[IRP] The Dead One Calls

[Lavi]

Taking the lead for the party, Cecily headed into town with the intention of searching for the local inn. They passed a sign along the way, simply saying "Valais," presumably stating the name of the town in question. With Satsume in tow, Cecily approached and greeted the local tanner, who was going about his work beating furs outdoors. The man looked old, as though nearing the retirement age, but his body was well conditioned from hard labor. Accompanying him with the task was a much younger man who looked the part of an apprentice.

"You're lucky to make it here without encountering the local bandits. The outdoors are getting more dangerous with the two great beasts rearing at each other," said the tanner.

Cecily immediately understood his meaning, being the two nations locked in that exact struggle.

"If only there was a master as talented as yourself to whip them back in line," she replied.

The tanner chuckled. "The hand will only aggravate them. Words like your own will charm them more."

The two engaged in a little more wordplay before the tanner pointed her towards the inn. After offering her gratitude, Cecily went on her way in the direction that the elder tanner pointed her towards and took in what sight there was to see. There is a significant lack of bustle in the streets: although there were people about, there were few sounds that resonated in the town, in contrast to its size. It is the middle of autumn, meaning that the harvests should be underway and excitement in the air for the upcoming harvest festival. There are crops being brought into town, townspeople speaking of the festival, and the like, though Cecily's trained ear could tell that there was something bothering them. Of course, heightened bandit activity is enough to make any town concerned, as it can affect the flow of merchants: something that the noble could sympathize with.

Once Cecily arrived at the inn, a fairly large-looking building from the outside, she spoke with the innkeeper. The innkeeper was a man of few words, but it was not as though he was adverse to conversation. He looked tired, though Cecily could scarcely imagine what for. Unlike the tanner, the innkeeper was not very interested in Cecily's verbal joust and spoke purely business. 

Cecily selected a smaller room for her small budget: a single bedroom quarters. The others, should they select the inn to stay at as well, have to pay for their own rooms. After writing a name down in the guest registry, Cecily headed upstairs. Satsume followed her example. Once they arrived at their assigned room on the second floor, Cecily closed the windows and plopped herself down upon the bed with a sigh. For a moment, she looked as if to fall asleep right there, but the noble opened one eye to look directly at Satsume. She quietly gestured for him to come close. When the man complied, with a look of uncertainty on his face, Cecily pulled him in close.

"Before you delve into any silly ideas, did you notice anything unusual here?" she whispered, looking at her bodyguard sternly.

"Do you mean the guest registry?" Satsume blinked. The guest list did not have any other patrons listed as present before they arrived, meaning the inn was completely devoid of visitors before they arrived.

"Possibly related, but equally possibly a coincidence," said Cecily. "Your eyes were open since we entered this village, were they not?"

Satsume reflected back on their arrival, meeting with the tanner, and the trip down the few streets to the inn. The town itself looked fine, with nothing out of the ordinary. He took a minute to reflect on it, before shaking his head out of resignation.

"No local militiamen," Cecily said. Satsume mouthed an "oh" as he realized what she was getting at. It was not the town that was strange: it was the people.

"No sense of concern over brigands rampaging just outside their doors not only from a lack of security but from the attitude of people like the tanner. Also, villages like these are usually hard at work all year, either producing their primary or secondary goods to send to the nearest city marketplace in order to get by. Apart from the tanner, it is surprisingly quiet: not even an apprentice running errands," she continued.

"Do you think this is related to Shad's family?" asked Satsume.

"It would be utterly ridiculous to think these are unrelated occurrences, as the castle is well within sight," Cecily answered.

Her eyes narrowed. "Under these circumstances, it may be too dangerous to travel ahead as I originally planned."

"Should we warn the others?" the knight asked her, to which Cecily made a questioning face.

"Would you have obeyed me if I said 'no?'" she asked.

Satsume paused to think about it for a moment.

"I suppose not," he relented.

"Woe is me," Cecily sighed, letting out an exaggerated groan as she leaned back onto the bed. "I should have picked a more obedient vassal."

Satsume saw through her ruse, being used to this treatment, and simply gave her a disapproving look before leaving the room. She could only presume that the knight went to do as he suggested.

As Cecily pondered the explanations that could cause this village to be unusually peaceful, she wondered whether it was wise for her to be alone. After all, there is no guarantee if there are spies in the town. Back in Laus, she was once told that the most dangerous place in the world was one's own home.

Cecily scoffed at her own paranoia; after all, there were plenty of opportunities for Satsume and herself to be ambushed by brigands along the way to the inn. In the meantime, she had more pressing matters to attend to.

The noble got up and followed after Satsume in search for Paige.