House of Exile (Reena)

And on a table across the from the "door" is a glass dome, with a handle atop the dome. The dome covers a short stand. Upon that stand, and under the glass, is an entire deck of cards. They look like Trumps.

But these are black, with a crimson unicorn on their backs.

The scene in the room has holds her interest as she passes through the veil. But not her total interest. Reena listens for a few minutes but hears no sound of Bleys or his companion.

Lost them. I was too slow with that guard. Next time I'll gut him as I run past. Wherever they've gone they won't have me guarding their backs

After sighing in irritation from her failed spying attempt, she refocuses her attention on the pedestal and it's coverd contents.

Again with Trumps bearing the Crimson Unicorn. I was too glib with Prospero at the Cathedral - I should have been paying more attention. He was talking of the key and of the woman with the strange eye colouring there must be a link he was trying to suggest. He should have been more direct and I should have been less concerned with being vain. I won't make that mistake this time...those cards will be mine before I leave here. And I should go back to Grimm for their three.

She prepares to steal the trumps. First looking to see if she has an escape route; checking if she can reverse her path back to the dark stairs or out one of the windows. Then looking for any traps or alarms on the pedestal or dome.

When Reena looks around, she learns the tapestry from which she emerged is again exactly that--a quite lovely work depicting a wooden door with a brass, unicorn-shaped doorknob. Behind it is just wall.

The windows are frosted glass with a wooden lattice pattern. Outside she sees enough light to recognize either dawn or dusk. All windows are locked, but locks easily enough picked in one knows how. Reena of course knows precisely how.

On one wall is a clock, operated by a series of complex wheels and gears. Since it shows twelve hours and the time is a little before six, not a lot of help there in figuring out local time.

A small painting in on one wall, of a pretty blond woman. It takes Reena a second or two to realize this is in fact the woman in red she saw with Bleys.

But as far the pedastal goes, it appears to be straightforward as can be.

The only exit out the room is a door, pointed in a gothic style, of darker wood than the rest of the room. If she peaks outside, she sees a wall, part of a corridor going both right and left.

Reena cracks her knuckles then takes out her lockpicks.

Appears to be very poor design of this room to have such flimsy locks on the windows. Greater care must be taken when guarding your Trump deck.

Once the window is opened she will look around and see if it provides a viable means of escape. If not she will plan to use the hallway.

Moving to the pedestal she fishes out the three souvenir cards from Grimm, lifts the dome, grabs the deck, then places the fake cards down in a small tarot reading the woman and five of swords facing the door and the ace of cups reversed. The dome is replaced, the scarlet unicorn deck secured on her belt, and she then heads to her exit.

Let the former owner see a reading showing that he will never win the love of that girl.

The window looks extremely high, so much Reena balks for a moment. It takes maybe one whole second to realize this structure lies atop a cliff! Below she can see quite nice-looking city, surrounded by forested mountains. The walled city looks white, evidence of marble and white wash with mostly black roofing. Domes as well as windows come to points. The sun is setting. The air is crisp, like late autumn. One glance will show the port revealing the city lies within a fjord.

If she's ever been to Uberwald, Reena will recognize the capital city, Fjordheim, furthermost member of the Golden Circle. However, if she has been here before, she has not visited the famous Shrine. For one reason or another.

But exiting via the windows would be...tricky. This wall is flush with the cliff face, making it a drop of at least fifty yards onto jagged stone. The simple windows now make a lot more sense from a security standpoint.

Before she can reach the door the air before her shimmers. Then solidifies. What it becomes looks grotesque at least to Reena's eyes. More, it makes her feel physically ill. Being near it makes her dizzy. She can feel a migraine begin. She is nauseous. Instinctively she takes a couple of steps back and the symptoms go away. The Guardian's (?) flesh looks hard, its muscles powerful, the eyes alien but intelligent, and it holds itself like a born fighter.

Crouching, it is six and half feet tall. Standing there between herself and the door.

I have to develop some sense for magic. This kind of thing happens far to often for my liking.

While backing away from the creature towards the open window she holds her empty left hand outward in a hopefully placating manner.

"Nice doggie. I won't hurt you. We're all cool.'

Her slow, smooth steps away from the creature are interrupted by her reaching for the dagger sheathed in her right boot. The result is her hoping on her left leg for a moment until the blade can be drawn.

She looks from the 6" blade to the 6+ foot creature. Oh yeah, I should have picked up my gear before heading out of Grimm. Thoughts of fighting lessons from Caine and Julian run through her mind. Fighting with a short weapon she should get in close, inside it's reach and make some quick stabs to vital points. Not as useful when the thing is giving off some sort of headache vertigo stench.

She reaches the wall and feels the cold breeze from the open window at her back.

This is all Prospero's fault. I was having a good time in the Land of 1000 Princes when his messages started showing up. When I get out of this I deserve a return trip. Maybe I'll bring Mint along for company. No, she'd probably just close her eyes, lay back, and think of Amber. Waste of a perfectly prefect prince.

"Nice doggie. You don't want a bite of me. I'll taste terrible. How about we discuss this? I could go and buy you a bone."

Let it make the first move. If it pounces I can use its momentum to impale him on my blade.

The creature looks directly at Reena and says in clipped accents "I would not advise any attempt to leave this room while retaining property that is not your own. Should you decide to wait, my employer should be here presently. However, any effort to get away with stolen goods shall be prevented." He (She? It?) sounds confident.

Sure enough, the door opens and a man strides in. His colors would seem to be black, brown and gold. He's average height, with a wide shoulders, and dark curly hair. A beard but no mustache. Manages to look rugged and sophisticated at the same time.

"Thank you, Bob," he says to the Thing. Now he looks at Reena. And at the cards she had left behind. The one of the red-haired woman he picks up, followed by a piercing look back at Reena. She sees he has purple eyes. Odd.

"We need to talk," he says to Reena.

"Talk? Fine."

Reena sheathes her dagger and pulls out the Crimson Unicorn deck. She leans back against the edge of the window.

"A gentleman would introduce himself after barging in on a lady."

She holds the deck slightly away from her body, ready to throw it out the window if the man or Bob try to attack her.

The man with purple eyes doesn't blink. He simply replies "Intruders--even unintentional ones--introduce themselves. So do thieves, if caught. As you have been." He goes to one side of the room and sits down.

"I am not a vindictive man, not generally, and I'm willing to let you leave my home unscathed upon two conditions. First, you will leave my property where it belongs. Second, you will answer a few questions. It is even possible this will lead to such an interesting conversation we'll part as friends--well, perhaps not friends but with some mutual regard. Respect even. Fail to meet my conditions and Bob here will bite off both your hands in less time than it takes your heart to beat. Much less time."

His voice, his manner, his eyes show neither malice nor mercy.

Reena shrugs.

"My name is Reena. And I don't bear you any malice - yet.

We can talk, but know that if any of my blood is spilled you can expect vengeance a thousand fold in retaliation."

"So you say" says the man. He indicates a chair opposite him. "My name is Fernand. And we can begin with a simple inquiry--why are you attempting to steal my property?"

Reena takes up his offer of the chair. Stretching her legs out then crossing the left foot over the right.

"These cards have a rare and interesting backing to them. Such images are associated with power so how could I resist taking a closer look?"

She moves to open the case and pull the cards out.

"Shall I cast your fortune?"

Humor him, get him talking, find out who the girl in the picture is, and maybe see a few of these cards.

And then try to get out of here with one or more hands intact.

"By all means," says Fernand. He makes a tiny gesture with his head, and in response Bob seems to fold back into space. He (?) reappears a fraction of a second later between Reena and the window. She feels no ill effects and nothing about the entity's stance seems particularly aggressive. Nor any less alert.

"Bob's people really are quite amazing," says Fernand almost conversationally. "With such skills they can name their own price, which as you might expect turns out to be considerable. But worth every coin. One gets what one pays for, don't you think? But I digress--please read my fortune! I look forward to what you find!"

Didn't seem to be much chance of surviving a jump out the window anyway and the cards are potentially to useful to just toss away.

Reena throughly shuffles the cards, speaking to Fernand while doing so.

"Loyalty that can be bought is always at risk when other, wealthier, people come to visit. Or do you consider yourself the richest man in the universe?

Hey Bob, how much is he paying you? I'll double it if you attack him while I make my escape."

At that Fernand laughs. "Please Bob, by all means tell her."

"Prince Fernand," says Bob, "has made all the arrangements my kind need to build a nest--a forest of a glellwood trees containing a saltwater lake. And then the diet of several different kinds of animal."

"A quite long list of animals, actually" notes Fernand. "The money is only half of it. What really counts is the effort put into arranging everything."

"Yes, and the specific fruits to be gathered, the songs to be sung. Not that it matters so much, since we do not violate our contracts under any circumstances. Such would be an abomination in the eyes of all our ancestors," says Bob.

"I do find it fascinating, though," Fernand continues, "this offer of countering my offer. Your own resources? An employer's? Or a bluff? But I am distracting you--please continue with your reading. A good one deserves reward."

The shuffle complete Reena places the deck down on the table for Fernand to cut.

"Loyal to those who assist in building a nest? A fine trait for a species, and a useful one for the employer. But, surely, there must be a limit to what your loyalty entails? Certain acts or situations that would void your agreement?"

Looking back to Fernand she answers, "I am quite an important person in my homeland. The resources, not only financial, are there for those who are friends and allies.

But this chatter is a distraction to the reading. Focus your mind and make the cut; your future depends on where you split the deck."

Fernand cuts the deck. After he does, he leans back in his chair and says in an easy voice. "Quite right, by the way. Bob does indeed have ethical qualms, ones he knows I shall not ask him to violate. Maiming a thief trying to get away with her loot is not one of them however. From which perhaps you can logically infer that he won't maim you if you leave behind the property you've stolen. Such an inference is correct. He may still stop you, though. Or, I may let you go. Or I may turn over to the local authorities. It all depends. Please continue."

Reena collects the cards.

"Quiet. We need your attention on the deal otherwise the reading will be false. Or maybe you don't want to see your fortune? Maybe you fear what the cards will reveal?"

She begins to lay the cards out on the table.

She lays six cards down, in the following order:

1. The Three of Swords
2. A trump of Fernand himself.
3. A trump of a woman Reena has never before seen.
4. The Five of Wands
5. Again, someone Reena does not recognize, although he has a big sword and the most extraordinary eyes--one gold, one purple.
6. The Lovers

[OOC: Sorry, she only said the orange stuff. The rest were her thoughts. She probably will lie, misinterpret what she sees if she tells Fernand. She's stalling to see his reaction to the dealt cards..I should have written that in too.]

Fernand (and Bob) lean over, looking at the cards. After a few moments, they lean back, and Fernand meets Reena's eyes. His own are cool, intelligent, very attentive.

"Continue. Please. I look forward to comparing notes."

"Naturally, my reading is hampered by the fact I don't know who those two people are." She says gesturing at the blonde woman and sword wielding man cards. "But best I can tell is that you are a man alone. Without allies or friends. Beset by enemies on all sides and your actions only increase the number of foes you must face. The woman was the cause of your current state. As bad as things now are there is still the chance of your coming out on top. This hunky, beefy guy will be instrumental in your eventual fate - as an ally or foe I can not say. Beware any victory for I see it tainted with personal loss or betrayal.

"So, that's what I see in the cards. What is your interpretation?"

Fernand nods. "Given your lack of context, I am pleased and impressed with your reading. Certain nuances seem erroneous, but again that comes down to lack of context. What pleases me most is that you told the truth."

At that very moment, in the distance, a bell begins to toll. From the sound, Reena figures it comes from somewhere in the city.

For a few moments, Fernand listens, his face extremely still. Then he turns to Reena. "You have done as I asked. Thank you. Kindly return my cards to their proper place. From the moment you do so, I shall view you as my honored guest. We can leave this room--and Bob. If you like, a meal will be prepared. My cook is excellent and Fjordheim offers a lovely variety of foods and spices. Wines, as well. My cellar is at your disposal. If you don't have a place to stay, I have plenty of guest rooms. Or I can recommend some very good places in the city. There are two paths down to the city, one of which can be traversed by horse or carriage. The other is shorter, much, but requires you going by foot. You are quite welcome to come back, via the front door. Again, as my guest. But first thing's first--are you hungry? Thirsty? Put my property back and we can relax."