Tonight We're Ganna Party (Winnow, Mint, and Kieran)

Alexander has a deer-at-the-business-end-of-a-crossbow look for one split second. Then his features seems genuinely distressed. "I...must beg for a rain check, dear cousin. A dance with you would be most welcome, but I've discovered that duty has summoned me away. Please believe I would much rather spend the next hour or so in dance, but..." he glances at Llewella, "I may not." He bows and makes an exit.

"Tried to give him the same advice," Llewella says in a lowered voice. "A shame he hasn't the wisdom to listen." She sighs.

"I do try to learn at least a little something from each member of my family. The lesson that you gave me tonight will, I hope, serve me in good stead in days to come. Good travels to you until I see you again."

Mint curtseys and takes her leave. She heads for the exit to the ball. Her route takes her near enough to Winnow that he can not help but see her and her body language welcomes, but does not insist upon his company. Either way, unless intercepted she makes her way toward the Grand Stair.

I hope for Alexander's sake that I'm wrong about what troubles him. Still if I'm right, better him than me.

Still looking around for Gerard, Winnow spots Mint. Changing his intentions after seeing her look, he joins her near the Grand Stair, falling into step. Tricky, what with the costume and size difference, but the military training makes it unnatural not to do so.

I wonder where we are going? "Where are we going?"

He sounds eager.

"First back to the Castle to change clothing and gear up, as well as leave a promised sketch for the Professor. After that if you like you can join me for a jaunt to Iv. Most likely Julian has left a message there for me. The slight chance exists that we will instead walk into a horrible trap, but such is life."

When they reach the stair Mint pauses for just a second.

It is kind of nifty that we're a family of Unicorns when you look at it the right way.

When Mint's walks up the stairs, she may have just the slightest extra bit of bounce in her step, but then again maybe she doesn't.

"So while we return to the Castle if you like you can explain this game of yours to me."

Mint will listen and ask reasonably intelligent questions and otherwise make small talk until they reach the Castle.

At the Castle, Mint asks, "Can you get changed and ready in twenty minutes? I will need that long myself to draw and deliver the sketches as well as change and grab gear. I would recommend bringing a cloak of brown, grey, or black if you own such, whatever you would normally carry for Shadow travel, and something to keep you occupied for a few hours while I cast spells."

Mint disappears into her room and reappears promptly 18 minutes later. She drops off the promised sketches at Fergus' room along with a note which reads "I hope this helps. Duty calls. Best wishes. Mint" Then she arrives at Winnow's room precisely on time.

(OOC:Winnow or the GM should feel free to interrupt this at any point. I'm just trying to fast forward past a long walking/coach riding/ getting dressed scene.)

The slight chance exists that we will instead walk into a horrible trap, but such is life."

"A Trip? Excellent. A Trap? Excellent." He rubs his hands together in anticipation.

"If we are in a hurry, we could Trump to the hill overlooking the castle. It would save us the two hours in a carriage."

Either way, he will use whatever time they have to lay out the game of Koroa to her. [more details later]

Can you get changed and ready in twenty minutes?

He whips off his sarong, to tie it like a baldric diagonally across his chest. At the same time, his bulky undergarment thus revealed writhes, racing along his skin surface to cover him wrist to toe in gleaming, chequered blue and white armor. He grins. "Ready."

When she runs her errands he will hunt up a dark fur of some sort- brown or black bear would be the best - urgently calling out to servants to locate such a thing. He will take a pelt off the floor if he must. All of Shadow is there to replace it. He will sweep his Koroa pieces into a cloth bag and stow it in his sarong; he then takes five minutes in the kitchens to pack a satchel with three loaves, two chickens, and a whole cheese of about five pounds, a couple of cloth napkins, two water bottles and one of wine. He rigs this in his sarong as well. He then meets Mint in the hallway outside his quarters.

"Lead on, milady."

"As you wish Princess. When do we leave, and what is our destination then?"

To Kieran: Another errand? There are only two of us, and they would have us split into three groups? When did we become minions, running errands all across Shadow for nothing but japes and slurs from our cousins? She sighs, in her mind. Oh, I forget myself. We are also graciously granted limited access to our birthright, except while out running the aforementioned errands.

Well, I have discovered a man here in Begma with one dark blue eye, and one pale blue eye. His dress does not suit the crowd, though neither does mine, so I cannot fault him strongly. But, it shows him to be an outsider here. I will seek after him. When you are ready to go on your errand, come to me to get the deck. Do you know where our new masters bid you race? Or with whom?

For that matter, what is to be my task here? I see no reason to wait for the others to arrive. Perhaps I can resolve the issue myself quickly, and join you wherever you are.

"If you have a Trump of the hill we can certainly use that."

Either way they arrive and make their preparations.

"My Trump of Iv will take us to a back alley in the Capital City of Iv, which is also named Iv. Once there I will need you to keep watch for a few minutes. Then depending on the time of day or night we shall either take the streets or rooftops to the first of three properties I own in Iv. the first destination, an apartment, none of my family have seen to my knowledge. Nonetheless, if Commander Julian followed my back trail he would have most likely found it. Also the flowers that served to start this trek might well have been purchased in that City. Before we enter I must speak with the locals who watch the place for me." Beggars.

Mint looks Winnow over carefully. "Your garments mark you as a man to be feared in Iv. Not a bad choice for the city, but we will need to change the cloak if we proceed to the second property. Some of my nicer neighbours are bears. Our second destination if the first proves fruitless will be the cottage where I spent my childhood. in that region the flowers in question actually grow. It seems like the next most likely place Julian might have left a message. Unlike the others it is known as my Father's and mine publicly and so almost any might have gone there." [i]...including my Mother.[/]

"The third property is a tower hidden in he mountains near the border with the deathly desert. I know of it well, but I have not visited it since Father died. It had and I suspect still has guards both living and mechanical as well as wards. If we get that far it seems almost certainly a trap. It also seems the least likely since the flowers do not grow in that vicinity. Indeed very little does given that a single grain of sand blown from that dessert will wither all but the strongest vegetation."

Mint produces a Trump of a somewhat grimy alley. The stones of a rose quartz are the most remarkable thing about it. She focuses her concentration.

"Good, the alley is empty."

Together they step through.

(OOC: David do you want to start a new thread for this?)

Before Fiona can answer Kieran, Kierenne sends another message: There is danger, here. I'm throwing you an enemy, please subdue and remove her monacle.

Opening a catchpocket he removes a small clasp, which melts and flows into a black bracer, and puts it on his right wrist, "Pardon me Princess, but there is someone involved in this crimson business who should be here in 4.....3......2......" he opens his arms to catch/throw to the ground who/whatever his twin tosses his way.

As he braces himself he add,s "Remove the monacle post haste from this enemy if I am unable to."

Almost as an afterthought he adds again, "Please."

A woman in a gray cloak appears in the air (or, rather, water) of the chamber, carried by momentum. Kieran literally grabs her as she arrives and throws her to the floor. Two things immediately fall from her. One is the monocle on her eye, which is still attached by a ribbon round her neck.

The other is a small wooden box that stumbles out from her cloak. It hits the floor where someone--presumably attracted by the tumult--picks it up off the floor.

Meanwhile Fiona reaches to the new arrival, grabs the monocle's ribbon and rips it off the woman. She then turns to Kieran, who has vanished.

The various and sundry guests react to all this in a variety of ways...