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The Towers

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Copyright (C) 1997 by Charles Tryon

12: The Shaar

The wind rushed past GreyEagle's face and tore at her hair. She opened her eyes just long enough to look down. Far below, she could barely see the road snaking its way north. Horton was following directly along it back to their camp. Her head started to spin as she imagined herself falling, with the ground rushing up at her forever, endlessly falling. She quickly closed her eyes again and held on tight. There was a deep emptiness in the pit of her stomach, but she didn't know if it was from her fear of heights, or from her disappointment over abandoning Krifel.

After the abruptness of the takeoff, GreyEagle was amazed at the smoothness of Horton's flight. Even fighting off her panic, she knew that it had been only a few minutes before Horton leaned into a lazy circle and dropped into the camp, smoothly coming to a stop just in front of the fire.

As she slid from Horton's back, she could see Coyle crouched near the fire, watching over Marianne as she slept. He turned and watched silently as GreyEagle stood there. Laurel was awake and sitting a short distance away. The other members of the party were nowhere to be seen.

"There you are," Laurel said as she jumped up and ran to GreyEagle's side. She grabbed her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Are you ok?"

"Yes," GreyEagle answered meekly, still watching Coyle.

Laurel followed her gaze and cast an anxious glance at the man. He had stepped to the dragon and was now giving directions as to where the others had headed. He still said nothing to acknowledge GreyEagle's presence. "We were worried about you," Laurel whispered. "Where did you go? You disappeared without a trace."

"I wanted to get away," GreyEagle replied, looking down and kicking at the dirt with the toe of her boot. "I was afraid the others were going to feed the prisoners to Horton..." She looked around quickly to see if the two bandits were in fact still there. They were, sitting just outside the circle of light cast by the fire, securely bound with their backs to a stubby tree.

"Don't be silly," Laurel said, looking over at the huddled forms of the prisoners. "I have no love for those who work for ogres and orcs, but I wouldn't feed them to a dragon. The threats were hollow, but they didn't know that. Once the thieves were scared enough, they told us what we wanted to know." Laurel grinned. "I think that, given the chance, Trouble might have carried through on the threat, but Coyle and Ormec would not allow it. After much grumbling, it was decided that we would take the thieves to the authorities in the morning."

"I am glad to hear that about Coyle," GreyEagle replied. "He had said nothing before I... left." She looked down again. "Krifel and I rode for a while, and then stopped and sat down to look at the stars."

"Krifel?" Laurel asked, looking confused. "But... you just came back on Horton's back. Did something..."

GreyEagle could feel the blood rise in her face. "I fell asleep somehow, and when I woke up, Krifel was gone. I called for him, but he didn't return. I had just given up and started walking back when Horton found me."

"I'm sorry about your horse, but I'm glad you're ok. Marianne is sleeping now, or I'm sure she would want to talk to you, and I don't think it would be wise to rouse her. She was very upset after the battle."

Laurel's face twisted to a frown. "You should not let the others upset you so, certainly not to the point of running off and putting yourself in danger." She looked back again at Coyle, who had returned to his post next to Marianne. "I don't think anyone was as worried as Coyle," she whispered. "Between being afraid that something had happened to you, and angry that you had wandered off, he hardly spoke a word. I think it might be best for you to let him cool down a bit." She turned back to GreyEagle and eyed her carefully. "You still have to face the others when they get back though."

GreyEagle smiled weakly. "Well, I'm glad at least one person is still talking with me. I'm sorry I cause so much trouble." She looked around at the darkness surrounding them, dreading the return of the others, knowing that they would most likely not treat her with as much kindness as Laurel. "I wish I knew what happened to Krifel," she said finally. "I can't understand him not returning. He was just getting strong enough to ride, and now he's... gone. What did Recuahc say?" she asked quietly. She could still remember the look on his face as he had gone past her during the attack, and later as he had returned with the heads of the ogres. It was not like him to speak like that, even in bluff.

"He carries a heavy burden of pain hidden deep within. That is why he acted the way he did. Once he'd calmed down, he realized what was happening, and agreed with Ormec and Coyle. Perhaps it would be good for you to talk with him, for you've known him longer than I have."

"True, but I don't know if that means I understand him any better."

The air was growing cool, and GreyEagle stepped over to the fire and crouched down next to it to warm herself just as Trouble walked into the clearing. The mage stood for a moment looking straight at GreyEagle, and then, with a shake of his head, he walked over to his bed roll and silently rolled up inside of it.

Conrad and Recuahc entered the clearing shortly after Trouble. Recuahc headed over to GreyEagle immediately.

"What ever happened to you?" he asked in a hushed voice. "You had us worried sick." He glanced over to where the horses were tied, and frowned. "Where is your horse? We noticed it was gone when you disappeared. Did something happen?"

GreyEagle looked up briefly. "I wanted to get away by myself for a while," she said softly. "I didn't want to watch while the prisoners were fed to Horton." She flashed a quick glance at Recuahc, and then returned her gaze to the fire. "I sat down for a while and before I realized it, I had fallen asleep. When I awoke, Krifel was gone and would not return when I whistled. I looked for him, but it was too dark to find any tracks. Horton found me walking back along the road."

"I think I understand your feelings," Recuahc answered sternly, "but I hope you have learned not to do this again." There was a painful pause before he went on. "As for the prisoners, they were not fed to Horton. I... needed some time to get back my perspective. It was decided that we should turn them over to one of the patrols in the morning. Those who died in the fight should provide sufficient warning for others who might be tempted to try the same thing."

GreyEagle looked up to see the dim forms to the silent one and Raal approaching the fire. The silent mage regarded her for a moment, and then headed for his bedroll. When she saw the Sumatran though, GreyEagle cringed. He had berated her loudly before, and she had no doubt that he would have a few choice words for her again on this occasion. However, Raal walked right by her without so much as a nod and immediately curled up at the foot of the silent mage's blanket. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"We should get what sleep we can while it is still dark," Recuahc said quietly.

GreyEagle nodded. She walked back to when her blanket lay tossed aside from the time of the attack. Collecting her things, she curled up and tried to clear her mind. The bloodcurdling scream of the stricken thief still echoed in her mind. Behind it she could still see Recuahc's twisted face, and at the edge of her mind's eye, the heads of the ogres floated, their mouths frozen in a chilling grin and their eyes unblinking and vacant. Sucaba's laugh rose above the other sounds, as he seemed to lean over her, his sneering face bending close to hers. She pulled the blanket up over her head in an attempt to block out her imagination. She finally managed to drift off to a fitful sleep again, but her fears continued to haunt her dreams.

Morning came quickly, too quickly in GreyEagle's opinion. She was still tired, and dragged herself out of her blanket as the sun poked its way into their campsite. The mages were already up, pouring over the spellbook which Sucaba had found the night before. The others regarded GreyEagle silently, and she in turn feel too uncomfortable to say anything. She sat a short way off from the others as she ate the breakfast which the silent one had prepared. While the meal was hot enough, and she knew the mage had done his best, the food still sat cold and tasteless on her tongue.

"Good morning..."

GreyEagle started at the sound and looked up to see Recuahc smiling at her. She had not even heard him approach.

"...or at least I hope it is. May I sit with you?" he asked.

She nodded and he sat down.

"You are well rested?"

She shrugged.

"I'm sorry I scared you away last night," Recuahc added softly, leaning over towards her. "It won't happen again."

GreyEagle looked down at her plate. "No, I am the one who should be sorry. I'm sorry I acted like such a child." She looked up and tried to smile. "It won't happen again."

Recuahc chuckled, and then leaned back, his eyes far away. The sun shone warmly on their faces, as if trying to burn away the cold fears of the night before. "I think I saw a part of myself last night that I never knew existed before," he said carefully, "and I am not at all happy about what I saw. Perhaps I too have learned a lesson."

GreyEagle nodded. "Sometimes it frightens me what we can do so easily in a moment of anger or passion. This time everything turned out alright, except for Krifel, but what will happen next time?" She pulled nervously at a loose strand of hair. "I wish I knew where he went..."

"Krifel?"

"Yes," GreyEagle sighed. "I hate to simply abandon him in the wilderness, though I suppose he should be able to survive well enough in these grasslands."

"I would expect Horton to have see him when he found you," Recuahc said, scratching his head. "Perhaps he can make another sweep before we head out today."

GreyEagle glanced nervously over at Sucaba. "I'm afraid to even ask, after last night. He has said nothing to me yet, but I cannot imagine he is too happy."

"True," Recuahc shrugged. "I may be able to ask him in a little while though."

Recuahc suddenly stood to his feet. "In the mean time, there is no need to sit here by ourselves. I need to check in on Marianne. Will you join me?"

"I don't know..." GreyEagle balked. "I do not wish to disturb her."

Recuahc waved her objection aside. "If you had been frightened and hurt, would you want Marianne to come and `disturb' you?"

"Yes, but after what I did..."

Recuahc leaned down close to her. "You will have to face the others sooner or later, and I would guess that `sooner' is better than later, if we are all going to survive this little hike through the woods we're on. Marianne and Coyle deserve that, don't you think?"

GreyEagle nodded and stood to follow him. The boy was right of course. She could not change the past, and she had no idea what the future held, but she still had control of the present, and she had to try to reconcile herself with the others... even if it took time.

Coyle was sitting next to Marianne and looked up as the two approached. He managed a half-hearted smile, but said nothing. GreyEagle avoided his eyes and kept back a couple of steps behind Recuahc.

The boy knelt down beside Marianne, and she looked up at him. "And how are you feeling today?" he asked, smiling brightly. "I think I like the idea of being able to take care of you for a change."

Marianne smiled weakly. "I am feeling a lot better today, thank you. A little stiff and sore, and my head still aches, but better. You seem cheerful enough. I guess Laurel must have taken good care of you last night."

"I feel pretty much good as new," Recuahc replied, stretching his arms out wide and breathing deeply. "Laurel must know something about her healing." His eyes sparkled as he leaned down closer to Marianne. "But of course, it would have been much nicer to have you attend to my needs."

Marianne reached up and patted his cheek. "Next time..."

Recuahc laughed. "It would be nice to think that there will be no need for a next time, but I suppose that is more than we can hope for in these wilds."

Coyle rose abruptly to his feet. "We need to get moving as soon as we can. I don't know how far it is to the next town, but I do not intend to hold on to these prisoners any longer than we have to. With some luck, we may meet with patrols on the road that we can leave them with." He brushed past GreyEagle to the smoldering remains of the cooking fire and began to work on picking things up.

"We still need time to go over the spellbook we found last night," Sucaba interrupted. He and Trouble paced back and forth behind the silent one as he slowly poured over the heavy pages in the book.

"How long will that take?"

"As long as it takes," Sucaba replied sharply. Coyle shrugged and went back to packing up.

"Do we have to look at the book now?" Conrad asked in an annoyed tone. "It's not going to go anywhere is it? You can tell what spells are in it, and I'm sure it will take some time to transfer the spells over. Besides, who would want to do that out here in the wilds. Better to take the time at the inn in town. Perhaps we can take a week off. I recall having a second cousin who lived in Shaarmid..."

Sucaba's chilling glance cut off the gnome's query in mid-sentence. Conrad opened his mouth once as if to protest, but then thought better of it. "Well then," he replied with a shrug, "as long as we are going to be sitting here for a while, you might as well take a look at the dagger we pulled off the mage Horton toasted." The gnome pulled out the dagger and handed it to Sucaba. "What can you tell?"

Sucaba growled at the interruption and gave a longing glance at the tome in the silent one's lap, but he eventually accepted the dagger and pulled out a cloth to clean it. His curiosity quickly rose as he turned it over in his hands, carefully running his fingers over the glinting blade and feeling the runes on the hilt. "I can not tell right away," he said finally, "but the rat was right about it possessing magical powers. I will need a day to examine it in full, and to meld with its magic."

"Fine," Conrad grunted, "just so it doesn't disappear. If it is magical, it might prove handy in a fight. No use keeping it packed away."

"Everything in its time," Sucaba smiled. Conrad muttered something and stumped off to finish up his preparations for the day.

The mages had drawn lots earlier, and the silent one had won the privilege of going through the book first. Now, he sat cross-legged under a tree with the book open in his lap. As he flipped slowly through the pages, he occasionally held up a hand and made an odd gesture, and then looked back to the page before him. GreyEagle could see his excitement grow as he flipped back and forth through the pages, now and then nodding. The other two mages hovered nearby, watching his every move. She did not understand the customs of the mages, but she appreciated them enough to keep out of their way. Spellbooks were prized possessions, closely guarded against loss or theft, and it was not often that they were discovered. Sucaba and Trouble maintained a careful distance from the mage; close enough to keep a cautious eye on what he was doing, but far enough away to not annoy him in his concentration. Still, he kept shooting quick, angry glances at them every time they ventured too close.

Recuahc stepped next to her. "I wonder if I should ask if Horton could take another sweep over the area around here to look for Krifel, now that it's light?" he whispered. "It will be some time before the mages are ready..."

"Perhaps," GreyEagle replied, "but is this a good time to disturb Sucaba right now? He is not likely to leave that book until he has had his chance at it."

Recuahc shrugged. "We could ask Horton himself. I doubt that Sucaba cares what else is going on as long as they are looking at that book."

As soon as he heard GreyEagle's request, Horton agreed to take a sweep of the area to look. With a powerful thrust of his wings, he was into the air and quickly vanished into the Southern sky.

GreyEagle stood and watched the dragon as it disappeared. She had finished packing her things to leave, so there was not much to do other than wait. She sat down on the ground a little distance off from the others where she could be by herself. She was still angry at herself. She had worked so hard to convince Sucaba that she was more than a flighty child, and now she had thrown all of it away in a moment of anger, fear and frustration. She watched Sucaba and Trouble as they were huddled around the silent one. So much depended on the mages and their skills, and the spells in those books. The forces that they would come up against in the Towers they were heading for would pay little to steel blade and wooden arrow shaft, no matter how much enchantment they possessed. The fighters in the group simply were not enough to conquer the Towers. The mages and their spells still frightened her sometimes, but she was forced to accept them. She shook her head. The next few days would be difficult.

The others kept themselves busy cleaning up the camp and getting ready to leave. As she worked, GreyEagle shot occasional glances over at Marianne. She was doing her best to help out, but she was clearly still shaken by the attack of the night before. GreyEagle quietly moved over next to her and touched her arm.

"Marianne, how are you doing?"

Marianne glanced over at Coyle. "I am feeling better, I think, though I wish I didn't feel so helpless."

Coyle looked up briefly at the sound of Marianne's voice and muttered something about being fine, but he did not meet GreyEagle's eyes.

Ormec lumbered over to then. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he had not slept well.

"We will have to do something with these prisoners," he grumbled. "I just hope that we can find one of those patrols this road is supposed to be famous for so we can hand them over. The sooner we are rid of them the better."

"We still have the extra horses at least," Coyle replied, "so we don't have to make them walk. That way they won't slow us down."

"We are almost ready to leave," Ormec said, casting a glance over at the mages. "I will take the prisoners out to the edge of the road. I may be able to spot a patrol."

Coyle nodded. "You may be able to save us some trouble."

Ormec was not gentle as he led the bandits to the side of the road to wait, and Horton's swooping return didn't help. The men whimpered and cringed as the dragon rushed over their heads, claws wide open for his landing, and their wide-eyed looks of fear almost tempted GreyEagle to feel sorry for them. They were still people after all, in spite of their crimes. She reminded herself though that they likely would not have showed such mercy to them had the tables been turned. It was interesting how fate turned.

The ink was just drying in the page the silent one had copied out of the book as the dragon settled in near her. GreyEagle looked to him hopefully.

"I found no sign of your horse," Horton said with a slow shake of his head. "It may be though that he has wandered off and been found by some farmer who will take care of him."

"Or worse," GreyEagle muttered under her breath.

Horton rumbled. "I would be glad that you still have a mount to ride if I were you, little one. You may not be so fortunate next time. I would not have been so glad had it been your lifeless body that I returned with last night."

GreyEagle looked back for a moment and nodded weakly. There was nothing more to do, at least for the time. "Thank you for looking. At least I know that we tried."

Recuahc came over to her and gave her shoulders a squeeze. He looked like he was about to say something, but then he just shrugged. GreyEagle appreciated his friendship, and for the moment, his silence.

It was well into the morning by the time the mages finished with the spellbook. Ormec had not been successful trying to locate one of the patrols, so they took the bandits with them. They took only a short break to eat near the middle of the day, and then pressed on.

GreyEagle rode quietly, a little behind the others. At one point, she pulled over to the side of the road, wondering if this was the hillock where she had stopped. She was tempted to get down and look for tracks now that it was light, but she did not want to delay the group any more. She sighed and fell back in behind the others.

The sun was dipping towards the horizon when Sucaba and Horton swung back to check on them. They had seen no patrols on the road that day, and Ormec had grumbled incessantly about rich towns-people growing fat on the tolls collected, and then doing nothing to keep the road safe for travelers. Trouble had pointed out that, up to this point, they had paid no tolls, but that had only made the dwarf more angry. Finally, Laurel had to quiet the two of them down before they came to blows.

"We are still some distance from Shaarmid," Sucaba informed them once he had landed, "but I believe that we will be able to reach it shortly after dark if we push on."

"The sooner we get rid of these sons-of-ogres, the better," Ormec growled.

Sucaba grinned. "I had a perfect solution for that problem, but you would hear nothing of it."

"Don't start on that again," the dwarf growled. "I am prepared to live with my decisions, as difficult as you may try to make it."

Sucaba laughed. "I have no need to make your life difficult Ormec, when you do such a fine job."

Coyle interrupted. "We will be forced to camp out often enough once we leave the road. I, for one, definitely prefer a bed to a campfire."

"Horton and I will not actually stay in the city," Sucaba replied. "We will fly ahead and watch until you have entered the gates, and then meet you in the morning on the other side."

So, it was agreed. They pushed on, trying to hurry as best as they could, but it was well after sundown before they reached the city gates. Even at that hour though, there were plenty of people moving around in the streets. They found an inn with little difficulty, near the main road through the center of the city. The commons room was still nearly full, but it was dimly lit and smoky, and there was no sign of any entertainment. They could feel the cold eyes of the other patrons on their backs as they passed by. GreyEagle pulled up the hood of her cloak around her face and avoided meeting the cold glares.

Ormec was anxious to get rid of the thieves, so they did not stay long. Trouble seemed amused at the fact that GreyEagle and Coyle had to leave so quickly as he himself settled down at one of the tables. Marianne and Laurel said that they had some other errand to run, and though GreyEagle would have much rather gone with them, she decided that it would be better to accompany Coyle and Ormec. She watched them go with a sigh.

The barracks were located a short distance off, near the edge of the city. There were few lights in the tightly shuttered windows that they passed, and the streets were dark and full of shadows. Ormec didn't seem to notice as he headed up the group, dragging the thieves behind him, but GreyEagle followed, sticking close to Coyle's side. She tried to penetrate the inky blackness of the shadows with her eyes, imagining crooked faces and muffled laughter, seeing themselves suddenly ambushed and overrun, the captors and captives suddenly switching places.

When they did finally reach the barracks, Ormec strode up to the door and banged loudly. There was no sign of movement without, and they stood there for a couple of minutes before Coyle noticed that there was no sign of lights through the narrow slits which passed for windows along the outer wall.

"I wonder if they're closed for the night," he muttered.

"What?" Ormec bellowed. "How could they be closed? This isn't some common marketplace we're talking about!"

"I wasn't being serious..." Coyle added, taking a quick step back.

Nonetheless, Ormec turned back to the door and began to beat on it, yelling at the top of his lungs. "This is ridiculous! Open up now! What is wrong with these people?"

At first, there was no response, but after several minutes of Ormec's bellowing and pounding, they heard the rasping sound of a bolt being drawn. The door opened a crack and an old man stuck his head through, shining a hooded lantern in their eyes.

"What seems to be the problem?" he croaked in a raspy voice. "The town isn't burning down, is it? Dragons attacking? A mad wizard loose?" His head jerked back and forth, looking at those standing outside.

"Where is everyone?" Ormec demanded, louder than normal, but no longer at the top of his lungs.

"Eh? You needn't yell so," the man growled. He wrinkled up his nose. "Where are they? Why out patrolling the highway, like they's supposed to be. Nobody here but me. Can ye wait `till morning? The clerk `ll be here then." He began to close the door.

"Hold on there," Ormec said as he jammed his foot in the door so it wouldn't close the rest of the way. "I don't know about anyone else, but I sure didn't see any patrols today. But no matter. We have business, and it will not wait until morning."

The old man started to tug at the door, but quickly gave up. He looked at the dwarf and frowned.

"So..."

"We have a matter of a couple of thieves we caught along the road," Coyle interrupted. He quickly moved to place himself between the angry dwarf and the irritated old man. "Some of your patrols must have slipped up. Seems your highway is not so safe as you would like to think, or others to think."

"Eh?" The man perked up at this.

"I'd hate for word of this to spread," Coyle added quietly.

"No... no need for that," the man replied hurriedly. "No need to be hasty." He continued to sputter and fume for a bit before he finally relented. "Oh, ok. I'll take them in for tonight, but you'll have to return by noon tomorrow to make out a formal complaint when the clerk is here."

Coyle shoved the two prisoners forward. The men edged past Ormec, giving the dwarf as wide a berth as they could, looking like they were almost relieved to be away from him. Ormec scowled as they disappeared behind the door. The old man shut the door in their faces without a further word.

"We'll be back," Ormec shouted after him.

"Well, at least that job is behind us," Coyle exclaimed. "We will have to return tomorrow, but that shouldn't be too bad."

"Knowing clerks and bureaucrats," GreyEagle added, "I would not be so confident!"

Coyle frowned. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about until tomorrow. I say we head back to the inn. I could use something to eat and a tall ale about now."

"Ha!" Ormec growled, "the same here, though perhaps in the opposite order."

It was late, and the innkeeper had to scramble to find something for them to eat when they arrived, but he was able to dig up some plates heaped with food, and much to GreyEagle's pleasure, it was still moderately warm. The others were still there, busy talking and making plans. To GreyEagle's surprise, both Sucaba and Horton had changed their minds about staying outside and had joined them at the inn. Horton lay near by, curled up in front of the fireplace, looking for all the world like a very large black cat. The other patrons of the inn seemed to be sufficiently intimidated by the dragon's presence, and GreyEagle could hear hushed whispers all around them. The cold stares they had received earlier were now replaced by looks of astonishment. There were some advantages of keeping company with a dragon.

When Coyle mentioned that they had to return to the barracks in the morning Sucaba muttered something about unnecessary delays, but he made no further comment.

GreyEagle sat quietly and ate while the others talked. She was tired, and felt isolated, like the others had not quite forgiven her. Trouble, Recuahc, Laurel and Marianne had not returned from their various errands yet, which surprised her. She guessed that Trouble and Recuahc had left shortly after she and Coyle had taken the prisoners in, but no one had said where they had gone, and she didn't ask.

She didn't have to wait long before Trouble and Laurel returned, saying that Marianne and Recuahc were right behind them. They gave no explanation of where they had been, but the two kept exchanging knowing glances, and GreyEagle suspected that they were up to something. Knowing Trouble, she guessed that it could be almost anything, but she wondered how Marianne might be involved.

She was caught completely off guard though when Marianne walked in through the door. The room was poorly lit, but there was enough light to see that she had exchanged her usual traveling clothes for the pink robes of a priest of Lathander. Under the flowing robes, GreyEagle could see the bright glint of new armor, and a light war hammer was strapped to her side. Recuahc walked beside her, and both nervously returned the incredulous looks of those seated around the table.

Marianne immediately stepped up to Sucaba. "I would like to be included in the selection for guard duty when we camp for the night."

Sucaba suddenly burst out laughing. "Another who would be a man?" He leaned forward and looked at Marianne. "What is it that you wish to guard, our linens?" Sucaba elbowed the silent mage sitting next to him. "It appears that Marianne is in need of trousers. Do you have a spare set?" Marianne looked back and forth between the mages and even in the dim light of the commons room GreyEagle could see the color rise in her face, but she stood her ground.

"Best learn to control thy tongue mage," GreyEagle said, leaning forward, her temper suddenly hot, "or you may suddenly find it missing some day. I would sooner become a slug than a man."

"This, from the one who didn't have the heart to question a couple of common thieves after they tried to kill us!" Trouble snorted. "Yet now she threatens our party leader."

Sucaba laughed and stuck his tongue out at her.

"It has been a long day I would say," Recuahc interrupted, "and tempers grow short as shadows lengthen." His hand on GreyEagle's shoulder was firm, in spite of the broad smile he wore. "Perhaps we can leave the question of guard shifts until the morning, when we can consider carefully the merits of Marianne's request. In the mean time," he chuckled, "I could tell you the tale of a great warrior who thought it below his dignity to let a woman help him guard, but to describe the circumstances of his death would be an unpleasant way to send you to bed." Trouble scowled, but Sucaba just leaned back in his chair, still chuckling to himself.

GreyEagle forced herself to sit back in her chair. She could still feel her heart pounding, but it was a useless fight. She had agreed to follow Sucaba as the leader of the group, and to challenge him further was not only foolish, but dangerous. The mage was already powerful, and he would stop at nothing to increase that power. To step in his way was asking for more trouble than she was prepared to deal with at this point. She tried to sit and listen to the talk which went on around the table, but she was exhausted now, and the constant buzzing of the voices pounded in her head. Finally, she quietly excused herself and went up to her room.

She lay awake for some time, wondering about the attack, and what might have been done to prevent it. They had not lost much, other than her horse Krifel, and that was really more the fault of her own foolishness than the actual ambush. In fact, they had gained a fair amount, from the magical dagger to the spellbook which the mages had immediately devoured. Their injuries were minor, though GreyEagle wondered how long it would take for Marianne to recover.

The real damage had been self inflicted. GreyEagle slammed her fist into the wall next to her in her frustration, and winced at the sudden pain. She had come so far to win the confidence and trust of the others, and now she had thrown it away in a moment of fear and anger. She knew she shouldn't worry about Sucaba and his pettiness, but he was the leader of the group, and he would only listen to her if he thought she had some kind of sense. Now, she was just a "silly woman" again, too unstable to be trusted, too cowardly to be counted on. Even tonight she had lost her temper again and said something she now regretted. It seemed like she would never learn.

Then, there was Coyle. He had been quiet the whole day, hardly speaking to her. She knew he was concerned about Marianne's condition, but that alone did not account for his silence. He was angry with her over her running off, though his was clearly not the same as Sucaba's anger. Still, it had driven a wedge between the two of them. GreyEagle stared up at the darkness above her. Time. She needed more time, but time was slipping through their fingers. It seemed like they had been on the road forever, and the second tower was still a long way off. What would they meet them there, and would Coyle stand beside her to face it?

She rolled over again. She had to get to sleep now. Tomorrow would be a new day, with opportunities and trials of its own. She would have to face each one, one at a time.

GreyEagle awoke the next morning hardly feeling like she had slept at all. She allowed herself to sleep in until long after the sun had risen, but eventually, she had to get up and go down to the commons room where the others were just finishing up eating. Horton had joined them again in the inn, though the innkeeper was clearly uncomfortable. Apparently, he had decided though that he was not about to try and throw the dragon out.

Coyle looked up as she reached the table. "Good, you are here. We still have the matter of the bandits to clear up, and the morning is already old. I doubt that we need to hurry though," he added with a frown, "as our little friend at the office is probably not an early riser, if last night's conversation is any indication."

Conrad quickly excused himself, saying that he was intending on seeing the local gem dealer to get the stones that they had taken after the raid appraised, and the silent mage quietly slipped out the door on some errand of his own.

"I'll leave than fun for you boys," Sucaba replied with a smirk in GreyEagle's direction. "It no longer concerns me."

As the others began to quickly disappear on their own errands, GreyEagle sighed. "I guess I will go with you." Coyle acknowledged her with a quick nod.

Ormec watched the others with his hands firmly on his hips. "Well, I'll not desert you," the dwarf muttered. "Seems like an incredible waste of time, filling out papers and reports, but I'll see it through to the end." He went off to collect his things, muttering about bureaucrats and vermin hiding behind oversized desks.

GreyEagle felt a twinge of disappointment as Ormec spoke. She'd had little opportunity to approach Coyle since his frosty reception the night before when she had returned with Horton, and she had thought that she might have an opportunity to speak with him alone. It appeared though that would have to wait.

Recuahc had been sitting silently up to this point, watching the others. Coyle looked over at him and the boy gave him a shrug. "Sure... I'll go along. I left you to yourselves last night, so it only seems fair to share some of the responsibility now."

They found that they were expect at the barracks, and a scribe was ready to take their charges. Each of them gave their account of what had happened, with Ormec placing a great deal of stress on the fact that the bandits had been conspiring with ogres. In all, the ordeal was fairly painless, and they were able to leave shortly before noon.

They spent a short time looking around at the sights of the city before they returned the inn for the noon meal. The city was certainly busy, and filled with strange peoples from the far flung corners of the land. The Shaar was an inhospitable sea of grasslands - hot and dry. There was only one major road across the planes, and the city of Shaarmid stood at the center of that road, meaning that the city saw almost anything and anyone wishing to cross from North, South, East or West. Some of the travelers looked on then with unkind expressions, as if to tell them to mind their own business, but most ignored them, too busy with their own doings to pay then any heed.

Conrad returned shortly after the noon meal, his face beaming with the deals he had been able to make. "Managed to make a fair price on the shields and swords we recovered, even though they were pretty badly abused. Seems such items are in high demand in these quarters. We would do well to watch our steps carefully as we continue South." He looked around carefully. "I was cautious not to give any particulars on our destination, but there are rumors of troubles in the South. They are wild lands, and not getting any better as the days go on."

Sucaba grunted. "You were wise. At lease some of us have learned to hold our tongues..." he added to no one in particular.

"While we're talking about goodies," Raal broke in, "were you able to find out anything about the dagger?"

Sucaba looked up at the silent mage and smiled. "Yes Raal, the dagger is in fact enchanted. It will do more damage, and find its target more often."

GreyEagle looked up and noticed that Coyle was fidgeting nervously as Conrad was speaking. He and Marianne exchanged glances, and she wondered what it might be that troubled him so. The others were so taken up at the sight of the gold and gems spread out on the table that they had apparently taken no notice of the pair. Coyle caught GreyEagle staring at him and he flashed her a quick smile.

After a few moments, Coyle appeared to make up his mind. He cleared his throat and spoke up.

"I too, was thinking of us as a team," he began, his confidence building as he spoke, "but now that Marianne has made a greater commitment, and will suffer greater risks, I think we would appreciate a fair share each. I expect we will each pull our own share of the load." Coyle's eyes quickly scanned the others in the room, looking for responses.

"I certainly plan on pulling my share of the load," Marianne added after taking a deep breath. It was clear that she was less comfortable than Coyle, and she avoided the looks of the others.

Sucaba had been busy studying his spells for the day, but he looked up sharply at Coyle's words. At first his eyes narrowed as he listened, but when Marianne spoke, he leaned over towards Horton, who was curled up in the corner of the room behind him. "What?" he asked in a loud whisper, "she is going to help GreyEagle service the men we meet?"

Coyle let the comment slide, but Recuahc snapped around and glared at the mage. "Spoken like a true leader, eh?" He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something else, but then he snapped it shut again. His jaw worked angrily as he leaned back in his chair again, his arms folded across his chest and fire in his eyes.

Sucaba regarded the bard carefully. At first he appeared concerned, but then slowly, a mocking smile crept across his face. After a moment, he shrugged and went back to his studies.

GreyEagle could feel her blood rise in her face, and she wanted to say something, but she carefully reigned in her emotions. Sucaba was baiting her again, and to react would only serve to prove his point that women were weak and emotional. She had given him too many opportunities for scorn already, and she would not satisfy him again.

Still, the remark gnawed at her. The gems laid on the table before her, no different from before, but it seemed like they had lost their luster, and they sat like dead things, hardly worth the trouble to pick them up. She looked at Coyle, hoping to find some support, but he just rolled his eyes and shrugged.

It was Marianne who gave her a smile and a wink. She found some comfort in that, remembering the talks they had shared in the past. Pay him no heed she told herself. Her day would come.

"Sounds fair enough to me," Conrad said, breaking the tense silence. "I hear no objections," he added, looking around the table, "so it is decided. You are to receive the same share as the others." The gnome smiled. "I for one am just as glad to have your sword guarding my back, and", he added with a smirk, looking at Marianne, "your skills in the healing arts... not that I am ever in need of them."

Ormec raised his mug. "A toast to our company," he said loudly, "and to treasure! May our foes fall before us as grass before the flame!" The others banged their mugs loudly on the table, and even Sucaba looked up from his book of spells long enough to drain the mug which up to this point had stood ignored in front of him.

GreyEagle leaned back in her chair and tried to relax. As they divided up the gold and gems they had found, she had her eye on one gem in particular, a brilliant sapphire. Since it was worth more than her share of the treasure, she paid Conrad a portion of the gold pieces she already had in order to even things out. She carefully folded the new gem in the piece of soft leather with the others, and buried them deep within her pack.

As soon as the gold and gems had been divided up, Sucaba closed his book with a slap and stood to his feet. "We have relaxed here long enough," he said with a sign. "It is time to be on our way once more." He looked around at those seated at the table and smiled. "The Golden Road awaits us, let us not keep her waiting."

Conrad sighed. "So much for a comfortable bed."

"A bed?" Ormec groaned. "I would be happy if our saddles were as comfortable as these chairs here. Someone once told me that I would eventually get used to sitting perched on the back of a horse, shaken around like an apple in a bag of stones with every step, but my tender parts tell me this will never happen."

"If you were less fat it might help," Trouble chided.

"If I were as skinny as you, the first wind that struck us would sweep me away," Ormec laughed. "No, I need my strength." The dwarf patted the heavy battle-axe lashed to his side. "A lesser man would never wield a weapon such as this."

"Perhaps a greater man might have need less often to wield such a thing..."

Ormec stood abruptly to his feet, but with a sharp look from Sucaba, he held his tongue and sat back down.

Sucaba slipped the book he had been studying into his pack and shouldered the bag. Still smiling and shaking his head, he walked around the table to where Marianne was collecting her things. "I hope my joviality was not taken to heart."

Marianne looked up at the mage and shook her head.

"We will fly ahead, circling back as before," Sucaba said to the rest of the group. "At days end, we will return with news of the best camp site." With a nod to Horton, the two of them started for the door.

Recuahc laughed. "As always Sucaba, you are a tough one to figure out."

Sucaba spun around on his heels and grinned at the boy. "We are, of course, a team."

When she thought about it later, GreyEagle could not understand what it was about Sucaba's comment that had so infuriated her, but something within her suddenly snapped, and she thrust herself to her feet, knocking the chair she had been sitting in to the floor with a crash.

"You, mage," she hissed, struggling to control herself, "are an impotent fool who knows nothing of women other than those you have to pay for." She paused just long enough to take a deep breath. "I follow you because of my loyalty to Schimray and our quest," she said, her eyes cold as ice, "but I have more respect for the slug I crush under the heel of my boot than I have for you."

She glared for an instant at Coyle, sitting silently next to her, and then snatched up her satchel and strode past Sucaba and out the door.

As she passed the mage, she caught a quick movement of his hand, and the faint sparkle of some finely ground substance which fluttered from the tips of his fingers to the floor. The hissing syllables of a long forgotten tongue followed after her, and she almost thought she could feel the burning fire of his eyes on her back as she walked through the door.

As soon as her feet hit the hard packed dirt of the yard in front of the inn, she cursed her lack of control. She spun around and looked back at the doorway she had just stormed out of, trying to think where to go from here.

Sucaba was quick to follow her out the door, and the two of them stood there, silently regarding one another. The mage stood still as a statue, the folds of his heavily embroidered cloak not even stirring in the heavy air. High over their heads, the sun beat down on them. In the midst of her anger, a sharp pang of fear suddenly broke on her. What would the mage do? What had he already done? She knew a spell when she saw one, and Sucaba had done something as she had walked past him, though she had no clue what it was. One thing she did know, it was most likely not for her health.

Ormec burst through the door behind Sucaba. "Well said!" the dwarf howled. "Well said indeed! It seems her words can bite as hard as her sword, eh, Sucaba?"

The mage's look of furry suddenly broke, and he too laughed. "Or the smell of a dwarf!" Still, his eyes never left GreyEagle. "It is good that you can make light of this Ormec. These squabbles are not worthy of our time."

"Then why do you provoke them?" Ormec shot back, the humor suddenly gone from his voice.

"This is not a knitting class. I will not stop my tongue when it seeks to speak truth. Have you never chided a newcomer or companion to test their mettle?"

"Yes, but..."

"Enough!" Sucaba's hand went up sharply, silencing the dwarf.

GreyEagle's mind reeled as she watched Sucaba, and she clenched and un-clenched her fists. Sucaba strode up to her and it was all she could do to keep from spitting in his face.

"Are you with us, woman, or not?" His voice felt like fine silk draped over the newly sharpened blade of a dagger. Any false move...

"Do not doubt my loyalty to Schimray on this quest," she said, her voice tight with emotion. "I have nothing to gain by splitting up the group."

"Truth," Sucaba said in a low snarl, "is not always palatable, but it is still truth. Do not allow your sensibilities to interfere with your service. If you truly serve Schimray, then you also serve me. Never doubt this."

"Truth I have no problem with," GreyEagle spat back, "but insult and innuendo are another thing." Even as she spoke, she knew that Sucaba was twisting her words again, and there was no way she would win a war of words with him. However, that only served to intensify her rage. "You expect me to serve you, but yet you continually smear my character and spit on my abilities."

"I do not smear your character. Your service to me does not hinge on whether or not I humor your sensibilities."

Sucaba stopped for a moment and looked around. The others in the group were gathering around to see what was going on. Slowly, the look in his eyes softened. "Your words serve no purpose," he said, some of the edge gone from his voice. "Mine were a statement of distaste for the involvement of outsiders that you have brought to our group."

"Outsiders?" GreyEagle sputtered. "Do I need to remind you that it was you who decided that Coyle and Marianne could join us, or do you wish to go back on that decision now? Now you have invited another `outsider', as you would say, to join us. Did I ever give any indication that I resented Laurel's inclusion in the group?"

Sucaba laughed and spun around, turning his back on GreyEagle. Smiling at Marianne, he opened his arms wide. "Of course you are welcome in this group. You have shown no traits worthy of fault."

The implied accusation stung GreyEagle, but she had already lost Sucaba's attention, and to push the matter any further would only serve to dig deeper the hole she had made for herself. Never before had she met someone who so completely despised her, but yet still used her.

She glanced around the yard. The others in the group simply stood there, either chuckling at the way the mage had dragged her through the dirt, or afraid to contradict him. She shot an angry look in Coyle's direction, but he returned her stare without emotion. No, he would not stand up for her, not to Sucaba's face. That was not his position. He was on loose enough footing as it was with regard to his position within the group. His loyalty to Schimray was suspect, and his presence was at best tolerated, the decision to share treasures with him and Marianne not withstanding. In private, he would comfort her and assure her of his belief in her strength and abilities, but somehow at the moment, that support seemed hollow and unsatisfying.

There was nothing more to do than to continue on. She strode briskly across the yard to the stables. She flipped a quick silver piece to the boy who met her at the gate with her horse. She tossed her things over the back of the saddle and swung up after. Giving the horse a swift kick, she burst back into the yard, yanking the animal to an abrupt halt in front of the others, scattering dust and gravel.

"Are we ready to go then?"

The others took only a shot time to gather their things and mount up. GreyEagle looked back as Horton carefully worked his muscled form through the front door of the inn, and in spite of her foul mood, she chuckled to see the innkeeper eyeing them and mopping his brow. He might be upset now, but she was sure the inn would more than make up for the lost business today as it would buzz with talk for weeks to come over the black dragon that had visited there. Entire inns had been renamed over lesser events than that.

After that, a talking rat was hardly even noticed.

The weather remained hot and sticky for the next two days, but the road was good, and they made excellent time, reaching the fork in the road at Kormul near Noon on the second day out from Shaarmid. All of them spoke little in the oppressive heat, and GreyEagle spoke even less. Duties at camp were done with a minimum of effort, as the heat drained most of their strength. The evenings provided some small relief, if only from the constant glare and road dust. There was little wood for fires, but then there was little need for the heat of a fire. They spoke quietly around the crackling embers in the darkness, too restless to sleep much, and too tired for conversations other than simple comments about the events of the day. GreyEagle spent a great deal of time with the horses, checking to see that they were not overstressed in the heat.

At Kormul though, they were forced to make a decision. Schimray had told them that they could either follow the road to Rethmar, and then back-track along the river, or cut across the open plains to the South, skirting the Talos woods, and then ford the river at some point.

Sucaba was waiting for them when they arrived. There was little discussion before Sucaba raised his hand and spoke.

"The river is the prime concern. We have no way to know if there is any place to cross." He turned to Ormec. "You and GreyEagle will lead the party east towards Rethmar."

At this, GreyEagle raised an eyebrow, but she said nothing.

"I will ride Horton southeast and scout for places where the river can be crossed below Rethmar, and then return to meet you there. The journey should take you the rest of today and tomorrow. Remember, speak to no one in Rethmar about the journey. We now draw near to our destination, and we do not wish to alert those who may oppose us, or those who may seek to compete with Schimray's employer. If I can find no way for the horses to cross the river, then we will follow the road, east from Restmar, past the river and then cut back. Horton and I may find a shortcut tomorrow."

There was little discussion, and Sucaba quickly climbed back up on Horton's back and headed out ahead of them. They followed, but nos as quickly as they had before on the Golden Road. They were leaving the plains of the Shaar, and the heavy traffic they had grown accustomed to. The path narrowed and became stony, and the dry grasses of the plains was replaced with gnarled thorn bushed and scrub trees. The horses tired quickly and they were forced to stop well before sundown. Ahead of them, they could see that the road became only worse, an they entered the hills.

They saw no sign of Sucaba that night. At first GreyEagle fretted, until she remembered that he was not planning on meeting them again until they reached Rethmar. It seemed strange to not have him there, with the deep sound of the dragon breathing, just beyond the edge of the circle of light around the fire.

Coyle sat by himself a little apart from the others, quietly attending to the blade of his longsword. The others were mostly quiet, with those on guard duty already silently walking the perimeter of the camp. GreyEagle got up and quietly slipped to his side.

"May I speak with you?" she whispered, still afraid to look him in the eye.

Coyle looked up at her. "Yes."

"Could we walk?"

"Yes..." the answer came back slowly. "Something troubles you?"

GreyEagle nodded quickly.

Coyle shrugged. He stood and extended his hand to GreyEagle to help her to her feet. Greyeagle took his hand, and she was glad once again for his strength.

They walked a short distance before GreyEagle turned and forced herself to look at Coyle. "I am sorry," she said nervously. "I am afraid that I have made a fool of myself, and threatened the success of our quest. I have alienated my friends, and given my enemies no end of material to chew on. Most of all, I have hurt you and Marianne." She glanced back at Coyle for a moment and then looked away. "I am afraid that I am no Dove Falconhand, but only a foolish child, and I do not deserve your trust. All I can do is to ask for your forgiveness."

Coyle quickly took her into his arms and held her. He did not speak at first, but then he let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry if I have held up too high a standard for you," he whispered in her ear, "one which I suppose can never be reached except in the imagination. We both struggle I am afraid, and make mistakes more often than we would like to admit. I wanted to speak to you before, when you returned, but I didn't trust myself to speak at the time. I was afraid that it would be my anger which spoke, and that I would drive you away."

GreyEagle let Coyle hold her for a while. "Do you forgive me?" she asked finally, "I need to hear you say that."

"I'll forgive you," he whispered back, "if you promise not to take off on me again."

"No, not `if'. Just, do you forgive me?"

Coyle thought for a moment, and then lifted her chin gently so that she looked him straight in the eye. "Yes, I forgive you."

GreyEagle breathed a sigh. "Thank you. The past days have weighed heavily on me. This is the first time I was able to summon the courage to speak to you." She looked up at Coyle and smiled. "I will not run away again."

She leaned her head on Coyle's shoulder. "Sometimes it's a temptation though. I don't know what came over me when I confronted Sucaba over his remarks to Marianne. I thought I saw him make use of some of his magic when I walked out of the inn, but I have no idea what he did. I do not expect it was intended for my good health." She pulled away suddenly and clenched her fists, so that her fingernails dug into the flesh of the palms of her hands. "Sometimes he is like the bullies I faced when I was a child, only Sucaba has more power than they could ever dream of knowing. I swear that the lust for power consumes him. I wonder if he would ever try to overthrow Schimray."

She shivered suddenly at the thought.

---

Next...
7 April, 1998