“There is confirmed to be an elemental temple under siege to the southeast of us.” Forgen was saying over the sounds of people drawing water into wooden ladles and using buckets to wash and rinse bodies and hair.
James was washing his back and avoiding knowing glances from his brothers that seemed to make a little more sense now that Micheal really knew what was going on.
“We with our friends in the Brazen Boys are being assigned by the Adventurer's Guild to go there and clear that one temple out with the resources we have. It will be tough, but other groups are being organized into a makeshift army to help with this so we have to act fast. Scouts adept at using their Seguana mounts in conditions have confirmed a rather startlingly large army of orcs deployed near the temple. They have been hard to track so far by killing our other foot scouts and otherwise trapping them, but we've been after them for a while. We never thought to find something this big without the kind of raiding they see out west and as much is happening in other areas around the lake.” Forgen went on explaining.
“The plan for the outside forces is to strike hard at an edge of the large camp and draw out an attack. We don't have the numbers here to face them down directly so it's going to be hit and run attacks to keep them busy and disorganized until the other groups can get everyone from the smaller towns in with whatever food they have left that's worth a damn given all this rain. Not to mention this will buy time for other teams set on other temples besides this one throughout the area. We're the lucky ones and get to dive in under the danger.”
The group quieted as the seriousness of the situation settled on them all. There were hundreds if not thousands of adventures in the area. If they were all called in and that wasn't enough to take on these orcs exactly what were they all about to face?
“I know it sounds bad, but it should go to plan.” Forgen continued. “The militia forces have been on notice for some time so there's already a small army ready to hold Mayonn against the orc tide once we're out of the temple assuming all goes well. Once we're out the rest will pull back and into the walls of Mayonn and we'll join the impending siege once we get a little rest. After that we either hold out and break them or hold out long enough to see the King's forces come down to us. They've been rallied already and were already on their way here to deal with the massive outbreak of orc camps. King Yollis's Marshall demanded a response almost a week ago or we would actually be a very tight spot. If you want to thank anyone after this thank the Lord Marshall.” Forgen explained.
He didn't stop, but time almost did for Micheal as it seemed another of his characters was about to appear, maybe several in fact.
“The Yggdrail Lord and his daughter are coming?” Lindsey and Pelanna gasped saying it over each other and with just about the same words.
Forgen smiled devilishly.
“Leading the army in fact.”
Everyone took that in and it boosted their confidence. Vivian just looked back at Micheal who had stopped the bar of soap on her back. She touched his hand comfortingly and he came back to himself. It was actually such a relief to have the weight of that burden at least partially shared by someone else. She understood his problem somewhat, or at least in this instance thought he was suffering his very PTSD like symptoms from the camp at the mention of the orcs.
Was that what he had anyway? He tried not to think about that overly much and decided to listen to everyone instead. Self diagnoses were prone to bias anyway.
“So we're the lynch pin of the operation before they get here.” Eva said. “Why us?”
Forgen nodded to her beside him.
“We've got the talent for the dungeon dive and the least training among the other groups fighting mounted. We're very typically wonder-around-on-foot-adventurer's all and each of us is a threat in that way, but of us I think only myself and the boys know to ride best beside you Eva.” He looked at all of them meeting each of their eyes.
“I've trained with all of you. I've sparred and drilled each of you. I know what we can do, and we can handle this. With Leah and not to mention Micheal and Jack as an addition to our front line and adding what I hear is a few ethereal force attacks to our arsenal I think we can handle whatever is inside this sunken temple, but I won't send anyone in who doesn't know how to swim. There will be water obstacles inside and maybe a good deal of swimming to do just to get in. Be honest and we'll leave you to the defense of the walls.” He said levelly and looked about again to everyone in the bath.
Dexter scratched his head and shrugged.
“I can swim, but not for very long. I'm heavier than I look because of my scales.”
Forgen nodded.
Leah with Pelanna and Julia piped up shyly.
“I can swim fine without my armor, but I really don't like the idea of fighting without it.” She was completely shameless while naked and that showed here as she stood from washing Pelanna's back and bounced with nervous energy.
Forgen nodded to that too.
“That will go for both Mikes and myself too. --Since we both wear armor almost as heavy. The rest of you will be a little damp, but we may have to don and doff armor at need to get through to the temple.”
Everyone nodded.
“That being said I doubt that we could go without; though I hope only a couple of you were thinking that. Our temple seems to have been infiltrated by the orc shaman leading the camp. It could quite possibly be the one that held Micheal prisoner in the camp for the reports I hear of their movements and how the group might have formed back together from its separate parts.”
Forgen let that lay in the air for a while before turning to face Micheal.
“Can you handle that Micheal? I know you've been training hard these last couple weeks or so, but it's best to speak up now. We all get shaken from time to time. Sometimes these things are better left alone even if you want to fight. We're all your friends now so don't be afraid to say you want out. I'm sure having a big guy with a mean Bear Dog on the walls will do a hell of a lot of good for the morale of the militia men--and I'm sorry for not being able to exclude you from that fight, but by then we'll need you to have pulled yourself together even if you're a little too shaken still for this mission.”
The honesty and sincerity in his words hit Micheal like a hammer. He felt his hands shake even as they rested with a sponge and bar of soap pressed to Vivian's back. A little voice in the back of his mind begged him to stay within the safety of the walls now that it was offered. Forgen seemed to be weighing him and his reaction though so he tried his best to keep it level.
“Gorgaan.” Another voice; cruel and proud, suddenly proclaimed from within the depths of his mind. “And don'ts you go forgettin'.”
Micheal's mind flashed with memory and pain. Vivian found his hand on her back and squeezed. Micheal took a deep breath and let the memory burn in his mind until anger overwhelmed the fear and agony.
He wasn't powerless now. He could fight back. With his new friends at his side especially, and there was no way he was going to let them face Gorgaan alone. He shuddered remembering that name and took a deep breath. He had been forced to call him 'Master Gorgaan' all that time. Through the beatings and the work.
When he spoke his voice came out cold and he could feel his will ready to lash out too as he spoke. He didn't let it, Lindsey had drilled him on that, and though she had slipped the once herself, she had been strict on making sure he wasn't randomly flinging bits of magic about after he had marked her with a faith Spirit Mark. She did treasure the mark however for all appearances.
“I'll kill that shaman with my bare hands if that's what it takes. I'm not the helpless captive any more. I will have you all and Jack with me there. I can face him down.”
There was a soft murmur in the group as he looked down and away and worked a little more at Vivian's back doing his best to contain his roiling emotions. She had let go of his hand, but stared back at him with a brilliant light in her eyes that was filled with determination and pride. He wasn't sure exactly how his own voice had sounded in that moment, but apparently it had been convincing enough.
“Good.” Forgen said nodding to Micheal's conviction, “-Just stab him in the neck or have Jack rip his throat out though. We'll decurse you if you have to face down a shaman like that, but its best avoided.” He said with a wry grin that got laughs out of the men in the room.
The women were looking to Micheal now and when he caught their gazes they nodded to him or gave him bright supportive smiles and gestures. Even Leah bounced happily on her knees and clenched determined fists behind Julia when he looked toward them.
A warmth filled him that washed in and mixed with the anger and drive inside himself like carbon making its way into iron. His will solidified in his heart and he found that it was also reaching out in an odd inside out sort of spell before he could stop it. Everyone beside Vivian's and Lindsey's marks flared with silver light before he could think. Emotions rolled over him. Love for his friends and their support backed by his writhing anger and determination to no longer be helpless. Something inside of him had wanted to reach out, and it did before he could think about it.
Leah covered her face and managed to hide the fact that two marks were glowing under her skin, but luckily even as she moved everyone else was preoccupied noticing the same in others. Micheal had thought about that, but it seemed it was true. There were two marks on her. -And what did that mean exactly?
“A Spirit Mark for friendship?” Luna asked leaning over to look at him past a few of the others who were also having their backs washed.
She had her mark on her left thigh so it was pretty easy for her to check it.
“You are kind of cheesy sometimes you know that?” Lindsey accused him, a big smile on her face regardless.
“Yeah you waited until now to do this?” Petite little Julia demanded.
“He likely didn't know how until just now.” Pelanna said with a sigh and somewhat sharp glance at Lindsey.
“No, he marked me fine the other day. See mine is the faith rune mixed with the rune for friendship now.” Lindsey said moving so Pelanna could look at the mark atop her collar bone.
“Then why wait until now?” Julia demanded as she turned a pouting face over at him.
Micheal held up his hands and took a deep breath.
“-And what did I tell you about casting weird magic on friends without testing it first?” Lindsey said suddenly standing to put her fists on her bare hips. He had to look away before his eyes glued to her breasts and other lovely curves as she stood and faced him.
Ted, and Fredrick just looked at their marks and then up to Micheal.
“What's it do, Vee?” Ted asked.
Vivian let out a long breath where she sat on the stool.
“It will probably heal you a little over time, and give you stamina and mana too. I'll bet his mark on me is probably much better, but I imagine with you all it will be the same to a lesser effect.”
Lindsey was almost hopping on her toes eager to say something as soon as Vivian started speaking. It was hard to ignore the way certain things moved and bounced with her excitement even as Micheal tried to keep his eyes off that particular movement in the corner of his eye.
“So do you think that's the difference? What we talked about the other day?” She asked.
Vivian sighed and looked back at Micheal with a small smile.
“It changes based on how strongly he feels about you...or at least it does with me.” She said, “When he's worried about me I heal little cuts and bruises like nothing, and then again it usually feels like I swigged a stamina potion every time I kiss him just without the horrible tangy taste.”
Suddenly Lindsey was at Micheal's side and pressing up against him deliberately.
“Give me lots of mana okay? I'll fight super hard and wash your back, and all the other places if you do.” She said in a very deliberate flirty voice though she was fighting to hold back a big smile and laughter.
“Hey!” Mike said, getting to his feet.
“What? Jealous?” Lindsey asked while rubbing her soapy body all over Micheal's side.
Micheal tried to get away from her trying to think of math, numbers, letters, art, anything to think of anything other than the soft curves of his friend pressed against him and cradling his arm.
“Yes!” Mike said with a serious face and then grinned as he came over, “-I want extra mana too you know!” He said flicking raised eyebrows at Micheal and coming forward with the bar of soap in one hand and the other flexing less as if ready to scrub something, but more like to grab at something.
“Don't run when it's obvious you like it.” Lindsey purred with a predatory grin while eyeing his body's rather embarrassing response to her stimulation as he pulled away.
It wasn't his fault he was still partially in the mood even after being with Vivian just before. Her free hand wiggled and flexed like a claw mimicking her approaching husband.
The group for the most part broke out into fits of laughter as Micheal tried to fight off the couple and their slippery advance. Vivian watched with amusement twinkling in her eyes. She looked to Eva who had come forward to her defense before she slowed, and then stopped when Vivian shrugged at her and turned to take the ladle.
“Just bring him back to me in the morning. Not too worn out, and clean again mind.”
Eva almost had a fit trying to keep herself from laughing with the others, but eventually they all did get back to the task at hand. Micheal's body was now very soapy with his hair and about every inch of him included. His face was burning with embarrassment about as badly as Julia's or Pelanna's as those too were by far the most innocent and least familiar with men of the group. They hadn't taken it very far, but Lindsey had been rather...pressing...with her body after seeing how he blushed and squirmed away from her, but she laughed it off and returned with Mike who had been the one to soap up his hair.
Forgen laughed as Eva and James washed the soap from his hair finishing up his lather. He stood when they were and motioned for James to take the stool. James did and went completely crimson as Eva ran a bar of soap up his back to his shoulders around his neck and then down his chest with a willingness to keep up on the flirty vibe in the room to tease the poor young man. The two other Bunnary brothers looked like their eyes were about to fall out of their heads as they watched what was happening next to them.
“Now that everyone is in such good spirits we'll get down to it. I don't think I need to worry about anyone fitting in. Even Leah, so long gone from our ranks, is back and found a warm place of her own to fall back into. Remember that. In the days ahead we may be fighting for these days and warm nights together to keep happening. The laughter and rough housing, the carousing and cajoling, the meals and baths, the quiet and the loud times. All that will change if a single one of us falls. Their absence will be felt by all. Remember that as you prepare and think of your friends when we make our way in two days to approach this temple. Get everything you need, and take something you can carry and think a friend might need. Talk with each other. Make plans and talk and discuss in groups or with one or two at a time what you think the other person's strengths and weaknesses are as friends. If we can cover those weaknesses now we will have less to worry about when we're in the field. Got that?”
It was quite the speech from a man standing naked in a large bathroom, but everyone listened and watched him as he spoke with complete vigor and the charisma of a real leader. Then, one by one, everyone looked at each other. Everyone seemed to meet eyes and feel their bond cement. It was hard to imagine not coming back here to do this again or to find themselves together in a place much like this. Everyone got back to washing and rinsing and soaping each other slowly after that, and the murmur of conversation picked up eventually while Forgen was the first to go sit in the steaming bath.
Leah was being washed by Julia and Pelanna and humming to herself happily as the two behind her chatted. James was busy keeping his legs together and hiding himself from Eva's teasing. His brothers watched with some level of incredulity as this happened, and Fredrick actually washed Ted's hair more than three times before either of them pulled themselves up from shock.
Luna was washing Dexter's back and his outbreak of eczema near where his scales grew was visibly smaller and less red and angry than it had been the last time Dexter had joined them in the bath. Luna finished washing him and produced a small green pottery bottle with a wide cap from her robes where they hung near the door. Greenish oil came out from the top thick and sludgy and she smeared it on his back and across his chest around the scales before they switched places. Mike and Lindsey both were almost done washing and seemed to be discussing how melee attack spells worked.
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Lindsey had taught Mike how to cast several forms of ranged magic, but until the episode earlier today she had never once tried or been willing to be talked into trying anything other than standard mage craft. A look in her eyes told that she still really didn't believe it, but Mike was so excited just for her to try that it didn't seem to phase him. She was taken along in her husband's energy, unable to turn away from his enthusiasm. From what Micheal could overhear fighting side by side with her as two sides of the same mixed ranged and melee spell casters was exactly what Mike had always dreamed of.
She had always focused more on attack and he on holding the line and pinning down opponents and he couldn't wait to work and train with her even more than they already did. When both their hair was done and Lindsey got him to wash her body once more his hands slowed every time he went down her hips or onto her belly. The tenderness between the two was real. They even seemed to smile at the same time as his hands slowed and the bar of soap was forgotten as Mike's hands traced the round lump in her belly that was just starting to become obvious.
“You're going to be like that aren't you?” Vivian whispered in his ear, and then blushed so wonderfully when his eyes turned to meet hers with an inquisitive gaze.
“I can already tell so don't bother answering that.” She added quickly, with a wry sound to her voice as she heft a bucket from the flowing pool of hot water and dumped it over his head.
“Come on and sit with me in the bath already.”
He nodded, warmed by the wash water, and got up to go with her to the long bath. Forgen looked like he was about ready to doze off with his hands behind his head on one of the bath cushions after he watched Eva force James to scrub her down just about every place he could reach. One of James' brothers actually slipped and got soap in the others eyes as the two of them still watched amazed.
Luna came and sat next to Vivian, and Dexter sat on the edge not getting in with his oily lotion still on his back. He did however soak his feet in front of Luna. Luna seemed to both like that and suddenly realize she couldn't look at him without looking directly at his junk while doing it. Her eyes seemed to wander all over trying not to look at anyone.
“So Micheal.” She said suddenly after clearing her throat. “You have some attack skills now?”
He gave her and Dexter a meaningful glance and threw his arm around Vivian as she came close for just that. Her naked body pressed against him and she used his shoulder as her pillow. He had to focus or end up getting wood again after all the stimulation so he did so on the conversation.
“Yeah. Lindsey said it was ethereal force damage. It has the same effect as her new melee thing. The effect of both is pretty gnarly.” He said scratching at his chin.
Vivian reached up and touched his face feeling the skin.
“I'll shave you upstairs right when we get back.” She mumbled and settled herself against him a little more.
“I bet.” Dexter said with an excited note in his voice. “You almost missed dinner yesterday trying and then today you two were the first to talk about it. I can see why now.”
“What do you mean?” Micheal asked.
Luna got her cushions right and smiled over at Micheal.
“Ethereal force is a rare damage type. It's easy enough to get past armor and great against flesh, and is usually powerful because it's not as specialized as the other elemental damage types making it effective against everything. Getting an attack like that sometimes is worth whatever you have to do to make it work just because it works on most everything. Since Lindsey can do it with a melee attack that means training her to fight like Mike will be important once we're done with this mission. It would be great if she could pick up on Eva's magic and learn to conjure shields and weapons, but those skills are rare too. She might just have to learn to fight in armor and how to move in stances like you guys and read the enemy.”
Micheal considered that.
“Have you tried for any melee attack skills?” He asked Luna and she paled when he asked. He shrugged at her.
“It might be good for everyone to try coming out of their comfort zone a little. Maybe something will show up.”
Dexter chuckled.
“I don't think you understand Micheal. People don't just learn abilities left and right like you are doing, at least usually, not once they've established themselves. The fact that Lindsey pulled out that new spell, and it shows on her mark is just short of a miracle. We're just kind of used to you doing what you do because we all know now that you're some kind of outworlder or Elder Kin or whatever and your mark is a little messed up. There's something to you we don't understand completely, and we accept that.”
“Your marks and whatever are familiar enough kind of magic, but it's just crazy that you do them at will like that. Usually magic is like your first attempts at learning that bolt spell, but scaled over weeks. Some of us--” He gestured at Vivian meaningfully, “--try absolutely everything we can to get some sort of magical ability for years and get nothing. I know I've tried, but for you to figure out this magic item memory reading thing, make new spirit marks, and learn skills so fast is actually pretty amazing. I mean you gotta level out at some point, but for now you're kind just blowing us all away.”
Micheal was certainly blown away by what his friend had just told him. He didn't know what to say or how to react to the mix of praise and the open sincerity Dexter put into his words.
Luna reached over and touched Micheal's arm atop Vivian with a nod and reassuring smile to go with the gesture. It was clear she supported everything Dexter had just said.
“Don't even get me started on—that.” He said, gesturing to Vivian against Micheal's chest.
Her eyes flashed open and she sent Dexter a sidelong glance that should have frozen the water and sweat on him in a flash.
“Yeah that.” He said again, ignoring the look for the most part and pointing at her. “-That's how she always looks at men who try her, but you somehow clubbed an orc and got your head bashed in and wooed her as she looked after you in your recovery bed. There's a few of us at least that aren't quite over how that went down.”
Luna kicked water at him and he fended off with a hand.
“I'm just letting him know alright?” He said pointedly at Luna.
She made a grumpy sound and crossed her arms before going red faced as he faced her more directly again.
“Don't get your ears in a knot.”
That comment made Luna kick water at him again.
“I mean Vivian has sort of been telling me all of that. Just not so directly. Can't your mages or whatever read the magic weapons and tools like I can?” Micheal asked.
Dexter scoffed.
“Yeah of course. It just costs an arm and a leg to do it. You have to set up a meeting and fill out a full description of the item as you know it and see who's interested in doing it. That and how much you'll pay is kind of like a contract for us really, but it's you fronting the bill for some mages study instead of asking for help or needing something done before it burns the village down. It's based on interest and most of that interest comes from the price.” He pushed back his rugged curly hair and sighed.
“Even if what you do is memories or whatever you can still tell something about what the item does before you start swinging it around. Normally discarded or recovered weapons sit in shops like that one you went into because no one really has the time to trial and error out what they do or have the money to identify what they all do to find the right one. Most people who end up buying those are mages and people like them who break them down to get things that are normally harvested through large rituals. They can work in a pinch, but often enough around here people just get a new weapon made, or pick a surplus one off the rack rather than figure out what an older used magical one might do unless they can afford to have it inspected. Maybe that's why there's so many shops around like that one you went to.”
“Can't they melt down the metal still and make new things out of it?” Micheal asked.
Dexter looked at him flatly.
“Yeah if you give it ten years or however long to lose its magic or take it out some other way I don't know. Most weapons adventurers use for any decent amount of time gain a sort of magical hardiness as you've seen already. They stay sharper longer, go dull when they should have chipped, and crack when they should have shattered. Doing any sort of repairs on them requires Magisteel or Mythril to repair which is why it reeeaallly sucks when you manage to properly break one. One bar of that stuff is about as bad as replacing armor like Leah's. Just melting it down is almost out of the question without proper magic.”
“Magisteel?” Micheal asked.
Dexter nodded. It was extremely odd to hear him talk so much at once. Maybe Luna had broken something loose in the man and now the social gears were turning. That or...He felt Vivian on his arm and noticed Luna watching Dexter with nervous, sort of hungry eyes when he wasn't looking. -Had they taken that step? He wasn't sure how far they had gotten. They seemed a little too nervous yet to be all that familiar with each other.
“I forgot you know like next to nothing about so much of this.” He put a fist to his head and tapped his forehead a few times.
“Right it's not quite a blank slate of enchanted steel, but it's set just on the cusp of that. Magisteel is something that takes on the properties of what it is applied to. You have to buy it by the bar because the whole thing tries to take up with whatever you're having repaired all at once. The benefit is that unlike other swords and blades Magisteel actually makes the weapon stronger after a break. -Reinforces the magic or whatever that makes them strong when it's bonded and the blade or whatever is put back the way it should be. I think with regular swords and blades you are better off just melting it down and making it over again if that's what you want to do.”
Forgen raised a hand and pointed at Dexter affirming that point.
“Magisteel is made by the mages guild and certain magically trained smiths combining the purified essences harvested from other weapons or in the large rituals Dexter mentioned.” The bearded Captain added while scratching at said beard with his eyes remaining closed.
“Mythril weapons are a little harder. You will have to tell me if you break that sword of yours because I will be impressed. Using Mythril like Magisteel for repairs in adventurer enchanted blades is an option too when you have the money. For whatever reason the mythril will bond properly to the steel then when it normally doesn't take to plain steel.”
“Takes a hell of a forge and bellows to get hot enough to do it, but you dip the broken blade in the molten mythril and use your clamps to set it straight and it will set in like broken bone after taking a regeneration potion overnight. A little grinding and some polish and you're done. The steel blade will start to look a little more silvery and it will be like it never cracked or chipped or snapped at all. My master said he saw an old knight have it done to his sword a number of times. By the fifth time the blade looked as though it had the soft green and blue silvers of quality mythril and none of the steel left.”
“You know I forget you're smith sometimes because I never see you do it Zephdin.” Dexter said with a smile on his face.
Forgen chuckled.
“Forget myself sometimes too.”
“I thought that made the blades stronger.” Micheal said. “-How could he have broken it so many times?” He asked.
“There are things certain men fight that aren't for the faint of heart Micheal. -Even compared to what you've faced already.” Forgen answered.
“This knight was really a paladin if I'm being totally truthful, but my master said he never dedicated himself to a single god so that made him more of a Knight of the Order rather than a dedicated Paladin. He ran around for years with that Jakcova who's the Headmaster of the Three Bridge mages guild now.”
“The Light Bringer?” Eva asked as she led James by the hand into the bath.
He was desperately trying to keep his eyes off her bare form, and seemed to turn red as his eyes went over Forgen too.
“Aye. That's him.” Forgen said. “Hell of a blade by the sounds of it.”
Pelanna's ears almost seemed to go to points as she Julia and Leah finally finished washing and came toward the soaking tub to relax just behind the Shrouded Kin and Bunnary. She took in the conversation, but seemed content to keep her comments to herself even if her eyes did wander to Micheal a time or two.
Micheal's questioning came to an end at the mention of another of his characters. He laid back and ran his hand down Vivian's side where he held her, and found one of her hands with the other. She looked up at him with sharp eyes that seemed to question him.
He nodded and she held tight to his hand, but said nothing.
“And me!” Leah belatedly added as she happily splashing into the bath just behind Julia and Pelanna.
Her pale body was all too perfect. There was not a single scar, blotch, discoloration, or the like on her entire body. She had the perky body of youth despite having been alive for over sixty years at least.
“Jak Jak and Therry taught me lots of things. Therry is a scary fighter and very good at fighting scary things without being afraid. Being around him was like being in a bath all the time. You could feel the bad feelings that stick to your mind melt away when you talked to him.” She said happily as she found a place for Julia and Pel to sit before she sat between them.
Her energy died a little as she sat, and what might have been a tear ran down her face.
“I hope he's not too old now. I want to see him again.” She pouted.
Everyone sort of froze hearing that, but Pel and Julia jumped at the chance to reassure her after just a moment. It seems everyone had wanted to forget that Leah wasn't just a slightly dim and innocent, extremely strong and cute little knight. She had a history that was marred with imposed secrecy and she just skirted that line rather frankly. At least it showed that she was growing more comfortable with the group.
Vivian sighed against him and shifted as if to get up, but Micheal held her gently.
The conversations petered off then and most of the noise of the bath was taken up by sighs and people relaxing or slipping out to find their robe and head upstairs.
“No magic for you at all then Dex?” Micheal asked after Eva, a still very red faced James, and Forgen headed upstairs. The remaining Bunnary brothers just stared after him where they lay in the bath seeming awe struck.
Dexter was still sitting on the edge of the bath. Luna was most of his attention while he sat. She had her eyes closed and managed to relax, but she was very much aware that he was admiring her. Her ears almost always tracked him at any little movement he made.
“Nah.” He answered simply. “Haven't really tried all that much, but the bow and axe make sense to me. Sometimes out in the woods by myself I feel there's something just beyond my grasp, but I can't find it no matter how I reach for it. That's how I found these guys and joined the guild anyway. Wandering and reaching. Something about the area here in the south is so much better than where I grew up in the craggy mountains of Taldara.”
“I think you're the only nomad I know.” Micheal commented idly to keep the conversation going.
Dexter nodded.
“Maybe. There's a few around. A lady in Ruldia is one. Cranky old crow. Knows her herbs though. Good little potion shop she co-owns that I will have to take you to sometime Luna. Not like those sham shops in the capital.”
Luna listened and opened one of her eyes to look up at him. She turned a bit red, but smiled at him. He actually got a little bashful at that too.
Pel, Leah, and Julia got up and chatted with each other laughing together girlishly as they got their robes and headed upstairs. The boys followed after seemingly in a discussion about what they had just seen happen. There was a lot of head shaking, and 'I didn't know' or 'I never thought' going on, but they seemed in decent enough spirits with their brother. Once they left Micheal decided it was good enough a time to tackle the tougher subject.
“So uh..” He began losing his words almost immediately. “You two. You're doing...good?”
Vivian opened her eyes against him giving him an even look, but she turned over to look at Dexter. She looked him up and down head to toe once, and then stared him straight in the face. Luna sat up suddenly and Dexter looked half shocked. Then they suddenly spoke at once.
“We're fine.”
“Yeah things are good.”
The two looked at each other and flushed.
“Uh huh.” Micheal said a little uneasily. “Whatever works I guess. I won't pry. You two are just kind of special because you're the first two real friends I made here besides Vivian. I just wanted to ask how things were. That's all.”
Vivian turned over all the way to look at Luna and Dexter forced himself to look away as Vivian did so. It did show her long body rather pleasantly with the way she was stretched out in the water. Luna looked at her and gulped.
“You will have to chase after him if you let him stay in your bed much longer. Nomad men hardly stay put once they feel the job has been done. It's just in their nature.” Vivian said to her friend in a level voice.
Luna went absolutely scarlet, and for that matter Dexter tried to mimic her in spite of his dark skin though he looked away and Luna locked eyes with Vivian. It was impressive to see a man as dark of skin as Dexter manage a blush that was that obvious.
“It's not like that. There's other...” She closed her eyes and squirmed a little. “Other solutions. You don't have to worry about me having to run home every six months or so to pop out another two or three...” She let that drop and sank back into the bath.
Micheal tapped Vivian's arm and took a deep breath savoring the last warm of the bath as it began to fade from properly steamy to more of a lukewarm despite Luna's attempt at warming it back up with the heat of her blush.
“What? It's nothing against Dex and he knows that. They get flighty when their partners get with child. They do sort of like he does anyway just with years instead of days. It doesn't mean they love any less, but it does take them away to sometimes find other mates.” Vivian said and Micheal just shook his head.
“Not that. We should probably get out of the bath.” Micheal said flatly shooting Dexter an apologetic look as he got up.
“Oh.” Vivian said and stood with him.
“See you upstairs you two. We'll head up ahead of you.” Micheal said to them as he put Vivian's robe over her shoulders. She eyed him a little flatly, but he frowned at her and shook his head.
Upstairs and close to bedtime they got back into their room and laid out on the bed when the plaque gave off a soft light and someone made nervous shuffling sounds outside their door.
“Micheal.” Leah's voice came. She sounded a little nervous. “Could you come out?” She asked. “I got you something today and I want to give it to you.”
Vivian threw a sheet over herself and took up a book written in elvish from the nightstand. Micheal got up and threw on the pants he was going to wear tomorrow and the long linen shirt that was close enough to being a tunic that it covered the pants. He pushed open the door with the keycard in hand.
“What's up?” He asked as he came through the door.
Leah was wearing a thin and pink woolen nightgown that went down past her knees. She was about as cute as could be looking up at him with both excited expectation, and Sarra's cold gaze in her blue eyes. She fidgeted with something behind her back that crinkled, clinked, and jingled. Her toes wrinkled and flexed nervously as they peaked out from the hem of her sleeping attire. Pel and Julia watched from their open door waiting for her to come back to their room. The pair of them smiled at him, and he rolled his eyes at Julia who, unlike Pel and Leah, wore only a linen bed sheet tossed loosely over her shoulders.
Leah looked up after hearing his question. She was clearly puzzled and found nothing remarkable about the slightly arched ceiling.
“Sorry sorry.” Micheal laughed. “That's just a turn of phrase where I come from. It's short for 'what's going on'.” He explained.
Leah looked at him and shook her head.
“That's silly.” She said with a small shy laugh, but then brightened as she fingered the rough paper wrapped bundle behind her.
She stood on her toes and came close as she brought it out before him and held it up to his hands. It jingled and was quite heavy.
“Just like not wearing one of these with your armor.”
Micheal took the package and undid the little twine bow tie on the top carefully before unfolding the paper that wrapped the item on the table feeling a smile grow over his face. Inside was a nordic style helmet complete with a metal veil of thick chainmail. The inside was large enough to fit his head, he always had trouble with hats never fitting, and had padding and straps hanging wide inside and ready to don. The leather was new, the steel thick and polished to a shine. The eye holes were a little large, but looked to offer a great deal of vision in trade off. There was a slotted mask of stiff padding inside the chainmail that would hang down his face which looked like a mix of leather and tough fabric like his gambeson, but that could be removed if he found it in the way. It was pretty much perfect. It would match his riveted mail and certainly make him look even more like one of these northerners everyone took him for.
“Try it—Try it.” Leah insisted cutely.
And he couldn't help but comply.
He slipped the heavy and reassuring helm on his head only struggling with the loose veil for a few moments before leaning down for Leah to help him straighten it. The initial fit was close, but he had to take it off again. Then Leah showed him how to adjust the straps and told him in her sweet little voice how it should fit on his head and not move while not being too tight; though she did so in a great many more words. Eventually though, not all that long in reality, but it did seem to be a long moment of bonding between them they had just right.
He put it on over his head and affixed the chin strap. The chainmail jingled and the weight of it was more of a comfort than it was a hindrance. He still couldn't imagine wearing it all day, but in battle it would be a blessing. Taking the time to get the fit just right made all the difference for now however. Leah had him move his head this way and that, and then lean over and shake too, all of which made the girls in the doorway giggle as much as Leah did.
“It feels good right?” Leah asked. “It doesn't move after you move? It's not too tight and pinching your brain?”
“Oh yeah, it's just right. The fit is great too. How does it look on me?” He asked.
Leah smiled and didn't seem too sure of her words, but she covered her mouth before laughing. Pel turned bright red trying not to laugh as Micheal put his fists to hips and jutted out his chest as he looked about the vacant sitting room.
“It looks great.” Julia stammered out before practically falling onto Pel who burst into giggles at her touch.
“It's the no trousers thing making them laugh isn't it?” He asked Leah.
Leah looked up at him biting her lip and nodded several times.
On impulse he leaned down and picked her up in a hug. She wiggled and yelped, but they both held on tight. Until at least he remembered that he was picking up the strongest person in the building if not the whole city.
She clenched at his shoulders and then threw her arms up and around his neck to hang on. After that he set her down pretty quickly and she let go hesitantly before quickly going to brush down her nightgown and stepping back a little. Her pale cheeks and neck were bright with her evident blush.
“Sorry. I meant thank you. It's just something like this--” He cut off hearing himself in his new helmet and took it off before he spoke again. “What I meant to say is that this means a lot and thank you Leah. I won't ask what it cost because that's rude where I come from, but I am curious if this is just something you found in a shop or something you had made.”
Leah brightened and stepped a little forward. Her smile seemed natural more than forced like it sometimes did.
“I saw a helm like that in the shop we went to, but it was old and rusty. So I found a man when I went out with Julia and Pel today and had him make that from stuff that he had that wasn't so rusty. It's the good heavy mail with the rivets too. It will match your other set.”
Micheal looked at her and smiled.
“Thanks Leah really. It means a lot. I should have thought of that, but you're already watching my back it seems. Thank you.”
Leah shuffled a little under the intense praise, but came forward and hugged his middle before turning red in the cheeks again and running off to her friends. They both smiled at him as they welcomed her in with shared giggles and girlish glee.
Vivian was standing with the sheet about her in the doorway. Likely she had seen most of it since he hadn't totally shut the door behind him. He showed her the helmet and she inspected the chain mail veil and the padding and seemed pleased.
“I was going to mention that tomorrow actually, but it looks like she thought of that.” Vivian said to him. “You're not going to play with it and come to bed right?”
“What? -I can't wear it to bed?” He asked mockingly.
She just shook her head and gave him a flat look.
“You can do that thing with my one leg up though. I don't know why, but I'm craving having you take me like that again.” She said as she closed the door behind him.
He was just about to hang the helm on the chair where his armor rested folded atop his gambeson, but paused to give her a questioning eye over his shoulder. She returned the look with a cock of her head, dropped the sheet, and then very slowly raised her leg up and up and up until she held her foot in her outstretched hand over her head while standing on the other. She ran her hand down the inside of her legs as she brought it back down and Micheal almost forgot he was even holding the helmet, or even where he was standing. He staggered distractedly and had to catch himself on the table as he slowly overbalanced watching her little display.
“I thought so.” She said, obviously very pleased with her effect on him.