Scanran Trust

Chapter Five

Meetings and the Beginning

Faun woke up early in the morning and got out of bed. She brushed her hair and pulled on a tunic and breeches that were on a chair by her bed. She opened the door and walked around in the castle for a while. She heard footsteps behind her, and she turned quickly. It was only Neal. "So, you're the Scanran girl. Kel told me about you," Neal said.

"Yes, I'm sure she did," Faun replied, immediately taking a liking towards this man. She heard even more footsteps behind her and turned to see Yuki standing there. She whispered something into Neal's ear and he pouted. "Why you…" he growled.

"Hello, I am Yuki. Pleased to meet you. I am Neal's fiancée, and we are both unexpected new companions on your trip," Yuki said softly, bowing in Yamani fashion. Faun bowed back the same way; after reading Yuki's mind it was easy enough to know everything she needed to know about how to bow. "Ah, you were taught Yamani customs?" Yuki asked.

"No, I read your mind and found out the information," Faun told her matter-of-factly, and turned back around to find herself face to face with Kel. "It's time to go," Kel said, smiling at Yuki and Neal. Faun nodded and followed Kel outside, to start their journey.

Daine pet Cloud and hopped onto her. Numair hopped onto another horse, a tall lanky one that suited him just fine, that was standing beside her. I pity the Lanky is on, Cloud said to Daine. She chuckled and answered back, "They're both lanky enough, so I think they'll manage. At least he's not riding you!" Cloud twitched underneath her and whinnied. "If your horse did not like you so much, I would reckon that he would buck you off, and soon," Faun commented from the other side of Daine, in perfect Scanran. Daine turned her head and shook it. "Ah, Faun. It is a pleasure to meet you. I was beginning to think you wouldn't come," Daine answered, wondering how this girl knew that she was Daine. "Because my father was born here and told me all about you. He only went to Scanra a few years after I was born," Faun answered her unspoken question.

"I forgot you were a telepath," Daine replied meekly. Faun nodded and rode off. "She creeps me out," Numair whispered. Daine laughed. "Because you think that she has more power then you?" she asked.

"No, I'm worried that she is so cocky about it that it'll get us all killed." Numair sighed. "It is so very hard to trust this girl."

"It's always hard to trust Scanrans," Daine said.

"That it is, that it is."

Raoul rode up alongside his second cousin, Brian. "I'll tell you one thing boy," Raoul whispered, "don't trust a word that spews from her slimy little mouth." Brain nodded, but didn't really listen. Everyone knew he was prejudiced against Scanrans, and Brian wouldn't avoid her just because of that. Maybe, if he could get Faun to be nicer, it would prove Second Uncle Raoul wrong. That would be a sight!

Alanna the Lioness rode up alongside Raoul and patted him on the back. "Don't be so prejudiced sometimes. It always ends in tears," she said silently and rode off. Raoul nodded, but Alanna's words simply went in one ear and out the other. Raoul's mistrust could cause problems on this journey…

Neal sat with his head together with Yuki as they rode, talking to her about this and that, nothing really. Kel rode next to Dom, talking and laughing. She was so happy. The only thing dampening her joy was the reason for this mission. To kill the Dark Mage and Saruf.