"No more!" Mairghread Stroud exclaims, raising her swaddled arms. "What do you want? There is much we can offer you."
She has seen their heart's intent. Pelipe is not interested in stopping her attack for almost anything at this point. The mage isn't being impulsive, but is carefully calculating what leaving these to continue here will mean. Not attacking will just be another ploy to throw them off their guard, to wait for spells that were cast to end, or to wait for reinforcements; something of that kind. She continues to press the attack until Ahto gives an order to stop, or until they truly show they've submitted and do not attack in return; despite her upcoming vicious assault.
In any case, Ahto is still in a zone of silence and so that order isn't likely to come soon. They had strived to work with these hags. That time is over. "Besides, I doubt Katrine would stop either"
VV says words she chooses. They aren’t far off from what she said before. Even her preference not to murder a family, no matter how awful their past, is genuine.
“What I was trying to tell ye before—
“The world’s changing. I don’t know what ye think mortals are to ye. Maybe ye thought us the enemy, here to destroy yer way o’ life. But… we saw that danger too.
“Jocelyn spends a lot o’ time with me and me wife. So, what I really feel about fey, had I lied to ye even a li’l, would’ve slipped in front o’ yer girl. I ain’t even mad at Jocelyn. I don’t feel betrayed. Ye’re her family, so she put her loyalty there and if everything she told ye’s the truth, there ain’t a thing I gotta worry about.”
The Vixen steps up to the witches, unconcerned about a fake surrender.
“Surely, she told ye how we formed a border, so no woodcutters chop through fey territory.
“Maybe she told ye how me friend was murdered by a centuries-old predator that targeted potential mates, lured them with false hope of love and riches, and ended them.
“What o’ the Crystalhue ceremony where fey performed, and a fey even saved a human boy from drowning, but we kept her secret—knowing her fear o’ kindness being seen as weakness?”
What do you want, the aunties asked.
VV points to the dogs who could finish the young one in a snap. “We call off our dogs. You call off yours.
“Once the village is safe, let’s have a civil conversation about why you want Tamlyn’s influence to spread.”
She wants to take out Horace’s killer. She truly does… but, she says to her friends, “The safety o’ the village matters more than anything else…” She cocks her head to the horn. Then she adds, “…but we’ll get to that.”
Katrine bites her lip. "Storm, down." The wolfdog whines, clearly wanting to continue the fight, but he obeys.
She points a clawed finger at Vixen. "You're under the influence of a charm spell, so I'm not listening to you. The only one here I will listen to is Ahto." Turning toward the Lord of Tamlyn, the ranger continues. "It's up to you, m'lord. Are you going to let Horace's murderers get off scot-free, trusting a coven of hags not to stab you in the back like they did to all the previous Lords of the Stolen Lands? Or are you going to see justice done and protect your people?"
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As the giant falls, Ahto turns his attention to the hags. Without the imminent threat of crushing death commanding his attention, he realizes that he cannot hear. The fighting appears to have momentarily ceased, though no one appears to have lowered her guard. He tries to determine what exactly is happening. He keeps Burden in a ready position.
Under the…? I am NOT.
The Vixen shrugs off the accusation, but does notice Ahto is strangely silent on the matter. She says to the Strouds, “Yer surrender might be taken more seriously if ye dispel… well… everything.”
Whether because Louhi has been brought to the bring of death by Wonky's faithful dogs, or merely because the power of her spell has been spent, the magical silence lifts from the clearing. The sudden return of the wind, rustling branches, and the pounding of your own pulse in your ears is jarring yet soon becomes comforting.
Demelza rips the arrow from her chest and applies some foul-smelling poultice to staunch the wound.
"Put away your swords and spells," the eldest Stroud says, her voice straining against her wounds, "and we will allow all who so desire to leave here in peace. We will hold no grudge for what you have done to Louhi and Brother Grunt."
She pauses to catch her breath, using the time to look over the unicorn horn in her own hand.
"You know...we are not the ones who killed the unicorn, nor did we rip his horn from his skull. If you swear to allow us return to our home in the Ditches, I will tell you who is actually responsible."
This offer elicits looks of fearful surprise from her sisters.
While the Strouds - or at least, the eldest sister - are willing to concede this battle, you are certain that they keep the long game well in mind.
Regarding the matter of Horace's horn, you actually discern that Demelza is telling the truth. She did not kill the unicorn, but she knows who did.
So me gut was right… they ain’t Horace’s killers.
“I didn’t think ye killed Horace,” VV says. Turning to Ahto, “They ain’t lying, right?”
The field of silence lowers and the second sister chimes in, showing another of the three of them showing defeat and surrender. She lingers there. Her elongated claws are ready to drip with the blood of the sisters should they betray them all.
If the group continues their talking, her vanish spell will end and it will reveal just how close the sisters were to getting pummeled to death by a small canopy troll. Pelipe does not, however, end her other spells, just in case. They have yet to drop the spell on VV, so in an act of non-verbal communication, she pantomimes that they need to release the Vixen or they are seconds away from getting ripped into, regardless of their "peace". If they do relax their spell, she will still linger close as a deterrent.
Katrine scowls at the hags, but she points her arrow at the ground. She doesn't put it away though. "It's up to you, Ahto. I said I would follow your orders and I'm a woman of my word. But know that hags are innately treacherous. I have spent years studying their kind. They will stab you in the back sooner or later, no matter what they swear today."
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"And while we discuss the terms of our armistice, your other spawn are rampaging through Glowerhaven. I have not not forgotten this. Send word to them immediately to cease their attack and return to the Ditches without spoils, living or otherwise. This is non-negotiable." Ahto's tone makes it clear he is deadly earnest on this point.
"As for any bargain you wish to strike, your word is a straw hut built on sand. You were content to attempt to deceive, threaten, and slay us when we offered you the chance to testify in your own defense against the accusations made by the people of Glowerhaven. You only now wish to negotiate because your children lay dead at your feet. And though your lives be long, you are not immortal, nor are you impervious to beheading."
He pauses a moment to make sure they are clear on where matters stand, then continues.
"You possess Horace's horn. That, in and of itself, would be sufficient to condemn the three of your heads to the block, or else to pyres in the town square. If you wish to continue living, you will need to pique more than my curiosity about how you came to possess that horn. You will also need to present a strong case that your continued existence furthers peace, prosperity and justice in these lands. Otherwise, your fate shall be thus."
Ahto raises Burden and with a quick, clean blow, strikes Brother Grunt's head from his shoulders.
He then sheaths the blade and grasps the Iron Key of Abadar hanging from his neck.
"Be it Abadar's will that the sins you committed in life, the same sins that condemned you to death, be consumed in the fires of justice. May that same fire give me strength, and light my way through the darkness of anarchy and chaos."
As he speaks, a small white flame appears; hovering in the air mere inches before his face. An inky black, almost liquid smoke rises from the bleeding neck of the giant's decapitated corpse and slithers upwards, drawn as if through a hollow reed towards the flame.
As the smoke is consumed, the candle-like flame becomes a torch-sized ball of fire. Ahto reaches out with his free hand and grasps the fire, cradling it in his hand. He brings it to his mouth, and inexplicably, swallows it; the licking flames flowing into his mouth as if from a drinking horn.
Ahto shudders as he swallows, the light of the fire slowly diffusing across his skin. The cuts and abrasions caused by the giant's blows begin to close somewhat, leaving new skin visible within their lines.
He turns to face the witches, saying nothing further, but leaving the implication of the ritual to speak for itself.
The beheading of the giant causes the younger two Strouds to wince in unison, but Demelza is unmoved.
"Mathilda!" she screeches, aiming her voice nebulously to the trees behind you. "Send word to your brothers and cousins to go home!"
You can faintly hear the small child, the one who led you here, scamper off to do her mother's bidding.
Perhaps sensing a metaphorical noose tightening around her knotty neck, Demelza snaps her fingers. Suddenly, the Vixen finds her thoughts much clearer, no longer needing the Child for direct guidance.
"This horn..." the eldest Stroud muses. "You fail to comprehend what it represents. There are far more terrible beings whose reach extends across the lands that you naively claim as yours," she says with derision upon the word. "Even ours is merely a tenancy.
"Our continued existence, as you so put it, means winning for yourself a shred of enlightenment. At the very least, learning that there is something above you - above us - watching and working as though we were but ants in her garden."
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"And who is this Great She that holds dominion over these lands? Perhaps you can also enlighten me as to why she felt the need to murder Horace and make a gift of his horn to you."
Ahto keeps his tone level and straightforward. He gives no reaction to Demelza's attempt to belittle him or the budding nation of Tamlyn, but instead keeps the conversation with her on the defensive.
Well, that's ominous. What manner of being could tell an ancient coven of hags what to do and be not just obeyed, but feared? That's providing they aren't lying, of course. But Ahto would know and call them out if that was the case. Katrine listens to the conversation, staying alert for any sign of treachery on the hags' part.
Wait a minute... Elenthe and Melisande spoke of a powerful woman who rules here when they thought we weren't listening, and were too afraid to say her name. This must be the same person!
Pelipe sighs internally as they let the spells drop, as well as free the Vixen. She lingers, listening to the tale, finding it hard to imagine that they would resist any portion of their tale to Ahto at this moment with death looming. Would the forest be a better place with the Strouds gone? Perhaps. Certainly, the general consensus among humans is that you wipe out the indigenous population and build up cities and trade to make money. Abadar, in a way, enjoys the fruits of these things, but what Ahto is doing here is finding a way to make it work in a unique way. One that may, in the end, be even more bountiful for an even longer amount of time. She knows Katrine will despite the decision to let them live, so Pelipe stands at the ready, but with claws and tail lowered.
Demelza wags her finger at Ahto, as though scolding a child.
"Uh uh, not just yet, dearie. Once you have sworn that my sisters and I may return home safely, then I will tell you all I know about the one who killed the unicorn."
At Demelza's scolding, Pelipe raises a vicious razored claw as if ready to strike at the disrespect shown to Ahto. She holds her action for his word though. It is clear now that they tread on thin ice with the mage.
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"These are the terms: You and your sisters will be allowed to return to the Ditches unharmed. In exchange, you will divulge Horace's killer by the name she is most commonly and prominently known by in this region. You, your sisters and your collective spawn will cease, in perpetuity, your predations on the people of Glowerhaven. You, your sisters, and your collective spawn will not engage in any predations of any sort on the mortal or fae citizens of Tamlyn. This includes breeding by means of any sort of deception or coercion, magical or otherwise. If a mortal or fae wishes to mate with you of their own free will upon your full and honest disclosure of your nature, that is permissible, but you will not deceive or enthrall any citizen of Tamlyn or Glowerhaven ever again, do you understand and agree to these terms? Do you further understand that violation of these terms will result in your being hunted down and summarily executed, and your entire family line being eradicated?"
Ahto stands ready for their response. His posture clearly indicates that he is fully prepared to enforce these terms.
The Vixen uses some vermilion cloth to dress the daughter’s wounds. She steps between the dogs and gets to work, fearing the poor changling girl will bleed out mid-parlay.
She says to the hags, “Agree to the terms not just fer yer own sakes, but for yer daughters’.”
The Vixen's quick efforts staunch the worst of Louhi's bleeding. The changeling woman will likely survive, although she presently remains unconscious.
After Ahto lays out the terms of the agreement, nnerving smiles play across the Stroud Sisters' crooked faces.
"Oh yes. We understand and agree whole-heartedly to those stated terms," Demelza quickly declares. "Never again shall we harm a citizen of Glowerhaven or Tamlyn, whether mortal or fey."
She thumbs the unicorn horn in her hands, letting the smile linger upon her green lips.
"As for Horace's killer, she carefully guards her true name. Supposedly, to speak it...means to be struck dead by her power on the spot," she says, pausing to offer a little chuckle. "She is most commonly and prominently known as the Nymph Queen."
“That how Horace died? Speaking the name, I mean.”
That explains both the condition o’ the body AND why none of our fey friends’d tell us the name, though they seemed to know.
"If these Stroud Sisters have been around a long time, and they know this woman, maybe she is old like them? Or maybe she is new on the scene? THink...Nymph Queen...Nymph Queen..."
Pelipe also recognizes the speech patterns of the sisters and their evil smiles. She can tell when something bad is in the cards. She racks her brain for loopholes in Ahto's plan.
If she can think of something concerning that is being missed before the final transaction is complete and they are let go, she will let him know by reverting back to her human form and taking a tentative step back before voicing it.
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Ahto keeps his expression stoic, despite the hags' smiles. He tries to discern if their expressions are a bluff or a genuine expression of pleasure at his misstep, whatever it might be.
"Be warned, hags, bringing harm to any citizen of Tamlyn or Glowerhaven by proxy does not absolve you of guilt. If it can be proven that you directed hostile forces upon any citizen of Tamlyn or Glowerhaven, I will hold you in violation of this agreement, and carry out your summary executions. By the First Vault, I swear it."
Katrine mutters several vile curses on hags in general and the Strouds in particular under her breath, finally putting her arrow away. "'The Nymph Queen'? Seriously, that's it? Just write her name down, morons. Unless you're illiterate as well as cowardly, stupid, and downright hideous. Or maybe you're just posturing to hide the fact that this 'Nymph Queen' managed to conceal her true name from your vaunted magic and oh-so-numerous offspring." She sneers up at the trio. "By the way, that gown you're wearing?" The ranger points at Elspeth. "You look like someone dressed a deformed goat in a noblewoman's last season castoffs as a joke. You do realize that everyone who sees you in that thing laughs themselves sick as soon as you're out of earshot, right?"
She might have agreed to follow Ahto's orders, but Katrine never agreed to be nice. Or even minimally polite. And hey, if the try-hard hag gets offended enough to attack, the deal's off and Katrine can slay to her heart's content. If she doesn't, Katrine still had the satisfaction of insulting hags to their faces. A win-win, really.
Katrine's insult leaves Elspeth aghast, although Mairghread chuckles approvingly. Demelza appears unaffected by the invective.
"No, that is not how the unicorn died. The Nymph Queen visited the creature and directly snuffed out his life force with her magic so she might claim his horn. One of her attendants delivered it to me, along with instructions that I should experiment with its use as a focus for...transformative magics."
If the Nymph Queen worships any power, then it is likely one of the Eldest of the First World.
In very rare, esoteric documents, however, you have read about one particular "Nymph Queen" with ties to the River Kingdoms. Also known as the Queen of Forgotten Time (a much more unique epithet), she is supposedly a powerful fey who was exiled from the First World in time immemorial for utterly unknown reasons. She supposedly keeps a domain hidden somewhere within the River Kingdoms, but none have ever found it.
"I don't know, Demelza replies bitterly. "The mandragoras who delivered the horn and their mistress' instructions seemed too dim to elaborate. For all I know, there is no real purpose, and this is just one of her games, aimed at carving a small reprieve in some ageless boredom."
Pelipe will shuffle down the hill away from the sisters as Ahto applies further discussions. With the Vixen now fully capable and Wonky who knows where, she will have to leave it into their hands. Every second burns her insides worse as she holds her alter self spell. As she makes her way to Ahto's side, she shifts back from the canopy troll to the beautiful mason once more. She does not hold her side visibly, but her arm is pressed against her rib as she walks toward him.
In a soft, quiet whisper, she whimpers, "Ahto...I believe they intend to continue in their wickedness outside of your realm still. I am with you in what you wish to do..."
She stands there, facing away from the sisters as she tries desperately to recover and hide her fatigue. It is now up to Ahto what he wants to do, but she is ready to enter combat once more should they need to. Quite frankly, they haven't given them a reason not to, even still.
Well. It sounds like Katrine will have to focus on learning the best ways to fight fey now. If the Nymph Queen attacked one of Tamlyn's allies, she probably isn't going to leave it at that. The prospect of fighting such a being is daunting, but what's the alternative? She likes the Tamlyn councilors, especially the Vixen. The new country might be a good place to put down roots. Somewhere people will judge her for her deeds, not her appearance.
The ranger keeps a wary eye on the hags, but she's said her piece already. Unless something drastic happens, Ahto will no doubt stick to the terms of his bargain.
The Vixen picks up Louhi in her arms, well aware of the dogs’ intent positioning.
Wonky may not approve, but VV has her reasons. She remembered Wonky did not want to watch the execution of men who’d done far worse than Louhi, whose only crime is obeying her elder relatives, evil as they are. (The same can be said for the giant, but VV knows Ahto won’t lose sleep over the beheading.)
She brings the unconscious woman before the hags and says, “I stopped the bleeding. Men would mate with her by choice, y’know. Consider me words about the changing world. Of all the mortal clowns, we’re the only ones who’re trying to preserve the fey and their ways.
“Those that do no harm to the innocent, I mean.”
She lacks Ahto’s perception, but the hags agreement was phrased in a way that makes her intent easy to guess.
“Remember that when ye try twisting an agreement for loopholes, the other side’ll do the same. Glowerhaven’s border’s static at best. Tamlyn’s is in constant motion. Harm one who gains citizenship, even posthumously, and ye’ve violated Ahto’s term. That’s our loophole.
“Refrain from harming innocents at all to be sure. Do it for Jocelyn, Louhi, and yer littlest girl. I don’t want them to be hunted for what they are either.”
She lowers the girl, and remains standing there. She could deliver the coup de grace, but she wouldn’t. They young changling is far more deserving of a second chance than her mother and aunts. Perhaps the only reason VV really wants them around is to keep her credibility with the fey. That and I knew they weren’t Horace’s killers. If they were, we’d be dead.
Not necessarily, says The Child…
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”We have an Accord,” Ahto says with a tone of finality. ”One in which neither side takes all and gives none. I am well aware of what you think I overlooked in the wording of the terms. My duty is to protect Tamlyn, and my oath to Glowerhaven was to cease your predations upon them. This agreement fulfills both duty and oath. It is unfortunate you seem so unwilling to put aside your darker ambitions and join us as First Citizens of Tamlyn. We have no obligation to offer you any sort of shelter, defense or counsel when the torch-bearing mobs from other nations descend and drag you and your children screaming to the pyres.”
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At Ahto's words, Wonky puts away her stone bow and dismisses her enchanted ammunition. She then heaves a deep sigh before dismissing her invisibility effect.
Once visible, she gives the hag coven not a single look, but walks over to her dogs.
"Oh Doo-Dad, you have been injured, sweetheart!"
Wonky produces a wand and uses it on the smaller 'good-boy'.
"I believe that I will need some assistance here."
"You are a wretched man, Lord Ahto," Demelza hisses. "I give no man my respect, but you...you come close."
Elspeth tries to giggle cutely, but the sound still comes out unnerving.
"I can hear our sons marching through the forest. You had best make yourselves scarce. They would have difficulty simply understanding our agreement, much less adhering to it."
The Stroud Sisters acquit themselves of your presence and make to slink into the woods, presumably to return to the Ditches and nurse their wounds, both to their bodies and pride.
"We'll move when we dang well please...Although, it may be a good idea..." She sneers at the sisters as they turn tail to slink off with their unconscious child. Pelipe hears the call of aid from Wonky and heads over but sees that it may be a clerical wand, she isn't sure she can help.
"It wouldn't be a good idea for me to try it. I am not experienced with divine magic."
Still, she will give it a look to see for sure if it is indeed a divine wand. There are plenty of arcane casters who can heal and who may have made this wand.
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As the hags melt away into the surrounding green, Ahto takes a moment to assess his companions. Noticing Pelipe is injured from the gisnt’s crushing throw, he clasps the Iron Key around his neck and prays to Abadar to heal her. ”Allow me, Miss.”
”Let us be on our way. We have an appointment yet to keep in Uringen.”
Katrine lets out a long sigh, putting her longbow away. "Well. That was disappointing. I almost had the boss hag. Come on, Storm." The wolfdog gets up and trots over to her side, muzzle and chest fur covered in the drying blood of Brother Grunt. "Who's a good boy? You are! Yes you are!" She scratches him gently behind the ears. "You need a bath. Not sure how I'm going to manage that outdoors in winter though..."
The ranger looks up at Wonky's request. "Is that cure light wounds? If so, I can help. Haven't got much magic, but that much I can manage."
It is clear that she is bleeding and her garment torn from the injury, but she will stop Ahto for his second casting and will motion to the injured dog.
"I will mend, but he doesn't deserve to suffer."
Ahto encourages them to leave and she nods. While she was in such a hurry to get to this spot, jogging and even running at one point, now she struggles to get back at a fast pace with her great fatigue.
To Ahto, she whispers, "I am such a burden to you. Please...continue onward. Just leave me my horse and I will catch up to you. I'll be fine."
The Vixen says to Pelipe, “Ain’t a chance ye're staying behind alone. I don’t care if I need to carry ye, get ye on yer horse for Katrine to lead it… or just stand by while ye catch yer breath.
“When the hags’ boys see Brother Grunt’s head and body in two different places, they won’t care what we claim the old ladies agreed to. They’ll sniff ye out faster than ye can catch up, so hanging back alone ain’t an option.”
Unless Ahto prefers to handle this instead, VV will either stand with, assist or carry—whatever Pelipe permits—but she’ll at the very least stay with her.
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Wonky nods at Katrine.
"Yes, I sometimes am able to make this work, but if you have more innate skill with this, then the wand can be in your possession. And thank you," Wonky flashes a rare smile at Ahto. "It would appear that we are good at gaining the alliances of would-be-to-saboteurs and villains." She offers a side glance at Althea as her smile fades.
Katrine takes the wand, studies it for a moment, then utters the activation word and touches it to Doo-dad's head. "There you go. You're a good boy too!" She gives him a couple pets and tucks the wand into her backpack. "And thank you, Wonky. Any time anyone needs a healing spell, just let me know."
"Thank you Vixen, Ahto..." she states between breaths. She attempts to hurry along on her own accord for a while but looks to Ahto. "You yourself are injured, m'Lord." She looks to him with labored breath. While they walk, she tries to discern where these injuries are and what the extent of them seems to be. Under her breath, she mutters, "Vicious, ugly children..."
If one of them, or Ahto himself, heals the wounds on his body, she would not mind a free ride back . If, however, he remains injured, she will press on at as fast a pace as anyone else by herself with VV's, even at the risk of becoming exhausted; though it pains her.
Once back, she will approach her steed. It seems it recognizes her injury is affecting her by shoving his nose into her ribs, then arms, and then sniffs loudly twice. Two quick pets are given to the horse and she rapidly mounts it, regardless of how she feels. As the group takes off, her horse seems to ride much smoother than before, as if it was trained to not jostle the rider in moments such as this.
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Ahto calls upon Abadar once more, this time to heal his own injuries.
”Thank you Abadar. Your touch has sufficiently eased my pain, he says in a meditative tone. He then turns to Pelipe and says. ”Allow me to carry you back to the carriage. If the rest of you could be mindful of threats, as I will have to set Miss Lightdriver down before I will be able to engage any foes.”
After shifting and restowing his gear as efficiently as possible, Ahto squats down enough to allow Pelipe to climb onto his back. Assuming she does so, Ahto sets a steady, even pace along the trail back out of the swamps.
The Vixen does as told.
Once in the clear (or at least once she believes to be in the clear), she says, “I know the woods have ears, but I’ll say this anyway.
“Ahto, if ye don’t object, I’d like to handle Jocelyn meself. That’s assuming the hags don’t reach to her first and call her home. Ye did after all get them to agree not to deceive nor harm citizens o’ Tamlyn. That would mean if Jocelyn stays, the hags know she can’t be their spy.”
Turning to Katrine, she adds, “I don’t know if the hags even gave a damn that I saved Louhi from bleeding out. And the runner is only a child. Katrine… I had a hard time relating to me Mother for some years, but I was a hot mess. I never doubted I was loved. I just feared I’d be a disappointment. I think what separates ye from Louhi and Jocelyn is they were raised by unloving hags, far as I can tell, and ye were given to yer father and raised by two loving parents.
“I don’t know if there’s hope for Louhi and the li’l one. But if Jocelyn’s still in Tamlyn when we get back, I want to introduce the two o’ ye. Knowing the truth don’t change that she’s me top student and me friend. Maybe it makes me a sap… but I like meself better as a sap than a hard-heart.”
As you collect yourselves and reassemble back at the carriage, you notice that Althea is missing. You confirm that Vark is still where you left him bound, but the noblewoman is nowhere to be seen.
"I'll be happy to meet with her, but like you said, our experiences have been very different." Katrine shrugs. "Not sure how much she'll relate to me and my hatred of hags. She might have grown up despising them, or she might have grown up craving their approval. Abuse can go either way, from what I've seen." She looks around... oh. Someone's missing. "Where's Althea?"