Claire walked around the ruined village, surveying the damage as best she could. So of the wrecked housing could be used, while others were lost causes. The issue was the changing season. The temperature would drop and snow would soon fall. Long before the village could be properly prepared.
It saddened Claire to think about it. These people would lose their hos, even if it’s just for the winter. She glanced back, noticing Ursa was missing. She let it be for now, more worried about the villagers’ plans for the winter.
She spotted one of the village’s fighters, a middle-aged woman who helped them secure the bandit hideout. The woman waved at her as Claire approached.
“Good morning, it’s Claire, right?” the woman asked, smiling brightly. “My na is Mara. Thank you again for saving us.”
Claire nodded. “Um, you’re welco. And, it’s nice to et you, Mara. Just wish we got here faster… maybe then you could rebuild this year.”
Mara pursed her lips and took a mont to think. “Mmm, better late than never. I’m just glad no one died… and that we still have our boys. It could have always been worse.”
“I-I get that… but we took several detours and even delayed arrivin-” Claire tried to say.
“Miss Claire,” Mara cut her off, her tone firm and her brown eyes intense. “You did not know how dire our situation was. Yes, you could have gotten here sooner. But! According to our request, we were only being harassed by bandits. It’s not your fault.”
“I-I guess…” Claire muttered, “How long ago was the request put in?”
“Almost a year ago.” The woman said bluntly. She sat on a piece of rubble and gestured for Claire to join her. “The first bandits moved into the area just before winter. Reyna and her crew arrived about seven months ago. We filed the request imdiately after the first bandits moved in.”
“What the fuck?” Claire asked, completely baffled. “Why did it take so long to be fulfilled?”
Mara shrugged, a smile creeping back on her face. “We have no idea… well, no clear idea. We had monts of clarity while under Samira’s spell, but it’s hazy…”
Claire studied Mara’s face. She was scarred from years of monster fights. A jagged line ran down her neck, claw marks on her arms and hands. These weren’t clean cuts from blades. She must be a retired adventurer.
“I vaguely rember drugs being moved… processed. I think I helped,” Mara continued, rubbing her temple. “Sothing I’d never heard of before. Might have been for Reyna’s custors.”
Claire didn’t need Mara to say it. She already knew who Reyna’s custors were.
“Fuck. I can’t stand this! It’s always them.” Claire hissed. “Can they do anything for the people they rule over?”
“That’ll be the day…” Mara said with a chuckle. “I rember my grandma saying the sa thing when I was a girl.”
Claire scratched at the back of her head vigorously, her frustration boiling. “Goddess… I can’t believe how much worse this keeps getting.”
“Mmm, yeah. I rember traveling the country in my youth,” Mara said, leaning back. She gazed at the clear blue sky with fondness. “Though the previous Noble Woman was far better than our current one. Even my grandma admitted she was one of the good ones…”
“Ugh, enough of nobles… I’m getting sick of talking about them,” Claire grumbled. “What are your plans for the winter? I doubt you’ll be able to build anything in the anti.”
Mara shrugged. “Either Fyre will take us in or any of the surrounding villagers. Or, we may use that stronghold.”
Claire tilted her head. “Really? You’d go back to that place?”
“We might have too,” Mara said. “There isn’t much space elsewhere, and the stronghold is weatherproof. Besides, we built the damn thing. Might as well get sothing out of it
She laughed to lighten the mood, but her smile faded. “But… I can see why people are hesitant. We did spend six months trapped within it. But also, what other choice do we have?”
“It’s all just so… demoralizing,” Claire said, her shoulders slumping. “What’s the point of winning when this is the outco? Even with a Goddess on our side, it just feels so pointless…”
Mara raised her eyebrow at Claire. “You’ve got a Goddess backing you?”
Claire wasn’t in the mood for speeches or even pleasantries at this point. “I was chosen by a new Goddess who gave a holy mission to free boys from the nobles. I-I want to believe in her, but it’s just so hard.”
Mara shook her head, still confused by Claire’s words. “A new Goddess? Does she have a na? What are her virtues?”
Claire sighed. “I don’t know her na, nor does she. Her virtues… are complicated. I’d rather not talk about them as they’re… confusing.”
“Uhhh, okay,” Mara said, moving closer to Claire. “So this new Goddess, she tasked you with rescuing boys from nobles?”
“Among other things… it just does not feel like a victory.” Claire sighed. She surveyed the area, finally spotting Ursa. She was busy playing with a few of the kids, which brought a brief smile to her face. “This was our first real battle, sothing the Knights ignored. And still… look at this place.”
“It’s unfulfilling?” Mara asked. “Were you expecting a parade or celebration?”
“No. I wasn’t expecting glory or fanfare… just…” Claire took a deep breath, realizing her own naivety. “I expected sothing to be fixed or to change… or sothing.”
“We couldn’t even save Samira.”
Mara set her hand on Claire’s, her smile all but gone. “No. You did. Like we keep telling you gals, no other party would likely have spared her. She’s still alive because you took a chance on her… even when it would have made your mission easier.”
“But sh-she left… she’s on her own now. I-it doesn’t feel like we saved her.” Claire said with tears forming in her eyes. “How is that salvation?”
Mara took a deep breath, her hand squeezing Claire’s. “What have you done so far? And how long have you been traveling?”
Claire wiped the tears from her eyes. “Um, we protected three villages from monsters… made promises to people we’ve t. Promises to get their loved ones back. Next week will be two months since we left ho.”
Mara blinked. “Damn. All that in two months? And you faced those bandits? Honey, that’s a lot, especially since this seems like your first ti. You seem young and… it looked like that was your first ti fighting won.”
Claire nodded her head. Saying out loud, it did seem like she had accomplished quite a few things.
“Damn.” Mara muttered. “Are you being powered up by the Goddess or sothing? That’s kind of insane…”
Claire nodded. “She empowers , and I empower my party mbers. It’s… complicated and I’d rather not get into that.”
“Still… it makes want to believe in you.” Mara said, giving Claire’s hand a gentle squeeze. “You’ve done so much already, I just wonder what you’ll be like this ti next year.”
That filled Claire with a tiny spark of hope. Another person was beginning to believe in her. For a mont, Claire allowed herself to take pride in her accomplishnts. “I guess… I just wish there was more I could do right now.”
“You’re just one girl.” Mara whispered. “Even with a Goddess on your side, there’s only so much you can do. Especially when you’re still a novice.”
She gestured to the villagers in the surrounding area. “Look around you, Claire. Had you not shown up, we’d still be under Samira’s spell. And that bitch Reyna would still be breathing. Yes, our hos may be destroyed. But we survived, and that’s all that truly matters.”
Claire wiped her tears, breathing deep. “Okay. I get it… I’ll take this as a bittersweet victory.”
“What’s so bittersweet about it?” Mara asked sternly. “Your party ended a monster of a woman and saved nearly fifty villagers. That sounds like a pretty fucking sweet victory.”
Claire stood up slowly. Mara’s words had finally taken root. She offered her hand to the woman, who graciously accepted it. “You’re right. My emotions have just been running wild since… well, I first killed one of those bandits.”
Mara gave her a knowing smile. “It’s hard fighting people… monsters feel so much easier. There’s no guilt or doubt when you kill a rampaging monster. But I could never bring myself to fight other won. I don’t envy the path you’re on.”
Claire smiled back. “I understand your hesitation. But… thank you. I needed this.”
Mara nodded. “Of course. I hope to hear about your accomplishnts over the years. How many boys you rescue, how many loved ones you’ll return. All of it. And, I hope your Goddess’s influence spreads. She seems… noble.”
Claire visibly cringed, drawing a chuckle from Mara.
“Noble ant sothing far different back in the day,” Mara said with a warm smile. “It ant virtuous, honorable, and selfless… Sothing those bitches need to be reminded of.”
“Still. I hate that word now.” Claire muttered with a disgusted look.
“I can’t bla you,” Mara said. “I hope you bring the true aning of that word back. It used to be such a beautiful word.”
Claire nodded, a quiet fire kindling behind her eyes. She was about to respond when a young boy approached Mara. Claire stiffened at the sight.
“Mommy… Can we keep the wolf lady?” The boy asked Mara. His voice was light and cheerful.
“No sweetie,” Mara said in a soothing voice. She knelt and picked her son up. “She has an important mission she needs to fulfill,”
“This is Daren. He’s my little angel. Say hi to Claire.” She said in a motherly voice.
Daren’s eyes lit up after recognizing Claire. “You’re the lady who found us! Hi!”
Claire’s heart swelled. She smiled and waved. His childishness and cuteness ward her aching heart. “Hi Daren. I rember you from then. All of you were so brave.”
“Hailey and Daisy were the brave ones,” he said shyly. “I was too scared.”
“Nonsense,” Claire said. A bittersweet image of her brother flashed in her mind before she pushed it away. She turned her gaze to Mara, voice full of promise.
“Mara… I swear to you. No further harm will co to your son. My Goddess and I will make sure of that.”
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