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*returning to the Inn by way of the portal, Gemstorm staggers slightly, her face slightly green and swearing softly to herself,”Fewmets, I will never get used to that...” Stepping softly through the Inn and giving wide berth to the recently occupied Mousehole who’s denizens she found utterly fascinating if not a little repugnant and in need of a good wash, she stopped by the Postings board and a happy smile widened her mouth at the reply from Ranger decky. Reading quickly, she nodded to herself..smoothing out the parchment she replied..* My friend, I am well pleased that such a small trifle was a goodlie gift to thee..Having completed my own small errands since we parted at our journey’s end, I have agreed to do a kindness for my farrier friend. His old auntie has messaged him that she is beset with fear at the rumor of ravening wolfs and roaming orcs. The old dear(and I use that term very loosely) lives a days ride from Gratalm and wishes to be escorted from her small cottage to the farrier’s house. Loathe as I am to endure the old harridan’s company for five minutes much less the time it will take to bring her in to Gratalm, I agreed to do so. If you have no other pressing matters I wonder if you would like to accompany me on this little errand? We would have at least half of a pleasant ride down along the lake and by easy road to her cottage. Also, I have been niggled by curiousity concerning your experience on our journey that some unseen thing or being was over-looking us at times. Though I kept my peace when e’er you mentioned it I was not dismissing your words, I just have not that finely tuned elven sense for things which lay beyond the mundane. I would know if it continues or if you have puzzled out it’s origin.
Kindest Regards Comes into the inn seeking a quiet ale and happens apon the note from his good friend Gemstorm, quickly grabbing a new piece of parchment he pens his reply.
Ranger Gemstorm As for the presence i was feeling i am not totaly sure of what it could be, I Feel malice but then again i also feel strong love eminating from it it did follow us all the back to the farm on our last quest and i have felt it again since, i am endevouring to find out what is behind it but as of late have not had the time to persue it, Mayhap i will find a mage that would be able to lend his or her services on the matter if you know any please feel free to tell them of the expierience.
Regards *Sitting at the bar, enjoying a morning mug of tea..Gemstorm glanced over toward the Postings board and was delighted to see a scroll addressed to her ..opening it with happy anticipation..she read it and breathed a little sigh of relief..”yesss..”she murmured to herself..”mayhap the old trout will be diverted by decky’s courteous manner and leave my, according to her, irredeemable inadequacies alone.” Taking up a pen..she replied... I go at once to inform the farrier who will send a message to his aunt to be expecting us as her escort..she has a trap and pony so we will not have to bother with bringing conveyance for her. I warrant she is probably packed up what e’er she deems necessary but would still give her a day’s grace for receiving the message. In the meanwhile I have selected two available(aye I am ever thinking ahead and I know your are laughing at me) mounts for us from the Inn’s stables and if you would like to try the larger one for gait and manner, he stands in the third stall on the left from the door. We will only need food for one nights camp and a bait of grain for the mounts who we might hobble and let graze as well..I am timing this out so that we don’t spend a moment more than is absolutely necessary to get the woman to her destination. Preferring to spend the night encamped rather than endure her criticisms. If this is agreeable to thee then let us meet at the stable at sunrise on the morrow. My thanks in advance for I fear thee will be most inclined to clout me one on the ear for this by the time we return to Gratalm.
Gemstorm *Ranger Setting everything down, she goes to the stalls and leads out the two horses they will be using for the journey, tieing them up in the alleyway, finding brushes, grooms them, taking a few moments to plait their tails as the roads were still a bit muddy. Saddling them and double checking the bardings, she then leads them sans bridles back to their stalls and gives them a measure of grain. Her tea now cool enough to drink she breaks her fast and awaits decky’s arrival. She smiles to herself thinking that though the errand was a small one and not overly exciting it may well have it’s “moments” since who could foretell what might befall a body between the rising and the setting of the sun. Decky Wakes before dawn and heads down to the stables where he finds Gemstorm Sitting and enjoying a good measure of breakfast and of course her tea. Walking into the stable he checks out his mount, Knowing that Gemstorm would of already checked it for any injuries and such he finds it in its stall and already saddled quietly munching away on some grain. He grimaces at how saddle sore he will be by the end of the day as he hadnt had much cause to ride of late. Walking back outside he sits down next to Gemstorm and waits for her to finish eating so they can be on their way. “So what will this day bring us” he asks gemstorm as they walk into the stable to lead out their mounts She replies “***?***” They lead their mounts out into the courtyard where they hop in the saddle and ride out into the breaking dawn...... ~ Glancing over at decky, Gemstorm gave him a merry smile and a careless shrug. “Whate’er it brings we are equal to it, I see that you wear your sword this day. Giggling at a silly thought, she settled herself in the saddle and gave a little chuck to the reins as her gelding shied at some fancied terror. As their horses hooves clattered across the courtyard and brought them around to the front of the Inn, she jerked her chin toward five horses tied before the door. “Look ye decky, a patrol. By their barding they seem to be troopers from the Duke of Calias’s demense.” decky arched his eyebrows and nodded thoughtfully. “Tis no wonder as there has been much unrest lately.” Having been away recently, Gemstorm was eager to hear the latest news from a reliable source. The road was wide enough to ride side by side and she quizzed decky about the the rumors that had been bruited about the farrier’s shop of wolves and orcs and some missing party of adventurers.. Adding yet another element of possible danger to the folk of the countryside...she exclaimed “Aaron has been busy with the shoeing of farmer’s plow beasts, Goodman Twistle was in just yesterday and mentioned his wife had had a great fright when some low men had stopped at their door while he was out in the field". “They only begged a bit of food of her which she gave willingly to see the backs of them but with spring opening the roads again to travel, there will be some movement among the cutpurses, footpads, tavern louts and others of ill-repute, as they seek out fresher “fields” for their skulduggery.” The sun strengthened as they rode, occasionally passing some travelers, nodding affably and once riding their horses up onto the verge to let a wagon filled with empty sacks pass. Gemstorm bit the inside of her lip, debating whether to ask her friend or not.. she was not a pryer into other people’s business but... After a few awkward half starts and an odd look from decky, she manage to get her thought out.
“decky,..
So saying, she pretended great interest in the passing scenery to give him time to answer or not without her green eyed stare to press him.
Riding beside Gemstorm Decky hears her question, He turns to her in the saddle and gently smiles seeing the embarasment on her face he waits a few moments before he answers.
My life Gem (he had taken to calling her Gem because he was at ease in her company) i have dedicated myself to the ways of the land here in pria, I have wittnessed many atrocitys in my time yet i do not know which blood line be mine”.
“ My mother bless her heart before she died told me a little of my father saying only that he was a dashing young elf who with his unit had stopped in the inn she was working at, They hit it off well and thus i am here”.
“She had never spoken of him before that day on her death bed and her last breath was the start of his name which i never did get to hear for she died before she could utter his name, I questioned some others in the village who were close to my mother but they knew nothing of him”
“From that day on i have reserved myself to never knowing my origions so i took up the name decky, It has been so many years my given name has been forgotten, this is what weighs apon my heart but do not worry yourself with my petty problems im sure the answer is somewhere here in pria and one day i hope my father will reveal himself to me and name me in the way of the elves”.
decky then straigtens himself in the saddle quickly rubbing his rump as he was starting to get saddle sore and couldnt wait till they rested the horses so he could stretch out his legs.
He let gemstorm digest what he had just said glancing across at her every now and then, He also felt quite silly for he had not divulged that to anyone before, Trying not to let the thoughts of his mother get to him he fixes his gaze on the road infront of him.
he thinks to himself how comfortable Gemstorm made him feel, for it was so unlike him to divulge any personal details to anyone, “ I have taken leave of my sences” he thought, “but whats done is done i can nae take it back now”.
Lifting his gaze he noticees some dust apon the horizion he points it out to gemstorm and says “I see riders three of them aproaching at some speed mayhap we should be out of their way as they look to be in quite a hurry” looking to gemstorm he leads his mount to be directly beside her and offers her a warm friendly smile.
“how far be your aunt from here” he asks trying to get his mind back on the job at hand he watches and waits for the riders to pass them by, Bieng ever alert for their buisness must be pressing to be pushing the horses so hard.
Absently cueing her horse to the side of the road in response to decky’s warning..Gemstorm, pondered the tale her friend had told her, waiting for the riders to pass and snorting delicately at the dust their passing raised before she spoke, looking at him with a grave smile..
“My friend, be it ever in my power I will keep thine tale within my thought and should fortune favor thy quest be ever ready to help thee advance it.”
“Now, the “auntie” lives yet some hours ride but by the position of the sun and the clamor of my stomach we are past nuncheon..let us find some pleasant glade and refresh ourselves and our beasts.”
So saying they quickly spotted a twinkle of water not far off their road and repaired forthwith, loosening the girths and letting the mounts quench their thirst then find what browse they could. Gemstorm grinned at decky’s sigh of relief when he dismounted and thought..it would be worse two days hence when saddle sored legs really complained.
As they ate their own small repast, Gemstorm relayed the direction Aaron had given her to find his aunt’s dwelling.
“The road mounts upward sharply before descending again..then a rightwise track leads to Dame Maeve’s cottage. I would propose we cut around and find some spot to camp the night that overlooks the
decky was agreeable and they remounted their horses and continued on through the spring sunshine.
As they neared the end of the journey they passed through a wooded area which pressed close to the road. decky noted the fall of winter whelmed trees that could be seen through the light and shadow of the afternoon wood.
Emerging from the wooded area they saw in the distance the road rising upward..an hour more of riding brought them to the summit where they turned off and circled around until they could see the small cottage below them, a faint plume of smoke rising from the chimney and a ponycart drawn up before the door.
“Well enough,” exclaimed Gemstorm softly, “she is making ready to depart in the morning.” Turning to decky she jested..”Let us make camp and enjoy this brief respite before we do go forth on the morrow to engage yon termagant.”
Making quick work of setting up the encampment the two rangers sorted out the watch posting and Gemstorm “lost” the number game again, taking first watch. The hours passed uneventfully until near to midnight when she woke decky ..”The wind has shifted sommat and brought the tang of woodsmoke to my nose. Our fire is out and the old woman’s chimney has gone cold. Shall we make a stealthy reconnoitre and see what or who else is about?”
decky nodded, moving swiftly to his feet, his head tilted as his keen elven senses quested the night.
“I do not smell the unclean taint of orc nor do wolves make campfires..let us follow the grin “scent” and see what mischief or innocence is abroad.”
Decky Grins at Gemstorm as they head out into the night to find the source of the smoke, glad not to have smelt the stench of orcs or wolves, He was at quite some ease.
Finding the camp was not that hard as the people in it were loud and boisterous and all decky had to do was follow his nose. Apon arriving there he motioned for Gemstorm to stay put, Whilst he got a closer look.
He dissapeared from her view getting as close as he could without bieng spotted.
The camp had 6 men of varying heights and decriptions one most notibly was dressed in all in black, Sitting around a campfire passing a wine skin and playing with a deck of cards.
“What a sorry looking bunch” he thought to himself” they looked to be harmless, Definatly not a tight unit as there was no watch posted, The camp looked to have been set up in a matter of minutes, Things were tossed here and there and no wepons other than the odd dagger could be seen from his vantage point.
They didnt seem to be a very close bunch of people either at one point one of the men complained he was bieng cheated only to have the fist of one of the others slam into his face knocking him out cold who then preceded to pick his pockets clean of anything of value “thats what i call bieng cheated” said the man who had just robbed one of his companions, The laughter of the others followed the comment.
Not bothering to move the man they left him where he lay untill he woke from his dreamland only to rejoin the game, Somehow in the time he had gotten up and dusted himself off he had gotten another purse from somewhere decky did note that he had patted one of the others on the back before he sat back down by the fire “pick pocket” he thought.
He then returned to gather Gemstorm to let her take a look, Wanting to test her skills at bieng alert he decided to circle around her and come from behind. Bieng as silent as a ghost he came up from behind her but when he got to be about a step away from bieng close enough to grab her and give her a little scare he was suprised to hear “not another step decky” she turned around with a big grin on her face “i knew you would be trying something like this i didnt come down in the last rain storm you know! after traveling with someone you sort of get to know the sound of them””now what of the camp” she asked briskly not wanting decky to see he had actualy startled her for a second.
“They be of no concern to us Gem” decky replied still stunned at how she knew he was there, “Ill take you to see we dont have to be overly cautious they are a rough lot and there isnt much to them, A band of pick pockets and swinlders i would say from looking at them, But stay down incase one decides to glance in our direction”.
Leading Gemstorm to the camp proved to be easyer than he thought as they were wel lon the way to bieng drunk now and didnt care what lurked out in land surounding them.
“I think the one in the to the right of middle be the leader of this bunch although he has not got a tight reign on them and lucky for them there be no wolf pack or orcs on this trail” he says to Gemstorm absently.
After about an hour of watching the group get into a few drunken fist fights over the lay of the cards they decide to head back to their camp as Gemstorm protested that she would need all the rest she could get for the following day with auntie.
Making short work of breaking camp the next morning, the two rangers were soon mounted and trotting down the hill toward the auntie’s cottage.
While they tied up their horses, Gemstorm coughed slightly and then said...”urm..decky?..I did warn thee Aunt Maeve fancies herself still not without charm and is a terrible coquette around men. Didn’t I?” Not daring to look at decky after this announcement Gemstorm preceded him as they walked up to the cottage door.
It was abruptly flung open and a large woman with a malevolent looking yellow tomcat clutched to her capacious bosom strode out to meet them.
“Good morrow, Aunt Maeve, allow me to present Ranger decky”. Gemstorm schooled her face to impassivity as the woman replied.
“Aye, Mistress Gemstorm, I did receive a message from my nephew telling me to expect two rangers as my escort.” Peering at Gemstorm with a glint of malice in her beady black eye, she added..”Still guying about in trews I see, hmnnnf! well with thine bandy bowed legs twould be better to dress in womanly raiment..mark my words Gemstorm between thine unpleasantly ruddied complexion and thine rude speech, thou will ne’er be courted as I was when I was a gel.”
Turning back to decky the woman instantly changed her tones and gushed, “Ranger decky, well met, well met indeed!..she eyed him with the appetite of a chicken for a particularly delectable grasshopper, as she took his arm and led him into the cottage. “Come within sir, and with thine strong arm we will soon have my few things aboard the cart and be on our way..oh..Gemstorm do go and harness the pony and hitch him to the cart..Ranger decky, my dear young man..I must tell you I have been near to swooning with fear at the dire rumors abroad this spring......”
Gemstorm stuck her tongue out at the woman’s retreating back..the cat looking over the woman’s shoulder glared and hissed menacingly at her.
Going around to the shed she found a cobby pony tied up, eating the last of his ration of hay, grabbing a brush she dusted off his dappled coat and quickly harnessed him..she was pleased to note he was in fit condition and of a type that could trot all day with hardly a dampening of his freckled hide.
Leading him out to the cart she backed him between the shafts . Checking her work she saw he would be comfortable and no strap would rub or chafe.
She could hear the old woman blathering on in the cottage. decky came out the door carrying several packages and made a comically suffering face at Gemstorm, as he dropped them into the cart.
Hearing a “My dear young man..from within the cottage he bravely went back inside presently emerging with more of Aunt Maeve’s goods and the woman herself in his wake, shawled and ready to depart.
After helping the woman into the cart and handing her the reins, he and Gemstorm made to mount their own horses when suddenly Aunt Maeve cried, “Alack!..we can not depart for I have nearly forgotten my sweet Tomkit, that I locked in the still room until time to place him in his travelbasket..Gemstorm! I bide thee hasten within and do thus for I can’t bear the thought of what would befall my precious puss all alone here.”
Nodding with a terse, “As you wish Aunt Maeve” Gemstorm handed her rein to decky.
Within the cottage she heard a low growl coming from behind a closed door. She armed herself with a besom leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath cracked open the door. The growl began to increase in volume as she peered through the gloom trying to mark the wretched cat’s whereabouts.
decky and Aunt Maeve were alerted to the tide of battle by the sounds of cat squall, crashes and thumps, a shouted “OW! you wight! you! misbegotten son of a benighted.. runtling... orclet! YeooooowWWWL! and then a triumphant ..HAH! accompanied by cat screams of an indignation.
The door of the cottage opened and Gemstorm emerged carrying a wicker hamper of swearing tomcat..she bounced it a few times and Tomkit howled with rage.
Setting the basket upon the seat of the cart, she bowed “Your pet madam, and now”..with a steely look that brooked no argument, “We DO depart!”
Mounting her own horse she glanced at decky, who had a peculiar quirk to his lip and warned him testily..”Don’t even say a word.” He restrained himself but did pass over a small box of unguent, commenting that she had been wounded in her recent battle and would find it soothing to her scratched face.
The little caravan made good time though the old dame constantly hailed decky to her side for various reasons most of which centered around her garrulous tales of when “she was a gel” and punctuated with little breathy, my dears!
The tomcat squalled wrathfully from his wicker prison and the old woman soothed him with soft sweet words and promises of a bit of fish for her precious little chuck if only he would cease his melodious plaint.
decky catching Gemstorm’s eye silently mouthed with extravagantly lifted brow..*precious little chuck? ..melodious plaint?* Gemstorm gasped a silent little squeak of pent laughter and reined her horse back, hiding her face in its mane she snorted and shook with mirth..
They continued on in this wise for a few more miles, then coming to a curve in the road, the rangers trotted out in front for some relief from the old trout’s incessant nattering when in the distance they saw some obstruction to their way. Vague figures appeared on the sides of the road.
“Hmnn..looks like we are about to be held up, my friend,” ..Gemstorm drawing some fast conclusions from the setting of the scene ahead.
“Indeed, let us drop back to the old woman’s side and make some plan.” decky replied calmly.
Apprising the old woman of the possible peril ahead they told her the best plan would be to rush the barricade and push her pony hard to clear it, they would keep the miscreants busy whilst she got on down the road to some safety.
Accordingly the three of them approached the barrier now seeing some “familiar” forms from the night before lining across the road ahead.
As they got close enough, Gemstorm leaned over and thwapped the pony on the haunches with her bow, crying..”Now madam..for your life!” The pony leaped into the traces and with the old gal slapping him with the reins bolted down the road. Two men jumped out to stop the oncoming ponycart and nearly undid the whole hasty plan as the pony hesitated but the old woman cracked her whip across the face of one bravo and the pony leaped sideways with fright, knocking the other with the shaft to roll and lay still on the verge.
Gemstorm guiding her horse with her knees, notched her arrow to bow and circled back to see what she could do about these rude louts. A quick arrow sent one to the ground as he had tried to pull decky from his horse. Behind her she heard blubbering and foul curses..”I’m blinded..I’m blinded!” Muttering, “well done old woman,” she leaned down from her saddle and grabbed up a conveniently dropped truncheon, then legged her horse over to the blubberer and clouted him one on the top of the head. Dropping him to the roadway .. and unlikely to add anymore to the fray.
Hearing the clang of sword meeting sword she glanced over and saw decky dismounted, advancing on the apparent leader of this little group of miscreants..who brandished a battered sword with more skill than she thought a person of his ilk could possess.
Seeing a figure kiting down the road away from them she sent another arrow and the figure jerked to a halt, falling to writhe in the dust.
She had lost track of the number of bandits until rude hands grasped her leg and yanked her out of her saddle..spitting and snorting with instant rage Gemstorm dropped heavily against the man and slammed the back of her head into his face. He gargled a coarse curse and got his forearm around her throat..kicking and trying to gouge out his eyes with her backward flailing thumbs, Gemstorm felt the fletching of her arrows and drawing one from the quiver, savagely slammed it down into the man’s thigh. When he grunted with pain and loosened his grip she whipped about and drop kicked him, bringing up her knee as he folded and giving him a face smashing blow that effectively doused any further enthusiasm he might have harbored for abusing female rangers.
Decky drew his sword and wheeled his horse around, seeing the ponycart was pelting on down the road, safe for the moment, he marked his opponent. Decky stood Facing the man in black, His sword at the ready watching every move, They bigin to circle each other each oponent looking for any possible advantage.
Decky sees the man slighly stumble on a piece of uneven ground and strikes with a slashing blow towards the mans head only to have his blace slice through thin air, The man lent back and let the blade pass inches away from his neck.
He then countered with an attack of his own his blade flowing with well practiced and trained movements, Decky sees the pattern of ths sword strokes and calmly parries each blow with his own blade.
Bieng ever alert for the slightest change in the mans movement that would indicate him differing from the attack he was sending down apon decky.
Blow after blow they attacked and parried the ringing of steel could be heard througout the vicinity, “this man be to well trained to be just another robber in the forest” decky thought to himself as his assailant launched another flurry of attacks.
Decky barely was able to parry one of the blows and recieved a slice accross his shoulder for his lack opf concentration.
Decky then countered with his own sending a flurry of attacks that beat the man back but he managed to parry all of them.
No oponent was getting the upper hand at this stage, decky seeing an opening lunged forward swinging his blade in a soft arc only to have the man supprise him by countering with an attack of his own the two swords crashed against each other time and time again this would be no easy win for either oponent.
They back away from each other, breathing a bit heaver from the exursion, “you wield that stick well Ranger” the man in black snarls to decky through rampant breaths, Decky dosent reply only looks deep into the mans eyes.
Frustrated, The man attackes with anger the grace of his earlier movements forgotten, His breath getting heaver with each blow.
Decky was breathing pretty hard himself but not letting his oponent see his discomfort at the bleeding slice on his shoulder or his own lack of breath to any on looker his face was a mask of steel showing no pain and no emotion.
Decky’s ranger training was serving him wel, Where he was well contitioned, The man looked to have spent the winter in an inn with lots of food and wine and it was begining to show.
Decky could see he was getting tired and even more frustrated at not bieng able to best the half elf, Not letting up decky pressed him with another flurry of attacks sending his blade down with the might of one possesed he did not want to kill the man only dissable him
The mans attacks became slower and more lethargic with each assult decky rained down apon him.
Finaly decky decided he had had enough, The man lunged forward with a big over head blow towards deckys own head, seeing this decky steps to the side and lets the blade pass harmlessly, The man over balances and stumbles forward, Decky turns the blade in his hand and smashes him with the hilt on the side of the head stunning him he then knees him in the grion sending him crumpling to the ground in a writhing heap “i dont remeber talking of rules before we started this dance” decky says to him the man could not reply as he was to busy holding onto his family jewels and moaning in pain.
Looking around for Gemstorm he spys her standing over one of her assailants “i thought you would never finish, You know you could of finished him ages ago what were you thinking you had me worried there for a minute” she said to decky curtly but with a big grin on her face “aye but then i would of had to kill him, He carried his blade like that of one who was trained to do so mayhap he be a rouge page of some sort one disbanded or such” looking back over to him decky pulls some rope out of his saddle bag and binds the man he had just downed.
“best you ride and find Auntie Gem” decky says to her with a smile “ i will take care of this lot” seeing her nod she mounts her horse and takes off down the road returning a few minutes later with the old lady in tow talking her ear off about what decky did not know, Gemstorm looks at him with a why me kind of look and resigns herself to bieng nattered at by the old lady.
Walking over and Inturupting the lady decky pulls Gemstorm aside “What do we do with this lot” he asks her, With an evil glint in her eyes she looks to the robbers then looks to the old lady “How about we give them to her” She says in a tone that sent shivers down deckys back.
“sure thats not bieng to harsh Gem ?” Decky says to her with a grin on his face, After a few minutes of Gemstorms excelent knot tieing they had the survivng members of the highway men bound by their hands and legs and put in the back of the wagon much to the old ladys disspleasure but after a few well placed words from decky she was ok and already telling them of their punnishment if she were a judge.
“In a way i feel sorry for them” Decky says to Gemstorm as they head on down the road riding side by side you could hear her peal of laughter carry on down the road for miles......
Riding alongside the cart filled with puling and whining prisoners Gemstorm thought gloomily the day would never end. The wretched cat had at least ceased to howl with indignation and she crankily hoped he had died from an excess of his own ill-nature.
Glancing over at decky, she noted he seemed a trifle weary of it all as well. The wound he had received causing him some discomfort also.
Sighing she returned her attention to the road before them..not all that far left to go ....?
“Riders!” decky called out, “I reckon by the sparking of light on lance point, ‘tis a patrol.”
Straightening in her saddle, Gemstorm peered down the road..advancing at a smart trot, a patrol of five well armed men.
The two parties met in the middle of the road and the prisoners were delivered over with a full accounting by the rangers and Aunt Maeve of the events that had led to their capture.
“Well done rangers,” commended the sergeant, “we have been running this poxie lot for two days and will be pleased to take them off your hands and deliver them up to the King’s Justice.”
Setting out once more at a brisk trot now that the cart was unburdened, they soon arrived at Gratalm.
Declining the farrier’s invitation to sup with gracious but firm excuses they returned their weary mounts to the Inn stables.
decky assured Gemstorm that his wound would not trouble him further through the healing virtue of the Blue Rose Altar and they parted, Gem, a little swiftly, for she had not forgotten the possible “clout” on the ear as her reward for the adventure.
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