It was just past lunchtime when the dogs rejoined us and we walked up to Tilton's door and knocked. After around a minute Tilton came to the door and opened it.
Tilton looks at us, and the cart, then says, "Can I help you?"
"Yes." I say with a firm nod, then pause condensing what occurred, as Tilton hates info dumps. "These two tried to take your ward, Thomas, to a goblin camp. I bribed Thomas to come back to town with us instead. Then we went to find them... they were unconscious already. I didn't beat them, though I'd like to. Is that to much info?"
He takes a breath and says, "Come inside, and bring them with you."
"Thank you," I replied, fetching Lana as Plight got Ash. "I have wake blossom in my pack." I give a wicked grin and we bring them in. I told the dogs to wait outside.
Tilton directs us with where to put them, and we do so. Which was the middle of his studies floor. He then leaned his hips against his desk, looking us over. His face unreadable.
I know what's coming, as he leans back over his desk and opens a drawer, bringing out a thick stack of papers. He sets the stack of papers on the desk next to him, and I feel myself starting to give a small and sweet smile. His eyes return to me as he sighs. He then, picks the papers back up and offers them to me, and says "Tell me what you see."
I pick my hands up defensively, and reply, "If those are from who I think they are, then I am fully aware of their contents- or lack thereof. I could not persuade her against her course of action on THAT. I told her, if she is intimidated enough by you to not do these things when she is within easy reach, that she should probably not be doing them. Her response was a grin and 'Oh, I know.' She also said when I relay the story to you, whenever and however we got to meet, that- well, you'd be exasperated for one, or that'd be what you put on, and you would then deem the conversation useless."
He set the stack back down, and simply stated, "She knows me so well, then why are you here, within easy reach?"
To this I give him a reproachful look, and I said, "Tilton, I'm positive you have been fully made aware of why I ended up here. Because I snuck away, under her nose. And I am sure, she is beside herself because of it."
"Oh, you have no idea," Tilton said in a low voice, "you see, the letters are not enough to convey this. Now, she Sends, sometimes twice a day."
I gave an uncertain look, "I didn't 100% fully grasp the consequence of my actions. When I took them I only wanted to give myself the best chance of getting the most space away from home, and giving Father enough time to damage control as much as possible to not have her chase me and drag me back.... And I'm sure he is still fighting her." I clasped my hands before myself and continued. "So she's probably going to harass you, until I return. Though, its not like she hasn't already been."
"Indeed," Tilton agrees, darkly, "The letters I could ignore. Whereas the Sending is a constant stab to my mind until I answer."
I ponder for a moment, then offer, "You could, potentially, get something placed within the house in a common area that she uses frequently, like the dining room, that has your voice saying, 'Hello, Snow' and I guarantee you that she will stop- for a short time. Or maybe have a heart attack. Not sure. But you could have it activated anytime she got within a certain range of it. And then you could continue your game of cat and mouse from a distance."
"It's not much of a game of cat and mouse when she can cheat." He replies.
"By running? If you chose to, I know you can catch her. She said you CAN catch her. She said Kershka kept that from happening. And she's not around Kershka-"
He interrupts me then, holding up his hand, "Wait. Kershka and Bibs are not with her?"
"Never met them." I reply.
He gives an exasperated sigh, then. "They should've been at your home before you left."
"They most certainly were not. Why were they supposed to be there?" I asked, puzzled.
"Kershka wanted to meet the rest of you. And Bibs was intrigued on how humans are getting along within a Leonin family." Tilton stated.
"It's easier with Bit not having an alien in his head." I replied.
"Yes. I know about your Quori. If they haven't got to you by that point, then something has weigh laid them along the path." Tilton said, concerned.
"I can't imagine for long, they're quite capable." I stated, trying to comfort him.
"They are. Which means they should have reached your home about a week before you left.... I'd assumed they'd been delayed and that was why I had not received word they got there. And then YOU ran away from home, so I suspected, even if they had arrived she had been preoccupied." He responded.
"To be honest if they had shown up, I would have delayed the... leaving." I said in a near bashful tone.
"The beginning of your little adventure," He replied cynically, "your life on the lam."
"Not really that since they know exactly where I am." I replied.
"Trust me, Child, there is no where on this continent you could hide." Tilton stated.
"Not if Father so chose." I agreed. "That's why I left the letters."
Deciding the conversation was over, Tilton said, "Hand me your wake bloom."
I retrieved them and handed them to him. "May I ask you a question, separate from this sentence?" I asked in a polite tone.
He took out a mortar and pestle and placed an herb into it, then added my wake blossoms. "What is your question?"
"What's your opinion on Mills?" I asked, face turning red. "He isn't simple..."
"He is a fine hunter and he has done nothing to disturb the peace. Why?" Tilton replies.
My face turns redder. "Is this something I need to inform your parents of?" Tilton asks seeing my reaction.
"I-I sent a letter!" I announce, embarrassed and squirming. "I talked to him mentally and he didn't freak out .." Face turned redder somehow, and my voice is a little more high pitched, "and he kissed me.. I couldn't scare him off at all and he's heard of Uncle and Father!"
"Yes, I imagine he would've." Tilton replied evenly, almost mercifully. "Well, you could do far worse than Mills."
I felt quite pleased with Tilton's approval and couldn't help the small smile that lit me blushing and lowered face.
Tilton offers the wake blossom mixture to me, advising me to not get it near my face. I retort that I would only touch it with tongs if they were readily available. Tilton also orders me to only wake one a time. To Plight, I said "Tilton knows way more about plants then even I do."
Plight gives a slight appreciative look, but stays quiet as I apply the mixture to Lana. As soon as I did her expression contorted, and she jerked her head back violently and screaming.
"Glad I left the dogs outside." I said in an off-hand manner.
My voice appeared to have cut through her terror. "What the fuck, Saria!" Lana shouted. "Untie me!"
Tilton stepped into her vision now, leaned a little towards her and said, "No, I don't think she will."
"Who're you!?" Lana gasped.
"I am Tilton, the Mayor of the town you are in," Tilton explained, "which is Dueling Rivers, if you managed to forget."
"Mayor? How'd I get here? Why am I tied up?" She noticed Ash, "What's wrong with Ash?"
"Awfully demanding little thing, aren't you? You see when you come into my town and try to take MY ward to a goblin den, you see, there are problems that arise from that. Thomas is under my care, and the care of the town. You doing something as STUPID as taking an eight year old child to a goblin den makes me question whether or not you are useful. And if you are not useful, then I do not need you here." Tilton explained, grimly.
"I wanted to adopt Thomas," Lana announced.
My mouth dropped open and I stared at Tilton in shock, dumbfounded by her words. Tilton, however, laughed softly and said "I would probably let you if I wanted that blood on my hands."
"What does that mean?" Lana demanded.
"I owe you no explanation. Just know, if you pull something like this again, I will have you removed from this town if you are not already dead." Tilton replied.
Lana scoffed offendedly, "Fine. Untie me and I'll go."
"I am not the one who rescued you so I will not be rescuing you here. You are not my ward and you are not my problem. And the next time you demand something from me, I will show you what that gets you." Tilton replied.
Lana turned her scorn onto me. I ignored her. "Wake the next now?" I asked.
"Yes. We might as well get it done." Tilton nodded.
So, I applied it to Ash. She screamed louder than Lana, I had to control my reflex to knock her back out, it was tempting. Lana tried calming her verbally, then attempted to cast a spell called Calm Emotions, but Tilton covered Lana's mouth.
Watching them for a second, and feeling like my ears may bleed, I took my dagger and placed the iron flat against her skin, not cutting her, just letting the cold of the blade cut through her panic. "Argh!" She protested, panting and looking around. Once she'd calmed I put away my knife and she says, "Is this some kinda sex thing?"
I frown at her in disgust. "No magic in my office. Try that again, and I will silence you." Tilton said to Lana.
"I've got magic." Ash says, incorrectly reading the room. Lana nods, confirming understanding. Ash was unbothered, it appears.
Tilton looks at her and says "I am not surprised that goblins were able to knock the both of you out now."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash asked.
"Ash.. just be quiet and listen so we can go." Lana says in an almost sing-song tone between clenched teeth.
"I'm listening," Ash says, "and asking questions."
"Somehow I doubt, you can multiclass like that. Now to make this simple. You tried to take a child to a goblin den. That's a no-no. If you do something so idiotic like that again, I will have you removed from the town. I need people who are competent, not fools." Tilton said.
"I'm smart." Ash whines. "And who knows, he could have helped us. Besides, I was just doing what Lana said."
"Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Ash." Lana quipped.
I sighed a little. "I don't think they can learn. Done with them?"
"I am. I will need to inform my guards to keep a closer eye on them. If you would be so kind as to drag them out somewhere." Tilton said. It was an order, not a request.
"Of course. May I visit you socially on occasion?" I ask.
"I am the Mayor. Anyone may come and talk." Tilton replied.
I grinned and said "You'd have been safer denying the request. Thank you, Tilton. Let's go, Plight." I giggle as we take the girls and leave.
Once outside I look at Plight. "So, what do we want to do with them, now? Tilton gave permission to do as we please."
Plight gives me a small smile, then leans towards them and asks, "Which of you two, do you think, can chew through rope faster?"
"What?" Ash says.
"I don't know?" Lana says, confused.
"Well, you can figure it out, or we could leave you both facing the opposite way." Plight says amicably.
"Or you could untie us." Ash replies in a similar tone as Plight.
"No, I don't think I will." Plight states.
"What the hell, Plight." Ash says.
"Why?" Lana says.
"Let's say I am firmly against the exploitation of children." Plight said.
"We could roll them that way. There are trees that would keep them from rolling into the river." I note.
"Look," Ash says, "we're sorry, ok?"
Seeing Plight be reluctant, I sigh. "Ok, Deerling." I snag both girls' arms and start walking them down the side of the hill. The dogs circle around us, curiously. I situate them, back to back, near the tree line. I then return to Plight and tell him, "Lets take care of this cart, shall we?"