It was a beautiful day for once, comfortable temperatures and a clear sky, and Hightown bustled as a result. Sophia would not miss such an opportunity, and while she doubted Lucien desired to spend his day perusing the market, she insisted he come along, to keep her company. In truth, Sophia was in more of a looking mood herself, having no real need of anything the vendors sold, and having no desire to purchase things in excess.
Part of it was also the necessity of being seen, as well, and being seen in a certain way. A great many people were out and about, and no few of them possessed considerable wealth, and an influence that was not to be taken lightly. For the people of the city, Sophia found that she needed to be two different women; the brash warrior was more suited to be a champion of the common folk, whereas the nobility needed to see someone who understood them, and their way of life. She needed to demonstrate that she had not forgotten nobility in her years of playing the mercenary swordswoman.
She supposed it was possible that she was overthinking all of this, and that no one at all would take notice of her wandering around the market with Lucien Drakon, but still, she did not think it was paranoia that made her feel the eyes upon her. One in particular she had caught watching several times, an armored woman with short blonde hair, a sword and shield on her back. Sophia recognized her, and was at least mildly acquainted, but it was difficult to discern any motives. Sophia herself was unarmored, her only weapon the knife she kept in her boot. She didn't expect an ambush or anything of the sort, but it didn't hurt to be cautious.
Guiding Lucien by the arm over to a jewelry vendor who wasn't overly busy, she kept her gaze down on the items on display. "There's a woman that has been following us, watching," she said quietly, "though I don't know for how long. See the blonde in the bronze scale armor? Behind us to the right, a few stalls over. Ser Marlein Selbrech. She despises shopping, if I remember correctly. Could you see what she wants? Discreetly, if possible."
Lucien, who until this point had been perfectly content to let Sophia guide him along in whatever manner she pleased, nodded slightly. He was, in fact, all for the exerciseābeing seen in the right context was unfortunately important, and if his presence could help matters, then of course he was happy to be there. This part, though, was something he did a little better. āOf course.ā
He had to admit, he was most accustomed to being in Sophiaās position in a situation like this, rather than someone elseās agent, but he could be discreet enough when he wanted to. At least, as discreet as an armsbearing nobleman could be. Sophia was visibly without weapons, but as it happened, people rarely looked askance at a man, even a highborn one, who chose to wear a blade, though heād swapped Everburn out for a less-impressive weapon, a simple one-handed sword that rested on his hip. The rest of his attire fit well with his status as leader of a rather prosperous band of mercenaries, or a gentleman of more modest means, and so his slow progress around to Ser Marlein was unremarkable. He even stopped once to place an order for a few more sturdy weapon-belts for the company, though it didnāt take long.
Eventually, he came to be looking over the stall where the armored woman in question stood, glancing up and smiling genially. āPleasant weather, is it not? It seems spring is early this year.ā
Marlein seemed surprised at being spoken to, judging by her failure to speak momentarily, as well as her inability to form any sort of facial expression other than being wide-eyed. When she remembered herself, however, she scrambled for something to say. "Ah... yes. Yes it is." She turned slightly red, or perhaps slightly more red than she'd already been. It was clear that she was not in her element here. She bit her lip for a brief moment.
"I suppose you've noticed me, then," her voice dropped in volume, low enough so that it did not carry to many ears around them. "I apologize. I was waiting for the right time to approach." She adjusted the straps of her gauntlets, though it was clearly more for something to do with her hands than anything else. "If you and Lady Dumar are agreeable to it, I would like to have a word. Somewhere less... crowded."
Lucienās expression was sympathetic. It was hard not to be, reallyāthe woman was obviously much less comfortable trying to talk to him than she would be trying to spar with him, probably, and it was a mindset he readily appreciated. āIāll ask; I donāt imagine sheāll refuse. Would you like to wait for us on the route to the Chantry, perhaps? I do not often find it crowded at this time of day.ā Having said as much as he needed to, he made his way back to Sophia, explaining the situation in low tones. What this Ser Marlein wanted, he didnāt know, but it didnāt seem a poor idea to hear her out, at least.
Marlein departed immediately while Lucien explained to Sophia, who was indeed amenable to the plan, though she did not know what needed to be spoken of in private. She was interested, however, and had been planning to make a short trip to the Chantry anyway, to visit Elthina. With that decided then, the two of them made their way out of the market, and onto quieter streets.
They found the noblewoman awaiting them under the first of a line of trees dividing one of the streets, the branches still bare, but showing the first signs of life. They would be green again soon enough, bringing a little color to the otherwise cold grey of Hightown. There were a few guards about, and one small patrol of templars passing out of sight, in addition to the odd passerby here and there. Apparently, it was comfortable enough for Marlein to speak now.
"Thank you for seeing me," she said, nodding her head in a slight bow. "I apologize if I alarmed you. Subtlety isn't my strong suit. Now, we best make this quick." Opening a pouch at her belt, she withdrew a letter, handing it to Sophia. "It is courageous of you to resist the Knight-Commander, Sophia. The nobility desires a leader who will not be puppetted by fear. I'm here to tell you that you are not without support in forcing Meredith to step aside. Some of us are discussing--quietly--what to do about her."
That was excellent news, Sophia supposed. "And the letter?"
"I could not speak to you in the market for fear of templar spies, and I should not tarry here long, either. But if you seek our support, read the letter. It will explain how to proceed." For some reason, it had not occurred to Sophia that the templars even had spies. She had always believed them more the type to kick down the door than pick the lock, if there was something they wanted inside.
"Secrecy is paramount," Marlein continued. "I'll communicate by messenger if the need arises." She took several steps away, clearly taking her leave, and bowed once again, more deeply this time. "Maker look after you, Lady Dumar, and our fragile endeavor." She turned on her heel, and disappeared down a side street.
Lucien seemed somehow unsurprised by all the indirectness and secrecy involved, though he did raise his brows for a moment when Marlein chose to hand over a letter rather than simply explain in person. Still, it was as good a hint as any. āPerhaps you should read that in a slightly more private location?ā He understood that Sophia had been planning to go see Elthina after their time in the markets was concluded, but he wasnāt sure if sheād rather return to her home instead, considering. Then again, the Chantry itself was possessed of a number of quieter areas, and he didnāt want to presume.
"I've also a feeling some different attire may be prudent. We'll return home." She would be sure to visit Elthina another time, but this seemed like it could be important, and she thought it best not to delay. The walk to her front door was not much further than it would have been to continue on to the Chantry, and when they were inside and seated, she broke the seal on the letter and read the contents.
They were troubling, to say the least. Apparently Marlein had it on good authority that Knight-Commander Meredith was authorizing hand-picked members of her forces to carry out attacks on those believed to be mage sympathizers in Lowtown. The information came from Marlein's brother, a templar himself, which Sophia remembered as she read the letter. The Selbrechs had deep Chantry ties, but apparently these two siblings were not as blind of followers as some. If this was true, it was dangerous for them to report, seeing as Meredith would undoubtedly take it as a betrayal.
"Marlein claims Meredith has been having mage sympathizers in Lowtown removed, with hand-picked zealots out of uniform. There's a list of addresses that are due to be hit tonight." She handed the letter to Lucien so that he might see it for himself. Frowning, Sophia spent the next few moments in thought. Marlein had never explicitly stated that the group of nobles she was in contact with wanted to support Sophia, nor was there any outright instructions included in the letter, the language more along the lines of do with this what you will.
"Perhaps the nobles are hoping to see me resist Meredith's strength more directly," she speculated, standing and pacing around to the back of her chair. "In any case, we can't simply do nothing with this information. There's still time before nightfall. Can you have your Lions mark out these locations, find out what route the templars will take, which home they'll most likely hit first?" They could place a watch on all of the homes, as only four were listed, but it would be best to find out where to wait, so that they might have the numbers to catch the zealots in the act, and possibly force them to surrender.
Lucien wore a pensive frown for a moment, folding the letter back along its original creases and setting it down on the end table near his elbow. It seemed a little to him like the nobility was looking to Sophia to solve its problems, at considerable personal, not merely political, risk. But sometimes that was what was asked of people like them, and that it was a bit gauche of them to ask didnāt make it any less her responsibility to answer. With authority came responsibility, after all. He supposed that at least the Selbrechs were going out on a limb as well. Nodding slowly, he made to stand. āThat, I can certainly do. If youād like to meet us back in the barracks in about an hour, we can go over our strategy, and decide who goes where.ā
Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, Lucien excused himself, making his way back to Lowtown to gather his people and prepare them for the eveningās excursions.
By the time the sun had fallen and darkness settled in over the city, Sophia had already hidden herself, along with Lucien and a few of his Argent Lions, down a nearby alley from the first of the targeted residences. The Lions had done an excellent job of quickly locating the targets, and mapping out a likely route, and discreetly evacuating the so called mage sympathizers to a safe place for the night. While they wanted to catch one of these zealots alive and in the act if at all possible, Sophia was not going to allow any civilians to unknowingly put their lives on the line. They would just have to hope the Templars showed up anyway.
"Remember," she said, turning to her assembled allies, "these are trained Templars we're facing here, and they won't hesitate to kill. If we can capture one alive, good, but don't take any chances." She had thought to bring this in to the city guard, but ultimately there wasn't time, and the Lions were more than capable of managing this. They needed a small, effective group, not a task force.
And small and effective had been the order of the day. Considering the need for a clandestine touch, Lia had been brought along, and was currently posted further up the route, on a rooftop and out of sight, in charge of signaling the rest in the event that she saw anything suspect. Lucien trusted her to be able to pick out a plainclothes Templar, or several, by things like body language, posture, and likely weaponry. Other than that, heād brought only Havard, Cor, and a pair of ex-raiders named Ainsley and Farah, who were also situated on the rooftops with bows, ready to assist the melee effort from above. Both were excellent shots, and though new to the Lions, had a great deal of experience placing arrows into a close-quarters fight without hitting their allies, which would be important.
All that remained was to wait for Liaās signal, catch the Templars in the act of attempting to enter one of the target houses, and bring them down. Lucien hoped as much as anyone that they would be able to do so with a minimum number of casualties, but heād already made it clear to the Lions that, Templars or not, these were well-trained, dangerous foes, and if they had to be killed to be stopped, then that was simply the way of it.
It was perhaps twenty minutes of quiet waiting before something notable happened. Up until then, only a few stray pedestrians wandered by, oblivious to the fact that they were walking right through what would become a melee soon. There was only one way into this particular residential area, and from her concealed vantage atop the roofs, Lia looked over each as they came in, deeming them to be either threats, or non-issues. When a group of six men dressed in dark clothes and mostly leather armor arrived, she immediately moved into sight of those below, holding up her fingers against the moonlight to give the count.
"Six," Sophia murmured. "Shouldn't be too much trouble." They were allowed to approach unimpeded, needing to be drawn into the net before the trap was sprung. They hid their faces with hoods and masks; Sophia imagined they had no identifying markers on any of them to declare them as Templars. Even their weapons looked like something from a mercenary company, no true Templar steel.
Arriving at the door of their targeted house, they checked around them for anyone watching, though not well enough to spot the Lions in wait. The lead man kicked the front door hard, causing it to swing open with a loud crack, and four of them rushed inside, weapons drawn. The other two looked to be standing watch at the front door. It would be much easier to deal with the remaining four with these two removed from the picture.
Together, the three archers on the rooftops let their arrows fly, the first striking clean through one's skull and dropping, the other receiving the last two to the chest and throat before he could react to his fallen ally. With the lookouts down, Sophia and the others moved out quickly to form a half-ring around the door, cutting off their escape. She drew her blade, settling into a combat stance. "You're surrounded and outnumbered, Templars. Surrender, and you will be spared."
It was not hard to predict their answer. Arrows hit the first target to rush out the door, but she was carrying a shield, and she caught them all. Behind her, the other three zealots charged out, rushing at those trying to stop them, their weapons bared and ready.
Part of it was also the necessity of being seen, as well, and being seen in a certain way. A great many people were out and about, and no few of them possessed considerable wealth, and an influence that was not to be taken lightly. For the people of the city, Sophia found that she needed to be two different women; the brash warrior was more suited to be a champion of the common folk, whereas the nobility needed to see someone who understood them, and their way of life. She needed to demonstrate that she had not forgotten nobility in her years of playing the mercenary swordswoman.
She supposed it was possible that she was overthinking all of this, and that no one at all would take notice of her wandering around the market with Lucien Drakon, but still, she did not think it was paranoia that made her feel the eyes upon her. One in particular she had caught watching several times, an armored woman with short blonde hair, a sword and shield on her back. Sophia recognized her, and was at least mildly acquainted, but it was difficult to discern any motives. Sophia herself was unarmored, her only weapon the knife she kept in her boot. She didn't expect an ambush or anything of the sort, but it didn't hurt to be cautious.
Guiding Lucien by the arm over to a jewelry vendor who wasn't overly busy, she kept her gaze down on the items on display. "There's a woman that has been following us, watching," she said quietly, "though I don't know for how long. See the blonde in the bronze scale armor? Behind us to the right, a few stalls over. Ser Marlein Selbrech. She despises shopping, if I remember correctly. Could you see what she wants? Discreetly, if possible."
Lucien, who until this point had been perfectly content to let Sophia guide him along in whatever manner she pleased, nodded slightly. He was, in fact, all for the exerciseābeing seen in the right context was unfortunately important, and if his presence could help matters, then of course he was happy to be there. This part, though, was something he did a little better. āOf course.ā
He had to admit, he was most accustomed to being in Sophiaās position in a situation like this, rather than someone elseās agent, but he could be discreet enough when he wanted to. At least, as discreet as an armsbearing nobleman could be. Sophia was visibly without weapons, but as it happened, people rarely looked askance at a man, even a highborn one, who chose to wear a blade, though heād swapped Everburn out for a less-impressive weapon, a simple one-handed sword that rested on his hip. The rest of his attire fit well with his status as leader of a rather prosperous band of mercenaries, or a gentleman of more modest means, and so his slow progress around to Ser Marlein was unremarkable. He even stopped once to place an order for a few more sturdy weapon-belts for the company, though it didnāt take long.
Eventually, he came to be looking over the stall where the armored woman in question stood, glancing up and smiling genially. āPleasant weather, is it not? It seems spring is early this year.ā
Marlein seemed surprised at being spoken to, judging by her failure to speak momentarily, as well as her inability to form any sort of facial expression other than being wide-eyed. When she remembered herself, however, she scrambled for something to say. "Ah... yes. Yes it is." She turned slightly red, or perhaps slightly more red than she'd already been. It was clear that she was not in her element here. She bit her lip for a brief moment.
"I suppose you've noticed me, then," her voice dropped in volume, low enough so that it did not carry to many ears around them. "I apologize. I was waiting for the right time to approach." She adjusted the straps of her gauntlets, though it was clearly more for something to do with her hands than anything else. "If you and Lady Dumar are agreeable to it, I would like to have a word. Somewhere less... crowded."
Lucienās expression was sympathetic. It was hard not to be, reallyāthe woman was obviously much less comfortable trying to talk to him than she would be trying to spar with him, probably, and it was a mindset he readily appreciated. āIāll ask; I donāt imagine sheāll refuse. Would you like to wait for us on the route to the Chantry, perhaps? I do not often find it crowded at this time of day.ā Having said as much as he needed to, he made his way back to Sophia, explaining the situation in low tones. What this Ser Marlein wanted, he didnāt know, but it didnāt seem a poor idea to hear her out, at least.
Marlein departed immediately while Lucien explained to Sophia, who was indeed amenable to the plan, though she did not know what needed to be spoken of in private. She was interested, however, and had been planning to make a short trip to the Chantry anyway, to visit Elthina. With that decided then, the two of them made their way out of the market, and onto quieter streets.
They found the noblewoman awaiting them under the first of a line of trees dividing one of the streets, the branches still bare, but showing the first signs of life. They would be green again soon enough, bringing a little color to the otherwise cold grey of Hightown. There were a few guards about, and one small patrol of templars passing out of sight, in addition to the odd passerby here and there. Apparently, it was comfortable enough for Marlein to speak now.
"Thank you for seeing me," she said, nodding her head in a slight bow. "I apologize if I alarmed you. Subtlety isn't my strong suit. Now, we best make this quick." Opening a pouch at her belt, she withdrew a letter, handing it to Sophia. "It is courageous of you to resist the Knight-Commander, Sophia. The nobility desires a leader who will not be puppetted by fear. I'm here to tell you that you are not without support in forcing Meredith to step aside. Some of us are discussing--quietly--what to do about her."
That was excellent news, Sophia supposed. "And the letter?"
"I could not speak to you in the market for fear of templar spies, and I should not tarry here long, either. But if you seek our support, read the letter. It will explain how to proceed." For some reason, it had not occurred to Sophia that the templars even had spies. She had always believed them more the type to kick down the door than pick the lock, if there was something they wanted inside.
"Secrecy is paramount," Marlein continued. "I'll communicate by messenger if the need arises." She took several steps away, clearly taking her leave, and bowed once again, more deeply this time. "Maker look after you, Lady Dumar, and our fragile endeavor." She turned on her heel, and disappeared down a side street.
Lucien seemed somehow unsurprised by all the indirectness and secrecy involved, though he did raise his brows for a moment when Marlein chose to hand over a letter rather than simply explain in person. Still, it was as good a hint as any. āPerhaps you should read that in a slightly more private location?ā He understood that Sophia had been planning to go see Elthina after their time in the markets was concluded, but he wasnāt sure if sheād rather return to her home instead, considering. Then again, the Chantry itself was possessed of a number of quieter areas, and he didnāt want to presume.
"I've also a feeling some different attire may be prudent. We'll return home." She would be sure to visit Elthina another time, but this seemed like it could be important, and she thought it best not to delay. The walk to her front door was not much further than it would have been to continue on to the Chantry, and when they were inside and seated, she broke the seal on the letter and read the contents.
They were troubling, to say the least. Apparently Marlein had it on good authority that Knight-Commander Meredith was authorizing hand-picked members of her forces to carry out attacks on those believed to be mage sympathizers in Lowtown. The information came from Marlein's brother, a templar himself, which Sophia remembered as she read the letter. The Selbrechs had deep Chantry ties, but apparently these two siblings were not as blind of followers as some. If this was true, it was dangerous for them to report, seeing as Meredith would undoubtedly take it as a betrayal.
"Marlein claims Meredith has been having mage sympathizers in Lowtown removed, with hand-picked zealots out of uniform. There's a list of addresses that are due to be hit tonight." She handed the letter to Lucien so that he might see it for himself. Frowning, Sophia spent the next few moments in thought. Marlein had never explicitly stated that the group of nobles she was in contact with wanted to support Sophia, nor was there any outright instructions included in the letter, the language more along the lines of do with this what you will.
"Perhaps the nobles are hoping to see me resist Meredith's strength more directly," she speculated, standing and pacing around to the back of her chair. "In any case, we can't simply do nothing with this information. There's still time before nightfall. Can you have your Lions mark out these locations, find out what route the templars will take, which home they'll most likely hit first?" They could place a watch on all of the homes, as only four were listed, but it would be best to find out where to wait, so that they might have the numbers to catch the zealots in the act, and possibly force them to surrender.
Lucien wore a pensive frown for a moment, folding the letter back along its original creases and setting it down on the end table near his elbow. It seemed a little to him like the nobility was looking to Sophia to solve its problems, at considerable personal, not merely political, risk. But sometimes that was what was asked of people like them, and that it was a bit gauche of them to ask didnāt make it any less her responsibility to answer. With authority came responsibility, after all. He supposed that at least the Selbrechs were going out on a limb as well. Nodding slowly, he made to stand. āThat, I can certainly do. If youād like to meet us back in the barracks in about an hour, we can go over our strategy, and decide who goes where.ā
Giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze, Lucien excused himself, making his way back to Lowtown to gather his people and prepare them for the eveningās excursions.
By the time the sun had fallen and darkness settled in over the city, Sophia had already hidden herself, along with Lucien and a few of his Argent Lions, down a nearby alley from the first of the targeted residences. The Lions had done an excellent job of quickly locating the targets, and mapping out a likely route, and discreetly evacuating the so called mage sympathizers to a safe place for the night. While they wanted to catch one of these zealots alive and in the act if at all possible, Sophia was not going to allow any civilians to unknowingly put their lives on the line. They would just have to hope the Templars showed up anyway.
"Remember," she said, turning to her assembled allies, "these are trained Templars we're facing here, and they won't hesitate to kill. If we can capture one alive, good, but don't take any chances." She had thought to bring this in to the city guard, but ultimately there wasn't time, and the Lions were more than capable of managing this. They needed a small, effective group, not a task force.
And small and effective had been the order of the day. Considering the need for a clandestine touch, Lia had been brought along, and was currently posted further up the route, on a rooftop and out of sight, in charge of signaling the rest in the event that she saw anything suspect. Lucien trusted her to be able to pick out a plainclothes Templar, or several, by things like body language, posture, and likely weaponry. Other than that, heād brought only Havard, Cor, and a pair of ex-raiders named Ainsley and Farah, who were also situated on the rooftops with bows, ready to assist the melee effort from above. Both were excellent shots, and though new to the Lions, had a great deal of experience placing arrows into a close-quarters fight without hitting their allies, which would be important.
All that remained was to wait for Liaās signal, catch the Templars in the act of attempting to enter one of the target houses, and bring them down. Lucien hoped as much as anyone that they would be able to do so with a minimum number of casualties, but heād already made it clear to the Lions that, Templars or not, these were well-trained, dangerous foes, and if they had to be killed to be stopped, then that was simply the way of it.
It was perhaps twenty minutes of quiet waiting before something notable happened. Up until then, only a few stray pedestrians wandered by, oblivious to the fact that they were walking right through what would become a melee soon. There was only one way into this particular residential area, and from her concealed vantage atop the roofs, Lia looked over each as they came in, deeming them to be either threats, or non-issues. When a group of six men dressed in dark clothes and mostly leather armor arrived, she immediately moved into sight of those below, holding up her fingers against the moonlight to give the count.
"Six," Sophia murmured. "Shouldn't be too much trouble." They were allowed to approach unimpeded, needing to be drawn into the net before the trap was sprung. They hid their faces with hoods and masks; Sophia imagined they had no identifying markers on any of them to declare them as Templars. Even their weapons looked like something from a mercenary company, no true Templar steel.
Arriving at the door of their targeted house, they checked around them for anyone watching, though not well enough to spot the Lions in wait. The lead man kicked the front door hard, causing it to swing open with a loud crack, and four of them rushed inside, weapons drawn. The other two looked to be standing watch at the front door. It would be much easier to deal with the remaining four with these two removed from the picture.
Together, the three archers on the rooftops let their arrows fly, the first striking clean through one's skull and dropping, the other receiving the last two to the chest and throat before he could react to his fallen ally. With the lookouts down, Sophia and the others moved out quickly to form a half-ring around the door, cutting off their escape. She drew her blade, settling into a combat stance. "You're surrounded and outnumbered, Templars. Surrender, and you will be spared."
It was not hard to predict their answer. Arrows hit the first target to rush out the door, but she was carrying a shield, and she caught them all. Behind her, the other three zealots charged out, rushing at those trying to stop them, their weapons bared and ready.