Benedict hides in the crowd who stands back from the armed men. The knights face no resistance. The poor man pleads and begs in vain, and he is brought away by the knights and a couple of yeomen. Half a dozen men-at-arms remain scanning the area for a while, before they split into two groups to patrol the market.
Obstetrix gets her wares. The pedlar thanks for the silver, while looking anxiously around himself. They can here the commotion, with crowds shifting, but most of it is in other streets and nothing is seen.
At the brewer's, where Finn is, the juggler is interrupted by a crowd scrambling to find seats. They seem desperately to try to calm down and blend in, but they keep chattering about the man who got arrested, while the brewer gets busy to make his silver.
Back at the wheelwright's Cath'rinne can still hide in the wagon, hearing crowds shift in the market streets.
Betula, outside the wagon, with her own handcart, suddenly feels something knock on her parma, trying to make contact.
Ruedi hears a tender voice, «Please! Help me, mister. They have taken him.»
Awareness+Perception from Cath'rinne please EF 12+, and from Betula and Ruedi, but their EF depends on what they do.
Finn will sit with the nearest group talking about the arrest âgreeting friends, I am new to these parts. What was that poor man arrested for. Those knights and soldiers seemed very serious about the whole affair?â
Ruedi sees the face of a little blonde boy hiding under Cath'rinne's wagon. He stares at Ruedi, and the voice is there again, «help me! Your mistress would not want to listen,» but his lips do not move.
Ruedi looks at the boy, shakes his head a bit, both at the fact that boy speaks without moving his lips, and at the audacity of thinking that his fair lady wouldn't want to listen. Still looking at the blonde boy, he taps Betula's shoulder, and whispers to her in Latin "There's a strange boy here who's asking for assistance, and claims that a fair lady like you wouldn't listen to his plea for help, shall we see if we can help him?"
At the ding on her Parma Betula scans the area for anyone who might have been casting a spell or is paying attention to her. Not thinking to look under the wagon until the boy is pointed out to her by Ruedi. She looks confusedly at the boy for a moment then says, "Boy, how or why do you think we can help?"
The boy lifts a finger to his mouth, «sshh». Again Betula feels the ping on her parma, and Ruedi hears the voice in his head. «Quiet. Beware the witch hunters. They arrested my father. Please don't let them find me.»
"Hrm... words in your mind," she says quietly enough for only Ruedi to hear then glances inquisitively at the shadow under the wagon without bending to actually see the boy. Then slightly louder, so the boy can hear, "Perhaps we can help him, but I would need to know why he singled us out... and who his father is. And, of course I will need to tell the others." She then glances around the wagon to see if any of the grogs or magi are near.
[near enough to be called or waved over if not right there.]
Cath'rinne is in the wagon, you know, if she has not stepped out already to be in plain view. Obstetrix was across the square, looking around to see what is going on. The square is crowded, so it takes an Awareness+Perception 10+ to see her straight away. The grogs are away, enjoying themselves.
Benedict is still wandering, trying to keep out of trouble. The father is brought to the motte, but several men-at-arms patrol the market place, looking into and behind boots. People are trying to get out of their way. There are not a lot of men-at-arms though, so some streets quite down and see people resuming their trade.
One of the patrol pass by the brewers, and glance over the crowd. People who have been talking about the ruthless rule of Eadric's and discussing politics quickly shut up to look innocent, but the men-at-arms seem content and continues without confronting anyone.
Seeing that Obstetrix is too far to signal without attracting attention Betula sticks her head in the wagon and says to Cathârinne, âa boyâs father has been taken by witchhunters, is there anything we might do to help him?â
"Help who? I'm not sure I want to launch a rescue operation for the father until we know more, if that's what you're asking. We could hide the kid, if you think he might be gifted or if you think he's otherwise worth the risk."
Betula looks at the gate with a look of anguish, then back into the wagon. âThe boy speaks into Ruediâs mind so I do believe he is. Further I wonder if his father is a member of the Order and would not wish to leave anyone, particularly a sodales, to the pyre.â
Glancing around to make sure no men-at-arms seem too close or are paying the group and cart much attention Betula say, âhide in the cart, boy. Climb in now. No one is looking.â
Benedict will continue to wander, trying to learn as much as he can about what's going on, from watching the men at arms and listening to gossip. He will gradually make his way back to the wagons.
The boy looks cautiously around himself before he sneaks quickly into the wagon, shielded, probably, by Ruedi. He is shy. Cath'rinne can sense fear in his blue eyes. She too, feels something trying to get through her parma, and the boy looks even more fearful. «You too!?» he whispers, «who are you?» He speaks Anglo-Saxon.
Outside, the crowd is starting to move and part, to give room for one of the patrols who comes from the direction of the town wall. Both Betula and Ruedi, and Obstetrix on the far side, find that they have to move to avoid people bumping into them as the crowd flows past. The patrol moves slowly but steadily, scanning crowd with suspicion.
Benedict sees one of the patrols searching a stall. They are heavyhanded. The owner. a potterer, shirinks in terror, and his groom gets a beating. They search every item in the stall, and several pots are broken, but they find nothing of interest and nobody is arrested.