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The Heartwood
A little west of Road’s End Bridge, Blackwater River
Just Outside of Talesan’s Village
Rameday, the eleventh day of Scholar

Daxia, Bekkah, Kadri, Mikal, Cesare, Darian and Dean

Longtooth, Morning Star, Khorall and Dama Larsen, Kisa Allaine, Kay Koromov and Romana

It was almost as if Midsummers were many handfuls of days ago. No, indeed, it was exactly as if Midsummers where many handfuls of days ago when the caravan reached the escarpments’ edge and below sprawled the mainland’s western shore.

Talantal and the Midsummers Council had been left behind, but not unchanged. There was a Hospice being built in the First Ring – a suitable retirement occupation for one no longer running a cathedral, and Lady Anastasia had taken the twins with her. Even in its start the seeds of change had been planted: the ability to practice the Lady’s ways hands-on turned out to be a certain temptation to the younger Initiates.

Lord Tray Korie seemed well-ensconced in his role as High Seneschal, although rumors of allowance adjustments for certain Damas were already rippling through the Rings as their caravan was making their way through the gates.

The activities of other Nobles, specifically the Korie Heir, were determined to be acceptable and proper... which, in the longest term of consideration, could have interesting consequences indeed.

Captain Koromov and her Wild Horde were eastbound so any news of their hunt remained in the caravan’s wake, although runners had been sent out. And as they rode west, the promised mustering of the Talantal men-at-arms was being met. They shared the Highland Path with footmen, Knights, and Squires, at least until they had passed Pathside Manor and left the Duchy of Talantal behind.

There were other rumors, picked up by Mikal, that the night before they left certain folks held an impromptu sparring bout. Kay showed up in the morning, literally dragging herself in with a limp and bearing two black eyes, being worried over by Romana and escorted by Dunwich Scott. Duffy mumbled something along the lines of...

“... folks say that eventually luck always runs out ... But sea and stars, it didn’t until after dawn ...”

The trip west was a curious sword of two edges. Traveling with the Larsen entourage was peaceful and entertaining; even though they were on the road for weeks it felt like an afternoon’s excursion. Khorall Tieg Larsen took to the trail with good humor, even if it added time, as he often chose to talk to those they met on the trail. If they were going west, they were invited to join. If they were going east, the news of the day was shared. A farmer’s home along the highway often became an extended lunch with inquiries upon crops, weather, and general well-being.

And when they did run into what would have normally been trouble, well, it all tended to work out a little after Khorall or Dama Larsen rode forward. First, one did not argue with a Noble, any Noble. And second, it was really hard to get angry at the Larsens in the first place.

“Cor. What do you mean I can’t poke him?”

On the other hand, Kay’s droll complaint, usually muttered while leaning on her spear and giving a passing Jvrillian caravan guard a measuring look, summed up the downside of traveling with the Larsens.

It was safe. It was quiet. It was enjoyable company.

And more than little boring.

Not that the terrain was very exciting; it was open farmland between Talantal and Talesan’s, with only one major tavern – the White Cup Inn – between the keeps. The White Cup was famous for the goblet set above its mantelpiece. It was rumored to be Ironsilver but upon close inspection it was only porcelain; not that that wasn’t a treasure in itself.

The Allaine Heir kept her promise; she was very quiet during the entire trip. She kept to herself, mostly, although at night she always ended up sitting at the campfire or hearth next to her Knight. The most amusing thing about that was that it was often mirrored on the other side of the campfire by Bekkah’s apprentice and her self-appointed bodyguard.

“What?”

Kay would give a cross look as she stole a hunk of bread from Bekkah’s basket and then dunked it in Daxia’s gravy.

“A gal’s gotta sit somewhere.”

Kisa spent most of her time watching the Larsens, green eyes sharp and piercing beneath a lush fall of red hair. Once, late at night, after Dama and Khorall had taken their leave, she leaned her head on Daxia’s shoulder and observed quietly.

“It’s not all natural. Watch Lady Larsen. She does not have her husband’s gift. Her kindness is practiced, learned... just as Khorall Larsen’s innate likability is stretched farther by his choice of words and actions. He is better at using his talents than Lord Korie and his weather witching … maybe even better than Mother.”

For Darian and Cesare, the change from city to farmland may or may not have been welcome, but it was more familiar. There were signs too that folks of their own ilk had passed this way; stories of card readers for Cesare and the hunting signs of much more traditional followers of Khannish for Darian.

And at the least, looking down from the rocky bluff to the landscape below, Talesan’s Village appeared to be exactly that. It was certainly not a city, not even a major settlement like Cragside or Bordertown.

From here the land dropped through a smooth set of descending slopes, like waves of land sweeping towards the sea. The bridge they had just crossed was called Road’s End because the road running eastward ended at its stone-paved arch. From here, gently winding downhill, the paved way ran all the way to the sea. It was no small thoroughfare either, at least four wagons could fit across its width and the stones were set so close the sharpest dagger could not sweep between.

The bridge itself had leaped over the Blackwater River in a single smooth arch. The river itself was well-deserving its name, as it was a bit peculiar. The bridge was very high above the surface, at least thirty or forty feet, and the bed the river flowed through was deeply cut. The river itself was at least ten to fifteen feet below the bank itself. The earth and rock it cut through were dark toned, that too cast the surface in shadow making the water look, indeed, black. Every so often there was a splash as a fish leaped.

They seemed hungry; at least there was the thought that it was dinner anytime anything that could be bit walked by.

From here the entirety of the Village and its outlying farms could be discerned; even if the buildings themselves were small and still a decent ride away.

Closer in, a group of homes and such surrounded an open market courtyard, the traditional layout of a country village. To the right, the north, a scattering of smaller individual farm houses could be seen; one of which was, most assuredly, the home of Kirill Mikaelsson. Just beyond that and sneaking towards the Village like a slowly moving plains cat was a line of thick green woods.

The edge of the Dirkwood Forest.

Beyond the market square, there was a tighter collection of buildings, much more rigidly organized. Some were long enough to be considered warehouses, and they very may well be for these buildings were not set upon grass and fields. They rose from true set stone; a flat and carved plain that struck out into the water, to form a border straight and rectangular. Many folks had seen wooden piers on the side of a lake or wide river.

The farther portion of the town was set on huge stone piers that thrust out into the waves. And they were not small – there was a boat not out fishing, perhaps it was being repaired, and the top of its mast did not even rise above the edge of the stone dock.

“We have a little bit of a tide.”

Obviously, among Tieg Larsen’s talents, was that of the understatement.

To the south stood the Village’s heart, a striking and beautiful structure of honey marble.

The Cathedral.

Its height and breath put the Cathedral of Talantal to shame as it towered above the rest of the Village, and even at this distance the rainbow reflection of its stained glass panes could be seen.

“We are also not as affluent as our Korie cousins.”

Again Khorall Larsen was correct. Even this far out the holes in the roof, the collapse of the western tower, the strewing of rubble and building blocks could be seen. The cathedral had seen much, much better days.

A bridge led further south, at the end of the Blackwater, where the path then switch-backed up a seacoast cliff. Atop it was a quiet-looking – but very secure - citadel: Talesan’s Keep.

“That is our destination, at least, for myself, my dear wife, and my retainers. Dama Allaine, you are, of course, welcome to stay… as well as your household.”

Khorall Larsen did offer, but then provided options.

“However, if you do not wish to be saddled with the boring hospitality of the poorest keep, there, on the east border of Market Square is the Amber Inn. It is small, but friendly, and sometimes the youngest of Kirill’s sons play for coin and supper. It is an easy ride and you should be there before noon. Kirill’s place is a half day farther out – if you keep riding you should be there just about dusk.

“Three-quarters of a day along the Blackwater’s edge and you will find Waverider’s Watch. You can see just the hint of its tower there, right at the edge of the Forest. That is the place you and your guardsman are interested in, isn’t that correct, Dama Korie?

“Or there are the cloisters... at the least three of you will be welcome there. That said, Father Canna may be old and a touch scatterbrained, but he has a kind heart and more rooms than he knows what to do with – probably enough for all of you.

“I’d recommend staying away from the Forest and river’s edge until you get used of them – and yes, do beware of the tide. It comes in very, very quickly.

“Welcome to Talasan’s Village.”

The Khorall swept his hand forward, a slow and theatrical arc that took in his Family’s entire holding.

Land and Sea.

Beneath Her light, the sea sparkled as if someone had carelessly tossed diamonds and sapphires across its surface. There were bright flashes of smooth color – the sails of the fishing boats – to add life and a bit of playful dash to the seascape.

And the sea, it stretched out – beyond the stony hook that created Talesan’s Bay, out to the far flat horizon, brilliant blue and white and silver as far as one could see.

They had, finally, reached the edge of the world.

Cesare

Having seen signs of his kin as they passed through various places, Cesare is keen to see if any are here. But for now the sight that entices him most is the sea. It glitters and calls to him in a way he had not expected. Even the air is different here, the salty tang of that vast body of water permeates the very air they breathe.

He stands stock still, watching it whilst others decide where they will stay.

Kadri:

She looks to Khorral Larsen.

"I must say that your home is a glittering jewel more precious and beautiful than all the fine buildings and high stone walls you could name. The views are breathtaking, and the importance of a cathedral is more who is in it and what they are doing than fine tapestries and furnishings. I find your holding very pleasing indeed."

She looks to Mikal, Dazi, and the others.

"I would think that making the travel to Waverider's watch today would be perhaps a bit of a slog, and have us arriving late at best. I am open to spending at least the night here before moving on, anyone else?"

Mikal

He stops when the Khorall does, but he finds himself unable to follow the man's description of his village and holdings. His gaze, and attention is fixed on the sea. He has never seen the sea before, and while he'd heard fanciful tales, they did not prepare him for the sheer size.

**It goes on forever!**

He sits and stares, entranced. The flickering of the light on the waves creating sparkling, jewel-like radiance brings a grin to his face.

After a moment, he registers Kadri speaking a few minutes ago and he turns his head. "Did you say something?"

Kadri:

"A moment of perfect beauty carved in rippling water by her Rays."

And she smiles.

Starlord Priestess
Knight of Dawnview Castle
Lord Protector of her Noble Personage Kisa Allaine
Her Ladyship, Sir Daxia Yurisdotter

Daxia had simply looked at her Initiate that morning with a raised eyebrow. Given the way Kay had looked, she wasn’t certain that impromptu sparring bout would have been the words she might have used to describe whatever Kay and her opponents had been doing. And assailants might have been a more accurate description of the others involved in the incident, rather than opponents. Well, there wasn’t any Truth to be had without one of the Blue Robes to attest to it, and it had seemed rather silly to involve them when a plethora of stories only served to make the tales spread farther and faster.

Then she looked at Captain Koromov’s Quartermaster...

...eventually luck always runs out... it didn’t until after dawn...

Perhaps it had been Daxia’s increasingly warped sense of humor that had given rise to the thought, Indeed. As if our Lady looked down and saw the melee. And then said, ‘that’s enough playing for now, Child.’

She had shaken her head and asked Duffy, “Out of curiosity, how many idiots thought it was a good idea to, ah, spar with a war-trained Spearbearer of Dayala?”

Naturally, tales of the night-long tussle would spread. Of course, they would! And as the number of men Kay had faced grew with each telling, so too would the number of girls and young women who might consider the unthinkable: leave their homes to learn about Dayala and the lessons She teaches Her followers.

The more than leisurely pace set by Khorall Tieg allowed Daxia to think about a great number of things. It gave her time to feel comfortable not only in Kisa’s presence, but in Kisa’s presence while also being among others. It certainly didn’t hurt that the Larsens simply put everyone at ease.

Well, perhaps not everyone. Dazi still chuckled each and every time Kay expressed a desire to poke someone.

Still, since the moment she arrived at the gates of Cragside on a rainy Raven night last year, Daxia had not had an over-abundance of time in which to think she might be getting bored. Cragside had been quite the adventure! And a trip from that town to the larger crossroads of Bordertown should have been a rather uninteresting journey. Under other circumstances, of course. But rescuing an Eastern Princess, fighting a demon, a sorcerer, and a number of Eastern riders was certainly in the category of oh so very interesting... and dangerous.

And after that day, she had not had a moment’s peace in her effort to unravel the mystery of Innocence Allaine. Not until she had arrived at Midsummers Council in the Korie Court had she been able to let that slight obsession fall away.

Bordertown? There had been nothing boring about Bordertown! She hadn’t known there was an old Dayalan Temple there. She’d have to track Gilly down eventually to ask her why she never mentioned it. Surely it was something she had noticed! Even if she never stayed in Bordertown long enough to get hints of the Curse on Tashka and Linette, mentioning the existence of another Temple — however dilapidated and desecrated it might be — would have been nice. Even today, Dazi wasn’t sure what she could have done with information beyond simply not being surprised by the Temple’s existence.

And what would the opposite of boring be? There was surely a word for it, but Dazi was simply going to say that Bordertown was the opposite of boring. With the breaking of the Curse on the Priestesses in the Temple came another form of Never Ever Boring... the Magnificent, Handsome and Pragmatic Font of All Knowledge Wise and Wonderful, Magnanimous Seer of All and Listener of Innumerable Nuances, He of the Majestic Flowing Silky Mane and Charming Disposition Known as the Immortal Unicorn Morning Star.

Hmm... yes. That night at Highside Heather had been a vexation to Starrider and Unicorn both, although Morning Star’s vexation was immeasurably greater than Daxia’s. Morning Star was still annoyed by that. Not that she could blame him.

She still didn’t really understand how Kay managed to jump forward from then to now, but here she was. It was rather paradoxical and Daxia, at least, found it amusing...

Kay was bored. She was bored because she was here, traveling to Talesan’s Village with the Larsens and not dead these seven generations. But Kay’s presence meant that Dazi couldn’t possibly be bored.

Oh, and that was another thing... she needed to find Kassia one of these days, too. She’d have thought Kassia, of all people, would have mentioned one very minor detail about taking on an Initiate to train. It’s possible that Daxia might not have had that minor meltdown on Midsummers night when Morning Star mentioned it, although his matter-of-fact delivery might still have had the same effect.

There are stars in the sky at night, white clouds in a blue sky during the day... Brighteyes is a slut, you are a Priestess, and I need more apples.

The fact that His Magnificence had then gone on to add Starlord to her list of titles the following day caused only slightly less of an upset. It’s quite likely that she had reacted less... theatrically... than the situation called for — at least in her mind — because she had just been beaten quite soundly by Dandy. And the reaction she did have? Well, her Temple Sister was certainly a role model to emulate! She managed to put the whole lot of titles and rankings into perspective in such a way that Dazi was practically laughing at herself over it.

And she had learned that Unicorns sneeze! Well, at least when they’re around Captain Koromov.

No, Dazi couldn’t honestly say that there was anything boring, or that she had the opportunity to be bored, in all her travels from Cragside to Grand Talantal. The fact that some folks might consider traveling with the Larsens to be boring wasn’t something that ever occurred to Daxia. How could it? Like Kisa, she viewed it as an opportunity to learn new things.

Just about anything could be considered interesting, and it was only one’s perspective that would label the interesting thing either good or bad, slightly interesting or monumentally so. As they traveled toward Talesan’s Village, Dazi was learning all sorts of things.

She was learning about the land and the people who lived on and tended to the land. She suspected she might not have soaked up as much information if they had been traveling at their normal pace, or if they weren’t traveling in the company of the Larsens.

Ah, the Larsens! What an interesting couple the Khorall and his Dama were! Watching and observing them was like watching and observing no one else she’d ever met. The Khorall was quite possibly the most gently gregarious person to walk the mainland. He fascinated her. He could converse for hours, speaking and listening by turn, and no one ever thought to call him a chatterbox or tell him he talked too much. And that wasn’t because he was a Noble, either. It was simply the way he spoke and listened. It was a neat and handy skill if one could learn it.

As apparently one could... although to learn it as well as the Dama Larsen had, Daxia would have needed to begin those lessons with Kassia. And Kassia thought it important to teach other skills.

The Khorall’s Lady was kind and gracious. Dama Clarissa extended her goodwill equally to everyone in the party: Noble and Commoner, Imperial and... Princess. Daxia had overheard her, perhaps midway through the journey, telling her husband that she found Kay charming. There were a great many words Daxia could think of to describe her Initiate. However, charming was not one of them. The Dama had some quiet conversations with Bekkah’s Initiate, and Daxia was happy to see both Romana and the Lady Larsen smiling throughout many of them. Once, she could tell Romana was speaking of something that still haunted her and Dama Clarissa had taken the young Princess’ hand and patted it in a motherly way. Where Daxia still would have expected to see Romana flinch at the touch — if only ever so slightly — she had merely looked at her hand that the Dama held with an expression of mild surprise.

True, Romana was getting a little bit better about such things, but even Lady Attera’s gentle graces couldn’t heal such deeply ingrained hurts so quickly. It was more a testament of Dama Clarissa’s goodness and kindness that surprised Romana.

For her part, Dazi wasn’t so much surprised as she was impressed. Kisa had noted the Dama’s skill, too, of course. She had spoken of it one night. Dazi had nodded, having grasped the reality that Kisa spoke to. Her friend understood the gifts of the various Noble Families in a way Dazi never could. She wasn’t even sure she knew many of them. But Kisa had the words to describe what Daxia had only been able to intuit. She had smiled at the comment and replied quietly, “But not better than Mother’s Daughter?” Her chuckle had been little more than a happy sigh.

“And I had wondered about the Korie gift, what it was, I mean. I think I would like to have a lengthy discussion on the topic. I know so little about the gifts of the Noble Families, although I suspect many of them would be obvious from observations of the Families’ histories. Are there major gifts and minor gifts, might a Family have more than one gift, and what do you think happened when a gift appears to have been lost to history?” Then Dazi had laughed softly.

“But I think that’s a discussion to be had during the day, and not so close to the time I ought to be thinking of sleep. Thankfully, Mikal has the mid-watch tonight.” At that point, Kisa’s Knight had rolled her eyes. “He is sensible in waking his relief, whereas my Initiate seems to find delight in waking me — only me, mind you — as if a horde of brigands were descending that very moment on the camp.”

Another thing Dazi had learned early in the trip was to guard her bread... and always have extra gravy on her plate. It was amusing to see that Bekkah took the opposite approach... guarding her moderate portion of gravy but leaving her bread available for “thefts.”

The journey was also filled with little amusements. Kay pretending that she needed an excuse to sit beside Romana at meals was one of them. Each time she played her game and insisted that she needed to sit somewhere after all, Daxia would smile. “Yah, must sit,” she would say in her Out Beyond Glacier accent. “So sit. Dazi not look you anyway.” And then her eyes would shift to her tall friend and she would say, “Was this another good day of learning with Bekkah, Romana?”

If Daxia was asked — and thankfully she wasn’t — she would have been hard pressed to say which young woman soaked up new information faster... the Heir of Allaine or the Princess of Kh’Lhy’Ra.

And there had been the first night she and Kay had shared the late watch. Just before dawn, she pointed to the eastern sky.

“Kay? See there? The bright star there, surrounded and followed by a good fullhand more?” Some were barely bright enough to be seen, but there were more than two handful that created the fullness of the constellation.

“That’s called Spear. I can’t be as sure about it as I am about Tashka and Linette, but I’m as certain as I can be that it’s your Lilykins and the rest of your sisters. The smallest star, the closest star, disappeared after Highside Heather. I think you’d best come with me up beyond Glacier Keep. Cousin Akane is likely to be more than a bit unnerved by a star disappearing so far from the Dark Patch.”

Daxia had just rested a hand on the youngster’s shoulder.

“I want to show her where the star fell.”

The elder Dayalan was quiet for a few moments, waiting for the coming dawn and the daily arrival of their Lady.

“She’s waiting patient and sure for you, and watching you, too,” she said softly. Her eyes, as usual drifted to look at the Dark Patch. “I think we’ll have a lot of work to do before we can join them, though. I expect that an abundance of peace after so much war takes getting used. But you’re doing good work, Kay. Mostly, you still have a few rough edges you need to learn how and when to hide.”

If Kay were as clever as her some many times removed niece or cousin the Captain, she would quickly pick up on the fact that her teacher was not suggesting that her rough edges be removed. At all.

Daxia had smiled as the beginning glow of dawn colored the constellation Spear in reflections of gold and rose. The Priestess wasn’t sure if this was a Teaching Moment or merely a poetic appreciation for the ways their Lady manifested in the world.

“She paints them beautifully every chance She gets, and it’s only since this past Horse that She’s done so. I often imagine Lily and your sisters are catching the colors our Lady first shows the world and holding them for us to see... you and me.”

It was after morning prayers that Daxia added, “I only knew that Allaine of yours for one short night, but... cor! Isn’t she just the sort to find a way to toss a brick at my head if I don’t do right by you!”

She didn’t always stand last watch, but Dazi did prefer it. She was awake well before dawn anyway to prepare for the rising of her Lady. Bekkah said her prayers at dawn as well and, on rare occasions, managed to cajole Romana out of her cocoon of a blanket.

On the Attaday just over a handful before they reached Talesan’s Village, morning prayers had been concluded and breakfast was in the beginning stages of preparation. Daxia had grinned as she gave Bekkah a sidelong glance. Maybe Bekkah had noticed and maybe Bekkah hadn’t noticed, but even those accustomed to sleeping a little bit later were awake this beautiful Scholar morning. She had rushed over to her sister and, grabbing her from behind, picked her up and spun her around in circles just as Bekkah had done to her when they were much younger.

“Happy birthday, Bekkah!!” Dazi finally said as they both dropped to the ground in fits of laughter. “Do you realize this is the first time we’ve been able to spend your birthday together since you left for Lilia’s Castle?”

Daxia had only wanted to make the day one that would give her sister many smiles. And of course, Bekkah being Bekkah, that was easily done. Despite all the observations she had made of the Larsens, however, she hadn’t counted on the Khorall informing everyone they met that it was a special day for the Atteran Priestess.

And she would have sworn she heard Romana muttering softly to Kay something to the effect that the senior Starry... ah, Sun-Lady Priestess was never going to learn when her birthday was. Kay’s grunted reply had sounded like an agreement.

But that didn’t matter because Bekkah was her sister, and... well... that was the thing that mattered.

When they arrived at the Road’s End Bridge and the Khorall of these lands pointed out all the places of interest, Daxia slipped her hand into Kisa’s and smiled. She listened to Khorall Tieg, noting places to go and perhaps places not to go... places of interest and places of which to be wary.

The Cathedral, even broken as it was, spoke to some bit of learning tucked in the back of her mind. The odd fish of the Blackwater River made her think of Celi... she had once spoken of having to club the fish senseless at times. Mikaelsson’s Farm was definitely a destination for her and Mikal... and Dean, too, if she could manage that.

And the sea...

She had seen few things, either natural or man-made, as stunningly beautiful.

She squeezed Kisa’s hand and then whispered, “Well, there it is... the Sea of Opals! We’ve seen it and it’s beautiful. We can go back to our Mountains now.”

Kisa eyed her for a moment and smiled herself. “I believe you’re teasing me again, my Knight.”

“Tcha! Of course I am!” she replied with a chuckle. “And you’re getting much better at recognizing it, too. Besides, it would be remiss of us to see our Lady’s light dance across the surface and not watch how She plays with the waters as She bids the world a good night.”

At the Khorall’s offer to Dama Allaine to join him and his Lady at their Keep, Kisa ducked her head as she might have done before the journey had ever begun. She momentarily became the shy bookworm of a lass deciding the best course of action. Her Knight, however, did not miss the shift of her eyes and the subtle emotions flowing across her features and disappearing again. Dazi wondered if she would have understood Kisa’s silent message before their reunion in Talantal.

Daxia nodded at Kadri’s words. “Lady Kadri’s words quite poetically describe your holdings, my lord. As does the look on her guardsman’s face.” The Dayalan smiled and glanced again at Kisa before addressing the Khorall. “While Dama Kisa and I might express some skepticism that your Keep is boring, we would be most ungracious to strain your budgets after the delights you have so generously shared on our journey here.”

She tilted her head while surveying the party.

“I don’t doubt that Father Canna would be delighted to see Squire Dean again!” She gave Dean a smile of such innocence and sincerity that it could only mean she had... ideas. “Oh, and I would so love to meet your family, Dean! I don’t doubt we all would, especially the delightful sisters you speak of. When you speak.” She winked at him. “And I do hope to meet your Knight, I really do. Now, don’t get all pale and sweaty, my friend. I only want to make a good report to him, and to Father Canna, about how well you put into practice the lessons they taught.” She shook her head. “My goodness, what else could I possibly mean?”

Dazi managed to hide her smile as she turned to Kadri to answer her question.

“I believe it would please my lady, Dama Kisa, to stay at the Amber Inn.” Glancing at Bekkah, she continued, “I’m uncertain of the proper Imperial protocol, so I can’t say if it would be impolite for you and Romana and Dean to join us there.” She shrugs. “It’s not a thing one learns in the Allaine Court.”