2-19 Returned

It was a miracle, Erin could only see it as such. Two familiar faces appeared as she tried to leave the scene. She hadn’t so much as to have the slightest exchange with these two familiar faces even once but she recognized them. They were one of the adventurers that were guarding the caravans. Apparently, they were sent out to scour and survey the area around Sapphire Fork for security purposes.

One of them quickly rode back to the village to send word to the merchants of Erin and Siv’s survival. The other adventurer stayed back and handled the slavers’ matters. Feeling responsible, Erin offered to help but was advised to quickly head back with Siv to their employers. From the sound of their insistent tone, quite a bit of panic must have happened, Erin surmised. Her conjecture wasn’t too far-fetched as the death of a Fae would cause a few dire consequences and quite possibly tarnished the merchants’ reputations.

With the unconscious Augur in her arms, Erin and Siv rushed to the village at the fastest pace their current abilities and stamina could allow them. It took less than half an hour for them to reach the village with their current level of Fleet Foot. They shared a short laugh as the caravans entered their sights. As the village was too small to accommodate those large transports, the caravans were stationed outside of the village by the river banks.

As the name had blatantly implied, there was a river flowing towards the village. The settlement split the river into a pair of streams. Bridges were made to cross over into the village. As the sun reached its peak, its radiant grace reflected a phenomenal sight, the river glittered like it was filled with sapphire crystals.  Obviously, there was no sapphire. It was a trick of the mind stemming from the unique water properties, and the strange pebbles found in the river that gave off such a sight.

As the tired pair made their way across the bridge, a merchant shouted out their arrival upon taking notice of their approach. Erin could pick up on the brimming chatterings and whispers from the village within. Per her expectations, Lyra was the first to rush out to greet her.

Nay. Lyra dashed out and threw herself into Erin but stopped short when she realized there was a child in Erin’s arms. Lyra sighed and shooked her head.

“What kind of trouble did you get yourself in now, Erin?” Lyra asked in an exasperated tone.

Erin ransacked her mind for the right words. “...well, it started—”

“No,” Lyra cut her off. “It’s alright. I don’t need to hear it. You’re alive. That’s all that matters. Of course, you too, Siv. Your brother is greatly worried.”

“Of course he is,” Siv scoffed. “It troubles me much when I think of his prospects. He can’t make any decision without a single piece of advice from me.”

“How’s everyone?” Erin asked.

“They’re all doing fine. There were four deaths and quite a few wounded but none of the merchants were hurt. Overall, the damages were considered little, thanks to you leading the monsters away.”

Erin heaved a sigh of relief. Those monsters were going after her, not the caravans. Adventurers died all the time but the death of the merchants would be another matter. It was a cross Erin wished not to bear. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, she was the type that always found fault in herself.

“Lady Erin, Siv,” a voice called out. Needless to say, it was Iris, sauntering her way to the three. There were others behind her, one of which was Hegan. “You both made it in one piece. Most impressive, considering the Grizzly on your tail, or tails. Speaking of which, what happened to it?”

“We shook him off,” Erin answered dryly.

“Just like that?”

“With some luck and some planning. And it helped tremendously that the Grizzly has a simple mind.”

“Then I should give some merits to your fortune.” Iris tittered. “You know, we were making bets on whether you would make it back.”

Erin murmured a wordless response.

“Siv, you made it back,” said Hegan who was one of the many merchants that were crowding the bridge.

“I have pledged my service to you, Lord Hegan. I have no intentions of abrogating.”

“You and your brother’s loyalty are commendable.”

“You honor me, Lord Hegan. Thank you.”

“Speaking of commendability,” Iris took over the flow. “Lady Erin. You abandoned your duty. You are aware of that, no?”

Lyra turned to Iris. “Lady Iris, Erin was just—”

“It’s alright, Lyra,” Erin said. “I take full responsibility for the fate I have spun from the decision of mine.”

Iris chuckled. “Normally, you would be written off or worse, but… you saved lives. Had the Grizzly focused its entire attention on the caravans, no doubt we would have incurred a huge loss.”

“Lady Iris, you know the Razor Grizzly was—”

Iris stopped Erin with a hand raised. “I know of it, as I have said. The consensus of the merchants is that you prevented a huge loss for the caravans. All is well, Lady Erin. Now, who’s that in your arms?”

“A slave,” Erin answered. “An Augur.”

Iris blinked for a few times before words came out from her lips. “Ah, yes. The slavers that you have caught. You have once again performed a tremendous feat.”

Erin raised an eyebrow, feeling queer about the lack of  urgency in the Umbrum's voice. “When I liberated the slaves, people were on the verge of grabbing their pitchforks and torches. I though things would be... disorderly, but here...” Erin looked around. "Everything seems so quiet."

“An uproar of that level is quite common. Nobles are accused of some foul deed by the common folks everyday.”

Erin noticed the eyes of a few merchants behind Iris were swimming.

“In fact, the cities near the capital always have some sort of protest or uproar going on about how the nobles wronged them. Besides, even if the common folks are dissatisfied, they don't exactly have the power to revolt. Many have tried but the kingdom's top knights and mages quelled them all in a single day. They'll whine, shout, cry, but in the end, everything stays the same. The common folks are powerless to do anything.”

Remembering the level system existed, Erin reckoned a revolt or a rebellion could be easily crushed if the soldiers had overwhelmingly high levels compare to the common folks. “Sounds incredibly unfair for the commoners.”

“It is but such is the way things are.”

“You don't seem all too surprised or appalled about the slavery business.”

“The slave business isn’t something new to me, Lady Erin. Not that I have any hand in it, mind you. They have existed long before I was born. They will enslave just about anything that moves as long as it provides gold. Though an Augur getting taken by Slavers is certainly not frequent.” Saying so, Iris snapped her fingers.

A man in a pale green robe approached them. His arms extended.

“Give him the Augur,” Iris said.

Erin recoiled with a visible frown.

Iris tittered. “Be at ease, Lady Erin. He’s a healer, he’ll tend to whatever wounds the Augur has.”

Erin then loosened her shoulders. Seeing no reason to be defiant, Erin complied and entrusted Cynric to the healer.

“Perfect.” Iris clapped her hands together and turned to her peers. “We can continue this later.”

“Lady Iris, there’s still much to be discussed, such as the slaves Lady Erin had saved, her connections with the monsters, the Augur child—”

“I understand your worries, Lord Hegan. I agree. There is still much to be discussed. So many questions to be answered but for now, Lady Erin and Siv here have been through a tiring journey. Unlike us, they slept not in warm beds but most probably solid and cold rocks. They need proper rest first and foremost. Perhaps some warm meal to fill their belly too. Or do my words sound like a madwoman’s raving?”

“O-of course not, Lady Iris,” Lord Hegan said with his head bowed as he retreated a step.

“Perfect then.” Iris turned to Erin. “Get some rest, Lady Erin. You need it and you have earned it, probably. Lyra will guide you to your tent. We’ll convene at supper and continue our discussion then. All in agreement?”

With that said, the merchants all nodded. If they had any disagreement, they would not dare to speak out against Iris. They dispersed and retreated back to their temporary quarters.

Much like in Green Scar, the merchants had set up tents within the boundaries of the village. There was no inn and there was no need for it. The local villagers were warm with their reception but Erin could tell they were just afraid of raising their ire. Erin had half a mind to acquaint herself with the villagers but like Iris had said, she needed some rest.

Erin exchanged some parting greetings with Siv before they went to their respective tents. As the Wolf-kin walked off to her tent, Lyra eyed her leave.

“Lyra?” Erin asked worriedly.

But Lyra stayed silent and beckoned Erin to follow her into a tent pitched between a small house and a large shed.

****

“Where’s Celia?” Erin asked upon entering the small tent. It was enough to accommodate four grown men, if one didn’t mind the constant intimacy. Erin noticed the absence of a third bed. There were only two.

“She’s in another tent with a healer,” Lyra answered in a small voice.

“Why? What’s wrong with her?”

“She’s fine at the moment. It’s just that… the attack of the monster horde brought back some of the unsavory memories. The healer has alleviated her distress, for now. She’s asleep right now and we can only know of her condition when she wakes up.”

“She’s not in any dire state right now?”

“As of now, she's fine. You can rest easy,” Lyra said and sat down on her bed. She beckoned Erin to come over with a sorrowful smile.

Lyra’s behavior was queer but Erin shrugged and followed her wish.

As soon as Erin got within range, Lyra grabbed Erin by her wrist and pulled her into a tight embrace. Lyra was even wrapping Erin’s tails in her embrace.

Erin saw it coming with her heightened senses but she let it happen. She could easily break free from Lyra’s hold but she let it be. “What’s wrong,” Erin asked calmly.

“Are you an idiot for asking that question?” Lyra’s tone held a hint of anger.

“Sorry?”

“First, you died in front of me. Next, you rushed to your own peril on your accord. Then, Celia… she… she...” Lyra didn’t manage to finish her sentences before her tears broke free. She was crying into Erin’s shoulder, her embrace only tightened.

“I’m sorry, Lyra. I’m sorry.” Erin softly said as she stroked Lyra’s back gently.

“I wanted to believe in you. I truly do,” Lyra sobbed. “But whenever I close my eyes, I keep seeing that moment of time. Your own sword, plunged through your body, skewered on the ground… I can’t stop seeing that...”

Erin had no words to say. She could only let her lover’s tears flow and keep providing the warmth of her body and presence. Lyra’s words were crushing. Erin laughed dryly in silence at herself. In the fifty and more years of her past life, she had gone through all kinds of pain the world could throw at her. However, this sort of pain, it was her first. It hurt in a way she had never known. The biggest pain wasn’t a wound inflicted on herself but on others. This was love, not just some passing infatuation that was to be forgotten in the next few days. Because of this, Erin felt even more guilty at her tryst with Siv.

“I should just be open with her...” Erin parted Lyra from her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. “Listen Lyra, I… On my own accord… by my own free will… I...”

“You fucked Siv,” Lyra completed her sentence.

Erin chuckled self-deprecatingly and her ears and tails drooped down. “So you realized after all…”

“Of course I realized. I don’t know Siv but I know you, Erin. Our nights together aren’t just a sharing of bliss. It’s meant to connect us deeper. Besides, not once did you look at Siv if you can help it.”

“I was that obvious...”

Lyra nodded. Her expression soured and her hands came for Erin’s face.

The Fox-kin closed her eyes and prepared herself for her well-deserved punishment but the slap she expected never came. Instead, when she opened her eyes, Lyra’s hand was caressing her cheek and she felt her lips tenderly touched by Lyra’s.

“You dolt...” Lyra muttered. “Didn’t I already tell you that I believe in you?”

“But I… I betrayed your trust...”

Lyra chuckled. “You did but… I’m not exactly innocent either. I haven’t slept with anyone but… if Celia wasn’t in her current state, and there was more privacy, I think I would have found someone else in your stead. So you see, I’m just as guilty.”

“Are you saying that you don’t mind if I brought others to bed?”

“As long as you return to me at the end of the day… I don’t mind.” Another batch of tears trickled down her cheeks as Lyra struggled to get her words out. “We’re adventurers. Any adventures could be our last. I think we can afford to be more… open to other compulsions. Or do you not agree?”

Erin cast her gaze down. A strange feeling was stirring up within her. “I don’t know about that, Lyra… I know this isn’t fair but when I pictured you in bed with others… it makes me… angry.”

“E-Erin?” Lyra stammered when Erin grasped her shoulders tightly.

“I don’t think I can allow it…,” Erin chewed those words.

“How greedy of you, Erin. Some Sword Saint you were...”

“This is all your fault, Lyra. I didn’t know any of this. I knew not the sensual touch of a woman. I know not the warmth and pleasure derived from sharing a night and bed. You taught me all of this. It’s all your fault and I will hold you responsible for the rest of my life.”

“Dear me, Erin. I can’t tell if that’s a proposal or you’re just seducing me.”

“I’m not sure about it either but one thing I am sure of—” Erin thrust herself at Lyra with the two of them tumbling over the bed. Erin’s tails flailing gracefully in the backdrop.  “I intend to ravage you, Lyra.”

“You have gotten quite brazen. Is it Lust Deviant?”

Erin shook her head. “Lust Deviant is just an excuse bestowed to me by the heavens. I think I have always been this lustful but never quite have the guts to go through with it. I was a coward. Your assistance with my first experience has helped me cast aside any hesitation and doubts I ever had.”

“It’s still the middle of the day, Erin.”

“I don’t care, Lyra. You have made me realize just how much I yearn for you,” Erin whispered softly into Lyra’s ears.

The warmth of her breath made Lyra shudder in ecstasy. “Well then, I should take responsibility.”

Erin’s ears perked up and her tails flourished with her excitement. “I’ll make you do more than that.”