Gina - 2000-01-28
iny drops of rain, left from the previous night, shimmered on petals and ran down the slender trunks of the poplar trees that struggled for existence within the large forest. Leaves rustled and twigs snapped loudly, as Tala tromped through the magnificent woodland.
She had risen quite early that morn, determined to travel east. As she abandoned the cool clothing that she donned in the desert, for a pair of worn brown leather pants and a bodice, she studied the area. It was much more difficult to determine which direction to travel here. Once in a while she caught the bright rays of the sun, but very rarely could she follow the stars at night. On this particular morning, the storm clouds that plagued the night sky had fled, leaving the bright red-orange orb orphaned in a big blue sky. Thus, her departure to the east, in hopes for a more pleasurable adventure, began.
"I told YOU to hang the venison from a tree!" Somewhere, within hearing range, a man bellowed in common.
Tala stopped, almost immediately. Her head tilted in the direction of the argument, her fine auditory senses picking up the hushed swish of feet on the decaying floor. Two men were travelling in her direction as they argued, presumably searching for their lunch. A smile curled the corners of her full lips as she moved to crouch behind a group of thorned bushes. Foolish men, she thought, wishing she had been the one to steal their venison. Her stomach growled in agreement; then, insisted that she find food soon.
Laura - 2000-01-29
"nter" come the response to Azari's knock. Clefton was kneeling before his array of candles set about the table against the wall. His head was bowed, and his hands were folded in supplication.
" I hope I'm not interrupting" Azari said. Clefton looked back over his shoulder and then stood. His eyes had an indefinably odd, unsettling look in them.
Azari couldn't help being disquieted by them. " What are you doing?" Azari asked.
"Praying to the good spirit to watch over the soul of someone" Clefton responded.
" Whose soul?" Azari sighed. She looked tired and doleful.
"Why, your soul, who else?" Clefton's voice was compassionate.
" Does this mean you and mother have considered my request in favor?" Azari's eyes filled with unexpected joy. Clefton nodded.
"Forgive me-I wasn't thinking. I expect you to send to us regular reports." Clefton looked down at his hands. Azari saw where Clefton was looking and went to the chair beside the bed. Clefton reached out as he ran his fingers lovingly over the fire and ice Crystal necklace he had made for Azari. His eyes admired his own craftsmanship. " This is yours, you can wear it when you leave, but don't be in a hurry to leave, I will need more time to finish some work before you go. I was planning on giving this to you for a surprise birthday gift, I have changed my mind and see fit that you should have this for an even greater event." Clefton's eyes were tearing " I love you Azari, I always will." "Father where did you get this? Oh it's...It's beautiful. I have never seen such a stone, ever!" Azari's tone was sweet and her eyes bright.
"Many people pass through Islia. I had arranged some work for an elf in exchange for the beautiful fire and ice Crystal. Legend says it gives off the aura of the one who wears the gemstone. I assure you, it is very rare. Most of the aura stones come with single colors. This one has two." Clefton moved to put the necklace on his daughter's neck. With pride in his eyes and delight in his voice " I have been dying to give this to you. I have worked secretly for months at a time." Azari stared in a daze. " Father." Azari touched Clefton's arm.
" What?" Clefton stared. Azari glanced down at her fathers' hands, reaching out to touch them so she could say something meaningful. " I am very grateful for everything you and mother have done for me. You have spoiled me with your love and support. I will wear this necklace forever cherishing it for the rest of my life." Azari kissed her father's cheek. Azari and Clefton embraced for a brief moment. " No rush, no rush" Clefton's voice quiet and tender.
Joel - 2000-01-30
The marvel was that not a single one of the nearly dozen watchers had yet sent a notched arrow into this horde of foreign invaders, especially those blindly displaying such dangerous talents. It also amused him that his brethren were so focused on these strangers that he could pass through the forest with his horse totally unnoticed.
Times had changed that all these strangers could walk through the Kethiel unchallenged. The elves were not known for being hospitable towards humans. Why did the elves not interfere? And most disturbing of all, how could a band of humans come through this forest unobserved and kill another traveller? Tal wondered if this was his first clue to what was wrong.
While the group seemed to be reaching some peaceful resolution since the elvish girl had left, the rest of the watchers looked more and more anxious and ready to shoot. He had missed part of the conversation and wondered who she was, there was something remarkably familiar about her.
Although Tal had no idea how the elves would respond to his return, he decided that perhaps now would be a good time to intervene. These strangers might be used to help him discover what was wrong in the Kethiel. Tal checked his link with Kitteree who watched from the vantage-point of another tree. Knowing he had a second set of eyes to spot trouble and his falcon's dangerous talons nearby made him a little more secure. He made sure his weapons were sheathed up but handy and willed his hand to relax. As he put his magic talisman back in his long braid, he called out in a clear strong voice from the tree he was leaning against.
"I am glad you are all reaching a gentle conclusion to your talks. Do you always tell all your secrets in the forest where any of a dozen ready ears can hear them?"
Amber - 2000-01-30
t was raining again... Selene sighed as the rain fell down, dripping down her face and the back of her shirt. Below her, her horse, or, rather, the horse she'd stolen from her father, Starstruck, pranced and danced through the forest.
"Stop it!" she said irritatedly, her tone elegant and proper, just the way she'd been taught. Starstruck flicked his ears back disapprovingly at her. "I know what you're doing horse and it's not going to woOOORK!"
Starstruck reared, and suddenly, she was on the ground, on her butt, in the mud.. "STUPID HORSE!" she shrieked, wallowing on her butt for a moment before snagging a branch and pulling herself to her feet. Starstruck half reared again, teasing her. She made a grab for his reins, but he tossed his head, resulting in her falling to her knees again with another shriek.
Blue green eyes focused on Starstruck, murky grey in her anger. Chestnut curls fell from under the hat that had been knocked off, rich and shiny in the rain. She stood, shaking her hair out and focusing on Starstruck.
"Please Star, we have to get as far away as possible! I don't want to have to marry Bolbar!! And if my father finds out I've run away again, he's going to be *so Mad*!" Starstruck regarded her for a moment, tossing his mane and prancing nervously.
"Please?!" She asked softly, slowly inching forward. Starstruck tossed his head, watching her carefully, his black hide glistening with silver specks, dark with water.
"Gotcha!" She said, lunging forward and grabbing Starstruck's reins. He just stared at her, and she sighed. "Thanks... Thanks a lot...."
Starstruck just pranced... Selene sighed again, rolling her eyes and pulling herself into the saddle. Starstruck started prancing again, but Selene tightened her hold on the reins, kicking him sharply to make him behave.
"Let's go... this way!" She said, setting off towards the barely visible sun. "I think it's this way. Stupid Koshi.. she couldn't give directions to a building across the street! Hm... 'Go west four days, and north one.' I think this is west. I hope so..." She hummed again, her head buried in the map, not noticing Star's flickering ears, his eyes widening, showing the whites of them as he pranced again, not so lightly this time. "Stop it!" Selene demanded, hitting the horse gently but firmly on the shoulder to make him behave.
Suddenly, something very hard knocked into her back, and the map went flying as she fell to the ground, knocking the breath out of her. Thankfully, she landed in a relatively dry, soft bed of moss. Star reared, striking out with his hooves at the band of cut-throat thieves surrounding them.
One, the main thug, carried a club, and Selene didn't need to be a genius to realize he'd been the one to knock her off her horse.
"What do you want?!" she practically screeched in her fear. The lead thug leaned on his club, staring at her and laughing. "What are you laughing about?!" She demanded, rising to her feet and glaring at him with all the hate she could muster. A strand of copper chestnut curls fell into her face, and she irritatedly blew it out of the way.
"Aw sweety.. Don't worry.." The thug said, shouldering his club and advancing slowly, a malicious light in his eyes. "This won't hurt.. much.." He laughed evilly, his shadow falling over Selene. She backed away from him as fast as possible, coming to a stop at a large oak tree, and pressed against it desperately, her eyes wide with fear.
She stared at him as he planted his club firmly on the ground and stared at her. Black eyes met murky gray blue, and she let out a whimper of fear. Behind her, Starstruck reared, striking out with flailing hooves, but the thug gestured to his men, who hobbled the fine stallion quickly and efficiently.
And then he was right in front of her, taking hold of her arm and hauling her to her feet. "LET ME GO YOU BIG OAF!" She cried, slamming her fists against his broad chest, thrashing and flailing as hard as she could. He just laughed, grabbing both of her arms and pinning them to her sides.
"Let go of me !" She screamed again, slamming her foot on his, but to no effect. He grinned evilly, chuckling at her futile efforts.
"Aw sweety, c'mon now, calm down. We don't want you to *hurt* yourself or anything.." This brought a round of laughter from his lackeys and she stopped, freezing in her fright.
"If you don't let me go by the time I get to three, I am going to scream so loud it will wake the dead!" she screeched at him, copper curls sticking to her cheeks as she forced herself as far away from his ugly face as she could. "One.." she said softly, and he laughed. "Two." She said, and still he didn't move, just stood there, his huge hands on pinning her arms, waiting with a malicious glint in his eyes.
"Three!" She said, and then, screamed.
Copyright (c) 1999-2000 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.