( OPEN ) | something borrowed, something blue

[indissection]

WHO: Byerly, Sidony and guests (everyone is invited)
WHAT: The best sham of a wedding Thedas has ever seen
WHEN: Now
WHERE: the Toad and Flagon
NOTES: The Best Wedding Ever ft. a kidnapping

You are hereby invited to the wedding of Byerly Rutyer and Sidony Celogera Allegra Venaras. The venue is not quiet nor is it beautiful; the gambling hall is loud and intense, with all kinds of smells and dirtiness to carry along with the strangeness of their wedding. There’s some attempt at draping, some attempt at making it look as though some kind of party is taking place here, but it certainly doesn’t look like there’s going to be a wedding at all. It’s hastily done, hastily put together, but at least it’s something, which is better than nothing. There’s about an hour until the wedding is due to start and both the bride and groom are getting ready - whatever that means to the two of them. Food is not provided. There are no drinks bought. There's a table for gifts to one side, with a little plaque with their names on. Prostitutes and gamblers wander between the aisles and chairs, laughing and making jokes with one another, completely avoiding setting the scene of a proper wedding.

Comments

[indissection]

There's a moment where it seems like no one else is going to try and help them - the gambling hall is delightfully unamused and there's nothing more than the shouts of Sidony - who is trying her best to either bite or scream the ear off the person who has picked her up. No one seems inclined to stop, no matter the fire or the shouting or the promise of mages; Sidony is to be returned to her parents and given back to a betrothed waiting for her since she is most certainly not dead.

From the crowd comes the same curly haired man as before, moving to join the people chasing after the bride with wise, unsure eyes; it's as though he's not sure what to do with himself, torn between some kind of moral choice, whatever that might be.

"We must bring her back," he says, finally, voice low, and anyone looking close enough might note that he and Sidony have the exact same eyes.

[justice_is_blond]

"No, really?" Maybe if they weren't actually chasing after the group that had Sidony he'd be a little less sarcastic. Probably, even. But what does this guy think they're doing?

"Any actual ideas, any idea where they're headed, or are you today's Captain Obvious?" The resemblance is there, but it's not even needed. This guy showed up at the same time as the other people. He's maybe not exactly involved, but he's tied into this mess. There wouldn't be any other reason for him getting involved.

He casts, flinging up a wall of ice down one alleyway ahead of them only to have the running party turn down one he couldn't see down in time. At least they've got a couple of enemies down, and he's not running after this group alone. Heck, they even have a Mysterious Shadowy Helper up on the rooftops who is unfortunately too tall to be Varric.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/240/075/90f.png

[unshut]

Granted, it's not particularly long lived help. There are, it seems, limits to the range of a crossbow from some grotty old balcony (when wielded by A Shadowy Helper or otherwise). A last bolt striking the far wall of the alley over fleeing heads forces some stumbling and jostling, and then they and their pursuit are turning out of her sightline.

Click. The hand crossbow is reattached to the heavy ring at her belt, and then Fitcher withdraws. There are other routes worth putting eyes on. Best leave the chase to the especially ambitious or long legged.

[sulahnan]

It's a good thing Athessa decided to show up late to the wedding, instead of skipping it altogether. A win-win, since she doesn't have to be disappointed by the lack of free food or drink, and by the looks of things, she gets to help thwart a kidnapping!

Which she sees only because she was taking the same path as the kidnappers, in the opposite direction, just in time to hear the strike of the crossbow bolt, see the bad guys turning the corner, and then see the pursuing party.

"Wha--" It's not much time, but it's enough to take down the rear-most kidnapper. Athessa grabs the man by the arm, steering him so he hits the wall of the alley with the same momentum he was already running at.

She doesn't wait to see if he stays down before setting off after the others.

[tender]

Skidding past Athessa, Derrica has the breath to immediately impart: "They've stolen the bride."

While Derrica still doesn't know what to make of the marriage itself, she can safely say it's probably best if they return Sidony to her new husband. (Assuming he hasn't bled out already.)

[indissection]

"My sister," the man says, voice low and unsure, tilting his head to look at the way the men went. There's no way that he'll be able to catch up to them now, but he knows where they're going. The problem is, of course, that he never imagined that they might be so bold as to steal Sidony from her own nuptials, no matter how frustrated they were with her. If anything, he looks a level of angry that might match Anders and Byerly, should they be showing it.

"I did not think my mother would go this far, and yet here we stand." Frowning, he steps forward, gathering some strength in his shoulders. "The dock, perhaps. That is how we arrived, to collect her maid and belongings."