Feeling the warm wave of relief wash over her, Veronika's eyes filled with tears when she saw the farmer approach them. From there on, it was all a blur, faces, shouting, Alexa fainted, she did her best to follow the farmers, tripping and nearly falling a couple of times in between, but she didn’t' care. The noble was confused, yet happy that she finally found people. Real people, who were willing to help.
As soon as they entered the house they were lead in, Veronika felt around for the wooden chair, grabbing its back rest before collapsing onto it, sinking head in her shaky palms. Famer's questions snapped her out of her daze and she raised her head to face him with a confused expression. It took her mind a couple of moments to register his questions, but she could think clearly enough to assume that saying dark magic brought them here wouldn't be a fitting answer. Who knew what these people believed, considering the Farmer kept mentioning his 'Nine Divines'...

"We... we got lost on our way and then the wolf suddenly attacked us..." She lied skilfully. If there was one thing you could learn while mingling around royal houses it was how to make up lies that weren't too vague to, or too exact to be believable. The farmer furrowed his eyebrows. Their attire was still too odd; he wasn't used to seeing girls in such rich, yet light and most of all revealing clothing. Not to mention the fair one wore an excessive amount of jewellery. 

Jouane, who was sideways glancing at them while casting a healing spell on Alexa, noticed that the farmer was quite suspicious. He let out a long groan, finishing his bright healing spell with the last bit of magica he had. The girl's strength wasn't completely replenished, but her wounds were mostly cured, with only shallow scrapes remaining. 

"My friend, why don't you go fetch yourself some mead at the inn. I can take care of this on my own well enough." His tone was warm and polite, but firm and not to be argued with. He tossed the farmed a golden coin, so the later simply shrugged and left the old mage alone with the girls. If the old man thought he got it under control, he didn't feel like arguing and was overall just glad that the two were saved. Plus, he still had to take the sacrificial cow to the giants or other villagers would curse him, should one of the monsters attack...

Confused as to why this Jouane suddenly sent the farmer away, Veronika kept her eyes fixed on the healer as he poured some red liquid from a small bottle in Alexa's mouth, gently lifting her head so she wouldn't choke on it. He finished by wrapping her hand from elbow down in clean linen wraps, his fingers swift and precise, as if it was something he was used to doing his entire life.

"Help me move her to the bed, will you?" Jouane asked Veronika and without thinking about it, she lifted her friend's legs, so the two of them somehow managed to carry the unconscious girl to the nearest bed. "Well, this is it... I did what I could. From here on rest is better medicine than anything I could give her. Ah... but you were lucky, she lost quite some blood for such a young maiden." The mage slowly sat down in one of the chairs, gesturing Veronika to do the same.
"Well now, child... Would you mind telling me who you are and what really happened to you. Please, spare me the lies. I lived for least a dozen too many years to let a young maiden fool me. You don't seem like you belong here in the first place."
For the next hour, the retired mage heard out the young noble as she told him all about their arrival and struggles. He had to chug down a bottle of wine to take what she was telling him in. Still, he could see that what she told him now were no lies. Even the way she ate that bread and stew he handed her screamed out her noble roots and the clothing and items they had did nothing but emphasize the facts she presented him with.