Retainer
Ingrid stumbled into the refugees when she opened a Gate in the parklands north and west of Funderland. It had been part of her regular round, checking for open Gates or other signs of passage near the Freehold and leaving signs of their presence should any of their kind be passing through.
Perhaps trying to climb a tree because the elongated "V" of its main branches was just too temping as the formal frame of a Gate was not quite the best idea. However, the long trek in search of Billy had left a hunger on the Darkling's soul that had not quite burned out.
The fall was embarrassing. Fortunately the undergrowth had a distinctive shape of its own: enough for the enterprising Darkling to shape - even if the enterprising Darkling to had wriggle and squirm through it.
She lost her bag along the way, snatched and snagged on the ever-sharp Thorns.
Struggling through the Thorns, the Darkling had eventually wormed her way out onto a slip of a path. She had turned left, heading in the direction where the ambient light seemed brighter and the Thorns less enclosing. And there she had found them: two Wizened, bedraggled and worn from their journey.
Tense moments had ensued, as the Wizened were suspicious and this part of the Hedge unfamiliar. Gritting her teeth, Ingrid worked through their fears and after an exchange (she gave up her leather jacket and received a canteen of water in return) they felt more at ease. Enough to talk.
"Where are you from?"
"San Francisco. Don't go there. The Court's are gearing up for a fight now. Everyone is being dragged into it. Me and Mitch. We're out. He's Ash and I'm Emerald but I have no desire to get myself killed for some stupid Sovereigns. Besides - we is a motley."
"Not far from here is Sacramento..."
"Not a chance, lady. Too close. Bay is huge. If you're not careful you'll get sucked in too."
"What Mitch means to say is that he knows some people in Arizona. We heading there. This way is easier than getting transport, you know. We kinda low on funds."
"We stopped off a while at a Hollow run by the Blackbird Bishops. They gave us respite and directions to some safe places. Friendly hobs and the like. Warnings of the path too."
"They holed up just down the path."
"And the Bay...?"
"Bishops got an old fairy fort or something. Sharing it with the Margraves of the Brim or so they say. I ain't seen no Margrave but there was plenty of hobs and Lost. And more than a couple of them Blackbird Bishops. The fort must be on the way out from San Francisco 'cause we recognised some other folks from there, too. Looks like a lot of us are moving on before we get conscripted is my guess."
"Funny. I hadn't heard anything about no Bishops."
"Me neither. Guess they came to... uh... help out."
"I think they got something going with the Brim."
"About the Brim..."
"No idea. Not like we seen any..."
"Not in person. Found a little camp or cache. They must be moving around."
"Putting out spot fires. Things is dicey in the Hedge around the Bay now. What with the Freehold imploding and all..."
They parted company. With enough intelligence gathering done, the Darkling headed along the path looking for a spot big enough to use as an Gate back home.
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