Tchisa suddenly found herself in a strange space. It felt real, and yet at the same time felt like she was somewhere that wasn't real. She wasn't sure what to make of the contradiction, just that she was somewhere she had no memory of going that defied all logic of reality that she was used to.
She could see others present and as she focused, she could make out Zirisia, Roeasadra, Oleania Laer, Polelin, and Saelea in a small group of people. Some of them made sense that she'd expect to see since they were still around where she had thought she'd gone to bed, but others like Saelea, she couldn't be sure why she was there. Saelea had left with the Blue Rose, so she shouldn't be present at all. Yet she could clearly see her present before her.
"Just one more," Tchisa heard a familiar voice say, drawing her attention to the center of the group. "Then we'll all be here."
Tchisa wanted to ask what Jenn meant but then she nearly fell when she suddenly started moving even though nothing around her moved at all. At least that's how it felt even as the scenery around them changed from the central building to the road outside of the central building. How they suddenly appeared there, Tchisa couldn't say.
While it felt like it was a dream, she couldn't say that it was a dream. For one thing, she'd never felt this alert when she had been dreaming before. It almost felt like it was something else altogether.
When the scenery around them stabilized, Maelia appeared next to Tchisa, startling her as she wasn't sure how the woman had appeared like that.
"Okay, I understand some of you still might be a little disoriented, but I assure you that'll pass," Jenn said as she started motioning everyone to make a circle, where everyone could see each other. "This is what my friends and I call a 'dream conference'. It'll allow me to pass updates to all of you while I'm traveling and you guys can keep me apprised of what's happening back at the settlement. This way we won't need to worry about what the other is doing and how that'll affect our plans for our people."
Tchisa wanted to ask how this was possible, but she kept her mouth shut. She doubted that she was the only person thinking that right then. Especially with how others were looking as confused as she felt with what was just said.
"Why am I here then?" Saelea asked, looking almost lost standing next to the Blue Rose. "We were in the same room at the inn, so why did you bring me into this?"
A few others voiced their support on what Saelea said, though each for different reasons. Some were at the forest settlement and hardly were included when it meetings were held to discuss serious issues.
"I brought everyone here so all of you can hear whatever was said. Otherwise, I'd have to go through this explanation each time I bring someone new here. Plus, this way I'll be able to let all of you know what I have to say and how it may or may not affect each of you. Besides, I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has information to share. As I'd first like to ask how the hunt for that wolf in the mountain settlement is going," Jenn said, shifting topics so quickly that Tchisa nearly missed it.
She suspected that if she wasn't still getting used to this environment that she would have been able to have anticipated the shift of topic without any real trouble, rather than just barely catching it.
"Actually, the wolf has been dealt with," Tchisa said, her voice sounding clearly through the chatter that started up when everyone heard what Jenn's explanation had been about why each of them were there, making Tchisa wonder just how many had even realized that the topic had already been changed.
Although, as she spoke, everyone quieted down, which at least made her smile to herself a little.
"That's good to hear," Jenn said, looking relieved.
"Although it wasn't our people who dealt with it," Tchisa continued, not surprised that the Blue Rose wouldn't be aware of those who had come through the gate looking for someone. Someone that Tchisa hadn't had the time to pay close attention to who it was that they were looking for.
"Well, if the ogres helped, then I'm sure-" Jenn started to say, but Tchisa quickly cut her off. She didn't want to give Jenn a false impression on what had actually happened. Too much had already gone on that she didn't think that they really had time to consider all of this right then.
Not with whatever illness had appeared with the spotted plague.
"It wasn't them, either. A small group of people came through the gate claiming to be looking for someone, but I haven't had time to listen to them to hear who it is that they're looking for."
Jenn looked suddenly looked rather pale, but Tchisa couldn't quite be sure right then. Not at the distance between them. Though, she suspected that Jenn probably knew more about their visitors than she likely would care to divulge with them.
"Were any of their names Ralph, Tim, Wes, Amelia, or Beth?" Jenn asked, resignation clear in her voice. Almost as if she expected confirmation of her answer.
"Yes, that's their names exactly!" Roesadra exclaimed. "Well, aside from Beth, that is."
"Are you saying that you know who they are?" Riewis asked, sounding like she finally had the proof she needed to show that they weren't to be trusted. Something Tchisa had a feeling wasn't going to be as simple as that. Not with how the Blue Rose was sounding to Tchisa.
"Yes, they're my friends," Jenn said, looking like she wished she didn't have to admit that, but didn't see any way around that fact. "I'd trust them with my life if it came to that. I just didn't want them to know where I was."
"Why don't you want them to know that?" Oleania asked, her expression surprised.
Tchisa heard others chime in on their surprise and inquiries about why Jenn didn't want them to know where she was or even have any contact with them. Overwhelming Jenn in her ability to respond to each question. However, Tchisa could tell that they were going off on a tangent that wasn't going to help them at all. Especially since she knew that Jenn needed to know about everything that had happened since she left and she wasn't sure if there was going to be another chance to let her know about the illness.
"Quiet!" Tchisa called out, silencing everyone, including Jenn who looked like she hadn't realized how far off topic they'd gotten. "We have something else we need to talk about. It's something that happened after your… friends arrived," Tchisa said, hesitating with using the word 'friends' to describe their visitors since she didn't quite understand why the Blue Rose didn't want them to be aware of her presence.
Although, given her identity as the Blue Rose being kept secret, she supposed that it made sense that she didn't want them to know about that fact, but at the same time, she didn't see how that knowledge would affect her friends being able to know where she was. It almost felt like two separate issues to Tchisa.
"What happened?" Jenn asked, her expression turning serious, which made Tchisa feel a little relieved. That Jenn recognized what she was about to be told was rather important.
"First the spotted plague appeared," Tchisa said gravely, making several people who weren't in the mountain settlement to look worried. "Amelia has been able to treat it, but after that's been taken care of, those who were treated by whatever it is that she does to cure the plague, are left weak and can't move around without tiring themselves out quickly. We're not sure what this other illness is, but Amelia is convinced that it's something else going around."
Jenn nodded, not saying anything, though Saelea Tchisa can see Saelea looking between them with a worried expression on her face, clearly unsure about what was being said.
"So, it seems that no one's to enter or leave the mountain settlement," Jenn declared, not surprising Tchisa. "Though, has everyone gotten weak like you described? Or are there some who are still able to move around without problem?"
"It hasn't affected everyone," Riewis answered before Tchisa could say anything. "Only those who were cured with the treatment Amelia has been using."
Jenn nodded to herself, looking as if she was considering exactly what had been said so far. "If that's the case I'll leave it to Amelia to figure out on her own," Jenn said, which drew an aggrieved expression from Riewis, making Tchisa want to laugh, even though she knew that this wasn't the time or place for that.
"And by what authority are you making that decision?" Riewis demanded, sounding rather smug, as if she'd just caught Jenn in her words.
"Well, it's not like I'm there, and I can't say that I actually made a decision. I merely pointed out some obvious things that were likely to be put into place as a result of events that happened. The closest I came to was by giving my friends my vote of confidence and that I trusted them. If you feel differently, then you can do things differently if you choose. It's not like I know exactly what's going on there anyway."
Riewis opened her mouth as if she was about to say something else but stopped and instead just glared at Jenn.
Tchisa thought that Jenn had handled that rather well without revealing her actual position. Something Tchisa had to wonder if Riewis would have become apoplectic if she had been told that Jenn was the Blue Rose right then. She was well aware that Riewis didn't think much of the Blue Rose and would rather Tchisa be in charge, but to find that the Blue Rose was actually Jenn might just be a little too much for her to accept right then. Especially considering how long she'd been
However, that was something that wouldn't help them here. Not with everything that was going on.
"Enough!" Zirisia called out before Tchisa could say something to end any more of the back and forth between Jenn and Riewis. "We don't know how much time we have like this and we need to decide other things as well."
"Is there something else that came up while I'm gone?"
"Naturally, but since you can't return to us now, you'll need to take care of it yourself as your next assignment. Though, Saelea might need to wait outside the gate until she can pass through to return to her position after you're done in Pleonths."
"What's the assignment?' Jenn asked, sounding rather eager, more than Tchisa would have thought.
"The queen's personal guard have mysteriously fallen ill and she sent out a request to a few mercenary companies that she felt she could trust. Although why she chose the Silverthorns, I can't say," Laer answered. "Maybe she was pleased at how we've taken control of guarding the Forest of the Lost."
"Doesn't matter why, just as long as she trusts us, right?" Jenn asked, surprising Tchisa with how well she was taking it in stride. Including some doubts as to why they were on that 'trusted' list.
As even to Tchisa, it smelled fishy. Something just didn't seem right with it, but no one that Tchisa had talked to about it had any thoughts as to what could be a problem with it. Yet until she could be sure of what that was, she didn't think it would be a good idea to express her doubts with Jenn. As she couldn't be sure that she was just suspicious because of the strangeness of the request.
"So, how long will you be there for?" Zirisia asked, looking like she was ready to command Jenn, likely for only show rather than her thinking that she really was able to command the Blue Rose whenever she wanted.
Jenn visibly hesitated, making Tchisa wonder what this was about. After all, she wasn't sure why Jenn would be hesitating at this point. Unless she was about to reveal herself as the Blue Rose, Tchisa didn't see any reason for hesitation. Especially since it was clear that she was being directed to head to the capital to be the queen's personal guard. Although, she couldn't help but feel like she was getting vague hints of what Jenn was thinking, yet it was confused with other thoughts she felt like she was hearing from others present. She couldn't say what it was about, just that it felt almost like background noise, easily ignored.
"It's just that we're not finished with what we have to do here," Jenn said, sounding a little reluctant with what she was saying. Which made Tchisa wonder if she was hiding something. While she couldn't be sure, it felt like she was making excuses.
"And what do you still have to do? You should have been there for a few days already, meaning that anything you should have already completed anything that was necessary for you to have accomplished," Oleania said, sounding as official as she did when she was taking her turn as a stand-in.
For a show performance, since Jenn hadn't chosen to yet take her position as the Blue Rose publicly, Tchisa thought that it was well done.
"The duchess had made some demands that I had forgotten to tell all of you about from my previous visit here. Plus, we arrived later than expected, making what we still have to do a little complicated. First, Saelea was accepted as a monthly messenger that would give the duchess an update of everything that happened for us in the past month. We were a little over that first month mark, but the duchess was willing to let it go since we'd just started.
"Second, she wanted a list of everyone that was in the settlements of ours, regardless of if they were with us when we first were saved by the Blue Rose or not. So, Saelea is still finishing giving what names she can give them, but she didn't know the names of everyone that I had brought back from Veloutra. So we'll need to get that done once the quarantine is lifted from the settlement.
"And Third, she wanted us to tell her what resources we have by the settlement that she might be able to trade for. Or, at least that's what I assume she wants, though she does want repayment for the slaves that escaped that she had purchased. If we don't comply with those demands, she plans on sending people to collect the escaped slaves rather than letting us keep to ourselves."
Tchisa felt surprised at what was said. She hadn't expected that Jenn would have forgotten to tell them all that, but at the same time, she supposed with everything going on, it was likely easy to let some things slip from one's mind. Especially when they were as unfavorable as what she was hearing the duchess had demanded. Though, she supposed Jenn had to agree to those demands given they weren't exactly in a position to negotiate, given they had all been escaped slaves by the time that she'd encountered them.
"And how long do you think this will take you? To complete what you can of her demands?" Maelia asked, sounding as if she was about to tell Jenn to forget it, even though Tchisa doubted she would do such a thing.
Yet, a stray thought that was more of a feeling came to Tchisa, one that she thought might have come from Jenn, though she wasn't quite sure. It was one of relief. Something that just felt a little out of place given the current circumstances they were working with. Which made Tchisa wonder if Jenn had been completely honest with them and if so, what it was that she was hiding.
"A week. We should be able to be ready to go by the time I'll bring everyone here for another dream conference."
Tchisa looked around, wondering if anyone else had felt that sense of relief that she knew wasn't hers. Yet, it didn't look like anyone had, which actually made Tchisa feel like she might have imagined it, despite the fact that she knew she didn't have that active of an imagination.
"A week? Well, I guess if you need that much time, it can't be helped," Roesadra remarked, looking as if she was struggling to keep from laughing. Which made Tchisa wonder if she might be the one to expose Jenn's role as the Blue Rose at some point before Jenn was ready to publicly do so. "Just be sure to complete it by that week's time or we might lose our chance at accepting that contract. We're not sure how long it'll take for you to get there, given how long it took you to get there from where we're at, but we'll expect you to move quickly so we don't lose that contract. It's supposed to pay rather well."
Jenn nodded, though Tchisa wasn't sure if there was anything about a deadline before they'd lose their chance at the contract, but she supposed that it could have been part of the act, with Roesadra looking like she was trying to light a fire under Jenn to get her moving.
"I'll do my best," Jenn said, nodding. "I don't expect that it'll take any longer than-"
Tchisa opened her eyes as Cinder was shaking her. "You said to wake you up at sunrise," Cinder said before Tchisa could complain.
She wasn't sure what Jenn had been about to say, but she couldn't blame Cinder, since she had asked him to wake her up so she could evaluate the condition of everyone who was still struggling to get strong enough to try and do their regular tasks.
Besides, she wasn't sure what would happen if the current situation at the settlement didn't change. As while she hoped it was temporary, she couldn't rule out the possibility that this might be more permanent than she'd like.