(1310-06-05) Bard in Peril
Summary: Lysander finds himself threatened by a pair of villains. But help arrives, in the form of Frida, Mathys and Fleur.
RL Date: 06/06/2018
Related: None
lysander frida mathys fleur danielle 

Market Promenade — Marsilikos

Two massive promenades, separated by a narrow row of alternating planters and plinths supporting marble statues from all over the known world, make up a marketplace that extends in a narrow space far to the north of the grand plaza to the south. Each walkway is two two-meter marble slabs wide, one gleaming white, the other greyish-blue, and they alternate to and fro in coloration all the way down each promenade, their intersections marked with a series of equal-armed crosses in shimmering black stone. While there is plenty of space for vendors to set up ad-hoc establishments to hawk their wares, to each side of the double promenade are stoa of fluted marble, holding up a terra-cotta tiled roof over a shady, cool walkway, punctuated here and there with doorways and windows open to a long series of indoor shops, each marked with a hanging sign outside the door.

Every twenty meters or so, five stairs lift the level of the promenade as the marketplace works its way uphill, to a smaller plaza at the northern end where all the most exclusive and expensive shops are established. This smaller plaza also has an obelisk of red granite in the middle; it's shorter, and more slender, but when the change in elevation is taken into account, its tip is at the exact same height as the massive obelisk in the town square to the south.

It is a spring night. The weather is warm and overcast.


There's nothing as lovely as a warm spring night, when seated outside on the market promenade at the local inn, a goblet of chilled white wine in hand, amidst a number of lovely ladies who are all so very charmed by you. A situation Lysander would have very much preferred, when, in fact he is currently in far less pleasant circumstances. The handsome minstrel had been making his rounds, earning a smile and sometimes even a bit of modest coin from late visitors to the market promenade. Until those had left as well, and he now finds himself in the sparsely lit place, his lute in hand, by a pair of two very unpleasant looking ruffians.

"You there!", a tall bulky fellow calls over in commoner accented d'Angeline, pointing his menacing looking dagger at him. "You can get out of this alive, if you gimme your money." The other guy, a thin sneaky sort, moves slowly forward, aiming to circle around Lysander, with a low hissing sort of chuckle.

Frida's sleep schedule is wrecked. Waking partway through the evening, she slipped out to go for a walk. The rain having ceased, her heavy leather cloak is left behind. A creature of habit, she always carries her sword on her hip, and her shield on her back. It's a comfort, reassuring in a place where the words are fluid and hard to understand.

Meandering more than walking with a purpose, she pauses when she hears an unpleasant tone, picking out enough of the words to catch a gist of what is going on in the shadows. Tensing up, the blonde Skaldi's posture changes, from relaxed to tense, eager like a dog that smells a fight. Light on her feet, she creeps towards the confrontation, fingers tugging the loose peacebond out of the way without untying the faded ribbon, working the steel from the leather as she steps with caution.

<FS3> Frida rolls Stealth: Success. (1 7 3 3 4)
<FS3> Mathys rolls Perception: Good Success. (8 5 2 1 6 8 4 3)
<FS3> Opposed Roll — Lysander=Charm Vs Ruffians=7
< Lysander: Success (1 1 6 1 3 4 3 5 6 8 2) Ruffians: Failure (1 4 1 5 4 4 2 6 6)
< Net Result: Lysander wins - Marginal Victory

Mathys has decided that a walk in the warm spring night is exactly what he needed, so bringing a guard with him, he is exploring the streets like some plebeian. As he makes his way through the promenade, he catches sight if the mugging. "Oh! Seems the criminals think it's also a beautiful night to be out." His bodyguards moves between him and the mugging, when the lord points to Frida, "Ahhh, seems help is on its way. Let's see what she can do."

<FS3> Lysander rolls Acting: Success. (1 1 4 5 4 8 2 1)

"Please!", Lysander exclaims, lifting both his hands in the attempt of an appeasing gesture. "You wouldn't wish to rob a poor minstrel of his meagre earnings?" He smiles, and despite his features not showing quite the refinement of noble d'Angelines, there is a certain handsomeness to them. Oh yes, he is trying to charm his way out of this dilemma. But… nonetheless, there is a certain strain to his expression, an alertness in his eyes as he must be aware of the perils he currently finds himself in.

The ruffians just stare back at him, and Lysander realizes that his charming ways may only have bought him a moment or two. Setting down his lute, carefully - it is his cherished means of earning his living after all - he straightens and reaches for his belt. Carefully. "Alright… alright… Just a moment…" Fingers loosen the straps about his own dagger, and drawing it, he eyes the bulky guy with the most menacing glare he is capable of. "Villain! Stand back. Or I'll cut you to pieces!" An act, he tries to pull, apparently. "Before I'll even call the guards…!"

<FS3> Frida rolls Blades+1: Good Success. (2 7 2 8 4 1 6 4 8 2)

Sneaking is not the Skald's strong suit, but Frida's a good hand at making do with what she's got. One foot in front of the other, she keeps an eye on the two thugs and their target. Sword in hand, she shifts her grip - a foreigner killing a local wouldn't be good at all. Not for her, anyway.

When she's within range, she takes a trio of running steps and seeks to smack the larger of the two ruffians upside his head with the flat of her blade…

Mathys and his bodyguard continue watching the muggers and the combatants. His bodyguard places his hand on the hilt of his sword and waits to see how things play out. Mathys has his head in a hand with his other arm crossed across his chest as he watches with interest.

"UGH!" The big ruffian lifts his free hand and rubs the back of his head, where the flat of a blade just struck him. He turns around and shoots Frida a glance. "Hey! A girl wants to come out and play. Let's play then!", he roars, lifting his dagger, before he puts it away and draws out his sword instead. "Nice sword." He grins, revealing a line of blackened teeth, or what's left of them.

The lanky fellow, meanwhile looks startled, but once his companion turns towards the distraction, jumps at the stubborn and oh so charming minstrel.

It's not often that Fleur can be found around the city late at night, but a sudden yearning to escape the suffocating confines of the Valais townhouse has seen otherwise tonight. Accompanied by a pair of liveried guards, she emerges from into the promenade from the direction of the grand plaza. There's a clearly audible gasp as she spots what looks to be a fight about to start, and her guards immediately draw their own weapons, moving immediately into a protective stance about their charge. Poor Fleur. Her view is quite blocked in that moment, and the young blonde has to content herself with what she can see though the inches left between their bulk.

<COMBAT> Lysander attacks Lanky Fellow with Dagger - Light wound to Right Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Big Ruffian with Broadsword - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Big Ruffian attacks Frida with Broadsword but Frida DODGES!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Lysander has changed stance to Cautious.
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Big Ruffian with Broadsword - Serious wound to Neck.
<COMBAT> Big Ruffian attacks Frida with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Left Hand (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Lysander attacks Lanky Fellow with Dagger - ARMOR on Head stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger - Light wound to Abdomen (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Big Ruffian has been KO'd!

Mathys notices another arrival to the scene and makes his way over to her with his own guard. "Good evening. It seems the market promenade is now offering exciting entertainment options in the evening. "Lord Mathys Rousse, a pleasure to meet you." He turns his attention then to the minstrel and sellswords, offering applause. "Well done! Good show! Now someone summon the Watch."

Lysander swallows hard. The arrival of an unlikely saviour, in the form of a blonde, slightly foreign looking woman - even if mostly from her dress of hair and attire, had made him sigh with relief. But there it is. The bard is attacked by the dagger wielding lanky fellow, and Lysander turns around, lifting his dagger, eyes wide with terror as he finds himself in real peril now. The dagger of the other man slashes at him, tearing at his attire, and Lysander curses. "Damn you!" A cry of pain, then, when the man cuts him across his chest, and blood is staining what isn't already torn. A meagre comfort it is, that he manages to injure the lanky guy, paying him a little back for the damage done.

"Fleur Courcel nó Heliotrope de Valais," Fleur says in response to Mathys' introduction. She's a little distracted however, so there's not the nicety of a curtsey to accompany her words. She does however shoot him a smile, and he'd probably note the delicate angles of her face and the blueness of her eyes before they cut back to the scene before them. "Oh!" And that's in response to the attack upon Lysander. "That man is hurt! He's bleeding! Can't you do something?" Whether that request is demanded of Mathys or her guards might not be obvious, because attention then turns to Frida where she swings into action.

Frida doesn't waste time with grabbing her shield when the larger of the two trades his dagger for a proper sword. She waits a moment, then steps in, dragging the edge of her blade across the man's middle, twisting nimbly out of the reach of his sword arm with a laugh for his failure. It's only, in part, cockiness, but more a savage enjoyment of putting herself to another. A dance with one victor.

Laughing may have been a mistake, however, as is leaving the shield on her back. Almost slipping clear of another strike from the man, he catches her empty hand and cuts deep, blood dripping from the wound. Stung, she pivots on instinct - not too worried about repercussions, now - and thrusts the sword deep, taking him out of the fight and bloodying her sword.

With another roar, the big ruffian goes at Frida, slashing his sword at her, but at first she effortlessly evades his attack. This angers the man, and he swings his weapon against her anew, this time drawing blood! Her left hand he manages to hit, despite her armor offering some protection, a meagre comfort that, when the Skaldi woman administers a severe cut to his neck. "Bitch!", he cries out, as knees begin to give in and he falls, face first onto the hard cobblestone, twitching a little before he suddenly lays still, in an ever growing pool of his blood.

Seeing his companion go down should stop the lanky fellow. But indeed, he seems to intent on killing the poor minstrel right now. "You're dead!", he calls, and twirling around, prepares for his next attack.

<COMBAT> Frida will attack Lanky Fellow this turn.
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword but Lanky Fellow DODGES!
<COMBAT> Lysander attacks Lanky Fellow with Dagger and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger - ARMOR on Right Arm stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - Light wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Lysander attacks Lanky Fellow with Dagger - Light wound to Left Arm (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger but Lysander DODGES!
<COMBAT> Lysander attacks Lanky Fellow with Dagger and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger but Lysander DODGES!
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Hand (Reduced by Armor).

"I have no medical training," Mathys answers. I could offer a bit of clothing as bandage." That's when he notices the smaller mugger, "Oh! He must have been hiding behind the larger fellow." Seeing the frenzy if the remaining criminal, he pats his guard on the upper arm. "Maybe you should give them a hand. He seems quite irate."

<COMBAT> Lysander has changed stance to evade.
<COMBAT> Frida has changed stance to banzai.
<COMBAT> Lysander will pass this turn.

As comforting as it is not to be on his own against the slippery villain, Lysander soon realizes that the other guy keeps going after him, and a bard is no warrior, those cuts that are ruining his clothes are hurting like hell. "Excuse me, if you would," he murmurs towards the lanky fellow, and then tries to dive away, to slip out of the immediate danger zone, trusting in the fact that the blonde Skaldi woman will be able to deal with the situation.

With the large man on the ground and out of action, Frida moves on the thinner of the hooligans, who proves quite hard to land a blow of substance on. Quickly she falls into the rhythm of the dance, stepping and turning, evading and striking, twice scoring glancing blows to the man - one to his chest, the other to right hand. Laughter is replaced with the sounds of the fight itself, focusing on trying to keep the man from giving chase to the tattered bard.

Fleur's eyes go wide and her hand comes to her mouth as Frida's sword brings one of the men down. She looks a little pale at the sight of so much blood, and despite what she's said, her guards don't move to intervene. "The City Guards will have been sent for my lady," one answers her gruffly, adding after a moment. "The woman looks to be foreign. A Skald." Nevertheless, his hand remains where it is on the hilt of his sword, and his face is set grim. A step by anyone in the direction of his and his fellow guard's charge will see a bloodier turn of events than there already has been. It's on seeing Lysander's attempt to escape his attacker that she takes matters into her own hands, and stepping from behind her guards, she calls out to him. "Over here! We'll protect you!"

The lanky fellow is slippery indeed, making up in agility what he may lack in strength. Each hit Frida manages is met with a hiss of biting back pain, his eyes evil as they watch Lysander in his attempt at slipping away. "Wait, pretty peacock!", he snarls. "I'm not done with you yet!"

<COMBAT> Rousse Guard will attack Lanky Fellow this turn. (Eisheth)
<COMBAT> Lysander passes.
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Lysander with Dagger - ARMOR on Right Arm stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - Moderate wound to Neck.
<COMBAT> Rousse Guard attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - ARMOR on Head stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow will attack Frida this turn. (Eisheth)
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - ARMOR on Chest stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Rousse Guard attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword - Light wound to Right Leg (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Lysander passes.
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Frida with Dagger - ARMOR on Abdomen stops the attack!
<COMBAT> Lysander passes.
<COMBAT> Rousse Guard attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword and MISSES!
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow attacks Frida with Dagger - Moderate wound to Chest (Reduced by Armor).
<COMBAT> Frida attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword and MISSES!

At the tap to his shoulder, Mathys' guard unsheathes his sword and moves to join the combat. He takes a double-handed swing at the lanky fellow, and smacks him in the helmet. Mathys offers a cheer for the man in his livery, but, when it appears it did no go, the Rousse nobleman snaps his fingers and shakes his head instead.

<COMBAT> Frida has changed stance to cautious.

Lysander manages to get out of the immediate danger zone, stumbling towards Fleur and her guards, and Mathys too. Pressing the shreds of his colorful attire against the bleeding wound, his features are pale as he falls to his knees and almost seems to collapse. Dramatically, like the true actor and artist he is.

"Hah. Skaldi bitch, cut ya, didn't I?", the lanky fellow grins. But with a guard, a Rousse guard at that, joining the fight, he realizes that he may better get on his way. "Have to be off…" And there he darts off. Tries to at least. And there is that trail of blood he will leave.

<COMBAT> Rousse Guard will attack Lanky Fellow this turn. (Mathys)
<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow will pass this turn. (Eisheth)

"Yes, done." Frida snarls, breaking her silence with heavily accented, /bad/ d'Angeline. Taking advantage of the Lanky Man going after Lysander once more, she lands a slash on the ruffian's neck - not enough to do to him what she did to his partner in attempted crime.

Blades skitter of of armor, his slid aside by the hardened leather over her stomach, and hers by his forearm. Blood in the air, she over-reaches, and the quick man takes swift advantage, digging the dagger into her leather breastplate and forcing her back, watching the man and trying to catch her breath, cursing in her milk-tongue and grimacing as the pain in her chest reminds her hand that, hey, that got slashed, too. It's a fool's errand to give chase when she can feel the blood making the inside of her armor slippery.

<COMBAT> Lanky Fellow has changed stance to evade. (Eisheth)
<COMBAT> Frida will pass this turn.

Mathys's is likely annoyed now. Once shot to the head that didn't faze the mugger and another that missed completely has the guard fuming and he tries chasing after him. "Get back here and fight like a man," the Rousse guard shouts. Mathys just watches and smirk in humor, before looking to Lysander. "Oh, bravo, sir! Good show." He walks towards him and Fleur's group. "How deep are the wounds?"

There's a rustle of silks as Fleur sweeps her skirts and cloak to one side, dropping immediately to her knees when Lysander collapses. "Someone send for a healer, and be quick about it too!" Mindless of the blood that leaks from him, she rips a length of fabric from her underskirts and presses it close to the worst of the wounds on his chest. "Don't worry, help will come soon, and you will be fine." There's a confidence to the tone of voice that she uses, which is belied a little by the concern in her face. Luckily for Lysander, the ruffian whom had seemed so intent on bringing him down, appears to have his hands a bit fuller.

<COMBAT> Rousse Guard attacks Lanky Fellow with Broadsword but Lanky Fellow DODGES!

It seems the lanky fellow has managed to slip away, vanishing in narrow alleys that fork deeper into the city from the market promenade.

And… perhaps alerted by a shopkeeper or through other means, the even footfall of marching steps announces the arrival of the city guard. Grim looking guards that swiftly take in what there is to see. A large bulky man bleeding to death on the ground, and a rather obscure gathering of people.

In their wake, a woman arrives, clad in the robes of a healer. Taking in who is injured, she moves to the large man at first, kneeling down beside him, before she lifts her gaze towards the captain of the guard and an ominous shake of her head indicates that the villain is dead.

Mathys assumes Lysander is good hands as Fleur tends to him and instead turns to Frida. Approaching the woman as his guard stops giving chase and returns to him, the lord greets her with a smile, "Excellent work, Mademoiselle. You dispatched that large man quickly. May I ask your name?"

Frida rubs the flats of her blade against the side of her leather trousers, cleaning it, sort of, before sheathing it again and slipping the loose tie of the faded ribbon into place. Her right hand grips her left wrist, trying to slow the flow of blood from the deep gash on her hand. Shield hand. It could be worse. Looking up when spoken to, she studies the man before replying. "Frida Gunnvor." The rest that follows is likely a family ties, but it's in Skaldic and spoken low and fast.

It's with relief that Fleur notes the arrival of Danielle. "A healer. See? She will soon have you right," she notes to Lysander, growing at the continuing seep of blood through his tunic. It's soaked the piece of underskirts that she holds pressed to it, and she's managed to get a fair bit of it on the skirts and bodice of her gown as well. Her eyes watch carefully the progress being made by Danielle as she checks first those that have taken more injury than the bard. "You don't look to be a fighter, monsieur. What were you doing with a knife in your hand?"

"Ow!!!" Lysander makes, eyelids fluttering, even as his gaze meets the concerned look of the lady, through a veil of lashes. "My lady! Be careful, I might stain your clothes…" He murmurs, showing concern for her fine attire. His gaze sweeps to the healer, and he lifts his hand with some effort. "Ah… I am dying… Mademoiselle… Please…", he croaks, as if he were about to die. "I was merely trying to defend myself, m'lady?", he clarifies towards Fleur. "They wanted to… ah… AHHHH! My lute! Where is it??"

Danielle lifts a brow at the commoner, who may be cut but seems to be tended to, for now. Her eyes come to linger on the Skaldi woman, and she approaches her calmly, with her bag of healing supplies slung over her shoulder. Noting the blood seeping from beneath the armor, she tells her, "I should check on your wounds." Her hand reaches out to guide Frida to a nearby bench of stone, if she lets her. "I am a healer." Speaking slowly and distinctly, she begins to check on the cuts and bruises.

Mathys nods and listens to the list of Skaldic names and gives a small smile. "Alas, I don't speak Skaldic. Do you happen to speak Cruithne or Hellene?" He glances behind him at the minstrel, "Did You have property taken?"

Lysander's dramatics deepen the concern on Fleur's face. She's no familiarity with injuries, especially not those inflicted with blades. "Hush. Hush. You will likely only make matters worse if you become agitated," she says, a snagging of her teeth to her lower lip since that is so very clearly where Lysander's now heading. "Your lute? I…" Her eyes dart quickly about the immediate area, but there's so many people there now that even were it there, it'd be hard to spot.

"No." Frida replies to Mathys, looking Danielle over when the woman approaches. Two words stick out and she nods her head to the other. Allowing Danielle to guide her, she lets go of her left wrist long enough to unfasten the right side of her armor enough to slide it off with a hiss, exposing the torn top of the roughspun russet tunic and the blood soaking the cloth. "Is not good." she murmurs to the woman, undoing the knot-and-loop closure at the back of the tunic so it's easier for Danielle to see the wound, trying her best to avoid displaying the pain she's in.

<FS3> Mathys rolls Perception: Good Success. (2 7 2 2 5 5 8 7)

The city guard, meanwhile, is pointed towards where the lanky fellow has vanished, by Mathys' guard. Some of the guards move towards that direction immediately, while others begin to question those present as to what had happened.

Danielle offers a reassuring smile to Frida. "I've seen worse," she informs her, eyes taking on an attentive expression as she begins to inspect the injury. A clean cloth is taken from her bag and then moistened with water from a skin she carries with her. With the tunic loosened, she shifts the fabric out of the way and then begins to clean the area about the wound to the chest briefly, before she begins to stitch up the wound with needle and thread. Applying a bandage afterwards. Then she sees to the hand, taking a bit more time to clean this cut. A bit of sewing will be required here as well, but Danielle makes a gentle job of it. As gentle as possible, given the task.

Mathys spots the instrument and walks over to collect. He strums it a few times to make sure it still sounds right and approaches Lysander and those tending to him. The lord hands the lute to a city guard, before looking back at Frida and Danielle. "That's a good sign. What brings a Skaldic woman to Marsilikos to save the lobes of our citizens?"

"My Lady. We should be on our way," one of Fleur's guards says, stepping forward to where she waits with Lysander. "The healer is here now, and there are people enough about that the man will not bleed out whilst he waits." Even as he's saying that, he's beckoning forward a commoner woman to take over from the young blonde. Her other guard, having spoken to the City Guard to give what details they had witness, gives a nod of his head. It's probably with some relief that Fleur gives a pat of her hand to Lysander's shoulder and pushes to her feet. "I hope to see you about and well in a very short time monsieur, but it seems that for now I must leave you." And that being said, she allows herself to be escorted away.

So much for being stoic. It was all good until the wound is being cleaned and sutured. Hissing, Frida alternates between panting against the pain and tensing or gritting her teeth with little sound escaping while Danielle works. The hand is worse then her chest and she struggles to sit more or less still while the healer patches her back up. "Is good." the words murmured with a tone of gratitude. Mathys proves a nice distraction at least. "Coin. Fight for coin." Over simplifying the concept. "Job for Thaddeus, for Jean. Will fight, keep safe."

<FS3> Lysander rolls Charm: Good Success. (6 8 4 5 6 5 8 6 2 5 1)

"Ah… blessed be Eisheth and Elua…", Lysander breathes upon receiving his beloved lute back from Mathys' hands. "And blessed be you, my lord. My lady." His eyes glance up at Fleur, and he smiles, so very fetchingly. "You've truly saved me… My name is Lysander… Lysander Beaufort. I… Would that I could pay you back for your kindness." There is a sigh of discomfort as he sits up and watches her move away with her guards, his gaze slightly dreamy… before it finds the healer and he tells her, "There's another patient over here, if you will find the time, Mademoiselle. I'm… almost bleeding to death."

"I am Danielle," the same introduces herself to the Skaldi woman. "I can be found at the infirmary… the building beside the Temple of Eisheth… I want you to come to me tomorrow, so that I can change bandages, yes?" Tying off that last bandage neatly about Frida's hand. "No fighting for you, at least no serious fighting, tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow."

"A sellsword!" Mathys says back to Frida. "Interesting. You certainly have skills and I can see why they have hired you." He winces a touch as she reacts to the pain. "Well, thank you for your assistance." He looks to Lysander and smiles. "Danielle," he says after hearing her name, "I think the minstrel believes he is at death's door." He then fishes out a few coins and tries to hand then to Frida as thanks for her efforts.

"Hrrm…" The minstrel sits there, perhaps growing a but impatient about the fact that he is being kept waiting. "Would the promise of a serenade composed in your honor brighten your spirits and quicken your efforts, oh angel of the healing hands?" She will get to him no doubt, but until that is the case, Lysander will make no effort to get on his feet and be content to pout a little.

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