Whaaaa, sorrrry!! Again this took a very long time to update, but at least I haven't given it up! If it's any excuse, I had a summer job, just started college, and am continuing part time. Plus I like to have a social life ;)
Anyway, a great thanks goes out to those who reviewed, honestly if I hadn't gotten the last review I did, I would not have continued.
It may be hasty, and patched together, and nowhere nearly as wonderful as Hilari Bell's writing, but here you are! Disclaimer: These concepts are Hilari Bell's, not mine.
The Knight:
Tobin watched as the strangely dressed centaur creatures of the medical wing examined Makenna. Just seconds ago they roughly washed her face and pulled her hair back while studying her condition with scrutinizing eyes. With their clumsy hands they had set her on the stiff wooden table of the private, but unwelcoming recovery chamber. Soon, however, and to his relief, the female nurses urged the other male centaur from the room while they removed Makenna's bloody and torn clothes.
"Get out, human," Barked a particularly bitter centaur. Her human hair was gray and white, her skin wrinkling with age, and her disposition stern, Tobin could tell she had a short fuze.
"I will not leave her side. I will, however, turn around." He turned accordingly, giving them no option for discussion. A firm 'Hmpf' sounded from one of the younger centaur behind him, as if they'd understood his rash gesture more than his words. They muttered continuously behind him, until after a moment their light banter halted abruptly. Tobin reeled around.
"What-?" His eyes fell to Makenna in worry. A vast expanse of aubergine flesh stretched from her collarbone to below her blanketed chest. He assumed the area was the impact of the curses direct hit. The old centaur nurse ventured a tentative hand out to brush the area, but the minute their flesh made contact, her hand recoiled in pain. She yelped accordingly. The fellow nursemaids looked to Tobin in horror and confusion; their reactions did not bode well to Makenna's health.
"A curse" The Knight offered. The nurses eyes widened in realization and her hands pulled at her medical apron nervously. Faster than Tobin could think, she muttered an incantation which he could only guess was a prayer, issued commands to her fellow nurses, and began to work on a salve. Tobin inched closer to Makenna as the centaur women galloped around the sturdy, stone floor of the room in a rush. Soon scents of thyme, wintergreen, and galangal filled the room, their medicinal qualities even soothing Tobin's nerves. As he watched their work, he heard the sound of a centaur's entrance into the private room.
"These centaur women know their common curses, but this condition seems to be quite unique." The Ambassador assured the knight with smooth toned words. "A human sorcerers curse on a human. Possibly the only human in this realm who could even cure such a curse." With a bitter disposition Tobin cast his hand away in frustration. "Unless you know of any other humans who would be willing to help, ambassador." He turned to the centaur, eyes pleading for the health of his friend. Zvonimir looked away solemnly. "It may be possible to find someone, but before we even consider further action we must confirm that her condition is stable. It takes days, maybe even weeks for a curse to reveal its full effect." In silent agreement they once again looked to the working nurses. The salve had been completed and was administered both topically and trough vapors into Makenna's system. One younger looking maid turned to Zvonimir with a very concerned expression.
"Selz don'mir aquir qi sal bajar, jeh beylz felz ein unplanier" Tobin distinguished from her speech. Zvonimir turned to him to translate. "She doesn't know if it will work, but she thinks Makenna is stable for now. Now that she is in safe hands, will you accompany me to the council chamber?" With one last lingering gaze, Tobin turned to face the centaur squarely. "I cannot speak on Makenna's behalf without her goblins." The centaur led him out into the palace hall before replying. "Tobin, it's not commonplace for us centaur to welcome anyone into our war chambers. Not a race but our own has set hoof in those heavy set walls. If the King invites you, and you alone, regardless of the circumstances, I suggest you take up the offer." With a long pause the knight considered the offer, but his instinct and bond with his goblin friends told him to give it time. "Ambassador, before I accept or deny this offer, I wish to speak with Mourry." The Ambassador stared at him starkly for a very long time. Finally, he nodded grudgingly and led the way to the temporary goblin residence in the lower floors of the palace.
An hour later, and after much debate with his Goblins friends, the Knight rushed with a strangely dressed centaur to meet with the clan leaders in the Council Chamber. The lavishness of the palace décor seemed to only further his opinion that the centaur valued civility, intellect, and propriety among their most valorous of traits. The halls stretched eons above his head to meet with the physical attributes of the strange creatures, while the halls themselves were narrow. His mind fogged in disbelief as the mechanical like door protecting the room from the outside opened seemingly of its own accord. When it opened to reveal a massive room fit with a line up of exquisitely dressed centaur, he felt very much out of place. Eyes passing over the less than pleased faces of his allies, he took note of two empty seats. One between two clan leaders, and one directly across from the king. Hesitantly he stepped through the threshold without a word, and before he knew it, the centaur stood and bowed respectably. After a returning bow, a deep commanding voice bellowed out, rattling Tobins bones. Sounding like an ancient mountain of a thousands ages who had finally decided to speak, the speakers words would embed themselves in the knights mind for the rest of his life.
"Welcome, Knight Tobin to Otherworld. Please, take a seat."