Passing on the Ring (Plot)

[Northen Light36]

Zevran let go of Acqua and Mat once they'd arrived at the guild and bowed. "Safely home my lord and lady, as promised." He looked to Mat, "My lord, I fear a jump to Talen'sul will be beyond me tonight and I do have business in Ilyamen..."

"I'll make my own arrangements," Mat assured him, since Zevran had spoken of his mission from Taed. "Be careful, both of you."

Roni, sitting down to a quiet dinner with Vi looked over to see who's arrived and grinned. "Well look who's home, Vi." He nodded towards Acqua and Mat, then frowned a little as he considered Zevran. He didn't like the handsome assassin, for all he came across as good natured and friendly.

[Kender Bard]

For a moment, Virgo's eyes filled with warmth and joy at the sight of her Lord and Lady. She glanced at Zevran as well but didn't give him much thought. She didn't have many dealings with the other man, hadn't spoke to him much or gotten to know him. "Lord and Lady," she agreed with a nod. "When we're done eating, I'll have to welcome them home. She frowned suddenly. "And make sure they're okay..."

[Northen Light36]

Virgo wasn't the only one to want to welcome home their lord and lady. Mat and Acqua were all but swarmed by welcoming fellow thieves and for awhile the pair were visibly happy to greet and chat with their fellow thieves and to sit down to a good meal. After they'd eaten, Mat gave Acqua a quick hug and a fond kiss before heading over to one of the guild minds and being teleported away.

Zevran slipped into the background after a bit, finding a quiet corner and sipping a drink as he watched Virgo thoughtfully, considering how best to approach her.

[Kender Bard]

"I missed the chance to say goodbye," Virgo noted once Mat was gone. That hurt. She loved her Lady, but she was a little more fond of Mat. Oh well. "We'll have to catch him the next time he's here." She smiled lovingly at Roni. "I'm going to check the job board and then we can head to our room."

She wasn't really going to look at the job board. It was her code word for checking out their fellow guildmates. She liked to do so at least once a day. She slipped away and made herself over to where the jobs were posted, pretending to study them even as she shifted to the side to watch some of the guild out of the corner of her eye.

[Northen Light36]

The guild was beginning to settle down again now that the excitement of Acqua and Mat's arrival had died down a little. From where Acqua was sitting, she caught Virgo's eye and then wandered over to apparently check out the job board as well. "Talk to Zev," she muttered very quietly under her breath. "Then come see me." In a more normal tone, she remarked, "Nothing here that particularly suits me. Pity." With that she wandered off again to get a drink.

[Kender Bard]

Virgo hadn't betrayed anything but she had been quite startled. Well, she wasn't one to ignore an order. She walked away from the job board and looked at Zevran. Forces, how was she supposed to approach that man casually? He was such a flirt, and Virgo... Wasn't. She walked closer, offering him a shy and uncertain smile. "Your name is Zevran, right?"

[Northen Light36]

Zevran smiled and gave a little bow. "Ah, my reputation preceeds me does it? Alas, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad, though it is certainly a pleasure to meet you... Virgo, is it not?" He smiled, his tone and expression playful, but his eyes deadly serious. "Always a pleasure to see another Taedian." ~I have a message, and a token, for you from our Lord. And I do not meant Mat.~

[Kender Bard]

Virgo's mind radiated puzzlement at that. What the...? We need privacy then. "Speaking of Taedean affairs, I picked up an interesting bit of gossip at the temple that I think you will find amusing in regards to the high priest." She beckoned and walked out of the room to slip into a private, empty room.

[Northen Light36]

"Ah, gossip! My favourite hobby." Laughing, Zevran followed Virgo into the room and dropped the act the moment the door was closed, becoming deadly serious. "Now Virgo, what do you know about the current demon situation?" he asked bluntly. "I don't want to waste time going over things you already know."

[Kender Bard]

"Demons are running rampant," Virgo replied. "And there might have been a major attack in Talen'sul from them. Beyond that..." She shrugged. "There's a lot of different demons and they can be blunt or covert."

[Northen Light36]

"There was a major attack in Talen'sul," Zevran replied. "Lady Kit was lucky to escape with her life." He sighed. "Many of our guildmates were less lucky... But that isn't what I need to talk to you about. The Forces are working on a plan to stop the plague of demons infecting Naruta, and they are chosing mortals to assist them. Lady Kit is a chosen of Etaf, Lord Mat a chosen of Soahc... Myself, I was chosen by Lord Taed. As were you, if you accept this." He held out the ring.

[Kender Bard]

Virgo's mouth fell open. Her? Chosen? By Taed himself. Her knees felt weak but she managed to keep from staggering or collapsing. With a trembling hand, she took the ring. "Thank you, my lord," she whispered and slid it on unhesitatingly. There were no doubts complications to being Chosen, but Virgo brushed them aside. Her lord had called and she would answer.

She shivered as the ring attuned. "Now what?" she asked softly.

[Northen Light36]

"One of Taed's other chosen has betrayed our Lord and sold himself to the demons," Zevran replied. "I've been assigned the task of sending him to explain himself to Taed in person." He considered Virgo. "We could team up, or you could guard Lady Kit. Up to you."

[Kender Bard]

"How much time do I have to think about it?" Virgo asked. On one hand, she wanted to do Taed's bidding quite badly. But on the other hand, it would be difficult to so suddenly leave Ilyamen. She had her father to consider. And Roni...

[Northen Light36]

Zevran frowned, considering. "I don't... exactly... have a time limit," he replied slowly. "But on the other hand, my target will know I'm coming for him... I can give you until noon tomorrow, but no longer I'm afraid."