Episode 8: An Alluring Proposition (Part 1 of 6)

Episode 8: An Alluring Proposition

Shortly after our Heroes perilous trials in the Vadhat Forest, they find themselves walking through the grasslands of Murrad in the early morning as they search for a place to rest. It isn't long before they come across a small thicket of tall trees and bushy hedges, located directly against Blackcrest's outer wall. Tiredly, they set up camp for the day and are soon swept away into a long and peaceful slumber.

After his peaceful respite, Locke awakens and finds himself still in the thicket; however now, the sun has begun to set into the horizon as the moon makes its first appearance of the evening. Locke yawns and sits up from his bed roll, rubbing his eyes as he looks around the thicket for Lilanei. He hears the crackling of their camp fire and sees, just in front of it, the back of Lilanei as she sits on a fallen log and tinkers with something in front of the fire.

"Hm, whatcha doing over there?" Locke asks as he runs the fingers of his left hand through his long brown hair.

After a moment, Lil turns her head, cocking an eyebrow at Locke as a needle and thread hang from her mouth; Turning quickly back around and removing the needle from her mouth, she says, "I'm just patching up the tent is all."

"That's great!" Locke exclaims. "Despite the short rest we had in it last night, I missed having some cover from the cold."

"Me too," Lil nods as she continues fiddle with the tent in front of her. "Also, if it starts to rain like it has so many times, I don't wish to be caught in the downpour."

"Yeah, that's true," Locke replies as he lies back down on his bed roll, lying with his back down so he can see the sky above him. "You seem pretty good at that. Have you ever considered a career change and becoming a seamstress?"

Lilanei laughs and says, "Of course not! I'm not nearly talented enough to be a professional seamstress. Besides, I just do it to pass the time."

"Well, if you want to pass the time," Locke begins. "I have a hole in my loincloth and socks that could do with fixing. . ."

Scoffing, Lilanei says, "Or you could get off your lazy butt and pick up the needle yourself."

"No thanks," Locke replies. "It's not my thing; besides the last time I tried, I just sewed my fingers together."

Muttering angrily under her breath for a moment, she continues her work on the tent quietly, before finally saying, "Anyway. . . How does your head feel?"

"It feels okay," Locke answers as he rubs the top of his head which had sustained many harsh blows the day before. "It still hurts some, but not enough to really bother me."

Lilanei says nothing for a few moments before stating, "Well, that's good, I suppose. Even though, I think I'll miss 'Maroco.'"

"Maroco?" Locke asks, sitting up. "Why do you keep mentioning him?"

Obviously grinning, despite having her back turned, Lil explains, "You really don't remember, do you? When you lost your memory you had a completely different personality! You were afraid of monsters, you didn't want to be called Locke anymore – 'Maroco' – and you actually said some pretty sweet things. . . unlike your usual self."

"Yeah, I thought it didn't sound like me!" Exclaims Locke. "Afraid of monsters? What's that about?"

Lilanei shrugs and answers, "You tell me. But after you were knocked on the head, you were so afraid of having to fight them! It was almost kind of sweet – in a pathetic kind of way."

"I think you're just fooling with me," Locke mumbles.

Lilanei raises her right hand in the air, as her index and ring finger cross, and she says, "Fingers crossed – it's the truth!"

"It must've been a very harsh blow to the head, then," Locke replies.

Lilanei giggles and, putting the tent down in front of her, she turns to Locke as she pats the log beside her and says, "Whatever you say, scaredy-pants. Hungry?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Locke states as he stands from his bed roll and walks over to the log to join Lil.

Once Locke is seated, Lilanei reaches to her left side and pushes over her own folded bed roll, which has several kinds of berries and fruits resting on top of it.

"I'm afraid that's all I could find around this place," she notes quietly.

"What about the Journeybread?" Locke asks, not too enthused by the fruit.

"I was just getting to that," Lil quips as she again reaches to her left side and removes two pieces of the Journeybread which she places on the bed roll; Locke reaches out and takes a piece before aggressively taking a bite out of it as he chomps down.

Beginning to fold the tent in front of her, which she has just completed patching, she glances to the side at Locke and mutters, “Maybe you should actually try tasting the food first. . ."

"What do you mean?" Locke mumbles as his mouth is half full of bread.

Pursing her lips, Lil turns back to the tent folding and sighs, "Nothing. Just keep eating, piggy."

"I shall!" Locke states as he continues to enjoy his Journeybread before picking up a piece of fruit which he decides to eat after he's finished his bread.

"So," Lil finally states as she reaches for a strawberry and begins to nibble at it. "Who were these people you were talking about this morning, anyway? You said we had a lot of catching up to do."

"Hm?" Locke asks, before swallowing a bite of his apple. "Oh, you mean about the stuff in Blackcrest? Well, let's see. . . Remember the Dragonborn that was in the tavern you got taken from?"

"Mm-hm," Lil mumbles as she continues to chew on her berries.

"His name is Hektor," Locke announces. "After you were taken, Ike's gang decided to make themselves known to me and tried to intimidate me, but I wasn't having it! I dealt with those cowards easily, but when it was over, Hektor lost all his patrons! He gave me some information on Ike and the gang he belonged to; in fact he kept giving me helpful tips to find you – I suppose Hektor's heard everything that goes in in Blackcrest since his tavern seems like the most popular gathering place in the city."

"Oh," Lil gasps slightly in satisfaction as she swallows down her food. "I'll have to meet Hektor again and thank him personally."

"That's a good idea," Locke answers. "I'm sure he's wondered how I fared at Fukai. He didn't seem to hold Akorrin in too high regard, though. . ."

"Hm. . . Why is that? Did he know Akorrin?"

"Yeah," Locke replies. "Erm, I suppose they were both warriors, or something – I'm not sure. All I know is Hektor is from Fukai too, just like Akorrin. He said Akorrin was a disgrace, or something like that, to Fukai. But then again, I don't think he left the island on the best of terms, either."

"Hm," Lil mutters again as she throws one of the pits of her berries into the fire. "How peculiar. . . It's amazing how we – or at least you – happened to meet someone who not only knew Akorrin, but hailed from the same place I was taken to!"

"It was weird," Locke announces. "It was good, though. Meeting him allowed me to get to know Akorrin a little more."

Lil looks to Locke quizzically and with a slightly excited tone, she asks, "So what did you learn?"

"Well, I learned that Akorrin was a great warrior for the Tengai tribe," Locke begins. "When Lucio first dropped in on Fukai and began to make himself known, Akorrin, his brother, and another warrior – who I suspect to be Hektor – broke into his mansion in a showdown with him. They fought his henchman, as well as Lucio, in quite the battle, but when it looked like the Dragonborns would gain the advantage, Akorrin's brother got into a difficult scrape with one of Lucio's men. He asked Akorrin for help, but Akorrin was too occupied with the thought of finishing off Lucio to help him – and subsequently, Akorrin's brother was murdered. After that, Akorrin and the other Dragonborn fled the mansion, leaving his brother, I suppose, to a gruesome fate. That's why when we came back to Tengai after I rescued you, the guards there said they weren't surprised that he didn't make it back. The tribe really seems to despise him, and think nothing of him."

As Lilanei listens to Locke's story, her eyes soften before she gazes away, whispering, "Oh. . . Poor Akorrin. . . I often wondered why a warrior as mighty as he is would waste his time in such a peaceful little coastal town such as Illias."

"I think maybe he felt too ashamed to carry on as a warrior, and decided to become a teacher," Locke muses. "Or maybe not. But him seeing us that fateful day made him decide either way that he was going to teach us how to fight, how to survive, and how to get along. Maybe he saw some of himself in us – his younger self."

Lil giggles as she says, "Some of him in us? That's funny. . . Akorrin has always been so serious and strict. I didn't think he could have any faults like we do."

"I think he'd be the first to say he has some," Locke replies. "It's probably just that he hasn't made any mistakes in the Lord knows how many years we've known him. I think he'd consider his fateful day at Lucio's Mansion the first time as a mistake."

Lilanei nods and adds, "I guess everybody makes a mistake sooner or later."

"Too true," Locke agrees. "It's just too bad that his people turned on him for the mistake he made. He just wanted that evil presence off his precious islands. I can't fault him for that."

"Neither can I," Lilanei agrees. "Perhaps when we finally find Akorrin, we can all go back to Tengai together and restore his people's respect in him; after all, he did face Lucio all by himself! Surely they would find that honourable."

"I hope so," Locke says. "If that didn't make them view him differently, nothing will. His brother, Torrinn, doesn't seem to bare any grudges against him, though."

Lilanei laughs and says, "Well, from the little I got to know of him, he didn't seem like he could bare a grudge against anybody! Not even Lucio. He's the polar opposite of Akorrin – very peaceful and laid back."

"It would've been interesting to see them all together when they were infants," Locke says with a grin.

Lilanei laughs again, "I bet Akorrin made the cutest baby!"

"I dunno about that," Locke replies. "But if Akorrin was the aggressive one and Torrinn the placid one, I wonder what their brother was like."

"He was probably in the middle!" Lil exclaims simply as she picks another berry from her bed roll and pops it in her mouth.

"Maybe. . . I wonder what their parents were like," Locke thinks aloud.

Lil's eyes widen in a bemused gaze as she cries, "I can only imagine!" Spitting the pit from her berry into the fire as before, Lilanei then turns to Locke and quietly asks, "Do you think we'll be able to find anything in Blackcrest that will lead us to Akorrin?"

"I dunno," Locke announces. "I dunno how we'll find anything, anywhere. It's like the master just disappeared, but it's always worth having a look. Hektor might have heard something, since the Vega Clan seems to converge there often, so he might be the best port of call to start with."

"I see," Lil nods, before adding, "If anything, perhaps he can lead us to our next destination. . . We may not know where Akorrin is, but surely if we continue on our journey, we'll find a hint or a clue somewhere! At least, I hope so."

"Who knows. Maybe we'll just find him before we find any clues," Locke says. "I somehow have this picture in my head that Akorrin maybe just went away."

Lilanei narrows her eyes at Locke as she utters, "Just find him? When have things ever been that easy for us?"

"I didn't say it was going to be easy," Locke replies. "I just have this uncomfortable feeling that he's done his duty and now maybe, he just wants to be left alone. . ."

"Maybe," Lilanei softly says as she looks into the fire; after a short moment, she grins and utters, "But when have we ever been the types to leave Akorrin alone?"

"Never!" Locke cries. "He's stuck with us now, and it's his own fault."

Lil simply laughs in agreement.

"I just hope we find him," Locke finally says, summarizing their conversation.

All remains silent for a few moments as the fire continues to crackle and burn before them; finally, uncomfortable in the silence, Lil looks to Locke suspiciously and asks, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Locke replies.

With a smirk, she replies, "Well, we've just talked for a good few minutes, and you haven't uttered a thing about ale, women, me doing your dirty laundry, or anything of that sort!"

Locke grins, "It doesn't mean I'm not thinking about it. . . Isn't it funny how your servant's outfit was the thing that snapped me out my delusional state?"

Lilanei purses her lips as she glares across the camp to their bags and mutters, "I should have known that would be the thing to wake you up out of your trance! I never want to wear that disgusting thing again!"

"Not even for me?" Locke asks softly with a smile.

Lilanei sighs as she grumbles, "Well, if you hit your head again and forget who you are, then we'll think about it. Otherwise, it reminds me too much of not only that disgusting Lucio and his obedient troupe of women, but now it also reminds me of that grossly disfigured and smelly Orochi! I can't believe I had to pretend to like him for as long as I did!"

". . . Who are you again?" Locke playfully asks, still thinking of the servant's outfit Lilanei hides in her bag.

Lil simply shoots him an angry glare, to which Locke chuckles and waves his hands in a peaceful manner. As Lil glares at Locke, her eyes travel to his hair which still lacks his signature braid.

With a smirk, Lil says, "You know, that little tuft of cut hair really doesn't suit you."

"It doesn't, does it?" Locke mutters, brushing the tuft slightly. "I hate it!"

Lilanei finally says, "Well, if you can cut the sarcastic comments for a few minutes, I'll braid you a new one, if you like."

"I would like that," Locke states. "So I'll just say this – how did Orochi like you?"

Glaring at Locke again as she stands from her log and walks to Locke's right side, where she sits besides him, she mutters, "He thinks I smell sweet."

"Ha, well I guess anything would smell sweet to a smelly Orc like that," Locke says before he looks softly to Lil. "But he is right."

Pursing her lips slightly, Lil reaches for a few locks of his hair which she begins to smooth with her fingers and separate into three parts as Locke closes his eyes, enjoying the feeling of having his hair played with; as she begins to twist the locks of hair into the beginnings of a braid, she mutters, amusedly, "He was going to make me his Queen!"

"Heh, would you have taken him up on his offer?" Locke asks.

"Maybe. . . If he wasn't such an ugly and despicable creature."

"Oh. . . So if he wasn't evil, maybe you'd give an Orc a chance, eh?" Locke asks innocently.

Tugging his hair gently as she pulls what she has completed of his braid tightly together, Lil grins and states, "Well, you're almost as ugly as an Orc, and I give you a chance."

"Keep telling yourself that, girl," Locke replies. "You know I'm a handsome so-and-so. The only thing I have in common with an Orc is how mean I can get – but I get a heck of a lot more meaner!"

Still braiding his hair, Lil says, "I dunno. . . After seeing your alternate personality, I've started to wonder if that's truly how you feel on the inside."

"What, that wuss?" Locke asks, clearly offended. "I suppose getting knocked on the head just makes you the opposite of who you really are. I mean, I could knock you on the head and you could become such a sweet little creature who'd do anything for me," he finishes with a suggestive grin before continuing, "instead of my friend who hits me, flicks me, and calls me names. . . But despite that, I still love her."

Her hands too busy to flick him at this moment, Lil simply shoots him a dagger-laden glare as she roughly tugs at the braid, "Watch yourself. . . 'Maroco.'"

"Maybe the reason I called myself Maroco is because I view that sniveling little ant as a coward," Locke answers.

As she begins to finish his braid, Lil shrugs and respond, "Perhaps. . ."

"No perhaps about it," Locke replies. "He just backed down like a scolded child against Lucio. At least I fought to get you back. He wouldn't have."

"I suppose that may be true," Lilanei says with a smile as she slightly tilts her head back, looking at her work on the rogue's hair.

After a slight pause, she reaches for her own hair and pulls the small strip of black cloth, which ties her ponytail up, out of her hair as the green hair then cascades down just above her shoulders. She then takes the piece of cloth and uses it to tie the end of Locke's braid- finally completing it.

"Thanks," Locke says cheerfully as he feels the braid between his fingers; he then looks at Lil, with her shorter hair, and announces, "Hm, not bad. It's been a long time since I've seen your hair that short! What would Fae think?"

Lil sighs as she runs her fingers through the ends of her hair and says, "I haven't a clue. . . My hair hasn't been this short since we were children! I'm sure she'd cry something about missing her little baby, or something to that effect."

"Your mom's way too emotional," Locke replies. "My mom's soft too, but your mother goes overboard. It's kind of scary."

Lil grins as she rests her arms on her lap and chuckles, "Well, my mother doesn't see anything wrong in expressing herself as she feels. . . Even though, it means I often have to listen to her ramble on for hours."

"Like mother, like daughter," Locke murmurs.

Lil shoots a side glare at Locke before looking to him braid again as she grumbles, "You're welcome. . ."

Locke simply laughs a little, smiling a bit more after Lil's comment. As he laughs, Lilanei simply continues to gaze at him as she observes his braid which hangs over his right ear.

Lil smiles as she says, "I quite like you that way. . . Braids really do suit you."

"You're telling me," Locke replies. "It was something my grandmother started to do for me when my hair was getting longer – about when I was eleven and you were eight, I suppose. She saw how long it was getting – for a boy – and thought the braid would be cute. Every summer afterward, she'd braid a bit of my hair for me and we used to just talk about things. The final time she did it, she died shortly after, so I never took my hair out of that braid again."

Lil's eyes soften as she says softly, "She sounds like a lovely woman."

"She was," Locke states. "Who'd believe she was Longrin's mother?"

After a moment of quiet, Lil finally sighs and says, "I wish I knew my grandparents."

"I think your mom's enough," Locke says. "She has enough love for you to represent your whole family."

Lil smiles and exclaims, "That may be true!"

"I'm sure it is," Locke replies as he rests against the log they sit on. "She would've killed me if I never got you back. Quite literally."

"Probably," Lilanei grins at Locke as she continues and says, "but you did get me back. . . So I'm sure she's quite happy with you now."

"Hopefully," Locke says. "But I don't wish to find out anytime soon. I want to put some real distance between us and Illias – maybe we can head off Murrad again. Going to Fukai and seeing how different it was really wet my appetite to see more of this strange world of ours. I'm getting bored of just fighting off Orcs, Goblins, and beasties. At least Fukai had a challenge with those Tieflings and the other warriors!"

"I look forward to seeing the rest of the world, too," Lil says quietly as she warms the bottom of her boots in front of the fire; as she stares into the dancing flames, she quietly asks, "Locke. . . You don't think you'll ever get bored of traveling with me, do you?"

"Bored?" Locke asks, taken by surprise. "I don't think so. Things wouldn't feel the same without you. . . It'd be too peaceful without you harassing me. . . Too boring."

Lil's expression remains serious as she quietly stares ahead before she finally continues, "I just hope the way I am doesn't grate on your nerves one day. . . Well, more than it usually does. I actually do enjoy traveling with you, despite what an obnoxious buffoon you tend to be. I just worry that one day you'll finally get bored of the constant names and harassment and find yourself a new journey to partake upon – without me."

"I doubt it," Locke casually replies. "Like I said, we've been through too much together for me to go off willingly without you. To be honest, I worry about the same thing. If I didn't, I would've left you in Lucio's Mansion, wouldn't I?"

"I suppose. . . But the lure of a good fight might have been enough to take you there," She notes as Locke shakes his head.

"It was the lure of getting my Lil back that took me there," he replies. "Keep in that mind the next time you worry that I'm gonna swan off without you someday."

Finally, Lilanei smiles as she quietly responds, "Okay. . . I'll remember that."

"You'd better," Locke replies. "I didn't go through all that nonsense for nothing! Besides, I haven't gotten my real Hero's thank you yet – but I'll save it for another time."

She purses her lips and glares at him as she cries, "What do you mean? I thought I thanked you enough!"

"Hunny," Locke begins. "I'm sure getting out of Lucio's grasp was the best thing to ever happen to you – besides of course meeting me. Therefore, I would think it only makes sense you would be so thankful, that the Hero's thank you goes on until the Hero deems it enough. . . But, like I said, we won't worry about it for now. When the time's right, I'll ask for that thanks one more time. . . When I need it the most."

Lilanei glances away from him and into the thicket of trees as she mutters, "We'll see. . ."

After another few moments of silence – slightly awkward silence – Lilanei turns to Locke as she claps her hands on her lap and cries, "Well, it's about time we make our way to Blackcrest, I suppose! To be honest, I'm don't feel quite comfortable yet, knowing that Vadhat Forest is still nearby."

"Don't worry," Locke replies. "If those Orcs are dumb to try their luck against us again, then I'll protect you. But, hitting the town sounds like a great idea! It's been a while since I've had a drop of ale and a nice meat pie."

Lil grins and says, "Well. . . I didn't like the rum, but a nice drink sounds quite appealing right now. Shall we, then?"

"Do let's!" Locke cries as he springs to his feet. "Let's get out of here."

It is not long before our Heroes quickly retrieve their things and clear the campsite – Lilanei making sure to snuff out the campfire before they head off. As they begin to follow along the large wall to their left which shields the large city of Blackcrest from the outside world, their steps are marked with renewed energy and a slight sense of excitement. Soon, they find themselves in front of the large city gates. Stepping into the city, they are met with the very familiar sight of the branching roads, leading off to the shops as well as inns and taverns. Although it has just turned night time, the city is still quite alive as people walk past every now and then as well as horse drawn carts.

"Still as lively as always," Locke mentions with a smile.

Lil gasps and says, "Do these people ever go to bed?"

"I don't know," Locke replies. "I bet a fair few don't!"

"What a life," She mutters under her breath in awe.

"Yeah, they have it pretty good," Locke says.

"Well then," Lil simply states as she glances around the large city. "Where are we off to now? I don't quite remember much of this place – for obvious reasons."

"Of course," Locke says with a laugh. "Let's head to The Black Crest Tavern and pay Hektor a visit. Maybe he'll have some information that we could use."

"Okay!" Lilanei quips cheerfully.