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Song added. Play it if you require
The horses neigh weakly.
'They are tired' Fraskeir commented, to which Tyrill replied 'I do know that but we don't know anyone around here to make a quick stop'.
'You walked on because you didn't know any parts of this village? Elf I was born here. You could have asked me' Fraskeir spat. 'I had better things in my mind than ask a bard direction' Tyrill laughed.
Both of them stared daggers at each other.
'I could hit you with my lute. But my manners say otherwise' growled Fraskier and Tyrill held his sword and growled back 'I invite you to a bet then-'.
Their insolent bickering was suddenly put to a stop by the sound of calm snores.
Fraskier bit the inside of his cheek to suppress the booming laughter inside him. Tyrill coughed in an attempt to wake Aerona up, but to avail. Tyrill got off his horse and held the reins of Aerona's horse and led it along with his.
'We will make a stop to a local stable and walk to the grand library from there' Tyrill put forward and Fraskier agreed with a solemn nod.
The villagers were staring rudely at Aerona as she slept on top her horse. Her face on its long glossy neck. The horse obviously tired and feeling her weight heavily.
Fraskier looked at Tyrill and opened his mouth to say something, when he decided aganist it as he thought Tyrill might rebuke it.
But Tyrill made eye contact with him and said 'I have to wake her up, shouldn't I?'. Fraskier nodded and said 'My thoughts exactly'. But none of them seem to want to wake the peaceful Almeris.
Tyrill heaved a sigh and tapped on her shoulder.
Aerona groaned and popped her eyes open. 'Why did you wake me up?' she asked, 'Because it's time you awoke from your slumber' Tyrill shot.
'It seems you have a death wish' mumbled Aerona as silently as possible and it came out as an annoying whish of breath.
****
A few paces had done it. The horses would walk no more.
Tyrill didn't want to force them, nor did Fraskier. Aerona was silently twirling a lock of her horse's black hair.
Fraskier said 'There's a stable a few blocks away. We could take our herd there but they refuse to take another step'. He went towards the horses, patted their hair, neck, placed his forehead on theirs, whispered neighs and low rumble.
'Beast Lore...' Tyrill mumbled to Aerona.
She looked at him confused.
'I wanted to learn Beast and Wood Lore when I was young. But they said I was not capable enough to try it, my magic was not sound enough to attempt the devine art of nature' he said as he watched Fraskier murmur and argue with the horses as they neigh angrily.
'It does not seem as it's working Lord Tyrill' Aerona sighed. Tyrill remarked 'They truly are tired and Fraskier is arguing them to move on. They won't listen to kindness unless they see benefits'.
Aerona looked at Fraskier then to Tyrill. She was contemplating the situation and understood Fraskier truly wasn't being nice to horses.
She slowly touched Tyrill's hand and he looked at her with his piercing white eyes.
Those eyes held her staring for a moment but she pulled herself to reality and said 'Back at Dorkfume, you appeased the horses with a song...an Elvish song, did you not?'.
'Lady Aerona, I do not believe that will work at the horses at this situation. They are adamant four legged creatures' Tyrill whispered to her.
'It is always worth a try and better than what he is doing' Aerona pointed.
Tyrill bit his lips contemplating what she had said. And then he walked towards the horses which were now grinding their hooves to the ground in annoyance.
He stepped towards the herd and patted their head and they greeted him with a hit on his palm and head with their snouts.
Fraskier grunted in frustration and made his way towards Aerona.
'Do you believe he would be able to do something about the stubborn mules?' he asked with a straight face. 'I hope so' she replied with a shrug.
Tyrill patted his horses and scratched Doro's ears. The mare showed her trust by hitting him on his chin by her black snout.
He slowly took a deep breath and letting it all out slowly he began his melody...
His voice low and of a vibrant tune. Aerona felt light weight again. She felt calm and floaty, Fraskier beside her started humming along with the tune of the elf lord. His Adam's apple bobbing with his tone.
Both their sounds echoed like the first rain of embers. The moon undying started to lift its head and people started to leave to their houses. All but Tyrill continued his song and Fraskier his hum.
The horses grunt calmly. And Tyrill smiled at them.
'Elf lord. I did not know you were able to sing' Fraskier exclaimed smiling ear to ear. Tyrill shrugged and said 'Elf blood'. Aerona saw them smile at each other and she coughed to get them back to the current situation.
'How untactful of me. We should be heading to the library and its almost dusk' Tyrill tsked.
Fraskier ignoring that asked 'What did you sing to the horses?', 'Forest lullaby. It energizes the weak limbs and souls and gives you a boost in mentality' Tyrill replied while helping Aerona up her horse.
'I can get up the horse myself but thank you' Aerona grunted but still held his hand.
And the team of the unusual three set out to the grand library.
The horses stopped complaining of their weary as all of them were truly energized by the song of the elf. Fraskier hummed the song slowly and Aerona noticed that it did not do much to make them elated.
A few hours passed. The villagers were sound inside their houses, warm and loved.
The horses stayed boyant but the riders were weak. Tyrill tried to remain strong for his companion's sake. Aerona trembled in the cold of the night while an audible grumble sound echoed from Fraskier.
'Sleepy...' mumbled Aerona as she swayed while pulling the reins of her horse weakly. Fraskier nodded in agreement.
Aerona covered herself by the warmth of her wings but the cold sharp wind pierced through the peeps of feathers.
Tyrill clenched his jaw to hold the chattering of his teeth, now feeling numb. He flexed his finger as he couldn't feel them anymore.
'Elleóin is known to get very cold in the night' chattered Fraskier while smog floated from his mouth. 'We can ride faster as the streets are more isolated' Aerona pointed out.
Tyrill and Fraskier considered this. They looked at each other, 'Well it is true. People rarely get out during the night in this place' Fraskier nodded, 'If that is the case then I don't see why not' Tyrill said as he saddled properly on his horse.
Fraskier slapped his reins on Doro and she sped into the night closely followed by Tyrill and Aerona.
Aerona's face got colder by the minute. She was sure that it might bleed.
As they sped forward, their horses stopped on their tracks so suddenly, the riders were lucky not to get thrown off.
'What in bloody hell happened?' Aerona exclaimed in fright and was immediately silenced by Fraskier. 'Do you hear that?' he whispered loud enough to echo the night.
Tyrill suddenly jerked up and pulled his sword. 'Tyrill? What's wrong?' Aerona mumbled while her lips felt heavy.
'Warlock magic... It's strong in the air' Tyrill mumbled, 'I heard a whisper, the horses say they felt something dark' Fraskier said while going to his pocket and pulling out a dagger.
The men jump from their horses and tried to locate the darkness within the dark.
'Stay on thy horse Lady Aerona' Fraskier adviced.
Aerona did not disagree as she knew that she was unarmed and knew no defence. She patted her horse's neck as it neighed troubled. 'Hush Piero. It is all alright'.
The wind seemed chiller and something of a cold creeped to their spines.
Literally as now Fraskier yelled 'He's behind us!'.
But no one was able to do anything. The elve's and the bard's weapon hanging limply in their hand while Aerona whimpering in fright and pain.
They were paralyzed.
A low husky chuckle was heard from behind. But they weren't able to turn around to look.
'What do we have here? An Almeris, a human and an elf' the voice chuckled. As the face came to the light Aerona scrutinized the face with fear.
A bulky man in a dark hood, his sandy blonde littering his heavily scared bruised face came to view. His nose long and hooked while purple eyes glorified his dull eye shape.
He walked towards the party and looked at Fraskier. 'An ordinary bard. No talents of great value' he said while walking around Fraskier in circle. He smirked as he touched the strings of his lute and a dull 'tung' sound simmered.
The warlock came to Tyrill and as he looked closely, his eyes went in the shape of saucers.
'Well my word. The prince of Mardork himself!' he exclaimed as he pulled his hood from his head.
Prince?! Aerona had believed that he was an ordinary elf merchant. Now when she thought of it, Tyrill was far too powerful to be a normal elf. No wonder he was so mysterious around her.
'You look just as similar as King Dermon. Yes. That complexion, that stare, that demeanor all shout his name. But the eyes...ahh. You have inherited your lovely mother's eyes' he cackled evilly while Aerona saw a twitch in Tyrill's jaw.
And to her horror the man walked to her.
She was screaming internally as he held her leg and slowly took her down the horse. She let out a huff of rebellion.
She was surprised at how gentle he was but trembled when she saw he stood too close for comfort.
'Well well. A truly lovely sight to behold. A lovely lass with a lovely wing' he said. He grazed his thick finger at her delicate jaw and pulled his face to smell hair.
She shivered as she felt his lips at her neck. She tried to pull away from the hold of his magic but it was too strong. 'A fiesty one at that' he rambled as he slid his hand to her waist and pulled her closer.
She looked at Tyrill and Fraskier pleadingly.
She saw a pulse pop up and down in Fraskier tight white fist. A dangerous massive twitch in Tyrill's jaw. But they weren't able to do anything as they were rooted to the ground, unable to move.
Aerona felt the smell of alcohol from the warlock and she felt her eyes water.
Not from fear. Nor sadness.
But from pure wrath.