Evert readies a bolt and keeps his eye on the wolf.
The goblins, after watching the dwarf brutally beat their commander to death, take their weapons and disappear into the brush. A lone goblin still tries to struggle against the entangling plants. The wolf lets out a mournful howl and goes for the dwarf's throat.
However, the dead weight on its back impedes any sort of revenge.
Round 5: Goblins, Wolf, Lysithia, Kelda, Evert, Astoria
As surprised as she is by Kelda's eruption, Lysithia reacts to the wqolf's attack immediately, growing to double her size in the blink of an eye as she swings her staff at the lupine attacker.
Blood splatters all over Kelda as she turns the general into a pile of goo. Still feeling angry over the general's threats and attitude, and not wanting to leave the wolf to stalk them, or find them at a more vulnerable time, Kelda brings her hammer back around in a downward arc, as she intends to end the wolf as well.
The wolf yelps as Kelda breaks some of its bones. The animal struggles to stand but its eyes relay a fierceness that refuses to be extinguished.
Round 5: Goblins, Wolf, Lysithia, Kelda, Evert, Astoria
In the mayhem, Lysithia's swing at the wolf is wildly off target
Evert fires another bolt, trying to put down the wolf.
;
The wolf goes down with a brief yip as the bolt strips the last bit of life from it.
With her chest still heaving from the exertion of the battle, Kelda gesters over to the struggling goblin, "What about him?"
Looking at the sole trapped goblin, Lysithia dismisses her entanglement spell, holing her staff ready in the even of an attack.
Not particularly worried about the single goblin, Kelda looks at Evert, "Thanks for your help, you're really good with that crossbow."
Taking a moment to catch her breath and calm down, she looks around at the others as she tries to figure out how everyone is doing.
"Is everyone okay?"
The freed goblin flees immediately, disappearing into the brush almost seamlessly.
Astoria nods to Kelda's question. "Yes I'm fine, though I don't have much fighting left in me and the day just started." She replies with a huff.
Evert shrugs as he dabs at a deep scratch with a bloodied cloth. "We won, despite it all. I guess that's good."
Looking at the retreating goblins she says, "Well, I guess that answers what to do about him. I really don't like letting them go to regroup, and possibly come back later in greater numbers....but I'm not going to go after and kill someone that's running away, even if they are little bas+ards that deserve to die for everything they've done."
Looking over at Astoria she nods, "We should probably head back to the Inn. We need a chance to heal, and recover the magic we've used, before we go galavanting all over the place to find someone to join us, so we can finally get to Cooperton....if there's anything left to save." As her anger begins to subside, Kelda starts to sound tired.
I suppose we should see if they caused any other trouble or hurt anyone else around town while we're here." Lysithia says, as she looks down at the bodies of the goblin chief and his wolf.
Deep in her own thoughts, Kelda doesn't seem to notice the expression on her love's face as she looks off back toward the town.
Not bothering to look at the body of the wolf and goblin, "We should probably at least search Mr. General there, and then get them out of view." Her voice seems almost detached as she takes a deep breath before kneeling down in front of the body to search it.
All Kelda finds on the remains is a potion of aid, small (and bloody) leather armor, a small buckler, a small masterwork dogslicer and seven pieces of gold.
"The potion and gold would be useful, Evert, would you want any of hit gear? As far as the bodies, just pull them aside and let nature have them. They would do more for this valley in death than in life." the druid comments.
Kelda nods as she takes the potion and gold, "Yeah, I kin clean it up for ye, if yer wantin' it." She comments, slipping a bit back into the accent she grew up around without noticing it.
While giving Evert a chance to decide if he wanted anything from the corpse, Kelda takes one of her own pieces of gold to add to the seven to make it an even eight. She then gives Astoria, Lysithia, and Evert two pieces of gold each, since she didn't know if Evert would leave once they got back to the Inn or not.
Handing him his share, "Thank ye for all the help, we really appreciate it."
Looking over at Astoria she says, "Don't be so hard on yerself. Ye did a great job. There were quite a few of the little buggers, and it was a tough fight....but we made it." Kelda gives her a reassuring smile before going to Lysithia.
Looking up at her love she simply says, "I'm sorry." Kelda then looks down at the ground, unable to meet her eyes.
Evert shakes his head as he pockets the two gold coins. "It's junk. But I'd take his sword, if I were you. At least, that'll be some proof that you've taken out a general."
He shrugs. "That might be worth more than the metal it's made out of."
Kelda nods and picks up the knife.
Lysithia simply rests her hand on Kelda's shoulder in quiet support. She would likely talk about whatever lay just beneath the surface of her reactions, when she was ready.
Evert heads back towards the town. "I might need a hand with a little something tomorrow. I've found one of Duncan's wagons, but it's stuck in a ditch. The supplies are still there, but the driver and anyone else that may have been with the wagon are gone. No signs of fighting either..."
"That...is definitely cause for concern, especially given all the goblin activity around here. Bandits would likely have taken the good but their disappearance is still troubling." Lysithia replies.
Astoria accepts her share of the gold ponders Evert's discovery. "Very strange indeed. I suppose we probably have a look, if there are more dangers in these woods then I'd like to know more about them."
Kelda nods as her eyebrows knit together, "Aye, people just up and disappearin' is not usually a sign of anythin' good. We'll head out with you right after breakfast, help you get it out of the ditch, and try to find out what happened to those people."
"It's not like goblins to keep captives...but these days, who knows?" Evert mutters as he turns to head to the inn.
Kelda wasn't sure what to think as they turned toward the Inn. For now, she just wanted to get cleaned up.
"I'll see you in the morning," Evert says, walking through the inn's door and straight to his room.
Kelda nods and turns back to Lysithia, "I think we'll rest better if we get cleaned up first. I feel gross. What do you think love?
"I agree! A bath will be a relief, and also a good way to leave the day behind." Lysithia replies taking Kelda's hand in hers.
Looking over at Astoria she says, "We're gonna go get cleaned up, and get some rest. I know we weren't gone that long....but I just feel drained. If we don't see you at dinner, we'll see you in the morning."
Kelda then turns back to Lysithia. Lifting her love's hand to her lips, she gives it a brief gentle kiss, before looking up into her eyes. "Let's go love, I feel a warm bath calling my name." She wanted to talk to her love, to explain why she exploded the way she did....she just wanted a chance to get the blood and stuff off of her first. She needed to calm her mind and spirit before she explained to her love exactly why she hated goblins so much. True, she was raised hearing the same stories about the evil vile creatures as much as all the other Dwarven children were....but she always believed that an entire race couldn't be held responsible for the actions of a few. People weren't born evil....were they?
Kelda seems a little lost in thought as they grab what they need for their bath, and start heating up the water for it.
Once the bath is ready, Kelda waits to allow Lysi to climb into the warm water first, before she climbs in after her. Being careful not to slosh water out of the tub as she sits down in front of her love, Kelda sighs as the warm water begins soothing her sore and tired muscles.
Thankful that her love couldn't see her face right now, Kelda fights back the tears that threatened to fall. Memories she thought long buried, start to surface as she replays the days earlier events in her mind. Even though it wasn't exactly the same circumstances that it had been all those years ago, she still felt that same sense of helplessness that she did back then.
As she scrubs at her skin to remove the blood and other filth, she lets out a little sigh.
Kelda tries her best to keep the tremble out of her voice as she speaks to her love, "I'm sorry if my earlier actions scared you. I didn't mean to lose it like that. I...I really care about you, and love you...and I don't want you to think that your future wife is some kind of crazy lunatic." Kelda grows quiet, allowing her words to sink in, and wondered if she had been too bold with her words.
Hearing the anguish and trepidation in Kelda's voice, Lysithia focuses on washing her love's hair as she unburdens herself of whatever resulted in her eruption today.
"I wouldn't so much say they scared me, as surprised me. I don't think you're in any way a lunatic my love. But I do think there's more to what happened today than just the fight we had with them a few days ago, and I'm ready to listen whenever you feel like you can share it." she says lovingly, her fingers soothingly massaging Kelda's scalp as she washes her hair.
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Kelda nods while taking a breath to calm herself. After a couple more breaths to steady herself, Kelda begins her story.
"It happened quite a few years ago, when I was much younger....and naive. I wasn't yet old enough to join the priesthood, and hadn't even been trained properly for battle. I still spent a bit of time with my folks at the forge, or studying the holy texts I would use one day as a priestess of Torag. I know my father talked like I never spoke to anyone at home....but, that's because it's difficult for them to talk about Sophie." Kelda stops for a moment to keep herself from crying as the memories of her childhood friend come flooding back.
A small sad smile forms on her lips as she recalls the past, "Sophie and I were as close as any two friends could get....more like sisters really. She lived on a little farm just a little ways outside of Varota, and everyone used to say how you couldn't see one of us without the other. We did everything together, even get into trouble together. One night...a small band of cowardly gobblins attacked their small farm....killing both her parents...and her younger brother. He...he was just a baby at the time. Sophie got away....but just barely. She beat them to the barn, and managed to get away on her little horse, Poppy. She...made it off of the farm as they finished looting it...before setting everything on fire. She was badly injured, and the guard at the gate brought her in immediately to get help." Kelda has to stop briefly again as she has to calm herself.
Her voice trembles with emotion as she gets to the most difficult part of her story, "After finding out the extent of the damage, and what was lost...my folks took in Sophie, and we became inseparable. Some time went by, and it seemed as if Sophie had made it past the worst of the trauma. One day we decided we wanted to have a picnic....but my parents were too busy to take us. My Ma made a delicious chicken and boiled potato lunch for us with fresh bread and mead too. We thought we were so grown up, but we were barely teenagers....Da told us to stay inside the city walls....but, there was a place with a stream nearby....and I didn't listen to his warnings. We snuck out if the city through some underground tunnels we had found years earlier in one of our many explorations....I...I didn't think anything would happen....but I was wrong." Kelda lets her tears fall in the bath as her resolve not to cry crumbles under the weight of her memories.
"We were having such a good time....neither one of us saw them approaching until it was too late. A group of four or five of the little beasties, most likely drawn by the smell of our food. They fell upon us so quickly, we didn't have time to react. I saw two of them on Sophie...she was screaming...trying to get them off of her. We didn't even have any weapins....not that we'd know how to use them at the time. One of them cut my shoulder before I kicked it offa me into the stream....and I ran....I ran as fast as I could....and all I could hear was Sophie screaming....begging me not to leave her. By the time I got help and raced back....she was gone....just gone. Nothing left but some torn bloody clothing....the guards had to carry me back to my house....I was....inconsolable. I had disobeyed my parents....and because of that...I lost my best friend....my sister." Kelda buries her head in her hands and weeps openly. Her body shakes from the force of her sobbing cries. The walls she had built to keep those memories and feelings at bay...come tumbling down as she turns in the tub and collapses into Lysi while sobbing.
Lysithia wraps her arms around Kelda, holding her close as she crumbles with the weight of relating the loss that had affected her so deeply. Her heart breaks with empathy, as she listens to the person she'd so quickly come to love more than she could ever have imagined, sob with deeply scarring emotional heartache.
"It's okay to let it out, Kel. Let it all out. I understand honey, and I'm so sorry that you lost Sophie to them." she says softly, simply providing as much comfort and love as possible.
Kelda continues to sob in her arms, until the crying gives way to hiccups. Sniffling and trying to get herself under control, Kelda stays in Lysi's arms, and allows her love's gentle words, and loving touch soothe her aching spirit.
After a few minutes, Kelda manages to say while still wrapped in her beloved's loving arms, "It was so long ago...I thought...I thought I'd put it behind me, but....but then all of this started happening, and that stupid arrogant bastard showed up....and I...I couldn't stop him from hurting you....I vowed I wouldn't let him hurt anyone else like that again. Him or his stupid dog...and I felt it all over again...the despair, the anger...mostly anger. I hate them Lysi....I just hate them." She manages to get out, a few sobs escaping in the process.
After taking a few deep calming breaths she adds, "I'm sorry Lysi...I should have told you about this sooner, but I thought I could control my feelings. Something in my head tells me that an entire race can't be evil....but it's hard to convince my heart."
Lifting her head a little to look up at Lysithia she says, "You know that day we met? When you were tellin' that mob off? You reminded me of Sophie a bit. She didn't like bullies either." Kelda gives her love a little smile, and stretches her head up to give her a soft kiss, before sighing and relaxing back into her comforting embrace. She could tell that the water was starting to cool slightly, but she didn't care. She was with Lysi, and that's all that mattered to her at the moment.
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Evert emerges from his room, surprised to see Astoria by herself. "Left alone?"
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"You have every right to feel that way love, after what you've been through it would be hard not to hate them." she says gently lovingly stroking Kelda's hair as she holds her.
Lifting her head a little to look up at Lysithia she says, "You know that day we met? When you were tellin' that mob off? You reminded me of Sophie a bit. She didn't like bullies either." Kelda gives her love a little smile, and stretches her head up to give her a soft kiss, before sighing and relaxing back into her comforting embrace. She could tell that the water was starting to cool slightly, but she didn't care. She was with Lysi, and that's all that mattered to her at the moment.
She smiles, a warm, radiant, loving expression of understanding. "I, honored to remind you of her, I'm sure that I would have liked her." she says before returning the gentle kiss.
"Bullies are usually the worst kind, and those that follow them tend to back off once they realize the person they're following isn't as strong as they thought."
Looking much more calm and relaxed now, Kelda returns the smile and nods.
"Yeah, I think she would have liked you too. You're a lot like she used to be. Warm, caring, compassionate towards others, not willing to let others be pushed around simply because someone else thinks they can. You stand up for what's right, even if it isn't always convenient to do so, and there's just so many things that are....uniquely you. I'm letting myself get carried away though, and we're getting all prunish....without getting clean."
With a slight twinkle in her eye she says, "Let's finish up in here real quick, and we can continue this discussion somewhere much....dryer and softer?" There's a slight mischievous tone in the lilt of her voice, before she lets out a soft girlish giggle and turns back around in the tub to actually get the rest of herself clean.
Evert emerges from his room, surprised to see Astoria by herself. "Left alone?"
Smiling at the mischievous grin, Lysithia's heart sigs at Kelda's little giggle, seeing the twinkle back in her eyes. "That's the best idea I've heard all day!" she says with a laugh as she focuses on washing up as well, now quite motivated to finish up their bath.
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Astoria looks up from her books. "Not entirely." She answers by giving her furry friend a pat on the head. "I'm guessing the love birds won't be back until dinner if at all. How about you?" She asks.
Since Lysi had already lovingly washed her hair, Kelda concentrated on scrubbing the blood, dirt, and other debris off of her. She scrubs vigorously, until her skin tingles.
Once finished, Kelda gets out and wraps a towel around herself, before holding a towel out to Lysi.
Evert shrugs. "I haven't had much time to make friends since leaving home".
Astoria can tell there is some bitterness in the word.
Getting the day's grime cleaned off of herself as well, Lysithia stands, stepping out of the tub with a smile, as Kelda wraps a towel around her.