Seeking information on the local birds as part of her continuing quest to find an animal companion, Lucinda was on her way to the adventurers’ guild, whose location she had become aware of during her earlier wanderings. Her concerns about visiting the place – mainly somehow having her class revealed – still remained, but had largely been overridden by desperation in the face of a drastic lack of alternatives.

The guild building was located just east of the town centre, and considerably larger than those it sat between, but otherwise sported the same slightly worn, wooden exterior. Stepping across the threshold, Lucinda was greeted by a wide-open room that was cleanly split into separate areas. Just a short distance opposite the large double doors she’d entered from, a typical wooden shop counter awaited her, while beyond, the space opened up into a tavern-like section. Sparing a brief glance at the mix of adventurers she saw beyond, Lucinda approached the counter.

“Looking to join?” a short, dark-haired man with a tired expression asked her.

“No, not really. I was hoping to ask someone about birds of prey that live in the local area.”

“An awfully specific question,” the man replied with a frown. “Though, there's a good chance we have someone that can help.”

“Really?” Lucinda asked eagerly.

“’Course, with you not being a member, I can’t go letting you through to bother anyone.”

“Oh… I’d have to sign up then?”

The man’s eyes did a quick once over of Lucinda’s body, lingering noticeably in spots that left her mildly annoyed, though she tried not to show it.

“You sure you’re not a Prole?”

“Quite sure, thanks,” Lucinda replied tersely, bringing a faint half-smile to the man’s face.

“It’ll still cost you.”

Oh, of course it would…

“… How much?”

“A single gold piece,” the man delivered, with laughter in his eyes.

“That seems a bit expensive…”

“It’s well worth it, for those that can afford it. Being a member gives you free rein to use our facilities, including baths, beds, the tavern, the training hall. There’s more, but there’s little point explaining it all if you can’t cough up the gold.”

“I think I’d rather save my coin for something else… Isn’t there some other way? I really just want to ask a simple question.”

“There is as it happens. You can make an official request, and hope one of our members decides to fulfil it. ‘Course, there’s a fee for that too.”

“Of course,” Lucinda replied with barely contained anger. “How much?”

“I think you can guess,” the man said in way of reply, adding a twisted smile to accompany his words.

“One gold!?” Lucinda exclaimed loudly. “Just to make a request?”

“Yes, that is the usual fee. Though, maybe I could bend the rules… If someone were to convince me well enough.”

“Convince you how?” Lucinda asked with a heavyset frown etched upon her brow.

“It’s simple enough. Join me in the back for a bit. I’m sure a lovely young thing such as yourself can figure out the rest from there.”

The man’s words, and his continuation of the same twisted smile, sent a sudden spike of anger through Lucinda’s body. Gripping her staff tightly in one hand, she tried her best to resist voicing her intense dislike of him, and mostly succeeded.

“You… Disgusting pig!” she shouted, before turning around and storming out of the building, as the man’s booming laughter followed behind her.

Back outside, she stood fuming near the guild entrance.

What is wrong with this town? No library… Hateful guild clerks… What next!? Ah, I don’t care if it’s against the spirit of things… I’ll just ask Waflaw!

As her decision to return to the inn reached her legs, a voice called out from the guild building behind her.

“Hey, wait up!”

Still consumed by her negative emotions, Lucinda was very tempted to ignore the shout, despite it quite obviously being directed at her. However, the owner of the voice was clearly not the man who had tormented her so, and wasn’t even male in fact. Turning back towards the guild entrance, Lucinda caught sight of the woman who had shouted after her. She was somewhat tall and dressed in a full set of leather armour that hinted at an athletic build beneath. Her hair was dark, and long enough to reach past her shoulders, while upon her pretty face sat two pale brown eyes.

The woman offered her a friendly smile as she moved closer.

“I heard you shouting at Frim back there. I think everyone did in fact.”

“Yeah, so?” Lucinda blurted out.

“Woah…” the woman replied, holding her hands up placatingly. “You’re angry still, I can see that. I don’t blame you, either. Look, Frim’s a sexist prick, but he only speaks for himself. The rest of us aren’t half so bad.”

“If you say so.”

“Aww, don’t be like that. I’m trying to be friendly here. I’m Bryn, by the way.”

“… Lucinda.”

“There, that wasn’t so hard was it?” Bryn said with a pleased smile. “You mind telling me what’s got you all worked up?”

Lucinda’s anger had been steadily diminishing in the face of the freely offered friendliness of the woman before her, and with a quiet sigh, she decided to trust her.

“I was looking for someone that might know about local birds of prey. I wanted to ask around in the guild, but that… man…”

“Disgusting pig,” Bryn offered encouragingly. “It’s true, no need to sugar coat it.”

“… That disgusting pig, said I had to pay to become a member, or put in a request for help.”

“I take it you didn’t feel like paying?”

“No… I don’t have that kind of coin! Then, he said I could pay another way… By joining him in the back…”

“That bastard,” Bryn growled, as she shot an angry glare back at the guild building. “I’m sorry, Lucinda. I’ve been telling the management for years that Frim needs to go. But, they haven’t been listening. A few upset women isn’t much of an issue to them.”

“They’re sexist too?” Lucinda asked in annoyance.

“No… Maybe? I’m not sure… Other than Frim, things are fine. I’ve been treated fairly as a member, and I think the other women would tell you the same. We even have our own bunk room, and baths too. You were just unlucky he was manning the desk.”

“That doesn’t really help me feel any better…”

“Shit, you’re right, sorry.” Bryn gave Lucinda an apologetic smile alongside her words. “Look, maybe I can help you still? Birds of prey, right? I know a guy that might know a thing or two.”

“Really?” Lucinda asked, feeling a faint blossom of hope build inside her.

“You bet. Well, maybe.” Bryn said, before laughing noisily. “We can ask him if he’s around. I can’t say for sure he has what you need, though.”

“That would be great! Where is he?”

“He should be in the guild, but he wasn’t in the tavern when I left. If he’s not in one of the bunk rooms, we’ll have to go hunting for him elsewhere.”

“You’d do all that for me? We’ve just met…”

“Of course I would. Us girls have to stick together! Though, it also helps that you’re kind of cute.”

“I’m… Cute?” Lucinda stammered, as her cheeks flushed brightly.

“Yeah, no one ever told you that before?”

“Not really…”

“Heh, there’s a first time for everything,” Bryn replied with a wink. “You want to go look for my friend, then?”

“Ah… Am I allowed inside?”

“With me you are. And if that bastard gets any funny ideas, I’ll set him straight!”

“Okay, then,” Lucinda agreed, with her feelings of gloom finally having dispersed.

Lucinda followed the other woman back inside the guild building. Upon seeing the man named Frim still waiting at the desk, Lucinda felt a sudden resurgence of her dark emotions, but managed to mostly keep them off her face. The knowledge that her newest friend was willing to stand up for her was comforting, even if she hoped it wouldn’t end in actual violence. With Bryn’s armour and the sword at her hip, compared to Frim’s simple clothes, Lucinda had little doubt as to who would win. She simply had no wish to tangentially take part in murder.

“Non-members aren’t allowed,” Frim said as he caught sight of Lucinda following behind Bryn.

“She’s my guest, and I say she is,” Bryn replied crossly.

“Just because you’ve been a member for a few years doesn’t give you the right to bend the rules!”

“You’re telling me that!? You know, Frim, one of these days, one of the girls you try and scare off is going to take offence, and take a dagger to that ugly mug of yours. And I’ll be there to pat them on the back when they do. I doubt I’ll be the only one either.”

“Is that a threat, skank?” Frim shouted, with eyes full of burning hatred.

“So, what if it is?” Bryn shouted back. “What are you going to do about it?”

Frim’s next retort seemed to fall flat midway to initiation. Instead, his eyes narrowed further and blazed more brightly as they bored into Bryn. Lucinda couldn’t see the other woman’s face, but got the impression she was unfazed by the ocular assault.

“I thought so,” Bryn said, with a tone of severe smugness. “We’ll be entering the guildhall now, Frim.”

Fighting back her own amusement, Lucinda followed behind the other woman. Frim seemed to have nothing else to add, other than a muttered curse that Lucinda couldn’t quite make out as they passed.

A quick stop by the tavern revealed Bryn’s friend wasn’t there, and instead, Lucinda was led down a long corridor away from the main area. They passed a number of doors, some open revealing small rooms beyond, while others refused to give up their secrets. Rounding a bend in the corridor, Bryn stopped in front of the first door they came across.

“You might want to wait out here,” Bryn suggested. “Unless you really want to see a room full of half-naked and sweaty men.”

“That depends on what they look like I guess,” Lucinda replied with a wide smile.

Bryn let out a brief laugh at Lucinda’s words. “You’re not quite as shy as I thought. You’re welcome to come find out, if you like.”

“Mmm, I’ll wait.”

“Won’t be long, then.”

Standing outside the newly closed door, Lucinda didn’t in fact have long to wait before a loud crashing noise reached her. A pair of angry voices soon followed, one of which sounded a lot like her guide, and the other, that of a man. Gradually, the voices seemed to increase in volume, before falling silent altogether.

The door soon opened again, revealing the smiling face of Bryn, and an unhappy-looking man beside her. The man had brown hair, that was wild and dishevelled, with parts sticking up seemingly at random from his scalp. His eyes were a deep green, and might have been fetching if not for the heavy bags underneath. Matching his unkempt appearance, his simple cloth shirt and trousers were heavily stained in a variety of different shades.

“I found him,” Bryn announced. “He wasn’t busy either!”

“Wasn’t busy…” the man grumbled. “About to win the entire pot, and I ‘wasn’t busy’ she says.”

“Lucinda, this is Mulgra. Mulgra, Lucinda.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Lucinda said politely.

“Yeah…That.” Mulgra replied with a brief nod. “Whadda’ ya want? I’ve got a game to get back to.”

“I was wondering if you knew about local birds of prey. I’m looking for the larger kinds. Umm, well the larger kinds that aren’t giant, I mean.”

“Is that it?” Mulgra said with a weary sigh. “It’s common knowledge… Hardly worth dragging me here for…”

“Ignore him, Lucinda,” Bryn interjected. “Mulgra wouldn’t know what common knowledge was if it bit off both of his arms. Too much time spent wandering the wilds. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” Bryn’s knowing smile left Lucinda with little doubt as to whether her class archetype had been determined by the other woman.

“Whatever,” the man said dismissively. “Fine, ya wanna know… I’ll tell ya. Best place for finding large birds is to the northeast, by the pass that leads to Oradas. There’s a spot up there… I could mark it if you’ve a map?”

“Umm, sorry, I don’t,” Lucinda reluctantly admitted.

“Tsk… Useless.”

“Be nice, Mulgra,” Bryn warned.

“Yeah, yeah…” Mulgra replied. “Maybe if ya hadn’t dragged me away from the game, I would be.”

“Oh, stop being such a baby and finish telling her already.”

With another weary sigh, Mulgra looked back at Lucinda. “There’s a village not far from it, someone there’ll know the place I mean.”

“Thanks, that helps a lot.” Lucinda tried to encourage the man with a smile, but was met with stone-faced indifference. “What kind of birds are there, though?”

“Big ones, obviously.”

“Mulgra…” Bryn said quietly, her voice filled with threats of impending violence.

“Tsk… Fine, condors and eagles. That answer ya question?”

“Sorry, but could you give me an idea of how big they are?” Lucinda asked.

Mulgra affixed Lucinda with a look that told her exactly how unwilling he was to answer any more questions. Fortunately, Bryn came to her aid again with a swift elbow to the man’s ribs.

“No need for that!” he complained angrily, as he rubbed his side. “Sheesh. They’re big, alright. About half as tall as a man. Maybe a bit more for you. Wingspan easily as big as a man, if not more.”

“Wow, that’s bigger than I expected… A lot smaller than a giant eagle though, I guess.”

“You don’t say.” Mulgra’s voice dripped with condescension. “We done?”

“Lucinda?” Bryn asked, bringing her back from thoughts of large winged creatures.

“I think that’s all I need,” Lucinda replied. “Thanks, Mulgra. Sorry to take you away from your game. You’ve been a real help!”

The man named Mulgra again demonstrated his immunity to Lucinda’s buoyant attitude, and made a non-committal noise in response, before heading back into the room he’d been removed from against his wishes.

“Thanks to you too, Bryn,” Lucinda said warmly. “I’d almost given up.”

“My pleasure! You’ll be heading off soon, then?”

“Not until tomorrow, I think.”

“Ah, great! You can come and have some drinks with me then.”

“Oh…Umm…”

Calling me cute… Asking me to drink with her… Am I worrying over nothing?

“I’ll even pay for your share,” Bryn continued. “Come on, it’ll be fun!”

The sword-wielding woman’s smiling ways and enthusiasm rapidly eroded Lucinda’s reluctance, and with the debt Lucinda felt she owed her, she gave in before long.

“Okay,” Lucinda agreed. “Frim won’t be a problem?”

“Forget about him. He’s lost that battle.” Bryn’s earlier smugness returned to her face for a brief moment.

“Then, sure. I’d be happy too.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that. Come on then, tavern’s just around the corner!”

Lucinda followed Bryn back into the main room of the guild, ignoring the dark glare she received from Prim as they entered. The floor of the tavern was packed with round wooden tables and their accompanying stools, though more were empty than full. Taking a closer look at the patrons, Lucinda observed most were decked in armour of various kinds, including robes, leather, mail, and plate. Weapons were less common, but still present at hips, or propped up against tables. She also couldn’t help but notice the occupants were predominantly men.

Bryn led her to an empty table near the back, waving briefly at a nearby table with two men sitting at it as they passed through the room.

“Take a seat,” Bryn said. “I’ll get us some drinks.”

Sitting down facing away from the rest of the patrons, Lucinda let her thoughts drift to animal companions.

Condors and eagles… Will I end up with one of those? They sound like what I’m after… More than half my height really is big for a bird. But, what do they look like? I still want something cute, or at least a bit cute…

“Here we are,” the voice of Bryn called out, bringing Lucinda out of her thoughts.

The leather-clad woman placed two mugs down on the table, and then sat on the stool next to Lucinda.

“I have you pegged as someone that enjoys sweetness,” Bryn said, as she pushed a mug in front of Lucinda. “So, here. The sweetest mead you’ll likely ever taste.”

“Thanks,” Lucinda replied, returning Bryn’s smile easily.

Lucinda brought the mug up to her nose and took in the slightly flowery scent, before taking a sip of the murky liquid inside. It was as sweet as Bryn had said it would be, and Lucinda let the flavours swim through her mouth for several seconds, before finally gulping it down.

“Mmm, it’s great!”

“See, told you. There’s plenty more where that came from too, so drink up!”

Encouraged by Bryn’s words, and the casual way in which she knocked back her own drink, Lucinda took another larger sip of her sweet mead.

“So, you like birds, huh?” Bryn asked.

“I do. All the different kinds, with their different colours, their different songs… I think they’re wonderful! I used to love feeding seed to the ones that landed on my window sill.”

“I can imagine you did. You have such a look of innocence about you, I bet those birds fed right out of your hands!”

“They did as it happens.” Lucinda smiled fondly as she recalled the pleasant memories. “But, I might have cheated slightly…”

“Oh really? Do tell.”

Lucinda debated whether or not to reveal her innate ability, but it didn’t take much for her to realise she trusted the other woman.

“Now that is impressive,” Bryn said, once Lucinda had finished her explanation. “I knew there was something special about you!”

“Other than me being cute, you mean?” Lucinda surprised herself by asking the question, and seemed to catch Bryn off guard with it too.

“You’re really not as shy as I thought.” Bryn smiled widely at Lucinda as she made her comment. “You guessed it exactly, though.”

Bryn’s words – and the playful hint her smile took on as she said them – answered Lucinda’s internal question. She had been hoping to receive another confirmation of the earlier compliment, along with the faint feeling of warmth that came with it, and she had. That just left the problem of how she felt about the realisation.

It doesn’t mean anything… I just appreciate the attention…

“You’re parents are Druids then?” Bryn asked.

“No, both Clerics.”

“Oh, I bet that caused some problems.”

“…Father didn’t take it so well,” Lucinda replied, feeling a pang of regret as she spoke, that she was sure made it to her face.

“Ah, sorry. Didn’t mean to drag up bad memories. Probably wasn’t too long ago either?”

“Less than a week…”

“Ouch. That was insensitive of me.”

“It’s okay. You couldn’t have known.” Lucinda forced a smile for the benefit of her table partner, as well as herself. “How about you? Were your parents okay with what you chose?”

“And what class would that be?” Bryn asked with a teasing smile.

“Umm… Rogue?”

“Nope,” Bryn said with a single shake of her head.

“Fighter?”

“Nope,” Bryn said again, with a hint of laughter in her voice.

“Necromancer?” Lucinda asked, while trying hard to keep a straight face.

“Nope!” Bryn held off her own laughter just long enough to reply, and Lucinda soon joined her as she inevitably succumbed. “I’m an Archer,” Bryn offered once both her and Lucinda had calmed down. “My bow’s stashed with the rest of my gear in the bunk room. I’m still decent with the sword, though. At least, I think so. As for my parents… My mother died giving birth to me, so I can’t comment there. But, my father approved, at least before he died too.”

“Oh… Now I feel bad,” Lucinda offered with an apologetic look.

“Don’t. It was a long time ago. I’ve come to terms with it.”

Lucinda took a few sips of her sweet drink as a silence fell upon the table.

“Is your armour new?” Bryn asked suddenly.

“It is!” Lucinda exclaimed excitedly. “It was made especially for me, and I only got it today.”

“Mmm, I can see that. The breastplate is really eye-catching.”

“I think you mean chestpiece.” Lucinda retorted.

“Nope.” Bryn smiled as she shook her head from side to side. Reaching out with one hand, she tapped a single finger between and above the large moulded bumps on Lucinda’s chest. “This is definitely a breastplate,” she stated, emphasising the first half of her final word, while her tapping finger released a solid thud from the hardened leather.

“If you were a man I’d think you were being quite inappropriate,” Lucinda chastised playfully, as she looked down at the finger that still lingered upon her.

“Lucky for me I’m not a man then,” Bryn countered, as she tapped her finger a few more times before pulling it away. “Speaking of men… Is there one in your life?”

“Umm… I’m travelling with my mentor at the moment. He’s definitely a man.”

“A mentor, huh? What’s he like?”

“He’s nice… He’s taught me so much already. About classes, and about being a Druid. I’m learning a lot just from observing him too. The best places to sleep out in the wild, the types of food to pick, although I knew some of that already.”

“Uh-huh… And is he handsome?”

“He’s not bad…” Lucinda admitted, with her cheeks taking on a hint of colour. “All the wandering he does has kept him in shape, too.”

“I’ll bet. So, have you thought of bedding him?”

Lucinda froze midway to taking a sip of her drink. Her cheeks brightened in an instant, giving away everything, or so she feared. Those fears were then realised, when Bryn laughed loudly, slamming one hand down on the table a few times.

“More than thought about it! I had you all wrong, you’re not shy in the slightest. Or did he force himself on you?”

“No… I kind of forced him…” Lucinda stammered as her cheeks shone brightly.

Bryn’s laughter returned more powerful than before as she took in Lucinda’s admission.

“I doubt it took much effort,” she finally added. “Most men would have a hard time saying no to someone as pretty as you. Some women too…”

“Oh, I’m pretty as well as cute, am I?” Lucinda grinned as she teased Bryn some more.

“Mmm, I’d say so. Why is that a problem?”

“Some might say it was…”

“I bet. But, what do you think?”

“I’m… not sure,” Lucinda admitted, her earlier blush returning at almost full force.

“Mmm, well, the night is still young…” Bryn said with a playful smile. “Plenty of time for me to corrupt you still…”

“Ahh, you are a Necromancer, then!” Lucinda said, bringing one hand to her face in joking surprise.

“Hey, not so loud!” Bryn replied around another bout of laughter caused by Lucinda’s antics. “Ah, too late… The dark looks have begun,” she added, glancing past Lucinda to the tavern floor beyond.

“Sorry,” Lucinda offered just before she erupted into a fit of quiet giggling.

“I’ll get us another round, maybe remind the bartender of my class while I’m at it… Same again fine with you?”

“Okay,” Lucinda replied, as Bryn got up from her seat.

Left alone with her thoughts, Lucinda considered the tumultuous feelings she was experiencing. A part of her was eager to return to the inn and tell Waflaw what she’d learned, so she could more quickly move on to the next stage of gaining an animal companion. But, another increasingly large part of her, was wondering just what might happen if she spent the evening with the decidedly friendly woman she’d encountered, and how she’d feel about it if anything did happen. The faint, but persistent feeling of butterflies in her stomach wasn’t helping much.

“Another batch of delicious sweetness,” Bryn’s voice announced, jolting her back to the present.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to pay?” Lucinda asked as she took her new mug.

“I’m sure. It’s my treat!” Bryn took a healthy swig of her drink, prompting Lucinda to do the same.

“Are all adventurers so generous?”

“Just the ones with ulterior motives,” Bryn replied quickly, adding a wink as she did. “So, what are your plans for afterwards?”

“Afterwards?”

“You know, once you’re done finding your animal companion, and then done with the whole mentoring thing. Unless you’re making a habit of bedding your mentor?”

“It was just one time…” Lucinda blushed brightly as the embarrassing topic was brought up again. “How’d you know I was looking for an animal companion?”

“Because you all but admitted it already. A young Druid asking around about a specific type of animal. One who’s only been a Druid for less than a week too. I’m no expert on your class, but it was a safe bet.”

“Yeah… Okay. I haven’t really thought about afterwards, honestly. I’ll probably talk it over with my mentor, see what he thinks.”

“I can understand that. But, what about you? What do you want to do?”

“Mmm…” Lucinda voiced as she thought about the question. “I want to… Explore the world. Meet all the different kinds of animals… Try new things… Get stronger. Have fun!”

“That’s more like it!” Bryn encouraged. “You know, I don’t mean to force my own opinion on you, but that’s the kind of answer an adventurer would give. Have you thought about signing up?”

“I have. It does sound like fun. But, I’ve also heard it’s dangerous, and I wouldn’t want to end up in a bad group…”

I’d have to reveal my class too…

“You’re right, it can be dangerous. That’s why you need reliable allies! And that’s something I can help you with: You could join my group.”

“Really? You mean that? You’ve only known me for an hour or so…”

“That sounds awfully like a question you asked me earlier, and my answer isn’t much different.”

“I hope you don’t recruit all your members based on how cute they are…”

Bryn, who had been in the process of sampling her mead, nearly spat out a portion of it as she succumbed to laughter at Lucinda’s words.

“Sorry,” she offered once she’d finished her mouthful without spilling any. “It’s just… Well, you saw them before. At the table I waved at.”

“Oh…” Lucinda said, as she turned to look where Bryn had begun pointing.

Lucinda hadn’t paid much attention to the finer features of the other tavern occupants, partly due to her usual desire to avoid dwelling on how cramped and busy tavern rooms often were. However, the indicated individuals were none other than two men, sitting just a few tables away. While that didn’t necessarily preclude them from being cute, one of them was quite obviously bald, and that – at least in Lucinda’s mind, and apparently Bryn’s – certainly did.

“I see.” Lucinda giggled quietly as she realised how off her assumption had been. “Sorry for doubting you.”

“That’s quite alright. But, so what if we’ve only known each other for a short time? I’d love for you to join all the same. And not just because of your physical features…”

“Is that a third compliment?” Lucinda playfully asked.

“Or was it the fourth?” Bryn countered, adopting a teasing smile of her own. “Maybe it’ll be my turn for one soon?”

“Well… You’ve got a large purse.”

“Oof, that’s not really what I was hoping for.”

“Mmm… You’re kind of pretty,” Lucinda offered, once again surprising herself with her boldness, even with the drink helping her.

“Aww, only kind of? I guess that’s fair.”

“What other reasons were there?” Lucinda prompted, wanting to move on from her embarrassing admittance.

“Oh, right… Well, it’s just we’re lacking in support magic. The other two are a Rogue and a Paladin. Etmer, he’s the Paladin, can heal a little bit, but relying on that isn’t ideal.”

“Ah…”

That’s really not what I imagined myself doing… Is my heal spell better than a Paladin’s? Oh… Am I actually considering this?

“Woah, hey, I didn’t mean to try and force you into a role,” Bryn continued, correctly guessing at least part of what Lucinda was considering in silence. “I’d be happy to have you along no matter what you wanted to do! Well, mostly. If you wanted to just sit pretty and let us do all the work, that might be a problem.”

“What about your friends?”

“They’d be happy to have you along too, I’m sure of it. I am the group leader after all.”

“Ooo, you get to boss them around?” Lucinda asked excitedly.

“I do! It’s definitely one of the perks of the job. So, what do you say?”

“I’m not sure… But, I promise I’ll think about it!”

“That’s a start.” Bryn smiled eagerly. “Then I’ll just have to seduce you with the fabulous stories of our recent exploits! That way you’ll be sure to accept.”

“I am curious.”

“I hoped you might be, and I’ve got plenty of stories to share…”

As Bryn got up from the table for more drinks, Lucinda let herself relax slightly, with the revelation that her newest friend was mainly trying to recruit her, easing some of the internal conflict she was experiencing. However, that only lasted up until around halfway through Bryn’s first tale of the evening.

Lucinda soon learnt that her tavern companion was a skilled storyteller. No matter the topic, be it the felling of a powerful foe; the rescue of her allies, hapless victims, or innocent bystanders; or the return of a treasured item, or lost artefact; the story always contained a delicate mixture of excitement, suspense, and comedy, that had Lucinda hanging on her every word. But, that wasn’t all, as a certain amount of lewdness seemed to pervade each new tale, without seeming out of place. Such as a quest to rescue a merchant’s daughter from a band of orcs going awry, when Etmer slept with the rescued woman on the return journey, and the subsequent payment refusal by the father; or the time Trime, the party Rogue, had fought off three goblins without a stitch of clothing, after a bizarre attempt at subterfuge had failed.

There was also the animated way in which Bryn told her stories, using her hands along with her words to maximise expressiveness. Yet, Bryn’s expressive gestures, also seemed to involve touching Lucinda with surprising frequency. Like the lewdness, none of it was out of place: A light touch on Lucinda’s side, where Bryn had been slashed by a sword; or a gentle caress on her cheek, where Bryn had shot a foe. It was all well within the bounds of storytelling, but that didn’t prevent Lucinda from becoming increasingly flustered as the evening wore on, and as the alcohol started to take greater effect.

Lucinda wasn’t sure how long had passed since she’d entered the guild, and wasn’t sure of how many stories she’d listened to, but as she finished her fourth mug of mead – which came sometime after the third and the food she’d had with it – she saw the darkened sky outside, and knew it was past time for her to leave.

“Sorry,” Lucinda said, as Bryn finished her latest tale. “I need to be getting back.”

“Aww, you sure? There’s a nice bunk room here. I told you it’s for women only, didn’t I?”

“You did. Just as I told you I’m travelling with my mentor,” Lucinda replied, grinning to soften her words.

“Touché. I’ll walk you back, then.”

“Oh… I’ll be okay. Thanks.”

“Nope, not having it. Town’s dangerous after dark, and it would be such a pain to have to explain to your mentor if something happened to you!”

After one more attempt at protesting, Lucinda was forced to give in. Back outside with her pack re-shouldered, and her staff in hand, she walked through the moonlit streets beside Bryn. The distance to the inn where Waflaw waited wasn’t large, and with considerably less people out and about, a brief trip of light conversation was all it took for her to reach her destination.

“This is the place,” Lucinda said, bringing Bryn to a stop beside her. “Thanks for everything. The information, the drinks, the food, and the friendly conversation. I had a lot of fun.”

“It was my pleasure,” Bryn replied, her accompanying smile quite evident in the light of the moon. “Just don’t forget your promise. I expect to hear from you before long. If you can't find me here, leave word at the guild. Just avoid Frim and you'll be fine.”

“I’ll remember,” Lucinda offered.

“Because, if I don’t… I’ll hunt you down.”

Lucinda giggled under Bryn’s intense stare. “Now, I’m tempted to forget just to see that!”

“Don’t think for a minute I wouldn’t! You’re well worth chasing…”

“I believe you.”

Lucinda had been hoping that their walk through the cool night air would have diminished the flustered state of her emotions, and it had, at least slightly. But, as she stared into Bryn’s eyes, a smile on her face, as Bryn did likewise, it all came rushing back at full strength. She had just a few moments to consider how she felt before her breath caught as she saw Bryn lean suggestively towards her.

As Bryn’s lips met hers, Lucinda’s eyes went wide in shock. She instinctively raised one arm to push her away, but it only made it about halfway before she lost the desire to do anything with it. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax, as the pleasant warmth spread from the soft embrace of the other woman’s mouth against hers, and the remaining part of her mind that was rebelling against the wrongness of the act rapidly fell silent.

“Sorry,” Bryn said moments later as the kiss inevitably ended, and Lucinda couldn't help but notice the uncertainty and concern that tinged her voice. “I couldn’t let you go without knowing… I shouldn’t have.”

“That’s okay…” Lucinda replied, trying to ignore how flushed her cheeks felt, and how her pulse still raced.

“You don’t hate me?” Bryn winced as she tentatively asked her question.

“No! I wasn’t expecting it… But, umm… It wasn’t bad… Nice, even.”

Bryn breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and then laughed as a smile split her face.

“I should probably go before I make things worse.”

“Okay.” Lucinda matched the other woman’s smile. “It’s late,” she added.

“It is,” Bryn agreed with her eyes locked on Lucinda’s. “Goodnight.”

“Night.”

The sword-wielding Archer hesitated a few moments more, before finally turning and heading off. Lucinda watched her go, offering a wave as Bryn glanced back over her shoulder just a short way down the street.

Stepping towards the inn, Lucinda’s mind was filled with swirling chaos, as the conflicting emotions raged within her.

It was just a kiss… Just a harmless kiss…

Spotting Waflaw at one of the tables in the common room, she went to join him.

“Ah, my wayward apprentice finally makes her return,” Waflaw called out upon seeing her.

“Sorry, I’m late.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Waflaw returned with a casual smile. “Everything alright? You look a little flushed.”

“Umm, yeah, I’m fine.”

“And a fair bit tipsy, if my nose is to be believed. We best call it a night then, before anything untoward happens.” Waflaw added a wink, and then laughed as he rose from the table. “You need a hand? Or you steady enough?”

“I’m not drunk!” Lucinda exclaimed quietly, causing Waflaw to laugh more heartily.

Following Waflaw up the stairs to their shared room, Lucinda continued to examine her feelings. There was a lot to unpack, but before they’d reached the door, she realised the strongest among them was confusion. Then, as she entered through the door ahead of her mentor, she realised what needed to be done.

As the door closed behind her, Lucinda spun around and threw herself at her mentor. Waflaw caught her as she’d expected, while chuckling lightly in amused surprise. Staring up at him for just a moment, Lucinda moved in for a kiss.

With her lips touching another’s for the second time in just a short while, Lucinda began comparing every little detail as best she could. Kissing Waflaw was undoubtedly rougher, but it wasn’t a negative, and neither were the other subtle differences she noted.

“I should never have introduced you to alcohol,” Waflaw said, as the kiss ended.

“Are you sure?” Lucinda teased in reply, biting her lip suggestively as she did.

“I think the more important question right now is: Are you sure?”

A lot less sure than I was earlier today… But, I do want this.

“Yes. Help me take my armour off?”

“How could I possibly refuse such a request?”