"No way, she is not coming with!" Tersha shouted at the top of her lungs,
her voice echoed off the cabin walls. Darin looked up from what he was
doing and smiled.
"You guys are going to get married one day and your going to grow old together and fight like this more often." Darin smiled brightly then shut up
"Tersha cant we be understanding here?" Nimandle stood from his chair his hands on his knees his face turning a hue of red
"NO NOT WHEN SHE THINKS SHES BETTER THAN ME! I SAW HOW SHE WAS LOOKING AT YOU!"
"You never look at me that way." Nimandle looked at the ground feeling hurt.
"I could but I choose not to because---."
"We don't want to know why." Darin cut in. "But I don't want her coming along either."
"She knows more than all of us do, she could be a great resource."
"Yeah." Aldor totally agreed, as did Silva. "But she will probably fall in love with the human." He mumbled under his breath so only Silva could hear him she smiled whole-heartedly at the mage.
"I just don't think it is the right thing to do, why would he even let her go anyways if she knows so much about his plans?"
"Good point Tersh, Aldor agreed there was something that was suspicious that he would just let her go like that. "Nimandle I am starting to agree with Tersha, there is something we are missing here, and I have a feeling that Roddan knows about it." Nimandle felt a sharp pain of betrayal but started to realize they were all right, he was just seeing the top part of it where they were seeing the whole picture.
"Ok, you guys have an excellent point, why didn't you say something about that earlier?"
"I though you would have figured it out, but looks like humans are as dumb as they were said to be." Tersha glared at him evilly and stepped forward to him. Her hand flew at his face and hit it with an echoing snap. Nimandle grabbed her wrist as it dipped down to her side and he shoved it pushing her backwards making her sprawl to the floor then he turned and left walking out into slate colored sky with snow gently falling onto the aged walkways. He was furious; Tersha had no reason to do that! He rubbed his hand over the flamed cheek and grumbled lightly to himself. Maybe Aldor was right. Maybe humans are as stupid and arrogant as they are said to be, even when pretty much all of them are dead. He continued walking down the cobblestones silently.
"What was that about Tersh?" Aldor stood slowly looking past Silva to Tersha who was still on the floor.
"My temper must has gotten the best of me, I should go apologize." She stood struggling and wobbled to the door opening it then sliding out the door following Nimandle's soft footprints.
"This isn't going well, when can I go home?" Silva complained feeling tired and extremely worn out.
"Silva don't worry about it, things will get better I promise, I know Nimandle he will sort things out and everything will be taken care of before you know it."
"That's when orcs fly." Darin smiled though his beard and stood. "I am going to get something to eat." Just at this point the maid Roddan had sent came though the door with countless other women carrying several boxes.
"I wonder how were going to need all that?"
"He probably wants to weigh us down, there is something he is hiding and it's sure as hell not good. I suggest getting out of here as soon as possible, but that's my opinion."
"Silva you're so smart!" Aldor turned and cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her on the forehead. She smiled and instantly blushed a rosy pink.
~
"NIMANDLE!" Tersha was getting worried nightfall was swiftly coming and she had seen no sign of the human anywhere. She was sure that she had walked though the city several times and never catching a glimpse of him. The snow had stopped a while later and the temperatures dropped drastically with the sky becoming a little clearer for the first time in several days. She stepped out onto the pier that overlooked the bay, practically giving up on the search for the warrior. She dusted off a small wooden bench of its snow that was leisurely starting to freeze to the timber boards and sat down pulling her cloak tightly around her neck and hiding her hands in the minute pockets. The sky was incredibly clear now, the stars poking out behind the dark curtain of the heavens and they glinted with an angelic softness that made Tersha feel instantly warm inside. The moon was partially full the vividness of it granted enough illumination that the torches along the street were no longer needed. She leaned back her head craning her neck so she could see the vast amount of stars. She fell into a tranquil though wondering where this whole journey is actually taking her, and if it was worth running from Myosin. Her eyebrows turned inwards with the thought of not understanding what exactly he wants. He was an incredibly confusing complex man that Tersha even in her wildest dreams would never understand his complete intentions. The peaceful sound of the waves hitting the pier planks below her carried her off with each outgoing tide. The small boats that remained in the harbor swayed when the calm wind pushed their sails, the city for once was asleep and in a trance that was so deep not even an explosion could destroy the beautifulness of the night. Tersha pulled her head back to normal level blinking slowly and she noticed Roddan sitting next to her, him not saying anything but admiring the view this late at night.
"Why are you out this late, you are ill." His deep voice broke the placid silence making Tersha jump ever so slightly.
"I was looking for Nimandle."
"And why do you need him? What good has he actually done to help you and the others? I only see him as a waste of time and energy to talk to. How about you stay here in Halas with me, I can protect you from Myosin."
"I rather burn to death than leave Nimandle and the others." Her soft voice was filled with rage.
"I don't know how you can stick with them, they are all different races, and how can each agree."
"Its called friendship and love, barbarians don't know that do they?" She stood up quickly pushing herself off the bench her back facing the edge of the pier. Her stern look upon her face signaled she was enraged but for some reason she noted that Roddan kept leaning on the idea of her staying.
"They will never keep you safe."
"I rather take that risk than stay here in a frozen hell." She shoved her hands back in the pockets and stormed off resuming her search for Nimandle.
~
Nimandle darted though the alleys weaving around corners and sliding past open bar doors filled with people on the brisk night. He constantly was rubbing the spot where Tersha had hit him with such force. Of course him being the human he is with a boring dull life living by his sword with Aldor had to run into a girl like her. Her life worse than his could ever get and he wanted to help her out of it. They had been traveling for a month and constant attacks were repeatedly coming from Myosin it was almost growing old trying to deal with him. The question Nimandle kept asking himself was when was this ever going to end! When could he go home?
~
Tersha ran a little further completely giving up on the search for the human and headed back to the building where they were staying their last night in Halas. When she unlocked the door she saw Silva asleep on the couch wrapped in a wool blanket and Aldor picking up several items off the table and setting them on the counter where dozens of boxes were strewn all over the place. The materials scattered around randomly and placed in several disorganized piles. As if a dwarf had been put in charge of categorizing a library. She took off her coat and draped it over a chair and shut the door.
"Where is Nimandle?" Aldor asked easily not looking up to the girl's green eyes as he continued resorting Darin's piles.
"I could not find him." She bowed her head her black hair hiding her dampened eyes. Her hands folded in front over her and she took a deep breath before continuing again. "I don't know where he is! I looked every where for him for all I know he could be in danger!"
"His ego is probably bruised, give him time and he will come around." Darin grunted knowingly but the words of the wise dwarf didn't comfort the girl. "Here throw that in the snow." He tossed a black ball at Tersha and she caught it gingerly and threw it out the door as Darin had instructed. "And these." A silver triangle and a red stick were thrown at her and she kept tossing them out of the door, by midnight more than a third of the possessions were out in the snow skewed about making it rather hard to walk around. Tersha had gone to sleep soon after midnight and Darin packed away the backpacks before heading to sleep himself. Aldor on the other hand rested his eyes but was just as awake as a owl at night. He curled himself up next to Silva and waited until Nimandle came back to the building, which was around four in the morning. There were numerous bangs and cracks outside but Aldor heard them and instantly ignored their existence until Nimandle barged though the door covered in soot.
"And where in the pits of hell have you been damit?!"
"Thought I would walk around."
"Oh really! And scare the shit out of me and the girl like it was Hallows eve or something!" Aldor pulled him into a corner and frowned down at his frozen cheeks he turned stubbornly and poured him a mug of hot peppermint tea. "What did you find out though, you couldn't have been gone that long just walking around this blasted city."
"I saw Tersha and Roddan by the pier, I was in the shadows of course but he wants her to stay here, in Halas." He paused taking a sip of the tea that ran down his throat creating instant comfort to his chilled bones. "I wont let her stay here with him. I know his intentions, I also saw him bargaining with a man off of the main street. Quite weird I must say." He brought the mug back up to his lips then without taking a sip looked deeply at Aldor. "It was about the goods that he brought you earlier they were stolen from Erudin and as I see they are all tossed in the snow, Darin did a good job picking out the cursed ones and damn those red triangle things hurt like hell!" He smiled until Aldor didn't smile back.
"We are leaving before dawn I suggest you rest for a hour or so before we leave. We all agreed on getting out of here before Roddan awakens." He turned again and lay down next to Silva, his eyes not shutting but stayed focused on the girl with her green eyes open in the corner. The eyes reflecting the light of the dimming fire in the hearth, then they closed cutting off the steady glow.
"You guys are going to get married one day and your going to grow old together and fight like this more often." Darin smiled brightly then shut up
"Tersha cant we be understanding here?" Nimandle stood from his chair his hands on his knees his face turning a hue of red
"NO NOT WHEN SHE THINKS SHES BETTER THAN ME! I SAW HOW SHE WAS LOOKING AT YOU!"
"You never look at me that way." Nimandle looked at the ground feeling hurt.
"I could but I choose not to because---."
"We don't want to know why." Darin cut in. "But I don't want her coming along either."
"She knows more than all of us do, she could be a great resource."
"Yeah." Aldor totally agreed, as did Silva. "But she will probably fall in love with the human." He mumbled under his breath so only Silva could hear him she smiled whole-heartedly at the mage.
"I just don't think it is the right thing to do, why would he even let her go anyways if she knows so much about his plans?"
"Good point Tersh, Aldor agreed there was something that was suspicious that he would just let her go like that. "Nimandle I am starting to agree with Tersha, there is something we are missing here, and I have a feeling that Roddan knows about it." Nimandle felt a sharp pain of betrayal but started to realize they were all right, he was just seeing the top part of it where they were seeing the whole picture.
"Ok, you guys have an excellent point, why didn't you say something about that earlier?"
"I though you would have figured it out, but looks like humans are as dumb as they were said to be." Tersha glared at him evilly and stepped forward to him. Her hand flew at his face and hit it with an echoing snap. Nimandle grabbed her wrist as it dipped down to her side and he shoved it pushing her backwards making her sprawl to the floor then he turned and left walking out into slate colored sky with snow gently falling onto the aged walkways. He was furious; Tersha had no reason to do that! He rubbed his hand over the flamed cheek and grumbled lightly to himself. Maybe Aldor was right. Maybe humans are as stupid and arrogant as they are said to be, even when pretty much all of them are dead. He continued walking down the cobblestones silently.
"What was that about Tersh?" Aldor stood slowly looking past Silva to Tersha who was still on the floor.
"My temper must has gotten the best of me, I should go apologize." She stood struggling and wobbled to the door opening it then sliding out the door following Nimandle's soft footprints.
"This isn't going well, when can I go home?" Silva complained feeling tired and extremely worn out.
"Silva don't worry about it, things will get better I promise, I know Nimandle he will sort things out and everything will be taken care of before you know it."
"That's when orcs fly." Darin smiled though his beard and stood. "I am going to get something to eat." Just at this point the maid Roddan had sent came though the door with countless other women carrying several boxes.
"I wonder how were going to need all that?"
"He probably wants to weigh us down, there is something he is hiding and it's sure as hell not good. I suggest getting out of here as soon as possible, but that's my opinion."
"Silva you're so smart!" Aldor turned and cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her on the forehead. She smiled and instantly blushed a rosy pink.
~
"NIMANDLE!" Tersha was getting worried nightfall was swiftly coming and she had seen no sign of the human anywhere. She was sure that she had walked though the city several times and never catching a glimpse of him. The snow had stopped a while later and the temperatures dropped drastically with the sky becoming a little clearer for the first time in several days. She stepped out onto the pier that overlooked the bay, practically giving up on the search for the warrior. She dusted off a small wooden bench of its snow that was leisurely starting to freeze to the timber boards and sat down pulling her cloak tightly around her neck and hiding her hands in the minute pockets. The sky was incredibly clear now, the stars poking out behind the dark curtain of the heavens and they glinted with an angelic softness that made Tersha feel instantly warm inside. The moon was partially full the vividness of it granted enough illumination that the torches along the street were no longer needed. She leaned back her head craning her neck so she could see the vast amount of stars. She fell into a tranquil though wondering where this whole journey is actually taking her, and if it was worth running from Myosin. Her eyebrows turned inwards with the thought of not understanding what exactly he wants. He was an incredibly confusing complex man that Tersha even in her wildest dreams would never understand his complete intentions. The peaceful sound of the waves hitting the pier planks below her carried her off with each outgoing tide. The small boats that remained in the harbor swayed when the calm wind pushed their sails, the city for once was asleep and in a trance that was so deep not even an explosion could destroy the beautifulness of the night. Tersha pulled her head back to normal level blinking slowly and she noticed Roddan sitting next to her, him not saying anything but admiring the view this late at night.
"Why are you out this late, you are ill." His deep voice broke the placid silence making Tersha jump ever so slightly.
"I was looking for Nimandle."
"And why do you need him? What good has he actually done to help you and the others? I only see him as a waste of time and energy to talk to. How about you stay here in Halas with me, I can protect you from Myosin."
"I rather burn to death than leave Nimandle and the others." Her soft voice was filled with rage.
"I don't know how you can stick with them, they are all different races, and how can each agree."
"Its called friendship and love, barbarians don't know that do they?" She stood up quickly pushing herself off the bench her back facing the edge of the pier. Her stern look upon her face signaled she was enraged but for some reason she noted that Roddan kept leaning on the idea of her staying.
"They will never keep you safe."
"I rather take that risk than stay here in a frozen hell." She shoved her hands back in the pockets and stormed off resuming her search for Nimandle.
~
Nimandle darted though the alleys weaving around corners and sliding past open bar doors filled with people on the brisk night. He constantly was rubbing the spot where Tersha had hit him with such force. Of course him being the human he is with a boring dull life living by his sword with Aldor had to run into a girl like her. Her life worse than his could ever get and he wanted to help her out of it. They had been traveling for a month and constant attacks were repeatedly coming from Myosin it was almost growing old trying to deal with him. The question Nimandle kept asking himself was when was this ever going to end! When could he go home?
~
Tersha ran a little further completely giving up on the search for the human and headed back to the building where they were staying their last night in Halas. When she unlocked the door she saw Silva asleep on the couch wrapped in a wool blanket and Aldor picking up several items off the table and setting them on the counter where dozens of boxes were strewn all over the place. The materials scattered around randomly and placed in several disorganized piles. As if a dwarf had been put in charge of categorizing a library. She took off her coat and draped it over a chair and shut the door.
"Where is Nimandle?" Aldor asked easily not looking up to the girl's green eyes as he continued resorting Darin's piles.
"I could not find him." She bowed her head her black hair hiding her dampened eyes. Her hands folded in front over her and she took a deep breath before continuing again. "I don't know where he is! I looked every where for him for all I know he could be in danger!"
"His ego is probably bruised, give him time and he will come around." Darin grunted knowingly but the words of the wise dwarf didn't comfort the girl. "Here throw that in the snow." He tossed a black ball at Tersha and she caught it gingerly and threw it out the door as Darin had instructed. "And these." A silver triangle and a red stick were thrown at her and she kept tossing them out of the door, by midnight more than a third of the possessions were out in the snow skewed about making it rather hard to walk around. Tersha had gone to sleep soon after midnight and Darin packed away the backpacks before heading to sleep himself. Aldor on the other hand rested his eyes but was just as awake as a owl at night. He curled himself up next to Silva and waited until Nimandle came back to the building, which was around four in the morning. There were numerous bangs and cracks outside but Aldor heard them and instantly ignored their existence until Nimandle barged though the door covered in soot.
"And where in the pits of hell have you been damit?!"
"Thought I would walk around."
"Oh really! And scare the shit out of me and the girl like it was Hallows eve or something!" Aldor pulled him into a corner and frowned down at his frozen cheeks he turned stubbornly and poured him a mug of hot peppermint tea. "What did you find out though, you couldn't have been gone that long just walking around this blasted city."
"I saw Tersha and Roddan by the pier, I was in the shadows of course but he wants her to stay here, in Halas." He paused taking a sip of the tea that ran down his throat creating instant comfort to his chilled bones. "I wont let her stay here with him. I know his intentions, I also saw him bargaining with a man off of the main street. Quite weird I must say." He brought the mug back up to his lips then without taking a sip looked deeply at Aldor. "It was about the goods that he brought you earlier they were stolen from Erudin and as I see they are all tossed in the snow, Darin did a good job picking out the cursed ones and damn those red triangle things hurt like hell!" He smiled until Aldor didn't smile back.
"We are leaving before dawn I suggest you rest for a hour or so before we leave. We all agreed on getting out of here before Roddan awakens." He turned again and lay down next to Silva, his eyes not shutting but stayed focused on the girl with her green eyes open in the corner. The eyes reflecting the light of the dimming fire in the hearth, then they closed cutting off the steady glow.