Unwanted Defense

“And you give me a hard time about dragging in dirt. You’re covered. What happened to you?” Garness asked with one great brow raised in my direction.

“Don’t pick fights with me. I’ll tell everyone about your mandy doll.” I snapped.

“Hey, hey now, I’m not picking a fight. I’m just asking.” Garness said as he tossed his hands up defensively. “And if you must know I have the mandy doll so I can practice squeezing the life out of them while I sleep. Builds muscle and quickens the reflexes. Let them try to sleep me now. It won't do them any good.” Garness grinned as if he were imagining crushing the cutie little devils.

I just shook my head and went to my room. “Can you run a bath for me please?” I asked my moogle.

“Ofcourse Kupo. Everything ok Kupo? You haven’t been home for three days. I’m afraid your plants died. They are so sensitive about attention Kupo.” He buzzed as he filled the copper tub.

I was feeling a bit better about things. Time has a way of doing that I guess. As I slid down into the bubble bath my arms burned in agony. I had spent the last few days farming crawlers with Paganlorre for their silk. It was incredibly satisfying to slash the great furry worms open letting the gooey blood spill everywhere.

I was so charged with rage that I didn’t even notice how strained I was until I calmed down and really took a look at my Elvaan companion. He looked exhausted and filthy. He had stood by me so patently while I let out my frustration. I’m not sure if he didn’t say much or I was so preoccupied I didn’t hear him. It all was a bit of a blur. We did both come home with six stacks of silk threads and they were selling very well lately. Nothing makes a girl feel better like a pocketful of gil.

“I found Brodie for you.” Beldin shouted through my door.

“I’m not really interested in him right now Beldin.” I called back. “Mind if I enjoy some peace and quiet for a little while?”

“Well you’ve been gone three days. Isn’t that enough alone time?” he called. “Besides, I thought you might like to know I shot him for you.”

“What!” I shouted as I leapt from the water. “Why would you do such a stupid thing as that?!”

“Well, I think he had it coming. Don’t worry, I didn’t kill him. I know how you feel about murder. I just shot him in the gut. He was still completely alive when I left him.”

The crazy idiotic pirate. Moogle wasn’t back from cleaning my artifact armor yet so I threw on some event clothing from new years and rushed out of my room.

Grabbing Beldin’s shoulders and staring him down I growled, “Beldin, where is he?”

“The Paladin, why would you want to find him? We all know what happened.” He said looking rather proud of himself. “I took care of it.”

I punched Beldin’s jaw as hard as I could muster with my soar arms knocking him onto the sofa. “Tell me now or I’ll gut you like a crawler” I threatened.

“Try to help a woman out and this is what I get for thanks.” He said as he rubbed his bearded face. “I left him in Upper Jeuno beside the Marble Bridge Eatery yesterday.”