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<blockquote data-quote="Drusilia Nailo" data-source="post: 726368" data-attributes="member: 2062">&quot;So, are you Tensin Naïlo?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru and Tensin had been sitting on the beach, conversing quietly with one another.&nbsp; They both tensed, and reflexively reached for their weapons.&nbsp; They turned to look at the source of the voice.&nbsp; &nbsp; A cocky looking human woman stood there.&nbsp; She was dressed in cheap leather armor, and had a sword strapped to her hip.&nbsp; She grinned at the two of them, pleased with herself for surprising them.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa cleared his throat.&nbsp;&nbsp; &quot;And where did you hear such nonsense?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; The woman continued grinning, and shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;Oh, word's around.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;I'm going to have to have a word with Felix,&quot; Papa muttered.&nbsp; He fixed a glare on the woman, and her grin faltered for the first time.&nbsp; &quot;I bear an uncanny resemblance to the man,&quot; he said stiffly.&nbsp; &quot;But I am not he, if it is anyone's concern.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; The woman shook her head.&nbsp; &quot;I really don't mean any harm,&quot; she said with some uncertainty.&nbsp; &quot;I was just curious.&nbsp; I've never seen...someone like you before?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru raised her eyebrows.&nbsp; &quot;You've never seen an elf before?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; The woman coughed.&nbsp; &quot;I think that you know what I meant.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa shook his head.&nbsp; &quot;What would he be doing on Windward Isle, at a vacation resort, of all things?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; The woman shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;That's what I wanted to know.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa stood to his feet, giving the woman a hard look.&nbsp; &quot;If I were indeed Tensin Naïlo, you might well be dead for interfering with his business with foolish questions.&quot;&nbsp; He looked down at Dru, and gestured for her to stand up.&nbsp; She did so, taking his offered arm.&nbsp; &nbsp; The woman&nbsp; went pale, and stayed silent as father and daughter walked away.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Be wary of adventurers, always,&quot; he said, when they got far enough away to have some privacy.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;They're nothing but trouble.&nbsp; Out to make or find their fortune, and are usually capable of doing anything to gain that fortune.&nbsp; And that includes taking it away from innocent girls.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru scowled at him.&nbsp; &quot;I'm hardly defenseless.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Be wary of them all the same.&nbsp; And don't let one of them seduce you.&nbsp; You'll be sorry, mark my words.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru gawked at him openly.&nbsp; &quot;Papa, all of the adventurers here are human!&nbsp; I would never let a human seduce me.&nbsp; I'd rather slit his throat!&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Mmm,&quot; he said, with a nod.&nbsp; &quot;Good.&nbsp;&nbsp; You do that.&nbsp; Or come and get me to do it for you.&nbsp; Not all adventurers are human, though, remember that.&quot;The woman's adventuring companions, out shoulder deep in the water,&nbsp; began to cheer, as they struggled to hold up the bleeding corpse of a large octopus.&nbsp; &nbsp; Papa looked out at the water, and sighed, shaking his head.&nbsp; &quot;Let us go further inland,&quot; he said.&nbsp; &quot;I believe that there are some picnic areas that should have more privacy.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; As they walked, past Felix's, the inn where they had been staying, he said, &quot;Mind you, that does not mean that you can't use adventurers.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru gave him a questioning look.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Most of them are so desperate for money that they'll do whatever you ask, as long as the pay is good.&nbsp; No moral qualms, no loyalty to friends, nothing.&nbsp;&nbsp; And if they fail at their task, or are caught, as they frequently are, you can always disavow them.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;They don't seem to be very reliable.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;You get what you pay for.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Hmm.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; They strolled out behind the inn, and there were, true to Papa's words, picnic areas.&nbsp; They were empty.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Daughter, it pains me that you had to go through what you did, with Meris.&nbsp; I will feel the guilt for that for a long time.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;It happened, Papa.&nbsp; I survived.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He nodded, sitting down on a bench.&nbsp; &quot;I know you did.&nbsp; And I'm glad.&nbsp; But I'm considering sending you away for awhile.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru stared at him, incredulously.&nbsp; &quot;Where?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He shrugged.&nbsp; &quot;I know of a couple of places on the mainland that would take you in, and welcome you.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;But- no.&nbsp; I don't want to go to the mainland!&nbsp; Not without you.&quot;&nbsp; Dru set her jaw stubbornly.&nbsp; Papa always got what he wanted, but this time, she was not going to go along with whatever plan he had devised.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Daughter, you'll be safer there.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;No I won't!&nbsp; I won't be any safer than I am here.&nbsp; And I won't even have you or Kennic there to back me up.&quot;&nbsp; Dru scowled at him fiercely, folding her arms across her chest.&nbsp; &quot;I won't go,&nbsp; Papa.&nbsp; You can force me onto a ship if you want, but I'll find a way back.&nbsp; Even,&quot; she said, looking over her shoulder in the general direction of the beach, &quot;If I have to become one of them.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He frowned at her.&nbsp; &quot;I don't think I like your tone.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru sighed, and looked back at him.&nbsp; &quot;Papa, I think you'll find that I'm usually willing to obey you.&nbsp; But I think that you're wrong this time.&nbsp; I should be with you, in Freeport.&nbsp; How else,&quot; she said, with a tiny smile, &quot;Am I going to learn to take over the organization?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; She saw various emotions flicker over his face, and he sighed.&nbsp; &quot;You are starting,&quot; he murmured, &quot;To learn the fine art of manipulation.&nbsp; But mind-&quot; he held a finger up, &quot;Not everyone is as susceptible to your charms as your father.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dru kept her arms folded across her chest, studying him intently.&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;It really means that much to you to be in Freeport?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;It means that much to me to be near you.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; &quot;Will you take whatever security measures that I tell you to take?&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru smiled at him.&nbsp; &quot;As long as it doesn't involve sending me away from Freeport.&nbsp; Or from you, for that matter.&nbsp; I don't want to ever have to go through another time when I'm wondering if you're alive or dead.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; He looked pained, but strangely pleased.&nbsp; &quot;You're going to make an absolute nuisance of yourself if I don't comply with this, aren't you?&nbsp; I'm risking you inadvertently fouling up my plans...&quot;&nbsp; With a sigh, he said, &quot;Alright.&nbsp; You get your way.&nbsp; This time, Drusilia.&nbsp; If I find that you're not living up to your part of the bargain, you're going to the mainland.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp; Dru grinned, and nodded.&nbsp; &quot;Yes, Papa,&quot; she said meekly.&nbsp; &nbsp; He looked at her suspiciously, and then rose to his feet.&nbsp; &quot;Now.&nbsp; Tell me where you went wrong in fighting Meris off.&quot;&nbsp; When he turned to face her, he had a dagger in his hand, and a smile on his face.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Drusilia Nailo, post: 726368, member: 2062"] "So, are you Tensin Naïlo?" Dru and Tensin had been sitting on the beach, conversing quietly with one another. They both tensed, and reflexively reached for their weapons. They turned to look at the source of the voice. A cocky looking human woman stood there. She was dressed in cheap leather armor, and had a sword strapped to her hip. She grinned at the two of them, pleased with herself for surprising them. Papa cleared his throat. "And where did you hear such nonsense?" The woman continued grinning, and shrugged. "Oh, word's around." "I'm going to have to have a word with Felix," Papa muttered. He fixed a glare on the woman, and her grin faltered for the first time. "I bear an uncanny resemblance to the man," he said stiffly. "But I am not he, if it is anyone's concern." The woman shook her head. "I really don't mean any harm," she said with some uncertainty. "I was just curious. I've never seen...someone like you before?" Dru raised her eyebrows. "You've never seen an elf before?" The woman coughed. "I think that you know what I meant." Papa shook his head. "What would he be doing on Windward Isle, at a vacation resort, of all things?" The woman shrugged. "That's what I wanted to know." Papa stood to his feet, giving the woman a hard look. "If I were indeed Tensin Naïlo, you might well be dead for interfering with his business with foolish questions." He looked down at Dru, and gestured for her to stand up. She did so, taking his offered arm. The woman went pale, and stayed silent as father and daughter walked away. "Be wary of adventurers, always," he said, when they got far enough away to have some privacy. "They're nothing but trouble. Out to make or find their fortune, and are usually capable of doing anything to gain that fortune. And that includes taking it away from innocent girls." Dru scowled at him. "I'm hardly defenseless." "Be wary of them all the same. And don't let one of them seduce you. You'll be sorry, mark my words." Dru gawked at him openly. "Papa, all of the adventurers here are human! I would never let a human seduce me. I'd rather slit his throat!" "Mmm," he said, with a nod. "Good. You do that. Or come and get me to do it for you. Not all adventurers are human, though, remember that." The woman's adventuring companions, out shoulder deep in the water, began to cheer, as they struggled to hold up the bleeding corpse of a large octopus. Papa looked out at the water, and sighed, shaking his head. "Let us go further inland," he said. "I believe that there are some picnic areas that should have more privacy." As they walked, past [i]Felix's,[/i] the inn where they had been staying, he said, "Mind you, that does not mean that you can't use adventurers." Dru gave him a questioning look. "Most of them are so desperate for money that they'll do whatever you ask, as long as the pay is good. No moral qualms, no loyalty to friends, nothing. And if they fail at their task, or are caught, as they frequently are, you can always disavow them." "They don't seem to be very reliable." "You get what you pay for." "Hmm." They strolled out behind the inn, and there were, true to Papa's words, picnic areas. They were empty. "Daughter, it pains me that you had to go through what you did, with Meris. I will feel the guilt for that for a long time." Dru shrugged. "It happened, Papa. I survived." He nodded, sitting down on a bench. "I know you did. And I'm glad. But I'm considering sending you away for awhile." Dru stared at him, incredulously. "Where?" He shrugged. "I know of a couple of places on the mainland that would take you in, and welcome you." "But- no. I don't want to go to the mainland! Not without you." Dru set her jaw stubbornly. Papa always got what he wanted, but this time, she was not going to go along with whatever plan he had devised. "Daughter, you'll be safer there." "No I won't! I won't be any safer than I am here. And I won't even have you or Kennic there to back me up." Dru scowled at him fiercely, folding her arms across her chest. "I won't go, Papa. You can force me onto a ship if you want, but I'll find a way back. Even," she said, looking over her shoulder in the general direction of the beach, "If I have to become one of them." He frowned at her. "I don't think I like your tone." Dru sighed, and looked back at him. "Papa, I think you'll find that I'm usually willing to obey you. But I think that you're wrong this time. I should be with you, in Freeport. How else," she said, with a tiny smile, "Am I going to learn to take over the organization?" She saw various emotions flicker over his face, and he sighed. "You are starting," he murmured, "To learn the fine art of manipulation. But mind-" he held a finger up, "Not everyone is as susceptible to your charms as your father." Dru kept her arms folded across her chest, studying him intently. "It really means that much to you to be in Freeport?" "It means that much to me to be near you." "Will you take whatever security measures that I tell you to take?" Dru smiled at him. "As long as it doesn't involve sending me away from Freeport. Or from you, for that matter. I don't want to ever have to go through another time when I'm wondering if you're alive or dead." He looked pained, but strangely pleased. "You're going to make an absolute nuisance of yourself if I don't comply with this, aren't you? I'm risking you inadvertently fouling up my plans..." With a sigh, he said, "Alright. You get your way. This time, Drusilia. If I find that you're not living up to your part of the bargain, you're going to the mainland." Dru grinned, and nodded. "Yes, Papa," she said meekly. He looked at her suspiciously, and then rose to his feet. "Now. Tell me where you went wrong in fighting Meris off." When he turned to face her, he had a dagger in his hand, and a smile on his face. [/QUOTE]

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