(ALL OF THE SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 113!)

“Alright,
Princess, you really gotta stop fidgetin’ or I’ll just end up making it worse!”
The tiny woman she vaguely remembered lectured her while slowly trying to pull
the arrows out of Cassandra’s body, hands glowing softly with healing magic.

Fidgeting,
in this case, meant rocking back and forth while breathing heavily and desperately
fighting down the urge to vomit.

“I know,”
Cass managed to gasp, desperately trying to shake off the memory of the last
time she had been struck down by arrows, the warmth of the healing spell not
enough chase away the creeping cold and the sensation of snowflakes falling
down on her while she watched her brother get away. No, no, no snowflakes this
time. She wasn’t even outside. She was in some sort of basement, there were
only two arrows stuck in her, no one had left her behind… The cold still wouldn’t
go away, though.

“What, you
get into fights often?” The gnomish woman snorted. Cassandra vaguely recalled
her being the missing gnome’s daughter… Hailey? Miley? Something like that. “Didn’t
think you were the type.”

“I’m going
to get us whatever healing items I have left in stock,” Shaun announced.

“I wouldn’t
recommend doin’ that before someone takes care of that giant-ass cut across your
chest!” The gnome reprimanded him, accidentally yelling right into Cassandra’s
ear. The ringing was a good distraction, though.

“My dear, I’ve
gone toe-to-toe with an ancient dragon before. Twice,” Shaun informed her, his
usual bravado slowly returning to him. “This is nothing I can’t handle.”

“So have I,”
Cass said quietly. With one arrow removed and the wound it left behind closed
up, she could now feel the blood rushing through her veins again, trying to
fight off the cold for her. “Not in a fight, though, I just played hostess to
one. Which Mother used to say was a battle in its own right. All the
hospitality in the world didn’t keep her from killing my brother, though, and
while he sort of had that coming, I supposes that’s just what guests do to our
family…”

“Screw the
healing stuff, this one needs booze!” The gnome now more considerably didn’t
really yell into Cassandra’s ear. This one felt different, too, magical
somehow, and despite the volume and candor was almost pleasant.

“I’d still
categorize that as healing items,” Shaun declared, then Cass heard a door
close.

“A man
after my own heart!” The gnome declared. “And I don’t say that lightly.” She
then turned around to Cassandra once more. “Okay then, Princess, one more arrow
and we’re done here!” She announced while eagerly rubbing her hands together as
they started to glow again.

“My name is
Cassandra,” Cass somehow found it in herself to remind her healer. “Cassandra
Johanna von Musel Klossowski de Rolo of Whitestone, Guardian of the Woven
Stone.”

“…Yeah, I
think Princess is pretty apt.” The other woman said after a short pause. “I’m Kaylie.
Shorthalt, I guess, but don’t tell anyone I said that.” She winced. “You’re
the, what, sister of the white-haired asshole then?”

That made
Cassandra laugh a little despite herself.

“I suppose
so,” she confirmed.

“I won’t be
holdin’ that against you, don’t worry,” Kaylie assured her for some reason. “So,
uh… You come here often?”