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By Scott Kujawa
Part 19
Date: 22nd day of the 3rd tenday of Mirtul in the year 1375 - The Year of Risen Elfkin
Time: Morning to Evening
Location:South of the Moonsea on the way to Shadowdale.
Weather: Temperate and overcast.Luie awoke before dawn and he vanished from the camp, only to reappear some time later near Addoc’s cooking fire. Everyone prayed, studied, and ate Addoc’s morning meal of left over rabbit that wasn’t as bad as the morning meal that he made yesterday. Caerlin helped Addoc clean the dishes before she rode out to scout and the others kept pace with the wagons or rested on, in, or near them.
"Addoc, the food was great and Kython enjoyed it as well," Aris said as the winged cat hovered nearby.
"Well, thank ye, lad. That's great praise," the giant rumbled, chuckling as he stowed away his cooking gear. "I've known quite a few who walk on two legs that'd eat and praise a bad meal just for manner's sake, but I've yet t'see a cat who's afflicted with that sorta politeness."
Nothing happened this day except that the clouds grew a little overcast and the evening was as peaceful as the day. Addoc cooked some left over pork and some fresh bread and everyone ate.
Around midday Aris approached the members of the Company that he could find. "Look... friends... what I said when I heard the elf wailing last night... I didn't mean it like that and if it made you think I was indifferent about her plait, I didn't want it to sound that way. I'm sorry.”
“Hey Caerlin, I think that you would like this,” Luie called as she started to ride into the caravan and he held the scarf up. “You can find it quite handy in your scouting.” He demonstrated how it could be used to camouflage her face and neck.
Caerlin stopped and slid off her horse and she took the offered scarf with a smile. She looked it over, "Thank you Luie, nicely done, I like it." She gave him a quick hug and attempted to wrap it around her face and neck the way that he showed her.
Luie smiled at her. “Now I just need to make some type of ear muffs. Ragnar still thinks that he can sing,” Luie tapped his chin once, “Maybe I should have made it longer.”
Caer chuckled. "I think the length is fine, my friend. I just need to practice how to tie it." After a moment she finally gets it done correctly. "There, how do I look?"
“You look like you are about to go find trouble,” he said with a grin. “What do you think Ragnar?”
“She definitely looks like trouble, aye. Still, very lovely trouble, though,” the bard replied with a wink. “Just don’t wear it around city guards, they tend to be paranoid around people hiding their faces. Well... unless veils are in fashion, of course. Now... Addoc's got a mask, and Caerlin’s got a scarf... what do I get?” he finished, with a grin at Luie.
Caerlin shook her head at the two of them. "I look like trouble, eh? Well, with the two of you around, I think it will be me getting you two out of trouble." She smiled at the two of them and then took the reins of her horse and walked off, looking for Jelitha so that she can make her report. Caerlin found the caravan master fiddling with a hank of leather and some shears as she concentrated on trimming it and listening to Caerlin and the second scout when he rode in a few moments later.
Ragnar thought for a moment. “You know,” he told Luie, “I think she’s absolutely right about that. Do you know if there is anyone worth getting into trouble with in Shadowdale?”
Luie briefly shrugged. "I’ve been to Shadowdale but I’m sure that there will be someone there to have fun with. Now about your clothing style, how about a long colorful scarf? I know I’m good at scarves and I don't think that you would want a mask. I’ll think of something, maybe once we get to Shadowdale."
Luie clung to the bottom of a parked wagon and when Lady Auren walked by he rolled towards her like he was going to attack her. With a curse she drew her blade and just before she was going to swipe at the hin, she held her attack.
“Silly hin!” she mock-glared before she laughed and the two started to spar. Luie made a shocked face and then he giggled as he tried to dodge her blows after she picked up a wooden lath instead of her steel blade. Ragnar laughed and he rolled his eyes at them before he took out his flute and accompanied them with a quick-paced battle-song. Since the priestess was bored, she sat off to the side and watched the female and the hin spar for a bit since Auy found nothing else to do and the practice looked entertaining.
Raaf eventually made himself known, after spending quite a bit of time studying his spellbook and practicing the magical forms presented therein. He found as clean a spot as he could near the priestess, and swept his great sky-blue cloak off to one side as he seated himself. "Do they do such things often?" he asked, arching an eyebrow and gazing upon the sparring with bright elven eyes.
He seemed somewhat more at ease with the priestess, despite her profession, than he did around... certain of the other members of the company. When his eyes touched upon Ragnar, led there by his ears, he stared for a few seconds with an utterly impenetrable mystery. Then broke it off, jerkily, wrapping his hand tightly around his slender quarterstaff. "They seem like a... good group of N'Tel'Quess." He idly wondered where the other elf had gotten to."Aye, they do it quite a bit," the priestess replied as she looked at the sun elf with a small smile. "You seem oddly relaxed today. Did you have a good evening of Reverie? My sleep was slightly disturbed because I've never seen things like that but I’ve heard tales about such things. However, it’s funny how the stories didn’t come anywhere near as close to being as scary as the real thing."
Being reminded of the night at the manor, a touch of sadness came to Raaf’s eyes once more; but it was swept away with a light-hearted shrug and chuckle. "There is much horror in the world, m'lady. I have seen more in my life than many human grandfathers have. Such is the life of being a wizard and heir..." He laughed. "But I'm not here to speak of the dire passages of my life! Surely, to one who has never experienced such before, it is a terrible experience." He turned sincere eyes upon the priestess, the ambers glowing with a warm fire in the sunrise. "But at the very least it has helped to prepare you for the realities of what may lay ahead."
Before sunset Luie practiced his forms and like the night before, he held off his meditation until Auy arrived. He instructed her some more and once he was done, he sat near the embers of the fire and mended some of the clothing that belonged to his companions.
A male moon elf stepped out of a glowing portal that connected to the courtyard of the Red’s Shields settlement. Once he was clear, it winked out, leaving him near the other mercenaries that were watching him.
"Greetings all, I've come to lend what assistance I'm able on your journey." The moon elf stood four feet ten and he couldn’t be more then one hundred pounds soaking wet. He has silver-white hair and sapphire eyes with golden highlights. He’s dressed in loose garments of blue and white with dark violet and gray under clothing and on his side he wears a longsword and carries a bow over his shoulder, but a wizard’s pouch is tied on his right hip.
"My name is Hal'Verdethvin, but please just call me Vin to save a few days of trying to pronounce it. As I've said before I've been sent to assist you in anyway I can, but I’m also here to assist in starting a new relationship between my leaders and our Commander, so may this night be the beginning of a long relationship, adventure, and fun." Vin bowed slightly at the hip before he looked around to see where he can start helping out. However, the caravan is stopped for the night and everyone is bedding down, eating their eveningfast, or doing other things.
"Greetings and be welcomed,” Aris said.
From where he was lounging next to Auy, Raaf rose, lengthy and beautiful, as golden as the sun and as graceful as a stretching cat. He practically towered over his moon elven kin, and this fact was not lost on him, judging from the light smirk upon his handsome face. "Well met, Hal'Verdethvin. It’s always a comfort to see another Tel'Quessir face out among the world. Raafaernir Durothiir." He gave a faint bow. He spoke in Elven, of course. Everything about him radiated formality, now, with the moon elf, from the courtly dialect he used to the exact angle of his bow.
"There’s no need for formalities, at least not out here in the wilds," Vin replied in Chondathan for the rest of the group as he mimiced Raffaernir's formal bow. "While tis nice to be in the company of another Tel'Quessir I'd be think that the other races would have their own merits, such as teachin us about jumpin into dangers, gettin along with others that are no part of they own race. Yet here ye be jump'n at da drop o'a cap just to be talkin with o'nothern of ye own kin. It seems strange to me that ya be staying on, unless'n you wish'n to learn about em and be leaven behind the scorn and contempt of ye own high an’ mighty race."
The human scout looked over at the newcomer with a raised eyebrow at his arrival and then she sighed a bit. "Well met Vin and welcome to the ever-changing roster of the Silver Wyrms, my name is Caerlin." She tipped her head in response to Vin's bow before she shook her head, muttered under her breath, and continued to check over her equipment.
“Another?” Ragnar stared at the newcomer and shook his head slightly, a wry grin spreading across his face. “I’m beginning to think that the Commander doesn’t trust us to look after ourselves.” He walked up to Vin and stretched out a hand to the moon elf. “I’m Ragnar, a bard from a number of places, but originally the smelly part of Waterdeep. Say well met to the rest of the band and I’ll take you to the caravan leader.”
Vin took the bard’s hand in greeting before he looked over the rest of the crew.
"Maybe the Commander thinks that if there is enough of us here then she won’t have to look as hard the next time when the next revolution of the door removes another member of the band. It might be that or my own commander requested that I be placed with a field tested group, as much as I hate to admit it, I am as of yet untested on the field of battle."
Auy chuckled as she looked at the moon elf with interest, her eyes slipped up and down his body. "You'll get tested in the field soon enough, don't worry about that." She smiled. "Though there are other things to do around here. But, well met." She bowed at her waist, turned, and slipped off into camp, looking for someone who seems tense. When she found one of the merc’s that was tense, she helped him relax.
Vin watched as the priestess walked off into the night with a slight look of consternation. Vin surveyed the rest of the group and he waited to see if there were anymore greetings, heckles, or thrown dirty dishes before he let the bard lead him off to meet with the leader.
Vin half-dragged half-pushed Ragnar along to the leader of the caravan. As they walked, he leaned towards Ragnar, "That priestess does have a lot of... opponents about, does she? That’s one field of battle I never received training in."
At this, Raaf turned to watch for a moment over his blue-cloaked shoulder, and gave a soft laugh, turning to follow at Vin's other side. "Never? Then there seems to be much you are missing out on. I thought that it was the Teu-Tel'Quess who were supposed to be the hedonists," he teased with a mocking smile. "Perhaps I can give you some pointers, later, if you wish to take on the priestess as your first opponent on the field of battle that is the bedroom."
"Aye, I’d like a few pointers in such matters as this, but it would not be for the priestess as I've another that currently possesses my affections. Maybe in a decade or two when herself and I decide to move along, I'll be looking up the priestess again,” Vin called over his shoulder as Ragnar and him continued to get out of hearing.
“Actually, as far as I can tell, she’s got a lot friends,” the bard replied to Vin before he winked at the moon elf.
"Aye, as long as she can control her instincts I think we will get along just fine. Tell me about the group, what exploits have all of you under your belts thus far," Vin asked with curiosity as the two of them continued on to the caravan master.
At this, the significantly taller elf chuckled as he caught up with them. He looked down at the Teu-Tel'Quess. "I fear that I'm rather a new member myself. So, from here on out, it will be up to us to make sure that the other members of the merc company don't get their heads buried too deeply into trouble." Raaf flashed a bright grin at the other elf while he looked at Ragnar.
"Where do you hail from, if I may ask?" Vin questioned as he looked up at his gold elven cousin while he pondered inoffensive ways to keep the priestess away from himself. “I don’t think a couple of fey are the correct beings to keep this group from getting the heads into anything... to them, it doesn’t matter what they may or may not find, they will still explore."
A few moments later they stood near the caravan master who was finishing a bowl of stew that she cooked. Vin spoke up after he waited for her to finish her meal. "Greetings, Jelitha, I’m Hal'Verdethvin. I’ve recently left Culcandil Keep and I was sent to aid the Red Shields, and just moments ago I was sent by the Commander of the Red Shields to join the Company of the Silver Wyrms and to lend my unique talents in assisting them. Since they are assisting you at this time then I am doing the same and I’m capable with spell and blade. I also have a bit of training in scouting positions, but it seems that I’m not as capable at the latter as some others are likely to be." With that Vin gave a salute to his superior officer and current commander before he stood at attention to await orders or further debriefing.
Jelitha looked at the moon elf with a small look of puzzlement. “You can relax, I’m not your Commander. I’m just the caravan master of this caravan and there’s no reason to be so uptight. I have enough scouts but you can ride with the other members of your company and the other mercenaries that stay near my wagons.”
With a slight look of embarrassment Vin relaxed his posture. "Forgive my formal behavior, I've been training as a soldier for near most of my life and I’ve taken to addressing commanding officers with full respect and detail to attention, it shall not happen again. If you have more then enough scouts then I would be willing to ride guard or to ride aft to guard the rear. If not, then I shall indeed ride point with my new companions."
Jelitha smiled at the moon elf. “Rear guard is fine. Another guard on that part of the caravan would be useful, aye.”
Vin moved away to meet with some of the others mercenaries and when he came to the wagon that is used for carrying supplies, he saw a female that has Vaasan blood sitting at the edge of the wagon, kicking her feet and watching the night.
“Well met,” she said in a quiet voice. “You’re one of the new members of the Wyrms, aye?”
"Aye, I am," Vin replied as he moved over beside the young Vaasan woman. "I’m Hal'Verdethvin, Vin for short. Aye, I’m the newest member of the Silver Wyrms and I’ve just arrived. May I ask the name of one so carefree?" Vin offered his hand in greeting with a slight smile and a quick glace over the woman’s form.
“I felt the magic of the gate and I’m called Arildra. My parents had an interesting sense of humor since they named me after Auril,” she answered as she kissed the moon elves hand in greeting. “What may I do for you, Vin for short.”
Vin chuckled a bit before he smiled at Arildra. "I was looking about the caravan, and meeting others, aside from that I was checking to see where, or from whom, I may restock my spell components as we progress along this journey. Do you know who I should be asking about, or talking, to for getting such things?" Vin looked up at the stars and fondly remembered the night skies above Evermeet.
“Me, you can discuss the components with me since I’m the one in charge of keeping track of what the members of the Shields use in their arcane research and spells.”
"Oh, I was hoping to know who I'll need to talk with. I came fully supplied but I will likely need to restock all too soon, and I wanted to make sure that I knew where to get such things, aside from that just someone to talk with from time to time." Vin looked back at the Silver Wryms that are around a small banked fire and he considered the mercenary unit and his future role with them.
Arildra smiled and she kept kicking her legs as she sat at the end of the wagon. “That would still be me. The Commander knows that I’m the best at keeping track of ingredients and I give her a list every tenday of what needs restocked or what we can afford to purchase.”
"I'll keep that in mind and I’ll try not to make your job much harder then it already is,” Vin replied.
After she smiled, he sat and talked with her a while longer before he excused himself and moved over to where the rest of the Wyrms have camped. He sat and listened to the conversations for awhile before he entered his Reverie after he sat on his bedroll.
The content of Champions of the Silver Wyrm is the property and copyright of Scott Kujawa and is not to be published or redistributed without permission.