Wyndermore ~ Legend of Ages

[evesilverthorne]

The shadows on the busy streets of Belentia were growing long as the light from the yellow-white day sun began to fade. It wouldn't be long before everything was bathed in the calm light of the deep blue night sun. Prestia Blithmore stepped into the dimly lit taproom of the Klipmar Inn, her eyes searching for the familiar faces of her friends. It took only moments to find them seated at their usual table. Signaling to the barkeep, she mad her way toward them. "At last, everyone is here." a young khilder male smiled as she sat down.

 

"Sorry I'm late, my studies took longer than I thought they would." she settled into her chair as the barkeep sat a tankard of elven bloodwyne on the table before her. She brushed her platinum hair back out of her eyes, wishing that just once it would stay trapped in the leather hair tie she wore. She reached up and tugged the strip of leather out of her hair letting the remainder of it fall free. She didn’t notice two of her friends nearly choke on their drinks.

 

Milmarn, the young Khilder, smiled. "Don't worry yourself, we have not been here for half a candle mark. How are the studies of the ever vigilant bard-in-training?” His eyes traveled over her disheveled form. He really wished she would remember to take better care of herself. He had known for years that she worried more about the rest of the world than she did herself.

 

Relaxing for the first time in over a fortnight she sighed, “Frightful. I spend more time healing the sick and wounded as a cleric than I do working as a bard. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get my final composition finished. But when the town is short on the healing wise, you do what you must." she admitted softly bringing the bloodwyne to her lips. It's flavor was refreshing after the time spent with the wounded. She loved helping people, so when the head healer asked her to use her natural gifts with healing to fill in the gaps of the healing wise she couldn’t say no. Her eyes traveled around the scarred old table taking in the faces of her lifelong friends one at a time.

 

Her striking silver eyes first settled on the well chiseled features of Kel Treyari. As always he was sitting there in battered leather armor, a sword hanging over the back of his chair. He had been the first of the group that she met as a child. His green eyes and brown hair making you think he would blend into a crowd. The muscles developing in his training as a fighter made known that he was a protector. She knew he had many secrets, but he was her friend. That fact in itself meant she trusted him. Many a time over the years she had willingly put her life in his strong hands. Always had she been safe in doing so. Just now though she didn’t feel right trusting any of her friends with her secret.

 

Slowly her eyes moved to the ever curious Elane Mershree. With a small build and plain features Prestia had a feeling that curiosity would be put to good use as a thief. She had seen Elane’s nimble fingers help her brother Sethree on countless occasions. The two of them had always made a good team. She had always been jealous of Elane’s tiny figure. There had been many a day when Prestia had gotten lost in Elane’s deep brown eyes while she was spinning a tale.

 

Farther around the table Prestia's eyes came to rest upon a book that was, as always, hiding the deep sea-blue eyes of Milmarn Creel. She couldn't remember many times that Milmarn's eyes and mind weren't buried in some book or another. Most of them ended up completely obsessing him from the first page. The written word was his world. Knowledge the blood that flowed through his veins. So it had come as no surprise to any of them when he decided to follow the path of Lore Master. She actually figured they would have been worried if he hadn’t. Even his parents knew that his world would be in the written word.

 

Prestia shivered as her eyes collided with the steel blue eyes of Trelane Rathree. She didn't look at them very long. Trelane was a slight wisp of a thing. Raven black hair and brilliant green eyes captivated nearly everyone that ever met her. She always seemed to drift over the ground as she walked, making Prestia nervous. It wasn't that Prestia disliked the young woman, they were in fact very good friends. They had always gotten along well. Even to the point of sharing secrets as they grew up. She just couldn't bring herself to like the path that Trelane had chosen. Having witnessed more than once the destruction caused at the hands of a mage. Magick scared Prestia to her center of her very soul. Sometimes due to that she found it very hard to trust Trelane. One of the few times Prestia had ventured out of the walls of Belentia it had been to a small village nearly a full days ride away. Her father had taken her and her brother as a life lesson. When they got to the village it was to find the place burned to the ground. It had been the site of a mage battle. Prestia had stepped up with her brother right beside her and began to tend to the wounded. She could still remember her father’s anger at her and her own anger at the pair of dead mages.

 

As her eyes continued their journey around the table they came to rest on her closest friend in the group, Sethree. He was the strongest dreamer of the group and Elane's older brother. Prestia had always thought he was handsome with his chestnut brown eyes and nearly black hair. However, her heart had been taken long before by another. She remembered many a day when she would watch him use his natural skills as a thief to lift things that the poor people on the streets needed and he had no other way to get for them. Even with the talents of a thief it had been his dream since before any of them could remember to become a paladin. Though a tough dream to complete Prestia wished him luck on the journey. He was bound to learn more on the journey than she would on her journey as a bard. Sethree’s heart had always been set on being a paladin. The first day he picked up a sword he swore and his honor to the service of the blessed crown of Belentia. She knew he would never fail that vow.

 

Glancing to her other side, Prestia's eyes darkened at the sight of the man sitting there, if you wanted to call him a man that is. Katarip looked perfectly normal as he sat there drinking dragon-ale and watching the other patrons of the taproom. Her heart had found him and the mind link they could share fascinating from the moment they met. Even though Prestia had known and been friends with him for years, she still had a hard time with the fact that he was a dragon. He spent most of his time the way he was now, in human form. As such she had found herself becoming much closer to him than she should have as they had grown older. Her thoughts fluttered across the night a few months before when she had put her fear of his dragon half aside and let her heart lead her. She would cherish those moments for the rest of her life. Hoping each say the someday she could admit the truth and not be punished for it.

 

The last person at the table was Prestia's twin brother Tekar. Their mother had passed away giving them life leaving them with a father who knew nothing of raising a child let alone a set of twins. They knew nothing of their mother’s family. When they were young they were raised by their grandmother Blithmore. As they got older they were left on their own. Tekar had always been her rock, the stability in her world. They were both on the path of the healer, but where she choose to combine it with the work of a bard, her brother had decided to use his build to his advantage as a fighter.

 

The group of them came together at the Klipmar about once a month to talk about what was happening in their lives. They had been doing so since the first time they had been allowed inside without someone to watch them. The last few months everyone had been talking about how they felt like the town was closing in on them. Prestia, holding her secret tight to her chest, was feeling it the most. Her secret would destroy more than just her life if it ever got out.

 

Everyone looked as nervous as she felt, so Prestia figured she would start the meeting. “Every month we meet to talk about how things are going for each of us. Over the last few months we have all at one point or another admitted to wanting to get away for awhile. Friends, we have known each other throughout our childhood. Each helping the others to grow by doing what was needed. I know I sound like I am reading from a book. That is because while I believe everything I am saying with all of my heart, it still hurts to say it. Now I fear the time has come for each of us to find and walk our own paths. We have grown as much as we can together. The next step is to see where we can lead ourselves. None of us strong enough to fight the battle that is our birthright." the words were stiff, the speech having been planned and practiced to the last letter. They all knew the time was coming, but they weren’t looking forward to it. Prestia herself knew that leaving would be one of the hardest things she had ever done, but she didn’t have a choice.

 

Milmarn was the first to respond, "What are you saying Prestia? Are you suggesting we all run away from home?" there was laughter in his voice. His eyes traveled over her again. He was really worried about her. Over the last couple of moons she had really begun to look like something was wrong. When he had asked her about it, she would just smile and tell him it was nothing to worry about.

 

A smile flashed on her face and lit her eyes, her speech had hit at least one nerve. "In a manner yes, That is just what I am saying. We have all said that we want more. Well we have the chance to try something new. Training by sparing is only going to take us so far. We need to see real life outside the walls of Belentia if we want to get as good as we need to be."

 

Trelane spoke up, "I think she might be right. Also there are many things we can do outside the walls of Belentia, that can't be done within them. This place is growing stale." To her the place had started to feel like everyone was against her. Being a mage in Belentia was rapidly becoming a bad idea. Those in power didn’t really want mages within the city walls. They felt it was unsafe.

 

Kel looked thoughtful, "I wouldn't mind seeing the Kreeshmar Sorrows with my own eyes. That place has a history of power and mystery." he explained thinking Prestia might, for the first time in a long time have a good idea. He could remember with crystal clarity the last time he thought she had a good idea. He never did find the nerve to ask her how the night with Katarip had gone.

Prestia smiled again, she was getting a better response than she had expected. Quietly she signaled the barkeep for another round of drinks. "We have twelve summer before we must embark on our birthright. How many of those should we follow our own paths?" she asked, her eyes drifting to Katarip. She was still wondering how in the world her birthright could be a part of his. And how she would ever live with the secret that would forever hang between them.

 

Katarip, noticing her attention on him spoke for the first time all night. "Lady Prestia, I have known you since the day you were born. I also know that regardless of the fact we have been friends for years you are not fond of the dragon blood that flows within me. I feel it is high time to ask you why?" His mind reliving the one night of paradise he had known in her arms. It had been a test, and in his own eyes he had failed. He had fallen asleep with her in his arms in his nest begging the gods above to take away his dragon blood. When he woke the next morning he had been alone. They hadn’t spoken of that night, and he knew she didn’t understand that through everything he loved her.

 

Her heart jumped, she couldn't tell him the truth. If she did she would be banished. It went against the teachings of the church for a elf to lay with those of dragon blood. The child growing within her was proof she had done just that. Even if she could go back, she wouldn’t give up that one night. Her heart broke just thinking about it, but there was nothing she could do. "It is not that I don't like dragons, but for reasons that are mine alone I think those with the power to take human form shouldn't be allowed. And those that are already among us should be hidden away or at least hide the fact they have dragon blood." she answered wishing she herself could hide. Her love for him burned in her heart like a flame. She could never repeat the most wonderful night of her life, but she would raise her child to know that their father was a wonderful man. Even if they never met.

 

Katarip's smile faded and his heart broke, "I understand. I will from now on take care around you to hide the dragon qualities I have. Maybe someday you will find enough trust in your heart to tell me those reasons. Now back to your question, I think ten summers would give us all plenty of time. What do the rest of you think?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers. Ten summers to him was now the blink of an eye and he knew it wouldn’t change the way he felt about her. They each held too many secrets, but neither of them was ready to give in and share. He had spoken to his father the day after they were together about making her his wife, and still had yet to hear the end of it. His father couldn’t believe he wanted to spend the rest of his life with a woman who hated dragons.

 

There were murmurs of agreement from around the table as the barmaid arrived with another round of drinks. As she stepped away Sethree's voice carried to Prestia's ears. "I think Katarip's got a good idea on the time. Ten years should give us enough time to follow our own paths and still get us back together with time to train as a team again." They would need time to learn how to fight together again with the changes in style ten years of fighting alone would bring.

 

"So we are all in agreement then right? It's time we went out to see what is beyond the walls of Belentia. To return in ten summers from our travels and begin our training as a team once more." Kel's voice rumbled. His eyes locked on Katarip’s wondering what the sadness he could see there recently was about.

 

Prestia scanned the group again, it would be very different over the next decade to not have her friends there in the blink of an eye. She wondered again if she would be able to block Katarip’s mind link long enough to get through the months ahead. It was time to start counting on her own skills to get things done and keep herself alive. "Agreed, ten summers it is. We meet back here at the Klipmar for mid-summer festival." tears were welling in both her eyes and voice. Good-byes were never easy. This one felt like the end of the world.

 

Elane's musical voice carried softly to each of the friends as she whispered her good-byes. "Each of you will be greatly missed as I walk the path that is before me. Each one of you have found a special place in my heart over the years. I hope to see you all at festival when we return." She hugged each of her friends. Wondering what kind of changes would come before she saw them again.

 

Tekar's voice was dry but rough as sand as he fought to say his good-byes. "having been so close to all of you for so long I feel the eight of us are more of a family than the one that belongs to the blood that flows in this body. Each of you had fought at my side at least once during our time together. As sword brothers there is a special honor between us that not all friends find. I would willingly stand beside each and everyone of you in battle until either the battle is won or we are all lost. I love all of you and pray that our hopes lead us true until our return in ten summers. Travel well my friends, blessings be with you all." He stood behind his chair fighting an internal battle over walking away. He looked each of his friends in the eyes. He would deeply miss all of them.

 

Trelane's smile held a bitter sadness at the thought of being apart from her friends for so long, "For the first time in my life words fail me. There is so much I would like to say, yet at this moment none of it seems at all important. I will miss you all more than you know. I bid you safe travels and a knowledge filled journey." Her eyes never drifted from Kel’s face as she spoke. It would be hardest for her to walk away from him.

 

"Good-byes are never easy. They often take more out of you than actually leaving does. So I find this is not a real good-bye but merely a suspension of time until we can be together again." the soft words came from Sethree as he finished the last of his drink. He stood, but didn’t go anywhere. He wanted to hear the last of the good-byes.

 

Milmarn silently stood up from his chair closing the distance between himself and Elane. He gave her a quick hug. Tears were forming as the words began to tumble out. "I will miss you all. I pray the fates are kind and we meet again." he stepped back to offer the other two woman farewell hugs.

 

Katarip looked up as Kel was trying to slip away without saying farewell. "Kel, my friend, please wait. I have something I wish for you to have." he watched as Kel stopped and turned to face him.

 

Kel appeared as unemotional as he always did, "What is it old man? You know I don't do good-byes." the fighter snapped. “I know I will see you all again. Remember if I say good-bye you won’t see me again.”

 

"A gift from an old one." Katarip snickered as a coin pouch appeared hanging in mid-air before Kel.

 

Kel reached out and snatched it from the air. Slowly he pulled open the drawstring as similar pouches appeared before each person at the table. That is everyone other than Prestia. Before her there was a silver scroll case. As he looked inside he found more money than he had seen in his lifetime, along with a handful of gems. "What's this for?"

 

Katarip was smiling, "Each pouch contains a small token of my treasure to help you on your journey. Inside them you will find gold, silver, and copper coins along with gems you can sell if the money runs out. This is my farewell, I wish all of you well." he sat watching as one by one his friends stood and walked out of the taproom. Prestia however had not moved a muscle from the moment the first pouch had appeared leaving the scroll case hanging in front of her.

 

"Katarip?" his name on her lips was a question in itself. There was so much she wanted to say, yet knew she couldn’t.

 

"Yes Prestia. Is something wrong?" he asked with a small grin gracing his handsome face.

 

"Yes, no, I mean I don't understand. Why did you give them pouches of money and leave me sitting here with nothing but a scroll?" she asked her mind racing, trying to understand what was angering her more, the fact he gave out so much or the fact he hadn't given her anything.

 

"There are a couple of reasons for that. The biggest being that I didn't want you to have one. Now before you get all bent out of shape listen to everything I have to say." he explained. “What is in that case is more important than money. I want you to have it, but you have to promise that you will never open it.”

 

She looked at him completely confused, “Why do you want me to have it if you don’t want me to open it?” she demanded.

 

“There are many things in this world that we are not ready to hear. The story behind that scroll case may be one of them. If you really want me to explain I will.” He told her a sadness creeping into his eyes.

 

"Fine, but start talking and it better be good." she snapped having difficulty keeping her temper as always.

 

"You need not money or gems. The scroll case is very old, and very special. It holds a scroll from my family. It is important to me that you have it. The world is at your finger tips, just waiting for you to step up to the challenge. Are you willing to try?" he asked absently fingering the pouch he would slip into her pocket if she told him no.

 

Prestia stared at him, "what are you talking about Kat?" she knew that what ever he was up to concerned her and him. It wasn't a comforting feeling.

 

"I want to offer you a chance for great adventures, but you have to trust me. Can you?" he asked softly. He hoped he could trust himself. Everything would fall apart if her failed.

 

"Yes, I can trust you. What do you need me to do?" she responded. She reached up and plucked the scroll case from the air.

 

There was a small flash of light between them and Katarip smiled, "Take the medallion on the table before you. It will open many doors for you on you learn how to use it. Be safe. I bid you well." he finished as a soft white light surrounded him. Before she could say anything in response he was gone. As she stood up to pick up the medallion she felt something in her pocket. Reaching in she found a money pouch. She could hear Katarip laughing over the mind link.

 

 

Mid-summer festival

Year of the rising dawn

[Elvina]

Hi Lady Eve! I've started reading this, but I have to rush off to work, so I'll have to come back and finish this review later on. So far, though, I've found this very entrancing and interesting. I thought you might have introduced too many characters in the beginning there. Maybe all that introduction would be less confusing if you indispersed it with the conversation as the piece goes on. I also spotted a few sentences that were awkward, but I'll have to point them out later. Try reading this piece aloud to yourself and you should spot those places.

 

Your world seems very rich. I liked the fact that your main character is a bard in training, but she has a gift for healing. I found myself wondering why she wouldn't want a career as a healer, which would be the more generic thing for someone with those skills to do in a fantasy world. I'm glad you didn't do that, I might add. It made me wonder just why Prestia wants to be a bard instead of a healer.

 

I also liked how when she took her hair down her friends almost choked. That was a good way of showing us that she's beautiful. Nice work so far!

 

~Elvina

[Elvina]

So... Are you planning on posting more than this?

[GeldrinHor]

Well now, having sat down and reading this in one whole, I appreciated many of the little twists in it, giving it a start up to a very enjoyable plot. I hope that our author has not disappeared, only to return in ten years to tell more of the story. I am looking forward to seeing just who they will follow on their personal quests, other than Prestia....or will the primary be the only first hand, while the others relate their ups and downs, fames and fortunes upon their return for Mid-Summer Festival.

 

Very enticing storyline...a few minor flaws with speech and spelling, but easily overcome as they are in places where the obvious thought or word were already in the readers mind.

 

 

 

Well done, thus far, and looking forward to more....hopefully soon.