From alt.pub.dragons-inn Thu Feb 24 08:25:49 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7060 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!koriel!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!europa.eng.gtefsd.com!news.ans.net!malgudi.oar.net!sun!vax.cns.muskingum.edu!hsexauer From: hsexauer@vax.cns.muskingum.edu (Rapunzel) Subject: [Legacy] Ascending to the heights Message-ID: <1994Feb23.142229.1@vax.cns.muskingum.edu> Lines: 271 Sender: root@sun.cns.muskingum.edu (Operator) Organization: Muskingum College Date: Wed, 23 Feb 1994 19:22:29 GMT So it was that two hours later as the sun was setting the little company split into two with the main body cautiously circling east of the bluff to reach the waterfall from the heights. The remaining two, Kieriah and Ruel, waited a short while to be sure that the others were safely on their way. With the help of Tierge's magic, the tall Lyorn girl had gone under a startling transformation. She now appeared, through illusion, to be no taller than the stocky valeman, and her coppery hair had been changed to a raven black. Most importantly for her, the green eyes were temporarily fixed on one shade and would not vary. The valeman had needed little in the way of physical tampering. His curly dark hair was now shot with grey and his formerly muscular build had shrivelled to give the impression of age. Both were dressed in the colorless, drab rags that most of the inhabitants wore, and they had affected an attitude of utter dejection and hopelessness. In this disguise, they shuffled their way to the town, carrying baskets with a meager supply of greens: their supposed reason for being outside the town's walls. Nervously, they approached the station at the base of the bluff, studying the sentinels as they walked. There were only two that could be seen outside the building, but no telling how many might be within. Huge leathery wings framed their wiry bodies when spread. The muscles along the wing arms betrayed the immense strength these creatures had in flight. Despite the wings, they were also the closest humanoid creatures of the Shekiren seen so far. Roughly the average human height, they walked on two legs that were laced with ropy tendons and wiry muscles. A dirty cloth knotted around the loins was the only scrap of clothing the creatures wore, and just above that a belt was loosely fastened from which hung a brace of long hunting knives and a pair of bolas. The torso was thin leading up to the equally thin but strong arms. The wrists ended in almost normal hands save for the extra finger and the talons that tipped each digit. The head was almost feline in aspect, large pointed ears on either side of the skull and slitted eyes. A mane of coarse hair started at the forehead and ran over the top of the head and down the creature's spine to the middle of the back between the wings. The skin was a muddy brown color shading to the hue of dried blood on the shoulders and outsides of the arms, and extending to cover the entire wings. Not a very pretty specimen, but they were better than some of the other things that were the Shekiren's pets. The two felt themselves under close scrutiny as they slowly approached to ramp up to the town. The two creatures guarding the entry seemed to lounge indolently, idly flexing their wings occasionally, but the narrow yellow eyes remained fixed on the shuffling figures. Ruel cautioned his companion under his breath to let him do the talking once they got there. Kieriah said nothing. When the two had come within a few feet of the entry to the ramp, one of the creatures extended a wing to bar passage. "What are you doing out at this time? You know all villagers have to be in the stockade by sunset," the creature said in a soft voice. Ruel had a hard time controlling his surprise at the sound of the creature's voice. It wasn't raspy or hoarse like the Shekiren's had been, it actually sounded like a velvety human baritone. He quickly recovered, however, before the creature could suspect anything. "I am sorry, my Lord," he apologized in a fawning tone. "But my daughter became lost while we were gathering greens for the table. We lost time in finding each other again." The creature seemed to think about this answer for a minute while Ruel held his breath. It turned its yellow gaze on the girl who held her eyes downcast demurely. It almost seemed to raise one eyebrow (if it had posessed them) as it looked at her. "It is well you found her again. You wouldn't want her roaming the forest with the likes of us around," it remarked at last in an amused tone. Ruel let out his breath silently in a sigh of relief. "She could, of course, stay here anyway," the other creature offered from the other side of the path. It ambled over to the "villagers" and measured Kieriah at a glance. "They are late, after all. And we don't have to let them go." The last words were directed at its companion in a suggestive manner. It reached one clawed hand out to lift a strand of Kieriah's blackened hair. She ducked away quickly, knowing that one touch could blow the entire illusion. "Papa, please don't leave me here!" she pleaded in a terrified voice. She cowered against Ruel and turned widened green eyes that were suddenly tear-filled to stare at the creatures. Ruel had to admit privately, she was very good. Her "father" put one arm around her protectively and tried to reason with the creatures. "If you please, my Lords, she's just a child and meant no harm. I promise we won't ever let this happen again. I take full responsibility for everything." "Very brave, human. In the face of these circumstances taking responsibility could amount to death." Ruel paled a trifle as the final statement was delivered in an ominously quiet tone of voice. He said nothing. Kieriah took their farce the next step toward the town by saying, "Can we go home now, Papa? Please?" Again those bright green eyes were devastating to both Ruel and the creatures. She looked up at them through her lashes and a perfectly innocent expression tinged with just the right amount of fear. The creatures caved in. The first one curled the corner of its mouth in a mockery of a smile. It furled its wings, leaving the path free. With a curt gesture it waved them in. The other creature gave a slight snarl of disgust in the back of its throat, directed not at the two now entering the ramp, but at its companion. As Ruel and Kieriah started up the path they could hear the creatures start arguing behind them. "What did you let them past for? We could have had them both and none to be the wiser!" "You're wrong. The humans from the garrison above had noticed it, otherwise I might have kept them." "Well if you hadn't spent so much time arguing with them, we could have had ourselves a very easy meal. That girl was certainly delectable enough..." Kieriah shuddered as the last of the creatures' conversation faded into the distance. She and her companion hurried up the long ramp to the walls of the town and knocked on the gates, waiting to be acknowledged. They never even saw the guard appear at the top to inspect them, one gate almost immediately opened the fraction necessary to admit them to the town. They slipped inside gratefully. The first obstacle of gaining entry had been accomplished. Just inside the gate, Kieriah and Ruel looked around while the guards closed the gate again. On either side of the gates were a pair of watchtowers with barracks for the local army spread out to the left and right. At present there was only the guards on duty for the night, since it was painfully obvious there had been no need for an army since the Shekiren conquered them. Beyond the outer defenses was a wide strip of land before the actual town began to provide a place of last stand against invaders. Unfortunately for this town, their three defenses of bluff, walls, and river had failed them at some time in the past, letting them fall prey to the Shekiren. The gate closed behind them with a soft thud. Heavy bars were lowered into place and a wheel was spun, dropping rods from the bottom of the gate into the ground. One member of the nightwatch left his fellows to advance upon the arrivals. "You two are lucky to be let in at this hour. We watched you talking to the icari from up here, hoping you made it through okay." The guard was very young, hardly older than sixteen. But he had the air of a veteran which indicated the hardships of his life. "I wasn't sure for a moment myself whether or not we'd be allowed to pass," Ruel replied with a sigh of relief. Now that they were inside the walls, the hardest part was over. They could wait until morning to leave again with the physician, which should be easy enough. Kieriah, too, relaxed enough to talk easily with the guard. "Thank you for opening the gate so quickly. Although I assume you were ready for us, having seen us on our way up." She smiled at the young guard. It looked like that smile had the impact of a ton of bricks on the youth. "I haven't seen you around the town much," he began casually. "Whereabouts do you live?" Kieriah blinked slowly for the benefit of the guard, who was only a few years younger. "Well, now. That's probably because I haven't been around the town much. I've had to care for my sick mother much of the time. My poor father here works very hard so is unable to be with her as he'd like." The guard's attention was drawn to Ruel who, like any father, adopted a stern expression warning the youth away from his daughter. The boy visibly backed off. "Come, my child. I think it's time to return home. Your mother must need us sorely by now." Ruel nodded his thanks to the guards and beckoned to Kieriah. She reached out one slender hand and clasped the guard's lightly. "Thank you again. Perhaps I will see you again some time." She smiled again at him and withdrew her fingers from his. As she turned to follow her "father" she cast a coy glance backward over her shoulder. Ruel didn't see the look she awarded, but he was sure what its effect was. The youth stared after the pair with a huge grin on his features. Together they crossed the field and entered the town proper. As they rounded the first building and were out of sight of the gates, Ruel turned to Kieriah. "Was that actually necessary?" "What?" "You know `what.' Tormenting that poor boy." "I wasn't tormenting him. He enjoyed it." Ruel rolled his eyes. "Kia, you've probably just made him think you're actually going to see him again. That was cruel. You know you aren't." "Who knows? I might. It's always good to have a contact in any town. I'm just setting up my resources." She shrugged indifferently. Kieriah glanced askance at Ruel. "Why, are you jealous?" She gave him another wide-eyed look. Ruel determinedly did not look at her, but her couldn't help but notice the look out of the corner of his eye. "No, certainly not," he retorted, even though what he felt might indeed have been a twinge of jealousy. "But being a male I tend to think that flirting with a man to manipulate him is unfair. And you're doing it now, by the way." She chuckled. "So I am. I'm sorry, but it has gotten to be a habit of mine. One of the many tools I can use in my trade." "Flirting with your customers gets you better deals?" he asked incredulously. Kieriah paused a moment before answering. "Well, I'm not exactly an ordinary trader. I might as well tell you since you'll see it anyway here. I intend to use fellow businessmen to find us an appropriate physician." "What are you saying?" "Actually, I'm a thief. Not every one creeps around at night breaking into homes. Though I can do that too," she added quickly. "I planned on contacting the local thieves to find one of the shadier physicians who won't ask too many questions. Those who tend to sick thieves tend to be a better choice than others." Ruel stared at her. He didn't know why he was surprised, but she had always seemed so... innocent. She had never appeared to be the type to make her living preying off the honest workers like himself. Perhaps that was what made her so successful. Something in his expression gave Kieriah an indication to his thoughts. She touched his arm lightly. "Please don't tell my brothers. I don't think they'd approve very much. But I am still the same person, even if I don't have the same job like everyone else. I do, in fact, have a trading company. But it wouldn't be nearly as successful if I wasn't able to get privileged information from my colleagues or con the clients." "And are you conning Tierge as well?" he asked with a slight note of scorn. She stopped walking and pulled him to a halt beside her. She put her hands on his shoulders and made him look directly at her. "No, I am not conning Tierge. As a matter of fact she knows some of my shady past and does not condemn me for it. Do you?" Kieriah stared at Ruel, searching his face for the answer. He was struggling with the concept. At last he answered her. "I suppose not. But I don't think it's particularly fair to the populace. Having a beautiful girl to wring them dry is bad enough, but if she's a thief to boot they don't have a chance." He grinned at her to say all was forgotten and he had accustomed himself to the new idea. Things were back to normal between them. Kieriah impulsively kissed him quickly. "Glad you approve," she teased. Ruel looked at her with a hint of a smile. "You're doing it again," he scolded. "Sorry." "I don't mind. But don't you think your brothers deserve to know about you?" Kieriah frowned slightly. "Not yet. I think they'd have some trouble with the notion their little sister is dealing with the seamier side of life. You won't believe how protective they were, and still are, of me." She shrugged again, shaking her head. "Come on. We had better find those colleagues of yours and hope they'll help us." "Oh they will. Professional courtesy. It keeps us civilized with each other." -- Heather Sexauer Muskingum College hsexauer@muskingum.edu "We'll never survive....." "Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has." -- Princess Bride