“A Gem of an Idea” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 71: Karendle

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“That’s it!” Karendle gasped. “That’s my pouch! How did you get it?”

DeFrantis smiled. “I picked it up off the floor after I healed you. I didn’t know what it was, but you were reaching for it when I got to you. I figured it was important. I didn’t even have a chance to look in it.”

“They didn’t take it from you when they hauled us away?”

“When you’re a street kid, you learn where to hide stuff that’s been stolen.” DeFrantis chuckled. “I’ve got your dagger, too.”

Karendle looked surprised. “I didn’t have a dagger...”

“Yes, you did. Stuck between your ribs. It’s a pretty small one.” She shifted on the floor. “I’m not sure I could reach it right now, though.”

She held the pouch in her hands in front of her and began to untie the leather strap. It wasn’t easy with her hands suspended by the chains. She looked in the pouch. “I can’t see very well. There looks like one, two, three stones.”

They looked at each other for a moment, and Karendle nodded. “I’d like to fix this. Can you throw me the pouch?”

DeFrantis nodded and re-tied the strap. She wound it up into as small and tight of a bundle as she could, then tossed it. The chains rattled and snapped her arm back. The pouch flew about halfway across the room, then slid a few more feet, still a good distance from Karendle.

Karendle swore an old dwarvish curse. She reached out with her leg to try and scoot it towards her, but couldn’t reach it.

“Try again,” DeFrantis called out. Karendle scooted herself as far from the wall as she could and tried to lay flat on the ground. She stretched her legs out and pointed her toes at the pouch. It was close, but still not enough.

Grunting with pain, she pulled against the chains and reached again, this time able to nudge the pouch with her toes. She carefully pressed on it and shifted it slightly toward her before her foot slipped off. Her arms were hurting in their sockets, as they had to both reach and support her weight. She reached again and was able to move it closer a few more inches.

She slouched, gasping for breath.

“One more try!”

As she drew in breaths, the smoke from the incense made her cough. She took in a breath, and held it as she reached her toes past the pouch and drew it toward her. Then, panting, and coughing, she shifted back to the wall, moving the pouch with her foot along the way. Finally, she sat again, with the pouch in front of her.

“Great. Now how am I going to pick it up?” She looked at DeFrantis, who shrugged. There’s gotta be a way to do this. She looked down at the pouch on the floor between her outstretched legs, right between her knees.  My knees...

She used her feet to push herself and the pouch as close to the wall as she could, then, using the chains as a support, pulled her legs behind her and got up until she was kneeling.  Yes! Yes, this can work!

“What are you doing? Are you getting it?”

Karendle didn’t answer. She moved her knees together, pressing the pouch between them. She pressed hard, gripping it as tight as she could. Then, with a grunt, she pulled on the chains, lifting herself up off the floor slightly. She flipped her legs out from under her and dropped herself back to the floor. She closed her knees to her chest, and fell back against the wall, again panting and coughing from the exertion and the smoke.

“What did you do?”

Karendle opened her eyes and saw the pouch sitting snug between her upraised knees. She reached down with one hand, straining against the chains and took the pouch in her fingers. She gingerly lifted it up and took it securely in both hands and finally relaxed her back and legs. As she slouched, she untied the strap and shook the stones out onto her hand. Two gray stones and a blue gem.

“I got them!” She held them up for Karendle to see. “I got them!”

She looked at them and held them as if she was holding her whole life. The red one’s gone. I must’ve dropped it when he attacked. Oh, well. The blue one’s right here. And here’s the stone with the wizard. She looked at it intently, as if she were trying to see him inside of it.

She shook off her thoughts and put the two gray stones back in the pouch, holding tight to the sapphire. She set the pouch on her shoulder and held the blue stone up before her. She looked across the dim fog at DeFrantis. Her friend smiled and nodded slowly.

OK. Here we go. 

She turned her focus to the gem.

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This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing. If you like this story, support us at our Patreon!
Thank you: Chet Cox!

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