Harbingers of El Tinor- (on hold)

Chapter 1- Beneath One's Feet

The sun sloped upwards in the sky. Its rays broke through the clouds, shining on the central courtyard, when Aithne arrived into the square. A lone fountain nestled at its center. radiating the soft red of millow grass that grows in tufts near water. The fountain was squared and simple. Sans reliefs or drawings. And erected from the same rough hewn, rose colored stone of Aithne's familial manor. It looked just as she remembered. Her entire body cackled with adrenaline.

The townspeople often gathered around the square and gossiped. Their children scurried about in a frenzy like small, wild beasts, tossing the fountain's water bathing everyone in the liquid treasure. Soon the tales of her adventures would be spoken in awe around the fountain as well.

Aithne had stayed off the main roads and made use of the forest. The whole country of O'tinel seemed to consist of nothing but forests. And narrow, long rivers made even more cramped by sidelong cliffs. Towering and sharp, they stood as if to pierce the sky. She barely stopped for rest and ate while tramping through the backwoods the whole night.

Triumphant, she briskly walked towards the fountain to refill her waterskin, finally allowing herself a much needed rest.

Taking her rucksack off over her head, she let it drop to the ground and flopped down on the fountain's edge. She reached for her container, made from a jakor's bladder, a huge animal with shaggy grey fur and a small trunk used for milking. Aithne pulled out the stone plug.

A small laugh escaping her Aithne leaned over and plunged the skin into the water. She watched as the gurgled bubbles created ripples on the water's surface, the waves slowly disappearing outwards. Similar to her food supply.

Aithne recalled that south from the fountain was a small market at the edge of the town. It served as a stopover for the trade caravan from Kamali. She can stock up on some food supply and a spot for passage across the plains to Matoha. Everything was going along perfectly.

"Father and Bowen would never think to look for me there," murmured Aithne, smiling to herself.

The skin was almost full when she heard it. Aithne's forehead crinkled. Ignoring the rapid beating of her heart, she listened closely.

Her stomach plummeted down to her feet at the approaching clanking of armor and weapons.

She grabbed her rucksack and dashed into the closest alley on her left, her sword banging against her leg. Soldiers flooded into the area, prowling over every inch of it. A group of them gathered around, one of them holding her waterskin.

"Tolak!" cursed Aithne.

She spied on them from her hiding corner. The man held her forgotten waterskin before his face as if to catch her scent. He flung it to the ground and snarled at the rest. They broke up into twos or threes, each group taking a different alley. A few remained on guard, spreading themselves around the courtyard.

"Tolak," Aithne whispered again, venturing deeper in. "I won't be captured so easily."

Readjusting her sack, Aithne took a quick look at the surrounding buildings.They stood at four to six stories, stacked up, down and over another. It had a pale brown color somewhere between sand and mud. The entire structure seemed like it could crumble at anytime.

Aithne old memory floated to her mind. A younger version of Bowen the usurper, had repeatedly told her not to go into the back streets. Even with a map, people who've lived there for years still tended to get lost.

She shook her head and headed in the direction outside of the town. She paused only to hear if anyone was following her. She wasn't adept at muffling her footsteps and Aithne had no intention of being caught and dragged back home.