The bottom floor of the Quester's Rest was full of celebrating patrons. Everyone from all walks of life had come into take part of Erinn's personally coordinated festivities.
Tara climbed up on top of a table, stomped her feet and demand the entire room's attention. "Hey. Having a great time celebrating the works of the most magnificent hero our world has ever known?" she asked gingerly. "Well, how many of you would like the chance to act like our wonderful hero and save the life of an innocent woman?"
One of the guys in the audience laughed. "Is she single?"
Tara rolled her eyes. "That's not important! What is... is the fact that my sister is up in bed right now, slowly dying with a poision we've never seen before in her body, and the priest can't do a thing about it. So come and help her, please."
The same guy asked, "Is she hot?"
Tara pulled out her sword and pointed it in the man's face. "I'm gonna give you to the count of three," she said, glaring daggers. "One..."
The drunkard ran to the door, screaming about a crazy woman wanting to lop people's heads off at the top of his lungs.
"I'll help you," a young man said carefully, coming up to the table. He wore vibrant red robes and had a dashing smile. "Get off that table before you get yourself thrown out of here."
"But my sister-"
"I understand that, pretty lady, but pointing your sword at potential helpers isn't what you're supposed to do," the young man said again. "By the way. My name is Angelo."
"You're a sweetheart," Tara said kindly, "But we don't have much time. I need help. This monster is from another land, and it spawned on top of us in a grotto."
"Poor girl," Angelo whispered. "Do you have any other help yet?"
"Yeah, you do!" Another voice said from the other side of the bank counter. "I'm always itchin' for an adventure, and it sounds like you could use the help."
"I'd more than welcome it," Tara said with a smile. "And you are?"
"I'm the traveling minstrel, Seth!" the brunette man said, hopping over the counter. "I play the lute, I'm handy with a sword, and I know a bit of ice magic."
"I guess we're only missing one person," Tara said, leading the guys out of the inn and over to the church. When Tara went inside, she found Alicia screaming in the face of the priest.
"I wanna know where the hell this herbalist supposedly lives so I can go and kick his ass over here!"
"I told you that I have sent for him, but it may take days for him to get here," the priest said, having peed his pants all ready.
Alicia got up. "Pssh, you're useless." She flipped her hair backward before turning toward the door to see Tara. "I can't believe this sh... and who are the charming young men behind you?"
Tara pointed at Angelo and said, "This here's Angelo. He's got a holy aura that one could feel all the way in Gleeba. I can tell he's a master at healing spells." Just by how her voice fluctuated when speaking, it was obvious that Tara had been stuck by Cupid's Arrow. Then she pointed to Seth and said, "And he's Seth. A minstrel. Plays a lute. Knows some ice magic or something."
"And you both agreed to helping our sister in her time of need?" Alicia asked in disbelief.
Angelo nodded. "A lady in distress should be not be ignored."
Tara blushed so deeply that Alicia just looked away from the spectacle.
"I'm happy to help anyone who needs help," Seth said.
"Mighty sweet of you both, because I thought that Tara here had hired us a pair of strippers when I first saw you," Alicia said, marching out of the church. "Where are we going to go to find... what do we even need?"
Angelo asked, "What is it exactly that your sister is inflicted with?"
Tara and Alicia told Angelo and Seth what had happened during their fight with the RoseVine, and Seth had an answer for them.
"When a monster like that is what causes the poision, then you should take a sample of its blood to make an antidote," he said with a shrug. "That only seems logical to me."
"Heh," Alicia said. "Without our sage around, we need someone to fill the logical gap, don't we?"
Tara almost bust out laughing. "You call her logical? She's the most whimsical sage I've ever met."
"Well, she's way more logical than either of us, so it works out." Alicia said. "Anyway, if we're going to have to go back there, let's go better prepared."
"That's a great idea."
Organizing their supplies to go back into the den of monsters which caused this conundrum only made Alicia shudder. She didn't feel very safe with these new young men who agreed to help for whatever their reasons were, and in all honesty, she would feel a lot safer if people she knew better were coming with her. But she dealt with it, because having Ciresso in the party would have only made the situation much, much worse.
As soon as they had set out to the town gate, Prince Art came rushing in by himself. He stopped to greet them. "Are you perhaps leaving to find an antidote?" he asked.
"Actually," Angelo said, stepping forward, "That was the exact idea."
Art grinned. "That sounds exactly like something you'd do, Angelo. Helping girls is your specialty, after all."
"All the more reason to help," Angelo said with a shrug. "What are you up to?"
Art pulled a vial from his pocket. "This is from my homeland. It might help somewhat. You go and look for the true antidote, I'll keep watch over her for you."
"You're a sweetheart, Art," Tara said gently. "Just..."
"Don't do anything stupid," Alicia said, whipping out her dagger.
Art nodded. "Yes, overprotective ones, I understand. Miss Suzuri is just a friend, you know. I do care about her a lot, but I don't know her well enough to even consider more than that."
"Oh, you'll need this," Tara tossed him the room key. "It's locked."
Art caught it swiftly and left promptly.
"Maybe he can buy us a bit more time," Alicia thought aloud. "Let's go avenge our sister, Tara. That RoseVine is DEAD."
Seth cringed a little. "Aren't the two of you just violent."
"I'd say they're just perky," Angelo smiled. "And ready for action."
Tara could have had hearts floating around her head, if only she were a cartoon character.
"That was a horrible pun, playboy," Seth grunted.
Angelo glared at Seth. "You're such a buzzkill."
"You can't use lines like that on me," Alicia said, stomping out of the town gate. "We never closed the map, so we should be able to head there with no problems."
"Yep," Tara agreed. "Up close to Loch Storn."
Back at the Quester's Rest, Art headed up the lift to the second floor Royal Suites. He went into the girls' room slowly, to see that Suzuri was in a very deep sleep. Her skin was clammy and pale, and she ran a fever. It wasn't going well.
"Oh," he sighed, grabbing a chair to sit next to her. "At least your heart's still beating, and you're breathing. I don't think I could take it if you were to die."
Suzuri coughed a few times, bringing her to an abrupt state of awakeness that left her very confused about where she was.
"Lay back down," Art said tenderly. "You're still very sick."
She looked over at him. "Where's..." she coughed again and he pushed her back down.
"Your sisters have gone to seek an antidote for you," Art explained. "I am here to make sure you hold up until they get back."
She really didn't mean to ask about them, but it was nice to know about that, too. Not really having the strength to talk, she just stared up at him. Suzuri wished she felt better, that way she could have been honest with him. She hated feeling like she was taking advantage of such a nice person like this.
"I did bring you something," Art said, pulling out a vial from his pocket. "This is a medicine from my homeland of Cannock. Please, take it. It may not save your life, but it might make the symptoms less harsh on your body."
He pulled the cork out, and she opened her mouth enough for him to pour it in. She swallowed it down, though it was clear on her face what she thought of it.
"I know, it's not a cake, but let's hope it helps," Art said, putting the vial away. "Seeing you like this, it really hurts. Even though I don't know you, I feel drawn to you. I really would do anything for you."
"Prince..." Suzuri said weakly. "I can't..."
"I know you can't talk. Save your strength."
"No, I-"
"You must rest now. Please, for the sake of those who love you."
Suzuri closed her eyes, frustrated with herself. This wasn't going to end well at all.