Tower Gardelle

6: THE STATE OF ODMEN

"Aye, it is of tragic heart and mind that I hath traveled thus far by meself. My family was killed by way of spy, and assassination. Be it naught that I shalt stand by and let them hath died in vain. I only stopped on my journey towards Gardelle to ask if either ye had plans to go south from here. To do so is death, kind travelers. Behind me is the mountains, and behind me is naught but sorrow brought by those assassins of Partrall. Mine entire village was ransacked and burnt to ashes, and I hath lost most all mine family," Jon told them, looking behind him. His eyes grew wide and for a moment both thought that he'd cry, but he only coughed deeply and turned back to them, blinking. "What journey brings thee past these rocks and hills and past the Garden of Forestina?"

"Same as thee," Luistia said, "though we plan ta stop Partrall 'fore they destroy all of Gardelle's kingdom."

"Aye," Jon said, "brave of ye both. Keep safe, heroes of Gardelle! I shalt find ye once this be over, and we shalt meet in fairer place in time. Now, I be off to warn thy Queen and King of what hath happened thus far. Cautious, yesterday through the storm there be word that war hath already broken out."

"It has," Elesen told him, "Mine-The Queen sent word the past day out to Partrall that they were no longer neutral, and that war hath been claimed by word of Gardelle."

"That may not be wise."

Elesen frowned, "Why might it be naught?"

"In Odmen an army awaits. Once they hath heard news of war, they shalt strike Sydeni and Gardelle the same as they hath done to mine village. Aye, now I only can pray that the Queen shall grant meself mercy enough to stay in Gardelle until mine kin find their ways out as well."

Luistia nodded, then she looked west, towards where Sydeni was closest to at the moment. Their time was slowly fading, and the more they waited around talking the worse off it could get. The spies could have already left Sydeni with the orb, for all she knew the orb could be back in Partrall. Still, she felt pity in her heart for the older man.

"There be Tower in Gardelle, famous for itself," she said. Elesen looked over at her, but she just gave him a tight smile and turned back to Jon. "Find ya way there, kind stranger. Mine Master, Destrim, shall give ya home once ya have told him who has sent ya. Tell him that Luistia sends her blessings, and ta keep himself safe when ya find him, if ya can. Destrim be no stranger to loss and his heart may be stiff, but he may keep ya safe nevertheless."

"Blessings upon ye as well, lady of Gardelle," Jon said. Then he raised his right hand. "For later, when we meet again," he told her, taking her hand in his and closing it. He gave her a kind smile, then let go of her hand and began to walk away. "The both of ye survive, now! Life be strange."

"And strange be life," Elesen said, giving the man a smile back. He was on the trail and out of sight before the two had gotten their things back together. Luistia got back onto her horse, legs still tired from the day before, and waited for Elesen to do the same. He shook his head as he did so, smiling like a fool.

"What wrong with ya?"

"Naught," Elesen told her, "but what did the old man Jon give thou?"

"The same ya mother had given me-a rock with the mark of his home on it."

"Where did thou put it?"

She shook her head, patting the horse's main gently as they began to ride again, the opposite way down the trail as Jon. "It be in my pack, along with mine things. Quick now, we mustn't waste more time talking of foolish manners."

"Aye, thou be right. We shall go."

"Good. We should never stray again on this path, lest we lose all chance of capturing the spies. Your mothers orb is far ta precious ta lose, and with Gardelle now at war, and enemy camps so close, we have no hope but ta find ta orb 'fore it finds its way to Partrall," she told him. Then, she began to ride her horse faster alongside the trail. Elesen caught up with her quick and rode with her, neither saying a word. They rode for hours, with Elesen catching those that he remembered to count on his sand glass, and it was not until the sun was going back into the clouds sometime past noon that they stopped to rest the horses and refill their strength with food and water.