Veiled Trust

Year 23

*Ariella hands Emma a letter.*

Emma: It’s from Dad!

Ariella: Oh yeah this is the first letter since you wrote him about your grandma.

*Emma opens the Letter and quickly reads it through.*

Emma: He must not have gotten the letter yet.

Goren: Or he didn’t have time to write.

Emma:Dad! *Hugs*

Goren: When I told Isabelle she convinced Queen Seraphina to let me come visit. She wanted me to give this to you Ariella.

*Goren hands Ariella an amulet.*

Emma: What’s that?

Ariella: It’s a magic necklace I wrote to mom about. It can help guard against counterspells. Specifically for the ring of disguise.

Ruddy: Smart. Well I’m assuming Emma and her dad are heading to the Ficus estate. I’m going to go to the church for the day.

Ariella: Lyra, wanna go with me shopping today. I want to get some more supplies before we leave next week.

Lyra: Yes, please.

*Emma and Goren head the the estate. Susan is watering some flowers with Juniper and Gemma.*

Emma: Susan! *Waves*

*Susan and heads over. Followed by Stephen.*

Susan: Emma, nice to see you as always. And who’s this?

Emma: Actually could you call Grandma over?

Susan: Oh! of course.

*Susan calls Gemma over. As Gemma looks over and sees Goren she's overcome with joy and runs to him. Goren meets her half way and they hug tightly. both crying tears of joy.*

Gemma: Goren, My sweet boy.

Goren: Mom. We thought you died all those years. Rydel never stopped looking.

Susan: Gemma, you can take today off. Head in town with your kids.

Gemma: Thank you Lady Susan. I can’t thank you enough.

*The three elves head into town sitting down in a park.*

Goren: I never forgave myself for not protecting you and Keya that day.

Gemma: Keya, She took her own life after being bought by one of the more disgusting nobles in Valoria.

*Goren clenches his fist.*

Emma: Dad.

Goren: I’m fine Emma. *Smiles*

*Emma nods.*

Goren: What would it take to convince you to come home with me?

Gemma: *Smiles.* Thank you Goren. But, I owe the ficus family my life. Before I was used by many nobles. I'm not happy about what happened. But, it brought me back to you. I’m going to stay here for now.

Goren: Okay, well at least write to me.

Gemma: Of course. And Goren. When do I get to meet my other granddaughter?

Goren: Keya? I tried to get her to come with me but she was helping some friends with their bakery opening.

Emma: Joey and Sheila finally opened a bakery?!

Goren:*laughs.* Yeah, the recipes Valorin brought have been very popular.

Emma: I’ll have to visit when we come back.

Goren: Wait does this mean you haven’t visited Rydel yet?

Emma: Uncle Rydel? No why?

Goren: I guess you don’t remember. They live just a few days north of here.

Emma: Well why don’t we go visit. Let's ask Richard when we get back to the Estate.

Goren: I was going to stay there while I was here so I can ask him over dinner.

Emma: We’re going to be heading north in a week actually. Maybe we can go then. Lyra and I can walk Grandma back as well.

Goren: That plan works for me. Mom?

Gemma: Of course I want to see Rydel. My two boys.

*Gemma smiles as she looks into Goren's eyes, filled with pure bliss over finding her long lost family.

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*The group reaches a small Estate by cart. Rydel and Nala await out front as Ruddy starts to unload the cart.*

Rydel: Emma! It’s been so long I’m glad you decided to visit.

Emma: Actually I have a surprise for you.

*Goren steps out of the cart.*

Rydel: Well that’s quite the surprise. *Laughs*

Nala: Hi Goren, Emma. It’s nice to see you two. Anyone else with you?

Goren: Funny you mention that. Emma actually found someone Rydel has been looking for.

*Rydel looks at the two then a smile forms as he watches Gemma steps off the cart and Rydel runs over holding her tight.*

Rydel: Mommy!

*Everyone laughs.*

*After unloading the cart everyone sits down for lunch.*

Rydel: I can’t thank you enough Emma.

Emma: She’s my grandma. Why would you thank me?

Goren: Rydel, was always overly protective of mother.

Nala: When she first went missing Rydel blamed your father.

Rydel: But, Nala helped me see sense.

*Elwin bursts into the room.*

Elwin: I heard Emma was here!

*Rydel smacks Elwin over the head. then pushes him towards Gemma.*

Elwin: OW!

Rydel: Mother this is your grandson Elwin. Named after.

Gemma: Your father. He looks so much like him

*Gemma hugs Elwin. Elwin looks at everyone confused.*

Elwin: Grandma? But I thought.

Rydel: Emma found her. She was working with the Ficus family.

Gemma: Still am.

Rydel: I can’t have my mom working as a servant. I’ll pay whatever they want and you can stay with us.

Gemma: Rydel, stop.

Rydel: But.

Gemma: I’m happy you want me to stay with you but I’m staying with The Ficus’s.

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*A few months pass after everyone went home, Emma and the party headed into town to stay at the guild. Ariella walks up to Emma who’s browsing the request boards.*

Ariella: Anything good?

Emma: Nothing above ‘D’ rank.

Ruddy: Why don’t we take some charity work then?

(Charity work: Requests where the customer didn’t have much to offer. Sometimes the guild will offer a reward of their own upon completion. Normally they rank at ‘D’ and lower but depending on the turnout they can be ranked higher. They choose how many quests they want to take, up to 10, and the guild will give them at random. There must be at least one ‘C’ rank adventurer in the party to accept.)

Emma: Yeah I guess, I was wanting to work towards ‘B’ rank though.

Ruddy: Maybe we’ll get lucky and one of them will count as one.

*Ariella comes back from the front desk with 5 papers.*

Ariella: Looks like we got two herb quests an elimination and two miscellaneous.

Emma: What’s the elimination?

Ariella: Just some Horned boars, The herbs are going to be in the same area we have Pixie petals and flame root.

Emma: Isn’t flame root near lava?

Ariella: There is a cave that has reports of lava nearby.

Ruddy: What about the other two?

Ariella: We have one for chopping firewood for someone and helping build a fence.

Ruddy: I’ll take care of the firewood if you’ll work on the fence.

Lyra: does it say if we can keep any of the boar’s?

Ariella: It doesn’t specify we can ask when we get there.

*The group heads out for the day. They complete the tasks one by one. Finding the Pixie petal flower, Upon reaching the cave they head in as they get further in they see the glow of lava. Roots grow throughout the lava reaching the walls as well.*

Ruddy: Watch the walls. We just need enough for one person so we don’t need to stay for long.

Emma: We already got most of the Horned boars. At this rate we’ll be done and headed home before dark.

*A growl comes from behind the group.*

Lyra: You had to say something.

*The group turns to see a pack of three hellhounds.*

Ariella: A pack of wolves must’ve been eating the roots and evolved.

*Ruddy equips his mace and shield. As one of the hellhounds snaps towards Ruddy he cracks down on its snout. The hellhound recoils but only slightly scratched. The other two try to flank the group but Emma and Lyra block their way. The Hellhounds group back up and start to take a deep breath in.*

Ruddy: Behind me!

*The hellhounds release a large fire breath it completely envelopes the party. As the fire clears Ruddy drops to one knee. The larger Hellhound jumps at Ruddy and Ariella fires and ice arrow hitting it’s left eye. The hellhound drops to the ground for a moment, When it gets up it’s left eye is now covered in a chilled stone. *

Ariella: Use Water or Ice, But be careful not to hit the Lava or you’ll ruin the root system.

*Emma coats her blades in water and Lyra coats hers in ice. They manage to push the hellhounds back and Celestra starts healing Ruddy. Lyra manages to hit one of The Hellhound's in a Vital point, it’s body turns to volcanic stone. Ruddy, now able to stand, Quickly blocks an oncoming attack from the Larger Hellhound. Emma Dodges the other Hellhound slowly wearing it out and slowing it down with her water imbued blades. As the Larger Hellhound bites at Ruddy he uses mace blocking its mouth. Ruddy's mace begins to glow from the heat of the hellhounds mouth. As he struggles to withstand the heat spreading through the handle Ariella Fires multiple arrows hitting The larger Hellhound, Turning it to Volcanic stone. Turning their attention to Emma She's straddled atop a volcanic stone statute of the Hellhound she was fighting like a horse.*

Emma: Giddyup!

*Ruddy smacks Emma’s head.*

Ruddy: Knock it off. *Laughs*

Emma: *Laughs* Do you think they’ll let us count it?

Lyra: Hellhounds are a lower ‘B’ rank.

Ariella: Probably not since there was only three.

Emma: At this rate we’ll never catch up to Valorin.

*The group finishes collecting the herbs and hunting the boars. Ruddy heads off from the group and the girls start working on building a fence with an adult human male, Afterwards he hands Emma a paper and they meet up with Ruddy, They head back to the guild exhausted from the day's work.*

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*The spring flowers begin to bloom around town as Lyra and ruddy walk towards a house.*

Ruddy: So what are we looking for here?

Lyra: Emma said it’s a box inside. They said we could just head inside.

*Ruddy walks inside the dimly lit house.*

Ariella and Emma: Surprise!

*Ariella and Emma jump out from behind some cover.*

Ruddy: *Stunned* What’s all this?

Emma: It’s your birthday.

Ruddy: Yeah but, we don’t celebrate birthdays.

Ariella: You always make an effort around our birthdays to make us cake, so.

Emma: Remember back when we helped build a fence and you went to chop wood for some charity work?

Ruddy: Vaguely. That was back right before winter right?

Emma: Well I asked Colt, The guy’s fence we built, how do humans celebrate birthdays.

*Ariella brings out a cake with candles.*

Ariella: We couldn’t decide on any games to play so we decided to rent out a place to have a party. We invited some people from the guild who helped us as well. We thought more humans might help make it more fun.

Ruddy: *Smiles* Thank you. Seriously, this is already more than I’d ever ask for.

*three humans walk out from the other rooms two male, one with short brown hair the other with long black hair. A female human walks out with blonde hair and yellow eyes.*

Emma: We have Justin(Brown hair) and Dylan (black hair). As well as.

Ruddy: Falicia?

Falicia: Ruddy? Is that really you?

Ruddy: I haven’t seen you since right after we joined the guild.

Emma: You two know each other?

Ruddy: We grew up in the same orphanage.

Falicia: When David said you found a party I was disappointed. I wanted to join you.

Ruddy: David told me you joined a party already. I didn’t want to impose.

Falicia: Yeah, for a single quest. Did I not put that in the letter? Oops.

Justin: She prefers to be solo but we help her occasionally.

Dylan: We currently have 4 other people so we don’t have room at the moment anyway. at least until we get to 'A' rank anyway.

Emma: Why don’t you join us then?

*Everyone looks at Emma.*

Falicia: maybe if you had another guy in the party. I bet Ruddy would prefer that two. But if you ever need help you can always ask.*Smiles.*

*Lyra brings out couple of small barrels of ale and wine.*

Emma: You have to drink too Lyra. I order it. *Smiles and nods*

Lyra: *Irritated* Thank you.

*As the party goes on Emma, Lyra and Ariella sit at a table watching Ruddy laugh and talk with the others. Emma plays with a cup half full of wine.*

Emma: Maybe we should look for another guy in the group. At least so Ruddy doesn’t feel singled out.

Lyra: Isn’t keeping me around going to be more difficult with more people?

*Emma stops mid drink*

Emma: Actually. I have some news from Robin. Amara is sending something to remove the collar. As soon as you have your next task from Ifirt I’m to take it off.

*Lyra squeezes her cup and it cracks.*

Lyra: Emma. Remember when I asked you about that letter from Ifrit.

Emma: The one we said must’ve been for haze because… oooooh.

*Lyra hits Emma over the head leaving a bump.*

Emma: OW! I’m sorry. I’ll go get the key.

Ruddy: What’s going on?

Ariella: I think Lyra is leaving us.

*Ruddy stands up and walks towards Lyra reaches out for her hand then pulls her in for a hug.*

Ruddy: I know you hate this stuff, but thank you for everything. We are all gonna miss you.

Lyra: Why? All I did was.

Ariella: Cook for us.

Emma: You brought me medicine when I was sick last year.

Lyra: Not like I had a choice.

Ruddy: Stop that. You always had a choice and you know it. Emma never Forced you to do anything.

*Emma places a rune on the collar and the both fade away. Lyra touches where the collar once was. She walks towards the door then turns around.*

Lyra: I know.

*Tears start to fall down Lyra’s face and she runs towards the guild.*

Emma: I’ll be back.

*Emma gets to the guild room, Lyra’s in the middle of packing her things.*

Lyra: You can say whatever you want. I’m already late on my job.

Emma: I know. So I’ll just talk.

*Emma sit’s down, Tilly and Lily rest in her lap.*

Emma: We both know how things are going to end. We’re probably going to end up killing one another if someone or thing doesn’t beat us to it. But, I hope that just like how you’ve changed me for the better. I hope somewhere you’re not as violent as before. I asked you once before.

*Lyra turns to Emma.*

Emma: Do you have anyone that you can trust?

*Lyra looks around the room and smiles, her eye’s shine faintly green for just a moment.*

Lyra: I think so.

*Emma smiles and stands up and walks towards Lyra. The two hug and Emma returns to the party and sits down next too Ariella.*

Ariella: Where is she?

Emma: She had to go.

Ruddy: And you didn’t stop her?

Emma: You said it. I’d never force her to do anything. All I did was ask her a question. I’m sure we’ll see her again.

Ariella: I hope so. Next time I want to cook for her as a thank you.

Falicia: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t confused at what happened. But it’s also rude to ask about another parties internals.

Emma: It’s nothing to worry about. That collar was a cursed Item and now that she’s free she has things she needs to take care of.

Falicia: I assumed she was just your slave to be honest.

Emma: Not by either of our choices.

Ruddy: Well it wouldn’t be a proper birthday without drama.

*Ruddy and the other humans spend the night talking about different adventures while Emma and Ariella talk about things going forward with the party and without Lyra.*