PS: The side story is finished. The sponsor is adding material and making revisions, so please wait a little longer.
After returning to the inn, Aaron learned from the innkeeper that Jaheira and Khalid had already left the Eagle Inn. Jaheira had briskly instructed the innkeeper to put all their expenses on Aaron's tab without paying a single copper herself. Clearly, she had considered it perfectly natural for Aaron to treat them from the very beginning.
That was how the Druids of the Emerald Enclave thought: take from those with a surplus to supply those in need, bringing everything into balance. Those who had more ought to share with those who had less.
Aaron took the bill. Jaheira had charged him for their dinner, breakfast, and one night's lodging, plus a small sum for equipment repairs. He paid little mind to such a trifling amount.
Barring any surprises, the City Council of Elturel would clearly reimburse him for it later.
Back upstairs at the Eagle Inn, Barrel had already woken up, and the two female Drow were there as well. The young lady was still sprawled on the sofa, fast asleep.
Eleanor had lost some of her composure. Miss Cleric removed her clerical robes and the armor underneath, found a soft sofa cushion beside Charlotte, and leaned against it, drawing up her lovely white-stockinged legs. She said nothing the entire time, looking utterly unapproachable.
"My lord, it seems your search for family didn't go very smoothly." Barrel adjusted his little round glasses and came forward to greet him.
"If 'not very smoothly' could describe this search, that would be wonderful." Aaron glanced at Eleanor. Miss Cleric's face was awash with a tangle of negative emotions-anger, grief, loneliness, and resentment. He signaled Barrel not to fan the flames and sat beside