"I have my ways." Victoria laughed.
"Like what?" Riley stood up.
"Who have you been talking too?" Albain barked.
"Not going to tell you." She laughed again and departed the room.
The seven plodded along towards the Tunnel in the Commonlands. Lorilie dragged her feet and complained on how tired she was. Slith pulled her while Lanie talked about nonsense on Lorilie's other side. Brand walked behind and just stared at Lorilie's long silky hair that was let down. Trotting beside Caleb and Wintercloud, Kel was in front and guided everyone through the forest.
The sun was barely overhead when the group reached the Tunnel and sat looking at the people crammed around them. Many eyes darted towards Kel and some people started to advance with their weapons drawn. Lorilie jumped up and wrapped her arm around Kel's feathery neck. The attackers stopped and their faces fell into frowns. They retreated back to their sitting grounds and began to sharpen their swords and maces.
"Thanksss Lorrrilie. I don't sssee why people take me asss a thrrreat." He sat down and his high head gleamed brightly in the blazing light.
"Everyone stay here while Wintercloud and I go find this Shady Swashbuckler fellow." Caleb said to his group before he and Wintercloud disappeared into the Tunnel.
Lowering his hood, Slith fanned himself to cool off. Lanie unbuttoned the neck of her dress and shaded her eyes while looking out at the scorching sands. Lorilie began to slide down the hill from where she sat. She giggled when she got to the bottom and ran back up. Brand smiled at her before, he too, started sliding. Lanie rolled her eyes as she watched them act like children. The two collided and tumbled down on top of each other. People howled with laughter and some doubled over in hysterics. Blushing crimson red, Lorilie ran to Lanie's side and stood there. Brand brushed the sand off his tunic and walked to his packs where he pulled out his lute.
"Do you have to show off here?" Lorilie said vituperatively.
"Where there's a crowd I have the urge to perform." He winked at her. Straightening up he cleared his voice and began to sing loudly along with his lute. The song was new to Lorilie:
"Your heart is not open, so I must go, The spell has been broken, I loved you so. Freedom comes when you learn to let go, Creation comes when you learn to say no.
I must learn to say good-bye.
You were my lesson I had to learn, I was your fortress you had to burn. Pain is a warning that something's wrong, I pray to the gods that it won't be long.
There's nothing left to lose, There's no more heart to bruise. There's no greater power, Than the power of good-bye.
I yearn to say good-bye."
Brand walked through the crowd so all could hear. Lorilie grunted rudely and stocked off into the Tunnel. Noticing her leave, Kel followed. Lanie and Slith stayed with the supplies and listened to Brand sing.
Her hand felt along the slimy wall as she walked through the dark passage. Lorilie shuttered as a cold bitter breeze blew up behind her and reached for her bare neck like Death's fingers. Lorilie's foot caught a large stone on the ground and she fell face first; something grabbed her before she hit, though.
"That was close. Thank you." Lorilie said to the darkness.
"No problem." The voice sent shivers up her spine.
"Well, I must be going, so if you excuse me." She tried to pull her arm away from the man's grasp.
"Why don't you come with me." He clasped a hand over her mouth and pulled her further into the darkened tunnel.
Kel's eyes rotated to each side of the Tunnel as he looked for Lorilie. Stopping, he eyed a large crack in the wall. He stepped to it and peered inside. There was Lorilie with a man hovering over her. Raging with anger, Kel forced his way though and tackled the man to the hard dirt packed ground. The man held up his hands in self-defense as Kel's claws ripped at the man's torso and head. Lorilie looked at Kel in horror as blood started to form a pool around the body of the man.
"Kelvren stop it!" she yelled. The griffin halted and crossed to her. He nuzzled his head against her hand and helped her up. The two squeezed back out of the crack and Lorilie hugged Kel tightly.
He shook his feathers. "Caleb told everrryone to ssstay out therrre. What did you think you werrre doing? What if I didn't follow you?" The glossy brown feathers on his crown stuck up straight.
"I was going to find Caleb and Wintercloud. I wasn't going to stand watching that stupid bard dancing and singing and showing off." She said hotly.
"Let'sss not mention thisss to the othersss." He began cleaning his sinister-looking talons.
Minutes later, Lorilie shielded her eyes as she stepped back into the bright sunlight; heat waves wafted over the sand dunes. Kel followed her and then sat his great mass by Slith. Brand was still singing his ridiculous song and somehow he had gathered a decent size crowd. Coins were being tossed into Brand's open lute case, he smiled when he heard them bouncing off one another. They waited listening to the music for the next hour until Caleb and Wintercloud emerged from the mouth of the Tunnel. Caleb clapped his hands together and sighed. The group gathered around the two and waited for someone to say anything.
"We're done here." Caleb put on a friendly expression.
"That's all you're going to say?" Lorilie frowned, "What happened in there?"
"Are you all up for some sailing?" Wintercloud laughed as he saw Caleb's disgusted face.
"I am!" Lorilie jumped high, forgetting all about her question.
"But we're going to spend the night in the Commonlands." Added Caleb hastily.
"Why? Freeport is just right there." Lanie pointed.
"It's already getting late and I don't want to travel anymore today." The wood elf shook the neck of his tunic to cool himself.
"Fine with me." Brand finally joined them with a large bag of money tied to his pants.
"What'sss that sssmell?" Slith sniffed around.
"What smell?" Lorilie shot a glance at Kel's talons.
"Nevermind." Slith shuffled down the hill. "It's just the sssmell of my frying ssscalesss." The iksar hissed his laughter.
*****
"Is there any decent inn's around here?" Caleb said to his group after he came out of another small inn.
"Let's just camp! I'm dead tired." Lorilie threw her packs at her brother.
"Fine, but if you complain you're the one to blame." He pointed his finger in her face.
"Don't you just love brother-sister relationships? It's quite adorable." Lanie laughed.
Not long after that, Lorilie found the "perfect" spot to camp for the night. Lanie and Slith lit the fire and started to prepare the food. Brand leaned against a tree and softly plucked his lute's strings and sang a low, depressing song. The night's gentle breeze was comforting to the weary travelers; it seemed to carry away their temporary troubles. Crickets chirped in the campsite as time slowly passed; the little bugs hopped into the firelight for brief amounts of time. Darkness enveloped all around them; the fire was the only source of light like a lone star lost in the endless sky.
"Someone go get more firewood." Wintercloud picked meat from his teeth. "We're running low."
"I'll go." Lorilie stood up.
"And I'll go with you." Kel spread his wings out and hit Caleb in the head.
"Watch it!" Caleb laughed while rubbing his forehead.
They left the light of the fire and looked at the forest floor for stray pieces of wood. A wolf howled close by and the wind picked up. Loose hair flew into Lorilie's face and blocked her vision. Behind them, the leaves of a bush shook and two piercing eyes burned into Lorilie's back. Kel growled. Finally, Lorilie finished fetching the wood; she and Kel moved towards the welcoming glow of the campfire. Movement from the corner of Lorilie's eye caused them to stop. Carefully she put the logs down and tiptoed into a patch of trees. Kel sighed and as quietly as he could, followed.
"What new information do you have for me?" a female demanded. Lorilie motioned Kel to stop. She held her breath and listened.
"They're going to Kelethin." An unseen male said cheerily.
"Kelethin." The girl sounded disappointed. "I have to follow them there?" Lorilie moved closer to try to see who was talking. She knew the people were talking about her, Caleb, and everyone else. Kel stumbled over the firewood pile and crashed into a bush. "Go!" the female shouted.
Three wolves jumped around the trees and surrounded Kel and Lorilie. They bared their fangs as spit dribbled off their tongues. Lorilie screamed as two pounced on Kel's open back. She grabbed a heavy log and began to bash the other wolf as it leapt towards her. It cried loudly when she smashed its head into a tree. The wolf staggered off with blood streaming down its side. Out of nowhere, two figures appeared and threw off the remanding wolves.
"What the." Lorilie began to say, but than ran over to Kel once she saw blood.
A dagger sprang into one of the person's hand; it was thrusted into one wolf's side. The wolf yelped and slinked off with the other one in toe. The dagger vanished and the two walked over to where Lorilie was tending to Kel's minor wounds. Lorilie straightened up and stared at two dark elves. One, a female, had blinding white hair under her hood of the cloak she wore. The male was lighter skinned, but still a dark elf, he had a soft smile that reached his green eyes, though.
"What are you doing alone in this forest?" the female asked.
"Were you the one just talking over there a moment ago?" Lorilie asked nervously. "Plus I'm not alone, I'm with a large group." She added, hoping to sound calm.
"No I haven't uttered a word till now." She stepped closer. "You remind me of a wood elf I knew a long time ago. You two could be related." She stared for a second. "Durk where are your manners, get over here and introduce yourself." The elf waved the other up.
"Where's your manners Valamora? You haven't even introduced yourself." He drawled.
"Yes, yes." Valamora said to Durk. She turned to Lorilie, "I'm Valamora."
"Lorilie Liltreehuggr.well actually Lorilie Tinderblade." Lorilie smiled.
"Ah ha!" Valamora pointed. Lorilie jumped. "Your Lielay Liltreehuggr and Albain Tinderblade's daughter, aren't you?"
"Yes I am." Lorilie clutched her neck.
"I thought I saw her in you. Come now, your mother never told you about me and my group?" Valamora's eyes twinkled.
"What are you talking about?" Lorilie nudged Kel and shook her head slowly.
"Years ago your mother was friends with an iksar named Mirk-"
"I know him!" Lorilie interrupted.
"Anyway," Valamora went on, "there was this big duel against her group and mine. It was all because of Mirk." She smirked.
"Not entirely his fault. You started a lot of the problem too. You see, Valamora looted your mother, but Mirk made her return it." Durk joined it.
Slith came rolling through the bushes, "Lorilie what happened?" he slowed and stared at Valamora and Durk.
"Slith this elf knows your father." Lorilie crossed to him.
"We used to be friends." Valamora eyed the lizardman.
"Thisss isss all too ssstrange. You're the dark elf that ripped my dad's horn off?" Slith said after he heard the whole conversation.
"Yes that was me." Valamora blushed. "I am ashamed of that now."
"Let'sss go back to camp. I bet everrryone is getting worrrrrried about usss." Kel walked off.
Lorilie and Slith picked up the wood and showed Valamora and Durk to the fire. Caleb and Wintercloud jumped up and unsheathed their swords when they saw the two dark elves behind Lorilie. Their blades gleamed in the burning light. Lorilie pushed their weapons away and placed the wood next to Lanie.
"Who are these elves?" Caleb said uneasily.
"They knew mother and Mirk." She lightly stepped over loose supplies.
"These two?" Caleb looked shocked.
Valamora and Durk took a seat on the ground and started to explain to Caleb the conversation they had with Lorilie and Slith. Lanie listened while poking the fire with a stick. Kel fell asleep and began to snore loud enough for everyone to hear. Lorilie laughed and patted his head. Durk took the news of Lielay's death hard. He shed many a tear for her behind Valamora's back. Valamora told them about her own daughter and how she had run away, so if they ever saw her to tell her to go home. She wasn't that upset about telling them about it either, it seemed as if she didn't really care. Brand sat off to the side writing in a little book and every once in a while chewed on his writing utensil.
*****
Victoria peered around the thick tree and watched her mother make small talk with the people she was supposed to spy and report on. Her hand clenched into a ball and she bit her bottom lip in frustration. She slipped into the night cursing at those behind her and those she was going to see. She saved a curse for herself for almost being caught. Now that stupid little wood elf knew someone was following them. The wolves had actually saved her from being caught. It wasn't surprising, though, how they attacked the griffin and the elf; they were crazed wolves. Victoria expected that from the dull witted wild animals.
*****
"So Albain is still out there somewhere?" Durk yawned.
"Yes. I'm going to kill him some day." Caleb snarled.
Lorilie was silent. Her stomach was doing somersaults. She clenched her hands together tightly until her knuckles were white. She barely remembered her father; all she did remember was that he was tall, for a wood elf, strong, and that her mother loved him deeply. Grabbing her cloak, she got up and walked around the perimeter of the camp. Brand joined her in silence and she didn't even mind. She smiled when she saw the small ink spot at the corner of his mouth. He pushed back his blonde hair and sighed.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.
"Things, like my father, mother, Caleb, and this whole mess we got ourselves into." She shook her head.
"Things can only get better." He slyly snaked his arm around Lorilie's shoulders.
She raised her brows and plucked his arm off. "That's what everyone says."
"Like what?" Riley stood up.
"Who have you been talking too?" Albain barked.
"Not going to tell you." She laughed again and departed the room.
The seven plodded along towards the Tunnel in the Commonlands. Lorilie dragged her feet and complained on how tired she was. Slith pulled her while Lanie talked about nonsense on Lorilie's other side. Brand walked behind and just stared at Lorilie's long silky hair that was let down. Trotting beside Caleb and Wintercloud, Kel was in front and guided everyone through the forest.
The sun was barely overhead when the group reached the Tunnel and sat looking at the people crammed around them. Many eyes darted towards Kel and some people started to advance with their weapons drawn. Lorilie jumped up and wrapped her arm around Kel's feathery neck. The attackers stopped and their faces fell into frowns. They retreated back to their sitting grounds and began to sharpen their swords and maces.
"Thanksss Lorrrilie. I don't sssee why people take me asss a thrrreat." He sat down and his high head gleamed brightly in the blazing light.
"Everyone stay here while Wintercloud and I go find this Shady Swashbuckler fellow." Caleb said to his group before he and Wintercloud disappeared into the Tunnel.
Lowering his hood, Slith fanned himself to cool off. Lanie unbuttoned the neck of her dress and shaded her eyes while looking out at the scorching sands. Lorilie began to slide down the hill from where she sat. She giggled when she got to the bottom and ran back up. Brand smiled at her before, he too, started sliding. Lanie rolled her eyes as she watched them act like children. The two collided and tumbled down on top of each other. People howled with laughter and some doubled over in hysterics. Blushing crimson red, Lorilie ran to Lanie's side and stood there. Brand brushed the sand off his tunic and walked to his packs where he pulled out his lute.
"Do you have to show off here?" Lorilie said vituperatively.
"Where there's a crowd I have the urge to perform." He winked at her. Straightening up he cleared his voice and began to sing loudly along with his lute. The song was new to Lorilie:
"Your heart is not open, so I must go, The spell has been broken, I loved you so. Freedom comes when you learn to let go, Creation comes when you learn to say no.
I must learn to say good-bye.
You were my lesson I had to learn, I was your fortress you had to burn. Pain is a warning that something's wrong, I pray to the gods that it won't be long.
There's nothing left to lose, There's no more heart to bruise. There's no greater power, Than the power of good-bye.
I yearn to say good-bye."
Brand walked through the crowd so all could hear. Lorilie grunted rudely and stocked off into the Tunnel. Noticing her leave, Kel followed. Lanie and Slith stayed with the supplies and listened to Brand sing.
Her hand felt along the slimy wall as she walked through the dark passage. Lorilie shuttered as a cold bitter breeze blew up behind her and reached for her bare neck like Death's fingers. Lorilie's foot caught a large stone on the ground and she fell face first; something grabbed her before she hit, though.
"That was close. Thank you." Lorilie said to the darkness.
"No problem." The voice sent shivers up her spine.
"Well, I must be going, so if you excuse me." She tried to pull her arm away from the man's grasp.
"Why don't you come with me." He clasped a hand over her mouth and pulled her further into the darkened tunnel.
Kel's eyes rotated to each side of the Tunnel as he looked for Lorilie. Stopping, he eyed a large crack in the wall. He stepped to it and peered inside. There was Lorilie with a man hovering over her. Raging with anger, Kel forced his way though and tackled the man to the hard dirt packed ground. The man held up his hands in self-defense as Kel's claws ripped at the man's torso and head. Lorilie looked at Kel in horror as blood started to form a pool around the body of the man.
"Kelvren stop it!" she yelled. The griffin halted and crossed to her. He nuzzled his head against her hand and helped her up. The two squeezed back out of the crack and Lorilie hugged Kel tightly.
He shook his feathers. "Caleb told everrryone to ssstay out therrre. What did you think you werrre doing? What if I didn't follow you?" The glossy brown feathers on his crown stuck up straight.
"I was going to find Caleb and Wintercloud. I wasn't going to stand watching that stupid bard dancing and singing and showing off." She said hotly.
"Let'sss not mention thisss to the othersss." He began cleaning his sinister-looking talons.
Minutes later, Lorilie shielded her eyes as she stepped back into the bright sunlight; heat waves wafted over the sand dunes. Kel followed her and then sat his great mass by Slith. Brand was still singing his ridiculous song and somehow he had gathered a decent size crowd. Coins were being tossed into Brand's open lute case, he smiled when he heard them bouncing off one another. They waited listening to the music for the next hour until Caleb and Wintercloud emerged from the mouth of the Tunnel. Caleb clapped his hands together and sighed. The group gathered around the two and waited for someone to say anything.
"We're done here." Caleb put on a friendly expression.
"That's all you're going to say?" Lorilie frowned, "What happened in there?"
"Are you all up for some sailing?" Wintercloud laughed as he saw Caleb's disgusted face.
"I am!" Lorilie jumped high, forgetting all about her question.
"But we're going to spend the night in the Commonlands." Added Caleb hastily.
"Why? Freeport is just right there." Lanie pointed.
"It's already getting late and I don't want to travel anymore today." The wood elf shook the neck of his tunic to cool himself.
"Fine with me." Brand finally joined them with a large bag of money tied to his pants.
"What'sss that sssmell?" Slith sniffed around.
"What smell?" Lorilie shot a glance at Kel's talons.
"Nevermind." Slith shuffled down the hill. "It's just the sssmell of my frying ssscalesss." The iksar hissed his laughter.
*****
"Is there any decent inn's around here?" Caleb said to his group after he came out of another small inn.
"Let's just camp! I'm dead tired." Lorilie threw her packs at her brother.
"Fine, but if you complain you're the one to blame." He pointed his finger in her face.
"Don't you just love brother-sister relationships? It's quite adorable." Lanie laughed.
Not long after that, Lorilie found the "perfect" spot to camp for the night. Lanie and Slith lit the fire and started to prepare the food. Brand leaned against a tree and softly plucked his lute's strings and sang a low, depressing song. The night's gentle breeze was comforting to the weary travelers; it seemed to carry away their temporary troubles. Crickets chirped in the campsite as time slowly passed; the little bugs hopped into the firelight for brief amounts of time. Darkness enveloped all around them; the fire was the only source of light like a lone star lost in the endless sky.
"Someone go get more firewood." Wintercloud picked meat from his teeth. "We're running low."
"I'll go." Lorilie stood up.
"And I'll go with you." Kel spread his wings out and hit Caleb in the head.
"Watch it!" Caleb laughed while rubbing his forehead.
They left the light of the fire and looked at the forest floor for stray pieces of wood. A wolf howled close by and the wind picked up. Loose hair flew into Lorilie's face and blocked her vision. Behind them, the leaves of a bush shook and two piercing eyes burned into Lorilie's back. Kel growled. Finally, Lorilie finished fetching the wood; she and Kel moved towards the welcoming glow of the campfire. Movement from the corner of Lorilie's eye caused them to stop. Carefully she put the logs down and tiptoed into a patch of trees. Kel sighed and as quietly as he could, followed.
"What new information do you have for me?" a female demanded. Lorilie motioned Kel to stop. She held her breath and listened.
"They're going to Kelethin." An unseen male said cheerily.
"Kelethin." The girl sounded disappointed. "I have to follow them there?" Lorilie moved closer to try to see who was talking. She knew the people were talking about her, Caleb, and everyone else. Kel stumbled over the firewood pile and crashed into a bush. "Go!" the female shouted.
Three wolves jumped around the trees and surrounded Kel and Lorilie. They bared their fangs as spit dribbled off their tongues. Lorilie screamed as two pounced on Kel's open back. She grabbed a heavy log and began to bash the other wolf as it leapt towards her. It cried loudly when she smashed its head into a tree. The wolf staggered off with blood streaming down its side. Out of nowhere, two figures appeared and threw off the remanding wolves.
"What the." Lorilie began to say, but than ran over to Kel once she saw blood.
A dagger sprang into one of the person's hand; it was thrusted into one wolf's side. The wolf yelped and slinked off with the other one in toe. The dagger vanished and the two walked over to where Lorilie was tending to Kel's minor wounds. Lorilie straightened up and stared at two dark elves. One, a female, had blinding white hair under her hood of the cloak she wore. The male was lighter skinned, but still a dark elf, he had a soft smile that reached his green eyes, though.
"What are you doing alone in this forest?" the female asked.
"Were you the one just talking over there a moment ago?" Lorilie asked nervously. "Plus I'm not alone, I'm with a large group." She added, hoping to sound calm.
"No I haven't uttered a word till now." She stepped closer. "You remind me of a wood elf I knew a long time ago. You two could be related." She stared for a second. "Durk where are your manners, get over here and introduce yourself." The elf waved the other up.
"Where's your manners Valamora? You haven't even introduced yourself." He drawled.
"Yes, yes." Valamora said to Durk. She turned to Lorilie, "I'm Valamora."
"Lorilie Liltreehuggr.well actually Lorilie Tinderblade." Lorilie smiled.
"Ah ha!" Valamora pointed. Lorilie jumped. "Your Lielay Liltreehuggr and Albain Tinderblade's daughter, aren't you?"
"Yes I am." Lorilie clutched her neck.
"I thought I saw her in you. Come now, your mother never told you about me and my group?" Valamora's eyes twinkled.
"What are you talking about?" Lorilie nudged Kel and shook her head slowly.
"Years ago your mother was friends with an iksar named Mirk-"
"I know him!" Lorilie interrupted.
"Anyway," Valamora went on, "there was this big duel against her group and mine. It was all because of Mirk." She smirked.
"Not entirely his fault. You started a lot of the problem too. You see, Valamora looted your mother, but Mirk made her return it." Durk joined it.
Slith came rolling through the bushes, "Lorilie what happened?" he slowed and stared at Valamora and Durk.
"Slith this elf knows your father." Lorilie crossed to him.
"We used to be friends." Valamora eyed the lizardman.
"Thisss isss all too ssstrange. You're the dark elf that ripped my dad's horn off?" Slith said after he heard the whole conversation.
"Yes that was me." Valamora blushed. "I am ashamed of that now."
"Let'sss go back to camp. I bet everrryone is getting worrrrrried about usss." Kel walked off.
Lorilie and Slith picked up the wood and showed Valamora and Durk to the fire. Caleb and Wintercloud jumped up and unsheathed their swords when they saw the two dark elves behind Lorilie. Their blades gleamed in the burning light. Lorilie pushed their weapons away and placed the wood next to Lanie.
"Who are these elves?" Caleb said uneasily.
"They knew mother and Mirk." She lightly stepped over loose supplies.
"These two?" Caleb looked shocked.
Valamora and Durk took a seat on the ground and started to explain to Caleb the conversation they had with Lorilie and Slith. Lanie listened while poking the fire with a stick. Kel fell asleep and began to snore loud enough for everyone to hear. Lorilie laughed and patted his head. Durk took the news of Lielay's death hard. He shed many a tear for her behind Valamora's back. Valamora told them about her own daughter and how she had run away, so if they ever saw her to tell her to go home. She wasn't that upset about telling them about it either, it seemed as if she didn't really care. Brand sat off to the side writing in a little book and every once in a while chewed on his writing utensil.
*****
Victoria peered around the thick tree and watched her mother make small talk with the people she was supposed to spy and report on. Her hand clenched into a ball and she bit her bottom lip in frustration. She slipped into the night cursing at those behind her and those she was going to see. She saved a curse for herself for almost being caught. Now that stupid little wood elf knew someone was following them. The wolves had actually saved her from being caught. It wasn't surprising, though, how they attacked the griffin and the elf; they were crazed wolves. Victoria expected that from the dull witted wild animals.
*****
"So Albain is still out there somewhere?" Durk yawned.
"Yes. I'm going to kill him some day." Caleb snarled.
Lorilie was silent. Her stomach was doing somersaults. She clenched her hands together tightly until her knuckles were white. She barely remembered her father; all she did remember was that he was tall, for a wood elf, strong, and that her mother loved him deeply. Grabbing her cloak, she got up and walked around the perimeter of the camp. Brand joined her in silence and she didn't even mind. She smiled when she saw the small ink spot at the corner of his mouth. He pushed back his blonde hair and sighed.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked her.
"Things, like my father, mother, Caleb, and this whole mess we got ourselves into." She shook her head.
"Things can only get better." He slyly snaked his arm around Lorilie's shoulders.
She raised her brows and plucked his arm off. "That's what everyone says."