A/N: so I'm not sure if the Nain capital has ever been mentioned in the books and if it has a name. If it has, I apologize since I had to make up a name for it.
If anyone knows what it is, please let me know.
P.S. I should apologize right now for any names or places that I spell wrong. I attempted to look most of them up, but I don't have access to my books right now and, as I'm sure you all know, asking questions on the Elizabeth Haydon forums is dangerous when it's for a fanfic.
If anyone has any corrections for me, feel free to post them.
Flight to Nyeath
"Where is this little demon taking us?" Achmed snarled as the Glythery they had been following for what felt like a very long time suddenly ducked down yet another offshoot of the tunnels.
"Hopefully out of here," Meridion mumbled.
Rhapsody chose not to answer. She was convinced that the little creature was helping them, but wasn't sure what it might consider help. It may be leading them out of the tunnels, or maybe it was leading them somewhere deeper in to what it considered safe. But really, they had no idea how to get out and following something would be better than blindly wondering about the tunnels, fearing whatever might be around the next corner, possibly become even more lost.
"Mother!" Meridion suddenly whispered. "Sheave your sword."
Offering no more explanation, Rhapsody did as her son asked, worried that he might have sensed some one coming. Instantly, they were plunged into darkness once again. For a moment while their eyes were adjusting, they could see nothing at all, only pure blackness. But after a few moments, they realized that they could see something.
"Light," Rhapsody whispered. It was still very faint and the source must still be a distance off, but there was now the slightest hint of light in the air, not enough to navigate by or even to see the walls of the tunnel around them, but it was no longer the pitch blackness that they had been in before whenever Rhapsody sheaved her sword.
"That little thing really is leading us out," Meridion said as the Glythery crept back around the corner to see why its followers stopped.
Rhapsody once again pulled her sword out just enough to bring light to navigate by and continued on, following after the tiny creature with renewed confidence.
What had seemed like an eternity before was now quickly growing to a close. The light from the outside swiftly became bright enough to no longer need the use of Daystar Clarion. It seemed like only a few moments from discovering light that they were stumbling, half blinded, into the open air. The sun was just setting behind the massive mountains that still surrounded them.
After regaining their sight, they walk just a few feet to where a copse of trees granted some shade from the failing light. All three quickly collapsed under them, exhausted from the hike out of the mountain.
Rhapsody was so relieved to have gotten out that she had nearly forgotten about their little friend who had helped them. She was quite startled when the creature claimed up her arm and curled itself up on her chest.
"Well, it seems your, little demon, actually came though, Achmed," Rhapsody smiled as she reached down to pet the little creature. This quickly brought forth a gentle purr from it.
"Remind me to thank it later," he grumbled. "Right now we have to get moving." With that he began to struggle to his feet again.
"I don't think so," Meridion said as he reached to restrain Achmed.
Achmed gave Meridion a death glare before snarling at him, "get your hand off of me. You have done enough as it is. We have got to go after the F'dor before he does more damage."
Suddenly, Rhapsody remembered what Meridion had said about Rial being a F'dor. "God's, Achmed, which one? Rial and Gyrlyth? What are we going to do?"
"Gyrlyth is first. He's the nearest," Achmed said as he once again tried to rise.
"Achmed, you're in no shape to go hunting after F'dor. You can hardly stand on your own, let alone battle a powerful F'dor," Meridion said.
"Meridion's right. We have got to get you back to Ylork before we can make plans to go after the F'dor," Rhapsody said as she also tried to get Achmed to sit back down.
"And let Gyrlyth kill Faedryth and be in charge of the Nain? We have to stop him. I'll be fine."
Meridion and Rhapsody exchanged a look of defeat before she answered him. "Alright, we'll go. But you're going to let me heal you some more before we leave. You won't do any of us any good if you can't breath enough to perform the Thrall ritual thanks to you're cracked ribs. It's a wonder that you were able to just now."
"Fine, but make it fast," Achmed snapped. "I will not have that F'dor putting himself in a position of more power."
Meridion rose, shaking his head, as he went to go find water and possibly some food.
"Are you finished?" Achmed growled. It hadn't been more than a quarter of an hour since they escaped from the tunnels, but he couldn't stay still any longer. There was a F'dor out there who needed taking care of and his racial makeup was not going to let him sit idly and allow himself to be fussed over. Of course he was in rough shape and needed the attention that Rhapsody was giving him, but his blood was boiling with hatred. Staying there any longer was not an option.
"I've barely begun!" Rhapsody snapped back at him. "You have broken ribs and have been beat on for the last several days. You're dehydrated and need both food and rest. I can't believe that you're so obsessed that you can completely ignore the fact that you are about to fall apart!"
"And I can't believe the fact that you're willing to delay another minute before we rid the world of another F'dor," He whispered with deadly intensity.
There was a time where she would have been taken aback by his tone. But that time had long passed. She knew that the F'dor needed to be dealt with, and quickly. But, besides the fact she was afraid for him, she knew that Achmed was the only one that could make the killing of the F'dor a success.
"Achmed, killing the F'dor is the first thing on my mind. And we will not be able to do so if you collapse from exhaustion or injury before we get to him."
As they were arguing, Meridion, came up upon them once again.
"You're both right," Meridion stated, trying to get them to stop bickering for a moment. "Achmed, you are in no shape to be facing the three day walk to the Nain seat of power, let alone taking on the F'dor. But we still can't delay a second longer in our pursuit if we are going to stop the F'dor's assassination upon Faedryth. The F'dor has nearly a day's head start on us, we must get moving."
"So what do you have in mind," Rhapsody asked him.
Meridion grinned. "I found us some transportation," he replied as he turned around and disappeared for a minute. When he returned, he held the reins to his beautiful white horse which closely followed behind him.
"How did you find her?" Rhapsody exclaimed as she realized that this was not any horse, but Meridion's own.
"Well, I realized that, somehow, your little friend there," he said pointing at the Glythery which was perched once again on Rhapsody's shoulder, "led us out the same entrance that I entered through."
"It is!" Rhapsody exclaimed. "Wait, that means that my horse is around here somewhere as well as Omet's."
"Yes they are. I found them as well. They're back there," Meridion waved behind him from where he had emerged with his horse.
"Good, now help me up and on a horse so we can get moving," Achmed demanded.
Rhapsody sighed. "I guess I am overruled here," she said as she stood up. Meridion offered his arm to Achmed. They clasped each other's arms at the elbow and Meridion hauled the King to his feet. Rhapsody watched him closely, but the only sign that Achmed gave that he was still in pain was a slight wince and wrapping his other arm around his ribs. Either he was doing better, or doing a better job at masking it.
It only took a few more minutes for all three to find themselves firmly mounted on a horse.
"Achmed, are you able to track the beast?" Meridion asked.
"No," Achmed scowled. "I never got any of his blood. But I know where he is going. He was on his way to kill Faedryth and take the Nain thrown."
"So going to the Nain seat of power is probably a good place to look for him then," Rhapsody said.
"Unfortunately, I have never been there and I don't think either of you have either," Achmed stated.
Meridion cleared his throat, "Actually…" he said.
"What? You've been to Nyeath? When?" Rhapsody demanded, completely flabbergasted that this could have happened.
"Well, that's kind of a hard question to answer." Meridion said. All you need to know is that I know the best and fastest way there."
Rhapsody looked like she wanted to grill her son on the matter, but Achmed interrupted her before she could get another question out. "Good, let's get moving."
"Fine. Just so you know, there are full water canteens and food in the saddle packs." And with that, Meridion dug his heels into his mount and sped off.
With Rhapsody and Achmed close behind, the chase was on. The F'dor had nearly a day's head start on them. Time was quickly running out.