The morning had been tight and controlled, but the afternoon more like controlled chaos. Before lunch Riley mostly held herself in abeyance, after she decided to initiate fights while we were still cleaning up the one we were already on. It made for several absolutely glorious situations. Wolfe had a hell of a time of it between blocking, or taking, hits, healing me and clobbering with her hammer. Couldn't keep the smile off my face.
The highlight, by far, at the end. Riley heading off in one direction and then running back while screaming her head off. Coming behind her, steps thudding, a humanoid shaped amalgamation of dirt, loose rock and grasses, over a story tall and wielding a tree that had grown out of its arm as a club. A Hill Giant. We'd seen several during the morning, wisely keeping our distance, but this one, barreling in, blackened marks on its face, much more angry than injured, and soil rolling off with each ponderous step.
Breaking off the current target, leaving Wolfe to finish off the cockatrice we'd been fighting, and moving in to intercept. The tree branch arcing down, being intercepted by the shield, which held – until it didn't – but blunting the branch's momentum and slowing the impact. Trying to dive away to avoid the hit, but getting sent spinning, my leg clipped. Rolling to my feet a short distance away, unsteady and trying to recover my bearings.
The giant reeling back for another strike, but a bright flash of light engulfing its face and occupying its attention, leaving more blackened marks in its wake but not doing any real damage. Shaking off my dizziness, ignoring the ache in my leg, and moving in to occupy its attention. Using the shield to partially block strikes and dodging, or limping, from side to side, forward and back, while looking for an opportunity to strike. Wolfe finishing with the cockatrice and coming in from the side.
“Aim for the ankle.”
Her hammer slamming into its lower leg and doing enough damage to draw its attention. The giant turning, allowing me to get in close to hack repeatedly at its other ankle, where the achilles tendon should have been, separating the foot and collapsing the leg. The thing crashing to the ground, flailing, trying to reorient itself and a limb, partially blunted by the shield, knocking me several steps back and putting me on my seat. Ultimately, however, its efforts proving futile and the monster now unmoving, topsoil spilling from its head.
Collapsing to the ground, the three of us caught between relief and exultation, letting our heart rates and breathing get back to normal and Wolfe healing me up. The giant shaped pile of earth and rock not a suitable candidate for Disjunction, but some of the moss and plants growing on it valuable to the Herbalist.
“Alright, we calling it?”
The two giving nods of assent. Getting to our feet and dusting ourselves off. Heading north, out of the hills, and back in the direction of the road. Leaving the scrub and grasses of the hills behind and picking our way through the wooded area. Seeing something a bit ahead and to the left. Man sized figures. Movement.
“We need to go this way.” Indicating a direction away from the movement. My sharp tone causing them to follow, unquestioning.
“What'd you see?” says Wolfe. Riley glancing back.
“Definitely a group of people over the way we were heading. Not sure what they were doing and I don't really want to find out.”
Continuing a short ways. Movement shadowing us behind and to the north. Yep, being pursued.
“They're following us. I don't know what their intention is, but if they're too much of a higher level than we are, we don't have a chance, and it's better to try and pay them off. If they're not a higher level, there's no reason not to negotiate, see if they can be persuaded with - it wouldn't be the end of the world to lose the feathers, we still have the other stuff. But we may end up fighting them. I need you to prepare yourselves for that. It's not the goal, but be aware.”
Their eyes going tight with worry.
The other group outpacing us, now about even, clearly moving to block the path north. Coming around a tree, seeing them, a group of three, no, to the left, in the trees, another one, or maybe two. The gear not shabby, but nothing immediately standing out. The one in front wielding a spear and wearing a brigandine coat, no helm. The one to the left, clothing, no visible armor, probably a caster. The one to the right, tough to place, in leathers. Wait, he looks sort of familiar, where, though? And then the ones in the trees. Probably another caster or some kind of archer. Hopefully only one.
“Lets see what they want.”
Holding my axe low but ready. Both our groups walking slowly toward each other, me and the one in the brigandine coat breaking a bit away, getting a little closer, about ten feet apart now. The guy still breathing heavy, recovering from the run.
“Ladies,” he says, “I'm sorry but there's a toll if you want to-” Stopping, looking over my right shoulder. “Evie? How about that. I hardly recognized you, always acting like your shit don't stink but here you are running around all covered in dirt.”
“How much you want for your toll?”
“Well,” turning his attention back to me, “Princess and her two remaining hangers on, let's say three gold, one for each.”
“We don't have any money. How about some of what we collected today and then we get going?”
“None? That's a shame.” Giving an exaggerated sigh. “Alright, all your bags and you can get on your way.”
“Fine. Evie, Kate, the bags.” Depositing their packs near my feet and backing off a few steps. Putting my pack next to theirs. Beckoning to him. “Here they are.”
Glaring at me. “Toss over the axe.” Nope, he doesn't seem to be particularly stupid. Tossing it over and the weapon landing a couple feet in front of him.
The guy starting to walk over, but holding his spear, unready, in one hand. Wait a second. Hey, guy, c'mon, you're holding a spear and now you're just walking into my range? That axe wasn't my only weapon. Spear range, spear range, inside, oblivious. Walking right up, not a care in the world. Is that why? All he sees is this little five foot nothing and he's thinking he doesn't have anything to worry about. Shit, he ain't even paying attention to me. Smirking over at Evie, ignoring me completely.
What's worse? The amateur mistake of losing your advantage any decent highway robber worth their salt would know to avoid, or the complete and utter lack of respect for what you may be up against. I mean, look at a Wizard. Don't usually look like much. Wiry, at best. Not exactly physically imposing. But piss one off and only a set of smoking boots'll be left. Definitely the lack of respect, by far. Should kill these idiots on principle. Starting the trickle of mana. There, activated.
“You know, I was thinking,” he says, his attention still on Riley, “I don't know if the three bags are going to be enough. Maybe there's something else you could do for us. Maybe you can keep the bags.”
At that, Riley and Wolfe shuffling their feet behind me. Holding out my right hand and turning to them, putting my back to the soon to be departed.
“Evie, Kate, don't worry, we'll be fine.” Keeping my voice chipper, but then giving them a murderous glare and quickly shifting my eyes sharply to the left. Riley looking a bit stunned. Wolfe, less so.
Turning back to the guy - his eyes still not on me - holding a spear with one hand while in fistfight distance, and not wearing a helm. In one smooth motion taking the dagger from the sheath on my torso and stabbing it directly upwards into his chin, and the blade entering all the way into his unobservant, empty head. Ghost appearing.
Well, look at that. They're all flatfooted. Guess it's my turn again.
Keeping an eye on the woods, shield ready to activate, and starting toward the spellcaster, my freshly blooded knife leading the way. A couple steps and the sound hitting, bardsong, coming from the one on the right. That's who that is. The short little jaunt to the caster suddenly becoming a widening gulf, each step feeling more awkward, uncoordinated and slower.
“Evie, kill the Bard. Kill that Bard trash. Do it now or we die.” Yelling, trying to disrupt the song, even if only a little.
The caster coming into action, speaking a phrase, moving his hands, halfway there, and then gesturing at me. Resist, resist, please resist. A sudden pain my stomach and intestines, swelling up and then decompressing. Didn't resist. Trying to stay up but going down, hitting the ground hard. Likely hemorrhaging. Gritting my teeth to try and fight through the pain.
The bardsong cutting off with a strangled scream. Clutching his hands to his smoking face, hair ablaze, falling to the ground and rolling. An arrow coming from the woods hitting the person coming up behind me. The caster starting to chant again, ignoring me.
Teach you not to underestimate me.
Throwing the dagger, but the angle making it an awkward toss. Hitting the guy's face, but not with point of the blade. The impact, however, disrupting his focus and spell. Using the shield to grab my nearby discarded axe and pulling it to my hand. Scrambling to my feet, ignoring the pain, and charging at my astonished target. Keeping my eye to the woods - shield deflecting the incoming arrow - and then burying the hatchet in the caster's forehead. And again. There's the ghost. The figure in the woods starting to run.
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Walking in the direction of the guy still on the ground, no longer on fire, but clutching his face and trying to pat his blistered and burned flesh. Wolfe getting to him first and Riley following her from behind.
“Kate, do you really need to heal that fucking garbage?”
Looking up at me with the arrow still in her arm, but the shaft slowly being pushed out, her flesh healing on its own. Blinking several times and licking her lips. Her hands touching near the burns on his face.
“Move.” Grabbing her with the shield and dragging her away from him. Using it to put pressure on his chest. If he were vertical, he'd probably be able to break through. But like this, prone? Much more difficult.
Wolfe back on her feet and getting directly my face.
“You killed them because you wanted to,” she says. Riley coming in from the side.
“Kate, you heard what he said. You know what he was saying.”
“I heard it, but that doesn't change why they ended up dead.”
Considering her. It seems she already knows full well and there's no point in pretending otherwise. Truth it is.
“Yeah, that's right, I'm not going to deny it. But does that change the fact that they deserved it? Besides, they're not dead.”
“I'm very angry with you right now.” Wolfe taking a deep breath. “You're not killing this one.”
Glancing down at the man pinned at my feet. Preparing to argue. Preparing to not, and just take the axe to his neck. Looking at Wolfe's unblinking face. Beckoning them both in and bringing my mouth near their ears.
“If you insist. Only because you insist. But I still need to deal with him so play along.”
Both of them leaning back, Riley with a half smile and Wolfe still glaring. Then Wolfe giving a slight nod. Kneeling down next to the guy and gently tousling his singed hair.
“You are exceptionally lucky today. My friends don't want me to kill you. Ordinarily I'd be giving you a speech right now about mercy. You might be unfortunate enough to hear that speech in the future, but not today. So, the question is, what am I going to be doing with you, and what am I going to be doing with all of your stuff. Well, today is your lucky day. You might be able to get back all your stuff - and not get killed - all in one day.”
His hopeful expression turning my stomach.
“So, here's the deal. You're going to be helping me again tonight. I was badgered into performing this evening and now you're going to be acting as my personal minstrel.” Turning back. “Kate, Evie, can you check their pockets and see how much money they had?” The bodies had disappeared when the ghosts did, leaving their gear on the ground. The two girls starting to poke through what had been left.
“I'm thinking we take all your money now and you can carry back all the gear yourself. Meet me at the intersection just to the north of the pawnshop at nine o'clock. You know where that is? Good.” Leaning down real close so only he could hear. “If you think about not showing up, or if you do something to hinder rather than help the performance, you need to understand that you're not quite as safe inside the city as you think. If someone leaves a stormdrain open all it takes is a little shove and then you're in the sewers. There are no niceties in the sewers. I'll feed you to the rats.”
Pressing down harder with the shield.
“Are my terms acceptable?”
“Yes.” Terror in his one bright blue eye, the other still clouded and milky from the heat.
“Good.” Standing up and releasing the shield. “I expect great things from you. And, when you deliver, you'll get all your money back. And we'll be square, no hard feelings, either side.” Turning back to Wolfe. “Kate, you can heal him, if you want.”
Walking a few steps away and then my legs getting shaky, the adrenaline faded. Sinking to the ground and trying to steady my breathing. Wolfe twisting her head around, still healing the Bard, but then getting to her feet and coming over to me.
“Feels like they really got you,” she says. A warm feeling entering my side.
“Yeah.”
“I want you to know that I'm still angry with you, but thank you.”
“Yeah.” The warmth erasing the pain. “Thank you.”
“Yeah.”
Heading back north to the road and hitching a ride on a wagon heading east. Cashing out at the furrier and then at Ink's. Compared to prior outings, a massive haul. Nine gold, fifty five silver and change.
“Are you still going to buy me something?”
Wolfe glancing at me out of the side of her eyes. “Yes.”
“Really? I thought you were going to be mad at me all day.”
“I am still mad.” A defensive shrug of her shoulders.
“Aw Kate, don't be like that.” Riley moving toward her, starting to poke and tickle. “Say it.”
Joining with Riley and ganging up on Wolfe, returning the favor from yesterday.
“Okay, okay, okay, fine.” Wolfe saying while trying to dance away. “I forgive you.”
“Great, where we headed?”
“We've got to head to the cobbler to pick up the shoes,” says Wolfe, “and then the clothing store to pick up the dresses for the gala tomorrow. I'm going to get you an outfit for tonight, so your performance can really stand out.”
“You want me to play dress up?”
“Kate, that's perfect,” says Riley, “I've got to go there and get some new clothes, too. I'm going to have to throw this set away.”
Both of us turning to look at her.
“Throw them away,” says Wolfe. “Why?”
“You,” says Riley, “and certainly Lucy, may not mind having all these stains on your clothes, but I do. I had to throw that set away from two days ago, too.” Both of us staring at her, not sure what to say. Today hadn't really been that bad, a bit of splatter from the axe at the end there, aside.
“You threw them away?” Trying to hold back my laughter but Wolfe's guffaw making that impossible.
“Yes.” Riley staying solemn. “However, this is my penance, and if I have to do it to help you two, I will. They're only clothes, after all.”
“Evie, you're great. What time is it now? Yeah, we got time. I've got to bring you somewhere before we go to the store. It'll be really nice after all the running around we did.”
Getting to the bathhouse at half after three.
“Wait,” says Riley, “they can even clean the whites?”
“Yes, that's what I said. Why do you even have so much white on your field outfit anyway?”
“It looks good.” Matter of factly. “I know white isn't your color – goes against your grain – but some of us have style.” Wolfe giggling and my eyes rolling out of my head.
Getting undressed in the locker room, bringing the pile of clothing and packs to the desk to get cleaned while leaving the valuables stowed. Undoing the braid, stripping off the rest, and using the shower to clean off any remaining large messy bits and the dirt. Walking out to the baths, significantly less busy at this hour than at night several days ago. Riley clean shaven, and looking askance at me, Wolfe neatly trimmed.
Going to the pools and getting in the hottest one. Relaxing, letting the heat soothe the tension out of my muscles and stretching a bit. Finishing up, heading back to the lockers and picking up the cleaned and pressed clothing.
“This is-” Riley feeling her clothes. “It's only been thirty minutes. How'd they do it?”
“Magic. I dunno. They got access to stuff we don't. Pay attention to the lady in the clothing store, her inventory in back is way bigger than it should be.”
Getting to the cobbler and picking up our shoes. Mine tiny, black, with a very small heel.
“Evie, thank you, I like these.” They look horribly uncomfortable.
“You're welcome. I figured that heel would be best, anything else would be too much on a little shrimp like you.” Patting my head. “Overcompensating.” Not flying off. Keeping a gracious smile on my face.
Into the clothing store, picking up the dresses, and then Wolfe forcing me to try on whatever she felt like. Grinning and bearing it.
“Hey, Lucy,” says Riley, between sets. “Don't take offense. I've seen your dress for tomorrow, if you want to borrow a razor from me I can lend you one.”
“What, why?”
“Well for, you know, for the dance. I can't imagine what Jack would say if saw me like that.”
“You're joking. You do it for Jack? Evie, you don't know anything about men.”
“Oh, and you're an expert.”
Looking at her, trying to find the best way to answer without opening myself up to an insult.
“The last thing Jack worries when he gets his hands on you is whether or not you got a little hair on your muff.” Riley bringing a hand up to hide her mouth, eyes flashing. “Hell, probably only two kinds of guys who'd really even care. The first type, prissy, not someone you'd be particularly interested in dating, if Jack's any indication.”
“Yeah?” The girl now openly laughing, in spite of herself. “I guess. What's the second type?”
“The second type? Their opinion of you is even more worthless. Let's just say the second type wouldn't be interested in dating you in the first place, if you catch my drift.”
Laughing. Shaking her head. Wolfe coming back with a different brightly colored skirt.
“That sounds overly simplistic,” says Riley.
“Maybe. Sometimes life's simple, sometimes it's easier to simplify something complex. If you want to, feel free, but Jack certainly ain't gonna care.”
“I'll keep that in mind, and I will feel free. But, for you, my offer still stands.”
“I appreciate that. I'll trim it back, at some point, if it gets too out of control. Kate, I think I know what I want, I liked that last one, but now I've got to get a pair of socks so as not to offend the delicate Miss Evelyn with my hairy legs.” Riley putting a hand back over her mouth to stifle her laugh. “What'd you say, white's not my color? I'll make you eat those words.”