The mood at the Rootwater inn was fairly subdued. It was late, the early hours of the morning. The sound of glasses clinking. The fire, always burning, crackled. Valir was busy fussing over Jasper.

“I’m just a little bruised,” the bard exclaimed testily, though the amount of pain he was in betrayed that he was more than just a little bruised. She seemed more annoyed that there was no wound for her to treat than the fact that it had happened at all.

“Won’t let me get a wise woman. What else can I do?” She rubbed salve on the nasty bruise that was spreading across his abdomen, to much protesting from Jasper.It was a dark purple, with green around the edges. It was the kind of bruise that Kel knew was almost as bad as a wound. Jasper was in enough pain, however, that he couldn’t dare think of moving away. Even breathing seemed to make him wince.

“You could get me a whiskey.” Jasper pleaded.

Valir pretended not to hear him. “First, Lianna is attacked by some scoundrel. Now you. What next? Is Kel to be savagely beaten, then?”

Lianna returned with bandages, though they were clearly unneeded. “It wasn’t a person, sister. It was a demon.”

“Guin grab your lying tongue. There can’t be demons in Five Pines. It’s a literal impossibility.”

“It was. It was a demon. Black like a shadow. And it spoke to me. It said horrible things.”

“You’re being silly. T’was some no-good pickpocket, most likely. Blood loss made you see things, I reckon.” Valir dabbed a finger in the salve again and went to apply a new layer while Jasper tried his best to shrink away.

“I am not being silly!” Lianna, who was generally very composed, seemed close to tears. Kel wondered if it was the fact that they were sisters that she could get to her that way. She never lost her composure like that with him. He felt so bad for her. He thought about backing up her claim, explaining that it had indeed been a demon. But that would mean admitting the truth to Valir. And he wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

The typically stoic girl was shivering, the bandages forgotten on the floor. “It was terrifying. It wanted to tear me open. It was going to tear me open.”

Valir seemed to realize she had gone to far, but she wasn’t the type to apologize easily.“Okay, everyone, that’s it - to bed with all of you,” she exclaimed. “Get some rest. And warm milk for you, Leanna. I don’t want to be woken by nightmares tonight.” Though she seemed terse, there was worry in her eyes. Kel had seen it there before, when she had heard about her sister’s attack. Lianna looked mutinous, but said nothing.

As Kel and Lianna each retreated to their rooms, he looked back to see the barmaid and the minstrel embrace momentarily.

“I’ll be fine,” he heard Jasper whisper before planting a kiss on her cheek.

The next day, Kel worked tables for most of the day. Apparently Lianna wasn’t feeling well, so she was staying in her room. The door creaked open and Trixy walked in, her cloak slightly torn so that he could see the leather studded armor beneath. What did she do when she went out?

He hailed her and she actually greeted him.

Good evening, she said in mammalian.

“Good evening,” he replied. It was better to mirror her speech - he was still getting a feel for inflection and he was keenly aware of the number of times he had offended her. After a time, Trixy had talked to Valir about him. She was friendlier after that - she understood that he was just trying to talk, and practice, and to get to know her. As long as he was respectful of her sleeping, she didn't’ seem to mind.

Trixy made the loris equivalent of a smile. He going to be okay? She motioned to Jasper, who was now limping about the room doing odd chores to help Valir since he couldn’t do any heavy lifting for the moment.

He’ll be fine, he emoted. Just a little bruised.

Good. Bruises lead to strength. She nodded sagely. Kel wasn’t sure exactly what she meant, but it sounded roughly like idioms he had heard growing up about hardships making one stronger. Was she actually warming up to him?

The loris sauntered over to the bar where Valir was busy unloading a crate of bottles, leather and chain-mail swishing over fur. Staying out late tonight. Going to need a chair for the day. Kel hadn’t quite understood every word, but the sentences themselves made sense when he put it all together in context. Trixy dropped a couple of copper coins on the bar. Valir nodded and handed her an apple. “I’ll have a wake-brew ready for you when the sun sets.” She smiled and turned back to her work while Trixy settled in the chair by the fire.

Can’t talk tonight, boy, Trixy said to him as she pulled her hood over her face. Got work tonight.

What is it you do, anyway? Kel asked, hoping she didn’t find that rude. But Trixy was already sleeping, her hood rising and falling with her breath. If anything, Kel was jealous of her ability to sleep in a tavern in the middle of the day.

With nothing else to distract him and his chores all done, Kel’s nagging curiosity got the better of him and he decided to pester Jasper, who was still somehow determined to get some work done around the tavern. “How did you survive that stabbing?” he asked, with no preamble whatsoever.

Jasper set down the rag he had been using to wipe down a table and huffed. “I got lucky.”

“Seriously,” Kel crossed his arms, unimpressed.

“It’s a long story,” the bard eyed him warily.

“Short version?”

“Even the short version is long.” The bard grunted and sat laboriously in the chair. He began to tune his lute, plucking each string and wincing into the distance as if the tones physically hurt him. Perhaps in his state they did.

Kel rolled his eyes. “You know you should go the healer. Mercier will have something for you, surely.”

“You’re the third person to tell me that. Perhaps I will do just that, though he’ll surely give me hell for my tobacco habit.”

“You should probably stop smoking, then, too.”

“Isaac whip you all, can’t a man just recline and tune his instrument after nearly being shanked to death?”

“Sure - as soon as you tell me how survived the near-shanking.”

“If I promise to tell you soon - not now, but soon - will you leave me alone?”

“Depends on how soon.”

“Tonight?” the bard ventured with pleading look.

“Tonight,” Kel grinned, “after you visit a proper healer.”

“Ugh, fine.” With a defeated, albeit relieved look, Jasper returned to his tuning in earnest, leaving Kel to go about his day with a small sense of triumph.