Favored By The Villain

went across her face.
Nor the blood that caked her clothing,

“Merril, what are you doing out here?” Elizabeth said, lowering her hands and waving her magic away.
A few sparks landed on the damp grass, sending small wafts of smoke into the air.

“I could ask the same for you, dear sister.
Are you here to hunt some wild animals, as well? That would be a great story to tell the others.
‘Elizabeth the Beast Slayer’, they’ll call you.
Well, I’m sorry to say, but they are already dead.” Merril wiped her hands on her cloak.
“I was out for my late-night stroll when the wild beasts came out and attacked.
I had no choice but to defend myself, you know? It wouldn’t do for a member of the Kraidens to die in such an undignified manner, would it?”

“You… You took on a pack of wild animals by yourself?!” Elizabeth reached out and grabbed Merril’s arms.
“So that scream? Was that you? And how did you manage to take them all on by yourself?”

Merril shrugged, and peeled Elizabeth’s hands off her arms.

“Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t.
As for how I did it.
Well…” She started walking back towards the camp site.
“That is for me to know, and you to find out.
Goodnight, Elizabeth.” Merril continued walking away, a light spring in her step.
Elizabeth watched her, silently seething.
It was one thing for Merril to be attacked during her late-night walk and let out a scream like she was in mortal peril, but it was another to claim that she killed the wild animals in the area all by herself.
Merril was strong, as expected for the Kraiden, but was she strong enough to do such a feat?

“Your Highness?”

Elizabeth ran a hand through her hair and looked at Helga, who was now clutching her shawl around her shoulders.

“Yes, Helga?” She said, trying to hide the tiredness in her voice.

“Merril must have been telling the truth.
There are dead animals on the ground near where she came from, the likes of which I have never seen.
As odd as it sounds, she really did take them all on and live to tell the tale.” Helga dabbed at a spot of blood on her dress.
“We should really get back to the camp, now.
There is nothing good waiting for us out here.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.
We’ve found the source of the scream, and Merril is unharmed.
Which is… Good, I guess.” Elizabeth took one last look into the woods, now deathly silent save for Helga’s terrified breathing.
“Come, Helga.
Let us retire for the night.
We have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow.”