Paladin the path begins

Luna hastily packed up what she would need for a weeks travel, proceeding to her families great armoury and taking a regular soldier’s uniform from the rack. There was no point marking herself out as royalty after all she thought. She took off her dress, tossing it aside unceremoniously and pulling on the padded under the armour of the uniform.

“Let me give you a hand with that” she heard Deadra say from behind her.

Luna tightened up her trousers, Deadra helping her into the mail and then strapping on her armour plating. Once she was ready Luna noticed Deadra also wore her armour, though it wasn’t plate and mail like her own, it was more like a scouts garb, a breastplate and leather skirt, with greaves and vambraces, a large shield and spear leaning against the far wall, a short sword on her hip.

“Are you coming with me?” Luna asked curiously, pulling on her gloves.

Deadra nodded, strapping an arming sword to Luna’s waist.

“Your father wanted to send a guard regiment with you... I convinced him that such a show of force may provoke Fernhaven... should she be there. So we shall find her, then bring her home so that Fernhaven and Keldran will remain on good terms” Deadra told her.

Luna took a spear from the weapons rack, the weapon felt odd in her hands and she turned to Deadra again.

“What if we encounter Tar’vid during our travel, I’m not sure on my father’s stance on him?” she asked curiously, spinning the spear in her hands.

Deadra smiled crookedly before picking up her shield, slinging it onto her back.

“Then we are to capture him, though all these humans look alike don’t they?” Deadra told her with a smile, Luna couldn’t help smiling back.

They made their way out to the courtyard together, where horses had been saddled and loaded for them, there was no sign of her father or uncle though. She wondered if Elldran was being marched this instant to the scar. She placed her spear in the saddle sheath next to her mother’s bow, pulling herself up into the saddle, the movement awkward for her after so many years travelling in lighter attire. Deadra mounted her horse more gracefully, looking back to make sure she had mounted up as well. Luna gave her a brief nod and they set off making their way through Keldran at a steady canter, she couldn’t help feeling it would be a long time before she saw her home again and that saddened her.

They proceeded north along the Keldran road for several days, only occasionally passing stragglers from the farms heading towards the capital to wait out the winter months. Several days later they came upon the crossroads that would either take them north or westwards to Fernhaven. Deadra hesitated a moment, there was always a chance Tar’vid had gone north and after such heavy rain, it was impossible to tell which way to go by tracking. Deadra took them westwards onto the road to Fernhaven, the sky becoming dark early meant only one thing, another downpour. Luna was just glad she had worn her full wardress, for even with all the layers she wore the cold was horrendous. Deadra reigned her horse in beside her deftly, the roads paving having become slick after the rainfall.

“There’s an inn not much farther from here. I know it’s early, but I would suggest stopping. There’s another burst of rain due soon” Deadra told her, confirming her own suspicions.

“What about catching up with Fiora?” Luna asked though she wasn’t happy about having to pass up a stay at an inn.

“It’ll be dark early princess, we’ll make little more progress than if we stopped” Deadra explained.

“I won’t say no if that’s the case Deadra. I forgot how much I hate the rain... and the cold... and wearing this much armour” Luna complained miserably.

Luna spotted Deadra smile, the woman spurring her horse on ahead. As Deadra had said, it wasn’t long before they reached the inn, though it was more of a small fortress than an inn, strange that such an establishment existed so close to Keldran she thought. Men and women were leaving constantly, presumably there must be a village nearby she thought as they approached the gates. There were a large number of waggons making ready to leave outside, oxen and mules being brought inside for the evening. As they came within feet of the gates a band of armed humans barred their way.

“State your business elves!” called a woman from the front.

“We’re only looking to stay the night, there’s no need to be so hostile,” Deadra told them, her face indignant.

“Oh but there is, not but a few days back we had several elves attempt murder here!” called a man angrily.

“Are these elves in custody?” Luna asked, worrying Fiora had been captured... or killed.

The woman at the front pointed to two earth mounds near the tree line, Luna hid her horror as best she could.

“It was more than those two bastards deserved, but the gods tell us to honour the dead... regardless of our feelings,” the first woman told them, spitting in the direction of the graves.

“Now, if you have no quarrels here you may enter, can’t be said I’m an elf hater after all,” the woman told them, waving them to pass.

“Well we have no quarrels certainly” Deadra replied politely, though her poise said otherwise.

The group stood aside, letting them through as they trotted their horses past the crowd and into a large barn, where several stable hands tethered their horses, preparing a stable for them. Several guards entered the barn after them a few moments later, their weapons held tightly.

“I’ll need your weapons ladies,” one of the guards told them flatly, though with a slight quiver in his tone.

Luna was hesitant about being unarmed, but Deadra handed over her sword without fuss, she followed Deadra’s lead untying her sword belt and handing it over to the guards.

“You’ll get them back when you leave ladies, it’s policy now see...” the guard told them, a little apologetically.

Deadra simply told him she understood, handing over their spears and Luna’s bow. The guards left without another word as she took her saddlebags from the horse, slinging them over their shoulders and leaving the barn in a sour mood. Luna would’ve thought the people here would treat their rulers with more respect, though it had only been a part of Keldran the last few years. As they walked across the courtyard Luna could still see dark bloodstained patches of ground where she supposed the man hunters had been killed. If Deadra had seen the blood, she made no mention of it as they entered the inn.

The inn was a surprisingly sturdy construct, other elves derided human construction as shoddy or unrefined, but it was perfectly serviceable, though the ceiling was a little low for her liking.

“Be mindful while we are here Luna, I would think there are plenty here who would do us harm. Especially a princess of the blood” Deadra said, stopping her before they entered the tavern.

Deadra left her alone in the inn’s lobby whilst she looked for the inn’s owner to get a room for the night. Luna looked around whilst waiting, the inn had a rustic charm to it, being built in a more functional way than the elegant design of elven inns.

“Luna!” Deadra called over from the bar, she was with a slim, balding man who must have been the inn’s owner, he ushered them out the bar and up a flight of stairs, leading them to a large room with a large double bed.

“Well ladies, I’ll leave you be in peace. Evening meals will be served until midnight, breakfast whenever you’re ready in the morning” he told them. Bowing as he left, unsure how to address them as part of the king’s army.

“Not a room each?” Luna asked surprised, starting to unfasten her plate armour.

“No, we’re safer together. Don’t forget Luna, we may be better-trained fighters, but that won’t save us from being killed in our sleep” Deadra told her sternly.

Luna started to feel a little nervous as they dressed more casually, though she noticed Deadra had concealed a dagger in one of her vambraces earlier, now concealing it down her top. Deadra noticed her looking over.

“Gut feeling Luna, there’ll be trouble... always is when elves and humans mix, especially this far north” she sighed sadly.

Before today Luna’s only real exposure to humans were the traders and her few days with Tar’vid, the traders were always pleasant to her, never trying to take advantage of her, and Tar’vid loved her... at least she hoped so.

“Do they hate us?” Luna asked concerned, fiddling with her hair.

Deadra looked up from stashing her dagger with a sad smile.

“Not many of them, some resent our eternal youth... mostly the women. The men, well they love us... until they can’t have us. They don’t understand your culture... or mine. You got lucky with Tar’vid and I wish things were different, but your father can never know... ever Luna” Deadra told her, walking over and hugging her tightly.

Luna held back her tears with all her willpower, it seemed that she still hadn’t come to terms with her situation yet.

“What do I do Deadra, I can’t kill him... and I can’t let Fiora kill him either?” she sighed heavily.

“I have an idea, though you may not be happy about it... but first, let’s go eat something warm to eat, though I expect the food here isn’t what we’ve come to expect in all our years in Keldran,” Deadra said with a smile.

They left their room, going downstairs and into the bar area. Finding a free table beside one of the large bay windows. Luna immediately felt eyes on her, she was used to men’s gazes... but these felt different, more aggressive. They sat down as a short young woman with auburn hair came over to them bringing their meals, then added politely that it might be a good idea to finish their meals quickly and leave. Deadra thanked her as politely as she could, the waitress leaving a moment later nodding nervously.

“Damned humans, like I said Luna... jealous or lustful” Deadra muttered under her breath.

Luna casually scanned the room as she ate her stew, which was surprisingly nice... irrespective of Deadra’s grumbling. She was mopping up the last dregs with a scrap of Deadra’s bread when a rather portly man tottered over to their table. Cautiously Luna looked over to Deadra who rolled her eyes, having already noticed him and knowing what would happen next.

“Excuse me ladies, may I join you for the evening?” he slurred, steadying himself on their table clumsily.

Luna smiled at him sweetly before pushing her empty bowl away slowly.

“I’d have loved to, but we’re turning in for the evening now... perhaps tomorrow?” she replied as sweetly as she could bring herself to muster.

She stood up and he grabbed her arm, Luna saw Deadra move her hand, letting it hover over the spot where she’d concealed the dagger.

“You appear to have accidentally grabbed my arm,” Luna told the drunk with barely repressed anger.

The man raised his finger pointing at her accusingly. “You elf bitch, you think your so mu...” his rant was cut short as Luna cracked him across the jaw with a right hook, knocking several of his teeth flying across the floor.

He hung there for a moment stunned, before collapsing face first onto the table with a thud. She looked around the inn, calming herself down, the inn was deathly silent for what seemed an eternity before a great cheer erupted, laughter and conversation starting up again as if nothing unusual had happened. Moments later several guards picked up the unconscious man, dragging him away, into the back rooms. Deadra indicated they should leave when a tall, not unattractive man approached them.

“Here,” he said to her, pressing several coins into her palm.

Luna looked at him, unsure about the coins and what he’d just purchased.

“I bet that you’d be the first one to down a drunk tonight, near everyone else thought it would be your... partner?” he told her with admiration, a slight accent to him.

“Well... thank you, I guess mister...?” Luna asked, pocketing the coins.

“The name’s Tarquin,” he told her with a flourish, his long jet black hair swirling theatrically.

“I shall remember you, Tarquin” she replied with a shy smile.

“Then tonight has been worth my time, good evening ladies” he replied, returning to his table.

They started climbing the stairs when she heard Deadra cough audibly.

“What?” Luna asked irritated, recognising disapproval when she heard it.

“Just thinking, it’s as well Tar’vid isn’t here” Deadra replied chidingly.

“You mean Tarquin, that was... nothing. He’s just some guy... who gave me money” she said, though she knew she’d flirted... but only a little.

“I’ve seen men kill each other over less, just be careful... these humans lives are fleeting and their tempers quick to flare,” Deadra said as they entered their room.

“You don’t care much for them do you?” Luna asked, sitting on the bed and looking to Deadra.

Deadra seemed to have not heard her she thought until Deadra sat down beside her.

“It’s not that I don’t like them, I have just experienced the worst of them. Tar’vid seems one of the rare ones... though even the good ones eventually go bad Luna. I just don’t want to see you come to harm” Deadra said, embracing her.

“Now get some sleep, we should leave at first light. Perhaps the rain hasn’t destroyed all traces of your sister”.

“You don’t think she’s dead?” Luna asked, her hopes raised.

“I thought she must still be alive when the guards said they killed ‘the bastards’. they tend to refer to dead women as bitches around here” Deadra told her, moving to the other side of the bed and sliding under the covers.

And for the first time in a few days, Luna had the hope of seeing her sister again.

Luna woke at first light finding Deadra had already left, her saddlebags were gone and so was her armour. She stretched out slowly, throwing back the bed covers and feeling the chill of the morning air, winter was here she thought, seeing frost upon the windows. The light was still faint as she struggled into her armour, wriggling into the mail, finding the breastplate a pain to fasten up by herself. She packed up her clothes, wishing she’d done so before dressing in her war-gear, packing up clumsily and slowly. She struggled with her saddlebags, before loading them onto her shoulder and heading downstairs. She paused by the doorway a moment before going across the courtyard to the stables where Deadra must be waiting for her.

She hefted her saddlebags, crunching across the virgin snow, as she reached the stable doors Deadra stepped out, a finger on her lips and a concerned look on her face.

“We’re not alone this morning princess,” she said in a whisper, slipping back into the barn once more.

She said nothing, following Deadra closely as she tried to be as quiet as possible. Deadra stopped suddenly, Luna staggered nearly crashing into her.

“In there” Deadra whispered, drawing her knife and sneaking forward in a crouch.

Deadra entered the stall quickly, a moment later she was bowled over as a figure darted from the stall dashing past her and rapidly ascending to a hay platform.

“The hells was that!?” Luna asked, pulling Deadra back to her feet.

“More importantly... who?” Deadra said irritatedly, probably stung that she had been knocked down so easily.

She stormed past Luna, dagger held ready before climbing the ladder quickly, disappearing over the hay platform.

“Luna... you need to get up here!” she called down.

Luna took a deep breath, climbing up slowly and hoping there was nothing too bad up on the platform.

When she reached the platform there was little light to see properly and it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the low light.

“I don’t believe it...” she muttered, seeing the timid figure huddled against the hay and shrinking away from Deadra.

“Sister!?” she asked in shock, taking a step towards the bedraggled creature before her.

Fiora started to cry and Luna went over to her, hugging her sister tightly.

“What were you thinking?” Luna asked tears in her eyes.

Fiora pushed her back a little, though her strength felt pitifully weak.

“I was so angry, I...I wanted revenge so badly, it kept me going as the manhunters tracked him. Then he bested us... so easily, and whilst wounded to add insult. I thought he would kill me Luna, but he let me go... because of you sister, what did you do... and why do I now doubt our uncle’s story... I’m so confused!” Fiora blurted out between fits of tears.

Luna held her close until Deadra placed a hand on her shoulder.

“We should leave now princess, we’ve found your sister and no good can come from pursuing Tar’vid now” Deadra stated flatly, though her expression said otherwise.

Fiora stared at Deadra intensely as they stood.

“That’s not acceptable, I want him, dead advisor. He’s humiliated me, taken my Joined from me!” Fiora seethed, tears in her eyes once more and seemingly forgotten the doubt in her uncle’s tale once more.

Luna held her at a distance, Fiora was in no condition to travel, especially now winter was here.

“I’ll pursue him alone” Luna stated to them both.

“Deadra, you’ll stay with my sister until she can travel... and then she will go home. You’re with child Fiora, our uncle may be willing to put you at un-necessary risk... but I am not” Luna said decisively, brokering no discussion from either of them.

Fiora made to protest still, but Luna’s gaze killed the words in her sister’s mouth. Deadra stayed oddly silent as Luna descended the ladder, picking up her saddlebags and giving them to Deadra who had followed her down, Luna removed a small bag containing a few days worth of food.

“I’ll be travelling light and my sister needs new clothes, keep her safe Deadra,” she said sadly, knowing the road would be hard this close to winter.

“Of course princess” Deadra replied with a nod.

“I’ll find you once she’s safe... and be careful” she added in a whisper.

Luna hugged her once more before leaving them both in the barn together, she wished she’d taken a horse, but they were too valuable and Fiora would need it for the return journey in her condition. She picked up her bow and spear from the guards as she left. Luna passed out the gates and found a large caravan of traders willing for a Keldran soldier to accompany them to Fernhaven.

“We meet again, pretty elf” came the familiar voice of Tarquin.

“I had thought I’d be travelling by myself mister Tarquin” Luna replied with a smile.

Tarquin responded with a resplendent smile of his own, even dressed in mail he seemed handsome.

“Please, Tarquin will do Luna” he replied casually.

“How do you...?” she started to ask until he interrupted.

“I overheard your friend talking to you, is she not joining us?” he asked intrigued.

“No, she has business to attend to elsewhere” she replied, trying not to seem too guarded.

“Her loss my lovely friend, Fernhaven is a beautiful place,” he told her, putting on an air of wonder.

Really, she thought as the caravan rolled out towards the port town of Fernhaven. It had been a fairly ratty town the last time she was there.