The Banished One
By: Jay Whitefox
Chapter One
It was a bright and sunny day as the Storyteller makes his way along the road. The knees of his hose were patched and his mismatched shoes were out at the toes. His long-sleeved woolen tunic was belted about the waist with a piece of rope, and his hood, a curious garment not normally worn in that part of Sendaria , with a loosely fitting yoke covering his back , shoulders and chest, was spotted an soiled with spilled food and drink. Only his full cloak seemed relatively new. The old storyteller's white hair was cropped quite close as was his beard. His face was strong, with a kind of angularity to it. His eyes were a deep and merry blue, forever young and forever full of mischief. On this day he was making his way towards Faldor's farm. He was on his way to a command performance from the Mistress of the farm's kitchen Miss. Pol. "Ahh well it will be good to see the boy again anyways." The storyteller says to himself with a chuckle as he walks on.
Just then the old man stops and his head jerked upwards and towards the west as he feels something near by. He takes off heading towards the feeling as it grows stronger. Soon he comes to a clearing an his eyes widen as he watches the very air seem to twist and change before him an then there is a flash of light and a loud bang blinding him and deafening him for a few moments. Where his eyes clear he blinks in surprise at where the rift had been was now just a red haired child with scraps of red cloth around her wrists and held tightly to her body a long white wooden staff. He kneels down as he looks at the girl child and his fingers lightly brush her hair from her face. He then takes off his cloak and wraps her up in it and picks her up in one arm while with his other hand he picks up the staff. As his hand closes around it he stops suddenly holding very still as he feels the power in it react to his touch. In some way he didn't understand it seemed to search him and then settle down seemingly not finding what it was looking for. The Storyteller frowns as he looks from the staff to the girl in his arms. What new mystery was this and how would if effect things to come.
Later on he sits next to a campfire and looks at the still sleeping child. She was covered in small barely noticeable scars on her body as if they had happened a long time ago. She was also in better shape then any child her age should be as if someone had taken her from birth and started to train her for something. She didn't seem to look like any of the peoples he knew of. His eyes are then slowly drawn to the staff where it rested near the girl. It held a power to it of that much he was certain but what kind he had no idea. In some way it was like a stone he knew but in others very different. The wood of the staff seemed to have been polished by an unknown hand till it had a shine to it and it was made of a type of wood he had never seen before. On a closer study of the staff he had found images craved onto it. One of a great cat near the top looking as if it was on the prowl an then in the middle of the staff coiled around it some great snake like beast with a mane and four legs ending in powerful looking claws. Then at the bottom of the staff were a strange writing of a kind he couldn't read. It was a great mystery and he wondered if the prophesies talked of her.
Just then the girl moves and her eyes blink as she starts to waken. The storyteller watches as she slowly sits up and looks around as then her eyes looking unsure of where she was. He smiles as her eyes stop on him and she hugs the cloak tighter around herself as he says." Well hello little one it's good to see you awake. I thought you would never get up." She blinks and tilts her head to the side as she then looks around again and she sees the staff and with one hand moving faster then he expected grabs it pulling it to her. He tilts his own head to the side and then asks. "Can you understand me little one?" Getting no reaction from her but save her looking back at him he nods to himself. Where ever she came from they didn't speak the common tongue of the lands.
He then grins as he reaches into one of his pockets and takes out a sweet something he kept with him for when he had to deal with nymphs an holds it out to her. She looks at his hand an then sniffs the air before she smiles and her hand darts out taking the sweet an she eats it faster then he can see. He chuckles as he takes out a few more offering them to her and she eats them quickly. He then blinks as she moves close to him sniffing an then she tries to get into his pocket for more an he laughs and lets her get a few more as she then settles down near him. The child had a sweet face and most likely would be a beautiful woman when she was grown. He watches as the girl yawns and then slowly leans against him as she drifts off back to sleep her staff held close to her. Looking at her he thinks it was a good thing he was on his way to see Pol she would be able to look after the girl and help teach her to talk better then he could. It would be a nice change for Pol from taking care of just little boys so long. Now he would need something for the girl to wear till they got there so as not to draw too much attention to themselves. With a slight gathering of his will and a word a small pile of clothing appears next to him. It was mainly a long red tunic with some white tights and soft brown leather shoes and a bit of rope to tie around her waist. Along with a short brown cloak in case it rained on their way to Faldor's farm. Then humming he dressed the girl removing the rags from her wrists and putting them in a pocket for later study. He then wraps her up in his cloak as he lightly strokes her hair. After a few moments he looks at the girl in shock as he hears her start to purr in her sleep. More and more this girl interested him and he couldn't wait for Pol to take a look at her.
In another place where there are those who draw on the One Power and rift opens and from it tumbles and old man his long grey hair hanging down as he groans and slowly pushes himself to his feet. Blue grey eyes glance around quickly as he then stands showing a body still in its prime from years of training. He looks around finding himself in an alleyway in some unknown city. Near him was a clothesline and with a shrug her takes from it a tan tunic and breeches along with a long cloak with a multitude of colored patches on it and settles it on his shoulders as he got dressed. He would need to look for some shoes and find a way to make money. As he slowly makes his way out of the alley he blinks in surprise as a group of children run over to him an the one in the lead asks. "Can you tell us a story mister Gleeman?" The old man blinks as he looks at the children and then nods with a smile as he sits on a crate. He then coughs and one of the kids runs off to come back with a tin cup filled with water and he nods his thanks taking a drink. "Thank you for the water. Now you all want to hear a story? Well I know a few that will entertain you."
His eyes look around and he notices the old styles of the building and the way people are dressed and wonders just where he was. Then with a shrug he starts to tell a story about a boy who was raised to be a warrior by his father and of the training he under went under the old man. After a while he notices it was starting to get dark and he had gained a larger gathering with some adults as well as he finished telling them of the young mans adventures against the Musk prince. He smiles and nods as the children parents start to lead them home a few handing him some coins in copper an silver as they leave. Soon all that is left is an older woman with dark blonde hair starting to grey and she smiles at him as she asks. "Gleeman have you found a place to stay tonight? If not you would be welcomed to stay with me for a few more of your stories they are unlike any I have heard before." The old man thinks and then with a roguish grin nods as he stands up and bows to her slightly as he says. "It would be my pleasure Madame." Together they walk to her home that was near by and she has him sit at the table as she fills a bowl with some stew from the fire. He smiles as he sniffs the bowl as it was set before him before he starts to eat and the woman says. "My name is Merriam master gleeman. What is your name?"
The old man thinks for a moment and then grins as he says. "I am Ran, a traveler and I'm unsure of just where I have ended up." She giggles as she looks at him and then says. 'Well Ran you are in the city of Tear. Will you be staying here long? If so you could stay here till you leave in exchange for some stories." He seems to think it over and then nods and smiles at her in a way that makes her heart flutter as he says. "It would be my pleasure to stay here Merriam. And if it's more stories you want to hear then I am full of them." She blushes and giggles like a girl as he grins more. The rest of the night is filled with the old man telling stories of the warrior boy and his adventures.