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THE EDGE OF AEPHIX - YZZAYT'S ABYSS - EVENING
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Brunilda trundles towards the healers' tents, not really wanting to delay seeing Fiora any more than necessary... and ready to brush aside anyone who would try and stop her. She has felt a storm of various emotions since hearing about the end result of the duel she agreed to not watch - and is now regretting not doing so.
Gareth steps out of the tent that Fiora's been getting treated in, and takes a few seconds to just stretch his back after sitting for the last hour or so. Once he's done stretching, he looks around a bit and spots Brunilda walking towards the tent. He raises a hand in greeting. "Ah, there ye are, lass. Ye here to check on Fiora?"
Brunilda gives a Gareth a look: "Well, certainly not you. How is she?"
Gareth gives a bit of an exaggerated shrug as he glances over his shoulder and into the tent. "Still unconscious. Probably better fer her that way, from what the healers are sayin' about her injuries, too. Broken leg, lots o' bruisin'... slight burns on her side, too."
Brunilda grows under her breath: "...should have been there..." She shakes her head: "...I agreed to stay away, but now I'm regretting it."
Gareth hums and raises a curious eyebrow at Brunilda. "Really, now? Do ye think ye bein' there, watchin' the duel, would have helped?"
Brunilda gives Gareth a look that speaks volumes about her potential intentions: "What makes you think I would have merely watched?"
Gareth nods, having fully expected that reaction, considering his past interactions with Brunilda. "Exactly. But think, lass. Would it have helped more than hindered, if ye interfered, whatever yer reasonin'?"
Brunilda considers this, but her expression remains resolute: "I don't know. But I needed to be there. For her."
Gareth shakes his head. "Not at that moment. Fiora would have been absolutely pissed if ye were there at that moment, doubly so if ye interfered." He nods towards the tent flap, "But ye can be there fer her now. Or rather, when she wakes up."
Brunilda hums, then gruntingly nods: "Perhaps. But she is hurt now. I could have prevented that." She's not really agreeing, but agreeing to disagree and drop it, perhaps, for the moment.
Gareth just treats Brunilda to a mild look. "Stopped Fiora from gettin' hurt, sure. And then ye two could protect each other while bein' knee-deep in bodies from both sides when it turns into a bloodbath." He shrugs again and sweeps a hand out to the side to hold the tent flap open for Brunilda, "But that aside, come on in. The company o' a couple o' familiar faces would do her good when she wakes up."
Brunilda just gives Gareth a look of not-exactly-respect, then brushes past him into the tent.
Gareth simply scoffs a bit at the look and follows Brunilda in. "Healers don't know how long she'll be out fer, but I'd probably give her maybe an hour or two longer, tops."
Brunilda steps into the tent and pauses upon looking at Fiora's resting-but-battered form. "Fiora..." she softly says.
Gareth doesn't really do much in the way of gawking at Fiora's injuries, and instead just pushes a chair out for Brunilda to sit on, and moves a second chair to the other side of the cot.
Brunilda stares for a moment, before moving to the chair... and declining it. "I'm not here to break more things. That thing's not made for me."
Gareth shrugs a bit and nods. "Suit yerself, lass. Figured I'd offer it anyway." He glances between Fiora and Brunilda for a moment, then gives the pachyderm a lopsided smile, "I'd tell ye "don't worry", but I doubt that'll happen. Instead, I'll just say don't worry too much. Fiora will bounce back fast."
Brunilda nods, grunting: "She's durable and stubborn, like me. I still think this did not need to happen, but too late for that now I guess."
Gareth shrugs again. "Maybe not, but when negotiations fell through, a fight was bound to happen anyway. Either way, Fiora would have been in danger, and the prisoners would have been in even more danger if the duel didn't happen. What's done is done, though."
Brunilda harrumphs, then just looks at Fiora's sleeping form. "Perhaps. I don't need to like it, though."
Gareth shakes his head a bit as he leans his elbows on the edge of Fiora's cot. "Never a fun business, this sort o' thing. Not much to like about it."
Brunilda nods, staring at Fiora. Some part of her really just wished the wolf would go away, but that's not too likely nor within her power.
Fiora 's face contorts a moment as she starts to wake up, definitely feeling like she's fallen down a cliff or two. She smiles up blearily at the pair, quickly relaxing at the sight of the two as she manages to chuckle, throat a bit dry, "Yeah... but I won though."
Brunilda lightens up upon hearing Fiora's voice: "F-fiora! You're awake!"
Gareth doesn't seem to much care if Brunilda is there or not, but he's been through too many a scrape with Fiora to just leave her like this, at this point. He shifts a bit as Fiora wakes up, then tosses a smirk at Brunilda. "See? Told ye she wouldn't be down fer long." He nods at the giraffe, "Aye, ye gave better than ye got, I'd say."
Fiora laughs, cringing at the pain from the action, "Hell yeah I did. I mean, was there ever any doubt? She hit pretty hard, I gotta admit." She tilts her head to wink at Brun, "You hit harder though."
Brunilda sighs, looking at Fiora with concern: "...I'm sorry I wasn't there."
Gareth glances between Fiora and Brunilda, then chuckles and stands up. "Well, I'm glad yer awake, Fiora. I'll go and let one o' the healers know, so they can come check on ye in a bit."
Fiora shifts a bit as the wolf starts to head off, "Gareth, wait! Did they get everyone back okay? The folks in the mine?"
Brunilda turns to look at Gareth, not having heard this bit of information herself either.
Gareth pauses at the tent flap and looks over his shoulder with a smile. "Aye. They got everyone out without any issue. Lots o' injured, and most aren't in great shape, but whoever survived long enough fer us to show up isn't in danger o' dyin' anymore."
Fiora manages to give Gareth a thumbs up, "Mission complete, then. Good." She lowers her head back onto the cot and smiles at Brun. "This was the plan. Not much you could have done... but I'd much rather have had you watching my back then some crazy saur who kills her own soldiers."
Brunilda frowns, kneeling next to Fiora's cot: "Honestly, fuck her. She hurt you, and if I could... if I had been there..." She looks aside, her thoughts definitely not-nice right now.
Gareth heads out to find a healer to notify of Fiora waking up.
Fiora chuckles again, stopping to clutch her side. "The important part wasn't me, Brun. Was the mission. And here I am, that's the important part. Gareth will tell you, I've been through worse." She flinches. "Speaking of... what's the damage? That leg is definitely broken, felt it the second her tail hit."
Brunilda looks over Fiora: "I... I can't tell for sure. You are bruised all over, but..."
Fiora grins, "But nothing else broken? Good enough. Doubt Gareth would have wandered off it was all that serious."
Brunilda looks behind her where Gareth went, then back to Fiora: "I guess. Don't really know." She sighs, then smiles at Fiora: "...I'm just glad you're in one piece. Well, mostly."
Fiora rests her head bak on the pillow of the cot, extending a hand to hold Brun's. She's clearly in good cheer, having woken up to friends and news of success. "I've been worse. There was the time I went up against this Horse guy hired to protect our mark. He was smart, got in close so I couldn't use Grieve. I ended up smashing him through a skylight down three floors while Gareth secured the target. I broke six bones in my arm, shoulder, and side. That wasn't a very fun winter."
Brunilda blinks, then slowly nods: "...oh. I can... I can imagine." She sighs a bit, kneeling down next to the cot and taking Fiora's hand: "Fiora, I was so worried. Or am. I don't know."
Fiora squeezes lightly, frowning as she looks into Brun's eyes. "Sorry... I mean... I don't really know what else I could have done there... if you're asking me not to fight anymore... I don't think I can do that... especially not for stakes like this... I know you were worried about me, and I appreciate that Brun, I really do. I wish you were out there at my side but... it was what it was."
Brunilda closes her eyes as she squeezes Fiora's hand. "I know. A-and I could not ask you to stop. B-but I can't stop worrying either, every time... i-it's an odd feeling, I guess..." She opens her eyes finally, giving Fiora a smile: "...wish I had seen you kick ass, at least."
Fiora grins. "It was probably pretty cool. She did that lightning breath thing that Lianne warned us about, right into my face. And I dropped down with the armor crackling with blue fire like some kind of storm demon. I wish /I/ could have seen it..." She chuckles. "It wasn't a duel to the death, but you know, if anything had started to go south, Gareth would've started shooting. You're not the only one who'd have thrown it all away to save me, you know."
Brunilda glances at the direction where Gareth left, nodding: "Yeah... I know that. I think." She lightly shakes her head before looking back at Fiora: "He cares about you a lot... guess we have that in common, at least."
Fiora nods, "He's basically family... just like I hope I can be with Erika." She squeezes Brun's hand again. "And can be something a bit more for you, I hope. But I couldn't ask for a much better sight to wake up to than you two."
Brunilda smiles warmly, blushing slightly: "Well... how could I not be here, right? I will see you home safely, that I promise." She pauses: "...I guess Erika's worried about you as well, now that you mention it..."
Fiora sighs, "Probably... seems we've spent more time apart than together, ever since I got to Respite. I'm not a very good sister."
Brunilda shrugs: "Can't really advise there much... all of my family's back in Ondonga."
Fiora glances away sadly, though her hand clasps Brun's tightly. "You three are all I got now..."
Brunilda holds Fiora's hand tightly: "W-well, I promise I will not go anywhere anytime soon."
Fiora turns her head back towards Brun and smiles slowly. "Well, at the very least, seems I'm out of the game for now. So you won't have to be worrying about me getting any more hurt."
Brunilda chuckles softly: "I sure hope not. No surprises on the way back..." She looks aside: "...truth be told, I am looking forward to just sparring again. No lives on the line."
Fiora nods, "I'm guessing the town Doc will put me off sparring for awhile too. But hopefully I can still try to do some of the stuff we planned to get down on the house, right?"
Brunilda smiles: "I hope so. Though at least we have the bed down already. And like... um..." She pauses: "...I guess it was left largely to the planning stage after that. With all this happening."
Fiora nods solemly, lifting her free hand up to her chest. "Evil doesn't account for the plans of the innocent. It's why folks like us have to stand up and fight against it. You know? But right now... I admit I do miss our bed."
Brunilda nods slowly... then smirks ever-so-slightly: "Innocent? Us? Are you sure, love?"
Fiora smirks, "Maybe not me. But I'll settle for defender of the innocent. Armor of the weak. Righter of wrongs!" She shifts in bed, then cringes at the pain. "If my leg wasn't broken I'd make some cool ass poses right now."
Brunilda holds her hand onto Fiora's side: "Maybe best you do not. We can work on those later."
Fiora settles back into the bed and chuckles. "Yeah, probably. We can make that a date."
Brunilda blushes with a small smile: "Yeah, we can do that..."
Fiora smirks, "Or we can do a more standard dinner date. Guess I'll have to pass on the dancing for a bit though."
Brunilda chuckles a bit: "Well, still got a lot to learn with dancing anyway." She pauses, blinking and blushing at a mental image: "...t-though you would look gorgeous in a dress, I am sure."
Fiora blinks. "Uhh, what? Me...? In a dress? Really?"
Brunilda holds up her hands: "S-sorry! The image just c-came to me! N-nevermind!"
Fiora snorts, "Don't be sorry about it.... I just haven't the first clue on where to even start there. Haven't worn a dress since... ever?"
Brunilda blushes: "W-well... me neither, really..." She looks Fiora over: "...but you would look pretty."
Fiora gives a small blush of her own, nodding her head upon the pillow, "I'll... keep that in mind. Thanks."
Brunilda smiles: "...C-course, you already look pretty to me~."
Fiora 's blush brightens slightly, and her hand tightens upon Brun's. "H-heh... that's just cause the bruises aren't all shiny yet. B-but um, thanks, Brun. I... I really like you too. Your whole... prettiness, I mean. I uh, I suck at this flirty stuff. But I love you, all the same."
Brunilda lets out a nervous giggle: "I-it's not like I'm good at it either. W-we can suck at it together, maybe?"
Fiora: "Y-yeah, guess we can, at that." She lets out a small yawn, her hand losing its grip a bit as exhaustion starts to take her again.
Brunilda holds her hand on Fiora's side, smiling: "But that's later. Just rest, love."
Fiora mrphs, pulling her hand back placing it atop Brun's. "Can do that... thanks, Brun... love you." She smiles as she fades off into sleep, exhaustion and injury still taking a toll on her body.
Brunilda stays next to Fiora's cot, sitting on the floor. Not really wanting to move anywhere, not that she needs to either for a while.