6.50 - Quest Finale Festivities
With the quest officially over, Natalie returned to
The Kraken's Hearth
and took some much-needed relaxation time. Compared to previous fights, she had come out of combat a mess. Exploding a goblin's head with an empowered [Smite] wasn't the cleanest way to finish an opponent. She took a long, hot shower, scrubbing herself until she was squeaky clean. Which was a painful process, considering the bruises starting to blossom across her—physical proof of her aches and pains, which even Liz hadn't been able to prevent.
One of the Baron's men fetched them a few hours later when it was time to head back into town. Inside Tarenhelm's city center, the population was abuzz with activity. As the Baron had said, it was no major holiday festival or anything like that, but most towns and cities were happy to throw a celebration when the opportunity called for it.
The streets were lined with colorful banners and streamers hastily strung between buildings and lamp posts. The scent of roasting meats and fresh-baked goods wafted through the air, mingling with the chatter of townsfolk. Children darted between adults' legs, laughing and giggling.
Natalie and her teammates came, as suggested by the Baron, in their Tenet uniforms. As much as this was a celebration for a threat solved—and, Natalie knew, a rather minor threat, at least as far as the general population cared—they were here as emissaries for Tenet. Their scantily clad armor wouldn't fit the atmosphere.
Eyes followed them as they walked through the street, passing by stands either already assembled or well on their way. A few intrepid souls greeted them and said their thanks, though for the most part, they progressed unimpeded. The Baron was in the center of the town square, under the shade of a canvas canopy. He boisterously greeted them, then encouraged them to enjoy themselves—to explore, eat, play some games, and so on.
So that was what they did.
They wandered around, taking in the sights and sounds of the impromptu celebration. The aroma of sizzling meats drew them to a food stall where they had their first meal since morning—which all five of them promptly devoured. Life-or-death combat had a way of fostering a ravenous appetite. The vendor insisted they didn't pay, despite multiple attempts to hand over coins. They had hardly saved the city from destruction, but it seemed they were being hailed as minor heroes nonetheless.
Alaina found them shortly after their meal. She made a tentative request to accompany them, and though Jordan gave Natalie a significant look, they would hardly turn the woman down.
They went and played some games. Since there hadn't been much prep time to set up anything extravagant, they were of the simple sort: horseshoes or ring tosses and activities like that, some at stalls and some out in the open.
One game in particular caught Natalie's fancy: tug-of-war. She'd hesitated on whether to join in, worried it might be a faux pas to throw around her class-enhanced strength. But Alaina's encouragement convinced her, and the daughter of the Baron would know what was considered 'socially acceptable.'
Natalie found quickly that the townsfolk enjoyed the competition as much as she did. After the first burly man was hauled around the playing field, a second joined, then a third, before she stalled out at four red-faced and puffing grown men, the rope straining back and forth as they tugged in either direction. She won, but it was an eked-out victory. [Juggernaut]'s upgrade had made the difference.
Then a new challenger approached, an old man with a crooked back and veiny forearms, and by the hoots and hollers and looks of glee on the defeated men, he was a known quantity in town. She doubly knew something was up when he rolled up his sleeves, took one end of the rope, and the other men walked away, happy to let him challenge Natalie alone.
Sure enough, Natalie didn't stand a chance. The man pulled like an ox—or several of them in a line. It was her own turn to swallow her ego as she was solidly flounced. The man was some kind of higher level [Laborer] class, obviously, with a potent skill for hauling heavy weights. Old and crooked-backed or not, she hadn't stood a chance, hence the conquered townsfolk's delight when he'd walked up.
She accepted her defeat as graciously as she could, though her cheeks
were
red when she returned; being dragged around by a man in his sixties or seventies was a bit embarrassing, class or not—illogical as she knew that was. Her already sore muscles protested the activity, but it'd been fun.
From there, they continued, greeting townsfolk, mingling, eating sweet baked goods from various stands, and indulging in their last day in town. Natalie regaled Alaina with a recounting of the climactic battle, omitting the secretive aspects. The blonde hung on her words, which she had to admit she rather enjoyed.
The group split up bit by bit, with each of their party interested in different parts of the celebration, and even Jordan parted with one last scrutinizing gaze for her and Alaina, a warning look in her eyes. Natalie returned an offended look of her own; it wasn't like she would be pinning down the Baron's daughter in the middle of the town square to ravish her. Nothing would happen.
Unfortunately, as soon as it was the two of them left, Alaina grew fidgety.
"So," the Baron's daughter said. "It's a little busy here. There's a park just a few minutes away. Do you want to make ourselves scarce? It's very loud, don't you think?" she hastily added. "We'll be back in time for my father's speech."
Natalie hesitated.
Alaina wasn't wrong; things were busy in the town center. And it would just be the park, another public space—just, slightly less public. It wasn't like anything would be happening there, either. They would be enjoying each other's company. Even Jordan and Sofia had said it was fine to flirt, so long as she kept it to that.
And she would. She'd made a promise, hadn't she?
"Sure," Natalie said. "Lead the way."
6.51 - The Baron's Daughter
Alaina's stomach had been squirming all day.
Longer than that. Ever since that incident back at
The Kraken's Hearth.
But it had grown much worse since joining Natalie for the celebration. Being in her presence was intoxicating. Frankly, Alaina was surprised by just how
much
she was taken in by the other girl. She hadn't ever been this interested in someone before, much less a woman.
She'd been fascinated by Natalie since the start, since their introduction, really, but her stomach hadn't started squirming until that mishap where she'd caught a peek of something she shouldn't have. Some switch in her brain had toggled on when she had overheard those
things
happening inside Natalie's room. And when Natalie had answered the door in just a towel.
The sight of that had seared itself onto her brain. It was scandalous how often she'd been thinking about it. Had she imagined how big it was? Or had it been a trick of the light or fabric? Somehow, she didn't think so.
Whatever the case, based on the sounds she'd heard, Natalie had been thoroughly entertaining her guest regardless of size. To think something like
that
was hiding beneath Natalie's skirt ... she tried to shake her head clear, but it didn't work, like usual.
She hoped she hadn't been caught stealing glances at Natalie's skirt throughout the evening. Natalie didn't
seem
to have noticed, at least. Alaina thanked the heavens she had been raised to be composed and discreet, else she wouldn't have stood a chance.
The park they detoured to was mostly empty. Most people out and about at this hour were at the celebration. There were a handful of people scattered throughout the greenery, but not many, far fewer than usual. Compared to the bustle at the celebration, it was practically a private space. Which had been the goal.
On Alaina's prompting, Natalie continued to regale her with stories from the dungeon runs she'd been on. And while those weren't the
real
topics of her interest, she was nonetheless enraptured. Both by the content, the dangerous fights and exciting escapades she got up to beneath the surface, but also simply by Natalie. Watching her speak with such passion, it wasn't surprising that she had ended up at Tenet.
With how much she found herself hanging on Natalie's words, Alaina wondered whether this infatuation was something more than lust. Certainly, she found herself absorbed in Natalie in a way she hadn't been in a long time, if ever. Alas, even if it was more than Natalie's pretty looks and ... interesting secret ... reeling her in, Alaina wasn't so irresponsible as to let her interest take hold too solidly. She had duties at Tarenhelm, and Natalie had Tenet. A relationship between them would be completely untenable. No, if anything were to happen, it would be a brief fling.
And time for even that was running out.
Alaina chewed her lip, mulling over her strategy.
"What is it?" Natalie asked suddenly—or what felt sudden to her.
"Hm?" Alaina asked.
The red-headed girl seem amused. "There's something you want to ask. You drifted off."
Alaina's cheeks colored. Had she? She realized she had; the end of Natalie's story had passed right by her.
"Well," Alaina said. "I suppose there is something."
"Go ahead."
"I've been wondering about Tenet life. There's so many ... stories I've heard."
"Oh?"
"You know, not just classes and competitions," Alaina said. She stalled briefly before continuing. "But also ... relationships between students?"
Natalie's eyebrows went up.
A coloring turned into a full blush. "It
is
an academy crammed full of fit, adventure-seeking men and women. That kind of environment, all sorts of things would be happening, no? Everyone's heard the rumors."
By Natalie's grin, she'd picked up what Alaina was hinting at. Unfortunately, she apparently liked seeing her squirm, because she played dumb. "Lady Crestwood, I don't have a single idea what you're talking about."
