Scroll 11: The Blue Dragon Bounty
Lyra had gotten Ina, the newest member of the Fire-Flower, food and drink. Ina was still hesitating. Lyra could tell she wasn't sure about her decision. There was little that she could do to tell her it would be okay, as well.
Instead, the young elf tried to help the only way she knew how. Smiling, talking. Anything that could make the kobold more at ease.
The pair was odd, and Rover, who had come back from planting flower glanced up at Almon many times.
"Why are you nice to those you should see as evil?" the kobold asked, crossing her small, skinny arms.
"I'm not sure." Lyra put her index finger to her bottom lip, her eyes on the ceiling before smiling back down at Ina. "I think I just know that not everything is as it seems. You aren't evil just because you are a kobold. Rover isn't evil because he's a goblin. You guys just need a chance to show it!"
"You are an odd human."
"Am I?"
"Very."
"Oh well." Lyra laughed. "So, are you sure you want to work with us? I can find somewhere to take you if you don't want to."
"No, it's fine. I will help you. I don't have anywhere else to go. You seem to be quite content in taking my home.."
"It's our home now. Well, it's the Fire-Flower. If you help take care of it though, Rover, and Renning will make sure you get your gold."
"Where does the rest go?"
"Into a bank account. It'll go back to into the shop. Paying for the shop, horses, flowers, and such. Rover can explain a lot of it to you."
Ina looked to the goblin, giving him a nod of her head. Lyra looked at the pair, oddly happy. She wanted Rover to have a friend, and now the two could work on being what would be considered outsiders together.
"Sister, we need to go." Almon sighed. She turned to him, and nodded.
"Right." She pulled Rover into a hug, and then Ina who fought it more than the goblin. "I'll see you guys later!"
Lyra ran out of the store, heading down the street at a quick pace while her brother, groaning, followed.
As the two got to the inn, Tarron and Zadicus were discussing something, leaning in close to one another. They looked up when the door opened, and Tarron leaned back away from his father.
Lyra looked between them, a smile on her face. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I gained another worker. Rover won't have to do it alone."
"Oh, how did you manage that?" Zadicus asked, his brow furrowed.
"There was a kobold. It only slightly tried to kill her."
Zadicus looked pointedly at his daughter. "Tried to kill you?"
"She didn't know me yet. It's okay now. She isn't with anyone else and has been hiding in the house. I'm not sure how we missed her when we were building, I imagine she just kept moving in different places. But she's okay now, and is working with Rover."
Zadicus looked to his sons, and sighed. "Lyra, I love you. You shouldn't make a parent worry so much, though."
"What do you mean?"
"You are in cahoots with monsters, and that is what they are first and foremost, both of which had a weapon at you at some point."
"But, I gave them a chance to understand it isn't like that, and they're fine father. They aren't bad. They just needed the chance."
"I'm not going to argue. I just wish you understood that not everyone deserves your kind heart."
"And those that don't get the sword." she said, nodding, "I'm not going to hurt something that could be an ally instead if I can help it."
"This isn't why I wanted to have supper together. I just wanted the family together again. To plan, to think. With everyone here."
Lyra tensed. She wasn't ready to move on quite yet. "Plan what?"
Zadicus took in a deep breath. "There is a bounty here now. We could leave it to the other dragons to take out, but if we can take care of it..." he looked to his children, "The gold would be good. That being said, it is a very dangerous fight."
"What is it?"
"A young adult blue dragon, from the reports."
"A dragon?" Lyra asked. Her thoughts were immediately on befriending it, thinking of flying through the skies with such a friend.
"A blue dragon. It's not going to be an easy fight. It's destroying the nearby water supplies of the town. As it grows closer," his light colored eyes darted between his kids, "it will destroy this town. I don't know where the dragons are that should be guarding against this kind of attack, but we need to do something."
"What if we go to fight it, and the rightful fighters appear?" Tarron asked.
"They should see what we are doing, and help rather than hurt. We have a plan for it though."
"We aren't leaving the town though?" Lyra asked, looking to her father.
"Not yet, but we need to continue on soon, Lyra. Even if you do not."
"I want to." she said immediately, "The Fire-Flower is almost ready for opening day. I just want to be there for Rover and Ina."
Zadicus looked to his son's. Almon nodded, and Zadicus gave one as well. "When it's done, we leave."
"I'm fine with that." Lyra said, standing. She pulled a map out of her bag, looking to her family as she spread it out of the table, leaning over it.
"Here we go." Tarron said, the sound of relief in his voice.
"Planning time!" Lyra shouted, met with looks from other patrons and the bar keep who was shaking his head. Red spread over her cheeks, and she waved, "Sorry, quiet planning time."
They looked over the map, trying to find where the dragon would be at. They were talking over their plan, Lyra standing, bent over the table the whole time, her focus on the map.
Time passed, and eventually the bar keep came up to the table. He glanced around at the four of them before clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry, but the downstairs is closing up for the night."
"Ah, no, I'm sorry." Zadicus said, getting to his feet. "I think this is a good time for everyone to get some sleep. We all have a very interesting day tomorrow, and we should get ready for it."
No one argued, everyone standing up. Lyra almost skipped up to her room. She hadn't noticed how much she had missed fighting. Sure, she would rather get the blue dragon on her side, but if it were impossible, she would be more than happy for a battle.
In her room, she stripped down, laying out her padding and armor for the next day. Adventure was on the wind again, and she could not wait to see what tomorrow would have in store for her.