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The Scars Run Deep (Updated - 3/29/2004)
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<blockquote data-quote="Ruined" data-source="post: 383857" data-attributes="member: 113"><p><u>Tréan - 5th of Enkilot, yr. 150 A.V.</u></p><p></p><p>The trio rode silently on horseback through the opening of Irontooth Pass. They passed from under the shadow of Rockvale, the last hold of Durrover they would see as they passed into lands controlled by Lageni. Twenty-four years ago, Calastian forces had taken control of Irontooth pass, the main route of land travel into Durrover. </p><p></p><p>The journey through the northern reaches of Durrover had been reassuring. Many of the skirmishes with Lageni occurred in the mountain passes of Keldar between the highlanders and Lageni raiders. At Helena’s request, their first stop was at the hold of her family. Helena’s father, the thain Garrond, was a blustery man who grumbled continuously about ‘those Lageni heathens’. He was none-too-thrilled to learn that his daughter intended to ride through Lageni lands. Tréan had witnessed a series of loud arguments between the two which finally ended in a family honor guard that escorted them all the way to Rockvale. The thain would have gladly sent the guard with them all of the way, but it would have doomed their journey.</p><p></p><p>Helena, to her credit, had handled her father’s decision with wisdom and grace. Tréan had witnessed a hint of the thain’s temper in Helena, but she kept it restrained at most times. Tréan regarded her now, noting the ease in which she handled the horse beneath her. Helena had traded her robes of blue and white for a suit of light mail enameled with the symbols of the Redeemer and their Order. Her dark brown hair was tied in a heavy braid that hung down past her shoulders.</p><p></p><p>Mitran rode on the other side of Helena, displaying the same ease in which Helena handled her horse. He seemed very young and small beside the priestess. It had to be that he wasn’t wearing armor. Instead he wore a simple white tabard over blue robes, traveling garb for most young acolytes. He was all of thirteen years, wide-eyed and eager to travel through new lands.</p><p></p><p>“There’s the outpost, up ahead,” Mitran remarked. </p><p></p><p>“You should speak with them this time,” Helena said, looking at Tréan. Tréan nodded and nudged her mare forward to meet the approaching soldiers. After a few quick questions, she was brought forward to speak with the captain of the border guard. She was taken inside the small outpost while the others waited. Captain Vagon was a homely man with a large warty nose who looked at her with fierce cunning.</p><p></p><p>“Hmm, I was unaware of any plague in our lands,” he said, eyeing the symbol enameled on her breastplate. “What is your purpose in Lageni?” </p><p></p><p>“We seek only to travel through to Calastia and beyond. We journey to Quelsk to celebrate Divinities Day.” </p><p></p><p>“Hmm. And when do you plan to return?” </p><p></p><p>“After the celebration ends, we shall return here unless our services are needed along the way.” </p><p></p><p>Vagon asked a series of exacting questions: what cities they would stop at; who they reported to in their homeland; whether they intended to spy on Lageni. He noted all of their names, which Tréan gave freely. She had no delusions that he despised her and her companions, and that her religious duties are the only reason they were given passage. Eventually the questions ended, and Vagon escorted her out.</p><p></p><p>“Perhaps when you return, you will find things much different here, Durrovian.” </p><p></p><p>Tréan smiled at his thinly veiled threat. </p><p></p><p>“Perhaps we will.” </p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p>Their path carried them beyond the outpost and garrison which held the end of Irontooth Pass. The looming walls of the Kelder Mountains had given way to smaller rocky hills. Soon the path would open to the great fields of wheat Lageni was renowned for.</p><p></p><p>Tréan and Helena had ridden ahead of Mitran, engaging in conversations that would have made the young boy blush. Helena regaled Tréan with tales of her family and the troublesome romantic exploits of her many brothers. Tréan was surprised to learn that she had caught the eye of two of Helena’s brothers. Helena had threatened them both with being struck down as eunuchs should they try to romance the lass. The two shared a conspiratorial laugh, knowing that their goddess did not frown upon such pairings.</p><p></p><p>A sudden movement caught Tréan’s eye, overhead and behind of Helena. A large winged shape plummeted out of the sky directly towards the pair. Tréan called out and readied her spear, but Helena was caught unaware. The huge birdlike creature - a hippogriff, if Tréan recalled her lessons - slammed into Helena with outstretched claws, knocking her from her saddle.</p><p></p><p>Tréan spared a glance at Mitran, and found him still on horseback, wheeling out of range of another hippogriff while pelting it with arrows. Satisfied that he could hold for a few minutes, she quickly dismounted and ran to Helena’s aid before the first beast could return. Tréan feared the worst for her friend, but found her struggling to rise. Helena’s face was slashed horribly, and runnels of blood flowed down her cheeks.</p><p></p><p>“I’ll live,” Helena said weakly, “just spare me a moment.” Tréan rose with spear in hand, and she could hear her friend chanting a healing prayer to Madriel.</p><p></p><p>The first hippogriff was soaring at her again, issuing an angry cry. She held her ground, almost daring it to strike her. As it neared, she struck out with her spear, feeling it gouge the beast’s flank. She drew back just in time to avoid the deadly talons as the beast moved past.</p><p></p><p>The wounded hippogriff flapped its wings twice, and then landed on the ground not far from her and Helena. She prepared to fight the beast alone, but was reassured when Helena rose to stand beside her, silvered spear in hand. Her face was still bloodied, but she seemed resolute. Tréan felt a surge of confidence pour through her.</p><p></p><p>Something fell at their feet, interrupting their concentration on the enemy before them. At first they thought it an attack from the other hippogriff, but Tréan quickly realized that it was a bow. Mitran’s bow. Helena cried out as they both looked up. </p><p></p><p>Mitran was in the grasp of the second hippogriff, being carried away in the sky.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ruined, post: 383857, member: 113"] [u]Tréan - 5th of Enkilot, yr. 150 A.V.[/u] The trio rode silently on horseback through the opening of Irontooth Pass. They passed from under the shadow of Rockvale, the last hold of Durrover they would see as they passed into lands controlled by Lageni. Twenty-four years ago, Calastian forces had taken control of Irontooth pass, the main route of land travel into Durrover. The journey through the northern reaches of Durrover had been reassuring. Many of the skirmishes with Lageni occurred in the mountain passes of Keldar between the highlanders and Lageni raiders. At Helena’s request, their first stop was at the hold of her family. Helena’s father, the thain Garrond, was a blustery man who grumbled continuously about ‘those Lageni heathens’. He was none-too-thrilled to learn that his daughter intended to ride through Lageni lands. Tréan had witnessed a series of loud arguments between the two which finally ended in a family honor guard that escorted them all the way to Rockvale. The thain would have gladly sent the guard with them all of the way, but it would have doomed their journey. Helena, to her credit, had handled her father’s decision with wisdom and grace. Tréan had witnessed a hint of the thain’s temper in Helena, but she kept it restrained at most times. Tréan regarded her now, noting the ease in which she handled the horse beneath her. Helena had traded her robes of blue and white for a suit of light mail enameled with the symbols of the Redeemer and their Order. Her dark brown hair was tied in a heavy braid that hung down past her shoulders. Mitran rode on the other side of Helena, displaying the same ease in which Helena handled her horse. He seemed very young and small beside the priestess. It had to be that he wasn’t wearing armor. Instead he wore a simple white tabard over blue robes, traveling garb for most young acolytes. He was all of thirteen years, wide-eyed and eager to travel through new lands. “There’s the outpost, up ahead,” Mitran remarked. “You should speak with them this time,” Helena said, looking at Tréan. Tréan nodded and nudged her mare forward to meet the approaching soldiers. After a few quick questions, she was brought forward to speak with the captain of the border guard. She was taken inside the small outpost while the others waited. Captain Vagon was a homely man with a large warty nose who looked at her with fierce cunning. “Hmm, I was unaware of any plague in our lands,” he said, eyeing the symbol enameled on her breastplate. “What is your purpose in Lageni?” “We seek only to travel through to Calastia and beyond. We journey to Quelsk to celebrate Divinities Day.” “Hmm. And when do you plan to return?” “After the celebration ends, we shall return here unless our services are needed along the way.” Vagon asked a series of exacting questions: what cities they would stop at; who they reported to in their homeland; whether they intended to spy on Lageni. He noted all of their names, which Tréan gave freely. She had no delusions that he despised her and her companions, and that her religious duties are the only reason they were given passage. Eventually the questions ended, and Vagon escorted her out. “Perhaps when you return, you will find things much different here, Durrovian.” Tréan smiled at his thinly veiled threat. “Perhaps we will.” * * * Their path carried them beyond the outpost and garrison which held the end of Irontooth Pass. The looming walls of the Kelder Mountains had given way to smaller rocky hills. Soon the path would open to the great fields of wheat Lageni was renowned for. Tréan and Helena had ridden ahead of Mitran, engaging in conversations that would have made the young boy blush. Helena regaled Tréan with tales of her family and the troublesome romantic exploits of her many brothers. Tréan was surprised to learn that she had caught the eye of two of Helena’s brothers. Helena had threatened them both with being struck down as eunuchs should they try to romance the lass. The two shared a conspiratorial laugh, knowing that their goddess did not frown upon such pairings. A sudden movement caught Tréan’s eye, overhead and behind of Helena. A large winged shape plummeted out of the sky directly towards the pair. Tréan called out and readied her spear, but Helena was caught unaware. The huge birdlike creature - a hippogriff, if Tréan recalled her lessons - slammed into Helena with outstretched claws, knocking her from her saddle. Tréan spared a glance at Mitran, and found him still on horseback, wheeling out of range of another hippogriff while pelting it with arrows. Satisfied that he could hold for a few minutes, she quickly dismounted and ran to Helena’s aid before the first beast could return. Tréan feared the worst for her friend, but found her struggling to rise. Helena’s face was slashed horribly, and runnels of blood flowed down her cheeks. “I’ll live,” Helena said weakly, “just spare me a moment.” Tréan rose with spear in hand, and she could hear her friend chanting a healing prayer to Madriel. The first hippogriff was soaring at her again, issuing an angry cry. She held her ground, almost daring it to strike her. As it neared, she struck out with her spear, feeling it gouge the beast’s flank. She drew back just in time to avoid the deadly talons as the beast moved past. The wounded hippogriff flapped its wings twice, and then landed on the ground not far from her and Helena. She prepared to fight the beast alone, but was reassured when Helena rose to stand beside her, silvered spear in hand. Her face was still bloodied, but she seemed resolute. Tréan felt a surge of confidence pour through her. Something fell at their feet, interrupting their concentration on the enemy before them. At first they thought it an attack from the other hippogriff, but Tréan quickly realized that it was a bow. Mitran’s bow. Helena cried out as they both looked up. Mitran was in the grasp of the second hippogriff, being carried away in the sky. [/QUOTE]
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