Chapter Six
Freyda stood by the astria porta. It was much to early, they would not leave for a while, but she had felt herself drawn there. The great ring stood before her and she shuddered. The astria porta, the great portal to other worlds, the ring that would take her closer to whatever the fate was that Synedtia had talked of. She feared it, and yet it called to her with open arms. The unknown, she had always feared it. It chilled her to the bone and turned her legs into jelly. And yet this was only a small step, not even part of the road Synedtia had set her on. It was simply a side path, something she herself had decided to travel. And yet she felt different. She never knew how long she stood there or when people began to walk past her until a hand rested on her shoulder.
"It's time to go," Alaire said.
Freyda nodded and pulled her eyes away from the astria porta. Synedtia stood a pace or so away and Freyda approached her with mixed feelings.
"See you two soon," she said brightly, "Time to shove off."
So without another word, the gate was activated and Freyda followed Alaire towards it. As she approached it, she turned her head aside to pull the cowl of her cloak over her head. As she did so, she thought she saw a pair of golden eyes looking intently at her.
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Heat. And then the blinding light. Alaire stepped out of the portal and stopped abruptly.
"Stay where you are."
Freyda's hand grasped his shoulder.
In front of them stood twelve armed men with their weapons pointed straight at them.
"What is the meaning of this?" Alaire said, "We mean no one harm, we are just travelers who have stumbled onto your planet."
"I'm afraid we cannot trust anyone. Come with us peacefully and we will ensure that what you say is true."
Alaire brought Freyda from behind him and followed her as they were led away from the astria porta. Soon, they arrived at a village. It was large and had numerous houses. Directly in the middle stood the largest and that was where Alaire and Freyda were taken. They ascended the stairs and entered a hall. Once inside, they were led to a small room and told to stay until the elders could interrogate them.
"Well, that was a nice welcoming," Alaire said wryly, but received no answer from Freyda. She had been acting odd lately, and had not shared her thoughts with him of recent. It was unusual, but Alaire had decided to give her some space. Maybe she was just worried.
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Hours passed before a guard came back.
"Let's go, don't keep them waiting," he said roughly and shoved Freyda out of the door. She did not say a word, but pulled her cowl more tightly around her face. They exited the building and found the ground in front of it had been converted into a small court room. Ten grim faced men stood almost making a ring around them and people had gathered beyond them to watch what was to happen.
"Who are you?" one of the men asked and Alaire decided he must be the head Elder.
"I am Alaire and this is my sister Freyda," Alaire answered.
"What business do you have on Qismat?" the man queried.
"We are merely passing through, we like to travel and heard of your village. We ask that we be allowed to stay a while and then leave," Alaire replied evenly.
All ten men simply stared back. Suddenly, there was a disturbance in the crowd and a young lady stepped into the circle.
"Must we begin these again?" she asked sternly. "I thought you had agreed to stop these. It has been long since the Wraith last came. Our businesses are failing because people do not feel welcome and it was simply a coincidence that a visitor was here the last time they did."
"Silence, remove yourself immediately, Aalecia"
"No, I refuse to be pushed aside this time. This has to stop."
"No, your insolence has to stop," the head elder stepped forward and said, "You wish to keep interfering? Then so be it. I place you in responsibility for their actions. If they so much as step out of line both they and you will face the court for it."
"So be it," Aalecia said icily back. She then turned to Freyda and Alaire, "Come, I will prepare rooms for you."
