[b][center]The Apothecary Shop[/center][/b]

Wylsen nodded at Lob and gave the half-orc a smile. They had been able to utilize a lot of the beast but there was some damage. When the heart was pierced by the sword it caused a chain reaction within the beasts body that rendered the lungs, what was growing on them and the heart useless. On top of that due to the blow that the orc had given the hell hound at the beginning of the fight and what Fionas two subsequent blows did nearly half of the bones in the beast were shattered. There was nothing they could do but at least there was some that could be used.

“Any meat I don’t think I would recommend eating, just because of the nature of the animal, at least not for humans to consume but you may be okay. The skin and fur will do you some good. Contraireo popular belief they are not fireproof but like the potions that I will brew overnight, it will provide a chance to be unharmed by fire but at best it will be a 50/50 chance. So still be careful,” Wylsen warned. “But it should still provide a very nice additional to your armor and help you a lot,” he added as he rose and wiped his hands off, taking the bottles of blood he had collected and set them in the back of the shop. Coming back out, he looked over at Lob and gave a nod. 

“Well once you finish taking what you want, could you please just wrap up the rest and either place it in the burial fire to the south of town or bury it out that way. Whichever is fitting for you,” he said as stepped over to the half orc and shook his hand. “Thank you for all your help, both with this and defending the village. If you ever need anything, please feel free to ask. For now I am going to get to work on those potions for your group, I hope they are finished by morning,” he said before turning and disappearing behind the curtain that separated the main part of the shop and the back area where he brewed all the concoctions that he sold in the shop.

[b][center]The Inn – Main Room[/center][/b]

 “Well that has to be the kindest greeting I have gotten in sometime,” Sister Agnes said as she shook Hughs hand before resting back in his seat and watching him for a moment. Glancing towards the stairs for a moment before turning her attention back over to him she smiled slightly as she watched the gentleman sitting across from her.

“You two seem to have a way with that little girl,” Sister Agnes stated. “And in battle. You two are rather…. Protective of each other,” she added as she sat there remembering what had first occurred in the day when Sana was grabbed by one of the slavers and then Hugh got injured. “I will admit at first what happened made my stomach turn and my heart worry that perhaps I had gotten a group of people that was perhaps not the best choice for such a task but after learning a little bit more about you two, mostly from observation, I can only conclude that your actions were driven by worry instead of evil. I hope my conclusions are right,” the sister said in a kind voice. 

It was obvious with the expression on her face and the tone of her voice that she was not judging the couple just voicing a concern that seemed to have been cleared up by the end of the day. “As far as healing you goes, it is what I do and I am glad to have helped in some small way though it seems from the look of things that perhaps my healing is not needed. It seems that Sana is fully capable of taking care of such things after what I witnessed during the last battle. She truly is a gifted bard though I wouldn’t have labeled her as one when I first met her,” Sister Agnes admitted as she watched Hugh puff away on his pipe. 

[b][center]The Inn – Sana and Hughs Room[/center][/b]

When Sana and Ariana entered the room they were met with the pleasant aroma of rose water and a bath that had been drawn, a layer of bubbles floating across the top of the waters surface. Sana nodded approvingly as she looked down towards Ariana. Ariana giggled in glee and ran over to it. Sana tried to stop her from jumping in clothes and all but it was too late and the water went sloshing every which way, some of it spilling out onto the floor. Sana sighed slightly but instead of yelling she just grabbed a linen that had been provided for them to dry off with and mopped up the mess from the floor. 

“Okay, let’s get you out of those dirty clothes,” Sana said as she knelt down next to the bath. Ariana nodded and let Sana help her undress. Handing her a wash cloth, Ariana went to scrubbing herself down after Sana helped to wash her hair. The child was cleaned up in no time but she let her play around in the bath water while she retrieved some items from her bag and got to work. The child couldn’t wear what she had been in to bed so something had to be done about that. Pulling up a chair next to Ariana while she played in the water and got to work; it wasn’t long before she had taken some older clothing, cut it up and restitched it into something the little one could wear. 

Once she had finished she helped Ariana out of the bath and got her dried off before helping her into the clothing Sana had made for her and running a comb through her hair. Picking her up she set her down on the bed and decided it was time to get out of her own bloodied and burned clothing. She washed up quickly, glad to get rid of the days worth of fighting and into something clean. Ariana sat there playing with the laces on her top as Sana got cleaned up and dressed and smiled over at Sana when she stepped over to her.

“We match!” Ariana exclaimed. Sana laughed and nodded slightly. Sana had taken one of her extra shirts and leggings and refashioned them, cutting away the excess to fit the little one. They were still a bit big but it didn’t matter. The child had clean clothing for the night and Sana figured she could get the child more in the morning when the general store opened. 

“Come on, we need to let Hugh know he can get cleaned up now and then it is off to bed with you little one, you have had a long day,” Sana said picking the child up and setting her down on the ground. Ariana yawned a little but shook her head no. The child was fighting sleep with everything she could but Sana knew the wee one would drift off to sleep in no time once she was in a bed. Taking her hand she led her out the door, both of them in the bare feet and back down the stairs. 

Sana smiled over to Hugh and Sister Agnes as they came over to them. It was funny, now that they were both cleaned up and in clothing that didn’t look like they had seen better days the two looked remarkably similar. Ariana hair and bone structure was almost identical to Sanas, even their eyes were the same rich chocolate with amber flecks in it. Sister Agnes looked at each of them in turn and let out a slightly surprised smile. The child looked as if Sana was actually her mother. Sister Agnes looked over to Hugh and smiled as she rose from her place. 


“Well I will leave you with your family then, it was a pleasure to finally meet you properly Hugh,” she said in a light hearted voice before turning towards Sana. “I have her set up in the room next to yours for tonight, I will be sharing it with her just so she is not alone. The room is open and has a small cot set up for her,” the sister added before taking her leave of them and making her way out of the inn to check on what was going on with Wylsen and Lob in the Apothecary shop before turning in for the night herself. Sana looked at the woman slightly confused by her words but she passed them off on fatigue. Something it seemed everyone was dealing with. 

“Well, in that case, I guess I will get Ariana into bed,” Sana said as she turned her attention back over to Hugh. “Why don’t get you cleaned up and I’ll be to bed shortly,” she said as she hoisted Ariana up onto her hip and leaned over to kiss his cheek softly. Ariana tugged on Sanas shirt for a moment.

“Me too, me too!” Ariana exclaimed. Sana looked at her perplexed but her confusion was quickly put to rest as Ariana leaned over, grasping onto Sana shirt as she did so, and gave a sweet little kiss to Hughs other cheek. “Night night,” she said in an innocent voice. Sana smiled at the little one and at Hugh as Ariana righted herself and wrapped her arms around Sanas neck. 

“Okay, to bed with you,” Sana said in a gentle voice as she carried the little on up the stairs and to the room that Sister Agnes had told her about. Opening the door she looked around and there was the cot that was set up for Ariana. Sana was much happier with the idea that the child would be close for the night and in a room that she didn’t have to share with any of the other that had been freed that night. Ariana did not need any reminders of what had occurred sleeping next to her that evening. Resting her down in the bed, she pulled the covers up for Ariana and took a seat next to her. 

“Sing,” Ariana demanded as she curled up in bed. Sana chuckled softly but she obliged. Leaving the door slightly cracked when they came in so she would not have to let it squeak when she left Sana got comfortable and ran her fingers through Arianas hair as she began to sing a soft lullaby.