Hy-Jinx leads them through labyrinthine passages, occasionally holding the candle to the walls, looking for glyphs carved into the masonry.

“I thought you couldn’t read,” says Madeleine suspiciously.

“Not those scribbles that you can, but look” she illuminates a sign on the wall, of a matchstick person holding their nose with one hand, pointing with the other and simultaneously vomiting. “Pretty self evident really. Don’t go that way.”

“And what lies that way?” enquires Helmet.

“If I had to guess, steaming piles of sh..”

“Let’s keep moving shall we” interrupts Madeleine, her curiosity satiated. “None of us wants a chill.”

“Haven’t you been down here before?” asks Hy-Jinx, surprised at Madeleine’s lack of knowledge.

“No - I’ve stayed mainly top side. Most of my time is spent beyond city limits, though I know the Inner Fayre intimately. And you’ve got to remember I’ve only been with the Guild for a couple of years.”

“And how quickly you’ve risen the ranks!” Hy-Jinx sounds almost jealous. “Well if you spend any amount of time down here you’ll be surprised at just how much is hidden beneath the city.”

Madeleine waits, expecting Hy-Jinx to continue but she just walks on in silence.

“I’ll live in anticipation then,” says Madeleine dryly.

“Nearly there,” says Hy-Jinx, her gait changing slightly as if she’s getting excited.

“You know, wondering around in the dark like this reminds me of the time that…” Helmet rambles on.

They turn right at a junction and within twenty paces the passageway comes to a stop

“But this is a dead end.” says Helmet, interrupting his meandering narrative. “Have we taken a wrong turn?”

Hy-Jinx carefully walks to the wall and feels about with her left hand, holding the candle in her right. “That’s the one!” she says triumphantly, and as she does, a loud grinding sound begins to slowly emanate from the wall.

A crack of light begins to appear around the wall’s edges as it slowly rotates, the crack growing to reveal a large well lit chamber, stockpiled full of crates and boxes, with people huddled in small groups, nervously talking to one another in hushed tones. Hy-Jinx leads them into the room and closes the wall behind them.

“You two wait here,” says Madeleine as she taps Hy-Jinx’s side and the two of them go off to talk to a couple of others - Guild members - who seem dressed in similar attire as Hy-Jinx.

Hood takes time to survey the room, in particular the people within it: families, couples, individuals, old and young. Although all seem calm, there is a veneer of anxiousness fixed to each of their faces. It is clear that these people are just the ordinary everyday folk of Kera’Bur, whom the Guild must have granted sanctuary and brought below the city streets. Hood’s eyes narrow slightly as he wonders how many more chambers there are like this.

After a brief discussion, filled with pointing, face stroking, and obvious consideration to whatever matter is being talked about, Madeleine, Hy-Jinx, and the two Guild members seem to reach an agreement and Hy-Jinx turns and beckons Hood and Helmet over, as one of the Guild members seems to melt into the shadows and disappear and the other momentarily attends to a matter with one of the groups.

“Seems like a military operation!” Helmet says to Hood as they walk over to Madeleine and Hy-Jinx, his voice conveying that whatever is going on he finds deeply impressive. Hood just sniffs and shrugs.

“Bembry says that we can find what we need in the crates over there, and store anything we wish to pick back up later. He doesn’t think however that there’s any oil here - I assume you were serious?” says Madeleine, directing the last question at Helmet.

“Of course,” replies Helmet. “A well oiled suit is requisite for…”

“Good, he said he’ll go and fetch it from another depot. It should be with us shortly.”

The other Guild member returns to the companions as Madeleine continues, introducing him to the others: “This is Dozer, he’ll escort us to the bell tower and make sure we get there safely, but before that we have to visit the Countess. She wants to meet with you,” she addresses Hood directly, “Has a favour to ask for a favour.”

Hood looks up at Dozer, a tower of rippling muscle. It would seem that Dozer would definitely get them anywhere safely. Hood motions to the people sitting.

“They’re all from the Outer Fayre,” Dozer explains, “The barbarians have yet to breach the inner wall but we expect them to do that tonight, since Kerman’s forces are now being overwhelmed on two fronts. Within the Inner Fayre the nobles and richer merchants and trade folk have either taken a side or hunkered down within their manses. Most of the Outer Fayre is burnt or burning - the Guild brought these lot down here last night when the barbarians finally broke through. Blind-folded them first and lead em here - keep em safe until whenever. Don’t much care for the rest of the inner lot, since the toffs don’t care for us, but one thing’s agreed upon though,” he grins, “and that’s barbarians ain’t good for business.”

“Which means the Guild’ll just keep whittling away at those beardy weirdies,” chips in Hy-Jinx, “I mean who wants to be governed by people who wear fox? Madness! Oo! I’ve just got some lines...” she breaks off, mumbling something that sounds like:

For the smell of fox

That ain’t been cured

There ain’t no cure.

“Hmmm..” Hy-Jinx suddenly turns introspective, her face twisted in puzzlement as if she’s trying to work something out. “Unusual,” she mutters, shaking her head and hopping up onto a crate to sit hunched up and gazing at nothing in particular, the expression of puzzlement remaining.

Seeing Hy-Jinx’s troubled expression, Helmet is about to speak when Madeleine places a hand on his arm to stay him. “Leave her, she gets like this when she can’t find a tune or the right word to rhyme…Oh, here’s your oil as promised,” Madeleine says, as Bembry returns with a large flask, which he hands to her. Madeleine in turn passes it to Helmet.

“Marvellous! Many thanks, many thanks.” Helmet says to them both, enthusiastically receiving the gift. “If you will excuse me? I’ll go find a quiet corner,” he says turning and wandering away.

Madeleine turns back to Dozer and Bembry - Hy-Jinx is still deep in troubled thought, silently chewing her bottom lip - but Hood continues to watch Helmet almost suspiciously. Something tells Hood that although Helmet is to be trusted, he is not all that he seems to be.

“Hood? Hood!”

Hood’s attention is snapped back to Madeleine who is trying to tell him something.

“So I assume we need rope, modified crossbows, grappling hooks and steel tipped bolts. Is that right?”

Hood makes a gesture with clenched fists as if tugging on the ends of a belt.

“Ah, and leather straps - okay.” Madeleine turns to Dozer. “Did you get all that?”

“Yeah not a problem. I’ll sort that out for you. Bembry, why don’t you take our guest to visit the Countess, she’s best not kept waiting.”

Bembry nods and motions to Hood. “Follow me.”

Hood silently looks up at Madeleine. Madeleine smiles back, Madeleine is always smiling.

“Don’t worry Hood, I’m coming too.”