Chapter Text
Juniper sighed as she approached the local Inn, The Black Hound, in Gilded Vale. She could hardly make sense on what happened just mere hours ago. The whole caravan was killed; a strange ritual that got two survivors with her killed but also seemed to do something to her. She kept moving, she had to, get away from that device, find a place to rest. She hadn't slept since the attack. She kept seeing visions, or ghosts or whatever those were. She was exhausted, and on top of that it had started raining.
She turned the corner and found herself in front of a group of people, one hooded elven man, facing an elf woman, and two human men.
"It's a misunderstanding." The elven man insisted, holding his hands up. Juniper crossed her arms and watched silently. “I meant no offense.” He said again, with a melodious smooth voice, “Let me buy you a round and we can set this mess past us, eh? My treat?”
Juniper moved to see the situation more clearly, and she froze. Despite the hood, she could make out his face. She would have given anyone with that face and that voice anything he wanted.
However the others didn’t seem to be convinced. The woman crossed her arms, her voice gravelly. “Hoping to soothe our pride with a few Aedyran coppers, eh?” She snarled, and spat at his feet. “We don’t need your coin.”
She sensed that he was in need of help, so she stepped forward into the inn’s lantern light. “I think we should all just calm down, I’m sure that it’s an overreaction.” However, they barely glanced at her.
One of the men jabbed a finger at the hooded elf, his eyes red from drink, but his gaze was focused. His voice equally as gravelly, he slurred. “Mocking us even while he shelters in our village. Just goes to show you what these fancy Aedyre manners are worth. We don’t take that kind of treatment. Not from foreigners and especially not from Aedyrans.”
Juniper flinched when the second man thrust his chin at the elf. Even from where she stood, she could smell the sour ale on his breath. “Go on. Say it again. I’m itching for an excuse.” He said threateningly.
“Fye, your itching for the kindling touch of your sister, ye coxfither!” Suddenly the hooded elf had a completely different accent, and after the words spilled out from his mouth, his hand went to his mouth.
She widened her eyes. What?
The locals let out a cry of outrage, obviously very offended.
The second man snarled. “I’ll cut that barrel-licking tongue out of your head!”
Horror and shock painted the hooded elf features as he tried to apologize again. “This is a misunderstanding! I didn’t say…” He frowned, and swallowed, his ears dipping down. “…whatever it is you think I said.” He planted his feet; something surly and raw flickered behind his eyes. “We’ve nye quarrel.” He said in that peculiar accent.
Juniper wasn’t sure what to think about him. Was he crazy? Did he like to fanning hot tempers and then pretend to be innocent? However she wondered if he had a split personality that simply liked to stir trouble. Either way, she was very interested in getting to know him.
The rough elven woman drew a blade, snarling at the hooded elf. “That’s where you’re wrong.”
She knew that she had to do something before a fight broke out, and from where she was standing, it looked like he wouldn’t stand a chance. So she stepped forward, standing in front of the hooded elf. “This is unnecessary.” She told the locals, as she held out her coin purse. “Wouldn’t you rather be inside drinking than out here arguing?”
One of the men turned his gaze to her. “We don’t need your charity either, foreigner.”
Juniper sighed, retracting her offering. It was worth a shot at least, then when she looked up again they were all squinting at her through red, bleary eyes.
“Sounds suspiciously like you’re defending him.” The woman accused.
Juniper nodded. “That’s because I – Shit.” She yelped and instinctively whipped out her daggers when they suddenly drew their weapons and attacked.
The first man lunged at the hooded elf while the second man and the woman charged at Juniper.
Juniper ducked and moved to stab at the woman’s leg and at the man’s side, staggering them both so she can put distance between them.
She glanced over at the hooded elf, worried that he might have trouble dealing with the man, who is twice his size as he tried to cut him with a knife. The hooded elf’s movements were smooth, and graceful, and he parried almost expertly and for a moment, she thought she caught a glimpse of a rapier and stiletto looped on the belt of his fine leather armor. Fancy. However all of the fancy weapons and armor mean nothing if drunken fool manages to land a hit.
She threw one of her daggers, landing it between the man’s shoulder blades, and he grunted in pain and he fell to his knees, then on his side. “One less!” She grinned.
Now she didn’t have to worry about turning and seeing the hooded elf dead, so she turned back to the two ruffians, who now have finally gotten up and started their advance. With the assailants’ backs to him, the hooded elf rushed forward and pulled out a rod and spell book from his cloak. A wizard then. During her travels in the Deadfire Archipelago, she had encountered a few, and they boasted about their vast knowledge of the arcane and their academies and whatnot. Brainy types were good for interesting conversation, at least in her experience.
She expected him to run, now that that he wasn’t being attacked. That thought was quickly smashed when he finished off the second man with a spell. Juniper ran up to the woman and stabbed her in the chest, right in the heart. “Should’ve have taken that ale.” She muttered, and she stepped off the body and retrieved her dagger from the back of the first man.
She turned to the hooded elf, as he pulled his hood down, the tension nearly evaporated from his face. Her ears twitched, he was even more handsome up close.
“Not quite how I’d hoped to get to know the neighbors,” He smiled at her. “Thank you for that timely assistance with that…awkward situation.”
She grinned at him. “Don’t mention it.”
He flashed a small smile and it made her heart squeeze. He shifted, giving her a brief moment to observe him, as he straightened his hood, and she noted the remains of fraying embroidery on his gloves. His boots were caked with the mud of many months travel, but the leatherwork beneath it was sturdy and fine. “I suppose introductions are in order after that little fiasco,” he made a slight flare of the hand and nod of the head as he formally introduced himself. “Aloth Corfiser, at your service.”
She couldn't stop the smile that was still on her face. "Juniper. Pleasure to meet you."