Winter 4994, 19 Aoimoth 

They did three large laps around the settlement before returning to find Lily waiting for them near the entrance with her staff. She was talking to a group of young warriors and obviously hadn't started her drills yet. 

Velona stepped towards her student, and Veon-Zih grinned at their shouted exchange, "You missed the run!" Velona yelled.

"Oh no!" Lily rolled her eyes theatrically, "Surely my muscles will shrivel, and my endurance crumble to dust from this one day! Whatever shall I do?" She grinned and pretended to flinch much harder than necessary from Velona's smack across her chest. 

"What you will do is run this afternoon." Velona scolded past the smile at the younger woman's antics. 

Beside Veon-Zih, Shon shook his head, his slight smile making his eyes shine. Veon-Zih hadn't seen that smile so consistently in years. It made his heart ache and reminded him that Lily might be able to heal Shon in a way Veon-Zih hadn't managed over the years. 

"Son of Honor!" one of the tribal warriors called, "I hope you're not too tired for the match?" 

Shon's smile vanished, and Veon-Zih sighed, turning to the warriors and saying, "Not at all. Let us finish warming up, and we will honor our promise to Saint Bjarki." He clapped Shon on the shoulder and steered him towards the ladies -who'd just taken up a position with their staves to start their kata. 

"Warm up..." Shon echoed Veon-Zih's word choice as he dropped into his stance. 

Veon-Zih studied his student through the turns of their first form, then asked, "You think you might hold an unfair advantage against them in wrestling? Or is it just that you don't want them to know you for a Sorcerer?" Shon nodded. Both. 

The warriors circled the practicing Monks and their students, whispering, and pointing. Beyond them, the rest of the encampment was up and going about their day, and approaching was... "We could ask the Druid for assistance," Veon-Zih suggested, nodding toward the woman. 

Shon's brow furrowed, but Veon-Zih continued, "We can either let it be and have a group of boisterous young fighters spread the word, or we can tell the Druid and ask her to keep her silence." Shon paused between kata and looked toward the elderly Shaman, who watched them from opposite the warriors. 

"Could you?" Shon asked simply, and Veon-Zih rolled his eyes, but nodded, 

As usual, Lily finished first, followed by Velona and then Veon-Zih. As Shon continued on, his Master approached the Druid, "M'lady, a private word if you will?" She eyed Veon-Zih shrewdly but agreed with a gesture and followed him away from Velona and Lily.

"I trust you are aware of our impending wrestling match?" He asked as they walked, making sure to lead the elder away from the tribal fighters -who had gone silent as they watched Shon finish his drills with his sword. 

The Druid nodded seriously, "That is why I'm here. The young may think this a fun game to test themselves and prove their might against the kingdom, but those taught to read the signs know it for a symbol. I would see how the city warriors would truly treat with us..." 

Well, that complicated things a tad... It had been too long since Veon-Zih had engaged with barbarians, and never in Lenare. They seemed even more superstitious than those in Oane. "With that in mind, Holy One," Veon-Zih faced the Druid, making sure Shon would be in view so she could confirm his claims if necessary, continuing, "Shon wishes to make this friendly bout in Saint Bjarki's name a fair one, and requests your aid and discretion." 

The Druid's lip tilted up in a smirk, "The Son of Honor wishes me to betray my tribe? I expected better of Hengist."

Veon-Zih shook his head, "I'm afraid you misunderstand, m'lady. Shon already holds a few unfair advantages against your fine warriors and merely wishes the playing field leveled." 

The woman raised both her eyebrows curiously, so he continued, "Shon is my student, and unlike Master Velona and Lily, we specialize in unarmed combat. This isn't an advantage that you have the power to influence I'm afraid, but you should know that Shon holds another advantage. He's a Sorcerer. Though he can't and wouldn't use his magic, his skin..." 

But the woman had looked past him and narrowed her eyes at Shon, "He too is an elemental Shaman? Why would he not tell us? What element?"

Veon-Zih shook his head, "He does not flaunt his magic..." 

"It is sealed?" she realized, her lip twitching in disdain.

"It is," Veon-Zih confirmed, "As to the element, can you not guess?" He glanced over his shoulder to see Shon sheathing his sword and the warriors closing in to speak with him. Some looked as though they wished to pat him on the back as they did each other, but they hesitated at the 'don't touch me' vibe his student was radiating like a stench. 

"Ice..." the Druid breathed, "So rare... And the kingdom does not honor its strength?"

Veon-Zih sighed and decided it was about time they get back to the point, "His skin is cold, cold enough to sting and numb. You can see why this would make a wrestling match seem unfair? We wish this to be an honorable challenge." 

The Druid took a few moments to study Shon further before shifting her eyes back to Veon-Zih and nodding, "I will shield the warriors against cold, but I have a price." Veon-Zih arched an eyebrow at the woman, "I wish a private word with the Son of Honor afterward." 

"Of course, Holy One." Veon-Zih bowed to her, right fist in left palm, "He would agree to such as a representative of Hengist, even without your assistance. Though we are grateful for it nonetheless." She inclined her head at him, and Veon-Zih smiled, taking the gesture for dismissal and going back to stand with Shon. 

His student arched a black eyebrow at him, his blue eyes showing none of the relaxed happiness they'd held in the morning. The warriors led them to the wrestling rings, and Veon-Zih whispered, "She has agreed but requires a talk with you afterward," Shon nodded, and Veon-Zih continued, "It seems they see this fight as a possible sign for how the kingdom plans to deal with their tribe in future."

Shon narrowed his eyes at the fighters' backs, then glanced at the Druid, then arched an eyebrow at his Master, asking for advice. Veon-Zih shook his head, "You're the Temple representative. How do you think they'll treat the barbarians if it came to blows?" Or -more accurately- what message did he want to send.

Shon closed his eyes for a moment, but Veon-Zih could read his emotions clearly. Shon wasn't a Paladin. He didn't have the ability or right to speak for Hengist. And yet the barbarians didn't know that, or they wouldn't have dubbed him 'Son of Honor.' It stung every time one of them said it, and yet Shon wouldn't correct them, for fear that they would take insult that Temple hadn't sent one of their god's chosen to deal with them.

Velona asked Yua, "Could you go wake up Tuth, please? The Chief's here, and if we want to finish this business today, he will need to wake up before noon." Veon-Zih looked around and saw the Chief waiting beside his son with Pia, though the girl moved away as they approached, circling the gathering with her stunningly green eyes locked on Lily.

The warriors had formed a circle around a flattened portion of grass, and the Druid stepped into it, announcing, "Today we honor the god Bjarki, patron of warriors, born from the free tribes of the land..." -like all the allies of Saint Giorgos, Saint Bjarki was once a mortal man, and a barbarian. Though there was much debate over which tribe he hailed from, all tribes honored him as one of their own- "... step forward champion of the Laughing Pony."

Scarletgiraffe stepped into the ring and stood before the Druid. She rested a hand on his shoulder and mumbled something. A prayer... Or spell... Before addressing him directly, "You have proven yourself strongest among us, and in the name of the tribe have challenged this Son of Honor to noble combat..." She gestured for Shon, who slipped off his sword and passed it to Veon-Zih. He would make sure it stayed in range during the match.

Then -as if by magic- Lily appeared at Shon's side and whispered, "Your shirt." Beside her, Velona rolled her eyes but nodded. Shon looked around at the watching topless warriors, then obeyed, slipping his shirt off to reveal the muscled results of years of training and a plethora of scars from a multitude of battles.

Some of the younger warriors shifted nervously, while the older nodded approvingly, and the gathering tribespeople whispered behind their hands. Shon stepped into the ring, and the Druid turned to him to continue the ritual, "We would test the strength of your kingdom in friendly competition. Should you lose to our champion, do you agree to match strength with our other warriors who wish to test themselves?" Shon nodded, and Veon-Zih breathed a sigh of relief. There would only be one match today.

*** 

He was moving... but it didn't matter, he was warm and comfortable, and his dream of laying in a soft bed surrounded by books continued without interruption. 

"Tuth..." a voice came from far away, possibly beyond his locked door. No one would drag him from here on some dirty adventure. He needed to compile his notes from the last one before setting out again anyway...

"Tuth! Seriously, how can one person sleep so much."... Even if he had grown to enjoy fieldwork, it was nice to bask in the luxuries sometimes...

"If you don't get up, I'm going to let Lily burn your spellbook." 

Tuth's eyes shot open, and he sat bolt upright. Tangled in his blankets and robes, and dizzy from moving too fast, he fell back down immediately, and the strange woman beside him snickered. "That book is worth more than..." he started to grumble, closing his eyes and trying to grasp the last parts of his dream. 

"Oh no you don't. UP!" Yua threw his blankets off, and the cool early winter air stole the last of Tuth's sleep. He groaned and rolled away from the light streaming through the top of their yurt. Right... He wasn't sleeping in a comfortable tower, but was instead on the hard ground -again- and his body was quickly reminding him how stiff such arrangements made him.

Tuth struggled to sit up, running his hands through his tangled sandy hair and mumbling, "What time is it..."

Yua held the door flap open -letting in yet more cursed light- and answered, "Well past breakfast, sleeping beauty. Now hurry up, or we'll miss Shon's match." 

Ah yes... that primitive show of physical prowess the tribes so often insisted on. He rolled off his bed and clawed at his bag to find a clean robe as Yua continued, "The Chief's watching, and Velona says you need to talk to him to finish this mission and get a real bed." 

"I need to talk to all of them," Tuth corrected instinctually, "The Chief, the senior Shaman, the Sorcerer, and the Temple representative all need to be present to sign the official documen-" 

"Yeah yeah, paperwork, I get it, now let's go." Yua marched back and wrenched his robe off over his head. Tuth let slip a squeak of surprise and covered himself with his clean clothes, but she'd already turned away. 

Afraid the mad Ranger would try and dress him herself, Tuth tied his new robe quickly and scrambled to his feet to follow her, slipping on his bag as he went. She led the way briskly outside the encampment, but her assertion that they would miss the bout was unnecessary. He didn't know how long it had taken to wake him, but when they arrived, Shon and Scarletgiraffe were still only staring at each other. 

Yua grabbed the back of his neck and steered him towards their companions, who'd taken up a position beside the Chief -between the two fighters.

Shaking her off, Tuth asked, "They haven't started?"

"Oh, they have, City Shaman," The Chief whispered. 

Velona clarified, "Such bouts are decided long before the first blow falls." 

Veon-Zih nodded, "It will be over in three moves." Over the Monk's shoulder, Shon's sword swirled from midnight blue to navy, and Scarletgiraffe's weight shifted forward on his toes. 

The barbarian lunged at Shon. They grabbed each other's shoulders, and Scarletgiraffe tried to push him back. Shon didn't move, didn't even blink his cold icy eyes. Scarletgiraffe tried to wrench Shon to the side, even taking a step to gain better leverage, but that was his undoing. Before his foot could hit the ground once more, Shon's leg shot out, hooking the barbarian behind the calf and pulling his leg up. With a twist of his hips and bulging of tightly corded muscles, Shon threw the overbalanced Scarletgiraffe to the ground. Calmly -as if merely folding laundry- Shon rolled over him and took the man's arm in both of his, wrenching his shoulder -preparing for a break.

Scarletgiraffe had the wind knocked out of him by the fall, but at the pain in his arm, he slapped the ground with a strangled cry. As quickly as Shon had started, he stopped, letting go of the tribe's champion and rolling onto his back. He kicked up and into a standing position in one smooth motion, then reached down to offer a hand to the defeated warrior.

"Nice move..." Veon-Zih muttered while Lily cheered. 

"The trip?" Tuth breathed, still staring at Shon as Scarletgiraffe took his proffered hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, rubbing his arm with a shaking hand. The Mage had been sure Shon was going to break the man's arm without so much as blinking.

Veon-Zih shook his head, but it was Velona who explained, "The hand up." 

"That does seem out of character for him..." Yua observed. Once the barbarian had reached his feet, Shon quickly let go, stepping back and bowing in the Monk fashion. 

Lily shrugged, "The tribes will see it as a sign." In a show of good sportsmanship, Scarletgiraffe reached for Shon's arm -ignoring his flinch- and held it in the air for the rest of the tribe to cheer.

The crowd started to disperse, and Veon-Zih moved forward to return Shon's sword and shirt. He placed himself between his antisocial student and the other warriors -who had all crowded into the circle to try and talk to him. Lily made to follow, but Pia grabbed her hand with a whisper of a sizzle as her water power came in contact with Lily's fire. "Do you still want to meet my familiar Lily?" The girl asked. 

Tuth was torn. He wanted to see the girl's kelpie -he'd never heard of such a familiar before- but beside him, the Chief cleared his throat, "You wished to speak with me, City Shaman?" He had a job to do. 

"Yes, Chieftan," Tuth answered, while Lily left with Pia and Shon made his way away from the warriors towards the Druid. What's that about? Tuth shook his head to focus on the task at hand, and continued, "We need to discuss the necessary papers and proper observation of the accords as they pertain to-"

The Chief interrupted with a booming laugh, "Well, let's get this over with then. Follow me." He led Tuth to one of the largest yurts in the innermost circle, holding the flap open for the Mage to proceed him. The dwelling was richly appointed -as far as barbarian belongings were concerned- with an actual mattress on the expertly woven rugs, chests lining the outside, and two comfortable cushions positioned across from each other in the middle. 

Chief Amberyak sighed as he took his spot on one of the cushions and sat proudly as he waited for Tuth to do the same. "I confess I expected the kingdom to send someone much older..." 

"I assure you, m'lord, that I meet all of the prerequisite requirements for the registration of-" but the Chief waved dismissively. 

"I'm sure, young man, but please, let us dispense with such formalities. The Firespeaker knows our ways, and I'm sure, as her companion, you have an idea as well." 

Tuth nodded, though he always found it difficult dealing with the tribes. On the one hand, they were brash and informal, which was probably why Lily liked them so much. But on the other, they were surprisingly shrewd and not above taking advantage of the misconceptions many of the kingdom citizens held against them. "Very well, Chief Amberyak. As you know, we are here to register miss Pia as a Sorcerer. As per the accords, we will need your assurance, and the assurance of your senior Shaman, that she will be both trained and kept out of kingdom settlements." 

The Chief sighed, crossing his arms and looking out the top of his roof, "And should she choose to enter a kingdom settlement for trade?" 

"You're to prevent that from happening," Tuth answered, but the Chief shook his head. 

"With her ties to the water, and her familiar in particular, Pia has expressed a desire to become a wandering Shaman, such as your own. We cannot take her far from the river for an extended period, and we cannot stay here permanently to hunt. Our Shaman has agreed to stay and teach her our rituals, but if your own were to train her, could she perhaps earn-"

"Our own?" Tuth interrupted, then -realizing what he'd done- he shook his hands in front of his face. "My apologies Chief Amberyak, but if she wishes a clearance to practice magic in the kingdom, then she'll need to be tested by an Archmage at one of the Guilds." 

"And Shaman Arver is not such?" the Chief asked, and Tuth forgot what else he was about to say. 

He blinked then finally managed, "Who?" 

The Chief shrugged, "A week before our Pia awoke, a magic-user arrived at our settlement. I presumed him a kingdom man, though he declined to come with us as we traded with the lake town to the east. I confess he made me leary, but then he saved one of our young ones and even bid us leave our camp early due to a coming storm. We followed his advice because he spoke with the voice of a god, and not long after, a cursed storm followed, with lightning of alien colors. He saved us twice over, and is an honored guest, though he has fallen ill over the last few days." 

Tuth crossed his arms, looking down as he thought. There was another Mage in the encampment, and he hadn't come to meet them? "Does this Mage Arver have a familiar? A little dragon?" He looked up, but the Chief just shrugged in answer. So he hadn't seen the pseudodragon...

"I am unaware of any Mages permitted to practice in the area, Chief Amberyak, but regardless my statement stands. If Pia wishes access to kingdom settlements, she will need a kingdom clearance. And even if she were to leave your tribe, you would still be responsible for her training and safety, as per the accords." The Chief nodded, and Tuth finished, "If we are in agreement, then all we need are the signatures of yourself, the Shaman, and the Sorcerer, witnessed by myself and the Temple representative. If you're ready, we can get this done tonight."

"We can do so now. I believe I saw the Son of Honor accompany our Shaman to her home," he stood with a groan, though it seemed feigned as he continued to move with the grace of a warrior much younger. And lighter. "Follow me, young man. I have some experience with your kingdom's papers, and I have no desire to miss tonight's feast."

***

Shon followed the Druid back to her yurt, scanning the single room and trying to memorize everything for his journal later. A variety of aromatic plants hung from the walls and ceilings, as well as a wide range of colorful stones that caught the light from the roof as they twisted on their cords. Stylized paintings -which some might consider primitive- covered the leather beyond the lattice walls -depicting what he presumed to be the legends and lore of the tribe.

"I will get straight to the point, Son of Honor." The Druid started, spinning in place and taking a seat in the middle of her yurt, "You are a Sorcerer, and yet you keep your power sealed. I want to know if you expect young Pia to do the same." Shon shook his head as he sat across from her, but the woman narrowed her eyes at him, "Your kingdom thinks all elemental Shaman dangerous, too dangerous in fact, to enter your settlements even after training. You have the authority to declare her out of control and bring your Temple down on us. What assurances can you offer that you -an elemental Shaman yourself who chooses to seal his power- won't do such?" 

Shon met the woman's eyes. She was worried for the girl and the tribe, and though he'd had every intention of dealing with them impartially, Shon had to take a deep breath to clear his mind after picturing Pia. If anyone should be sealed, it was her... though why he felt so, he didn't know. Shon pushed the idea away and answered, "If we're talking about the Temple then I -and any other representative you might request in my stead- will judge a tribal Sorcerer based on their demonstrated control. Hengist teaches justice under the law and fairness in judgment. It would be blasphemy to use his name to enforce our own prejudices." 

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, but Shon forestalled her with a hand. He wanted to get this all out now so he wouldn't have to explain further -or again- to anyone else. "As for myself, I believe that all Sorcerers have the right to choose what they do with their own power, including myself. I would never ask Lily to seal her magic, and neither will I request that... your Sorcerer... do the same. If you can assure me that she isn't a danger to your tribe or the innocents of the kingdom, then I will honor the accords and her freedom to choose."

The Druid tilted her head at Shon for a moment, the gesture reminding him of Lily, though her searching gaze didn't. Finally, she said, "Very well, Son of Honor, I will believe you, and I assure you that Pia has, in fact, gained much control over the weeks since her power awakened. It is not her power, I fear." 

Shon arched an eyebrow at the woman, sensing there was a lot more behind that last statement. She waited for him to say something, but when he just continued to watch her, she sighed. "There is another city man... He came before Pia awakened yet somehow managed to position himself near her when it happened. He saved a young man from drowning and thus endeared himself to the tribe. Later he warned of the storm that passed a few days ago, urging us to leave but declining to warn the kingdom town..."

Someone had known... Known with enough time to warn the tribe but had not told the kingdom. Leaving hundreds of citizens to die of asphyxiation. Shon clenched his fists in his lap while the Shaman continued, "I'm afraid young Pia has taken to him as a wise man. She spends much time with him. But his magic is..." She searched for the right word but could only settle on, "unnatural." She sighed, "He is an honored guest and I cannot ask him to leave, but you-" 

Shon nodded. She didn't need to say anymore. She was suspicious of this mysterious man and his intentions, and where she couldn't do anything about it, Shon and Tuth could demand that he return to the capital if he didn't have permission to practice in the field or deal with the tribes. 

Between the storm and this suspicious Mage, what had started as a simple mission had become a bit more complicated, but that didn't mean they couldn't finish their original business in a timely manner. 

As if summoned by the thought, the flap to the Druid's yurt pulled open, and the Chief asked, "May we come in Azurehoof?" 

The Druid gestured him in, and the Chief was followed by Tuth, who said, "Oh good, you're still here. We just need Pia then." 

The Chief started, "I believe I saw her leave with the Firespeaker. I can send someone-" But Tuth was shaking his head. 

"I'll send Lily a whisper. And this will give us time to go over your role in plain language, Holy One," he nodded to the Druid. At her nod he began a short chant, whispering a message to Lily.

*** 

"Oh wow... What's his name?" Lily asked excitedly, moving carefully closer and holding her hand out to the kelpie. Pia had assured her that it wouldn't be afraid of her, and Lily knew it wasn't a normal horse, but it looked like one, its sleek black coat gleaming with moisture, though its mane and tail were plants. Seaweed? Riverweed? Is that even a thing? Lily shrugged to herself, Waterweed.

Pia grabbed the back of Lily's hand and pulled it forward to pet the kelpie's forehead. The beast snorted and shook its head, revealing pointed teeth, but then closed its eyes and let Lily pet it. She wondered if she could possibly ride it someday, though now it was still too young and small. 

"His name is Dekishi..." 

"Drowning?" Lily asked.

Pia just blinked at her then asked, "You speak draconic?" 

Lily nodded, tilting her head at the young Sorcerer and asking, "How do you know it?" 

Pia gripped both of Lily's hands in her own, holding them tight -and steaming- in her excitement, "Shaman Arver is teaching me."

Lily shifted her head to the other side, "The Druid?" Was that the woman's child name? Why would Pia use that?

But Pia was already shaking her head, "No. Arver is a traveling Shaman. He came to our tribe before my power awakened, but he knew." She let go of Lily's hands and waved her own in the air excitedly. "He spoke to me of my dreams, and he knew I was a Sorcerer, though I didn't believe him. But when my power awoke, I..." her voice faltered, and she looked away.

"I was fighting with Rian. He threw me in the water as a joke, and I only meant to hold him under a little, just to scare him, but when he pushed me back and tried to stand, the water came with him. He almost drowned. But Arver seemed to appear out of nowhere, right to our side. He dispelled the water and grabbed my wrist. It felt like he was pulling the power right out of me but only enough for me to control it. 

"Later, he tried to warn me to run from a storm, but when I didn't believe him, he told the entire tribe. His voice became booming and seemed to come from everywhere at once, and we listened. A few days later, the storm hit and it nearly blew our yurts over, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been." 

Lily's head tilted back to the other side. This Arver had known the storm was coming, had known, and only tried to save Pia. Very strange. But she was probably the only one who'd bothered to get close to him. Lily shrugged, "And he's teaching you draconic?" 

Pia nodded excitedly and started, "Yes! He says my true mother..." But whatever else she said was drowned out as Tuth's voice sounded in Lily's head,

Hey Lily, can you bring Pia to the Druid's yurt? We want to get the paperwork for her done. Shon's already here.

"Tuth needs us to sign papers," Lily interrupted and Pia's mouth snapped shut. Lily smiled at her, realizing how rude she must seem and trying to smooth it over by adding, "I would really like to meet this Arver if you'll introduce me." 

"Ye... yes. When he's feeling better," Pia assured her.

*** 

With Shon and Tuth doing paperwork, Lily having Sorcerer talk with the girl Pia, and the Monks off doing gods knew what, Yua had decided to take some of the barbarian huntsmen up on their offer to let her help shoot for the night's feast. It had been many months since she'd practiced mounted archery, and seeing the Monks and their students practice every morning had a way of making her feel guilty.

The tribe lent her a young stallion, and though she could tell it was another sort of test, the rambunctious horse was well enough behaved under her experienced hands that the hunters warmed to her quickly.

They were almost done, with enough pheasant and coney to feed the tribe and their guests when she saw it. A rustle in the grass before them. Yua whistled a wren's call without thinking, but the tribesmen didn't know the signals the Rangers of the Southernwood used. Half of them stopped -which was her intent- and a few swiveled their mounts to face her curiously. But the one right in the path of the shaking grass kept going -just turning in his seat to look back at her.

Something red exploded from the golden fronds, wings spread to catch the late afternoon light shining through the leathery membrane. The hunter's horse reared in surprise, though the man managed to keep his seat. The others lifted their bows. 

"Wait!" Yua called, holding her arm out and breathing a sigh of relief when they listened, "Ryuuko?" She shielded her eyes from the sun to squint at what was unmistakably a pseudodragon. But as she did, its colors shifted, from red to blue then to green as it flew away. 

The hunters laughed at their companion as he settled his horse, and spoke of what good fortune such a creature from myth might portend for their tribe. Yua narrowed her eyes at the speck that was the oddly colored pseudodragon as it flew along the river, then turned back, dipping low into the grass again.

"It is good you stopped us." The eldest of the hunters said, patting her back. "We have legends of such beasts. To see one is supposed to be good luck! What was that you called it?" 

Yua managed a smile. "They're native to my home wood, though even there, they're elusive." She explained, "My companions and I were actually traveling with one, and I thought it might be ours -returned from a mission- so I called its name." She shrugged, "It doesn't seem to be the same though, so maybe it's a good luck sign." But then why did she feel building anxiety? 

They returned to the settlement, and Yua helped to care for the horses and even offered to clean the kills -but the hunters assured her that they had others already working on the feast that would handle that part. While the hunters delivered the fruits of their labor, Yua looked for her companions. 

She found the Monks still with the tribal warriors near the wrestling ring. Veon-Zih -it seemed- was teaching them a thing or two about his style of unarmed fighting while Velona watched, an indulgent grin across her lovely face. The woman caught sight of Yua and waved her down, but as the Ranger approached, Velona's smile faded, and she asked, "What's wrong?"

Realizing the nameless concern must be showing on her face, Yua ran her hand over it. "Nothing, Just..." She thought of Ryuuko and all the stories she'd heard of pseudodragons growing up. She knew they changed colors with the seasons, but the process was as slow as tree leaves shifting through the year, not at all like what she'd seen. "Do you know if Ryuuko'll be back soon?" she finally asked. 

Veon-Zih split from the warriors to join them, answering, "We can ask Shon, but I think it'll still be another day or so. Why?" 

"I think I saw Tuth's pseudodragon, but it was strange..." Yua answered. 

"Tuth's?" Velona asked, and Yua realized the Monks hadn't heard them the night before. 

She explained quickly what Tuth had seen and what she'd witnessed today, but when she started to describe the colors, both Monks' expressions turned stony. 

Velona took a long slow breath, and Veon-Zih rubbed her back, "I think we should return to our yurt." He said. 

As they started back into the settlement, Velona whispered, "I'd really started to believe she'd killed them all..." 

"It could be nothing." Veon-Zih tried to reassure her, but Velona shook her head.

"We've seen such familiars before Veon-Zih. I've been waiting for this for the last six years, but why here? Why now of all times?" 

Yua waited until they were safely alone in their yurt before she asked, "What is it?"

Veon-Zih sat on his blankets with a sigh while Velona knelt, her hands crossed over her lap. Veon-Zih ran his hand over his head and answered Yua's question with one of his own, "What do you know of Warlocks?" 

Yua could feel the blood drain from her face and managed to choke out, "You don't think... But they're forbidden, insane, the kingdom has outlawed the practice and hunted them all down." 

Velona cleared her throat, "They are, and that is true, but like every other illegal activity, you can't ever completely stop it. Master Veon-Zih and I met over forty years ago on a mission involving Warlocks. It was there we saw a pseudodragon like you described." 

Veon-Zih picked up the story, "We found out more about it after the fact. Warlocks get their power from the outer planes. It's what drives them mad. And some of them are given a spirit familiar that can take the form of a special Mage familiar. Apparently, it's usually something like an imp from the hells, but in our case, it was a pseudodragon."

Yua looked between the two experienced adventurers and shook her head. "You said you were waiting for this?" She asked Velona. 

The Monk closed her eyes. "You know that Lily was held prisoner for the first part of her life?" She asked. Yua nodded, Lily had let it slip so casually, but Yua hadn't wanted to bring it up. It didn't seem like something anyone would want to remember. Velona continued, "She was imprisoned by Warlocks in Clearhelm. She escaped seven years ago. We thought she'd killed all of them..." 

"Except one," Veon-Zih interjected, "The wyvern..." 

"A wyvern?!" Yua nearly shouted. Wyverns were some of the most dangerous monsters known to man. The size of a wagon with a wingspan twice as long, they were vicious hunters, capable of picking off entire villages. She shook her head, not wanting to think about facing such a beast, but then she put the timeline together and asked, "Seven years... but she would have been what? Seventeen?" 

"We think sixteen," Velona answered, "We don't actually know how old Lily is. She didn't even have a name while in captivity." 

Veon-Zih continued the story, "She broke free, killing all the Warlocks but one, who rode a wyvern in an attack against a Hengist training fortress to get her back." 

Hengist training... Yua mouthed the words, then louder said, "Shon... That's how she met Shon." The Monks nodded, and Yua covered her face with her hands. What had she gotten herself into... She spoke between her fingers, "And you think they're still out there and still want her back, and that's what this strange pseudodragon means?" But how had a sixteen-year-old, even a Sorcerer, managed to kill a group of Warlocks? Their magic was alien and dangerous, able to enhance themselves beyond human abilities and kill with a touch. Or so the stories said.

"It could be unrelated," Velona said, though it was clear she didn't believe it herself. 

"We need to tell the others," Veon-Zih said. 

Yua looked up again to see Velona shaking her head. "I don't want Lily involved in this. Not until we know more." 

"She..." Veon-Zih started, but Velona interrupted him,

"Not until we know more. We can't accuse the tribe based on the sighting of a possible familiar, and there is a chance it could be unrelated. Her nightmares are bad enough without an immediate reminder in the waking world." 

Yua spoke up, "Either way, we need to wait for Shon and Tuth. They're the representatives of the Temple and Guild." 

"And we can't show our hand," Veon-Zih added, "If there is a Warlock nearby and they know that we know, they may disappear, or they may snap and start killing tribespeople." It could go either way with their insanity... 

So all they could do was wait for the others. "I'm sorry, Yua," Veon-Zih said, his smile sad, "If I had known what we were stumbling in on..." 

But the Ranger shook her head, "Don't be, Master Veon-Zih. I may not be a Druid or Paladin, but I am a Ranger of the Southernwood. I cannot in good conscience allow such twisted magic to be practiced in my kingdom." She turned to Velona and grinned, "Besides, I like Lily, and if this is the same group that hurt her, then I want to take my turn in teaching them what happens to those who threaten my friends."

Velona smiled gratefully and Veon-Zih declared, "So we wait,"

*** 

Shon closed his eyes but continued to listen as Tuth droned on and on for hours, explaining the paperwork and translating the legal jargon for the barbarians and Lily -who had decided to stick around- to better understand each of their roles. He could practically hear his old instructor's dry voice interweave with Tuth's. For hours every day, he and the other Squires had been lectured on the laws of the kingdom and each of its ten provinces, expecting that someday they would be required to enforce those laws. Well, that much had been true at least... It was only due to his rank -and his position as an enlisted at the kingdom level- that allowed Shon to act in place of a Paladin in minor legal matters such as this.

"Okay, so if each of you could sign here..." Tuth started, and Shon opened his eyes. The Mage tapped the first page of a thick stack, "Chief Amberyak, you're here." he passed the Chieftan a quill loaded with magical ink. 

"I can read City Shaman, but the others have no need for such skills," he explained as he printed his name in neat block letters on the first line.

"That's fine," Tuth waved the man's concerns away and addressed the two tribeswomen, "Just make your mark on the line and be sure you use the same one each time," he explained to them, passing the pen to the Druid. 

The Shaman drew a simple horse on the line, then passed the pen to Pia, who hesitated and glanced at Lily. "Do you know how to write 'water' in..." her voice trailed off, but Lily understood whatever it was and took the pen from her.

Shon narrowed suspicious eyes at Pia, but Tuth lunged to block Lily's hand, "No, Pia has to be the one to sign it, Lily" 

Lily rolled her eyes and slapped the back of Tuth's hand, "I know." she grabbed Pia's left hand, and turning it over, drew a symbol on her palm. "Stroke order is important..." She told the Sorcerer. Pia watched intently, then took the pen back and copied the symbol from her palm onto the paper. 

As Tuth took the pen back and signed his own name with a flourish, Shon arched an eyebrow at Lily. She grinned at him and shrugged but didn't explain.

Shon took the pen and signed his own name on the line labeled 'Temple Representative.' Glancing over the other four signatures -and seeing what a mess Tuth's was- Shon wrote out the Druid and Pia's names beside their marks along with his initials. 

Tuth beamed at him, "Thanks!" To which Shon just nodded. It needed to be legible. Then the Mage went through each page one at a time, reading it out loud for the ladies and turning it for the Chief to follow along -and make sure he wasn't lying- before having them initial the bottom of each and every page.

Lily groaned, leaning back on her hands and staring out the roof, as the sun continued to pass towards setting. At one point, she leaned over and rested her head on Shon's shoulder, whispering, "Does it always take this long?" Shon nodded, and Lily whined, "How can you stand it?" 

"It's the law," Shon answered. That should've been enough, but Lily rolled her eyes again, so he whispered, "It keeps them safe and the kingdom accountable."

"As if it's any of their business," Lily grumbled. 

Shon reached over to squeeze her hand but said, "The safety of the people is their business." 

She didn't argue further, and Tuth continued all the way to the end of the stack -where they all had to give their full signatures again. As Shon finished writing out the Druid and Pia's names, Tuth reached into his bag again and pulled out two more stacks of papers just as large, and Lily let out a truly pitiful cry. 

"Oh shush, Lily," Tuth said absently, then laid out the stacks to either side of the completed forms. The new pages were blank, but as he began chanting, the forms started to glow with a soft blue light. He sprinkled some sand on it, then on the other two, which started to glow in turn. Words began to form on the top pages until they both matched the completed stack. 

Tuth let out a long breath and shook his hands, then picked up the new stacks and examined each page of the duplicates, then handed them to Shon to examine. "I will take one back to the Guild, while Shon will take one to the Temple. The last is for you."  

Finished with his examination of the signatures, Shon passed one stack back to Tuth and held out the other to the tribespeople. The Druid placed a hand on Pia's shoulder, and the Chief nodded down at her. She reached out to take the pages from Shon, but as she did, their eyes met, and she sneered, her look turning to a glare of contempt.

"And we are supposed to trust you to keep your word and leave us be after this?" She demanded, her fingers squeezing the papers and causing watermarks to spread from where she touched. 

"Pia!" the Druid chastised.

Shon's voice was nearly a whisper, "Your fate is in your hands. But if you break the faith your tribe -and we- are showing in you, I will see the law upheld." Shon's glare was much more intimidating than the girl's.

Pia blanched, and Tuth gasped, "Shon!" 

But Pia hadn't broken eye contact, and Shon continued to stare down at her. He didn't trust her. He didn't know why, but something about her made him want to end whatever threat she might be here and now. And the fact that he didn't understand it, that he'd never felt anything like this before, only added anxiety, making it worse. Her water started to frost over the paper. 

Stop... Calm...

Pain accompanied the voice in Shon's head, but it was Pia who flinched. Shon swallowed, letting go of the papers and standing to take a step back. He ran his hand through his hair and listened, but the voice didn't repeat itself. 

Pia set the papers down and covered her face. Had she heard it too? Lily moved between them to rest a hand on the girl's shoulder. Pia looked up and managed a smile. Shon nodded to the tribe's leaders -who looked to confused to be insulted- and left. 

The twilight of dusk washed the encampment in soft dark colors. The rest of the tribe was already starting to set up for the feast, and Shon took a calming breath. What was wrong with him?

Lily's voice sounded behind him, echoing his thoughts, "What in all the hells was that about?" she demanded. 

Shon shook his head and made to return to their yurt, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him around the side of another building, "Oh no, you don't. Not this time." she pointed down the road and spoke to someone behind him, "Go, Tuth. I need a private word with Shon." 

He watched her eyes follow the Mage as he retreated before she locked on Shon again, "Well?" she demanded. 

Shon shook his head again but answered, "I don't trust her..." 

"Because she's a Sorcerer?" Lily scoffed, "Do you hate us so much? Hate yourself?" She was angry. He could feel it, though her heat hardly fluctuated -not like it would've before her training with Master Velona. 

"I don't hate Sorcerers," Shon tried to explain. 

"Oh really?" Lily asked, then reached up and flicked his sword over his shoulder, "Could've fooled me."

It was bound to happen eventually. He supposed he should be grateful it happened before they'd gone much further in their relationship. So she wouldn't regret it.

He was still agitated from the strange feelings Pia inspired and afraid of the voice in his mind, so when Shon spoke, he snapped, "What I hate is the magic, Lily. I hate what it does to people, how it takes their future and directs it to its will, how it defines who people are no matter what they might want to be." It was why Lily had been an experiment, and why he couldn't be a Paladin, and even why Pia couldn't stay with her tribe when they had to leave the river.

"It isn't some separate entity!" Lily shouted. 

Shon clenched his jaw and looked away from her, his hands shaking. Where she got louder, he became quieter, growling, "That only makes it worse," he clenched his eyes shut, but Pia's sneering face filled his vision, "That isn't what this is about anyway, Lily. I don't know what it's about. If I could explain it to you, I would. I came here prepared to deal with a Sorcerer, to give them a fair chance, but something inside me is screaming that she isn't to be trusted and I don't understand it." and he was afraid. Not of Pia, she disgusted him, but he wasn't afraid of her. No, what he was afraid of was the feeling itself, the emotion that came from deep in his soul for no reason whatsoever. 

"The way you two glare at each other, it's like Yoryuu and Inryuu incarnate. It... Shon..." Lily whispered his name, and he felt her hands on his face, hot and soothing, "Where is Ryuuko? Tell me." 

"What?" Shon opened his eyes to see her watching him.

The shift in tone and topic confused him, but she ran her thumbs over his cheeks and said, "Close your eyes and find Ryuuko. Tell me how far it is..." 

An order to follow... what a relief. Shon closed his eyes and obeyed. His heart calmed. He hadn't even noticed it hammering. He found the bond that tied him to the pseudodragon and followed it. He got a flash of grass passing beneath them as they flew over the plains, and knew, "It's about a day out," He answered. 

"Good," Lily said, letting her hands trail down from his face to rest on his chest, she leaned against him, "I've never seen you lose control like that before, Shon..." 

"I..." Shon opened his eyes and looked down at Lily only to see the ground around them wet with melted frost. "I'm sorry. I..." needing her solidity, Shon wrapped Lily in shaking arms, holding her close. How bad would it have been if his seal hadn't dampened most of the magic before he'd pushed past its limits?

Lily shook her head against his chest and said, "Don't apologize. I just wish I knew how to help you." 

Shon swallowed, "I need a stronger gem..." 

Lily's fingers curled into fists on his shirt, "No, you need to practice. Let me help you, Shon. You aren't alone in this." 

Shon didn't answer, and Lily didn't demand one this time. She stepped back and took his hand, "Let's go. We're done with this mission. After tonight we can go back." He squeezed her fingers, and they turned for their yurt.

They'd rounded the little side street to their loaned dwelling when Shon asked, "Who are Inryuu and Yoryuu?" 

She didn't have a chance to answer. As soon as they entered, Velona jumped to her feet and pointed at Lily, "You, let's go, you owe me a run." 

Lily whined dramatically, but Velona just turned her by the arm and marched her back out the yurt. The exchange managed to make Shon smile, but by the time he turned back to the others, the feeling and expression had been wiped clean from his face and mind. They all looked like someone had died. 

"Have a seat, Shon," Veon-Zih said, gesturing to the ground. Shon obeyed, arching a brow at his Master, who sighed, "We might have a problem..." He had Yua explain what she'd seen and then explained what he and Velona thought it meant, and Tuth told them what the Chief had told him about this mysterious Mage Arver.

After the confrontation with Pia, Shon had forgotten about the Druid's request, but now he shared his part of the story that was starting to come together, "The Druid doesn't trust him and asked that we make him leave, but if he's a Warlock..." Was this why he didn't trust Pia? The Druid had said she was close to this Arver person...

"Then we can't confront him directly, not without warning the tribe," Veon-Zih finished for him. 

"But if they don't believe us, they'll be forced to defend him. They take the laws of hospitality very seriously." Yua pointed out.

Tuth shook his head, "But they also honor the accords, and what's more, if they're harboring a Warlock, it'll bring the entire province down on their heads." or the entire kingdom.

Shon ran his hand through his hair and looked to the door. Lily... This was why Velona had taken her out. He shook his head, "We need more information. He could be a Warlock or a renegade Mage. Either way, the law is clear. We'll speak with the Chief and Druid tomorrow. Both admit that he knew the dangers of the storm and didn't warn the town. He'll need to be taken in for that alone, but we need to prepare for resistance. You have the shackles?" He directed the last to Tuth. 

The Mage's eyes went wide, "How did you..." 

Shon arched an eyebrow at the young man. Antimagic shackles were standard procedure for dealing with an undocumented Sorcerer.

Tuth looked away, "I didn't want Lily to know. She hates them." 

"She has her clearance, but we may need them for this. Make sure they're at hand." Veon-Zih sighed, "It looks like we have a new mission." 

Shon nodded. There was always one more mission. "If he is a Warlock," he said instead, "Then we need to keep Lily away from him." 

"You think she's in danger?" Yua asked.

Shon shook his head, remembering melted stone and the stench of burning corpses. He saw again Lily's eyes glowing red, a trail of fire from her fingers as she whipped a downed wyvern, the ground burning at her feet. "No," he said, "but everyone else might be."