Logs > Gamma Logs > I Don't Like Being Lied To

I Don't Like Being Lied To

[The Tipsy Scholar, Pub Room]
A long oak bar meanders down the right side of this wood-paneled pub. Under the bar, a brass footrest invites patrons to "belly up", and over an old wooden barrel, a neatly lettered drink list has been tacked to the wall. Scattered around, a few small tables and chairs are provided to allow people to relax with their pints and drams. A dart board has been nailed to the wall adjacent to the bar, and hanging under the board is a pouch filled with darts and a chalkboard for keeping score. On the wood slates of the floor is a painting. You see Jael. Also here is Shala (seated on a makeshift wooden chair) and Xelian (seated on a makeshift wooden chair).

Ale and beer mingle with the strong odor of the King's own.
The only obvious exit is out.

Xelian says, "Several people witnessed Jurion givin' the letter to Caritas."
Shala nods.
You say, "You speak my name and I appear."
Xelian says, "Speak of the demon."
Shala asks, "But did he tell her what it was?"
You say, "This isn't rum."
You tap your tall thraelware mug.
You say, "I didn't, no."
Shala grins at you.
You put a tall thraelware mug on a small table.
Xelian says, "Almost as if I summoned ye by sheer will."
Shala says, "I got the rum. Not sure what Severin ordered for Raeh."
Shala swallows some dark rum.
Xelian grins at you.
You say, "Not specifically, but I did say it was a letter conveying our thanks to the Prince."
Shala asks, "She head off to bed, Jurion?"
You nod to Shala.
You say, "She's... well, she's doing better."
Shala sighs sadly.
You say, "I think."
Shala says, "Poor Raeh."
Xelian sighs.
You tie back your hair with your scarlet ribbon.
You hand Jael some money.
Jael turns to the bar and pours a dram of rum into a tall mug. He hands it
over to you and says, "Enjoy, Pal!"
Xelian says, "She is strong. She'll come out of it."
Shala nods to Xelian.
Shala says, "I hope so."
Xelian sips some honey mead from her tall thraelware mug.
You sit down on a makeshift wooden chair.
Shala swallows some dark rum.
You sip some dark rum from your tall mug.
The dark rum soothes and refreshes you. You can feel the tension drain away.
You act: Jurion scrubs at his cheek with one hand.
Shala momentarily loses her balance.
You say, "I haven't been able to get an appointment with the Lady Ambassador yet."
Xelian says, "Feh."
Shala furrows her brow.
You say, "Merow said, though... I don't think anyone believes that's what the orcs were after."
Shala asks, "What did he say?"
You say, "Well, when I spoke to him the day after it happened, in Breen's, he wasn't at all concerned."
You sip some dark rum from your tall mug.
The dark rum soothes and refreshes you. You can feel the tension drain away.
You say, "Which I thought was odd."
Shala looks like she could use another drink!
You say, "He said he doubted that the orcs wanted my letter, and that the Lady Ambassador had probably made up the story to cover the theft of something more important."
You say, "Our letter, rather."
You say, "There goes my ego."
Shala ponders the situation.
Xelian peers at Shala.
Shala says, "Yes, I remember hearing that too."
Shala shakes her head.
Xelian asks, "Ye mean he thought she was lyin' about what they stole?"
You say, "He also said I should go about spreading the story that our letter had been stolen, because we wouldn't want to discomfort the Lady Ambassador by contradicting her story."
You nod to Xelian.
You say, "But then he used that writ to get the orc child..."
You ask, "So I don't know. Perhaps they stole stationary?"
Shala says, "Maybe Merow wasn't concerned because he told them to get it."
You say, "That's another possiblity."
Xelian scratches her forehead.
Shala gazes at Xelian.
You say, "I don't know. I suppose it doesn't matter now."
Shala says, "Merow didn't arrest us."
You say, "He didn't know what was going on, though."
Shala says, "He might have guessed enough. Maybe Vargus told enough."
Shala says, "And then we had a writ."
Shala asks, "Could he have known?"
You ask, "Could someone have told him?"
You smile at Shala.
Xelian asks, "Ye mean ye think he was after our writ?"
Shala says, "No, I mean I think he may have suspected about our writ."
Shala says, "And knew what Jurion's letter would do."
Shala says, "Make it more difficult for him to use one."
Xelian says, "Interestin'."
Shala says, "So he stopped it."
You say, "Hm."
You swallow some dark rum.
The dark rum soothes and refreshes you. You can feel the tension drain away.
You say, "Mayhap."
Shala shakes her head.
Shala says, "It seems much too wild."
Shala says, "He would have had to guessed a lot."
Xelian says, "And think through every possibility."
Shala says, "Merow was smart, but he couldn't read minds."
You say, "One never knows what one might be moved to do. He was contemplating treason, and he wasn't a fool."
Shala says, "And the letter seemed so harmless."
You say, "If you didn't know that it was all a sham in the first place."
Shala swallows some dark rum.
Xelian says, "All I know is the Guard got wind about a writ...had some idea a writ would be used fer somethin."
Shala gazes at Xelian.
You ask, "Did anyone see Merow's writ?"
Shala asks, "It does seem a bit coincidental, doesn't it?"
Xelian says, "The night they interrogated the halflings at the wagon, the cap told Merow to ask them if they had ever heard Jayden or the orcs mention anything about a writ."
Shala blinks at Xelian.
Shala asks, "What?"
You nod.
You say, "I heard that as well."
Shala frowns.
Xelian nods.
Shala asks, "A writ? Why?"
You say, "I'd like to ask Sutton that myself."
Shala says, "One was stolen."
Shala sighs.
Shala leans back while sitting on the makeshift wooden chair.
Shala says, "That's got to be it."
Shala says, "It was stolen back then..."
Shala blinks.
Shala says, "Why, I'll be damned."
You raise an eyebrow in Shala's direction.
Xelian peers at Shala.
Shala softly mumbles some obscenities.
Shala smiles slightly.
Xelian says, "I just heard a click in yer head."
Shala says, "I've got to hand it to her, she's good."
Shala says, "So smooth."
Shala shakes her head.
Shala raises her tall mug into the air.
Shala says, "To Raeh."
You put a tall mug on a small table.
Xelian asks, "Who? eh?"
You raise an eyebrow in Shala's direction.
Shala says, "She lies as well as Merow ever did."
Shala swallows some dark rum.
Xelian gawks at Shala.
You ask, "What are you talking about?"
Xelian asks, "What're ye thinkin'?"
Xelian says, "I'm afraid I may know what yer thinkin', but say it."
Shala says, "She had me believing he was never intending harm at first."
Shala says, "But if he stole that writ back then..."
Shala shakes her head.
Xelian asks, "Who, Merow?"
You ask, "What makes you think she knew, if he even stole it back then?"
Shala looks a bit queasy.
Shala momentarily loses her balance.
You say, "She's been agonizing over not knowing until it was too late."
Shala says, "She might not have."
Shala nods to you.
Xelian asks, "Stole a writ from whom, though?"
Shala says, "But I don't know. She's sly."
You say, "When I saw her in Never..."
Shala says, "I think he stole one from the palace."
Shala says, "And the guards were looking for it."
Shala says, "They thought Jayden might have it."
You say, "He wouldn't even speak to her. She was frantic. She didn't know what his plans were and said she hadn't for some time."
Shala says, "Which means it could have been stolen as early as before Jayden was ever accused."
You say, "That's assuming he was planning this all that time."
Shala says, "Exactly."
Shala nods to you.
Xelian asks, "Ye think Raeh gave Merow the idea to steal it?"
You say, "From what he said to me, he had to accuse Jayden on the spur of the moment..."
Shala shakes her head at Xelian.
Shala says, "I don't know."
You act: Jurion touches his fingers to his lips.
Xelian says, "Ahh...now I understand."
Xelian nods to Shala.
You begin to say something, then hesitate.
Shala says, "Maybe he just saw it and thought it might come in handy."
Shala says, "After all there wasn't even the orc child around then."
You say, "I don't know."
Shala asks, "He couldn't have planned to put the child in our hands?"
You say, "It seems flimsy, and if you're wrong, you're making Raeh into a traitor for loving someone who went to the block."
Shala says, "Raeh may not have known anything of it, true."
Shala says, "But then she's fooling herself about how much he told her."
You say, "I don't know, Shala, I can't make that judgement."
You ask, "I wasn't there. Perhaps you were?"
You act: Jurion rubs his face.
You say, "I think I need to go to bed."
Xelian grins at you.
Xelian nods.
You say, "She doesn't need accusations, she needs someone to smile at her and not see Merow's shadow standing behind her."
Shala gazes at you.
You stand up.
Shala says, "I'm not accusing. I'm wondering."
Xelian says, "I am fadin' away as well."
Shala says, "I don't like being lied to. And she and Merow lied to me plenty already. They lied to you too."
You say, "In this town, with these people, wondering can turn into accusations before you know it."
Shala nods to you.
You say, "It's over. He's dead. I can't make him pay again, he's already been headed."
You say, "I can at least let Raeh move on with her life."
You say, "Good night."