The Search for Lexxie: Part 4
----- It's Time -----
Nalla was usually understanding. In her time with both the Pact and as a Peacekeeper, the small Asura was valued the concept of patience; it was the very thing her sister, Lexxie, had always seemed to lack. Her sibling was always running off and getting into trouble every since her progeny. Before the accident, this was more of an annoyance to Nalla, as Lexxie would often take field trips away from Metrica Province without so much as a notification holo-recording letting her older sister know. Now, however, Lexxie was less than capable of taking care of herself, and generally needed assistance communicating to others. She often spoke in broken sentences and stammered, but a sympathetic look from her could speak volumes, once you knew her. Nalla often imagined that look: Lexxie's large blue eyes looking sheepishly up at her older sister, conveying sorrow and apologies. In times gone by that look had garnered a scolding. Now, Nalla longed to see it, and worried she may never get the chance to embrace the girl, rather than scorn her.
It had been some time since the crystal had been rigged to allow travel from the Elonian lands Lady Paige had procured. And, while necessities such as provisions, food, water, equipment needed to be resupplied for a journey back, Nalla's patience waned while her apprehension to find Lexxie had risen.
She attempted a journey back to Elona on her own, while Paige took care of the affairs of her estate in Tyria. Nalla came up short on the trip, however, only gaining a clue at Lexxie's whereabouts. Yet, she knew that the inhospitable terrain and dangers in Elona warranted a search party; this is the reason she'd come to find Paige's group in the first place. So, a bit defeated, she returned to Tyria to seek out the lady's assistance again.
As she made her way to the group, Nalla's brow furrowed and she became perturbed at the sight: Lady Paige stood with a few others in what appeared to be a celebratory engagement. There was a table filled with drink and foods. Uncharacteristically, however, Nalla paid no mind to the buffet. Her eyes were glued to Paige.
"It's time," she said sternly folding her arms. All the anxiety and worry Nalla had been forced to endure during the trip's preparation, and Paige was hosting parties! She knew patience, but the well had begun to dry.
Lady Paige dismissed a duo of Sylvari she'd been talking to before turning her attention to the small Asura. "Nalla!" she exclaimed with excitement a moment, then the woman's expression changed to mirror the Asura's seriousness. "Yes; of course. Preparations have been finalized and the estate's affairs are in order at the moment, so…" she paused a moment. "I'm sorry it's taken this long, Nalla. I made a promise to you; now it's time I fulfill it."
Nalla let out a breath. The woman's sincerity was palpable; she genuinely believed her. In the time the Asura had known the dark-skinned woman, she'd come to trust her, rely on her, save her, and confide in her; it was hard to stay grumpy. "O-Okay," Nalla muttered, feeling a bit foolish.
"I'll ride ahead. There's some… additional preparation that needs to be done for the calvery," came the woman beside Paige that Nalla didn't recognize. She wore an outfit with a golden dragon and seemed to radiate fire. Her long white and black bangs covered her face, but Nalla had noticed a few glances from beneath it.
Paige shook her head, then glided past Nalla, softly touching the cap the Asura wore. It was a black and white fluffy hat in the shape of a bear with a distracting blue bow on the top. Paige noticed the cap, and while adorable, it didn't seem to quite match what she'd come to know about the Asura. Functionality over aesthetics seemed to be paramount to Nalla's wardrobe. But, etiquette overwrote her curiosity and Paige refrained from drawing attention to it.
"So, where is our first stop once we get there?" Paige asked, walking down the path back to the estate. Attendants quickly began cleaning the tables and area the gathering took place.
"Well, you know," Nalla chuckled, "somewhere in Elona!"
Paige giggled. She'd grown quite fond of the Asura's wit. Most Asura were arrogant to the point of obnoxiousness, and condescension was weaved thoughout their speech and jokes, but a few Paige had the pleasure of knowing were like Nalla, and the woman found herself nostalgically comparing Nalla to them.
"In seriousness, however, I did get a lead on her whereabouts. She seemed to be somewhere in…" Nalla's speech was inturrupted by an explosion in the village ahead. She immediately drew her weapons, taking a defensive stance in front of Paige. "Lady Paige! Bandits!"
Paige looked at the villains, then to the burning buildings and fleeing townsfolk, then to the nearby well. "Protect me so I can extinguish the flames!"
In an instant the woman was already filling a pale. Nalla couldn't help but smile a sharp-toothed grin at the woman's quick thinking and grace under pressure. Then, she rushed the bandits, striking with magical runes in a flurry of blades. A few additional bandits arrived; Nalla threw forth a barrier, propelling them away from village. A quick glance back revealed Paige running into a burning structure. "Lady Paige!" Nalla ran after the woman, into the flames.
Smoke filled the tavern, flames being extinguished by Paige's efforts. From behind the bar, a woman was coughing. Nalla leaped onto the bar. "Come; leave here before you burn. Bandits are dispersed, but the fire is not yet!" The bartender nodded, ran toward the exit.
Nalla's large ears picked up Paige's cough. She quickly moved to meet her mentor. Paige was doubled over, trying to catch her breath while pouring the last remnants of her pale onto the fire. Nalla propped the woman up onto her small shoulders, stoutly made her way to the exit. They collapsed on the ground outside the establishment just as a beam fell and the building collapsed. Both women continued coughing.
"By the gods… At least we got… everyone out!" Paige said between coughs.
Nalla blinked at the hopeless woman. She was truly more of a hero than she even knew. A foolhardy one perhaps, but a hero none-the-less. "You were fast acting back there," Nalla focused on the positiveness of the woman's actions, rather than dwell on the fact that she almost killed herself.
"I can't freeze up when people are counting on me, and they needed us to act! Thank goodness we were here! Besides," Paige reached to take the Asura's clawed hand. "I had my knight there to protect me," she said with a warm smile.
And Nalla couldn't help but laugh, in spite of herself. "You know," she said softly, "I was really angry at you a while ago. I sort of jumped to conclusions about the delay when I saw you were having a party."
"I do really feel awful about delaying the trip - even for a day! Especially after all you've done and the trust you place in me." Paige crawled to set directly in front of Nalla's view. "I always keep my promises, but that doesn't excuse the time that's passed. The duties I have are quite a load, but I shouldn't have kept you waiting, and I'm sorry, Nalla."
"Milady, I know you to be true to your word. You are such a caring person." Nalla's eyes glazed over. "The truth is, I can't do this without help. I tried to search after we got back to Tyria. I went to Elona again looking for clues as to Lexxie's whereabouts, and I got close… I know I did. I found this," Nalla tapped on the cap she was wearing."
"Was… Is that hers?"
Nalla shook her head. Her ear untucked itself and she stuffed it back into the cap.
"Where did you find it?" asked Paige.
"In Vabbi. Not in the Garden, but around the outskirts. And," Nalla took in a deep breath, "it was around a contingent of a Forged stronghold. I… I can't help but fear the worst; like something dire is keeping her there…"
Paige squeezed her hand. "Then we'll have to get there and find her. Okay? No more delays. No matter what happens: we're not leaving without the truth. And, if there's even the slightest chance that she's safe, I'll make sure that chance comes true."
The conviction in the woman's voice pierced Nalla's heart and she felt like weeping, but she nodded and squeezed the woman's hand back. "You are one of the kindest human I think I've known, Lady Paige."
Paige simply smiled.
[To be Continued...]
