"I am ready to help in any way that I can..." He says, "I am not much use in the way of combat, although I am able to defend myself when necessary." Looking around the room, "Unfortunately, I have never ridden a horse, but I am not afraid to learn."
Xania grins at Augustus. "I'm sure you'll be more useful than I in combat. Unless you're hoping to take my place at getting hit in the head and languishing around unconscious for days at a time. I guess I can extend my invitation, as it were, to the rest of you. I'm fairly good at riding. I'll help you learn and help you learn to take care of your mounts, if you like."
Augustus looks at Xania with a surprised expression, "I would be grateful, Mistress Xania...and I must apologize if I have seemed distant with regards to you, it's just that I have never met anyone who practices the arcane ways, and I was somewhat frightened of you...and I hope that we can all avoid getting hit in the head, as far as battle goes." He grins broadly.
"Frightened of me?" Xania says, clearly surprised by the idea. "Hmmm. I don't think I've ever *frightened* a man before. Trust me, you have nothing to be frightened of from me. Then again, you haven't seen me in battle. After that, you'll not be frightened of me in the slightest--unless unconscious women frighten you that is?" She returns the grin.
As Xania comments to Jacobus on fear, Augustus lowers his head...You can see that he is blushing a bright and vibrant red that travels from his ears to his chin. He stifles a small chuckle.
He grins when he over hears this. "Augustus my friend, I too was scared of Xania when I first met her, you are not alone in your fear." He winks at Xania still smiling, "One word of warning if we should enter combat, Xania has the most amazing ability to draw enemy bow fire."
Xania walks over to Jacobus and trails a hand down his arm. "Be afraid. Be very afraid." She murmurs in a deep husky voice.
Jacobus moves close to her and smiles at her "Oh I am afraid, very afraid. But then a little fear can be a good thing, and I like to live dangerously." He moves past her to pick up his equipment and gently brushes past her as he does so.
Xania throws back her head and laughs. Then catches sight of Augustus's red face and laughs still harder, as she goes to collect her mount. "Let me know if you need riding lessons," she says guilelessly to Jacobus.
"I would appreciate that," responds Forte to Xania's offer. "And if you ever need learn anything from me, I would be happy to return the favor. I have named my mount El Esqueleto, for he is - uh, it is a 'him', isn't it?" asks the suddenly-bewildered warrior, with a confused look on his face.
Xania smiles at Forte, "Well, kind of. He's a gelding, actually. He should be good for you to learn on. That kind of thing generally calms a male down..."
Forte, suddenly realizing what "gelding" means, silently mouths the word "ouch" and then laughs.
Xania turns and winks at him, sharing the laugh.
Jacobus grins. "A Gelding eh, I'd be pretty calm if that had happened to me, too !!" He bends slightly to check the sex of his horse. "Hmmm, a stallion, is he going to be hard to control, given to outbursts, and perhaps have an eye for a mare ??"
Dakath smiles at Xania "I think I have more in common with this horse than I first thought."
"A great leader once said that mares shouldn't be allowed on the field of battle for that very reason," Xania smiles.
Jacobus looks over the horses in the paddock, "I just know I'm going to be sorry that I never learned to ride, me and horses just don't seem to get along."
He leaned on the fence and looked them over, his eye trying to appraise them. "That one I think," he indicates an unremarkable piebald horse, patched white and brown. "I suppose every horse should have a name, hmmm, how about Faern ?"
Jacobus returns to the hall after choosing his horse to hear Marika talking about her lack of ability to ride a horse. He moves over to the fire saying, "You are not the only one horses seem to dislike, I myself have never learnt to ride either. Some lessons could prove useful. Oh, I'll act as scout if and when I'm needed," he shrugs, "if it's necessary."
Later, Augustus finds Asif to check his shoulder, and in passing says, "You mentioned the skill of the healers in, where was it...Amnara? I should love to see such places, so much to learn. When I was but an initiate in the church, I had opportunity to see many old texts and scrolls...My favorite was an ancient picture language of the Egyptians called Hieroglyphs..[in Egyptian he says] truly fascinating
Asif starts to hop from foot to foot with some excitement, his face beaming with pleasure... "Great Aten in the sky! " Asif exclaims
"Blessed most highly efendi, rare is those who read the holy script. Even I the most devout son, read not the script. In fact I wait most patiently for the return of the brother of Jacobus. He bring me my Scroll of Aten written in the holy script. It passed from father to son, father to son as part of a sons rites of passage. I show, you read? Alas these days, Arabic the script of Mohammad the prophet of the one god, is main script of land of Nile. Amnara is most blessed place as it holds true to old ways. We must however use Arabic to trade with rest of land of Nile. Sad be I that only Arabic I know."
Augustus smiles broadly at the young man's exuberance, "Of course I will help you, Asif...It will quite probably be the only chance I will get to read another scroll of the ancient text, unless there is something that can be done to free the church from the evil that holds it."
"That is good efendi. The hearts of the city of Amnara remain true to Aten. Alas the old tongue dying out, kept pure only by the prophets and the Inmans. Language of my father is mixture of the old tongue and that of the Arabs. The enlightened of Aten are few, our ancestral tongue is like something small trying to hold back the moving sand. Amnara lost for many centuries, and followers of Aten scattered like the wind. Tribes true to Aten united by the prophet Jaafar the Wanderer. He lead us back to our ancestral home. City rebuilt about 200 years ago. We live happy under his light now."
Augustus stands by the corral looking at the horses. It is obvious that he is totally lost. He abandons the futile task of selecting a mount and goes back to the tower to make certain that he has fully stocked his healers bag.
Later, he finds Xania in the stable with her horse, "Mistress Xania," he asks, "I was wondering if you could possibly help me in selecting a mount...I regret to say that I only know about the internal workings of such beasts, or I might say that as a horseman, I make a great healer," he says with a wistful grin.
Xania picks out a placid mare, about 6 years old, for Augustus. "She looks pretty calm." She grins at the cleric.
"That sounds fine to me," Augustus says to the beautiful mage, "I think I will call her 'Rosinante'. He gently strokes the mare's muzzle. He looks back to Xania, "We are leaving soon, yes?" Augustus looks down at his robes and cassock. "I am wondering again if I should perhaps find some traveling clothes."
Xania nods. "I think so. The reason I wear this (she's wearing pants of supple black leather and a form-fitting black tunic) is that it protects my delicate skin," she says as she runs her hands over her hips, "when I ride or walk through rough country. If you try to ride in that, unless you have pants on under there, your thighs are going to be sore--as well as other things, possibly."
She looks at her own dark bay stallion. "For the life of me I can't think of a good name for this one. Any ideas?"
Augustus makes a pointed effort not to look at Xania's well endowed form while she is discussing her clothing. Taking a handful of oats from a bucket nearby, he feeds Rosinante. "Um, yes...uh," He stammers, "I was more over thinking that I might draw less attention if I were wearing something else, but I see your logic in the suggestion of pants." You see the telltale blush beginning at his ears, but he seems to keep it under control this time. "As for your mount, what do you think of the name Obsidian?"
"Hmmmm. He's got these lovely tints of blue though," she says.
She stands in front of the horse looking at him intently with her dark gaze. The beast, in return, leans forward and nips her arm lightly. "I'll call you Nipper if you're not careful." Xania murmurs. The horse bares his teeth as if he understands her, and Xania smiles softly at him.
"How about 'Aguanoir'?" suggests Forte.
Xania tilts her head to one side, "What does it mean?" she asks curiously.
"Well, it's French for 'black water.' Get it? Dark bay - black water?" answers Forte.
Xania smiles. Then nods. "I like it. My thanks, Forte. I spent too much time getting into trouble to become a linguist. I'll call him Noir for short."
Marika slips off to begin perusing Fyodorll's spellbook. She prepares the enchantment to decipher another wizard's magical writings, and then casts it upon herself. Xania looks upon her with some envy. However, as Marika has only rarely done this, the power of the spell is limited. She is happy to discover, however, that both the spells at the beginning of the book are ones that she does not know already. One the opposite note, though, she cannot comprehend the workings of the first, a spell to detect magical emanations magically, rather than through spiritual means. She has rather better luck with the second, understanding the ability to produce magical light. She is disappointed that the spell wears off before she even has the opportunity to peruse a quarter of the book. She realizes that understanding all within it will take time. She also must postpone analyzing the scroll from Fyodorll's pouch, as it is incomprehensible. The sheet gained from Sam, however, when looked upon with Marika's eye, reveals itself to be a powerful priestly enchantment, one with the ability to purge poisons from someone afflicted by such.
Forte, meanwhile, occupies his day with regular warrior tasks. He cleans both his armor and weapons with some care, then begins working with Gregor's men on rebuilding Petr's settlement. Petr manages to find sleep, trusting his friend to handle such matters. Indeed, Gregor is quite the taskmaster, and his men work hard and skillfully under his supervision. Yuri, the muscular blonde fellow, is quite handy with tools, and immediately begins working on the anvil left in the burned out stable building. He begins to shoe the horses that have lost theirs, then begins to repair the arrows that the clan recovered. He seems very handy. Gregor himself does the skilled carpentry, working together logs of wood that the others cut down and hold in place to form the core of the new northern palisade.
After some talking, he discovers that Forte and Leslie were not guarding the settlement last night and yet still slept like babies last night with those far more deserving of such sleep. Repeatedly berating them for not volunteering to go on watch while a maid was brave enough to do so, even upon her second night without sleep, he uses their massive frames to carry about lumber, drive stakes, heavy duty work. While neither appears much used to the construction game, Leslies massively muscled frame adapts well to the work. Forte has more trouble, as work is unfamiliar and the harsh words of the lumber camp boss sound uncomfortably like the harsh words of his father.
Both find no time to do anything else while the sun is up, and only an hour after it disappears over the horizon does Gregor yield. They are afforded no time to involve themselves in any other activities. Indeed, they are more in need of rest this night than they can remember.
Rhune spends some time with Asif making sure that he is alright. She suggests to him that when he has some free time she would like to continue her studies of his language.
Asif is very excited as he sits talking to Rhune. A babble of excited words issues from his lips as he first sits down.
"Rhune most amazing news have I. Augustus twice blessed. Language know he of ancients of my land. He able read scroll of Aten. Jacobus brother must come soon, wish much that he would come, so scroll can I show Augustus. I not blessed with such gift of reading this ancient script. Hieroglyphics read now only by Inmans and scholars. Alas to my shame Arabic I only now read. Most of my people now only read this tongue of the prophet of the one god. The Sons and Daughters of Aten are so few in a land surrounded by a sea of the followers of Allah, that our language and script is falling into misuse. That I would meet a man in the land of the unbelievers, that reads the ancient tongue is indeed a sign from Aten. A gift and a blessing."
She smiles at the excited young man, "That is very good, Asif. Maybe I can look at this writing sometime. Though right now learning this Arabic language is fun it might be fun to learn this other type of writing sometime," she says when she can get a word in. As she speaks to him she lays her hand on his lightly and the look she gives him is a bright eyed one, her smile radiating from her face and eyes.
Once he is calmed down enough to restart their lessons, Rhune looks around them. Seeing that the others are doing other things at the moment she turns back to him. Getting a very mischievous look to her face, "Asif, how do you say the word kiss in Arabic?"
Asif so verbal but moments before suddenly finds himself totally stunned for words. His eyes look up into those of Rhune, and then rapidly look away with embarrassment as his dark features fight to hide the tell tale flush to his face. He coughs once, twice tries to speak but cannot for the moment. Regaining some composure he looks into Rhune's eyes.
"Such words are rarely spoken Efendi. In Arabic I know not word, but in the most ancient tongue of my people you speak of tepra (Asif touches his lips) and the language of abeb. Love is most treasured, and women folk most guarded. More open are we in such things, as followers of Aten, but our countrymen who follow the one god of the prophet Mohamed share not our more open views. Alas Amnara is very much tainted by the many who follow this prophet. Their beliefs swallow ours...."
Asif goes silent, his eyes turning mournfully to the east in the direction of his homeland. Quietly his voice no more than a whisper he speaks again.
"Abeb indeed is dear to me, so much so that it is the cause of my exile to this land. A single stolen ..... kiss in the garden, a jealous brother...., a grieved father.... shame to family... dishonor to Sultan ...banishment.... much apology... teach no more can I today...you not at fault... Time to think need I must. Much unwell does my heart feel this day."
Asif stands, his eyes moist, he bows and turns to leave...
occ - Egyptian translations - tepra = mouth, Abeb = love
During the rest of the day she simply wanders around the campsite, keeping an eye out for things: goblins, wolves, other things. Rhune begins roaming the immediate perimeter, keeping within eyesight of whoever keeps watch, attempting to gain some clue as to what to do next. She begins in the western forest, across the stream, where the Wolfskin wearing goblins launched their attack from. She finds nothing that wasn't already noticed by the group. She then moves to the southern forest, from whence the snake goblins attacked. She finds virtually nothing there. There are the tracks of the horses and the goblins that the group previously followed, but nothing more recent. She concludes her search in the eastern forest where the red goblins emerged from, and is surprised to see a couple of things that the group previously did not. She sees that some of the tracks in the forest are paws, presumably of wolves, though she cannot recall any wolves with the red goblin tribe, and some of the footprints are too large to be goblins, even very large goblins. They appear to be something else, about man-sized, though almost certainly not human. In examining these tracks to the best of her ability, she comes upon a small silver amulet in the shape of a ruined tower. It is small, but quite fine.
Rhune follows the tracks a short distance, looking at them intently. She is curious about them. When she finds the amulet she picks it up and examines it. Once this is done she puts it into her pocket. Perhaps Marika, Xania or Mother Kuzma can help her with it. She will ask them when she gets back to village.
As she starts to return to the settlement, she gets a peculiar feeling, and peers into the forest. She is quite surprised to see a matching pair of violet eyes returning her stare. The fellow was so quiet, she hardly knew he was there. He speaks, in somewhat accented but clearly understandable elven, "Fair one, you are far from your people, and too close to the foul green-skinned ones. Come to the hospitality of our home, and you shall be well appreciated." His tone is quite neutral, though his eyes shimmer in the fading sunlight.
She blinks, "Who are you? And does that invitation apply to all my friends as well?" she asks as she tries to get a good look at the man with the violet eyes. She has never met anyone with violet eyes before, though her mother said that her great-great-grandmother had them.
The man responds casually, "I am one of you, and you are one of me. Cosmically, isn't that all that matters?" He smiles a big lazy smile at her, "Everyone is welcome. The larger the happening, the more enlightenment for all. Let me guide you." His voice is dreamily hypnotic, and Rhune finds him very attractive.
Rhune listens to the man's dreamy voice. She looks him over taking in his appearance "Yes that sounds......" she begins to reply then a snap of a branch as she shifts her weight brings her sharply around. Looking at them her eyes narrowing, "Perhaps we can talk to my friends. Come back with me to the village and we can discuss it with all of them," she says beginning to edge back a little.
As he comes with her to the village. She turns to head toward the village with the strange man beside her. She finds herself sneaking glances at him out of the corner of her eyes. My he is so very handsome. She feels strange, so very warm and tingly. She catches herself stepping just a little closer to the man. Not understanding this reaction to someone she has just met. She focuses her mind and tries to step just a little further away from him.
Xania sleeps most of the afternoon in between looking at spellbooks with Marika (though without Read Magic she can really only look at her own... "It would be nice if we could get a pack mule or two to carry feed for our animals, if we're now going to have a few mounts," she throws out to the world at large.
She seeks out Kuzma and asks if there is any way to arrange a hot bath. If not, she'll make do with a cold bath...brrrrr.
Finally, she seeks out the majority of the others and says, "is there any clue to what we should do next? Or should we just try and track our ex-prisoners in the morning and let them lead us back to their lair?"
Xania sits where she can keep an eye on both Ullar and Jacobus, if possible.