Drink With Me

[Bjorn]

"Excellent," Bjorn says, nodding back.  "We will need to make arrangements to have Sir Breke's room guarded."  He studies the guards before him.  "The ideal choices for guards would be from among you.  Is that acceptable?"

[Brian]

"I can arrange for more guards -- but I'd rather not take more guards from Lord Kevin," Eron says warily.  "I'd like to call in some reinforcements, and then move ... how many guards do you need?"

[Bjorn]

"Two at all times," Bjorn says.

[Brian]

Eron nods.  "I'll go fetch some more, and go to watch Sir Breke's chambers myself," he says, turning to dash down the corridor.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn watches him dash off, slightly bemused.  "If Master Stuarts returns directly, let him know I will be waiting at Sir Breke's chambers," he instructs the remaining guards, before walking off, bundle in hand, to those self-same chambers.

[Brian]

You're met at the door to Sir Breke's room by Eron and two other guards, both of them clutching the hilts to their swords breathlessly.  "Sir," Eron says.  "Is there anything else?"

[Bjorn]

"Do not enter the room," Bjorn instructs, "nor allow anyone else to enter, unless you are personally instructed otherwise by myself or Lord Kevin."  He regards the guards levelly.  "But above all else, gentlemen, don't try and be heroes.  If you find yourself overmatched, get out and get back-up.  Understood?"

[Brian]

They look at you oddly, and turn to Eron for guidance.  Eron says, (after a moment of contemplation), "We cannot allow that sword to fall into the hands of an enemy ... but none should know of its whereabouts.  I believe I speak for all when I say we shall do out utmost to protect it, regardless."  The other two guards nod in agreement.

[Bjorn]

"If you're dead," Bjorn says bluntly, "you can't keep an enemy's hands off it.  If we know somebody is taking it, we can lock down this section of the Keep and catch both thief and sword."  He eyes them, making sure they get his point, and then nods.  "Hammar will watch over you, and I have faith in you."

With that, Bjorn steps inside the chambers, studying the room.  After a moment of contemplation, he carefully sets the blade down on the dining table, centered squarely in the carved circle.  Stepping back for a second, he regards the bundle carefully for a second, an unreadable expression on his face, before stepping out of the room and carefully closing the door behind him.

[Brian]

The sword is a bit larger than the circle, as it's a long blade.  Breke never had much life to him, but his room has lost what little cheer it once held, with him gone.  As you turn to the door, your wrist bumps against the hilt of one of the new swords you have belted to your waist -- the black blade, with the white hilt.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn pauses a second, lost in contemplation as he absently caresses the hilt.  Taken by a sudden urge, he draws the blade, studying it carefully.

[Brian]

It's slightly curved, sharp only on one side, and balanced for a single hand to hold.  The metal of the blade is pitch black, and has no markings or runes on it -- only a very subtle blood channel just behind the edge, and some rudimentry shapings on the hanguards to keep blood from flowing onto the wielder's hands.

Each of the hilts is marked on the bottom -- like a stamp -- with the symbol of Hammar, but the crossguard bears the sign you recognize (vaguely) from the trap-room beneath the pass you crossed through to get to Stormwall Keep.  The symbol of Aestock.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn sheaths the sword after another careful glance.  Must see Ekim next, I think.  Stepping outside the room, he carefully closes the door behind him, and then turns to the guards.  "Is there anything else?"

[Brian]

"Sir?" Eron asks cautiously.  "We should be fine; who would know that ... what was in here to be found?"

[Bjorn]

"That's an excellent question," Bjorn says.  "Perhaps no one.  But at the same time, anyone looking for it will notice that there is a guard on a room which should now be empty.  Nor did I try to conceal the burden I was carrying, and I won't try to hide the fact that I no longer have it."  He shrugs slightly.  "And if you were, perhaps, to be a bit incautious in discussing your assignment...."