This continued for the whole hour they were in the brush. When they neared Belden, the cats turned and vanished into the brush for good.
"That was odd," Nigel said.
"I think they knew that we were too powerful for them. A predator respects a stronger predator," Khoraja said.
"It was almost as if they were our escort," Emma said. "A very dangerous escort that might turn on us. But they just watched us the whole way."
"Yeah. Hopefully, they aren't watching us on someone's behalf," Nigel said. "Hopefully they were just large cats... do those things have a name?"
"Brush Panthers," Khoraja said. "It's not that unusual to see one, or even two, and they usually leave a group alone. Occasionally they attack a single person out in the middle of nowhere, and even more rarely you'll see a pair with cubs. But I'm not sure I've ever heard of a group of three."
Nigel glanced between Emma and Khoraja. He didn't exactly expect to be in a group of three, either. Maybe the small cat had a harem of her own. The female of the species wasn't always smaller, but sexual dimorphism worked that way in most mammals.
"I'm looking forward to a bath," Emma said. "Do you two want to join me?"
"I'll take a bath with you," said Khoraja. "If it's just the two of us. We all smell. If we never visit an orc village again, that's fine with me."
"It's a waste to make them draw water twice," Emma said.
"We're too smelly for one bath to take care of three of us," Khoraja said, "And... no offense, Nightwolf, but you're particularly ripe."
Nigel didn't doubt that it was true. He'd been sweating like crazy during the fight, both from exertion and nervousness. He suspected that Khoraja was trying to avoid being naked with him again rather than being sensible about the amount of bath water needed, but she might be right. If he wanted to take a bath, he could take Emma up on her invitation, and maybe Emma could give him the blowjob she'd been hinting at. But he didn't want to nudge Khoraja aside. "I'll take a bath after you two," he said.
"No, no, you go first," Khoraja said. "As much as I want to be clean, you're really the one who needs it."
"Yep," said Emma.
"Shame there isn't some kind of cleaning magic," Nigel said.
"Oh, it exists," said Emma. "I'll try to learn it, if we ever have some free time for me to do so. Now that I'm married, I should pick up things like that."
"Or you could work on your healing," Khoraja suggested.
"Maybe you could work on fire magic to heat a good bath," Emma said.
"Hmm." Khoraja looked thoughtful. "We'll give that a try."
They got back to the village, still chatting, when Nigel held up his hand. Garrett was standing next to the blacksmith, and he didn't seem to have noticed them. He was intent on his conversation with what looked like a man dressed in a black robe with a brown cape, with a hood pulled over his face. The man was a hunchback, or possibly was carrying a backpack underneath his cape, and while it was hard to tell his form he was definitely short and probably on the slender side.
Khoraja grabbed his hand and led him away. Emma followed. It was probably prudent, although he wanted to investigate. Little good would come of Garrett seeing him with Emma, however.
Khoraja led them into a small bathing hut next to the inn. The well was just outside the hut, shielded from the view of Garrett and his odd companion. There was even a wooden partition in the hut, allowing for two people or groups to bathe simultaneously with privacy in the large, circular wooden tubs.
They didn't bother to ask Abby to fill the tubs for them. With all three of them working at the well, it was possible to fill a bath in a few minutes. Soon they had two baths full. Emma had a bar of soap in her pack, and she broke it in two and handed half to Nigel. Khoraja went to find Abby, Nigel went to one bath, and Emma went to the other.The bathwater was cold, so it wasn't a pleasant experience, but there was soap and he could get himself clean. Abby took their clothes to wash, and Khoraja joined Emma in the bath. Apparently Abby knew magic for drying clothes, because by the time Nigel finished he had a clean and dry set of clothes to change into.
"Are you two going to be much longer?" he called out. The girls had been talking, but he couldn't hear what they were saying, which meant they didn't want him to.
"A bit," said Emma. "Khoraja figured out how to get the bath warm. It's nice!"
"Great," said Nigel, still shivering. Next time, maybe she can take care of mine, too. He couldn't figure out the Elven fire mage. She was a highly useful ally, and didn't flinch in the face of danger. She was a sexual tease. She clearly intended to stay with him. But sometimes he wasn't sure the pretty elf actually liked anyone, including him.
He went to the inn. The common room was mostly empty, as it was after lunch but before dinner time. Even the innkeeper and Abby were elsewhere, probably doing work in the rooms. The only person there was the archer, Bel, who sat at a table by herself without either food or drink. She'd chosen a spot with her back to the wall, and her unstrung bow and a quiver of arrows were leaning against the wall beside her.
"Waiting for someone?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Have a seat."
Nigel pulled out a chair and sat down.
"I heard you went out on an adventure with Gragoth," Bel said. "And that Gragoth didn't come back. Word among the villagers is that he met an 'accident.'"
Nigel's jaw dropped. He knew that Bel was studying him intently, and he felt he needed to say something. "Uh, that's not true!" he said, thinking it sounded a little lame. "He's safe and, um, having a good time." A very good time.
Bel gave him a thin smile. "I believe you. I don't think you're a good enough actor to fake being shocked that well. Just so you know, some of the villagers like the 'accident' theory, and you might not want to disabuse them of it." Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean by 'having a good time?'"
"He's chief of an orc tribe now," said Nigel, sparing Bel the sexual details.
"Ah," said Bel. "Guess we won't be seeing him around much."
"No," Nigel said. "And we're looking for a fourth for our next adventure."
Bel tilted her head, looking at him curiously. "When are you setting out?"
"Tomorrow."
"And what are you doing?"
"We're trying to track down the guy behind the orc attack the other day."
"Hmm. Interesting. I wish you luck."
That sounded like rejection, but Nigel wanted to be clear. "Want to join us?"
Bel shook her head. "I lent a hand because the village was in danger, but I don't have any interest in wars or politics. Unless there's a great reason, I prefer to work alone."
"What are you interested in?" asked Nigel. "You're obviously an adventurer. What motivates you?"
"A few years ago, when I was barely more than a child, demons from the Burning Wastes attacked my village. I don't know why. They killed almost everyone. I hid. I watched as--" She closed her eyes, and then opened them again. "Nevermind what I watched. I'm in Belden because it is near the Burning Wastes, where the demons are. Sometimes people like to hunt demons for profit, and their goals and mine coincide. Otherwise, I can move through the wastes by myself, picking them off at a distance when the opportunity arises."
"You want to kill demons. For revenge."
Bel shrugged. "I suppose you could say it was for revenge. It is more that it keeps the nightmares at bay. When it has been too long between kills, I relive the sacking of my village, and the feeling of helplessness. But I am not helpless anymore. Far from it."
"I am glad they didn't find you."
"The demons? They found me. And for some reason, they let me go. Their mistake. Although perhaps they, like humans, have politics, and the ones that killed my parents delight in me killing other ones. I don't know for sure. They definitely don't all look alike, demons, but I don't know that I would recognize the ones I want to kill most."
"The one we seek -- he has at least one demon he consorts with. A demon who teaches him magic. And we'
re looking for him in the Burning Wastes, so we might run across other demons."
"Really." Bel leaned back. "That's the sort of story someone would tell if they wished to entice me to join them."
"It's true. Or at least, it's our best guess."
"But you might say it if it was true or not," Bel said.
Nigel shrugged.
"I've seen you with the other two," Bel said, "With Emma and the Elven mage."
"Khoraja."
"I didn't know her name. You're collecting quite a little harem there. I'm not interested in joining. I won't share your bed. If I were to join your little band, it would be for one reason only, and that is to kill as many demons as possible."
The thought of adding her to his "harem" was appealing enough, but he had his hands full with Khoraja. He didn't know if the elf would ever stop teasing. "I'm not looking to add to any harem," Nigel said.
"I'm not a one-night fling, either."
"I'm not looking for that."
"And if we encounter demons on the way to doing what you want to do, we stop and slaughter them all." Bel's voice took on an extra intensity.
Fighting demons sounded like dangerous business, and he'd had enough of randomly killing things. But weren't demons pretty much by definition evil? It was possible he'd find a fourth with less baggage, but adventurers weren't likely to join unless he promised them treasure. Deluca might have plenty of loot, but he might not. "Deal."
Bel reached out her hand. "Shake on it, and we'll go at dawn."
"At dawn," Nigel agreed, shaking Bel's hand.
"You're about to have company. I'll leave you to them." Bel let go of his hand, grabbed her bow and quiver, and slipped quickly to the side. She moved with feline grace, and without breaking into a run she was out the front door before Emma and Khoraja even had a chance to sit down.
"Lonely without us?" asked Khoraja. "Trying to find someone to bed for the evening?"
"No," said Nigel, not interested Khoraja's teasing. "I'm bedding Emma. You might want to get your own room."
Khoraja laughed. It was a melodic, lilting laugh, and Nigel's irritation vanished. He wouldn't mind hearing more of that laugh. "Enjoy your wife, Nightwolf."
"I will." Nigel noticed that Emma looked pleased.
"Did Bel share any news?" asked Emma.
"Only that some villagers think we must have murdered Gragoth, since he didn't come back with us. Popular opinion says it would be good if we did. Orcs aren't popular these days."
"Orcs have never been popular," observed Emma.
"There are reasons for that," said Khoraja.
"There have been no orc attacks since I've lived here," said Emma. "And Gragoth was a good guy."
Nigel didn't debate that, although he wasn't sure what he thought. "Why did you ask if Bel had news?"
"Because she often knows things before other people do," Emma said. "And has information on where to find treasure in the wastes, or whatever. I still think she'd make a good addition to our group."
"Done," said Nigel, grinning.
"You move fast," said Khoraja. "I guess human women just can't resist your charms."
"No reason we should," said Emma, smiling. "He's attractive, he has a big cock and--"
"I don't need to hear it," Khoraja said.
"Anyway," Nigel said, "It has nothing to do with the size of my penis. She hates demons."
"That's right, I remember that," said Emma. "Something to do with her parents?"
"Yes. I told her Deluca was working with a demon, and she was in -- providing we kill any demons we encounter."
"Demons are one reason people go into the Burning Wastes. We can sell their parts for good money," Emma said. "Ever since Galician wizards opened the gate that destroyed their kingdom, the place has been full of the fiends. The Galicians used demons to help defend Galicia, and at some point they pushed too far."
"That is one story," said Khoraja. "And the story told to children of the Empire. We elves think another story might be true, although we do not know for sure."
Nigel raised his eyebrow at Khoraja. "You can't just leave it at that without telling the story."
"Galicia was nearly impregnable then, and had little to fear from the Empire. In two wars between the countries in the previous five years, the Empire lost both. Why would Galicia take more risks? I am not saying there was no demonology practiced there. Both sides summoned demons. Anyway, it is whispered by some that Empire mages snuck into Galicia, and cast a mighty ritual that opened the gate and destroyed the Empire's greatest rival. When they returned the Emperor tried to have them all murdered, so that none would hear of what they did. But some escaped to whisper the tale to whoever would listen. Ironically, without Galicia to band against, civil war rocked the Empire. Without the threat of Tuskovy to the east, it might have disintegrated entirely. Instead, the Emperor was left with little power, and only exists as a figurehead to rally around for common defense when the Eastern tribes get restless."
"I have never heard that story," Emma said doubtfully.
Khoraja shrugged. "The victor gets to shape history, but he has little control over truth. We elves live a long time, and it is harder to make us forget."
"I suppose." Emma stood. "I should visit the temple and make sure Alissandra doesn't need anything. I will be back after dinner. And Nightwolf?"
"Yes?" Nigel asked.
"I am very much looking forward to you 'bedding' me." She walked away, and Nigel was sure she exaggerated the sway of her hips for his benefit.
"Tell me, Nightwolf," Khoraja asked, "did you have a wife in Oakland?" Khoraja asked. "I know you said people have only one wife or husband there."
"No."
"A regular bedding partner?"
"Not at the moment." Nigel paused, thinking of how much to tell her. "I had a girlfriend, but we broke up. I was waiting to date until I was emotionally over her."
"That's wise," Khoraja said. "Humans so often rush these things."
"Anyway," Nigel continued. "A few weeks after that, something happened. It's hard to explain what a car accident is, so let's say the equivalent of a tree fell on me. I didn't die, but it knocked me out for a very long time."
"And when you woke up you found yourself here?"
"No. I don't think I ever woke up, exactly. While I was still unconscious -- and I don't know how long I was out -- I heard a voice asking me questions about what I wanted to be. Whether I wanted to be a human or an orc or an elf, and a mage or a priest or a warrior, that sort of thing. And then I was here, in Aldrya. I met you an hour or two later."
Khoraja blinked. "You had a choice? You mean, you could have been an elf, just by saying, 'I want to be an elf?'"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"Most ascendants are humans. I wonder if that's because they choose to be."
"Well, on Oakland, there are only humans. No orcs or elves or dwarves. And I didn't have a lot of time to think about my decision, or weigh the pros and cons. I didn't know what I was getting into. I had to make a choice." He didn't want to explain MMOs to her. "Human was the conservative choice. Stay what I was. I'm assuming most ascendants, if not all, come from Oakland. Although most wouldn't call it that."
"What would they call it?"
"Earth."
"Ah. Yes. Like 'The World.' If there is some other place where humans exist, I suspect they call it 'Ground' or 'Dirt' or something prosaic like that."
Nigel chuckled. "Are you trying to say we aren't a very poetic people?"
"Something like that."
"Hmm. We have good poetry, back on Earth. Oakland."
"Give me an example."
Nigel thought for a moment. He hadn't memorized poetry for a long time, but he thought he could recall a poem from a class he'd taken in college. He recited:
"I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
'My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!'
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away."
Khoraja considered it for a moment. "That's not bad. Some good rhymes, and nice imagery. Who was Ozymandias?"
"A king from long ago, I think." He vaguely recalled that it was a Greek name for a Pharaoh. Ramses?
"I could imagine an ancient king of Galicia had similar aspirations. But the longer you live, the more you realize things don't last forever."
"Yeah." Life had dealt him a lot of changes recently. From the breakup, to the car crash, to finding himself here, married and in something of an open relationship, even if he hadn't taken full advantage. Nothing lasted forever, even what you depended on.
"I meant to tell you--I do not think we are strong enough to face Deluca and demons too. I think we should do the quest instead."
Nigel shook his head. "Maybe you're right, but I want to at least scout. And I don't think Bel would be interested in helping us commit wyrmkin genocide."
"Genocide?" asked Khoraja. "I don't know that word."
"It means to try to wipe out an entire people or race."
"Like killing all the goblins?"
"For instance."
"Can't say the world wouldn't be a better place. But you can't kill all the wyrmkin, unless you kill all the dragons. Dragons scatter eggs when they fly, and the eggs hatch. As far as anyone knows, they don't even have to mate. And dragons live a very long time. Longer than elves. Longer than human kingdoms. Thousands of years. Some may have been here since the beginning of time. I think I understand what you are saying, but they have not asked us to kill all the wyrmkin. Just enough to make it so that the wyrmkin don't end up attacking the nearby humans."
Ascendant of Aldrya Page 14
