Goodbyes & Greetings

“WAAIT!”

Krvavy stops mid-step, glancing back over her shoulder. A wide grin quickly fills her face. “Oh~? Miss me already~? Or do you just want another kiss goodb–~?”

“Sh-shut up!” Thea calls back, slowing from a jog to a more casual walk. “Ugh...!”

The Drakling’s emerald eyes gleam in the dim cave. “What happened with trying to hurry me up and get me to actually leave~? Don’t you want to be rid of me~?”

“Shut up...” The bratty girl grumpily grumbles out, even as her cheeks gain a bit of a pinkish-red hue. “That stupid Elf...” she quietly complains, “here. Beryl wanted you to have this.” She rolls her eyes and holds out a large pear-shaped gourd with a vine wrapped around its neck.

The gourd sloshes audibly as Krvavy takes it. “Did she tell you what’s in this thing?” Its stem looks a lot more like a bottle cap or a cork than anything naturally grown.

“That hag said something about it being nectar, or whatever” Thea dismissively shrugs. “Hmph. She is just making me run around for nothing. Should have made the dog deliver it...”

Krvavy smiles and ties the, presumably freshly ‘harvested’, bottle of nectar to her loincloth belt. “Well, thanks for being her errand girl. I’m sure you’ll be doing this sort of thing quite a bit over the next week or so~.”

“She wishes.” Thea derisively responds. “I am going to avoid her ‘grove’ as best I can. She can have the mouse or dog do her bidding for all I care.”

“If Beryl gets on your nerves, then just ask her where this nectar came from~.” Krvavy playfully suggests, taking a step towards her fiancée. “She’ll either get flustered or offer to show you. Either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it~.”

The noble girl narrows her eyes suspiciously, not quite trusting her Draconic lover’s teasing advice. “Okay, now–wmphh...”

The barbarian’s lips press against those of her beautiful brat, gently and lovingly kissing the girl goodbye. Her fingertips trail along Thea’s jawline, lingering there for a few long seconds past the end of this quick kiss.

“W-what was that for?!” Thea’s cheeks burn a bright red as she glares up the much bigger barbarian.

“If Beryl is going to make you run errands for her, then I might as well reward you~.”

“Hmph!”

“You are so adorable~.” Krvavy coos, leaning in for another kiss.

“No! Stop that!” Thea presses a finger against the Drakling’s lips. “We are not doing this again! Leave already! Go!”

Krvavy holds a hand over her heart, playing up her disappointment. “Aww, you don’t want another goodbye kiss~? Just a quick little peck~?”

The bratty girl clenches her hands into fists. “Hhahhhh!” She sharply sighs out, forcing the air past clenched teeth. “You are incorrigible! A damned degenerate Dragon!” She roughly grabs onto Krvavy’s lower horns, dragging the Drakling’s head down to her level. Her already intense blush grows even more as she gives Krvavy a predictably passionate kiss, the reddish colour spreading to her ears and shoulders. “There! Now get going!”

“I love you, my fiancée~.”

“Stop acting like this is the last time we will get to speak!” The flustered brat hisses back, avoiding eye contact as she does her best to act annoyed. “We both know that you will not give me even a day of peace!” She idly touches the Far-Speaking ring nestled firmly on her left hand, where a different kind of ring should be.

“Alright, alright. I’ll get going.” Krvavy dramatically sighs out, smiling as she shakes her head. “Give the others a kiss for me. You did just get two more than the rest of them~.”

“Hmph, I am not your errand girl!” Thea exasperatedly groans, burying her flushed face into her hands.

“Of course not~.” The Drakling smiles and begins to walk away. “You wouldn’t complain as much if you were~.”

“Ugh! I... I love you!” The silver-blonde brat shouts back, before abruptly spinning around on the spot and storming off.

“Love you too!” Krvavy spares a glance back over her shoulder, stifling a laugh as she sees Thea giving her the finger.

Krvavy’s legs are heavy and a little sore. As is the rest of her body, really.

The backpack’s straps dig into her shoulders. It barely even has anything in it, but it still has a fair bit of weight to it. Mostly due to the large and admittedly oversized weapon that she has wrapped up and strapped onto it. The fact that her axe is Soulbound is something she’d like to keep under wrap.

The constant discomfort that’s bothering her really isn’t too bad, but it is enough for her to just want to lie down and sleep.

Which... is not something that Krvavy can do right now. Not with all of these people milling about. She might be in Raseyne, but she still has another half hour or so until she reaches Rina’s estate...

The Drakling adjusts her pelt top, glaring at the random people around her. That, and the clearly unhappy flicking of her tail, is enough to give her a bit of space. But not quite as much as she’d like. This market square is just too crowded. She should have taken the extra time to go around it...

Doing her best to ignore the cacophonous noise of merchants shouting out about their wares and customers trying to buy said wares, Krvavy sweeps her gaze across the mostly Human crowd.

There.

Krvavy purposefully strides through the mass of people. Off to the side of this square is a large empty space. There are no market stalls. There is nothing being sold. And, more importantly, there are no people over there. She can just walk past this unpleasantly packed crowd without having to barrel through it.

“Hahh...” A sigh of relief escapes past Krvavy’s lips as she finds herself no longer surrounded. The lively and annoying noises of the market even sound a bit quieter over here, though that is obviously just in her head. She is just a couple steps away from the crowd, after all.

Soon... Soon she’ll be at Rina’s – hopefully on time – and will finally be able to relax...

Hmm... Maybe she should call her girl’s to tell them that she’s in Raseyne now? Just... not Thea. The brat would just get annoyed at her. Especially since Krvavy already called them earlier, when she saw the city in the distance... Mayb–?

“Hello,” a soft and plain voice dances through the air like a whispered song, “oh Dragon of Black and Gold”

Krvavy blinks. Standing in front of her is a woman, slim and oddly beautiful. Unnerving. The back of her mind buzzes as she meets this woman’s vacant yet focused eyes. “Oh. H...hello...?”

“It is good to see thine self again.” An empty yet joyous smile fills the woman’s flawless face. She sways back and forth, slowly dancing to a song only she can hear. “Is this but the second time thou have met mineself?”

A shiver runs down the Drakling’s spine as she realizes that this strange woman’s scarred and bandaged fingers are clasping onto her own. When did...?

“Fate may be a cruel mistress, but she hath surely blessed me in recent time. To give a lowly wretch such as mineself the chance to lay eyes and hands upon one so venerable and beautiful as thee...” The swaying woman closes her eyes and slowly sighs. Sorrow fills her ethereal face. “Oh Dragon of Black and Gold,” her soft voice echoes through the silent air. Her piercing eyes flutter open. “May our day be made brighter still? May thee grace one such as mineself with a dance?”

Confusion and discomfort swirl through the barbarian’s body and mind. “Okay...?” She hesitantly mutters out, already being pulled closer to the odd woman before that single word is even past her lips.

“Worry not for thine skill, oh Dragon of Black and Gold.” Delicate, bandaged fingers brush over Krvavy’s scales, slipping between her own much larger fingers. The scarred woman’s cold lips curl into a warm smile. “For thee will learn in time.” The barbarian’s other hand is guided down towards a frail and slim hip, hardly feeling the thin fabric that separates her touch from this woman’s scarred and unmarked skin. “We shall dance and dance and dance... forevermore...”

Krvavy’s throat feels tight. The silence around her is stifling. Her clawed feet shuffle across a finely woven mat, clumsy and always a step behind.

But this strange woman does not mind.

Her wispy hair blows in the still, stale breeze. The remains of her cut and scarred ears, ones that must have once looked like those of an Elf, are briefly revealed here and there. Never for longer than a second at a time.

A peaceful and wistful expression fills this dancing woman’s face. Her eyes stare up at Krvavy, her gaze unwavering and uninterrupted. Kind. Indifferent. Aloof. Pleading.

Without warning, the odd woman pulls back, loosely holding onto the Drakling’s hand as she... spins in place. Pirouetting around and around. Her knee-length dress swirls around her, its near-sheer fabric reminiscent of mists and clouds. “Ha~! Ha~! Ha~!” Stilted, earnest laughter softly breaks the silence. Joyous. Happy. Yearning.

Krvavy’s heart pangs as she sees the woman’s emaciated back. Scars upon scars upon scars mar her delicate and fragile skin. Spine, shoulder blades, ribs... All are hidden away behind thick layered scars. Four lines stand out amongst the rest, symmetrical top to bottom and left to right. Deliberate and orderly, atop a bed of pained chaos.

The woman abruptly stops spinning. The woven mat twists slightly around her bare, bandaged feet. Tears steadily stream down her face, dropping to the ground like rain. “On scarr-ed wings sorrow takes flight, soaring through the starless night. Uncaring of the broken one’s plight, the Sister Moons turn away their sight. Beware the black kiss which carries blight, for in its embrace even hope can do naught but be snuff-ed like a light.”

Krvavy blankly blinks, her mouth opening and closing without a word.

“Begone now, oh Dragon of Black and Gold.” The strange woman smiles sorrowfully, bringing the barbarian’s hand up to her lips. She plants a soft, weak kiss on Krvavy’s scaled knuckles. “Thank ye for this dance, but thy should now be on thine way. Enough of thine time hath been taken up by mineself. Hurry on, oh Dragon of Black and Gold, hurry on. Til next we meet.”

Those fragile, bandaged hands gently push Krvavy back. Her emerald eyes glance up at the dimming sky. “Shit!” She hisses out, feeling a jolt of panic grip at her heart. The summer sun is setting. The late evening air is cool, losing the heat of the day. “Uh, yeah, see you some other time.” Krvavy hastily waves away this odd swaying woman, not even sparing a glance back as she hurries past the diminishing crowd.

Unblinking eyes watch the Drakling leave. Smile fading with the sun.

“State your business.” A knight in polished armour calls out, his elegant halberd lowered over top that of his counterpart, creating an x in the entrance to the open gatehouse.

“I’m... here to visit the Countess... before she leaves for... for Vratsa.” Krvavy quickly responds, trying to not sound too breathless.

The plumes of long black feathers atop both knight’s helms bob as they subtly glance towards each other.

“State your name, Drakling.” The other knight asks in a tone that implies he already knows the answer.

“Krvavy.”

The crossed halberds rise in unison. Practiced and routine, much like the words that follow. “You may enter. Head straight to the main hall.”

Krvavy respectfully nods her head and passes on through the gatehouse. A heavy clunk and a light rattle echoes out from behind her. The gates are closing. Were they kept open for her, or is this just convenient timing?

The barbarian shrugs and pushes those thoughts aside. She honestly does not care. Maybe if she weren’t quite as exhausted...

Likewise, Krvavy ignores the nice landscaping and elegant gardens as she walks along the lantern lined pathway. Rina’s home really is beautiful. Especially at this time of day, when the last rays of light from the setting sun just barely paint the sky.

Krvavy pauses halfway across the decorative moat, resting her hands on the railing of the short arched bridge. She takes a few slow, deep breaths. Long shadows stretch across the trimmed lawn, surrounding the various separate and connected gardens.

After nearly a minute of just enjoying the view, the Drakling turns and takes the last few steps towards the large and ornate doors, grabbing the fancy metal knocker and using it as intended.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The large door opens just a second after the last echoing knock.

“Ahh... Krvavy.” The grey-haired butler smiles warmly as he gestures for the barbarian to come inside. “You are becoming a regular, if infrequent, guest here.”

“I guess I am...” Krvavy idly shrugs, her lips slowly spreading into a smile. “I really don’t look the part though, do I?” She jokes, gesturing at her rough pelt top and loincloth.

“Looks can be deceiving.” The well-dressed butler, in his incredibly stereotypical uniform with tailed jacket and vest, replies. “Now, I am sure you are tired after your journey, so head over to your room and have a well-earned rest.”

Krvavy nods and is about to walk away, but pauses mid-step. “I didn’t miss R– the Countess, did I?”

“No, no. Do not worry, the Lady will be departing in the morn.”

“Right, thanks...” The Drakling sighs in relief. She really did cut it close... “Uh, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

“Mnhhh...” Krvavy tiredly hums as she steps out of the shower. She still finds it a bit odd that the bathrooms here are so... modern. Though, really, that shouldn’t be so surprising. This world might not be the most technologically advanced, but it isn’t primitive either. Inanna knew how to design and build a proper bathroom, so it only makes sense that Rina, with her wealth and resources, could find someone to make all of this work.

Krvavy roughly rubs a towel across her head, making a bit of a mess of her crimson hair as it goes from soaked to merely damp. She hangs the now-wet towel on a nearby hook as mana begins to thrum through her body. Small wisps of steam rise from her skin and scales, leaving her relatively dry.

Finally. After a long and exhausting day, Krvavy can finally lie down and rest. Smiling softly in anticipation of that, she grabs the handle of the door that separates this en suite bathroom from ‘her’ bedroom and opens it.

Funnily enough, despite this room seemingly being reserved for her, the barbarian has never actually slept in here... Guess this will be the first time. Or... will it?

The Drakling’s raises an eyebrow as she sees a certain albino maid standing by the bed, pale pink eyes glaring through the lenses of a pair of rather thick glasses. “Hi?”

Vera’s lips press together into a thin line as she remains silent for a few long seconds. If it wasn’t for the near murderous look in her eyes, this maid would be a good mirror to Thea. She has a pretty similar bratty attitude. “The Countess is otherwise occupied tonight, and will not be able to greet you in person. Is your presence here indicative of your intent to accept her... offer?”

“The ‘bodyguard’ position? Yep.” Krvavy answers, completely unbothered by the albino’s cold hostility.

Vera’s eyes narrow unhappily. “You will be called upon in the morn.” The faintest hint of colour tints her cheeks as she briefly glances downwards. “Ensure that you are decent at that time.”

Krvavy blinks and looks down at herself. She is completely and utterly naked, with her soft but still quite large cock just dangling down between her legs. Huh. Krvavy didn’t even think twice about essentially exposing herself in front of this maid. She really is becoming a nudist...

Click.

In the few seconds that the Drakling was distracted, Vera had turned around and left the room without a word.

Krvavy shrugs and drops down onto the bed. As much as she’d like to just fall asleep right now, there is still one thing that she should do.

The black and silver ring nestled on her horn pulses.

⟨My dearest love~!⟩ Beryl’s loving voice echoes through Krvavy’s head. ⟨Ah take it tha’ ya’ve finally arrived?⟩

⟨Yeah, just about to fall asleep too.⟩ The barbarian responds with a yawn.

⟨And ya wanted ta ‘ear my voice before ya did tha’~?⟩ A playful smugness oozes from those mentally projected words. ⟨Ah’m flattered, my dearest love~. Truly flattered~.⟩

⟨Careful. If you start acting a bit too arrogant then I might have to tell Khalia to give your ass a good spank for me~.⟩

⟨Mhh~... Who says Ah wouldn’t want tha’~?⟩

Krvavy playfully rolls her eyes. ⟨I see that you’re doing alright.⟩

⟨Aye, o’ course Ah am. We only just spoke a while ago. Did ya expect somethin’ bad ta ‘appen in tha’ short time?⟩ Beryl pauses, her projected voice trailing off into the ghost of a sigh. ⟨Ach, don’t answer tha’, ya worrywart. Ah’m doin’ great.⟩

⟨Not feeling lonely?⟩ The Drakling asks, stifling a sigh as she looks at the empty bed that she’s lying on.

⟨Wit’ ya talkin’ ta me like this all the time~? Nah~.⟩ The Dryad’s soft, playful laughter crosses through the connection, bringing a smile to Krvavy’s face. ⟨Ah do miss cuddlin’ in bed wit’ ya and the others, but... Ah’ll be able ta safely go tha’ far from my tree by the time tha’ ya’re back. So Ah’ll get ta enjoy tha’ bliss along wit’ ya, my dearest love~.⟩

Krvavy closes her eyes and slowly breathes in. ⟨I can hardly wait~.⟩

⟨Ach, now. Don’t get all ‘ung up on me~. Ya’ll ‘ave Rina all fer yerself these next couple weeks~. Well, fer the most part. Ya might ‘ave ta share ‘er wit’ tha’ adorable maid o’ ‘ers~. Ah’m sure tha’ brat’ll be real ‘appy about tha’~.⟩

⟨Hah, yeah.⟩ Krvavy laughs lightly at her sweet berry’s teasingly sarcastic tone. ⟨I’ll be lucky if that girl doesn’t bury a knife between my ribs while I’m sleeping...⟩

⟨Ah’m sure ya’ll be fine~. And speakin’ o’ sleepin’...⟩ Beryl abruptly changes the topic, a smile ‘audible’ in her projected voice. ⟨Ya should go and rest. Ah’m sure ya’re tired after yer long journey. So no matter ‘ow much ya may want ta keep talkin’, Ah’m goin’ ta put my foot down and say goodnight, my dearest love. Sleep well.⟩

⟨Goodnight...⟩