Balthazar — Roleplayer Guild

"Alright come with us" Ada offered her hand for the girl and pulled her up onto the seat and sat her down. Ada sat between the girl - Kirin - and Fritz and clicked for Willow to walk on. She mentally made a point to get rid of everything but the essentials in her wagon. It was getting cluttered and she was concerned about Willow's health if he continued to pull such a heavy load for so many hours. At least they were closer to Haneul, Ada considered purchasing another horse to help bear the load. Thinking of the cost of purchase and feeding, and extra time it would take to care for the additional creature she pushed the thought to the back of her mind. Fritz and the girl made pep talk while Ada watched Willow trudge along, lost in thought.

"Kirin, Fritz. We are going to be joining a party camp for the night and if someone calls me by another name, just go along with it. Infact don't call me by any name if you can help it. And don't share information about yourself."
Duplo who had set up a few tents and used a spell to draw some water up in a pail (both she took from the wagon before departing) sat listening to the conversation of the surrounding gypsies. A couple were talking about an amazing encounter they had in Jabari with a travelling illegal druid, the tale involved a chase by rooftop by several Fae and an Elf mage that used an Earth spell to make a trench that the criminal was caught in. The story sounded a little exaggerated, but was entertaining.

Ada and her recruits joined them and Ada introduced Kirin and Fritz to Duplo "This is my apprentice, Duplo. She is a skin changer and takes this form under the watch of Claire de Lun (Elvish goddess of night and beauty.) Fritz I believe you and her are in similar situations."

Sitting to one side and letting the kids talk Ada and Duplo conversed and each of them shared the tales of their activities while apart. "Ada, I found this" Duplo produced the wooden tube and handed it to Ada, she took the container and opened it with a unlocking spell. Inside was a scroll and on it written in the magic language was the will of an old Fae scholar that deceased little under 50 years ago

.... and finally I leave my life's knowledge to my heir, Zlata Joanna in the hopes she will make use of it. My book "altero" contains all my findings and hypothesis’s on otherwordly matters and being from them. In this book I discuss the supernatural, other-worlders and cast offs. I also explore the idea of higher beings and their origins. This book contains information gathered from our neighbouring country Benjaro, to which I travelled nigh-on 35 years ago and many legends that I have gathered through extensive travel throughout Emanseria and other settlements along the coast of the Talin Ocean. ...

Ada skim-read the rest of the document and rolled if safely back in the tube. Before she could ask Duplo replied "Zlata is in Eira, she moved there after a fire in her family home. "I also found something, while in that town's headquarters the priest had this locked away" Ada brought out the parchment and tried to cover the gashes made by her cat-teeth. However she could not finish as in that moment the ground began to shake and tremble and the sound of hooves on forest floor filled the clearing. Willow looked up from his feed trough and his ears swivelled with fear, birds left the trees and squawked in the night silence. The gypsies dived towards their horses, grabbing them by the reins and keeping them put. Ada stood holding Willow's reins, and kept her other hand on her dagger, indicating to the children to hide in the wagon a short distance from them. Duplo had somehow in the chaos whipped out two swords that gleamed in the moonlight, she began to move ever so slowly, turning and tilting her head to listen. The swords glistened when they caught star of fire light.

There was a moment of silence then before anyone moved a group of five centaurs leaped into the clearing and came to a short halt from their gallop. Their sides heaved and glistened with sweat. Green paint adorned their sides and bags hung on the sides of each beast. They were all tall and well muscled, 3 had horns protruding from their temples - the Sires no doubt. Two of the males(sires) had dark coats and the other was a palamino. One dam was a bay and the other a liver chestnut. Each centuar had a bow and arrow across their chests. On the back of the liver chestnut dam sat a grey haired woman with windblown hair and she clung terrified onto the mare. The biggest of the males said something to them all as they stopped and as a group the herd they lifted their chins and raised their palms. The dam carrying the woman then dropped to her knees and the woman slunk off, shakily her feet touched the ground and she stood unbalanced with one hand still on the dam's back.

The large male spoke and the woman listened. No one recognized the language and Duplo brought her swords a little higher "what is he saying?" she whispered to Ada. "Don't know" she whispered back, trying to turn to look at the children without moving. The horses around the clearing relaxed but still kept a firm eye on the intruders. The woman spoke and her use to the centaurs was shown "We are the Sigurd herd, travellers passing through Emanseria. My name is Albina, I shall act as a translator. This herd comes in peace and brings gifts and friendship, we ask only that we may share your company for the night and share in the safety of this gathering." The woman spoke slowly and her accent was thick from the northern regions of Emanseria. Everyone relaxed slightly, Ada let her hand fall from her dagger but kept a defensive position, Duplo dropped her swords and sheathed one, keeping the other in front of her just pointing down. A gypsy from across the clearing - one of those playing music and dancing called out "Anyone is welcome if they bring food and good cheer! Welcome friend! Come join the festivities, we have a birthday to celebrate! My dearest mother here turns 56 today!" The woman translated and the centaurs beamed, exited. The male walked forward, holding hands with the grey woman and they talked to the birthday mother, then the bay dam walked over and produced a delicate silver chain - a necklace for a centaur, and a girdle on this human. The woman thanked her and curtsied.

Ada laughed and clapped her hand on Duplo's shoulder. "Relax my friend. We can talk in peace, come Fritz, Kirin! Tonight is a treat!" Everyone gathered in a large group around the centaurs as they dropped down and relaxed. The woman then began to tell their tale and translated for the gypsies. The palamino male did most of the talking - apart from the woman of course - and the liver chestnut mare cared for them all. Brushing mane's and tails and rubbing in poultices. Then the last dark coated male who had remained somewhat quiet throughout the events pulled off a deer carcass he was carrying, and with the help of the big male and many gypsy children they gathered firewood and lit a large bonfire over which the carcass was cooked. Salads were made out herbs and berries. Which the centaurs snacked on leaves they pulled straight off branches. The meat was the most delicious Ada had tasted in a long time and she made a mental point to get the recipe. The meat was spicy - thanks to the application of numerous herbs and spices the centuars produced - but satisfying and left her throat tingling for more.

Someone brought out a barrel of ale and everyone danced and laughed, talked and ate, drank and were marry late into the night. The same nurse-centuar went around to everyone's horses and offered better feed, poultices and advice from the horses to their owners. Willow grazed content with the other horses, swishing his tail. Ada was happy to find out he was content and the weight was not too much for his broad, strong shoulders.

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