Cecily could not decide whether to be shocked or bemused by the company's recognition of her nobility. They were surrounded by agitated Lycian and Bernese soldiers. To the Lycians, she has been wanted by the Lausian marquessate for some time. To the Bernese, a captured noblewoman would make for an interesting bargaining chip.
"The price of nobility..." Cecily quietly lamented, massaging her forehead. At least the poorly dressed one went to put on proper clothing.
If it was any consolation, a crowd awed by her nobility is not nearly as horrifying as being identified as a mage, as the woman she recognized from before was both labeled and named. Taika: she will have to remember the woman's goodwill. Wait, she mentioned the possibility of her turning the mages in to the Church? Has word of her status not reached this far east of Lycia to the common populace?
"Everyone please: now is not the time to kowtow before my titles," she reassured the crowd as some began to kneel before her. "There will be time later to discuss the future. For now, we must endure the current battle."
"I think Paige is downstairs. What is it with your luck with Lycian nobility?" Shad questioned Satsume. The reference to Orica was lost on Cecily.
"I see that you have a story to tell me later, Satsume," Cecily gave Satsume her eerie look before turning towards the stairs.
She could hear arguing downstairs: something about betraying Lycia's trust, if she could fit the pieces together. She saw around the corner of the stairway a red-haired woman being led out the door as a prisoner.
"Anyone remaining in the inn is to come out unarmed and ready to surrender!" someone shouted into the inn.
The lady withdrew from the stairs and looked back at the men and women behind her. Was there really a point in running? There is bound to be plenty of Lycian soldiers left behind, not to mention potentially a detachment of extra soldiers of the Tanian garrison coming in as a precaution against the Bernese raiders. Perhaps the crew had the expertise to overcome the average garrison soldier, but there is still the issue of finding the woman that Satsume told her about, Paige.
As Cecily opened her mouth to suggest complying with the soldiers for the time being, she heard something of scuffle outside: metal accenting on metal once and not repeated. Cecily didn't need much of an imagination to presume that the men outside were being put into a rude sleep... That gave her an idea. It won't solve the problem of likely combat against the town garrison, but it should lessen the numeric odds for these comrades of convenience.
"Everyone cover your ears, lest you want to be out until next morning," she told the rest before making her way downstairs.
Oh, there was something she almost forgot.
"By the way, I could use your protection, Satsume," Cecily called up the stairs.
Once Cecily stepped outdoors, she could see the situation at hand. There were soldiers knocked out cold on the ground, positioned where she could see them clearly from the inn's door, but not from the opposite way looking towards the building. Others have not quite noticed what happened, though their turning heads indicated that they knew something was amiss. Perhaps her plan would be too risky to proceed with, but it is far too late to turn back now. The garrison saw her step out and had their weapons in hand and cuffs at ready to take her in.
"Hold your palms out where we can see them!" one of the soldiers shouted at her.
Cecily complied. With a bonus. She began singing a galdr: magic of little renown in Lycia. Only those who have spent time reading on exotic magics would recognize its signs the moment the first notes left her lips.
The song was a lullaby that many Lycians were familiar with, but coated in Cecily's own magics. It was one of the first studies that she made while studying in Etruria: an attempt to create new galdrar. A relatively successful project, if she could say so herself.
The weaker soldiers wavered, particularly the conscripted townspeople, some of them slumping over in a deep sleep. The stronger wavered somewhat, though there was some confusion in the ranks until the brighter of the bunch (correctly) chalked it up to magic.
"Stop her!" a soldier cried out.
An arrow hissed through the air, its aim afflicted by the sleep galdr, and scratched Cecily's ear. It probably cut a few strands of her hair along its way into the inn's front wall as well. Cecily could not ask for her companions' reassurance of protection and stop the magic: otherwise, the effect would wear off prematurely. Trust was all she could rely on as her heart started pounding in her chest. It took her entire fortitude to keep her chorus steady.
The more tenacious soldiers pulled themselves together and charged at the Lausian noble, screaming war cries to combat the magic.
"The price of nobility..." Cecily quietly lamented, massaging her forehead. At least the poorly dressed one went to put on proper clothing.
If it was any consolation, a crowd awed by her nobility is not nearly as horrifying as being identified as a mage, as the woman she recognized from before was both labeled and named. Taika: she will have to remember the woman's goodwill. Wait, she mentioned the possibility of her turning the mages in to the Church? Has word of her status not reached this far east of Lycia to the common populace?
"Everyone please: now is not the time to kowtow before my titles," she reassured the crowd as some began to kneel before her. "There will be time later to discuss the future. For now, we must endure the current battle."
"I think Paige is downstairs. What is it with your luck with Lycian nobility?" Shad questioned Satsume. The reference to Orica was lost on Cecily.
"I see that you have a story to tell me later, Satsume," Cecily gave Satsume her eerie look before turning towards the stairs.
She could hear arguing downstairs: something about betraying Lycia's trust, if she could fit the pieces together. She saw around the corner of the stairway a red-haired woman being led out the door as a prisoner.
"Anyone remaining in the inn is to come out unarmed and ready to surrender!" someone shouted into the inn.
The lady withdrew from the stairs and looked back at the men and women behind her. Was there really a point in running? There is bound to be plenty of Lycian soldiers left behind, not to mention potentially a detachment of extra soldiers of the Tanian garrison coming in as a precaution against the Bernese raiders. Perhaps the crew had the expertise to overcome the average garrison soldier, but there is still the issue of finding the woman that Satsume told her about, Paige.
As Cecily opened her mouth to suggest complying with the soldiers for the time being, she heard something of scuffle outside: metal accenting on metal once and not repeated. Cecily didn't need much of an imagination to presume that the men outside were being put into a rude sleep... That gave her an idea. It won't solve the problem of likely combat against the town garrison, but it should lessen the numeric odds for these comrades of convenience.
"Everyone cover your ears, lest you want to be out until next morning," she told the rest before making her way downstairs.
Oh, there was something she almost forgot.
"By the way, I could use your protection, Satsume," Cecily called up the stairs.
Once Cecily stepped outdoors, she could see the situation at hand. There were soldiers knocked out cold on the ground, positioned where she could see them clearly from the inn's door, but not from the opposite way looking towards the building. Others have not quite noticed what happened, though their turning heads indicated that they knew something was amiss. Perhaps her plan would be too risky to proceed with, but it is far too late to turn back now. The garrison saw her step out and had their weapons in hand and cuffs at ready to take her in.
"Hold your palms out where we can see them!" one of the soldiers shouted at her.
Cecily complied. With a bonus. She began singing a galdr: magic of little renown in Lycia. Only those who have spent time reading on exotic magics would recognize its signs the moment the first notes left her lips.
The song was a lullaby that many Lycians were familiar with, but coated in Cecily's own magics. It was one of the first studies that she made while studying in Etruria: an attempt to create new galdrar. A relatively successful project, if she could say so herself.
Quote:Sleep, good boy, my beautiful,
Close your eyes, sleep tight.
Quietly the clear moon is looking
Into your cradle.
I will sing you fairy tales
And sing you little songs,
But you must sleep with your eyes closed.
Close your eyes, sleep tight.
The weaker soldiers wavered, particularly the conscripted townspeople, some of them slumping over in a deep sleep. The stronger wavered somewhat, though there was some confusion in the ranks until the brighter of the bunch (correctly) chalked it up to magic.
"Stop her!" a soldier cried out.
An arrow hissed through the air, its aim afflicted by the sleep galdr, and scratched Cecily's ear. It probably cut a few strands of her hair along its way into the inn's front wall as well. Cecily could not ask for her companions' reassurance of protection and stop the magic: otherwise, the effect would wear off prematurely. Trust was all she could rely on as her heart started pounding in her chest. It took her entire fortitude to keep her chorus steady.
Quote:You will be a perfect knight
In your soul, a cossack.
I will watch you leave on your journey
As you wave your hand.
On that night, how many bitter tears
Will I shed all alone?
Sleep my angel, sweetly and softly,
The more tenacious soldiers pulled themselves together and charged at the Lausian noble, screaming war cries to combat the magic.
Quote:Close your eyes, sleep tight.
![[Image: QddvI0w.png]](http://i.imgur.com/QddvI0w.png)
Insurrection - Lady Cecilia "Cecily" of Laus, third in line to the Laus marquessate