-----"However," she continues, "the child is a special case. I cannot believe you would, in all good conscience, take her welfare so lightly."
-----"Now if I may borrow from your own words," Xavia says as she glances at the Dread Pirate, "As a representative of the Holy Redeemer and all he stands for, I pity the group that tries to take that child from this building before it is determined safe to do so."
-----Xavia relaxes her arms by her sides as she looks around at everyone.
-----The Dread Pirate shrugs, looking unfazed by what Xavia had to say, "Personally, I think the child safer with us than with you. Before we arrived, you were pent up in here, trapped by the beasts. On the other hand, we've dealt with evil warlocks, possessed priestesses, and hordes of undead. Not to mention bandits and other more common foes. I think we can fight our way out. I don't know if the child would be safer here with you. But then it's not my call. I didn't bring the child along. But I'll stand by Kazel's decision, whatever that is. If we have to fight our way out of here and then fight our way past the werewolves, we'll probably be less able to protect her than before. But if Kazel says we're keeping the child, then I'll personally mow down the lot of ye, if ye stand in me way."
-----Seth puts away his Harp and shakes his head and mutters, "We could have stayed in Hearthorn, but if we did, Oakwood would still have a possessed priestess and undead would still roam Redmarsh and a gaggle of evil wizards would stalk the land." His voice begins to increase in sound and timbre. "We should never have thought that those that benefit from our travails would turn on us. Better we just leave now and return to our lives that we left. We have helped and made the world a better place. Now that those that are jealous of our achievements can cause pain and hurt and falsely accuse us to hide their own short comings, it is best that we be on our way."
-----He points at the small girl. "She was homeless and bereft of her loved ones in Redmarsh. My sister took her in and we all looked after her. We have protected her from dragons, ogres, undead and liches that sport evil designs on their helms. If we leave she will continue to be safe with us!"
-----He strikes a pose and angles his head to the corner of the room whilst his eyes fix directly at the Paladin.
-----Kazel scoffs at Xavia's words. "If I didn't take this girl's welfare seriously, I would've left her right back there in Redmarsh. So don't you try to pin that on me. What have you, and all the forces of the courts of Oakwood and Redmarsh, done for this girl?"
-----She then shrugs. "You should know the way we think and work, even if you don't agree to it. All we're asking is for you to be practical and convince us to cooperate, and show we're better off holing up in this building with you. But you seem to not care a whit about that. As far as my conscience is concerned, the girl is safer staying with me than empty promises."
-----"Practical," Xavia says echoing Kazel with disbelief in her voice, "as being truthful and using good common sense? Have I lied to you? Have I not answered you truthfully though you may not like the answers?"
-----Turning towards Seth, she adds, "Yet, on first meeting, you dare misidentify yourself. Do you expect to return to the Town of Oakwood and not expect officials to be aware of you? I would say you were the first to raise suspicion. With such an introduction, do you expect me to take all of your posturing and claims as truths?"
-----Glaring at Kazel, Xavia says, "We are the first troop to venture forth to Redmarsh, . . . no, I take that back, YOU were the first troop to go to Redmarsh. The Court of Hearthorn relied on you to represent it in the best interest of its people. Did that include stealing horses, casting spells on Court Guards and impersonating others? Yes, you save a girl, that is very admirable, but what is on the other side of the scales? How many have you taken advantage of and for what reasons?"
-----"At the sake of your own ego," Xavia says to the Dread Pirate, "what if you are wrong? What if you ride off, in your mind, gallantly from this place and you meet these beasts in the woods? What if you cannot defeat them and the worst happens? What happens if you survive but those more innocent suffer for your decision?"
-----Xavia stands back and surveys everyone, shaking her head. "No," she says, "More importantly than whether you are innocent or guilty, the girl does not leave."
-----"Enuff . . . ," Runik growls lowly as his eyes roll about in his head glaring at the soldiers, the priests and the paladin. Raising his warhammer chest high, he looks across at Kazel and then the Dread Pirate as if awaiting some signal.