An Adventure to the West

A bit fidgety Lora still looked down when Torin said his thanks.
-"Oh.. No, it's nothing..." She said with a small whisper, trying to hide her nervousness as well as her blushing face. In her mind she started to panic, not knowing what to do or even what to say after such an akward response. But as soon as she heard that the wizard of Dur needed Ysanne, Lora started to get a bit sad that she would be seperated from her new friend. Lora wanted some more time to spend with Ysanne after all, they just got to be friends only till recently and there was so much that she wanted to talk to Ysanne about. But as soon as Lora tried to speak up, a raucous voice called out to her.

-"Lora! My daughter! I have been looking everywhere for you!" Lora's father screamed from the stairs connected to the chief's house. Lora's heart sank as soon as she heard her name being called. Her father was clearly upset and some straws from his hair was glued to his forehead from his sweat. As soon as he saw the three from the stairs he immediately started to walk towards them. Lora, angered and flustered looked away from her father's gaze. Something had clearly happened between the two and her father knew what it was about.
-"Lora. Come on inside, we have food to prepare and then I need you to help me with the papers-" The chief spoke without pause, Lora still looked away from his gaze. She was not in mood to talk with her father. Lora instead, without hearing more of her father's words, started to head towards the stairs and up to the entrance to her home. Flabbergasted, the chief looked at his daughter walking away without even speaking a word to him.
-"I.. uh. ghk.. Lora!" Still shocked from his daughter's behaviour, he tried to come up with words to say but instead made odd sounds and ended up just calling for his daughter's name. Lora on the other hand, ignored her father's calls and walked inside the building.

From the sudden outburst, the villager's attention were now at the three. The silence was excruciating and to see such drama unfold in the middle of the day and in the center of town made the people a bit nervous. Especially when it came from their own chief. A bit embarrassed himself, the chief now stood with his right hand fixing his blonde-silver hair. His eyes then darted towards Torin and Ysanne and then towards the building. Without saying a word to the two, the chief rapidly walked back inside to his building. What then followed were small whispers from the townspeople. In the air was an aura of uncertainty and worry.

----------------------------------

The chief, now agitated, started to chase after his daughter from the hallway.
-"Lora! Listen to me! Listen to your father." He said, pointing his finger towards Lora.
-"I will not have it that my daughter makes a scene like that in the middle of Dur! I have been worried-" He said but then got interrupted when Lora turned around, cheeks flushing red.
-"Make a scene..?!" Lora said angrily.
-"It was you that started screaming, catching everyone's attention!" Lora breathed heavy and her father looked at her with a shocked expression.
-"Lora... As the daughter of the village's magistrate-" Lora's father started, but yet again got interrupted.
-"I will not marry him!" Lora stated with crossed arms. Her father just looked at her. There were moments of silence before he would speak again. And what he said shocked Lora.
-"You do not get to decide that." The air between the two were now heavy and dark. Lora felt a tug in her heart, hearing such cold words from her own father.
-"I do! And I will!" Lora then said and started to walk towards the open area away from the hallway.
-"I can take care of Dur myself!" She declared. She was then stopped by her father who grabbed her by her arm.
-"I will not accept my daughter talking to me like that!" Now her father was very angry.
-"There is already an agreement and if you really want to help Dur, then this marriage will help with the economical situation together with Alkas! This is for everyone's best and more!" He now declared.
-"You do as you will be told!" But now Lora would not tolerate to hear anything more. She angrily janked her arm out of hers father's grip and turned towars him.
-"I hate you!" She screamed at his face and ran towards her room. Once again, shocked, her father stood in the middle of the open area, not knowing what to do or say. He started to sigh and by coincidence saw a small painting resting on one of the tables. The painting depicted a young woman with brown hair and green eyes. He walked towards it and picked it up. He looked at it for a long time and gently, carefully, dragged gently his thumb over the painting. In the silence his head started to cool down and with it came the pain.
-"I wish you were here... My dear, I can not do this on my own... you were the level-headed and calm one. I'm sure you would have said the right thing to her." He said in a low voice.

-----------------------------------

Later in the afternoon, the clouds started to gather and the sun went further and further down towards the horizon. A chipper from a bird could be heard outside the window and time was now inexistent. In the library Lora looked through the many shelves with books, papers and envelopes as she rubbed her dry eye from all the crying from earlier. She was probably a bit red under her eyes now and not as refined as usual, which was not something she cared for in the moment. From one of the many bookshelves in the library, one in particular stood out. It was designed with drawers on the bottom half and with normal shelves in the upper half. In the drawers were a lot of bundle of papers which Lora was going through in her search for a clue to Finniger's journal. She sorted through them one by one and then saw something in black leather sticking out. With curiousity Lora picked it up. The leather was worn out, soft and some color had started to fade around the edges and with wide eyes, Lora saw a very fine inprint on the cover that read "Finniger W.".

----------------------------------

After an akward dinner, Lora was about to head out from her room and looked around in the open area. It was now far into the evening and it was starting to get dark outside. As usual, in her father's study, the man himself could be seen working relentlessly with paperwork together with a lonely lit candle on the table. Lora, gentle with her steps, sneaked past the study and walked to the hallway towards the entrance and started to put on her cloak. She then hid an envelope with the journal under her cloak and looked once more behind her, but there were no signs that her father had noticed her. With a relieved sigh she carefully opened the door and closed it, clutching hard on the envelope under her cloak. Lora looked at the door and then in a hurry went down the stairs. She took the cloak over her head and started to head towards Ysanne's hut in hope that by now, with how late it was, that Ysanne would be waiting for her there. When she would get closer to the hut, Lora would look after signs of light before trying to knock on the door.

In the village, now very quiet in the late evening, many people were at home and taking shelter in the warmth. One lonely man could be seen dragging his horse through the streets but there were no other activity. On the front side of the chief's house, by the right side of the entrance, was a lonely window. Looking at it from the outside showed only a blurry darkness which made it hard to see inside, but from the inside, looking out towards the outside, it was very clear to see. The chief, with crossed arms stood and looked as his daughter started to run out towards the darkness, hiding under her cloak.
 
Ysanne and Torin shared a look. Neither of them knew what to make of the drama they'd just witnessed, and neither was terribly happy as they turned toward home.

"Fair warning, his mood is even worse than usual. He's stayed in his chambers all day, shouting 'bring me this book!' 'bring me that book!' Then he went and asked me if I knew any boys who would be good to marry you off to!" Torin said.

"What?!"

"Yeah, I don't get it either."

"You didn't...recommend anyone, did you?"

"No, I...just reminded him that he'd just have to find somebody else and train them all over again. At least you know where to find the books he sends you to get. And now, I guess....stuff like this alchemy journal."

-----

Dheorin proved to be every bit as grouchy as promised. "Ysanne! Make my lunch and set it outside my door," he shouted from behind the closed door of his chambers. Go through your morning chores and fix whatever he's stuffed up! Then go to the Library and look for that alchemist's journal--though I don't know why I'd waste my shelf space on the scribblings of those village charlatans!"

"Torin! Now that you've had your try at being a serving girl, it's time you tried being a Wizard! Go clean yourself up, and meditate with the Stone until you've mastered it! And don't even bother coming out of there until you have! This bumbling of yours has gone on long enough!"

-----

Ysanne hurried through her appointed tasks. Well, until she got to the part about searching the Library. Then, between interruptions by shouted demands from her master, she had to fight the urge to get lost in each book she opened in her search for the Journal. A book on healing magic, and a renowned Wizard's commentary on the inner teachings of the Alchemical art had already ensnared her. She was pulled from the grasp of a book on Elven language by a frustrated snarl coming from the Meditation Chamber.

She slipped quietly into the chamber, reaching up to softly ring the little bell that hung from the keystone of its arch. "Can I--" But Torin was already on his feet, snatching the Scrying Stone of Dur from its delicate stand of gold filigree.

"I hate this stupid rock!" he hissed, pulling his arm back

"No!" Ysanne croaked, running to place herself between Torin and the far wall of the chamber. Torin startled, a look of shock sweeping across his face at the thought of what he'd almost done. Then his anger returned, and he thrust the Stone toward her.

"Here's an idea--you try it!"

By reflex, Ysanne backed away. "I couldn't!" she whispered.

"Go on!" Torin said, grabbing her hand and clapping the Stone into it. "How else are you gonna show me how to do it? Can I play the singing bowl for you?" he said in a mocking singsong tone.

Ysanne stared wide-eyed at the Stone in her hand. The black disk filled her palm. Intricate Elven knotwork embellished the perimeter of the scrying surface, and flowing Elven script was carved around the edge. "Well?" Torin snapped.

She glowered up at him for an instant, then bowed her head. "As you wish, Apprentice," she said with stiff formality, then seated herself on the meditation cushion. She closed her eyes and willed herself to ignore his looming presence, standing over her with crossed arms. She started softly chanting the mantra she'd helped him memorize while focusing her full attention on the smooth warmth of the Stone she cradled in her hands, and on the meditative breathing exercises the old texts described.

Let nervousness go. Let anger go. Let excitement (but this is the foundation of doing real magic!) go. Only the Stone...only the breath...feel it now, the currents of--

"Ye gods!"

Ysanne snapped her eyes open. Twinkles of blue light like shooting stars traced arcs across the blank scrying surface of the Stone, while blue light flickered from the etched lines of the knotwork and from the Elven lettering. Ysanne watched in wonder, even as it faded. She looked up at Torin, hiding her joy too late. He looked down at her with shock...and was that a hint of fear?

"It's alright. You can do it. Maybe if you held it--" Torin shook his head.

"It doesn't even glow like that for him!" he hissed, casting a look over his shoulder at the door. "He gets a little shimmer here and there, but..." Torin gave a disgusted scoff. "So this is going to be my life: dancing at the end of your puppet strings, living a lie. I thought maybe someday I could learn this stuff, but now?" he said with an angry gesture at the Stone. "And the worst of it is, I don't even want to be the fucking Wizard of Dur!"

"Then why..."

"Why be his Apprentice? Because my parents...it's a 'respectable position for a gentleman,' not like..."

"Like what? What do you actually want to be?"

"I don't get what I want. I don't even get to have what they want." Ysanne waited, letting silence draw out his answer. "You'd laugh..." Seconds passed. "Alright, fine, I wanted to be an Adventurer, or maybe join the Town Guard, like my grandfather."

"Where you could use your sword?" Ysanne said. "I've seen you practice with it, when Master Dheorin gives you time off. I don't know anything about it really, but I can see beauty in the movements."

"Yeah, there's nothing like having a sword in your hand, the feel of the balance of the blade..." Torin sighed. "...I'm....I'm sorry, I really shouldn't have gotten so angry with you. But what happens now? We continue this stupid masquerade, or...if I thought Father would disown me for becoming a Guardsman, what's he gonna do when I become your serving boy?"

"It doesn't have to be like that," Ysanne said. "We can figure this out. Maybe we could just confront Master Dheorin with the truth, both our truths. We could work on the chores together, get them done as quick as we can. Then, I could train with Master Dheorin and search for a cure for the Sickness, and you could go talk to the Captain of the Guard and see if you could train there."

"But my parents..."

"I don't know your parents. But...maybe they would rather their son became a great Guardsman or Adventurer than a..." Oops, Ysanne thought.

"...Rubbish Wizard? I don't know...Father never got along with Grandfather. He was furious when he found out Grandfather taught me the basics and some flourishes. I don't think he ever forgave him for passing his sword down to me when he died. And Mother, she wants me to be better off than her and Father. It's everything to her."

"We'll figure it out. Think of it...as a puzzle to be solved, instead of prison bars. Why did your father and grandfather not get along?"

"I don't know for sure. They'd stop their arguments whenever I turned up, and just kinda glower at each other. Gramps was never happy with Dad though, he'd mutter stuff about him being a disappointment. I...I don't want Dad to ever feel that way about me."

Ysanne nodded, biting her lip in contemplation. Her eyes were drawn down to the Stone, which still felt warm in her hand. I should probably put this--what was that? She could have sworn she saw a flicker of movement on the shiny black surface. She looked deeper, chasing the elusive shimmer.

"Pick up your sword, boy!" a man said, clouting a young boy on the head with the flat of a wooden training sword. "Oh, now you're going to cry? Why didn't somebody tell me I had another daughter?"

Ysanne jolted, and looked up at Torin with surprise on her face. "Your father, is he in the Guard?"

"Yeah, but...he's just a sergeant, the quartermaster."

"And he's not happy there, is he?"

"What, did you see something?"

"...Yes, I think so. I think...I think you just need to talk to your father. He knows what it's like to be forced into a profession he doesn't want to be in. Once you really explain it to him, I think he'll understand. And if he knows that you truly want to be in the Guard, that it's not something your Grandfather talked you into..."

"You think so? But what about Mom? The Wizard's Apprentice thing, it was her idea, and she...when I visit home, she always wants me to tell her and her friends about...about all the wonders of becoming a Wizard. Can you see some way..."

"What if...what if you started courting a really nice girl?"

"Uh...no, there's no way Lora would--" Torin paled. "Forget I said that!"

Ysanne grinned mischievously. "I don't think I can. But you like her? Really like her?"

"...Uh...well...she's..."

"TORIN! WHAT'S THIS JIBBER-JABBER I'M HEARING?"

Torin scowled toward the door of the Meditation Chamber. "You know what? Let's do this. Are you ready? Can you make that thing glow?"

"With him yelling at me? I don't know...but...yeah, let's do this." Ysanne said, taking a moment to gather her courage.

Nervously, the pair walked to the door of the Wizard's chambers. Torin knocked.

"Master, I...we have something to tell you. May we come in?"

"NO YOU MAY NOT!" Dheorin shouted, then coughed. "Torin, did you not HEAR me when I told you not to come out of that Meditation Chamber until you mastered the Stone?"

Ysanne leaned over to Torin. "I'll try to get it glowing, then you open the door..." she whispered.

"And Ysanne! I let you out of the house for a day, and now you think you get to distract Torin with prattling?" Ysanne closed her eyes and started with her mantras, willing herself to block out the Wizard's rants and demands that she explain herself. "Don't make me..." She had a brief moment where he had to stop and take a breath.

"Come on, come onnnnn," Torin said under his breath, but she struggled to put that out of her mind too. The Stone, only the Stone...

"That...that does it! I'm going to have to get rid of the both of you and--" The sound of the Wizard's door opening. "Did I tell you you could--Goddess' green underthings!"

"She's your Apprentice, Master Dheorin. She always has been. Whenever I've been able to get a tincture right or give you the right answers when you examined me on my reading...it's been her. I'd sneak her the book, and..."

Ysanne opened her eyes. The glow slowly faded from the Stone. Dheorin stood at the far end of his drawing room, looking more disheveled than she'd ever seen him, grimoires and scrolls in disarray around him. "Master? Are you alright?" she said.

"Stay OUT, I said!" he shouted as soon as she tried to take a step forward. "How in the devil did you...pull your hair back, girl!"

"My...my hair?"

"Pull. Back. Your. Hair!"

With a shaking, reluctant hand, Ysanne reached up and pulled back her hair. "Hmmf. All these years you've lived here, and you never said anything?!"

"...About my misshapen ears, Master?"

"'Misshape ears?' 'Misshapen ears?' You ignorant fool girl, you're quarter-Elven!"

"But...neither of my parents were Elves, or even quarter-Elven!"

"Then they weren't really your parents then, were they now?"

"But..."

Dheorin started into a coughing fit, holding up a hand to stop Ysanne and Torin from coming to him.

"And you've...you've followed his studies? Done his readings? And it's like he said, you've been helping him cheat?"

"Well...not...cheat, Master...I, I just wanted to help him...and...learn as much as I could..." Dheorin closed his eyes painfully for a long moment.

"Girls aren't meant to be Wizards...should...keep house and raise children." He sighed. "But I have it. The Autumn Sickness. I'm not going to be here much longer, and this town will need a Wizard more than ever. You will need to study for your Guild Examination. How are the people not going to panic when they've got a slip of a girl for a Wizard? Get something to tie your hair back, Ysanne Quarter-Elven. Get one of his Apprentice robes and make it fit you. Get your things and move into his quarters. The books you'll need for the Examination are on his shelves."

"Uh...where will I stay?" Torin asked.

"Where do you think? The servant's hut, where you belong!"

"But--" Ysanne and Torin said in unison.

"But nothing. Dur needs a Wizard, and that's not gonna be you now, is it, boy?"

"Please don't be hard on him, Master," Ysanne said. "He's always tried very hard, and he's had time under your tutelage that I lack. We'll find a cure. We've already found out that magical stones interact with the Sickness," she said, gesturing with the Stone.

"Stay back," Dheorin said. "Nothing good will happen if you go and catch it. Now go on, both of you, and you put that back for tonight."

-----

Torin couldn't sleep in Ysanne's bed, which was hard, and too small for him. After awhile, he got up and lit her lamp. Well I guess it's my lamp now, he thought. Huh. I thought something like this happening would feel worse than it does. He'll be breathing down her neck now, and if I do get to train for the Guard, I'll be ready for anything a yelling drill sergeant can throw at me. With a lopsided grin, Torin shook out the kinks in his muscles, drew his sword and started to go through some cuts and guard positions.

A knock on the door. What would she want at this time of night? Doesn't she have studying to do? he thought, stepping over to open the door. His jaw dropped. "...Uh...oh!" he stammered, suddenly remembering that he was holding a sword and Lora probably wouldn't have been expecting that any more than he was expecting to see her there. He started to hide the sword behind his back, realized it was already too late for that, and awkwardly stepped back to set it down on the bed.

Now it was time to say something to Lora. Something clever maybe, or something suave. Or at least a decent explanation for why he was here instead of Ysanne, who must have been the person she actually wanted to see. Problem was, no words came.
 
Last edited:
Shocked, Lora pulled back with hand raised over her mouth when Torin was the one to open the door. The envelope containing Finniger's journal almost slipped out of her arm and she clumsily catched the envelope with her wrist. Quickly she stood up straight, holding the envelope with both her arms under her cloak and in a panic spoke:
-"W-w-w-w-w-w-what- W-where is Ysanne??!" She said and looked behind Torin from left to right.
-"Ah!" Lora suddenly let out as she covered her mouth, realizing she spoke far too loud and started to look behind her.

The road was dark and there were no one in sight. Lora made a relieved sigh, yet she couldn't let go of the thought that she, perhaps, were being followed by someone. No, her father didn't notice her when she left and on her way towards Ysanne's hut, Lora was very careful with making sure that no one was following her. Yet she still had this suspicion and it started to gnaw on her. She turned to see that Torin left his sword by the bed and she hurridly walked inside and closed the door after her. Even if no one was following her, it was better safe than sorry.

-"Where is Ysanne?" Lora then asked Torin again as she turned around towards Torin, now clutching tighter around the envelope. This is ridiculous. Lora thought to herself. I'm being too paranoid. Father would not follow me here. She then looked at Torin. She then suddenly looked towards her right, hiding a bit of her face under her hood that she still haven't taken off yet.
-"I... I found the alchemist's journal." She suddenly said in a meek tone. In just a split second Lora had realized what she had just done, to shamelessly close the door behind her like it was nothing and now being alone in a hut... with a man nonetheless! And not just any man either, it was Torin himself standing there in front of her. Oooh if she knew where Ysanne was, Lora would have ran out of there in seconds. Stupid, Stupid! Lora thought to herself.
 
"Uh...she...uh..." Torin stammered. There wasn't a good way to explain Ysanne's changed circumstances, or his own presence, not to Lora. Before his mind could rustle up some words and herd them into some kind of order, Lora's fearfulness, and the way she looked over her shoulder before closing the door reached his consciousness. By instinct, he picked up his sword again and positioned himself to defend her against anyone who might come through the door.

"That's...the book she's been looking for! I could take you to her...is someone after you?" he said, inwardly kicking himself for the confused pileup of words that came out of his mouth instead of something brilliant or brave.
 
-"Oh.. uh" Lora had trouble finding words and was processing Torin's words.
-"Oh! No... I mean... Maybe? No but..." In her own struggle to make a coherent sentence she then sighed and calmed herself down.
-"I... I'm just nervous. I made sure no one followed, so we should be safe. There's really no danger. Really." She said but inadvertently looked back towards one of the windows and then back to Torin.
-"...You said you knew were Ysanne is?" Lora asked.
-"Then please, take me to her! I only took a small peak on what was inside... even though I don't understand a lot of it... but if Ysanne can read the notes in it. I think we'll get closer to the mystery of the autumn sickness! I'm sure of it!"

And then, a knock on the door.

'Bam Bam Bam'

-"Hello...?" A familiar beaming voice spoke.
"Is this the servant's hut? I believe my daughter is inside?" There was no doubt about it, it was Lora's father knocking on the door and at that moment Lora's heart sank. She was sure he didn't notice her, so why? And why so soon? Now it'll look even more suspicious. Lora thought to herself and then turned to Torin with panic in her eyes.
-"Is there a backway?" She whispered towards Torin as the banging on the door continued.

'Bam Bam Bam'
 
Torin shook his head, scrambling for some way to get them out of this. Need a strategy...hide her under the bed, then try to draw him away and give her a chance to sneak out, come find us, and say she got turned around in the dark? But if he saw her come inside...

All at once, years of bluffing his way through his Apprenticeship hit him. Every test or task a heart-pounding affair, every surreptitious collaboration with Ysanne, the threat of being caught, exposed, humiliated, thrown out, hovering over him at every moment, his whole life a lie.

Enough sneaking around, enough pretending! he thought, gathering his resolve.

He briefly leaned close to Lora to whisper, "It'll be alright," and was ambushed by an electric jolt induced by her proximity. Blushing, he moved away from her to the door.

"Yes sir, she came to bring Ysanne a book," he said, nervously opening the door. Only then did he realize that he was still holding the sword. "I only let her in because she was afraid she was being followed, and didn't know it was you...Ysanne is the Wizard's Apprentice now...she's quarter-Elven...we just found out...can I take her to Ysanne?" Torin stammered. "Uh..." he quickly turned away to toss the sword back on the bed.

He didn't exactly interpose himself between Lora and the Chief; that would be inappropriate. But he did position himself just a little closer to the man than Lora was. Better that he gets mad at me than her, right? He could throw me out of town and I'd never get to see her again! he thought, fighting down fear. And yet...part of him felt good standing his ground, facing danger head-on. Enough pretending.
 
After Torin's outburst there was only silence. The Chief, with shock in his eyes had to process Torin's bundle of confusing words and Lora was just as confused. The two stood in silence. Lora did not have the courage to talk yet. She could only look at her father with uncertainty in her mind. She didn't know what her father would say or do and waiting for him to respond only made her more nervous. She wanted her father to say something, anything. Something she would regret in just a second. The Chief looked at them both and was bewildered.

-"E-Enough of this nonsense." The chief then said. There was a hint of vexation. The Chief then turned his eyes to Lora as if Torin did not exist, merely a small insect in the room.

-"This is not an acceptable behaviour from a young girl such as yourself, Lora." He then said. Lora, hurt from her father's words, wanted to speak but got interrupted.

-"I don't want to hear any of your excuses! Let us go back home!"

-"Now hold on!" Lora then said in distress. The two then started to speak over each other, one side trying to reason with the other, both in a state of confusion and anger running amok.

-"Enough is enough!" The Chief yelled and was now out of breath. Their bickering was as if a surge of bottled up emotions had suddenly erupted, but no one from either side had the will or heart to listen. It was clear that the Chief would not listen to reasoning. Lora herself also had had enough of this and in a split second had a plan. She looked at Torin and then at her father.

Suddenly, she made a shrilling shriek and was pointing behind her father. Her father winced and looked behind. Of course, there was nothing there, but it was enough for Lora to start running, grab Torin's hand and push her father aside with her arm. Confused by the sudden movement, the chief lost his balance and fell on the ground with a grunt. Almost comically so.
-"Ugh! Gh..! Lora!!" He screamed as he turned towards his side, grunting and watching Lora and Torin run away. Even with the chief's strong and built body, he was not as young and lively as he once was. The only thing the chief heard was his daughter, yelling "I'm sorry father!" as the sound of footsteps got futher and futher away. He slowly got up, having his hand on the side of the back. It was too dark for the chief to see where the two went.

---------------------

Still clutching to Torin's hand without thought, Lora only had one single thought in her mind, to get away as far as possible from the hut and towards the Wizard's hut. The clouds started to split up and the light from the moon started brought a tiny bit of light to the surroundings. Having observed the map of Dur very closely and also made errands around town, Lora knew her way around town easily despite the pitch black darkness of the night. Having been running for awhile Lora started to slow down with heavy breathing and started to walk instead when the environment appeared more safe.
-"You okay?" Lora said, gasping for air and had a smile on her face, that kind of smile a child would make, knowing they have been up to mischief but was thrilled by the excitement. Lora then realised that she still had a firm grip around Torin's hand and very quickly let to.
-"Sorry!" She said flustered and turned around, hoping he didn't see her blushing face.
 
Torin's brave stand turned out to be for naught, as father and daughter began arguing as if he wasn't even there. With them shouting over each other, he couldn't make out enough words to understand what they were fighting about. Besides, sorting out other people's interpersonal difficulties was not among his talents.

Suddenly, Lora shrieked in terror, pointing past the Chief. Unable to see past the man's height and bulk, Torin pushed Lora back far enough into the hut for him to reach back and grab his sword. He started to move past the Chief and face the threat, when Lora suddenly grabbed his free hand as she rushed past with enough of a running start to knock her father down.

"Wh--uh..." Torin stammered as three facts tied in a race for his awareness: 1) Lora had, in fact, knocked her father down in a rather comic pratfall which would be most inappropriate to laugh at; 2) there was no actual threat to protect her and the Chief from; and 3) he was holding Lora's hand and following her lead in a madcap escape around the Wizard's garden wall toward the heavy wooden double-doors at the front of his house.

"You OK?" Lora said.

"Yes...uh..." he replied, hoping that Lora could not see him blush as the warmth of her delicate hand took primacy over all rivals for his attention.

As suddenly as she'd seized his hand, she let it go. "You...don't need to...apologize," he said, but now she was turned away, her emotions a mystery. He looked over his shoulder. No sign of pursuit from her father. Yet. For a moment, he considered bringing her inside. But what if she heard Master Dheorin coughing or complaining or something and figures out he has the Sickness? What if she catches it?! That thought made him feel sick, and he was glad she wasn't looking his way. And if her father shows up and starts pounding on the door...that would be bad!

"I should...go get Ysanne?"

-----

Ysanne couldn't help feeling like an intruder as she slipped into what had been Torin's room, until now. She'd cleaned it and made his bed plenty of times, but that was different. She went to his wardrobe and fiddled with his robes a little, took an inner robe out and held it up to herself to get an idea how much length and shoulder width she would need to take up. But it was late, and flickering candlelight would not be the best for sewing. She hung the robe back up, and her eyes fell on his--now her--bookshelves.

Excitement and guilt clashed in her. Should I go talk to Torin? Or go to bed so I can get up early and start on a robe? But she was already pacing, sure that sleep would elude her if she tried. How can I study for Guild examinations when we have so little time to find a cure for the Sickness?! What if Master Dheorin dies?! He can't die! The Chief will be expecting me to have 'results' on a cure! People's lives would depend on me...he can't die!

By now, her hands were shaking badly enough that sewing was definitely not an option, and handling the pages of precious books would not be a very good idea either. Why couldn't this have happened in some better way? And it's not like it's even because I study hard or anything I've ever done that makes me the Apprentice Master Dheorin always wanted!

Stopping in front of her mirror, she pulled her hair back to reveal an ear with a subtly-pointed tip. "Piggy Ears! Piggy Ears!" Taunts of village children bubbled up from her past. "Get something to tie your hair back, Ysanne Quarter-Elven." By the Wizard's command, she would have to--what, show them off now? 'Quarter-Elven.' Is that supposed to impress people? Reassure them? Why didn't Mum and Da ever say anything? How is this even...I wish Lora was here.
 
"I should...go get Ysanne?"

Still catching her breath, Lora looked at Torin and nodded.
-"Y-yes. That would be wise." Was what she could muster before looking down on the ground, still baffled over what she had done. Not only did she, for the first time in her life, assault her father in that fashion but also, on the very same night, hold hands with Torin while running away! Perplexed was not enough to describe Lora's state of mind.

'Now it really looked like I ran away..! Like those maidens in stories about forbidden love! Ooohh~ how embarrassing!' Lora thought to herself squirming while covering her face. 'No! I can't think of such things now!' She then thought. Yes, as of this moment anything could happen. Even if they had succeeded in running away from her father, he could still figure out where the two of them would go, with Torin still being under the Wizard Dheorin's watch. The chief was not stupid after all.

With that in mind, Lora regained her posture and looked down at the envelope. It had no signs of being shivered or damaged and was still intact. And inside it, rested a black leather journal. Nervous as to what they -- what Ysanne -- with certainty, would uncover made Lora's heart skip a beat. She took a deep breath and looked around. The town was now very quiet and empty with occasional moonlight shining over the landscape. Being so used by the liveliness of the early mornings, this empty atmosphere made Lora even more nervous. In the emptiness of this dark night, a thought suddenly appeared. There have had been rumors among the villagers as of late of strange sounds in the middle of the night in Dur. Not that from an animal or a human, but something else entirely. A shudder emerged and Lora shook her head, trying to get rid of the thought in her head.
 
Torin nodded. "I'll...I'll be right back," he said, then carefully opened one of the double doors to avoid making noise and slipped inside. He rushed to the door of Ysanne's chamber as quickly as he could consistent with stealth and tapped softly on the thick wood. To his relief, Ysanne cracked it open and peered through.

"Torin? What's wrong?" Her dark eyes noted the worry in his expression, and flicked down to the sword still held in his hand.

"Uh--it's complicated. Lora's here, she has the book," he whispered.

"That's wonderful! One moment," she said, then closed the door long enough to grab a dress and her cloak and throw them on over her shift, then hurriedly tidy up her hair a little. Lora might be her new friend, but she was still the Magistrate's daughter. Best to at least make an effort at being presentable. Per the Wizard's instructions, she reluctantly swept her hair back over her shoulders. "So what's with the sword?" she said as she emerged.

Torin gave her a brief recap of the night's adventure (minus the hand-holding and the blushing) as they hurried back to the door and slipped outside.

"Lora, hello!" Ysanne said, giving the girl a nervous smile. It only hit her when she was face to face that she had no idea what Lora's attitude toward Elves--or quarter-Elves--might be. "I, I hope everything will be alright with your father," she said softly. "Torin says you found the Journal?"