'Acquire'

Dew - Gran 757


It was amazing just how much stuff there was to shift through after a battle. Bunches of coin-purses that I stashed in my pockets because the dead didn't need to buy anything. Broken blades could be sold as scrap metal. Whole weapons could be added to extra supplies. Plus there were medical kits and sometimes, some weird looking cane things that were probably staves. Like the one I found underneath a dead guy wearing robes and promptly gave to Aideen. Because she saved me, so I wanted to help her.

"This is a Warp Staff, Dew," Aideen murmured, smiling brightly as she studied the old cane thing. Her smiles were better now that she was free, and knew that her knightly love, Midir, was alive and well. And back with her friends. "These aren't very common. Where did you get this?"

"Er… well…" I began, trying to not fidget. I'd 'promised' to stop stealing, but was it stealing if it was from the dead? And besides, I was a kid. How else could a kid help an army? I wasn't stupid crazy smart like Oifeye. But I was actually able to relate to more than one person, so I thought I won in the end. "It was just over there! I betcha the gods left it just for you! Since you're so nice and all."

"Oh, Dew…" She sighed, her smile disappearing. I winced, and looked down. I'd never been ashamed of being a thief. Had to do what you could to survive and all. But I did hate seeing that mildly disappointed look on her face. "Well, this will make it where we can transport the injured much faster, so I'll bite my tongue. But you keep your promise otherwise, yes?"

"Of course!" I made sure to grin, and she smiled again, though this time, it was tired. "You okay? I can get you something, if you need me to."

"It's just been a long few days, Dew. I'll be fine when I can finally rest." She laughed. "Which will be much sooner with this Warp staff. I'm going to go help Ethlyn now."

"Okay! I'll talk to you later!" I rushed off, in a better mood now. While I still felt bad at disappointing her with the thieving stuff, it was overwhelmed by the relief at being able to help her. And help the army who took me in, even knowing my past as a thief. Without even a guard at that!

But Aideen wasn't the only one I had things for, so I ran to the infirmary tent, because if you wanted to talk to Alicia, you had to brave all the blood and guts because she never left the infirmary. I wondered if she was cursed to always remain there or something. But it did make her easy to find, the few times you did need to see her and you weren't bleeding out. I had to wait for her to finish stitching up someone's eye, though, and endure the smell. Piss, poop, sweat… you never got used to it, even when you dealt with it a lot. And when you were a street kid, you definitely dealt with it a lot.

I never knew my parents. My first memory was being kicked by some bigger kids for some piece of molded bread I had. Hunger had been normal. Being dirty had been normal. I became a thief out of necessity, taking advantage of my small size and quick fingers. Aideen was the first person to ever really be kind to me. Jamke had been the first person to trust me. Lord Sigurd had been the first person to tell me that I was welcome. This army was the first 'home' I ever knew. That was why I wanted to help, however I could. Even if it meant 'breaking' a 'promise'.

"Ah, Dew, did you hurt yourself?" Alicia asked, turning to smile at me. Despite the fact that she'd been working for gods knew how long, her smile was gentle and serene. "Come over here. I'll fix you up."

"Actually, I've got stuff for you," I explained, rummaging through my packs to pull out all the medicines I'd 'found'. Seriously, was it stealing if you took from the dead? It wasn't like it was hard or anything. Dead didn't fight back. "I… uh… happened to find these."

"Oh?" She picked up a few, opening them up to smell and inspect them. Her eyes sharpened, and I had a feeling that I needed to get better at lying. However, she didn't look disappointed or anything. Instead, she just… kept on smiling. "Well, isn't that lucky? I was just thinking I needed to make more of these. I ran out."

"I've always been on the lucky side!" Or made my luck. Whichever. "Anyway, I'll keep an eye out."

"Of course, but be careful. They might be things others need." Her eyes were serious, and I saw the hidden meaning. She wouldn't say anything, but she did ask that I not, say, raid the church for medicine or something. "We can always buy it from them."

"True." Having lots of money was a strange thing to me, but I was in an army led by nobles. I wasn't sure they even knew what 'budget' meant. "Oh, right! Hey, I'm good at finding bargains, so would you like me to do some shopping for you?"

"That's kind of you, Dew, but when it comes to medicines, I prefer doing it myself. I need to make sure it's the correct herbs, for one thing, and that they are still viable." She crouched down a bit to look me in the eye and touched my cheek. "But I do appreciate it. I also appreciate you thinking of the infirmary when you acquired these."

"Of course." I grinned at her, and when she smiled back, there was something different to it. More mischievous. "Oh, if I happen to find healing staves, would you want me to bring them?"

"Please. It is rare than an infirmary has enough, especially after a battle." She turned away suddenly, and I saw that one of the soldiers was whimpering, clawing at their chest. "Easy, easy…" She went to tend to them, and I snuck out, since I was done and didn't need to watch her sew things up.

Besides, I had other things to drop off, and more things to sell. There was only one way a thief was going to be useful to an army. And I was determined to do whatever I could.


Author's notes: So, have a Dew. The conversation between Dew and Aideen is based on their in-game conversation, where Dew gives Aideen a Warp staff (and gains a love point boost with her, I think? Not sure).