Depending on how attentive Theowyn is to the daily report of palace gate activity, he may or may not notice the oddity amongst so much of the usual. Listed as occuring at Twilight, and during a changing in the Guard, a request was made by a blind servant of House Kamikatsu that a city coach be called for her. The guards suggested the servant should have further escort, but the offer was declined and the blind Kandori servant woman left in the city coach that was called. That was two candlemarks ago, and if the Prince were to read ahead to the end of the report, he'd find no reference to her return. Would the Princess employ a blind servant to attend to a blind Royal? . . . or . . . ? As this report is read, there is a knock at the Prince's door . . .

The report would have been set to the top of the pile, the Guardsman that he has handling his intelligence reports are rather alert to such things. The problem is Theowyn was unavailable much of the day meeting with noble houses in Andor. On his return, he is still standing as he reads the report, concern flashing in his eyes. It is then that the knock is heard, and Theowyn turns to the door ever so slowly. "Yes...?" he asks, his voice already straining in concern.

Reynard steps through the door and salutes, "Your Highness, there seems to be increased activity among the Kandori Guard. Frequent hushed conversations between apparently patrolling guards and the sentries outside the apartments, more frequent movement in and out of the apartments, and there's a definate air of tension among them."

Theowyn barely takes notice of Reynard, staring at the report still at hand. "Sergeant, is it possible the Princess is not within her quarters?" Theowyn makes his conclusion, not bothering removing the coat he is wearing, his gaze setting toward the door and on Reynard. "I have a report that a blind woman, a servant to the Kandori guests, left the Palace earlier today." Theowyn shakes his head. "I've been there, Sergeant, I've yet to see a blind servant."

Reynard listens, nodding thoughtfully, "It would explain the tension among the guards. Perhaps she slipped out without their notice, or has been gone longer than expected."

"I would expect the latter," Theowyn frowns, setting toward the door in quickened steps. "I want the head of the Kandori guard." With that, he moves right pass Reynard, and begins to walk toward the Kandori apartment. "We may need a small group of trusted guards," he adds.

Reynard salutes the First Prince again and moves to follow, "Yes, Your Highness."

At the doors to the Kamikatsu Apartments the standard sentry stands guard, if for nothing else, then to display a false sense of security. No alarm has been sounded. As the Prince approaches, each guardsmen bows respectfully, but do not move to open the doors or announce his arrival. One of them, with more knots on his shoulder than the other three, states, "I'm afraid Her Highness is not receiving anyone, this evening, Your Highness." Of course not. Because she isn't there. But none of the guards admit to this.

Reynard stands quietly behind and to the left of the Prince.

"Of course she isn't," Theowyn concludes, stepping closer to the Kandori guard. "The officer in charge at the moment would be?" he asks first, then follows up. "And where is he?"

The guardsmen does not avert his eyes, and his answer is ready on his lips--no hesitation or worry in his voice, "Leftenant Yoshu, Your Highness. And he is within," gesturing to the apartment doors, "at this very moment." He doesn't open the doors for the Prince, but neither stands in his way either.

but neither stands in his way.

"I wish to speak with him," Theowyn states with some impatience, though he doesn't move past the door. He does certainly expect to be invited within.

The guardsman bows, and opens the door, slipping in. At the opening of the door comes the sound of two women weeping. Then the voice of the sentryman announcing the Prince here to see the Leftenant. He then opens the door further to admit the Prince and his entourage with another respectful bow.

Theowyn insures that Reynard follows him within. Impatience is showing, and the report from earlier in the day is still within Theowyn's hand. "Where is the Princess?" He's to the point, scanning the room for this Leftenant.

Reynard does indeed follow Theowyn inside, remaining just behind and to the left of the Prince. His eyes scan the room.

Three chambermaids in Kamikatsu livery are seated on the sofa. Two of them are weeping but seem to try to calm themselves as the Prince and Reynard enter. The third looks pale, and as if she might sick up--yet angry and indignant in the same moment. A man in soldier uniform rises from a seat across from the women, shifting a bit uneasily as the Prince enters. He manages a bow, however, and then answers, "Admittedly, Your Highness, I was just in the process of trying to determine that very fact." His gaze moves to the chambermaids with a sad frown, not angry. Stoic as Sohai is not this officer. He then looks back to Theowyn, "I was just about to rouse Lord Timuri from his sleep." Oh great, won't *that* impress Timuri further.

"That will not be necessary," Theowyn urges, stepping further into the room. He briefly eyes the weeping women, and then faces the Kandori in-charge. "The women should know where she is," he states flatly, going by what he over-heard that one time.

The chambermaid who had kept from weeping swivels her head sharply at the Prince and then just as quickly averting her gaze. Shame written across her features. Her bold nose marking her as Saldaean, among other features, and she directs that bold nose downward, studying her lap. The other two, Kandori by their looks, grow even more pale, both sniffling tearfully and one pipes up in defense, "But we don't!" then adds, demurely, "Your Highness." The other woman nods while the first continues, "She herself didn't even know. She only knew where the letter said to wait, but that she'd be escorted elsewhere once she arrived." Finally the Saldaean servant speaks up, her tone even though soft, "We told her not to, Your Highness. We even offered ourselves to go in her place." She frowns, eyes still on her lap. Yoshu makes a grimace, and sighs, "Where?" he asks the woman who is most coherent, and obediently, she names the point where the Princess was supposed to wait, a distant corner of the city. Alone no less. Elyse must be mad or daft. Or both.

Reynard shakes his head and stops himself from sighing. Borderlanders...

"This doesn't make sense. Why, who?" Theowyn asks, beginning to pace and not facing the women directly. He looks to Reynard briefly, then Leftenant.

Yoshu turns to the woman, wanting to hear this as well. The Saldaean is the spokesperson who continues, "The letter told her that if she came with anyone that he'd leave without giving her the information she was seeking." Yoshu arches an eyebrow, and she adds in explanation, "Information about the ring, Leftenant." She then looks to Theowyn, "She knew that her guardians wouldn't permit her to follow the instructions detailed in the missive. And she did not want to concern you, Your Highness, given the matters of State that she deemed more pressing to your attention." Her tone is meek, and she glances to the other women with her who are starting to get a better control over their weeping. She adds at last, "She felt confident to attend to the matter personally." Its clear that the chambermaid disagreed with this judgment by her tone, even if she doesn't say it aloud.

Reynard frowns slightly at this news. He glances at Theowyn. Quite a woman you have there. He resists the urge to check Theowyn for early gray.

"Leftenant, I suggest we ride," Theowyn states, looking to the Saldaean. "Unless there's more? I could not be too hard to follow the steps of a woman that is blind. At least initially..." he frowns.

Yoshu nods. His thougths exactly. He begins to point at various Kandori guardsmen who are in the room, picking out five in total to attend to the matter, then issuing instructions to those remaining in case a ransom note or otherwise arrives back at the palace. The two women begin weeping again at that implication, but in answer to the Prince the Saldaean servant woman merely shakes her head and murmurs, "I do not think there is more, Your Highness. Least that I know of." the Kandori men in the room make for the door. Not hesitating once they have their orders. Yoshu waits to follow them all out, including waiting on the Prince and Reynard.

Theowyn turns without a word, heading toward the door. "Match the Kandori in numbers, we do not wish to make an announcement of this," he tells Reynard, trusting the small escort would be enough. With that, he insures a servant runs ahead to prepare Theowyn's horse, heading toward the courtyard.

Reynard salutes Theowyn again and rushes out to get five more Guardsmen and then meet Theowyn in the courtyard.

In the courtyard, the Kandori are quick to mount up, and they do so without ceremony or chatter. Yoshu prances his mount up beside Theowyn and Reynard and bows his head, "Respectfully, Your Highness, you and your men are more familiar with the most direct route to the renevous."

Theowyn takes the mount and the lead in the escort, urging the horse forward with a kick. The guards at the gates part to allow the entire group through without interference. Though Theowyn knows the general route through the streets, he does give another guard the lead as they head for the specific location that Theowyn might be less familiar with.

From Practice Fields: Royal Palace of Andor, Caemlyn, Kellian says " Good night"

At the arrival of the specific corner not terribly far from the seedier distract of Caemlyn, a pair of young men spy the mounted approach, and take off conspiculously at a full tilted run, heading for the mouth of an alleyway.

distract=district

Reynard leads the party through the streets of Caemlyn, occassionally taking them through some rather narrow streets that could almost be called alleys. On seeing the two men run away, he says to those nearby, "I know where that alley comes out. If a few of us go around, we should be able to cut them off."

"Lead on," Theowyn urges the horse forward, directed the other men to follow those that fled for the alley.

The Kandori divide up as well, some pursuing and some moving around to the opening Reynard mentioned. The pair of young men round a corner to meet up and stagger to a halt. They start to turn around, but find that there are more mounted guards behind. One hits his fleeing companion with panting breath, "See?! Told you!" He frowns, and they both straighten, just looking and waiting to be addressed by those who have them pinned in.

Theowyn slows the horse to a mild trot until he is near enough the men. "You know why we are here, yes?" he asks them, moving the horse around to the other side to allow Reynard a chance to do his own intimidating.

One of the young men shakes his head, while the other nods soberly. Then they both proceed to cuff each other on the shoulder once. Flicking their gazes around them as they are continued to be encircled, they seem to be looking for an escape.

Reynard looks at the two men and tries grasping for the Source so he can get a better look at these two in the darkening night, but fails. "Why did you two run when you saw us? Have something to hide?" He leans forward in his saddle, narrowing his gaze.

They shift uneasily, but don't answer. One leans to confer with the other. Probably trying to work out a story. The mounted Kandori look ready to spring but do not. Attacking a civilian under the protection of another nation does not an ally make. These are Andorans, the Kandori just wait expectantly.

Theowyn pauses to allow these two to have the first part of the question sink (from Reynard), before the second comes. "The blind woman, where is she?" he asks bluntly, a hand coming to the hilt of his sword. As they confer, Theowyn kicks his horse forward to ride far too close to the men. "Where is she?" The sound of metal against the sheath is heard, his blade coming free.

Well, that certainly got their attention. Just the mere threat sends them both flinching away from each other and covering their heads with the arms. While one remains silent, the more cowardly of the two replies loudly, "Mercy, Your Highness! Mercy! The Boar's Tusk!! The Tusk!!" his answer comes with a quivering voice, bracing himself for the impact of the sword stroke he thinks is coming. This does not bode well, that Elyse was headed to the Boar's Tusk. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.

"Who took her?" Theowyn asks the next obvious quesiton, turning his horse sideways as his sword gleams against the fall moonlight.

The coward peers out from behind his arm as the blow doesn't come, but doesn't lower his arm, "We did . . . she paid us to be her bodyguards an' all, but well," His buddy leans over to smack him upside the back of the head with a growl, keeping him from saying more.

The blade of Theowyn's sword makes a threatening sweep near the other man's throat. "Go on."

Reynard finally manages to seize the Source, wavering almost imperceptably in his saddle at the suddenness of it.

"But well . . the kid gave us more just to take her there and leave her . . . " answers the coward unsteadily as his buddy flinches away from the swinging sword and is cowed appropriately.

"The kid?" Theowyn asks, growing in his impatience. "Take the other away, he's not talking. The charge will be treason." This he states to the other Queen's Guards, his focus going to the man that is speaking. "Go on."

The one charged pales, and puts up a fight as he is surrounded and bound. Not cooperating one bit. The coward watches this. The word 'Treason' having a profound affect on him. He is even more free with his information, "Don't know him, and didn't care to. He offered the money up front. I can give you a description if you like, Your Highness, but it was dark . . . " he licks his lips nervously. Poor guy. Just trying to make a dishonest buck.

"Indeed I would like," Theowyn states, only half amused as he watches the other man being dragged away.

He thinks a moment, "Was wearing a green cloak, or grey. It was in an alley afterall." He proceeds to name the street, "And he had brown hair, straight. He was a lanky kid, I think, taller than he looked young. But still shorter than me," he makes a gesture to compare the relative height beside him, then continues, "Steel grey eyes, chilling really." He frowns, scratching his head, "I wish there were more marks or something, but I didn't see any."

Reynard watches quietly as Theowyn interrogates the coward, giving the arrested one a casual glance as he's carted away. Now that things seem more under control, he reluctantly releases his hold on Saidin, the sweetness of the Power replaced by the oily film of the Taint. He does waver a bit more in his saddle this time and grips the reins tighter.

"Take this one away on a lesser charge," Theowyn is swift with his justice, not sparing another moment on these two. This would eliminate a few Guardsman. "Sergeant, lead the way."

Reynard nods again, not wanting to release his hold on the reins to salute. He wheels his horse around and leads the party through the maze of streets to the seedy tavern known as The Boar's Tusk.

The coward protests loudly as he too is carted off, "I told the truth!! Mercy!!" Then the rest of his protests die out as he's shackled and taken away. The Kandori look more than ready to leave and they follow the Andorans to this 'Tusk.'

Upon arriving, there seems nothing awry or amiss in this seedier Inn's Common Room. In fact, the many patrons of crowded establishment are loud with chatter and hearty in laughter and genuine mirth--and more than half seem to hold Lugarder accents and Murandian features, likely refugees who'd preferr to tax Andor with their presence than any other nation, given the fact that it was in Andor where their Queen was killed. A local poor musician plucks his mandolin in a corner, but it is a strain to hear the tune over the noisy din of the tavern room. Buxom serving wenches in rather revealing attire weave in and out of the many tables, filled with men of the unsavory reputation, serving their beverage orders, and occasionally being dandied upon one of their laps. Between the activity, and the pipe smoke filling the unaired room, it might be more than a mere moment before the scene playing out at the opposite end of the common room is recognized for what it is, and for the origin of so many spectators' amusement

.

Theowyn had paid more then enough for a cloak that he uses to cover some of his royal attire, though this he uses to not attract too much attention from the offset. The Queen's Guardsman and Kandori are lead within taver, Reynard being beside Theowyn. As his eyes shift across the room, he heads toward the direction of interst.

Reynard follows after Theowyn, his eyes scanning the room as well. Several sets of eyes follow Reynard's path. Perhaps he should've changed out of his uniform first?

A willowy, lithe woman wearing rather revealing serving wench attire is rigidly alert, pinned with her back against the far wall by an imposing figure of a man slightly taller, and much broader, than she. Though her head is covered by the hood of her cloak, the woman's face might be made out through the smokey room, and over the man's shoulder--tall as she is. Her vacant cornflower blue eyes stare vacantly passed his shoulder, falling on the entrance of the tavern, though there is no recognition in that blind gaze.

"Unhand me!" Elyse demands in a firm and loud tone as she sruggles against the brute's strength. But he merely tosses his head back in inebriated laughter, looking back at her amusedly, referring to the Princess with an alien name, and even tacking on the flattering, ". . .me saucey lil wench!" before one of his hands release hers, so that he can perform some rather ungentlemanly manhandling. The response he gets is a blind swing from the Princess, which he ducks under too easily, and chuckles again. Rage and indignation colours her cheeks and she does something quite unlady-like: she spits, hoping that by the direction of his voice, she will get at least some part of his face. The target is met, perhaps more than she suspected would, and unbeknowngst to her, since she is unable to see her success. Grimacing, the drunken man pauses to scrub his moistened face across his sleeve, and angry, backhands the Princess across the face. The force of the blow knocks her off her feet, but doesn't send her sprawling as the accosting man grabs hold of her before she falls completely and throws the woman over his shoulder, with only a surprised yelp from her lips. Instead of coming to Elyse's immediate aid, the crowd in the common room breaks into a renewed fit of jovial laughter, one man nearby offering over the din, "Show the vixen who's in charge, Devan!" And another shout can be heard referring to something of the 'beast with two backs.'

Its a good thing that there's some back-up. Theowyn does remove the rather tattered cloak from his shoulders as he pushes his way through the crowd with hard thrusts of his arms, enough to tick a few more people off. He manages to reach through into the main circle where Devan has Elyse, likely causing more then a few murmers within the crowd. "Place the lady down..." he instructs, expecting his words to be complied with. The other Queen's Guards would be only some steps behind, though clearly Theowyn watches the area all too carefull. "The First Prince of the Sword commands it!" Well, there you have it, Theowyn showing his over-confidence.

Reynard uhohs as Theowyn makes this 'proclomation' to the room at large and tries to seize the Source again. He doesn't know much, but he may need every advantage he can get to get out of here in one piece. Or at least one rather large piece and one or two smaller ones...

There is an eerie silence that blankets the tavern, with the exception of the mandolin player stopping mid-chord and trying to slip out of this before it gets really ugly. The Kandori glide confidently in, along with the Queen's Guards, but the heros are clearly outnumbered, and the drunken patrons seem to be calculating that fact into their thoughts as the silence lingers. With a breathed sigh of relief Elyse manages a murmured, "Theowyn," still slung over Devan's shoulder, her lithe body tense, her ear tilted in the direction of the voice. There is a trickle of blood from the corner of her lips, but otherwise she looks unharmed. Devan doesn't comply however. He looks at this so called Prince and then back to the crowd of friends to back him up. The ale is thick in his head, and on his tongue as he answers, "Ah paid fer her meself. Go git yer own." He starts to push past the Prince and toward the stairs. Every other patron in the common room gets to his feet with the screeching of chairlegs against floorboards, and the cracking of knuckles.

Theowyn's eyes briefly flash on Elyse as the man pushes past him with his love strapped on his shoulder dressed in that wench outfit... and he gets to carry her upstairs. The anger builds within him, though a strange calm taking over him as well as he simply follows the man a few steps behind, delicately ignoring the rest of the room. Theowyn's hand is on the sword-hilt.

Reynard makes another grab for the Source. He knew he should've had a Will made up... He glances around, somehow managing to hide the nervousness he's feeling from his facial features. Any of these guys break anything of his and he's going to find a way to drag them into the dreamworld and sic a nightmare on them. That should be fun to watch. Taint? What Taint? ;)

"Theowyn?" comes the plaintive near-whisper from the woman slung over the jerk's shoulder as he starts to walk off with her like she's some sort of trophy. Her hand reaches out in the direction she last her the Prince's voice, her body bouncing a bit as the man walks away, the exceedingly low-cut of her bodice suggesting that much more bounce and her bosom will actually pop out, braced against the man's shoulder as she is. Devan doens't look behind him, but every other eye is on the Prince. Yoshu moves to follow the Prince, but the other Kandori fan out in the common room, anticipating a brawl and placing themselves in good positions. At the stairs, Devan mounts the first to steps, while two buddies of his moves to block Theowyn's path as it seems the Prince intends to follow.

Reynard moves forward to help Yoshu remove the trash from Theowyn's path. He doesn't draw a weapon. He waits for the barfly to make the first move.

Theowyn doesn't hesitate, realizing that someone would eventually block his passage, and figuring the closer to the steps the better. Hoping someone will take the other guy, Theowyn reaches for the one guy attempting to block his passage in an attempt to shove him far enough out of the way to allow Theowyn up a few steps without interference.

Well, inebriated Murandian verses trained Warder. Not much contest, even if the other guy was bigger. And one of those blocking the Prince's path gets shoved aside. Well, that starts it. Yoshu nods once to Reynard and with the Sergeant's help takes the second one down. Then the rest of the room erupts in action. Kandori leaping to meet the threat with graceful martial art dances. Devan swivels around, looking actually surprised and with an unpleasant thump, drops the Princess on the stairs. She winces, and oofs. Devan then turns on Theowyn, fists thrown.

The Princess falls once again? Theowyn's odd calm shows that all that Tower training was not in vain. The thrown fist is dodged easily enough, Theowyn having a different perpective being a few steps lower. As the bunch is dodged, his own bunch comes weaving through the air, heading at the man's kidneys.

Reynard is glad he wore his uniform afterall. Only the really drunk are attempting to punch his breastplate covered torso, which only results in a really sore fist. His Guard training, while nowhere near as good as Theowyn's Warder training or even the Kandori martial arts, does seem to be paying off, though. The punches aimed at his unarmored face are dodged or deflected for the most part, though one guy does get lucky and clocks Reynard good. That's gonna leave a mark. Once he recovers from the stun of the punch, he retaliates with a knee to the lucky man's gut.

Devan cries out in pain at that hit at his kidneys, and staggers a bit backwards, coming close to tripping over Elyse's outstretched legs. He begins to curse and swing wildly at the Prince, coiling his fist back he accidently hits the Princess once more, in the side of the head before letting his fist go forward with momentum towards the Prince. Elyse flinches, uttering a small sound and moving to wrap her arms around her head where she was dropped on the lower steps and near the wall, curling herself into a little ball and trying to press as much up against the wall as possible.

Yoshu and the other Kandori are doing rather well in this match too. A few of the less inebriated brigands get some lucky shots in, and a broken bottle manages to cut one of the unarmed Kandori. But by far, even with the odds against the heros, the rest of the tavern brawl seems to be in their favour.

Theowyn's anger further streams through his blood, and finally he attempts to grab at the fist that comes in his direction, to use the momentum in removing the man from the top of the stairs where he is only furthering his harm on Elyse.

The fist is grabbed, and the few steps of higher ground is lost as Devan is removed from the stairway and sent onto the ground floor of the common room.

Another of the patrons comes at Reynard with a knife in an attempt to get through that pesky armor. In the ensuing scuffle, Reynard manages to disarm the man and use the knife to impale the man's hand onto a nearby table, "Could you hold this for me for a bit?" He looks around for whoever else may be coming after him, but he doesn't see anyone else left standing nearby except Yoshu.

Theowyn follows the man tossed down the stairs with his eyes, as he kneels beside Elyse with a half turn that allows him some sight of both directions. "Elyse... come Princess, the locals are getting restless," he informs, and taking the time to unbotton the coat he was wearing, trusting the other men are handling the matter well enough. He uses it to wrap some coverings on Elyse, ready to sweep her away. The safest route is his next pondering.

Yoshu trips one man coming at him, with a smooth motion of his foot, and sends him sprawling, upseting chairs and tables in the common room. Yoshu then ducks under a swing and tosses his next assailant over his shoulder, who lands on the table next to the guys Reynard stabbed in the hand. He then looks around, and nods approvingly at the dispatch the other guards, Andor and Kandor both, made with the rest of the room. As Devan falls to the floor with the momentum by Yoshu's feet, the Kandor Leftenant calmly presses his boot to the man's throat, and looks up then to Theowyn and the Princess. Devan doesn't move for fear of having his throat crushed.

Elyse is quick to move and cling to the Prince as he covers her and takes her into his arms, "Theowyn, I . . . " she begins, and then lapses into silence, not knowing how or if she should, explain herself. She simply awaits to be carried away, clinging to Theowyn.

The path to the door is clear now, only a few moans and writhing from the assailants on the floor around the common room acting as debris between the couple and the door. Debris that could be stepped over or around.

Reynard moves into escort position for the Prince. Yep, his left eye is already starting to bruise and puff up a bit. Looks like there's a small cut under the eye, too. Bugger must've been wearing a ring or something.

Reynard salutes, "Building secured more or less, Your Highness. The path is clear for rescue." He can't help but grin a bit.

"Come, my love," Theowyn urges, deciding to take her out the good old fashion way, he sweeps her into his arms and hopes the escort is tight enough around them to insure that no harm comes. He does intend to walk out much the same way he came in, with the men helping only a hint more bruised. "Arrest the man that took her," he notes to the guy under Yoshu's foot. "Thank-you, Sargeant, we'll be leaving now," he confirms.

Yoshu doesn't lift off his boot until the man is well into custody, and then he gestures for the rest of the Kandori to follow the couple out the door.

Reynard points to two of the other Guardsmen and nods to Devan, then follows Theowyn and Elyse out, ensuring noone comes near enough to do harm.