Accept Mira's offer

"Very well," you say with a little smile. Mira nods gratefully at you and picks up her pail, beckoning you with her chin to follow her into the simple farmhouse.

Inside, Mira hangs her apron on a hook by the door and lugs the water toward the far wall of the kitchen, which is clearly the house's main space. It's a simple but relatively comfortable dwelling, by farmer standards: a small table by the window with chairs for eating, a larger, heavier table in the center of the room for preparing food, a cobblestone hearth on the far side of the building. Mira gestures for you to sit at the smaller table and draws you a dipperful of water from the bucket she brought in, delivering it to you in a tin cup. You take it and drink, sincerely grateful, and then there's a slight, awkward pause as Mira stands anxiously by your table.

You clear your throat. "It, uh...it's good. Would you like to...sit down?"

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she asks, clearly anxious. When you shake your head, she sighs and sits. "I - I'm sorry. I'm anxious, I...mother always said I wasn't a very good host. And if I'm honest with you, I..." she glances out the window. "I'm terrified to be here alone. What if the Beast comes back?" She chews her lip fearfully.

You reach out a hand and gently place it over Mira's. "You can't be anxious about all that, Mira. I've seen wolves like this before - it's not likely the Beast will return to the same place it struck the very next day. Duncan Carter said it's never struck the same place twice, before. And besides, I'm going to go after it! I promise you I'll bring you it's head when I'm done," you add with a small smile.

Mira draws a deep, shuddering breath. "But are you sure you can kill it, Gavilard?" she whispers.

You smile. "Don't you worry about me. I've got my {if Fighter = true}weapons{elseif Rogue=true}wits{elseif Bard=true}rakish good looks and good luck{elseif Cleric=true}god{elseif Wizard=true}cunning{endif} to protect me. I've been through more scrapes than you'd think just to look at me!" Definitely a bit of exaggeration, but she might need the support right now.

Mira swallows, looking like she's trying to believe you. "I just...I just keep thinking about how young Peter was," she whispers. "And I...I'm older than he was, but I feel so young, too. There's so much I haven't seen...so much I haven't done...and I don't want to die here, nothing but my parents' dutiful daughter, never having lived for anything but this farm outside of Torwin."

"You won't," you say firmly.

"But how do I know that??" Mira gasps. "Gods, I wish I could just...just do something to feel like I'm alive! I've been waiting my whole life for my life to begin and now...now..." Tears slide down her cheeks and this time, she lets them fall.