"Ugh. How long am I going to have to continue to clean the stalls in these stables?" Melly groaned as she lifted another forkful of dirty hay into the wheelbarrow that Ches sat idly on, chewing a strand of witchgrass.

"Just until we can raise the money to get us into the Academy." Ches answered, noting that the wheelbarrow was getting fuller and making a mental note to stop sitting on it soon. "We only need to work for another few tendays and we will have all of the gold that we need to get in. Then we can become great bards like mother." The young boy said wistfully, his gray eyes looking off into the distance. Melly snorted in derisively and glared at her brother.

"So we can become great bards like mother." She taunted in a high pitched voice. "Fine bards we'll make, with you not being able to pick out any tunes and me having fingers too short to pluck a harp."

"You would be surprised at how many bards started out that way." Ches insisted, the golden-haired boy standing up and spitting out the grass. "Why, I heard that the great Carrish of Cantata started out as a stable hand without a voice, and now is one of the finest bards in all Rakan!" He exclaimed, stomping his foot down on the hard boards of the stable and causing one of the horses to snort at him. Melly gave him a scalding look.

"And if you don't stop scaring Master Carradin's horses, we won't get that opportunity, so be quiet and take this mess outside, will you?" She told him, swiping at him with the blunt end of the pitchfork, which he aptly avoided. "While you're out there, see if you can find that little whelp Trysta, will you? She was supposed to be in here helping me do this." She complained as she climbed up to the hayloft to start forking down new hay. Ches mock-saluted her and pushed the wheelbarrow outside.

Of course, he did know where the young half-elf was. Trystona Le'sharri was sitting under a tree amongst the large forms of Master Carradin's two large wolfhounds. This was her usual place to get out of work, as she did not need to work to go to the Academy, but rather she was the adopted daughter of Master Carradin. She often was told to help he and Melly while they cleaned out the stables, but it was for her relationship with the horses, not because they needed the help. Trystona had been gifted with a special bond to most animals, and most days, she would sit under this very tree with the hounds and compose ballads, which she would write down in the journal that came with her everywhere. Upon his approach, the two hounds gave him bored looks and yawned, knowing that he was no trouble.

"Trysta, composing another ballad?" He asked, taking a comfortable seat near her, patting the nearest wolfhound as he did so. The young girl looked up, her blue eyes sparkling merrily.

"Well, of course." she answered. "You would not see me doing anything else I love more." she smiled as she waved a piece of parchment in his face.

"Melly's getting upset at the horses again." Ches said, grimacing. "You might want to go in there before she really makes them mad." Trysta sighed and looked up at the blue sky.

"If my grandfather were here, I would not have to be doing such work." she said, her voice somber. "He is the head of the Council of the Star, you know." she informed Ches, who only nodded and shrugged.

"I wish he would come and claim you then." he said, standing up again and brushing off his clothing. "And perhaps he would be as kind to give me the gold to become a bard instead of me having to work for Master Carradin." he joked, earning a smile from the half-elf.

"Well, when he gets the time to, I'm sure he'll come and get me. When he does, I will tell him that you say that." she laughed, standing up and smacking Ches lightly on the arm. "Come on, I'll race ya back to the stables." Laughing, Ches agreed and the two youngsters ran back to the stables, leaving the hounds laying in the dust that their wake had left.

******

The sun sparkled off of the clear blue pool that sat in the center of the four stone obelisks, an oasis in the midst of a desert. The green grass rippled in the breeze that blew in as a white robed man, in his middle age, stepped out of a suddenly appearing portal. He looked around, nodded and then waved his hand, causing a silver chime that he held to ring out true. Suddenly, ten other humanoids stepped out of seemingly thin air and came to stand around him. Six elves and four humans looked at him with interest as he gave them all a grave stare.

"Something is happening. The following of the Sagehoun has risen again, and that may mean extermination of our loyal followers. This must be stopped." He ordered them, his voice rising with impact as they all nodded in understanding. "That is the task that you must fulfill. Choose your best and brightest and meet me here in a tenday. That is all."

With those words, the white robed man disappeared in a twinkling of blue light, soon followed one after another by the other ten, flashes of silver, violet and green light as they too, exited the oasis. Soon, the scene was tranquil again, just another oasis in a sea of desert.

******

Comments?Scherza DelCapo
Return to the LibraryFantomewolf's Fiction