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Ok, stepping away from our other story I figured I would post something I wrote a long time ago. This was written in 2013, shortly after I graduated highschool and was on a road trip. I still really like this story, and its one of my favorite moments between Fear and Duo. This does take place within a slightly different version of the tavern.
The night was cold, and Josephina had the fire blazing to keep the travelers warm. There were quite a few guests that night, all gathered about the bar to drink and hear tales from the barkeep.
One man, a wizard who had been at the tavern for several days, glanced at the dark corner where the only thing noticeable was a shadowed figure and their emerald green eyes; watchfully staring about the tavern main.
“What’s his story?” the man asked as he turned to the teal haired barkeep.
Josephina glanced back and smiled; glad to see the drow had joined them upstairs. “I don’t know much about his past, but he is my closest friend. He saved me from death’s door once, and he has helped me many times since.” She glanced at the travelers around her who had all stopped to watch her.
They had heard many tales about her adventures, and they couldn’t quite believe that she had almost died; she seemed almost immortal after all the stories she had told them. “Will you tell us the tale?” one of the men asked.
Josephina continued cleaning the glasses. “What tale would that be?”
One of the women in the crowd, a performer with a traveling troupe, spoke up. “The tale of how the drow saved you from death.”
The whole group nodded and agreed with the woman. “I suppose I can, if you all would like to hear it.”
The whole group nodded and waited for the woman to start. Josaphina set down the glass and started to spin the scene for the tale, of the winter night she nearly died.
~~~~~
It was snowing on that cold winter night, the wind turning the snow into a flurry. The clouds were thick and covered the bright moon. The night was nearly silent, birds had gone south for the winter, and a number of the forests animals were either migrating or hibernating.
The only sound were those of an owl trying to find some food, the distant howling of wolves as they tracked the herds of animals, and the slight crunching of the snow as someone walked through the fresh snow. It was early winter and though the snow hadn't been falling for long the area already had a good foot of the white powder since they were close to the mountains.
No one would travel in this weather by choice but the woman didn't get to choose.
Her normally lightly tanned skin was pale; her teal hair had snow clinging to it. Her lips were blue as were her fingertips which held her upper arms. Josephina was dreadfully unprepared for the weather, wearing her regular pants, boots and medium length t shirt and vest. She did have a cloak but it was badly torn from her walking.
The cold had sapped her strength for all but walking and even that was difficult as the snow numbed her whole being. It had started simply as numbness in her fingers and ears but soon spread to envelop her. Lifting her legs hurt and she nearly lost her balance many times.
The day had started fine, slightly warm when she left to hunt. She left on foot thinking the weather would hold out. This turned after she had gone very far from her home to her hunting ground where all she had managed to catch were a few winter rabbits and a couple of birds that didn’t move south during the winter months. Now with the snow the elven woman couldn’t follow the path back to the tavern, and her heightened senses couldn’t track the smoke from the fire because of the strong wind.
She had thought she could find her way back since she took this path frequently but as she walked longer and longer she got more and more lost, moving in circles. As her trek continued her strength left her and prevented her from opening a portal into the void to get back.
Once night fell she was still trying to find her way home but she was losing hope as the numbness overtook her. The night wore on and finally she had to stop. Josephina's legs gave out and she fell to the ground as they buckled under her weight. With the little strength she had left, the elven woman pulled herself against a tree and wrapped what remained of her cloak around her to try to cut the wind.
'This is it, ' she thought, ' I'll die out here and no one will even know... My body will become food for some hungry animal...’ her eyes grew heavy as she struggled to keep them open. She had forgotten about the food she had gathered that day, hanging from her belt. The darkness surrounded her as she closed her eyes, losing faith and consciousness.
~~~~~
Josephina opened her eyes, smiled and stopped, looking at the faces of those listening to her tale of near death.
"w-what happen next miss?" one of the many listener's asked after the long pause.
Those bright blue eyes looked at the man. "how can I say, I have no recollection of what happen until I awoke beside the fire in this room, only one person can tell you what happen after I passed out."
Without even a glance behind her or a word spoken, every one of the travelers eyes turned to the glowing green pair in the corner that belonged to the shadow of the drow. He glanced at them and sat in silence for a moment before he let out a small sigh.
As he stood he spoke to the barkeep. "Only you could draw so much of a clear tale, how could I finish your story?”
Josephina looked at him and smiled. "Come now you found me, you can tell a story just as well as I and you have many more tales to tell then I have. Now don't leave the poor folk in suspense, continue the story."
Her smile brought a small one to Duo's lips as he walked over. The travelers made a spot for him amongst them at the bar and crowded around him. Josaphina poured him a cup of hot green tea as he continued where she left off.
~~~~~
It had only been a matter of an hour or so since the teal haired woman passed out, only a matter of time before she would die when he came along.
His cloak was pulled over his face but the glowing eyes could be seen. The night was the drow's time, he could see as clearly as a human could in the light of day. Duo stumbled upon her freezing body simply by chance, and instantly recognized the woman.
That day he had gone out to gather some things for a project of his. Now Duo had lived under the tavern for some time and new of every person who came and went. He knew that Josephina had gone hunting that day, but didn't worry about her when she hadn’t returned that afternoon.
Of those who lived in the Silver Rose, Josephina was one if the few the drow didn't communicate with frequently. Despite this he knew he couldn't leave the woman out in the cold to die, he knew there wasn't long for her either. Without a second thought the dark skinned man picked her up and carried her back to the tavern. The woman wasn't exactly light, but her weight didn’t bother the drow whom carried her like a parent would a sleeping child.
It would have taken most carrying a nearly dead woman an hour or more to reach the wooden building, however with his long strides and considerable strength; it only took Duo close to twenty minutes.
Using a small bit of magic the drow opened the door to the tavern and walked inside, gently setting her down on the floor beside the fireplace. Moving quickly the drow built up the dying fire. Glancing at her while he worked, to make sure she was still alive.
Duo gathered a few blankets and made a makeshift bed for the woman. He watched the snow in her hair and on her clothes melt then gently removed her cloak. Ever a shy and polite man, Duo removed her clothing while trying not to look at her; he didn't want her to feel as though he had violated her when she awoke.
Once he was done and the woman was in only her undergarments, the drow covered her with the warm blankets. Neatly he folded her clothing and placed it by the fire to dry. After this was done and he checked on her one more time, Duo went to put his own things away.
For the next 3 days Duo watched the barkeep. She awoke for only a few seconds every now and then but it wasn't until the third day that she truly regained consciousness.
She complained of feeling stiff and of her head hurting, as well as her hunger. Duo gave her warm tea and some soup another tavern inhabitant had made, he helped her sit up and helped her drink both.
Over the following days Duo helped her back to health and while he couldn’t take all the credit for doing so if it hadn’t been for him the barkeep wouldn’t have been there any longer.
~~~~~
The crowd sat in awe as Duo finished his cup of tea.
After a moment one of the crowd spoke up. “Well lads, we is lucky that he found the lass, ain't we? She's quite a beaut' and there ain't a barkeep like her."
The group all agreed and Josephina smiled. "I'm only one person who likes to see her customers happy. Now it’s getting late and we all need some sleep. Finish your drinks, I’m not making any more for the night."
There was a soft groan that worked through the crowd as well as a chuckle from those who had been done drinking for a while. Duo chuckled lightly as most of the group left, the others finishing their drinks of choice.
Josephina started wiping down the bar top and cleared the surface of the last of the cups.
"They are right you know.” Duo spoke to her as the last of the group disappeared up the stairs and to their rooms.
Josephina looked at the drow as she cleaned. "Hmmm? What do you mean Duo?"
"The tavern wouldn't be the same if you had died that night, it wouldn't be as welcoming."
"I have you to thank for finding me."
"It was only luck that I found you"
"Just take my gratitude Duo, don't be so modest.”
Josephina leaned over the bar and kissed him softly on the cheek. "A prize for the hero." She giggled as he blushed.
After a moment the man stood. “Well, I'm going to go work downstairs for a bit, if you need anything you know where I’ll be." he gazed at the teal haired girl, his heart feeling light as he waited for her response.
"I will Duo." she smiled at him then yawned softly. "I'll be down once I'm done cleaning up."
Duo nodded in response then disappeared downstairs to his large living quarters.
 Fearless Demon child · Fri Feb 26, 2016 @ 01:09pm · 0 Comments |
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