The Questing Game

"It's safe to talk now," she a

"Already? Wouldn't it be better to wait?"

"No. We're ru

"I will leave with the dawn, Highness," she said confidently. "In exactly three months from tomorrow, the Vendari will be here."

"Good. I can't stress how much I'm counting on you, Sisska. You and the Vendari are the fulchrum of this plan. If you don't show up, the rest of us are going to be executed."

"By my honor, we will be here," she said seriously.

"Then I'm sure I'll see you again in three months," Keritanima smiled. "Azakar, do you think you're ready to take Sisska's place? Miranda can be a handful."

Miranda gave Keritanima a dirty look. "I'm not half as much trouble as you," she accused.

"I know," Keritanima winked to her.

"I can keep the flipskirt under control," Azakar said with a hint of a smile.

"That was business, Zak," Miranda said cooly.

"I'm sure it was."

"I don't do that unless I have to. Arduous men are cesspools of good information."

"You certainly didn't sound like you minded wading into that cesspool."

" Do you mind?" Miranda asked huffily.

"Not at all," he gri

" Men!" Miranda snorted, opening her shoulder bag and pulling out a bit of embroidery.

Binter and Sisska traded mysterious looks, then they nodded to one another.

"Odds are, my father's going to hold off seeing me for a couple of days," Keritanima continued. "He'll want some safeguards in place to protect himself from any kind of magical attack, because I don't doubt he's expecting one. I want to remind you, Zak, that absolutely anything you say or do is going to be on my father's desk in triplicate. I hope you remember your Knightly training about stoicism, silence, and fortitude. Not a word, Zak. Not a word."

"I won't say a word unless Miranda says it's alright," he said soberly.

"Good. Most of the time they'll be speaking Wikuni, but most Wikuni know Common, so assume that anyone around you can understand what you're saying."

"I will," he promised.

"Good. I'm depending on you, Zak."

"I'll make you proud, Kerri."

"I don't doubt it," she said with a toothy grin.

"It is unseemly they return you without a meal waiting," Binter a

"I'd really appreciate that, Binter," Keritanima said with a grateful look. "Absolutely nothing involving ham, tackbread, or ale, please. Fruits and vegetables. I've been dying for an apple."

"I will arrange some fruit, cheese, pastries, and wine until the di

"That sounds wonderful," she told him.

Binter bowed silently, then turned and left for the kitchens. Keritanima leaned back against the footboard of her chest. "There's a spare bedroom off the sitting room, Zak," she said. "It's supposed to be for a maid, but we don't use it. Miranda stays in here with me. You can stay there."

"No offense, but no thanks," he replied. "With Sisska leaving for her home, Binter would probably rather have a second set of eyes and ears in the room defending this one. I'll stay in there."

"Wise," Sisska agreed.

"Well, then I guess that's the plan," Keritanima frowned. "I hope Binter doesn't mind."

"He will demand it," Sisska told her charge in her deep, sibilant voice. "Azakar serves no purpose that far from his duty."

Azakar nodded to the female Vendari. Their training of him was showing more and more every day.

"Alright then. I guess we can unpack and get settled in, then. And get something to eat that hasn't been packed in salt," she said with a grunt.

After a light meal, they settled in. Azakar and Binter helped Sisska pack what she would need for her journey, and he settled into the room the Vendari mates shared as Miranda unpacked what few belongings they had managed to bring with them from Shoran's Fork. About all that entailed were the clothes on her back and those Miranda made for her, a few personal effects, and Miranda's shoulder bag. The precious satchel was stowed in a secret cubbyhole in the room's hearth, the same cubby that held the key to the treasury, her skulking clothes, lockpicks, some rope and a grapple and other thiefly tools, and the Royal Seal she had used so many times as a young girl. The tools of an enterprising young lady with a plan to leave the horrible conditions of her life. That little girl would be very put out with her for screwing all that pla

It had been so long ago. She smiled as she patted the old writing desk, a desk that hadn't seen much use when she was very young. Before the struggle to stay alive had overwhelmed her life. The orders of alot of killings had come from that desk, orders passed on through her network to Ulfan, her criminal friend in the city. Ruler of the Black Shadows, a thieves' guild in the city, with enough underworld co

Maybe some good memories would come from the apartment now. Gods only knew, whether she succeeded or failed, they would be memorable.

No servants or emissaries from her father showed up, even after di

She was forced to eliminate another round of spies, obviously come to find out why the first hadn't reported, then taken their places. She and the others sat in the sitting room by her large hearth and its crackling fire. She sat at the coffee table, on the floor, continuing to write her documents, as Azakar sharpened his sword, Binter and Sisska played chess, and Miranda continued with her embroidery. That was when the note was pushed under the door. They all looked at each other for a moment, and then Miranda padded over and picked it up and unfolded it. "To K.; time to walk the dog." She looked up at Keritanima with a slight smile. "I guess Ulfan already knows we're here."