Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 license.

Ceaseless rain falls on Thrycion's lush soil. Four figures approach a small fishing village. The muddy and thin road they follow runs through a collection of small, sturdy wooden houses. A dozen large fishing boats are secured at a sturdy wharf nearby.

"Everyone is in and dry," Azor the Golon rumbles. He gently places his massive hand on Bryong's shoulder. Bryong smiles at her friend. Azor is a hulking form, eight feet high and five feet wide. His body is slate black granite laced with veins of sapphire that glint in the moonlight. The wet sod sinks half a foot beneath his one-ton frame.

"We'll be inside and dry as well soon enough," Bryong kicks her horse and rides ahead to Kinewyn and Coveark. Kinewyn and Coveark are talking in low tones and fall silent as Bryong approaches.

The long, delicate lines of his face and willowy form show Kinewyn to be an Elf. His silver hair shows he is old even for his race. In fact hours in hard rain have done little to lessen Kinewyn's natural elegance.

Coveark is a sharp contrast to the old Elf. His short cropped hair is dark. His bright blue eyes scan the fishing village. His wiry frame is wrapped in earth-tone leather armor. His deep green cloak is bone dry despite the rain.

Kinewyn holds out a fat leather pouch to Bryong.

"Thank you, Kinewyn," Bryong ties the pouch to her belt as she rides.

Kinewyn steps his horse around a puddle, "No thanks are necessary. You earned every gold piece. I am sure your village will appreciate your generosity. Judging from the decreased number of boats on the wharf it looks like they could use this gift."

Bryong nods and glances at Coveark. Kinewyn's voice cuts through her mental fog and she draws her eyes down away from Coveark quickly. "We can only stay the night. No more. You know your parents will ask for a month."

Bryong nods.

The adventurers pass the second house of the village and a door swings open. Three children charge into the street , " Azor! Azor! Azor!" they call out.

The three children jump up to cling to Azor. Azor scoops them up as one and embraces them gingerly before lifting them to sit on his shoulders.

The noise brings other villagers to their windows and in moments Bryong, Coveark, Kinewyn and Azor are surrounded by over a hundred villagers.

Thelia, Bryong's mother, emerges from the crowd, "Sweet, sweet child..."

Thelia has the same fiery beauty as her daughter. She hugs Bryong close. Bryong's father, Frarn, stands smiling behind Thelia. Frarn pats Bryong's shoulder and says nothing. It is obvious he is hiding sorrowful joy at seeing his daughter.

Coveark glances at the rooftops suspiciously and quickly backs into the crowd that surrounds his band mates.

The excited crowd leads Bryong, Kinewyn and Azor into the village's fish house. None seem to notice Coveark's sudden absence. A roaring fire in the fish house center spreads warmth. The villagers usher the three adventurers to seats and bring food. Azor plays with the children, allowing them to swing from his arms and scurry up him like mountain climbers.

Bryong is surrounded by her mother, father and three sisters. A handsome young fisherman meets her eye from across the room. The look that passes between them is full of history and fire. They both look away quickly. Bryong picks unproductively at the food brought to her. She sets the plate aside. " Thank you all. It is good to be home. We will have to leave you in the morning but while I am here I wish to give all of you a gift." Bryong holds the leather purse high, "Five hundred gold pieces for new boats, new homes or whatver you choose to use it for. I am not a part of your daily tasks but I remember the labor. I wish to do my part to help the village."

Boat Master Fation, a thin man wearing the clothes of a scholar rather than those of a fisherman, steps forward and receives the heavy pouch. His smile disappears as he takes the gold into his hand, " Thank you, Bryong. We all thank you. In the two seasons you have been with Kinewyn's Band you have given over two thousand gold pieces to our humble village. But today we must return your gift -" Fation places the pouch back in Bryong's hands, cupping them around the gold. "And ask for another."

Bryong's confusion shows on her face as she looks around the fish house. The villagers are now hesitant to meet her gaze.

Kinewyn remains seated but his easy posture shifts almost unnoticeably to a ready position. Azor carefully lifts the children off his shoulders and steps forward.