Monday, September 12, 2011

The lady's appetites



Lady Taverline of Alamar, bride-to-be and NPC for the quest "Wedding at the Peak".
Art by me


THE WEDDING AT THE PEAK
Part 1: The Lady's Appetites

A few days later, the group meets the Lady Taverline at her parent's estate just outside of Denerim. After many tears and well wishes, her mother lets them leave. Normally, the family would escort a bride, but her father is very old and very ill, and she has no siblings. It is a precious thing they have entrusted you with. Lady Taverline looks back at her home until distance hides it from view. And that's when the chatter begins.

"Have you ever been to Dragon's Peak, Ser?" she asks Kyle. He shakes his head, eyes on the road ahead. "What about Denerim? Amaranthine? Gwaren?" An endless torrent of questions, almost all directed at Darn, Kyle, and George. It will be three days to Dragon's Peak. Three . . . long . . . days.

On the second night, Kyle and Darn look for firewood, while Håkan and Lauren start supper. George prowls the edges of the campsite, keeping a lookout until they return. Mari and Zara have the unfortunate task of helping Lady Taverline with her tent and bags. No small task, that. She has five trunks of personal belongings in addition to several trunks full of wedding gifts and dowry items. Travel would be faster without the mule and cart, but the Lady cannot be parted from her luxuries...

It is dusk, and as the sun goes down, the night gets cold. The warriors have armloads of firewood, but there is only so much warmth from the flames.

"I'm cold. And hungry. When is supper? Can we have roast duck? I want another blanket. How much longer will we be out?"

As the sun, coloring the sky red, is preparing to go to sleep George can feel the temperature slowly dropping. And his mood with it. It's going to be another freezing night for sure and that damn noble woman just never shuts up. George hates her, he hated her even from the start, in truth he hated her even before he met her. Every word coming from her lips makes his skin crawl, the endless questions makes him want to hit something. Nobles, they're all the same. Spoiled bloody princesses.

"Looks like we'll need more firewood. I'm on it." says Kyle, who had been sitting by the camp fire along with Mari, Darn and the beloved-by-all Lady Taverline, and quickly flees into the forest. Very convenient excuse. Mari sighs, looking at him going, and thinks "Coward…". Kyle whistles as he picks up more firewood, determined not to look at Taverline and Mari.

Lauren and Håkan are standing by the fire too, leaning over a pot and trying to produce something edible. George has his doubts as he picks up bits and pieces of their conversation.

“I think we need more cinnamon, I should have some in my bag", Lauren ducks and starts to search.

"Cinnamon? In the soup?!", asks Håkan, surprised.

"Yes, for the carrots…", she mumbles, before getting a bag triumphant. “I got it!”

"But that would kill the chili flavour!" says finally the tall mage.

“Yes, that's the point”. Lauren stands up and drops a little stick in the pot

George gives Lauren and Håkan a worried look. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to let those two do the cooking... Mari also looks at them dreamily, wondering if she can convince Kyle to make an applepie for the dessert.

"Lauren, i think there's enough potatoes in it...".

Lauren looks at the pot. “Uh… yes”

Fools!, thinks George. There can never be enough potatoes! Zara is standing a little bit away from the group, trying to unload Lady Taverline's possessions. It seems the lady brought everything she owns with her on this trip and just one of those objects is probably worth more money than George has seen in his life, it's like begging to get robbed. George is patrolling the outskirts of their small encampment, casting longing looks at the fire and jealous glares at the two mages by the pot.

"Do we have a duck?" Darn mumbles in response to Lady Whinerline.

The lady immediately throws her arms around the elf and hugs him tightly. "Oh, someone cares! Will you really get me duck? Please? Please?"

Darn swallows and looks around nervously, seeking help from the others. But it is in vain as everyone is equally scared of being the lady's next victim. He glances at Zara and trying to figure out where he can find some duck, but she sighs and ignores the noblewoman. "I found another blanket for her."

"I do so wish we were already there. Do you think Kyle will be back soon? He's so handsome in his armor. Is he single? Is he noble? He looks it." Lady Taverline says as she keeps on clinging to Darn.

"I think... well..." Darn takes a deep breath and stumbles on his words, glancings nervously at Mari who's glaring daggers at the Lady, understanding why Kyle is trying so hard to avoid coming anywhere near the two girls, and Darn tries to do the same too.
“You're engaged, mylady, remember?”, spits the elf.

Suddenly a sound catches George's attention. Bushes, on the other side of the road, rustling. Carefully he goes to check it out, was it footsteps or just the wind? As he crosses the road a mouse shoots out from the brush, straight at him.

"Shit!" he yells out and jumps as he's startled by the small animal. His immediate reaction is to try to stomp the mouse, but the animal easily zigzags between his legs and into the camp. As the camp fire casts its light over the mouse the Lady, unfortunately, spots it.

" Oh. right. But I've never met him and -- A MOUSE! A MOUSE!" Lady Taverline starts screaming hysterically and jumps onto Darn's back. Kyle, who has returned with more fire wood, throws it to the ground and raises an eyebrow at the Lady "It's just a mouse..." he states while Mari giggles at them. “Cute mouse!” comments the elf, amused.

"No, George, really... I have no idea how to cook that" Håkan says as he raises his head from the pot.

"I'm not cooking a mouse... Carrots and mice? disgusting!" Lauren chimes in.

"I've tried mouse soup. It's not very tasty." George responds, while making a solemn vow never to let his family be that close to starvation again.

"Well... maybe some pepper would fix the flavour."

"They taste better if you roast them." Kyle offers his opinion on the subject.

"They're mostly bones anyway..." sniffs Zara.

"If we had some leek maybe... but carrots?!"

And that's enough to set the whole party off on a deep discussion on whether or not mouse is on the menu this evening.

"DON'T LET IT GET ME!" They're interrupted by Lady Taverline continuing her shrieking. The lady is still attached to Darn's back and he's looking very uncomfortable, not knowing what to do with her. Mari takes the blanket from Zara’s hands and manages to trap the mouse under it, while the poor beast squeaks in dismay.

"It is...ok now lady" Darn informs Taverline, at the time Marilyn takes the mouse carefully by its tail from under the blanket. The mouse looks at Marilyn, wide eyed and terrified
“Save me from that terrible mouse!”, continues squeacking the lady, still on Darn's back, arms wrapped around him, holding tight

“Don't worry, mylady, I have it safe”. Mari smiles and walks a bit into the woods near Kyle, to release the poor mouse free at a safe distance from the camp, George is picturing putting the mouse on Lady Shriekerline's head. “I'd put it into her clothes”, whispers Mari to her knight, chuckling, “but that would be unfair for the poor mouse”

Kyle smirks and whispers back at her. “You are too kind, my lady”, and he’s rewarded with a playful wink from the elf. Meanwhile, the mouse runs off into the forest, saved from the angry warrior and the insane noblewoman.

"Lady, you can stand down now properly", protests Darn.

Taverline blushes, letting go of the elf. "You saved me, ser. You have my undying gratitude."

Darn waves his hand before him "No need lady Taverline". Kyle is kind of relieved, seeing that Darn will be Lady Taverline's object of harassment from now on, while Marilyn focuses her attention on the cooks.

When the crisis is averted Lauren and Håkan return to their cooking. George sits down by the fire with the others. This bloody cold... He holds his hands near the fire and rubs them, his fingers feel stiff and frozen.

"Here, try this!" Lauren grabs Håkan's robe and pulls him closer to the pot. Before he has time to even react she sticks a spoon-full of soup in his mouth. Håkan makes a strange, grunting noise and it takes a few moments before he's able to swallow it.

"It's HOT!" he complains and starts fanning his tongue with his hand. "I can't feel my tongue..."

George raises an eyebrow at them. "The pyromaniac is complaining it's too hot?" Oh, the irony... He is rewarded with a glare from Håkan. Teasing the mage has quickly become one of George's favorite hobbies and lately George has seen that glare of disapproval so many times he can barely even picture Håkan with another expression on his face. Every one of those glares is a small victory to him.

Lauren is concerned about her cooking. “Too much chili?”, she asks to the mage.
“No, too much fire”, replies Håkan, forgetting George’s teasing. He takes the spoon and has another taste. “Uhm... tasty. But something's missing...”

“Yes...?”

“Uhm...salt?”

Marilyn follows the conversation and turns to her beloved again. “Are you sure you don't what to cook the dessert, sweetheart? Just for survival purposes”

The warrior grins and whispers back. “Excellent idea!”

Marilyn decides to help Kyle with the wood just as an excuse to be with him and away from the lady. Kyle, though, prefers to avoid the approaching deadly meal.

“I will await supper in my tent”, announces Lady Taverline, to everybody’s joy. Håkan silently thanks the Maker, while Darn sighs and walks over to the pot and looks at Lauren wanting to know what is she cooking. Zara finishes unloading the ladies trunks. What a pain

“Oh...salt...I always forget something”, regrets Lauren. Håkan smiles and adds a pinch of salt “That, thank you”, she smiles back, sending him to a happy rose-tinted world. 



1. Mari "taking care" of the lady's luggage. Mari: "ASDFGFGHHGHJHK I LUV THIS JOB"

2. Håkan and Lauren cooking and George disapproving.
H: "Lauren what exactly are you doing?"
L: "LOL! I DON'T KNOW!"
H: "Oh. All right. Go on. Just give me the recipe if it explodes"

3. LE FLIRTING
G: "Oh hai :iconflynnriderplz:"
H: ":iconwthplz:"

4. Darn and Kyle trying to chop wood with their shields.
D: "This is not working"
K: "Works for me. GNNNNHHHH!!"

Art by Emedeme

 

GeorgeAck give Håkan a jealous look and decides he should take another look around the edges of the camp, no matter how much he's freezing, but in that very moment Lauren tastes the soup again and raises her voice

“I think dinner's ready!”

The evening is amicable and everyone gathers around the fire. By some sort of miracle the soup actually turns out pretty good, even though Lady Taverline is highly disappointed by the lack of duck. A few hours of talking and laughing around the campfire and then everyone, except Darn and Zara who have the first watch, is ready to settle into their bedrolls.

Marilyn, who has volunteered to share her watch with Kyle, scowls at her fiancée when she learns they got the second turn to watch. “Why did you have to get the worst turn?”. On the second turn, you never get enough sleep, she thinks. Kyle shrugs, petting his falcon, and doesn’t reply.

Lauren decides to read a bit before sleeping. She scratches her nose, frowns and turns another page. She wonders why she brought that book, it's too boring. Then finally closes it and tries to sleep

George happily crawls into his, appreciating the cozy warmth. He listens to the little sounds coming from around the camp, the sound of Darn and Zara talking in hushed voices, the sound of Lauren flipping pages in her book. Grogginess envelops him like a blanket and before long he's fast asleep. Soon everybody else follows him.

All is quiet on Darn's watch. He watches the group sleeping, with Zara sitting near him, quietly staring at the sky. The only sounds are the fire and the occasional animal on its nightly rounds. He turns another page of his book, and frowns when a long sentence appears at the beginning. Darn glances at Zara "We read this book when we were children...I still..." he sighs. "You dont have to stay awake", he says then, as if he noticed his girlfriend by his side for the first time. Zara smiles at Darn, tired but happy.

Darn stands up to walk over a camp assuring if everyone is ok, also lady Taverline. The Lady moves around in her tent, still awake, not like George, who is sleeping heavily and snoring

When Kyle's turn comes, she gets up to wake Mari. She thanks Zara “He wouldn't have woken me”

Zara mutters, "I know. Knights . . ." rolls her eyes. Mari nods, smiling. She goes to sleep, followed by Darn, who fater making sure that Zara has everything she need, lies on the ground and falls asleep 



 
Kyle's Falcon, Timothy, Tim for short. Art by Pham Ngoc Trinh 


Kyle is preparing his falcon, as he thinks the bird is the best night defence you can get. Mari gets a blanket and sits besides Kyle, leaning her head on his shoulders, and he looks down at her and smiles, pulling the blanket closer on Mari.

An hour or so into Kyle's watch, the Lady Taverline wakes up, walking over to the watching couple. “I am thirsty. Fetch me a glass of water?”

Mari sighs and starts getting up. “I'll go”

“No, I”, replies Kyle, knightly, but Taverline stops him. “Yes, be a dear and fetch it, Mari”. 


Mari gets up to fetch some water for the lady, wonder if she would be very mad at her if she pours it over her. Kyle is suddenly very alarmed, specially when Taverline looks at him and smiles, "I thought she would never leave us alone. Oh, Kyle! We could run away together! I know you've been watching me ...”


Kyle is at a loss for words. “Lady, forgive me”, he finally manages to say, “but I think you are greatly mistaken”.

“You don't have to deny it! I can see it in your eyes… eye…”, the Lady corrects herself. “You love me!” Taverline falls into his lap, wrapping her arms around him
Kyle pulls her away with all his might. "Lady, control yourself! We are here to escort you to your husband, nothing more!"

Taverline holds onto him tightly, refusing to let go. In that very moment, while Darn turns himself at back and twitches a bit from bad dream about broken chastity, Marilyn returns with the waterskin in one hand and a jar in the other, and at the sight of the lady on her betrothed’s arms, she lets drop the jar and the waterskin, not knowing whether to laugh or to slap the lady. Finally, she coughs politely, causing Kyle to jump, and crouches to take the jar and waterskin again.

Taverline looks at Mari, "Kyle and I have something to tell you. Go ahead love, confess."

“Yeah, love... Confess”, says the elf, crossing her arms, amused. “I'm waitiiing”

Kyle looks at Mari, then nods. “Forgive me, I can't accept your feelings. Marilyn and I are lovers. My heart belongs to her only, my lady."

 


                                   Art by Emedeme

Taverline begins to cry, letting go of the knight, "But I was so sure! How can you not love me? Aren't I beautiful?" She cries noisily, disturbing the party’s sleep
 

Mari pats the lady's back “Yeah, yeah, very beautiful, milady.... But unfortunately I saw him first”

“I will ... go back ... to my tent... alone... *sniff*”, pouts the lady.

"I'm really sorry, my lady. But I can't change what my heart decides...", tries to comfort her Kyle.

Mari giggles seeing Kyle’s embarrassment “You're such a heartbreaker, sweetheart” 


George sleeps through it all. He is a deep sleeper, while Håkan dreams of eating popcorn watching a dragon sitting on Kyle, and wakes up thinking "WTH?", to hear Mari giggle. Then he goes back to sleep, muttering "the dragon, the dragon..."

Lauren keeps sleeping too, with a little snore. Zara also sleeps through it all, a few feet away from George.

Darn jolts up awake by the lady cries "Anyone hurt?"

Taverline looks over to Darn, eyes lighting up. "Ser Darn!"

Darn flinches back "Yes?"

“T-take me back to my tent? Please?”

Darn puts a hand on his knee confused

Mari realizes what is going to happen and thinks.. “That poor lady didn't really want to be married”

Kyle reluctantly picks up the blanket and wraps it around the lady. "Follow me."
Taverline looks at Kyle coldly, "It's fine. Ser Darn has me well in hand I think."

Mari doesn’t take her eyes off Kyle and the lady, but Kyle just nods and bows his head. "Very well then, my lady." Darn stands up slowly looking at Kyle and Mari

“Sorry, Darn”, whispers Mari, while Kyle looks at him pleadingly. Then she holds her fiancée’s arm and takes him away from the lady, still giggling. “So lovers, eh?”, she whispers at his “When have we upgraded?”

Kyle looks at Mari and smile, then whisper softly "I'm sorry for letting you see that, my love."

“I trust you”, she whispers back. Then she tiptoes and kisses Kyle's cheek

“And I am forever grateful for that, maybe for the rest of my life”, he replies, blushing, then lowers his head to return the kiss. 



 

Taverline grabs Darn, wrapping herself on his arm, "Love is a cruel thing, Ser Darn."

Darn raises his eyebrows at the couple not realizing anything, then he looks at the lady "Isn’t this inappropriate, milady?"

“The heart is untamed . . .”, she whispers.

Darn shrugs and walks slowly with lady to her tent "You need to get some sleep"

Taverline hugs Darn, "You are so kind to offer, ser, but I cannot allow you in my tent."

Darn makes few steps forward "I didn’t mean it like that...Alone, sleep alone"

“It's alright. I know my beauty is dazzling and hard to refuse. I will keep our love a secret. Until morning, ser”.

Darn frowns totally confused "Love?"

Taverline nods. "I thought it was Kyle but now I realize it was your eyes burning into my soul."

Darn opens his mouth in disbelief. Kyle gives Darn the thumbs up.
"Maybe we should look around for some medicine", finally articulates the elf.

“My father would never let me wed an elf, but they say forbidden fruits are the sweetest”, continues the lady in a dreamy tone.

Darn flinches back "You need a medicine lady Taverline...I will bring you some"

Mari hears it and has to bury her face in Kyle neck to stop laughing. Kyle doesn’t care and is just guffawing.

“Your lips are my medicine. I await their touch” says Taverline persing her lips for a kiss.
Darn puts a hand on his mouth swiftly avoiding her "Wait here", and tries to run away
Taverline stands there, confused for a moment, "He is overcome with emotion. I suppose I sleep alone. Again."

Darn walks over to Kyle "What is wrong with that lady?"

“I think it is her upraising in the Chantry”, proposes Mari.

"She needs a healer, that girl." Kyle says to Darn in small voice.

Darn nods at Kyle "She is feverish probably"

Kyle sighs "She is just too young to be getting married. I pity her."

"Said the one who proposed to a 19 years old", scowls Mari. Darn shrugs knowing it is pretty common

Unaware of the romantic drama, Håkan mutters in his sleep "it's rat... i mean, a trap...!". Then he wakes up suddenly and sits. "What the...?". Nobody notices it. Lauren snores, and George does the same loudly. The mage looks under the blanket. There is a mouse in Håkan’s bedroll, staring at him as it chews on his pants. "HEY! What are you doing, little one?".

The mouse stares at Håkan and says nothing. He moves slowly his hand near the mouse to take him not scaring him..., and the rodent hops into his hand, nose wiggling. "Uh... hello?", asks the mage, examining the mouse. But he scurries into Håkan’s sleeve, peeking out from the cuff…. And tickling him.

"Ha-ho-hu-.he-hey!". Håkan scrolls slightly his arm trying to make the mouse go out of the sleeve without launching him away , but the mouse runs up his sleeve and into his robes. "hi-he-ha-ha-ha-HALP PLEASE!"

George starts moving around in his sleep. The sound of Håkan's laughing disturbs his dreams. There's someone laughing... somewhere far away. It doesn't fit in the situation at all.
The weird laughter doesn't fit with the grey surrounding him, it doesn't fit with the feelings of anxiety surrounding him, it doesn't fit with the little girl that was here just a few seconds ago. Where did she go? Maybe the creepy laughter scared her away...
"hi-he-ha-ha-ha..."

The laughter reaches George again and this time he recognizes the voice. What in Andraste's name is Håkan doing here?! The moment George is able to state who the voice belongs to he becomes unable to keep his grasp of the dream. He struggles, there was something important back there that he had to do, but it slips through his fingers.

George finally wakes up by the commotion. Not even he sleeps deep enough to sleep throught his, only half-remembering what he'd been dreaming, and quite confused. "What is going on" he asks groggily

Lauren wakes up and yawns. Looks at him and wrinkles "Hoejkan, what are you doing?" Lauren's voice echoes his own confusion perfectly.

"A mo-hohoho-use just climbed into my robe..." Håkan explains and starts to undo some of the laces on his robe to open a way out for the mouse. The mouse peeks out the undone laces, chewing the edge of the robe.

Håkan tries to pick him up, and the mouse allows him. “Here you are, ice-paws” 



 

Lauren rubs her eyes. “Why do you have a mouse in your robe?”

“Dunno, he just showed himself in my clothes!

Zara awakes too. That she had been sleeping must mean that Kyle and Mari were the ones on watch now, George reflects. She sits up and looks around, seeming just as groggy and confused as George and Lauren. "What are you doing with a mouse?"

"Trying to stop him from eating my clothes and run on my back with his freezing paws..."
As George finally snaps out of his sleepy state he realizes how hilarious the situation really is and starts laughing.

Lauren finally wakes up and looks at the mouse. “Oh hello there!”. The mouse looks at Lauren

At the same time, Mari realizes it. “Hey, we can keep it as a defensive weapon”, she comments, thinking about the boyfriend-stealer lady. “Good ... Dawn? , Lauren”, she waves then at her friend. Darn glances at Håkan doing all those crazy movements
"So... finally found someone willing to share your bed, Hoakan?" George can barely contain his laughter long enough to be able to deliver his witty remark. 1... 2... 3... Ah, There's the classic glare, like he's casting a fireball. Another small, heartwarming victory. Zara laughs at that.

"I wonder if that's the same mouse I released before dinner?" Mari ponders.

"I guess..." says Kyle, smiling sheepishly to her.

Darn watches the little mouse "That animal must be driven by hunger to not hesitate to enter our camp".

"Give me a second... I think..." Lauren starts digging around in her satchel and finally presents a little piece of bread to the group. The mouse happily hops over to Lauren and starts chewing the bread.. “Oh, nice!”, she says, petting it. “The poor thing was just hungry”. The mouse scurries into Lauren's sleeve, peering past the cuff with beady eyes.
"It will probably die soon", comments gloomily Darn

Suddenly Mari turns back and starts looking around the camp. "Do you hear that?"

Darn glances at Mari "What?"

George tries to listen, but he can't hear anything over the others' voices.

"I hear it too..." says Kyle.

"Hear what?" George frowns in confusion. Thankfully Lauren and Darn look confused too so he's not the only one not hearing anything.

"Something down the road." Mari says.

As the camp quiets down George can finally hear what Mari and Kyle were talking about. Gravel crunching under a pair of boots. Someone's coming.

Without a sound Mari slips into the shadows and approaches the road. George grabs Maya, the battleaxe had as always been lying right next to his sleeping spot, and gets to his feet. He can see Kyle reaching for his shield and Darn keeping a watchful eye on the road.

Håkan stares at the mouse silently, ignoring the sounds. "...I DON'T loke like a cheese form, do i?". The mouse squeaks at Håkan and runs into Lauren's robes.

"AHEIIEY!"

George jumps and turns to look at Lauren who is struggling with the mouse which is apparently underneath her robe now instead. Håkan rushes to her side to help her but freezes with his hands in mid-air. George can't tell properly from the weak light of the camp fire, but it looks to him like Håkan is blushing.

“Aeeyyyy!!!”, she continues squealing.

“Where is he?”

“I'm trying to find it!! it's too fast!” The mouse peeks out the top of Lauren's robes, staring at Håkan. The mage tries to grab him trying not to hurt him, while Lauren starts to bounce and shakes her arms.

“Lauren, keep it down!”, advices Kyle, making a gesture with his hand.

George buries his face in his palm and sighs. "Lauren... Could you please try to freak out over the mouse a little bit quieter?" It would be a miracle if the stranger approaching hadn't heard them.

The sound of footsteps is a lot more clear now. George turns away from Lauren and Håkan and peers out into the dark. He can make out the stranger's silhouette, a solitary figure, definitively a man, judging by the height and the posture. As the man gets closer and the camp fire illuminates him they can see he's armed and wearing armour. He looks toward the fire but does not seem to notice Mari, so she conveniently places herself behind the man just in case. George's hands clasp tighter around the handle of his battleaxe. Darn steps forward and points his sword at the newcomer. "Who are you?"

The stranger waves at them. "Ho there camp! Might I share your fire?"

"Of course, but do you mind telling us your name and what you are doing here? For security measures." Kyle answers.

Darn raises his eyebrows at the man, eyes full of suspicion. "What are you seeking here at this hour?"

The man smiles. "Can't be too careful these days, can you? I am Reynal of Cumberland, traveling to Denerim. At your service, Sers". Mari remembers Ser August geography lessons and thinks "Nevarran"

"No one travels at this hour." Darn is still pointing his sword at the man.

"It's too cold to sleep at night, so I travel by moonlight and sleep in the day. Don't know how you Fereldans do it."

Yeah, right. George has a bad feeling about this man. Still clutching his axe, George moves to block the entrance to Lady Taverline's tent. He may not like her, but their payment is depending on her life after all. Mari doesn’t seem to trust him, either.

"I am not Fereldan and I still know how to travel." George can see Darn frowning even from this distance.

"And you are alone. What a highly unusual method of traveling, these woods are most dangerous at night." Kyle adds. Darn eyes the man wanting to find anything strange at him
"I haven't met anything I couldn't handle. If you are too frightened, say so and I will move on." The stranger, Reynal, says and shrugs.

Darn looks at Kyle letting him decide on man. Kyle is suspicious, but unable to find out a reason to deny this man of such simple request. "You can stay, but please leave as soon as dawn arrives.", he finally says.

The man nods with a smile, "As you say sirrah. Thank you."

"One thing tho...”, adds Darn, looking at the arsenal the man is wearing: two daggers at the belt, a sword at his back, a small throwing axe peaks out the top of his boot . .. “You need to put down your weapons, so we can see them"

Meanwhile, on the mages corner, the mouse tragedy continues when he burrows into Lauren's chestwrap, trying not to be shaken out. Håkan freezes in mid-air before thrusting his hand into Lauren's chestwrap. “Wait...”, he mumbles…. “Better not”

Lauren stares at him. Fireball stare. “Yes, better not”

Håkan searches in the sachels for some food and offers another piece of bread at Lauren's chestwraps. "Here mouse... here... food!”.

“Ayyyyeeee!”, shouts Lauren again. “back back back back”

“Where is he now? I don't see it moving anymore”

The mouse stops moving, settling into a warm place comfortably. “Wait. Not moving” Lauren coughs and tries to look solemn. “I can handle this, just, give me some minutes”. Lauren walks to the forest slowly, trying to avoid the mouse keep his position again. The mouse peers up at Lauren from the top of her breast band, shivering. “Tch...what am I going to do with you?”

"Ser George, what is happening? Are we under attack?" George jumps as he hears Lady Taverline's voice behind him. He quickly regains his composure though and snorts at her.

"No lady... but we do have some company." George keeps his eyes on the stranger, he still doesn't trust him but it seems Kyle is letting him stay.

"And don't call me Ser" George adds and gives the Lady a glare. He's no fancy noble like Lady Botherline, and thank the Maker for that.

"You will protect me, Ser George. You are so brave and strong." The Lady has donned her sweetest, maiden-in-distress voice now. George just continues glaring at her, hoping she will take the hint and go away.

"Why do you look at me so, George? Are the fires of lust so hot that you can only treat me with disdain, lest you succumb?" Taverline bats her eyelashes at George. 


 


Maker's breath! This woman is pretty slow, isn't she? Must have been dropped on her head as a baby or maybe she was born with a deformity of some sort. George snorts at her again. "Just leave me alone" he says and decides to slip away from the Lady and join the others

“ George, can you stand guard with me?”, asks Kyle saving him by the bell.

"Sure, Kyle", says George, happy to get away from the lady. He glances back to see the Lady smirk at him as she ducks back into her tent.

As George rejoins the conversation with the stranger, Mari steps out of the shadows and goes to stand beside Kyle. "If you're traveling by night, I guess you only want to share our fire for a moment, before you continue on your way."

Reynal smiles at Mari. "What a smart little lady. Yes, I just need to get warm. I can't give up my weapons though. You have me outnumbered."

Darn looks at Mari and Kyle and frowns, he doesn't seem pleased with their decision to let the man stay. He says nothing though and turns his back on them to go and talk to Zara. He doesn't sheath his weapon. Zara looks up at Darn, "Trouble?"

"Maybe...be ready"

Kyle looks at Reynal and pulls Mari closer, protective and possessive at the same time. "If you don't mind the company, then you are welcome to our fire, Ser."

Kyle turns to George and discreetly motions for him to get back to the Lady's tent. George stares at him in protest. No way! Kyle gives him an insistent look. George tries to get support from Darn who just shrugs and takes out a whetstone from his pack and begins to sharpen his sword. George sighs. By all means, sacrifice the farmer. George fastens the battleaxe on his back as there seems to be no real danger for now.

He then gives Kyle a look that says "you owe me one!" and reluctantly walks back to the tent of doom. He sits down on the cold ground just outside the tent. The grass is covered by a thin layer of frost and he shivers. George watches the others as they settle around the fire, Reynal seems to be flirting with every girl in party and the boys are glaring at him.  
Lauren sighs while she buttons her blouse again "All right, don't look at me like that. I already have a pet, and Ambrose is jelous, I can't...”. She sighs again and returns to the camp, with the mouse wrapped up in her scarf. The mouse sits comfortably in the scarf and seems happy. 

Håkan is wide awake now, and he can't sleep. “Lauren?”

“Hello”, greets the elf.

“Oh you kept him... or her?”

“I thought you could keep him...her...I don't know what it is” Lauren hands him the scarf with the mouse. “It's cold, you like hot things, you can keep it warm”, she smiles, disarming the tall mage.


TO BE CONTINUED...


Dramatis Personae:

 
   

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