Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: hsexauer@vax.cns.muskingum.edu (Rapunzel)
Subject: [Legacy] Continuing the quest
Message-ID: <1994Feb10.104142.1@vax.cns.muskingum.edu>
Date: Thu, 10 Feb 1994 15:41:42 GMT


	At dawn the following day there were no longer two people joining the
trip, but five.  Eying the queue of horses ready to depart that day, Aleric
felt almost as if he had rejoined his other company.  The solitary travel with
Ruel had been replaced by another group expedition.  Tierge had insisted on
joining as they were likely to need a mage, and the elves had volunteered their
services as it meant they could participate in an adventure.
	Ruel sidled his sorrel up to Aleric where he sat his mare watching the
group form up.  "So much for a quiet trip, eh?" he laughed shortly.
	"I'm just worried about someone getting hurt now.  With two of us we
were easier to hide.  What happens when we re-enter the Shekiren's territory?"
he asked with a frown.
	"We be very careful."  The look the Lyorn awarded the valeman was
clearly skeptical.  Ruel continued, "What can we do?  We either are seen or we
aren't.  They know you're coming apparently since you've met a Shekiren here."
	"How much time do we spend in the corrupted lands before we reach the
river?" the golden warrior asked.
	Ruel scratched his cheek where the claw marks were healing.  "Hm... a
week maybe.  I'm not sure; I don't know that area very well.  But it seems to
me there's a village in that section somewhere.  We could all stay there one
night."
	"Hmm.  Is the river navegable?" Aleric tapped his fingers on one thigh
absently.  The roan mare turned to eye her master, trying to decide if he was
telling her something.  
	"I would assume so.  I can remember hearing of legends from the Lyorn
time when there would be travellers come through the mountains that way.  But
for us, we wouldn't have a very good craft, and it would depend on how the
weather holds and if we have any unexpected encounters or not," the valeman
replied shaking his dark head.
	"I wish I was more familiar with the geography here!" Aleric exclaimed
in frustration.  He accompanied this with a thump of his fist.  The mare turned
her head again and blew at the Lyorn's knee.  He stroked the mare's mane in
apology.
	Jaerodyn nudged his iron grey stallion over to join his brother and the
valeman.  "I think we're set now.  Tierge just wanted to secure her
paraphenalia.  Don't ask me what it is, just wizard stuff."  
	Aleric nodded and whistled to the rest of the team.  He motioned to the
gates, and they rode out into the early morning sunlight.

	The seven of them struck out in a southeasterly direction.  Aleric
couldn't help but cast many glances behind searching for a pale face, framed by
a grey hood, following their footsteps.  No one forthcoming, he turned his
attention ahead but remained alert.  They were entering the forests again and,
though far from the sickness of the Shekiren's land, these trees did not seem
as healthy as they should.  This evidence was mute proof of the steady
encroachment that had its end in the conquest of the Vale. 
	For several hours Aleric's family rode with him, catching up on news
and events in the past years.  More than a few gave the three tall Lyorns odd
looks as they passed on the road.  The folk of the Vale, brought up in the lore
of the ancient warrior clans, found the sight of the tall and fair riders like
a memory.  But the objects of their scrutiny were unaware of the sensation they
caused.  For one thing, being nearly seven feet tall tended to cause that kind
of reaction, particularly for a female who looked tall men in the eye.  Tierge
and Ruel, on the other hand, did notice and were somewhat uncomfortable because
of it.  They knew that it's a little hard to sneak up on someone if everybody
knows who you are and goes home to tell their neighbor they saw you.  This
prompted Tierge to bring her horse close to Ruel's and mention the fact.
	"Ruel, you live in the Vale, so maybe you've noticed that our three
legends from the past there are causing a bit of a stir," the little mage
began.  She looked at him with one brow arched in question.
	The valeman lifted his head to gaze at his friend's back, observing at
the same time a merchant twisting in his saddle to take another look at the
three Lyorns.  Ruel nodded soberly, "I noticed it while I was with just Aleric. 
Now it's worse because there are three."  He began scratching his cheek again,
raking his fingers over the scabs.
	Tierge reached across his horse's withers and pulled his hand down. 
"If you keep doing that you'll open them up again," she chided.  "I was
thinking perhaps we should move off the road and stay in the trees."
	"Hm," Ruel acknowledged. "I'll go suggest it to Aleric.  You tell the
elves."  With that, he trotted ahead to catch up with the Lyorns.  Tierge
waited for Durstrin and Elcoran to close the gap before advising them.  Aleric
readily agreed after casting a surprised glance around as though looking for a
group of spectators nearby.  So they turned off into the woods and continued
their trip parallelling the road.
	They set up camp that night in a little hollow near a small pond. 
Surprisingly the pond's water was fresh, not stagnant.  Evidently it was fed by
an underground spring.  It was an ideal site, but it also reminded Aleric of
his other company of friends.  Durstrin and Elcoran could have easily been
Alarond and Quaeros, Tierge might have been Laurenth, and his own brother
Jaerodyn seemed to fill Kyar's place.  But he missed the lively chatter of
Darkin, or hearing Segoi's voice rumbling in the background.  Aleric wondered
what they were doing now and where they were headed.  He'd been gone a long
time, and still longer was the route before him.  By the time he returned, they
might have lost some companions or gained others.  Aleric sighed softly as he
looked around the present circle of faces.  It wasn't as if he didn't like his
new companions-- quite the opposite since his siblings were with him-- but he
felt like he had deserted his other friends.  It didn't matter that it wasn't
his fault, nor could he have left an explanation, he simply felt he hadn't done
his duty to them.  The Lyorn fingered the pouch with his starstone pensively,
wondering if he should try to reach Kyar again.  
	Later that evening they sat around the fire talking, carefully avoiding
the reason for their journey and the dangers that lurked in the dark.  Aleric
quickly learned that Elcoran's reticence earlier wasn't because he was quiet,
only that he was shy.  The silvery haired elf was, allowing for the longer
lifespan of the elves, even younger than Kieriah who was just twenty cycles. 
Aleric noticed the way Jaerodyn, Kieriah, and Durstrin treated him with the
affection that usually was bestowed upon the youngest.  Even Tierge who had
joined them later was showing the same attitude.  Once the ice had been broken
between the two newest members and the young elf, they found him a truly
charming companion who showed and eagerness for everything.
	Elcoran responded to pleas from the ladies and pulled out a set of
multiple pipes and set them to his lips.  A spritely tune issued forth and the
sounds of Elcoran's pipes lifted the spirits and eased the conscience.  When
his first song came to a close, he started again with an older air.  Kieriah's
warm alto lifted in song, with Tierge's clear soprano soaring above.  Midway
through Durstrin added his light tenor with a complex harmony that wove around
and through the blended voices of the ladies.  For just one night, they managed
to enjoy themselves entirely and forget about the sinister presence that waited
at the end of their journey.
	
	The next morning was back to business.  They were moving again at first
light with Ruel leading the way.  Aleric decided to ride next to Durstrin and
get to know him better.  He trusted the elf implicitly because Jaerodyn did,
having been companions for several years.  But it was always a good policy to
form your own bonds with partners.  
	"How did you happen to become my brother's right hand, Durstrin?" the
Lyorn asked so he could find the elf's origins.
	"Tell you the truth, it was along the lines of how you met Ruel," the
elf began with a nod toward the stocky valeman.  "I was travelling in the lands
east of Generica, and needed a guide.  I had just left Generica on my trip when
I met Jaerodyn out hunting.  In the course of idle chatter I told him my errand
and he offered to show me the way.  But after that was over, we didn't meet
again for almost a year.
	"Some silly little border war between lands that crops up every few
years was being waged and as I happened to be allied to one of the landowners I
was there.  Well, in the course of the battle we chased a detachment of the
enemy into the hilss where we cornered them, only to find _they_ had been
chasing one of our regiments.  Eventually we ground them to pieces between us,
but your brother was part of our cornered troops.  In the midst of killing the
enemy I found myself fighting next to him and defending each other's back.  We
pretty much just stuck together after that and any time there was a scrap we
automatically guarded the other's weak side.
	"I'm here now because Jaerodyn asked as a favor.  But then, I was bored
where I was and gladly agreed.  My nephew joined us because he needed to get
away from a certain situation back home.  So this was the perfect opportunity,
and you can always use another hand when things get hot."  Durstrin shrugged
with a little smile on his lips.  Aleric wanted to ask what situation had
forced Elcoran to leave, but a warning look in the other's golden stare
prevented him.  Aleric's gaze shifted to the youthful elf that chatted easily
with Kieriah and wondered what the lighthearted lad's story was.
	"Elcoran does not resemble you very much," Aleric stated.  The question
was innocently phrased as a statement.  Is he in fact related to you?
	"No, he doesn't.  He looks like his father," was the reply.  That
didn't really answer the question, not if the boy was related on his mother's
side.  Before Aleric could think of another indirect question Durstrin took the
initiative.  "My sister doesn't resemble me much either."  Ah.  He was related,
but that eliminated the question of a clouded history as a reason for his
escape.  Now what?  The Lyorn couldn't believe the boy was in serious trouble
because it didn't seem to fit Elcoran's nature.  He was at a loss for ideas.
	Durstrin was watching him carefully.  He had a pleading look on his
face, asking the Lyorn not to probe further.  The elf shot a furtive glance at
his nephew to see if he'd caught any of the exchange.  The lad gave no sign of
having heard anything.  Something was odd with the situation, but Aleric chose
not to pursue it.  
	When dark fell that night Ruel insisted on taking precautions.  The
evening fire was hidden as the valeman had taught Aleric, and a watch was kept. 
"I know we're still in the free lands," he said, "but the closer we get to
Highspire the more likely it is that the night haunts will ignore the borders." 
No one seemed inclined to argue.  So they slept in shifts with one person
always on guard.  While Aleric took his turn he made sure his amulet was out
where he could see the lodestone.  Fortunately, not the tiniest glimmer shone
in the depths of the green gem, and the night passed uneventfully.
	They passed several more days in similar manner.  And even though there
were no incidents while the little group passed, the trees started to show
signs that there had been a few in the past.  Aleric began noticing the mottled
bark and the slashes on the branches that proved watchers had crouched there
once.  The nightly precautions grew more careful each night, vigilance
increased.  That night Aleric pulled out the old map Tevore had given him.  He
laid it out on the forest floor and used a pair of stones to hold the upper
corners flat.  Jaerodyn knelt next to his older brother and studied the map
curiously.  He watched Aleric plot their course to the river from their
position.  Ruel looked up from mending a split bridle.
	"What's that, Aleric?" he asked.  He dropped the bridle beside the fire
and got to his feet, circling around the fire until he was standing behind the
brothers.  He furrowed his brow in puzzlement.  "Where did you get that?  The
Vale hasn't looked like that in... " He trailed off while counting.
	"Six hundred years or so," Aleric supplied helpfully.
	"Right.  No wonder you were lost!"  He leaned down bracing one hand on
Jaerodyn's shoulder while he pointed.  "There are no plains marked in this area
where we just were, and the river is all wrong for one thing."
	Tierge replied placidly from her place nearby, "That's because the
mapmakers didn't allow for a flood and several fires reducing the forest or
erosion changing the river's course."
	"I know, but his map isn't very useful anymore."
	"I suspect it was quite accurate for six hundred years ago."
	"That's my point.  It's no good now."
	Aleric cleared his throat.  "Excuse me, but if I may interrupt..."
	"Certainly," Tierge granted graciously.  "But just this once.  It isn't
polite to interrupt."  She smiled impishly showing two dimples in either cheek.
	"Thank you," the tall warrior returned sardonically.  "As I was saying,
if someone could show me exactly how things have changed in the upcoming
territory, life would be much easier."
	Tierge rose gracefully and joined the men gathered around the ancient
map.  She tapped one spot on the river with a slim finger.  "There was a
rocksilde here a good hundred years ago.  The river actually submerges much
sooner now.  And I'm reasonably sure it changed course as well.  These
mountains are honeycombed with caverns so it wouldn't have been too hard to
divert the water."
	"So speaks the mage!" Jaerodyn laughed.
	"No, anyone could do it," she contradicted.  "Put a few boulders in the
right place and redirect it into a side tunnel."
	"Anything of interest between here and there?" Aleric asked.
	"Only if you count forty leagues of night haunts snapping at your
heels," she shrugged indifferently.
	"It's not quite that bad," Ruel amended.  "If they don't see you, you
aren't there as far as they're concerned."
	"I see.  So the only problem is how to keep seven travellers with
horses from being seen."  Aleric raked a hand through his hair, sighing.
	"Oh yes, I almost forgot," Tierge added, "that we'll be moving into the
foothills before long.  The usual breaks and deadfalls will probably impede our
progress a bit."  She smiled mysteriously and kept a serene expression.

	
-- 
Heather Sexauer
Muskingum College
hsexauer@muskingum.edu

	
	"We'll never survive....."

	"Nonsense.  You're only saying that because no one ever has."

						-- Princess Bride