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Old 03-01-2004, 05:47 AM   #125
Hilde Bracegirdle
Relic of Wandering Days
 
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Surinen & Narika

Surinen was struggling to remove the last of the tent pegs when Narayad came striding up. Unfortunately, out of all of them, this last one had proved the most stubborn, and Surinen avoided looking up at the well-known face that went with those gnarled, leathery feet, continuing to wrench away at the resolute spike until his knuckles ached and he could no longer grasp it. With a short sigh, he decided he had better go unpack the mallet, which Dinsûl had managed to stow earlier.

“Surinen, you must see to this later,” Narayad finally said after waiting, impatient for some sort of acknowledgment. Following his friend across to where Dinsûl sat among the sacks of grain and few bundles that held all their goods, he continued speaking while Dinsûl listened, cleaning wheat absently as he drank his sage tea. “We have been asked to join in a gathering of the elders.” Dinsûl raised his eyebrows at this, and looked at his son to see his response. But Surinen continued to root around in a small sack looking for the mallet.

“Give me a just a moment,” he said producing the thing at last. “If I don’t do this now someone else will, and it would not be right to trouble him with such things.” Returning to the peg he rapped on its sides lightly, then withdrew it with ease, and turned to Narayad. “Was it mentioned, why we have not been allowed to see the Meldakher Ayar yet? I imagine we will be able to now tell her and the elders both, about the stranger we found in the well.”

“I have only been told to collect you and that we are to return to Narika tent, beyond that I know nothing of what this is about.”

“Narika?” Surinen wondered. “Ah well, never mind. I’ll just put this away and we can go directly. There is another topic that I’m eager to broach as well, given the chance. One that I had brought to the same elder, but I think it also has traveled no further than that.” Throwing the spike into a pile that lay beside the collapsed tent, Surinen turned to run after Narayad who had already begun walking toward the center of the encampment.

**************

When the two outriders arrived, several of the elders were already seated on the patterned grass mats that lined the floor of Narika’s tent, deep in conversation with her. Narayad’s wife was there also, pouring coffee for the gathering out of a large hammered brass vessel, while another woman hurried to place pans of seasoned cassava wafers at different stations about the growing circle. Looking tired and wan Narika gestured for the outriders to join the group, who chose the spot of the circle at the furthest point out of deference for her and the elders of the clan, they settled themselves down, wondering why they had been called to attend, and when Ayar would arrive. She had always been there first, greeting all who came and taking them each aside to hear their views before a meeting began in earnest.

When all the gaps in the circle were closed save the one at the head, Narika signaled that the tent flap should be closed, and all the assembly began looking about and murmuring.

“I can see that you all are wondering were my mother could be. Indeed, that is why I have called you all here,” the young woman began. “We are to begin the next leg of journey south today, I am well aware, but I hope after this meeting that you also might see that we must stay in this camp for a little longer, if at all possible.”

At this another murmur rippled though the small group and a voice called out, “What has Ayar to say about this?” And another rejoined, “Yes, where is she?”

With a pained expression Narika looked into the familiar faces questioning her, faces that had surrounded her since childhood. “My mother has taken ill with a strange fever I have no knowledge of. This is why I ask you to inform the clan of a delay, I greatly fear moving her at this time, and she is in great pain.”

“No, no! We will not move her if you think it is best,” a large bald man said comfortingly above the others who spoke reassuringly her. “You there, outriders! How far were the flocks ranging yesterday? How many more days could we afford?”

“They were quite far sir,” Narayad spoke up. “We could go two maybe three more days before it became obvious something is wrong.”

“And how is the water holding out?” another asked as they began to assess the situation

“Good, we are fortunate for that! This is a good place for water,” he replied again.

“If Ayar still is ill after three days time perhaps we could sent the flocks and a large portion of the clan with them to the next camp. We can join them once she is better.”

At this Surinen spoke up suddenly, “With all respect, I do not think it best to split our numbers at this time.”

“Why is that Surinen? Not even to aid the Meldakher?”

“There must be another way, sir.” Then casting a sideways glance at his distant uncle who in turn was giving him his darkest glare, Surinen blurted out, “We met a strange maenwaith while out digging the well. He said his name was Rôg, but would neither give us his clan or his business, and disappeared quite suddenly.”

“It is not uncommon, unfortunately to meet one of our kind so disposed these days.”

“That is not all,” Surinen said growing animated. “When we were within range, I left Narayad with the animals and as a dog ran the remaining distance to our encampment. To the west, not far from here, I saw the prints of horse heavier than our own, and along with that caught a strange scent I did not recognize and which quite ruined my sense of smell for a time. But once within our confines it returned slowly, though I could still faintly smell the odor along with what seemed like akin to Rôg’s scent! I think that he might have some interest in us, and do not know to what purpose.”

“When was it that you first saw this stranger Surinen?” Narika asked concerned.

“The evening before last. I had tried to tell the Meldakher, but my message did not reach her it seems.”

“That throws quite a different light on our situation,” the bald elder stated. “Unfortunately we will still have to risk having the flocks far a field.”

“The man, Rôg, did not seem threatening, quite the opposite actually, but why should he be skulking about so? That is what concerns me.”

“We will need to redouble the guard immediately,” Narika said “And fly the pennants of danger so that none may miss the warning. Yemneya, see to it that only those of us able to change to fleet or small shapes are with the flocks… and in groups not alone.”

“We had better go then,” the chief eldar said. “There is much work to be done rebuilding the camp. And don’t worry Narika, we will see to the people, and you give all your attention to your mother for us.”

After all had left her tent, Narika felt over come by a wave of isolation. Folding her arms tightly around her, as though the chill she felt was in the air rather than her heart, She left to return Ayar’s bedside hoping to find the fever broken, and fearing to find it worse.
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