Drizzt found the girl stoking the fire just outside the shelter.
"Don't." He told her quickly, stepping over.
She looked up at him in surprise. "What? Why not?"
He kicked dirt over the flickering coals, ignoring her protests. "The Netherese will see the smoke like a beacon." He explained.
"Oh, right…" She looked down at the smothered flames. "...It's going to get cold without it though,"
"We'll have to make due." He looked about thoughtfully, then back at the girl. "How long have you been living here?" He asked curiously.
"A little while." She replied, drawing small circles in the dirt with one finger.
"Do you live out here alone?" Drizzt looked around again, but there was no sign of any others.
She shrugged, but didn't answer.
The ranger crouched down. "I'm sorry."
That got her to glance up at him, though she awkwardly shifted her eyes a moment later. "What for?"
"For coming to your home and attacking you with all these questions," He grinned, "For having to take care of Artemis."
A small smile danced across her lips in spite of herself and she snuck another glance at him. "...It's alright."
"A lot of people are looking for this." He nodded to the strange structure. "And we just want to make sure whatever it is doesn't fall into the wrong hands."
She peeked up at him through her lashes. "Wrong hands?" She echoed.
He nodded. "The Netherese collect powerful artifacts and use them to expand their empire. They destroy everything in their way."
The girl suppressed a chuckle. "I don't think they're gonna get much from this." A thought seemed to occur to her as she finished speaking and she frowned.
"What is it?" Drizzt asked kindly.
She glanced at him, then back at the structure. "Well…." Her sky blue eyes fell back on him, "...I'm not sure I should…" She bit her lip as her words fell away. Her eyes traced his face briefly before dropping to the ground once more.
The drow passed a hand through his hair. "I know you just met us, and Artemis isn't exactly the best ambassador…" He shrugged, "I wish there was a way to let you know you can trust us. Time isn't exactly on our side."
The girl nodded hesitantly. "...What do you do if there is some great power to this… artifact?" she asked.
He dropped his hand over his chin from his hair. "Destroy it, if we can I suppose. Or hide it away." He shrugged again. "Depends on what it does. We have some powerful allies who could keep it safe."
"You wouldn't want it for yourself?" He shook his head. "Then what's in it for you?"
He gave a small smile. "Adventure." Then he looked at her sidelong. "...Do you know what it is? What it does?"
She didn't answer him, curling her legs up and resting her chin on her knees as she stared off. Her eyes seemed to look beyond the world they were in, as if they were seeing into other realms, other times.
Jarlaxle ducked out of the structure. "Artemis is resting now. Gave him some of my salves and potions to help the healing…..Did all these things come inside the vessel?" He pondered aloud as he spun slowly, taking in his surroundings. He turned to the girl. "Are these your things?"
She didn't answer, looking up at him. Her face was a mixture of uncertainty and wariness, and Drizzt studied her carefully. She knew more than she would say. He could tell that much. Jarlaxle seemed to be registering that too, giving her a disarming smile. Which merely seemed to put her more on edge.
Jarlaxle nodded. "Of course," He tapped the brim of his hat towards her. "I don't mean to pry, but," He came over and sat on the stump, "I must say, that is a very curious name. Never heard anything quite like it." He smiled his most charming smile. "Where did you say it was from?"
"I didn't." She replied sourly.
"Well, I'm most curious to hear." He continued, unfazed, "And I'm sure the story of how you found yourself out here is quite impressive as well! I'd love to hear it."
She glanced at him, but didn't answer right away, giving a slow shrug of her shoulders. "Nothing that interesting." She said quietly after a few long moments.
Drizzt shot his persistent companion a warning look. If the mercenary kept pressing, she'd lock up even more. Better to let her speak in her own time.
"As I was saying, Time is not our ally right now," He told her instead. When she looked over at him, he continued, "I don't mean to frighten you, but the Netherese could be here any moment," She flinched at the idea and he shook his head, hoping his tone sounded grave enough. "If there's anything you can tell us…?" He let the question hang in the air.
She sighed, stood slowly. "I…." She ran a hand over the top of her head, "...I'm gonna go gather some things for the night…" She started to walk towards the treeline, then stopped, looking back over her shoulder. "...Don't touch anything please."
And with that she disappeared into the trees. Jarlaxle watched her recede into the foliage, scratching his chin.
"I say we follow her." He said after a few minutes.
"Not a great way to build trust." Drizzt reminded him dryly.
"Artemis was right though," Jarlaxle mused, "She knows more than she's telling."
"Hounding her for answers is not going to convince her to open up."
"Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury of easing her into our quest."
"She saved Artemis' life." Drizzt reminded him, "She didn't have to do that. We owe her as much time as we can give." He looked after her, "We'll just have to hope it's enough."
The pair fell into setting up their camp then, since they couldn't all fit into the artifact. The sun was sinking lower and lower, pulling the light from the sky. And still the girl hadn't returned.
When the camp was finished, Drizzt looked up at the darkening heavens.
"... I'm going to go check on her." He told the others.
"You think that's wise?" Jarlaxle intoned, "You were the one who said to give her time."
"I just want to make sure she's safe." He assured him.
Her trail was easy enough to follow. In fact, it seemed worn, as though she had walked it many times. A few minutes walk from the camp, he saw her through the trees up ahead. She was doing something on the ground, seeming to move things he couldn't quite make out.
"Hello?" He called softly, not wanting to startle her.
She froze, then glanced over her shoulder. He slowly approached, though hesitantly, as he could see she was not exactly pleased to see him there.
"These woods may no longer be as safe as they once were," He began to explain hurriedly, "I was worried something had happened to you…" He dropped off, looking around.
They were in a small clearing with wildflowers blooming between the gaps in the trees. But it was not the flowers that drew his attention. Three mounds of dirt were laid, one next to the other. Mounds that were about three feet wide and six feet long. The girl was laying small piles of river stones at the head of each mound, and fresh picked flowers were laid on top of each one as well.
As Drizzt realized what they were, he tried to take a more respectful stance. He regretted his decision to come find her, hoping this intrusion wouldn't push her even further away from them.
"I'm sorry." He murmured reverently.
She considered him for a moment, then went back to carefully stacking the last of the stones on the final mound. "For what now?"
"For your loss… and for disturbing you," he offered quietly.
She shook her head. "I didn't know them."
Drizzt looked at the delicate care with which she had tended each mound. The fresh flowers. The river stone piles. "Yet you tend their graves?"
She shrugged. "Someone knew them." She pointed out. "Someone would have wanted them taken care of."
The elf looked from her, to the graves, then back over his shoulder to where they had come from. "...Are they from the same place as you?"
At first he thought she wouldn't answer again, but after a few moments of silence, she nodded. Then she stood, wiping her hands on her strange pants and turning back towards the camp.
"... Did their death have something to do with the artifact?" He dared venture. "Is that why-"
She waved her hand at him, silencing his questioning abruptly. "Stop trying to guess." She told him. "I'm beginning to realize it's not something you could ever imagine."
He frowned at her words, looking back at the mounds as she walked past him. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but then decided against it. Instead, he turned and followed her quietly back to the campsite.
Jarlaxle stood with a smile as they broke through the treeline. "Ah! Welcome back! Just in time for our evening meal."
"I'm not hungry." The girl replied, and stepped past them to the artifact's door. "Goodnight."
Taken aback by her abruptness, the mercenary couldn't find his voice until after she had disappeared. His words died on his lips, and he turned to Drizzt with a questioning look.
"She was tending graves." He told the mercenary in their native tongue, but still kept his voice very quiet. He didn't want her to think they were plotting anything.
Jarlaxle's eyebrows shot up. "Graves?" he echoed in drow, careful to mirror his hushed tones, "..the others she came with? Perhaps her family? If they came searching for the artifact-"
Drizzt was shaking his head before his companion had even finished his thought. "She claims not to have known them." He told him, "But she did confirm they are from… wherever she came from."
"And how did they die?"
"...She refused to say..."
"But you think the artifact is involved somehow." Drizzt nodded, and Jarlaxle rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Then perhaps there is more to it than meets the eye after all."
The two elves fell silent, watching the sunlight drain slowly from the sky. Both knew they would have maybe a day or two at most before the Netherese caught up to them. If they were lucky. But this girl…. Neither wanted to forcibly take the artifact from her, especially if she had already learned any of its secrets. It would be better to convince her to work with them, rather than to create another enemy they had to fight off. If they had more time...
Artemis' eyes flickered open when he heard someone enter the shelter. Already he was beginning to feel much better with Jarlaxle's salves and potions. He could feel his strength returning, but he also felt a sleepiness constantly tugging at his senses. The drow had assured him after a good night's rest that would pass.
The girl considered him for a moment, then picked her way over to her makeshift bed. Something about her manner made him shake the fogginess from his head, and he propped himself up with a grunt on one arm.
"What happened?" He growled.
She shook her head. "Nothing."
Artemis' answering snort made his disbelief abundantly apparent. She shot him a look he couldn't quite read, then pulled back the covers to her bed, crawling in.
"You're bad at hiding your secrets." He told her as she moved.
Another sour look. "Do you know them?" She asked pointedly.
He shrugged. "I know you have them. That's enough."
She didn't answer for a moment, settling herself into the small nest she had made herself. "...Everyone has secrets."
"I'm more interested in yours."
Sky blue eyes flickered over to meet his, and he felt his breath catch in his throat. And not because of any injury he had sustained.
"If I told you, they wouldn't be secrets anymore." She replied, dropping her gaze and pulling the blanket up to her chin.
Artemis scoffed at her words. "If you keep them, you may just choke on them." When she didn't answer, he sighed angrily. "Whatever you know, it's better to tell us than to try to manage alone. Alone will get you killed."
Again, no reply. She even turned herself so that her back faced him. For a time, he thought that was going to be the end of it. The assassin even lowered himself slowly back onto his side, resisting the urge to grumble or growl.
"What do you care?" She finally muttered, so softly he wasn't sure he had heard it at first.
Now he took the moment instead, considering her words. Why did he care? Was it for her sake? For his? For Jarlaxle or the so called greater good? Or just to spite his former slave-masters? He couldn't put his finger on it at that moment. But he felt hollow at the thought of abandoning her. Of her being captured or tortured by the Netherese. Of her being…. alone.
"I owe you." Was the answer he gave her. It was suitable, and it made sense considering all she had done for him. The words tasted bitter on his tongue though, and he hoped they sounded less false to her ears than they did to his.
Now there really was no answer, and he felt sleep tugging at his senses again. Her back still turned to him, he slowly fell into a deep, restful slumber.
The next morning when the sun shone through the door on Artemis' face, he woke feeling a weight had been lifted. He rose from his bed with only a little stiffness and the echo of pain. But a stretch worked out the worst of it, and he was able to stand with only a hint of dizziness. He began pulling the bandages off the pink scars all over his body.
His eyes turned to her small nest almost instinctively, but it was empty. There was…. Disappointment in his breast at the sight. But he shoved it aside almost as quickly as it fluttered there and made his way out into the brisk morning air.
Artemis' breath curled in thin, wispy clouds before his face, and he rubbed his bare arms against the chill. Drizzt glanced up from his pack as Artemis came out, offering the shirtless man a nod. But Jarlaxle and his caretaker were nowhere to be seen.
"The girl?" He growled at the remaining elf.
Drizzt finished packing a few items before gesturing off the to treeline. "Showing Jarlaxle a fresh water source to fill the skins."
Artemis eyed him. "The bastard has a magical pouch that never drains of water." He reminded him angrily.
To which Drizzt merely shrugged. "Then an excuse to be alone with the girl." He lifted his lavender eyes to look at the assassin. "To make her feel useful."
The human snorted and kicked aside some strange object beside the artifact. "She's been plenty useful without that fool playing his games with her."
Before Drizzt could comment on Artemis' words, the snapping of branches and the crunch of leaves announced the pair's return.
Artemis turned to look at them, almost relieved to see the girl again for some reason. Perhaps he feared she had fled in the night, leaving the four of them with more questions than answers. Especially him. He ignored the mercenary drow's beaming smile and fixed a bitter scowl on the girl.
She paused before them, glancing Artemis up and down. Obviously unperturbed by his expression, though mildly surprised at the state of him. She lifted one hand as if to touch the scar on his bare chest, but recoiled at the last moment. He was suddenly acutely aware of his lack of clothing, but managed only to scowl deeper.
"Good, you seem well enough."
"Well enough for what?" He growled back, crossing his arms.
She reached up, unfastening the ties at her neck and sweeping his cloak off her shoulders. "I have something I should show you." She told him as she stepped over, swinging the cloak back around his shoulders. Then she glanced around at the others. "All of you."
Artemis found himself holding the ends of his cloak as Alice turned to walk over to one of the strange boxes and pick up what appeared to be a thicker, oversized shirt. She tossed that his way, which he caught nimbly with one hand. The scent of dirt, pine, and flowers surrounded him, as well as another, softer scent he couldn't place. He felt his breath falter and his heart race. Stubbornly he shook his head, donning the new layer and clasping the ends of the cloak. The material felt odd against his skin, and he rubbed the hem between two fingers curiously.
"Where are we going?" Jarlaxle asked eagerly.
"Not far. Just shy of an hour." She told him, picking up a side bag and placing it across her torso from one shoulder to the opposite hip. "Quicker maybe, depending on your gait."
"We could ride." Drizzt offered. "Shorten the time even more."
She sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that."
"Artemis can manage the beast, now that he's healed." Jarlaxle offered, "All you will have to do is hold on."
"But where are we going?" Drizzt reiterated.
She didn't answer, staring at her feet and rolling her hands back and forth in front of her. Her face tightened as she stared, an obvious internal debate raging within her.
"We'll see when we get there." Replied Artemis in her stead, fishing out the statuette.
The surprise of the others was hidden by the sudden swirling smoke as the beast rose from the depths of its home. It stamped its hooves and snorted smoke from its nostrils, beady red eyes seeming to consider the girl. Artemis approached it without hesitation, swinging into the saddle on its back and urging it forward a few feet. He pulled it up short beside the girl, who drew back out of its way as it moved. Again, the beast snorted and stamped, ears laying flat upon its skull even as Artemis reached his hand down.
"I suppose that's settled then." Jarlaxle mumbled under his breath. But a slight smile tickled the corners of his lips. Never had he seen Artemis behave quite like that before. He too summoned his beast, neatly vaulting into the saddle. Drizzt shrugged slightly, shouldering his pack and approaching the mercenary's magical mount.
Alice looked at Artemis' offered hand, then hesitantly at the hellbeast. The assassin growled impatiently, bending down and snatching up the girl's arm. He gave a grunt as his newly healing wounds burned in protest and pain, but hauled the girl up until her foot was in one stirrup and her hand on the horn of the saddle. He barely needed to flex to persuade her the rest of the way, instead finding her pulling herself up to sit nestled in the saddle before him. Again, those soft smells assaulted his nose; dirt, pine, forest flowers. That other unnameable scent. Stronger than it had been on his cloak, so close was he to its source. He had to shake his head once more to clear his senses and settle his heart rate. Clenching his teeth, he leaned forward, taking up the reigns around her.
"Which way?" He asked her, softly, since his mouth rested beside her ear.
She stiffened, but then pointed, and without pausing to check if his companions were ready, the assassin heeled his own steed forward. The pair shot off, zipping through the trees. The breeze was welcome against his face, and he steadied himself with a cleansing breath. Here and there she pointed with one hand, or spoke a soft "turn!", or "to the left!". But her other hand firmly grasped the edge of the saddle, her knuckles white. He could feel the tension in her back which rubbed against his chest with each stride. And he chose to ignore it, pushing it out of his mind. Forcing it aside with a stubborn growl.
"Stop, stopstop STOP!" she cried suddenly, tucking her chin to her chest as if she expected them to crash for the force of their forward momentum.
But the hellion steed pulled up gracefully, hardly seeming to notice it went from magically enhanced speeds to a stand still without even a whisper of effort. Alice slowly loosened, releasing herself from her cringe with a still nervous sigh. Artemis looked around, the elves coming up short behind them.
"There's nothing here." He growled.
She patted his chest with the back of her hand pointedly, gesturing for him to dismount. He grumbled but did as she directed, turning back just as she slid from the beast herself.
"Just beyond these trees." She told him, glancing at the others as they dismounted as well. "...Better to walk the rest of the way, there's a steep slope you can't see there."
Jarlaxle looked to where she pointed and nodded. The hellion creatures were dismissed and the motley group walked forward with much trepidation.
"So, where are we?" Jarlaxle pressed, looking about.
The others looked at her expectantly, but Alice simply walked on in silence. The elves exchanged a look behind her back, and Artemis glanced at them warily. Yet still they followed her. Dry twigs snapped beneath her feet as she led the way through the small crop of densely packed trees. Bright light shone beyond the farthest trunks, an almost blinding white compared to the canopied shade they left behind.
Then suddenly, she disappeared into the light, and each followed her, one after the other. And then each came to a stop at the top of the broken earth, whether being awestruck or dumbstruck varying from individual to individual.
Stretching before them was a great trench, like a giant sword had cut into the very planet itself, splitting trees like they were kindling and in some places launching them far from their rooted beginnings. Down the center of the trench the bowels of the earth spewed forth as blood from a wound, varying hues of dirt and mineral exposed that hadn't seen the sun in decades. The rivet, lined by decimated forest, ten or twenty feet at its deepest point, seemed to smolder in the midday sun. Vegetation lay chewed up at its edges, and dark streaks of burnt earth and tinder snaked up its length.
But despite the obvious recent upheaval of the natural landscape, it was the tip of the trench that brought all eyes straight to it.
It appeared to have once been white, or perhaps metal. Most of it was charred black now, and its original shape was lost in the twisted contortions of fire and collision. It was easily two hundred feet if each piece was put end to end. And indeed they were pieces; disjointed, smashed, and destroyed, but with strings of metal clinging to each part. As if trying to pull it back into shape. On each side of the main contraption there was a thinner piece, but still large, that was long and flat, almost in the shape of a triangle. Though one was bent in half and the other was charred, broken, and dented, the original shape seemed to be mirrored on both sides of the strange thing. The inside of the great monstrosity was hollow, with metal and fabric and other strange materials pouring out of it like clothes from a chest. All of it burnt, some of it still smoking. The air around the thing smoldered and drew hard into their lungs as they breathed, none quite sure what to make of what they saw.
Artemis was the first to tear his gaze away, looking instead to their guide. He found her eyes waiting for his (or any of theirs, he assumed). She didn't look at the strange sight. Her back was partially turned to it even, her body facing them. She must have seen it many times before to have become so accustomed to it to be able to turn away as she did. Her expression was a mixture of anxiousness, pain, fear… and many other things that flashed in cycles through her eyes.
"..I… Wha….?" Jarlaxle was the first to find his tongue, but full words eluded him yet.
Artemis held the girl's gaze, studying her eyes. It must have become too much for her, because after a minute more, she looked away. Not at the wreckage, as one might have thought, but at the ground, at her feet, at the trees back the way they had come. Anywhere else that she could.
"What the hell is that?" Jarlaxle managed finally, pointing as though the massive thing was not immediately obvious.
Alice didn't answer, and slowly each set of eyes fixed upon her as the question hung in the air before them. She seemed to feel their gaze, shuffling her feet and offering a small shrug of her shoulders.
"It's what you're looking for, isn't it?" Was the answer she finally gave.
For the first time since they arrived, she glanced over her shoulder at it. As soon as she did, she winced, and her face contorted in pain. Quickly she found solace in the ground at her feet once more.
"Well, yes, I believe so…. but…" Jarlaxle scratched his head and then shook it.
"Let's get a closer look." Drizzt suggested. He turned to the young woman. "...If we may?"
She nodded absentmindedly, pointing off to their right. "There's an easy enough path down over there."
Jarlaxle and Drizzt moved to the slope, picking their way amid roots and debris. Artemis lingered when he realized Alice had not moved to follow. The assassin considered the wreckage, then his healer once more.
"...What is it?" He asked her again.
She managed to glance up at him briefly before she moved her eyes away again. "The artifact or whatever you're calling it."
He sighed irritably. "You are still bad at keeping secrets." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You know what it is."
She shrugged slightly, rubbing one hand against her upper arm. "Does it matter?"
Artemis looked back at the site, noticing something then. "It looks like your house." He commented.
Alice snorted at his words, shaking her head. "It's not my house."
Again he considered her, chewing over her words in his head. He looked down the hill at his companions, who had made it to the bottom and steadily made progress towards the weird structure. But he turned back to her, reaching out.
"Come on then." He took her arm, firmly but gently, tugging her towards him.
She hesitated, resisting ever so slightly, but then allowed herself to be pulled forward. He positioned her in front of him, and followed her down the trail she had pointed out earlier. It took them a few minutes to walk the length of the trench to the base of the strange heap of foreign metal and scrap. The elves had spread out and were walking around the structure.
"It looks… hollow." Jarlaxle called, "Intentionally so. Was it meant to carry something?"
"With no wheels?" Drizzt called back. He reached out and tentatively touched the hull. "Perhaps it is a ship."
"It's pretty damn far from the sea." Artemis scoffed. He paused at one part, studying the breaks and damage to the edge. "This is your piece." He said to the girl.
Jarlaxle lifted his head from the scrap piece he had been examining. "What?"
The assassin studied the portion of the structure again but didn't answer. Jarlaxle considered the same portion of the wreckage. He nodded in agreement.
"It does look just like your residence came from right here. As if it was broken off... Fascinating!"
"It's not my house." Alice echoed again, but softly, so that only Artemis at her shoulder was able to make out her words.
The others walked up and down as much of the strange contraption as they could, as part of it was buried in trees, debris, and dirt. Artemis watched, but felt no urge to follow. Instead, he turned his back on the monstrosity, and looked over the trench behind him. Then he looked at the strange thing, then back again at the trench.
"It fell here." He concluded, looking over at the drow as he spoke.
The pair looked surprised, then contemplative as they considered the same trajectory as the human. Jarlaxle's face filled with excitement as his eyes traced the trench.
"Was it dropped?" He mused aloud, "Or perhaps it was thrown?"
"It crashed." Came the soft, meek voice of the young woman.
All three turned to regard her, as if surprised to hear her voice. Her hands were crossed over her chest, but still they shook. Her shoulders hunched and her chin dropped. She didn't look at them, nor at the thing behind them. Her eyes were dropped to the ground, her attention fixed.
"Did you see it?" Drizzt asked gently, moving as if to reach out to her. But he stopped short, one hand raised to touch her shoulder frozen midway between.
She shook her head slightly. Still quivering, though Artemis saw her clench her jaw.
Jarlaxle looked over his shoulder, then back at her. "...Do you know what this is?"
Alice didn't answer, her knuckles white where she gripped at her own arms. Artemis noted her paling expression and ground his teeth. He shook his head angrily and stomped off, leaving the others behind. Jarlaxle called after him briefly, but the grim assassin didn't reply.
For her part, she lifted her gaze as the man she had tended stormed away. Her brow furrowed slightly as she wondered why. But her own ruminations pulled her back to her present company. Jarlaxle watched his old companion, then raised an eyebrow at Drizzt.
Before he could find the words to excuse his partner the girl shook her head. "I'm heading back. You know the way now."
And with that she too turned and plodded off, her steps hurried and her gait short. Jarlaxle babbled a protest but it was Drizzt who jogged after her.
"Are you ok?" He asked, pacing her.
She tugged a smile onto her face, slim though it was. "I don't like being here. Stay as long as you like, and I'll see you back where we started."
Undeterred, he continued to match her stride. "It's a long walk."
"I could use some time to think." She replied, then looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. "Alone."
Drizzt slowed to a stop, allowing the girl to walk off without him. He sighed, then ran his hand through his long white hair. He turned back to Jarlaxle, holding up his hands in defeat. The younger elf began to move back over to his companion, when his foot suddenly hit something soft. Looking down, he blanched sharply at the sight of a charred arm sticking out from beneath the wreckage...
Through the undergrowth she moved, pushing the branches aside thoughtlessly where she could and picking her way around them when she had to. For the most part the path was clear should she muster her feet properly, but instead she chose a more direct route. Which meant fighting through the occasional barrier.
She didn't care though. Each little stick that slapped her face or caught in her hair seemed to slip her deeper into a trance, until she wasn't even aware that she was still walking. The sensation merged with the trudge of her feet, the beat of the soft earth intermingled with the crunch of the dry foliage.
So focused (or perhaps better, unfocused), that she didn't see Artemis until her forehead collided with his chest.
"Oof!" She exclaimed, confused as she lifted her gaze up from the ground, almost falling over.
He caught her arm to steady her on her feet, and stabilized them both without a word. She stopped, looking up at him, then down at his hand on her arm. He released his grip as soon as her eyes fell on it.
"Where are you going?" He growled.
She shook her head, as if it didn't matter. "Back to…" Alice paused, looking for the right word. "..Camp."
"Not your house." He repeated solemnly.
That started her, and her eyes shot to his face.
He considered her sternly. "What is that thing?"
Her breath caught in her throat at his words, and she dropped her gaze to the side. Her mouth opened and closed a few times uselessly.
Artemis leaned against a nearby trunk. "Just a word to call it." He told her, "You don't have to explain the rest if you don't want to yet."
She chuckled softly, without mirth. "Yet." She echoed.
He nodded, then cocked his head to one side. "So?"
"I thought you were the one indebted to me, not the other way around." Her voice was soft, almost teasing, but still grave.
When she turned back to look at him, he scowled back. Not in a particularly joking mood.
So she sighed. "A plane."
"A plane?"
A nod was her answer, then she started around him. "I'd like to be alone now."
He grabbed her arm again as she tried to pass. "You'll have the rest of your life to be alone." He said harshly. She winced, and he felt a stab of pain at the sight. But he shook it off. "You'll be safer with us right now."
With surprising strength, she ripped her arm from his grasp. "Thanks, but I'll manage." She snapped back, and stomped off before he could grab her again.
Sighing angrily, he turned and followed her. "Stop being so stubborn."
"Stop being an ass." She returned.
"I'm trying to be nice." He growled.
"Well, you suck at it."
"Damnit, girl." He snarled, "You don't seem to understand just how much danger you're in."
"And you don't seem to understand how to repay a debt."
"The Netherese will cut out your tongue if you snark them."
"Perhaps I should have saved them the trouble of cutting out yours."
Artemis grabbed her wrist and spun her around to face him. His teeth were bared into a snarl, but when he looked at her, her eyes about to overflow with tears, her brow wrinkled and knitted, he let his fury out in a huff.
"...I'm not good at this." He grumbled, tossing her back a step.
She rubbed her wrist and glared at him. "At what?"
The assassin sighed angrily again. "At...being grateful...or..." He dropped off, wiping the back of his hand over his forehead. Another sigh. "I don't like being indebted."
"Then I release you." She affirmed, turning as if to make her way back.
"It's not as easy as that. Alice!" She paused at her name, halfway through a stride, as if surprised to hear it. Artemis rubbed the back of his neck. "...I am, you know."
She studied him out of the corner of her eyes. "You are what?"
"...Grateful…" He almost mumbled the word, "...For what you've done for me." She turned a little more towards him. "...Let me try to repay it the only way I can."
The girl turned to face him fully. "...How?"
Artemis clenched his hands. "By keeping you safe."
She considered him only momentarily. "Seems like the trouble is following you, not hunting me." She pointed out bitterly, turning away for the last time. "Seems the best way to keep me safe is to get as far away from me as possible."
The assassin had no argument for her, and watched helplessly as she made her way back towards the campsite. Angrily, he shook his head, turning himself towards the wreckage.
"Let her be alone then," he told himself quietly. "Let her own stupidity and stubbornness be the death of her." It was no skin off his back if she wouldn't accept his aid.
"Same might have been said for you a few times, old friend." came familiar voice.
Artemis looked up at Jarlaxle with a scowl, wondering how long the drow had been lurking there. He brushed past the mercenary with a snort, as if to spit his comment back at him. But his words sank heavily in his chest, and more than one anxious thought wandered to his mysterious rescuer. No matter how hard he tried to suppress them.