"A half-elf?" Ronwyn was hiking through the forest. Eryn was slightly ahead of her, picking through the undergrowth.

"My mother was human," he said, "My father was a wood elf."

"I have never heard of such a pairing, let alone the offspring of one."

"Well, there are one or two of us out there at least."

"I would think a human's life would be too short for an elf to truly fall in love with her."

"Maybe that's why he left before I was born."

Ronwyn turned her eyes to the ground. She tried to think of something to say to make the situation lighter, but nothing came to mind so the odd pair continued on through the forest in silence. They trekked that way for half a day, with only the sounds of birds and squirrels to fill the air.

As the sun was setting, Ronwyn was about to ask for a break to eat when she heard a scream echo out through the trees.

"What was that?" Ronwyn suddenly found a new wave of energy.

"Something we'd do best to avoid, I'm sure."

"But someone's in trouble!"

"Why should that be our concern?"

"Because we could help."

Eryn laughed and, given the circumstances, Ronwyn hated herself for thinking it was a beautiful sound.

"If I hadn't helped you that day on the street you never would have acquired my alms box and how much did you make off that particular scam?"

"I told you it was all for our journey. I can't believe you never thought to do it."

"I would never be so selfish! You blasphemed my god and now you must repent or Moradin will not smile on our journey. Come with me now, or stay behind and know that the gods will have nothing but ill will toward you until you atone for your sins." Ronwyn stormed off, roused into a quicker pace by another scream.

"Wait, princess, I can't believe I'm saying this but wait for me."

"What have I told you about calling me that?" Ronwyn followed the screams to a dark cave and her feet froze to the ground. She clutched her shield and drew her hammer. The tunnel seemed to become a physical manifestation of the spinning anxiety it caused her to feel.

"Are you okay?" Eryn stared at the dwarf. "You just became awfully nervous. Shouldn't you be more comfortable underground, being a dwarf and all?"

"What? Yes, I'm fine." Ronwyn tried to fight off the memories of her past as she peered into the darkness. There was another scream and somewhere deep within the cave a mote of flame lashed out and then the crackle of lightning."

"Are you sure this is something you want to do?" Eryn asked.

"I'm going in."

There were many goblin voices now, angry and frightened. It had been decades since Ronwyn last needed to use the goblin language so she didn't recognize most of the words. Ronwyn crashed her hammer against her shield and let out a wordless battle cry as she barreled into the cave.

"And I suppose I can't just let a young royal stumble into her death alone." Eryn drew a short sword with his right hand and a dagger with his left.

1.:KW{׵=