Three Assassins

There's a light rain falling from the sky, but it's inconsistent, and by the time that Karasu and Corey reach the gardens the rain has stopped almost entirely. Karasu seems largely unconcerned with the blooms offered up by the various plants, but he stays close to Corey, and his dark eyes roam the gardens with a somewhat cautious air nonetheless. "It may be aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but it is not a place that sets me at ease."

Corey seems quite happy to be in the rain, by stark contrast. The llyranesi man has a fashionable parasol in hand that he's acquired from the market, but he's closing it now as they amble into the gardens. His silver eyes sweep the lush scenery, a smile crossing his face.

"I know, my nightingale," he says softly, "but we cannot remain cooped up within our lodgings forever. You know I am what I am."

The paladin of Gilead eyes a particular tree and closes his eyes softly before murmuring a small prayer to his god in Sildanyari. "Better," he concludes afterwards. As though this is as necessary to him as a shower is to other people.

Karasu has a small smile on his lips. Just the faintest hint of amusement at the other man's words and prayer. "I would no less hide myself away." His admission sends his eyes around the gardens once again. It's unceasing. "Which of these is your favorite"

"You mean the trees or the gardens as a whole?" Corey seems greatly amused (in contrast to Karasu's slight amusement). "It may seem awfully stereotypical of me to have a preference in trees..."

And then he gestures to the tree he'd been looking at. A nice strong oak. "But I rather like this one. Of course, as a follower of the White Stag, I appreciate all of the gifts that the Giver of Fruits has given to the hunter, but there's something pleasing about a nice, strong tree. Something that could be used to create furniture and houses, as well as bows--"

He catches himself mid-ramble and flushes a little. "Sorry," he says. "Apparently I'm chatty today."

One of the benefits of having a very large hat was being able to keep mostly dry from a light rain. When coupled with the heavy canopy of some of the trees, it was almost as if it wasn't raining at all for one large egalrin who had found one of the shaded benches that littered the gardens.

Reithak did however relent and unfurl an umbrella that they propped up over one end of the bench, not so much for their own sake, but the needles and knitting they were working on at the time. The implements clack together once as they free one hand to give a wave to the various passerbies.

The dark-eyed Xian man doesn't seem to mind the expressive answer in the least. "You know that I do not mind you giving me such through answers my kokoro." Karasu notes a nearby egalrin but ignores them generally since they don't seem an immediate danger. Though he steps a slight step closer to Cor'ethil. "I meant the plants, and a tree is worthy of admiration. In my homeland they would argue with you the virtues of a willow over an oak however."

Corey smiles widely at Karasu's remarks. "I appreciate that you tolerate my odd tendencies," he replies, joining the other man at his side. He might have intended for it to be a tender moment where they admired the tree together, but... He catches sight of the egalrin knitting, and he lifts a dark brow in surprise. "Oh! Knitting. I wonder what they're working on..."

That tone of curiosity is quite familiar to Karasu's ears as Corey gives a wave to Reithak, smiling brightly. "Hello! What are you working on? My mother knits; I'm wearing some socks she made right now." Not that anyone can tell underneath all that mithril armor.

The egalrin looks up properly when the nearby people actually start coming over, and they wave again. "Oh, hello, nice to meet you! Your mother has a great plan for whiling away the hours, I'd say! Nothing better than something made with care." The egalrin laughs, holding up their needles and stretching them out with the web of cloth that was slowly forming. "Well, I'm just working on a hat right now, I didn't realize how rainy it'd get out here even with spring moving by so quickly. Lot of folks came here with not a whole lot, and there's nothing worse than soaked feathers when you don't have a chance to dry them out."

Karasu's starts to move toward Cor'ethil as well, but when the other man moves toward the egalrin... He chooses instead to cross his arms lightly over his chest and steps slightly to the side and back. He doesn't offer the egalrin a greeting to match that of his companion. In fact, all he offers is silence and cautious eyes.

Corey seems fully used to Karasu's more careful positioning, as he doesn't react in any terribly visible way to Karasu's almost-flank arrangement. He gives a light laugh. "I'm used to spring showers," he says. "We have plenty in the Greatwood. It's comforting. You see the forest coming back to life after the slow hibernation and death of winter."

He smiles wider. "Which is probably part of why my mother always made sure my sisters and I were well-supplied with socks. Are you making a hat for someone in particular, or just one to give to whomever might need it? Oh! I'm Cor'ethil Cari'thana, but you can just call me Corey." Ever-friendly man that he is.

"Isn't that the truth of it! Though, more shawls, hats, ponchos, things like that. Since, well, you know." The egalrin laughs again, clacking a few talons together to accentuate their point. "Being so close to the ocean probably makes things worse water wise too, I suppose. I don't mind it, but I can only stay cooped up inside like a chicken to work so long. Gotta spread your wings sometimes, you know?"

The egalrin leaves her seat to doff her hat and offer a low, sweeping bow, keeping her tools positioned under the umbrella all the while. "Cor'ethil Cari'thana, Corey for short, already said nice to meet you, so good to know you're name! Mine's Reithak, and you are?" She greets, turning her attention to the other man with the question. "Making stuff for the folks in the aerie here, and a younger one in particular. They've been through a lot, and the last thing I want is them getting sick because they were out having fun in the rain too long."

"You may call me Karasu." The man says, his words almost gentle, but very formal. He glances at Cor'ethil then, and it's like someone had been waiting for some signal because all of the sudden three figures spring out of the bushes and trees. All of them are wearing dark green clothing that lends itself to the subtly of trying to hide in a garden space. Faces covered and weapons drawn.

Karasu draws a sword at his hip in one smooth motion, not even hesitating a moment to determine who these people might be attacking and points the weapon at the figure closest to himself. "Check your new friend Cor'ethil." The words are warning things.

Corey's silver eyes flash briefly as he murmurs a prayer to Gilead under his breath--and then the gaze locks onto Reithak. "She's not evil," he says, "but the others certainly are."

Quickly, he draws his rapier, a beautiful object with a shine to it that seems like it is more than just metal. It's an unusual weapon that someone with full plate armor and a symbol of Gilead around his neck to wear, but it's clear that the llyranesi man is skilled with its use, as he holds it out in front of him in a trained duellist's stance. "You'll leave the egalrin woman alone and spill no blood on these blessed grounds, if you've any sense about you," he says with cool and demanding tones to the masked men.

Reithak clacks their beak just once. "Nice to meet you too, Karasu, sorry, just a moment, scabbard's sitting a bit weird." The egalrin mutters, reaching to free the hard leather sheath that had somehow managed to get wedged between some of the planks on the bench. It took a moment, and Reithak looked up, and blinked once.

"Ey? Easy there, I'm okay being checked out, but the sword is, ah." Reithak placates before they actually see the people nearby. "I'm fine, but you all should just put your weapons down, there's no cause for them being out. Course if they're evil, I know that magic, well, not sure if it's worth trying to reason." The egalrin mutters, grabbing their rapier and drawing it.

Karasu hears Cor'ethil's words and nods once. He leaps to attack the nearest of the masked individuals, trusting that Cor'ethil can handle himself. The egalrin woman will have to handle herself as well. At least for the time being. His sword is an arrow of metal that sings through the air only to divert at the last moment.

Rather than choosing to divide and conquer the group, the assassins - for that is what they surely are - immediately ignore the other two and move to congregate upon Karasu. It seems that the Xian man is the target.

The masked men going right for Karasu is clearly objectionable to Corey, as he moves quickly to interject himself between Karasu and his assailants, at least from the position that he believes will be hardest for the assailants to get to. His rapier is still up in readied defense.

"If you attack or lay a hand on Karasu or myself, I will be forced to defend us both," Corey warns clearly, brows furrowed in a cool and calm glare. "Identify yourselves. Who sent you?"

Reithak didn't think that they ticked off anyone to the point of having more than one assassin being sent after them, a notion that seemed to be proven correct as they all congregate on someone else. The egalrin has to leave their work to the rain as they sprint over, finding a spot behind one of the assassins and Karasu. "If they're hiding their faces chances are they're gonna be none too keen on saying what they did." She answers. "Step down now, or we will be forced to dispatch you, gotcha?"

GAME: Karasu rolls Intimidate: (17)+17: 34

The dark-eyed man uses the advantage of his allies to disarm the assassin closest sending one weapon away, but he seems certain that it'll quickly be replaced, so he steps back again. He levels his gaze upon them and prepares himself for the fullness of their attack. "I know them." He offers that small smile of his. "Kaga. As always you fail to protect your weapon. Fukaya was a full half-second ahead of your ambush, which you have failed. Raiden is going to be disappointed if you get Fukaya and... is that Okumi? All of you will be arrested quickly enough... If I do not kill you first."

The three men exchange a glance, but that seems sufficient for them to decide to hightail it. Each evaporating into the lush landscape in a separate direction.

Corey stares at the men disappearing, weapon still drawn in the event one of them throws a parting shot, but he gives a small sigh. "Someone ought to inform the authorities of what has just happened," he says, "although... if they were looking for you, my nightingale, they likely are not going to harm anyone else."

His silver eyes regard Karasu a moment before he offers quietly, "Raiden... Who are they? Someone from your homeland?"

He regards Reithak. "Are you well? I hope they did not rattle you, although you seemed to be ready to stand your ground just as readily as either of us." He sounds impressed.

GAME: Reithak rolls intelligence: (6)+2: 8

Reithak keeps their blade pointed at the back of one of the would be assassins, and the egalrin keeps one taloned foot stomped hard onto the handle of the disarmed weapon, just in case. They don't move to strike as they flee, however.

"Sounds like jade island stuff. Can't say I know much about the place, Dewi did tell me that the jungles are even more wild than Am'shere, not sure if they were exaggerating." They finally say, breathing a sigh of relief as the group leaves. "Not sure if that blade is poisoned, not taking any chances. Keep it for your own investigations, or turn it into the guard. You alright? They didn't get to you at all, did they?"

"Course I'm rattled, not gonna show it, but most would be if people came out of a nice day in the gardens trying to kill someone." The egalrin laughs weakly. "But if I show that, then that helps no one. I'm just not going to let folk disrupt the peace of people here if I can help it."

Karasu glances at Reithak. "Xian is a far cry from the Jade Islands." His voice is dry and empty. "I can not speak of it here Cor'ethil. There are likely more of them in hiding, but with my willingness to speak their names they will be more subtle now. I am unharmed, but they are certain to try again. Soon."

The dark-eyed man looks in the direction that one had vanished for a long moment before sheathing his weapon. "A pleasant day should not be ruined by such things. Would you care to accompany me back to our room Cor'ethil?" He even goes so far as to offer his arm to the other man.

Corey frowns deeply at the idea that these people _will_ try again. "Something has to be done, my nightingale," the llyranesi man says gently, silver eyes going soft as he looks at Karasu. "Otherwise they'll keep coming to try and hurt you. Maybe we could send word back to my mother and see if she has any aid to offer us from afar? Or... Speak to others, if not the guard? We met those other people the other day; they seemed to be well-connected."

He sighs gently. "I won't have you living like this," he concludes, before he looks at Reithak and nods gently. "Nothing bloodied nor wounded here--just worries on the mind now, it seems."

Corey sheathes his blade and puts a hand on Karasu's arm. "A pleasant day should not be ruined, yes, but... I was hoping to take you out for dinner." His cheeks flush a little.

"I get it, maybe, sort of." Reithak shrugs, finally getting their rapier sorted after struggling with getting it sheathed again, which leaves them looking more than a bit confused. "Did the tip get bent out of shape or something? Sure hope not." The egalrin mutters, mostly to themself. "Anyways, what I meant to say was, what did he say, gods I'm drawing a blank on some of what they said, something about off shoot colonies I think, like how not every egalrin is from the sky curtains."

The inquisitor stops to look at the weapon that was dropped. "Well, that's the spirit! Must be rough to deal with something like that, if you need some help or need me to be big and scary and scare them off again, I'm you're bird." Reithak chuckles. "If you aren't too rattled, sometimes the normalcy is a good thing after stuff like this." She offers, before letting out an exasperated sigh as the look at where their knitting was soaked from the water pooling on the bench. "Good excuse to start again, can never have enough dish clothes for cleaning."

Those dark eyes meet Cor'ethil's silver ones. "I would not want your dinner out to end your life my kokoro." His voice is almost gentle. "Eating in such a public place would only give an opportunity that we might not wish to offer." Karasu leans in, offering what seems to be a kiss but is a few murmured words to Cor'ethil's ear only.

With that done, he withdraws, his gaze falling upon Reithak for a moment. "As not all of your people come from the Sky Curtains, so not all of those from Xian flow to the Jade Islands; as you suggest. To assume such is..." He makes a small gesture with his hand and then turns away with Cor'ethil on his arm and begins to make his way back toward their inn.

Corey's eyes look like the man is melting inside with the gentle words that Karasu offers. He nods a little at Karasu's murmured whisper and then chases down that near-kiss with a real one, turning and pecking Karasu on the cheek before looking at Reithak with a small smile.

"You might be right," he says, "although it looks like normalcy might be returning to the comfort of our lodgings for the evening. Please be well, and I hope your knitting goes well."

With that, the Warden goes with his nightingale back to their rented accommodations.

-End