Part Seventeen
Tsuki was about to suggest Fei return to his station, in case his absence was noticed, when they heard the rhythm of noises from without change suddenly. Kato moved to the flap at the front of the tent and look out. "It is Laurel," he whispered, "On Moon-halo."
"Laurel is known?" Fei asked.
"Do you mean that you know Laurel also?" Dale asked him.
"I thought as much, when we came here," Tsuki said, "And the birds did say she knew her own way here."
"I did not read that meaning into their message, but I suppose it was there," Dale admitted.
Fei spoke to Tsuki and explained that Laurel had been an initiate here and that even though she seemed to do some successful spells on her own, she was accused of throwing off the balance of the group work; when her year as an initiate was up, instead of allowing her to be a full member, The Lady asked Laurel to leave their group.
Laurel reined in Moon-halo to a stop between the standing stones that formed the gate and drew back her hood. The circle recognized her; she had been among them until a month before, when Willow had replaced her. The Lady had liked Laurel, but she could not deny that Laurel had seemed to be the one throwing off the balance in their work, and so she had asked her to leave. Despite the fondness, The Lady had not expected Laurel to look so well. She had thought she would find a settlement and not return or that she would show up weary and starving begging for shelter.
Laurel had washed and changed her dress from black to red and slit the sides of the dress over the pants Tsuki had given her to make riding easier. Her blonde hair was braided either side of her head and each braid was coiled so that she appeared horned.
Laurel raised the staff she had made in the wood, with its fork at the top where branches had grown. "I have come for that one there," she said and aimed her staff toward Tsuki, who had just recently come from the tent. "He will not leave without his companions, so you will release them all to me. Return to them all their belongings, their mounts, and one half of the gold you took from them."
"And this one, Lung Fei Shih, who you have worked as your cook without wages, will come with us," Tsuki said. He drew his sword as the other three came from the tent.
"Why should we do this?" The Lady asked.
"Because Tsuki and I cleansed the ancient burial ground a day's ride north of all the evil that had infested it."
Many in the circle talked amongst themselves. Laurel took a bundle she had prepared and tossed it over the circle to Tsuki. Dale leapt forward to catch it and bring it to Tsuki. It was made of a jacket closed with Tsuki's hair thong and contained Tsuki's jewelry and wand within.
"It is not possible," North said.
"The energy cannot be gathered even by a full circle," South said.
"Or the power that lies in that place cannot be safely channeled and released. Those who try, die, loose their power, or are possessed and the grounds remain cursed," The Lady said.
"It is true, the curse is lifted," Tsuki said. He had pulled back his hair, put on his jacket and put, circlet, collar, bracelets, waist chain, anklets earclasps and clips all in place. He held his sword in his left hand and the wand in his right. "She and I did it, we called on no god or goddess, the power of that place came to us and was channeled along with our own power and released to cleans the barrows and the ancient monuments around them."
"And so, I repeat, release them to me, with all their goods and half the gold you took from them. Subtract from that remaining gold a fair price that three would pay at an inn for rest and food and that is yours. The rest of the gold will be given to Fei Shih in token payment for service rendered."
"Do as she asks," The Lady ordered. She saw Her Lord and several other prepare to protest. "Now. Find all their things and return them as requested. If they have done all the world such a favor in cleansing the ancient sacred lands then it is the least we can do."
Laurel rode around the circle and slipped from Moon-halo as she found Tsuki. "Your horse," she said, "I thank you for the loan."
"I thank you for the rescue."
"I see you had already made a new ally and armed yourself. I did little. I feel I owe you still, for I have realized many things about myself since meeting you."
Tsuki nodded. "Stay cautious. I will go see if they are collecting our things." Tsuki mounted his horse and left Laurel with Fei.
Laurel bowed to Fei and began to say that she was glad he would be traveling with them, but the Lady rushed to Laurel and interrupted. "How was it done? How did you two dispel all the evil spirits that had so long infested the barrows?"
"You know that I have always had power. You did not send me away because I lacked knowledge or will or power. When I joined the circle, spells had strange results. I know that was true, but it was not because I did not give enough or that I did not follow the rites as I was taught. I was not right for the circle because my spirit is what might be considered male in your faith."
"It is your faith," The Lady said.
"I wish that it could be, but not as the rites are written. Not if the work is as strictly controlled as it is here and now. I am a female sun...and Tsuki is a male moon. That is why, Lady, that is why he is my perfect partner and I must travel with him and learn from him. Not only would the powers seem reversed from our faith, but he does not call on any god or goddess to watch or aid his work. We invoked our power, the power and will of people."
"He is not even a witch."
"No, and I do not think he is exactly a Wizard either, but he has power. "
"It is good he will have you to look out for him."
"Even if I believed that I should be his guide, I do not think he would accept me. He chooses his own path in life and has found a spirit guide as well...a rabbit."
"He links himself with an animal spirit as the Wild Men do?"
"I have not learned the significance of the rabbit, I just know that it is not an idol of worship nor a literal source of power."
"The rabbit," Fei said. He raised his hand to the nearly full moon above the trees and pointed out the shape of it in the light and dark areas on the heavenly body.
"It is as if he is the goddess on earth," The Lady said.
"I do not know that I believe in such things anymore," Laurel said quietly.
Fei indicated in gesture that Laurel should walk with him, but as they went to the cook area he wondered how uneducated the people of this region could be to not know the names of proper gods and spirits and to run about at night worshiping the sun and moon. It seemed rather barbaric to him, right along with symbolic sacrifice of flesh and blood.
Dale and Kato had remained near the tent Kato saw Dale looking into the trees. He inquired what the Elf was interested in. "The birds, they are still there, a lot of them."
"What does it mean? Orcs?" Kato whispered.
Dale snuffed the air. "Don't know. Go find Laurel and Fei. Tell them...well, don't tell them about being on a secret mission, but explain to them we might encounter some trouble along the way and they should separate from us if they are not prepared to face danger with us."
"I will think of something, though I am certain those two will follow."
"I will trust your perception for now, but warn them all the same. I will go find Tsuki and see if he thinks it wise to warn these others...by the way, what would your vote be on that?"
"I certainly did not enjoy being taken captive but I would not wish Orcs on my worst enemy...so...I suppose I would not wish Orcs on them."
Dale nodded sharply. "That would be my vote too, though I would not mind if some of these people happened to die in battle with Orcs."
"Preferable to the spoiling one hears about," Kato whispered.
"That I would not wish on my worst enemy," Dale agreed.
Dale strode off, and not wanting to be alone among the enemy, even if release had been negotiated, Kato hurried to find Laurel. She was in the cook area, beneath its tarp with Fei. He had few belongings to pack, mainly a change of clothes and some bedding, but he was in the process of slowly explaining, as Kato arrived, that one of his previous mishaps involved being issued the gear of the cook that had also been captured upon his release from prison. "Somewhere is a cook burdened with a scholar's brushes and scrolls."
"Then, you are not a real cook?" Kato asked. He frowned. The conversation in the tent had gone so quickly and been conducted mainly in languages he did not speak, so he was not sure what had been said, though he supposed Fei had been a sort of spy during the war. As the war was over, Kato would not have worried over traveling with Fei even if he were a full-fledged spy, but he believed Fei had more been a scholar conscripted into service so that the military might exploit his knowledge than one who had intended to aid the Dark Lord and his minions.
For a moment Fei did not answer, to Kato he seemed to consider the question's meaning. "Cook I became...Scholar I am...continue to be."
"You continue to be a scholar, though you became a cook out of necessity, or through mishap?"
Fei processed the words in his mind. "Yes. I am a scholar who became a cook through series of mishaps."
"You use the Common Speech well now," Laurel said.
"I am helped...if there are patient people."
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Kato laughed. "Do you have all your things? I do have something important to tell you."
"I will listen to thee...as I pack." Fei bent to collect those implements that he had brought to the camp.
Kato looked to see if others were listening and then proceeded. "If you both wish to travel with us, we would welcome company, but you should know we may encounter some trouble. I am a merchant and Tsuki and Dale are my hired escort. There is sometimes trouble along the roads, bandits and even Orcs. If you are not...Do you know of Orcs?"
Fei smiled. "The Uruk I know. Many creatures and lore are known to me." Fei stood close to Kato and looked down upon him. He then touched a finger to one of Kato's ears, which were slightly pointed. "Thou are a Hole-dweller."
"Yes. Some call my people by that name, though we are often called Halfling by Men in the Common Speech."
"Fei Shih is quite well educated, it is just he sometimes has trouble communicating all he knows to us, people of the west." Laurel saw Fei smile at her. "I missed your cooking when I was gone."
Fei made a slight bow to Laurel and then turned to Kato. "I have packed. The Uruk will not..."
"Dissuade you?" Laurel asked. "They will not convince you not to go...?" Laurel winced at her own confusing double negative.
"We will travel together," Fei told Kato.
"Excellent...do either of you know how to fight?"
Fei and Laurel looked at each other and then again at Kato. "I cook."
"I have some ability with healing," said Laurel.
"That is well enough. I mainly read the maps. Let us go. I wonder if they have eaten all my food."
Fei lifted a basket and Kato saw it was his.
"Very good!" Kato took the basket. "It feels a bit light, but I will send Tsuki and Dale out foraging. We should find some settlement within a few days, so no worry!" Kato smiled wide and walked off to find his pony.
Dale had already located Tsuki, with Nightmare and the pony. He saw Dale approach as he was supervising return of their belongings. Though his case had remained with Laurel, the hunters had taken Tsuki's saddlebags and cloak and there had been many important and useful things contained in them.
"I sent out spies," Dale said as he came up and leaned into Tsuki's leg.
"Reason to worry?"
"Just a lot of spies hanging around."
"We should move soon. We will probably lose half a day through all of this. The animals seem well. You should check your pack."
"Right." Dale was still walking about without boots, jacket or cloak, though Tsuki was now fully dressed. He had put away some of the jewelry, but not all. Dale could see the silvery metal and moonstones just beneath the pit of his throat, where his shirt laces were loose. He thought, it was probably not a myth that Elves loved jewelry. "What I meant to say was, did you warn them?"
"I hinted to The Lady, though I do not know if I hinted strongly enough that she could understand the danger."
"Well, Kato and I voted that we should warn them at least, we have our reasons."
"The other two should be given votes now."
"Well, Kato only just went to warn them of the danger."
"I will tell The Lady."
"Then you would vote to warn them?"
"It does not really matter. You and Kato already cast your votes." Tsuki put his heel in Moon-halo's flank to move the horse from Dale. Dale, who had been leaning into Tsuki's leg, swayed before his fine Elven sense of balance kept him from falling. He shifted his weight, turned then began to check his pack. He saw Kato approaching with their latest companions.
"You seem troubled," Kato said as he approach, stooping beneath Nightmare to join Dale on the large animal's other side. Dale glanced up to the others and wished Kato understood Elven.
"Does Tsuki seem different to you?"
"Different compared to what?"
Dale shrugged. "Does he seem suddenly lordly and like he is the leader of us?"
"When there is a task to be done, Tsuki seems to focus on it and doing things the best he can; that has not changed in the days I have known him. Has he said something to you to lead you to believe otherwise? Perhaps you would notice, as you have known him longer."
"Perhaps a month longer. He changed so much..." Laurel and Fei might still not realize that they were Rangers, so Dale did not say what he thought: that the training changed everyone but Tsuki had changed greatly since Dale had known him. He used to be that Man who did not speak or smile. "Now he speaks up to give us orders and decide our plans. Don't I find things when we need them? Don't I take as many watches?"
"I saw how he fought today," Kato said.
"I helped."
"It was not your fault we were captured. You do not blame Tsuki any more than I do..."
"You are saying he does feel responsible?"
"Perhaps...he fought brilliantly. He could have killed them all. I have not seen many battles, but that seemed obvious to me. It must be different...fighting one against a group than fighting as one in an army. More desperate."
"Yes. It is desperate, though I do not know about fighting with an army."
"We did not help very much, though we tried as we were able. He will be well. Right now, perhaps he feels that he should have taken better care of us."
Dale shook his head. "Yes. That is just it. He is acting as if I need protection. That one dart hit me, but you saw, I kept fighting. I could have lasted longer, if he had not surrendered!"
"I suppose you will have to talk it out with Tsuki."
"I do not want to talk it out with him!"
Kato gave a nod, though Dale did not look at him. "Did you find all your things intact?"
"My gold is still not here and my hair-wash is missing."
Kato believed the Elf might be on the verge of tears. They felt deeply, Dale had told him, but in the songs, Elves might have a dignified moment of grief or sorrow, but they did not rant and cry onto their horse's back. Mostly they did not have horses, but that was really beside the point.
"I will check over my things," Kato said quietly. He walked cautiously around Nightmare, keeping one hand on the large horse and found Laurel and Fei still waiting near his pony. Kato could tell that his things had been unpacked, but most seemed to have been returned. Probably those in the camp had little use for clothing of his size. He had not seen many children. If anything else was missing, it was not important enough that he missed it now, or it could be easily replaced.
"Dale thought his hair-wash might be missing. It is most important to an Elf. And his purse. Do you think you might ask them about it, Laurel?"
"I will ask."
"Everything else seems to be as you requested. Thank you."
"I was glad to do it."
"I will check with Tsuki."
Tsuki was in the central area of the camp, mounted on Moon-halo outside The Lady's tent. He had informed her that Orcs had been seen following his party the day before last and that there may have been time for them to track the party to the camp.
The Lady seemed to take this threat seriously, though Tsuki refused to say why the Orcs would track his party in particular. The Lady had ordered Birch, who was standing in for Summons, who was standing in for East, to summon the circle again so that she might discuss the matter with them.
Tsuki was watching them gather as Kato approached. "May I talk to you?" Kato asked.
"If it is important."
Kato decided that perhaps Dale was correct in thinking Tsuki a little more focused on work than usual. He seemed a bit colder than usual. "A question then. Dale...is he quite young for an Elf?"
"He had previous lovers. Elves, I mean, and so I know they deemed him of an age for it, though whether he was the exception to a rule I do not know."
"Well that is quite interesting, but for once I was not talking about romance."
"Romance, is it?"
Kato laughed softly. "Healthy appetites," he said, "what I mean to ask is...well, Elves are not exactly like other races, are they? Of course, we are all somewhat different. They think differently, and feel differently."
"Is he well? Did he say something to you?"
"How young do you suppose him to be? Among my people, I have only just reached adulthood, though my body has been mature some years. There is a period of time after the body matures that one is still considered too youthful to be taken very seriously. We spend some years drinking and smoking with the lads before settling down. For Men, it is different. A Man my age might already have a few young children and a wife at home. He might have some grey in his hair, I think."
Tsuki ran a hand over his hair. He did not think he had grey. "He is very young for an Elf. Like a child almost. If he were of my race, he might be as a lad half my age."
"I see. Then he is in those years...reached that certain point of physical maturity so that he may not be considered a child, but emotionally quite immature."
"I do not think immature is the right word for him. He did not have a past that is normal for Elves. I think less stable would be the correct term, though I wish you not to repeat that. He is well enough. He can fight..." If I am there to make sure he does not try to fight all on his own or become too much like an Orc, Tsuki thought. "Was he well, Kato? What did he say?"
"It was more the manner of his speech than the words. You understand Elves better than I do..."
"I do not understand them very well."
"Which is still better than I. Whatever he needs in order to appear enchanted and wise and gay...well he needs it now. And he needs a bath too. He seems very irritable when he is not clean."
"Moreso than other Elves. Kato, I want all of us to have what we need to make the journey, but we must sacrifice at times. You cannot indulge his fits. A wiser being than I told me that. Dale will be well if he sees he is needed and that he must pull himself together."
"I was not suggest we pamper the young Elf, but there is such a thing as being too stern, Tsuki. Dale will not see that he is needed at all if you cannot seem to remember that I am the one responsible for the success of the mission. You and Dale are responsible for our staying safe as possible while we complete our tasks. We have taken to voting so that we are sure to hear the opinions of those focused on our end goal as well as those concerned with safety."
"If they had threatened another's life, I might not have surrendered," Tsuki whispered. His hands gripped the reins tightly. "And if I had not already thrown down my sword, I would have started the killing when they shot him."
"And that is why we all have votes, so that when your judgment is weighed by your fondness for him the others will balance you. If you have warned The Lady and all your things have been returned, then let us go to the others and see what we shall do."
Tsuki agreed and so they went around the tents to the place they had left Dale. He seemed much better when they found him, he was smiling and speaking with many gestures to Fei, across Nightmare's back. "Because 'Dale', which comes from 'dael', is another way to say 'Vale', which is the same as 'valley', which means the land between the higher elevations of land. Get it? Try again."
"I see you are an Elf," Fei said.
Dale nodded. "I am a Vale Elf."
"May I have your name, Master Vale Elf?" Fei asked.
"My name is Dale Maple. Now you say 'A Vale Elf named Dale?' Say it just like that, 'Vale Elf named Dale?'"
"A Vale Elf named Dale?" Fei asked in imitation of Dale's inflection.
"Now laugh. It's a funny name!"
"A Vale Elf named Dale? Eeheheh!"
Dale laughed. "Do you like dirty jokes? Lewd ones? Yes? A vale is hollow shaped, it suggests receiving, you might say it is a more female shape...so you would use that. See? You would say something like, 'I wager many would like to delve deeply in that Dale'."
"That is good? If the words begin with the same sound?"
"Yeah, it is even more witty. Ah, or 'veil' which means a face covering for a lady, sounds like vale. And let us say I made some remark about doing my dance of seven veils then what would you say?"
Fei considered that. "I shall say something which uses this word 'vale' in the sense of a female's body?"
"Yes. What would you say?"
"Say your witty comment."
"Ha Ha, but you did not see me the night I did the dance of the seven veils!"
"Seven? Where I come from each woman has only one!"
"Good. Good. I think we might eventually improve that."
"How would you say the joke?"
"It is always better to be as lewd as possible in these jokes. I would probably try, 'Seven Vales! My rivers cannot course seven times in a night for just one!'"
Fei laughed. "Funny. A river courses in a valley. I understand."
Dale nodded several times. "Now you are thinking like an Elf!"
"A disgracefully lewd Elf," Tsuki said.
Dale leaned his side against his horse and looked up at Tsuki. "Ya got a spade packed in there? 'Cause I've got this dolven hole I'd like to show ya!"
"No, but I have two swords."
"You take this one," Dale whispered to Fei behind a hand.
"A Man with two swords!" Fei shook his head, he could not think of something witty to say.
"I have a spade," Kato volunteered.
"Of course, we all know you are a hole-dweller," Fei said.