Freshly bathed, clothes pockets cleaned out, and given to the washers. I made sure I was suitable to leave my room. Late into the night it was, and as soon as I opened my door, surely enough there was a messenger requesting I see Master Crow. Immediately. Looking back into my room, there is a table in front of the only window. There sits my herbs, happily nestled into their respective pots. At that moment I wished I had a pot to happily nestle in.
This meeting would not go well. Too many things had fallen out of place in the Citadel.
Entering the meeting room once again, I saw Jax deep in conversation with Master Crow, at the far end. Lim and Alloriah were sitting at the table in the center of the room. Darren though, was apparently waiting for me. He walked up in front of me and looked down. A smile lighting up his face.
"Your looking much better, smell better too."
I looked up and gave him a smile, halfheartedly. Then my attention snapped to Master Crow who walked briskly up to the table, and lied the wand in front of him. Darren followed my attention, patted my shoulder, and joined the others. I walked toward the table, but instead of sitting I leaned up against a wall. The coolness of the stones through my shirt felt nice. It might have been the only nice thing that happened that evening.
Jax had told Master Crow everything. We messed up. Why were our faces now known? Guards are still searching for us, and will be for who knows how long? the Clergy now knows about us. The list went on and on. As he spoke and named off every error, I cringed, and sank deeper into a shadowed corner. Lim piped in whenever he had a chance. Jax stood behind Master Crow looking darkly satisfied. Darren sat looking solemn, and offering a few good words when the time merited. Alloriah just sat there though, sniffling every now and then. Not crying, just sniffling, making the noise whenever she was mentioned. Disgusting.
In the end the wand was put in a iron box and given to Jax for research. He took it and spirited out of the room. Darren's gaze followed him, and his expression fell. Master Crow then told Darren he was to stay around and help with the Nest. Darren nodded, stood, and offered us a smile before he too walked out of the room. Then Master Crow's attention turned on us. If I could have sunk into the wall at that moment I would have. His eyes glittered dangerously.
"I heard what happened. Your bickering. Your arguments. Your threats to cut out someones tongue." Those eyes focused on me for a moment. I sighed quietly. "You were told to keep a low profile. You were TOLD to stay out of their sight, and now descriptions of you are circulating around the ENTIRE Citadel. Now. Now I have to keep you out of it. What use is that to me? How does that help our goals?"
He sighed and sat down. "I need you to stay away from the Citadel until this blows over. I need you away from here for some time also. There is a Monastery a week's journey from here, it is rumored that there was an amulet left in there. You three are going to retrieve it for me. Maybe, you three will learn how to work together. Your going to need to."
He stood up, and motioned to the door. A slim youth stepped in, light haired, and if I miss my mark, lightly muscled. "Also, Vernin will be going with you. He's going to help carry your supplies, and keep a eye on you. Go. Get some rest, you'll be leaving tomorrow."
Vernin, Lim, and Alloriah filed out. I followed, just upon reaching the door, Master crow's voice called softly. I turned around to face him, pulling the door shut behind me. He walked up not even a foot away from me.
"I expected better from you."
"Mayhaps, then you should have sent me inside alone."
"You would have been dead. I expect better from you from now on. Don't disappoint me. I don't care if you like them. Work with them anyway. You should know better."
Clenching my teeth together, I nodded. Then reached into my sack and pulled out a pouch. I held it up in front of him. After a moment he took it, and opened it. Inside glittered, ranking pins from each guard I killed, or their station sigina. Whichever they had worn. I offered a half grin
.
"That many less you have to worry about now. And the pins themselves..."
"Quite useful." He nodded. "Ann...watch over my nephew."
"I will at that. In return, I no not how long we will be away. Someone must watch over my plants."
A brief smile flittered through his serious face. "I think that can be arranged. Find someone tomorrow, before you leave."
I bowed, in the manner of my kind to him, then took my leave. Quickly I skimmed in the shadows back to my room, not wanting to be bothered by anyone. Once inside I looked again to my plants, then set about packing and resorting my gear. Thinking on all he had said, knowing Vernin's life would be worth more than any treasure I could ever find.
Tomorrow would come soon enough.
In the end the wand was put in a iron box and given to Jax for research. He took it and spirited out of the room. Darren's gaze followed him, and his expression fell. Master Crow then told Darren he was to stay around and help with the Nest. Darren nodded, stood, and offered us a smile before he too walked out of the room. Then Master Crow's attention turned on us. If I could have sunk into the wall at that moment I would have. His eyes glittered dangerously.
"I heard what happened. Your bickering. Your arguments. Your threats to cut out someones tongue." Those eyes focused on me for a moment. I sighed quietly. "You were told to keep a low profile. You were TOLD to stay out of their sight, and now descriptions of you are circulating around the ENTIRE Citadel. Now. Now I have to keep you out of it. What use is that to me? How does that help our goals?"
He sighed and sat down. "I need you to stay away from the Citadel until this blows over. I need you away from here for some time also. There is a Monastery a week's journey from here, it is rumored that there was an amulet left in there. You three are going to retrieve it for me. Maybe, you three will learn how to work together. Your going to need to."
He stood up, and motioned to the door. A slim youth stepped in, light haired, and if I miss my mark, lightly muscled. "Also, Vernin will be going with you. He's going to help carry your supplies, and keep a eye on you. Go. Get some rest, you'll be leaving tomorrow."
Vernin, Lim, and Alloriah filed out. I followed, just upon reaching the door, Master crow's voice called softly. I turned around to face him, pulling the door shut behind me. He walked up not even a foot away from me.
"I expected better from you."
"Mayhaps, then you should have sent me inside alone."
"You would have been dead. I expect better from you from now on. Don't disappoint me. I don't care if you like them. Work with them anyway. You should know better."
Clenching my teeth together, I nodded. Then reached into my sack and pulled out a pouch. I held it up in front of him. After a moment he took it, and opened it. Inside glittered, ranking pins from each guard I killed, or their station sigina. Whichever they had worn. I offered a half grin
.
"That many less you have to worry about now. And the pins themselves..."
"Quite useful." He nodded. "Ann...watch over my nephew."
"I will at that. In return, I no not how long we will be away. Someone must watch over my plants."
A brief smile flittered through his serious face. "I think that can be arranged. Find someone tomorrow, before you leave."
I bowed, in the manner of my kind to him, then took my leave. Quickly I skimmed in the shadows back to my room, not wanting to be bothered by anyone. Once inside I looked again to my plants, then set about packing and resorting my gear. Thinking on all he had said, knowing Vernin's life would be worth more than any treasure I could ever find.
Tomorrow would come soon enough.
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