The Only Way to Fly

[HorizonsDream]

"Locky, join Malika and Jerrard," Imani says as she opens the door to one of the rooms.

[Breila]

Babushka looks from Imani to Locky. How would the kender react? So far, Locky and Babushka had always stayed together, often even shared a bed, since one human-sized bed was large enough for both. And why did Imani want a chaperone for Jerrard and Malika?

[JadedDM]

"Noooo, I want to be with Babushka!" Locky demands, stomping her feet.

"How about men in one room, women in the other?" Malika suggests.

"Agreed," Ulster adds with finality.

"Certainly, certainly," Jerrard says, mopping his brow with his sleeve. "I was only kidding, of course."

Ulster and Jerrard take the smaller room, while Babushka, Locky, Malika and Imani take the larger one.

The girls' room has almost no decor at all. It consists of three beds, all clean with fresh blue linen and white pillows, a dresser, a small chest, and a table with two chairs. A barred window is on the east wall, overlooking the wasteland outside and covered with a blue curtain.

Locky immediately claims the middle bed, then climbs on it and starts to jump up and down.

[HorizonsDream]

Imani claims the bed closest to the window and lays down. She ignores the jumping kender for the time being and just enjoys the fact she is actually laying in a bed for a change. "I don't know what his intentions are at the moment, but I can't complain about this."

[Breila]

Babushka too ignores the kender's jumps. She puts down her backpack near the middle bed, then points at the barred window. "This makes us easy to guard" she says. "But I agree, for the moment we can enjoy the comfort. do you think we should set watches?"

[JadedDM]

"That's probably a good idea, Babushka," Malika says, claiming the remaining bed. She lies down, her hands under her head. "I have a bad feeling about this whole thing."

"Babushka and me can take first watch!" Locky announces. She loses her footing and falls off the bed with a crash. "I'm okay!" she calls out, then rolls under the bed. "Hey, it's really clean down here. No dust bunnies or nothing!"

"So do we have some kind of plan here?" Malika asks. "Or are we just hoping that raging egomaniac will keep his word?"

[HorizonsDream]

"We don't know what his plans are just yet," Imani admits to Malika. "He knows what our motives are though, and that leaves us at a very large disadvantage."

[JadedDM]

From under the bed, Locky speaks in between grunts. "If he tries anything--we'll just--beat him up!"

"What are you doing under there?" Malika asks.

Locky pops her head out from under the bed. "Taking my armor off."

"But why are you doing it under there?"

"...I dunno."

There's a light knock at their door.

[HorizonsDream]

Imani sits up, still ignoring the antics of the kender, and goes to answer the door.

[Breila]

Silently, Babushka stands next to the door with her back to the wall, fungus staff in hand to attack if whoever has been knocking turns out to be a threat.

[JadedDM]

Imani opens the door to reveal a young man. He has short, platinum blond hair, slightly pointed ears, and big blue eyes. He is shirtless and covered in old scars and wears an iron slave collar around his neck.

He seems surprised by the sight of Imani, but quickly bows and says, "Greetings, my lady. I have been assigned to attend to you and your group's needs."

Imani notes that there are two ogres flanking the door, standing guard, apparently.

[Breila]

Babushka busies herself wrapping the fungus staff around her wrist as a bracelet.

[HorizonsDream]

"Of course," Imani says with a small smile towards the young man. "Um, come in," she adds, stepping inside to let the man in. "Do you have a name?" she asks.

[JadedDM]

He steps inside. "Uh...my given name was Lucas, my lady. But the master just calls me 'slave' or 'half-elf' if he wishes to be more specific."

[HorizonsDream]

Imani frowns slightly, but there isn't a whole lot she can do on the matter of him being a slave. Imani takes the time to close the door once the young man is inside. "What can you tell us about your master?" she asks.