by Pirateaba
Lyon hesitated, and then pointed to her chest and stomach. Erin frowned.
“Can I see? I mean, I believe you…but I uh, want to see how bad it is.”
The other girl stared at Erin in horror and backed away.
“You want me to bare myself to you?”
The look on Lyon’s face suggested that Erin was a repeat sexual offender asking her to step into a back alley. Erin scowled at her, patience thin.
“Well, if you can’t prove he hit you—”
“My word as a noble should be good enough!”
“Not for me. And why was Toren so mad at you, anyways? Were you doing something you weren’t supposed to?”
“I was—”
Again, Lyon hesitated, and Erin smelled a rat.
“Look, he shouldn’t have hit you if that’s what he did. But I asked him to teach you, and I told you to listen to him. You agreed to do that when you said you would work here.”
“I never agreed to—”
“I am your boss. You’re my employee. You work for me, and do what I ask you to do, got it?”
“Boss? Employee? Why not just call me a servant and have done with it? I will not be ordered around.”
Lyon sneered at Erin and pointed to Toren.
“He struck me. Only the most craven and despicable masters would do that, even among the lower classes! I want him destroyed. Now.”
“No. You cleaned this room, pretty decently, so good job. Now, please do the upstairs. I think you can do it by yourself, so Toren doesn’t need to go with you. I’ll check on you in half an hour, but no one’s getting dismantled.”
Lyon’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re not going to do anything? I told you, he hit—”
“I will make sure he doesn’t do it again. Now, please go clean the upstairs, will you?”
Erin didn’t know that many swear words from this world yet, but she could have sworn she heard a really nasty one from Lyonette. The girl stomped towards the stairs, pausing to shoot daggers at Erin and Toren every few seconds.
When she was gone, Erin exhaled slowly. This was a lot of work, and the stress from her encounter with Krshia and now this was making her usual optimism take a dive into cranky town. She looked at Toren, curious. The skeleton looked completely normal, but Erin had to ask.
“Did you hit her?”
Toren nodded. Erin sighed.
“Hard?”
The skeleton seemed to think, and then shook his head definitely. Erin scowled.
“That’s what I thought. But don’t hit her again, okay? Just…get her to work without hitting.”
Toren nodded, and Erin sighed. She couldn’t blame her skeleton, not really. He was sort of stupid, and even she’d thought about hitting Lyon. Well, he wouldn’t do it again, and she needed him to teach the girl.
After five minutes with Lyonette, Erin already had a headache.
—-
That night, Erin made a wonderful meal of spaghetti and meatballs. It was as good as any restaurant food, and she was really happy to have her [Advanced Cooking] skill. She ate two plates with Ceria, and the half-Elf talked with Erin for a long time about different foods she’d eaten over the course of her sixty-odd years of life, which included everything from raw insects to elegant cooking at fine restaurants in cities Erin had never heard of before.
Lyon arrived late for dinner, complained about the cold food, refused to wait to heat the food near the fire, made disparaging comments about Erin’s cooking, and sulked off after eating half a plate.
She wanted more in an hour, and Erin refused. She wasn’t feeling generous, and a night of hunger would teach the girl a lesson or make Erin feel better.
It was impossible for Erin and Ceria to stay up late chatting, so they went to bed early. That night, Lyon woke both with a scream as Toren caught her trying to filch food. It was a bad night, and even though Erin got to sleep again, she still had to wake up early. Because the next day, Lyonette was gone with all of Erin’s gold not hidden under the floorboards.
—-
“Where was Toren when she took the money?”
“I don’t know. Out? Getting water? He does chores around the inn when I’m not giving him orders.”
Erin glanced at Toren. The skeleton looked abashed, but also angry. He had a sword in his hands, which was premature, but matched Erin’s general state of mind.
“Can we find her?”
“Easily enough.”
Ceria rubbed sleep from her eyes and yawned as she stood in the ransacked kitchen. She’d been the first up besides Toren, and she’d raised the alarm.
The half-Elf concentrated, and an orb floated upwards. It looked like a [Light] spell, but this one had a small arrow in the center. It was pointing northwest, and slightly downwards.
“Looks like she’s running for the north road. She can’t have gotten far; she took a lot and she’s not exactly a [Runner].”
“How do you know where she is? Can you find people just like that?”
“Hardly. I thought this would happen, so I planted a tracking spell on her.”
Ceria smiled at Erin and shrugged.
“A trick we learned at Wistram. Helped when we snuck around the libraries at night.”
“Well, let’s get her.”
Erin stood up, genuinely angry. She should have expected this as well, but she liked to believe in the best of people. But she was starting to understand that ‘people’ didn’t really include Lyonette.
“Come on. Toren, you run ahead. Catch her, but don’t hurt her, okay? Then I’m going into the city and you’re going to teach her to haul water and do a bunch of hard work, got it?”
Toren seemed to sigh, but he was out the door in a flash. Erin stomped out as well, Ceria following right on her heels.
“Erin, you know I want to say it.”
“You told me. But—”
“Another chance? How many does she get?”
“A lot. If it means not letting her die…”
“Fine. But I’m keeping the spell on her.”
Erin looked wistfully at Ceria.
“Any chance you can magic her into behaving?”
“If I could do that, I’d have fixed Pisces a long time ago.”
“Oh. Obviously.”
They found Lyon only a few miles away, struggling to get through the snow. Much shouting was had, but Erin didn’t feel better. In fact, she felt awful. She left Lyon with Toren in the inn and went into the city. She almost told Toren he could hit her, but refrained.
That would be cruelty, and Erin wasn’t cruel. No matter how hard she wanted to be. Besides, Toren was a good match for Lyon. He was unwavering, inflexible, and he never got bored. If he didn’t hit her, the only thing Lyon was in danger of was overwork.
—-
Toren was bored. He didn’t like teaching Lyon, and he really, really wanted to hit her. But he couldn’t.
The skeleton. stared at Lyon. She stared back at him, with a smirk on her face.
“You can’t hit me. I heard you mistress say it.”
Toren nodded grudgingly. He pointed towards a bucket on the floor, but Lyon made no move.
“No. You can’t order me around anymore, monster, and there’s nothing you can do to me.”
What fools these Humans be. Toren nearly sighed, but instead he raised his index finger and poked Lyon hard in the side. She squealed.
“Stop that!”
Toren ignored that. He also ignored her flailing arms and he effortlessly knocked her hands away. He stepped next to Lyon and did the same thing.
He poked her.
“I will not be coerced! Torment me all you want, thing, but I wi—ah!—stop!”
Toren ignored Lyon. If she wouldn’t do what he wanted, he would make her. He wasn’t allowed to hit her, but poking had never been mentioned. So he poked her hard in the side.
Again. And again. And again. And again. And again.
And again.
And agai
n.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And—
After the one hundred and fifty-eighth time, Lyon stopped screaming and trying to hit Toren and gave up and did when he wanted. It wasn’t as satisfying as hitting, but it got the point across, especially because when normal poking failed, Toren got a knife and started poking with that.
Lyonette complained of course, about the poking. But Erin just glared at Lyon until the girl shrank back and so Toren was spared any more orders. And he’d decided making Lyon work could be fun after all.
—-
It was after another day of difficult shopping in Liscor when Ceria invited Erin to visit the only other adventurer who’d survived Skinner. Well, the only one who was still in Liscor, that was. Erin accepted, out of curiosity as much as anything else.
That was how she found herself in a small room in the back of the Adventurer’s Guild, a place reserved for wounded adventurers. It had only one occupant: Yvlon Byres.
The young woman was everything Erin had ever dreamed of when she’d occasionally wondered if she could be a knight like one of her chess pieces, or someone like Indiana Jones or even a superhero.
Yvlon was tall, golden-haired, fair of skin…she actually sort of resembled Lyon, although Lyon’s hair was fair red and Yvlon had about a head of height on her and muscle and…
Maybe it was just their same posture, that of perfect ruler-straight perfection, and elegant manners. For all Lyon was horrible, she still ate and spoke like someone trained to it, and so did Yvlon.
And unlike Lyon, Yvlon’s manners matched her good nature. She shook Erin’s hand in her bed after Ceria introduced her, smiling.
“Yvlon Byres. An honor to meet you, Miss Erin.”
Erin smiled back, and shook the callused hand, trying to stare Yvlon in the eyes.
She was…pretty. In fact, Erin would have ventured to say she was gorgeous before she’d come to Liscor. Her skin was mostly perfect, and she had great teeth, a shapely nose, and even nice ears. Erin wished she had Yvlon’s ears.
The only flaw was the skin which had been…ripped…away from the left half of Yvlon’s face. Not all of it; and in truth it wasn’t as if she’s lost her nose or anything like that. It was just—noticeable, that was all. The shiny scar tissue was still red and it was clearly different from her smooth skin.
Yvlon smiled bitterly at Erin and the girl tried to look anywhere else.
“I’m sorry. I—”
“It’s noticeable. Don’t worry about it. This is my penance. I failed the people I led, and I’ve been justly punished for that.”
“Don’t say that, Yvlon.”
Ceria scowled at the other woman as she took a seat next to the adventurer. Yvlon was still confined to bed, although the young woman seemed restless. Erin noted the suit of armor neatly packed on a dresser and took a seat as well.
“You and I both know that Skinner wasn’t your fault. How could we have known the door sealing him was unlocked already? Besides, Cervial, Gerald, and Lir were all there and they were all Silver-rank Captains. If they didn’t sense anything amiss, you wouldn’t have either.”
Yvlon shook her head. Her hand was tight on her bed sheets.
“It’s not about excuses, Ceria. I took responsibility for all of the lives of those adventurers when I took command, and worse, I failed to even keep my promise to honor their deaths. I have not a coin to give their dead families and loved ones, aside from my armor and sword. And I cannot sell those; they don’t belong to me.”
“No one expected a complete wipe down there, Yvlon. I’m sure the others will—”
Ceria paused, clearly not willing to lie.
“Well, all of us knew the risks. And Skinner’s dead, so they’re avenged. Just rest, Yvlon.”
The Human sagged in her bed, and Erin saw tears in her eyes. And this was the person Ryoka had disliked so much? Why?
“I wish I could be out and about. But my face—I didn’t want to use a healing potion. I need to bear this.”
“You’re just like Gerial and Calruz. So stubborn—”
Ceria sighed in exasperation, and bowed her head.
“You should use a potion. And then get on your feet. Look Yvlon—and Erin too for that matter—I’ve been thinking. Skinner was…a nightmare I’ve never seen before in my life. And losing all my friends and comrades—it’s crushed me. But I can’t give up now. I won’t. If they’re deaths mean anything, it’s that I should keep on living. And I can’t rely on Erin forever. So…”
She took a deep breath, and looked Yvlon in the eye.
“I’m going to go back to adventuring.”
Both Yvlon and Erin looked at Ceria, shocked; the half-Elf only shrugged.
“I know. But it’s all I know how to do. I could do small magics for money, but even I’d be ancient by the time I earned enough to buy any new spell books. And…I want to become stronger. I need to become stronger.”
Erin was still surprised, not least by the suddenness of Ceria’s decision, but Yvlon only hesitated a moment longer before clasping the half-Elf’s hand.
“Best of luck. I will get better and perhaps—my sword arm is rusty, and weak, but I’d be honored to journey with you if you’d have me. I must repay my debt somehow.”
“We’ll talk more about it when you’re better. I promise.”
Ceria smiled, and Yvlon clenched her hand tightly.
“Don’t go off alone, Ceria. I’ve seen too many adventurers fall after losing their party.”
“I won’t do anything stupid. I’m still recovering, and I don’t have a party. I’ll wait. Just keep focusing on getting better, alright?”
“I will.”
They talked for a while longer, about less important things. Erin had to describe her inn to Yvlon a few times and Ceria had to back her up before Yvlon would believe all the crazy things that had happened to Erin. She was especially interested in Ryoka, but all too soon a few hours had passed and Erin and Ceria had to leave.
Yvlon nearly tried to get out of bed before the two girls stopped her.
“I can walk, you know.”
“We know, but guard your strength. If you haven’t used a healing potion, your muscles will still be recovering.”
With resigned grace, Yvlon sank back into her bed. Erin noticed the bottle of glowing liquid by her bed stand and wondered if the former Silver-rank Captain wasn’t just a little bit pigheaded like Ryoka. But Yvlon nodded to Erin with far more courtesy than Ryoka had ever shown.
“A pleasure, Erin Solstice.”
It was, although somehow, Erin doubted she’d been as important as Ceria’s revelation. The two left quietly, and as they walked out of the guild Erin turned to Ceria.
“Adventuring? Really? Now?”
“Yes, yes, and yes, Erin. I know it’s risky, but…”
Ceria shrugged.
“It’s all I know.”
Erin chewed her lip, but couldn’t think of anything to say to that.
“Well, you can stay at my inn either way. My door is always open for you. And you don’t have to jump into it right away. You can stay as long as you want.”
“I know. It’s just—”
“Don’t worry. I’m not trying to talk you out of it; I’ll back you up! You do what you do best, and I’ll be ready with a hot meal and a bath. Well, Toren will have to carry the water for the bath. And I’ll need to buy a bathtub.”
Ceria smiled, touched. She patted Erin on the shoulder.
“Thanks, Erin.”
They both smiled. Then their smiles faded when they remembered who was currently living in their inn.
“At least she’s gathering mushrooms. I don’t see how anyone can mess that—well, poisonous ones—and she could not get any or squash them…huh…”
Ceria sighed, but then she smiled wickedly.
“Look on the brigh
t side. Maybe she’ll fall into a Shield Spider pit and Toren will fail to save her.”
Erin turned and mock-glared at her friend.
“Ceria!”
“Sorry.”
“You should be. Honestly. I mean, if they scratched her a bit I wouldn’t mind, but…”
They laughed, and parted ways. Ceria wanted to talk to Pisces and Erin wanted to hunt for more sugar before she got back to her inn. Neither one noticed the furred shapes moving through the crowds towards the gates in a slow, but steady pattern.
—-
Lyon and Toren were gathering mushrooms that Erin wanted to experiment with when the ground caved in near the girl’s foot. She screamed and jumped back as the Shield Spider nest was revealed.
Toren looked down with interest at the sleepy spiders as they began to move and look for their prey. He looked at Lyon. She was paralyzed with fear.
Casually, Toren put one hand on the girl’s back and pushed her lightly into the pit.
She screamed, and flailed, and the Shield Spiders scurried over to her. Toren enjoyed the sight for as long as possible, until one of the Spiders tried to bite her.
Too bad Erin had told him not to let Lyon come to any harm. Toren almost sighed, although he would have needed lungs to do it.
He scared the Shield Spiders off with his gaze of [Terror] and then turned it on the girl. She screamed and peed a bit, but when she realized that Toren could turn the effect on and off, she ran to each spot. Toren jogged after Lyon happily, enjoying the screams. He mentally marked the spider nest for later, and wondered what he’d kill today.
—-
Later that day, Erin stood by a window, not looking directly outside but counting the shadows. She heard Lyonette stomp downstairs and sighed.
The girl had gotten back with a basket brimming full of mushrooms both poisonous and fair, and then locked herself in her room. Toren had gone out, and Erin was…busy.
She didn’t want to hear Lyon complain in any case. The girl was never happy, never satisfied, and now was not the time for it in any case. Erin sniffed the air and sighed. No. She looked around. Ceria…Pisces…they were both in the city still. And Toren was out hunting. No, not the time.
