Subj : DARKWALL]Marika's Prologue 13 To : All From : jcb26@cornell.edu Date : Tue May 02 2000 03:21 pm From: Joseph Betzwieser Subject: DARKWALL]Marika's Prologue 13 [Response due June 1. I trust shaving a day off your response time won't hurt since you're nearly on summer vacation. =^)] Once Marika and Lynx have stamped the document and finished their meal, Rohani shows them to the caravan and introduces them perfunctorily to her three guards, who have already hitched up the van. "This is Tae, whom you'll be answering to," says the merchant, nodding to a heavyset man. Tae mutters a greeting. The other two are Blossom, a dreamy-eyed woman with long braided hair, and Vessen Iros, a lanky young man who greets them effusively. "It's a good thing you have your own horses," Vessen says after Rohani has left to make some final preparations. "Riding in a wagon's pretty uncomfortable." His eyes alight on Lynx's spellsworn's cross, still pinned to his collar. "*That* might come in right handy." He looks uneasy for a moment, then says, "I've heard of foreign bandits and well-do-naughts, lately...." Lynx gives Marika a meaningful look. "I'm sure we can handle anything that happens." Tae says curtly, "Then let's see how good you are at keeping up. You have your horses ready? Meet us out here." [ You mean the wraiths? It would be uncharacteristic for them to bother someone staying out of the way, *unless* they have an interest in that someone. Truthfully, I saw *Tae* dying, not that anyone would care much.] Once their journey begins, the routine becomes appallingly familiar. They see very little of Rohani, and rather too much of Tae, whose silent, brooding presence dampens even Lynx's attempts at conversation. Blossom, too, says little, though every time they set up camp she sings quietly to herself. She does invite Lynx and Marika to play tirachen against her, a slow smile playing at her lips as she suggests playing a game for money; Lynx declines rather hastily, claiming he's no good at the game (highly likely). Over the next couple of stops, Blossom attempts to convince Lynx to play a game. Marika sees what's going on, but Lynx doesn't seem to have a clue. By the second day, he agrees to play. On the third day, he agrees to play for money. And loses. Blossom leans over and whispers something in his ear. Marika catches the words "...payment doesn't have to be..." Lynx looks in shock at Blossom, then gets a sly look on his face. Scratching his chin, he pauses to think for a minute, then pulls Blossom up by the hand and takes her off to a wagon. She smiles at Marika as she gets up, and then follows Lynx to the wagon. Without Lynx to talk to (not that they made much of a conversational pair anyway), Marika is left with the other guards. Having already established that Tae is a silent one, that leaves Vessen. Vessen talks a lot, but there's an uneasy paranoia underlying his words. And even though Lynx spends a good deal of his time with Blossom, on more than one occasion, Marika has to pull Lynx out of trouble when he tangles a wagon's traces or spills his tea or....well, at least he hasn't asked for "love advice" yet. The weather is damp and often rainy as they make their way through the Valley, through canton Tannaj where Marika spent her early years. The rice paddies are just as unappealing as she remembers them. From other traders, travellers, and the local farmers, they hear rumors: An army from the West bringing tribute to Avrezin's warlord; an army led by pale spirits whose wounds don't bleed. Commandant Miris has been found; Commandant Miris is has betrayed Qenar and is serving the Ezinen; Miris died of fever and they've been covering it up. The price of Zellen dyes, strange new crystalware from the desert, Sorevvan porcelain to rival anything fired in Qenar. And all these are but pale whispers above darker thoughts: wraiths. Wraiths have been seen in Bereshen, at the border settlements of Avrezin, in the shifting sands. Even the bandits that might be expected on the less-travelled roads are nowhere to be seen. As they leave Tannaj and enter canton Birechan, they come to a routine checkpoint. Rohani makes an appearance. Somehow she manages to look just as opulent (and overdressed), after their days travelling through the summer rains, as she did when Marika first saw her. "As you're well aware," she is saying to the customs officer when a shadowless presence makes itself known. "Gods," Lynx says in a hoarse voice, staring. "Madam Rohani!" Tae shouts, positioning himself in front of Rohani. The other two guards come running. She turns to begin a rebuke, then pales. "Do something!" she says in a strange, strained voice. Marika has a perfect view of the wraith from her position by one of the wagons. It is a black wolf with black eyes, and the sardonic expression she sees in those eyes tugs at her memory. Where has she seen such eyes before? The wolf leaves no shadow, though; nor is it one of the familiar white ghostwolves that are honored in Qenar. Then the wolf says, in a voice like the wind of a winter night's passing, "You are not what I have come to hunt." A howling gale answers him: the hidden pack, calling to their leader. "Do something--" Rohani says again, in a trembling voice. Lynx is beside Marika, and he says hoarsely to her, "There's no chance. I've been on the Black Wall. There's no chance." "No!" Rohani cries as more black wolves appear, shadows becoming solid. They slowly circle the caravan. The leader remains still. "Do something," she says with greater conviction. "There's a bonus in it once we get to Avrezin--" The wolf's eyes transfix the merchant. "Avrezin. The land beneath the Firebird's wing, the rivers of which poets sing." Its voice is mocking. "Her justice brings the mountains war. To kill, her soldiers travel far--Avrezin." And then the wolf lunges for Rohani. [All of the below happens at once.] Tae, ever the obedient guard, draws his sword to strike at the wraith. Vessen Iros moves to cover his back, though his face is white. Blossom, who is near the lead wagon and had been playing with a dagger before to affect a menacing stance, doesn't move at all. She holds the dagger tightly in both hands, one hand over the hilt, one on the blade. Blood begins to creep slowly down her hand towards her wrist. Lynx starts toward Blossom, perhaps thinking to pull her out of harm's way. One of the wraiths breaks the circle, cutting between Lynx and Blossom, stopping him short. For once, a quick halt doesn't make him fall...but his ankle does look to be at a painful angle. He groans, trying not to. Andrew Toth & YHL, can you tell who wrote what? ;-) -- |Fidonet: jcb26@cornell.edu |Internet: ad&d@conchbbs.com | | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | Conch, Net 106's Public Access Internet Gateway --- # Origin: (1:106/357.99) * Origin: ConchGate (1:106/357.0) .