Previously, Quentin was summoned to the Black Alder Farm outside of Kingsport, where the newly arrived Beauclair delegation had made camp. The reception was underwhelming, and the heroes spoke with Lord Dorian, who was pleased to be reunited with his son. Despite his father’s warm welcome, Quentin was distrustful of his motives.
Fifth Day, Second Ride, Autumn Twilight, 1262
(Silvermoon is waning, Bloodmoon is in low sanction, Darkmoon is waxing)
After Lord Dorian and Quentin had a chance to catch up in private, they joined the rest of the heroes and moved to a more private seating room, deeper inside the manor hours of Black Alder farm. Introductions were made, with varying degrees of success.
Chakuq started off, and Lord Dorian accepted his credentials as a mercenary. Luca introduced himself with his recently acquired title as Baronet of Evenshade Hall, but this did not seem to spark the deference from Lord Dorian that he would have expected.
Emrys had rapidly picked up the etiquette of Beauclair and introduced himself with all the fanfare that was expected. Lord Dorian responded very well to it, getting up out of his seat and shaking Emrys’ hand. Lord Dorian had heard stories about his exploits and encouraged him to walk the camp and talk to the troubadours and trobairitz.
Astrid introduced herself without too much fanfare, instead telling Lord Dorian what a great warrior and leader Quentin was. Neamhan managed a proper bow and a hesitant introduction. Lord Dorian smoothed over her lack of grace by taking her hands in his, giving them a gentle squeeze and telling her how happy he was to see her again. Neamhan noticed that the blisters on his hands, wrists and forearms were slowly healing and again offered to provide her aid. Again, he politely declined.
The tension had been rising since the arrival at the farm, but it reached a boiling point when the conversation turned to relinquishing Róisín to House Lys. Quentin dismissed the idea, explaining to his father that the blade was “no longer the Fleur de Lys.” The subtleties of what Quentin was saying were lost on Lord Dorian, and made even harder to detect by Luca’s insistence that Quentin not part with the blade, due to how powerful its magic was.
When Monsieur Beauregard asked how Quentin was proposing to keep the ancestral blade from its rightful owners, Quentin’s temper had already risen past the point where he noticed the calm and open manner in which the question was asked. Instead, Quentin drew attention to the lack banners, colours, or livery and asked to understand what his function was at the meeting. Monsieur Beauregard explained that he was the spymaster to House Lys. Quentin said it was inappropriate for Monsieur Beauregard to be present during the conversations, at which point the polite gentleman requested leave and withdrew once it was granted. Before he departed he offered that he considered himself an ally, and that his question deserved some consideration.
Lord Dorian’s frustration had grown. Father and son continued to argue, and Quentin stood his ground while his father insinuated that the renown of the Heroes of the White Eye was due in some part to his efforts. Communication continue to deteriorate until Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he had not been part of House Morvrayne since he foolishly accepted Lady Gwenaëlle’s quest and left Beauclair, leaving Lord Dorian to deal with the consequences. The only thing that has saved Quentin, Lord Dorian reasoned, was that against all odds he had been successful. If Quentin now decided not to relinquish the blade, he may as well have died in the attempt to retrieve it for all good it would do.
Softening his tone, Lord Dorian reminded Quentin that he loved him, that he was happy to be reunited with him, and that he could take his time, to walk the camp and get to know the people in the camp. But he urged Quentin to accept that the blade was not, and has never been, the goal of House Morvrayne.
When the heroes departed, Neamhan bumped into a familiar man in the lobby; a portly, moustachioed man whom had been sentenced for insubordination when Neamhan had been in the delegation’s camp several days prior. He had sold wine from the caravan’s provisions, which had been explicitly forbidden. He was punished by having his thumbs removed, and the man had both his hands bandaged. Neamhan made an attempt to aid the man, which he declines. She settled for sharing some goodberries with him instead, but Neamhan feared it would not do him any good while Epidemius continued to lay siege to the city.
When the heroes gathered their mounts and rode out, they laid witness to a group of people surrounded two duellists who were patiently circling one another. One of the spectators was Lady Gwenaëlle, who noticed Quentin and looked his way. Both of them did not spare each other a warm look.
A decision was made to get off the road to talk away from prying eyes. Between the farm and the river crossing the heroes bound their horses up and walked out into the heath. Astrid stayed with the horses, while Luca urged them all to stand in the shallow stream of a tributary, claiming that any magical eavesdropping would be made harder by the flow of the water.
The conversation was mostly about whether Lord Dorian was to be trusted, and could be considered an ally to the heroes. Parting with Róisín was not a consideration, even though it was an option, unlike Emrys’ bond with Toruviel.
The group was disturbed by an eavesdropper in the undergrowth, and between Neamhan shifting into an enormous eagle, Emrys drawing his blade and taking to the sky, and Astrid’s cat-like reflexes, the man was soon caught. The young man’s name was Hubert, looked to be a scout for the delegation, and said he hailed from the Asterac hills, which Quentin knew to be lands belonging to House Lys. He had been instructed by Monsieur Beauregard to keep an eye on the heroes, and to verify that they were staying at the Careless Wanderer.
This is when Quentin introduced a surprising new direction; radical honesty. He instructed the scout to go back to the spymaster and confirm that the heroes were indeed staying in the Careless Wanderer, and to offer him an invitation to come and talk. Any questions could be asked openly, but covert surveillance would not be tolerated.
The heroes returned to the city, and as they approached North Gate, they were cautioned by crownsguard halberdiers who warned them to steer clear of Grimsdown as there was another resurgence of plaguemaidens after Epidemius appeared at Steward’s Square. The heroes hurried down the cobbled streets as darkness was falling. When they reached the Careless Wanderer, and walked into it’s warm embrace, the peal of thunder could be heard as a storm rolled in from the bay.
