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Cutting between the trees, a little goblin girl is on the run. It doesn’t matter how far she ran, she’d always be back here - having pissed off a few people because she got ‘the itch’ and snatched a couple shiny things from them.Now her pockets were bare, breath heavy, and she really wished she had a vial of acid handy. It had been several months since she escaped her tribe, and started running away from all that surrounded it… But of course - that wasn’t the whole story.The newly christened Nott The Brave, kept racing forwards trying to dodge the encroaching mob. She took a swig of the flask she’d gotten - liquid courage - and kept running, not noticing or really caring how far she’d ran… And that she was slowly growing tired.Her vision grew blurry for a couple seconds, as she tried to slow down, but the fatigue was catching up to her. It lasted a few seconds, maybe even a few minutes, before she felt herself collapse… And a pair of hands pick her up…xxxThe smell of a kettle boiling was the one thing Nott didn’t expect to wake up to. She heard the sound of gentle footsteps, against foliage and other floors, whispers to a ‘Mother’ that she didn’t understand… So when her eyes snapped open to see a pink haired, slightly fuzzy creature making a pot of tea and resting her bandages in warm water, she didn’t know what to expect.She sat up, watching as he moved his head from whatever he was doing, a lopsided smile on his face.“You’re awake.” He grinned. Nott groaned, still in pain, looking down at the dark green skin she still wasn’t used to… Now free without her bandages. She swallowed slightly, looking up at the stranger, eyes starting to well.He walked over to her, almost immediately, placing the kettle on the end of a strange, gnarled stick and carrying it behind him. He placed it beside him and sat down beside her, her breath beginning to harshen.“Oh dear… Um…” He paused, taking a cup from beside Nott and pouring a cup from the kettle. He handed it to Nott, hands trembling. She looked down.“I’m sorry…” She whispered. The stranger chuckled.“For what?” He asked, “Being nervous?“She nodded. “It’s not every day you wake up in a strangers house and they give you tea…” She took a sip, and a deep breath. “Especially considering… Well…”The stranger blinked. “Considering what?”Nott gestured to herself. “Oh! That…” The stranger smiled weakly, “Well… My family’s helped several creatures, mainly recovering from grief…” He smiled again, “I think this may be my first time taking care of a goblin…”Nott chuckled awkwardly, as the stranger smiled once more, bending down to sit eye to eye with her. His lavender eyes reflected her golden ones, as she swallowed slightly. “I’m Nott-” She blurted out, before gulping. “Nott… That’s my name.”The stranger gave her another lopsided grin. “My name is Caduceus Clay, it’s lovely to meet you Miss Nott.”“It… It’s lovely to meet you too Mr Clay…”xxxA few months laterIt was all a blur - the adventuring party coming to the Blooming Grove requesting help, saving strangers from the Iron Shepards, travelling on the sea to help Fjord find his destiny… And returning to Felderwin. Finding the Apothecary burnt down. Telling everyone what happened to her. “You ran and got help,” Caduceus said, and his soothing words calmed Nott down for just a moment.Now to Gnordanus, where Yeza - her dear husband - was, travelling through Asarius, the City of Beasts, meeting Beau’s mentor Dairon… And travelling down a well into a place occupied by demons.It was all a blur… All a big blur. She remembered placing the exploding arrow into her crossbow, seeing Caduceus go down, hearing the Incubus or Succubus flying over towards him and attacking and she… Fired. All of a sudden. When suddenly, the explosion racketted through her ears, and her eyes widened.Gone was the Incubus… In its place? A burnt, dishevelled, and dead Caduceus. Nott screamed. He’d been her closest friend for what felt like a lifetime, he’d been the only person she’d opened up to since Yeza, since back home… And she’d killed him. She’d killed him.She said she could feel herself losing herself every day… Was this the first sign? She’d been willing to kill him… He was dead and it was all her fault.She hadn’t noticed that she’d started crying. That Beau rested an arm on her shoulder, that Jester had walked over to him with a diamond in her hands… She shook her head, hot tears filling her eyes. She wished she could bring him back to health…Nott didn’t consider herself a religious lady - it was less she didn’t believe but more that she didn’t think the Gods wanted to help her - but this time… This time, she closed her eyes, and whispered a prayer to the Wildmother.“Please…” She whispered, “Please… Please Melora, I know you didn’t help me but just this once… Save him. Please…”The diamond shattered everywhere and the light reflected off the walls of the cave. For a brief moment she could feel the Wildmother standing over her, a smile crossing her angelic features.“Don’t worry my child… You’re safe now.” She seemed to whisper, as she heard the familiar sound of Caduceus snoring.She broke away from Beau, running towards her friend and standing over him.“Caduceus?” She whispered. Caduceus’s eyes blinked open, the familiar lavender eyes that met with her golden. He sat up slowly and gave her a smile.“Oh hey…” He said, “Is it over?”Nott began to cry, when something overtook her… She ran at him and hugged him, tightly, afraid of letting go. Tears filled her eyes as she kissed him all over. The rest of the Mighty Nein stared at the pair in awe, or shock, or confusion… One of many things. Caduceus patted his large hand on her back, ignoring the kisses for a brief second as Nott pulled back and rested her forehead against his.“It is…” She whispered, “Oh Gods it is…”