Mother Daughter Bonding Time (Open In-Between)

[Akirapryde]

The night was still until the sounds of crashing thunder echoed through the forest. It was an ominous sound that something changed. Gone was the sneak in and sneak out plan. A little while later, the forest rang with the sounds of elves laughing and singing. The moved through the forest in a disorganized gaggle. It didn’t take Gar long to see Arwen leading the group with her mother by her side. High above Elironda flew cover. The group descended upon the campsite in no time.
 
Elironda knew that Gar would be upset. She knew that this could be a very touchy situation. She knew that she had lied to Gar. She knew that this completely changed everything Gar was planning for. Elironda simply didn’t care. They were elves, They were her people. Unlike Gar, she was unwilling to 'sacrifice them for some assumed greater good'. They were being enslaved by a barbaric group of monsters. Eli was many things, but she was no traitor to her people. She couldn’t, she wouldn’t have condemned them to one more day as slaves. Arwen’s mother was just the accuse she needed to gain the support of the others, and she took it. Eli had hoped that Gar would have turned her opinion around, but she didn’t. When Eli saw Gar lounging at the campsite with the very monsters that had enslaved these beings, it angered her. She had no expectations of gaining help from the Half-Orc, but she had expected Gar to help Arwen liberate Arwen’s own mother. No, Elironda couldn't have cared less about any plans. She did the right thing.
 
Confident in her choice, still Eli was cautious as she landed. She made sure to keep a safe distance from Gar. She didn’t know what to expect from the hothead. But beyond that, Eli couldn’t hide the shit eating grin either, “There were nineteen hobgoblins. Eighteen have joined their maker. There was nothing we could do to stop one from escaping,” She explained truthfully. “You will be happy to know, that mother and daughter have been reunited,” she said motioning towards Arwen and her mother as they walked up.

[Gar]

The half-orc was standing with her arms crossed as she watched the explosive scene of fiery destruction and fleeing elves. Her expression simply showed exhaustion and a grim, resolute frown. She released a deep sigh as Elironda approached.

"That is a strange take on a stealth mission," Gar commented listlessly as she continued to observe the aftermath with stoic, tired eyes, "What happened?"

Gar's expression softened a little as Arwen and her mother approached. She nodded a greeting to both of them.

[Aria Blackthorn]

Arwen smiled softly. "Well you know, with me anything stealthy doesn't last for long. I have to do something to stir the pot, whether it be making ghost sounds or drawing hob goblins into walls." She said softly, "Eli wanted to save all of the slaves and we went along with her plan. To be honest it wouldn't have been fair to save only one slave. After all, I am sure there are people like me who lost their parents or loved ones to hob goblins. We took down all of them, except for one who ran off. I think we should prepare for a retaliation from the hob goblins. Set up trap around the surrounding area and use what's left of the foundry as a base. Eli can fill you in on all the details that happened."

[Gar]

A rare hint of a sardonic smile stretched the Half-orc's lips for just a brief moment. "Yes, it wasn't always easy keeping you out of trouble when William was away..." Gar reflected wearily, "To be honest, I'm not really surprised that things didn't go as planned. They never do..." she added with a sigh, "But we can't get involved in this anymore than we already have, Arwen. The cultists are after this crown, too, and we don't have time to spare on slave rebellions. Stopping Odjir is the priority--if we can't do this, then it won't matter how many slaves we free or defend. Everyone will be doomed."

[Akirapryde]

Elironda waited for the two 'close' friends to end their conversation before speaking up. "I wouldn't be too harsh on your sister," she said as the word sister nearly caused her to become sickened. Gar acted like anything but a friend, let alone a sister. She almost felt sorry for Arwen and her misplaced loyalty. "What happened we done by design," she explained then paused. She wanted to allow a moment for tension to raise between before adding, "My design." She braced herself for what she expected from the hothead. "Did you think your plan had any chance of working. These are hobgoblins, their concepts of honor is not the same as yours. But you are too blind to see it."

"Did you not hear what your hostage said, they covet power through force of might. Sure you would have gotten your audience. And IF they didn't kill you, Arwen AND Kaleb would have been both enslaved. There would have been not respect of the king or this Kingdom. Because if he gave you want you wanted, he would have been assassinated for appearing weak before their hated enemy, Elves." She paused a moment before adding a stinging line. "Then again you have proven that this crown is more important to you than your friendships."

She wanted that review to sink in, "you damned me back at the temple for playing with Kaleb. You were more than able to face me. But when a real challenge is before you, you hung out by the fire with your hobgoblin friends singing and eating your fill. Even Kaleb realized the importance of the moment and acted." Eli held up her hand to be allowed to finish.

"No one knows second chances better then me," she said gazing defiantly in to Gar's eyes. "Look around you. These people fought for their freedom. Give them a chance and a natural leader will raise from their ranks. Help them form a structure and they will build an army. Hobgoblins have proven to be as arrogant as always. I don't suspect that the king will travel two days from his Throne to handle a simple slave revolt. These things happen, and often. It would make no sense for him to even care about this. But we can make him care. You will never get his crown while he is at his throne. That simply won't happen. But linking our goal to their goal we all can succeed," She spoke passionately.

[Gar]

The half-orc turned to Elironda and looked at her like a parent looks at their tantrum-throwing child. "You told me this was going to be a stealth mission to retrieve Arwen's mother. I knew that if I joined you I'd only get in the way, for I'm not capable of sneaking and hiding," Gar retorted, "You just freed these people and now you want to make them into an army?" she laughed dryly, "You'd be dooming them to die. Do you know how much time and training that takes? They wouldn't stand a chance against a trained, disciplined Hobgoblin army--and it would be even worse if the king were to get involved. No, the best these freed slaves can hope for is to find a way out of goblin country without getting killed or captured. I've humored you thus far, Elironda, but this is where I draw the line. We don't know what the cultists know or how close they are to getting the crown. We can't dally anymore with this side project."

[Akirapryde]

Eli knew she was cutting Arwen off, and she didn't mean to, but it was time this group of adventures grew up. "I lied," she said plainly without guilt or regret. "I lied to you because you are being foolish,"

"Foolish in how you treat your friends and foolish in what you consider important," she further explained. "You of all people should known that these people would rather die then go back to being slaves. It's four days out of this Goblin Realm, or had you forgotten that. There is at least one garrison between here and there. Any one with a brain knows that if they split up and break for the border most will die or be capture. Only a small few MIGHT make it back. What WE," she said motioning at the rest of the group, "gave them is a chance for all of them to be free. And free others. Let us not forget that Arwen's father remains enslaved."

She almost laughed at the question regarding building an army. "Actually, yes I do," she said emboldened. "I know enough that it needs three things. A greater will to win, which these people have. Competent advisors and most importantly a leader that they can be inspired by." She made sure her voice was clear and easily understood by all around her. "A role I truly believed you were best suited for."

She drew in a deep breath as she tried to pivot the conversation, "as for the crown, it's out of your reach right now. The cultist have out smarted you. They gave it to the King of this realm. There is no taking it from him without killing him. Trust me, I know."

[Gar]

"Trust you?" Gar huffed, "Do you honestly think I could trust anything you say after all this? I'd trust a hobgoblin over you." She waved her hand and turned away. "If Odjir rises then it won't matter who is free and who is enslaved. I don't need to explain myself to you, bird. If no one wants to join me to try to obtain the crown without the blood of emancipated, malnourished elves, then so be it. I still need to try."

The half-orc ushered her two hobgoblin charges into the cart and began to prepare it to depart. "There is still time before the kingdom finds out about the Foundry. I am going to go into the city and try to complete the mission we came here for. If I fail, then so be it, you have fun with your under-trained army. But if I succeed then we can leave this kingdom and escort these people to safety."

[Akirapryde]

Eki wasn't phased with the comments of trust. It wasn't like she went out of her way to earn anyone's trust. But what bothered her was how easily Gar would turn her back on her friends. "It's still two days to the capital. They will find out and you will fail," she said confidently. "However there is another way. The crown can come to you, IF you just stop and look around."

It frustrated her that Gar was being so stubborn. And it made no sense to rush headlong in to something when there was a better plan. "Gar, why not just stop for one moment and think this through." Eli made an attempt to calm her voice and sound more friendly, but her frustration was just too high. "Your hurt and upset over the fact that your friends choose to follow headlong in to liberating the slaves instead of listening to you. You are angry at me for being the cause of it. And your justified. But thanks because your plan was wrong. And coming from someone like me, that should tell you something."

Eli followed Gar making sure that this conversation wasn't over. "They," she said motioning to the party, "look up to you. Sometimes being a good leader means accepting that your path wasn't the one that the party wants to follow. Being a good leader means picking up what the group wants, needs and moving on it. Here you can make the crown come to you instead of going to it."

[Gar]

"I did stop," Gar retorted, motioning to the camp, "I stopped for the group's sake, and look what happened." When Elironda stated her assumptions of Gar's feelings she turned and glared at the creature. "You know nothing about me, bird, and you are way off the mark with your assumptions of what I think or feel. So you can stop right there."

The half-orc turned back and began securing the ropes on the cart. "I never agreed to being the leader, I just speak my mind when the situation calls for it and I move things along. Now, don't waste your breath trying to tell me what I should do," she grunted and shot Elironda an impatient look, "Do you honestly think I'd listen to any advice you--you, of all people--had to offer me?" she motioned to Sahltie, "He has more sense than you do. I'd sooner hear his counsel than rely on anything you had to say."