"I understand your loss," Lorae says gently and in a way that makes Julius feel that she really does understand loss of family. "There is nothing you can do right now, and from what I hear Cormyr has a number of Wizards and Purple Knights cordoning off the place where Tilverton was and they will let no one through."

"Come back with me and join us, as we will go that way tomorrow, and with the recent events, it will be safer to travel in numbers."

Brianna internalized what Vatta had said but showed no reaction. First of all Lorae was well able to take care of herself as Brianna had been so clearly shown on many occasions. Secondly she had taught herself not to show to much reaction to information to others. it might give them more information about her than she wanted know. It was not that she didn't trust Vatta but it was such an ingrained habit that she often was not even aware she was doing it. However Brianna caught Vatta's shrug when she didn't answer and felt that she should add something.

"Lorae is Lorae." Brianna comment to Vatta and Xuor by way of explaination.. "I would not hare off after a stranger that way but she works under a different code than I do. However she will not abandon us for this stranger she will do what she can for him as she feels necessary to do."

Brianna turns back and keeps a look out for the shop. Blacksmiths usually were busy people the handled metal work of just about every kind, weapons, armor, farm tools, household pot and pans, and other household needs.and hopefully this one was and would be open.

"You know we might have the blacksmith take a look at the shoes on our horses tomorrow. In climbing we want the shoes on tight and perhaps some caulks on the heels so they can dig in better."

Brianna smelled the smoke first and then heard the ringing of a hammer on the anvil."

"Ah, there it is," Brianna points our to the study stone building set apart fromt he cottage nearby.

A wagon stood in the yard a horse hooked up to but also tie securely to a tree with the back axle jacked up and the wheeel was missing.

Lorae will wait quietly beside the grieving man if he turns his horse to return she will return with him if he continues on his way she will pray for his safety and return to the group long enough to let them know she will meet them in Tilverton.

The elf slowly turns his horse to follow Kethra as she makes her way back to the town, it's a much slower and sad journey. His passion has had to be reigned in, he knew of the dangers of traveling alone and now knew why people might do it despite the warnings, being a part of nature meant following your fear and instincts, this was by far the most unnatural thing he had done.

(When they arrive back at the town, before entering the inn, he bids farewell to Lorae telling her that he will be on the green in the morning and that all they'll need to do to call him is exactly that. He'll then walk a short way into the woods and sit quietly thinking. When night come he will go and sit in the center if the village green and cast tree shape to form a tall, thick trunked Yew and begin his 4 hours of meditation, elves meditate instead of sleep and he has found a way to do so in the trunk of a tree of his own creation.)

Brianna approaches the blacksmith's shop. Light glows form the open door. Not a bright light, but a variable red glow of the hearth.

A big man with broad shoulder and thick arms of his trade stood at the forge heating a piece of iron. His hair was short more from need than style. Hr had a leather cap on his head and a heavy leather apron protected him from the sparking metal. Hair caught fire rather easily It was nearly red hot He lifts it out and lays it on his anvil hammer in hand. The steady tap tap of his hammer rang out as he shaped the red hot metal.

He kooks up and the three entered his shop and gave a nod but he turned back to his work until the metal worked until it was to cool to continue. He slipped it back into the fire to heat again.

Now he turned to Brianna, Xuor, and Vatta. "How can I help you?" he asked. He voice as deep as his her shoulders were broad.

Brianna let Xuor respond while she looked around the shop. She stepped back to join Vatta.

"Lorae is Lorae." Brianna comment to Vatta and Xuor by way of explaination.. "I would not hare off after a stranger that way but she works under a different code than I do. However she will not abandon us for this stranger she will do what she can for him as she feels necessary to do."
Vatta looked at her again and then nodded slightly as if understanding but she said nothing. She tagged along with Xuor and her as they made their way to the Blacksmith’s shop.

"How can I help you?" the Blacksmith asked. He voice as deep as his her shoulders were broad.
Vatta didn’t really need anything here so she stayed to the back and just looked around the shop. She say a typical blacksmith and his work in progress. Her thoughts at the moment were still a bit jumbled and she wasn’t quite sure why. As Xuor was left to talk to the smithy, she turned to keep an eye on the street as was her usual way. Always on the alert, it kept her alive so far.

As Lorae and Julius reenter the outskirts of the village of Pelan's Helm, a group of 5 riders pass them. Lorae recognizes the tabbards they wear, they're patrol of Riders out of Asbenford, well 4 of them were Riders, the fifth was cloaked, hands tied, and their horse was being led by a Rider.

In the doorway Vatta heard the sounds of cantering horses, but more than two. Riding through the village green were a group of 5 travellers, one being lead on their horse. They headed straight to the inn and two of them take the horses to the stable while the other two manhandle a cloaked figure whose hands seem bound. As they pull the captive off the horse, Vatta sees the slim lower arms of the captive, they are black.

"Ori'gato uns'aa alu! Hawrest lodias, xun dos zhaun vel'uss Usstan tlun? Tlu xsa'us a Eilistraee!"

The sound came from under the cloak. Hands thrashing against the bonds, though accomplishing nothing too much, the voice calls out in the common tongue, the strong accent of the drow on the voice.

"Someone, help! I have done nothing wrong! Please! I call for justice!"

Vatta took a step out the door and watched the riders come into town. She noted the ‘prisoner’ as the riders took him from his mount and guided him into the Inn. Her keen eyes noted the color of the hands and an eyebrow went up.

Her keen ears overhear the words in Drow; she smiled slightly at the ‘prisoner’ words:

“Let me go! Insolent People. Do you know who I am? Be damned by Eilistraee!” The best she could make out.

As they dragged him inside, Vatta turned to Xuor and Brianna and after getting their attention motioned them over to the door. Once there, she told them what she had saw and overheard.

“I’m going to see what is going on.” She said as she left the blacksmiths and went over to the Inn.

Entering, she looked around for the new arrivals; Drow always interested her. She had many dealings in the past and knew some drow and the mention of Eilistraee piqued her curiosity.

A head cocked, ear fans curled, and a sineous red shape dropped from the rafters to land lightly on the cloaked one's shoulders as the two Rider pushed her in ahead of them.

A long tail wrapped about the base of the hood though not strangling the captive, only assuring the tiny draconic creature a secure purchase. Forelegs went to the top of the hood as the red dragonette curled around and fiery red eyes with verical slits turned on the two Riders.

"Not nicssse," his tiny silibant voice cried out.

The two men hesitated but one of them recovered enough to comment. "Of course it is not nice, it's a Drow."

"Nope," Flame went on, "you not nicssse."

"Lady nicssse. You not hurt, or you be sssorry." Flame lifted his forelegs for a moment ahd held them up and half closed his claws in a threatening manner. "You no want cursssesss."

That stopped them short. While the Riders reared back Flame dipped his head to whisper in the Drow's ear, "Usstan orn dormagyn dos. (I will save you.)"

"Not all drow are merciless murderers! Some of us have sense! We have seen the world which Elistraee has laid out for us, not that of Lloth." The cloaked figure spat on the ground past the hood. Not knowing what this creature around his neck was, only that is was helping, the prisoner made no movement to shoo it away. The creature was quite helpful so it seemed.

"Usstan bel'la dos. Xal Usstan tlu graced xuil dosst kaas, ji nindel Usstan xal properly bel'la dos? ( I thank you. May I be graced with your name, so that I may properly thank you? )"

Brianna follows Vatta to the door to see what was going on. As Vatta indicated that she would go sheck it out. Brianna responds to her her.

"You do that, we be along as soon and Xuor has what he wants. IF the woman from the shop comes with those clothes she mentioned have her wait and buy her a drink or whatever she wants on me.""

Brianna watched Vatta stride out in the the almost full late autumn darkness. The air had quickly became more chilled when the sun dropped behind the distant mountains. They same mountains that they were planning to cross. They lookd formidable indeed. even in the darkness she could see their white capped peaks which mean snow still clung in the shadowed places.

As Xuor explained what he wanted the blacksmith brought out several knifves for him to look over tosee which one suited him best.

While Brianna look them over curiously to appraise there craftsmanship she thought that they might all want to have the shoes on the horses checked out before they went up into those mountains. For a want of a shoe, the horse could be lost. She resolved to ask the man if he had time in the morning to look over the shoe on all their horses.

The blacksmith laid out several different blades for Xuor's perusal. He had several thin bladeed knifes like fillet knifes several thicker blades, straight with sharp on both edges on both side, more like a thick dagger.

"I do have a few multipurpose skinning knives that the hunter's here about like a lot. It is my own design. They are a bit more pricey, but it might be what you are looking for."

He goes over to a wooden box on a table made of thick split logs. Unlocking the box he removes a cloth wrapped bundle. and brings it over to Xuor. Unwrapping it he holds out what is essentially a bowie knife, sharpened on both side at the tip, but only on one side for most of the length. It is also thick on the back.

"This is really good for cutting up large games and it is really good steel. I forged it with some star metal I traded from some hunters. It makes the steel stronger."

The blade is about 12 inches long and about 3 inches wide at the widest point. but does taped at the tip in a swoop and is sharpened on both side of the blade in the tapered part. It is a hefty piece, but it has a large handle to balance the thick blade.

It is a masterwork blade at the very least.

As he looksover the blades he is quite impressed when the blacksmith brings out the one he forged himself Xour can tell at one it is the finest blade laid out here and he does not hesitate at all in picking that for his new hunting knife.Although he is still interested in checking on steel balls for his sling it is not a priority

For some reason his curiosity had been peaked by Vatta and what was going on outside so he quickly tells the blacksmith he would like the hunting knife and willpay what he asks for it.Then turning to Brianna Any idea what is going on out in the courtyard of the inn Vatta seemed rather exicited. I think I would like to go take a look see myself.
So grabing up his new knife and with it still in his hand he departs the shop and makes his way back towards the inn.Looking around untill he spies Vatta Xour will make his way to where she is So what goes on over there do you know why those four men are holding that one captive?

"That will be four hundred gold for that blade. Tis the best I have ever made." Why don't you go says Brianna to Xuor I will pay him you can pay be back at the inn, Find out wha tis happening.

The man was not sure Xuor would be willing to pay that much for it but when Xuor handed it over withouth a qualm he nodded to Xuor.

Brianna pulls out her purse and takes out platinum pieces and counts out fourty.

Now I have another request for you services. "We are going to cross those mountains and I want to bring the horse over early tomorrow and have all their shoes checked and added extra nails. I can't afford to have a shoe lost once we are on the trails.

The man looked up please with his sale but ready for more work as well. The sale of that knife will keep his family well for at least this winter and into the spring, it was a cautious estimate. He was a frugal man so it would probably last for muck longer than that.

"I am up before the sun rise to heat my forge. Any time after Sunrise is fine with me."

Brianna nods "I will be here at Sunrise then," Then she strides back to the inn to see what so interested Vatta and uor. She was curious to but it was important that certain things were taken care of in a timely manner.

The lights from the inn shone into the darkness of the night a welcoming sight as the night turned colder. Brianna thought of having a nice hot mulled wine ot a spiced cider once she got in the inn. Some cheese and bread that she could toast over the fire sounded good too.

As the door to the inn open Brianna steps in and closes the door behind her. There was some w armth to cut the chill and it got armer nearer the two fires that blazed at oppposite ends of the common room.

Xuor stood near Vatta, but she could see no sign of Lorae. Brianna moved over to the others. Two Riders stood in the inn holding a tall slender cloaked figure, who hands had been manacled. A red crest of her hood was none other that Flames who had made himself at home with his tailed wrapped about the captives neck.

"Flame," Brianna called out to the diminutive dragonette. It was his name, but also a command, all in one word.

Command or not, understood or not, Flame stayed right where he was with nothing more than a turn of his head.

He whispers into the Drow priestess's ear. "Brianna's here she will make it right. Lorae would be better though."