Cryptic Reply & Timely Assistance

By now you moving quite swiftly, avoiding open ground by slipping between the tents assembled for the participants of the games, in spite of your rapid movement Laoda is able to stay just behind you, using your broad frame to conceal her presence.

"My Goddess now calls you God of the People, and she says that your time to join your brethren on Olympus is approaching although I believe she would prefer to see you stay with mortals. It seems that your heroic adventures and manly interactions with mortal women in every land amuse her." At least one of the pantheon supports your cause - if not necessarily for the best of reasons. Ahead of you, you see the mercenaries split apart again and you wish you had gotten a better count of how many of the bastards you had to deal with. It is made harder to track them by the fact that your thoughts are distracted by Laoda's information. "The problem lies with your father who thinks you are being punished for one of his many actions that angered the other Gods and your Mother who wants you to join the council of the gods to attempt to establish a peace with the three factions arguing at the moment." As much as you are dying to learn more of the three factions of Olympus, you silence Laoda with a raised hand.

You see the first sign of trouble as you enter the tents of the Sisters of Accor; there are no guards on duty and partially covered by a pair of scuff marks in the packed dirt is a drop or two of fresh blood. You are just in time to spot two of the men who served late Captain Nassos sneaking closer to the largest tent in the cluster.

You activate your bracelets willing them to become chains and shackles, tossing them at the cutthroats' ankles. The chains work perfectly, clasping together around the ankles as they hit. The heavy irons confine the prisoners where the stand but their shocked calls of alarm alert three of the others who you'd lost track of. One of the three tries to free his friends but he just gets locked up himself, the others charge at you but cover only three paces before the heavier of the two gets knocked over by an Amazon rushing from her tent and the other is tripped up at by a hatchling drake that although small has the reflexes and talons of an adult. Even if you had wanted to save the assassin you doubt you could have without killing the grey-scaled drakeling, in less than a heartbeat the man's screaming turns to a wet gurgle as the young drake lifts its bloody nuzzle from the man's throat. The Amazon who came to investigate the noise you've caused seems to be more surprised to find men in the compound than by her drake's bloodthirsty nature. Laoda however is smiling broadly.

"Oh, now I understand Aphrodite's interest in you. My mistress enjoys keeping secrets from me," Laoda says with a seductive purr causing you and the confused Amazon who is holding the last cutthroat to Blush. "I'm just saying, how you chained those nasty men up without harming them is extremely hot." It is impossible for you to tell if Laoda is trying to tease you or the young Amazon, but the woman reacts first turning on the Priestess with a fierceness that my be just to hide her emotions.

"Lady Laoda I'm not sure what kind of games you've planned, but it's unwise to be bringing men to our camp." She looks you up and down again, so open in her assessment of your physique that you start to understand why many free women wear long concealing robes. "I'd bet most of my sisters would love a chance at this big guy, but these others are not worth the air they breathe." The Amazon says then turns away with a saucy grin giving you a clear view of her long toned legs as she bends to check on the mercenary at her feet.

"Now that's no way to act around a king and a God, Lady Anon we're guests in his camp right now." Laoda defends you from the young Amazon. "Besides look at your hatchling it has no problem with King Bruce of Kalion." The grey-scaled hatchling is at your feet nuzzling his bloody snout against your thigh in a way that would make most men panic. You consider the young Amazon Rider before you. You remember hearing reports several years ago that the island nation was experimenting with using ships to carry Drakes over the sea, but had been led to believe that all their drakes were destroyed in the failed assault on Athenapolis. You might have to look into this strategy if you want to expand Kalion's reach to cover the seas as well as the mountains.

"I agree with Lady Anon about men not being in the area designated for the Amazons," you make your intentions clear. "And I'm sorry to be intruding but I'm only here to stop these men who are searching for your queen. However, if you're the only Amazon to investigate the noise it must be Queen Xira is not here." The priestess Laoda raises her eye while Lady Anon sweeps the hatchling from your feet holding the fearsome beast in he arms glaring at you. You're not sure if her scowl is due to her drake's fawning at your feet or because you correctly guessed that her queen is not here. The movements of the Amazon royalty and other advisors are supposed to remain secret. "I suspect that her majesty doesn't care to be yelled at where outsiders might overhear." You joke and Laoda at least smirks at your understanding of the young Queen Xira.

"You're right, King Kalion." She slips her small hand through your arm and turns towards the tangle of chained mercenaries. "Let's escort these cutthroats to the Lord Marshal to face judgment for attempted assassination or at least espionage." Laoda's plan is met by a frown from Anon.

"Laoda, we are not handing these bastards over to the Lord Marshal." She sets her drake on the ground and stands in front of the captives blocking your path. "Lady Seisa will certainly want to interrogate these men for any info on what the scumbag Aristidis Mutos and his allies are planning."