Female Another Untitled D&D-inspired Story (F)

[Blah!?]

I actually wrote this one a while ago, and I just never got around to posting it until now. It's another D&D-inspired story, but unlike Dungeons and Dayquil, this one takes place entirely in the game world and doesn't have any of that meta real world stuff. It's a fairly straightforward story with a bit of caretaking. I'm probably not going to do more with these exact characters, or at least not in the immediate future, but I figured I'd share it regardless.

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Stefanie Finola Alie Kantar Sensida Dodgson (just “Stefanie” to her friend, singular) was a curious sort. She could read, write and speak seven different languages, cast a myriad of spells, and even peer beyond the veil to consult forbidden knowledge given to her by an ancient god. In spite of all that, however, she remained unable to determine the cause of a bothersome tickle in her nose. The warlock had done her best to ignore the sensation as she walked, but eventually she had no choice but to capitulate.

 

First, Stefanie wrinkled her freckled nose and allowed herself a single sniff. The rush of air briefly dulled the tingle in her nasal passages, but she soon found herself back where she had started. Then, after sniffing again, she extended her index finger, placed it across her long, narrow nostrils, and gave them three upward flicks, each one slow and deliberate. Unfortunately, not only did this fail to remove the tickle, but Stefanie also felt a grasping urge where previously there was none: the dreaded sneeze.

 

Alvaro Lusk chopped his way through the forest underbrush with one of his short swords, effortlessly leading the way on another adventure. He knew he would have been dead a hundred times over without Stefanie at his side, but it simply wasn’t in her nature to take the first step into something so mundane as a forest. As his mind wandered to his companion, however, the ranger quickly realized that he could only hear a single set of footsteps. Letting his sword fall to his side, Alvaro turned to make sure his partner was alright.

 

“Stefanie-?”

 

“Ah’Knxt-choo!”

 

The moment Alvaro laid eyes on her, Stefanie doubled over and sneezed. She managed to squelch the sound with two fingers pressed firmly against her nostrils, but it appeared to leave her out of breath all the same. Alvaro raised his eyebrows with an amused smile.

 

“Bless you,” he offered as Stefanie straightened up. The warlock gave a gentle rub back and forth under her nose, staring off into the distance through her large, cracked glasses.

 

“I sneezed,” Stefanie observed, tucking a lock of unkempt black hair behind her ear.

 

“You did. Now come on, let’s keep going. It’ll be dark soon.”

 

Alvaro resumed his bushwhacking as Stefanie stepped up behind him, showing no regard for his personal space. The sound of his sword hacking through the foliage was more than enough to drown out her intermittent sniffling, but a sudden harsh snuffle manage to reach his ears. Alvaro stopped once again and turned to find Stefanie a few feet behind him, delicately kneading the sides of her long nose with her fingertips.

 

“Hey, Stefanie?”

 

She didn’t respond, instead continuing to silently press her nose from one side to the other. Just as before, the tickling in her nasal passages eventually grew too strong to resist. Stefanie’s eyes gently closed behind her glasses, and her head slowly tipped back with a long, deep breath.

 

“Ha’KNNnnn!”

 

Alvaro placed his hands on his hips as his warlock companion doubled over with another squelched sneeze. Stefanie righted herself, fixed her glasses, and gently ran her index finger across the underside of her nose.

 

“Bless you.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“You okay?”

 

“Yes. I… I… Ah… Ahh’knnx-choo!”

 

The ranger folded his arms as Stefanie attempted to recover from her latest sneeze. Keeping her eyes clenched shut, she firmly scrubbed two fingers back and forth across her nostrils, jostling her glasses as they clung to the tip of her nose. Eventually she managed to stop, and the strained expression faded from her face as she flicked her nostrils up with a sharp sniff.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Stefanie nodded and finally pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

 

“Quite. This is nothing out of the ordinary. Traveling to foreign environments aggravates my allergies.”

 

Alvaro held his ground for a moment, but he couldn’t bring himself to keep glaring at Stefanie’s innocent face. She did suffer from seasonal allergies, so visiting a new forest seemed like a perfectly reasonable explanation for her sneezes.

 

“Alright,” Alvaro finally spoke up, limply raising his hands. “But you let me know if you want to take a rest.”

 

“I will.”

 

Continuing on his way, Alvaro tried to tell himself everything was fine. Stefanie had always had a somewhat sickly appearance, even before she acquired her tome of ancient secrets. Her skin always pale, her voice always raspy, and her eyes always tired. Nevertheless, something seemed off about her. The sound of her loudly blowing her nose just a few feet behind him only exacerbated his worry, but he did his best to take her word that she was alright.

 

Eventually the thick forest gave way to a modest clearing. Alvaro sheathed his sword and walked around the edge of the treeline, making sure the area was safe. Once he finished, he looked toward Stefanie and saw her standing in the center of the grass and staring at the sky.

 

“How’re you holding up, Stefanie?”

 

The warlock wrinkled her freckly nose with a sniff before responding, speaking nothing of her health.

 

“It’s getting awfully cloudy.”

 

Following his friend’s gaze, Alvaro looked up to find that she was indeed correct. The sun should have still been visible at the edge of the treetops, if only just barely, but it had been shut out completely by a thick curtain of gray.

 

“Alright, we should find a place to make camp before it starts coming down.”

 

Stefanie silently twitched as a single raindrop struck the left lens of her spectacles. She blinked as the water followed one of the cracks to the edge of the glass, and then she lowered her head and turned to her companion.

 

“I’m afraid it may be too-”

 

A torrential downpour blanketed the area, drenching the travelers and matting their hair to their necks.

 

“...Late.”

 

Alvaro and Stefanie jogged deeper into the woods, seeking shelter from the rain. The forest canopy offered some protection, but nowhere near enough for comfort. Even with Alvaro’s skills as a ranger, it took the better part of an hour to find any sort of cover. By the time he and Stefanie finally stumbled into a small cave, both of them were completely soaked through.

 

“Ah… Ahh… Ah’knxxt-choo! Ha’Knnt-Choo!”

 

Holding two fingers firmly under her nostrils, Stefanie suppressed a pair of sneezes. Part of her had hoped that the rain would help with the forest’s pollen, but the tickle in her nose remained. If anything, it seemed to have been exacerbated by the wet, chilly air. Speaking of, Stefanie reached into her pocket and retrieved a soggy, crumpled handkerchief. She scowled at it for a second, but after airing her frustration she simply flicked her wrist and the handkerchief was dry and good as new. Or at least it was, until she brought it to her nose and gave a loud, satisfying blow.

 

In the meantime, Alvaro had gathered a small pile of sticks in the center of the cave, and he was in the process of setting up a tent once Stefanie stepped away from the entrance. The warlock knelt next to the wood pile and waved a hand at it to dry the sticks just as she had with her handkerchief, and another flick of her finger caused the wood to catch fire. Satisfied with her new source of warmth, Stefanie fell back on her rear and pulled her damp hair up into a ponytail.

 

“Just like old times, huh?” Alvaro said with a smile as he sat down on the opposite side of the fire. Stefanie sniffed, wordlessly removing her foggy glasses to wipe them down. Alvaro’s smile remained, but it took on a concerned twinge.

 

“You doing okay?”

 

Stefanie slipped her glasses back onto her face and wiped her nose with two outstretched fingers, staring down at the fire.

 

“Nose tickles,” she complained, rubbing back and forth under her nostrils. “My allergies must still be acting up.”

 

Alvaro looked to the side and stared out of the cave.

 

“Even with the rain? Maybe you should get some rest.”

 

Stefanie lightly shook her head.

 

“My body doesn’t require sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

 

Alvaro opened his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word, Stefanie unbuckled the leather case on her hip and removed her tome of ancient secrets. The moment she started reading, Alvaro knew he wouldn’t be able to change her mind. He simply gave a worried sigh and removed his leather coat, but after taking a step toward the tent, he doubled back and squatted down behind his friend. Alvaro held his coat by the shoulders and moved to drape it over Stefanie as she read, but he stopped as her body suddenly tensed.

 

“Hih-! Eh’knnx-choo! Ha’Knt-Choo! Ahh’Knnxt! Choo!”

 

Stefanie thrust forward with a trio of sneezes, each one stronger than the last. She fixed her glasses, and then she gave a long, constricted sniff as she wiped her nostrils left and right on her forearm. The moment she finished, Alvaro placed his coat over her hunched shoulders and patted her on the back.

 

“Bless you. Goodnight, Stefanie.”

 

Alvaro made his way over to the tent, and Stefanie only turned to look once he began to slip inside. She watched as he disappeared under the green canvas, and then she gave a soft, timid “thank you.”

 

Sometime later, Alvaro stirred inside the tent. Slowly coming to consciousness, he noticed he could still hear the rain outside the cave, though fortunately it seemed softer than before. He rolled onto his side and tried to go back to sleep, but other sounds began to catch his attention. A sniff, a snuffle, a snort, and then the unmistakable racket of his warlock companion blowing her nose. At the same time, Alvaro realized he couldn’t see the light of the fire through the tent.

 

Stepping away from his bedroll, Alvaro emerged from the tent to find Stefanie just where he had left her. With all her attention focused on her book of eldritch lore, she must have let the fire go out. As Alvaro approached, Stefanie finally noticed he had gotten up.

 

“It’s not morning yet. Go back to sleep,” she instructed, only looking away from her tome for the briefest moment. Even so shortly after blowing her nose, her voice was thick with congestion, and Alvaro could tell she was breathing through her mouth.

 

“At least get the fire going again,” he suggested. Stefanie wordlessly removed her left hand from her book, and just as she was about to wave it at the smouldering pile of wood, she froze with a shrill gasp.

 

“Hih’knnxt-choo!”

 

A few weak sparks burst from Stefanie’s fingertips and the fire failed to ignite. Her hand shot to her lap and grasped her crumpled handkerchief, and she barely had time to bring it up to her face before doubling over with another “Ah-KNNnn!” Alvaro knelt beside her as she clumsily wiped and blew her nose, and while she was distracted, he slipped a hand under her still-damp bangs and pressed it to her forehead. Stefanie immediately recoiled and turned away, nearly flinging Alvaro’s coat off her shoulders.

 

“Stefanie, you have a fever.”

 

The warlock shook her head, her eyes still a bit wide after being startled.

 

“It’s just my allergies. I don’t have a fever.”

 

Alvaro bit the inside of his left cheek, letting his hands go limp at his sides.

 

“Yes you do. You’re usually cold as death itself, but now you’re burning up.”

 

Stefanie frowned, glaring at Alvaro over her glasses, but it wasn’t long before her resolve began to falter. Her eyelids fluttered, her nostrils flared, and she suddenly threw back her head with a deep gasp. Alvaro crept toward her as she remained frozen in place, though he knew to keep his distance until she unleashed her pent-up sneezes.

 

“HA-KNnshhooo!”

 

“Stefanie…”

 

“Ah’knxt-choo! Ah-Ahh-Ahhh-! Ahh’Knn-Choo!”

 

“You need to get some sleep.”

 

Resuming her scowl, Stefanie scooted her feet back toward her body and hid the lower half of her face behind her knees.

 

“No.”

 

“Stefanie, you’re sick. Please go to sleep. I can keep watch for the rest of the night.”

 

The warlock held her book tightly to her chest, the lines on her brow deepening.

 

“No. I have much to read, and I can’t do it with you distracting me.”

 

Alvaro hung his head, dismayed by Stefanie’s stubbornness. There was only one more thing he could think to do. Meeting his friend’s gaze, Alvaro began to crawl toward her.

 

“Stefanie Finola Alie Kantar Sensida Dodgson.”

 

The warlock folded in on herself, cringing as Alvaro addressed her by her full name.

 

“You are going to go to bed.”

 

Alvaro leaned forward on his left hand and reached his right toward Stefanie’s face. All too familiar with what he was attempting, she quickly slapped his arm away with one of her own. Still, Alvaro remained undeterred. Stefanie continued to swat at him as he encroached, but eventually her tickly nose gave him the opening he needed.

 

“Ah… Ah-Ahh… Ah’knnxt-choo!”

 

The moment Stefanie began to lift her head after sneezing, Alvaro’s hand shot forward. His thumb and forefinger gripped the corner of her glasses and deftly peeled them off her face. Knowing how his companion would react, the ranger quickly rolled back and rose to his feet. Stefanie slotted her tome back into the case on her belt and stood up after him. Her warlock abilities enabled her to see through darkness, but without her spectacles she still found herself forced to squint.

 

“Give those back,” Stefanie commanded, taking a step toward Alvaro’s blurry form.

 

“I will,” Alvaro replied, turning to place his body between Stefanie and her glasses. “But only if you promise to get some sleep.”

 

Stefanie’s frown deepened further, her lips pouting and her nostrils flaring.

 

“No, I… I… Hihh-!”

 

The warlock reared up for a sneeze, and she unconsciously took a step away from her friend. Completely unaware of her surroundings, Stefanie stumbled as she set her foot down. The jolt startled away her need to sneeze, but it also nearly sent her crashing to the ground. Alvaro just barely managed to slide forward and wrap his free arm around behind her. Instead of falling backward, Stefanie fell forward and planted her face into Alvaro’s left shoulder, leaving his coat crumpled next to the fire pit.

 

“You okay?” Alvaro asked, placing his hand on Stefanie’s back. The warlock shuddered and took a deep breath, and for a second Alvaro wondered if she was crying. But then…

 

“Ah-Knnshhooo!”

 

Alvaro smiled and gave an amused sigh. Looking down at the top of Stefanie’s head, he gently rubbed her back as she sneezed again and again, each one thrusting against his shoulder.

 

“Ah’knxt-choo! KSHHhhoo! Ah… Ha’knshh! Ahh’knn-choo! Hah’Knn-Choo! AH-KNnxt! Choo!”

 

After her final sneeze, Stefanie took a deep breath and let it out slowly, simultaneously allowing her arms to hang straight down. Alvaro chuckled and slid his hand up to gently pat her between the shoulder blades.

 

“Stefanie? How’re you feeling?”

 

Keeping her face pressed against Alvaro’s body, Stefanie inhaled again and gave a snuffly sigh.

 

“I’m sick…”

 

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I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope I can actually get back to writing more stuff soon.

[Willowwhip]

Hello? 911? Yes I’m calling to report a murder—my own.

I have been screaming about this story for the past half hour and now I’m dead. I don’t know how you managed it but you’ve murdered me. You’ve exploited my weaknesses and used them to kill me.

 

You can collect the bounty on my head if you drag my body back to Word Jail.