Page 1 of 3 As told by
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Praise be to Isha, holy mother Isha who is the mistress of the dawn.
As the band of warrior women broke cover, scrambling down between
the high boulders that stood like sentinels at either side of the trail
as Bronwyn had said they might, Ae'thenal did hold no suprise that her
left hand had fallen to her sword's hilts. Nor did she hesitate in
drawing her mage wrought blade as Nadimar did side step and prance
beneath her; her right arm and hand wound tight about the shaft that
did hold aloft Si'anelle's new banner that the kindred of Athel Loren
had crafted for her. Except that Bronwyn Half-Elven's strong hand now
did fly to lock about her wrist as she urged her horse Rascal to her
side. The Half-Elven woman's green eyes were bright with amusement as
she did meet and hold her gaze. Then did Bronwyn ever be other than
amused at all within the world, as if Orcs and Skaven were but naughty
children who did cast stones at their betters. Cocking her chin at
Si'anelle who was seated upon her horse Finaith at her left hand as if
she was in truth a spirit daughter born of the mountains that did
surround them; and in equal kind as cold and hard in her aspect as
these mountains for all that her violet eyes were fever bright in their
sockets; Bronwyn did quietly say to her. "There is no call upon your
oath here Ae'thenal." "Then these women are indeed known to you Bronwyn
Half-Elven?" These words of Si'anelle's were softly spoken, breaking
the silence that had been like a heavy cloak upon her ever since this
day's dawning. Now Ae'thenal did glance at her friend. Her Si'anelle
had not so much as moved a single muscle of her body save to speak, and
her eyes remained focused upon the band of wild seeming women standing
on the trail before them. These women garbed in mail and leather and
gathered about the black skinned female giantess who was their leader.
"Aye my Lady I do know them aright," was Bronwyn's reply as she did
swing herself down from Rascal's back. Though Ae'thenal did not fail to
note that Bronwyn did still have her shield upon her arm and that her
hand had risen to loosen 'Ironfang' a little within its scabbard at her
back.
While Ae'thenal watched their friend begin to
walk towards the warrior band, a tall lean shape in her battered and
hard used armour, Nimine came to stand at her stirrup. "Are these
unruly human woman in truth bandits Ae'thenal, or friends as Bronwyn
would have us believe?" Nimine did ask her then and Ae'thenal
discovered herself to be smiling in amusement at her fostermother's
present critical scrutiny of this band of a bare dozen female warriors.
A member of their Everqueen's Maiden Guard in her youth, Nimine did
still hold close within her hand the same exacting degree of martial
discipline in her prime. And Ae'thenal did know her fostermother
sufficiently well to predict by her expression that Nimine Starbrow,
blooded champion at Finuval Plain, did consider these near feral women
to be at a lack in their martial prowess. "Bronywn does know them
Nimine," was her reply, "though I do think in truth that she may not
entirely consider them to be friends." "Before this day I did not know
a human woman could be so black of skin; - nor to be of such a
stature," Nimine did say to her in a voice pitched for her ears alone.
By the present shape of her expression it was plain that her
fostermother did already consider the huge woman to be as unruly as
those she led; though her features did ease in some measure as now
Jean-Marie d'Quenelles and the Gladerider champion Peledym Ashleaf did
come to ride past the ranks of their small army to join them. "No
ambush does gather about us in this place," Jean-Marie did say with her
relief evident in her voice as she did rein in her mare Cloud. The
young scorceress did seem to be more than a little breathless and
Ae'thenal could predict that she had given to herself the task to
accompany the Gladeriders of Athel Loren on their swift reconnaissance
once the column had been halted. "Though I shall say that I do not
enjoy being made to stand at a pause in this place," said Peledym as he
ran his eyes along the long straggling line that the narrow pass had
made of their company. "Even though Cedwyn Brighteye does have every
hand that is skilled with a bow turned to watch the skyline...." And
here he did nod towards Nimine, "And the spears and bows of your
she-Elves Nimine Starbrow set to watch the rear of our column in
company with Talieth Mistborn and the Swordmasters of Hoeth."
Now
at last Si'anelle did make a movement. As Peledym had spoken of the
Swordmasters that were with their company her head had turned. Her
illness bright gaze had touched the Gladerider champion then she had
looked away once more; returning her eyes to where Bronwyn was now
speaking with the huge black woman that was these warrior women's
leader. Ae'thenal did know it as a certain fact that her friend did
hold a coal of resentment in her heart towards the six Swordmasters who
were of their company. For had not but a single day passed since their
own ship had found port on the shores of Bretonnia these months past
than another Elven sail had been sighted upon the horizon. That the
Loremasters of Hoeth had sent these six to act the part of guardians
towards Si'anelle and herself was perhaps in itself not an ill
intentioned thing. But within her heart Ae'thenal did hold close her
secret fear that should they both fail in their keeping of the
Banepearl and become stained by Chaos's taint it would be these six who
would spill their blood and close their eyes in death. And that the
Wood Elf enchantress Talieth Mistborn did ever keep the Swordmasters'
company did not further serve to ease her heart. All her senses did
tell her that the enchantress could be called no friend to them both,
sent as she had been by Ariel of Athel Loren's hand to join with their
company and to watch over them. And this despite the fact of the care
and healing that Ariel had bestowed upon Si'anelle and herself in
Isha's name during their sojourn in Athel Loren. For Talieth Mistborn
did have too much of the Mother of All's dark face in her aspect; - and
Ae'thenal had also marked her well, - as a one who would be charged
with their deaths on the fell day that they both should fail. "Free to
walk the wide World sweet Ae'thenal," Si'anelle did whisper to her
then, the bond between them that was the Banepearl gift giving her the
knowledge of her thoughts. "Though for all our fair seeming freedom
imprisioned still." For a bare moment her fever bright gaze did touch
her except that Ae'thenal did not look away as others often did do.
"Death is not for the likes of us," soft her friend did say to her, her
empty right hand straying to lightly touch her arm. "Do not fear those
who watch, for they do lack all power to gift to us a release." Though
for all her Si'anelle's clear sight into her heart, and for all that
her dear friend did know well the nature of the Banepearl's hold upon
them both Ae'thenal could not cast aside her doubt. Which allied with
her despair did now seem to work anew within her breast, for why else
were these watchers with them if not to seek the means by which they
were to be cast out from the World. "Isha," said her friend softly
before she bared her teeth against the following agony and her eyes did
once more return to watch Bronwyn who was indeed a true friend to them
both.
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