// DEVIL BESIDE YOU \\

[Filter: Dad]

Karia and I have got to get out of here, if we're going to make this little deal go through~ If you could keep the harpy off our backs while we get out, it'd be much appreciated~

We aren't going to get a better chance than this one. Everything's all worked out. The church buys our stuff, Karia and come back with the gold, we offload the carts and then we're free.

If we're lucky, we'll make it back before this party even starts to wind down~

I don't know why that crazy woman thinks that her suddenly finding the Goddesses is going to make me like her any better! For hell's sake, she's tireless! Always wanting to go to sermons with me, arm in arm, like we're best fucking friends or something, what the hell! Twenty years of barely having six words to say between us and now she wants to bond over religion.

You might want to stop pestering me and start worrying about her, old man. She's actually serious, here, I think.

[Filter: Karia]

Sorry, I swear, I'm trying to get away from her every damn chance I get, but she's impossible to shake for long.

I really do need your help, though ... are you up for a little sneaky work? Don't know anyone better at it than you.

[Filter: Darin's Caravan]

There's only one way I'm going to get any more out of these people, and they've made it pretty clear.

Hey, Karia, what do you think about becoming a Goddess Worshipper~? It could be fun~ In fact, I'm positive it would be fun, you've seen the sermons! Once we're official, I think we'll have all sorts of access to places I get funny looks for being, right now. And just think, invites to all those fancy parties we're missing out on~

That's enough reason for me right there.

[Filter: Karia]

So, girl.

Anything I can do to cheer you up, any? Sittin' in here listening to the harpy screech at us probably ain't helping, eh? You want to go out, maybe?

You're looking a lot better, lately, Karia. We're not gonna try and rush you or nothing, and you know that, but we've still got Feldri waiting for us out there, eh?

Faster we get there, faster we can move on to somewhere we actually want to be!

You think you could deal with the ride there, yet, or do you need some more time?

She's going to be all right.

Even the captain's healer says so, and he was always the one shaking his head and going on and on about how hopeless it was, wasn't he? Even he said it, today, she's pulling through. The worst of it's all behind her. She might even wake up before we dock in at Kavan. She might not be ... all herself, not for awhile, but we can deal with that, can't we?

I can deal with that.

I told you all she'd be all right. Didn't I say so??

[Filter: Private]

The only question is, who is going to consider this bad news~?

I'd be very interested in knowing the answer to that~

ok ok okay FUCKERS here it comes I'm gonna do it

eighteen

almos t went y eight yeah ? close nough

you watching this brett?? ready karia lets go ONE TWO

THREE



[there's a long pause here]


wait, what' s ... what's wrong with .. --

what did she say?

what's wrong with karia? did she say what I thought she ...

[Filter: Brett]

Hey, so~ Sorry if this is awkward, or anything, I know you've got your walls and you like 'em high, but you're the only one I've got to talk to about this around here. Seriously, anyway.

Have you noticed Karia acting ... odd, since we left Rechesa?

At first I thought it must have just been -- you know, what happened there, it really brings back memories for her. She used to be involved in some heavy stuff in Norey, and it don't seem to matter how many times I tell her she's put all that behind her. Especially after Tyrane ... she just never believes it. Tells me she does, sure, then stuff like this happens and it's right back to old instincts Karia, sniffing everything she drinks and looking for killers in the corners while we're out on our little dates and she gets so clingly, I love that girl, but I can't handle the clingy~ She thinks it's gonna be me, next. I know she does, much as she goes out of her way to never say it.

I know you and her haven't been getting on fantastic lately, but -- Dad would just tell me to lighten up and put all that nasty business out of my head. Well, maybe you'll tell me the same thing, who knows~

I just don't know what to do when she gets like this. She tells me she's aired all her dirty laundry out for me, already, but I always feel like there's some big secret part of her I just can't touch.

[Filter: Private, in Atsirian]

It should be more interesting than this.

What fun is it when everyone reacts the way you expect? I want something new. Something interesting. Something I can work with. Is that so much to ask?

[Filter: Public, in Trade]

After all that messy business, I have to ask. Are there any lingering protests when I say that maybe, just maybe, Rechesa's lost its savor~?

[Filter: Darin's Group]

Okay. Since the old man decided he wasn't going to be helpful, I went and asked some questions on my own. No one knows much, but what everyone agrees on is someone dumped a dead girl by the wagons. They left some kind of message with her ... but it doesn't say to who. I haven't seen it, myself, Dad won't let anyone close, but some people say something's written in blood. Other people say someone carved some words right into the poor girl. No one can really make much sense out of it. This is what comes from stuffing a big city like this full to bursting, I say.

I'm going to try and find out what this message everyone's talking about actually says, anyone's welcome to help. Might take more than one of us to get past the old man and the guards we've got crawling all over the place, now.