Closed.

There was no reply.

"Bloody hell." Ruven cursed, approaching the doors and kicking them in one swift motion. They flew off the hinges and swung open, then clattered to the ground. There was a loud crash and rising of dust and splinters, which made the Elvin cough.

The cottage was empty. The interior was neatly laid out - if it belonged to a woman named Alianna, as one might guess, she was very fastidious. The table was set, with four chairs around it and a nice tablecloth, plates and cutlery. Like she was expecting guests. There was a bench to one side, covered with cozy blankets. The large kitchen indicated that whoever lived here obviously loved cooking.

"Who the hell broke my doors?" A voice come from deeper into the cottage. A female voice. A witch's voice maybe. Instead of a response, Ruven raised his sword.

- Ready your weapon.
- Answer.
- Threaten the woman.
- Escape.
- Cast a spell.
 
Dhea sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. She glared at Ruven again, which seemed to become a habit for her.
"You bloody idiot..."
She turned to where the voice had come from and sighed again. There was no reason for her to draw her weapon, yet.

"I'm sorry. My...companion had decided that instead of waiting for an answer, he would break the door down."
She shot him another glare.
"We can repair it if you'd like."
 
"Never mind!" The voice answered. "Just get over here, stranger!" It sounded urgent.

Peeking further into the kitchen, Dhea now saw in a corner, hidden by a large cupboard, a cage. And inside the cage, a young woman, looking very distressed.

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"Hi." She smiled, meeting Aquila's gaze. "Get me out of this cage, please."

Ruven gave her a confused look, still not quite lowering his weapon.

- Get her out.
- Ask her what happened.
- Leave her in there.
 
Dhea was quick to free the young woman. She didn't seem to distrustful or dangerous and if she were to attack, Ruven was right behind her.
"Hi. Are you alright? What happened?"
She was rather concerned about why the young woman was locked in a cage, especially how.
"I'm Dhea, by the way."
She half-smiled, one brow slightly raised.
 
"I got into this mess just like how everyone gets into bad situations, with the help of Elvins of course!" The woman whined. Then her eyes strayed over to Ruven who was looming behind Dhea with a distrustful look and she scowled. "Those mischievous pranksters. I haven't eaten for two days! They've left me here where I can see all my cooking supplies, but cannot use them." Her expression was quite desperate now.
"I don't trust her at all." Ruven said, not addressing the woman.
"Of course you wouldn't trust me, you are of their kind. You Elvins don't trust yourselves even!" The woman exclaimed, but then she turned to Aquila quickly, her eyes pleading. "Do hurry up, please."

There was a large lock on the cage and no key anywhere around the house.

- Cast a spell.
- Break the lock.
- Leave her.
 
Dhea took a second, weighing the consequences of her using a spell to open the lock. Ruven already hated her, but she wanted to him to realise that her magic was not the only thing she used.
"Can you two argue after I've gotten you out of here? And after you've eaten something."
She unsheathed her dagger, and used the pommel to try and break the lock.
 
"Fine." Ruven did not argue, but he did not move to help. Instead he just walked over to a chair and slumped in it, crossing his arms over his chest, giving her a blank look.

As much as Dhea worked on the lock with the dagger, the lock was not budging, she only managed to chip the pommel.

"The pan!" The caged woman pointed over to the kitchen helpfully. As Dhea reached for a very heavy blackened pan and brought it over the lock, the woman screeched. "Perhaps not the pan, that's my favourite one!" But the metal connected with metal and rang out. The lock did not budge again, but the pan's bottom was dented. The woman whined, eyes tearful.

- Cast a spell.
- Find something else to break the lock.
 
"I'm sorry! Shit."
Dhea put the pan back onto the stove, before cursing vehemently under her breath as she settled before the lock.
"I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this..."
She shot Ruven a sideways look before casting a spell to unlock it.
 
Dhea concentrated to cast the spell over the lock and it started to shiver. Like a small beetle it hummed and clicked for a moment, as the mechanisms turned an worked. Then, finally, the lock snapped open, falling to the floor with a dull thud.

Ruven simply watched her carefully, sword gripped in his arms, but did not move from his chair.

The woman in the cage grinned happily, clapping her hands in delight. It took her moment to squeeze out of her trappings, and then, quite unexpectedly, she threw her arms around Dhea, wrapping her in a grateful hug. Regaining her composure, she stepped back, still smiling.

"Thank you stranger." She curtsied politely. "Name's Alianna, though you've probably seen the signs. I am in your debt and I will reward you!" Then she quickly turned to Ruven. "Not you."
"I don't need a reward from a witch." The Elvin scowled, looking at both of them warily. But Alianna disregarded him.
"Tell me, stranger, what would you like in turn? Would you like to enhance your physical strength? Or a little help with your sorcery?"

- Strength.
- Magic.
- A kiss.
- Information.
- Nothing.
 
Hugs.
Definitely not what she was expecting. She stood there for a moment, before chuckling at her own reaction. She grinned at Alianna, her hand reaching up to rub the back of her neck.
"I mean...some help with my sorcery would be great, but..."
She winks, her lips turning up in a rather...rakish smirk.
"Doesn't your knight in shining armour deserve a kiss?"

Admittedly, she was joking...sort of. Dhea could not deny that the witch was quite pretty and she wouldn't mind a kiss, but it would depend on her.
 
Alianna took to the flirting with a teasing smirk of her own. "Oh, aren't you charming." She spoke, slowly walking up to Dhea. "Yes, you do deserve it." She wrapped her elegant arms around Dhea's neck and leaned in, giving her a soft, yet very passionate kiss on the lips. But, that was not only a kiss. She could feel the tingle of magic on her lips, then spreading all over her skin, twirling in her veins. She felt invigorated as Alianna moved away from her, her muscles were stronger, her focus greater. Alianna noticed her confused expression and gave her a wink. "Many would kill for one kiss from me."

Ruven made a gagging sound, leaping up from his chair and walking through the broken doorway. He did stop in the courtyard though, waiting for Dhea.

With the lady freed, there was nothing more to keep her here away from her quest.

- Give Alianna some food.
- Ask her something.
- Leave.
 
Dhea frowned after her companion, but shook her head. He was just being an arse after all. She turned back to Alianna.
"I can certainly see why."
She fishes out some of her food and gives it to the witch.
"Here."

Dhea thought for a moment, before speaking again.
"Will you be alright?"
 
Alianna nodded vigorously, eyeing her pack with unhidden hunger. As Dhea offered her rations of dried meat, cheese and bread she sat at the table and ate, gratefully nodding. She looked almost like a hungry orphan who had seen food for the first time in weeks. Ruven was tapping his foot impatiently in the courtyard.

"Nothing good ever comes out of associating with Elvin kind." Alianna murmured between bites. Finally as her ravenous eating ended and Dhea was ready to go, after all there were many more miles to cover that day and many days later, Alianna stood up. "Thank you for this, stranger, you have been very kind." Then she searched for something in a pocket of her skirts and finally took out a small sack. "Please, before you go." She extended it toward Dhea. A small bag of coins. "I won't take no for an answer."

- Thank her and leave.
 
"I-I..."
Dhea looks at the coin pouch and she wants to say no. Alianna likely needed it more than she did, but the fact that she wouldn't take no for an answer. She takes it gingerly, with a small smile.
"You don't need to, but thank you."

She turns to leave, before standing at the threshold and smiling at the witch.
"I hope I'll get to meet you again. Under better circumstances, at the very least."
She waves and leaves.
 
Before Dhea walked out into the yard, Alianna called out. "Oh, and one more thing." She stepped after her, then caught hold of her arm and pulled her close. Breath hot on Dhea's ear, she whispered. "I am Alianna and I have killed many good men over the centuries. But today, I will spare you stranger, you and your Elvin. Go. Be at peace." The grip was lessened and she then slipped outside. The last glimpse she caught of Alianna was of her wide grin, as the doors raised from the floor in front of her, shutting the cottage off from prying eyes.

She caught up with Ruven at the start of the forest path. The Elvin gave her a welcoming scowl and just strode ahead as she approached him. The sun was still on the sky, but it was nearing the end of its daily work and they have not eaten that day. Dhea would need to eat at least once a day to conserve her strength, but stopping now would mean that the night would catch them among the trees, which was not ideal.

- Continue to Dhumpus.
- Stop and eat in the forest.
 
Dhea ignored her stomach, deciding that she could eat when they arrived at Dhumpus. They would hopefully have an inn, which would mean that she would be able to get a decent night's sleep.
She also hoped that she could find more people along the way. There was always a chance they could help.

What Alianna had said made her think. The witch certainly acted at odds with what the old man had told her, but she had always tried to not judge a book by its cover.
Dhea guessed that was why she saved her, instead of leaving the witch like her asshole companion would've rather she do.

She prided herself on her neutrality...most of the time.
 
The forest around them was silent and they could only hear the rustle of leaves high in the branches above. There were no birds, perhaps this forest was too thick and wild for them.

Several hours passed by as they followed the twists and turns of the path among the trees. Ruven kept his silence for the first hour, then he started to speak. Nothing important at first, he started talking about the Meddiki forest and how the Elder had warned the Elvins of his tribe about it. Alianna was not a benevolent witch, he said, and she used to lure travelers to her hut and eat them alive. Of course, it might have been just a story to scare children. Following this story, Ruven spoke of the Elvin people, of how much he knew about the ancient Elvins, out of stories the Elder told them. They were numerous once and had a Kingdom of their own, but now they were reduced to scores of wandering tribes, each of them different. Even though he spoke about the decline of the Elvin society, he did not look sad nor angry, in fact at times there was a shadow of a smile on his lips as he talked about his people, he was content with his life. Or would have been, had the Archmage not fouled it for everyone.

"Tell me, Analander, what kind of a sorcerer are you?" Ruven stopped suddenly, his ashen green eyes meeting hers. "Are you a smart one, like Alianna? Or a powerful one like the Archmage?"

- Smart.
- Powerful.
- Something else.
 
Dhea frowned, unsure of how to answer the question. She inhaled, before answering. Her eyes were sincere and she kept her gaze on his.
"I don't believe my being a sorcerer means that I am only powerful or smart. I believe I'm something else."
She pauses, still unsure of how to phrase it.

"I like to believe I'm kind and empathetic. My sorcery just means that I have access new ways to help others."
She smiled softly, still keeping her eyes on his.
 
Ruven stood in silence, watching her for a moment, his brain clearly working behind his eyes. It was clear that her response had surprised him. Suddenly he reached out and took her hand, bringing it up and then bowing to touch his forehead to it. It was a sign of respect for the Elvin people. "I apologise." Ruven spoke, his head bowed down still. "I might have misjudged you." Then he let go of her hand, straightening up, his eyes much gentler as they met Dhea's. "You are right. We cannot be judged by one single trait. After all, so many think of Elvins as troublemakers and pests, and nothing else, but there is so much more there." He sighed. "The same goes for you, Analander. I will not mention this again."

After their exchange, Ruven's demeanour changed. He was not so sullen and his prior animosity was lost. They were at the mere edge of the forest now, following the path that led to Dhumpus. Dhea moved a couple of tree branches in her path and then was forced to stop in her tracks. There was a rustle and a crack of twigs, coming from the bushes to the side of the road. Ruven stopped as well, listening closely. He motioned for her to continue ahead, then brought a finger to his lips to signal for silence.

- Continue ahead slowly.
- Run.
- Check the bushes.
- Cast a spell.
 
It was strange how quickly his demeanour had changed, with her simply speaking from her heart. If someone had told her about the whole interaction with him, Dhea wouldn't have expected a change of heart. She wanted to apologise too, because she hadn't been the most understanding person, or particularly easy to get along with.

When she heard the bushes and the twig snap, she was quick to follow what he had said. As she continued quietly, she also cast a spell to check for danger.
 
As she cast her spell an image formed in her mind, a snarling, feral wolf, in the bushes somewhere behind them. Not something they'd like to encounter. They shuffled through the woods, along the road. The rustling was now far behind them. Dhea was lucky to have the Elvin there, his hearing was better than hers and he seemed to know his way around. He had gotten them out of a possibly dangerous situation.

The path winded a couple more times around gigantic trees of the ancient forest and then they emerged onto a plain. It looked as if the forest was scooped away by some giant's hand. The sun was low on the horizon behind the scene of a tiny village.

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"Dhumpus." Ruven declared, passing by Dhea and setting down the path, expecting her to follow. The streets were thin and narrow and the buildings were set too close together as if trying to withstand a storm. There was a foul smell hanging in the air. Ruven stopped and turned back toward Dhea. "Don't expect any of the towns and villages to Khare to be pleasant, none of them are what they once were." The sun had already set as they walked into the village.

- Talk to the villagers.
- Look for a shop.
- Look for an inn.
 
Dhea had already made up her mind to go find the inn. She'd put off eating before, and she'd had a crappy sleep last time. She felt that looking for a shop and talking to villagers could be done after she'd gotten food in her belly.

And she wanted some more time to process everything that had happened in the last few days.
 
The inn was not difficult to spot. It was a larger building with conveniently wide opened doors. The inn of Dhumpus, probably the only one here, a tumbledown building with wooden mats spread across the floor and a large pit in the middle of the room, fire lit under it and some sort of animal roasting on it. The smell was very pleasant here, spicy and sweet, enough to make Dhea's mouth water.

The owner of the inn soon greeted them. He was a wiry man who looked like he had never once eaten in his life, but his grin was wide when they crossed the threshold of his abode.

"Three gold pieces for hillfox roast and three more to rest your head for the night!" He offered instead of a greeting.

- Eat.
- Get a room.
- Buy rations.
- Leave
 
Dhea fished out her coin purse and handed the man the money necessary for a room and a meal. She figured she'd earned both.
And the roast smelled too delicious to pass up.
"A room and the roast, please."
She offered him a wide grin.
 
The man took the payment for the room and food and the coins quickly disappeared somewhere in his apron. He nodded eagerly. "I'll let you use the bigger room, since it's the two of you." He looked past Dhea and winked at the Elvin knowingly. Ruven stared at him blankly. "Up the stairs, at the end of the corridor. But first, sit on the floor somewhere, I'll cut you a nice smoldering piece of the fox!"
"I'm assuming you are paying for my meal as well." Ruven added as they went to sit by the fire on the wooden mats. "I don't have any gold."

- Optional: Pay for Ruven's meal as well.
- Eat and go to sleep.
 
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