Hello, Everyone!
Last time, after defeating Nurvureem, our heroes went back to Pamagos and had a few words with Dynatos Perres. With a short and unnerving visit from Tesaya, and then a much appreciated one from Francesca Findabair and Edmund Bright, the official part of the evening concluded and Mary and her friends were free to do as they pleased.
Getting back to ‘The Maimed Lion’ from Mr. Perres’ abode was a strange and foreboding journey. The streets were empty and bleak and the mist spreading around their feet was playing tricks on their minds. It looked like it was swarming them, spinning around their bodies and turning into horrifying shapes – screaming faces, dragon teeth, hands, reaching for help. The feeling wasn’t like in Ekoba, but it was equally strange and unpleasant.
They went into the inn and were met by Leon who, upon seeing their bloodied and acid-splattered clothes, immediately said he was going to heat some water for them to bathe after dinner.
There were very few visitors at this time of night, and soon, they started going home in small huddled groups. Most of the people hadn’t yet found out about Nurvureem’s death.
“Should we tell them?” Bruno said.
“I don’t see why,” Mary said. “They’ll learn soon enough, there were so many witnesses…”
“And your Mr. Perres sure has to announce it at some point,” Agatha said with a smirk.
Leon came with a glass of fine brandy and put it in front of the tabaxi.
“It’s on me,” he said, rising his injured hand as a gesture of comradery.
Agatha looked at her own hand. It was not as bad as it had been a couple of hours ago--back then it was burnt to the bone with acid and fire--but still, it looked horrible. There was no fur on the end of the limb and it was substantially thinner than it should have been. When she moved her fingers, her ligaments were awfully obvious. It was going to take a lot of divine healing to be able to use it as before.
“Thanks,” she smiled to Leon.
And then, it was finally time for rest.
The bath water was hot and relaxing. Mary helped Agatha take off her singed clothes and they went into the tubs, breathing out a similar sigh of delight.
"Agatha?" Mary said after a few moments of splashing around. "I'm sorry I was so mistrusting when we first met. I made so many accusations, and you just really wanted to help."
"It's fine, Mary. I wouldn't respect you if you had trusted me right away."
"You were so awesome back in Nurvureem’s lair! The way you were climbing on her back, cutting her and making her rage! It was like I was looking at a real hero!"
"We were all heroes. You did pretty good... from what I've heard. I was unconscious at the time…"
"The ape did pretty good," Mary said, looking down at the water. "Not me."
"But you were the ape, weren't you?”
“It was… weird.” Mary wasn’t sure how to describe it. “The ape was all feeling and action, I've never experienced anything like it. I don't think I would have been able to do all those things if I was just… me.”
“Oh, come on, Mary!” Agatha scoffed. “Stop with all this ‘I’m not good enough’ crap! Would you be still alive if you weren’t good enough? Would Bruno and Aurum still travel with you? Aurum wouldn’t have turned you into the ape if he didn’t think you would do well. He’d turn himself if he was doubting you.”
Mary sank in the bath and let the hot water cover her mouth and nose while she was considering Agatha’s words.
The tabaxi spoke again. “I mean, Merilla must have been different but it was still you.”
“Merilla?”
“That’s how we’re calling your ape-form when you aren’t listening,” Agatha said with a grin. Mary gave out a small laughter. “Anyway, while we’re growing up, we witness new parts of ourselves, ones that we have never even suspected we posess. It’s quite normal, if you ask me. You are Merilla and Merilla is part of you. And that’s not something bad.”
While they were talking, Bruno and Aurum were having some kind of bonding time in the other bathroom. It was loud and full of splashing water and yelling. Mary didn't want to know what they were doing. She thought about worrying but… Bruno was there. What could possibly go wrong?
“Funny story,” Bruno shared afterwards. “That dumbass almost drowned himself in the bathtub. Drugged himself silly and went limp into the water. I barely managed to save him from becoming proficient in dying. When I say ‘smoking kills’, I know what I’m talking about!”
Aurum murmured something in his defence (“I was just trying to unwind”) but he wasn’t very persuasive. Mary laughed, relieved that there hadn’t been anything more serious to worry about.
Bonding time is awesome. Not so much with the ‘almost drowning’ part but with Bruno around, it'll be fine.
See you next time when Mary is going to unwind in her own way – a.k.a. by writing to Gillean.
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossaries (Part 1 and Part 2)
and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: Mary Windfiddle's story is my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum, Bruno and Agatha) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.