A couple of weeks had passed since the events at the hideout.
Most of the survivors had already left for Tuugo. Kalia and the party had been working with the city guard to round up the villagers who had been identified at the auction. Lucy had finally woken up and was recovering in bed.
"C'mon, Eron, get up!" Milena ripped the blankets off of the girl. "Master Lia wants to get on the road!"
"Go away..." Eron yawned. "...It's not even light out."
"Oh, why is it always a fight with you in the morning?"
"Hmph!" Eron rolled over, covering her head with the pillow.
"Girls, let's go. We have two days of travel ahead of us, and I want to go home!" Kalia called from the hallway.
"Yes, Master Lia!" The girls responded.
"Heh, you heard her." Milena quipped. "Now you have to get up!"
"Fiiine..." Eron rolled herself out of the bed with a groan.
"Master Lia?" Eliane poked her head into Kalia's room.
"You need something, Eliane?"
"Umm... w-where are you..." The girl gazed at the floor, unsure how to ask the question.
"Back to Tuugo, why?"
"Am I-I..."
"Of course you are going with us. I'm not leaving you behind." Kalia strode towards the shaking girl and put a hand on her head. "You have more than proven yourself, Eliane."
"Y-you mean..."
Kalia knelt to meet the girl's gaze. "Yes, you have a place in our home."
Eliane felt tears welling up in her eyes and for the first time in her life these were the happy kind. Home...
Kalia wiped a tear from Eliane's cheek. "Go get your stuff together. We'll be leaving soon."
"O-okay!" Eliane smiled before running off to her room.
Kalia descended the stairs to find Fio making sure all the girls had their packs loaded while going over her list one final time.
"All set?"
"Yup, just waiting on Eron and Eliane to load up their stuff." Fio confirmed. "Milena and Sarah are already in the carriage with Lucy."
"How's she doing?"
"We had to force her to lie down..." Fio chuckled. "...she insisted on trying to help us load the carriage."
"I guess being cooped up in bed for almost two weeks will do that to a person."
"C'mon Eli!" Eron shouted as she made her way down the stairs. "Everyone is waiting!"
"I'm coming, I'm coming! This bag is heavy!" Eliane huffed, dragging her bag behind her.
"Here, I'll take that one." Eron grabbed the strap and hauled it over her shoulder. "You take mine."
"How come yours is so light?"
"I'm not the one that decided to save all the medicine bottles."
"Those are souvenirs!"
"Riiight, now let's get these 'souvenirs' in the carriage."
Eliane puffed out her cheeks but followed Eron outside.
Kalia leaned toward Fio and whispered. "Those two are inseparable now."
"Mhmm." Fio smiled. "Who woulda thought that Eron, of all people, would become her best friend."
"That's everything, Master Lia." Astra called from outside.
"Well, I guess we should get going."
"Thanks again, Elma!" Kalia waved to the innkeeper one last time.
"Any time, Lady Kalia! You're always welcome here!" The old woman replied with a bow.
"Will do!" Kalia hopped into the seat next to Astra.
"Let's go, Astra."
"Okies, Lia!" Astra snapped the reins and the carriage took off with a slight lurch.
"Well, look who the cat dragged in!"
"Can it, Hess!" Hurgol snapped. "I've been walking for weeks and I am not in the mood for your nonsense! Is your boss around?"
"Yeah, he's in the back. Why?"
"I need to call in that favor he owes me."
"Alright, I'll let him know you're here."
"Thanks."
After a few minutes, a scarecrow of a man appeared in the doorway, his beady eyes glaring at the bedraggled pair standing in his store. "Whaddaya want, Hurgol?"
"Nice to see you too Rarick...I've come to collect on that little thing I did for you back in Orenna."
"I ain't forgot." The man's eyes narrowed. "Let's talk in tha back."
"Harl, wait here. I'll be back."
"Sure thing, Boss."
Hurgol followed the man into the back room and plopped down on a couch.
"So..." Rarick kicked his boots up on the table. "...what's so important that ya had to come all tha way here yourself?"
"I'll cut to the chase Rarick. I need men and I need gold."
"What for? Last I saw ya had plenty of both."
"I've lost everything..." Hurgol's expression soured. "...some little Folven bitch and her friend blew up my whole operation..."
Rarick lowered his boots from the table. "Yer whole operation?"
"It's just me and Harl now."
"Ain't no way..." A shadow crossed Rarick's face. "Who are they?"
"I don't know. Harl said they might be the same people that raided his camp a few months ago." Hurgol leaned back in his seat. "Kalia somethin' and the Folven girl is Astar?"
"Astra...?" Rarick's expression darkened.
"That's it!"
"Hate ta break it to ya, Hurgol, but that Astra girl is one dangerous mage."
Hurgol snorted. "Don't care how powerful she is. She bleeds like anyone else."
"What about tha other one? Kalia what?"
"Way... somethin'. Waywrenn, I think is what Harl called her."
Rarick scratched his chin. "Never heard of her."
"Then she ain't important."
"Didn't say that." Rarick folded his hands. "If she runnin' around with Astra, ya should be worried."
"I still don't care!" Hurgol slammed his fist on the table. "They took my gold, I'm gonna take their lives!"
"Alright, alright. I do owe ya." Rarick pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't spare ya any men but I do have somethin' just as good."
"Oh? What might that be?"
"Well, ya know how I been smugglin' stuff outta Kasai, right?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Just got a new shipment this week." Rarick pushed himself out of his chair and motioned for Hurgol to follow him.
"Got some real interestin' stuff in tha warehouse."
Hurgol followed him to a hidden hatch at the back of the office. "What kind of stuff?"
"Stuff ya ain't gonna find anywhere else." Rarick grinned. "Stuff that'd get both of us executed."
The pair passed through rows of weapons, piles of enchanted amulets, and countless magic devices Hurgol couldn't even begin to identify.
"Impressive collection, Rarick." Hurgol stared in wonder.
"This ain't even tha good stuff." Rarick laughed, making his way to a steel cage at the back of the warehouse.
"Here we are." He inserted several keys into the locks. "Tha stuff I reserve for my best customers."
"Now we're talkin'." Hurgol lifted a silver box off its stand to examine it.
"Oi! Careful with that." Rarick snatched the box and carefully set it back in its place. "Half tha shit in here'll kill ya if ya don't know what yer doin'."
"Just what I wanted to hear." Hurgol broke into a wide grin.
"Well, take a look." Rarick motioned around the room with his arm. "I owe ya big so take yer pick."
Hurgol wandered around the room stopping every so often to ask Rarick about an item.
"Oh, these sure are something!" Hurgol stopped in front of some mechanical hounds. "I'd only heard about these things."
"Kasain Hounds." Rarick confirmed. "Real masterpieces, them."
"They work like they say?"
"Yup, just put on tha control ring and they do whatever ya want them to."
"Slave collars?" Hurgol held up an iron collar with runes etched into the side. "How are these any different from normal ones?"
"See that thing next to 'em?" Rarick flicked a thumb toward a pillar with matching runes. "They are bound to it. Once they are on someone it forces them to obey yer commands."
"Hmm, interesting."
"They can't be taken off neither, if anyone tries tha slave dies. Only that pillar can unlock 'em."
Hurgol hefted a mace in one hand. "This?"
"That's a Painbringer. Banned in every nation."
"What's it do?"
"Exactly what tha name says. Magnifies tha amount of pain it inflicts on yer victims."
Hurgol continued to browse through the warehouse until the two finally reached the end of the stockpile.
"Anythin' pique yer interest?"
"Yeah, I'll take the Hounds, the Painbringer, those collars, the stealth ring and, if you're willing, a few crates of those enchanted swords."
"I'll do tha swords but ya ain't getting no gold from me."
"Deal."
Rarick jabbed a finger toward him. "But we're square after this. Whatever happens with that Astra girl ain't my problem."
"Fine by me."
Rarick leaned back against the cage. "I gotta ask, though, how ya gonna get any men without gold?"
Hurgol glanced back at the collars and laughed. "Who said I gotta pay for them!"
"Finally..." Kalia groaned, rubbing her back. The gates of Tuugo came into view as the carriage rounded the corner.
"Home!"
"Not yet. We still need to stop by the palace and guildhall." Astra chimed.
"Ugh! Can't we just do that tomorrow..."
"No, because we both know you aren't going to want to do that either."
"But, but. We need to get Lucy back to the house."
"No worries, Master Lia. I'll take the girls home while you and Astra take care of things!" Fio called from inside the carriage.
Do you always have to be so reliable Fio...
"I'll come back and get you after."
"Fiine..." Kalia sighed with defeat. "...let's just get this over with."
Eliane shifted in her seat, a bead of sweat running down her forehead. The palace...
Eliane nervously glanced around at the other girls. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. They were chatting about finally getting back into their own beds and finally taking a real bath. Sarah was fast asleep with Lucy.
A-am I being betrayed...a-are they turning me in after all...?
Eliane gripped the hem of her skirt. Her vision tunneled.
B-but... Master Lia said I could stay with them.
She wasn't lying...right?
"Eli...? Hellooo, Eliane." Eron poked the girl.
"Eek!"
"Whoa! You okay?"
"N-nothing, I'm fine!"
"Then why are you sweating so much?"
"I-it's hot!"
"Eli...It's almost dusk..." Eron scooted closer to the girl. "What's really going on?"
Eliane leaned towards her and whispered. "W-why are we going to the palace?"
"Am I going to be turned into the guards?" Eliane wrung the hem of her skirt, expecting the worst.
"What?! Of course not!"
"Then why do we have to go to the palace?"
"Master Lia and Astra have to report to the king about our mission." Eron rested a reassuring hand on Eliane's shoulder. "You are coming home with us."
"B-but wouldn't they know I was with Graland?"
"Master Lia will sort that out with the king, they're pretty close."
"What if she can't...will they take me away?"
"Don't worry, Eli. Master Lia will take care of it. Just trust her."
Eliane slowly loosened her grip on her skirt. "O-okay..."
Despite Eron's reassurance, Eliane grew more nervous as the carriage drew closer to the castle gates.
They promised...They promised... Eliane repeated to herself over and over again.
"Alright Fio, we're here." Kalia hopped down from her seat with a stretch. "Once you get the girls settled come back and wait for us."
"Will do, Master Lia." Fio took the reins from Astra and took off.
Eliane gasped for air, only then realizing she'd been holding her breath the entire time they were stopped in front of the palace.
"Told you, Eli." Eron smiled at the girl.
Eliane tried to reply but all she could manage was a few garbled words between her tears.
They really meant it!
Eron smiled and slipped an arm around her shoulders.
"Ah, Lady Kalia and Astra!" Torin greeted the pair as they made their way toward the main gates. "Good to see you!"
"Likewise Torin." Kalia nodded. "Is the..."
"Well, look who it is!" King Modo's booming voice echoed through the courtyard.
Torin scratched the back of his head with a laugh. "Yup, he's here."
"Bout time you guys came back! I take it everything went well?"
Kalia and Astra stared at each other for a moment.
"You could say that..."
"Well don't just stand around, c'mon in and tell me about it." Modo motioned for the two to follow him. "I'll have the maids bring some tea."
So much for going home... Kalia sighed as she slowly turned to follow him into the palace.
"So..." Modo settled into his chair. "...Where do you want to start?"
Kalia ran over the details of their time in Shella. The king sat silently absorbing the information only interrupting her a few times to ask questions.
"That's about it, I guess." Kalia took a deep breath.
"Night's Gale huh? Didn't realize some lowly slaver gang would have those kinds of connections..."
"Yeah, it surprised me too." Astra shifted in her seat. "That must have cost them a small fortune."
"No kidding." Modo leaned back in his chair. "At least that gang won't be bothering anyone else from now on."
Kalia choked on her tea. "Mhmm!"
"You're not telling me something..."
"Hehe..." Kalia stared at the wall. "About that..."
"C'mon, out with it."
"We aren't entirely sure all of them are dead." Kalia glanced at Astra who immediately stared off into space. "In true Astra fashion, she decided to level their entire hideout."
"Well, they hurt you!" Astra retorted. "They had it coming!"
"You didn't go check?"
"We did, but there wasn't much left to identify among all that rubble."
"There is no way anyone could have survived that explosion..." Kalia sighed. "...is what I want to say, but something tells me Hurgol and his second Harl made it out of there somehow."
"Best to err on the side of caution." Modo reached for his tea. "Anything else I need to know?"
"There is one other small little thing..." Kalia twisted her tail between her fingers. "We may have brought their healer back with us..."
Modo's brow furrowed. "You brought one of them back with you?"
Kalia explained everything Eliane had told her. The abuse she'd suffered at the hands of her sister and Graland, how she'd been forced to participate in their crimes, and her desire to make amends.
Modo remained silent for a few moments. "And do you believe her?"
"I do, I saw the scars myself..." Kalia frowned at the thought. "I gave her the chance to earn my trust."
"And?"
"She has exceeded my expectations." Kalia sipped her tea. "She is a truly talented healer and committed to atoning for her crimes."
"So why should I trust her?" Modo's gaze pierced through Kalia.
"I'm not asking you to." Kalia set her cup down with a soft clink. "I am asking if you can trust my judgment."
"What if you're wrong?"
"Then I will take complete responsibility."
Modo mulled over her question for several minutes before taking another sip of his tea.
"You believe in this girl don't you?"
"Completely. She worked harder than anyone else back in Shella. Healing the injured, preparing meals, cleaning, you name it. She had every opportunity to run and didn't."
"You didn't keep her under watch?"
"Nope, not even at night."
Modo stretched back in his chair, clearly satisfied with her answers.
"Alright, if you are willing to take responsibility for her, then she can stay in Tuugo."
"Thanks, Modo." Kalia smiled. "She...Or rather, I won't let you down."
"I'm sure you won't, Kalia." Modo chuckled. "You know, if you keep picking up strays, you are going to need a bigger house."
"I know right..."
"Well, it's getting late and I bet you two are ready to get on home." Modo waived over one of his maids. "Bring a carriage around for the ladies will you, Heiya?"
"Right away, Your Majesty."
"Oh, don't worry about that. Fio should be outside waiting for us."
"Alright then. You two have a good evening." Modo walked the pair into the courtyard.
Kalia could practically see freedom waiting for her beyond the palace gates.
"Oh! Almost forgot. You need to come by the guildhall tomorrow."
Kalia stopped midstride. Can't I spend one day at home...?
"Sure thing, Modo." Kalia feigned a smile. "See you tomorrow."
"Let's go, Fio..."
"Yes, Master Lia!"
Astra climbed in beside her with a grin. "See? Aren't you glad we didn't put the palace visit off until tomorrow?"
Kalia slowly turned toward her. "Not. One. Word."
Astra giggled. "Okies!"
"Home at last!" Kalia practically flew through the front door and plopped down on the couch.
Kalia glanced at Fio. "The girls already in bed?"
"I sent Lucy and Sarah to bed and Milena went to take a bath."
"The other two?"
"Eron was so excited to show Eliane around the house. Probably already dragged her out to the training fields by now."
Kalia sank into the couch. "Saved me the effort Eron."
"Not gonna go?"
Kalia stretched her legs out on the couch. "Nope."
"Slow down Eron!" Eliane panted. "Why are we out in the middle of the field anyway?"
"This is the last stop on our tour!" Eron swept her arm in a wide arc. "These are our training grounds!"
"Why do you need so much space? This place is huge."
"We have an Astra..." Eron chuckled. "If I had a copper for every time she turned this place into a smoking crater, I'd be rich."
Eliane stared across the field with an eyebrow raised. "You're joking...right?"
"Not even a little..."
"Oh..."
"Girls!!!" Fio's shout carried across the grounds. "C'mon inside! We have to go into town tomorrow!"
"Coming!" Eron replied before taking off at a run. "Race ya to the house, Eliane!"
"Huh? Hey, no fair, Eron! You know I can't keep up." Eliane took off after her.
"Last one there has to help Fio unpack!"
"Hey!"
"You cheated, Eron!"
"Well, you're just gonna have to get faster!"
"Alright, alright. Get on upstairs, you two." Fio shooed the pair up the steps.
"Wait, which one is my room?" Eliane paused at the top of the stairwell.
"How could I forget..." Eron stopped in front of a door. "...you're in my room."
"Y-your room...? Won't I be in the way?"
"Nah, there's plenty of space. Besides, it'll be nice to have someone to talk to at night." Eron pushed the door open. "Your bed's on that side, and the closet is yours too."
Eliane flopped down on her bed and stretched. It's so comfy... and mine...
"Let's get some sleep. Seems like we have a lot to do tomorrow." Eron snuffed out the lantern on her table. "G'night, Eli."
"Night..." Eliane sat in silence for a few moments. "Hey, Eron?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for letting me stay in your room."
"Our room," Eron corrected before rolling over.
"...Right." Eliane smiled.
Our room...
"Oh, get up, Lia!" Astra tugged at Kalia's boots. "You can't just sleep there!"
"Fine..." Kalia dragged herself off the couch. "...Just when I was getting comfortable, too. Go on ahead. I'll be up in a second."
"Okies!"
"Go on up, Master Lia. I'll put out the lights and lock up." Fio smirked. "Looks like Astra is getting impatient."
"Thanks, Fio."
Kalia trudged upstairs and pushed open her bedroom door. The familiar sight of Astra already buried beneath the blankets greeted her.
"You know you have your own room, right?"
"Yup!"
"Then why are you in my bed?"
Astra poked her head out from beneath the covers. "Because you're in here."
Kalia stared at her for a moment before climbing into bed.
"I know why you're really here." Kalia slipped her arm around Astra's waste and pulled her in close. "Right?"
"...Maybe." Astra smiled as she snuggled next to Kalia.
"I can read you like a book." Kalia chuckled. "Night, Astra."
"Night."