The Elder's Path (24 page)

"So," Lyn said awkwardly, "will you be going back to Skyehart estate now?" She did not look at Siege as she spoke, but her stomach was tickling and turning in a
nervous tumble. From the corner of her eye, she saw him look over at her.

For a moment, he said nothing, simply watched her. He turned his gaze slowly to the path ahead, blue eyes twinkling in the early morning light and said in an easy manner, "The esta
te does need some maintaining. But Stygian needs the exercise, and now that Ren is gone...well, maybe I can spend some time in the world on my own terms."

Lyn's heart felt like it had done a flip, but she did her utmost to seem cool and nonchalant. "Oh? A
nd where do you think you'll go?"

A small smile turned the corners of his mouth and he looked up to the sky, blinking against the gently falling snow. "I think maybe down the mountain some. I've spent enough time roaming the place, probably would round me
out a bit to see the rest of the world. Have any suggestions?"

Lyn couldn't keep a smile from her face as she replied, "I hear the Western Province is pretty nice. I'm headed there myself."

"Are you now? Well, seeing as we're both heading in the same direction, perhaps we could travel together for a while. You know, for the sake of practicality."

"If you insist." Lyn bit her lip to suppress a giggle, and her heart soared. Knowing that Siege was coming with her made facing the next chapter of her voyage
much easier, and she suspected they had quite the adventure waiting for them.

As the sun rose, it brought with it the sparkling rays of dawn. Lyn looked to the sky, seeing clear
and vibrant blue. Alir followed her gaze and let out a delighted cry, taking wing once more. The snow around them glittered in serene beauty with the rising sun, and the cool air brushed against Lyn's cheek. As she took in the moment of peace, she sighed to herself in satisfaction and said quietly, "Yes, it's going to be a good journey."

The End

Epilogue

Satora sat in a hot bath, enjoying the tingling feeling as warmth returned to his extremities. "Tsk," he said, putting a damp cloth over his face with exaggerated movements, "it has been far too long since I've had a good soak
. I must resolve to stop following traveling girls from now on, and stick to city folk. I think I just might wrinkle and dry out if I have to go longer than a day between baths..."

From beneath the warm cloth, a smile played upon his lips. He had kept wat
ch over the traveling Druid girl throughout the whole of her journey in the Northern Province using his network and considerable resources, and he was pleased to have received the report that she was safely making her way back down the mountain towards the West. The large blonde man he had sent after her up at Brightpeak had turned out to be an interesting character, indeed; as he had suspected, it had been beneficial for them both to spend time in one another's company.

He chuckled quietly to himself. Tha
t Lyn was certainly one of a kind. He slid lower into the steaming tub, relaxing his sore muscles. He had to run his little troupe ragged to beat Lyn and the Skyehart lad down the mountain to this inn because it had to look as though he were simply here by chance, or the game would be up. And after all, he had a reputation to uphold.

A sudden commotion downstairs startled him from his relaxation, to his great displeasure. He draped himself in a robe and put on his mask, covering the lower half of his face.
Even now, he had to keep his identity secret. Even here, where no one might recognize him, he could not risk their safety by exposing himself. So on the black cloth went, and out to the balcony Satora strode.

He looked down in to the common area to see w
hat the commotion was about and was just in time to witness two travelers, covered in snow head to foot, come through the front door and stand dripping upon the welcome mat. One of them was huge, well over Satora's size, but the other had a distinctly feminine frame.

"Curses," Satora swore under his breath. He had not been expecting the pair just yet. But it was no matter; a grand entrance was due and Satora had a flair for the dramatic. He slid unnoticed back in to his room and dressed.

After he finished dressing, he checked to make sure the two travelers were no longer in the common area before he proceeded down to the main desk. Once there, he promptly paid the room and board for the two snow-ridden newcomers. Out of curiosity, he asked if they were using one room or two. The inn keep confirmed that they were indeed in separate rooms, and was kind enough to point him to which they were in. Satora thanked him kindly and thought to himself, "Intriguing..."

He walked quietly up the stairs to the room he ha
d been pointed to. The door was open a crack, and as Satora peeked in, he saw Lyn sitting at the small desk hunched over. He opened the door just enough to slide through unnoticed, and crept up behind her.  A small green journal was open in front of her, in to which she was pouring words in neat hand.

"What are you writing, there?" h
e asked with genuine curiosity.

The girl jumped and spun quickly
, her eyes hard. She took a moment to register the eccentric bandit and once she did her face lit in youthful exuberance. "Satora!" she exclaimed. She stood and embraced him tightly.

"Oof," he said, and patted her on the head fondly. "Now now, you'll
crease my clothes dear. And that would be real tragedy." He put her at arm’s length to get a look at her. She did indeed seem healthy, but her eyes were different. Older, Satora thought. They looked older.

"Wher
ever is your avian companion?" he inquired, casting about but seeing no trace of the great raptor.

"Oh, Alir. He is in the stable. For some reason he didn't w
ant to come in. Maybe he's had his fill of staying indoors."

"Ah," Satora said before leading her back to the desk. "So tell me, what are you writing?"

Lyn flushed and looked quickly to the small journal. "Oh, it's just a personal account of my little adventures. Nothing, really..."

"Nothing? Not at all! I'm quite sure your accounts are as perfect as you are. Do let me see."

"It's not done yet!" Lyn exclaimed, trying to reach over the bandit who was juggling the book away from her.

"
No, no, let's see here." As he flipped through the pages, he saw the book was only about a third full. "Plenty of room for more adventures!" he said jovially as the girl tried desperately to retrieve the book from him. He turned to the last page with writing, which showed only a few sentences. He scanned them quickly, and his eyes returned to Lyn. A smile lit his eyes and he gently handed her the small green book. "Finish it," he encouraged.

Lyn
hesitated for a moment, searching the bandit's brilliant green eyes. But she saw no insincerity so she smiled shyly in response and picked up her quill, dabbing it in ink. With a glance at Satora, who read over her shoulder, she grinned and finished her entry.

After she was done, Satora patted her on the shoulder and made a snide com
ment. Lyn snorted and swatted at him playfully. After a moment of jolly back and forth, Satora offered Lyn his arm and the two left the room for dinner. But not, of course, before they picked up Siege to join them. Lyn closed the door behind her and her journal sat open on her desk, the ink from the last entry drying in the chill night air.

1
st
day, 1
st
lunar cycle, 701
st
age of Arc

"I think it's safe to say we're almost out of the mountains. Other than an enormous bear that we had to widely avoid, it's been a rather uneventful trip down. I am so glad to have Siege with me. So glad I didn't have to say goodbye. I didn't realize how much I had cared, what bonds I had begun to form with everyone, until this whole ordeal. Saying goodbye to Marcho was hard enough, I can't imagine what it would have been like to say it to Siege. I am making it a priority to visit the people I love, at least one more time before this is all done. Yusef, Zhiva, Marcho, and Satora. Especially Satora.

Now I sit at a cozy little inn
near the base of the mountain. It's been cold, and I came in covered in snow. What do I find but Satora waiting for me in my room, reading my journal. He may lack propriety, but I'm glad he's here. Now I can rest before the next chapter; Siege and I will make our way into the Western Province and see what awaits us there. Who knows, maybe Satora and his merry band will join us for a while and it can be us against the world. Regardless, for now, I am warm, I am safe, and I am in good company. I am happy."