Rydan watched the skies as he and the elder flew. It had been so long since they had watched a shadow descend upon the mountains. He remembered asking the elder what it was and his only answer was 'the knights'. He looked down seeing something shiny over the rock face and called out to the elder. "I'm going down to see the lands here." And before the elder could stop him was swooping down for a better look. It had been many years though could still feel the sadness watching the shadow take over this area.
He moved about the overgrowth seeing what looked like huts and various caves. He would stop at one of the areas and look to the bones. Some covered in a strange white and gray metal. Human from what he could tell, but there were also two mounds with small pieces of wood atop them. He felt the sadness returning as he looked to them but felt confused as to why. It was clear that someone was buried here, though why would someone simply bury these distinct two over all the other halflings and knights scattered all over this side of the mountain range. He turned feeling the slight breeze and motion the ground made to signal the landing of the elder.
Rydan watched as the elder walked over to him placing a hand on his shoulder. "I do not understand. Was this the darkness the threads had warned us of? Who were they?" Rydan asked. He watched as the elder knelt down beside him bowing his head and touching each mound lightly. "This used to be our clan Rydan. The threads of magic said dark times would come. Though I'm not sure I understand the deception with the armor." Rydan looked about noticing what was left of a spell over the armor fading. "So that's why the armor of the fallen knights seemed to be blending colors. Perhaps they wanted others that may pass by to think it was knights of a different kingdom?"
"There is much about human politics you have yet to learn my young Rydan. But now is a time for mourning. More for you then myself." The elder said as he calmly rose and began moving about. "When you are done I will require your assistance to let all these souls rest in peace, both the fallen clan and that of these knights." Rydan looked to the elder confused. "But elder why should we show them respect for what they've done to our clan?"
"You will soon learn, that knights, are simple men who follow the orders of their Lords and Kings. Not many have the will or care to question or speak against such things. They merely follow the orders given. If you wish anger, first you must find out all the facts of the situation." Rydan nodded looking back to the mounds before him. He often forgot his place around the elder, though learning that this was once their clan, and this being their end seemed to fill him with endless questions. And answers seemed to only create more questions. "Elder, what is special with these two. Why would someone care to give them a proper burial, and not the others?"
"Young Rydan, I wish I knew. I can only feel the remnants of the clan. Someone who survived loved those two dearly. A survivor possibly, and guessing as such, they may not have had the luxury of time to do so that we do. The color of the dirt suggests that the two were buried shortly after this all took place. The one who did so may have feared a second or so round of knights." The elder said. He changed once more to a truer form and began digging with his claws into the ground. "That makes more sense but not why you suggest that I take a moment to morn for them." Rydan turned to see the elder pause and look to him. He could see a sadness trying to come forward, though knew the elder's composure would never allow it to.
"Because Rydan, those are the graves of your parents." The words filtered in his mind though he was sure he had misheard them. "But my family is dead. Why else would only you raise me and not my own blood?"
"I am not mistaken Rydan. It was the plan of the council that I take you and raise you as my own, safely away from the clan." The elder said. He knew the day of truth would come, he had hoped that it wouldn't be like this, but rather with the clan alive to welcome them home.
"Why would you do that? What was wrong with me that I had to be singled out all my life? Why would the magic not tell me any of this?" Rydan said. He stood looking to the elder ready to change form once more in his anger. Though he wasn't sure he could hold his current form given the elder's calmness on the subject.
"Because you were not listening for it. You may very well have felt them and others. I am more then positive that you have seeing how you would stare at these mountains. But even the magic knew you were to stay hidden."
"But why Elder? What is wrong with me?" Rydan watched as the elder moved as if in a blink to stand at full height before him. He wasn't scared, though had to admit he had never seen the elder move in such a way before. "There is nothing wrong with you young Rydan. Do not ever think of such. You are a gift to the realm of magics, and us of the clan." The elder for a moment held a softer expression as he lowered himself and changed to seem human as Rydan was. His hands resting upon Rydan's shoulders. "We did this to keep you and us safe. The threads of magic warned a war was coming. If you were to stay you would have been destroyed. And still could if any had found out about your particular gifts. They chose me to raise you in all my wisdom of ages that so one day you too would be a great leader for the clan."
Rydan nodded looking away but was thankful. At least he knew the truth now. He looked to the mounds and like all answers, more questions in his mind rose. He noted a marking very similar to the birthmark on his left shoulder and looked back to the elder. "I think of you as my parent elder. But more questions have risen. You had mentioned of someone caring for them closely enough to do this for them. They put a marking like my birthmark on the boards. I wish to seek this person out. Maybe they can tell me of my birth parents. And maybe tell me why they chose that marking over all others." The elder chuckled and changed once more and turned back to his previous chore of digging. "Perhaps I will assist you then. The world out there is a dangerous place. But first my boy, let's allow these people to rest in peace finally shall we?" Rydan nodded changing to the form of the elder and began helping to dig the graves.
It would take till the later part of the night before all had a grave, but only those of the clan had names to them, unless by strange ways a knight had a name on their armor. The two would sit looking at the stars as the elder began telling the stories of before he had left the clan. Rydan held onto every one picturing them in his mind. He laid back looking to the stars above closing his eyes with a soft sigh and taking in the cool night air. "I wish I could have seen it. It must have been something."
"That it was. Though for as enchanting as it was, we still had to be careful and hide what we are. In the world of humans you must never let them know your true self." Rydan nodded though continued to let his mind drift to thoughts of the upcoming adventure. He wondered who this person that knew his family was and what they could tell him of them. His thoughts kept him content until he was fast asleep.
Rydan woke hearing the faint sounds of horses and opened his eyes to the dim light around him. He turned looking to the man recognizing the elder and nodded his morning greeting and shifted to look human as well. He would soon stand brushing grass from his body and moved to mount one of the horses. "Morning elder."
"Morning Rydan. Are you sure you wish to take this quest? We do not know where this person has gone, nor whom or what they were. Or even what they look like." The elder said though Rydan thought his tone more of a jovial though still serious tone. He nodded and moved the horse closer to that of the one the elder was upon. "I am sure about this. I feel that I have to and that soon they may need our help. I also feel I will know the one we're looking for when I see them."
"Oh you will will you?" The elder said before starting the ride. Rydan simply chuckled following at his heels. "You sometimes forget Elder, I do have my ways with things of magic."
"That you do dear lad. That you do. But you too must remember that where we travel, magic cannot be used for fear of the humans finding out. Their wars are still strongly backed by the fears of anything unknown or stronger then they themselves are." Rydan took the elder's words of caution to heart as he always did but had the feeling their secret was already out to the world of humans. He just didn't wish to spook the elder if he had not felt this yet.
The two would ride long and hard about the mountains. Both having forgotten just how long it took for humans, and even horses to travel the length of the mountains. Rydan kept a look over the area following a very faint trail within the magic. As if one of the magic threads themselves were tied to the one they sought. He kept his hopes high knowing he shouldn't but simply could not help it. He had just learned truths about his past. And knowing there was one alive that could tell him more was more then enough to keep his spirits up.
He did however try to hide his enthusiasm from the elder knowing he may disapprove of these feelings. Each night they took rest he would dream of what this person looked like. The image getting clearer and clearer with the passing nights. He listened to the magic hearing subtle hints. He knew after some time it had to be a woman. She would be tied to his birthmark as well somehow and possibly close to his age. Though every time he tried to see her the vision would change to that of soldiers in dark armor like those that had killed his clan.
The the dreams became more and more disturbing as the nights passed. They had seemed to shift from a clearing vision of the possible woman to things these dark soldiers were doing or planning. Soon even visions of white knights fighting with those of the dark armor. He woke sharply one night almost changing form but was able to hold it as he regained his bearings of where he was. He turned seeing the elder looking to him with a raised brow. "And what has been troubling you for the pas nights young one?"
Rydan shook his head standing and pulling a sweater over his bare chest. "I've been trying to see what the one we're looking for looks like. I know it's a woman, and that she's tied to my birthmark, even possibly close to my age. But every time I try to see her I see the dark knights that killed our clan, and lately they're always fighting the white ones they pretended to be. I don't understand it. Why can't I see the person we're looking for?" He kicked a rock watching as it bounced off a tree and fell to the ground. When he noted the silence around them he looked towards the elder. "Usually this is where you tell me something I need to hear."
"That is true. This normally would be that time. But this is something you should be able to figure out Rydan." The elder said finally. Rydan scowled inwardly, though knew he was right. The elder always was. He didn't get how he should already know the answers to this question. He mulled it over, playing the scenario of how his dreams travel again and again and still did not understand. He looked to the elder in the darkness. The elder simply sighed and looked to the stars above them. "Do not think of it so harshly. The easiest explanations are often the most correct ones. Think of it in this term, based on what you told me. You get a feeling of this person. Yet when you try to see them, the dream shows you knights instead."
"So, you're saying that these knights could be tied to this person or could be effecting them?" He watched the elder smile then move to lay down to once more sleep. Rydan watched him for a moment in disbelief. How did the elder always seem to do that to him. He sighed laying back in the grass and looked to the sky. He toyed with the idea that the one they sought was tied somehow to the knights of both light and dark armors, but wasn't sure how. He did hope that it wasn't, as unlikely as it seemed, that they were why the darker knights had killed their clan. He kept to his thoughts as sleep would take him once more.
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Annalise walked about the streets of Perideit seeing the bustle of the people. She had found her own niche within the crowds working as a handmaiden to the current Lady of the land. It was simple enough work, though she dealt with more of the town knights then she had cared to. She made only one friend since her arrival and job beginning. To most she had kept to herself gaining the nickname 'Mouse' among the other staff. She looked to the sun rising knowing she had to get the food she had bought for the Lord's chefs before breakfast. Eating times seemed to come often for the Lord and Lady of Perideit. Sometimes it made her sick to see how they ate knowing there were some in the streets begging for even a bit of the food they toss aside.
She soon would make her way past the guards and down the stairs and halls to the main kitchen. "Mouse, you're late again. I hope you don't get caught in your little feedings." She nodded towards the chef as he spoke out and took the groceries from her. She would then turn and assist him in putting them away, save for what he needed to make for the next meal. "Those children enjoy it and are thankful for it." She replied after a time. She looked to the chef as he nodded towards the stairs and knew she had to rush now to assist the Lady in her morning routines.
Annalise rushed up the stairs though maintained her human speed. Something she had gotten good at was hiding under their noses. None suspected her of magic, lest of what she could do, or that she wasn't even considered human. That knowledge alone made her smile at times. Though since her start in this country she was saddened. In the few years of her time here and searching the truths of the wars, there had never been any mention of the attack to her clan. There were plenty on those of magical creatures and such, but nothing anywhere remotely near her homelands. Which frustrated her immensely.
"Ah Mouse there you are. What was keeping you?" The Lady asked as she had entered the room finally. Annalise simply curtsied slightly then went to work pulling a garment from the Lady's closet for the morning. Then placed two more on the bed, one for mid-day, the other for the evening. One thing she thought silly is the Lady's approval and awe at how she always knew just what the Lady should like to wear at any point. There were even times when the lady would wake expecting to trick her wanting four outfits rather then three, only to see that her Mouse had already pulled out four garments. "Ah, a perfect color for the evening. How do you do it Mouse?"
"I've worked for you for several years. It is natural now my Lady." Annalise responded. She gave up asking that she not be called mouse and simply accepted it. The Lord and Lady were not bad people that she had seen. For the most part the scuttle about the streets is that they were rather well liked about the people. The Lord and Lady were not often mean either. She figured if she were to live with these humans, at least it wouldn't be as bad as it could have been in another town or city of this kingdom.
She assisted the Lady into her first gown of blue and gold trimmings. She could never get over how fancy the things she and her husband wore. She was happy wearing her simple tunics, though on rare occasion had dresses the Lady had them all wear to be presentable before other Lords and Ladies. Once The Lady was in proper order of dress and jewels, she would follow her around where ever she went getting this thing or that as requested. This was how her days went, and shortly after starting this job, began to think this would be the rest of her life.
At the end of the day she would see the Lady to her bed and clean what she could before returning to her quarters. She was thankful at the room given. It wasn't big, but just big enough for her to change if she wished. She also had a nice view of the mountains and a balcony to stare at them from. She went to the balcony as she did every night once her duties ended and stared at the outline in the evening sky.
This night seemed different. The threads of magic kept nagging at Annalise most of the day. And only seemed to grow louder in the only peaceful time she gave herself before resting. She sighed turning from the balcony and closing the doors behind her. She made sure every door for her room was locked before looking at the threads of magic. Danger seemed to be around the corner, though it wasn't speaking of just her own well being but others. She tried to question the threads, though no answers came other then the voice in her mind saying 'They are coming'.
She had been growing tired of the threads speaking and hinting in riddles as of late but would ponder the words in her mind. It was more then what she had been reading for some time. She yawned feeling tired from the day's errands and hand waiting. She moved to the bed deciding against her true form of sleep. The warnings from the magic threads were enough to make her more cautious then usual.
The Lord and Lady calling out would wake her from her restless slumber. As she realized they were calling and yelling she rose quickly to her feet pulling a bathrobe over her green nightgown. She rushed up the short stairs to her Lady's room and assisted her in whatever she desired. Something had them riled but didn't know what it could have been. "Mouse, I need you to warn the staff. Everyone is to be on alert until the Great Knights arrive from the King's castle." She looked to her blankly a moment in curiosity of why everyone would have to be put on alert. "I will see it done my Lady, but why such alarm if I may ask?"
"There is a grouping of knights from the kingdom of Aserith outside our town walls. We were alerted when one of our scouts never returned. Now please go and let the staff know." Annalise nodded and did as she was told rushing about the various halls and speaking to any staff she may have encountered. She had to stop at one point and take a breath. "Mouse, goodness you seem to be in a hurry, much like everyone else here." She looked to the owner of the voice to see the only human she could care about. "Mirian, I was told by our Lady that there's a force of knights from Aserith outside the town walls." She said once she had fully regained her breath.
"Well, yeah that would explain it. Do you suppose they'll be able to break our defenses?" Mirian asked her worriedly. Annalise just shook her head with a shrug of her shoulders. "To be honest, I am not sure. But our Lady says the King is sending his Great knights, so perhaps they will reach our town in time to stop them." She doubted her words greatly, though the look of her friend suggested she needed something hopeful to look forward to. She placed a hand gently on her friend's shoulders in comfort. "They will reach us. Do not worry okay?" She watched her friend smile before rushing off to do her new chores. Annalise looked to her feeling a twinge in the magic and knew the full truth to her words. She knew they wouldn't reach the town before they were overrun.
Annalise turned on her heels and continued her own new orders in warning the rest of the staff. Once finished she promptly returned to her Lady in the Great Hall of the mansion. She waited seeing Mirian by the chefs being one of their assistants. She felt the twinge in the threads of magic but would ignore them as the doors flew open to reveal a knight in dark armor, escorted by two of the outer wall guards.
"Why have you come to this town in such force? Our kingdoms have shared a peace for many ages." The Lord spoke out when the knight knelt. There was silence for a time before the knight would finally speak in a deep voice and tone that gave Annalise chills along her spine. "Lord Arrignor, we are seeking one of your towns people. We were told that one of two was located here by our oracle."
"I do not understand. You feel the need to invade to seek this person? Who are they?" Lord Arrignor called out to the knight before him. The knight only shook his head and removed his helm to look the Lord in the eyes. "We know not which person it is. All we know is that it is a female with a birthmark on their shoulder. Our king seeks her and another like her." Annalise stopped all thought. Could they really be referring to her? It was almost too much of a coincidence to think lightly of it. But that led her mind to another question. There was another like her? How could that be possible.
Annalise would bring her mind back to focus on the knight before her as he seemed to look over all of the room before standing. "Due to the nature of the one we seek, we shall take this kingdom. You will have it returned possibly by our King should we find the one we seek. Until then, you have until the evening to prepare for battle, though it will do you no good." The chill returned as she felt the pulling of the magic threads and knew then that this was the danger they spoke of.
With the leaving of the knight the Lord and Lady were silent, unlike the servants about the room. She glanced over at her friend who seemed scared but with another expression she couldn't define mixed into it. After a short time the Lord and Lady would call their generals to meet and all servants were shushed from the room to rejoin with their daily and nightly activities. "Mouse, are you okay?" She turned hearing Mirian beside her and nodded as if nothing was wrong. "I am fine, why would I not be?"
"Because what they described sounds an awful lot like you, you know?" She blinked a few times at her friend before giving her a clueless expression. "What are you talking about Miran?"
"I'm talking about this Annalise." She tried to move as Miran moved away a bit of her sleeve to show her birthmark. Annalise quickly pushed it back and motioned her friend away from the others. When she was sure none would hear or interrupt she looked to her friend. "How did you know of this? I know I've never shown it to anyone."
"You didn't. I saw it a few years back after you had just started working here. You had cut your dress on something in the fields and were trying to hide it, but I caught a glimpse of it." She looked to her friend worried a moment of her safety. "Mirian, knowing this puts you in possible danger. You realize that right? Have you told anyone else of this?" She watched her friend shake her head to the last question and breathed an inward sigh. She knew if these knights were looking for girl's with birthmarks on their shoulders, then anyone even knowing of them would be in just as much danger or more. "I've never told anyone of it. I mean I thought to ask you about it of course, but the time never came."
Annalise looked sternly to her friend before sighing once more. "It is all right. But speak to no one of this, and don't you dare pull something. I know you well enough Mirian to know you may try and throw them off." She heard a chuckle from her friend and watched as her expression changed to one of innocence. "Now would I really do something like that?" The tone was sarcastic, but the threads of magic told her she was planning something already. "Yes you would. Shall I recall all the times I've caught you do such for others? Just promise me you will stay away from those knights. Obviously should things happen, within reason." She watched her friend nod with some reluctance and felt sad a moment if her friend were to go back on it. She knew it could mean death for the girl.
She thought in her mind of how attached to this human she had become, when she had sworn many times she would not care about any of the human race. She watched as Mirian went about her way knowing she herself had chores that needed to be done. The knights outside the town walls made her nervous. She did however count her job here a blessing as she had many times. It tended to always give her a heads up or access to the knowledge she sought when the doors would have been closed to her otherwise.
The morning would come with impatience as the Lord and Lady's staff were on edge and fear. She did her best to forget the knights but knew at first sign of an attack that she would have to hide away. She wondered how bad things would get and how soon the King's knights would reach them. She hated having to rely on knights in any form, be it ones to attack, or ones that were supposed to be helping and defending. Humans relied on them too much she decided.
Throughout the day she shuffled around as ordered by her Lady. Asking people to go this way and that into designated bunkers or to the lines for the battle to come. Still by mid-day it was clear that the King's knights had yet to arrive and more then likely would not make it in time as the knight of Aserith had mentioned before. She kept to her thoughts soon seeing Mirian rushing about oddly for a moment. She went to her and placed a hand on her shoulder and hearing a low yelp from her friend. She removed her hand quickly and gave a questioning look to her. "Mouse, it's you."
"Of course it is me. Have you hurt your shoulder? I did not think I had tapped it that hard to cause you pain?" She replied seeing the look of avoidance over her friend's face. She shook her head and looked to her sternly before reaching out and moving her sleeve to reveal a tattoo looking almost like her own. She scowled letting her friend go and turned away, only to look back at her. "Mirian! I told you not to do anything. How could you do this to yourself. You don't know what they want with someone like me?" She looked to her angry but more concerned. "What if they've come to kill the person they're looking for? Or to torture them?" She watched as her friend ran the idea through her mind. She sighed looking to her taking her friend in a hug. "Miran, you don't understand the risk you've just taken. Why did you do this?" Mirian returned the hug but would pull back and look to her. "Because you're my best friend, my only friend really. I thought, well, I thought that if there was more then one girl with shoulder markings, that they would have to take us together. Least then, maybe we could plan an escape or something." She looked to her friend thoughtfully. She had underestimated her friend. She turned her head to view the town walls from the window. "Then my friend stay close to me. This will not be easy, nor safe by any means. Prepare to be hurt and beaten, even tortured. Do not give them any information, and say you were born with it."
"Are you sure that would work? I mean the ink is still fresh." Annalise nodded looking back to her friend. "Just say that when you heard their knight speak on who they sought you tried to cover it, but it would not stay hidden." She gave a faint smile and motioned for her friend to follow her. "Now Mirian, stay at my side from now until the battle. If the Lord or Lady ask allow me to do the talking. Do not leave my sight." Mirian nodded though Annalise could see her fears now showing. "Mouse, you talk like you've seen battle before. Is that why you talk to no one else?" She nodded to her comments though would not divulge where that knowledge came from.
Mirian had done as Annalise asked. She had been a good shadow but the time would eventually come for battle as the sun set over the trees. The sounds of fighting loud and they took shelter with others of the mansion. She stayed close keeping her friend as calm and as prepared as she could until the time the knights of Aserith had broken through the walls of the town and flooded the city. The sounds of people fighting, horses, and people dieing rang loud everywhere about the town.
Soon the banging came upon the door leading to where their group had been hiding. The few guards had fought bravely, as did some people as the knights would break through and swarm the room. She would try her best to fend them away from her and Mirian but there were too many for this form of hers. She fought one knight back only to hear Mirian yell and turned to see another knight taking her away. "No, Let her go!" As she turned to attack the one that was taking her friend, another had managed to sneak up and tackle her to the ground.
She would struggle with the knight until there was no use to do so anymore. Her friend taken and now these knights everywhere. She cursed each she saw in hopes that her friend were still alive. The knight that held her brought her before what she assumed was one of his commanders. The knight before her would look her over a moment before moving and ripping her tunic to see her birthmark. "Take this one with the others. We'll judge which is the one we seek when they are all gathered." She made a mental note of the Knights about just in case. She had already begun to create escape plans for her and Mirian.
She had been tossed into a circle of knights with three other women, one of them being Mirian. She smiled lightly moving close to her friend knowing her ideas may not go over with her friend very well. "Mouse, what are they going to do with us?" She heard the whisper from her friend and put a hand gently on her arm. "I don't know, but no matter what stay close to me." As she spoke some knights entered the circle and began taking one woman at a time till they were all held by a knight in line. She looked to her friend seeing her a person or two away. The pull of the magic threads telling her to run fast. She knew then this would not end well.
A larger man entered with an older woman at his arm and watched as the two looked over them. The older woman pointed to the girl being held between herself and her friend, uttering a simple word. "No." As she spoke the knight behind her drew his sword and ran the girl through. She struggled seeing the old woman pointing down the line and knew she had to get her friend out now.
"Mirian!" She felt the pull of magic, feeling the urgency and tried her best to break the grip of the knight holding her. As she managed to do so she was too late. She watched unable to reach her in time as the blade ran her through. For a moment she saw fear in her friend, then a look like she was almost at peace. She screamed seeing another she cared for taken away by a knight. "That one." She turned hearing the old woman and seeing her pointing towards herself. She growled angrily controlling her form so not to change before them. "You will pay for what you have done here." She said angrily.
As one of the knights grabbed her arm, she looked to him shaking her head. With a simple move she tossed him aside and grabbed his sword in the process. She knew it would be a hard fight but would rather die then be caught by them. "Stop her! We need that one alive!" She heard the leader calling. She threw the sword towards his head, and if it were not for the old woman moving him, she would have stricken him. She took off down the pathways and alleys of the town towards the walls that had fallen. She wasn't going to let them have her.
She smiled slightly knowing what she was boosted her speed and strength, even in this human form. She kept running through the town and out seeing knights on horseback trying to catch her. It didn't matter to her she knew where to take them. The threads of magic leading her to where she could show a little bit of what she could do without prying eyes.
She jumped about here and there over branches and fallen trees until she cleared them and found a rock face blocking her path. Here she decided is where her stand was to be. She turned facing them, her purple eyes glowing slightly with a piercing gaze as the knights dismounted their horses and encircled her. "Now my lady, you will return with us."
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