Rage and Rebellion (Histories of Havenhearth)

7.5 Yarazhenya

"I'll go with you to the boats. At least one of us should get through."
Wynenere listened intently, not able to push the thought out of her head that she might be the only one who would be able to convey the information to Floren. The message was mainly about anti-Tainish groups and their locations, Cassioni which were anti-ascendancy, actions of other non-Cassioni in Cassion, and areas of the land which were not anti-foreign. And not only not anti-foreign, but areas which were not anti-foreign and anto-Tainish. The latter being the information which all lands wanted to get their hands on, and the Tainish wished to prevent being distributed.
And amidst all of this, was the Fuchsjaegerlander who was playing a multi-level game which apparently would benefit her, despite the fact that her ascendancy had sent an escort to accompany her. It seemed that she was planning on being the force behind the building of roads, and set herself up in a position of power, through having control of the roads, and maintaining the transport of supplies to those that were against the ascendancy, accepting bribes the whole way through, so that she would become rich, and stay in power even if the acsendancy fell to the Golden Defenders, or any other group or land. This information would obviously be valuable to the interland representatives, the ascendency and legis, least of which the Fuchsjaegerlanders. And all of this information, now held by Wynenere Brackenridge. "How would Bernebe have gotten all of this information?"
"Bribes," came the simple reply.
"You believe it?" Wynenere asked.
"No question, there's always a motive or another,"
"Enough to be a traitor?"
"Oh, certainly!"
"And the acsendancy?"
"There's probably something in it for them too, and any damage they can do to the Tainish, the Petroviese is in their interest. In any case, I'm going to be sad to have to leave," she seemed dejected.
"Oh don't you worry, you'll be able to return, when things settle down."
"I hope so,"

They resumed their preparations to break out, which entailed gathering arms. They were to leave from where Wynemere had entered, "The streets round the back are generally quiet, and there isn't far to go to the river. We have to stay out of the mob's way as much as-" a scream interrupted her.

They ran to the courtyard, where a young girl had fallen, an arrow through her leg. Yarazhenya recognized her as the sister of Sophine. She was crying out in pain, and Yarazhenya ran over to help her huddle inside, lifting her arm to support the limping girl, calling out to her servants to get supplies. She sat the girl at a table and raised her leg, examining the arrow- it had not gone in too deeply, and had not likely done any damage beyond inflict pain, so Yarazhenya decided she would pull it out. "I've met you before, haven't i? At the market. What's your name?" But she ripped out the arrow as she spoke, placing a cloth immediately on the wound as soon as she did so. The girl let out a scream. "It's ok, it hurts, must hurt a lot, but you'll be fine once the bleeding stops." Yarazhenya had been a trained nurse before moving to Cassion, where she had not been allowed to continue with her practice, becoming a merchant instead. "What's your name girl?"
She stroked the girl's hair, reassuring her that she would be ok, until the crying subsided, changing to laboured breaths. "Adephine. My sister is Sophine," she whimpered.
"Now what in the spirits are you doing here? Putting yourself at risk like this."
"My sister! You remember her? She has been taken prisoner! And the chef of the ship too, it seems. You are also to know that your niece is safe."
"How do you know?"
"I am told to tell you that you must not worry, but nothing else." Yarazhenya studied the girl for a moment and then translated for Wynemere. "I didn't know where else to go," she broke back down into sobs, this time from emotion rather than pain. "Who took them? And where too, does she know?" Wynemere asked.
"The Defenders. They are in the Birds of Paradise," She ran her free hand through her hair as she continued to stroke the girl's hair.
"Birds of paradise?"
"It's a public house, an old chateau converted into an entertainment venue. They seem to be in a dungeon or something, although I know not where she means exactly." Yarazhenya wondered if Cerys had been taken prisoner also.
"My capitaine certainly will not be pleased. What do we do? Can we make a complaint to valiers? Local ascendancy?"
"The chancellor? I don't think so, she's as bad as the defenders herself." Yarazhenya thought of Callira, who would have insisted they went straight to the chancellor. "Well this complicates things somewhat. I suppose getting to the boats is now secondary to getting the Capitaine out of captivity?" Wynemere laughed. "I am not protectorate, I have no idea what to do. But perhaps they will release her- they won't be able to bear her for too long."
Yarazhenya gave a grim chuckle, "she did seem so endearing, they'll probably hand her over with their apologies too." She was thankful for humor in such a hopeless situation. Another scream was heard, but this time it was just a stone which entered the courtyard, banging off the wall and giving a fright to the nearby servants. A piece of silk was wrapped around it. Wynenere picked it up and brought it back toYarazhenya. Wrapped around the ste was a parchment. Yarazhenya unwrapped it, her expression hardening as she read it. "We are being threatened,"
"What do you mean?"
"We all have to leave Chevelles, for good, and if we don't, the captives, including your capitaine, will all be executed. We have until midnight tonight."
"That's great though! We can just walk to the boats then- that's why we are here! To get you out of here," Wynemere let out a long breath, obviously relieved.
"It's not that simple," Yarazhenya returned, "this is my home now- they are asking me to leave. But I can't. Not without my niece. But, I am not waiting here for an execution. We must get Cerys and get out of here!"
"But we can't leave. If we do, there's a good chance that the capitaine, and her sister will be killed!"
—-
There had to be another way. They needed time to figure it out.
Killing Tainish marine protectorate, it just wasn't a good idea, and Wynemere wasn't just saying that because she was Tainish marine protectorate. If she had learned anything so far it was that rank mattered and interland relationships did too. There must be some way that someone could be made to see that killing the capitaine and a Cassioni civilian who got caught up by coincidence would not work out in their favour.

Wynemere turned to look back over the street. The river waters had started to rise to streetlevel, and appeared to still be rising. Members of the mob seemed to be reassembling outside their gate- some waded in the water, but one or two were atop makeshift rafts, the water being high
enough to float them along. Yarazhenya sat at a table gloomily sipping her drink. The Wheatstones had not been seen for ages, presumably praying in their quarters. The staff seemed to be holding up well, getting on with their tasks as if nothing was amiss.
But the mob sounds started to increase again, unpleasant noises of anger and hatred. Wynemere saw why a moment later: a strange storm lantern procession was approaching them, with Tobina and Sophine right in the middle of them.