by D. R. Rosier
Ari redirected the conversation, “As long as we are on the trail I may as well fill you in on a few things. The most important thing you’ll want to do as we get on Arinith land is to try and look emotionless. I know that will be hard for you both, so I suggest practicing. The only time it will really be okay to show emotion there is in my home when the three of us are alone.
“Eventually it will be okay in my parents’ home as well. As a general rule, try not to show any emotion to anyone that hasn’t shown it to you first. I know this all sounds strange, but in my culture it’s a weakness to do otherwise, showing emotions is an intimacy between friends. Think of it as the same as turning your back to a stranger in the human world, you’d never do that. It would be weak and foolish and you’d be inviting a dagger in your back.
“Elves are a lot like humans and some will be prejudiced. They’ll try to evoke an emotional response from you; don’t let them if you can at all help it. Allowances will be made obviously but you are not visitors, you come to join the clan. The better you do the smoother things will go.”
She sighed, “Enough about that, the second rule which is almost as important is don’t ever under any circumstances kill any life within the village. No animals, insects, nothing. Not even a plant. This goes to the fact that we can feel the life around us, it’s considered extremely rude if not taboo to impose the feeling of death on anyone else. All hunting is done far from the village for this reason.
“I’ll try and tell you more when we stop tonight. There are rituals for many things; most of my people can use magic so it’s more commonly used. It will just be easier to show you than to explain while riding. Also, I am pretty sure we are going to be ambushed in about seventy yards.”
I sensed it as well; there were only six of them. I guessed it had been three weeks since I cleared them out and they were growing a new band. I felt Sienna ready her bow behind me. I had no intention of giving them a chance to run as I had tried that first day. The only people coming along this road would be farmers either going to market or back to their farms with the exception of a rare caravan out of Arinith.
I made sure my sword was loose in my sheath and dismounted. For most humans a horse was an advantage, for me and Ari they would merely slow us down. Ari followed my lead. One of the men stumbled into the road and I relaxed a little. He was dressed in farmer’s clothing and I could tell he had no idea what he was doing with the sword in his hand.
“Help us please,” the man said.
I grimaced, “What about your five friends?”
He said, “Wounded by Goblins. They raided my farm three nights back and took my wife, as well as the wives of three of my hands. We went after them but… can you help?”
Ari spoke from under her hood, “Have them come out, if this isn’t a ruse we will help you, if it is you are dead men.”
I suppressed a smile. Ari was so hot when she got violent.
The man looked nervous and undecided. I started scrying into the woods, the men there looked exhausted, a few had wounds. They were all farmers and in no shape to attack.
I said, “I believe he is telling the truth, the men look to be in bad shape.”
I felt Ari’s magic and she nodded.
I started scrying the forest looking for the goblins as Ari said to the farmer, “We will help.”
Sienna asked, “What would goblins want with human women?”
The farmer frowned, “I’m not sure, they always take them on the raids when they come. Maybe to appease the predators, the large wolves, trolls, and ogres.”
Sienna still looked confused so Ari said bluntly, “Food stock, so they don’t eat the goblins.”
I growled, “Got them, about three miles in and moving. There are twenty and they have four women and a couple of boys with them.”
I turned to Sienna, “Will you stay and help bind their wounds up? The forest is too thick for horses, someone needs to watch them and we’ll be able to catch them faster this way. Plus, without the horses we can use magic to get back here.”
Despite my logic she glared at me, she really hated being left behind and I was sure I’d get an earful later, but all the reasons I’d stated added up to her staying behind. We also couldn’t fast travel back with the woman and kids if we had horses with us.
She said icily, “Of course husband.”
I frowned, I didn’t create these circumstances. The problem was she was becoming a warrior, a good one, and she didn’t want to stay back here, she wanted to fight with us. Nothing is ever easy.
Ari and I handed our reigns over and took off into the forest at a decent clip. At our enhanced speed it only took ten minutes to close the three mile gap. We couldn’t run full out, the trees were a little too dense and flew by as we made our way.
The woman and children were in the back surrounded by six of the goblins. The other fourteen goblins were a little ahead of the group and spread out.
We drew our swords and cut into them from behind without warning. We’d taken out four of the guards before they knew we were there, the women from the farm screamed as they were covered in goblin blood. We took out the last two guarding the women before they had drawn their swords.
We were a bit more cautious then, we needed to stay between the farmer’s wives and the goblins. There were no mages among them and we took them with our swords as they screamed and charged. We were much faster than they were, but protecting the women and children behind us limited our movements. I readied a magical attack just in case one slipped by.
They were not well trained however and despite their overwhelming six to one advantage our speed and skill took every one of them down. None of them had even considered running. I turned toward the women and they looked to be in shock.
Ari said, “Everyone gather around me and I’ll take you to your husbands. You are safe now.”
They looked a little skittishly at me when I joined them around Ari.
Ari said, “You may want to close your eyes, please don’t panic it will only be a few seconds.”
One of the woman said in a weak voice, “What will only be a few…”
Her voice turned into a squeak as the alien landscape of the realm of air came into view. Three miles was fairly close, but it still took us about thirty seconds. I thought my eardrums would burst from the panicked screaming. Maybe we should have made them walk after all. It took a while to sort them out after we landed, they were rather hysterical.
Once they calmed down though, they thanked us and left toward the south across a field.
We continued to Steve’s farm. Sienna seemed to be over whatever had been bothering her. I wasn’t sure exactly what was going on there, but I was sure she would tell me eventually. I hadn’t been all that excited about splitting up either, no matter how temporary, but sometimes it can’t be helped. I remembered I hadn’t been all that thrilled when she ran off to shoot arrows at the goblin earth mage when we defended Hunter’s Ridge, it was most likely just that.
I tried to practice my stone face on the rest of the way to Steve’s farm. It was something I could have done easily as a vampire, but it was difficult for me now. There was a difference between a cold angry mask and the cold stone face of the absence of emotion. It was something I’d have to learn however. There were no other interruptions in our ride, and we made it to the farm right around lunchtime…
Chapter 4
As we rode onto the path leading away from the road to the farm, I could see Steve working the field with his few farm hands. They stopped working and looked at us warily as we made our way toward the house. Steve met us there.
Steve inclined his head politely, “Marcus, what brings you back our way?”
The three of us dismounted and tied our horses up by a water trough.
I replied, “A couple of reasons, we came to give you some information you might want to pass on to the other farmers in the area, we also needed a safe place to leave our horses for a few hours while we take care of
something, if you wouldn’t mind. This is my wife Sienna, and my intended mate Ari.”
Steve grinned, “Welcome ladies,” he turned to me, “You been busy since you arrived I see. Join us for lunch? You can tell us all about it.”
When we got in the house Sandra had that same polite but distant attitude toward me, but seemed a lot more welcoming toward Sienna and Ari. Lunch was as good as I remembered from my first day, it hadn’t just been because it was my first meal. I took some time to sketch out the last month.
Steve asked, “Why would we need to know all that?”
I shrugged, “If they decide to go through with attacking the Elves, the army they bring will go right past your farm. You can bet they’ll be taking whatever they want to feed the troops without a by your leave. I felt like I owed you something for your kindness, I’d advise you to make sure you have enough food hidden away somewhere to make it a season or two.
“I may be wrong, they could change their mind, or might be redirected by an attack from the east, but it could be they’ll come through here like locusts and leave you with nothing but scraps. Hard times are coming if the new king follows this plan of insanity. You and the other farmers should hedge their bets.”
Steve looked thoughtful, “So… you’re suggesting I hide enough food for my family?”
I nodded, “Not so much it would cause suspicion, but enough to feed your family for a crop cycle. I’m afraid Cirenthia is in for some dark times. You may also want to pass the word to some trustworthy friends.”
We talked a bit more over lunch, and then the three of us walked up the road a bit before using fast travel to get back to Cliff’s Edge. I didn’t really want to freak out Steve and his family disappearing magically. We also didn’t appear in the middle of town, instead choosing to come out where we had camped last night. We started the walk toward the city.
Ari took my hand, “They seemed like nice people, the goddess did well to drop you on our world in their farm.”
I squeezed her hand, “Yeah, they are. Sandra seems a little standoffish with me though. Nice enough despite that.”
Sienna laughed and took my other hand, “She’s just overcompensating love.”
Women are such a mystery… “Overcompensating?”
Sienna said in an amused voice, “Of course, she’s attracted to you but faithful to her husband, so she overcompensates to make sure she doesn’t flirt and nothing untoward happens. You’re quite attractive my husband.”
Huh, I didn’t see that coming.
She patted my ass and said sultrily, “Good thing I don’t have to hold back.”
I snickered, “You do if you don’t want to be taken on the side of a road…”
Ari chuckled.
I asked diverting the subject, “So what else do we need to know about the clan?”
Ari looked thoughtful a moment, and then said, “My uncle Levi is clan chief. My aunt is Aysha. I have two cousins, Alethea and Alton. Alton will be next clan chief. My father and mother are Efrain and Aja. I also have a younger sister named Nia. That’s it for immediate family. Elves do not hold to formal modes of address; remember our names are important to us. They hold a much higher significance than a mere title of mage or priestess, or even king and clan chief.
“There are little quirks you will pick up if you pay attention. It is not rude to knock, but it isn’t really necessary. We sense the life around us, if you simply walk up to a door and wait, have no doubt the person inside will know you are there. Before each meal we… it isn’t exactly prayer, more of a thankful moment of silence where we acknowledge the goddess, elements and the bounty of life around us.
“You will also find that some Elves always have their elementals with them. Not all, but some believe the more time spent together the better they will work with you. I have not seen any proof of this and do not follow this custom, but you’ll see what I mean.”
I tried to memorize all the names she’d given me and think through what it all meant. So far nothing alarmed me about it at all. I knew it would be odd though, the non-emotion showing part. It was an instinctual way for humans to interact, even strangers. It brought to mind how alien and cold Ari appeared before I got to know her.
Ari released my hand reluctantly and pulled up her hood as the town came into view. When we got near the government building and mansion I spread out my magic sense to join my air magic sense. It appeared from what I could pick up that Serina was in the mansion again so I headed that way.
We stopped a few paces from the guards and I said, “I’d like an audience with mage Serina, could you let her know Marcus is back in town? I’m the one who took care of those bandits a few weeks ago…”
The guard looked skeptical, but stepped inside a moment and came back out before he said dubiously, “I sent the message, just stay there until we get a response.”
It was an awkward few minutes; I couldn’t blame them for being skeptical. It wasn’t as if I was wearing mage robes. I wouldn’t have that right until I completed the training, which didn’t seem at all possible right now.
A few moments later a young woman stuck her head out the door and looked over at us.
I asked, “Tina?” remembering the maid that had brought us tea.
She smiled, “Follow me please.”
We followed her into the mansion and she led us to the same room I was in last time. I had my senses out and was being cautious despite all my instincts telling me everything was fine. Tina bade us to sit and gave us tea to drink.
Tina said, “She’ll be with you momentarily,” and then left the room.
About fifteen minutes later Serina came into the room. She was dressed elegantly and looked made up for a date. She was really quite attractive with her long red hair and bright green eyes. The dress hugged her curves showing off her C cups and thin waist, she was smiling as if we were good friends and looked happy to see me.
I had the absurd thought we had waited so she could dress up, but that was ridiculous, wasn’t it?
Serina sat down across from us and said lightly, “It’s so nice when fugitives come to visit me.”
I felt Sienna tense next to me and put a hand on her arm.
Serina winked, “I warned you, I imagine you have a story to tell?”
I almost sighed in relief, she was exactly the way I remembered her, and I felt no threat. The first time though I hadn’t quite noticed how stunning she was. I spent more time on the story of the last few weeks than I had with Steve, speculating more on the politics and motivations behind things and how badly the commoners would be affected by the war if things weren’t controlled carefully. When I finished her smile was a bit strained.
Serina asked, “You really think it will get that bad?”
I shrugged, “Life is different here, but humanity isn’t all that different, I’m afraid many people will suffer. Am I right about the king not being able to order such a change of footing without a common enemy?”
Serina nodded slowly, “The threat to the East would alarm some, but probably not enough to go to a war footing. But the king was well liked, if he pinned the blame to the Elves… there would be a lot of anger. So why did you think to bring this to me?”
I pondered that for a moment, “I was hoping it could be stopped before it started with the Elves, before many die for no good reason. I also believe they are partially right and some moves should be made to… secure the eastern border. I don’t know enough to know who to talk to; I thought you might be inclined to pass on the truth to the mages that would actually listen and be able to redirect the more… radical elements in the mage community to focus on a real threat.
“I also wanted to return your generosity in how you treated me on my last time through. I have no doubt this town will soon start becoming a staging point.”
Serina smiled brightly, “It’s nice to be so highly thought of. Congratulations by the way on finding such lovely companions. Would you stay for dinner tonight and I can offer you a r
oom for the night? I’d like to hear more of your thoughts on failing kingdoms and such before you continue your journey. We’ve been at peace for so long, I’m afraid what you’re hoping for will be very difficult. Most of the mages I know are much like those you met at training, selfish and arrogant, but I certainly won’t ignore it and will try my best.”
I didn’t sense anything from Ari or Sienna against the idea, so I said, “We’d be delighted.”
I was surprised how much I meant that. For a while now it felt like the three of us against the whole world, it was almost a shock to find someone who not only believed us, but thought we were right. We chatted for a long time about other things and I was pleasantly surprised how well we were all getting along. Sienna mentioned something about the farmers we’d rescued and Serina took delight in extracting the story from me.
Serina sounded amused, “So twice through my town and you’ve done me a service both times. Thank you Marcus. It’s getting close to dinnertime; let me show you somewhere you can get freshened up.”
We followed her out into the hallway and she led us to a large and quite lavishly decorated bedroom with a tub in it behind a screen. She left us to wash up and said Tina would come by when dinner was ready.
Sienna said, “I lived here for years, I had no idea what a good person we had for a mayor. You also failed to mention how gorgeous she was,” she said the last with lifted brow.
I shrugged, “I didn’t really notice last time, to tell the truth you were all I could think about after that first amazing night we shared together.”
Ari snickered when Sienna kissed me breathless. I guess I’d said the right thing again.
We took a bath after laying out a change of clothes; we didn’t have much with us, as most of it was back with the horses. But we did have our gold and a change of clothes just in case.
I was in the tub and Sienna washed my back while Ari washed my front. It drove me crazy when they did this kind of stuff together and I really couldn’t help my reaction, but was just ignoring it for now.
