Menlan looked at the letter in his hands and sighed. It was time. His
brother had written, and said also that Prince Terian was passing through
Bast on his quest, and that his route would surely lead him past the
fighting school that Menlan headed. It was a slightly hidden school where
not knights, but warriors were bred , good scouts and trustworthy soldiers.
Only about 10 miles away from Bast, it was a sprawling stone building on
the edge of the woods, with a large river about a mile away. The masters
and recruits' quarters were almost identical, except for the fact that
recruits boarded together, and masters did not. The only exception to this
general rule was Tayli, whom he loved like a daughter. But he must abide by
the prophecy, and she was as ready as she would ever be.
Menlan looked out his window and into the courtyard, where she was dueling
with her swords master, the elf Jaedon, who was equaled nowhere in the
country except in his student, whom he had taught everything he knew.
Menlan himself was an archer, and had found in Tayli the same equal that
Jaedon had found. It no longer amazed him that a girl could do all this,
only that she did not bore of it, but embraced the soldier lifestyle. She
was trained in everything he could think of. She called him and the other
masters 'Master,' but she herself was a master at swords, archery, riding,
throwing daggers, martial arts, swimming, tracking, and living safely and
off the land. Tested again and again, the proofs had only come out
positive. Tayli was everything the old gnome had wanted her to be, and
everything that Menlan could have wanted in a son. With a heavy heart, he
leaned out, and called to her, his voice deep and rich.
"Tayli! Come here, child."
^^^^^^^^^^^
Tayli looked up into the trusted face of her favorite Master. His straight brown hair hung to his shoulders, and he was clean-shaven. His tall, thin frame leaned half out of the window. Smiling, she waved upwards to show she had understood, and then turned and bowed to Master Jaedon, who bowed also, and then waved her off.
---Tayli was a peculiarity. She knew that, with her 18 years, she should have been married or trying to do so, dolled up in skirts and all the other horrors that such things created. But she didn't want to, and Master Menlan had never mentioned it. Instead, Tayli flourished at the school. She was fiercely independent, often just disappearing to roam the woods or long rides on her black stallion, Moonflight. She could count the number of people she talked with freely on one hand. The matronly housekeeper, who had taught her all the useful things that she needed to know about being a woman, and her Masters-Menlan, Jaedon, Manuel (who taught her book things- history, tactics, and so on) and Daniel (who taught her all she needed to know about everything else). Anyone else that tried to approach her (and many a curious young recruit did at first) received silence, a gesture, or, at best, a word or two. If she needed something or wanted to convey something important, she talked, but Tayli wasn't the type of person who communicated easily. She preferred to stay hidden and observe, step in to meddle when she needed to, and then step out again. She had never been in a city, and never wanted to do so, from what she had heard of them-the one thing she was afraid of was large crowds of people pushing in on her, cutting off her escape routes and swamping her with their closeness. Anyone that she didn't know or trust who got too close to her risked injury, the seriousness depending on how close they were. Tayli was a born warrior, and combined all her masters' skills into one, lithe body. She was of moderate height-not so short to be at a disadvantage, and not so tall that she was easily noticed. The one typical thing about her was her hair-she kept it long, and even she didn't know why. But, safely tied back, the straight, raven-black locks didn't do her any damage. Her eyes were a piercing amethyst color, which, she found, unnerved quite a few people. Though she didn't know it (what use for a mirror was there?) Tayli was beautiful, and, if she had been a normal girl, could have charmed people as soon as they saw her. As it was, people tended to back away in scorn at the plain breeches and tunic that she wore instead of skirts and petticoats. She loved training to fight, and had been sent on quite a few missions with the other recruits, and by herself. She could live totally independently, and not leave a trace of having been wherever she went. Tayli loved the world she was born into. Tracking, climbing, anything to do with nature and the outdoors she excelled in, as she excelled in anything involving weapons of any type. She had never killed a human, but she had given serious damage without much emotion when threatened. She could follow people silently and stealthily, and had, in her younger years, surprised a lot of mischievous young men doing so, sneaking up on them and then flourishing a hidden sword in their astonished faces. Sometimes, Master Menlan asked for her advice, which was solid and sensible, or confided in her, right in being certain that nothing would make her speak once she had promised not to do so. But, added into all this, she wasn't a jealous, self-centered person, and worked hard not to do wrong. No, as any one of her Masters could have said, Tayli was good and lively, not at all the emotionless person she showed herself to be-if she had accepted you as one of her own.---
Tayli knocked, and then entered Master Menlan's office, a plain, stone affair with a desk and a few chairs, and a row of books above the fireplace. Worried, she noticed that the man who was her father figure sat slumped backwards in his chair, face sad.
"Tayli," he said, "sit down." She did so. "Tayli, child, the time has come. You are to go away." Alarmed, his student sat straighter, but didn't say anything. "You have heard, perhaps, that the prince has come of age?"
"I have," she said gravely, her training preparing her to accept with honor what she knew would separate her from Menlan.
"His path is passing through Bast. Tayli, you must protect the prince, at whatever cost. I know this sounds strange, but you must do all you can to keep him safe from a danger that I know is coming, but can only guess at. Will you do this, for your country, and for me?"
"I will, Master," she said, voice level. She had known that the day would come when she was sent away to do a greater task, and had been prepared for it.
"Good. Now, listen closely. You must avoid being seen much at all-not until there is no choice. I have equipment waiting for you in the stable. Follow them, and above all, take care of the heir! You know what else to do, and your instinct will tell the rest. But now you must go, for he is in Bast as we speak. Goodbye, my Tayli." A single tear gleaming in his eye, he stood and kissed her cheek gently. She sighed and bowed. Then, with a final look at the trusted figure, left the room.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Standing next to Moonflight, Tayli felt an odd determination instead of sadness. She would do her Masters proud, and honor them that way. She looked over the supplies that had been lain out for her. A black cloak lay on top-it was thick and long, made of wool, and was fastened at the neck, which was high. A large hood with a veil in front to cover her face made her see how necessary it really was that she did keep hidden. Swirling it about her shoulders, she put it on, feeling its warmth and seeing how it enveloped her whole body. A second set of her normal, brown shirt and breeches, with underwear, came next. These she packed in her saddlebags. A pair of safely dull, high black riding boots came next-they fit her exactly. She had her sword and sword-belt with her-it was of top-quality metal, and fit her hand from years of practice. 3 daggers of differing size and style were secured in a shoulder belt that looped over her left shoulder and fastened onto her regular belt at the right. Arrows and a bow were strapped across the front of her saddle. A small pouch of sleeping powder and a map were also stowed away. Then Tayli mounted, pulled up her hood with the veil across her face, kicked Moonflight, and was gone.
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A/N: Please review!
"Tayli! Come here, child."
^^^^^^^^^^^
Tayli looked up into the trusted face of her favorite Master. His straight brown hair hung to his shoulders, and he was clean-shaven. His tall, thin frame leaned half out of the window. Smiling, she waved upwards to show she had understood, and then turned and bowed to Master Jaedon, who bowed also, and then waved her off.
---Tayli was a peculiarity. She knew that, with her 18 years, she should have been married or trying to do so, dolled up in skirts and all the other horrors that such things created. But she didn't want to, and Master Menlan had never mentioned it. Instead, Tayli flourished at the school. She was fiercely independent, often just disappearing to roam the woods or long rides on her black stallion, Moonflight. She could count the number of people she talked with freely on one hand. The matronly housekeeper, who had taught her all the useful things that she needed to know about being a woman, and her Masters-Menlan, Jaedon, Manuel (who taught her book things- history, tactics, and so on) and Daniel (who taught her all she needed to know about everything else). Anyone else that tried to approach her (and many a curious young recruit did at first) received silence, a gesture, or, at best, a word or two. If she needed something or wanted to convey something important, she talked, but Tayli wasn't the type of person who communicated easily. She preferred to stay hidden and observe, step in to meddle when she needed to, and then step out again. She had never been in a city, and never wanted to do so, from what she had heard of them-the one thing she was afraid of was large crowds of people pushing in on her, cutting off her escape routes and swamping her with their closeness. Anyone that she didn't know or trust who got too close to her risked injury, the seriousness depending on how close they were. Tayli was a born warrior, and combined all her masters' skills into one, lithe body. She was of moderate height-not so short to be at a disadvantage, and not so tall that she was easily noticed. The one typical thing about her was her hair-she kept it long, and even she didn't know why. But, safely tied back, the straight, raven-black locks didn't do her any damage. Her eyes were a piercing amethyst color, which, she found, unnerved quite a few people. Though she didn't know it (what use for a mirror was there?) Tayli was beautiful, and, if she had been a normal girl, could have charmed people as soon as they saw her. As it was, people tended to back away in scorn at the plain breeches and tunic that she wore instead of skirts and petticoats. She loved training to fight, and had been sent on quite a few missions with the other recruits, and by herself. She could live totally independently, and not leave a trace of having been wherever she went. Tayli loved the world she was born into. Tracking, climbing, anything to do with nature and the outdoors she excelled in, as she excelled in anything involving weapons of any type. She had never killed a human, but she had given serious damage without much emotion when threatened. She could follow people silently and stealthily, and had, in her younger years, surprised a lot of mischievous young men doing so, sneaking up on them and then flourishing a hidden sword in their astonished faces. Sometimes, Master Menlan asked for her advice, which was solid and sensible, or confided in her, right in being certain that nothing would make her speak once she had promised not to do so. But, added into all this, she wasn't a jealous, self-centered person, and worked hard not to do wrong. No, as any one of her Masters could have said, Tayli was good and lively, not at all the emotionless person she showed herself to be-if she had accepted you as one of her own.---
Tayli knocked, and then entered Master Menlan's office, a plain, stone affair with a desk and a few chairs, and a row of books above the fireplace. Worried, she noticed that the man who was her father figure sat slumped backwards in his chair, face sad.
"Tayli," he said, "sit down." She did so. "Tayli, child, the time has come. You are to go away." Alarmed, his student sat straighter, but didn't say anything. "You have heard, perhaps, that the prince has come of age?"
"I have," she said gravely, her training preparing her to accept with honor what she knew would separate her from Menlan.
"His path is passing through Bast. Tayli, you must protect the prince, at whatever cost. I know this sounds strange, but you must do all you can to keep him safe from a danger that I know is coming, but can only guess at. Will you do this, for your country, and for me?"
"I will, Master," she said, voice level. She had known that the day would come when she was sent away to do a greater task, and had been prepared for it.
"Good. Now, listen closely. You must avoid being seen much at all-not until there is no choice. I have equipment waiting for you in the stable. Follow them, and above all, take care of the heir! You know what else to do, and your instinct will tell the rest. But now you must go, for he is in Bast as we speak. Goodbye, my Tayli." A single tear gleaming in his eye, he stood and kissed her cheek gently. She sighed and bowed. Then, with a final look at the trusted figure, left the room.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Standing next to Moonflight, Tayli felt an odd determination instead of sadness. She would do her Masters proud, and honor them that way. She looked over the supplies that had been lain out for her. A black cloak lay on top-it was thick and long, made of wool, and was fastened at the neck, which was high. A large hood with a veil in front to cover her face made her see how necessary it really was that she did keep hidden. Swirling it about her shoulders, she put it on, feeling its warmth and seeing how it enveloped her whole body. A second set of her normal, brown shirt and breeches, with underwear, came next. These she packed in her saddlebags. A pair of safely dull, high black riding boots came next-they fit her exactly. She had her sword and sword-belt with her-it was of top-quality metal, and fit her hand from years of practice. 3 daggers of differing size and style were secured in a shoulder belt that looped over her left shoulder and fastened onto her regular belt at the right. Arrows and a bow were strapped across the front of her saddle. A small pouch of sleeping powder and a map were also stowed away. Then Tayli mounted, pulled up her hood with the veil across her face, kicked Moonflight, and was gone.
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A/N: Please review!