RP Free for All: Chapter 11

"Ah, that is right! Songbird, you have such a good friend!"

"Ah, yes. She is usually an excellent friend." Susan murmurs eyeing Azazel suspiciously.



"I suppose now is the best time." Fredworthy says with a smile. "It is a little late, but... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

He declares as he thrusts the bright pink accordion into Susan's arms.

Susan's expression is one of complete horror.

"Faaatherrr, what is this?"

"It is an accordion like mine! So we can play together! Isn't it wonderful?!"

Susan's mouth open and closes silently, before she looks up at his beaming face.

"Yes, Father, it is indeed wonderful. Thank you." She sighs.

"Excellent! Perhaps we should play them right now! I'm sure Azazel would love to hear it!"

"Oh dear, Father I'm fairly certain Azazel doesn't want to hear any music right now. Isn't that right Azazel?" Susan gives her a menacing look.

"Oh dear? You're injured? WHY WERE YOU DOWNSTAIRS SPARRING?! YOU NEED REST!"

Fredworthy scoops up Azazel and starts looking for a couch.

"Oh Father, I'm sure Azazel can walk on her own... despite her copious amount of painful injuries." Susan says in a singsong voice as she smirks at Azazel behind Fredworthy's back.


"Now now dear, don't be jealous that I'm paying attention to another little girl. I did come just to see you before I go on my trip after all."

He stops walking but is still cradling Azazel.


"I'm not jeal- What trip?" Susan asks eyes narrowing. "Does mother know you're going on a trip?"

"Not in so many words...."

"What does that mean?"

"She knows I'm going on a trip. Just not this trip."

"Father, don't bullshit me. Where the fuck are you going?"

"Language Songbird! Swearing too much will turn your tongue black you know."

"FATHER WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GOING?"

"Oh, that? I've decided to finally visit the Old Country?"

"What?!"

"Yes, get back to my roots, eat more of the traditional food. You should come with me Songbird, I'll take you on a grand tour."

"Father! You've never even been to the old country! It's cold! There are bears!"

"Don't worry! I'm an adventurer!"

"YOU'RE A BARD!"

"Music soothes the savage beast, Songbird!"

"NOT ACCORDION MUSIC! ACCORDION MUSIC SOOTHES NOTHING!"

"Are you worried about your dear old father?" He asks, eyes welling with tears.

"I would hug you were I not holding your injured friend!"

"Nonsense! I could never let an injured woman go through the trouble of walking! It isn't chivalrous."

"Father, you are aggravating her injuries, you need to put her down before you reopen her wounds." Susan lies seamlessly, almost without thought, nodding with satisfaction as Fredworthy sets Azazel down.

"You know that this trip is incredibly expensive, don't you? You won't be able to hide that expense from mother. And coming back is not easy, once you get there you are stuck." She says in a bid to change his mind.


"Oh, I don't mind. You really have to live in a place for a while to get a feel for it! Gotta let it sink into your bones!"

"You're going to die and leave me alone with Mother!" Susan protests voice rising. "I refuse to deal with that!"

"You shouldn't talk about your mother that way. The two of you are so much alike! The way your eyebrow is twitching right now? That is exactly like your mother!"

"FATHER! DON'T CHANGE THE SUBJECT! YOU CAN'T GO!"

"But... but... Songbird! This is where our ancestors came from! This is where you came from! It is our home!"


"No! Our home is here! There hasn't been an Evensong in Breland for at least 3 generations!"

"That is why I have to go back!" He wails eyes brimming with tears. "What would you have me do? Allow our family name to die there?"

"I don't see why our family name there matters when we live here." She grumbles. However, as she takes in her father's expression she finds herself caving.

"Look. You said you wanted me to go with you, didn't you?"

Fredworthy nods, his tears already vanishing.... mysterious...

"Then postpone your trip! My... friends and I travel quite frequently, if we ever go there, I promise to bring you along."

"You promise?"

"I promise!"

There, problem solved. Now he won't try to leave, and I know we'll never go there...

"Wonderful!" He beams happily again all traces of tears completely gone. "Isn't this wonderful Azazel? How are you feeling?"

"I.... better go check on her... You have to stay outside, it is rude to enter a ladies room after all!" Susan chuckles nervously. 
"Why don't you spend some time with Val?"


With that she darts up to Azazel's room and knocks urgently.


"For the love of god, let me in before he follows me!"


Fredworthy smiles at Val.

"Did you have fun on your quest?"

"Things seem to have become so complicated." Susan sighs "Remember when we just killed things?"



Susan flops down on the bed next to Azazel.




"What do you want? That matters, you know."

Fredworthy laughs as he grabs another bottle.

"Ahhh, meeting my darling Ally, I remember that tale as if it was yesterday." He says leaning back and closing his eyes.

"We were both from well to do families you know. I'd seen her at the occasional event, but we never really spoke. I was busy seeking diversions with my pals and she was busy making connections with people of importance."

He smiles and shakes his head at the thought of all that wasted time.

"Then when I was 19, my old man thought it was finally time for me to broker my first business deal. All cocky and full of confidence, I took the sizable budget my father provided me and went to the meeting, and there she was. Eyes like ice and a tongue so sharp it could kill a man, she took me for everything I had, including my heart.