Part Sixty-eight
Though he fought not to let on how severe his injury was, Kato still had to accept Dale's assistance in standing. He felt badly about so many things. He did not want to die before he could aid his friends by telling them all he remembered. He did not yet understand why he was able to remember or how he had forgotten. He felt bad that Dale's hands were stained with blood. He felt bad that his lifetime with Beryl would be so short.
Dale held Kato, but he did not look on him, with guilt or sadness or even hope that he might live. He did not even look at Kato.
"You're beautiful," Dale said, so reverently. He was gazing at Beryl. "I did not truly look before. You are…beautiful."
Kato wanted to make a joke. He knew Beryl was very pleasing to look at. He knew very well. He had practically sold his soul to be with the strange old Elf. He knew not what had possessed him to make such a poor deal, at the time he had only known of Beryl's seeming beauty and of some portion of his talents, and Beryl had demanded secrecy and monogamy and various other proofs of devotion. Now, it seemed he had taken advantage of Beryl to have ended up with a lover whose many assets matched the extreme of his beauty and to only have lost numerous additional lovers he no longer seemed to want for.
Kato desperately wanted to make a joke, to not feel undone now that he stood dying, with his secret relationship found out, and his friend confessing appreciation for Beryl's appearance. Everything hurt.
"It is so like you to notice now you see him in Orcish restraints made of leather," Tsuki said flatly. He went from the window to Duma and shook him slightly in attempt to wake him.
"Caerig…" Beryl said, choking on the name. His strong desire to aid Kato lost to his sense of modesty and Beryl briefly turned from Kato to unfold his much mended cloak and draw it about his body. "Caerig. I am sorry."
Kato could not bear for Beryl to blame himself. It had been true that Beryl had agreed to be his personal bodyguard, as well as a secret lover, but Kato knew that Beryl had protected him better than many would have been able. In truth, he had already carried out his mission. Kato remembered now. He understood that they must have guessed he had remembered somehow, or feared it was possible. The Wizard had had some time to decode the message and decide that it was accurate and Kato now no longer of use. The masked assassins had been sent. They had been very skilled and outnumbered Kato's bodyguard.
"It-it is not very serious." Kato forced a laugh. "Only, listen now. I will give you the message that I delivered to The Sea. I may pass out of consciousness shortly…"
"Go on," Dale said seriously, "relay the message to us."
"This is important to Kato, and may also be useful to us. Do you think one of you will remember it exactly, or shall I fetch my tome, quill and ink to record his words?"
"Go," Dale answered; he now looked only at Kato. "Can you stand on your own?" he asked the Halfling, as Tsuki exited the room.
"Aye." Kato held his right hand to the wound in his belly and stood, a little bent.
Duma was waking then and asked what was happening.
"Someone sent assassins after Kato. They only stopped fighting and made their escape once he had been injured."
"Assassins," Duma said quietly.
In the next room, Tsuki saw that Setsugekka was gone. She had been taken, he thought, as all their belongings, including Setsugekka's had been moved as if in a search. The shutters were wide at the window. Tsuki went to this window. From here, as with the window in Kato's room, he could see land behind the Inn. The assassins had fled quickly, fading into shadows and he saw no sign of them, or of Setsugekka now. The timing of her absence did suggest strongly to him that the one who had dispatched the assassins was also her former keeper and likely a Wizard. The Sea, Kato had said. This must be a name to distinguish him from the second Blue Wizard.
As Tsuki was about to turn from the window, some familiar pattern of color and shape seen from the corner of his eyes registered in his mind and made him look more closely.
Laurel was there; Fei and their two horses with her. They had left the road when Laurel felt a strange sensation, like an invisible pull on her innards, that she interpreted as warning, and had come to Eldsbridge across wooded land and had seen a girl in eastern clothing carried by a figure entirely clad in black and thought it strange. They had debated confronting the seeming villain, but had then sighted many others similarly dressed running toward them and known they would be too outnumbered to give aid.
They had feared for themselves, but then, those black clad figures had run past them, entirely unconcerned with seeing a male and female of the race of Men in the woods of Eldsbridge.
Now, they came to the Inn, and wondered if some girl had been taken from this place. "We should go within and explain what we saw. Surely they will not blame us for being unable to give aid," Laurel said. "If it seems a girl was taken, we can at least tell them which way her abductors headed."
"Perhaps we should see what manner of people are in this place."
Tsuki called to Laurel from the window above. She looked up and called his name as she saw him. "We have had trouble. Come upstairs, to the second room on the left past the steps. Kato is injured."
Fei and Laurel both began to run, as inside, Tsuki quickly collected his tome, quill and ink and then made his way back to the room, where Kato was relating to the three with him what he remembered of the the Wizards and how strange it felt to have been under a spell and now realize it.
"The effects may not be entirely gone, though you have resisted," Beryl said, "You may at times feel some compulsion."
Kato tried to laugh. He did not think he would live that long.
"I am here," Tsuki said, "Forgive me. Setsugekka has been taken, and I saw Laurel and Fei are here in Eldsbridge."
They came to the room even as Tsuki explained they were near, as they had rushed all the way and Tsuki had paused to collect writing materials. "Kato, what is the nature of the injury?" Laurel asked urgently.
"No. I cannot wait any longer. Listen all of you."
Kato then recited the message. Out of respect for his effort, none spoke while Kato sang the words, but all questioned themselves silently on the meaning. To Beryl and Dale who did not recognize any words the tone of each sound seemed important to their Elven ears and nature. Fei recognized the sounds and tone as coming from a dialect of the east, and quickly took the quill and bound paper from Tsuki to correctly record the characters, which Tsuki had begun to spell out by their sound in Elven script, yet the meaning of these characters in the order Kato gave them seemed code or nonsense. Tsuki realized the words Kato spoke must be tonal and originating in the east, after Fei too his tome, but he did not understand any meaning in what Kato said. To Duma and Laurel both the message seemed gibberish.
When Kato had given the message once through, he slumped further. "Please, give beginning again," Fei said to him.
"We must treat his wound!" Beryl said loudly. The ferocity shocked the others, Fei in particular, because Beryl had a way of seeming always calm.
Kato made no reply, except that he began again to recite the message. Before he could give the message fully a second time, Kato fell, unconscious. "Let me look at his wounds," Laurel said, pushing her way between Dale and Beryl.
"We should get him quickly back to the Wood," Dale said, "Surely there are healers more experienced there."
"Be careful, let me remove his clothing," Beryl said sharply to Laurel, then he said, "That wood has so many young Elves. They have healers and Elven medicine is powerful, but they could not do better than Laurel, Tsuki and I together."
"How did this occur?" Fei asked. "We saw some figures running from this place as we arrived. Did you see it happen?"
"The attackers wore black garments, from head to toe. We could not even tell their race," Tsuki said.
"No, they were something like Elves," Dale whispered, "I could see it in their proportion and in the way they moved." He was silent a moment. "Yet their manner of combat was not as any Elves I know are instructed."
"I think it was an eastern combat technique. Dale recovered a few of their weapons."
"There is blood coming also from his…!" Laurel gasped.
"Will you help me or not?" Beryl demanded.
"Then the cut," she gasped again, "forgive me. It matters not where the wound is placed, I only failed to understand how such a wound was made, but, I am sorry, it does not really matter."
"Tsuki, we need more bandaging," Beryl called, "Dale, a clean needle."
"What is wrong with Kato?" Duma asked, "Is his wound so strange they cannot help him?"
"It was a single stab that cut both belly and sex," Dale said casually as he reached into his shirt for a needle.
"How would that be done?" asked Duma.
"Is Kato's tinderbox here?" Dale asked. "I might use fire to make the needle clean."
"The assassins were seen," Fei said. "An Easterling girl was carried by one."
Tsuki gave a nod. "The baggage was disturbed by battle, but I think I saw Setsugekka's tinderbox, I can get it, and bandages also."
"Will flint help?" Duma asked.
"It needs something for the spark to ignite. Wizard matches are useful for this. Fire will make a needle clean."
"Yes. Great heat will seal a wound quickly. When needles are cleaned by fire for piercing they are allowed to cool before breaking skin."
"This wound is deeper. There may be damage to the innards. Perhaps Tsuki should look."
Beryl made a lamentful cry and then spoke harshly, "If Tsuki takes time to peer at his insides then Kato may as well be a corpse upon a Wizard altar. We must close and bind the wound now!"
"Beryl," Laurel whispered, "Kato is dear to us all. If he continues to bleed on the inside, though we close the surface of the wound, he may not survive."
"Which way did they go, these assassins with the girl?" Dale asked Fei as Tuski was coming again into the room. "That girl was known to us and stolen from our room, while we came to aid Beryl and Kato."
"North. To the Wood."
Dale struck a match against the small metal box and then held the needle over the flame. "That seems further proof that those who manipulated Kato and ourselves are associated with those causing deaths in the Wood."
"I believe he may be bleeding also from an injury to some organ within the belly, but Beryl thinks it is best we close the wound, as Kato is quickly losing blood."
"There are no guarantees in such matters," Tsuki said seriously as he handed the roll of cloth to Beryl. "I believe Beryl is correct, for now. He may survive a few days with the internal wound, but he will die in hours if we do not attempt to close the larger wound. There is too great a chance for infection in this place, and we are not safe."
"I'm thinking now that the Wood is not really safe. I thought to go there, but it is true the healers are no more expert than those here, and if this Sea-Blue Wizard is involved with the queer Elf-like creatures…like I said, not safe."
"Tsuki, tell me, do you believe Kato can be helped?"
"If he is taken to some secure location place where there are skilled healers, there is hope that the internal injuries are minor and will heal on their own, or that he can be made strong enough to survive a surgery, but there are few healers who know such procedures, Wizards and possibly a few among the Rangers, be they Men or Elves, and some in the larger settlements of Elves or Men."
"We should go now and take Kato to one of the cities in the west," Duma said.
"I hardly expected you would be one to forget that war is imminent within the Silver Wood, or that there is some plot that may endanger Orcs and which would seem to involve these parts east of the river," Dale said sharply.
"Kato. I respect Kato. I did not forget."
"We must decide together. I do not know that Kato will wake soon. We must consider his wishes."
"Yes," Dale agreed, "clearly he was in great pain and delayed treatment of his injuries to give us the message. Whether he lives or dies, we can best honor his wishes by using the knowledge he has given us to save as many lives as possible, even if his life is lost."
"We cannot ignore Kato's life. While he still lives, we must make every effort to help him survive," Laurel insisted.
"If we could only understand the message," Beryl sighed, "we might properly honor Kato. As it is, I do not know what we can do. Kato is injured, and that girl was stolen right from one of our rooms, and we have no idea how many enemies are hidden within the Wood or if the Orcs can be made to remain peaceful."
"The Orcs cannot be made to be peaceful so long as they are threatened, but we might show them an enemy to fight other than Elves, if it is true your Elves do not mean to make themselves enemies."
"The message is in a language I recognize," Fei told the others, "but it seems to be in a code. If we can only decipher, then we may learn the plan of the Wizards."
"I would guess that if it is a Wizard code, Tsuki has the best chance of deciphering it," Dale said.
"I do not…"
"But do you believe any of us has a better chance?"
"No, Dale."
Dale smiled. "Then you have the best chance. We only ask you make the attempt. We have no better hope. It is important to Kato, and all of us."
"But Tsuki is also the only one experienced with surgery," Laurel whispered.
"I am not experienced, I had only seen tomes and performed minor procedures before I operated upon Galadhiel and Dog. AS I said, there are others who do know the art of it…"
"I think Kato would trust Tsuki, but, if Tsuki does not trust his skill and is needed for other tasks, one of us, at least, must take Kato to some place where he can find help. What do you say Beryl. You came to know Kato quite well, did you not?"
For a long moment Beryl looked at Laurel without speaking, and then he seemed to recover all his usual composure. He sat straight, pulled his cloak closed at the front and answered, "One horse and rider could take Kato across the river by the road to the capitol. The most advance House of Healing in the west is there, and I believe they have even treated other Halflings there. If we are not able to heal Kato's injuries, then that is the best place we can take him."
"Who should go? Beryl?" Dale asked.
"If Beryl wishes it, I will not stop him, but there may be battle coming, we could use your help, Beryl, if you would remain. I suggest Laurel go. I will lend Moon-halo to them. My horse is fast and though she is no Halfling or Elf, Laurel is a light rider. She knows something of healing also, so we can trust her to tend Kato well until he is in better hands. She is a woman of the west, and will be admitted to the capitol there with few questions."
"So long as it is not out of concern for my safety, I will go," Laurel said firmly, "that is," she said more respectfully, if Beryl will stay in my place and help protect the innocent people of this land."
Beryl took a minute to think on the situation before answering. "Yes," he said, "I shall remain. Tsuki, Laurel, you must prepare Kato for traveling as well as you are able, and see that Laurel had all the medicinal supplies we can give to her. Dale, you know someone in the Capitol. Perhaps you do not believe she remembers you, or you fear to claim her acquaintance, but you must put your doubt aside. Take paper and ink from Fei and write a letter of introduction for Laurel and Kato so that they will be quickly sheltered and given the best care. I will go now quickly to the fort of Woodhenge and ask their Captain Miller to choose two Rangers who he knows to have served loyally for a long time and who can ride in all haste with a message to the King. It is time now he was alerted to our findings and the Wizard's plot." Beryl then stooped to some of the scattered luggage and retrieved his old brooch, which had been replaced by the one now pinning his cloak, which Duma had made. He gave this to Laurel. "If asked for some token of proof, say that you will present such a token only to the Queen; show her this and say that the Halfling is dear to me."
"The Queen? Who am I that can speak to a queen? Is she not Elven?"
"Dale's letter will be addressed to her. You have no trouble chatting with Lady Lenaduiniel daily, so have no fear of meeting the Queen. Our new High King will be occupied with weighty political matters, as attempts to negotiate with eastern and southern empires are still underway and Orcs are giving battle through the west. The Rangers we send will bring news of one more problem, so it would be folly to ask him to lend his time to tend a wounded Halfling. Better to address the matter to his Queen. And then the King may chose to attend the injured Halfling
"The Rangers," Fei said.
"Yes!" Laurel said. She took the small silver message canister from her cloak and offered it to Tsuki. "Here. Fei and I found this along with the carcass of a messenger pigeon on our way here. I could not read the Elven, but Fei recognized a few words. He said it mentions you and Dale."
"This is more proof that someone is interfering with Ranger communications."
"Read it quickly, and if it is important I will tell the Rangers its message when I go to them now," Beryl offered.
"It is from Anto to Kinsley, he says that he has not heard from Woodhenge recently and here, it says that Anto has had word from the north and that it has been discovered that some party falsified orders from the Elf-king and that trusted individuals have been dispatched to investigate the matter. It says that those in the north believe that the messenger Dale and I escort has either been duped or is in league with those that falsified orders. Dale and I are to be intercepted and made aware of the interruption in the chain of command and the messenger is to be taken into custody and questioned."
"How did the carcass look?" Beryl asked.
"Recently felled," Laurel replied, "you think the news would have come to late, even if the bird had not be stopped in its flight?"
"Likely. This is proof. I will take the message to Miller. I believe we can trust him among the Rangers. I will inform him the messenger is in custody and will be taken to the capitol and that Tsuki and Dale shall be returning to the Wood with me to investigate matters there."
"We will return to the Wood, then?" Duma asked.
"Until we can decode the message or learn where The Sea is, it is the best place to go," Dale said as he was writing. He looked up as Beryl took the message from Tsuki and then went about gathering clothing. "While we prepare for Laurel and Kato, you should go into our room and gather our belongings."
"They are all quite scattered. It seems they looked for something when they took Setsugekka, though I am not certain what we might have that would interest them."
"There is something Setsugekka had that we now have," Duma said plainly. He lifted the pouch hanging from his belt, and Tsuki and Dale, being nearby, could see by its shape that the restored Moon Stone must be within.
"Ah, perhaps it was not only the Priestess the Sea wanted returned. Could he have sensed that we restored the stone's function in some way?"
"He could if he also had a stone," Beryl said, as he dressing.
"Could we use our two to find the Wizard?" Dale asked. "The Star stone is here. I did not leave it in the room." He drew it from his cloak, still wrapped in cloth.
"I think to be certain we would need three who could command seeing stones each with a stone," Tsuki said.
"There are two here, two in the capitol, and one other kept by one known to me and two unaccounted for," Beryl said, as he straightened his clothes. He looked his usual calm and elegant self.
"Clearly The Sea recovered one that we thought lost, unless these others you know of have been stolen."
"Could they have?" Beryl wondered. "I would suppose if anyone might have it would have to be Wizards. They were lost at sea."
"I think that Laurel would have the will and ability," Tsuki said. "If we do not learn from the message where the Wizard hides, we may be able to locate him using three of the stones. If there are two at the Capitol, perhaps they will allow her access to one."
"I am not certain of that," Beryl admitted. "They are dangerous things, even with an introduction from Dale and myself, the King and Queen may not believe it wise to allow Laurel into the tower."
"It was in more ancient times called Tower of the Sun," Tsuki said, "When the Tower of the Moon still stood and had not been tainted by sorcery."
"Yes," Beryl said slowly, "One of the stones within the Capitol is the Sun stone. That is the one believed tainted, and so the Fire Stone has been placed there wit it for the King's use."
"If there is one who could wield the Sun Stone, it must be Laurel," Duma said excitedly, "She has strong magical affinity with the Sun, as Tsuki and Setsugekka have with the Moon."
"You are saying that perhaps the stone was tainted with evil but that girl Priestess had the ability to purify it?" Beryl asked.
"Perhaps if Laurel was born in east she would be called Priestess and not Witch," Fei said.
"I do not know that I can do it, but I will set my will and power to the task if it is needed. I will steal into the King's tower if need be. Clearly these Wizards pose a threat to all. I must do no less than any of you in fighting that threat."
Tsuki nodded sharply. "If you are made to have such power over the stone, then it will simply come to pass," he said, "Kato's well being should be your first priority. There is possibility that any use of these ancient devices could work against us and invite the Blue Wizards to learn all our secrets and perhaps even possess our minds. They have shown us their skill with compulsion."
"If Kato is taken care of, I will seek the stone. Tsuki, Fei, do your best to decode the message. I believe in you both! Stay well so that I may see you again!"
"Laurel," Beryl said, before the others could wish her well, "Leave as soon as you and Kato are ready. I will dispatch the Rangers to ride after you. I will join you others here as soon as I can. Be ready to return to the Wood in haste. Our own short journey may be dangerous, and so we should go together."
Agreed, they went on their ways in preparation for the tasks to come. Beryl took Brethil and rode to speak to the Rangers. Duma and Fei both made themselves useful in packing gear and in giving warning to the people of Eldsbridge. Tsuki and Laurel made Kato as ready for travel as they were able and then carried him down to the yard, where Tsuki prepared Moon-halo to carry the two to the capitol. When Dale had finished his letter and sealed the rolled paper with a dampened maple leaf, he brought this down to Laurel.
Tsuki loaded onto Moon-halo what luggage packed with provisions, warm blankets, and medicinal supplies Laurel and Kato would need. When Laurel had mounted, Kato was passed up into her arms. Tsuki then took the feathers from Moon-halo's bridle. "You will fly fast enough without them, I feel I may have need of these yet. Bring Laurel and Kato swiftly to the city of shining towers, where they may find aid. I will see you again, My Friend."
"Here is one of Kato's maps that shows the region in detail," Fei said to Laurel as he offered it. "You only need to go west and across this ferry and the road across the river will take you to the city."
"Farewell," Laurel said.
Fei stood at his full height beside Moon-halo and Laurel bowed from the horse to meet his lips in a kiss.
"Go now, quickly, Kato's life may depend upon it," Tsuki said.
Laurel urged Moon-halo on and quickly the horse ran from the yard and around the corner of the building.
The gear had all been brought down and their bill settled, and Dale, Tsuki, Duma and Fei, who remained, readied their horses as they awaited Beryl. But for Tsuki, who would ride Moon-shadow, they each had their usual mount with them. It did not take Tsuki very long to transfer his gear to Moon-shadow, which he also owned, and to adjust the length of the stirrups attached to the saddle. As they were making ready, some Men that were acquainted with Kato came to them and said they had been told by others in the town that their Master had been injured.
"He is being taken to the capitol, a rider has only just left, carrying him."
"We will send some of our people to ride after him, but you must tell us, how he was injured. We only heard of this from a woman who works at the Inn."
Tsuki explained that Kato had been used by some rogue Wizards and now they found his usefulness at an end, they had sent assassins after him. Of course, Tsuki said, Kato's friends had tried to protect him, but the assassins were strange to them I their ways and came in numbers.
"We will avenge our Master," One of the Men from the south said. "If you find these Wizards or we may be of any help, send for us. We fought for our nation in the war and are no strangers to battle. Master Kato was good to our people when others were not, and we would die for him! He is as our brother!"
"We do not yet know where the enemies lie, but we fear they are close. If you wish to help, watch this town and the roads closely. There may soon be battle to the north of here. If we have need, we will send a messenger to you," Tsuki said to them.
"Allow me to come along with you," one said. He was youthful, and, like many Men of the south, dark of hair and eyes. His clothing seemed tailored in the west, but for the well maintained red cloak that marked him as one among his people who had served in the war. "My name is Aud, and should you need to send for my people, I will be your messenger and know how to find them."
"Kato was dear to us also, and since you were among those he introduced to us, you may travel with us. If you have any weapons or gear that you will require, go now quickly and collect them. We wait for one of our party to return, and then we will ride north."
"I will meet you at the crossroads," Aud suggested.
"Agreed," said Tsuki. He glanced to Dale, "Agreed?"
Dale gave a nod, though he did not speak.
The Men left and when they were all ready, it was decided that rather than wait in the yard for Beryl, they would go to the road, where they would be able to see Beryl's approach from afar. As they went, they saw two Southmen ride hard along the road, and shortly thereafter came upon Aud, mounted upon a graceful brown gelding that rivaled those bred by the Horse Lords of the west. No sooner than they had greeted Aud two Rangers clothed in brown and green rode west along the road. They slowed their horses enough to call out acknowledgement to Tsuki and Dale, and then rode on, after the pair of Southmen and Laurel.
Beryl came to them last, running lightly alongside Brethil. He bowed and was hastily introduced again to Aud, who they had seen within the trading post. Beryl mounted his horse again as they began their ride north. It was then night and they expected to be among Elves again some time the next morning, hopefully before the sun was high.
"The Rangers are alerted," Beryl reported, "those riding west will bear message to the King and have order to continue or see that others are dispatched to forts further west and north. They are warned of our suspicions, but I believe any who were spies or infiltrators have already departed. There was at least one full squad of Rangers absent from Woodhenge without leave when I spoke to Rangers there. Kinsley was among those missing."
"He is either dead or in hiding with his Master," Tsuki said authoritatively.
"Do you think the Wizard would kill Setsugekka?" Duma asked.
"I cannot claim to know," Tsuki admitted, "I am not happy that she was taken, but I cannot help it now. Kato had immediate need of our help. It greatly depends on whether she seems useful to The Sea, if he is truly her Master as we suspect."
Setsugekka was in the custody of the Outcasts. Hwesta was loyal to Forhrondo, but he was more loyal to The Sea, and the Outcasts were loyal only to Hwesta. They had, Hwesta included, voluntarily outcast themselves from their people when they agreed to allow the Wizard to mutilate their bodies. They had, in joining the plot to come west and to annihilate the abominations, become abominations themselves. They might be seen among the Rómendar, but would never find mates among them or titles; they were undesirables, fit only to be assassins, spies, mercenaries, or thieves.
The outcasts had a hiding place within the tunnels Rangers had abandoned after the war. Setsugekka was carried into the tunnel and dropped upon the dirt floor. Those who had recently come inside removed their masks and hoods to reveal their faces. In physical features, they were near indistinguishable from Elves of the west. The Wizard had cut open their flesh, reshaped their bones and stitched the flesh closed again, but their greatest dishonor among the Rómendar was that the Outcasts had allowed the Wizard to clip and stitch their ears.
Annavala had known that this group existed, known that the plans of the Rómendar in coming west involved misleading the Elves and Men of the region and placing spies among them. The Outcasts, and Hwesta especially, seemed ugly to her, but their act of dishonoring themselves so that others would not have to suffer this fate was respected. Annavala had respected their actions, in the past.
Now she saw from the place she was bound that Setsugekka was dropped carelessly to the ground, and they had gone so far as to hold Annavala who was a noble among her people. She was the granddaughter of Lord Khyarhrondo and the Outcasts should not even have raised their heads to look upon her, but now these Outcasts kept her bound with cordage made of beaten wood fiber and stood over her as they discussed their plans.
"The Priestess does not have the item," one reported to Hwesta. "We looked for it."
A few more of the Outcasts arrived, carrying dead and injured.
"And the Halfling?" Hwesta asked.
"Mortally wounded. His companions fought us."
"Did we become outcasts for nothing? Accept the mark and suffer through training to be beaten?"
"The companions of the Halfling were not like other Rangers or Elves we have observed. Their methods were strange to us."
"And so our methods should have been strange to them!"
"Sir. The Halfling did receive a serious wound. It is doubtful he lives. If we had not fled, we would have lost all pretense of stealth and had all that town of Men upon us."
Hwesta nodded. He turned his back and thought to himself. He had not yet received orders to act in the open. When they were not able to act in stealth, they could not act. "Bury our dead here and treat the injured as we are able."
"And the Prisoners?"
"Await orders," Hwesta said.
Setsugekka crawled to Annavala, as her own arms and legs had not been bound. She hoped that she could find a way to free Annavala, but the binding was secure; her arms were pinned to her sides, her hands bound behind her back and her ankles bound to her thighs so that walking and crawling were impossible.
"Escape, if you can," Annavala said.
"They are to strong for me. If you could be freed of your binding, you might be fast enough or strong enough."
"They would shoot me before I was out of the cave," Annavala whispered, "I fear for my Lord. They prevent me from protecting him. If you have any enchantment that can allow you to escape, please go to my people and warn them. The Forhrondo faction…"
"No talking, or we will gag you as well!"
Annavala pressed her lips together.
Setsugekka did not believe she had any enchantment that could help her escape, but she might possibly enable Annavala to escape. She prayed.
Annavala felt her bonds loosen. She did not know how it happened, but she was able to move her hands. Annavala shifted her gaze to Setsugekka, but the young Priestess had done nothing but sit still with closed eyes. As Annavala moved her hands to pick the knots that bound her legs, she felt something soft and furry against her arm. She dared not move, but she believed Setsugekka had caused some animal to aid her. It was said some among the Rómendar had the ability to converse with animals.
Annavala was nearly free. The Outcasts were gathered nearby, speaking of the conquest to come, but not looking directly towards her. If she could free her arms, she might have a chance, but she might also be shot in the back as she ran. Her legs had been bound for some time and she felt weak.
"They are not all of them decadent and evil," Setsugekka whispered.
She would not try to run, Annavala decided. Setsugekka would stay to enable her escape. Annavala made a slow nod and then threw all her weight forward and scrambled up onto her feet as fast as she was able. Her movement was immediately noticed, but Setsugekka threw herself before the Outcasts in their pursuit so that several fell over her.
Those who leapt over Setsugekka drew bows to fire upon Annavala as she ran. They came to the mouth of the tunnel and took aim. Annavala did not look back but ran as fast as she was able. She thought, that if her path wander like that of the Moon their arrows might not find her. There were three archers, and with well-practiced signals to each other they agreed to aim at various paths the Rómendar noble might take. They fired, but the arrow that followed Annvala's path did not find its target.
She heard the sudden loud hoof beats and low bleat behind her and quickly rolled to the ground. She rolled through the frosted leaves to look behind and saw the enormous silver stag leap across her path and then disappear into the night. Annavala knew it was no mortal creature, but a spirit. She knew the Priestess must have summoned it and was grateful.
"A demon," the outcast whose arrow had struck the stag said. He feared for his life, knowing he had shot a spirit.
Hwesta came from the tunnel then and the two others described in whispers what had taken place. "What shall we do now?" they asked.
"Switch the girl and then bind her. Bind her and gag her."
"Hwesta, Sir, she is the property of the Wizard."
"And she betrays us and her Master. Beat her."
The outcasts took all her clothing but for her innermost robe, bound
her arms and legs with rope, so that she could not move, and used her
sash to gag her mouth. Setsugekka did not fight. Even when the slender
rod struck her back, she did not struggle, though tears ran from her eyes.
She fixed her gaze at the small white rabbit that watched from the mouth
of the tunnel and knew her God had not forsaken her.