Edward emerged from the Avon and vomited what felt like a half gallon of water. For a veteran in the art of getting too drunk, this was not a new experience. This particular event was uniquely unpleasant; escaping the city guard was no simple task but Ed now regretted diving into the Avon River that ran close to the town.
Kingsvalle used the Avon as a makeshift sewer when the river was not frozen over and Ed winced at the rancid taste and smell it left lingering on him. "This is not how I expected to end last night's little binge. Well nothing for it." Edward felt a little crazy talking to himself, but nearly drowning in the shit and stink of the Avon was enough to make any man a little crazy, or so he figured.
Ed conducted a quick survey of his clothes and gear.
Linen Tunic
Common
+ 1 Armor, +2 Protection
Leather Boots
Common
+ 2 Protection
Dandy Gloves
Poor
+1 Charm
Dandy Cap
Poor
+1 Charm
Dagger
Poor (Steel)
1-2 Damage
Describing the knife he had as a dagger was perhaps a bit generous. In reality it was little more than a pen knife or maybe one of those semi-sharp cheese knives. "Well, at least I have something to kill myself with if I run into any Nightmares" he sighed.
There was a good reason most sane people avoided the Forest of Nightmares. Besides the presence of the eponymous nightmares, the Devil's own damnable carnivorous horses, there were any number of other dangers that lived in the forest. His mother, may the saints bless her, was a wise woman and herbalist before she died, so Edward was familiar with woodscraft. But now he was stranded without the supplies to survive and there was no way he would return to Kingsvalle.
Ed did some quick checking and decided he was about 3 miles south of town. There were rumors of a crone that lived somewhere to the southwest of the City. He was not happy about trusting a diablerist, but Ed decided he didn’t have many better options.
Diablerie or “The Dark Magearts” was not evil per say, but its focus on domination and blood ritual made it unpopular with civilized mages. Crones were female shamanistic diablerists and were generally deceitful and always dangerous. But the local crone presumably honored the rules of hospitality, and would hopefully point him towards an outlying village to lay low for a year or two.
This wouldn’t be the first time Ed fled Kingsvalle and after some groaning and gnashing of teeth, he set his jaw and began to move West.
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Ed approached a small thatch-roofed hut of simple brick construction. It was a true mousehouse, looking barely fitting for a single resident. “Hello! Anyone home!” Ed shouted from perhaps 30 strides from the house. He continued to approach, resting his hand on the knife he kept.
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“Why hello”. A voice said from his near left. Ed jumped into the air like a startled cat, and hissed at the intruder, also like a startled cat. He gripped his knife tightly and spun to face the voice.
“That is quite amusing” a surprisingly feminine voice, belonging to a surprisingly beautiful woman said. She was athletic with well proportioned hips and a narrow waist. She had a small bust and a heart-shaped face perched atop a slender neck. The 6 inch pointed ears gave her away as a forest-folk. “I am quite sure you will not require that butter knife of yours. I offer my hospitality”. She said with a chiming chuckle.
Ed slowly lowered his guard and let out a sigh. “Thank you. I think” he responded, a bit too slowly to be polite. “I guess the story books failed to mention the crones of such...fair appearance. I am Edward Hunter the Bastard, first of my name” Ed said with a flourish of his silly hat.
There was the sound of a branch cracking and the crones ears moved towards the sound. They continued to move about like a wind vane caught in a storm for a few seconds. “I am Nuala the Kuruni, third of my name and daughter of the forest” Nuala responded. “Why announce yourself as the unwanted?”
“I am not ashamed of myself or my mother” Ed responded a bit harshly, then he softened “But thank you for the hospitality. I have been walking since sunrise”. It was now late afternoon and Ed had spent much of the day wandering about the forest and avoiding its less accommodating inhabitants.
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Nuala made the best tea Ed had ever tasted. It was some combination of leaves and fruit that smelled like fine perfume and tasted like ambrosia. Hard elven honey cakes sat on a silver tray between them, uneaten. The tea pot was a sterling silver and besides the plate looked to be the most expensive thing in the home.
Everything else was rustic, like the entire house was built from only what the forest could provide. Two large windows, with only a thick wooden shutter, provided light to the kitchen. A small table with a quartet of chairs was placed a few paces from the kitchen and the fireplace was opposite the windows. The whole house was perhaps 100 square feet. It appeared that there was a single room, besides a small partition that presumably separated the sleeping area from the rest of the home.
Ed, having finished his survey of the house proceeded to observe his host. Her eyes were closed and she was perfectly still aside from the small sips of tea and the overly mobile ears. Ed was lost in his observations until Nuala gently cleared her throat and looked at him. “I have provided hospitality as best as I am able” she said simply. “Is there anything else, Edward? Or are you prepared to leave?”
Ed stared into her pupil-less eyes. They were a disturbing shade of forest green and appeared to swirl and move with an inner light. He was prepared to leave, Nuala was the perfect host, providing a heated bath and fresh clothes for the weary Ed. With the few days of rations he negoitated for some work and pointed in the right direction, he could be at Westpoint, a town of a thousand souls, within 3 days. He should be on his way.
Something kept Ed rooted in the chair. He was sure that if he left this small shelter, he would never see Nuala again, and something about that made his chest ache. It didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes, and was the first person to show any hospitality to Ed in some time. Just thinking of leaving felt painful, but he could not find a good excuse to continue to stay.
He cleared his throat, “You can call me Ed. And if I can repay your kindness…” he trailed off.
Nuala ears stopped moving, and her eyes narrowed a fraction. “There are always things to be done, but I am unused to” she gestured to Ed “folk being polite. Are you trying to take advantage of me? Your heartbeat has increased.”
Ed felt his cheeks flush. “Well, you are quite a comely woman. Is it so odd that a dashing young man find you appealing?”
“Most people find my reputation more fear inducing that ador inspiring” Nuala chuckled.
Ed’s ears now adopted a hue of crimson. “I am sure that there is something I can do to repay you… I can hunt!” Ed announced enthusiastically. “I also know of edible foods in the forest, and can chop firewood, or help extend the home or…” His ramblings petered off at Nuala’s amused look and raised eyebrow.
She gave him an appraising look, “I am quite sure that is unnecessary. I have given you hospitality as is required, but there is nothing for you to do” she said with a finger on her lips.
Ed took a deep breath, then blurted out “Then please make me your apprentice!” It was the best way to spend more time with her, and would keep Ed safely away from any of his half-brother’s unwanted attention.
A small smile came to her lips, “I am quite positive we can work out a favorable arrangement, but are you sure you wish to learn the, oh what was that pompous title,” with a snap she continued “ Ah yes, the Dark Magearts.”
“I do, I wish to become your apprentice and learn the Dark Magearts” Ed said with a seriousness Nuala lacked.
“Oh my, the haruspex was quite accurate then” She continued to smile mysteriously “I knew using a nightmare would provide better results.”
At the mention of a nightmare, Edward blanched. “I hope this is not one of my worse ideas” he muttered.
Nuala just laughed.