Sellas winced at Enrick's question. Who had she expected to hit with the chair? Shifting for a moment, she gave a half-hearted shrug. "A [Knight], I guess? I didn't really get the time to think it through."

She'd heard the man knocking on the door, seen a flash of steel through the cracks, and then... mostly panicked. It hadn't been her proudest moment, for all that it'd let her get the drop on him.

Across the table, Enrick's expression settled into a baffled frown. His fingers tapped against the wood. "I don't follow. You're saying you hit me with a chair because you thought I was a [Knight]? Why?"

The man's continued pressing of the question caused Sellas to give a second wince. Hesitantly, she eyed the three adventurers, trying to think through what would be safe to share. On the one hand, there was no guarantee this new group wasn't familiar with — or even friendly to — those [Knights] who'd killed her. On the other...

Sellas took another second to consider her situation, then let her shoulders drop. On the other hand, had they wanted to hurt her, the three could've easily already done so. Given that she was trapped in the bar with them, gods knew they'd had the chance.

However, if she took a bit of a risk and explained, the three might instead help shine a light on some things. Maybe — just maybe — with a little bit of trust, she could gain some help.

Sellas took a slow, deep breath.

At the least, it was another opportunity to talk to people. She could appreciate that.

"A group of [Knights] attacked me a while back. I thought you might've been them again, coming around for a second pass."

Straightening at her words, Enrick sharpened his gaze. Still, Sellas hurried on before he could ask the obvious question. "And yes, I'm sure they were [Knights]. I saw the emblems on their armor. And on a couple of things they left behind."

Breaking off, Sellas stood and moved towards the fireplace. She stretched, then grabbed an arrow from the top of the mantle— one of the few she'd ended up collecting from the clearing.

"Here, take a look." Sellas handed the red and gold fletched shaft over to Enrick, who — after giving the item a quick look-over — held it up for Kate to see as she leaned over his shoulder.

With her head tilted to the side, Kate peered at the simplified engraving of a rose, its location near the bottom of the shaft. "That's the emblem of the Order that posted a search quest for their missing trainees, isn't it? The Rose Knights?" She plucked the arrow from Enrick's hand and tossed it to Gregan after a few seconds' look. "There would've been five newly inducted and an instructor, then. Lorel mentioned that they'd be having her search around here, but..." Trailing off, Kate puffed out a breath. "Miss Sellas, exactly how long ago did you say this happened?"

"Um, I'm not sure. A week and a half ago? Maybe two." Blinking at the other woman's calm acceptance of her claims, Sellas shook her head as she made her way back into her seat. As well as she remembered most of her days, she'd been quite dead after the encounter. It'd been more than a single night and less than a week, but beyond that, she honestly couldn't say.

Her foot tapped nervously beneath the table.

"You said that you know about the [Knights] that attacked me, though? And that they're... missing?" Still somewhat out of it, Sellas pulled the conversation back onto the point she'd understood. As happy as she'd be not to reencounter the group, hearing that they'd disappeared somewhere still in the forest didn't exactly make her feel safer.

"That's what we heard, at least. They were two days overdue when the three of us left. Still, with all the scout-related Classes the group's Order requested to search for them, I'd be astonished if they hadn't been found and brought back by now."

Crossing her arms across her chest, Kate gave Sellas a pitying look.

"From what you're saying, though, I don't imagine that 'probably gone' is much of a relief. If you need, we could escort you into town so you can report what happened— we were already heading there to pick up our other member. There's no telling how the [Knights'] Order might take it, but at the least, it'd put the Guild on guard and let the town put you under a temporary watch."

"Oh. Um, thank you." Sellas felt her mind go blank at the woman's offer. "That's very kind, but..." Her thoughts flickered to her connection with the bar's door. "I don't think it'd be quite that easy. Thank you again, but no, probably not."

Kate grimaced. "If you don't feel it's necessary, then we're not going to push you for it. Just know the offer is open." She eyed Sellas again, then shook her head. "Getting off the topic, however, I've actually been meaning to ask— how have we not heard of this place? You're not far from town— maybe four hours at most. Surely you see some adventurers pass by or get [Messenger] deliveries made, at least?"

Stolen story; please report.

Sellas's nose scrunched as she fixed the other woman with a dubious look. "Did you not—" She leaned slightly forwards against the table. "I'm sorry, but you do realize where I am, right? You saw the field of blood-sucking flowers and the dead boar?"

"Yes?" Kate cocked her head, dragging the word out into a question. "Given that you're living here, though, I'd figured that you had a way around it all."

Sellas snorted, then coughed as she caught herself. "No, not other than trying to cover my legs with rags, at least." Rubbing a hand across the scabs that crisscrossed the bottom of her thighs, she made a face. "And either way, that's only half the issue. Getting around everything doesn't help if the bar is still stuck here."

"Well, that only seems to beg a different question." Speaking up from Sellas's left, Gregan broke into the conversation, raising a dubious brow. "If it's a problem, why'd you put it here? I can't imagine that the blood blossoms weren't already around when you decided to build the place. If you'd wanted an easier way around, it probably would've been a bit smarter for you to have chosen a location with a little less— ah!"

He jerked back as Kate swatted at his outstretched hand.

"For gods sakes, Gregan— be polite! And stop messing around with her furnishings before you have to pay for them."

Annoyed, distracted, and then somewhat confused by the second half of Kate's rebuke, Sellas dragged her gaze down towards where Gregan's hand had been. After a moment, she blinked. At the point where the man's index finger had rested, there was an oak sprout. Two inches long and healthily green, it was continuing to grow out from a small crack in the tabletop. Near its tip, a single leaf emerged, only to fall back against the wood.

In an instant, Sellas had lost the previous thread of conversation. She gaped, then let her gaze flicker between Gregan and the still-growing plant. Slowly, she narrowed her eyes. "How did you do that?"

"What, the sprout?" Still flexing his fingers against his palm, Gregan glared at Kate as he responded. "I'm a [Druid]. The table's wood is a bit odd, but it's not like it needs more than a nudge. I just told the thing to grow a bit."

"And he apologizes." Before Sellas could ask for further clarification, Kate reached across the table, taking hold of the newly sprouted shoot with forefinger and thumb. The woman's eyes closed, her brow scrunched, and—

Wumph!

Sellas yelped as the greenery exploded into flames, with the section of the table it'd been growing on peeling upwards in blackened flakes.

Despite Sellas's outburst, Kate didn't immediately move. She waited a few moments for the flames to fully disperse, then flapped her hand, grinning at the young [Barkeeper]'s wide-eyed expression when she was done. "Sorry about the scorch— Gregan's plants don't react too well to being cut. Should come out with a bit of sanding, though."

"I— No, you know what? It's fine." Sellas stared at the circular burn and ash that rested where the plant had been. "Was that a Skill from your Class?"

"Hah! If only." Flashing a second, shorter burst of fire, Kate fell back again into her chair. "Six years of practice and counting— I only got offered [Mage] when I stop getting burned. Gregan was a bit luckier in that regard."

"[Druid] and [Mage]. Right. So then, uh..." Sellas shook her head in an attempt to clear it. "Sorry, that caught me off-guard. So then, does Enrick have a specialty too?"

Kate's smile fell.

"No, I don't do magic. Skill-based or otherwise." Frowning from his position across the table, Enrick shifted in his chair. "Physical Skills and passives are about all I'm provided; [Protector] is a martially focused Class, the same as most of those that come from [Warrior]."

He paused for a bit, leaving lingering silence that seemed to fill the space, then let out a sigh as he made to stand. "But on that note, I think this is as good a stopping point as any. It's getting late, and we've long since exhausted my original question. So long as we leave now, we should still be able to hit the edge of the woods before setting up camp for the night."

"Wait, we're leaving?" Kate's voice was a mix of indignant surprise. "Why? Why don't we just—?" She swept an arm across the empty bar, causing Sellas to straighten.

"That's not our decision to make, Kate." Picking his shield up from where it rested against the table, Enrick shook his head. "And besides— we've intruded long enough. Our apologies for the unpleasant surprise, Miss Sellas, and my sympathy for your experience with those [Knights]. We'll be sure to report this incident to the guild." He rose, shooting his team members a pointed glare before beginning to move towards the door.

Caught off guard by the sudden development, Sellas frowned uncertainly. Her eyes darted between Gregan and Kate as the two made their way slowly to their feet, seemingly reluctant but still moving to follow their teammate's lead.

She'd clearly touched something of a sore point with the man.

Arguably, that was a good thing; She'd prodded them into leaving, and nothing more had occurred. Sellas had learned more about the [Knights], she hadn't been killed again, and she could get back to figuring things out.

All... by herself.

Sellas's ruminations derailed at the unwelcome portion of thought.

The three's presence hadn't been long or particularly helpful, but at least they'd been there— other people to talk to, at the very least. Now that they were leaving, and with so few words exchanged...

Sellas furrowed her brow.

It'd taken weeks for the [Knights] to find her — the very first people to do so — and the time between them and the adventurers had been nearly the same. How long would it take for the next group to do so? Or the one after that?

She felt her foot tap against the floorboards as the three approached the door.

She didn't know these people, and yet... neither did she know anyone. They were the first people she'd actually gotten to meet, circumstances be damned, and they were leaving so fast.

She'd been fine for this long, but another month? Another month of bread and water? Of talking to herself as she petered around, redoing chores twice completed?

Sellas twitched again.

No. No, that wouldn't do. Caution and weariness be damned.

Steeling herself, Sellas made a choice. Pushing back her chair, she called out across the room.

"Actually, I'd appreciate it if you stayed the night! I don't think I'd be able to make it to the town with you all, but I'd—" Sellas winced, faltering briefly. "I'm having a bit of trouble at the moment. If you're looking to stop for the day anyway, I'd be really grateful if you stayed!"