Paragraphs ten to twenty two contain a few very small referances to nudity. I wasn;t sure if a warning was needed so I just included one to be save.
All comments are welcome, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter Eight: Beregost
Leen opened her eyes slowly, the sunlight that was shining through the nearby window was bright and it hurt her eyes. With the speed of someone three times her age, she slowly started to raise up from the bed that she was laid in, a soft moan escaped her lips as the bed covers, that were pulled up to her neck, rubbed against her wounded shoulder.
A gentle but strong hand was placed against her uninjured shoulder. Gently, it pushed Leen back, so that she was once again laid comfortably in the bed.
Leen heard a familiar voice say, “Not so quickly, you are still weak. You should rest some more.”
“Jaheira dear, will she live?” Khalid asked his wife.
The sunlight was bright and it hurt Leen’s eyes so she decided to close them again. Whilst she was doing this she also heard Jaheira’s reply to Khalid’s question.
“I think that with plenty of rest she should do. That wound was a fatal one.”
Leen was getting quit comfortable lying under the soft covers of her bed, she felt sleep approaching, fighting off a yawn she decided to listen to the rest of this conversation first.
“But…she…will be…ok won’t she?” She heard Imoen ask, by the sound of her voce she could tell that she had been crying.
A few moments of silence passed, Leen didn’t get to hear the reply to this question. As sleep overcame her she was vaguely aware of Jaheira’s voice talking in a hushed whisper. Leen’s eyelids became heavy and she was once again, overcome by darkness.
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Sometime later Leen woke for the second time, only this time the sun wasn’t as bright.
“Good morning fearless leader.” She heard someone close by say. “Or maybe that should be, Good evening.” The unknown person continued.
Looking around the room, Leen surveyed her surroundings. She was in a decently sized room. The floor was covered in a brightly coloured carpet. There were two chests and a wardrobe placed around the room as well as an assortment of plants. Sitting in a chair next to the bed was, Viconia.
Without saying a word, Viconia stood up and walked over to one of the nearby chests. Upon closer inspection, Leen saw that there was a pitcher of water as well as a cup resting on the top of it.
She watched as Viconia poured a cup of water and carried it across the room to her.
“Here, drink this.” She said offering the cup to her.
Leen sat up, allowing the bed covers to fall free from her and reaching out, she grasped the cup in one hand. She took a long drink, almost sighing with relief as the ice-cold water poured down her badly parched throat.
Offering the cup back to Viconia, she saw an amused expression on the Drow’s face. When Viconia saw that Leen was looking at her, she said, “You may wish to cover yourself up, you seem to be missing a layer of clothing.”
Leen looked down at her body and to her horror saw that her tunic had been removed, the only item of clothing that she had on her upper body was a bandage that was wrapped around her injured shoulder.
Going a shade of bright red, Leen quickly snatch the covers and used them to cover herself up, “Please, don’t look.” She said pleadingly.
Leen didn’t dare to look at her Drow companion, she was a very shy girl and she found the idea of someone seeing any part of her body naked very embarrassing.
She heard the sound of Viconia’s footsteps moving closer to her.
Bending down next to Leen’s bed, Viconia gently stroked her cheek. “You have a nice body.” She said. Viconia stood up and began walking to the door, however, when she reached the door she stopped and turned around, “For a half-elf mongrel that is.” She gave Leen a wicked grin before leaving her room.
Leen was left lying in her bed still clutching her bed covers around her and blushing furiously. Also, she was left wondering why being seen half naked by the Drow had made her feel so excited.
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Leen almost jumped in surprise when she heard the door to her room being opened one again.
She had just finished getting dressed. She had found a fresh set of clothing in the wardrobe, as well her weapons and armour.
“Hey!” She heard Imoen shout, rather excitedly. She came running into the room and stood directly in front of her, a huge grin on her face.
“Hey Immie.” Leen replied.
“Are you okay?” Imoen inquired with a concerned look on her face.
Leen nodded to show that she was, “Where are the others?” She asked.
“They are all downstairs in the common room of the inn.”
“Which inn?”
“This one silly.” Imoen laughed.
Leen also smiled, “I meant which inn is this? Where are we?” She corrected herself.
“Well we are in Feldepost’s inn. In Beregost.”
“Beregost? When did we get here? What happened with the bandits?”
“All will be explained soon enough.” A voice coming from the doorway said.
Leen turned to see who it was and found Jaheira standing in the doorway. Before she could speak however, Jaheira was advancing on her.
“What are you doing out of bed?” She demanded. “I told you, you need plenty of rest.”
“I…I feel fine, just a little stiffness in my shoulder is all.” Leen responded.
“Very well, then you must come and have something to eat.” With that, Jaheira turned and left the room, closely followed by Imoen and the now healed Leen.
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“So I was struck in the shoulder with an arrow?” Leen asked.
“Yes.” Jaheira responded. “When you fell to the ground one of the bandits advanced on you, intending to kill you whilst you were weakened.”
“I can remember the bandit moving towards me but someone stopped him. Who?” She asked.
“That was me.” Viconia said.
Leen, Imoen, Jaheira and Viconia were all sat around a table in Feldepost’s inn, the remains of their dinner left on the table.
When she had came down from her room, only Viconia had been sitting at the table, waiting for them.
“You saved me Viconia?” Leen asked uncertainly as she studied the Drow. Neither of them had mentioned the incident in Leen’s room earlier that evening.
The Drow nodded in reply, giving Leen a quick smile.
A few moments passed before Leen asked. “Where is Khalid?” She asked partly out of real wonder and partly out of a desire to get conversation before someone realised that she had been staring at Viconia.
“He has gone to gather the local news and gossip. No doubt we will not learn anything that we don’t already know but you never know.” Jaheira replied.
Leen nodded to show that she understood and together they waited for Khalid and whatever news he might bring.
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They didn’t have to wait long for Khalid to return. Only around thirty minutes had passed before he returned to the inn and rejoin his companions at their table.
“What did you find out?” Jaheira asked, not evening giving him chance to take his seat.
“Well there is a bit of work available around here. Firstly the governor of Beregost, a priest of Lathander by the name of Kelddath Ormlyr, has a bounty of five thousand gold pieces on the head of a cleric of Cyric named Bassilus. A man by the name of Garrick wishes to hire us as mercenaries to protect his mistress and there is talk of hobgoblins and half ogres in the badlands.”
“The badlands?” Leen asked.
“The wilderness to the south and south west of this town.” Khalid answered her question.
“Nothing of any importance then. We should just carry on to Nashkell.” Jaheira said.
“Wait, we should maybe look into a few of the local problems.” Leen said uncertainly.
“Why?” Viconia asked. “Why should we care about these people’s pathetic problems.”
“Because, we need the money for starters to buy better equipment with.” Leen responded.
Jaheira was about to protest but Khalid cut her off, “She is right deer. We can’t expect to help the people of Nashkell with this meagre equipment.”
Jaheira reluctantly agreed and they all left the inn to do some of the work that Khalid had mentioned.
