Emma rolled out of her blanket with a groan, raising herself slowly to her feet and blinking her eyes against the harsh glare of the morning... clouds. "Why is it so gods-damned bright out," she muttered, clutching her head. Spying the culprit of her misery, she lashed out and booted the empty wine bottle across the camp. The wine had done it's job in helping her get to sleep, but she was paying for it now.
            She torturously made her way over to a bucket she had left out and splashed rainwater on her face. It managed to wake her up, and dispel at least some of the headache she was feeling. Next, she hobbled over to Horse and fed and watered him - hadly necessary considering the pools of water lying about, but he got uppity if she ignored him for too long. That taken care of, she returned to the dead fire and sat next to Alexana.
            Slightly more modest than the other members of the group, Anya turned her back to them as she got up wearing only her undergarments. She quickly donned her underpadding and studded leather armor, then returned to what was left of the fire in time to hear Emma speak to Alexana.
            "Lady," Emma smiled, trying to warm up her patron. Alexana's display the prior night was shocking, but it wasn't enough to put off the genial Emma. "You're up, yet I don't see a breakfast prepared. Slipped your mind, did it?"
            The Lady turned wide, startled eyes on her. "Breakfast?" she croaked, a look of horror rising over her as her gaze fell on the cooking gear left nearby. Her voice was a hoarse ruin. "I? I- I mean, I have never-"
            "Saer Emma," Anya said sharply, surprised by the archer's attitude despite the events of the prior night and decided not to allow her to follow Ty's path, "I believe there is some leftover meat from last night, and if you wish, I can go forage for some berries, nuts and roots. I do not think there is need to bother Lady Alexana with such details." The Lady Alexana threw her a grateful look.
            Emma turned an incredulous look on Anya, trying to figure out if the woman was joking or not. Unfortunately, like most Mooneyes, her expression was carefully blank. I'm going to have to learn how to do that. Or just go home, where faces actually tell you something! "That sounds... uh... fine, Anya. How about this: you go grab some berries and such, and I'll fry up some strips of whatever's left from supper. Then, properly reinforced, we can see to this tower-searching business.
            Anya nodded, then made her way over to where she had put her horse's saddlebags. Rummaging through the stuff, she finally pulled out a cooking pot. I can put what I find in here instead of carrying everything in my hands, she thought. She then left for the woods, remembering where she had seen edible stuff while hunting the day before.
            "It's your turn next time, though," Emma whispered to Alexana, careful that Anya not overhear her, and mindful that the priestess had just wiggled out of cooking duty. The Lady stared at her as though her life had been threatened, shivering in her soaked clothes.

            Roughly an hour later, she gave up competing with Kerri's snoring and made her sore, awkward way down the rope to the camp. She arrived just in time to hear Alexana's decree. "Very well, Milady. We will search this tower today. I think we have learned that division does us no good. It has cost us a day, and two bodies. I have spent the last hour studying the Weave, and so am prepared to search and identify the things we find, as best as I am able." She winced a bit, and briefly touched the bloody lip with her tongue.
            The Lady turned towards her with an awkward stiffness, about to speak, but stopped when she saw the woman's condition. Her gray eyes grew wide at Rhia's appearance as the wizardess went on, "I am a bit... stiff... for muscle work this morning, but I will be happy to help where I can. If you will permit me, Milady, after having briefly toured the second floor last night, I believe I have the beginnings of a plan for a quick way to search the rest of the tower in a bit more depth." Rhia looked to the Priestess for permission to continue. She was doing her best to present confidence and knowledge, despite the blood and bruising on her face, her flyaway, slightly scorched hair, and the limp caused by muscles bruised to the bone.
            "You vere vounded!" Alexana exclaimed, tottering to her feet and hurrying towards the wizardess, hands raised. "You are vell? Let me pray that the Maiden take your pain," she said, concern in her voice.
            Rhia shook her head to stop the priestess, then froze, trying to make the world stop spinning for a moment. Ok, head-shaking: bad idea. "Milady, I was hurt, true. Mostly due to my own stupidity, though. I neglected to display my token as we searched the kitchen, and it was a bit... shocking, I suppose, when I met the servant in that room. He has a sword." Rhia weaved a bit, then visibly stiffened her shoulders. "If you wish to pray for me, fine, but I am not yet dead, and I do not intend to fight this day, so perhaps you'd best save your prayers for those in more dire need than I." Her legs decided that now would be a good time to sit down. So, she did - hard.
            "Then again, perhaps I could use a little divine assistance, at that."
            "Could not ve all?" the Lady chuckled dryly, kneeling beside her. "Come, repeat vith me the vords, and ve vill pray that the Maiden hears us." And as they chanted of their humility and begged aid, something did happen - the pain spiked sharply, then faded away to a distant throb, like a warning. As though confirming it, the priestess finished their prayer with, "The Maiden gives us her lessons and her mercy at vill; be blessed of Loviatar, whose love saves and teaches us all, amen."
            Rhia gasped a bit, then blinked. "Well, I hope the Maiden decides I've learned my lesson in this case. Thank you, Milady." Rhia then graciously refused food she was offered, pointing out to the others, "There's some cheese and bread, and a few apples in my pack. You're all welcome to share if you like, though it would probably go farther if we continue to supplement it with forage."
            Then the wizardess stood and nodded, turning to the others. "I think we can safely and thoroughly go through the rest of the unguarded areas in an hour or two. We'll collect everything that looks useful and lay it out in the bedroom on the third floor. Stay out of the Laboratory and away from the murder holes on the second floor." She grimaced a bit at painful memories, then continued. "My guess is that we won't find much more in these areas, but we still need to look. After we've done that, we can decide whether or not we want to risk... removing the servants from the lab and the kitchen. I suppose it depends on what else we find, and think we may need. We can spend part of the morning going through what we've found and make that decision at the Highsun meal."
            Rhia started to shrug, then winced. "It's best if we go through as a group, I think. To cover one another. I also think Heimdall should stand guard out here for now, given his weakened state, he should probably limit his climbing today. Perhaps one other as well? Durn? Would you stand with Heimdall, or would you rather explore the interior of the tower?" Rhia turned a questioning look towards the Dalesman.
            "Sounds solid to me," Avery nodded, standing up. "We should try the more benign options before we go risking lives in there. After seeing one of the servants for myself last night, I'm wondering if we mightn't be better off looking for alternate plans. Let's see what the day turns up and go from there." She looked over to Alexana and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, m'Lady, we'll save your uncle, one way or another." The Lady smiled back, but her eyes remained worried.
            Heimdall nodded to Rhia his assent but glanced to Alexana with something close to confusion on his face. Then he went expressionless and spoke smoothly. "Right. Well, keep me informed won't you?" Quietly, he finished up the meal and strode down to the horses to see to their needs. The Lady looked after him for a long moment before turning back to Rhia with a set expression. "I am prepared to go vhere I am needed," she said simply.
            Anya got to her feet, pulled on her backpack and did a quick equipment check. When she was satisfied that everything was in place, she turned back toward the others and nodded her readiness. "I am ready to venture into the towver, or to remain outside if Saer Durn insists on going."
            Durn had been lost in his own thoughts during most of the morning, quietly considering what he and Heimdall had discussed. "I'll remain outside and stand guard. There appears to be some magic which is keeping me from entering. Something I must pray about to see if my master will lift from me." The Dalesman stroked his beard as he considered something. "You should come back and see me before you attack the guardians. Even if I can't enter, my master may grant a protective blessing to ward off the guardian's touch."
            The Lady seemed releived that Durn had been apprised of his situation - and was taking it so calmly. Anya frowned, then cast a look at the wizard's residence, appraising it again. Finally, she turn back to Durn and nodded her understanding. "It shall be a job for the vomen, then," Anya said, as she turned her attention to Rhia, Avery and Emma. "Shall ve go?"
            "Let's." Avery gathered her sword, shield, and pack, and prepared to follow. "Rhia, will you be our guide, since you are the guest?"
            Rhia took a deep breath, then nodded again. "Right then. I'll lead, token out front, though I don't think we'll need it for now. Our path is up the rope, through the library to the stairs, and down to the kitchen. There's a closet or something we didn't get to explore last night, and I think we'd best look there. Lady Alexana, if you would care to bring up the rear, we will have the two "invited" guests to hopefully provide legitimacy form either direction. The rest of you ladies know your own abilities better than I, so arrange yourselves as you think best, I suppose. Oh, and I guess we'll need to bring Cyravel her breakfast."
            Rhia picked up the food, tied it to her belt as she had last night, and headed for the rope, gingerly test-flexing her muscles as she went.
            "Darkstar, I have not been invited," the Lady reminded her, walking alongside.
            "Perhaps not specifically, Milady, but does not your family, as lords of the realm, have a standing invitation from Jarrow? I could probably argue that, given enough time. Then again, I'm not a law- speaker, and I doubt the servants are much for hair-splitting." Rhia shrugged.
            "Certainly I hope these servants, they see it that vay. But though I am no varrior, I vill do vhat I can to aid you. However, first I vill don my armor, yes?" Alexana picked up the bulky but neatly packaged gear and, with little effort, managed to strap it to her back before climbing the rope - the experience of long practice with straps, perhaps.

<"Thoughts to words,
words to thoughts;
Weave mind to mind,
let words mean naught.">

            Once again, the odd language of magic came from her lips, and once again the little clay ziggurat shattered in her hand. Rhia touched the powder to Kerri's lips and ears again, and smiled.
            "Good. Now that you can understand us all, stay away from the left wall." With a wink, Rhia turned and walked the rest of the way to the kitchen.
            "All I needed to do to get some help was stand by the wall? Mooneyes are right, foreigners are strange," Kerri piped cheerfully, oblivious to the frowns of the 'Mooneyes' behind her.

            Anya walked toward Heimdall. She knew that remaining idle while others faced danger would hurt her more than any arm wound would, and she was pretty certain Heimdall felt the same. She wondered if she could help him out without alienating the Lady Alexana.
            "Since he is here, perhaps he should stay, no?" she piped up, "He cannot go back down the rope alone and there is no sense in keeping him useless in a bed. Perhaps he could take up the rear guard? Do you have a ranged veapon, Saer Heimdall of the Last Port?"
            The relief was apparent on Heimdall's face as he nodded gratefully at Anya's suggestion. He patted his handbow where it hung from the belt about his waist. Hopefully, he glanced to the Priestess for assent. A hope which would vanish shortly.
            "Only if ye feel like it, Heimdall," Avery added. She began rummaging around the kitchen, looking for the magicican's equivalent of a note in a cookie jar. The pantry's shelves were stacked with food, jars and kitchen supplies; four casks rested on the floor, and an old broom slouched in the corner. Rooting through the shelves, Avery discovered a sack of flour, a bowl of eggs, three stale pastry crusts, a small sack of dried apples, a half-filled jar of raspberry jelly, another of dry mushrooms, a bag of roots, several jars of spices, six flasks of oil, a rolling pin, a number of rumpled scrolls with recipes scrawled on them - and the long-sought candles, several handfuls.
            As she searched, she sighed, "Ye know... it doesn't seem to me that we're making any progress here. Possibly those of ye who're wounded would better spend yer time going through those books and papers. I'm getting the feeling we won't turn up much else."
            Rhia sighed, realizing that she wasn't off the hook yet. "Anya, Heimdall's wounds are pretty extensive, don't let the new clothes fool you. He's barely on his feet." She glanced briefly at the subject of discussion, but saw his eyes on Alexana as the priestess tended his wounds.
            "Avery, I have a feeling you are correct about what we will discover here, without entering the laboratory, but we need to look. If Lady Alexana will take Heimdall to bed, the rest of us can line up on one side of this room, and move across it together one time, looking for whatever we can find." Heimdall's cheeks flushed a brilliant pink. He turned quickly and leaned his forehead against the cool stone of the stairwell. "Then we'll go in-depth on the pantry and the space behind the murder holes. That shouldn't take more than twenty minutes. If we've found nothing after that, we'll discuss the lab and what we do have. Oh, and one more thing: Wounded are probably the last people we want looking through the items we've already found. Wizard's traps can be nasty." Sighing heavilly, Heimdall grew heavy in his heart with the repeated reminders of his injuries. Well, at least Anya seemed to understand how he felt.
            Moving to the corner of the kitchen closest to the pantry door, Rhia gave waited for the others to make their decisions. "Lady Alexana, Heimdall, Cyravel, if you three wished to read through the non- magical books we found, I think Avery may have a point. That would probably be a safe, non-strenuous way for you to maximize our time here, and keep you close enough to hand if we should need any help." The wizardess shrugged. She wasn't a master planner, by any means, but she felt the pressure of time growing short.
            The Lady nodded briefly, pushing Heimdall to move him up the stairs. "Vhat shall I search for in these books?" she asked over her shoulder.
            Rhia thought briefly. "Heimdall was on to something, I think, so ask him. If that doesn't pan out, try and find out what's so important about the event Jarrow was writing about in his letters."