(Vol 2) Chapter 55: Studies, Cabbits, and News

With her Followers all resting and a lull in any crises, Sammy’s time was directed more toward study and skill development. She took a trip to Marjorie’s realm and basked in the brief but oh-so-sweet praise of her motherly teacher’s approval on her completed assignments… and then she received even more homework.

Ugh… only temporary though! We’ll get through this trying time…

When she eventually flashed over to her own mind-house for a relaxing environment to study in, she found two cabbits by the pool, rolling around apparently fighting each other.

The first thing she did was blink. She’d forgotten about the one Red said she’d create. That had all been a blur of approvals in the midst of a thousand other things.

The second thing she did was yell at them with her hands on her hips. “Hey! Stop that, you two!”

They immediately darted off in complete surprise, hiding behind some rocks. One, then two cute little heads poked from around the corner. One a calico pattern with blue eyes, the other dark purple and white striped with yellow eyes.

“Floofa playing with Midnight!” Floofa broadcast.

“Midnight playing with Floofa!” Midnight broadcast at the same time, mental voice only slightly different — huskier — than her sisters.

D’aaw… so adorable, I can’t even-!

Sensing her softened mood, they both bounded across the space to leap into her arms and hug her, drowning her in their affection and psychically broadcast giggles. Sammy squeezed them back and giggled right along.

Eventually, she let them down. “I gotta study, you two. So play nice! Maybe I’ll hide some carrots around in a bit.”

Floofa’s face beamed brightly as she hopped up and down.

Midnight’s ears folded down and she recited, “Carrots for occasional treat only!”

Floofa didn’t like this at all. She immediately slapped Midnight in the face with her foot. “You shut up, stupid!”

This of course set off a tumbling, growling fight session, as Sammy watched on with a sigh. “Damn it, Red… the brainwashing… why…”

I suppose a bit of fighting is just in their nature, though.

Sammy settled down to her studies and homework rituals improving her Runic language skills and understanding of the underlying principles of construction. Tedious compared to actual spell design and construction, but it was at least meditative. She was unsure what her progress was on the skill, but she was certainly ‘getting there.’

Better to get this done first, then ensuing spells will be all that much quicker to learn.

In the deep wee hours, she felt a sudden sharp bundle of impressions from Constance, as well as a nearby, more muted version from Bast. Very quickly — in a rather vague sense — she figured out exactly what they were doing in Bast’s inn quarters… and she squelched their connections.

She had to take a moment to squeeze her eyes shut and rub her temples with her fingers.

Good fucking grief, I should’ve seen that coming. Idiots! I could’ve popped right in on them in a heartbeat. Oh, stern warnings will be issued about this — stern warnings!

But her heart wasn’t really in it, as moments later, she snorted and laughed about it. Of course Bast and her, of course he’d have to be specifically told to squelch his connection, of course Constance didn’t even think about hiding stuff from her… and of course, as a goddess, she’d end up knowing intimate details about her people.

Eh. Good for them, right? I just need to send a memo about dimming connections in certain circumstances, because they’re getting more sensitive and natural.

Ultimately, she realized, she could only look into a mirror to know Who had caused such a ‘connection.’ She’d designed Constance as she was, and that was someone who wanted to know everything about mortal society… Who was unafraid and in fact intent to utilize that knowledge for the purposes of the Order’s spycraft. She’d have no problem with any manner and form of persuasion and seduction.

Another heartbreaker. Don’t get attached, Bast.

The wee hours and the early morning were filled with odds and ends. In Caneboro, Dax got a little more sleep and planned to hide out for the daytime. She’d dumped off the captive, and her allies very quickly got basic information out of him. He was quick to point out he was a dead man ‘or probably worse’ if he was found by the Inquisitors, so he had every reason to turn on them and stay far, far away.

Agents in Caneboro weren’t deeply connected to the group, just available by certain vectors for muscle and of course, information that was constantly being filtered. The head of this shadow agency even had the means of mental communication with another agent — maybe an Inquisitor — in Restwater. Which was not common.

The Inquisitor that was killed was not authorized from Restwater — the agent knew that much from things spreading around, but any Inquisitor was obeyed without question (after certain verification protocols). So he came in and immediately began having the whole city network swarming, looking for Dax and Merril, both wanted for questioning.

It was well known the recognizable sibling pair came and went as mercs from the city, so the network of spies had all just kept their eyes and ears open — diligently so, because the creepy Inquisitor was one to breathe down everyone’s neck day after day, barking ‘asinine’ orders that hindered more than helped. Everyone strongly wanted to find the two so he’d hurry up and leave the city.

That was all he had to say about their specific situation. He’d just been muscle brought along as support. He wasn’t a merc, or at least hadn’t been for years and years. He was sworn to the Inquisition, such as it was.

Interesting that the dead guy was working independently in Restwater. I wonder what ended up happening there? Mr. Cutter probably got completely fucked over. In any case, we don’t know if this inquisitor reported to someone or not… but these guys in Caneboro will definitely report this if they haven’t already.

Dax’s opinion was that the Inquisitor's compatriots/superiors would likely be more conservative and see him as getting what he asked for coming there. Loyalty to field agents, she well knew, was nonexistent in the mainline Dominion. Unless the Inquisition was different, they wouldn’t go nuts in their response.

Aramis also pointed out that no one had seen them leave the inn, so they could eventually be presumed dead if they managed to run their aliases successfully. He had Dart do a flyover to check the inn, and it had indeed collapsed and burned to the ground. The firefighters had managed to contain it to the one building, but it was almost entirely consumed.

This meant bodies would be unrecognizable. Without the Dominion in control of the disposal, they’d likely never get any confirmation on who died and who didn’t.

Dax just sighed to this suggestion, as she dropped into a hammock in exhaustion. “I guess we really are starting a new life under the Seeress… the Stoneboros are dead…” Within seconds, she was asleep.

Brynn headed out early, cloaked and not terribly recognizable with his armor stowed. Without walls on the side of town they were on, it was fairly simple for him to get out of the city unnoticed and cross a bridge upriver to head back to Mot Mekess. Dart confirmed by air that he was not being followed.

The rest of the crew hung out at the safehouse, which they’d all do until nightfall, which Dax wanted to stick to for her own activity for a while.

Sammy let Marchioness Agatha know about the situation, considering she’d knighted the two. She was adamant the situation would not really implicate her — they were just mercenaries who had joined the rescue efforts, their ‘prior dealings’ entirely unknown and irrelevant. But she was sad that they had to ‘die’ officially.

She also felt Brynn being recognized seemed unlikely. But she’d cover for where Estara had gone — not at all to Caneboro with Dax and Merril, who’d ‘run off’ on their own errands. This could also be Brynn’s alibi, roping in some minor mission Carlisle needed. Once she figured out where, they’d have Brynn go there instead of Mot Mekess.

It was worrisome if an Inquisitor investigated, but for the eyes and ears of spies, it would probably suffice.

In a stunning turn of events, Azure related she’d identified the spy of Andemen in Brackenhome and had him seized by the townsfolk. With his ‘enthusiastic’ support, they could send whatever lies they wanted back. Namely, that there were no signs of Azure in Brackenhome, though a ‘new, local sorceress’ would be impossible to suppress.

Wow, though. She already has them working for us. Go, High Priestess, go! I still need to travel to Geirkos. So it goes because Dart cannot summon elsewhere until reset. Really need to get everyone else on his level…

There were finally some stirrings of response from the borders of the Dominion. More troops mustered and sent to Rivermount. Apparent scouts popping up everywhere, probably from emergency teleportation spots. Lots of activity at all the key locales in the heartland, but Jeeves was fairly certain it would take a week just to organize what was brewing, with the size determined by what info their scouts gleaned. There was little chance it would be a small one, in any case.

Zadkiel, meanwhile, had taken every major relevant stronghold of the southern bottom of the Endless Crescent up to Al Kenstrom…

Earlier in the night, the huge army under Duke Kenstrom setting up for the siege of Al Kenstrom integrated the mercenaries that had come from up north in support. And then in the wee hours not long ago with everyone sleeping, the whole lot of them ambushed their ‘allies’, with demons and Naugites showing up out of nowhere in support.

All the officers were killed or taken, and the army was completely routed with half of it massacred. Duke Kenstrom had been taken captive.

“Holy utter shit!” Sammy exclaimed to Jeeves after the report. “Burnstire is betraying the fucking Dominion?! But that’s insane!”

Jeeves raised his eyebrows in an expression of dignified uncertainty. “This was technically all mercenaries, you’ll notice. Plausible deniability. ‘You can’t trust mercenaries’ they’ll say. It would seem to indicate the hedging of bets. From my assertions of the relationships, the Dominion would not be terribly inclined to press the issue if they left it at this. The two dukes are known to hate each other, and Burnstire would be a nightmare to need putting down if they rebelled.”

“Wouldn’t they be in some serious shit if Zaddy loses?!”

“The war is already costly and will only get more so. If Burnstire reaches out at some point, perhaps even gives a token force sent against Zadkiel under Dominion flags and their own official heraldry, they would likely avoid any overt response. For Zadkiel, he’s already won a massive victory… there is no chance the Dominion would trust and require a large force from Burnstire now, even if offered.”

“What a scheming little piece of shit that Burnstire guy is! Er, well… technically you’re just guessing, huh?”

“Quite, Madam. I am indeed trying to think like a scheming little piece of excrement, however.”

“I’d say you’d make a good one, but I guess that’s not much of a compliment, so I’ll refrain.”

“Indubitably appreciated, Madam. In truth, I did confer with Aramis a bit on this as well.”

“Well, well! That explains everything.” At a ‘look’ from her Head Butler, Sammy held up her hands. “I kid, I kid!”

“I will see what eyes and ears we can slurry up for Burnstire when I get the opportunity. I trust that you are next going to focus on a new Line of Servitors for us? Fate… Light?”

“Mm, well… I was considering the generalist, too. Not focused on any domain, full spell access, have an extra ability. But Light is probably going to be tempting. I think I’m too close not to check it out first.”

“Very good, Madam. A shame we can’t have as many Servitors as Followers, but so it goes. Perhaps you could learn to clone yourself? That would be quite helpful.”

Sammy laughed. “I’ll look into it, Jeeves, but I’m not sure how well she’d handle instruction.”

Having obtained a list of information from her Resemblants to deliver to Zaddy, she shifted over to the Greenleaf realm and extended a mental connection to him, this time avoiding the physical reflections deliberately. “Zadkiel, it seems the Dominion has begun stirring in earnest. I have numerous bits to report. Also, I’m sure you’re quite pleased with yourself about that Kenstrom maneuver, hmm?”

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