THE WARM AFTERNOON sun woke me from my slumbers, and Dorono, holding a plate
with an omelette upon it, greeted me. "I got you breakfast Zarrel Charmain,"
he said grinning. You really must have been tired, for you were the last to
rise.
"Thanks," I said, and then I started to eat
my omelette I had just finished when Herupah walked up to me.
"We must be going." And we started off.
Right before entering Laxcorna, I stopped Kirin.
"You too must take off your cape," I said, "I don't think that the Laxcornians
would welcome an assassin." So Kirin reluctantly took off his cape, and handed
to me. I folded it, and then after rubbing my finger along the dragon pendent
I slipped it into my pack. I eyed Kirin, "You really must get yourself a new
pack." And with that we entered Laxcorna.
The streets were busy, and packed with creatures
of all types. Quite a few of them stopped to look at Herupah, for he was quite
a sight, completely black, except for all of his wounds. We probably looked
like a Calvary unit, with Wintroq being the warrior he was, Kirin looking like
a scruffy commander, Dorono looking as tough as possible, and Herupah looking
like he had just been injured in a war. So it didn't surprise me as we walked
through Laxcorna that a warrior stopped us. "What unit are you from?" he asked
Kirin.
"We are just travelers, we do not belong to
any unit," Kirin said pushing past the warrior, but the warrior moved right
backing front of him.
"Then where are you from?"
"We are from nowhere, so let us by."
"I am sorry, but due to signs of war, I am forced
to take you to the queen if you are not from around here. Do you come peacefully?"
I saw as Kirin reached towards his dagger, but
I pt a hand on his shoulder, and stopped him. "Just go along with it. If things
start to really get bad I know the queen." So Kirin sighed.
"We shall go peacefully."
"Good choice," the warrior said, and then
with a hand motion, about ten other guards came from their hiding spots to assist
in bringing us to the castle. The castle was just as I remembered it from eight
years ago.
We were led inside, and along several passageways
until we reached a large door. The guards led us inside, and there at the end
of the room, seated upon a large chair, sat Laiondite, and next to her another
Usul with a crown who I guessed would be the king.
"Queen Laiondite," the warrior said bowing,
"I found these creatures tracking through our streets. What should we do with
them?"
Laiondite looked over all of us, but especially
over me, probably trying to place her finger on who I was, but then she shook
it off, and replied, "Take them to general Corinth, and let him decide what
to do with them." And with that we were led out of the castle and not towards
Corinth's cottage, but towards an open field where Corinth was training some
youngsters.
I saw Kirin start to finger with his blade once
again, so I calmed him, "Do not worry, I also know Corinth, and the worst he
will do to us would be to let us off without saying a word." With that Kirin
seamed satisfied, and he calmed down.
"General Corinth," the warrior said, "I found
these ruffians wandering around the village, and by Laiondite's orders, and
you are to decide what is to be done with them."
Corinth turned as we approached, and with one
look at me he said, "Good job warrior, you are dismissed." And with a nod the
warrior departed. "As for you," he walked up to us, and a different creature
took his spot training the young pets, "This way." As soon as we were out of
earshot, he turned to face me. "So Zarrel Charmain, I see that you were smart
enough to not retaliate to the guards. Currently we are on the brink of war
with Gerake, and if you had pulled out your dagger, the guards probably would
have destroyed you on the spot taking it that you were from Gerake." Then he
looked at my companions. "Now who are they?"
I smiled, and then replied, "Well, you already
know Herupah," I said motioning to the black Uni. "This is Wintroq, my
brother," I said pointing to Wintroq who bowed. "He is Kirin. He was my
mentor, but now he is just a friend." And Kirin nodded. "And that Gelert is
just a little nuisance who shall not leave."
"I'm Wherric!" Pup yelled out.
Corinth nodded, and then smiled. "I will tell
the other warriors that I let you off, and that you pose no threat of harm.
I will bring you to my cottage, and I am sure that Pecorth will give you some
lunch. Then you can be off on your way."
"I thank you Corinth," I said, and then
we followed him out to his cottage.
"This is where I leave you. Just tell Pecorth
that I sent you." And Corinth headed back towards the youngsters.
We walked up towards the door, and we were greeted
by young Erred. "Mom!" he yelled, "Zarrel Charmain is back, and this time she
has friends."
"Did Corinth send you here? No matter, come
in and have lunch," Pecorth said to us before we could say anything. "I
have made a fine soup, and a couple of cherry pies if you want them. Now Zarrel
Charmin, who are these friends of yours?" and I introduced all of my companions.
Pecorth looked down at Pup after I introduced
him. "Well, I will offer a home for Wherric if he wants to stay here with us.
I do not think that wherever you are going will be safe for a young Gelert."
And then she turned towards Pup. "Now what do you say Wherric, do you want to
live with us, and have Erred as a brother?"
Pup looked up from his plate, his eyes sparkling
with happiness. "You really mean it? Have a brother? Can I Zarrel Charmain?
Please."
I smiled at him, "This is not up to me, for
it is a decision that only you can make."
Pup then looked back at Pecorth, "Than I will
stay. Thank you." Then he looked back at me, "I will miss you."
After we had finished up our lunch, we were
out the door, and headed for High Reaches, which was looming over our heads.
As much as I did not want to have Pup pestering me, I was really going to miss
him. As we walked out, I took off the dress, and slid my cape back on over my
neck, and then I handed Kirin his.
It took several hours, and the sun was just
starting to set when we reached the High Reaches Mountain. The vision of me
as a child watching as Kirin disappeared into the mist came to me as I looked
up through the mist hanging over the mountain. This time, though, I was going
up with Kirin. "We're going up there?" Dorono said looking up.
"Yes, Decorah is up there. I just know it,"
Herupah said also awestruck from the view of the mountain.
"Come on, let's go!" Wintroq started on his
way up the mountain, closely followed by Kirin, then me, then Dorono, and taking
up the rear, Herupah. As we made our way up the mountain, it started to get
colder, and the ground was hard and frost-bitten. I looked up at the cliffs
that the mountain, which were a brilliant gold from the suns last rays. Tomorrow
we would have to climb up those cliffs if we wanted to get any farther. As the
sun went down, I lay out my sleeping mat, and tossed Wintroq the blanket. And
then with that, I closed my eyes and slept.
I suddenly woke up as Dorono rammed into my
stomach. "Zarrel Charmain!!!" he yelled, "Look it's raining white stuff."
I pushed Dorono away, "Let me sleep Dorono."
But that was not his idea, for he flew away, and soon he returned, and dropped
a beak full of the powdery stuff upon my face. I bounded up, "What was that
for?!?" I yelled waking up Kirin who laughed as Dorono tossed another beak full
of that white stuff on me. After sliding on his gloves that he keep in his belt,
Kirin scoped up a handful of the powder, and threw it at Dorono. I walked up
to him, "What is this white powder. I have never seen anything like it before."
Kirin smiled, "I see that you have discovered
snow. It is frozen water, only soft. You can take a handful of it, and throw
it at each other." Then he threw another wad of snow at Dorono.
"Snow," I said the unfamiliar word. "Here
let me try." And I reached down grabbing a handful of the stuff, but let go
of it immediately. "It is really cold," I said.
"That is why you wear your gloves Zarrel Charmain.
That way you can't fell the cold," Kirin said throwing yet another snowball
at Dorono.
"Oh," I said slipping on my gloves, and
scooping up a ball of snow just in time to have a snowball hit me in the face.
"Kirin! I am going to get you for that." And I threw my snowball at him.
"What are you doing?" Wintroq said Waking up,
only to be met with a face full of snow.
"It is called Snow," I said, "Sssnnnooowww."
To be continued... | 
