Character Reference

The Hallows Inn

A year of isolation in a place like the Drakenwald has the potential to do a lot of damage to a man's psyche. Not being able to predict the time of day, never truly knowing if you're being watched or hunted (until it's too late), the lack of food and water, all among other things would be enough to break a man, especially a human. However, the Drakenwald was kind to Barden, perhaps the entities of the forest could see he was pure of heart (in most cases), or at least that he didn't mean them any harm and so took care of him, in moderation. Barden, on the other hand, was of the impression that the forest acted as one connected being and that this one being had helped him to survive, while perhaps out of some selfish loneliness was also trying to keep him within its boundaries. The weary ranger, carefully tread through undergrowth, his sword drawn, an unstrung bow worn on his back. He had found that recently the temperature within the forest had gotten cooler and so he had his cloak worn as well, the hood pulled over his head as if for some sort of camouflage. A light breeze whistled through the branches, rustling them, leafless but swaying. Barden looked over his shoulder for a moment, halting his step, listening to the wind. Deciding nothing of it, he pressed on.

About an hour passed before he came across a small, clear pond. It was strange, it was the first in a long time that he had seen that was not overcome with scum and plants and pond-life. "Thank-you." He whispered, under his breath, in reference to the forest as if it were showing him some sort of grace. His grip loosened, and the sword he held fell to the ground, almost silently. Barden took several steps towards the crystal clear water and allowed himself to fall to his knees. Quickly he washed his face, before cupping his hands and drinking from the pond. Refreshed, Barden made his way back to his sword, hunched over and raised it from the ground. After listening to the next gentle breeze he once again, pressed on.

Over the course of the year, Barden had come quite accustomed to the different smells and sounds of the Drakenwald, the more putrid and terrifying often coming out at the late hours of the night. However, during the day, or at least what Barden thought to be the day, everything was much more peaceful, it had almost become the kind of place that one would want to spend an afternoon walking in. That is, provided they did not end up lost like Barden, wandering aimlessly for days, weeks, months or even years on end. Strangely enough, in the whole time Barden had been in the Drakenwald so far, he had never once come across another humanoid being, and rarely did he come across any kind of life in fact. In a sense, Barden supposed he was lucky, while in another, he couldn't help but feel as if he was missing out. Occasionally, the ranger would come across bones of animals and such, and more often than he would care to talk about, the skeleton of another human or at least, humanoid. These were occasions that Barden would try to forget almost as soon as he had encountered them. He did not like his mind to linger on his own inevitable fate, at least not while he was stuck in this place, regardless of how well he had been treated.

Suddenly, a noise, or more like a series of noises. The ranger could feel his ears physically perk, while of course, all Barden heard day in and out was noises, these were different. These were noises he had not heard in a year, something that Barden recalled as... Laughter! The ranger rushed forwards in the direction of the noise, it was as if the Drakenwald himself was leading him at this point. Within a matter of second, Barden found himself present at a tree line, ahead of him was a clearing and in the middle, a beautiful building like he remembered from his homeland. The laughter had come from two women, human or... elf? It didn't matter, these were people. Barden was free.

Placing an open palm on what he expected to be a gnarled trunk, like the rest in the Drakenwald, Barden found the bark to be like nothing he'd felt inside the damned forest. He turned his head to view the tree and what he saw next came as a shock. "It's alive." He whispered, and upon examining the clearing from his perch he saw that all the trees lining the clearing were the same, living. Leaves, swayed with the wind atop all the branches. The ranger looked to the ground, smiled and laughed, quietly, inaudible to anyone else in the clearing or the Inn itself. Pressing his forehead to the trunk, his boot resting on one of the roots, and an open palm now holding the bark, he sighed. "Thank-you." He whispered, before entering the clearing and walking towards the building that lay ahead of him.

People of all races in the clearing, albeit it was only two or three smiled at him, a welcoming smile as if they had some idea of what Barden had gone through. And, while no one said a word, Barden knew they did.

Upon reaching the door, the ranger sheathed his sword and wasted no time upon entering the building. To his delight, it turned out to be an Inn, the first thing that hit Barden was the sweet smell of ale and home-cooked meals wafting up his nostrils and through his body. Barden breathed it all in deep, his eyes wide open, taking everything in. He almost didn't notice a man welcoming him.

"Hello wanderer, welcome to my Inn, the Hallows Inn." The man examined his clothing, the ranger's clothes were a bit worse for wear. Mud-stained, and torn, crinkled and messy. The coat he wore atop of all else had stitches ripping along the underside of the lengths of the sleeve and at the shoulders too. While Barden had not noticed, the left sleeve of his coat was all but ready to fall off. "Rough few days?" The Innkeeper asked, a smile showing at the corners of his lips.

"Try a year..." Barden replied, nodding his head in unison with the Innkeeper.

"Well then..." He started, almost as if he was not surprised, "We'd best see what we can do for you... Follow me." The Innkeeper led the ranger only a few steps towards what must have been some sort of reception desk. It was beautiful, like everything else in the inn, running his hand along it, Barden noticed it was Oak, with a beautiful finish. "So, your room is on the third floor, the top floor that is, down at the end of the corridor, you have a corner room and can see most of the front of the clearing from where you are." The Innkeeper paused, "Not that you want to see much of the forest I imagine..." He joked. The ranger interrupted him,

"Hold on, Innkeeper, I have nothing to pay for this." Barden explained, holding his hands out as if to refuse the key that the Innkeeper was holding out towards the ranger. It was a normal key of a normal size, black in color, probably made of wrought iron, despite its size the key was very detailed and beautiful.

"Payment?" The Innkeeper laughed, "My boy, this is a place of refuge, take the room, before the next wanderer gets it."

While this all seemed a bit strange to Barden, he was not about to refuse the man's kindness and so took the key from the Innkeeper's hand. He turned, so dumbfounded, he forgot to thank the Innkeeper, and began to walk towards the stairs. "My name is Lazarus, just for future reference, not Innkeeper" Lazarus joked.

"Barden..." The ranger replied, in a sort of mutter, barely audible, but the Innkeeper caught it.

"Rest well, Barden."

Princess Arlia felt tears falling down her cheeks. She looked over at her sister, twin sister to be exact, though the world knew nothing about her. For years, Princess Arlia and Fiona were kept from each other, all because of the breeding violation their parents had committed. Each family from her kingdom were allowed one male and one female child. The King and Queen had to set an example and uphold this law.

The twins only knew about each other because one of the kitchen maids had told them the truth on her death bed. Princess Arlia's sister had always lived and worked within the castle. They looked exactly alike, except for their hair. Princess Arlia had red hair, and Fiona had blonde hair. It had always been a fantasy of theirs to switch places, though neither had been brave enough. Now just barely seventeen, Princess Arlia found herself in trouble. She was pregnant, though through no fault of her own. She had been mistreated by a male servant. No matter the reason, they were forbidden to carry a child before they were wed.

“If we don't switch now, you'll be punished,” Fiona said, fear making her normally soft voice, loud and agitated. “This is your chance to go beyond the walls.”

“I know, but it will be just as risky for me out there as it would be in here.”

A pregnant girl, alone in the world would be picked off quickly; Arlia had sense enough to know that. The world out there scared and excited her at the same time.

“I know, but there are steps to take. Mr. Wilber can forge the exact papers you need for a wedding certificate. If asked, all you've got to do is say your husband went missing after going on a hunting trip.” Fiona 's idea would keep her from being thrown into prison for breaking the forbidden taboo, but it would not save her from people and things that prey on the helpless.

With the help of the kitchen staff, and other people who worked in the castle, Fiona and Princess Arlia traded places. It challenged both of them; they had to learn each others way of living in less than a week. Princess Arlia also had to make a big show of coloring her hair to match Fiona 's so nobody would question the pretend princess's hair color whenever Arlia left the castle.

---

Her satchel backed with important belongings, including her fake marriage licensee, Arlia hid beneath a pile of palace trash as she left the castle walls for the first time in seventeen years. She didn't even care that the cart smuggling her smelled so horrible. It felt like a bittersweet escape.

For a while, she just wandered around the village, getting familiar with the various shops. She smiled when she found an inn. All her strength fled her body, whether from the thing inside her or from the excitement of the day, she did not know. Before going to the inn, Princess Arlia walked into the cover of woods. Magnificent trees surrounded the whole village. Trees so tall, it hurt her neck to look up at them.

She found the stream of water she had been looking for. It amazed her how the vary same stream had hidden with her behind the castle walls and now here it was, as free as she found herself. She set down next to the water. She had a lot of time to sit and think. Her name had to go. Fiona called her Lia, her shortened name, so from now on that would be who she was. Her fake marriage license even said so. "Lia Windthorn married to Nathaniel Finnegan." The dates and everything else were smudged. The fake license looked as if it had become wet quite a few times, though it had the seal that proved it was real, even if the seal itself was fake.

"I'm now Lia Windthorn Finnegan." Lia lay on her stomach and ducked her head in the water, washing out the dye she had used to fool her parents into thinking she and Fiona were the same person. Now Fiona with her natural blonde hair ruled as the princess and Lia with her natural red hair was just another homeless wanderer. At least with the trade there would not be a big commotion about there being a missing princess and who would really care about a missing kitchen maid? Lia stood and shook her hair until it stopped dripping. To anyone looking, she probably looked crazy. She did not care. Walking over to a tree, she leaned against it and breathed deeply.

The tree let out a grumbled yell that sounded like "Getoruffme," making Lia jump away. Her heart pounding, and cheeks flushed, she looked up at what now looked nothing like a real tree. Blossom petals burst into the air all around Lia and the tree and before she knew it the shape of a young, very beautiful girl was standing before her.

"I beg your pardon," Lia said, not knowing how else to handle this.

"I am a tree spirit. I live in the trees, young lady." The tree spirit glided around Lia, looking her up and down as if calculating if she was worthy to talk to. "Your people know me as Dryad."

Lia turned pale. She had heard stories about Dryads. Some were not so good. They were very protective of their forest and could be ruthless if needed. This one looked like a normal human being, except she was far too flawless.

"Why have you shown yourself to me?" Lia asked hesitantly.

"I sense life within you. I have to stay linked to life or my existence will be forfeit. I want to leave, explore the world. You will allow me to come with you. If you agree, I will protect you and the life inside you."

"I thought your kind had to stay connected to a tree, the forest in general?"

"That may be true, but I am not pure blooded." She grimaced. "Though I'm loathe to admit."

'Do I have a choice? She does not seem like she'll give me a choice and it would be nice to have a protector. I know nothing about the real world...' Lia bit down on her lower lip. "What can I call you?"

"Willow is the name humans may call me. I was born near a willow tree many, many years ago."

“I am A... Lia Finnegan.”

She nodded. “Then we are in agreement. You will let me go wherever you go?”

"Will I ever be allowed my pricacy and for how long will you want to "travel" with me?"

"I will give you your privacy as I understand the need, and I will travel with you bore me."

From that day on, the Dryad kept her word. She went with Lia, protecting her from bandits, keeping her out of harms way and just helping her survive. The human part of Willow was opening more and more as the days went on. They were getting tired of walking and just wanted a place where they could be welcome, where nobody felt any ill will toward Dryads, because it was very true that a lot of travelers had bad experiences with them in the past. Most of the time this had to do with when someone tried to harm their forest. It was only natural that the Dryads would react.

It was a month after she first met Willow that Lia stumbled upon such a place, or so she hoped. It looked like a little inn in the clearing of the forest they had been traveling in.

"I do not smell any danger in the air. We shall stop here, Princess."

"Don't call me that," Lia said, eying the clearing a little nervously. It was now or never. She looked over at Willow, who had tried to take on a more natural human shape, meaning she had made her flawless looks look a little less flawless.

"Adrian, you didn't hurt anyone, did you?"

No, I didn't hurt anyone, Mother.

"Are you lying to me, Adrian?"

No, Mother, I wouldn't lie to you.

At the time, North Vaces was nothing but rundown and dirty. How it could be considered a kingdom was the question many Vayers often contemplated. North Vaces was isolated due to the surrounding sinkholes and dangerous underground volcanoes, not to mention numerous thieves and murderers; it wasn't safe for children to wander too far from home. Adrian was a mere child then, not appearing any older than twelve elven years. Though he was warned about the bad state of the kingdom, he was bewildered by such a thing. It was his own kingdom, wasnt it? This world he was raised in. So why could he not explore? Why could he not play? His mother would always fret, saying how much she loved and cared about him, telling him to stay inside. She promised she would play with him as long as he stayed indoors, and she begged him to study instead of digging imaginary buried treasure. Adrian's childhood was starved due to the life he was born in, but as he stood there looking his mother in the eye, he wished he hadn't lied.

He wished that he'd known then his mother would fall ill, and that he'd confessed to the things he done. Still, telling the truth would have served to change nothing. Maybe it could have changed his fate--perhaps instead of an advisor to the king, he would be servant to a blacksmith, and perhaps instead of winning a successful negotiation with South Vaces, North Vaces could have been attacked, massacred. Perhaps, if he had told the truth about throwing the stone at the boy, his father would have stayed, and if his father had stayed, perhaps his mother would not have fallen ill. Could his father's abandoning have something to do with his mothers sickness, and was everything that was happening now simply some form of karma for that lie he had told so many years ago? Adrian was no longer the brutish half-breed, but a man of composure, and as he stepped through the unfamiliar forest, he reminisced these things to keep insanity from overcoming him.

It was dark, but somehow not just dark. It was a darkness Adrian felt he could trip and fall into, a darkness that would swallow him whole and leave him unknown and forgotten. Not only that, but he was being watched as well. His footsteps were slow and hesitant, and his pale fingers pushed away any twigs that could potentially smack him in the face. His dark clothing and long dark hair made him seem to almost blend into the darkness, and he frequently glanced down to make sure that this was real, that he still existed. Adrian had no idea how he'd woken up in this place. Had he been sleep walking? Was this a prank pulled by bandits? That wouldn't be a surprise, as many bandits had played tricks on him in the past out of revenge. Although, it had never reached this extent. Was it them watching him now? The creatures with the red eyes, surely they were of no danger? If so, they would have tried to harm him by now.

Keep thinking, he told himself. He had to think about something, anything. He couldn't let himself be afraid. The moon; that was something he could think about. He could think about how there was a moon, yet it was so dark. He could think about whom the identities of the creatures could be. Henry, who thieved many times but was never caught until just last year? He could be the mastermind behind all of this. He killed and raped young women, and was currently behind bars but it was possible for orders to be sent to others out of the dungeon. Of course they'd come after a man of justice such as Adrian himself. Low-life criminals never give up. He still had his spear, so that was good, though he'd hoped he'd never need to use it. What else was there to think of? He did not wish to reminisce any longer, for there were only bad memories, so he instead glanced at the moon once more. It was big, round, and beautiful, and he was heading straight towards it.

With rising hope, his pace began to pick up speed. Perhaps there was a way out of this place somewhere up ahead. The creatures did not seem to make any advance towards him, and this realization helped him to clear his head. His right hand kept a tight grip on his spear, and he pushed forward, stepping on unknown plants and strange bugs. As the distance between the spot he had woken up at and wherever he was heading towards grew, a faint light appeared ahead. Adrian sighed in relief, almost chuckling to himself. He did not know where the light led to, but he was grateful that he'd no longer be here.

★ ★ ★

Reaching the clearing, Adrian took a look around cautiously. There was but one building, and it appeared to be an inn or some other form of housing. Strange, what would an inn be doing here? It was no longer dark, and Adrian wondered if it had all been some kind of dream. He didn't remember waking up; he didn't even remember falling asleep. He headed toward the haven, picking a stray leaf out of his hair and tossing it to the ground, as his footsteps made hushed noises against the grass. Upon a closer inspection, the half-elf half-orc noticed that there were others already there. There seemed to be a young girl and another creature, and Adrian grimaced at the thought of having to speak with them. He had gotten used to only speaking with his king, so to talk to others he found would be a bit of a pain. Instead, he stopped in his tracks and waited, observing from afar. Perhaps someone would come out of the inn and provide some answers.

Escape

A shadow sped through the thicket, her breath coming out in haggard puffs. Beyond her, the screams and angry calls of other people sounded, growing more distant with each step she took. Around her the world flowed, but she couldn't see. No, she could only feel, smell, hear, taste. And right now, everything was a muddle of sweat, saliva, and fear, she was too distraught to 'see' in the way she normally did. The shadow was literally just running blindly into a sea of bramble, sticks and thorns cutting into her legs and clothes, but it failed to slow the frantic girl. Eventually, the screams were gone, replaced by the sound of rustling and crunching and a bubbling brook. The girl, Seda, stopped just before she slammed into another tree, hunched over to catch her breath, managing to stay standing by balancing on her walking stick. Around her the world slowed, became sounds and smells, and images flowed into her mind's eye. Though the image was blurry and some spots were missing it was still a start. She stood upon flattened grass, leaning against a peeling tree trunk (birch, perhaps?). It was cool, perhaps night had come? The smell of water, wet dirt, and animal droppings made the air dense. Seda slowly slid to the ground, sucking in a heavy breath, hands dragging over the mud thoughtfully.

Woods

Yes, the woods. The smell of bark and trapped water and animals was abundant. The noises, the wind, it was all so forest-like, somewhat familiar. She would live... Maybe. Her gray eyes stared blindly at the earth while her hands traveled back up the trunk, pulling her body back into a standing position, and her nose was upturned to the air. If this forest was so close to the town she had spent her previous night, she would still be able to smell the smoke. But... All she could smell was wet wood and dirt. The feeling of heaviness set into her chest and she slowly lifted up her hand to her long, silvery hair, curling the long mess into a crooked ponytail with a hand-made elastic. If... she could not find her way home how would she live? This forest was unexplored by her senses, and she already felt eyes on her back and the sirens of danger rang in her head. After her hair was neatly off her shoulders and her body stopped shaking she started wandering, clicking the floor before her with the pointed stick.

---

Had she been wandering for hours, days, months? It was hard to tell, the air never grew any warmer, and the sounds never grew livelier. The passing of days was uncertain. The woods felt heavy, silent, and eyes followed her wherever she went. At times she would feel hands touching her, pulling her, and at first she dispelled them as branches, but branches don't grip. Branches don't tug with the force of a giant. At times she would let them lead her, and she would either end up with her legs covered in thorns or maybe at the foot of a clean pond. They either helped or cursed her.

Some sort of Fae, perhaps, leading her astray, but what did it matter where they led her now? Seda was no fool, she knew when she was lost, when she was hopeless. These woods, they were confusing, they sent her in circles and sent her nightmares and she was scared but no, these woods would not win. One time, she had even exclaimed it, her hatred for the forest. After a short period of rest her patience had snapped and she was wailing, shouting obscene phrases at the air. The forest reacted with a crashing sound, and a roaring. Something was behind her, and it smelled of blood and death, and once her rage was replaced by fear the presence vanished.

And she was alone again.

---

"Kill me."

The phrase had been uttered after a month or so of restless sleep and barely any food. Seda had collapsed in a dry river bed, her hair curled around her face, filling her senses with a disgusting smell of sweat and mud. There was an aching in her head, and cuts covered her legs and arms from numerous encounters with thorns. In a moment of desperation she whispered the two words and awaited. There was a brisk wind, and a thin presence. Her ears picked up the sound of crunching wood and she smelled something sweet, like flowers. And then the person, or whatever it was, was gone. Seda lifted her head slowly and inhaled, and the scent of flowers filled her mind again, making her feel content. She slowly sat up, her hands drifted towards the smell and delicate circles toppled. Berries. Seda felt a smile part her dirtied face. She had managed to stay alive with water and edible tree bark, but here before her were berries, and they smelled familiar and nonlethal. With a silent thank you to the woods she ate until full and then slept for what felt like days.

---

On the day of her escape, she bathed.

Luckily, the water was clean, seeming to bubble up from an underground spring. It was frigid, but the heaviness of mud and sweat and blood on her body was making her sick and weak. And so, she stripped and slipped into the water, shivering for a moment before she ducked her head under. It wasn't deep, her chin just barely touched the water when she stood, so the fear of drowning faded as she floated and bathed. The heaviness faded as she scrubbed her shoulders and legs and arms and face with her knuckles. Thinking as she scrubbed, Seda realized she had no way of figuring out how long she had been lost. Months, most likely, a year maybe. Did they think she was dead? Those who cared to know (Those who wanted her for the money?)? Seda felt a sigh build in her throat and it escaped in bubbles, floating up to the surface of the water. She did as well, gasping in air.

'Well, time to go.'

In the next moment she was jumping towards her clothes, slipping them on with ease. Her hair clung to her face and shoulder damply, and to save herself from catching her death she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head. Her hair, turned gray by the wetness, hung tightly out either side of her hood, hiding her youth. She would appear to be an old woman from afar, her mind joked, painting an image of herself within her head. The face was blotted out, as usual, but the posture and the hair was all she needed to make herself see how sill she must appear. And then she walked, calm, at ease with everything. This day didn't seem bad.

No, it was in fact a great day, for she felt a breeze, unfamiliar, new. Different. A sudden swell of emotion, happiness or fear she did not know, but it was that swell that made her break into a run, until she felt her legs break through the thick bushes and into a flat land that smelled like fire.

People.

Seda felt a smile, and perhaps tears. Before her was civilization, something small but close. And she followed the smell of smoke, staggering almost, walking stick outstretched as she looked for the home. Her body was too tense and happy to see again, and her mind was almost begging for a person to find her and help her for once. There were presences, people, she could hear them in the silent clearing. One smelled rather strange, but no matter. They were people and they could probably see, and that was all that mattered.

"H-hello!" She called, voice tight, "C-could someone lead me inside?"

Llywelyn, son of Cadoc, student of Auredhel the Insightful, stumbled and fell to the ground. He cursed in the Elven tongue, after the fashion of his master, and struggled back to his feet. Leaning heavily on his staff, he plodded on through the darkness. He had fashioned it by his own hand, as all the Wizard's apprentices had. It was good sturdy oak, with magical jewels inlaid at the crux. He had enchanted it himself, too. It could cast balls of fire at an unsuspecting foeman- though of late Llyw found himself relying on it more and more simply to keep standing.

He was not sure how long he had been wandering the Drakenwald- the cursed forest! It must have been days, though, perhaps even a week. His rations, such as they were, had run quite low indeed. And sometimes he heard movement in the distance, some creature moving about the brush. They often drew very close to him. Why did they not simply eat him, and put an end to his misery? Did they so delight in tormenting him? But Llyw would not give them the satisfaction of panicking. A true wizard, his master had told him once, carried himself with dignity. He would die calmly on his feet, not fleeing for his life from some low beast. But no matter what ended him, he very much knew that he would never make it out of the forest alive. He was quite certain of that. A man of knowledge did not have the luxury of wishing away unpleasant thoughts.

As he crested a hill, he sighed audibly. Perhaps he had already died, but he had not yet come to accept it. He had heard that such sometimes happened, that those souls that do not believe themselves to have passed from the mortal plane must wander for a time before entering into Vanel's Divine Kingdom. It was certainly a possibility, if not a very happy one. But mayhap it was not so. Raising his weary eyes to the horizon, he spotted something in the distance. A farm in a clearing, perhaps. Or an inn- but why here, in the middle of nowhere?

Who cares? the apprentice thought, a new enthusiasm springing in his heart. Live or dead, there is the end of this nightmare!

Moving at a brisk trot, and oblivious now to the whole of his surroundings, Llywelyn made haste for the clearing. Once or twice he lost his footing and tumbled onto his hands and knees. Rising again each time, he continued his trek. Nothing could stop him now.

Shortly he found himself at the edge of the clearing, and he hazed with wonder at the sight before him. An inn, it was. But more importantly, there were people about. Throwing caution to the wind, he approached a man armed with a spear, who looked rather to him like a fellow human. He knew he must have made a pitiful sight- bleary-eyed, with several days of beard growth on his face, his clothes dirty and a little ragged. In spite of his condition, he spoke with friendly cordiality- as his master had taught all the students.

“Well met, friend, and hail!”

He paused, offering a slight bow.

“I am Llywelyn of Oaktower, apprenticed to Auredhel the Insightful. I feared, for a time, that I had died in the forest, but I can see it is not so that you are here!”

He paused again for a space, before going on with a thin smile.

“Unless you are a servant of the gods, come to consign me to my fate. In which case, I beg, lead on.”

There was nothing within Talon's knowledge that could make a unit of soldiers, even a small one, disappear without so much as a sound and that brought how truly little he knew into perspective. He had lived a sheltered city life and the world of magic was little else then rumor. He had always relied on the strength of his arm and his decisive actions in battle to overcome the obstacles that faced him. This....forest, this gnarled hell was a completely different level of obstacle all together and it struck the man in a way he could hardly defend against. He didn't run into a physical foe that he could test his mettle against. it chipped away at his core, denied him his peace and build within him a complete distrust of nearly everything around him.

Within the first few hours of stumbling through the forest he knew that he wouldn't last long. He had lost hit pack of rations almost immediately amongst the brambles and burrs then his helmet when he over the decaying corpse of someone far less lucky then he. By the end of the second day he was hungry, tired beyond his ability to cognitively understand, and bruised and/or cut on most every inch of skin on his body (some quite private). The situation was maddeningly beyond his grasp in every way… that is, everyway but one. There was something special about Talon’s resolve and, in the end, its what saved him in the Drakenwald. When his hunger made him dizzy with weakness, his will to live on kept his mind clear. When his body was weak with exhaustion, his drive kept him trudging forward and when the near constant ache of his body nauseated him with pain, sheer grit dulled his anguish and pushed him forward.

I’ll not fall…. God’s blackened body be damned….

His mind swarmed with such thoughts and he overcame each new obstacle with an inhuman perseverance.

His fourth day was his last, and thankfully so as his body was beginning to reject any attempt to progress forward that his indomitable will issued forth. During another wave of gut wrenching fear he had tripped, HARD, over a series of tree roots and hit the ground rolling head over feet. This had caused his bramble torn skin to pinch painfully beneath his chain shirt and he couldn’t help but cry out wearily in pain and one of his off balanced, wholly unplanned, tumbles had caused him to strike his head against the solid ground. Only, the ground wasn’t so solid and the feeling of terror…gone. In fact, when he stood up and blinked the tears from his eyes, he saw something very different then the natural hell he had bared witness to the past few days. He found himself in an opening in the forest, fresh with life and occupied by…well, lots of people or peopleoids. Some of the races that stood before him were well beyond his realm of knowledge and the more he thought of it the more he drew himself to a single conclusion.

He had died

For a moment, one fraction of a second, Talon despaired and it was greater then any such feeling that had been forced on him in the last four days, BUT when that feeling had escaped him all he could do is smile. There was nothing to worry about at the moment and now he could rest. AS the tension melted away from his body he took in his surroundings for the first time since landing in the clearing. He noticed that the… house? That made it’s home in the center of the opening had quite the gathering pooling outside of it; more then a handful of people actually. Obviously others waiting to be judged or guided or whatever might await them all. It wasn’t any of his business what future might await them and some of them might not even care to be bothered, having died and all. So he made his way to the building in which all of these new things seem to revolve. When he reached the door he set his longsword, point down, against the threshold and unsung the shield from his back. He was far too incoherent by this time to notice that he still hurt all over and what heaven would allow it's residents to hurt? After leaning the shield against the blade of his sword he pushed the door open and swung his right foot forward towards what ever the future might hold for him.

Every journey begins with intentionally disarming one’s self….

Or something like that.

When Talon came inside he was greeted by a warm smiling girl, her face being young and youthful while her body was curvaceous and well fed. "Welcome to the Hallow's Inn! My name is Rosalinda Montoya, I'm the maid here as well as the stable master! Over there you can sign in and get your room, no money needed, and then if you so desire I can get a nice warm bath ready in your room as well as a bar of soap and a comb! I can also get you some new clothes to wear since these ones are torn, but I can mend them too if you'd like! Please, I assure you there is nothing to fear here! Please, enjoy your stay!" Rosalinda said happily, going out to greet the new comers as she always did.

She looked at the crowd; One was a half breed, one was a human, there was a willow with the company of another human, and someone who she could not tell what she was, but either way the poor girl was blind. She let a grin come over her face as she walked down towards the new comers, her hips swaying side to side as she stopped when she was directly in front of them. "Hello new comers! My name is Rosalinda! I am the maid and stable master of this fine establishment called the Hallow's Inn and I shall be serving your needs today! When you go inside, there will be a front desk where my Boss and the Innkeeper Lazarus will assign you to your rooms! No money is required, this is a place of refugee for those who are stuck in this maddening forest!" She explained, her smile never fading as she looked over each of them.

"I will be attending to the needs that you have, which means I can do many things; I can draw you a nice warm bath, I can get you some soap and a comb, I can wash you like a little kid if you need me to, I can get you all new clothes, I can tend to your wounds if needed, and most importantly dinner will be ready....... Well, soon! Don't know when it'll be done since the cook is not me! But oh well! I'll be coming to each of your rooms individually and I'll do what I can to make your stay here as comfortable as possible! Please, enjoy your stay!" Rosalinda said before heading over to the blind girl, linking arms and smiling even more. "I'll help you inside! You don't need to worry about that! If you need help finding your way around, just call my name and I'll be there!" She told the girl happily, taking her inside and over to the beautifully made counter.

"Treat this one extra special Lazarus! She's been through way worse than I ever did!" Rosalinda said with a smile, heading to the back room where a large pot of water was boiling over a large fire. She bent over and put some logs in it to keep the fire going, searching the clothes they had for ones that fit their new customers with the estimations that she took just from observing them. She found clothes and placed them in each of their rooms before they got there, the clothes consisting of both ones for day and for night. She then walked out into the hall, seeing the halfbreed and smiling. "I hope the clothes are to your liking sir!" She said happily, the outfits in each room being made of a similar fabric to silk, but was softer and way cheaper than it. And each ones had intricate designs that were made out of beautiful embroidery thread, each stitch having been made by Rosalinda herself I'm her free time.

She walked through the hotel as if she were an angel compared to the rest if the people there, not just for her looks, but for the way she helped all the people as well. No matter what happened, she was always there for these people, and she did all she could to help them, no matter how exhausted she might be at the end of the day. She always had a smile on her face, and thanked god each day for blessing her with the life she had here. She was grateful for all Lazarus had offered her, and made sure there was a toast to his health at every meal. She was a good person, both on the outside and inside, and there was not a bad part in her body that would ever change her from the way she was now.

A tune of a piccolo carved from an old branch echoed through the forest as the person playing it made her way through. The pleasant tones continued for a while as they closed in on the clearing, until they died out in disbilief. Tala stood on the edge, staring at an old, but well maintained inn. The flute fell out of her hands as desperation slowly sunk in. She has been here before. Two days ago, she passed the inn and continued on, all the time thinking she was walking straight. She made a very big circle instead.

Before she entered, she didn't know the legends about Drachenwald. She went in, hoping to find the rare resources she would need to craft her guild's membership ring. The first day she only wondered how big the forest was. On the second day, she started to think the place was alive. The branches above her seemed to arch over and block the sunlight, and she could have sworn she saw the roots moving. On the third day, she came upon a warning. It was crudely engraved into a bark of a tree, and it warned of the forest catching you and never letting you go if you went too deep. In her folly, she dismissed it as superstition.

It was on the fourth day when she found a white skeleton that she realized her mistake. Something about the place was evil. Tala tried to go back the same way, but a rain washed away her tracks, and the forest was too disorienting. Still believing the place had to have an end somewhere, she picked a random direction and went on straight, stumbling upon the inn, but she never bothered going in as she thought she would be out of Drachenwald in no time.

Now she understood the curse of the place. She was here to stay. For how long she didn't know. Tala wanted to try and escape the curse, but the last two days took her through the deeper parts of the forest. Food was scarce and water was mostly poisonous, and she was too exhausted to continue. With a sigh of surrender, the girl picked up her flute and headed inside. "Hello?" she called, hoping the place was not a haunted, deserted house.

She sat upon a crude, roughly hewn throne made stone. The torchlight, what little there was, did little to illuminate the cavernous environs. The warm flickering orange light was solely for her benefit. Assa'Alliyeh was queen of the kobolds and a reluctant queen at that. She leaned back in her throne, grasping one ankle and drawing her barefoot beneath her and stared up into the shadow wrapped stalactites above while she contemplated her situation.

Assallya Kressair, as the humans called her, had been a prisoner of these small crimson lizards for nearly six months now. Her adventuring party had fallen prey to the small things. It was a trap and an ambush. Kobolds were infamous for their traps and they had followed the trap with an attack involving superior numbers and height advantage. Her group hadn't a chance. Only her sudden exclamation in draconic, what humans called the language of the great wyrms, stayed their tiny delicate claws. She was even able to communicate, after a fashion, with the small creatures whose native language was very similar and in short order she was made into their queen.

Unfortunately, she wasn't truly a queen. Orders involving setting her free, allowing her to walk outside the mines or anything similar were completely ignored by the kobolds. In truth, she was a glorified trophy and recently she discovered, nothing more than a sacrificial morsel for the dragon hatchling below. Apparently it was coming of age and they intended her as a gift to their patron winged god, Sparktooth. She wasn't sure how long that would be but she wanted to be free of this place before that particular event.
That was where Char came into play. Char was a rare black scaled kobold. He had been doting upon her. She was never alone. Either the chieftain, high priest or one of a few select warriors was always at her side, ensuring that her every desire was fulfilled and more importantly, that she did not escape. Char was one of her guards. She had charmed him when she first became prisoner, drawing him to her. The spell had long since worn off but the effects remained. He seemed particularly devoted.

Yes, Assallya thought to herself as she stroked her temples. This was one fine predicament. The kobold, Char, had said that all would be well but refused to elaborate. A fact which bothered her immensely. She needed to get out of here but she couldn't possibly defeat the scores of kobolds spread throughout this mine.

Adrian could not help but grin at the young man's strangely cheerful introduction. "I am not here to take your soul," he assured him, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. This man could not have been any older than twenty and one years, and he appeared to be human. It had been awhile since Adrian was approached willfully by a human being, as there weren't many in North Vaces, and the humans that were near did not dare to speak to him. There were many different reasons he had thought up that could explain such a thing, but he could never know the true reason. "I am Adrian Raven, personal advisor to the king of North Vaces," he spoke, removing his hand from the younger man's shoulder and crossing his arms. Adrian did not feel the need to mention his father, as his father was no longer a part of his life. "Though it may not be a pleasure to meet under these conditions," his sharp eyes glanced back at the treacherous forest, "I do say that it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Llywelyn of Oaktower." That having been said, Adrian bowed to him, though doing such would not be necessary in his own kingdom, considering Llywelyn his junior. Still, he did not know of Oaktower's customs and it would be best to treat others with respect at a time like this.

As he rose from the bow, he noticed the door to the inn open and a woman come out. She came as if expecting them, introducing herself as Rosalinda and mentioning a fellow named Lazarus, an innkeeper. So Adrian was right, this was a haven, but why there would be one here still puzzled him. Why would Lazarus--if Adrian had heard the name correctly--choose to hold an inn in such an unwelcoming area? He had to be either fool or genius. Or, Adrian considered, this could all be a trap. What puzzled him even more was this girl. Her face was familiar, and her name, awfully familiar. Her image tugged at the back of his mind, yet he could not bring the memory forth. He had seen her somewhere--no, he knew her, but who could she be? "Rosalinda," his lips mumbled, as his eyebrows drew together thoughtfully.

He watched the woman run about the inn with a strong gaze, not really listening to what she was saying, yet unable to remove his eyes from her. Who was she? Why did she seem so familiar? At this rate he'd earn himself a headache, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her. To distract himself, Adrian place his hand on to Llywelyn's shoulder once more, unknowingly gripping a bit tighter than what would be acceptable. He watched as she tended to the maiden that had called out earlier, whom seemed to be struggling with her ailment, and he grimaced at the thought of having to travel through the forest without his sight. He watched her leave and come back, and was caught off guard when she approached him. "I hope the clothes are to your liking sir!" she'd said, looking up at him with bright eyes and an innocent smile.

It struck him like a kick to the chest and he could've sworn he heard the sound of a flute as the realization came over him. He recognized her now, though she did not seem to recognize him, and as she left once more, an almost wicked grin crossed his face. Rosalinda Montoya, we meet here? What a pleasant coincidence. That smile hadn't changed, even after all of those years. He knew he must speak to her, but such a confrontation would have to wait until later. He'd have to become acquainted with the others beforehand.

"Llywelyn of Oaktower," Adrian called to the human. "While we wait for dinner, I beg of you conversation." As he turned to him, he realized the student's shoulder was still under his grasp, and he released him. "How does one such as yourself end up in such a place? Do tell, or I will be forever curious."

Rosalinda walked up to the two men, having just drawn there baths from the large pot on the fire. "Gentlemen, your baths are ready when you would like to take them. The soap and comb is on your dresser, and if you need help with your bath, tell me now or forever hold your peace! If you do not need help, I will be embroidering some fabric in the back room! And if you need me to tend to your wounds, I will only do so after you take a bath! Sorry, but that's my rule!" She said with a smile, seeing a couple of men arguing outside which she knew they never seemed to see eye to eye.

She walked outside, her facial expression being one of anger as she shouted, "Oy! Enough of the squabbling! We got the ladies inside playing cards and they don't want to hear you yelling about your gosh darn problems! Now if I have to separate you two, I will! Don't think I won't you two! Now shut your mouths and get along with each other!" She walked back in side, smiling again at the two men she had been talking to before. "So, what can I do for you two? Oh wait! I don't even know your names! So sorry! It's been a long day for me and my minds a bit weary! You see we have more and more people coming in each day, so that means I have more beds to make, people to take care of, and some people need their clothes mended for them! Plus they got me tending to the horses, lovely creatures they are, but I wouldn't go in there if I were you! They got a bit of a temper to the new comers who they don't know!" She explained, barely stopping to take a breath throughout her whole entire basic summary of her chores although there were much more than those ones.

"I'm not complaining though, I love it here! But enough about me! Please, what can I do for you? Wait, but first I want to know your names! Then tell me what you want!" She said, being hyper since she had had a little too much sugar in her oatmeal that day. And only god knew just how hyper she got when she ate cook's famous cookies........ Lazarus had to make her pass out and take her to her room just because she was so hyper! When she had sugar though she was like a cleaning machine, so that's why she only put a little sugar in her oatmeal instead of a lot. She smiled and waited for them to speak, but her smile faded when she heard Adrian's name.

"No....... No, you shouldn't be here........ How did you get here....... You should be back with your mother and father!" She said, starting to panic as she remembered the incident that happened just before she had found herself in the forest. "Excuse me." She murmured, rushing towards the stairs and practically running up them. She continued to run down the hall, getting to the other staircase and rushing up it. Once she got to the second floor she rushed to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her but forgetting to lock it. She curled up on her bed and began to cry, the memory of that cursed day rushing through her mind at the speed of light.

________________ Five years ago _________________

"So this is the lovely girl Adrian told us to roughen up a little........" The lead boy in the bandit gang had said, backing Rosalinda up into a corner and curling a strand of her hair in his finger. "Stay away from me! Adrian would never do such a thing!" She had said, pushing the boy back but that only made the three boys madder. "Oh yeah?! Then why did he send us this note with fifty gold coins?!" The second boy said, pulling out a piece of paper that had Adrian's hand writing on it as well as the fifty gold coins. "No! No he would never do that! He wouldn't!" She had yelled, the third boy grabbing her by the throat and starting to strangle her. "He said to give you this from himself!" He told her before her eyes rolled back into her head, her curvaceous yet somewhat dirty body falling against the boys.

"Let's take her to the forest, before anyone sees!" The lead boy said, the two others picking up her body before the boy raised his hand for them to stop. "Before we do that....... Let's roughen her up some more!" He said, the boys dropping her and starting to kick her limp defenseless body. Then they dragged her deep into the forest, letting the rocks sticking up out of the ground rip and tare her dress while bruising and cutting her skin. They left her there to die, but later on Rosalinda woke up with a pounding headache from the lack of blood she had. She wandered around for a couple of days before stumbling onto the clearing, Lazarus helping her inside to a nice warm bath.

He cleaned her up and tended to her wounds, letting her rest and heal up before giving her a job, food, water, and clothing. And she had lived there ever since, enjoying her time there very much.

___________ Present time ____________

Rosalinda sat up when she heard someone knock on her door, tucking her hair behind her long ears before she pulled in a long breath. "Come in." She said just loud enough for them to hear, her lip quivering a bit as she rested her head in her hands and starting to cry again. She had trusted Adrian........ And he had treated her like a lower life form that had no reason to live at all. But now he was here, with her again, and she was so afraid now that her body shook with every sob that she let out. She heard the door open and close, letting her eyes look through her hands at the person who had entered her room.

Someone had heeded her call, and she listened with slight disinterest as someone welcomed the group to the 'Hallows Inn'. An inn, huh? Seda turned her head side to side, listening for the clopping of horse shoes or the sound of store bells or even a large sound of chit chat in the distance, but there was none. This was just a large, open area holding an inn. It seemed somewhat... Odd. The murmurs died as the girl continued on, giving instructions and reassuring everyone that they would be well taken care of. What a sweet voice, Seda thought thickly, perhaps it was an act. No one could be THIS nice. It was hard to tell, however, and honestly Seda didn't care to find out. Eventually, Rosalinda, the girl, was silent once again, and Seda shifted from one foot to the other as she felt eyes and a presence slowly come towards her. She blanked her face and straightened slightly, trying to seem as blind as ever. An arm linked with her's and she felt a slight tug as the girl dragged her forward.

"I'll help you inside! You don't need to worry about that! If you need help finding your way around, just call my name and I'll be there!"

... How queer. This woman seemed overly kind, but at the same time it didn't feel like an act. Perhaps mother was wrong, perhaps there were decent people on this earth. A soft smile parted her lips but was then gone, replaced by an emotionless look. Underfoot, grass was squished, and her boots which were still wet and muddy from her journey in the 'maddening forest' squelched loudly. Beside her was a warm person, someone soft and gentle. The arm linked with her's was firm but easy to cling to, and Seda whispered a small 'thank you' as they quickly approached the strong smelling Inn.

The smell of smoke was soon overbearing, and then she heard a creak and then warmth cloaked her. Was she finally inside, under a roof? After all those hours, days, or months of living in the wilderness. Rosalinda pulled her across the wooden floor which clopped with a comfortable firmness beneath Seda's feet until they stopped in front of what felt to be a counter. People surrounded her, but none seemed to recognize her as a thief just yet. Probably thanks to the hood. Seda slowly felt the arm retract from her side and Rosalinda spoke quickly to the presence, a man perhaps, behind the counter before vanishing all together. Sudden consciousness on how she appeared gnawed at her head and she straightened, pulling the cloak around her tattered-feeling and muddy clothes. She pulled down the hood slowly, nervously, and allowed her semi-dry hair to nearly shield her face instead. Her hands slowly reached up to grip the head of her walking cane, eyes staring just above the head of the Innkeeper named Lazarus.

"No need to worry too much..." she spoke with a tight voice, gray eyes boring into the wall behind the man, "If you could just lead me to my room, I'll be set."

Barden stood by the only window in his room, it was tall but not much wider than him. The innkeeper, Lazarus, had not lied about the view from his room, the ranger had a good view of most of the clearing, at least what was in front of the inn. He had been watching for the last while as a group of newcomers emerged from the tree-line into the clearing, much like himself. It was strange, but Barden passed it off as a plan of the Drakenwald, having grown to learn that this place was if anything, unpredictable. Turning, taking the time to examine his room (after some much needed rest), Barden could not help but notice that it was more spacious than the exterior of the building would give away. It was by no means large but rather a moderate size. As the ranger was on the top floor and in one of the corner rooms of the inn, the ceiling got narrower as you followed it up until it met at a point. Wooden beams, painted a dark brown ran along the length and breadth at the widest point of the ceiling. Barden could only imagine that the rooms on the other two floors would at least seem a lot larger than this one due to the cube like shape as compared to the prism type ceiling in his room.

The bed frame was made of a dark oak and was beautifully crafted. Decorative carvings gave the bed an almost Elvish appearance and Barden could only wonder whether this was a personal choice of the innkeeper Lazarus or just what had been at hand for furnishing the room. The sheets and covers on the bed had been prepared beautifully when Barden had first entered the room, but were now a bunched mess. The ranger sighed and remade the bed, nowhere near as perfectly as it had been when he arrived, but it would suffice. His bag, bow and sword were all propped by the far side of the bedside table and his torn overcoat was strewn over the bed. Barden wondered about inquiring on getting this repaired, but knew enough had already been done for him with free refuge, what else could he possibly ask for?

Clothed in everything except the coat, Barden tugged at his Jerkin, making sure that it wasn't awkwardly worn over the fine linen shirt he had underneath. I suppose I should introduce myself to the others... he thought to himself as he exited his room and made his way across the hallway and down the stairs.

Upon reaching the ground floor, the ranger already noticed a few new faces, and the same faces that had been there when he had first arrived. He raised an eyebrow as he looked around what could only be described as the lobby of the inn, he wondered just how many rooms this place had. Leaving the inn through the same door he had entered, he found himself still getting used to the feeling of sunlight off his skin, especially after a year of being a "prisoner" of the forest. He spotted the new group of wanderers that he had seen from his bedroom window and cautiously but surely approached them.

His clothing and boots still as wet and dirty as they had been when he arrived, Barden imagined that he must have looked a mess. However, appearance was not of much importance to him. He ran a cupped palm along his chin, fingering at his short beard, awaiting someone to strike conversation.

"Why can't you stay in one form or the other?" Lia asked Willow, whispering as quietly as she could. She did not want to embarrass the half-Dryad, though she did not think the tree spirit could be embarrassed. At least, for as long as she had known her, Willow always put off an odd, standoffish attitude, as if nothing around her bothered her at all. Deep down, Lia knew this could not possibly be true. Willow was just as much human on the inside as she was Dryad on the outside. At the moment, the tree spirit kept changing into her green, moss, leaf and twig like Dryad form, and with a burst of pink blossoms, she would turn back into her too pretty human form, though the pointed ears made her look more like an elf.

"I'm at a loss," Willow answered, her voice cold and seeming void of emotion to someone who did not know her. "I'm conflicted on the inside." Part of her wanted to rush in and experience everything that had to do with civilization and human kind, and the other part of her wanted to go back to her woods and hide inside her favorite tree. Sure, she wasn't magically linked to the tree like her poor mother, but even half-dryads had a favorite tree.

Lia put a hand on Willow's ever changing arm. "Just relax and be yourself. I dare say there are some odd fellows here already."

Willow finally settled on a mixture of human and dryad features. It was really fascinating to Lia how she could take on most any form that had to do with nature. Oddly enough, her favorite form for sleeping when not in her tree, was that of a feline house cat. She had once changed into some form of a beast that Lia had never seen before and scared off a group of bandits that had been trying to rob them, and only the sky's above knew what else. Lia shivered at the memory.

"You don't stand out at all now," Lia told her with a teasing smile; she was growing ever fond of the tree spirit. At the moment, Willow had chosen to stick with her human skin tone of pale white, pointy elf-like ears, though she kept her hair green and leaf like; there even seemed to be small twigs poking out in every which direction.

At this moment, Lia felt a deep pain lace through her lower stomach. She winced and doubled over, holding her stomach where her child grew. It was a pain that she had come used to. She did not know why she had to have such pain, but Willow had assured her that the life inside her was safe, though she did not elaborate if Lia herself would be safe in the end.

The hand Willow put on her shoulder to keep her from falling over was warm and caring, very different from the cold persona Willow displayed.

"Deep breaths," Willow whispered, her words like the wind fluttering against Lia's cheek.

“Ah, the pleasure is mine, of course.”

Llywelyn had heard of North Vaces before, but knew little about it. He was fairly certain it was a human kingdom, but not much else came to mind. He was not even quite sure where it was, but reasoned that, if this gentleman had found himself lost in the same forest as himself, that it must not be terribly far away from Oaktower. There was no doubt it his mind that Adrian had, in fact, been lost. The furtive glance toward the trees made that quite clear. The Apprentice gave the Drakenwald another brief look himself, as though to be certain no fell beasts were about to emerge thence. He saw no beasts, but he did spy more wanderers coming into the clearing.

“What a curious place this is...” he muttered, more to himself than to anyone else. “that so many strangers should find themselves here, at an inn, in the middle of the Drakenwald. Curious.”

Drawn from his observations, he turned to see a rather striking young elf maiden. She was speaking to him, Adrian, and a few other travelers with whom he was not yet acquainted, and went on to explain this most unusual place in which they all now found themselves. Llyw had hardly heard a word she said. He had seen lovely women before, time and again- Auredhel's daughters in particular were all rather pretty, but the Wizard discouraged his students from talking to them. This Rosalinda, however, was positively enchanting- and who would know better than an enchanter, after all? In reply to her offers of hospitality, all he could muster was some muttering about how he would prefer to bathe after dinner.

As she turned to lead a woman inside, Llyw felt Adrian's grip on his shoulder tighten. Wincing a little, he held his tongue. It did not seem to be intentional, after all. After a moment Rosalinda returned, bearing fresh clothes. And then she waltzed off again. She certainly seemed to have quite a bit of energy, if nothing else. Adrian, thankfully, released his hold on Llyw's shoulder, and asked him how he managed to find himself in the middle of a gods-forsaken forest. It was really a very good question.

“I would be most pleased to join you, of course, Adrian Raven of North Vaces.” he began, brushing the hair from his eyes. “And, as to my presence- I daresay it is not much of a tale. I was actually gathering alchemical ingredients for my master- mushrooms and berries, mostly- when I became ensnared by this deviled wood. I will have to make another attempt to contact him tomorrow, after I have had a chance to rest and prepare a spell. I imagine he must be rather concerned as to my whereabouts, by now.”

“Oh,” he added, as an afterthought, “you may call my Llyw, if you should like. It comes off as a little less formal I think...”

Ah, but the lovely Rosalinda was speaking to them yet again, asking for their names. The Apprentice favored her with a smile as he stepped forward, bowing with a little more flourish than before.

“I am Llywelyn of Oaktower, son of Cadoc, and apprentice to the Wizard Auredhel, called the Insightful. I am most delighted to make your acquaintance, dear lady.”

He stepped back again, allowing Adrian to introduce himself. Curiously, the young elf seemed to know him. Even curiouser was her panicked dash away from them. An intelligent man of letters, and moreover one who fancied himself a wit, Llywelyn had much to say about that strange reaction.

“Oh, my...” he said.

Bushes rustled and dry branches cracked as an aged figure made its way through the forest, a continuing stream of curses streaming from it. Upon closer inspection, one would find a man, kicking and showing through the forest, leaning on a wooden staff. Never had he experienced such a cursed place! Each tree like the next, with no markers to follow, only the same canopy, the same trunks and the same flora all around him. There had to be a way out of this damnable forest. Why had he chosen to enter this again? Ah, yes, the hope of finding elves. He had heard they were kinder than humans. So far the closest thing to an elf he had encountered, was a particularly pointy eared mouse, which he promptly immobilized and cooked. What little sustenance it had offered would at least keep him alive.

The forest grew still. That was new. The sorcerer looked around him, his eyes narrowed to catch any intruder in this serene, albeit dreadfully massive, place. Something moved at the corner of his eye. He turned and raised his staff, feeling the usual calm before a fight. But something was amiss. Fire rolled up his staff, lightning the gemstone it held; it usually kept critters of all sizes away.
Not this one.
Moments before the thing charged, he turned and ran. Anything not afraid of fire and the power of a sorcerer should not be challenged. He ran as fast as his weakened body would allow him, crashing through bushes and past trees.

Light. Glorious daylight. His run slowed to a brisk walk, his lungs working like bellows to keep him afoot. Was that an inn? He had seen one, many years ago. An inn meant people. People meant he had to watch his moves very carefully. Draften put his staff to the ground and assumed a slow walk, more suited for the age he appeared. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, from both the run and the sting of fear he felt. There was another sting as well, he only just noticed it. Looking down his right side, he found a red patch slowly spreading.

"Blasted forest!" he exclaimed, now feeling the pain of whatever branch or thorn had cut him. It had cut deep. With firm, albeit weakened steps, he made his way to the door of the establishment and shoved it open.

"Help for a wounded elder?" he called. Then he looked up and was taken aback by the number of people in here. And what a strange collection they were. He blinked. Was his vision fading? Glancing down at his side, he noticed that the patch had grown larger. "Blasted forest..." he muttered to himself. This would be an adventure for sure, if he managed to not bleed to death here on the front steps.

Assallya sat in her throne, admiring the new jewelry she'd acquired. One good thing about being kidnapped by a bunch of kobold miners was their gifts of precious stones. Since many of them were finished works she tried not to think about where the kobolds might have gotten them. Kobolds might have been good miners but she doubted they were great craftsmen or adept at creating rings, necklaces and other pieces.

She was still contemplating the possibility of the jewelry belonging to unfortunate adventurers when two burning crimson lights appeared in the shadows between the columns at just above floor level. Slowly the miniature orbs rose up from near the floor and came closer.

"Char here. Char take you," the kobold stated, seemingly just unfolding himself from the shadows and almost scaring Assallya out of her wits.

The kobold's burning eyes faded as he stepped into the light. He was a small thing, he had been crawling on all his limbs earlier but now that he had straightened he scarcely came up to her waist at his full height. His scales were a mottled black that blended easily into the darkness. He wore no clothing, kobolds did not bother with such things. He did, however, possess several satchels hanging from his small frame.

"Must go now," Char reiterated.

The elven sorceress took the proferred scaly hand in her own, which was surprisingly small considering her own slender figure and thin fingers. She allowed him to pull her away from the throne and down several dark corridors where she was blind. Kobolds could see in the dark in a manner that elves could not. She was led through a winding maze, told to step over several tripwires and avoid certain flagstones. What they involved she could not discern in the pitch black but she was certain they would be rather lethal.
Behind her Assallya could hear short shrill cries. The kobolds had noticed her absence. The keening that followed made it clear that they were upset. It reverberated down the passages, carried through the tunnels like wind down a flute. They'd begun to hunt her, didn't want their sacrificial queen to escape.

"Hold," she said in Yip-Yap, the language of the kobolds with some awkwardness, "Stop for soon moment."

Looking back in the direction they came she began an incantation. Her arms spun through the air and her fingers twisted as they trailed through the darkness. It was a simple spell, one of illusion. It wouldn't be perfect since she was making it blind, but she could make a reasonable image of a cave in. She just hoped they wouldn't look too closely for the debris would likely not line up with the walls.

Turning and groping blindly, Assallya felt Char grasp her hand and once more lead her towards the surface. While being led, she considered her next step. A sleep spell would claim many of the kobolds pursuing them. Best of all, it was not a spell that required accuracy. She merely chose a point and anything within ten strides would feel its effects.
Finally, after what must have been a full turning of the glass, Assallya caught sight of a sliver of light. Char drew her towards it and it bloomed, resolving it into an aperture. It surely must be leading outside. To Assallya who had not seen sunlight in six months it was a magical gateway to another realm.

Squinting against the light, blinking rapidly as pupils clenched themselves shut, Assallya stepped out into the world once more. Given her reaction she'd expected a broad swathe of sky and a burning sun overhead. She was instead shocked to find the sky obscured by a forest canopy. Her eyes were simply not used to the upper world and the overcast day seemed entirely too brilliant. Char seemed to be fairing no better. Kobolds, spending the entirety of their lives mining only rarley ventured out of their tunnels and usually, only at night. Char was currently peaking out between two claws.

"Others, hard time to follow," he assured her as their roles reversed, "No can see."

"Do no worry Char. I have you."

The elven sorceress began walking, leading her small kobold companion away from the mine entrance. In short order she left the cracked, dry earth and stepped onto grass. She wasn't an outdoors elf and in truth, absolutely hated woodlands, and all things of nature. Still, at this moment, she relished the sound of birds, of wind rustling through branches, of the grass caressing her bare soles as she made her way into the wood.

"Go right, follow path." Char offered, waving his other hand before him like a blind man hoping to avoid colliding with a tree.

Complying, Assallya led him a hundred paces down the rough track and then gasped in surprise as the straight lines of a wooden structure came into view. It was gaily coloured, in crimsons, blues and reds with gold filigree as accents.

"My wagon!"

Assallya had never thought to see her vardo again. It was her home. The only true home she'd ever known. Everything she owned was inside or stored upon the roof. When she'd been captured by the kobolds she'd suspected that they'd have stripped it for firewood and looted it for metals. This did, at least, explain how the kobolds had supplied her with her cosmetics, towels and other requests.

She was about to grasp the brass pole affixed to the side and clamor up into the wagon's driving bench when she caught sight of the things harnessed to the front of her wagon. She had no idea what they were but they weren't horses. If anything they looked like giant ferret. She knew ferrets. A bard back in Baldur's Gate had a pair as pets. Whatever they were, the white throated rodents were decidedly large, three strides long and as tall as the kobold at her side.

"What happened to my horse?"

"Kobolds no like horses. Eat horse." he informed her and then told her that these creatures were better. He used a name to describe the creature, but Assallya had no idea what that word translated into.

"You ate Horatio?"

"What is hor-ate-yo?"

"I liked that horse."

"Must go."

"Right," Assallya agreed as she scrambled up the pole and then helped Char do the same before handing him the reins to the pair of dire weasels, "I no smarts how to control these things."

"Do not worry. Me know."

Char snapped the reins and said something in kobold that perked up the napping weasels, and then another to get them moving. Together the two dire weasels pulled the wagon forwards and Assallya gently helped Char direct them by pulling upon one side of the reigns and ensuring that the weasels got onto the forest path since Char could barely see ten hands in front of his face. They had to make significant distance before dark because the Kobolds would likely follow.

Adrian listened to Llywelyn's tale closely, though it wasn't much of a surprise. He had gotten lost in the forest, similar to Adrian himself. Had everyone here become lost as well? Did Rosalinda endure the same terrors? It seemed as if she worked here, so she must have been here for awhile. Adrian was curious to know how she found herself here aswell. At the young wizard's request to address him as "Llyw", Adrian smiled and nodded. 'Llywelyn of Oaktower' was a mouthful, so such a nickname was welcomed. Thinking about it now, Adrian found he was quite familiar with this wizard, as the previous advisor had written a book on wizards and their teachings. In his free time, Adrian would go through the former advisor's things and learn what he had learned, and he remembered seeing Auredhel's name many times throughtout the book. He made note to visit the wizard after he returned to his kingdom.

Once Llyw had finished speaking, Rosalinda approached them once again. Adrian watched with amusement as she went off on a banter. She spoke a mile a minute, and it was foolish to even attempt to comprehend what she was saying. She suggested a bath, and the image of a tub full of bubbling, steamy water caused Adrian to fill an instant yearning to wash up and relax. Rosalinda left to shout at some men, but returned to ask for their names. It was clear to him that she didn't recognize him now, and he felt a bit insulted by it. The half-breed stood tall as he watched Llyw bow and introduce himself almost gracefully, having no intention to introduce himself to her. She should already know who he was, and if she expected an introduction, then he'd stand here and wait for her to remember. Still, perhaps a hint would help her. "Adrian Raven," the half-breed spoke in a low voice, his sharp eyes observing her face for any recollection.

It didn't take as long as he thought it would, though her face at the realization shocked him. She stared up at him with wide eyes, obviously shaken, as if she had seen a ghost. She spoke something that could have been the mumblings of a mad man, and Adrian stared back at her with confusion, almost suspicion. For what reason was she afraid of him? What had he done to make her this way? His mouth opened and closed as she left, wishing to say something, but not knowing what he could say. It was possible that anything he would say would only serve to frighten her more, and whatever had frightened her, he'd wish to speak about without the company of the others.

“Oh, my...” he heard Llyw say after she had gone. Adrian wished he could offer some form of explanation, but he was bewildered himself.

"I should check to make sure the maiden is not ill," he mumbled to himself, looking off into the direction she had gone. Two men entered the scene, and one was clearly badly hurt. As he watched the newcomer drip blood, there was slight movement in the corner of his eye, and he turned. The girl, the one with the shape-shifting companion, was bent over, holding her stomach. Her pained expression revealed something Adrian hadn't noticed when he arrived. She was pregnant. "Llyw," he said to the apprentice, "let us finish our conversation later, shall we?"

With quick steps, he appeared next to the blind girl at the desk. He glanced at her unseeing eyes in a moment of curiosity, then turned to the innkeeper."Lazarus, is it?" Adrian asked. "There's many here that need to be attended to, and I'm sure you have a mage or one of other profession that could be of assistance." As he said this, he glanced back at the pregnant woman. "Do fetch someone quickly. I also beg for a moment of your time to speak with you later, as I have some questions that must be answered." With that, he turned from the innkeeper and headed off into the direction he had seen Rosalinda retreat.

★ ★ ★

After knocking on most of the doors in the hallway, many of which were empty, Adrian finally came upon her door. The soft sound of her voice was rewarding, and he sighed as he turned the knob and entered. "Rosalinda," he whispered as he observed her sobs. "I'm aware there must be some reason for this, but I need say that there's some misunderstanding." He stopped and it grew quiet, and he went to sit beside her. Though the man in him wished to wipe away her tears, he could not bring himself to do so. They were no longer as close as they once were. "The king said that you eloped when I asked him of your location. I'm as shocked to see you here as you are of me." He informed her. "Did we not depart on good terms? Were not there smiles upon our faces the last moment we saw eachother?"

Rosalinda was a bit shocked to see it was Adrian who appeared in her room, but when he sat down and asked her if they had not parted on good terms, she turned her body away and her eyes fell to her bed. "You don't remember what you did? I didn't elope Adrian........ You sent those three bandits after me with fifty gold coins and a note that asked for my death. I still have it........ The bandits placed it with my body since they thought I had parted from this world. They strangled me senseless, beat me while I was unconscious, then dragged my body over wickedly sharp jagged stones and left me in this forest to die! And it was all because of you!" She yelled angrily, turning sharply and slapping him hard across the face to the extent of where she left a lovely red handprint on his right cheek.

Tears streamed down her face as she looked at him, rage burning in her eyes as she took out the note from her pocket and threw it at him. "What did I ever do to you!? What did I do to deserve such an unwelcome goodbye!? I....... I....... I lov-cared for you! And yet all you did was cause me pain! My family is probably dead because I was there only way to get money and to eat! My mother was pregnant with my sixth brother or sister you sick bastard! And yet they probably died of lack of malnourishment! I hope you enjoy your stay here! But unless you can prove your innocence, don't come near me ever again! I will bring you what you need, but you better not be in the room when I get there and have someone else ask me, or else your a dead man Adrain! A dead man walking!" She yelled, storming out of her room and slamming the door behind her.

She quickly rushed down the stairs, one of her close friends seeing her tears with her reddened hand and knew exactly what had happened. They both exchanged glances, Rosalinda heading into the break room while her friend, Cook, decided to speak to this man who had upset her so much. She walked up the stairs to Rosalinda's room, opening the door and finding Adrian luckily still there. She sighed, walking over to the boy and sitting her plump body down beside him. "Boy........ You really fucked up, didn't you? I haven't seen Rosalinda this upset since she first came here. Poor girl had been lost in the woods for days, and no one knows how she survived such amount of blood loss. Larzarus took care of her physically, but time hasn't healed her broken heart......... She must've really cared about you....... She never gets that upset for anyone........ I'm going to go talk to her, see what I can do to help you Adrian....... But you better find a way to amend this thing with her......... The last guy who got on her really bad side ended up being found by Lazarus in his bed, his throat slit with what seemed to be a knife. They have yet to prove it was her, but I know it was her. So you better do something boy. I'd hate to see that pretty face go to waste." She told him, closing the door gently behind her before heading down the stairs.

She found Rosalinda in the back room, pricking herself with her large embroidery needle. Cook quickly pulled it away, Rosalinda pouting and starting to cry again. "Oh dear....... He really did a number on you, didn't he?" Cook asked her, Rosalinda crying even harder than before. "He was my best friend....... I cared for him when he got this rare illness when nobody would go near him....... I helped his mother while he was training to become the kings advisor........ I........ I loved him! And he spat on me like I was nothing! And yet....... I feel heartache like I still care for him....... Why?" Rosalinda asked Cook, the woman rubbing her back while she held Rosalinda close as if she were still the 15 year old girl who had first come here.

"Darling........ I don't know why....... But you might not be over him........" Cook said, Rosalinda looking into her eyes which held a despair that no one should ever know. "Here's what I'll do. I'll save some dinner, and once everyone has sat down to dinner, I'll bring up a nice big bowl of stew for you...... And I'll sneak up an extra loaf of bread and some ale to help the pain go away....... Just stop crying...... Okay?" Cook asked, Rosalinda smiling and hugging Cook. "You did always know how to make me better through food!" Rosalinda said with a laugh, standing up before heading outside. She gave Adrian an angry look as he passed by her on the stairs, turning up her nose and walking away.

Cook gave him a look that meant she had tried, motioning for him to come close to talk to her. Once he was beside her she moved her mouth near his ear and whispered, "I promised Rosalinda that after everyone had sat down and started to eat that I'd bring her up some food and ale. If you can think of a way to end this never ending argument, I'll let you being her up everything. You'll have to get her to drink the ale though, she's usually calmer once she drinks it. After that, that'll be your chance to mend things. Good luck!" Cook then headed towards the kitchen, swearing she smelt burning bread.

Talon had barely a moment to take in the inviting ambiance of the inn before he was greeted by quite the bubbly personality. The woman introduced herself as a “Rosalinda Montoya” and offered him a room with several amenities he hadn’t had in nearly a week. Before he could thank her, from the pit of his soil, she hurried off; presumably to take care of the other arrivals. Something about everything he had found in the past few minutes shook his belief that he had died but what else could have happened? One second he’s running for his life through the devil’s forest and the next he’s in the company of a group of strangers, some of which were races that he had never even heard of. Besides, who builds an inn in the center of such a place?

That had to be bad for business.

Either way, he wasn’t in any kind of state to question what had happen without a belly full of food and four nights worth of sleep, so he simply shrugged it of and headed further into the inn. It was when he found a seat at a corner table and sat down that he was convinced he hadn’t died. Sitting on the chair had caused bright prickling pain to bloom through all of the skin he had laid to rest.

Dead men knew no physical anguish

And I’m no dead man…

It relieved him, more then he thought it would and his same satisfied smile muscled it’s way past the grit in his teeth. He still had his chance to be of use to this world, where ever he may be, and if there weren’t any people that needed him more then this group that had been lost to the woods; not that he knew of anyways. Right now he could lend his arm to make sure these people, and people like entities, ,make it back to their families and loved ones. That was his new plan, rest up, fill up and arm up in the hopes that he can save these poor souls that had found their lives path’s overlapping in the same sad state his was now.

But! He wasn’t in any kind of way that could help anyone, even himself, and if what the girl was said was right then this was the place to recuperate before having to trek back through that gods dammed woods.Once sat down he found himself too exhausted to even try to get anyone’s attention and decided it best if he just wait to be helped. Many people bustled about the place but no one had talked to him, other then Miss Rosalinda, and he'd rather keep quiet then improperly address someone.

The first person to bring me anything resembling food or drink will have my eternal gratitude….

A dedicated thought and one of his last before he began to doze off in his chair, aided by the warm embrace of the mis-found haven.