(@Molly) **The guards in the main guard room nod in acknowledgement as he leaves** * Morgan heads to the nursery ** You're now known as Claudia * @Claudia is on duty with Lars when he gets to the nursery. Neither is speaking, and both look happy with that. Claudia inclines her head to Morgan (@Claudia) All well? (Morgan) Well enough, aye * @Claudia nods, taking a key and unlocking the door. She gestures "Any new instructions?" * Morgan shakes his head slightly * @Claudia lets him in, pulling the door closed behind him. Molly is sat on the couch sewing something red, with pins between her lips ** You're now known as Molly * @Molly smiles, taking the pins and carefully puts them into a pin cushion (@Molly) Can you stay long enough to eat, or do you need to go right away? ((He has just shy of an hour if he's going to see the Seeufer guards at the docks)) (Morgan) I've got about an hour * @Molly smiles warmly, and goes to the door, speaking quietly to Lars, then shuts the door. (@Molly) Would you like blokners, tea, brandy, or something else? (Morgan) Some tea please * @Molly sorts two cups, leaving them on the table a moment. She comes to him and takes his hands in hers, looking up at him solemnly* I am so sorry, liebling. I was wrong to make that decision alone. I was selfish, thoughtless and disrespected your feelings and opinions. I will not do so again. *she bites her lower lip, pausing a moment before speaking quietly. She looks at him imploringly* Will you give me your absolution, liebes herz? (Morgan) You don't need to ask blossom * @Molly nods slowly (@Molly) Thank you * @Molly watches him with a fond smile (@Molly) I am glad you can stay a little while * Morgan nods (Morgan) I want to meet the guards when they arrive to relieve the local guards for the service * @Molly lets go of his hands (@Molly) I suppose in a community like this, many of the current guards knew the ones who were killed ? * Morgan nods * @Molly goes to the table and collects his tea cup, bringing it to him. (@Molly) Will you be back tonight? * Morgan shrugs (Morgan) I'm not sure... we need to get in front of the Eisenfurst to put your case forward (@Molly) Tonight? * Morgan shrugs again * @Molly looks thoughtful (@Molly) His Grace is an early riser, according to the kitchen staff. Perhaps we can see him first thing? Varick won't wake til after seven, and Stefanie will not arrive until nine... * Morgan nods (Morgan) good idea (Morgan) I got the contract signed * @Molly smiles (@Molly) That is good news. How is Mina today? (Morgan) not talking to him (@Molly) I can not say I am hugely surprised. It would be hard to trust him again after he kept that from her for so long * Morgan nods (Morgan) I'm going to speak to her * @Molly nods thoughtfully (@Molly) You should be aware though, she feels some guilt about the situation. (Morgan) oh? * @Molly looks saddened (@Molly) She worries that it would be wrong to give Edward a happy future when he stole yours (Morgan) I see * @Molly watches him (@Molly) Would it be easier for you if I speak with her, or would you prefer to do it yourself? (Morgan) I'd rather I do... * @Molly nods (@Molly) Maybe take some brandy *she smiles* (Morgan) you think? (@Molly) Perhaps. She certainly became less... formal after the first two shots * @Molly giggles (@Molly) I think she was a little surprised that a veisgrafin drinks brandy so readily (Morgan) most Eisen veisgrafin are a bit... more reserved * @Molly smiles (@Molly) I shouldn't imagine there are many Avalonian Veisgrafin (Morgan) I wouldn't think so * @Molly smiles playfully (@Molly) I did try to explain that I never really drank anything until I started socialising with Eisen men though (Morgan) we're an awful influence * @Molly bites her lower lip, smiling (@Molly) Eisen lieutenants in particular * Morgan nods, we're the worst ones (Morgan) though I'm told there was talk of a promotion * @Molly looks surprised and pleased (@Molly) For you? During the War? * Morgan nods... once my old commanding officer had been moved on... he'd have had an awful lot to say about it * @Molly giggles (@Molly) The one with the rifle on the edge of the Drachenburg mountains? * Morgan nods * @Molly smiles warmly (@Molly) Did you discover this from Colonel Fuchs? * Morgan nods (Morgan) his wife knows Kaufmann (@Molly) **There's a brief knock on the door, and Lars and Claudia bring in trays with covered dishes, as well as plates, bowls and cutlery. She thanks them with a smile, and when they are gone turns her attention back to Morgan (@Molly) Interesting... How does she know him? (Morgan) I believe her brother served under him... he ended up dying because of Kaufmanns inability to command properly * @Molly sets the things correctly at the table as they talk (@Molly) It sounds like he did not learn his lesson from that (Morgan) he's just an utter idiot (@Molly) And you would have become a Captain then, like your father? * Morgan nods (Morgan) apparently * @Molly watches him with interest, lighting a couple of candles on the table (@Molly) How do you feel about that? * Morgan shrugs (Morgan) politics (@Molly) Would you have been proud to have been promoted? (Morgan) I suppose so * @Molly smiles (@Molly) Your mother would have been very proud, I am sure * Morgan nods, smiling slightly * @Molly pulls out a chair for him (@Molly) Captain Morgan Adalbrecht Koertig... it has a certain charm, I'll admit *her eyes sparkle with mischief* (Morgan) I'd hold the same rank as the ships cat * @Molly laughs (@Molly) Lieutenants are far more fun anyway. (Morgan) we can get away with more (@Molly) Indeed you can *She winks at him before leaning over to uncover the food* I have heard all manner of stories of lieutenants sneaking off to barns or back rooms of taverns with young ladies * Morgan mutters (Morgan) running through noble women houses, naked * @Molly laughs (@Molly) Not all lieutenants... In fact I do not believe I have ever seen you do such a thing * Morgan shakes his head (Morgan) no, I'm far too sensible * @Molly giggles (@Molly) Sadly yes * @Molly uncovers roast chicken, potatoes, and his favourite butters wort. They're all prepared and cooked exactly as she used to make it for him at the cottage. (Morgan) thank you blossom * @Molly looks at the food, looking pleased, then looks to Morgan (@Molly) You're welcome, liebes herz. I thought a reminder of the simpler times when it was just us might be beneficial at the moment * Morgan nods * @Molly serves him just as she used to then does her own before sitting. She picks up her tea cup (@Molly) Unconventional perhaps, but a toast? (Morgan) for? * @Molly smiles (@Molly) A toast to Us. No matter what is to come, we'll have each other, as always. * Morgan smiles, raising his cup * @Molly giggles, taps her cup to his, then sips her tea (@Molly) It sounded very much like Colonel Fuchs did not take my note to his wife as I had asked... * @Molly starts eating (Morgan) No, he didn't (@Molly) It may be harder to resolve the situation than expected * Morgan nods (Morgan) You know our concern of mercenaries? * @Molly blinks a moment, bringing her thoughts to his question (@Molly) Yes? (Morgan) I found some... but they weren't here for what we feared * @Molly looks confused (@Molly) They weren't working for Alarice? (Morgan) oh they were (@Molly) Targeting Sabine? * Morgan shakes his head (Morgan) jailbreak * @Molly frowns (@Molly) That would be bad * Morgan nods (@Molly) How did you find them? (Morgan) They're pretending to be an acting troupe... dwarf, dame in a dress... a man exceptionally good at juggling knives... it didn't sit right * @Molly looks impressed (@Molly) Very clever (Morgan) but it turns out their plan couldn't go ahead (@Molly) No? Because she couldn't afford them? (Morgan) can't sail to Vodacce without a ship * @Molly tilts her head (@Molly) A mercenary company without a ship... (@Molly) Would it be a certain mercenary company who just had their ship blown up? (Morgan) funnily enough.... * @Molly smiles (@Molly) It was rather a nice ship, at least on the way _down_ to the cargo hold * Morgan nods * @Molly smiles a little (@Molly) She was planning to escape to Vodacce? * Morgan nods * @Molly looks thoughtful as she eats quietly (@Molly) When was it to happen? (Morgan) there was to be a ransom note to keep us busy, then a female corpse would be burned and 'discovered'... we'd never know she'd escaped (Morgan) tomorrow morning * @Molly frowns deeply (@Molly) She'd have left you all feeling guilty over not getting her back safely? (Morgan) of course she would * @Molly 's eyes narrow a little (@Molly) After telling you all that she was with child. * Morgan nods (@Molly) That's why it did not matter that they contradicted each other? (Morgan) I guess so * @Molly shakes her head (@Molly) That is so cruel * @Molly smiles a little (Morgan) she's not a very nice person (@Molly) She is going to be awfully upset when noone comes to rescue her tomorrow (Morgan) Oh it gets worse * @Molly looks surprised (@Molly) Oh? (Morgan) The mercenaries are going to be guarding her during the service * @Molly laughs (@Molly) Oh I like that, liebes herz! There's something very poetic in it * Morgan nods * @Molly frowns slightly (@Molly) Why tomorrow morning? (Morgan) I don't know * @Molly is clearly thinking hard on this * Morgan eats some food (@Molly) Would it be possible to hire mercenaries as such short notice? * Morgan shakes his head (Morgan) they were paid their deposit a month ago * @Molly chews her lower lip (@Molly) So at least a month ago she knew she would be arrested whilst we were here? Or was the contract more open-ended? (Morgan) I'm assuming she knew... she planned to kill you * @Molly nods a moment (@Molly) It was around five weeks ago I wrote to confirm the dates with his Grace, but she knew we were visiting this summer before our wedding * Morgan nods (@Molly) Was the jailbreak to happen during the funeral? (Morgan) I think it was to coincide with it, yes (@Molly) That was either very lucky or very clever (Morgan) knowing her, the latter (@Molly) But if she was planning her jailbreak last month, knowing, probably, that she was likely to be arrested for poisoning me, she could not have known that there would be such a large, prominent funeral tomorrow. (Morgan) no, I do wonder if that detail has been fettled a little once it came to light * @Molly frowns (@Molly) She has been imprisoned since Friday evening. Could she be able to give new orders and make new plans easily from there? (Morgan) since she's promised to run away with her solicitors assistant... (@Molly) He is the one who dealt with delivering the letters to everyone? * Morgan nods slowly (@Molly) Is he able to make contact with her now? (Morgan) He's being arrested (@Molly) Good. *She sighs* I feel like I am missing a vital piece of the puzzle * Morgan nods (Morgan) which bit? (@Molly) How and why her jailbreak was planned during the funeral (Morgan) I wonder if it was planned for around then anyway, then word was passed to them once the service was planned * @Molly nods (@Molly) That makes sense. Oh, if only I could ride hard and get some good thinking done! Alas, it is far too dark now. And even in the daylight me going out to ride would mean you having to remove guards from the house and the jail to keep me safe * Morgan nods (Morgan) I've got the mercenaries asking around to see if she's hired any more (@Molly) That is a very smart idea (Morgan) I know (Morgan) I have them occasionally * @Molly tilts her head, slightly distracted (@Molly) You have many good ideas, liebes herz, such as choosing yourself an Avalonian Veisgrafin! *She giggles* * Morgan nods (@Molly) You said it could have been planned for tomorrow anyway... (Morgan) I did... I remembering saying it * @Molly looks to him (@Molly) Could the funeral just be a coincidence? (Morgan) You're thinking Varick... (@Molly) It would make sense that we will all be busy and distracted tomorrow * Morgan nods (@Molly) And he had mentioned in front of her that he wanted to climb the tree... * @Molly is obviously thinking this through, food all but ignored * Morgan eats some more, waiting (@Molly) And if we were worried enough for his safety, we would be taking plenty of guards from their duties, just as if I was riding... * Morgan nods (@Molly) Which she could achieve by threatening to destroy you (@Molly) And then with the guards all caught up in birthday duties, it would be much easier to escape, wouldn't it? (Morgan) much (@Molly) And she could easily have arranged that well in advance, and maybe finalised the time after the funeral time was made public which was last night? * Morgan nods (Morgan) though she was in solitary confinement an hour before the time was announced * @Molly frowns, thinking (@Molly) Who was permitted to interact with her? It could have been one of those people, or other guards breaking the rules (Morgan) I'm not sure (@Molly) Assuming that the assistant did not already know it was to be Monday, and then tailored the time for best impact (Morgan) as I recall, the guards were not to interact with her at all... it was just myself, Fuchs and Jann * @Molly frowns, shaking her head (@Molly) No, something is still missing. How could she have known for sure we would take Varick to the tree? * @Molly resumes eating, knowing he doesn't have all night to wait on her * Morgan shrugs (@Molly) It is lucky you're as perceptive as you are, liebes herz, I suspect her jailbreak would have been very successful had it gone ahead (Morgan) probably, aye * @Molly watches him with a soft smile (@Molly) I am very grateful for your hard work and protection, liebes herz (Morgan) it seemed like the thing to do * @Molly smiles (@Molly) You know I would do the same for you, don't you? * Morgan nods (Morgan) I know (@Molly) Good. *She glances briefly at the clock* We should have a little time for dessert...