THE THORIAN SAGAS: 1. THE TRADER. (Completed).

Setting out.

Stoker looked over the horses and carriage as he checked their harness.

He double checked, though once had been enough. He was not interested in the harness or the carriage that second time. He noticed other things that his trained eye could not miss... inside that gateway; noting changes from his previous visit. There was also the Dorians' general discomfort with him and his presence; more, this time than before, though they were always that way. They were even uneasy with their usual trader; trusting no one. Stoker would meet with that trader in one or other of the waystations and speak with him.

He now had one friend in that city. He knew what he'd felt as he'd touched that older woman's hands.

He looked at the sky.

There was a storm coming, and the carriage was still not adequately closed-in from the weather.

It would be an uncomfortable ride for them both; her as a passenger, and him, driving.

She had a coat of her own, so he encouraged her to wear it.

Her eyes were pleading with him, as though to say, please sir, do not take me away from what I know and love, but she did not say anything.

Neither of them had a choice in this.

He unpacked his roll, laying a bearskin along the seat for her to sit upon.

Standing over her in the carriage, he tried to comfort her if he could. He spoke softly to her, using her name--Erianne-- where others could not hear him, just as he had spoken to her mother.

She was startled that he would do that and looked up at him, seeing him smiling down at her.

He had to close his own eyes for a few seconds at the sudden rush of confusion caused by that look, and lest she saw that look of surprise upon his face.

His dog jumped up onto the seat and joined her. She made him welcome as Stoker wrapped them both in that hide. It would keep her warm and protect her from the weather.

He sensed unrestrained approval from his dog.

Careful Stoker. This one will get through to you. I like her already.

He touched her gently on the shoulder. "Courage, little one, Erianne." He used her name again. "Nothing could prepare you for this next part of your life, but I can tell you that nothing you were told of any of this, is true. Nothing. Do not be afraid. And welcome to this strange world of men."

She was shocked yet again that he addressed her so gently or with such consideration, as well as by his previous kindness to her and her mother, when that was the last thing anyone had expected of him.

"Relax. Sleep if you can. We will be moving fast, but a storm will soon be upon us." He looked again at the gathering storm clouds.

He would not stay in Dorian; not trusting them, though he could have claimed their grudging hospitality with the weather turning, as it was clearly going to.

With nothing to slow him down, he would be no more than a day or two between Cities, rather than the three or four that it usually took.

However, this storm presented other difficulties.

If anyone or anything tried to stop him on that road, or during that transfer, he knew how to deal with it, but there would be no fighting the weather.

Ten minutes beyond the city, Stoker pulled the horses down to a walk. He unpacked other of his things, dropping his leather coverings and protection into the box that was his seat, and put on his bearskin coat to protect him from the approaching weather.