Its all in the Cards.

Couth decides not to get himself involved in the spat. He is still hurting considerably and really like to get to the village for an inn. He does say something at least before he edges toward the way to the village, "Get to an inn."

Quickly, the fairy stowed her weapon back in its holster and lifted herself from the ground. She emerged from beneath the gallows showing no sign of shame at having hid; she knew her strengths were in not being noticed and that she could be a most valuable ally when enemies didn’t know she was present.

The frustration from Eye of the Storm was understandable; he seemed an extremely rational and logical creature and Briar could empathize with how he would be angered by careless decisions. She flitted up to his shoulder height and hovered a moment with a quiet voice. "She was protecting us. She let the creature move away when it did not notice us. I think it’s important we see that for what it is." As she spoke, she tentatively placed a small hand upon the tabaxi’s shoulder with an affirming squeeze. "Thank you for caring for our safety."

Ever the peacekeeper, the fairy moved on to join Alyria as she strode further along the group’s designated path. Matching the paladin’s shoulder this time, Briar’s wings hummed a muted tune as she reached out for permission to perch again upon her friend’s shoulders. "You are very brave. We are lucky to have you. This place is awful. Don’t hold it against him."

Her sentences, when broken into small statements as they currently were, highlighted her young age. Her childlike spontaneity and flights of fancy were not her habit out of conscious efforts to embrace her spiritely nature; rather, they were pure and genuine outbursts from a creature set out on a trail of independence too early in her life and too unprepared for what reality could entail. Experiencing tensions among the more mature members of the group, Briar regressed to a child searching to form peace between frustrated parents and sought to charter peace talks between the involved parties.

Couth has been rather quiet while we walked. He says, "At last we are here. Perhaps those children can tells us were the inn is?" Couth really isn't feeling that great.

He steps forward of the party, "Would either of you two know where the inn is in town?"

Couth has no doubt that the kids are right. Still. Couth offers, "Yes. I believe you may be right. Still. We could protect you while you guide us to your parents." He smiles as Alyria has a 'clingon'.

Ashtar smiled at the children. In truth, he hardly knew how to behave in front of them, but he was an actor, and he certainly understood the performances that entertained children. So he gave them a genuine smile. "Take us to your parents. We’ll see about fetching them for you."

With a small sigh, Alyria looks at Briar. "I do not hold it against him. We were both just expressing our protectiveness loudly." Moving her hair, she happily lets her fairy friend ride upon her back, knowing the companionship and desire to see her friend unbothered by the conflict will help calm her.

The sight of the crying children kills any remaining frustration she has as her heart breaks at the tears. With an "oof" as the tiny boy collides with her, she encourages him to let go long enough to pick him up. Curling him against her chest so as to not displace Briar, she begins to softly bounce as she shushes the boy and holds him close to comfort him. Encouragingly, she smiles at the girl. "We shall do everything we can to see your parents returned to you. Lead the way, dear girl."

Settled happily upon her perch, Briar busies her fidgety fingers by weaving small braids into Alyria’s hair once again. Upon encountering the children, the fairy’s brows knit concernedly together. She can empathize with being young and afraid all too well. With the boy coddled in Alyria’s comforting embrace, Briar attempts to aid the soothing. She leans over the paladin’s shoulders and murmurs a small collection of musical words in Sylvan and dances her hands before the child, conjuring a localized shower of leaves to flutter delicately around him like little butterflies, the scent of an autumn rain trailing in the ethereal creatures’ wake.

"We can help," she tells him. Then, as much as a statement to help ease the children’s nerves as it is to bolster her own resolve, she adds, "We’re heroes in training."

The girl grabs Ashtar's hand and starts leading him into the house. "I am Rose, Thorn was scared, We left our baby bother Walter inside. He was asleep in the Crib."
The boy Thorn snuggles up in Alyria's arms and wipes his snotty nose and eyes on her clothes.



Rose leads the party down a short path to a tall brick row house that has seen better days. Its windows are dark. It has a gated portico on the ground floor, and the rusty gate is slightly ajar.
Rose pushes open a gate, and its rusty hinges shriek. Unlit oil lamps hang from the portico ceiling by chains, flanking a set of oaken doors.
She pushes open one of the doors to a small Foyer. Hanging on the south wall is a shield emblazoned with a coat-of-arms, a stylized golden windmill on a red field, flanked by framed portraits of stony-faced aristocrats.
Mahogany-framed double doors leading from the foyer to the main hall are set with panes of stained glass.

Thorn starts freaking out as they enter the Foyer. Crying and screaming that he won't go inside. He flails trying to get out of Alyria's arms...

Ashtar smiled at Rose, though his insides were cold as the grave. The house had the feel of dread soaked into its walls, but he genuinely liked this girl for being brave. "Take us to the baby first. Best you get the baby out, and we can go look for your parents. How’s that sound?"

"Wait..." Eye of the Storm said, looking over the house, then looking over the children. Their garb was rich. It matched the house, but something was wrong. Very wrong. His eyes went over the party and betrayed distrust. He addressed the children.
"How long ago did your parents enter the basement?"

Couth says looking over the situation, "If we must go beyond just simple looking and such, I'm really not up to it." Speaking from the fact he has only 5 hp which a lot lower than his normal healed self.

Alyria freezes outside the doorway to the home. Holding the boy tighter, she shushes and coos soothing words like "it's okay" and "you're safe." The look Storm gave put her on alert, but she wasn't ready to assume the children had nafarious plans just yet. The boy in her arms made her remember times of taking care of her younger brother and comforting him after their loss. Once he stopped fighting her, she calmly said, "If you do not wish to go in, you may stay with my friend." She gestures to Couth before continuing, "I, however, need to go inside. If you wish to stay with me, I will protect you as fiercely as I protect everyone else. You will be alright with me."

Rose answer Eye of the Storm "They said they would be back shortly, but it feels like it was ages ago." She goes to open the door into the house, and her hand gets shaky. She also seems too frightened of going inside.

Thorn having calmed down a little, still shakes his head. "No Go In. Scared Monster."
Rose still shaky from fear, steps away from the door herself. "Umm.. I will..Yeah Stay and watch Thorn... We will stay here..."
She walks over to Alyria and tries to help Thorn down. "The Baby's room is on the 3rd floor."

Ashtar looked at the boy gently. "What kinds of monster are in there?"

Couth put a comforting hand on the boy, "I will stay here make sure the two are alright." He doesn't care to hunt monsters being badly hurt.

Utilizing her innate affinity for nature, Briar pulls a handful of flowers from the ether and passes them to the children, trying to hide the worry in her smile. She gives Couth a nod of understanding and steels herself to enter the building in the wake of her larger and stronger companions.