Tirarian thanked Corinne. Elric would definitely benefit from the weight off of his feet. The question was could she explain what was happening to the Elf?
The gnome decided that perhaps it was ok, they didn't know much, and She had always trusted Corinne, even though she was way older than Tirarian could understand. That was the thing with elves, she had already lived twice as long as Tirarian ever would, and she was only just starting her life.
"Well, I'm not certain about much, but Elric seems to have a target painted on him. I just stopped him from being carried off in a hemp bag." Suddenly Tirarian realised that Corinne might be implicated with Elric.
"Corinne," Tirarian started, "If these people who are hunting Elric come after you, could you defend yourself? I know you have Shork, but it might be best if you let us off here if you are worried."
Corinne was young and confident, and Tirarian doubted she would take her advice

At the acknowledgement, Corinne carefully dismounted from Lysander, with some help from Benjamin. "Watch your step, little lass."
"...thanks." she pushed her slashed bangs out of her eyes and sheepishly looked up at him. She didn't need the help, but it still caught her off guard when he worried that much about her. She looked at the gnome again now, a little more level in size and just enough so. She listened intently, and her face blanched a little at the mention. "A hemp bag? Someone tried nabbing him in...a hemp bag?" she seemed shocked, "Elric wouldn't let himself be caught in one just like that. He...can wriggle out of most anything." she smiled a little, but the laughter didn't reach her eyes. "Did they put you to sleep, Elric? You...you happen to be more resourceful than that...with your tongue, and your trusty blade if anything."
"C'mon, get on Cherry." she nodded towards Ben, who lay down his stuff and went to help the injured man up onto Lysander, who nudged Corinne's shoulder a little. She stroked his muzzle to reassure him, and it almost seemed as if she told something like that because he held rather still for Elric to get on.

"What's even worse is that...him having a target pinned on him is nothing but bad news." she frowned down at the gnome now, "...do we know why, and by whom?"
She spun around to make sure things were going okay, before actually turning back to the gnome. For the last part of the conversation, she got down on a knee. The woman she had become so fond of dealing in potions and poisons with over the years possessed a tone that seemed the tiniest bit...worried? Warning? It was almost unlike her usual nature. Corinne wanted to make sure what exactly she had on her mind.
"...so we don't know who 'these people' are, I see." she gave the woman a smile at eye-level now, curious blue eyes more confident indeed now. The curiosity remained but the smile faded when she mentioned they might come after her. "...I...I don't know. I might be able to take down a guard or two with some well-aimed shots, but...if it's an entire group, I'll be in trouble. But...but I have Ben."

The youth responded with an affirmative tone.
"Of course." his hand crept to the hilt of the blade kept in his belt for reassurance. He wasn't completely defenceless, and being a blacksmith by trade, he'd forged a blade for himself a while ago that best suited his style. No intense hand to hand combat, but a more silent silencing method that was quick and effective and sat easy in his hands.

"Mmhm, and...and if it gets too intense, I know Shork would be only a shout away. Most people know where to find him...he's an interesting person like that." her voice drifted off, "Miss Tirarian, I know you might be busy this fine afternoon, and it's a fair deal to ask of you, but if you do not particularly have many plans...would you join us on the walk to Elric's manor? It would make me ever so happy." and it was genuine. As long as she had lived, as wise as she should have been, Corinne knew one thing for certain and that was that strength came in numbers. And she could trust Tirarian. Definitely, she was one of the oldest people Corinne remembered having known at the town. Besides, the gnome had some very interesting...tricks up her sleeves, so to speak.
"...of course, I understand if there is some other prior engagement you have to attend to..." she glanced up and at the sky. The sun position was only a little bit from right overhead. So it could have either been 11 AM or 1 PM, but Corinne couldn't tell for absolutely sure. She expected the latter, maybe even a little later. The days passed fast in their little town.

On the Road Again... To Elric's Place.

"I tried that, but the person who did it..." Elric paused, as he switched the hand with that held the box to rest on-top of the spine of the book in the other hand. Elric stroked his beard as he mused on a way to describe his assailant, which he promptly dropped. "Was built like a bear and a simple mind." Elric peered at Corinne, "If you are referring to the 'blade' as my razor, that is a tool of life, not death." After that, he returned the box into the hand he was carrying it. "I can think of a few individuals, and a few reasons. ... Not Baxter. If it is Baxter, I would genuinely be shocked."

He was assisted by Benjamin onto the horse, "Oh yes... this should be useful. Unless the steed gallops off, and I fall from it, and get injured further."

---

Astronomer's Guild
Ashera smiled at Trafalgar, revealing a noticeable dimple on the left side of her face. "Yes, I am one of the Magi who inducts the initiates of magic." He held out Rovtar's notes and continued plucking through them. She shot a glance at him as she slowly gestured with her index finger, wishing for Rovtar to come closer. Rovtar immediately did so.

"Yes mentor?" Ashera slowly shook her head as she pointed at a paper which had a slight smudge on it. "Rovtar, dear, you have a mistake on this paper. You left a smudge on it. It isn't too big of a deal, but please don't do it on your next subject of research." Rovtar bowed his head, "I apologize for my transgression. I will now go to research." He slowly lifted his head as he quickly went back to one of the bookshelves.

Ashera focused her attention on Trafalgar. "Now then, you wish to learn more about the Arcane Arts? Yes, I can teach you the ways. But, how experienced are you with the arts, if at all?"

Tirarian almost scowled at Corinne when she knelt, but thought better of it. The gnome often felt insulted when others addressed her so, but the Elf only had the best of intentions. "I only have my wares with me, which I could just take to his manor." The gnome leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice. "We might have need of them."
She backed up again and regained her composure "I would be honoured to come with you, I've never actually seen the place. If you don't mind, I would like to stop by my house quickly for some supplies."

"Understood, miss Tirarian. It would do well to bring them." Corinne nodded before standing up again and stretching out her limbs. Her cheeks flushed an embarrassed shade of pink at glancing down and actually noticing how close the gnome was to actually growling at her now, and she scratched the back of her head with a nervous smile. "A..hah."
She knew she meant no disrespect. In fact, it was the absolute opposite. Corinne heavily respected the lady and her trade. But she did have the tendency to screw up with certain social cues...ah, such was life, and gods above, was it an elusive mistress!
Though it passed soon, and matters became more practical. She shook her head, a little more confident with clenched fists now, "That's settled then, we make our way to Elric's manor. I...I've never been to your house either, miss Tirarian. I hope it isn't very far from here..."

She turned around to catch the ending snippets of Elric's description. He looked well, though Corinne was indeed curious about what he held. She held her tongue. She'd ask later. "...a brainless bear, then? A shocking number of people fit that criteria." she smirked now, "A wonderful, sad, shocking number of people."
She gave him the smirk now, more mischievous than anything. Colour came back to her pale features fast. "It may be a tool of life, but I would also think it a sufficient enough tool for someone like you to cut through a bag with, albeit with much difficulty and repetitive motion...which further supports my idea that...they hurt you. They put you to sleep. How? Are...you really sure you're alright?"
She glanced between him and the gnome, worried again. Ben helped the man regain his balance once on Lysander, before stepping over to the elf's side and giving her shoulders a little squeeze. She was grateful for his presence. Her voice was a little more enthusiastic when she spoke again, "Oh, Cherry would never do that, Elric. He's far too much of a sweetheart for that..."
She left Ben's arms to give Lysander's neck a little stroke, and his muzzle a little kiss. Something quite similar to when you would constantly, rhetorically ask a pet something along the lines of 'who's a good boy', to which he responded with a pleased snort and ears that perked up more.
"See?" she looked over at Elric with a more smug smile and took a hold of the horse's reigns. The other hand found Benjamin's, with fingers laced with his in no time.
"...but who would want to hurt you, Elric? You...you've been saving lives for as long as I've had the pleasure of knowing you, and little else."
She paused.
"Baxter, eh? I wouldn't hold it to him, but..." her voice drifted off.
It was frightening to think that just about anyone could be...the culprit.

"No response. Bloody typical" Liesel growled at the mysterious man and his talking skull. "I'm going. Good luck finding someone to take care of that skull for you."
Disheartened and deflated, Liesel walked away from the man, cursing bitterly. Everyone who wanted something always seemed incapable of paying for it. People kept asking her to solve problems and do things, but they never afforded her any respect, and they never kept their promises. In time, she had learned never to trust someone unless she was paid up front.
She was just kind of wandering, not really paying attention to her surroundings - she was too caught up in thought to care about such trivial matters like direction. She didn't have a 'home', so to speak, but rather little hidey-holes hidden all over town. If she was to put it together, she might have enough for some basic long-term accommodation, but, let's face it, she wasn't going to have anyone put her up for the night.
Sighing, she sat down at the corner of the street she was in, put her head in her hands and knees to her chin and did the one thing she could - had a good, long, quiet cry.

Anya continued choking and blubbering into her father's chest as he picked her up and brought her to their bedroom. After a few minutes, he asked if she was hungry, and Anya was ashamed to say that she was. But she needed to eat.

"Y-yes!" replied Anya before falling back into tears again. She liked blood. It tasted good. It made her feel satisfied.

She didn't want to like blood, though. Or how it tasted. And she certainly didn't want drinking it to satisfy her.

"I can stop being a vampire soon, right papa?" Anya choked through the tears.

"We're going to find a cure as soon as we can." James promised, hugging Anya tightly. He stayed in the hug for a minute, before slowly pulling away, and exiting. He stepped back from the door, and descended the stairs.
The knight stopped halfway, and grit his teeth. His palm trembled, until his fist clenched, and pulled the hammer from his belt, then sank the spike into the wall with a thud. He left it as he hurried down the rest of the stairs, fetching the fruit of his hunt. He scanned Elric's shelves, and picked up a pewter mug, then put it down, looking at the high shelf. He saw an ornate stein, made of porcelain and nicely painted. It probably wasn't getting much use, so he grabbed it.

James crept through the door, gently shutting it behind him, then knelt in front of his daughter. He scooped the stein into the bucket, and offered it.
"When you're ready." he said. "There's no need to rush."

Tirarian glances at Elric, "What makes you so sure it isn't Baxter?"

Riding decisively out of the small fortress that is the Estermerean guardhouse is a relatively big troop of about 75-100 guards, led by who the locals knew as the Smasher - Captain Selford Ironmaw. The Smasher in full battle armor was a sign that one should be content to be on his side. His plate armor was rusty, but still lived up to all its functions. Slung over his back was a beautifully crafted greatsword of dragon-make, and the iron-clad horse he was riding on had a single spike on its forehead. All remnants of his once-great career in the foreign campaigns, the rumors went.
“YOU! You there! Stop fuddling about!”
Even the Red Locks feared his hand just as much as their Grandmaster. A solitary red hood scampered off into a dark alley.
The captain bent over to his side to whisper to a dwarf. “Send a sword or two over to Randolf’s boys. I don’t trust those gnolls.”
The dwarf nodded and hollered in Elvish to a couple of lads at the back. Four wood elves with bows and arrows mounted on leather-clad horses sped off in the opposite direction. It wasn’t a surprise that the Estermere garrison had one of the most uniquely diverse ethnic backgrounds in Rostguard. Meanwhile, the Knight of the Leaf strode briskly in front of the parade.
“Captain, one hundred men for a camp of ten? Are you familiar with the word-”
“Overkill?” The captain simmered, a faint whiff of smoke emitting from his nostrils. “NO one gets into Forest Mither unannounced and lives to tell the tale, laddie.” He shook his head at the elf. “That should be true for YOU too, boy.”
The elf took offense at being called a ‘boy’, but thought better to challenge a dragonborn in charge of two hundred armed men. They reached the outskirts of the town.
“I assume you can follow paths, right? Take that one. Then, once you reach Claw Boulder, dismount if you want to be subtle. Hard a right and you’ll come across the camp.”

Anya continued crying after her father reassured her and went to get something. By the time he came back, her raucous bawling had turned into soft sobbing. The sobbing slowly turned into quiet sniffling before Anya acquiesced to her breakfast. She took the stein with trembling hands, and sipped from it. Still trembling, she brought it closer to her lips and the time in between sips lessened until it was nonexistent.

It had been a while since she had had so much available to her, and she was practically starving. While somewhat reluctant, Anya couldn't stop herself from drinking all that was laid out for her.

She did manage, however, to stop for a second in the middle of her meal to say something.

"Thank you, papa."

"Because, Baxter would have killed me on the spot. And if he would take the time to have his goons kidnap me, he'd take my fishing pole. Not the things that were taken." Elric promptly stated.

---

I don't trust these beasts... Randolf thought as Rihar peered around as Cateline continued examining the bodies.

Ark'kruy'ek glanced down. "No dialogue. Only screams. Don't know elven anyway." Ark'kruy'ek listened as the visitors inspected the scene. He then heard Rihar mention the dead. "Our dead. We left Elves here. Took what we found useful and left. We did not like what we found." Ark'kruy'ek looked around the area. He seemed more cautious and always surveying his surroundings. "I don't know why we can't be left alone. We no do anything anymore. When I made alliance, my pack was cold, starving, we were dwindling. I made deal to save my pack. The raids we did weren't for fun but because we had to. Then again, most forget a coin has two sides."

"So you know what they were after, then?" Tirarian was trying to squeeze as much information out of him as possible, though she knew he wouldn't like it

"Of course I don't." Elric said as his words dripped with palpable sarcasm. "Oh I'm positively and absolutely stumped on what they would possibly ever want from me." He said not even trying to hide a playful grin, as his tongue flicked out like snake's tongue.

"You're right!" Tirarian started, calling his bluff, "What would anyone want with a pathetic surgeon like you? It''s certainly not for your face or knowledge." she pretended to look stumped, hand on chin while grinning madly

Elric made a bit of a snake hiss as he retracted his tongue back, simply for amusement. "Oh precisely my dear Tirarian."

The Gnome chuckled. "Anyways, what are we going to do about the knight in your house? We should probably extend an invitation to them to your manor."

With the Gnolls

Rihar mused upon the situation, he perked upon on items taken. Randolf quickly shot daggers at Ark'kruy'ek, as he hissed out, "Items. Taken. Where?" Rihar was stroking his beard, "Those will be useful for the investigation. What did you take from the Elves? Just because you don't raid anymore doesn't mean you'd turn back to your old ways. Give it a few generations of peaceful living, and your pack should be living in a more peaceful existence with Estermere." Rihar said as he gave a quick nod.

---

Back in Estermere
"Oh yes, it would be rude not to...": Elric stated as he nodded at Tirarian. "Well, I suppose this horse shouldn't take too long to reach there." He said as he glanced down at the steed Cherry.

James reached out, and placed his armored hand onto Anya's head with a soft pat.

"You're welcome, Anya." he said, giving a soft smile.