The Squires huddled together on their horses, knowing
they were the prime targets of any attack. Lannon knew that a single arrow from
the fog could mean his end, but continuously shielding himself with the Eye of
Divinity or probing the landscape around him made him tire quickly, so he
simply entrusted his fate to the Knights who guarded him.
In
spite of his powers, Lannon was still flesh and blood, and death could take him
in an instant from the world. He wished he had the ability to make himself
immune to damage. Lannon had tried wearing Glaetherin armor offered by the
Knights, but it was heavy and seemed to distract from his ability to channel
the Eye. He realized he would always be vulnerable--able to die from the cut of
the simplest blade. He could only shield himself briefly and then he was no
different than any other Squire. Lannon would never even possess the resilience
of Taris Warhawk or Jace--men with bodies that had been strengthened by sorcery
over the years to the point where they aged much slower and healed much faster
than normal men.
That
evening they camped near the shores of the Grey Lake. The Squires were provided
with a large tent to accommodate them all, and they were placed under heavy
guard. As night settled over the land and the rain beat down steadily on the
tent, the Squires sat around a bulky Olrog lantern that had been specifically
designed for safe use in tents. They summoned the fires of sorcery to dry out
their clothes. Soon it was warm and comfortable in the tent.
"I
like the sound of the raindrops," said Lothrin, who sat sharpening his
dagger. "It reminds me of Borenthia--the rain falling in the treetops.
When others would sit inside, I would venture out in the rain along the
branches to hunt." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I always loved
the smell of the forest during those times."
"What
animals did you hunt in the rain, cousin?" asked Vannas.
"Many
things," said Lothrin, his eyes distant. "Some animals will only be
seen when the rains fall. The meat is a true delight."
Vannas
shrugged. "If you say so. I wouldn't know, because I always stayed indoors
during the rainy season in front of a warm fireplace."
"I
long for home constantly," said Aldreya, sighing. "Dwelling in that
frozen cave of Dorok's Hand made me realize how good life was in
Borenthia."
"I
miss Borenthia as well," said Vannas, "especially the Royal Hall--but
not enough that I'd care to return there anytime soon. Dorok's Hand is such a
foul place it makes one want to live anywhere else. Now that we've left that
wretched fortress behind, I feel good again about being a Squire."
Lothrin
held up his dagger and inspected it in the lantern light, then put it to the
sharpening stone again. "Home is wherever we are, and we must make the
most of it."
Lannon
thought of the little cabin in the woods where his mother and father had spent
their days feuding while Lannon struggled with constant boredom. He wasn't
surprised to find he didn't miss it. "My home is Dremlock Kingdom,"
he said, "until the end of my days."
"As
is mine," said Galvia. "I am the daughter of a fisherman from
Silvergate. My life was wretched until the Knights recruited me."
"In
what way?" asked Jerret, leaning close to her.
Galvia
shrugged. "In ways I won't talk about, so don't bother asking."
Jerret
rolled his eyes. "Come on, we're all friends here."
Galvia
hesitated, then said, "I had a hard life on the boats, if you must know.
Too many drunken men around who care nothing for the welfare of
others--especially women. I had to learn to protect myself from an early age,
because my father seldom protected me." She bowed her head. "It
doesn't matter now. The Knights took me away from there and now I have a home
and a purpose."
"I'm
sorry to hear about your childhood, Galvia," said Aldreya.
"Me
too," said Jerret, with a troubled expression.
Galvia
gazed at Jerret. "So what about you, Jerret Dragonsbane? What kind of life
did you lead before
they were the prime targets of any attack. Lannon knew that a single arrow from
the fog could mean his end, but continuously shielding himself with the Eye of
Divinity or probing the landscape around him made him tire quickly, so he
simply entrusted his fate to the Knights who guarded him.
In
spite of his powers, Lannon was still flesh and blood, and death could take him
in an instant from the world. He wished he had the ability to make himself
immune to damage. Lannon had tried wearing Glaetherin armor offered by the
Knights, but it was heavy and seemed to distract from his ability to channel
the Eye. He realized he would always be vulnerable--able to die from the cut of
the simplest blade. He could only shield himself briefly and then he was no
different than any other Squire. Lannon would never even possess the resilience
of Taris Warhawk or Jace--men with bodies that had been strengthened by sorcery
over the years to the point where they aged much slower and healed much faster
than normal men.
That
evening they camped near the shores of the Grey Lake. The Squires were provided
with a large tent to accommodate them all, and they were placed under heavy
guard. As night settled over the land and the rain beat down steadily on the
tent, the Squires sat around a bulky Olrog lantern that had been specifically
designed for safe use in tents. They summoned the fires of sorcery to dry out
their clothes. Soon it was warm and comfortable in the tent.
"I
like the sound of the raindrops," said Lothrin, who sat sharpening his
dagger. "It reminds me of Borenthia--the rain falling in the treetops.
When others would sit inside, I would venture out in the rain along the
branches to hunt." He closed his eyes for a moment. "I always loved
the smell of the forest during those times."
"What
animals did you hunt in the rain, cousin?" asked Vannas.
"Many
things," said Lothrin, his eyes distant. "Some animals will only be
seen when the rains fall. The meat is a true delight."
Vannas
shrugged. "If you say so. I wouldn't know, because I always stayed indoors
during the rainy season in front of a warm fireplace."
"I
long for home constantly," said Aldreya, sighing. "Dwelling in that
frozen cave of Dorok's Hand made me realize how good life was in
Borenthia."
"I
miss Borenthia as well," said Vannas, "especially the Royal Hall--but
not enough that I'd care to return there anytime soon. Dorok's Hand is such a
foul place it makes one want to live anywhere else. Now that we've left that
wretched fortress behind, I feel good again about being a Squire."
Lothrin
held up his dagger and inspected it in the lantern light, then put it to the
sharpening stone again. "Home is wherever we are, and we must make the
most of it."
Lannon
thought of the little cabin in the woods where his mother and father had spent
their days feuding while Lannon struggled with constant boredom. He wasn't
surprised to find he didn't miss it. "My home is Dremlock Kingdom,"
he said, "until the end of my days."
"As
is mine," said Galvia. "I am the daughter of a fisherman from
Silvergate. My life was wretched until the Knights recruited me."
"In
what way?" asked Jerret, leaning close to her.
Galvia
shrugged. "In ways I won't talk about, so don't bother asking."
Jerret
rolled his eyes. "Come on, we're all friends here."
Galvia
hesitated, then said, "I had a hard life on the boats, if you must know.
Too many drunken men around who care nothing for the welfare of
others--especially women. I had to learn to protect myself from an early age,
because my father seldom protected me." She bowed her head. "It
doesn't matter now. The Knights took me away from there and now I have a home
and a purpose."
"I'm
sorry to hear about your childhood, Galvia," said Aldreya.
"Me
too," said Jerret, with a troubled expression.
Galvia
gazed at Jerret. "So what about you, Jerret Dragonsbane? What kind of life
did you lead before
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