Spoils of War

Gohzrik sat slumped against the wall resting after being torn open and knocked unconscious multiple times. While he wasn’t presently in any danger thanks to Zahrys’s quick work his body still ached. Even magic can only do so much after the body has been ripped asunder. He counted himself grateful that heaviest of his wounds from that day came from Aspen’s arrow and the Wyvern, rather than the Red Drake himself. He looked about his compatriots and saw most of them resting or tending to their weapons with the exception of Eylylyn who had yet to turn her hair back to the jovial pink Gohzrik was accustom to. He sluggishly got up and walked towards the wizard using his dragon claw as a makeshift cane and carrying along some of the dragon scales he managed to snag for himself. He smiled has sat down beside her laying the dragon claw on the floor beside him.

“Well you did it again, you saved my life. I would have been a goner without that potion of Giant Strength. I should count myself lucky, for if you were the type of person to keep score... Well I fear I would never be able to pay you back at this rate.”

He gave her a serious look.

“I may not have too many brains, or speak as kindly as I ought to... but I have good senses. That dragon blood affected both of us and it seemed to do more than just bring you back to life. You don’t have to talk about if you don’t want to but whatever it is I have your back. If you need anything within my capabilities let me know and it shall be done. It’s the least I can do to pay you back for saving me countless times.”

The gnome had been off in a corner of the room, back against a wall. She had her spell book floating out before her but didn't seem to really be reading or studying. Rather she was sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees; staring off into nothing. When the Dwarf came close she tensed for a moment then relaxed, focusing on him. Though she smiled Gohzrik could tell it was forced as the expression didn't go beyond her mouth.

"There's no need to thank me. You've taken more than your share of arrows that should have found their way into a certain foolish girl. The Karg..."

She stops short of saying the name, closing her eyes and swallowing hard.

"Back home some people have a saying. 'A life twice saved is a debt thrice owed'. I don't much care for that, so let's just say that after the first time we stop keeping score and call it even?"

She brushes a strand of ebony hair back from her face in a familiar gesture. She takes a long moment to think before answering. The book floats down and stows its self away beside the tiny Wizard and she waves for Gohzrik to take a seat across from her on the stone floor.

"I wasn't... I didn't..."

She trails off, frustrated. Tears swim up in her eyes but none fall yet.

"Have you ever had something happen to you so terrible that you wish you could just forget it? Have you ever looked in a mirror and hated... truly felt loathing for what you saw there? When you were little did you ever imagine you could be someone else? Live another life without pain, or grief, or anyone who would hurt you?"

She holds his gaze for a moment then hides her face behind her folded arms and knees.

"I have. Often. Back home... things were bad. I remember that now. I remember all of it, and it's all fresh and hot and hitting me over and over and over. It's all so much and I can barely sort it out and I don't even know how it happened really..." Mahlajai was at her side, having taken the form of a blue furred fox. The wizards familiar whined quietly, sniffing at her foot. She flinched back just a hair and the Djinn settled down beside her though his pitch black eyes showed signs of tears. Whatever the gnome experienced, he seem to have endured as well.

She scrubs at her face with a sleeve and looks up again but doesn't meet Gohzrik's eye.

Gohzrik’s genuine smile slowly shrank as the wizard began to open up. He listened to her every word nodding as she went along. When she was done he closed his eyes for a couple second to get his thoughts in order.

“If you want to call us even that’s even better for me, because I doubt that’s the last time you’re gonna pull my ass out of the fire.”

He forced a chuckle.

“Well yes... but actually no. Circumstances were different. Everything I loathed about myself... was brought upon by myself. So I’m not gonna sit here and pretend to tell you everything is okay and I understand. Because it’s not and I don’t. I only understand a little, but that little is damn well enough to make me want to bash in the heads of everyone who hurt you.”

He spit to the side.

“I’m here now thought and I’ll stop anyone who tries to lay a hand on your pink... uh black... or whatever the hell color hair you want on your head.”

He went silent again and shook his head breathing angrily.

“You shouldn’t worry though, we are people of change. If someone as screwed up as me could change so can you. When I first arrived here I threw myself into battle hoping for my life to end. Slowly that changed into throwing myself into battle to protect you. Think of the changes we brought to Barovia... we defeated a dragon and brought sunlight into this realm. You were apart of that. You can do that. You can be anything. And whatever you decide to be I’ll be by your side defending you because that’s what friends do. And we are friends right? Unless...”

Eylylyn stares at Gohzrik for a moment, obviously caught off guard by his words. After a pause she starts to laugh. Loud and full it boils up out of her while she wipes away a different type of tears from her eyes.

"Of course! You wait until now to finally make a move!"

She laughs a little more, then composes herself, shaking her head at the baffled looking Dwarf.

"Gohzrik, I appreciate the sentiment if not the timing. I don't think you fully understand what happened to me though. The girl you've been traveling with never existed. Her personality, her memories, everything about her was something I made up. She was a mask I wore. I'm not that girl. She's dead now. In her place you have me: a torn up mess of a fugitive who had to construct an alternate personality just to live the fantasy that every day isn't awful. They broke me at the Academy. Do you understand what that means? I don't think you can, or anyone else can unless they've lived it. You don't want to be involved with me. I don't want to be involved with me. That's not going to change."

Gohzrik’s confusion on his face soon gave way to embarrassment as he realized what the Gnome was implying and the fantasies began to start playing. He shook his head with a laugh as Eylylyn finished speaking And began speaking himself... probably louder than Eylylyn would have liked, but it was too late for that now.

“By the Gods, Lyn! I’d have never pegged you to be one for interspecies relations.”

He laughed again.

“Believe you me I’m flattered. If you are interested in me I must look better than I remember.”

He laughed again.

“I just wanted to hear from your mouth that we were friends that is all. And as your friend I’m going to continue sticking by you and protecting you.”

He looked at Lyn with a smile.

“Don’t take it too hard though. Maybe after we have dealt with Strahd I shall know this you and we can try out dating. You are quite a looker even without a beard.”