Long Lost Betrothed

The Briarwoods Part 2

Word Count: 2140

"Percy, Ophelia, why didn't you tell us?"Keyleth asked hugging her arms to herself.

"I've tried to tell many over the years. No one's ever believed me." Percy said frustrated his grip on me tightening slightly.

"The group who taught me their ways never even believed me, and I spent four years with them... I gave up trying to tell anyone after that." I said shrugging as I tucked my head into Percy's chest gripping his jacket lightly taking a deep breath before stepping back but not being able to go far because Percy refused to let go of me, and kept an arm around my waist, his hand resting on the small of my lower back.

"Wait. Vax is up there." Pike said in realization with a concerned voice. "What if he needs help?"

"Plus, he's got the squirts." Grog said believing Scanlan's earlier lie sounding concerned about that.

"Okay, I'll distract, you guys go... quietly." Scanlan said before he turned to the nobles who were standing around mingling while waiting for desserts and crawled up on the table. "Ladies and lords, allow Scanlan Shorthalt to delight you with an after-dinner song I like to call 'Pull My Beads of Love.'" I could hear him say out to the crowd as the rest of us snuck back outside to go get our weapons.

"Vax... we have to move." Vex said looking up concerned as we all search for the ticket that would get us our weapons back. I didn't have pockets in my dress, so I was helping Percy check his jacket.

"We lost the ticket?" Pike asked frustrated, "Screw it, Grog!"

"Come here fuckstick!" Grog said yanking the soldier out of the booth as Percy and I jumped over the counter giving everyone their weapons before running with Vex to go find Vax. We found Vax getting choked by Sylas in the fountain of the courtyard. Keyleth turned into a bird as we ran and scratched at Sylas to keep him from choking Vax, who then got thrown down into the water of the fountain, at the same time Delilah struck Keyleth with what looked to be purple lightning, sending Keyleth to the ground and shifting back into her half-elf form.

"Delilah!" Percy yelled shooting his gun at her as she faded into purple as I stopped next to Percy pulling out my rapier with one hand and one of my daggers with the other.

"Would you look at that dear? It's the two pups who survived, all grown up." Delilah said earning a hard glare from me as Percy reloaded his gun.

"Step off bitch." I said as Vex stepped next to me shooting her bow, only for Delilah to block it with her purple magic and then sending a wave at us causing us to fly back. Vex got up and shot another arrow as Pike and Grog ran by us, Grog going for Sylas as Pike went to heal Vax.

"No one kills Vax but me!" Grog yelled as he swung his battle axe at Sylas who moved back dodging.

Keyleth tried creating a storm of bees to send at Delilah who only turned them around, sending them back at Keyleth and Vex making them step back. Beside me Percy stood up as he finished loading his pepperbox again and helped me stand. "Shit, we aren't gonna get close to her at this rate. I'm gonna have to use my crimson rite." I said taking my dagger and clutching it in my hand tightly.

"Crimson what? What are you doing?" Percy asked shocked as I slid the dagger across my right hand letting it soak into the handle of my rapier causing it to glow.

"It's crimson rite-rite of the dawn" I said as I took a deep breath. It always felt weird when my blood would soak into a weapon. "She's using necromancy magic; this is the one thing I can use against her and her magic."

"But you're hurting yourself." Percy said concerned as he came over to me.

"I'll be fine Percival; just don't you get hurt." I said grabbing his chin and kissing him quickly before running towards Delilah dodging her magic attacks, I could hear Percy shooting behind me at her trying to give me some cover.