From alt.pub.dragons-inn Mon Sep 5 10:41:33 1994 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:7628 Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Path: netcom.com!netcomsv!decwrl!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!news-feed-1.peachnet.edu!news.duke.edu!eff!wariat.org!malgudi.oar.net!sun!vax.cns.muskingum.edu!hsexauer From: hsexauer@muskingum.edu (Rapunzel) Subject: [Legacy] *Splash* Message-ID: <1994Sep2.185621.1@muskingum.edu> Lines: 287 Sender: root@sun.cns.muskingum.edu (Operator) Organization: Muskingum College Date: Fri, 2 Sep 1994 22:56:21 GMT Jaerodyn woke with a start when the skiff gave a jolt, bumping against something solid. As any warrior, his hand automatically reached for his weapon, closing around the hilt of his sword. The Lyorn sat up and peered into the darkness trying to assess the situation. His fingers uncurled slowly from the hilt when he realized the craft was no longer moving, but rather bobbing in the gentle waves at the edge of a rocky shelf. Pushing himself to his feet, Jaerodyn cast an eye at Ruel to see why they were stopped and if they had finally arrived. The valeman was at the moment busily involved in anchoring the skiff so it could not drift, so didn't notice Jaerodyn trying to catch his eye. Ruel gave a half grunt of satisfaction as, with a final tug on the line, he tightened the knots that tethered the skiff. To the Lyorn's experienced and critical eye, it wasn't the efficient knot that sailors used when tying up their vessels, but it would service. The valeman could hardly be experienced at seamanship, living in the landlocked Vale most of his life. Jaerodyn had seen his brother instruct the valeman in the guidance of the craft while they navigated the open river, tacitly reaffirming his bond of friendship with the stocky young man. Ruel had proved to be an apt pupil, readily learning to handle the boat, so Aleric had felt comfortable leaving him to pilot it through the tunnels. "Ho, Ruel!" Jaerodyn called in a soft voice, unconsciously responding to the echoing quality of the place by lowering his voice. As the dark head turned his way, the Lyorn nodded at the comparatively spacious grotto they were in. "Where are we now? Is this part of the system below the Shekiren's keep?" "I don't know. Your brother decided this was as good a place as any to break for a much needed shore leave," Ruel replied with a shrug. He stretched his arms over his head, shoulder muscles bunching, and popped the joints there. Jaerodyn couldn't help but wince slightly as he did so, obviously on purpose. "And I don't know about you, but I'll be more than happy to stand on firm ground!" Jaerodyn grinned in response. "I can't agree with you more. Shall we go find out from our illustrious leader what he's got up his sleeve?" He reached out and clasped Ruel's forearm and slapped his shoulder cheerfully. The valeman laughed at the young warrior's words and returned the grasp, letting the Lyorn precede him to the shore. By this time the remaining sleepers had awakened and made their way to the shelf as well, expressing their relief of leaving the skiff if even temporarily. Aleric stood beside Kieriah, his back to the damp cavern wall. For some unexplained reason he seemed more cheerful than he had been in some time. He leaned against the stone with an easy grace and his smile communicated his good humor. "Well my friends, I thought perhaps we could all use some time to rest. We've all had our long turns of watching the progress and no real respite from the strain." Aleric said this impartially, yet he had particularly noticed Tierge bending under the stress of her mage work, plus the long hours of watch with little true sleep. Laurenth he had no worries about with her double duties. He'd known her long enough to tell when she was near her limit, and nothing so far had come close to taxing her reserves of strength. Kieriah was another who concerned him. Of them all, she was the only one who was afraid of close quarters. The prolonged passage was taking its toll on her as well. Aleric preferred to remain in the relative open spaces of the grotto in order to let his sister regain her control and feel less like she was enclosed in stone. Since it was judged any fire was unwise, the possibility of telltale smoke existing, they settled for a cold meal once again. Settling down about the wide shelf, the members of the group sprawled in various attitudes of exhaustion. By far the oldest among the group, even allowing for the long lifespan of elves, Durstrin affected the tone of an old man, "You young folk have no stamina nowadays! Why when I was your age..." he dropped back into his normal tone to the hearty laughter of his companions, "...I had no more energy than any of you. I admit I'm spent." Elcoran laughed lightly. "Oh come on, uncle! You're barely a hundred. Why even grandfather is still pretty spry and he's well over two hundred." Ruel looked puzzled, listening to their exchange. "Pardon me if I seem ignorant, but I've never really had contact with elves before. Exactly how old are you in human terms Durstrin? One hundred sounds incredibly old to me." The elf stared upward as he did some mental calculations. He missed seeing the valeman peering closely at his face and hair, trying to discern any trace of age. Try as he could, Ruel couldn't find a single grey hair or wrinkle on Durstrin. "I'm really only ninety six. Elcoran tends to exaggerate a bit at times. I believe that would make me about thirty two in human terms, or Lyorn for that matter," he chuckled and glanced at Jaerodyn. "I think it's about one year in three when it comes down to it." Jaerodyn was laying on his side, head propped on one hand, facing the elves and valeman listening to their conversation. He protested Durstrin's implication smoothly, "My terms aren't any different than Ruel's. I'm just as human as he is." "No, actually you're not," Durstrin demurred. "What? What do you mean I'm not?" he asked, raising himself on his elbow. He and Ruel exchanged a startled look. Jaerodyn couldn't help but glance down at his reflection in the water self-consciously. Durstrin cocked his head as he gazed at Jaerodyn. He cast a quick look at his nephew who made comparative glances between the valeman and the reclining Jaerodyn. After a hesitant nod of confirmation from the youth, Durstrin answered. "You have a different sort of aura than Ruel here does. Now he's got the same kind of aura that humans I've known elsewhere have. But you, you've always been different. I could never figure out why, but Elcoran here has agreed with me on this. You definitely aren't human, and I would guess that the only thing we could describe you as is Lyorn." "Wait just a minute. I look human, and I know I've got the same structure as a human. I've had my body opened enough times to know that for certain," he assured them. "And there aren't any problems breeding with humans..." "You have children?" Durstrin interrupted with amusement. Jaerodyn flushed and stammered his reply. "Er, no. That is, none that I know of. I'm sure I'd have been told if...I mean..." His color just turned a deeper shade under the mirth of his companions. Ruel took pity on him and filled in with a broad grin, "No problems so far as you've discovered you mean." There was a fresh wave of laughter at Jaerodyn's expense. The poor young man finally gave up any modesty what so ever and began smiling himself. There wasn't much that could daunt Jaerodyn for long. When he finally recovered his composure, Durstrin wiped the moisture from his golden eyes and continued the discussion. "That's not necessarily a determinant. After all, elves can join with humans with no problems as well." The elf didn't even bat an eyelash, but from his calm statement, they all gathered a bit more information about Durstrin as they had about Jaerodyn. Elcoran joined in the discussion trying to clarify things a bit more. "It's true Jaer, that you do look human for all intents and purposes. But you have some peculiarities not normal in a human. Now granted, you could pass with your height. But you have to admit, you do tower over most men, and not only you but your sister as well. That certainly isn't normal for a human woman." "My parents were both tall, so it's not all that surprising." "I've seen other Lyorns before, even if I hadn't known specifically then what they were. They had the same aura as you do, and they had your general form. Height and coloring that is," Durstrin added. "You're also rather narrow-boned for what a human of your height should be. I can see it in your face and limbs. Most humans your height are correspondingly bulky, yet you and Aleric are both very slender and lean muscled." "We're both professional warriors, and it's our business to be in top condition," came the response. "Then explain why your eyes change color when you're struck with some strong mood," Durstrin challenged. "You wouldn't see it naturally in yourself, but I've noticed it in Kieriah and Aleric, too. As a matter of fact, your eyes are an icy blue now." Jaerodyn furrowed his brow as he tried to think of a reason for this peculiarity, failing miserably. Elcoran leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, folded under him. "You can't explain that away because it just doesn't have a believable explanation in a human. It's because you aren't human, you're something else. Lyorn to be precise." On a slightly different line, Ruel wondered, "What is it that you see that the rest of us can't? I don't see anything that would distinguish him from human except the obvious things mentioned." "It's nothing special for us. Elves are somewhat closer to the natural world and the wild magic than some other races. We sometimes see or hear things you can't simply because we're more in tune with them. I have no special magic personally," Durstrin explained, "but I can see lines of force, or magic, sometimes if I choose like when Tierge works her spells. I can also see the spiritual aura that everyone has like a kind of light that surrounds them. There are distinctions among various auras, but it's not something I can easily explain to one who can't see them." He looked at Elcoran to see if he could help him explain, but the elven lad shrugged and shook his head. The valeman only snorted. "Seems to me I've heard that particular phrase quite a bit since I joined Aleric. Nothing you folk ever do can be explained except by experiencing it." He rolled his eyes and gave a half grin to take the sting from his words. As Jaerodyn made ready with a quip, he was interrupted by the sound of a loud splash. Heads jerked around, seeking the source. Their eyes fell on a strange scene frozen at the very edge of the shelf. Laurenth stood half a step from the water lapping the stones at her feet trying very hard to look apologetic instead of laughing. Below her, treading water and shaking his hair to clear it, was Aleric. The Lyorn looked none too happy as he reached the shelf, propping himself on it by his folded arms while the rest of him remained submerged. "I'm sorry Aleric, truly I am!" Laurenth managed to say around her giggles. She leaned down and held out her arm to him. "Let me give you a hand out at least." Aleric only eyed her hand without making the slightest move to take it. He scissored his legs idly, gazing up at the mage. "You should be glad I'm not a vindictive sort, or you'd find yourself dragged in here to join me." "You wouldn't really do that. I hope." "Try me." Declining her offer of assistance, Aleric heaved himself onto the margin. Water sluiced off his body and sodden clothes to form a puddle that slowly drained back into the river. He shook his head again, sending up a spray that doused Laurenth with droplets of water evoking a strenuous protest. Removing his vest and shirt, he wrung them both out until they bore some semblance to wearable clothing. "Let me at least dry those for you," Laurenth offered. She picked up his boots as he kicked them off, and poured out the water still inside. "No thanks, I'll just change and let nature take care of drying these," he replied with resignation. Aleric did pause a moment to rethink at least part of his decision. "On second thought, dry the vest and boots. I really hate the smell of drying leathers." Aleric turned away to return to the skiff and found the rest of his party watching the exchange. His step faltered momentarily before he pulled his last shreds of dignity around him and walked calmly past the others' amused stares. Rummaging through the packs to find his dry clothes, Aleric tried to ignore the stifled bursts of hilarity and comments in both his direction and Laurenth's. Soundlessly, he exchanged his wet pants for a pair of dark blue ones, pulling on his favorite green shirt. He tucked the shirt in while glaring up from under lowered brow at Laurenth. Finally dressed again and dry, he complained peevishly, "Haven't you learned by now Laurenth that you _don't_ sneak up behind a trained warrior much less actually tap him on the sword arm when he's not expecting you?" "It's not my fault your first reaction was to spin away and reach for your sword. You knew you were leaning out over the water at the time." "I was investigating that damned inscription on the wall! But that's not the point..." "No, the point is you lost your balance and fell in, granted with a little unexpected help," the mage admitted, hiding a smile. She handed Aleric his now-dry boots and vest, carefully staying away from the waterline. Aleric smiled a little sheepishly. "True. Maybe I was leaning out a bit too far." "I did tap a little hard trying to get your attention, enough that it could probably have been considered a small push," Laurenth allowed. She smirked in a self satisfied way. "But you have to admit, it was kind of funny..." The Lyorn grimaced and rolled his eyes heavenward. "So does this mean we're about equal now that you got me back for whatever it was I did to you first? I'm starting to lose track of the score." She laughed and gave him a quick wink. "I think that made up for just about everything. Besides, the tension was starting to get a little thick around here. A touch of humor here and there never hurts." Laurenth dodged swiftly as Aleric made to pick her up and toss her in the water. With a final indignant sniff, the Lyorn turned his back and dropped down to sit between his brother and the valeman. -- Heather Sexauer Muskingum College hsexauer@muskingum.edu Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats. -- H.L. Mencken