It didn’t take long before the flow of questions slowed down to the point where it was no longer enough to shield her mind from the problems of the present and the ones that she going to face. The urge to just stop for a century, to wait until time washed them away, seemed like the perfect solution. But she couldn’t do that, she feared what would come. She was certain, it would be a death sentence at best or a one-way ticket to the mad god’s playground, not like she didn’t feel that way already. Just the mere thought alone about what else could be worse gave her the chill as she folded her arms around herself and shivered a little.

The sound of creaking wood beneath saved her temporally from the thoughts as it pulled her back to reality. She stepped on something with her bare three-toed clawed feet as she walked through the bushes following the path. Old planks, which belonged to the beginning of an old bridge. A bridge that went alongside a pond following its edge slightly curving with it for a while, then it ends at the other side. The water caught her attention. It was smooth, almost perfectly still. It reflected the surroundings while the light danced on its gentle waves. The mirrored world draw her closer, the sparkling looked like thousands of joyful fairies fooling around in the forest having the time of their life.

The scene infected her, and curiosity took over, there was a lot more about her new body that she didn’t know.

She approached the edge of the bridge, the cracking became louder. Slowly leaned over the water, doubt in her hearth. She was prepared, the worst already happened yet she wouldn’t dare to bet on it. An unfamiliar face began to outline on the surface of the water.

To her surprise, it was a face of a woman and not one that belonged to a monster, an oval base with smooth skin, a snub nose under it wide lips. Her ears were pointy like the ones the half-elf usually have, and the greyish overall colour gave her a grim, almost sinister look. Her eyes were green and bright.

She was fine with it, it could have been worse, much worse. Viewed herself there for a while, checked the sides, tilted her head, then a smile escaped and ruined the picture. It was wide, too wide and she could stretch it even more. But the teeth took the crown, they were sharp and looked terrifying.

“It’s not that bad.” No voice come out, but she said to herself and took a closer look, drawing herself nearer to the surface of the water. “I still don’t have to hide all the time, just have to watch out for the smile.”

Something was not right, her eyes looked too bright. “Almost, like gem-stones.” They were gem-stones. The realization hit her and the pile of problems grow once more. “For any keen eyes, these are dead giveaways!” She reached for one with a hand just to see if they were solid as well.

CRACK. The old planks just gave in as the stone statue in weight heroine took one last deep breath and went into the water head first with a roll. She knew how to swim, but it didn’t matter, she sank to the bottom like a rock.

It was not a deep pond at least not near at the edge. She slowly stood up without any difficulty, the pressure of water had no chance of slowing her down in the process. Her surprise vanished as the built-up anger broke to the surface. The moment her head poked out of the water a shout burst out from her. Like a new-born, for the first time, she cried out which sounded like a dreadful battle cry. She finally had a voice.

A few minutes went by, she had to get around it, since she couldn’t climb back to the bridge. Every attempt resulted only with more wood pieces. The water was smooth, almost perfectly still, only a small keg in the middle of the pond created waves. In the mirrored world the fae danced around their new treasure. But she didn’t care, there was something more important at the moment.

Voice, her voice. It just slipped her mind since she didn’t have to breathe. She took a deep breath and hesitated. What if she couldn’t form words or worst she could only growl, the question started to form. She shooed the ill thought away and started with a small step.

“Hello.” she whispered.

She did it, silence had…

“YEAH, one step a time and I beat you assho… mad god.” She started it with confidence, pointing at the sky and finished it slightly differently.

…lost. Happiness, her weights lightened and confidence replaced it as she begone to run. It was like nine, ten big happy steps and she found herself in one newly made hole which was oddly shaped just for a leg of our heroine, she hatted her new body so did the bridge.

A few more hours left before dark. Light yellow wheat farms, animals mainly cow, small houses and people started to detail the horizon one after the other.

She had it coming, a little self-doubt formed and made her check the weapons as an insurance policy. “Confidence and act like everything were normal, just like back then, she reassured herself. The plan is simple, had to the local inn get a room for the night, find a merchant, get armour or at least fitting clothes and a map. If someone asks about me and where I…” She was lost in her thought when someone stalled her.

“Hello there” A man in simple clothing stood up from the wheat.

“Gah!” The stored air escaped and she jumped a little, while reached for a weapon.

“Sorry for that, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He didn’t give her time to collect herself.” Say, did you come across a party in the woods? The elder just found a job for them and it would be urgent.”

The memories were still fresh of the blood fest. “No. I come across nobody.”

“Shame.” He shook her head. “Well that’s it then, I can no longer wait here as the night falls.” A short awkward silence as they looked around. “Well, would you mind a little company while we head back to the village?” He was bad at hiding his intentions, he couldn’t make proper eye contact and it was not a hard guest what was the reason.

“Only if you don’t mind a few questions.” One hand on the hip and a tiny smile. This was a familiar ground for her, she saw many of her collages gathering information and find out gossips about the locals this way.

The village was not far, thanks to her size, the slow walk and the upper hand she felt as the man blush and looked away sometimes was pleasant. The conversation was one sized the tone was light, questions were asked and the answers just flowed as a response. A little comment here and there to reassure the men was all she needed. Until a certain gossip come up.

“…And you must believe it if I say, she just appeared out of thin air and fallen on the top of the dinner table a few days back. The Miller, of course, was furious because of the broken table and rouse the whole village that night. But I still say it is usually a good sing to be blessed by the appearance of an outsider, even if she is a weird looking and a scourge time to time, but she is slowly learning and…” He was forced to stop as the two heads taller women grabbed him by the shoulder.

“What did you say?”

“Whaa?”

“About the miller.”

“He roused the village because an outsider broke his table.” A hint of fear filled his heart, he felt he was looking at a monster with green bright eyes.

“Where is this girl now?!”

“She stays at the barn. Please don’t hurt me.” His legs gave in but she held him in place.

The realization hit her, for a moment she forgot about herself and her mood took over her actions, again. She embarrassed herself, slowly let the man’s shoulders and turned away.

“Sorry about what just happened. It’s been hard for me for the last few days” She didn’t care about the men’s feeling, but a whole angry village certainly would not be good.

“I…I think I go now.” as he took his steps faster. Gaining distance as she stood there.

“Great, there goes my future reputation.”

The village was not that small as it appeared for the first glance. It was built on a plateau and on its light slope next to a river which likely came from a nearby cave since it was at least a few feet wide. The houses had stone foundations and most of them were pise houses with hay roofs. It was easy to get around and tell which household did what since most of the house had a sign for their trade. Only a few of the building was built of wood and they had more than one floors, the inn was one of them. In the far distance there were other groups of houses, but no sign of a town or a trade road of any kind. Overall it was a nice village with a good view of the valley.

She saw the barn where she would find the girl at night. But till then she had other goals to take care of.

The inn, people here were already good in numbers as most of them were done for the day. The laughter and smell of ale were inviting. She had a great image in her head about renting a room for the night and get hammered like never before.

As she entered, people stared at her for a while before they went back to the drinks. At the counter, the innkeeper, a bulky balding man with a long moustache was well aware of her intentions as he held a big iron key in one hand.

“7 copper for one night and the ale cost 2 for a mug as for dinner it varies.” Told her from behind the counter with a low alcohol trained voice.

“A night and a mug of ale would be enough.” She said putting down 9 coppers on the table.

There was no free table, she just stood there, a key in one hand and the mug in the other. She took a sip and tried not to cough. Her drink was disgusting yet its smell was not far from what she usually had.

“Is there something wrong?” The innkeeper raised an eyebrow.

“No, nothing. Is just seems I can’t handle ‘strong’ drinks no matter what.” As she slowly put down her almost full mug back to the table then left the inn, putting the key away.

“Shame.” She heard it from behind her back as she left.

There were still a few hours before the forced meeting that she planed in the barn and the shops were nearby. The party’s pouch didn’t contain much, if the prices are not that high it will be more than enough, since the potions were no use to her thanks to the [poison immunity].

An old rugged leather shirt nailed to a board, this was the sign on the house she entered. In there a man sitting in his chair measuring the hide in front of him and mark it with a chalk.

“Good afternoon.” Louret said.

“There, sixty-two and here eighty-seven.” He didn’t realise someone entered his shop.

“Cough-cough. Good afternoon.”

“Oah, Good afternoon miss. How may I help you?” It was a generic way most shopkeepers greeted their costumer. “Oh bugger, it's already this late?” As he glared out the door the way Louret entered.

“I could use a new set of leather clothes lightly patted with cloth beneath it.”

“I see, well then, I can take your measures now, and got to it tomorrow. Of course, if we come to a deal.”

“How much it usually cost?”

“A set is around 3-4 silver with a few coppers if someone wants it padded, but yours would be around 6 with the pads.”

“Why? For that much, I could buy two sets and I only need…one… Right.” Compare to others, she was tall as a tree. “Maybe 560?”

“580 and a little favour.”

“What is on your mind?”

“Take this and change the one that is on the board outside.” As he took a badly made leather shirt from the rack by his side. “At least this junk will have some use.”

“Deal.” She took the shirt and went outside. The first time she entered she didn’t notice that she had to bend to use the door. She was much taller than others here and the looks she got while the villagers passed by made her uncomfortable.

She didn’t have to stretch her whole arm to take off the sign. The nails were a little rusty and the board was rot on one side. She was halfway through pulling the nails out using only two fingers when the lack of tools come up in her mind. As she was amazed by it, she noticed that others were too. She turned away from the newly found viewers like an envy child and continued it. It went smoothly, nobody bothered her or dared to do so. Her confidence grown a little and it made her feel proud about what she can do now as she hammered the nails back on the new leather shirt with light swings of her fist.

“I’m done.” She said while she entered.

“It took long enough to take off that piece of wood. Next to you, there is a hammer and a leather punch to make holes on the shirt.” He didn’t look up.

“I said I have done it.” She puffed out her chest a little.

The tools were as he left them. “You are kidding.” As he went outside. “Magic?” He asked Louret.

“Yeah… What else could be…heh.” The lack of skills was shouting in her head, back then she was precise and always calm with a plan in mind.

He got himself a stool and took her measures with a little help since he couldn’t reach her around. Louret handed over the coins and left the shop for the day. An hour or so left before sunset, she headed to the barn and waited.

The refreshing feel of being motionless took away her sense of time. It was already dark when she heard sobbing from the barn.