Ardus Archive #1

Reede left his half-empty tankard of ale on the bar as he stepped outside into the coming morning. He breathed in the air, feeling the hint of salt on it. And as he took the breath in and let it out, he began to feel a little better. Dane strode out after him, and the two stood staring off into nothing for a moment; busy with their own thoughts. Reede turned to Dane.

"We're ready?" He asked. Dane gave a slow deliberate nod.

"Let's get her back." He responded.

They stepped away from the tavern that had become their home away from home and struck out into a uncertain future.

Reede and Dane’s horses started forwards. Nadala and Rhue swung up on their own horses and followed. Tired of his sister with her stony look and silent manner Rhue rode up besides Reede and Dane.

“Well met,” Rhue greeted his friend. “What‘s going on between you pair?” he asked looking back at Nadala. He got off his horse and walked besides Reede.

As people began leaving, Jaron packed up what few possessions he had and struck out after the small, but slowing growing group. He knew not what await them down the path, but he supposed that he actually liked it better than way. A Yanthian never truly knew where he was going, or why. Only that there were still places yet unseen in the world, things yet to be experienced. On top of that, he owed something of himself to these people.

Fayte followed behind Nadala and Rhue, keeping silent. Her horse snorted and pranced a bit before settling down.

leaning over his sleek black neck she ruffled his mane."Sorry to keep u waiting so long boy." Fayte lauyghed as he snorted and shook his head up and down. He was the sort of horse that didn't like to be stabled for so long.

Feeling the familiar claws of Faicha, Fayte smiled at the crow. "And where have you been my fine friend? Off romancing the other crows no doubt!" She laughed and shifted in her saddle, Fiacha spreading wings to balance himself out.

“Well met,” Rhue greeted his friend. “What‘s going on between you pair?” he asked looking back at Nadala.

Dane nodded at Rhue's greeting, but moved away from the two men as he heard the question. Best to give them their space.

Reede's gaze fell for a moment, but then came back up as he looked at Rhue.

"Last night...was truly the best night of my life. And the worst." He gave a sigh.

"I followed her up, and I saw what she really was, Rhue. I saw something gentle and beautiful and warm. And she loved me, and I her." He smiled at the remembrance; her touch, her playful eagerness...

"But...there's something in her; something she's done. Something that's happened to her. Whatever it is, she feels that she needs to be the way she is; the way you see her now." Another long sigh.

"I love her, Rhue. I truly do. But I want her to be free from this prison she keeps herself in."

"But...there's something in her; something she's done. Something that's happened to her. Whatever it is, she feels that she needs to be the way she is; the way you see her now." Another long sigh. "I love her, Rhue. I truly do. But I want her to be free from this prison she keeps herself in."

Rhue nodded, “She‘s in a crisp mood this morning, haven‘t spoken a word to me…I‘m sorry for her attitude. She‘s not the same girl she was before the Gy-ait took her from me. I can see she loves you every now and then there are these wistful looks in your direction. Don‘t worry brother, I‘ll come up with something. Perhaps the more time you spent heaping coals of kindness on her head the less she‘d resist you.”

“She‘s in a crisp mood this morning, haven‘t spoken a word to me…I‘m sorry for her attitude. She‘s not the same girl she was before the Gy-ait took her from me. I can see she loves you every now and then there are these wistful looks in your direction. Don‘t worry brother, I‘ll come up with something. Perhaps the more time you spent heaping coals of kindness on her head the less she‘d resist you.”

Reede looked over at his brother-in-law, smiled and clapped him solidly on the shoulder. Even if Reede's relationship with Nadala was going to be a rough one, he had at least gained a brother he knew he could count on.

"I think you're right, Rhue. If she sees that I'm not willing to quit, she might just come around." He dropped his hand back to his side, and considered for another moment.

"These Gy-ait...what are they?"

Lliliean slapped Drake lightly on his shoulder and then stood up, "I'll meet you at the stables. I'm going to go upstairs and pack things up. I will meet you outiside." She wasn't sure why she repeated it twice, but she felt it was necessary.

She went up the stairs and carefully packed away their clothing and such. Lifting both packs onto her back, she carefully lifted Drakes sabres and placed Mellanor in the sheath on her belt and left the room. Once down stairs, she thanked Jak for his hospitality and told him that she hoped that she could return to the tavern again, but....quests were never predictable....

It only took a moment for Lliliean to grab her things and meet Drake downstairs. He smiled at her. He already had the horses ready. She had shown him how to saddle the horse correctly. "I'm ready when you are M'lady." He said moving her well behaved horse towards her. He knew he'd have to put up with Boot for the majority of the trip. Boot snorted as the much younger female horse was moved away from him. "She's to young for you Boot, give up." Drake wasn't sure how old boot was but he looked alot older than the well gromed mare.

Lliliean took hold of Mist's reighns and handed Drake his pack, cleverly forgetting to tell him there were more tunics in it. Mist looked at her and then to Drake and Boot. "Yeah, no, there are other, more important things on the horizons." She attached the pack to her saddle and climbed onto Mist.

~<>~

Dawn, perched nearby, was unsettled yet again to know that Lliliean was off on some adventure or other whle he was stuck in this body. He hadn't remembered a time when he was out of it, but he knew that this body was not his. He did not want to see a full year folded into this form, he wanted to stretch the legs he didn't seem to have, flex the fingers he seemed to have imagined, talk with the soft fluency of lips and not the rigid chops of a beak. He wanted many things, but none seemed to fall in to his outstretched wings.

Drake pulled himself up onto Boot, and waited for Lliliean to do the same and then motioned that they should gather with the rest of the group. "Shouldn't be hard to get in with the group, we went last time after all. Though this time we'll be going as a 'team'." He said a bit worried that she'd get hurt again. "I know you're a really good warrior and certainly capable of protecting yourself..." He started and brought boot a bit closer, glad for the riding practice he had done, leaned over so he could grab her gently, pulled her a bit to the side kissing her gently on the lips, enjoying the taste even though the kiss was short. "Please try to stay near me, we can make it back togeather." He said softly, letting go and sitting back up strieght.

"I think you're right, Rhue. If she sees that I'm not willing to quit, she might just come around." He dropped his hand back to his side, and considered for another moment. "These Gy-ait...what are they?"

“Insane women,” Rhue shook his head. “Worshippers of the god Kull, you‘ve heard of him? They are fanatical, my whole family besides Nadala is gone because of them. When she was ten and I eighteen they came to our farm. We were repairing the roof. Mother went to gather thatching and Nadala went out with her. I was up on the roof, when they came. Within minutes they cut my two brothers, father and grandfather down. There was this light and I was knocked from the roof by a spell. I‘m at a loss, I still can‘t explain how I managed to escape unarmed. I went into the meadow to find my mother and sister. Nadala was gone. After I struggled to kill one of the Gy-ait I found my mothers body.”

Rhue closed his eyes for a moment after telling the tale. The pain was as fresh as yesterday. There was so much blood and he had cried until his voice was gone from him. He looked back to Reede. “I don‘t know what they did to her, I searched for years, even infiltrating their compound and now finally here she is. When I realised I couldn‘t believe her as my sister. My sister had eyes the colour of the sky and an endless smile. I am sorry for what I did at your wedding but at the time I just couldn‘t believe…”

Lliliean blushed at the reminder of what had happened. She would not allow a repeat. She was saddened that the kiss was so fleeting, but it wasn't she could very wellgrab him by the collar of his tunic and make him kiss her again. She could, but she wasn't going to. Instead, she and Mist followed Drake and Boot to the group.

She waved to Rhue and Reede as she reached them, "I never did offer a proper congradulations."

Reede's hand returned to the man's shoulder.

"I understand." As Rhue had told the tale, Reede seethed inside; anger and rage coursing through him. An entire family...most of them murdered brutally. One scarred with the knowledge that he had no one to go to, and another captured...and probably given treatment that was far worse. A group of people who could do that; who could force two people into a living hell; deserved no mercy.

"Rhue...if ever you wish to avenge your sister, and yourself...I'll be with you."

"Rhue...if ever you wish to avenge your sister, and yourself...I'll be with you."

Rhue was grateful for his brother in laws words and support. “ Thankyou Reede and I will, I‘ll hunt those creatures down and punish them. The thing‘s I have seen them do. Capturing men of the king and bleeding them to please their god, their lust for the darkness is sickening. I was forced to live alone and in guilt that price will not go unpaid. And foremost my sister deserves vengeance more then I.”

Nadala sneered she could hear the pair from the back, no doubt even Dane could hear. How frustrating that the pair could talk as though she wasn’t even nearby.

Nadala reigned her horse over to them, agitated.

“I can feel my ears burning from back there,” she snapped at them. “Perhaps one could wait until the other isn‘t around before talking about them.”

“By the damned ones you‘re a hot head today Dal. What‘s your problem?” Rhue spat back at her.

“Perhaps it‘s because I‘m surrounded by inconsiderate morons.”

Rhue cursed Enough was enough, he jumped out in front of the horse knowing well Seer would spook. The horse reared up and Nadala tightened her grip on the reigns her posture slipped and she tumbled from the horse. Rhue gave her a smug grin.

“Serves you right,” he said folding his arms over his chest.

“You‘re about to meet your death,” Nadala snapped. She lifted herself from the ground and dusted herself off before lifting herself back onto the horse.

“Is that so?” Rhue retorted.

"Congradulations or condolences?" Drake whispered jokingly. He moved Boot slightly out of reach hoping to avoid a swat sure she found the joke in poor taste, but who cared it wasn't like they heard him. They reached the group and he wondered if there was more coming. "You all have room for two more in your group don't you? I heard that you all were heading out and thought it was a good idea to head along." He said to the group, not caring who awnsered, it was polite to ask, not that he really needed to in a party like this. It was come one come all type.

"Congratulations or condolences?" Nadala only just caught Drake’s words. She shot him a disgusted glare.

“Ooh your funny aren‘t you. You won‘t be laughing when I drown you in the next river we cross…” She turned her nose up at the man. Could this trip get any worse?

Reede listened to the conversation between the two with interest, and had laughed when Rhue gave Seer a spook. Nadala went to the ground, now in something in a fury. Muttering curses that even Reede had never heard before and throwing threats of fire and brimstone at Rhue, she climbed back aboard her horse. Reede waited up and fell into step next to Nadala.

"And good morning to you, too, my dear!" He said to her pleasantly.

"I never did offer a proper congradulations." Reede turned to face the white-haired girl who addressed him.

"My thanks to you!" He said in reply. Another man approached as well. Reede had saw the two of them together, and it didn't take a genius to conclude that they belonged to each other.

You all have room for two more in your group don't you? I heard that you all were heading out and thought it was a good idea to head along."

"You're welcome, my friend! An honor to have you."

"And good morning to you, too, my dear!" He said to her pleasantly.

“What‘s so good about,” Nadala grumbled. “You‘re here and you‘re talking to me. Go talk to my brother he cares.” Nadala huffed out an aggravated breath and looked down at her hands. They were suddenly interesting.

He heard the womans comment with amusment, and could not resist replying. "I'm sorry my dear, a few weeks ago I would have accepted your advances without hesitating, but I'm taken." He said and laughed softly to himself sure he had just made at least two women angry. Though Lliliean should know by know that sometimes he couldn't help but tease and flirt. "But we are honored that you accept us in your party and will certainly do what is in our power to make it a successful trip." He said, hoping that they wouldn't have any situations like they had last time.

"But we are honored that you accept us in your party and will certainly do what is in our power to make it a successful trip."

"My thanks to you!" Reede said.

“What‘s so good about,” Nadala grumbled. “You‘re here and you‘re talking to me. Go talk to my brother he cares.”

He turned back to his wife.

"What's not good about it? The sun is shining, the air is fresh, and the road is wide!" He looked back at her, grinning.

"And you can quit playing the 'go away' game with me, sweetheart. You enjoy my company much more than you're ready to admit right now."

I'm sorry my dear, a week ago I would have accepted your advances without hesitating, but I'm taken." Drake said. Nadala gave the man a quizzical look. The b***** had turned her words around on her.

“I wouldn’t go near you if you were last man on the planet, she snapped at him.

"What's not good about it? The sun is shining, the air is fresh, and the road is wide!" He looked back at her, grinning. "And you can quit playing the 'go away' game with me, sweetheart. You enjoy my company much more than you're ready to admit right now."

Nadala flushed and her jaw dropped a little, “Stop it with the whole wonderful day thing, you‘re making me sick…” She rolled her eyes and gaze Rhue a piercing snicker as he laughed.

“I don‘t enjoy your company I despise it. You‘re so smug and frustrating…I could…I could just,” Nadala felt like screaming. Nadala decided she had a better idea, she trotted her horse over to Reede and gave him a cool stare. “Awww, you‘re just all upset because I won‘t give you what you want.”