Chapter Forty Three
The group set out again after lunch. The rest of that day, and the rest of the way back to Barak's village was relatively uneventful. Phalyssa and Aruka spent the trip "joined at the hip," as they say. Jea looked on tolerantly; as long as it didn't go beyond friendship, she couldn't complain.
The adventurers were welcomed back to the village with great fanfare. The weres threw a massive feast/party in celebration. Aruka, nervous at the sheer number of strangers, spent the evening as Phalyssa's shadow, glued to her side like a second skin. He was getting better, slowly, but the neurotic Shifter had a long way to go.
Jea and Laguna sat together and talked quietly while the party raged on around them. Jea held a full tankard in one hand, and Laguna, on a rare moment of relaxation, had a half empty wine glass.
"Hey, Jea?"
"Yeah, Laguna? What is it?" his wife asked after taking a long swallow of the rich, fruity tasting ale. She wiped the foam from her mouth with a shirt sleeve.
"How are we gonna get off this island? .I had wondered if maybe Barak's village could help us build a boat." Laguna spread his hands.
The ranger woman nodded. "That sounds plausible.I'll ask later. There is one thing we need to discuss."
"Oh?" her paladin companion queried, sipping his wine.
"I have a feeling that our newest charge will want to tag along with us. He's sorta become attached to Phalyssa, and vice versa."
Laguna paled slightly under his tan and said quietly, "What do we do? Jea, you know I can't say no to her.She's my little girl." He put his head in his hand and groaned miserably.
Raising an eyebrow, Jea sniffed the air. -Hmm.Looks like Laguna's had a little too much wine.- "It's okay, dear. I'll handle it. I don't really have a problem with it-so long as they behave themselves." Deftly, while the paladin wasn't looking, Jea sprinkled something in his drink to neutralize the alcohol.
The paladin nodded shortly, his brain fuzzy. Jea said, "C'mon, dear. You look tired. Let's put you to bed."
The half-elven woman led her husband to bed. Then she returned to the party. As she drained her fifth tankard, she silently thanked her goddess that natural poisons (such as alcohol) didn't affect her.
Barak approached her, grinning. He was carrying a platter in one hand and a tankard in the other. "Ranger!" he roared good naturedly as he sat down at the table. "How're ya!?"
"I'm fine.Listen, Barak, I wanted to know if I could ask for a favor."
The huge bearman grinned. "Sure, Jea, ask away!"
"My people and I need to get off your island..And we were wondering if you could help us build a boat-"
Barak clapped her on the shoulder. "I kin do better than that, friend. We have a boat-and some sailor-that you kin borrow to sail to the closest mainland.How's that sound?"
Jea was intrigued. "You would do that?"
"Certainly! You helped me rescue my family AND wreak havoc upon my enemies! We owe you that much at least."
"Oh.Well, thanks." The ranger woman rose and patted the giant man's shoulder. Then she gathered up Phalyssa and Aruka and ushered them off to bed. Aruka's attention to her daughter did have a POSITIVE side to it. With the behavior he exhibited (and her response), he deterred any number of teenage boys in the village from making any moves.
Sliding into her own bedroll next to Laguna, the ranger/druid yawned mightily and fell fast asleep.
The group set out again after lunch. The rest of that day, and the rest of the way back to Barak's village was relatively uneventful. Phalyssa and Aruka spent the trip "joined at the hip," as they say. Jea looked on tolerantly; as long as it didn't go beyond friendship, she couldn't complain.
The adventurers were welcomed back to the village with great fanfare. The weres threw a massive feast/party in celebration. Aruka, nervous at the sheer number of strangers, spent the evening as Phalyssa's shadow, glued to her side like a second skin. He was getting better, slowly, but the neurotic Shifter had a long way to go.
Jea and Laguna sat together and talked quietly while the party raged on around them. Jea held a full tankard in one hand, and Laguna, on a rare moment of relaxation, had a half empty wine glass.
"Hey, Jea?"
"Yeah, Laguna? What is it?" his wife asked after taking a long swallow of the rich, fruity tasting ale. She wiped the foam from her mouth with a shirt sleeve.
"How are we gonna get off this island? .I had wondered if maybe Barak's village could help us build a boat." Laguna spread his hands.
The ranger woman nodded. "That sounds plausible.I'll ask later. There is one thing we need to discuss."
"Oh?" her paladin companion queried, sipping his wine.
"I have a feeling that our newest charge will want to tag along with us. He's sorta become attached to Phalyssa, and vice versa."
Laguna paled slightly under his tan and said quietly, "What do we do? Jea, you know I can't say no to her.She's my little girl." He put his head in his hand and groaned miserably.
Raising an eyebrow, Jea sniffed the air. -Hmm.Looks like Laguna's had a little too much wine.- "It's okay, dear. I'll handle it. I don't really have a problem with it-so long as they behave themselves." Deftly, while the paladin wasn't looking, Jea sprinkled something in his drink to neutralize the alcohol.
The paladin nodded shortly, his brain fuzzy. Jea said, "C'mon, dear. You look tired. Let's put you to bed."
The half-elven woman led her husband to bed. Then she returned to the party. As she drained her fifth tankard, she silently thanked her goddess that natural poisons (such as alcohol) didn't affect her.
Barak approached her, grinning. He was carrying a platter in one hand and a tankard in the other. "Ranger!" he roared good naturedly as he sat down at the table. "How're ya!?"
"I'm fine.Listen, Barak, I wanted to know if I could ask for a favor."
The huge bearman grinned. "Sure, Jea, ask away!"
"My people and I need to get off your island..And we were wondering if you could help us build a boat-"
Barak clapped her on the shoulder. "I kin do better than that, friend. We have a boat-and some sailor-that you kin borrow to sail to the closest mainland.How's that sound?"
Jea was intrigued. "You would do that?"
"Certainly! You helped me rescue my family AND wreak havoc upon my enemies! We owe you that much at least."
"Oh.Well, thanks." The ranger woman rose and patted the giant man's shoulder. Then she gathered up Phalyssa and Aruka and ushered them off to bed. Aruka's attention to her daughter did have a POSITIVE side to it. With the behavior he exhibited (and her response), he deterred any number of teenage boys in the village from making any moves.
Sliding into her own bedroll next to Laguna, the ranger/druid yawned mightily and fell fast asleep.