Diaspora
"So this," Ciara said disappointedly as she stepped off the elven river boat, "is a city."
"A bleak example by anyone's standards," commented Kyner.
"Aye, I hope to be out of here as soon as I can," added Bohdan, "they call this place the Northern Hearth but there are few warm spots in the city. Spell protections hold the worst of winter's attacks at bay but do little against the cold."
"I suppose that's better than nothing," Ciara sighed as she pulled her fur cloak tighter about herself and drew the hood forward. Winter had, once again, begun its advance. Kyner hoped to catch one of the last caravans to proceeding south to Mithral Hall before the snows began. Autumn rarely lasted for long this far north.
Selinde, the woman Mahtan had assigned to them as an escort, followed the others off the river boat. As the days passed by she had become increasingly agitated but refused to discuss the source of it. Bohdan's apparent mistrust of everything elven had done nothing to ease her anxieties.
But Bohdan's aversions were not limited to elves. Ever since his wounding at Aeterveris Bohdan refused to accept any shows of gratitude, from Ciara or Kyner, for what he had done. If anything, he seemed to regret his decision. This will not end well, thought Ciara.
"Aren't you eager to get back to Aeterveris?" Bohdan disdainfully asked Selinde.
Selinde focused her reply on Kyner, "The hour is late and the crew desires rest before beginning the return trip. I bid you all luck on your quest." Selinde ignored Bohdan's baleful countenance as she brushed past the three.
Bohdan turned back to Kyner and Ciara, "Well, it's been lovely traveling with the two of you but I do believe I can find my own way south from here." Without another word he left the two standing by the river boat.
"Good riddance," breathed Kyner.
"I don't think we're finished with him yet," said Ciara.
"I sincerely hope you're wrong there," said Kyner.
"So do I," replied Ciara.
Kyner wished he could discount Ciara's warning but she was yet to be proven wrong.
"Selinde!" The man shouted as if he were trying to be heard above a crowd when there was hardly a soul on the street.
Selinde turned to face the direction of the voice and saw a young elven man running toward her, he looked to be a little younger than Selinde herself. As he drew closer Selinde could see the young man appeared not to have rested for days.
"What are you doing here?" asked Selinde.
The man hesitated before speaking, "I was sent to find you when word came that your boat had arrived. I must take you to the others."
"Why?" Selinde asked, her concerns growing, "what has happened?"
"I," again the young man hesitated, "I think it would be best if Lord Aelorn were allowed to explain."
A lord of Aeterveris here? What has taken place?
"Very well," said Selinde, mastering her dread, "take me to him."
Selinde stepped into the inn the messenger had led her to. The atmosphere was dank and stifling. Most of the people populating the common room were elven and clustered around the fireplace. The proprietor of the inn glanced suspiciously at the elves every so often but said nothing.
The upper floor of the inn was no more inspiring than the bottom floor. The floor-boards creaked, as if about to give way, and dust was piled in every corner. Selinde politely knocked on the door of the room she had been told housed Aelorn. She was startled when the door opened and half a dozen lords and elders left the room.
All of them looked tired and travel-worn. More than just one lord then, thought Selinde, something dire must have taken place. Most worrisome were the sad and pitying looks they gave Selinde as they passed.
"Come in Selinde," Selinde recognized the voice as belonging to Lord Aelorn and wasted no time in entering the room. Aelorn was the oldest of the Aeterveran Lords and Mahtan had told Selinde that his hair had been gray even when he was young.
The elven lord's bed had been pushed into a corner and a table and a number of chairs–probably taken from elsewhere–dominated the bedroom. Selinde wondered how all of the lords and elders had managed to fit inside the cramped room.
Aelorn himself still sat at the table and watched Selinde's entrance with sad and weary eyes.
"What has happened Lord Aelorn? I've seen the people of Aeterveris moving about the streets like refugees but the man who showed me here would tell me nothing. Something terrible has happened."
Then the inevitable thought came to her, "where is my father?" Selinde asked, and trembled when no answer was immediately forthcoming. She sank onto the chair across from Aelorn.
"Yes child," said Aelorn as he leaned forward and closed his hands around Selinde's, "the others told you nothing because it would have been so terrible a burden. There is no way to tell you this other than to just say it.
"Aeterveris is fallen, and your father with it. Lord Mahtan fought valiantly, but against an enemy of such strength and magnitude that it could not have been overcome."
Selinde's eyes glistened with tears when next she looked up. "How?" she asked with a choked voice and made a vain attempt to wipe away her tears.
"A horde of monsters descended from the mountains to the east and assailed Aeterveris. Your father led the guardsmen in a battle that lasted for several days and allowed nearly all of us to escape."
"Nearly?" asked Selinde.
"Yes, Mahtan himself fought the enemy before the Great Tree with two hundred of his most loyal warriors to give the other guardsmen time to escape."
"None of them survived?"
"None. I am sorry child, but neither Mahtan nor any of his men could have survived. The enemy outnumbered them more than twenty to one and all of Mahtan's warriors pledged to fight to the death. Aeterveris will not be safe for some time. The horde left many of their number behind and they," Aelorn faltered, "and they slew the Great Tree."
"The Great Tree? How is that even possible?"
"I do not understand either. Clearly, we were not up against a marauding band of orcs and giants. There is something far worse behind this."
"What are you going to do?" Selinde had finally staunched the flow of tears and wiped away the last ones.
"When spring comes I will lead those of our people who will follow south to safer lands. Until then, I will organize our people in this city. We've enough supplies and money to survive the winter, but we cannot stay here for long. Now tell me child, what do you intend to do?"
"I do not know," Selinde replied slowly, "likely I will stay here, and help our people as I may."
Aelorn smiled, "I could certainly use your help Selinde, and many of our people will be comforted by the presence of Mahtan's daughter. Do not feel bound, however. Your own road may prove different from my own. Think on it."
Selinde nodded and began to leave the room, but stopped before reaching the door. Something wasn't quite right.
"When did my father announce the coming of the horde?"
"The rangers arrived with knowledge of the horde's movements a few hours after your departure," said Aelorn, and he chuckled, "the timing was convenient, no?"
Selinde turned to Aelorn, "You think my father had reason for sending me away?"
Aelorn laughed, "Your father always had some kind of agenda. You should have figured that out by now. It's obvious to me that he didn't want you trying to stay in Aeterveris, as I know you would have wanted to. Beyond that, I do not know. Likely he intended that you would figure it out on your own."
Selinde pursed her lips in thought, "I thank you for your counsel Lord Aelorn and I will think on what you have said."
Selinde entered the room she had rented for the night from a begrudging innkeeper. He had apparently seen many of the new faces in town and was none too happy about it. Selinde could understand his reservations though, she always felt some suspicion whenever strangers entered Aeterveris.
Selinde sank onto the settee at the foot of the bed. Mahtan clearly had a course in mind for her. Father, why could you never make anything simple?
Then she thought of the strange tasks Mahtan had allotted to her lately. All of them had involved the most recent set of travelers. Particularly the old warrior and the girl. The short time they spent in Aeterveris, nearly imperceptible to Selinde for all of its brevity, who had become accustomed to thinking of time in terms of years and months but almost never in terms of days and hours, had profoundly affected Mahtan.
Selinde shook her head at not having seen it earlier and opened her larger satchel, wondering if she might find any other clues left for her. She was not surprised when the Silver Bow Arabor fell from the satchel.
Renewed tears flowed at the sight of her father's favorite weapon, the same bow he had trained her with. The pangs of grief still tore at her, but now she had a purpose.
"I can't say I wish to stay here any longer than necessary," said Ciara, "this place is even more austere than Noatun."
"You need not worry about that, I am just as eager to be on the road as you. This city always manages to look abandoned, even in summertime it is little different. At least our caravan is leaving tomorrow," Kyner said wearily.
There was a knock on the door. I hope it isn't Bohdan, thought Kyner, then he realized that the knock was too soft for it to be him.
Kyner unlatched and opened the door to see Selinde standing in the doorway. "Oh, hello Selinde," he said, surprised, "please, come in."
"Thank you," the elven woman said, smiling wanly as she entered. The room was a spacious one intended for wealthy merchants and was furnished with a low table, couch and a few chairs in addition to the two beds. Kyner guided Selinde to the couch before sitting down on one of the chairs opposite it.
"What's wrong?" asked Ciara when she saw the unshed tears behind Selinde's eyes, and sank down onto the couch beside her.
"I just heard, Aeterveris has fallen to the enemy horde, any my father with it," Selinde said with a choked voice.
"I'm so sorry," breathed Ciara, and the girl realized that knowing what would happen was different from it actually happening. I thought that by leaving Aeterveris I could save it. But it didn't save Noatun, did it?
"Your father was Mahtan?" asked Kyner, though he already knew the answer.
Selinde could only nod as she tried to hold back her tears. Ciara tried to comfort her.
Kyner sat back in his chair and rubbed his chin. Mahtan's purpose in sending Selinde to escort us to Hreispell was two-fold. The first reason was to keep Selinde from harm. The second reason was that he wanted Selinde to accompany Ciara and myself. Mahtan understood Ciara's importance and would trust none other than his own blood to aid in guarding and teaching her.
"Kyner," Selinde began, looking up, "would you permit me to travel with you?"
"Certainly," replied Kyner, "I believe that your father would have wished it."
"As do I," said Selinde.
"Do you need lodgings for the night?" asked Kyner, after a pause.
"No, I already have a room elsewhere in the city. When will we be leaving?"
"We must meet with the caravan that will take us south before sunrise. You will find it at the south gate."
"Thank you," said Selinde, still attempting to blink away her tears.