Chapter 6

The night passed in peace and they where all fully rested come morning. After a quick breakfast, they continued towards Kelethin, hoping to reach the Swayback Inn before the evening meal. Tamalain told them they had at least two more nights on the road, if all went well. Tonight they would stop at the Inn to have a hot dinner and a visit to the nearby bathhouse in the morning. The days travel for once was without incident and Tamalain was able to instruct her charges in a number of simpler field skills that they had not yet had time for at school. One skill she knew they had not yet covered was mana access and management. These kids needed the basics if they wanted to be able to survive in the wild on these sorts of missions.

Once at the Swayback Inn with the horses in the stables and cared for, she sat them down and explained how to begin basic controlled access to their mana supply. The first task was to feel for the power. She stressed to them not to try anything, just feel for the power, and learn to know when it was full and ready for use. Ravensclaw was able to access his power right away and had some control over it. He knew he had some abilities, but he did not know how to access or use them.

Ren'retere only took a few minutes and he could feel the power in him. He also said he could sense what abilities he could access if he had to. Tamalain reminded him that using the powers without an experienced instructor to help control the energy could lead to fatal results. She told them about the fight she had with Thornbreak and what Mistemoore had done to her and the near and fatal results of her not being fully in control of the power flows. She had told them some of what had happened to her Father and the long- term results of that treatment.

Mersinis took almost an hour to find the power within her own self, when she did it started pouring out of her with no control. Tamalain quickly grabbed her face with both hands and reached to the screaming girls mind. "Control it girl, push it down, don't let it burn you." She reached in, and pushed back at the out of control power flow and caused it to freeze in place. Once stopped, she was able to help Mersinis read it in a very shallow manner. "Mer, don't try to access your power until we get you to an instructor. You are having the same problem I had as a child."

They sat afterwards and had a hot meal of stew and vegetables, with hard-crusted bread with fresh churned butter melted on top. The Inn Keeper asked if everything was all right with them. He had heard the scream and seen what Tamalain had had to do to help Mersinis. "We are all fine Inn Keeper, just a few basic lessons and we found that she needs a full instructor to handle herself in what I was showing them."

"I see, well if you need anything else, please let one of the staff know, and have a pleasant evening."

"We shall and thank you," said Tamalain. Looking at the cadets, "You three are certainly quiet, is something troubling you?"

Ravensclaw spoke for them, "It's the mana training course, could it be that dangerous to us?"

"Kids, and I am not being insulting in calling you that, I was eight years old when I was exposed to the cursed Wolf totem. Have you read about that incident?" They all said they had. "It caused my mana pool to open and gave me uncontrolled access to my powers. Before my father, Eaglesclaw and Elder could begin my control training, the power nearly killed me, so do not take what happened with Mersinis lightly. I was able to help her suppress the surge of power, but that is all I can do out here. This is a strict direct order; you are not to access your Mana pool at all until old Han'mere gets his hands on you. And do not mention my name to the old High Elven, he hated me before we finished with his series of classes."

"Yes Ma'am." All three replied in serious tones. Mersinis though, continued the look troubled by what had transpired.

As they relaxed after eating their dinner, several human men entered the Inn acting in a suspicious manner. They looked around the room, then leaving one at the door, the other five spread out to cover the other exits and to control the patrons. Tamalain had seen them enter and watched as they spread out around the room. 'You have got to be kidding me, bandits?' she thought. "You three stay put, it's about to get interesting and bloody in here." They simply nodded as they saw her slowly pull out her daggers she had donned before entering the Inn."

One of the men, the apparent leader called out, "This is a road use, and Inn tax collection, all of you will place your coin and jewelry in the bags my men are carrying. Don't get any funny ideas or there will be blood spilled, that we would very much like to avoid if possible. Wood floors are difficult to clean."

Tamalain said loudly, "You have got to be kidding me. This is so pathetic it is almost boring." She stood up and stretched, holding her daggers in a way that they did not show right away.

The Leader turned and looked at her, "You hard of hearing girly, I said no funny stuff, now sit down and shut up."

"No, I don't think so," she said in Human speech. "I strongly suggest you and your men go out the door and leave the Faydark. If I hear of your little band again, I will take the time to hunt you down and kill you. Now be gone you stupid human man, you are interrupting a quiet and what was a pleasant evening"

The leader snorted in derision, "Hear that boys, this one little girl thinks she can tell us what to do. Gustuve, teach her manners will you."

"Sure thing boss, can I keep her afterwards? She looks like she could prove to be fun in other ways too."

On hearing that, Tamalain decided enough was enough. She switched into high gear, holding nothing back. The one called Gustuve went down first as his head left his shoulders. She performed a jump and flip kicking camo on, coming down behind one of the others and backstabbed him right through the heart. The next had started to draw his short sword, only to find his hands were missing from the elbow down. The next two she did simple heart stabs to finish them.

The leader on seeing his little troop slaughtered so quickly, tried to run for the door, only to find Tamalain standing there, wagging her daggers at him in the naughty, naughty motion that all children dread seeing their parents give them with fingers. "I was going to let all of you live, but once that brute made that last smart ass remark, I decided you all needed killing. She threw both daggers at him. He never had a chance to dodge they came at him so quickly. Each dagger entered an eye, he was dead before he even knew he had been hit.

She slowed herself back down and looked about for the Inn Keeper. She saw him at the door to the kitchen and waved for him to come out. "We seem to have some trash that needs removing tonight." She flipped a gold coin to the Inn Keeper and said, "Sorry for the mess." He looked about then called all the servers and staff over and they proceeded to haul the corpses out to the back of the Inn where a composting pit had been dug to deal with organic waste. They did take a moment to remove the coins and other useful belongings. They each got a few silvers from the search. Tamalain had recovered her daggers, wiping them off on the bandit leader's shirt, returned to her table and took her seat...

The rest of the patrons had been in shock at the sheer speed at which she had dispatched the bandits. One of the other Inn's patrons walked over to her table and introduced himself. "I am City guard Morison of the Western Lift Guard Station. That was an impressive display. I will have to ask your name, destination and purpose in the Faydark for paper work reasons. You did kill them without a trial so you may be in trouble for murder yourself."

The cadets looked at her and saw her grinning in a way that made their hearts scream in near terror. This could be messy or just interesting at the very least. They carefully moved away from her to give her the room to move.

Tamalain saw their actions and just started laughing. After a moment, she was back in control. "Guard Morison of the Western Lift Guard, I am Captain Arrowmark of the Upper Glenn's Village. I am currently on detached duty as a Road patrol agent and cadet Trainer for the Trueshot Academy. Believe me when I say this, I was fully authorized to remove that trash from the world of the living."

Morison looked at her for a moment, wrote down her name, the assignment and reason for her being at the Inn this evening. "Arrowmark, you wouldn't happen to be related to the Arrowmark girl that ended the betrayals would you?"

Tamalain smiled at that question, "Mister, I am Tamalain Arrowmark, breaker of the Thornbreak betrayals. I also put Mistemoore out of operations for over six years when he messed with my family and me once too often. And yes, my grandmother was that Tamalain of the Last Stand."

The look on the guards face was pure surprise. "Ma'am, it is an honor to meet you in person. You saved my family and I during the exodus, a burning limb fell and caught our wagon on fire. Your assistance that day saved us from being burned alive. I thank you on behalf of my family and myself. We never had the chance afterwards as you were to busy dealing with the caravan leaders later that day. I will submit this and it will be filed as closed. No charges will be brought against you since you are on duty."

Something he said twigged a worry in the back of her mind, they fled, yet he has been here for years? "I will worry about it later as I learn more and complete this mission," she thought.

Tamalain and Mersinis shared one room and the boys the other. "Captain, how did you learn to control your mana pool? I can feel it at the edge on my thoughts, as if it is trying to push through and take over."

"My training was a matter of self control. My father started me out with simple meditation to bring myself to a calm centered state of mind. The next level came from Eaglesclaw. He helped me create a scene in my mind that I was comfortable with and able to work in. In my case it was my woodworking bench at the woodworking shop."

"Do you still use that scene?"

"Not often anymore. It will pop up if I suddenly gain access to a new ability. There I can study it and learn how to hook it in safely and control it. Mersinis, I know you are hoping I can train you in this, but I can't. I am barely trained in advanced mana control myself. You need to take the courses and the lectures and train with a master. Then, and only then, will you learn what you need."

"Yes Ma'am, I am sorry I keep failing you like this. I am weak and unskilled, I am beginning the think I am not cut out to be a Ranger."

"Cadet, never think like that. That way of thinking will always lead to failure. I have so many talents and skills because of my ancestry. As to speed and strength, I have been through a lifetime of physical workouts and training that causes most girls to cry out in despair."

"I, I have seen you, and you have muscles that just go on forever. I am not sure I could ever build up like you are."

Tamalain smiled and sighed, "What you see on me now is a shadow of what I was before the Drakota battle. The healing and recovery left me so weak I could hardly walk a single time around the Quad. It took sixteen months to get me to this point. I figure I will need at least another two to three years to get back to my full power."

"Years? Wow, I guess I need to get busy, especially on my arms and shoulders. Firing the bow like I was tired my arms in just a few minutes. That was how one of the spiders got close enough to spit at me."

"I heard, and Raven did a fantastic job as backup for you and Ren. I see something in him that will one day lead to greatness. Now, we both need our sleep, goodnight Cadet."

"Goodnight Captain," she said with a yawn.

Both were asleep in minutes and slept undisturbed through the night.

At first hour, one of the servants of the Inn knocked on her door and Tamalain was on her feet, sword drawn and ready before her eyes had fully opened. When the knocking came again, and the call of first hour, she snapped fully awake. "Yes?" she called out.

"First hour Ma'am. Waking call as requested," replied the voice.

"We're up now, thank you."

"Breakfast is being served in the common room and your request for time has been sent to the bath house down the road. You need to be there by third hour."

"That is good news. Again, thank you."

Tamalain and Mersinis dressed in light cloth gowns and slippers for the morning. When they left their room with all their gear to head down the commons, they met Ravensclaw and Ren'retere as they where headed down as well. They had donned light tunics and trousers for the morning.

"We have a lot to do yet this morning before we continue on our way. Eat first then baths and gear maintenance." She led them to the common room and they had a hot and hearty meal. It consisted of, scrambled eggs, sausages, potatoes, porridge, fresh milk from the Inn's Meatbeast Cow, and assorted fruits and juices. Once they finished eating, Tamalain paid the bill to the Inn Keeper in person. He wanted to have them not pay at all for stopping the robbery, but she insisted on paying.

( Meatbeast. Think of a cow shaped like a Velociraptor. Some have wings, yes, they can sort of fly, just pray they have been milked before they lift. )

They collected their horses and walked to the bathhouse only a few minutes away.

Tamalain looked the collection of buildings that comprised the bathing facility. She immediately noticed a lack of a large furnace stack that would be the main source of hot water. They all took notice of low aquifers leaving the main building. The water flowing in one of them still steaming slightly as it flowed downhill to a small pond. The other aquifer had slightly cloudy water flowing down it to the same pond as the other.

"Captain, if there isn't a large furnace, how are they heating all that water?" Ask Ravensclaw.

"I have no idea, and until we go in and ask, we may never find out." She first led them to the stables and asked that the horses be fully cared for. "They have had a rough time out here, so a good treatment for them is in order I should think."

Once they had seen too the horses care, they entered the Baths central building. The lobby was well appointed; with fine woods and neatly carved stone. An older woman sat at the front desk. "May I help you folks," she asked politely?

Tamalain looked around the room for a second longer, "We would like to purchase baths for four please."

The woman did not even blink, "That will be four Platinum's for all of you."

"Platinum's? Expensive place you have here then," said Tamalain while fishing four Plats out of one of her many belt pouch's.

The woman continued her sales pitch, "To the left for men's, right for woman's only, center coed. Shower, wash and rinse well before entering baths. Oh yes, make sure to use the bathrooms before entering the soaks, no peeing in the tubs."

"Works for me," said Tamalain. She looked at the two boys then pointed to the men's side. They looked more than a little disappointed but went as ordered. "You're with me Mersinis." She stopped and remembered what they all wanted to know. "I noticed you don't have a furnace to heat the water, how are you heating it if you don't mind my asking?"

"The owner hired a wizard to enchant several steel ingots to produce heat on a permanent basis. They are in the big kettle in the heater room and it keeps the pools from lukewarm to scald your skin off hot. Is that enough information for you?"

"Plenty, thank you."

They went to the woman's only side and followed the instructions. They both where soon settled in the hot soaking tub, letting the heat soak away the last several days of aches and strains. A few other women were in the room, but all kept to themselves just relaxing and enjoying the quiet.

On the men's side it was not as relaxing nor quiet. Ravensclaw and Ren'retere had settled into a secluded corner to quietly discuss the journey so far. Instead they stayed silent as several other men were discussing things that worried them greatly.

Man One: "Once the old Elven Council tries to come back to Kelethin, we will ambush them, killing them making look like the Queen spider killed them all. With them gone, we will be able to set the new trade empire up and rule this entire continent."

Man Two: "Don't be to sure of that plan, I got word this morning that they have ordered road patrols into the wood to see to safe road conditions in the wood."

Man Three: "If the Kobalds on our pay don't get them, the spiders will. You know when we keep them fed, they leave the roads open, we stopped feeding them Orc flesh last week, so they will attack anybody on the road now."

Man Two: "I still think we are trying to move to fast with this plan. You remember what happened last time several of our folks tried this."

Man One: 'Yeah, they lost their heads. I issued a thousand Plat Bounty for Arrowmark's head, that should keep her off our backs long enough to get everything in place. We only need her out the picture for a week at the most.

Man Three: "You mean you hope it does. If she hears about this plot, she will, with the councils blessing hunt us down and remove all our heads."

Man One: "Not a chance, she is still recovering from her battle with the Drakota. That is the only thing she has done I am glad of by the way. I am done here, let's head to the bar and have a few before returning to the nagging wives."

Both of the others agreed to that plan and started to exit the pool. Ravensclaw grabbed their robes and towels and slid them to a corner of the small room that wouldn't be seen from the corridor. He then singled for Ren to sink down quietly into the pool and slide to the near edge so they wouldn't be seen as the conspirators as they left the soaks.

Once the room was clear, Raven and Ren quickly dried and dressed, giving the others time to leave the main dressing room. "We have to warn her Ren, this is beyond our pay grade so bad it hurts."

"No kidding Raven, I just hope she believes us."

"She will Ren, she will."

The boys waited in the exit lobby hoping the Captain and Mersinis would come out soon. They waited for twenty more minutes, trying not to appear nervous. At one point three older Elven men entered from a side door then headed outside without even seeming to notice the two cadets. Ravensclaw, wondering about what the door hid, opened it a few inches and peered in. He saw that the lighting was much lower and the walls and floor darker than the rest of the building. Several tables where scattered about with seating for up to four people at a time.

One end of the room was elevated a few feet and he could tell it was a stage, empty at the moment. The wall nearest the door had a long bar, lined with tall stools. After observing the room for a minute to get as many details as he could from his current vantage point, he closed the quietly and returned to where Ren was waiting.

"It is a bar and performance stage. That must be were they went after the soaks. Meaning the three that exited were most likely the men in the baths."