Rinn weaved through the crowd, glancing occasionally over his broad shoulder to make sure he had no lost Insei. She had noticed that his face was harder, as if stone could become any harder. She thought back to the way he looked earlier that day, and was rethinking her previous opinions of him. Perhaps he was not as emotionless as she had first thought he was, but actually had a heart beneath all the layers of muscle and sinew.
"Hey, you! Yes, you!" A hawker had placed himself between Insei and Rinn. Rinn did not notice though, and continued to walk further on. Insei tried to go around the man with the multicolored coat and a greasy beard, but he kept moving himself to block her way.
"Don't you want a pretty? A good luck charm to help you on your way?" His eyes were cold and sharp as he bombarded her with his assortment of cheap jewelry.
"No, I don't want any," Insei said as she once again tried to dodge past the man. She looked in the direction Rinn had gone, but she could no longer see him. Growing angry with the old man in front of her, she feinted to the left, but then went to the right. She sighed as she passed the hawker, and walked further through the thick crowd in the market center. She walked the way she thought Rinn had gone, but soon grew lost.
She eventually made it out of the market square, and found herself walking down a side street that was relatively empty. She continued to walk down the street, listening to the sound of hammers pounding metal muffling all other sounds. Now she had to go find Rinn, the stupid moron, and go see his friend. But how she would find Rinn was completely unknown to her.
Insei hurried down the alley, watching the ground for the disgusting piles of trash that lay everywhere. And maybe that is why she wasn't paying attention as she rounded the corner...
The next thing she knew, she was knocked to the floor, her rear end throbbing in pain. An angry retort came to her lips, but it soon died as she looked up at the person who she had run into. His hair was a rich brown, trailing over his shoulders and down his back. His features were sharp yet soft at the same time. He was tall and lithe, wearing a gray green tunic that framed his form perfectly. His ears were pointed at the top, distinguishing him as one of the distant elves.
But that wasn't all that drew a gasp from her. His eyes were an ice blue, contrasting his dark hair. His eyes were so bright, so bright that they seemed to rival all other colors. His eyes seemed to outmatch even the sun, the only color in a world of gray. And they seemed so familiar....
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry!" The elf extended his hand, evident concern written across his face. She slipped her hand into his, feeling the coarseness of his hand that told of years of work. He pulled her up with his strong arms, steadying her on the ground once more.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine..." she replied, slowly coming out of a cloud like confusion.
The elf squinted at her before saying, "You are not from around here, are you?" She nodded her head, wondering what he was getting at.
He smiled, and Insei felt a warm emotion flit through her. "Then I'll show you around! It's the least I can do." Insei just stood, staring dumbly at the elf and his wonderful smile. The elf pulled on her arm and dragged her down the street.
***
"So, Jamith was able to distract her well enough, I trust?"
"Yes," Rinn replied before sipping at the bitter tea. He did not care much for the Elven tea, but he had to be polite. The two sat across from each other at a small table, which was located in the back room of the small archery shop. The old elf was graying, and he seemed that he might disappear all together one of these days, but Rinn knew of the silent strength that forced the elf to live through each day.
"I'm sorry I can't come with you this time," Lacrun said as he looked into his tea. "It seems that old age has finally caught up with me." The old elf sipped at his tea, his whitened hands thinned drastically over the past few years.
"Don't worry," he paused for a moment, looking out the window. "Are you sure they will find each other?"
"They are bound in the stars. Of course they will find each other."
"I hate having to leave her alone. She is very inexperienced."
"We need for him to have a reason to go. Don't worry, she will return safely," Lacrun said before finishing his tea. He slowly set his cup down, and folded his hands into his lap. Rinn looked around the small room, noting that the room had still remained its youthful state. Sunlight glittered through the open wind, where the wind chimes hung for the wind to play with. All was quiet, and Rinn felt himself relaxing like he had never done before.
"What is wrong, my friend? Your eyes speak of sadness," Lacrun asked, concern graying his eyes.
"Julia..." Rinn whispered to himself, savoring the sweet word. It had been so long since he had seen her, and now she was gone... He felt incomplete, and lost, so very lost. Lacrun nodded his head in understanding, his face, too, etched with sadness. Rinn thanked his friend for speaking no words, not wanting to hear or speak at the moment, but just sit and remember the angel of his dreams.
The door to the front room opened with the tinkle of bells alerting them. Rinn stood, and entered the first room of the shop. He had hoped it would be Insei and Lacrun's son, but instead an elven girl of sixteen stood with hands on hips.
"Where IS he!?! Ihen was supposed to meet me an hour ago!" Rinn blinked at the outburst, wondering whom in the world this new comer could be. But his questions were soon answered when Lacrun appeared in the room. Rinn barely heard a mumbled curse beneath the old elf's breath.
"Neko, Ihen is busy at the moment, come back later." It was obvious to Rinn that Lacrun was holding back anger, trying to keep his face and eyes calm.
"I'm not going anywhere," Neko said as she flopped down onto the floor.
"Insolent child!" Lacrun said in a breathy as he headed once again into the back room. Rinn blinked once again, slightly confused as to who this new person could be. She was tall and thin, with pale gold hair hanging down her back. Her pale green eyes were full of amusement and intense stubbornness. He shook his head and sat down in one of the simple chairs.
***
"And just down the street from here is the archery shop my father owns," the elf was telling Insei. He had quickly introduced himself as Ihen, and had been dragging her around the merchant town ever since she had run into him. Insei did not listen to half of his words, just enjoying the sound of his voice on the crisp air. It was enough just to watch him, with childlike glee on his face, show her around the town that held no interest to her.
Ihen smiled at her, and Insei gladly smiled back. Just after an hour of being with him, she had learned the power of his smile, the ones that lightened his wonderful eyes.
"Come, let's walk through the public garden before I take you to my father's shop." He soon led her down a side street that soon deposited them in front of a small garden, vibrant with life and sunshine, with various paths leading people chaotically through. The two slowly walked down the trail, letting the cool breeze bring them the wonderful scents of flowers.
"What's that in your hand," Ihen asked, as the passed below a low oak tree. Insei looked into her hand, and found that she had been fingering her necklace once again. She opened her hand, the necklace collecting the sunlight in the palm of her hand.
"The symbol of Ether," he said as he looked closely at it. "You should probably keep that hidden, a lot of people are not honest." While he said this, he took her hand in both of his, and closed it over the shining necklace. She blushed and quickly placed it back into her pocket where she knew it would remain safe.
"Well," Ihen began as he looked up at the position of the sun, "We should go to the shop now. Then I'll walk you back to your inn." They picked up their pace, heading out of the garden. Insei followed Ihen's steps, smiling for the first time in the past week.
Ihen led her to a small but neat shop. Above the door was a picture a red and white target, letting all know what lay inside. The shop sat by itself at the end of the street, small streets going to each side. Windows were propped open, letting the sunshine into the small wooden abode.
"My father opened this shop when he first came to Talorn. We live in the back, and sell bows and arrows to the various nobles who live here," Ihen said with pride in his voice. A question came once more into her thoughts. She had wanted to ask the question ever since she met the elf, and perhaps now would be a good time to answer her curiosity.
"Why did your father come here in the first place?" The Elven country was separated from the Human settlements. Elves stayed in their own land, while humans did the same. People generally did not get along well with the elves, the elven kind usually being to soft or gentle for the hardened humans.
"Another story, for another day," Ihen responded as he climbed the small set of sturdy stairs to the shop door. Insei caught a brief look at his eyes, and saw sadness within the blue. But soon it was gone, and Insei was unsure of exactly what she saw.
Ihen opened the door, and let Insei walk through first. She gave her gratitude and walked into the warmth of the first room. Bows and arrows lined the walls, colors of all sorts adding to the sunlight that peered across the floor. Insei gasped in surprise as she saw Rinn sitting in one of the chairs near the door.
"Rinn! I'd thought I lost you!" Insei gave a warm smile to her companion, but it was lost on the hardened warrior.
"Glad you're safe. As you might have assumed---"
"IHEN! Why didn't you meet me at the lake?!?!" Insei turned to find Ihen being confronted by a girl about the same age as Insei. The elven girl had her hands on her hips, and glared at Ihen.
"Sorry," Ihen began with nervous laughter, "I forgot, something came up!" But that simple apology seemed to do for the angered elf. She threw her arms around Ihen's chest, while murmuring "I forgive you."
Ihen's eyes were full of embarrassment as he looked to Insei. "Insei, this is Neko. Neko, this is Insei." Neko looked at Insei with blank eyes. Insei stared back, unsure of what to think of this elven girl who had Ihen in her arms.
"Insei and Ihen, we need to talk to you in the back room," Rinn said as he headed down the small hallway. Insei followed Rinn through the brightly-lit hallway. Ihen followed more slowly, Neko still holding onto him. Once in the back room, Rinn introduced Insei to an old elf that went by the name of Lacrun. Apparently this was Ihen's father, and Insei could see the relation easily in the eyes of father and son.
"Glad to meet you, Insei," Lacrun said as they all sat at a small table.
"Nice to meet you. Ihen has spoken often of you," Insei said as she settled down. There was something strange about the old elf, she soon decided. His eyes were to clear, too knowing.
"Insei," Rinn said, quickly receiving her attention. "We will have to travel through Darken Woods. I do not know the area very well. So, Ihen will be joining us as our guide."
"Father..." Ihen said quietly as he turned to his old father.
"Do not worry about me, Ihen. I can take care of myself," Lacrun finished with a smile just like his son's. Ihen's eyes held doubt, but he did not argue.
"I'm going too!" All eyes focused on Neko who sat to the right of Ihen. Lacrun shook his head as he sighed, clearly displeased.
***
Rinn sighed as he climbed into the small bed that had been given to him. Insei was in the room next door, probably already asleep. After all the travel arrangements had been made, they had headed to the inn to sleep and rest.
Rinn's thoughts turned to the day just past, turning into small memories. Throughout the entire day he had looked for familiar faces, yet he had never seen one, which he had thought he had once known. Even Lacrun's face had aged that Rinn no longer knew the friend he once had not so long ago. He sighed once again, and brought his thoughts onto more important areas.
In the morning, the four of them would depart the city, heading north. They would then travel through the Darken Woods, heading towards the center of the wide expanse of Forest. At the center, the Tower of Ether was supposed to stand.
Even though an unexpected occurrence had happened earlier this day, the plan was going as they had hoped it would. Of course now he had to watch three little kids, instead of the expected two. And this third one, Neko, seemed even more annoying than the other two combined. He sighed, wondering how in the world he had agreed to do this job.
He wished Lacrun would be able to come instead of his son. Lacrun was experienced, unlike this boy, Ihen. And he did not like having to duplicate Insei or Ihen's feelings. Especially using Insei in this matter. Even though he did not know her very well, she reminded him of his lost Julia. He had even begun to think of her as the daughter he never had. But that could not be, so he forced to think of something else.
But the duplicity had been needed. Lacrun had known his son would not leave the small shop within Talorn unless he had good reason to. And they had supplied Ihen's reason for going. Though, with Neko there, his reason would be confusing and unclear. He just hoped that it would not blow up in his face.
He laid his head against his pillow, and closed his eyes. Yes, tomorrow would begin the real portion of their journey. And tomorrow the baby-sitting would begin.
They weren't paying him enough for this.
Our bishel dragon has come from Bishen Realm, no stealy!
Images for this dragon home were made by me,
do not use unless you ask.
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