Part 69 (Patreon)

“So that’s how my glasses broke…and my dress ripped,” Glasha said, ruefully. “It sounds as if the bunch of you had quite an adventure. That mage sounds like she deserved every slap you delivered to her, and even the little “extra” present from Rylee,” Lady Sivallien said. “You promised to tell us of your journeys,” Shelgrish reminded the mage.

“It’s no grand adventure like yours, that’s for certain,” she started. “Therliss and I travelled south, according to the plan, and we were looking for a place to stay in a small hamlet we found when we heard a local story about a powerful amulet. Thinking it might be the keystone, we paid to hear more about it, and their tip led us the next morning to a set of ruins in the woods. Inside was a crypt, guarded by skeletons. It would have been useful to have Choru along with us, but they’re plenty vulnerable to my magic--”

And MY steel,” Therliss chimed in.

“Just so! But not so much your arrows,” Lady Sivallien said, continuing. When we finally weeded out the undead, we found a sarcophagus with an effigy carved into the lid. Unfortunately, it was open, and empty and had been for a long time.”

Here Therliss picked up the story. “I looked for evidence of a trail, but aside from those skeleton things no one seems to have been down in that crypt for a long ti--”

“Horses!” Miri interrupted, rising from the campfire stool she had been sitting on. The party jumped to their feet, preparing themselves to welcome friends or ward off foes.

A few tense moments passed as the hoofbeats drew closer. “There’s a wagon, as well,” Miri added, just before the others heard the sound of the wheels. Therliss drew her bow and climbed a tree, as Rylie hefted her axe. Shelgrish looked worriedly at the orc, understanding that the ancestral weapon was far too heavy for her to handle efficiently.

Then, the outline of horses, and eventually a wagon could be seen through the approaching dustcloud. “It’s Minna,” Miri said, pointing her finger at the cart, “and she has others with her. Velathra, for one. Is that Maddie? And…oh, that’s too precious.”

“What?” said Shelgrish. “BE NICE,” Lady Sivallien warned, as the only party member with eyesight as sharp as the half-elf’s. The party put down their weapons, and Therliss climbed down from the tree to greet her companions.

Minna brought the horses to a stop just outside of camp, and sprung from the driver’s seat to the ground below, smiling. Velathra gracefully hopped down from her seat, while behind them, Minna clambered off the rear of the cart.

Then, slowly, Choru climbed off, red-faced and covering herself with her hands as best she could.

“Wow, what happened to YOU?” Miri said, smiling. “Be kind!” Lady Silvallien repeated. Minna smiled? “Oh, her clothes and gear? It’s in a chest back there. I suppose Velathra can pick the lock once she’s learned her lesson.” Choru glared at Minna.

“Let’s be kind,” the Lady repeated again. Minna frowned, cowed by her liege and employer. But Shelgrish had no such ties, and spoke up: “I seem to remember one cleric who wasn’t very kind to Miri, when SHE arrived naked and covered in dirt. It made an impression on me. It seems to me the wheel turns for all, and a little kindness serves.”

Miri covered her smile with her hand. Choru watched as Velathra went to open the chest. “I, I thought you needed special tools that you didn’t have in the wagon.” Velathra just smiled, and winked at Minna.

Maddie understood that justice had been served, but she also pitied Choru. It was something a little more than just compassion. “I’m going to go down to the river and wash off this foul-smelling filth. Do you want to come? I imagine she’ll have the chest open well before we finish washing.”

Choru scowled for a moment, then nodded, following Maddie down to the riverbank.