Timid Terror

The man was finally down and out but Drake still waited a few more moments to make sure. His head turned when Ianto spoke to him and he changed back to his human form grunting as the wound on his back became more apparent.

"I'm fine. That was one tough guy." Drake stood and took a good look at Ianto, "He did quite a number on you. How are you holding up?"

Drake moved over to Ianto and looked at the other man's arm making a tsking sound as he did so then pulled over one of the kidnapper's packs, pulling out whatever he could find. Finally he found a blanket and used a knife to cut it to the size he wanted, "I'm going to tie up these two idiots then make you a sling until we can get to Jezarine and she can heal you. Thanks for the assist in the fight." He gave Ianto a slight smile, "Bronto or not that hit to the head would have made me pretty birds to watch for at least a moment."

Harval went to his mule and hooked her back up to the cart then whistled. The animal was trained well enough that it knew if it followed it would get sugar cubes and apples when they stopped for any length of time.

"Tha' alright, lassie. Looks like yer friend was worrying you a might bit which would get any of us testy. I can forgive ye this time."

Tendir's voice cut through the air and Harval poked the man in the back with his axe, "If it were up to me, you sodding wretch, I would have chopped yer head off as a trophy but it seems the lasses want you for something. Now no tricks cause if I see anything strange going on I will make sure you will regret it for the rest of your short days."

Ianto shrugged, and immediately regretted it as his arm protested. Loudly. He swallowed hard, and pretended that Drake didn't see. "Yeah, well," he said casually, managing a smile, "I figured I'd better make myself useful at some point. Not that it was needed." He smiled fully now, very clearly impressed. "I mean, the way you did all of that - it was amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

The Templar watched as Drake looked his arm over, keeping still as he could so that the pain didn't show on his face, and relaxed his guard a little as the other man moved away to riffle through the kidnappers packs. It was clear he was injured, but he didn't need to make it obvious how much it hurt. He scoffed a little, tilting his head, alleviating his own tension by talking. "I'd help with the typing up the kidnappers part, but, ya'know." He almost shrugged again, but remembered how that worked for him before, and stopped himself.

Calliara was taking a while. If she'd found Jez by now - well, Ianto desperately wanted to hope that everything had turned out relatively well. He and Drake were a little worse for the wear, but Jez would be able to fix that up. And she would be there to fix them up. He refused to think of the alternative.

"Heh. Tying up people is something I do fairly well. Helps that I've been a boat lackey. Just don't ask me to do windows." He said as he slapped his hands together brushing off the dirt then went back to Ianto, "You liked that? It must have been quite the surprise for you. I seldom do a dragon as it takes a lot of energy and it isn't easy to hide that way. I will pay for this later. I hope no one expects me to do more than mumble tomorrow morning."

Drake went about tying up the two men against a large tree. One was on one side and the other on the other side. He tied hands, feet, waists, legs, chests and even necks carefully to the wooden spire.

With a deep breath he walked back to Ianto and set the sling up on him then helped him up carefully so they could get going, "Time to make sure Jez and Calli are alright."

As he slept, Rakot's mind descended deeper into the darkness. Then suddenly a flash of light, and the darkness vanished, Rakot found himself on a road, there was a treeline running to the left and a field of tall grass to the right. The berserker looked at his hands, noticing that they weren't as scarred as he remembered them the last time he saw them. It was raining lightly, the cold tingle from the raindrops spreading across his skin.

A dream? Means I am still alive....why does this feel so real though.

"Come here boy, this damn cart wheel isn't going to fix itself!"

The voice came from behind, freezing Rakot in his tracks.

Hmm...this is starting to get interesting.

Rakot turned around, and saw a merchant cart stranded on the side of the road, he saw it many times before, every plank, and every nail that comprised it was etched into his memory until the day he died. It was as if he went back to another time in his life, not necessarily a happier time, but a much more peaceful one. He approached the cart, noticing that it was tipped on the side, missing one of the wheels. There was however no sign of Romek, his adopted Dwarven father, whose call he heard moments before. Suddenly Rakot felt odd, it was as if the whole scene was out of place, something was not right but he could not put his finger on it.

He walked around the cart, noting the missing wheel tossed on the ground not too far off. Nothing seemed to alert him, until he spotted movement just beyond the treeline, out of the corner of his eye. As he moved his gaze towards it, a shadow as dark as the void walked out of the woods. It stood much lower than a human, and resembled a familiar silhouette, moving closer to Rakot it stopped and spoke in Romek's voice.

"So, son, looks like we meet again."

Rakot grinned.

"Still not convinced this isn't a dream....you don't sound drunk enough to be Romek's spirit paying me a visit."

"Heh, boy, you have the right to doubt, just listen to what I have to say."

"Yeah, see...again, you formed two entire sentences and haven't used any cuss words, nor threatened to gut me yet. That doesn't sound like Romek to me."

"Death has a certain way of calming one's disposition. You may find out soon yourself, seeing how you seem to toss your life out into the winds given the first opportunity."

"Fine, I'll humor you. You're talking about my current situation? Wasn't my choice to go up against the Wardens, it was your decision to run up a gambling debt that created this path for me."

"I will not make excuses, this was my fault, but just because the path was in front of you did not mean you have to make a choice to travel down it. Kidnapping an innocent girl, even I haven't done anything as horrendous."

"A matter of honor, you make a debt, stain our family name, one that I also possess, so I attempt to repay your debt to cleanse the stain. Matters of honor supersede those of morality, all according to the rules."

"Whose rules? Ones you created for yourself, because you fear that your life will have no meaning? I admit, I haven't been very fair or merciful then I was raising you, but I thought I did a better job than this."

"Who said you raised me? You taught me how to fight, and I am thankful....but aside from that all the parenting I got from you was in the form of a fist to my face. It mostly dealt with hurrying me up to fix the cart, or stock the cart, or push the cart, and on and on."

"All true, and I am sorry, out of my own ignorance and anger I have failed you."

"Glad we got that out of the way, any more revelations?"

"You could still die soon you know, you're at the mercy of your captors, your hands are bound."

"I'm good at breaking bonds, and regardless it was a hell of a good fight, even though I didn't get a chance to go all out on the dragon-changeling beast, on account of his little friend interfering. Still I drew its blood, not many warriors can boast doing the same, it'll be a good death."

"A good death? If you die now you are nothing but a common thug, and your body will be tossed into the gutters, and soon no one will remember you. I come to you, to ask you to turn from your current path, to choose another one."

"Seems a bit late now, regardless, I don't choose my paths, I simply react to my circumstances."

"Putting your own free will into the hands of fate is not only foolish, it is but a feeble excuse. You attempt to distance yourself from your actions, rationalize them, but you only wander further away from the truth."

"The truth is what I make of it, each one has his own."

"Seems I am wasting my time."

"Seems so."

"Before I leave...from where I am now things are much more clear to me, I can see possibilities in the future. A fork in the road is coming towards you, one that will either save you or damn you, depending on the way you choose to travel. Remember that, son, and may you make the right decision."

Romek's shadow vanished into thin air, darkness surrounded Rakot once more.

Ianto let Drake help him up, and even though the makeshift sling didn't do much to help his arm, it was better than nothing, and he was grateful for it. He told Drake as much, and then nodded his assent - they should most definitely go after Calli and Jez now. With the thugs all tied up, passed out or dying or whatever, Ianto felt comfortable leaving them to go find the wayward elves, who'd be fine, or else the tied up thugs wouldn't be passed out or dying, they'd be dead and dead.

Walking hurt - everything hurt, with every movement jarring his arm or collar bone - but he blocked the pain out of his mind for now. There wasn't anything he could do about it, so it wasn't important. Still, as much as he wanted to just run off and find the girls, he'd leave Drake to do the leading. Ianto was still practical enough to know he was no tracker, and certainly not a ranger who could navigate a wood like this.

Calliara pulled the chain to make the naked dwarf walk ''You are alive because killing is a thing I do, and not Healer, because she can't live knowing she killed someone. Even a scum bah like you are. Now stay silent and walk''

It wasn't long before Calliara found the path back to where she left Ianto and Drake. The Dalish was silently furious, and when she saw the two men, she snarled

''Off with the clothes of those two filthy bastards'' She pointed at Rakot and Ostef, her shoulders shaking lightly, and kicked Tendir's ass to make him fall ''If you move I won't kill you but I'll cut your spine so you'll spend your last days laying like a vegetable while you starve to death''

Just then she looked at Ianto and Drake, and gritted her teeth seeing their injuries, and her eyes showed her pity. She shouldn't have gone without them, even if she retrieved Jez. She shouldn't have abandoned them...

But there was no time for that. She started ordering again

''Healer, heal Shapeshifter and Templar. Then, if he is still alive and you want, you can heal that one over there. Our new friend is Harval, a Reaver. He stopped the scum that is lying naked there and fought him to free Healer. He'll come with us to see the Commander. I'll keep an eye on these... bastards while you're being healed''

Turning her head, she walked over the prisoners and stood there, swords in her hands and staring at them if they dared to move.

Calliara did not really have to say a word about healing. Before the other woman had booted the Dwarf to the ground Jezarine was already beside the two men assessing their pain before going to work on Ianto first as he had the most painful wound. She put her head on the side that was not wounded and shook as she healed him.

Strangely enough, out of everything she did not want to see her this way. There was still vomit along the side of her face and she was a complete wreck. Why do I care? I just went through a horror and I worry about my looks around him?

She wanted so badly to just hug him and be comforted but this was not the time. Her powers washed over him to knit the bones back together, to fix flesh and to give him energy. Then she looked towards Drake, sending her healing to him as well, to directly heal all his wounds and give him energy as well.

Jezarine took a deep breath then before casting a healing spell for the area. She would heal her captors but only enough for them to walk. Not enough for them to get any silly notions in their heads to try and run. And the extra healing for Ianto and Drake was just another blessing to them from her.

Her brown eyes then lifted to see Ianto's face, "You ok?" She said shakily, her eyes brimming with tears. That was kind of funny. She was the one kidnapped and here she asks if he was ok.

Rakot's eyes slowly opened, and he looked around without moving his head.

Tendir is here, and Ostef, and the little man whom I've fought...the Dragon is nowhere to be found, and....

Rakot's gaze reached Calliara, and he burst out in feat of laughter.

"Good afternoon Warden, ahahahaha. The last time we spoke I wished you good hunting, ahahahha, and now I find myself in this position, the irony isn't lost on me, ahaha."

The laughter changed into a harsh cough.

Calliara frowned looking at Rakot, and crouched to see him better

''You helped an innocent crazy elf to find his sister and you didn't kill him in the four months you had to travel with him. Now you had kidnapped an innocent girl. So, you have two faces, like a coin, which face is the one that would save your life?''

The Wolf offered him the same cold, wolvish smile that spoke of death

''I don't really care as my first choice is killing the three of you, or better, cut your spines so you won't be able to move until you starve to death. But I have my faults, I am curious. So, why?''

Rakot grinned back at her.

"Just doing a job, for some people I am not particularly fond of. Obviously you want something from us and that's why we're still alive. I will save you some time as its really no use, no amount of torture is going to make me reveal any names. Though I am sure you'll have better luck with Tendir, the one eyed dwarf over there. Ostef doesn't know anything, so you might as well just kill him now. I'd tell you to do the same for me, but I doubt you'll just choose to skip the torture knowing that I do have the answers you seek."

Rakot flexed his muscles, tightening the ropes that bound him at the wrists.

"And another bit of advice, find something better than some flimsy sodding ropes to tie me up. I am having the most difficult time keeping myself from ripping the bonds apart. Wouldn't want me to attempt escape and force your hand as far as killing me goes, now would we? Plus who knows, I might even hurt one of your little friends before I expire. Haha."

The Wolf shook her head, still smiling

''You are wrong about the Wardens. I am no murderer. We kill darkspawn. You three tried to go away with Warden's property and that can't be allowed. I can't speak for others, but I don't specially like torturing people. There are other ways to know what I want to know. But thank you for the advice with the dwarf''

She stood up again, rolling her shoulders tiredly and looked to the three of them

''Let's talk about this like professionals. You three are naked, without any weapons but your own hands, and about to be chained like animals. I hope you skin is hard enough, because you won't walk to the city...'' the Wolf's smile looked almost evil ''You three are going to be dragged by the cart. If any of you are still alive when we arrive, maybe you'll be willing to talk. If not... '' She shrugged, swinging one of her chains and showed them the serrated blade in the end of it and the spines around it ''Let's say that if you try to struggle to escape, this will hurt. And know that the spines have poison. Enjoy the trip''

Without looking, she motioned to the others

''Harval, Templar, Shapeshifter, chain them to the cart. And know'' Calliara looked directly to Rakot ''that if any of you try something against us again, I'll personally rip your throats''

Rakot grinned even wider.

"Haha, I like you Warden, you and I are of the same mind. So very upfront, I can respect that. Well, this should be interesting, haven't been chained since Antiva....didn't end well for my captors that time...heh, I'm starting to get nostalgic."

Rakot began to hum an old dwarven tune, he didn't know the words to the song himself, except that he remembered that Romek told him it had to do with some epic battle or other.

This was the time that Drake disappeared in the scenery, not so much by hiding or sneaking into the shadows like others would but by keeping still like a stone statue and watching everything going on. His eyes were the only things that moved as he scanned the group to see everything as he had taken up a perfect position to watch all without any other movements.

He nodded his thanks to Jezarine as she healed him but no more, not believing she even noticed as she was caught up paying attention to Ianto. It would be interesting to see how this worked out since the other man had reacted almost crazed wanting to save the young healer.

His attention was grabbed by Calliara talking to Rakot and he smirked when the Human spoke about shoddy ropes. That was a ploy as Drake knew the ropes were just fine. They were not the best, having come from one of the kidnapper's packs but they were nowhere near flimsy. The man was playing his cards and Calli was not falling for any of it. Neither was he.

When Calli said to tie them to the back of the cart Drake followed the orders calmly and without any expression upon his face. He was like a golem which had a working control rod.

The relief that washed over Ianto when he saw Jez almost knocked him back a step, it came so quickly. But when he saw her come up with Calliara, the both of them whole and looking better off than he and Drake, it really was like a prayer had been answered, or something else that sounded equally corny. Ianto could handle fighting a band of darkspawn with everyone at his side, but once they were separated - once he couldn't see everyone, to make sure they were alright, especially little Jez who was a healer, it was like someone had thrown a blanket of panic over his eyes. He liked to think he was calming down a bit now, though.

"Jez," he said, all of his relief seeping into his voice as he watched her sprint towards him and Drake. Typical Jez, worrying about them first - well, maybe they did need her healing, right now. Still, she'd been the one kidnapped. She deserved to feel a little sorry for herself, at the moment.

He could feel the magic knitting his bones and skin back together as it worked over him. He couldn't help the small smile of relief as the pain washed away, not completely gone but at least manageable. He could work with this little bit of lingering pain.

"Thank you," he said emphatically as she moved on to heal Drake, stressing the words to make sure she knew he meant it. And then, he wanted to ask her a thousand questions, but he didn't, because "Are you alright?" was the most important of all of them, and he didn't want to waste any more time in getting her - getting all of them - home.

Are you alright.

Was she? Yes, she figured she was but it was hard to really say so well with so much emotion reeling within, "I'm ... I'm alive." Jezarine didn't want to go into details about it right now and it was a good thing she didn't start talking because the tears started to come. Ianto was alright, Drake was fine, Calli was ok and she was mentally exhausted, not letting herself cry or react too much except for looking pathetic had taken it's toll so she put her face against his chest and cried.

Jezarine wasn't a wailer and did not cry hard. She just shook, tears falling as she whimpered, glad to have Ianto to hold onto. She really needed that.

----

When they got to Denerim there were people who watched what was going on with a close eye. Whispers and catcalls came from all over as people tried to figure out what was going on. It wasn't every day that three men were pulled behind a cart without clothes on and tied by chains. They had been stopped by a couple of guards but after having Drake explain things to them they let them through and even sent a couple guards with them to help. It seemed more likely that they were sending the guards to make sure they were whom they said and that this was no prank than anything else.

Once they were in the palace grounds things calmed down, even though there were many high borns who showed up to see what was going on. At least they had something to tell others.

Jezarine looked up the steps to the palace thinking that even though this place was not home the people she knew who were there still made it like one. She noticed Nygozy come out the door and moved steadfastly towards the healer. Once she got to Jezarine the little woman gave her a hug.

"Ny ... I ..."

"Don't you dare say you are sorry. You were kidnapped. That is not your fault." Nygozy pulled back holding the woman's arms, "Now you get inside and clean up. There are a bunch of people who were worried about you wanting to give you a party. If you don't feel up to it then it can wait but Ianto will make sure you're taken care of. Won't you, Ianto?"

The Dwarven woman looked at the others, "Now, I take it you three are the kidnappers." It was no question but an observation, "And we have a bystander," She glanced at Harval who bowed to her from the waist. She turned back to the kidnappers, "I want you to tell me why I should not chop your heads off right now."

The way to the palace was a rather unpleasant experience. As they were dragged many small stones and twigs tore at their backs. By the time they got to the city gate they were all leaving a thick trail of blood behind them as they were moved, most of the skin on their backs already gone. Ostef just barely regained consciousness from before, and lost it again as he was swallowed by a new ocean of pain. Tendir spent the time slipping in and out, grunting and cursing whenever he was awake. Rakot's eyes stayed clear and wide open the whole time, he kept humming a tune, as if in a trance. Sometimes he would chant "Heya hey rahir rahey!" and then return to just humming the melody, those seemed to be the only words he could remember from the song. He felt the pain, but was mentally strong enough to ignore it. Finally they stopped, but the pain did not go away, nor did it numb down.

"Tendir, Ostef, you're still among the living?"

"Sodding right I am....gah....the pain......its too much."

Replied the one-eyed dwarf through his teeth.

"Heh, Tendir, you should have thought ahead and volunteered to spend some time in a dungeon of an Antivan politician, then nothing in the world of pain would surprise you anymore....Ostef, you're alive?"

Rakot nudged the young mercenary with his elbow and Ostef's eyes opened. Suddenly becoming conscious of the pain he arched his back and screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Rakot looked at him with his usual cold stare, but there was just a small sign of pity in his eyes.

"Let it out, son, let it out, happened to me too the first time."

Ostef screamed in pain for a few more moments and then passed out once again.

"Is he dead?"

Asked Tendir.

"Looks like he went into shock, not dead yet, but he will be soon. This is good, at least soon he won't feel the pain any more. He wasn't ready for this job, he paid the price, seemed like he had potential though, its a pity."

Rakot got up to his feet, it took a couple of tries, the foot that was bitten through by the dragon was in worse shape than he thought. The ground beneath him was wet with his own blood, his back still bleeding heavily.

"Get up Tendir, if I'm not mistaken the Warden Commander is approaching."

Grunting and cursing even more, Tendir followed Rakot's example and got up as well.

"I want you to tell me why I should not chop your heads off right now."

Rakot ignored her, and turned his head to Tendir.

"Here is your chance, dwarf, give up your master's name and I'm sure they'll kill you quickly. We both know you're not strong enough to withstand more torture, neither have I ever known you to be that loyal."

Rakot's words seemed to have struck a nerve with the dwarf.

"Fuck you, ya sodding pile of shit. Why don't you say something? You have even less reason to hold a secret than I do."

"I've given my word, and there is nothing they can do to me that I can't overcome."

"Sod it! So did I, this is still my sodding business, and that means I'll keep my mouth shut."

"You won't be able to forever, you're not strong enough."

"We'll see about that, old Tendir has got some kick left in him yet."

"As you wish..."

Rakot then turned to face the Commander.

"Greetings, Warden Commander. As you see me and my colleague are electing to be uncooperative. Our other associate, dying on the ground there, does not have the information you seek. As for answering your question, there is no reason why you shouldn't chop off our heads right now. In fact I must say, that having our heads quickly detached from our bodies by a sharp object would be a pleasant change from our current condition. Your subordinate Warden made sure of that, I commend her on her boldness. Though unfortunately her attempts to persuade us so far seem to have been futile."

Said Rakot in a calm, professional tone, which went in contrast with the ravaged state his body was in.

Ianto closed his eyes gravely, nodding his head. if 'I'm alive,' was the best that Jez could come up with right now, then she obviously wasn't fine, but speaking was better than a shocked or terrified silence, so at least it was something. Right now, there were so many things he should have been paying attention to - Calli's orders, the mysterious new dwarf who'd arrived with Calliara and Jez, possibly getting a few hits in on the kidnappers before they left the forest - but now Jez was crying, and all of his focus was instantly drawn by that. She didn't cry loudly, and for some reason, that made it all the sadder. All he could do was stand there and pat her head, hugging his still-hurting-but-now-functioning left arm around her shoulders. At least it was something.

--

The walk back to Denerim was long and hard, considering their new cargo, but it might as well have been a festive parade procession, as far as Ianto was concerned. He and Drake were alive after the fight with that crazy berserker, Jez was back and safe and walking where he could see her, and Calliara had taken charge so that he could just relax and act like a good little, overly relieve soldier.

Their little band gathered a few followers on their way to meeting Nygozy, but none of them really minded. The guards were only doing their jobs, and the gawkers were only doing what gawkers did : gawk. They all scattered, thankfully, when Ny came out to hug Jez.

And then Ny was 'Commander' instead of friend, for the moment, and she was turning her hard eyes on the kidnappers. Good. He didn't want her to have any mercy on them, if she could help it. He knew he wasn't the one making the decisions, but Maker he hoped they got the rope for this. It was horrible to think, and now that Jez was safe, it was getting harder and harder to wish them all dead because what did it matter as long as Jez was alive, but he still couldn't forgive them. When Nygozy told him to make sure Jez was taken care of, he almost said that 'that went without saying,' but he kept his mouth closed. If Jez needed him, he'd be right there waiting.

Ianto took one look at the kidnappers, who were waking up and beginning to speak, and he put his hand on Jez's back and steered her away from them, out of hearing range. Whether she wanted to leave completely or not was her choice, but she didn't need to relive everything that had happened to her. That wouldn't be fair or right.

Jez gave Nygozy an awkward smile but nodded as the woman told Ianto to take care of her. She knew the woman had to be the commander to not show any softness to these men and that was just fine. She went with Ianto, happy that he was with her but she stopped for a moment to listen to their words.

So they refused to say anything.

"I don't trust you, but I know that you're afraid of Lorek, your master, and will see this task completed for him. Now go and start doing your work, we may not have time to rest."

Her voice rang clearly out to Nygozy and she shrugged at Rakot, "You should watch what you say around your captives."

That done, Jezarine turned and continued walking into the palace, looking up at Ianto, "So you're my bodyguard?" She teased a bit, still not fully up to it but somehow she found that amusing and sweet.

Rakot didn't say a word in reply to Jezarine, but his muscles tightened, making the chains wrapped around his body creak as if they were about to snap. He stared at her, his steely eyes suddenly full of rage and hatred. His gaze followed her as she turned around and walked away. The chains did not give in, his facial expression returning to normal, he turned towards the Commander once more.

Failed....I failed my word.....sodding shit.....

Nygozy listened to the three men with hardly any expression even though she was extremely upset at what these men had done. They yipped at each other showing their true worth to each other but the commander was curious. She too had worked on jobs which were not savoury to her when she was just a duster but it had been the only way to survive. Or that was what she told herself. Torture had also been within her past so she knew what these men probably felt.

Then Jezarine spoke up and Nygozy continued to watch the three men, "Well well it seems that you don't have to say anything." She walked over to Rakot as she had caught the look of death pointed at Jez and stared into his eyes, "Now, if you think you will be going after the healer then you are beyond stupid but since you do not look stupid I must ask once again. Since you don't have that hanging over your heads, what can you say which will either keep you alive or give you a swift death instead of an agonizing one?"

Rakot stared down at Nygozy.

"If you think I will beg for my life, you are mistaken Warden."

He spoke through clenched teeth, still trying to contain his anger.

"I failed, my honor is no more, but I am still a warrior, and I will not be broken."

Seeing the situation change, Tendir was now a lot more open to suggestion, his determination was gone. He fell to his knees.

"I'll tell you everything! I'll tell you of all his safe houses, that will make tracking him down easier! Sod it, Lorek is already damned, me going through more pain won't change anything."

"See, Tendir, you're too weak after all. Maybe your new master will grant you a quick death, or even let you live, but live or die you are still a dog."

"To hell with you! It was the words that already came out of your mouth that will have Lorek undone, not mine!"

Rakot didn't reply, moving his gaze away from both Tendir and the Commander and staring directly to the front in silence.

Once again Nygozy waited out the war between the two men and took careful note of their actions towards each other. The one thing which interested her was Rakot's sense of honor, "You have bought some time. Bring them inside and get them washed up and healed enough so they will not die. I don't want them in gut wrenching pain either. I will question them further inside after they don't stink like skunk and are healed."

She turned and walked to the cart, "Drake. Calliara. Personal time but reports for tomorrow evening. Other than that, relax."

The Dwarf then turned to the last Dwarf, "You I will talk to inside. Come with me." She pointed at a guard, "Get me Griffinhart."

Nygozy turned and as she did Kai showed himself for only a moment to glare at Rakot, a clear threat to not try something with his hero then they disappeared into the palace with Harval. She went to a meeting room she had chosen for herself and sat down, discussing with Harval about what had happened and waiting for Griffinhart to arrive.

He ghosted into the room, not a single sound heralding his appearance but the opening of the door. The ever-present cloak shrouded his form - he was an inky darkness capped with a faceless, imposing helmet. Softly, without even the sound of footsteps, the blackness stepped forward and regarded the Warden-Commander - regarded her, and spoke.

"Commander."

Griffinhart announced his presence, answering his summons, and waited without further word. Whatever the Warden-Commander wanted would be voiced in time.