#fenixtj

"This should go to the Baron, or one of his trusted people." Jessica allows "Be careful and stay away from the coastline, it's under attack. Mer and the mainland Nunehi are fighting each other."

"They are? OH WOW" She says "Right. Mum's the word. Just deliver to the right hands and keep my mouth shut right?"

Jess nods.

She nods "Will do" She tucks the letter under her top for safe keeping "Thanks, Jessica. I.. .appreciate the trust this shows"

Jess looks grave, but just nods. "Thank you for doing it."

"You're welcome. Unless there are more orders, I'm off"

Jess nods; Nancy can go, and go quickly and carefully.

And off she goes, satyr speed, and... a rapier by her side in case of the worst. Well, she did learn fencing

Jess worries for a moment that she should have an escort that could keep up... but they're stretched thin as it is.

And here comes someone unexpected- Calder, damp and blood smeared! Dripping with red- tinged water and with… a childling over his shoulder? The form is limp, unconscious?

“Countess!” He calls out. It’s too soon for him to be returning after the report, Nancy just left…

"Come in, is the child alive? Come to the Balefire." she orders "I NEED HELP!" she calls.

The kid- girl- is clearly a Mer. Her hair is braided with sea glass and shark teeth, and her skin fades to grey rough leather with finny spikes, and gill slits along her neck.

“I think she’s just knocked out.. but we can’t take her to the pool!” He warns.

the girl groans a bit

He follows where Jessica leads. “There’s a war, or at least a battle, being waged in your waters. Are you aware of this?”

"Yes, I just sent word to Baron Tidemarch."

"Can the Mer use our Glamour to heal?"

"I need first aid, and a place for the childling to rest." she orders those who respond.

“The Mer are fighting some local nunnehi. That’s all I could pick up, before the fighting started. Half the warriors in the patrol I was speaking to went crazy when the nunnehi showed up, they… they’re coated with blood, and it seeps into the water around them..”

"Kill em" the girl mutters jerking, her voice odd, oh the gills make a kind of echo when they flap open

Marie is there tending to it "Right away, Jessica. "

“This one trailed in after, I think she was following them, but got caught up in the battle. I am sorry to admit I rapped her on the head. Her folk were frenzied and her as well, but they didn’t know friends from foe.”

He has a few bites on his arms, but doesn’t seem concerned about himself…

"Him too." she instructs about Calder's wounds.

"Ok, hold on. You were speaking to a Mer patrols. Mainland Nunehi arrived and they were covered in blood. When the blood got into the water, the Mer went.... into a feeding frenzy?"

“The warrior Mer are at a disadvantage, whether they admit it or not. They go into a frenzy when blood is spilled- normally in a one on one or in a battle that is their strength, but when the very waters are tainted before they can even see their enemies… They can be drawn away from the defense.

A Mer of Melusine asked me to relate that they may be open to an alliance… though it painted them to admit. They have pride, the sea folk.”

A room is found for the girl, and another boggan cleans and tends Calder's arm

“Their grottos and sacred places are under attack.”

"By the mainland Nunehi?"

“No, by what she called.. “Bleedwaters”. They are of the sea, but are not Mer, or kithain as we know them. A sort of Nunnehi I have never met before.”

Jessica suspects the bleedwaters ARE in alliance with the mainland nunehi, but it makes sense Calder might not know that part, as he doesn't know the marks. And didn't have a spirit journey

He thanks the Boggan sincerely, and passes her a small trident with wicked spines. “This was the little fierce one’s. You may wish to Judge when it’s safe to give back.”

"Great, more players...." Jess
mutters.

“Players, Countess?”

"Us, the local Nunehi, the mainland Nunehi, the Mer, these... Bleedwaters...."

A sympathetic wince. “An odd game indeed. How can I help?”

"I need to know .... No. We're going to help the local Mer, if they'll have it. Can you make that happen?"

“They are at least willing to speak to me. I can pass a message, or set up a meeting on neutral territory, perhaps Tidemarch’s beach?”

“We will need to return the small one to her people as well. She will surely be missed. Though with the outcome of that battle, she may be thought lost.” He says, frankly.

The child is tended to and put into a room , and cleaned off a bit with cantrips

"Of course we will return her. Um. Can someone see if one of the Childling court could come to help tend her?"

Countess Ellie is sought out!

“What would be best?” Calder asks, back on the question of a message or a meetup.

"If they are in the midst of a battle, is there help we can offer them?"

“There are skirmishes often… I do not know if any are ongoing at the moment.” He admits.

"I suppose.... we could send a message offeing a meeting." She looks at the childling "Maria, how long do you think she'll need to be walking. Or swimming."

The kind boggan can tell she’s just knocked out, not truly injured.

"She'll be fine" Maria assures "A bit of a bump on the head"

"Ok. How long?"

"Well, I do not know how it is going with Ellie, but the girl should be up soon. And she should stay in bed for a half hour?"

Calder says, “I will take full responsibility for her injury. Even if she would have gotten shredded in the bay, I still took it upon myself to remove her from the fight.”