Chapter 25: Chapter 25

They sat at a table the next morning. Elaine had a smile on her face and ruffled hair. She was wearing one of her normal dresses. “Barika, uh, I may have over done it,” Elaine said, and then whispered in the woman’s ear. Barika nodded then touched Elaine’s hip. “Ahhh, better,” Elaine said, relaxing some. “Did the lad make it?” Thokri asked. “Yes,” Elaine answered with a smile. “Good to see you decided to wear something today,” Elaine said to Anna. “I just couldn’t last night. I’m better now,” Anna answered. “That’s good to hear,” Elaine said. “They already know I’m weird. I don’t want to add to it,” Anna said. “Lass, they don’t care. You’re a hero to them, and that’s all,” Thokri said. “Really?” Anna asked. “Aye,” he replied. “Just keep your clothes on please,” Elaine said. “I will,” Anna replied. Anna got up and started to leave after finishing breakfast. “Where you going, lass?” Thokri asked. “I’m going to help around town,” Anna answered. “Aye, fine thing to do. I’ll join you,” he replied.  

The rest of the party did as well, and they got to work. She had no real trade, but she was stronger than anyone else and learned fast. She found ways to help everywhere she went, hewing trees and dragging them back for the wall, clearing debris, and cleaning up the goblin parts from the fields nearby. The corpses had wandered off, but the parts couldn’t, so they were collected and burned. The bones would be ground up and scattered on the fields. It helped the crops according to the local farmers. The slain from the battle had to be burned during the siege. The remains were buried near the town with a large monument placed on it. Life slowly got back to normal for the townsfolk. Wagons brought much needed supplies, and a garrison from a faraway fort made it there weeks after the battle ended. “So, why does this commander need to see us?” Elaine asked. “I don’t know. The headman just told me he did,” Voekeer answered. He sounded nervous.  

“They probably want us to pay for the damages, or I’ll be arrested for using necromancy without a license,” Elaine said glumly. “Not all nobles are bad,” Barika said. Elaine just stared at her. “I said not ALL nobles,” Barika replied. Anna moved closer to Elaine and put her arm around the woman’s waist. “I’ll get you out of here if they try anything,” Anna said to Elaine. “Thank you for that,” Elaine replied. They entered the headman’s house to find him sitting with the Knight-Commander. “Ah, good. You’re all here,” he said. He was an older man, still fit with a trim athletic build, his hair grey, and a massive mustache. “Wow, it’s so bushy,” Anna thought. “Necromancer Elaine, please step forward,” he said.  

Elaine tensed up but complied. He unrolled a scroll and started to read. “By order of his highness, the Duke Theramore, you are hereby granted a full pardon for any crimes you may have committed in the past. All sentences are null and void,” he said. Elaine nearly collapsed. “I’m, I’m not in trouble?” she asked. “Why would you be in trouble? Woman, you were an indispensable force in the battle that not only saved a settlement that is home to thousands, you also helped wipe out a goblin horde numbering in the tens of thousands. I sent scouts to check. The only goblins left are your monsters. They ATE the rest of the horde,” he said and paused, taking a breath. “No, you are to be rewarded, along with your companions,” he finished, handing her a letter he had pulled from a bag sitting next to him.  

“That is a necromancy license signed by the crown. The duke had many questions for the necromancer’s guild when he found out the woman who may be the most powerful necromancer of the age didn’t have a license, and he investigated them fully when he found out it was because she couldn’t call a spirit,” he said. “I don’t think they liked the investigation by the way he said it,” Anna thought. “All of you will received five gold rounds when you return to Oldforge,” The Knight-Commander said “That’s a lot, right?” Anna asked. “Dammit. It slipped out again,” she thought. The Knight-Commander just looked at her. “You must be the Fae child. Is it true you held the wall for five hours?” “Yes, and I killed the goblin’s leader. Ripped him right apart,” Anna said cheerfully. “I see,” he replied. “If I may sir, she also stood watch on the wall for the entirety of the siege, without food or drink, awake the whole time. Also, she disrupted their leadership by killing any goblins that looked to be giving orders with simple stones. She then rebuilt the wall nearly by herself and cleaned up the battlefield,” the headman said. “Yes, I did that too,” she said, puffing out her chest with pride and poking herself with her thumb. The Knight-Commander looked at her hand, his eyes widening at the sight. “Don’t worry, lad. She has that effect on most men,” Thokri said. “Women, too,” Elaine said. “Well, to answer your question, yes, it’s a tidy sum for an adventurer,” he said. “Yeaaa,” Anna said, causing everyone to laugh.  

The mood in the room lightened with the news and Anna’s comments, and the party all sat down and talked with the Knight-Commander. He listened intently as they each told their stories. Anna went last as she had the most to tell. He was not a squeamish man and took delight, hearing of her melee battles with the goblins. “Wait, you torn one’s guts out and broke another’s neck with them? What possessed you to do that?” he asked. “Two reasons: I was kind of mad about my club breaking, and goblins are cowardly. If you scare them enough, they run,” she replied. She continued telling her account of the siege. He only asked a few more questions.  

“And then I dropped his head, and the men started cheering,” she finished. He leaned back and looked at the ceiling. “By the gods, I wish you were a man. I’d commission you right here and now,” he said. “What does that have to do with anything?” Anna asked. He sat up and looked at her with a serious look. “The battlefield is no place for a woman, and you wouldn’t fit any of the armor,” he said. Anna looked at him. “Thokri did say my breast plate would look like a dammed doorknob,” Anna replied, grabbing her breasts and squeezing them for emphasis. The Knight-Commander lost his composure and started to laugh before coughing into his hand. “Well, oddly shaped armor aside, I’m sure her majesty would make an exception,” he said.  

“I’m not sure why I would have to wear armor. I can’t be hurt, these included,” she said, waving at her chest. “An arrow fired at twenty feet bounced off. It just put a hole in my dress,” she finished. “Truly?” he asked. “Aye, lad. She pulled out the arrow and out pops a nipple, not a scratch on the thing,” Thokri said. He sighed again and sat back. “Troll smacked me into a tree. That didn’t do anything either. I don’t think I need armor,” Anna said. “Troll?” he asked, sitting back up. Anna smiled at the man and told that tale. “So, you broke his leg and unmanned him, and then tossed the tree and skipped on down the road like nothing happened?” he asked shocked. “I didn’t skip, and it took forever to get that troll blood out of my hair,” she replied. He put his face in his hands.  

“She has that effect on people,” Elaine said. “Anna, if you ever decide you don’t want to be an adventurer, please, for the love of the gods, come and see me. I’ll make you a knight that instant, law be damned,” he said. They exchanged a few more stories, and then the party left for the inn. “She’s going to leave now,” Anna thought. She frowned. “Lass, what’s got you down?” Thokri asked. “Elaine is going to leave us,” she replied sadly. Elaine looked at her. “Why would I leave?” Elaine asked, confusion on her face. “You got what you always wanted. You have your license, and you said you didn’t want to be an adventurer in the dead city. So, you are going to leave,” Anna replied, looking at her feet.  

“What? No, I said that because that place was depressing. I like all this wandering around, and I’ve met the best people I’ve ever known,” she said, looking at Anna. “So, you’ll stay with us?” Anna asked. “Yes, as long as I can,” Elaine replied. “What do you mean?” Anna asked. “Anna, you’re going to be having adventures forever. I can’t, but I’ll spend as much time as I can doing it,” she replied. Anna just hugged her. “We are going to have to visit my brother. I can’t wait to see the look on his face when I show him my license that was signed by the Queen herself. Steal my tuition will he,” Elaine said. “I’d like to meet your family. That sounds nice,” Anna said. “It really isn’t,” Elaine replied. “We could always go see mine,” Anna replied. Elaine got a look of horror on her face and shook her head. “No, mine is fine,” she said. “So, Elaine, how does it feel to be grasped by one of Anna’s powerful tentacles?” Lyreen asked. Elaine looked at the woman and smiled. “If you want to find out, I’m sure Anna would lend you one for the night, wouldn’t you Anna?” Elaine asked. “Yes, they are so playful,” Anna said. “No, no, that’s fine,” Voekeer answered quickly. Everyone began to laugh. “Why doesn’t anyone like my tentacles?” Anna asked with a pout. This caused the laughter to intensify. 

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