No rest in Ravencrest

[Ziggurath]

”Quin?”

There was no reply. She closed the door softly behind her and walked quietly to the bedroom door, peering inside. Everything looked normal with Quin sleeping on their bed with covers pulled up to his chin. A single, nearly burnt out candle cast its light from a nightstand next to him. She relaxed and went into the room, putting a sack filled with rations on a chair, and turned to a mirror to adjust her hair.

“Wake up, Quin. The morning is only a few hours away and we should get moving. I think we should pass through different gates and meet where the road makes its second twist. You know, where that big rock sits on the hillside nearby.”

She tied her hair into a ponytail and looked at herself appraisingly in the mirror.

“Come on, Quin. I don’t want to stay here any longer than we have to.”

She turned to look at him and walked over to the bed and leaned over him speaking softly.

“Do you hear me? Quin?”

She grabbed him by the shoulder to shake him awake, but quickly drew her hand back in horror, realizing that his shoulder…no, his head, was pointing in the wrong direction.
A shadow moved in the corner of her eye and she turned over to



Nell snapped awake, sweating and breathing heavily. She could feel tears forming in her eyes, but forced herself to keep calm. Sitting up on the bed she wiped her eyes and listened to the muffled voices of the tavern patrons downstairs. Tankards hit tables occasionally. Someone loud talked with the rhythm one tells a story and was rewarded with drunken laughter. She covered her face with her hands and sighed.

It would be useless to try to sleep anytime soon. The daybreak was likely not far away, so she began dressing up her armor to prepare for the day’s journey. While putting the boots on her feet, she suddenly realized that the Ravencrest had gone very quiet. She quickly gathered her belongings and went at the door, putting her ear to it, listening.

There was now some faint muttering to be heard from downstairs. But the mood had changed. She quietly opened the door just a bit to peek into the dim hallway. A man was standing at the top of the stairs with a weapon in his hand. He then walked behind a corner, apparently taking a position guarding the stairs. Nell pulled out her sword and slipped quietly into the corridor. There was only one way out.

[Anen]

Ahh, so the story of Nell Colds comes alive in print. Looking forward to more, Ziggurath.

- Euld

[Peregrinus]

Well writ, so far. I look forward to more.

[Ziggurath]

Thanks guys.
Funny thing that while writing this, I had my character in there at the second floor of Ravencrest so that I could take a look at how it all looked like. DM Asylum then apparently went by and spawned a hostile rogue there at the top of the stairs while I was writing. You can imagine my surprise after finishing this and getting back into the game to see that the story had become reality in my absence. Creepy.

[Wired]

Nice!

[Redleafe]

Yeah, good stuff mate.

[DM Pyramid Head]

That was me that spawned the rogue as it appeared that someone had already ransacked the rooms and I wanted to see how well you did against him. Poor bloke didn't stand a chance.

Now the tell you sent me makes sense.

[Ziggurath]

All right, I made myself believe that you actually might want to read more instead of just being nice and supportive with your compliments. I've been close to deleting this for about ten times now, but I guess I'll give it a chance. :p

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The innkeeper folded his wet rag to get a somewhat cleaner part of it facing out and wiped rest of the beer stains off the table. He then put the rag over his shoulder and adjusted the chairs, taking a look around the main room of Willow's Eave. There was just a single customer left, sitting in front of the fireplace with her white pony tail towards him, staring at the flames in the hearth. She hadn't spoken a word nor moved since she came in from the drizzling rain several hours ago. She had bought a simple ale and taken a seat by the fire, never making an eye contact. Probably hadn't given him a second thought.

After putting the last chair to its place, he took the rag from his shoulder and went to the kitchen to wash the few dishes that had been used. He was tired and wished that this last customer would find her own way out before he would close for the night.


Nell stared at the fire expressionless. Lost in thought, she put her right hand on her chest above the left breast where the blade had struck deep so long ago. Even through her leather armor, she could feel where the scar was. It would still hurt if she put pressure on it. She didn't really see the flames before her, but a memory of herself staring back from a mirror, a hunched figure with a bloody hand covering the open wound. There was a clang of metal as she dropped her sword on the floor and scrambled over the assailant's body to her backpack.

Her fingers twitched nervously as she recalled the difficulty of loosening the straps that had seemed too tight to open with one trembling hand. She managed to get her hand into the pack and take the vial out, pulling off the cork with her teeth. She poured the healing liquid on to the burning wound and what little was left of it, into her mouth. It wasn't enough. The wound stopped bleeding too much to the outside, but her lung was still filling with blood, making breathing nearly impossible. She gagged and blood streamed from her mouth and nostrils.

A mortal fear took over her with fragments of thoughts and emotions each screaming for attention that she could no longer give. Her legs failed to support her and she collapsed against the mirror, toppling it over to shatter on the floor. The room swam before her eyes as she struggled to cough out the blood that was suffocating her. She managed a look towards the bed and Quin, uttering a silent prayer in her desperation.



"Miss?"

She turned slowly to meet the innkeeper's gaze.

"I'm closing now. You're welcome back tomorrow, but I just can't let you stay in here any longer tonight."

She turned to face the fire again. "I would like a room, if you please."

"Well I'm afraid all the rooms are taken. Ever since the passes opened, there has been a l -- "

"Yes, yes, I get the picture."

She gave him her empty tankard, rose up and grabbed her belongings that had been keeping the seat next to her free from any unwanted acquaintances and headed for the door.

"Thank you and come again, miss." the innkeeper said taking a poker and starting to prod the burning logs.
"And don't mind the regulars, they give those looks to anyone new around here!" he shouted after her just as she closed the door behind her.

It was still raining. Nell pulled her hood over her head and adjusted the backpack so that its weight would be divided evenly on the shoulders.



"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Quin had asked at the front door, putting his arms around her.

"Yes, I'm sure and you don't have to watch my every move, you know? Now try to get some sleep while you still can, love."
Standing up on her toes, she had pulled him closer and kissed him for the last time.



She stood there at the door, looking over the sad group of houses that was known as Aucklorn Mill. Crows cawed in the trees and the rain was picking up.
A bell tolled in the distance as she set on her way.

[Peregrinus]

Well writ... a tragic past for the dark elf I see, that's actually more unusual here, it's mostly humans, dwarves and elves who get the tragedies.

[Alterity]

Nice piece, who would have thought a Drow could have any feelings, besides murder and deceit?

[Redleafe]

A mortal fear took over her with fragments of thoughts and emotions each screaming for attention that she could no longer give.

That is a great line, very telling and something that paints a vivid image for me personally in your description. I enjoy your work very much and I look forward to the next installment mate.

[Mon-da-oth]

I liked! And a very interesting background story for a Drow.

[Ziggurath]

Nell leaned forward over the table and watched closely as Manders did adjustments to his new armor. He was wearing the outfit of a woodsman.

“Heh, haven’t worn one of these since I left home.” he said and smiled at his own reflection in the mirror.

“I’m glad it fits. Now try again.”

“Aight.” He walked out of the room into the hallway, turned back and started walking towards Nell under her watchful gaze.

“Stop.”

Manders stopped at his tracks and arched his brows.

“When you approach him, don’t stare into his eyes like you just did with me. And don’t avoid his gaze either, but find a middle ground there. Remember that you are just delivering a message and you have every reason to expect the matter to be over quickly and without any fuss. Now, let’s try again.” She motioned him to get back and come again.

Manders did as he was told and this time let his eyes wander a bit around the room as he approached. He stopped at the other side of the table and stood there rigidly, almost in attention.

“Sir, I have been given the task of delivering you this message.” he said solemnly.

“Oh you have joined the Argentum Vigilo now, huh? Look, you are a woodsman, a tracker. Cut that crap and talk like a normal person. Now try again.” She made shooing gestures towards the hallway. Manders shook his head, turned on his heels and walked into the hallway, muttering as he went.

There was a knock on the front door downstairs. Manders halted and turned to look at Nell who had already gone out of sight to a position by the window. Looking carefully down at the street below she saw a young boy standing there in the darkness, looking around nervously. His clothes looked ragged and he kept wiping his nose with the back of his hand.

“Get the door, Manders. And be sure to pay the lad this time.”

Manders went downstairs and opened the door while Nell watched the boy and the street from above. She couldn’t quite hear the words they spoke with lowered voices, but everything seemed to go as planned. The boy handed something to Manders that he had kept under his shirt, then scratched his head and folded his arms. Manders mumbled something and his arm appeared in the view, palm down. The boy reached for his reward and quickly tucked it away in his pocket.

The door was closed and the street was dark again. The boy turned his face up towards the window and waved before skittering into the darkness. Nell looked thoughtfully after him for a while.

She then went back to the table and sat down on her chair. Manders came into the room with two letters in his hand.

“You want to see it?” he asked holding out the one with unbroken seal.

“Yes, give the other one too” she replied and reached her hand to grab the letters from his hand.

There was no opening the sealed one now, but that didn’t matter. She knew exactly what it said for she had dictated the message herself. The seal was just perfect, with the signet ring's mark clear in the wax. She put the two letters side by side and compared the seals. They looked identical as far as she could tell. She had put a lot of effort to break the other one as neatly as possible.

She handed the sealed letter back to Manders and reached for her backpack that was leaning against the wall within arm’s reach. She produced a small glass jar and offered that to him too.

Manders took the jar and peered inside with a look of disgust on his face.

“Whose is it?” he asked.

“That is none of your business. Now put them in your pack and try to address me again. And be natural about it this time.”




Two days had passed since Manders had headed west. It was a rainy night, which suited Nell just fine. Everything was going according to plan so far. A man was standing beside her, watching the alley nervously while she knelt before the door. Carefully she worked with her tools, until she heard the telltale click of the lock opening. She put her tools back into a leather pouch, each finding its own exact place in the holders there.

"Remember, fast and decisive" she whispered standing up.

"Aye" he replied quietly and pulled out his sword. Nell did the same with her rapier and reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly.

Here goes nothing, she thought and opened the door.