Warrior

That night, Astra sat with Fynia in the large tent that served as Fynia's office. They had finally finished writing the day's report, which was a fair bit longer than usual. It had certainly been a full day of excitement and new revelations.

As the other Aqualarian folded and sealed the letter, Astra turned over the claw in her hand, a wicked, sickle-shaped thing designed to dig through solid stone. She had extracted it from the troll's hand before helping the warriors bury the body well away from camp to avoid attracting night scavengers. The claw was the length of her forearm, long enough to be used as a weapon.

"It is a fine trophy, milady," Fynia commented. "And a good kill."

"Not a blade kill, though," Astra sighed. "I ended up using the wrong sword."

"It is better this way," Fynia said. "A cave troll would not have been a proper blade kill for a princess."

"That was the largest monster I've encountered in Allaria," Astra objected. "Surely, it was good enough."

Fynia gave her a comforting smile. "Even a relatively peaceful land like Allaria has its fair share of monsters far more challenging than a troll, milady. Don't fret. We will certainly find a more suitable monster soon, perhaps even in Aqualaria."

"I'm sure you're right," Astra relented. Getting up, she stretched her arms. "Still, I'd hoped for something more exotic."

"Heading to bed, milady?"

Stepping out of the tent, Astra nodded. "In a bit. Just one more thing, and then I'll retire. Goodnight, Fynia."

"Goodnight, milady."

-------------------

Fred awoke in the dark, instantly alert. She was still adjusting to sleeping as a human. Total unconsciousness felt so strange, so vulnerable, unlike the more semi-aware resting state of a roach. Eyes darting around her surroundings, she took in the interior of her small tent from her place beneath her cot - it felt safer under it than on top - and saw nothing amiss.

Well, nothing except the tiny antennae poking out from her satchel. Her roach friend had somehow hitched a ride there, and she was glad for the company. From the lazy sway of the insect's feelers, she could tell no threats were nearby. So, what had woken her up?

The footsteps of a passing patrol answered her inner question. Ah yes. Sound. That was another thing about being human. As a roach, she had no ears. She detected vibrations through her body and only her previous experience as a human allowed her to interpret them as words and sounds.

With this mystery solved, Fred sighed and relaxed into sleep again.

The next morning, Fred emerged from her tent in a borrowed set of Aqualarian armour. The princess had decided that if she was going to hurl herself into danger at a moment's notice, she may as well be dressed in something more protective.

Then again, the Aqualarian concept of protection seemed very different from Allarian full-bodied armour. Much of it was left to nothing more than chainmail and a few solid pieces here and there. There were even whole sections of her arms and legs that had no cover at all! She was no less delighted, however. It felt more right than a flimsy dress.

"It looks good on you." Fred turned to see Astra approaching with a bright smile. "The girls did their best to find you something close to your size."

"Warriors. Very kind," Fred replied, unable to resist preening a little. The Aqualarians had really warmed up to her after she had shown her courage against the troll, not to mention assisting their princess.

Astra inspected her from various angles. "Hm, we'll still have to adjust the fit, though. It's rather big. You Allarian women are so tiny."

"Big?" Fred asked in surprise. "But already so little!"

"When you're in the Aqualarian sun, you'll understand." Astra chuckled. "In any case, I have something for you."

Reaching into her belt, she brought out the troll claw, expertly sharpened and set in a finely crafted handle. "The kill was just as much yours as mine, and every warrior ought to have her own blade. May it bring you much glory, Warrior Hannah."

Fred stood stunned for a moment before feeling her heart swell. She was a warrior, now. Standing straight, she performed her odd salute, and this time, Astra accepted it before handing the weapon over.

Giving it a few swings, Fred found it to be perfectly balanced and sturdy. "This. Good work."

Astra beamed. "It's nothing fancy. Over time, you may add to it as you will. Now, we ought to eat and get going. There is still much traveling to be done."

1. They reach the border of Aquallaria without further incident.
2. Upon entering Aquallaria, they see signs of whatever emergency had cut their previous mission short.
3. On the way, they pass signs of increased monster activity in Allaria.
4. On the way, they encounter a monster more to Fynia's liking.
5. On the way, they encounter a giant Aqualarian sand scorpion. What is it doing in Allaria?
6. On the way, they are stopped by Allarian soldiers. The king had sent a reply.

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