Roll the Dice

Dylan looked around the secreted tavern, wondering if, like the temple, she didn’t belong. Actually she knew she probably didn’t, but she wanted to. This was what she wanted to be a part of now, a cause she could believe in, as she once believed in the military system she and her family had served for so long. She sighed and looked down into her ale, watching the small bubbles reach the surface and pop. Nothing would be the same again, she mused. And if that was the case, she was sure she’d chosen the right side (even if it did take her longer than it should have to truly make the change). She looked up and around at the people surrounding her - these were the people she’d sworn an oath to protect; only now she’d have to do it in something other than a uniform. 

She spotted the tall, pale fighter on the other side of the bar and asked the bartender for another ale, the largest he had. The mug he pushed over was hefty and the foam ran over the lip and down the side as Dylan walked it over. “Hey, I uh, hear congratulations are in order?” she said, her voice rising, unsure what it was for. But of all of them she’d sensed a particular kind of camaraderie with this one, despite the goliath’s understandable reticence toward Dylan. She held out the large stein. “I’m sorry I don’t know what it’s for, but congratulations.” 

Leaving the others alone for a bit, Nalla grabbed herself an ale and found an empty table. She couldn’t stop thinking about George’s response. She didn’t know how she had been expecting him to respond, but using the group stones was exactly the kind of thing he’d do. Which of course meant she had to explain to the others what was happening. There were congratulations to be had and then they moved on. But not her. Not completely at least. She knew the that elated feeling in her chest would stick with her for quite a while.

A new, yet increasingly familiar voice interrupted her thoughts and Nalla turned to see Dylan next to her. “Oh thank you!” She drained the ale she’d gotten for herself and gratefully accepted the one Dylan had brought over. It occurred to her in that moment that Dylan didn’t have a stone of her own, so she didn’t hear George’s message. “I uh...well I just got engaged actually.” She chuckled softly, the words still feeling foreign to her.

The Gilded Lily is cramped and far from quiet, even in the dead of night. Although the theater proper — the stage, the audience seating, the public and waiting areas — is empty, the dressing rooms, lounge rooms, and private rooms backstage are filled with anywhere between low, murmured conversations and spirited, raised voices thick with the enthusiasm of inebriation.

(Someone unfamiliar to the city would wonder if this is the norm, or if there’s an exceptional restlessness to a city locked down, contained, and kept to a standstill, ready to combust.)

It is amidst this noise that the party members, in whatever states of wakefulness and rest they are in, hears a familiar, serious voice:

Group Message #3

The Gilded Lily is cramped and far from quiet, even in the dead of night. Although the theater proper — the stage, the audience seating, the public and waiting areas — is empty, the dressing rooms, lounge rooms, and private rooms backstage are filled with anywhere between low, murmured conversations and spirited, raised voices thick with the enthusiasm of inebriation.

(Someone unfamiliar to the city would wonder if this is the norm, or if there’s an exceptional restlessness to a city locked down, contained, and kept to a standstill, ready to combust.)

It is amidst this noise that the party members, in whatever states of wakefulness and rest they are in, hears a familiar, serious voice:

“Got into Lossan? If so, what’s the plan now? Look for Ben’s contact if you can. Do you need reinforcements? Let me know. Stay safe.”

Nalla has always been able to fall asleep no matter where she is. It’s a talent that developed when she was very young and has been incredibly useful in her line of work. Another incredibly useful talent is the fact that she can be in the deepest sleep, but when a question is directed toward her, she wakes up immediately. 

It is that talent that comes into play when the sending stone next to her comes to life with the sound of a familiar voice. She wakes up with a small grunt and rolls over, picking up the stone to respond.

Nalla removes her armor piece by heavy piece and more than anything, George realizes how much she relaxes and how much tension falls from her frame. Watching her fight was always a treat, but it’s nice seeing her like this too, mostly because she seems more comfortable and at ease. Did there always have to be something to fight?  Couldn’t he bring her some place where she could relax like this more often? 

With the invitation clear, George climbs onto the bed and takes a spot next to Nalla. What little armor he wears has also been discarded at a chair near the door of their room and he’s down to his shirt and his breeches. Just as he did when she was transformed into a giant ape, George throws an arm around her middle and hugs her, letting himself sink into her with a content sigh . Being apart from her was the worst. This, here, now, was definitely the best. 

“I’ve been fine,” George says, turning his face so as to not let his voice get muffled in Nalla’s shirt (but he still maintains the hug; that’s the important part, duh). “But I’ve been missing a certain someone, so I could’ve been better before. Absolutely better now.” He adds another squeeze to his hug for emphasis. Catching up with Nalla in the municipal building and in the town square party was nice, but both of those settings were very public. It was nice to just be here alone and have some privacy. 

Still hugging her, George looks up, doing his best to see her face. Still just as beautiful, George concludes, as if there was any doubt. The grin beneath his beard is wide as ever. “I hope you’ve been alright?” he asks. “I mean, you’re obviously fighting like a pro and kicking ass.” Definitely no doubt there. “But how are you?” He thinks back to his earlier observation, about how relaxed she was now, how tired she must be. “Do I have to hassle Lex to get you gals some time off? Preferably somewhere with snow. I can’t believe you’ve been in that tropical hellscape for so long, darlin’.” He pulls back a little from the hug to look over the exposed skin of her arms to check for sunburn, exhaling in a huff that’s part joking but part not. It’s nice to finally be here with her to fuss over her instead of worrying from afar. Not that she isn’t tough and able to take care of herself just fine, but George wonders how she’s doing all the time. A single message per person by Sending Stone just wasn’t enough. That much was certainly clear to him now that he had the chance to be by her side again.

Nalla hugs him back, squeezing tightly but not tight enough to injure him. “I’ve missed you too. I’ve missed you so much. I’m so glad to be with you again.” She closes her eyes and rests her head on his, enjoying the happiness and comfort she feels in his arms.

Feeling George shift his head to look up at her, Nalla returns the look with a bright smile. It was clear in his words and his tone how much he cared about and worried for her. It was something she wasn’t quite used to and she found herself almost overwhelmed with feelings for him. Chuckling softly as he continues to ask questions before checking her exposed skin for a sunburn, Nalla places a gentle hand on his cheek to settle him down. “I’m fine. Tired yes, but fine. We’ve done a lot of good which is exactly what I set out to do in this world. I have my hat and also found some sunscreen so protect me from burns. It’s worked out well. And we’re finally out of that godforsaken humidity. That was honestly the worst part. I can’t wait to go back to the mountains. Even if it’s only for a short time.”

She starts to imagine a trip to the mountains. She wants George to be there and knows that he’d want to come along as well. They were both from snow capped peaks and she knows he’d love the cold just as much as she would. Maybe they could go back when this was all over, if their work didn’t take them there first. She could introduce George to her tribe. Maybe they’d settle down there. Raise a couple of kids. Nalla almost laughs at the thought of what their kids would look like. Interesting to say the least. 

“Oh.” George does his best (does it work?) to keep the surprise from his voice when Nalla clarifies that she wants to spend time with him. 

That’s probably what work so well between the two of them, George thinks. Where he finds himself rambling with bumbling thoughts and getting mixed up about the words and intentions of others (past experience has taught him to be wary), Nalla is straightforward when prompted. She clarifies when he needs it and she does so with an earnestness that he trusts. He knows she has the capacity to intimidate, to sharpen her words, to get what she needs if the situation calls for it. But her words to and with him never take that form. There is always an unfailing directness, kindness, and softness that he receives from her. He rarely has to question her intentions, and even if he does need clarity, she will gladly provide it. The intentions are always good, sometimes better than what George had initially understood.

Having been carried a bit far from their starting point with that thought, George has to refocus on what Nalla just said and —-

…………wait she wants to spend time ALONE with me?

He doesn’t voice any other questions for clarity aloud (George KEEP IT TOGETHER) but follows Nalla. He knows she slows his pace for him, but he lets himself trail back a step as the blue of his magic glows faintly around his chest and he lets out what feels like a cross between a burp and a hiccup. 

It tastes distinctly of ale. But also a few butterflies escape his mouth. He shoos them away from him (GENTLY DON’T SMACK THEM) and fashions his flapping hand gestures into exaggerated waves at no one in particular when he gets a few stares. Or maybe they’re staring at Nalla because she’s so lovely. Or maybe at the pair of them together, one so tall and one so short? Okay maybe it’s the butterflies. 

If what he hopes thinks is about to happen is going to happen, he really hopes Nalla didn’t see that. Do butterflies have a taste? And if they do, would Nalla recognize that taste? Why in the world would she have ever eaten butterflies? GEORGE FOCUS.

Nalla enters the room first. She’d been sure to walk slower than usual and shorten her strides, but George still trailed just slightly behind her. He’d been unusually quiet since they left the party and she worries that it’s because of something she said. Maybe he didn’t want to leave. But if that was the case he could have just said so.

Biting her lip, Nalla faces the wall and takes off her armor. It takes a few minutes since she has so much to wear, but it’s worth the extra protection. Gods know it’s saved her more than a few times. She sighs quietly, relieved of the weight of not only the armor but also of having to look strong for the people. 

She’s never explicitly been told that she can’t show them weakness, but as a goliath that’s just what they do. Any sign of weakness is looked down upon and should never be seen in public. So she saves it for moments when she’s alone. Hides it from everyone, including her team. Every time they head into a fight, Nalla is right up front, but she’s also terrified that one of them won’t come out alive. That she won’t come out alive. There have been too many close calls for comfort.

Most people would be in this fight for the glory and the bloodlust, George knows. He’s seen enough of this world to know what makes people tick. He doesn’t have to like it or think the same way to know it’s true. 

George wouldn’t be surprised if her size, her strength, even just being a goliath, would lead people to assume she too seeks glory and war. But when Nalla says she’s in this to help, to protect people and end their suffering, George knows she means it. Her deep, earnest care is one of the things he likes most about her. That they can bond over being misunderstood by everyone else is just an added bonus, a silver lining to an otherwise bad situation. 

Nalla wraps an arm around him to pull him in closer and George lets himself sink into her, grateful for the contact after being apart for so long. He was not lonely in Nalla’s absence, not exactly, but there was a very specific void that only she could fill. Lex was his best friend and Diana kind and the type of beautiful that made everyone around her do double takes, but they couldn’t measure up (quite literally, heh) to Nalla in George’s eyes. To have someone to share a genuine enthusiasm in his talents and his interests, to bestow upon him a genuine concern and adoration, was something George only found in Nalla and felt immensely lucky for that. 

She is right, they do have some catching up to do. But to go to find their room now, in the middle of all the festivities? Not that he would object, but he had thought she would’ve wanted to stay out longer to  celebrate with everyone before she had to hole herself up with him (and all of his body hair).

George stands on the ledge of the fountain, a little unsteady on his feet from getting up so quickly (and maybe because of the buzz). Nalla is still sitting and still manages to be a few inches taller. He examines her face and waits for her nod of assent before touching her cheeks and forehead with the back of his hand, searching for above-normal temperatures. “Certainly, darlin’, we can head in whenever you’d like. Are you feeling okay?” The concern in his voice is new even to his own ears; he is always preoccupied with Lex’s safety, but something about this care for Nalla feels different. Deeper-different. Good-different.

She sees the confusion on his face at her suggestion that they head inside and can’t help but chuckle to herself. She’s enjoying celebrating with everyone, but she’s also ready for a break. And she wants to spend as much time as she can with George. Who knows how long they’ll be apart again. 

Nalla has spent years trying not to get too close to those around her. In her line of work it was always possible that she wouldn’t return from a job. So she preferred to limit those that would receive the terrible new to just her tribe. Especially since she’d gotten caught up in this revolution. What she’d told George was true. She was doing this to protect and help those that couldn’t do so for themselves. 

But she knew it was dangerous work and there was always a chance she wouldn’t make it out alive. So when she joined this group, she promised herself that she wouldn’t get close. She’d hang around for a bit and then part ways. But she’d broken that promise early on. She’d gotten close to the group and not long after close to George. While she and George hadn’t spent a lot of time together, she felt a particular bond with him that she never had with anyone else. A deeper bond. She was pretty sure she loved him.

The celebrations surrounding the group are certainly more to George’s liking than the usual things Lex has him do. He adores Lex, of course, would never want anyone to think otherwise, and he would do anything for her. That much was clear, based on what he’s been up to for the past year or so. 

But this? Merriment, camaraderie, and actual joy? THIS is the kind of stuff George lives for. 

He lets himself take it all in when hops up to grab a seat next to Nalla on the remnants of the fountain in the town square (the fountain, to his memory, has certainly seen better days). He has the foresight to rest his cup on the ledge before pulling himself up, knowing the job will take both hands and arms. He’s got a bit of a buzz, but he could swear he got up here way easier than he thought he would (did Nalla help? he doesn’t remember).

Comfortable and sitting next to her, he lets his feet dangle and swing above the ground as he takes another swig of ale. 

Thea is off in the distance riding the enormous metal beast that their team returned with. For as many drinks as he saw her guzzle (and many of those were with him), he’s impressed how well she’s handling the mount. Not even a hint of looking queasy. Impressive. Diana seems amused by the sight as well from where she’s sitting in the square, watching Thea with a wide grin and laughing. He spots Lex and Sera off on their own, leaning in every so often to say something to one another above the noise. He can’t seem to spot Nari, but makes a note to take closer look later.

He nudges Nalla next to him and nods toward Thea, who is somehow still on the giant metal beast even after it jumps over several feet of debris. Another rousing chorus of cheers and laughter erupt as the mount lands on all fours with its rider still on its back. George can’t help but join in with the cheering himself. 

He smiles and looks up at Nalla, who has just finished speaking with another wave of Nature Scouts. They walk away from her, starstruck almost. It’s an appropriate reaction to her, he thinks. 

“You’re one of their heroes now, you know,” he says before taking another drink. “How does it feel?”

Nalla grabs a couple flagons of ale and sits on the edge of what’s left of the fountain. She thinks over the last couple of days they’ve had and can’t help but shake her head. They’ve rescued slaves from underwater caverns and gotten them to relative safety. Killed three dragons and two mind flayers. It feels insane to think this is her life. But it is and she absolutely wouldn’t trade it for anything. Especially since this life gave her George.

At that moment she looks over to see him climbing up onto the ledge with her and reaches down to give him an easier time. She knows he’s had quite a bit to drink and though he’s a dwarf and has a heartier constitution than most, she also knows that he’ll still feel the buzz much quicker than she will. Hopefully he doesn’t turn into a sheep again.

She finished off one of her flagons before picking up the second and taking a drink. They sit in companionable silence for a while, both looking around and taking in their surroundings. Feeling George’s nudge, Nalla looks over at Thea and laughs. She can’t believe they tamed that beast. At least as much as they could. She has a feeling that it’ll never truly be tamed by any of them.

A small group of Nature Scouts, different than the ones they met earlier, come up to her, asking what she is and what she does. She’s used to the awestruck looks at this point. That’s just a fact of life when you’re a goliath walking around normal sized people. She answers their questions before sending them on their way, glancing back at George with a small shrug.

Even the woman’s frown wouldn’t deter Pal. He refused to let his grin falter. “Why can’t we do our job, get paid, AND have fun?” Pal suggested, grin still broad. “If we do it right, we won’t get caught.”

She really was all business. The enforcer types on these jobs were always so serious. They were good at what they did, but Pal knew himself, and he knew he needed a laugh and some entertainment to get the most out of his missions. The perfect mission always included a little bit of (but not too much) danger, pockets full of gold, maybe some booze. Other extracurriculars of the carnal variety were of course welcome too. 

Maybe she was just trying to make a good first impression, Pal wondered. If that was the case, Pal wanted to see if she would loosen up after a little more familiarity. And what better way to do that then over a few drinks at the tavern she suggested?

“Lead the way,” Pal said, bowing with his best curtsy before following her in a half-jog (wow, were her legs loooong) toward the tavern. “You have a name, don’t you? It’s fine if you don’t, I can introduce us as ‘Pal and his Gal’ if you’d rather stay undercover.”

Nalla gave him a stern look, growing increasingly annoyed by his stupid grin. “If we do it right. The odds of that happening seem pretty slim to me and I’m not interested in taking that risk.”

As they walked toward the tavern, Pal continued to speak. Nalla couldn’t help but wonder if he ever shut up. She cast him a sidelong glance before shaking her head. “My name is Lonehunter and you will not refer to me as your Gal. I can introduce myself just fine thank you.” 

At his reply, the giant woman reached for her belt (no, not for that), and even if it was just to adjust her scabbard, thinking about her wielding any weapon terrified Pal. TJ definitely meant for her to be the muscle on this job. Did he really think Pal couldn’t handle that bit on his own? It would’ve been downright insulting if TJ wasn’t the one in charge. But seeing as TJ was where the payment would be coming from, Pal stomached it. For now.

Giant lady’s questions were too much business too soon. Small talk and icebreakers were truly a lost art. Accordingly, he kept his “Of course I know what I’m doing, I know ALL about getting in” and “I can take care of us both, we don’t have to worry if things go down” to himself (her loss though, really).

“Relaaaaax,” Pal insisted. “I’ll get us in just fine. It’s gonna be great, we’re gonna have loads of fun. I’m Palamin, by the way. But you can call me Pal, ‘cause I’m your pal for the next few days, eh? Eh?” He made sure to brush his long blonde hair from his eyes so he could see her face better when she inevitably laughed at his joke.

Nalla’s eyebrows furrowed as she tilted her head to the side to stare at the elf in front of her. This guy was something else. She couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not. She was worried that he was. This mission was going to be a struggle.

With her frown firmly in place, Nalla shook her head and shifted her weight to one leg. “I’m not here to have fun. I’m here to complete a job and get paid. Having ‘loads of fun’ puts us at risk of getting caught. Or worse. And I’m not exactly interested in either of those options. So how about we get serious and find a quiet place where we can plan this mission?” 

Still distracted by the shopkeeper in the apothecary, Pal did not see the woman walking toward him until she was much closer. When he finally realized she was approaching him specifically, he wondered how he hadn’t noticed her from farther away, given her height. Seven hells, she was tall. And he was supposed to sneak this absolute giantess into some place? What was TJ playing at anyway? 

Okay, Pal thought, maybe this isn’t her, maybe she’s just passing through, maybe she’s going to the apothecary for a Shrinking Potion. 

The woman finally stopped, towered over him for a beat, then stooped to his height to whisper (her breath tickles his ear, it’s kinda nice, actually) only a phrase one of TJ’s people would’ve known.  

The tiger screams at sunrise. 

Nope, she was definitely his partner for this job. 

Pal took another moment to step back and take in the woman in front of him. All seven feet how-many-whatever inches of her muscular, undoubtedly powerful frame. This woman could probably grab him by the ankles and fling him over the roof of the apothecary without breaking a sweat. He was slightly intimidated by her, but he had never seen anyone like her and was, above all else, intrigued. 

She looked at him, waiting for a response. Pal flashed her the grin that had already wooed hundreds women (and counting). 

“But who’s to say tickling the monk won’t bring the rain?” Pal finally answered.

Nalla waited patiently for the expected response. The longer it took for the stranger to respond the more she started to wonder if she had the right person. But then he flashed her a grin that she could only describe as smarmy and responded correctly.

But who’s to say tickling the monk won’t bring the rain?

She hated TJ so much for making her say such ridiculous things. Only he would come up with a passphrase that made absolutely zero sense. But at least it got the job done.

It was bright and sunny in The Forbes when Pal got his marching orders for a job in nearby Broadison. It would be quick, an “in-and-out” sort of gig, as his contact phrased it. Pal responded to that message with a “only way i know how ;)” (curiously, he received no response after that), put on a shirt, and packed his things to leave the villa. There would be plenty of time later for the weekly tanning maintenance; at this moment, adventures were to be had and (more importantly) money to be made. 

Pal waited on the outskirts of Broadison at the specified meeting spot as the sun set, outside of a quaint apothecary. Definitely local and family-run; he winked through the window at the current shopkeeper. Probably the daughter of the owner? Very pretty. She must have seen only her reflection in the glass because she stared blankly and did not react to him in anyway.

His contact advised that he would be working with a partner. He was used to working with partners, so that wouldn’t be an issue. As long as he set the usual ground rules (“Don’t fall in love with me during the mission… maybe after?”), everything usually turned out fine. He only got punched by a partner twice, and those were over sliiiiight misunderstandings.  

Pal was assigned to get them into the target location, his partner assigned to take out a mid-grade mark. Easy, right?

As soon as she’d been sent the contract, Nalla made her way toward Broadison. A small note left by TJ had mentioned she’d be working with someone for this particular job. It wasn’t unusual for him to pair people up. Sometimes he did it just for fun. Sometimes it was genuinely to make the job easier on one or both of them. And then there were the times TJ thought her partner would be helpful and the turned out to be the opposite. She found herself wondering which it would be this time.

It was already dusk by the time she made it to the small apothecary just outside of town and she wasn’t surprised to see someone already waiting. It was unlikely that this man was anyone other than the one she was supposed to meet, but it was important to confirm just in case. After all, TJ had created multiple fail safes to ensure few mistakes were made and their work was not discovered.

Nari laughed a little and shook her head, a mixture of amused and annoyed by the whole situation with the little man who’d been here and left again without so much as lifting a finger to help them. It’s okay. We’ll make it through without him. We have them, she nodded towards the wood woads, and I can speak to animals well enough to get us to the other side. We don’t need him. Nari stretched out her legs, swiped the back of her wrist across her brow when the sweat dripped down over it. Ugh, she missed the mountains where she trained. As pretty as it was, this jungle was not her favorite location. She toed some sand onto the fire, killed some of it to kill some of the heat. We should rest though. Who knows how much longer we have to go. The wood woads will stand guard.

Nalla’s answer was more or less what she’d expected, and what she’d expect from anyone on their group – albeit said in different tones. That’s what I want too, first and foremost, she replied. It reassured her that she was with the right people and doing the right thing. She was doing what had to be done for the good of all, and wasn’t that what her goals have always been? The rest? I don’t care about it half as much as I do this right here. Righting wrongs, changing our world. It won’t happen overnight and we won’t manage it alone, but we’re making a difference. If we find out more of the rest along the way then that’s wonderful, but… Her eyes circled their campsite, drinking in the sight of their sleeping companions, the wood woads beyond, and all of the green surrounding them. Now that the sun was down, she appreciated the beauty of this place much more, though her skin stung and made it hard to sleep. Right now I want to focus on the short term goals we’ve set ourselves. Getting out of this jungle to start. She offered Nalla a small smile. 

If we get the chance, she agreed, not really holding her breath for it. She wasn’t in a rush in any case. She had plenty of time, and maybe one day she’d learn more about what she was. What her connection was to the spirit she dreamed of, maybe even if she had more psionic abilities she didn’t know about. What about you, Nalla? What sort of things do you want to accomplish while we’re adventuring?

She was surprised and touched that she seemed to matter so much to the Goliath, whose presence she’d been holding at a distance for a long time now. It made her smile slightly, almost shy, head ducking slightly. I know. I know that, and I appreciate that. But what we’re doing… that has to take priority right now. Maybe, if I’m alive at the end of all this, then I’ll have time to go looking. But not now, not yet. 

Almost no one has. It’s not in any book I know, not in any stories. Ben only knew because he’s met one before. Only one other, but she’s dead. I would like to learn more, but… I don’t want to waste our time looking. Her shoulders lifted and fell. There are more important things for us to be doing. Nari leaned forward and grabbed some branches, adding them to the fire to keep it warm. They couldn’t let it burn too bright or too high lest they be seen sneaking around, but she wanted to make sure her friends stayed warm. Maybe one day I’ll look more. Ben said he’d help too.