Nénuphar - 7

Nénuphar woke first, her magic restored, and her mouth parched, and her stomach desperately hungry. She found that most of her body either felt bruised or scratched, and she felt very weak. She moved a bit to relieve some the pain, and her movements elicited a moaning bellow from the bear cub. When there was no response he bellowed again and began to move around, apparently rousing Yetta.

“Lily?” asked Yetta rubbing her eyes. “Have you been awake long?”

“No. Just a couple minutes.” she replied. “How do you feel?”

“Better. And you?” Yetta returned.

“I think my magic is refreshed, but my mouth is dry and my stomach is empty.” she said sadly. “You must be absolutely parched.”

“Yah, but I’m okay.” said Yetta unable to hide the dryness in her throat.

The cub got up and began to walk blindly toward the edge of the cliff. Yetta scrambled to catch him, but her legs prevented her from doing any more than a crawl on her elbows. Nénuphar leapt to her feet, but she didn’t dare move begin unable to see anything. She heard Yetta’s desperate scramble, and the bear cub seemed to slip. She hear claws scraping, Yetta screamed, and the cub let out a heart wrenching bellow that quickly faded until they heard a distant splash, and then silence. They both held their breath waiting. The seconds passed like hours. The sound of the splash faded, and near silence fell. The only sound they could hear was their own hearts and the distant waterfall.

Then as if from miles below they heard the bears desperate calls echoing up through the cavern. He was alive, but scared and alone.

“We’ve got to help him.” pleaded Yetta. “We’ve got to get him back to his mother.”

“Yetta.” said Nénuphar desperately. “We can’t even get ourselves back up there. What can we possibly do to help him?”

Yetta cried desperately, her mind trying to find something, anything that might help the cub. Nénuphar crawled toward Yetta’s desperate tears, Griffe in one arm, the other feeling her way forward. as she approached her found an uneven part in the rock surface and she slipped landing on her shoulder and back. She could feel her body sliding toward the edge, and called out, “Yetta!”

Yetta raised her head in time to see Nénuphar sliding toward the edge. She lunged for her, and caught her flailing arm, but the slick rock refused a grip of any kind, and she too found herself sliding. Then they were both falling and screaming. They both flailed wildly, expecting to be bounced of a ledge or gashed by the wall of the chasm, but neither happened. They tumbled for what seemed like an eternity then suddenly it ended as they hit the freezing water. The stabbing pain of the freezing water sent them into a frenzied mindless panic. They tried desperately to find the surface, but to no avail.

Then Nénuphar heard the cub, as if from a dream and far away the cub bellowed. Though here eyes could see nothing, and she had no idea which way was up, she turned and swam toward the sound of the bears bellowing. She felt her lungs burning, desperate for air, then they failed, and filled with water. She felt her entire body convulse and thrash out. One of her hand struck something, and she grabbed it and pulled. Her eyes erupted into sparkling lights that grew brighter and brighter, her lungs lurched again and again trying to find air. She grabbed with her other hand and pulled one more time as her vision went completely white. Then her head broke the surface of the water, and her lungs and stomach convulsed at the same time.

She gasped and coughed, thrashed and splashed wildly, trying to rid her lungs of water and replace it with air. Slowly the light in her eyes began to fade back to sparkling burst of light, and her thrashing turned into the measured strokes she had used swimming in the lake back home. She had reached the surface, but water was pouring down on her from above.

She soon heard the bear bellow right in her ear, and she knew it was his leg that she had grasped in her desperate attempt to reach the surface. She had to push him away to avoid being mauled by his claws, but he seemed to swimming fairly well from the steady stroke of his splashing.

Suddenly, a thought like lightning erupted in her mind, and she screamed, “Yetta!” Over and over again she screamed, but to no avail. She could see nothing, and feel nothing but the stabbing cold of the water, and she knew there was no hope for Yetta. Without the use of her legs, there was no way that she could swim. Even if he were to find the surface, she would not be able to stay on top of the water.

Suddenly Nénuphar felt something strike her in the back. She screamed and thrashed around her mind conjuring up monsters of every description. She spun, and thrashed in the direction of the creature, and struck something limp. She grabbed it preparing to rip apart whatever it was. When her other hand grasped hold of the creature she realized that it was a limb. A desperate hope filled her heart and she hauled with all he might hoping beyond hope that it might belong to Yetta.

She found a neck, a head, and the unmistakable mass of hair that could only belong to Yetta. She pulled her head to the surface, but she was not breathing and completely limp. Not knowing what else to do she focussed all her effort into a healing spell, and as the light passed into Yetta’s body, a spout of water was ejected right into her face.

She momentarily lost touch with Yetta’s body, and the blue light quickly faded, but a desperate cry of “Lily.” told her all she needed to know. She grabbed Yetta around the chin and held her face above the water. Yetta desperately struggled to swim, and alternated between thrashing at the water with her arms, and desperately holding to Nénuphar’s arm.

They both fell below the surface of the water several times, and they both knew they struggle was getting desperate when Nénuphar thought of the bear cub. She could hear him paddling away not far from her, and she began to work her way toward him as best as she could. The forward movement allowed her to keep both of them above water, but icy bite to the cold and the strenuous effort were quickly slowing them down.

Nénuphar realized that the cold was going to freeze her body very quickly, and told Yetta that she was going to cast a spell. Yetta spun around and put her hands on Nénuphar’s shoulder to free her arms for the spell. It was not a difficult spell usually, but it took three tries before the spell began to warm her body. By that time Yetta was completely under water, and Nénuphar was about to sink as well.

With her body beginning to warm, Nénuphar grabbed Yetta’s hand and tried to raise her to the surface. The effort did allow Yetta to get a deep breath before going back under, but it also thrust Nénuphar under the water. She surfaced again, and began swimming with all her might after the bear cub.

As she chased the cub she heard a familiar meow, and called out, “Griffe!” She was rewarded with another meow. The cat seemed to be somewhere near the bear cub, and Nénuphar knew he could swim well enough that she didn’t worry about him. Then to her surprise she heard Griffe hiss loudly and the bear cub bellowed in pain, and went under the water for a moment. When he surfaced he finished his gurgling bellow, and began swimming again.

Nénuphar called out a gain “Griffe”, and was rewarded with a hiss, and the bear bellowed stopping his swim, and Nénuphar caught up to him just a little. Several more times Nénuphar called out, Griffe hissed, and the bear bellowed. If Yetta heard any of the exchange she did not make a sign, but continued to do what she could to splash them forward.

Finally Nénuphar called out and the cat and bear seemed just out of range. She put in a couple desperate strokes, and lunged with both hands. She went under for a moment, and one of her arms was caught by the back stroke of a paw cutting several deep cuts across her forearm. She lunged again and caught the leg. Hand over hand she climbed the bears leg until she caught hold of the bears tail.

She spun Yetta around, and Yetta knew exactly what was happening. She climbed Nénuphar’s arm to the bear, and clung there as the bear cub again began to paddle desperately forward. Yetta was able to keep one hand on the bears back and one hand on Nénuphar’s should as they both desperately paddled forward toward some unknown destination.
After a few minutes Yetta called out that she could see the cavern wall, and Nénuphar redoubled her efforts to reach it. Yetta counted down the distance, and finally Nénuphar felt the stone against her hand. The wall was very smooth, and had nothing to grab, but it did allow her a little support and partial rest.

The bear on the other hand found no help, and began swimming along the wall in search of some kind of beach or rock. Nénuphar bobbed along behind him kicking off the wall and propelling them all forward in bursts. Finally, Yetta announced that she could see some rocks ahead.

It turned out that the rocks where at the base of the waterfall, and while they did provide a place for all of them to rest, it slick and cold. Yetta and Nénuphar clung to the rocks as Nénuphar worked to catch her breath.

“Your cat,” said Yetta with a slight laugh, “climbed right up on the bears back and rode there.”

“Is he okay then?” asked Nénuphar.

“Yes.” said Yetta, “Give me your hand.”

Yetta dragged Nénuphar over to another rock where here hands were felt the familiar tongue. She put her hand on Griffe’s body, and found him to be shaking like a leaf. She then touched Yetta’s back, and found her shivering wildly as well. The bear on the other hand seemed to be doing fine. His fur and layers of fat stored for hibernation seemed to keeping him warm.

Nénuphar quickly cast her endure cold spell on Yetta and Griffe. Their bodies relaxed, and they all rested as best they could under the deluge from above.

After a few minutes Yetta spoke up, “I see a ledge above us that looks like it might be dry.”

“How far up?” asked Nénuphar.

“About fifteen feet.” was the reply. “There are no rocks to climb so you will have to use pass through stone, but you should be get up there pretty easily.”

“We go together, or we don’t go.” said Nénuphar flatly.

With a sigh Yetta agreed, “Okay, but let me cast the spell, we may need your magic.”

Nénuphar agreed and Yetta cast the spell wide enough to catch all of them including the bear cub. They then began to work their way through the stone. Moving horizontally was not to difficult, but moving upward was surprisingly difficult. They held hands, and tried to work their way up, finding it as difficult as if they were climbing a pile of rocks. Their movement smooth, but with Yetta unable to user her legs, she had to be dragged upward by Nénuphar. When they realized how difficult it was, they stopped trying to drag the bear cub with them, and just concentrated on getting up to the ledge.

They did eventually struggle their way onto the ledge, and lay down to rest. The ledge was wide enough for them to lay side by side with a few feet extending beyond their heads and feet.

“Wow,” said Nénuphar, “That was harder than I thought.”

“Yah.” said Yetta quietly, “It was much easier when I could walk.”

Nénuphar sensing Yetta’s thought quickly spoke up. “…but we will figure this out. We are all in this together, and we will all get out of this together!”

When Yetta didn’t immediately respond she continued insistently, “Got it!?”

“Okay, okay.” said Yetta resignedly, “We are all in this together.”

Yetta rolled over to check on the bear cub before canceling the spell. He had remained lying in the waterfall, and looked like he had fallen asleep. She took a deep breath and cancelled the spell allowing them to once again feel the solid cold stone under them.

Suddenly there was a humanlike scream and a splash. Nénuphar sat up abruptly, almost knocking Yetta off the ledge.

“Shhhhh!” said Yetta placing one hand on Nénuphar’s should and staring intently into the water below them. “There is something in the water below us.” she whispered.
They both held their breath as Yetta watched. The form thrashed a little then went still. It seemed to have settled onto a ledge several feet below the surface.

After another minute Yetta suddenly sucked in a deep breath and whispered, “Its a naga.”

All that Nénuphar knew about naga were that they were at war with Yetta’s people over fish.

Yetta saw the naga slowly rising to the surface, and quickly whispered to Nénuphar, “Do you still have that knife?”

To here surprise she found it still in her belt. She drew it out and handed it to Yetta.

“Oh wait” said Yetta, “It is hurt. It is… SHE is hurt badly. She is bleeding from her gills, and… oh she hurt very badly.”

“What should do?” asked Nénuphar.

“Well we don’t want the whole naga army coming down on us.” said Yetta. “She doesn’t seem to have any weapons, but I have heard that the female naga are the most vicious.”
Yetta looked down again. “Wait, she is trying to climb up on a rock near the bear cub.”

Suddenly they both heard the bear cub growl menacingly, then a splash.

“She has gone back in the water, but is trying to stay on the surface.” said Yetta. “She can’t swim, and is trying to get air into her lungs, but I don’t think it is working.”

Suddenly Nénuphar began casting a healing spell, and grabbed the knife from Yetta. With one hand glowing blue she cast a light spell on the dagger and jumped off the ledge.
Shielding her eyes from the light, Yetta watched as the naga thrash, and try to get away, but quickly went limp and began to sink. Nénuphar surfaced just as the naga slipped beneath the surface unconscious. She dove again touching her should with her glowing blue hand. The light spread into the naga’s body and her gills turned blue and stopped bleeding.

Nénuphar grabbed the naga around the throat and dragged her to the rocks where she could keep the knife at her throat. The naga convulsed and opened her eyes, but immediately closed them again as the light of the dagger blinded her. As she came fully conscious she suddenly writhed and slipped out of Nénuphar’s grip and into the water. She quickly vanished into the depths of the water.

“Lily, quick, get back up here.” said Yetta. “And bring the cub! She will surely be getting more naga.”

Nénuphar quickly cast a spell and began dragging the bear cub into the stone so they could ascend to the ledge. As soon as the cub felt itself inside the stone, it began to thrash as if trying to swim. Its movements were powerful, and Nénuphar could barely hold on as the bear swam upward. They quickly arrived at the ledge and both received a big hug from Yetta. Griffe purred and rubbed against Nénuphar until she picked him up and laid down next to Yetta.

“Can you douce the light?” asked Yetta. “Its hard to see anything.”

Rather than canceling the spell, Nénuphar put the knife back in its sheath completely hiding its light. The four of them sat there huddled together for many hours. Waiting for the naga hordes to return.

After a while the warmth spell began to wear off, and they realized that they were not getting dry. The ledge they were on, the cliffs around them, even the air itself was saturated with water. It was as if it was constantly raining drops of water too small to detect. They all huddled close together for warmth listening and watching for the naga to return.

After a few hours sleep finally overcame Nénuphar, and she tipped over, falling onto Yetta’s shoulder. The movement startled her awake, and she apologized, but Yetta pulled her close and told her to sleep. Before long, Yetta too was asleep. Worn out from the exertions, the cold, and the fearful watching.

When they woke they were both shivering violently, and their teeth chattered when they tried to talk. Nénuphar check Griffe and the cub, and found them warm, but she and Yetta were still wet and dangerously cold. Cast the warmth spell on both of them knowing that her magic was getting dangerously low.

Yetta gave her a hug, and they went back to listening and watching when immediately they heard something. It was a strange humming sound coming from somewhere below them. Yetta strained to see where the sound was coming from, but echoes made it impossible to pinpoint, and she could see nothing in the water below them.

The humming sounded a little bit like the chanting of Nénuphar’s warmth spell, like a child trying to mimic the sounds of its parents talking. The sound grew closer and
louder and, Nénuphar placed her hand on her dagger. Not daring to draw out the light for fear of discover, but preparing in case they were attacked.

Yetta suddenly drew a breath, “There she is. It the naga you saved.” she said in an almost silent whisper. “She is looking up here, and singing.”

When the naga was right below them, she settled onto a rock and opened her hands as if to show that she was not carrying anything.

Yetta hesitated for minute then asked firmly, “Who are you?”

The naga replied in strange grunts and clicks, and then fell silent.

Yetta looked curiously at the naga as she had never had the chance to see one other than their grief encounter earlier. She seemed to be human like from the waist up, but her lower body was more like a eel, covered in small scales. She had a delicate looking fin that extended the entire length of her tail on both the top and the bottom. Near the top is was quite pronounced, and fluttered delicately in the water.

With her dark vision, Yetta could not see colors, but the naga’s skin seemed to be closer to the color of Nénuphar’s skin than her own, while her scaled lower half was much darker. Her hair seemed to be much lighter than Yetta as well. She was dressed in a simple wrap around her upper torso, and no other clothing or tool that Yetta could see.

After a few more tries to communicate, Yetta turned to Nénuphar, “I think I could talk to her if I could cast the languages spell on her and myself.”

“But how can you get down there. You will drown.” protested Nénuphar.

“I will have to move through the stone.” said Yetta, “I am pretty sure I can descend much easier than ascend, but I have to try. She is clearly trying to communicate with us.”

Yetta slipped into the stone and emerged on the rock beside the naga. After calming her down Yetta cast the spell placing her hands on the naga’s throat then on her ears.

“Hello.” began Yetta.

“Hello.” said the naga in a nervous but beautify voice.

“I am Yetta of the Sansen, and this” she said pointing up to Nénuphar, “is Lily, she’s a druid from the surface.”

“I am Sawra.” She said with a bow.

Suddenly they both began pouring out questions: “How did you get here?” asked Sawra.

“We came down from up there.” answered Yetta pointing upward.

“Why did you come?” asked Sawra

“We got trapped, and then fell.” said Yetta

“How are you going to get back up there?” asked Sawra

“We don’t know.” said Yetta

“Are you hungry?” asked Sawra.

“Yes, very.” answered Yetta.

Suddenly Sawra dove into the water. Her head popped back above the water long enough to say, I’ll be right back, and then she was gone. When she returned she was carrying a basket woven of stiff fibers from some unknown plant. Inside the basket two raw fish, several strands of seaweed looking plant, and some strange round bulbs of some kind.
Yetta accepted the basket gratefully, and called up to Nénuphar, “Lily, come down, she brought some food.”

Nénuphar cast light on her knife, jumped into the water, and climbed up on to the rocks beside Yetta. Both Yetta and Sawra had to shield their eyes from the light, but once she was settled on the rock, Nénuphar covered most of the light with her hand.

“Nénuphar this is Sawra.” said Yetta, “Sawra this is Nénuphar.”

They greeted each other and Yetta and Nénuphar both reached into the basket. Yetta pulled out one of the small bulbous plants.
“That is rockweed fruit.” said Sawra.

Nénuphar drew out one of the strands of seaweed which Sawra called rockweed.

“How do we eat these?” asked Yetta.

“Oh, I’ll show you.” said Sawra.

She proceeded to tear the small flower off one end and then peel the skin like a banana. The meat of the fruit was very light colored and firm, like a soft apple or a firm peach in texture. Sawra handed the peeled fruit to Nénuphar, and Yetta peeled another for herself. It was only semi-sweet, but they devoured them all quickly.

When they had finished Sawra giggle a little and pointed at their mouths. As Nénuphar and Yetta examined each others mouths they found that the fruit polished their teeth to a bright white and made them glow slightly. The all laughed a little, and Sawra pulled out one of the strands.

There were no bulb on it like the seaweed Nénuphar had seen at the ocean, but the texture had the same slimy feel. It had no leaves, but strands broke off at regular intervals. The offshoots were thin and broad. Sawra, took off one of the offshoots, and placed it on her lap. Then she took part of the stem and broke it open to reveal a clear water looking liquid that she spread across the shoot on her lap. Then she folded the shoot over like a sandwich and bit into it. It made slight popping sound and she bit of a chunk. The rest she handed to Yetta who tried the same thing.

As first she wrinkled up her nose, and had to force herself to chew it, but as soon as her teeth broke through her eyes opened wide with interest.

“Lily, you have got to try this.” she said enthusiastically.

Nénuphar got another shoot, and took a bite without smearing the juice for the stem on it. It tasted about like it looked, like slimy grass and wood all at the same time. She struggled to chew it desperately hoping the taste or texture would change.

Sawra quickly moved over close to Nénuphar. “No, no, no.” she said with a disgusted look on her face. “Spit that out…. ew. You have to put the stem juice on it or it just tastes like you are eating rocks. Here…”

She broke a part of the stem, and Nénuphar could see that the stem was segmented, like bamboo. She dumped the clear liquid on the leaf, and this time rolled it up and handed it back to Nénuphar. “That is how I like it best.” she said.

Nénuphar again took a bite, this time a bit more hesitantly, and began to chew. She caught some of the ‘rock’ taste, as Sawra had called it then a burst of salt, like the ocean, then the two flavors mixed, and made her whole mouth tingle, as if she was drinking the sparkling fairy wine from home, just not as flavorful.
“Wow.” she said in amazement.

Sawra smiled a big smile, and sat back to let them eat.

Yetta broke open the stem, and dripped some of the stem juice onto her tongue before Sawra could stop her.

“ahhh” she called out stomach lurching, nearly ejecting the lunch already eaten. “That is horrible. How does it do that?”

Sawra laughed a long cute little giggly laugh and then explained. The two eaten separately are too salty and to biter to eat, but together they mixed into a strange reaction that sparkled on the tongue.

Yetta warned Nénuphar against tasting the stem juice alone. “It tastes like the ocean only a hundred times worse.”

Nénuphar was content not tasting the juice for herself. They continued to eat the strands, and through the mishaps as they learned how to mix the shoots and the juice, they both got plenty of both before they got good at spreading the juice just right. Finally they had eaten the last shoot, and Sawra threw the united stems into the water.
Yetta reached in and pulled out one of the white eyeless fish. It was fresh, but already dead.

“I saved the insides, just incase you like those.” offered Sawra enthusiastically.

Nénuphar and Yetta looked at each other hesitantly, but didn’t know what to say.

Sawra shot them both a frightened look and spoke apologetically. “I’m sorry, do you not eat fish?”

“We do…” began Yetta, “…but… we usually cook them before we eat them.”

“Cook them?” asked Sawra.

“Umm yes. Over a … “ Yetta realized the emptiness of the word and she said it, “…fire.”

“Fire?” asked Sawra.

“It is a way to make it hot.” offered Nénuphar.

“Oh.” said Sawra with a strange look on her face. “Maybe we can find some fire around here. What does it look like?”

Now it was Nénuphar and Yetta’s turn to giggle a bit.

“It cannot exist in the water.” said Yetta.

“Why?” returned Sawra.

“Well…” said Yetta as she thought. “Maybe we will show you some time. But for now lets see if can’t find a way to eat this fish without cooking it.”

She looked to Nénuphar who was probably turning a bit green at the thought. “May I borrow your knife?” she asked Nénuphar.

Nénuphar brought out her knife and both the other girls covered their eyes.

“Could you stop the light please?” asked Yetta.

“Okay.” said Nénuphar hesitantly. She waved her hand over the knife and was plunged back into darkness.

“Thank you.” said Yetta. “Just a minute now and you can light it back up.”

She gutted the fish laying its entrails out neatly on a rock placing the basket on them to shield them from the falling water. She then began to scrape the fish to remove the skin when Sawra jumped in to stop her.

“Like this.” she said taking the fish from yetta.

She began to rub the fish against the scales on her lower body, and the skin peeled off as smoothly as the skin of the fruit. When she had peeled off all but the tail, she took the fish in both hands, and bit the tail off spitting it into the water. She then handed the fish back to Yetta.

Just at that moment there was a bellow above them, then a splash, as the bear cub hit the water swimming. It swam up to Yetta, and with one quick slurp swallowed the fish, and nearly both of Yetta’s hands as well.

Sawra screamed, and dove into the water. She reappeared a several feet away, and asked, “What is that?”

“This,” said Yetta pausing to think, “…is Sleepy. He’s a bear cub.”

“But what kind of monster is it?” came the horrified reply.

Before Yetta could respond there was another smaller splash as Griffe paddled toward the rocks.

Another scream, and Sawra pushed further away. “And what is that?”

Both Nénuphar and Yetta laughed. “It’s okay,” said Yetta. “They are friends.”

Just at that moment the cub, standing right next to Yetta did a vigorous shake knocking her into the water where she floundered unable to grasp the slippery rocks. She quickly disappeared beneath the water and Nénuphar called out. “Sawra. Grab her, she can’t swim.”

Sawra dove in and hauled Yetta back up onto the rocks. She then jumped back away from the bear where she swished softly in the water.

“It is so spiky.” said Sawra. “It is worse than a needlefish.”

“Actually he's furry.” said Yetta stroking the bears back, and trying to keep him away from the basket and other fish.

“Furry? What does that mean?” asked Sawra.

“Come and see.” encouraged Yetta.

By the time Sawra got the courage to touch the leg of the cub, Yetta was in a full wrestling match with him. The cub did not even notice and Sawra stroked his leg in amazement. Then the cub won the match and pushed Yetta into the water once again, this time Sawra caught her and held her up. Sleepy tore the basket in pieces and swallowed the second fish whole. Meanwhile, Griffe swallowed the entrails before the water could wash them into the water.

“I guess your—bears did you say?” asked Sawra

“The big one is a bear, and the small one is a cat.” said Yetta.

“I guess your bear and cat like fish.” said Sawra flatly.

“I can get some more, but I’ll have to go all the way home to get them.” she continued. “I didn’t think to bring a net, or we might have just caught some here. It is a great fishing spot.”

Sawra lifted Yetta onto the rocks again, and asked, “Why can’t you swim?”

“I was hurt the first time we fell.” said Yetta pointing upward. “Way up there. Now my legs don’t work any more.”

“Oh, that too bad.” said Sawra sadly. “Can’t Lily heal you like she did me?”

Nénuphar spoke sadly, “I cannot. That healing is beyond my magic.”

“Maybe my dad can help you.” Sawra offered. “He’s a really powerful healer. Come on, and we can get your friends some more fish.”

Nénuphar and Yetta hesitated not knowing what to say.

“What is it?” asked Sawra. “Oh you can’t breath under water can you?”

“Well, no,” said Yetta, “but…”

“Its okay.” said Sawra, “My dad can come to the surface. Come on. I know a great place where you can wait while I go get him.”

“Wait.” said Yetta sadly, “Sawra, my people and yours don’t like each other. I’m afraid you father will probably try to kill us.”

“You’re not some of the fish thieves are you?” she asked.

“Well…” began Yetta. “Lily is not, but my people are probably the once you call fish stealers.”

“Oh.” said Sawra.

She began to look around hesitantly. “So are you here to steal fish?”

“No, no” said Yetta. “We are here by accident. We fell. We just want to get back up there?”

They were all silent for a several seconds. Griffe was trying desperately to find a place out of the deluge, and Sleepy kept shaking, and making it difficult for Yetta to hang on.

Suddenly an idea struck Yetta. “Wait! Sawra! we are actually here to take the fish stealers away where they will never bother you again. Maybe you father would be willing to listen to us if you told him that?”

“But how are you going to do that?” asked Sawra. “They are trapped in that little dry cave at the other end of the lake.”

“Well you saw us move through the rocks, right?” asked Yetta.

“Yes.” said Sawra putting her hands to her gills reflexively.

“Well we are going to take all the fish stealers up to where Lily lives, on the surface.”

“The surface?” Sawra replied.

Nénuphar then spoke up. “It is a large dry cave, way up above us.”

Yetta continued, “If you father can help us reach the fish stealers, we could take them away, and never return.”

Sawra’s eyes widened and she smiled again. “Okay. I’ll ask him. But come with me, and I’ll show you place where you can dry your skin and fur while you wait.”

Yetta finally gave the knife back to Nénuphar who lit it up stashed in mostly covered in her belt. Then the five of them slowly moved off into the water to a large self that dipped into the water at one end, and rose in several broken step to a cave that was dry, and a bit dusty. Sawra helped lift yetta to the top of the steps, and then slid off to talk to her father.

Thomas and Trish - 6

The day dawned bright and cold, and the camp seemed to a buzz with activity. A large patrol was sent down to the mouth of the valley, and every able bodied man was searching the caves and the upper canyon. At one point the large building was invaded by a squad of men, and all the women and children hid under their blankets. Most of the squad stood at the door looking mean and scared at the same time while the captain moved through the room pulling down blankets and performing a thorough search.

As he approached the group where Trish and Thomas lay under their blankets they held their breath and the women crowded closer trying to shield them from the search, but to no avail. The man grabbed several women and threw them aside. The man stepped right between Thomas and Trish kicking Thomas in the shin guard in the process. There was an audible intake of breath as the man, seemingly ignorant of the armor he had surely felt, turned to the blanket that hid Trish and ripped it off her head.

As Trish looked into the man’s face she recognized him as the man she had healed in their fight to get out of the canyon. He looked her right in the face, and with a disgusted face threw the blanked back over her head and continued searching the room. He even made one of the other women and her two children get off their bed which he overturned as if expecting to see the object of his search.

Reaching the end the room he kicked the wall in frustration, turned to his men and let out a growling “Baaa. Those fools think the they can just walk out of the cave with thirty men just standing there. What a waste of TIME!” he ended with a violent swipe with his sword at some unknown foe. “Move out!” he order following his men and slamming the door behind him.

The entire building seemed to suddenly start breathing again, but no one dared move. Thomas uncovered his head and looked at Trish who looked to Myrna and received a warm smile. She quietly whispered to Thomas that it was the man who was helping the women, and they both lay back down and took several deep breaths before they could relax again. They slept as they could, but the hours seemed to drag slowly by.

Noon came, and a couple men dropped some food inside the door and quickly left again. Not long after the meal they heard Fen come out and begin barking orders. The women on watch reported that he was bandaged and using a crutch. Still they waited, hoping beyond hope that night would come before they were discovered. At one point a large group of men came back from searching the canyon and Fen went ballistic on them, and ordered another group to go search up the canyon.

With most of the men off searching the canyon, Myrna, Morell, and a couple other women come to converse with Thomas and Trish. Trish told then what had happened since they left, about their betrayal in the cave, and Morell’s heroics, and of their escape through the hidden tunnel. In return Morell and the women shared what they knew of the camp. There were about sixty men, the food and the extra weapons were kept in the cave, which Morell seemed to know pretty well. Most of the men were vulgar vicious men with no honor or mercy. Kurt Carrel, the man that was helping the women, had been able to smuggle two swords and a handful of spears in to the women, and he and his men were usually the ones on guard at the women’s building, and he had given strict orders not to disturb the women.

The women guessed that twenty men had been sent to the mouth of the valley, and had taken all the horses with them. There were about that many up the canyon, and the remainder were milling around the camp trying to look busy, and stay out of Fen’s way.

After discussing the current state, Thomas suggested that if it came to fighting they would be much better off in the caves than exposed and vulnerable in their current building. So they decided to see if Kurt could get them transferred into the caves.

The women on guard gave a signal, and Kurt came himself to pick up the dirty dishes. He quickly talked to the women about the plan to get them into the caves, but he was certain Fen would never go for it. Especially not with the ‘bandits’ on the loose.

They discussed rushing the guards, and he told them that there were a few men in the caves, but that there was always a large band on duty at the entrance. He promised to look for an opportunity to get them into the caves, but them not to count on it.

Then almost on cue there was a strange sound heard down toward the mouth of the canyon. “Get ready to charge the caves.” Kurt said as he dropped the dishes loudly and ran out the door.

The women heard him order his men to go check out the disturbance, Kurt called for the remaining guards in camp and around the cave entrance to help with the disturbance. Then he too ran off toward the lower end of the camp.

As soon as he was passed, Thomas and Trish, covered in blankets, lead the women and children out of the building and charged the remaining men guarding the caves. As they approached Thomas could see that five men remained. With Myrna on his right and another strong looking woman on his left, each carrying a sword and spear, he charged straight at the three men in the middle intending to bull rush all three of them.

As they approached the guards called for them to halt and drew their swords threateningly. Thomas and the women with him accelerated, charging up the slope toward the men. About two steps before he collided with the men, Thomas let the blanket fly off his head and shoulders. The guards had no time to prepare before Thomas smashed into them, arms wide catching the three in the center and driving them into the cave. The remaining two did not even see the women that cut them down, so surprised where they at Thomas’ appearance.

Inside the cave Thomas drove them three men right into the wall of the cave. As he stepped back and drew his sword, two spears flew over his shoulders, one catching the man on his left in the eye, the other catching the man on his right in the stomach. At the same moment a small woman slipped under his arms and drove the spear she carried through the heart of the man in the middle.

Thomas was shocked as all three of the man fell dead at his feet. The remaining women and children quickly began to flood into the cave. Thomas and the armed women pressed forward into the cave. The main cavern filled with light as Thomas, sword drawn, came pounding up the trail and into the cavern.

Thomas found the cave empty, but knew where he could find Fen, and any men still loyal to him. He turned to the armed women behind him and told them to guard the other women and children, but Myrna, immediately rescinded the orders, and split them up. Some she sent to guard the children, and hide the bodies of the guards, while she and another woman charged up the trail to join Thomas in the hunt for Fen.

The three hunters sprinted across the main cavern toward Fen’s quarters. Thomas, in the lead, readied his shield for an ambush. They charged down the tunnel on the far side of the cavern, and around the corner toward a room lit by torch light.

As they rounded the corner three crossbows fired at Thomas. Two bounced harmlessly off his shield, but the third slid just under his shield burying itself in Thomas’ left thigh. In front them Thomas saw that they three men had tipped the bed and table over to form a barricade that they where hiding behind. All three men where already beginning to reload their crossbows, and Thomas limped straight at them.

The women at Thomas’ elbows saw his plan, and slowed to stay behind him. He hit the barricade like a battering ram, and landed on Fen. The two women each leapt over what was left of the barricade and attacked.

On the left the man dropped his crossbow and scrambled backward trying to draw his sword, but Myrna quickly talked him out of it with a sword thrust right through his heart. On the right, the man decided to swing his crossbow like a club at the oncoming woman. She took the blow on her left forearm and was thrown back.

Thomas’ momentum and Fens kick send Thomas flying head over heals into the wall at the back of the cave. Before he could recover, Fen was on him. Fen planted one foot on Thomas’ shield pinning it and Thomas’ left arm to the ground. In his left hand Fen had a dagger that he embedded deeply in Thomas’ right arm. With his left hand Fen had drawn his sword, but held it pommel up. Bringing his other hand up as well he prepared to ram it right through Thomas’ breastplate.

At that moment Mryna slid her sword into Fen’s ribs just under his left arm, and buried it to the hilt.

“Remember me?” she whispered into Fens ear as the light faded from his eyes. “I’m the dirty red head.”

Across the room the other woman was facing the last man who had dropped his crossbow, and drawn his sword. They exchanged couple swings, neither striking flesh. Myrna tried to free her sword from Fen’s body as it fell, but she was unable. As he fell she release the sword and let it fall with the body. Instead she reached for Fen’s sword. She caught it by the blade, slicing both hands badly, but was able to right the blade in her hands and threw it at the man across the room. She called out as she threw the sword startling the man who glanced over his shoulder at Mryna.

The sword struck the man in the back, but did not do any damage, but his quick look over his should proved to be his last mistake. The woman gripped her sword in both hands and let out a rage filled scream as she removed his head with a single stroke. The power of the blow sent her spinning to the ground, but very much alive.

Thomas quickly cast a healing spell on each of them, repairing their injuries. They then charged back out into the main chamber. Trish, Morell, and two women were charging toward them, but stopped short as they saw them come running into the cavern.

At the same moment Marge appeared from the kitchen with two huge knives in her hands. Morell quickly called to Thomas pointing at Marge. Thomas turned raising his sword and shield he stepped between Marge and the two women.

When Marge saw Thomas she stopped, and let the knives fall to the ground. She raised her hands above her head in surrender, and asked, “Is it done?”

Thomas still not certain of her motives replied, “Fen and his men are dead.” He nodded over his shoulder toward Fen’s chamber.

Marge’s face softened as she fell to her knees. Myrna pushed passed Thomas and went to Myrna to comfort her. Trish also jugged over to Marge to offer what she could.

Thomas and the rest of the adults headed back toward the entrance. They found the women and children huddled together at the bottom of the trail. When he reached them he told Morell to take them to a safe place.

Once several of the women went with him to help with the children, but the rest of the women began to prepare to defend the cave. They salvaged what weapons and armor they could from the dead guards and dropped their bodies in a side cave out of the way.

Morell and two young girls about eleven years old returned after a few minutes carrying several swords and three crossbows with bolts. Three of the women took them and hid themselves inside the cave to watch for more men.

Thomas sent Morell and the remaining women to retrieve all the weapons they could find including the ones in Fen’s chambers. By the time the preparations were made Trish had returned with news that Marge was with them. She had been in love with Fen, but he had treated her like dirt, and forced her to cook for the camp. Even so, she was heartbroken, and hopeful of being free.

The first men to return from the disturbance were the guards that had been with the men guarding the cave. When they saw the cave was unguarded, they ran straight in thinking to find the other guards. They ran to the trail leading up to the main cavern and Thomas called for them to halt.

“Drop you weapons, or we will be forced to take them from you.” he said standing above them on the trail.

They looked around and found themselves surrounded by eight crossbows, in addition to Thomas’ sword and shield.

The women collected their weapons and armor, and the men were marched off to the lockup, but Morell, Thomas and a couple women. The remainder of the women dressed as guards and stood outside the entrance as if they were the guards.

Soon they saw a wagon surrounded by Kurt’s men and several other men from the camp. On the wagon were Donald, Jacquelyn, Johnny, Jorge, and Anna, who looked scared out of her mind. They drove as close as possible to the cave and Kurt called up to the guards.

“This dwarf says he is delivering supplies. What should we do with him?”

One of the women turned and did her best to march back into the cave. She met Thomas just out of sight, and the discussed what to do. As they hesitated, Kurt declared that he was going to talk to Fen himself. He placed his men with their backs to the cave guarding the wagon.

Inside Kurt, Thomas, and Myrna worked up a quick plan.

Kurt waited for a couple minutes, then strode out of the cave telling the women standing guard outside that they were wanted inside. He then stationed his men as guards at the cave entrance, and walked down to the wagon.

“You! dwarf, and family.” he barked. “You are going to carry the supplies up to Fen yourselves. Now hop to it.”

They all filled their arms with food and blankets and marched toward the cave. As they passed Fen he took the warmers carried by Donald, Johnny, and Jorge declaring that they wouldn’t need them.

Inside the cave they were hugely relived to find Thomas and Trish who quickly told them what was happening. The family members made several trips to the wagon before all the supplies where collected.

Anna was the last of them to head back to the cave, and Kurt followed her giving her a smart slap on the butt. His men hanging around cheered and laughed, but Kurt’s men did their best to look serious.

Kurt caught several of his men ogling the girl and barked out, “Eyes front!” he then followed that with, “No more visitors until I return.”
The men snapped to attention facing the valley.

Once in the main cavern Kurt put his arm around Anna’s shoulders, and tried to calm the terrified looked from her eyes, telling her that he was with them, and everything would be fine. Hugs were exchanged all around as Thomas and Trish were able to properly greet the family. Kurt returned their weapons, and they all sat down to catch up and plan.
Donald had waited as long as he could. He almost charged the guard at the mouth of the canyon when the sun rose without any sign. Jacquelyn was able to restrain him for most of the day, but as the evening came on, they all decided to take a cautious approach, and declare themselves as supplies porters.

Donald had made as much noise and interruption as he could, and had drawn the attention of much of the camp as they moved up the valley. Jacquelyn played the scared wife, Johnny and Jorge were stiff as boards, and Anna was terrified, but kept a stern face as she sat between the boys.

Kurt told them that his men were only as loyal as their pay, and were not likely to help them knowingly. The men that were searching the canyon would be returning before long, and then they would have above forty men wandering around asking questions. They were not brave men for the most part, but they vastly outnumbered the defense force inside the cave.

“What we need” said Kurt, “is to stir up an insurrection in the camp, and let the men fight among themselves.”

As they talked a voice called from the entrance of the cave. “Sir, the women are gone.” It paused for a moment, and then called again, “Sir?!”.

Kurt ran back to the entrance.

“Sir.” said one of the men again, “They women are not in the big house.”

Kurt roared, “WHAT?!”

He then ordered his men to stand where they were, and went with those that had reported the disappearance. He stormed into the big house and stood amazed at the empty room. He then turned, and began calling all the men that were lounging about to begin searching the camp. He jumped on one of the horses rode up the canyon.

Back at the cave Kurt’s men watched as the rest of the camp was turned upside down. Every tent and shack was searched, and every crate opened. Several of the men also ran down valley to confer with the guards at the bottom of the valley.

Before long the camp was found to be empty, and the men began to gather at the mouth of the cave calling for a search of the caves. Kurt’s men held firm, and would not let anyone enter, so they just milled around anxious for word from Fen.

The mood outside the cave was very suspicious and rumors of all kinds began to flow through the men. Before long they began to talk about forcing their way into the cave to take back ‘their women’ as they started calling them.

When no word came from inside the cave, the men started to demand passage. Still Fen’s men held to their orders thinking that Fen or Kurt would appear at any moment to take charge. Finally one of the loudest men tried to push his way past the guards who were not sure what to do. As he passed the guards and began to march into the cave, he was struck by a crossbow bolt, and fell dead.

The entire camp fell silent for a moment, then the entire mass of men charge up the slope at the guards. The men stepped back to the cave mouth to receive the charge, and there they were joined from behind by unknown reinforcements shouting encouragement, and shooting crossbows at the charging throng.

The fight was very one-sided, but Thomas and Trish, covered in blankets for disguise healed each of the guards as they were wounded. The throng soon realized that something was up, fell back to the wagon where they exchanged arrows with the cave. The guards fell back inside the cave for cover, and soon learned that it was the women that were holding the cave.

“You are all now traitors as far as those men out there are concerned.” hissed Myrna as the guards stared in terror at the armed women. “So you either fight with us for you lives, or you die where you stand, and we fight alone.”

The men all agreed to defend the cave in exchange for their lives, and they were given crossbows to hold the rebels off. They counted about fifteen men outside the cave; only a few had crossbows, but most of them had spears, and they all had swords. With the addition of Kurt’s six men, the defenders of the cave felt pretty secure for the moment, but they knew at any moment forty other men could turn the tide.

They all watched and waited from the shadows of the cave when suddenly group of men attacked the men by the wagon, led in front by Kurt. The battle continued for several minutes, and both sides fell quickly.

The onlookers from the cave watched in amazement as Kurt subdued and captured the men that had been assaulting the cave. Those that were not killed where stripped of their weapons, blindfolded, and tied in a group by the wagon. Kurt ordered half of the men that still stood with him to guard the prisoners, and the other half to help the wounded men.

“Save as many as you can.” he ordered as he ran toward the cave.

Arriving at the cave he commended his men, and the women that were with them and ordered them to help the wounded men as best they could. Accompanied by Thomas and Trish they all ran to help. Soon they were tearing blankets, and binding the minor wounds while Thomas and Trish, now unmasked in all their glory, healed those that could be saved.

When the excitement settled down, the men began to question what was happening, and ask where Fen was. Before any further incident could escalate, Thomas and Kurt stood up on the wagon and called for the attention of the men. In addition to Kurt’s six original men, there were about ten of the men that Kurt had led from up the canyon and five that had attacked the cave that were uninjured. There were about fifteen that had been killed, and the rest lay in various states of injury.

Kurt’s voice rang out calling the men’s attention. “Fen is dead, and the king has turned this camp over to this man.”

The camp murmured with confusion, but Thomas quickly spoke up. “As this man said, Fen is dead. This camp is hereby disbanded, and you all have the choice of collecting your pay and leaving in peace, or staying to help build up a proper village where you will live in peace.”

Thomas then turned to Morell and asked if he knew where Fen kept the men’s wages. He responded that he did, and was sent to fetch it with two women to assist.

He then turned back to the men and called their attention by drawing his sword and holding it above his head. The light clearly visible even the full night of day.

“This valley is hereby claimed by the light as a sanctuary from the evil and hurt of the world. Those who stay will be expected to work hard, learn a trade, and refrain from all mischiefs. I welcome you you wholehearted. Those who wish to leave, this man will give you your wages right here and right now, and you may leave immediately.”

The crowd of men murmured and conferred with each other, each man deciding his own future. Several of the men declared their wish to stay, and the rest were paid and dismissed. Kurt asked his men to stay for a couple days to provide some security and order, but they would also then be free to chose as they would.

Kurt, Thomas, Trish, Myrna, and three other guards traveled down to the mouth of the valley to declare the same to those guarding there. As the men pondered, they returned to the main camp where stragglers who had been searching the valley were returning and learning of the news. They were offered the same options, and Fen and Thomas spent the rest of the day doling out wages, and settling disputes as the bulk of the men began to disperse. Several of the men set out that evening, but most decided to wait until morning.

That night Marge cooked her first meal as a free woman. She was heard to sing as she worked, and the women that were assisting her sang along. The beds and mattresses from the big house were brought up into the cave, and some of the storerooms were cleared out to give space for the women and children.

It was after midnight when Thomas and Kurt returned. They sat with Donald’s family and talked, and planned, and Marge made them a late meal which the insisted she share with them. Kurt declared that he wanted to stay help, as did Marge, Donald, Jacquelyn, and the boys. Anna was just going to do whatever Johnny wanted to do.

First think in the morning, Donald and Jorge went to retrieve the camp they had left outside the valley, and the bring the horses in. The men dismantled all the tents, and left in groups, setting off for various destinations. There turned out to be about twenty men that chose to stay, but that number slipped to fifteen when several men were found to be plotting to snatch the wage box, and kidnap some of the women as they left. Those men were unceremoniously escorted from the valley, and warned against returning.

By noon those who were leaving had left the valley had left, or been thrown out. As they oversaw the exodus, Thomas and Kurt began to discuss the future of the valley. Kurt explained that King Kam had actually commissioned Fen, his son-in-law, Sila’s husband, to create this camp to plunder the outlying farms of Kith, and especially their women and children. The women and children were sometimes kept at the camp for the ‘moral’ of the men, and the rest were sent off to Kam to be sold as wives, servants, or other unfortunate reasons.

They both expected the King to send an army out to retake the valley, but more immediately they were concerned that the men might band together and try to retake it themselves. Many of the men did not seem happy to be out of work, and others eyed Thomas and Kurt mischievously as they left. So they immediately began to organize quick defensive positions at the mouth of the canyon. When Donald and Jorge returned, they assisted as well.

As they piled rocks and stocked the fortifications with crossbows and bolts, they learned that Donald had been a stone mason ‘in a previous life’ as he called it. He showed them where they could quarry stone, and where they build a wall to seal off the canyon. The mouth of the canyon was already partially blocked by a rock slide, and the remaining opening was only about thirty feet across. Just outside the rockslide was a ledge about, two hundred feet wide, which ended in a drop of about twenty feet. The road followed the ledge to the left until it reached a ridge that allowed the it to descend to the valley floor. Donald was excited about the fortifications that they could build there, but for now they concentrated on simple rock piles to shield them from arrows.

Thomas and Trish - 5

Well before dawn Thomas and Trish were awake and dressed in their traveling clothes. They tiptoed down the hall and into the family room where they found a single lamp burning, and all four the family and Anna, sitting around it with a partially eaten breakfast. They were all dressed in the same clothes they had worn the night before, and the acted like they had been waiting for the couple.

“Come and eat” said Jacquelyn cheerfully. “Everything is packed and we are ready to go as soon as you are done.”

Thomas and Trish were quickly brought up to speed on the engagement, and the travel plans.

“So you just tell Alethra that you were able to procure some additional supplies, and paid us to ship it for you.” said Donald.

Thomas and Trish just stared at them, until Trish stood and with tears in her eyes, gave Anna a hug and said, “Congratulations.”

While Thomas and Trish road back up to the keep to meet up with Alethra, Donald drove the wagon, hastily converted into a sled, past Anna’s house where Donald paid the dowry, and Anna collected her clothes. Her father seemed satisfied, and gave her a light hug goodbye.

About a half hour after sunrise, Donald saw a procession of two polar bears riding horses followed by five other riders bundled against the cold. He nodded as they passed, and fell in line behind them.

The camped close to the road that night and approached the mountains at mid-day the next day. Alethra announced that they would attack shortly before dawn the next morning, and made camp. She told Donald to bring to wait here until they returned.

Thomas approached her with his concerns of killing the men in their sleep. “Shouldn’t we offer then a chance to surrender before just slaughtering them?” he begged.
“Is that how they treated you?” she asked. When he did not reply, she said flatly, “We attack two hours before dawn.”

Thomas slept fitfully that night. He woke sweating and breathing heavily several times before a light kick told him it was time. Alethra was disgusted and thought it was hilarious how the two dressed in white glowed in the moonlight, but she didn’t say anything, and told them to stay in the shadows.

The seven crept up to the narrow entrance, but found no guards. Alethra glared at the nice the others made as they continued up the slope, and peered at the camp through the darkness. They dashed across the open area hugging the wall where there shadows were deepest. They passed most of the camp and slid toward the caves beyond when Thomas motioned toward the tends where the guards slept. She drug a finger across here throat and pointed into the caves.

About fifty feet from the entrance to the caves they paused in the last shadows. Alethra told them to wait there, and promptly vanished appearing right behind one of the two guards. Her hand quickly slid her dagger across his throat and vanished again, this time reappearing behind the other guard as he turned to see his fellow collapse. He too collapsed, and Alethra waved the rest of them forward.

Thomas had a lump in he throat form in his throat as he saw the two men fall. It just did not seem right to kill them without any chance to surrender or even see the face of their assailant.

But, the were already entering the caves. Alethra waved all four of the other man to guard the entrance, and led Thomas and Trish further in. She quietly asked Thomas where Fen slept, and He took the lead across the cavern. One lone torch lit the cavern and they carefully stayed in the shadows.

Alethra waved them both ahead, and Thomas prepared to draw his sword. Two steps into the cave Fen came walking out of the cave dressed in full armor and carrying a sword and a torch.

“Welcome back.” he said cheerfully.

Thomas and Trish knew immediately that something was wrong, but Thomas, focussed on their goal said, “Surrender your camp or, in the name of the king, we will force you to do so.”

Fen smiled wickedly, and returned, “In the name of the king you say? Well that’s funny because it is the king that gave me this land, and sends supplies out here twice a month.”

Trish felt Alethra draw up close to them and Thomas went stiff. Trish screamed as she saw Alethra plunge her dagger into his back several times. Her world began to turn black as something whisked past her.

She felt herself begin to topple as a young voice grabbed her and threw her toward Thomas, “Heal him!” it ordered, and she fell to her knees.

Her vision cleared a bit and she saw Alethra to her left laying face down with a sword embedded well into her back. Thomas, already on his knees, let out a gasp as he fell to his hands. Without breathing she cast the strongest spell she knew and Thomas erupted in blue and white light.

As the spell completed and the light faded, Thomas began to breath normally again, but a Fen’s voice cried out, “Guards! To me!”. He began to run toward Thomas with his sword raised, when a shape slammed into him, throwing him against the wall. The torch hit the ground making it difficult to see, but that same young voice cried out in pain.
Thomas drew his sword, and the cavern exploded in light. He saw Fen raise his sword over a figure on the ground, but he launched himself at Fen taking the sword blow on the back of his breastplate, and barreling into him with enough force to send them both sprawling across the floor.

Thomas and Fen were immediately back on their feet, but Thomas had the advantage with Fen blinded by the light. Thomas paused momentarily and demanded, “Surrender.”

Fen responded with another more urgent call for the guards, so Thomas brought his sword down against him. It was blocked, and countered, but Thomas parried as well. The two swords flashed and the light bobbed and jerked.

Trish found the unknown form sitting against the wall, his breath hissing through his teeth clutching his side. She quickly healed his wound, but didn’t have time to ask any questions before the sound of many running feet were heard entering the large cavern.

The cavern went momentarily dark and Trish heard the voice say, “We’ve got to get out of here. Follow me.”

He took her by the and hand and they ran toward the bobbing and weaving light where Thomas and Fen were in a desperate struggle. Fen had received some gashes on his leg and shoulder, but he was holding his own against Thomas’ onslaught. Trish was pulled passed them toward another tunnel, and she called out, “Thomas we’ve got to go, the guards are coming.”

Thomas placed a kick in the mans stomach and received a gash to his leg, but he turned and fled toward Trish’s voice as Fen went reeling down the tunnel. Their rescuer lead them down a tunnel through a storage chamber, and into another tunnel. As they ran their rescuer instructed Thomas to take his breastplate off or he wouldn’t fit, and he began to undo the buckles.

This tunnel was quite long, but had several passages breaking off. After passing the first couple branches, Thomas was asked to douse his light so they wouldn’t be followed. This slowed their progress a lot, but the floor was even and their guide knew the tunnels well. Finally they were taken into a cavern that sounded much larger but echoed less than the rest.

Okay give us a quick light but cover it as much as you can. Thomas covered his sword in his hand and cloak, and drew it partway out. The light flooded the cavern, and they could see that it was a large level cavern filled with rows of mushrooms. Their guide, a young boy of about sixteen, pointed out a path where they could walk without disturbing the rows. The ran to the far wall of the cavern where the boy reached into the dirt and lifted a square section of the dirt. Underneath was a jumble or rocks with just enough room to slide through. A faint light was visible, and the boy instructed them into the hole. Thomas doused the light and followed Trish down the tight space. There were several places where Thomas had to squeeze through, and was glad he had been warned to move his breastplate.

As they wiggled down through the rocks the boy placed the board with the dirt on it back in place and followed them. They soon emerged from a crack far back in the canyon and tucked away in some bushes. They still had some time before the sun rose, but they were at a loss as to what to do. Again the boy pushed them forward toward the camp. As they went he dragged a bush behind them in an attempt to hide their tracks. Trish helped Thomas back into his breastplate as they walked, and soon they were crouching behind some bushes at the edge of the camp. They could see the back side of the large building, and various tents around it.

When the boy was satisfied, he pushed them them up close to the back of the large building, still dragging the bush behind them. He began with the boards near the ground, and suddenly a large section of the wall opened into the building. He pushed Thomas and then Trish into the hole and followed them dragging the bush in with him.

Thomas was met with the point of two swords and a spear, but was quickly recognized, and was buried in hugs and sighs of relief. Trish too was hugged and kissed, and the whole building began to come alive. One of the women began ordering the women and children back to bed, and send several women with weapons and Thomas to the front door to join the sentry already in place there.

As the building began to quite and the children began to drift off, the woman gave their guide a bit of a lecture.

“Morell, what in the world were you doing out there. You know they could kill you if you are seen, and we can’t let them suspect us.” Trish laid her hand on the woman’s shoulder, and her voice softened a bit, “Please, Morell. No more sneaking around.”

She then turned to Trish who recognized her as Trug’s mother, and sure enough hiding behind her skirts was Trug himself. Trish bent down and gave him a hug before sitting down with his mother.

“We are so glad to see you.” said Myrna.

“What is going on here?” Asked Trish.

“We are preparing to defend ourselves.” began Myrna. “After you left, a man started coming around and helping us stock weapons in case we needed to defend ourselves. We only have a few so far, but we are ready for whatever you need us to do.”

Trish took a deep breath and thought for a minute before standing, “I’ll talk to Thomas, and see what we do now.”

Thomas was at a loss as well, but thought it best to lie low until the things cooled down. They talked with Myrna, and decided that Thomas and Trish would lay with the women and children in case they got visitors.

Thomas and Trish - 4

“Welcome to the Black Toad.” a voice boomed from the darkness of the main room as they entered. “Sorry about the dark.”

Thomas and Trish stood just inside the door letting their eyes adjust. The room was quiet, and almost completely dark until Thomas draw his sword. As the light erupted from the sword, they saw some movement near the back of the room and heard a crash as someone tripped over something, and hit the floor tangled up with some furniture.

“What the blazes!” bellowed the voice again as the person extracted himself from the wreck.

The room was large and crowded with two rows of small tables down the center and booths along both walls. They extended about tables extended about five deep, and beyond that a large counter that extended the width of the room. There was a wide doorway on the left left just before the counter, and seemed to be one in each corner behind the bar. There were two large front windows and four along each wall, but only the tops of them allowed any light in at all.

The last window on the right wall had collapsed filling the booth with snow and spilling more onto the floor and under two tables. It was in this pile of snow, and chairs, and glass that a man seemed to have gotten himself entangled. As he rose, Thomas and Trish could see that this was a dwarf. He stood only five feet tall, and seemed as broad as he was tall. He had bright red hair and a beard down to his waist. He covered his eyes trying to see past the light.

Thomas turned the blade down so that the glowing diamond was up, and shielded it so the man could see who they were.

“Whoa” said the man in surprise. “Jacquelyn, get out here. The polar bears have come down from the north to spend the night.” he said in disbelief.

“We didn’t mean to startle you.” Thomas apologized.

“Oh its not you. It this blasted snow.” he replied. “Now I have to dig out AND fix a window.”

They all turned as the sound of running feet came pounding down the stairs. Out of the doorway burst a short woman with broad shoulders. She may have been human or dwarf, The two polar bears couldn’t tell. She wore a heavy woolen skirt that did not cover her knees and thick leather boots that did. Cover both was a great white apron that nearly reached the floor. Under the apron she wore a loose short sleeve shirt that was tight around her arms, and loose around her neck. Her arms looked stronger than Thomas’ and her stride was solid and strong. Her hips were wide and her legs were short and stout.

When she saw the light and the two visitors she stopped short with her mouth open and her knuckles on her hips. “Well,” she said in a tone that might have been sarcastic or defiant, “we don’t server polar bears, but if you let me take your coats, I can get you some food.”

She walked straight up to Thomas and Trish and held out both arms. Thomas and Trish began to take their cloaks off when Jacquelyn saw her husband standing in the middle of the snow and overturned table. She let out a squeal that started both of the visitors.

“My beloved, your are hurt!” she said in a tone that sounded like he might die at any moment.

“Oh, poop.” he said looking down at his forearms that were streaming blood. “It was the blasted snow what broke the window and threw this table at me.”

“My dearest Donald, I can’t possibly see you suffer so, please sit down before you pass out from the loss of blood.” she said as she ran to his rescue. She wrapped her apron around both of his arms, getting one of hers tied up in the process.

“Darn blast it woman!” bellowed Donald, “I am fine, and I am not bleeding to death; and blast it, now I can’t even find my hands to clean them up.”

Meanwhile Thomas and Trish had laid their cloaks on a table and were scrambling over to the couple to try to help as well. When they arrived to where they might heal the man, he was so caught up wrestling with his wife’s apron that they couldn’t reach him.

Donald raised his hands into the air to try to free them, but only succeeded in blinding Jacquelyn, and throwing her off balance. She fell forward into his arms, and he fell backward over a chair right back into the snow, with Jacquelyn right on top of him.

Donald landed with a “hooooof” and “baaaaallllaaaaaast it woman!”

She, on the other hand, seemed pleased to be laying on top of her husband. “You see dear. This is what happens when you try to escape me.” she said in a soft flirty tone. She then locked lips with him until he began to thrash around.

“Get off. Get off. GET OOOOOOFF!” he bellowed.

She rolled off him and stood blinking shyly at him while he kicked his way free of the chars and snow. Thomas was laughing freely and the scene, and Trish was smiling broadly as she reached out send a soft blue light coursing through his body.

Jacquelyn squealed and laughed and she watched her husband skin glow. “My husband is glowing!!!” she said in glee.

Donald on the other had was rather taken aback and couldn’t speak. He wiped the remaining blood from his arms to find the cuts completely gone.

Jacquelyn flew into his arms again, nearly sending them back to the floor. This time Donald took her around the waist, and with amazing strength, swept her right off her feet and into his arms. Then for the first time they saw Thomas and Trish. Thomas’ gleaming armor and Trish’s radiant beauty completely overcame both of their tongues.

Slowly Donald whispered, “Blimey, they are not polar bears, they are gods descended from their fluffy clouds right into our family room.”

Thomas and Trish smiled humbly, and Trish quietly introduced them. “I am Trish, and this is my husband Thomas. We are not gods, but are sent by the powers of light and good. We only wish to trouble you for a couple nights.” she paused a couple moments and then added, “We also have horses if you could accommodate them as well, we would greatly appreciate it.”

“Johnny! Jorge!” Yelled Jacquelyn with such suddenness and volume that Thomas and Trish took a step back. She lowered her voice momentarily, “Sorry, it is hard to get their attention sometimes.” She then went right back to full volume, “Boys! Living Room! Now!”

They heard a couple quick steps, and the something heavy slamming into a wall. A few more quick step, and door slammed, followed by another heavy thump. Then a younger version of Donald, minus the beard, strode into the room from behind the counter smiling from ear to ear. “Yes ma?” he said innocently.

There was another slam as a door was opened in the back room, and then some quick footsteps, and another young man, also a spitting image of their father came barreling into the room. It is doubtful that he saw anything except the back of his twin brother because he barreled into him, and they both careened headlong into a table and chairs. They wrestled for a bit while their mother sprinted across the room, and picked them both up by their hair. The boys continued to swing at each other until the pain in their heads got the better of them and they went limp.

Setting the boys on their feet Jacquelyn pointed at the front door and said, “Horses! Now!”

They both dropped their heads and walked heavily out the front door.

Once the front door had closed she spun on her heals and faced Thomas and Trish again. “I am sorry, those two have more energy and fight in them than dragons, and sometime I wonder if didn’t sleep with a dragon when they were conceived.”

Thomas and Trish both blushed at her candor, but quickly smiled, and Trish said, “Its okay.”

“Now,” said Jacquelyn as she retrieved their cloaks, “Are you hungry? …tired? …need a bath?”

“How about some proper lights so we don’t trip over the broken stuff anymore!” ordered Donald.

“Oh honey” said Jacquelyn innocently, “they have their own light. Our will only be a stars twinkle against the daylight sun that they carry.”

“Baaaaa!” bellowed Donald as he stamped his way to the back room muttering, “At least warm fire then.”

“Food then!” said Jacquelyn. “My kitchen helper didn’t make it today, probably because of the snow, poor dear, but have a good fire in the oven, and I can get you something warm at least.”

Trish tried to break in to explain they had eaten, but only got as far as, “Actually we…” before Jacquelyn continued.

“Of course, I’m sorry, you would like to settle into a room and rest while I get something for you. It turns out that we still have master’s suit available, which you will certainly want.”

Jacquelyn grabbed hold of Trish’s hand while she continued to speak. “And don’t you worry, we’ll get this place warmed up and lit up in no time, and then you can tell us all about yourselves.”

Trish gave up trying to get a word in and just allowed herself to be led out the door and up the stairs followed closely by Thomas. At the top of the stairs was a hallway with doors evenly spaced along both walls. At the end of the hall was a door.

Inside the door Jacquelyn pointed out the coat rack, water basin, bed, windows, and privacy room off to one side. She lit several oil lamps, and Thomas put his sword away. As left she closed the door behind her; then stuck her head back in briefly, “Did you want your dinner up here or at the tables?”

Thomas smiled and said, “The tables will be fine.”

“Great, I’ll knock when its ready.” said Jacquelyn, and disappeared.

After their hostess left, Thomas and Trish sat on the bed hand in hand for several minutes. Eventually Thomas spoke, “Trish, I don’t trust the king. Something about him just seems wrong, and when he speaks I know he is not telling the whole truth; not to mention that witch.”

“I cannot bear to be think of that foul creature either, but outside of that, I felt like there is something wrong in the palace as well. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is not right there.” replied Trish.

“So what do we do?” Thomas spoke more to himself than to the Trish. “How can we help those women and children, and not get tangled up in whatever is going on with the king?”

“Well I think we have to continue with the plan for now.” Trish said resignedly.

“Ya, for now…” said Thomas is voice trailing into silence.

Trish laid her head on Thomas’ shoulder, and he laid his cheek on her head. The listened to the sounds of the inn, and let their minds and bodies relax. They hear the boys come in from wherever they had taken the horses. They hear various pots and pans being put to use in the kitchen. There was the occasional creaking of the inn itself, struggling to support the heavy load of snow.

They almost fell asleep sitting there on the bed, when they hear a familiar voice echo through the inn, “Jorge! Go tell the guests that dinner is ready!” There was pause, a couple pans knocking together in the kitchen, then louder than before, “Jorge! Now!”

They immediately heard a pair of heavy feet come up the stairs, and begin moving down the hall. Jorge knocked on two other doors announcing dinner before he did the same at the door of Thomas and Trish. Thomas roused himself enough to call a grateful confirmation, and began to stretch. Trish did the same and they headed down to the family room, as Jacquelyn had called it.

They were the last to descend the stairs and enter the family room. The room was bustling with activity. There were numerous lamps and four roaring fires burning lighting the room. All four mMyrnas of the host family where moving about bringing food, setting tables, stoking fires, and the like. There was a lone man sitting in one of the booths near the door, Jacquelyn was standing in front of him unloading a tray of food and drink onto his table, and a group of four boisterous men laughing and carrying on while they ate. There was another booth on the far wall where the two boys were busy laying out plates, napkins, and utensils.

As Thomas and Trish entered the room, everyone went silent and everyone stared as they made their way through to the empty booth on the far side. They were getting used to this kind of reception so they calmly passed through the room nodding and smiling at its occupants. The two boys gave way allowing them to quietly took their places at the booth.

It was as if none dared to breath. Then Jacquelyn got the world moving again with her characteristic, “Johnny! Jorge! Move it!” The boys jumped sending spoons and forks clattering across the table, and everyone went back to their business. The four men in the center of the room whispered quietly for a few minutes, but were soon back at their laughing and storytelling.

Jacquelyn quickly brought out another tray full of food and asked, “What would you like to drink?”

“Water.” they both replied, and she was off to the counter ordering to water from her husband.

The meal was a thick stew with meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and several spices or garnishes. It was accompanied by a loaf of bread and a bowl of honey butter.
Thomas and Trish ate quietly, pondering to themselves until Jacquelyn and the boys came back through the room distributing something she called sugar cookies. As she placed each oddly shaped glistening cookie before each of the patrons, the boys explained what shape they had tried to make. One was a dragon, one was a sunset, another a tree, a horse, and a river. When they got to Thomas and Trish they announced proudly that Thomas would be eating Johnny’s girlfriend, and Trish would be eating a turtle. The odd shapes did kind of resemble a human and a turtle, but whatever shape they were intended, the cookies were delightful, and everyone thanked the hostess until she had to retreat to hide her blushing face.

After the evening chores were done and the other guests and the boys were off to bed, Jacquelyn and Donald brought out some warm spiced cider, and pulled up chair to chat with their extraordinary visitors.

“Business first,” began Donald as they all took their first sips of cider. “That room of yours goes for five silver a night. I don’t suppose the messengers of the gods travel with mortal money do they?”

Both Thomas and Trish put their cups down and shook their heads no.

“We thought that might be the case” said Donald putting his arm around his wife. “So we have a proposal for you.”

Hope ignited in the eyes of the guests, and he continued. “Thomas, you look you have a strong back, and could probably help me dig out from the snow?” Thomas eager shook his head in the affirmative. “…and Trish you could probably lend Jacquelyn a hand for day couldn’t you?” Trish enthusiastically agreed. “Then we have a deal.” Donald concluded holding out his hand, and shaking Thomas’ firmly.

“Now,” started Jacquelyn, “tells us what it means to the called by the gods.”

Thomas and Trish took turns telling of the events of the last year. The rescue, the honeymoon, the vision, the trip south, the visit to Fen’s valley, and their meeting with the king.

“Holy smokes!” said Donald when their story arrived at the front door of the inn. “If that don’t beat all. I wouldn’t believe it if you were sitting right in my family room with shining armor, and eyes of gold and all.”

Jacquelyn, on the other hand, couldn’t find anything to say, but just sat there blinking at looking from Thomas to Trish.

Donald then leaned in and spoke in a softer voice, “I have my suspicions about the king, and especially now that I know he’s got a witch up there in the castle. But I have heard some disturbing rumors about the royal family, intrigue and infighting and all. There have been too many royal funerals not suspect something is going on up there.”
“…and that Alethra” he continued, “She gives everyone the heebeegeebeez. She is just not natural, with that get skin and milky eyes. I’d wager she is some kind of demon, or magical creature summoned by the witch.“

Trish responded in hushed tones, “We felt the same way, but we’re not sure what to do. We’re committed now to go with her up to clean out the camp, but I don’t see us and a couple of men taking on the fifty or sixty men Fen has up there in that camp.”

“…and it not just that” interjected Jacquelyn. “The honest truth is, the few women that live here in the city aren’t treated much better. The women that aren’t spoken for early are pressed into service at one of the brothels, or” her voice took on a severe sarcasm ‘volunteer’ to join the royal brothel on the hill… errr… I mean… ‘marry the king’.”

Trish was absolutely appalled and Thomas turned a bit green at the thought of rescuing the women and throwing them into another situation just as bad.
Exasperated and desperate Trish asked, “So what can we do.” Tears appeared in her eyes, and hand sank down into her hands. Thomas reached across the table and put his hand on her shoulder, but she didn’t look up.

Donald began to ponder aloud: “We could try to take them down to Kith, but that is a long ride, and with that many women and children…” his voice trailed off. “Perhaps we could…” again his voice trailed off.

Suddenly Jacquelyn jumped to her feet, which didn’t make her any taller, “We just teach those women how to defend themselves, and let them stay right were they are.”

All three of the others looked at her in disbelief, but she continued. “We women can be tough as nails when it comes right down to it, and I bet there is a lot of fire in those women. We just march right in there, boot those lecherous men out, and let the women rule the camp.”

Trish spoke hesitantly, “We?”

“That’s right.” said Jacquelyn. “We have been looking for a good reason to get out of the accused city, and there ain’t nothing more noble than rescuing women and children. Besides, you need someone at your back that you can trust.”

Jacquelyn jumped back into her seat, with a determined fire in her eyes, and let the others consider what she was proposing. Donald raised his eyebrows and blinked a couple times before his eyes fell to his hands, and he pondered what had just happened. The silence went on few several minutes, and each played out various scenarios in the heads.

Finally, they all just sat back, and said, “Okay.”

It wasn’t that any of them liked the idea, but they couldn’t come up with anything better.

“Let’s sleep on it, and see what tomorrow brings.” suggested Thomas.

Donald climbed to his feet and beat his fist on the table once. “Done. See you tomorrow.” He then began blowing out the lamps in the family room.

Thomas and Trish wandered their way up to their room, and Donald and Jacquelyn finished putting the inn to bed. They all slept as they could, and were up at the crack of dawn.

Thomas and Donald spent the morning digging out the inn and boarding up the broken window. After lunch Donald left to run some errands, and Thomas helped the boys dig out the barn, and the neighbor’s front doors.

Trish, on the other hand, had quite the adventure in the kitchen. When she reported to Jacquelyn, the hostess looked at her fine white and gold clothing, and insisted they would not do. She could not be doing kitchen work in her church clothes. She contorted her face up trying to figure out what to do, when in popped a young woman not much younger than Trish.

The young woman was shorter than Trish by a couple inches, and had a plain face. Her hair was a mix of brown and blond tied up in a bun on the back of her head. Her hips and chest were generously endowed, and Trish immediately recognized her from Thomas’ cookie the night before. She had a cheerful smile, and gave Jacquelyn a big hug.

“Hey Jaques”, said the girl. “How many we got today?”

“Anna” retuned Jacquelyn, “I am so glad to see you.”

“I am so sorry for yesterday” said the girl, “but our front door was buried, and I had to crawl out a window and help my dad dig it out, and then…”

“Never mind sweetheart.” interrupted Jacquelyn not hearing a word of what she said. “We have a bigger problem. Trish here thinks that is appropriate attire for kitchen work.”

Seeing Trish for the first time, Anna was dumbstruck.

Jacquelyn stepped between them, took Anna’s face in her hands, dragging it down to her level, and started straight into her eyes. “Focus!” she said, “Clothes. You are about the same size. Do you have anything she can wear?”

Anna blinked back into reality, and stammered, “No, I… well perhaps…”

Jacquelyn brought her had between their faces and snapped her fingers several times.

Anna stopped stammering, and said, “I bet one of my mothers summer dresses would fit her.”

“Great!” said Jacquelyn kissing her on the forehead. “Go fetch it. There’s a good girl.”

Anna retreated back the way she came, and Jacquelyn said like al moving mother, “She’s a good girl, but a bit thick. She just needs a strong hand to keep her focused. Until she gets back, you just stand over there.” she said pointing to a corner out of the way.

When Anna returned she was out of breath, but carrying a dress over her arm. Trish disappeared, dressed, and popped back into the kitchen where the other two women could get a look at her. The dress was simple, but nice. It extended just below Trish’s knees, and seemed to fit her perfectly. It had yellow and blue flowers set on a white background. It had a few stains down the front, and Anna began to apologize, but Jacquelyn quickly set her peeling potatoes.

As Jacquelyn turned back to Trish, her eyes just about popped out of her head. Trish was passing her hand down across the dress, and as she did so it was returned to absolutely brilliantly colored new. Jacquelyn looked at the dress, up at Trish, and then back at the dress without saying a word.

The silence caught Anna’s attention. She turned and innocently said the first thing that popped into her head, “Are you a witch?”

Jacquelyn turned to face her so fast that Anna flinched. Jacquelyn face was instantly red as a beat, and she stomped over to a terrified Anna, took her by the hand and dragged her back to the peeling table. “Peel.” is all she said.

Trish quickly recovered from her horror, realizing that the girl meant no harm. She quickly stepped over behind Anna pet her arms around her in a big hug. She could see that tears were beginning to run down her cheeks, and Trish quickly gave her a kiss on the top of the head and whispered. “It okay. You don’t need to cry.”
Anna spun and buried her head in Trish shoulder returning the hug. With her face firmly pressed into Trish’s should she mumbled some kind of apology, and Trish stroked her head, while Jacquelyn came over and rubbed her back.

Soon Jacquelyn had a bandana around Trish’s head and a long apron over the dress. They all chatted, and peeled, and chopped their way through the morning. Then there was serving and running out to the cold house, and fetching more eggs, and cleaning the dishes.

When Thomas and Donald came in for lunch, they both approved of Trish’s work dress, and Thomas stood long enough to pick her up and kiss passionately. She blushed, curtseyed, and rushed off to more work.

One of the boys wandered into the kitchen once. He shyly said hi to Anna and retreated with a small loaf of bread tucked under his arm while she blushed to shy to speak.

Lunch work faded into dinner works, and then dinner cleanup drew their attention, until all of a sudden there was nothing left to do. Jacquelyn ushered Trish off to put on her nice clothes, but before she went she transformed their clothes to sparkling clean and new. They both gaped in awe until Trish returned. They then all wandered out into the family room to chat with the guests.

It turned out that their visitors had also been out during the day, and though they had all checked out already, the returned for dinner. It soon became clear that they had been telling people about the luminous guests at the Black Pig, because, as darkness fell people began wandering in to get a look at the two spectacles. Thomas obliged the guests and put on his armor. He showed off the shining gem, and before long inn was full to overflowing.

Donald and the boys were scrambling to keep up with drink orders, and Jacquelyn and Anna were hard pressed baking cookies and serving up everything they could quickly whip up.

At one point a man pulled out a flute, and another man began tapping mugs and chairs to the beat. Everyone called for the ‘newlyweds’, as the called them, to dance, and pulled all the tables to the side. Before long, The couple was separated, and were both danced until feet began to stumble. Finally Donald stood up on the bar and called for one more for the happy couple. The crowd drove them together, and as they met in the tight ring of people, Donald dragged them up onto the bar for their final dance.

As the dance began, Thomas winked at Trish and his hands began to turn blue. She did the same, and as they came together the blue glow flowed through their bodies, and the crowd let out a gasp, and then began to cheer drowning out the flute, but Trish and Thomas danced anyway. They pulled Donald and Jacquelyn up beside them. they pulled the aprons off them, and Trish ran her hand over Thomas’ well work and stained work clothes mending and cleaning them as she went. The crowd cheered again, and the four danced for several minutes before Donald announced the bar was closing.

The crowd booed, and just kept cheering the dance on. Thomas whispered something in Donald’s ear, and the all danced their way off the bar and over to the front door. They began dancing the patron out the front door one at a time, and soon the four were able to close the door, and collapsed into a booth near the door laughing as they panted. The women both laid against the men as they relived the wonderful and funny moments of the evening.

They rose to turn off the lights and found the boys sitting with Anna in a both across the room. Anna was sitting next to Johnny holding his hand. As the adult approached she quickly buried both her hands between her knees, and blushed.

“Anna” spoke Jacquelyn, “Why don’t you stay in one of the rooms upstairs? It is too late for you to out alone.”

Anna nodded and excused herself, followed by Thomas and Trish.

After Thomas and Trish had gone up their room Donald and Jacquelyn sat down with the boys, and told them of their plans to help Thomas and Trish. The boys, actually Johnny, had only one hesitation, Anna. He informed his family that he would not be leaving without her.

“You know.” he began “what her father is like. I think he is already looking for a good brothel to broker her off to. Apparently that would make a lot more money than working here.”

Jacquelyn and Donald looked at each other for a minute, and then Donald spoke. “She can’t come with us unless you are engaged to her.” he said flatly.

Johnny began to sweat visibly, and Jorge elbowed him in the ribs. He looked desperately to his mother, and only got, “We leave in the morning.”

Johnny’s breath began to come short and quick, and his face went completely pale. After a minute Donald stood, took Jacquelyn by the hand and said, “Bedtime then.”

Johnny took a deep breath and held it while the other three left the room.

A few minutes later Anna heard a hesitant knock at her door, and whisper, “Anna, are you awake?”

She tiptoed over to the door, and asked, “Who is it?”

“Johnny.” came the reply.

“You can’t come into a girls bedroom after dark. Go to bed.” she said a little disappointed.

“No, its not like that.” he returned quickly. “I just need to talk for a minute.”

She climbed into her bed and covered her night dress with her blanket and whispered: “Okay. Just for a minute.”

The door creaked open, and Johnny came to sit on the foot of the bed. He explained that his family was leaving in the morning, and that they might not be coming back. He could not see her face in the dark, but her breathing was labored and unsteady.

“Anna?” he said after a pause.

“Yes?” she replied.

“Will you marry me, and come with us?”

Her stuttered breathing broke into outright crying as she buried her eyes in her blanket.

Johnny stood to leave with his head bowed, when Anna dashed out of bed planted a kiss right on his lips. “Yes.” she cried. “Yes I will.”

Suddenly the door flew open and in burst with tears, and hushed cheers, and lots of hugs and congratulations.

Thomas and Trish heard the scuffle, and were about to go investigate when they heard Jacquelyn whisper through their door, “Sorry for the noise. See you in the morning.”