It didn’t take long for them to find the hole now that Chess had boots and wasn’t forced to move at a slow walk. Gently putting her daughter down near the edge, she stepped up and looked down. Nothing seemed to have changed inside and she didn’t see any immediate dangers from her vantage.
She took a closer look at the nearby underbrush to get an idea of what she had to work with before turning to Lynn.
“If you climb down first I’ll grow a cradle and lower her to you,” Chess said, wiping rain from her face. She pointed out where she’d grown the ladder weeks ago.
“Alright,” Lynn nodded once and turned, lowering herself onto the makeshift ladder before descending. She paused for a moment and let out a small gasp when her head passed the top lip but continued quickly.
Chess sang the wheels on the bus for the time it required to grow the cradle and the lines she’d need to lower it. She lay Ashley in it and used a nearby tree to wrap the cord around to help prevent dropping her all at once, before lowering her down. Chess’s body protested the efforts but she clenched her teeth while doing her best to ignore all of her aches and pains.
“You good for a minute? I need to hide the entrance.” Chess asked peering down at where the skunk girl was extracting Ashley from the cradle.
“Yeah,” came Lynn’s faint reply.
Chess shrugged off her cloak before taking a deep calming breath, attempting to think through the fuzziness of her mind. She pulled her waterlogged shirt over her head and dropped it into the hole with a sigh. It took a conscious effort to not do the same with her pants. The warm rain felt divine on her bruised shoulder and throbbing head. Quick and dirty but it needs to look natural.
She took another glance around to see what she had to work with. There were fewer trees near the hole itself and more bushes, with only a few of the true giants occupying the area. That one looks a lot like a lilac, the flowers are different but the plant is similar. To start, she grew the lilac-like plant into a very rough oblong around the whole circumference of the pit and a good four feet thick. It took a good minute and she was a little anxious by the time she finished. She didn’t grow any thorns on the outside perimeter, fearing that the pursuit would be looking for them, instead, she grew a set in the loam inside the ring of lilacs.
I’m an idiot. I could’ve done so much better at hiding and protecting us earlier, I completely forgot about the scent plants, I should have made it all thicker. With the thought fresh, she made sure to add a scattering of the low-growing but fragrant plants she’d long ago taken to adding to her cloak. With the flowers and rain, I hope it’s enough. I haven’t gotten a pungent whiff from Lynn in a bit, I hope that’s not because I adjusted to the smell. You can’t adjust to a skunk’s smell, can you? Freya, I hope not. Smelling like that and not knowing... She shook herself.
Next, she grew a loose covering of brambles and vines to cover the hole from view. There was still no sound of pursuit, though the lack of bird sounds still led to its weight of impending danger.
With an inspired thought, she gathered up dead leaves and sticks dumping them into the bases of the lilacs so they looked like they’d been there for years. I always hated cleaning out the bases in the fall.
Nodding in satisfaction she paced around making sure the cover was complete and dense. Stumbling over a buried branch she fell to her knees and laughed softly at herself. Finally being able to catch her breath did wonders for her ability to think and she looked at the offending stick. Around the thickness of her thigh and a few feet long, the bark had peeled back to reveal a silver-brown heart much like the ones she’d put in her inventory the night before.
The mix of colors was pretty and with the prospects of being trapped until Ash recovered, Chess picked it up with a grunt. It was significantly heavier than she would’ve thought but with a glance down to make sure Lynn had cleared Ash and herself away, dropped it with a warning, “incoming.”
Taking one last look at her work she nodded. Well, at the very least we'll hear them chopping through this mess, she thought before lowering herself onto the ladder.
As her head passed the lip a window popped up for a handful of seconds.
You have entered Dryads Rest Entrance-Zone
The entrance zone will be unavailable to you for 24hrs after you leave.
47:59:57 remaining
Once on the ground, she looked around. The light from above was muted now that the brambles covered it and she took a moment for her eyes to switch to her low-light vision. Nothing appeared to have changed since the last time she was here.
Ashley was laid out on the small rise Chess had first woken on, with Lynn’s small pack as a headrest. Lynn had cut away the leg of Ashley’s pants and removed her damaged boot. Shit, I forgot my pack. Remembering it was still tied to Petal’s saddle along with the knives she was kicking herself for not bringing to the fight. I’m the biggest idiot ever.
“How is she?” Chess asked apprehensively.
“I think she’ll live. It didn’t go all the way through, must’ve hit the bone. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t bled more. That core is more impressive than I thought,” Lynn explained.
“Well, that might not be all of it. I got her awakening notice right before she tried to run,” Chess rubbed the back of her neck and sighed.
“Really?” She said looking back at her charge. “Oh, you lucky thing, the passive probably saved you,” she said brushing hair from Ash’s face.
“Her leg?” Chess asked.
“Should heal if we don’t have issues with the bolt, the sap helped it to clot and kept the rain out.” She explained, pouring water from her waterskin onto a cloth and cleaning around the wound gently.
“Can you heal her if we hit an artery?” Chess asked, then focused on the teen's new jewelry. “Oh, how do we get your collar off?”
“I don’t know and we don’t,” Lynn said sullenly.
“Surely there’s a way, it’s silver, can’t we file through it or something?” Chess asked.
Lynn shook her head. “We need blood from the Raff guy that bound me or someone with a rank 5 binding Pyth or the master control rod. Of course, if he were to die it would stop working. If you tamper with it, it's likely to kill me when the enchantment explodes,” She added bitterly.
“He can’t track it can he?” Chess asked warily.
“No, Abbess Sholer likes to complain about that.” She shook her head.
Chess looked down at the bolt and frowned. “How do you want to do this?”
“Come hold her leg before she wakes. I’m surprised she’s still out,” Lynn said.
“Ok,” Chess said, taking a deep breath. “What do you need me to do?”
“Hold her leg steady.” Lynn adjusted her position taking hold of the shaft. She looked up and Chess gave her a firm nod. Lynn pulled back lightly and Chess didn’t feel much resistance. Then, still holding the bolt, Lynn took a slow breath and, on the exhale, pushed sharply forward. The sharp triangle head emerged from the back of Ashley’s leg with a small spurt of blood.
Ashley bolted upright screaming. Chess jumped, quickly covering her mouth to stifle the sound.
“Shhh, it’s ok, you’re okay,” Chess cooed. She climbed around behind the girl wrapping her in a hug. “Shh, I know it hurts. Please, try and breathe through it, they’re still looking for us,” Chess soothed as she rocked the girl.
Chess started singing Frère Jacques, the nursery rhyme reminding her of when her mother used to soothe her when she was hurt as a kid. Ashley’s screams turned to moans and whimpers as Lynn cleaned and bandaged the wound with linen from her pack. Chess only stopped to provide the Sister with sap and once to pull the lion hides from her inventory. Chess comforted her until Ashley fell into a fitful sleep once more.
Long hours later Chess rose and looked down at her two companions. Lynn had curled up in a ball at the end of the fur, fast asleep. Ashley’s chest rose and fell in fitful sleep.
Chess sighed. I guess I got the first watch.
She dragged her new branch to a rise in the floor and got herself comfortable; sitting cross-legged where she could watch the ladder and the two sleeping girls.
Now that she didn’t have an immediate task that needed to be done, the image of Kan’s last stumbling moment followed by Adit’s shocked eyes passed before her mind's eye and she let out an involuntary sob. Her breath started coming in short gasps as she contemplated her failures and she started hyperventilating and crying harder. Why am I always so, weak, when it really matters?
She put her head between her knees and forced herself to take slower, longer, breaths fighting the despair. At first, it didn’t work but once she forced herself to think about what she needed to build to defend herself, thus removing herself from the grief, she finally managed it. Though the odd tear still trailed down her cheek. It's true, women feel everything more intensely, she thought bitterly, her chest still a tight counterpoint to her bruised body. At least I can cry again, I thought I'd forgotten how before Freya dumped me here.
With a shuddering breath, Chess forced herself to strip the bark from her branch with a quick push of magic before setting it aside. It revealed a pretty walnut-colored wood covered with a transparent iron-grey film.
There’s bound to be a reason it’s so valuable, she mused. Turning it to look at the broken end with a frown, she used her magic to cut it so she saw the cross-section. The simple cut took her a surprising amount of effort. The density felt similar to Sprig's but lacked a vibrancy that she attributed to Sprig’s life.
Studying the revealed age rings, she brushed a thoughtful finger over the end. A thin layer of the iron-grey separated the dark brown of each ring. This isn’t what I thought I'd find when they said Ironwood. It’s like something happens every year that makes it grow a thin coating of metal. At least it’s considered wood by my magic, she mused.
I need some real weapons. I’ve not been thinking clearly for a while now. I got caught up in the idea of magic and the first mage I fought made me look like a child. The impotent rage of the earlier encounter rose again in her breast, but she throttled the feeling.
There are very logical things I can do. First, a knife. If I move the metal to the edge it should be better than nothing. Then maybe a bow? Is ironwood comparable to steel? I wonder how it is under tension.
Curious, she made a thin flat strip from the bit she’d removed while making sure that the grains were in one direction. It was about 3 inches wide and ¼ thick and just over a foot and a half long when she finished. She bent the short piece with her hands but only managed a small flex, maybe an inch with all her strength. When she let go it sprang back straight. Shiiit, this stuff is awesome. Flexible like spring steel but lighter. I wonder if it keeps an edge, she thought, hefting her small strip.
Excited to continue working with this newfound material, she made her test strip into a bowie knife. Chess spent the time to get it right and made a comfortable handle. She hesitated for a short moment before deciding to test it against the floor to see how fast it dulled. She was pleased with the results.
Next, she did her best to make a small folding knife from an end slice, but she didn’t feel good about the results. It didn’t close as well as she would’ve liked and removing more of the wood would ruin it entirely. I’ll have to play with the idea more in the future.
Contemplating the wood and what to make next, she thought, Freya did me a solid dropping me in this forest. It's tailored to the magic she gave me. The desert or some deep cave, hell even a hostile town, and I wouldn’t’ve stood a chance.
Her mind drifted and she punched her leg in frustration and cursed. Why did I lose my shit and give myself away? What the hell is with that? All my emotions are amplified. I haven’t lost it like that since I was a teen and...Kira.
“You’ll never be over it,” She admitted to herself, staring at the wood in her lap. Maybe some bangles? Kira always loved them, especially the intricate traditional ones.
Chess spent the rest of the Gem’s timer making herself two beautiful bangles. The first wrought into a flowing Celtic knot; the lines of the knots highlighted by the dark grey metal. With the second she felt more confident and created delicate flowers and leaves that supported the two thin bands that supported the art. She used the vines and flowers that filled the cave as a template.
When the ability shut off right before she could start a third, she sighed; her heart didn’t feel as heavy. The work was as therapeutic as playing the guitar or knitting ever was. She leaned back on her hands and simply appreciated having an empty mind for a moment. She knew she’d have to address everything again soon but it was too fresh.
I should have gone with Sholer, I wasn’t using my head. I really need to get a handle on my emotions. She thought as she cleaned up her space and stood.
I want a drink. A big bottle of rye. She thought. And ice.
“Fuck. I never thought I’d ever return here,” she muttered looking at the same ceiling she’d first seen when coming to this new world. She pressed her hands into her lower back and groaned.
Despite her aches and pains, she felt frustrated from days of violence and anxiety and her inability to be helpful. All her emotions were a jumbled mess.
She felt tears start to form in her eyes again before they slowly started trailing down her cheeks. She wiped at them and sniffled.
I need to do something. She stood and started pacing.
She stopped, wiping away more tears. I don't have booze but...
She made sure Ashley was still resting peacefully before moving to the other chamber where she kicked out of her pants before dragging the free fur into one of the darker corners and tried getting comfortable.
No matter what she did she couldn’t get settled. She kept shuffling around but either the pain in her face and shoulder would start aching too much or the stone beneath the fur would aggravate her.
She snuffled again. This is a bad idea. She shook her head.
She got to her feet and started pacing in front of the fur before she sat back down.
She continued like this for a long time, giving the cave opening the odd glance, and spending a few moments listening for their pursuers but she couldn’t relax or stop the tears. It took her a long time to admit herself the injuries and the stone floor weren’t the issues.
It’s hopeless! She thought, a lump rose in her throat choking her and she finally lost the battle with the deeper sobs she’d been suppressing for hours. The vivid memories of the day overcame her reason.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Whole-body sobs took hold of her and she wept for a long time, thoughts of the new friends she’d made and lost in the past few weeks flooding her mind. Cycling on repeat. She felt like she lacked the ability to manage her situation. She curled up into a tight ball, snot and tears coating her face before she fell into a fitful nap: the tears letting her fall into a fitful rest.
She woke feeling like a used dishrag but the crushing emotional weight had receded for the moment. She knew that it wasn’t the end, far from it, but she felt she might, just, live through it now.
Fuck, we got lucky no one found us. She admitted sheepishly to herself studying the opening in the rock cavern. And I’m lucky I ever woke up with those blows I took. She found and brought up the safe area timer and sighed; she’d only slept for a couple of hours. If they could track us they’d have been here by now she reasoned.
She looked down at her unclothed body and sighed before shuffling to look over at the resting girls. She groaned softly as she stood and walked over to Ashley and crouched down beside her. The burden on her heart lifted a little more when she saw Ashley had relaxed into a peaceful sleep and when Chess put the back of her hand against her forehead she was cool to the touch.
She returned to her fur, this time finding it much easier to get comfortable, and glanced at the ironwood branch she’d been playing with but shook her head. She didn’t feel like making anything at the moment and music might wake the girls.
She just wanted to be free of the hopelessness and grief even for a moment. She suppressed the growing tears and...
***
With another furtive glance at the slumbering girls, she tentatively rested a hand on her belly, positioning herself so a small rise in the floor hid her from their resting forms.
She slid her palm down her belly, hesitating for just a moment at her belly button. She had to tell herself that it was ok. It was her body; she could touch it if she wanted. She needed to touch it.
Still, it took her a second before she drew up the courage and slid her fingers the last few inches under the edge of her panties and down into her folds. Goosebumps dimpled the exposed bronze skin of her belly.
She conjured up the image of the cute brunette that’d worked at the c-store what was a lifetime ago. The cute dimpled smile and the mischievous twinkle of her eyes. That ass, those tits. But it wasn’t enough. She slowly ran her hand up and down, fingers trailing her lips, thinking.
Then she conjured up the women’s slender fingers, imagining them replacing hers, playing, caressing. Her nub tightened and moisture built. She pulled it from her entrance up, swirling the silky warmth around her clit.
When she brushed her fingers against the bundle of nerves she shivered and let out a soft groan as a shock of pleasure fluttered through her. She kept the image of those long fingers tight in her mind, up and down, smooth and silky.
She added the other delicate hand to the fantasy as she slid her free hand up under the hem of her bra and gripped one heavy breast, kneading it with firm strokes.
She pinched a nipple out of curiosity and let out a low moan at the wave of euphoria that hit.
This sweet pain from her nipple made her more confident and she gradually worked her fingers up and around her nub. She found a firm two-fingered swirl around her clit that built a throbbing tension in her loins that made her quiver and ache for more.
The image of those elegant hands drove her on. She switched breasts, flipping up her bra so their swollen weight could hang free. She grabbed her nipple, squeezing hard, not letting go, as she increased the pace around her nub.
Her breath became ragged as she moaned and cried softly. When the pressure became too much, and she neared the precipice, she released her nipple and the spike of pain followed by sweet relief sent her over the edge. Her legs spasmed as she let out small whimpering moans.
Chess lay there sprawled for long minutes, content.
Shit, I should’ve done that a long time ago. Hands? That’s new. She thought, stifling a yawn. The pain from her injuries and the recent deaths, were forgotten for a brief moment under the glow.
***
She lay back, drawing the fur over herself, and tried to summon a harmonica. It took her 48 tries and a headache before she got something close. It was hard to know for sure because she didn’t dare make too much noise. The frustration of the casting alone threatened to renew the tears.
She forcefully suppressed the circular thoughts and turned her attention elsewhere.
She’d given up on the harmonica, so, she picked up her branch and turned it in her hands. How do I make you into a bow?
“Do you have any idea how valuable that branch is?” Lynn asked from behind her.
Startled, Chess jumped a little, dropping the wood and grabbing her chest. Thankfully the fur was still covering her naked body. She tilted her head to look at the girl, as the thrill of embarrassment cruised through her. Was she watching me?
“Oh, go fly a kite,” Chess snarked, trying to deflect and hoping Lynn hadn’t caught her. Hopefully, she didn’t catch me sleeping.
“You should get some sleep,” Lynn offered, giving her an inquisitive look.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I got my bell rung a few times,” Chess said stifling a yawn. She pulled a corner of the raw lion fur over on top of her and stared pointedly at the ceiling. A few minutes later a window started flashing in the corner of her vision. She brought it up with a sigh.
A week in review.
Experience:
For performing music to comfort another.
Experience earned: 150
For performing to the satisfaction of others 52 times.
Experience earned: 1300
For your group killing 21 bandits' levels 2-5.
Your experience earned: 2850
For adding 1 Amber core to your abilities.
Experience earned: 1000
For your group killing 9 bandits' levels 6-10.
Your experience earned: 7400
For creating 16 items of common quality common items.
Experience earned: 240
For your group killing 1 bandit level 12.
Your experience earned: 2300
For creating 3 superb quality common items.
Experience earned: 150
For your group killing 2 Greenwood’s Lions level 8.
Your experience earned: 1000
For creating a blessed shrine to your goddess.
Experience earned: 1500
For the voluntary adoption of one youth outside your species.
Experience earned: 2000
For adding 1 Thump Pyth to your abilities.
Experience earned: 100
Skill Gains: Instrument: Guitar +3, Ride: Horses +3, Singing +2, Perform +2, Weaving +2, Running +2, Woodworking +1, Survival +1, Whistling +1, Instrument: Harmonica +1, Climb +1, Spear +1, Shields +1, First-aid +1, Sculpting +1, Healing +1, Tinkering +1, Hunting/Gathering +1, Mana vision +2, Instrument: Percussion +1
Freya’s tits, that’s a lot. I even got a level in Spears and Shields just from watching the drills. And climbing? I know I suck at it, but seriously I’ve only climbed down a rope ladder once. I’ve been on plenty of ladders. She grumbled.
Congratulations! Level up!
Open your status window to choose a new passive class ability!
Status
Name: Chess Stewart
Age: 18
Race: Half Wood-Elf/Half-Human
Sex: Female
Level: 2
Unspent stats: 0
Unspent skill points: 5
Exp: 26,695/30,000
Class: Minstrel
Subclass: N/A
Profession 1 Carpenter: High Apprentice
Profession 2 Bard: High Apprentice
Pyth and Gems: 2/4 Slots filled. 3/4 Heritage slots filled.
Freya’s Blessing. +4 Char, +2 Agi, +2 Dex. Increased Fertility and +3 Animal handling: Cats
Stats
Strength
14 (2)
Dexterity
18 (4)
Agility
17 (3)
Constitution
13 (1)
Willpower
14 (2)
Mind
15 (2)
Charisma
22 (6)
Perception
14 (2)
Faith
14 (2)
Luck
13(1)
Skills
Framing Const.
30
Singing
28
Woodworking
19
Instrument: Piano
28
Instrument: Guitar
24
Aqueduct Const.
16
Knitting/Weaving
22
Dodge
4
First-aid
13
Perform
19
Language: English
16
Language: Brastian
14
Metallurgy
10
Swimming
10
Instrument: Bass
10
Dance
10
Archery
10
Writing
8
Hunting/Gathering
9
Survival
8
Steam Forging
6
Lumberjack
14
Animal handling: Cats
3
Running
9
Whistling
7
Instrument: Harmonica
3
Climbing
3
Math
24
Plastering
16
Healing
3
Language: Wood Elf
8
Drafting
12
Tinkering
13
Chemistry
6
Mana vision
4
Massage
10
Instrument: Percussion
5
Skinning
6
Daggers
2
Herbology
4
Foundation Const.
24
Sculpting
5
Ride: Horses
4
Spear
1
Shield
1
Pyth, Cores, and Gems
Thump Pyth: Active: Amplify (multiply) any percussive sound by Rank x dexterity(mod), the caster creates, for 10 x Rank x dexterity(mod) minutes. It can be used 5 x Rank x dexterity(mod) times daily.
Common
Rank 1
Inventory Pyth: allows the storage of up to Rank x Mind(mod) cubic feet. Takes 1 minute-Mind to retrieve items, and 1 minute-Mind-attribute seconds to store one.
Uncommon
Rank 2
Summon Musical Instrument Pyth: Allows the summoning of a magical replica of a musical instrument the user is intimately familiar with. 1 x Charisma (Mod)/Day, lasts 1 hour + 10*char(mod)minutes
Uncommon
Rank 2
Amber Core: Active: Apply Rank x Will(mod) square inches of sap a second to an injured organism to help promote healing and prevent infection. The healing rate of wounds increased by 5(Rank x Will(mod)) percent/day that it remains applied. Current (10%) Created sap loses efficacy after Rank x Will(mod) minutes if not applied to a wound.
Passive: Slows the blood loss from your wounds by 2.5(Rank x Will(mod)) percent/second. Current (5%). And increases the resilience of the heart muscle by an equal percentage.
Rare
Rank 1
Wooden Gem: Allows free manipulation and adjustment of deadwood at a rate of Rank cubic feet a Minute x Charisma(mod). For (2 x Rank) x Charisma(mod) minutes every 4hrs.
Passive 1: receive Rank x Charisma (mod) percent of daily required sustenance from the sun. Max 50% [Current 24%]
Passive 2: allows a detailed perception of the interior properties of the wood that you are working on with the Gem's magic. Including flaws, density, structure, and moisture content. Accuracy improves with rank.
Rare
Rank 4
Abilities Active
Fascinate/Charm: As you play soothing melodies, you can keep one person/rank + Char(mod) people and/or creatures enraptured if they fail a will check against the caster. The weak of will may even fight for you.
Rank 2
Shaped Growth: Play and sing with intent and the world will bloom about you. Plants in a radius of (Char(mod)*Rank meters about you will grow to your intent, as you play music or sing. The growth speed is up to Rank*Char(mod) inches a second. Growth will die if the soil isn’t sufficient to support it.
Rank 2
Determining current synergistic abilities.
Choose A Passive Ability
(Next choice is at level 6)
Perfect Pitch (Thump)
Toughness (Wooden)
Thick Skin (Wooden, Amber)
Background Singer (Summon Instrument, Thump, Amber)
Charismatic (Wooden, Amber, Thump)
Musical Memory (Inventory, Thump, Amber, Summon Instrument, Wooden)
You have (5) Free Skill Points.
“Hmm, I think I’ll wait until my head is clearer,” She muttered, waving it away and returning her gaze to the cave ceiling.