A misunderstanding, a fight, a rescue
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(We begin at the Den of the Red Moon.)

Melusina enters on Ransome's arm, and her inquisitive expression fades into one vaguely dubious,
at the smell of incense. However, she brightens when she spies the musician.

Ransome glances around, a quick light appraisal, and nods entirely self-satisfied. "You favor the
establishment, Melusina."

Melusina smiles faintly, and appears more comfortable, perhaps. She is certainly less chilled.

Melusina sweeps over to a seat as near as the old man as is convenient, without having to sit too
near to any other taverngoers. Although somewhat hesitant at the pillow arrangement, she is able
to arrange her skirts properly and tuck her trident away under the table.

(Melusina)
Silken hair crowns her in braids of pale gold, clasped at the nape of her neck with a silver pin.
Wisps float awry about her face, contrast to the warm olive of her skin. Her large eyes, fringed
with long lashes almost too pale to see, hold untouched innocence in their dark depths. She is
clothed in a dress half of scales, a stormy grey-green with an opalescent shimmer, and a long and
swirling skirt. The sleeves and skirt are uncommonly long for Rebma, but their shape shows their
origin. She carries herself like a young queen, delicate hands oft straying to the gilt crucifix at her
throat. Over her hair and all she's thrown a black net, worn like a shawl and with weighted edges.

(Ransome)
His eyes inherited their color from the play of sunlight on the sea: green, and sparkling, and
ever-changing. The fine bones of his clean shaven face lend him a youthful air, which is only
reinforced by his easy smile and the tousled cut of his hunter green hair. He wears black: lace and
leather and silk in pleasant proportion, not unflattering to his slim form, with the occasional touch
of green at wrist and belt. A finely wrought rapier hangs at one hip, the hilt set with tiny chips of
emerald.

Various men lounge here and there around the room, a few sharing a bowl of tea in a corner.

Ransome sits with Melusina, folding his legs neatly beneath him.

Ransome says, idly, "How go your studies, m'lady?"

Melusina says airily, idle attention on the musician's plucking, "Well enough, gentle sir. I find that
I more definitely enjoy the historical studies now that we are concentrating more on my family and
upon certain figures of interest."

Melusina's gaze moves to Ransome. "I am uncertain as to how to order in such a place, would
you do me the honor of securing us some wine?"

Ransome looks amused. "Dry subjects find more flavor when combined with the personal,
perhaps?"

One man in the corner eyes Melusina, almost worshipfully, expression openly admiring.

Melusina says "Indeed yes. At any rate, history is more fruitful than memorizing lineages, though
such are naturally important."

Ransome waves over a buxom serving wench, who wears little more than a wrap about her hips
and a carefully tied multicolored halter. "Wine, please, and bread if you have it."

Said wench darts Ransome a teasing smile, bows eloquently at the lady with whom he sits, and
sways off towards the bar.

Melusina's attention returns quite loftily to the musician at the advent of the wench, her
fascination not ending until she has made her departure.

Melusina murmurs something about "better class of public houses" and "Shadow".

Another man makes a sharp gesture, muttering something, and the first looks away, abashed.

Ransome looks about the room, on some words from his companion.

Melusina gestures lightly towards some of the robed men.

Melusina colors faintly.

The first man looks up again, and murmurs to his friend. "Surely .. fair .. true and sacred Blood."

Melusina inclines her head. "As I said. Although, it is pleasant enough and as you say, there are
no blades."

The serving maid sways back to the table, and sets down a tray with a flagon of wine and some
flat bread, with a saucer of some tawny sauce. Perhaps for the dipping of the bread.

Melusina acknowledges the wench this time, with a slight nod.

Ransome smiles at the serving maid, and slides her a few copper coins. As she leaves, he speaks
soft again to Melusina, with a nod of his head.

Melusina colors faintly at Ransome's words, and says, audible due to a slight fluster, "I had not
noticed."

Ransome pours Melusina some wine, and himself as well.

Melusina adds, somewhat chastened, "I apologize. Such parts of the body are not commonly
discussed, in my birthland."

Melusina makes quieter explanation.

Ransome breaks off in the middle of a quiet sentence, and looks most chastened. "I am sorry, your
Highness. I did not mean..."

Ransome gestures eloquently.

Melusina gestures again at the robed men, as if illustrating a point.

One of the pale-robed men puts down his bowl of tea, with a nod to his neighbours, and rises,
moving towards the table where Melusina and Ransome sit.

Melusina colors faintly again, and shakes her head to Ransome, speaking in gently negating terms.

Melusina sips from her wineglass, and then raises her eyes to the man, somewhat bemused by his
presence.

He folds his hands and bows. "Fairest of pearls upon the stormy sea, may this one enquire whether
you and your obsidian leopard are among the faithful?"

Melusina smiles, pleased, and leans forward with a hand on her pendant. "Truly, have you
recognized me as such? I had no idea that there were faithful here."

Ransome says, quickly, "I am a follower of the Great God Lir, yes; my companion's worship is
her own --"

The man's brows lower slightly. "Most fragrant of blossoms that grows among the thorns, we are
honoured that another of the faithful should be found."

Ransome looks ever so slightly disgruntled for ever so short a moment.

He considers. "Truly is it said in the Sacred Writings that a pearl may be discovered among the
daisies."

Melusina appears flattered. "You are very kind. Is there a strong presence of the Church in this
land?"

He nods, enthusiastically. "We are few, but we increase in numbers. The Holy Book is read, the
texts expounded, and all bow to the Word."

Ransome dips a piece of bread in the sauce and eats it.

Melusina says, sunnily, "That is magnificent. It has been a very long time since I have been able
to speak with a priest." With an appeasing smile to Ransome, "Not of course to the detriment of
my soul, of late."

He bows again. "May this humble one ask the name of the enlightened pearl?"

Melusina inclines her head. "I am Princess Melusina of Rebma, and my companion is Ransome,
a gentleman. May I ask your name, good man?"

Ransome swallows, and observes, "My lady, every time I am witness to your smile I am once
again assured that your soul, no matter who you follow, is as pure as the light in your eyes."

Ransome then eats another piece of bread.

Melusina looks again at the robes. "Or should I say, Brother?" To Ransome she says, "Your skill
in flattery remains intact."

Ransome lifts one shoulder. "I do not wish you to be ill at ease in your chosen home, your
Highness. I would move coral reefs."

Ransome says to the robed man, "But I interrupt; pray, forgive me, sir."

Melusina says, apologetic, "I am sorry that my faith and my home intersect poorly. It would be
somewhat easier for me to change my skin, however."

Ransome merely shakes his head to Melusina. "I regret that I have caused it to pass your mind."

The man bows his head. "I am Huang-Fei, a humble servant of the Pure and Enlightened." He
shrugs gracefully. "But my ancestry is surely nothing next to that which produces such a rose,
such a pure and priceless star. Fortunate the man who wins you."

Melusina laughs negatingly and answers, "Perhaps. Even if I have not taken the vow, I may yet
honor it in spirit. I should wish service to mankind rather than a man."

Ransome's expression grows faintly more approving.

Several of the other men lounging around nod approvingly. One lifts his teabowl to Melusina in
a silent toast.

Melusina smiles graciously to the men.

Melusina says, to Huang-Fei, "Even the humble may serve, Brother."

Ransome says "Please, join us; it must be tiring to stand, and it is passing uncommon to meet men
of religion in a tavern such as this."

Ransome says "Surely, the occasion is to be commemorated."

The man murmurs, "Surely such virtue can only come of noble blood."

Melusina says "Indeed, it is nothing I would have expected."

He bows his head. "I would be honoured beyond measure, noble jaguar of the shadows. Might
this humble one ask your ancestries?"

Melusina looks to Ransome, and then answers the man, "I am the daughter of a Paladin of the
Holy Church and of Martin of Rebma."

Ransome says "I would not trouble you with the humble details; any nobility you see in me is no
doubt reflected from my companion."


His eyes widen, and several of the others round the room take on a keener pose. "Not of the
Blood of Amber? Can we be so blessed?"

Melusina says "Indeed, Papa claims that distinction, as well as royal Rebman blood."

Other men rise, putting down their bowls of tea, and bow, moving over towards the table.

Melusina smiles delightedly. "Of course you would have heard of him here, closer to Rebma."

Ransome says something languid and soft to Melusina.

The man hesitates for the first time. "The fame of Prince Martin of Amber and of Rebma has
spread across many worlds, as have the names of that Honourable Bloodline."

Melusina replies, eyes shining.

Ransome smiles elegantly, and nods.

Melusina returns her attention to the man. "Indeed? Well and then, do you have a priest with
whom I could speak?"

Long distance to Melusina: Thugs cracks up.

He smiles, broadly. "The Illuminated One who guides myself and my humble brethren would be
honoured by your acquaintance, pearl of the sea-foam."

Melusina says "Ah, my thanks."

Melusina asks Ransome, "Is this inconvenient for you, gentle sir?"

Ransome says, with blatantly affected regret, "And leave our wine?" And winks.

Several other gentlemen rise and move over, doubtless to provide a safe escort for the young lady.

Ransome stands, and offers Melusina his arm.

Melusina smiles and rises, not forgetting to retrieve her pretty trident from under the table.

Melusina takes Ransome's arm, and inclines her head to the leader. "My thanks for the trouble you
are taking for me."

He bows. "It is our honour, our priviledge, our duty: let the Sacred Word proceed as is meet."

Melusina smiles, gratified, and lets the man lead on.

Ransome escorts Melusina as if it were his Lir-given duty.

(The thugs lead them through various alleys.)

Back Alley
This crumbling back alley leads among a maze of others: the houses on either side tower high,
blocking light and air. A thin stream winds along the gutter, depressed and melancholy.
Occasionally the odd noise comes from the windows above or behind closed doors, quiet and
unhappy and strange.

The leader guides Melusina and Ransome through a twisting maze of streets, the others following.

Ransome is closer to Melusina's side as the alleys grow darker.

Melusina appears rather thoroughly unimpressed by the surroundings, and walks quickly, eager
to be through with the unpleasant parts.

As they come to a particular point, the leader holds up his hand. "I must, regretfully, offer the
noble leopard and the fair pearl blindfolds. As it is written, one comes through darkness and
persecution to light."

Ransome says curiously, "In what Book, good sir?"

Melusina quirks an eyebrow. "Indeed? That is a rather unusual request. What is there that we may
not look upon?"

Melusina adds, gently, "I can vouch for my companion, he is ever polite and will not profane the
Church."

Ransome sends Melusina a thankful look.

The man looks deeply unhappy. "We labour under persecution, fair flower of nobility and truth.
It is so you may not have our hiding-places and secrets torn from you under torture."

Melusina laughs merrily. "I do not believe you understand. None would dare, nor would I reveal
your Church, if that would cause hazard to you."

Ransome looks back at their escorts, cheerfully. "It is true; I am unable to imagine any daring to
harm our Melusina, nor do I think she would prove likely to sway even in the highest tides."

Melusina says "Indeed, upon my honor, nothing could bring me to cause harm to my innocent
Brethren."

Ransome says "And I would swear the same oath."

The men nod, some couple of dozen having nobly escorted the wanderers through the streets. One
hesitates, glancing to another.

The leader eventually says, "We will trust in the Sacred Unicorn, Fount and Creatrix: you have
confessed your faith, precious pearl, and are secure at her side in glory."

Melusina looks rather surprised. "Pardon?"

The men give each other slightly puzzled looks. One shrugs. "You have confessed your Faith.
Fear not, rose upon the forehead of morning: all will be as it should. The Illuminated One awaits."

Ransome looks to Melusina for her reaction.

Melusina looks puzzled.

Melusina says "Indeed I have, and so have you."

Ransome looks back. "It is perhaps the case that there has been some error."

Melusina says "I believe so, indeed. You are not a Brother in the service of the Father, his Son,
and the Blessed Void?"

Melusina sketches a sign of the cross, ending at her heart.

The men, somewhat in unison, trace spiral signs on their foreheads. The leader speaks. "We are
of the Cult of the Ubiquitous Unicorn, and you are among the Unicorn's blessed children, of the
Holy and Sacred Blood."

Melusina says, rather uncertain, "Ah, thank you. However, I believe that I have been in error; your
priest would not avail me."

Ransome says, unctuously, "I think the Princess Melusina is correct, alas; I mourn the hope we'd
found but must regretfully accept the misunderstanding."

Ransome says "I apologize, both myself and on the behalf of m'lady, and hope we might take our
leave before further distress occurs."

Several men are loitering at both ends of the alley. "You cannot leave now, flower of perfection.
Your destiny awaits."

Others eye Ransome critically. "Doubtless you also hunger and thirst after righteousness, paragon
of the shadows."

Ransome says "I am a sinner."

Melusina says, with no little embarassment, "Indeed, I believe that I should leave, lest I compound
the confusion. I will not, of course, speak of your Church. I would not wish to see any persecuted
for their faith."

Ransome adds, "At least, I suspect that in your Church I should be thought so."

Melusina's tone obviously conveys an unheard tagline: 'even if it is wrong.'

The men crowd in closer. The leader continues, as if he had not heard their denials. "It shall be
my honour to escort you before the Illuminated One myself, Pure Maiden."

Ransome places his hand upon his rapier. "I must inform you that should my lady's destiny seek
her in this manner, it will have to come through me first." And bares his teeth.

Melusina says rather firmly, and unconsciously her trident is no longer angled quite decoratively,
"I apologize, but I do not feel that would be appropriate, Brother."

(Enter Dacey, who has been hanging round the Den of the Red Moon, and followed at a
distance.)

Dacey makes his stealthy way down the alleyway. The dirty greatcoat helps.

(Dacey)
Tall, lean, and made from old leather and whipcord, he's got a shock of multicolored hair and a
mouth with a near-permanent smirk. Baby blue eyes go with the often-broken nose and the
vertical slash of a scar. His greatcoat's been dragged through as much as he has, ditto the boots,
but the quilted black vest, white shirt, and black pants beneath are crisply impeccable. Slung over
his back's a long slender sword in a black leather sheath, the hilt an eagle with open wings,
contrast to the plain and worn pistol hanging off the canted gunbelt to balance the bowie knife.
Thrust through his belt are two polished wooden batons with carved handgrips.

Melusina has both hands on her trident now, and she moves slightly closer to Ransome.

The thugs move, a sudden burst of action: several pull knives out, leaping towards Ransome,
while a couple of others, unarmed, grab at Melusina, trying to wrest the trident from her as
politely as they may.

Ransome draws his rapier with admirable poise, and flickerflicks a light cut at those unfortunates
attacking the Princess, heedless of those who menace him.

Melusina makes a startled cry, and tries to maintain control of her trident even if it involves rather
reluctantly impaling someone. However, it is fairly clear that this is her first fight in earnest rather
than in sparring.

Dacey smirks, draws the long sword on his back, and digs around in his coat. He comes up with
a handful of things, calls out "Hey you lot," and tosses the handful at the back rank of the thugs.

One thug goes down, impaled by rapier and trident alike: the other manages to get a grip on the
shaft of the trident, breathing tea fumes at Melusina. Knives rip at Ransome, and he collects
several cuts.

You paged Dacey with 'What things?'.

Dacey pages: Sharp things on the shuriken level.

There is a cry from the rear of the group, as several thugs collect sharp, painful adornments: half
a dozen or so turn towards Dacey.

Melusina looks quite surprised as she stabs the man, and then gives the other an icy glare. "How
*dare* you offer harm to us?"

Melusina gives the man a knee to the groin that looks much better practiced than her trident work.

Dacey's smirk widens as he trots towards the half a dozen, crystalline sword ready.

The thug attempting to grapple Melusina goes down with a pained squeal of, "Precious pearl,
your destiny.."

Ransome snarls uncouthly, and lunges for the tea-breathed man. His aim is impaired by the cut
above his eyes.

Ransome's aim is also impaired, no doubt, by Melusina's success.

Ransome's stroke is avoided by the thug, partly because he is rolling on the ground clutching
himself: it does, however, take him out of the path of several more knife strokes.

One thug addresses Dacey. "Stay back, noble jaguar: this is a matter of the Faithful."

Dacey says "I've got great faith."

Dacey smirks. "I've got great faith that you're going to make me a lot of money."

Melusina gets her trident free and gives Ransome a rather wild look, presumably at the cuts on
him. She stabs even more wildly at one of the thugs behind him.

A dozen or so thugs move into a rough circle round Melusina, and a couple fumble with belt
pouches. Those eyeing Dacey seem content to watch, if he will remain at a distance.

Ransome gasps, "Lady, find a wall!" He then wipes blood from his brow, and snarls at the thugs
again.

Dacey continues to trot towards the group, angling towards one side.

Melusina moves to a guard position behind Ransome, no doubt hampering any attempts of his to
guard her.

Melusina snaps, "Not while you are pressed!"

Melusina spares a glance at the approaching man, and at his sword. She pales.

You paged Melusina and Ransome with 'Conveniently, there is an alley wall right next to you.'.




One thug bows, as he fumbles his pouch open. "Your last chance to embrace your fate willingly,
flower upon the seafoam. Lay down your unwomanly weapon, and you will be treated with all
due reverence."

Ransome says, rather surprised, "Where did you learn --"

Ransome shakes his head, and darts forward to prick a thug.

Melusina feints at that thug, unhappily, and her gaze flickers again over the tall man engaging the
men in back.

Dacey slows down from his trot, settles both hands on his sword, and goes for a quick slash at
the nearest thug.

The thug, having chivalrously paused to allow a chance of surrender, is pricked to the heart, and
collapses in a gush of blood.

Melusina has some distraction now getting the trident free.

The thug facing Dacey is no match for him, and is easily cut down. The leader, hanging back,
barks to the others, "The dust, now!"

You paged Dacey with 'Up to you if Dacey has heard about the White Lotus Dust. I figure he
might well have.'.

From afar, Dacey is amazingly uninformed about the thugs, because Coral was amazingly
uninformative.

Dacey pages: Did that thug have body armor?

You paged Dacey with 'Alas.'.

You paged Dacey with 'Nope. No body armour.'.

Dacey's smirk widens as he takes a quick cut at the next thug in line.

Melusina pulls the net from her shoulders with her free hand, causing wisps of hair to tumble
partly free. However, she appears even less familiar with its use than with the trident, so she
merely swings it as a shield.

A couple more thugs go down before Melusina and Ransome's blades, and the others fall back,
two hefting pouches of something loose and heavy.

The thugs facing Dacey are beginning to look rather less happy about their positioning.

Dacey says "Now now, tricks work better if you don't signal them well in advance."

Melusina tosses the net to Ransome, and shouts, "Better them than him."


Melusina says "I cannot use this forsaken--"

Dacey backpeddles, pulls a knife out of his greatcoat, and tosses it at the nearer one hefting a
pouch.

Ransome catches the net neatly with his free hand, twirls it to make it flare out, and tosses it such
as to settle nicely over Dacey's sword arm. "At your bidding, Princess!"

Melusina spins again, the graceful swirl of her skirts quite at odds with the surroundings.

A couple of the thugs rush Dacey, attempting to close with him, as those with the pouches cast
them towards Ransome and Melusina: white dust billows out, thick, choking, sweet and narcotic.

Dacey goes down in a diving roll, cannoning into the front rank of thugs as the net goes whinging
overhead. One of the thugs collects a knife in the stomach, another a one-handed sword cut to
the head, and Dacey just puts a knee on the third's throat as he's rolling off.

Dacey calls out "Unicorn's tits, if I wanted you two incompetent loons, I'd let them take you and
then kill the ones that were left behind. It'd be easier."

Melusina coughs, sputtering, and says the obvious to Ransome: "Try not to breathe the dust."

Ransome says alarmedly, "Another Unicorn follower," and coughs.

The trail of bleeding thugs in Dacey's wake is impressive.

Dacey's greatcoat is rather the worse for rolling around the ground and Dacey's somewhat worse
for rolling through thugs, although the cuts don't seem to be slowing him down.

Those thugs remaining upright have pulled headscarves and shirt collars over their faces to shield
them somewhat. They launch themselves through the fog of white dust at Melusina, mostly
ignoring Ransome and Dacey now, other than survival's dictates.

Melusina moves back to cover Ransome, silent and then coughing again as she needs to breathe.
"That  way." She sweeps around with the trident at the thugs, or at least an arc of them
leading down the alleyway.

Ransome coughs again, hacking. "You first, m'lady."

Dacey impales the latest thug from where he's kneeling on the ground, kicks the thug off his
sword as he stands, and digs out some more knives to throw at fogged thugs. He doesn't go into
the fog itself.

Melusina carves her way through, with pretty limited success -- she's beginning to stagger, and
the thugs can probably fill holes faster than she can make them, at this point.

Ransome appears more inclined to cut at those who threaten Melusina than to avoid breathing.
His coughs grow more frequent.

Ransome pages: what's the effect of the dust?

Another thug goes down before Melusina's wild sweep: those few remaining glance at each other,
then choose to bolt, away from all three fighters.As the last one runs, he snarls over his shoulder,
"The Cult shall find you yet, Maiden of the Blood!"

Dacey whips his bowie knife off his belt and wings it at the boasting one's head, hilt-first.

You paged Ransome with 'Narcotic. But heroically resistible for a few minutes, depending on
End.'.

The boaster slips, at that instant, in a mess of blood, and Dacey's knife barely misses his head: he
scrambles round the corner, slipping in entrails, and is gone.

Melusina falls to her knees on top of one of the slain thugs, coughing.

Dacey says "Unicorn's fornicating hindquarters."

Ransome whirls around to stand between Melusina and Dacey, coughing frantically.

Dacey kicks one of the corpses in evident irritation and marches off to retrieve his bowie.

Dacey picks his bowie up, wipes off his sword on one of the cleaner thug corpses, and gives
Ransome a once-over. "Are you going to put that away and drag your woman out of whatever
that is, or are you going to make me get this dirty again?" He smirks.

Melusina coughs and wheezes, her body shaking; she's still facing down the alley away from
Dacey.

Nobody has tried to come out of the houses on either side to investigate the sounds of slaughter:
perhaps they know better, or perhaps they have their own secrets.

Ransome smiles grimly. "Sir, although I suspect I honor you with the epithet, I find no palpable
difference twixt your threats and those of these unfortunates. My answer to you is the same as
it was to them."

Dacey says "Unicorn's balls, I'm not threatening you."


Dacey says "I'm not even interested in you, except how you got their attention."

Dacey kicks one of the thug corpses demonstratively.

Melusina staggers weakly, hunched over, onto the far side of the cloud of dust. She's managing
to drag her trident. She props herself against the wall to rest.

Ransome looks back at Melusina on her movements.

Dacey gives the edge of his bowie a once-over, smirks, and scabbards it. He flips a thug face up
with the tip of his black crystalline sword.

Melusina coughs more, managing, "Ransome."

Dacey says "Go ahead and stay there if you want to. But I'm not sticking around to guard your
unconscious bodies when they come back with reinforcements."

Dacey smirks.

Ransome says "Then go dirty your sword wherever you dirtied your shirt. Yes, m'lady?"

Dacey says "I dirtied it helping your assess out."

Melusina says "Can you reach me? I am... I grow dizzy."

The thug's face is fixed in a grimace of agony, probably due to his evisceration.

Ransome backs towards Melusina, eyes still on Dacey. "I was not, in truth, birthed last week; nor
was I birthed in naive society."

Dacey rests his sword on one shoulder, digs out a cigar, and lights up. He kneels down to frisk
various of the dead thugs. "Believe what you want. You're just visiting our fine city?"

Melusina says, hoarse, and punctuated with jagged fits of coughing, "Do not listen to his lies."

Ransome offers his free arm to Melusina, to help her up.

Melusina staggers against Ransome, pressing her face to his shoulder.

Ransome wraps his free arm around her, holding her up. He coughs.

You paged Dacey with 'A little money. Several pouches of the White Lotus Dust. On one, a small
piece of paper with something codelike scribbled on it. Numerous daggers and garottes.'.

Dacey dumps a wide collection of things from thug bodies into various greatcoat pockets.

Melusina sobs, her face and body muffled against Ransome.

Ransome coughs again, hacking. "How should I believe one who has not even graced us with his
name?"

Dacey smirks. "Dacey. Knight Serpentis of Kashfa."

Dacey says "Ask for me by name in better drinking establishments everywhere."

Melusina pages to Dacey, Ransome, and Thugs: It's very vaguely possible that Dacey notices
Melusina getting something about hand-sized out of a pocket, though she's masked by Ransome's
body. It's definitely possible that Ransome notices this.

From afar, to Melusina, Ransome, and Thugs, Dacey is still avoiding the area of the fog cloud (he
doesn't know how much of it is left, but he's avoiding the general area). You might notice that
even apart from that he seems to be ransacking only thugs he killed.

Ransome says "Well, Dacey, Knight of the Serpent, and am I to believe that it is by coincidence
you came upon us in this alley?"

Dacey says "Nope. I followed this lot."

Dacey says "They're causing a spot of bother around here."

Dacey smirks. "Attempting to assassinate the Queen usually gets people flustered."

Melusina's sobs turn into weak coughing once more. But then there's a rainbow effect, around the
pair.

Ransome narrows his eyes. "You could have stepped in prior. You have used a Princess of Rebma
as bait for your investigations, and were we not --"

Dacey says "I just got here."

Dacey smirks. "Good timing, too."

Ransome has left.

Melusina stares at a card in her hand.

Melusina moves forward and vanishes in a rainbow sparkle.

Melusina has left.

Dacey waves as the rainbows take the pair.

Dacey smirks. "I guess they won't be wanting their kills."

Dacey sets to searching those bodies too. After shaking them down for sundry valuable and useful
items he selects the most intact one, this being the one whose windpipe he crushed, slides his
black sword back into its sheath along his back, and digs a Trump out of his pockets.

The thug, being dead, makes no complaint.

Dacey stares at a card in his hand.

Dacey moves forward and vanishes in a rainbow sparkle.

Dacey has left.

You paged Dacey with 'Yes, there is an (unused) poison tooth on this one, too.'.

Dacey pages: The interrogators can learn things even from dead bodies.

You paged Dacey with 'Eeeeep.'.

Dacey pages: Plus I have many packets of White Lotus Dust to have people study. Dacey is going
to experiment on first some wildlife and then himself with one; he wants to see effects and then
if they're nifty enough indulge in them. And in general build up an immunity to it.

Dacey pages: Unfortunately our real specialist in getting information from dead bodies isn't in
right now, but maybe he can be fetched.

From afar, Dacey smirks.

From afar, to Dacey, Ransome, and Thugs, Melusina apologizes for the rather abrupt departure,
Dacey, but you bear an uncanny resemblence to someone who might be hired to look for her in
dark alleys. ;)

From afar, to Melusina, Ransome, and Thugs, Dacey smirks. Dacey is a thug. It continues to
amaze him that someone made him a Knight, but he's taking full advantage of the state of affairs
while it lasts.

You paged Dacey with 'WLD seems to be an euphoric narcotic. Effective by inhalation or
bloodstream exposure. An immunity can be built up, a little, but not a strong one. Most coverings
shield against it.'.

Dacey pages to Melusina, Ransome, and Thugs: However I can tell you OOCly that Dacey
doesn't know you from any other pretty face or name on the street.

Long distance to Dacey: Thugs grins. If he is, do let me know, and we can play at necromancy. 

From afar, to Dacey, Ransome, and Thugs, Melusina would certainly prefer to keep it that way,
in character, and have Dacey think of her as just another pretty face with a Trump card. ;)