Elniss was embarrassed that Barden appeared surprised at her tongue, and that she could not identify the Blackwood frame of the bow. She knew next to nothing of her home regions, only the land of her former Lord and the vast mountain range that neighbor it. She shifted uncomfortably and threw the majority of her weight onto her good leg.

"I am sorry... I was brought up as a slave to a Lord of human blood, therefore I do not possess the graceful tongue of a common Elf." She motioned quickly to his bow. "Nor am I educated in the workmanship of my kin, so no I'm afraid I hadn't noticed its origin."

Adrian glanced up after hearing a familiar voice. When his eyes landed on Llyw's face, he smiled and remained silent as the human took a seat. He had to admit that he appreciated the younger man's presence. It took his mind off of other things, especially after the stressful scene earlier in Rosalinda's bedroom. This room was dark, but peaceful, and Llyw's friendly face allowed Adrian to relax, even if it was only for a moment. “I was very much hoping that you would return. I feared that the lovely Rosalinda might have run you off...” Llyw spoke. Though his tone was cheerful, Adrian's smile faltered and his eyes grew cold. What could he have been implying? Surely, it was merely a joke, nothing to be taken seriously, and Adrian smiled once more, though it seemed less genuine.

He kept that smile as Llyw asked him what his own story was, and his eyebrows raised in slight shock. In Adrian's opinion, his tale was not one of interest. Although, he wished to speak to Llyw, so he decided to answer. "Of course I could not deny such a thing when you've already done so. How did I find myself here? Why, that's a very good question," he chuckled, shaking his head in thought. "You see, an advisor to the king may not seem an important job, but as a strategist I'm as much of a target as any one of the king's men. I've only woken up in Drakenwald, Llyw," Adrian added, taking the opportunity to use the shortened name, "and I ended up finding myself here in this inn. I'm not sure of the culprit as of yet, but I'm not letting this go. For all I know, it could be a plot to harm my king. I've the tongue of an advisor, yet the pride of a knight. My first priority is always my king," Adrian explained.

The tips of his fingers gently carressed the silk of the ribbon. "I know it is not a coincidence that we are all here at once." He leaned forward and continued a low voice. "Perhaps the innkeeper Lazarus knows something? There must be someone here that's hiding something." His brows lowered at the thought that Rosalinda could be one of those 'someones', and he shook the thought away. "Either way, I request your assistance. We are acquaintances now--if not friends--are we not?" Adrian smiled awkwardly. It was a far stretch, but he did not wish to do this alone. Plus, Llywelyn was the only person he had come to know here, and his relationship with Rosalinda was rocky. "I must solve this, but it would be more interesting if you joined me, Llyw. You may take as long as you need to think about it, but that is my offer."

Almost as if on cue, Cook entered and began serving the guests. With abnormal strength for a woman, she snatched Adrian up and out of his seat. As she pulled him towards the kitchen, Adrian turned to call back, "I apologize as I am leaving you once again." Before the door of the kitchen could close, he shouted, "Do think over my offer, won't you?"

====================================

Adrian observed the drunken Rosalinda, seemingly unamused. He sat down the tray onto her bed, then took a seat himself. "Cook told me to bring you these things," he stated plainly. He felt no need to elaborate, as she probably didn't understand what he was saying anyway, and she'd eventually forget such a small detail. "Rosalinda, I know you feel that your perspective is the true view of what happened," he sighed, long strands of dark hair coming free from its tie. "But I have my own view, and I tell you, that...that's not what happened, understand?" He could feel his anger growing, and with the realization he quickly calmed himself. "I'm shocked by your story, and I have no evidence, but the only thing I can do is ask you to believe me. After all we've been through, is it that difficult? You believe some lousy forged note and bandits over me? Do you really believe I'd do something like that to you?!"

Adrian breathed a sigh. "What more can I do? What shall I do for you, to get you to believe me, Rosalinda?"

Caelyn did not notice the sheer size of the lizard creature until he was next to it and Caelyn truly lived up to his race by being so dwarfed. It did little to intimidate him though, as the man offered a kind extension of his hand to hoist him back on his feet. "Soothing words ye said there lad, I mean they were gentle and me stomach's a little better already. Don't ye be worrying about me warrior spirit, I can manage. I just didn't want to make ye feel bad for getting a wound yerself." Caelyn grinned and offered a sly wink. "Ah, and I like yer thinking about the drink. Good idea indeed. Plus I need to be givin' that Barden his pipe back. T'aint nice to be keepin' what isn't yers. Or so I'm told."
Speaking louder to try to encompass everyone's hearing that was involved in that fray, "You fellows sure have some stones, and I am likin' it! Used to havin' to watch me back for a knife coming into it rather than...." Caelyn cursed himself for the slip. He promised to let that life go, but old habits die hard.
Caelyn tried to hurry up to pace the giant lizard. "I didn't catch yer name, sir. If you told it to me I apologize for not hearing. I'd bow to ye, but.... you be knowin' why I can't." Caelyn laughed and it reminded him exactly as to why. He quickly caught his ribs with his hands like it would ease the pain.
This was the first time that Caelyn actually examined the inside of the building he soon realized. It was very intricately detailed on the woodwork. "To bad ye cant be carvin' stone like this." he said when he entered. As soon as he got in the overwhelming aroma of something delightful cooking. It was in that moment that Caelyn realized he could not remember the last time he had a home cooked meal. "I can't wait to be diggin' into whatever that smell is. My belly is rumbling louder than two dire bears in heat!"

Assallya accepted back the poultice jar and gave a small curtsey while considering what had been said. She had never heard of a goddess called "brave bird" nor did she understand why a lizard would worship an avian. She surmised that the phrase she was contemplating might not have come out as intended. Goodness, now that the dragon kin was standing she realized how large he was.

"You are both quite welcome," she said with some amount of cheer as they turned towards the inn, "I will be along momentarily. I still have some work to do. Much of my supplies have spoiled."

Mainly, she admitted to herself, making herself more presentable. She hadn't bathed since her hectic escape from the kobold kingdom and she desperately desired a change of attire, to oil her hair and apply perfume. Then she would venture inside and see if anyone had a means of escaping this foul wood, whatever its name was.

Leo was part way through his meal when he spotted the armoured lizard man out in the lobby. The man was huge, bigger than Leo had seen out in the clearing. Judging by the equipment, he looked as though he was a god's warrior of some kind. The type of people who get their gods to do the healing for them. Lucky chumps. A glint on the paladin's hand caught Leo's attention and caused him to stop chewing for a moment, however. From where he sat, Leo spotted a tiny humanoid, a little winged girl. Fae...?

"A fae!" Leo sprung upright, his legs pushing out the chair under him with a loud sound of wood sliding. With a brisk pace that belied his previous fatigue, he marched up to the lizard man, his bulk becoming even more prevalent as Leo approached him. But Leo's eyes were fixated on the creature on his hand. As soon as he was close, Leo squinted and confirmed his suspicions. The small creature did indeed fit the description of a fae, if looking a little haggard, sickly even. "Excuse me... miss... uhm..." Leo fumbled with his words, unsure exactly how to address such a creature, "Are you local to these parts? I am looking for one of your kind in this wood, it is very important."

Rosalinda watched him carefully as he sat down on her bed, eyeing the food before she heard him start to speak again. She listened to him speak about how he didn't do it, and asked her how she could ever believe that he would do something like that to her. Her lip quivered as she took a sip of her mixed ale, tears forming in her eyes that threatened to fall. But within milliseconds she had quickly dropped her drink on the floor which shattered into shards of all sizes, although what she did after the glass shattered might've shocked Adrian; Her arms wrapped quickly around his waist, her face planted softly into his chest, and her years began to fall like the a rapid flowing stream that had been hit by its flooding season.

"I wanted to believe you didn't do it Adrian, I truly did, but the note....... It was your hand writing! And how could someone get your handwriting so perfect Adrian? That question has been on my mind for years Adrian........ I want to believe you so bad but my heart was so broken by the thought of you doing that to me. You meant everything to me....... You still do....... But I'm afraid to lose you again." Rosalinda admitted through her tears, her body shaking with each small fast sob that escaped her body. She heard him ask how he could get her to believe him, to believe that he had done nothing wrong, and she had to think hard for a moment before she slowly opened her mouth to speak. "Hold me Adrian...... Tell me everything will be alright...... Don't leave me alone again Adrian...... Not even if we get back to or homes...... If you do leave again...... Well, let's just say that I might end in an unseemly way." She told him, slowly looking up from his chest so that their eyes could meet once more.

Despite being a inn secluded in a hysterical forest that will get even the most seasoned explorers lost, it was a pretty lively place. There was intricacy in just about ever aspect of inn, which made the building probably one of the more unique establishments Arco had ever seen in his four hundred plus years. The people it housed were just as unique if not more. Dwarfs, elves, human, and a dogman?... All sorts of lost and weary travelers existed under this roof. It was a bit surreal. Although probably the greatest part of the inn was the fact that it had a high enough ceiling to allow Arco to walk uninhabited through various sections. The entrance and probably everywhere else had a lower ceiling but the main hall allowed just a few inches of clearance.

The smell of hot food soon overwhelmed Arco's mind, especially after his new dwarf friend had brought it up. "Yes it is quite grand, dwarf! I rarely see a place that house a thing of my size." Arco turned and placed his free hand on the dwarf's head after his comments about hunger. "I'd relish in your company this evening, dwarf. You and I can introduce ourselves then and if cost be your worry, I'll cover it. It isn't every day that I get the warm and exciting company of a dwarf." Arco cracked a smile for the first time in a few weeks. By Arconia did he love conversing with dwarves, they were always hospitable and always entertaining and this dwarf was certainly no exception.

Arco made headway for a vacant table but was interrupted by that dogman he had first noticed when he entered. He was in hysterics over Arco's small companion, Rye. The Draconian looked down at his companion who was now recoiling in fright and shock at the sudden inquiry. She leapt up from Arco's palm and flew up to his shoulder where she could look down on the dogman in safety. Arco knew Rye was a timid sort judging from the past week of spending time together but he didn't know she'd be so jumpy as to flee just about anyone, but it made sense judging from where she came from. "Easy there, stranger!" Arco spoke with a calm and friendly tone. "My friend here isn't so open to strange people it seems. Plus I haven't heard her say an audible word yet. I imagine she is mute." Arco gently reached up and extended his open palm again to which, Rye climbed on before being gently lowered back in front of the dogman again.

"The matter seems important to you..." Arco said as he studied the dogman's head. Never in all his years of life did Arco ever see a man's body with a hound's head. ".. Yes, I reckon she is from these parts. I found her while lost in these woods about a week ago. She was alone when I discovered her and I did not see any of her kin nearby." Arco closed his eyes for a moment, recalling just how it was he found Rye. It was best to censor most of it for now. "That's really it. Unless she can talk and you can get her to, I'm afraid that's all I can really add."

Leo's head bowed as the initial sense of excitement began to drain from him and the headache of dehydration started anew. He noted the way that the great lizard man gave him the same look as any other humanoid he encountered regarding his form. "Right, right, you're probably exhausted as well, both of you." Leopold said slowly, before addressing both the paladin and the fae properly, "I should introduce myself, I am Leopold. A traveling healer. Come and have something to eat. I'm unsure, but there hasn't been a passing of coin, so I think the meal is complementary." He turned and walked back into the bar area where dinner had been served, gesturing for the lizardman, the fae and virtually anyone else in his party to follow. As he walked, he turned his head to one side to look back at them, "I didn't get your names..."

"Aye lass, if it's a story ye be wantin', I have plenty to be tellin'. And lad me name is Caelyn," nodding to Leopold. Caelyn took a moment to look around the the inn, taking in all of its grandeur. "Someone must really love this place. They took time that only someone proud of der craft would be doin'. Reminds me of the grand halls of me homeland, or so I be told. Don't really remember too much a'fore the orphanage." "Arco me boy, pick us a table and lets get our bellies full. I have three new holes I be countin' and I intend to fill them all with food and drink! And don't ye worry me boy, I got me coin if anyone be payin' it'll be me for yer help back there." Caelyn leaned into Leo and said "You said it was free right?" throwing him a wink.
Caelyn got a good look at the innkeep. He looked like a person that had many stories to tell. "Aye master innkeep, I didn't catch yer name. But I want ye to be knowin' this place is a holy site for us all to be sure. Ye be givin' us all sanctuary after trudging through that hell of a forest! I am sure its fine and dandy for the elf-folk and all, but not so much for me. What I be meanin' is ye have me thanks," and Caelyn mustered all of his strength to bow properly as he knew to the innkeep. He immediately regretted that when a sharp pain returned his stomach. "Right, how about those drinks!? And if you be hearin' any dire bears, don't be worryin' its just me tummy!" Caelyn let out a hearty laugh.
For the first time since he could remember he was in a place that people sincerely wanted to help people. He had never seen such generosity except from his Madre. She would give the shirt off of her back to make sure no one went without. A tear started forming in his eyes. "Arco lad, I have many fun stories, but tonight I be thinkin' of tellin' you one of me Madre, the kindest most amazin' person I ever be knowin'." So he did, he told his whole story about how Caelyn was smuggled out of his dwarven home town at birth. He truly never knew the reason why or all. Caelyn spoke of his time in the orphanage where he met Tomas and went on about the many life lessons she had taught him. He ended his story by hoisting a tankard and said "To new beginnings, and to rememberin' where we come from." "Sorry for talkin yer head off me boy but it feels good to be keepin' her fresh in me memory, the only woman I ever loved, and probably the only one that ever loved me. Although I can't be knowin' why with me dashin' good looks." Caelyn boomed in laughter.

Arco chuckled quietly as he heard Leo's introduction. A man of pleasantries was appreciated but not really necessary. Still, the fact that this man was or still is a doctor could be beneficial in more ways then one. One reason was his information on not having to pay because Arco didn't have a coin on him. The Draconian turned to face the good doctor and clasped a hand on the man's shoulder. "A pleasure, Leopold. I'm Arco Del' Rio Nezzaron, Paladin and humble servant of Arconia." The big lizard went silent for a moment before quickly adding, "Oh uh... Arconia's my deity." Rarely have people ever heard of Arconia, and rarer still were followers of that religion. Arco turned and took a step before halting. "Oh but please call me Arco. It saves everyone the trouble..." He took another step before halting again. "... Almost forgot.. And this is my relatively new companion, Rye." He extended his hand cradling the tiny girl and placed it in front of both the dwarf and Leo. Rye managed a fairly timid wave and a nervous smile.

---

The dwarf delivered as he shared a good story involving his mother and the banter and conversation flowed just as food and drink did. Arco sat across from Caelyn the dwarf and Rye scurried about the table around Arco's reach. Despite the sheer size difference, Arco was very careful with his arm movements and always seemingly knew where the tiny fairy was. When Caelyn had finished and starting laughing, Arco matched the dwarf's powerful laugh with his own. "Hoho oh you'll find no quarrel with me for your talking your share!" Arco was full to the point even his drink was too much. It did help to dull the feeling in his leg, however. Sometime during Caelyn's life story, he found the time to bandage it up.

Once the party settled down a bit, Arco turned to Leo. Maybe he was a bit drunk on the alcohol or the food or the company but Arco thought now would be a good time to disclose a possible lead for the doctor. "Leopold, friend. I haven't told you everything about this girlie here." He gestured to his companion who was propped up against an empty mug. Awake currently but she had been nodding off from time to time. "Just look at her, Leopold. The bleached hair, pale skin, damaged clothing, the scarred wings, the nervous demeanor.... She was victimized." The light hearted conversation slowly dissipated as Arco continued in a sincere tone. "When I found her, she wasn't alone. She was fleeing a man. Not just any ordinary man but what I would presume to be an alchemist or at least some time of brew enthusiast. I intervened and disabled the man. Rye, here, found solace in that and stayed close to watch what would happen. It was at this point I asked the man exactly what he was doing..." Arco paused for a moment as he glanced down at Rye. She was fully awake now and seemingly on edge as her story was told. "He responded that he used this little thing to test various brews. Poisons and the like. He went on to say that at various points, she died while in captivity only to be revived to continue his experiments. Not one ounce of remorse in his tone."

Arco sat there for a moment in silence as he picked at an irregular scale on his finger before finishing. "If you need her help for something, I imagine you'd need her to talk or communicate. She can't talk probably because of something or a variety of things she was forced to drink. She can't write or really point you in the right direction in this Goddess forsaken forest, but if you can fix her voice. Make something or heal her somehow.. Hell, if you can do anything to help I'd sleep better at night knowing that she is healthier, I'd be relieved just slightly.. But... If there is any hint of doubt that you can't do that without harming her, don't even try." Arco leaned back as he eyed that expressionless hound face, "She won't be reliving that ordeal under my watch. No pressure or anything. Think it over, doc."

The introductions were reciprocated. The cheerful dwarf was named Caelyn, and appeared to make liberal use of his mouth. The lizard man, Arco, was indeed a paladin as Leo suspected, though not to a god that he was familiar with. The paladin concept seemed to carry over from his impression of them in any case. The fae was named Rye. She didn't talk at all.

Leopold was not nearly as enthused by the dwarf's story as this paladin seemed to be. Maybe it was just the lack of patience in wanting to seek the help of the little fae, but a sense of fun which didn't encompass listening to tipsy dwarves was likely an influence. Leo thought he'd never shut up by the time he lifted his mug in a toast to his 'madre'.

It was with no small appreaciation, then, that the hulking great paladin brought the subject of the conversation back to something that Leo could deal with. Arco explained the circumstances that he had met Rye and pointed out that her condition was in fact what its appearance implied; unhealthy. It was no wonder, some alchemist had decided that he would do away with conventional means of finding out whether a plant was poisonous and use the poor creature as his own personal taste tester. Disgusting behaviour by all accounts. Arco put the request to help Rye as an offer, but with his eyes fixated on the fae, Leo saw it more as a challenge.

"I'll take a look at you right now, Rye," Leo said, reaching into his knapsack and pulling out a leather envelope of various tools and implements, untying and opening up the array of strangely shaped components.

Out of one section Leo took a small pebble of granite with a number of runes etched into its side. "I need you to hold still for a moment," Leo ordered, as he held the stone between his thumb and his forefinger and guided a spell with his other hand to flow some kind of signal into the runestone. It felt awkward using a tool made for someone closer to his size than a fairy. "Now fae, from what I've read are very magical in nature, so..." Leo trailed off as a few of the runes started to glow, "Ah, they are that magical." Leo said before shifting the fingers of his other hand to direct the spell in a new way. Quickly, all of the runes began to shine brightly. "...Oh, I've not seen that before..." Leo mumbled to himself. "That means treatment would have to be in the form of a somatic lattice to induce a change in the ether flux of this body. Any direct physical interference might not even register at all, let alone may cause damage to the hyperxactial formation, but on such a small scale? Hmm..." Leo's mumblings only became more and more mysterious and theoretical that he barely made any sense by the time he actually got to a physical examination. To start off, he pulled out a short small lens tube that he used to get a better look inside people's ears to actually get a clear look at Rye in sufficient detail. Leopold began to ask a few questions that Rye could answer with a yes or a no as he tried to judge her state of health. Her being so intertwined with magic meant that he had to dip into theory he thought he'd never use in practice to diagnose her. "Open your mouth wide and try to say 'ah'," Leo finished with. From what Leo could see of Rye's throat through his lens tube, she was dreadfully inflamed, even looking at it was painful. After a few more questions, some relating to the different substances that the bad man had forced her to ingest, Leo put down his equipment and folded his fingers together.

"Well, it's about what you'd expect to get if you were to ingest what this man seemed to administer," Leopold explained to them all, "of course, Rye, you have attributes that have kept you alive, courtesy of your nature, and the man's... abilities. Most others would be dead if they took in the equivalent that you did. Now, not only does it hurt to talk, you can hardly even move your vocal chords." Leo made gestures with one hand, "I would say that the grennenroot twig that this man tried to get you to swallow scratched the inside of your throat, causing a damaging paralysis to your nerves there. Very inflamed. The good news is, I can help with that. As for the other physical ailments you have, they may last a while, but as long as you aren't eating any more poisons and you lead a healthy lifestyle, they should eventually fade on their own." Leo then shrugged, "Of course, much of that would be on assumption that your case is typical. I have not properly treated a fae before, only studied their physiology in books and such. With the magic you have in you, Rye, it may just by a matter of finding a magical leyline to rest underneath for a night once I get that grennenroot scratch closed up. There is probably one somewhere under or around the inn, judging by the power this place has, but I cannot pinpoint it easily." Placing both palms on the table in front of him, Leo looked in close to the fae, "Now then, would you like me to begin the treatment for your throat? It shouldn't take longer than fifteen minutes and a little sting every now and then, but I'll deal with the inflammation as well." Leo's to-the-point tone through his entire diagnosis gave off the air that Rye didn't really have a choice in the matter, even though he omitted repeating the detail on just how small of a scale Leo would have to invoke his magic, meaning that he would have to concentrate hard through the entire treatment.

It wasn't long before the other guests at the Inn started to arrive, along with more food. Slowly, Tala was getting used to being near people again. The room filled with people of more kinds and shapes than she saw even in the biggest cities, and their chatter. Unable to help herself, Tala started listening in, doing what alchemists did: Seeking customers. Already she heard the female staff mentioning her in whispers, but somehow she doubted she could make much coin in an establishment that required no pay. But she could always cash in favors.

It wasn't long before one particular conversation caught her ears though. "..She was victimized. When I found her, she wasn't alone. She was fleeing a man. Not just any ordinary man but what I would presume to be an alchemist or at least some time of brew enthusiast..." Tala's fist coiled and she started trembling in rage. The highest law of the guild was to never meddle with life. Living creatures were not to be tested upon, or, gods forbid, created. The highest echelon a guild alchemist was allowed to reach were animated constructs, made to have no mind of their own except obeying the master's orders.

That one must have been a rogue. Of course, where there are rules, there are those who break them. Breaking the law from time to time was part of alchemist's life. Sometimes, it was the only way to acquire a needed resource. Tala even had a soft spot for thieves, judging their art the same as her own. It takes the same amount of skill to pick a lock as designing it. But murderers and others like the one who apparently hurt a being as beautiful as a fairy Tala wouldn't hesitate to kill. And now the Guild's laws required her to act. "E... excuse me." she stammered to the blind girl and got up from the table, slowly making her way to the trio with the fairy.

She nearly turned back when she saw the company. she wouldn't probably be able to hold her own against the man with dog's head, let alone a dwarf or the dragonman. He especially could probably snap her like a twig. But when her eyes fell upon the poor fae, Tala nearly broke in tears. With new determination, she stopped shuffling and took a few slow yet firm steps the rest of the way, her red cloak flowing behind.

Approaching the table with her gaze pointed to the floor, she briefly wondered what to say. "Forgive me for eavesdropping, but I overheard your story." she said, her voice ever so slightly laced with fear, "If your friend was wronged by an alchemist, then as a member of the Guild, I must make amends." she said, pulling her hood off and half kneeling. Her teary eyes briefly flashed before the raven hair covered them. "If I can undo what harm was done, so shall be. If you demand me as a servant, so shall be. If you demand blood be spilled," she said with a barely noticeable pause, fighting a gulp, "so shall be." she recited, removing her ring and offering it in her outstretched palm. It was a symbol as old as the Guild itself. Whoever possessed an alchemist's ring was their lord and master, be it a fairy.

Drinks flowed as the night went on, and Arco listened to Caelyn's story. "Lad ye be havin' me thanks for hearin' me out. I know it's not a tale full of splendor and gold, but it be me own." Shortly after telling his story to his new "animal" companions, Arco told his story of how the fae came to be in his companion. "Ah, saddens me heart to hear that someone is ready for their maker only to be brought back, tis a cruel fate to be playing with the Gods' realm. And ye little one, yer probably the toughest of us all. To think of all ye went through," Caelyn got a bit choked up and cleared his throat. "I say we all have a drink to our trials, the paths we each have taken to get to this place. Maybe its a bit o' fate that brought us all here, aye?"
Almost as if reading Caelyn's mind a young woman approached and apologized for the wrong doings of the other alchemist. "Lass, your voice may be a bit unsure, but your heart isn't. Loyalty is a fleeting thing now-a-days lass, and to see that kind of courage does me heart well. I meself have had loyalty end in bad for me as well. But don't ye be worryin' none, he may be seen vicious, but this one's heart is good to be sure. Don't be volunteerin' your life for that of someone else's folly. It may seem honorable, but what good would ye be doin' dead? I'm for thinkin' yer much more useful alive." Caelyn winked at her. "Aye Arco lad I be knowin' what it is to be tryin' to make restitutions, perhaps let this lass help, if the fae be sayin its ok?" Caelyn assured with a nod.
He didn't know if it was all the drink, or perhaps just being in Arco's presence but something about this place made Caelyn optimistic. Figuring it was a bit of both he put the tankard back up to his lips and sat back to listen to the conversation more. For the first time in almost a year Caelyn was finding some measure of peace.
That is.... until the sound of a "THUD!" smacked the door. And immediately after the shout of a dwarf could be heard "What the...." Grombrindol burst into the inn. "Caelyn lad, there is a note out here and something else ye should be seein'."
Caelyn rose to his feet with a bit of urgency and all the evening ale rushed to his head. Caelyn took a moment to regain his composure, and hurried out the door. That's where he saw it. A note attached to a severed head belonging to Tomas. It read Caelyn: This fool failed me, but the others I am sending won't. We know where you are, and I WILL get back what is mine -P.

The big lizard leaned back in his wooden chair as far as it would let him as he listened to Leopold's diagnosis. A few words registered but the Leo could even just spew unintelligible babble and Arco wouldn't be able to tell the difference. He wasn't that smart but what Arco lacked in book smarts, he made up for in street smarts. Centuries of sailing on a merchant and military ships and staying in various taverns listening to stories can teach you a lot of tricks on how to tell if someone is lying or in this case, unsure. Arco was pretty good at it but never has he ever seen a mutt's face on a human body. Leo's face was expressionless and seemed empty just like any hound. It was impossible to determine facial expression.

It felt a bit like failure as Arco would determine if this guy was real and qualified, but the interesting phenomena was the fact that Rye had sat still and actually followed through with everything Leo did. She remained still as he waved his magic rocks. She allowed him to observe closely and touch her, check her throat. So on and so forth. Arco spent a long time contemplating right after he first rescued Rye, how exactly could she recover from all that trauma, not only physically but psychologically as well. She should be very distant from people and judging from her initial scared reactions, that should have been the case, but here she was. Standing, almost in confidence, before another man of medicine seemingly unafraid. She might be the toughest being in the world...

When Leo was finished, Arco brought himself back to the table and very gently placed his hand on the table between Leo and Rye. "As much as I'd like to have a say in this, I will leave it up to her." He looked down at her and she looked up at him. She smiled and he smiled back. Arco, not needing to hear her voice, withdrew his hand and went back to leaning on his chair. Rye turned to Leo, her smile now gone and nodded signaling that she was okay with it...

Shortly after that, another voice joined the conversation. A woman, baring a red cloak that looked like she belonged in a children's story. Quite strangely, she admitted fault for what that alchemist in the woods did, seemingly full of guilt and sorrow for what had happened. She offered her ring which looked rather ornate and pretty as a sign of her submit. The offer kind of unnerved Rye as she appeared uncomfortable and looked to Arco for help. Arco didn't really know what she wanted out of him. Did she want the woman shooed away? Did she look to him for his opinion on the matter? Whatever she wanted, it was clear she wanted her voice back.

Caelyn weighed in and that was pretty much how Arco felt. It wasn't in the very least, this girl's fault. Arco, despite not being offered the ring, reached down and gently pressed her hand closed around the ring. "Your submission is admirable but it is not your fault. The man I slayed in the forest came out here to do all this in secret. At that point he was no longer part of your order." Arco said under his breath. With his other hand, he reached down and dug into a leather pouch on his hip. In there were various leaves packed together to form a small bed that Rye would use during their time in the woods to rest. But there was also the guild ring of the rogue alchemist. Arco grabbed it and placed it on the table in front of Rye. "His blood paid for her blood. You need not worry about taking that man's debt."

The inn's door swung open, the golden rays of the sun outside streaming in and illuminating the rising dust motes. Assa'alliyeh Kressair stood within that coruscative nimbus, the sunlight reflecting off her golden tresses, giving her what appeared to be a divine halo. She was a thing of darkness surrounded by light, her ebony translucent silks doing little to obscure her figure. She was perfectly aware of the what was happening, was using it to effect her own dramatic entrance.

After she'd assumed the majority of those within had witnessed her entry she moved into the common room, her sleeves trailing behind her like a wraith's. She moved like royalty, like a goddess, her posture straight and her bare feet slipping across the worn wooden planking in the manner of a dancer. Behind her came the lizard thing, a kobold, though one possessed of black scale mottled with red as opposed to the usual bright crimson. The little creature who scarcely came up to the diminutive elf's waist followed timidly, eyes darting about and taking in the world of the big folk in a manner that suggested he expected to be attacked at any moment.

"Come Char," Assallya beckoned as she turned slightly to address the kobold, "Do not tarry."

Though the elf spoke in common, the implication was clear and Char hastened to follow. Striding over to the bar, Assallya took a seat, legs dangling from the stool. Her kobold companion leaped, catching hold of his own stool and pulled himself up atop it. Though, with his small size he had to kneel in order to put his claws comfortably on the bar's surface. Silently he watched the bartender, his posture much like a bird's, as if it was trying to understand his new environment and what the barkeep's purpose was standing behind the wooden wall and why he was idly rubbing the polished wood with a rag.

"Greetings barkeep," she said, delivering a friendly smile, "May the gods bless this establishment which is most propitiously located. I would like a real meal, if you please, for myself and my companion. Then I would speak with thee concerning purchasing supplies and leaving these woods."

With Arco's intervention, Leo folded his hands together and lowered his brow, showing a facial expression that he should at least get a hint of. "With no offense intended, Paladin, I did not direct the question to you." Leo said with a slight undertone of annoyance. Regardless, Rye seemed willing to receive Leo's treatment for her throat. Before Leo could even begin, however, a woman in a bright red cloak entered the conversation. Presenting herself as an alchemist, righteous one at that. Leo just observed the others resolve the situation without offering his own cynical opinion of the alchemist's guild. During the talk, another dwarf burst in with a frantic manner. Leopold didn't really know what had happened, but it got rid of Caelyn for a while. Good, maybe now I can concentrate.

Assuming that the situation with the alchemist guilder was resolved, Leo pointed his hand to the surface of the table. "Now then, Rye, if you could lie comfortably on your back for a moment, we can begin."

Leo started with a simple movement, facing his hands together and tensing his fingers, allowing his fingertips to face their opposite. Without a word, and with a face completely devoid of distraction, Leo brought his fingertips together and a soft white glow emanated from between each of them. He held his fingers together like that for a few more moments, closing his eyes for a few seconds as the glow became slightly brighter. Then, with a careful, deliberate movement, he moved his hands away from one another. The glow from where his fingertips had made contact extended and drew out into thin, shining, semi-corporeal threads that conjoined his fingertips. As he moved his hands further and further apart, the threads became finer, until they were impossible to focus on. At this point, Leo flattened one hand, and brought his other hand to a position over Rye's body. The flattened hand seemed to let go of the glowing threads, leaving them dangling from the fingers of his other hand. With steady eyes and a steadier hand, Leo contracted his fingers on the threaded hand until they were almost touching, then the threads began to be drawn toward's Rye's throat, looking like they were trying to pull Leo's hand in with them. As the threads pulled, Leo held his breath and carefully lowered his hand until the threads contacted the skin on Rye's throat, at which point their tips seemed to phase into her. It was no doubt a strange experience for Rye, who likely was feeling as if she wanted to break into a coughing fit, but couldn't quite manage to no matter whether she wanted to or not. "Try to hold still," Leo mumbled, not taking his eyes of the threads for a second. With the fingers of his other hand, he made tiny movements near to the thread. The threads made corresponding tiny flicks and movements at Leo's whim.

While the treatment lasted a full twelve minutes at least, during which Leo didn't stop to perceive anything other than his task, Rye would likely have started to feel a soothing relief in her throat from the second minute onwards. By the fifth minute, the tickling coughing feeling began to subside, and by the tenth minute the soreness was completely gone. There was, of course occasional tiny sharp pains in her throat during the process, the kind of sharp pain akin to stepping on a pointy seed. When Leo finished, he flattened the hand that held the threads and they all coursed into Rye's neck completely, their glow disappearing into her skin without leaving so much as a scar. With that, Leo took the hands away and shook them until they weren't so sore. "That was probably the smallest lattice I've ever had to manipulate." He commented to himself, before looking over to Rye directly, "Alright, how do you feel? Do you remember how to speak?"

Only now did Leo get distracted. It was a woman with beautiful blonde curls and a revealing garb sitting by the bar. She was striking in every way Leo could think of, and his reaction was to grasp either side of his head with his elbows on the table and sound a lengthy groan while he looked at her. "Nononononono. Brain, I don't want any hallucinations, enough of this place is real already, don't overstep it," Leo was mumbling with such a low tone that it was as if he really was going mad, the rest of his words were in a whispered shout, words racing fast, "now your trying to top it off with an attractive lady in see-through silk? Just shut up would you!" He closed his eyes, then curled his hands into fists on his head. Opening his eyes wide facing the wood of the table and taking a sharp inward breath through his mouth, Leo came back realising his company. "My apologies, I think I am in desperate need of a drink." He said tersely.

In an attempt to distract himself from both the woman, and her kobold companion that just made Leopold even more uncomfortable, he sat up straighter and addressed the other woman, the one in the vibrant red cloak in front of them. "You! Alchemist! What did you say your name was?"

The dwarf's kind words put Tala somewhat on ease. She was called may things before, but courageous, that was a first. Nonsense, she was shaking in her boots! Then she felt her hand being closed and looked up, meeting the eyes of the lizard man. Her father once told her that eyes were windows to one's soul. And she could see the Draconian was trying to do good. Nodding, she took a look at the other alchemist's ring. "Thank you, for showing this to me. Each and every one of these rings in hand crafted and thus unique. And also seals of the owners. If we ever escape this place, I will find out who he was, and make sure the world knows of what evil he did." she said, gave a greeting bow of a head and distanced herself a few steps, lost in her thoughts.

Then she watched as the man whom she presumed to be a doctor tired to heal the pixie, with what appeared to be magic. Her eyes narrowed at the sight. Alchemists and wizards were rivals since the beginning of time. To her, the wizard's use of mystic sources for shaping the world was unclean. An alchemist instead used nature itself and whatever it provided. But Tala was torn from her thoughts by the man, asking for her name. Rudely. "I didn't. And it's Tala." she said, unable to flush all of the venom out of her tone.

The Alchemist, Tala, obviously didn't approve of Leo's tone, but it was not matter to him, he needed to hang on to what was real! And this alchemist... she was probably real. His words came fast and somewhat maniacal, "Good! Excellent! Good-good-good-good-good!" Leo hit his palm lightly on the table, trying to blot out the sun of blonde curls in his peripheral vision until it faded away in a puff of logic. "Come, sit down, my name is Leopold, fantastic to meet you." He gestured to a spare seat at the table, his words remaining frantic. "Now, how did you end up in this forest, dear Tala?" Leo asked with one squinted eye and his forearms resting flat on the table. He folded his fingers together as he waited for a response. He didn't care if this girl was a guild alchemist, or even if she was a stereotypical one. If she was real, Leo wanted to talk.

Doctor's theatrics left Tala unfazed, although her expression returned to a more friendly one once she was offered a seat. She took it a bit reluctantly: "Nice to meet you too." she pipped, her gaze pointed to the table. From the corner of her eye she saw what might habe been putting Leopold on edge. Heck, it was putting her on edge. Who was that, promenading herself here in next to nothing? She hoped this inn wasn't THAT kind of establishment, or she'd rather brave the woods again.

Glad for the change of topic, she smiled and collected her tale. Putting her ring back on, she started: "I actually came to find ingredients for my ring. See, they are for us what the shoulder insignia are for soldiers - a display of rank. My ring is that of an apprentice, a plain metal with engravings. A members ring is more representing, strictly gold and decorated by rarities. My search lead me here." she made a pause as she tried to remember how exactly she got here, "I came upon a warning on the edge of the forest, but foolishly didn't heed it in my greed. And then the forest captured me. No matter what I tried, I kept walking in circles. When I stumbled upon this place for the second - or was it third? - time, I was too tired to go on. And so I'm here." she finished, her face dropping at the thought of never making it out of here.

This Tala seemed agreeable enough. She was polite, and didn't appear to stare at Leo's head. He thought that It would be nice to know more than simply a name, the colour of her cloak and her occupation. He might even like to know her as an acquaintance rather than a stranger.

"I see, I see. That's strikingly familiar to how I ended up here," Leopold replied, looking about the room as if he might find its mysteries in one of the rafters. He stopped to look at an inconsequential point in space over the middle of the table. "That said, I wasn't looking for gold, or decorations for a ring... and I didn't come across this place multiple times... and I had an arrow in my arm for some of it... and I'm still tired..." what could be described as one of Leopold's eyebrows was raised as his thought process diverged from the subject for a moment. He didn't really know where he was going with his own retelling, but he wanted to keep the conversation going. He brought his focus back again, and became curious. "Come to think of it, a forest would be an unusual place to find gold." Leo leaned forward and tilted his head, "What else were you looking for?"

So much for finding out more than just occupation, Leopold thought to himself, well, it's better than suffering hallucinations... why won't that elf go away?!