Elidor: I've decided to stop arguing with Russa about the disclaimer. I can't get out of doing it (sigh).
Russa: Ah, Elidor, you've finally realized it!
Elidor: (sigh) Yeah... Anyways, Russa does not own Dragonlance. However, she did make up the characters and plot of this story.
As Riishu and Elin strode together into the camp, Mieran came dashing up to them. Elin was surprised to see that she was crying.
Mieran threw a hasty and sloppy salute, then blurted out. "Captain, they've taken Kuran! We have to help him!" Even more tears welled up in her soft brown eyes. Riishu, surprised at seeing the lieutenant get so emotional, was still all business. "Mieran, who, where, and when?"
The lieutenant forcibly calmed herself, though she made no effort to hide her tears. "The Solamnians, in the forest, and about five minutes ago. They're going to kill him!"
Riishu quickly spun and called out orders. "Alright, I want five scouts here on the double. Carine and Mieran, you too. Elin, stay here and watch over the camp." Elin caught her arm as she started to stride off. "I'm coming, too!" The captain whirled on him. "It is not up for debate, Lieutenant. As your commanding officer, I order you to stay here and watch the camp!"
Elin drew back, hurt. Riishu's eyes softened, and her tone dropped to a whisper. "I don't want you to get hurt again," she said. Elin met her gaze. The captain held it, her eyes pleading with him not to make a big deal of it. He slowly nodded. "Alright. But, Rish… be careful."
The captain gave a quick nod. She spun around and strode off quickly, followed by the designated seven elves. Elin gazed after her for a moment. He had seen something, in those purple eyes. A sort of longing, yearning. He noticed that the remaining elves were watching him curiously.
Elin spun around and called out, "Back to your posts, or whatever it is you were doing." As the elves drifted away, he heard a chuckle from behind him. The half-breed spun to see Urea looking back at him. The human seemed to be amused. Elin sighed and collapsed to the ground. He buried his face in his hands.
For some reason, Elin couldn't manage to get Riishu out of his mind. He kept seeing her face, with its dark purple eyes and elegant features. A wry thought raced through his mind: She's much better at commanding than I'll ever be.
The half-breed was drawn out of his thoughts when Urea bluntly stated, "You're thinking about her." It wasn't a question. Elin raised his head and stared at her. She stared back for a long moment, then sighed and looked up at the sky.
In a last-ditch effort to get his mind off Riishu, Elin asked, "So, how did you come to be in the Solamnian army?" Urea shrugged dismissively. "My parents insisted I do something meaningful with my life. When I didn't respond the way they wanted, they signed me up for the army. Next thing I knew, I was in the back of a cart on my way to fight."
Elin waited for her to go on. When it seemed she would never speak, he finally broke the silence. "What did you want to do that they thought was such a waste of time?" Urea glanced at him shrewdly. "I was training and breeding horses. I've always loved them." Elin nodded. "They're beautiful animals."
Urea sighed. "Yes… I was trying to learn how to communicate with them, learn their language. Sometimes I wished I was born a Kagonesti, so I could just talk to them telepathically." She shot him an envious look. "Like you." Elin chuckled. "I can't talk to them either. I'm only half Kagonesti. My father was Silvanesti. However, I do have enough Wilder elf blood to be able to talk to them with body language instead."
The human perked up. "Do you think you could teach me?" She glanced down at her bound hands. "I mean, after all this is over." Before Elin could answer, Riishu's party returned.
The captain led the way, limping slightly. Elin wondered for a moment before he saw the arrow wound in the back of her thigh. Carine had evidently not attended to it yet. The healer was too busy healing Kuran. The lieutenant had his arms draped over two other elves' shoulders. His legs dragged limply on the ground. They looked broken.
Elin winced when Kuran lifted his head. There was blood running down his face from a cut above one eye, and his other eye was swollen shut. In short, the lieutenant was a mess. Elin watched as they laid him in the middle of the camp. All of the other elves gathered around, standing in a silent circle.
Riishu took a deep breath, but then let it out as she realized Elin was not with them. Striding quickly over, she grabbed his hand and pulled him back to join the circle. However, while none of the other elves were holding hands, Riishu didn't release his.
The captain let out a keening cry of grief. It shook Elin to his core; he had never heard something like it. The half-breed had heard that the Kagonesti often used songs to concentrate their power, but this was just amazing.
The other elves took up the cry. With some surprise, Elin felt the same sound rip from his own throat. He hadn't even thought himself capable of making such a noise. He listened in awe as the cries changed from keening grief to soft acceptance to strong healing. Strangely enough, his own body seemed to know what to do without him consciously ordering it.
Riishu held the sound as Kuran's body began to glow green. The soft green of the forest. The bright green of new shoots. The sharp green of pine needles. The light was all of these at once, and more. All the greens that could be found in nature were mixed and swirling together.
Elin watched the light whirl, mesmerized. However, he did not let his voice trail off. Through the chorus, his and Riishu's voice seemed to carry the others up into the heavens.
The forest light slowly faded away from Kuran, in sync with the elves' voices. The cry and the glow grew softer and softer until both trailed off completely. Riishu staggered, then regained her composure and motioned an elf out of the circle. "Blen, I want you to carry Kuran." The remarkably burly elf nodded and picked up the lieutenant's limp form.
Elin was not really surprised to see that Kuran was completely healed. He turned to Riishu to find the captain limping off towards Urea. The half-breed followed behind. He watched as Riishu sliced through the captive's bonds and helped her up.
The captain called Carine over. "Carine, you are responsible for making sure Urea stays with us." With that, Riishu strode off to one side of the camp. "Alright, everyone! Move out!" she yelled. The elves followed her deeper into the ravine.
Elin ran to catch up with the captain. He struggled to keep pace with her long stride, panting. "Rish, where are we going?" She smiled at him. "The Solamnians are close by. They will have heard our song and are most likely on their way to attack us right now. We'll head deeper into the ravine and find some caves in which to spend the night. Then we'll move on to some other, more permanent camp."
The half-breed glanced back at the group, then nodded. "Makes sense to me."
The little army trouped off in silence into the gathering twilight.
Oooh, something's happening between Riishu and Elin! I wonder what :-) Next chapter will be up soon. Probably tonight.