Chapter 11: The Wind and the Wild

"C'mon Speck, keep up!"

We were running what we had come to call the western break. Not really a trail, but a line along the northwestern slope of the valley where the change in angle of the slope caused a thinning of the trees. We ran this trail or another we called the riverside trail every morning. I pumped Light into Speck every time, giving him the exposure and build up that had become traditional for those who bore arms beside us. His speed and stamina was improving, but this was Arbor, and it always has a hand to play in whatever changes happen. In Speck's case, I already knew Arbor had plans, and I was to have a part in them.

Cor wasn't with us this morning because she'd jumped herself home the day before to spend the weekend with her parents and to check our messages.

It had been ten days since we had returned from Aruh with our new Rangers. Their introduction to the valley from the top of the Tower had been suitably inspiring, and each day Titan, who had spent many weeks learning every square inch of the valley, taught what he knew in turn to Speck and the rest of the Rangers.

It had been a busy ten days. Cor started things off the morning after our trip...

"Andy, I had a dream last night."

Uh Oh! I thought.

"I saw Speck, only he wasn't quite Speck, and others, and they were preparing to fight a battle against someone. They were all dressed in identical leathers and armor. I think my dream showed me what our valley's defenders will wear."

So that morning, as soon as we were done with breakfast, The Wind gathered the morning breeze and wrapped it around Speck, and his clothing was reborn into the Green, brown and blue-gray colors that have since come to be identified with the Valley of the Wind.

Cloud, Swan, Vanish and Star quickly configured their color-shifting coats to match the pattern, and Titan and Moonlight followed suit. We had uniforms!

Cor shared her dream vision with me, and I studied the armor I saw on the larger version of Speck. It was definitely different than the armor I had seen being worn by the military types around Beletara and King Esterhal's palace. More to think on.

With Titan taking Speck and the newly minted Rangers under his wing, Cor and I decided it was time to follow up on the message from Beletara and go find the Durmiters.

We prepared for a couple days away, and the possibility of some time in the countryside. We had Slider and Grendel with us, but we weren't mounted. I jumped us right into the Shavrom's courtyard, and had my 'do-not-notice' effect in full force. I waited until I saw someone I recognized before I spoke and dropped the 'spell'.

"Good morning Cord." I said. Slider followed that with a nice snort of greeting.

"Weaver!" Cord said, doing the classic double take. "Wind, how did you get here!"

His loud exclamation drew the attention of others nearby, but Cord quickly had them calmed.

"Wizard's move in mysterious ways, they say." I offered. "We just chose one of the quicker ones."

Cord came over and gave me a firm handshake and Cor a polite kiss on the hand.

"What brings you back to Beletara?" He asked.

"We came in response to Cap's message. Is he here?"

"Of course! Lets get someone to tend your horses and we can go inside and find him."

We made our way through the house to the back garden, where Cap and his wife Marsh were sitting, enjoying the warm mid-morning sun. Beletara was quite a bit south of our valley, and warmer than we were used to.

"Weaver! Wind! Welcome back!" Cap said as soon as he saw us.

"We got your message about our friends, and decided we should come check on them before winter sets in."

"Of course! Beletara is quite a bit south of your valley, and we will not have the cold frozen winter you will, but the winter storms are coming, and things will become colder and quieter here when the ship traffic slows." Cap said. "We were hoping to hear from you, and glad to see the message found you safely."

"Will you be spending the night?" Marsh asked.

"Not unless we decide we need to take some time to help the Durmiter's." Cor said.

"We are actually hoping they would be receptive to an offer to come work for us in the valley." I added. "We didn't want to make the offer when they were expecting to help out their family here, but if that isn't happening as they had hoped, we'll make that offer now."

"How are the two of you doing, and the others?" Cor asked. Of course Cap and Marsh understood which others she meant.

"Everyone is doing well physically." Marsh answered. "There seems to be a general malaise, a lack of focus and energy. I think our flesh is fully healed, but our spirits are still on the road to recovery."

"I am taking the winter off, as are most of us, and just getting reconnected to things and letting those spiritual fires rebuild again." Cap offered.

"Can we offer you both a glass of wine?" Marsh asked.

"We appreciate the offer, but we hope to find the Durmiters before nightfall and see for ourselves how they are doing. Do you have someone who can guide us to them?"

"Yes!" Cap said. "Cord, can you find Bear and Mill? They were two of the outriders that accompanied the party that found them. Have them meet us in the stables."

Cap and Marsh walked out to the stables with us, and gave us a little more detail on how everyone was doing as we walked. They were all thankful that their family was so large and prosperous that they could afford to recover at their own pace. They were also looking forward to the big Midwinter's Eve Festival that Beletara celebrated every year. There would be a great ingathering of families, feasts and guild celebrations, services and blessings to the various Spirits would be organized.

"A great many couples choose Midwinter Festival for their wedding day." Cap said. "There will be weddings and Naming ceremonies every day for a week before and after."

We were not long at the stables before Cord showed up with two men, both dressed in Shavrom leathers and armor.

"Bear, Mill, this is the Wizard Weaver, and his lady, The Wind of Arbor."

Both men dropped immediately to a knee and bowed their heads.

"We greet you with gladness, and with thanks." The older of the two said.

"Please, do not kneel to us! We need no such formality. Rise and shake our hands." Cor said.

The pair did just that, and I saw the younger man grinning at the older, like he'd just won a bet.

"Bear, you two rode with the party that found the Durmiter ranch. I would like you both to get your mounts and escort Weaver and Wind there."

"Of course. We are happy to be of service." Bear spoke.

"Uncle Cap, do you mind if I ride along?"

"Of course not Cord. You have no assignments today besides making me and Marsh happy, do you?"

Cord grinned and shook his head.

"I knew that Grandpa Wick wasn't fooling you by having someone always conveniently around to entertain and assist you." Cord answered. "But do not spill too much water on that fire, will you? Those of us who have been getting the assignments are enjoying it."

That got a good laugh from Cap, and he waved Cord off to the stables.

"I'll bring your horses out with me." Cord called back over his shoulder as he left.

We left the city itself through the very gate we had first entered it, but instead of following the main trade road north and east, we took a turnoff that kept on straight to the east, following a narrower track along the narrow strip of land that followed the Summer Sea east. We rode for about five miles before we turned into the hilly country to the north, following another cart path, even smaller than the last.

The last couple of miles we followed a dry creek bed until we passed through an old fence and gate which stood, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Another dip and turn in the path, and we saw a small stone cottage, beside the dry stream and a small, mud-caked depression which I took to be an old, dried up pond.

I heard a shout, and saw Ketch running towards us from the rocky hills west of the cottage.

"Weaver! Weaver!" I heard him yelling. I waved in response, and once he saw us acknowledge him, he diverted course towards the cottage, running to alert the rest of the family.

Within a few minutes we were at the front of the cottage and exchanging hugs and handshakes with Plank and Opal as Ketch and Biter danced around us in glee. We waited for things to die down a bit and then introduced Cord, Bear and Mill first.

"Plank, Opal, this is Cord Ambrul. It is because of his friendship, and that of his family in Beletara that we are reunited with you again."

"It is my Uncle Cap and Grandfather Wick that deserve your thanks, but I will share the thanks you offer with them. The house Shavrom is at your service." Cord responded with a deep bow.

"House Shavrom!" Plank said. "Even I know of that House! You run in refined circles Weaver."

"It is the Shavrom clan who feel fortunate to be included in their company, not the other way around." Cord suggested.

"The fortune runs in both directions, and don't you forget it Cord." I said. "Plank, Cap Shavrom checked on you for me and sent word that you might need help. What has happened? Did you find your brother?"

"Come inside, all of you." Opal said. "Standing out in the sun is no place to hear a sad tale."

When Opal offered us a glass of wine, I pulled a bottle of my favorite Monkheart from an inside pocket.

"Lets drink this, before it grows stale in my pocket." I suggested.

"So its true then." Plank said as Opal poured us all a glass.

"What's true?" Cor asked.

"That the young, good-hearted couple we knew as Weaver and Wind were actually The Weaver and The Wind all along." Plank answered.

"We heard stories all along the road about the deeds of the great Wizard Weaver and the mysterious Wind of Arbor." Opal commented. "Did you really raise the bridge at Pelec's Crossing?"

"Yes, I did, but I had hoped not to get any notice for that." I answered.

"Well someone noticed and made the connection. The word spread like wildfire shortly after you left there." Plank said. "We heard you captured some bandits just outside of Zadrain's crossing too. Is that right?"

"We only caught two of them, we let the rest go." I said.

"And the sunstone at the Blue Heron Inn? We heard a woman lovely as a Goddess and a young Wizard gave the owner the first new Sunstone produced in the West in generations. Is that true?"

"We didn't give it to him, we traded it for room and board." Cor said.

"You mean to say you didn't know the value of a Sunstone?" Cord asked. "How big was it?"

"About this big." Cor said, holding her arms apart to indicate the three foot diameter of the Sunstone she had created.

The collective 'whoosh' of escaping breath told us all we needed to know, but Plank explained it fully.

"Wind, a Sunstone of that size is worth enough to buy an entire inn like the Blue Heron. I would not be surprised to discover that you will be welcomed back warmly and treated to a free room any time you chose."

"Enough about us and our misadventures." I said. "We came to find out about your situation."

That sobered the Durmiters quickly, and it didn't take long to find out why.

"As you may have been able to see as you rode up here, the spring beside which this cottage was built dried up some three months ago, while we were still in the preparation stages for our journey. Without the spring, there was no way to keep the goats or the crops grown to feed them from dying." Plank said. "Spoke, with his crops and his goats dead, his spring dried up, us a full Tide overdue and no money or hope left, took his own life. We buried him on the hill out back, looking over what was once his dream."

"I'm sorry Plank. No man wants to loose a brother, and certainly not in this way."

I sent my senses out to the spring, and while Cor and the others expressed their condolences, I tried to follow the spring back into the mountain to find its source, but there was none. A layer of earth that had contained water in the past had lost it all, perhaps just for just a season, perhaps forever. There was no way for me to tell at this point. I put my hand on Plank's shoulder.

"There is nothing here for you Plank. Come work for me, and live in the Valley of the Wind."

That quickly our little community gained four more residents, and our first children, though Ketch was only a few years younger than Speck.

"You may be leaving here today, but I would hope that you would be willing to share the midday meal with us in Beletara." Cord said.

I checked the sun in the sky, and wondered if we could make it in time.

"I'm not sure that we can get everything packed up and the wagon back to Beletara in time for midday meal." I said to Cord.

"Well, lets get the wagon packed up and see where it goes from there." Core suggested.

<Can't we send the wagon on ahead to the Tower, and then bring the family on later?> Cor sent.

<Of course!> I sent back.

We got busy helping with the packing, but it had been only a tide, more or less, since their arrival and they had little heart for settling in, so many of their less essential items were still in the wagon, stowed for travel. The two sturdy oxen that had placidly carted the Durmiter possessions all the way to Beletara from Old Reddech were still placidly getting by in what used to be the Goat Barn. Ketch and Plank had been driving them to the lower part of the hillside where there was a small seep that was just barely enough to keep the oxen going.

I reached out and touched Speck's mind.

<Speck. I need your attention for a moment.>

<Yes Weaver, I'm ready.> Came his thoughts in return.

<You are about to receive a large wagon and two oxen. The wagon will be full of the Durmiter's possessions and you can ignore it for now, but the oxen are probably going to want a good drink, as they've been living on rationed water for weeks.>

<Very Good. Will you be following the wagon?>

<Yes, later this afternoon. Thank you Speck.>

<You're welcome Weaver!>

I pulled back to reality and saw Cor staring at me.

"Speck is prepared to receive our shipment, and will tend to the Oxen." I told her.

We had no horses for the Plank and the family to ride, so we were either going to have to double up, or I was going to have to do some serious shortcutting.

"Cord, I think I'm going to have to transport us all directly to your courtyard where you found me this morning. I'm sorry for not planning this out more thoroughly."

"Nonsense, the only reason you feel compelled to get us there quickly is my lunch invitation."

I had tried something a little different this time, and sent ahead to Cap and Marsh, not a thought, but rather the sure knowledge that we would be arriving in the courtyard. Once we had the wagon loaded, I raised NeedleThorn and jumped us all to the Shavrom estate.

Cap was waiting for us, and we quickly made the introductions all around.

"Lunch is waiting for us." Cap said. "As soon as I knew you were coming, we held it for your arrival. Nice trick that, by the way."

"I will take the blame for the sudden arrival and the unexpected lunch guests." Cord said.

"Of course you will, that is what energetic young nephews are for!" Cap said with a laugh. "Sadly, nobody is looking to assign blame. I guess you'll get by this time."

Lunch was a boisterous affair, with plenty of chatter, as the Shavroms and Durmiters got acquainted, and Cord made them share all the Weaver and The Wind stories from our Beletara trip.

Wick in particular had fun visiting with the children. Biter was happy to babble on about whatever struck him, spending long minutes describing in detail his stalking and capturing a butterfly.

"Did you take it to your Momma for a present?" Wick asked.

"No sir." Biter answered. "Momma says butterflies are pretty, but that free butterflies are beautiful, so I always let them go again."

Ketch, I was surprised to discover during his conversation with Wick, loved to bake bread.

"We used to have a great oven back home for baking in, but we couldn't bring it with us." He lamented.

"We haven't discussed what we hope to have you do, when you come to work for us Ketch, who knows, perhaps you will be our baker!"

"We haven't discussed what Opal or I will be doing for you Weaver, is now the wrong time to be asking?"

"Of course not." We are all friends here. I had hoped you would take charge of our fields and gardens. Hopefully there will be enough time before the snows come to do some planning for the spring."

"I had hoped Opal would take charge of the Tower's household affairs as well as be our cook, until we get things sorted out and can hire a cook when more staff are added." Cor said. "Until we begin to add more staff, Opal and I can share the cooking duties, and Weaver is an excellent cook when he puts his mind to it as well."

"Speaking of Ketch's interests reminds me Wick, I have a friend, Ash Vanoc, King Esterhal's Agent in Red Flag." I said. "Ash recently married a lovely widow named Blush, and in the marriage gained a son, who he is quite fond of, named Chimer. Chimer is about the same age as Ketch here, and apparently is interested in the sea."

"Are you hoping to apprentice him in one of the maritime trades?" Wick asked.

"Perhaps. Chimer's fascination with the sea is all theoretical, he has never been close to the ocean. It may prove too alien to his upbringing when he is finally face to face with it. Ash hopes to see him off to a good start in life though, and the boy is getting of an age where he will have something to do, or will take off in search of it."

"We would not be opposed to hosting him for a season. If he turns out to have some aptitude we would be willing to arrange an apprenticeship. I suspect if I had a young grandson, or great-grandson," The last was said directly at Cord. "who was interested in forestry or farming, I might ask a similar favor of you."

"Thank you. I will discuss it with Ash and Blush when we are back home. When the snows come, one is often left with little to do but talk and plan for spring."

After lunch Cord escorted us as we took Plank and Opal to the Gut. We walked the length of it, stopping at the various open air markets. Mill had been assigned to us, and he was pushing a small four wheeled cart. We filled the cart with new winter clothes and supplies for the boys, as well as a nice collection of fresh fruits and vegetables that would become harder to come by in the coming months in our valley. Cor went a little wild buying spices and herbs as well now that she would have someone around to teach her how to use the unfamiliar ones. Opal confessed to being unfamiliar with some of them too, but Cor promised that they would learn them together.

We stopped at a butcher's shop on the way back, one in the upper end of the Gut, where things began to get upscale. I did not expect game to be a problem in the valley, but this presented an opportunity to get something a little more exotic, and I owed Block Harnish something.

I knew what I would be buying for Block the moment I laid eyes upon it. They had an entire quarter section with the ribs from one of the legendary Elkaphant. It looked to be enough meat to feed a small army, and the best sections alone were sufficient to serve as a course at the inn.