Everlong

One Day, She Will Fly Away

Back at the Longtooth Inn, after the group had collected their spoils and reported to the captain that the troll had indeed been killed, Peren offering a large tooth as a token of the beast's demise. The captain paid them a thousand gold dragons, Olly feeling a bit sick as her companion took the money with eagerness.

As the elf looked at his payment he announced that they would celebrate that night and started ordering the innkeeper around for ale and a feast for his friends, throwing the money away on himself quickly. Olly excused herself from the group, tired from the fight and needing the time away from Peren that she could get. Ed watched as Olly walked away from the group, her head hanging as she slowly began taking off her gloves and armor as she ascended the stairs that would take her to their rooms. Before in the cave, she had seemed as big as the troll, but now watching her small frame go up the stairs, she seemed tiny, deflated almost.

"Hey holy savior!" Curio called out tossing him another beer "Drink up! You deserve it after your first battle with a stinking troll!"

Ed obliged and took a sip, but his thoughts turned inward, ignorant of the pleasantries with everyone, needing his own time to rest mentally.

He had been traveling for how long now? Months? Years even?

It was hard to tell sometimes with Curio around.

He had been the tieflings friend now for quite some time, getting into all kinds of trouble up and down the Sword Coast. He had met Curio saving the dumb gambler from a poor bet he had made outside of Waterdeep, the Bard still trying to smooth talk his way out of the hanging that a crowd had come to see. Ed had stood up for Curio, even vouched for him that he was not a gambler like everyone said (although to be perfectly honest, only Curio could fold a hand so quick you'd never know he had switched the cards) and being a Cleric of Pelor, wasn't he one to trust?

As it turns out, the answer was pretty clear when they had let Curio down and the bard had pledged himself to be Ed's companion. Ed welcomed the company, he enjoyed solitude but traveling alone could be dangerous.

But now, the Cleric's attention was on the girl that had snuck away upstairs, and the more ale he drank with his companions, the more he began to ask questions.

"So how did you all meet Allana?" Ed said, comfortable now that Peren had started talking to some local elves and had strayed from their table. That elf made his spine stand up straight and a fire burn in his veins with how he spoke and moved around people. Like a predator stalking prey.

"Well first off" Jeet said taking a long swig from his mug "You don't call her that. Don't ever be callin Olly her full name unless you want to get kicked in the teeth. That names apparently reserved. Call her Olly and you will have a chance of not getting hurt" he slurred almost laughing near the end "I saw a trainee at the Keep call her Allana once, and she flipped him over the wall. Before he knew what hit him, he was sinking in the river under the Moonbridge."

Ed smiled to himself at the information. He had called her Allana and had left the moment unscathed, but that could also be because of her distress at the time Ed quickly reminded himself.

"We met her in Silverymoon, where we also trained at Arrowmoor Keep. Her father takes only a few recruits every season, but you always have to check ahead which season that actually is. When we went, it was the fall and the Kingmaker had just gotten back from his duties with Olly and her brother" Enki said happy to tell the story "He took us in, and we trained under him and Olly for a few seasons before taking off on our own."

"Ah! The Kingmaker" Curio said waving his cup around "The Monster Hunter! The North Wind they call him since he is cold and quick, a shivering storm that creeps up on you and before you know it BAM! You are just another knick on his bedpost."