Inside the inn, Aureus startles awake. She pulls herself up off the cot and yawns, which sounds more like a low growl. No one seems to notice. Most of those resting in the inn are wounded and are sleeping soundly. As she gets up, her body complains. She and the others have been through a lot and could use a lot more rest but she knows the others are probably up already.
Phar will be off somewhere meditating to regain his spells. She has watched him do it for years now. Has it really been that long since she first met the paragon elf on the edge of the Great Forest as she left her homeland in the Rilous Mountains and set off to explore the news lands she and her people were transported to by The Transformation? Her tail swishes inadvertently as she thinks of first meeting her friend and then traveling with him south were they eventually met Lorien.
She makes the rounds through the common room and checks on those with the worst injuries. Everyone seems to be resting comfortably and healing nicely. It helps that they have Elle watching over them. Rosey brings the hutaakan some cooked beef and vegetables. Aureus wolfs everything down in the kitchen away from the sleeping villagers.
"Thank you," she says to Rosemergy.
"You were hungry," the halfling matron laughs. "That's a good sign."
Aureus grins and finishes off her plate.
"Maur was just in here a moment ago," Elle says to her. "He seemed to be looking for something."
"He's probably already trying to whip the others up into a frenzy, so we can track the duergar and the cultist," Aureus says. "I think he's taking Xander's escape very personally." She signs and stretches. "Oof, I need more healing. I need to go to the grove and pray."
"I can heal you more," Elle says.
"No, save your healing for them," Aureus says while motioning to the villagers. "They are going to need you now more than ever. We'll probably be gone for at least a day hunting down those two."
Aureus hands the plate back to Rosemergy and thanks the halfling again. The inn's matron gathers up a bundle of food from the kitchen and gives it to Aureus. "Food for the road for you and the others."
"Thank you," Aureus says warmly.
"All of Carnell owes you our lives," Rosey says. "It is a debt we can't begin to repay."
Aureus hugs the halfling matron and Elle. She gathers up her gear from under her cot and stows away anything she won't need right away in her pack. She puts some of the hardtack rations in her pack and slings the rest of it over her shoulder as she heads out of the inn. She quickly notices Angus first. The Harqualian centaur stands out on the road. Caerth is looking at the ground next to Angus and Maur is walking up to them.
She smiles and glad to see her friends. She bounds over to them, testing her wounded leg. It seems to be holding out okay. "All awake already, I see." She bends over to look down at the tracks that Caerth has found. "You got their trail?"
She looks around but doesn't see Phar. "Phar's probably at the grove meditating." He pauses. "Quinn slept in the manor last night." She notes the looks on their faces. "No, I don't mean like that! He's a knight now so that is where he has to be."
"Sir Ghal is more likely to be in the lady's bedchamber," Mabon says as exits the smithy. He tries to wipe dirt off his hands onto his apron but the garment is as dirty as his hands. "Why he just doesn't tell Lady Pendour he's in love with her, I don't understand... especially after what ye all went through last night."
"He's stubborn," Aureus replies. "He's so concerned about his duty to her that it blinds him from knowing that she loves him too."
"What!?" Mabon exclaims.
"Please, it's so obvious."
"Well, he was up all night guarding the village, so I doubt he's going to be doing anything other than falling into bed and snoring for the rest of the day," Mabon says with a snort.
He looks at them and then remembers something. He rushes back into the smithy. "I finished that sword for Sir Quinn last night. That silvered sword ye took from the duergar. That Xander might be a villain but he's a good smith." He comes back out with the blade. It is in a fine scabbard that looks brand new. The dwarf unsheathes it and shows his work off. "I redid some of the design to be more dwarven than duergar and fancied up the hilt." He re-sheathes it and hands it over to Angus. "It's a good blade. It could be enchanted later but that's not my skill. "Tell Sir Quinn that he can forget about regular payment. He can just owe me a good night of drinking. Plus, if he gets the chance, tell him to use it to kill those two villains!"
"That's great work, Mabon," Aureus says. She looks at the others. "I need to go pray in the grove for my spells. I'm sure Phar will be there, and I'll check on Galzadar." He looks up towards Pendour Manor. "Someone should go get Quinn before he sleeps all day... not that that's a bad idea."
She heads towards the Grove of the North Gods.
