A surprise in the morning

Your sleep is uninterrupted for the rest of the night, and your dreams are fraught with scenes of carnage and blood. You rile and blame yourself for the destruction and all the while it is the lizardman, the cloaked one you fought in the Dragon's Spines, who is the antagonist. You clash blades with him on every landscape in your dreams and every time he stands above you, the victor. His cackle permeates your thoughts and haunts you until you finally emerge from your slumber.

You open your eyes to see Tri'lanna staring back at you, wide awake. She is humming the same tune she was that night when you were attacked by the Alraune, except instead of cradling your head, she is kneeling next to you. She tilts her head slightly as your eyes meet hers. Then Tri'lanna opens her mouth and says the three, sweetest words you've ever heard:

"Good morning, Hans."

It is light, airy and a little unsure, as if the elfmaid is trying out the phrase for the first time.

"Tri'lanna, you...you're speaking common?" You stutter, eyes widening.

A sly smile spreads across her face as she hears your shocked reply, a smart, intelligent grin instead of the dim one she used to have. It's the kind of Cheshire smile that is equally alluring and frightening, as if underneath those white teeth lay a wickedly cunning and playful soul - one that delights in teasing and playing pranks.

"Of course! You didn't really think I was just a cute mute, did you? Just a pretty face and a good shot? Hmm?" Tri'lanna says, grinning the whole time and stunning you with each new word and idiom.

She shakes her head and tsks at you. "You were always looking down my shirt or up my skirt, like I'm some two-copper whore. Oh yes, I saw it ALL." the elfmaid continues, clearly enjoying the effect she has on you, "It must've been tough for you though, Hans. Always trying to act like such a gentleman, and yet I was exposing myself to you every which way."

Tri'lanna creeps her face closer to yours and lets out a sigh, her sweet, honeyed breath brushing your cheeks.

"Of course, we can fix that now, since we'll be spending many...many nights together." She says in a tone that is more than a little suggestive.

It is early in the morning and you just woke up, so you can feel your prick straining against your trousers, standing up at full attention. Having a beautiful elf, whom you've lusted after for more than a week, kneeling but a few inches away only makes it ache harder, and you find yourself instinctively leaning forward to seize Tri'lanna in your arms.

But she quickly presses a finger to your lips, halting your advance. "But the sex will have to wait. For now. I have something important to tell both you and Ceinwyn. Could you wake her up for me, please?"

Without another word, she skitters off to another part of the camp, out of sight. It may have just been the morning light playing tricks, but as she first turned away you caught a glimpse of her suppressing a giggle, like she was leading you on and enjoying how far it drove you. You get the distinct feeling that Tri'lanna enjoys being a tease, and the very thought makes you groan in frustration. The nights are going to become even longer, from now on.

Rising up from your bedroll, you scan the campground for the young druid. She is far off to your left, lying on her side, curled up with her back to the campfire. Her hands are balled into fists and pressed to her lips, making it look like she is sucking her thumb. You bend over and shake her shoulder gently. She shudders awake and rises from the waist.

"Wstfgl?" Ceinwyn mutters nonsensically as she stares at you, her eyes only half-open.

When the mist clears and Ceinwyn realizes what just happened, she awkwardly looks up at your face and reddens in embarrassment. She almost dives back under the bedroll in shame before you stop her and laugh in a pure, honest way to reassure her. You help the druid to her feet and the two of you begin to look around for Tri'lanna.

You find the elfmaid sitting next to your sack, with a large parchment spread out on the ground in front of her. It is the map you acquired from the orc encampment, the one with red Xs marking different locations on the Island of Seven Stones. Tri'lanna is pouring over the symbols on the paper, tracing lines and distances with her fingers, when she looks up and spots both of you coming towards her.

"Ah, Ceinwyn! Glad you're finally awake. Have a seat you two." Tri'lanna says as she stands up, indicating a fallen log off to the side.

Ceinwyn blinks. She turns to you, as if expecting an answer, then turns back to Tri'lanna. Then Ceinwyn blinks again.

"Er," She says, sitting down cautiously on the tree trunk, "...What?"

"Why so surprised? It was you who dispelled the mark."

"W-well, I had never done it before. So I didn't know what would happen." She replies, still a little flustered. "And you're so...different, from what I expected."

Tri'lanna chuckles at being called 'different', enjoying Ceinwyn's confusion as much as your own. "You're not the first to say that, and I expect you won't be the last. But explanations and introductions will come later, we have a world to save, yes?"

Ceinwyn's face darkens and her expression becomes downcast, "But the Druids are dead. All of them."

"This is true. I'm sorry for your loss, and I hope you'll accept my condolences." The elf replies sympathetically, "But what I'm going to tell you will change everything."

Tri'lanna pauses dramatically, glancing at you and the Druid, making sure she has your rapt attention.

"Vanarim can still be stopped." Tri'lanna proclaims loudly, "I know of a way to use the Shining Stone."

Even before knowing how you plan to stop him, Ceinwyn leaps up and cries out, overjoyed, her hands waving in the air ecstatically. She spins around and dives into your arms, squeezing you tenderly.

Briefly, you close your eyes as you enjoy the sensation of the druid mashing her breasts against your chest, the soft globes flattening against your skin, but you quickly remember your decision to respect her innocence and hug her back, keeping it as chaste as you can. While not as exuberant, you too are relieved that there is a way and that there is at least some hope.

Tri'lanna nods her head, acknowledging your happiness and letting you bask in relief. She isn't even fazed in the slightest with the way you and Ceinwyn are holding each other, rather, she grins mischievously again as she watches you uncomfortably extricate yourself from the girl's embrace.

"Which leads me, now, to my question..." the elfgirl says finally, looking back and forth between you and Ceinwyn.

"Have you ever heard of the Akashic Records?"