~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Almost two months had passed since Randy, Olivia, and Bryanna had left Winding Circle, traveling due east into Anderran, which was on relatively good terms with Emelan at the moment.
"Say," said Randy as he pulled his cloak about himself tighter, the wind having a bite it didn't before as the seasons passed on. He had the map in front of him and was studying it carefully. "There's a small desert south of here, and with two of the teachers we can visit in it too. How about we head there?"
"With winter coming on, I like that idea," agreed Bryanna. "Though being surrounded by tons of sand may not be fun, at least it will be warm, right?"
"It should be," snorted Olivia. "At least by day. It's a desert." She rode up beside the only male in the group and slipped the map from his hands, studying it herself. "Wait, what does this symbol mean?" She pointed to the one next to the first teacher they'd come to.
"Um…animal mage," replied Bryanna carefully. "A specified one, too."
"Animals, as in desert animals?" Olivia raised her brows questioningly. "I'm not sleeping in the same place as scorpions as spiders. I don't mind if they're underfoot or what have you, just I will not sleep in the same building with them if that is what this guy specializes in."
"I'm not to crazy about it either," added Bryanna as she turned that thought over and over in her mind. "We have the small tent, so if we have to two of us can sleep outside." Both girls turned and looked at Randy, who had gone pale and was shaking slightly.
"D-did you say…spiders?!" he whispered, shivering violently for a moment. "I HATE spiders…I get the tent!!"
"Yeah right, I was the one who said something first!"
"You wouldn't have remembered if I hadn't said something. I get one of the places in the tent!"
"What?! No!! I'll die if I have to sleep in the same place as a s-sp…eight-legged thingy!!"
"You big baby. Then die, one less mouth to feed…"
"No!! Please, I beg you, let me have the tent…" Randy was almost crying by now, ready to throw himself from the horse and grovel at their feet.
The two females answered as one. "No."
"…I'm going to die." Randy's eyes rolled upwards as he fainted dead away in the saddle.
"Oh, shoot. Catch him!!" Between the two of them they hauled him back up right, holding him there for a few moments.
"What do we do with him now?" asked Bryanna, reaching for his horse's reins.
"Tie him down," replied Olivia, throwing her a coil of rope. "Then lead his horse. I'll stay back and make sure he doesn't fall…"
"To bad he won't stay like this all the way to the desert," muttered Bryanna under her breath. She secured the rope around his waist and two the saddle, leaving him to flop around while riding under Olivia's watch as she gathered up both sets of reins and began to move again. "I could use the quiet."
"Yeah me too."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Amanda and Ben walked along the road, rather dusty and tired but in better spirits than they had been a month ago. They didn't dare move fast, and often stayed at one Inn or another for a week or more just playing for the folks and earning just slightly more than they would need the next day.
Silven didn't perform anymore, her actions drawing too much attention that they couldn't afford and merely acted as a guard over their earnings in the presence of others. Ben and Amanda stuck entirely to music and riddles, entertaining their guests but never amazing them as they had done before. Not that it mattered. The money was good, the food was good, and as long as they lay low for awhile, their lives were good.
One nice lady at a tavern had even let them use her baths and scissors, both of them getting a haircut and feeling clean for the first time in weeks. The first of their earnings had gone for new clothes as well, the same deep blue as before but in just simple tunics and pants with new sandals to go with it. Amanda had sewn silver trim on them both, but did nothing to replace her lost silver earrings or jewelry for the time being. Both still had their armbands, but wore them under the tunics and tried to draw as little attention to themselves as they could. The last thing they wanted to be was traceable.
"Where are we getting to next?" asked Ben as his stomach growled. "I'm hungry, and I could use a rest too."
#Wherever it is, it won't be long# replied Lyssa, patting his cheek from where she sat on his shoulder. #Its…where are we headed to, Amanda?#
"Summersea," came the light reply. Amanda had done her braids again, and was feeling more like her old self than ever. "And, as soon as we get there we're heading to the Citadel to talk with the Duke. He'll give us the supplies we need, and probably let us play for our supper too."
"Hey, do you think that nice little girl will be there too?" asked Ben, perking up some. "Maybe she'd play with me awhile…"
Lyssa and Amanda exchanged knowing glances. #Think he'll ever admit or even realize he had a crush on her for awhile?# asked Lyssa for Amanda's ears only.
"Probably not," replied Amanda under her breath, holding out her hand so Lyssa could scamper up her arm and ride on her shoulder for awhile. They reached Summersea a few hours after midday, and were able to reach the Citadel and get an audience with the Duke an hour before dinner.
"Why did you lie and say it was important?" asked Ben as they sat side by side waiting to be seen by the Duke.
"I didn't lie," came the prompt reply. "It is important, someone needs to warn the other performers about that guy."
"Oh, I see…"
#Straighten up# said Lyssa, flicking an ear slightly. #Here he comes#
Both performers stood as the Duke of Emelan walked in and bowed to them both, the pair bowing as one in return. Lyssa scampered from Amanda's shoulder and bowed as well, cutting such a figure that the Duke couldn't help but laugh.
"Oh, I remember you. Or at least your little friend here," said Duke Verdis, smiling as he motioned for them all to sit down. "You were at the fair I held awhile ago, among all the other performers."
"Yes, we were," replied Amanda in surprise. "I didn't expect you to remember us, sir…"
"My niece, Sandry, spoke of nothing else but the remarkable squirrel she'd met and the little boy who tended her. I asked about a bit, and found he had a big sister, and assumed it was you since you look so much alike," explained the Duke. "However, that is not important right now. What is this urgent matter you've brought before me?"
Amanda and Ben went into an account of their trip north and west, through the swamps and to the dead plains. Trading off now and then, they told of the castle-like mansion with its high walls and how they almost came to be trapped there if not for the help of a kindly servant. Of their escape and fleeing through Sotat, all the way to here in Emelan some months later.
"I'm sorry," said the Duke with a grave look on his face. "But, I can't go and avenge this wrong for you if that's what you had hoped…"
"No," replied Amanda quickly. "I just want a promise that you'll warn others of him. Other performers and bands that might come through here that head that way. My words don't carry much weight, yours might."
"I see," said the Duke, nodding his head slowly. "Done. Anything else?"
"Some dinner would be nice," piped up Ben, looking guilty as Amanda gave him a sharp look. "Sorry, but I'm hungry…"
"Words from the mouths of children," said Duke Verdis with a slight smile. "I'll give you dinner, in exchange for music during my meal, agreed? Good." He signaled for a servant to come and take them to their place. Both went followed quickly, eager to get a real hot meal and perhaps a place to sleep for the night. They were finally back in business and back home, and nothing could take it from them.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Jenny watched with interest as they took on their cargo, fellows from the warves that they'd hired bending their backs under the burdens of raw iron and copper and thick planks and blocks of wood. Their ship floated a tad bit lower than normal, but that was to be expected with all the cargo. Now all they needed was a few crewmembers.
Between the four of them, they figured they needed at the most was 5, and at least 3. As it was, storms and the weather weren't a problem with Nicole on board. Jennifer did fine doubling her duties as Captain and cook. Jack was good with the rigging, and Gwen was good at keeping the place clean, all they needed was someone who could read the maps and guide them by the stars, someone to steer, and someone to help Jack keep the sails and such working.
"Hullo!!" called a voice from the gangplank, catching the trio of humans and nymph in the middle of their discussion on how to hire someone. "Is the Captain onboard?"
"She is, but if you get to come see her is undecided," called back Jack. "What do you want?"
"I'm Trevor, and there are my two brothers Tanner and Tyler," called the young man, obviously trader with his stall leaning on his shoulder as he motioned to a younger and older fellow on either side. "We heard from a friend you're looking for crewmembers to sign on from a friend, and wish to have a try at it."
"Come on aboard, then," called Jenny. "Jack, keep an eye on the loading. Nicole, keep watch at the door, just to be sure. Gwen, you're with me." She paused for a moment, then added. "Actually, Gwen and Nicole keep an eye on the loading, Jack you're with me. No offense, but if they're trying to threaten their way on board I'd rather have him in a fight than you, Gwen."
Gwen smiled sweetly. "None taken."
"Aw, why do I miss all the fun…"
"Because you're six inches tall," shot Jack over his shoulder.
"Shaddup!!"
"Hey, knock it off you two!!"
"Yes, Jenny…"
"That's Captain Jenny to you!"
"Did we come at a bad time?" asked the one who'd called himself Trevor, stopping just beside the gangplank on deck.
"No, actually, this is what a good day is like among those two," replied Gwen with a smile. "You should see a bad day, the fur really flies then…"
"Right." Trevor gave her an odd look before following Jenny into the cabin that was hers, with a desk and some chairs for receiving people like this.
"Have a seat," said Jenny, taking hers behind the desk as Jack stood behind her silently. "What are you names again?"
"I'm Trevor," said the middle one again. "This is Tyler," he motioned to the younger one who barely came to his chest and couldn't be more than 10 or 11 years old. "And this is Tanner." He pointed to the older one beside him.
"Tanner, Trevor, Tyler." She nodded to each in turn. "So, what exactly is it you want?"
"Permanent positions," said the oldest, nodding respectfully to Jenny. "We can't take just one or two journey positions, and we need some sort of steady income." He was a few shades lighter than Jack, but not by much, with honest black eyes that all three of his brothers shared. He looked neither kind, nor unkind, but was obviously one who kept his word and would do his best. He had to be 6 ft tall, relatively well muscled and with his easy stride and confident look it was obvious he knew what he wanted and wouldn't settle for less.
"Tell me why we should hire you, then," asked Jack from behind Jenny. "And why permanent positions?"
"Our own Trader family fell on hard times," explained Trevor, looking rather abashed. "We are not asking for charity, only a job so we can support our elders back in their village. Eventually, we need to own our own boat and raise our own clan once more, and since yours must start anew as well, we figured you would understand." He was smaller and thinner than his older brother, but while he wasn't the strongest Jenny guess from his quick eyes and calculating looks that he was the smartest.
"Can you guide by the stars and read maps?" asked Jenny.
"I can," replied Trevor. "And steer."
"Can you take care of the sails and the rigging? Help keep this tub afloat?"
"I can," said Tyler eagerly. Jenny looked at him, studying the boy for a moment. Small and wirey, he looked like a monkey and could probably climb the masts like one as well. Unlike his brothers, who both wore sea boots, he went barefoot and his hair hung in dread locks around his head. All three brothers, wore the same canvas sloops and durable shirt, but Trevor wore a tunic over his while Tanner sported a leather vest and Tyler a hood of sorts.
"What about you, Tanner, what can you do?" asked Jack carefully.
"I can fix anything, rig anything, and lift anything that you can't," came the simple, terse reply. The Captain and First mate exchanged glances, Jenny picking up a piece of paper and sliding it over to them.
"Here's your contract, sign here."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Rupal bent over the financial records in the kitchen, the remains of a pie beside her and bottles of ink with quills spread out wherever. The harvest had come in well, and with a little luck and a tight hand on their money they'd make it through all right.
Her eyes began to droop as she worked out the budget for the rabbit feed, her head starting to dip but jerking herself back to reality every time her head touched the paper. Getting some coffee from the pot Kaitlin left out, she kept working and forced her eyes to stay open regardless of how tired she felt.
Moving on to the horses and cows, because they could live on the same fodder, she easily got through that before moving onto the goats and sheep. That was little trickier, because even though it was around November in their world and sheep had been sheared awhile ago, they still weren't sure to sell a few for the very handsome prices they'd been offered. Ready cash was always handy, but the sheep still might be worth more in the long run. Especially if it had a healthy lamb a year and always stayed with the herd.
Now to their food supplies and winter needs. Rupal's head began to hang lower and lower, and no matter how loud and long she yawned or amount coffee she gulped down she could hardly keep herself awake. The quill falling from her fingers and the book before her making a fine pillow, Rupal fell fast asleep and didn't even wake when Libby woke up the next morning and forced Kaitlin awake to help her carry Rupal to the couch downstairs.
"It's not my fault she works so late," muttered Kaitlin, her eyes barely opened and hair still sticking in all directions from having been dragged from bed.
"It's your fault she can't work during the day because of all the noise you make," countered Libby.
"Hey, blame Cheekums for last week. I wasn't the one who let the whole chicken coop in the kitchen!"
"You shouldn't have strung his underwear from the barn in the first place."
Kaitlin thought about it, then sighed. "Ok, perhaps, but it was funny though…"
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Olivia was the first to spot the low building make of mud bricks and it's lean, sunblackened occupant outside. "Over here, you guys!!" she called over her shoulder, beckoning them to hurry over the sandy dune their camels had faltered on. At the first town at the edge of the desert, they'd been given these creatures in exchange for the horses and had been riding them ever since. Olivia didn't particularly like them, Randy hated them, and Bryanna, as usual was neutral. Right about now, though, none of them cared what they were riding as long as it got them to some shelter, and soon.
"So, you are the students I have heard of," said the man, bowing to her as Olivia went on ahead and dismounted slowly, her muscles sore from riding so long.
"We're students, but I don't know who would've told you about us," replied Olivia, giving him a good once over. His skin was tan and leathery from being so long in the sun, his eyes darks and quick, and his mouth always ready to curve into a smile. He dressed like the others did here, in simple robes with a long vest over them and a hood-like turban on his head. With a beard on his face and short black hair apparent under the turban, he looked more like a desert prince than a desert mage, but then again what did she know?
"My friends tell me lots of things," he replied, motioning to a scorpion that had appeared out of nowhere and began to crawl up his leg. "The scorpions and the snakes, they're really not as dangerous as one would think and are quick affectionate at times. That and they tell me when visitors are on the way, and take the hidden paths to me that humans don't know of."
"Your friends wouldn't happen to inhabit your house with you, would they?" asked Olivia carefully. "Not that they aren't very nice, I'm sure, but some of us don't care to wake with a snake in our bed."
"Not if I tell them to leave," he replied, taking the scorpion from his leg and placing it on the ground. "Come, let's get you settled in and wait for your friends before we start our first lesson…hypnotizing!"
Olivia followed him, her bags flung over her shoulder as she eyed the scorpion he'd left outside the door warily. "Fun."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Amanda and Ben played to their hearts content in the Summersea Market Square, Amanda sitting on the ruins of what was once a stone wall with Ben standing beside her and Lyssa guarding their bowl of coins as always.
"Here," she said, giving Ben a copper and sending Lyssa with him into the crowd. "Go get yourself something sweet while I find an Inn for us tonight. Don't worry about finding me, I'll find you, ok?"
"Ok," replied Ben, trusting his sister entirely as he took the coins from her hand and sped off into the crowd. Silven held on to his shoulder, and Amanda could hear her chattering angrily the whole way for him to slow down.
She poked her head into one of the Inns they'd performed in before, quickly getting the attention of the owner. The man gave her an appraising look, matching her stare for stare before nodding his head with a smile. "Thought you'd be back around eventually, just thought it would be sooner than this," he said with a nod. "Come on, you can have your corner again, and we split your tips, fifty-fifty, for a room and dinner."
"Thirty-seventy," replied Amanda. "All we need is a blanket and a place by the fire."
"Suit yourself," replied the man with a nod. "Be back here soon, things will start picking up in awhile."
"I will," promised Amanda, following her magic's line back to her brother. Instead of a rope, it was more like a homing signal in a certain pitch and pattern that seemed to match him the best. She followed it and found the two at the fountain, sharing a caramel stick between the two and with a bit of chocolate that he held up to her with a smile on his face.
"Thought you might want this," he said.
"You really shouldn't be feeding my addiction like this, you know," she scolded him gently, taking it and nibbling it slowly so as to relish the taste. "Come on, I've got us a spot at the Darkins' again."
"Ok!" The three of them walked off arm in arm with the squirrel bounding back and forth between the two. Things were looking up more than ever, and if things kept going the way they had been it wouldn't be long before they were entirely back in business. All they needed to do now as visit the old troupe and go see the two dedicates at Winding Circle, and everything would be fine.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Jenny and Tyler went ashore after sailing south for several days, a steady breeze keeping them on course that Nicole provided and hitting no storms along the way. The port they were at was known for its need of raw metal, and between the two they made a decision of how much they could afford to sell and that which they would keep before taking sample to go see how much they could bargain it for at best.
"Just let me do the talking," said Jack carefully. "With raw materials, you can't be nice to the lugsha, I meant worker, you're going to be selling it to. If it were finished products I'd have asked that Gwen girl to come because she can be a sweet and get them to buy it in a heartbeat, but not with this stuff."
"Sure," replied Jenny with a nod. "You get me a good price, you get a full share. That fair?"
"That's fair."
They walked up and down the streets through the markets, eventually finding the blacksmiths and metal workers along that avenue. Trevor wandered around for awhile, listening to the talk around them before choosing the first smithy to start with. The man in charge was your usual blacksmith, well-muscled and tall with sooty streaks all over himself and eyes that squinted from being the in dark so often.
"Trader," he said, giving Trevor a curt nod. "Do you need something?"
"We have a shipment here of raw materials we're willing to sell," replied Trevor. The two went back and forth, going through the normal Trader formalities when they worked with lugsha and eventually struck a deal that satisfied Trevor far more than it did the smithy.
"Have it brought to me smithy tonight, after the shop closes," said the man slowly. "You'll have your money then."
"Very well," replied Trevor with a nod. He turned and walked away, saying to Jenny in Tradertalk, "Slow-witted kaq, I could've driven him down more but it's not worth the risk in an unfamiliar port."
"Hm." Jenny didn't say anything, just went back and gathered up the rest to haul the ore off the boat and into the wagon they rented at the port. It didn't matter what he thought of the man, nor how he got the price, as long as they made an honest profit and could keep the ship running was all she cared about. Right now, she didn't know when the others would come or when things would change, so she had to plan for the future. No more taking things one day at a time, she had to know what she could do if her friends didn't show for a couple years.
"How much did we make?" asked Tanner as he hauled the last box up, then jumped up into the driver's seat and pulled Jenny up beside him. The rest piled into the back, the two horses that came with the wagon picking up their feet and starting down the street at Tanner's urging.
"A silver crescent more per pound than we bought it for," replied Trevor proudly.
"Very nice…"
"Who's watching the boat?" asked Jenny, seeing all seven of them including Nicole.
"The winds," replied Nicole with a grin. "If someone tried to get aboard before we get back, they'll be knocked off into the sea and no one can break it because it's not a spell I just asked them to."
"Oh, ok…" They delivered the goods and go the money, each getting their fair share which amounted to twenty silvers apiece. Jenny kept an extra five back which was going to be used to restock the ship, but since it was less than what everyone else got no one really cared in the least. Trevor and Tanner took theirs to the Trader post there, sending it, with a message, back home where it would be used to care for their elder family members. Tyler's was then split up between the three, which was more than enough for them in their opinion.
"Anyone for dinner an ale!" called Gwen, pointing to the nearest decent-looking tavern nearby and heading for it without further hesitation.
"Would ale be anything like beer?" asked Jack.
"About as close as you'll get to it in this world," replied Jenny with a shrug. "Come on, I'm not going to have any but you can get some if you want…"
"Can I have an ale?" asked Tyler, tugging on Tanner's pants.
"No, you can't," he replied. "And I'm assuming neither can the tiny one, because three drops and she'd be drunk off her…ah!" He fell forwards on his face, knocked over from some unknown source from behind.
"What?" asked Nicole as everyone looked at her, sitting ever so innocently on Gwen's shoulder. "I didn't do anything."
"Right…"
She chuckled to herself, standing up and striking a pose. "BEWARE THE POWER OF THE NYMPH!!"
Tyler just stared as Trevor ignored her completely, Tanner slowly getting to his feet with an odd look on his face. "…you have got to be kidding me."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Kailin lay on her back in the loft of the barn, looking at the sky with Alexa and Jeesie around her, their heads close together as they watched the sky change colors with the setting sun.
"Don't you have to make dinner?" asked Jess a bit pointedly.
"Nope, it's one of their turns tonight," replied Kaitlin, nabbing the basket she'd brought with her. "But for us, I make…cinnamon scones!!"
"YEAH!!" They tore into the basket, decimating the pile of sweet, wrapped pastries that always melted in your mouth when made by Kaitlin. After they'd been well stuffed, and the stars had begun to come out, Kaitlin lay back again and looked at the stars, pointing to them with her free hand, the other still holding half a scone.
"What do you think's up there?" she asked, a dreamy look coming to her eyes.
"It's just the sky and the stars," replied Jess with a wave of her hand. "What's there to thin or wonder about?"
"Sometimes, I dream that I can fly up and touch them," added Alexa with a sigh. "But it's only a dream, and I know there's really no way I'll ever be able to."
"Where I come from, we think there's things like Aliens out there," said Kaitlin.
"Aliens?" asked Jess. "What are those?"
"Are they scary?" asked Alexa quietly. "They don't sound very nice…"
"Oh, they can be!" replied Kaitlin with a grin. "They can also be real mean. We don't know if they actually exist, but me and my friend once made a story about them, and it went like this…"
She told them how one day, she and a friend had been lying on the floor during one of their school classes and had been bored out of their mind. Seeing something on the ceiling that was shaped like a globe with strange circles in it, and a little thing sticking out of the end, they asked themselves the question: what would happen if it wasn't some random part of the sound equipment, but instead an alien space ship?
First came the blue aliens, which ate most everyone up except for those who were nice and helped fight back. They were only as tall as their ankle at the least or up to their calf at the most, but with their sharp teeth and claws they were quiet deadly. Most escaped by flooding the huge room they'd been in and crawling up these ropes that just appeared from the ceiling, or hiding in the room where the girls changed on top of the lockers. Just the smell from going in there killed most of the aliens, though, so they were fine.
Next came the blue aliens, and they were in trouble there because they could swim so they drained the room of water and whacked the blue aliens with random bits of debris. While their teeth weren't as sharp or their claws as long, they had a horn sticking out of their forehead that was very, very sharp. Eventually, they finished off those as well. But that's when their real troubles started, for the green aliens came!!
These ones could swim as well as they could run, could jump and climb the ropes, and were the most bloodthirsty of them all. Even the gym locker room didn't seem to faze them in the least. So, they did the last thing they could think of, they shoved the evil teachers towards them to be eaten along with annoying blondes and hoped they'd be poisoned to death. And it worked!! The greens fled after having tasted the vile flesh, but they left one little one behind. A small green alien, newborn from the looks of it with antennas on her head and a set of very, very sharp teeth. Kaitlin had adopted her on the stop and made Amanda her first aunt, bringing her into their happy and insane family for good.
"And that is how we got Patch," explained Kaitlin with a nod. She pulled her out of her pocket, showing her to the twins. "Patch, this is Auntie Alexa and Jess. Alexa and Jess, this is Patch. A small green alien baby who happens to like biting others, but has learned to like human food rather than humans themselves." She thought about it for a moment, then added with a sly grin, "Most of the time."
"Eh, she's a cute little tyke," admitted Jessi slowly, patting Patch while making sure to keep her fingers away from the creature's mouth.
"Can we have one too?" asked Alexa as Kaitlin continued to coddle and play with the little green alien in her hand.
"Sure," replied Kaitlin, sitting up as she stuck upon what she considered to be a brilliant idea. "I know! You can have a blue, Alexa, and you can have a red Jess!! Now all you have to do is pull them out of your pocket and name them!"
"Ok!" Alexa reached into her apron pocket, pulling out a little blue alien baby girl, with a spike coming from her forehead. "I'll name her…Blue."
"Blue's not a name," said Jess scornfully.
"No…but Blueberry is!" replied Kaitlin. "That can be her name, and it's Blue for short, ok?"
"Ok!" Alexa turned away, playing with her new blue friend while Jess reached down and fished a little red one from her front pocket. His head covered with fuzzed red hair, and a small forked tail, the little thing had fangs and teeth that made even Patch cringe.
"What's his name?" asked Alexa curiously, Blueberry seated pertly on her shoulder.
"Ike for short," replied Jess. "Ikenmike in full, after my dad's middle name," replied Jess, turning the little fellow over and over in her hands as he tried to find some flesh to bite at. "Hey!! That's enough, little man."
"I'll have Amanda write down the Patch song she made next time I see her," said Kaitlin with a grin. "And she can make one for you guys too!"
"What was the first verse of your song?" asked Alexa as Kaitlin and Patch stood up with a smile.
"Here's the first part…:"
She's cute and she's sweetShe's unusually neat
She likes to bite my toes
With green eyes and skin
But not really thin
She goes chomp upon my toes
Her name is Patch
Imagine that
Why, I don't have a clue
But one things for sure
We all love her
Even if she isn't blue.
"I can't remember the rest," said Kaitlin slowly. "But I'll figure it all out someday."
"It's still an interesting song," replied Jess with a shrug. "I want to hear the rest of it someday."
"Do you really think she'd write us songs too?" asked Alexa hopefully.
"If you're nice, she will," replied Kaitlin with a nod. "Oh! And if you give her chocolate, especially when she's been deprived of it for awhile or she'd depressed. Yeah."
"Do you think she'll take fudge?"
"Absolutely!"
"Let's go make some then."
"Ok!"
########
Libby looked up from where she'd been listening below in fear. One alien had been enough, now they had three. Lord help them all.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Bryanna worked in a desert field hospital with one of the charity groups that went around the poorer tribes every now and then, using it as some of her required service time as well as a chance to try the new techniques Master Scoake had taught them. He seemed to think it was clever, naming himself after the two different animals he worked with in some random fashion, but it didn't really matter to her.
What mattered were the hypnotists techniques he'd taught them, mainly to make others forget physical pain, emotional pain, or some trauma they'd witnessed just for a long enough period of time that they'd be manageable while they were worked with or operated on. The less one had to use narcotics or magic to keep pain at bay, the more resources they had for those whom it wouldn't work for.
Moving down the rows of beds where the waiting patients lay, she saw everything from minor cuts and infections to life threatening diseases that could take the person or child's life or anyone else's if not handled and dealt with properly.
She was seeing to a person with a swollen leg from an infection when she called Olivia over, using her ice abilities to cool the swelling while Bryanna went in and fixed what busted veins that she could find as well as removing the infection. Randy walked by them, increasing the strength of the mage lights that hung in the room and giving the oil ones a boost so they'd burn brighter and longer.
"Easy," murmured Bryanna, holding up a hand to Olivia who slacked off on her cooling. "Just a tad less….hm…ok, you can stop."
"Is everything ok?" asked the boy's father, sitting beside him worriedly.
"Yes, he'll be fine," replied Bryanna, looking up to give him a quick smile. "The infection should be gone…we'll just patch up that cut that started this whole mess and let you go on your way."
The man started reigning blessings, or what she assumed where, in his native tongue while she did just that, cleaning the jagged wound before putting in some numbing and healing salves and bandaging it up tight.
"That's it."
The boy woke from his induced trance-like state, wincing as the pain came back but also surprised, as he was able to move and even stand on his leg again.
"Thank yous, marm," said the boy, nodded gratefully as his father helped him limp out of the tent and Bryanna moved on to the next patient.
"Keep that cut clean!" she called after him. "And no more putting river mud on it, you here? I don't care what you're grandmother said, it doesn't help a bit and is what caused the swelling to begin with!"
"Aye, marm!"
"How does it feel doing a good deed?" asked Randy as he came up beside them, reeking of oil.
"What happened to you?" asked Olivia, seeing the robes he'd borrowed from Master Scoake were soaked in the stuff.
"Uh, just a lil' accident is all…" Randy sheepishly scratched his chin as he got several glares from some of the other oil-soaked attendants, one looking rather charred, actually…
"I don't want to know," decided Bryanna, shoving him out of the tent with her boot so she wouldn't have to touch him. "Go get changed." And went right on along.
"Fool," muttered Olivia as they began on the next limb-that's-swollen patient, this time a woman with arthritis so bad in both knees she could barely walk. "I can't believe he's actually managed to live this long without killing himself or losing some major body part."
"I know," replied Bryanna. "Unfortunately, it takes all kinds to make a world. We just happen to be stuck with him."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Amanda and Ben walked along the streets of Summersea, content to take a day off from their usual post in the market and figure out what they were going to do next. "Why did we have to leave the tavern again?" asked Ben slowly. "I kinda liked it there, and the one lady always brought a peach for me so eat while we were having our dinner…"
#Aw, well, she only brought me some sunflower seeds, but I guess that's nearly as good# said Silven slightly, sitting on Amanda's shoulder lazily.
"She never brought me anything, so neh," replied Amanda, giving them both a mock glare. "Anyway, you know we can't stay in one place for too long. I do think we're safe as long as we're in Emelan, but we do need to go back an pay the Dedicates at Winding Circle a visit, and if we could going and looking around the country side for our friends wouldn't be a bad idea either."
Amanda sat down on a public bench, motioning for the server at the inn next door to bring them something to drink. A mug of ale and a mug of lemonade came a second later, Lyssa sharing Ben's as any form of alcohol disagreed with her in this body.
"Now what, then?" asked Ben, sipping is drink as Lyssa dipped some into the little bowl Amanda had made her and sucked it from there.
"I don't know," admitted Amanda slowly. "I had thought to go ahead and go visit Rosethorn and Lark, at least they'd feed us and put us up for awhile."
"Hello, there," said a familiar voice as someone joined them on the bench. "Nice day, isn't it?"
Amanda looked at the fellow in surprise. "Gen?"
"Ha! I told you she'd remember me!" he crowed to his companion, the strongman who had held Ben up by his collar one time.
"I can't see why she'd want to," said the giant man, coming to stand before them as he gave Amanda a friendly wink. "If anything, I'd have forgotten you long ago, given the choice."
"Oh, well, I wasn't," replied Amanda with a mock scowl. "My memory has a way of remembering those things I'd most wish to get rid of…"
"Oh, my lady, how cruel of you," said Gen, holding his heart as if he'd been shot there with something. "My heart hath been sorely wounded, and only a kiss from thine fairly self will save me from it."
"In that case, I won't so we'll be rid of you at last," replied Amanda with a grin.
"Ouch," said Ruben as Gen gave it up and grumbled about fair maidens who had too much a sense of humor. "Very well said, Briteyes. Come, Collin will want to know what news you have and will probably invite you to come perform with us in some fair we're going to this week. That is if you can come…"
"Yes!!" cried Ben, Gen having recovered and doing a ring trick with him, making it disappear with ease. "Can we, sis? Please oh please oh please??"
"Well, I guess so," replied Amanda as she ruffled his hair affectionately. "Come on, let's get to it and go see him. There's a lot to tell the old bird, you know."
"We heard you'd disappeared for awhile, there," admitted Ruben, "Heading northeast somewhere. Something happen?" Gen and Ben followed behind them as Ruben and Amanda took the lead, Silven riding patiently on Amanda's shoulder.
"A lot," came the short reply. "I'll explain it all when we get there."
"Ok…"
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Tanner and Jack sat across from each other on the deck with a box between them, miles of sea stretching on either side as Trevor kept them on course as Tyler climbed up and down the masts to rig the sails as Nicole asked him to.
Before them lay a few feet of rope and some pins, Tanner going through each knot slowly and carefully until Jack could do it in his sleep and could name it without the slightest prompt on sight.
"The pinned sheep shank," commanded Tanner, watching carefully as Jack ran through it as fast as he could. "Wait…stop…loop it the other way….there you go." Tanner inspected it when it was done.
"See, I know it," said Jack, feeling very proud of himself.
"That's nice," replied Tanner with a shrug. "Now do a bowline. Then a sheet line."
"Oh, come on, a simple knot does just as well as these complex ones," muttered Jack, doing it anyway. "Besides, you and Tyler are the ones who mainly deal with these things, not me."
"So, doesn't mean you shouldn't learn," replied Jack. "Do it."
"Alright, alright…" Jack went through those two until Tanner deemed him fit to learn another, bringing up a cleat he'd nailed to a board from the stores.
"Ok, now watch carefully," warned Tanner as he began. "This is known as belaying." He looped the line around the base, under the arms of the cleat, then brought it up and over diagonally, then around and under one arm, then over, around and under the other in a continuous figure either until he'd reached the end and tucked it under the last cross over. "Now, you try it."
"Ok." Jack took the rope from him and undid his handy work, slowly retracing his steps as best he could.
"You went the wrong way," corrected Tanner as he watched, undoing part of the work and showing him how to do it before he undid it again and let Jack try again. "Over, not under there."
"I got it."
Jack went through it, then did it again, and again. He closed his eyes and did it, using only feel to guide his way.
"Not bad," admitted Jack as he watched him get faster and faster at it, only faltering occasionally when his attention was not on the task at hand. "Eh, we'll make a blue Trader of you yet."
"Thank you, but I'll stay a black Trader as is, and hopefully get rid of the Trader part later on," replied Jack, going down to the scullery to bug Jenny into giving him some food. "Hey, Cap'n. How about some food?"
"Hey, Firstmate, how about you jump overboard?" Nicole called back from her spot above the door.
"I wasn't talking to you, minibrat."
"Oh well."
"Don't make me tear off your wings!"
"I don't have any, moron!"
"Your legs will do just as well, then."
"You'd have to catch me first."
"I will, someday."
"I'd like to see you try…slow, clumsy lout."
"…I have a feeling I'd be insulted if I knew what that last word means." Jack turned and walked away, leaving Nicole collapsed in laughter as he muttered to himself about mini people with no respect for people bigger than them and black people trying to make him blue.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Libby watched with a shiver as the mare began to moan and wheeze, holding her head and trying to keep her calm as Alexa and Jess's father took care of the other end where the foal was coming from right then. She'd seen bunnies birthed and raised a dozen times, but this was a little different when the creature being born was a third your own size and the one having it was two of you.
"Easy, girl, easy…" he murmured, keeping a hand on her flank so she'd know he was there. "That's it, nice and stead…here's the head!"
"That's nice…" Libby's voice sounded faint even to herself as she kept stroking the mare's nose and held it's halter so she couldn't try to bolt. This being her first birth, and Libby and the other fellow being there, the creature was nervous beyond all comprehension and wanted to do nothing more than bolt elsewhere.
"And the neck…there's his front legs, it looks like that friend of yours was wrong after all," said the man, helping the foal along it's way.
"Which I'm glad," said Libby softly as he put his knife away, which had been out in case they needed to cut the horse to get the foal out.
"He's out," said the man, putting the foal to his mother's nose and the mother to the foal's nose so they imprinted on each other. Leaving the baby to suckle, the man watched them for a moment before turning around, meaning to talk to Libby but found she'd disappeared.
Libby appeared a moment later, wiping her face and looking rather pale.
"Are you ok?" asked the rancher, standing slowly.
"Yeah, sure," she replied slowly. "How is he? Or she?"
"He," replied the rancher with a grin. "A fine young colt. A bit on the big side, but he should grow up right strong for ye. Perhaps might even do better than yer other stud when it comes to breeding."
"Maybe," replied Libby, rubbing her forehead slowly. "Uh, thanks, I'll send some payment home with the twins tomorrow. I gained a colt, but I lost my dinner so I think I'm gonna go sleep for awhile…bye."
"Oh, ok, bye."
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Bryanna and Randy gladly packed up their things, Olivia already having her belongings put together and ready to go. A gathering had begun outside the door of Scoake's front door of snakes and scorpions wanting in again, and they couldn't come in until the three students left, putting them on fairly unfriendly terms.
"Got your bags?" called Olivia from the front, just as eager to leave as they were. The hypnotism and such had been cool, as well as the truth spell he'd taught him, but the snakeskin and skeletons on the walls were just a bit too much. "The camels are ready to go."
"Just about…" Bryanna threw the last of her books in her saddlebag, the rest packed and ready to go. Randy finished at the same time, both of them hauling their things over their shouldering and heading for the door as quickly and politely as they could at the same time.
"Sorry to just learn and run!" called Bryanna over her shoulder, throwing her things on the camel before securing them tight and jumping in the saddle.
"Yeah, it's been fun, but we really need to go…"
"Get out of here, you young scamps," replied Master Scoake with a wave of his hand in mock anger. "Just don't forget what I've taught you, and use it well!"
"We will!"
"Now, my pretties," said Scoake as the trio galloped away, removing the ward an allowing the crawly creatures to invade his home once more. "Welcome home!!"
"He was nice, but a little crazy in the head," said Randy as they watched the scorpions crawl all over him and tangle themselves at his feet. "I'm just glad I don't have his power."
"I think you have to be a little crazy to be a mage," replied Olivia. "Which explains perfectly why we've become them."
"That is very true…"
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Amanda and Ben were welcomed back into the troupe for this one festival, each taking the places they'd chosen and performing in them to the best of their ability. Collin had been appalled to hear what happened to them, and had suggested trying to raise a performing ban in that area, but others had suggested merely warning all those who came across their paths, and it was settled at that.
Silven and Amanda had one of the tucked away corners of the lot they were given in the town, the squirrel girl perched charmingly on a table while Amanda called them to come and see her do her tricks. She juggled, she pranced, she mimicked those in the crowd, and she even pulled coins and treats from children's ears, mouths, and nose.
Ben had chosen to go with the masked tumblers for the night, replacing the usual top guy in the stack and pyramids as the young fellow had slipped and broken his arm the week before. Still on the mend, it would be awhile before he could tumble again. In the meantime, Ben made a fine replacement for this three-night event.
Dressing in the same black outfits with gold trim and a black mask covering the bottom half of his face, Zorro style, the only way Amanda could tell him apart from the others was by his extremely small size. Not that Ben wasn't big for his age, he was just 6 or 7 years younger than most of the tumblers in that group.
#Explain to me again why you're doing this and not your lute or panpipes?# asked Lyssa she did her usual bows after another set of tricks. She scampered up Amanda's arm and received her 'treat' before jumping back to her 'stage' and juggling some copper coins from the tip bowl. The small crowd cheered, young ones reaching to touch the 'pwetty squiggle' as they called her as their mothers held them back.
"Just didn't feel like it," murmured Amanda under her breath, collecting the coins from the bowl thus far and putting them in her pouch. "You know how it is, just lost my drive for a few days."
#Hope it doesn't last. For the sake of our rather empty bellies and purse, that is. You can't eat if you can't make money.#
"It never does. Gimme a few days and I'll be plunking away at those strings more than ever."
Lyssa did a somersault, whisking up the arms of on of the audience members to give the man a kiss on the cheek before zipping back to the table and whistling innocently like she hadn't done anything at all. The crowd laughed uproariously as Lyssa bowed as charming as ever.
"You naughty, naughty girl, Silven…"
#That's right I am!# She thought about it, then added. #Squirrel, anyway.#
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Brenna drove the wagon as Libby rode up beside her in the front, Cheeks, Rupal, Kaitlin, and the twins all in the back as they trundled on down to the local fair. It had come late this year, but supposedly the acts were even better than those the year before and it was to be the best festival of all until next Midsummer.
"What are you going to go see?" asked Libby as she bounced up and down in her seat, as happy as can be.
"Me, the horses and weapons shows," replied Brenna. "That, and any trick stuff they might have. Don't go playing most of their games, though, they're all set against you."
"I know, I know…how about you, Cheeks?"
"Um, then dancing girls Alexa said something about and the brewery." He held his hands up as all the girls shot him a glare death. "What?! Can't a guy have some fun??"
"That depends on the type of fun…"
"Ok, then, what about you?" asked Cheeks, motioning back to Libby.
"First off, the fabrics they're supposed to have brought," said Libby quickly. "I want to find some good cotton and canvas for this next wear, perhaps some wool too for the winter, and then some pink dyes, and then I'm gonna go and look at the trick animals and see if they have any as amazing as my bunnies used to be!"
"Ok…what about you, Rupal?"
"I have no idea," she confessed with a shrug. "I'm just here to go along with the ride and make sure no one ends up spending every penny we own." She glanced at Libby and Kaitlin meaningfully, both the epitomes of angles right then.
"Who me?" asked Kaitlin, who quickly dropped the guise and went back to her usual mischievous self. Libby couldn't because she's so cute she can't help but look anything but angelic. "Well, anywho, I know what I'm going to do. First to the strong men, then a trip around the vendors for some sweets, maybe pick up a new recepie here or then and then cause massive amounts of mayhem and chaos wherever I can! MUAHAHAH!!!"
"Remind me not to claim her once we're inside the gates," whispered Brenna to Libby.
"Right."
"I heard that!"
Brenna looked at her innocently. "Heard what?"
"You little vixen…"
"Uh huh, you won't see me denying it!"
"The twins are with you, right?" asked Cheeks, ending that discussion then and there.
"Yuppers!"
"Ok, good, don't lose each other because it's hard enough to avoid you when you're together and even worse when you're all spread apart."
"Cheekums!" All three adopted their 'hurt' face as they pouted as one. "I thought you liked being around us."
"If I said that, it was a lie…"
"Aw, Cheeks, you don't have to be shy around us…"
"Help!!" cried Cheeks as he clambered away from their advance, ending up in Libby's lap who merely switched places with him and shooed them back.
"No molesting Cheeks while the wagon is moving!" yelled Brenna.
"Aww…"
"You can do it when we've stopped," she added quickly with a wink back at them.
"YEAH!!"
"Brenna!!"
"Sorry, Cheeks, the help goes to the highest bidder, and Kaitlin did make such a fine lunch and dinner to take with us…"
"But I plowed the fields!"
"Eh, oh well."
"Aww…"
And so they went, each splitting off to do their own thing for the night after meeting back up with each other several hours later. All of them had seen the tumblers, and while each thought there was something familiar about the youngest of the group they let it slide with comparing him to one of their own group. However, something seemed to draw them away from the sideshows. Perhaps it had something do with the first one they saw, where a man was swallowing large spiders and small snakes whole and live. Still, whatever the case, the two groups missed each other entirely, and their lives continued as their paths parted again.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Jenny and Trevor sat together by the gangplank, their port fees paid and wondering what they should do now. "We have enough to stay here for the winter," advised Trevor carefully. "Not lavishly, but well enough off. Certainly not in poverty. And if we introduce our goods bit by bit into the market, say a few rare dyes now and some of the silks we brought on board, then sell the rest of it at a slightly lower price two months from now. If we live on the boat and don't treat ourselves too much, we may even have a good deal of profit left in the end."
"It sounds good," admitted Jenny with a nod, "And it has the same risk we'd be taking even if we left right now, having money to go on later or not, but we need to consider our options carefully. What if we didn't sell the silks to the same people, as well as the dyes, and instead all went to a different one and told them the wonders their 'rival' has brought and how much better theirs is? Would that not help?"
"It could," replied Trevor slowly.
"She's got a good head on her shoulders," commented Tanner from where he was teaching Jack a rather hard lesson on how to use his staff, Tyler down below with Gwen making cookies for them later. "I'm guessing that's why she's Captain, even if she's never sailed before in her life."
"Eh, actually it most just pure chance…" admitted Jenny with a shrug. They'd been told bits and parts about the group's past, but as far as those three knew the four had lived in this world all their lives and knew no other just like themselves. Jenny just hoped it didn't come as too big of a shock when it would come out in the end.
"We stay, then, and do as you said," agreed Trevor after giving it some careful thought. "Come on, Tan, let him rest for awhile. We've got some work to do, just like back home."
"All right, I could use the change of pace, I suppose."
"How you feeling?" asked Gwen as she came up from below, handing Jack a cup of water.
"Beaten," he replied tiredly. "My gosh, that man fights like a devil. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was the devil."
"What makes you say he isn't?" asked Gwen, fairly puzzled.
"Because that little thing over there is," replied Jack as he pointed at Nicole flying in the air with her breezes by the sails. From down there, she looked like a small bird, but the crew knew better. "I dun care what you say, man, that creature is the embodiment of the devil if not the devil hisself."
"Right *cough*obssesive*cough* whatever you say, Jack…" He'd gone off into his little world, plotting Nicole's demise as slowly and painfully as he could imagine. Luckily, he had a very limited imagination.
"Gwen, would you use rope or chains to hang someone?"
"Why only use those two? What about leather, or vines, or wire?"
"Uh…I dunno…guess I just never realized it, is all."
"You'd don't realize a lotta things, sweety." Gwen looked over the crew one last time before going and getting the cookies Tyler was watching over. They were a little noisy, and not all that nice, but they were in this mess together and that's all that really mattered. Or at least that's what she assumed some sappy writer would say right about now.
"Gwen, the cookies are done!!" called Tyler eagerly.
"Coming!"
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~
Ah, yes, a chapter at last. *Ducks pointy things thrown at her* Hey, my drive left me halfway through and I had to force myself to finish it. Next chapter should be posted with this one, so review and go enjoy!! ^_^
*sniff* Chocolate donations can be sent to my email address, for this author is suffering greatly from withdrawl. Help me? Please?!
~Crosseyedbutterfly~