[SRP] Manhunt

[Swift_Assassin]

"You've had worse ideas."

This one thought rattled around in Shad's mind as he strolled back into town, wearing the same hooded cloak that wore last time he was here. "If the damned church didn't barge into Pharae so quickly, it wouldn't have to come to this." The young lord, his uncle, and his bodyguard were once united in Pharae, but after helping Paige one day, they were forced to scatter the next. As a mage with tons of precious texts in his possession, Wolfram left during the night, before the Church had time to settle in. In Shad's weakened state, he ordered Marcus to go without him to his sister's side in Bern. Marcus protested, but relented to his lord's command. Shad hid away for a day or two in his room until his limp went away and left as soon as he was able.

"Knew you'd come back." A voice called out to him, just off to his right. It was Alice again. It was getting a bit disconcerting with the frequency of their meetings. Never on his terms, just whenever she wants to appear, Alice is there. "Come to check up on the village?"

Shad looked away for a second before grinning abit. For someone who knew so much last time, it's surprising she hasn't guessed the motive this time. "Is there an idiot spouting about revisionist history in the square?" he joked. A pronounced shaking of the head from Alice gave him his answer. "Then my job is done."

"Checking up on Paige then?"

Shad's head turned almost immediately at that comment. "Wait. Paige is here? Right now?" He turned his head and looked at the dirt below him. "Why isn't she in Pharae looking for mercenaries? It would be almost impossible to find help here. Could her being here have something to do with the Church arriving in Pharae?" That's when it dawned on him. "The Church of the Preservation of Sanctity works for the Emperor and we just discovered his name. They may have even heard about the incident here, or they will soon. Shit, this is not what I need just now."

Alice saw Shad's eye's racing after that comment before she replied. Something must have happened, and he might be involved. "She's holed up in the tavern. It's the building with the slight singe from that last meteor. I saw her go in a while ago, but I haven't heard anything about her since."

"Thanks, Alice, I owe you one," Shad said as he took a couple of steps. He turned back to her and put his hand out. "Can I get my ring back?" He asked. She rolled her eyes and materialized Shad's signet ring and dropped it back in his hand. "Are we going to do this every time?" He asked rhetorically before running off to the tavern.

"Until you give it to me," Alice said under her breath as Shad disappeared into the village.