Pursuit - the Fugitive

[Eclecticon]

Williferd nods, though he drops his head and seems afeared to meet the minstrel's gaze.  "There will be a judgement of this matter at the Carrock, and I must go there and speak my shame, and let my disgrace and dishonour be pronounced by the Master." 


A quick roll for Tate, here:
DC 14 Insight 2

1d12 : 3, total 3
Rolled 2d6 : 2, 4, total 6

[Eclecticon]

Unable to read the man's face in the poor light, nor to judge his voice as his sobbing subsides, Tate finds himself unable to immediately judge Williferd's commitment to his words.


Aryn, you can turn that into a success if you care to spend a Hope point. 

[Posterboy]

  I'll spend the point of hope.

Will you be adding more to the story here, or more information, or is it my time to post?

[Eclecticon]

More information to follow when I'm not trying to rush kids to school.

[Eclecticon]

Then, for half a second, he sees it in a flash of Williferd's eyes toward the river and a turn of the shoulders away from him.  For all his brave words, Williferd has no wish to present himself at the Carrock and declare, in front of the great men of his folk, his un-manly love.  Perhaps, in fact, he will run to Oderic instead, and try to join him in his outlawry. 

He is clearly a man torn by a deep internal conflict between what he knows in his heart to be right and what he dearly wishes to do. 

[Eclecticon]

Doug, if you want Esgalwen to turn up searching for Tate, feel free. 

[tomcat]

I can do that. I will have something up shortly. 

[Posterboy]

Tate locked eyes with Williferd. "Do now, then, what you think best. Prepare yourself. In the morning, the Lady Esgalwen and I ride to meet your master. Be ready for when we come for you."

With that, the minstrel released the broken man, and returned to find Esgalwen. Let us see how this plays out.

Tate did not imagine he had much time if he hoped himself to be ready for what might happen next. Finding the southern ranger, he pulled her aside. "I have found us a lead... and, perhaps, if luck favors us, a hapless guide...

The minstrel explained to Esgalwen the complex relationship between Brunhild, Rathfic, Oderic and Williferd. He told her how the young warrior had confessed to helping Oderic cross the river, and his belief that Williferd would likely try to escape this night to join hoped-for lover.

"So, I released Williferd," Tate continued, a smile coming back to his face, his eyes beginning to twinkle a bit. "Told him that we're leaving in the morn for Carrock and he'd best be ready. And we best be getting going too. We need to quietly secure the use of a boat. If Williferd makes a move to find Oderic, we follow him and take them both in. Sound like a plan, m'Lady?"

[tomcat]

Esgalwen gave a nod of approval for Tate's plan. She had no doubts that Willifred would make his way to Oderic with the new day - if not before the night was through.

"We shall keep a close eye on him through the night." The Ranger looked back at the mead hall, "T'is not as cheery in there, since you stepped out. It seems my straight-forward, southern manners do not sit well with people of the North. Although, I did seem to get through that the bickering between them all was helping no one."

Tate's smile told Esgalwen all she needed to know. Her irritation returned at his teasing stare, "Listen, I am weary of road and saddle! I was in no mood to hear milkmaids and seamstresses banter back and forth as to who did to whom. The constant gripes were..." Tate openly laughed at Esgalwen's stress.

The affect was to make her first go red in the face with more anger, and then to break out into laughter of her own.

"You're right...I need to take things less seriously."

"You really do," smiled the minstrel.

"All I can say, Master Bard, is that while we waste time here listening to family feuds, Grimbeorn probably could find better use of our services." Tate shrugged and nodded, which only made her exasperation show again. Esgalwen sighed, "C'mon, let's go look for your man."

[Eclecticon]

Okay, new chapter time!

[Eclecticon]

Having thought about it a bit longer, I'm ruling that Tate's lie to Williferd counts as a Misdeed.  Even though he deceived Williferd for a good (and entertaining!) purpose, he has, in a slight but important way, given in to the influence of the Shadow.

So, he's racked up a Shadow point.  It could've been higher but I didn't warn you first, so it's not fair to slug you with more.