[i](Collab with [@idlehands])[/i]

On top of all that had happened, they wanted to [i]judge[/i] her?

The thief of all people, stolen loot in hand, was going to ridicule her for defending herself from a disgusting man that had every intention of ending her life. The moment was already replaying for her, and Fiona wondered if she hadn't ended it when she had, if perhaps Nolan would've ripped the knife free from her more unpleasantly, and spilled her guts all over the snow? If she'd tried to knock him senseless, perhaps he'd have grabbed the fallen knife and pierced her heart. She wished she could've avoided it, of course, but who were these men to judge her, wounded and kneeling beside her attacker, when neither of them even saw what happened?

[color=salmon]"Fuck you,"[/color] she spat at Finch, still clutching her side as she struggled to her feet. She might've thrown a punch at him if she'd been in better shape. [color=salmon]"Not all of us are slippery enough to run and hide when threatened."[/color] She turned to the bone knight. [color=salmon]"Save the prayers. He was a foul man who should've taken the hint when I beat him the first time. Instead he came back, tried to have me killed... and got what he deserved."[/color] 

Fiona was worked up into quite a state, a mixture of the heat from the fight and the alcohol in her, all fanned by the judgement of everyone who was so obviously superior to her. The night was ruined. Despite her killing being an act of self defense, it seemed very unlikely it would be seen that way, when the blood-mad orc inside was murdering indiscriminately. Perhaps the high and mighty around her were too intimidated to send their judgement [i]his[/i] way.

She huffed, tears almost escaping her, but she turned away from Finch and Faruq and scooped up her sword from the ground. Another step, though, and a sharp pull in her side made her wince and stop. She'd nearly forgotten about the other women in her anger. Turning back, she nodded to Gaela. [color=salmon]"Help would be appreciated, Gaela. Thank you."[/color] What a mess was right. 

Gaela glared at both of the Imperial men, while certainly starting a bar brawl was not the wisest choice, it did not take away the fact Fiona had defended herself. As if she was supposed to give the man a chance to kill her out of some warped sense of honor. Huffing a breath, she muttered her annoyance, "Judgemental for a bunch of convicts." 

When Fiona accepted her help, the healer moved forward to place her hands on her wounded side. It was a knife wound, likely deep enough to cause her not only pain but perhaps limit her breathing. As she concentrated on the spell, her hands glowing in a soft pale light as she sent the pulses of magic to bind the muscle and sinew that had been torn, she failed to hear shouts until she looked up. Guards. 

They shouted for them to throw down their weapons but she had none. Fiona's sword remained in her hands, though the point was planted into the ground, and she leaned on the weapon to steady herself while Gaela worked. Gaela looked up at one of the guards standing over them with swords drawn, "I'm in the middle of healing, don't stab me. Just...a moment."

Forcing her focus on her task, she increased the power of the spell, powering through the fractured rib. It was certain to be uncomfortable for Fiona but the guards grew nervous  and shouted their warnings but she could not stop once she started. 

"Mage, take your hands off of that wench and keep them up," the woman with the crossbow shouted, her voice high pitched and grating. "If you even show a flicker on your finger, I'll turn you into a pin cushion."

Gaela looked at Fiona, whispering, "How's your breathing?"

[color=salmon]"I'll live,"[/color] she whispered back. [color=salmon]"So long as we aren't stuck with crossbow bolts here."[/color] 

"Good point," she replied dryly.

Turning to the guard, Gaela made a show of slowly removing her hands, wiggling them back and forth so her sleeves fell to her elbows. "Look, I'm only a Restoration mage." 

To make matters more complicated, that was the moment when the band of centaurs broke through to attack the village, causing Fiona to wonder if some curse had befallen her, to suddenly surround her with so much in the way of unfortunate happenings. That said, there was opportunity in this. The guard captain was shouting for their aid, forgiveness of their transgressions in return. As though they needed forgiveness for being attacked. Well, the orc could use it, judging by the sounds still coming from within. 

The healing she'd received would have to do, as the centaurs were almost immediately on them, directed towards the sides of their little group by the impressive frost atronach standing in their way, and right by Fiona and Gaela. The first came bearing a spiked, heavy cudgel, swinging down at them, and Fiona brought her sword up to block it, the weapons clanging loudly as the creature passed by. Arms rattling, Fiona took a step back and steadied herself. 

The horse-man wheeled around for more, charging directly at Fiona this time, but he wore little real armor, and she had the advantage of reach with her long blade. She lunged forward with it, the centaur obviously expecting the intimidation of his size to have better effect. He ended up impaled through the chest, while his cudgel smacked against Fiona's armored arm, shaking her again but doing no lasting damage. He fell heavily against his side, and Fiona withdrew her sword, breathing heavily. 

Gaela dodged the centaur as he charged closer to them, and she ducked behind Fiona. They were close, too close for her to safely dispatch a spell without harm coming to the warrior. When Fiona dropped the creature, Gaela grinned with relief but it did not last long. Another was pounding towards them, his mouth contorting with an enraged scream as he drew his bow to take aim at the woman still gripping the bloody sword. 

Raising her hand, a glow began in her palm and her chest tightened as she shouted to Fiona, "Get back!"

A ball of flame erupted from her hand and hurled into the chest of the charging centaur, causing it to rear in panic and pain. Fire shot up towards his face, the stench of burned hair could be smelled even from where they were. Gathering her energy, she aimed once more a smaller, steady stream of fire shooting out towards the centaur. As it turned to gallop away, the tail caught fire and the pained shrieks could be heard as he retreated. 

Fiona watched him go, nodding her thanks to Gaela, but it was hardly over. Another was coming in, and Fiona followed his aim towards the target of his bow: a young woman fleeing from the tavern. Specifically, the barmaid that had stabbed her from behind. She was paying no heed to Fiona anymore, distracted now by the terror within the tavern, and the terrors attacking the village. 

With no more thought than she'd given to killing Nolan, Fiona threw herself towards the fleeing girl, latching onto her shoulder and pulling her back. [color=salmon]"Get down!"[/color] she cried, just as the centaur loosed his arrow. By trying to keep the girl out of the horse archer's aim, Fiona put herself in it instead. The arrow thrummed into her upper abdomen, the force of it throwing her back against the tavern wall and driving all of the air from her. Fiona's breath caught in her throat, her legs almost giving out under her. 

The barmaid stopped in shock at the display, but Fiona had the awareness to note the centaur archer was wheeling around to get his back hooves in range of them, and she shoved the girl aside, before throwing her arms up to brace herself. The kick came hard and fast against her arms, deflected away from her head and chest but still reverberating through her entire body. 

She slid to the ground on her side as the centaur galloped off, knowing the others would soon turn their attacks on him. The barmaid still watched Fiona, stunned, while the warrior woman struggled up onto her hip, clutching the arrow in her belly and trying to gasp in a breath. This was all going very well, wasn't it? 

[color=salmon]"Just... get inside,"[/color] she managed, between attempted breaths. The barmaid shook her head fervently. 

"But the orc, he's..." she didn't need to finish the sentence for Fiona to understand. 

[color=salmon]"Then just... stay out of sight."[/color] That the barmaid could do, and she cautiously crept away, with no words of thanks. The look was enough for Fiona. Still unable to draw in much air, her eyes sought out Gaela again. [color=salmon]"I think I'm... gonna need some more of that... magic."[/color]