A Right Hand Woman

Messed Up Plans

'Good evening Raven, or should I say, good morning?' The weaver said, turning his face to the faint glow of dawn starting in the sky. 'Some where warm to rest and a little food would be nice'. He walked past me and into the cave. I followed quickly, in case Elray was surprised. The weaver went straight to the embers of the nights dying fire and reaching into his pocket. Producing some powder in his hand, he sprinkled it on the hot coals and the fire roared back to life. 'Damn, I need to get some of that' I mumbled. The Weaver reached into another pocket and pulled out a package. Laying it on the floor and unwrapping it, he produced some fresh meat. Taking up my cooking pan from the night before, he set it over the fire and started to cook.

All the while, Elray sat there staring at the Weaver in amazement. 'Elray, this is the Fate Weaver. Weaver, this is my friend Elray' I stated as I sat across from the Weaver. 'Yes, we have met, have we not Elray' The Weaver said, casting a smile at him. 'Yes, we have' he said turning to me. 'I met the Weaver here a few weeks ago at a bar in Kulpress. He said there was a job for me waiting with a man upstairs. No one around me seemed to see him, so I guessed what he was and did as he said. The job he mentioned, was to kill you' he said. 'And now your paths have crossed, and it is turning out as it should' the old Weaver said into the cooking pan.

'Why? I do not need help and I do not need someone following me. What can Elray offer me that I can not do on my own?' I asked. I was feeling so confused. 'You are not moving fast enough Raven. I had not expected you to take your time with this task. Only 25 are gone so far and you have been at this for months now. So I enlisted some help for you' He cast a smile at Elray. 'And just how exactly is he meant to help me?' I roared at him. 'Are you going to give him the gift of sight, that you gave to me? Is he going to save me when I most need it? What!' I was worked up and ready to tear apart the old man. 'Calm down Raven and let him speak' Elray said, looking at me with pleading eyes.

'There will come a time very soon that you will have need of him. He will offer his help many times but you will reject him. When you face your enemy alone and cry out your need, he will be there at your side' The Weaver turned the meat in the pan out onto my plate and started to eat, leaving only silence. I looked at Elray, unbelieving. There was not a chance in hell I would be asking for his help. Yes, he was strong and knew how to handle a sword, but this was my task, not his. And I could do it on my own. 'Raven, your deer has returned. Perhaps you should go see it again' The weaver smiled at me after he swallowed another bite of his meat. I got up and stomped from the cave. I did not care that I was acting like a spoilt child, I had every right to be mad.

As the Weaver had said, the doe was in the clearing again. I walked over to her and rested my head against hers. I felt anger and frustration, but felt instantly better the moment my body came in contact with the deer. I stood there for some time, patting the doe and feeling it's warmth and life. The doe finally raised it's head, looked behind me, turned and walked away. 'Come Raven. All will be well. You need to pack up now and be on your way, you have to be in Kulpress by tomorrow morn' the Weaver had walked up behind me and placed his hand on my shoulder. I turned to yell something at him, to scream at him to leave me alone, but he was gone, leaving only the warmth of his hand on my shoulder. Sighing, I resigned myself to the fact that I would not be rid of Elray so easily in Kulpress.