[Aylwen Dreamsong]

Jesslyn ran from her cot, suddenly glad that she had not taken a leg wound as Laurel had. Jogging up to Leena as the other woman began to leave, Jesslyn placed a hand on her shoulder gently. The girl turned around quickly, fatigue and worry lining her face. The empathy and sorrow for Leena came back afresh in Jesslyn’s mind, for Jesslyn recognized the feeling of pain and loss that Leena had.

“I’m so sorry about Thagon. It probably isn’t any consolation, but he was very brave and worthy of great remembrance and praise. He was a good man, I know what he meant to you,” Jesslyn murmured, voice slightly shaky as another wave of dizziness overcame her momentarily. Leena nodded, and let a hint of a smile show on her face before shaking her head as if to clear her mind.

“Thank you, Jesslyn. I miss him. He was a good man, he won’t be forgotten, I assure you. We were so close…” Leena replied, letting a tear escape her eye and roll down her cheek. She wiped her cheek and smiled once. “I won’t forget him.”

“Good,” Jesslyn smiled for the first time since before the battle for Alphirion.


Cartil’s already sore and torn muscles began to ache with renewed vigor as the horse trotted along through the woods as they fled. Cartil had begun to lose hope in rescue, lose hope in ever seeing Laurel or Jesslyn or his family again. He had wrongly doubted Laurel and her motivation that no one be left behinds. Though slightly embarrassed, Cartil was eternally grateful for Laurel, Lanaey, Goroth, and Galain’s rescue.

Laurel sprinted along at a slight limp as they ran away from the Wild Men’s camp. The shouts from the camp that had once been a prominent noise in the background had faded to a low groan in the woodlands of the Swan. Cartil began to wonder how Alphirion had fared, and how Taralphiel and the others at the House had done. He decided it would be the first thing he asked when he got back to Alphirion with Laurel.

The group soon made it to the edge of the woods and the outskirts of Alphirion. Laurel led everyone to a house that was apparently being used to house the sickly or wounded. Apparently Alphirion had not fared well under the Wild Men’s attack. Laurel and Goroth helped carry the disillusioned Cartil to the nearest empty cot, which was slightly bloodied, but Cartil was in no position to choose where he was laid. Goroth left to go see if Lanaey had made it safely, while Laurel stayed next to Cartil and called a healer.

“Thank you, Laurel. Thank you so much. For a long while I didn’t think I’d ever see you or Jesslyn or anyone again. I thought I’d die a horrid death, either rotting in a smelly tent or at the hands of an even smellier Wild Man,” Cartil croaked, and Laurel chuckled. “Thank you. What has happened while I was gone? What about Jesslyn? Has she…has anyone…what about…”

“Jesslyn’s fine! Just worrying incessantly about you. You gave her quite a scare, Cartil!” Laurel replied, smiling grimly. Cartil was so glad to see her! Laurel continued, her face suddenly sad. “We lost Thagon.”

“He will be remembered,” Cartil replied, voice sure and firm. Poor Leena, he thought. Laurel nodded, and took her leave. She looked fatigued and sorrowful as she went off to do more important work, and Cartil wished he couild to more to thank her as a healer came to look at him.

[ September 05, 2003: Message edited by: Aylwen Dreamsong ]