A mild head ache as well as dry eyes, Aleyns morning was somewhat milder than what she had expected from the night before. Outside was noisy and people were moving outside of her room, it was a clear sign to her who usually woke up earlier than most people that she had overslept.

She looked around the room she was in. The room was quite huge compared to her own inn room, at least three times as large. It seemed to be meant for more than one person as there was another bed across from hers.

Noticing she wasn't wearing much she looked around the room and spotted her her clothes on the table. She made sure she had not lost anything before getting dressed and after doing so she could only frown as she was reminded that her clothes were still stained by blood.

With nothing else to wear for the time being she left the room to go look for the parents of that unfortunate girl.

While moving through the one hallway that separated rooms she was quite surprised as yesterday it had felt as though the building was a lot smaller. After coming to a T-section she took a better look around and chose to go right since going left seemed to be a dead end. She reached back to the reception area which was more empty than she had expected.

"You're up."

A familiar voice came from her right side. The short elven father Kharis was standing behind the reception desk while leaning on his arms on top of it.

"Morning." Aleyn replied in a drowsy and unenergetic manner.

Kharis gave a weary smile.

"Sit down, I'll get you something to eat."

He then disappeared in to a room opposite of the reception desk. A little bit of clanking could be heard as plates hit each other and he emerged from the room with two plates and a jug. One filled with some lettuce and carrot and the other with some loafs of bread.

"Today's the day to restock and we only have these scraps it seems."

He put the plates down on the table and then sat down next to Aleyn. She took a piece of bread and started munching on it.

Aleyn looked at Kharis, he had his head between his arms as he held his head up. Looking at the mans eyes it didn't seem like he had slept much last night. He had probably stayed up through the night.

She pulled the jug closer to herself and took a quick sniff in before drinking a bit of what she assumed was some berry juice. It was quite similar to what they served at Broken Horn.

"How is she." Aleyn said as she put the jug down.

"The ladies have been cleaning her wounds and trying to make her drink a healing potion all night. I'm not allowed inside the room." Kharis pointed towards the closest door behind the reception desk.

"She hasn't woken up yet?"

"No.." Kharis answered with a sigh.

Aleyn frowned and took one carrot and handed it to Kharis.

"You eaten anything?"

It was quite awkward trying to talk to a person she had never ever seen before but shared a tragic event with.

Kharis had a look at the carrot.

"No, not really."

He said as he picked it up from Aleyns hands and started munching. Aleyn picked up another and started doing the same. As silence fell on both of them again she started talking about how she had been in the audience when she performed.

Hearing about her performance made Kharis crack a weary smile.

"Ever since Thess was a tiny girl she loved to sing."

Kharis shed a tear as he munched on his carrot.

"Around a week ago, she begged for me to let her perform at some bar. I've always been protective of my little angels but you can't keep them in a cage forever so I gave in. Kharis followed up as he wiped the tears away.

"She even assured Stevarth would be there as a guard for that day."

"Who?" Aleyn questioned.

"Oh, right. Stevs a guy few years older than her, they've been friends ever since they were kids. He's good with the sword."

At that moment the front door opened and a Person walked in

"The devil himself." Kharis muttered in a low annoyed manner.

"Whats with the sign outside Kharis? And is Thess still asleep? We were suppose to see each other an hour ago."

Tall man with long red hair, Scaley pattern around the edges of his face and a muscular fit built. Aleyn had seen this fellow a time or two, talking with a merchant or shooing away people with his sword. It was the young dragonkin, supposedly the girls boyfriend. Though the father says they're just friends, maybe its not good to assume these things.

"Ah, were having some renovations later today and can't have more customers due to it." Kharis answered.

"Renovation?" Aleyn thought.

"Come sit down. Tell me about yesterday." Kharis urged.

Aleyn was slightly confused at what Kharis was doing but stayed quiet and blended in the background.

The dragonkin or rather Stevarth recalled everything from Thess's performance, it was almost exactly as Aleyn had already told him.

"Beautiful, I always knew everyone would love her." Kharis said with a hint of anger.

From Aleyns point of view she could see that Kharis's right hand was gripping the chairs leg and trying to crush it with no success.

"How did your night go after she left then?" Kharis asked.

"Well I stayed there until closing time. Some people were rowdy but not enough for me to interfere. Though I had to occasionally step outside of the bar when some drunken women tried hitting on me." Stev answered. He emphasized the last part with a soft laughter.

Suddenly Kharis surged from his chair and punched Stev. He hit him right on his right cheek and made him tumble on the ground.

"You fucking dare come here to talk about your fun night while Thess is fighting for her life even though you were suppose to protect her! Kharis bellowed in anger.

Stev lied on the floor holding his cheek.

"What are you talking about,? Wait fighting for her life? Wheres Thess? What happened?!"

"Shut your mouth!" Kharis screamed at Stev who was still lying on the floor.

Watching Kharis's Emotional breakdown, Aleyn could not help but think Kharis was going overboard but really it was not unexpected, though Stev was far from boasting about his night of trying to keep drunkards in check.

A low slightly hoarse girls voice came from behind the reception desk and everyone turned their head towards it.

"Stev?"

A short bandaged elven girl stood in the doorway with her mother and another girl behind her. Her face was still bruised and eyes now had dark rings under them but her wounds were covered in wrapping which covered some of her face.

"Thess!" Stev yelled and hopped up from the ground.

"What happened to .." He asked while trying to approach her.

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As he did Thess quickly hid behind her mother and sister.

"No!"

Stev immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Stev.. " Thess paused.

"I'm fine...Could you leave?" She said slowly in a hoarse and tear mixed voice.

"Are you daft?You're obviously not fine! What happened to you..." Stev said and tried to approach again.

"Noo!" she cried out and hid further behind her family.

Stev immediately stopped in his tracks again as sadness filled his face.

"Please Stev... Just go away... Please..." Thess was now very clearly crying.

Stev stared at her direction for a few moments then turned around and left the building without saying a word. As he did he noticed Aleyn but didn't show any change in his emotions as he mostly disregarded her existance.

Kharis watched Stev leave then when he turned back to look at his daughter her legs had given up under her. He tried to help her up but as he got close he was met with a similar response.

"Noo!" Thess screamed again.

But this time she tried her hardest to scamper away, dragging herself on the floor. She didn't get far before collapsing. Kharis stood still in confusion, why was she trying to get away from her own father?

"Kharis! Out!" The wife yelled.

"What ?" Kharis asked in confusion.

"Out!" The Wife repeated and shooed him out.

Meanwhile inside of the room which Thess came out of the other girl was trying courageously to lift her on the bed inside but she was too weak.

"Need help?"

After having watched the whole scene unfold Aleyn at the edge of her seat. The amount of drama she had witnessed was not a healthy doze for her morning. The girl turned around and had a look at her then nodded in while holding back her tears.

The girl was probably a sister of Thess. She had a slightly brownish skin and smaller pointy ears than her sister, she couldn't be as much of an elf as Thess was based on that. It seems she took more from her mothers side than Thess who resembled her father. Long curly hair, as tall as her mother but weirdly enough her chest was about normal size. Genetics are a weird with what they choose to inherit.

Aleyn picked Thess up without any issues and placed her on the bed. She then went back to the room where she was eating and noticed the Mother was sitting at the same table as her food. She sat down and took another piece of bread while looking at the Mother who was in thought.

"Don't think we've actually introduced each other quite yet. I'm Rylee and I'm Thessalias and Adelisas mother. That shorty elf is Kharis and he is of course their father."

Aleyn swallowed her bread and replied.

"I figured as much. I'm Aleyn."

"So Aleyn... How are you faring?"

Aleyn frowned slightly and stared directly in Rylee's eyes.

"Much better than some other people."

Rylee looked away towards the room where Thess was.

"Suppose so."

She then turned back and faced Aleyn.

"You mind if I share something with you?"

"No harm in that." Aleyn replied.

"Did you see the reaction she had towards Kharis and Stev?"

Covering in fear, collapsing and trying to escape. It was hard to not notice.

"Yes.."

Rylee took a deep breath and sighed

"When Thess was young, she was bullied by the local teenage boys and due to that her reaction to men was to collapse and wet herself in horror."

"But one day when she was playing with her sister that same group encircled her and made her fear for her life. That was until Stev stepped in. She had never seen him before but that boy stood between her and the bullies. Calling himself a protector or something similar"

"Stev got beaten up but they lost interest in her. After witnessing him confronting the group Thess wasn't afraid of him and due to that Thess became friends with a boy which made her slowly lose her fear of men."

Rylee wiped a tear from her eyelid as she continued explaining.

"I'm afraid that same fear has emerged after this tragedy... She didn't use to be scared of her own father but you saw it yourself."

Aleyn went in to absent thought. Fear like that after what had happened would certainly gain fuel.

"I wouldn't be surprised if that was true.."

Rylee raised her head and looked Aleyn straight in the eyes.

"Though more importantly. There's something else that needs to be said."

She took a deep breath and fixed her slump posture.

"You saved her, even if you couldn't prevent 'it' from happening she is alive and recovering thanks to you."

Rylee tried to stay composed as she drew in another breath.

"There's no amount that is enough to show my gratitude for that." She said and sighed deeply.

Without hesitation she got a reply from Aleyn.

"That's good because I don't want a reward. I like to think anyone in my boots would have done the same. Reward or not."

Rylee smiled.

"If you don't have a home you can stay here free of charge as long as you want to. We have the best rooms in Dvalfgar and were the only inn with a spa."

Aleyn thought for a moment. She would save quite a lot of money if she moved in here even if it was temporary.

"I'm going to take that offer. But I'm paying for anything extra." She gave a light-hearted smile.

Rylee gave another smile.

"If that makes you happy Aleyn. To tell you the truth though, I had some other intentions with this offer as well."

Aleyn raised her eyebrows in curiosity.

"Bad intentions?"

Rylee shook her head.

"If you're going to live here, could you keep Thess company, I'm sure it would help her a lot down the road."

"Why is that?"

"You saved her, I don't think that's a bond that severs quickly. And also.."

"Also what?"

"Well you know.. I don't want to offend you but you're quite."

"Quite what?"

As much as she didn't really care that much what other people thought about her or her looks it was still annoying to hear anything negative.

"Manly..."

"What?"

"You give off a manly feeling with your mannerism."

Aleyn was stunned, she wasn't expecting that at all. Rylee misunderstood her reaction and immediately regretted saying so.

"I'm sorry... Could you forget I ever said that."

Aleyn started cracked up in laughter. It was a pleasant change to the gloomy morning.

"Aah that's funny. Sure I'll do my best to help her."

Rylee quite confused at Aleyns reaction tried to reply.

"O...kay?"