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& sixth
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.
"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.
THIRD STEP
Joffrey relays the alibi to the coachman. What coachman, you ask?? Why it is the very same nervous peasant that they had seen in the antechamber before any of this nonsense transpired. He is a trifle plump and wearing a stained overcoat of peach brocade, an equally stained linen shirt, and corduroy pants that have clearly seen at least three previous owners. He is stubbly. His voice sounds like a teapot's whistle.
"Well, yer Majersty!" He cries. "Sure as my name is Pizzle, I'll see 'em as far as the border... Except... yer Majersty..."
"Yes, Pizzle, what troubles you?"
"I'm awrfully afeared, yer Majersty."
Joffrey nods sympathetically.
"And... er... beggin yer pardon, but I do tend ter piss when I'm afeared...."
"...I....see."
"I could piss right now, ter be honest!"
"Try to contain yourself." He turns abruptly to the party. "Well well, mount up, off you go. Remember your story! Varrå will join you once you have passed beyond the gates! Fear nothing, and follow her lead! Farewell!"
He waves goodbye as Pizzle whips the horses and the carriage begins its brisk journey to the city gates.
(YOU'RE ALL SITTING SIDE BY SIDE IN A CARRIAGE GOING TO A PLACE. You have ten minutes to discuss amongst yourself and get infected with Cludig's lice or Shonagon's civility or what have you.)
Re: THIRD STEP
"So where you guys from?"
Re: THIRD STEP
"I came from the Emperor Ichijo's court in Japan," she says. "I've been on quite a long journey. This was only meant to be a stop along the way."
Re: THIRD STEP
Re: THIRD STEP
"No, I'm merely a lady of the court," she says. "A companion to Empress Teishi."
Re: THIRD STEP
Re: THIRD STEP
She fiddles with her hair and checks to make sure her possessions are still secure in it's tangles. "I came from the Flagrent Marsh. The local humans called it 'Death-Howl Swamp'." She pauses thinking on how others might perceive it given the title. "Oh, but don't let the name fool you it, uh, wasn't very noisy."
Re: THIRD STEP
Re: THIRD STEP
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That, if nothing else, catches his attention. He had hitherto assumed everyone else had come from somewhere in this... world, for lack of a better term, but that couldn't be true if her home was Japan. Could it?
"How... did you travel here? If I can ask."
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"And nothing... odd happened during your journey?" he ventures, although even he has to admit it is a little desperate. She would've mentioned, surely, any inter-dimensional portals popping up.
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