The Green Dragon

[Orual]

Once Barodir was settled, Rie slipped back to her seat by the fire, shivering. Was this the way it was to be, now that she was on her own, away from her father's safe house? She had washed her hands until they almost bled, trying to get rid of Barodir's blood. Pio had said he would be fine, but it had still terrified Rie to see a man so injured. She stumbled off of her chair and took a seat on the floor, huddled up in her cloak. The fire was warm, but it didn't ward off the chill that had fallen over Rie.

Finally she got up and walked up to Pio, paying for a room with not much more than a murmured thank-you, and went to bed. She needed some time to herself.

"I won't stay here for the night, I'll warrant," she said bitterly. "I can't keep my nose out of trouble, it appears. Oh, why did I ever leave home?" She cried for a while in her room, and hoped that the sobs didn't carry. She may not be up to the challenges that she had set before herself, but she certainly didn't want news of her weakness to get back to her father.