#you have to say four lines of the ents' marching song when it's ent marching time

[unopenablebox]

no one could ever accuse me of not knowing an ent poem.

[novaent]

Their promotion period ends early in the month, but they still have a few things to do.

Seoul’s Fashion Week will start on March 16th, going until March 21st. All of the members were invited to watch the show on March 17th, while Jungwoo was chosen to walk for the designer MUNSOO KWON. He’ll wear two outfits 1; 2. On their way to the event, they’ll all stop for photos on the ramp leading up to the blue carpet, and on the carpet itself.

Unlike other idols, PER_SE will also appear on March 19th for a surprise guerilla performance, as seen here. Nova will post on their official SNS inviting fans to watch the concert at the DDP. However, only Junju, Hugo, Nori, and Jungwoo will be seen walking around the area and holding an interview. While they’ll say the two other members have conflicting schedules, Hui and Yuchan will actually be hidden as one-day staff members serving coffees for free. When the four other members stop by to get some coffee themselves, Hui and Yuchan will reveal their identity and, all together, they’ll head over to the location of their guerilla perform. They’ll perform their latest title track ‘Fanfare’.

The Season of Spring will start this month and, to commemorate it, Music Bank canceled its usual airing on March 27th in favor of a special concert—and PER_SE is invited! The group will perform two songs: ‘Treasure’ and ‘Fanfare’. They’ll wear the clothes as based on this image.

Hui — Jaeyoon

Junju — Dawon

Yuchan — Hwiyoung

Nori — Youngbin

Hugo — Zuho

Jungwoo — Inseong

Apart from their group stages, PER_SE will also take part in a special stage along with other idols. They’ll do a performance of the song ‘What’s Happening’ from the sunbae B1A4. They’ll record the song beforehand on March 19th. A line distribution for the stage can eb found here!

Nori will also take part in a special stage along with other idols. He’ll do a performance of the song ‘My Ear’s Candy’ along with Meiqi from AND*ROMA. They’ll initially learn the choreography apart, but, since they’re from the same company, they will be able to meet up on certain dates to practice together with the presence of their dance coaches. They’ll record the song beforehand on March 20th.

On March 19th, the group will go to a recording of ‘MV Commentary’ for the S-POP channel to comment on their MV for ‘Treasure’. You may use this video as reference.

You will gain +5 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH, +3 DEBUT POINTS and +2 ACHIEVEMENTS for completing the written requirements as explained on the idol tier page. As this is not a promotional month, you may choose any two achievements for the month’s points. There is a capped maximum of five solos, sets of starters and/or partnered threads you may write for to collect this month’s points.

* For clarification, old threads from previous months will count towards points so long as they fulfill the requirements as explained on the idol tier page. However, at least one of this month’s requirements must be written about the schedule to gain any points for March.

The only form that needs to be submitted at the end of the month is a verification form for your debut points and achievements. Any SP points earned can be collected as soon as you finish the requirement for them. At the end of the month, you will submit the following form to the Points Verification blog:

IDOL’S NAME - NOVA ENT - FEBRUARY SCHEDULE (for the March 4 verification form)

PROOF OF ACTIVITY: [ x ]

POINTS: +00 SP [ distribute these however you like ]

TOTAL POINTS EARNED: +00 SP +00 DBT

+1 WK ACHIEVEMENT #1 [ NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN + CURRENT LEVEL ]

+1 WK ACHIEVEMENT #2 [ NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN + CURRENT LEVEL ]

IF DO MAX REQS. :  +1 WK ACHIEVEMENT #3 [ NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN + CURRENT LEVEL ]

DEBUT POINTS SPENT ON THE IDOL SHOP THIS MONTH:

NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

**** For their group appearances on the fashion week, the group will receive 1 EXP, while Jungwoo’s walk on the runway gives another 1 EXP. Their surprise guerilla performance gives 1 EXP. Their appearance in the S-POP channel gives 1 EXP. Their performances on the Spring Concert gives 2 EXP, Nori’s special stage gives 1 EXP, while the group special stage gives another 1 EXP, making it a total of 8 EXP. For more information regarding GROUP EXP, refer to the idol tier page.

[hoseokslefteyebrow]

IDOL - drabble

Pairing : Jeon Jungkook x reader x Kim Taehyung

A/N : Something I came up with a while ago and never really finished.

-

November, 17, 2012

You huffed out in the cold as you waited for your boyfriend in front of the trainee company building. He wanted to become an idol, and was close to debuting with his band, you remembered. Your phone went off in your pocket, signaling that you've got a call. You looked at the screen and saw your boyfriend's name, making you sigh. " Hey." You smiled as you picked up.

" Hey, Y/N. I'm sorry but I can't come and meet you, I have to keep practicing to stay in shape and stuff." He told you as your smile fell. " Oh, okay. It's fine. Bye, I geuss. Don't overwork yourself." You said as you started walking back to the train station. You were from Daegu, and had come all the way here to meet him. But like always, his idol training was more important. " Don't worry, I won't. Bye!" He yelled before he hung up, leaving you all alone in the cold once again.

December 25, 2012

" Happy birthday kiddo." Your best friend for thirteen years told you as he ruffled your hair. " Yeah, happy birthday, you're a year closer to death now love." Your other best friend Riccardo smiled cheekily. " Seriously? We're two years older than her." Ivan huffed as Riccardo shrugged. You've known Ivan since you were born ( Literally, he was there the day you were born due that your parents are childhood friends.) And met Riccardo when you were four. " Is the rest here yet?" Ivan asked you as you shook your head.

" They're coming tonight." You smiled. " Has your boyfriend felicitated you yet?" Riccardo asked as he shook his head. " I'm gonna call him, he's supposed to have a break now anyway." You said as the two boys nodded. You walked off to the hallway and called said boy. " Hello?" He picked up. " Hey, it's me." You smiled. " Hey, what's up?" He asked. " Nothing much, how's your training going?" You asked. " We're doing really well! We're probably debuting next year." He said. You could feel how passionate he felt about his music.

" Aren't you forgetting something?" You asked excited. " Ehh, is it valentines day?" He asked as your smile fell. " Just joking, merry chrismas babe." He said as you frowned. He forgot. " Merry christmas." You wishpered back. " Hey, something wrong?" He asked as you sniffed. " No, but I, ehh, I've gotta go. You know, celebrate christmas." You said. " Okay, bye babe. Have fun!" He said before you hung up and couldn't contain your tears anymore. He forgot about you, again.

March, 04, 2013

You were in Hunter's parents' cafe with your best friends Soojun, Hunter, Daeshim, Ivan and Riccardo. Soojun and you are classmates and Daeshim is Hunter's cousin, you met both off them on a playground in your neighborhood. " Okay, enough about Riccardo abd his one night stands. How are things going in Y/N's relationship." Hunter said as everyone turned their attention to you.

" I don't know, really." You sighed. " What, why? Is something wrong?" Daeshim asked. " I don't know. We just don't talk as much as before, and everytime I try to meet him, he calls off." You pouted. " Maybe you should break up with him, the last time you saw him was what, three months ago? And didn't he forget your birthday?" Soojun asked, you trust his opinion the most because he's had a few boyfriends before, yes he's gay. " Wait up, he forgot your birthday?! I know that I only have one night stands these days and don't even know their names, but I did remember my girlfriend's birthday! Back when I still dated that is. " Riccardo yelled upset.

He did not take it well on how your boyfriend was treating you. " He's just busy I geuss and-" You were cut off by your phone, which went off. " Who's calling?" Ivan asks. " Geuss what, it's the devil himself." Daeshim said as he looked at your phone screen. " Put it on the speaker." Ivan told you as you nodded. " Hey, how are you?" You asked once you picked up. " Yeah, err, I'm good. What about you?" He asks. " So am I." You smiled.

" Nice, err Y/N. I ehh- Damn, there's really no simple way to say this. I want to break up." Your boyfriend's voice cut trough as your smile fell. Ivan moved to grab your phone but Riccardo stopped him. " What, why?" You asked as tears build up in your eyes. " It's just that long distance relationships don't work." He told you as you choked on a fake laugh, Daeshim throwing an arm around you. " What? You're from Busan, I'm from Daegu, we've always had a- You know what, whatever. Goodbye." You said.

" No, wait, can't we at least be frie-" He got cut off when you hung up. " What an asshole!" Riccardo yelled. " You know what, he can go bury hjmself in his idol shit, let's go to that karaoke bar and show people hiw toxic you can be on the beat." Ivan smiled as you smiled a bit. He wasn't wrong, you were toxic on a beat. You were a very fast and good rapper. You had no problem with rapping to songs of Eminem or something alike.

" Let's show them who's the boss."

Present

" Is everybody ready?" Your band's manager, Jaehyun asks as everyone in the room nods. " Awesome, alright Phoenix, you are going on stage and you'll own the place, got it?" Jaehyun smiled. " Oh, we will." Riccardo smirked. " C'mon guys." Your band's leader Jaewon said as he stuck his hand out everybody else's joining. " Never giving in,-" Jaewon started. "Never back down, The Phoenix." You all yelled together before standing in your positions to start dancing.

You and the guys have been scouted for Bighit Ent the day you did karaoke in that bar. Jaehyun saw how good of a team you were and now you were on the same lines as your ex's band once was. Dubuting in Melon Music Awards.

-

Jungkook couldn't believe it. That girl on stage, she looked so much like you. The way she walked, the way she danced, even the way she blinked. " Hey, Jk, doesn't she look like your ex?" Jimin asked as he nudged him. Jimin had met you when you came all the way from Deagu to wave him goodbye and wish him luck. " She does. But Y/N was never into music from what I remember." Jungkook said, his eyes not leaving your dancing form on stage. His eyes widened as you started rapping.

You had such a demanding stage presence that it almost made him rap allong with you, if he knew the lyrics that is.

" Damn, she's hot." Taehyung said to Jungkook as Jungkook gave him a weird look. " She's my ex." Jungkook told him as he shrugged. " Well, that means that she's single right? " Taehyung smiled.

[ktent]

After many preparations, Eclipse heads toward their comeback. It’s the first of the year and the first along with Joohyun.

The group will still go through some final stages of promotion preparations before the day of their comeback. Meanwhile, one of their members will also have to start working towards her drama.

Minji will go to her costume fittings on January 3rd in order to get everything checked for the start of recordings on the following week. The drama will consist of 20 episodes ranging from 55 to 65 minutes in length. Recordings will start on a Monday, the 6th, and should go until the 9th of May. They’ll be recording around an episode a week with only short breaks for the cast and crew. The day of the release will be announced later on, aiming for the end of March. This will be an extensive project, having to record from early in the dark morning to the dark nights, depending on what they need. Expect not to have much free time at all. They’ll have a day break every two Sundays, the first being on January 26th.

On January 4th, all members will go together to a recording of Weekly Idol inspired by this episode. All information should be changed to fit Eclipse’s history and discography, as well as personality. There is no need to match your muse with one of the members onscreen. The episode is to air on January 22nd.

Due to the nature of Minji’s drama, she’ll go to a hair salon recommended by the staff on January 4th, after the recording of Weekly Idol, to get her hair dyed to black.

They’ll hold their comeback showcase on January 11th. The event will start at 6PM. They’ll enter the stage while their intro ‘Flower Bud’ plays, and then do their first performance of ‘Me Gustas Tu’. The teaser video for their new album will play on the back while they get into their new formation, and then they’ll perform ‘Navillera’ for the first time on stage. Once they’re done, a talk segment will start with the MC Kim Hyungjoon. They’ll be asked about the success of their previous release and how preparations were for their first full album. They’ll also talk about Joohyun’s addition to the group. Next, they’ll perform ‘Sunshine’ sitting on their chairs. The next talk interview will involve talking about their changing concepts and showing their ‘day’ side once again, as well as any other plans the group may have in the future, be it as a whole or individually. Eclipse will perform ‘Chase Me’ and, as a prepared encore, ‘Love Whisper’.

The following is the music show promotion schedule for Eclipse’s ‘Navillera’ activities:

01/15, 01/22, 01/29, 02/05: MBC Show Champion

01/16, 01/23, 01/30, 02/06: Mnet M!Countdown

01/17, 01/24, 01/31, 02/07: KBS Music Bank

01/17, 01/24: Arirang Simply K-Pop

01/18, 01/25, 02/01, 02/08: MBC Music Core

01/19, 01/26, 02/02, 02/09: SBS Inkigayo

01/21, 01/28, 02/04: MTV The Show

During the first week of promotions, Eclipse will use ‘Sunshine’ as their sibling song and performing its short version alongside the title track. The song will have no choreography, and instead, the girls will be sitting or standing, as seen in this video. For any day that you do not have to perform or have any other schedules, you may have a break at the dorms unless said otherwise.

Music show promotions will last for a total of four weeks this time. Programs will begin pre-recording early in the morning and groups are expected to stay at the broadcasting station until the live broadcast takes place later in the day. Although music shows in real life follow varied recording schedules, for IC writing purposes, the schedule for every music show will follow this consistent pattern:

06:20AM: at broadcasting station: basic first rehearsal on stage; no makeup, casual clothes.

06:45AM: head to salon: get makeup and hair done.

07:45AM: return to broadcasting station: eat breakfast, nap in dressing room/space.

09:00AM: dress rehearsal on stage; stage outfits, makeup on.

09:20AM: return to dressing room/space: rest, eat, nap.

11:00AM: final camera rehearsal on stage; stage outfits, makeup on.

11:15AM: greet senior artist groups at their respective dressing room/spaces, accompanied by a manager. you may not sleep during this time, up until the live broadcast.

07:00PM: live broadcast; when not performing, must stay in dressing room/space until the ending stage of the show.

08:00PM: line up in waiting room area to formally greet producers, director, and senior staff.

09:00PM: meeting time with fans who attended the recordings.

10:00PM: return to dressing rooms to clean up, change back into casual clothes.

11:00PM: arrive back at dorms.

On applicable Fridays, members leave the KBS building for recording Arirang Simply K-Pop which airs 1PM ~ 2PM.

Due to her drama recording schedules, Eclipse will pre-record their stages early in the day with Minji before their leader leaves for her shootings. The rest of the members will stay for the music show airings. This will happen until the recording of SBS Inkigayo on January 26th. After that, the members will have to perform a 5-member version of their song for music shows.

On January 15th, Joohyun and Blue will go to a recording of Hello Counselor based on this case. All reactions should be changed to fit your muse’s personality. There is no need to match your muse with one of the people onscreen. This will air on January 27th.

On January 17th, during the recording of Music Bank, Blue will be in charge of the MC role when interviewing her own group. The interview will take place in a room such as this, along with another girl group that’ll be promoting at the same time, Source Girls, and their member MC, Lily. Blue will ask Anna to describe her feelings for having a comeback, Minji to explain their newest title track, and Jennie to explain their point dance (which both Eclipse and Source Girls will recreate). After Source Girls’ interview, Joohyun will announce the other group’s soon to come stage, and then everyone will finish the interview with a “Coming up soon!” cheer. All questions are scripted, so the girls should be prepared with what to say.

On January 18th, Eclipse (excluding Minji) will be guests on Idol Radio. On January 21st, Blue and Haseul will join the recording of a segment of Happy Together as inspired by this episode. This will air on February 6th. Meanwhile, Jennie and Anna will go to the radio SBS Power FM. 

In the meantime, on January 20th, the member Anna will be approached with some news. Ivy Club has approached KT Entertainment with the offer of making her one of their ambassadors. She’ll make her way out on January 27th for a photoshoot with the product. The news will come out to the public the following month, as well as the pictures taken. She’ll appear on Ivy Club’s official social media and on physical stores, as well as receive products to promote on her daily life.

On January 21st, the girls, without Minji, will go to Cultwo Show as guests along with solo artist Han Dogeun. During the show, they’ll be asked to perform two songs, which will be ‘Navillera’ and ‘Under The Sky’. Both songs will be only vocal performances.

On January 26th, the entire group will go perform to the military. They’ll use two songs: ‘Me Gustas Tu’ and ‘Navillera’. You can expect a positive reaction out of it.

You will gain +5 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE AS YOU WISH, +3 DEBUT POINTS and +2 ACHIEVEMENTS for completing the written requirements explained on the idol tier page. As this is a song promotion month, one of your chosen achievements must be relevant to the above schedule and all required content should be written about activities listed on the above schedule for the month of December. There is a capped maximum of five solos, sets of starters and/or partnered threads you may write to collect this month’s points.

To clarify, the only form that needs to be submitted at the end of the month is a verification form for your debut points and achievements. Any SP points earned can be collected as soon as you finish the requirement for them. At the end of the month, as you did with your previous evaluation forms, you will submit the following form to the Points Verification blog:

IDOL’S NAME - KT ENT - JANUARY SCHEDULE (for the February 5 verification form)

PROOF OF ACTIVITY: [ x ]

POINTS: +00 SP [ distribute these however you like ]

TOTAL POINTS EARNED: +00 SP +00 DBT

+1 WK ACHIEVEMENT #1 [ NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN + CURRENT LEVEL ]

+1 WK ACHIEVEMENT #2 [ NUMBER OF TIMES TAKEN + CURRENT LEVEL ]

DEBUT POINTS SPENT ON THE IDOL SHOP THIS MONTH:

NEW DEBUT POINTS TOTAL:

* Rookie and trainee characters are allowed to attend pre-recordings and fan meetings to interact with idol muses if they choose to do so. Just be realistic about the scheduling; trainees who skip too many lessons to support idol muses will be noticed by their company staff!

**** For their promotional days, the group receives 25 EXP. The members' appearances on programs and radio shows gives them 6 EXP. Blue’s role as a fill-in MC gives 1 EXP, and Anna’s contract with Ivy Club gives 9 EXP. The group’s performance for the military gives 1 EXP, making it a total of 42 EXP. For more information regarding GROUP EXP, refer to the idol tier page.

[erstwhile25]

Skin of the Teeth Part 2: Whereupon there is Treachery.

The longboats sliced through the waters of the bay, their paddles dipped into the water in practiced synchronization, creating a strange metronome with the slap of the waves against their hulls.  Kail found it oddly soothing, a strange bit of order leading into what would no doubt eventually be chaos.  He pushed the thought aside though and focused on his own task, he tuned out distractions, and took the world in.  

It was a moonless night, and while the stars were out, their light was simply swallowed by the dark frigid waters of the bay.  Kail had forbid lanterns out on the water, they were in a city state policed by military airships and any light on the ground in this pitch black was a beacon for miles from the air.  Still the bay had its reefs and sand bars, and those were just the things that didn’t come looking for trouble, so the away crew needed some sort of guide through the dark waters. 

Kail tried not to be too smug about it as he gave hand signals that the other boats behind his followed into safety.  There was something deliciously savory about being able to see in the dark where others were blind.  True, his eyepatch with it’s hidden aetheric lenses did all the work, but small details like that never stopped him from taking the credit before.  

Eventually the shore came into his view, the lenses in his eyepatch layered Norah and the pack of resistance waiting behind her in a soft silver corona. He couldn’t see her face from here, but he knew from the set of her feet and square of her shoulders that she was just as nervous as he.  He knocked on the boats hull, a signal for them to pick up the pace, and then motioned to the trailing boats to pull up alongside his.  

Noyra and Syf had come along at his request, each at the head of their own longboat.  Noyra the Roegadyn was hunched over in an attempt to make herself smaller, it would have been funnier Kail supposed, had it been anyone else.  He was familiar with people who were uncomfortable in their bodies, who did everything they could to shape or mold the container they had been cursed with until their dying days, in some small attempt to fit it to its interior.  Noyra at one point had been at such war with her own body.  

She had been big as a child, taller than the rest of them to be sure, but when her adult growth hit her, words like “tall” and “big” simply stopped applying her.  Even among the Roe she was considered huge, freakishly so, and as far as the gentle girl was concerned, it didn’t fit her in the slightest.  She had done everything in her power to resist her growth, from potions to acupuncture, but it was like fighting the tide.  The low had come when Kail and the others had found her trying to take a hammer to her feet.  Currently she was at something of an armistice with her size, and the others were sure that being out on the sea helped.  This was evidenced when she offered Kail a slight wave and a smile that showed very white teeth from her boat.  Then she went back to taking delicate bites of an apple that looked like a peach pit between her large digits.  

Syf was another story.  It had never been a question of Syf being comfortable with herself, but of the world being comfortable with Syf.  Hers was a form of deceptive slenderness with the truth etched under her tatters and leathers in the same network of scars that all the survivors of the Howling Sin shared.  Syf however sported a wound from that fated night that set her apart from the others, and it wasn’t her missing eyes.  The Midlander was putting a razor edge on the long blade of her wickedly hooked fishing spear, the charms and shells in her grey dreadlocks gave dry whispers and rattles with each stroke.  The strokes kept in time with the paddle dips into the water, and Kail could see her lips moving, over the sound of the rowing came her faint singing. It was a popular shanty back on the docks called “Johnny and Mercy” and Syf’s sweet soprano was doing it a particular justice, at least until you listened to the lyrics.  In the original version of the song Mercy, a sweet and unassuming woman, was on the docks looking for her sweet sailor Johnny.  All the while she is being led on a merry chase by sailors who knew what men do when they came to port.  In Syf’s version, Mercy guts Johnny by the third verse and spends the next four making him beg for mercy…pun intended.

Kail had been attempting for some time to ask Isral just what he had said or done to retrieve the woman from her haunt of the coast near Sharlayan, where apparently she had made life hell for any slaver that stopped in the area long enough to clear their throats.   Isral’s obfuscation of self was unfortunately second only to his ability to deflect questions, and whenever Kail broached the subject, he found himself instead talking of something else.  Kail couldn’t argue with results though, not but a few weeks after Isral set out, he came back with Syf eager for action.  Kail just hoped that eagerness would work for them instead of against them.  

He was rocked gently from this line of thought as the boats nudged their way onto shore and the crew, began stowing the oars.  Norah was already walking forward, with the Resistance fighters and refugees waiting warily by the wagons.  Her normally serene and polite demeanor was warped slightly by a fierce furrow of the brow, and a set to her jaw that Kail knew all too well, she had been recently arguing with someone.  So much for the picturesque twirling embrace of a reunion.  

They met one another halfway, and in lieu of a passionate pressing of their bodies against one another, forced themselves to be satisfied with a clasping of the hands and a meeting of the eyes.  Words would come, but for the few moments they would be alone, they allowed themselves the simple and sublime relief that came with knowing the other was still whole.  Kail found comfort he didn’t know he had, and the ill rest of the night seemed to simply wash away in the face of it.  He saw the same reaction in Norah’s face and she on his, the simultaneous recognition caused a small, almost embarrassed smile to tug at their lips.  

Unfortunately they were unable to wear it for long, for time was marching on.  With the care of picking a lock, Kail broke the silence. “Yer brother?” “Alive.”  She said, some of her previous relief leaking into her voice. “It was close, too close some might say, we…” she cast a glance back towards some of the wagons “we had to come to blows with the local constabulary to stop the execution.  There were casualties, and we have wounded, he’s among them.” Kail gave a grim nod, some of the Resistance had entertained the notion that this might have been done without shedding blood, he’d had his reservations.  "Lalo can take a look at them, he’s as good as any chirurgeon back in Ishgard, better than iffin ye ask him.“ She kept her eyes on the wagons a moment longer before nodding herself "Kail, there’s something el..” “You’re late!” Interrupted a gruff voice behind her.  A handful of the Resistance had broken off from the others, at their head was a muscled specimen of the Highland persuasion.  Kail remembered him from the planning sessions for this mission.  His name was Baroth, and he’d struck Kail as someone who had been an angry individual before the world had seasoned him with a lifetime of humiliation and sedition.  Time had not improved his sense of humor.   Originally Baroth had been second in command of this resistance cell, and had been kept in check by an older man named Taltov, who had been level-headed, patient, and smart.  The sort of revolutionary leader that died early and often.  True to form Taltov was no where to be seen, and Kail took that by the way Baroth stalked forward, his field promotion hadn’t been a pleasant affair. “Took you a damned era to get those boats loaded and out here, we’ve got woun…” “He’s aware of our situation Baroth, and he’s here.” Norah did the interrupting this time, biting off the last word with a clipped intensity that matched the heated glare she threw Baroth’s way.  Kail couldn’t help waggling his eyebrows over her shoulder at the newly minted Resistance leader, which earned him a black look from the man.  As tempted as he was to smart off, Kail reminded himself that this man, along with every refugee there, was coming to the end of a very long day.  So he bit back his bile and got to business.   “Unclench those teeth lad, get the wounded t'the boats and we’ll start ferryin them over t'the Rook.  The less time we spend out on the shore the better.”   Baroth shook his head curtly and patted the hanging sword on his belt.  "My self and the few that can still lift blades will be going over first.“ Kail blinked, and for a moment thought he hadn’t heard the man right, or had lost his grasp on the common tongue.  Norah gave voice to his thoughts. "You just said it yourself Borath, we’ve those who need a doctor’s care soon, they should be the first on the Rook!” “This isn’t the first time the Resistance has dealt with pirates like your paramour Lady Shin.” He narrowed his eyes at Kail, and for a moment Kail felt fancy, it wasn’t every day someone called him a paramour. “They’re all smiles and simplicity when the deal is being struck, but once they have your back to the wall, they find a knife to twist into your gut.  If I send our wounded first they’ll ransom them for coin, I’m merely ensuring ours have appropriate protection when they arrive.” Kail felt a headache coming on, and had to resist the urge to grind his teeth.  "A wee bit paranoid ent ye?  I mean what wealth am I goin t'squeeze from a bunch of ragged refugees?“ "I see no other reason why you would bring a giant and an assassin!”  Baroth nearly snarled and pointed at Noyra and Syf in turn, the two had heard the commotion and come to stand by Kail’s side.   “I am being pointed at..” stated Syf with a grin and with a rattling cock of her blindfolded head she mused to Noyra “Cleary…they are not fond of that finger.”   The mute Noyra gave a slow ponderous look from Syf to Borath, before popping the core of her apple in her mouth and chewing just as slow.  Some sort of silent agreement had passed between the pair of women, and though the sand was loose beneath their feet, they suddenly projected the same immobility one would expect from a castle wall.    As much as he would have liked to have seen them show Baroth exactly why they had been brought along, Kail was fairly sure there were better uses of their time.  He held up a hand to the pair of them, and looked back to study Baroth.  This was odd even for present company.  Baroth wasn’t panicking as most do when they’re on the lam from authorities, no this was calculated and hostile, something was wrong and he was trying to keep them off balance before they figured it out.  Kail looked over the Highlander’s shoulder and took a quick head count of the Resistance members and refugees behind him.  Realization dawned on him with all the subtlety of a hammer blow.  

He stepped into Baroth’s personal space, and he had to give the Highlander credit for limiting his reaction to simply reaching to his sword once more and widening his eyes.  Kail raised both hands, showing them empty, and displaying (he hoped) the peacefulness of his intentions.  Lowering his voice, Kail spoke that so only Norah and Baroth could hear. “Have you told them yet?” The pair of them followed his glance towards the refugees, Norah didn’t need look back to Kail, he could tell by the slump of her shoulders that she knew what he was talking about.  Baroth was under the impression however that he had some future in the acting circuit, and attempted to feign ignorance.  "Told them what?“ Kail let out a small hiss of breath, and reminded himself that while letting Noyra bounce Baroth off a nearby rock was certainly a satisfying option, it wasn’t a helpful one. "When I signed on t'this job, I was very clear with Taltov, I could take ten men, women, or children from these shores, and that was it.  I count more than twenty-five back there.”

“That…” said Norah, casting a glare at Baroth “Is what I’ve been trying to tell you.  When we sprang the others…” She stared hard back at the refugees, and in that moment there was a subtle change in her posture that Kail wouldn’t have caught if he hadn’t been looking right at her.    It was more guarded, tense, as though something from within was threatening to spill forth if she did not keep both hands upon it.  "They were in cage next to the gallows, it wasn’t but a stone’s throw from the scaffolding.  They were made to watch as their friends were just hung knowing they were next, and those…those Garlean bastards were joking about the convenience of it all.“ She turned back to Kail, the momentary unsteadiness banished behind anger and outrage.  "We…I was unable to leave them there.” Kail didn’t need any intimate knowledge of the woman to know she was speaking the simple truth.  She had been physically incapable of leaving them behind.  They would have had to drag her away before she had allowed any such thing to happen, and that’s a hard feat to accomplish with a woman who could melt steel and shatter rock.

“Well what does it matter?” Baroth finally grumbled. “So your ship rides a little lower in the water and isn’t as comfortable, you can fit them all in there, look at it.” He motioned to the Rook as if a cursory glance summed up the craft’s capabilities, and only a complete moron couldn’t see it.   “It matters.” Shot back Kail, the level nature of his voice tilting towards an anger he rarely let out.  He didn’t care if they were refugee, resistance, or long lost family.  No one told him what to do with his ship.  "Tisn’t jest about keepin her above the waves ye feckin fool, iffin she doesn’t ride high in the water she’s much slower.  That’s longer in hostile waters with little to no hope of outrunning the airship they WILL send after us.  Never mind the fact we ent got enough food an fresh water fer that many.  Ye ever seen what happens on a ship with no food?“

Baroth blanched for a moment, and in that moment it was obvious he hadn’t thought on that.  Kail bit back on his temper a bit, Baroth looked lost as he stood staring at the Ashen Rook as though it was a poisoned oasis in the desert.  He was caught between a rock and a hard place while running with a stick of dynamite.  He had probably woke today thinking something would be different because he was trying to make a difference, only to find out the depths to which the world was truly indifferent.  To say anything now would only drive the nail in the further.  Kail might have been a cad, but he tried his best not to be cruel. Norah laid a hand gently on Borath’s shoulder in comfort, before looking to Kail searchingly.  "There must be something we can do, we can’t just abandon them here.” Frowning Kail scratched at his thickening stubble and closed his eyes while he considered the whole.  To leave them on the shore would be as good as slitting their throats, the Garleans needed examples to make of escapees, and someone had to have seen the direction the wagons took off in. “The resistance’s inside men took care of any local airships aye?”

Norah nodded “For a time at least, last we heard from them they would be able to cripple any docked ships for at least a day.  If they coordinated with us correctly, the ships have been down only for a few hours.” “That’s plenty of time fer a small boat t'get somewhere.” Kneeling ,Kail quickly sketched out the curving shoreline in the surrounding area, dotting an area in the sea several times. “South east of here there’s a scattering of islands, ent big enough to colonize, but they’ve got enough brush on em t'hide from any air patrols. We’ll load the wounded onto the Ashen Rook, and after they’re squared away we’ll leave the longboats and whatever supplies we can spare t'whoever’s left.  The boats can all be converted over to sail crafts, and iffin ye work fast ye can catch the dawn breezes coming off the mountains, should give ye a solid push towards these islands.” Baroth’s frown had returned, and deepened as Kail pressed on with the idea. “Ye lot stash yerselves there, twon’t be comfortable, but those islands have game and fresh water enough to keep ye lot the better side of thin.  Ye might even get lucky and find a smuggler’s stash, some of the lads use the islands fer emergency supplies.  We take the Rook back, n’once we’ve dropped the wounded off in Gridania, we’ll turn around and come back fer ye.”

“Just that I have this in hand…” Baroth rumbled as he stared daggers at Kail. “We’re going to set off in vessels not meant for the open seas, to a set of islands for which we have only your word on their existence.  Once we arrive we will have to hope you return before thirst or starvation or the Garleans claim us.  Have I mentioned I don’t trust you?”

“Iffin ye think  ye can get a better deal out of the Garleans, yer welcome t’wait here n’hash it out with em.”  Kail conjured one of his best wolfish smiles.  It was a smile that said he knew what sort of man Baroth was, that he wasn’t the first, and he wouldn’t be the last that Kail had dealt with.  Somehow both Syf and Noyra had picked up on the threat, and there was a tightening of fingers around a spear, and a slow hollow popping of knuckles the size of plums.  Baroth swallowed once, then looked to Norah to see if he could find support.  She gave him a slight shake of her head.  “It’s not ideal…but it’s a better plan than we had.  I’ll…I’ll go with you, once we have the wounded aboard the Rook.  We’ll all come out of this Baroth, you have my word.”

Kail felt a twinge in his gut as Norah volunteered herself, he was tempted to argue that detail right then and there, but it seemed to be the push to reason that Baroth needed.  The highlander gave a gentle nod of his head, and then headed back towards the refugees with his men in tow.  

“Well..” said Norah with a small sigh of relief.”That could have gone worse I suppose.”

“We need t’keep an eye on him Norah…” Kail muttered under his breath as he watched the man hoof it back up the sand dunes.

“Whatever for?  He’s agreed to it hasn’t he?”

“There was a reason he wanted his boys armed and aboard the Rook first…and it weren’t fer protectin the wounded, that was jest his excuse.”

It didn’t take her long to put it together, a moment of tapping her lips then she blinked and spoke Kail’s thoughts aloud. “He was going to try and take the ship…while half her crew was ferrying wounded.”  She skipped shock, and simply let cold anger blaze over her features. “The simple cheek of the bastard and after all our trouble..we aught to..”

The internal struggle on her features was plain.  She had family on the line and Baroth wasn’t just gambling with their lives, he was moving to sacrifice friends and loved ones, all in the name of a cause she carried just as close to her heart.  Yet if she took vengeance now, the lives lost for this would be for nothing.  She took a deep breath, and Kail saw a snap of electricity in her right hand, along with the heated smell of burning ozone.  It was gone just as quickly as it came, her version of letting pressure off a valve.  As she composed herself Norah’s face became both pleasant and serenely statuesque.  In that moment Kail found himself both slightly unsettled, and uncomfortably aroused, he decided it best to keep that to himself.  

“We’ll settle accounts later…for now, survival yes?”  She wove her hand into Kail’s arm and patted it fondly.  

“Survival sounds good, much better than the alternative.” He smirked, and led her back to the longboats.