Maiden Fair Logs

The story starts exactly where the intro left off, Zara and Darn at the Flagon listening to poor Pika and Lem
Zara glances at Darn and raises an eyebrow, "She sounds as bad off as that poor dwarf."
The man orders a glass of wine, not able to keep up with his sister as she drinks the vile Sundown
"And it sounds like she is willing to give something for ....whatever she wants..." Darn sizes the pair up wondering what they can offer
Zara stands up, "Let's see what we can do to help. Lathander never said good deeds had to go unrewarded."
"So should I be your paladin again?" Darn smirks
Zara grins, "I think you can just be your adorable self on this one." She walks over to the couple and taps the woman on the shoulder
Pika looks up with a tearstained face, eyes unfocused after several glasses of Sundown. "W-what do you want?"

Darn follows Zara looking at the red eyed woman "We noticed you crying, lady..." he looks at her as if he would feel sorry for her plight "..is there some way we can help?"
She frowns at her empty glass and pours another drink. "I doubt it. Unless you can magic up a lost ring . . . " Her brother nudges her, "Maybe a fresh set of eyes, sis?"
Zara smiles, "We're good at finding lost things."
Darn smiles "The girl like you shouldn’t be sad,"
Pika looks down at her drink, "I can't be happy about ruining my chance to marry the man of my dreams. If I can't be with Barl . . . I don't want to live."
Zara carefully slides the glass of Sundown away from Pika. "Why don't you tell us what happened?"

The girl nods after a moment, "I'm Piakala and this is my brother Lemuil. We're merchants . . . well our family is. I used to work the counter until I met Barl . . . " She starts to cry again

Lemuil interjects, "Pika is getting married tomorrow, but she lost the wedding ring. It's kind of a big deal to the Meidrons."
Darn asks "Who is that lucky man of your dreams?"
Pika smiles, "Barl Meidron. He's amazing . . . romantic, sweet, handsome . . . his family thinks I only want him for the title, but I'd marry him with or without it."
Zara grins at Darn, thinking she feels much the same way about him
Lemuil nods, "They haven't liked the idea at all. His family. They've put the wedding off for 4 years now."
"His family doesnt approve?" Darn asks already thinking that it might be the reason why her ring got lost "Well I am sure they will change their minds once you will be married."
Pika sighs, "But that's just it . . . we can't marry without it. It's been passed down their family for generations. Barl loves me, but if I don't have that ring at noon tomorrow . . . "

Lem looks down, "We spent all day searching the mansion, but it's gone. If we haven't found it by morning, We'll have to tell Barl . . ."

Zara looks at Pika, "Maybe we could take a look around? It can't hurt."
Darn asks "Oh I dont think you need to panic right now...it would be better to find it and avoiding unpleasant situations...where did you last see the ring?"
Pika looks at her hand and touches the spot the ring would sit. "I can't remember for sure where I set it. I know I had it when I got up, but I take it off when selecting Barl's clothes, and when I cook, and garden . . . it could be in his dressing room or the kitchen or my little courtyard . . . but I've looked all those places!"
Zara pats the girl, "Could someone have taken it?"
Darn lets Pika answer Zara question first glancing at the brother of Pika
Pika shrugs, "When I first moved in with Barl we had some thefts, but those servants were fired. And I had Terpsi the whole time . . . she'd never let a thief get close."

Lem nods, "She never lets anyone get close without making horrible noise."
Darn asks, "You both live in Meidron’s house?"
Pika smiles a bit, "Barl moved us in when he proposed. We have a whole wing to ourselves, though as often as he is away, we may as well have the whole place."
"But what about rest of family?" Darn says.

Lem answers, "They are in town for the wedding of course, but his mother and father have taken to living in Baldur's Gate, where it's warmer, and his sister and her brood live in Shadowdale. They keep rooms at Barl's estate though."
Zara wonders what it would be like to live with your husband and his whole family, picturing life with a mad pirate mother in law. "That must make life interesting."
"So they are actually all in house right now?" Darn asks running with fingers through his hair
Pika nods, "They are. I've been sneaking around them all day, trying to find the ring without being obvious. I'd enlist some servants . . . but they're as likely to tell on me as to help."
"All this happened today right?" Darn feels like girl can just tell him all relevant and he may start searching but from the look at her dumb face it seems she isnt able to gather as much
"It did," Pika sighs. I didn't realize the ring was missing until this afternoon. I'd just bathed after working in the garden and I thought I'd left it beside my flowerbed. When I went to check, it wasn't there. I checked the kitchen next, and then the dressing room. After that I started to panic."

Zara holds out a hand to Pika, "Why don't you take us to your home and we can help look."
Darn thinks she is somehow drunk from the Sundown, since she just started to talk against herself "Do you have some idea what might happened?"
Pika lays her head on the counter, "I probably took it off in one of those places . . . and then . . . and then . . . I don't know! If I did, it would still be there . . ." she begins to cry again

Lem gives Darn and Zara a frustrated look, "I can take you to the estate. I don't think sis will be any help."
Darn nods "Would it be able to go inside unseen though? I can help the investigation."
Lem thinks about it for a moment, "It's hard to get around without anyone seeing you, but I could take you in the servant's entrance and get you tabards. The Meidron's don't pay a lot of attention to servants. And the servants are used to seeing new faces."

"Did they see any new face today?" Darn asks
He shrugs, "Maybe? There were caterers and decorators, florists, some people from the temple . . . but sis had Terpsi. None of them could have gotten close to her without that . . . beast going off."
Zara asks, "What is a Terpsi?"
Darn raises an eyebrow,  "Wow is that girl so wild?"
Lem grins, "Terpsi is supposed to be a dog. You can judge for yourself. Look, if you guys can actually find the ring, I'll give you anything I can . . . I've got my own accounts and access to fabric and some gems through trade. I just want Pika to be happy."
"Oh and is there some way how calm Terpsi down?" Darn asks hopefully
Lem shrugs, "I'll try to keep her in my rooms. She tends to go where she wants though."
Zara raises an eyebrow, "Right . . . well, do your best? I can't imagine it's that hard to lock up a dog . . ."
Darn looks at Zara with a sting of fear when last time someone said it can be dog behind the door she carelessly opened them and nearly got separated in two
Lem starts toward the door, "Well, it's not like Terpsi could do more than bark at you. You have no idea how much it means to have you offer to help. Your kindness is appreciated."
Darn feels so confused out of these siblings it hurts, he just hopes he will not reveal by the end of the day that they are some plotting lovers
Zara reaches for Darn's hand, following Lem out

Darn holds her hand looking at the Lem while whispering "Might be just my imagination but this sounds fishy..."
Zara nods to Darn, "That or the girl is an idiot. If they try anything, run I guess," she whispers back
Lem doesn't seem to notice them, muttering to himself occasionally along the walk to Blacklake
Darn says "You know their house is freaking tower....I do have a rope to climb it but I dont think it would be long enough."
Zara swallows, getting a little nervous. "We can try to stay on the lower floor."
If it would be possible..." Darn squeezes her hand a bit "...and Zara..."
Zara looks to Lem and back to Darn, "Love?"
"Dogs can look very cute and playful, but remember some might prefer your head to the ball." Darn tells her
Zara smiles, embarrassed, "I remember. I'll be more careful, I promise."
Darn asks, "Do you have some food just in case?"
"Trail rations?" Zara says, checking her bag.
"So nothing good.." Darn sighs "Where did you live before Lem?"

Lem leads them to a large gate, where two guards let them in. A tree lined walk leads up to a large house overlooking the Blacklake for which the district is named.  He smiles, "We have a home in the docks and a small apartment over the store in the Merchant quarter. Sis lived in the flat and I stayed with our parents. I've been all over the Sword Coast though."
Zara looks at the house, thinking wow, so much for one family. "Can you imagine how many kids could live here," she whispers
"Ehmmm..." Darn looks to Zara then at Lem "And you came to live with your sister...but parents didn’t...?"
Lem nods, "Our parents are on the roads constantly, or taking rides with boated cargo. Barl offered them rooms, but they said no. To be honest, I miss living in the Docks but sis needs someone familiar around."  He walks the two elves to a side door near an herb garden. Rosemary and cabbages, tomatoes and beans, basil and thyme . . . rows and rows of fresh herbs and vegetables.
Zara asks, "So you would move back there if you could? Even with this?" She sounds skeptical.
Darn adds "Hmmm it must have been hard to exchange life of adventurer for...vegetables."

Lem sighs, "Well, I plan to get back to it. Dad's getting old and he really shouldn't be traveling so much. Once sis is married, things should be easier for her."
Zara picks a rosemary bloom and plays with it, thinking if Glory were here, she would love it.
"They arent now?" Darn watches Zara playing and smiles a bit
"No. She doesn't fit in with the nobles and the servants won't talk to her. She gets lonely, especially when Barl is out of town."
Zara looks at Lem as he opens the door to go in, "So when they are married . . . he will take her with him? Or you think she will fit in better?"
Darn also thinks these people have certain gigantic holes in their plans
Lem shrugs, "He will take her with him for sure. And . . . she'll make friends. The title will help, I think." He leads them into a massive kitchen. The smell of baking cookies is almost over powering

Darn asks "How does the ring look anyway?"
"Like a ring," Lem laughs. "I'll show you. Gods know it's on every picture of Lady Meidron." He grabs two tabards from a rack and hands them to the elves. Several servants are working even at this late hour, overseen by a large, smiling woman on a bench. Lem gives her a nod as you pass.
"So how many elven servants you have?" Darn smirks
Zara looks at one of the trays of cookies with big eyes, wondering if anyone would even notice one missing
Lem looks around, "Kitchen staff? I think 1 elf out of 13 or so servants . For the whole house, I've no idea."
"Well now you have three." Darn grins
Lem grins, "Ok, I'm going to check on Terpsi. Do you want to start here or should I show you the gardens? Or Barl's rooms?"
Zara tries to sneak a cookie
Darn thinks he might have slight influence over Zara after all when he sees her snatching something to her pocket. He focuses on Lem "I think the best would be Barl room."

Lem nods, "Alright, I'll take you up there first." He leads them through a narrow servant's hallway and into the center of the estate. Stairs spiral lazily up one side, while ordinary steps go the other way. "His rooms are that direction," Lem points up the spiral. "If anyone asks, you're on wedding duties ok?"
Zara looks at the stairs and shrugs, wanting him to go so she can eat the cookie, still warm from the oven. "Ok, got it. We'll be silent as temple mice."
Darn isn’t sure what wedding duty is he doing, but believes he can make it up if needed. He walks up the stairway
Zara follows Darn up, munching the cookie as soon as Lem is out of sight
Darn enters the hallway looking around
There is a large archway leading to a sitting room. The parlor has a large couch, the center of it swayed and low, nearly touching the floor. There is a small table with a plate of warm cookies and a cool glass of milk. Against one wall, a rack of large slippers in different colors and styles.
Zara looks at Darn with a guilty smile as she offers him the last bite of her cookie. "They are really good . . ."
"Seems like no one is here..." Darn starts and looks at the crumbled pieces in Zara’s hand "Thank you love...I will pass." he says with big smile
"Mmm, ok . . . " Zara eats the last bit with a little grin. "I think Pika said the dressing room? I guess it will have clothes in it." She walks toward the open doorway going further into Barl's rooms

Darn walks to the table taking the plate of cookies and offers it to Zara "Do you also find this Lem to be suspicious?"
"He seems odd, but after the last noble family, I kind of think they all are." Zara takes another cookie and starts to eat when a strong, foul odor sweeps through the room.
There is a humming from the doorway to the right, and the messy sounds of someone emptying their bowels.
Zara wrinkles her nose, putting the cookie back
"Love they aren’t nobles...they said they are merchants trying to be nobles." Darn whispers looking around for some place to hide
The bedroom has one wall of windows facing a large green garden. The curtains are pulled back and the windows opened. The room is chilly from the night air. In the center of the room there is a hole in the floor with a bronze ramp going into it. About a meter down sits a large bed, easily 5m by 5m and covered in satin sheets and pillows.  There is a bedstand table with a few odds and ends - cufflinks, a tie pin, 2 rings, and a gold chain necklace with no pendant.

Zara walks quietly toward the odd bed, looking around
Darn looks under the bed if it isnt a place where ring rolled
The two rings on the table don't look like engagement rings. One appears to be a signet ring and the other is set with red and blue gems. There are tufts of fur and some dirt under the bed.
Darn tries to look for ring in dirt
Zara pokes around at the table for a moment, wrinkling her nose at the sounds from the bathroom.  There is a door across the chamber from them and one to the right. She walks toward the one across the chamber as quietly as she can
There is no ring in the dirt, however you hear something behind you on the bedside table
"Oh that would be a rat." Darn stands up dusting of his hands
A small dog with odd tufts of white and brown hair appears on the bedside table, watching Darn with curiously intelligent eyes.
Zara whispers, "Darn . . . you should see his closet! He has 4 pairs of shoes! And a whole shelf of pants . . . and . . ."
"How intriguing..." Darn smirks "Let’s check the bathroom."
The edges of the dog blur and for a moment it looks like an odd puffball, then it appears close to Zara and the closet. You can hear someone in the bathroom, humming.

Zara looks over at the dog, surprised. "Oh!"
Darn looks back at Zara "Shit...."
The dog stares at her, sniffing.
Zara takes another step away from the little dog. "Ahh . . . good boy, good dog. You umm . . . want a treat?"
Darn opens his backpack very slowly pulling up some food rations
The dog looks at Darn, cocking it's head. It sniffs at the food, then begins to blur again.
"I never saw such security system...." Darn whispers looking for something else to offer to the dog
The dog disappears, reappearing on the bedside table
Zara opens her mouth, not sure what just happened. "At least it didn't bark?"
Darn agrees,  "They should have tell us something about haunted dog...now let’s get out of here."
Zara nods. "Before we get noticed."
The dog disappears again.  Darn notices but Zara does not that the bright ring with gems is now missing from the table.
"Oh shit...." Darn widens his eyes "that dog is a thief."

The pair can hear someone move around in the bathroom to the right. A loud voice calls out, "Hey! Hey, did you come to empty my chamber pot? I'm done with it!"
Zara looks surprised, "What?" She walks toward Darn, wanting to get out of the room while they still can
"Let,s go." Darn heads toward the exit
Zara nods, following him out. They can hear the floor creak as someone massive moves around.
The hallway has a few servants bustling back and forth. One unfortunate looking boy is heading toward them and Barl's door
Darn looks back "Alright so...now we know what took the ring. But we dont know how to take it back."
Zara asks "The dog? Or whatever it was?"
"yeah I think it is what is stealing in the manor...but why?" Darn shrugs
The boy pushes past the two elves, looking up at them for a moment. "Is he done yet? I don't want to go in if he's still naked . . ."
Darn grins,  "he isnt....I wouldnt go there if I were you."
The boy nods and sits down in the hall with a sullen expression.

Darn says "Look if we want to do anything about that thing we need to first know what it is."
Zara shrugs, "We could ask Lem. He has to know, right?"
"You think that is their dog?" Darn points toward the door contemplating "On the other hand he said it is hard to keep it behind closed door
Zara nods, "It kind of looked like a dog . . . except for the popping back and forth thing."
The boy speaks up, "Yeah, that's the lady's little demon."
Darn turns to a boy "Does this pet have some place where it stays? I really don’t want to encounter it much." he explains
The boy shrugs, "Lady Pika keeps it in her rooms . . . sort of. You never know where the little beast will pop up, and if you haven't a shiny for it . . . oh how it howls!"
Zara raises an eyebrow, "So it harasses you?"
Darn takes a deep breath "I guess there is nothing we can do."

The boy shrugs, "I always see Terpsi in the garden or the kitchen. Sometimes she comes into Barl's room if he leaves anything out . . . oh no!" He stands quickly, darting toward the door
Zara steps back surprised, "Oh no, what?"
"That demon might have taken something again! I don't want to be accused of theft . . . last time I got 4 whacks for it," he says almost panicking
Zara shakes her head, "Wait, you got punished for the dog?"
Darn shakes his head, "Stealing dog, the definition of home security."
Zara tries not to smile at Darn's comment as she looks at the boy
"Well, no one believes the servants . . . and that's Lady Pika's precious dog so . . . yeah. Sometimes we find what it took and put it back. Terpsi will give up nearly any prize for some bacon."
Darn looks thoughtful,  "Oh so if we want to contrive the fault of that dog we would need to find its treasures."
Zara nods, "Sounds right to me. I wonder if it has a lair . . . like a - a dragon?" Her eyes get big and round as she thinks about it
The boy shrugs, "I need to get to work or I'll get the switch. Hey . . . do I know you? what are you guys doing over here anyway?"
"We are new servants..." Darn sighs ".. masters forgot to tell us about how bad that beast is though, so we might quit."
Zara looks at the boy with a stern expression, "I am a decorating specialist hired for the wedding. You can't question me. Though . . . I may change my mind knowing some strange furry beast is here." She turns and walks off in a huff
Darn shrugs at the boy and follows Zara

Zara stops at the stairs, looking at Darn. "Ummm, so where now? The kitchen probably has bacon . . . and cookies." She grins
Darn laughs a bit "Do you want to continue in this?"
"Well, we said we would help find the ring. I suppose we could just go tell her to ask the dog." Zara laughs, then frowns, "I don't think it talks . . ."
Darn smiles, "It is more like she wouldnt believe us...."
"So we just need to figure out where the dog puts its treasure. That can't be too hard. I mean, it's just a dog," Zara says hopefully.
"It’s a teleporting beast....it can be right behind your ass and you don’t even know it."
Zara looks behind her and then blushes. "Oh . . . you didn't mean now. Let's get some bacon and lure it out."
"Alright..." Darn rolls with eyes
Zara grins and skips down the stairs, feeling a bit happy. "I think it was this way?" She points at the hall.
Darn wonders what makes her happy about this situation "I guess so... So you are not worried about some mystical monster?" he tilts his head toward her
Zara shrugs, "I might be . . . but there are more fresh cookies in the kitchen. And how dangerous can it be if we bribe it with bacon?"
Darn grunts in disbelief and opens the door from kitchen
Zara laughs, and goes in, looking for some poor kitchen helper to pester

The kitchen is busy as always, bread being baked, meat roasted. A round and wrinkly woman nods to them as they come in. "Here for snack trays?" She asks
Zara nods, "Yes, Master Lem requested butter cookies and bacon."
The snack trays have cookies on them, and some sliced meat but not bacon.  The old woman raises an eyebrow, "Bacon? Well . . . who am I to judge. Yesterday it was rabbit. Suppose we can toss it into the soup."
"Nobility." Darn sighs heavily
The old woman nods, "What can you do? Don't suppose your hungry? I hate to see good rabbit wasted." She whacks a nearby kitchen servant with her spoon. "Fetch a pound of fried bacon. Should be some over by the potatoes."
Zara nods, "I like rabbit . . . " She winces a bit at the smack
Darn sits by he table "It would be great."
The old woman rolls up the think sliced meat and hands a piece to Darn. "Don't know you, boy. Suppose your wedding staff?"
"Yeah we thought it would be easy job but then we met a dog..." Darn smiles at the cook "Thank you beautiful lady."
The old woman gives him a gap tooth grin, "Such a charmer. I can always use more help in the kitchens. And blast to that hell hound. Little bastard keeps digging up my garden."

Zara raises an eyebrow, "That thing eats your vegetables too?"
Darn frowns, "That dog has too much functions...does it also guard the house as it should?"
The old woman laughs, "It's no guard dog. It's got worse luck than Tymora's left tit . . . Lady says it's smart but I haven't seen it.  Just devious."
Darn asks "Hmmm so it is harmless?"
Zara finishes her piece of rabbit and grabs another, "Doesn't sound like a very good pet. Wonder why she keeps it around."
The old woman nods, "Just makes horrible sounds and snatches things. Destroys my plants and pretty trays. But the Lady thinks it can do no wrong . . ."
"Suppose there were some servants that were fired for stealing....we had to go through terrible questioning to get this job....and still we might be accused for stealing for that dog." Darn takes a bite from rabbit
Zara nods, "It's terrible for people to lose their jobs for a dog. Or to get beaten

The old woman shrugs, "I keep my staff safe as I can. But what can you do? If we could prove it was the dog . . . "
"Hmmm hmmm..." Darn supports his chin with fist
Zara taps her lip in thought. "If we could have the lady or lord catch it in the act? Or find where it hid the treasures, maybe? I've never tried to catch a thieving . . . dog. It is a dog, yes?"
The old woman shrugs, "As if we haven't tried? If the dratted thing didn't get itself stuck in funny places, I'd say it was brilliant. And yes . . . it's a dog of sorts. A blink dog."  The whole kitchen goes quiet as the topic of conversation comes walking in. It sits down in front of the old woman and begins making a horrible noise
Zara claps her hands over her ears, staring at the small dog surprised.
Darn covers his ears before the shrieking dog

The old woman glares at it, "You're not getting a dratted thing for me. Shoo!" She waves her hands at the dog. One of the other servants dangles a bit of glass on a chain in front of it and the dog quiets, eyes glued to the shiny object.
Darn snatches the glass from servants taking a step back from the dog
The dog looks at Darn and back to glass, opening its mouth in a threat to make more noise
Darn waves with glass in front of dog "Doggy! Shiny look!"
The dog gives Darn a direct look and reaches for the glass with its mouth
Zara reaches a hand toward the dog, "Nice doggy, hey there! Can you show us your shinies?"
Darn steps back "Hey wanna play?"
The dog cocks it's head at Darn and whines.  The girl that had the glass bauble says, "I'll be wanting that back, so be careful please!"
Darn puts the glass behind his cloak "Where is it?"
The dog looks around confused and begins to cry again
Zara closes her eyes, "Darn . . . what are you doing?"

Darn shows the glass to the dog again leading him out of the room
The dog shuts it's jaw with a clack, almost seeming to raise an eyebrow as it follows Darn out. Zara walks after them both
"Doggy!" Darn smiles crouching down
The dog stops, sitting up on its back legs and whines
Zara grins at Darn, "I think he wants the shiny . . . "
The dog gives Zara a look that say yes . . . yes I do
Darn says "I know but how to make him show us more shiny?"
Zara smiles, "I bet he puts it in the garden! Dogs like to dig, no?
"Huh worth a try..." Darn shows the dog glass again "Lead us." he tells to Zara

Zara whispers to Darn, "I could give the dog the shiny while you hide in the garden. Then you can see where it buries things."
"Oh..." Darn looks at Zara surprised and grins handing her the glass
The dog looks from Darn to Zara and then at the glass, making a grab for it. He misses and begins to whine
Zara smiles at the dog, "Oh it's ok puppy, I'll give it to you."
Darn looks around for entrance to garden
There are two entrances to the garden, one through a set of french doors at the back of the entry way, leading onto a patio. The flower garden has a path to the vegetable garden. Or through the kitchen.
Darn walks to patio looking for some good place to hide and observe the garden
Zara dangles the glass in front of the dog, not sure how long Darn will need. "Oh you're such a weird little furball," she coos
The dog huffs at her, snapping at the shiny

Darn finds a nice barrel to hide behind where he can see the whole garden
Zara lets the dog have the shiny. It vanishes immediately
Darn looks into barrel if there is water in it and gets inside it
The dog appears near some sweet pea plants and begins digging
Darn pokes out of barrel trying to spot the dog
The dog is easy to spot, a little ball of white fluff digging desperately beside the sweet pea plants
Darn tries to carefully get out of the barrel hopping Zara already summoned Lem
Zara runs up to get Lem, shouting for him
The dog drops the glass necklace and begins nosing at the dirt
Darn tries to sneak closer to the doggy then trips and crashes to the ground as his feet get caught in the barrel
Zara meets Lem as he comes running down the stairs. "We caught the thief, hurry!" She tugs him toward the garden door
The dog jumps into the air and disappears
"Fucking traitor." Darn curses at the barrel getting out of it and pulls out the dagger since it is only thing that he has shiny

Lem and Zara nearly trip over the muddy dog on their way to the door. "Him! Get him," Zara shouts
Darn finds the key from graveyard in his pocket "Ok this will look less like a threat." he thinks "Doggy!"
The dog darts toward Darn, zigzagging away from Zara as she jumps at him.  Lem just watches, beginning to laugh.
Darn hugs the dog with one hand raising his hand up high for him not to reach the key
The dog disappears from Darn's grasp and reappears on his head, scrabbling for the key.
Lemuel walks over to the hole and looks in, eyes going wide.
Zara gets up, dusting herself off and trying not to look so embarrassed
"Ah doggy." Darn takes him under the armpit to check on the hole as well
The dog makes a whining sound and gives up, giving Darn the look of eternal hatred.  The hole is full of rings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, coins, and other shiny baubles.

Zara makes a small sound of surprise, "Is that all just from here? That dog . . ."
Lem looks over at the dog. "What are you doing Terpsi? This isn't a mine or a tomb . . . you can't just take anything shiny."
"Hmm..." Darn nods to himself thinking it wouldnt be bad having one on his own, released in neighborhood of course
The dog whines and covers its nose, ashamed.  Lem sighs, "I'll tell Pika what happened. Terpsi is a - a special dog."
Zara kneels down looking for an engagement ring amidst all the dirty shiny stuff
"Oh if you dont want him anymore we would take care of doggy." Darn offers
Lem laughs, and the dog growls at Darn. "No, no. Pika would be very upset if Terpsi went missing. She just needs to have a long talk with him. He's always liked shiny things but . . . never gathered so much! Or stolen it. That I know of." He looks thoughtful
Zara pulls out a brilliant gold ring with a diamond set in a snowflake mount, "Is this the ring?"
"I know it isnt his fault." Darn glances at hateful dog "he is fucking pro." Darn thinks
Lem smiles, "That's it. Suppose we walk Terpsi and the ring to my sis? Or would you rather hand them to me? And settle the matter of our debt?"

Darn looks down at his clothes from mud "Well it would be nice to have something good to wear..."
Zara nods, looking at her pretty dress smeared with dirt. "Yes . . . I don't think I can walk into the Flagon like this."
Terpsi nips at Darn, kicking its stubby legs.  Lem agrees, "I think I have some clothes that will fit you. Might be a little long . . . " He gestures for them to follow. "You can put Terpsi down now. He knows he is busted."</b>
Darn lets the dog be with sad eyes
Terpsi returns the look with extra hatred, tempted to pee on the meddling elf. A look from Lem lowers his leg
"Such a sweet dog." Darn grins at Terpsi
Lem takes them to the family quarters, pulling out a set of his own clothes for Darn. For Zara, he fetches one of his sister's dresses from her younger days.

Zara tries to adjust the dress, a bit long on her and tight through the chest, but so pretty
Terpsi gets mud all over the bed, jumping onto a pillow and curling up
"Very nice." Darn comments at Zara’s boiling boobs and dresses up
Zara blushes at Darn's gaze, not noticing how Lem stares too. "Ok, so clean and to the Flagon?"
Lem nods, eyes fixed somewhere between Zara's throat and bellybutton. "Sure . . . ummm . . . let me help you down the stairs."
Darn puts their dirty clothes to the bag fallowing Zara and Lem

At the Sunken Flagon, the woeful sound of a very drunk woman drifts up to the rafters, singing some song about losing everything
Darn smirks, "hope it wasnt virginity, that would spoil everything."
Pika looks at them, eyes crossing. "Evrrrfing . . ." she sings, offkey, and then turns to vomit
Zara hides a smile, not sure if Pika is sober enough to recognize her ring
Lem laughs softly, pulling his sister's hair back while she empties her belly
Darn looks at Sal with face that says "I wouldnt like to work like you man."
Pika wipes her mouth, "S-sorry," she mumbles. Lem pats her back, "You should probably call it a night sis. You don't want to puke on the groom."

Darn whispers to Zara "Do we have that ring?"
Zara nods, presenting it to Pika. "I don't think she will notice . . ."
Pika stares at Zara's hand confused. "You . . . found it? Where was it? Is that it," she babbles, reaching unsuccessfully for the ring.  Lem pokes her in the forehead. "I told you not to drink so much. It's your ring, silly."
Darn nods,  "Well Terpsi, your doggy has a hobby taking things away for himself. He was probably doing it for quite some time..."
Pika peers at Darn confused, "My Terpsi? Noooooo . . . th-the servants blame precious lil pufff . . ."  Lem shakes his head, "They caught him at it. He's gone beyond snatching a bite here and there. You need to talk to him."
Zara grins, "He's got his own dragon hoard by the sweet peas."
Darn smiles thinking that if she wouldnt believe that he will have night run in their garden

Pika frowns, wiping a bit of drool from her lip and then grins blankly. "I can get married tomorrow?"
Lem nods, "If you can stand . . ." Pika jumps up and then falls on her ass, yelling. "I CAN GET MARRIED!!!"
Zara hands Pika the ring. "I would put that on and not take it off, Lady."
Darn grins,  "We wish you all well to your wedding lady Pika."
Lem makes sure the ring is on her finger and helps her into her stool, then tugs the two elves a few steps away. "I don't have much gold to give you, though you deserve it. Could I pay you in clothes? Not what you're wearing . . . but if you come by my shop I can see to you." He hands them 3 gold and smiles.  Darn and Zara nod uncertainly.