"Is that so?" sighed Maynette as Fess explained how and why she'd been driven over Khaltet's wall. Inwardly, the warrior now felt herself even further vindicated in ordering the party's withdrawal. While it was certainly possible that some of their own raiders had merely set upon Fess in error, not knowing the position she'd been put in by May, that scenario seemed hopeful at best, given the hostile, heavily-armed reception to Khaltet that the party was only now walking away from. Though the rider's intel was invaluable, its implications for her own end of the raid were one more frustration atop many.
By the time Nikang emerged from the ruined building and reported, Maynette's once-relaxed expression had darkened considerably. Being on the defensive was galling enough alone, but now she had to seriously consider joining with one of the other raid parties to wipe out that Lycian contingent—and even that assumed that the Lycians hadn't run into them first, or that even more soldiers lay in wait elsewhere.
"Tsk. Vexing," May muttered to herself, stepping off of Smiths and into the ruin, unceremoniously lifting the boy from Fess' waist before setting him on his feet and shooing him off toward that swordsman—who was apparently still here. She still didn't know what to make of the young man yet, but Smitty clearly hadn't offed him, so that had to mean something. It was a matter for later, though. Noting the standing ladder just inside the wreckage and where it led, the Sacaen woman paused to consider. Slowly, her scowl began to soften.
"Elisa. Can you climb? If so, reach the roof. Scout the area. Then report," May instructed as she ventured back toward the home's collapsed wall. She leaned out and hauled Smiths in by his bindings with one hand, pointing with her free hand as she continued, "Nikang. Try the door. But be silent. If it's stuck, come back."
Dumping the captive Lycian at her feet inside the building's broken walls, the warrior beckoned Smitty to her side with one finger, but not before she turned to regard Fess again. "No flying for now. Those archers still live. More may lurk nearby. We shall see, though," May remarked over her shoulder, having purposefully sent to the roof perhaps the sole member of the party who could properly respond to arrowfire, "And, good work. Your pains may yet be redressed."
The warrior deliberately neglected to clarify her intent in that statement, instead immediately returning her attention squarely to Smitty. "Finally. Now we may talk." Gesturing to the carnage just yards from the party's position in and around the collapsed building—and by implication, the Lycian unit hopefully still lodged behind it—Maynette asked, "Were they always here? Soldiers and no townspeople?"
"Everything you know. Tell me."
By the time Nikang emerged from the ruined building and reported, Maynette's once-relaxed expression had darkened considerably. Being on the defensive was galling enough alone, but now she had to seriously consider joining with one of the other raid parties to wipe out that Lycian contingent—and even that assumed that the Lycians hadn't run into them first, or that even more soldiers lay in wait elsewhere.
"Tsk. Vexing," May muttered to herself, stepping off of Smiths and into the ruin, unceremoniously lifting the boy from Fess' waist before setting him on his feet and shooing him off toward that swordsman—who was apparently still here. She still didn't know what to make of the young man yet, but Smitty clearly hadn't offed him, so that had to mean something. It was a matter for later, though. Noting the standing ladder just inside the wreckage and where it led, the Sacaen woman paused to consider. Slowly, her scowl began to soften.
"Elisa. Can you climb? If so, reach the roof. Scout the area. Then report," May instructed as she ventured back toward the home's collapsed wall. She leaned out and hauled Smiths in by his bindings with one hand, pointing with her free hand as she continued, "Nikang. Try the door. But be silent. If it's stuck, come back."
Dumping the captive Lycian at her feet inside the building's broken walls, the warrior beckoned Smitty to her side with one finger, but not before she turned to regard Fess again. "No flying for now. Those archers still live. More may lurk nearby. We shall see, though," May remarked over her shoulder, having purposefully sent to the roof perhaps the sole member of the party who could properly respond to arrowfire, "And, good work. Your pains may yet be redressed."
The warrior deliberately neglected to clarify her intent in that statement, instead immediately returning her attention squarely to Smitty. "Finally. Now we may talk." Gesturing to the carnage just yards from the party's position in and around the collapsed building—and by implication, the Lycian unit hopefully still lodged behind it—Maynette asked, "Were they always here? Soldiers and no townspeople?"
"Everything you know. Tell me."