The Founding of Rumble.

Chapter 28: Misfits return.

Chapter 28: Misfits return.

Six months later Cherika anxiously paced in her office, she could hear the guild vendor calling out that a new batch of Worm meat is available for sale. It caused her to smile as people started to haggle for the meat and that the demand had gone up, the guild kept the price low hoping to make it at staple food quickly, the merchant guild had been all for that as the sale of spices and others to season the meats went up, the local economy was flourishing, and new inventive dishes had been made to bring out the best flavours.

As much as it pleased her that her people were flourishing, the anxious energy filled her, she had sent the Misfits off six months ago and no one had heard or seen from them since. She had guessed they had a two-month supply of food and water; they had used the guild prep kitchen to prep food and meals. She knew if they were smart, they could stretch what they had prepared, if they hunted and followed their clan leaders notes, there was food and water out there if you knew where and how to look. It didn't calm her though; the women were not from desert areas and deserts were the most dangerous for visiting adventurers.

Cherika had commissioned a sand boat to go out once a week, in the direction they went to try to find them or to help the trio back to the city. The boat kept coming back empty they even checked the rest spots and oases that were marked on the maps she knew the women had, because she gave them to them, but there were no signs of them.

There was a knock on the door causing her to pause and rub nervous hands on her robes, "Enter." She called and the doors opened, in walked Jazmine, queen of the kingdom. Cherika had not known just how precious the trio were when she sent them off, at least she had not known the possible repercussions if they didn't return. She had known they were members of a small clan; she had not known until they had been gone a week and Jayda's reply had come, that they were clan mates with the only S-ranked, no, now SS-ranked party in the known world.

Cherika bowed to the queen. "Your highness."

"Cherika," Jazmine replied only just containing her amusement, they had been friends for years, long before she had become queen. Cherika had come to her panicked that the trio hadn't returned three months ago and since Jazmine was on good terms with the Margrave who territory they were based in, the guild master had turned to her friend to find out what was going to happen. Were they going to come to find their errant clan members, were they going to come for her life.

Jazmine had taken her time getting back to her mainly because she was waiting for Jayda to come up with a plausible excuse as to why they weren't concerned. They had figured it out quickly however they were playing a long game, they didn't want to draw any attention to the Dark elf racial skill, they wanted it to remain a secret as long as they could.

Cherika offered a chair and went to get the queen something to drink as Jazmine settled into a chair. Jazmine watched her friend as she nervously moved around her office, she felt for her friend however she hadn't been able to reassure her because it was not her place.

"Sorry about the delay," Jazmine begun as she took the tea from Cherika who sat and watched her anxiously. "They were off in the forest of origin and their generational staff can't get into the room they swear some magical tool Jayda created is in which would tell them if something had happened to the Misfits." Jazmine explained.

"Are they coming to kill..." Cherika stated to say, she was sure she was going to have to run but would she be able to hide from a clan of S ranked people, let alone the fact one of those S ranked people was a Dark Elf. A person burst into the room. Cherika partially stood and in reflex a dagger was in her hand, ready to defend her friend from attack. They both turned to the messenger who clearly worked for the guild, Cherika sheathed her dagger back into the sheath hidden in her clothes.