The Towers

Copyright (C) 1997 by Charles Tryon


2: A Different Sort Of Battle

The others were already back at the warehouse when GreyEagle arrived. Metzler and his troops were there too, waiting in front of the building. There were about two dozen soldiers, all mounted on light war horses. They looked like experienced fighters, and a number bore scars as testimonies of previous battles. They held themselves with pride and their uniforms and armor were well kept.
The soldiers watched them carefully. A number of them nodded respectful to the dwarf, but they seemed to dismiss the others as inconsequential. Sucaba and Horton, now invisible, sat a short distance off and watched. GreyEagle glanced back at them a couple of times before she realized suddenly that while she could see the pair, the soldiers were unaware of their presence. She thought she caught a hint of a smirk on Sucaba's face as he silently followed the goings on.
She looked back at the soldiers and suddenly blushed as she felt several pairs of eyes staring at her. A number of the soldiers looked uncertain at seeing a woman dressed as a fighter in their midst, and she could see them whispering and occasionally hear a suppressed snicker. She carefully set her jaw and returned their stares. After a tense moment, they shrugged and turned their attention elsewhere.
Schimray approached from the area of the warehouse. He went to each member of the group to wish them good luck. Last of all, he turned to GreyEagle.
"May the sun always be on your shoulder and the wind at your back," he said, squeezing her hand. "I look forward to the day of your return. May Torm smile on your quest and bring you back safely when you are done." She looked down for a moment, and then pulled out the letter which she had written and quickly handed it to him. She wanted to say something, but couldn't bring herself to speak. Schimray gave her a questioning look, and then quietly tucked the letter away in the folds of his cloak. "Be brave, my little one, and in the end you will prevail." He reached out and lightly touched her cheek.
Finally, he turned to Metzler and shook his hand. "Keep an eye on them for me, will you?" Schimray said with a smile, "and make sure the dwarf gets enough to eat."
Metzler chuckled. "I will make a point of doubling our food supplies."
"Then, good speed to you and your men. I will see you when you return." With a final nod to the regulars, Schimray abruptly turned on his heels and disappeared back inside the warehouse.
GreyEagle watched him go. She knew it was best to make good-byes brief, but that made it no easier on her. She felt a stinging in her eyes, and hastily wiped away the tears that had formed there. She had an uphill battle ahead of her to win the respect of Metzler and his fighters there, and shedding tears would certainly not help on that score. She was gripped with a sudden urge to drop everything and run after Schimray, shutting out the troubles of the world around her with the strength of his arms, but she swallowed hard and fought down the emotion. There was a task to be accomplished, and now that she had turned her foot down that path, she would not turn from it until she had reached its end. She to stood there for a moment, watching where Schimray had disappeared into the warehouse and thinking of the letter she had given him. She knew that it would be with him. With that encouragement, she sighed quietly and turned back to the others.
Metzler led the group around to the rear of the warehouse where a large caravan was being readied. Two dozen wagons stood strung out before them, with at least fifty additional people running around, tying corners down here and stuffing boxes in there. The captain and his men calmly watched the activity from a short distance away. After almost an hour of shouting and scurrying, it seemed that the caravan was finally ready.
"Sir, where do you wish us to march in the caravan?" Ormec asked when it was clear that they were getting ready to leave.
"I will march point with eight of my men," Metzler replied, "and another eight will march at the rear. The rest will be in two groups in the middle. Sucaba has already said that he and his dragon will fly ahead. You may position yourselves along the length of the caravan."
He moved to the head of the caravan and his men quickly fell into place. He nudged his horse into motion with a shout, and with a groan, the line of wagons slowly began to move behind him, crawling like a great ponderous beast. They inched their way through the crowded and winding streets of the city for almost an hour before they reached the southern gates. From there, they passed through the trading posts and animal pens just outside the city, and then finally, to the open road.
The road between Arabel and Suzail was well kept and Metzler quickened the pace. The farmlands to either side passed by in a steady blur, with the King's forest to the west providing a deep brown and green backdrop to the lighter greens of fields just starting to grow. Children along the way waved and called out as the caravan passed, and a few jogged along side crying for handouts. Most of the travelers ignored them but one of the men tossed out little wooden trinkets, and smiled at their squeals of delight. GreyEagle smiled and waved to the children, and tossed out a few copper and silver pieces of her own in their direction, laughing at their antics
GreyEagle rode up along the edge of the caravan until she was even with captain Metzler. He gave her no greeting, nor any indication that he even noticed her there. A messenger galloped up from the rear and Metzler nodded as the messenger handed over a small slip of paper. He quickly scanned it and tucked it in a small pouch on his belt. With a quick hand signal from the captain, the messenger quickly dropped back to wherever he had come from.
"I am honored to accompany you and your men on this trip," GreyEagle finally said, watching Metzler carefully for any reaction. "I wanted to assure you of my allegiance to your command here." The captain nodded, but he still didn't look at her. GreyEagle waited a moment to see if he would say anything else, but when he remained silent, she dropped back. His silence angered her. It was obvious that she was still considered a member of the "weaker sex" here, and not taken seriously as a real fighter. The cool looks from the soldiers in the caravan pushed her out and excluded her from their conversations and jokes. It had been some time since she had been forced to fight this battle for respect, and now it seemed like she was starting all over again from scratch. She grit her teeth and tried to reassure herself that the time to prove mettle would come soon enough.
Recuahc pulled up along side of her and smiled. "A fine start to a great adventure, is it not? A fine horse, a good road, the sun on our shoulders, lots of people to talk to. What more could a man want?"
GreyEagle scowled. She was not in the mood for frivolous chatter, but yet, Recuahc's smile was infectious. "I suppose we should enjoy the sunshine while we have it."
"Is that the best you can do?" he laughed. "This is the sort of day that makes your blood flow." He lowered his voice. "Besides, there should be piles of gold and treasures at the end of this road. That should make your eyes sparkle."
"Gold I have seen enough of, and there is much road to travel before we reach its end," she hissed back.
Recuahc pulled up some. "I seem to have touched a sore spot, and for that I apologize."
GreyEagle tried to smile. "I'm sorry -- it's not your fault."
"Something troubles you?"
"No, it is nothing."
"A lot of `nothing' it must be to cause such sharp barbs. You look like you are not happy about leaving."
GreyEagle shrugged. She was still not in the mood to talk. Recuahc rode silently beside her for a while.
"Perhaps later," he said finally. The smile had returned to his face and he winked. "It looks like we will have time a-plenty on this trip." He gave his horse a little kick and moved up along the line. He was quickly involved in a loud conversation with a couple of the drivers, frequently interspersed with laughter. GreyEagle watched as he moved up and down the line of wagons, quickly making friends, always ready with a quick laugh or song. It was like he could directly absorb the sunshine which poured down on them and then reflect it back in the form of smiles and laughter. He was a welcome relief from the sour faces of the mages.
The sun slowly sank behind the forest, and soon twilight was upon them. With the falling darkness, the wagons pulled a short distance off the roadway and formed a protective circle in a grassy field. The people in the caravan were well used to the routine, and the evening chores of picketing the horses, setting up camp and cooking the evening meal were quickly accomplished. GreyEagle got down from her horse and attended to its needs. Conrad pulled up beside her and dismounted stiffly.
"I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoyed traveling by horseback," he muttered. "Remind me next time I'm tempted to agree to this to go soak my head in a bucket of cold water for a while first."
GreyEagle laughed in spite of her dour mood. "You'll get used to it soon."
"Probably, about the time we get back again," he said, wincing as he tried to bend over to loosen his boots, "just in time to take another rest." He limped off in the direction of one of the cooking fires which had already begun to spring up around them.
The silent mage was already standing at one such fire, checking up on how things were going. Sucaba and Horton had also returned to the group, and by the reactions of the people in the caravan, GreyEagle guessed that the pair was now visible to all. They settled down in a secluded spot near the perimeter of the circle of wagons. After the day of riding by herself, GreyEagle was glad for the company of her friends, and she joined then. Eventually, the others joined them there.
"So do we fix our own meals, or eat with the others here?" Ormec asked. "Those cooking pots are already starting to small good."
"Leave it to the dwarf to be already thinking about food," Trouble laughed.
"I haven't heard any useful suggestions from you," Ormec snapped back, "and I for one don't particularly feel like trail rations, not when I can smell that cooking."
GreyEagle would have spoken up, but after receiving the cold shoulder all day long, she was not even sure she wanted to eat. She knew that she would be hungry in the morning, but right now she was too angry to think about it.
Just then, one of Metzler's men came over. "My name is Coyle and I'd like to invite you to join with us in the evening meal. The merchants prepare it and everyone shares. Also, the captain has put me in charge of your group, so if you need anything, you should see me."
"A little respect would be nice," GreyEagle muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Coyle asked, turning towards her.
"Oh, nothing," GreyEagle said with a pasted on smile.
Coyle gave GreyEagle a long hard look. "Perhaps you should speak to Marianne over there about sleeping in one of the women's wagons. This may be just a short trip, but sleeping out on your own is likely to invite every hot blooded recruit who's got more ale than brains to have a try at you. I'm sure you can handle yourself, but we don't want any unnecessary trouble. Besides, I'm sure the women would be happy to have a fresh face to talk to. Once we're on the ship you will be bunking with a couple of them, so it would be best to get to know them now."
"I thank you very kindly Coyle," GreyEagle snapped back, "but I believe that I will eat with the rest of my group here." She was not about to give up so easily. They all rose and moved over to the fire where most of the soldiers had gathered, except for Horton, who curled up with his nose under his wing at the edge of the flickering fire light.
The meal was soon served, steaming hot on metal plates, and it took some delicate maneuvering to keep from burning their fingers. The soldiers were apparently well used to the routine, and there were some suppressed snickers at their discomfort. Sucaba filled a second plate and carried it back to Horton. GreyEagle and the others were almost finished by the time Sucaba slipped back into the circle of firelight to eat his own meal. He ate in silence, and as soon as he was finished, he withdrew to where the dragon lay. GreyEagle thought they almost looked sad as she glanced back to where they lay stretched out on the ground together. The dragon had become strangely quiet that evening, and she had a feeling that something was troubling both of them, but she could not put her finger on what it might be.
GreyEagle moved over to sit next to Recuahc. "Tell me about yourself, kind Recuahc," she said. "Where did you grow up, and what did you do to keep yourself out of trouble?"
"There isn't that much to tell about myself," he replied with a shrug. "I lived with my parents and younger sister in the mountains. I helped my parents tend sheep mostly."
"Ah, the joys of herding sheep," GreyEagle laughed. "I too grew up watching the silly beasts. An honorable profession I say, and let no one tell you otherwise."
Recuahc smiled. "It was something to do. What education I have was given me by my mother. She used to sit with me after dinner and go over my lessons." Recuahc paused for a long moment and his eyes took on a far away look. "They've been dead for some years now," he said flatly. GreyEagle caught her breath suddenly as she thought of her own parents whom she had not seen for years and she wondered if they might be dead or alive. Before she could ask him more though, Recuahc quickly turned to Conrad.
"Would you care to spar with me?" he asked, then he smiled mischievously. "You have to promise not to hurt me too badly though."
"Certainly," Conrad replied, happy for an excuse to get up and do something. "My sword is always at the ready. I've not had an opportunity to try my skills with many humans yet, and I will enjoy the challenge. Beware though -- gnomes may be short, but our blades are quick. Take care or I may find a way to slip through your guard."
GreyEagle watched the two prepare themselves. She wondered why Recuahc had mentioned his parents, and then dropped the matter so quickly. She bit her lip as she saw Recuahc take a few practice swings with his sword to warm up, all the time laughing and joking with Conrad. Was he that callus, or had he just buried his memories so deeply that he never thought of them. She knew that skill well herself.
As the match between Conrad and Recuahc began, a small crowd of spectators quickly formed. The two were quite evenly matched and they went on for several minutes before Conrad managed to slip past Recuahc's guard and score a hit. GreyEagle watched intently as the two of them slowly circled each other, feigning and dodging. She and the others had already seen Conrad in action, but this was their first opportunity to gauge the newcomer. Sucaba got up from where he was and came over to watch, but he quickly lost interest and turned to the other mages.
"How about a game of darts?" he asked. "The crudeness of sword play grows wearisome. Have you gentlemen heard of `Second Shot'? It usually requires a special playing arena, but I think we could build one quick enough." The silent mage nodded eagerly, and turned to see if Trouble would make the game a threesome, but the other mage shook his head. Sucaba gave him a dirty look, but then shrugged and wandered off with the silent one to set up their own game.
Recuahc and Conrad went on for almost a half hour before they finally called it quits. In spite of his smaller size, Conrad's experience had given him enough of an edge to stay out of the way of most of Recuahc's blows. There was a smattering of applause as the two sat down to rest, and GreyEagle noticed money quickly exchanging hands between some of the soldiers. Most had not expected someone as short as Conrad to be any good with a sword, but those who had guessed otherwise smiled broadly as they cleaned up on the wagers.
One of the soldiers produced a darkly stained jug and passed to over to Conrad. The gnome took a deep drought and then lifted the jug high over his head to the cheers of those around the fire. He then passed the mug to Recuahc. The young man took a swig, just as he had seen Conrad do, and promptly choked, to the raucous laughter of the soldiers. Not to be outdone that easily, he tried again, this time prepared for the searing fire of the liquor, and with some difficulty, managed to get the liquid down. He too raised the jug over his head, though not with the same conviction as the gnome. It was good enough for the soldiers though, and a cheer once again went up. Recuahc passed the jug to Ormec and the dwarf took what was easily the longest drought of the three. They had now been accepted by the soldiers, and there were hearty invitations to swap stories around their campfire.
GreyEagle suddenly felt alone, and the feeling of being an outsider stung her deeply. Even during the meal she had felt less than welcome, and she had kept to herself, barely tolerating the crude joking that the conversation had quickly degraded to. She resented being so quickly dismissed as excess baggage, but there was not much that she could do about it right now.
She remembered Coyle's advice about staying with the women in their wagons. Since she could think of nothing better to do, she picked up her things and headed in the direction which Coyle had indicated.
As she approached the women's wagons, she hesitated. She was brave in the face of blood and battle, but now she was stepping out of her familiar world of armor and swords, and into a world of brightly patterned dresses, fancy hairdos and sweet smelling spices. Her own face was plain and sunburned, her clothes carried the dirt and smells of the road, and her hands -- they looked more like they belonged to a common laborer than a woman of class. She felt caught between the two worlds, a member of neither one. Nevertheless, she brushed a loose lock of hair from her face, held up her chin, and approached the women sitting around the camp fire.
She quickly discovered that her fears of fancy hairdos and perfumes were for naught. The women there were dressed plainly, though there were bright splashes of color here and there in the things they wore. She had hardly even noticed them as they had traveled -- her mind had been so busy with other things. She quickly found the woman named Marianne, who drew her into a circle of younger women and girls near the fire where the last remnants of dinner were being cleaned up.
"I saw you when you first came with the others, and wondered how long it would be before you ended up over here," Marianne said with a smile.
"I'd never show my face outside of one of these wagons if that Coyle fellow had his way. I'm surprised he even looked at me."
Marianne laughed. "You need only get to know him a little better and I think you will appreciate him."
"I think I will keep as far from him as I can, thank you. He is no better than the others."
Marianne waved the comment aside. "Time will tell. In any event, I think you will find the welcome here refreshing."
GreyEagle sighed. "I hope so. I feel like I've been fighting all day long."
Marianne leaned over and whispered into her ear. "If you don't mind, some of the younger girls have been whispering about you and your sword all day long. They would be delighted if you could show it to them."
"Just so none of them get any crazy ideas about growing up to be a fighter," GreyEagle laughed back. Marianne's eyes sparkled. She gave a little hand signal and a group of girls in their young teens who had been hovering a short distance away quickly surrounded GreyEagle. They all had questions, and all wanted to ask them at once. She answered as many as she could, but the quicker she talked the more they wanted to know. They wanted most of all to see her sword, so she drew it out. A hush fell over the group as she held it out in front of her, softly glowing in the darkness of the night. One of the older girls, a tall and slender figure with penetrating eyes, reached out gingerly to touch the sword, and GreyEagle held out the pommel towards her. At first she would not take it, but then she grinned at the others and grabbed hold of it with both hands. She almost dropped the sword as she felt the wave of magic flash through her arms, and GreyEagle had to struggle to not laugh out loud at the look of surprise in her face.
They were interrupted by the sound of someone loudly clearing their throat. GreyEagle looked behind her and was confronted by the stern gazes of a pair of matrons who were looking over her shoulder and whispering to each other. GreyEagle quickly returned her sword to its place while Marianne shooed the girls into their wagon.
"No need to bring down their wrath on our heads," she whispered to GreyEagle as she pulled her towards the wagon where the others had gone. "I am sure the girls have lots of things of their own to show you, and perhaps later you can entertain them with some of the stories I'm sure you've collected in your wanderings."
GreyEagle stepped up into the wagon and was surprised to see how closely packed everything was. Eight tiny bunks were built into sides, four on a side, and save for a narrow isle down the center, not a single inch of space had been waisted. Dressers and closets had been built into the walls, and there was a small wash-basin and mirror at the front, though GreyEagle wondered with a smirk how it would be possible for that many young women to use it all at the same time in the morning. It was clean and neat, and in spite of the close quarters, the air inside was clean and fresh, due in large part to the two windows which stood wide open to the night breezes, one at the front and one over the door at the rear. The girl to whom GreyEagle had handed her sword was apparently the eldest of the group, and the others looked up to and obeyed her every word. She had a tiny desk and chair at the rear of the wagon, and by the papers carefully tucked into the various pigeonholes, GreyEagle guessed that she was probably one of the few there who could read and write.
Now however, they were interested in showing her all of their trinkets and treasures. After a while they asked if they could fix her hair and nails. She consented and pulled out the braid which she normally did her hair up in. She leaned back in the chair and just soaked in the pampering. She had never before received such royal treatment, and she wondered if this was how it felt to be a queen
When they had finished with her hair, some of the girls brought out dresses for her to try on. She removed her armor which she was still wearing from the day and tried on a couple of the dresses. While not extravagant, they still made her feel somehow prettier and more like a woman. She looked at herself in the mirror and was surprised to see what a difference a tiny bit of makeup could make. She wondered what Schimray would think if he could see her now, swirling in colors and smelling like a garden in Spring.
GreyEagle noticed the eldest looking longingly at her armor as it lay on the bed. She laughed and said that she could try it on. After all, here she was trying on all of their clothes. It took some time for GreyEagle to get the various straps and closures adjusted for the girl's smaller frame, but they finally got it just about right. The girl stood there in front of them trying to look stern, but somehow the image didn't quite fit, and they all suddenly collapsed to the floor in fits of giggles. GreyEagle laughed until her sides hurt.
While it felt strange to her to enter back into this world of dresses and giggles after having spent so much time in the world of men, it was refreshing to be accepted for a while for who she was.
After a while, they went back out to one of the fires which still burned brightly within the circle of wagons. They sat in a circle around the fire and the girl's wide eyes reflected its light as they listened to the tales of magic and battles which GreyEagle spun for them. Too soon, however, the older women broke up the circle, sending them all off to their wagons with warnings that it would be an early morning tomorrow. The men showed no indications of breaking up as they sat around their fires, and the sounds of their laughter floated back to GreyEagle through the night air. GreyEagle resented being treated once again like a little girl, but she made no protest as Marianne showed her the wagon where she was to sleep.
The moon filtered in through the window as they entered, filling it with a silver light. This wagon was much less crowded than the one she had been in before, though the space was used just as efficiently. She was surprised by the pungent odors of herbs and spices which filled the small space, and turned to see a glass front case built into the wall, carefully packed with sealed jars. She looked at Marianne with a question in her eyes.
"Well, I have to make myself useful somehow in this company," Marianne laughed. "We don't get to tag along for free. I have learned a thing about herbs and medicines over the past few years. It makes me feel needed, even by the men-folk here."
"I wish we had a healer in our group." GreyEagle hesitated for a moment. "Do you think you could teach me some of your skills?"
"I believe so," Marianne replied thoughtfully, "if you are going to be with us for some time."
GreyEagle turned to the mirror and looked at herself once again. One of the girls had insisted that she keep this particular dress, so she had left it on for the evening. "It does look pretty," she said softly.
"It has been a long time since you have seen yourself as a woman."
"Not really," she laughed. "It seems I was being reminded of that fact all day long today."
"That is not the same thing."
GreyEagle thought for a bit. "I suppose you are right. I have spent so much time trying to be a fighter that I have forgotten what it was like to wear a dress."
"Or never learned in the first place?" Marianne chuckled. She turned to light one of the small lanterns which hung on the wall. GreyEagle wondered about what she might mean. She reluctantly changed back into her own clothes. She was still there as a fighter, and owed it to the others to be prepared, even at night. She hung her sword carefully at the head of the bed which Marianne made up for her.
The hour was getting late and the other women who were staying in that particular wagon began to filter in. There were seven of them all together, including Marianne and herself, and GreyEagle began to feel like she need a little fresh air before went to sleep. As she stepped out, she saw the moon, and she stood for a while gazing up at it as the wispy clouds slowly drifted by, occasionally obscuring its light. The stars added their dim light to the cool and peaceful darkness. She could hear the rustle of small animals in the brush nearby, and the howl of a wolf off in the distance. The peace of the night dulled the edge of her frustration of the day, and she breathed deeply. After a while, she returned quietly to her bed within the wagon, and was asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
GreyEagle was awakened by a loud knock on the wagon door. In the semi-darkness, she tried to blink the sleep from her eyes and fumbled for her sword, trying to remember where she was. Then she heard Marianne's quiet voice speaking to someone outside, and the events of the evening before came back in a flash. It was morning, and Marianne was quickly waking the others and hurrying them all out into the cool, brisk sunrise. GreyEagle quickly strapped on her sword and followed the other women out of the wagon and down to a clump of trees along a small stream nearby to wash up for the morning. GreyEagle paused for a moment to look up at the sky. The wind had shifted and there were storm clouds building on the horizon. She frowned as she headed towards the camping fires which were already being built.
The mages were already busy when she got back, hunched over their spell books. The men are all up, checking horses and wagons and preparing to break camp. By the time breakfast was prepared, there was little left to do except eat and put out the campfires. GreyEagle ate with the women, and helped with packing things up to move out.
Coyle approached just as GreyEagle mounted her horse. "Perhaps you should consider riding with the women," he told her in a rather gruff voice. "It will be safer for you there." GreyEagle could feel the blood rising to her face as she fought down the urge to make an angry reply, and she wheeled her horse sharply around.
"I am not baggage, thank you, and I do not intend to ride inside of the wagons," she said, glaring at Coyle. She knew how to handle her horse, likely better than Coyle, and she was going to ride.
"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug, "but if you will excuse me, I have other things to take care of." As he rode off down the line of wagons, Recuahc approached.
"What do you want?" she snapped. He took a step back, surprised at the intensity of her reaction.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This seems kind of silly, but perhaps I can do to something to get the others to give you more of a chance." GreyEagle grimaced, realizing that he must have heard her words with Coyle. She didn't want to take out her frustrations on Recuahc. It wasn't his fault that Coyle was being a pig.
"You are a true friend, Recuahc," she said, forcing a smile.
"At your service," he said with a smile and a bow. "Don't think badly of Coyle. He will come around."
GreyEagle shook her head. "I have been through this before and I am sure I will have to go through it again in the future. Some people never change"
Recuahc shrugged. "Time will tell," he said over his shoulder as he ran off to get ready to leave. It occurred to her that she had heard that statement somewhere before.
GreyEagle started to follow after him, but just then the caravan started once again to move out. She saw Horton and Sucaba at the head of the line just as they winked out of sight, and a few seconds later, a cloud of dust marked their departure. She heard the cracks of the lashes and the he cries of the drivers up and the line as they urged the horses on, and with a mighty groan, the wagons started to roll once again.
The sun rose higher in the east and reflected off the waters of Lake WyvernWater. GreyEagle rode along side of the women's wagons. It seemed like an acceptable compromise with Coyle's request, and it gave her a chance to chat with her new found friends as she rode. Her hair was still done up in the small braids which the girls had created the evening before, and it made her feel more feminine. It formed an odd contrast however with her plate mail and the two handed sword which was slung across her back.
By late morning, the clouds which GreyEagle had been watching in the west warned that the fine weather would be short lived. Soon the sun was obscured and large drops of rain had begun to fall. Heavy oiled rain cloaks were quickly broken out and passed around. Though GreyEagle didn't mind the rain much, she pulled up the hood on her cloak and leaned into the wind. By the time they came within sight of Immersea, the skies had opened up, and everyone and everything was drenched.
The rain had failed to wash the smile from Recuahc's face or dull the sparkle in his eyes, and he began to sing a merry little song about the weather. GreyEagle laughed as he sang and tried to sing along. Though she knew that her singing was rough and somewhat off key, Recuahc still encouraged her and tried to teach her some songs that she had never heard before. Sucaba and Horton were not in a laughing mood though as they returned from flying ahead of the group. They trudged along side the caravan looking wet and miserable.
At the gates to Immersea, the caravan stopped and Metzler held a short conversation with Ormec and the caravan leader. GreyEagle waited where she was with the women until Ormec rode back to tell her what they were doing.
"We are going to wait there at an inn on the far side of town," he said. "There will be some shelter there, as well as a warm fire to dry out by, and we can wait out the worst of the storm." She was surprised that they were stopping, but she did think that the suggestion of a warm fire sounded inviting.
They crossed through town and found a large inn with a wide courtyard, and stables behind. Metzler returned after briefly speaking with the innkeeper and announced that they were to pull the wagons along side of the stables. Those not sheltered inside the wagons could pull into the stables. It would be a tight fit, but at least most of them would be able to get out of the rain.
GreyEagle rode into the stable and dismounted. She threw back the hood of her cloak only to discover that her new hairdo was less than practical. It was now soaked and hung down into her face in twisted strands. She pushed it back and decided that her plain braid, as simple as it might be, still had its advantages. She found a brush and went to tend to her horse.
Coyle walked up to where Conrad and Ormec were trying to wring the water out of some of their things. "As long as we're here, we might as well take advantage of the hospitality," he announced. "Would you care to join us for a drink in the inn?"
Recuahc was sitting near by pouring the water out of his boots and he jumped up at the suggestion. "Sounds a lot better than sitting around all cooped up in here." Conrad and Ormec quickly added their agreement, and Coyle turned to leave.
"Might I join you boys for a drink or two?" Sucaba asked, speaking to himself as much as anyone else. Without waiting for a reply, he walked after Coyle and the others. As he passed Horton, he winked and passed his hand before his face several times, and then silently waved for the dragon to follow.
The silent mage passed the reigns of his mount to a stable boy to have the horse brushed down. He took a pouch and a shoulder pack from his saddle bags and turned to follow the others. He had gone only a couple of steps when he spun around stared fiercely at the lad. The boy froze, wondering what he might have done wrong, but then the mage reached into his purse, pulled out a silver piece and tossed to him. The boy excitedly ran to grab a friend to show off his prize, and the two of them promptly set about to give the mage's stallion a proper grooming.
GreyEagle gave the departing group a sour look as they walked out. While Sucaba was crass enough to invite himself, she was keenly aware of the fact that the invitation had not been directed towards her. The merchants had decided to stay with the wagons and were already busy entertaining themselves. Once again, GreyEagle found herself on her own. She pulled up the hood of her cloak and stomped back out into the courtyard. The ground had been churned up into a mass of muddy ruts by the pounding rain and the wagon wheels, and it was still a tight fit between the wagons. She slipped once and went down on her knees in a cold puddle before she finally located Marianne's wagon. She was in a sour mood as she stood, dripping wet and covered with mud, knocking on the door of the wagon.
Marianne quickly ushered her into the wagon when she found her there. She grabbed a towel and handed it to GreyEagle.
GreyEagle looked down at the puddle of water and mud which was forming around her feet and opened her mouth to apologize. "Never mind," Marianne interrupted, "that's what they make brooms for. Let me help you into some try things." She looked at her for a moment. "You are smaller than I, but I think I might be able to find something for you to change into."
GreyEagle shook her head. "I'll only get wet again once I go out. I have spent my share of days in wet clothes before."
Marianne insisted, and GreyEagle finally consented to take a clean shirt, as much to satisfy Marianne as to get out of her own wet things. She also accepted the warm blanket which Marianne offered, and wrapped it around her shoulders as sat down at the end of the bed.
Marianne sat down next to her. "Your face betrays your heart." She touched GreyEagle's shoulder gently. "Is something on your mind?"
"Nothing! I've grown used to caring for myself." GreyEagle snapped, brushing off her hand. Marianne immediately backed off.
GreyEagle stared at the floor. She bit her lip in anger and frustration. She felt bad about snapping at Marianne, but right now she wanted to be by herself for a while. She thought back to their journey to the first tower and how she had become used to being accepted by the others as at least somewhat of an equal. They had respected her skills, even though she could sometimes overhear their snickers and the lewd comments they made behind her back. Now, she was simply written off, with never even a chance to prove herself. Recuahc was a welcome breath of fresh air in the group, a ray of sunshine among the dark clouds, but he was only one, and she hardly expected the others to listen to him. She did not expect to spend much time with the soldiers in the caravan, so she was not too concerned with Coyle's attitude, or at least that was what she kept telling herself.
Marianne sat down next to her. She said nothing, so GreyEagle continued to stare at the floor. After a while, she slipped her hand into GreyEagle's
GreyEagle looked down at the small sweet which Marianne had put there. "I'm sorry," she said weakly. "I should not treat you so poorly. You, at least, have been a good friend to me here -- much better than the others. They seem to have forgotten that I even exist."
Marianne chuckled softly. "Come now. How do you expect men to act when they get together? They have to act rude and unfeeling when they are around any woman they feel threatened by." She laughed brightly. "Cheer up and take it as a complement that they obviously feel you are good enough to threaten them."
GreyEagle sighed. "I thought that they had accepted me before. Now suddenly, when they get in with another group of men, they slip right back to the same old ways."
"Forget about them for a while and tell us more of your wonderful stories," Marianne said, tugging at GreyEagle's arm. "The older women will stay in their wagons and not bother us with their disapproving stares."
GreyEagle looked intently at Marianne. There was an inner strength within her, an ability to know who she was without regard to what others thought of her. "I suppose the time will come soon enough when they will see what sort of stuff I'm made of." Then she giggled. "Sometimes I don't know which is worse -- the men and their crude jokes or the old women and their sour looks. But neither of them are around now, so if you wish for stories, then I will tell them! I would teach you how to swing a sword, but it's a bit cramped in here, and I'd hate to tear through the roof and bring the rain down on us."
So, GreyEagle entertained the small group of young women there in the wagon while the rain continued to pound on the roof above them. Some of the stories were from her own experience or repeated from her youth, and a few she remembered from what Schimray had told her during his visits. When she mentioned Schimray, she did not speak of her relationship with him, but she felt a deep sense of loneliness and she fidgeted with the bracer on her arm.
After a couple of hours the worst of the storm had passed, but the skies were still damp and dripping, and the temperature had dropped. The men returned from their entertainment in the inn, laughing and joking, but their mood was quickly darkened by the heavy overcast sky. Captain Metzler waisted no time giving the order to mount up, and the caravan was quickly prepared to leave. GreyEagle went around helping the others to saddle up their horses. She noticed Conrad looking rather green, and wondered if he'd had a bit more drink than he should have.
"From your looks," she said with a smirk, "I'd guess you folks had a good time in there, especially you, Conrad." There was a low snicker among the soldiers and Conrad muttered something which she didn't quite catch. Sucaba climbed up onto Horton's back, and GreyEagle noticed a lot of strange looks and hushed questions before she realized that Horton was still invisible to most of the other people there. She smiled and imagined how it must look to them with Sucaba sitting in mid air.
When the others were ready, she swung up on her horse and held her head high. She knew she stood now with one foot in the realm of dresses and fancy hairdos and women, and one foot in the realm of swords and fighters and men. It was an awkward position to be sure, but she knew that was where she belonged, and she would not allow the others to push her from her precarious perch. As Marianne had said, time was on her side, and she would just have to wait for the opportunity to show what sort of stuff she was made of.
They rode out of town into the bleak countryside. The skies remained dark and the showers continued on and off for the rest of the afternoon. Metzler pushed on well past sunset in an attempt to make up for lost time. Finally, the lights of Hilp appeared in the distance, and the pace picked up considerably as people became anxious to get to town to spend the night. However, the captain stopped the caravan just outside of town and announced that it was too late to get lodgings in town and that they would set up camp where they were for the night. A few muttered groans and complaints were quickly smothered as the wagons were again drawn into a circle.
The camp was quickly set up and the meal prepared, but the laughter and stories of the night before were strangely silent. Conrad was particularly quiet during dinner, and scowled at anyone who had the temerity to try to sit down next to him. Several of the soldiers teased him, offering him more to drink, but he waved them off. Everyone seemed anxious to bed down for the night. As soon as GreyEagle was finished with her dinner, she rose, bid the others a good night and walked over to the women's wagons. For tonight at least, she was just as happy to have somewhere dry to sleep.
The morning dawned clear and cool, with only a few lacy clouds high in the sky to remind them of the dreary rains of the day before. There was a promise of warmth and sun in the air. As GreyEagle climbed down from the wagon, the smell of fresh cut hay in the fields surrounding the town filled her with pleasant memories of growing up.
Recuahc walked up to her as she stood by the door of the wagon. "A good morning to you, GreyEagle. I hope that you slept well."
"Well and dry," she said with a smile. "It is good to see the sun again."
"Good for drying out, I hope. I think I made my bed with the fish last night. You at least had a roof over your head. Ah well. It is, I suppose, some compensation for how the others have been treating you."
GreyEagle shrugged. She looked around and failed to see any preparations under way for breakfast.
"Breakfast on your mind eh?" Recuahc asked, following her gaze. "That was actually why I came over here. Metzler has decided to head into town for breakfast rather than preparing it in camp. He says the marketplace has plenty of places to eat. Besides, the merchants will be spending the day in town, so we've plenty of time to snoop around."
"Well, I could use breakfast."
"The others are up by the road. They were about ready to leave, but I thought you might want to join us."
"I don't know about the others, but I would certainly like to join you for something to eat."
"Coyle is coming along," Recuahc added quickly, and GreyEagle suddenly stiffened. Recuahc saw her stop and reached out his hand to her. "Come now. You complain that he gives you no chance to prove yourself, yet you do him no better. At least you can try to talk to him. Who knows what might happen."
GreyEagle frowned. "I will do it for you, friend Recuahc, not because I think anything will come of it. You are right though. I have hardly spoken to the man except when I was angry at him." She looked at Recuahc sternly, but then she laughed. "Just so long as I don't have to sit next to him." Recuahc nodded and they walked up to the road together to join the others.
Coyle was there with the others when they reached the road and GreyEagle tried to force a smile. He was a handsome man, she conceded, and held his head high. She had always thought him stern looking, but he smiled now as he saw them approach.
"Good of you to join with us ma'am," he said. "I don't believe I ever asked your name."
"No, you did not," GreyEagle replied acidly. Recuahc gave her a quick poke in the ribs with his elbow, and she continued with a cough. "GreyEagle at your service. I am pleased to meet you." She reached out her hand to shake his.
Coyle took her hand and lifted it as if he intended to kiss it. GreyEagle flinched and almost jerked her hand away, but she forced herself to relax. Coyle looked up for a second, unsure if he should continue, but when GreyEagle did not move, he bent slightly at the waist and touched his lips lightly to her fingers. GreyEagle let her hand drop limply to her side when Coyle released it, and clenched her teeth as she herd Trouble snickering behind her.
Coyle looked around. "Shall we be going then? I think breakfast has waited long enough!" The tension suddenly broke at the mention of food, and the conversation quickly started up again. Some of the soldiers met them as they headed down the road towards town.
Coyle walked beside Recuahc. He had a lively step and seemed to be drinking in the cool morning air. "I think you'd better stick with me," he said, giving the young man a playful slap on the back. "One look at you and there's no telling what the locals might try to pass off on you as `delicacies'."
Recuahc was thoughtful for a moment. "Might we spend some time in training while we travel? We may soon find ourselves in need of some real defenses, and we would do well to keep our skills as sharp as our swords."
Coyle nodded. "There will be time tonight after dinner for practice. You and the other fighters in your group are invited to join with us if you would like. You are invited too, GreyEagle."
GreyEagle smiled as she heard Sucaba choke behind her. "I would be more than happy to join you in practice. I always look forward to testing my skills against others, and learning from those better than myself."
Some of the other soldiers around them exchanged surprised looks, but Coyle glared at them. "Let me remind you all that the lady here is a fighter too, and we would not be helping her friends any by letting her get soft. Besides," he added with a pause, "I suspect she could teach some of you a thing or two." GreyEagle smiled and bowed slightly. This might turn out to be fun after all.
"I guess we'll see if you're too frail for this business," Recuahc said with a wink.
"I think I can manage, thank you," she answered. "We will see after dinner, I guess."
"Hey, Red!" Recuahc called out to the silent mage, "I noticed you have a sword, too. Maybe you would join us later for some swordplay. No spells allowed though," he added with a playful smile. The mage stroked the hilt of his sword thoughtfully for a moment, but he then shook his head.
As they approached the outskirts of the town, Sucaba was suddenly struck by an idea. "Is anyone here interested in learning how to fish?" he asked. "We will have to cross the StarWater river on our way to Suzail. Perhaps we should stop there for some relaxation? We can purchase fishing gear here in Hilp." Sucaba smiled in anticipation. "Surely, GreyEagle could do the cooking.".
GreyEagle bristled, but she controlled her temper. "Well, Sucaba dear," she said with a teasing smile, "cooking fish is not one of my great specialties, but if you're willing to trust me, I might be convinced to experiment on you."
Although Hilp was a small town, it had an open air market to rival most cities. It was early yet, but many of the farmers and merchants had already opened their stands. Two of the largest stands, great covered affairs which looked almost out place among the other smaller tents and shanties hastily erected there, belonged to the coopers and wagon makers guilds and it was to these that most of the merchants flocked first. In fact, most of the people there were involved in woodworking trades of one sort or another, but there were also plenty of others selling livestock, fresh fruits and vegetables and various other small items. The soldiers headed for stalls boasting fresh baked breads, freshly picked fruits and vegetables, and meat rolls. The air was filled with the noise of people hawking their products in an effort to get their attention.
GreyEagle moved from stall to stall sampling many of the local dishes. The food was all well prepared and the people friendly and inquisitive about their travels. Coyle and the other soldiers seemed to be well known in town, and they laughed and joked easily with the townspeople. Here, traveling with Recuahc, GreyEagle noticed that she seemed to be included with the soldiers for the first time since leaving Arabel. Recuahc always seemed to fit right in, telling such outrageous stories that GreyEagle was sure he was making them up. She enjoyed Hilp and the carnival atmosphere which seemed to permeate the air, and she laughed at Recuahc's outrageous stories. Sucaba remained jovial as he walked around with the rest. Even the silent mage joined in as they ate breakfast together.
After some time, the various members of the group began to disperse into the town, each following their particular plans for the day. The silent mage and Sucaba both headed down a street of shops, and GreyEagle and Recuahc joined him, looking for fishing gear, as did a couple of the soldiers. While they were walking around, GreyEagle spotted Conrad, who had apparently come into town on his own. He was wandering around, looking here and there, talking to the merchants and visiting some of the shops. Although gnomes were not unheard of in this area, they were still quite unusual, and Conrad created some excitement. He seemed to have recovered from the previous day's festivities, and was his usual cheery self once again, chatting and joking with those who gathered around him, both adults and children.
They returned to camp by late afternoon. Many of the merchants were still in town buying and selling, so the camp was quiet. Marianne and a couple of the other women waved to GreyEagle, inviting her to join them, but she turned down their offer. She had been looking forward all day to the prospect of practice rounds with some of the other fighters there, and she was not about to let anything sidetrack her now.
"Recuahc," she said, turning to the young man, "how about that match which we were talking about this morning?" Her eyes sparkled in anticipation as he nodded his agreement. There was an open area in the center of the circle of wagons which some of the other soldiers had already been using as a practice field, and GreyEagle and Recuahc moved there. There were a couple of sets of practice armor stored under a tarp there, and they put them on.
GreyEagle carefully set her other weapons aside and turned to face Recuahc. She forced herself to concentrate, and slowly the others around her faded away from her sight, until only Recuahc stood before her. She smiled as she drew out her short sword with a fluid motion. The other party members had seen her use this weapon before and showed no reaction, but Recuahc and the others took a step back in reaction to the soft magical glow, visible even in the broad daylight.
"Ah, you are well prepared I see," Recuahc laughed. "I am in deeper water than I had imagined. Well, I'm still ready for you. Now we see what you're made of." GreyEagle just smiled and held her shield and sword ready.
Then, with a flash, she was on him and the flat of her sword slapped loudly against the padding on his arm. Recuahc stood there for a moment with his mouth hanging open, as if he hadn't even seen her coming, but he quickly regained his composure and swung back. GreyEagle blithely deflected his blow with her shield.
"More?" she teased.
"I haven't even warmed up yet." He still smiled, but GreyEagle could sill see that he looked worried.
The word of the match spread quickly around the camp, and soon a number of people were running towards the circle to see what was going on. Recuahc was light on his feet, but he had a difficult time keeping up with GreyEagle's speed. Marianne and some of the other women came, and GreyEagle saw her smiling at her out of the corner of her eye. She knew that she was standing on her own ground now.
After about ten minutes, Recuahc raised his arms. "I have had enough of a beating for one day, I think. I will be black and blue tomorrow as it is." He winked at GreyEagle. "I'll let the others see if they can follow that blade of yours any better than I."
Ormec stepped into his place as Recuahc stood aside. GreyEagle wiped the sweat from her brow and gripped her sword tighter as Ormec faced her. She knew Ormec had considerably more experience than Recuahc, and she would not be able to let down her guard for even a moment. While this was a "friendly" match, the look of intensity in Ormec's eyes still unsettled her. She waited a moment to be sure that he was set. Suddenly, Ormec moved on her, but the sword in GreyEagle's hand was already moving, almost as if it had anticipated the move. She came up and deflected his blow, and swiftly spun around to return her own. Ormec was not so easy to fool as was Recuahc though, and he swiftly dodged her blow, but he stood back for a moment and eyed her curiously. He clearly had not expected such a lightning fast response. However, he was not about to give up. The two of them continued for some time as the crowd of spectators grew steadily larger. Ormec was clearly better than Recuahc, but still GreyEagle seemed to have the edge, always a breath ahead of him, striking before Ormec would have a chance to recover. GreyEagle's breathing came hard and fast as she was finally declared the winner in this match too.
As she stepped back for a moment to catch her breath, she saw the other women cheering her on. One of the girls ran up with a drink of water which GreyEagle happily poured over her head.
Coyle stood up to take Ormec's place, and GreyEagle caught her breath. This was the moment of truth finally. Coyle held himself with confidence, and his longsword was loose and easy in his hand. He was strong and fresh, while GreyEagle had already spent a considerable amount of time practicing. He took a few warm up swings, and his sword whispered through the air, testing her, teasing her.
"You wait until I am already tired?" she said with a nervous laugh.
"Would you rather rest first?" Coyle asked without blinking an eye.
"No," GreyEagle answered quickly, "this is the time." With a nod from Coyle, the match began.
GreyEagle approached cautiously. She knew that Coyle's longsword and greater reach would make it difficult for her to get inside of his defenses, but she knew that she had the advantage of speed. The magic of the sword tingled in her hands and she suddenly dove at Coyle, but he was too quick, and easily parried her thrust. He quickly followed through as GreyEagle stumbled on a small root hidden in the grass and scored the first hit of the match. He had expertly struck with the flat of his sword, but it still stung. GreyEagle blushed. She was not sure which hurt more -- the back of her leg or her pride.
GreyEagle spun around, her teeth clenched. Coyle was looking at her with a smug grin. She realized suddenly that this match was the touchstone of her position here. If she lost now, even after having beaten Ormec, she would forever remain an amusing quirk -- a woman who thought she was a fighter, but really couldn't hold her own in a true battle. However, if she could beat Coyle, then the others would see that the weapons she wore were not for show, and that she could fight along side of the best of them. She glanced over at Marianne and noticed that the woman had a curious expression on her face. She had no time to wonder about it now though, and she pushed it from her mind.
She lunged at Coyle with new determination, looking for an opening in his defense. She found what she was looking for and she hit with a resounding smack. There was an audible gasp from the spectators as Coyle jumped back, trying to figure out how she had brushed aside his defense so quickly. He nodded his approval, and again planted his feet in readiness.
As they fought, GreyEagle found that Coyle was indeed skilled with his longsword. She was soon sore and bruised, but still she fought on, the light from her sword focusing her attention, and the pain from the bruises just pushing her on. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Coyle raised the tip of his sword to signal an end to the match. GreyEagle looked around at the spectators that had gathered, not at all sure who had won the match. A small knot of soldiers exchanged animated whispers as the others waited for their judgment.
After a few minutes, one of the soldiers walked over to her, clapped her on the shoulder and shook her hand. She could hardly believe that she had won. As a cheer went up from the spectators, she looked at Coyle. He bowed slightly towards her. He has still smiling, but now it was a smile of respect rather than derision that softened his sweat streaked face.
Several of the other soldiers wanted a chance to try their skills with GreyEagle, but by now she was exhausted, and Coyle insisted that she rest for a while. As the crowd of spectators thinned, a number of the soldiers came over to her to express their congratulations, which she accepted weakly. She plopped down on the ground as Coyle, Recuahc and a number of the other soldiers continued their practice. Conrad did not participate, but he stood a little off from the others, and carefully watched the matches.
GreyEagle was almost too tired to be proud of herself. She had expected that she would be able to hold her own for a while in a match, but to actually beat both Ormec and Coyle, that was a more than she had dreamed! After she had rested for a while, she got back up to join in with the practice. She rotated amongst the soldiers and party members, now practicing with her two-handed sword. This however, was a much slower weapon than the short sword and Coyle overpowered her in another match. Still, most of the others could not match her skill.
She spent time practicing with Recuahc, and called out pointers to him, trying to teach him. After a while they sat down on the grass.
"Ah, I just let you beat me so you'd feel better you know," he said with a sheepish grin on his face.
GreyEagle laughed. "Recuahc, I believe you could think up an excuse for anything. Will you admit though that I am not too frail for this business after all."
"You're not mad at me then for what I said?"
"No, silly," GreyEagle laughed. "If I had been mad I would have carved your ears off and handed them back to you." Recuahc looked at her, startled, but then he lay back on the grass and laughed.
"I will remember to watch my ears then in the future, if ever I suspect I have crossed you."
After dinner that evening, GreyEagle joined the soldiers around the campfire. She suddenly realized that the same bottle which had been offered to Recuahc and Conrad was now being passed to her. She hesitated for a second, fearing its kick. She realized however, that it was part of the rite of initiation, and she had to drink it in order to be recognized as one of the group, so she raised the bottle to her lips. The strong drink burned as it went down, and the fire seemed to flow through her to her very fingertips, but once down, she found that it was not as bad as she had expected. In fact, she took a second swig, just for good measure, and raised the bottle over her head in triumph, to the cheer of all those around the fire. The strong drink made her heady, and she felt like she was ready for anything.
Next...

7 April, 1998