DAY TWO
Last night, Princess and Elowin spent some time together on watch, Princess effortlessly weaving more stories into their conversation. Then, in the morning, Elowin rose early, setting out on foot, impatient to put as much distance between her and Mara as possible. As the caravan rolled toward the mountains, the elf ranged ahead several times, foraging for useful herbs. She found a number of plants that are good for various stomach conditions, rapid pulse, night sweats, and so on. What she really needs, she thought, is some glimmerberries, which make a good shortcut for a healing salve. She didn't find any by midday, though.
When the caravan caught up, she hopped aboard Dugal's lead wagon and talks a bit more to the cook, Jalon. He's very interested in the herbs that she's found, and compared notes with her about their different flavors. "Bitter is very important," he said, "It gets ze juices flowing in ze mouse." He was clearly relieved to hear that Elowin eats meat, though he is confused about why she avoids red meat. [b]"I hope it is not indelicate to ask: are some meats...poison to you?"
Gunter rode with kar'Javon again in the third wagon, and the dwarven peer was a little more forthcoming. He has many tales of travel of his own. "Over the many years of my life, I have developed skills that some people value very highly. I am mostly retired, but do still like to keep my hands in it from time to time."
Princess rode with Turighe in the fourth wagon for much of the day, singing songs, reciting tales, and fielding requests from the man to teach him how to play an instrument or at least learn some harmonies. He's enthusiastic about everything. "Do you know about these mountains? They're called the Nubetanya, yes? I've never been this close to them! How clear the air smells!"
Bramlin helped with the horses in the morning, and Gavath nodded his appreciation. They walked together for a while, and Gavath confided: "I was worried when we had to leave without our usual guards. But we've done two trips to the east and they needed a break. To be honest, we all wanted a break. But the kar has traveled with Dugal before, and when he got that urgent to go to Grayhaven, Dugal agreed to try and form a caravan right away. The money is too good to pass up. The rest of these were all looking for a caravan to join, but only the sage and the food-man were as eager to leave as the dwarves. Everyone else had to be talked into going. People are pretty worried about the road after what happened to that royal caravan." Later, Bram fell back to hail Findal on his wagon. The gnome had spread out a number of books and papers to study, but he cheerfully cleared a space for the fighter to join him.
Belany sighed when Adran stepped up and sat down on her wagon next to her, but she scooted over to make room for him.
Clouds scudded across the sky, promising more rain again in future. Nothing approached from behind.
"You don't say much, do you?" Belany observed.
Various small birds flitted from trees to meadow flowers as they rolled steadily along.
A cool breeze rose and Belany snuggled down into her furs a bit more.
The road rolled on.
Riding and laughing with Smoke, Morik managed to convince Tesko to open up the metal plate separating him from the driver. Suspicious dark eyes peered out from an elderly face. "You want to try some of my food?" the man said, then answered himself, "Of course you do! Everybody want something from Tesko!" But nothing about the druid seemed greedy or dishonest, and the man was clearly lonely in his paranoia. "You don't act like the people that the Five have sent in the past. I don't know...what could it hurt? Here, try this. Don't expect too much; it's just a little something I whipped up for a snack..." He passed a small trencher through the window to the dwarf, along with a round of sweet, warm dark bread. Then he passed another to Smoke. "I guess you can have some, too." Tesko grumbled, "You're doing a good job and all..." Smoke broke the bread and then exclaimed: "This is fresh! You have an oven in there?" "What kind of a question is that? What kind of an idiot travels without an oven?" So miffed was he at this, Tesko slammed the shutter closed again.
Bramlin excused himself and hopped off of Findal's wagon and nodded to Adran as Belany's wagon went past. Adran raised his eyebrows to the woman, who rolled her eyes and nodded. The elf hopped down and waited with the fighter while the last wagon's team clopped up to them. "You've got to try this!" Morik handed down some of the bread and the trencher which, despite Tesko saying it was "a snack," was heaped high with roasted meats, sauteed vegetables, and a variety of peppers. It was exquisite. Tesko was clearly a culinary master. After a few minutes of involuntary hums of pleasure, the trencher was clear, and the veteran and the outlander returned to their previous positions.
After some hours of riding together again in silence, Belany pulled out a bag with some honeyed fruit and spiced pastries. "They say not talking is either the sign of a keen intelligence...or a lack of personality." She offered Adran some of her food, and pulled out a flask and a pair of silver cups, pouring some brandy. She peered at him over the cup as she offered it, a slight smile on her lips. "It's fine by me, either way."
In the late afternoon, Elowin trots ahead of the caravan again, and this time in a small copse of trees with thick undergrowth, she finds a small thornbush with silvery fruit: glimmerberries! But as she approaches the prize, a piping little voice issues out of the nearby bushes: "Stop! What right do you have to these magical berries? Stay back, or suffer misfortune!" Elowin is ahead of the caravan, by herself. The rest of you are riding on your respective wagons.
What do each of you do?
