Chain of Circumstances ((Reactions to Jez and Sam))

[Jezerai]

Jezerai smiled at Lothiriel.  "Not you too, friend!"  She laughed a little, a hint of the old Jezerai coming through, "Tsol and Samaal have hardly let up!  And Tsol has reminded me that if I die in this rat hole I will not see his children.  And Samall ..."  Jezerai's voice lowered to a caressing tone ... "well let us just say that Samaal has also reminded me that I have a life I need to return to."  Jezerai's eyes darted worriedly to Kromb and her hand reached out to touch Samaal's arm, as if to reassure herself that he was there and unharmed.  She loved Kromb and had relied on his skills dozens of times to bring her out of battle safely, but she knew how Kromb felt about Samaal.  People that Kromb felt that way about generally did not live long.  For the first time since she had met him, Jezerai felt a small stirring of fear of her old friend.

Glancing at Kromb, Jezerai saw that the young girl who she had assumed to be Lothiriel's page was actually Titia, dressed in the other girl's clothes.  Jezerai bit off the glad cry that rose to her lips at the sight of the rogue.  There would be reason Titia chose to be here in disguise and, whether that reason was to protect herself or Jezerai, Jez knew not to give her friend away.  Instead, she gave no hint that she even recognized Titia except for the faintest nod and shining eyes she turned toward her.

Jezerai sternly forbade herself to look around at the ghostly beings hovering around the edges of her circle of friends.  She would not worry her friends by letting them know that she was hallucinating.  Tsol's mention of the Ulvari though, gave her hope.  Jezerai recalled that the Ulvari were called the dream eaters and were said to manipulate people through their dreams.  It might be that the monks would be able to assist her, if they were attacking her.  It was said that the monks understood how to fight these other worldly beings better than just about anyone else. 

Jezerai lowered her voice, careful to keep it to a volume that would not leave the immediate circle of her friends.  "The thing is, I can't believe it would be that easy.  I know how the Imperial army works.  I can't imagine that they would just let us all walk away from this mess.  All these witnesses."  Jezerai shook her head thoughtfully.  "But at this point, if the Emporer and his henchman want me to stand on my head and cluck like a chicken in order to go home, I'll gladly accommodate them ... and even attempt to lay an egg if they demand it of me." 

[Kromb]

Kromb's eyes flashed as he looked upon Jez. "You will do no such thing." He said

Everyone in the room turned to him all with confused looks on there faces. Tsol spoke first.

"Kromb... this is the only way for her to be set free." He moved toward his friend. "If she doesn't then there is no way of  knowing how long she will be locked in here."

"No." Kromb shook his head. Khaeden looked at Kromb trying to read him. "You can not say these lies Jezerai. You have more integrity then that." Krombs eyes moved to Khae giving a very slight nod. Khae still wasn't sure but he went along in the direction he thought Kromb was going.

"Kromb don't be foolish." He began to say. "If this will set her free then she should tell them what they want to hear."

Kromb let a small grin escape his lips securing Khaedens thoughts. "Foolish?!" The grin leaving his face as quickly as it showed. "Who the fark are you calling foolish?"

Jezerai looked at the two men with worry. Lothiriel  looked between the lesser giant and her love, shocked that they were arguing at  time like this. Tsol moved over to Samaal taking him gently by an arm and pulling him away from the two men, knowing Kromb's temper he did not want the ranger to get mixed into some sort of brawl.

Khaeden spoke again with more force this time. "You, you blundering idiot. There are more important things at stake here then what you think Jezerai should and shouldn't say!"

Kromb's face screwed up in to one of anger "Watch your tongue comrad or I will have it out of your head."

The argument did exactly as Kromb had hoped. The two guard's were now letting curiosity get the best of them and moved in closer to witness what the fight was about.

"Oh? You think your man enough?!" Khaeden shot back

"Stop it both of you." Lothiriel was on her feet now. "Now is not the time or place to argue." Khaeden looked at her winking ever so slightly

"Aye your right." Looking back at Kromb. "Why don't we take this outside and we will see just who has who's tongue out of there head."

Kromb's eyes narrowed at him and flashed brightly as he stepped back out of the cell. "Follow me then." He turned toward the exit as if to leave, Khaeden close behind him. In a flash of smoke he disappeared and was suddenly behind one of the guard's hitting him hard over the head with the butt of his axe. He fell instantly unconscious. The other guard turned his back on Khaeden when he saw his partner fall and went to draw his sword. Khaeden quickly moved in, driving his shoulder into the mans back slamming him against one of the empty cell's iron bars driving the air out of him and knocking him out instantly. Everyone in the cell with Jez quickly came out into the hall completely dumbfounded by what just took place. Tsol stood with his mouth agape.

"What!!" He began. "Have you two done?"

Kromb quickly searched the man he took out as did Khaeden.

"There on the back of his belt." Titia said as she pushed her way thru the crowed. "The pouch."

Khaeden stood up holding a small black pouch in his hand. The soft sound of clinking glass from inside the bag could be heard. He opened it and pulled out two small vials. One of them looked exactly like the Starspark Red poison that was used on Jez.

"Be careful with that!!" Titia shouted pointing at the vial filled with a bright green gaseous liquid. "Thats a very potent  knock out gas. Drop that and we will all be asleep faster then you can blink."

"I don't understand..." Lothiriel said. "What is going on exactly."

"These are not guards, I cant believe..." Jezerai started saying. "These men are.... I know them. Its been so long I didn't recognize them. They...." She paused to look around at her friends. "They were.... are, members of the assassin squad I was a part of."

[Jezerai]

Jezerai shook her head slowly, looking at the two men laying unconscious on the floor.  It had been years since she'd seen them, but still she couldn't believe she hadn't recognized them immediately.  "I don't know how I could have missed it."  she said.  "My head has been so foggy.  It wasn't until this morning that I felt I could see or understand anything of what was going on."

She turned toward Khaeden and Kromb with gratitude.  "Thank you both for your quick thinking there!"  The sudden rush of activity made Jezerai's head spin, still weak from her long illness.  Samaal quickly came to her to support her and she gratefully leaned against him.  The solid warmth of his chest against her back was a comfort and she drew strength from his presence.

Jezerai looked over at the vial of Starspark Red Kromb had taken from the man on the ground, a curious longing for the drug grabbing hold of her which she fought to control.  "I wonder if they've been continuing to slip me that," Jezerai nodded her head towards the vial.  "It might explain much," she ignored the sound of rustling from behind which told her her vaporous entourage was pressing in behind her. 

Jezerai laid her hand on Tsol's arm.  "I'm sorry, friend, that your efforts at negotiation have come to naught.  But I'm afraid that either the Imperial tiger has not changed his stripes after all or some other player has thrown in his hand into this little game we seem to be caught in.  In any event, we must find our way clear on our own, I think."  Jezerai looked with affection at Kromb, Khaeden, Tsol, Lothiriel, Titia, and Samaal.  It was a formidable group and she could almost pity those who stood against them.  "So, what's the plan?"

[Tsol]

The half elf bard almost visibly slumped as the thought crossed his mind that they may have to fight their way out of the village.   He dread that there would be more bloodshed before the day was done.   He looked at the two unconscious guards on the ground, he then looked at the Titia dressed as a page.  He recalled meeting her briefly in a tavern and had some brief conversations about the Saga group.   He looked at the way she was dressed and then wondered if the ruse could work again.   He didn't know if the guards outside were part of the assassin group that Jezerai mentioned, but maybe it was worth the try. 

Without further thought he said, "Gag and tie the guards up,"  He then tossed his cloak, at Jezerai, "Put that on and put the hood up to hide your features and hair.  I rather not have any bloodshed."  He looked at Kromb,  "I mean it Kromb,"   he briefly wondered if even Kromb even heard him.  "I'm staying here, to keep the guards company for a bit.   Six visitors came in, and six will go out.   Khaeden when it is safe, send word to Ebrin Tarhk, the councilman of this village to visit the jailhouse."   He looked to the group,  "unless anyone has any better idea's,  I don't want any bloodshed,  some of those guards have family within the village."

Samaal stood back listening and then said, "I can distract the guards, so they won't look at the group to closely.  They know me."   Tsol looked at the young ranger, he only knew him briefly and wondered if he could trust him. He was the main cause of Jezerai's incarceration as it was.  The bard nodded slowly,   "anyone have any objections?"

[Jezerai]

Jezerai wasn't quite sure how it happened, but she was happy to finally be standing on her boat, sailing back to Qalia and home. Jezerai was deeply indebted to her friends, and particularly to Lothiriel for restoring her physical, if not her mental, health and to Khaeden, for his efforts to finally win her free of her imprisonment.



They had left Tsol and Samaal in the jail with the two assassins while they went to sort out matters with the counsel. Jezerai had not know quite what to expect, but Khaeden had stepped forward to negotiate her fate with the counsel. Jezerai had always found the easy going man to be a likeable friend, but had been amazed at the transformation he underwent when dealing with the authorities. His solemn presence had carried great weight as he'd made it clear that she was one of his people and under his protection. Gone was the joking, charming Khae she knew, and in his place was a man who would be difficult for the counsel to ignore, determined and with the slightest hint of threat underlying his arguments on her behalf.



Khaeden had pointed out that if the counsel wanted to bring an assassin to justice, they had much better candidates waiting in the jail. There was proof that the two were currently acting as assassins in their recent actions against their group. Further, they lacked the attributes that made Jez so likeable to the people, appearing rough and even brutish they looked like the killers they were. Khaeden had talked some about his experiences with Jezerai and the kind of person she had become in more recent years, and Jezerai had seen the expressions of some of the counsel members soften while one or two others nodded. They had been fortunate in finding the prosecutor gone and the counsel much more amenable to Khaeden's arguments. Still Jezerai had been much impressed with the way Khaeden handled the situation. While she had always liked him before, Jezerai now found she respected him as well. "Not," she thought with a little smile, "that that would stop me from teasing him from time to time."



Ultimately, the counsel was persuaded and allowed Jezerai to leave after all in their party had written out testimonials about the actions against them by the assassins being held in her place in Kojan. Jezerai wondered if any others of her old band or their confederates would be around to seek her out, but decided to let those worries rest until another day. For now, her main worry was to determine what, if anything, could be done about the soundness of her mind. For even now the ephemeral bodies of her ever present companions crowded around her. Jezerai shuddered at the icy touch of their fingers and firmly ignored their rustling presence.