The Warm Embrace
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 8458
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Lady Andrea Croix sat awake in her bedroll, the only light in the darkness
the small hooded lantern Astra of Aquilaria had hung on the forked staff
she had fashioned for herself as she stood at watch. The young noblewoman had much to think about. On the one hand, she missed her family and the comforts of home terribly, even though she knew the betrayer had sold out Croix Keep in exchange for power offered him by the Dragon. She had no idea if her family were in chains, dead, or possibly, strange though it may seem, worse. On the other hand, a growing comfort and temptation coming from her wild side told her she need depend on no one ever again. It was quite a quandary. However, the bedroll was warm, and increasingly, she felt as if such things could easily wait until morning. Her eyelids began to droop as she snuggled down, and the last thing she saw before sleep took her was a strange drowsy nodding of the warrior woman's head in the lantern light... Andrea's sleep had been untroubled by dreams this night, and she was thankful for it. As she awakened, though, her eyes beheld a strange scene. Huddled in the encampment by the shore of the lake was Astra, her face streaked with tears. Lord Frederigo D'Honaire was bent over her, and seemed to be trying to reassure her. Simon the Anchorite was nowhere to be seen. Andrea's ears, she knew by now, had grown somewhat more sensitive. She strained to hear what the warrior woman was saying in between the sobbing. "I...I failed again...I fell asleep during watch and...and now he's gone" The young noblewoman could tell that Astra's failure had troubled her greatly. However, she was surprised as her ears twitched slightly, attuning themselves to another sound, out in the forest. She turned around and, against her better judgement, followed the noise. A few yards into the woods, she spotted Simon. Bedraggled, stumbling and panting, but otherwise intact, the Hermit's eyes showed a look of relief as he saw Andrea. "Lass! Ye have to get the others! I've found him, but I'll need help!" "What? Found who?" "There's no time! Just bring them to me. Now!" Andrea nodded and sprinted back to camp as fast as she could, her feet tripping slightly. "Astra! Frederigo! Simon's alright. He just went exploring. He needs our help with something he found!" The warrior woman was overjoyed. Frederigo, however, just nodded wordlessly. Within moments, they had struck camp and were following the hermit through the forest. "It will be just after this copse of trees. I had expected to find him, but not...not like this," the old man said. "Tell us, Simon. Tell us who, please," Andrea begged, wanting to know. Just then, they reached a large oak tree, easily the biggest any of them had ever seen. It towered above the others majestically, but that wasn't the oddest thing about it. The oddest thing was it held a man. Entwining branches, roots, and vines bound him fast. He was a young man, but his long flowing unkempt beard seemed to show that he had been here for years. He looked strangely emaciated, yet his muscles were still impressive. He wore a sword at his belt, and intricate blue tattoos of knotwork were traced upon his shoulders, marks of his bravery and prowess in battle. His eyelids fluttered as if he were in an endless sleep. "Who did I find?" Simon said, "why, I found Aethir MacFionn. There he is, and though his beard has grown out, he's not a day older than when he disappeared..."
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The Traveler
3/27/2000 1:37:51 PM
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