"Confessor." Joanna spoke, her throat burning from the pain of the summoning spell's feedback and her near brush with the Keepers of the Dead. Kwairen was holding her up, supporting her weight on his shoulders. They had found him back at the town square, having just exited the Church.
The Confessor looked up from the brim of his tricorn hat, his eyes narrowed at Joanna's weakened state, "What happened?" he asked as he drew near to inspect her for any wounds.
"I'll be alright." Joanna rasped, "We're not fighting Lycanthropes..." she winced from the pain, "They are something else entirely."
"She's right." Thorne said as he ran towards them, carrying Gregorio's unconscious body, "We ran into one in the forests. It managed to poison Gregorio."
"To the constable's house." The Confessor said, "We must see to his wounds at once."
----
The Gypsy woke up with a start, before letting out an oath in his own language as a massive headache hammered from the back of his skull. He narrowed his eyes against the light, and tried to get his bearings. He was stricken by that beast... Gregorio looked down at his leg to find it bandaged. He immediately recognized it as the Confessors handiwork and smiled, at least he was safe.
"So, you're finally awake," a vaguely familiar, female voice said. Gregorio turned his head slowly to spare him any further pain to see Alice, the Constable's daughter. She was dressed as a woman for once, in a dress that in all honesty, actually made her look feminine., "It took you long enough." she sniffed, "My father isn't paying you to bleed unconscious on our couch after all."
"Of course." Gregorio answered, his voice thick with his accent, "I'm sure you could do that all by yourself." The Gypsy swung his legs down to stand up, as Alice's face registered the insult.
"Don't underestimate my lineage you filthy Gypsy criminal." Alice replied, her eyes hateful as she watched Gregorio stand, "I'll have you know that our family comes from a distinguished line of hunters and soldiers, no matter what my father looks like."
Gregorio ignored that line, his headache overriding the need to trade barbs with the spiteful wench instead sucking air through clenched teeth. "Where are the others?" he asked.
"Out, trying to act competent." Alice said, her temper cooling down a bit, "Your shirt and your knives are on the table over there." she pointed, "They say they've slain one of the beasts, and that they were not Lycanthropes."
Gregorio nodded, and then winced at the headache, reaching out to take his shirt and slipping it over his head, "Thorne and I managed to run into one." he said, "Apparently it has poison in it's claws." he said, looking down at the bandages that marred his perfectly good pair of pants. "No matter, perhaps Lady du Winter's magic can do something to the others."
"That witch?" Alice asked, "Why is she with you anyway? I thought the Penitents were reformed criminals... so why is she still practicing her witchcraft?"
"Because she is the lesser evil." Gregorio replied, wearing his knives, "She may practice the ways of a Witch, but she has the heart and honor of a lady."
"She nearly choked me to death with that vile spell of hers!" Alice accused.
"You deserved it."
Alice was about to say something when Gregorio looked at her, "Rather than insulting us, why don't you try something useful for a change?" he asked, smirking before he walked past her and outside to find the others.
Alice looked on as the door closed with a dull thud, and looked up to the portrait of her grandfather on the far wall. "We'll see about that." she said.
----
I'm guessing that this will be a surprise to some people, I know it's not much compared to the previous installments, but hey, at least something's moving on this end. :) I'm trying to get back into the groove of writing, so please send me any remarks on the story, I need all the criticism I can get :)
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