Author's Notes:
John dropped us in an Easter Egg in the shape of a named NPC that was too good to not play around with.
Unfortunately, Melissa couldn't make this session, and I was playing as Arden at the time. These are not the sort of scenes I imagined roleplaying with an old friend…
* XI *
"Really," Arden began, "this could probably have waited until the morning."
"Nonsense!" Wiston replied. "As soon as everyone's here, we'll hear your news. Captain, how long are they going to be?"
"They're already late…" Soranna responded. "Ah; here's Shadowbanks now."
A Halfling entered, who Arden had not seen before. She registered some recognition on his face when he saw Boshley though.
"Kellin!" Boshley called, taking his feet again and approaching the newcomer, the floor creaking beneath him as he moved around the room. Elantar's head snapped around in irritation, which was a little unnecessary; they'd all noticed the noisy floor as they walked in.
"This is Kellin Shadowbanks," Boshley announced. "He owns an Inn on the edge of town, I recommend the Cider!"
"Haha! Thank you for your endorsement Boshley," he responded with a smile. "Good to meet you all," he added. "Although I wish the circumstances could have been happier…" he said with a polite bow. "Taran, it's good to see you again," he added, accepting a handshake from the Elf.
Kellin, Taran, Boshley and Wiston all took seats around the Speaker's conference table, all of them causing the floorboards to creak and crack with every step. Elantar furiously ground her teeth.
"What's the matter?" Arden snapped at her in a whisper.
"Nothing…" she lied in response. Arden put it down to her needing a good rest: they could all do with that, and she'd meant it when she tried to encourage Wiston to wait for the morning. Most of her companions had sided with him though, seeing it as urgent that they shared their findings.
"Who else have you dragged out of bed for this?" Arden asked. Shadowbanks had been the second stranger to enter the room, joining Iormel, an older Human male who was a trader and owned a large warehouse on the western bank. All Arden had heard about him before now was from children of the town who were afraid of him; or more specifically, afraid of his dogs. Iormel had remained pretty quiet so far, and didn't look especially friendly.
"Just one more," Wiston replied.
"She's here," Soranna added after a few moments, and went to the door. Elantar glared after the Captain when the floor hadn't stayed silent for her either.
"Is it a headache?" Arden pressed. Elantar made no response at all. Arden fell back into her chair and folded her arms.
"Do you have any idea of the time Wiston?" the newcomer demanded as she entered. The first thing that Arden picked up was the scent of horse that preceded her. She cut an imposing figure as she strode across the room though; she was built only a little smaller than Buttercup. Her grey-blonde hair told of several years behind her.
"Delara, please sit down; there is important news to be shared," Wiston gestured.
"And it couldn't wait until a more reasonable hour?" she demanded. Arden liked her already.
"This is Delara Zann, owner of Drellin's Ferry's largest stable," Soranna said in introduction. "She used to be in your line of work though…" she added. Delara moved around to the final vacant seat, and Elantar predictably glared at her for daring to make the floor creak again.
"What's the matter with this one?" she asked, gesturing towards Elantar, who sat impassive.
"It's not personal, we're all getting that tonight," Arden answered. "Wiston; can we get this over with? We were all dead on our feet when we got here, and sleep can't come soon enough."
"Fine," he answered. "Why don't you start: what have you been up to over the last three days?"
"So…" Arden began. She paused, and quickly decided to take her feet. She began to pace the room; partly to annoy Elantar, but mostly because people listened to her better when she didn't stay still. She would be keeping to the short version of the story tonight though: there was always time for embellishments later.
"The Red Hand occupied Vraath Keep; a fair few of them there. They put up a strong defence, but we dealt with them easily enough…" Kellin Shadowbanks gave a short burst of applause, before realising that he was alone. He stopped quickly, and grinned at Boshley instead.
"How many Hobgoblins?" Soranna asked.
"Thirteen," Arden replied. Soranna made a quick count of the room, and raised her eyebrows.
"Eight of you assaulted a Keep with a prepared defence, and killed thirteen?" she asked.
"Oh; no…" Arden began. "Thirteen Hobgoblins. There were also two Manticores, two Dire Wolves, err…"
"A couple of Goblin archers," Gravak added.
"A Minotaur!" Boshley chipped in.
"And a Bugbear Sorcerer," Elantar added quietly, cleaning her fingernails with the same blood-stained dagger. Arden shuddered involuntarily at the memory.
Soranna's eyes widened as she looked around the room. "We've won this one over…" Arden thought silently to herself.
"So… it's more than just Hobgoblins we're facing…" Wiston observed.
"What do you know of them?" Soranna asked. She lifted an ink pen to some parchment on the table.
"Taldir," Arden said, "show them the map," she added with a flourish, and pirouetted back into her seat.
"The Sorcerer had this in a Bag of Holding," Taldir announced as he unfurled the scroll. "I can translate this Goblin writing for you onto a fresh map if you have one. I don't expect anybody else here would be able to do so…" Soranna nodded her thanks, and looked over Taldir's shoulder, the floor creaking beneath her as she moved. Soranna frowned towards Elantar as the Rogue glared at her.
"The main invasion was expected to reach Drellin's Ferry in eleven days' time, according to the prisoner that we interrogated," Taldir explained, pointing to the town on Koth's map.
"The one you bought back?" Soranna asked.
"That's right," he nodded.
"Klur," Buttercup stated.
"Pardon?" Taldir asked.
"'Iz name's Klur." Buttercup insisted.
"OK…" Taldir responded, with a roll of his eyes.
"As I was saying" he continued. "The invasion was due to reach Drellin's Ferry in eleven days, but we have probably bought some more time after destroying the bridge at Skull Gorge."
"You destroyed the bridge?!" Wiston gasped. "We rely on that for our livelihood!"
"Unless you deal with this invasion, your town has no future," Elantar snapped irritably. "See off The Red Hand, then you can rebuild it."
"She's right," Arden stressed. "By making the invasion force divert via the mountains, we've bought you a few more days to evacuate."
"You really think we should evacuate?" Iormel asked. "I'm not prepared to give up our homes so easily. We've worked hard to build… a community here."
"Indeed!" Kellin Shadowbanks added. "Have we thought any more on negotiating with them?" he asked, directing his question to Wiston. The speaker looked on, flustered.
"That won't work," Gravak insisted flatly. "They're fanatical worshippers of Tiamat, and bent only on conquering and settling the land that you live in. The attack needs to be repelled." A firm thud of his fist on the table punctuated this last word, making the cups that they'd been served with rattle. "The scale of the invasion is going to be overwhelming: winning this war will not be easy, and you will need aid." Delara Zann nodded appreciatively at this rather bleak assessment.
"I've seen towns put to the sword before," she explained. "Remaining to face an invasion of such magnitude leaves us with the options of death or enslavement… I choose to flee, and you'd all do well to do likewise."
"Look," Iormel began, straightening up in his chair as he did so, "letting this town fall without a fight disgusts me. The slightest rumour of a threat from these savages, and you'd see us give it all up?" Zann closed her eyes and shook her head, mouthing something under her breath. "I say we prepare to defend the town and see them off at the borders!" he added with gusto. Many around the table shifted uncomfortably at this suggestion, but Elantar nodded in agreement.
"I think Soranna had it right when we arrived," she announced. "The river's a good position to mount a defence. We can prevent them crossing, and stop any of them even setting foot in Elsir Vale."
"Stupid girl…" Taldir spat in Elvish. Elantar, who had been clearly irritated all night, launched herself across the table at Taldir, but found him too far away for her swinging fist to connect with. Everybody was suddenly on their feet, with Buttercup effortlessly hauling Elantar off of the table and back to her seat with one hand.
"How about we show a bit of composure?" Arden insisted, directing a glare in Elantar's direction. The Bard had been doing well to talk them all up in front of the town's notable people, but Elantar seemed to be working hard to destroy all of her good work. Taldir grinned across at the Rogue, who snapped her vision away from him.
"What I meant was," Taldir continued, "we have no chance whatsoever of holding this invasion at the borders: it's madness to think otherwise. If that is your decision," he looked around the room at each person, "then I will be gone by sunrise." This bought a frown from Iormel, but a gentle nod of respect from Delara Zann.
"Just how big is this invasion force?" Soranna asked.
"We don't know for absolute certain," Arden replied, "but we're looking at several thousand Hobgoblins, at least." She paused, intending to let that sink in, but Boshley chimed in with the additional likely enemies just a little too soon.
"Not to mention the Dragons and other monsters that they're working with!" he squeaked.
"Dragons?" two or three voices asked in unison.
"Yes," Arden confirmed. "Thank you Boshley…" she added, with just a hint of irritation.
"According to our prisoner," she continued, resuming her pacing of the room as she did so, "there were five Dragons allied to the Red Hand."
"Four now!" Boshley interrupted again. Arden gritted her teeth, and shot him a glare.
"Yes, thank you again Boshley…" she responded, convinced that the story would sound better if he'd just let her get on with it.
"As Boshley has suggested," she continued, "we managed to kill one of the Red Hand's Dragons."
"You didn't mention this in your previous list," Soranna observed.
"This wasn't at Vraath Keep," Arden responded, "but further North at Skull Gorge."
"I would have died there if it wasn't for Coralyn," Taran interrupted, with a smile to the Healer.
"You showed great courage," she replied and returned the gesture. "It was a Green Dragon," Coralyn continued; "still quite young. It flew directly at us and breathed an acid cloud over several of us grouped together." Arden was initially irked by the interruption, but decided to let Coralyn continue. She retook her seat, drawing more irritated glares from Elantar as the floor creaked beneath her.
"Elantar called for us to spread out," she resumed, "and a few of us managed to get under cover of the towers, but most of us were hurt by the fumes; I remember it being quite a struggle to breathe…"
"I don't remember most of this," Taran added. "Just seeing the Dragon flying across the chasm, and then Coralyn reviving me. When I awoke, the Dragon was immobilised, which I believe was Taldir's work, and being cut to pieces by the rest. I think it was Elantar that executed the final blow."
"Was there any other resistance there?" Soranna asked.
"Yeah," Buttercup answered. "A coupla Ghosdoggs, anna lowd of 'Obgoblins."
"Ghosdoggs?" Wiston asked.
"Hellhounds…" Taldir translated.
"And how many Hobgoblins there?" Soranna asked, still taking down notes.
"About two dozen," Arden replied. "Boshley held a lot of them at the near side of the bridge," she added.
"Not quite alone!" Boshley beamed. "Buttercup and Gravak's Wolf Sk..."
"Boshley!" Coralyn interrupted firmly. Knowing how much Coralyn disagreed with Gravak's dabbling in Necromancy, Arden appreciated her loyalty to him at this point. Not to mention her quick thinking. Boshley caught on fast too.
"Right," he continued. "Buttercup and Gravak stood with me…" The five representatives of the town looked confused for a moment, with questions poised, so Arden gave them something else to think about.
"The only survivor was the prisoner we bought back," she said in diversion.
"Klur…" Buttercup added. Arden nodded an apology.
"How did you get the information from him?" Zarr asked. "Can you trust it?" she added.
"Honour!" Boshley declared. "We duelled; answering our questions was his side of the wager, and he lost."
"And you trust the information because of that?" Wiston asked.
"He seems a decent fellow actually…" Boshley replied.
"He's a Hobgoblin," Iormel reminded the Gnome sternly.
"Don' mean nuthin…" Buttercup declared with a growl. Iormel shrank involuntarily, and quickly changed the subject.
"So, you're convinced that the force heading for the Vale is too strong to hold here…" he ventured, picking up an earlier thread.
"That's right," Arden confirmed. "This army has been recruited specifically to conquer and settle Elsir Vale, and is large enough to achieve just that."
"To stay and fight here would be suicide," Taldir underlined, with a sidelong glance at Elantar. The Rogue took to her feet in response, and Taldir flinched away, but soon changed his gesture to relief when she picked up her pack and headed towards the door.
"This is taking far too long," she declared. "Let me know what you decide in the morning, and I'll go along with it." She had just opened the door when Arden had a moment of sudden realisation and stopped her.
"Hold on!" she called. "We've missed something important here…" Elantar paused and turned back to the room. "Why is it, that when Elantar walks across this floor it remains silent, but the rest of us cause such a racket?"
"Indeed…" the Rogue responded, and slipped out of the door, closing it firmly behind her.
"That one's a little hot-headed," Wiston observed. "You might do better without her…"
"She'll be fine…" Arden muttered.
"I find her quite amusing," Taldir grinned.
"Oh!" Soranna exclaimed, "I forgot to ask if she made contact with Jorr…"
"She did, but didn't have a lot to say about him…" Gravak responded.
"Perhaps ask her about him at breakfast?" Arden suggested.
"I'd have hoped to have seen him back by now…" Soranna replied. "But we can talk about him tomorrow, like you said."
"May we resume?" Kellin asked. "We still need a plan…"
"The only plan worth considering," Taldir stressed "is one of evacuation."
"Reluctantly, I fear that is our only course of action," Wiston replied.
"I think you're dismissing fighting all too easily!" Iormel stated with panic, his voice taking an ever-higher pitch. "What about the reinforcements that are on the way?" Iormel asked.
"You heard back?" Boshley asked.
"Yes," Soranna replied with a nod. "Brindol are sending a company of guards to reinforce us. Ulverth and Jarmaath wouldn't have expected the threat to be anything like we're facing though. It won't be enough."
"When are the reinforcements due?" Gravak asked.
"The day after tomorrow, we think" Wiston replied.
"They should be in time to help with the evacuation…" Arden replied. "Work will need to begin on that tomorrow."
"Are we going to leave the town completely defenceless?" Shadowbanks asked.
"There'll be some who will refuse to leave," Iormel added, addressing Soranna.
"I won't be one of them," Soranna stated clearly. "We should fall back to Brindol, and make whatever stand we can there."
"I agree that it's prudent to evacuate…" Delara Zarr responded, "but those that refuse may want to make a stand here, which can buy the evacuation more time."
"That's quite a callous way of looking at it…" Boshley scowled.
"I'm not going to force anybody to do so," she replied, "but some would rather die defending their homes than abandon them."
"I don't think that's unreasonable…" Arden suggested. She'd sooner that everybody left the next day, but there would inevitably be those who would refuse. If they wanted to make a heroic yet futile last stand at the river, why not let them?
"We'll begin evacuating tomorrow," Soranna confirmed. "Any who want to stay can do so; we'll provide them with whatever equipment they'd like to keep."
Boshley yawned, triggering some similar gestures from a couple of others in the room.
"Indeed…" Wiston began. "We should call it a night here, but I'd like us all to meet again tomorrow."
O-O-O
The mood was sullen at a late breakfast the next morning. News of the evacuation had begun to spread through the small town, and some of the locals were eying them cautiously. Taldir had been musing some options, and was ready to announce his intentions.
"I've been looking back over this map this morning," he announced, brandishing Koth's map, and laying it out on the table. "I'd like us to speak to the prisoner again."
"Klur," Buttercup insisted through a partially-chewed mouthful.
"Whatever…" He said dismissively. "Arden, I think that trying to get more information about Rhest or the Ghostlord that he's referred to would be wise. I have some theories about The Ghostlord… But I'd like to check them."
"I've been doing a bit of digging this morning too," the Bard answered. "There are some folk tales that the locals tell of an old Lich who lives in the Thornwastes. Most of them just use them as scare stories to keep people away from there, and don't believe them though… Ancient tribes of nomads, so the tales say, once built a huge stone lion in the southern plains, in honour of a great Druid who they venerated.
"Some visiting nobles from Rhest apparently came to the region, and initially befriended the locals. But at some point, there was an act of betrayal… Opinion differs as to what that was though."
"So where does this Ghostlord fit in?" Boshley asked.
"There's more," Arden grinned.
"The nomads reacted to this betrayal with violence," she continued, "slaying all of the visiting nobles. Rhest reacted as expected, and sent its armies, wiping out the nomads. The Druid that lead them was said to be killed by the armies of Rhest between the paws of his Lion statue.
"When the warriors returned to Rhest, doom came upon it… Ghost Lions stalked the streets, killing anyone they came across… By dawn, all of its fighters, and all of their families were dead. That was the beginning of the fall of Rhest… The Plains to the south also declined, leaving the Thornwaste. Locals who believe the tale maintain that the Druid was reborn as The Ghostlord, but none of them can say what he is…"
Rubbish. Taldir smirked and attempted to give an encouraging nod.
"Most folk tales have a core of truth," he replied, attempting to inject just the right level of distain for Arden's love of frivolous stories.
"Some of the outline to that story is true…" he continued, "but there are several historical facts that have been misrepresented." There was a commotion by the door at this point, as a few newcomers walked in. Everybody turned to look, but soon had their attention back on Taldir. Arden's attention lingered a little longer than the rest, her gaze fixed on a particularly tall and well-built man.
"Arden!" Taldir barked, his fingers snapping to draw her focus back.
"Sorry…" she smiled. "Did anyone else think he looked familiar?"
"As I was saying…" Taldir persisted, "The Druid in the story was named Urikel Zarl, and far from being a benevolent ruler, he was in fact the leader of a cruel lion cult based in the southern regions of the kingdom. His people were not the noble nomads that the legends tell of, but feral cannibals who believed that their bodies would turn into immortal lions upon death. Nonsense of course…" he scoffed. Arden's gaze was once again turning elsewhere.
"Urikel Zarl," he continued, deliberately louder, and was pleased to see Arden's attention return, "was their undying lord and master, who had long since turned his back on the natural order of things, and prolonged his life indefinitely with dark magic. When Rhest sought to challenge his power and end him, their knights and his people destroyed one another. The two nations fell into ruin as a result.
"Many sages have sought the reasons for Urikel Zarl's fall from grace, but it has eluded the brightest of us. The secrets, it is said, lie in the depths of his stone lion in the Thornwaste… It is also said that he endures within it."
"Well…" Boshley said with a whistle. "That's who we're about to be dealing with?"
"You really think we should pay this Zarl a visit?" Gravak asked.
"Either that," Taldir responded, "or head north to Rhest instead. The Prisoner…"
"Klur…" Buttercup interjected.
"…alluded to something of his that The Red Hand has. I suspect that he's being blackmailed…"
"What could they have of his?" Taran asked.
"And you want us to steal it back?" Elantar added. "To what end?"
"These are answers that I hope to get from… Klur," Taldir responded, with a small attempt at placating Buttercup. The Barbarian grinned her simple smile. She was easily pleased.
"So, what do you say Arden," he pressed on the Bard, who was clearly not listening.
"Hmm?" she asked. "Oh… Sure, whatever you say… Will you excuse me?" She stood from her seat, and moved towards the newcomer at the bar. "Jack Flashheart!" they heard her exclaim, before she was greeted by the handsome and well-built Human male.
"I think she might be out of action for the morning," Coralyn giggled.
Soranna Anitah entered the inn, and made straight for them.
"Good morning," she sternly greeted them, and quickly realised that Arden was missing. Lacking any other preferable contact, she addressed Elantar directly.
"Tell me about your meeting with Jorr," she demanded.
"Oh… right," she responded. "There wasn't much to it; I warned him about the invasion, but he refused to leave his home. He agreed that he'd keep an eye on the road though, and help out with what he could…"
"That does sound like him…" she replied. "He hates Hobgoblins, but I'd hoped he'd be less stubborn about staying put…" Elantar shrugged, as if to ask what more she could have done.
"What are your plans now?" she asked the rest of the table as she took a seat.
"We were just talking about that before Arden was distracted," Taldir answered, pointing out the Bard with her newfound companion.
"Oh great… Flashheart's here…" Soranna responded.
"Who?" Boshley asked.
"He's a Gladiator," she answered. "Travels around the Vale attempting to impress people with his fighting prowess."
"Really…" Boshley said thoughtfully, drumming his fingers on the table top. "Is he any good?"
"After a fashion…" she responded. "But put him in a real battle and he'd be hopeless," she scoffed. Arden punctuated this with a shrill chuckle from the far side of the room.
"This is inconvenient…" Taldir muttered.
"What's that?" Soranna asked.
"We wanted to interrogate the Hobgoblin prisoner again," he responded, quickly cutting off Buttercup with a hand gesture. "Arden would have been best at that, but it appears that she's… indisposed.
"Fortunately," he added, "I have another option." He stood and muttered an incantation. He enjoyed the looks on all of their faces.
O-O-O
This had been a rather pleasant distraction… Just half an hour in a tavern with someone who was… well, quite unlike anyone she'd known in a while. She really should have paid more attention to what Taldir was saying earlier though…
"Arden?" Flashheart asked, stroking his elegant beard. "You seem a little distracted…"
"Sorry Jack…" she responded with a smile. "I was just thinking that I should be checking back in with my friends… they've been gone quite a while now."
"That's OK sweetheart," he replied with a wink. "I'd be interested to meet them actually… Could be someone worth testing my mettle against!"
"I hope you wouldn't be too hard on them!" She replied with a chuckle. "I'm… Hmm…"
"What is it?" he asked, with genuine concern. He was so understanding…
"I'm not sure if it's the lack of sleep, or the wine… or… other distractions… But I could've sworn that Taldir turned into a Hobgoblin a while ago… Was that just me?"
"No… I saw that too…" he replied slowly. "I guessed it was… I mean, it sounds silly to say it now… but; is that sort of thing not normal for him?"
"He's never done it before…" she replied. "I think I should go and find them," she added.
"I'll come with you!" he responded, and drained his cup.
They found her companions exiting the Old Toll House. Buttercup and Elantar were both nursing bloody noses. Taldir was back to his normal appearance, but carrying an even deeper scowl than usual.
"What happened?" Arden asked Taldir in greeting.
"Oh… hello Arden," Taldir answered scathingly. "Nice of you to join us, and to bring your new friend along too!" Coralyn was smiling in greeting to Flashheart, who grinned back. Arden tried to ignore this, and folded her arms waiting for an answer to her original question. It was Soranna who gave it.
"Taldir tried to get further information from the prisoner; he disguised himself as a Hobgoblin who'd been previously captured," she summed up.
"And?" Arden asked.
"It didn't go so well…" Gravak replied vaguely.
"It might have done if we'd all kept our heads," Taldir added, glaring pointedly at Elantar.
"Oh come on…" the Rogue scoffed, "you were getting nowhere; he didn't believe you for a second."
"Still…" Gravak began, "rushing him with a drawn dagger probably wasn't the best idea. Even less so when you opened up his shoulder." Flashheart roared with laughter at this. Arden frowned. She should perhaps have remained focused after all; the distractions of the past half an hour or so might have cost them.
"What happened then?" she asked Taldir.
"Klur made a run forrit," Buttercup answered, with an angry glare at Elantar. "I tried to block 'im off, but he got me wiv an elbow." She wiped blood from her upper lip to punctuate the point.
"I thought he might respond better to a threat," Elantar shrugged. "It turned out I was wrong."
"So… how did you get a bloody nose?" Arden asked.
"That was me," Buttercup declared.
"Ah…" Arden responded.
"We're fine…" Elantar stated. "The point was well made." She too wiped blood from her face.
"You'll have a deep bruise in the morning…" Soranna added.
"I've had worse…" she replied.
"Never mind all that," Arden pressed. "Did you get any more information? And…" she added with embarrassment, "What were you trying to find out again?"
"I knew you weren't listening!" Taldir snapped in Elvish. He added a tirade of abuse directed at Flashheart, but meant clearly for Arden's ears. Elantar seemed find it all quite amusing though, and Taran gasped at hearing words he probably wouldn't be repeating to his mother.
"Taldir wanted to find out more about the Ghostlord and what The Red Hand might have of his…" Gravak explained after the Wizard had calmed down.
"Right…" Taldir joined in. "We didn't learn much of significance that we didn't already have, only that they have a very capable thief in their employment."
"We're all fairly set on heading to Rhest to see what we can find there…" Gravak added. "We know that there's a Dragon there, and another of these Wyrmlords, plus some link to the Ghostlord."
"It does seem the best thing to do next really…" Elantar agreed.
"Fine…" Arden responded. "Shall we head out this afternoon? Where is this place anyway?"
"We'll head north tomorrow," Elantar replied. Taran and Coralyn gave one another an uneasy look at this point. Arden made a mental note to enquire about this later.
"There's one more thing to take care of first…" Elantar continued.
"Which is?" Arden asked.
"Jorr…" Soranna replied.
"I see…" Arden answered. "You going alone again Elantar?"
"That's the plan…" she responded. Arden looked around at the others. Flashheart was beaming at her, and tapping his foot impatiently. She was impressed with him in several ways, but there was a war brewing that she was finding herself caught up in. This could be her chance to really make her name for herself… But no more distractions until it was over, she decided.
"I'll come with you," she announced. Elantar and Flashheart both frowned at this, but for very different reasons. "If we need to persuade him to come back with us, I think you'll agree that I might do that better?"
"Fine…" Elantar responded.
"And we should take someone to watch our backs," Arden added. "Buttercup?"
"Alrigh'" the Barbarian nodded. Elantar grimaced.
"I want to make sure that the two of you have made up properly…" Arden demanded. "Meet back here in five minutes?"
"Okay," Buttercup agreed, and left for the inn to collect her equipment. Elantar nodded silently and did the same.
"Arden…" Flashheart pleaded, pulling her aside. "I thought we'd be able to have the day together?"
"There's war coming," she replied bluntly. "I feel like we're going to play a big part in it. These guys need me… Half an hour unsupervised and they came to blows! Sorry Jack, but I need to stay focused…" He hung his head and frowned.
"Make sure you survive it…" he said sullenly. "We could have a great time together, you and I…"
"I suspect you're right," she replied with a chuckle.
"Why don't you talk to Soranna while I'm gone?" she suggested.
"She's not really my type…" he said with a grin. She punched him playfully on the arm.
"The town needs help… They're about to evacuate and the civilians will need protection on the road. And after that…"
"What?" he asked.
"I suspect there'll eventually be a huge battle in Brindol… I know you fight for entertainment purposes, and make a good living of it… But the Vale might need you to do the real thing before long. How about it?"
"I see what you mean…" he said with a sigh. "Maybe you're right. It's probably about time that I stopped playing the Gladiator and did something worthwhile… You can have quite an effect on a man, Arden!" She chuckled and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
"I don't expect to be back before nightfall; if you're gone by then, I'll see you in Brindol," she declared.
"I'll see you there," he replied. He turned, and walked away.
"What a guy…" she breathed.