85: Chasing the Wagon

Hi, mum. We did go straight to Wasmeier’s town house. On the way, I felt the fey eyes energy drink thing beginning to wear off, so I drank Willow’s vitality draught which did the trick, although I’m wondering what will happen when that one wears off, I might need to get another tonic of something or other, and after that one wears off, who knows what I’ll do. I’ve heard the elves (or someone) call that sort of addiction and struggle to find increasingly more potent tonics, ‘chasing the wagon.’ But don’t worry, mum, I’m sure Willow will sort me out.

Friederik knew where Wasmeier lived so we followed him there. As we rushed out of the palace he grabbed a guard who he knew and told him to tell Schutzmann where we were going.

The streets were rammed for the last night of carnival and so it was a bit of a struggle making our way there. We kept our eyes on the sky in case Wasmeier flew over but I think we all knew he must be long gone by now. And after Willow had had a sip of the flying potion leftovers, she seemed to be floating above the ground, just a little bit, but not enough to clear the crowds.

Fred and Guido moved the people out of our way as best they could, but it was still slow going. And Guido was doing it in the name of Sigmar which wasn’t much help. Blume fired her pistol in the air to try to get everyone out the way, which helped a bit, and she did kill a pigeon. Then Guido told her off for wasting ammo, which presumably is Tilean for ammunition.

The house was not far from the Field of Martials, and had a courtyard surrounded by a wall. Willow had a quick float up to see in the top windows, and she could see that there was rushed activity going on behind the glass, but she landed in a fish pond in the garden and got soaked (It was a rather nice, but perhaps a little too formal, rose garden – Willow).

I had a look round the building for other exits and saw some of that activity as well. Guido asked Fred about the civic protocols for gaining entry, but he just shrugged and said they do what they want, but have to be a bit careful dealing with wealthy people, like Wasmeier.

After a bit of chat, knocking, and needless delay, we loaded our weapons and Guido tried to break the door down (I helped a bit). Unfortunately the door was too strong, but some passer-by offered to help us for a few shillings. The chap was probably not very honest, but needs must, and not even Guido objected. And in a few moments he had unlocked the door.

So anyway, mum, Guido and Fred went through the house in a sort of organised military way chatting in that Battle language and we followed. We saw some servants running about and asked them to stop, but they didn’t, and we saw the bloke who opened the door for us, but I think he was just using the opportunity to steal stuff.

We saw some people, through the patio doors, heading towards the stable, and Fred just ran straight through the glass doors into the rose garden, but luckily he didn’t cut himself. Fred and Blume rushed off towards the stable and I was left with Willow, and she started talking about missing Dreamy, mum, and I didn’t know what to say, so I just whistled a bit and pretended I was busy (I just can’t stop thinking about him – Willow).

Blume opened the stable door and saw a wagon and horses that looked like it was ready to leave, though there was no sign of a driver. It was covered in armour and spikes and blades and a waxy sort of substance. But then she stepped on what looked like a bear trap and some metal jaws grabbed onto her leg.

Then we saw some reins, pulled from inside the enclosed wagon, gee up the horses and they burst through the stable door and out into the street. Fred managed to open the bear trap for Blume but they watched helplessly as the wagon sped off down the road.

I ran after it for a bit, but it was pointless. Then we saw five riders approaching. They were watchmen sent by Ehrlich or Shutzmann. They had a warrant for Friederik which I think means he can do whatever he wants, now, as long as he doesn’t upset nobles. And Fred told them that we needed their horses and they should secure Wasmeier’s residence while we were gone.

The horses were a bit big for me, so I got up on Fred’s and Willow got up on Guido’s, and Blume grabbed a horse, too, and we rode off in pursuit of the wagon. We could see that it was going at full speed, heedless of any one else on the road, and people had to throw themselves out of its way or be run over or cut by the blades and spikes. But that also made the route pretty clear for us to catch up (I nearly fell off – Willow).

And as we caught up with it, a slit opened up in the back and someone poked an arrow out and shot it at me. Luckily it missed and hit Fred in the chest, instead. Blume closed in on the side of the wagon, but it sprang blades from its axels and then drifted towards her, but luckily she managed to avoid them. And she got a shot on one of the horses and hit it, but it didn’t stop running.

Meanwhile Guido, who is obviously not as good a rider as he thinks he is, because he wasn’t as fast as us, managed to find a shortcut and ended up on a path overlooking the road. He thought about jumping onto the wagon but could see there were even more spikes and things on top of it, so he jumped onto one of the horses instead. It was very dangerous, but he managed it.

And Fred was able to ride close enough to the slit in the back of the wagon that I could stick my pistol in and shoot the archer. I think I got a good hit on him, but he shot back and hit me, too.

Then we saw Wasmeier lean out of the hatch at the front of the wagon, and he did a spell or something, and Guido was engulfed in some strange magical fire. And instead of just dissipating the strange fire continued to burn all around him like he was really on fire, although it was clearly not real fire, because it was blue.

So there we are, mum, the wagon covered in spiky bits is approaching the southern gate of the city. I’ve no idea what will happen if it reaches it, whether it will be able to blast straight through the gatehouse or just crash into it. And we’re all on horses except Guido is on (blue) fire. I’ll let you know what happens as soon as I can.