Bound - NaNoWriMo2020 11/17

Eventually the two women were clothed, though Kassadi was less than thrilled to hear that the clothes they had for her had belonged to a Bugbear who had spent some time living in the village some years back, offended at the implication that she was the size of a bugbear! Lidya assured the Wizard that it was a particularly slim bugbear, but that did little to soothe Kassadi’s ire. What didn’t help at all was the fact that they did in fact fit quite well. Kassadi grumbled wearing a pair of sheepskin leather trousers, hide boots, and a vest that on a bugbear would have been a trim highlight to complete an outfit, but on Kassadi was more of a button up sleeveless tunic.

Madrona was an entirely different matter to clothe for the Goblins. Far too slim to fit in any of the bugbear’s clothes, they needed to cobble together something for her out of their own materials… all made to fit goblin bodies, which topped out just above three and a half feet. After some deliberation they managed to come to a solution. The feet were a problem at first, not a single boot or shoe in the village would fir her they would have to go with the bugbear’s, which were too big. The compromise was to lash the boots with bands of leather to tighten them. This worked fairly well and Madrona was able to slip her feet into them. As for the rest, since she was already wearing pants and a form of shirt, two cloaks were hastily stitched together and one of the hoods hewn off. Pulling it over herself like a poncho the black cloth appeared as a full body shawl over her form, a fur lining stretching over her shoulders. Looking into the mirror with Kassadi the two of them together examined themselves. Madrona had managed to get a brush through her head and Kassadi bound her own hair into her familure pig-tailed style. Madrona nodded feeling she gave off a very ‘Dark Witch of the Winter Glade’ look. She didn’t hate it. Kassadi was examining herself seemingly more critically. To be frank it was a very earthy look, very lumber-jackline.

“Alright.” Kassadi finally stated, turning to Madrona. “I don’t hate it.”

“You look very tough, Kassadi, very butch.” She grinned wide.

“Yeah?” Kassadi said, crossing her arms over her chest. “I mean I know I can make anything look good.” She said, faux pride in her voice. “But I didn’t think you’d be into the rough and tumble woods living kind of woman.”

“Not normally.” Madrona said, bumping Kassadi with her shoulder. “But you pull it off nicely. Come on, enough flirting we have… a lot of things to figure out.” Madrona turned and walked out of the room to speak with Lidya.

“Oh.” Kassadi said with a giggle as Madrona left. “Was… were we flirting?” She said it with a grin, following behind.

                Lidya’s generosity to the women was extraordinary, clearly seeing the two were in quite a bind, and provided them with a place to stay for the time in her own home. It was a large dwelling, well, for a goblin at least. For Kassadi and Madrona they had to duck their heads and arch forward to get under any doorway and they had to make sure they didn’t walk down any halls side by side. They had mostly clear headspace, the ceiling of any given room about four inches above their heads, Madrona’s horns scrapping the edge if she craned her neck in any direction. They joined Lidya in the sitting room, Kassadi taking a whole two seat couch to herself and Madrona perched atop a stool. Lidya and Dulav, having been talking over tea while the women got dressed, turned to them as they sat.

“Well you’re both looking much better off now.” She smiled and began to pour two more glasses of tea. “And see? I told you the bugbear’s clothes would fit you.” She said to Kassadi.

“Look I’ve seen bugbears… and that was a tiny bugbear.” Kassadi stated defensively.

“Thank you so much for your help.” Madrona said, cutting in. “I’m sorry to say we don’t have any money on us to repay your kindness.” Lidya waved her off.

“Don’t worry about it, dear.” Lidya said, sliding a teacup to Madrona. “If you wish to return when you’re in better sorts and put some money into our community I’ll appreciate it, but I didn’t help you out of expectation. You were obviously in a struggle, it’s in my nature to help.”

“Though we would like to know what happened.” Dulav stated, glancing between the two of them. “You came from the north, from the forest…”

“Dulav, please, they are guests-“ Lidya started, but Dulav raised his hand to stop her.

“Lidya. You have a kind heart. But you sometimes love too much, it is what allowed Maryl to poison the minds of so many of our people and drag them to the Labyrinth to become marauders. These two came from the Witch’s Forest, they must be questioned.”

“Ah man, a Witch is in there, too?” Kassadi said with exasperation. “Guess we’re lucky to have missed that as well!”

“I don’t think we did, Kassadi.” Madrona said, eyes turning to her friend. “I think he means Travlona.”

“Yes.” Dulav stated. “The Witch Travlona.”

“That’s impossible.” Kassadi said, leaning back into the couch, a skeptical expression on her face.

“It’s true.” Dulav explained. “Many of our hunters have been killed by her walking statue servant. And they were the lucky ones. The ones who are captured by the Witch…” He trailed off, letting it go unsaid.

“No I mean it’s literally impossible.” Kassadi said, throwing her hands up. “Travlona is a scholar. A researcher, not a practitioner of magic. I met her like three years ago at the school, she was seeking access to our Archive and any information we had on Valel. We’re kind of protective of our school, what with all the children in it, so we do all sorts of tests before letting outsiders in!” Kassadi started counting off on her fingers. “Magical detection spells, divination spells, dispelling illusion, Truth Speak spells. The works! Travlona isn’t a Sorcerer, isn’t a Wizard or a Bard or even an Alchemist. So unless she decided to cosey up with the gods or get really into trees she isn’t a Cleric or Druid either!”

“She chose an easier path to magic.” Dulav said, a grave intonation in his voice. Kassadi’s eyes shot to the goblin from her position on the couch.

“What…” Kassadi narrowed her eyes. “You mean she’s a Warlock?”  A chill ran through Madrona.

“Yes.” Dulav stated, his eyes turned to Madrona. “And so is she. So while I will happily help those in peril and heal your wounds, you must forgive me if I’m not as welcoming as Lidya.”

“What are you talking about?” Kassadi slowly rose on the couch, angry now. “Madrona’s not a Warlock she’s a sorcerer, how dare you!” Kassadi turned to Madrona, ready to suggest they leave. She stopped, however, when she saw Madrona frozen in a panicked stare with Dulav, Tea spilling to the floor as she lost all focus on her cup. “M…Madrona?”

                The inferni woman swallowed hard and glanced between the three of them. Gods she had so many eyes on her… This is what she was getting away from, the stares of judgement and disgust. She gritted her teeth. She felt the bile build in the back of her throat and was ready to strike out, tear down this foolish little man, cut him with her words. Lidya too for allowing this kind of treatment to guests, she didn’t have to take this! She would smooth it all over with Kassadi and they could get out of here, she turned her head… and her heart broke. Kassadi’s face was one of anguish and sorrow. Eyes wide and lip trembling a sadness of great and overwhelming power. The anger washed from Madrona and she no longer wanted to tear down the little druid man she just wanted to…

“I’m sorry.” Madrona said, softly.

                Kassadi stared for a moment, shook her head in disbelief. But then things started to click in her mind about the last couple days. Madrona’s lack of any sort of inherent knowledge to her magic, the appearance of what Kassadi realized was clearly a Grimoire, the vicious nature of some of her spells. Hells her Casting Anchor was a dagger! Kassadi brushed that off as a flair for the dramatic. She stood up and walked to the front door pushing past and slamming it behind her. Madrona sighed as she left… but then jerked forward as her arm yanked out, Kassadi obviously walking to the threshold of their tether. Madrona got up and followed after her.

“Kassadi wait.” Madrona called out.

“Why?” Kassadi asked, having started walking again once there was slack between them again.

“Well for one because you literally can’t get away from me!” The inferni woman shouted. Kassadi stopped, throwing her arms over her chest, and keeping her back to Madrona.

“You know what, you don’t even have any right to be angry. You just assumed I was a sorcerer, what I was supposed to be forward with the source of my magic?”

                Kassadi was quiet.

“You don’t get to be mad!” Madrona said, screaming now and feeling tears coming. Damn this woman! Madrona fought the tears, she would not cry, not for this bubbly blond idiot. Madrona had only cried once since the death of her parents, one night where her resolve had broken… The night Miragg came to her. This Wizard would not be the next cause of tears in her eyes.

                Kassadi was still quiet, it made Madrona;s face hot.

“What would you even know?” She screamed. “Your life was so hard Kassadi, so terrible being ‘trapped’ in a glittering magical school at the center of a powerful Arcane Order with Arch-Magi parents! You had parents, mine died when I was thirteen!” The tears were there, just on the cusp, and Madrona was losing the fight.

Kassadi wavered, she clutched herself a little tighter, and Madrona could hear a sniffle

“And then I spent the next twelve years as a wage slave to a drunken oaf of a Dwarf, working as a wench in a wretched tavern, being heckled and hollered at by drunks who swatted at me with derision with one hand while swatting at me in lust with the other. I was in hell, Kassadi. Every night I wished and prayed to the Mistress of Stars herself to strike the accused building down! Send the sky itself upon the roof and crush it to splinters with me inside it!” Madrona was heaving her breath now. “Yes I’m a Warlock, Kassadi, a Devil came to me in the night and offered me the power to leave, the power to make it in a cruel and uncaring world and I took it.”

In for a penny in for a pound. Why not tell her what happened next.

“And after our pact was made, I asked that Devil for one favor. Empty the tavern of its patrons but leave the owner outside… And I burned it. I burned every room, I burned the tables and I burned the bar. I set alight the kitchen and the cellar and even the broom closet! As I walked out the dwarf saw it was me and lashed out, I cut him with a blade I didn’t even realize I had. Left him bleeding in the dirt, alive, and walked away. So yes Kassadi I’m a Warlock and I’ve also never raised a hand to harm you since we met.” Madrona finished her story, the tears had won and they were now streaming down her face.

Kassadi seemed a bundle of tensed nerves, and finally spun.

“Don’t lie to me!” She had obviously been crying as well, not fighting the teras like Madrona had. “No hand to harm me? So I’m supposed to just ignore the fact that right after meeting me a Grimoire appears in your hand! A book to steal a Wizards spells… You were going steal my Spellbook, Madrona. You were gonna take from me my magic that I have spent my entire life cultivating. That would be plenty of harm.”

“Kassadi…” Madrona rubbed her face, the heat was rapidly dying from her fury. “My… Patron… Is a lazy good for nothing worm who gave me the book to shirk off his responsibility. He told me to take your spells, and I didn’t.”

“How can I trust that?” Kassadi said, her entire chin was trembling.

“Because last night you were injured and weak and lacked any means of defending yourself against me. Your book was there for the taking, I could have waited for the cold to take you in night… Instead I got into the bed with you to keep you warm. I could have let the fever take you this morning, instead I kept you on your feet through the forest. I could have simply stabbed you in the back once we were out of the forest, instead I pointed us to the village. At any time I could have killed you, taken your book and lopped off your hand and walked away free and I didn’t. I don’t want your spells, Kassadi.

Kassadi shifted in place, her lips etched in a frown, her body language lightened however. She lowered her hands from her chest and started fidgeting with her fingers. She took in a few calming bretahs, the last one coming with a sign that caused her body to unclench. She clicked her tongue.

“I mean…” She started. “You totally do, cause they’re totally awesome spells. But…” She shivered. “Yeah I guess it’s true, you could have taken my spellbook any time and you never did unless I told you to. And even then you gave it right back.”

                The two stood there for a long moment, an awkwardness too powerful to overcome between them. They both avoided each other’s gaze for as long as they could but there was only a limited amount of time it was even possible to stand directly in front of someone without meeting their eyes. Eventually their gaze came together, they both broke away quickly but eventually it happened again, longer this time. It wasn’t long before it stuck and they both stood there staring at the other. Suddenly Kassadi moved, lunging forward. Madrona took a step back and through her arms up to defend against an attack, but Kassadi wasn’t intent on starting a fight, instead her arms wrapped around Madrona and pulled the inferni woman into a tight hug. Kassdi began to bawl her eyes out, sobbing into Madrona’s shoulder.

“I’M SORRY MADRONA I’M SO SORRY I GOT MAD I WAS TERRIBLE!” She managed to choke through the sobs. Madrona was slightly taken aback, but patted Kassadi’s back.

“It’s… Fine.” Madrona said, and it wasn’t a lie. “I can’t exactly blame you for being suspicious of someone who deals with Devils. It’s kind of why I keep it a secret, you know?”

“Is… was your story all true?” Kassadi said once her sobs died down. She lifted herself to meet Madrona’s gaze again, a look of intense sorrow on her face.

“Yes it was Kassadi. I can tell you, at that moment in my life, a deal with a Devil really did seem the lesser evil.” She frowned. She wasn’t proud of that moment, burning down the tavern, she came to regret it the very next morning even.

“I’m so sorry for you, Madrona. That sounds so hard.” Kassadi said, the sorrow on her face deepening. “No one deserves to live like that, especially someone as cool as you!”

“Thank you Kassadi, yes it was hard. But I survived it.” Madrona shifted. “Kassadi, please…”

“Yes, Madrona?” Kassadi said, ready to do anything.

“You can let go of the hug now, I’m losing feeling in my left arm!” Madrona was in a somewhat awkward position, with one arm pinned to her torso, Kassadi’s arm still gripping down in a powerful embrace.

“Oh!” Kassadi startled and moved back, releasing the hug. She wiped at her eyes with her palm and cleared her throat. “Sorry.”

“Thank you.” Madrona said, rolling the left arm at the shoulder until feeling returned. “But I should also apologize. I shouldn’t have belittled your experience like that. It was wrong of me.”

“It’s okay.” Kassadi said. “I… did grow up pretty privileged.”

“Doesn’t mean you didn’t feel trapped in a similar way to me. I may have lacked the power to escape my bonds but you, well, you had to give up power to escape yours.”

“Yeah…” Kassadi said, nodding. “And I burned a lot of bridges doing it.”

“Come on, lets get back in there.” Madrona said, turning. Kassadi followed behind

                The two women returned to Lidya’s house; it was awkward. Lidya stared at them politely enough, but their shouting match out there was impossible not to hear. The entire village likely knew the details of their life now. Dulav just stared at them with an expression of deep confusion and more than a little regret in deciding to help these two mad women. Kassadi eventually shuffled back to the couch, plopping down into it like nothing had happened.

“So… Travlona is a Warlock, huh?”

“I can tell you she is, yes.” Madrona said returning to the stool.

“Wait what, how do you know? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you not allowed to out other Warlocks? Was she in the closet?” Kassadi’s energy was surprisingly elastic, having bounced back so quickly after the emotionally draining fight.

“No…” Madrona stuttered at the rapid fire and ridiculous questions. “No I didn’t know until Dulav mentioned it, but now that my own secret is out I can confirm it. My uh…” She glanced around the room. “Devil had mentioned a power player in the Hells might be up to something, I imagine it’s Travlov’s patron. I imagine he’s also the one who gave her the power to summon the Hellhound.”

“Very good, Madrona.” Came a voice from behind the inferni woman. Madrona spun her head around, And Miragg was standing behind her. “Here I was coming to tell you all about it and you go and figure it out on your own.” He grinned and held up a hand when Madrona moved to speak. “Ah ah, they can’t see me or hear me. Just you.” His smile widened.

“What’s wrong, Madrona?” Kassadi asked, concerned at Madrona’s sudden movement.

“He’s here with me.” Madrona said. “My devil.”

“Spoil sport.” Miragg said with a mock pout. “Well I’m not going to reveal myself. Relay the information if you’d like. It’s a soul grab. Apparently a powerful soul has been found and it’s desperately wanted in the Hells. That particular Devil of Influence  is especially interested and so is his little Warlock Travlov.”

“What does that have to do with us?” Madrona asked. “Travlov summoned the Hellhound to hunt us down, why?”

“No idea.” Miragg Said with a shrug. “But it’s a soul grab, without a doubt.”

“You said I was your charge and that if another Devil made a move against me without your permission you’d deal with it.” Madrona’s eyes narrowed, Miragg seemed to shift, rattled, but recouped quickly.

“There’s a hierarchy down here, Madrona, and this individual is, well, higher. I’m afraid this is all I can do for now. I’ve already expended quite a bit of my own favor to get that much for you.”

“Great, thanks.” Madrona said, sighing.

“I’m sure you’ll figure it out, dear. You’re a smart one, and the Wizard seems to be less than dull.” Miragg glanced at Kassadi, who was busy waving her hands in the air and mumbling a few words. In her hand was what looked like… powdered talc? Miragg’s eyes widened as Kassadi completed her spell. “Don’t you dare you little-“

                There was a flash of energy and Kassadi’s eyes suddenly began to glow. As they did she turned her head directly to Miragg, who recoiled and sneered. Kassadi smiled wide and stood up, walking towards Miragg and stopping before him. She stopped. Before she made it to the Devil. Because she could see him. She let out a little chuckle in victory, and wiped the crushed talc off on her thigh before dusting her leg off. She rested her hand on her thigh, looking the devil up and down with her Revealing Sight spell.

“Hi. I’m Kassadi.”