Chapter 7

The tavern begins to fill as Kvelti is reopennig for business. Outside, a cloaked figure rides up to the barn. Spotting one of the stablehands, the stranger motioned for him as he dismounts.

"Please see to my mount, young one. He has had a long road....." he said, a faint accent slipping in to his speech. I must be more tired than I thought, he mused.

The stableboy takes the reigns and spots the newcomer's weapons, a long and lightly curved blade and a matching shorter one. "Aye sir. No prob. You'll be needin' to pay the 'keep inside."

A smile. "Thanks much. And what are the 'keeps' rates?"

"A silver a night for horse board. Grooming extra."

With a knowing nod, the newcomer reached into a small pouch and withdrew a pair of coins. Pressing them into the boy's hand. "I trust this should be sufficient for a real thorough grooming. If an exceptional job is done, another coin shall find its way to you." At this, the newcomer pulled a small travel ruck off of the saddle and strode away, toward the front of the inn.

"Thank you sir! A grand job it shall be!" The boy exclaimed after seeing the coins, a well worn gold and a shiny electrum, in his hand. And all for him!

Entering the tavern, the newcomer looked about, sizing up the clientel and the surrounding. Spotting a corner of the bar that was not occupied, he made his way to as stool there and waited for the barkeep to notice.

As the barkeep came over, he spoke. "Ko'nichi Wa, Kvelti-san. It has been many seasons, has it not?"

Kvelti looks up sharply. "Kimura! There had better not be ninja following you around this time! I was much younger last we met...I can't keep that sort of foolishness up!"

She watches the door suspiciously, and nothing comes through it. Satisfied, she nods. "So what are you doing back in these parts? I thought you'd gone back East to a happy home life with the kid."

"Well, the wonderous east was, shall we say, exciting." He replied as Kvelti handed him a small mug of sake. "My son is doing fine and has taken over my duties as master of arms for my cousin." A smile. "He is learning that running an emperor's household guard and keeping one's teaching requirements is not as easy as it seems. Once he was settled in to the job, I was able to take my leave to travel again.... under better circumstances than last time, fortunately. As for the 'shadows', that has been resolved. Things are much more quieter for the Jade Throne.

"You, however, have appeared to have aged gracefully. A bit more grey and a few lines around the eyes but otherwise..... where as I have simply gotten old."

Kvelti snorts. "Aged gracefully my arse. Wait here a moment, you flatter..." She paces down the bar to serve another customer.

Returning, she asks him, "So what are you up to hereabouts? Need another good cause to fight for, or are you all heroed out?"

Toshiro sips his sake and looks over her shoulder. "Heroed out... funny phrase that..." He manages a small smile as he returns his gaze at Kvelti. " I suppose I still have a bit of the younger impetuous me left." Placing down his cup, he looked about the crowd.

"So, who is your latest cause or is it more serious than that?"

Kvelti drops her voice a bit. "There's someone...a despoiler, I think, probably from down Ehosia way...killing the oldest trees in our Great Forest. Lots of folk live in there...it'd be terrible if it were destroyed. They say an entire race of jungle elves was wiped out in Ehosa, long ago, when they made that great desert they've got. Don't want that happenin' round here."

"Strangest damned thing...earlier today, in walks a...dryad, I guess it must have been. A tree-spirit or something, coming to find out what was killing her trees. She was with Torque...a centuar acquaintance of mine, good girl. They left not a few hours ago with a silver-haired elf, a mindreader..." She shivers..."and a cleric of Eho who, for once, didn't seem like a bastard and was interested in helping...hmm...if you do go to follow them, do me a favor and keep an eye on the cleric? Just in case helping isn't his main motive after all. They were heading towards the center of the Forest...you should be able to find them without too much trouble, I think."

Toshiro's gaze hardened as he listened to Kvelti's words. "I know something of dark magics" his words low and full of hate, not at her but at the mention of the evil. "I also know that these young ones may be over their head going against such a wielder; for if a spirit of the forest leaves its home, things must be quite dire indeed. And to have along one of the local faith known for a lack of vision...." His words trailed off as he and the old merc traded looks. "Oh, I understand completely. How long ago did they leave?" Toshiro asked as he polished off the last of his sake in a gulp and stood. "The tree spirit could be in more danger than you know....."

"I think it must not have been more than a few hours since they left. Like I said, you can probably catch up with them fairly easily."

"Excuse me, I could not help but to overhear your conversation. I think that I may be of help."

As Kvelti & toshiro turn they see a young human dressed in all browns & greens with a lute strung across her back. The lute is beautifully engraved with bright green leaves and red roses all through its body and neck. Around her neck there is a silver necklace that holds a pendent shaped like a hawk.

Kvelti regards the olive-skinned woman before her, then shrugs. "That's between you and this gentleman here. I'm, unfortunately, getting too old for this. There's no bounty that I know of, no prize or reward of cash. If you're still interested, you'll have to convince him to let you tag along." She winks. "Or follow him. It's all the same to me."

Toshiro looks at the woman and gives a slight sad smile as faces her. "M'lady, a wielder of song is always welcome on a journey, especially long ones. I trust you are such?"

Stepping away from the bar he gave a courtly bow worthy of any court in the West, a remnant of almost forgotten lessions learned from another minstrel met in his past journeys... "M'lady, allow me to introduce myself. I am Toshiro, an honored elder of Clan Kimura."

With a graceful curtsy of her own she replies, "I am Tamar Kamanov a humble spinner of songs and tales."

She turns to Kvelti. "With your permission lady, I would like to introduce my friend and traveling companion."

With that there is a sudden rush of chairs and bodies moving away from the door. As the crowd parts a grey and white wolf stalks towards Tamar. As the wolf passes, many of the patrons instinctivly protect their food from a head that is as high as the tables.

Tamar turns towards the crowd, "Please do be concerned she will not hurt or disturb anyone unless she is attacked."

Most of the patrons do not believe her and began to leave the bar. The few that remain keep one eye on the wolf and began polishing short swords and daggers.

Kvelti reaches beneath the bar and suddenly is holding two throwing daggers in each hand. "What's the rules, eh? Rule one: Draw steel, steel in you! Put that shit away!"

Startled, the patrons comply. She nods. "That's better. Hell of a day for business...closed for the afternoon rush, dinner rush chased out by a wolf. Hiya, pup. Ah, the dangers of a retired adventurer."

She looks at Tamar. "Was that entirely necessary? Nevermind. It'll be getting dark in not too long, so why don't you kids get a move on, huh? Straight across the road, north and east into the Forest, towards its center. They probably haven't gone too far, and you can probably catch them in you hurry. Shoo, shoo! Here..." She gets a burlap sack and begins throwing bread into it. A cupboard reveals two smoked sausages, which go in...and four hand casks. "Sack lunch for ye both, in case you were thinking of eating here. Now, git!"

With a shameful look in her eyes Tamar reaches up to her earlob and pulls out a golden hooped earring. "My apologizes, I hope this helps to compensate for the business Cora scared away."

"Why, thanks, Kvelti." Toshiro replies as he lays a handfull of assorted coin on the bar. "We shall take this in good faith. I must get my mount and we shall be off."

Turning to Tamar, he gave a slight bow. "M'lady, if yu would meet me at the woodline, I shall be with you momentarily." With that, he quickly went to the stable, where the boy he paid earlier was in the middle of brushing down the horse.

"Mister, I haven't finished!" he exclaimed as Toshiro grabbed his saddle and went to put it on.

"Thats okay, son. Consider it a downpayment on your services upon my return" Toshiro smiled as he fastened the saddle to his horse. "And I will be back, this I promise." Refastening his packs to the saddle, he walked the horse from the stable and carefully mounted. Once settled, he turned his horse to the stable and gave the boy a brief wave. Then, with a flurry of hooves, was gone.

I have done it again... he thought as he approached the trees to see Tamar standing there. I went rushing off, quite willingly to boot, to help out against a great evil. When will I even learn not to do such actions; that is for the young which is something I really am becoming to old for. Reining in his horse, he smiled at Tamar as his mind was elsewhere. Someday I really must find that old wujen; just to let him know he was right about those four great things good and bad coming my way. And to think he was wrong after Karla....