by J. K. Barber
A great oak stood at the center of the town, with what appeared to be a market at its base. The merchant stalls were made of twigs and their roofs made from feathers. At the top of the tree which was fairly high up, even for a human, was a much larger house. The bark of the large home had strange carvings in it. Two large crystals had been placed on either side of the door. They came to a halt at the base of the tree. Cumo flew up the sixty or so feet to where the big house was nestled and, near as Katya could tell from such a great distance, began talking to a guard at the entrance of the abode.
“How many Nhyme live here?” Katya asked Niko, her curiosity outweighing her fatigue.
“Oh lots. Many, many fingers worth.”
“What lies beyond the forest?” The sorceress asked.
“A barren land full of foul beasts… only the forest is safe, yup yup. Stay here. We’ll be right back,” Niko flew up to the large house after Cumo. Her guards closed in a bit and shooed away the children that had been brave enough to begin edging back towards Katya. Several minutes passed, and Katya stood carefully still, feeling like a giant, out of place, and very much alone despite the guards that buzzed about her in the air. She looked up at the house again and the trees surrounding it. She wished Sasha could see this place and be here with her. Her vision slightly blurred and the trees began to pitch.
Katya’s face paled as a wave of nausea passed over her. She cautiously sat down and put her head between her legs for a minute, taking deep breaths. The guards regarded her with concern again but did not attempt to aid her, standing at attention as they hovered above her. The tinkling of little bells brought her head back up. The guards landed and bowed to what must have been The Elder, who floated to the ground in front of Katya. He wore a robe made of bright green leaves and held a staff with a tiny piece of crystal attached to the top. His leathery skin sagged from his stern, bony face, but his black eyes were as sharp as Niko’s. His white long hair was loose and flowing as it fell just below his shoulders. Niko and Cumo were at his sides. Niko stepped forward, his chest swelling with pride.
“Lady Katya, I present to you Razorik the Elder, fifth Elder, great great grandson to the Eldest Elder. Elder, I present the biggest beast I have ever seen, Katya,” Niko’s heraldic manner faded. “I am not sure where she is from, Elder. You will have to ask her. Or I can ask for you if...”
“Hush Niko and offer our guest some cheese.” The Elder’s face cracked into a smile, his gaze never leaving Katya.
“Yes, Elder,” Niko said and nudged a female in a leaf skirt and top, who was a couple steps behind the Elder. She carried a basket with tiny blocks of cheese in it.
“Thank you,” Katya said as she delicately took a pinch of a few blocks of the cheese. It wasn’t much to eat and as soon as she ate the offering, she realized she was very hungry.
“Yes quite a large creature you are, Lady Katya, but beautiful,” the Elder spoke gently. Katya flushed red. “Beauty is something we cherish here. We welcome you to Blodwood,” he said spreading his arms wide.
“Thank you, Elder. I mean your town and people no harm, I assure you. At this point I guess I am just trying to get home or find out how I came to be here in the first place.” Katya’s eyes fell to her feet in sadness. “Unfortunately, I don’t know where I am, what direction will take me home, or if I am even in the same world, for that matter. I must return though. My mother is dying and my home is under siege.”
“I may have some of the answers you seek, child,” The Elder said. Katya looked up, her hope renewed. The light fell on The Elder’s eyes and, for an instant, she would have sworn they were amber. “Let’s get you cleaned up first and fed shall we? You have been unconscious for a few days. When Niko found you, he did his best to keep you alive, making sure you were moved off the crystals and feeding you as much broth as we could spare. After your wounds are cared for and you have rested more, then we can talk.” The Elder looked at her a moment longer, concern forming upon his brow. “I’ll see about gathering some more substantial food to feed you, at least for a few days, while you regain your strength.”
“You are most kind, sir,” Katya bowed her head to him, suddenly realizing she was still sitting. “And thank you Niko for caring for me.” She looked to the young Nhyme, and Niko’s chest swelled with pride.
“Chyla, please take our guest down to the stream and help her get cleaned up. Niko if you could get to work on a meal for our guest.” The Elder turned his gaze to the young human woman. “Katya, while you are here please make yourself at home and mind where you step.” The old Nhyme winked at her.
The Nhyme woman with the basket curtsied to The Elder, looking shyly out from behind her long blonde locks, “Yes, father.”
She smiled warmly at Katya while handing Cumo the basket of cheese. Niko’s eyes went wide as the cheese passed under his nose. Cumo’s touch lingered on her smooth tan hand until Chyla’s blue eyes turned to him. Lowering his eyes, he took the basket and backed away. Katya thought she detected a blush upon his downcast face.
“Please follow me, Lady Katya,” Chyla said as she took to the air.
Katya stood and replicated the curtsey Chyla had given The Elder. “Will I see you again today, sir?”
“You bet,” The Elder smiled and gave her another quick wink. “I’ll send Cumo to get you tonight. We’ll talk more then.”
“My thanks again for you kindness.” Katya held his gaze for a moment more, hesitating to leave her only source of answers. She had so many questions. Her body’s aching finally pulled her away. Following Chyla, the sorceress walked unsteadily into forest.
Chapter 10
It had taken some convincing, but Jared finally agreed to turn south again towards Binford’s Bluff. At first, he had tried to convince Sasha that there was no way that her sister Katya was in the Bluff. He had spent several days there and had passed only one trade caravan. The caravan drivers had little news about the recent attack in Snowhaven that he had not already heard, nor did they have a young girl with them matching Sasha’s sister’s description, that he could tell. Jared hadn’t known to ask about Katya at the time, however, he was certain that, with the questions he had asked about the border town, the tradesmen would have mentioned if they had had a native of Snowhaven with them.
Sasha had told the story of her sibling’s disappearance, including the description of the dagger she had seen at the young sorceress’ throat. Though she had only seen the blade for a short time, she seemed convinced that it was a twin to the one that Jared had recovered from the dead scholar’s house. He had shown the old man’s journal to Sasha, but she couldn’t decipher it any more than he could. However, she had agreed to show it to the Administrator of the Sorcerer’s School in her town. Jared was hopeful that this man would be able to translate the journal, but also realized that the return of her sister was foremost in Sasha’s mind. Translation of the journal would have to wait.
Normally, the tracking down of a young girl and returning her to her family would be a fairly easy task. Unfortunately, the manner of her abduction made things a bit more complicated. Working against them was the unknown nature of her kidnapper. According to Sasha the man had disappeared into the shadows. Jared had heard of men so stealthy that they seemed to disappear entirely. He had even seen a traveling magician vanish once in a puff of smoke, but he knew that there was sleight of hand involved. He himself had been accused of fading from view in the deep forest, but the vanishing that Sasha described seemed to be eldritch in nature, a topic that was well outside of Jared’s understanding. He made it a point to avoid sorcerers most of the time. There was something about them that made his hackles rise. If the girl had truly been stolen by sorcerous means, which Jared had no reason to doubt given Sasha’s description of events, then there would be no tracks for him to follow.
On the other hand, a fact working to their advantage was that the red haired sister traveling with him seemed to have an inborn instinct as to where her missing twin was. Neith
er Jared nor Sasha understood what this homing drive was, but the young swordswoman was convinced that the pull on her senses was her sister and was determined to follow where it led.
So, they had packed up the following morning and retraced Jared’s route back to Binford’s Bluff. At first, Sasha had been quiet, uneasy around a stranger after growing up all her life in an isolated town where everyone knew one another. The woodsman who walked beside the great grey mare did not mind. He was used to traveling alone and left to his own thoughts, which normally were his only companions.
He watched the sky, looking for the spring rains. He knew they were probably several weeks off, but it never hurt to keep an eye on such things. From time to time he would wander off the Tradeway to grab some berries or collect a few leaves from a wild mint plant that grew in this part of the kingdom. He would wordlessly offer some to Sasha, eat a couple himself, and then place the rest into one of the many pouches that hung from his belt.
Eventually, the silence wore on Sasha, and she started trying to engage Jared in conversation. The woodsman’s usual response was a noncommittal grunt or a few lowly spoken words, and then the silence would ensue once again. Finally, the young woman stopped trying to draw Jared out and started having a lively, albeit one sided, conversation with Hoarfrost. The woodsman only chuckled to himself and continued on. Sasha eventually gave in to the silence and simply listened to the grasslands that spread out before them, swishing and swaying in a gentle breeze.
When they camped the first night, Jared chose a spot near a large stream that provided fish for the evening meal and water in which to bathe. Normally, he would have waited until the next night in the Bluff, but Sasha’s words about his odor had stuck with him. Now that he had a traveling companion, he probably should be a bit more considerate. When he had finished, Sasha also took the chance to bathe, making sure her traveling companion was far out of sight before she disrobed. She kept her dagger within arm’s reach.
The next day they approached Binford’s Bluff from the northwest and traveled between the cultivated fields of small farmsteads as the sun sailed overhead. Sasha’s mood seemed to lighten as she saw, what to her eyes, were vast stretches of farmland.
“In Snowhaven,” she said, as she pointed at the fields from Hoarfrost’s back, “people only have their own small gardens for fresh vegetables. I have always wondered what the places looked like, that trade their grain with us every fall.”
Jared grunted in response.
“Really?” Sasha said with mock enthusiasm. “That’s fascinating. Don’t you think so Hoarfrost? Please tell me more.”
The woodsman smiled to himself, although he doubted Sasha could see it from her vantage point, high on the large horse’s back.
They arrived at the town in the middle of the next afternoon and proceeded directly to the Dancing Griffon. As they walked in the door, Carl called out from behind the high wooden bar. “Jared! I hadn’t thought to see you again for several months, if at all. What brings you back so soon?” The portly innkeeper looked over Jared’s shoulder to peer at Sasha, who trailed in behind him. She was looking around the common room of the inn, oblivious to Carl’s gaze. A great grin split the proprietor’s ruddy face and a mischievous glint twinkled in his eye. “Never mind then,” Carl tossed his head in the swordswoman’s direction. “You’ll be needing a room again, I suppose?”
Jared looked over his shoulder, following the innkeeper’s gaze to look at Sasha, who suddenly realized that she was the center of their attention. Jared’s head whipped back around to look at Carl. “N-no,” he stammered. “I’ll need.... uh, I mean, we’ll need two rooms.” Jared moved closer to the bar, lowering his voice as he spoke to the man again. “It’s not what you think. I’m helping her find her sister.”
“Right,” the portly barkeep said in return, “…sister. Got it.” Carl winked at the woodsman.
Jared let his shoulders fall in frustration and spoke again, in a normal tone. “Two rooms please.” Jared pulled a handful of silver royals from his pouch and tossed them onto the bar top. “We’ll also need something to eat now, dinner later and two hot baths when you get the chance.”
Carl stood up taller, suddenly very businesslike, as he noticed Sasha’s hard look upon him. She had caught none of the mumbled words between the two men, but she had seen the earlier look that the innkeeper had shot her out of the corner of his pudgy eye.
“Yes, right,” Carl said quickly. “Two rooms, two dinners and two baths.” The innkeeper disappeared into the back room and returned shortly with two keys. He made a point to hand each key separately to Jared and then to Sasha.
“Thank you,” the young woman said curtly as she took the key from the innkeeper’s meaty hand. She looked directly into Carl’s eyes, which were only a little lower than her own, as she placed her own silver coins on the bar. She looked at the pile of royals in front of Jared and pushed half of them back towards the woodsman. “If I need anything else, I’ll let you know.” She slung her pack and saddle bags onto her broad shoulder, bending not the slightest under the weight, and picked up the long bundle from where it leaned against the bar. As she ascended the stairs to the second floor, she called over her shoulder to Jared. “I’ll be back down in a bit to take care of my horse. Please let the stable boy know.”
Carl looked at Jared where he stood at the bar, watching the retreating back of the tall red-headed swordswoman. Jared turned to look at the innkeeper, as a wry grin appeared on Carl’s round face. The woodsman sighed heavily, scooped up his remaining coins and slung his own pack onto one shoulder. “Some cheese and bread will be fine for right now,” Jared said, a tone of exasperation creeping into his voice. The woodsman walked towards the entrance to the inn to speak with the stable boy. “Oh and some ale for me,” he said just before walking out into the darkening afternoon. “I have no idea what she’ll want.”
“Oh by the way,” Carl said before Jared could walk away, “the sheriff asked that if I saw you in town again to please come see him while you were here. Someone’s gone and burnt down that old man’s house you were investigating.”
“I will do so,” Jared responded, concern knitting his brow. “Thanks, Carl.”
After speaking with the constable briefly and taking a quick bath, the woodsman had changed into some clean clothes. He had devoured the cheese and bread that Carl’s daughter Tanya had brought to the room, shortly after he settled in, and was now hungry again for dinner. He could hear people gathering below for the evening meal and was hoping to grab one of the smaller tables in the common room’s corners before they were all taken. Otherwise, they would have to sit at one of the larger tables in the middle of the room and would have no privacy. Jared had been ready for a quarter of an hour already, but had waited quietly outside of Sasha’s door. Maybe she is waiting on me inside, he thought and knocked gently.
“Who’s there?” Sasha’s voice called from beyond the wooden door.
“Jared,” he replied, “Dinner’s being served downstairs. I was wondering if you were ready.”
“Almost, come on in,” she said.
Jared pushed open the door, surprised to find it unbolted. He made a mental note to speak with Sasha about that later. Now that she was out of her small town, she might want to be a bit more careful. He closed the door behind him and slid the bolt. “You may want to...” The words stopped in Jared’s throat and his mouth hung open.
Sasha stood up out of the steaming water and faced the fireplace, her back towards Jared. As she stepped out of the tub, water flowed over her broad shoulders and well-muscled back. Jared stood speechless, stunned to silence. The young woman pulled her long red hair, now golden amber in the light of the small blaze of the fireplace, around in front of her and began to quickly braid it. She looked at him over her shoulder and turned just enough for the light from the fireplace to reveal a blue dragon tattoo inscribed across the right portion of her back. Jared’s eyes widened as the dragon’s outstretched wings seemed to
flap, as a thin curtain of water slid over the smoothly-moving defined muscles of Sasha’s shoulder. Sasha continued to work on her braid, unaware of Jared’s reaction.
“I’m sorry, I must have lost track of time. Hot baths are one of my favorite things in the whole world,” Sasha said. She looked at Jared’s face in the dim light, saw his slack jaw, and quickly reached for her robe that sat on the edge of the bed. “Oh, sorry. I am used to bathing in the barracks with the rest of the men and women of the Fighter School. If you want any privacy,” she added, “you have to go to hot spring, and it’s a mile outside of town.” Sasha cinched up her robe and turned to face Jared, finishing her braid. It was longer than she had worn it when they first met, entwined now for comfort rather than practicality.
Jared stood blinking for several seconds and then quickly spun to face the door. “I’m sorry,” he said thoroughly embarrassed. “I didn’t know that you’d be... um.” Jared coughed. “That is... I mean, I figured you’d be ready for dinner.”
Sasha hastily stepped into a pair of clean, tight-fitting black cloth pants and shrugged into a white linen shirt. She began hunting around for her boots. “I am,” she said, a strange hitch to her voice. “Or I will be once I find my other boot.” Jared heard her uneven steps behind him as she moved about the room. “You can turn around, by the way.”
Jared turned slowly at first, glancing carefully out of the corner of his eye to where Sasha stood with her hands on her hips. Her face looked flushed in the firelight, the scar under her eye a darker red than usual, either from the bath or the sudden color in her cheeks. Jared watched her briefly as she moved about, looking at the long line of her legs in the dim light of the room, and noticing the curve of her silhouette through the thin fabric of her shirt, when she moved in front of the fire.