“Where in the realms have you been?” an angry voice demanded, breaking into their shared reverie like a stone through glass. Aellyn felt the wonder she’d experienced just a moment ago shatter around her, bringing her sharply back to reality. She turned, letting her hands slip gradually from Daelar’s, and found Conrad stomping toward them, his handsome face twisted with fury. Dacyne trailed behind him, her manner more subdued. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Conrad spat as he came to stand before her. His nostrils flared and he held his hands clenched tightly at his side.
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” Aellyn said quietly, taken aback by the force of his fury. She’d never seen him so angry, and it unnerved her. She took an unconscious step back from him, retreating from him, and it brought her back against Daelar, who put gentle, reassuring hands on her shoulders, steadying her. Conrad glared at Daelar, and with a low snarl, he turned suddenly, pacing in a quick circle as if he was not quite sure what to do with himself.
“Where have you been?” he asked again, this time more quietly as he struggled to calm himself. He took a deep breath then, and met her eyes once more. His expression was more reasonable now, but she could see anger still simmering in the amber depths of his eyes.
“It’s a bit of a long story…” Aellyn began hesitantly.
“Give me the short version,” he demanded with an impatient glare.
“I understand you were worried, but there’s no need to be rude,” Daelar said, his tone quiet but firm. Conrad shifted his glare then to the elf. Their eyes locked for a tense moment, then Conrad blinked. Taking another deep breath, he seemed to shrink into himself for a moment as he closed his eyes tightly. His shoulders flexed and rolled, then settled into a more relaxed posture as the anger seemed to leech out of him. When he opened his eyes again, his face was a mask of calm.
“I don’t know where we went,” Aellyn murmured, drawing Conrad’s attention back to her. “Daelar was teaching me magic,” she explained. “One minute we were here, and the next, we weren’t.” She watched Conrad closely, trying to gauge his reaction, but his expression was unreadable. “I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t even understand how I did it, but somehow I transported us somewhere else. A forest somewhere…” she trailed off, unsure of what else to say or if he believed her.
“Surely we have bigger concerns than your… magic lessons,” Dacyne said sarcastically. “The convoy from Andrinport arrived while you were gone.”
“Did… did my uncle send anyone?” Aellyn asked, taking a steadying breath of her own and turning her attention to Dacyne.
“A wagon of supplies to replace the one we lost and four guards,” Dacyne replied, her tone turning businesslike. Aellyn digested this in silence for a moment.
“We’ll take what essentials we can carry from the wagon and give the rest to the Magistrate to distribute how he deems appropriate,” Aellyn decided. “We’ll leave the guards as well, they can help with the investigation or clean up.”
“You have a plan, then?” Dacyne asked her.
“We need to try to find Rom and the others,” Aellyn replied thoughtfully. “And we need to get to Nemathyr,” she went on, growing more confident as her thoughts became clearer to her. “I’m sympathetic to the people of Baredenn, but there are others who can conduct the investigation and help the townsfolk rebuild. We’re not needed here.”
“We’re leaving then?” Dacyne asked, and Aellyn thought she detected a hint of approval in the elf’s tone.
“Yes,” Aellyn confirmed. “And I think we should travel light. Rather than take the road north to Goldtide, we’ll cut through the forest.”
“You’re hoping to pick up your uncle’s trail?” Dacyne asked.
“Doesn’t it seem strange?” Aellyn asked, stepping away from Daelar then to pace slowly around their small campsite. “The carriage, the horses… disappeared into the woods, and they haven’t returned?”
“They could have gone on to the next town,” Daelar suggested.
“Mm,” Aellyn murmured. “That’s why we’re heading there. But just in case, I think it’s worthwhile to try to pick up their trail along the way.”
“And Rom?” Conrad asked.
“There was no sign of him on the road,” Aellyn replied. “We can ask the guards here to keep an eye out for him, and hope that maybe we’ll find him along the way to Goldtide.” She wasn’t happy about it, but this was the best she could offer. Conrad nodded reluctantly. “He’s a tough old goat,” Aellyn reminded him. “He’s probably waiting for us in Goldtide.”
“So when do we leave?” Dacyne asked then, her tone betraying some impatience.
“Let’s get a bit more rest,” Aellyn suggested. “It’ll be a long trek through the forest, and we don’t know what we might find out there. We’ll load up the horses, I’ll give the guards their orders and notify the Magistrate that we’re leaving, and then we can be on our way.”
With that decided, Aellyn clambered into the tent to try to get some rest. Inside the dark confines, she found four bedrolls set up neatly in a row, and she collapsed onto one next to the wall of the tent with a heavy sigh. Dimly, she thought she might find it difficult to sleep on the ground, used as she was to sleeping in fine feather beds, but she knew she would have many such nights ahead of her. It occurred to her that she should probably take off her boots so she didn’t get their simple bedding dirty, but her limbs suddenly felt too heavy to lift. The edges of her awareness grew fuzzy, and in the dark, she wasn’t sure if her eyes were open or closed. Before she realized it, the dark embrace of a dreamless sleep had engulfed her and she was lost to consciousness.
Delete Created with Sketch.
When she awoke, Aellyn could see bright light filtered dimly through the thick canopy of the tent, painting the interior in dim lines. The twins slept soundly in their bedrolls on the far side of the tent, Dacyne snoring softly with her back turned. Her armor sat in a neat pile at her feet. Daelar lay beside on his back beside his sister, his hands folded over his stomach and a peaceful expression on his face. Of Conrad, Aellyn saw no sign. The bedroll beside her looked undisturbed, and she wondered if he’d come in to sleep at all. For a moment, she lay staring up at the ceiling of the tent. Her body ached and she felt weary to her very bones. She found the thought of rolling over and going back to sleep sorely tempting.
Instead, she rolled with a groan, bringing her knees under her and sitting upright. She reached back, pulling her braid over her shoulder and tugging it loose, running her fingers through the dark mass of her hair to smooth the errant strands and pull free the tangles. Out of habit, she hummed a soft tune absently to herself as she combed her fingers through her hair, weaving a section of strands together in a small braid. The little ritual set her frayed nerves at ease with its familiarity. She took another section of hair, weaving it into a tight spiral as she closed her eyes, continuing to hum to herself. She caught the faint smell of flowers from the soap she used to wash her hair that still, miraculously, clung to the smooth tendrils, and she smiled to herself. The scent reminded her of home, and she wondered idly what her mother was doing at that moment. She drew her hair together then, weaving the mass together into one large, loose braid that hung past her waist as she hummed the last of the tune, a lullaby with which her mother sang her off to sleep as a child.
“A lovely melody,” Daelar whispered. Though his voice was quiet, still the unexpected sound startled her. Looking over, she found him watching her from where he still lay on his bedroll.
“My mother used to sing it to me,” she replied in hushed tones, tossing her finished braid casually over her shoulder to hang down her back. She rocked back on her heels then and stood, turning and ducking her way out of the tent without another word.
Her eyes stung as she stepped out into the bright morning sunlight, and blinking she looked around. Conrad sat by the fire, poking idly at it with a long stick.
“If you want breakfast, I’m afraid you’ll have to make it yourself. I’m no cook.”
“Well, good morning,” Aellyn replied, arching a brow at him. He glared up at her, his expression sour. “I take it by your foul mood that you didn’t bother to sleep.” He made no reply, instead turning his attention back to the fire. “Go, sleep,” she bade him. “We have a long road ahead.” Without waiting for a reply, she marched off in the direction of the town square. He watched her go, cursing softly to himself, then rose and made his way into the tent.
Delete Created with Sketch.
Making her way into the town square, Aellyn wasn’t surprised to see busy townsfolk hard at work clearing debris and making repairs to the shattered remains of their homes and businesses. Wagons lined the streets, some filled with the burned and broken bits of lives forever changed, others filled with food and supplies, hope to help rebuild. She scanned the wagons, searching for her family’s crest or nearby guards in familiar livery. As she neared the place where the Magistrate’s makeshift command tent stood, a friendly face stood out from the crowd.
“Zaltred!” she called, jogging forward.
“My lady!” the guard turned at the sound of his name, and spying Aellyn, his bearded face split in a wide grin. “I’m more pleased than I can say to see you safe,” he said when she came to stand before him. His armor and the blue tabard bearing the Mistwind crest he wore were coated with dust from the road, and his short, sandy hair was molded to his head with the sweat from his helmet, which he balanced now between his hip and the crook of his elbow.
“I never imagined my uncle would send you,” Aellyn replied. “Who is in command back at the Manor?” she leaned in to ask, her voice low to ensure she wasn’t overheard.
“My lieutenant,” Zaltred laughed. “And I’ll be headed back shortly, have no fear. Master Aldun only sent me along because he was terribly worried about you, and now that I’ve confirmed you’re safe, I’ll be running along home as soon as the wagons are unloaded.” Aellyn’s relief must have been evident on her face. “Don’t think you’re getting off easy,” he admonished her with a chuckle. “He sent a wagon and a small contingent for you.”
“I would expect nothing less,” she sighed, but the sting was sapped from her words by the fond expression in her eyes.
“How many will you actually take with you?” Zaltred asked with a knowing grin.
“None, if I have any say in the matter,” she replied, watching him closely. When he made no immediate protest, she explained, “We’ll be traveling through the forest from here, so the less fuss, the better. I have companions with me who will keep me safe.” He eyed her for a moment.
“You trust them?” he asked.
“Yes,” she assured him.
“With your life?” he pressed, pinning her with a stern look.
“Yes,” she said again.
“Someone did this,” he said, his darting glance taking in the ruined square around them before meeting her eyes once more. “How can you be sure it was not you they were after?” She paused to consider his words. Her surprise must have been evident on her face. “Baredenn was a quiet river town of merchants and farmers, undisturbed for… centuries, maybe… and the very day you arrive in town, the whole place goes up in flames, and you imagine it to be mere coincidence?” he whispered urgently, his eyes boring into hers. The possibility made her suddenly queasy and she felt a dawning horror creep over her. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Say the word, my lady, and my men are yours.”
“No,” she said on a shaky breath, her eyes darting sightlessly around her. “No,” she repeated, clearing her throat. “Leave them here. Have them help with the investigation into the attack. Find out what you can. Search for Rom. He went missing before the attack, and we haven’t been able to find any sign of him.”
“Rom is missing?” Zaltred asked, appalled. She gave a regretful nod, and he swore under his breath. “I’ll do as you command, my lady. I trust your judgment,” he promised. “But please… be careful.”
“I’ll replenish our supplies from the ones you’ve brought. Give what’s left to the Magistrate,” she instructed him. “We’ll be leaving as soon as we’ve broken camp.”
“As you command, my lady,” he gave a quick bow and turned to signal one of the guards that stood watch by the wagons. The young man vaulted nimbly into the seat and waited patiently for her.
“Thank you, Zaltred,” Aellyn said quietly, patting the captain fondly on the shoulder. “Tell my family I love them?” He nodded, and with a reassuring smile, she jogged to the waiting wagon and leaped into the seat beside the guard. With Aellyn pointing the way, they set off in the direction of the campsite.
A while later, between them, Aellyn and Dacyne had managed to sort through the supplies in the wagon and split the essentials among their saddlebags while Daelar and Conrad lay sleeping in the tent. That task complete, Dacyne set about making lunch while Aellyn sent the guard on his way back to town with instructions to bring the wagon’s remaining contents to the Magistrate for distribution among the townsfolk.
“We’ll be getting a late start,” Dacyne commented mildly as she sat by the fire, turning the spit of roasting fowl slowly.
“Yes,” Aellyn agreed, taking a seat nearby. “But we all needed some rest before setting off into the wilderness.”
“Has my brother been of help to you with your… magic?” Dacyne asked, a twinkle of amusement in her eye. Aellyn sighed.
“I don’t know what I’ve done to rouse your ire, but whatever it is, I apologize,” she said tiredly. “We’ve a long road ahead, and I can’t have you with me if I can’t trust you.” She gave the elf a meaningful look.
“You know, my brother also threatened to dismiss me,” Dacyne’s tone was conversational, but the look she gave Aellyn then was pure hostility.
“I’m not trying to separate you from him,” Aellyn replied sympathetically. “I’m only trying to complete the task my father has set for me, and hopefully learn more about my elven heritage in the process. This would be easier with your help, but I’ll do it without you if I must.” She regarded the elf seriously. Dacyne held her gaze, unblinking.
“Has my brother spoken to you of our parents?” Dacyne asked suddenly, surprising Aellyn.
“No,” she replied simply. The elf nodded thoughtfully, turning back to the fire.
“He will,” Dacyne assured her. “Be kind to him. He’s always been… sensitive.” Her hostility vanished as quickly as it had risen, and in its place, Aellyn could sense only… sadness. The abrupt shift mystified her. “Wake the boys so we can eat and be on our way.”
They’d followed the main road out of Baredenn around midday, and picked up the trail heading off into the woods where the twins claimed the carriage had bolted when the attack began. In the few days since the attack, it seemed the forest was already eager to reclaim the space and put any memory of the attack firmly in the past, as they’d had more difficulty picking up the trail than they would have thought.
As they passed, single file, from the road into the dense underbrush, Aellyn felt an odd sense of foreboding creep over her. Conrad led the way, with Aellyn following close behind. Daelar rode behind her a couple lengths back, with Dacyne acting as the rear guard, though she rode too close to her brother for practicality. Aellyn could hear the twins exchanging a hushed conversation in their native tongue, but this time she opted not to eavesdrop, giving the twins their privacy. Whatever had been bothering Dacyne, it seemed she was now willing to talk it through with her brother, and Aellyn hoped the elven woman could find some comfort in it.
Aellyn glanced idly around then, looking at the leafy boughs that wove a sun-dappled canopy above them. She couldn’t see much else, riding behind Conrad as she was, but something in the back of her mind warned her to be wary, and so she attempted to attune her senses to the forest around her. The chirping and flitting of birds in the trees, the whispering shift of the thick ferns and bushes against her feet as they rode past, the sigh of a soft breeze as it lifted the leaves of the trees that surrounded them, all of it seemed perfectly benign to Aellyn. The natural harmony of the forest should have been a balm to her spirit, she knew, and she assumed it was only her frayed nerves that insisted danger lurked in every shadow. With a sigh, she tried to put her worries from her mind for the time being and enjoy the day.
After about an hour of riding, their progress slow through the dense brush, Conrad called a halt. Curious, Aellyn stood in her stirrups and craned her neck but could see nothing, her vision obscured by the combined bulk of Conrad and his horse and the thick foliage around them. He dismounted then without a word, only a tense gesture instructing her to wait, and crept forward. As he moved, Aellyn could see a splash of color then midst the greenery just ahead, but could make out neither form nor function. Shifting in her saddle, her hand drifting uneasily to the sword sheathed at her hip, she waited impatiently. She watched anxiously as he circled something on the ground ahead, poking around periodically with the tip of his drawn sword.
“It’s safe,” he called after a moment, sheathing his blade. He stood looking down at something near his feet, and crossed his arms over his chest. His expression was grim, but thoughtful.
Aellyn dismounted as well, and Daelar and Dacyne followed suit. They came forward to see what Conrad had found. The color Aellyn had seen was the shattered remains of the lacquered carriage in which her father’s family had traveled, laying smashed against the trunk of a tree, though it looked as if more than a simple crash during a headlong dash through the forest had felled the once splendid carriage.
“There are bodies,” Conrad informed them when they approached. “Only two. The driver and the footman.”
“No sign of Lord Beilar and the others?” Dacyne asked, coming into the clearing for a closer look at the wreckage.
“No,” Conrad replied. “See for yourself.” He nodded toward the fallen carriage, taking a step back to make way. As Dacyne made her inspection, Conrad turned and began searching the nearby brush for any clues he could find about where the elven nobles may have gone.
Aellyn took a step forward, but Daelar’s hand on her shoulder drew her up short. Turning, she looked at him curiously.
“Let them conduct their search,” he said quietly. “We’ll only be in the way.”
She nodded acquiescence, but the unease she felt still clung stubbornly and she itched to do something that felt useful.
“Shraethaer,” Dacyne called in a questioning tone, drawing Daelar’s attention. “A divination?”
“You’re as capable of it as I am,” he replied. “Likely more so.”
“I got nothing,” she said, her tone grave. “You try.”
Aellyn watched curiously as Daelar reached into the pouch at his belt and pulled out a small silver disc, too big to be a coin but small enough to fit easily in the palm of his hand. She could see the disc was intricately engraved, but could not make out the pattern as he clutched it tightly in his fist. He closed his eyes and whispered something under his breath, a prayer to his goddess, Aellyn supposed, and the disc began to glow with a faint silver light. After a moment, the glow faded and Daelar made a frustrated sound, placing the disc carefully back in his pouch. He looked to his twin and gave a small shake of his head. Dacyne responded with a muttered oath and resumed her search through the brush, though it was half-hearted.
When Dacyne and Conrad returned to the horses, they each seemed understandably frustrated. Neither had found any clues as to where the elven nobles may have gone. No trail through the dense brush, no torn scraps of clothing, no dropped trinkets to mark their passing. Nothing. It was as if they’d simply disappeared into thin air…
“Daelar?” Aellyn asked, a thought suddenly occurred to her. “You said you’re familiar with my family’s magic?”
“I studied under your grandfather for over a century,” he nodded. “And I’ve worked closely with your father for as long as I can remember.”
“What about my uncle? Or my aunt?” she asked.
“Rarely,” he said. “They preferred to keep their own company. Why…” before she could answer the question, realization dawned on his face. “You think they may have escaped via magical means.”
“Translocation?” Aellyn suggested. “Can such a thing be identified or tracked?”
“We shall see,” Daelar responded, a grin lifting the corner of his mouth. He lifted his arm and rolled back the sleeves of his tunic. Before they’d set off from Baredenn, he’d discarded his usual flowing robes in favor of more practical riding clothes—wool breeches and a linen tunic in muted green tones and brown leather riding boots that covered his legs to the knee. He still wore some his customary jewelry, but Aellyn realized now this was likely more for the sake of practicality than ornamentation as he lifted his wrist and touched a simple gold band that dangled from one wrist and spoke a word of power.
The deep blue irises of his eyes churned once more in what Aellyn was coming to realize was the activation of some kind of magical sight. She watched as the familiar blue turmoil engulfed his eyes, and he scanned the crash site carefully with his augmented vision. He walked forward a few paces, bringing him close to the shattered carriage, and continued to look around, his eyes scanning the surrounding brush systematically. After a moment, he shook his head regretfully and blinked away the magical sight.
“Nothing,” he said in a resigned tone as he returned to them. “It was a good idea, though,” he said quietly to Aellyn.
“Where in the realms could they have gone to?” Conrad asked no one in particular, the frustration he felt clear in the deep gravel of his voice.
“We’ll just have to carry on to Goldtide and hope we’ll find them there,” Dacyne supposed.
“What about Rom?” Aellyn asked. “There’s been no sign of him, either.”
“He’s a crafty old goat,” Conrad reminded her sympathetically. “He’s probably waiting for us in a tavern in the next town, nursing a pint and wondering what’s taking us so long.” Aellyn gave a reluctant nod, but it was clear from her expression that she was doubtful.
“We gain nothing by standing around,” Dacyne said impatiently. “Let’s be off.”
“The bodies…” Aellyn said. “We should at least bury them.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Dacyne said. Her tone was hard, but something in her expression softened the words somewhat.
“It’ll take but a moment,” Daelar assured his twin, giving her a significant look. “We’ll just have to move them to a more appropriate spot.” With an impatient nod, Dacyne moved back to the carriage and her brother followed close behind. They hefted the bodies one at a time, Daelar grabbing the fallen servant under the arms and Dacyne taking up the ankles, and in turn laid them out at the foot of a nearby oak.
Standing near their feet, Daelar closed his eyes. He whispered a soft prayer in the elven tongue, making some sign in the air to bless the bodies. After a quiet moment, he began the words of a spell, and slowly the soil began to shift under the bodies, drawing them down into the dark tranquility of the grave. The task complete, he returned to them again and headed for his mount.
“Let’s be off,” he said quietly, his tone grim.
“Hopefully we can still make some progress with what’s left of the day,” Conrad said. He’d pulled a map from one of his saddlebags while Daelar had been burying the dead. “It’s a ten day journey from Baredenn to Goldtide over land, so we’ve a long way to go.” He folded the map carefully and tucked it back into his bag before mounting up.
The rest of the party mounted up as well, and they set off once more. It was a quiet ride, each absorbed in their own thoughts. The only sounds to be heard were the chirping and chuffing of the wildlife that called the forest home around them, and the whisper of foliage brushing against them as they passed. They rode at a slow, steady pace for the remainder of the day, until the forest began to darken around them. They set camp in a circle of ancient oaks, foregoing the tent and unfurling their bedrolls in a neat line. They opted against a fire and instead ate a cold meal of dried salted meat and hard cheese.
Taking the first watch, Aellyn settled herself against the trunk of one of the trees that formed the protective circle around their camp. She drew the sword she kept sheathed at her belt and laid it carefully across her lap, ready to hand, though she doubted she’d have need of it. Her eyes scanned the forest around the camp as the thought back over the last few days, marveling at how quickly the habitual orderliness of her life had been thrown into chaos. She was used to going to bed each night knowing what the next day would have in store for her, and it wasn’t until she’d been robbed of that simple pleasure that she realized just how comforting it had been. With a soft sigh, she shifted her seat and settled in to keep watch over her comrades as they slept, praying to no one in particular that she wouldn’t have to wake them prematurely.
Delete Created with Sketch.
The next few days passed uneventfully. They traveled at a slow but steady pace through the forest, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary but didn’t expect to find anything after the carriage site had yielded nothing. They’d seen no sign of any other travelers as they rode, but that wasn’t unusual. Most travelers preferred to keep to the wide, well maintained and well patrolled road a bit to the north that marked the primary trade route between Goldtide and Andrinport. Few save hunters and trappers opted to trek through the dense wilderness they found themselves in. But the trees had begun to thin, and if Conrad’s map was to be trusted, that meant they were nearing the plains that marked the border between the kingdom of Asirith, of which Andrinport was the capital, and the Kainad Territory to the northwest in which lie Goldtide, its capital city, and their next destination.
It was the first time Aellyn had ever left Asirith, and the furthest from home she’d ever traveled. It made her anxious to be so far from home, though she’d known it would be necessary. She’d heard tales, mostly from Rom, she thought with a pang, of the wild nomadic tribes that called Kainad home. The Territory was best known for its equine exports; it was well known that their horses had the best strength and endurance of any in all the realms. Indeed, her own mount, and Conrad’s as well, was of Kainad stock. The beasts were notoriously wild of temperament, but to one who was well-trained in their handling, Kainadian horses were the best one could ask for. She gave her mount a soft pat on the neck then, thankful to have the familiar mare with her. It gave her the feeling that she still brought a bit of home along with her.
As if reading her thoughts, Conrad called over his shoulder, “We should reach the plains some time this afternoon. We’ll cross into Kainad just before dark, and find a place to set camp for the night.”
“How long before we reach Goldtide?” Aellyn asked.
“Five or six days,” Conrad replied thoughtfully. “Depends on what kind of pace we’re able to set once we cross the border.”
The group digested that in silence, and kept on.
Delete Created with Sketch.
Crossing the border had been a revelation to Aellyn. For someone who had only ever experienced life in a coastal city surrounded by forests, the wide open plains of Kainad were stunning. Golden fields of grains and grasses swaying like velvet brushed by an unseen hand in the ever-present wind that seemed always on the precipice of becoming a great gusting gale stretched to the horizon in every direction. The last branches of the treetops of Asirith had passed from sight behind them just that morning, not long after they’d broken camp, and Aellyn felt like she’d been transported to an alien world, the landscape around her unfamiliar and vaguely off-putting. Direction, she quickly realized, could only be determined by the passage of the sun in the sky, for she could glean little from this foreign vegetation. It was beyond her.
She was thankful, however, that the openness of the plains allowed them the space to ride abreast, if they chose. The single-file trek through the dense woods of her home had felt isolating rather than comforting, as she might’ve hoped. She took advantage of the opportunity, urging her mare forward so that she might ride alongside Conrad. She peered over at him sidelong, trying to get a read on his mood from his expression, but it gave away little. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for landmarks, she supposed, though what he expected to find, she wasn’t sure. As far as she knew, the land between the border and Goldtide was uninhabited, save for the tribes of the Territory that occasionally traversed its borders.
If not for the ever-present wind that swept the plains, she thought, the weather might’ve grown unbearably hot, with the sun beating down directly overhead and no shade to be found for as far as the eye could see. Instead, she found the local climate perfectly comfortable during the day, though the temperature would drop drastically once the sun had set, she knew, the wind becoming more enemy than friend. She drew her cloak more securely around her shoulders then, more to break the worst of the wind’s bite against her skin than to ward against any chill.
At that moment, her mare reared suddenly, nearly throwing her from the saddle. It was a testament to lifelong training that she remained seated. Conrad, on the other hand, was dumped unceremoniously from his saddle by his rearing stallion, swallowed by the thick grass and hitting the dirt with a hard thump and a surprised grunt. Daelar and Dacyne’s mounts only danced in sudden irritation, Aellyn was surprised to note as she reached desperately for the bridle of Conrad’s stallion in an effort to keep the horse from trampling its discarded rider. With great difficulty, she was able to keep the two mounts under some semblance of control, and as she looked up to see what had so abruptly startled them, to her amazement, she found they were surrounded by a sea of wolf-like faces. The creatures had human-like postures, standing on two legs, and their bodies appeared to be an odd blend of human and wolf that Aellyn couldn’t comprehend. What she did understand, from the bared teeth and low growls she spied as she looked around, was that they were not especially friendly. Conrad stood then with a muttered curse, and brushed the dirt from his leathers. Looking around him, he stopped and stood perfectly still, waiting to see how the encounter might unfold before taking any definitive action, but the tension he felt was clear in his posture.
“You’re trespassing,” came a gruff voice. The speaker stepped forward from the gathered creatures that surrounded them, slightly to Aellyn’s left. He was tall, she saw, over a handspan taller than Conrad, and the thick mane of fur around his head and neck was a light, sandy color speckled with darker shades of brown that perfectly matched the fields that surrounded them. He had streaks of white around amber eyes that reminded her inexplicably of Conrad’s, and around his muzzle. Interwoven in his thick fur were tiny wooden beads. His large, muscular body, similar in shape to a human’s but covered in a thick blanket of sandy fur, was draped in brightly dyed red linens that covered his torso, but left his heavily muscled arms free. The entire outfit bespoke an emphasis on ease of movement. His hands, Aellyn saw, were more akin to claws, and his legs were more like that of a dog’s, backwards jointed, but stretched long to better facilitate the bipedal movements they seemed to favor. A large battleaxe was slung over his shoulder, its blade bearing several notches that bespoke frequent use.
“Apologies… sir…” Aellyn began hesitantly, unsure how to address the creature. “We’re on our way to Goldtide, from Baredenn.”
“Most travelers use the road for that purpose,” the creature replied noncommittally. His eyes scanned each of them, assessing, before returning to Aellyn. She couldn’t begin to guess, from his strange wolven features, what he might be thinking.
“We had cause to make our way through the forest,” Aellyn explained, feeling somewhat reassured by the fact that the creature chose to converse rather than simply overwhelm them. They certainly had numbers in their favor, she thought, looking around, if they decided that was the preferable course. “There was an attack on Baredenn a few days past. Some of our companions fled into the forest, and we hoped to find sign of their passing. Barring that, Goldtide was to be our next destination, and we hoped they might be waiting for us there.” When the creature said nothing, she pressed on, “Have you seen any other travelers pass this way?” Many of the creatures that surrounded them carried spears, she saw, which they held ready for violence. Squaring her shoulders, she looked the creature who had spoken directly in the eye, and waited.
“That’s a Kainadian horse you ride,” the creature observed, nodding to her mare and leaving her question unanswered. Aellyn didn’t respond, merely held the creature’s gaze and waited for him to make whatever point he was building toward. “Your companion was thrown, as I would have expected,” he went on, nodding towards Conrad before returning his attention to Aellyn. “But you were not,” he observed, his tone held a note of significance that Aellyn couldn’t quite interpret.
“No,” Aellyn replied. “I was not.”
“You not only held your seat, but brought the stallion back under control as well,” he went on.
“Yes,” Aellyn agreed, wondering what the creature was getting at. There were quiet murmurs among the crowd, a low hum of conversation spoken in a gruff language Aellyn couldn’t begin to understand. She thought fleetingly of the charm that hung around her neck, but she suspected if she reached for it, it may break the tense peace that currently held the beasts in check.
“You make for Goldtide?” the creature asked.
“Yes,” Aellyn confirmed.
“Do you intend to remain within the Territory?”
“No,” Aellyn replied, offering no more than that. The creature digested this for a moment, its expression seeming… thoughtful, Aellyn guessed, to her surprise.
“We shall see,” the creature replied, then turned to the others and spoke a few words in growled tones in their native language. Most of the group straightened then, adopting more casual postures, and turned away, setting off into the grass heading east, the way Aellyn and her party had come. The few that remained eyed her and her companions warily, but sheathed or shouldered whatever weapons they’d drawn. “You will come with us for now,” he went on. His tone suggested this was not up for debate. “Erios will decide what is to be done with you.”
That said, the remaining creatures closed ranks around them. Conrad was allowed to mount once more, and each of their horses’ bridles were taken in hand by one of the creatures that would act as a guard as they were lead to the southwest at what seemed to Aellyn to be a fairly leisurely pace. They traveled thus for about an hour, before Aellyn could see tiny columns of smoke rising into the sky on the horizon. As they crested a small hill, a small city of tents came into view, drawing an awed gasp from Aellyn. Her escort looked up then, and a feral smile seemed to creep over the creature’s face at her reaction, but she paid it no heed. She found she couldn’t pull her eyes from the sight before her, the tents and campfires with figures moving about, an entire mobile city of these wild creatures she had never even dreamed existed. She felt a tiny thrill grow inside her, and for a moment, she forgot entirely the danger that surrounded her.
Disclaimer: What you are reading is a rough draft of an unfinished work. Despite that, I retain the copyright to this work. Any unauthorized reproduction of this work is prohibited. If you enjoyed this work, please consider leaving a comment. You can also support me on Patreon.