IC Scene - The Duke's Wharf

"Sir Morek," Lucius interrupted, stepping between him and the Dragons, but with his back turned to Aelos and his men. "The risk is too great. If we are to prevail, we cannot put someone with your skills in such a dangerous position. Let the Dragons go."

He paused, then turned so he could look between the two men. "Astraea demands that we succeed but that cannot happen if we are at each others throats. Cease this," he said with a fiery edge. "Now... I have a plan that could help us find victory. I will return to my men and await you both to come to your senses."

Morek turned his head to look at lucius for a long moment before looking back at aelos and speaking."one would argue a fool is one who is too afraid to attempt a risk. Have your prize, but if those greatswords reap a tally among the rebels due to your fear I will collect their blood price as is my right as their leader. Im sure you know all about that being from ravenstern."

Morek turned and walked back towards the lines, his conquistadors following but listening for the sounds of charging men and horses. The plaguewardens shifted on the balls of their feet ready to shoot the dragons if they attempted to harm their commander.

"Hah! Once Sir Gilaver shows his face, you'll agree with my tactics."

The Dragon knights, with Klaus in the middle, continued through the Wyvern and Radiant line, where Karstan opened his faceplate to ask something.

"Why did you let him insult you like that, Aelos?"

"Because the Dawnite was right, for now that priest is an ally. Plus, he did fix my shoulder."

Apparently satisfied, Sir Karstan closed his faceplate again and turned to watch the prisoner together with the other two Dragon knights.

While the ragtag bunch of High-ranking knights was bickering among each other, Gilaver reached the house and the forces within. The troops were somewhat relieved to receive reinforcements, but he didn't notice it at all. The headaches had returned in the aftermath of the battle since the adrenaline rush was no longer keeping the flashbacks in check. Gilaver ignored every comment and question thrown in his way, and continued to walk around trying to ignore the pictures in his head, until he noticed the body.

At that moment the video in his head became lucid and became interwined with the real life. In both cases, Gilaver was slowly walking toward a lying figure. He couldn't make out any details since the body kept changing shape everywhere and mixing the details from both. When Gilaver reached the figure, it stopped completely. He turned to look at the nearest Greatsword and talked.

"What has happened here? Leave no detail out."

The Griffon proceeded to fill in everything that had transpired in th group. The tale was quite colorful and eventful, but most importantly Gilaver received knowledge of the wounded man in front of him.

"I see, now then."

Gilaver looked at John.

"Join the Gryphons upstairs, you are to perform the role of fire control. Try to fortify the upper floor against possible threats, but do not open fire yet. I will give the orders when you can start issuing orders to fire. If a battle breaks out, and I and Klaus are incapacitated, you are in command. Do not come downstairs unless I give the specific order to do so."

The Dawnite watched the Radiant Cross knight depart, then Aelos as well. Before the Dragon fully left, Lucius made certain to say one thing. "Sir Aelos! If you have a moment, I'd request your presence," Lucius said, then returned to his lines.

Aelos nodded as response to Sir Lucius, but made sure his knights properly guarded the Griffon first, before he rode to the Dawnite for that word.

"Tell me, Sir Lucius. What is your plan?"

Sir Lucius glanced in the direction of Morek after Aelos spoke. "This way," he said, directing the Dragon to follow him a bit further away from the Radiant Cross where he began speaking in hushed tones...

While Sir Aelos spoke to Sir Lucius, Karstan tried to get some answers out of the Griffon.

"So, who is that man that he is so important?"

~~~~~~

Meanwhile, in the main Dragon force with Thane Alatin, Sir Klovis approached the knight-commander.

"Thane Alatin, what do you command?"

Whatever secret discussion the dragon and dawn were having came to a screching halt as the sound of plated boots headed towards them.

"Whatever your plannning will involve my men. Tell me this plan dawnite, or the radiant cross cannot support you."

Sir Lucius looked to Morek, but remained silent for moment.

"It was my intention to inform you, but very well."

The threat of a horse removed, Klaus seemed to regain some of his earlier composure, and allowed himself to be marched away by the Dragons.

"I offer in goodwill as hostage for doctor. You take Klaus prisoner instead. You not send doctor, I say nothing. I hear in Mettenheim the honour of Pendor orders, I see they wrong..." he replied to Sir Karstan's questioning, loud enough for all the gathered men to hear. However, he now held himself more rigidly, the contempt towards his captors clear on his face.

"But, don't you know you engaged a knightly Order from Ravenstern?" Karstan smiled.

"The Dragons of Rane are a mercenary Order these days. Why did you ever think that my captain would value the life of a random commoner higher than your ransom?"

~~~~~~

The hushed conversation between Sirs Aelos, Lucius and Morek came to a stop when the three knights said their goodbyes and Aelos rode back to his prisoner.

"Alm, bring the Mettenheimer along. We're moving back into the Bay road."

ooc: I hope I got the Bay road/High road correctly. It's the road with the grey arrow on the map.

From a window positioned on the road that led to the junction, Gilaver observed the meeting for a few seconds before turning to look at a Greatsword. Gilaver approached the man and whispered something to him. The greatsword nodded and walked upstairs where he was around half a minute. Coming back, he didn't even greet Gialver who was back at the window, observing the meeting.

Gilaver took a small look at the wounded man. If he deduced the body language of the representatives, John's opinions and his own observations in the situation, that man was the reason Klaus was there with the rebel orders. He drew a deep breath and prepared. This was going to be a rather strange experience. Gilaver looked out of the window and shouted at maximum volume at the group:

"Klaus! What the hell is taking so long!? If this is because there is need for a translator, I would be happy to oblige!"

The voice, it was so familiar. But Aelos knew better then to have Klaus respond.

"Alm."

The big Dragon had his sword still in his hand and quickly placed it at the Griffon's throat. "Better not."

Aelos' eyes were racing in his skull, but eventually the rested on Klaus. He had dismounted, just like his knights, and tore off a sleeve of his linen shirt that he gave to Karstan.

"We'll interrogate him once we're far enough. Gag him with this."

Sir Karstan nodded and both Alm and Wulven held the Griffon down in case he tried to respond to Sir Gilaver's shoutout.

"knock him out if he tries anything."

Morek turned back at the shout from the window before looking at Aelos. He had recognized the head poking out eh window and the voice from the duel at the Church.

"It appears that the Windsword is here after all. A shame really, his absence would have made any conflict that occurs much simpler."

Morek turned back to walking down the street with Lucius and the majority of the Order troops. the Dragons beginning to fall behind.

Gilaver immediately noticed the actions of the people there. No answer, no proper response. It was quite clear that the Griffons' current objective had been badly compromised. Gilaver took a look at the wounded nobleman and the tied knight in the house. They woud have to do on their own. With a firm voice, Gilaver started issuing orders before turning back to the window.

"I see that you rebels make a habit of attacking messengers then!"

Aelos didn't know whatever Gilaver was planning, so the Dragons used their horses as a shield of some sorts. Catching up quickly with the Radiant Cross and Dawn.

Once the got out of sight of Gilaver and the building, the situation progressed as discussed among the present commanders. Though, Klaus was Aelos' prisoner.

"Alm, Karstan. Strip him of his armor, the breastplate seems about my size. Wulven, make sure you have a clear view of the building and any movement in front or inside, but keep hidden."

Gilaver ended his outburst once he saw the Dragons retreating.

"Very well, I see this has all been futile! Can't reason with traitors it seems..."

Gilaver muttered the last part, and closed the window. He started giving orders to the men present.

Before Karstan could hold the gag up to Klaus, the young Mettenheimer yanked the linen out of his hands, and proceeded to wrap it around his own head and mouth with a sharp glare at his captors. He ensured it was tight but done so that he could still breathe, the cloth gripped between his teeth stopping any chance at speech, but not choking him in the process.

When it came to stripping his armour, Klaus kept entirely still, his eyes fixed on his captors with unyielding hate though he made attempt to stop them.

Aelos pitied the Griffon, but he valued his own life and ambition more than Windholm's survival. The armor didn't really fit and the young Dragon became visibly uncomfortable with the Griffon emblem, as if he had bad memories concerning Griffons.

"Listen, You are a knight of the Adalhard King. There's no bone in my body that wants you dead, but if you disobey any of my orders... I won't hesitate to kill you."

Once he finished his sentence, Aelos nodded at Karstan, who removed the linen. Even though Aelos was fast enough on the draw, Sir Alm still held his sword in his huge swordhand, just in case.

"Tell me why you risked this meeting, surely you didn't think a mere word like honour would ensure your safety?"

Klaus glanced at Karstan as the gag was removed, and after licking his lips to moisten them he looked straight ahead as though a soldier on the parade ground, eyes locked on a point in the distance.

Aelos sighed and shrugged at the same time. Karstan knew he was lost in thought more then he let on, touching the dragons on the hilt of his longsword.

"Griffons, always the first to yell traitors. Yet when it comes to saving lives and actually doing any good, there's always a secret that they won't share."

Aelos smiled an unconvincing smile and pointed at a Griffom emblem and then at Klaus' breastplate.

"I've read about theirs ways and hierarchy. How Sir Darlion lost his touch in extreme loyalty and the Kicker of Queens was more fit for a life of plunder than one of leadership. But the question is, will you go into history as the Griffon that refused to talk, even when he still had his tongue?"

This rubbed morek the wrong way in every way. He held the griffons for the most part in a fair regard, their skills as warriors well known, their mission of guarding the king and defending against the anarchy that fell when a king was assassinated was noble. To see one who had relied on the honor of their foes to ensure a fair parley held in such a way made morek feel ashamed. Ashamed that he had been party to it, and ashamed that he could not do something about it, for the dragons were allies in this fight.

Moreks blank faced helm was looking at the young griffon klaus more often than not. A a palpable sense of frustration could almost be felt oozing from him. This interrogation was something that needed to be done but he didn't have to like it.

A Dragon never goes down alone.

Wulven had been full of hatred ever since he saw the Vanskerry raiders, the same kind that had burned and murdered his people in Tebandra years ago. He had been standing close to Klaus and his destrier had less of an attitude as Karstan's had. Sir Karstan had always spoiled that horse, and now it failed him as it dragged him towards a certain doom.
When Alm reacted and pushed Aelos behind Wulven's destrier, only to get crippled himself. Both men still standing understood what the quick retreat of the Radiant Cross meant.

Alm had pushed Aelos right into his former spot behind Klaus and with incredible speed, Aelos drew Icebreath and thrusted it towards a gap in the Mettenheim armor. Wulven, followed his captains example and fueled by the hatred of the recent events, found another weak spot to drive his sword through.

ooc: Although both men are in perfect position, taking into account the formation I described a few posts back, I tried to leave the appropriate room for Laisha.