Solstice - A Prologue for Arson

An Aftermath - And a Headache

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City of Calveran
22nd of Luna's 6th Dance,
City Center

Mason and Tybur, the two new guards of the City Watch, looked harmless enough. The elf girl confirmed her intuition about them as she walked between them, escorted like a criminal. No doubt they were just rookies that were sent to deal with the bar fight's aftermath, a "lesser crime" that more senior guards in the city watch would rather make the rookies put up with. She could tell, even despite her major hangover. They were too confident in the authority their longswords supposedly had, not realising that with how close she is, a swift dagger could cut through their necks just fine.

She was intrigued that they didn't capture her and instead were taking her to the Adventurer's Guild. A criminal like her would be, at the very least, imprisoned for last night's debauchery. But whoever it was that owned the nose she broke last night, they must've been important enough in the Guild to warrant this. Not that she remembers who it is. Or cares, for that matter.

The streets were being sweeped, with all the colourful flowers on the ground being taken by volunteering citizens. The path was also lined with onlookers watching the girl and her escorts walk down the wide cobblestone path. Large, wooden houses cast a shadow over the street as the morning sun was rising. Banners of a golden sun surrounded by a ring of flowers on a blue background were hung everywhere.

Mason enjoyed the still-remaining spectacle, the roses, dandelions, and daisies, and more still being swept out of their feet. The aftermath of a city-wide carnival that was held yesterday. It's serenely calm, oddly so considering the violent night their captive had just been in.

Whispers travelled between bystanders, which the girl's astute hearing could somewhat understand.

"Shh... don't say your name. I hear that sorcerers can bind you to their will if they know your name."

Silly humans. Elves have a famous reputation for their magic, but not all of them were capable of doing something as advanced and specialized as that.

"They say she killed those adventurers."

Such nonsense, she thought. She was drunk beyond belief, that much she still remembers, and much of the coordination needed for a proper murder would have dissipated like her many drinks. The muscle memory was there though, and that meant serious damage for the 'adventurers' who thought they would easily win a fist fight against an Elven sorcerer. It's too bad for them that she wasn't.

The girl saw a group of kids watching her on the right, possibly 20 feet ahead. She kept her gaze forward however, pretending like she wasn't listening to them intently.

"There she is! Look! That's her, right, Marie?" A young boy, who couldn't have been older than 10, pointed at the girl while his friends watched all starry-eyed and starstruck. His voice was just a little bit louder than the rest of the gossiping onlookers. He looked at a girl next to him, who was younger and smaller, and possibly a sister. She nodded clearly at them before looking back at the elf.

"We were nearby last night, looking for some scraps, when the fight broke out at Old Man Hilbert's Tavern! The one just a few streets away from the orphanage! We got so much bread out of there because they were all so distracted! Tell them, 'rie!"

"Yeah, it was awesome! There was magic, swords, and everything! She showed those jerks who's boss, those ones always made fun of us for trying to get scraps!"

Mason was amused by all the things the bystanders could say about her and what happened, but it was what those two had to say that got him to smile ever so slightly underneath his helm. He was glad that they had some enjoyment and got something out of it, but he felt a touch of guilt for that being the only help the Watch could give to them. Indirectly, at that. With some free silver and time on his hands, perhaps he could treat the children to some bread...

"Elven."

Mason overheard his partner, Tybur, speak with his menacing voice. The cold, misty air suffered disturbance because of his hateful tone. Mason would wince, but didn't.

"Look at all these people watching and whispering. This is not befitting the people of Calveran considering we are fresh out of the Festival. You'd get an earful from a chaplain of our churches for bringing such rowdiness on the night of such a holy day. And you already have our captain to worry about. The Watch already has its hands full with the yearly Solstice troubles, but now? He had to argue with a handler from the Guild about you and your friends."

The girl turned her head. "What? Friends?"

"Don't even try to save them by not admitting it, they were all taken as well."

She was completely clueless, but Tybur kept looking forward and spoke without seeing the genuine confusion in her face.

"You don't have to worry," Tybur said.

"You'll meet them soon enough. And you'll stick together, too, in whatever cell it is the Guild has in store for you."

She was delighted to see who they thought her friends were, considering she came to this city with only one other person, but jail was not on her plans. When they slip away, she'll just add this city's arrest warrant to her mental pile of 'areas which will kill or imprison me on sight.'

"Oh yes, thank you sir. I've been worried sick about my dear friends! I hope they weren't hurt!"

"Don't play games with us, Elven. It was your victims that you should hope weren't hurt too bad. Your friends will get what you're due if the gods are fair."

She looked ahead while they rounded a corner, and tried to pry her brain for memories of the fight.

The fight couldn't have been that bad, she thought. Or... was it? I didn't use my daggers. Did I kill someone...?

She tuned out the voices around her in the crowd, trying to remember...