Exton

Raina sits back and takes a deep breath. When Tannr returns his face is stormy and he angrily pulls a chair out and sits down hard. She can feel his emotions, anger, confusion, but worry and a deep love over-riding all of it.

“Are you sure about this? Want to continue with the planning?” Raina asks.

“Yes...positive.” Tannr takes a deep breath and the discussion begins.

As Raina listens it dawns on her that she isnt included. “Hey! Wait a minute. Why am I not doing anything? We're family, you have to let me help...”

Shaking his head, Tannr responds. “No, not this time. If this all goes wrong, and I doubt if it will, but if it does, Ardara is going to come looking for what she wants and revenge. We have already insulted her with getting Tori out of there... if I dont come back you have to get all the kids to the manse and under the sorcerers protection. You know Star will be a handful, I can see her trying to make friends with the Drow....”

“I dont know Tannr. I think she is more realistic now, after helping you rescue Tori...” Raina thinks Tannr is making excuses, not wanting to place his family in jeopardy for something he feels the need to accomplish. If he wants to do this on his own for Tori I need to shut up and back out gracefully....just agree with his plan...let him run off and get killed....stop thinking like that...he isnt the clumsy boy you remember from childhood... 

Raina takes a deep ragged breath. “Okay.... so Keon, Gunnaar and Erik will wait at the cabin, opening the gate there and waiting for your return and making sure you arent followed. And if you dont come back, I am suppose to round up kids...all of them? Ru, Mera, Chloe, Teri... Alises kids...”

 Stoney takes a seat and grins. “Alise will get our brood to the manse. Ike or I will bring Obs children to you..”

“Okay...” Raina says but her thoughts take a different turn. If you dont come back, once the kids are safe at the manse, Ky and I are going hunting, no matter what anyone says... 

“Then you, Ob, Drai and only three of your men are going into Underdark? Thats not very many...” Raina is worried, thinking it would be better to include a few more.

“In and out quick. Too many will slow us down.”

Raina nods, worrying again about the three Tannr had chosen. She remembers what Tannr had told them earlier of his men. The first one he had picked was Addley, who Tannr said was slightly psychotic and loved his knives to the point of distraction....and he had lots of knives...

How does one get to be slightly psychotic? 

Andy, who was a handsome, charming, personable con artist who could sell ice to an Eskimo.....then slit his throat so he can sell it again. Quiet and stealthy, he could get close enough to cut throats before anyone realized what was happening.

And Hugh. Strong silent type... doesn't smile much... doesnt say much... utterly lethal on a battlefield, clumsy as fuck anywhere else... kind of a berserker type... you arm him, then get the fuck out of his way.

The men had laughed at this description and Tannr had continued. “They call him Hugh Bearskin... çause when they found him, he was wearing a bearskin... and not much else. He told the men he ate the bear... somehow, they didn't doubt him...”

Raina shakes her head, clearing it of her thoughts and looks at Drai. “What are you bringing for weapons?”

His smile was chilling, “Ky's darts.”

Tannr continues, telling how the six would get in after the guards were killed and replaced with his own men, the rest of the company hiding in the forest. Dark cloaks would allow them to sneak in and locate the initiates building, where they would steal robes and get into the temple. If it meant killing all the initiates, so be it.

“Once we are out and clear of the entrance, the rest of the men will take care of any that follow and Lily will take care of the entrance... that will buy us enough time to get away. By the time the Drow are able to follow, there wont be so much as a trail left. Should keep them from proving we had anything to do with it, definitely keeps Inari out of it and whatever treaties she needs to uphold....”

Rainas forehead wrinkles as she looks at Tannr. “Lily? Who the hel is Lily? The camp whore?”

Tannr grins. “Oh no. Lily is a tiny little woman, pretty in a way, a little crazy. She likes to blow things up. The bigger the explosion, the better...”

Raina returns the grin, “I think I like that part...”