~
I awoke the following day just as the sun started to rise. Excitement still in my mind. But not wanting to disturb my companions decided to go for a walk through the town before breakfast. I got dressed and left my room. Quietly descending the stairs, I went to the door and opening it looked outside.
It was a fine morning, still cool, for the sun was not yet able to shine its full radiance down upon the town. Feeling pleased, I congratulated myself for making such a pleasant choice. After savouring a few deep breaths of the bracing sea air, I randomly chose a direction and started to stroll. As I made my way through this pleasant seaside town I could hear people about, I guessed they were merchants opening up shops or others going about their early morning business making ready for the day. There were quite a few carts around the streets no doubt making early morning deliveries. I greeted everyone I met, each citizen was polite and happy just like they had been the day before.
I made my way down to the quay and stood there a while looking at the fishing boats bobbing on the gentle swell. Many had obviously been out to fish already and returned, for crates of fish and other sea foods were being unloaded onto the side of the dock which was running wet with the water from the melted ice that filled the crates keeping the produce fresh. I was reminded of my uncle Tear’E in R’Ealto'Noac’Trado and how every morning I would help him and my cousins unload the days’ catch and also help him sell the fish he caught right there on the dockside.
Here though in Amentura the actual fish sales went on elsewhere for the crates where being loaded onto hand carts and wheeled off to an unknown destination. I thought about following them just to see where they took the fish, but I decided to walk further along the dock. The gaily coloured fishing boats were replaced with larger ocean going vessels, merchant ships no doubt, all richly adorned with wooden carvings and brass fittings, highly polished and gleaming in the sunlight. Unlike the noisy industrious feel and fishy smells of the dockside where the fishing vessels moored, this area was quiet and much more relaxed, smelling strongly of the linseed oil used to waterproof the wooden hulls of the ships. After strolling by the vessels admiring each one I finally decided to head back into the town.
I walked down a side street leading from the dock area and as I progressed I became aware of raised voices. At first I assumed these were merchants touting for business, perhaps I had inadvertently come across where the fish sales happened. But the sounds became a little more urgent than I would expect for this sort of activity. Curiosity got the better of me and I made my way to where I thought the sounds were coming from and as I turned a corner I could hear angry shouts at the end of one alley. Becoming even more curious I made my way towards the source of the noise. Eventually at a small crossroads within the maze of alleyways at the rear of the dockside warehouses, I came across a mob of people shouting at something or someone in their centre, I could not see who or what.
There were many raised fists and violent gestures being made, I could discern cries of “hang the little bugger!”
“No that’s too good for the little creep, boil him in oil.”
I pushed nearer through the crowd intent on seeing what all the fuss was about, I could make out a small figure of what looked like a child cowering on the ground, his arms raised in protection. The back of his hands had blooded knuckles and as I watched stout sticks fell upon them yet again bloodying more of the skin as he tried to defend himself. I suddenly became appalled at this sight, sickened at this act of brutality, for I thought these townspeople to be above such awful behaviour. I pushed forward and placed myself in between the child and a man holding a cruel looking knife of the type typically used to gut fish.
“Stop!” I shouted. “Have you all taken leave of your senses? Leave this child alone for pities sake.”
The man with the knife snarled and so incensed was he that he shouted incoherently at me, spittle flying in my face. Others were crowding around looking at me most distastefully, I suddenly realised that I might actually be in grave danger and had been a little foolish to intervene in whatever was going on here, but I was resolute that this badly behaved mob stop their incessant beating of this defenceless child. I was aware that he had turned at the sound of my voice and now lay face up on the ground slowly scooting backwards towards a wall behind him.
One in the women in the crowd laughed ironically and shouted at me, “mind your own business elf, we want revenge for the attacks his kind made upon us!”
I was about to ask what attack they were referring to when I looked down at the child expecting to see a small boy, but I got a shock of a different kind. No child was this that cowered against the wall, for a grown man’s features looked up at me, a round face with a stubbly goatee beard small stubby nose and wide set eyes, large brown eyes, made larger because of the fear reflected in them. Then I realised my mistake for this was no human child but the person was a Pnook, one of the small race of Gnomes as they are known by humans in the common tongue. I was thrown off guard at this discovery and two of the crowd moved past me and taking the small figure between them lifted him up.
“Come on hang him now.” A cry went up from the same women who had shouted at me, she smiled at the responses from the crowd, loud shouts of agreement.
But before they could drag the little man away a curved sword appeared from nowhere and swished through the air by my head to stop at the throat of one of the men holding the Pnook. I looked at the sword and moving my eyes along its blade, I perceived a slender hand with a green cuff of elegant design and then on to a bracer I recognised.
“Serinae.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
The man with the sword at his throat dared not moved and dropping the arm of the Pnook the little man again collapsed onto the ground.
Serinae scanned the crowd and hissing through her teeth said, “I suggest you people go pick on someone your own size.”
The crowd responded with growls and shouts of, “none of your business," and "leave him to us.”
With a familiar metallic swishing noise Serinae drew her other blade with her free hand and I shuddered at the look on her face, her green eyes aflame once again. I was sure she would have fought the whole crowd if she had to and I just knew she would win. The situation was getting grave.
In an effort to calm the situation I asked, “look, what has he done to you?”
The man that had the sword to his throat snarled and said, “last night we had a spate of attacks on our citizens, a gang of three or four murderous thugs attacked a few of our people whilst we returned home with a view to robbing us, we managed to kill one of the attackers and, from what we discovered it was obviously Gnome assassins who were behind the attack.”
“Yes,” cried one in the crowd, “it was definitely Gnome doing.”
I looked at them in disbelief, how was this possible, everyone knew there weren’t enough Pnook in the whole of Dahl’Ambronis to raise an army and form any kind of real threat. I thought that even here in this sleepy port town, mob rule had shown its ugly face. “But the Pnook, I mean Gnomes are a peaceful people, they are not violent or malicious in any way.”
“Go look at the body over there,” cried another in the crowd.
“What body?” I asked.
Many eyes in the crowd looked down a side alley at a dark mound lying on the ground just discernible between two buildings.
Serinae started to move towards the mound, she had sheathed one of her swords and bent down to grasp the collar of the cowering Pnook, then pushing him in front of her she walked through the crowd, one of her weapons still drawn. The crowd parted to allow her passage then closed again and followed close behind.
As we got closer to the mound I suddenly realised it consisted of a dark prone body, as we got closer I could hear the flies that had massed around the dead form and started to smell the rank odour of death. I wretched, even though I tried to stop myself.
Serinae however moved closer seemingly not
noticing either the flies or the smell. “I suggest you burn this immediately,” she said.
The man to whom she had threatened with her blade said with sarcasm in his voice, “hah! You try, for maybe you can build a better fire than we can to do the job.”
I couldn’t understand this comment and turned to look at the body again. Serinae prodded the body with the toe of her boot, it rolled over onto its back. I stared and suddenly I realised with absolute horror why the man had made such a comment. For the body although seemingly made from flesh and blood like any other, also had limbs and other parts that seemed to be made from some kind of metal. The corpse was constructed, if that’s the word, from what looked like odd body parts, and what was missing was made up from crafted metal. Arms, legs, torsos, heads, and smaller parts, fingers, toes, eyes, ears, some joints, made from bright metallic material. Some of these parts had a metal covering, some did not and I saw exposed the wire sinews and coiled spring muscles, coloured string or strands were everywhere for the body was obviously half machine. Some parts even twitched and sparks occasionally spattered from a damaged part of the machinery as if a remainder of some life force still held on even in death. But all of the flesh parts were obviously dead and decaying rapidly. I suddenly felt very nauseous and had to turn from the spectacle. I couldn’t talk but as well as the sickness I felt a numbness within me at the realisation that such mechanical things normally originated from the minds of the Pnook, they were masters of technology of all sorts, but why?
As if in response to my very thoughts I heard a voice shout. “See,” said a woman from the crowd, “only the Gnomes could make such evil things.”
The Pnook who also seemed very shocked at the spectacle cowered behind Serinae, who whilst shaking her head said, “I do not believe this to be their work, I have never travelled to meet the Gnomes in the Rust Desert, but I have come across them before in various places around the world. I don’t believe they are capable of such as this for they keep themselves to themselves and are not interested in the trials of others. I have never come across anything like this before.”
By this time three town militia had arrived looking a little nervous and hanging in the background. Serinae forced the Pnook to walk with her over to where the three soldiers stood, she stared at them each in turn then she then turned to the crowd and said, “I will take the Gnome with me. He will be interrogated and if evidence is found of his involvement with the attacks you describe I will ensure he is handed back to your authorities so that he may be taken to a court of law and if necessary made accountable for whatever truth may lay in your accusations.”
She turned to face the sergeant obviously in charge of the small troop of militia, she stared into his eyes and he nodded. “We will let the Elf lady take the prisoner.” He seemed relieved more than anything, probably seeing a way to relinquish any responsibility for the situation to someone else.
The crowd grumbled at this, but seemed to accept the situation.
After placing her blade back into its scabbard and taking the Pnook securely by the arm, she marched him away from the scene. I, shaking like a leaf, followed her as the crowd again parted to allow us passage.
We marched through the town. We were not headed in the direction of the inn where we had rooms, so I asked what was to become of our other companions? Serinae just said that the turn of events meant that we needed to meet her friend sooner than later and she would arrange for our friends to join us as soon as possible.
The Pnook remained quiet, not offering any explanation for his recent turn of bad luck; we didn’t even receive any thanks for his rescue.
We walked up hill out of the main town; eventually coming to a grand area situated above in the hills behind, where according to Serinae lay the quarter formally favoured by the T’Iea population of Amentura. We turned down a wide boulevard. Fruit trees of many varieties, mainly Oranges lined each side of the road and in between colourful shrubs grew. We wound our way up the hill until we looked down upon the town below. Eventually we stopped before an ornate wrought iron gate set into a whitewashed wall. After removing her glove, Serinae pulled upon a chain set into a small alcove in the brickwork by the side of the gate. I noticed something I had not seen before upon her hand, the one which pulled on the chain. She had on the index finger an ornate ring with a single green gem set within a clasp fashioned in the form of what looked like a wolf’s head, the green gemstone set within its open maw.
A shuffling sound came from inside and rounding a corner an elderly man came into view, after peering at us through the iron gate and having been shown the ring, he nodded and with a greeting that included a low bow he said, “m’lady”, then unlocking the gate allowed us to enter. We walked through into a beautiful courtyard garden with an ornate fountain set at its centre depicting some kind of school of leaping fish, the water outlets trickling from of their open mouths. The water fell into a neatly maintained pond full of golden fish with gossamer fins waving gently as they swam along beneath and between colourful flowering aquatic plants.
We passed around this water feature and I looked about me. Windows on the second floor of the house were set on three sides of the courtyard overlooking the garden, each displaying a colourful window box. Many archways were set into the ground floor. I could see through the wrought iron work that filled each arch and could view within many things, chopped wood for fires, crates of fruit, tools and other household goods and chattels.
The aromas and scents of the various plants made my nose tingle, for many species grew in the various flower beds and some wove their way through the wrought iron work, up the walls and across the space between. Rope cords had been strung across to encourage their growth. All displayed an abundance of flowers and various berries and other small fruits like grapes. Some of the various coloured petals had fallen to the paths beneath and it seemed we walked upon a soft colourful carpet.
Eventually we stood before a wooden door, it looked plain apart from a knocker that looked identical to the same motif I had seen on the ring that Serinae now wore. Serinae slowly raised her hand and touched the ring to the knocker, with a loud click the door swung inwards and I peered into the interior expecting someone to be standing there, but no one met my gaze, the door had seemingly opened on its own. Without hesitation Serinae pushed our Pnook charge through and then she strolled into the house, I followed.
The interior was very grand and at the same time felt quite old, many carvings and pictures lined the walls and ceiling, all of them characteristically T’Iea in design and there were shelves upon shelves of books of all kinds of colour and sizes. Scented candles burned in sconces on the walls and on some of the windowsills. The result was that they filled the room with a soothing aroma.
“Wait here.” Serinae commanded and then let go of the Pnook, glaring at him as if challenging him to disobey. Her attention was then upon me. Her voice softened as she said. “I’ll be back shortly Minervar, please wait along with our guest.”
She walked towards the far end of the room and taking one last glance over her shoulder at the Pnook and moving a curtain aside she disappeared from our view.
Almost immediately, certainly before I could stop him, the Pnook ran for the door we had just entered the house through and grabbing the door handle yanked upon it, but he yelped in shock, and cradling his forearm walked backwards away from the door. He sat down heavily on the floor and rubbing his arm started to mutter to himself. I walked over to him and gently took his arm, he drew it back a disdainful look upon his face. I was fed up with this attitude, all I wanted to do was to help. So I grabbed his arm and even though he tried he could not break my grasp. I rolled back his sleeve. His thin little forearm was red as if the skin had been mildly burnt by the sun, I drew instinctively on the arcane powers and whispered a soothing incantation as I ran my hand gently across his wound, I also took the opportunity to heal the cuts and bruises upon his knuckles that he had suffered at the hands of the mob.
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He looked up at me, with a half-smile. “Thank you.” Then with an idle toss of his head towards the curtain that Serinae went through he said, “well there is obviously no getting out of here without that ring on her hand.”
I smiled. “You’ll learn, if Serinae says something, mark my words, she means it!”
He looked at me and said, “so do you also suspect us Pnook as having something to do with these attacks the people spoke of, eh?”
I looked at him long and hard and finally said, “no, Serinae didn’t suspect you, so neither do I. If she knew you had, you would not be here, you would still be in the hands of that mob.”
He looked away sadness in his eyes. “No. Such work is not of our doing; it is beyond the skills that the Pnook possess. The marrying of flesh and machine is not something that we would even like to try - I hope.”
I asked him his name; he replied that it was Tnie. I asked him what he was doing in Amentura, he looked at me and frowned, he told me to mind my own business.
Just when I thought I was getting him to trust me! I shrugged and said, “ok but there’s no reason to be rude, at the moment I suspect you need all the friends you can get.”
He mumbled something that I couldn’t hear, stood and made his way over to one of the many book cases and amused himself running his finger down the edges of some of the books. Occasionally he removed one from the shelf and gazed at the front cover. I contented myself with sitting down upon a sumptuous couch of thick well-worn leather and gazed around the room we were in.
Eventually Serinae reappeared from behind the curtain. By her side, an arm linked through Serinae’s for support; there appeared a T’Iea’Denarin, a high elven female who looked ancient in her appearance. A strange thing, for like all the elder races, T’Iea kind do not to age and eventually die as humans do. T’Iea gain a certain number of years and then the ageing process progressively slows and we stay looking that way for much of the remainder of our lives, or until misfortune or other means takes us to the Maker. Not many T’Iea die of old age but live on for many lifespans of man, I have heard that some of my people have lived for many thousands of years although I have not knowingly met anyone of such a great age. Because of war most I know are no older than a few hundred years of man. Some say this longevity is a curse and indeed I can imagine it being so, especially where mixed race marriages occur between men and T’Iea kind, for always the T’Iea partner easily outlives their spouse and the children normally take on the longevity of the T‘Iea parent.
But this T’Iea’Denarin looked old beyond her years, she was wrinkled and her skin was pulled taught across her bones, but she still retained the elegance of her people. She wore a fine gown of dark blue silk that played with the light reflecting off it. On her head was a lace cap of the finest workmanship held in place by a gold clasp with a large, perfectly spherical sapphire set into its end, I had no doubt about the authenticity of the stone. Her hair, white as snow was neatly brushed and tied. It framed her face beautifully. Her finger nails however, were discoloured and cracked, the skin on her hands was also discoloured as if she had spent a long time dyeing cloth, or had been a printer or a painter for many years. She obviously had some difficulty in moving around, for she relied heavily upon a thick staff of light coloured wood upon which was set many fine gem stones, ornate metal rings and clasps. Each step looked although it cost her some pain to take. I wondered what had transpired, such that she had the misfortune to befall such ill.
Serinae guided the old T’Iea to a seat and when she had safely lowered her into a chair she carefully bent down and placed the old T’Iea’s feet upon a low foot stool. Then turning to me she said, “Minervar I’d like you to meet my friend, the lady Solin’De’Teinde.”
I stood and looked into the ancient T’Iea’s face and her eyes, which had lifted to meet mine. I hadn’t noticed the piercing blue within blue with no discernible pupil until now they were on me and staring into those eyes I stood bowing my head in respect, for the title ‘De’ is an immediate mark of the person’s high position within T’Iea’Denarin society, an indicator that the barer of the name is honoured and elevated above many others. I couldn’t help wonder at whatever reason, or reasons, the ruling T’Iea elders had seen fit to bestow such an honour upon this woman and her family, for such a title is hereditary. As for the deep blue pupil-less eyes I knew were a sign of many years’ prolonged involvement and use of arcane powers. I knew this from stories my father told me, he said after many years and depending upon the regularity of my use of the arcane my eyes may well go the same way, but the lady Solin was the first person I had actually seen that was marked in this manner.
Solin spoke, her voice was melodious and clear, a hint of authority resided within its tone. “I am very pleased to meet you Minervar, and I thank you for your honouring me with your respect, it is a long time since anyone has afforded me such a kindness. Please my dear, do be seated.”
I averted my eyes for Solin’s seemed to be boring into me, I could still feel them on me as I sat down.
“Serinae, please get Minervar and our guest some refreshments.”
I made to refuse but before I could utter a word Serinae was standing and making her way to the curtain from behind which they had both appeared moments earlier. I was shocked by the quickness with which Serinae jumped up to obey the request from Solin.
Solin still stared at me she said. “Serinae is such a dear.”
I was stunned by this remark; I for one couldn’t imagine Serinae being ‘such a dear’ for one moment! We remained silent for what seemed like hours, Solin’s gaze still fixed upon me, and I started to squirm under that unflinching stare.
But Solin eventually broke the silence. “I have heard much about you Minervar Tuenawii.”
I wondered at her use of my inherited-born name for this is unusual amongst the T’Iea, I took it to mean that she wished to punctuate our meeting by returning a small mark of respect upon me.
“You have made quite an impression on Serinae and that is not common in my experience. But, I am being rude; let me tell you a little about myself, make you feel more at home.”
My curiosity was aroused.
“I have seen much Minervar, my years have been many, oh I know I look young but don’t let that fool you.”
Solin giggled to herself quietly, she had obviously made a little joke, such a melodious sound reminding me of my younger days at home with my parents, my mother had such a laugh. I found the sound put me at ease with the thought that this T’Iea’Denarin, as old as she appeared, still seemed to possess the laughter and high spirits of our people.
“I have a long memory Minervar and my mind feels like it has filled up with knowledge, so now I find I have to write things down to remember them,” she glanced at the books on the shelves around the room.
I asked, “you wrote all these?”
In reply she chuckled and said, “yes, well, some I wrote as author, the rest are authored by others and some I have translated from our own ancient texts and other languages into the common language, so all may benefit from the knowledge they have to offer.”
I wondered at just how many years this woman had been living. I knew of the intellectual capacity that T’Iea’Denarin have, but nothing forewarned me that they had such a capability as this.
“Your face betrays your wonder Minervar, again that is such a kindness, you flatter me, but please don’t think I am showing off when I say that this is not the only library I have amassed in my many years of lifetime.”
“You have other places like this?” I asked.
“Oh yes,” came the answer. “I have libraries elsewhere of varying sizes in quite a few places throughout these lands and ………. beyond.”
It was then that it suddenly occurred to me, her name De'Teinde, yes now I recalled, it was a name that appeared on the covers of some books I had read at various stages in my life, I had not thought much about this name
before, being far more interested in the contents of the various volumes. My parents had a small library of books, mostly concerned with their trade, but they also had other books, few in number but one in particular stood out in my memory, a children’s book called ‘Wri’Tel’Defite’E’Noew’, it was a story about a young T’Iea who lived in Ter’Hadsnefel, a rags to riches story that inspired me and many other young people of my generation. A tale of honour and the power of good against the power of evil. A tale meant to shine as a guide to how one should lead their life. I remarked to Solin that I remembered this book as one of my favourites.
“Oh, you remember one of my attempts at fiction, you are so kind Minervar.”
At this moment Serinae returned, four crystal glasses and an ornate crystal and silver flask filled with an amber coloured wine on a silver tray in her hands. She placed the tray in front of us on a small table, and whilst she poured out the wine I noticed the table which was carved intricately with forms of animals and trees most of which I recognised from the mythology of my people.
Solin called over her shoulder, “Master Pnook, please join us.” Then gesturing towards me said, “please Minervar have your drink.”
The Pnook, Tnie, looked at Solin with some suspicion and stayed where he was, Solin didn’t seem to care so she carried on speaking.
“You may wonder why Serinae has brought you to meet me; I confess I did request this meeting, although due to recent events it has occurred earlier than anticipated. I don’t know what Serinae may have told you of our friendship and ummmm …….. our business arrangements?”
I replied that she had not mentioned anything of that kind other than to say that she said that the two of them were travelling companions.
Solin laughed again and remarked on Serinae being as secretive as ever. Then she thought for a while before saying, “I am troubled Minervar, things are nagging at my mind, things that refuse to be laid aside and ignored. Perhaps Serinae here has already voiced some of these thoughts. The world is changing Minervar. The changes having been subtle at first are now accelerating in severity and in numbers of occurrences. There are signs that an impending doom is coming and I have spent long years trying to work out what that doom could be and how it may be slowed and even halted. Our dear Serinae here will tell you tales of weakened spirits, of the races growing away from faith and the old beliefs. I on the other hand have spent many lifetimes of man studying the arcane and the sciences, so there dear Serinae and I differ.” She turned to Serinae and smiled. “But whatever the root causes the results are the same, it seems that history has turned once more and another age has begun. Ancient forces are once more at work in and around the world Minervar, forces that have not been seen for millennia and forces I had hoped never to see again.”
I started to ask a question.
Solin held her hand up and I remained silent. “Please let me continue, there will be a time for questions later.” She sighed. “All the elder races grow weak. Serinae has been my eyes and ears in the world for many years and the reports she brings to me show the very fabric of the earth is changing. Something older than ancient has been allowed to awaken once more, something that has again realised its terrible power and purpose, but although its power remains undiminished its purpose has changed. Something is very wrong in the natural order of things Minervar. Sometimes when we grow old we get confused, or our priorities change, I believe this is the case with the ancient force that I am talking about. Once a force with an impartial, if not good intent, that intent has now become perverted, perhaps malevolent and I believe it will destroy us all unless it is stopped.”
I was reminded of the attack on Corbond, how the creatures had appeared as if out of thin air. Then suddenly I was shocked, the body in the alley back down the hill that was very similar to the creatures we fought in Corbond. I cried out and explained my thoughts.
Solin nodded, but instead of passing comment on my observation she continued. “I think the time has come Minervar when all the races must put aside their fears and differences and join in unity to fight a common foe. This foe, it seems, is just awakening, flexing its muscles and finding its strength, perhaps it is experimenting, trying to see how powerful it is, how powerful it may become. I fear that if it is allowed to continue then we will find out it is far more powerful than it has so far experienced and far more deadly than anything the world has seen in a long, long time. We must all of us face this threat for it affects us all. I have long believed that Serinae has been chosen to be part of the fellowship of races to undertake this task and Serinae here probably rightly suspects that you are also one of those chosen.”
Then turning to the Pnook who has been tinkering with various items around the room trying to disguise the fact that he was really listening intently, she said, “and it may seem that we now have a representative from within the elder race of the Pnook.”
On hearing this the Pnook scowled at Solin. But he remained quiet, content just to listen.
“I hear that you have already gathered two men and a Grûndén to the cause. Well, all this leaves you with is the need for,” here she gazed into my eyes before saying, “a willing accomplice from the race of the northern giants. She looked long and hard at me as if expecting a reaction.
I was thinking hard, northern giants? Only one race fit that description and I whispered under my breath, “you mean the Ognods?”
Solin nodded and smiled. “Indeed yes. You know that once in ancient times all the elder races lived in complete harmony. It is said we all inhabited a vast city and each race had a role to play for the greater good. Something happened and we found ourselves having to leave the city and come out to live amongst the race of men. That old alliance between the elder races must be re-established, for I strongly believe that each race has a skill that will be required before the end. If one race refuses to act, then I fear that it will mean the demise of all.”
I was not sure what to think of this, the only thing I could think about at this time was me being chosen for a task that sounded so big, so huge in its demands, that it couldn’t possibly be true.
“But forgive me, I am keeping you too long and there are others in your company that are missing. Perhaps we can delay discussing this further until the company is complete once more.” Solin then clapped her hands together in a gleeful way and chuckled her melodious laugh.
But she soon continued. “I wish to hold a small party. Firstly, because I think it will provide a relaxed social event in which to get to know each other better.” She lowered her eyes, obviously deep in thought.”
After a minute or two I couldn’t suffer the suspense any longer so I asked. “And the second reason? You said firstly and I thought you might have other reasons?”
She looked up at me her eyes smiling along with the rest of her face. “Well Minervar, I just love a party, don’t you?”
I couldn’t help nodding and giggling along with the infectious laughter of this old T’Iea whom I was beginning to admire greatly even though we had just met but a few moments before. But some of my laughter was born out of nervousness, discomfort at being suddenly accelerated into something that I had no comprehension of. My hope for adventure seemed to be overtaking me and so rapidly I didn’t have any time to get used to it. I found some solace in that any further discussion would also involve Jondris and the others, I would not have to think about this alone.