With Friends Like These - In Character Discussions
Toybin - "Princess, forgive me but that did not go as well as it could. I do think you could have been more supportive of the idea of finding Mina and not concentrating on my own personal issue." Anastasia smiled at Toybin and tightened her grip on her sword. "They are down there fighting and we should be there with them. You know that we could easily turn the tide of the battle. You still treat me like your Princess, in a handful of months I can put this life behind me." Toybin laughed out loud, the sound at odds with the shouts and screams from outside the window. "You are a Princess and will always be a Princess no matter how much you wish to change things. I am sworn to protect you and I cannot do that down in a sword fight on the docks. If things go badly for our friends we will help them but I have faith they can handle something like this. I wish I knew how that group of scrags knew to attack the Inn when you are here."
Anastasia looked at Toybin, "Do you trust him when he said he does not work with trolls?" Toybin grimaced, "No not at all, I would not trust him if he told me your sword was sharp. Yet he came to us with this information and we would never have known she was even missing without it. The priest's spells say he is telling the truth. He kept to his word that he would not attack anyone I brought into help, even after he heard who I was asking for. He is a horrible bastard who I would be glad to gut for the harm that seems to just ooze out of him. But attacking the Inn while you are here does not feel right for him."
Toybin glanced out the window and winced as a scrag dove under the water with an unconscious dockworker clutched in its claws.
Anastasia kept staring at Toybin, "You know this is dangerous" Toybin looked back at her. "Of course it is....." he shook his head sadly, "oh, she will be ok, you taught her some skills, she can defend.. Indigo and Branwyn can save her.. They are brave and strong and .... " Toybin trailed off.
Anastasia took a stronger tone, "Toybin of Castlin, listen to me. You know that this is important and you have to put the good of the Kingdom ahead of your own heart. If she cannot be Queen then we must find a way to go on." Toybin looked stricken. "I am sure you will find a way to rescue your Princess" she said more kindly, "They do seem like a resourceful group and they are almost as interested in her well being as you are." Glancing over at the table, "and they took the map to the Vilmar Citadel, so even in the heat of battle they are thinking ahead."
Anastasia strode over to the window to look down on the diminishing battle on the docks. "They will be finished soon and then we will help them plan. I will go home to mother and warn her of what has happened. You will go to the Drake Estates and see if you can find any word from there. We should have them turn over ever stone in the Citadel to make sure the Queen Presumptive is not there. They can come to you in the Ghostwood Domain if they do not find her there."
Toybin's eyes took on a fierce glitter, "I will accompany them to the outskirts of the Vilmar Estates and then head south while they are exploring. I know an inn there they can stay at for a base at least. Between us we will find her and bring her to the Royal Estates safely and in time for the coronation.
