Reunion

[Capher]

Capher was being led by Ta'las almost like a child to another room.  His powers were drained, but as if in a dream, he heard Talia's voice call his name.  Then she said something to Ta'las and fell into a deep sleep.  There were others who walked behind Ta'las and he and somewhere deep within himself he felt...something.  Something familiar, but his weakened condition did not allow him to find it.  He was placed upon a cot and he looked around at the faces; the only one he knew was Ta'las's.  As he looked at each person, mostly elves, he again felt that familiar pull.  It was the pull of the Heart!  He is so tired, exhaustion overcomes him, and before he falls into the deep dark abyss of sleep he whispers, "I can feel the Heart."  

Capher.

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las supports Capher with his left side and nods to Garrek.  "Thank you, my friend will need to rest now."  He furrows his brow, however, when Muriel stands and asks to join them.  A quick glance at Terra's healer tells him that Muriel does not recognize this elf.

"Thanks to both of you.  I must insist that we find a place close by, however.  My friend is nearly asleep, and we do not wish to be separated from the others.  We will be returning in the morning at any rate."  The Shendar adjusts his weapon with his free hand.

He looks back into the room where Lieofin is watching over Terra and Talia.  "Lieofin, we will return tomorrow morning, once Capher has regained his strength."

Then he looks back at Garrek and Muriel.  "I am ready.  Please lead on."

Ta'las

Edited by: Talas Anthavin at: 9/28/05 1:05

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Muriel:

"There is a room next to this one!" Muriel answers, and he leads the two tired men into the next room, where several beds are ready to be taken.

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

[Garrek Driel]

Garrek stops cold, immediately before he can lead them away. Here, in the place of the healers? Ridiculous. Granted, the only reason he thinks this is because he knows that eventually, someone will recognize him, and when they do, he will lose favor with them. Turning to Muriel, he smiles his deceptive, friendly smile, and offers, "Let me, then, fetch us all a little food, although I do believe our friends would rather rest this moment."

Of course I have nothing against you personally, but I'm afraid I've told you more than is safe...

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las leads Capher over to a cot and helps him lay down.  Then, after placing a blanket over his friend, Ta'las rises to face the two elves.  He overhears the elf offer to bring some food.

"That would be greatly appreciated," Ta'las says to the elf.  "I hope I did not sound too ungrateful in refusing your offer of a place to rest, but it is best for all of us if we remain together."

The Shendar holds out a hand in greeting to Garrek.  "I am Ta'las, son of An'thavin of the Shen'Khasi, and it is a pleasure to meet you.  Your offer was gracious."  He then looks to Muriel.  "All of you have been most gracious," Ta'las adds with a warm, but tired smile.

Ta'las yawns and mumbles an apology.  He then lays down on a cot next to Capher and, sword close at hand, falls into a light sleep.

Ta'las

[Garrek Driel]

"And I Garrek," he manages, before simply falling silent and waiting for the man to get to sleep. Complete sleep will not matter; if he is only partially asleep, yet ready, it can not hinder whatever Garrek plans next because, quite simply, Garrek has no hostile plans for them - not immediately, anyway. He nods to Muriel as he nears the door, saying only, with an amused smile, "I'll be back shortly. I swear, I've never accompanied a more interesting group. And in less than an hour, already he considers me a member of his party!"

Garrek steps out, wanders a good distance away, and breathes deeply. For some reason, his bright colors have not attracted excessive attention, and this is good. Still, he must be cautious. His first stop is an imposing little structure, housing the Jhehellrhim elf he has hired. Additional instructions are on the way. "They won't be moving soon. I must keep them close to study them. With each passing hour, they grow more interesting."

The elf laughs silently as Garrek leaves. Already he can smell blood, and it excites him. Garrek shakes his head as another structure, in a completely different part of the elven city-complex comes into view. These people are much easier to deal with, more predictable. The Jhehellrhim may excite easily at blood, but these elves will bend backwards for coin. Figuratively, of course.

Once inside, Garrek summons the store-keeper from his slumber, and makes his demands for Kao-Kao, and two firkins of cream. Stumbling about, the half-elven shopkeeper finds the goods and places them on the counter, naming his price. With an evil grin, Garrek pays him. The surprise will come when he counts his coin, and soon he will be falling into the pit Garrek has just initiated for him, the endless pit of succumbing to this side of the lawful trade.

With his ill-gotten goods, Garrek moves quickly back to the place of healers, stopping just outside of the room where he left the group, checking to see if anyone is still awake. Softly, he queries, "Hello?"

Of course I have nothing against you personally, but I'm afraid I've told you more than is safe...

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Muriel

Muriel goes back to Lieofin, inquiring him about the strange elf. But Lieofin doesn't know anything either, but asks him instead, to keep an eye on him. Aer'ylferian isn't a city this big - normally everybody knews everybody, so a stranger can't hide here.

When Muriel slips out of the room, he sees, that this "Garrek " is back, standing just outside with a mug of cream and kao-kao, asking for the permission to enter with a soft "Hello"

"Oh, you brought some refreshments for our guests? They might be asleep, however. what about coming back tomorow morning? Then even Talia might have rested long enough to wake up."

And with a friendly smile he leaves him, not looking back, if he enters the room or not. But he will

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

Edited by: Talia Sturmwind  at: 9/29/05 16:02

[Garrek Driel]

He nods, of course, tonight would never have done, but his plan is to arouse them with it, and so he enters, and stores it. Having done so, he simply sits, leaning against something, and eventually slips off into unconsciousness.

Of course I have nothing against you personally, but I'm afraid I've told you more than is safe...

[Talas Anthavin]

Ta'las looks out across a still lake and smiles softly.  Above him, the desert sky is clear, filled with Injera's brilliance, and the blades of ar'pun lining the lake rustle in a gentle breeze.  The fall air still feels warm on his face, though the wind portents of winter to come.

"You have made progress, young one."

The Shendar looks over at the elderly priestess standing off to his right.  "Young one?  It has been long since I slew a ráhaz-estár, mother-sister."

The priestess shakes her head and laughs softly.  "I do not speak the passing of time, Ta'las, but rather of the accumulation of wisdom.  You still have much to do."

Ta'las sighs and looks back over the lake.  "Your water mirror is still today, priestess.  Do you have nothing to show me?"

"You know I cannot do that, Ta'las.  I have no influence over your dreams - you have brought me here.  You have created this," she replies, holding her hands out wide.

"You mean this is -"

"Just a dream, Ta'las.  Nothing more."

"So you are not here to lay another task before me?" he asks, feigning disappointment.

"No," the priestess answers back, but this time her voice is much more distant.  "Your path is yours now to make."

When he looks back, his mother-sister is gone.

***********************************************************

Ta'las wakes and quietly rolls out of bed.  Capher lies on the cot next to him, and in one corner of the room the strange elf rests.  His friend is still deep in sleep, and though he does not look ill, Ta'las decides to let him rest.

The Shendar pulls on his boots and straps on his weapon.  Then, shrugging his small pack over his shoulder, Ta'las quietly strides into the room next to his where Talia and Terra are asleep.

Both women are resting quietly, but Ta'las is drawn over to Talia, when her aj'nuvic looks up and calls softly.  "I see you are up before everyone, my friend," he says with a smile.  Out of respect for Talia, the Shendar does not attempt to reach for the beast - yesterday was an exceptional occurrence.  Still, he does sit on the stool next to her bed where he was the previous evening.

"Talia Sturmwind," he says firmly, again reverting to his Shendar dialect.  Then he smirks.  "Will you force me to tell more children's tales, or will you wake on your own?"

Ta'las

[Garrek Driel]

With the slightest of sound, Garrek stirs. How long has he been asleep? Silently, he curses himself for having inadvertently passed out and opened himself wide to assassination. Wiping the scowl off his face, he returns to the goods he purchased the previous night, and stepping carefully around in the place of healers, quickly finds somewhere to begin its preparation. Within minutes, the scent of heating Kao-Kao is permeating the air.

Of course I have nothing against you personally, but I'm afraid I've told you more than is safe...

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

Talia‘s sleep is deep, and her dreams are pleasant.

She is back in the desert, enjoying the still cool water of the biggest of the lakes of the Seven Jewels. Soon Injèrá will set down, then the fires will be lit, the meals prepared and after that - old myths and stories told, for today they have a famous visitor, Aileen, a  Baveras‘ Aid and great story teller . The time goes by and Ailleen is starting to narrate...


“Though Etherus had no desire to side with Foiros or to help him in any way, for he was much too self-serving, he could not stand to see Baveras's joy. With malice in his heart, Etherus went to look upon these mountains. An evil grin spread across his beautiful face, as he stepped on the mountain range with his right foot, and left a large depression just south of the mountains with his left.”

“Dismayed, Baveras looked upon the broken mountain tops and the large valley that had formed south of the Nirmenith Mountains, as Etherus strode away laughing.”

Something is wrong, but Talia in her dream doesn‘t know first.. then, Aileen's voice is wrong!

Talia knows now that she is dreaming, and tries to get out of this strange dream. Then, suddenly, the same voice as in her dream asks her:

“Talia Sturmwind. Will you force me to tell more children's tales, or will you wake on your own?"

Talia has her eyes still closed, only slowly surfacing reality again. She needs some time to recollect her thoughts. Then the meaning of the words she just heard come again to her mind, she recognises the voice and she says, eyes still closed, but with a smile on her lips.

„Yes, please!“

But then she opens her eyes and looks at the Shendar who had helped so much to bring her back. She smiles at him, though her faces hurts slightly with the new skin which grew so far on an unmoved face and puts her hand on his knee.

„Thank you so much, Shendar brother, for telling me the stories I loved to hear so much when sitting around our fires. You helped so much to bring me back. I will never forget how your voice is sounding. But I don‘t know you. You are not from the Seven Jewels, aren‘t you?“

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

Edited by: Talia Sturmwind  at: 10/4/05 12:40

[Terra Artemos]

Terra is aroused from her slumber by the sound of voices in the room, one is Talia’s familiar voice, the other she can only distantly recall hearing before but would never be able to place who’s it was or where she had hear it. As she opened her eyes it takes her a few more moments that usual to gain her bearings, the last time she saw the room it pitched and distorted by her pain, but once she has her bearings Terra sits up. Terra feels stiff and knows she has likely been sleeping for some time so she does not rush herself in getting up, scanning the room and picking up details that were too distorted before to notice. Feeling ready to try her stiff legs Terra reverently lifts her Moon Blade from where it had been laid beside her, and makes her way to where Talia still lays talking to the shender man Terra could only vaguely remember traveling with, and stops beside him. As Terra looks upon Talia a shadow of a smile briefly crosses her face before she speaks in her cool even tone.

“It is good to see you well again. I am not sure of how aware you were in your condition, but I found Capher while you were being healed here.”

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

[Capher]

It was Capher's ears that first opened to conciousness as he heard muted voices then it was the unmistakable sense of the presence of Thalambath's Heart that opened his eyes.  He stared up at a low wooden ceiling and it took just a little time to recall where he was.  He had been so focused upon Talia, that he had not even noticed where they had taken him, but he remembered now, and the presence of the Heart was very strong.

He half-sat up and looked where the presence was coming from and noticed an elf, no a half elf, wearing silver robes with a maroon tipped cape.  The elf's face had, from the profile, a hawkish appearance to it and he seemed to be listening as well to the voices coming from the other room.  Capher not willing to startle the elf, asked quietly. "The Heart. I assume you have been given the responsibility of protecting it.  Though I do not know your name I am eternally grateful for your assistance.  I have been away...too long, I fear.  By the way my name is Capher.  Shall we join our friends and then you can tell me yours.  I am most anxious to talk with and see them, especially Talia."

Capher.

[Ta'lia of the Seven Jewels]

“ Terra!“

The Shendar didn‘t have time to answer, when Terra stepped beside her bed. Talia stretches out her her hand to Terra.

“ Terra, sit down, my friend. I think I‘m still too weak to get up.  You say, Capher is here? And - is he the old one? You know the circumstances we lost him last time... ..  I saw him, in the place I was, wherever it was, I doubt I want to know it. He visited me, he told me who I am, for I had forgotten who I am, had forgotten that I am a person at all. He called me by my name and gave it back to me - but you ..“ and with this she turns to Ta‘las “ your stories persuaded me, that it was the effort worth to go up this dusty and steep path. Capher told me, who I am, and your voice brought the memories back. But there was another help, a white staff, and in it where carved the pictures of aj‘nuvics and dune mice. !“

Talia smiles and looks up to her aj, which is standing now at her head, nibbling at her growing, but still very short hair.

“ Swing, my dear, you are here as well! And I feel a warm spot on my chest, I think I know, who that is!“

Looking from Ta‘las to Terra, Talia says:

“ I want to know so much, all about you, whose name I still don‘t know, and all from what you encountered, Terra, since we left. What about Hajarian, is he still with you, and where is Koldar?“

She looks inquiring into Terras face, eager to hear something about their friends, especially Koldar, she has to admit to herself.

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path   that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"

[Terra Artemos]

Terra kneels beside Talia's bed, and clasps her extended hand.

“You have been through a lot, rest as you feel you need to. In the mean time I will tell you what I can of what has happened since you left, though my memory since the fight in Chylikis is not very clear.”

Releasing Talia’s hand Terra gathers her memories, and then begins to speak again.

“I vaguely recall fleeing Chylikis with Koldar, Nehtor‘s temple coming under attack in the distance and taking refuge with a hermit in his cottage outside the city in some woods. Koldar was eager to try and catch up with you so we agreed that he should go on ahead, and I would stay and get the rest I needed, I have not seen him since we may yet meet farther north. I am not certain when, but Hajarian caught up with me before I left to catch up with Koldar, and it was Hajarian that guided me into this forest. Then things start to get fuzzy again, I remember catching up with you but you were already badly hurt and unconscious when we reached the clearing. We tried to fight off the demon I think, I remember and elf child, and loosing the heart but little more before waking up in this city.

After I woke I was taken to see the High Circle with your companion Teri, I told them what I could of what is going on. I was drawn back to where you first encountered the demon that hurt you and when I was done Teri, Lieofin an elf mage and member of the High Circle returned there where we found Capher and this man had set up camp. After that we returned, Teri stayed in Geaf-a-ch'ian with and injured man that the others must have encountered while I slept, and we rush back to your side hearing news that you were not doing well.”

Terra turns to Ta’las.

“I am sorry but I do not recall your name.”

'I am grey. All but those like me see only darkness and light, they do not see the grey between them. In this greyness I dwell. I would not wish this fate on any other.'

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