Jeanne leaned on the portside railing of The Bellamy Blade as the crew began offloading their wares from within the bowels of their vessel. Looking out to the port of the city of Hastingas. Dark brown roofs covered the tops of beige hued buildings lining of the outer street of the wharf. Stalls of fish, shell and other crustacean merchants called out to people to sell their wares.

The brine and salt of the sea touched her nose while she heard people shouting throughout the area mixing with the gulls flying above her head. The cool winds of the ocean touched her skin as the warmth of the sun shined all around the region. The others were preparing their affects to depart from the ship.

Small boats tied to columns of the piers bobbed up and down with the tides. Jeanne wrapped her arms around her torso as she looked out over the pier. Unsure of how to feel. There was a part of her feeling joy from returning to her homeland. Gazing upon the city that saw her off and noticing hardly any changes from when she left these shores.

“How are you doing?” she heard Kveldulf ask.

“Confused,” she said bluntly.

“Yeah, I can imagine.”

“For so long I wanted to come back home, and now that I’m here, I’m not sure what to do.”

“Probably would be better if there it was under less complicated circumstances.”

“Certainly hasn’t helped,” she said, stretching her neck.

“Do you know how far it is to your village?”

“About four day’s ride, weather permitting.”

“Well the skies are clear, that’s good sign at least.”

“The weather here has a habit of shifting on you before you know what’s coming,” Jeanne said as she grabbed her satchel. “One moment you’re in the glowing light of the sun, and in the next, you’re being bathed by the fury of the rains and lightening.”

“Remind me to visit the haberdasher before we head out.”

“You’ll need more of a full cloak, in all honesty.”

Kveldulf reached into his own satchel and pulled out a long cloak and draped it over his shoulders. “That should take care of that.”

“Aren’t you going to get hot?” Jeanne asked.

“I can always take it off. And at least now it’s out before the rains come.”

“You start reeking, don’t stand next to me.”

“Because you smell like a bouquet of flowers from a royal garden,” Kveldulf retorted.

“All right, children,” Cid called out to them. “Could we not antagonize each other until we’re off the vessel?”

“Well, if you’re going to be that way!” Kveldulf replied.

“I swear to the gods, Kveldulf I will put you into a pit.”

“You don’t even have a pit.”

“I will dig a pit and I will put you in it.”

“I feel like this is a conversation we should be privy to,” Silvius replied, biting his lower lip.

“Oh, they do this all the time,” Jeanne said to the scholar. “I’d only worry when Cid actually buys a shovel to dig the pit.”

“And I am sorely tempted right now,” Cid followed. “But I need to find the captain, make sure our guest is taken care of while we attend to other matters.”

“Oh, young Raul,” Kveldulf said, playfully embellishing the young Kolville’s name.

“Don’t want the little pup to go running around like his hair is on fire before we need him back,” Cid followed.

“Can we set his hair on fire after we’re done with him?” Jeanne asked eagerly.

“I’m not saying yes, but that doesn’t completely mean no,” Cid replied.

The Wolves disembarked the vessel, Jeanne pulled her hood over her head to cover most of her face. The rest did the same as they began moving down the wharf and arriving to an inn a short distance into the city. The hanging sign had the image of a baby kitten resting within the curvature of a crescent moon with the name “The Catty Cathy” painted in dark green letter and borders with a golden background.

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Inside they saw several candle holders dotting the walls with a fire pit in the middle of the room crackling. Patrons drank, ate and chatted amongst themselves, only a few looking at the group now entering before going back to their own business. Over the entrance was the mounted skull of a large saber cat with various heraldic flags hanging from the walls.

The inn-keeper was conversing with some of the patrons at the bar as Cid, Kel and Jeanne arrived to the counter as the others looked for an empty table. The inn keeper finished their talk and came up to the three. Nudging her head up quickly to acknowledge them before speaking. “Welcome, what can I get for ya?”

“A few rooms for the night, some food and drinks, and you wouldn’t happen to know of any bounties that have been posted recently?” Cid asked, pulling out his coin purse.

“Are those others with you?” the inn keeper asked, pointing to the rest of The Wolves.

Cid nodded.

“Right, let’s make it twenty gold for the room and board, bathing included, and as for the bounties …” the innkeeper reached underneath the counter and pulled out several slips of paper and placed them before the trio. “… These were left by the city guard. A few of them are even worth the trouble if you’re looking for some quick coin.”

Cid took the pile and after shuffling them into a neat pile handed the woman the gold coins. “Much obliged. We’ll be with the rest when the food is ready.”

The three rejoined the others, and Cid fanned the parchments across the table.

“What’s with this?” Hypatia asked.

Cid picked up a parchment and began reading it closely. “Sometimes you can get a good lay of the land by who has a price on their head.”

“What do you mean?” Silvius asked.

“Depending on who’s in charge, someone with a bounty on them may be pardoned and people who were once in favor with the crown could be seeing themselves with a substantial reversal of fortune.”

“So if our intended guests don’t have a price attached to them.”

“Then we could know who’s doing well in this war of succession without potentially outing ourselves.”

“I didn’t know we were trying to keep our presence hidden,” said Maeryn.

“Given the power behind the Kolvilles and their own allies, chances are they know we are and we we’re here. The less of an impression we make before we arrive to Jeanne’s village, the better.”

Kveldulf picked up a few and divided the rest amongst The Wolves. “No one here that I recognize,” he said to Cid.

“Most seem to be of the regular brigand variety,” Benkin said as he went through his pile.

“See if there’s a heraldic sigil next to their name,” said Hypatia. “That tends to designate someone of high importance.”

“I see someone named Malin Mussard,” said Leonidas, going through one bounty. “Member of House Collin, found accused on the counts of theft, grand and minor, stealing horses, and eating mincemeat pies during high holidays.”

“That is a crime?” Silvius asked.

“Apparently so.”

“Well, that doesn’t help with the anxiety,” Benkin said, massaging the back of his neck.

“I didn’t know you were having that,” Silvius replied.

“I get whenever I’m in a whole different part of the world. Especially when you know that a sneeze done wrong could find you finding a home in a gibbet.”

“I agree with that,” said Leonidas.

Maeryn held up a bounty, holding it for everyone to see. “This one is interesting, Fulk Warin of House Warin. Declared outlaw along with members of his family and servants when refusing the High King’s decision on who was to be given what Fulk felt was his by birthright.”

“You think he might be any ally?” Kveldulf asked.

“Depends,” Cid replied. “He could be working for one side exclusive, both, or neither one. Especially if it’s a back and forth and both contenders can’t seem to sway enough support of the nobles to unseat the other.”

“And if he wants to be restored to their rightful place, it could be prudent to sit out the storm and come back once the dust has settled,” said Kveldulf.

“Who’s to say either of the contenders won’t simply forget who this man is after the fact and retain his outlaw status?” Maeryn asked.

“Normally what happens is once the war is said and done, whoever is on top will want to consolidate their power as fast as they can,” Silvius replied. “Keeps any missing components from wandering their way into parts of the machine where they can do the most damage.”

“That and if he isn’t involved with the major actions of this civil war, most people will forget about the minor things,” Cid followed.

“And those he’s robbed or worse?” Jeanne asked.

“Let’s not fool ourselves, Jeanne. Most people tend to care for others as much as it will benefit themselves. If it wasn’t their person or a close friend or family, it will be forgotten be the time the next harvest needs reaping and the oncoming winter has melted into spring. They’ll rather stand by and shit out nonsense under the pretense of empathy, and find every reason not to help out.”

“And what about us?”

“Firstly, we’re here because you’re one of us, so we all have an invested interest in this situation back in your village. Two, while I don’t like to admit this, these troubles are so plentiful it’s impossible to focus proper attention to each and every crime and victim throughout the lands. And three, acknowledging the problem does not mean acceptance, in fact, quite the opposite. If you’re going to confront the situation, you have to know the fuller complexities so you know where to strike in order to try and fix what’s wrong.”

“Also helps when those who can help don’t base their morality on what is fashionable,” said Leonidas.

“What and not be able to appear magnanimous before the masses of the lesser weevils,” Hypatia said, imitating an elder statesman.

“Reminds me that damned idiot back at that damned ball we were in,” Kveldulf said.

“Do not remind me of that,” Cid ordered. “I’ve been trying to forget that even happened.”

“Here’s something interesting,” Hypatia said as she placed several bounties on the table. The Wolves leaned over and examined the names, faces and amounts displayed. “Seems the Kolvilles have gotten themselves even more of the ire of whoever put the first bounty on them.”

“Let me take a look,” Jeanne said, holding out her hand. Hypatia handed her the bounty and Jeanne went over it slowly. “No …,” she murmured slowly with wide eyes and her jaw dropping.