Yui proceeds to the tavern with a big sheepish grin on her face. "Because Aimy doesn't let me have more than a glass, hihi."
Inside the tavern Yui notices Ameiko's gloom look and follows her up the stairs to join Ikoma and her as they start to read the paper.
Nestasha gave Sandru a smile and said,"Yess, the place wass very unpleasant, it'ss going to take a week to get the tasste out of my mouth. It wass worth it though, we dealt with the threat and sstumbled on ssomethingss that belong to Ameiko. There were a group of shipss her family musst have come here on and a chesst of itemss that conatained sseveral of what musst be family heirloomss. We managed to bring thosse thingss back for her. Ass for me, I jusst need to relax a bit and clean the grime and ssmell from mysself." She walked closer to him and said, "How have thingss been going for you?"
Sandru listens to you as you relate what happened in the Marsh. "Wow... makes me wish I didn't have to stick around town. I'd have loved to tag along."
"As to me... well, I was stuck here, more or less." He shrugs and chuckles. "Those goblins did more damage to my wagon than I thought--one of their fireworks burned the wagon's tongue badly enough that it needed to be replaced. It's just as well--one of the axles was on the verge of giving up and breaking in half anyway."
"In short, I've been getting by." He gives you a warm smile.
Ameiko leads you upstairs to one of Sandpoint's two suites and settles herself on the large bed inside. She opens the scroll tube and shakes its contents into the palm of her hand.
The letter itself is written in immaculate Tien script, upon parchment that has yellowed with age but otherwise has withstood the test of time. Ameiko's eyes widen as she begins to read the letter.
"My son, my heir. You know now that I have kept secrets from you. You were always a perceptive son, and while you may not understand my reasons for secrecy, I hope that you realize it was necessary. Know that I was not angry with you for opening the warding box--I was angry with myself for withholding the truth from you and forcing you to seek out what I should have given to you. The words I spoke to you were from anger with myself, and it shames me to think of them now. I write this note as an apology, and to beg you to leave these secrets to history.
The next few days will be the most important I have faced in many years. If our family's enemies have, as I hope, forgotten us, I shall reunite with you and your wife, and your mother and I shall reveal the truth to you. But if they still seek the contents of the warding box, I fear that I may not speak to you again. The box holds our family's greatest treasure, so I have returned it to Kortun's care, and it shall remain hidden in the secret third vault under Brinewall Castle--obscured from our enemies, I hope and pray. I will not grant our foes the satisfaction of killing me themselves--if it comes to it, let my death, by my own hand, be my final act to protect you, so that our enemies believe our line ended.
I have instructed Tsutamu to keep this letter from you, delivering it to you only should I fail to return as I hope to. If I can, I will reveal all this to you myself. If I cannot, this final missive from a father to a son must suffice as an apology in place of an explanation, and you must destroy this letter, flee to the south, and never return to Brinewall. If our enemies find what I have hidden, there will be nothing here for you. If they do not, they will lie in wait forever for your return.
I hope to see you again soon, my son. But my heart tells me I will not. I am sorry to have failed you. But I am proud of you, and I know you will survive this old man's shame. You are strong, and you must remain so. For if you are reading this and I am gone, know that our enemies will never stop searching for us, and that is why I cannot reveal the truth to you until I know there is no chance of them finding us again.
Rokuro Kaijitsu,
Sunday, 29 Desnus, 4687."
Ameiko is silent for a long time once she finishes reading the letter. Her eyes are beginning to tear up.
"Well, it ssoundss like thosse goblinss almosst did you a favor then, you might not have found that axsle if they hadn't damaged the wagon. That would be a problem if you were in the middle of a journey and the axsle broke. I bet it would require even more work and cosst more than ssome boredom if that had happened." Looking longingly at the bath Nestasha says, "I'd love to talk with you ssome more Ssandru, but I think I'd better get thiss muck and stuff off before it getss in under my sscaless any worsse than it already hass." She starts to head on her way and looks back over her shoulder at Sandru before entering the bathhouse, "Of coursse if you want to keep talking I coould use ssome help sscrubbing my back." She gave him a wink and then slipped through the door into bathhouse to enjoy the hot water within.
Ameiko looks up at Ikoma as he puts a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks. No need to worry about me... just old memories, is all."
She looks back down at the letter. "This is a lot to take in. Dad never told me about something like this... " She looks back at the rest of the party. "Was this all you found?"
Gilbert takes a long sip from the flagon, raising his finger in the air. "Ah. That hits the spot! No, Ameiko, we also got a chest full of items that Tsutamu was guarding. It's on my horse at the moment." Finishing his flagon, he leans back on the chair. "Bah! I'll need to wash Duchess. And myself! Though... What happens now?", he asks, looking at Ameiko.
Sandru turns slightly pink as you enter the bathhouse.
The bathhouse itself is surprisingly roomy. An attendant walks past you, a towel over one of her robed arms. The bath she left is steaming hot, and feels quite relaxing as you slip in.
Before you make much progress scrubbing yourself clean, you hear the sound of someone clearing his throat behind you. Sandru stands behind you, a sponge in one hand. His face looks redder than it was outside, and he appears to be looking everywhere but at you.
"Uh... you said you'd, well, like some help with your back?" He asks, unsure of himself.
Ameiko blinks and gets a determined look in her eye. "Well, that settles it then." She nods and stands up, still holding the letter. "You guys feel free to keep whatever else you found in the marsh. This here..."
She looks down at the piece of yellowed parchment. "...this is all I really want."
"I think it's past time I hit the road again. This 'Brinewall' place sounds like it's worth checking out, but I don't want to go there alone." She looks around at the gathered group. "I'll need to make arrangements to get there--I don't even know how far away it is from Sandpoint. You guys want to go with me?"
Nestasha smiled to herself and leaned forward saying, "Why yess I would. Thank you Ssandru. It'ss hard enough to sscrub my own back, but getting underneath the sscaless iss even worsse." She lifted a soft brush from the water and handed it over her shoulder to him, careful that as she turned he could catch only the barest hint of the curve of her breast. She pulled her hair to hang down in front of her and said, "All you need to do iss take the brush and drag it sslowly along my back from the basse of my sspine to my neck. If it catchess then ssimply move it back the other way until it iss free before continuing." Nestasha shifted her body so her chin could rest on the edge of the tub and kept her hips below the water line.
Sandru swallows and takes the brush as you shift, before leaning over you.
"Like this, right?" He carefully moves the brush as you instructed him to. He scrubs rather roughly, as if uncertain he's doing it right.
Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. After a few repetitions, his scrubbing evens out and becomes gentler. His expression changes as well--no longer blushing like a schoolboy, but entirely focused on your back. His tongue is poking out of the corner of his mouth as he works.
While his stroke was a it rough at first Nestasha gave him time to understand what to do. After he got the hang of it Nestasha let him continue for a bit before she let out a sigh of contentment. Once she felt that her scales were sufficiently clean she said, "Thankss Ssandru, I feel much better already. You did an excellent job. I think I can manage the resst mysself," she gave him a questioning look over her shoulder, "Unless you'd like to ssee the resst of me that iss." Either way Nestasha somehow managed to turn around in the tub while staying submerged and reached a hand to wrap her fingers around Sandru's hair a moment as she slithered up to plant a kiss on his cheek. She slid fully beneath the water again with only her head above it as she watched Sandru's reaction.
"Thankss Ssandru, I feel much better already. You did an excellent job. I think I can manage the resst mysself."
"You're welcome." Sandru chuckles, momentarily forgetting where he is. For a minute, he looks quite comfortable.
It's not until you kiss him on the cheek that his eyes widen and his blush returns.
"Unless you'd like to ssee the resst of me that iss."
"Uh..."
Before he can answer, a shrill, old-sounding voice calls out from outside the bathhouse.
"Sandru! Where are you, boy?"
He looks behind him and gets up. "Excuse me, I have to go." He doesn't wait for your answer before he turns and leaves.
However, you DO notice he takes his time walking out, giving you one last look before hurrying up.
Yui gives Ameiko a light hug as tears flow across her face.
When she asks if the group will join her on her trip she smiles and nods yes enthusiastically. "Of course I will go with you Amie! Finally we can go on another adventure together." Yui says with a large grin.
It wasn't long after Sandru was called away that Nestasha finished bathing. She dressed once more after drying herself off and went to the common rom of the inn to see what was happening. She looked for her compatriots and joined those she found at a table after ordering supper. "Sso, how did thingss go?"
Gilbert grins at the thought of a new adventure, and Duchess barks happily. "Bah! But how can I drink my newly gotten spoils when we're going to get new ones soon! Good thing I'm prepared this time!" Taking a long chug from the flagon in his other hand, Gilbert makes decent headway in the drink, before continuing. "This old fox knows a thing or two about gego... georg... the surrounding area! I'll be able to tell you exactly where you need to go! May I suggest leaving on the 9th, at dawn? I could browse the library for information in the meanwhile... As long as Duchess promises to behave with the book! Unlike last time!" He stares down at the wolfhound, which whimpers.
As the party discusses what to do next, the Rusty Dragon's doors open again.
"Ah--I thought I'd find the town's newest crop of goblin slayers here." Shalelu says with a smirk, stepping up to the table the party is huddled around. Following her are another pair of familiar faces.
Koya beams with pride as she steps forward from behind Shalelu to pat Gilbert on the shoulder. "Glad to see you've all made it back safe & sound. How was the trip?"
Sandru leans against the wall, saying nothing but looking on with interest.
Gilbert grins as he sees Koya appear. "Bah! It was eventful and glorious! We cut through those goblins like a hot knife through a rare steak!" He grins, already slightly tipsy, raising a flagon to the air. Leaning closer to Koya, he whispers. "And Ameiko's a noble! We saw talking skeletons!"
Yui jumps down the stairs jovially with Ameiko in tow as she sees and hears the entrance of Koya and Shalelu.
"And we even got treasure from them gobsies Shely! And the trip was so much fun obaa-chan" Yui says with a grin.
"A long travel? Why iss that? I wass in the tub until a few minutes ago sso I ssem to have missed ssomething." Nestasha eats her food once it arrives and waits with the patience only a serpent can have.
Sandru looks away briefly and coughs as Bethana, Ameiko's halfling waitress, brings Nestasha some food to eat.
"We should split our rewards and findings and prepare for a long travel."
"Long travel? What?" Sandru looks back at the party, interested. "What'd I miss?"
"And we even got treasure from them gobsies Shely! And the trip was so much fun obaa-chan."
Koya closes her eyes and huffs briefly. "I suppose it was too much to hope for that you'd learn some manners while running around out there."
"And we even got treasure from them gobsies Shely! And the trip was so much fun obaa-chan."
"Really now?" Shalelu sits down at the party's table (which is becoming rather crowded). "Now I'm interested in knowing the details--from what Sheriff Hemlock told me, you guys cut down a lot of the little green b--"
Koya cuts Shalelu off with a simple *ahem*.
"--pests, right." Shalelu corrects herself with a slight sniff. "Still, well done, all of you." She smiles.
"It seems our karma is interwoven. I will follow you! There is nothing holding me back!"
Ameiko giggles a bit. "Well, it's nice to know I've got my own samurai to watch over me."
Nestasha crooks a finger at Sandru as she slides over to make some space for him beside her. "That's s what I'm trying to find out sstil."
Sandru pauses, looking at the vacant spot next to Nestasha. He then walks over and sits down next to her like normal.
"Yeah, for those of you just joining us..." Ameiko looks at Koya, Shalelu, Sandru and Nestasha (with a little smirk at Sandru, who arches a confused eyebrow). "...turns out my grandfather left a sacred family treasure deep in the castle of Brinewall." She crosses her legs in her chair and leans back. "And this letter--" She smooths the yellowed letter out on the table. "--explained a lot. Apparently, my family made some powerful enemies who gave up the hunt for us a long time ago. I'm interested in going to Brinewall and seeing just what it was my grandfather was so desperate to keep safe that he sent his son, retainers, bodyguard and treasures as far away as he could."
Nestasha gave Sandru a smile as he sat and turned her focus onto her food as Ameiko explained. While she didn't pay any particular attention to Sandru just now her knee did rub against his occasionally as they sat there. After things were explained Nestasha finally spoke again after swallowing a bit of food, "Brinewall? Where iss Brinewall, and pleasse tell me it'ss not in another sswamp."
Yui-chan wrote: "And we even got treasure from them gobsies Shely! And the trip was so much fun obaa-chan." Koya closes her eyes and huffs briefly. "I suppose it was too much to hope for that you'd learn some manners while running around out there."
"Well, I doubt you would want me to pick up manners from gobsies obaa-chan."
Yui sticks out her tongue and grins widely in reply.-Posted with Wayfinder
"I know the area! Pretty big deer over there! I'll make a path!" "When would we depart? I'm ready now!", he asks, enthusiastic about exploration.
"Well, I wouldn't know if the hunting up there's good, unless you're referring to the Velashu Uplands." Sandru speaks up, oblivious to Nestasha's knee occasionally rubbing against his. "It's a long way to the north--about 500 miles, if I remember right."
Ameiko claps her hands together. "Well, that settles it."
"Sandru, how soon can you get your caravan ready to go? I'm heading to Brinewall, and I'd love it if you came with me." She turns to the caravan master, who scratches his chin.
"Well, I can get us going by the day after tomorrow... I'm going to need to gather supplies and make sure the wagons are all in order." He nods.
"Alright--Koya? Shalelu? You want in on this?" Ameiko turns to the other two women.
Koya's eyes light up. "Of course I would--it sounds like it'd make for a great trip. Desna'd never forgive me if I passed it up."
"I'll go with you, certainly." Shalelu nods. "I could use some time on the road."
Nestasha laid a hand lightly on Sandru's arm and asked, "Would you like ssome help in arranging the caravan? I'd like to learn about what you do and thiss sseemss a good way to do sso."
Sandru looks over at Nestasha. "Oh? Well, sure, if you want. I'd appreciate some help getting things together." He beams at her.
Koya stifles a snicker, but says nothing.
"Oooohhh Nestasha! Shandru is hitting on you! I guess he wants to kissss you and huuuug you! Hihihi!" Yui snickers and laughs while pointing at Shandru.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sandru doesn't outwardly react.
"Say, does anyone else notice that fly buzzing around?"
"Bah!", says Gilbert, seemingly to nothing in particular. "Going on a long trip! Sign me in! Well, Ameiko, I believe it's only fair you give us a discount on all the liquor we'd need for the venture! And I'll need the dog snacks as well!" Duchess barks as dog treats are mentioned. "Anything else, we'd hunt on the road!" He takes another flagon, and begins drinking with much slower pace this time. "I'll probably need an axe, as well. For firewood and everything else we need!"
Ameiko stands up from the table and nods at Gilbert. "Alright--starting tomorrow, we've got a whole day ahead of us to get ready for the trip. We've got a lot of preparations to make--we need horses, food, equipment--y'know, the necessities."
Yui scoops a little of the food in front of her in a spoon and launches it at Sandru.
Either on purpose or by complete accident, the bit of food ends up in Shandru's mouth just as he is about to speak, causing him to choke on the food.
"Oh dear Shandru, are you okay? I think some kind of fly just shot a piece of food at you there... I wonder how it did that." Yui says with a big grin whilst trying to contain her laughter.
Gilbert's eyes widen as he sees Yui's shot. "Bah! You should stay away from hunting, or you'll drive me out of business!", Gilbert laughs, with a simple and loud voice.
Sandru catches the piece of food Yui flings into his mouth.
"Mmm. Well, that fly has decent enough taste in food, I guess." He says nonchalantly before his eyes widen. "Er--no offense intended, Ameiko."