Nethrida watched the pyre a moment longer before lowering her arm from the salute and simply nodded at Lyra. "I... Am ready to speak..."
Lyra focused her attention on Neth....and pretending she wasn’t crying anymore.
Xanderian led the group to the more secluded spot she had seen to one side of the garden and turned to watch the woman in gray leather. Lyra smiled to Xan and took a folio off her back. A hidden catch touched, a few whispered word and the folio popped open.
Lyra set herself as she withdrew several papers and a quill. She was all business now, her eyes filled with serious purpose and intellect, even if they were still a bit red and she set herself so her back was to the burning pyre. "First of all my Captain thought you might like an update regarding our quarry...'
Addiela quirked a brow at the woman as 'quarry' was said. Carneryn raised a brow, still clinging to Neth's hand "Oh?"
Calidis blinked once and then twice and the pendant about her neck glowed very faintly for a moment or two before dimming to nothing again. Her black gaze was devoid of any light but focused on the discussion at hand. There was much about what had happened while she and Xanderian had been absent that she did not understand, coupled with their disturbing encounter with Desad. Adding to her uneasiness was the sense of mourning and failure she was feeling from Xanderian. Coupled with her grief over what appeared to be an old friend, she could feel that the huntress blamed some of the situation in Linhir on her absence, rightly or wrongly. Calidis Nighteye hated to admit it, but perhaps for the first time ever she very much wanted to spend time talking with Xandilif to get more information about all these riddles.
Nethrida looked at Lyra and tilted her head softly. "You mean..." She pursed her lips but couldn’t bring herself to finish her question.
Lyra nodded, looking uncomfortable. Then setting her jaw she plunged forward. "Yes. I'm sorry, but at this point we include the Gondorian Citizen Ynnabeth of Linhir as a victim of our quarry....'
Addiela frowned more deeply and at least for a moment opted to play dumb. 'Your quarry?... Might I ask what exactly you speak of?'
Lyra looked back at Addie, her gaze now cold as ice. "Whatever has taken possession of the corpse of the woman Ynnabeth...that is our Quarry. We know that following the deaths there and your battle with it, and then the murder of a Knight of Minas Tirith, our quarry left Linhir for Pelargir, where she slew more than two dozen Guardsmen using a poison, as well as a family of travellers.'
Addiela glanced over to Neth at the mention of 'Ynnabeth's corpse'.
Carneryn sighed softly and frowned deeply, she squeezed Neth's hand again "Then... No one knows where it went after that?"
Calidis seemed a tad bit relieved that Ynnabeth herself was not accused but felt clarification was important. "So it is understood then, that Ynnabeth herself is not at fault for all of this. Good."
Nethrida's posture deflated for a moment, but only briefly, as her gaze hardened with determination and anger. "What is it you need. My aid is yours, however you may have use of it"
Lyra focused on Neth, leafing through several papers and reports. “We were briefed about this recent situation in Linhir by Captain Kraddock...and the Doves are aware of an..."event" that occurred in Minas Tirith concerning a summoning in violation of several dozen statutes. I suspect you had something to do with that, in association with Xandilif Warchild, Knight Banneret of the Argent Lions?'
Addiela kept her eyes on the woman as she listened, her expression not giving away anything.
Calidis was impressed at the amount of information already collected by the Doves. Much like a nearly complete puzzle missing but a few pieces.
Nethrida pursed her lips a little. "The... event in Minas Tirith was complicated... I am perfectly aware of the transgression committed that day... But I assure you it was not intentional. This... Spirit, this wraith... is able to possess others... It is through this dark magic, and some manipulations and false promises that this creature now inhibits the remains of mot...Ynnabeth..."
Addiela's lips pressed tighter together, her pain for her dearest friend evident when she looked at Nethrida.
Lyra nodded. "Thank you. This meeting is to one degree a courtesy...but also an exchange of information. Moving forward, the Quarry departed on a vessel of Angmar origin called the Nightbreed...at first we thought the dock attendant had been bribed in order to allow the vessel to both dock and depart...but after extensive..umm…questioning of the officials involved, we have come to a different conclusion...'
Calidis blinked as her expression hardened. "So, Angmar has come to Gondor." She turned to Xan and whispers, "I like it not that two problems could converge into one."
Carneryn snapped back to the conversation at this. "A-Angmar..."
Lyra brought out a document, written in a firm hand, granting the Nightbreed and her crew free passage, signed by the Office of Waterways, Minas Tirith with all appropriate seals and stamps.
Addiela glanced at the document, not altogether sure of its significance. 'What is an Angmarian vessel doing in Gondor? Can something even get to Gondor by way of sea from Angmar?'
Lyra looked at Addie. "The vessel, Addiela of Rohan, is the property of Angmar, but there is no port in Angmar itself that would serve their wishes for it...the home port of the Nightbreed is Kheledul….I am told that you have been there.”
Nethrida tensed a little bit "The home port...? Kheledul...?" She cringed at the name.
Addiela's brow raised and she went a bit pale. "How do you know who I am? And know my full name?"
'I am a Knight and Squad Leader in the Scout Division of the Pale Kestrels....we know a great deal of things.' Lyra allowed herself a cold smile. 'It is our job to know them....'
Lyra tapped the paper grimly, her logic relentless. "This writ has been sworn to by the clerks of the Office of Waterways to be a nearly perfect forgery'
Nethrida blinked and raised her eyebrows. She glanced around to the others, before pursing her lips. "We have... for some time pondered whether the Steward's office may have been compromised"
Lyra looked at Neth. “Compromised is a polite term the Doves try to avoid when speaking confidentially…you mean we have been betrayed by one of our own, do you not? As for this forged writ, we have analyzed the mineral content of the ink that was used...and found it matches at least one other document in an open investigation...'
Addiela's jaw clenched, waiting to hear it but knowing what was about to be said.
Lyra laid down another a writ, with numerous official seals, outlining the charges against the fugitive Gwaelion, better known as Hawk, including Treason and Murder...and calling for his immediate arrest. “It is the opinion of my Captain that these two were written by the same hand'
Addiela wanted nothing more than to rip up those papers with those falsified charges; she glared at them as her eyes angrily scan over the words, remembering the arrest, the horrors of the prison, and then Hawke’s "death". For a moment she wondered where he was now, and if he was safe…but she knew she had no control over that and put the thoughts away. At the mention of Hawke she looked up and saw the pain in Xanderian’s eye.
Calidis breathed out slowly. So it was as they feared but perhaps worse; that Mans had been behind much of this for all this time.
Nethrida sighed a little "Yes that was the initial document that made us suspicious,” before looking at Lyra again. "Same hand...? But by who...?"
Lyra frowned. “That much we do not know....but my Captain is of the opinion they are still in the White City, and enjoy a rank that protects them from common suspicion.”
Addiela was growing tired of feeling veils around this whole matter. 'And might I ask the name of your mysterious Captain?'
Lyra just smiled…and cocked her head slightly to indicate the younger, gray-clad daughter of the Margrave, now speaking with several guests. 'Captain Lianna, House Palaniel, Captain and Chief Investigator of the Pale Kestrels.'
Xanderian sighed to herself, her voice sounding lost and hopeless..."So the traitor is still loose in Gondor...and Mans is returning to his stronghold in Kheledul....and Gwaelion is lost to us again…and we are right back where we were before all of this suffering and blood and sacrifice?”
Calidis reached out to gently take Xan's hand. "Not quite..." She looked to Lyra. "I trust that, this time, there are more powerful allies who can be called upon for aid or information for the purpose of bringing about justice and an end to all of this?"
Nethrida nodded slowly. "There is little we can do about Mans now, not until the others return and recuperate from their trip. I am sure the rest of you will agree that ousting this traitor should be of utmost importance, and that the help of the Doves will mean a great deal?"
Lyra picked up the write against Hawke. "Here in lies the difficulty with finding that traitor. When this writ of arrest was first submitted as evidence, many swore it was the very picture of the hand of Lord Ashe, the Commander of Deployment...however as time waxed, the appearance of the text changed...'
Addiela raised an eyebrow, 'Changed?'
Lyra nodded. “Indeed. Those same people said upon looking at it again recently, it was in fact a poor forgery, and they do not understand how they were fooled...my Captain suspects sorcery or black arts.”
Addiela nodded. "And you are confident that what now remains is true?"
Lyra shrugged a bit sheepishly. "In truth we are confident of nothing, save for what Captain Gareth of the Hounds said in his initial report...that these are small sallies before the larger assault begins.' She sighed. 'The very structure of Minas Tirith is threatened...and should that fall....the West falls.'
Addiela nodded again, remembering her talk with Caine in the Rusty Barge and the fears he had expressed. "And you have your suspects I assumed?"
'Of course...the Doves have labeled the initial case closed due to lack of evidence...” Lyra smiled softly. “….and have continued to work hard upon it from the shadows. I just wished you to be aware of the current status. Thank you for your time....'
Lyra slipped the documents back into her folio and snapped it shut. “That is all for now, but I may have more questions for you later. Of course you may contact me whenever you wish. Both Bark and Bite….I mean…both Xandilif and Xanderian, know how to reach me…as I am sure so soon will the newest Knight Bachelor of the Vanguard.” She smiled and reached out to squeeze Neth’s arm. “Truly…congratulations. From what I have heard it was well deserved. Who knows you might all be Bachelors of the Doves before all this is over.”
As Lyra walked away, she called back over her shoulder. "Oh....Captain Kraddock, with the blessings of my Captain sent a gift to your island...it should be there when you return.'
Calidis blinked once. Then twice. "Gift?"
Lyra nodded. "I am sure you will find her useful'
Addiela's brows shot up and she called after the woman. "Her?... We're not slavers..."
Lyra just laughed, and disappeared into the crowd.
Xanderian sighed and embraced Nethrida gently. “We should return to the Island as soon as we can. Hopefully the Banshee and the others will be there already, and we can plan our next move…there are many questions to answer.”
Calidis nodded and held up one hand, spying a table being loaded with extravagant cakes and pastries for the guests. “A moment, I must visit the refreshments table. If Finchley is already home, she will be hungry….”
