Chapter 14: Preparing for winter

While I’m eager to understand how the wilderness elves manage to survive the bitterly cold Thurnian winters, I wasn’t intending to discover the secret by being trapped into spending the whole winter with them. However the four Elf Maidens who arrived with us regard it as the best solution to our dilemma. The leathercraft and metalwork skills that the two Definas possess are valuable abilities to this elven community, even though there is currently a lack of both leather and metal to use.

The early arrival of winter snow decides the issue for us. The storm that brings the snow soon passes, but the much colder temperatures linger. It’s enough to discourage us from travelling as far as Reak. Akenehi proposes a further trade expedition to Fallowfield for a few supplies to see the elven community through the winter months. The Thurnian village has traded with other elven communities for several years, but our expedition will be only the second visit from this commune. Akenehi asks that I accompany the expedition, which Makareta will lead. I’m not sure whether I’m being asked to go in my capacity as trade envoy, or whether it is simply to give me a chance to purchase whatever items Cassandra and I need to see us through winter. I suppose Akenehi’s reason for including me doesn’t matter.

The expedition is much smaller that the previous one. There are only four of us in the party, which includes Makareta’s younger sister, Aputa and another adolescent elf called Cosima. We don’t take any of the mules, which adds weight to my suspicion that this trip is merely to provide an opportunity for me to obtain what Cassandra and I will need for a prolonged stay. Cassandra initially wanted to come, but the Definas persuaded her to stay and rest. Our journey here has tired Cassandra more than she is willing to admit, and a couple of days rest will do her some good.

“I don’t recall seeing any animals living in the other elven communities,” I say to Makareta as we pass the corral where the mules are kept. “Don’t the mules dislike being near elves?”

“Like Thurnian men, the mules have learned to overcome their natural dislike of our odour. However, we need to be careful and calm our emotions when we are near them. If an elf becomes too agitated then her body odour becomes more pungent. It’s a natural defence mechanism that we can’t always control. It’s the reason why Aputa had difficulty with her mule the other day. Aputa wanted to please our mother, and she became frustrated when she started losing control of her mule. Mules are stubborn beasts at the best of times.”

“Are other communities starting to use pack animals for trade?” I ask.

“Not that I’m aware. Constantly protecting mules from wolves and bears is a time consuming task that doesn’t justify the benefit the mules provide when we trade. Besides, the mules leave trails through the forests that even the most incompetent Thurnian soldier could follow. We want to live in peace, but that isn’t a sentiment shared by many Thurnians. Our elven ancestors’ arrival in Thurn was the result of a military expedition taking captives. We live in fear of a repeat, and we do all we can to avoid provoking a military incursion.”

“So why does your commune have mules? It’s located much closer to a Thurnian village than the other elven communities I’ve visited. The emperor wishes for peace with the wilderness communities, but I concede that his view isn’t universally held among his advisers. If Thurnian soldiers marched on the elven communities, then your commune is likely to be one of the first ones attacked.”

“We have mules partly because we are few in number, and partly because our encampment is only temporary. My mother will be leading us all deeper into the wilderness once the worst of the winter is over. This is likely to be our last trip to Fallowfield, and we need a few things to help with our exploration. My mother believes that you may be able to help us acquire them.”

“Umm ... I’ll try. But from what I saw of Fallowfield, it only has a small marketplace. Anything out of the ordinary isn’t likely to be available.”

“I agree,” replies Makareta. “But what we seek isn’t found in an ordinary marketplace. My mother wants us to find any Thurnian maps of the wilderness hereabouts. And we need two or three young Thurnian men to join us.”

I’m unable to find words to respond to Makareta’s statement. Locating a useful map is going to be difficult, but achievable. Persuading Thurnian men to trek into the wilderness with the elves is going to take more than the offer of plenty of sex to entice them. What Akenehi is offering a man is more than a short stay until his cock has had its fill of elven pussy. Leaving aside the dangers of a journey into uncharted territory, the elven community could be isolated for years. Few Thurnian men would be willing to undertake such a task, and even fewer would have the stamina. I’m not even certain Cassandra and I should be a part of this venture, but so far I’ve not found a better alternative.

The four of us enter the Fallowfield in the early afternoon. I enlist the help of the family Cassandra and I met when we arrived from Reak. With their help, I soon find a villager who fancies himself as a mapmaker. In reality, his maps are little more than sketches of the north-eastern side of the High Ridge and the road that leads over the saddle towards the western Thurnian cities. Only a couple of the mapmaker’s sketches will be useful to Akenehi’s needs. They indicate the High Ridge continues uninterrupted on its north-western trajectory, with several smaller side ridges branching eastwards for varying distances. One map also shows a lake sandwiched between the High Ridge and one of its offshoot ridges. But that’s the only detail the map shows. Two thirds of the map is blank and might as well read “Here there be dragons”.

Aputa approaches the merchant who sold the elves the flour we transported back to the commune. He’s less helpful on this occasion as there is no prospect of profit for him. Only when I purchase a few winter clothes, and some of the other items Cassandra asked me to buy, does the merchant offer any help. At his suggestion, I try the local taverns looking for volunteer studs to join the elven commune. Unfortunately it seems that an established elven community has recently invited young village men to join them over winter. The handful of men who were attracted to the idea have already left. Besides, the other elven community could offer a hut and bed for their male guests, and a promise of a return journey in the spring. Akenehi’s offer includes neither.