Therion sighs, balancing the cat on his head as he goes to the job desk to turn in the assignment for the reward. He found the scrawny thing in a tight spot by the shoreline under the old pier. In fact, he found all three of the missing beasts. The cats gave him a few scratches and hissed like a nest of demons at first, but now one of them won't get its grubby paws out of his hair. The other two are curled up in his arms.
At least this was doing wonders for taking his mind off that disturbing spectacle he saw earlier. But he keeps a careful eye out for that merchant Mattias.
He goes to the receptionist with the job posting and hands that in. Luckily, the cat owner was visiting at the moment to see if progress had been made on their request. It takes a few nasty seconds for the old lady to coax the cat off the thief's head without ripping into his scalp with its claws. That's discounting the many scratches he already incurred to his face and hands handling those little monsters.
All that for a measly hundred leaves.
He starts counting out his share, which really is the whole pie. He did the whole job after all. Then he hears what sounds like an explosion and the sound of breakage. It awakens the memories of Cobbleston under siege at once. The screams as impending danger arrives...
Gods damned unlucky...!
There are shouts of confusion and chaos forming as people stand around outside the guild. As Therion walks out, he hears them shout and point towards the wafts of smoke rising towards the sky.
"The wharf!"
"That was a cannon, right?"
"Oh, my gods, is it more pirates?"
Therion feels a stab of fear. Pirates? Does it have anything to do with the bunch that the other three went after? What if... He fights to keep his composure and his paranoia down. No... it could be someone else at sea. Why would those pirates pull a dumb stunt like this anyway?
Feeling the fear abate, his thieving mind gets back to work. With this ruckus, people are either bound to be running for the hills or trying to secure what they value. In chaos, it is much easier to loot.
For some reason, his mind wanders to that merchant lady that squared off with the dancer, Hilma. Yusufa's mother, huh...
It wasn't for anything silly like revenge. He barely knew the dancer in blue, and he wasn't sticking his neck out for the sultry princess. He held no emotion towards the shady merchant. Hilma just seems to be well-off, how she was talking it up against the other merchants. She must have a nice sum, considering she deals with pirates. Nobody liked her much, so they wouldn't care if she lost a thing or two.
That's right, she's just a good target.
With a slight smirk of satisfaction, Therion's fleet feet start for the south market as people around start to panic at the sound of a second shot.
"They always say that you know what a man values most once you set his house on fire. If he runs, he values his life. If he has anything more valuable, he'll go to that immediately. And that is when a master thief strikes."
Tuning out the shots from afar, Therion sidesteps the panicked crowds of merchants running to their goods. In their disarray, Therion easily snags a few unguarded coin pouches here and there. He spies the stand... and Hilma is right there. She is packing something, but not in a hurried pace at all. The ruckus doesn't scare her.
Tough cookie, Therion thinks. It might be a bit troublesome to get the jump on her. She seemed to know her way as a bully, and her instincts were pretty sharp, if not outright paranoid. Those types spell trouble all the time.
He lingers near an abandoned stall, keeping out of view as he surveys Hilma's movements. People are too busy scrambling for their own wares and lives to notice the furtive thief.
Hilma moves with the patience of an old person, befitting her visage. She scowls now and then, muttering. Therion takes note of her peg leg. It was strange, but she was like a merchant version of Marta maybe. Of course, Marta wouldn't really be on board with the whole 'sale of humans' idea. It was amusing to think of though, how this merchant had less scruples than a thief.
She packs up a small satchel of stuff. Just when she is about to leave, Therion is surprised that she rummages a neighboring stall for goods.
A merchant who is also a thief!
Well, that's not that surprising, considering what she said back in the guild hall, and her friendly business with looting pirates.
She furtively picks up mostly loose articles. If there was anything like a lockbox, that would take far too long to pick, and be too bulky to carry with what she already has. Therion watches, slightly impressed at how thief-like she actually seemed to act. But she did leave her own stall in the end, and she soon vanishes from its vicinity.
Therion waits a few more seconds, looking this way and that for onlookers. Seeing none, he leaps at the opportunity and darts into the stall from behind. Hilma's little corner is not much, having primarily shelves and a rug for display, and a zabuton for sitting.
She had cleaned out a good deal of anything worth stealing. There isn't a leaf to be found. She kept a sparse shop for situations such as this. Therion espies trinkets, like that of a metallic pen, and some satchel of strong-smelling spices. He takes these paltry pickings and pockets them with a sigh.
More sounds of cannon fire ring out in the distance, in the direction of the sea.
"Tsk..."
Therion takes his spoils and moves now towards the pier. A crowd has gathered nearby, with members from the Merchant Association attempting to keep order.
"My ship! Let me get to my ship!"
"No one is to approach! The pier has been shot at! It's simply not safe!"
"We have people pursuing the aggressors! Please stay calm and-"
A cannon blast smashes into a nearby building on the wharf, sending splinters of wood flying. People scream and scatter once more. Some who were unfortunately inside stagger out, bleeding profusely from multiple injuries. Brave souls run in to help their fellows out and seek survivors amid the wreckage. The house creaks, threatening to collapse.
"Merciful gods...!"
Therion looks this way and that at the chaos. Enough is enough. What in the hells' name is going on?! With a slight growl, he evades the crowds on the main road and takes a smaller plankway to the west exit of town, making way for the Caves of Maiya.
…
The movement of the ship at the back of the cavern had shocked the party as they made quick work of the remaining pirates. As it pulled out into sea, they saw that it would be futile to pursue it. Hägen barks after the vessel as it departs.
"I assume H'aanit and Tressa made it onboard...!" Cyrus exclaims, brushing the dust off his robes, "To try swimming after it would be nonsense. We need a ship to pursue them!"
"We need to make haste back to Rippletide then," Olberic says, tying up the last incapacitated pirate, "And we ought to alert the constables to come and take these sea ruffians."
"Alfyn, are you all right?" Primrose goes over to the apothecary, a worried look at the blood caked on his clothes.
"Y-yeah, I can take this!" Alfyn gives his usual grin through the pain, trying to smile away the other's worry.
"It wasn't that shallow of a wound. I have closed it, but you need to be careful moving, or it will open again...!" Ophilia says a bit shakily as her healing magic subsides.
"Thanks fer the assist!" Alfyn looks to the cleric, "Woulda been a lot worse without ya!"
"It was nothing... now, we need to pursue that ship!" The cleric stands now.
"Agreed," Primrose looks around at the pirates, "But I think I will stay and watch these pirates until the law enforcement comes. I don't want to risk there being an escape."
"It wouldn't be safe for you alone. I will stay as well then," Olberic looks to the remaining three, "Professor, you, the sister, and Alfyn can make it back to Rippletide without problem, I assume?"
"The path here was rather simple and there were few monsters, if I recall," Cyrus nods pensively, "Yes, I surmise our chances are good. And tis prudent to return with the wounded first."
"I can take care of myself against wounded pirates, thank you very much," Primrose gives a smirk Olberic's way, "Are you sure you shouldn't go and protect them from whatever may spring their way?"
Olberic rolls his eyes.
"We'll be back quick, guys!" Alfyn stands with Cyrus' help, though the professor himself seems ill-fitted to even assist.
"Be careful!" Ophilia chimes in.
Primrose waves to the three as they leave from the cavern. Their steps eventually fade into the dank darkness of the cave. The dancer looks towards the opening to sea, where the ship has sailed out into the afternoon light over the blue yonder. She warily eyes the dire wolf which has remained here as well. It seems to be a well-tamed beast as it prowls impatiently, looking out to the ship where its master is.
"I do hope that child merchant is all right," Olberic mutters, "Although, I cannot even understand why she was involved in this in the first place..."
"She seemed old enough," Primrose shrugs, "And even children have to make uncomfortable decisions in this world."
"... That may be so," Olberic sighs, remembering his days as a young cadet, "But it would be better if that could be avoided."
"She was insistent herself, as I understood. Besides, the huntress beside her..." Primrose smiles with a curious expression, "She seemed more than competent enough to protect the girl."
There are low booms heard out at sea. In the distance, they can vaguely see something like smoke coiling up from the small ship's shape afar. Olberic's worries surge and his face shows it. Primrose's smile vanishes, but she remains calm. Hägen gives a low whine and grunt.
"...The other ships must be wary it flies a pirate's flag."
"They will sink it then...!" Olberic mutters with a crease on his brow, "Twould have been better to let the pirates go down alone."
"...Only time will tell," Primrose says crisply.
She wasn't going to tell him to pray.
…
On the way back to Rippletide, the cleric, scholar, and apothecary can immediately see that the sky is beginning to change from the late afternoon to dusk. The blue swaths of sky are retreating in the face of yellow and orange. The water level has risen notably from since they entered, nearly severing the spit, which was exposed at low-tide.
"Oh dear, I do hope my robes won't need special cleaning after..." Cyrus huffs and puffs as they make haste over the beach.
"We haven't time to worry on that, professor!" Ophilia pants as well. Running with H'aanit on a solid surface was hard enough. This sand shifts and makes it more difficult to find good footing.
"G-guys, look!" Alfyn points suddenly out to the direction of the sea.
They see the smoke after hearing the distant boom. It takes them a moment to properly espy the cannonball flying at Rippletide. They see the impact on the town up ahead. The projectile smashes into one of the ships moored in the pier. While they cannot hear the panic from the path, it was no less obvious what chaos could be happening in the town.
"H-How awful...!" Ophilia says breathlessly at the spectacle, "We must return posthaste...! People could be hurt!"
"Right!"
The three, already exhausted after the fight in the caves, push on to hurry back to Rippletide. Alfyn feels the professor about to fall over from exhaustion, and his own legs go jelly-like. Then, he sees that familiar blur of purple, and he feels a familiar hand help him up.
"Oh!" Ophilia looks to the white-haired stranger.
"T-Therion!" Alfyn hugs the other.
"... Looks like you guys had some fun," Therion scoffs dryly, "Where's the big lug and the princess?"
"Ah, friend of yours, Alfyn?" Cyrus sits up, shaking the sand out of his hair since Therion let him fall flat on his face.
"Ah, yeah, this is Therion!" Alfyn says, grinning, "I'm glad yer alright... We saw the cannonball and-"
"It just hit the pier and some house on the wharf," Therion brushes it off, "Lemme guess, you're off to find the wounded?"
"Yeah!"
"No, you're not," Therion pokes him hard between the eyes, "You're all bloody yourself. Can you even stand?"
"Uhh..." Alfyn gives a sheepish smile, "Well, you're here..."
Therion conceals his annoyance well and just sighs. He side-eyes the accompanying cleric flatly, as well as the panting scholar.
"... Perhaps your friend is right, Alfyn," Ophilia looks worriedly to the town, "You should rest a little if you can. I'll go on ahead!"
"W-wait!"
Ophilia ignores his pleas and runs on. Cyrus, sweat dribbling down his face, stands, knobby-kneed, and makes a few steps to go chase after her.
"C-Cyrus, ya look like yer about t'die!" Alfyn exclaims, "Ya oughta rest!"
"Take your own advice," Therion rolls his eyes.
"T-thank you for your concern, Alfyn..." Cyrus straights and slowly catches his breath, "But Ophilia... is my benefactor... and I shan't let harm befall her!"
The professor totters a bit as he goes to follow after the cleric, albeit at a slower pace. Therion pulls one of Alfyn's arms over his shoulder to support the taller man as he leans on him. Thankfully, Alfyn's wound wasn't bleeding anymore, though the bloodied shirt does soak a bit onto Therion's clothes.
"Geez, you really have no fear..." Therion mutters as they begin making their way after Cyrus and Ophilia.
"Huh?" Alfyn blinks at the other.
"Nothing. It's pointless to talk to you," The thief sighs irritably. He sees the apothecary's expression dampen a little at his curt rebuff.
Fear is a natural thing. It'll keep ya alive. But what has no fear, like insane people and beasts... those are the real dangerous ones all oughta fear.
A thief has to be able to feel fear, yet also keep his wits about himself. Such a precarious balancing act is what differentiates petty, run-of-the-mill thieves of the street, and master thieves. They have to know when to run and think on their feet the whole way. It's why...
Your hubris made you an easy target, mister master thief.
Oh, how he wanted to cut Heathcoat and his smug face a new one.
…
Entering the chaos of Rippletide, Ophilia immediately smells the waft of smoke. She sees people running about, some screaming about pirates, others scrambling for their goods. Another shot could be fired at any time. There are shouts from the local guard to begin evacuating to east of the town, should there be more damage.
Ophilia runs up to one of the guardsmen with the Merchant's Association garb, "Excuse me! Please direct me to the wounded!"
"Whoa there, sister!" The guard points toward the east pier bridge, "You better run along with the others! It's mighty dangerous right now!"
"I'm from the church of the Flame! Let me help!" Ophilia frowns at his dismissiveness, "I can heal the wounded!"
The guard doesn't seem to want to deal with her and merely waves his hand vaguely towards the destroyed wharf house. The cleric hastily nods and runs there. She is wholly ignorant of the scholar calling out behind her.
Cyrus, already exhausted, stumbles around, not able avoid every frantic chap running his way.
"Good gods...! I am... severely out... of shape...," Says the scholar who never had a gym day once in his life.
A portly, mustached man grabs the scholar by the arm with a fierce expression, "You! Where's Tressa?!"
"Hm?" Cyrus looks with confusion to the stranger, "I-I beg your pardon?"
"Some folks said she was seen wi' some guy dressed as a scholar! Where is she?!"
"Oh, erm, are you her guardian or..."
"I'm her father!" Olneo snorts out a puff of fury from his nostrils, "Now where is she?!"
"C-calm down, my good sir..." Cyrus says a bit helplessly, "She is in the care of a very capable huntress at the moment on the boat..."
"WHAT?!"
Ophilia sees some wounded merely lying on the streets. They were carried out of the collapsed house, but no one had the time to treat them. Some people ran off to find them water, while others merely sat by and watched helplessly. Without a second thought, the cleric kneels next to the nearest injured and begins to heal away.
"You'll be alright," She says with firm determination as her staff glows, "By the mercy of the Flame..."
Alfyn and Therion, meanwhile, finally arrive back in town. Alfyn begs Therion to take him to the site of the injured. The thief adamantly refuses.
"We're just grabbing our stuff in the inn and getting outta here."
"Wait, what?! What about Prim and Olberic?"
"They stayed behind, right? Their choice," Therion quickly adds a little fib, "We'll meet up later. First, we gotta get to the safe ground."
"No, wait!" Alfyn fights the thief's attempts to weasel out of the situation, "We gotta tell the local law to go get those pirates! They're still in the caves!"
Therion groans and drags the apothecary over to the nearest guards, all the while saying, "They aren't going to care in this emergency..."
"What's going on here? Wounded, please make your way to leave via the east walkway," The guard tersely says after a single glance at the duo.
"Uh, s-sir, the pirates in the Caves of Maiya... You can go arrest them right now...!"
"What?" The guard looks the apothecary, "We can't think about that now! They're shooting at us from the seas!"
"Uh, but-"
"We'll get to them later!" The guard barks, "Get going and stop wasting my time!"
Therion drags the grumbling apothecary along as they join the droves flocking out of Rippletide. There seems to be a slight fire near the ship's mooring area. Firefighting efforts are ongoing. The smoke rises towards the darkening sky as dusk begins to come on.
"This is … awful..." Alfyn mutters quietly as he limps alongside the thief over the cobbled streets. His head turns at the sound of another distant boom.
"It's not nearly as bad as Cobbleston," Therion says blithely.
…
Tressa finishes picking back up her backpack contents from the spillage and now stands near the stern, looking towards the port of Rippletide as it nears. Mikk is still tied up like a hog on the debris-strewn deck, under watch by some of the merchants who came to overtake the ship. Makk... no one knew where the second pirate captain was. H'aanit has gathered back up her weapons and shakily goes to repair her damaged strap. The gash on her chest was not terribly deep. The bleeding has largely been staunched, but it itches terribly. Linde gives a low, worried growl as she watches H'aanit tie the cut straps and string together.
"... I aren fine, Linde," H'aanit conceals a wince, "Ophilia cannen... healeth such a wound."
Tressa turns to glance at the huntress. She walks over, with her backpack-now-turned-satchel due to the broken strap. The merchant gives the huntress a grin.
"Thanks for, uh, all you guys did. I woulda been totally outgunned if it weren't for y'all coming," Tressa gives a tired laugh, "You gonna be alright? They got ya good."
"... Mine legs aren not used to ships," H'aanit scoffs lightly, "Tis of little import. We haven the battle wonnen. The others oughten have concludeth as well..."
"Yeah, you all are real strong!"
H'aanit now looks to the merchant before her curiously, "Haven thou useth a bow 'ere?"
"Oh, uh, no... Sorry about that!" Tressa laughs a little, scratching the back of her neck, "I sorta... used yours without thinking, haha."
"Tis not a simple feat... many in S'warkii sayeth ill of the burden and strength needed. Yet thee, an untrained bowhand, hath shot true," H'aanit smiles slightly to herself, "Mayhap thou ought consideren a bow."
"Ahaha! Are you trying to sell me one? Tempting," Tressa sits down next to the huntress, "But I'm not really lookin' to fight anyone outside the usual auctions and blowout sales. I'm a merchant after all!"
"Oh, but if I go on the road, then maybe..." The merchant quickly says to herself, entering a pensive state.
"Hath thou desire to travel?"
"Uh, yeah..." Tressa laughs a little, "The best merchant in the world can't just stay in Rippletide! I've always sorta..."
She turns to look back at the horizon of Middlesea. The sunset is beginning, dying the sky a beautiful palette of orange and yellow. Out there, under the same sky, are many other cities that she yet to see with her own eyes, streets yet to be walked on her own two feet...
But she had that shop to worry about at home, didn't she? With mom, pop, Kuzco... the same old crowd of crusty merchants and dealers. The same old patrons. The same old same old.
Wasn't that why she ran at the chance with these strangers to break away? Even at the premise of danger, of death... She hadn't shied away. It wasn't as if she had a reckless death wish. She just wanted to see something other than the old scenery. It sounded selfish, for sure... But like the wind, something was rising in her; a tenacious and stubborn calling from beyond the sparkling horizon...
"Yeah, I do wanna travel," Tressa says, looking back to the huntress, "All over the continent... and even the world some day!"
"Hm, that be'en ambitious indeede."
"Alright, we're bringin' 'er in!" A merchant calls.
"Heard!"
Tressa glances to see the blonde captain looking to her as they steer to stop at the pier. A thick aroma of smoke lingers still as the night comes. The fires have stopped and the guards are gathered at the port. Tressa runs to the stern railing to look out at the port area. Behind them is a crowd of worried and curious onlookers; people who did not flee the town. Among those faces, Tressa glimpses her father alongside Cyrus. She waves with a weak smile to Olneo, who seems both relieved and furious.
"Captain Leon, we can't anchor apparently too close to the piers. Too much damage," One ship hand hollers.
"Take some wreckage and make a plank to the nearest point we can disembark," Leon says coolly, "Make sure it is sturdy."
"Is that safe?"
"Wait, we can go back in the Caves!" A lightbulb goes off in Tressa's head, "There was room in there for a ship!"
"Tis not necessary," H'aanit stands, "There be'en a goode amount of sand hereforth... the waters be shallow along the coastline."
"I suppose if you all don't mind a bit of seawater at this rate," Leon chuckles, "I'll signal to the other ships. But you'll have to climb by rope. We can't risk being beached on the sands."
Just a little west of Rippletide is where the ships drop off the crew that went through the fiasco. To get off the ship, they have to scale a rope down to the waters and wade back to the sandy spit, where the crowds have relocated. The Merchant Association members drag along the pirate, who regained consciousness. He cusses loudly as they wrangle him onto shore.
"Ya filthy landlubbers! Ya killed Makk! I'll never forget this!"
"Yeah, yeah, tell it to the judge!"
Tressa quietly scales down the rope after H'aanit. Linde makes an amazing jump into the huntress' arms from the deck.
"I guess everything's good then..." Tressa sighs, "Well, except for the broken pier and, uh, all that..."
"Mm..." H'aanit starts for the sandy shore, "Comen. The salt water be'en grating on thine shoes."
"Ahaha, yeah, yeah..."
As Tressa begins to follow, there is a sudden splash behind her. Linde turns with a hissing growl. H'aanit turns as well to see the plump Makk emerge from the shallow waves and grab Tressa in a chokehold from behind. He doesn't seem to have his knife though.
"AGHK-!" Tressa chokes a bit as he squeezes his meaty forearm against her throat like a bar. They were roughly the same height at least, so he didn't lift her off her feet. Her hands pry at his arm in vain.
"Leggo' a my matey!" Makk roars, "Or I'll snap the lassy's neck clean!"
From the shoreline, Olneo gives an indignant shout and begins fighting to the front of the crowd. Mikk sneers as his captors seem surprised and flustered by the new development. H'aanit seems ready for another fight, as does Linde. But she doesn't make any careless moves for fear of retribution to Tressa. The merchant girl struggles vivaciously against the strangling hold as Makk looks on expectantly with a murderous grin.
"Well, what's it gon' be?!"
There is a light tap and Makk sees people look up past him. He becomes aware too late of a shadow above him. He turns to see the spear point and the blonde captain holding it.
With no other way to quickly evade, Makk pushes Tressa away roughly, sending her face first into the water. Leon's spear drives between them. He makes a quick swipe at Makk, who barely dodges and stumbles backward clumsily.
"Urgh!"
"Tressa!" H'aanit and Linde hurry to help Tressa. The merchant girl coughs harshly as she shakily lifts herself out of the shallow waters.
Leon's spear point nails to the ships' barge as Makk backs up against it, striking the wood mere millimeters from the pirate's face. Makk swallows heavily, completely outmatched. His sodden self is trembling as a slight warmth seeps out by the water between his legs.
"Well?" Leon says with a cold tone, "How does it feel to be the one quaking?"
…
Ophilia curls her hand appreciatively around the mug of warm tea before her. Her fingers had stopped shaking a bit after the fatigue eventually faded. The people could not stop thanking her for having healed those injured. She still found time to heal H'aanit once the huntress rejoined with her. Mattias had only briefly met with them, utterly out of breath. He ran off to see to their travel accommodations, as apparently their original ship plans had been cancelled due to the damages from cannons.
Prim sighs, her eyes looking about with weariness. After the damage to the pier, the Nightingale has been grounded. Their trip is delayed until further notice. She had returned to such dour news after the town constable finally arrived to the caves to make a group arrest. When she had finally reunited with Alfyn and Therion with Olberic, the thief had been trying to redeem their little fight against the pirates amid this event of disaster. Obviously, they were not even a priority for the Association to pay, and were shoved off. With the wharf closed, there was also no way to get refunds on their tickets.
Right now, she and the other six out-of-towners sit around in the Rippletide pub, relaxing a bit after the whole fiasco. There are many people here to unwind as well. Luckily, Rippletide has more than one watering hole, which means it isn't ridiculously crowded. These establishments are also a good deal larger than the ones in Clearbrook and Cobbleston. Nonetheless, the crowds make it inhospitable to the beasts, who have to wait outside once more.
People have drawn up chairs by droves in their tables, many of them merchants. They talk in semi-low voices with liquor in their glasses, occasionally pointing at the crew from out of town. Bar workers keep steady feet as they navigate through the dense amount of patrons. The conversation is all abuzz about things like repairs and the overall near-disaster in general. Primrose's keen hearing picks up some tidbits here and there about a certain peg-legged merchant who had skipped town amid the chaos... She decides to let it go.
Tressa sighs heavily as she walks into the pub and squeezes over to their table. She had gotten a full earful from Olneo, who berated her nonstop for having gone on such a dangerous excursion. She ended up running out of the house, looking for these newfound companions of hers.
"Ah, heya Tress!" Alfyn grins, waving.
"Can I join you guys?" Tressa says hopefully.
"Why of course, dearie," Primrose gives the girl a small smile, "Therion, why don't you pull up a seat for her?"
Therion doesn't budge, ignoring the dancer's request. Alfyn obliviously does it instead and Tressa squishes in between Ophilia and Olberic's seats. The huntress notes the merchant seems to have slightly reddish eyes.
"Aren thou alright?" H'aanit says, "Twas a nasty shock frome the sea cur."
"I'm fine," Tressa says, lightly rubbing her throat. Her mom was crying from relief when she heard about Tressa's involvement with the whole battle.
"Were yer folks worried?" Alfyn looks curiously, "Somethin' hurt? I can help!"
"From my deductions, I surmise it was likely her father," Cyrus says with a slight sigh, "The man is a very … forceful parent. He seemed invigorated with raw passion the entire time he was looking for her..."
"Tis not uncommon, a father's love," Olberic sips from his mug of mead, "And it comes from genuine worry. That was a matter of life and death after all."
Ophilia says nothing, merely looking at the girl beside her. Tressa definitely looked younger than she, but not by much. The merchant's face seems as if she'd been crying, or on the verge of. The comments from the others were not helping. Gingerly, the cleric rubs the younger girl's back.
She feels a spark as she unconsciously makes a connection. In her head, the image of what happened just moments ago in the Colzione house manifests from Tressa's memories. Tressa faces her two angry parents at the dinner table, mere moments after she had reunited with her father and returned to Rippletide.
"Young lady, what were you thinking?!" The man, Tressa's father, says with an exasperated tone, "You could have been killed!"
"I told you to keep a wide berth from the pirates, didn't I?" The girl's mother wrings her hands a bit, "Thank goodness nothing came of it though..."
"Uh huh, yeah, sorry..." Tressa picks a bit at her food, having no appetite. She looks up to her folks, "But, thanks to me, we don't have to worry about the pirates anymore! Isn't that great?"
"You almost got yourself killed if it weren't for Captain Leon!" Tressa's father munches gruffly on his meal.
"W-well, I'm here!" Tressa shoots back pathetically.
Ophilia could feel Tressa's anger and pride bubble up.
"You are grounded, you hear me?" Tressa's father sighs, "That's one week of cleaning shop!"
"What?" Tressa bites her lower lip and barks back, "I'm not a kid anymore, pop!"
"You are still my child! And as long as you live under this roof, you will follow our rules!" Her father's voice rises.
"Dears, dears!" Tressa's mother tries to defuse the escalating situation.
"I'm not gonna be here much longer then! I'm gonna go out and travel as a real merchant!" Tressa shouts at her father, "So I don't have to listen to you!"
"There are even worse scalawags out there than those sea dogs! You aren't prepared!"
"I'm never going to be if I stay here! Everyone in this place is just so BORING!" Tressa blurts out, "I'm going to get my experience as a merchant better this way than running this dead-end shop!"
She ran her mouth a bit too far. Ophilia can see the rage deepen in the father's face, mixed with a sudden sadness that came over the mother's.
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Tressa's father positively roars. For a second, the soft family man seemed to change into a fiercer form, perhaps something lost to time. Tressa shrinks back, tears rising in her eyes.
"... D-dear..." Her mother starts.
"... I won't have it, Tressa. I don't want to speak about this further," Her father lowers his voice, trying to rein it back.
But it is too late. Tressa bites back her cry and shoves out of her seat, letting her chair fall back with a loud thud as she runs out of the house. Behind her, the calls from her exasperated parents grow softer as the distance between them grows.
Ophilia snaps back to their current time. That memory transferred in the span of mere seconds.
Tressa clears her throat and grins to the others at the table, "So! Y'all staying long at all?"
"Not quite... once the ships are back to order, we will be sailing off to Atlasdam," Primrose says, twirling a lock of hair on her finger.
"Whatten a turn of the fates," H'aanit looks to the dancer, "We aren bound for the same."
"Oh dear, I haven't given any thought to travel permissions! I need a ship to the Cliftlands at once!" Cyrus exclaims. He had briskly read through Harold's contacts and found Odette to be doing some work in the settlement town of Quarrycrest in the Cliftlands. Unfortunately, amid the subsequent chaos, there was no opportunity for him to get a ticket for a ship. And now, with the wharf house in disrepair, it seemed unlikely he would be able to procure a ticket anytime soon.
"The Cliftlands?" Olberic glances up at the scholar, "I had spoken to the wharfmaster before the scuffle... There won't be a ship going directly there for some time to come."
"Oh, fie onto me!" Cyrus laments dramatically.
"We're all a bit shipwrecked then, ain't we?" Alfyn chuckles, "I mean, our boat got dinged up so we can't go till they say so!"
"Right... Mattias said the same of our boat..." Ophilia sighs.
Tressa seems pensive for a moment, then seizes the opportunity, "Say, I'm starved! How's about dinner?"
"You paying?" Therion speaks up for once, arching an eyebrow at the young girl.
"Now that's hardly right..." Primrose looks to the thief.
"No problem!" Tressa pulls out a bulging coin purse, "Don't underestimate a merchant!"
"Woah!" Alfyn exclaims, seeing the hefty container.
"Hehe, doesn't seem like you guys know how to handle finances at all. I'll pay!" Tressa wags a finger and grins. She waves for a server and orders a nice, hot group meal.
"You were not joking in the slightest when you stated you wanted to be a conductor of commerce, I see," Cyrus says with a look of appraising surprise.
"You thought I was all talk, huh? I may look young, but I'm no greenhorn when it comes to it! I've been tradin' since I could talk!" Tressa says, puffing her chest a little, "Merchant extraordinaire! And it looks like you guys could use one, by the looks of it."
Primrose gives a small smile at the young girl's antics, "That's sweet, dear... But I don't think we're in any shape to afford you."
"Well, 'least the room fee at the inn won't be goin' to waste," Alfyn shrugs.
"At this rate, we won't be able to make it back to the Kindling in time..." Ophilia bites her bottom lip.
A big pot of stew is plunked down on their table with a set of bowls for self-serving. With a sigh, the group begins to eat. The stew is filled with the special seafoods that make the Coastlands famous. But after the day they had, it was just fuel in the tank.
"Mayhap we oughten seeketh a room as well," H'aanit looks to Ophilia, "Ships doth not repairen in a mere night's time."
"Mm... When Mattias gets back, we'll tell him..." Ophilia sighs, "I feel so bad... he's been paying for almost everything this trip..."
Tressa doesn't have much of an appetite as she surveys the glum mood around her. She wanted them to take her with them for sure. But at this point, were they even going to leave?
"Perhaps we should chance the road back after all," Primrose eats her stew pensively, "It doesn't cost anything."
"Are you kidding?" Therion grumbles, snarfing down his bowl's share and seems to think on it a bit more, "...Though I guess we don't have a choice."
"Then we shall set out tomorrow, agreed?" Olberic downs his stew.
"I will have to find lodging for the night as well..." Cyrus says with a sigh, "Such is an ill-planned excursion, I suppose."
"Hath thou anything planned?" H'aanit looks to the scholar inquisitvely.
"Well, yes! I planned to find Harold and then set off to Odette!"
"Tis hardly a real plan," H'aanit says with a slight smile under her breath at the others foolhardiness.
"My, is that a smile at my plight?" Cyrus exclaims indignantly. But he is far from angry.
"Thine eyes deceivest thou," H'aanit turns away, "Comen. We oughten finden rooms, lest the town be unwelcome for us with numbers."
"If you guys are short on cash...!" Tressa stands, "I'll pay for a room... so long as I also get a bed!"
"Eh?" Ophilia blinks, "Well, Mattias..."
"I know all the joints in Rippletide," Tressa makes a snide chuckle to appear knowing, "If one's crowded, we can go onto the next!"
"Doest thou not have a dwelling with thine parents?"
"Ah..." Ophilia opens her mouth to interject.
"I'm more interested in whatever you guys hafta tell!" Tressa says simply, "This village isn't going to be big enough for me pretty soon."
Some people in the nearby tables glance at the enthusiastic merchant. She wasn't a strange face, and her attitude was certainly not foreign. But they dismiss it to be the rantings of a sulking child and continue on with their own business.
"Hehe, you thinking of setting out?" Alfyn asks knowingly.
"Yep!" Tressa nods.
"Oh... Is that..." Primrose slowly sees the merchant's little scheme, "... You were looking for us as retainers."
"We don't even travel together," Therion pipes up.
"Ophilia!" Mattias enters the crowded establishment and walks over to the cleric, "Oh, you had dinner?"
"Mattias!" Ophilia looks to the merchant, "Oh yes, Tressa here was kind enough to treat us!"
"Oh?" Mattias looks to the younger merchant with a small smile, "Why, thank you for taking care of Ophilia."
"Uh, no problem," Tressa looks the merchant over with sudden interest, "So you're a merchant, from the looks of it."
"Well, yes," Mattias gives a small laugh, "From the looks of that hat, you are too. A bit young though."
He returns his attention to Ophilia, "Anyway, I have good news. I found a captain of one of the ships that weren't damaged and they are set to leave right on time in the morning. They're even making way straight to Flamesgrace's lower port!"
"Oh, that's wonderful!" Ophilia then remembers something, "Ah, we must speak to William now that the pirates have been dispatched of!"
"I already did," Mattias pulls out the box of medicine, "The old coot couldn't say no at this point, haha."
At the sight of the merchant, Therion visibly flinched. He tenses up, ready to flee in case Mattias recognized even the figment of him having spied on his murder. But Mattias seems jovially engaged with the cleric for now.
"Hm?" Even Alfyn detects a change in the thief, "What's up, Therion?"
"... Nothing," Therion mutters with a slight scowl, "Mind your own business."
"Excuse me," Primrose stands and addresses Mattias, "Might there be room on this ship? I'm afraid our plans were marred from this event as well."
"Hmm, you'll have to speak to the captain," Mattias appraises the dancer with a quick eye.
"Ah, these people helped us against the bandits, Mattias!" Ophilia enthusiastically introduces the merchant to the others.
"Oho, friends of Ophilia's are good enough for me," Mattias tips his hat a bit, "You're all traveling too huh? Crazy days in the world now."
"Indeed," Olberic nods, "Tis fortunate you found another venue to travel though."
"I think the captain will still be at his ship," Mattias shrugs, "You're welcome to speak with him. It's the Azure Wind."
"Oh, Leon's ship..." Primrose raises an eyebrow.
"Ah, you know him? Leon's quite popular with the ladies," Mattias chuckles and looks back to Ophilia, "So we'll get a room tonight... and set off in the early morning then!"
"All right then," Ophilia nods, "Ah, did you get seats for H'aanit, Linde, and Hägen as well?"
"... Oh, that slipped my mind entirely," Mattias looks apologetically to H'aanit, "Uh, you can tell the captain you're with us. I'm sure he has the space."
"Well, I will have to endeavor to get aboard as well, then!" Cyrus stands, "The faster I can go north, the better!"
H'aanit side-eyes the scholar before looking back to Mattias, "Tis of no ill. I will speaketh with the captain."
"Well, it seems we're all going," Primrose chuckles.
"Yep!" Tressa pipes up. Everyone sort of glances at her in surprise when she does.
…
As the large group files out of the pub, Ophilia and Mattias make their way to the inn. Ophilia chides Mattias and says she'll make sure to grab a room for H'aanit and Cyrus as well.
"Ah, tis pains me that I continue to rely on your good graces, Ophilia," Cyrus laments. The way he talks with verbose flourish is almost as if he were a character straight out of dramatic plays.
"It's nothing, really! We've been travelling this far together... and we all seem to still be going the same way!"
"Such an angel, isn't she?" Primrose says with a small smile. Only Therion really heard her... probably because she was saying it to him on the side. He merely scoffs in response.
"Speaking of the inn," Primrose looks to Alfyn, Therion, and Olberic, "Why don't you three run along back as well and get some rest? I'll be along after I talk with the captain to get spots for us all."
"Huh? But I'm feeling great!" Alfyn pipes up, "I'll come with!"
"Alfyn, you got your side cut open," Primrose gently runs a hand over the taller man's abdomen. The apothecary suppresses a wince and shudder as her fingers graze the sensitive wound area, "Therion and Olberic will take care of you. And maybe that nice cleric would be willing, too. It wouldn't do to have our traveling doctor in pain."
Alfyn blushes a bit as she gives him a flirtatious wink. Therion scoffs, "It's your own advice. Take it."
"Alright..." The apothecary grumbles in acquiescence.
Olberic lightly lays a hand on the dirty blonde's shoulder and looks to the dancer, "Will you be all right?"
Primrose merely smiles and says, with a note of mischief, "Of course. The captain seems quite... the lady's man."
That seems to make the warrior reconsider his question. Nonetheless, he goes to leave with the thief and apothecary for the inn, "Do take care then."
The four remaining, H'aanit, Cyrus, Primrose, and Tressa, linger at the front of the pub while the other five go to the inn. H'aanit lightly scratches the jowls of Hägen and Linde before casting a slight eye on the merchant girl.
"So, thou willst be followen with us?"
"Uh huh. I don't know if another chance is gonna come around..." Tressa says with a small smile after she looks down at her shoes, "It's something I wanna do! And- and, it'll be fine with you guys..."
"That's very cute," Primrose lightly pats the little girl on the hat, "But we all have different destinations... and we aren't looking to take along any dream seekers exactly."
"Well, I'll pick who I get to go with once I get to know you all better then! And whoever I choose will definitely be getting a sweet deal," Tressa says with confidence, "After all, who wouldn't want a merchant with all the leaves?"
"You... Hmm..." Cyrus seems to think a moment, "Money is hardly ever on my mind, though I am told it should be... And I suppose Ophilia already travels with Mattias though..."
"Letten us discusseth this after we haven spoketh to the captain," H'aanit stands and tosses a small glance to Tressa, "I haven no reserve on thine journey. But thou art still rather green."
"Hey, experience comes with living it, right? I don't want to spend the next ten years just working and stocking shop."
"Well said," The huntress says with a low chuckle. Linde seems to give a catty grin while Hägen merely gives the canine equivalent of a scoff.
Their group makes their way through the streets lit by lamps. After the pirate attacks, Mikk and Makk were hauled with their mateys to the local stocks. People were let back into the town as rebuilding efforts instantly began. The streets were not too damaged. People reported looting having gone on amid the chaos.
"This captain character... his generosity is quite the fortuitous windfall for us," Cyrus nods as they walk, rubbing his chin, "I wonder that other ships may be able to make the trip if this should not bode well for us..."
"The captain seems like a nice man," Primrose shrugs, "I hadn't seen his ship though."
"He's the one who saved me!" Tressa chimes in, "He's really cool."
They come to the luxury ship with the blue sails down, standing magnificently in the moonlight. Atop the crow's next flies the flag with the emblem of a silver serpent in the night breeze. Other ships nearby seem to pale in comparison to the Azure Wind. Standing on the pier, just shadows by the silhouette of his own ship, stands Leon. His blonde hair shimmers in the moonlight when he steps out to approach the group coming towards him.
"Ah, busy night."
"Clearly," Primrose gives him a sultry smile, "Is your crew all asleep?"
"Aye," Leon points a thumb at his ship, "I like to take a small gander at her before I hit the hay myself. Make sure it's all in order. Can't go sailing to the frigid north without making all proper checks."
"How industrious! I would have thought a lower member of the crew would do such menial tasks," Cyrus says observantly.
"Captains have to be able to step in on all tasks," Leon shrugs, "Anyways, how can I help you fine folk?"
"We be'en seeking place on thine ship to Flamesgrace," H'aanit says, cutting to the chase, "Mattias hath spoketh to thee, yes?"
"Ah, yes... You as well, lass?"
Tressa perks up when Leon's eyes lay on her, "Huh? Oh, yeah! I'm going too!"
Leon smiles a little and addresses the group, "Normally, I would charge you all a king's ransom in total... But you all have shown quite the gumption I didn't expect."
"I told you not to underestimate our resolve," Primrose says with a chuckle.
"Indeed. I think there is enough room for seven more aboard, if you all don't mind the squeeze, of course."
"Not a problem," Cyrus says, nodding along, "Tis no matter when the route and price are such bargains."
"Tis more for nine," H'aanit points to Linde and Hägen.
"Ah, beasts... They seem remarkably trained. I shall trust that you will keep them in check. If so, then they are welcome aboard as well," Leon nods, "We weigh anchor tomorrow at early morning. Pray do not be tardy."
"Thank you for this, captain," Primrose bats her lashes graciously at the man before turning to go, "I suppose we shall sleep better tonight knowing we'll be on our way tomorrow."
"I suppose a long rest is in order," Cyrus gives a small sigh of relief, "Getting to the Frostlands will shorten my trip to the Cliftlands a great deal..."
"I look forward to seeing you all as passengers tomorrow then," Leon smiles, particularly in Tressa's direction.
Once again, apologies for the one-day delay.