& sixth

[quu]

With the essentials arranged and the party more or less outfitted, Joffrey led them from the armory. And as they departed, he nodded to his darkling lieutenant, who stayed behind. Evidently she had some words to share with the guards.

"I think it is unwise to rouse any further suspicion," he declares, not to anyone in particular. "We shall have to disguise you, if you are to leave the city unhindered. A troupe of actors, perhaps. Or merchants. Your transport awaits outside."

Attentive members of the team may note that for some reason there are very few persons of any sort wandering the halls in Joffrey's wake. Either he is leading them into a less-used portion of the palace, or perhaps it is only the late hour that was to blame. The torches and candelabrae struggle against the cool black syrup of the night; footsteps echo louder, and the sinister penitent hissing of night-beetles creeps in through the windows.

Eventually a rough stone gallery opens before them. In the overhang outside, the party might espy an empty carriage of six seats, and a team of horses whose color was lost in the low light.



A crisp, brisk thrill hangs in the air: the promise of adventures to come.

Joffrey draws the group into a rather musty little room and shuts the door behind them, which plunges them all into pitch blackness.

Comments

Re: FIRST STEP

[hagswallop]

"'Modesty'?" Was that like a 'desert'? No they were doing clothing things, it was probably that sheet the fancy woman had. "Is that like a robe thing? Do I wrap it around? I think breeches would probably be better for me..."

She looks down at her ratty too-patched up breeches, with a frown. "I need new ones of course..." With a regretful frown she cuts the rope belt holding them up, sending the rag pants to the floor.

Re: FIRST STEP

[yowokomete]

Oh. Oh no. Shonagon averts her eyes and hoists the sheet high between outspread arms.

"No, I--I mean, I'll hold this up, so that you can have some privacy to change clothes."

She gestures vaguely with one hand (flapping the sheet a little) at some breeches lying nearby, a sturdy brown woolen pair. "How about those ones? They look about your size."

And they're clean, she added silently.

Re: FIRST STEP

[hagswallop]

"Oh, well alright then." Fighting out of the rest of her cloths she yanks the breeches up and finds some undergarments tucked inside. "These go under the bottoms yes?" There is some grumbling and minor cursing but the end result is a mostly clothed Cludig trying to get her long ratty hair out of the chemise back.

"Is this right? Are there an bodices about?"

Re: FIRST STEP

[yowokomete]

"Yes, that's right. Hm, a 'bodice?' If you mean a blouse--try that green one, perhaps. It'll look nice with the trousers."

Re: FIRST STEP

[hagswallop]

"It's like a vest? I keeps the tits in." She distractedly answers as she wrestles on the suggested article. "This'll do, uh..thank you." She scratches in a few unattractive places before she is pleased with the fit. Soon enough it have that swampy home fragrance so she could make due till then.

Re: FIRST STEP

[yowokomete]

"Would you like some help brushing out your hair?" Shonagon ventures, lowering the sheet now that Cludig is decent.

Re: FIRST STEP

[hagswallop]

"Bru-? Oh no!" She holds her tagnled heap of mane over her shoulder to pet. "I keep my things in the knots, you see. It, uh, wouldn't hold them if the knots got out..."