Sorana - 1999-8-7
he horse _had_ spoken. Amber was so relieved.
"N-no. That's a-all right. I'm just h-happy I could help you. I knew there was _s-something_ going on when you refused to come with me at first. If you'd like, I can take you out past the city limits and you can go on your way."
Yvonne - 1999-8-16
<<iana!>> Once Deran had caught his sister's wayward attention he nodded slightly down the road at the girl who was riding towards them. She rolled her eyes, mistaking his intentions.
"Ah! And here is my sister, your charge." Lucian interrupted Diana's sparkling laugh to call down the road to the approaching figure. "Adriana! Come meet your new guards!"
Deran moved over to his twin's side. "See? I warned you that she was going to be our job."
"I bet you are happy."
Deran smiled lazily. "Sister dear, this is the best opportunity that I've had in a while. Look at her!"
Diana turned her critical amber gaze towards the laughing young woman - no, lady, that cantered towards Lord Lucian. "She's showing off."
"And she does it so well..."
By that time Adriana had reached her brother's side, and the Lord Lucian had turned back towards Diana. The two horses snuffled each other, glad to be back with their stablemate. "Diana and Deran, may I introduce you to my sister and your charge, Adriana. Adriana, meet your new guards, Diana and Deran, the best that money can buy."
Diana stared measuringly up at the girl, a slight smile playing over her features. Her horse shifted nervously, picking up on Lucian's mount's unease and the strange, wolven smell of the two Llowran mercenaries.
Deran, on the other hand, executed a slight bow, his golden eyes never leaving Adriana's face. "I am honored," he murmured.
Diana tried not to laugh at her twin.
Gavin - 1999-11-29
He thought back to the leaving ceremony. He had worn the green robes before, when he had helped at the market, but this time he would not be returning through the tall gates. To them he was effectively dead, like when old Raadik had died and been cremated in his green robes. To think I exchanged my life, my friends there, for a life of trudging forever along these roads, weary and footsore with no-one...
He was startled out of his self pity by a traveller sitting by the side of the crossroads.
"Good day sir, could you tell me the way to Stoneley Mill?"
"It's several hours walk that way. I'm going there myself"
"I must be somewhat lost then. Would you mind me coming along with you?"
"Certainly, although you will find me poor company."
The man seemed uncertain what to answer to this and shouldered his bag to fill this uncomfortable moment and they set off in silence.
After a while the man asked "So what are you doing going to Stoneley Mill?"
"I'm seeking work as a translator in the south of Torrigan as I was advised that it was the best place to go. I plan to stay at the Inn at the village for the night and then continue at first light tomorrow." Daemil replied.
"I'm heading for the Circle of Stone, myself. I've heard of wondrous things happening there after sunset."
Daemil did not reply and the man was silent again, evidently feeling he had started off on the wrong tack. They walked in silence for about a mile. It was beginning to get dark.
"How far is this village?" Asked the man.
"Hopefully just another..."
A group of menacing looking men suddenly surrounded them. They were holding an assortment of weapons ranging from clubs and knives to longbow and crossbow. One of them near him swung his club and Daemil fell into darkness...
...He became aware of a throbbing pain in the back of his head. He groaned and opened his eyes. All he could see was a blurry mix of greens and browns. He tried to sit up and realised his hands had been tied. He groaned once again, then heard the sound of peoples voices passing just off to his right. He rolled over quietly, not sure if he wanted to meet these people, whoever they were.
As his vision cleared he saw the body of the man who'd been with him and screamed...
Amber - 1999-12-16
er name was Jenra. But most knew her as Darkecat. Because that was what her enemies, the people who didn't know her knew her as. Because that was what she chose for it to be.
With SilverStrike, the silver tiger as her best friend and ally, she watched the small party silently. "JEN!" one yelled, spotting her, his wild black hair tangled with feathers and beads, wearing on a pair of leather pants and boots.
Jenra smiled, appearing out of the shadows like a wraith. "Hello Lerat."
Lerat smiled mischievously. "We're going hunting today Jen. Does the Darkecat feel up for a hunt?" He asked teasingly. Jenra laughed, shaking her head. "Nah.. I'm going home. Right Silver?" She turned slightly to regard the huge silver cat sitting in the shadows his tail lashing slightly.
<Right.> He said, with a small yawn. The two Kéthiel elves laughed, and with a fond farewell, they went their separate ways.
Amber - 1999-12-18
In a few minutes she was there, appearing silently out of the forest like a wraith. First one would notice her piercing, wide, innocent silvery blue eyes, then her long white gold and silver streaked hair. Then they'd notice her sharply horizontally pointed ears, and finally that she was small, elven, of the Kéthreil. She fingered the wicked looking double-edged axe at her side, and moved silently towards him, quiet, silent, staring at him with piercing blue eyes.
She glanced at the man, and one glance told her he was dead. She frowned, and moved silently towards the other man, laying a cool hand on his forehead, examining him, still not saying anything, her eyes flickering over his face but never meeting his as she moved silently, almost shyly...
Abby - 1999-12-20
eleos abruptly reined Swift in, her head coming up sharply. "Did you hear that?" she asked rhetorically of Elexa, staring off down the road through the thickening forest. The air around them was cool and dim, and very still...
Then Keleos heard it again, a panicked scream that echoed hollowly through the trees from several hundred yards ahead. Without hesitation she swung her leg over Swift's back and dropped to her feet on the road.
"Stay here," she told Elexa. "I'm going to scout ahead. If anything happens, find cover; I'll catch up."
Without waiting for a response, she set off at a jog, slipping into the trees at the roadside and making little more noise than a deer. She was no forester, but one picked some things up after enough time on the road...
When figures began to be visible ahead, she slowed to a prowl, the nearly straight line of her movement turning into a jagged, stop-and-start zigzag, sliding quietly forward and then darting sideways, using the trees for cover. Up ahead, she could smell the unmistakable metallic scent of blood... As she drew closer she slowed still more, ducking her body each time she moved from cover to cover, until finally she crouched behind a tangle of scrubby bushes and watched with narrowed eyes.
Three figures, two prone, one kneeling faced away from her... one man, very dead, another apparently alive, and a woman with long white hair, carrying an unpleasant-looking double-bladed axe, bent over the living man.
That was quite enough for Keleos.
She straightened with a rustle of leaves, drawing her curving blades from their crosses sheathes on her back and stepping forward into the clearing with challenge written in her stance. "Stand away from him," she commanded, voice ringing cool and clear through the still air.
Gavin - 1999-12-20
He'd had a coveted life in the Order. He knew of the cycle of life and death, but he'd no concept of someone's life being taken from them by another mortal hand. He hadn't even asked the man's name...
Daemil almost jumped out of his skin as he felt a cool hand touch his forehead. His eyesight was still not quite right and as his hands were tied, so he slid into a prone position while trying to see who was touching him.
Then he saw a person with almost radiant hair around their face. His thoughts tumbled around. (Am I in heaven? Is this an angel? But there's a body beside me - of a man I hadn't even asked the name of... Names were important, as my languages tutor was always telling me... Used to always tell me...)
"Stand away from him". A woman's voice cut through the still air, making Daemil's head ring. He groaned, the world spinning as he tried to orientate himself to see who had spoken. He heard his tutor again (Come on boy - what language?).
Copyright (c) 1999-2000 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.