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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Dec 30, 2023 3:53:15 GMT -5
Elvira sat on her bed in the room she had rented from The Purple Lantern. She was calm and cozy, but it had not taken away from the excitement of the excavation with Tatalia. The night before, she had a heartfelt discussion with Merek, the owner and proprietor of The Purple Lantern. Now, she was deep in a book gifted to her from the mysterious person, titled "Lunala's Way: Joy, Love, and Intimacy." It was a rather... peculiar take on a large part of the religion she had practiced all her life, but not an unwelcome one.
She had given instructions to direct any particularly short visitors to her room in the hope that Merek would send Tatalia to her. She worried that he would have forgotten by now, but eased herself when she remembered the words of those who spoke of Merek, always praising the innkeeper for incredible service.
This line of thought was broken by a rather powerful statement coming from the book. One that described how she felt last night. It took her completely off guard. After staring at the words, she grabbed a notepad and began to scribble words on to it in a rather eclectic style before standing and taking a deep breath. Now, she felt the need to relax. Grabbing an earring off the table, she popped it on her ear and kneeled onto the ground. After clearing her mind, she eased herself into a simple meditation. Her focus was initially on the dark and light energies flowing through her body but as she let her mind tend to itself as a part of the meditation, that did not last.
She began to feel something... a touch. Some sort of soft skin in her hands. A patting on the shoulder. A hand holding hers, followed by a weight on her torso. Then, finally, she felt something on her shoulders. She continued to meditate, pondering on what these sensations could mean.
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Post by Tatalia on Dec 30, 2023 6:46:33 GMT -5
Meanwhile, Tatalia was hiding outside the inn in an alley, pacing back and forth as she debated whether it was actually a good idea to enter the Purple Lantern inn at all.
The goblin was used to wearing disguises. She had to be! She wore disguises pretty much any time she entered a major settlement outside of the Marsh Flats; she'd be run out of every town she entered outside of the Marsh Flats. Goblins didn't exactly get treated kindly in urban centers, and in some places were attacked on sight. So, of course it was only right to be cautious. Of course it was only right to be wary!
That hasn't stopped me before, Tatalia thought to herself. I do dangerous things all the time! It's part of the 'explorer' job description.
Shutup, Tatalia answered.
No, no, the danger had to be respected! After all, there were unaccountable variables involved in the meeting arranged to take place in the Purple Lantern. For one, there were the patrons; it would be impossible to take ascertain the full extent of their number, and they could-
Just use the X-Ray lenses! Tatalia reminded herself cheerily.
Stop that! retorted Tatalia dismissively. She gripped her forehead and sighed.
Okay, so it was true she had X-Ray goggles. That solved the problem of not being able to get a good idea of what sort of people were inside the inn, yes, but... it still didn't account for the manner of entry! What, was she going to just march right on in with bravado and hope everyone just accepted her presence?
Isn't that what we did in the Zeinav Desert? thought Tatalia pensively.
Please stop being correct, Tatalia demanded, really getting tired of having to listen to herself.
But... fine. True! It was true, she had been in a similar situation before, and at a time when she was much less equipped than she currently was! But that- you know, that was different. The situation was different. The situation didn't involve, well- you know, it didn't involve- it was different!
And why is that exactly? asked Tatalia's brain in its most therapist-like tone yet.
Tatalia didn't even bother answering this time. She just sighed.
Honestly, the situation wasn't... that dangerous, not in comparison to her previous escapades, Tatalia decided. Realistically, all she had to do was make it to the front desk, speak to the innkeeper, and find out what table Elvira was sitting at. That was as easy as stone soup, really. The worst that might happen is some elves might get suspicious about her, but that was hardly anything new; and what's more, she'd have an elvish priestess to tell everyone she was definitely fine to have around! That was... probably what would happen!
And so the decision was made. Tatalia didn't even bother using her X-Ray goggles. She stepped out of the valley and into the dying light of the evening sun, watching as the last throes of its golden rays gave way to twilight. The sky was cast in shades of rich violet, a fitting (and hopefully good) omen since she was about to enter the Purple Lantern inn. The richly colored lantern outside the door had an enticing, almost sensual light. Tatalia was suddenly uncomfortable again.
Nevertheless, she had already made up her mind. The goblin took a deep breath, put on her best swagger, and marched on through the door of the inn.
The interior of the inn was very well put together. Rich tables were nestled in all the corners of the room, each of them made of a fine, dark wood, their edges etched with beautiful filigree. A soft flute played alongside a gently strung harp, and Tatalia could not help but spy an elvish couple of thin and handsome physique plying their trade in the corner, their silvery hair seeming to breathe around them. There were many patrons inside the inn, but it was a quiet affair, not loud and rowdy like the places Tatalia usually visited. There were no dartboards, no parties of adventurers holding drinking contests, no arm wrestlers, nothing. Stars, there were even people reading books without disturbance! In an inn! With a bar! And there were no stains on the floor of the patterned wooden tiles, nor on the richly embroidered carpets, nor even on the bar! It was clean and quiet and the only smell Tatalia's nose picked up was that of lightly seasoned fish over rice with a side of salad.
Honestly, Tatalia wasn't sure how to feel about the place. The atmosphere wasn't really her scene.
Nevertheless, Tatalia stepped a little further in, making her way toward the front desk with the innkeeper. She felt very out of place in her generally dull, drab garments, even moreso since she was still wrapped up like a mummy in order to better hide her green skin. Her yellow eyes she veiled with her goggles, but that didn't exactly prevent people from giving her weird looks. They looked particularly ghostly in the purple light of the inn, like a hundred judgmental specters casting baleful curses upon her with their eyes.
Don't care! Tatalia decided stubbornly. Doesn't matter! Almost done!
With nary a single flip to give, Tatalia marched on up to the innkeeper and bowed confidently before him, then rose with a cheery grin that wasn't seen beneath her hood.
"Hello!" the disguised goblin began, her assumed cheer evident in her tone and pitch. "I'm here to see Elvira? I was told to meet her here today!"
"Oh, yes," the innkeeper said, cracking a book open and flipping through the pages searchingly. "She's expecting you."
"Oh! Well, of course," Tatalia murmured, glancing around the inn. "And, ah, where is she sitting?"
"She's not here," the innkeeper explained slowly without looking up from the book, finally finding the information he was seeking. "She's upstairs in room thirty."
Tatalia was glad she was wearing a disguise, because she felt embarrassed by how warm her cheeks became.
A few minutes later, the goblin was standing upstairs outside of room thirty, shifting uncomfortably in place. She'd actually been waiting a good twenty seconds or so outside the door, really not sure why the elf hadn't just invited her to meet downstairs instead. It was public! Public was good! It was formal! There was more... more decorum to it. Didn't elves love decorum?
That's a potentially harmful generalization and you should be ashamed of yourself, Tatalia's brain chided.
Brain, PLEASE! the goblin thought desperately, gripping her forehead again. Why are you like this?
That's my line! her brain grumbled.
Conceding the point, Tatalia admitted there were plenty of good reasons not to meet downstairs. Why, being upstairs had some advantages! It was more secure and she could really just be herself there and the scenario was more private and... hm. Hmm. Hmmmmmm.
Deciding that overthinking problems was for babies, Tatalia just tore off the metaphorical bandaid and tapped her knuckles against the door in a ginger knock.
"Hellooooooo!" she called out to Elvira, suddenly wondering why oh why did she let that "o" sound trail for so long? What was she, ten?!
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Dec 30, 2023 19:27:19 GMT -5
The cleric startled out of the meditative state from the gentle rapping on her chamber door! Glancing over her shoulder to the window, she realizes that she had been there for at least an hour and a half. A moment of annoyance passes before she decides it was worth it. After she stands up, she looks over the room. Everything was neat and orderly, as was drilled into her by the priests from her home. The window had a view of the nearby port, perfectly centered on the galleons cutting gently through the waters. The curtains were made from some of the finest fabrics, pulled back and tied with a golden rope. The amount of pillows on the bed was enough to overwhelm most people, let alone those who had been sleeping on cots their entire life as Elvira had. "Enough waiting, open the bloody door!"
She smiles warmly at the excitement of meeting her new friend once more. Each step towards the door causes her heart to flutter, so much so that she pauses once her fingers wrap around the handle to the door. After taking a deep breath, exhaling, and breathing in once more, she swings the door open. "Heyyyy!" She pauses and thinks to herself, "The hells is wrong with me?" After leading the friendly goblin into her room, she couldn't help but to kneel down and give her a quick hug. Blushing, she stays in a kneeling position, her curious and caring eyes leveled with Tatalia's. "Let us wait no longer. Tell me, what have you found so far?"
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Post by Tatalia on Dec 31, 2023 1:00:45 GMT -5
The hug caught Tatalia off guard. She'd only met the elf very recently. She hardly knew her! And that was probably why Tatalia felt nervous about being caught in a hug by her, that and no other reason! She wasn't a hugger. At least, she hadn't hugged anyone in a good, long time, not since... well...
Distant thoughts took hold of Tatalia for a moment. She couldn't help but feel a bit sad very suddenly, her nervousness all forgotten. She was sort of generally aware of what the elf was saying, but that nostalgic memory came knocking at the inside of her brain and she felt... Goodness, how did she feel? It was hard to describe.
Nevertheless, the elf managed to get Tatalia out of her fugue by asking about her findings. Tatalia's attention snapped back to the present as she found the elf kneeling down in front of her with her gaze locked on Tatalia's eyes. The goblin was surprised yet again, but she rallied as she often did in the face of adversity!
"Oh, I have put together a complete report on the nature of the tower," Tatalia advised, flashing a grin and hopping up onto the pillow-covered bed like it was some sort of mountain. Really, she just wanted to get some extra elevation, the better to stand at the elf's height rather than make her stand at her own. "I was able to roughly date the structure based on its erosion, albeit there's a lot of give or take on that matter, and I got an opportunity to inspect the lower level's construction at length and determine it is of a thus far undiscovered make! In other words..."
Tatalia stamped one foot on the bed, threw her scarf off from around her face, and did a victorious pose with a flashing grin and a big thumbs up.
"I have no idea who built the tower originally! And it's possible I never will!"
Okay, why was that so good news, again?
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Dec 31, 2023 1:41:15 GMT -5
Elvira stepped over to the bed upon hearing the news and sat down onto it with a flop, nearly sending the goblin flying. She smiles warmly and peers to her with intense blue eyes. They were filled with caring and a rather... discreet emotion that was hard to decipher. "I feel that had you not explained to me what your theory was, this would have been terrible to hear. I presume that since you cannot decipher which tribe of people had built the tower, it means for certain that it was not placed by the sun elves? If that is the discovery, then this is a thrilling find! I wonder where this will lead us?"
She looks over to notice the book she had left out and blushes. It was impossible for her to reach over and hide it without being obvious. She would be horribly embarrassed should her friend find this book, even more so if asked why she had it. If she wanted out of this situation, she needed to think up a plan and act on it fast! How can she do this smoothly, though?
"Hey, málo, are you... uhh... well... are you hungry? You've been traveling some time in that disguise. I'm sure you avoided purchasing any foods from the many peddlers on the streets. Let me get you something!"
She bashed herself internally. She had faced death many times and kept her voice firm and controlled, now a book causes her to falter? What is it with her and this goblin that makes her so... fluttery?
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Post by Tatalia on Dec 31, 2023 2:26:16 GMT -5
Tatalia sort of bounced upward from her friend taking a seat on the bed. The poor goblin swayed in midair, landed on one leg, and flailed around like a stringed puppet dancing in an unnatural fashion before she found her balance once again. She quickly folded one leg behind the other, folded her arms behind her back, and acted as if nothing had happened.
"Oh- wait, I don't know that word! Málo, was it? Let me-" Tatalia took a deep breath, whispered a few arcane words, and snapped her fingers.1 Her eyes glowed with a bright light briefly, and then the glow faded. The goblin smiled eagerly over at Elvira.
"Would you please say that word again? I'd like to make sure I'm clear on the meaning!"
Apparently, the goblin liked to casually use magic to learn new words? Couldn't she have just asked? Was she showing off?
"Oh, and you are right, of course! Ultimately, not knowing who made the ruins means it wasn't sun elves! Or, more accurately..." Tatalia snapped her fingers again, sending illusory sparks bursting into the air2 as she winked at Elvira. "It wasn't sun elves that we know of! It is theoretically possible there were other cultures of the species we know present during that time period! Anyway! I've already eaten, so I don't-"
Tatalia's words were cut off as she stepped on something hard while posing on the bed. She blinked, looked down... and saw a book. Its title? Lunala's Way: Joy, Love, and Intimacy! Tatalia stared. Fate was really trying to drop hints at her, wasn't it?
"Ohhh! I see you're an avid fan of self-help literature!" Tatalia piped, flashing an oh-so-confident grin that hid her sudden nervous shivers. "I don't normally read that sort of thing, but I may just make an exception! There's someone I'm hoping to get to know better- a human adventurer! We're colleagues," the goblin quickly added, lying for some reason she couldn't divine.3 "I'll have to tell you about him some day, though not today! Um, may I borrow this?"
Tatalia didn't even bother to consider why Elvira might have such a book.
1. Fluency; 2. Minor Trickery; 3. Smooth Talking
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Dec 31, 2023 3:52:09 GMT -5
As Tatalia repeated the word, Elvira smiled warmly. "Yes, málo was the word. Apologies, it's a habit of mine to speak in the elven tongue at times, especially under a great stress... not that I'm stressed!" She gave a soft, awkward, and clearly stressed laugh. She listened to the goblin's words intently, but kept eyeing the book. Slowly, she slid her hand over to try to move it. She really didn't want Tatalia to see this bo-
Tatalia stepped on the book and turned to see it. With a horrified look, Elvira cursed her luck under her breath. "It's fine," she thought, "it probably can't get any worse, no?"
"Ohhh! I see you're an avid fan of self-help literature!" "Oh, gods. It's gotten worse."
Little did the elf expect to be hit by a train with the next sentence. "There's someone I'm hoping to get to know better- a human adventurer! We're colleagues!"
Something about this sentence caused her to nearly fall off the bed. It felt like someone had driven a knife into her chest and cut down to her navel before twisting it. She felt sick. Worst of all, she felt like she had just... lost someone? Not in the sense that someone had passed away, more of like when someone betrays you without knowing they had done so. There was no anger, only a frustration and a pained feeling. She nearly let out an audible growl. In her mind, there was no reason to feel like this. She was becoming more irritated by these irrational, wild emotions. There was no basis for them, she found them rather useless.
Unless...
"Oh gods... am I in love?"
Hundreds of her internal voices and thoughts began to scream at her. She felt conflicted on everything. It felt like her whole world had become unstable. Worst of all, she felt... compromised. Vulnerable. The loudest voice of all began to cut through the rest. "You need to do something, you're keeping her waiting! She's going to find out!"
"Oh... I... well..." She audibly sighed, her shoulders visibly sagging as she deflates. Everything about her now just seemed... off. "I got it from... what's their name? Merck? Merek? The person at the front desk. You can bring it to them and ask, I guess..."
"Stop being so obvious, damnit! Botuu! Haaku! Úpa ud'raan!1"
1: "Moron! Idiot! Dumb a--hole!"
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Post by Tatalia on Dec 31, 2023 4:23:47 GMT -5
Honestly, Tatalia didn't know that she'd ask permission to borrow the book, herself. If it belonged to someone else, maybe it'd just disappear into her backpack. Its owner could probably afford to lose it, and she was... admittedly a little strapped for coin, and she doubted she'd be allowed to borrow it. And besides, she really needed the advice in the book! Wait, what? No, she didn't!
Liar, Tatalia's brain grumbled.
Oh, shut up! Tatalia grumbled back to her brain. Really, it wasn't the time for-
Wait. Something was wrong. Elvira's shoulders were sagging; her voice seemed weaker; her posture more withdrawn; her expression downcast. Something they'd just discussed was bothering her. Something... something...
And then Tatalia understood. She felt awful, and it all made sense why Elvira had the book. The goblin went quiet, then sat on down beside Elvira with a little 'thump' as she hit the bed. She looked up at the elf and asked with sincere concern:
"You borrowed this book for a reason, didn't you?" Tatalia mused, smiling with quiet empathy up at the elf. Her usual bombastic mannerisms were tucked away for the moment. "I, um, really shouldn't have made this about me. Do you need to talk about this person? I'm guessing you haven't told them...? Do you want to talk about it?"
Really, Tatalia couldn't imagine why Elvira would have any trouble approaching someone she wanted to be with. But it made sense, didn't it? It explained the book and the strange behavior! There was some person out there that Elvira just couldn't approach, and she needed advice.
Well, Tatalia may have been the absolutely wrong person to offer that advice, but... but so what! She would try! That elf deserved every happiness and by Ginma's gonads would Tatalia do her darnedest to help out! And not because she liked her or anything!
You're an idiot, Tatalia's brain grumbled at Tatalia.
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Dec 31, 2023 19:19:20 GMT -5
Elvira suddenly perked up from the horror of being found out. "Good job, botuu1, look what you have done now!" After a moment of bashing herself, she begins to quickly run through at least a hundred plans inside her head. "Come on, now. You can deflect this!"
"Oh, it's... well... uh..." she stammered, "It's a close friend, I suppose. I-I met them recently and, despite some differences, I think we might have really connected. Perhaps I'll tell you of them sometime."
"Nice one... haaku.2 She'll never see through that!"
She lets out an audible huff, clearly feeling an overwhelming sense of... something. She wasn't even sure how to describe the emotion herself. It was somewhere between dread and disappointment, and it flooded her like a raging ocean. She even thought about opening the window and diving into the ocean below as an escape. "Damn... do I even know how to swim?"
Inside, she finally just accepted her fate. She had barely known what the feeling was until now, let alone had time to process it, and now she had been found out. Hell, she probably had scared the goblin off before she ever got a chance to follow her heart in its desires. Her heart had sung out, calling its ideas to her, and now it was all for naught. How tragic.
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Post by Tatalia on Dec 31, 2023 23:46:54 GMT -5
Tatalia smiled up and across at the elf, shaking her head. "Well, you don't have to tell me about this person if you don't want to! But I know," she added with a big grin, "I know everything will work out fine when you do! And if this man - or woman, or other! - doesn't reciprocate, well... I'd say they'll be making a bad decision!"
Really, Tatalia couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. She tried very hard not to let herself consider why that was, however, since that was a topic she'd already promised herself she would not broach, because the problem didn't exist if she didn't think about it. But... she did want to help Elvira in some way, though maybe pushing the matter wasn't going to help. No, Tatalia could tell how nervous the poor elf was just thinking about the topic. She seemed smaller than Tatalia in a way!
No, the elf needed to get her mind off things! A change in topic was needed, and Tatalia would deliver!
"I have another adventure in mind, by the way!" the goblin piped up, reaching into the folds of her jacket and pulling out a map of Charon. She rolled it out onto her lap, then tapped her fingers on the northern side of the page. "There's a haunted ruin in the area that I've been meaning to investigate for a while! It's the very old remains of a settlement; a sometimes stop for bandits, but generally avoided by living beings. I believe it would be a great place to continue the investigation!"
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 1, 2024 3:55:50 GMT -5
Elvira nearly teared up at the words. She felt her heart pounding, screaming at her to just bloody tell her! She had opened her mouth to speak, to say something. Anything! Yet, only a choked sound had come out. She was fully flustered, frozen, overwhelmed. It was obvious she was practically moments from running out the room.
While the change of subject helped, she was still stuck in an obvious distress. "I-I... yeah... that sounds fun. Is that up by the Cradle?" Just after completing the sentence, something breaks inside her. She sighs and clenches her teeth before looking away. With a shake of her head, she speaks in a wavering voice. "I... I don't think I deserve your companionship. I believe I will simply be a burden upon you. I fear I would only hinder your efforts."
She looks back with an extraordinarily pained expression. Something had broken inside of her, and now tears were streaming down her face. "I am sorry, Tatalia. It is likely better for the both of us to travel separately for now. Thank you for showing me friendship. It... it meant more to me than you may ever recognize. I am lucky to know you."
Elvira stares for a moment before she stands up silently and begins to walk to the other side of the room. She was holding back a sob, helped by the tight feeling in her throat that was choking out any sounds. Her mind was screaming at her with unrelenting force, practically washing out the rest of her thoughts. What... are... you... DOING?
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 1, 2024 17:08:13 GMT -5
It really shouldn't have hurt so much to have her invitation rejected. Really, it shouldn't have. Tatalia felt a stinging pain in her gut nevertheless.
Well, of course she wouldn't want to go with you! Tatalia thought to herself disparagingly. And it did make sense when she thought about it. She was just some stranger and a goblin no less, generally considered a monster or a beast by the elves. They'd only just met yesterday, and, what, did Tatalia really think the priestess was going to uproot her life to go on some archaelogical adventure on the other side of the continent?
It was an insensitive thing to ask in the first place, and even a cursory glance at Elvira was revealing. The poor elf was utterly distraught, her eyes wet with tears, and her body language all... bunched up, tightly wound, scrunched down into as small a frame as she could be. If Tatalia was being honest with herself, Elvira looked even smaller than she did at that moment despite their monumental size difference.
Tatalia exhaled gently, closing her eyes and thinking very hard for a moment. And when she opened her eyes, she reached out and put her hand over the elf's and smiled gently up at her.
"I am lucky to know you as well, Elvira," the goblin replied in a soft tone. "You are not a burden, and you should never think yourself undeserving of anything. But- but I will not push you to help me. I'll, ah... I'll be on my way."
And just like that, the goblin slipped off from her seat on the bed, her feet only making a soft 'tap' as she hit the floor. The scholar-explorer walked in silence to the door, opened it, and stepped to the other side. But before she closed it, she cast one last glance toward Elvira. Was she hoping the blue-eyed elf would suddenly change her mind at the last moment? Was she expecting some promise to see her again or... something?
Whatever Tatalia wanted didn't matter. She had to respect the elf's wishes. The goblin cast one last empathetic, honest smile across at the elf, saying only one more word:
"Farewell."
With that, Tatalia closed the door. She began her solemn walk back downstairs.
It was such a silly thing, wasn't it? Tatalia knew she had... some sort of feeling for the elf. It was easier to admit it now that she knew she'd probably never see Elvira again. But some one-sided infatuation was hardly worth pressing, not when the difference between them was so stark. What, did she expect some frankly beautiful woman to join her on some quest of adventure and romance? Life wasn't a storybook! She couldn't expect someone to follow her on a whim like that, nor expect them to reciprocate whatever childish feelings Tatalia felt!
And since when do I even like women that way? Tatalia asked herself, frowning as she did so. That's a new development. Isn't it?
It hardly mattered whether it was new or not. In fact, the infatuation hardly mattered, either. Tatalia's line of work was very dangerous and she could not risk breaking someone's heart by dying out on the road or something while being entangled in some web of romance. No, her life was not a story. Her life was real, and she was going to have to ground herself in that reality and just push past those silly thoughts.
So caught up was Tatalia in chiding herself that she hardly noticed that she had already reached the bottom of the stairs. She also didn't realize it when she crossed halfway through the inn's ground level, nor did she notice when the music and the talking all stopped at once. In fact, she only noticed something was wrong when she had to blow her nose. She was reaching for her handkerchief in her pocket with one hand while reaching up to pull her scarf down just a bit with the other, and that's when she realized there wasn't a scarf to grab.
The goblin had forgotten to properly put her disguise back on.
Tatalia blinked. She stopped walking and took a quick glance around. Literally everyone in the inn was staring at her, and several patrons had their hands on sheathed or hidden weapons.
"Oh, flip," Tatalia squeaked.
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 1, 2024 18:46:10 GMT -5
As the door clicked shut, Elvira buried her face in her hands. She truthfully wasn't sure why she had sent the goblin out, but it was over... and now she felt worse. She cursed herself over, and over, and over again. Lifting up her head, she looked down to her tear-filled hands. Her voice was at a low growl now, filled with pure venom.
"What is wrong with you? Bloody imbecile!"
She stands up and walks to the bed. Looking down, she sees the book. In a rage-filled gesture, she flings the book across the room. It lands with a thump next to her bag. The cleric lets out a growl once more and throws herself face-first onto the bed, finally releasing he tension and allowing herself to sob.
She would soon fall asleep, having spent all of her energy on overflowing emotions.
The next morning, she was startled awake by the sound of someone pounding angrily on her door. She jumps out of bed, quickly throws her robes on, sprints to the door, and prepares a spell in case things turn south. Dark claws form on her right hand as she opens the door with her left. A furious stranger stares her down.
"Tell me lass, 'id you have a friend here last night?"
"I fear that is none of your concern."
"I fear 'tis. Found a gobbo last night. Nearly beat the wee 'un to death but Merek pulled us off." Elvira must have given a look of shock in response because the man began to laugh. "Bloody knew it. Merek mentioned the greenskin was a friend of a 'powerful person.' Only one we saw enter was the Moon Priestess. Why don't we see what's 'neath that hood, eh? I'm sure the Temple would love ta know!"
His hand reaches up and grips her hood. He only pulls it a bit before the dark magic claws swipe, tearing through the skin and muscle of his bicep. As he screams out in pain, she delivers a boot to his chest and slams the door closed, locking it quickly. She runs across the room, grabbing her bags, the bow, and quiver before looking around the room. "Hells... only one way out." She goes to open the window but something catches her eyes. The scarf. With a quick motion, she grabs the scarf and throws it around her neck just as the man outside slams into the door, causing it to splinter. Second guessing herself, she throws a quick glance around the room. Big mistake. The door crashes open as the bloodied man charges in. She curses, flings the window open, and jumps just as the man reaches out for her. A fingertip catches the hood on her robe, pulling it back as she falls.
The feeling of weightlessness felt like it lasted forever. Her thoughts rush as she looks up to the sky. "I'm sorry emmë,1 I'm sorry atar.2 I've let you down. May Lunala allow us to meet."
"I'm sorry, Tatalia. Please do not fret for me."
She hears a loud crash followed by a deep silence. She feels cold, dizzied...
Wet!
She quickly exhales out into the water, watching where the rising bubble float. After orienting herself, she begins to kick and pull herself to the surface. Her heart and mind race, filling with thoughts of death and survival. Finally, her head crashes through the surface of the water. She gasps for air, coughing and spitting out water. A hand reaches out and grabs onto her robes, pulling her onto a small fishing vessel. Before the man could say anything, she stands and pushes past.
"Lunala has gifted me a second chance. I must reach my love."
She races through the docks, heading into the city. It takes about ten minutes to find the military occupation just off the center of the city. One guard, a tall elven male dressed in a deep blue armor with silver trim, stops her and gives a strange look.
"Sister, what has happened to you?" "I fear you wouldn't believe me if I had told you. Nevertheless, I must enter. You have a prisoner I have a personal interest with."
"The prisons are off to the right. Be careful, though. We just got a goblin in. I fear she might bite. We threw her in the farthest cell as to not pose a danger to the others."
She nods and steps in, walking fast to the prisons. Upon entering, a guard waves her through and hands her keys. They must have thought she was here to provide a prisoner's last rites. Regardless, she takes this with glee and races to the back of the holding grounds. In the final cell a beaten, battered, and bruised Tatalia lay. It nearly broke Elvira's heart to see this. She quickly unlocks the cell, flings it open, and darts to the goblin. Her hands gently cradle Tatalia and pull her in for a hug, tears once again flowing.
"Oh, melninya!3 How hurt are you? Please, tell me you are okay!"
1. "Mummy" 2. "Father" 3. "My Love"
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CCS Courier
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Post by Tatalia on Jan 2, 2024 3:20:43 GMT -5
Tatalia looked like Hell. Her normally green skin was covered with welts of black and blue, and she had more than a few gashes across her body. Her clothes were torn, she hadn't been given proper healing, and one of her eyes was half shut from the massive bruise it bore.
Despite all of that, the goblin looked perfectly cheery when Elvira appeared. She managed to kick the lockpicks she'd been seconds away from applying when the elf rushed in to embrace her. That particular shock added the color red to the painting that was her skin, specifically to her cheeks.
"I-it's good to see you too!" the goblin managed, not having understood the elvish word but knowing it was some sort of term of endearment. She reached out and threw her arms around the elf gratefully as well, happy for the support she was offered. "I am so very sorry! It's my own awful fault that I'm in this mess; a spell of inattentiveness that I shan't soon forget! I wish you didn't have to see this..."
Yes, the goblin was admonishing herself. She'd given Elvira a fright, that much was clear, and that was not proper at all! No, that was not proper in the least. The goblin then realized something horrible, something that made her gasp.
"W-wait! Let go!" she insisted to Elvira, her voice worried and desperate as she suddenly released the elf from her half of the hug. "You'll get blood all over your nice robes! How awful! The stains will be next to impossible to wash out!"
Those were priorities, alright. Tatalia was bleeding from a stab wound near her stomach and from other places, was bruised and bloody and weak, but she did not want to inconvenience the elf with dirty laundry. Such good priorities!
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The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
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Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 2, 2024 4:26:06 GMT -5
"Oh hush, auca wenci!1" She had practically exclaimed the words as she pulled the goblin back in, wrapping her arms around the back of her neck and burying her face in her hair. Tatalia could feel a slight shiver coming from her soaked body. She smelled like the nearby harbor. "I am so sorry, Tatalia. I didn't mean a bloody word of it! Why in the hells did you ever listen to me?!? Please, do not allow me make a brash decision like that ever again! Now, let me heal you and return you to your natural beauty."
Elvira leans back and slides her hands from behind Tatalia's neck to her cheeks. As the cleric's intense, yet tear-filled eyes stare into her soft yellow eyes, she would feel a warmth begin to envelope her body. The elf's hands began to glow with a beautiful, radiant, golden light that would spill out and wrap around the two like magical wires gently floating in the wind. The pain subsided from Tatalia's body, followed by the gradual healing of her wounds. Throughout this time, Tatalia could feel something else that would intrigue her. She could feel Elvira's heart. More specifically, the racing heartbeat which guided the cleric. Something else came with this sensation, an emotion. Care, yet... stronger. A more powerful emotion. Love.
Elvira's tears had finally all spilled and dried up. The care in her face was immense. She was almost done healing the small adventurer when she was startled by a noise. The sound of footsteps and metal plate armor moving around. Someone was coming. "Hells... you need to trust me. I'm sorry, Tats."
Before Tatalia could even open her mouth to respond, Elvira grabbed her face aggressively and pinned her headfirst against a wall. "Athuum! You think I would let one of your kind speak to me in such fashion? I might ask what has gone through your head, but it would merely waste my time. I know your kind, bloody brainless freaks!"
A slightly shorter elf quickly runs in. "Sister, is everything alright," he asked with concern. Unfortunately for him, his question was met with a venomous response. "I am fine, just dealing with the greenskin. Leave us."
The moment he was out of earshot, she placed Tatalia on the ground once more and begun to heal her again. "I am so sorry, calwa órëwe. Hells... how are we going to get you out of here?"
1: "Foolish woman" 2. "Mud crawler" 3. "Beautiful-hearted one"
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