The Rangers of Aleera

Chapter 22

They made it back to the village without incident. With Wolf Brothers at the front of the Temple, Ainnileas led them through a secret passageway at the back of the Temple where they could not see them. By the time they reached the sanctuary, the Wolf Brothers had retreated. The healers immediately went to their aid, taking the rescued Rangers and tending to them. Many were overjoyed to see that the men had been successful and word spread quickly. But an air of fear hung over the villagers. The ones who'd been in the sanctuary at their arrival had seen Jelina's limp and unmoving form in Ainnileas' arms. And they feared for the worst. She gained much respect among the villagers, with the exception of Zoran. The men had freed six Rangers from the Moldovans but Dante feared that two of them wouldn't survive to see a new day and the third seemed to have been broken. Ruarc's arm had to be rebroken in order for it to heal properly and for the Ranger to be able to use it as before. The fifth Ranger, Colmar, was ready to get back into the fight despite his shattered knee. As for Jelina, her fate still hung in the balance. She hadn't moved or regained consciousness in the time since breaking her and the others out. Dante had seen the worry in both Ruarc and Ainnileas' eyes. The Ranger had told him that he believed that the Moldovans were attempting to break her spirit. He didn't think they'd succeeded and Dante hadn't been very pleased about that. He had to assure Ruarc that he hadn't failed her, that it had gone beyond anyone's control. Currently, the healers weren't allowing anyone in the room she was in. Even Mara was turned away, despite the fact that she'd administered to Jelina before. Dante could see she looked up to the elven Ranger and there was fear in her eyes. Tristan was currently lying in front of the door. All they could do now was wait and pray.

~~~

Ainnileas found Ruarc standing at the Temple gates, his arm braced and in a sling. He joined the Ranger, who nodded to acknowledge his presence.

"I was never able to thank you and Alistair for saving us that night," Ainnileas said. "Thank you for that."

"I should thank you for turning back and giving us aid." Ruarc turned to Ainnileas. "We all would have perished that night had it not been for you, not just Alistair and our Wolfhounds."

"I know you've been asked a dozen times..."

"They left me for dead. Then I was captured by slavers when I tried to return to Tearmann. How did you figure out where we were?"

"Richard. He hunted slavers before and knew a bit about them."

Ruarc chuckled. "Yet he still managed to trip one of their traps a few years ago." They fell silent once more. Ruarc broke it. "I want to thank you for vouching for Jelina. Not many outside of the Rangers would."

"They are fools not to see past the elf. She shouldn't have to live with such hatred." He thought of the scorn that Zoran had towards her still.

"Were you once so different?" Ruarc had a point.

"I got to know an elf," Ainnileas sighed. "No one bothers to see past the elf and to the good woman that she is."

"What changed your mind about the elves?"

"She saved my life. More than once. What savage barbarian would do that?"

Ruarc chuckled. "She had a hard time when she first arrived at Tearmann. She's fought hard to prove herself among men and to prove that she wasn't what the stories say of her kind. She fought hard to prove her loyalty to her brothers. One of the recruits had so much hatred for elves that he tried everything in his power to either run her off or break her. He even started half a dozen fights with her. She humiliated him in one of those fights with her agility. I don't think he ever forgave her. I'm sure if he ever ran into her now, he'd pick a fight. Even after passing her final test to join the Rangers, she still had to prove herself to the others. Even that tattoo was her way of proving herself. And she's proved herself a hundred times over. We haven't had many women in the Rangers."

"'Tis a pity. They have stout hearts as well."

"So I've been told."

Ainnileas' thoughts turned back to Jelina. Zoran had guessed right, although he didn't know it. He hadn't denied the other man's statement because it was indeed true. His friendship had turned to love. But he was sure the relationship was one-sided; she loved Ruarc. He could tell by the way she spoke of him. And he knew he loved her. He'd seen that when they found the two of them in the cellar. Ainnileas was sure he had no chance and he wished he'd told her how he felt before that fateful mission.

Ruarc was watching him. "I worry for her, as well. Perhaps for the same reason as you do."

Ainnileas looked at him, surprised.

"I saw the way you picked her up and the look on your face when you saw how bad she was. I would have expected her to move on and not cling to my memory, Ainnileas. Although I didn't expect her to move on so soon." Had it been that obvious? Ruarc adjusted the strap on his sling.

"What makes you think she has moved on?"

"She remained, did she not?"

"The village was being and still is being attacked by Wolf Brothers. She stays because this is her duty, not because of me." Annileas was trying to convince himself as much as he was Ruarc. "Is it that obvious?"

"I saw the way you looked at her during our journey. It's obvious you have feelings for her. Don't make her choose between the two of us. Let her decide for herself." The Desert Ranger turned and walked back towards the Temple. Making her choose had never been Ainnileas' intent.