With the trees restored, Melianse releases the axemen and claps excitedly. She even promises to keep an eye out on the rivers of the area for you, just in case anymore trouble shows up, eyeing Corax and his men as they leave.
Corax is willing to follow you to the new grove, and both parties seem satisfied with the result of the truce.
Sophie nods in thanks, appreciative for the offer to watch the river, she will speak quietly to Melianse before they leave.
Later, she shows the lumberjacks that when they cut the trees, to spend a little time planting new seeds nearby, to ensure that trees will be renewed eventually.
At the end of the process, she appears to be obviously elated to have helped resolve a dispute, and is humming a tune as they return to their origins, though she doesn’t speak much.
"I understand how you feel and generally agree with you . Those men did not seem like the sort that would be contributing helpful hands in times of need. They seek to make a profit and want nothing more than for themselves. There are a lot of men that are this way, I would think. But the way you handled yourself with calm and poise was just and wise."
She pauses and smiles , placing a hand on Annalla's shoulder. She looks into the android's eyes and says [b][smaller]"Diplomacy, reasoning and patience are all signs of a great leader, Annalla. It's what these wild lands need right now."
"I don't think a great leader would be considering the things that I would like to have done to those men. Too many sharp sticks and cries of pain," Annalla closes her eyes and leans in to place her head on Isabella's shoulder. "Thank you for the kind words, though."
Orri continues to watch, leaning forward to rest on his horse as he gentle pats her, that is until Sophie goes and turns into an eagle. He shoots up in his seat and looks to everyone else who each seem to engrossed in their own discussion to notice anything. When the eagle returns and changes back into Sophie he just takes a deep breath and shakes his head as he thinks to himself Ok than... guess everyone else knew we had some crazy shapeshifter and I didn't...
Once the trees are restored and all is well Orri follows the others on his horse his mind racing, wondering what else his friend might be able to turn into. Obviously, he will have to investigate this further at some later point.
Chrysa's eyes narrowed at the display of new magic. Another piece of information cataloged away. She twits and chirps to her own bird, assuring him that no the big predator will not eat him, no matter how scary it looked.
Ambivalent about the outcome, especially with the fickle nature of a fey watchdog, she is pleased that Sophie is happy with it. A grumpy Sophie is not a pleasant thing in the least.
The remainder of the next couple days travel is uneventful, and you ride into Oleg's Trading Post as the sun is beginning to set. The Levetons help you remove your loot from the wagon and begin looking them over. He lets out a low whistle and says "Eeegads...yeah...some of this stuff is too nice for me to be able to afford ya proper. You'll have to take this stuff into the city if you want a fair price on it..."
Hearing the arrival seems to draw out Lady Teskertin. She immediately begins looking over the items you've found excitedly, making disgusted looks at most of it but anything of elven design she is ecstatic over. Especially the statuette. She turns to Orri and holds it close to her chest as she says "This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for! May I?" she asks with pleading eyes at the nobleman.
Sophie says absolutely nothing, and seems to be happy for Lady Teskertin.
Orri smiles and nods to Lily "It was a real pain to get this stuff, but I'm glad we were able to find something to your liking." He moves close and whispers in her ear "Not to seem mercenary, but my friends would take it out of my hide if you didn't give us the agreed upon payment in return for retreiving this for you."
Stepping back he gives her a wink.
Lily reaches up and unclasps the cloak on her shoulders and hands it to Orri as she leans in and whispers in his ear.
"and now she striping in the open... your brother..." a good-natured whisper to Bella.
Sophie casually casts detect magic to identify the cloak, concentrating.
Orri grins and shakes his head before whispering something back to the woman. He hands the cloak off to Sophie, knowing she would want to examine it before noting ”I’m going to tell Ms. Teskertin about our ordeal at the castle. I’ll catch up with you all later.”
Sophie nods, ”no problem, but if this cloak isn’t worth anything, you owe us.” She smiles, pleasantly.
Isabella just closes her eyes and shakes her head when Chrysa whispers to her. She doesn't have anything witty to respond with, so she just sighs and collects herself. She finally decides on "Where does it end? At least he is rushing off to ask for a private reward."
When Sophiel adds her quip, Isabella shakes her head "No. She has paid us and what is done is done. Let us not be so trivial as to fight over coin, Sophie. Our job here is to cleanse these lands and that is what we did. Payment for our actions is appreciated, but not required."
After Orri says he's going to catch up with them later, Isabella sighs and turns to Chrysa "Nevermind."
Sophie frowns at Isabella, ”has she? That remains to be seen, Isabella.” Her voice is stern, and seemingly less emotional than normal. There’s a hardness to it which Bella hasn’t heard before.
She continues to examine the cloak, as she looks down at it, she adds ”the job was to retrieve an item, for which we would be paid. We had an accord. A moment’s time will determine if the accord will be upheld.” She lets Orri go, and shrewdly examines the quality of the cloak.
After the lady and Orri depart, she keeps looking down at the cloak and says, softly, ”Bella, some people take advantage of others - for their own ends.” She looks up at her friend, ”that woman disrespected my mother and my people, while pretending to be an expert on my people. She appropriates while knowing nothing, and had the gall to question my ‘purity’. And she’s a ‘lady,’ what a load of codswollop.” She says all of this dismissively, and darkly. ”She’s just that type. Annalla didn’t nearly lose her Annam so that your brother can have sex with a tasteless strumpet.”
Isabella's mind is aflutter with various thoughts throughout Sophiel's response. She does not interrupt and lets the half-elf get through her speech while she pulls her thoughts together on how best to respond.
"There are a couple of things I would like to say." she starts, going back to the beginning. "She has literally given us this cloak off her back, is that not enough? Why must it be more? Would you like me to give you some of my coin to make up for whatever shortage you have? Also can it possibly be that she is being forthright with us? Must we assume she is trying to deceive us?"
She pauses here, conflicted on how to continue "I admit openly I do not approve of the disrespect that has been shown to your people, such blatant disregard injures me equally even though I was not the target."
She seems to be struggling with the last bit "I... I don't know how to respond about Orri and Annalla. Orri is a man and may spend his time with whom he pleases, I am not his keeper. Should he find fulfillment in his personal time alone with her, I am happy for him. And Annalla, she has understood the risks of what it is we are doing out here. We all agreed to this task, so this was neither hers nor Orri's choice alone. If you didn't want us to do this, a discussion should have been held prior to us accepting it. For my par personally, I was both poisoned and embarrassed by these events that we had to undertake, yet I do not wish to exact these faults back on the task giver."
Isabella lifts her chin and brings a soft warm smile to her face as she places a hand on Sophie's shoulder"Sophie, you are a good friend and I listen to your every word when you speak. I consider you wise and calculating, but I believe your prejudice against this woman has led your thoughts down a darker path here and I just have not reached the same conclusions as you. Should it be determined she has lied to us, used us or tried to deceive us, I shall apologize to you for my doubts."
Still smiling, she pats Sophie's shoulder twice and walks off, considering this conversation done.
Chrysa missed the last part of exchange since she has already gone in the trading post, to the fire with a cup of tea. Her eyes narrow at all the people without swollen aching joints as they move around without pain. She considers yelling at them, but doesn't... yet.
Annalla stands silently as Isabella and Sophiel debate the nature of reward versus valid work. She considers putting her input in, but frowns at the thought that she'll probably say something wrong again.
People are so difficult to talk to. Why do they seem so strange to me?
When Isabella finishes up and walks away, Annalla follows, staying a half step behind. "That was very thoughtful of Sophiel to worry about my annam," she says as they walk along. "What would you like to do this evening?"
As the pair walk along alone outside of the Trading Post talking, they find the evening to be quite serene and peaceful. The sun is beginning to set on the horizon, painting the waving plains grasses in a beautiful reddish/orange glow.
”Annam?Whatkindofgemisanannam?Neverheardofitbefore,butIgottahaveone!” a fast paced, familiar voice speaks up as a grey blur lunges out of nowhere and thrusts it’s blade again into the edge of Annalla’s gemstone in her forehead, attempting to dislodge it!
Annalla shrieks and takes a step back from the blur that is the quickling, her hand clutching protectively at her forehead. Words that could be sylvan flow from her lips and she gestures towards the vile fey.
The blurry little figure slumps down off of Annalla’s neck and shoulders, doubled over in a fit of laughter that it cannot control! It’s eyes are wide at the situation it finds itself in, but cannot control itself for the moment to do anything but laugh!
Orri, unaware of what is going on with the others, takes his time telling Lily the epic tale the group faced against the fearsome fey in order to liberate the elven statue and bring it back to her.
Isabella has her hand on her blade in the blink of an eye and is ready to unleash hell on the creature but pauses when Annalla's spell drops him to the ground. She pulls out her rope and instead prepares to tie him up.
"Keep him down, Annalla!" Isabella says, grabbing a hold of him and trying to bind him.
When Ipmeek returned to his tribe, he was expecting to settle comfortably back into leading it once more--giving his kobold subjects guidance on what to do and how to recover. What he soon came to realize, however, was that when there were many fewer subjects, a lot more of the work would fall on him personally! It was an ordeal overseeing the strengthening of the tribe's defenses, with a new emphasis on fire and acid. At the end of it all, he felt drained.
"Mikmek, I need to go out there again," he confided to his right hand kobold. "There's a whole world around us that we barely know anything about, full of knowledge and opportunity.". He flaps his newfound wings, which emerged from the power of the Deck of Cards. "The tribe says my place is here, but look what has happened to us? If we're going to achieve greatness--real greatness--then I need to be out in the world again. Can I trust you to lead our people while I'm away? I will return, I promise, when I find what I'm looking for."
* * *
Having spent some time tending to his tribe, Ipmeek departs once more for Oleg's outpost, hoping to reconnect with the warmblood adventurers. He hears Annalla, Isabella, and some high pitched laughing. He's loathe to admit it, but he's excited to see them again. He strolls forward casually (having no idea what's really happening).
The quickling cannot stop laughing, and in short order is tied up by Isabella and Annalla just as Chief Sootscale ambles up to the scene!
Satisfied that the encounter can be resolved without violence, Isabella tells Annalla "I'm going to carry him back to the camp so we can all sit down together and talk with him. Are you okay with this, Annalla?"
"Okay with this?!" Annalla shouts back. "No, I'm not ok with this! I will stomp him into paste!" As if to demonstrate, one of her booted feet lifts from the ground and stomps back down in a very delicate display. One hand reaches up and brushes at the blood on her forehead. Looking at the fluid on her fingers, Annalla's anger seems to increase. "He tried to ...! I will ...!"
The sorceress looks around as if trying to come up with something to express her rage. Unable to find any other way to express herself, she pushes close to the quickling and, without further thought, slams her own bedazzled forehead into his.
She stumbles back, dazed. Grabbing Isabella's arm in an attempt to steady herself, she looks up at the cavalier in surprise. "I don't know why I did that," she says, before falling to her bottom in the dirt.
Isabella is surprised by Annalla's response initially, but it subsides quickly. "You did that because he violated you. I understand completely, Annalla. I did much worse things to the man that violated me." She speaks softly and doesn't intend to push too far into those memories.
She sits the quickling down on the ground and puts her boot on his chest to hold him still. She pulls out her flaming sword and looks to Annalla. "If you would like me to execute him for the violation of your sacred gemstone, it is a well deserved punishment. Tell me to, and I will swing this sword in your name."
Annalla opens her mouth to pronounce judgement on the vile creature, but hesitates. Her mouth closes and she looks away. One hand reaches up again to wipe away the trickling blood and her newly forming tears.
When she turns back, her face has hardened. "Hear me now, quickling," she says in a firm voice. "If you approach me again with this same intent, I will have your head removed from your body. Do you understand?"
She then repeats her words in Sylvan.
As the two discuss the punishment, Rigg finally stops laughing and begins shaking (vibrating?) rapidly! In a flash, he is out of the ropes! He darts away in a blur and vanishes in the tall grasses. Then you hear him call out ”Hey!I’mnottheonewhocametrapsingintoyourhomeuninvited!What’swrongwithmeprot ectingwhatwasmine?Andpursuingthepeoplewhoranhimoutofhishome!?!?I’llseeyaaro und,toots!”
Annalla pushes herself to her feet and brushes the dirt off the bottom of her dress. "My judgement still stands," she says, addressing the empty forest.
After taking a moment to compose herself, she turns to Isabella. "Thank you for putting your trust in me," she says. "May I request a favor? I would like to visit and speak with Tiressia again. Would you take me there?"
"Of course." Isabella says, nodding.
"I am disappointed that he got away before I could get him to the others. Come, let us go get the others."
She offers her elbow, keeping her blade in her hand. You know, just in case.
Seeing the kobold for the first time, she grins "Well hello, Ipmeek! How have you been?"
As Isabella, and Annalla return, the rest of you notice that they are accompanied by Chief Sootscale!
About this time, you also hear the sound of Svetlana and Chrysa giggling from inside the house, and the front door opens up and the two stagger out, Chrysa half leaning on Svetlana until they are outside. Chrysa is looking around in wonder at everything, it would seem.
Once Chrysa has staggered a bit out on her own, Svetlana just leans on the doorframe and looks up into the sky with a silly grin on her face.
Chrysa is shading her eyes from the stunning beautiful glare of EVERYTHING "" she yells with a stupidly happy smile on her face. She sees Impeek and squeals, a sound no one would have expected out of Chrysa, she tries to run over to see him but her legs evaporated into mist again and she plops face-first into the grass "I missed you" she mumbled into the ground. It is unsure if she is talking to the kobold or the ground at this point.
Rolling over on to her back to look up at the others "Svetlana is pretty and gave me tea. special tea" she adds in a loud whisper "Oh Anna you are pretty. And Bella you are too, and Sophie!... and GODS I am horny LITERALLY!" the copper-haired woman flat on her back giggled hard at that "Cause I Have Horns! Get it!" she rolled to her side, laughing so hard she can barely breathe. "No.. No... nooooooo" she babbles between laughter.
Svetlana also starts giggling from where she’s leaned up at her front door. Oleg wanders over and shakes his head. ”By the gods, woman. Did ye break that stuff out again?”
Isabella stares at Chrysa, unsure whether to laugh at her or with her. "Well this is definitely better than GrumpyChrysa, so I'll take it."
She walks over and pats Chrysa on the head and says "Please stay away from Orri tonight." before turning to announce to the group "Annalla and I had a run in with our favorite quickling who once more is continuing to assault Aannalla. I had him bound and tied but he escaped. I am informing everyone that should he make another appearance, I will not be letting him get away next time. This continued deviance has run its course and I am no longer going to be satisfied with him abusing her."
Isabella declares "Once we are finished here we will be making a trip to see Tiressia again before we set out."
Ipmeek is mighty confused as Bella ties up some creature only to see him slip away again. He shrugs and decides this was hardly a matter for him to deal with. Making his way back to the outpost, he gets even more confused as Chrysa crushes him in a happy embrace. "Ipmeek very confused, did somebody break Chrysa?". Arriving with a mix of moon radishes, mushrooms, and some sort of meat jerky, Ipmeek hands over the supplies to Svetlana. "Rare and delicious treats from Sootscales," he declares, clearly expecting some gratitude.
He checks in with the others. "So, what you all do while Ipmeek gone? Trolls dead yet? And who Tiressia?"
Sophie emerges from the inn a little after Chrysa, and grins at Chrysa. She takes a swig of a dark liquid of her own from her canteen and chuckles, happily. The lovely cloak is tied up with twine, and she tosses it to Bella. "Magic, and good too. A rare type. So I was half-wrong. She's still a miserable person, but at least she isn't a scoundrel. Small blessings, I suppose."
She notices King Sootscale nearby and her eyebrows raise in surprise, then she approaches and gives a short bow. "Good to see you again, King. It's been a little while. I... guess you're here to help again?" She looks around briefly for confirmation, then, extends a hand to him. "Well, welcome back. We've missed you."
She seems to be getting ready to go to Restov, and brushes her hands off after loading the cart up with Bjorn's help.
When she hears about the quickling, she does a second take, and her smile becomes brittle. "The quickling returned?" Her eyes narrow at Annalla and Isabella, flitting between the two, and resting on Annalla, while still speaking to Isabella. "No... of course not. Nobody wants anyone abused. I think that's been made clear." She looks at Isabella, frowning slightly.
She closes her eyes, "but why didn't either of you say anything; call for help?" There's an odd edge to her voice, and she opens her eyes again, "and we had already warned him. You both put everyone at greater risk with..." She stops herself and takes a deep breath, calming down.
Then with Bella's declaration, she adds with an note of skepticism, as she gestures vaguely, "What? You want us all to go now, instead of to Restov?" She gestures at the assembled party.
Her eyes snap back to Isabella, "why? Her hands are clenched behind her, and she's standing straight, chest out, chin up slightly up, eyes lidded and head cocked slightly. She has a slight frown, and her nostrils are flared.
Sophiel rarely uses few words when many will do, and her words have become much more terse... she always tries to explain herself. If she isn't doing so when asking questions, she is likely upset.
Chrysa is nuzzling into Impeek, amazed at how glossy smooth his scales are. "Because she LIKES her... obviously" Chrysa whispered loudly at Sophie's 'Why?' a little giggle following it.
The 'likes' said with such lurid gusto, brings up thoughts again, other than friendship, so she thinks of Bella's suggestion "Orri... maybe... I'd have to take out the strumpet, but my aunt did always say if there were something worth doing, it was something worth murdering someone for... did she say that or did my Father just say it about her..." she shakes her head and releases Impeek "Doesn't matter. Excuse me, pretty ladies" she says while adjusting her sword belt.
Sophie is trying to figure out what's going on, when Chrysa, appearing to be on something mumbles something about murder. Sophie snaps to attention, and relaxes, "oy, what in the hells. Chrysa..." She rushes to get between Chrysa and wherever she was going. "Hey, whatever's happening, don't worry about her. Orri already told me he doesn't care about her. How about you head inside, or stay here where we can watch you?"
She smiles thinly, and glances back at the others, then at Svetlana, "miss Svetlana, what did you give her?"
Sophie's gaze moves, and suddenly Chrysa pops out of existence. A feat that might have been worrisome if it wasn't for the immediate eruption from behind the half elf of "Wow!!... it is insane in there." the spaced-out fey cursed woman twirls around and wraps herself into Sophie, burying her face into her hair. "You want to watch me? Sophie... I didn't think you were into that. Anna needs help if you like to watch" she giggles and pops out again.
Oleg half grumbles, half chuckles ”Moon Radish Tea, I’d wager. If prepared right...it can have an interesting side effect. It’s ‘armless, I promise ya!”
Orri finally heads back outside after spending a bit with Lily telling her tails of the groups exploits. He is surprised to Ipmeek and the others gathered around as he hears Oleg commenting on the radishes. "Are we having a party no one told me about?"
Sophie nods, "maybe. For most people." She sighs, and turns around as Chrysa uses her magic. When the giggling rogue falls into her arms, Sophie catches her, "did you tell her what was in it?" She asks questioningly, then smiles at Chrysa, and whispers to her something inaudible in response to Chrysa's proposition, blushing slightly.
"ORRI!" Chrysa is suddenly not in Sophie's arms, and is in front of Orri ().
She pulls herself up, spoiled somewhat by her eyes, wide and glassy, darting around to watch the blue swirls dance around his head. "I am against sex with friends and family, it complicates matters to a great degree" she says with formality "But that is my brain, and it is currently... f*%&ed... soooo... since you are one of the few men I trust, Bella suggested I have sex with you. And Sophie wants to watch. Is that okay?"
Orri is all smiles until Chrysa saunters over and asks about having sex with Sophiel watching and he just quirks her brow. "I obviously missed a lot... um, I mean I'm all about having a good time, but that sounds awfully complicated..."
Demonstrating that she is learning at least a little about human behavior, Annalla realizes that Sophiel is upset about something.
"There are some things that it seems that only Tiressia will be able to teach me," Annalla replies. "If we can't make that trip right now then I will wait until it's more convenient, but I do wish to speak with her - it's very important to me."
Before she can explain any further, Chrysa begins demonstrating the detrimental effects of should-be-controlled substances.
After listening to the woman for a moment, the android is even more confused. "Why would someone do that to themselves?" she asks of no one in particular. "Anyone could take advantage of her current state."
"but why didn't either of you say anything; call for help?" There's an odd edge to her voice, and she opens her eyes again, "and we had already warned him. You both put everyone at greater risk with..."
Isabella frowns at Sophie's question "Sophie, you recall we are dealing with a quickling, yes? He is fast? This all took place in under a minute and when she was attacked, we reacted."
She stands a little taller and her muscles tense "I do not appreciate the tone of voice or inclination that I have endangered anything. You should know of all people that I would never put anyone's life in danger unnecessarily."
Isabella does not hide the frustration or hurt that Sophie's statement seems to have inflicted on her. She is not agigated, but clearly digging in.
Her eyes snap back to Isabella, "why? Her hands are clenched behind her, and she's standing straight, chest out, chin up slightly up, eyes lidded and head cocked slightly. She has a slight frown, and her nostrils are flared.
"Because Annalla has asked for it. Is it that alright with you? Can we not make a trip before we travel to Restov? I do not mean to make this trip to the grove in lieu of returning to Restov."
And then Chrya goes and does that.
Isabella's eyes go wide and she moves between the two, raising her voice She places her hands on Chrya's shoulders and says "Chrysa. You are under the influence of strange magics and you are not feeling yourself."
She bends down and scoops up Chrysa, throwing her over her shoulder. "I shall accompany you to your bedroll where you should bed down for the night. I will watch over you this evening to ensure you remain safe. I am down this for your own benefit."