laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

After passing through the agricultural community of Glencoe, left in a similar fate by the invaders, they then arrived within the choked streets of Soderham, full of the dispossessed. Lisa noticed the faces of old and young alike as they rode through the crowded marketplace and through the western gate. She always hated this town as the natural aura about it closed her off from her magic. Selyria, Galena and a couple others felt the same. As she gazed over the steep cliffside that the western road meandered down, Lericanin gathered everyone together.

"I think we should camp out here for the night. We're not going to find anywhere to sleep in there."

"We can set up the tents and tarps along this cliff," Alister motioned to the rocky border that descended below the curtain wall with the road.

"I'm going to report in to the church and I'll be back before dinner," Lericanin informed as they all dismounted. He handed the reins to Darvin who led the mount away with his own. Lisa climbed down after Calista swung off and she then helped set up their makeshift camp as the gate guards looked on.

Once the shelters were completed, she sat down with Alandria and Calista as they began teaching their newest addition how to speak more fluent Astaran. Many of the bigger words were the largest hurdle.

"On island, we speak what old ones speak. Men evil and killed mostly," she began. "Queen form sisters and we live peace since." Her words drifted as she reached for a pendant on a necklace that hung around her neck and Lisa could sense that not all the men were taken care of by the Amazonian tribe. Or another arrived later as the longing grew within the warrior's mind. She had seen the same feelings within Lericanin when he talked about Nyrellia.
"Why does sister smell different from rest," Calista asked, her eyes studying Lisa who eyed her from beyond the scarf.

"I'm not fully human."

Brow furrowed, Calista's eyes asked the unspoken question.

Lisa grinned to herself. "Magic changed me...two cycles ago," she revealed, using Calista's term for referring to years. "Much like the necklace did to take away your scars." Recalling the marks given to Calista before their resident mage gated her to this continent, banishing her forever from their community.

"You were hurt before?"

Lisa chuckled. "No. But something happened that I didn't expect when I visited a magical place. I don't remember anything other than waking up outside of a cave afterwards. No one's been able to tell me anything else other than how I got there."

Calista nodded.

* * *

Another four-and-a-half day trip reached the untouched walls of Fort William which Craban, their quiet archmage became excited to visit again as his family lived within the town that had known more than it's fair share of conflict. Once the gate guards allowed them inside, they rode to a cluster of newly renovated homes not a stones throw from the nearly empty marketplace. As they dismounted, the taller half-elf nearly ran into the house. Lisa scanned the tiny neighborhood which centered large tracts of open land which had once been full of homes and businesses. She recalled seeing the town shortly after the first invasion. Elven fighters patrolling the blackened streets and guarding the walls as they looked out over a devastated land beyond. Oddly, this town that sat on the southern edge of the frontier didn't warrant another visit from the invaders who gave no quarter to any other city within the outlying and virtually unprotected expanse. Soderham had escaped the incursions because of the natural anti-magical dome that protected it and had beaten back two attempts to take it's walls.

"I'll take your horse," Alandria interrupted as Lisa turned to her.

"Alright," she stated as she noticed the group flowing into the front door of the modest, two-story home. It's stone walls were solid and rose to the thatch roof, now supporting a few feet of snow. She led Calista into the warmer interior as two older women were introduced to the group by Craban.

"And this is Lisa and Calista," he introduced. "Ladies, this is my mother, Nancy, and my grandmother."

"Pleasure to meet you," Lisa grinned, silvery green eyes shimmered in the hearth's firelight.

"You can call me Grams," the shorter, plump woman stated, smiling broadly. Her white bonnet vainly covered greying brown hair wrapped underneath as her blue eyes studied them both. "Two more lovely ladies and my grandson is still single," she shook her head and eyed him. "What are we going to do with you?"

"Don't start," he backed as she squared on him, hands raised.

Lisa and the others followed the elder baker as she organized their sleeping arrangements which were going to remain cozy in the home not meant for an additional fifteen people. But, it would be warmer than the outdoors that they had endured for the past few weeks.

"Now," Grams began. "All of you will get a chance for a hot bath and I want your clothes afterwards. We'll get them cleaned and get you into something warmer. Dinner will be in a short while so make yourself at home."

"Thank you," the core group stated as she headed back downstairs.

Once they had returned to the large, main room, Lisa the strong scent of fresh bread being cooked as well as vegetables, meat and pies that reminded her of the Stormfrost home.

"Here," Grams handed Lisa a pile of plates. "Set these out for me along the table. Others will have to sit on the couch and chairs, but we'll manage."

"Okay," Lisa stated, then walked over to the long rectangular table and lay a uniform pattern around the top and set the extra on a nearby shelf. She stood quietly to the side and watched as the two women employed Selyria, Calista, Galena and Alandria to the pots and water as Justyn and Kevin brought in fresly cut wood for the fire.

"It's nice to have all this help, isn't it mother," Nancy stated and raised a spoon to her mouth, testing the stew.

"You saying I'm too old to care for my own, young lady?" she asked, then noticed Lisa standing idle. "There's silverware in that cabinet behind you, darling."

As if hit broadside, Lisa quickly moved to find the spoons and added them to the flanks of the plates and set the remainder on the extra. She enjoyed being domesticated for a while, it made her feel normal. All she needed now was little Les at her feet to make it all complete.

Soon, the crowd gathered within the dining area and living room that bordered it and began eating as Grams tended to all of the final things before sitting herself. Lisa claimed a chair as Alandria and several of the boys sat with them on the couches and floor.

"Lisa," Grams stated, gaining her attention. "You're not eating?"

"No, we had a big breakfast. I'm fine, thanks," she lied.

"No wonder you're so thin, get in here and get yourself something."

Lisa grinned. "I'm fine, really."

"There's plenty."

"I know, you've done a great job."

The older woman turned to Lericanin and Sceva,"Is she always like this?"

"Pretty much," Sceva began. "She usually only eats once a day, but when she does, don't be in the way," he stated, as several chuckles went up amidst the bites.

Undeterred, Grams began eating. "That's just not healthy."

"Don't worry, I usually leave them the leftovers," Lisa added as Sceva winked at her in return and she hoped the subject would be changed soon.

"She is nice enough to do that for us," Alister agreed.

After the pies were consumed, Selyria walked out into the quiet street, walls golden with the evening sun and began entertaining the neighbors with her harp, singing about beautiful places and times past. Her beautiful voice carried with the wind wafted through the small community and gathered attention from many who had settled in for the night. Lisa wished she had half of her talent, but enjoyed the fact that she could hear it firsthand as she and Alandria sat against the front wall of Gram's home. As they rested, a rider approached and dismounted before them. Longbow across her back, the brunette nodded as hazel-green eyes smiled.

"Evening," she greeted.

"Hello," Lisa returned as the newly arrived woman stepped to the door and she soon recognized a subtle resemblance to Craban who scooped her up in his arms tightly as she opened it.

"Trisha, so good to see you," he stated, head buried in her leather coat.

"When did you arrive," she asked.

"Not long ago," he backed as they eyed one another for a moment. "It's good to see you again," he reaffirmed. They soon both disappeared into the house as she was introduced to those within.

After several songs and a few stories around the hearth's light, Lisa soon made it up to her spot on the floor within Trisha's room that had been assigned along with the other ladies of their group. As she removed her boots and set them near the backpack, she felt the passion raging in the loft of the nearby barn. Without concentrating too hard, she noted that Lericanin had been introduced to Craban's sister also. Grinning, she laid down and closed her eyes.

After three days of snowball fights and fencing practise, the group finally loaded up and departed Fort William, heading southwest through uncharted territory for them.