Seeing To the Refugees|Neo'anar, New Anarlina

[Kender Bard]

Twilight sucked in his breath as the various transports from Khelek began to make their way in. Many people had pitched in so the amount was varied. Carriages, wagons, anything that could hold a body without them freezing to death in the process, really.

"Forces, but there's so many of them," he murmured to Dusk. Snowflake and Sunray had joined him at the top of the palace steps to overlook the people being brought in. "I hadn't imagined... I hope this means we didn't have to leave anyone behind."

"All those poor souls," Snowflake murmured mournfully. "Love watch over them and grant them respite in these trying times."

[Darastrix]

"Oh Love, I hope so, too," Dusk said to Twilight, watching the procession with her hands clasped. "The poor dears...I hope their homelands can be reclaimed, and in the not-so-distant future."

[Kender Bard]

"As do I," Twilight murmured.

Erik made his way towards the group, two men trailing behind him. Both men were dark by north Narutan standards, but one was lighter than the other. The lighter one was slightly tall, well muscled, and sported a long, blonde braid. The other was very tall but skinny and and had more golden brown hair in the same style as the first one.

"Majesties," Erik greeted, pulling his sword free of its scabbard and going down to one knee with the blade settled on the ground before him. It was considered the 'full honors' way of greeting a superior, generally not bothered with save for the most ceremonial of occasions.

Someone's showing off for the islanders, Twilight thought with amusement. But he didn't spoil the effect. "Rise, Sir Erik."

Erik did so, resheathing his blade. "I bring to you the current representatives of the refugees. These gentlemen are Guildmaster Ludis Nurzhan and Guildmaster Dylan Sukarno."

Both men bowed to the royals wordlessly.

"They're from Fire and Spice," Erik added. "The guild masters of the arts and the scholars, respectively. Their, uh..."

"Master of the Guilds," Dylan, the skinny one, supplied.

"That," Erik agreed. "He wasn't on Celentia. It's suspected he's either dead or being held on Fire and Spice. The Chief Diplomat of Second Hope did not wish to come and neither did the General Lord of Celentia. That leaves these two men in charge of the refugees for now."

"We were told that Queen Delilah made it to Naruta?" Dylan asked anxiously.

[Darastrix]

Dusk gave Dylan a reassuring smile and nodded. "She arrived in Naruta last season and is currently in the Khelek Crystalands. She and Khelek's regent are to thank for our getting word on the situation as soon as we did."

[Kender Bard]

"Then we are in a great debt to her," Ludis put in lightly. "But we are hoping to speak with her at length about the current situation."

"And I'm very certain she is eager to see her people," Twilight agreed. "However, we have more pressing details to see to at this very moment. These people are all in need of shelter until we can more firmly determine what it is we are to do with them. I've put out a request of my citizenry for families who can afford to make room for refugees in their home to do so. You gentlemen will be guests of my home, if you are not opposed."

"Not at all, Highness," Dylan answered quickly. "We're both honored and eternally grateful."

Twilight smiled slightly. "We all must help our fellow men when evil bares its fangs, gentlemen. I am pleased to render what aid I can."

"Do we just go and select a family?" Snowflake asked. She thought it was a little... awkward. Like picking out strays to take home. But it wasn't as though the crown had the time or resources to pair everyone up either.

"I guess," Sunray murmured, glancing at Dusk. "That should work, shouldn't it?"

[Darastrix]

"Perhaps it might be better if we...." Dusk gestured with both hands as she searched for words to explain her thought. "Divide them up somehow. Not splitting up families, of course, but perhaps a rough sorting by trade, maybe using the market district as a guide. Our people could take in refugees of similar trades to their own. That would give them some common ground, and it could help Firegem's people on their way to finding their feet."

[Kender Bard]

"That isn't a bad idea," Twilight agreed. "Gentlemen, will you assist me?"

"Of course," they replied in chorus and together.

It was rather slow going, given the sheer amount of people. The vast majority of the refugees had come to Anarlina after seeing the bleak and desolate landscape of Khelek. It was, lamentably, not much warmer in their new home.

People began to meet with the refugees to talk and meet with. Individuals and families began to find homes for themselves.

Since Teneth didn't really have any professional skills to speak of and neither did any of the children, their family was gently grouped with a few other guards and soldiers from the various islands. "Forces, but I hope we don't get left in the dust," Teneth murmured softly to Scarlet. "It's going to take a very generous person to take in this many mouths." Occasionally he had to reach out and keep Rose from running off. The little girl was anxious to go meet some of the new children of other families. The rest of the children were quiet and subdued, willing to stay close to their guardians.

[Darastrix]

"Generous and well-to-do," Scarlet murmured in reply, stepping closer to Teneth for warmth. She'd never imagined that such cold places could possibly exist. "Some folks might want to, but just aren't able."

[Kender Bard]

Teneth slid an arm around Scarlet's waist and drew her in close to himself. "Mm hmm."

"I hope whoever picks us has lots of kids too," Rose replied wistfully. "I want to play with the Narutans!"

"Don't hold your breath, sweetheart," Teneth told her.

Several people paused to glance at them before offering them a weak smile or avoiding eye contact and moving on. Teneth endured the looks with a sigh. He felt like he was on display for buying. It was unsettlingly reminiscent of the slave auctions in Fireteeth.

One man did stop and give them all a thoughtful look but did not move on. He was tall, muscled, and wore rich clothing to suggest wealth, but he boasted a long tabard with two crests on it--the national emblem of Anarlina on the back and a blue flaming sword on the front. "You're all one family then?" he asked.

"Yes," Teneth answered. "This is Scarlet, I'm Teneth, and these are our children."

"I'm Lord Sain Brandt," Sain introduced himself with a smile. "And I think I found the family I shall be hosting."

[Darastrix]

A lord? Scarlet thought, surprised. Well-to-do, indeed. She hoped that the Narutan nobles didn't have the same love of scandal and games as those from Grandisle, but if he would take in their family, she figured she could deal with it.

"Thank you, Lord Brandt," she replied, sighing a bit in relief. She couldn't imagine having to fend for them all in such a new place. From what she'd heard, they didn't even have the same type of money.

[Kender Bard]

Sain smiled widely and gave a deep courtly bow. "The pleasure is all mine, beautiful lady."

Teneth bowed his head, grateful, but he didn't smile back and his arm tightened a little more around Scarlet.

The children were a little awe-struck at the noble. The older children bowed to him and murmured their thanks while the younger ones fairly hopped in place with excitement, babbling happily. "A lord! A real one!"

Sain chuckled deeply. "I think I'll like having so many children in my home."

"Do you not have any?" Teneth asked.

"Aye I do," Sain told him. "I have a son, but he's still just a baby. There's my wife and my sisters as well but it's a large home and there's still plenty of room for your family. So you two are... soldiers?"

[Darastrix]

"I'm a guard," Scarlet corrected, ignoring Sain's flattery. She wasn't sure if his being married with an heir was better or worse; they'd just have to wait and see. "I attended Celentia's military school for a few years, though."

[Kender Bard]

"A noble calling," Sain remarked. "Aside from being the lord of my province, I am also one of the Beloved Knights. I wasn't able to attend. Our leader, General Emerald, told me to stay home with my family. I admit I was grateful to. And you sir? Are you a guard too?"

Teneth couldn't help it. He laughed aloud at the thought. At Sain's questioning look, he shook his head. "No, sir, I don't have any real skills to speak of. I tend the children. Back on Second Hope, I was a crier because, well, it was a job and I needed money."

"Maybe you'll find your true calling in Anarlina," Sain suggested lightly. "Well then are you all ready to go?"

"Do you live in a giant house like Aunt Ginger?" Copper asked.

"I live in a very large house, yes," Sain told the boy gravely. "You could pass a day counting all the windows!"

The children gaped at the thought. Sain laughed again. "Will you folks be wanting time to rest? I can see to it that you'll have a room at the inn tonight. Otherwise, back into a carriage you'll go."

[Darastrix]

Back into a carriage?

"That depends on how long the trip would be," Scarlet said. "If it's just a short ride, we can manage. Otherwise, I think we could use a rest." A night in someplace warm would be a Force-send. Scarlet never thought just sitting and riding could be so tiring, but in this weather and for so long, it was exhausting.

[Kender Bard]

"It'd be a bit of a ride," Sain told her with an apologetic smile. "I'll make sure you folks are comfortable in a local inn instead. I'll be back in a moment." He turned and strode purposefully through the crowds.

"What do you think of him so far?" Teneth asked Scarlet. "First impressions and all that."