Chapter 1: Whispering Rumors

[Elraralia Horfiwiel]

"After you lady"

Smiling, and presenting a mock curtsey, she callled over her shoulder as she made her way up the line.

"I do love a gentelmen" and continued walking, stopping only for a moment to step out of the way as one of the guards, or whom she assumed to be a gaurd galloped after the remaining bandits.

Making her way to the front, she ran into whom she assumed to be the caravan leader, and after a quick look around, realized that the bandits being chased by the horse were the only ones left.  All the others were dead.

"So what happened here? Did they just come out of nowhere?" she asked turning back to the caravan leader

"Ye..yes...they just apeared, we were surrounded...I don't know much after that, I couldn't see much..thank you though...for saving my caravan" he managed to say, before looking back at the good, some of which had spilled out and broken, and gave a sigh of regret.

"I bet you didn't see much....hard to when your cowering in a wagon" Elraralia muttered to herself, and continued looking for any way she could help.  Just then, the rider came back, looking no worse for wear.   But it was a relief to see that the blood lust, that had shown so brightly in his eyes before, was gone.  Too much experiance had shown her what men could do when they were like that.  

"I figured that you three helped us. From the bottom of my heart...I thank you all." Severine had put out a hand. "My name is Severine."

Putting her hand in his, Elraralia nodded

"I'm Elraralia...or Elra if that's easier.  This is some mess you guys got into, any idea who did it?"

[Phiona Whitefire]

Phiona watched as Tierria stuffed moss and more moss into Ren's wounds.  She had see this type of healing before when she was still with the royal army.  Nothing disturbed Phiona more than the constant reminder of her past... but she stayed by the healer and bound Ren's wounds anyway.

Crestus was grumbling about the delay the ambushed caused, as if it were their fault.  She ignored him.  She was washing her hands from a canteen when Severine returned.

"Severine..." Ren said weakly, coughing up blood.

"Hey..." said Severine in a soft voice. He took a damp cloth from Tierria, and put it on Ren's forehead. "Looks like you've had a fight soldier. Tierria...he's going to be alright, right?"

Phiona's face darkened at the word "soldier".  Soldier.  this was no army and she thanked the gods for that.  But all the references were too much for her just the same, and she backed away.  Time to gather up her horse.

"He should recover in due time..." She heard Tierria's faded answer as she walked off.

Phiona strode past the three elves, giving them only a minor glance.  They weren't her concern and also, she'd just spotted her mount over by the tree line.  As she led the golden mare back to the caravan, she realized her tunic was covered in blood.   Oh that's just great!  GREAT!  Now I only have one left.   This threw her into an even darker mood.  

Moving around the back of the last wagon, she surveyed the scene on the other side.  The remaining guards, those who weren't severely wounded at least, and the wagon drivers were lining up the bodies of the attackers along the side of the road.  Phiona noticed that they were stripping the bodies of anything valuable, tool.  She'd seen this before, as well.  Spoils of war.  She glowered at them, not that they noticed.  Thankfully they left them clothed, since they were mostly bloodsoaked.

When the caravan finally did continue its trek, Phiona took up her place at the rear guard.  She kept closer to the last wagon this time, however.

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

[Ripp Dide]

Ripp quickly followed Elra.  Up the road, taking in the scene he remembered that not all fights were fun and games.  With that he felt a ache in his right arm.  Glancing quickly at it he saw a the robe was torn and a narrow but deep gash,

"Agh, Silffin-be-damned."

Tearing a bit more of his robe off he tied a quick tourniquet above the wound.  Getting up to where Elraralia was standing he heard a Shendar (if memory served him from times in the Rahaz-Dath) praise his and the other two elves of they're aid.

"Don't mention a thing, its always a pleasure to be of aid." he then saw the caravan leader, "Crestus!  Good to see you!  I take it you'll still be needing my services?"

"I am prepared to meet my maker, but, is my maker prepared to meet me?"

[Aiyana Xanthe]

Aiyana slowly climbed out of the woods, blood seeping from a gash in her leg and two cuts on her arm.  She walked upright however, showing no sign of her injuries.  She shouldered her bow and sheathed her scimitar.

She saw Ripp and Elraralia approach one of the men but could not make out what they were saying.  Her mind was cleared by the battle, and each blade of grass stood out as she loped over to the group, who, by the looks of it, were in the greeting process.

She smiled slightly at them.

"I am Aiyana Xanthe.  Excuse me if I am slightly unsociable, but I need to attend to these," she said softly, gesturing to her injuries.  She promptly sat down on the worn dirt and withdrew a small hide from her pack which she applied to the leg wound.

The arm continued to bleed, red liquid splashing on the road.

Aiyana Xanthe-Female Elven Ranger

[Elraralia Horfiwiel]

Seeing the wounds on Aiyana's arms and legs, Elraralia hissed in Sympathy.  Seeing that the liquid, something she couldn't really recognize as anything she had ever seen, didn't exactly work,  she sat down on the road beside her, and removed a pouch from the belt at her waist.

Fishing  two different leaves from it, she handed them to her, saying as she did so.

"Here, put these on that gash on your leg, it should help slow the bleeding, and clean it a little...it might sting a little though, wrap them in this.." and grabbing a small roll of linen, she wripped off a piece, and handed her some.

Edited by: Elraralia Horfiwiel at: 8/23/03 4:37

[SeverineHalo]

Severine greeted himself to Elra and the other two elves, and then waited around for a bit until everyone got eveything settled. Crestus stated to talk to Ripp for a bit, and the caravan drivers were making sure everything was in order. From the corner of is eye, he saw Phiona moing away from the others. He wanted to say something to her...something about what happened earlier...but  he didn't know what to say.

Oh well, Severine thought to himself, and went ver to Tierria, who was helpin up Ren.

"Let me help you," said Sevrin in his most soft voice. He carried Ren over to the neaest wagon, where he placed him inside.

After Crestus talked with Ripp, he turned to the group. "It's best if we get going" he said. "We should make it to the village by midnight. We'll be safer there." He turned to Elraralia and Aiyana. "You two arewelome to come if you want to."

 

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Tierria Selig]

Tierria sat in the back of the wagon she was in, holding Ren's head on her lap. She felt so bad for the young warrior, he risked his life to save the merchandise of a lousey scumbag like Crestus. All Tierria cared about right now was making sure that Ren got well, and getting this mission over with. As for Alchemy...she was unsure if her animal companion would return or not.

Don't worry Tierria, she told herself. Alchemy will know to return. She couldn't have traveled far.

Applying the damp cloth once again to his head, Tierria sighed. "Ren...you'll be okay...just hang in there..."

"Tierria" said Ren, whose voice was hardly audible. "Thank you...for everything..." the redhead managed to crack a smile. "You'll a real jewel...that you are..." Ren reached up and touched the woman's face, who held his hand on her cheek affectinately. "Wished things were different between us though..."

Tierria blushed for a moment, unable to say anything. If Tierria didn't concetrate all her love on Severine, she wouldn't have no proiblem being this young man's companion. Even though they just met, he managed to charm his way into he heart...something that very few men could do.

"We'll see..." she said, kissing him on the cheek. "We'll see. Right now, get some rest, and stop coming up with things to make my face red..."

The two of them laughed, and Tierria was beside Ren's side until the young man fell asleep.

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[Phiona Whitefire]

Ahead of her, the remnants of the guard climbed aboard the wagons or their horses and with a distant shout the caravan began to crawl forward like a great beast, leaving distruction in it's wake.  

Being the rear-guard, Phiona was the last to pass by the lined up bodies, left by the side of the road for their families to claim, the last of which stared sightless up at the sky.  Phiona halted her mount.  Sliding out of the saddle, she regarded the fallen man.  His eyes were the same color as the blue, summer sky.  With a sigh, Phiona brushed her hand across his lids, closing them forever.  She stood again and looked after the lumbering caravan, wondering why these people chose to attack the well-guarded conveyance.  She supposed she would never know.  With a shrug, she turned and jumped into her saddle.

She rode after the caravan, never looking back.

~~~~

From the bushes, a young man watched through tear-filled eyes as the woman knelt by his dead father.  His burning anger was tempered only slightly by her act of kindness, but still he was furious!  The raid on the caravan wasn't supposed to turn out this way... no, not at all.  

Now he'd have to return and tell the rest that the raid had failed...    

"Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather fear that it shall never have a beginning."    -John Henry Cardinal Newman (1801 - 1890)

[SeverineHalo]

Severine was twirling one of his knives in his hand, thinking to himself. He was wondering why those bandits attacked the caravan...what was their purpose? These thoughts began puzzling Severine's mind, as he got lost in thought. To him, they didn't seem like actual bandit raiders. Maybe they figured they were the ones taking supplies to the village.

Severine knew they had to be careful. And even with the attack...the young Shendar still didn't trust Crestus...

Turning back to Phiona, Severine sighed. He wanted to talk to her...about what happened..but decided against it. It would ease the tensionn a bit.

Just then, a sound of a horse broke his train of thought. Up ahead, he saw Alchemy galloping towards the group.

"Tierria!" he shouted. "There's something you need to see!"

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

[Tierria Selig]

Tierria heard Severine's call, and looked out of the caravan. There, peds away, she saw Alchemy galloping towards the caravan. "Alchemy!" she cried, and jumped off the wagon, running towards here horse.

Seeing that there was an arrow sticking out of her companion, she gasped a little. "Poor Alchemy..thank Seyella u came back! I'll heal that wound for you right away!"

Tierria began reaching in her pouch for her bottole of healing salve that was blessed by a priestess of Seyella. After applying the salve upon Alchemy, she climbed on top of her steed.

"Good to have you back...i knew u would never leave me..."

"How do you heal a man's heart when you always end up wounding it?"

[SeverineHalo]

Severine looked at Tierria. mounting Alchemy with a look of relief on her face. He felt good that she was feeling better, and it made things seem hopeful for the moment...but deep inside Severine knew that feeling couldn't last for long. Looking forward, Severine led the caravan that was behind him, along with his new found companions into the darkness before them...

Baveras...what more 'surprises' are in store for us? In store for me...?





END OF CHAPTER 1

"Once again, the lone soldier walks off into the sunset..." -Anonymous

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