An Innocent Day Turns Deadly

[DeathsAngel]

Belron nodded and sighed. "First of all, I don\'t think we can keep this among us. I know Malken\'ll guess something\'s wrong, and if he can, so can Keara. And the best way for them to find out is if we tell them, that way we can explain why they can\'t act." He said from experience with working with young hotheads. "But not until Keara\'s a little better, and certainly not tomorrow. Malken won\'t notice much of anything tomorrow." He chuckled lightly. "Poor lad."
 
He might have said more, but that was the when the rucus started. He waited patiently as they took Belevor away, shaking his head. It could be true, he could have been the leak, but from his experience in life, nothing was ever that simple. And whenever he started to believe it was, something bad happened. No, he doubted that he was the only supporter of this Delegroth, he probably had a whole troup of people, one\'s up front about it, but better ones, too. And sleepers, those were the msot dangerous, for they didn\'t even contact with their secret allies, until it was too late.
 
After they had gone he shook his head. "It\'s never that easy. He\'s probably got a hell of a lot of support, but we\'ll see was this Belevor reveals, though if Delegroth has any sleepers, a low life like him won\'t know about them." He sighed deeply, his expression grace. "Well, let\'s get this over with, then we can have a few more drinks and you head back on home. No sense loosing well needed sleeper over a rogue who thinks himself the Almighty himself." He smiled a "small" smile, which for him isn\'t really that small. "I\'m goin\' to need all the sleep I can get to deal with Malken in the morning. HA!"
 
He smiled lowered and he nodded to Thomas, following the other ranger to the back to question the prisoner. He didn\'t know how the Rangers questioned prisoners, but he would have nothing relating to torture... That wasn\'t too say a few threats couldn\'t be made. And Belron had just the nasty preputation to get away with only threats.

[Idrial]

Thomas and Gerhard were quite as they walked to where the traitor to the Rangers was being held, Thomas knew he had to keep his composure about this matter and leave his feelings behind. He also had to leave out the fact that this use to be a Ranger, and now for the choices he had made he was no longer worthy to be called one. He had to view this as just another prisoner holding valuable information that had to be extracted, nothing more and nothing less. As they approached the spot Thomas could clearly see two other Rangers hoisting him into the air, his body bound tightly in a coil of ropes. Belevor’s feet hung at least several inches off the ground, he glared at Thomas coldly his lips tightly shut. Thomas stopped several feet from Belevor addressing the man in a high and orderly tone, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way Belevor, It’s your choice.” Thomas crossed his arms and tapped his foot on the ground, Belevor said nothing.

“Speak now Belevor, the longer you hold out the less of a chance you have of escaping the death penalty. You speak now and the worst you can get is a year in solitary confinement. Maybe a chance to regain your title.” Gerhard spoke in cold and aloof tone and still Belevor said nothing. Gerhard nodded his head as the two Rangers hoisted him several feet into the air, Thomas held out his hand when he felt it was high enough. He dropped his hand and with it came Belevor, smashing into the trunk of the tree which knocked the breath out of him. Thomas spoke once again in a more cold tone than usual, “Like I said Belevor we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The longer you continue this silent treatment the higher you go up, the harder you come down.” Belevor looked at Thomas and spat on the ground. The two Rangers looked at Thomas once again and he nodded his head, and Belevor made his way upwards only this time he went higher.

After a few rounds of silence Belevor spoke for the first time, “You can’t … Break me … My brother will come …” Thomas whacked him with his fist making Belevor’s head hit the tree trunk before he could say anything else about Delegroth, “He isn’t coming for you Belevor, he could care less if you lived or died. He only cares about his selfish needs not about family morals. You’re nothing but a pawn in his plan.” Belevor only stared at Thomas, Gerhard stepped forward speaking, “Listen to the man Belevor, if your brother truly concerned he would have came by now, All the Rangers, even the King and his personal Guards know we have you. Delegroth would no doubt know this too …” Belevor looked at them with anger on his face, the Rangers waited for a response from the man.

Thomas grabbed him bringing him just inches away from face, “He has you brainwashed, open up your eyes young one. You worked alongside with Keara for two years; she picked you up and gave you faith when others thought you would fail. She thought of you like a brother…” Thomas was suddenly interrupted by Belevor’s voice, “Like … Like a … Brother …” Thomas nodded thoughtfully at Belevor before letting him go letting him swing back and forth, “And this is how you re-pay her for the acts of kindness, by going off and telling Delegroth that she is alive, Once again putting her life in danger.” Thomas hung his head and shook it gravely. Gerhard stepped forward two paces before stopping,”Belevor think of this, Remember when it was you, your brother and Keara on the night we were hunting Hanson and his gang on murders and thieves. Who saved your ass and who left you to fend for yourself?” Belevor looked at him with sorrowful eyes, “Delegroth left me … He said I was capable, but I wasn’t. Keara risked her life … For me … Dear Talon what have I done.” The man hung his head and cried in silence as he had realized that his brother had played him for a fool.

“Cut him down, We will continue this tomorrow.” As Thomas started to walk away Belevor called for him, “Thomas … I … I …” He walked towards the lad and clasped his hand on his shoulder giving it a light squeeze, “You did the right thing … Will Delegroth … “ Belevor now cringed at his brother’s name, “No he won’t strike tonight … “ Thomas nodded before exiting the scene with Belron on his heels.

As he made it back to the porch, leaning over the rail while sighing, “ I am too old for this for this shit …” He sighed once again.

[DeathsAngel]

Belron stayed back watching, like a deadly shadow ready to strike if needed, but would stay back until then. Though, once, when he saw Thomas coldly order him thrown. On a whole it wasn\'t that bad, but not much farther it would turn in to torture. He had heard of the Ranger\'s coldness, but he wondered how far it would go. How far Thomas would go. But he didn\'t say anything, and wouldn\'t for a while yet.
 
Then he started to talk. Honor was one of the highest qualities of the Rangesr, so he wasn\'t surprised when pushed, his sense honor would make him talk. Belron felt like spitting in his face. Honor! He didn\'t know the meaning. Belron had seen men die before spilling, killing himselves with hidden poison more often than not. First he betrayed the Rangers, than he betrayed the one he had turned to at the first sign of danger.
 Belron just felt lucky that he didn\'t have to find out how far Thomas would go if it went to torture. He felt lucky that he didn\'t have to find out how far he himself would go.
 
He nodded absently, "Put him in the stables for the night, and set up guard." It wasn\'t his place to order the Rangers, but it was his estate, and he knew what he was doing.
 "Come," He said, turning from the doorway to Thomas, leanign over the railings. "I suddenly feel like I need a drink... A very large drink!" He sighed himself, entering the house.
 He hollored for his cook, who already had two half-pint tankards of ale for them. "No need t\' be screamin\', Milord." She replied with a tired smile.
 "Rough night." He said taking the drink and sitting at the kitchen table tiredly. "Get some sleep."
 "I\'ll try, Milord." She curtsied and left.
 He gestured for Thomas to sit next to him, and stared moodily into his drink with a sigh.

[Idrial]

Thomas followed Belron into the house when he heard the word drink; he would have drunk anything at this point. Before entering Thomas turned around to address Gerhard, “Have two rangers set up on post, one on the entrance and one halfway down the road. And If Belevor tries anything, you know the drill.” Gerhard nodded before disappearing once again into the darkness.  He once again followed Belron into the house, with nothing but everyone’s safety on his mind as well as that drink that Belron had offered.

He willing sat down beside Belron, taking a large draught of his drink. He leaned back in his chair letting his head fall backwards and a large sigh escape his lips. There was nothing but silence for a few moments, which seemed more like an eternity. He really didn’t want to discuss the matter at hand but it was something that couldn’t be simply ignored for a single moment. He lifted his head reluctantly looking at Belron with eyes that were deep in thought; silence was still with Thomas for a few more moments before he spoke to Belron.

“I would like your input on this Belron, What would be your course of action in a situation like this? I can only think of one but I would like your input first, if you do not mind.” Thomas took another swig of his drink before placing it back down on the table with a soft thunk. He needed someone’s input, one that wasn’t or hasn’t been affiliated with the rangers intimately.

[DeathsAngel]

Belron thought for a moment. "My first course of action, Thomas, would be to drink and get a nights sleep. There\'s nothing we can do tonight that would make a damned difference!" He leaned back in his chair, his face still thoughtful. "After that, well, this isn\'t my areas of expertise, I\'m usually the one planning the assualt. So I don\'t really know, until after we find out what information this Belevor has... Than I\'d find that son of a whore, Delegroth, and beat the shit out of him! Before sending him to the gallows to be hung!" His deep voice rumbled with anger.
 
"But other than that... I can\'t think of a damned thing." He shrugged and took another swig of his ale. Damn good ale it was, too. "Especially how to fill Malken and Keara in without them running off to kill him their lonesome selves." He looked into his already mostly drained mug, watching the tiny ripples hit the edge and ricochet back. "So... What options do you see, friend?" He asked after a moment to regain calm.

[Idrial]

Thomas nodded at Belron, he was right there was nothing they could do tonight with little information they had in their hands. All they could do was drink and get a good night’s rest, it was something that Thomas didn’t want for he wanted to act but there was nothing to act upon with very little details about Delegroth or his whereabouts. Thomas took another sip of his ale, Keara was right this man did have good taste and he was to be offered such a fine drink.

Thomas bobbed his head at Belron’s input, it was good that the man had tried to help and any input would had been fine with Thomas even if it wasn’t all that helpful to the situation. He thought long and hard about what he was about to say towards the two new lovers, it was the only thing he could think of at the moment. He stared into his mug almost empty mug, swirling it around in his hand. He looked up at Belron still swirling the ale in the mug with a gentle moving motion of his hand, “ I think that the best option would not to fill them in, but even then if either one of them found out we would have no way of knowing until we find an empty bed in the morning. Like I said before Malken would be easy to track, Keara on the other hand is a different story.” He sighed once more not knowing what to do or how to attempt to control the situation, “The only thing I can think of is to put bars over their windows and lock their doors, maybe even chain them to their bloody beds. And don’t let them out till this whole thing blows over.” He gave a small chuckle, on that was not out of humor but out of spite of not knowing what else to do.  

He raised a hand to the bridge of his nose and gave it a small squeeze, “The only other option I do see is to inform them even though I know what lies ahead if we do. Keara was never one to let a criminal get away; she’d track for week’s even months if she had too. Either to bring the man back dead or alive, that is what I am scared of now. She has a reputation of being very loyal and ruthless in more ways than one. She has been in situations like this before where her life was on the line but she shows no fear, she is brave like her mother.” He gave a small smile before drinking the last of his ale in one swallow before continue, “ I am afraid that if we do tell them and even if I promise her not to go I am afraid to find an empty bed in the morning and not being able to find her until it is too late, My original thought was to fake Keara’s death and maybe it would lure Delegroth out just enough for him to make a mistake. But then I am afraid you would find an empty bed in the morning and your boy gone and I do not want to put Malken in danger under false pretenses. As talented as he is with a sword in his hand, I know he wouldn’t come out alive. “ He looked at his glass once again only to remember it was empty, he sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. He gently set the glass on the table before him, “Even though I do not want to tell them I believe that’s it’s the best thing to do or like you said before only tell Malken but knowing how close those two are I’m sorry to say I do not think he would be able to keep something like that from Keara, even if he did she would sense something is wrong and believe me she is good at getting things out of people without them realizing it until it is too late. In other words we might as well tell them but like you said not until Keara is a little better and stronger.” Thomas nodded his head, any sort of input  on what he had said was surely welcomed.

[DeathsAngel]

Belron leaned back in his chair, willing his mind to think of smart ideas, but his initial reaction to this(or any) situation was to charge, kill him, and think afterwards. He mentally snorted. Overtrained, that was what he was. Damned overtrained.
 
"If she promised, I doubt she\'d break her word. But we\'ll just have to be careful." He shrugged. "In the morning, we\'ll bring the traitor to town and question him officially, then go find Delegroth and beat the shit out of him." He snorted. "Then hand over to the officials." He drained his mug, and looked out the window. "That\'s all there really is to it. The sooner we find the damned fool the easier life gets. Then all we have to worry about is the horrors of marriage." He chuckled, it was more from the alcohol than from any sense of humor.
 
"From my experience, I tend not to dwander on dead-end discussions, especially ones I can\'t finish. It gets depressing after a while. So there any other news I need to know?" He asked. He had noticed that it was getting late and Thomas would have to head home soon, not to mention that in his old age he wasn\'t able to stay active as much. Fatigue, damned noisance! Didn\'t happen before Merea died. But then again, a lot of things had changed then, he\'d just have to grow used to it and deal. Maybe it would get better, after all, Malken had. In one bloody night!
 
((OOC: I believe we\'re starting to get to the end of another day, do we want to continue on this thread or start yet another or something else?))

[Idrial]

Thomas nodded at Belron; there was nothing more he would like to do than to beat the shit out of Delegroth. Maybe break a couple a ribs and an arm while he was at it before he turned him over to the Royal Knights. Although in reality the only thing he could do was give the man a broken nose for what he did to Keara, but for Thomas any sort of pain he could deliver to the man was good enough.  

Thomas couldn’t help but give a small smile with the mention of the word wedding, “Ah yes marriage. The horror of it indeed, the invitation’s, food, drinks, setting a date, booking a bloody church, decorating. Then theirs Keara’s dress, Malken’s Tux, Oh god yours and my Tux. Great shopping with Millia should be tons of fun with that one, I remember shopping with her for my wedding, Mark did not like that experience. We fought the whole way through it we did; Mark had to deal with her afterwards. Bless his soul.” It had been almost 5 years since Mark had died, and still Millia was as strong as ever both in mind and soul.

Thomas looked out the window, not realizing how long he had actually stayed. He slowly rose from his chair, “I thank you for the drink Belron but I should be heading home, hopefully Millia won’t tan my hide for staying out so late.” He gave a slight chuckle before walking to the door and making his exit.

(Occ We could start a new thread on the capture of Delegroth, or we could say we captured him and get on with the wedding. It’s up to you. )

[DeathsAngel]

Belron listened as the man rambled, but didn\'t say anything until Thomas stood to leave. Then, standing to walk Thomas to the door, he said "Yes, it\'s time you head home. Don\'t worry about Belevor, he won\'t go anywhere, and even if he doesn break away from your Rangers, I have this place well guarded by many different means, he won\'t get far."
 
Belron nodded courtly to Thomas as he left, thanking for his visit and telling him to get a good nights sleep. Afterwards he slowly walked up towards his room, then, gratefully sinking into his bed, he didn\'t even bother to change. Still, it was some hours before he finally drifted to sleep, dreaming of a strange mixture of weddings and rogues, not only Delegroth, but of traitors he had known in his military life. When he awoke the next morning, he would not feel at all refreshed.