Disclaimer (i.e. covering my ass): I do not have the pleasure of owning Goddess Knight, Daydream, The Moonless Age or any other part of the Drowtales universe. That pleasure goes to Kern and probably a few other individuals I don't know about.
A/N: This story is set in one of the Drowtales: Daydream story arcs, more precisely in the Goddess Knight story arc. It takes place between the time that Vel'Cahal and his soldiers meet the Thalamani refugees and the time they arrive in the Capital City. I would recommend subscribing to Daydream and reading the story if you want to understand this properly, however I understand if you don't.
Conversations
"'Tis hot. Is there any water left, perchance?" asked the young Sullissin girl.
"Yes there is, ye but hadst to ask." replied knight commander Vel'Cahal, before passing the waterskin forward to the child seated in front of him. As she drank he looked back over his shoulder at the rest of the Thalamani refugees and met the suspicious eyes of a tall woman with a regal bearing. He sighed, "I think thy mother is worried for thee Ashie."
Ash'waren lowered the waterskin and grimaced. "I have told her that she is worried over naught, yet she is persistant in her mistrust of thee. I wish she wouldst desist in this attitude towards thy person."
Vel'Cahal shook his head, "But is she wrong in her mistrust Ashie? Ye must think on it from her vantage point. Thy home has been destroyed by demons has it not? And now she is seeing her daughter in the company of another such demon. Tis natural for her to be worried."
Ashie's face took on a stubborn cast and she crossed her arms and pouted. "She doesn't understand! Thou art different from the demons that destroyed Thalamani."
"She is not ready to see that yet Ashie. Ye must humour her in her fears...they may yet prove true."
Ashie whirled on him in her seat. "Do not say such things! Thou art better than this demon, thou art stronger!"
The knight placed his hand on her head, "Worry not little one. It shall be a long time before a demon gets the better of me again if I hath any say in the matter." His face took on a stern cast, "And now little Ashie, I think it time that ye return and reassure thy mother that I hath not Tainted thee." There was a touch of mirth in his voice at the last words.
Ash'waren sulked a bit, but when he brought his mount to a stop, she allowed him to help her down. She then stood and waited for her mother and the rest of her people to catch up as the knight moved off once more.
"Thou art playing a dangerous game, my lord."
Vel'Cahal turned in his saddle as his sub-commander and friend Hualen drew his mount up beside him.
"The child's mother wilt not long restrain herself if she feels her daughter is in danger."
"I am aware of the risks Hualen. However I believe thy worry to be baseless. Ash'waren wilt convince her of the foolishness of her worry eventually."
"Even so, I would urge thee to end thy association with the child. As things stand, it can only cause trouble." Having said his piece, Hualen spurred his mount away across the dunes.
****
"Ashie, I told you to keep thyself away from the demon did'st I not?" said Koma'lawen to the young girl.
Ash'waren sighed and looked at her mother. "Yes, ye told me such. But I am in no danger from Vel'Cahal. He wilt not seek to cause me harm."
Her mother shook her head, "Ashie, ye cannot know such. He is in control now, but twould be safer in the long run if ye were to keep thy distance from him."
Ashie glared at her mother, "Why can'st thou not consider that he is a good man. He is a knight first, an elf second and a demon last and least of all."
"That may be the case, but the fact remains that he is a demon. Ye wilt stay away from him from now on, hath I made myself clear?"
Ashie crossed her arms and turned away by way of answer, however her mother took her by the shoulder and spun her back around.
"Hath I made myself clear, Ash'waren?"
Ash'waren's shoulders drooped in defeat and she nodded.
"Good." Koma'lawen looked ahead to where the rest of the party was setting up camp for the night. "I had'st best go and help supervise the arranging of our camp. Thou wilt stay within the inner camp tonight." And with that she turned and walked towards the main group of refugees.
It was therefore not surprising that she did not see Ash'waren look up with a defiant expression on her face.
****
That night, as with every night since Vel'Cahal's soldiers had joined up with the Thalamani refugees, the camp was devided in two. In the center was a large group of camp fires belonging to those fleeing the Sullissin capital. Around this was another ring of carefully spaced fires which marked where the soldiers had made their camp, intent on defending the group as a whole. Except occasionally to dole out food supplies, there was very little movement between the two groups.
At the edge of the central camp, Ashie gazed across the thing band of shadow to where her knight stood in the light of one of the fires. Like all under his command, the knight commander took a turn standing watch during the night. To pass the time he honed the edges of his weapons to keep them sharp, though instead of a wetstone, Vel'Cahal used his own mana energy, giving his weapons an edge no wetstone could match. He raised his sword to check the blade by the light of the fire. Standing with the fire casting his shadow out across the sands, sword held in a relaxed but strong grip, he was an impressive sight.
Ashie looked around to make sure no one was watching and then ran swiftly and quietly across the gap between fires – though apparently not quietly enough to escape notice from her knight. Vel'Cahal spun about, weapon held high and ready to strike. His surprise at seeing Ash'waren almost caused him to lose his balance. Quickly sheathing his weapon he gave her a stern look.
"Ashie, what are ye doing here at this hour? 'Tis near to midnight already and ye should'st not be wandering about the camp in such a manner."
Ash'waren looked guilty but held his gaze, "I wished to see ye. My mother hath forbidden me to talk to thou."
"Then thou should'st aceed to thy mother's wishes. She doth only want what is best for ye."
Ashie was shocked at him taking her mother's side in this argument, "Doth thou not wish to see me any more, my knight?" she asked, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes.
Vel'Cahal leaned down and placed his hand on her shoulder, "I wish no such thing, little one. But thy mother wilt not accept our friendship if she is to catch her daughter skulking off to rendevous with me at all unseemly hours of the night. She wilt come to accept it in time, but that is exactly what thou must give her – time."
He placed his hand under her chin and tilted her head up so that she was looking up into his face. "Now for my own piece of mind, please return to your mother. I do not wish to have her send the summoners after me because she thinks I hath abducted her daughter."
Ashie nodded and turned and hurried back towards the center of the camp. The knight watched her until she was back within the circle of light cast by the central fires before turning back to his watch.
From a spot in the shadows nearby, Koma'lawen nodded in satisfaction and slipped silently back to her camp fire.
****
"Ye seem quiet this morning Ashie. 'Tis something the matter?"
Ashie sullenly crossed her arms and avoided her mother's gaze, keeping her silence.
"I didst ask ye a question Ash'waren. I expect an answer of ye."
Ashie looked ahead to where Val'Cahal rode his lizard, her lips sealed tightly in a thin line.
Koma'lawen sighed. "I do not see why ye art so fascinated by the demon, Ashie. He is a danger to ye and all others around him."
Ash'waren finally turned her gaze to her mother, both her green eye and her blue flashing in anger. "I hath told ye that he is different! Why do ye find it so difficult to accept this mother?"
"Because I fear for ye Ashie. There art so few of our people left after the demons and I think losing ye would'st be more than I could bear."
Ash'waren's eyes softened again and she reached out for her mother's hand. "Mother, I would'st not leave ye. And Vel'Cahal wilt never let anyone bring harm to our people ever again. He hast been telling me that I must give ye time to accustom thyself to the idea of our friendship and that I should'st respect thy wishes until thy do. Perhaps he is right."
Koma'lawen smiled at her daughter sadly, "Yes, I heard him say as much when ye spoke with him last night." At her daughter's shocked expression she laughed. "Do not look so surprised Ashie. Ye art not always as quiet as ye like to believe when ye sneak off."
At this a look of guilt flashed across Ash'waren's face and she dropped her gaze to the sands they were walking over. Koma'lawen glanced at her before looking up at the sound of approaching scaled feet to see Vel'Cahal riding towards them.
"The Capital City hath been sited on the horizon. If we can hold this pace we shall arrive by late afternoon. Thy people shall be safe soon Koma'lawen." He looked at Ashie and for a moment it seemed he was going to say something. However he seemed to think better of it, tugging on the reins and spurring his lizard back to the head of the column. Koma'lawen watched him go before turning back to her daughter.
"Ye say the demon hath been urging ye to follow my instructions when ye visit with him?"
"Yes mother, from the very beginning he did tell me that I should listen to ye thusly."
Koma'lawen closed her eyes then took a deep breath. "If all ye have told me is true daughter, then it would seem I have judged the de- the commander unfairly. If ye both so wish then ye may continue thy association with him."
Ash'waren's eyes lit up at this and she stepped forward and hugged her mother tightly. Koma'lawen returned the embrace for a long moment before Ashie broke the embrace and ran ahead to tell Vel'Cahal of her mother's acceptance.
A/N: Thats all folks. Remember, the Drowtales comic feature a rich story and great art work, so even if you do not subscribe to Daydream, check out the main Drowtales story line for free.
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