Interlude
The following is offered as an interlude - a distraction with no real point or purpose. It is, for all intents and purposes, an author's doodle with no real meaning.
Interlude
Loren leapt into the trees with the ease of someone who had been doing it for scores of years. Which of course he had. “I may be new to the scouts” he thought “but nobody has to teach me how to climb a tree.” In the trees around him, the rest of his patrol settled in. In a few moments, they would be all but invisible in the trees, the eyes and ears of Celene. Loren was more in the mood for “unconscious” than “invisible” however. They had been moving swiftly these past weeks through the forests along the Ulek border and even the veterans were looking tired. To a newcomer like Loren, the touch of sleep was becoming better than the touch of a lover.
“Not that a lover’s touch would be unwelcome either,” he mused.
The patrol settled in quickly and took some dinner while getting acquainted with the area. “Half of scouting is knowing when something isn’t there” Loren droned under his breath, mimicking his instructor. “Otherwise how will you know when something is?”
So as he ate, he watched. He took in every hill, every tree, every bush. Tired or not, they had to be on guard. The patrols were stretched thin, so every set of eyes counted. He watched for an hour or two, as the sun slowly crept to the horizon, safe and hidden within the trees with the rest of his patrol. Danar was to his left, overlapping his field of view, and Sarina to his right. The others were arrayed in a loose circle. If something moved in these woods tonight, it would not escape their notice.
This thought was uppermost in Loren’s mind when he received a sudden start. The long shadows of dusk could fool the eye, but Loren was sure he had studied the land before him and would know if a creature moved. So sure was he, that when he suddenly saw a figure standing on the ground nearby, he just blinked in disbelief. He hadn’t seen it approach, nor had he seen it move. But suddenly it was there all the same. And it felt like it was looking straight at him.
Loren put this thought out of his head. It may know some secrets of moving unseen, but he had seen it. And whatever it was, it wasn’t likely to notice the well-hidden patrol. Instead he focused, trying to see more.
The figure looked about slowly. It was humanoid… no an elf. The flow of the hair made Loren sure it was a woman. As he stared closer, he could see that she carried no sword but did hold a fairly ordinary bow to match her ordinary clothes. Still there was something more about here on the edge of Loren’s perception. A presence he could not fathom.
The sharp chirp of a forest bird to his left told him that Danar now saw her too. And suddenly Loren felt the fool for not having raised the alert earlier. But before he answered, the woman looked straight at him. He was sure of it this time! And with a small smile, walked towards his tree.
She walked past the trunk of the large tree, slightly cocking her head to the side only once to look again towards him. Was this truly an elf? Was she a Swiftrunner? He had never seen them so armed and their power was their speed, not their stealth. But when this woman moved, she made not a sound, and even the wind seemed to be silent as it passed around her. She walked slowly but unthreateningly into the interior of the group of scouts, seemingly with no purpose.
Then it hit Loren – she was heading for straight for the tree that hid Shala, who lead this patrol. Could it be she not only saw him but all of them? Enough to know who was in charge? Impossible. No eyes could see that so readily.
The woman stopped at the base of the large oak. She looked up, and most likely said something, but the words were too quiet for Loren to make out. There was some kind of response from Shala, and then the woman climbed into the tree. Loren had watched elves in trees all his life – the natural product of being an elf who was often in a tree himself. But this woman did not climb as much as she flowed into the tree. She moved in slow graceful movements but never seemed to strain and in moments she was hidden in the canopy with Shala.
After a tense few seconds, an owl called out – whoever she was, Shala thought she was safe and signaled it was clear. Loren tried to resume his watch, but was haunted by the woman. Where had she come from? How did he miss her? And why did he not signal when he did see her? He was a foolish recruit and it was gnawing at him.
Even Loren had to admit this was not the only reason he finally left his post. Curiosity too was to blame. But Loren was determined to know the reason this woman fooled him and so he slipped down from his tree and went towards Shala’s.
The two women were sitting close and both looked down in unison as he came to the trunk of the tree. Shala clearly was not pleased to see him away from his post, but called him up all the same. “What was so important that you felt it wise to leave your post?” Shala asked when he was up.
Loren started to answer, but his curiosity caused him to stop and stare again at the stranger. She was perfectly… ordinary. Her weapons, her clothes, her quiver, all ordinary. Everything except her hair and her eyes. They told a different story, but Loren could not grasp it.
After a moment he stammered “My apologies Shala. I have failed. This woman” he said with no malice “approached us and yet I did not see her until she was nearly on us. And then I was so intent on studying her I did not raise the cry.”
“This,” Shala said “could have waited.” The stranger hid a small smile. Shala held the tone of inevitability as all instructors do. “Unless this so consumed you that you could not focus on not failing again?”
Loren looked down, ashamed at the truth of it.
“For what it’s worth,” the stranger said quietly “you only failed once, in not raising the cry when I revealed myself. Had you seen my approach, then your significant talents would be sorely wasted on patrol.”
Loren looked at the stranger and then at Shala. An older elf would have seen the humor pass between those two, and would have seen each playing her part for the sake of training the young recruit. But these things were lost on Loren.
“So you came by spellcraft then?”
“No,” said the stranger. “But I have walked many paths, and know the ways of the shadows of the forest. There is no blame to be given for not seeing my approach. Without pride I tell you that such a thing is beyond your skills. If a mouse tries to fly and falls, has it truly failed? And foolish is the man who is disappointed in the mouse.”
Loren nodded, seeing the point, if not liking being the mouse in this game. He was feeling somewhat better until she said “But you should have stayed at your post rather than letting your vanity and curiosity get the better of you.”
Shala sighed towards the stranger. “I hope you will forgive me but he’ll be hopelessly distracted if I dismiss him without more.” She then turned to Loren. “This woman is a Champion. She scouts the borders for purposes of her own. That is all she has chosen to tell me, and it is enough for me. It will be enough for you as well.”
Loren was young but he was not completely without wits. He nodded, and returned to his post, leaving the scout and the Champion to discuss what they had encountered on patrol. “Shouldn’t take long,” he thought “seeing as how we haven’t really seen anything.”
Ultimately Loren wasn’t sure how long it took. He never saw her leave, despite trying as hard as he could.
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That was the fourth patrol Kayleigh had run into. The story was the same with each – they’d seen nothing of interest. She’d covered a great deal of ground, but still wasn’t satisfied. Time surely flowed differently in the Far Realms, and with half the army off in the Pomarj, she wanted to be sure things were well before she risked an extended absence.
“There are no reports of any threats to Celene,” Onselven told her a week before. “While we cherish all our Champions and you among them, we cannot be dependent on you. We look to our defense.”
“And that aside,” the Queen said “I am sure that Corellion guides your path now. If it would be ill for the elves, he would turn you from a path that would lead you away.”
Kayleigh was sure the Queen was right. But she also was slowly learning Corellion’s ways. (Would that be called faith?) The Elven Lord was subtle indeed, and guided those who kept a sharp eye and a sharp wit. It would not do for her to run off without at least attempting to verify that all was well on the borders.
And so she looked for herself.
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Hannah checked the birds. They were roasting away nicely and would be ready in time for the evening rush, but that didn’t stop her from fidgeting with the spit anyway. The inn she and her husband owned was nothing noteworthy but she took pride in it all the same. It was mostly the local farmers and occasional traveler who came, but she still liked to think it was fine enough for any man, common or noble.
A few of the locals had started rolling in, dirty and thirsty. Besides them, there was a small group of merchants on the road to Gradsul. It wouldn’t be a rich night, but it would be enough. Then the door opened again, but instead of a thick-necked local in search of cheap beer, a small woman entered. Elves were not exactly the bulk of her customers, but there were enough traveling that it wasn’t very unusual. This one however was odd. For starters, she had no sword. Oh sure, the countryside around these parts was safe enough, but Hannah had scarcely ever seen an elf without a sword. Old Toby said they were buckled on when they were born and never left their side, but then again Old Toby said a lot of things. She just walked in wearing clothes just on the nice side of ordinary, and carrying a bow. (If she hadn’t had any weapon, then Hannah would have been worried.) She looked like a merchant but had no goods.
Hannah smiled. “Welcome, dear, welcome. Would you be wanting a meal or a room or both?”
“Both I think. I’ve been traveling too much to decline either,” she smiled. Her voice was soft and polite, and she seemed a little less aloof than most of the elves. Some of them couldn’t suppress a sneer when they walked through the door. Of course maybe that was because they smelled Old Toby.
“Were you wanting the common room or a private one? As for eatin, I have some nice chickens that are just about ready. And for drinking? “
“Private please, and wine.”
Hannah named her price and the elf girl didn’t haggle, just nodded and paid as if she hadn’t really heard it. Hannah wondered if she had said twice as much if she’d have gotten the same thing. Better not tell her husband that.
The elf took a seat at the corner table, near the hearth and away from the door. She leaned her bow against the wall, and leaned her chair back and just smiled at the scene. Hannah didn’t know what she was smiling at. All there was here was boys at the bar, folks eatin’ and drinkin’, and a warm fire. Nope, no reason to smile like that. But then again, from there, she probably couldn’t smell Old Toby.
And so another evening at the inn goes. The local boys got louder and drunker, but not too bad all things considered. The merchants drank enough to make Hannah’s husband slightly less surly, and the elf girl in the corner just sat doing nothing all night except drinking wine. She wasn’t drinking fast but over the hours she went through two bottles, so that was another nice bit of coin in the till.
At one point Hannah just watched her from the back room. She wasn’t worried, just curious. The girl didn’t seem to be waiting for anyone. She didn’t seem to be watching much of anything. And she surely wasn’t talking to anyone or listening to anything.
At least that’s what Hannah thought. The truth was the woman heard everything that was said in the bar that night. With her feet up and her glass in hand, she heard about the good crops and the sick cows. She heard about the merchant wagon that was stuck in the mud a fortnight ago. She heard quite a lot more than she cared to about the origins of Old Toby’s aroma. She heard it all.
And it pleased her, every word it. Not for what she heard, but for what she didn’t. If there were armies on the move or unusual strangers or scouts, these folk would know of it. They would be telling tales, even if they didn’t understand what they saw. And by sitting and listening, it was as if she had been watching this area for miles around for the past several weeks. Too bad it wasn’t always this easy.
As the night got later, the farm boys got drunker. While this was hardly different from any other time, it never bothered Hannah or her husband, provided they didn’t make themselves a nuisance to the traveling customers. It didn’t make sense for them really – they might be the regulars, but the tavern needed the merchant travelers to survive.
But then again, Corwin never had much sense. He was one of the farm boys and not much older than twenty and needed a bit more sense knocked into him. Corwin, Dyvan, Fergus and Ivan were always thick as thieves and Corwin had a way of bringing out the worst in the others. They’d been playing a drunken game of darts and having a good old time. Corwin was a fine shot when sober but even better drunk, so he was feeling good about himself. The elf girl just watched from her table behind them vaguely amused with it all. Too bad Corwin didn’t have the sense to leave her alone.
Corwin had wheeled around and seemed like he saw her for the first time, though he’d have to have been blind to miss her earlier. He tried to be smooth in his approach, but it ended up more of a stagger than a swagger.
“And what about you lovely lass? Surely you must be beside yourself seeing my skill and good looks?”
She arched an eyebrow slightly. “So far,” she said “I haven’t seen much of either.” And she smiled slightly and sipped her wine.
A great deal of “Oooooh”s came up from the boys. Hannah wasn’t waiting any longer. At best, they would chase off a customer, and at worst there could be bloodshed. The girl didn’t look the type to draw a blade (even if she didn’t have one) but Hannah didn’t like the idea all the same.
“That’s enough of that Corwin. You know full well we don’t take kindly to you harassing the travelers,” she said as she tried to push him off.
The elf girl just held up a hand. “It’s not a problem.” At first Hannah thought she was just being polite, but when she turned and looked, the girl was just smiling slightly over her glass. The boys amused her for some reason, though Hannah couldn’t imagine them being amusing enough for this girl to entertain.
But Hannah stopped and shrugged. Corwin puffed himself up. “See there woman? This woman wants to shee more of the handsomest, bravest, and most skillfulest man in these here parts!”
The elf laughed. “Oh I do. Can you tell me when he might be arriving?”
Again with the “Oooooohhh”s. Hannah laughed hard. This might be good to see after all.
But Corwin was in it to the end. “You have quite a sassy mouth pretty elf. But I think it’s just because you want to see what a real man can offer you.”
The boys nodded and grunted at that. But the girl wasn’t done by a long shot. “From what I can see, I’ll wager the offerings are fairly… small,” she said, glancing below his beltline as she said it.
The boys were now laughing at Corwin along with Hannah. He was losing ground fast. “A wager it is then! A game of darts, and if I win, then you come upstairs with me and I show you things you ain’t never seen.”
The girl laughed a sweet, patronizing laugh. “And if I win?”
Corwin was stumped. His addled mind hadn’t expected that kind of answer, and he hadn’t thought it through that far.
Fergus shouted “If she wins, she gets to have me!” A lot more drunken laughing ensued. Most of the folks in the room were now watching the exchange as if it were a show.
“Oh I don’t think so,” she said patronizingly. “It’d have to be something I’d actually want.”
“Hey!” protested Fergus. “All my girlfriends have wanted more of me!”
“Yes well they couldn’t really want less now could they?” came her reply, again glancing below the waist. The chorus of laughter told Fergus he’d been beaten, and unlike Corwin he knew when to give up.
“The women all want Corwin!” he said and thumped his chest.
“And they tell you this before or after you shear them each season?” she asked. Corwin flushed and was starting to get angry. But rather than irritate him further, the girl said something that made Hannah’s mouth hang wide open. “I’ll tell you what – if I win, you buy my drinks the rest of the night.”
Corwin was stunned. It took him a minute to realize she was taking his bet. It never occurred to him that he could lose to a woman. “Done!” He grabbed the darts and moved past the line towards the girl but she waved him back, saying “Oh no please, you first. Perhaps I can learn something from your skill.”
Corwin blushed for a second, then stepped to the line. He threw a good round despite the distractions and catcalls of the crowd. Corwin called out his score with pride. The boys cheered, and Corwin leered at the girl. He took the darts and walked to the table and put them down for her, then strutted back to the line to wait for her to come and throw.
But before he got there, a dart whipped by his head, followed by a THUNK.
Hannah looked. The girl hadn’t moved, hadn’t gotten up from her chair, hadn’t taken her feet off the table, hadn’t even put her glass down. But from twice the distance as the line, she’d buried a dart in the board. Everyone watched in silence as she picked up another dart, and with a flick of her wrist, sent it towards the board.
Another THUNK.
Another flick. Another THUNK.
All eyes went to the board. The boys saw it right away, but it took Hannah longer to add. Not only had she beaten him, she threw exactly double Corwin’s score.
Corwin looked back at her, not knowing what to say. She just smiled, and raised up her empty glass and rocked it.
Laughter and guffaws erupted across the room all at once. A series of back-slaps and fists to the shoulder landed on Corwin, and he just hung his head and went back to his table to sulk.
Hannah brought a full glass of wine to the elf. “I’ve never seen the like of throwing like that Miss.”
“I can’t say that I have either – it’s been years since I’ve even thrown a dart.” Hannah just looked at her for a moment, not sure what to say. Ultimately she decided not to say anything and went back to the bar.
The girl was a gracious winner and didn’t put too many drinks on poor Corwin’s tab, but enough to make him regret it for a few weeks at least.
