((Resuming after hiatus))<br/><br/><br/>At first it was awkward. Both the barbarian beauty and the dwarf were careful around another, sharing stories and getting to know the other slowly. Rest time was interesting to say the least as the dwarf had only one bed, which they had to share for the first few days before a a bedroll could be set up after moving some furniture. During these early days, Jalna was aware of the tent the blacksmith sprouted under the blanket, his morning wood poking her when she woke earlier and so on. Still, ever since leaving her home she slept under a roof and wasn't cold, in fact when she moved to the bedroll she missed the closeness of another body beside her. As for her sleep itself, it seemed untroubled by nightmares, though she sometimes dreamt of Valis making love to her.<br/><br/>With little chance to be alone and relieve building sexual tension, she and the dwarf eventually moved past being traveling companions and master-apprentice and became casual lovers, having as much sex as they wanted, whenever they wanted. Jalna found the experience wonderful and liberating, having multiple orgasms every time the retired templar plowed her with his mighty hammer-like cock. She learned to take a man on her back, on all fours, pleasure him with her mouth and breasts kneeling before him, as well as discovering the pleasures a selfless lover could grant her. Early on her shaking and thrashing in sexual release proved so wild that they experimented with binding her wrists and ankles to the bedposts, that while somewhat accomplished its purpose awakened a new side of Jalna. During her apprenticeship she put most work into a fine set of manacles she enjoyed wearing and crying her pleasure as Belaim painted and filled all of her with his pent up seed.<br/><br/>The careless and wild revelries lasted until it became apparent that Jalna was with child. Some of Belaim's old books that dealt with medicine stated that humans and dwarves could not conceive, which left only one explanation to Jalna. From that day on she dreamt with Valis again for a while. Despite the dwarf's concerns, travel was dangerous and near impossible during winter, so they were unable to move to any town for several more months. Surprisingly, or perhaps not much so if the young woman's connection to the goddess was true, the pregnancy was incredibly easy, and Jalna's beautiful baby girl arrived not five months after the encounter with Valis, completely healthy and strong. Jalna had to wonder if the goddess' blessing passed to her from her mother, if it was now in this tiny, vulnerable creature that her heart adored, despite the father being a cruel man. The young mother recovered her strength quickly and the two cared for the little lightbearer until the temperature began to warm again and the weather started to stabilize.<br/><br/>Belaim was of the opinion that after their agreed time was up, he accompany Jalna and guide her to a city. Society was desperate and people lived in fear, but the walls at least protected them from raiders and creatures that roamed the wild, at least until the dark lord started another expansion of his claimed lands. The dwarf was a hermit and exile by choice, but that didn't have to affect the innocent creature and her mother, and having grown close to the two he offered what aid he could. Sending the mechanical bird out multiple times during her stay, Jalna learned that her village was razed, though her people seemed to be able to escape, but nothing but ruins remained where they once stayed. Chances that she could ever find them again were slim.<br/><br/>By the end of the year Jalna has learned a lot and had a new little ray of light with her. For what it was worth she knew how to work a forge, so she could get work in a city if she tried her luck there. For the journey, Belaim even gifted her with a masterfully crafted weapon, saying that it was his second best work.<br/>"Ye'll not find a better ax made on the continent, though it pales in contrast to me life's work, but that one I left far to the north, where the jarls feud over seas of moving ice."<br/><br/>It was up to Jalna to decide what to do next. Belaim would likely accept it if she wanted to stay, even though he was quite concerned about raising a toddler in a remote location. He seemed to be getting a cart ready to set out and bring them to a town, unless the silver-haired woman had other ideas. Of course the old dwarf was knowledgeable enough about the world to know more, and it was likely that his not sharing more was a choice. What would be best for her? What would be best for him? What would be best to her baby?<br/><br/>If it wasn't for the perpetual dusk of the eclipse, how bright could her daughter's eyes shine? Jalna herself hasn't seen sunlight, and it was likely her daughter wouldn't either... but their heritage made it so that bad men, like Valis, or even things far worse would eventually come for them. And Jalna's heart sank when she realized the tiny creature she was holding would be their target, not her.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">As stated in the previous post, Jalna gained proficiency in blacksmithing tools. She receives a set of manacles she made, as well as one other perfectly functional metal weapon, shield or armor. Belaim gifts her with a dwarven made Handaxe +1, adorned with runes and perfectly balanced that also glows with the light of a torch for a minute when drawn and the name of the goddess is spoken aloud. Jalna also has a human baby girl she can name, who is also the new lightbearer. However, Jalna's game abilities are not affected in any way, so she still has her divine-based zealot and paladin features.</div></div>