Starry Resonance Ch. 02

"I come from the outside," she said. Everyone waited for her to add more to her answer, but Nora remained quiet.

"The outside is it," Nelimir looked at his friend.

Yvain knew what the leader of the Draconian's Tavern was thinking. Creating a guild had allowed them to see a bit farther from the confines of their home, and it didn't come as a surprise that there might be humans outside Emryon. It did bring a myriad of questions that needed answering, especially considering the end-goal for the guild.

"We should have a meeting tomorrow," Yvain said.

Nelimir nodded. "Of course, and we're actually in luck," he said with a mysterious smile.

Yvain and Nora threw the man a questioning look.

"The goddess of villages, remember?" he said.

"You think she'll actually see us?" Yvain asked. Their first meeting with the goddess had been anything but smooth and he couldn't trust Nelimir to keep a smidgen of decorum when it came to the recently discovered race.

"Not us, but she doesn't have a reason to turn down Nora, especially since she's injured," Nelimir said.

Yvain still wasn't convinced, but the goddess was their best option. Healing Nora would take much longer otherwise.

The journey from the wall to the village took around an hour. When the group arrived they were met with an empty settlement.

"Where is everyone?" Yvain asked. Usually villagers would turn in early in the night but it was still dinner time and their homes were dark.

"They're all paying a visit to the goddess," Nelimir said. "A loud roar shook the place and the resuming chaos injured a few, the rest being scared witless."

Yvain sneaked a look at Nora, but she showed no indication of recognition to Nelimir's words.

"After everything settled down we quickly departed for your location," Nelimir said.

So that's why she's equipped for combat, Yvain thought. Fondness rose in his chest, but he decided to quietly thank his master for her concern as she wasn't in the best of moods.

"I'll explain what it was at the meeting," Yvain said.

Nelimir simply gave him a nod of acknowledgement and looked out his window.

"We're here," he said as the carriage stopped.

Their destination was an unassuming wooden house surrounded by villagers bustling with excitement; men carrying harvested crops, women with babes in their arms, kids with scrapes here and there, elders wearing somber but reverent expressions. It was the usual kind of group one would find in a community of peasants, though their point of interest was anything but.

"I'll wait here with Selt," Elly said. Selt was already asleep, but the reason she decided to stay was probably because of her out of norm looks. It had caused a big commotion in the village when they had first arrived; some people screaming 'monster' or other hurtful things while running away, and others being too curious for their own good. They should have seen it coming considering how out of the way the village was.

"It shouldn't take long," Nelimir said and got out of the carriage with Roesia jumping off his shoulder to stay with Elly and Selt.

Yvain was about to lift Nora, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Just lend me your shoulder, it's not too far," she said.

"Doesn't it hurt? You don't have to force yourself," he said, already putting his arms underneath her legs and back.

"A few steps won't kill me," she said.

Why does she sound so desperate? Yvain thought.

Nora's eyes were glued to the window, her pupils darting from side to side as she squirmed in his arms. When Yvain followed their trajectory, he found the group of villagers moving about. Was she embarrassed?

A cheshire smile formed on Yvain's lips and he lifted Nora up. "Neither will me carrying you."

Nora squeaked and tried to push him away to no avail.

"Wait, please," she weakly begged.

"What?" Yvain stopped by the exit to the carriage.

"I don't want to be carried in front of them," Nora said, looking at the group of people.

"The villagers?" Yvain asked. Nora nodded and quickly tried to hide herself in his arms as some villagers looked their way.

"Are you guys coming?" Nelimir had returned as the couple had yet to leave the carriage.

What should he do? He wanted to tease Nora, but while she might not take it to heart, it would do more harm than good to force her at this point.

"Let me at least get you off the carriage then," he said and Nora nodded again.

Getting off, Yvain set Nora's feet on the ground as she held on to his back. He then grabbed her by the waist, and she latched on to his shoulder in a half hug.

"Thanks," she said quietly. Yvain's answer came in the form of a squeeze to her side.

The carriage's door slammed close behind them. An angry-looking Elly roughly sat back down as Roesia struck one of her muscular arms with her tongue; most likely angry at the woman for treating her creation so roughly.

"That's all for today! Everyone back to your homes." A deep raspy voice came from the entrance to the house.

"The goddess of villages will offer her services again tomorrow." A collaborative groan rang out from the villagers, but they nevertheless dispersed, going back to whatever tasks they needed to finish before turning in for the day.

Nelimir still approached the home, so Yvain followed behind with a hopping Nora.

"Didn't you hear me? Come back tomorrow," the man said. He was about as tall as Yvain and gave the impression of someone used to violence, which meant Nelimir reached up to the man's chin and gave the sense of a young man about to face off a bear. But his friend stood in front of him all the same with the smile he would offer anyone that hadn't done him wrong.

"Did you already forget about me, Michael?" Nelimir said.

"What do you want?" Michael asked, face impassive.

"Just a few minutes of the goddess's time, it won't take long."

Yvain didn't miss the look Michael directed his way, neither did Nelimir.

"Don't let that blockhead bother you, he currently has his hands occupied."

Michael scoffed, "I'm more worried about the troubles you lot will bring." He made a point of examining Yvain and Nora's get up. "Whatever you two went through can't be good news. We're here to help villagers with villager problems, not enable small wars."

"Nothing of the sort," Nelimir said. "We ran across an injured Nora as we went past the border and had to rush back to get her treated."

Michael spat at Nelimir's feet. "Do you have an alibi for your dog too?"

"Hey," Yvain glared at Michael, but with Nora holding on to him he didn't do much else.

Nelimir held his hand up to signal for him to stand down. "I think we'll come back tomorrow after all," he said and turned to leave. But before he could take even one step a female voice came from inside the house.

"Let them in Michael."

It was obvious that was the last thing the man wanted to do, but he promptly got out of the way to let the trio pass with no more complaints or attempts to engage them.

"Did you do something to him?" Nora whispered.

"Just a misunderstanding," Yvain said. "Nelimir developed a bit of an obsession with gods and goddesses, so he can be a bit overbearing when it comes to them." Yvain said and followed Nelimir in while helping Nora along.

The small group found themselves inside an extremely modest house, even more bare than the homes of the villagers. It didn't have any of the normal amenities, but its walls were covered with jars of all shapes and colors. It wasn't the kind of place someone would reside in the long term.

Yvain held back a frown as the almost suffocating smell of herbs assaulted his nostrils. He marveled at how Nelimir and Nora seemed unbothered.

In the middle of the room, a woman that appeared to be in her late fifties was sitting in a desk, grinding down a bowl filled with what Yvain could only guess to be ingredients that came out of the jars. She looked like any village mother in her late years, having the same calm nature they exuded naturally.

"Set her down on the bed," the goddess spoke first, pointing at a medium-sized mattress that waited at the opposite end of her.

Yvain did as such while Nelimir spoke to the goddess.

"We're sorry to disturb you like this," he said. "We were hoping you could look at our friend."

"Didn't your group just meet her?" the goddess asked. "You didn't kidnap the poor girl, did you?" The outlandish accusation didn't come off as a joke. The woman was seriously questioning their intentions.

Yvain didn't know what to make of it as even if they weren't under the best of terms, neither side had demonstrated to have a nefarious nature. His friend was just as confused. The goddess didn't miss this.

"Never mind," she said.

The goddess got up from the desk and carried her bowl over to Nora and Yvain. "A fractured femur should be easy enough to heal," she told Nora, "just don't make any rough movements until tomorrow."

"How do you know what ails her?" Nelimir asked, fighting between respecting personal space and peering into what was in the goddess's bowl.

Yvain couldn't stop a weak laugh from escaping him. His friend sounded just like Selt when something got him excited.

The goddess looked at him as if she was used to his outbursts already and sighed. "I saw her limping outside my abode," she said. "I've already told you, I may be a goddess but I'm not all-powerful."

She sat down next to Nora who was lying down on the mattress, "can you be a sweetheart and uncover your leg for me?"

"Alright, you saw her limping," Nelimir said. "But that shouldn't be enough to diagnose her so fast. You even have the remedy ready!"

"I've been doing this longer than the time you've spent breathing," the goddess said as if that was enough for an explanation.

Nelimir was going to continue his questioning but Yvain stopped him.

"You're going to get us kicked out," he said, "just let her work."

Realization dawned on the leader of Draconian's Tavern and he composed himself.

"Right, my apologies," he said.

A hand gingerly pulled on Yvain's chainmail, calling for his attention. Nora was trying to rip apart the cloth covering her injured leg but couldn't muster the strength.

"Can you help me?" she bashfully asked.

"Of course," Yvain said. He easily ripped apart the right side of Nora's pants to reveal her milky thigh. It wasn't as muscled as Elly's or his, but the power in it could still be seen. He had to force his body to focus on something else, lest he get an erection in front of the goddess and his friend. Nora smiled at him in thanks, unaware of his struggle.

"This doesn't bother you?" Yvain asked both to force himself to think on something besides Nora's thighs and out of curiosity. She had made such a fuss before about being carried by him in front of others. Yet now she didn't show any care about him tearing apart her pants and showing off her leg in front of people she barely knew.

Nora seriously thought over her answer. "It's...kind of like a chain reaction. I trust you, so by default I trust your friends. And out of all of us here, this goddess is definitely the most harmless," she said, laughing at the end.

"Just call me Lydia," the goddess said before she began slathering a sweet-smelling paste all over Nora's thigh. "These two really did a number on Michael. They think that just because they learned a bit of starlight they can bully those weaker than them."

"I'm sorry," Yvain said, truly ashamed of what he had done, even if it was an accident.

"Don't say sorry to me, say sorry to Michael," she said. "He's a bit rough around the edges, but he's only doing his job."

A tame sort of green glow began to grow in strength as Lydia put more and more of the paste over Nora's thigh.

"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be able to go from village to village tending to those that need my help." Despite the seriousness of her words, Lydia didn't seem to be truly angry at them.

"It's my fault," Nelimir said, looking as abashed as Yvain. "I'll admit, I've gotten a bit ahead of myself in my excitement to learn about your race and brought some unnecessary troubles to you. If there's anything I can do just let me know."

"As long as you understand your mistake, it's enough." Finished spreading the contents of her bowl, Lydia stood and went to her desk. "And I'm human just like you, nothing more nothing less."

"What exactly did you put on my leg?" Nora asked, curiously poking the paste.

"Let it sit overnight. The healing properties of the medicine will seep into your leg, setting and healing your fractured femur in the process." Lydia said. She then motioned toward the door with an apologetic expression, "Now if you would be so kind, I have an early morning tomorrow."

Yvain carefully helped Nora stand up. Her tired eyes and haggard state pulled at his heart strings so he rained kisses on her soft cheek on a whim.

"You were very brave," he said coquettishly.

"Oh shut up," Nora giggled and pushed his face away, eliciting a laugh from him too.

"Enough of that, you're making my hairs stand on end," Nelimir said with a shiver, "and we need to get up early too, let's go."

As the trio headed out, Lydia's voice stopped them. "There is something I would ask of you," she said.

"Yes?" Nelimir asked with a bit more eagerness than he probably intended to show.

"Leave this village come morning and never stop in any like it again." The harmless words elicited a slight sense of pressure coming out of the motherly woman. "I sympathize with your vision for the future, I really do. But they will bring an ocean of enemies intent on sweeping you away and I will not allow any harm to come to my people."

With that, she went back to putting away her materials.

Nelimir stood in place as if a weight had been set on his shoulders. The third prince's ambition was common knowledge around Empryon. Enough so that apparently even Lydia knew of it.

Yvain honestly didn't expect it, as they were at the country's border. Though her inherent nature saw her traveling the villages spread around the country, so it made sense that she might have more information available to her.

Nelimir ran his hand over his hair and exhaled deeply, walking out while lost in his thoughts.

Michael was nowhere to be seen outside. Yvain secretly felt relieved. Despite Lydia's request and his own regret over the matter, he and Michael were both warriors. They had their own duties and the clash between them was simply an overlap of said responsibilities. Apologizing to the man would just be an awkward affair for both of them.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Yvain struggled to stay awake as drowsiness overwhelmed him. Selt was deep into his dreams with Nora and Roesia faring no better. The small sorceress frog forced her eyes to open only to slowly close them again, while the beautiful redhead already had her eyes closed. The sole indication she was awake was her hand playing with Yvain's. Only Elly and Nelimir were still wide awake.

The carriage came to a stop after moving far enough from the village. With them now sitting in the middle of the open grasslands, Yvain tapped on Nora's hand, alerting her of their arrival.

Raising her head abruptly, after being woken from her half-sleep, she looked around.

"Why did we leave the village?" she asked.

As an answer, a section of the seats that were free sunk into the floor. Then the wall that was left behind opened up to reveal an entrance.

"Come on Roesia, you're about to fall flat," Elly said. Roesia jumped on the offered hand and the duo went through the doorway.

Nelimir picked up the sleeping Selt and turned to Yvain. "I'll handle Selt. Nora can stay with you." He then looked at Nora. "I trust you aren't against the idea?"

Nora smiled and shook her head. "Not at all. But I hope you'll forgive me when I ask what in the stars is that?" she said as she pointed at the open door.

"It's better if you ask Roesia herself," Yvain said. "We've known her for a while, yet less than half the time do we understand her creations." He was curious as to why Nora was finding all of these occurrences strange considering the explanation she gave on space back in the dungeon. He himself had only heard his sorceress friend mention the concept in passing; specifically, when she had been building their ride.

"I agree," Nelimir said. "And I hope you'll forgive me too when I say this," his expression turned grave, "I don't know what is going on between you two, but do not betray the trust I've given you Miss Nora. Nor betray the trust given to you by my friend. He's the sole reason I am treating you as I am at the moment."

"Do you really have to say that much?" Yvain said. He understood that he was basically bringing a stranger into their home. But still, the trust he felt toward Nora was unwavering. He couldn't explain how, but he knew she would never do anything to hurt him or his friends. When she put into words the way she trusted him back at the goddess's home it only felt natural that she would think that way.

"That's quite alright," Nora said. "I know we haven't had the time to get better acquainted Nelimir, but I'm willing to clear up any doubts you and the rest may have."

"I'll be looking forward to it then," Nelimir said, and left with Selt in his arms.

"Don't mind him," Yvain said. "I always tell him he needs to be less crass about things."

"I don't mind it at all. I'd go even farther and say I'm glad that you have such a reliable friend," Nora said. "They can be a blessing in your most trying times."

"He does hold us all together; I'll give him that much," Yvain said. "Now come on, I want to sleep already." He wrapped Nora's arm around him and lifted her up.

Past the entrance were stairs leading down. Yvain closed the door once they were both inside. Instead of a click, a sound akin to fingers sliding quickly across a solid surface reverberated softly before it locked. As there was only enough space for one person to go down at a time, he descended first, letting Nora hold on to his back as she hopped down. She softly gasped when they reached the bottom.

"Humans are amazing, aren't they?" she said.

In front of them was a living room made of dark mahogany wood. Several doors were spread out around it with more intricate double doors standing at the far end. In the middle, there was a long table that could sit all of the members of Draconian's Tavern. At the head was a chair a bit more luxurious than the rest, waiting in silence for someone worthy to sit in it. A crystal chandelier illuminated the place, but there was no visible flame. Instead, lights with no discernible source of power shinned down.

"Yeah, it's not every day you see something like this," Yvain said with a bit of pride. "It wasn't easy to get the materials necessary to build it. It was actually thanks to Selt that we got the most difficult to find piece, which incidentally served as our first meeting."

"Maybe you can tell me that story eventually?" Nora said with genuine interest. Yvain nodded with a smile and guided her to a door at the right end of the room.

"This is where we'll be staying." Inside, the material scheme was the same as the living room. A bed wide enough for at least three people was to their right with a closed door on the other side of it. At the end of the room, a greatsword that was much bigger than Yvains's old one was hanging on the wall, next to it was a wardrobe. A lone lamp hung from the ceiling.

Closing the door behind them, Yvain guided Nora to his bed.

"Wait a moment," she said and tried putting light pressure on her leg.

"How is it?" Yvain asked.

"It's still a bit painful, but I think it really will be healed by tomorrow." Nora then lifted the covers and carefully laid herself down.