Syrasza

Glarriva placed a comforting hand on Lynden's shoulder. "Don't blame yourself. This isn't your fault. You were brave, Lynden. If you hadn't gone in first, your friends wouldn't have had a chance to act." Glarriva frowned. "And we are all mourning. Good men died to that dragon...they were caught off guard. I'm sorry that this happened."

Glarriva was prepared to help Lynden shoulder his burden. This is what she did, she shouldered burdens so that her people may be happier...this was no different for her friends. She wanted Lynden to be happier. "Is there anything I can do for you? Anything at all?" The Queen was personally extending her help to Lynden. "I want to do whatever I can to make things as best as they can be for you in this time of sadness."

The crowd was dispersing now, only a few members would remain and attempt to talk to the Queen. through the wall of Knights, Lynden would notice the little boy that he saved coming into town with a woman, presumably his mother.
 
Irievyre disagreed. She wasn't the best. If she were, she would already have all the answers. For instance, Sylvia was far better at mending bones than she was. But it was true to say that Irie dabbled in everything. She had always envisioned a world where a doctor needed only one bag and could cure near everything she came across. Why there were herbalists and apothecaries and surgeons and alchemists baffled her. And that was a vision that most the others here didn't see. They liked their way of working, and it worked for them. But when Sylvia said that Irie deserved more than the hospital, she just couldn't take it. Irie hugged the elf, and buried her face so that she couldn't be seen, though she had a feeling since the day was slow and this was all that had happened, many eyes, if not all, were on her.

"But if you do leave, you better come back and see us! I want to see you in person before I see your face in a text book!" Sylvia's optimism was enough her to regain her composure. She had to blink to keep back tears, but none of them fell.

"It's not forever," Irie agreed, "And I'll send letters, and I'll of course visit." Though the thought of that was still puzzling. Sundinit was across the water, and Irie had never been on an actual ship. But what if whatever this task at hand was didn't let her return? Or what if she failed it? But before she could say anything, Kael had approached.

"Your friend is right, Irie. You're the best doctor we have here at the hospital, but you've gotten too good for us. Soon enough you will be making me look bad! We can't have that, so I can speak for all of us when I say, we will understand if you wish to leave. Of course we will miss you...but you've grown up here...we're kind of like your parents, I suppose, and all good parents know when to let their children go out on their own. You're going to do something amazing out there. I know it," he said.

But it wasn't true. None of it was true. She wasn't too good for the hospital. The fact she wanted to leave wasn't because the hospital wasn't good enough. It was because they were just too used to the way they worked. If she had been an Brier elf, she was sure she would be just as happy. She wouldn't have experiments running in the backroom or an extra two racks of herbs drying with different treatments. But he was being kind. Irie smiled and gave him a hug, too, before he left. She had learned much from Kael, and there was certainly no way she could make him look bad. The last thing Irie could possibly want would be to be in charge.

At least she had a little time. There would be packing to do. It wouldn't be easy. Her non-work items were few. There were her robes and a sewing kit and a few jars of beads. But as for her actual work. If she was to go as an alchemist, well, there were far too many things to bring. Her journals, of course, and her favorite set of vials and flasks would come with her -- the ones that came in a case that, when opened, doubled as a stand. She would take her box of tools and of course she wouldn't leave without bandages.

Yet in some ways, it hurt her to think that she could already be thinking about all the preparations. Was she really that ready to leave this place? The thought scared her.

"Let's go get that bite at the pub, shall we? I don't have to leave yet." To journey so many days. To not go back to the same bed night after night. It seemed odd to think she'd be going where she hadn't gone before. Maybe there would be others who shared her ideologies, others who wanted to mix up the medicines and make it better. But why couldn't M say more?
 
Lynden noticed the boy and his mother from the corner of his eye. He turned to Glarriva, and took her hand into his while looking into her beautiful eyes.

"There is something you can do for me..." He turned and pointed to the boy and his Mother. "Tonight I will tell that widow why her husband is dead, and why her son doesn't have a father. I'll tell my friends about how I got these magic artifacts I carry. And then I plan on telling everyone my next course of action. I would like you to be there for that, and to hear my story. But before that, I am going to see if I can't take some spare armor from the knights stationed around here." He then turned towards the house he woke in. "I'll be there, tonight. Please, join us. We'll likely drink tonight in memory of those that died. If you cannot, then I understand, but that is my request."

He was being bold, and forward. His embarrassment was replaced with a mixture of both shame and determination. To Lynden, he failed because he wasn't strong enough. If he had gotten to the barracks sooner... But that's in the past. He knew what he had to do.
 
"Let's go get that bite at the pub, shall we? I don't have to leave yet." Sylvia smile at Irie then looked around at the room she was in. It held so many memories involving her and Irie. It would be a sad day when she left. But as long as Irie was happy, that would be enough for Sylvia.

"Agreed! It should be fine if we knock off early, right chief!?" The cheerful elf yelled across the room to her leader.

"Mm, yeah. you two have fun! Irie, if I don't see you for a while, good luck and be safe! And always remember, we will always be here for you!" The chief and the rest of the staff all waved farewell to Irie almost as if they would never see her again.

Outside, the rain was lite and cool. It was more of a chilled mist now rather than actual rain. The air was refreshing like gulping cold water that cooled all of your insides on a hot day. Sylvia looked down to her friend. "Who do you think will accompany you to, you know, protect you on your way? Will you hire someone? Or maybe you'll ask Drizrin. He's a very capable ranger, and you know he still owes you for saving his life, pro bono." The walk to the pub was at least ten minutes, which was nice since it gave the two friends time to talk.

The tree city was alive with activity on this evening. It seemed like everyone wanted to go out on the town, it was the weekend after all. Brier elves weren't bothered by rain. It was a part of nature and they accepted it as more of a blessing than an annoyance, thus when it rained, people were more likely to go out rather than stay in.
 
She leaned close to Lynden and whispered in his ear. "I will be there. You can count on it." Glarriva would make a mental note of where she would be visiting this evening. The knights around her were within hearing range and she didn't want them to accompany her this evening. "When should I arrive?" She asked quietly. She wanted this to be a special visit. If the knights were there, it could take away from the meaning of Lynden's story, and besides, this was a personal story. If Lynden wanted to share it with the wole kingdom, then he could do so at the knighting ceremony.

Glarriva was anxious to hear Lynden's story. She was both excited and scared of what she might hear. "You cannot blame yourself." Would be Glarriva's last words before giving Lynden one last hug. She had to go back to the City until later. She had a duty as Queen, after all.
 
I stood on my 'perch' as I watched everyone take their positions for the assault that was about to begin. With the first arrow launched, the human archer dropped dead, and soon the laughter that filled the camp quickly changed. My remaining clan quickly jumped in to finish what remained of the group. As human after human was killed, I watched the single male that remained. He struck at my brother, and Elsyne simply dodged the strike and laughed, after allowing the body of their mage to slide off his blade. Elsyne claimed that the enemy spear wielder was quite skilled, and by the looks of it, he was pissed off; at least I'm not the only one. I jumped down from my perch, and I pulled out my spear. I placed my right hand two hand distances from the butt end of the spear, and my left hand grasped about mid-way on the spear. I didn't have an over-appealing spear -- I was keeping it simple for now.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_G0-5yykJ9yo/S-ZJMejy-lI/AAAAAAAAAME/Li1LVg-SKF0/s1600/Han+Spear.jpg

"Don't give him any compliments. You'll fill his head with false hopes of winning."


I neared the man, and like most fights, I allowed him the first movement. If he could continue from there, then I'd be surprised. My eyes glanced at his face for a split second that allowed me to see the rage in his eyes.

"I'd be angry as well if I allowed my clan to die on my watch."

Once my eyes passed his, I focused on his upper body-- the movement in his arms and shoulders-- as well as the positioning of his feet. Spear fighting isn't the best fighting style to use while angry. It becomes difficult to keep everything in check, and over pronouncing movements easily allow for counters. I couldn't even manage a smile yet-- perhaps after our battle.
 
"An hour after sunset." Was his hushed response. Her words were kind, and reassuring, enough so to warrant a small smile at her, but deep down, he didn't feel much different.


Once she left, Lynden would return to Albert and Cecil. "The queen will be joining us tonight. Cecil, think you could scrounge up some wine? I was us to have a drink tonight for our fallen. Albert, help me convince the knights to let us take some spare arms and armor. I'm going to speak to the lady of the estate and let her know of our plans. Try to be at the house by sunset."

Lynden was speaking in calm words, devoid of most emotion. He was taking charge because of the current situation. Once they were on board with the plan, Lynden would leave them and jog to try catching up with the boy and his mother.

"M'lady... I think you're the one I'm suppose to thank for healing and housing me, correct?" He said, hands on his thighs as he regulated his breathing. "My name is Lynden Aodolan, I'm the squire that found your son in the woods." He paused for a second to pick his next words carefully. "If it's alright with you, I'd like to talk to you tonight, with my brothers attending, about how I found your son."

He stood up fully and shifted his weight to his other leg while he rubbed his left tricep nervously. He decided to leave out the fact that the queen would be attending, for one, it could alarm her into thinking this was a bigger and more regal affair than he intended, and also because he wasn't even sure she would be in attendance.
 
The human was angry, but he didn't want that to get in the way. He was a seasoned warrior of Benevolous! should he fail here, he would dishonor his country. The man gripped his spear tightly, keeping the head pointed at the wild elf. With his brow furrowed, he made a quick jab at his enemy, but played defensively by jumping back immediately after the quick strike. He wanted to gauge his opponent to see what he was up against...but judging by this wild elf's companions, this elf was more than battle hardened.

The rain fell in giant drops now, If Vrael was observant, he would notice that the rain drops never actually touch the head of the spear, they always burst before they hit any metal. Vrael might not have heard of it before, but the spear head was made of a rare metal called vibridium. It was a constantly vibrating metal that had to be mounted in a very special way in order to be used as a weapon. This metal can render entire limbs useless upon one single stab as the vibrations are enough to obliterate muscles, tear tendons, and shatter bones. Should Vrael take a deep enough hit by this weapon, he would most likely suffer severe, or fatal, injuries.

All around him, his brothers watched with eager smiles upon their faces. They all knew Vrael's skills with the spear were unmatched by any human. This man was nothing more than another notch on their leader's belt. Killing these men would send a message that these lands are protected by warriors, warriors that do not wish for your company and will stop at nothing to stop you from encroaching. Thus was the way of these five brothers. They were virtually unknown in the wil elf world, but they didn't let that stop them. They would keep all civilizations at bay by arrow, staff, sword, fist, and spear.
 
The elite knights left with Glarriva. She gave one glance back at Lynden on her way out. The rest of the guards that were charged with locking the village down had lightened up now that they didn't have to keep anyone in or out. They were here to protect and serve, just in case the dragon decided to show his face again.

When the Queen left, Lynden took charge and started giving orders to his friends. Albert nodded in agreement. "Sure, wine. I can get some, plenty. I haven't any money, but come on, have you seen this face?" He smiled a devilish grin and raised one eyebrow. "One word, Charisma." He laughed as he ran off towards some local shops.

Cecil scratched his head and looked around at all the guards. "You know, I could just go back to the City and grab some things now that the ban is lifted. I should be back by sunset. I still don't think these guards will allow us to use any of their gear." Cecil hoped that Lynden would understand, he really didn't want to ask the guards.

When Lynden approached the mother and child, the child clenched on to the mother's dress and hid his face. Lynden spoke to the woman and she smiled at him. "You are correct. My son told me that you took him away from his father, but judging by your wounds, I figured that you saved him from something. I know that my Scott would never allow anything to happen to our child unless something happened to him first..." The woman paused to recompose herself. she had started tearing up at the mention of her husband. " I'm sorry...where are my manners? My name is Isabel, and this little man is Scotty. I'm glad you finally woke up. I hope that you are feeling well, and of course you may talk with me. Your brothers have been talking with me every night at dinner time. They have told me a little bit about you, Lynden. It will be nice to have all of you together this time." She forced a smile through her mourning. She then looked down at her son.

"Scotty is afraid of you, dear. It's not your fault, but you were the first person he saw after his father died...He still won't talk about what happened though...I really would like to hear it so I'm glad you are willing to tell me." The young woman rubbed the back of her son's head before lifting him up into her arms. "But if you will excuse me for now, I must start dinner." The mother smiled again and walked towards her home.
 
He watched Isabel and her son walk away, and Lynden let out the breath he was holding. She seemed understanding and acusing, which was a fear he had. Instead, she just seemed accepting and gracefully grieving her husband. It was a bit inspiring.

He looked to the direction of the sun. For some reason, he had given all the jobs that needed to be done to the others, and now he mistakenly had nothing to do till sundown. He looked around, then would walk around till he found a secluded spot.

Once he was sure he wouldn't be seen easily, he would set down his shield, and take out the hilt of the sword. He was curious of something, and wanted to check it out. He held the handle out and focused. The sword was magic, so maybe perhaps the flames would still come... Perhaps. He reached down in himself and drew out his hate, namely his hate for the damnable dragon.

Should it work, Lynden wouldn't maintain the flames for long. Should it not, Lynden would keep trying for several minutes before giving up and gearing back up.

For the next few hours, he went around asking individuals if they knew anything about the dragon, like where it was nesting, or which it flew towards. He would try to squeeze out information he could before returning to Isabel's house as the light was fading.

Then, he would go to an area with open space and set the hilt down. Then, he would set the shards by it and try to fit the pieces by it, as if it were a puzzle.

Once the others had returned, or dinner was ready, he would leave his work in progress there and head to the kitchen.
 
Gilhom was the first to wake up, since he was used to this setting. This being Vaughn's first night above ground he didn't sleep very well with the sun rising directly on him. He would get used to it eventually but as of right now it was a awakening he would not like very much. Gilhom merrily did his morning routine while Vaughn was gradually getting up and letting his new eyes adjust. Gilhom greeted him with a good morning and a idea of where they would be going. At the mention of a human town Vaughn got a slight boost of energy. He was very excited to get to new places and get to try new ingredients, meet new chefs, and even see their kitchens. He smiled extremely wide without saying a single thing, and chuckled to himself of the sheer thought of doing something new like that.

Vaughn got his things together and and while he did so Gilhom gave him some berries from last night, but Vaughn had to take in way more calories than these berries could give. He quickly whipped up somethings as fast as he would, even taking steps as to make it while walking. He took some of the bitter root that provided a decent amount of energy and calories, combined with a large amount of the berries. He crushed it all together and mashed it quickly and in such a way that a thick like paste was created. With that he combined it with some of the fresh spring water to make it thinner and more like a thick rustic smoothie. A dwarf on the go would be familiar with this beverage method, although it was difficult to create without fruit and a thicker fluid. Vaughn was only capable of doing it because of the composition of the root. It wasn't perfect but it would do what it needed for Vaughn which was a hyper concentrated amount of calories that still had a decent enough flavor to drink in its entirety. Vaughn also created a little extra that if Gilhom wanted to taste it he could, if not he would drink it himself.

They moved on while Vaughn drank his beverage that had a tangy flavor with a hit of sweet. He was used to this flavor note, so he was fine with it. Good enough to drink and jam packed with energy. He would have to be very conscious of his calorie intake in the next days. He followed behind Gilhom, who was straight out of a story book; a dwarf whistling a tune. Vaughn smiled at the man in the lead, since he resembled the stories he was read when he was a child. At this moment those fairy tales didn't seem too far off now.

"Help. Please...anyone there?"

Vaughn turned quickly and glanced around the area to find where he heard such a small voice from. Gilhom looked around as well having heard it too. At first he suspected Vaughn of making the noise, but Vaughn shook his head when Gilhom looked at him. They both began to look and Gilhom didn't notice anything. But Vaughn saw it. A small twinkle under a leaf.

"What's that?"

Vaughn mentions looked over at the sparkle under the leaf. He then moved over closer to he could make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. Vaughn knelt to be closer to this being who just cried out for help. In a nurturing voice akin to his mother's he spoke.

"Are you ok?"

He imagined it was a water sprite, but he didn't feel like this would be a good time to confirm that. Vaughn felt it was more important to see if it was alright over the fact that it was a rare occurrence. Vaughn wasn't afraid of magic or putting himself in danger, he did so in the pantheon of preparing food every day. His main purpose was to make sure people were taken care of, especially if hungry; this was no different than any other time.
 
All of Lynden's efforts were unsuccessful. First, the hilt would do nothing when Lynden focused. No matter how hard he tried or how angry he got, nothing would come of the hilt. When Lynden decided that he was wasting his time, the people of the town offered little information of the dragon. The pertinent information consisted of things Lynden likely knew already, such as the dragon's size and color, aggressive behavior, and the fact that the dragon hasn't attacked in a few days, since Lynden and his friends drove it away. People also mentioned what Queen Glarriva said about the dragon threat being under control and assured Lynden that there was nothing to worry about. Finally, only a bit before sunset, Lynden would find himself trying to complete a puzzle that had missing pieces. Large pieces of the blade were missing and thus the blade could not be completed in shape.

After the Queen left, the afternoon was very uneventful for Lynden. It wasn't until Cecil showed up that things looked slightly hopeful.

"Ah here ya are. I hauled all this back. I hope it fits right, I just assumed you were about the same as me." Cecil was correct in his assumption. Cecil and Lynden were roughly the same height and size so the chain mail armor he had weighing him down and the sword, complete with sheath just for Lynden, would work nicely. "Now if that dragon shows his face here again, we'll show him a proper fight!" Cecil dropped the equipment on the ground beside Lynden.

Albert's arrival followed shortly. He was the one who yelled to Lynden and Cecil that Dinner was ready. The table was set nicely and there were some common dishes laid out before them. There was a hunk of roasted meat, a bowl of this broth and veggies used to pour over the meat, a meek salad, and a loaf of brown bread. Everyone's glass was filled with wine, however. Albert had come through on his end just like Cecil did. Lynden had great friends.

"Welcome home, every one. Albert, I thank you very much for this wine. And Lynden, it is so good to finally have a dinner with you." Isabel said with a smile. Scotty sat at the table next to his mother, playing with his silverware as the three Squires took their seats.

"I hope you enjoy the meal! It's not much, but it seems that a lot of the good stuff was eaten already." She looked at Lynden and laughed a little. "It's okay, don't worry about it. I figured you'd be hungry and with me being blocked from coming home, I couldn't really do any grocery shopping, right?"

The woman was first to dig into the meat, passing it out to everyone along with some of the salad. she would also offer the broth to anyone who wished for it and pour it for them. The food was surprisingly good, despite its appearance. Isabel didn't want to pry, so she didn't ask many questions, she simply waited until Lynden was ready, making small talk with the group. She didn't know that Lynden was waiting on someone...someone who might not even show...

Time would tick by, probably slowly for Lynden, as he awaited Glarriva to fulfill her promise. She said she would be here tonight. It was all Lynden asked of her. As the minutes slipped away, it almost seemed like she wouldn't turn up...It took fifteen minutes of dinner time before there was a light knock at the door.

"Oh, I'll get it, please everyone, stay seated and enjoy your meal." Isabel said as she stood from her chair. Scotty looked at her with sad eyes. Isabel smiled at her child, "I'll be right back."

The few minutes that it took for Isabel to answer the door might have felt like hours. But when she returned, she had a slightly embarrassed look on her face. "Please excuse my mess, your highness. Have a seat here at the table and talk with us, and please, do not feel like a burden, there is plenty of food. You must keep in mind, however, that I am not a royal chef!" Isabel laughed aloud as she pulled a seat out for the Queen.

"Thank you very much, Isabel. I greatly appreciate this, and I am even more thankful that you tended to Lynden and his friends." Glarriva smiled and sat down next to Isabel, and greeted everyone with a nod.
 
When Vaughn bent down and started talking to what Gilhom only saw as a plant, the dwarf walked over to him and placed a concerned hand on Vaughn's back.

"Vaughn, my friend, are ya all ri..." Gilhom stopped mid sentence as he noticed the water sprite. "Is that?...Gods this time out is already more eventful than my first!" The dwarf laid down on his stomach and looked at the sprite.

"You can...see me!?" The sprite asked in an excited voice. "You ate the Jibjib fruit!? They still exist!?!? Oh the Gods smile upon me this day!" The little sprite was ecstatic. This seemed like one of the happiest moments in her life.

"Please, please all I ask of you is that you place me back into the river. I will die out here and I cannot help the sky sprite make rain unless I am in the river. It is my sacred duty to preserve this area. Please, if you have any heart, just place me in the river. I would crawl back myself, but that would take hours and I only have an hour left before I...well...die..." The sprite was pleading with all of her being. She had no legs and she was very far inland, especially for her size.
 
Following a series of failures, Lynden found Cecil coming back with the armaments.

"Perfect, thanks." Lynden said, inspecting the chainmail. He took his share of the burden and helped him to Isabel's house.

After realizing he was missing large pieces, Lynden contemplated scrapping it, but dinner was ready, so he decided he would keep the pieces together... for now.

The meal was great, much better cooked than when he raided the pantry. Now the was much more centered and had a normal appetite. He refused to drink his wine until after the night's affairs were settled. He ate and talked, but all the while he would glance out the window to the evening. Everyone was waiting on him, but he would continue to take small bites from his plate. Once the rapping on the door sounded through the house, Lynden smiled and leaned back. Finally.

Glarriva came in, and he and the other squires would rise, maybe salute. Lynden just smiled and gestured to an open chair.

"Sorry that I didn't say she was coming. I figured you would think the house too unfit or too conscious that she was coming to let us stay here."

Lynden sat quietly, then waited a moment to begin. Trying to gather the right words.

"So..." He started, rather in-eloquently. "This is the story of what happened. It's strange, outlandish, and a bit crazy. But every word is true..."

"The final trail to become a knight is to be marooned in the wilderness, and make your way back to the barracks using everything you've learned, all within five days. Like the others here, I was left in an unfamiliar location. The first day, I made camp and caught a meal. That night, I charted my location relatively to the stars, and by daybreak, I was heading directly to the barracks. Along the way, I noticed a fire in the forest. I was going to leave it be, but I heard crying. I climbed a tree, jumped over the fire, and saw the boy holding a pack, with a burnt corpse nearby..." He paused, and looked towards the boy and then his mother.

"I pulled the boy away from the fire, and I continued to the barracks. Shortly after, he screamed that I let him down. When I did, he went through the pack and pulled out a small orange crystal. As it turns out, the boy was possessed by a fire elemental, like his father before him. In the pack was a dagger, and when I drew it, a blade formed and then caught fire. The elemental seemed surprised I could draw it. So much so that she left the boy, and formed the crystal to the sword. From the dagger, she could communicate to me. She said she possessed the man, and was using him to come to the forest, so that they could track down her sister. They are both cursed and bound to a weapon. Seeing how a man had lost his life, and who knows how much time, I agreed to take the elemental to her sister. She was reunited with the dagger, and it caused a power surge resulting in the tragedy. Wither she wanted it or not I'm still not sure. Not trusting the child on his own, I carried the boy."

He paused, had a sip of water, then continued. "The sister was located nearby, in a cave. Turns out, it's a ogres lair. I was tired, and fatigued, and hadn't eaten much. I didn't know the danger of the cave, else I wouldn't have brought your son. I saved the elemental from the ogre, twice, and burnt up my arms in the process. She at first was unable her magic, but she then killed the ogre with her own dagger, saving me and the boy. We continued on, and my strength was fading. Her sister was trapped in a shield. A lightening elemental, she said, and she was more sensible than her sister. They called me master, but I said I had no intention of being their master, and that I only brought them together so no one else would die. They thanked me, and apparently I set them free, because they disappeared, leaving the red blade and shield in their wake. When I inspected the sword, it caught fire, and drew energy from me. My only remaining energy. I passed out, and when I awoke, your son had woken up and was scared of his environment. Rightfully so. He fled further in and I went after him. I found him in the corner crying, and I let him be, and sat with him. That's when my brothers found me, still fatigued."

He took another sip, and looked toward his brothers. "The dragon had attacked the barracks and killed our mentors. The sword is strengthen by anger. When the dragon came, I activated the sword, but my energy was low and I ended up burning out. The shield seems to cool to the touch, and the dragon's fire was ineffective against it. The rest... Well, I'm sure you can guess it. I passed out out because I drew too much from myself. I wasn't strong enough to use the sword, and now it seems I'm unable to use it again. But I still have a chance..." He said, his eyes wild. "The shield still stops fire. In fact, a fire sword verses a dragon is stupid anyways. I can still fight this small dragon. The scales on the back of it's head are still forming right? Perfect, then if I get in close, I can kill it. I'm not done with it yet. Not by a long shot. Kill my mentors, deny me my knighthood, and terrorize a village and city of my people. No... heh heh... I will destroy this dragon with my own hands."
 
"Thank you, chief!," Irie said, waving as she ducked out with Sylvia. They had just stepped out the door when Sylvia asked her next question

"Who do you think will accompany you to, you know, protect you on your way? Will you hire someone? Or maybe you'll ask Drizrin. He's a very capable ranger, and you know he still owes you for saving his life, pro bono."

"I hadn't even thought about that," Irie admitted. What travels she had made had been safe, but Ancor was much further than she had ever been alone. It would be a rather long journey by her standards, and having a companion wouldn't be bad. "Do you think he would want to go? Healing is what I do; this would be asking him to go out of his way." The weather wasn't as bad as it had been earlier, but she still wasn't a fan of it. The Brier elves seemed not to care much one way or another. Irie herself prefered the sunshine. Trees were great, but the thought of being under the open sun was exciting. Most Brier elves, though, wouldn't think that, though.

And as she walked, she looked around her, taking in everything. Perhaps this would be one of her last times wandering through here. The plains wouldn't have a tree city, and she doubted they would have any across the water. It was a home for her even though she had always also felt a little apart from it all.

"Maybe I could catch a ride with one of the traveling caravans. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a doctor."
 
The room sat silent as Lynden spoke. No one spoke a word until the Squire was finished.

"That's...that's a sad but heroic story, Lynden." Everyone else simply nodded in agreement. Isabel was holding her child close with tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you Lynden...I think I am going to take Scotty and go lay down. Please, everyone, make yourselves at home...and don't worry about the dishes." Isabel said between deep breaths. She stood up and took her leave while everyone nodded and waved farewell to her. They all knew that there were no words that could comfort her in this time of mourning, only time could begin to heal these wounds.

"Lynden, will stand with you to face this threat. M'lady, where did the dragon go? You say that it has been driven away? I doubt it will stay that way." Albert turned to face Glarriva.

"Well, it seems to have flown to the north, but I'm unsure of its whereabouts now." The Queen spoke with a sad tone. She understood Lynden's desire for revenge, and she believed that it was warranted. Despite being virtually useless in tracking the dragon, she really wanted to help.

"Wait..." Cecil butted in quickly. "Do you remember what those goblins said back at the barracks? Something about the dragon coming back...maybe it is nesting there?" Cecil scratched his chin and looked around to gather expressions.

Albert raised an eyebrow and nodded. "That may be the case...M'lady, has anyone checked the barracks recently?"

The Queen shook her head. "No, actually...not since the dragon left...I suppose I should have sent someone there when I found out, but I didn't. I'm sorry." She looked down at the ground and frowned. "Forgive me for not being more helpful."

Albert sighed and shook his head. "You needn't worry, M'lady." Albert stood up and walked over Lynden. "Lynden's determination is contagious and I assure you that we shall do everything in our power to quell this threat, should it still exist...but I have a suspicion that we haven't seen the last of our dragon." Albert placed his hand on Lynden's shoulder and looked at the Queen then back to Cecil.
 
After his story, he was a bit breathless, so he let the others talk as he sipped his wine slowly. When Isabel took Scotty to lay down, Lynden raised his cup to her in farewell. The others were supportive, which sated his desire for revenge ever so slightly. He leaned back in his chair and ran his finger around the brim of the glass, though it produced no sound.

So, the dragon is heading north. And he completely forgot about the goblins words. If it were true, and the dragon was making it's nest there then they had a lucky break. The barracks would be easy to venture into, and the dragon was at a disadvantage. The woods surrounding it were their territory, and they knew it like their own backyard, well, because, you know.

"If this dragon is intelligent, it will want revenge for his eye and leg, which is fine, since we want a revenge of our own." Lynden said, though his words were sarcastic, they were produced with malice and bitterness. "We'll rest tonight, and leave in the night before sunset to inspect the barracks. If it is there, then we'll be ready."

Lynd stood, took another sip of wine, and went for a nearby cloak to fend off the cold. "Riva, I've taken, selfishly, too much of your time already. I'll escort you to the city limits." He said, standing by the doorway. His words always sounded knightly and important when he was standing in front of Glarriva, or tasked with leadership. "If you have to send the Dragon Knights, then I plead that you wait till noon to send them towards the barracks. If the dragon is nested there, we should have dealt with it way before then."

There was danger in his plan, like with any battle, but Lynden was confident. All traces of fear for the dragon were replaced with bloodlust.

"Guys, can you wait for me to return? I would like to prepare and talk strategy before we rest."
 
"Do you think he would want to go? Healing is what I do; this would be asking him to go out of his way." Sylvia nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again as if she couldn't make up her mind.

"I think it will be okay with him. You know how much he likes to travel around the forest, why wouldn't he want to take you further??" The elf smiled at Irie.

"Maybe I could catch a ride with one of the traveling caravans. I'm sure they wouldn't mind a doctor." Sylvia nodded her head and thought for a second.

"That sounds like a good idea, Irie! I hadn't even thought of that! You might even be able to get a ride on an airship! They always need doctors and none of us really want to leave here." "Us" obviously referred to the elves. Sylvia wasn't trying to be rude, but it might have come off sounding that way.

As time went by, the two friends made their way to the Rose and Thorne Pub. The atmosphere was merry and cozy. There were plenty of seats at the bar, but all were filled. Every table in the place seemed to have somebody at it. The chairs by the fireplace were taken by some older elves, and there were already a ton of people standing about. It seemed like the pub was the place to be today as the two ladies were hard pressed to find a spot to sit. Shortly after they entered,however, a voice rang out over the crowd.

"Sylviaaaaa!" It was Rose, one of the two owners of this pub. She might have had a pretty name, but she definitely didn't look like a rose. Pub owner suited her well, though, as she was quick to anger and had a mean punch that packed a wallop if provoked.

"Rose! Hey dear! Might we have a seat somewhere!? Irie and I would like some food!" Sylvia cupped her hands around her mouth when she talked, creating a pseudo megaphone to overcome the din.

"Yes! Thorne is cleaning a table in the corner right now! Thorne! Save that spot for Sylvia!" Rose redirected her voice to her husband, and co-owner of the pub, Thorne. Sylvia was a regular here and the owners were quite fond of her.

"Aye!" A large, muscular and rugged human called out from the corner table, waving to his wife with a smile. His name suited his looks more, but his attitude was gentile and kind. Thorne had been raised in this community, much like Irie, but his parents lived here with the elves.

"Great thanks!" Sylvia shouted at the man "Come on Irie, we have a table this way!" Sylvia started walking through the crowd, taking care not to lose Irie in the process.

Once arriving at the table, Sylvia took her seat and looked out the window, not paying attention to Irie as she climbed onto the stool. It was times like these that made Sylvia wonder how hard it was being so small...but she would never bring it up.

" 'Ere ya go, lassies! A nice clean table fer ya! I'll bring ya some wine in just a minute!" Sylvia nodded a thank you to Thorne as he wiped the last crumbs from the table.The man smiled in return as he threw his towel over his shoulder and set out to fetch drinks.

Sylvia looked at Irie now. "So...what ya gonna eat!? I was thinking of having a fruit salad! Rose does make a nice fruit salad." ​The elf smiled.
 
The Queen waited for Lynden to finish before she stood up from the table. Lynden's friends all raised their glasses, signifying that of course they will wait for him.

"No need to wait. I'm not going anywhere." The Queen said with a smile on her face. She leaned on the table, both palms pressed firmly to hold her self up as she looked toward Lynden. "I want to see what my knights can do." She turned her head to view the brave and loyal warriors sitting around her. "There will be no escorting tonight, Lynden. I'm going to stay here and depart with you and neither you nor your friends shall tell me otherwise."

Riva crossed her arms and grinned at the room with a raised eyebrow, almost daring someone to say something. Albert took his chances and spoke up quickly. "But, m'lady! You can't go, it will be far too dangerous and we would never do anything to put your life in danger! Your safet..."

"Enough, Albert." Glarriva raised her hand to stop his speaking. "Did you know that my "advisers" had the nerve to move without my knowledge? I have only recently learned of this attack and the blockade around this village. Do you know what that tells me?" She paused for a moment even though she knew that no one would answer the rhetorical question. "It tells me that I do not get out enough." She nodded her head and plopped down in the seat. "So, this is a good opportunity for me to get out of the castle for a while. My advisers will handle everything, they would have done it anyways...but that's a subject for them, nothing you need concern yourselves with." Glarriva sighed, obviously upset that she would have to strip her advisers of their jobs for acting against her...she didn't want to but in order to maintain happiness, she had to personally oversee everything, the burden had to he hers to bear.

"I want to be there...to make sure none of you get hurt..." She turned her gaze toward Lynden. It was widely known that the Queen possessed divine magic. She didn't practice in combat situations, however.

Albert shrugged and bowed his head. "I cannot defy m'lady's wishes." Cecil bowed his head as well. They wanted the queen to be safe, and safety was far from the dragon, but at the same time, the Queen genuinely wished to protect these squires from harm, though how effective she may be is still a mystery.

Cecil raised his head sharply. "There is always a chance that we could fail...What then? What if you get hurt, or worse!?" Cecil stood up from his chair and looked at the Queen with a stern glare. "This is a huge responsibility! I do not know..."

"Is it not the responsibility of a knight to make their Queen feel safe?!" The queen interrupted once again, shooting a determined stare at Cecil. She was not angry, she was more disappointed than anything. "If I cannot feel safe with my knights...how can I feel safe at all...?" She turned to face Lynden with a sorrowful look in her eyes. "Please...I've never had a chance to do anything like this before. I've hardly even seen this country with my own eyes! As my friends...please take me with you..." Her face was sad, desperate, and longing. She needed something other than the typical politics. There would be plenty of paper pushing to do once she returned and she dreaded it. The longer she could stay away from the castle, the more liberated she would feel.
 
I loved battle at night. There was nothing more that tugged at all your senses. I could feel the droplets of rain as they cascaded upon the ground and myself. The soon to be slick surface of the ground would surely be something else that I needed to watch out for, and use as an advantage. The rain would surely smother what life remained from the fire that burned in the humans' "campsite;" as if they actually owned anything here. As I wanted, the male took the first strike. It was a simple quick jab at myself, and with that came a simple counter. I shifted my body a few inches to the right in a downward diagonal, and I attempted to counter with a jab of my own as I was moving down, but the human seemed to be playing defensively for now. He had jumped back right after his strike causing my own attack to miss it's target. I quickly pulled back my weapon and regained my prior stance.

The rain was growing with intensity, and I could see what was once a fluffed feather at the end of my spear was now simply a red weight that hung at the end with the addition of the water. It's main purpose was to distract my opponent, but it wouldn't help much looking like that. The human's weapon, however, wasn't like anything I had seen before. Not only did the design of the spear seem more formal than the others I had seen, but it seemed impervious to rain. At first glance I thought it was the whole spear, which would make sense since then the rain couldn't cause any slip in the weapon, but when I looked toward his hands, I could see water dripping off of them just like they were off of mine, but it was clear that something was going on toward the tip of the weapon. Is this human a magic user as well? Who knows what kind of enchantments he put on his spear. I wasn't going to find out, though. I wouldn't let him lay a strike on me.

I slowly crept forward, so I could appropriately gauge the effect the wet ground would have on my movement. I simply began circling my foe, like a lion does their prey, waiting for the correct moment to pounce. Seeing as how the man had played defensive on his last strike, and the battling of spears was a defensive fight anyway, it was time to change it up. I knew he could maneuver well enough away after a strike, but how long could he last in a constant clash? With whatever enchantment that spear had on it, I needed to be careful as I attacked, but if I didn't ever attack then this battle would never gain any real momentum, in my favor.

Surely the human followed my motion as I circled around since no warrior would allow someone to get behind them with a weapon. Once my mind was decided, I took two strong steps forward and allowed the slick ground to carry me the remainder of the distance between the two of us. The heel of the foot with which I took the first step would be used to stop my movement where I wanted, and I proceeded with my attack. As I placed my heel down, I crouched a little and angled my spear as though as I was going to strike the human in the leg, but with my semi-crouched position, I quickly altered the direction of the spear upward with it's new destination being the chest of the human. It was a simple and effective feint that most spear users used which wouldn't surprise me if the human knew it well enough to be able to see it coming. Depending on the outcome of the attack would dictate my next course of action.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back