river.”
“It's possible,” Aelryk said, “but the
near bank is not likely a land of spring.”
“Do you think you'll find elves there?”
Rykon asked, sipping at his wine.
“I don't know what we'll find there,” he
replied. “Perhaps if they are still around they can tell me how to bring a
river back with me.”
“Orzi has said that the prophecy will find
a way,” Lisalla said, laying her hand on top of his. “An answer will be
revealed to you at the right time. I'm sure of it.” She leaned in and kissed
his forehead.
“Shall we head back to the stables? The
others are most likely waiting for me by now.” Aelryk rose and laid a few coins
on the table.
The trio headed back to the stable where
the rest of the party was indeed waiting for the king. The men bowed their
heads as he approached.
“Is everything in order?” he asked General
Morek.
“Yes, my lord,” Morek replied. “Everything
is prepared.”
“Let's get to it then,” Aelryk commanded.
He turned to his wife and kissed her lips.
Then, he turned to his son and hugged him.
“Safe journey, father,” Rykon said.
“Be well, husband,” Lisalla said with
tears in her eyes. She had seen him off on journeys before, but she was always
sad to see him go.
Without a word, Aelryk mounted his horse.
He raised his hand in a gesture of farewell to his family and then headed to
the road with his companions following closely behind.
Chapter 12
After a hard day's ride, Mel and the
others arrived at Duana. Slowly, they walked their horses to the stables and
dismounted.
“Well, my ass hurts,” Mel said rubbing his
backside.
Thinal walked behind him and squeezed his
bottom with both hands. “I'll help you with that later,” she said.
“Not accustomed to riding much, Mel?”
Mi'tal asked.
“I'd say that's the second time in my life
I've been on a horse, or maybe it's the third. I've never ridden all day
before, and I don't much care to do it again.”
“I'm sure the king won't want to travel on
foot,” Mi'tal said, “but we may have a few days rest before he arrives. Let's
see if they have any rooms for us at the inn.”
The six of them headed towards the inn
just as the sun was disappearing below the horizon. A warm orange hue filled
the sky.
The inn was rather large and in good
repair. Voices could be heard coming from the common room. Duana was a
medium-sized town that did not receive too many visitors, but the inn was the
center of activity for its citizens.
Mi'tal and Loren stepped inside first,
followed by Mel, Thinal, and the guards. Immediately, Byord and Oli took seats
among the crowd and motioned to a server to bring ale. Mi'tal led the others to
the bar where a fat innkeeper was hurriedly wiping glasses.
“Good evening, innkeeper,” Mi'tal said.
“Do you have any rooms available this night?”
The innkeeper stopped wiping glasses and
looked up. His eye fell straight to Mel and Thinal, who were dressed in animal
skin clothing.
“What the hell?” he said, bewildered. His
eyes darted between Mi'tal and the elves.
“Forgive me, innkeeper,” Mi'tal said. “I
am Councilor Mi'tal, First Advisor to King Aelryk. These are my companions,
Councilor Loren, Mel, and Thinal. We are on urgent business for the king and
would like rooms for the night.”
The innkeeper swallowed and took one more
look at the elves. “Councilor, sir, this is a thing unheard of.” He leaned over
the bar close to Mi'tal and whispered, “Those are savages. Why have you brought
them here? Are they under arrest?”
Mi'tal waved his hand. “No, nothing like
that. They are in the king's employ.”
The innkeeper stood up straight,
dumbstruck. “We have plenty of rooms available. Two silver per night, and that
includes your meals.”
“Thank you, sir,” Mi'tal said. “We will
take five rooms.” He placed ten silver coins on the bar. The price was
unreasonable, of course, but he was in no mood to argue.
“Rooms are upstairs. You can take
“It's possible,” Aelryk said, “but the
near bank is not likely a land of spring.”
“Do you think you'll find elves there?”
Rykon asked, sipping at his wine.
“I don't know what we'll find there,” he
replied. “Perhaps if they are still around they can tell me how to bring a
river back with me.”
“Orzi has said that the prophecy will find
a way,” Lisalla said, laying her hand on top of his. “An answer will be
revealed to you at the right time. I'm sure of it.” She leaned in and kissed
his forehead.
“Shall we head back to the stables? The
others are most likely waiting for me by now.” Aelryk rose and laid a few coins
on the table.
The trio headed back to the stable where
the rest of the party was indeed waiting for the king. The men bowed their
heads as he approached.
“Is everything in order?” he asked General
Morek.
“Yes, my lord,” Morek replied. “Everything
is prepared.”
“Let's get to it then,” Aelryk commanded.
He turned to his wife and kissed her lips.
Then, he turned to his son and hugged him.
“Safe journey, father,” Rykon said.
“Be well, husband,” Lisalla said with
tears in her eyes. She had seen him off on journeys before, but she was always
sad to see him go.
Without a word, Aelryk mounted his horse.
He raised his hand in a gesture of farewell to his family and then headed to
the road with his companions following closely behind.
Chapter 12
After a hard day's ride, Mel and the
others arrived at Duana. Slowly, they walked their horses to the stables and
dismounted.
“Well, my ass hurts,” Mel said rubbing his
backside.
Thinal walked behind him and squeezed his
bottom with both hands. “I'll help you with that later,” she said.
“Not accustomed to riding much, Mel?”
Mi'tal asked.
“I'd say that's the second time in my life
I've been on a horse, or maybe it's the third. I've never ridden all day
before, and I don't much care to do it again.”
“I'm sure the king won't want to travel on
foot,” Mi'tal said, “but we may have a few days rest before he arrives. Let's
see if they have any rooms for us at the inn.”
The six of them headed towards the inn
just as the sun was disappearing below the horizon. A warm orange hue filled
the sky.
The inn was rather large and in good
repair. Voices could be heard coming from the common room. Duana was a
medium-sized town that did not receive too many visitors, but the inn was the
center of activity for its citizens.
Mi'tal and Loren stepped inside first,
followed by Mel, Thinal, and the guards. Immediately, Byord and Oli took seats
among the crowd and motioned to a server to bring ale. Mi'tal led the others to
the bar where a fat innkeeper was hurriedly wiping glasses.
“Good evening, innkeeper,” Mi'tal said.
“Do you have any rooms available this night?”
The innkeeper stopped wiping glasses and
looked up. His eye fell straight to Mel and Thinal, who were dressed in animal
skin clothing.
“What the hell?” he said, bewildered. His
eyes darted between Mi'tal and the elves.
“Forgive me, innkeeper,” Mi'tal said. “I
am Councilor Mi'tal, First Advisor to King Aelryk. These are my companions,
Councilor Loren, Mel, and Thinal. We are on urgent business for the king and
would like rooms for the night.”
The innkeeper swallowed and took one more
look at the elves. “Councilor, sir, this is a thing unheard of.” He leaned over
the bar close to Mi'tal and whispered, “Those are savages. Why have you brought
them here? Are they under arrest?”
Mi'tal waved his hand. “No, nothing like
that. They are in the king's employ.”
The innkeeper stood up straight,
dumbstruck. “We have plenty of rooms available. Two silver per night, and that
includes your meals.”
“Thank you, sir,” Mi'tal said. “We will
take five rooms.” He placed ten silver coins on the bar. The price was
unreasonable, of course, but he was in no mood to argue.
“Rooms are upstairs. You can take
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