Chapter 9: Yo Ho Ho

Lindi set an unrelenting pace through the passage under the mountain, even Lori who knew first-hand what would happen if the Elves caught them, desired some time to rest. Finally Tamarilla gave an exasperated sigh and sat down. "I refuse to go any farther until I rest! My legs are very tired, I'm not used to the frantic pace you set Lindi. I'm thirsty too."

The look on Tammi's face was stern and Belinda knew that stopping for a short time would be alright if it kept the group happy. I may look younger than Tammi, but I am certainly more mature. She let a satisfied smile appear on her face. Well, we did get away from the Elves. I should not let petty feelings poison our victory. Lindi handed Tammi a flask of fresh water, which was gratefully received. They both smiled at each other. After Tamarilla had slaked her thirst she returned the flask to Belinda expressing her thanks.

The rest of the women had taken a much needed drink and were stretching the muscles of their legs while they waited for Tammi. She climbed to her feet and raised an eyebrow to Lindi. "Let's go, the way out is not far now." The group followed Belinda's cute young form down the passage.

A while later they saw the door at the end to the passage. Tamarilla let out a sigh of exhaustion and said, "Finally." It seems that Belinda's idea of 'not far' is not as short as mine. Belinda gave an amused glance in Tammi's direction as she reached in the front of her tunic and pulled out a key that she had suspended from a thin silver chain that went around the her neck. She deftly unlocked the wooden door that was reinforced with iron bands and waved the women though. Each of the women had to make her way through the bush that concealed the door. The ladies stood together in a forest that bordered on the mountains' steep vertical base.

The ladies heard the door lock with a snap and then Lindi came through the bush and said, "Follow Me.", in what Lizzie considered an all too cheerful voice. Belinda set off on an all too familiar fast pace through the woods along the base of the mountains. Belinda, Serri and Lori seemed to slip through the forest with ease, while the rest of the group, especially Tamarilla, went slower and made more noise. Lindi finally stopped and Tammi was frustrated that she didn't even seem to be breathing hard.

Tammi looked around while she tried to catch her breath. There was a bit of a trail headed North. Or was it South? I've never been good with directions. There was a door against the mountain. It was partially hidden by a bush and it looked like the other door. "Does this door lead to your cottage?"

Pirouetting around to face Tammi, Lindi had a mischievous look on her face. "Not exactly, but it's supposed to look like it does. It actually leads to a small maze with traps in it. It is just in case someone is trying to kill or steal from me." Belinda looked over at Danni and said, "Sorry, I meant no offense." Danni just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have anything against assassins or thieves, unless they are coming for me or mine. They understand that their jobs can be dangerous." I was not trying to make excuses, just telling Tammi how things were in the real world. "Are we ready to move on? I promise you that we will be there soon." With that Belinda gaily skipped down the path.

The path was not a finished route indicating it was not used often, but it was also not overgrown. This allowed the group to travel much easier and quieter too. This meant that the group arrived at Margaret's encampment without much advanced warning. There were two reasons for this, one being the fact that Belinda sent Rupert ahead of time and secondly that path was little used.

It turned out to be one of Margaret's crew high up in the pirate ship's rigging that gave the alarm. He shouted down to the deck and the camp that strangers were approaching from the South. The members of the crew got ready to defend themselves as quietly as possible. The afternoon would have ended with blood being spilled, but Belinda was at the front of the group and the pirates knew the blonde curls and youthful face well. Word of Lindi's arrival spread thoughout the camp and Margaret was told that there was no attack, that it was just Lindi. Swearing like the Sailor that she was, Margaret hurried to get her knee-high leather boots on so she could greet Belinda.

While they waited for the Captain to appear, Tammi took a look around. My nana always told me to see who the players were and what they wanted, but I don't see any games being played. What Tammi did see in the center of the camp were several fire pits. One of them had a fire in it with a rather large iron pot hanging over it. Whatever was in the pot was bubbling and had a nasty smell. A fairly chubby man with a wooden spoon in his hand ran up to the pot mumbling to himself. He stirred the contents of the pot and then took a deep whiff. "I don't think it burned." he announced to the camp at large. His comment was answered by raspberries and groaning from the crew.

Tammi also saw several crude buildings off to the East. Behind them was a ship tied up to a dock. It looked like the narrow inlet the ship was in opened into the Inland Sea, but she couldn't see because of the coverage given by the trees. I hope it connects with the sea otherwise there's no sense getting on the boat.

Belinda marched up to the medium sized building. She was about to knock when the door flew open. A woman stood in the doorway. She wore a burgundy tunic and black pantaloons that tucked into knee-high boots. Her dark brown hair was shoulder length and styled off the face. Twin screams rent the air as the women saw each other. Tammi heard this and frowned. Oh great, Belinda didn't say anything about her and her 'friend' not getting along. The pirate captain and the witch grabbed the other and Tammi started to look for a place to run. She was surprised when the women spun around and faced the group laughing.

"Margaret, it's been too long. I would like to introduce you to Tamarilla and her friends Lori, Danni, Lizzie and Serri." Each woman nodded or said "hello" to Margaret when introduced. "They wandered over to my cottage and we had to leave as their pursuers were barking at my door." Rudolph spat and hissed at the mention of the pursuers. "We are here to beg for passage away from danger. You know I don't like bringing any attention your way, but I had to help them. They are sought by those who have wronged us. I had to do what I could for them."

When Lindi mentioned those that wronged them, the captain's face darkened with anger. "You were correct to save them sister of mine; however, this means that this place has lost its appeal as a port for us." She looked over Belinda's short form and yelled to her crew, "Prepare the Revenge for making way, leave nothing of value behind!" The camp exploded in action as crewmen scrambled to get the ship ready to leave.

Lindi rolled her eyes and said to Margaret, "They look like chickens with their heads cut off." She saw Tammi shaking her head in disagreement. Lindi looked at Margaret who shrugged her shoulder. Belinda turned to look back at Tamarilla. "It seems that you don't agree with what I said Tammi; care to tell me why?"

Tammi returned Belinda's look with a superior grin. "Everybody who has ever lived in a village or slaughtered chickens knows why those Sailors are not running around like chickens with their heads cut off." Seeing that Belinda or Margaret still did not get it Tammi explained, "OK, I'll tell you. When chickens run around with their heads cut off blood is spraying EVERYWHERE!" Lori and Danni grabbed Tammi by the arms and led her off before anything happened.

The packing up of the camp and getting the ship ready to sail went rather easy and fast. There were only two slight problems. Everyone except for Serri and Rudolph were aboard. Tamarilla was looking forward to being on a ship even though she couldn't swim. Serri couldn't swim either and Tammi tried to shame her onboard. "C'mon Serri, not being able to swim is nothing for you to worry about. The captain took one look at me and said, 'You'll never drown!', so you can just hold onto me if something happens. I know you don't want to be here when your evil cousins get here. We're all going, and we'll miss you." Tammi added her rosiest smile, which actually made her look like a drunken harlot. Serri reluctantly stepped aboard.

Belinda turned to Margaret and said, "OK, we're ready when you are." Margaret was about to tell her crew to set sail when she noticed Rupert still on the dock pacing back and forth. She pointed him out to Lindi. "He'll hop on just before the ship leaves. He doesn't like water either and is hoping that we'll change our minds." Margaret just shrugged and gave the command to set sail. It was as Belinda had said; Rupert saw the ship begin to leave the dock and jumped onto the ship barely making it.

The reinforcements, consisting of some Elven warriors and an extremely skilled Elven wizard, teleported to the area just in front of the haunted forest. The Elven officers greeted the wizard and explained the problem. It took the Elves a short time for the wizard to find and neutralize the illusion generator. Once the illusion was turned off, it was an easy trip to the cottage. They had been in Belinda's cottage when they heard the rocks collapse on the passageway. They found the passageway behind the secret door, but after a short distance the way was blocked with rocks, apparently from an avalanche.

The wizard sat down with his knees crossed and studied some arcane books. The senior Elven officer, Lólindir Melwasúl, knew that the wizard could take a long time to get a solution and his only other choice was to go around the mountains. So he passed the time by searching the cottage, and since the person who lived here was probably not coming back, he was very destructive and messy. Truth be told, he would not have done it any differently unless of course it had been an Elven residence.

Once the cottage had been ransacked, without finding any valuables, the officer returned to where the wizard sat meditating. The officer patiently waited for the wizard to be done. A few moments later the wizard stood up and stretched. "I have used a Meil (Scrying) spell to see how much of the passage is blocked. I will be able to use a spell, PostaelolVysar (Dimension Portal) to allow us to move to a part of the passage that is beyond the cave-in. I warn you that this will take much of my magical energy."

Lólindir gathered the men together as Elrohir Nénharma, the wizard, prepared to cast the spell. The wizard started making mystical movements with his hands while reciting the words to the spell. A flash announced the completion of the spell and a wavering doorway appeared. "Hurry and go through, I will follow and close the portal. Be sure that no one touches the sides." Lólindir entered the portal and found himself in a passageway cut out of the mountain. He moved forward to make room for the others. The wizard was the last through; a few words closed the portal. The Elves hurried down the passage as fast as the tired wizard could travel.

The ship was out of sight by the time the two Elven officers and the reinforcements reached the pirate camp. The camp was empty! Most of the valuables were gone and the only thing of note was a foul smelling poison brewed in a pot. Elrohir cast a simple spell which indicated everyone had left by ship. "There is a way to have them intercepted; I just need to send him a message. Please let me alone while I fashion the spell." The wizard went off and meditated before sending the message and passing out. His snores would have woken the dead, but they were elsewhere.