Chapter Thirty-One

It took some creative wrangling from the Shades, but the assassin squad managed to slip the Charr exile through the main gates of the Great Northern Wall, through Rin, and into the Royal Palace, where they lead Grazz to his old friend.

"Slow down, old friend…" Coran said gravely as the Charr hastily whipped through a flurry of hand and arm signals, "It's been some time since I've practiced our signs."

Grazz sighed, and started gesturing again, slower and more deliberate. Devona, for a while, had attempted to learn the Shade sign language, with some success, and even though she was also out of practice, caught enough signs that she had a sense of great foreboding.

"Whoa… come again?" Coran said, his voice inflection dripping with disbelief, "How many Charr?"

Grazz repeated the signal phrase in question, causing Coran to stagger, and for Yuu, who was standing at the rear of the throne room, to widen her eyes. Cynn whipped her head about, surveying the scene then finally asked, "All right… what is going on? What are the Charr up to now?"

"They are preparing a march for Rin." Coran said, "It looks like they want to renew their war on Ascalon, and should arrive within five days."

"Okay… but we expected that, didn't we?" Cynn asked, trying to get to the meat of what had so startled all those with the ability to understand Grazz.

"Not fifty thousand of them." Yuu said with a soft drawl.

Now Cynn understood the problem. "No… that's not possible… there can't even be fifty thousand Charr in the northlands!" She declared. "It might be a large number… but how could… Grazz… be so sure…"

"Because the Charr align themselves by pack, and if I remember correctly, they always declare their number when called out or confronted. They would also do so to confirm their own manpower before beginning their march." Coran answered gravely, Grazz nodding to confirm the king's suspicions.

"But…" Cynn continued to protest, not so much because she doubted any of them more than a reluctance to believe what was inevitably coming.

"While Grazz isn't exactly my equal in terms of mathematic aptitude, he can perform adequate estimation and simple arithmetic with enough accuracy, especially in a case like this." Coran finished, his voice carrying a finality that implied he would accept no further denials from anyone. "I have no doubt that the number he gave is close enough to the truth to be of little consequence."

He returned his attention back to Grazz, and said, "Thank you for this report, my friend. And before you complain or refuse, you are not returning back to the Northlands. You've performed admirably well beyond what could be expected of you." The exiled Charr barked softly, but Coran raised his hand and asserted, "You don't have much say in the matter. You will remain here now, in the safety of Ascalon. I suspect you'll be of use later, and I can't afford to risk that trying to glean information that won't add much to what we already know."

"If what you are saying is true, he might just be safer in the Northlands." Aidan noted. "Those numbers are almost beyond comprehension… I can't imagine Rin, or even all of Ascalon, or perhaps even the entire continent standing long. The first Charr assault that overwhelmed these lands wasn't even a fifth of that number."

"We aren't retreating." Coran said determinedly.

That seemed very much out of character for the usually level headed monarch. "Coran, even Duke Barradin would balk at such a force coming our way. We should at least fall back to the Shiverpeak foothills, where King Ironhammer will be sure to supply assistance."

"You can send a messenger to Deldrimor if you wish." Coran said. "But reinforcements would not arrive in time. Rest assured that I have prepared for another Charr assault."

"But that many? Coran… I never thought you'd be stricken with pride like your brother…" Devona began.

"It has nothing to do with pride." Coran answered. "While the numbers are great, we can overcome them… and I know precisely how… just follow my instructions and we should be ready for them, and ready to turn aside the Charr no matter how large their army is."

When silence was his response, he began issuing orders. "Yuu, prepare the units on the wall, and make sure they are drilled properly. Have your Shades also make sure that there is enough ammunition, and to have the smiths working double time to produce more. I need at least four tons of powder, and roughly three thousand rounds of the ballistics I designed."

"Mhenlo, I need you to pass word onto Fort Ranik, and make sure that a similarly sized attack isn't coming their way. If not, have them make all available haste to Rin. Aidan, I need you to acquire Doric's Horn from the mouthpiece of Stormcaller. Once the three of you have completed those tasks, join Devona, Cynn, Grazz and I by midday at the south gates of Rin."

Devona arched her eyebrows in surprise at her inclusion, causing Coran to smile wanly.
"My dear Devona, I am fully certain, despite your delicate condition, that you would fight me for hours if I were to tell you to remain here… and as cold at that may sound, I do not have hours to spend getting you to see reason. Just… try not to throw yourself needlessly into any potential harm."

"Why?" Cynn asked. "What are we doing?"

"We are going to recruit some more manpower."

Coran wouldn't tell them where they were going, but judging from their direction, almost due southeast, Devona guessed they were heading in the direction of Tranquility Temple, and towards the underground pass that lead towards the Forgotten Academy.

Thus, when the party stopped to make camp for the night, Devona felt it was important to relate one potential concern.

"Dear… there might be a problem." The warrior said.

Coran was instantly fully devoted to his betrothed. "What is it? Are you feeling sick again?"

"No… it's not that. I'm just noticing we're heading towards Tranquility Temple."

"Well, yes… we rather have to in order to reach our destination."

"And that is the problem. You understand, we had to take the underground pass in order to find Sslani in our original search for you. In doing so… I fear we might have made adversaries with the Mron… the cat-like beings that seem to be imprisoned in those tunnels."

Coran laughed. "I see… well, firstly, even if that were the case, the underground pass you are thinking of is studiously patrolled and maintained by Arghazaz, one of Grenth's Lieutenants. I suspect you stirred his ire, and eventually the Mron's, because you were not granted entry into that passage like I am."

"And secondly?" Devona asked.

"Secondly, what I intend to do I can assure you will not anger that long-suffering race. In fact, it is my hope that they will be very receptive."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the camp, Mhenlo had unfurled and smoothed out his bedroll, making sure all was properly in place for his nightly meditation routine and eventual slumber.

But meditations and slumber did not appear to be in his immediate future, especially as a firm yet slender hand caught him by the collar, and pulled him insistently towards the far periphery of the camp, and onto a slight decline towards the river the party had been following, where he slid on his back to a tenuous stop.

He didn't need to ask what was going on… nor did his abductor provide one before sliding partially on top of him and dropping her soft, rosy lips onto his. Part of him enjoyed the sensation completely, and for a moment, he even gave in, joining his partner in an insistent duel of mouths.

But the other part of him, the part that tired of this game, soon asserted itself, and he pushed Cynn away, perhaps a little more harshly than he had intended. The elementalist looked disconcerted, but her voice remained husky, "Hey, monk, what's wrong?"

Mhenlo sat up disdainfully. "I cannot… no, I will not… keep doing this."

Cynn now looked genuinely hurt. "Why? Did I do something?"

"It's what you're not doing." The monk answered. "I understand you've been hurt and scared of love… but I can't help but think you're embarrassed of me."

"Em… embarrassed?" She denied, "Why… would I…?"

"Then why is it whenever we're in public, you won't even regard me by my name? Why do you adamantly deny any interest in me when asked? I can't get within ten feet of you in any social setting where others are about."

Cynn sat up as well, her face down in shame. "Mhenlo… I… I don't know…"

"Well, until you figure out why… I can't keep doing this. I need more than to be your secret toy. I'll admit, it's mostly my fault. I encouraged you for far too long."

At that point, Cynn's acerbic spirit kicked in, and she defiantly turned her back to him with arms crossed. "Fine. Maybe I am embarrassed of you. You should have been grateful that someone like me would feel sorry enough for you to give you some degree of pleasure in your droll, pathetic life."

"Is that right?" Mhenlo asked slyly.

"Right. Stupid monk doesn't know a good thing when he sees it." The elementalist grumped.

Mhenlo fought back a chuckle, and managed to make his voice sound perfectly serious as he stood and said, "Actually, I do know a good thing when I see it… which is why I want more of it."

As he walked back towards the camp, Cynn sighed forlornly, finding herself fixated on Coran and his queen-to-be, nestled comfortably against each other as he was pointing up at the sky for reasons she couldn't discern.

She resented how open they could be about their relationship. This wasn't easy for her, after all. The elementalist sighed again, wondering if she'd ever be able to share her life with someone that way…

Fittingly enough, another young woman was watching the scene with envy… but without the same disdain as Cynn. She forced herself to look away, and back on Grazz, who seemed to be doing everything he could to keep her attention.

"I'm sorry, Grazz… could you repeat that?" Yuu said in apology.

The Charr again repeated his signals, and Yuu was about to respond when Aidan's voice behind her replied, "Yes, it is a beautiful night."

Yuu slowly turned to regard the ranger, and said, "I wasn't aware you knew his signing."

"When Coran explained that Grazz's communication was derived from general Ascalon scout hand signals, it didn't take me long to put it together. I'm still no expert, but I can gather general context and meaning."

"I see."

"You, on the other hand, I can't figure out… and I'm not just talking about signs."

The assassin huffed, "Was that some sort of awkward come on? You know my story, so I don't see why you bother."

"You're assuming false." Aidan answered, sliding to a cross-legged sit and nodding appreciatively to Grazz as if asking for permission. The Charr shrugged, and nodded before focusing a wary look at Yuu.

"Am I? Men want two things from women. I can provide neither."

"One would think all those years around Coran would have changed that opinion." Aidan said, then nervously added, "Unless… he…"

Yuu shook her head. "No. He didn't make a pass at me. Even in Hylan, he was far too smitten with yon." She pointed lazily at Devona. "Talked about his 'warrior princess' incessantly if you gave him half the opportunity… and some nonsensical scientific muck the other half."

Aidan laughed mutely. "Well, at any rate, I have no interest in seeking you as some sort of sexual conquest. For I too, cannot do so."

That caused Yuu's eyebrows to lift inquisitively. "Is that right? Accident or genetic?"

Aidan shook his head. "Neither. I suppose I could, if I wanted to… but I cannot allow my shamed line to bear another generation." Seeing Yuu and Grazz's quizzical expressions, he said, "Well… I suppose since I have learned intimate secrets of both of you, it's only fair I share one of mine, correct?"

He glanced nervously through the campfire at Devona, who was oblivious to the outside world, looking up as Coran pointed out stars. "I just ask you do not tell this to Devona… for my secret would grievously wound her, I fear."

Seeing the silent complacency in his audience, he said, "I'm not sure how familiar you are with the Guild Wars, most notably the attack on Khylo. But, what everyone had wondered for so long is how a guild from Orr could have managed to slip undetected through miles upon miles of Ascalonian territory. I'd wager that now, I'm the only one who knows the truth."

His audience remained silent, allowing him a moment to pause and gather more breath. "About two years before the Searing, I discovered this said truth. The Orrian guild that attacked Kyhlo had… purchased a guide to get them to Kyhlo so they could attack the base of Ascalon's Chosen, which Devona's father was the leader of. That guide had been my father."

"When I confronted him with that fact, he eventually admitted it. In anger, in rage, or perhaps some other reason, I killed him; struck him down while he was defenseless and asking for my forgiveness. I could not believe that my own father was responsible for the death of my friend's father."

He took another breath and released it forlornly. "After that, came the shame, and my vow. I would never bear a child… I would not continue the treasonous line that bore me. And that is where I am now; the last of my family, and intending to remain that way."

"You have the stupid honor of a Canthan." Yuu grumbled.

"That may be… but that is the path I chose to take, and why I feel for those who never even get that choice." He said, drawing out a half empty bottle of ale from his backpack, and taking a hearty gulp of the liquid before holding it out for Yuu. "For the outcasts and the exiles, in body and mind, I drink to them."

Yuu flashed a sardonic, lopsided grin before taking the bottle, and following suit. "To the last moments of peace these exiles and outcasts will have, before the battle is sure to quicken." She said as she held the bottle out to Grazz.

The Charr took the bottle then started to make a sign before realizing that he couldn't while holding it. His eyes darted between ranger and assassin, uncertain as to what to do.

Yuu finally said with a chuckle, "Just drink the damn ale, you silly sack of fur."