#kireen

Kireen’s blade sang from its sheath and her warrior’s mind kicked into action. This was enough evidence to start an investigation so it was clear they wouldn’t be allowed to escape. Two strides, sword in motion, but it came to a jarring halt against two elvish scimitars belonging to the crossbow man’s comrade. Kireen was able to stave off the biting steel but she couldn’t match the speed of two swords forever.

-

Another bolt was being loaded but Kireen was too preoccupied to notice so K’lai’a’la, throwing knives at the ready, sent them hurtling in his direction. One caught the wood of the crossbow which did no more than mar its polished surface. The second struck his upper arm. She saw the crossbow shudder in his hands and his lips tighten but he slammed the bolt fully into place. K’lai’a’la knew it was coming. With her reflexes, it was nothing to sidestep the bolt and hear it clatter against the stone. Before he could load another, her attention was drawn to a battle cry from Brimir who had drawn his own sword and plunged into contest with the two remaining elves. Sadie seemed to be safely keeping behind the lines so K’lai’a’la drew her own scimitar and stepped to Brimir’s side.

-

It was vital to keep to one’s strengths so as her friends stepped up to engage the elves, Sadie stayed back. As another bolt was prepared, she knew she must target him to keep his attention off her friends.

“Hey!” she called and he turned his attention to her “if arrogance and stupidity had a baby, you would be the afterbirth.” Each word was wrapped tightly into the weave and entered his mind like a dozen shards of glass. She watched him recoil but regain his composure quickly and loose a bolt just for her. It breezed through her hair as she flinched away, unharmed. He was quickly placing another bolt and she shouted at him once more. “If you don’t start using your head for more than a hat rack, I’ll start using it to store my swords!” His shot went wide and lacking the patience to reload, he tossed the crossbow away and yelled something in elvish. Sadie grinned, knowing in her soul that she was just insulted, but his carried no magic.

A man twice her height barreled down on her but she drew her rapier and held her ground. One misdirection and his blade went wide. She went in for the groin but he backhanded her blade away. She could hear his blade whistling toward her again but she didn’t move in time, giving her a stinging bite across the jaw; her vision blurred. She thrust blindly and felt it give into something soft. She heard a grunt, steel flashed, her rapier lifted in defense to take a moment and make sense of the blur in front of her.

-

The elf who had intercepted Kireen was not prepared for her draconic strength. He was parrying her blows but losing ground and Kireen saw it. She pushed harder, increasing the force of each swing but she faltered when the man with the crossbow discarded his weapon and charged past her to where she knew Sadie was standing. Her opponent took his opportunity to step into her guard and thrust his sword into her underarm. Sensing his move she twisted so the armor took most of the blow only leaving her with a sharp ache. With him inside her guard, a quick pommel strike to his head crumpled him. Kireen spun and saw Sadie with blood dripping off her chin, barely holding her own against the onslaught. With a roar, Kireen charged.

-

Sweat beaded, muscles burned, breath rasped sharply but K’lai’a’la and Brimir kept pace with their two opponents. They all bled from several minor cuts but the pain heightened their instincts. One slip was all it took and when K’lai’a’la over-rotated her wrist, the enemy sword broke her guard and cut deeply into her arm. With a feral snarl she lashed out with pure instinct and landed a similar blow across his shoulder. Brimir’s peripheral caught the break in motion. He flipped his sword out, sinking the point into the other elf’s thigh but the one he had engaged swung for the opening. Brimir brought his arm up, catching the sword on his bracer and he winced at the force.

Seeing her opponent stumble to Brimir’s sword, like a predator to the weakest prey, K’lai’a’la redoubled her efforts. As her sword whistled through the air, she watched the elf’s lips move. The air around him rippled and he sidestepped, disappearing entirely. Her sword continued through the air with such force that the tip struck the ground. Brimir’s opponent balked, realizing it was now two on one. He retreated toward the open door just as an older elf with vicious blue eyes stepped through it. Lightning arced through his fingers and K’lai’a’la could hear the arcane language on his lips.

-

The draconic roar behind him made the elf turn his attention away from Sadie to see a blur of red scales and teeth grab him by the front of his armor. Kireen made to bite his face but he pulled away in terror and she only grabbed the side of his neck. Her mind was set on protecting Sadie so the elf’s dagger plunging into her side surprised her and she pulled away. This left her open for two more dagger thrusts to her gut almost bringing her to her knees. A third was incoming but was pulled up at the last second when Sadie’s rapier plunged into the back of the man’s thigh. Kireen was about to rally when a second set of swords appeared seemingly out of nowhere and began pressing her back.

-

There was a carnal satisfaction that flashed through Sadie when she saw the elf’s features contort with pain while her rapier embedded itself further into his thigh. All Kireen needed to do was take advantage of his distraction. Then the second elf from across the room stepped out of a ripple in the air.

The enemies were aware that the dragonborn was the bigger threat. With Kireen already weakened, Sadie knew it was now or never. With a deathgrip on the weave she twisted the strands around the mind of the elf who just appeared before them. His strangled mind succumbed to her power. He began to laugh, a horrible cackling laughter that rang above the clash of swords and scuff of boots. Sadie’s laughter rose with his but the elf laughed so hard he dropped to his knees. Presented with the opportunity, Kireen took it, her sword sprouting from his back in a wash of blood. He died with a twisted smile on his face.

-

Kireen’s entire body burned but whether from wounds or exertion she didn’t know. There was now a second elf or she was seeing double. Either way she was swinging frantically at both until one of them began to laugh. Once on his knees she thrust and found that it was no illusion. She wrenched her sword free of his corpse but her strength flagged, she was backed against the wall, her breath came in ragged gasps. Then she couldn’t see. Everything was white, her muscles contracted all at once and fire seared through her. She couldn’t even scream. It stopped as fast as it started and she welcomed the coolness of the floor on her cheek.

-

The arc of lightning ripped through his body and he staggered but managed to stay on his feet. Beside him, K’lai’a’la was not so lucky. She succumbed without a cry of pain, collapsing into a heap. He looked over his shoulder and saw Kireen fall as well but to his relief, Sadie remained standing. He had one chance to save his friends. One well-placed sword thrust and this mage would be done. Brimir made it one step before there was a silent concussive force around him and the man spoke a word. “Kneel”. The word echoed around in his thoughts erasing all others. He dropped to his knees.

-

When she could finally breathe again, Sadie let out a sob. She looked to Kireen for reassurance but saw her friend lifeless on the ground. Her thoughts were sluggish, looking to call K’lai’a’la for help but she too was on the ground and Brimir was kneeling before the man in the doorway. She was the only one left. It was up to her to get them out of this. Emotions hit her like rolling thunder and a scream of rage pealed out of her. She released her grip on the magic she handled with such care and brought her hands together. A shattering crack echoed around the room loud enough she thought the roof might collapse.

Nothing got better. His demeanor toward her was indifferent at best and icy cold at worst. He never yelled nor acted out and it somehow made him less predictable. Sadie was on edge around him and wasn’t hiding it well. Calling him master was starting to sound like an insult rather than an honorific and there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

It was only her second day in the Calentavar household and she was ready to quit but not only was she loyal to K’lai’a’la, she couldn’t let Kireen be right so she tried to grin and bear it. The following day Kireen, K’lai’a’la, and surprisingly, Brimir were in Taerand’s study so he could finally call in his favor. Sadie made it clear that she was going to help her friends so she was given the day off. Clearly he didn’t mind having one more set of hands to do his dirty work. A servant left the four of them in the study to wait until Taerand decided to arrive.

“Well? How is it going?” Kireen asked after hugs were shared between them all.

“Just fine! The job is easy. He just has me run messages around the manor to the other servants. They are really nice. Oh and I perform for him while he has dinner sometimes. Or even while he’s doing stuff here in the study,” she manages to sound enthusiastic enough that Kireen shouldn’t catch on.

“And you enjoy performing for him?” she cocks an eyebrow.

“Of course! I love performing and he really seems to enjoy it,” in fact, Taerand never seemed to react to any of her performances to the point where she silently wondered if he could hear at all. Kireen just nodded but K’lai’a’la still looked concerned.

“There is no yelling? No hurting?”

“Of course not, he had to teach me a few things but there hasn’t been any yelling I promise,” it wasn’t a lie, Taerand didn’t yell. K’lai’a’la seemed to accept her answer.

“I’m glad everything is working out for you here, Sadie. Because I’d feel a hell of a lot worse if it wasn’t,” Brimir gave her such a genuine smile that she felt guilty for faking it. But maybe if she pretended to like it, she actually would in the end. She was pondering it and kicking her feet as they dangled off the edge of the chair when Taerand entered and took his spot behind the desk.

“I have uncovered a plot against the margrave that is being orchestrated by certain members of the elvish elite. I do not have enough proof to bring to the guards and that is where you come in. Saerophon Dahast is one of the elves involved and I see him frequenting the abandoned house on Miller Street. Find me the proof I need to take this to the guards.”

“But why can’t you just take it to the guards yourself and have them do what we are doing?” Sadie asked.

“They wouldn’t listen to him, the guards don’t dig into noble affairs without just cause. It’s a perk of being nobility,” Kireen answered with a disgusted sneer on her face but this time it was directed toward no one in particular. Sadie was surprised Kireen spoke on Taerand’s behalf. “Any other questions?”

“No,” Kireen said before the rest of them could answer. Taerand nodded once.

“Then all of you are dismissed. Sadie, you do not need to return to your duties until after the task is completed.”

***

When the four of them returned to the Stag, Dwinain was pleased to see Sadie and waved away her apologies for not explaining what happened the morning she left. Her explanation was brief as she had other business to attend to. She expected some sort of reaction from him but he just told her to be safe and that was it. Surely he was hiding his opinions but that investigation could come later because they had a more important one on their hands.

***

It wasn’t a difficult plan. When dusk fell they took a few back-alley shortcuts and found a place to wait and watch. The house was a single story, clearly unlived in for quite some time. Sadie had to admit that it didn’t seem like the place for the stirrings of a political plot but that was probably the point. They were waiting in the shadows for about ten minutes before Sadie spoke up.

“So we are really going to just sit in this one spot all night?”

“It’s been ten minutes Sadie…” Kireen said flatly.

“I know, I’m not bored now but I will be. Maybe we can move.” “Count the stones,” K’lai’a’la gestured at the ground in front of Sadie.

“What? Why?”

“It is what we tell the children to stay busy.”

Sadie wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue but was surprised when Brimir sat next to her and said “I’ll help you,” and began moving rocks around.

***

A few rounds of town guards had passed them making them move deeper into the shadows but the moon wasn’t even fully overhead when Kireen and K’lai’a’la spotted a lone figure walking down the street without anything to light their way. “There is someone coming,” K’lai’a’la breathed and Sadie straightened. Both Kireen and K’lai’a’la’s vision could penetrate the darkness but without light, Sadie could only see the outline of the nearby buildings from the light of the moon. Brimir was in the same situation so the two of them sat and listened.

The others watched as the figure, hood drawn, walked straight up the path and to the front door. The surety of their steps was proof that their eyes were adjusted to seeing in the dark as well. The door opened silently and the figure disappeared inside. They waited for several breaths but there was no other change to the building.

“What’s happening?” Sadie whispered, breaking the tense silence.

“They went into the house,” Kireen responded.

“Then let’s go so we can catch him,” Sadie stood and stared blankly into the darkness in the direction she knew the house to be.

“Not yet, if he’s not staying long he’ll walk right out into us.”

They waited for a while and nothing else happened. K’lai’a’la took Sadie’s hand and Brimir put his hand on Kireen’s shoulder rather than risk making any light. The two who couldn’t see well made more noise than they would have liked but it wasn’t much more than a few scuffs of feet on dirt.

They approached the house and crouched below one of the shuttered windows. The house was dilapidated enough that the shutters didn’t fit snug and they could tell that it was dark and silent within. Kireen was sure the figure did not exit the house at least where they could be seen but they might have left out the back.

“There’s guards coming,” Sadie could see their lantern light approaching a nearby street corner. The house was close enough to the street that when they rounded the corner they would be bathed in light and surely spotted. Four armed adventurers crouching in front of a house would get them arrested for sure.

Kireen ushered them to the back of the house, relieved to find nobody waiting back there for them. There was just a back door, an overrun garden, and a cellar door which K’lai’a’la silently pointed at. Kireen nodded, “but I want to check the house first.”

The back door was silent on its hinges and led into a bare room with a broken chair in a corner and a few cracked pieces of dishware scattered over the floor.

Sadie scooped up a pebble before stepping inside and enclosed it in her fist. She opened up her mind to the endless harmony of the weave and embraced its warm current as it flowed through her. A few plucks of her fingers and she coaxed a strand of magic to coil up within the heart of the stone. With a gentle hum of encouragement she strengthened that little coil of power until a lovely warm light shone between the cracks of her fist. She didn’t risk opening her hand any farther, but now she could at least see something with her fist held out in front of her.

There was one main room with a fireplace covered with a layer of cold ashes. Beyond a tattered hide was a single bedroom with a moldy pile of straw and evidence of rats. It wasn’t long before K’lai’a’la pointed at the floor near the wall.

“Dust. No feet,” then she pointed at the floor in a trail from the front door to the back door, “feet.”

She was right, the floor was freshly worn between the two doors and that seemed to be all that was disturbed.

Kireen nodded and approached the back door to inspect the hinges. “Freshly oiled.”

Hearing that, Sadie held her glowing fist to the front door’s hinges. “Here too. Do you think they go out to the cellar?”

“I would bet on it.”

The group exited the house once again and Sadie checked around the corner, glad to see the guards had moved on. When she came back, everyone was standing around the cellar door.

“We’re going in right?” she asked.

“Yes but we aren’t pushing it too far. If we get any sign of being caught we run. This is recon tonight,” Kireen seemed firm in her stance and the rest nodded.

“I will go first into the cellar,” Brimir said, puffing out his chest. He looked a lot more capable in his leather armor with a sword at his hip than some foppish party dress so nobody argued. He opened the cellar door and the stairs led into darkness. “I cannot see in the dark though,” he grimaced and Kireen rolled her eyes, taking the lead instead.

“Sadie if we get in trouble you can brighten that light of yours,” and she headed down into the dark. Brimir followed after with a hand on Kireen’s shoulder, Sadie was next with her dimly glowing fist lighting just enough of the stairs for her to safely get down them. K’lai’a’la took up the rear with a throwing knife in each hand.

Kireen was the first to alight upon the damp dirt floor and found herself greeted with a very mundane cellar in similar disrepair to the house above. A few rotting barrels stood in a corner, a couple moldy sacks of something stacked next to them and a broom leaning up against a bare stretch of wall. She scanned the floor in front of her and the walls for any sign of tripwires or magical glyphs. Finding none, she stepped into the middle of the cellar to allow the rest to join her.

“Where the hell did he go if this is a dead end? Did he just go out the back of the house and keep going?” Sadie frowns as she looks around the bare room.

“No tracks,” K’lai’a’la said.

“Let some light out so we can look closer,” Kireen said to Sadie who did so and the room was awash with warm glow. They spread across the room to look for any hidden signs, Sadie even looking for magic but she couldn’t find anything and she was getting frustrated. Until K’lai’a’la pointed to the broom.

“Not old.”

She was right, the broom wasn’t moldy or rotting like the rest of the things left down here. It was also propped neatly up against a random spot in the wall they only now realized was a little strange. Sadie looked at the floor and saw the pattern.

“Look, there’s brush marks from the stairs to the wall next to the broom but not anywhere else. Like they were brushing away any evidence of footprints,” She stood next to the broom with her back to the wall in order to see the path better and as she did, she leaned against the wall which swung backward and she fell on her back with an ‘oof’.

At seeing part of the wall swing inward and Sadie partially fall through it, K’lai’a’la leapt over Sadie, raising her daggers defensively as she looked through the doorway but what she saw beyond made her pause. Sadie got up and was joined by the rest of the group as they looked upon a pile of raggedly dressed people who appeared to be asleep. There was a normal door across the room but it was shut and nobody was present besides those sleeping. It was a strange enough sight that they didn’t move for a moment but then Sadie started into the room.

“We have to ask them what is going on,” she whispered. These people were not elves so they might not be involved if Taerand’s suspicions were correct but the combination of the hooded figure and the secret door in the cellar was proof that something was going on. The group didn’t protest as she approached them but watched the second door warily.

When Sadie got to the sleeping people and her light shined on them, they were worse than she expected. Their eyes were dark and sunken and they were all in various states of starvation but they seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

“Excuse me,” Sadie whispered and gently shook one woman’s shoulder. Her head rolled loosely and she didn’t respond. They were definitely breathing as far as Sadie could tell so she shook her a little harder but nothing changed. Then Kireen came over and placed her hand on the woman’s head and muttered a few words. Sadie could feel the magic on them but couldn’t understand the words. They were beautiful and comforting all the same. A ripple in the air spread from Kireen’s shoulder down over the woman but nothing changed outwardly. Kireen gently slapped the woman’s face a few times, enough that should have awoken anyone in a normal type of sleep but she remained limp and unconscious.

There was something wrong with them, even Brimir and K’lai’a’la started trying to wake any of the people. There was a snap behind them and Kireen straightened with a gasp of pain. Behind them were four elves and Kireen bared her teeth at them as she ripped the crossbow bolt out of her shoulder.

The eyes of the entire room felt like pinpricks across their skin while three guards escorted them briskly out the front door. By that time, the remains of the vase were nowhere to be found and the party had not quite returned to its previous vigor. Once they were free of their escort and well away from the manor, Kireen let it out. “What in the nine hells, Sadie! Did you really just turn yourself into a slave to save someone we don’t even know?!” by this point she had stopped walking, towering over Sadie and glaring down at her. This was matched by an equally fierce glare from the halfling, fierce enough that their size difference did not seem to matter quite as much.

“I know him well enough to know he doesn’t deserve to die. Also, are you forgetting that K’lai’a’la’s neck was on the line too? I don’t care if he decided to not execute her, she could have been flogged and that’s way worse.”

“That part hadn’t even been decided yet and now you-”

“Stop,” once again K’lai’a’la’s soft voice cut through the tension like butter. “Do not yell. I do not like yelling.”

Sadie’s face flashed through a range of emotion starting at annoyance and ending at tight-lipped resignation. “She’s right, it’s already done. I will move to his manor in the morning.”

Brimir then dropped to a knee and pulled Sadie into a tight hug, “thank you, Sadie. You are a true hero,” then he began to sniffle, drunken emotions taken over as even the threat of death had not sobered him up sufficiently.

“You’re welcome, Brimir. I’d do anything for a friend,” she said soothingly then looked up at Kireen from behind his back and gave her a sour face. Kireen just narrowed her golden eyes at her.

“Then to make it up to the rest of us you’re going to help us with the favor we still have to do for Taerand,” Kireen said to the back of Brimir’s head then reached down to pry him off of Sadie who was sagging under his drunken weight. When he stood, he looked at Kireen through tearstained, blood-shot eyes.

“Anything. I will do anything. I owe it to all of you,” he sniffed and wiped his nose across the back of his hand, smearing snot unattractively over his face. “I just froze. That man is… well he’s scary. I shouldn’t have snuck in.”

“Yes thank you for stating the obvious, too bad you couldn’t have had those thoughts earlier today and none of us would be in this situation,” Kireen’s face was still taut but she was slowly coming to terms with the fact that there was no changing the situation now and it ended better than it might have otherwise. She turned and led the way as they continued toward the Stag in awkward silence.

Once they turned onto the street and saw the warm firelit windows of their home, K’lai’a’la touched Sadie gently on the shoulder, bending down to do so.

“I come in to get dress off. Then I go to my tree.”

Sadie nodded and looked up at Kireen who did not look back. Instead, she entered the Stag and made right for the stairs. Sadie turned to Brimir who was swaying on his feet and sighed. From the bosom of her dress she procured a key and handed it to K’lai’a’la.

“Go upstairs and wait for me, I’ll be right up,” then she approached the bar where Dwinain was wiping the counter off. “Did ye have a good time Blaze?” he asked jovially and glanced to Brimir who was following Sadie like a sad, lost puppy.

“It’s a long story but before I tell it I need you to know I’m moving out in the morning,” the rag froze in place.

“But where’ll ya go?” behind his beard he looked quite perplexed.

“I am going to live with Ser Calentavar. I work for him now. But not right now Dwinain I have an elf in a dress who wants out of it and I need to get a room for my friend here,” she rubbed a hand across her face while the other hand gestured in the vague direction of Brimir. Sadie had seen Dwinain’s face contort in a frown before but not quite to this degree. His eyebrows and moustache almost touched.

“Number seven then. But we are going to speak of this before you go,” he hopped off his platform and brought a key out to them. Wordlessly, Sadie gestured for Brimir to take it and then he was stumbling up the stairs toward his bed.

“I’ll give you the money for his-” but Dwinain clasped her hands in his before she could continue.

“The night is on me. I know ye can take care of yerself but that won’t stop me from saying be careful,” he pulled her in for a tight but brief hug and Sadie returned it, melting slightly into the embrace. But then it was over.

“Thanks Dwinain, I’ll explain before I go. Promise,” he nodded and wordlessly went back behind the bar.

K’lai’a’la was waiting awkwardly in the center of her room when she entered and was surprisingly quiet even as Sadie removed the pins from her hair. It wasn’t until she was back in her normal mossy clothing that she finally spoke.

“You should not have done that,” K’lai’a’la has never been truly angry around Sadie but the slight furrow between her brows showed she was nearing upset.

“Can you please just drop it? I feel like I did what was best and I want to go to sleep now,” her tired features really showed her age and the candles seemed to shine extra off the silver streaks in her hair.

“No. Do not leave tomorrow. Stay here.”

Sadie hopped off of the chair and pushed it back in its place then started to undress herself, keeping her back turned to her friend.

“I can’t. I already made the promise and I can’t break it. Why do you two even hate him so much anyway? He only tried to…” She trailed off as she pulled a few pins from her hair.

“He try to kill me. He try to kill storyman. He try to kill you,” she said with a little more heat than Sadie was expecting which made her turn to her friend and look up at her.

“Hey, tonight was just a couple mistakes and he’s really strict. He wasn’t going to kill you in the end so I will be fine. I can’t break my promise to him but I can make one to you that I won’t make any mistakes while I’m there, ok?” she smiled and held her hand up, palm facing outward. K’lai’a’la knelt down and sighed but put her palm against Sadie’s and their fingers interlocked, sealing the promise. Sadie gave an extra squeeze.

“You can stay here tonight if you want,” but that made K’lai’a’la shake her head. “I go to tree but be back at sunrise.”

“How about… sometime after sunrise?” That made K’lai’a’la frown. “Ok fine I’ll leave the door unlocked.” The elf nodded and quietly left Sadie alone with her thoughts.

She haphazardly tossed some of her clothes and trinkets into her trunk but wasn’t fully finished before she fell into a fitful sleep.

***

When dawn broke with her rosy fingers, the click of the door opening pulled Sadie from her light sleep. K’lai’a’la looked quite awake but quietly watched and waited as Sadie began the process of getting out of bed. There were not many words to be had as she finished her packing. When she went downstairs there was a modest breakfast for her that she only poked at. Kireen was finishing her plate already and also didn’t have much to say.

“Can you all not act like I’m walking to the gallows? I’m literally getting a job as a servant, something a lot of people actually wish they could do,” the early morning made her extra bitter.

“You have a point,” Kireen actually sounded sincere “but when he treats you poorly and you complain about it to us, I get to say I told you.”

Sadie rolled her eyes and was going to respond when the door opened and Taerand’s majordomo entered with two other male servants in tow. He approached and gave her a polite nod. “Good morning, Miss McRimmik. I have come to collect you. Where might my assistants find your things?”

“Room four. It’s unlocked,” something churned in her stomach as she set the key on the counter where Dwinain put his hand over hers for just a moment before taking the key. The two servants went upstairs and the majordomo procured two letters from his tunic and handed one to Kireen, the other to K’lai’a’la who did not take it. Kireen took it instead.

“Ser Calentavar would like to meet in two days' time, once Miss Sadie is settled in.”

“About time,” Kireen grumbled and just tucked the letters away without opening them. The majordomo nodded at Sadie and she hopped off her stool and made for her new home.

***

The manor had a different air about it than the night before. It was a lot more subdued and seemed less lived-in, almost. But soon Sadie was back in front of Taerand and his large desk that was starting to seem more like a judge’s bench than a desk. With a nod, the majordomo left, leaving only her and Taerand. He was sitting, shuffling through parchment on his desk while she stood there. Finally he looked up.

“Take this to the kitchen and give it to Jordo,” he handed her a folded piece of parchment. She slowly took it, looking more than a little baffled.

“Okay… who is Jordo?”

“I do not have time to introduce you to every one of my staff,” then he went back to looking at the papers on his desk. Sadie just stood there for long enough that he looked back up at her.

“If I was not clear before, you are to leave now to deliver that message to the kitchen. Go.”

Remembering her promise to K’lai’a’la, she silently left the room with the parchment in her hand. She hadn’t been told what to do with such authority since she was a child and Ethna was ordering her about. Even then it got on her nerves. Once she reminded herself that this was only temporary, she focused on finding someone to ask, ignoring the glaring question of just *how* temporary this would be.

An older woman was carrying a basket of laundry toward the main staircase and she approached, clearing her throat.

“Excuse me, I’m new here. Can you tell me where I can find Jordo? I have a message from Taerand.”

The woman pursed her lips “you have a message from Master Calentavar, child,” she corrected “the kitchens are down the far hall, last door on the right,” and she continued up the stairs with her basket.

“Thank you! I’m Sadie by the way and I’m not a child, I’m a halfling,” but the mistake didn’t actually bother her.

“Sigrun,” was all the woman responded with. Sadie followed her instructions and did indeed find the kitchen and could probably have found it on her own had she caught a whiff of the delicious smells which seemed to be dying down after breakfast. The kitchen was spacious with a large wooden counter in the center of the room. An oversized oven took up one corner which was next to a large cookfire. Shelves of more kinds of food than she could identify lined one wall. From the ceiling hung pots and pans of so many different sizes and shapes she couldn’t begin to fathom what one could need with such a variety. Even just the sight of the pans had her halfling stomach rumbling. Peeling her eyes away from the vast culinary expanse, she saw a fairly large man with his back to her. He was dressed in a well-worn but clean linen shirt with an apron tied around his waist. Sadie cleared her throat.

“Excuse me, are you Jordo?”

“I should think you wouldn’t have to ask if you’re in this kitchen,” he said coolly and when he turned around, his eyes were centered three feet above her head. It took him a moment before he looked down and realized she was there. “Well hello there, my apologies, I didn’t see you. I suppose we haven’t met, have we. You have the right man. I’d shake your hand but I’ve got raw lamb all over,” he gestured behind him to a beautiful rack of lamb he had been rubbing seasonings and butter all over, presumably to let it age. Her mouth started watering.

“I’m Sadie. I’m new here, just started this morning.”

“Well then it’s nice to meet you. Set the letter just there if you don’t mind,” he gestured next to him, between the lamb and a plate of biscuits. He turned back around to continue his work and when she set the letter where he asked, she eyed the biscuits long enough that Jordo chuckled and bumped one on top of the pile off with his elbow. “Oops, look out below,” the biscuit bounced off the counter and Sadie managed to catch it. “That one was burnt anyway, wouldn’t do to be served.” It was, in fact, very slightly darkened along one edge as though it were too close to the wall of the oven.

“Thank you,” she bit into it and even though it was a simple biscuit it was the best she’d ever had. Jordo chuckled at the noises of pleasure emanating from the small halfling.

“I’d finish that here if I were you. Nothing wrong with havin’ it just don’t want to get crumbs on the carpets.”

“Thank you for the advice and the biscuit. Do you like working here? Is Taerand nice to you?”

“Master Calentavar? He pays me well and I get to cook, can’t go wrong with that I don’t think,” his tone was genuine enough that she believed him but he wouldn’t be the last person she asked today. She was going to be cautious since Kireen and K’lai’a’la were so worried.

“Do you cook for the servants too? Is food included?” She asked after another bite of biscuit.

“I do and it is but there’s a budget for it. We don’t get lamb that’s for sure. Well, I get to taste it but I don’t get my own portion at least,” he didn’t seem too bothered by that.

She chewed and nodded, “so what do I do now? I did the job I was asked to do.” This time he turned to look over his shoulder, his thinning hair slipping into his eyes.

“If you were not given a second task you better get back and ask him what he wants next. He’s probably expecting you to return to him once you deliver my message.”

“Oh. Okay. What does the message say?” she asked, not picking up on his advice.

“Just a meal list for a private dinner in two nights,” he didn’t seem concerned that his advice wasn’t heeded. Sadie just did not want to leave the kitchen. To her it was one of the most magical places she’s experienced. But it finally sunk in that he had a point.

“I’ll go now, thanks for the biscuit Jordo. It was nice to meet you!” She stuffed the rest of her biscuit in her mouth and he just chuckled as she left.

She returned and entered Taerand’s study, finding his icy gaze upon her. Only when the door was shut behind her did he speak.

“I did not realize my kitchen had moved across Stawold,” he said flatly.

“Well you didn’t tell me where it was so I had to ask,” she did not like how upset he seemed, she knew she hadn’t been gone more than ten minutes and that wasn’t long at all.

“Five minutes is far too long for a message to be delivered within my own manor. Do you understand?” Sadie had no idea why he was so stern and why that message was so critical. Jordo didn’t make it sound critical.

“I’m… sorry?” Once again, she found herself baffled and it wasn’t even midmorning yet.

“Two more rules you have disobeyed that I shall correct just this once. You will always knock before you enter a room and you shall address me as Master Calentavar. I will ask again, do you understand?” The hint of threat in his tone gave her pause and Kireen’s voice was in her head I told you so.

“I understand, Master Calentavar. I apologize.” She also had a promise to K’lai’a’la to uphold.

His frigid demeanor warmed up slightly. “Good. Now deliver this to my page.”

***

The day was long and by the end of it, Sadie was tired and her feet sore but she barely noticed. He had her running around the manor all day and listening to him barking commands at her was starting to wear down the filter between her mind and her mouth. Luckily, she was dismissed to her room before it broke fully and it helped when she found out she was given a private room. Maybe he was just testing to see how she did under pressure. Maybe she could put up with this, but the weight of that maybe would get significantly heavier if the next day was anything like the last.

The more she thought about how many times the word ‘master’ came out of her mouth over the course of the day, the more disgusted she became until she was just throwing the clothes from her trunk into random drawers. She was Blaze, the hero of Stawold, the best performer in the whole town and she was calling someone else master? Her blood started to run hotter in her veins and she felt it burning her cheeks. What’s worse is she never kept her promise to tell Dwinain what happened and he hadn’t said anything to remind her. Not to mention, she missed her bed at the Stag, she missed the sound of drunken laughter floating through the walls; there was no laughter here. Only obedient silence. A knock at the door caught her before she started knocking candlesticks off of surfaces.

“Yes?” The door opened and a younger servant girl peered in. Sadie recognized her but if she had asked her name, she promptly forgot it.

“Master Calentavar would like you to sing while he has his supper.”

Her promise to K’lai’a’la was the only thing that had her snatching up her dulcimer and attempting to plaster something resembling a polite look on her face. She is the great performer of Stawold, after all.

Without any obvious signal, guards came through the front door, one grabbing Brimir by the shoulders and another making straight for K’lai’a’la who was now twisting in the man’s tight grip. The guard wasn’t halfway across the hall when a flurry of red forced itself between the man and K’lai’a’la. Kireen had the elf tucked under one arm and a threatening finger pointed at who she recognized as Thori Bjornison. If only she had her sword.

“Bring them to the study,” Taerand commanded and gave an emphatic glare at Kireen so she knew the command included her. She knew better than to make a scene.

“Don’t worry, it was a big misunderstanding,” she comforted K’lai’a’la who was glaring daggers at Taerand then Thori and back again. A brief search of the crowd found Sadie hurrying along at the heels of the guard shoving a stumbling Brimir. She was begging the guard to let him go and that it wasn’t his fault.

With little ceremony the three heroes and Brimir found themselves standing at Taerand’s ornate desk once again. Kireen wasn’t pleased that she had landed here a second time.

They could hear Taerand address his crowd just outside the door, “my apologies for the interruption. Please excuse me while I deal with this situation.” He stepped inside with the door shutting quietly behind him. That was even worse than if he had slammed it.

“Look it wasn’t Brimir’s fault he was just dancing and-” a wave of his hand had Sadie silenced. There were new shadows on his features finally betraying the harshness he kept hidden so well. Taerand turned his icy-cold gaze toward Brimir.

“Who are you,” he asked in a low tone.

Sadie looked up at Brimir then Taerand, confused. She spoke before Brimir could answer “what are you talking about, you invited him?” Brimir shifted from foot to foot but Taerand just continued to stare, ignoring Sadie.

Brimir cleared his throat “I uh… I really apologize, Ser Calentavar. I simply wanted to meet your heroes.”

“Something you could not have done at the Laughing Stag where they spend most of their time?”

Brimir shrunk down even further, his face reddening and sweat beading upon his brow.

“Tell me how you managed to gain entrance to my home, uninvited.”

“The guard out front… had a basket of invitations. I just,” he swallowed hard and Taerand’s sharp green eyes looked like they were going to bore a hole in his face so he quickly continued “I pretended to re-lace my boot and I grabbed one from the basket. When I showed it to him he just nodded and let me in.”

A muscle in Taerand’s jaw feathered and Sadie knew that guard was going to be in a terrible place later. She stepped forward. “Ser Calentavar, if I may, he is coming from a place of innocence. Yes, he technically wasn’t invited but he just came here to meet with us. He wasn’t trying to steal anything or hurt anyone.”

When he turned his gaze to her, even she shrunk a little. There was something about his cold, calculated anger that turned her stomach more than if he yelled. “His intentions are irrelevant. Entering a residence uninvited is against the law even without destroying my property. Including the price of the vase he destroyed, I am within my right to have him executed.”

A chill ran down Sadie’s spine. He wouldn’t… Just for an accident?

“Simply because you have the right does not mean you need to follow through,” Kireen matched his coldness.

He gave her a disinterested look, “I will do as I see fit. He broke into my-”

“He walked in when you had the doors wide open. That’s not considered ‘breaking and entering’.”

Taerand’s nostrils flared just slightly at the interruption “then I am assuming you have three hundred and fifty gold to replace my property,” he said, knowing she did not. Kireen pressed her lips together but stayed silent.

Sadie didn’t think that much gold existed in all of the common homes of Stawold combined but Taerand wouldn’t have Brimir executed. He wouldn’t. Then his gaze turned upon K’lai’a’la.

“You threatened physical violence upon one of my guests, a notable one at that. With your lack of standing within this city, you also should be facing death.”

“No.” Sadie said before the last syllable fully cleared the air. “You can’t do that, she got scared and it was not her fault,” her hands started shaking but K’lai’a’la was standing tall and staring Taerand down.

“Cannot hurt me. I do not belong to the city,” K’lai’a’la snarled, barely louder than a whisper.

“In fact, I can. But I shall make an offer. As you helped with my favor, I will speak on your behalf for your sentence to merely be a day in the stocks or a flogging, perhaps. For the burglar, I shall have his life in exchange for the value of my property,” he said it as though he was simply stating what he thinks the weather would be tomorrow but it was clear to everyone in the room that his mind was made up. “Unless the price of my vase can be given to me by dawn,” he added almost mockingly.

“We can’t pay but I have a counter-offer,” Sadie found herself saying before she even realized what was coming out of her mouth. Taerand waited for her to continue but Kireen interrupted once again.

“Sadie whatever it is, it’s not worth-” “Let her finish,” and Kireen reluctantly fell silent. “If you promise to not execute Brimir and don’t send K’lai’a’la to the stocks, I’ll work for you; a life for a life.”

Kireen placed her entire hand over Sadie’s face “absolutely not!” she snarled and Sadie pulled her hand away, glaring up at Kireen. “Don’t put your hand over my face again. I will do whatever I want, you don’t tell me otherwise.” Seeing the ire in Sadie’s eyes made Kireen think carefully about her next words.

“I’m sorry Sadie, I shouldn’t have done that. But please think about what you’re doing. This man would execute someone over an accident. You don’t want to work for him,” there was even a plea in her tone.

“Do not belong to this man, Sadie,” K’lai’a’la’s soft voice startled both of them and when they looked, they saw the hardness in the elf’s eyes. That gave Sadie pause and when she looked to Taerand, she found him staring right back at her, almost evaluating.

“Is there anything else I can do?” She asked, managing to keep most of the desperation out of her voice.

“Your options are simple: repay me the full cost of my property or I have him executed at dawn. K’lai’a’la will serve an appropriate punishment rather than execution. But I am willing to entertain your previous offer.”

Sadie swallowed “then I’ll work for you while both Brimir and K’lai’a’la go free.”

“Done,” he said before either Kireen or K’lai’a’la could protest. Spared execution, Brimir’s entire body swayed with relief. The poor man had been still as stone, petrified into silence. “Thank you…” he breathed but the dragonborn bared her teeth in a snarl, angry with all three of them “then I guess we are done here?” she snapped.

“Yes. All four of you will calmly leave my home. Sadie, pack your things tonight. I will send for you in the morning.”

“Wait, why am I packing my things? The Stag is not that far, I can walk.”

“Servants live on their master’s estates,” he said simply but those words made her shudder. At least she would get to live in a manor like she always wanted. Maybe this would be a good thing.

The doors were open wide, allowing a lilting melody to drift toward them on the cool dusk breeze. Against the darkening sky, Ser Calentavar’s manor stood resolute. As the second largest building in Stawold, the manor’s half-timbered framework was filled in by mortar and rubble for most of the first floor. Above the sturdy base of stone, the beautifully aged timbers were filled with wooden planks painted a warm creamy white which served to protect the wood from the elements. Only the Margrave’s manor stood larger than Ser Calentavar’s as most of the lesser buildings in town had their timbers filled in with wattle and daub, most painted a plain white. What truly set Ser Calentavar’s manor apart was the full stone tower soaring above the third story. It was only large enough to contain a single room but was still a sight to behold among the wood and daub of Stawold.

Sadie looked up at the tower as the three women made their way down the cobbled street. She had awoken from her resurrection in the highest room in Stawold and yet he called it his guest room. He must hold his guests in high regard.

A gruff but polite request for their invitations pulled her mind away from the tower. Sadie reached into the bosom of her long rose-pink dress for the parchment. This dress was one of her favorites. She had hand-stitched some flowers across the hem. It was nothing impressive but it was the nicest dress she had.

Kireen handed over her and K’lai’a’la’s invitations as K’lai’a’la stood just behind them, ready to bolt.

“You look lovely tonight, ladies. Have a nice evening,” the guard kept the letters, tossing them into a basket behind him.

Kireen nodded and adjusted her deep blue gown, smoothing it down across her thighs. The embroidery along the sleeves and hem placed her quite comfortably among the crowd as they entered the main hall.

“Behave yourselves. K’lai’a’la, just stand off to the side if you must but you will not attack anyone for any reason. Nobody is going to hurt you. Sadie, supposedly you are familiar with these people so I trust you know how to behave yourself,” Kireen’s sigh said otherwise.

The over-excited halfling took that as her cue and she flounced into the party. Immediately, faces she recognized were greeting her. Jorgga Enteildotr, a very skilled seamstress approached and complimented her dress. Sadie knew it was mostly a nicety as her handiwork was nothing like Jorgga’s. Also in attendance was Otoc Alfandrson, a priest of Armorn the Protector; Alsteit Quinte, an artist whose work is seen in several noble houses in Stawold; and finally, Sadie is stopped in her path to the dessert table when she saw an older man with carefully combed silver hair. Draped in a royal blue silk tunic with golden trim it would be clear to anyone that this man is a part of the high nobility. A further step beyond that, Sadie was able to recognize him as Emmerich Hallgrimursson, the Margrave of Stawold.

Quickly looking around the room, she also spotted Hrimi Thaftheson and Thori Bjornison and almost all of the Margrave’s court! Never did she expect a ball to have both her name and the Margrave’s on the same invite list. Almost vibrating with excitement she turned back to find Kireen but found Ser Calentavar approaching her with a polite smile.

Kireen watched Sadie for a moment until her small stature disappeared among the skirts and cloaks of the crowd. There were no threats here, so the one she was actually worried about was K’lai’a’la who was stuck to her arm, nearly shoving her off her feet. K’lai’a’la had wanted to go with Sadie, Kireen saw that much as she took two steps after her small friend but when the crowd blocked their view, K’lai’a’la retreated back to Kireen’s side.

That was better than her getting separated and losing her head. The elf didn’t have any weapons but that would not stop her from being a threat if she felt the need. Kireen’s concern flew from her mind as soon as she saw the Margrave in his fine silken clothes. She had not been in Stawold for more than a few months and she still would recognize that level of luxury anywhere. Taerand had not mentioned the Margrave would be in attendance.

She had only been at the party a handful of minutes and none of this made sense. She was sure their invitation to the ball would have something to do with his damned favor but why would his favor include the Stawold elite. Only herself, and maybe Sadie would be qualified for anything near political intrigue. But as usual she would be left waiting on Taerand’s whim for any further information. Kireen swiped a glass of mead from a passing servant and tried to look like she was enjoying herself.

***

“Good evening Ser Calentavar!” Sadie curtsied, giving him a friendly smile.

“Good evening Blaze, I am glad you could attend. You are still feeling well, I trust?”

“Right as a sunny day, all thanks to you. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t still curious about how you did it.”

“Certainly, but a ball is no place to discuss such things,” his tone was still pleasant rather than chastising.

“Of course, you are absolutely right,” Sadie waved her hand through the air as if to chase the thoughts away. “You have put on a beautiful event tonight, thank you for inviting me.”

“After the favor you and your friends have done for me, you have earned your place here tonight. Please relax and enjoy yourself,” he gave her a polite nod and faded into the crowd.

Sadie liked Taerand. Something about him was mildly mysterious but she felt a connection to him after her resurrection. He seemed like perhaps, under his mask of professionalism, was a polite and caring man. Or perhaps that’s what she hoped. With a mental shrug, she continued to the dessert table which was tall enough she had to stand on her tiptoes to see what lay atop it. As she scooted along its length, deciding what she wanted, a servant approached and bowed low next to her.

“May I help make you a plate, miss?”

Sadie happily accepted he added everything she pointed out to her plate. Once her plate was piled with tarts, candied fruit, jellied pastries, and everything else one shouldn’t eat for dinner, she deftly wove her way back through the crowd. It wasn’t hard to find the tall dazzlingly red dragonborn with a terrified elf clutched to her sleeve. Coincidentally, Taerand was speaking to them as she approached.

“--reward for the service you provided me,” Taerand was saying.

“Then I hope to hear from you again,” Kireen replied, looking less annoyed and more resigned, nursing a half finished mead. Sadie silently offered her dessert plate to K’lai’a’la who examined it for a long time before carefully choosing a candied strawberry to sample. When her teeth stuck to the candy coating she wrinkled her nose and placed it back onto the plate making Sadie chuckle.

Taerand gave K’lai’a’la a glance that was almost pitying before he turned to leave. K’lai’a’la picked up on it and glared after him.

“Come on, let’s just enjoy ourselves. Did you see? Even the Margrave is here!” Sadie lifted her dessert plate to share with Kireen too but she declined when a man in a plain white tunic and a burgundy waistcoat strode up to them. He looked starstruck but also slightly out of place.

“Good evening, may I be so bold as to ask if you three are Ser Calentavar’s noble heroes?”

He was a fairly handsome man, a strong jaw offset by a muss of sandy-brown hair which looked like there was only a cursory attempt to tame it. What really set him apart was a pair of lovely blue eyes one could get lost in.

“Well that absolutely would be us: noble heroes of Stawold!” Sadie declared before either of her compatriots could speak. This caused the man to bow low before them.

“Then allow me to humbly introduce myself as Ser Brimir Bjarkansson. I am truly impressed by your deeds and I wish to hear the account first hand, if that is acceptable.”

“Oh yes, I will gladly tell you of our peril-filled adventure to the Wraefen!” Sadie was in absolute heaven as she jumped into the story. Kireen soon went to find them some more drinks, leaving K’lai’a’la behind with Sadie.

***

The people all smelled strongly of flowers and spices, so much so she felt as though she couldn’t breathe. Despite living inside the walls for some time, K’lai’a’la would never get used to all of the different scents that came along with the cage-dwellers. Their vibrant clothing was equally assaulting on her senses and yet she found herself among them, smelling and looking like she belonged. It was an insult. These people were weak, they could not hunt their food. It came to them on a shiny tray and so many of them got fat. This was no way to live and nothing could convince her otherwise.

It even hurt to see the small one enjoying it so much but after seeing her as a corpse, happy and talking would always be better than the alternative.

The men with the glittering glasses kept offering her drink. She had tasted one and Kireen had to take it from her before she threw it across the room. Everyone was drinking the poison all the time wherever her friends took her. She would never understand that either. What she did understand was the array of blades set out neatly near the roasted pig which smelled over-seasoned even from several strides away. If she could simply have one of those blades tucked away, she could feel safe because surely others had their own blades obscured by their endless folds of colored fabric.

Kireen was off getting a drink and Sadie was enjoying her drink and distracted by the over-bearing man who was enraptured by Sadie’s retelling of the forest. K’lai’a’la did not want to hear that story anyway. She had lived it. Pretending the other patrons were simply trees to walk through, she avoided each of them on her way to the food table. Nothing looked appetizing but she stared at it anyway. As she leaned over to pretend to get a better look, her hand clasped around the handle of a knife and drew it into the folds of her dress. Perhaps the cloth was useful for one thing. When she lifted her head, unusual motion drew her gaze to the far side of the room.

There she saw a man with brown hair and blue clothing standing closer than normal to a man with black hair and red clothing. The two were whispering to each other and the brown haired one looked around in a similar way she had looked around when she wanted to make sure no one saw her take the knife. K’lai’a’la did not like their behavior to begin with but then they both slipped through a nearby door. This was a concern. She wove her way through the crowd until she was close to the door, then she tried to make it look like she was enjoying the party. She swayed on her feet from side to side and carefully sidled up to the door to concentrate on listening for what was being said behind it.

***

The story had Brimir enraptured, Sadie could tell because he had finished two drinks in the time it took to tell it and it wasn’t a particularly long story.

“Miss Sadie, your recounting has absolutely flagerblasted me!” he tried to set his empty glass on top of an hors d'oeuvre tray of a passing servant. The poor servant just took the glass while somehow maintaining composure. “Might I ask you to dance?” he held out his hands down to her.

Sadie had finished a drink of her own and she giggled “well of course you may.”

Despite their height, Brimir began to dance where they were, not even bothering to take her to a more open space.

“May I say that you and your friends make me want to be a hero? I’ve dreamed of bein’ a hero. Adventures, swords fights, monsters. Can I join you? Next time?” his eyes were a bit glassy but his gaze was earnest. “I know how to wield a sword and all I want to do is help people. Protect the weak, defend the innocent! And just… be friends with someone.”

Everything he said resonated loudly throughout Sadie’s entire being “you are one of us Brimir. We are now officially your friends and we will all help people together!” She declared. Sadie has always been able to read people well and this man had a heart of gold. Boy was she glad Taerand invited him here. The gods were on her side tonight.

“Yes, Ser Brimir, you are officially part of the heroes and we are now officially your friends.”

Brimir let out a victorious whoop, getting the attention of some of the people nearby but before Sadie could apologize, Brimir started spinning her around in his exuberance. They spun and jumped and Sadie couldn’t keep track of where they were or where they were going. She was laughing though, just delighted by his excitement. She wanted to drink with him more often. But her delight was cut short when Brimir backed into something with a thud. The world stopped spinning just in time for her to see the beautiful blue and gold vase that she had previously admired teetering from the plinth Brimir had just bumped into.

Sadie gasped and backed away, instinctively shielding her eyes from the oncoming shatter. Hero Brimir, on the other hand, tried to catch the vase. Arms out-stretched the vase hit just the tips of his fingers but the sweat caused it to sail right through. The sound of ceramic shattering silenced the entire hall.

***

There was too much noise, too much talking. She could not hear what was being said behind the door even though she knew it was important. If she pressed her ear to the door she would be noticed so she just inched closer and closer until she was standing in front of it and still--nothing. K’lai’a’la ground her teeth in frustration until her focus was shattered by the sound of something breaking across the hall. Her head whipped around, as did everyone else’s. It didn’t take her long to spot the story-man standing near an empty pedestal looking deathly pale.

Just then, the door opened behind her, instinctively causing her to whirl around. She found herself face to face with the brown-haired man, her knife out and pointed at his chest. He grabbed her wrist tightly but she dropped the knife catching it with her free hand. She raised the blade to strike when Taerand’s voice cut across the silent hall,

“Enough.”

And she froze.

“It’s good to see you too, K’lai’a’la!” Sadie laughed

“I am glad you are alive again,” the elf said softly and her grip loosened slightly as Kireen’s shadow overtook them.

“I think you owe us a drink after everything you put us through,” from the twinkle in Kireen’s golden eyes Sadie could tell she was mostly joking.

“Fine but you have to tell me what happened. Ser Calentavar was very vague about the whole thing,” she tapped K’lai’a’la’s arm and was set back onto her feet but the elf was close enough that their clothes brushed together while Sadie led the way to the bar. Once she was perched atop the stool she looked around the Stag. It was fairly crowded and Lysander was singing a raunchy ballad that some of the more intoxicated people were singing along to. She smiled at the familiar chaos that is her home. One thing caught her eye, or more like the absence of something. Donar was nowhere to be seen. She turned to Kireen with the question on her lips but Kireen was already answering.

“Took the money and left. Didn’t even help us get you back. And good riddance because if I see his face again, I will promptly remove it from his skull.”

“Good I’d hold him down for you. What an ass,” she said just as Dwinain approached them, stepping up onto the platform he built behind the bar so it was easier for him to serve his guests.

“Do I need to throw someone out?” he asked gruffly, but his beard twitched, giving away his smile.

“They threw themselves out, apparently. Greedy and worthless. Couldn’t even stop me from dying. He was right there, he could have picked me up out of the water!”

Dwinain’s hand froze in midair as he reached for a mug but then he shook his head, his light brown hair and beard shifting like a bears shaggy coat “coulda swore you just said dying. Speak up when it’s loud in here, woman,” he picked up a mug and began to fill it with a dark ale.

“I did say dying though. Apparently I died. Taerand just brought me back from the dead.”

“Don’t jest with me Blaze, ain’t a thing to be jokin’ ‘bout. That’s tauntin’ the gods,” he kept his gaze fixed on the mug of ale.

“She isn’t lying, Dwinain. I saw her body, we carried it for days to the Wraefen and back and even to the witch out in the Wilderlands,” Kireen added. At her words, the mug overfilled and his hand jerked, sending ale splashing onto the floor. Dwinain didn’t even look at it, he locked eyes with Kireen, then Sadie.

“I’d be lyin’ to say I’m not glad you’re here Blaze… but a soul bein’ taken back from the gods,” he let out a breath that ruffled his moustache “be wary of the consequences.” He cleared his throat “now if you’re gonna keep up that talk, I’ll be tending to my other guests.” He served their ale and left them to their talk, touching the top of his head, his brow, then his lips as though to stave off any curse they might have put on him.

Sadie looked a bit sadly at her friend but she was sure there were no consequences. She felt fine and she had no reason not to trust Taerand.

“You mentioned you took me to the witch, what was that about? What witch?”

“Witch Ragna, she did not help us. She only made us hurt. So much death,” K’lai’a’la sighed and sniffed her ale then promptly pushed it away with a grimace.

Sadie looked to Kireen for clarification of K’lai’a’la’s ominous statement.

“That about sums it up pretty well,” she took a swig from her mug “Taerand offered to bring you back but I didn’t trust him. It doesn’t seem like he has magic of his own so I didn’t know what sort of stunt he would pull. I figured the witch was the more predictable option. We hired some new help along the way and unfortunately that new help ended up dead,” she takes a longer drink this time “manticores and bloodhawks. And when we got there she wanted us to fetch a basilisk egg. I decided that if we couldn’t even travel the Wilderlands without getting people killed, what would be the point of trying to bring you back if we all ended up dying anyway.”

“People really died... Trying to save me? Why would they do that? Did I know them?” It was clear Sadie was not comfortable with this idea in the slightest. Kireen let out a bark of laughter though.

“One was a strangely murder-happy barbarian woman. The other was some gnome we picked up that needed the witch’s help anyway.”

“I did not like murder woman. Did not sleep when murder woman awake.” Sadie reached out and took K’lai’a’la’s hand. “Sounds like good riddance to me. But if the witch didn’t help, who brought me back?” At Sadie’s question, Kireen’s lip twitched up in a half-snarl. Sadie’s brow raised in surprise and thought maybe she should be concerned about her resurrection.

“We came back and made a deal with Taerand. Me and K’lai’a’la owe him a favor. To be called in whenever he damn well feels like it.”

“That’s pretty open ended I can see why you’re uncomfortable. But he seems nice. He checked on me when I woke up and made sure I was ok. He even had his majordomo escort me here.”

“Trust me, I’d be happy if he was all sunshine and roses but that’s not the feeling I get from him and I know how to read rich assholes.”

“But we do it for you, Sadie.” K’lai’a’la squeezed her hand, “because you are our friend.”

Kireen sighed and nodded “she’s right. You were a damn good ally in that forest and… I shouldn’t have left you when the fire started,” she took her mug in both hands and looked into its depths before taking another drink. Sadie hasn’t even touched her ale yet.

“Kireen… it’s… it’s not your fault,” tears began to well up in her eyes. “I can’t even begin to repay you for what you did to bring me back and,” Kireen held up a hand.

“Consider it even. Please.”

K’lai’a’la wrapped her arms around Sadie’s middle and rested her chin on top of Sadie’s head which made her chuckle.

“Ok fine but I am helping you complete the favor from Ser Calentavar. It’s the least I can do.”

Kireen nodded in acceptance and drained the last of her mug.

[next post]----[previous post]

As the next week dragged on, Kireen could be found muttering under her breath more often, refusing to repeat what she was saying and waving off any attempt to placate her. Sadie and K’lai’a’la would discuss her unusual behavior when Sadie made her daily walk out to the park where K’lai’a’la had made her bed in one of the trees. No amount of convincing could make the young elf stay indoors. She was safe enough in the park that Sadie quickly gave up and just made efforts to share meals with her. Kireen came at first but the later in the week it got, she stopped showing up.

They could see Ser Calentavar’s manor from their spot in the grass, its fence backed right up to the park. Both she and K’lai’a’la agreed that the debt to Ser Calentavar was probably the reason for her nervousness. Almost on cue, Kireen came stomping through the park waving a roughly opened letter.

“He invited us to a ball!” she cried, probably loud enough for Taerand himself to hear just across the way.

“A ball?!” both Sadie and K’lai’a’la said at the exact same time; Sadie with excitement and K’lai’a’la with confusion.

“A fucking ball. Like we want to dance and socialize with him!” Kireen spat and aggressively tossed the letter in Sadie’s direction. She raised the letter and K’lai’a’la leaned in to look as though she was able to read it. It was nothing special, just a formal invitation for Kireen to attend a ball the following night at Ser Calentavar’s manor.

Sadie looked up at Kireen to say something and she interjected. “Yours are back at the Stag,” which answered Sadie’s unspoken question.

“We need dresses! Kireen do you have a dress? K’lai’a’la do- never mind of course you don’t,” Sadie leapt to her feet, “we are going shopping.”

Sadie planned to wear one of her own dresses and Kireen had a noble’s taste so she wasn’t worried about her. The tricky one would be K’lai’a’la. The girl basically wore more dirt than clothing and now it was Sadie’s job to make her presentable for a ball. The first thing they did was attend the seamstress’ shop. Already K’lai’a’la was nervous being inside but Sadie reassured her, “this will be fun I promise. You can wear a dress that looks like plants.” “I can wear plants?”

Sadie just patted the back of her hand as the seamstress approached.

“Good afternoon, I need a dress for my friend here and we need it before tomorrow night. I know you won’t be able to make anything from scratch so whatever you have that you can modify will work.”

The seamstress nodded, smiling kindly “would you like a specific color, dear?” she asked K’lai’a’la, whose eyes widened at being addressed directly. Sadie gave her hand another squeeze.

“Like the trees,” K’lai’a’la whispered and the seamstress nodded once more. She shuffled through her rows of fabrics and partially sewn dresses then came back with an armful of different shades. K’lai’a’la picked a green dark like shaded grass. When the seamstress went to hold the unfinished dress up to K’lai’a’la to gauge its size, K’lai’a’la stepped back defensively.

“K’lai’a’la please just let her measure you. She won’t hurt you I promise,” Sadie reached up and placed the small of her hand on K’lai’a’la’s back and urged her forward. The seamstress looked at Sadie with the hint of a grimace “how will she do with the pins…”

The whole experience was something K’lai’a’la wishes will never happen to her again. Not only that but once the dress was on and fitted she hated it. It was tight in all the wrong places, and it smelled of dye. Any prey she hunted would be able to smell her from miles away. Her distaste was written plain as day across her delicate features and Sadie just gently encouraged her along the way.

K’lai’a’la was allowed to return to her sleeping tree that night but the following day, Sadie plied K’lai’a’la with a mince pie to return to the Stag. Once K’lai’a’la was in Sadie’s room, Kireen entered and stood in front of the door.

“Ok K’lai’a’la, we have to wash your hair and brush it out. It looks like a bird made a nest there,” Sadie gestured to the warm bath she had Gwen set up in her room. K’lai’a’la glanced between Kireen and Sadie, then at the window contemplatively.

“No. You are getting into the bath,” the edge to Sadie’s tone made K’lai’a’la shrink and comply when Sadie approached and began removing her dirty clothes. She stood naked before the tub and stared down into the water like its depths held monsters untold.

“Come on, get in before it gets cold. Please? For me?” Sadie batted her eyelashes and took K’lai’a’la’s hand who looked down at her with resentment for a moment before she stepped into the tub and promptly stood there as though satisfied she did what was asked of her.

“Ok now sit down,” gently Sadie pulled down on her hand and K’lai’a’la slowly kneeled in the tub. “Good! Let’s get this hair cleaned.” Thinking she had succeeded was Sadie’s first mistake. As soon as the first water from the pitcher hit K’lai’a’la’s head, she burst from the tub, making for the door. Kireen was fast though and had a hold of the elf’s slim shoulders before she could even get a foot out of the tub.

“Get back in there and let her wash your hair,” the dragonborn growled which just made K’lai’a’la panic even more. It took all of Kireen’s knowledge of grappling to keep the wet elf inside the tub and all of Sadie’s experience with tangles of hair to get her washed to anything resembling the societal standard of normalcy.

By the time they were finished, K’lai’a’la’s hair was straight and brushed for the first time in perhaps her entire life. There was not a leaf or twig to be found and she smelled of roses and lavender. The thought was enough to make K’lai’a’la sick but she was tired of fighting. Water covered the floor of Sadie’s room soaking her rug but they did it. K’lai’a’la was cleaned. Luckily for them, she was also exhausted and dressing her was less of a pain than they expected. When they finished, a surprisingly beautiful, delicate wood elf stood before them. Her ash-brown hair framed her light features and high cheekbones. Her kohl-lined, silvery-green eyes looked at them pathetically and her sleek painted lips had a delicate pout to them. Sadie had to admit to herself that her sun-kissed skin and the lines of her collarbones and slight cleavage turned her into quite the attractive specimen.

“You look really pretty K’lai’a’la. Not that you didn’t look pretty before, you just look different now in a good way,” Sadie beamed. Even Kireen nodded her agreement.

“I feel like cow, can’t fight. Can’t run. No knife even.”

They had to take her weapons as she could not attend the ball with them. That was a fight all its own.

“You won’t need a knife. This is a place with dancing and food and music. Music I don’t have to play! So when we get there just be calm and eat some food. We’ll be right there with you,” Sadie looked up at Kireen to get her to chime in but she just nodded. Both of her friends were in a mood which would make it difficult to enjoy herself. She sighed heavily “fine, let’s just go and get this over with.”

Taglist: (always open for adds and no hard feelings for removes, we all have our times we need to take steps back! No explanation needed.) @betwixtofficial @taerandcalentavar @talesfromaurea @faelanvance @definitelyquestionit

“So you are asking for an open ended promise of service?” Kireen failed at keeping the annoyance from slipping out through the frown on her scaled face and her furrowed brow.

“No. I am asking for a single favor, the nature of which I am unsure of at the moment. I just know that all of your skills will be useful to me sometime in the near future,” Taerand seemed unconcerned with her hesitancy, clasping his hands loosely in front of him. His surety that they would accept made Kireen’s sword-hand twitch.

“In the near future? Sounds like you already know what you want us to do and just don’t want to tell us before we agree. What’s the point of bringing Sadie back if you just send us to our deaths again?”

Taerand quirked an eyebrow, his only sign of amusement. “Again? I had nothing to do with your friend’s death. I believe it was your decision to set the forest alight as you stood in it. My terms are final. If you wish to see your friend alive again, you will agree to owe me a simple favor. However, as a sign of good faith, I will agree to call upon it within the month. But that is the only concession I will make.”

The sound of Kireen’s teeth grinding together made K’lai’a’la glare at Taerand from her shelter behind Kireen’s back. Donar, who was stoically silent during this discussion stepped forward.

“I have no connection to the halfling and I have no interest in owing you anything. I will take my pay for the return of your emerald and be done with this business.”

Kireen’s head whipped toward Donar and she bared her teeth. “You’re going to leave us like this? You were the one that failed to save Sadie when you had the chance and now you are stopping us from bringing back our friend?!” her voice grew louder as she spoke until the last word bounced off of the walls back at them. Taerand’s face grew dark and he spoke directly to Kireen,

“You will keep your tone civil in my home or I will rescind the deal entirely and dispose of the corpse sullying my basement,” the sudden authority in his voice made even Kireen take a step backward. “Good. Donar, I will give you your pay and you may leave. For you two,” he gave Kireen and K’lai’a’la a pointed look “the deal still stands if you wish to take it. You may have a few minutes to discuss.” Taerand opened a drawer in his desk and removed a small leather bag that jingled softly. He wordlessly held it out to Donar who stepped forward and took it. Without another word, Donar left the room, tucking the bag into his pocket as he left.

The study was silent. Kireen did not know what to do. She needed to get Sadie back. She swore a silent oath to herself when they entered the forest that she would protect the members of her group and she failed. Sadie was left to fend for herself as the fire chased them. Kireen didn’t even think to help her but she should have, it would have been nothing to pick her up and take her to safety but she simply didn’t and that fact had been eating away at her for days. Perhaps they could return to the witch but they already knew the price. It was steep enough that maybe bringing back one life would cause others to lose theirs. This seemed the safest option but this elf was so smug. She would hate knowing that she was bound to serve him even if it was just one favor. As Kireen mentally chewed on her thoughts, she heard K’lai’a’la’s timid voice.

“I will give you favor if you give us Sadie.”

A smile spread across Taerand’s face that was neither friendly nor outright malicious but it certainly did not inspire confidence. “Done. And you?” He looked at Kireen as though he knew he had won and he had. Kireen couldn’t let K’lai’a’la serve this slimy elf by herself. “Fine,” she spat and spun around, making for the door with K’lai’a’la at her heels.

“You will have your friend back in three days time,” his self-satisfied tone made Kireen want to gag.