Honestly this could have gone way worse.
While the guards did detain me, they rather quickly noticed the blood leaking from my side or to be more accurate they noticed what looked like a wound and called for healers as they dragged me into the little police guard shack that honestly was just around the corner.
Apparently telling two grown adults “I got stabbed but I just healed it.” Does not reassure them.
Either way while they still had me secured, they weren’t being too aggressive towards me as they waited for the healer they called.
So I sat there in a chair, wrists cuffed to the chair but I had some motion, it wasn’t too bad and they were mostly just doing their work while keeping an eye on me.
Finally someone I should have expected arrived.
“Ah, I had a feeling it was you.” Meniel called out with a wave as she walked in, and looked at the guards. “This is the young elf that was stabbed and healed herself?”
“She is. We need to make sure-”“No no, I understand your concern. Dorah, healed up?”“It was nothing.” I waved her off, shackles clanking and she quirked her lips.
“Good. Now, is there a reason the daughter of the Arkhana’Shola is in cuffs?” Meniel asks pointedly, crossing her arms.
“We were told she entered into an establishment and started tearing up the place.” The guard started to defend himself, but Meniel wasn’t having it.“Yes I already saw the men that she fought at the Healing Halls.” Meniel said, eyebrows twitching as she raised it up. “Do you honestly believe a young elfling is the aggressor here? Especially a young Noble lady? Alah’Dorah Arkhana’Shola is a fully accredited healer.”The two guards looked uncomfortable as they looked from Meniel to me, then back.
“We were simply doing our job. Obviously ensuring a young elf that was stabbed is safe is more important than finding out who is at fault.”“Then you should probably release her before the Magistrix Arkhana’Shola finds out her favored granddaughter is locked up. She’ll be… Displeased.”
The poor guards. Now I felt bad cause they kinda had the right to stop me and stuff. I had just beat up a bunch of people. Bad people of course. I wouldn’t apologize.
Never would I apologize for punching stupid evil people in the face.
But the Guards were just doing their thing. Yet within a few moments they decided to crumble at Meniel’s stern look and I was soon released as I rose up.
“Sorry guys. Maybe next time when I need to beat up some robbers I’ll tell you first okay?” I offered politely. But they just kinda gave me a look.
“Dorah, come along.” Meniel called out and I followed her out of the guard shack.
“Next time just be quiet and don’t give the guards information on your crime.” Meniel whispered to me once we were a bit down the street. “If they really pushed they could still get you in a lot of trouble.”
I just shrugged. “I did nothing wrong. They attacked Sha’Narin, and I went after them.”
“That won’t protect you if they push it up to a Judicar.”“Protecting a friend isn’t illegal.”“No But this is still Silvermoon. Many things that would be crimes for one person are legal for another, as long as they have support. From what I hear you hit one of the Blood Thistle Suppliers, yes?”“That’s wrong. And yeah.”“It’s life.” She replied back just as simply. “Then you should be very careful. There is a reason the dens are left alone even in times like this. As disgusting as the habit will make someone. We take care of many Thistle Heads at the Healing Halls, but they are left alone for many reasons, the money it funnels into some Magisters pockets is only one of them.”
“Then I’d say something like, I was getting back our stolen stock.” If the only thing the courts respected was things, then I’d just make it an Arkhana’Shola thing. “But I don’t care.”“That would work better, but best to just not get the guards involved if you can… But really, are you okay Dorah? I was quite worried when I heard you got stabbed.”
“It hurt, but I made them hurt more.” I said almost savagely. “I’ll live. I healed from it, but I need to work on Devotion Aura some more. The knife slipped right through.”
She put a strong hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “Come, let me escort you home. I’m sure your family will be worried.”“Yeah probably. At least I got some justice for Sha’Narin.”“It might have cost you though, Dorah. Healing… Healers shouldn’t fight like that. You can lose some of the strength from the Light.”“What?” I asked, completely confused at what she just said.
“It’s something that happens. A healer that falls into combat and fights can sometimes lose their strength. How is your connection?”“Never stronger.” I said honestly. I was filled with Conviction and Justice! I felt lots and lots of Light Sparks inside me right now. I’d have to do some training soon.
“That’s good.”“But that makes no sense. The Light doesn’t care if you get into a fight, where does that come from?”“It just happens. I knew a young healer that got into a fist fight and suddenly it was like all his talent in the Light was gone.”
“That’s…” I trailed off. I shouldn’t just call it dumb, despite it being very dumb. But Meniel wasn’t just lying for fun. That was something she honestly believed. So what was the cause of that?
Self belief maybe?
Either way it was dumb. Considering even Priests were fighters later on.
While I was mulling that over we made it home and we walked in. I could hear how active the shop was from the back room, and we moved through almost colliding with Tira’nore as she obviously came to check on who walked in.
“Ah Dorah!” She shouted quite loud and I could hear rumbling. Mama stormed out of the back room, took one look at me, and Meniel and instantly grabbed me up in a tight hug. Pressing me partially into Thas who was grumbling in her other arm as she squeezed me tight.
“Dorah! What happened, are you alright? Did you get hurt, what happened!?”
“You should see the other guys… I got the stock box back, and paid them a lesson.” I said once she finally let me breathe from her tight grip.
“Foolish.” El’Tela snapped as she floated through to the room, her hover chair still on full display. “A worthless box and some conjured goods, and you look like you got hurt.”“Well they did stab me.” I admitted, already knowing that wasn’t something I should share, but I got the feeling Meniel was going to share it anyways, if I didn’t.
“I’ll kill them.” Mama hissed her hand grabbing my shirt like she wasn’t going to let me go more than a few feet from her, but El’Tela coldly spoke her own peace. “There won’t be anything left of these fools for you to kill.”
“I already beat them up. Bad.” I admitted. And Mama looked a little happier, but El’Tela didn’t.
“Stupid girl. This was an attack against our family, there is no need for you to run off like a fool and get yourself hurt or worse. One letter and I’ll bring these fools scrabbling in the dirt. You are more important than this!”
“No.” I shook my head. “It wasn't about that. I’ve trained my whole life to fight for what I believe in, what kind of person would I be if I just… Ignored something this close to me. Was it stupid? Sure. But it was worth it.” I said, and El’Tela was not impressed.
Mama at least just squeezed me tight again.
Then Papa was there, and… He looked angry.
He reached out and grabbed my cheeks with his hands bringing me up to his face.
“You’re grounded.”
“What!? You can’t do that! That’s unfair!”
But he looked really mad.“This is not okay Dorah!” I swallowed, because I’ve seen Papa go through a lot, but I’d never heard his voice sound one step away from completely losing it.
“Okay.”
—--
So it turns out that Papa’s berserk button was me putting myself in danger…
I still know it was something I had to do, but he was not having it. And angry Papa was just wrong, so I was accepting my punishment with Grace.
I’d scared him.
A lot.
Things got a bit complicated as Papa was basically sitting on me for a while, but eventually Grunkle showed up, and they got my side of what happened out of me.
Grunkle was pissed too!
“You go into combat without armor, or a weapon, and you expect me to reward you? Are you a thug, or the Daughter of the Arkhana’Shola? If you go to war, do it without restraint!"
“I think that’s not exactly what we are trying to teach Dorah here.” Mama said flatly but Grunkle wasn’t changing what he said at all.
It was kinda funny.
“I’ll handle this from here.” El’Tela said, cutting through the entire conversation. “I expect you to treat this entire situation as over. No more foolishness. I will not have you throwing yourself into this sort of nonsense again.” “I was fine.”“You got stabbed.” Papa said, his voice more growly than I’d ever heard it.
Which quickly made me look at the floor and go quiet.“An attack on one of my workers is not acceptable but don’t think we don’t have the power to handle it.” El’Tela continued sending me a look at my interruption. “Some fools have forgotten what the name means.”
“Dorah. Why don’t you go to your room now and get changed.” Mama demanded and I nodded slowly that wasn’t a request.
I headed out, slumping as I looked at Papa and his angry look.
He was not happy.
So neither was I.
Stupid Justice. No one ever told me that Justice would lead to so much trouble? Well… Okay yeah no, I knew taking Justice into my own hands would lead to trouble but not with Papa!
Either way I did as told, heading up and after changing out of my bloody clothes, I looked at the hole in my shirt. That was going to need a serious fix. I cast the cloth cleaning spell on my clothes a few times and at least got the blood out.
I finished changing and I was just heading out, opening my door to see Papa on the other side fist raised to knock.
There was a tableau moment for a little bit before I was yanked forward and into a strong hug.
“Don’t… Don’t get hurt anymore.” He whispered into my hair and I melted a bit as I hugged him back just as tightly.
“I’ll try Papa. I’ll be okay. I’m tough.”“Just… Just don’t put yourself in danger over a few drinks again. It’s not worth that Dorah. Not that.”
I didn’t argue, even if it wasn’t about the drinks, but I understood his worry.
—---
I ended up not getting grounded, although I stuck close to home for a while anyways, just hanging out with Papa doing enchanting stuff, and being close enough he could see me.
Mama was less directly touchy-worried, but she would stop in and check on me a lot more than before, and that’s with Thas taking up so much time and attention.
Probably shouldn’t go off on Justice Adventures just after Mama gave birth. So instead I focused on trying to get everything back to normal. I used the surge of Light to try and enhance my Light Spells and skills
Yet….
The Thistle Den wouldn’t get off my brain.
“You’re distracted. Stop it.”
“You said that you’d send a letter and it would cause trouble for whoever runs the Thistle Den.” I answered instead as I focused on the work inside El’Tela’s Spell Circle. The Dense Mana flowed around me as I worked on Arcane Mind. Since I’d gained a lot of extra mana from Mental Strength it seemed like a good Synergy with El’Tela’s circle back up and running.
“I also said to put it from your mind.”“Well I can’t. They attacked Sha’Narin.”
“The boy is fine, better than fine considering you talked him into a vacation and additional pay for the trouble. Nonsense.”“He deserves it. He was attacked because of us.”“Yes, and we handled it. The boy didn’t even need to pay for healing!”“Grandma.”She looked at me at my word and sighed, floating the chair over and putting down the papers she’d been pretending to work on all morning as she monitored my progress.
“I sent the letter as a Magistrix to the assembly. With the current situation, civil trouble is being taken more seriously. The shop was censured, and whoever runs it behind the scenes has paid a large amount as an apology to the shop.”“More than we gave Sha’Narin?”“Much more, don’t think of it, I know that look. The boy was given plenty for the damage. Now, you might want a more aggressive justice, but be pleased the matter is resolved, and they won’t dare come near a member of the Arkhana’Shola again. If they are censured again it will not be so kind as to just be monetary.”
“It just… We should stop them anyways. Drugs like that can’t be good with everything goign on.”“The opposite actually.” She replied coldly and I half stopped working the Arcane through me improving my Arcane Mind to look at her.
“Don’t be naive. The drug dens like that? They are an outlet for the people. The repercussions are negligible. Some Healing, if that later and they’ll be fine, but at least they’ll be content while we are all enclosed. Distractions are important in a siege like this. Regardless of how distasteful. Better a distraction than a riot.”
“I think that’s wrong. Besides. What happens when the Blood Thistle runs out?”
“Who says it will?”“What?”
El’Tela looked at me and spoke simply. “What makes you think there aren’t parties sent out to gather Thistle beyond the Ban’dinoriel when needed?”I remembered the Blood Thistle I’d seen in the shop backroom.
Fresh. Not some dried herb that had been stored for months, but something recently plucked.
“They let drug pushers go beyond the barrier?”“Let?”
I stopped fully this time. As I looked at her.
“What does that mean?”“The Barrier is meant to stop our enemies from getting in, and stop our people from leaving as merely a matter of the circumstance. But you yourself have seen people leave. Do you think there wouldn’t be methods like that set up by old Magisters that want to keep their business going?”“Teleports? What about the Trolls?”“The ones sending people out don’t care if they don’t return. As long as enough of what they need is gathered. Fresh food as well. It’s one of the methods for collecting other things.”I wanted to curse, but just barely restrained myself. “What if the Trolls get in because of that!?”She waved me off. “The only ones keyed into the barrier are Magisters, they set up enough precautions in case of something like that.”“What if they don’t?”“Then some people will die until the Trolls that make it in are killed. But that’s unlikely.” She waved off the threat, and I growled. Sending people out into the wilds to gather resources?
“And how many are people that want to go beyond the barrier instead of being forced?”“Liklely few.” She said darkly. “The politics of the capital are dangerous, child. The back alleys and dark neighborhoods even more so. You have a lot of protection due to your talent, and your name. But there are always fools that throw their life away for greed.”
I looked away from her. She wasn’t entirely being callous. She was being honest about reality. It still didn’t make it good.
I bet Elin’Kor knew about this or something. Stupid Rogue Girl was probably part of sending innocent people to collect resources outside the barrier…
I’d have to warn Kimi to make sure she never agreed to something like that.
“You are more distracted now, not less. Get back to it.”“Yes Grandma.” I sighed and refocused.
I was still too weak.
The only choice was to get stronger.
—--
“So be careful, and if someone.” Elin’kor, I thought strongly. “Ever says something like going beyond the barrier, don't.”
Kimi looked at me for a while and then blinked. “Dorah, I already know all about the Harvest Gangs. Everybody does. It’s dangerous work, but pays super well. I’m not going to do it though. Trolls scare me.”“Harvest Gangs.”“Yeah. They hire people to collect things beyond the wall, a few Magisters teleport groups out and you grab things while you can. Sometimes they fight the Trolls too, although that’s rare. They usually have like Invisibility spells over them so they can’t be seen. Most of them harvest plants, but hunting animals comes with a big coinpurse.”
Hearing the information matter of fact from Kimi felt… Wrong.
“Everyone knows this?”“Yeah, the gangs that run the teams talk to people all the time. It’s really good money… Sometimes they force people that owe them money to go, but those aren’t as reliable, so mostly it’s just people that need money from what I hear.”
“That’s so dumb.” I whispered, not believing what I was hearing. So many people going over the barrier, and the Trolls were right there! What if the trolls figured it out, and sent a group to get through the barrier? A dozen Trolls making up for one of the gathering groups could kill a lot of people!
Kimi shrugged. “It’s just how it is. If you hunt something good, they’ll even give you some of the meat for your family and stuff. It’s good gold.”“If you ever need gold just come to me, and don’t even think about it.” I told her firmly and she giggled, but then I felt it and jerked back as an arm was almost thrown over my shoulder. Instead she was there. Throwing an arm over Kimi’s shoulder. “As if Kimi would ever need to do something like that. She’s one of my pals, and we don’t hurt for money.” Elin’Kor said smirking smugly at me, and I just glared.
“Elin! There you are. You’ve been gone all morning.”“Well, there was some trouble I needed to be with Dad to handle. It’s all good now. And I hear the most troublesome girl talking about the Gathering Gangs. What, you thinking of joining up?”“No.” I said flatly glaring and she just smirked.
“You sure? Dad’s been thinking about opening one up. We have the contacts and everything. If you ever want the gold, I could see about getting you a spot.”“I don’t work for th-” I cut myself off as Kimi was pouting at me. “I don’t work for you.”“Yet. But alright, no need to get all angry at me. Kimi! We’re having a party tonight, want to come?”“Oh! Sounds fun! Yes!”
I felt my eye twitch. I didn’t want Kimi to go to some stupid Rogue Party. Full of underage drinking and… Worse things! I don’t know I’ve never gone, I’m sure it’s full of crime and debauchery!
Elin’Kor looked at me, and smirked. “Hey kid, want to come too?”“Elin! Don’t be silly, you know Dorah is younger than us. She’s not up for a party.” Kimi said, and it felt like she’d just stabbed me, and since I’d been stabbed now I could say that.
“Oof. No mercy huh Kimi? Alright, well let’s go then.”“What do you mean? Okay bye Dorah! We’ll play later okay?” I just stood there, pouting as even Elin’Kor sent me a sympathetic look.
Kimi was a bit of a ditz, and I know she didn’t mean anything by it, but it still hurt to just be ditched like that.
I took a breath and exhaled. Fine. Whatever. I’d learned a lot about what was going on, and I didn’t like it.
Could I do anything about it? Probably not. So instead of getting worked up…
“I’ll go train.” I decided, it felt like my answer to everything and that made me a bit bitter in some way too.
I needed to get stronger. To be strong enough I could actually do something!
I turned and jogged out of the back alleys, heading home.