Keeping up the regular Sunday update….thanks for the reviews…I'm glad folks have enjoyed the trip so far, and hope they continue to do so!  On that note, on with the story….

Part Three

The prophetess lived in a humble shack on the edge of a bustling village, and the five travelers noticed that no one passed too close to the small building.  They dismounted, and leaving Zackary to hold the horses, approached the front door.

The woman who answered their knock was young and petite and as dark as Zackary; her bright, wise eyes seeming to see deep inside each of them.

"I wondered when you would get involved in this, Jason," she said at last.

"Tawnea, it is a pleasure as always to see you," Jason replied formally, bowing slightly.  "I would request your help in a matter of some urgency."

"You're looking for Princess Kymberly," the prophetess announced firmly.  "Well come on in, this isn't a show for the villagers."

"Finding the princess is not going to present that much of a difficulty, Jason," she announced once they were settled around her kitchen table.  "She was grabbed by Skullavich, that much I know for certain.  He's a black wizard, and quite talented so I've heard.  Though Will would probably know more."  She turned her sharp gaze to the light haired young man.

"Skullavich has strong powers, that is true. But he isn't wise in the ways of subtlety or deception.  This can be used against him.  Or, so I've heard," Will said, looking up quickly at Jason, but otherwise keeping his gaze firmly glued to his folded hands.

"I've heard he is now in North East Garnet, holed up in the woods to the south of town," Tawnea provided.  "That would be the best place to start."

"Tawnea, thank you.  Is there something I can do for you in return for your help?"  Jason asked.

The dark young woman reached over and rested one warm palm against the side of his face in a gesture of affection, while she regarded him with an odd sadness.  "No, my friend.  Just go in peace."

"Thank you," he repeated, unsettled by the look on her face.  "We'd better get going, we can make it to North East Garnet by midday tomorrow if we hurry," he declared, shaking off the feeling.

"Thank you," Tomas repeated, giving the small woman a searching look.  "We'll bring her back safely."

"I'm sure you will," Tawnea agreed as Will and Trini filed past her, following Jason out the door.

"What did you find out?" Zackary asked Jason anxiously, as he passed the reins to each of his companions.

"We're heading to North East Garnet.  Let's mount up and move out."

~*~

That evening found the five rescuers at a small tavern in one of the many nameless villages they had passed through.  Hungry and saddle sore, they were grateful to find a warm, comfortable place to rest and refresh themselves.

"I'll find a place just outside the village, near that stream we just passed, for myself," Will said, surprising the others.

Even more surprising was the fact that Jason did not argue with him.  "Okay, I'll bring you some dinner in a while. Will you need anything else?"

"Dinner would be fine.  Thank you."  Without further comment the blond turned his horse toward the outskirts of the village and disappeared from sight among the trees.

"What?  He doesn't like this place for some reason?" Tomas asked with mild irritation.

"Will doesn't like to stay in any place.  He's quite shy, doesn't go in public places unless he absolutely has to.  Now, let's see about getting a meal and procuring some rooms to sleep in," Jason decided.

As they walked into the warm, fragrant interior, each of them pulled the left shoulder of their shirt back, showing their caste marks.  The owner glanced them over quickly, then indicated they could have their pick of seats amongst the mismatched tables and chairs.

"Be with you in a second," he told them, continuing on his way to the back room, which was apparently the kitchen, judging from the smells coming from there.

"Hope the food's better than the service or the décor," Zackary commented as he took a seat beside Trini. 

"Smells like it might be," she smiled at him, leaning back wearily in her seat.  "I hope he provides bathing facilities, I could use a soak in a hot tub."

"You didn't have much time between adventures, did you?" Jason asked with a grin.  "I'll ask about it.  I could use a bath myself.  Who knows when we may get another chance, right?"

The proprietor brought them a round of ale, and a warm loaf of bread to start with, followed by thick slabs of meat surrounded by assorted roasted vegetables.  Zackary's wish was granted: the food was far better than the service, and the four of them ate until they felt near bursting.  Jason piled a generous portion on his now empty plate and covered it with a clean napkin, setting it aside to take to Will.   Requesting rooms for the four of them, along with fresh, hot baths, Jason pulled out the pouch King Caplyn had provided, waving off Tomas's attempt to pay for part.

"He wanted us to have decent meals and accommodations, and I see no reason to turn his generosity down," he said gently, realizing that Zackary had no money at all, and having noticed that Tomas's money pouch was suspiciously flat.

Tomas looked a little uncomfortable, but couldn't see a way to object that didn't make him sound like an ungrateful fool.  So he sighed, and followed Zackary and Trini upstairs to the rooms, while Jason strode purposefully toward the edge of the village to find Will.

~*~

Will had made his camp at the base of a thick stand of trees, providing protection from the elements and privacy from casual passers-by.  A small fire provided a bit of light and warmth, and his horse was tethered nearby, enjoying a full meal of succulent grass.  Jason looked around with satisfaction, before settling down on the dry leaves and handing Will his dinner.

"Not too bad, Will.  Good location, defensible," he noted critically.

"I was just looking for a place that wouldn't be hit too badly with the morning dew and where no one would notice me.  You know I don't fight," Will commented, digging into his meal.  "Thanks, by the way.  This is excellent."

"You're quite welcome.  And you do too fight. Just not in a real obvious way. Passive resistance could be considered fighting," the dark haired young man replied.  "Are you going to use your perimeter spell to protect yourself?"

"Hmph, probably.  So don't sneak up on me in the morning.  What do you make of Tomas?  When did you hook up with him?" Will asked curiously, changing the subject.

"He was already at King Caplyn's when I got there.  I guess he was there to offer his services.  King Caplyn asked us to work together, and we couldn't really refuse.  After all, all the man wants it to get his daughter back safe and sound, and if us working together will accomplish that, who am I to argue?" 

"But, you aren't exactly thrilled about it," the blond observed.

"I don't know, Will!"  Jason stood up and paced the small area.  "I'm used to choosing my own companions, not having them thrust upon me.  And Tomas, and Zackary for that matter, were not in my original plan.  Trini was as soon as I encountered her at the Inn, and you were.  But Tomas and Zackary, they weren't.  But, Will, it feels right, somehow.  Their being here is right, and I don't know why.  How can that be? What's at work here? And I'll tell you something else.  I think this is going to be more than a simple rescue mission.  Something else is at stake here.  Do you have any ideas?"  The dark eyes were tormented as he looked at his friend.  Jason was a man who was used to knowing what was at stake, what needed to be done and how.  Having control over the situation.  And this time he could feel the control eluding him.

"Not yet, Jason.  But if I do figure it out, you will be the first to know, alright?  Now, you should probably be getting back there, before they start to worry about you," Will grinned, handing back his empty plate.

"You'll be okay here?" Jason queried, concern clear in those dark eyes.

"Yes, I'm fine.  It's not like I've never done this before," he pointed out quietly. 

"See you tomorrow, Jason."

~*~

Tomas settled back on his bed, almost nervously, as if he expected someone to barge through the door and kick him out.  He wouldn't have admitted it to anyone, but while he'd stayed at an inn on rare occasions in the past, he'd never spent it around royalty or nobility, and he wasn't completely certain as to the correct behavior.  Still, the bed was quite comfortable, the meal had been both delicious and plentiful, and the bath warm and soothing.  He felt himself relaxing toward sleep as his mind wandered over the last few days.

He couldn't say he was pleased when he heard Kymberly had been kidnapped, but a part of him had been encouraged by the chance to rescue her, to at the very least spend some time near her and maybe even talk a little.  That was the dream his practical mind set in front of him, as it had since he'd first seen her.

However, in Tomas's secret soul, a fantasy he'd harbored those three years sprang to renewed life.  In this fantasy, he rode to Kym's rescue, his daring and courage bringing a flush of admiration to her beautiful face.  His heroic actions allowed the princess to look beyond his lowly station in life to the noble and worthy person he was inside, and she would be certain to declare her undying love for him.  She would win her father's approval for Tomas and they would be free to marry and live happily ever after.  That was his greatest secret, and it was that part of him that rebelled at the addition of Jason and the others into the rescue mission. 

Without conscious thought he idly ran his fingers over the caste brand on his left shoulder.  He'd seen the others' brands earlier, and he had mixed feelings about his status in the group.

All eight provinces used the same caste system, and had since known time, as far as Tomas knew.  From earliest childhood all citizens were taught the significance of each caste brand, and what their place in society was.

The highest caste was the Royal Caste, which was reserved only for kings and their direct, linear descendants.  Jason, and Kymberly for that matter, were both of the Royal Caste.  Though the system was a patriarchy, Kymberly, as the only offspring, could serve as queen until producing a male heir and having that son reach the age of sixteen.  The Royal Caste was the smallest, most exclusive, of the castes.

The Noble Caste was the next highest, consisting of non-linear descendants of royalty.  Trini's caste brand put her in this caste.  Though he had not been present at the Inn, Tomas suspected Will was of the Noble Caste as well.  Romantic relationships were generally only allowed within one caste 'step', and close friendships like Jason and Will seemed to enjoy generally followed the same rules.  It was simply too unusual for anyone of Royal Caste to socialize with anyone of less than Noble Caste status.

The next in line was the Privileged Caste, which consisted of landowners, wealthy merchants, and those who could trace their relations to the Royal Caste in the distant past. 

The largest caste was the General Caste, to which both Tomas and Zackary were born.  The General Caste were the workers, the ones who provided the crops, supplies, and services that were needed by everyone.  By far the largest caste, there was a subtle, unspoken hierarchy within it, and any perceived superiority was jealously guarded.

Those of higher castes, usually those of the Royal Caste or Noble Caste, owned those who were members of the Slave Caste.  Provided with security in the form of food and shelter; slaves were treated on a par with most valuable farm animals.  They had no rights or privileges outside what their owners allowed.

The lowest of all were the Outcastes, thought of as the equivalent of human refuse.  Essentially unemployable except for the most dangerous or undesirable positions, and even then at far less than someone of a higher caste would earn.  They were barred from almost every shop except a very few who catered to 'their kind', most outcastes lived in hovels outside villages, subjected to abuse both verbal and physical.  Even those who were taken in to act as slaves were treated worse than those born to the Slave Caste.  Outcastes that were born to the caste had no brand at all, while those who were sentenced to the caste due to capital crimes, had their brand removed, leaving only a telltale scar.

In a mixed caste marriage, the children were deemed the caste of the father, and generally changing castes was not possible.  Only a king could raise someone's caste, and then only under the most extraordinary circumstances.  A child was branded with the mark of his caste in his first year, and the brands were designed to grow with the child's growth.  The lower caste brands were designed so that if a promotion to a higher caste was granted, the brand would simply be elaborated on, not recreated.  Therefore, Royal Caste brands were larger and more detailed than the lower castes.

This was the system Tomas, and the others, had grown up with, he knew of no other way, and saw nothing wrong with the system, save the fact his caste was far lower than he would have liked.  That was why he dreamed of so impressing King Caplyn that he'd be granted the maximum two-caste promotion. That would make him Noble Caste, and a relationship with Kymberly would be possible. 

Lost in the dream of a future filled with a tiny, doe eyed girl with the voice of an angel, Tomas drifted asleep, reveling in the unfamiliar splendor of a soft, warm bed under a solid roof.

tbc