-----Lady Evalyn's expression remains tense though she straightens and now holds a noble bearing about herself. She stretches one hand forth pointing at the door behind the heroes. Coldly, she tells them, "Go, Sol Herron and Raven. I can see that I am to be hindered by those from Hearthorn."
-----"An' perhaps ye should be givin' some serious consideration as t'why things have come t'pass in th' way they have. Good day, Lady."
-----Sol spins on his heel and grimaces to Raven as he stalks towards the doors indicated by the Lady.
-----As he returns to the rest of the party, he indicates to all that they should leave the keep.
-----Once outside, Garrison looks at Sol and asks, "Not a good meeting, I take it. Where are we heading from here?"
-----They walk back across the way in the direction of the tent camp where Lord Howrun's troop is located.
-----"We wait fer Sarah t'return, an' see if there are any pieces o' this mess that she needs help in cleaning up. Then we decide if everyone is happy wi' moving ont' Ravenhold." Sol replies as he looks around the street. "Fer th' moment, we should probably stay out o' th' way o' th' Lady's forces. She's in enough o' a mood t' cause trouble if she decides. If she really is Sarah's mother, then her bite is as dangerous as her bark."
-----Sol smiles grimly as he adds, "As fer myself, I need t'find a blacksmith. Lovan, would ye accompany me? We spoke earlier o' what I'm after."
-----Lovan raises his eyebrows in surprise momentarily before a look of recognition dawns on his face. The storm priest then nods and prepares to head toward the blacksmith.
-----At this point, Raven and Rinda accompany Garrison and the guards from Oakwood back toward the encampment.
-----Sol and Lovan stride away from the town's stronghold toward a large barn close to the tavern. There, they hear the familiar clanging of metal being worked over a hot fire. As they approach, Lovan looks around and mutters to Sol, "Do you feel like bringing the Rager's wrath against this town's ruler?"
-----Upon entering the barn, they see a few workers preparing a large draft horse for shoeing. A man of medium height but strong build works over the forge tapping a piece of metal into the U-shape of a horseshoe. After a few solid hits, he then grabs the red iron with a pair of tongs and tosses the hot metal into a shallow container filled with water. Steam arises as the metal cools.
-----To Lovan's question, Sol merely shook his head in distraction, his thoughts still on the entire issue, not just the Lady Evalyn's part.
-----As long as the smith had paused long enough to be interrupted, Sol nodded politely and greeted the metalworker, "Good day t'ye, sir. My name is Sol Herron, an' I have need of a service, an' I was wondering if ye'd be able t'provide it." The Gorian thinks momentarily before continuing, "I want a symbol made, t'wear around th' neck, but as I wanted it made out o' metal, not jewelry, I followed th' sounds o' yer hammer hoping a smith could help."
-----The warrior shook his head apologetically and finished with, "I'd have t'pay in advance though, as I can never tell when an' where my business will take me next."
-----The blacksmith wipes some grime from his brow with one arm. He smiles curiously from the heavy black beard that adorns the lower half of his face and asks, "A symbol? What kind of a symbol would that be?"
-----"Strator's." Sol then describes it and even scrapes a design in the soot with his boot.
-----The smith looks at Sol with an unbelieving expression and then a smile begins to spread across his face. He begins to nod and says, "Aye, it can be done!"
-----Sol smiled grimly as he reached for his pocket, and pulled out a small handful of coins, revealing the bright glint of platinum. His whole countenance turned grim as he made his offer, "I'll pay whatever yer base cost is now, an' then extra by quality o' work afterwards. This means much to me, so I do hope t'be paying ye more."
-----He handed the promised first payment over to the smith, and after ensuring the man had the design committed to memory, the Gorian nodded to Lovan that they should leave. Feeling more focused than he had since the whole debacle with Sarah's family started, Sol wondered where the future would take him. It was obvious to him now, that things never really happened as expected. True happiness came at a cost, and he was beginning to understand that it was a price he would have to keep paying. Moreso, he decided Lovan was right. A storm was coming and at that moment, Sol decided then and there that he would prepare himself. He would be the gathering storm, and woe betide any who sought to set themselves against him . . .