RP:Detour

Part of the Township Troopers Arc

This is a Warrior's Guild RP.

Summary: Moments after the Battle for Rynvale concludes, Eirik and Lionel rush through the shocked city crowds in search of Meri. They find her at her parlor, Soulskin, bleeding and visibly distraught. Meri requests that they locate Lita, and Lionel sets off to do so, only to discover she's come to see Meri herself. Exhausted and mentally anguished, Lionel excuses himself posthaste, offering for Eirik to tag along when a ship is secured for the pending mission. The lycan reminds the Catalian things are not so simple between them.

Rynvale: Soulskin

Meri was faced with both good news and bad news. The bad news was the most prominent because the tattoo parlor was not in good shape at all. The shutters were just the start of the damage the shop faced in the quest for a meal, the insects must have picked up on something within the parlor that gave the impression food would be available here. It probably was not someone's left over PB&J either. The good news is there are no remains present, neither the body of apprentice or Lita. Death free zone in here. Which is both good and bad in Meri's mind, the artist mulling over the other areas Lita is known to frequent but having lost the energy to actually go check them out. Meri herself is sitting on the floor of the shop with a rag covering her mouth, likely because of the poison. Possibly because she is coughing up blood. Otherwise she is listlessly staring at the mess, both ink and glass are everywhere and tables and chairs have been tossed, but it is not the mess she is really dwelling over. The door to the back of the shop that leads down? It remains shut, probably just a storage closet anyway. Right?

Lionel rounds the final corner, Eirik presumably nearby. It’s been a quiet, reasonably clipped trek. It seems the two men aren’t like to share drink and tale together anytime soon, but then, has that ever really been Lionel’s niche, anyway? No matter. Rynvali first responders run down the streets, aiding the wounded. Citizens shout to locate their loved ones; only about half are successful in their endeavors. Small fires, caused by any number of assaults and accidents amidst the battle, are being doused with liberal application of water from just down harbor-way. Lionel approaches the parlor, steels himself with a deep breath, coughs up some lingering miasma, and… well, he would open the door, if it were still attached to its hinges. His hand goes limp, awkwardly, and he espies Meri from afar. “We came as soon as we could. Ah, Eirik and I.” He gestures. “What do you need? Tell me. I’ll do what I can.”

Eirik took up a pace to match Lionels own, both icy and fiery weapons locked in a death grip. This particular style is knew addition to Eirik and never displayed to the Catalian. Hildegarde had been present for one of the many training sessions with sword and axe. Honestly the brute had gotten tired of carrying that shield - though it did have its uses. It was odd marching next to this man yet again. He recalled the spit he had left on the ground and his distaste with leadership. Though Lionels abilities in battle were beyond question to Eirik. There was a different note here which he did not personally enjoy. That particular subject being Khitti and Lionels worth of word. This would take time to repair, if such a thing was sought. Finally stepping through the threshold of Soulskin, eyes examine the mess it has become; wordlessly. Those damned bugs! So much for work this night. Silver hues flick to Meri as weapons sheathe and letting Lionel speak for the duo. “You don’t look good, Meri.” If he had his small healers kit he might be able to offer a little assistance himself, but on a night like today, Eiriks tools and herbs are -not- at his side.

Meri 's gaze jerks toward the entrance of the parlor when two figures are seen entering her shop, Lionel was a surprise but Eirik she presumed would turn up in his own time to make sure she had survived. Both men are greeted with a nod as Meri forces herself to her feet, only to assume a lazy lean against one of the nearby counters, spared damage from the inspects mostly because they were built into the wall. What to do, how to help, the fact that she did not look good, all of this is met with a shrug. "What I need to know is that the Villa down by the beach is clear, that's where Lita lives." The rag that was held to her mouth is dropped away to allow her to speak these words without having to sound muffled. Neither of the men seemed to have any brilliant ideas for how to help her and Meri herself would be able to suggest nothing other than time, which seemed counterintuitive considering. Blue eyes shift from Eirik to Lionel and back again expectantly, because someone was going to check this for her, right "Not much to be done about the shop tonight..." Or it, by the looks of it.

Lionel narrows his gaze uncertainly. The name doesn’t ring any bells. In truth, he’s met this Lita on two separate occasions, but for the first time around she was a card dealer and circumstance granted him a quick, unlikely victory; the second time, she was a motion blur, a woman standing beside Krice when Fort Freedom was imploding all around them. Suffice it to say, then, that Lionel has never put a name to that face, but fate has consistently conspired to bring this Lita character into his life in peculiar ways. “I can find out.” His eyes dart to Eirik, then back to Meri. If the lycan is perceptive -- and Lionel’s only ever doubted that perception once, after all -- then he’ll get the hint and stay with Meri while she’s presumably wounded. Lionel’s worried for the woman, as he’d worry for anyone, and perhaps a bit deeper. She’s stuck her neck out beside him several times now and he isn’t entirely sure what to make of that, except to commend her, and certainly to see to her in times of need. Right now, being that he doesn’t know her very well -- and being that Lionel is no exemplar of social graces in order to rectify that fact -- he wordlessly excuses himself to fulfill her request.

Eirik watched Meri climb to her feet and take up that normal slacked posture. A friendly smile cant help be smear over his features. She was tuff, and he would credit her with that. As for the mention of checking out the villa Eirik would agree to the task, thinking that Lionel most likely had other matters he needed to attend to. “You know I,” Silver hues would flick to Lionel and his unspoken suggestion. “Never mind. Go, I’ll stay here.” Eirik was going to offer taking care of that task for her, but figured he would let Lionel run off and shred things with his own fiery brand. The warrior moves to one of the over turned chairs and rights it, offering the spot to Meri. “I don’t have any tools with me, but I can at least take a look. See if there is any need to find you a healer.”

Meri has never really argued with the northman before, she has never really had reason, and the woman does not see fit to start now. At least one man was existing the room to try and track Lita down at her place of residence just to make sure she was not one of the many to have fallen victim to the bugs. Meri could at the very least humor the request lobbied back at her. Her rump is planted into a chair and Eirik is given the liberty to look. Look at what? Meri's not certain. Meri had faced the same troubles that many of the citizens of Rynvale did, from the toxin that left some convulsing to the song of the crickets. At the very least Meri was not on the ground convulsing but coughing up blood still could not be a good side-effect. It's not a constant or consistent. She hasn't done it since either men have been present, but the evidence is there in the rag that she holds in her hand. Before Lionel goes, he at the very least gets a, "Thanks." But perhaps Lita will detain him. For her benefit, the shop is not complete destroyed. The front door has been ripped off the hinges and the insects, taken care of for the time being, have knocked over tables, chairs, and broken numerous vials of ink, etc, etc. The shop is not pretty, but it could it still has four walls and a roof.

Lita was for once glad to live on her own in the middle of nowhere. No one around to see her react like a stereotypical female at being confronted with a horde of insects. And leave it to Chio, mutt that he was, to have some kind of fun chasing the things into corners before biting their limbs off. "You're one sadistic little--" But he was hers, at least. She picked her way through the island's main road, past the docks and up towards the shop, searching the people she passed for familiar faces and was grateful not to find any. Chio kept at her heels and like herself, seemed to be unaffected by whatever substance lingering in the air was sending many of the locals into a frenzy of coughs and spasm. She was liable to see Sabrina lingering about with any number of healers in the days to come. She was not happy to see the shop door leaning askew and at first glance she thought Lionel was some sort of looter. He looked familiar but that didn't excuse him. Dark eyes flickered past him to settle on Meri, more questions than answers. She looked to Eirik, whom she didn't recognize at all, and that back to Meri. "What is going on?"

Lionel blinks, adjusting his vision. Not seconds ago, he’d been quietly, internally mulling over this woman Lita’s facial features, doing his best to jog his memory. Not seconds ago, he’d said he’d find her, too, and here she is. Mid-stride, he stops in his tracks, pointing at her gingerly and projecting his voice toward Meri. “Found her. I should start promising fast turnaround service.” Humor, whether it’s solid and sound or dodgy and ill-timed, will always rival Hellfire as Lionel’s defensive weapon of choice. Still shaken from the attack on the city and what feels like half a hundred other things in his life, Lionel deftly employs humor to circumvent any real humanistic connection. He clears his throat and regards Eirik one last time in parting. “I’m keeping the guild stationed here in Rynvale ‘til further notice. We’re gonna barter for a ship and go end this war before it claims more lives. Thanks for the assist. You want onboard, you know where to find me.” He sets off into the night, making peace with his scrambled mind as best as he can muster. Sleep won’t come easily for him down at the Broken Barrel, especially not now that half the inn’s roof’s been burned clean off, but when it finally does come, the man dreams of men and women torn apart by these foul creatures. He dreams of the recent attack on Frostmaw, too, and all his friends and loved ones perishing in the flames. And he is powerless, and he cannot move, except to regard his sword, which he realizes is the arbiter of that fire which has claimed their lives one and all. Sleep is no respite for men this haunted.

Eirik would set his mind to the task of looking over Meri, who took that seat up without even hesitating. He was thankful to have a no fuss friend who had followed him into battle a few times as well. The ex-Liaison would first look over the visible bits of Meri for cuts scrapes bruises without making things uncomfortable. Though this gives him a view of that bloodied rag she had been coughing into. Beyond that, his own nose could smell it. “Dammit Meri.” He’d twist his gaze to make direct eye contact. “I’m going to need you to take a deep breath.” The Lycan would lean in closer, using those keen senses of his to pick up on any wheezing. If she complies, he would gather the information needed. However, a newcomer has arrived, one which he himself has not met. “Well, best not tell Sabrina I was looking over you without her around” he teased. “We both know what that will lead too.” Eirik would leave the introductions up to Meri or Lionel, and continued his assigned work. He figured Lionel would also take up the explanation of what was going on because frankly, the berserker had no clue. However, he doesn’t give much of one. “It’s not that simple Lionel.” Eirik still truly felt the same, regardless of any struggle or strife. “But I will at least come and see you.” Maybe they could put this matter to rest. Eirik switches his attention to Lita. “I’m not even sure what happened myself. Came here to find Meri for more work and stumbled upon a giant bug infestation.”

Meri took in a deep breath as instructed but the release was not a smooth and clear sounding exhale, but a loud hacking cough that is soon muffled by the rag held within her hand. What this means for her is really beyond her guess, Eirik was more knowledgeable on that front without question but once she finds the breath to speak again, a request comes of Eirik. "I want Sabrina." No, this is not another snarky moment meant to irritate the berserker, more like a pathetic plea. She wants to see a healer, that healer in particular, and you know how patients can be when they start fixating on these things. Eirik can try and argue with Meri all he wants but the woman really does not seem to be interested in hearing much of it, blue eyes shift to Lita next to voice her next request, "I want to go to bed." Trust would be placed in Lita to see that Meri gets safely tucked into bed.

Lita had little idea of what had just happened to her city and more importantly, to Meri. She had fixed Lionel with a narrow stare, part distrust and part curiosity but in his absence her attention returned to the fellow artist inside the shop. Sabrina. Called it. She liked the woman well enough but a certain warrior seemed to follow in the same circles and Lita wasn't so ready for those conversations yet. But Meri asked. Well, asked was a nice way of putting it. She settled a hand on Meri's shoulder and squeezed gently. "There's a room upstairs." Though that meant staying in the city and she'd have to barricade that front door. Not that she minded, just, "But the beach house will probably be more comfortable." Quiet, private, off the beaten path. And Lita would feel better about her being there, away from whatever had befallen the city proper. She wasn't worried about leaving the shop unmanned for a few hours. Wasn't a whole lot worth stealing that couldn't be replaced and a flickered glance towards the back door proved that that, at least, was still sealed off from here. She turned her attention to Eirik then, name still unknown. "Think you can track down Sabrina? The house isn't far from here, just southwest of the Jolly Roger. I'd feel better if she was out that way to rest."

Eirik doesn’t think that Meri was playing around and understands the seriousness of her request. “I’ll see that its done.” Sabrina would be far better suited for what ails Meri. In fact this puts the man in a bit of a hurry. He would abruptly stand, and shift to Lita finally taking her sights in. “I’m Eirik,” leaving his simple introduction at that. He has recently become known for a brutal murder in Larket, if she perhaps traveled that way. “I can find Sabrina and make sure she gets to the house.” The healer and himself were often tied at the hip and she wasn’t here only because this happened to be a random excursion of his own. The northman would say no more and take leave of the Tattoo shop. He would have to get more ink at a later date.

Lita recognized the name. Eirik. She might have lifted her chin a little at the stranger as he agreed to find the healer and bring her to the house. But she didn't say anything. Instead she'd be scooping Meri up from the chair she was lounging in, lazy thing. She'd ignore any protests from the woman, one arm tucked beneath her knees and one around her shoulders, instead making a mockery of complaining about how heavy she was. A low whistle brough the mutt back at her heel with a little growl. "Chio, you're on bug duty." She decided, cringing a little. The shop's front door was still hanging ajar and she sighed as she made her way back outside. She'd have to make her way back after getting Meri settled in, fix the door and scrub the floors down and pray the cellars hadn't been overrun. Maybe she'd wait until Sabrina was in town to sit with Meri, though. One thing at a time.