The Return of the Daph

The time had inevitably come where Daphne was leaving Esgaroth and heading home.

As she neared the border to Bree-land, her mind went back to her grandmother and aunt. They'd insisted on sending a few gifts along with her. Fancy things she could never imagine herself wearing, but she wasn't allowed to refuse. The only way she was able to avoid having trunk-fulls of dresses and cloth, was that she finally explained she would have nowhere to put such things on the journey home, or at home.

There were many tears shed as she finally took the steps away from that large mercery. From her and her relatives. It was a strange feeling she hadn't quite felt like that before. Though she already missed them, home called to her.

There was so much she'd learned on this trip. About herself. About her family. About...life. She would never forget it.

Now though, as she passed the border, she was glad she had skipped the last night's sleep. She was very nearly home and she could not wait to see the faces of her loved ones.
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When she arrived at the Company headquarters, she found it mostly empty. She searched, but only found a few new faces. After changing, she inquired as to the whereabouts of the others. She was exhausted, but her excited nerves were not going to let her sleep until she saw at least one familiar face.

She was told she should go to the Prancing Pony. Furley, along with a couple other folks from the Company, were apparently there.

When she arrived, she sensed tension in the room. She saw a group of people who looked quite angry and shook her head with a small smile and a sigh. "Some things never change, huh?"

It was then she heard a voice she recognised, from where the group was facing. She sighed louder and scowled this time as she headed over.
"Of course. Some people never change..."

Though she scowled and scolded Furley mildly when she walked over to him, she was relieved beyond words to find him there. She nearly threw her arms around him and squeezed the breath out of him.
Well. That...and she nearly toppled over as the nerves suddenly picked up, then dropped entirely. The exhaustion hit like a bag of bricks to the face, but she was unwilling to drag herself to bed yet.

It had nothing to do with the lovely young woman, Bexly, who stood beside Furley. Daphne surprised herself by actually liking the woman almost immediately, despite her ridiculous feathered hat.

But finally, after her brain could grasp none of the strange new card game Furley was trying to teach her, and after teasing him with the knowledge she could now read, she bade them both a good night and went home...home...to her own bed.

She was home. With nearly all of her family.