Two Quiet Crossings

[callmedelta]

Matthew yawned. "Thanks." He crawled onto the mat, if you could call the thin reeds a mat, and soon fell asleep. Handy trick that was, able to fall asleep practically anywhere.

[StaolDerg]

The Crown himself went to sleep in a separate room, though first checking up on his countrymen to tend their wounds and feed those who were unable to do so themselves. The night would stay calm and quiet, with practically no disturbance for Matthew as he slept, the boy waking up sometime in the early morning to refuel and stoke the stove's belly, quickly returning to bed afterwards.

Leaving the agent to wake on his own, the boy awoke to pack his bags and await the agent, though if Matthew was up by then, he'd see the boy was anything but a morning person, more or less forcing several cups of strong tea down and briefly using the restroom before returning and seating himself at the entrance of the safehouse.

A few other Elenrians had woken at this point, being briefed by the younger Crown about the stranger in the next room as they slowly made their way about.

[callmedelta]

Matthew woke up to a pain in his back. He knew right away it was going to be one of those dull, aching pains that would stay with him for a few days, but such is the life in the GA. He had a few painkillers in the medkit he brought along, but those were best saved for a more important time. Standing up from the thin sheet of reeds that served as a bedroll, Matthew let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms to limber up his body. It was at this point that Matthew regretted not sneaking along some coffee to help perk him up. It certainly wasn't the most important thing for the mission, but Matthew had been out of the field for just long enough that he'd gotten used to the comforts of civilian life. Steeling himself to keep moving forward in the face of this terrible tragedy, Matthew walked to the table and pulled out a chair for himself. "Morning," he said to the Crown.

[StaolDerg]

"Morning," the Crown replied, tugging at his hood. "Get yourself fed and ready to go. There's some tea on the stove. The route to the safehouse is less in the way of patrols, but we still have to watch out for police and informants, so try not to catch attention. We'll be more in the village before we hit one of the bay towns where the ENCOR are based. I'll send you up to the last block, but I'm not sticking around to get bricks thrown at my head. Don't get mugged in the alley and you'll be fine."

[callmedelta]

"I think I'll be fine," Matthew said, taking out the last of his rations. The agent scarfed the rations down, wanting to get on the road sooner rather than later. Will all of the increased border security Kumosenkan put up, there's no telling how many of the agents made it through. With any luck, though, Colm and Rennac should have made it to ENCOR already, and Matthew would have to endure another round of Colm's quips. Finishing up the last of the rations, Matthew stood up. "Ready."

[StaolDerg]

The Crown nodded, heaving himself up and opening the door. "Good. Keep your head down as soon as we hit the first trees. Come on." He disappeared to the pit, the sound of grinding masonry audible from the open doorway. As they left the other Elenrians watched them silent, some giving well-wishing nods.

Outside, the boy had pulled a few bricks loose- no, thin poles of metal coated in what must've been some kind of concrete. They were spaced apart enough to be used as a rudimentary ladder, allowing the boy to climb up with relative ease, waving for the agent to follow expectantly.

[callmedelta]

Matthew followed the Crown up the makeshift ladder, out into the open air. Once up, the agent asked, "So, how'd someone as young as you get involved with the resistance?"

[StaolDerg]

The Crown answered his question as they departed from the safehouse and made their way up the opposite bluff above the house, towards civilization. "Resistance? Is that what we've been termed now?" He chortled half-heartedly. "I thought we were just a really, really small army, but I guess I can see why we're seen as such. To answer your question... I really don't know." He looked about the fresh snow as the two made their way through the dense forest, occasionally checking a compass to keep his sense of direction. 

"I guess my parents? They were Expedition Crown, connected to a Wanderer through their parents- you know the deal, I'm sure. Something happened with them during the Silk Bind times, and the result was that my family suddenly broke away from them and ran for the hills until they hit the border provinces. I don't really know the specifics. I do know that the Wanderer was adamant about us running for it and putting up a fight with whatever was left of the old Royal Army, though. Anyway, they built a little village, had kids, those kids had kids, and here I am."

[callmedelta]

"Resistance," Mathew clarified, "is just GA slang for any thorn in Kumo's side. FNCAE, ENCOR, FGAE, all the Resistance. But that's quite the story you've got. And with any luck, you'll be the end of that 'Resistance' story, and the beginning of an 'Indepentant Elenria' story." Matthew climbed over a ridge, catching a view of the town below them. "That the one?" he asked.

[StaolDerg]

The Crown shugged. "Maybe. Doubt I'll be alive to see it." He nodded as followed the agent's gaze. "That's the one, all right. But this is as far as I'm willing to go. Keep low and try to stay away from the police- they're not afraid to detain you until they can get a firm answer that you're supposed to be here, even if it means getting frostbite and dying in a cell overnight. You're looking for the big house with old Elenrian characters all over the front... there's a name for it, paternity house? No, fraternal house. I think I'm close enough. Anyway, just go up and give them your code, they probably what to do better than I. Good luck." He started to back off, preparing to head off the way he came.

[callmedelta]

Matthew watched the Crown leave. 'No,' Matthew thought, 'I'll make sure you'll see it. Kumosenkan will be out of here, for both Franerre and Elenria's sake.' Once the kid was out of sight, Matthew began down towards the town. Luckily for the agent, there was a small grove of trees that would cover most of his way. Once on the edge of the grove, Matthew caught a glimpse of a police officer, but thankfully he passed be quick. Ducking into an alley, the easy part of Matthew's day had ended. Now, Matthew would have to content with much more than just a wandering patrol. But with every bane came a boon. There would be more places to hide in the town, as well as plenty more excuses if he were to get caught. Matthew popped out of his alley and began walking towards the part of the city that the house would be, making sure to keep his head down. As he was walking down the streets, easily ducking into an alley unnoticed at the sight of a police officer, Matthew couldn't help but think back to Commander Marcus's assignment. Could this whole operation even work? It certainly didn't seem like Kumosenkan themselves would bow down, but would Galra and Amali's pressure force them, assuming the protests did work? Matthew could only hope, for the kid's sake if anyone's. Finally, after searching around a bit, Matthew found the right house. The agent let out a sigh of relief. Taking a quick look around, and seeing no one, Matthew darted up to the front door. Once he was sure someone on the other side was listening, Matthew whispered, "The Marsh brings a gift, now hurry and open the door in case an officer walks by."

[StaolDerg]

Matthew found the door before him quickly opened and himself urgently pulled in before it shut, a Crown ratcheting the door's lock shut behind him.

The person who had pulled him inside let go, stepping away towards a lamp, one hand in their dress.

"Don't move," they warned. "Show us you backpack. Prove you are who you say. If you fight, I'll cut your throat out. Got it?"

The hall he was held in was mostly unlit save for the lamp, making it difficult for Matthew to see anything at all. Still, the quiet rustle of fabric indicated that there was almost bound to be more watching from the other end of the hall. The one who had manned the door was mostly concealed by shadows, but they blocked the doorway, watching him cautiously.

[callmedelta]

"Well, I don't exactly have much identifying information on me, if you can imagine it. Don't want to let the Takpoe know who I am," Matthew said, setting his bag on the ground a rifling through it, "If Rennac or Colm are here, they'll know me. But I suppose that the most identifiable object on me would be this." Matthew retrieved the GAC-6 from his bag, holding it out to the Crown. "Be careful with it, the camera's expensive and I've only got one." 'What is it with these Elenrians a pointing weapons at me, anyway?' Matthew thought as a bead of sweat formed on his brow, 'I understand being cautious, but this a bit excessive.'

[StaolDerg]

The camera was taken from him with care, passed to the other in the back with low whispers. A harried debate broke out for a half minute before word finally reached the head Elenrians, making them slowly relax, though not fully.

"Sorry," the one facing him said. "We've been raided by traitors and infiltrators before. Had to be sure. Your friends are in the next village over- we'll send you over to them tonight."

They made way for him to move, lighting other lamps along the wall- there were about seven people alone in the corridor, with clothed mannequins placed just on the edge of the first lamp's glow, with trapdoors carved into the torsos. Rifles leaned against some of them, cruder zip guns lining a counter as they directed him into what appeared to be a sitting room.

[callmedelta]

Matthew took his camera back and set it in the bag, before chuckling as he realized that the majority of the figures he had seen in the shadows were just mannequins. "Quite the welcoming party you've got me. Are all Elenrians friends with mannequins, or is it just you?" he said, walking through the hall and into the sitting room, taking a seat