FreeHolds Adventure, Cycle 3 Part 4c
They made it back to Andisal’s keep in time for lunch. The buff young woman they had met earlier in the keep’s stable was there, Gweth was her name. She had cleaned up and changed since they had last seen her. She sat between Sefla and Calathy at the crowded table. Her angry demeanour had softened a bit, though she said little throughout the meal.
Mokha had invited Lef to join them, but the old musician had declined. He gathered there was some tension between Lef and Andisal that would not be easily brushed aside.
Del had told them about the mission coming to Lekas from GreensBridge. After years of serving the surrounding area by herself, she would finally have some help. If all went according to plan there would be a small temple, a school, an infirmary and perhaps as many as twenty sisters and initiates staying on. She expressed her appreciation to Adwin for delivering the package and brought up the large donation he had given to the temple.
In his usual fashion Adwin had downplayed the situation. Andisal was curious where the money had come from and Adwin had tried to explain the why and how of it without bringing the Fingures misadventure up, but Andisal seemed unconvinced. She also had a few sideways comments about Maldorn and Roburns Trading Company. Mokha had not been surprised by the older woman’s disdain.
As the meal came to an end the conversation shifted to the coming expedition to Aramy. Del had volunteered to go along, countering Andisal’s protests by pointing out the likely need for medical and emotional support for anyone they managed to rescue. Adwin suggested that maybe everyone that was going should join him for some training through the afternoon. Those present seemed to think it was a good idea. Gweth also agreed but pointed out the people that were coming with her were busy with various building projects, she did speak favourably regarding their competence.
Mokha managed to dodge the training by pointing out his time would be better spent studying. When the cleanup was done they had all headed out to the green, leaving he and Andisal in the keep.
The afternoon passed fairly quietly, a few people dropped by to ask Andisal a question or two, sometimes just to report that one thing or another around the village had been completed. She answered questions, took notes and updated her books and the map of the village. At times it rained, making Mokha all the more happy to be inside studying, especially since the material he was reading was weighty. Some of it he had gone through before but he had often been high on flow, so while the script was not as vibrant, nor did it shift into the various diagrams the way he remembered, it all made much more sense.
Late into the afternoon Andisal took a break from her work and piled coal onto the brazier, once it was burning evenly she warmed and massaged her hands over the heat. She glanced up and noticed Mokha watching her, “We are nearly out of coal. I was hoping the Grvdrk-olkankan would have been here by now.”
“Dwarves?”
“Aye. Friends from my younger years from Nahrg Dorma Holding. They are about an eight-days travel north by northwest from here. Good folk.”
“You trade with them, I gather.”
“Not a lot. They are pretty much self sufficient. I went and talked to them last autumn and was able to convince them to help us. They will be bringing coal, wood, ore and a score or so of veteran fighters. We may get some help from the half-men as well, though from what Grange said they have a lot on their plate.”
“Tipper’s people?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t realize they were so close.”
“They are not really. Darner’s Hold is three to four eight-days of travel east of here, past Willik’s Hold, north of the Sudakkar.”
“Expecting much from them?”
“Not in the form of supplies, but I’m hoping a few of them will show up. Having a mage or two around would make things easier, especially from that lot.”
“I am a mage. Though not of Eldra blood, I am pretty good at what I do, despite downplaying things a bit.”
“No doubt, but I note you are trying to learn the spell you think you will need, with just days before you intend to confront the witch.”
Mokha could not nay say her, so he said nothing.
She gave him a tight smile, “Sorry, I do not mean to disparage your abilities and truthfully this woman is not the same sort of person I fought in my youth… She seems more base, obsessed with petty pleasures by all reports. If you catch her by surprise I’m fairly confident you and Adwin will succeed.”
“And if we don’t?”
“Well, short of the Darners showing up to deal with her, that will leave Del and I. So once we have dealt with Sharlok, then we will settle with the witch.” Her voice was flat and her eyes distant. She gave herself a shake after a few moments then returned to the table, lit a lamp against the increasingly overcast day and resumed her work.
The rain increased in intensity, pounding against the old stone work of the keep.
Mokha thought about what she had said, her tired dedication to leading the people of Lekas and her dogmatic insistence about doing the right thing. He wished he had some words of comfort for her, but anything he thought of sounded contrived. With a mental sigh he returned his attention to his studies.
It was nearly dark before the others returned. Andisal and Mokha heard them enter the keep, there was a lot of laughter and loud talking as they took the time to strip of their wet clothing and hang it to dry before coming upstairs. While the women all seemed rather jubilant about the afternoon training, Adwin trailed up behind them, carrying two bows and a quiver of arrows while sporting a black eye and looking rather dejected.
Del passed around some blankets and the four women sat side by side along the length of the room’s narrow bed, near the coal brazier. Mokha thought they were delightful, they had sat in order of tallest to shortest, Del on one end beside Calathy, Sefla at the other end next to Gweth. From their excited talk and ongoing laughter, they had taken great delight in thwarting their instructor’s skills. Gweth had out-shot Adwin, apparently a skilled archer. Del had been surprisingly good with a staff, largely, she claimed, due to the training that she and Andisal did. Adwin had been hard pressed to deal with Calathy’s longer reach and it was she that had accidentally given him the black eye. While much to her own surprise Sefla had been able to handle a pair of batons rather well and had been impossible to land a strike on.
Adwin limped over to where Mokha was sitting and pulled up a short three legged stool. He gave his friend a nod and quietly set about looking after the archery gear, laying out arrows and strings to dry, then wiping down the bows.
Andisal was amused by the energy and laughter of the younger women, though Mokha noted a concerned frown when she regarded Adwin. She slowly put her books away and after a while when the younger women were still teasing Adwin and lauding their own prowess she cleared her throat.
The other ladies settled a bit and Del asked, “Yes, love?”
“I appreciate the sense of camaraderie and accomplishment you are all feeling right now and I’m glad you did well. Consider this, what you did this afternoon was little more than play. In less than an eight-day you will be facing down a mind-mage and some of you are trying to rescue people you care for. The stakes will be much higher and your lives will be on the line.”
They had all fallen silent, though Calathy was struggling to contain her giggles, Andisal continued, “Adwin took the time to try and help you gauge your skills and practice ahead of your actual confrontation. I would assume that he would want to continue doing so, to give you all a better chance of surviving the encounter. So while I understand your teasing is not malicious, it is a bit out of place. When someone takes the time and energy to help, it is typically to be received with some respectful appreciation. Have any of you actually thanked him? Or have you all been too busy patting yourselves on the back?”
Del looked a bit stricken, Calathy had lost her giggles, Gweth seemed uncomfortable and Mokha was pretty sure Sefla looked affronted that someone would talk to her in such a way. Mokha found Sefla’s response a bit out of character, but then, he had only known her for a few months.
Del stood, “I’m sorry Adwin. I did not mean to be disrespectful. I hope that you will continue to help us.” The others also muttered apologies. Adwin seemed even more uncomfortable.
Andisal gave a slight nod, “Alright then. I think I will take a walk. Once you have sorted yourselves out maybe a meal would be in order.”
Andisal left. Del found some dry clothing for her guests, Calathy offered to brush out Sefla’s hair and Gweth went up to the roof to bring down some food. Due to the weather the meal was a simple affair of reheated meat, spring greens and radish, cooked in a single pan over the brazier.
Adwin fell asleep shortly after the meal, Gweth excused herself to return to where she was lodging, leaving Del and Calathy to see to the cleanup.
Sefla asked, “We should probably return to Lef’s?”
“I think so.” He agreed, feeling like it had been a long day, despite his relative inactivity.
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