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

A dim orange mist streamed through the chestnut and oak bordered road as they headed west from Carbost. Still sleepy, Kailee watched as Elsea's eyelids drooped and soon fell while Tia lay beside her on top of backpacks that crowded the floor of the wagon's interior. She climbed over the gear and extra equipment and weapons to sit beside Avion, taking in the clear morning air.

"Did you want to learn how to drive," the gypsy asked.

"No, thanks. Actually, I was just hoping we could talk. I realized that we really don't know each other that well."

"Sure. What did you have in mind?"

Kailee wasn't sure how to begin. Tia tried to explain it the morning before but, some things were best learned from the source. She eyed the petite thief for a moment who eyed her askance.

"You had a question?" Avion asked nervously.

"I was wondering what you and Lericanin were doing on top of the wagon yesterday morning."

Avion quickly turned to her, then smiled proudly. "You saw that?"

Kailee nodded. "I woke hearing your heartbeats and when I got up and looked out of the window, I noticed you and him together."

She chuckled as she turned her attention back to the road. "We made love."

"Why?"

Avion shot her a look, confused. "You have lived a protected life, haven't you? It's the pleasure of that moment that he and I live for and it's what I was trained to do. All the girls in our village were expected to be able to please a man, or a woman to be accepted as an equal."

Kailee's brow furrowed, she still didn't understand. "I'm just not sure why you would waste so much energy for something that doesn't last."

She laughed, "Trust me, it lasts."

"Really? I don't sense or smell anything new about you."

Avion shook her head as the horses plodded on following Alister who rode ahead. "I really don't understand you at all. Someone who only eats once a week, you can run like the wind, you find someone in the darkness by their heartbeat and the scent of their body. Those things aren't natural."

Kailee looked away. She didn't need to be reminded how different she was, that fact haunted her all the time.

"Hey, I'm sorry if I've offended you," the driver apologized. "I really like you a lot. So does the rest of the group, it's just...you're so unique. I wish I had half of your ability."

Kailee sighed as she turned back to eye her friend. "It hasn't been easy, that's all. I've been wrestling with so many things since you found me. Now that I've found my grandparents, one piece of the puzzle is fit, but there's so many more to find."

"What did they tell you about your mother?"

"She was attacked one night in the stable by some beast and had me prematurely. She died shortly afterwards."

"I'm sorry."

Kailee shook her head, "It's alright," she smiled. "Her name was Bianka. They told me I look a lot like her."

"She was beautiful then. I'm a bit jealous."

Smiling, she knew that Avion had at least known her family and that they were all still alive.

Within five days, they reached Glencoe. A walled town nestled within the foothills of the Black Mountains, the green carpet stretched for miles and was dotted with farms, mills and ranches surrounded by lush forests that reached the horizon. Avion reined the horses in as they entered the busy marketplace with a tall fountain it's centerpiece. Alister, Lericanin and their newest addition, Kasar rode up to the wagon as Kailee and the girls piled out.

"If you want to get us rooms, we'll see to the horses," Lericanin directed to Tia, their official treasurer.

Tia nodded as Kailee followed her into the nearest inn. She turned to look back over Kailee's shoulder as they entered the smokey room from the hearth. "What he means is, Alister will see to the horses and he's going shopping."

"He's been the one making us the money that we don't take off of highwaymen."

"Hmm." Tia turned back to the task at hand as they found the innkeeper. "Do you have four rooms available?"

"Yes, ma'am. Any horses?"

"Five and a wagon."

"Ten bronze," the thin, well tanned man stated as Kailee watched him produce the keys. His weazing and sickly appearance made her wonder about the congestion in his lungs.

"Well, well," a younger man stated from behind as they turned to see their middle aged, attentive prospect smile. "I haven't seen scenery this beautiful in a long time. What do you think, Hammond," he looked over their shoulder to the proprietor.

"Leave them alone, Marcus. They're not alone," he motioned back towards the door as Elsea, Avion and Kasar entered. each well armed.

"I'm not here to hurt any one. Just have a little fun, that's all."
His mischievous smile made Tia's heart beat a bit faster as she stepped up.

"Perhaps you've misinterpreted our presence here. We aren't here for your enjoyment, got it."

Kailee watched as his brown eyes scanned down Tia's petite, but strong body and she could tell that this encounter wasn't going to end well.

"What's going on here," Kasar stepped up. His gangly presence didn't impress their subject much.

"Step back, whelp," Marcus instructed. "I'm having a discussion with the lady."

"Actually, she and I are friends so, whatever problems are created involving them includes me also," the Sauqiran, well trained repelling pirates on many voyages soon had a dagger at the man's throat. "So, I would suggest that you forget about these four ladies and move on."

Marcus quickly backed and eyed Kasar, arms raised in defense. "Perhaps another time."

"Don't count on it," Tia returned.

After dinner, they went out into the large market square as the sun dipped below the horizon leaving the sparse clouds in reds, oranges and deep greys on a deepening backdrop of purple. Tia and Kailee sat on top of the wagon as Lericanin rested on the back step of the wagon below them and carved. Kailee had been meditating with Tia each night to gain energy for their magic, taking from the natural ebb and flow that permeated all of nature around them.

Soon, Kailee's focus was disturbed by someone passing by. A cleric.

"Young man," the elder priest called to Lericanin.

"Yes, sir."

"Tell those ladies that if they don't stop what they're doing, that I will."

She looked down to his darkening glare in the waning evening light with half of his face highlighted orange, giving him a sinister appearance.

Lericanin stood and glanced up to she and Tia. "What were they doing?"

"Since you are a servant of our Father, I will trust that you keep their heretical beliefs out of my town. I'm shocked that you would even stand by and let them do this."

"I'm a bit confused, sir. What were they doing?" Lericanin asked.

Kailee could feel the conflict of interest in the air as the deep maroon cloud clashed with the lighter blue emanating from the priest. She wondered if he could feel it also as his anger seeped from his pores.

"You are all leaving soon, right?"

"At first light."

He nodded, and continued on as the wagon shifted while Lericanin lifted himself up to eye them. "Someone want to tell me what that was about."

Tia shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, we were just meditating. I didn't know that was a crime."

His blue eyes narrowed as he stared for a moment. "Kailee?"

"What? I don't know what he was talking about," she lied.

"This isn't over," he promised and dropped back down.

Another four and a half days of travel and they reached the bridge that would take them up the winding road to Soderham. Kailee followed the rest of the group to the nearby waterfall and she could smell the cascade from nearly a hundred feet to the wide pool that headed the river taking it south. She was amazed at how free Avion and Kasar were with their bodies as both unashamedly disrobed and jumped in. Tia led to a tidepool partly hidden by a large grey boulder and also began to bathe while Kailee sat in the tall grass. Soon, the wind announced the scent of Lericanin as he emerged from the ferns and crouched nearby.

"I think the three of us need to talk."

Tia eyed him as she wiped darker brown hair out of her face. "You mind if I finish my bath first?"

"I think this has waited long enough. What's been going on with you two?"

"As far as..."

"You know what I'm talking about." Kailee could feel the blood simmer in their large captain.

"You want to hear that not everyone believes in Arhus the way you and Alister do? You want to convert the whole world, is that it? I've been there for all of you, I saved Avion's life. There were many occasions where your wounds would've infected and may have caused the loss of a limb or two. What's the difference if we choose not to thank some god for our knowledge or ability?"

"I'm not trying to convert the whole world," he defended. "I'm concerned that the one's that I've come to see as my own sisters and closer than my own family aren't going down a road of destruction. That's all."

"Don't worry about us. We're fine."

"I'm not totally convinced. But, when you want to talk about it, I'm here," his mood softened as he sighed, rose and drifted back into the woods and headed over to join the others in the pool.

Tia eyed Kailee and she could sense the concern in her eyes. She knew that Tia was defending her family and had a lot more at stake for her affiliations. There was no one else that Kailee could trust with the one from some distant plane who called himself her father. Her grandparents confirmed that Sater's proud boast was a lie.