When they arrived, they'd found the Company vanguard standing amdist piles of dead goblins. Well, most were standing. Altheric had apparently been wounded, along with one or two others. But there were no deaths, which she figured was a lucky thing with so many goblins. A few conversed over the events of the fight, giving Furley details of what went on. As they did so, the hunter, Domdrudis, stepped over to her with a smile.
"Miss, I believe you might have dropped this." She did her best not to let her face grow even more suspicious than before. She knew full well she hadn't dropped anything. But all it was, was a marked rock. She took it to look closer at it.
"This doesn't look like goblin markings. Huh." She looked up at the man for a moment as he walked away, then followed Furley as he headed out of the ruins. "That man is probably just superstitious and thinks he just put a curse on me or something stupid. This is definitely not from a goblin."
"Where are our crates?!" She paused, looking up to see another man further along, speaking to Ithilwe, Amathlan and Gisuna. Suddenly, the sense of foreboding grew and shot from her stomach to every inch of her. Amathlan's hand reached toward his sword."No. That's not what this is. Or the whistle..." She turned around, facing the hunter as she stood in front of Furley's back.
"Draw your swords and the woman with the rock dies immediately!" The man gestured upward and Daphne saw a multitude of archers taking aim. Her gaze went down to the rock in disbelief. She was the woman with the rock! "Oh. Oops." She knew it meant nothing, but she threw the rock aside. Though she was tempted to throw it at the man's head.
Her mind raced along with her heart. It was an ambush. She'd never been in quite a position like this. Her adrenaline rushed as her mind jumped through every piece on this board. She almost shouted to draw swords anyway and fight, but something stayed her words. There was an instinctual thought, and she just had to put it into words somehow.
As she heard Furley's growl, she knew. "If the archers aim at me, they'll strike him too. He won't have time." She cursed herself . She'd stood so closely behind him to keep him safe! Not put him in worse danger! She didn't look at him, but she sensed he was losing control and would probably draw his sword.
"Don't. Not now, Furley," she commanded, the fury at the two men causing her words to have a harsher edge than intended. But it worked. On Furley, that is. She heard a sword drawn and nearly rolled her eyes. "Of course. I forgot the Elf version of Furley was here too...oh lord what were we thinking.. "
She decided to pay closer attention to the man before her. Ithilwe and Gisuna would handle Amathlan and the other man. She would keep this one occupied and keep Furley from harm. Somehow.
The man drew his sword and set it against her neck, grinning at her. She felt the cold from the blade seep into her, squeezing her lungs. She did her best to keep her fear from showing as she glared at him defiantly. "Where's that fair haired lad? You know of whom I speak...the fish boy.." She was confused for only a moment. "Ioranir...?"
She flinched slightly, as if slapped. The man knew him. "Both...goblin infested hills..." She didn't have time to finish that thought, as Furley happened to turn at just that moment and spoke in a snarl. "Get your blade away from her! If you hurt her I'll-..." He almost stepped forward, but she held her hand out. "No! Face the other way! We need eyes in both directions!" She would have been surprised he listened if her mind could have dwelt on it. By the sound in his voice, she knew the fire was rising in his eyes. And she knew that could get him killed.
"Ah, I see you do know who I mean. Well just know he died in great pain...just as his father before him." Her eyes widened without her consent. She scowled, spitting her words at him in rage. Rage which came from a place of preexisting guilt over the boy. "Why should I believe a word from your filthy mouth, snake?" He'd only grinned wider, sheathed his sword, and began to walk away. The archers above also left visibility.
Helpless. She was helpless and useless as she watched the men saunter off as though they were kings. It wasn't until she felt a hand on hers that she realised she had been reaching for her bow. She looked at Furley in confusion, as her overwhelmed mind leapt from thought, suspicion and fear.
She was vaguely aware of Furley screaming, raging. Then the other three riding off. Suddenly, she got ahold of herself. "Not safe." She grabbed his arm and pulled, trying to run off. "Furley, we have to leave. Right now!" He'd said something she couldn't understand and she simply looked at him in the eye as she tugged harder. "I said now!"
They ran all the way to the Forsaken Inn, where they had left their steeds, and where others of the Company were preparing to leave immediately.
