act22side

It's no sure thing that Tara will never have another Red Dragon.

After all, none of us have ever seen a Draco before. How would we tell if whoever passes by us isn't actually a Vouivre?

Village of Redridge, Scáthanna Fields

Found them. It was these two mucking about in the streets. Sound of the window breaking must've been their doing.

Hey, settle down, you two, or else it's not your wrists the rope goes around next time.

*spit*!

Wait—come on, stop being vile now...!

I—I'm sorry! I'm sorry, officers! It was our fault!

Is that the wanted lot, the ones rubbing up with Dublinn?

One of them's wanted. The other I've never seen.

Heh, I knew these Tarans would all be in on it. Bloody good-for-nothings.

Eek! Please don't do anything, I beg you...

This is all we had on us, you searched us and all... Ask us anything you want, we'll explain, we will...

Shut up. What are your pals up to, eh? Where'd they go? Are they off gossiping info to Dublinn?

I—I don't know, honestly, I don't...

We don't even have any pals! We've never met anyone from Dublinn before!

And you just want some people to beat to death, give yourself something to report to your noble brass!

*spit*! You... you bloody Victorian scumbags!

Keeping mum, are you?

Take them inside. Don't let these ballsacks make their racket on the street. They'll wake the rest of us up.

Question the one with the bag first. If he's honest, he can suffer a little less.

I—I'm honest, I'm an honest person, I swear, I don't know a thing...

Hold on, Captain.

I think there's more nearby.

Uh, the—there's...

What's bag boy shouting about?

Fire!

Shut UP! Don't try and cover for your friends—

—No, but there's a fire off behind you!

It's the warehouse!

Bloody Nora! I want the word out to Team 1! Prioritize firefighting!

Er, did they dump us and go?

Fionn, come on, undo my ropes here!

H—How? I'm tied up too...

Who are you?

Let's go, quick.

*huff* I'm sorry you had to run with us. You've got nothing to do with this...

...It's fine, we shook them off.

Hey, Fionn, the radio?

Right here. Should still be usable, just a little quiet.

Quiet's good. Keeps us from being found.

*sigh* You listen for any word, I'll go wash my face at the pond. Try and calm down.

Excuse me, Vouivre. You can go if it's dangerous to you. I'll point you on your way.

No need... I can wait here, and keep watch for you.

...Alright, thank you. You're a good one, truly.

(Deep breath)

No nerves, Fionn, no nerves. Out of sight, out of mind.

You didn't touch blood. It is not blood. It's just marshy mud. Wash it off and it'll be fine...

...Hfff.

*sigh*.

Bollocks... hey! You swear this stupid thing still works?

Shush, god's sakes! Those army lot can't be far away!

Give it a few more knocks, then crank it!

...approximately 9:30 PM...

There.

A case of arson in a settlement close to the County Trent... methods resemble those of the Dublinn insurrectionists...

...the three suspected are still on the run...

Should... clues on Dublinn elements not report them to the authorities... considered equally guilty as these rebels...

...warn you once again... the lights-out bell, you are not to go outside. All areas apart from mines and factories are forbidden from lighting any lamps whatsoever...

Put a stop... all activities related to these insurgents...

(White noise)

Diabhal. They really broadcast nothing else past 9 PM.

What are these bloody rules, in ainm Dé?

Sorry. That's a foul tongue for Taran. Could you understand that?

Yes... but that's fine.

No, still, I'm sorry. For dragging an outsider like you into this.

It's okay... Tarans are the same, no matter where they are.

I once visited the Scáthanna Fields, myself. But they didn't have rules about lights-out back then.

Ó, I'm guessing you're from a nomadic city, then?

Bell-ringing as law has been around for years. Used to just be out on the barrens, to mind whoever tried sneaking into whatever count or viscount's hunting grounds at dead midnight.

Bell rings, we snuff the lamps, and fires go out too. If someone in the barrens lights a fire to herd beasts at this hour, you can see it clear as day from miles and miles away.

But muck-ups like today only happened once the new rules got stricter. Those night patrol tossers see anyone in the street, they snatch 'em.

There, Fionn. Calmed down?

Suppose so...

...Er, where's our medicine? Are we all out?

Take a guess?

...*sigh*. Shame about my fountain pen. Can't even note my own debts now.

Stealing is what we're doing. Don't think you have to make up for it with what you've got.

How many days have we been outdoors now?

If it's not midnight yet, then it's day 12 for us.

Alright. Twelve days, and we've barely gotten far. I keep thinking if only it'd clear up, I might see chimney smoke or something from a village.

We've just been hounded by the army, chased around in circles here...

Be honest, do you really think we can make it out?

...What happened with you two?

We had a little confrontation with the patrol. They sent a warrant out for us.

Fionn!

Let me talk, Fergal. I can feel, this lady's a good person.

When the patrol came here to make arrests, they summoned everyone who had a record. And then they started with the beatings, so we fought back...

You didn't, Fionn. Don't give yourself credit.

Ugh, okay.

We hadn't done all that bad, really, truth told. One family ran after they couldn't pay tax dues, so the patrol was dragging all their relatives in by the scruff for questioning. Fergal was brewing a little moonshine just for himself, and I'd missed some formalities while selling stuff.

*sigh* We'd always owned up properly too, whatever it was. It all got too much that day.

It wasn't just us two who scarpered once the patrol started beating. It's ten or so of us, all summoned that day by the army. We all ran at once.

But if the army wants someone, there's no escaping it. That lot won't change their tune just because someone's word says they're innocent.

You ended up killing someone?

Yeah, we did two of 'em in. Got one straight off with a hoe while they weren't on guard, the other we laid low in the whole scuffle.

Shame we let the third one do a runner, or else the army'd never know about what we did.

Hey! We wouldn't be in such a miserable spot if we'd had one night more of a head start.

...Fergal, you think we could... give ourselves up to them? I could do it alone, even. Just can't stand these days on the run anymore.

We didn't even nab the medicine. Oran's cut's just festering away, and he's... I can't take it, I can't.