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From: tolsen@leland.Stanford.EDU (Tanya Ann Olsen)
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [Cernborn] {At the Inn} Athorbalo's Recovery
Date: 29 Mar 1995 22:13:59 -0800
Organization: Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
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/* What has gone before (parts #1 - #8) */

Lord Captain Cernborn enters the inn and demands a room with a private
bath.  All rooms are taken, so Littlefair requests of Athorbalo if she
would be willing to switch rooms.  Athorbalo and Cernborn meet and have
dinner.  Cernborn claims to have a skin condition which requires that
he bath, Athorbalo lets him use her bath, he returns and tells of his
adventures tracking down a Lord Marque which Athorbalo volunteers to
help out with.  After Cernborn retires, she meets Gyles Dormani and
Mi'cha Ning'ra who claim to have seen Marque in Generica.  She asks
them to meet with Cernborn in the morning and goes out to investigate
on her own.  The next day, the two others approach Cernborn at
breakfast with their offers of help; Athorbalo is nowhere to be seen.
A while later, she stumbles into the inn, hurt quite badly.  Gyles
carries her to a private room where Cernborn tends to her injuries
after which she is carried to her own room.  Gyles and Mi'cha leave
Cernborn to tend to her. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
                   (#9)  Athorbalo's Recovery

As Gyles and Mi'cha re-entered the commons room, Bob approached,
peering at their faces as if he could determine the status of
Athorbalo from their expressions.  "May I bring you something else?"
he asked instead, deciding to wait for the return of the Lord Captain
to find out.

"Thank you good innkeep, but I think we have enough breakfast.
Perhaps some  hot mint tea to soothe our nerves,"  Gyles replied to
Bob's question.  Bob  nodded and returned to the kitchen while Gyles
and Mi'cha sat back down at  the table.  Both had some what sullen
looks on their faces. 

Gyles looked a Mi'cha and said, "I do not know about you, but I will
not  stop until this Marque has paid for his crimes.  Perhaps in
stopping him, I will find a connection to Jezzail, and thereby a way
home." 

Mi'cha looked at him as she responded, "I am not on any great quest,
but I too would like to see Marque brought to justice.  Besides, it
should make a thrilling chronicle."

Gyles nodded to her as Bob returned with the hot tea and poured two
cups.   Gyles reached into his pouch and withdrew several silver
coins.  He handed  them to Bob, who gave them a look and then promptly
closed them in his hand.   "Thank you once again good innkeep," said
Gyles as he took a sip of the warm, fragrant tea.  Bob stood off to
the side and waited for Cernborn to return.  Gyles and Mi'cha sat in
silence and drank their tea. 


Several minutes later, Cernborn returned to the main room.  In
response to Bob's silent query, Cernborn said, "The Lady Athorbalo
will be fine, though she needs much bed rest.  Thanks to thee for thy
prompt help.  I asked the lass who brought the blankets to stay with
Athorbalo as she sleeps.  Is this acceptable?"  He pulled out a small,
blood red gem and handed it to Bob.  "And will this be sufficient to
hold all of our rooms indefinitely?" He gestured to indicate the
entire group.

Bob took the gem and peered at it with practiced ease.  The gem,
though small, was of exceptional quality.  "This will be more than
enough to cover that.  Oh, and it'll be fine for Mary to stay with
Athorbalo at least through the morning.  If it's necessary, we will
need to make other arrangements around noon-time.  Will you be needing
anything else this morning?"

"Please see to it that some spiced cider is brought to our table."
Cernborn glanced around at the others.  "I believe that shall be
sufficient.  Thank thee again."  With that, he joined Gyles and Mi'cha
at the table they had chosen.

Gyles and Mi'cha looked at Cernborn, waiting for him to clarify the
morning's events.  "Unfortunately, it appears that Marque has already
realized that I have followed him here and determined where I am!  I
am not even sure how he does it.  This Inn, I determined last night,
has powerful wards and protections against non-physical
intrusions. The only way to know that Athorbalo was working for me was
to have overheard the conversation from within this room.  I was
foolish to have spoken so readily, but I did not imagine that he could
have already traced me."  He peered around, scrutinizing the morning
clientele.  Several of the corners were populated, but it was
difficult to tell much about the inhabitants.  Any one of them could
be the one.

He continued, "I am very much afraid that I have already endangered
your lives simply by having spoken with you.  Sir Gyles, I do believe
that I can return thee to thy home.  E'en right now, if 'tis thy wish.
And my Lady Mi'cha, I do not know what I can do for thee, but if 'tis
thy wish to forgo this venture, I will not hold thee back. Anything
that is my power to help thee is at thy disposal.  This is between me
and Marque; I should not have brought more innocents into this fight."

Gyles leaned back in his chair and looked off into the distance.  A
familiar voice spoke to his mind, "Fight the good fight and help this
man Gyles.  In doing this you will also defeat Jezzail and free
Al'Hazzod from his treachery."   A smile crept across Gyles' face.  He
turned to Cernborn and said, "I will not leave until I have aided you
in defeating this man Marque.  In doing this, you will also help me
defeat my foe.  Please, do not turn me aside.  My sword is yours; my
water is yours."   Gyles extended his hand across the table which
Cernborn hesistatingly accepted. "By the light of Urr, we will
succeed!!" exclaimed Gyles as he withdrew his hand.

Even though Mi'cha had not spoken, a dangerous glint in her eyes and
her set lips indicated a grim determination that had also not
waned. Cernborn knew that somehow his goddess had provided true
companions to aid him in this battle.  A new fire kindled in his eyes
as he gained new hope for success which he had all but lost to
frustration during the last few weeks.

"Praise to Mielikki for providing me with such staunch companions."
Cernborn grasped the finely wrought silver tree that hung from his
neck and uttered a silent homage with eyes upturned.

"Now, since it seems I am unable to disuade either of thee from
persuing this task, it is beholden to me to tell you all that I know
of Marque.  However, this place is not good.  If he has possibly
overheard me once, he will do so again; we must find a place more
secure.  When Athorbalo awakes, we can retire to her room and discuss
this matter further."

Changing the subject abruptly, Cernborn asked, "Lady Mi'cha, wouldst
thou be willing to tell Sir Gyles and me something of this land and
city; it would be most helpful to know something of this place in
which we have found ourselves." 

Mi'cha agreed readily, glad to get her mind off the morning's events
even if just temporarily.  As she began describing the area, Gyles and
Cernborn picked at the remains of breakfast and occasionally
interrupted with questions.  No more than a half hour had passed when
the maid returned to the commons room.  She walked quickly over to
Cernborn and whispered in his ear. Cernborn paused, then looked to
Gyles and Mi'cha, "Please, excuse me.  I shall return in a moment, it
seems that Athorbalo needs my attention."  

When Cernborn had left the room, Mi'cha looked at Gyles and smiled, "I
think, perhaps, the Lord Captain doesn't particularly mind giving
attention to the lady."


Cernborn strode up the stairs quickly, nervous of his decision to
remove the scars from Athorbalo's face.  He followed the maid into her
room and saw Athorbalo standing up, supporting herself on a
bedpost. "Would you mind telling me why the maid didn't want me to get
up until you got here? ", Athorbalo asked pointedly. 

Cernborn dismissed the maid and said, "I did not want thee to be
shocked when thou looked into the mirror." 

"Oh?" Athorbalo arched an eyebrow, and then went to the wall on the
opposite side of the room, looking into the mirror there. She  stood
there looking at her reflection for what seemed to be an eternity to
Cernborn. 

Athorbalo ran her fingers over her face where the scars had been.  She
turned to Cernborn, "Did you do this?" 

"Yes, 'twas my doing," Cernborn replied, "I...", he searched for the
words and failed.

A tear ran down her cheek as she looked at Cernborn, "Thank you."  She
stammered, "I don't understand why, but thank you." 

Cernborn smiled and reached up to stroke her cheek, "I can not stand
to see others in pain, thou deservest everything I can give, and more.
I should not be allowing thee to risk thy life for my cause. I do not
know how I will ever be able to repay thee adequately for thy aid. "
Cernborn paused, "I should return downstairs, the others are waiting.
If thou feelest able, may we join thee here to discuss what has
happened?"

Athorbalo looked at Cernborn, a different light in her eyes, "I  would
prefer to go downstairs."

"I am sure thou wouldst.  However, someone overheard us last night; I
would rather minimize the chances of being overheard again by not
discussing Marque in public.  Also, thou really shouldst still be in
bed; I can see that thou art already becoming shaky from standing so
long." He looked pointedly at her knuckles, which were white from
clutching the bedpost.

He gently grabbed her arm and made an issue of supporting her as he
helped her back to the bed.  "I know what thou willst say, please
humor me this once; I will be back shortly with the others."  Cernborn
turned to leave the room.  Just before he closed the door, he turned
and said, "And thou hadst better still be in bed when we get back!" He
smiled and winked at her as he quietly closed the door. 


Cernborn re-joined the others and said, "Athorbalo is awake and eager
to discuss what has happened.  But before we go to her room, I would
that you understood that you have no obligation in seeing this
through, there will be no dishonor if you later choose to seek your
own paths.  This attack on Athorbalo shows what they are capable of,
and.."

Athorbalo, who had entered the commons silently and barely a minute
behind Cernborn,  laid a hand on his shoulder, "..*And* we are all
coming with you. " The other two looked at Athorbalo's face, Mi'cha
seemed to make a mental note, and Gyles smiled, appreciative of the
change.

"I thought I told thee to stay in bed," Cernborn stated as if talking
to a small child.

Athorbalo arched an eyebrow and looked at Cernborn, "I'm coming, this
is personal now.  I wanted to make sure that I wasn't being left out
of anything." She took a seat at the table opposite Cernborn, falling
into it rather heavily.

Gyles and Mi'cha had been sitting quietly when she arrived, and Gyles
found himself unable to stay silent. "Milady Athorbalo, you are
obviously able to take care of yourself, but you are still weak, I
mean no disrespect, but I would agree with Cernborn, you should rest."

Athorbalo glared at Gyles and began to say something when she was
interrupted by Mi'cha who spoke, "Lord Captain, I am coming with you,
and I think that if Athorbalo wishes to go, she is entitled to it more
than either myself or Gyles.  It was she who first spoke with us, and
she who risked her life in order to find out more about this Marque." 

Athorbalo looked at Cernborn and Gyles, ready to defend her position,
when to her surprise Cernborn nodded, "Yes, you are right.  I will not
mention this matter again.  But Athorbalo, thou must try not to
overstrain thyself until thou art fully recovered." Athorbalo nodded
and smiled.

"Now," Cernborn continued, "shall we retire up to the Lady's room so
that she may get rest more comfortably as we discuss this matter
further?"

He got up, helped Athorbalo up and took her arm as he guided her
gently back to the stairs.  Gyles, not to be outdone, grabbed her
other arm and the two of them all but carried Athorbalo back to her
bed.  Mi'cha followed, somewhat amused by the two warriors' actions. 
--------------------------
Lord Captain Cernborn		tolsen@leland.stanford.edu
Athorbalo			hilanse@wkuvx1.wku.edu
Gyles Dormani			virtuesr@gps1.laafb.af.mil
Mi'cha Ning'ra			jmc@ataxia.confusion.net