Cora returned to the Inn, took off her coat and sword belt, got into something more comfortable. She was looking forward to getting into a fight today, but Lu-lu did an excellent job using her mouth. Eh. Maybe tomorrow.

She went downstairs and sat at the counter, was going to call for Lif to bring her something sweet, like a piece of cake, or..a tart. She just..felt..lost. 

It was at a moment like this Chubby would come and sit next to her, say something like, "Oi, lass you've only drank four ales, what, are ye..going soft!?" or "BRRRAAAPPPP!!!" getting spittle all over the counter with such a hefty burp. But, every time he would talk, she would smile. Except the time she was having nightmares in the Issasharan jungles - he wrapped a blanket around her on the floor and pat her head with a damp towel until they passed. And when the team broke camp and she woke up even more exhausted than the night before, he would look at her like a caring father and nod like he understood.

By making a deal with Hell, Cora no longer aged and became a great pawn of evil. Then, fate took Chubby away. As he grew old, weak, and feeble, Cora did not. Not a single time did he tell her what she did was wrong because he was the only one who loved her like a daughter unconditionally, even if Cora didn't love herself.

Her eyes watered, she blinked to clear it. She grew angry at the memory. At her mistake. At her loneliness. Then, as the heat rose fast, something bestial inside her took control again.

"LIF!!" she yelled, angry, slamming her fist on the counter..and then caught herself. "Lif. Sorry. I..i'm sorry." she sighed. "I didn't mean to yell, i'm sorry. Can I have something sweet, please? a dessert? Anything. Thank you."

Heishe returns to the tavern after her errand (did I have any luck with my mythal research?), and idly makes herself some hot cocoa while thinking over what she's learned (forgetting that Lif can do it for her). The dragonborn is quiet while making her drink, giving Cora a faint smile as she sits at the bar to drink her cocoa.

"Oh." Cora said, noticing the dragonborn was there preparing her own drink. "Hey. You know, Lif can..ah, nevermind. So. How was your day?" 

"Not too bad." Heishe takes a sip of her hot cocoa. "Did some research, mostly. How did peace talks go?"

"Surprisingly nonviolent." Cora admitted, the disappointment there in her voice. "Research on what?"

"There's a ward around Waterdeep, called a mythal. It does a variety of things, and I'm interested in just how it does them." Heishe laughs lightly. "Old elf magic. One things the ancient elves did very well was arcane might."

"A ward?" Cora asked. "Like, you mean, a protective barrier?"

"Exactly." Heishe nods.

Cora went back to her drink, unable to think of anything else to say or ask to continue the conversation.

Heishe finishes her hot cocoa then heads up to her room.

The next day, she will work on the tavern.

Cora watched Heishe go without a word and returned to looking at the counter and finishing her dessert. She then went to the exercise room and grunted, pulled, and pushed out her issues there. After that she bathed, went to the common room, and found some work that she could do to continue renovating the Inn.

Cause I am a dumb dumb here is what Heishe has been up to:

Heishe, you learn that dragons have been allowed through the ward in the past. Nothing you find says how they were allowed through though. 

In terms of the cute guard, it isn't too hard to find him patrolling in the Dock Ward near where you fought the crawler. He smiles upon seeing you and runs over, "What is up? You look magnificent today." 

Heishe gives him a smile. "Why, thank you. Today was a nice, relaxing one. A little shopping, a little research." She laughs. "Not all my days are quite as exciting as the one we met."

"I should hope not. That was a very exciting day for us both. Say, I am on patrol until this evening, but if you wanted, that is if you don't have anything else you are doing, I'll need dinner, and, well, I mean, if you wanted to join me...?" 

Heishe smiles. "I'd be delighted to."

The guard blushes and excitedly hurries back to his patrol waving, "I'll come by the Tavern this evening." 

Lu-lu salutes the knight commander, “I want to be a Knight Errant because I feel that I can do the most good for the people by traveling around helping anyone I meet rather than staying tied down to a singular location. If I may be honest, I also want to see the world as well, sir!” Lu-lu stands at attention, trying her best to look as serious as possible, this is a big moment.

"See you there." Heishe smiles faintly and heads back to the Trollskull.

That evening she will indeed come back down to the common room to keep an eye out the window for Rook.

Eerna nods to you. "If that is your wish, I will allow it. Just know that once you have seen enough of the world, I believe you would make a great defender of others protecting somewhere. Congrats, Knight Errant Talluah. Finish you religion studies when you get the chance. We will have further orders for you soon. For now, go, be with your friends. You will be hearing from me soon. May the light be with you." She turns and strides out of the room. 

Gwing turns to you and the older dragonborn smiles a toothy grin. "Congrats my young pupil. Should you ever need anything, all you need to do is ask." He pulls out a small holy symbol and hands it to you. "Go down to the armory, they have a small gift for you. May the light be with you." 

Down in the armory, a dwarf, upon seeing your symbol, goes into the armory and returns with a longsword in a sheath. As he pulls the blade out it begins to glow in a beautiful sun light. It is a Sun-Touched blade. 

Sweaty from a long day of physical labor, Cora went upstairs and bathed. When she was done, she was combing her black hair and looked at herself in the mirror. The huge bright blue eyes. The sleek jawline. Her sharp nose. Her lips. The muscles of her neck. All unscarred. She looked healthy. Felt healthy. Rested.

Hm.

It wasn't the case a very long time ago.

"WE CAN DO GREAT THINGS TOGETHER..YOU AND I.." the enormous bulbous fat demon suggested to her in it's cave on the Fourth Layer. She stood there like a servant, forced to listen. Forced to obey. "I LIKE YOU. UNFORTUNATELY, I'M A LITTLE CHAINED UP AT THE MOMENT." it said, lifting up it's chains that bound it to the wall. "AND I CAN'T HELP YOU REALIZE YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL. BUT YOU CAN CHANGE THAT." It waved it's arms and an arcane representation of a key appeared before Cora. "SET ME FREE." 

"No.." Cora said, defiantly. "You don't own me."

"THAT'S WHERE YOU ARE WRONG, GIRL!" the demon said, and raised its hand, then slammed it to the ground. A magical force hurled Cora to the ground like a doll, and she barked in surprise and at the pain, the force upon her crushing. Any moment she thought her bones would crush and break. "BECAUSE I PULL THE STRINGS AROUND HERE. AND IF YOU DON'T SET ME FREE - WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PROBLEM." To demonstrate it's point, it punched multiple times in the air, and each time Cora took an invisible blow to her body, sending her each time reeling and bloody. She felt weak, terrible, and beat up.

Cora snapped out of her daydream and wet her face, as if she could wash the memory of that moment of hellish servitude away.

She stood there, looking at herself for another minute before she left and dressed up.