by Jo Fontana
Reyden snorted and then left the lodge with Omaric.
"A simple thank you would be appreciated Reyden," she called.
Reyden did not stop to answer her.
"How did it go?" Glynn pounced when they returned.
"Fine, mister gossip," Reyden bristled.
"I’m not gossiping. I just want to know if the kid’s okay," Glynn growled back.
Reyden made a rude gesture in Glynn’s general direction. Glynn rose, and headed towards Reyden, but Emory placed himself between them.
"Get out of the way walking wall.”
"If you calm down, you’ll find out what you want to know," Emory said, not moving.
"Right now I'm trying to ignore the insult," Glynn snarled but sat back down.
Once Glynn settled down, Omaric told everyone the entire story. He failed to mention the green eyes when Kerric was the one in control. The omission amused Reyden and he decided not to question him.
“That’s really all there is to tell,” Omaric concluded.
“Well I'm glad this has been resolved," Emory said as he sat down.
"Yes kid, it has to be a relief to know what was really going on," Glynn added. “But nature calls, I’ll be back.”
“It is. At least now I know that I’m not crazy.”
"You were never crazy," Reyden answered in a tone that forswore any argument.
"Hello Ladies!" Reyden heard Glynn say, and feminine-sounding giggles that were elicited by the comment.
Reyden rolled his eyes dramatically. "He's at it again!"
“Well Reyden, you did see them right?" Deverick asked.
"They’re not Ryvanna," Reyden whispered quietly.
The others stopped what they were doing and Reyden gasped, realizing his mistake, and then mumbled an excuse about nature calling. Herb Gatherer, who seemed to materialize directly in front of him, stopped him just outside the door. She gestured for him to follow her but did not speak as she led him out of earshot of the lodge. Reyden only followed so he could get away from the others for the moment. Once they were far enough away, she stopped and addressed him.
"You do know you can be honest with everyone in there by now, don't you?"
Reyden sighed. “Maybe I don’t want them to know yet.”
"You don’t want them to know that you are human and you do feel? Reyden, that is not a weakness, it is a strong person who can admit when they care for someone. The weak ones take the easy way out hide it. I know you are strong.”
“She knows how I feel,” Reyden replied sharply.
“It is all right for your friends to know as well,” she gently nudged him. “However, you did do the right thing when you left. You have many great things to do before you settle down with the one who is best for you.”
"You were going to tell me about Rafe," Reyden insisted.
"Will you at least promise to think about what I am saying to you?"
"I'll think about it.”
"Reyden you are a wonderful trial," Herb Gatherer sighed.
“Rafe?”
Since Herb Gatherer had just opened her mouth to speak when he rudely repeated the question, she paused and took a breath.
“The answer to your question is—back to where it all started. Cryptic, yes, but I believe you know what the ancestors mean.”
Reyden swore colorfully. Then he took a deep breath and declared, “I know exactly what they mean.”
“That is what I thought.”
"Thanks. We’ll have to leave in the morning," he said.
“One day when you return, and you will, we will need to have a long talk.”
Reyden gaped after her as she left him standing in the middle of the village. He shook his head and walked back to the lodge to tell his friends they would be leaving at first light.
The next morning, Reyden roused them by banging some pots above their sleeping bodies.
“One of these days, one of us is going to put one of those pots someplace it shouldn’t be,” Emory growled grumpily.
Reyden smirked and walked out of Emory’s reach. “Are you threatening me, Postulate?”
“Yes; and there’s a good chance I’ll follow through with it.”
Yoshi chuckled. He was the only one who looked ready to leave.
“I’ll help,” Deverick announced.
Reyden stuck his tongue out and blew raspberries at Deverick. The others got up, also announcing their plots for revenge. Reyden sat there listening gleefully to the whole thing.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
By the time Reyden left the lodge, everyone else was ready to go. A handful of the village men waited and the oldest of them stepped forward as the group approached.
"Herb Gatherer could not make it to see you off this morning. She sends her apologies," the man said.
"Is everything alright?" Morgan asked, appearing alarmed.
"These past days have taken a lot out of her. She lost her husband and mother, and now she must be strong for her people. It is a lot to ask."
“Then I come in with my problems and she helps anyway," Omaric cried, looking a little ashamed.
"It was a distraction she could use, young elf. Do not worry," the man responded kindly as he placed a hand on Omaric’s shoulder. “She asked me to tell you all..."
Herb Gatherer’s voice interrupted him. "Never mind Hiding Fox,” she said as she came around from behind him. “I am here so I will tell them myself. Thank you my friend, for seeing to the horses."
She then addressed the group. "I have a warning about what you are setting out to do. There is a darkness coming that I have never seen before and I am worried. Caution is important now. You need to watch out for each other."
“We won’t underestimate him again, we’ll all handle Rafe,” Reyden vowed. He wondered if she wasn’t being a bit over protective because of the massacre and the murder of the old elven king.
"Yes, but please be careful," she insisted, sounding close to pleading.
“We will,” Morgan promised her.
"Come and see me again, all of you," she emphasized then looked directly at Reyden. "I still need to speak to some of you."
Reyden would do his best to avoid the strange woman. There was definitely a power to her that was for sure. He decided he would avoid going back to the village if at all possible. Reyden shrugged then mounted his horse. The rest of the men followed suit and waved to Herb Gatherer and the others as they headed out of the village. Morgan looked back as they rode off.
“Herb Gatherer is blessing us,” he told them.
“Good, maybe now we’ll get some of that luck Rafe seems to have,” Reyden said.
"Where are we headed next anyway?" asked Deverick.
"We’re returning to Hollow Harbor…where it all started," Reyden said.
Illithor looked up sharply. "You mean he’s on his way there?"
“Exactly.”
“I hope Amanda has the good sense to leave town," Illithor gasped.
“She doesn’t,” Reyden replied darkly.
“True, she did really like you, the fates know why,” Illithor nudged.
Reyden flashed Illithor an irritated glance.
"So, he's headed back there?" Emory interrupted before another argument could erupt.
“I wonder why he’d do that,” Morgan pondered.
“Maybe he is attempting to expand his influence,” Yoshi stated.
“I did hear rumors of that nature when I was snooping around for that egg of yours, Reyden," Glynn confirmed.
Reyden silently agreed that the town had a lot of potential. Not that he’d admit it aloud.
Emory spoke, eerily voicing Reyden’s thoughts. "Once we sabotage Rafe’s plans, we should set up home base there. It’s time Hollow Harbor had its own jail.”
"With someone to enforce some basic laws?" asked Glynn.
“Rafe could be the jail’s first occupant,” Illithor said.
"I wonder if that’s the darkness Herb Gatherer saw," Omaric mused.<
br />
"I don't know, but I’ve never seen her this worried before," Morgan told them.
He still looked worried and Reyden thought Morgan was being a little too dramatic about everything.
"It couldn't be the fact that she lost her mother and her husband in the same day and now has all that added responsibility?" he hissed.
"Of course it could, or it could be that she’s actually worried about someone else's problems as well as her own!" Morgan answered angrily. "We need to pay attention to her warning."
"We’ll figure out this darkness eventually, maybe it’s Rafe himself," Reyden muttered to himself.
"Maybe," Illithor agreed.
"Then we’ll end it when we end him," Glynn stated—a hard expression on his face.
“We’ll succeed this time," Reyden rasped with impatience before addressing Yoshi. “Tell me again what you know about Rafe.”
“I saw that,” Reyden barked when he noticed Glynn pull a face behind his back, interrupting Yoshi.
Yoshi waited for the bickering to cease before replying. "I have heard that Rafe is extraordinarily sneaky. Even when he’s known to be carrying stolen goods, no one can catch him with it.”
"Are there rumors that mention how he does it?”
"Some say he is using hidden trails and magic workers while others say that he is just a petty thief.”
“If he’s using magic workers, they’re very talented ones,” Illithor insinuated.
“That makes sense,” Glynn agreed.
Reyden glanced over at Emory. “Does that coincide with what you’ve heard?”
“Yes. He is good at spreading misinformation,” Emory replied.
“And is that why you think all the magic focuses are disappearing? Are they being used or are they just trying to eliminate the competition?”
“I’d say they’re trying to eliminate interference from outsiders,” Emory said.
“Then why was I targeted?” Reyden asked.
“He must know something that we don’t,” Emory said.
“You’re already a threat. I’ve collaborated with other magic workers, but I’ve never seen one be able to use a substitute before without losing some power,” Illithor admitted.
“If that’s true, then maybe Rafe will finally get what’s coming to him,” Reyden said grimly.
“This really isn’t going to be easy, is it?” Omaric asked.
"No kid, it's going to be very dangerous," Reyden sneered.
"Then Herb Gatherer was right. We need to be really careful," Omaric stated.
"Right, because we didn't take this seriously before," Reyden snapped sarcastically.
Omaric gave Reyden a hurt look and immediately stopped speaking. The group rode in silence for quite some time. Reyden felt bad for snapping at the kid, but Omaric spoke as if he was reckless. He didn’t want to end up like his mother. Reyden shivered at the thought and then raged inwardly because it made him feel helpless again.
“We should stop in Tolosa for the night and then continue on at dawn,” Deverick suggested, drawing Reyden out of his brooding.
They headed directly to The Muddy Mug where they ate a meal that was passable and at least filling. However, even Deverick displayed a lack of enthusiasm for his meal. Reyden sighed, pushed his food away, dropped his payment for the dinner, and left the restaurant. He got on his horse and rode to the edge of town. He looked for somewhere to wait out the night since the Muddy Mug had no vacancies. However, he did leave a lifeline of clouds in the sky for Omaric to follow. Reyden was not thrilled about the fact there was no real shelter, but since the night was mild, opted to sleep under the stars and thought the others would join him since he was near Omaric’s old hovel.
Reyden was almost asleep when he heard footsteps. He jumped up and grabbed an egg.
"It's only us," Morgan called to him.
"What do you want?" Reyden snapped.
"Fine, stay there!" Omaric yelled as he turned and walked away.
Reyden sighed.
"You'll need to apologize to him you know?" Morgan advised. "He's young so he won't be able to brush off your sarcasm as easily as the rest of us. Save the snide comments for the older guys."
"Omaric," Reyden called.
Omaric stopped walking but did not turn around. “What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m listening,” Omaric answered with his back still turned to Reyden.
"I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. Is that better?"
Omaric let out a big sigh. "I guess. We should just stay at my old home for the night.”
Reyden didn’t fight him about staying in the hovel and the others met up with them shortly after. Emory sighed as he stooped down and immediately sat once he was inside. Reyden set up a trap at the entrance.
“Let’s get some rest so that we can head out at dawn,” Illithor said when they were finished.
"Some of us are already passed out," replied Deverick gesturing to Omaric and Glynn.
Reyden smirked as he closed his eyes as well. Gradually, the only sounds he heard was rhythmic breathing.
The following morning, Reyden snuck out and bought the last of the supplies they would need to finish the journey. The others were still asleep when he returned. He decided to make breakfast so that they could leave that much sooner. Reyden didn’t voice his fear that Rafe may not have the egg when they finally did catch him. He felt to do so would bring about the exact thing he feared.
"Yum, breakfast!" Deverick exclaimed as he sat up.
“Don’t get used to it,” Reyden barked.
"It doesn't take much to make you happy, does it Deverick?" asked Glynn.
Reyden smirked at Glynn’s jab.
"So, I'm not as complicated as the rest of you,” Deverick retorted with a shrug.
"Is it done yet, Reyden?" asked Illithor impatiently.
“Yes, so don’t take all day to finish. I want to get out of here.”
“We should reach the grove tonight,” Deverick told him in between mouthfuls of food.
“Good.”
Reyden was very pleased that they reached the outskirts of Greyhedge Grove by nightfall. Reyden called to Deverick. “Do we stop or do we keep riding?”
“Let’s stop for the night.”
He dismounted and tied Bubbles to a nearby tree.
“I’ll round us up some food,” Emory volunteered and headed into the woods.
Omaric retrieved some broken limbs and sticks for the fire which Illithor promptly lit by aiming the hand that held the crystal out to them. Once the fire was burning well, Illithor assumed his usual position of nose in book. Reyden plopped down behind Illithor and pulled faces at him from time to time. Glynn grinned at that. After a few minutes, Omaric had to stifle his laughter in his hands. Even Yoshi seemed amused.
Not even looking up from his page, Illithor asked, "Are you having fun Reyden?"
“Loads!”
"Well then, feel free to continue making faces. Perhaps Omaric will finally lay that egg he's been desperately trying to hold in.”
Reyden guffawed until his eyes began to tear and his stomach hurt. The others couldn’t help themselves and laughed too. Reyden saw Illithor smile to himself. A short while later, Emory lumbered back from his hunting excursion with some pheasants.
“What’s so funny?” he asked.
“You had to be there,” Glynn responded.
“Next time you hunt,” Emory ordered Glynn who just smiled at him innocently.
"I'll bet Kerric can hunt," Glynn said.
"Yes, I think Kerric should start contributing," Reyden suggested.
"Kerric has contributed," Omaric said. "He's the one that was fighting when the unfriendly plains people were after us.”
"He has to take turns hunting as well," Reyden insisted.
"That’s fine. I never said I wouldn't,” Kerric declared.
There was a moment of silence as the others realized that it wasn’t Omaric’s voice.
/> “Good,” Emory replied after a long pause.
“This is going to be interesting,” Reyden muttered to himself.
However, Kerric had little to say after he assured them he would do his part. Deverick payed no attention to the others and rummaged through his sack looking for bread to go with the meal.
“Trouble snuck out while we were in the plains. I have no idea where he is now.”
Reyden frowned. "I wonder if he got into some trouble back there.”
"I thought he just decided to leave. Don't put ideas like that in my head," Deverick answered looking worried.
“I wouldn’t worry about it. He’ll show up eventually when he wants some free food.”
"He sounds just like Deverick!" Yoshi chuckled.
Deverick scowled as his friends snickered.
"Sorry Deverick. I'm sure Trouble is fine," Emory apologized as soon as he was able to compose himself.
"It's fine as long as you finish cooking dinner," Deverick teased.
“It’s almost done,” Emory assured him.
As they were eating, the friends sat and made plans for how they wanted to improve Hollow Harbor.
"A library of course,” stated Illithor.
“A communication hub,” Reyden suggested.
“A turtle depot,” Deverick said.
“Healers of course,” Morgan added.
“A theater where I can perform,” Omaric said.
“Maybe a town guard,” Yoshi said.
“Don’t forget the jail,” Emory reminded them.
“How could we forget that,” Glynn responded sarcastically.
“Try to stay out of it, will you Glynn?” Emory teased.
Glynn stuck his tongue out at Emory and the rest of them laughed.
"Well I would hate to have to throw you in there, that's all.”
“Good luck with that,” Reyden taunted Glynn.
“Hey!” Glynn exclaimed.
Reyden smirked at Glynn before suddenly becoming serious. “Have you heard anything else about my egg, elf?”
Glynn shook his head. “I haven’t heard anything since Nava Asari. Those in my profession don’t usually pass through the village.”
“He’s disappeared since he paid Gil’s father a visit?”