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Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 6.4c, Ghosts of the Past

Thanks to Sada's natural direction sense and Wiesen's experience in evading pursuit the group managed to escape the inn while the Church's hunters were being soundly beaten by the local populace. While the Dragon would normally have said a prayer for the welfare of the poor men he simply didn't have the energy to care at that point-- half of them were usually little more than bounty hunters and a good number of them were repeated thorns in his side.

They were a good four blocks from the inn before they slowed, and only then did Alvis bother speaking up. "Why did we have to leave so quickly? Everything is still back in our rooms. Did the Order of Blades find us? "

Sada shot Wiesen the same look she had given him back at the inn and the Dragon sighed, "They were men sent by the Church... hunters."

The mutt continued with the questions. "Who were they? What did they want? Why would the Church be after us?"

The Otter's gaze went from Wiesen to Alvis, then back to Wiesen before she spoke in a very matter-of-fact attitude, "They're not after ALL of us..."

Brother Jessen tightened his sword belt; although he didn't have his armor he hadn't left unarmed, "They're here for me then..."

Sada leaned against the alley wall and folded her arms over her chest, "No... from what I gather they're here for him."

Wiesen didn't need to be looking at her to know she motioned with her muzzle in his direction. Alvis and Jessen's eyes both went to him and the student's head cocked slightly, ears up, "Why would they be after you, Wiesen?"

The Dragon cleared his throat, "It's a long story--"

Sada stepped away from the wall, "Then start talking while we all start walking... it's a ways to the fountain so you'll have the time to explain."

Brother Jessen stepped forward to fall in line beside the Dragon, "You are as good a man as any I have known, Sir... and it can go without saying that I am aware the Church needs no reason to find conflict with good men."

Wiesen chuckled at the optimistic view, "Or, perhaps, they have valid reasons and you know less about me than you think?"

Alvis stopped in his tracks, almost getting run into by Sada from behind. "Wiesen... you're not a heretic or something, are you?"

The Dragon laughed at the question and turned back to regard the mutt, "Anyone who does not approve of the Church is a heretic to them, my friend... it is hardly a unique title if you are unliked by the clergy.

Sada was much more direct in the discussion, "So what did you do?"

Wiesen took several steps before he answered, "Unless I am mistaken you are all aware that I am searching for my son..."

Alvis made a very quick leap of logic, "so... your son is a heretic?"

The Dragon snorted, "No. But, like me my son is a fugitive of the Church."

The young scholar's ears lowered slightly, "Why? What did he do?"

Wiesen stuffed his talons through the loop of the pistol holsters on his hip, "The same thing I did-- he wanted to quit."

Brother Jessen nodded while Alvis seemed confused. The Coyote explained things, "The Church doesn't allow its most senior members to give up the faith... and any Dragon with wings or the ability to breathe fire is ever not 'of the church'."

The Mutt's eyes widened, "Your son... could he breathe fire? Or... did he have wings? ... or... or both?"

Wiesen snorted, "Both."

Sada took a step closer to him, raising a paw toward his shoulder, "Then... the scars on your back...?"

The Dragon pulled away from her, "I like to think of them as 'war wounds'."

Wiesen could tell that the Otter was ready to pry further but, thankfully, Alvis already appeared to be uncomfortable enough for everyone, and was very quick to point out the Human woman and her Bat when he saw them moving through the crowded city street. "Hey! Look! It's Alarice and Inigo!"

Brother Jessen moved past the scholar, as he glanced back to Wiesen. "I'll get them and let them know what happened. The fountain is straight up this street, correct?"

The Dragon nodded, "Three blocks, if I remember right."

The otter stuffed her paws into the pockets of her traveling apron as she spoke quietly aside to Wiesen. "This discussion isn't over, lizard."

He smiled, just a little, "I have a feeling little ever is until it is given your say-so, Ms. De'ahm."

* * * * * *

The visit home had gone a lot better than Roland had originally expected. He wasn't exactly sure how to raise the topic of who exactly Joshew was aside from a lab partner but it was actually his mother who approached the topic by identifying the Human as her son's significant other in "that" way. Joshew was surprised to say the least, but no more so than Roland. His mom had simply shrugged it off with a smile, stating clearly "I've had a feeling you liked boys since you were twelve."

There was much less unease after that and his mother was as wonderful as ever. Although thoughts of his father passed through the Wolf-Dog's mind now and again he wasn't about to ruin such a good visit by dwelling on unpleasant topics, and his mother certainly didn't seem inclined to bring her husband up. Everything was so positive, in fact, that Roland was SURE that he caught a small smile on Joshew's mouth more than once... and THAT felt the best out of anything.

Early afternoon came all too quickly and that meant it was time for his mother to go to the herbalist. Despite the fact that she assured him that she could put off the trip on account of his presence he had to decline. Giving his mom a hug, the scholar smiled, "We have to get back to our friends anyway... they didn't know I was going to visit family."

Joshew's gruff exterior returned in a split second, "Not exactly 'friends'... more like 'traveling companions'."

Despite the uncomfortable nature of the statement, Roland couldn't keep his tail from wagging at his mother's pleasant laugh. She ruffled her son's head fur then reached over and did the same to Joshew, much to the Human's chagrin. "You're both welcome here any time. I hope you might stop by again before you leave Vallara."

Roland's smile widened even more, "If we have any spare time I will."

His mother's ears perked, "Oh! I almost forgot. Wait a moment..."

As the older Dog disappeared into the back of the hut Joshew leaned over, "That went a LOT better than I expected."

Roland's smile continued, "Yea... I know what'cha mean."

A moment later his mom returned carrying a small cloth pouch, "The road is dangerous these days... I don't want you out traveling without some Linn Root and Ariiandi Powder."

The Wolf-Dog rolled his eyes, remembering fondly his mom's preferred cuts-and-bruises remedy, "MoOOom."

She patted him on the head again as if he were a pup a third his age, "And there should be enough in there for your friends too."

Joshew was quick to interject, "Traveling companions."

With several more goodbyes and numerous hugs (even one for Joshew), Roland's mother finally let them go. It had turned out to be such an amazing day that Roland's wag continued as he led Joshew out onto the street. At some point he even started whistling, but he didn't realize he'd started until the Human elbowed him, "You're not a tea kettle, Rolly."

The Wolf-Dog laughed, "Yea, well--"

The comment was left unfinished when he stopped in his tracks; he'd expected to return to the inn over in the residential district before running into Alarice and the rest of the group, but he saw them gathered at the Fountain down the block.

Joshew was not pleased, "Why'd we stop?"

"Everyone is over by the fountain."

The Human let out a hefty sigh, "WHICH fountain, Rolly?"

Roland turned and started leading Joshew in that direction, "The one in the Civic Center. We agreed to meet up there if--"

The sound of a pistol retort silenced him and he watched in surprise as a spray of water shot up out of the fountain right near where Alarice had been leaning. A series of shouts and screams came up from the people gathered in the square, but a louder voice called over them, "Nihole! Ho 'ood to Hee 'ou!"

The announcement took a moment to make sense of due to a glaringly obvious speech impediment, but the sound of a firearm being discharged didn't exactly make Roland inclined to explore further. Joshew, on the other hand, continued forward, leading the mutt onward. "Shew... wait!"

The Human didn't bother complying, tugging at Roland's arm instead, "Come on... I recognize that voice."

Apparently Joshew wasn't the only one as Alarice turned to face the speaker: a tall, well-dressed Doberman that emerged from the crowd-- the gathered populace was pushed out of his way by a small collection of men that the scholar could only describe as armed thugs. The Dog had what looked like a sneer on his muzzle but it was hard to tell due to an incredibly large disfigurement along the bridge of his snout.

Inigo was the first among the group to speak, ears up, jaw dropped, "Bartolomeu?"

The Doberman continued his combination of sneer and smirk, "I thout I'd find ou here if I waited lonh enuff, Nihole... and hehh ou ahh."

Alarice's eyes narrowed, "What did you call me?"

The Dog's smile widened even more and, even from a distance Roland could see a cold, calculating, very DANGEROUS glint in his eye, "Funniest storeh... after the last time we met I did some researhh and found out some interestinh bits of trivia about you..."

Although Roland had never before seen Alarice disturbed, whatever the Doberman was talking about certainly did the trick. The Mutt saw the Human glance his way once, apparently picking him out of the crowd before looking back to the Dog with the speech impediment. She somehow managed to keep her voice even. "What do you want?"

Several of the Doberman's men moved up to join him, hands, paws, and talons on a variety of weapons. "I thinh the peopuh of Vaharra might want to know more about what you've been up to in Newport... hmm? If you don't want to put down your weapons maybe we can talh about it... what do you say?"