If she had to choose between a fingernail in the brain and a dagger in her butt, it was true that on reflection, Liaena would choose the dagger. This fact mostly failed in making her feel any warmth towards the elf responsible for providing that glorious alternative as she rolled onto her side – a process that elicited a considerable amount of Ache and Pain – to look up at Rithrynn with a groan. “…five minutes ago would have been good, too” 

[i]“Why are you even here, again?” [/i]

[i]“Oh yeah. I asked for you. That was stupid, wasn't it?”[/i]

“…thanks” Liaena finally added belatedly and after a long pause. The girl sounded distinctly dubious in her offer of gratitude. Climbing gingerly onto her hands and knees, she reached around with one arm to the dagger embedded in her butt, which responded to her attentions by beginning to stab with pain even more ferociously. “Ow.”

[i]“I really wish I didn’t have to do this…”[/i]

Wrapping a hand around the handle, Liaena gritted her teeth against the flare of agony as she shifted it from side to side to work it loose. Luckily – or unluckily – the blade was extremely sharp, and one swift yank was enough to pull it loose with a large gout of blood. Dropping the dagger, Liaena was quite happy to sink back down to the floor and pull her sodden satchel towards her awkwardly. Luckily, she had at least had the foresight to wrap up the bandages against water, along with other things that were supposedly sterilised. Not that under the circumstances sterilised bandages made any amount of difference, Liaena reflected as she picked apart a packet. 

Sharon and Lord Graymoon appeared to have dealt with their adversary as efficiently as Rithrynn had dealt with hers, and were at that point in the process of making their way gingerly across the bridge across the cistern to join them. Holding a wad of cotton against her wound to try and staunch the blood, of which there was considerable, Liaena looked up at Rithrynn quizzically from her place on the floor. 

“Where’s Serphia and the other elves? …Don’t tell me you split up with them, too”