Chapter Text
A day and a night passed.
Suletta's return home was welcomed with shock and worry at the bandages affixed to her face and Elnora fussed over her daughter for the entire afternoon due to the amateurish method used by Miorine to apply them. Suletta did not protest much, happy to let her mother take care of her while she excitedly announced that Miorine had indeed returned her feelings. This led to considerable teasing from her family for how quickly she jumped into a relationship, particularly from Eri who delighted in the opportunity to prank the two of them, but it did nothing to dampen Suletta's mood. Besides, Elnora and Nadim were fully supportive of their daughter's decision and merely advised her to take nothing for granted and to cherish every moment.
The evening passed similarly uneventfully, save for Eri pestering Suletta about how she got hurt at all. Taking to heart Belor's request not to tell anyone of the theft of the previous high priest's remains, Suletta kept mum about everything that happened in the boneyard. Unsurprisingly, this displeased Eri greatly, but Suletta remained firm and did not allow herself to get persuaded into revealing any details. Eventually, the two sisters went to sleep (just after Eri sneakily tried to pull the answer from a half-asleep Suletta), welcoming a new day.
The day of the boar hunt.
It began like any other day for Suletta. Wake up, wash and groom herself, get clothed, eat breakfast. Afterwards, Elnora advised her to prepare herself for the hunt and get her gear. Now Suletta finds herself kneeling in front of her closet, nervously looking at the sword, shield and breastplate placed on the ground before her. Each item gave her an unpleasant sensation, making her stomach twist in unease. The sword was the very same she took from the dead guard during the goblin raid, Belor having given it to her in honor of her bravery and as a memento of the fallen (Suletta proceeded to clean it extremely thoroughly but no matter how much she tried to make it shine, she could swear the black stains remained). The armor and shield were gifts from her paladin mentor. Her reward for completing her training.
She had worn these items exactly once, when she was inducted as a paladin in a private ceremony at the town hall. She remembered that day well, how the pauldrons chafed on her shoulders, how the shield felt unwieldy strapped to her forearm, how the chest piece seemed to suffocate her and all the straps constrained her like a prison. It had all felt heavy... No, not heavy. Wrong. This armor was not meant to fit on her body. This shield was not meant to be set on her arm. This sword was not meant to be swung by her hand. She was not meant for all this. She was supposed to be a normal girl, living a normal life in a normal town, occasionally helping her friends and neighbors and protecting them.
But, well, look how that had turned out during the festival...
Suletta sighs. She's making things over-complicated and lying to herself again.
“What's the big hold-up, Sul?” Eri asks from her bed. Not that she doesn't know what was happening but she knows that she'll have to get it out from her sister one way or the other. “Don't 'it's nothing' me.” She adds when Suletta opens her mouth.
Suletta can only blush at having being caught about to fall back on a stock phrase so easily. Still, she appreciates being forced to actually be sincere in expressing her feelings. “I'm... What do you think I'm going to look like wearing that..?” She asks instead of responding directly.
“An epic adventurer ready to strike down evil?” Eri chances, tilting her head.
Suletta winces; she hears only one word of that description. “An adventurer... That's what everyone thinks I am.” She pauses for a moment, looking at her distorted image in the reflective surface of the suit of armor. “That means leaving here. Leaving my family. My friends. Everyone I know. Maybe never seeing them again.” She pauses to swallow the lump rising up her throat. “I don't want to leave. I don't want to abandon everything and everyone I know...”
Eri groans frustratingly. “I told you this so many times, Suletta. You can't let us hold you back from doing great things. You're a paladin, you're supposed to be helping people out!”
Suletta whips her head toward Eri. “I am helping people out!” She spits out, uncharacteristically aggressively. “Sandpoint is safer when I'm here! It needs me to stay safe! I can't... I can't be selfish and leave it defenseless!”
“Selfish?” Eri repeats that word in disbelief. “Suletta, it's not selfish to leave.”
Suletta shakes her head. “How is it not? That would be putting my own desires ahead of the town's well-being! I'm a paladin! I can't make a decision that will endanger everyone...”
“How does staying here stagnating help anyone?” Eri counters as she stands up, Suletta turning her eyes back to her armor. “Look, I'm going to be the first to admit, we did need you a couple of days ago. But being selfless doesn't mean staying in one place and waiting for something to happen. It doesn't mean helping only the same people all the time. It means helping the people you come across, no matter where you are. It won't make you selfish to travel out there in the world, it would mean spreading your selflessness around wherever it's needed.”
Suletta doesn't respond for a moment as she considers her sister's words. Her gaze drops to the sword that she now calls her own. The symbol of what it meant to defend Sandpoint and what it had cost to do so. “But what if I make the wrong choice..? There's so much that relies on me being... Worthy.”
“Worthy of what?” Eri asks, her expression growing troubled.
“Everything.” Suletta's arms wave at nothing in particular. “These powers I have. The responsibilities they came with. If I fail, then I wasted all of it. Something believed in me, and I failed to uphold that trust.” She sighs and looks back to Eri. “Being an adventurer and leaving means that maybe, I'm going to encounter situations that I won't understand.” She continues with anguish creeping into her voice. “And when I do, I might react the wrong way. I might make the wrong choice to resolve it. I'm going to make mistakes. And then it's going to all have been for nothing... If I make the wrong choice out there, isn't it better to stay here, where I know I'm less likely to make mistakes?”
Eri hesitates as she considers Suletta's words. Clearly, this was something that has been weighing on Suletta's mind for some time, so Eri owes it to her sister to think about the situation carefully before giving an answer. “I think...” She hesitantly begins. “I think it... It counts for something that you're worried about this sort of thing... That you don't want to make the mistake. I think that maybe, the answer will come to you easier than you might expect, even?”
Suletta blinks with a surprised expression. “The answer... Will come to me?”
“Yeah!” Eri gains confidence in her answer as she speaks. “Your good heart isn't going to be going anywhere just because you'll leave Sandpoint. It'll still be right there!” She pokes the center of Suletta's chest... Then hesitantly pokes to the right, then left, muttering “Wait, which side is it again..?” under her breath. She only stops when Suletta awkwardly grabs Eri's hand to make her stop poking her in the boobs. “Um, right...” Eri clears her throat awkwardly and pulls her hand back. “The point is, trust your instincts, right? And also, y'know, you'll be traveling with other people. Like that Miorine girl. She's pretty smart, right? I'm sure she could give you a lot of advice.”
Miorine... Her face flashes in Suletta's mind, a surefire way to put her mind at ease. Miorine had promised Suletta to guide her, to teach her the ways of the world. Suletta could trust her. Not only because she was an elf and knew what she was talking about, but also because...
Suletta finally smiles. “You're right.” She picks up the suit of armor from the ground. “The right thing to do... If the simplest answer is the right one, I think I figured out the answer to the question I was thinking about earlier.”
Eri tilts her head. “What question?”
“If leaving Sandpoint was the right choice.” Suletta continues, confidence growing within her. “Honestly, considering everything that's happened recently, with the goblin raid and the skeletons in the boneyard, I'm realizing that I will be staying here. Something's going to happen and I need to be here to prevent it, I can feel it.”
Eri is silent for a moment. Suletta turns to look at her and is met not with a look of understanding but with a mischievous smile that makes her hair stand on end. “Skeletons in the boneyard, huh?”
Suletta lets out a strangled gasp as she blushes scarlet. “Eeeh?! W-wait! F-f-forget I said that! I mean, I didn't say anything!” She quickly starts backpedaling in panic.
“Please give me a chance Miss Nika! I d-didn't mean to, I don't want to lose my paladin powers like that!” Suletta begged, bowing her head and pressing her palms together toward Nika.
“Lose your...” Nika blinked in confusion before stifling a snicker. “Suletta, you're not going to lose your powers just for that. The rules are strict, but not that rough.”
“Oh...” Suletta sighed in relief. “I really thought... That would be a broken promise, I was really scared...”
“It's fine.” Nika reassured. “It's an honest mistake and the paladin rules really mean it more to be about really important oaths and stuff like that. So, um, no need to panic about this, okay? I'm really not so mean as to try to get you with something so minor.”
“Oh yeah, you're definitely not the type to catch your players with gotchas, huh?” Chuchu interjected with a venomous tone.
Nika gave her a momentary glare for interrupting the game. “Anyway, let's keep going.”
Eri snickers as she throws her hands behind her head. “Imagine the tales... They say that if you stay in the boneyard alone at night, you can see the dead rise from their grave to defend their new home... Just wait until I start telling the story at school. I think I'm going to be the most popular girl in class with those kinds of rumors. Will probably start a trend of daring kids to sleep there~”
Suletta spins to face Eri and clasps her hands in a begging motion. “P-p-p-p-please don't tell anyone!” She pleads in a low voice. “I'll do anything! But you really can't start spreading that story, I wasn't supposed to t-t-t-tell anyone!”
“Anything, huh?” The mischievous smirk turns into something more nefarious, making Suletta immediately regret her choice of words. Eri leans forward to look Suletta in the eye. “Alright, dear sister. I'll pretend we've never had this conversation and I'll come to collect my price later~”
Suletta pales, a cold dread running down her spine. “Y-your price..?”
Eri responds by patting Suletta's hair. “You'll see~ You should finish putting that armor on, Suletta. You're going to be late to that boar hunt otherwise.” With that, she leaves the room, leaving a despondent Suletta behind to curse herself and her big mouth.
**************
“She's late.” Chuchu states for the fifth time in the past fifteen minutes.
Miorine rolls her eyes for the fifth time in the past fifteen minutes. “She'll be here. She's not the type to forget a prior engagement.”
It's Chuchu's turn to roll her eyes. “How would you know that? You've known her for a day.”
“She's dependable.” Miorine states matter-of-factly. “She's a paladin and keeps her promises. There's no way she'd allow anything to keep her from m- us.”
“And yet she's still fucking late.” Chuchu responds with a sneer.
“She's something of an overachiever, right?” Guel interjects. “Maybe she got stopped on the way here for an errand of some kind.”
The three of them were sitting in the dining room of the Rusty Dragon, waiting out for their final party member's arrival. Aldern had already gone on ahead to the stables to prepare the horses and wagon for the trip, letting the rest of the party to wait for Suletta. As such, Miorine, Chuchu and Guel had taken a seat at a table to wait with a drink or two to accompany them until then.
“She does sound like the type.” Miorine agrees reluctantly with Guel's assessment. Although she certainly looked like she was unbothered by Suletta's tardiness, she was in truth barely keeping herself from glancing at the door every few seconds in longing impatience. “I'm sure she won't be much longer.” An observant eye could tell her impatience was growing by the way her fingers tapped against the table every few seconds.
Chuchu glances toward the door, almost expecting Suletta to burst into the tavern as if on cue, but no such luck. “Well she'd better get here soon because I'm not leaving with that fop without her. She's the one who accepted his invitation, not us.” She goes back to absentmindedly run a finger over the rim of her empty tankard (Ameiko having insisted on no more than one drink to keep her from being inebriated during the hunt).
“Can't argue with that...” Miorine mutters. She really isn't looking forward to traveling with Aldern either and to do it without Suletta would be unbearable...
Guel scoffs to himself. “I don't imagine he'll want to leave without her either.” His statement receives a withering glare from Miorine in response. “Oh come on, don't give me that look. We all remember how he reacted after we saved him.”
How could Miorine forget... It still made her blood boil to think about it. “We really shouldn't have accepted this invitation...” She mutters under her breath, her nails digging into the table. Part of her felt exasperation at Suletta for accepting so quickly, but she couldn't blame her completely. It was just like her to assume the best out of everyone, an endearing yet occasionally quite annoying trait.
“Yeah, it's gonna be boring and awkward because of you three.” Chuchu says with a frustrated grunt. “If you turn this into a lover's quarrel, I'm ditching your asses in the forest.”
“I don't want to make this into an event any more than you do.” Miorine crosses her arms with a huff. “We'll keep this professional. If anything happens, it'll be his fault.” None of the others miss the unspoken promise of magical violence in Miorine's venomous tone should she be provoked enough.
The door of the inn suddenly bursts open to let in an armored woman. “Sorry I'm late!” Suletta pants as she doubles over to pant in exhaustion. After a few deep gasps, she stands her full height and Miorine's breath catches in her throat as she sees Suletta in her full regalia. She was wearing a pure white breastplate with a golden cross engraved on the front side, white pauldrons and thigh guards, every joint plated golden and the whole ensemble polished to a brilliant sheen. Black metallic gauntlets protected her arms and she wore long white leather boots that reached to her knees. Tantalizingly, the skirt she wore did not reach all the way to her boots, leaving a clear strip of bare thigh skin quite visible. Her blade hung from a sheath on her belt and her shield, a metallic kite shield the same color as her armor, was slung over her shoulder.
Miorine is struck dumb for a moment at this sight, looking Suletta up and down and taking in every detail. She had to admit that Eri was right... Suletta cut a damn proud figure in this armor. And part of her ponders the possibility of helping her remove it later, especially with the way a sheen of sweat pearling on her forehead and her cheeks red from physical effort...
Chuchu is the first to address the late arrival. “Fuckin' finally. What took you so long?”
Suletta sheepishly taps her pointer fingers together, her cheeks reddening with a blush that is more than just her still being flushed from exertion. “I forgot which side of the armor goes in the front and put it on backwards... Then I tried to take it off but I got stuck in the straps...” Chuchu's mouth twists as she tries not to burst laughing while Guel and Miorine grow increasingly crestfallen. “Then I tried calling Eri for help and she started laughing before dad came in and he also started laughing and it took mom to come in to finally pull it off... A-after she also stopped laughing...” Chuchu covers her mouth with a hand as she starts sputtering as Suletta lowers her head in shame. “S-so, um, it took me a while to get all of that figured out...”
Chuchu almost collapses as she starts snort laughing uncontrollably while Guel's face turns red from his futile struggles to prevent himself from laughing as well (while his date gets a little annoyed that she's no longer the center of his attention). Miorine merely looks nonplussed on the other hand. She thought she had Suletta more or less figured out, but it turns out she can add 'clumsy' to her descriptors. “But, um, anyway... Here I am!” Suletta concludes with a slightly embarrassed smile. “Ready for the hunt!”
The game paused as the entire table devolved into giggles and breathless laughs as Suletta continued to let her story devolve further and further into a comedy of errors. Chuchu had given up keeping any kind of composure as she slumped on the table, desperately trying to regain control of her breathing, Guel had his eyes closed and focused on taking deep breaths, while Nika burst into a new fit of helpless giggles every time she seemed to have regained control of herself and opened her mouth to speak. The pride on Suletta's face as the source of this laughing spree was clear, especially when she turned to Miorine to see her red-faced and teary-eyed from laughing harder than she has in... Probably forever, really. This wasn't the first time that Suletta had managed to make her friends and bride laugh, but... It certainly was the first where Miorine was entirely incapable of controlling herself.
It took a few moments before Chuchu managed to finally put in a word without falling apart again. “Holy shit...” She croaked, voice even raspier than usual. “Since when did you get so fucking funny..?”
Suletta giggled happily at the gruff compliment. “I dunno. I just let the story come naturally. I'm glad everyone enjoyed it.”
“That's where roleplay really shines.” Nika stated proudly. “I'm also glad you've found the inspiration within yourself.”
Miorine didn't comment verbally, but the way she smiled to Suletta, with eyes full of genuine mirth, was all the thanks Suletta needed.
“I'm going to die...” Guel wheezed, to everyone's indifference.
************
It took a few minutes until everyone had more or less recovered from Suletta's telling of her ordeal and the party was able to relocate to the building right next door, the Goblin Squash Stables, where Aldern and his manservants were waiting.
Outside the stables, two of the manservants dutifully keep watch for the party's arrival. One holds the reins of three horses and a pony (for Chuchu) and the other mans the driving seat of an empty carriage pulled by two additional horses. Next to them, at the entrance to the stables, Aldern speaks to a tall man with greying hair and a certain aura of menace about him, like he's ready to pounce at a moment's notice. When he notices the group arrive, the man turns to and smiles at them, a gesture that immediately triggers Miorine's fight-or-flight instinct as it seems somewhat psychotic, something made worse by the fresh bandage wrapped around his head and covering his right eye.
Suletta gasps in shock and concern at the sight. “Mister Daviren! What happened to your eye?”
“A goblin took it during the raid.” He explains as he approaches with movements that Miorine immediately likens to that of a large predatory cat. Imposing yet surprisingly graceful, no wasted movements. Despite his appearance, his voice remains composed and measured, if raspy. “One of the bastards managed to stab me in the face with his knife while I was strangling it. My mistake for not making sure it was disarmed properly.”
“Oh...” Suletta looks somewhere between disturbed and saddened, unsure of how to respond to the man's statement. “I'm... Sorry for your eye. I would have helped if I were able.” She finally manages to say.
“Well, I'm still alive, I take solace in that.” The man says with a shrug. He then directs his dark eye to the rest of the group. “So you must be the rest of the heroes I've heard about. Well met. My name is Daviren Hosk. I'm the owner of these stables. As you can tell, I've never had a very high opinion of goblins.” He points to the sign of the stables as proof. “So I'm always glad to meet fledgling goblin slayers.”
Guel extends his hand to shake Daviren's, always eager to make a good first impression. “Well met as well. I'm Guel Valdemar.”
Miorine looks at the sign once more, which depicts a goblin being trampled under a horse's hooves. “Certainly an interesting design... You named your establishment specifically to taunt goblins?”
“That's right.” Daviren's voice takes on a more dangerous edge. “These murderous little creatures are deathly afraid of horses, you see. Being crushed by a horse is one of their greatest fears and I want to make sure that if they approach this place, this image will haunt and terrify them.” Miorine shudders involuntarily, regretting bringing up this question.
“Damn, you really hate the buggers, huh?” Chuchu comments as she also studies the sign to avoid having to look him in the eye.
Daviren chuckles mirthlessly, a dark sound that makes the entire group's blood run cold. “More than you can imagine. Say, while I have you here, I have an offer for you. When next you kill goblins, take their ears and bring them to me and I'll pay you a good bounty for every pair. Extra money if you know the name of the goblin you've killed.”
“Dare I... Ask why you want to know their names?” Guel hesitantly asks, regretting being the closest person to Daviren.
“Ah, you see, goblins believe that to have their name written steal their souls.” Daviren explains. “Their beliefs are nonsense, of course, but I enjoy adding insult to injury. I have quite the collection of ears nailed the rafters of my barn and I'm always looking to expand it.”
The party shares uneasy glances to each other, clear discomfort writ large on their faces and no one seems to know how to leave this conversation. Surprisingly, Aldern ends up being the one to save them. “Dear friends, we should depart soon while the day is still young! We are quite fully ready, I believe.”
“R-right!” Suletta doesn't need to be asked twice and gives a quick bow to the stablemaster. “Th-thanks for the horses, Mr. Daviren!” She hastily pulls Miorine toward the grouping of steeds waiting for them, letting out a silent sigh of relief. Miorine is no less relieved at being freed up from this awkward social situation and she even feels a slight bit of gratitude for Aldern giving them an excuse to escape it.
Just a slight bit though.
Aldern cheerfully points the party to their respective steed, which Miorine evaluates to be of a lean and relatively small breed. “Here you are, friends. Not the finest horses perhaps, but they a gentle breed perfect for riding cross-country and will serve our needs well today.” He turns his attention to Suletta. “Do you need any help mounting them?”
“No, I know how to.” Suletta responds as she walks up to her horse and gently pets its snout. “I've learned how to from Mr. Jasper.” She looks to Miorine. “What about you, Miss Miorine? Will you need help?”
A little hesitation crosses Miorine's eyes as she looks at the horse presented to her, “Well I've never ridden one...” Miorine ponders as she looks over the beast. “But it can't be that hard.” Feeling confident in her elven grace, she grabs the pommel of her horse's saddle and tries to pull herself up...
“I'm going to ask you for a ride check, Miorine.” Nika asked.
Miorine immediately bristled defensively. “Haaah? Excuse me, but that's not a thing! There's no check for saddling up.”
“I know that.” Nika tried to defuse Miorine's anger with a reassuring smile. “This is just for flavor. Since you said this was your first attempt at riding, I think it would be interesting to see what happens. Just a DC 10, alright?”
Miorine did not look very convinced, but relented. She grumpily picked up a die and threw it... Her face immediately twisted in anger. “Oh come on! Just a two?”
Before anyone else could react, Suletta suddenly shouted out. “I catch her as she falls! I was next to her, right? I'm want to catch her!”
Nika blinked in surprise at how quickly Suletta reacted. “Uh, sure. Roll, um... I guess that would be a combat maneuver?”
As Miorine pulls herself up, the horse gives a surprised whinny and rears up, throwing her off her feet and falling backwards. The disorienting feeling of weightlessness makes her lose track of where she is, but just as she feels the pull of gravity against her, she finds that the sensation is already gone, replaced by soft arms and hard metal. She looks up and is met with Suletta's bright eyes and brighter smile. “I've got you. You should be careful not to spook her!”
Miorine doesn't answer right away, instead losing herself by gazing into Suletta's eyes. Her beautiful, kind and loving eyes. And that smile, of course, she can't forget it either. Strangely, even though she is leaning against the solid metal of Suletta's breastplate, it does not feel uncomfortable at all. It almost feels warm and welcoming, even. Though maybe that's just from the sun heating it. She still preferred to think that it was just Suletta's body heat. Eventually, she realizes that she should say something instead of dumbly staring into her girlfriend's eyes and embarrassingly clears her throat. “R-right.. My apologies, I suppose I am less adept at reading animals as I should...”
Suletta giggles playfully (a most wonderful sound in Miorine's ears) and helps Miorine steady herself back on her feet. Suletta then approaches the still-nervous horse, whispering soothingly and encouragingly to calm it. Once it has stopped nervously pacing and snorting, she gives it gentle pets, then motions for Miorine to approach again. So Suletta was good with animals too, Miorine thought... How effortlessly she had soothed it.
“Okay, this time, while you hold the pommel, place your foot in the stirrup, but facing the back of the horse.” She explains. Miorine nods and follows Suletta's instructions while Suletta herself keeps hold of the reins to keep the horse steady. “Then when you pull to lift yourself up, quickly swing your other leg over the saddle. Don't worry about hurting her, you're very light and she will barely feel your weight.”
Miorine nods in understanding, steadies herself for a second, then heaves herself up the saddle, then over it. Gripping the pommel tightly, she swings her leg over the saddle, which leads her to find herself naturally sitting astride her horse, now looking down at Suletta who beams proudly at her. “Good job Miss Miorine! I knew you would figure it out fast!”
Miorine's breath catches in her throat again and her entire face goes scarlet. Why did Suletta have to say it like that? Why did those words sound so wonderful coming from her mouth? Why were they making her chest feel tight and her heart skip a beat? And why, oh gods, why was Suletta do damn pretty? Miorine has never felt a stronger urge to kiss Suletta than in this very moment...
“Don't do it.” Chuchu warned, recognizing the suddenly almost frantic glint in Miorine's eye.
Everyone had. The moment those words came out of Suletta's mouth, there came absolute silence at the table as all eyes turned to Miorine to witness her visceral reaction. The way her entire body tensed and she stared down Suletta with unmatched intensity was unmistakable and Chuchu was not going to have it.
Interrupting Miorine's train of thought was almost akin to approaching a wild beast eating their meal. If Miorine could snarl, she would have and if looks could kill, the absolutely murderous glare she sent Chuchu's way would have blasted a hole through the entirety of Asticassia. Guel recoiled in sudden terror in a futile attempt to keep out of Miorine's line of sight. Even Chuchu almost had second thoughts.
Smelling blood in the water, Miorine grinned. “Yeah, that's what I thought.”
Without hesitation, she turned back to Suletta, who looked at her with a mix excitement and just a little bit of fear...
Miorine leans forward (virtually pounces, really), almost throwing herself off her horse, to grab Suletta by the shoulders and hold herself half on the horse, half on Suletta, who naturally yelps in surprise at this sudden movement and has to hold the reins tighter as Miorine's horse neighs in disapproval of her rider's less-than-ideal position. Confusion and worry are writ large on Suletta's face as she tries to figure out what Miorine is doing. “Wh-what's wrong Mi-” Miorine doesn't let Suletta finish that sentence.
The kiss she presses into Suletta's lips is hungry, famished even. She pushes her face forward greedily, one arm wrapped around Suletta's shoulders, the other holding her by the back of her hair as she forces their lips to interlock. It's a bit awkward in the position they're stuck in, but Miorine doesn't care, she uses the height she has over Suletta to press herself deeper in... If anything, this awkward position forces Suletta to stay where she is, lest she causes Miorine to fall. Not that Suletta minds much after the initial surprise, her free hand moving to Miorine's upper back to steady her position and make her somewhat more comfortable.
They both lose track of the outside world as they fall prey to the intensity of their embrace, nothing exists but them, nothing matters but them and the touch of their lips. They find new ways to explore each other as Miorine hungrily sucks on Suletta's lower lip, as Suletta tentatively slides her tongue in Miorine's mouth, as the both of them gently nibble on the other's lips, until the need for fresh air finally demands their pulling back from the other. They reluctantly separate, a thin strand of saliva floating between them as they longingly gaze into each other's half-lidded eyes with deep and shameless love.
They are almost about to get back into it when Chuchu aggressively clears her throat, forcing the two lovebirds to acknowledge the outside world once more. Miorine throws a frustrated look in Chuchu's direction, finding that she and Guel had mounted their own steeds while Aldern had embarked to ride shotgun on the wagon. Not a single one of them didn't have crimson cheeks from having been more-or-less forced to watch Suletta and Miorine's shameless display. “You done?” Chuchu exasperatingly asks... Or maybe begs is more accurate.
Miorine considers answering that question by kissing Suletta again – one look in her lover's eyes indicating that Suletta seems more than willing to repeat the event – but ultimately decides that she can spare her companions from being subjected to her amorous whims...
“For now.” She says in a way that sounds more like a threat than anything.
“Gee, thanks for that...” Chuchu sarcastically grumbled.
Miorine left Suletta's lap, who simply sat there in a flustered daze, her hair and jacket disheveled. “Well it's hardly my fault that my groom is simply too good at-”
“OhmyGodfuckingshutupIdon'twanttohearit.” Chuchu whined, desperate to move on. Miorine's smug smile said everything it needed to say anyway.
Nika let out a rather exasperated sigh. “Whatever happened to developing your relationship out of the game so as not to hog the spotlight?”
Miorine's smile faded. Suletta's expression turned from amorous to embarrassed. The two of them looked at each other with some shame and regret at having lost control of their emotions like this. “You're right...” Miorine mumbled. “I... Apologize for this outburst. It will not happen again.” Suletta nodded silently in agreement.
Nika glared silently at the two for a moment before her expression softened. At least she didn't have to reprimand them. “Alright, let's jump ahead then as you depart Sandpoint...”
All the while, Guel silently pondered if anyone would notice if he left the room.
Suletta expected departing Sandpoint would cause her some anguish. She expected that she might stop in her tracks once she passed over the threshold from the town limits and into the wilderness, leaving the boundaries of her hometown for the first time in her life. Or perhaps she would have found herself looking back longingly at her home, already wishing to be back there. Yet, none of that happened.
She doesn't even realize that a considerable distance separates her from home, as most of her attention is taken by Miorine as the two of them ride side-by-side. Aldern's wagon leads the way, taking most of the country road by itself. Guel is right behind it, Suletta and Miorine trot right behind him, while Chuchu closes the rear on her own. It is a bright, sunny day as the group follows along the Turandarok river – the river that runs through Sandpoint and fuels its lumber mill – eastward in-land. With a pleasant ocean breeze keeping the temperature fresh, it is truly a perfect day to enjoy being out in nature.
It didn't take long after departing before Aldern began to converse with the party. Suletta realized quickly that the nobleman was an experienced and charismatic conversationalist as he made small talk with everyone, asking about where they came from, their daily lives, their connection to Sandpoint, and so on. Guel was generally the one to interact the most with him, although he often tried to coax the others to share a few words as well, particularly Suletta. Even though Miorine and Chuchu were more than willing to rebuff him for any attempt at prying into their pasts, Aldern didn't seem any bothered by it, taking their reluctance to interact with him in good humor.
“There's something I've been wondering since you came to my rescue.” He says about halfway through the half-hour long trip. “I've been under the impression that you were all fairly experienced adventurers, you see. But I've come to realize that this is actually something quite recent for you all, am I correct?”
Guel scratches his chin in thought. “Can't say I ever thought about being an adventurer, honestly. Family obligations usually don't give much room for that kind of lifestyle. Not to mention the possibility of being perceived as aimless vagabonds.”
“Here on the frontier, it's quite a better seen occupation than elsewhere, I would say.” Aldern comments. “Sandpoint is a fairly safe place to live in, but you don't have to go that far to find danger.” He turns to Suletta to smile at her. “How about you, Lady Suletta? How long has the life of an adventurer called to you?”
Suletta diverts her eyes uneasily, the conversation with her sister that morning coming back to her mind. “Well I've never... Adventured, I guess.” Suletta responds. “This is the first time I leave Sandpoint, really. Me and my sister have been in the woods around town, sure, but actually leaving to purposefully go to a different, specific place... I've never done it.”
Aldern nods and gives Suletta a charming smile. “Then I'll make sure to do my best to make this trip memorable, so that your first experience doesn't taint the very thought of going out into the world!” He looks off in the distance as the white cliffs of the limestone escarpment known as the Devil's Platter comes into view. “After all, there is so much to see and experience. I am not as well-traveled as I'd like, but the mere thought of exploring the world gives me goosebumps.”
Suletta certainly feels the same about the goosebumps, although not for the same reason. It rather all felt intimidating still... But she couldn't deny that she was already seeing new things. Even something as simple as seeing that rock formation they were approaching was a novel experience.
“Every journey starts with a single step.” Miorine comments. “As cliché as it sounds, that first step is usually the hardest one. Once you're on your way, the next step becomes easier, and the next one easier again, and so on. Because with each new step you take, you discover a new part of the world, previously unknown to you. It makes the next step exciting, because you start looking forward to what you're going to see next.”
Making every new step exciting... Suletta liked that thought. She feared taking steps because of what she might leave behind, but thinking instead of what she might find ahead... That was a more pleasant way to think about the concept. “If I run back home, I gain one.. But if I move forward into the world, I gain two.” She states, remembering the old mantra that she was taught as a child.
“Move forward with companions, and you'll gain even more, I wager!” Aldern adds cheerfully. “Speaking of, may I once again compliment your fighting prowess? The stories around town state that you took down three goblins by yourself in the span of mere moments! You must be a master swordswoman!”
This quickly makes Suletta's mood plummet again. “I... I don't think that's the kind of thing I should brag about. Causing death should not be celebrated.”
Aldern's smile falters a little though he hides it behind an expression of concern. “You mean to tell me that you never took a life before the goblin raid?”
Suletta shakes her head. “Never. And if I had any other choice, I never would have taken one on that day either.”
Aldern nods, his smile growing softer. “I admire your purity of heart, milady. You truly are as kind as you are beautiful.”
Suletta feels an intense revulsion at those words. An absolutely vile, nauseous sensation that grips her heart and almost makes her feel sick to her stomach. It's a good thing Aldern has already turned away to look at the road at this point because Suletta is certain she is unable to hide her disgusted expression at this moment. The others certainly do notice however and Miorine is quick to extend her hand and take Suletta's to squeeze it and remind her that she is not alone.
“You don't have to accept this kind of talk from him.” Miorine whispers. “You can tell him to shove it.”
“He's just trying to be nice...” Suletta whispers back with little conviction. She knows that Aldern is crossing lines and she should push back but she feels more afraid of what might happen if she rejects him outright. “He's planning to leave Sandpoint soon anyway.” She reasons. “We won't have to interact much with him anymore.”
Guel quickly tries to change the subject, riding forward to make it easier to converse with Aldern. “You know, we've told you quite a bit about ourselves, but you haven't told us much about who you are, Aldern Foxglove. Certainly you have anecdotes and stories you'd like to tell us about yourself, your family or Magnimar?”
Aldern's smile disappears as he lets out a sigh. “Oh, I don't really think I have anything worthwhile to say compared to you. You are the new heroes of Sandpoint after all.”
“Oh, bullshit.” Chuchu spits from the back. “You can't just bombard us with questions and expect that you can play coy about yourself.”
Suletta does think it strange that the nobleman is suddenly so cagey. His change of demeanor is rather suspicious, even. “Do you really not have anything to say, Mr. Aldern?”
Once more, Suletta notices the instantaneous change in Aldern's expression as he flashes a charming smile once more, sending an uneasy shiver down her spine. “Well, I suppose I simply cannot say no to you. Very well, what kind of thing would you like me to tell you?”
Suletta hesitates for a moment. A question? Did she even have a question? Honestly she really wasn't that interested in the man, she was just pressing him on Chuchu's behalf. Ultimately though, she falls back to a subject she herself has always enjoyed and can relate to. “What's your family like?”
A shadow passes over Aldern's face as he grows pensive, looking at the carved head of his cane. Suletta realizes that there is a pattern on that cane, some kind of flower surrounded by thorns. His silence lingers for a few seconds before Suletta grows uneasy. “D-did I overstep some bounds..?”
Aldern shakes his head. “Well, it is something of a sensitive subject for me, I suppose, but through no fault of your own. My parents have passed many years ago and my sisters live far away in Korvosa. I've been far away from them for a while now and I don't have direct family in Magnimar.”
Sensing perhaps the first hint of genuineness from Aldern, Suletta's voice and expression soften in return. “I'm sorry...” She couldn't imagine losing her parents and living estranged from her only sibling. And to think that it almost happened a few days ago... “You must miss them a lot.”
“A lot.” Aldern agrees. “Some days I wish I had stayed in Korvosa, but...” He interrupts himself, and just like that, the honesty is gone. Aldern's smile returns to his face, more forced than before. “Oh, but let's not linger on such dark subjects. Your heroism is the honor of the day after all!”
Suletta feels a pang of disappointment and lets out a sigh. After seeing the hint of who Aldern really was, she could tell he was putting on a persona and didn't seem willing to show his true self. Part of her suspected that he might be more pleasant to be around if he was honest, but that seemed quite out of reach.
The rest of the trip passes relatively uneventfully as Suletta tunes out the conversation between Aldern and Guel, until the group reaches the Tickwood forest. Although Suletta has of course never been there, she knew that it was a location known for being an excellent hunting spot in spite of its name – which it possessed due to the presence of giant ticks within – with a strong population of wild game and few predators to thin the herds. It was as safe a place as one could travel to in this region.
The carriage stops at a shallow river crossing that leads into a trail inside the forest and Aldern steps off his seat to go look for something in the back of the wagon. Suletta dismounts quickly to make sure to help Miorine off her own horse, earning her a quick peck on the cheek. Warmth rises to her face and she lets out a little giggle, forgetting herself for a moment again before remembering where she is when she feels Chuchu's annoyed glare in her back. Shaking the giddy happiness out of her head, she looks around to see what everyone's up to.
The horses have already been hitched to trees on the side of the road and Aldern has a few spears with a metal crossbar halfway down its length. “You all appear to be well-equipped, but do any of you wish to use these specialized spear? If you don't know, boars are very aggressive and fearless, well able to continue fighting even when mortally wounded. These types of spears are designed to prevent an enraged boar from impaling itself down the entire length of your spear as it charges you.”
Suletta shivers at the mental image. “Um.. No, I'll be fine. I think I'll do better with a shield anyway.” She sees that Miorine doesn't even consider these weapons. Well, that makes sense, she's a wizard after all. She probably wouldn't be able to use them.
Guel on the other hand takes one from Aldern's hands. He swings the weapon a few times to get used to the weight and shape before nodding in satisfaction. “Thank you. That will certainly be useful.”
Chuchu for herself scoffs. “You didn't even bring one my size, did you? Bah, no matter, I can handle a stupid pig without it.”
Aldern raises an eyebrow but doesn't comment on Chuchu's boast. “My manservants will remain here and watch our horses and the carriage until we catch a boar. Now, usually my canine companion would have handled the tracking part of our expedition, but as it was unfortunately slain by goblins during the raid, we will have to handle that part of the process ourselves. Are any of you accustomed to such things?”
“That was, uh, survival checks, right?” Guel asked as he looked over his character sheet.
“Yes. Whoever has the highest score is the best at it.” Nika responded with a nod.
“I'm pretty sure that would be me with five.” Chuchu spoke up. “That's why I was looking at the tracks in that cemetery.”
The party looks at each other for a moment, before their eyes turn to Chuchu, who immediately recoils as she realizes what everyone is thinking. “No fucking way! I'm not going to debase myself by stuffing my nose in the mud for you!”
“You're the best of us at following tracks” Miorine points out with a slight hint of amusement in her voice.
“If we want to make this hunt successful, we're going to need your skills.” Guel adds. “Think of it as a way to show what you're capable of.”
Chuchu growls. “I don't need to prove myself to anyone, dumbass. Least of all you or that useless fop.”
“Can you please help us, Miss Chuchu..?” Suletta asks with a voice that sounds like its on the verge of tears.
Chuchu looks up, taken completely off-guard by that tone of voice and pleading demeanor. She crosses eyes with the saddest, most pitiful look she has ever seen. Suletta's big eyes are almost watery with emotion and with her eyebrows quirked up, she has the look of a kicked dog.
“Oh for fuck's sake Suletta, that's really unfair!” Chuchu whined.
“I told you those sad puppy eyes were dangerous...” Miorine commented, looking at Suletta with a mix of tenderness and suspicion in her eyes.
Suletta merely giggled innocently as everyone wondered when did she learn she could weaponize facial expressions.
The first thought that comes to Chuchu's mind is wondering if paladins are even allowed to emotionally manipulate people like that? The second is cursing herself that it was working. Despite thinking that she's long been immune to such obvious ploys, she has to admit herself defeated by Suletta's superior technique. “Fine!” She throws her hands up in defeat. “I'm going to find you your stupid boar. Get your asses in line and stay way in the back, I don't want you tin cans distracting me while I'm working.”
She angrily stomps ahead of the group into the woods, pretending not to notice Suletta's innocent smile at Miorine, pretending to ignore Miorine's stupid smug smirk, refusing to acknowledge Aldern and Guel's chuckles and shrugs. She's going to do her job and she's going to do it well, Gods damn them.
The group walks through the forest, following a thin hunter trail through the underbrush, mostly silently for the better part of an hour, everyone's senses peeled for any disturbance that might reveal the presence of their quarry. Well, most everyone. Suletta is mostly distracted by all these new sights, sounds and smells that she's never experienced before. Chuchu almost found it aggravating how the naive girl could treat being in a forest like some kind of wondrous event. For her part, she felt could barely tolerate the buzzing of insects curiously investigating her face and hair. The canopy has plunged them into a world of shadows, with soft wind rustling the leaves while birds sing somewhere up above. The smell of the woodland is earthy and humid and hunter trails criss-cross the woods, keeping travel easy and avoiding having to cut through vegetation too often.
Eventually, Chuchu finally locates what she's searching for, animal tracks crossing the trail. She raises her hand to warn the group to cease moving and crouches down to examine the area. There, something ate the roots of that tree, and pretty damn recently at that, less than an hour back, probably even half of that. Then it was interrupted by something, turned around and charged something in the foliage over there... Red and black fur, one of the local predators, a firepaw cougar. It ran off, but not without getting some of its fur snagged by a tusk. The boar's tracks leave the area and head deeper into the underbrush.
Chuchu smirks to herself, satisfied by her success. “Okay, got something. It's been around within the hour, so it might still be pretty close. I'm going to go on ahead, start following me... About a minute later. Once I find it, I'll lead it back to you, so listen for my signal and get your weapons ready when you do.”
Without waiting for agreement, Chuchu steps into the underbrush and heads off the beaten path, her eyes keeping along with the tracks.
“Okay, so as you go on along on your own, I'm going to ask you for a perception and a stealth check.” Nika declared.
Chuchu grabbed her dice and threw two at once. She raised an eyebrow once the results came back. “Huh. So that makes a 10 perception, but a 20 stealth.”
Nika nodded and threw a few dice behind her screen. In an extremely unlikely coincidence, the same result came back. This left Nika confused as she tilted her head, trying to think of what this could possibly mean. After a few moments of thought, only one possibility came to mind. “Alright... I guess the only way to resolve this is with an initiative check.”
“Seriously..? Ugh, fine.” Another dice throw, another instance of Chuchu throwing her hands in the air in frustration. “Fucking hell, a natural 2!” She had a pretty high initiative bonus, but even with that it was unlikely to beat whatever she had encountered, especially knowing her luck...
Nika's apologetic smile did not get Chuchu's mood back up. “Yeah, sorry...”
Chuchu carefully creeps into the vegetation, barely making any noise as she goes. She walks along with the natural rustling of the leaves, avoiding branches in her path, feeling like the essence of silence itself. She finds herself starting to daydream, thinking about what she will do once she finds the boar. She said she would lead it to the rest of the party, but really, why go through all that effort? If she got the drop on that boar, she could probably take it down by her own in seconds. A thrust of her rapier, a stab of her dagger in vital areas, and she could put it down with ease, no doubt. The rest of these tall idiots would find her sitting on her kill, looking at them like the useless giants they were, and making them feel properly humbled.
Yeah, she was going to teach them for sure!
She pulls a bush aside and freezes as she finds herself nose-to-snout with a huge pig, easily twice her size. The boar freezes as it looks at her with beady, stupid eyes. Time seems to stop as they look at each other and fail to understand how to react to this sudden encounter. A million scenarios run through Chuchu's head at the same time. Run away? Unsheathe her blades and stab it in the face? Let the bush snap back in place and pretend she never saw it and hope it decided to do the same? A branch snaps somewhere behind Chuchu, time stops standing still and the boar's eyes switch from confusion to bloodshot fury.
Chuchu's own body unfreezes as she recoils, not fast enough. “Motherfu-” Her words are drowned out by a monstrous, horrible squeal.
In the back of the group, Suletta is walking along with Miorine, crouched to reduce the chances of being seen by the prey they were tracking. The scraping of her armor against branches feels like thunder in her ears, but she hopes that it's not bothering Chuchu ahead of the group. “Do you think she's going to be okay..?” She worryingly whispers to Miorine, who has a far easier time being silent.
“Don't worry about her.” Miorine responds as she peeks over the foliage for a moment before crouching back to eye level with Suletta. “She looks like a professional at that kind of thing. I'm sure she can easily sneak up on a pig.” Miorine takes a step forward and a branch snaps under her foot.
A horrible squeal is heard ahead, followed by an explosion of leaves and earth as Chuchu comes flying and crashes into a tree. Not far behind, a furious boar comes crashing through the vegetation, charging for the helpless gnome who grunts in pain as she struggles to move. Suletta's protective instincts instantly thrust her into action as she throws herself between Chuchu and the boar, turning her back on the animal so that she shield strapped to her back might prove to be of some protection.
The impact on her back knocks the wind out of her as she is almost crushed against the tree trunk herself. Disoriented by the sudden lack of oxygen in her lungs, she leans forward and presses her hands against the tree, gasping to gulp in some fresh air. Behind her, she hears Guel, Miorine and Aldern come to her aid. Spears are thrust into the boar, she hears the k-thunk of a crossbow being fired, and more of that horrible, angry squealing as the boar turns around toward its aggressors. She hesitantly throws a look back to find Guel and Aldern struggling to keep the boar at a distance with their spears plunged into its back while Miorine reloads a crossbow that Suletta didn't even realize she possessed.
The boar's single-minded ferocity is terrifying, but ultimately futile against the weight of numbers. Suletta isn't sure who deals the killing blow, but the combination of bolts and spear wounds finally gets the better of the boar, which collapses with a final pained squeal before going still and silent. Suletta shakily stands back on her feet and looks down at Chuchu, who is now looking up at her with confusion and worry in her eyes. Suletta gives her a smile that she hopes is reassuring before helping her to her feet.
Chuchu winces as she stands up, carefully examining herself and her injuries, hesitantly running her fingers past her leather armor. That boar did a hell of a number on her... She feels some pretty bad lacerations on her torso where she was gored. She doesn't think her ribs got broken, but bruised in some way, definitely. Pretty bad, but thankfully not immediately life-threatening. She will badly need some rest or healing once they return to town...
She looks up at Suletta, trying to figure out if she herself is injured. She can't see bleeding down Suletta's back, but the way she's panting and trying to catch her breath indicate that she's got some internal damage. Bruising at best, but internal bleeding isn't impossible either.
More importantly, Chuchu realizes that Suletta is hurt like that because of her. If she hadn't been surprised by the boar, Suletta would not have had to put herself between them like that and if she hadn't put herself in that danger, Chuchu would surely be dead now. Suletta sacrificed her own body, risking her life for her, something close to a complete stranger. Sure, Suletta was a paladin, that kind of thing was typical of these people, but that didn't make the gesture any less important. No one had ever done this for Chuchu. What was she even supposed to do now, this was a completely new situation for her!
As she processes those thoughts, Aldern pokes the boar to make sure that it has indeed expired, then gives a cheer. “How wonderful! Well done friends, the beast has been felled! And what a beast this is, look at its size!” He runs his hand through the coarse fur to touch the flesh beneath. “This will make a fine feast, let me tell you that much. I believe congratulations are in order!” He turns his eyes to Suletta. “Particularly for you, milady! Your contributions made all of this possible!”
A stunned silence falls over the party as everyone stares at Aldern in disbelief. Suletta's contribution? Seriously? Sure, Chuchu would never claim that Suletta didn't save her bacon, but her contribution? All she did was shield Chuchu, Suletta didn't do anything against the boar itself! And not a word of concern toward Chuchu, who got badly hurt from it?
That was simply too much for Chuchu, who in spite of the pain wracking her body, walks up to Aldern with fury in her eyes that would have made even the boar think twice about messing with her. “Okay, listen here you blue-blooded stuck-up bitch! I have got well enough of your bullshit! Suletta hasn't shown even the slightest amount of interest in you, and she kissed the elf, in public, well within your eyesight! What other signals do you need to understand she doesn't give a shit about your unwanted advances! Get your head out of your fucking ass and start looking around you for what's actually happening, because I'm fucking done with your shit.”
A dizzy spell overtakes Chuchu as she finishes her rant, but thankfully Suletta slides in behind her to keep her steady on her feet. Everyone stares down Aldern to see what his reaction will be, the nobleman blinking in shock at being addressed so crudely for a few seconds before looking away and rubbing the back of his head. “W-well now, that is quite... You misunderstand me, you see!” He flashes an uneasy smile. “All I wanted was to point out her bravery and heroism! To thrust herself into danger like this was a most dangerous effort, naturally.”
Aldern coughs and rapidly changes the subject before anyone can respond. “Now then, I should return to my manservants and let them know that we're done here. Please wait here with our boar, I'll return with the help as soon as I can!” He hurries back to the trail, almost tripping on a protuding root in his haste, disappearing past some bushes and leaving the party behind.
The party is silent for some time, waiting for Aldern to get out of earshot. Once Chuchu is certain that she cannot hear the nobleman anymore, she lets out a half-groan, half-scream of frustration. “Gods help me, this fucking guy!” Exhausted by her injuries, she sits on an old fallen tree trunk and lets out a grunt of pain.
Suletta chuckles as she sits down next to Chuchu, still a bit short of breath but looking better than earlier already. “You're a lot better at handling people like him than me...”
Chuchu rolls her eyes. “I just don't have any patience for this type of asshole. And you shouldn't either. Not talking back is just an invitation for him to continue harassing you.”
Surprisingly, Suletta doesn't get embarrassed or bashful. Instead, she smiles gratefully. “Thank you for standing up for me, Miss Chuchu.”
Chuchu blinks in surprise, then looks off bashfully. “.. Someone has to if you won't. Me or the elf won't be here for you all the time.”
Suletta doesn't respond, merely keeping that sweet thankful smile on her face. Chuchu shifts on the trunk and grunts as a flash of pain reminds her of her bruised bones. She really can't move too much...
Her train of thought is interrupted when she sees Miorine hold out a glass vial with a red liquid inside in front of her. It takes her a few seconds to recognize it as the potion of healing they found on the goblin champion at the end of the raid. Somehow, she doesn't realize that she's being offered it and looks up questioningly at Miorine, who scoffs in disbelief. “Come on, drink up. You got badly hurt.”
Chuchu stares at the potion a few moments longer as though she can't comprehend what it is before taking it with some hesitation in her movements. She holds it to her eye, looking into the deep red liquid, then back up to Miorine, who rolls her eyes in annoyance. “What's the problem? Come on, it's not going to bite you.”
Chuchu frowns as she removes the stopper, a storm of unfamiliar feelings swelling within her. She thought Miorine was just a stuck-up elf with a soft spot for the puppy-like Suletta, so to just receive this potion unprompted completely upended her preconceived opinion. Was she just trying to get in her good graces? Was it thanks for standing up for Suletta? Was Suletta's good nature rubbing off on Miorine? Where she came from, such kindness was unthinkable. Only the supremely naive or someone who wanted something in return would ever make such an offer. Yet no price was named. No favor was stated. It truly appeared to be a gift with no strings attached. And in spite of all of her instincts screaming at her that this was a trap somehow, Chuchu decides to throw her caution away and accept things at face value.
Chuchu lifts the potion to her lips and throws her head back, drinking it down in a few gulps (although it is but an ounce, her smaller size does make it seem bigger than it really is). The magic of the potion is immediate as it fills her stomach. A warm, soothing sensation fills her as her wounds knit together and her ribs stop aching in her chest. The relief is immediate and she visibly relaxes as spasms of pain she was suppressing stop bothering her. She lets out a long breath, leaning back on her seat. “Thanks..” She pauses for a moment, unused to showing gratitude. “It feels a lot better already.” She elaborates.
“Don't mention it.” Miorine crosses her arms. “And don't forget to thank Suletta too. She saved your life.”
That's right. It had slipped Chuchu's mind after she yelled at Aldern, but she did owe Suletta her life. Chuchu turns to Suletta, who waits patiently for her to speak. “And thank you too. If you hadn't been there...”
“You're welcome.” Suletta quickly says before Chuchu gets too lost in words. “You can count on me to help anytime.”
Chuchu can't help but smile and nods in understanding. “So I can see.” She falls silent as the group makes small talk while waiting for Aldern's return. She has a lot to think about. If she can really count on Miorine, Suletta and even Guel, maybe that really is reason enough to stay in Sandpoint.
At the very least, it was worth giving this whole trusting people thing a shot.