A Drow's Dilemma Ep. 02: The Caravan

"Thanks for distracting him." Ashyr told him with a hint of mockery in her otherwise excited voice. As she said this, she brought a blade into the fallen orc's neck and splattered hot, reeking blood across her face and partially onto the pretty half-elf.

"Oh! Distracting enemies is what I do best!" Caleldir said, winking a bit. The guard really did seem preternaturally lucky. Utterly reckless, completely unskilled, and suffering zero ill effects from that combination. It was baffling. Also, that wound of his seemed to be mostly gone, somehow. Odd.

Not having time to consider too much what was going on with Caleldir, Ashyr's eyes lifted to quest for the next enemy. She saw then that, unlike the pale half-elf, the half-orc seemed to be handling his cousins with ease. He didn't need any assistance. Ashyr's gaze continued on, and locked on a battle one of the humans fought that suddenly had odds decidedly against his favor. Three on one was not very fair. She leapt over the axle of a wagon and joined that battle. Surprise was on her side, and two of the three orcs died on her blades. The tide of battle turned, the orcs realized their mistake pretty much as a unit, and fled back into the forest. A couple of them sprouted arrows from their backs, courtesy Celeste's marksmanship.

The forest was quiet again as the caravan soaked in what had just happened to them. Then came the frantic check to make sure that everyone was okay. Aside from the few deep gashes the guards took, it actually seemed as if everyone was uninjured and accounted for. The orcs hadn't counted on the nimble drow with almost two centuries of fighting experience in the Underdark under her belt. Her 'bravery' in battle further cemented her trust within the group. Even the half-elf guard (whose remaining injuries were healed by the troupe medic) was looking at her with an admiration that he had heretofore only given Celeste when he thought no one was looking. The half-orc didn't seem impressed even after that. Well, he was probably still justified in his dislike. Ashyr didn't worry about him, except to notice that of all the guards he was the only one to exceed her kill total, and that by a significant margin. The grouchy old half-orc had some serious fighting ability. But did not seem inclined to use it against her, just scowl and squint.

Bizarrely, when the guards later compared their kills, Caleldir had wracked up more than any of the other guards except Ashyr herself and the old half-orc. Despite being completely incompetent. It was baffling.

No one dared accost the troupe after that. They traveled the last several days in safety, though the guards were on much higher alert. Finally the walls of Port Afron were in sight, and the gate for those who wanted to enter on land was short walk away. There was quite a long line of carts there, but that distance seemed trivial compared to what they had already walked. Ashyr felt elation swell in her breast. She was almost there!

Then there was slight disappointment. Her time with the troupe was almost done.