Jen belongs to Browntail_21
"Good morning depresso-expresso and Demon bean!" Ciara said sarcastically, tipping her wine cup towards them as Rain and Stella walked into the tavern.
Stella was pulling her hair into a low ponytail, but she still spared a small glare at Ciara. While Rain starred daggers at the assassin, a low growl that got a strange look from Stella.
Rain glanced away, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. He looked around, finding four guards in the tavern, while Kane was leaning over a table with a map of the Nether on it. The guards seemed to all be on duty, which meant Patrick had no doubt sent them. He glanced over to Stella who had just finished putting up her hair.
"Good morning Kane! Where's Ria?" Stella asked, ignoring Ciara as she looked around the room for the small hound.
"Here!" Ria poked her head out from behind Kane's legs, a small smile on her face. She fully set away from her father showing off the baggy clothes she wore. Rain had to assume that the hoodie, pants, and shirt were just hands down from other Netherbane members because they did not fit Ria. But also he noticed a certain black frog asleep in her arms.
"So what do we got?" Rain asked, walking over to the map on the table.
"Well if what the frog says is true then the Piglin King holds one of the End-Crystals" Kane said, side gesturing to the frog sleeping in Ria's arms.
He pulled out the bench next to the table and sat on it, while he grabbed Ria and set her next to him. Rain and Stella sat on the opposite side of the Netherbane Captain and his daughter.
"So all we need to do is go to his castle, take it and leave" Kane said, "it will be an easy quest because the Netherbane knows the Piglin Kingdom inside and out... any questions?"
Ria snuggled into her father's side, slightly stirring the frog in her arms. Kane immediately wrapped his arm around her, gently rubbing her arm while Lance just buried his face into her arm and fell back asleep.
"Huh? Why does the Nether have two Kingdoms? I thought King Naeus already united the whole Nether under his banner" Stella asked, titling her head slightly.
"The Piglin King and his fraction are independent, but they do run supply line for the Nether in Exchange for protection" Kane explained, gesturing around with his one unoccupied hand.
"So if their Kingdom fall that would cripple the Nether's supply line! that could give the Frostbourne the upper hand in the war!" Rain said, winking at Stella, whose tall shoot up in surprised. She looked away, her cheeks reddening even her black skin.
"Yes..." Ria looked over as Ciara dragged her word out.
"I will kill the Piglin King" Ria's ears quickly shot up, her eyes widening as she looked over to her aunt.
"Ciara please we've already talked about this..." Kane sighed, looking over at the woman.
"I'm ending what I started!" Ria jumped, waking up Lance again, "This isn't just about the End-Crystals, this is between the The Netherbane and The Piglin Kingdom!"
"You've already died chasing the Piglin King once!" Kane slammed his fist into the table, scaring Lance into teleport away while Ria just hugged his side and buried her head into his side.
"We're already undead Kane! We can die as many times as we want!" Ria let out a whined, looking up at her aunt. Ciara looked back at Ria, her body shifting from confident to concern, she gave Ria a reassuring look.
"It's time to finish the battle I started years ago. . ." Ciara walked forward to Kane and Ria, "This time he will not escape" she mumbled, leaning down and petting Ria's head.
"What if you can die?" Ria asked, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"It's okay Ria! I promise we'll be back in one piece!" Ciara scooped Ria up, swinging her around.
Ria giggled, sniffing and rubbing her eyes as she hugged Ciara's neck. Ria's tail began to wag and Ciara scratched the back of her head.
"So where's Ria gonna go when we leave?" Stella spoke up for the first time, her black enderman ear flicking.
"I could help with that" the Crusaders turned towards the door, finding the general, a guard, and a familiar white furry Endermen at the door of the tavern.
Ria immediately noticed Boo, without a bandage wrapping around his left eye, with them, as she began to try and slip out of her aunt's grip. Who just hugged her tighter to prevent her from escaping the hug.
"Lord Patrick? Is there something you need?" Stella asked, as she stood up. She immediately began to look around for the general's scholar, only stopping when she remembered the scholar was most likely not even out of the hospital yet.
"Lady Azura heard about your Nether expedition. . . Somehow. . . But anyway she thought maybe while you all are gone Ria and Boo could have a play date" Patrick reached down and patted Boo's head who looked up at him curiously. Boo was slightly hiding behind Patrick's cape, but kept his scarred face poking out to see.
"How did she find out about this?" Rain asked, looking over to Ria who was still trying to escape Ciara's death hug.
"Would that be okay with you Kane?" Stella asked, giving Boo a small wave as she asked. She noticed how his scar had a similar shape to the generals oddly, and his left was now a lighter shade of blue.
"Will you be watching them?" Kane asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No, I have meetings I need to get to, but this is Jen," Patrick gestured to the guard next to him.
The woman stood upright, behind her back and a neutral expression on her face as she watched Ria and Ciara. She had chocolate brown hair pulled into a ponytail and she had brown eyes. She wore a footsoldiers' uniform, an iron sword strapped to her back.
"Did Azura suggest her?" Stella asked, getting a hesitant nod from lord Patrick, "then she completely trust worthy don't worry Kane!"
"Please!" Kane looked over to Ria, who was still struggling to escape Ciara's hold. Kane sighed, glared at Ciara who rolled her eyes and finally put Ria down. Immediately the plum hound ran over to the white enderman. Boo held out his hand to her, which she took with her opposite hand doing the same awkward hand shake they did before.
"Hi Boo!" She greeted, a large toothy smile on her face. Her tail was wagging, not quickly but it was wagging which told everyone she was happy to see the EndDancer.
"H-Hello Ria. . .?" Boo mumbled, nervously smiling at the hound. He seemed to be worried as he spoke, likely worried about messing up.
"Fine. . . but if I come back and something happened to her I will hunt you down. . . Do I make myself clear Jen?" Kane said, glaring at the brown haired guard. He pushed the bench he was sitting on back with his legs as he stood up, remaining in eye contact with the guard ashe did.
"Of course Captain!" Jen said immediately, nodding to the Netherbane captain, who sighed and looked down to his daughter. Something felt horribly wrong in his chest, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
