Chapter 18: Conflict
The gentle hum of a maiden's song guided Thaelin out of his deep slumber from the hands of the tranquilizer dart. Thaelin gently opened his eyes to the most wondrous sight. Not a grand view of a country side, nor a pile of riches, but a woman's bosom inches from his face. The maiden continued with her song and dabbed a wet cloth to his face.
"Have I died and gone to heaven?" he muttered to himself grinning at the heavenly sight.
Her hair was a lighter shade of brown with two curled strands that fell down across her cheeks. The woman's skin was a beautiful tan color with faint freckles on the bridge of her nose. Two hazel brown eyes looked down at his cocky grin. Two sharply pointed ears poked their way out of her silken hair. She was one of the prettiest elves he had seen in a while. She wore a green gown with red sleeves and flares sleeves. The neck of the gown was loosely buttoned and allowed the ranger to catch a glimpse at her charms underneath.
The ranger smiled at the maiden as he began to stir up from his nap. The sight of a beautiful face after a deep sleep was a welcoming sight.
"Bí cúramach, a dhuin uasaili." The elf woman warned
Thaelin rubbed his eyes and rubbed his neck where he felt the dart pierce his neck.
"Ah shit. Elves don't know the common tongue, damn. Um…" he said trailing off trying to find a way to communicate with the elf woman.
"I…am…Thaelin." He said patting his chest. "Do…you…understand…me?"
The elf woman smiled at the man as he attempted to communicate with her. Thaelin frowned when the elf showed no sign of understanding him
Thaelin looked around the room as he awaited an answer. The room looked to be a rather small living area. A wooden plank floor with plank walls appeared were made from the same type of wood as everything else. Deer antler sconces held beeswax candles that had been burned to mid length. A futon mattress under him, a short dining table with four green cushions were placed around it. A thick wool blanket served as a door to the cabin, Evening sunlight shone through rawhide paned windows.
"Do…you…know…where…my…friend…is?"
Thaelin thought long and hard. He lived with a half elf for two years and heard the elven language spoken only a few times. But now. He couldn't remember any of his friend's words. Now when he needed her the most. But there was one word he tried to pronounce he heard Hastur saw the most. A word he thought meant 'friend'.
"Shit. Uh what's that word… S-oi…thin bag. No wait…baeg! Soithin baeg." he said pointing to himself. "Soithin baeg"
The maiden chuckled before placing a hand to her lips to hide the smile.
"Do…you…" he said pointing to the elf woman "know…where… my… soithin baeg…is?"
"Why…are…you…talking…so…slow?" the elf said breaking her silence much to Thaelin's dismay.
His mouth fell agape "Wait? You can understand me?"
"Yes. Many elves do understand the Common tongue." She answered with a giggle
"Oh. Well can you help me find my friend? She's about this high, yellow cape, pretty moody."
"She is in the other cabin. Come, I will take you to her"
The woman said rising to her feet and leading the man outside the cabin. When she draped the blanket aside, Thaelin couldn't believe his eyes. Their cabin was nestled amongst the trees. Other cabins were concealed between the grand oaks of the forest and connected between rope and plank bridges. From his vantage point, he could spot a good village's worth of elves going about their day. A rigging of blocks and tackles were hung next to the doors with a willow basket tied to one end. Presumably to interact with those below
"OH SHIT!"
An overwhelming uneasiness struck the ranger as he cautiously took a step backwards into the cabin and placed two firm hands ahold of the rope railings. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to keep from looking down and drive the dread from his mind.
"Scared of heights?" the maiden giggled as she watched the ranger cower back in the cabin. His legs wobbling under him.
"No. just that sudden stop at the bottom." He said dryly trying to play off his growing fear He let out a sigh before trying to put his fear aside. "Fuck…"
"Shit."
One grueling step at a time, the ranger put one foot in front of the other. He tried simply looking up but when he saw the canopy only a few feet from him, it reminded him how close he was exactly.
"Don't look down, don't look down…I fucking hate this place."
In what felt an eternity, the man made it safely across. He felt a large wave of relief was over him when he felt the solid floorboards underfoot. Much to her amusement, his guide smiled at the accomplished ranger.
"I hate this place!"
"She is in here." The woman said draping the blanket covering away.
Much like in the previous cabin the dwelling shared many similarities. A low table with six cushions, stag antler sconces, and a cushion futon with a certain half elf asleep
"Hast, wake up. I need your elf know-how." He said giving his partner a tap on the shoulder. When she didn't stir, he started to get worried. "Hast! Hastur! Wake up! What did you tree huggers do to her?"
Upon hearing the mention of the slur, the maiden's warm smile soon disappeared. "Worry not. She is alive. The poison the hunters used was solely meant to weaken. Not kill. To be truthful Im very surprised that you awakened as fast as you did."
"What can I say, I have a pretty high constitution." He said rubbing at where he felt the dart pierce his neck. "And poison is still poison, lady. Not cool. Now where's our gear. I'm starting to get cranky without my sword."
"Be patient. Soon we shall speak as friends." She said taking her leave outside the cabin.
Thaelin scratched at his beard as he let out an annoyed sigh.
"I'm starting to know why guys hate elves." He said under his breathe "Assholes."
Almost an hour later Hastur started to show signs of coming out of her sleep. Her eyes flashed into a sickened sneer. The first thing she saw when she came fully awake Thaelin was sitting next to her watching the door.
"What in the Nine Hells happened?"
"We got drugged and kidnapped." Grumbled the ranger. "Elven assholes. Present company excluded, of course." He added with a shrug.
Hastur swatted the man in the back for the remark.
"Thank the gods you're okay. We seriously need your negotiating skills, Hast." The man exhaled trying to come up with ways they could possibly escape the elven compound without incident.
The blanket door swooshed open letting in the last beams of setting sunshine. An envoy of three armed elven men and one woman entered the cabin. The tan skinned men looked to the duo with an annoyed contempt. Two carried each of their belongings under his arms. Two of the men stepped aside and made room for the woman elf to emerge and glide forth.
"Greetings." Said the woman with an absolutely calm yet authoritative demeanor. "I am Acquiel Liadon." She said humbly lowering her head.
The elf woman looked to have the highest position amongst the group walked in with her hands cupped together. Every step she took was as swift and graceful as the wind itself. Her long hair shined like gold. And her eyes like emeralds. To call her gorgeous was a gross misuse of the term. To the ranger, it seemed nothing compared close to her beauty.
"Please sit. We shall have a meal prepared for you." She said gliding towards the low table and kneeling on the cushions.
The other guards took up seats next to their leader and waited for the ranger and cleric to accept their forced invitation. Without a word, Hastur took a seat across from the woman and Thaelin on her left
Hastur tucked her auburn hair behind her ears to better show their tapered shape and that she was akin to the leader. In a brief second, Acquiel gave the woman a peculiar look. It was too quick to read, but one would hope it was a look of interest, and not suspicion.
Just as the cleric predicted, one of the men, with long black sideburns, leaned over to whisper something to their leader.
"You are Half Blood?" the Elf leader asked failing to hiding the smallest amount of intrigue in her tone.
"I am." Hastur put. She fortified her front by answering directly in hopes not to be dismayed by their talks. Even amongst some of her kin, there was no telling as to how the Wood Elves and their High Elf leader. "I am Hastur Prynn. And my associate, is Thaelin Fridulf. We humbly greet you, noble lady."
Fully surprised by the half blood's speech, Acquiel lowered her head and accepted their introductions
The blanket door opened and three youthful elf maidens entered carrying trays for a bountiful feast. A trencher of a fat roasted chicken was placed before the ranger and the cleric. Vessels of dried raisins, sweetmeats, and steaming baked yams were placed about the table. A clay goblet was set before each of the diners. Large bowls of salad greens were placed before the high elf and her retainers.
When a fair haired maid brought forth a decanter of wine to the guests, Thaelin flashed the young elf a flirtatious wink and a smile. Her face blushed red almost making her overfill his glass. The group ate in silence, ever so often did the guests look around the room and see the retainers watching their every glance. Their suspicion was paramount towards the guests.
Near the end of the meal, Thaelin tore at the scraps of the chicken in search for the beloved wishbone. The three elves watched curiously as the human savagely tore at the remains for the y-shaped bone. When he found his beloved bone the man wiped his greasy hands on his trousers. He grabbed ahold of one end of the bone and presented the other end to the retainer across from him.
"Hey bub, make a wish." he said with a cocky smirk
The elf man looked at the man and to his comrades in utter confusion. Even the elf woman proved unaware of the custom.
Haster rolled her eyes at her friend and explained the childish tradition to the hosts in the Elven tongue.
"It's a game amongst the humans. Each person grabs one end of the bone and makes a wish. Then the two pull the bone apart. When it breaks the person with the largest piece left, their wish comes true."
Understanding the act, Acqueil gave her permission for the man to play along with the custom. He grabbed ahold of the other end of the bone and mumbled softly in Elvish.
Thaelin muttered to himself and when the two were finished they each gave an agreed nod to begin tugging on the bone
-Snap-
Almost poetically the bone split evenly down the center. Hastur let out a sigh of relief despite the peaceful atmosphere, if that game would have gone another way, they could have been in much worse trouble.
Acquiel wiped her hands on a napkin and cupped her hands together." And now we 'get to business' as the humans say. Why are you here?"
Just as Hastur was about to begin their deliberations, Thaelin tried to chime in.
"Hey, this is all a huge misunderstanding. If you can give us back our gear we will make sure to never come back. I promise"
"Do you?" she said with a superior snide to the man, "Cuardaigh na málaí."
As commanded Acquiel's underlings shook the contents of the two adventurer's bags and trifled through looking for anything incriminating. In two separate piles, the retainers looked over every article they had.
In Hastur's satchel, they found: a clay inkwell, a red leather bound notebook, a waterskin, a few beeswax candles, a block of sandalwood incense, a small pin-hole lantern, a brass ink quill, and a cloth bag of a half a loaf of rye bread.
And in Thaelin's knapsack they found a bundle of hemp rope, a waterskin, a rolled up grey wool shortcloak, a cloth bag of dried meats, the flask of rum, and kinderbox with a steel striker, a shard of flint, and tow;
One of the retainers opened the cork of the small leather flask and sniffed the spout. His face contorted when the foul smelling liquid hit his nostrils. The unsuspecting elf took a small swig of the mixture and the second the alcohol touched his tongue he spit it out
"Hey! That's a waste of good booze!" complained the ranger
"Are you satisfied with the search?" Asked Hastur rolling her eyes at her companion
"Yes. Now then, tell us. Why are you here? Are you sided with the thieves?" The High Elf questioned, her fingers tented as she waited for a reply
"We are sided with nobody. And the men of the logging camp are within their right to be this close to the border. You are the ones that attack them for no cause?
"No cause? They are bandits and thieves. They must be dealt as such. It was an accord made when our people and the Duke of their land made peace."
"I'm sure, Lady Liadon, a peace can be made between the groups. If you invite the men here, talk to them, an agreement can be forged.
Tactfully changing the subject, the gold haired elf began to question the two's reason for being here. "When my scouts found you, you were at the same river they had been stealing from. Where you trying to steal from it as well?
"We found the river by accident. And what could they steal that is so precious to you? The water and fish belong to all creatures." Hastur declared before she remembered what happened before the darts knocked her unconscious. Those little yellow rocks
Acquiel smirked when she read the realization on Hastur's lips "The river runs north into the territory of our people. We are an outpost placed here to ensure no vagabonds enter the river and try to take the precious materials from our land-"
Thaelin, pursed his lips. He remembered back to the payment he received earlier from the camp. Those three gold nuggets. If they found them in his coinpurse, he was certainly doomed.
"My lady, I had no knowledge of the loggers ulterior motives. I swear it."
When Acquiel glanced over at Thaelin, she noticed how is eyes darted away. He was looking at something. She kept her eye on him as she talked. And he fell for her trap
Thaelin's eyes glanced over at his belongings, then at the leader.
"Cuardaigh an sparan mona."
The elf Thaelin had made a wish with cut the leather pouch free from the ranger's belt and dumped the contents on the table in front of Acquiel. The Wise Woman sifted through the pile of silver and copper coins until she found them. Three small nuggets.
She gave the two a prideful smirk as her guards yelled obscenities at the two. Calling them everything including thieves and murderers. The leader raised a pious hand to silence the two.
"The evidence points against you, Hastur Prynn and Thaelin Fridulf. Pray tell, how do you think you can clear your names from this?"
The ranger pursed his lips and tried to devise a plan to weasel his way out of this.
"Listen lady, they paid us to kill your cronies and bring you back to them. Obviously that ain't gonna happen. So lets just wash our hands of this mess and we can be on our way out of this damn forest, okay?"
The wise elf tented her fingers in thought. A devious smirk took her alabaster-like face "We shall see…"
Smoke rose from the logging camp at first light. The men of the camp lifted yet another completed trough from the saw horses and made piled it next to the others.
"Well done lads, four more and we will have enough built to redirect water to the camp." the fat mill boss said with a hearty boast. He rubbed his hands together when the thought of all that precious gold was waiting for the taking.
The rhythms of hammers and saws came to a gently lull before they stopped all together. Every man in the camp stood and watched the two adventurers enter their camp. this time without their fur coated guide.
"I don't see the witch with ya!" grumbled the fat man.
Thaelin took the gold nuggets from his coinpurse. He pursed his lips as he bounced the tiny stones in his hand before tossed them at the feet of the boss.
"I cant believe I'm saying this, like seriously. I really can't believe I'm even saying this, but you can take your gold and shove it up your ass. We're not killing any elves.."
The mill boss gave a low growl. He hoisted up his belt around his fat belly. "Well. That's some bad news lad. Cant say the boys here are none too happy to hear that. Arent'cha, lads?"
"NO!" the mob said circling around the two.
Thaelin and Hastur stood back to back watching as the crowd around them began to produce axes, dirks, and a bow or two. In unison the two young adventurers unsheathed their swords. They stood back to back, moving their heads back and forth trying to watch for their first attacker.
"I really hope you didn't waste your wish." Hastur put nervously watching the angry mob.
"To be honest, there were a lot of pretty elves in that camp. kinda upset I didn't use my wish on one of them." Laughed the man as he flourished his sword in his hand
"Well then, you better wish we don't die."
Chaos erupted around them.
A few of the men armed with axes charged at the duo. Thaelin blocked high with his short sword and thrusted his dagger into the man's belly. He kicked the skewered man into another. As the third can in with an axe strike aimed at the ranger's head, Hastur slashed at the man's arm and focused a malignant touch spell into her free hand. She tapped the man in the chest and watched as he fell to the ground writhing in terror as a magic disease ate away at him. His skin turned green and puss filled boils formed before covering him in a foul slime.
Her cloak fluttered as she performed a pirouette to dodge a knife thrust. With her free hand, she wrenched the blade free and punched the attacker in the face with the thick wire guard of her rapier. Thaelin grabbed the dazed man by his bruised wrist and threw him to the ground to restrain him. The ranger twirled his bollock dagger in hand and threw it into the neck of the next incoming man. He fell on his right knee and broke the pinned man's neck.
Blood spouted out of the fatal wound. The logger took a few more staggering steps at the ranger before collapsing to his knees. Terror marked his face when he felt the dagger be twisted and pulled free as the ranger reequipped the vulgar looking dagger.
Hastur produced a magic barrier to separate an enraged logger before using the aetherial shield as a ram to push him away so she could thrust with her rapier. Two had fallen by her sword and shield technique. But in her focus, she became distracted by the men coming towards her front, that she forgot to check her blind spots.
-SMACK-
A stout tree branch cracked against her flank, knocking her to the ground. A blonde haired man loomed over her his foot raised ready to stomp the life out of the mage. The mage closed her eyes when she felt the breeze of the man's foot coming down. The viscous man smiled at the cowering woman before him. But his joy was stolen when a sharp ache took his chest. A blood covered sword blade protruded from out his core and he felt his body give way.
"On your feet!" yelled Thaelin pulling the mage up.
Her hood slipped off her head. When the waves smoke receded, the remaining would be attackers caught sight of her ears. This made the mob the even more enraged.
"An elf!"
"A spy!"
"A spy in our camp! kill her!"
Several axe men charged forth. Baying for the blood of the elf that walked their camp. They each growled slurs at the young mage.
Thaelin parried one of the strikes and caught the haft of an axe between his sword and dagger. He struggled to keep the bearded axe blade from bearing down onto him. Seeing his foe was attempting to repel the attack, the young man released one hand from the axe and grapple the ranger.
Three other men ran forth towards Hastur. The mage produced another magic barrier, but it wasn't enough the men snarled like feral hounds. Eyes blackened with fervor. Hastur pushed back the men a good few feet and recited her next spell in haste.
This was just the latest spell she learned from the Mosther Superior. She had never practiced the spell prior and had only a basic understanding of its workings. But as dire as the time was for them, she she could use any spell to her disposal. From her palm came a jet of intense fire aimed at the three men and took them in an overwhelming plume. A single tear fell down her cheek when the attackers were engulfed by the flames. She watched in terror as their dark silhouettes wailed in the inferno.
"MAMA!" yelled one of the men roasting alive "HELP ME…MAMA!" he managed to say before the flames took him.
The screams were silenced by the roar of the flames. And Hastur watched the burning bodies of her victims with absolute horror at what she had done.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!"
Thaelin tumbled as his combatant grabbed around his throat. The ranger struggled to push the man away. Feeling the full weight of the assailant, he pulled the man into a headbutt. Again and again he bashed his forehead into the strangler till the man's nose was caved in. The ranger crawled to his feet and watched the smoldering remains across from the mage. He smeared the blood across his forehead and panicked after his friend.
"Hast! Hast!" Thaelin said trying to get his partner's attention "Way to go Hast, Roast these bitches and we can make a break for it!"
"No"
"No! Not again. I wont do it. I wont do it!" The mage said falling to her knees. I-I never meant to do this!
"Well there's too many of the bastards were running out of options!"
Thaelin looked around them. The smoke wafted around the camp. It stung his eyes and concealed the true numbers of the attackers around him. This was just a lull in the combat. They knew they were outnumbered and there was no way they could survive this alone. He grit his teeth at cries of the unknown men still left standing.
"Shit! …Broken arrow! Broken Arrow!"
The mage wiped away a tear and let out a sigh of relief before nodding in agreement. She sheathed her sword for a split second and waved her hands to cast her next spell. With a quick incantation a call of brilliant red light formed in her hand and was cast into the sky. Once the orb went well past the tree canopy, it burst into a dazzling display.
The two watched around them as the waning number of lumbermen prepared for their next assault. Low hoots and hollers bolstered the loggers for one last swarming strike.
"Bring me their heads!" yelled the lumber boss pushing his men forward
Hastur turned to a fluttering sound, like a swarm of song birds flapping their wings, coming from above them. She outstretched her produced a domed shield around the two. When a few of the loggers made their way to the barrier, they were met by a shower of arrows. The men fell like lapping waves. Not a single man less than several arrows poking out of him. Those left dying wailed in agony.
The cleric lowered the dome and covered herself with her hood. She couldn't bare the sight of the carnage
Among the pile of the dead, the lumber boss crawled out from his hiding place under the bodies of a couple of his own men. A single arrow pierced his wide arms.
"You-You will pay! Ya hear me?" the boss threatened limping towards the two, but tripped over the mass of the dead and dying. "You damn elves! You will die, all of ya! Damn you twiggers! Damn you all the the deepest pits of the Nine Hills"
Thaelin growled at the insistent behavior. Even after losing everything, the man still fumed with such hatred.
"Hastur, you want the honors?" Thaelin said proffering his sword to the mage, "I say we carve some bacon out of this fat pig." he dryly declared with a wicked smile.
"No. I'm done. I'm done with all of this."
