You're accusing me of WHAT?|Skyheort, Talen'sul

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop stiffled a yawn as she made her way though the markets in the early hours of the morning, carrying her bow and considering her options for the day. If the monster hunters weren't in need of an extra hand today, then she might go out and do some more general hunting. And in the afternoon she might do some shopping, to see if she could find a suitable gift for Teardrop before she went to Sensatia.

Raindrop frowned slightly at that thought, not being particularly keen on being seperated from her twin for the first time in memory, and wondered yet again if she might be able to talk Tears out of it.

But then, they were both well and truely grown. Maybe it was time to stop being so protective of her little sister. Raindrop's brisk walk slowed as she became lost in thought.

[Kender Bard]

The man who was lounging against the side of a building with an air of not noticing anything going on was, in fact, scanning hard for a hopeful target. When Enear saw Raindrop, wandering and preoccupied, he decided that today was his lucky day. It'd be a tough con to pull, but it was possible that he and his partner would make it out all the richer for it. He reached up and scratched his nose; the sign to his partner to get to work.

Searon waited until Raindrop was in the right position--not in a crowd but near enough to people to draw attention--and walked by her, jostling against her lightly. He cast a frown at her, one hand going protectively for his hip. Then his eyes widened and his mouth dropped slightly. "Y-you stole my pouch. Thief!"

He didn't cry it out very loud, only enough to make the people nearest pause and glance over.

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop paused, blinking. As preoccupied as she was, it took a moment for the accusation to sink in. "What?" she asked, staring at the man in disbelief. "Sir, you must be mistaken. I certainly did not take your purse and I am no thief..." Disbelief was turning into offened anger very quickly. Even when their birth mother had abandoned them in Ronduin, she and Teardrop had never resorted to thieft.

[Kender Bard]

"I am not mistaken," the man retorted, growing a touch louder. "I am not and if you do not hand my purse over then I will call for the guards immediately!"

Now the people who had paused had stopped and were beginning to watch the spectacle.

[Northen Light36]

"Oh for the love of the Forces," Raindrop muttered. "Sir, I'm Raindrop Calder. What possible reason could I have to steal your purse?"

She gritted her teeth in irritation and added, "I'm sorry you have apparently lost your purse, but I most certainly didn't take it and have no intention of continuing this discussion. I suggest that you would be better off retracing your steps instead of causing a scene." Giving the man a last annoyed look, Raindrop started to walk away.

[Kender Bard]

Searon took a deep breath and, at the top of his lungs, bellowed, "Guards! Guards!! Thief! I've been robbed! Stop her!"

Though confused, a few of the bysanders made half-hearted attempts to step into Raindrop's way though none actually touched her.

"If you didn't steal the purse, m'lady, then perhaps you should wait for the guards to sort this out so it don't get ugly," a woman told Raindrop, looking clearly troubled by the whole ordeal.

The shouting did indeed bring a guard and he began to head over. "What's all this?"

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop sighed, every bit the picture of noble irritation. "This man bumped into me and, upon realising he's lost his purse, accused me of stealing it." She cast Searon a distainful glance and added, "As though I'd have any need or desire to steal."

[Kender Bard]

"You stole my money purse," Searon maintained.

The guard looked very doubtful of this but at that moment Enear stepped out of the alley. "I saw it," he testified. "I'm witness; she brushed against him and snatched his purse up. Put it in her pocket and pretended nothing happened."

"Turn out your pockets so we can end this ridiculous nonsense," the guard told Raindrop, still strongly believing her. She was right--why would a Calder steal?

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop sighed again, irritated, but did as she was told... and stared in clear shock and disbelief as a second purse, smaller and rattier then her own, came out of her pocket as well. "W-what?" she stammered, all arrogance and irritation vanishing at once. "I never... I-I don't know h-how that got there...."

The young woman looked around in bafflement and a hint of fear. "I swear, I've never stolen anything..."

[Kender Bard]

The guard stared in open shock as well.

"There! There, you see?" the man declared triumphantly. People were openly murmuring to one another now and a crowd was beginning to form. "And I can prove it's mine! There's a silver and three copper in there."

The guard took the little coin purse from Raindrop and upended it in his palm. The quoted amount fell into his hand. He swallowed hard and replaced it, giving the purse back to the man. "Lady Calder, you'll have to come with me."

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop nodded numbly, still looking shocked and confused. She glanced around the crowd, hoping desperately for the sight of a friendly face and wishing it wasn't Talon's day off. Suddenly having a bodyguard didn't seem such an inconvenience. He would have spoken for her, insisted she hadn't stolen a thing.

This didn't make any sense. "I want my father," she said quietly.

[Kender Bard]

"Lord Calder will be notified, of course," the guard agreed. He didn't want to manacle the liege lord's daughter so held her by the wrist instead, lightly. Brat though she seemed to be at times, she was still of the highest ranked noble house. "And you come too, both of you. Did anyone else bear witness?"

No one else stepped forward. With his victim, thief, and witness in tow, the guard led them all back to the guard house. "Ah." He looked nervous. "I'll have to ask you to stay in the empty cell there, miss. I won't even lock it but, you know... appearances. And we'll fetch your father now."

[Northen Light36]

Raindrop shivered slightly, but gave the guard a greatful look when he said he wouldn't lock it. She couldn't stand locked doors, it brought back memories of Ekaitz, and being in the cell would be bad enough. "I understand, sir," she said quietly, much subdued by the whole mess.

Quietly she walked into the cell, sitting on the bed and trying to figure this out.

[Kender Bard]

Meanwhile a young guard in training was sent off to fetch his Lordship while the guard spoke with the "victim" and the witness at length.

Just as Lord Calder arrived, a decision seemed to have been made and the guard seemed much relieved. He bowed to Saph. "Your Lordship, I'm sorry you had to be dragged down here over this," he told Saph.

[Northen Light36]

"Just tell me what's going on?" Saph snapped. "I can hardly believe what I've heard. My daughter? Accused of stealling a purse? What is this nonsense? And where's Raindrop?"

As normally good natured and friendly as Saph was with his people, he was firecely protective of his family and that showed now in the Lord's fury.