Post by Tekel Brighteyes on Oct 19, 2007 0:36:15 GMT -5
be lucky to have two bedrooms and most likely the kitchen served as the dinning room. Or, even more likely everyone ate either in the living room or on the porch swing. But it looked large to Juna who hadn’t noticed she was starting to see the world through kender eyes. Everything so big and majestic. So full of wonder wherever you turned. The house may not have looked wondrous to her, but it certainly looked big.
Without warning Tekel opened the fence door and walked in with Windy right behind him. Juna quickly ran after them. In her current form she couldn’t do much to fight off the dog if he attacked them, but she would survive an attack. So if need be she was determined to throw herself in front of the dog so the other two could escape.
And for a moment that’s what she thought she would have to do. The dog stood up and bared his teeth at them. Tekel reached into a pouch, pulled out some kiffles, and tossed them to the dog. Then Juna saw things through her eyes. The dog was indeed big. But he was old. So old she had to keep herself from laughing as he inched his way down the steps, stopped at the kiffles, and slowly began to eat them.
Looking back up she saw Windy and Tekel had reached the door and was about to enter. “Don’t you think you should knock?” she whispered.
“Why?” Tekel whispered back. “If they didn’t want anyone to go in, they wouldn’t have put a door here.”
“Besides,” Windy added, “what if there is something important going on in there? If we knock it might interrupt them.”
There was a time Juna would have argued it was rude to enter someone’s house without being first invited. But then again, there was a time she simply would have ripped the door off a human dwelling place than knocking. But as it was, their logic strangely made since to her.
Carefully they walked in. Down a short hallway to the left they entered the living room. And there, in the back, with his head resting in his hand, was the mayor. Juna looked at him with pity. Was he thinking about the decision he had to make? Was he pondering the honor, and horror of staying and fighting, or leaving and his people living? Maybe he was crying, thinking about how the land his people worked so hard on was now going to be lost. Or, maybe he was…
“Snoring!” Juna hissed mostly to herself, yet still loud enough to cause Tekel and Windy to look at her concerned. “His people are scared to death about what’s going to happen to them and their great leader is in here sleeping!” Her voice had steadily moved up from a hiss, to a growl, almost to a scream. Both Windy and Tekel were afraid she was going to wake the mayor up.
Had her nearly shouting hadn’t waken him, her slamming her hand down on his desk surly did. And immediately she was sorry she did. With a start he jumped and looked at her and Juna could tell that he had indeed been crying.
“What? Who are you?” he asked looking from one kender to another to another.
“Why I’m Tekel Brighteyes,” Tekel said taking his right hand.
“And I’m Windy Trebleclef.” Windy said taking his left.
“And I’m Juna,” Juna said retrieving his ring from Tekel and his bracelet from Windy, and handed them back to the mayor.
He may have been sleepy before, but now Franklin was wide awake watching the there kender very closely. “And what may I do for you?” he asked keeping his eyes on them and their little hands.
“Actually, we’re here to say how we can help you,” Windy said as she sat cross-legged on the floor.
“Yes,” Tekel agreed joining her. We’ve come up with several plans to save your town.
Franklin looked closely at Juna, whom he had decided was afflicted. She just rolled her eyes and shrugged as Tekel and Windy told the mayor their several plans to weaken the enemy. Including their plan to ride to The Kingdom of Nowhere to get more kender to come to their aid.
Some of their plans were brilliantly simple. Others were laughablely stupid. And the plans just kept coming to the point poor Franklin’s head was spinning. Finally he raised his hand saying it was enough.
“Your ideas are well thought out,” he began, wondering if he was convincing them even if he couldn’t convince himself of that. “But I’ve decided it’s best if we just leave. We are no match for the forces coming against us. I’ve decided it would be foolhardy for us to all make our stand and die.”
“So you’re just going to give up?” Juna asked.
“What can we do. Our people are farmers not fighters. Our only hope would be if we could prove we owned the land. Then we could ask to be made part of Gaardlund and become under their protection. But even if we had such proof now, it would take days, maybe weeks, for forces to arrive and help us. By the time help arrived, all that would be left is burnt buildings and the streets lined with dead.”
“Then do that.” Juna replied. “You may not be able to prove you own the land, but you more than own the buildings. They are yours. Don’t let them fall to Throtl. Don’t let them have whatever it is they want. If you must, burn the buildings to the ground yourselves. They have no right to them.”
Both Windy and Tekel jumped up, rushed to Juna, and slapped their hands over her mouth. “Not so loud.” Tekel whispered into one ear.
“Yeah,” Windy whispered into another. “Do you want to get us sued for copyright infringement?”
When Franklin and Juna asked what they were talking about Tekel and Windy launched into a very complicated explanation that quickly confused Franklin and Juna and made them sorry they asked.
“Please,” Franklin said, “I have much to think about. I need to decided how I’m going to tell my people we are to lose all our families have worked for. I have to figure out how in the morning I will tell them all their hard work was in vain.
As bright and joyful kender are, they can feel the sadness of others. And as cold blooded as dragons are, even they, from time to time, can feel the sorrow of humans. So it was with heavy hearts the three left the mayor to his own thoughts.
It was nearly dusk as the there made their way back to The Hungry Lion Inn. They had spoken only a little to each other and other people along the way. Tekel would occasionally offer a poem of hope, though it was half-heartedly. Windy would try skipping along and comment on that at least the weather was nice enough to travel in, only to admit it was also perfect weather to sit and enjoy a picnic. Juna would toss in a curse here and there to Thunder for making her wear the accursed ring locking her into her kender form.
The atmosphere at the inn wasn’t much better. The dinner being served was either undercooked or burnt. And the waitress never even asked for any money though the inn was packed. With no empty tables, the three kender sat on the floor leading the way for several other people to do the same. For the first time, the waitress didn’t mind serving the kender. They even finally got her to tell them her name. Gracie.
And when the night came to an end, they didn’t even try to find an empty room. They just cuddled up together and went to sleep in the dinning room. Not that they were the only ones. Several people decided it was a waste of time going home so they just feel asleep where they sat. Though admittedly many of them feel asleep more from too much ale than weariness.
In fact, truth be told, more than a few had the worst hangover of their lives when they awoke to shouting from outside the next morning.
“Hear ye… Hear ye…” Mayor Franklin was shouting from the tree stump as a farm boy rung a bell. And in spite of their hangovers the people rushed out to hear what he had to say.
“My people!” he shouted, his hands raised in the air. Then, more gently, with his hands at his sides, “My friends.” And finally, stepping off the stump, “My family. I had a very beautiful, elaborate speech I had planned to give you this day. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn’t give it.
You see, as I was writing the speech, a voice kept coming back in my mind. And that voice whispered words of wisdom in my ears. For a very wise person said something to me yesterday. And that voice, belonged to a kender.”
Both Tekel and Windy straightened up, looking quite pleased with themselves. They didn’t know what they could have said that was so wise, after all, they said a lot of wise things.
“So,” the mayor continued. “before I go any further, I want to give my thanks, and my cheers to Juna. A truly wise kender.”
All heads turned to Juna who looked more shocked than the people at this statement. Windy and Tekel on the other hand started shaking hands with Juna congratulating her on a job well done. Then they shook each other’s hands for having known Juna and being there when she gave her words of wisdom. Granted neither of them knew what the words were.
Again the mayor spoke. “I believe this land was bought and paid for. But we don’t have the deed for it. We’ve never needed one. We can’t prove this land is ours. But we don’t need a piece of parchment to know these buildings, the structures made of wood, mortar, our blood, sweat, and tears, are ours. We don’t need a piece of paper to show that these are our homes.
And that’s what they are. They are not business, and places to stay at night. They are our homes. I may one day be considered the most foolish man in history, but I say before you this day, I will stay and fight, and if need be die for my home.”
Applauds and cheers rose from the crowds. Shouts of “I will stay to.” and “We will fight for what’s ours.” came calling back. Mayor Franklin rose his hands silencing the people once again.
“The forces from Throtl will arrive tomorrow. They plan to take what we, and our fathers, and our fathers’ fathers, and even their father’s fathers have worked for all these years. And believe me, if they will do it to us, they will do it to others. I tell you this now not to scare you, but to be honest with you. We will not be able to stop them. It will be as though they marched straight through here without even stopping. But by all the Gods I swear to you, even if I can’t stop them, I will at least slow them down. And maybe the next village will slow them down even more. Then the next. Till one day they will be stopped. All because we slowed them down here.”
Once again the crowds cheered. They may not have had a king’s proclamation, but they had a peasant’s faith. They knew they would die the next day. But they would die like men.
“I have but one more thing to say,” the mayor called out over the noise. “If any man desires to leave, he may do so without shame. I would not think any less of a man who felt he had to leave under these conditions. Also, all women and children will leave before noon.”
The mayor was shocked. For the first time since he began his speech there were boos coming from the people. And when one voice sounded above the rest he knew he was in trouble. Gracie, the serving wench, who had been working at the inn for a very long time, was used to having to shout to be heard above all the noise.
“And what makes you think I have any intention to leave?” she asked.
“Well… I just… thought that women with children should…” he stammered.
“We women have worked every bit as hard as you men to build our homes here. You say this wonderful kingdom was built by blood, sweat, and tears do ya? Well who do you think it was that mopped that blood up. Hell, half of it was ours anyway. And who’s sweat was it from standing over a hot cooking pot all night. It surly wasn’t yours. And who’s tears do you think it was when you men were too prideful to do it for yourselves.”
“As I was saying,” the mayor continued, “the children will leave by noon.” The mayor flushed with a little embarrassment at the laughing. But he quickly found himself laughing to.
While most, actually all, of the older kids wanted to stay and fight to, they were forced to go. Someone had to keep an eye on the younger ones. And more importantly, someone had to tell others of the village that had once stood there. After all, by this time tomorrow it would be nothing more than cinders.
That night at the inn the ale once again poured freely. And though the food was also passed around, it was cooked to perfection. While no money was asked for, it was all paid in full and then some. More than a few people paid for Juna’s food then after she was taken care of they also covered Windy’s and Tekel’s.
Later the three were walking around outside. By walking Tekel and Windy were half dragging Juna who was unused to liquor in this form. They thought the cool night air would help her shake it off. When she was feeling better they went and sat on the old well in the center of the town square.
Contrary to what people believe, kender aren’t fools. But due to their bright outlook on everything, they will believe things will work out in the end even if they are about do die a horrible death. But they aren’t fools. So sometimes even they know when their time’s up. And this was it.
“I wrote down everything that’s happened so far and sent it with Sean today.” Tekel said. “He’s the farm boy who was ringing the bell earlier. When he and the kids make it to the next village he will pass it along to someone else so they will know someone was really here.”
“So you two really aren’t going to leave?” Juna asked.
“No.” Windy answered. “We’ve decided that it would be more fun to stay with these people and follow them to the greatest adventure of all.”
“Besides,” Tekel added, “they need us. What about you Juna?”
Juna was so busy laughing at his statement that his question caught her off guard. With her head clearing more than she wanted it to, she gave them both a somber look and said, “I can’t think of any two people I would rather carry on that adventure. Besides, at least then maybe I’ll be able to get off this damned ring.”
Once Tekel and Windy realized Juna had just made a joke they both cracked up laughing. Wrapping her arms around their necks Juna said, “One more thing. Call me Josylon.”
They both gave Josylon a big hug. Suddenly Windy pointed and said, “Look at how bright that sunset is.”
It didn’t occur to any of them that it was too late to be sunset. But Josylon, who was used to directions and weathers knew what it was.
“That’s no sunset,” she said. “That is the east, where the sun rises. But it’s not nearly time for sunrise. Over that hill my friends, is the fires from a camp.”
Startled Windy tried to get up quickly. Instead she slipped on a wet rock and fell backwards. Instinctively she grabbed onto Josylon, who instinctively grabbed on to Tekel, sending all there falling into the well. At this time of night there was no one to hear the splashing they made nor their cries for help.
After a few minutes of calling for help, Windy turned to Tekel and Josylon and said, “What are we going to do? The rocks are too slippery to climb up and we need to warn everyone that the invasion has started.”
“Not to worry little one.” Josylon said. “They aren’t invading yet. They know they won’t have any trouble from a town like this. Right now they’re just camping. Getting their fill to eat and a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh,” Windy said looking relived. “It’s just that I was afraid I was going to miss all the fun is all.”
“I know,” Josylon said with a knowing smile. Knowing what Windy had truly meant. “But we still have to figure a way out of here and it’s too dark to see anything.”
“I think I found something.” Tekel said. “Over here, it feels like an opening in the side of the well wall. Some of the rocks just feel off.”
“Probably where the water flows in.” Josylon replied.
“You’re probably right. But maybe if we follow it then it will lead us to a way out.”
“It’s a long shot but I guess it beats sitting around here waiting for someone to finally come looking for us. What do you think Windy?”
Windy, who had gotten bored and already swam past them called back, “It sounds good to me.”
As the three swam into the darkness, they didn‘t see the shadow what looked down from top of the well. Before long Josylon, who was not used to swimming, fell behind. Windy, who had slowed enough to let the others catch up to her, heard Josylon falling behind. She knew Josylon would be too prideful to ask for help, so she put one arm around Josylon saying she needed company in the darkness. Silently Josylon thanked her.
Swimming proved to be difficult against the light current the underground river offered. Still it didn’t take long before they noticed a light coming from up ahead. This encouraged them to swim even harder until they reached an underground cavern.
After swimming to the banks the three looked around. It was a large cavern filled with strange glowing rocks. In the crevasses of the wall crystals jutted out magnifying the light coming from the rocks. The kender started walking around looking at everything in awe. Well, two of them anyway. One was looking around in fear.
As Josylon walked to the wall and put her hand on one of the rocks she now knew why the invaders were after this land. There wasn’t much of the star metal here, but there was enough to make anyone very rich, and very powerful. And neither the poor farmers above, nor these two kender knew what it was. And Josylon decided that for their sakes, it should stay that way.
Josylon was pulled from her thoughts as Tekel and Windy started calling excitedly. When she reached them she saw they were huddled over a wooden chest, already working on picking the lock.
“It was very rude of someone to lock the chest,” Windy was saying. “How are people supposed to get things in and out with it being locked?”
“Maybe they didn’t want anyone opening it,” Josylon replied.
“Nah, that can’t be it,” Tekel said. “If they didn’t want anyone to open it, they would have used a better lock.”
Even as he finished his statement Josylon heard the lock click open. Tekel and Windy slowly, carefully opened the lid, in case anyone had accidentally set any traps. Josylon realized any traps set would have fallen apart long ago from age but didn’t say anything to ruin Tekel and Windy’s fun. Still, to prove her point, when the lid was half way up, the hinges broke and the lid feel to the ground.
When the dust had settled all three looked inside to find stacks and stacks of papers. Mostly old letters. There were a few trinkets laying around. A broach, a pendent, a ring, and other odds and ends. It all might as well have been costume jewelry.
But that didn’t stop Tekel and Windy from rummaging through everything. In fact, Windy already had a string of pearls wrapped around her neck. Actually, it had to be wrapped several times. Josylon, deciding she didn’t have anything better to do, pulled out a stack of letters and started reading.
It didn’t take long for Tekel and Windy to tire of their game. So that sat in front of Josylon as if she were reading a story and asked what the letters said.
“It’s mostly love letters,” she responded. “Most of them are from Martan to his wife Melissa or from her to him.” Josylon quickly scanned through several of the letters before continuing. “Most of the letters talk about how they were lucky enough to find this ‘strange place with the glowing rocks.’ They also talk about how they decided to make this their secret get-a-way. They would even take some of their favorite items and hide them in the ‘hope chest.’
In one letter Melissa even talks about how they would leave each other love trinkets hidden around in the cavern for each other to find. Martan even describes in one how Melissa made him feel like a kid again with the silly games.”
Suddenly Josylon fell silent. Tekel and Windy looked at her in alarm. “This next, and last letter is from Martan to his son Stephon. He writes, ‘My son, when I first decided to settle down here it was because I felt I was too old to go on. And when you decided to stay with me I thought that maybe you were a bigger fool than I. But here is where we built our homes. They may not have been built with stone and mortar as those in the bigger cities are, but they were built with love.
As time passed and more people came we had ended up building a town. And these townspeople were more than neighbors, they were family. Our village may have been small, but as far as I am concerned it is as great as Palanthas itself. But I never realized how much of a family we were until yesterday.
It has been only a few short months since your mother passed away. And I know my time is close at hand. Since we built our homes here your mother was the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Though the color in her eyes had long since faded, everyone could still see the blue in them. Everyone in town grieved deeply for her passing.
I haven’t been able to move from this bed in over a week. Everyone knows it’s now my turn to go. Yesterday they came to visit me. One by one they came. We all knew what it was about, but we never once
Without warning Tekel opened the fence door and walked in with Windy right behind him. Juna quickly ran after them. In her current form she couldn’t do much to fight off the dog if he attacked them, but she would survive an attack. So if need be she was determined to throw herself in front of the dog so the other two could escape.
And for a moment that’s what she thought she would have to do. The dog stood up and bared his teeth at them. Tekel reached into a pouch, pulled out some kiffles, and tossed them to the dog. Then Juna saw things through her eyes. The dog was indeed big. But he was old. So old she had to keep herself from laughing as he inched his way down the steps, stopped at the kiffles, and slowly began to eat them.
Looking back up she saw Windy and Tekel had reached the door and was about to enter. “Don’t you think you should knock?” she whispered.
“Why?” Tekel whispered back. “If they didn’t want anyone to go in, they wouldn’t have put a door here.”
“Besides,” Windy added, “what if there is something important going on in there? If we knock it might interrupt them.”
There was a time Juna would have argued it was rude to enter someone’s house without being first invited. But then again, there was a time she simply would have ripped the door off a human dwelling place than knocking. But as it was, their logic strangely made since to her.
Carefully they walked in. Down a short hallway to the left they entered the living room. And there, in the back, with his head resting in his hand, was the mayor. Juna looked at him with pity. Was he thinking about the decision he had to make? Was he pondering the honor, and horror of staying and fighting, or leaving and his people living? Maybe he was crying, thinking about how the land his people worked so hard on was now going to be lost. Or, maybe he was…
“Snoring!” Juna hissed mostly to herself, yet still loud enough to cause Tekel and Windy to look at her concerned. “His people are scared to death about what’s going to happen to them and their great leader is in here sleeping!” Her voice had steadily moved up from a hiss, to a growl, almost to a scream. Both Windy and Tekel were afraid she was going to wake the mayor up.
Had her nearly shouting hadn’t waken him, her slamming her hand down on his desk surly did. And immediately she was sorry she did. With a start he jumped and looked at her and Juna could tell that he had indeed been crying.
“What? Who are you?” he asked looking from one kender to another to another.
“Why I’m Tekel Brighteyes,” Tekel said taking his right hand.
“And I’m Windy Trebleclef.” Windy said taking his left.
“And I’m Juna,” Juna said retrieving his ring from Tekel and his bracelet from Windy, and handed them back to the mayor.
He may have been sleepy before, but now Franklin was wide awake watching the there kender very closely. “And what may I do for you?” he asked keeping his eyes on them and their little hands.
“Actually, we’re here to say how we can help you,” Windy said as she sat cross-legged on the floor.
“Yes,” Tekel agreed joining her. We’ve come up with several plans to save your town.
Franklin looked closely at Juna, whom he had decided was afflicted. She just rolled her eyes and shrugged as Tekel and Windy told the mayor their several plans to weaken the enemy. Including their plan to ride to The Kingdom of Nowhere to get more kender to come to their aid.
Some of their plans were brilliantly simple. Others were laughablely stupid. And the plans just kept coming to the point poor Franklin’s head was spinning. Finally he raised his hand saying it was enough.
“Your ideas are well thought out,” he began, wondering if he was convincing them even if he couldn’t convince himself of that. “But I’ve decided it’s best if we just leave. We are no match for the forces coming against us. I’ve decided it would be foolhardy for us to all make our stand and die.”
“So you’re just going to give up?” Juna asked.
“What can we do. Our people are farmers not fighters. Our only hope would be if we could prove we owned the land. Then we could ask to be made part of Gaardlund and become under their protection. But even if we had such proof now, it would take days, maybe weeks, for forces to arrive and help us. By the time help arrived, all that would be left is burnt buildings and the streets lined with dead.”
“Then do that.” Juna replied. “You may not be able to prove you own the land, but you more than own the buildings. They are yours. Don’t let them fall to Throtl. Don’t let them have whatever it is they want. If you must, burn the buildings to the ground yourselves. They have no right to them.”
Both Windy and Tekel jumped up, rushed to Juna, and slapped their hands over her mouth. “Not so loud.” Tekel whispered into one ear.
“Yeah,” Windy whispered into another. “Do you want to get us sued for copyright infringement?”
When Franklin and Juna asked what they were talking about Tekel and Windy launched into a very complicated explanation that quickly confused Franklin and Juna and made them sorry they asked.
“Please,” Franklin said, “I have much to think about. I need to decided how I’m going to tell my people we are to lose all our families have worked for. I have to figure out how in the morning I will tell them all their hard work was in vain.
As bright and joyful kender are, they can feel the sadness of others. And as cold blooded as dragons are, even they, from time to time, can feel the sorrow of humans. So it was with heavy hearts the three left the mayor to his own thoughts.
It was nearly dusk as the there made their way back to The Hungry Lion Inn. They had spoken only a little to each other and other people along the way. Tekel would occasionally offer a poem of hope, though it was half-heartedly. Windy would try skipping along and comment on that at least the weather was nice enough to travel in, only to admit it was also perfect weather to sit and enjoy a picnic. Juna would toss in a curse here and there to Thunder for making her wear the accursed ring locking her into her kender form.
The atmosphere at the inn wasn’t much better. The dinner being served was either undercooked or burnt. And the waitress never even asked for any money though the inn was packed. With no empty tables, the three kender sat on the floor leading the way for several other people to do the same. For the first time, the waitress didn’t mind serving the kender. They even finally got her to tell them her name. Gracie.
And when the night came to an end, they didn’t even try to find an empty room. They just cuddled up together and went to sleep in the dinning room. Not that they were the only ones. Several people decided it was a waste of time going home so they just feel asleep where they sat. Though admittedly many of them feel asleep more from too much ale than weariness.
In fact, truth be told, more than a few had the worst hangover of their lives when they awoke to shouting from outside the next morning.
“Hear ye… Hear ye…” Mayor Franklin was shouting from the tree stump as a farm boy rung a bell. And in spite of their hangovers the people rushed out to hear what he had to say.
“My people!” he shouted, his hands raised in the air. Then, more gently, with his hands at his sides, “My friends.” And finally, stepping off the stump, “My family. I had a very beautiful, elaborate speech I had planned to give you this day. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn’t give it.
You see, as I was writing the speech, a voice kept coming back in my mind. And that voice whispered words of wisdom in my ears. For a very wise person said something to me yesterday. And that voice, belonged to a kender.”
Both Tekel and Windy straightened up, looking quite pleased with themselves. They didn’t know what they could have said that was so wise, after all, they said a lot of wise things.
“So,” the mayor continued. “before I go any further, I want to give my thanks, and my cheers to Juna. A truly wise kender.”
All heads turned to Juna who looked more shocked than the people at this statement. Windy and Tekel on the other hand started shaking hands with Juna congratulating her on a job well done. Then they shook each other’s hands for having known Juna and being there when she gave her words of wisdom. Granted neither of them knew what the words were.
Again the mayor spoke. “I believe this land was bought and paid for. But we don’t have the deed for it. We’ve never needed one. We can’t prove this land is ours. But we don’t need a piece of parchment to know these buildings, the structures made of wood, mortar, our blood, sweat, and tears, are ours. We don’t need a piece of paper to show that these are our homes.
And that’s what they are. They are not business, and places to stay at night. They are our homes. I may one day be considered the most foolish man in history, but I say before you this day, I will stay and fight, and if need be die for my home.”
Applauds and cheers rose from the crowds. Shouts of “I will stay to.” and “We will fight for what’s ours.” came calling back. Mayor Franklin rose his hands silencing the people once again.
“The forces from Throtl will arrive tomorrow. They plan to take what we, and our fathers, and our fathers’ fathers, and even their father’s fathers have worked for all these years. And believe me, if they will do it to us, they will do it to others. I tell you this now not to scare you, but to be honest with you. We will not be able to stop them. It will be as though they marched straight through here without even stopping. But by all the Gods I swear to you, even if I can’t stop them, I will at least slow them down. And maybe the next village will slow them down even more. Then the next. Till one day they will be stopped. All because we slowed them down here.”
Once again the crowds cheered. They may not have had a king’s proclamation, but they had a peasant’s faith. They knew they would die the next day. But they would die like men.
“I have but one more thing to say,” the mayor called out over the noise. “If any man desires to leave, he may do so without shame. I would not think any less of a man who felt he had to leave under these conditions. Also, all women and children will leave before noon.”
The mayor was shocked. For the first time since he began his speech there were boos coming from the people. And when one voice sounded above the rest he knew he was in trouble. Gracie, the serving wench, who had been working at the inn for a very long time, was used to having to shout to be heard above all the noise.
“And what makes you think I have any intention to leave?” she asked.
“Well… I just… thought that women with children should…” he stammered.
“We women have worked every bit as hard as you men to build our homes here. You say this wonderful kingdom was built by blood, sweat, and tears do ya? Well who do you think it was that mopped that blood up. Hell, half of it was ours anyway. And who’s sweat was it from standing over a hot cooking pot all night. It surly wasn’t yours. And who’s tears do you think it was when you men were too prideful to do it for yourselves.”
“As I was saying,” the mayor continued, “the children will leave by noon.” The mayor flushed with a little embarrassment at the laughing. But he quickly found himself laughing to.
While most, actually all, of the older kids wanted to stay and fight to, they were forced to go. Someone had to keep an eye on the younger ones. And more importantly, someone had to tell others of the village that had once stood there. After all, by this time tomorrow it would be nothing more than cinders.
That night at the inn the ale once again poured freely. And though the food was also passed around, it was cooked to perfection. While no money was asked for, it was all paid in full and then some. More than a few people paid for Juna’s food then after she was taken care of they also covered Windy’s and Tekel’s.
Later the three were walking around outside. By walking Tekel and Windy were half dragging Juna who was unused to liquor in this form. They thought the cool night air would help her shake it off. When she was feeling better they went and sat on the old well in the center of the town square.
Contrary to what people believe, kender aren’t fools. But due to their bright outlook on everything, they will believe things will work out in the end even if they are about do die a horrible death. But they aren’t fools. So sometimes even they know when their time’s up. And this was it.
“I wrote down everything that’s happened so far and sent it with Sean today.” Tekel said. “He’s the farm boy who was ringing the bell earlier. When he and the kids make it to the next village he will pass it along to someone else so they will know someone was really here.”
“So you two really aren’t going to leave?” Juna asked.
“No.” Windy answered. “We’ve decided that it would be more fun to stay with these people and follow them to the greatest adventure of all.”
“Besides,” Tekel added, “they need us. What about you Juna?”
Juna was so busy laughing at his statement that his question caught her off guard. With her head clearing more than she wanted it to, she gave them both a somber look and said, “I can’t think of any two people I would rather carry on that adventure. Besides, at least then maybe I’ll be able to get off this damned ring.”
Once Tekel and Windy realized Juna had just made a joke they both cracked up laughing. Wrapping her arms around their necks Juna said, “One more thing. Call me Josylon.”
They both gave Josylon a big hug. Suddenly Windy pointed and said, “Look at how bright that sunset is.”
It didn’t occur to any of them that it was too late to be sunset. But Josylon, who was used to directions and weathers knew what it was.
“That’s no sunset,” she said. “That is the east, where the sun rises. But it’s not nearly time for sunrise. Over that hill my friends, is the fires from a camp.”
Startled Windy tried to get up quickly. Instead she slipped on a wet rock and fell backwards. Instinctively she grabbed onto Josylon, who instinctively grabbed on to Tekel, sending all there falling into the well. At this time of night there was no one to hear the splashing they made nor their cries for help.
After a few minutes of calling for help, Windy turned to Tekel and Josylon and said, “What are we going to do? The rocks are too slippery to climb up and we need to warn everyone that the invasion has started.”
“Not to worry little one.” Josylon said. “They aren’t invading yet. They know they won’t have any trouble from a town like this. Right now they’re just camping. Getting their fill to eat and a good night’s sleep.”
“Oh,” Windy said looking relived. “It’s just that I was afraid I was going to miss all the fun is all.”
“I know,” Josylon said with a knowing smile. Knowing what Windy had truly meant. “But we still have to figure a way out of here and it’s too dark to see anything.”
“I think I found something.” Tekel said. “Over here, it feels like an opening in the side of the well wall. Some of the rocks just feel off.”
“Probably where the water flows in.” Josylon replied.
“You’re probably right. But maybe if we follow it then it will lead us to a way out.”
“It’s a long shot but I guess it beats sitting around here waiting for someone to finally come looking for us. What do you think Windy?”
Windy, who had gotten bored and already swam past them called back, “It sounds good to me.”
As the three swam into the darkness, they didn‘t see the shadow what looked down from top of the well. Before long Josylon, who was not used to swimming, fell behind. Windy, who had slowed enough to let the others catch up to her, heard Josylon falling behind. She knew Josylon would be too prideful to ask for help, so she put one arm around Josylon saying she needed company in the darkness. Silently Josylon thanked her.
Swimming proved to be difficult against the light current the underground river offered. Still it didn’t take long before they noticed a light coming from up ahead. This encouraged them to swim even harder until they reached an underground cavern.
After swimming to the banks the three looked around. It was a large cavern filled with strange glowing rocks. In the crevasses of the wall crystals jutted out magnifying the light coming from the rocks. The kender started walking around looking at everything in awe. Well, two of them anyway. One was looking around in fear.
As Josylon walked to the wall and put her hand on one of the rocks she now knew why the invaders were after this land. There wasn’t much of the star metal here, but there was enough to make anyone very rich, and very powerful. And neither the poor farmers above, nor these two kender knew what it was. And Josylon decided that for their sakes, it should stay that way.
Josylon was pulled from her thoughts as Tekel and Windy started calling excitedly. When she reached them she saw they were huddled over a wooden chest, already working on picking the lock.
“It was very rude of someone to lock the chest,” Windy was saying. “How are people supposed to get things in and out with it being locked?”
“Maybe they didn’t want anyone opening it,” Josylon replied.
“Nah, that can’t be it,” Tekel said. “If they didn’t want anyone to open it, they would have used a better lock.”
Even as he finished his statement Josylon heard the lock click open. Tekel and Windy slowly, carefully opened the lid, in case anyone had accidentally set any traps. Josylon realized any traps set would have fallen apart long ago from age but didn’t say anything to ruin Tekel and Windy’s fun. Still, to prove her point, when the lid was half way up, the hinges broke and the lid feel to the ground.
When the dust had settled all three looked inside to find stacks and stacks of papers. Mostly old letters. There were a few trinkets laying around. A broach, a pendent, a ring, and other odds and ends. It all might as well have been costume jewelry.
But that didn’t stop Tekel and Windy from rummaging through everything. In fact, Windy already had a string of pearls wrapped around her neck. Actually, it had to be wrapped several times. Josylon, deciding she didn’t have anything better to do, pulled out a stack of letters and started reading.
It didn’t take long for Tekel and Windy to tire of their game. So that sat in front of Josylon as if she were reading a story and asked what the letters said.
“It’s mostly love letters,” she responded. “Most of them are from Martan to his wife Melissa or from her to him.” Josylon quickly scanned through several of the letters before continuing. “Most of the letters talk about how they were lucky enough to find this ‘strange place with the glowing rocks.’ They also talk about how they decided to make this their secret get-a-way. They would even take some of their favorite items and hide them in the ‘hope chest.’
In one letter Melissa even talks about how they would leave each other love trinkets hidden around in the cavern for each other to find. Martan even describes in one how Melissa made him feel like a kid again with the silly games.”
Suddenly Josylon fell silent. Tekel and Windy looked at her in alarm. “This next, and last letter is from Martan to his son Stephon. He writes, ‘My son, when I first decided to settle down here it was because I felt I was too old to go on. And when you decided to stay with me I thought that maybe you were a bigger fool than I. But here is where we built our homes. They may not have been built with stone and mortar as those in the bigger cities are, but they were built with love.
As time passed and more people came we had ended up building a town. And these townspeople were more than neighbors, they were family. Our village may have been small, but as far as I am concerned it is as great as Palanthas itself. But I never realized how much of a family we were until yesterday.
It has been only a few short months since your mother passed away. And I know my time is close at hand. Since we built our homes here your mother was the happiest I’ve ever seen her. Though the color in her eyes had long since faded, everyone could still see the blue in them. Everyone in town grieved deeply for her passing.
I haven’t been able to move from this bed in over a week. Everyone knows it’s now my turn to go. Yesterday they came to visit me. One by one they came. We all knew what it was about, but we never once
