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First Draft

25th Tinne 2044

Rishala quickly descended the rope ladder to the rocky beach of Kieta. He dropped to all fours and kissed the smooth rocks of the beach, then looked skyward. "Thank the gods, we survived that boat trip!"

He stood as he realized several people in the crowd were watching him, puzzled expressions on their faces. He smiled and waved at them, then turned to look at the beached ship behind him.

Rishala ran his fingers along the rough planks of the keel. A section of the keel was damaged from the grinding of the Sea Ghost's running ashore. More scrapes covered the lower sections of the hull, and Rishala noticed that the patch covering the hole where Farran had kicked through the side of the ship was now above the waterline.

Behind him, Adria and Breanna had finished scrambling down the ladder. Both stood, huddled inside warm cloaks, and looked towards the inn.

Adria, her coloring finally back to normal, glanced at Breanna. "That is an inn. Warm beds!"

Breanna nodded, still looking at the building with its inviting curls of smoke coming from the many chimneys. "Warm food."

Adria smiled. "Warm baths." She started trotting towards the open doors of the building.

Breanna started walking quickly towards the building, hiking the front of her skirt high to avoid tripping over it.

Still standing near the hull of the ship, Rishala looked at the two. "Warm baths?!?" He ran for the inn.

Bilbus reached the bottom of the ladder as Rishala started running. "What gives, Rishala?"

The older man ignored him as he continued racing up the shore, kicking smooth, wet rocks behind him. Bilbus shrugged.

Bilbus looked at the people gathered near the bow of the Sea Ghost. Most of them had the look of Northerners -- pale skin, fair hair. None of them wore Javik clothes, and none of them had Kasey's tall, powerful build. Bilbus picked one man, shorter with dark hair and a bushy mustache, and started speaking to him in the pidgin trade tongue.

"You savar bene geldspek?"

The man nodded. "Me savar geldspek."

Bilbus pointed over his shoulder at the Sea Ghost. "Me botte need fix."

"Jorg fix botte."

"Me find Jorg waar?"

The man pointed to a larger man who was just joining the crowd of Kietans. This man's hair was a light brown streaked with blond. His face was well-weathered from years of exposure to the harsh weather of the Steppes.

Bilbus walked towards the man. "You be Jorg?"

The man nodded. "Ya."

"Jorg, bene meet. Me be Bilbus. Me botte need fix."

The man looked at the Sea Ghost, which was listing several degrees to port on the gravel beach. "Ya. Me bene fix botte."

"Bene, bene," Bilbus offered a hand to the man, who clasped it and shook it once. The man walked past Bilbus to inspect the beached ship.

Easy enough, thought Bilbus.

Kasey stopped next to the thief. "Bilbus? How are we going to pay for the repairs? I've got a couple hundred Common worth of coin, but that," he pointed at the damage along the beached portion of the hull, "will cost more."

Eric looked at Bilbus for a moment. "Edralve rewarded Captain de Peltier. I think she said the reward was ten Klal. Maybe the coin is still in his room?"

Bilbus shrugged. "It may be. I didn't look for it. I was a little busy and a lot tired during the trip."

"I will go look for it." Eric trotted back to the rope ladder hanging from the bow of the Sea Ghost.

The splashing and rattling of Farran walking up the rocky beach caught Bilbus and Kasey's attention. Both looked at the reddish horse as it stopped on the beach and shook its coat violently, spraying water all about.

Kasey glanced at Bilbus. "I'll see you in the inn, Bilbus. I need to get Farran in a stall and fed, then I am going to eat. Neither one of us has had a proper meal in a couple of weeks now."

The knight approached the destrier. Farran flattened his ears, lowered his head, and bared his teeth as the knight approached.

Kasey waggled a finger at the horse. "Don't you dare look at me like that, Farran! We weren't close enough to the pier for me to lower you onto it. If you'd learn to climb ladders, you could have climbed onto the shore like the rest of us."

Bilbus shook his head and started to walk towards the inn. Eric jumped down the last three rungs of the ladder and ran up to Bilbus, holding a bag of coins. "I found the Klal, Bilbus."

Bilbus nodded slowly, the exhaustion of the past weeks finally catching up to him. "The first officer of the ship is responsible for restocking and resupplying the stores."

"Oh, is he?" Eric did not sound convinced.

Bilbus noticed Rishala and Adria running towards the inn as the rattling of Farran's hooves approached from behind. "What are they doing?"

Kasey and Merek stopped next to Bilbus as the warhorse stopped behind the two of them. "It looks like Rishala and Adria are racing. I think I heard them both say something about warm baths..."

"This is too good." Bilbus fished into his coin purse and produced a pair of bronze coins. "Two Commons say Rishala wins."

Kasey shook his head. "Are you kidding? Adria has a head start, and she's going to trip him if he gets too close. I'll bet you three Commons -- no, a Noble -- that Adria wins."

Eric and Sturm started walking up the gradual incline towards the inn as Kasey and Bilbus watched the race.

Rishala quickly closed on Adria, his shorter legs pumping almost in a blur. Adria tucked her arm close to her side, lowered her shoulder, and tried to slam into Rishala. He side-stepped, just avoiding her lunge, and reached the wide doorway of the inn just in front of her. He slowed as he crossed the threshold, but he stumbled when she shoved him from behind. Even from the hundred paces between the entrance of the inn and the Sea Ghost, Bilbus and Kasey heard her calling for a hot bath.

Kasey tossed Bilbus a copper coin. "Rishala beat her. She did try to trip him, though."

"I'm surprised she missed, actually. She didn't try very hard. If I were racing her to the inn, I'd be lying on the ground right now... Speaking of bad tempered, what are you doing with Farran?"

"Oh, just before I unloaded Farran I ran up to the inn and warned the stableboys he was coming. I told them to take to the lofts, if they knew what was good for them. One of the stalls is open and ready for him."

Bilbus walked quickly towards the inn, leaving the warhorse as he tried to catch Eric and Sturm. Behind him, he could hear Kasey, Merek, and Farran walking as well.

Kasey started talking to the horse. "I don't care if you're mad at me, Farran! That ship doesn't have a long boom crane, and the gangplank would never have touched the docks from there. I had to lower you into the water. As much as you like swimming, I figured you'd like a chance to rinse off. The water's not that cold... Ow!" There was a soft thud. "Bite me again, and I'll smack you harder, you foul-tempered beast!"

Bilbus laughed softly to himself.

Another voice called out to Bilbus's right. It shouted in the trade tongue, "The Southlander can't handle his horse!"

Bilbus stopped and turned back. Kasey had drawn his dagger and had turned to face five Javik raiders. Bilbus tensed and reached towards the black longsword he carried strapped in a scabbard on his back. One of the Javik walked towards Kasey, smiling menacingly.

Farran looked at the Javik, then snorted and continued walking. Kasey put his dagger away and charged the raider, yelling a wordless battle cry as he closed on the barbarian.

Bilbus risked a glance to his left. Sturm and Eric had stopped as well. Eric's right hand was only now moving away from the grip on his Karasimi sword. Sturm stood with arms crossed and the faintest glimmer of a smile on his face.

Kasey and the blond man charged one another. The Javik landed a punch on the Church Knight, but Kasey stepped aside and returned the blow with a solid punch to the raider's midsection.

Bilbus held up a copper coin. In the trade tongue, he shouted. "A copper says Kasey wins!"

One of the raider's friends smiled and held up his own copper coin. Bilbus nodded and pointed to the man.

The raider swept his leg behind Kasey's while he shoved, knocking the knight off balance. Kasey grabbed the Javik's black leather armor and pulled him down. The two rolled on the ground, cursing one another in the Skandian tongue of the Javik while punching and kicking.

The fight continued for almost a minute before the two stopped, as if by an unheard signal. Kasey and the Javik stood, staring at one another warily for a moment before they both embraced. They laughed and slapped one another's shoulder. The Javik wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

Still speaking in Skandian, Kasey looked at the smeared blood on the man's lip. "Aaron Longarm, you always had the softest teeth."

The man smiled. "Aye, Kasey, and your fist is still as hard as your head!"

"What are you doing in Kieta?"

"Remember Chief Graybard?"

"How is that monster? Is his beard turning gray yet?"

"Soon, Kasey. You remember his daughter?"

Kasey laughed heartily. "How could anyone forget her? She's almost old enough to pick her man, isn't she?"

Aaron nodded and smiled. "I thought I might try to convince her to choose a good man. Unfortunately, Graybard came home a little earlier than I expected."

Kasey's eyes goggled. "Aaron, you didn't!"

"I didn't get a chance... So, I'm staying out of the village for a few weeks until the sea serpent calms back down."

Kasey shook his head. "You never did think very much before you acted." He looked at his friends, still standing near one another and eyeing the Javik raiders warily. "Come, Aaron. I'll introduce you to my friends. Come sit and eat with us. You can tell me about what's going on in the jarldom."

Aaron followed the Church Knight towards the other three. His Javik comrades approached as well, still laughing and talking about the fight.

Kasey stopped next to Sturm. "Aaron, this is Sturm Sunblade. He is a Sun Knight."

Aaron nodded towards the Sun Knight.

Switching to Kelltic, Kasey said to Sturm, "Sturm, this is Aaron Longarm. He's a friend of mine from when I was living up north."

Sturm nodded towards the Javik.

Kasey continued the introductions in Skandian. "Eric Ithell's another friend of mine. His father is lord of the town of Armagh." Again the Javik nodded. "And this is Bilbus the Great. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

Aaron shook his head. "No. You remember my brothers in arms? Bjorn, Erik, Kato, and Farl."

Kasey nodded towards the raiders. "Did you get caught with Zera, too?"

Bjorn laughed. "No, but Graybard was mad enough to chase us out of town, too."

The scent of freshly cooked meat washed over the men. Kasey gripped his stomach as it rumbled. "If we don't eat soon..." He walked quickly up the hill to the inn.

He walked into the inn. Shouting in the trade tongue, Kasey called, "Ale, meat, and bread for the love of the gods!"

He claimed a large, empty table. The Javik took seats around the table, and Sturm pulled a chair from another table to join them. Bilbus pointedly went to the bar, taking a stool at the end of it next to the coarsely cut stone wall and the large, warm fireplace. He turned to half-face the table of tall, blond raiders. Surrounded by Javik, Kasey appeared to be sitting with family. Sturm was the only one at the table who did not fit like blood kin.

Bilbus grumbled to himself. The barkeeper, a wiry fellow with silver-streaked hair and a thin mustache, cleared his throat. Bilbus looked at him. "Wine. Good wine."

The man nodded, half bowing as he did, and went into a room behind the bar. Eric sat next to Bilbus.

A barmaid placed the first round of tankards on the heavy table. Kasey and the Javiks reached for the tankards, half pushing one another to grab them. The maid tousled Merek's hair as she swept past him on her way back to the kitchen. Merek grinned, then look at the empty table -- all the tankards were already in adults' hands.

Aaron lowered his tankard. "What are you doing back north, Kasey? Have you finally realized that the Southlander ways aren't yours?"

Kasey set his empty tankard on the table. He wiped foam from his face as he shook his head. "No, my friend," he pointed at Sturm, "got hurt. We're looking for someone to heal the wound."

"What, the Southlanders lost the healing arts?"

Before Kasey could answer, the barmaid returned with an assistant. They put a second round of tankards on the table, and several small cloth covered baskets that steamed. The maid handed Merek a tall cup. He took the cup in both hands and started sipping.

Kasey started drinking the second mug. Before the maid walked away, Kasey touched her arm. She turned and smiled.

Kasey returned the smile, then spoke in the trade tongue. "Can you take Merek to a room? We'll be staying the night. He doesn't say too much, so don't be upset if he is quiet. Also, please see that he gets dinner and a bath." Kasey handed her a copper coin.

The maid kneeled down next to Merek. She winked at Kasey, then spoke to Merek in Skandian. Merek smiled and grabbed her hand, still holding the cup with his other hand as he followed her up the stairs near the front door.

Aaron watched the woman escort the boy up the stairs, then turned back to Kasey. "Kasey, do you remember Stutt?"

"The old dwarven smith?"

Aaron nodded. "That's the one. He left a few weeks back. A dwarven merchant ship came into port, and the crew talked to him. He packed some armor and his big hammer and left with them."

"Really? Did he say what was going on?"

"All he told us was that his king called. It's a good thing that Yeol had almost finished apprenticing with Stutt, or we'd be without a smith now."

At the bar, Eric and Bilbus sipped at cups of wine.

Eric set his on the bar. "This is really good wine."

"It better be." Bilbus's voice was just slurred. "It's a dwarven wine."

"Have you had enough already?"

"I've had enough of them." He waved towards the large table.

"The Javik? They haven't done anything."

Bilbus glared at Eric. "They killed my parents."

"These Javik did? How would you recognize them?"

"It doesn't matter. They all should rot in the Nine Hells. Especially the fourth!"

Eric grabbed Bilbus's arm. "Let's go before you get too loud and get killed."

Eric hauled Bilbus outside. He started walking towards the colorful tents of merchants several dozen paces inshore from the inn.

Bilbus stopped outside the doorway of the inn. "Where are you taking me, Eric?"

Eric stopped and turned around. "We're going to find a bow. Mine was ruined by the water after Farran sank the Sea Ghost. My spare is in Armagh."

Bilbus walked towards the Azirian. "They should all die."

"All Javik should die? Is it really worth your head on a pike to kill them?"

Bilbus laughed to himself and stumbled. Eric grabbed Bilbus's arm to steady the thief.

"I know a lord who could do it. Kill all of them. Make them pay for killing my parents."

"This must be quite a lord."

"He's a great lord, Eric. He's powerful. I dreamed about him once. He's going to give me Adria."

Eric stopped and turned Bilbus to face him. "He's going to give you Adria? Bilbus, you are drunk."

"Suit yourself, Eric. That's what he said."

Eric threw his arms up in disgust and continued towards the merchant tents. Bilbus followed along, walking more steadily as the effect of the dwarven wine faded in the cool breeze blowing from the north.

Eric stopped at the first of the brightly-colored canvas tents on the low rise on the outskirts of Kieta. The merchant, an old, gnarled man, twisted his face into a smile and bobbed his head. Half of his teeth were missing from the smile, and the remainder looked like they were still in his mouth more from pity than intent.

Eric spoke to the old man in the trade tongue. "You have bows?" Eric pantomimed the action of drawing and releasing a bowstring.

Behind Eric, Bilbus muttered, "I doubt it."

The man shook his head and banged on the top of one of the several pots and pans littered about in front of him on the table.

Eric asked, "Who has bows?"

Bilbus grabbed the noble's sleeve and started hauling him towards another of the two dozen stalls.

Eric looked at the table Bilbus selected. There were a few well-used swords leaning against a stand in the middle of the table, and a handful of daggers and knives littering one end of the table. A single bow, about a pace and a half tall from top to bottom, occupied the other end of the table with a dozen arrows.

Bilbus released Eric's sleeve. "Maybe the merchant with the weapons will have a bow?"

Eric scowled at the thief, then turned to the merchant. "You have long bows?" He spread his hands as far apart as possible. "Centaur bows?"

The merchant nodded. He picked up the unstrung bow. "This bow is a centaur bow."

"Do they not use longer bows?"

"No. This is the bow centaurs use."

"How much?"

The merchant rubbed his chin. "Six silver."

Eric reached into his purse and withdrew the coins. He handed them to the merchant, who smiled and offered the bow to Eric. Eric took the bow and started to turn to leave. He turned back to the merchant. "Where are centaur healers? Do they come to town?"

"We see centaurs from time to time. They sell pelts and furs. They buy alcohol and tinkers' wares."

"Are there healers with them?"

"How should I know? They don't talk much to us."

"Thank you, kind man." Eric turned again and walked away from the tent.

Bilbus lingered for a moment longer. The merchant looked at him expectantly. When Bilbus thought Eric was well out of earshot, he growled, "Six silver coins for that bow? You could at least throw in those arrows as well." He pointed at the quarrel of arrows on the table.

The merchant looked at Bilbus, his eyes flicking to the black wire-wrapped hilt poking above Bilbus's shoulder. He pushed the quiver across the table towards Bilbus and stepped away from the table slightly.

"Much better." Bilbus smiled grimly, then grabbed the quiver and trotted after his friend.

The Javik raiders and Kasey were singing a Skandian drinking song when Eric and Bilbus returned to the inn. The men still encircled the large table, which now had an impressive stack of bread baskets, platters of meat, and empty tankards. Sturm still sat by the table, holding a mug and swinging it in rhythm to the song.

Bilbus walked back to the bar. The bottle of dwarven wine still sat at the end of it, next to the glass Bilbus had been nursing before he went out with Eric. He grabbed the bottle and the glass and started walking towards the stairs.

Bilbus stopped when he saw Adria and Breanna walking down the stairs. Both had changed into clean dresses, and they both had the pinkish skin of someone who had just finished taking a long, hot bath. Bilbus stopped and grinned to himself as the two took seats near Kasey. Bilbus shook his head before continuing to the stairs and his room above.

At the table, Kasey leaned towards Aaron Longarm. His voice was heavily slurred as he spoke in Skandian. "Aaron! These are the ladies I travel with. Breanna Ceiturin is a healer from Armagh. Adria del Quintin is... Well, she's really nice until you get to know her..." Aaron guffawed, spilling his tankard on the table as he tried to set it down. Kasey shook his head, nearly losing his balance in the process. "Oh, no, she's really nice after you get to know her."

Kasey pushed his half-empty tankard away -- he was sure he didn't need any more ale. He looked around the common room. He spotted Rishala walking down the stairs, whistling to himself and running his hands through still-wet hair. "Rishala! Take a seat and tell a story!" Kasey stopped, then switched from Skandian to Kelltic. "Rishala! Come here! Tell a story!" He switched back to Skandian and turned to the Javik. His voice lowered slightly, but still boomed. "Rishala is a story teller."

Rishala sat down at the end of the table, between two large Javik. "What sort of story should I tell?" he asked Kasey.

"You're Bilbus's public relations agent, right? Tell us a story about Bilbus."

Rishala looked towards the ceiling of the common room for a moment, rubbing his jaw with one hand. He smiled and looked at the Javik around him. He spoke in the trade tongue. "We sailed to Kieta from the south. Bilbus the Great was captain of the ship. He's never even been on a ship before, but he was giving us commands and orders like he'd been born on the sea..."

The Javik were already smiling. One handed Rishala a full, foaming mug of ale and slapped Rishala's shoulder, nearly causing the storyteller to spill his drink.

Rishala laughed and continued the story. He exaggerated much of the trip, skipping some of the details, until he finally had Bilbus ordering the Sea Ghost to run aground at full sail. Two of the Javik had fallen out of their chairs by the end of the story, laughing so heartily at the Southlander's incompetence at sea.

Aaron slapped the table in front of him as Rishala finished the story. "Southlanders should not be allowed to sail on their own! My dog can handle a ship better than that, even a barrel-shaped Southlander ship! What else does this Bilbus do?"

Rishala stared into his nearly-empty tankard. Finally, he looked at Aaron. "Once, Bilbus tried to trick the crown jewels away from a Southlander king." Rishala embellished a story -- mostly fictional -- that lasted well into the night.

26th Tinne 2044

It was after noon the next day before the travelers met in the common room of the Kieta Inn. Kasey rubbed his temples as he sat at the bar, his leather vest unfastened and his hair in disarray. Bilbus sat at the far end of the bar, slowly tearing small chunks from a sweetroll and stuffing them into his mouth. Eric and Breanna sat at the large table, eating a late lunch and enjoying some rest.

Bilbus finished his sweetroll. "Eric, what are you two planning on doing today?"

Eric looked at Breanna. "Bree and I are going to collect herbs. I'm hoping we can find some tea leaves around here somewhere."

"Aren't you a little far north for tea?"

Breanna turned to look at Bilbus over her shoulder. "We could get lucky and find some."

Bilbus snorted quietly, then looked at Kasey. "Those friends of yours last night. How do you know you can trust them? Javik are murderers and savages."

Kasey stopped rubbing his temples. He lowered his hands to the bar and looked at Bilbus. "Javik are not murderers. They kill when they must, but they do not go killing without reason. If you cheat them or hurt them, they will fight back, or kill you if you swindle them dishonorably enough. They don't just kill for fun."

"Sure they don't. They're probably spies getting ready for an invasion."

"There are no Javik spies." Kasey looked at his friends at the table, then looked back at Bilbus. "Spying is dishonest. Javik kill spies. They also kill thieves."

Bilbus shuddered. He looked at the table. Eric and Breanna had left already.

Merek ran into the common room from the street. He stopped in front of Kasey and started tugging urgently at Kasey's pantleg. He pointed towards the front door and ran back to it. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at Kasey.

Kasey walked to the door to stand next to Merek. Merek pointed towards the ridgeline inshore.

Behind Kasey, Bilbus called from the bar, "What is it, Kasey?"

Kasey looked back at Bilbus. "Centaurs. There's three approaching the town."

"Great! I'll go get the rest. Too bad Eric and Bree took off already."

Bilbus found the centaurs in one of the two taverns in Kieta. Most of his companions had already arrived in the bar. Only Breanna and Eric were conspicuous in their absence.

Bilbus looked at the centaurs. He had heard of them, but had never really expected to see a real one, for centaurs never traveled to the nations of the south coast of the Vasmar. Bilbus had certainly never planned on going to such an isolated location as the Steppes.

The first centaur was the tallest. He had the body of a black stallion, almost fourteen hands tall at the withers. The equine body would have been short on a horse. His human trunk, arms, and head stood straight up where a horse would have a neck, placing the top of his head nearly eight feet above the ground. His arms bulged with muscle. He had a black beard and long hair on his human head that matched his equine fur. He wore a plain leather vest that covered his trunk, but left his arms exposed. An elaborate tattoo, nearly three inches in diameter, covered his upper left arm, near the shoulder. A sigil very similar to the tattoo had been branded into his right haunch. This centaur held a large tankard, more of a square-bottomed bowl than a simple cup.

The second centaur was shorter. He had reddish-brown fur with several round, white spots around his haunches and white fur on his left rear leg from the ankle to the hoof. The hair on his scalp was shorter, and more of a medium brown. He, too, had a plain vest and an exposed tattoo. His large tankard still sat on the bar in front of him as he spoke to the third centaur.

The third centaur was as tall as the second. She had more of the roan coloring: a darker reddish-brown sprinkled with white. She wore her hair long and straight. It had the almost mahogany coloring of Breanna's, but there was a streak of white hair coming from each of her temples. Her vest was cut slightly differently than the vests of the two male centaurs, but it exposed her tattoo as well. She did not have a tankard in front of her.

Bilbus stared at the three for several seconds, mouth half open as he looked from one to the next. If he put his hand up to cover their fronts, they would appear to be large ponies. If he covered their lower bodies, they would look like normal people.

Looking around the tavern, Bilbus saw his friends sitting at one of the tables. He joined them, looking at Sturm and Rishala. "Have you talked to them?"

Rishala shook his head. "No, we were trying to figure out how we should approach."

"Why don't you just walk up to them and speak in Trade?"

Rishala looked at Bilbus, then glanced at Sturm. He stood and crossed the room to stand next to the centauress. When she looked down at him, Rishala smiled. "May I buy you a drink, lady?"

The centauress looked to the barkeeper. "Javik ale."

The barkeeper nodded and lifted another of the large tankards to a keg on the back wall of the room. When it was finally full, the barkeeper lifted it with both hands and placed it on the bar. He looked at Rishala.

Rishala smiled sheepishly. "Do you have smaller mugs?"

The barkeeper rolled his eyes and nodded. He filled a pewter mug with the Javik ale and placed it on the bar in front of Rishala.

Rishala lifted the mug and looked around. Sturm was standing at the other end of the bar, next to the tall centaur.

Rishala realized the centauress was looking at him. "I am Rishala. Who are you?"

"My name is Mouzhina, two-legs."

"Do you visit Kieta often?"

"My tribe stays farther east."

Rishala nodded. He noticed that Breanna and Eric had arrived in the tavern. They had taken seats with Bilbus, Adria, and Kasey.

Bilbus looked at the two new arrivals. "Find any tea, Eric?"

Eric shook his head. "No. Bree found some of the herbs she needed."

"Did she?" Bilbus looked at Breanna. "You have an interesting way of collecting herbs, Bree."

Bree looked at Bilbus, a puzzled expression on her face. Bilbus reached up and plucked at his hair, as if he were pulling brambles from it. Breanna's face turned bright red as she reached to her hair. It was mussed, and a few small leaves fell from it as she combed her fingers through it.

Bilbus laughed as Eric's face turned nearly as red as Breanna's.

Kasey cleared his throat and leaned close to Breanna. "Lady Breanna, is there something wrong with your bodice?" He pointed towards it. "I can fix it, if one of the loops is broken."

Breanna glanced down at the laces of her bodice. It had been laced badly, skipping a few holes. Breanna put a hand over the bodice and whispered to herself, "My gods!"

Bilbus grinned. He leaned forward and whispered, loudly enough that everyone at the table could hear him, "That's okay, Bree. It's only the second time Eric's tried to lace one."

Breanna swung at Bilbus, a half-hearted slap that missed its mark.

Bilbus turned back to Eric. "Next time you could take a blanket. Maybe a basket for a lunch?"

Adria laughed. "Take a couple of pillows, too."

Eric sat back. "I don't understand."

Adria glanced at Breanna. "I'm sure one of you two could figure it out."

Bilbus leaned back in his chair, tipping it until the back touched the wall. He noticed that the centauress had crossed to the other end of the bar. She was talking to Sturm while smiling invitingly. Oh, this is good. I hope she realized that he's probably not built like a centaur.

Sturm bought Mouzhina a drink. She sipped at the beer, listening as he spoke.

"We're from the south. I got hit by the blade of a Shadow Kindred." Sturm pulled his shirt off and gingerly unwrapped the bandages on his shoulder.

Mouzhina leaned forward, inspecting the wound. "That looks painful."

"It hurts a little. Rishala says you can heal it."

"Do you see healer markings on me, two-legs?"

"I don't know. Do I? Where can I find a centaur healer?"

Mouzhina set her tankard on the bar. "There is a healer with our tribe. She may know the cure."

"Can you take me to her?"

The tall centaur leaned over the bar, looking past Mouzhina. "We don't get involved with your affairs, two-legs."

Breanna crossed the room to stand next to Sturm. "Please. I've done everything I know. If your healers can't help him, he will die."

The male looked at Breanna. He looked back at Sturm. "I will take you to my tribe if you impress me."

Sturm glanced at Breanna. She shrugged.

The centaur slid his tankard aside. "Barkeep, two large ales."

Sturm looked at his friends. Bilbus was smiling wolfishly. Kasey had perked up, and was watching with interest. Eric looked confused. Adria's expression was unreadable.

The barkeeper sat the first two tankards on the bar. The centaur lifted one. "If you are drinking with me, you will know my name. I am Tamm, two-legs."

"I am Sturm." Sturm lifted the tankard.

Breanna walked back to the table with her friends. She sat next to Bilbus. Bilbus leaned towards her.

"Bree, I have an idea. Sturm's going to have to relieve himself after that tankard. Eric and I will distract the centaurs. Do you know a casting to ease poisons?"

Breanna nodded.

"Good. Put the casting on Sturm. It should help him handle the ale."

"Okay," Breanna replied uncertainly.

"Trust me on this one, Bree."

Sturm and Tamm placed their empty tankards on the bar. Tamm pounded his fist on the bar and smiled. "Two more, barkeep!"

Bilbus walked up to Sturm. "Don't you think you should relieve yourself before you drink another tankard?"

Sturm nodded. He walked towards the back door of the tavern. Breanna followed.

Tamm looked at Bilbus. "Where is your friend going, two-legs?"

Bilbus looked up at the centaur. "He is going to pee. It wouldn't do for him to have to stop in mid tankard, would it?"

Tamm nodded.

Behind the tavern, Sturm stood near the wall, relieving himself. He heard someone approaching from his side. Half turning, he realized with dismay that Breanna was walking towards him.

Breanna's face flushed red as she realized what Sturm was doing. It flushed brighter when she realized that he was half facing her. She fixed her eyes on his.

"Sturm, I'm going to do something to help with the ale."

Sturm looked at her, then turned the front of his body away from her. "Can you wait?"

Breanna stopped. "I was supposed to do it while you were out here, so the centaurs wouldn't know."

Facing away from her, Sturm finished. "I'm almost finished now."

Breanna walked towards Sturm. She held a leaf that had been folded tightly. "There's some herbs in here. They should weaken the ale."

Sturm took the small bundle and looked at it. "Do I eat this?"

"Yes. Hurry up. The centaurs might get suspicious."

Breanna rushed back around to the front of the tavern. Sturm ate the leaf, chewing on it and ignoring the bitter flavor, as he walked through the back door.

Tamm waited at the bar with the two new tankards. Sturm tipped the second tankard back, drinking the dark ale as the centaur beside him did as well.

The third tankard took a little longer. Sturm found it harder to keep his grip on the large wooden mug with both hands. When he finished it, he staggered behind the tavern to once more relieve his bladder.

The fourth tankard took twice as long as the third. As Sturm dropped his tankard on the bar, Tamm fell forward. His human trunk was splayed across the bar, and his almost empty tankard fell to the floor behind the bar.

Sturm leaned against the bar. "I'll be back." He staggered towards the back door of the tavern.

Kasey followed the drunk Sun Knight. Sturm was standing by the rear wall of the tavern, his forehead against the stone wall as if it were supporting him.

"Sturm?"

The spattering of urine against the wall stopped. "Bree's not out here with you, is she?"

"No... Should I get her?"

"Good. No! Don't get her." The spatter resumed.

When Sturm finished, Kasey walked up to him. "In the Knight strongholds, we had a way to help Church Knights who had too much to drink. Sometimes they'd get really drunk the night before they had appear in a formal church gathering. My fellow knights called it a twelve-step program."

Kasey put an arm around Sturm's shoulder. He steered the drunk knight towards a barrel filled with rainwater. Kasey stopped the Sun Knight in front of the barrel, then quickly dunked Sturm's head in the water.

Sturm stood quickly, coughing, and nearly fell as he tried to face Kasey. "What is the matter with you? Farran tried the same thing with me before the orcs caught me!"

"This will help, Sturm. Really." Kasey tried to dunk the knight again.

Sturm stepped away. "Try something else."

Bilbus looked up when Kasey returned to the tavern. Sturm was leaning against the Church Knight, dragging his feet more than walking. Kasey stopped as Bilbus walked towards him.

"How's Sturm?" Bilbus asked.

"He's drunk."

"I can see that. Did your remedy help?"

"We'll see in the morning. He didn't really want me to do everything. He didn't like getting dunked in the rainwater. How is Tamm?" Kasey nodded towards the unconscious centaur.

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine. He's going to be sleeping for a while, I think."

Eric approached Mouzhina. The centauress regarded the Azirian quietly.

Eric said, "Do you think Tamm is impressed?"

"He will be when he wakes up. We'll meet you here at sunrise to take you to our tribe. Don't expect them to help."

"If they don't help, Sturm won't live to see winter."

Mouzhina shrugged. "It's a shame he's a two-legs. He might be worth keeping. It is not my choice."

Kasey coughed loudly. "Eric, help me get Sturm to the inn. Unless you'd rather leave him here with Tamm?"

Eric looked at the sleeping centaur, his human torso still sprawled across the bar. The other two centaurs were leaving the tavern.

"We'd better take him to the inn." Eric helped Kasey hoist Sturm, who was now snoring quietly.

27th Tinne 2044

Sturm awoke the next morning in his bed in the inn. He lay still for several seconds, slowly opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling. The aged timbers above him were mercifully dark, like the rest of his room. After a few seconds, Sturm decided the room was holding still. He slowly sat upright, keeping his hands on the bed to help support him.

The dull throbbing in his head was far less severe than Sturm expected. He wasn't quite sure how much he drank last night, but he was sure it was more than two of the large centaur-sized tankards.

Sturm rubbed his temples and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He stood, shaky for a few moments while the room slowly lurched around him. He paused again, then slowly dressed.

In the common room downstairs, Sturm found Kasey, Merek, and Rishala sitting at one of the smaller tables. He took an empty chair at the table, sitting heavily on the worn wooden seat.

Kasey smiled across the table at him. "Hi, Sturm! How are you doing?"

Sturm rubbed his temples. "I've been worse."

"Oh, that's good. You'll be fine."

"Where's everyone?"

"Bilbus and Eric are getting provisions. Eric thinks we're going to be traveling more than a few days, even though the centaurs said their village is a half-day away. Adria and Breanna are still getting ready. I hope they hurry. They may miss breakfast."

The barmaid placed a basket of sweetrolls on the table. Sturm grabbed one and bit into it, savoring the heat of the fresh roll.

Breanna and Adria arrived in the common room. They took the table next to the one the men occupied. The barmaid brought them sweetrolls as well.

Sturm finished his breakfast. "I am going to check on Tamm. We left him in the tavern?"

Kasey nodded. "Yes."

Sturm stood and left.

An hour later, the travelers gathered in front of the inn. Eric and Bilbus had found some horses for hire in addition to tents and food for the trip. Kasey lashed a small cask onto Farran's back and lifted Merek into the saddle.

Sturm spoke. "Tamm and the other two centaurs are at the tavern, waiting for us. Tamm was still drunk when I woke him up." He looked at Kasey. "I introduced him to your twelve-step program."

"It helped you, didn't it?"

Sturm climbed onto one of the horses and left at a walk towards the tavern. Everyone else followed behind, stringing along in single file behind the Sun Knight.

The nomadic centaur village was a collection of about three dozen white tents arranged haphazardly around a ten-pace-diameter firepit. The firepit was not burning, but it was full of coals that glowed just faintly in the daylight. A collection of wooden racks clustered around a tent on the downwind side of the village. Several of the racks held large strips of meat, and a few had thick brown-to-black shaggy pelts hanging from them.

A few adult centaurs walked between the tents, but most of the movement around the village consisted of a dozen prepubescent centaurs running and screaming, chasing and kicking at a ball a foot in diameter. The young centaurs galloped between the tents, weaving past adults and the tanning racks with equal ease. The adult centaurs paid them no mind.

The humans had dismounted on the edge of the cluster of tents. They led their horses through town, worried that the centaurs may take offense at humans riding horses, even though Tamm and his comrades hadn't commented about their riding or even looked askance at them during the ride to the village.

Kasey stopped walking when Merek started tugging at his sleeve. The boy pointed to the galloping centaurs as they rushed across the village, chasing one who had picked up the ball.

Kasey watched the young centaurs playing for a moment. "Go ahead, Merek. I don't know if you can keep up with them."

Merek put his hand on Farran's chest.

"Well, okay..."

Kasey picked the boy up and placed him on Farran's saddle. Farran rolled his eyes and glared at the Church Knight.

"It's just for a while, Farran. You need the exercise, anyway."

The warhorse scowled at the knight, but trotted towards the children nonetheless.

The centaur children stopped when the large horse got close to them. Cautiously, Farran kicked the ball as it rolled past him. The children continued to watch, mouths open, as Merek waved to them from the back of the tall horse. Farran cantered to the ball and kicked it towards the children. One took a couple of steps forward and kicked it back to the kelpie.

Farran reared and kicked the ball back to the child. The centaur kicked the ball a different direction and galloped after it. The other centaur children shouted and chased the first, and Farran trotted after them. Merek flung his arms around, trying to direct the horse-kelpie towards the ball.

Kasey watched the destrier and boy as the rest of his companions passed him.

Tamm led the humans towards the firepit. A slightly larger tent near the pit had its flaps tied open. Within the tent, two older centaurs reposed on a thick carpet of the same shaggy pelt that hung from the racks at the edge of the village.

The male centaur within the tent addressed Tamm in the native tongue of the Steppes centaurs. Tamm bowed and moved to one side.

The older centaur then addressed the humans in the trade tongue. "What do you want, two-legs?"

Rishala stepped forward. "I am Rishala of Orkney, a story-teller from Caledonia. My friend was wounded by a darkblade. I learned long ago that centaurs knew the cure to the blade. We have journeyed a long distance to reach your village to ask for help. Our healer has tried everything she knows to heal the wound, but it gets worse every day."

"Let us see this wound."

Sturm removed his shirt and unwrapped the bandages from the wound. It was an angry gash across his shoulder, swollen slightly and oozing just a little as he moved his shoulder.

"Our people do not interfere with the lives of two-legs. We expect that they do not interfere in our lives."

Kasey slammed a fist into his open palm. "How are you interfering? We ask for help. Breanna can't heal Sturm."

"We do not interfere."

Breanna stepped forward, her hands curled into fists held stiffly against the sides of her dress. "We are not asking you to interfere! I just want to learn how to heal Sturm. You are willing to let a man die because of this cursed wound so you can sit there and preach about not interfering?"

The male centaur scowled as the centauress next to him spoke.

"You are the healer, two-legs?"

Breanna nodded.

"How well do you know your arts? For what would you use cailcallow?"

Breanna relaxed her fists. "Cailcallow is used to ease fever. I've tried it on him. He has a weak fever."

"What about sessali? Why would you use it?"

Breanna thought for a moment, her eyes fixed somewhere on the ground just in front of the centauress. She rubbed her neck for a moment. "Sessali is not common where I come from. I think it was used to counter some stronger poisons."

Behind Breanna, Adria nodded unconsciously. The centauress didn't appear to notice.

"Only members of the tribe may be taught the healing arts."

Breanna looked up at the centauress. "How do I become a member of the tribe?"

The male snorted, but the female continued. "You would have to pass the tests of adulthood."

Before Breanna could reply, the male barked something in his native tongue. The two centaurs had a heated argument, quickly speaking to one another.

Breanna looked over her shoulder at her companions. They all were watching the argument.

The two centaurs stopped speaking. The centauress said, "The trials begin at sunset."

"What do I do? What are the tests?"

"Show your worth to the tribe. You do not look like a huntress. What other arts do you know? Think hard of your choice, and present it to us at sunset."

Breanna turned and walked back to her companions slowly. Her head spun as she stopped in front of Eric. Prove my worth in the arts? What arts?

Eric put his hands on her arms. "Bree? Maybe you should talk to the people in this village to see what they do."

Breanna nodded absently, still not quite listening. She noticed that some of the children had stopped playing kickball to listen to an older centaur speaking. Breanna could not understand the words, but there was a rhythm to them, and the words seemed to rhyme.

"Poetry?" she asked no one.

Eric smiled. "That is a possibility. Maybe you can learn one of their stories, and retell it for them."

Rishala shook his head. "They may not take kindly to a stranger trying to tell them their own history."

Eric released Breanna. "What would you suggest, Rishala?"

"She could tell some of our epic tales. There are a lot of them in the bardic traditions that she could use."

Breanna walked away from the discussion. She saw a young centauress who seemed to be mature, but had no tattoo or brand. The centauress looked at Breanna disinterestedly.

"Pardon me," Breanna said. "What does a centaur need to do to pass the tests of adulthood?"

"It depends on the centaur." The centauress started to turn away.

"Yes, but what sorts of things?"

"They hunt a tonkari or a buffalo. They tell a story or poem. Why do you care, two-legs?"

"I need to know what I should do before the tests tonight."

"A two-legs joining the tribe? Ha." The centauress walked away quickly.

Kasey stopped next to Breanna. "That was rude." He cupped his hands and turned to one side. He called out a stallion's challenge, a perfect mimic of a large horse.

Farran galloped to him, Merek still on his back. "Farran, Lady Breanna needs your help. That teenager is rude."

Merek slid from the horse. Kasey stood next to the stirrup on one side of the destrier.

"Lady? A hand up?" He cupped his hands and leaned over.

"On him?!?"

"He will behave. Won't you, Farran."

Farran flicked one ear, then bobbed his head slightly.

"See?"

Breanna took a few steps forward uncertainly, her eyes fixed on Farran's. She stopped next to Kasey and put her foot into his cupped hands. He lifted her and she slipped her other foot into the stirrup, pulling herself up and onto the large warhorse's saddle.

Farran pranced forward, striking his steel-shod hooves into the stones in the ground. The ringing reverberated through the camp as Farran trotted after the teenaged centauress. When Farran passed her, he began leaning towards her, arching his neck and making noises.

The teen changed direction. Farran pulled aside her again, his side almost against hers.

Glaring at the destrier, the teen changed direction again and changed to a trot. Farran followed.

Frustrated, the centauress changed the rhythm of her pace, switching to a five-beat pattern. Farran mimicked it. She changed to an improbable seven-beat patter that Farran quickly matched.

Finally, the teen stopped. "Is your horse always so bad mannered, two-legs?"

Atop Farran's back, Breanna answered. "He seems well-mannered to me. He doesn't go rudely dismissing a person asking questions."

"What do you want?"

"I asked already: What do I do to pass the test of adulthood?"

"How should I know? Do you know how to tell stories or poems?"

"I have written poems."

"Tell a poem."

"I don't know your people's stories. What should I tell?"

"Do two-legs have stories? Do they have legends? Do they have heroes?" Breanna nodded. "Tell about them."

Breanna slumped in the saddle.

"Do you have more questions, two-legs?"

"No." Breanna pulled gently at Farran's reins. "Come on, Farran. Let's go back to Kasey."

Farran returned to Kasey. Breanna slid from the high saddle, landing on her feet near Adria. Adria was staring across the camp at the centaur children playing ball.

"What are you watching, Adria?" Breanna asked as she looked towards the children. "Is that Bilbus?"

Kasey called out behind her. "Bilbus is playing ball with the kids? Hey! I like kids! Do you think they'll let me play, too?" Before Breanna could respond, he unbuckled his sword belt, hanging it from the cantle on Farran's saddle. He ran past Breanna and Adria towards the centaur children and thief. Soon, both humans were screaming and laughing with the centaur children.

Rishala walked to Breanna. "Do you know what you're going to do?"

Breanna nodded. "I'm going to tell them how I got here."

Rishala looked at her. "How are you going to deliver the story?"

"As a poem."

"You don't speak their tongue, do you?"

"No. Actually, I was thinking of trying to tell it in the elven tongue. It's far more lyrical."

Rishala grinned. "I wonder if any of them understand Elven?"

"I don't think it matters."

"Well," Rishala said. "If you're going to tell a poem in Elven, you'd better start working on it. Eric and I can help, if you like."

"I would. Thank you, Rishala."

The two walked away from Adria towards Eric.

Adria continued to watch Kasey and Bilbus play. After twenty minutes of running, the two collapsed next to each other on a small rise on the near side of the village. One of the centaur children tugged at both of their arms, trying to get them to stand up and play with them some more. Both groaned and begged the child to let them rest.

Adria smiled to herself and walked to the rise. She stood at Kasey and Bilbus's feet and leaned forward. In as cheerful of a voice as she could muster, she asked, "Does anybody want to help me set up tents?"

Bilbus groaned, a low, mournful wail. "Somebody's got to get the tents up before it gets dark." He sat up, stiffly standing and following the blonde noblewoman back to the horses.

Bilbus struggled with the tents for several minutes as Adria hovered nearby, criticizing his efforts. He hit his fingers several times trying to drive stakes into the ground.

"Don't you know how to set up tents, Bilbus?" She asked sweetly.

"Of course I do, Lady. We use them all the time in Londoun."

Kasey picked himself up from the rise. He walked up to Adria. "Can I help, Bilbus?"

"Please do, Kasey."

Kasey set up a canvas and wood chair several paces away, in the shadow of one of the centaur tents. "Lady Adria! Please, come sit over here in the shade. We don't want you to tire in the sun."

Adria opened her mouth to argue, then closed it, took one last look at Bilbus, then took a seat in the chair, ten paces away from the tent.

Kasey walked back to Bilbus and started helping with the tents.

"Thank you, Kasey. I was about ready to strangle her."

"I have a younger sister. They're always much easier when you keep them out of the way."

The two continued to assemble the tents.

The sun touched the horizon as the centaur tribe gathered on one side of the pit of hot coals. Breanna opened the tent flap to look for her friends. They had gathered in a group to one side of the circle the tribe had formed.

Bilbus was trying to lean against one of the younger centaurs, using the boy's short back as a pillow. The centaur stood, letting Bilbus fall to the ground. The centaur then settled across Bilbus's midsection, his forelegs to one side of the thief and his hindlegs to the other. Bilbus slapped at the centaur's side, yelling something Breanna couldn't quite understand.

Behind her in the tent, Dumita spoke softly. "Do not be afraid, Breanna. The trials of adulthood have been used for many generations. You will be fine. Let me do the speaking until it is time for you to answer Nikolas. Every centaur in the tribe has had to pass these tests."

"How many of your tribe are humans?"

"None. That is not of consequence. Nikolas and the other elders will not judge you as a two-legs."

"Why are you so sure? Dumita, why did you interfere with Nikolas when he was about to send us away?"

"I am a healer, Breanna. You wish to be a healer to save your friend from the antiminzen's blade. If you can pass the tests of a healer, you will understand. Do not ask me more questions now. It is time for you to pass the tests."

Breanna caught a breath in her throat. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest as Dumita walked past her out of the tent.

The centauress stopped and looked over her shoulder at Breanna. "Come, child."

Breanna followed the centauress to the firepit, listening to the hooves on the ground counting away the paces.

The ring of centaurs parted to let Dumita and Breanna into the circle. Dumita stood in the center, with Breanna at her side. Behind Breanna was the firepit, now nothing but a ten-pace wide pile of hot coals. Breanna's friends were to one side, sitting together. In front of Breanna was Nikolas and four other older centaurs.

Nikolas spoke. "Who brings this child before the elders?"

Dumita replied. "I, Dumita, of Clan Brezhou, of the Tribe of the Far Gallopers, present the child to the elders."

Nikolas looked at Dumita. "Who is the child before us?"

Dumita answered. "Breanna, of Clan Ceiturin, of no tribe."

"Breanna, of Clan Ceiturin, step forward."

Breanna took several faltering steps forward. She heard the heavy steps of Dumita as the centauress walked to the ring of centaurs surrounding Breanna.

Nikolas spoke, his eyes fixed on her, yet his voice distant. "All members of the tribe contribute to the people. You do not look to be a hunter, so I will not ask you to bring a tonkari pelt. Show us your knowledge of the arts."

Breanna hesitated. Even after spending the afternoon writing the poem with Rishala and Eric's help, she was nervous. Why should I be nervous? All I have to do is tell them why we're in Kieta. And make it rhyme in a language I haven't spoken in five years that I learned thanks to the family that lived nearest to my dad's manor. Breanna looked at her friends. Sturm sat to one side of the rest of the group, watching with the same dispassionate, vaguely unhappy expression he always had. Or I can let Sturm die.

Breanna looked at Nikolas and the other elders. She started speaking in the tongue of the elves, haltingly at first as her mouth tried to remember the shapes of the flowing, sing-song language.

She told Nikolas of leaving home to finish her studies as a healer. She told of Kasey's brush with death in Hillsdale, and of Sturm's wounding, and of the rescue of the miners.

The language had returned to her. It almost guided her in her speech, a magickal lyric with a life of its own.

Breanna told of the boat trip to Noyonne, of the capture of her friends and her, of their harrowing escape from the dungeons of Suderpol. She told of the exhausting trip to Kieta, and of the storm that tried to kill them. She told of the night of bliss resting in the inn after an eternity of misery and fatigue.

Nikolas softly interrupted her. She stopped speaking and opened her eyes. It took her a moment to realize that she had closed her eyes in the first place. She looked at the elder centaur, his wizened face dimly lit by coals glowing behind Breanna in the pit. The heat on her back was pleasant in the chill of a late evening.

Breanna glanced upwards at the stars in the black sky above. I haven't been talking that long, have I?

Nikolas spoke again. "You have done well, Breanna." He took a step back towards the other centaurs. "Such beautiful poetry, in such a beautiful language. I have not heard such a lyric before. It certainly is far too beautiful of a tongue for any two-legs that we have heard before."

Breanna realized that tears streamed down the face of one of the centaur elders. "I'm sorry... I didn't realize..."

Nikolas interrupted her stuttering apology. "Do not apologize, Breanna of Clan Ceiturin. Beauty such as that is a rare prize, indeed." The centaur rounded on the other elders. "I, Nikolas, of Clan Brezhou, of the Tribe of the Far Gallopers, Chief Elder, present the child Breanna, of Clan Ceiturin. She has demonstrated her worthiness in the arts. What say the elders?"

The elders stared at Breanna. She fought the urge to back away from the eyes fixed on her.

One of the elders -- not the one whose face was still damp -- spoke. "The child Breanna, of Clan Ceiturin, shows merits in the arts worthy of a centaur. I still have reservations about the purity of the child's heart. She must have a cleansing."

Nikolas nodded. He turned to Breanna. "All members of the tribe must complete a cleansing when leaving childhood. Remove your shoes."

Confused, Breanna kneeled and unlaced her boots. She pulled them off and stood.

Nikolas pointed towards the firepit, glowing and hot even after a day of cooling. "Enter the firepits a child of no tribe. Leave the firepits an adult of the Tribe of the Far Gallopers"

Breanna looked at the red coals. "I'll burn my feet! I'm no centaur. My feet don't have hooves on them."

"Child, all centaurs must pass this test."

"Can't I at least put my boots back on to protect me?"

Nikolas nodded. "You may put your boots on. If you do, you and your friends will leave the village."

"Sturm will die!"

"The choice is yours, child."

Breanna looked at her friends. The fear must have been plain on her face. She saw Bilbus gesturing to her. She shook her head and started walking towards the firepit.

Eric ran around to the far side, with Bilbus following close behind and digging into Breanna's healing bag. Where did he get that?!?

Breanna gathered her skirts and stopped on the edge of the pit. The centaurs behind her were silent. The only sound she could hear was the racing of her heart and her raspy breaths. The heat from the coals was enough to make her start sweating.

With one last gasp, Breanna stepped quickly onto the coals. She had started to run, expecting her feet to burn in the hot coals. After several paces, she realized that the heat was far less painful than she had expected. It was uncomfortable, but no more so than running barefoot on the stone walks around her home during a summer heat wave.

Breanna slowed to a walk, continuing across towards Eric and Bilbus. Eric looked to be on the verge of panic when he realized that she was walking nonchalantly. Breanna smiled reassuringly, keep her pace calm.

She reached Eric and released her skirts. Eric held her tightly. "Are you hurt, Breanna? Bilbus has some poultices ready for your feet."

Breanna folded one leg up, holding it in one hand while steadying herself with the other on Eric's shoulder. "I'm fine, Eric. See? No burns."

Eric turned to Bilbus. "Did you do something for her?"

Bilbus took a step back, putting his hands up, palms towards Eric. "I didn't. I swear it!"

Rishala trotted away from the crowd that was approaching this side of the fire pit. "Are you alright, Breanna?"

Eric answered for her. "She's not even burned! Bilbus says he did nothing."

Rishala looked at Breanna's unharmed foot. She lowered it to the ground. "Well, we did make those offerings in that elemental temple near Kieta. It was an old temple. Maybe the elemental gods still listen there?"

Eric nodded. "That may be it."

Dumita stopped in front of Breanna. "Come with me, Breanna."

Breanna followed Dumita into a nearby tent. A single lantern lit the spacious room, casting a warm light on the table within.

Dumita turned around. "Normally, members of the tribe are branded and tattooed." Breanna gasped. "Do not fear, Breanna. I do not think your hide will hold to a branding very well. Please, uncover your arm?"

Breanna winced. It was bad enough she had been gone from home over a month. In addition to falling for Eric, she was about to get a tattoo on her shoulder. Her father would scream when he found out. On the other hand, it'll be harder to marry me to the first convenient family that comes along... Breanna smiled as she uncovered her shoulder.

"Dumita, how do I learn to heal Sturm's injury?"

"Tomorrow, we will travel to Ubai, the village where healers learn their arts. I was sent there many years ago to become a healer."

"Is it far?"

Dumita moved next to Breanna's bare shoulder. She held a needle in one hand and a small pot, like an inkwell, in the other. "It is about four days' journey from here. I think your horses will be able to keep that pace."

Breanna nodded to herself and winced as Dumita poked her shoulder with the needle.

Eric stood with his companions near the firepit. Several of the centaurs had hauled large furs out of tents. They arranged the furs around the firepit, then brought low tables out of the tents. Within fifteen minutes, there were platters and large bowls on the tables, and several centaurs were stoking a small fire on the edge of the firepit.

"Where's Bree?" Eric asked.

"Relax," Bilbus answered. "I'm sure she'll be along once they're finished with whatever they're doing to her."

Eric scowled at Bilbus.

A few minutes later, Dumita escorted Breanna back out of the tent. Breanna had adjusted her dress so its shoulders rode on her arms, exposing her shoulders. Eric nearly fell over when he saw the elaborate tattoo -- identical to those on the other adult centaurs -- on her upper arm.

The centaurs around the firepit stopped their activity when they saw Breanna and Dumita.

Dumita spoke. "I present Breanna, of Clan Ceiturin, and of Clan Brezhou, of the Tribe of the Far Gallopers." She faced Breanna. "Welcome, second-daughter."

Mouzhina approached from the crowd. She leaned over to hug Breanna. "Welcome, second-sister."

Breanna looked up at Mouzhina in shock. "Sister?"

"I am the daughter of Dumita and Nikolas. Since you do not have a centaur clan, Dumita chose to be your second-mother."

Breanna nodded, not really understanding. Other centaurs approached and greeted her. It was after several minutes that her human comrades were able to reach her.

Bilbus smiled at her. "Not bad, Bree. You have a tattoo, and it looks like we're going to have ourselves a feast. We should have done this sooner."

Before Breanna could protest, Sturm said, "We tried."

Bilbus turned to say something to the Sun Knight, but before he could, one of the young centaurs from the afternoon game of ball tapped on Bilbus's shoulder.

He turned around and found himself looking in the face of one of the pre-teen centauresses. She smiled at him and grabbed his arm, dragging him towards a crowd of centaurs. Bilbus realized with dismay that the girl -- she would have to be no older than twelve, if she were human -- was as tall as he was.

She led him to the edge of the crowd of centaurs. She turned around to face him. She touched a hand to her chest. "Danya."

Bilbus straightened his back and bowed. "Bilbus the Great."

She laughed. "Bilbus?"

"Perhaps you've heard of me?"

She looked at him, puzzled.

"I didn't think so."

The centaurs in the crowd starting stomping their left forehooves.

Thump... Thump... Thump...

They started tapping a different rhythm, using both forelegs.

Thump... Thump-tap-tap-thump...

The pattern of the beats changed, but the driving tempo underneath did not. Bilbus looked around. All the centaurs standing near him seemed to be keeping the rhythm. Shrugging to himself, Bilbus started stomping to it as best as he could. The beat changed, and Bilbus realized that some instruments had started playing.

A pair of centaurs stood to one side of the crowd. One held a stringed instrument along his arm, using the other to draw a bow across the strings. It looked like a violin, but the soundbox was shaped differently, and it had a nearly ethereal sound to it.

The second held an instrument similar to the Caledonian warpipes. This instrument was smaller, with a bag held under one of the arms, and a quartet of wooden drones coming from the top of the bag, against the piper's shoulder. The chanter, also of wood, hung below the bag. The instrument was far mellower and softer than the warpipes, but had similar tonal qualities.

The centaurs had started dancing. Their hooves beat in intricate patterns, creating a layered syncopation far more elaborate than anything Bilbus had ever experienced.

The young centauress was keeping up with the rhythm, laughing as Bilbus tried repeatedly to keep up with the music and keep on his feet.

Bilbus finally gave up on stomping to the rhythm. He started dancing as if he were making merry in a tavern in Londoun, grabbing the girl's hands and trying to spin her about him. It was then that he remembered that the girl's body was at the front of a horse's body that was at least three times as heavy as he was. Bilbus ended up spinning himself around the girl, almost getting trampled by a pair of centaurs who were stomping a nine beat counterpoint to the melody being played on the small pipes.

The girl giggled as Bilbus excused himself to go sit with his friends. She continued dancing, nevertheless.

Bilbus noticed Sturm and Mouzhina standing next to one another, arms crossed, nearly identical scowls on their faces as they watched the dancing. Looks like Sturm has found a match. Bilbus smiled and waved at the two.

Sturm turned his head to look at Bilbus, the scowl just softening as he watched the thief walk towards a low table that Kasey, Breanna, Eric, and Adria occupied.

Bilbus stopped when he noticed Rishala to one side, Merek and a crowd of young centaurs gathered around the story teller. A few older centaurs were loitering near them, trying to listen to Rishala's story without appearing to be a fawning child.

Bilbus walked up to the group. "What are you telling, Rishala."

In the trade tongue, Rishala spoke to the crowd, "Bilbus the Great!" He waved a hand towards the thief, "Killed the spider! We escaped the evil Edralve's dungeon!"

"Yay!" a chorus of centaur children cheered.

One looked at Bilbus. She screamed, a high pitch squeal. "It is a lion? No, it is Bilbus the Great!"

In Kelltic, Bilbus growled, "Thanks, Rishala. Now a tribe of centaurs thinks I scream like a girl."

Replying in Kelltic, Rishala shook his head. "The centaurs like the idea that your scream sounded like a lion..."

Bilbus straightened. "Well, then. Keep telling stories, Rishala. If you need me, I'll be with Kasey and the rest."

Bilbus walked away from the crowd, smiling at the occasional high-pitched squeals behind him.

He fell to the thick fur rug next to Kasey. Absently, he picked up a thick drumstick and started gnawing on it. "I think I'll sleep a week. Gods, am I tired."

Kasey slapped his shoulder. "It does you good, Bilbus. Those kids really liked you trying to play ball with them."

Bilbus groaned. "I never did figure out the rules. I think they changed, depending on who had the ball, which way he was facing, and how many other people were near him."

"Wasn't it great?"

Bilbus smiled around the thick leg. "It was fun... Is that Farran?"

Kasey looked where Bilbus was facing. In the crowd of dancing centaurs, Farran pranced. He seemed to be keeping up with the centaurs, and several were giving the horse room. They would demonstrate step combinations, and the kelpie-horse would repeat them. He would occasionally embellish the steps, earning appreciative nods from the centaurs.

Kasey smiled. "I didn't know Farran danced."

Bilbus looked at the Church Knight. "Farran's not a normal horse."

"Of course not, Bilbus. He's a warhorse."

Bilbus rolled his eyes and tore another chunk from the meat in his hands.

Kasey stood and walked towards Tamm. "I have some Javik ale I bought before we left town. Would you care to share it with me?"

The centaur grinned. "I can never refuse a good ale, two-legs. I hope there is enough for some of my friends."

Kasey smiled. "I have a small cask. We can share it, but not if we use the large tankards."

"We shall have to sip, then."

Kasey tapped the keg while Tamm gathered some friends and some tankards. Tamm insisted that Sturm have the first tankard: "He drinks as well as a centaur!" Tamm's friends murmured appreciatively.

After Kasey finished his mug of ale, he returned to the table. "Lady Adria, would you honor me with a dance?" Kasey dropped to one knee and bowed.

Adria looked at him, then looked at the dancing centaurs. "I don't think we can dance quite like they do."

"So? The girl danced with Bilbus."

Adria smiled. "You have a point." She stood and took Kasey's offered elbow.

Kasey escorted Adria to the edge of the dancers. He started one of the courtly dances he had learned in his youth, leading Adria in a processional-like walk along the edge of the dancers.

After a few paces, Adria removed her arm from his and changed dances. Kasey stopped for a moment and watched as she twirled about, her skirt fanning out like the petals of a flower. She moved sensuously, arms wrapping about herself momentarily before fanning outwards.

"Adria? I'm sorry, but I don't know that dance. Is it one done in the courts of the Dales?"

Adria ignored the Church Knight as she continued the dance.

Farran worked his way through the crowd of centaurs towards Adria. He started beating his hooves in a convoluted rhythm that accentuated Adria's dance and seemed to carry her as well. The centaurs nearby stopped to watch the dance, giving wide berth to the human woman and the kelpie-horse stallion.

At the nearby table, Bilbus stopped in mid bite to watch Adria dance. Her movements were like nothing he'd seen before. Next to him, Eric gasped when he noticed Adria.

Mesmerized, Bilbus managed to mumble, "I've never seen a dance like that."

Eric replied, almost breathless, "I've heard some of the tinkers know dances that will boil the blood..."

"Where would Adria have learned them?"

Eric didn't reply as they continued to watch.

The dance continued for several minutes, winding down as Farran slowed his prancing. When it was clear that Adria was finishing, the warhorse bowed, lowering his head towards the noblewoman as she reached towards him. Her hand touched Farran's head, just in front of the ears, as she finally stopped dancing.

The camp was quiet for several seconds as human and centaur alike continued to stare.

Adria opened her eyes, looking about as if she were trying to figure out where she was. She noticed Bilbus staring at her slackjawed from the table, next to Eric and Breanna. Breanna was looking at Eric, who was also staring at Adria.

Adria regained her composure, took her hand off Farran, and started to walk back to the table. She stopped and turned back to the destrier. "Thank you, Farran. You kept the beat very well." She noticed Kasey, still standing nearby, confused. "Thank you, Kasey. I'm sorry I changed dances on you."

"It's okay, my Lady. I think Farran enjoyed dancing with you."

Adria returned to the table. Bilbus remained wordless as she sat at the end of it, next to Breanna and as far from the thief as she could be.

The celebration continued late into the night. Adria decided to retire to her tent shortly after the rest of her companions had left. She was still humming quietly to herself and tapping her fingers against her leg in the intricate syncopation of the centaur dance as she closed the tent flap behind her.

She undressed, changing into her night shift and crawling into the warm sleeping blankets Bilbus and Eric had purchased in Kieta.

The silence of the night was broken by Kasey's voice crying out from a nearby tent.

"Get out of the damned tent, Farran! I don't care if the centaurs sleep in shelters!"

Adria laughed quietly to herself as she drifted to sleep, the snorts of Farran's protest and the loud stomping of his hooves echoing across the dark nomadic village.

30th Tinne 2044

After three days of peaceful travel, the party was getting closer to the village of Ubai. The vast, gently rolling steppes had given way over the last day to hills. The tops of a mountain range had started appearing above the horizon to the south. One peak in particular stood out, it's brownish-gray peak taller than the rest of the mountains. Patches of snow were visible even at this distance, well over a day's journey away.

Cresting another of the hills, Dumita stopped. The humans rode up next to her.

Rishala looked at her. "What is it?"

"There are centaurs ahead."

Dumita pointed into the shallow valley. Four centaurs with long spears were walking slowly away from the travelers.

"Are they from your tribe?"

"They would not be this far from the Far Gallopers."

Rishala paused for a moment, then asked slowly, "Do centaur tribes wage war?"

Dumita shook her head. "Rivals do not kill needlessly. It is not the centaur way. Besides, I am a healer, and we are on our way to Ubai. No centaur would harm a healer, and no centaur would interfere with travel to Ubai."

"Can we approach them safely?"

"We can. I do not know what they are doing, but they have spears. They may be hunting."

Dumita started walking down the far side of the hill. Rishala urged his horse to follow her, and his companions followed behind.

Dumita had nearly reached the bottom of the hill before the centaurs noticed the travelers. They turned and watched Dumita and the mounted humans approach.

When the humans stopped in front of the centaurs, one of the centaurs took a step forward. "What are you doing?" he asked in the trade tongue.

Bilbus answered quickly, "Riding horses, sir!"

Dumita answered the other centaurs in her native tongue. The healer and the leader of the centaur group spoke for a minute.

Rishala waited until the conversation had paused for several moments. "What is going on? Are you hunting?"

The lead centaur nodded. "We hunt tonkari. There is a herd of them on the other side of this ridge." He jerked a thumb behind him.

Kasey sat forward on Farran. "Hunting? Can I help? Please?"

Bilbus whispered loudly to the Church Knight. "Do you even know what a Tonkari is?"

Kasey glanced at Bilbus. "No, but they hunt them." He faced the hunters. "Please?"

The leader of the hunt looked thoughtfully at the Church Knight. He tossed one of his twelve foot long spears to Kasey. "Very well."

Sturm rode up next to the Church Knight. "I would like to hunt with you, too."

The leader looked at Sturm for a moment. He spoke to one of the other centaurs, who offered Sturm a spear. Sturm hefted the spear, adjusting his grip on the spear to compensate for a balance much different than his half-and-a-half sword.

Kasey looked at the Sun Knight. "Did you train with the spear?"

Sturm glanced at Kasey. "I studied the basics. I focused on single-handed swordplay."

"Oh... Well."

"I'm fine, Kasey."

The leader looked at the knights. "You are ready to hunt?"

Sturm and Kasey nodded. The centaurs turned to climb the hill behind them, the human hunters following.

Eric looked at his remaining companions. "Shall we watch? We can crawl to the top of the hill. As long as we aren't standing and yelling, I don't think we will interfere."

Rishala jumped from his horse. "I would like to see these tonkari. I've never heard of them."

Rishala quickly walked up the hillside, Bilbus and Eric following close behind. Merek ran to catch with Rishala. Adria and Breanna were slower to follow.

Rishala crawled to the top of the hill, peeking over the tall grasses into the next valley. "My gods!" he exclaimed as he spotted the Tonkari.

There were over sixty of the creatures in the herd. They were four-legged, covered with a shaggy brownish-black fur, with long snouts that nearly touched the ground. The younger ones were as tall as a man. The adults were no shorter than four paces tall at the shoulder. They moved slowly towards the northeast, oblivious of the four centaurs and two humans approaching from behind them.

Beside Rishala, Eric produced his spyglass. He extended the tube and looked at the tonkari herd. "Those are big."

Rishala nodded, still looking at the nearest tonkari, over a hundred paces away. "I've heard of some animals like these in parts of Azir, but never something with that much of fur."

"It gets cold on the Steppes during winter."

"I know that, Eric..." Rishala trailed off as the centaurs started galloping towards the herd.

The herd reacted quickly, several of the large animals bugling angry calls that echoed throughout the valley. The herd started running, a rumbling that shook the ground even on the top of the hill.

Near Rishala on the hilltop, Breanna muttered angrily. "What is he doing? Does he realize that he could get killed? That cut is not getting better the longer we take getting him healed!"

The Sun Knight charged with his fellow hunters towards the herd of enormous tonkari. The centaurs pulled ahead of the humans, charging towards one of the slower beasts.

The tonkari veered sharply to the left. Sturm cut his horse left to intercept it, shifting his spear in one hand while handling the reins with his other. The centaurs were driving their long spears into the side of the beast as Sturm caught up.

The tonkari roared -- in anger or pain, Sturm didn't know which -- and lashed at one of the centaurs on its other side. Sturm thrust his spear at the Tonkari, just behind the forelegs. He pulled the spear back out quickly as Kasey drove his spear into the tonkari's neck.

The creature veered to the right, nearly trampling one of the centaur hunters. Kasey drove his spear into the tonkari again. It bellowed loudly and turned to the right again. Sturm stabbed his spear into the beast's hide once more. It stumbled and fell, pulling Sturm from his horse and throwing him to the ground. Sturm rolled several paces before coming to a stop.

Kasey reined Farran in next to the Sun Knight. "That was impressive, Sturm. Are you okay?"

Sturm winced as his propped himself up with his elbows. "I'm fine."

"Okay." Kasey rode towards the centaurs. "That was fun! Do you need any more?"

The leader shook his head. "One tonkari is enough. There would be too much spoiled if we tried to cure more than one at a time."

Kasey nodded. "Good." He noticed his comrades on the hilltop, now standing as the tonkari herd ran farther away. He rode towards them, shouting as he did. "Did you see how big they were? And Sturm actually brought it down! This was great!"

One of the centaurs had captured Sturm's horse and brought it back to him. "Well hunted, two legs."

Sturm took the offered reins. "Thank you."

Sturm climbed onto his horse and rode towards the hilltop. Kasey and Farran had already reached it, and Kasey had jumped off to tell his companions about the hunt they had just watched. Kasey gestured wildly, pointing back at the carcass and Sturm as he did.

When Sturm reached the top of the hill, Breanna and Adria both rushed towards him.

Adria reached him first. "What in the Hells were you doing? You could have been killed! After everything Breanna has done trying to keep you alive, this is how you thank her? After what we've gone through in the last month, you're still willing to go risk life and limb for no good reason?"

Sturm continued past her without saying a word.

Adria continued to yell after him. "Oh, yes, the honorable and chivalrous Sun Knight won't even acknowledge the noisy little noblewoman, will he?"

Breanna grabbed Adria's arm before she could chase after him. "Forget it, Adria. I'm sure he has his reasons."

Adria looked at the other woman, then turned back towards Sturm and said loudly, "Other than selfish gratification?"

"I said forget it, Adria."

Sturm jumped from his horse, ignoring the twinge in his shoulder as he landed jarringly on the ground. The centaur hunters had gathered together several paces from the humans. Sturm walked towards the hunters.

They stopped talking and looked at him. "How are you going to get this tonkari back to your tribe?"

One of the centaurs looked at the large carcass in the valley. "We bring the tribe to it. The village will move to this valley. We will cut and cure the meat and pelt. When we are done with the tonkari, we will move on."

Bilbus had been listening to the exchange. "Maybe we should stay tonight?"

Sturm looked at the thief. "We still need to get to the healer's village. We would lose half a day's travel if we stay here."

Bilbus nodded. "Makes sense."

Sturm looked back at the centaurs. "Thank you for allowing us to hunt with you. We must continue our journey now."

The centaurs nodded slowly. "It is good to see that some of the Southlander two-legs can appreciate the hunt. We have seen too many who kill for just the tusks, leaving the meat to waste and driving the tonkari farther and farther north each year. You are welcome to visit us another time, two-legs."

The centaurs half-bowed to Sturm. He returned the bow, then walked back to his companions. They had already mounted their horses. Kasey held Sturm's horses reins. He tossed them to the Sun Knight and started moving away at a slow walk, following Dumita towards the mountains to the southeast.

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Original Draft 06 March 2001

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