Flames in the Night

[channe]

Agnieszka had a nice, healthy sunburn -- the sun would *bother* her, surely, but it didn't bother her as much as Jirai getting a break. There were a few things she could do -- play ignorant, of course, but by now she was plainly sure that Jirai knew that she knew. And plainly sure that Jirai thought she could get away with it. Dare she make it official?

Well. That's something Agnie could play with.

"Why'd ya do it?" she says. "I know it was you. You don't even know us."

[Jirai]

There was no proof. Jirai had been careful, and anything she had missed would have been found by Suede the following day. If either of them had happened to miss something, it would have been the Straka confronting her, not this farmgirl, this would-be warrior. She smiled up at the girl, the scars on her face contorting the expression. She could only imagine how her response would irritate the girl.

"Do what? Help you?"

[Isobella]

So many farms lost in the fire.. it seemed the Miller farm had been affected as well, all lost and burned to the ground, and a family of 11 now out on their own. They had returned to Dulcie's new home.. that of she and the husband she had wed in secret. Much had changed in her absence from the tavern. She had disappeared without a trace and even now her family was in shock to see the changes that had occured. The daylight barn-raising was a bit much for her, instead wandering to the now deserted farm in the dead of night to see what could be salvaged, just a figure cloaked in dark robes with a face that seemed even paler in the moonlight. Much had been lost, and in turn had also been gained.

[channe]

"Help me?" the girl squeals. A hand goes out, accusingly, to where the fields lay blank where they should be growing wheat and grain. All of a sudden, her well-laid plans fall away, victim to her growing anger.

"You were the one that burned th' farm. Don't try t' deny it, 'cause I know it's true," she says, spitting the words.

[Jirai]

She sighed patiently, staring at the girl. "Why in the nine hells would I do that, Agnieszka? As you've so eloquently pointed out, I know none of you." Of course, Jirai had never needed a reason for what she did. Ability to do it was enough.

"Honestly, girl. If I was going to burn down a farm, it sure wouldn't be yours." What a liar. She just smiled slightly, up at the girls anger. "Now, if you really want to accuse me of something like this, then you'd better have some proof. Do you?"

[channe]

For a moment, she'd like to burst out with some kind of coup-de-grace, that will simultaneously prove that Jirai set the fire, and prove that Agnieszka was in the right. But there's nothing, except for the lint in her pockets.

But the drow's constant denying of the fact has been poking away at Agnie's mind, sowing doubt.

"No. But you wouldn't leave any, so says everybody," she spits back. "An' now yer back to prove that yer just a lovely, helpin' soul. Well, I don't believe it, not 'til my dying day, an' someday I'll find somethin' that'll land you in gaol or worse. Trust me on that."

[Jirai]

She laughed at the girl. Laughed. "Well, Agnieszka," And she would completely slaughter the name, as most people probably did. "It's always good to have a goal in your life." With that, she would flourish a mocking bow towards the farm-girl and then turn back to her work.

[channe]

Slaughter her name? Jirai did more than slaughter it. Agnie bristles, her hands making fists behind her back. There'd be another day -- she bites her tongue to keep herself from calling after the drow with words that would certainly get her in trouble with her mother.

She'll stomp off towards the gathering of workers by the pot-luck, where there's water and food to be had. When that was over, she'd have Jirai stuck with the team at the top of the newly-raised center spire.

She's heard drow hate heights.

[Isobella]

Strange, how the other families seemed to have banded together.. and hers left all out on their own. Dulcie found herself lurking about in that area where they had all gathered. This new sense of hearing was remarkable.. the things she could pick up on from so far away in the tree top where she had settled herself. The girl seemed to think that the drow had started the fires.. perhaps Jirai was a good person to begin with then. There had to be someone to blame for all of this afterall.. and what use were these new found powers if she didn't have someone to unleash them upon. Her eyes follow along the movements of the drow, waiting for her to leave before finally leaping down from that tree. She would be watching now.

[Jirai]

Jirai was, quite frankly, always a good person to start with, when bad things happened. If she wasn't responsible, odds were that she knew who was. The trick was getting her to admit anything. It generally required large sums of money.

Anyway, she would finish out the day working at the farm, at all of the hardest tasks that Agnieszka had managed to set her. Then she would depart, without another word to anyone as the setting of the sun brought relief to her aching eyes.

[Dhugal]

John Bates had noticed the exchange ..harsh words from one woman
and cool bemusement from the other. And yet..and yet...it still
niggled at him,the origin of this fire. He kept an eye on the one
accused of the crime for the rest of the time she was there, and when
work and oppurtunity arose, alerted the other Pritchites of her
presence. Alll of them would discretely look at her and memorize
what physical characteristics they could see, and pass the description
along to those keeping watch over their fields.
He noticed that scoundrel councilor Suede had not appeared this
day as he had on another. No matter. Every Pritchite there had
seen him off far enough away that he wouldn't have to exert
himself a whit to help those who needed help. Typical councilor.
It had been seen..and it would be remembered.

[channe]

A letter would be sent one day, scrawled by a semi-practiced hand on a very ordinary sheet of paper, to the house of Ezekiel Jones.

dear Mister Jones, it reads. We are very Greatful for all the Things you and your family and the Others have done for our Farm after the Fire, and the Materials for the new Barn and the Seeds for the new Garden. We are in your Debt sir and will pray for you and your Familey in this time of Hardship for you are a true and good Neighbor.

Your humble and Obedient servant,
Thomas Baker of Baker Farm

[NightSteel]

It wouldn't be long before a letter returned from the Jones farm, addressed to Thomas Baker.

To Mr. Baker, and everyone else upon your farm-

My husband has passed away two days hence, from the heat of working upon the Rememdium, according to the doctor. I know that if he were still here, he would tell you to save your thanks and worry about taking care of yourselves. In fact, I didn't see why he was so all-fired anxious to help you. But he said to me, 'Sarah, we're going to do it because they would do it for us.'

So, Mr. Baker, if you wish to honor my husband, then remember what he has given. And when someone is next in need, give in turn. I may not have understood Ezekiel very well, but I know that that's what he would have wanted.

Sarah Jones