<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/7/70/Bri8_ava_zps8cf447f8.jpg)</div><strong>Ran Fletcher</strong>(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YDWtf37GCiBkCfEdON2_YdGI5Gob09laqC0P1SU0fmg/edit)<br/><br/>Ran chewed on her lower lip.  She felt quite uncomfortable at the reactions of the town council.   She'd inherited a certain polite disrespect for Deren from her family.  Seeing for the first time why they had that disrespect was somewhat shaking to her faith in goodly folk.  Not a blow, on the whole, barely a sting in the optimistic redhead's faith in gods and people.<br/><br/>The sting of a bee doesn't wound like a dagger or scar like acid, but it hurts for a few minutes, and stings for a few hours or days after that...<br/><br/>Next the kindly but enigmatic woman shared a curious tale of undefined woe.  The only thing the woman was actually willing to come out and say to them was even more disconcerting than what she hinted at.  Ran nodded in grave agreement to Kailae's light hearted welcome and gave the older girl a quick hug.  “Kailae's right.  I don't know what's happening, or why The Elven Paradox's followers should be untrustworthy, but I thank you for your guidance, and I hope to see you again soon.”<br/><br/>She took a step back and pressed her palm over her heart in a gesture of sincerity.  In her grandfather’s language—the wood elf dialect of elvish—Ran finished, “You place a heavy weight upon our shoulders, Aerenwyn.  It is a weight we can bear, together.  What is true for my friends and I is true for you as well.  We do not walk alone.”<br/><br/>She gave a bow, and an optimistic smile, then gathered her friends.  “This<em>is</em>a great weight we have been charged to bare.  I think I know one other who can be relied upon to bare it with us.  Does anyone know where we can find Rinariya?”