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Her spot inside the loud tavern had quickly become cramped, drunken patrons stumbling about. With her meal finished an hour ago and simply sitting there with water in her mug, Lilly finished it off and got up, slowly pushing past the crowd. The helmet was held to her front, her arms pushing people aside but she jumped lightly when a drunkard cupped her rear and squeezed. She turned instinctively, her right fist connecting with his face. She backed up, the crowd parting around them, "Pervert!" she shouted at him, backing up till her back hit the door. She turned and left, a stunned silence left in her wake.

Lilly slowly made her way back to the aid station, managing to catch a conversation between two guards as one left. She asked the remaining guard, "Can he have visitors yet?" The guard looked at her and then with a roll of his eyes let her inside. She was told to remain outside his door until she was allowed in by the man, after he was ready. She stood still, people still bustling around her until she could go in. She felt a blush come over her face, nervousness finally hitting her.

The man was still laying on the table where the staff had left him after they had done what they could for the wound. The gash on his stomach had been bandaged thrice now, and it seemed to be slowing down the bleeding enough that it was starting to clot and seal itself up naturally, although it would definitely leave a nasty scar at the very least. He was conscious and breathing steadily, cracking one eye open after awhile and spotting her. He made no attempt to move, just laying there with his eyes on her. No longer in danger of passing out he took more time to see what she looked like, before all he could really see was her chest and her face.

"H-hey Lilly..." The Paladin began, then stopped, closing his eyes with a quiet groan of pain. Perhaps speaking was not quite the best idea just yet.

She absently rubbed the top of the helmet, making sure it stayed clean when he called her name. Her head twitched up, slowly walking fully into the room trying not to have a silly smile on her face. "Hey mystery man. How you feeling?" she saw his flinch and concern came over her face, knowing his wound had been a bad one. "They did not grab this when they took you for treatment.." Lilly said lightly as she slowly held out the Helmet, setting it on the pile of the rest of his things, making her hourglass figure more visible. She slowly moved closer, seeing his blonde hair darker from sweat, his entire face so pale from the blood loss it saddened her.

Aearion grinned as his mug was raised."And may they be worthy for the likes of you." He spoke as he chugged down a good portion of the drink."Ahh, just how I like my ale. Not watered down." He chuckled.

The goblin sure was talkative. A lot more than others of his kind Aearion had met. It amused the Merman endlessly."Hm, what gave that away, good ser? Is it my blue skin? My fish-like scales perhaps?" He mused."No, I'm from the Coral Reef, way into the ocean. I don't even think I could pinpoint it on a map. The Coral Reef is but a lost city hidden far away from most other life. It's not quite as interesting as you might think, truth be told. The Dry Lands you live on are much more fascinating."

At that point it occurred to Aearion he did not introduce himself."My name is Aearion, by the way. What do they call you, friend?"

His eyes drifted down to the helmet, and a grin spread over his face. He had thought that the helmet was lost and that some common thief had gotten ahold of it. To say he was very happy that the helmet had been returned would be a very large understatement. "My helmet! I thought I'd lost it forever. Thank you very much for returning it to me. I'm in your debt it seems." The man coughed again, resting his head back down against the flat wooden table he had been laid on. "And that reminds me, I never told you my name. I am Jerard." He tried to keep how she looked in his mind for ease of remembrance. He'd never been to Halle before, and would likely need ways to better remember the people here until he had grown accustomed to them.

A smile spread across her face, her head tilting to the side almost cute like. "I did my best to keep it safe, for every knight needs his helmet in battle. It was my honor to help you, no debt is necessary." She stood strait, stepping closer as he laid his head back, with a worried look on her face. "It is nice to meet you, Jerard. I'm glad you're strong, I was worried I wouldn't be able to return it to you." She did not know why, but like she had done near the gate Lilly brushed a few hairs off his face, his forehead feeling a bit warm and covered in sweat under her finger tips.

She kept glancing back at the door, hearing and seeing so many people rushing by, half expecting one to come in and shoo her out. But for the moment she tried ignoring the door, and to push away the blush that kept creeping over her cheeks and ears. "Wha-.... What attacked you..? If I may ask.." He wound had been severe, but by the looks of the bandages around his stomach, slightly red but not soaking all the way through, he had been patched up well.

Jerard smiled a little bit, seeing her smile made him feel a little better, even though he was still very wounded and it would take weeks if not months for it to heal completely. " I-Indeed you did Lilly. It seems just the same as when I had last seen it, thank you...And yes a debt is necessary. It would be against my code of conduct to receive such kindness and not repay it in one form or another." When his hair was brushed out of his face the Paladin chuckled weakly, grimacing a little bit. "I've suffered worse blows in my time...Although this one certainly was one that I will be remembering for awhile..."

The Paladin's eyes closed for a moment, just taking slow, even breaths for now, calmly laying down and just trying to ignore the pain he felt in his stomach, the bleeding having stopped for now. "Actually, my fair lady, it was I who attacked it. It was a minotaur that had been terrorizing a nearby village, so I put an end to it, but not before it gave me a little parting gift." He gestured to his stomach by slightly inclining his head.

Lilly glanced at his wounds once more, the image of the minotaur and him clashing in her mind an impressive one, not many men would have succeeded, let alone live to tell about it. She was only read stories of the large formidable beasts, mostly ones about them roaming mazes as protective keepers however. She blushed at his words, being called a fair lady a rare occasion, looking away rather shyly, not knowing why she was acting like this. There was a stool tucked away in a corner, and she lightly stepped away to grab in and sit down next to his makeshift bed.

"You must be incredibly strong to have taken down a beast like that..." She said with admiration in her voice, "And do not worry, replaying me will not require you to do something as dangerous as facing a Minotaur." She laughed lightly, trying her best to raise his spirits in a time like this. She knew from experience that being able to do so much and then having to wait and heal was a saddening time, and it was best to try and laugh as much as possible.

"Aearion, nice to meet you." A smile flashed across the goblin's small face. "They call me Obel.. Korporal in the King's 59th Battalion."

The idea of a person coming from the sea totally took over Obel's imagination. He had not met many people from the sea, if any. His homeland was either scorching hot in the summer or icy cold in the winter... But what was the weather like underwater? He struggled to be able to imagine what it was like there.

The small soldier adjusted the way he was sitting and took a drink. When he was finished, he flashed another smile.

"We are opposites, you and me. I come from the red rock... You come from the blue sea... Opposites."

The goblin enjoyed finding random conversations since he sometimes had to keep quiet while on duty. At least around certain people.

"So what makes our world up here so interesting?" He was still trying to imagine life deep out in the ocean.

The paladin laughed weakly at her mentioning of him being incredibly strong. "No my lady, while I bear the strength of many men, it was sheer luck that I triumphed over the Minotaur. The beast knocked me from my horse and jumped on me. I was lucky in that when it leaped upon me it impaled itself on my dagger. I was barely able to push it off me and mount my horse to ride here."

The paladin noted the little blush but still made no mention of it, wondering what could possibly be making the maiden blush at a time like this. However he still let out a little chuckle, hearing how her favor would not be as difficult. "I sure hope not, however if it were that difficult I would at least make an attempt at it."

"Opposites?" Aearion repeated with a grin."Well, we both have the same hopes and dreams. We breathe the same air, walk the same soils, I think you and I have more in common than you might expect, mountain dweller." He mused as he drank some more from his ale.

"The variety, I'd say." The Merman answered Obel after a bit of thinking."Under the sea you have dark caves, fields of plantlife and animals, same as here. But the Dry Lands are so much more diverse. When you get into cold waters, you'll still find sharks and whales, same as anywhere in the ocean. When you enter a hot area on the Dry Lands, its wildlife and people change drastically. It's all so very fascinating." He explained gladly."Truly, you people have no idea how good you have it here. Down bellow we have the same troubles you face, only so much more dull."

The goblin nodded and took a quick sip from his beverage. He set the mug back down with a clunk. Smirking, he said, "You're very wise. I guess we are not total opposites after all."

He seemed to breeze past the description of the ocean as mundane. At least for now. He probably refused to believe it.

Ambient noise started to rise, or it least it seemed that way. There were more people inside than there had been. All sorts of individuals crowded around the bar, waiting to order.

There were many elves, a variety of humans, even a dwarf or two. Halle was a land of diversity. They almost all ventured into the Rosebind Inn from time to time for a drink. This was no small pub. This was one of the larger buildings in town, complete with a second floor made up of rooms for rent.

As the drinks made their way into the crowd, more people began to mill about in the open central section. There was a buzz in the air, an electricity.

"I'm not a mountain dweller, no more though", he said between chuckles... "I'm proper townsfolk now."

He seemed pretty happy with himself as he adjusted himself on his seat once more.

"So its boring in the ocean, hmm? I still wish I could go. One day I'm supposed to sail on one of the big navy ships at port. I've never been on anything like that before."

The way his neck tensed up showed he was definitely nervous about this upcoming boat trip.

"A wise old sage, I am." Aearion laughed at his own joke as he looked at how crowded the bar got. Aearion didn't mind crowds if he was playing a song, but if he was enjoying a drink and a chatn he'd prefer a calmer area. Right now all eyes would be on the both of them. A blue man with purple hair, a lute on his lap and shells on his coat talking to an armoured Goblin, now that was something you didn't see every day, even in a place as diverse as Halle.

"It's an experience, proper citizen." Aearion said with a smirk."Perpare yourself for spending months on a small platform with people you might despise. But other than that, there's the sea to stare at. If you're lucky, you get to catch the glimpse of a lovely sea creature. If you're unlucky, you're facing pirates. If your luck is even more horrid, you face giant squids. I do not mean to frighten you, but the sea is a dangerous place for those who can't breathe into it. I hope you know how to swing that sword of yours, friend."

She listened intently, still amazed by the encounter he had, and lightly laughed at his final comment. "I would never ask something so dangerous of anyone, but I am please to hear you would attempt it for me." Just then a nurse came in, making Lilly stand and move while the paladins bandages were checked. Seeming satisfied the nurse walked away without a word leaving Lilly to wonder, should she sit back down or has she overstayed her welcome and preventing him from healing effectively? Either way Lilly said these words, not realizing how it sounded until it was to late, "Well, If there is anything at all that you may need I would be more than happy to help. It may be some time before you are well enough to move much." She gave him an apologetic smile.

"Heh, I'd gladly attempt a feat such as that for any maiden who had even half your charm." The Paladin grinned a little , even though he was laying on a hospital table with his stomach bandaged up he still had the time to be charming when he wanted to. When the nurse came in to check his bandages the paladin laid his head back and stayed as still as possible so the nurse could check over the bandages without any issues. When she had left Jerard glanced over at Lilly once again, thinking over her offer. "Well, one thing that I would be most appreciative to have is someone who could visit me now and again and tell me about this place. Sleeping all day without any company dosen't sound like too great of a way to pass the time."

She couldn't help the blush that spread across her face from his sweet words, Jerard clearly having quite a bit of charm to him, even when injured. "I would enjoy coming to visit you, if I may be permitted. Although my stay in this place has been a short one so far, I am more than happy to tell you of what I know.... and hopefully show you one day." She glanced at the dirty window behind Jerards make-shift bed, the panes covered in dirt but letting light through with little issue though it wasn't that much sun, before glancing back at him. "Well first off, this is Halle, a small outpost town, mainly army populated." She wasn't sure how much he knew, or if he just stumbled here by chance in his wounded state, but she figured starting simple was decent.

Jerards grin beamed once again, seeing her blush, his tone getting a little happier, bordering on playful even. "Oh I'm sorry, I seem to be speaking a little frankly here. And I would be overjoyed if you visited me so often, it would be a welcome break from the dreariness of this place. And I'm sure that I could persuade the staff to let you visit me daily, I'm quite good at convincing people it seems. And so far what I've seen of the city was the gates, and it's cobblestones." He laughed again, clearly a reference to when he had fallen from his horse and landed facedown on the ground. After his small bout of laughter he calmed down, intently listening to her speak, and gesturing for her to continue.

She smiled back, glad he was able to laugh already. "Then visit you I shall. I was allowed off of work early this day, but tomorrow I may not come till a bit later." Lilly wanted to say more on that matter but couldn't bring herself to, just enjoying his company for the time. "Well as for what I know about this city is this. Just to the east of the town are fields, and my job is to take the freshly picked flowers, vegetables and fruits into the daily town market, much easier for a person to walk through a crowd than sending a large cart." Her job was a very tedious one, but she got plenty of exercise from it, and a decent pay. "Just a few buildings down from us is the tavern, which also has rooms for rent, should you be kicked out of here for any reason." She laughed at that last bit, highly doubting that they would kick him out in such a poor state when they took so much effort into healing him.

The goblin's eyes focused on the glass mug and the frothy liquid inside. He was tilting the glass from side to side, making the beer roll like waves. His imagination pictured a tiny sailing sip on the ocean of golden berry ale.

"You really know how to kill the joy of the ocean", Obel said sarcastically and deadpan. There were things Obel had gotten used to. But it was the unknown that put hints of doubt in his mind. He began to hope he wouldn't be sent on a ship.

"Swinging swords is easy. But being trapped out there? I don't know if I'd like that."

Obel had gotten used to the city, with its alleyways and corners. He enjoyed the chance to wander, every so often. There was a lot to see. If he wasn't watching newcomers arrive at the gates, he was at the ports checking out the tall ships. Of course, his job kept him busy. He had to check in with his unit every so often. But garrison life came with a decent amount of time to wander.

"So tell me... Why do mermaids have the reputation for being tricksters?" Obel had heard stories of sirens who would lure ships into danger.

"Thank You Lilly. You just saved a wounded Paladin from spending many boring days having nothing better to do but stare at the ceiling and wait for this wound to heal." Jerard smiled and shrugged just a tiny bit, honestly not minding when she visits so long as she did visit him every now and again. "It sounds like quite a nice place to live here. When I'm healed I may even decide to stay here, I already have one great reason to stay afterall." Jerard flashed that charismatic smile once again, nodding his head knowingly as to what her job was. "Sounds like when I was a squire. Except instead of baskets of fruit and vegetables I had to lug swords shields and all manner of things that the knights wanted." Jerard joined her in the warm laughter, then stopped a little bit. "Hey...Not to cut the visit short but I think I should get some rest. To help the wound heal faster."