Subj : BATH] Move 13e- Who is Whom? To : All From : sstubbs@shout.net Date : Sun May 07 2000 10:00 am From: Stephen Stubbs Subject: BATH] Move 13e- Who is Whom? Jana-> approaches Ballerinara as she unties Mel's pony. "My lady, may I speak with you? I would... I MUST know what befell you with my.. my uncle. This is all so very different from what I know." He looks haunted. The initial look of concern or perhaps fear on Ballerinara's face softens into a look of compassion as Jana makes her request. "Well, it's as I was saying to the bard. Two years ago, my traveling maids and I decided to stop in at Beulah's Bath House in Waterdeep to refreshen ourselves after a month of journey. We were shown upstairs to a door of a bath room, when the attendant apologized for forgetting something or other. I don't remember now exactly why the attendant left us outside the door, but one of my maids said why wait. So we opened the door and went inside." "It was apparent that the previous bather had left in a hurry. Riding clothes, ropes, a *saddle* no less, were strewn over the tables. As we started to explore this extraordinary state of affairs, the barbarian burst into the room. He took one look at us and started shouting the name Jana and searching the room. As he made his way over to the bath tub itself, he got very quiet as he peered inside." "I got a very bad feeling and motioned for my maids to leave the room immediately. They didn't need encouragement. A moment later the barbarian is shrieking something I didn't understand and turning around with murder in his eyes. We fled for our lives." "And I've been running ever since. His people have killed some of mine, and my guards have killed some of his. Even last night when he finally captured me, the desire for revenge was so strong in him that he wouldn't listen to anything I said. He just kept going on about how I was to replace his precious Jana that was killed." Intently watching Jana's face, Ballerinara finishes. "For two years I've been running and living in constant fear of your uncle and his desire for vengence. Are you going to pick up where he left off and continue this insane Avenger of Blood quest?" > Fiera-> As the words of the ditty sink into Fiera's head, she drops the > point of the longsword to the ground and stares dumbfoundedly at Bas. > "Lyrianth??? Is it you?" [Bas] Bas grins wryly, still a little sickened at her comment. ''Try again, luv. Got the group right, but Lyrianth would've laughed outright at your warning remark there. I just about lost my lunch.'' > Looking back with defiance and gazing straight into Ballerinara's eyes, > Fiera proudly replies. "Bas Calinban would never betray me. On this I > stake my life." [Bas] Bas, having now recovered from his bout of gorge-rising, sighs heavily at this, and begins to curse, ''Oh fu-...Fiera, luv,'' he says gently, ''Bas Calinban stands before you, half his original height, and unwillingly FEMININE. You're right that I'd never betray you, but, well, that wasn't me. I've been like this since early yesterday, at least. Probably longer.'' Bas's eyes narrow slightly, ''say, how can we be sure that you're the real Fiera? With all the fakery and body-changing going on lately, you might not be, well, YOU.'' Rising from her kneeling postition before Princess Ballerinara, Fiera turns to study Bas. Before I left My Lady's camp, I made sure beyond any doubt that it was Bas Calinban that had met me. He looked like Bas, he sounded like Bas, he talked like Bas, and he smelled like Bas. He knew things that only the two of us have ever shared, if you know what I mean. There was no doubt in my mind that he was Bas and I was Fiera, old comrades in arms. You on the other hand don't look like Bas at all. You knew the ditty and do have his mannerisms and prefer a quarterstaff, which is a very unusual weapon for a Small Folk to choose. You say that you are Bas, but that fakery and body-changing are involved. Where magic is involved, who can be certain of anything except mages? But you also claim that you were Bas at yesterday morning, when I am certain I was with the real Bas last night, and it wasn't you. How can this be? As for me, I am convinced I am the real Fiera. And since I have never met another making the same claim, I think that is enough proof of my identity. -- |Fidonet: sstubbs@shout.net |Internet: ad&d@conchbbs.com | | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | Conch, Net 106's Public Access Internet Gateway --- # Origin: (1:106/357.99) * Origin: ConchGate (1:106/357.0) .