Mila nods and smiles, "What kind of hostess would I be if I let a hero go hungry? Let's just stop by my house so I can change quickly. If I walk into town wearing what I wore last night... well, I wouldn't want to be accused of being a common Jezebel." She gives him a wink and jumps up, dropping the blanket, unabashedly nude in the sunlight.
Jayse watches her stretch in the sunlight, his hunger drowning in a flood of stronger sensations, "On second thought… food can wait." And in a show of speed seen only on the battlefield, Jayse the hunter leaps for his prize once again.
Jayse and Mila arrive quite late for breakfast... and, gentle readers, we shall say no more than that!
They see Rashgari and Straehan breaking bread and chatting amiably and decide to join them at table. Rashgari is absolutely fascinated with the horned woman, staring at her horns whenever she thinks no one is watching. Their brunch is a lengthy affair and ends when Rashgari has to head with her people back to their cave.
Ushari's situation starts the local women clucking with excitement. First a battle, then peace, now a juicy romantic mystery! What will happen next?! The women put their heads together speculating on who it might be. Unable to reach a consensus their nominal leader Andrea - a woman of perhaps 25 - says, "We'll inquire discreetly. Men can't keep secrets. Someone has to know something and we'll find it out hopefully before you die of boredom waiting for this boy to get the gumption up to make his affections known. The only other thing I can suggest, since he leaves flowers for you on the porch, is to keep a lookout."
Ushari bids the woman Andrea a good afternoon, and proceeds to walk around the town. She makes small talk with the other people in town, before she feels the pangs of hunger, and decides to return to the Thrane household for lunch.
She chats with Etta, about what little she has learned from the gossipy women. Once she has gotten settled, she asks Etta, ”Could you tell me where these daisies grow, maybe I can catch him in the act…”
Etta taps on the counter, thinking. "Well, they grow throughout the forest, pretty much anywhere there is a decent sized clearing. The nearest one I can think of is close by the treehouse."
Shortly after lunch, Isolde wanders into the village. The reaction from the locals is mixed and immediate. Some make themselves scarce, others make religious gestures to ward off evil, and others bow to her deferentially in passing. She seems oblivious to the first two groups and politely nods to the third.
You watch the odd reactions while sitting beneath the pavilion enjoying a drink with Thrane, Etta, and Milaflora. Isolde spots your group and comes limping towards you. She sits down stiffly, nodding to everyone.
Mila smiles and greets her, saying, "Hag."
Isolde blinks at the term returning with "Harlot."
Thrane observes the strange greeting with some concern until he sees the laughter in Etta's eyes. He jabs a thumb at himself saying, "Hetmon."
Ushari thinks on the possible location of the daisy grove where the daisy was plucked from.. The tengu? I know nothing of their race, although Jayse seens to know of them. I should ask him about them, would one of them be interested in a human...that way?
Ushari nods at Isolde, and says gratefully, "I want to thank you again for helping us warn Forestal, Isolde. I do appreciate it." She pauses, " I assume this is not a social call..."
Jayse watches the interesting interplay between the women and shrugs when Thrane looks at him. "So, Isolde, didn't think we'd be seeing you around here." He looks at her leg, "Everything alright?"
"Is somewhat social in that I have come to see how the town has fared. I have... hm... concerns here."
Milaflora glances over at your group and translates, "She means friends. You have friends here you were worried about. Honestly, I don't know why you have problems with that word."
You see her reserve crack for a second. Something in her eyes tells you that Mila has spoken a truth. "Yes, as you say. I have also come to see if you have delivered my potions and to take those items promised in trade."
"Finally, I have come to know what you found among the goblins. The shadow of the Hill Tower has retreated to its normal level. I would know the cause of this. Have you discovered more that I can use to answer your previous questions?" You realise her circuitous speech is meant to protect the confidentiality of your search for the answer to who you all are.
Ushari looks at Milaflora first, then Isolde, thinking, Friends? I can understand why Isolde does not like saying 'friends'. With friends, there always exists the possibility of them betraying your friendship. Better to keep them apart...now why do I think these thoughts? She noticed all too quickly how some of the town distrusted her, and for what? Because she was different?
Looking over at Jayse, and Straehan, and also thinking about Fin, she realizes the four of them were about as different as was possible. Certainly, if they could function as a group, then why not the others in town?
She gives Isolde a smile to put the woman at ease, and to convey the fact she considered the witch woman a friend, and responds,"We did confront one who was influencing the goblins and put an end to him." You can see she is unwilling to say anything further about the Dweller in Darkness, at least in public.
Thrane picks up something of the subtext of the conversation. He clears his throat, "Ladies, let's let these folks talk. You can walk me down to the beach and flatter my ego about how finely I'm doing as Hetmon."
He leads the ladies away.
Once Thrane has led the ladies away, she says quietly, "We did destroy a foul creature who called himself the Herald for his Master. Unfortunately, I received the impression he is one of many servants for a..." She pauses for a while, and as the others wondered whether she would finish her thought, she finally whispers, "The Dweller in Darkness".
"Do you think this Dweller is the thing you saw in your dream?"
Ushari recalls every detail of the dream...or was it a vision... and thinks hard on the things she saw. Her throat is dry for some reason and she takes a long drink, wetting her throat.
"I think that is who I saw."
"A name is not much to work with but perhaps it will be enough. Is there anything else I should know or that you would ask of me?"
Ushari thinks about all of the questions still in her heart, ranging from her secret admirer, and going all the way to who her father is (or was) and what happened in her past. Not to mention what brought her path to cross with Jayse, Fin and Straehan. She had a feeling the answers would become clearer as she traveled with her new companions.
She looks to the others, "I cannot think of anything else, can you?"
Nursing a headache from hearing too many words more than from last night's drinking, the tall elf's eyes flit between Isolde and Ushari. With a sigh of annoyance she prompts the girl saying, "Boy...?"
Ushari blushes when Fin prompts her to ask about the secret admirer. She gives Isolde a somewhat embarrassed look, and adds, "Ummm...yeah. What Fin is trying to say is there is a boy out there that likes me, I think. He has left me a token of his affection." She points to the daisy still in her hair. "I guess what I would like to know is, how can I draw him out so I can meet him?"
Jayse gives Ushari a strange look before speaking to Isolde, "When you're finished divining Ushari's crush, I'd love to know what happened to your leg."
As he waits for the topic of Ushari's admirer to wind down, he turns to Fin, his voice pitched low so as not to interrupt Isolde and Ushari, "Did we ever hear back about those horrible reavers from Thrane?"
Findelgwing thinks for a moment. While it was possible that something might have been said prior to her receiving this noisy headband, little brother at least would have certainly said something, right?
Looking up at Jayse, she shakes her head 'no'.
Jayse nods, scraping up a few crumbs from his brunch before responding, "Well, that's worrying. I don't like the idea that that particular type of trouble could end up landing here at some point… or anywhere, for that matter."
He looks up and smiles at her, voice still pitched low so as not to interfere, "You looked like you had some fun last night. Did you enjoy yourself? The boys didn't give you too much trouble, did they?"
"Ummm...yeah. What Fin is trying to say is there is a boy out there that likes me, I think. He has left me a token of his affection." She points to the daisy still in her hair. "I guess what I would like to know is, how can I draw him out so I can meet him?"
Isolde plucks the daisy from her hair and holds it for a moment, closing her eyes. When she opens them she says, with some amusement, "Your wish is granted. You have already met him." She hands Ushari the daisy back.
Straehan weighs in on the discussion between Jayse and Fin. "Thrane didn't say anything to me about the Reavers or about the dispatches sent to find out about the ship we were on."
"You looked like you had some fun last night. Did you enjoy yourself? The boys didn't give you too much trouble, did they?"
Fin blushes a little, rolling her eyes as she shakes her head. "Boys... dance? ... Silly!"
Ushari exclaims, "I have already met him?" she sits back with a poleaxed look on her face, noting Fin gesturing at her but not paying her heed.
"I guess he must be really shy! Well, I shall make him admit to this, one way or another!" She giggles.
Isolde sits patiently, awaiting the young woman's next inevitable question... she has clearly had more than a few run-ins with the girls in town wanting to ferret out possible admirers.
Ushari notes Isolde looking at her, with a look of understanding in her eyes. She hesitates, then plunges ahead with the next question burning in her heart:
She speaks nervously, with a note of excitement underneath, "So, who is the boy who refuses to own up to this?"
Isolde turns her ancient eyes to the town, looking for the boy in question. She stands, pulling Ushari to her feet with a gnarled hand and points at...
Isolde reseats herself and addresses Jayse's question...
"I'd love to know what happened to your leg."
Isolde blinks back her surprise at the tenor of his question. "You... you ask about me?" It takes her a moment to focus on answering it. "My leg has always been this way. It is part of the price for the gift of prophecy. Some are blinded; some speak in tongues; I am lame."
"Oh, i guess.. I'm sorry to hear that. And why wouldn't we be concerned? You've been nothing but helpful and kind to us."
Ushari at first refuses to accept what her eyes are seeing. Is Isolde pointing at…is that…no she must be mistaken…VARGR??!! Her face pales and she sits down heavily in her chair.
As her mind comes to grips with this stunning development, she realizes he was certainly a lonely soul. While she hardly knew him at all, she knew it would be easy for her to just simply take the daisy out of her hair, and never wear it again. But, she also knew that such a blow would be more devastating to him than if she had cleaved him in half with his own sword.
She then rises to her feet, and says ”Excuse me for a moment.” Moving on a beeline to where Vargr watches the others, she stops in front of the hulking giant and stops, unsure what to say to him.
She finally gathers her nerve and curtseys to him, Looking way up at him, she says shyly, ”Hello, Vargr, I wanted to thank you for this token you left me. I am very flattered.”
Jayse looks at the ground to keep the initial burst of laughter from his features. As much as he respected the warrior for his proven combat prowess, and as much as Jayse was sure love could grow anywhere… the stunned look on Ushari's face had been priceless.
He finally looks up, his mirth under control, "Asked and answered, right Isolde?"
Isolde almost pulls off the perfect poker face when she quotes, "One must take care in the questions asked, for the answers may not be the ones sought."
"oh, the potions. We still have them. In all the chaos, we forgot to deliver them. We can go talk to Thrane about your payment whenever you're ready." He continues speaking while watching Ushari engage the giant warrior, "While we're talkign to him, I think I'll find out if there was any response about his Reaver inquiry."
Vargr looks around briefly as if this might be some sort of elaborate trap. "You... welcome, Gold-Hair-Tiny-Woman." He looks like he's trying to figure out something else to say but concludes, "Yes... welcome."
"And why wouldn't we be concerned? You've been nothing but helpful and kind to us."
"Thank you. Most who seek me are fixed on their problems, their needs. I am just a way to a solution for them." If this upsets her, she isn't showing it, merely stating facts.
"We can go talk to Thrane about your payment whenever you're ready."
"There is no need. I know where my goods are kept; I will take them and go now. What I find of this Dweller in Darkness I will send to you. If you learn more, message me." She rises and begins heading back up the shingle.
She gets about halfway up the shingle before she turns around to wave goodbye. It seems an awkward gesture from her. She pitches some final words loudly enough for you to hear, "I think you should get a boat. I have a feeling you may need it." She turns and walks off.
Ushari tries not to blush, as she looks at him. I...I don't know what to say to him. Finally, she softly replies, "I wanted to thank you for helping save Fin back when the goblins attacked us. That was very...noble of you."
You ponder her words as you head down onto the rocky beach area to speak with Thrane where he is chatting with Etta and Mila. He delivers the news he gathered. "Well three starlings came back yesterday. The Reavers haven't been spotted in the shipping lanes yet, nor attacked any major towns... but there are a half dozen small encampments they could hit here or on Aamari and we wouldn't know of it. We'll just have to keep an eye out here. And with the goblins being friendly, we have a line of retreat if they show up."
You have the impression that was the good news...
Thrane adds sheepishly, "I also got answers back from Orfallen and Aamari, and even heard from Talin... your ship, she wasn't on anyone's registry. So you didn't come from Talin or Aamari unless your ship's name was changed mid-route. And the last bit of name, -DORIA doesn't match anything sailing legally in this end of the Great Southern Isles... leastwises no passenger ship of the size yours must have been."
"Well, good news about the Reavers. Though I guess that means the threat is still out there. Not so good about our ship, huh?"
He takes a look around at Straehan and Findelgwing, "So I guess we now need to figure out our next move. No offense, Thrane, but I don't think our answers are in this little town. I think we have some decisions to make, guys." He hikes a thumb in the direction Isolde left, "Not to mention her strange suggestion."