Chapter 2

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Cazron walked out of the Inn of Faet stumbling lithely while singing. He’d only had a pint of ale but for the grass elf, it was plenty to get him quite a bit tipsy. He had a feeling of happiness for he’d stolen a kiss from the lovely barmaid. “I’m the conquering hero-,”

He stopped singing once he rounded the corner and he saw the door to the girl’s house wide open. “I was sure I shut the door last night.” His voice piped up.

He had been checking the girl’s house since she left 11 years ago. Solaria had asked him if he wanted to be seen as a responsible character. Of course he wanted to make people see that grass elves were respectable, reliable people too. So he’d go in and make sure everything was where it was meant to be and then lock up at least once a week on top of checking up on it once a night. “Maybe she came back!”

He ran to the door and peeped in, being as silent as possible. What he saw made his face drop. The house was in shambles. Tables were over turned papers scattered everywhere, while pillows and cushions on chairs were ripped apart. “Oh no.” he gasped when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“Caz, yeh scallywag, what happened?” Sori walked past him into the house.

“It wasn’t like this yesterday Solaria. I promise.” As much as he had to drink he definitely sobered up.

Kianthe followed in Sori in, “So much for a homecoming.” She up righted a table and four chairs. “So Caz did you leave us anything to drink in here?” she said as she started towards the kitchen.

Cazron just looked at Kianthe in disbelief at the fact that the girls were not in a panic.

Cyn walked in silently his eyes adjusting to the darkness. The heat spectrum lit up in his eyes. “Who ever was here, was just here.” He watched as Sori start up the stairs. He pounced on her grabbing her by the waist from behind pulling her close to him. “Who ever they are, I’m pretty sure they’re still there.” He felt her heart pounding against his chest. “Let me go first.”

                He pulled out an onyx dagger. “Follow me Captain.” He walked up the stairs staying close to the walls so that he wouldn’t make any of the boards creak.

                Sori followed in suit taking the same care in silence. She pulled out her long dagger from her boot silently.

                They silently approached the door leading to Kianthe’s room flanking it on both sides. Cyn slowly opened the door and pushed on it.

                Sori motioned a one, two, three with her fingers and they both charged into the room with their daggers ablaze. What they saw was a goblin looking like he was searching Kianthe’s personal belongings with his knife.

                They quickly pounced on him. Sori slashed the intruder’s lower back side severing his spinal cord with great precision, while Cyn grabbed its hands and tripped the goblin to the floor. Cyn had his foot in the goblin’s back holding the hands high behind its back. The bones were on the verge of snapping.

                Sori ran out of the room to check the others. She opened each of the doors checking the closets. But apparently the goblin only got to Kianthe's room. “All’s clear, Cyn take the fiend down stairs.”

                “Aye, Captain.” Cyn removed his knee and stood up, yanking the goblin up by the arms. He heard the bones snap. “I hope he didn’t need the use of his arms, Sori.” He smirked as he dragged the wretched creature down the stairs. He threw the goblin into a chair putting a foot on its chest, pinning it down where it sat. “I don’t think he’ll be going anywhere soon.”

                Sori soared down the stairs. “What are you doing here?” she pressed her bloody dagger against his throat.

                Kianthe came out of the kitchen with a bottle of elven wine. “What’s this?” She noticed the badge on the goblin’s vest. “Since when does the king have goblins in his army?”

                 Cyn looked down at the goblin with one eyebrow arched. “Better for you if you answer the ladies,” he smirked. “I may kill you.”

                “No need,” the goblin glared at Kianthe. “I won’t talk to traitors to the crown.” Then the goblin stuck out its fat tongue and bit down hard cutting it off.  The tongue fell right to the ground as the goblin’s mouth bled like a stuck pig.

Cyn removed his boot before the blood would touch it. He narrowed his red-orange eyes as he spoke, “You can never get the stench of goblins blood out.” The goblin fell unconscious on the floor bleeding to death.

Sori looked worried. “We never betrayed the crown. We stole only from our enemies. And Kianthe, you’re a hero to the crown. He must have been mistaken.”

“Yeah, must have been a mistake.” Kianthe said lightly. Sori walked past the bloody body of the goblin.

“Yuck, if this is what the king hires now-a-days as new recruits. I wonder if things are as bad as they seem.” Sori looked down once more and turned to the grass elf. “Cazron, can we stay at your place tonight?”

“Why, yes of course Solaria!” the grass elf was happy to be away from the house as soon as possible. He didn’t like the thought of a deathly homecoming for the girl.

Cyn watched as the life poured out of the goblin. He listened to what the girls were saying only in passing. He lived too long so far to care for such trivial things. But he noted the note in Kianthe’s voice and resolved to not trust her even if Sori did.

Cyn’s ears perked up as he heard Sori ask the grass elf for hospitality.  His eyes widened with shock as he sputtered, “I refuse to stay with the slave!”

Cazron turned to the Drow and narrowed his blue eyes, “Well you can sleep outside with the dogs.” With that Cazron turned on the ball of his foot and flounced out of the room.

Sori sighed and followed behind the grass elf holding the bottle of elven wine reading the label that was etched into the bottle. “Caz this is some of the best elf wine in the world. How did we get this?”

“Ah well you see. I had the smithy come by and make sure all was locked up while I went on mini adventures.” Caz was used to telling tells and enjoyed to do so, even if everyone else didn’t want to hear them. “And so I went to the Silver Lake and there I had to fight a cat fish as big as a whale,” he spread his arms as wide as they would go, “and I took some jabs at it.” He made some jabbing moves, “and pop! It turned into a water sprite named Allan and he was telling me how he was cursed for stealing a sword. He was awesome. It’s nice knowing someone who is smaller than you for once in a while.”

“Back to the story, Caz,” Sori motioned for him to continue on. She remembered Allan from when he was on her ship looking for passage to the northlands. Caz must be talking about the mythril sword, Sori thought.

“Ok anyhow, he needed to travel to the elven lands to confirm if the rumors he heard were true. That darkness was spreading everywhere. Do you know if it true? They wouldn’t let me know because I’m only a slave in their eyes. They tried so hard to take me into their dungeons as a runaway. ” His eyes welled up with tears. “I told them I was born free and I come from Faet. It took Allan to tell them how I saved him to free me. And then they were nice to me after that and they gave me wine, but they still wouldn’t tell me.”

He walked up to a one story cottage. “This is it, my humble abode!” He opened the door and walked in. “Oh I hope you don’t mind. I let a few traveling elves stay at your place whenever the inn was full. That’s also how you have a few other things. Which I took the liberty of borrowing, I hope you don’t mind. I was gonna put them back.”

“I’m sure you were little one, but I’m sure it was a good thing you didn’t.” Kianthe patted his shoulder as she walked in; her head was close to touching the ceiling. “So how about cracking open that bottle.”

“I’m normally used to rum. On the ship we had lots of it.” Sori said wistfully. “Ah, I miss the days of rum running.” She opened up the bottle and took a swig of the pink liquid. “Not too bad. Can we get some cups Caz?”

“Uh, of course Solaria,” Cazron pulled four wind-blown fluted wine glasses from the cupboard. “These were made by a glass maker in Tourtu. He came by looking for safe passage to the castle. I also let him stay at your place. There were guards looking for him, I think it was because of this gem he had in his possession. It was known as the Dragon Heart.” Cazron set the glasses on the table for Sori to fill. “Solaria are you gonna fill that?”

Sori had gotten distracted by the mention of the gem. “Cyn, do you think?”

“Yes I think. Thank you very much.” Cyn sneered he was in the doorway to the house. “I think that if he had the heart of Neri then he would be valuable to her.”

Cazron just looked at the two and wondered what was going on. “Well you best come in and have some of this fine wine, stranger.” The grass elf proclaimed with a note of haughtiness in his voice.

“I’ll stay for wine, slave. But I’m sleeping outside.” Cyn ducked in. “What’s this? A house made for slaves?”

Cazron’s face grew to a deep red. “My family has not been slaves for at least 7 generations.”

“Then where are the rest of you?” Cyn sneered.

“Most died of plague 40 years ago. My sisters live scattered through out the valley.” Cazron was thinking with a full heart that maybe he shouldn’t have invited the Drow into his home.

Cyn placed a hand on Cazron's shoulder. “My sympathies.”

Cazron just looked into the dark elf’s face. “Wow… I’ve never seen a Drow before. Well take a seat.”

Cyn growled silently. He had a growing sensation that the grass elf was going to drive him insane.

Sori poured the elf wine in to the glasses and passed them around. “So Cazron what became of the glass maker?”

“Ah well see that’s the weird thing. He just disappeared. Poof just like that.” He clapped his hands to emphasize his point. “He never got to the castle, but I also know that he didn’t get caught by the goblin guards looking for him. There have been a lot of travelers through the town. Wanna hear about it?”

 “I’m sure we’ll survive with out the tale. Let’s get some sleep.” Kianthe stated after she finished off her glass. “I think I’m going to sleep outside as well. The fresh air will do me some good.”

Kianthe slipped out the door and took a deep breath of the night air. It wasn’t long before Cyn joined her. “She loves you. You know?”

“I know. I do as she says mainly because my people are very matriarchal and it’s ingrained into our beings. Even spending years traveling alone hasn’t changed that. That is why I follow her. She is a strong, good fighter and she has earned my respect over the years. That and she pays me, too.” Cyn sat at the stone steps wrapping his cloak around his body. “That wine wasn’t half bad. I guess elves know what they’re doing after all. Sometimes,” He laughed lightly before he drifted to a light sleep all the while noting Kianthe’s disappearance.

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Kianthe stalked through the village back to her house. She opened the door and walked in and wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Goblins. I’m surprised no one has come back for you.”

“Actually I’ve been waiting for you, Kianthe Catalina.” A tall shadow stepped into the light to reveal a man with black hair, glittering green eyes and he wore the armor of a Royal Drake. “Killing a royal guard, what have you gotten yourself into.” He tsked.

“Nothing it was already here.” Kianthe sneered, “Wraithe.”

Wraithe stepped into the room the moonlight making his dark armor glitter. He pulled her close to him with one swift move. Holding her right hand out with his and wrapping his arm around his waist. He let go of her hand and grasped her chin with his gloved left hand and leaned his face into hers. “You have been deemed traitor for killing a guard of the king.”

Kianthe just looked at him. “I had nothing to do with the death of this guard. Actually I maintain that he killed himself.” She said sarcastically.

Anger flashed in his eyes as his face was still as death; Wraithe grabbed her arm and threw her across the room. “Treacherous knave, you have cold black blood running through your veins. I offered you everything.” He looked down.

“You offered me everything except what I want most. I’m a soldier not a lady of the court,” Kianthe stood up straightening her coat. “Now if you will excuse me I came back for my armor.”  She climbed up the stairs and entered her room. She hadn’t seen the damage that the goblin did to her room the last time she was there.

She turned and exited and walked to Sori’s room. Inside Sori’s room was a trunk with an engraved dragon on it. She snapped open the locks and lifted the lid. She figured that Wraithe was probably climbing up the stairs. She pulled off her coat and tossed it onto the bed. Inside the chest was a silver breast plate with a golden and ivory bone dragon inlay. She put on the breast plate and pulled out the rest of the armor and put it on piece by piece.

“You never told me why you became a soldier.” It was just a flat statement that made Kianthe pause for a brief moment while buckling on a thigh guard.

“You never asked.” She continued on, “For all the love you said you had of me, you never once asked.”  She pulled out her plated boots and put them on. “By the way the goblin bit his tongue off.” She walked past him out the door and down the stairs.

Wraithe followed her out into the kitchen where she was pulling out white dragon hide gloves from a drawer. “So I’m asking now. Why Kia?” he put his hand on top of hers.

“You ask too late Daemon.” She slammed the drawer shut and stormed out.

He walked out after her. “Kia-,”

She turned on her heel and stared at him with a look of disgust, “You’re nothing to me Wraithe.”

He stared at her with his mouth agape. The way the moon glinted off her armor it made her look like a goddess of war than a woman of flesh and blood. He then realized that this goddess would take not flesh and blood for hers; but she would want nothing less than a god. “Very well then Commander Catalina.” He straightened up and put on his best calm face.  “I’m on orders to escort you to the Castle of Karitia.”

“On whose orders Commander,” Kianthe noticed the change from love sick child to trained officer.

“The King’s, you are to return to Karitia and report.” He walked up to stand beside her.

“This is a bit much just to track down one officer.” Kianthe walked back towards Cazron’s cottage. “I mean a goblin guard going through my belongings?”

“The goblin was a thief who had stolen a uniform. It deserved to die.” He shrugged, “I thought I would throw a little joke at you.”

“Ahh, I wonder why he called me traitor to the crown this evening.” She paused to look at the porch where Cyn was asleep, “T’was the goblin who called it.”

“That’s odd.” He looked at Cyn. “Doesn’t look like a goblin.”

“Not he,” Kianthe sighed, “the dead one.”

“T’was a joke, my dear.” He laughed.

“You better be thankful that he’s sleeping,” she pointed out.

 

Cyn was sleeping until he heard footsteps and the sound of armor. He sat quietly with his eyes closed listening in on the conversation. His brow furrowed slightly at the comment of him being a goblin. He decided once Kianthe told the stranger that he was lucky, he opened his eyes. The moonlight reflected in his eyes making them seem like they were glowing red.

He saw Kianthe in her dragon armor that he almost forgot his anger. Tossing that thought aside he stood up pulling out his twin crescent blades out and swung them in an arch. “I sure hope I’m not a goblin.”

Wraithe looked at the being that just stood up and pulled out his long sword. “I was just trying to get a smile from the lady. No harm no foul, right?”

 “The Drow don’t tolerate insults, no matter the reason.” Cyn smirked. He’s been wanting a real fight even if the excuse was pathetic. “It’s a matter of honor young one.”

Kianthe just stared at the two males. “Oh dear….”

 

Cyn sped straight to Wraithe about to take his head off with his twin blades when Kianthe pushed Wraithe to the side and countered the blades with her dragon claw that was stored in her gauntlet. It started to glow a soft white light, almost holy. “I need you to wake Sori up. We’re leaving.”

Cyn just stared at her like he wanted to thrash her to the ground.

“Now, we don’t have much time.” She shouted. The dragon claw’s light gave out a flash of light and disappeared.