Chapter 4

As they got served the weather seemed to clear up a little, promising a better day tomorrow. But by now Leonard felt as if his thighs were on fire, as a medical precaution he drafted three large tankards to stand guard at his table while he ever so carefully consumed his meat and potatoes. The food was nourishing and good, even if of a simpler kind than the food at Three Anchors had been.

As he finished the last tankard he felt quite relaxed. So relaxed in fact that he found himself having trouble navigating the steps of the stairway. 'Now, where's my room' he thought studying the doors. It should be the one with the boar on it if he remembered right. 'Yep, there it was.'

He opened it and started to undress directly. But as Magma came in just after him she forced him to take a bath first. To do that he had to navigate the corridor again, and doing so he got the good idea that a beer might help him relax, yes, he had started to tense up.

'Medical purpose' he pointed out to the serving girl fixing the bath. "I'm sho tenshe, just look'a." pointing to his stomach, using the hand holding the towel. Looking down he realized that this wasn't the smartest thing he had done today, but the girl didn't seem to mind. "One beer Sir? And some, relaxation, was it?" She gave him a long look before she turned and went to get his beer.

"Relaxation?" she mumbled to herself. "Nice word, better than some." Swinging her hips seductively she came back with his beer. Roland was thankful that he had soaped himself in before he went in as the results otherwise might had turned rather embarrassing with the water clean. She was quite well-formed that young girl and the way she smiled made him feel as a rabbit left for lost on a wide open field, the raptor swooping down. "Ah, thank you, miss?"

"Deirdre Sir, at your service. I see you already soaped yourself. A real shame that soaping. If you just would stand I will fix it for you Sir." 'This could all to easily turn wrong, ' he realized as he heard her offer. "Ah, thank you Deirdre, but let's have the beer first, shall we?"

As she left him, she informed him that she was getting off in just a little while and that she would come back to 'take care of his relaxation' as soon as possible. A little imbibed he might be, but not as much as to miss her implications. And he had to admit to her all too obvious charms, pointing at him as she had bent over to give him his beer. 'Lucky that Alene or Magma didn't see that' he thought as he quickly dried of, sneaking back as fast as he could to his room.

The next day was a sunny one, cold and windy but sunny. As they were getting ready to leave the innkeeper came out with his daughter to see them off. it seemed as he and the colonel were old friends. As Leonard saw the daughter he remembered the bath. She smiled at him, not piqued at his retreat at all it seemed. "Sir." She said. "Yes my dear." Answered Leonard trying to sound mature, almost fatherly, while obliquely and nervously watching the ladies.

"Could I have a moment of your time Sir." without waiting for his answer leading him out of sight from the others. As he nervously followed she turned back at him. "So, why did you leave me alone yesterday."

He tried to explain, blaming it on his slight inebriety and tiredness. "So as I woke up under the water I realized that I had to go to bed soonest, or drown Deirdre. I was close to death girl, can you ever forgive me?" she seemed to think it over for a moment and then smiled sweetly at him.

"Naturally Sir." And then swooped down on him giving him a kiss that made his toes curl. "Just so that you know what you missed." She said a breathless moment later letting him go. Leonard now realized that she had gotten her revenge. There would come a lot of times when he would remember that kiss and wonder why he didn't...

"Deirdre, when we come back this way I'll." She smiled again, this time slightly imperiously. "You will what?" came a voice from behind him. It was Alene who had came up on him to inform that they were waiting for him.

He felt himself redden, why the hell did everything always happen at once. "Just talking Alene." He said as he turned around smiling awkwardly at her. "A discussion about the bath water yesterday." Sounding idiotic even to himself.

It didn't help seeing Deirdre proudly erect her nose, pushing a big hole in the sky as she cattily studied her adversary. He needed to defuse this situation quickly. "Yes Deirdre, lovely chatting with you, little one." Trying his best to sound fatherly without sinking so low as to pat her on her head. "But we have to leave now. I do hope we meet again, bye." Almost running from them in his haste to get away.

The girls studied his withdrawal in some amusement. "Not very brave." remarked Deirdre coolly. Alene smiled. "He has his compensations though." She said lithely, Deirdre studying her curiously. "Oh yes, an absolute lion in the bedroom." She finished smiling sweetly at Deirdre before she left.

'A lion' thought Deirdre dreamingly, 'a cuddly sweet little lion, and all for me. Sonny, you better come back alive if you know what's god for you.' She sighed again as she watched her cowardly lion depart with the others. Deciding to spend some money on that love potion after all, just in case.

As they rode of Leonard congratulated himself on his flawless diplomacy. 'I'm a cagey one' he thought smugly, not that he ever had planned on cheating the girls. But she was sweet that girl, a little young perhaps but very self assured, And he had to admit to her good taste too.

Whistling for him self he rode along, alone in his little cloud of ego bliss. Alene couldn't help smiling watching her cockerel admiring his feathers. So now he think he's irresistible does he, she thought amused, riding up to Magma to have a silent chat.

The result of that chat came as they made the first camp out. It had steadily grown colder as the evening came, and when they finally was ready with their tents and had eaten Leonard just wanted to creep into bed. Deem at his surprise when he found the girls cuddled together under one heap of covers, leaving him one measly sleeping bag at the other corner.

And as he tried to move closer they complained? Realizing that it was some sort of punishment he still couldn't help feeling wrongly accused. "I didn't do anything, you know." He told the silent heap of girls and clothes. "Nothing..." and that was what he got back too, nothing.

He found the night to be colder than he ever had expected. It was all cool watching those 'survival guys' with them sleeping in the wild, eating raw meat and all, but testing it for himself he found it leaving a lot to be wished for. And he had at least a sleeping bag.

When he woke up it was to more of the same. The girls already finished their breakfast, fixing themselves up, just telling him to 'help yourself' as he asked where the food was? "A revolution?" Sven asked Leonard a little later.

He had, getting no little amusement from it, watched it play out in front of him. "A palace uprising? Your harem refuses you?" Leonard tried one of those looks he had practiced in the mirror, thought to be able to slay, but as nothing happened he at last shamefacedly admitted. "Yeah, something like it, I guess?"

"So what did you do then?" asked Sven, honestly confounded. "If you can tell, of course." He hastily added. As Leonard told him about yesterdays adventures and their unlucky resolution Sven started to smile. It made him remember trysts and ventures of his own and he studied Leonard with new respect.

Whatever, and whoever he was, he certainly had the devils own luck with the ladies. "Well, you sure have interesting times ahead." He chuckled as Leonard finished. "But relax. I think they'll come around. Give it some time."

'This morning seems even colder than yesterday' thought Leonard as they put down the camp. As they were finishing saddling up their horses Lena came by.

"Why are they angry at you." she asked.

"Wish I knew." Answered Leonard philosophically, not wanting to discuss it again.

"I'm no child, you can tell me." Answered Lena.

He smiled down at her. Strange how fast some wants to grow up he thought.

"How old are you then Lena?"

"Thirteen, and I'm smart." Lena said sounding insulted at his lack of trust.

"Yes, that's the truth. You're a smart one alright." He admitted, raising himself slightly in her esteem. "But I still don't want to talk about it."

"So, you don't want to know what they said then?" She cunningly asked.

'Blackmail' he thought surprised as he studied her closer 'and at her age?' She was small for her age, at least as compared from where he came, and still terribly thin. But he expected that to change soon enough, deeming from the care shown by his girls.

"You do know that this is extortion Lena?"

"So?"

"So the girls might not like that?"

"And? You don't want to know then?" disdainfully as if affronted of his lack of curiosity

Shit, she had him. He did wanted to know what further plans they had for him.

"No, I didn't say that. Okay Lena, but this time only." He told her about it, doing his best to downplay the bath and ended it with his unjust treatment by the girls yesterday. She seemed quite pleased in him confiding.

"Leonard, you never should try to hide what they already know. Just say you're sorry. It'll work, I promise." As she knew they planned to forgive him already she could say that with the utmost conviction.

"And remember, if you don't know what to do. You can always talk it over with me." She nodded wisely at him as she rode of, leaving him to stare in confusion at her back. 'So now I have myself a thirteen year old counselor', he thought, ruefully wondering where it all would end. As if he couldn't cope on himself. Slowly his mood blackened as he thought of the injustice shown.

"I'll teach them. I'll teach them all." He muttered to himself. Apology? No way in hell. He was going to treat them as they treated him, with the utmost disdain. He smiled darkly as he rode on, plans of retaliation hovering over his head, threatening even the cloudcover over him in their sudden utter blackness.

"Perhaps we went a little overboard?" said Magma surreptitiously watching him as she and Alene rode before him. Alene thought about but then shook her head. "It's better to let him know now than to find it already happened. It was him saying that it should be in the open too." She said.

"Yes, but we both know sister how things can happen without meaning too, not always being planned beforehand."

"So? We have already decided to let him off the hook?"

"Yes, but I don't like the way he studies us. It worries me." Said Magma, once more reminded of the fact that he sooner or later might become the new prince of darkness.

Alene suddenly remembered too, but he was also their man. "Let him stew, it won't last." She said, safe in her knowledge that Leonard couldn't hold a grudge, at least not for long. Magma looked at her, more thoughtful about it.

"It may not last that long sister, but what might his plans be, for now?"

The territory they traveled was fast emptying of human inhabitation's. The hills and woods seemingly stretching out for ever as they came up on the heights, and further away still, the mountains starting, rolling of to an even larger infinity.

There was a great deal of wildlife around them now, with none too intimidated by the sight of men. As they came down, into a more wooded area they all felt warmer, the winds chilly play at last stopped by the wood and the undergrowth.

"It's nice." remarked Leoine looking around. "Why are there no one living here?"

Allain smiled at her. "But there are Leoine, they just prefer to be left alone."

Leoine started to look around again, now using both her inner as well as outer sight. "Oh, I missed it." she said. "You're right. Wood elves are they? But so shy?"

"No, not shy Leoine, distrustful is more the word here. They've had little pleasure enough received from those trying to settle here before, so they prefer to keep to themselves. Methinks we will meet them soon."

And he was correct. As if grown from the ground there stood five elves waiting for them, blocking their path. Clad in some subtle shade of green they almost seemed to flicker out and in of Leonard's sight, although they were there, just in front of him. The elf closest to them bowed shortly.

"Colonel, Corporal and you others. Welcome to our wood. What are your plans with it?"

Allain got down from his horse to walk up to the elf addressing them. As he approached Roland realized that those elves were almost as big as the colonel.

"Hallo old friend, our plans are just to pass through, on our way to Irmal, by your leave of course, Gael?"

Gael smiled thinly.

"I'm afraid you will have to explain that to our council first Allain. There have been some bad tidings recently, and diverse disorders reaching even us. I'm sorry."

As they now found themselves guided Leonard too jumped down from his horse to walk beside one of the elf's.

"Excuse me Sir, as a stranger to this place, and to elves. Do you really make your homes in the trees?"

The Elf seemed to find his question slightly amusing.

"Shouldn't we?" he asked.

Leonard looked around at the trees growing around the trail they now were following.

"Well, no offence Sir, but they seem rather, ah, unobtrusive in stature, if you take my meaning?"

The elf seemed even more amused hearing that. He looked at Leonard acting if surprised.

"You know Sir. You might have a point there, alas, I hope you will find our homes more substantial. But you can deem for yourself Sir. We'll be there in a jiffy."

They had arrived at a small opening in the woods where the trail seemed to end in the side of a what looked like most like a burial mound. Geal made a gesture as he uttered something inaudible to Leonard and the mound disappeared instead opening into a wide area leading down into the earth. The elf walking with Leonard now smiled openly and wide as he added.

"That is, if we lived in those trees Sir." As they walked in.

Almost at the same time Anwar and Tiny got their fist sight of a northern ship. Sleek and deep down in the waters it seemed more like some living thing than a ship. Although none of it came even close to the size of their own ship it seemed fast and deadly, but as it was only one, and drifting with its sail all slashed up, they cautiously approached it.

In it they could see men huddling together around a man lying in the middle with several bundles of cloth placed around him. As Anwar came up to it he could see some of the men taking to weapons while other seemed to be arguing with each other not giving his ship the slightest notice. They had with them a sailor who had some knowledge of those northern reaches and with his help they called them.

"Do you require any assistance." Now the arguments almost seemed to blow up a to full-scale brawling as the northerners started to argue anew amongst themselves. In the end they seemed to come to an agreement as one of them answered in the same language as Anwar.

"Yes, we have a man badly wounded here. Would you have a healer aboard?"

Anwar wished for Alene, hearing it, but as he still had some good men with herbal knowledge, and Anna who in his eyes was the unsurpassed herbalist aboard he confidently answered.

"Healers we haven't, but herbal knowledge we have, and a warm berth to it."

"Good enough." Answered the man. "Could you take us all?"

Anwar counted them, eleven men and the one wounded.

"We could, but without weapons." Now the arguments broke out again but in the end the men calmed down.

"On your word of honor captain. No harm from us and none from you?"

They seemed to put a lot of trust in his word of honor thought Anwar sourly amused. But now Anna stepped forward and spoke shortly with the translator who said something to them that Anwar couldn't understand. Hearing it the men unhinged their weaponry sending it up to the sailors waiting. After doing so they arranged to sling the wounded man up. Using two ropes and a framework in between they got him up and in Anna's care.

After doing so they all except one came up to accept the ships hospitality. The one remaining sung a low sorrowful song while his comrades stood silently at the ship listening. After finishing the song he arranged for several bundles covered in cloth to be drenched in some dark fluid. When finished he finally lighted one end of a thread leading to them, as he threw himself onto the net hanging to 'The dancing furies' side.

Anwar who had guessed what he was doing was already tacking away as fast as he could while swearing loudly at them all, sailors and northerners alike. The men he had spoken with came up to him. It was the same one that had started the fire.

"We are sorry Captain, but our dead needed a burial or their souls would never find their way."

Anwar looked at him. The man was almost of his own size and even broader of shoulder than him, with a large uneven red beard and moustache covering most of his face, his icy blue cold eyes studying the captain as frankly as he him.

"And there was one purpose more captain, but perhaps we could discuss that in some privacy?"

The captain thought it over and reaching a conclusion cleared his throat, seeing how the man now had turned to watch his burning long-ship, mourning its and his comrades departure.

"Would you rather have liked it sunk then?"

The man turned back to him.

"I would've yes, if I could I would have done it too. But we're at sea, and the burning will take most of it, as well as giving our comrades a honorable departure."

"Perhaps we can take care of the rest." said the captain. Just tell me when you see the burial as finished."

He and Tiny had separated. Tiny sailing of, following the way they thought that long-ship to have came from, while Anwar's ship followed the flaming funeral pyre drifting on the dark blue waters, into the late evening. At the last light, with cold white stars gleaming over them Tor, who the mans name was, turned to the captain.

"If you please captain."

Anwar who already had his guns directed on the glowing funeral pyre, darkly reflected in the water, giving of a ghostly red light, gave the men his signal with his men promptly letting of a broadside. With the calm water and the closeness to their goal it was almost impossible to miss. It seemed as if all of the cannonballs hit it, disintegrating it into small splinters of glowing wood and cloth, flowing in all directions.

"Good enough?" asked the captain as he turned back to the still northerner. The man looked as he couldn't believe his eyes watching the small remnants of his once so proud ship. Then he nodded shortly at the captain.

"Ja, good enough." He answered, momentarily pained as he remembered his former friends, now gone with the Gods, taking a last farewell with the survivors gathered around him. After talking shortly with the others Tor turned to Anwar and suggested that they should go down below to have that talk. Anwar agreed taking Anna with him, while Tor went alone.

It was strange walking straight down into the earth. One might think that as the passage was well lighted airy and large it would be easy but Leonard felt the earth choking him from the first moment he went down there. The path went straight down for a while and then leveled out into a room. It was no cave, just a ordinary looking, even if rather big, room ending in a wall with strange drawings on it in blue and white colors. Allain looked at Geal who now turned addressing them all.

"We are at the earth portal. Normally we don't use those but lately we've had great problems with strange beasts raiding our homes and trading. As a result we have secured all communications and travels between us and the mundane realm. I hope you all are magically inured as it for the unwary otherwise might be a rough ride?"

Alene and Magma came to stand with Leonard and Lena and holding each other hands they watched how the elf one more mumbled something as he turned to the wall. Leonard and Lena who didn't know what to expect closed their eyes as they waited for some force to suck them with it but opened them after a while as nothing seemed to happen.

As Leonard looked at the wall it was gone, instead the path continued straight into what looked as a cave, which in its turn opened to a land of summer. Allain and Leoine was already at the opening, waiting for them to appear. As Leonard saw that he found the courage to follow them. He expected the wall to stop him at any moment but it was with a feeling of diving through the water he smoothly came through, finally finding himself beside the others waiting. Lena and the others had walked with him and none seemed the worse for it. Last came the elf's, and after they went through, with a ripple in air, a rocky wall materialized where the room had been just an instant before. Leonard tried to shake the strangeness of saying. "That was one weird trip." Smiling at Lena who stood beside him still holding his and Magmas hand. She nodded mutely, enchanted by the scenery opening to her eyes. Gael smiled too saying.

"This is Elfhome, our land. We don't have many visitors and even less return once they found us. But the council directed us here, so here we brought you. Allain I'm honored to present my home, don't judge us too harshly."

"I am my honored to see it my friend, but you are sadly interrupting our journey. Leoine have a whole people trusting in this and them. We still have a far way to Irmal and no portals to take."

The Elf looked as if on the edge of saying something but stopped just before. He then said.

"Yes, I see Allain. Well, better leave those things to the council. Perhaps they will find a way to hasten your journey. If that is what they decide?"

As they walked they saw many strange and wondrous things, even the suns light was subtly different, almost as if one could touch it, with a honey like substance to it. Lena turned to Gael. "Is it magic? Your land?"

Gael looked around as if taking a new look on his beloved home.

"It's a long story child, in a way, yes. But that magic is inherited by the land itself. Our home is different from what we see outside and some things we take for given is considered magic elsewhere." He looked at the others listening.

"There are different ways of the land. Outside our border things change so much faster, time is harsher there. Here we have invested much of our craft in preserving the state that once was, when the worlds were young."

Leonard looked at the trees, they were of a kind he hadn't seen before. More like those trees he expected from the story's he had read. Wide of bole with light green leafs they seemed to stretch forever. But as far as he could see there were no one living in them except birds and now and then some strange looking squirrels that seemed to almost defy gravity in their jumps. The grass under his feet was thick and green and light breeze brought with it the smell of high summer, ripe in fruits.

"But we are still on the same world?" he asked.

Gael nodded pleased over Leonard's awareness.

"The same world, yes. But different times."

The Ladies walked slower than the men, now and then stopping to taste some berries or admire a flower. Magma smiled warmly at Gael.

"It's a lovely reminder of how it once was Gael, it makes me feel young again." The other girls seemed to agree with her. Loise even went as far as to compare it to her own home. "So sweet and young. Still holding promises unborn."

But here Gael disagreed. "No Ma'am, the promises here is fulfilled. Most of our struggle goes to just preserve what we already have. That's why we have such strong wards on our borders, and why we stand aside from so much of the world."

The path was leading downhill and as they had walked the light had became weaker, though still suffused in the very air creating a shimmering blue quality to it, making Lena feel that she almost could touch it.

As the evening proceeded, slowly lightening the stars, they arrived at a large tent situated by the side of their road. Gael showed them in and well inside they found both food and drink arranged for them at a round table, and comfortable looking beds placed in a adjoining room.

"This is our night quarters. There is still some way to our council, but here we have time enough. Enjoy." Gael said and bowed.

As they tasted the food they all found it delicious, difficult to describe and sometimes making one unsure if it was meat or vegetable's one were tasting, but all good and filling.

There was no beer, instead there was something reminding more of a light sweet wine, with a refreshing taste of strawberries. It had the quality of making them forget their worries, creating a relaxed and enjoyable amity amongst them all. It even made Leonard get his guitra and play a few chosen songs with the elves silently listening.

As they woke up the next day there was this feeling of having a holiday, or a vacation. The sun was already shining at the colored walls of their pavilion bathing them in different colors and outside they could hear the birds sing.

Leonard who altogether had forgotten his plans for revenge smiled at his ladies. "Breakfast." he said as he rushed out as the first to sit at the table. That was also a strange thing, although they at no time noticed any servants around there were a steady change of food and drink for them. Lena smiled right into the air.

"Magic." she breathed softly, highly pleased.

After they had taken care of their necessity's they adjoined outside the pavilion to move on. At noon they stopped at a height having their luncheon admiring the view. Gael pointed to a wooded area near a lake in the distance.

"That's where we going." He said. "Stargaze. Our main Capital."

"And there you will find your trees too Leonard." said the Elf he had asked earlier. "Wider of girth than any you've seen before, or will see after."

"Thanks Reon. I knew you had them." Answered Leonard as he tried to see how big they were. But it was still to far away for him to be able to judge their size.

"We'll be there tomorrow." Said Reon, I hope you're not afraid of heights?"

Leonard shook his head, after his time aboard climbing the ship he doubted he still had any fear of heights in him. "Don't think so."

"We'll see tomorrow." Said Gael.

And when the tomorrow came Leonard was impressed. They stood in a glade surrounded by what in fact only was one immense tree. Gael had explained it.

"The seed was planted the first time we bound this glade. As our land and holdings grew so did this tree. It is the center of our magecraft and the living force that holds Elfhome together. Would this ever be compromised by foes we would stand to lose all we've ever created."

As they turned around looking at the trunks growing and high above them building bridges and intertwining platforms they had to admit to it be awed. It reminded Leonard of a living skyscraper but there were no elevators in it.

The climbing took time and it didn't take long before he realized what Gael had meant by his question about heights. It was easy to get both, seasick? Hell, the swaying felt just as being to sea and Leonard who wasn't prepared soon felt its effects. And then there were the height.

It was like walking up a skyscraper from the outside and not even having the stairway enclosed. It all made for an memorable climb. And the truly depressing fact was the way Lena took to it, all bright and merry, excitedly running around with no fear of the height while he, the real hero, just wanted to turn back to sit in that glade relaxing, forgetting all about this climb.

As they sat in the masters cabin Anwar studied Tor some more. He had to admit that he liked what he saw. A stout fellow, and a man to trust. That was the feeling he got as he studied him.

Anna who looked with other eyes also found him a good man. The way he had treated his dead rang true with her, as well as the care he had shown for his comrades.

"So Tor? How and why did you feel us needing a private discussion?" asked Anwar at last.

Tor who also had made his silent evaluation liked his conclusions. As well as being on the greatest ship he ever had seen, with big iron casts throwing balls the width of a head over great distances, and not through magic either, but science.

He wondered what that science might be. It seemed different, but then again, the results were as awe inspiring as magic? Ah well, 'all in good time' he thought.

"You may have heard about our tribes organizing themselves in a effort to make war with our southern neighbor's?"

Anwar nodded. "Yes, we are chartered specifically for fending against that purpose. So?"

"Well, the decision wasn't unanimous. My liege lord was one of those opposing this idea. But we were outvoted by the turncoats that had sold out for promises of loot. As we left my Lord wowed that none of his liege subjects ever would lift his hand for this impostor."