Chapter 7

We ran with a hunter's lope that promised long miles and less fatigue. We emerged from the foothills and looked out upon a plain. No large creatures stirred as far as the eye could see. My jayda went forth with unconscious practice and found nothing more than birds, mice, and an occasional fox. That was strange. There was a rift opening, there should be a warrior.

We heard another rift open, this time to our left, perhaps a mile away. Sound travels in a peculiar way at the point where flat land meets the mountains and distance was hard to tell. We took off in search and within a short time arrived in the area I was sure the rift must have appeared. There was nothing.

I looked around in consternation. The feeling of prey eluding my grasp brought a curl to my lip. A "swatch" sounded near us, causing us to jump back into a defensive position. My sword at the ready, we carefully rounded the hillock from behind which the sound had come.

There was no avoiding her presence. Her jayda was powerful, stronger than anyone I had ever encountered, even my dead patron. She knew we were near but did not move from her spot. My unease grew with each step forward. The nearer we came, the more I realized that this was not the typical hunter. This woman did not act the coward.

From behind the last tree blocking my sight, I rolled into the clearing where the female stood. My sword was at the ready but still I froze at the sight of her, my mouth slightly agape. Reena gasped with what must have been the surprise of recognition.

She was stunning. The young woman was nearly as tall as me and her noble features were striking. She stood straight backed with a proud demeanor, the billowy texture of her white tunic and pants contrasting with the amazing staff she held in her hand. The staff must have stood six feet tall, capped at both ends with mithral steel. A band of the same metal formed a grip in the middle while thin lines of metal cast as runes ran willy-nilly around the exposed dark wood.

"A princess," Reena whispered, "Priestess of the Staff of the Ancients, youngest daughter of the king!"

The princess tucked the staff into the crook of her arm and held out her hands, palms out, in a gesture of non-violence. "Truce, human warrior," her mellifluous voice trilled across the grass.

I let my sword dip towards the ground while my hand tipped down Reena's bow. I felt like a child all over again, not knowing what to do or say, even though she appeared to be only a few years older than me.

"I am seeking the human named Rohanan oter Set-Ne'ethar. That is you, is it not?" She called out.

Rohanan? I told the stupid moron my name was Ryan. Rohanan was not a common word in the Ancient Language and it took me a while to fish my memory the meaning. An old word even in their language, Rohanan translated as a quasi guardian mage, something other than a run of the mill warrior who served a king; a rohanan served a god. It was an ancient role that had disappeared far in their past.

"Aye," I barely managed to force out of my throat with a forced baritone.

"I am Tali anther Kurdatha, keeper of the Staff. I request parley with you."

I turned to Reena seeking any clue as to what to do; however, she stood with her head bowed, visibly trembling in her boots.

"Do not fear, Reena," I ordered, "she cannot hurt you; she shall not judge you. Now put away your bow and stand tall."

Reena did as she was commanded and I returned my sword to its sheath and slung it back over my shoulder. "We shall parley, Tali anther Kurdatha of the Staff. You may parley with us without fear."

She came down from the small rise and stood a few paces from me. The first thing I noticed as she approached was her scent, which other worldly, enticing and exotic. My pants would have stirred if my asshole hadn't been so painfully tight with fear. She stared me in the eyes and declared, "You have the eyes of a human but the jayda of an Eldenhaun."

She turned and laid her gaze upon Reena for a moment. The wind whistled from her lips. "You have bound her with the black evil," she accused me.

My anger exploded instantly and my face turned red. "YOU accuse me of evil! You are the priestess of great magic. Surely YOU took part in the slaughter of my people. YOU have the blood of millions upon your hands. Hell, you've bathed your entire body in an ocean of our blood! And YOU presume to call me evil, you genocidal bitch!"

My hands clenched yet again in a fit of rage. The blue of jayda began to color my eyesight as the power built up in me begging for a bloody release of fury upon her condescending royal face and too elegant finery.

She raised her hands palms out again, "Truce, Rohanan oter Set-Ne'ethar, I apologize. I have no right to cast judgments in your world." Her words were spoken in a soft and humble manner; my rage subsided and my eyesight cleared.

She continued to speak, "I have been sent to bargain with you on behalf of my people. I have come with the authority of the king and speak in his name. Is there a place we can sit and discuss our concerns?"