Belladonna was taking them. And, it then registered that, indeed, there was more to this unexpected conference than just a simple greeting for "travelers to Nevarl."
"Shall we?" Belladonna asked in a sickeningly merry tone, striding forward, Bill and Ben silently "persuading" the others along.
"Hawkeye, what's wrong?" Riesz asked the native of the desert country, hesitantly placing a hand on his shoulder.
"This place," he muttered, eyes scanning the lavish but worn estate from top to bottom, along with the surrounding buildings. "This is the place we raided the night Eagle died."
"Tea?"
If it wasn't for Hawkeye and Reisz being there, and the very real possibility that a show of hostility might put Elliot and Jessica in greater danger, Duran would've lost it and demanded the red-haired woman stop playing games. Unfortunately, he caught sight of Hawkeye and Riesz out of the corner of his eye, and the warning look the fighter received was more than enough of a sign that the only way to get out of this alive was to play along with the red-haired Malvole.
The only question was, just what sort of game did the witch have in mind this time? And, how much was at stake?
"Poison isn't exactly subtle enough for you, is it?" Riesz questioned, crossing her arms as she regarded the steaming cups arranged on the small table before her and the other companions with clear skepticism. "Surely you would have something more creative in mind."
Belladonna chuckled. "Correct," she answered. "This is just one step in our…negotiations," she clarified, gesturing to the cups, which gave off a spicy scent none of them were familiar with.
The substance inside was a dark color with a viscous texture, yet the aroma was pleasing to the senses. Exotic and tropical, yet seemingly innocuous enough to entice one into sampling a taste. Still, no one dared touch the cups, not even Charlotte nor Kevin.
"And, what's the next step?" Riesz asked Belladonna, eyeing one of the cups suspiciously.
The red-haired woman narrowed her eyes. "You will know its taste by the end of this," she told the young queen. "I do not appreciate being slighted, and if you continue to snub my hospitality then you'll never see your brother's face again," she smiled upon seeing the young woman stiffen. Riesz absorbed these words, then eyed the brew once again, her gaze then darting to Belladonna and her two brainwashed minions. "The decision is yours, my queen," she said. "Either way, you know that partaking of my hospitality in good faith is the best chance you have at seeing him. And," her eyes turned to Hawkeye. "Seeing Jessica."
The blonde was silent for a short while, weighing her options, unattractive though they were. "You swear that they live?" She inquired, feeling foolish for doing so. Yet she needed to be sure, even if the woman before her wasn't exactly trustworthy.
"I need your brother alive," Belladonna informed Riesz, her tone flat and matter-of-fact. "Securing Laurent was only a byproduct of what happened. What I really needed was the boy," she then paused. "I still find it quite…interesting that you survived." Her eyes turned to Bill and Ben, and there was accusation in those feline orbs.
"You have Alma to thank for that," Riesz responded. "Although, I would like to know exactly just how a young boy could be so important to creatures from Mavolia," she said. "Or the innocent people here, for that matter. You've gone to a great deal of trouble, but I don't understand why"
"Join me for a drink, and I'll tell you," Belladonna answered, gesturing to the tea. "Everything."
Riesz gazed at the cups, the liquid inside having gone from hot to merely warm, then her eyes turned towards Hawkeye, then to her four other allies, then to the table the cups sat on, around which had been arranged seven cushions for them to sit upon.
Then, Riesz was forced to admit that the only option was to sit down at the table and play the game.
"Very well," the Amazonian Queen declared. "We shall participate in these negotiations."
Belladonna grinned. "Excellent. Now, if you would?" She gestured to the table.
With a sigh, Riesz followed the disguised Mavole, and the rest of her friends did likewise. Hawkeye made a point of taking his place at her side, lest the witch try anything.
Other than whatever she had up her sleeve at this very moment, that is. And, based on his past experiences with the red-haired woman, he knew he'd best be ready for anything.
While being in this house again had thrown the thief for a moment, and part of him could appreciate the simple mental trickery of using the setting to unbalance him, Hawkeye still had his wits about him. Though, he hardly needed them to notice that the greedy man he'd fleeced on that fateful night was nowhere to be seen.
Given what had happened to the last man whose good graces Belladonna had slithered her way into, that did not bode well for the miserly git. And, this impression was amply reinforced when he noticed that a few furnishings that hadn't been here that night, but HAD been in Flamekhan's chambers beforehand, now dotted the room.
"So," Belladonna began, everyone taking their places while Bill and Ben stood guard by the door. "I take it your journey here was a smooth one?" She questioned. "I've heard no complaints from any of you so far."
Duran was about to speak, yet thought for a moment. Faerie, he thought, communicating with his hidden companion. Do you…sense anything about this stuff? He questioned, dark eyes looking down at the contents of the cup.
…it's laced with something, Faerie told her host. It's not poison, but it's been drugged. At most, it's meant to knock you out for a few hours.
So, she DOESN'T want to kill us?
Faerie was silent for a moment before she answered. Not yet, at least.
"We just paid my home a visit," Angela replied to Belladonna, her expression tight and her tone bland. "As well as rescuing another Spirit which Koren was tormenting," she added. "There's a Mana Spirit here too, isn't there?"
"So they say," Belladonna responded, her tone noncommittal. "Although, I honestly never believed it," she confessed. "It would be too convenient, wouldn't it? After all my years of existence, there has been little that I would consider easy. Certainly doesn't help that I'm not exactly human, which does complicate things," her eyes flashed yellow for a moment, turning to center on the blonde and somewhat startled Charlotte. "I'm sure such…complications are things you're very familiar with, aren't you, little one?"
Charlotte bit her lip, averting her eyes. "I…guess so, Ma'am," she answered, thankful she could articulate her speech without her vexing pronunciation getting in the way.
"Yes," Belladonna then glanced at Kevin. "You too, right?" she inquired. "It's special for you, isn't it?" she asked. "You have a peculiar condition that rears its head at night, don't you?"
The blonde, tan-skinned half-breed narrowed his brows. "How did you…?"
"My kind has been around for centuries," Belladonna answered the Beastman Prince. "I've heard rumors among my people that Beastmen are merely the product of Mavoles and wolves mating with each other," she said, clearly amused by the idea. "I don't know if I believe that, yet it certainly would explain where you came from," she surveyed Kevin more closely, pupils shrinking to sharp slits of pure black. "Although, that still doesn't explain some of your other traits."
Kevin tilted his head inquisitively. "What do you mean?"
The redhead woman grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know, little puppy?"
"Enough of this," Riesz spoke up. "We have complied with your request to speak with you. Now, where are Elliot and Jessica?"
"They're perfectly safe and unharmed," Belladonna informed the young queen. "Although, I'll admit that the boy is in better shape than Flamekhan's child," she said. "In fact, I think she's been looking a little…pale lately," a glance in Hawkeye's direction. "Maybe it's the lack of air."
Hawkeye, looking pale himself at this news, was halfway out of his seat when the young queen's hand snatched at his shoulder and held him fast. Startled from his trance of dread and anger, he glanced in her direction and saw her give him a warning glare…but there was also a hint of understanding in those eyes. Reluctantly, he settled back against the cushion.
"Where are they?" Riesz asked, her hand still clasping the violet-haired thief's shoulder.
"Relax, Your Highness," the woman told her. "I'm getting there. Yes, they're alive. So to speak," her odd, and troubling, choice of words drew concerned glances but she offered no explanation, instead continuing with her speech. "Just as the one I'm looking for is also still alive. For now."
"And who is this?" Angela inquired.
"Oh, I think you know, Princess," Belladonna said, then directing her gaze toward Duran. "Or maybe, I should be asking your other friend here," she said with a smile. "He seems like the sort of man that had…inside information."
Duran raised a brow and thought he heard Faerie gasp inside his head at the implication, yet he neither confirmed nor denied her claims.
"Either way, here is the deal," the woman stated. "I know that you've found Mana Stones in the past, so I have a proposition for you."
"And that is?" Angela questioned. "Let me guess, you want us to find the Firestone for you?"
"Why, that's absolutely correct!" Belladonna grinned coyly. "Bear in mind, not even Flamekhan knows where it is. Rest assured, I made quite certain he wasn't holding back, so he's completely worthless to me. Yet, I can't say the same about his son."
Hawkeye's eyes widened. "What do you mean?" he asked. "What does Eagle have to do with this?"
Belladonna smiled, and the sight made the six companions feel a chill. "Needless to say, I've had time to go through the dearly departed man's belongings, and let's just say that he's had his eye on me far longer than even I realized," she bit her lip. "If I had known he was getting that close, then I would've killed him much sooner."
It was so tempting to stab her right then and there, especially since her admitting this all but confirmed that Jessica was no longer under the curse. Yet, the thief steadied himself. No, that would be pleasing to the witch. She would no doubt derive great satisfaction from seeing the honor of the once noble Nevarlan Thieves Guild soiled once more, and Hawkeye wasn't about to allow her any more of her depraved pleasures.
"So, I take it that Eagle was the one that discovered the location?" Riesz inquired, thinking it best to get right to the point. "You've clearly implied it by speaking of his supposed secrets."
"Not quite," Belladonna admitted. Honestly, this time. "Neither he nor his father knew the exact location. However, Eagle had apparently been narrowing it down, and I believe he had at least figured out the general area where the Firestone might be," she then once again turned to Duran. "That's where the Goddess' Chosen One comes in," she smiled. "But first, before you do this for me, I require something of you."
"Oh yeah?" the soldier questioned, clenching his fist and wincing, the flesh of his palm still tender even after Charlotte's ministrations. "And what's that?"
The woman chuckled. "It's right in front of you, silly boy."
It all dawned on the six just what the woman wanted, all gazes alighting upon the thick, now tepid fluid in their cups.
"No way," Duran shook his head. "There's no telling what you could've spiked this stuff with."
"You're right, there isn't," Belladonna confessed. "However, drinking what's been given to you is part of the deal. If you don't," she paused, grin growing wider. "I'll never let either Jessica or Elliot go free."
Silence fell over the room.
"What of Flamekhan?" Riesz asked.
"He's of no consequence," Belladonna responded dismissively. "The old man can rot, for all I care."
"If you're releasing Jessica, then you're going to release him too!" Hawkeye protested.
"Why? He's the one that sanctioned your execution." Belladonna reminded him.
"Because of your lies!" The Nevarlan native shouted.
"Ah, I may have colored the facts when I spoke with him, but I never did tamper with his mind. He could've chosen to give a fair hearing, even considered there might be more than one reason you never spoke in your defense, but he didn't. That must have stung! Either way, he's useless to me, as I've said. So, it matters not whether he lives or dies," the disguised Mavole said, with cruel finality. "Not to me, at least. What you should be concerned about is whether his daughter has had…difficulty breathing lately."
Hawkeye was robbed of words, blood running cold. "You wouldn't."
"Not me, and not yet," Belladonna clarified. "But the only way to guarantee her future, as well as your dear friend's brother," she said. "Is to accept what's before you," they all glanced at the tea. "All at once," she clarified. "All of you. Otherwise, the deal is off."
"...very well," Riesz muttered. "As you wish."
"Thank you for your cooperation, My Queen, but I think it'd be most fitting if our chosen warrior gets the honor of going first," she turned to Duran. "Brave knight of Valsena, if you will?"
Silence once again fell over the room, Duran regarded the contents of his cup, his companions, Bill and Ben, and finally Belladonna. And, while he couldn't see her physically, the mental image of Faerie manifested in his mind, the blonde, winged woman looking every bit as uncertain as he felt.
Well? What do you think? He asked her, although no one but him heard her voice.
It appears that our hands are tied, she answered. But, if it's any consolation, she's not out to poison you.
That was true, Duran had to admit. While that fact offered little reassurance, it was clear the woman wanted them all alive. In fact, by the sound of things, she needed them. What use would it be killing them here and now? Better to use them to find the Stone, most likely. Still, there were so many facets of the Mavole's plan that were unknown and, worse, unpredictable.
"Duran?"
Angela's voice brought the soldier back, the Altenan Princess presenting him with a look of concern. He looked down at the cup again, then to Belladonna. "...fine," he relented, bringing the piece of glazed pottery to his lips. "Bottoms up."
With that, each of the other five followed suit, downing the tea, the now-lukewarm and surprisingly sour liquid easily making its way down their throats.
They waited, and waited, yet found that the expected stomach cramps and convulsions associated with poison and venom never occurred. "What was that?" Riesz questioned Belladonna, seeing no reason not to pry for more answers.
"It's a simple concoction, the brewing of which had been an ancient tradition in this land, mixed in with the ancient roots found at the base of the volcano," the red-haired woman explained. "Surely you recognize it, don't you, little birdie?" she questioned Hawkeye.
Indeed, the thief did.
This was a drink mainly served as a nightly brew to settle the body and relax the mind as evening drew near, yet there was something off about the taste. For one, a few herbs and spices were missing from the traditional blend, replaced with, admittedly convincing, substitutes. And, while he couldn't be sure, he felt an odd tingling sensation in his body. Almost in his very blood, as if the very bones and sinew within him had been electrified.
It wasn't painful, yet the second he realized it, the numbness set in.
As he went limp and toppled backward, Riesz vaulted to her feet and caught the violet-haired thief, setting his head on her lap as she studied his alarmed expression. She was about to demand to know what the witch had just given them, yet a familiar scent from the tea brought her mind back to her homeland. Particularly a certain flower field that lay outside of the kingdom's borders.
"This…this is…?"
"Ah, you recognize it, don't you?" Belladonna quipped, folding her arms, and witnessing the rest of the party steadily falling to the effects of her tea. "While I used mostly ingredients found here, I took a sample of some of your country's blossoms for study," she informed the young woman. "You're already immune to the effects of inhaling its pollen, yet there was nothing said about ingesting it."
Damn, you…Riesz mentally hissed, realizing the witch was correct. While she had been exposed to the Samosa pollen early in life, no one in Laurent dared to put the smallest petal of the flower in any brew or tea. Ever since an experiment to build immunity to the flower's effects by ingesting it had gone awry, and put three amazons in comas that had lasted for weeks, the act of consuming a Samosa Flower was strongly discouraged, for fear that too much could potentially be fatal.
"Rest assured, I didn't put THAT much in it," Belladonna assured the party, though she doubted they could've heard her as they slipped away from the waking world, falling into slumber one by one. "But it's just enough."
Riesz opened her mouth to protest, reaching for her spear, yet found her vision too blurry to see the weapon and her arm too heavy to keep aloft. She sagged and slumped, partially covering the already unconscious Hawkeye, as the world slipped away.
"For Elliot," she weakly whispered, the boy's face the last thought she had before everything plunged into darkness. "For Elliot."
…
Unknown Location, Shortly Thereafter
It had grown warmer.
…Duran?
"Hm?" the soldier shifted, quite literally, as the ground beneath him proved strangely yielding, even more so than the cushions. It felt cool beneath his skin, though not as much so as the marble of the house, nor was it as smooth. It had a coarse, gritty texture that seemed to scratch at him
Slowly rising, he found that Angela and everyone else were close by, all passed out. They slumbered beneath a towering shadow which, as During turned his bleary eyes upward, was revealed to be a sheer, sandstone cliff, weathered from the dry winds of the desert. Hauling himself upright, he took a few unsteady steps out of the cliff's shadow and was nearly blinded as he found himself underneath the blazing sun. Duran shied away from the harsh light and stepped back into the shadow of the cliff before surveying the rest of his surroundings. All around him, he saw more towering cliffs dotting seemingly endless sand dunes. And, it was with a sinking feeling that he realized that the six of them had been dumped in the infamous, deadly desert of Nevarl.
Belladonna's simple trap had worked: either they would find the Firestone, like she wanted, or they would die.
Note: Not the best scenario to be in, but hopefully they'll survive! Surely Belladonna wouldn't just leave them out there with nothing, right?
Thanks again to Falchion1984 for the help!