Eyes in the Skies

Gently pulling the injured woman to her pale, bare feet, Sir Briefadel looks into his mother’s eyes. Eyes he’d not seen in nearly fifty years.

“They’ll be here soon. What should we do?”

Her face hardening, the woman brushes her long, dark hair out of her eyes.

“I’m not sure. You say that these men are adventurers and mercenaries? Are they actually good men? Do they stand with the gods of Law and Justice? Perhaps they could be persuaded to join our cause?

Sir Briefadel pauses for a moment before replying.

"... I got the impression that the tall Elf was just seeking thrills and adventure. The other six? I've really got no idea... Revenge perhaps?!"

Scowling, the woman responds.

"I suppose we'll discover their motives soon enough. In the meantime, send out your hawk to spy for us, while I recover some more of my strength, but take care not to let her circle too low. The Elven archer’s a ridiculously skilled marksman, even from extreme distances.”

The armoured noble raises his gauntleted hand and Sephony immediately flies to him from where she was perched. Her fierce raptor eyes momentarily dragging his gaze away from the woman.

Moments pass and no words are exchanged but the sleek hawk seems to understand her master’s wishes and flies up from the tower and begins to search in ever widening circles.

Sir Briefadel’s grey eyes and attention, immediately snap back to the subject of his decades long obsession. His voice grave with concern.

“What now?”

The woman smiles.

“Now? Now my wicked boy? Now we let my prison become our fortress!”