Aris nodded slowly, "alright, so now we know. Time to get you back to the capital."

Elfyr shook his head, "too late for that. Every year, Queen Shallahai spends the week of the summer solstice in Trebor, a little monastery near here, to rest and recover from political life. I was sent to make sure it was safe this year after the Princesses were kidnapped. She will already be aboard ship and headed this way."

Talae leaned back and considered the situation, "a fatal sign of weakness if Queen Shallahai abandons her plans at this stage. So we have to make sure she survives this trip, bait the Cult out to where we can hammer them, and trap Yarizos in his own treachery or incompetence."

Aflia rested her head in her hands, "any one of those tasks would be hard. All three together? Impossible."

Little Bird bobbed her head, "we have prey walking into a trap, but perhaps that prey can be bait for a trap of our own?"

Aris grinned, "We have a plan then. Queen Shallahai heads to her convent as usual. When the inevitable betrayal happens, we make sure she not only survives, but dominates."

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Elfyr rubbed at his freshly healed leg, "you will have to leave today if you want to get to Trebor in time. And you are going to have to leave me behind, I'll only slow you down."

Aris frowns, "not happening. I'm not leaving another friend to die in hostile lands. Yarizos and the Cult got to you once, they can do so again."

Elfyr thumped the table, "dammit Aris, this isn't a choice. You can't protect me and the Queen at the same time. I'll be on a fishing boat and gone before sundown. You need to leave for Trebor by noon if you want a snowball's chance in hell of pulling of your plan."

Aris grunted, "pull out a map and show the route then."

Elfyr shrugged helplessly, "I lost almost everything when I got jumped. Let's see yours."

Aris smirked, "well, looks like you're coming with us then, because I don't have one either."

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Status Report:

Money: +50 gold per day.

Food and water: 10 days of hardtack rations.

Equipment: in good condition.

The Ring: obsidian band with one carbuncle gem and two empty settings

Total Deaths: 1