The sound of her shoes clanking on the road of settlement was the only thing Rose or any other member of her party was currently hearing, as they were silent as they made their way back to the Hangman’s row, back home as far as Rose was concerned. The group that was with her, two men and a woman came to her in a bid to find out more about the circumstances surrounding the death of Rosenborg’s top lieutenant, hoping they will find out something that will radically change the whole situation, making them perfect candidates to get the ball rolling with the ploy town owner and his entourage came up with. The event caused such a stirrup that even though she planned to call out Rosenborg in the coming days, her hand was forced, especially when the news came of new sightings of the man that was supposed to be deceased.
“They really did a good job, I just hope they will be able to follow up” Rose thought as she slowly arrived at the courtyard gate. The plan was for her to challenge Rosenborg to bring the body from wherever he hidden it and then to have Lucas show up with the weapon seller that allegedly sold Rosenborg the murder weapon and who he somehow managed to track down. Te town owner was proving resourceful and not just a dumb muscle and Rose had to admit that her first impression that he was just a puppet for old Loremaster to manipulate were wrong. Bruce and Lucas really did have a working partnership and honest mentor – student relationship and the old man enjoyed the unconditional trust from the town owner.
“This just shows the value of true partnership. Unfortunately, politics always bring out the worse in people. Hopefully when this election is over, I will be able to found a real team” Rose’s line of thinking was abruptly interrupted when the people noticed her coming and started speaking to her, at least six or seven voices at the same time.
“He was spotted…”
“My friend had saw…”
“And now they are talking with Rosenborg about…”
“People, calm down. I know what is bothering you and I have also saw him today while I was talking with Alpha group” Rose said with her voce slightly raised, trying to be louder than the crowd. Alpha group, as the group that was with her called themselves, vehemently nodded, confirming her words. The crowd was silent for a moment before exploding. The shouting and chatter was almost unbearable, but rose knew she had to keep the act up, no matter how fatigued she was.
“I hear your worries and I assure you that is why I came. I will go speak to Rosenborg now and I will not allow him to dismiss our valid concerns. He will be forced to either give proof for his claims or admit the truth” Rose spoke to the crowd before picking up her pace and going to the main hall, informed by loud shouting from the gathered people about whereabouts of Rosenborg. The atmosphere in the guild was electric and she could even see some fights breaking out, Rosenborg’s thugs trying their best to silent the loudest of opposition.
“Will you do me a favor?” she asked the Alpha group who somehow managed to stick with her when she finished with the crowd at the courtyard. They nodded and she instructed them to go out and break up fights, hoping they will be savvy enough to notice that in all of the fight one or two Rosenborg’s men participated and by extension giving her more ammunition when the confrontation came. After Alpha group took their leave and went on with their task, Rose was finally able to stop for a second and recollect herself. Although only two days had passed since she was placed in the cell, she felt like a year passed with the amount of things happening. It all started with that thwarted assassination attempt where Rose finally stopped looking at Rosenborg just as her political opponent, but rather as a massive trouble.
Like most, in the beginning, when the election race had just started, she was appalled by more extreme stances he took, but she treated that as political problem and just like any other politician worth his salt, she used him as a tool to get favorable terms for the Adventurer’s guild from the old Loremaster. With her good standings due to her competence and enough recognition seeing as he did a job or two with most adventurers due to fact she didn’t had a party of her own and the looming threat Rosenborg as her only opponent forced the hand of the town governor to agree to almost all of terms she wanted, especially allowing every member of the guild complete financial autonomy. She sincerely believed the guild should stay in Camp Hearth, seeing as most adventurers rather enjoyed the benefits civilization brings, herself included. With that in mind, she hadn’t had any issues with the part guild was to play if the settlement ever gets attacked, as it was completely normal for people to defend their home.
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“Home, huh? Yea, I guess it has grown to that status” Rose realized, finally focused enough for the task ahead. She moved, her muscle memory alone enough to carry her to main hall where she found Rosenborg surrounded by the people demanding answers. He was trying to deflect, desperately wanting to avoid proving evidence, knowing full well there was only one proof that would put it beyond doubt and bringing out the body was something he desperately tried to avoid. Rose’s plant in his inner circle, a woman that became disillusioned with the man’s methods, informed her that he was getting paranoid, seeing spies everywhere and accusing Lucas of spying on him with an organized network.
“That one might be true, it would certainly explain some level of prescience the owner and old Loremaster shown” Rose said, disgusted by the fact somebody would spy on its own citizens, but without any proof she clamped that thoughts. There would be time later to investigate that matter later, seeing as Rosenborg just spotted her.
“Disappearing for a day, before showing up just as this foolish play finishes. I expected more from you, Leon and thought you as honorable opponent, not some circus whore who uses parlor tricks” Rosenborg shouted at her, silencing the crowd as they saw what is about to happen.
“I hadn’t disappeared, Rosenborg. Everybody knew where I was and whoever wanted to spoke with me was able” Rose said
“And how did you get out from your cell?” Rosenborg interjected.
“There was an assassination attempt on me during my time in the prison, which prompted the Town watch to let me go until investigation is finished. The investigation that is proving quite unnecessary, as we all saw your man alive and well today” Rose retorted.
“My man is murdered by your own hand and you disrespect the memory of him by insinuating anything else” Rosenborg shouted, his act impeccable.
“That is not what we saw today. We saw him walking around, going to drink in taverns and walking around this castle, very much alive. We also saw your thugs trying to beat up everyone who said otherwise” Rose said softly, not interested in getting in a shouting match with the man. The murmur from the crowd told her she struck a nerve and that they also noticed erratic behavior of Rosenborg’s staunchest supporters. She spotted Alpha group in the front rows, hopefully confirming her story to everybody around them.
“That is all a parlor trick, an illusion. You are working with this shitty settlement and its leaders to the detriment of your people” Rosenborg said calmly, no trace of earlier shouting remaining.
“I only work with the guild and for the guild. You are the one deceiving the people here” Rose retorted sharply.
Rosenborg snarled at the moment before the rest of the crowd joined in, calling him a liar, cursing him and generally turning into a bloodthirsty mob. Seeing potential danger, Rosenborg relented.
“Okay, I will bring you proof. Give me fifteen minutes to bring the body from location where his preparation for the funeral are held, so all of you can feast your eyes on it like it’s some circus freak” he said, silencing the crowd “I hope he will forgive me from wherever he is now” he said, his voice heavy. Rose would probably be touched by the act if the man hadn’t confessed in front of her that he killed his man himself to frame her and tried to have her assassinated. Now, she focused on what will happen next. She played her part and now it all rested on Lucas to deliver. She was fairly certain he was somewhere in the crowd, preparing to make her entrance when the body arrives. The gambit was risky, as there was a chance the crowd will simply not believe, but she went all – in and now there was no way to turn back.