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The Dark Future
Chapter Four
...
Little conversation occurred as the group moved towards the distant hills. If they could have heard something indicating that they were actually being observed, commands might have issued. If the times were not so unfriendly, some topic of conversation would have been found that would have made the travel more pleasant. The rising of the sun brought some cheer to the group, but they came upon the desired path with only the horses making sounds.
The military officer said, "My baron would prefer that my men and I stay attached with your party, Sir Hivarn."
"You see that purple horse? He, the one that recently died here, and others are taking their masters on journeys without any companionship. That might seem foolish, but I believe the powers that creates those horses knows something. Thus, I want you and your men to allow us to proceed alone."
So our heroes go to face the prophetess Tialush alone.
The Dark Future
Chapter Four
As the group left the walls of the barony, a squad of mounted soldiers were waiting for them with an officer saying, "Sir Hivarn, the baron informed us to offer you protection as far within his domain as you desire."
"Well, tell the bar…"
Sir Hivarn stopped as the distant snort from a horse sounded. The eyes of the soldiers stayed focused on the knight, but their stances held indicating that they had also noticed the noise. Whatever Sir Hivarn was going to say, his words were suddenly a lot nicer to the military officer.
"Tell the baron when you return how much I appreciate the gesture. I would desire your escort to the path to the prophetess. That way I will be certain that the baron identified the one I was actually speaking about. There could have been a misunderstanding."
"And you could lose your way in the dark. The sun has not fully risen."
"This is not familiar territory to us."
"I will thus lead the way. My men will follow behind."
Little conversation occurred as the group moved towards the distant hills. If they could have heard something indicating that they were actually being observed, commands might have issued. If the times were not so unfriendly, some topic of conversation would have been found that would have made the travel more pleasant. The rising of the sun brought some cheer to the group, but they came upon the desired path with only the horses making sounds.
The military officer said, "My baron would prefer that my men and I stay attached with your party, Sir Hivarn."
"You see that purple horse? He, the one that recently died here, and others are taking their masters on journeys without any companionship. That might seem foolish, but I believe the powers that creates those horses knows something. Thus, I want you and your men to allow us to proceed alone."
"I then have orders for my men to establish a camp out here and patrol the area. If you have need of support, Sir Hivarn, we should be close by."
"When you report to your baron, tell him that he has gained my trust. However, also tell him that I feel that he might one day thank me for treating him as an enemy."
The officer saluted the knight. Therox signaled Cindy to follow his father up the path. The lad was having to care for the pack horse as well as his own mount. Not only had his father instructed him to move in the rear because he would be the slowest of the group, but also because the elder did not want to have to worry about the extra animal should he need to move to help Cindy. Therox was surprised to find the officer saluting him, but crisply returned the sign of respect with a silent promise that he would one day deserve it.
With the sun shining brightly through a sky almost completely lacking in clouds, the travelers found the path to be pleasant. Ruts in the ground indicated that the trail was used occasionally, but by nothing wider than a cart. The limbs of trees did meet each other over the path, but only at heights over the men's heads stating that the foliage learned to be considerate to riders. The travelers thus did not feel oppressed by their surroundings, and they did not consider themselves being alone.
The path led to a small opening in the forest that had been cleared as it did not appear to be a natural meadow. Short walls of bricks surrounded areas of tilled soil where plants were growing, had grown and were now turning brown, or were hopefully to grow. Some garden areas were placed in the shade of trees while others were out where they would always get sunshine. The brick walls were not arranged in a manner allowing for a straight path to those riding, but the travelers could only assume that they were placed in the best spots for the plants they were protecting.
The brick two-story house was not wide. Fresh blue paint radiated from the open shutters showing colorful curtains on the inside of the openings through the brick wall. Around the brick edifice was wood that showed age. The cut timbers showed shuttered windows and solid doors giving the impression that it once held a place of importance, although now only allowed to exist for some continuing purpose which was diminishing with time.
The blue painted door in the middle of the front of the house opened to reveal a lovely tall thin elf lady. Her yellow hair was thick, although cut short so that it seemed to be a bulky hat covering her head. She wore a red and blue bodice, although there appeared to be no shirt underneath as her arms were bare and there was skin showing between it and the start of her blue skirt that was barely was long enough to cover her knees. Shoes of thick black leather covered her feet. The lady did not move, but shouted from the doorway.
"I don't believe you came to see me!"
Sir Hivarn rode between the small gardens to approach the house before saying, "It is up to that purple horse to determine that. We were told that the Prophetess Tialush lived along this route, and I assume that to be you, but I cannot say that you were the one that we came to see."
The blue eyes of the lady looked at those who were in her yard, and focused on Therox. Even though he was keeping an eye on the pack horse, the lance with the attached banners was still held high. Tialush stared hard at the lad, then had her eyes move back to the armored elder.
"You are a knight of Mashuv, and yet you travel with a magic horse?"
"I am coming to consider my place to be unusual as well."
"Knights come, but they seek a cemetery further on. Magic horses come with some speaking to me and others going on, I guess to the cemetery."
Sapphire moved up before saying, "Did any find what they sought?"
"None ever returned to let me know."
Sir Hivarn asked, "What about those that speak to you?"
"They don't know what they are seeking, so do not know what to ask. I tell each that they are walking into a dark future which I suspect is going to become black."
The elder reached under his breastplate as he asked, "Have you been to the cemetery?"
"I do not simply stay around my house. Yes, I have been to the cemetery."
Sir Hivarn dismounted, then approached the elf lady to hand her a piece of paper. She accepted it, and read what was written on it. Tialush then handed it back as she nodded. Sir Hivarn had to ask for words.
"Can you tell me about that history?"
"I am a prophetess, not a historian. Still, as an elf I have lived to see many of your human generations pass. Also, the past helps reveals secrets of the future. In this case however, there is not only past, but future, so I have things to tell. My information does not come cheap, however."
"Ignoring the fact that people are dying."
"Ignoring the fact that I could die for telling you what I know."
"Okay, what is your price?"
"Survive, then a hundred silver."
"Survive?"
"You go to the cemetery."
"You come with us." Sir Hivarn drew his sword to give support to his command.
"Then make it a hundred gold."
His voice growled, "Listen, people are dying. People are being killed. If we don't survive, we need to leave facts for those that come after. I want you able to better guide them."
The elf lady walked past the elder to move up to Sapphire and Cindy. She saw the clothes and the condition of the purple horse. All stared back at Tialush, but she confidently looked back to study each before asking a question of the young lady.
"Do you trust this knight of Mashuv?"
Cindy confidently said, "I do."
"You just have your eye on the lad."
Sapphire replied, "He has his eyes on Cindy."
The elf lady turned back to Sir Hivarn to ask, "That lad is your son?"
He gruffly replied, "He is."
"The fates are tricky. Okay, I will go with you. I want you to know that I am not your enemy, but neither am I your friend. I was alive when these events occurred, but not at all involved. No one has told me any specifics, but I will admit to having been told things and having heard others. Maybe some clues to the unraveling of the darkness that surrounds certain people will be revealed. I am paid to provide answers, so it is worth my while to travel with you. I however will still want my hundred silver."
The lady moved to step back through the door of her house. Sir Hivarn went to assure that she did not close the door, but Tialush did nothing to indicate such was her objective. She opened a closet, took out a staff and a cloak, then stepped back outside. Sir Hivarn shut the door behind her, then moved to his horse.
The elf lady made no complaints about walking. Sir Hivarn did offer to allow her to ride with him, but she refused saying that she did not want to make his animal suffer further with her additional weight. He did not then dismount to walk with the lady beside his mount. It was allowed to maintain a slow pace behind Tialush while the knight kept his eyes moving about studying the scenery.
Again there was no indication of an approaching doom. The birds sang as they moved among the trees. The plants were vibrant and green. Fall was approaching, but every indication was that life was enjoying the pleasant days and not worrying about the future.
"All right, stop!"
Both of the young people turned to Sir Hivarn scared that they were caught doing something wrong. Cindy had turned to chide Therox about being so slow. Neither enjoyed the plodding pace, and each found their focus move to animals or sights in the forest. Sapphire kept a leisurely gait behind the elder's mount, but Therox did not have a steed that felt able to make its own decision. While Cindy kept moving forward, the young man's horse would pause as his mind stopped to consider a more entertaining topic than the slow movement. Both he and the young lady thus expected a lecture on staying attentive.
Sir Hivarn spoke to the elf lady, "Exactly where are you bringing us?"
"To where you need to go."
"You said it was a cemetery, but what I see through the trees is not a peaceful resting place."
"I told you that you first needed to survive."
And our heroes will enter the place of death.
Posted by TerishD on Tuesday, June 06, 2006 (11:35:38) (854 reads)
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