Hello, Everyone!
This is your last chance to post your questions for the upcoming Q&A! Our DM and I will answer them all in the next post.
Anyway. In our latest episode, we spent some time inside Mary’s head, ruminating on the toll the adventuring life was taking on her body. My poor baby counted her scars and cried into the night; but now it’s a new morning, and with it, new things to come.
Hopefully more enjoyable things.
It was long past morning when Mary got woken up.
It was a peculiar sound that did it. Some chitter, an “Ah!”, and then some rustling of fabric. Mary jumped from the bed to look around and had just enough time to see a small fairy pop out of existence. All that was left of her was a needle and some black thread on the floor.
Frowning in confusion, Mary went and picked up the needle. She turned it in her hand but didn’t notice anything peculiar. She blinked to her Eldritch Sight. The needle didn’t glow with magic but there was an unfamiliar glimmer coming from her bag.
There was a new compartment sewn into the fabric. Mary reached into it and her eyes widened, first in surprise, then wonder.
It was a Pocket of Holding!
She'd heard so much of those things! There were stories of Bearers delivering packages, so huge that they couldn't easily fit onto their horses, and adventurers who stored all their belongings into bags as small as a pouch. Mary had always wanted one of these!
But how…?
Her heart fluttered and her lips widened into a smile. It must have been Gillean. He'd probably noticed her small carry-on library grow, quickly becoming an inconvenience, and so he’d taken care of helping her.
Careful not to disturb the sleeping Tesaya--it was uncharacteristic for an elf to sleep but they'd had a tough evening--Mary tried to pack her pillow in the Pocket. Once it got in, it disappeared without leaving as much as a bulge.
Quickly, Mary dressed up--taking care to wrap a thick black shawl around her scarred neck--and went into the kitchen. She started packing all the fruit and utensils she could find into the Pocket. It took them all in. She turned the bag upside down and shook it. Nothing fell out.
"What are you doing?" Bruno said, entering the kitchen from the guest bedroom he shared with Aurum.
"Oh! Perfect timing!" she said. "Here, put your hand in here."
"Um, why?"
"There's… there's an apple inside."
Bruno rummaged into the Pocket but what he took out was a pear. He looked Mary with suspicion.
"No, there is an apple, too!" she said, reached in to prove it, and took an apple out without even having to look for it.
It was like the Pocket knew what she wanted and was responding accordingly.
"What’s going on?" Aurum said, coming to the kitchen as well.
Mary explained to her friends about Gillean's gift and they helped her make a few experiments to determine the Pocket's capabilities. Bruno found that it didn't become heavier when they put weights inside, although Mary didn't want to test how much it could carry before it broke. Aurum wanted to check if he could stash things secretly from Mary and they discovered that if she knew he'd put something in, she was able to find it, even if she didn't know what it was.
“It was worth a try,” the bard said and lit his pipe with the weeds he’d tried to hide in the Pocket. “Oh! I’ve got another idea!”
He tried to put the burning pipe in the bag, but Mary pulled the bag from his hands. She wouldn’t risk burning down Gillean’s gift!
“Ok, one more idea,” Aurum said and, before Mary could protest, poured a whole glass of water into the Pocket.
“Nooo! What did you dooo?!” Mary cried out. “What if I want to put my books inside?!”
“Oh, just wipe it off with something!”
“With what?”
“Use Tesaya’s pillow. She won’t know, she’s still asleep.”
"Who’s still asleep?" Tesaya's voice came from behind and made them jump.
While they were having a late breakfast, an elven guard came and called them to the prison. Dorina Dwendel wanted to speak to them.
There was a whole crowd outside of the holding facility – mostly elves, but humans and half-elves, too. Everyone wanted to see with their own eyes the conclusion of the eighteen-year-old saga. Dorina was sitting on her bed, her hands folded on her lap. She seemed calm and collected. Her clothes looked familiar and, after some thought, Mary realized that they were the same kind of white robe Halas was depicted in on the stained glass window of the mausoleum.
Just when Mary and her friends were ready to enter Dorina’s cell, the Dwendels came as well, and they rushed in to welcome their daughter back. Mary watched, with a smile, lord Dwendel hug his child again and again, tears of joy and relief streaming on his face. He squeezed her so tight, as if he was never going to let her go. Dorina's mother embraced her as well, and they spent a whole lot of time speaking quietly and heartfelt. Only William wasn’t as enthused as the rest. After all, he was suddenly not an only child anymore.
But now he had a sister. He would grow up with someone to look up to and who’d love and protect him in return. Mary’s first-ever adventurer’s promise--to lord Dwendel AND to herself--had been fulfilled.
Dorina noticed them above her family’s heads and looked hesitant whether to go and talk to them, but the Dwendels’ happiness was demanding all of her attention right now. She gave the trio an apologetic smile before returning to her father’s embrace.
Mary was fine with that. She could wait. The family reunion happening at this moment was way more important.
Balaine Endoras joined them in front of Dorina's cell.
"Let's give them some privacy," he said. "We have some things to talk about anyway."
Things often seem better in the morning. I’m glad Gillean thought of giving Mary a present after all the struggles she’s been through. And a Pocket of Holding is just what the group needs!
And another thing – how awesome is that Dwendel reunion, eh? I can’t help but feel proud that Dorina was able to get back to her family after all this time, and it was because of our group’s efforts.
See you in the next chapter.
Take care and be well!!!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide and the Glossary for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: These are my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum and Bruno) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.