Author's Notes: The elf Magella and Kitty are Wolfwitch's creations, but everything else in this story is mine.
Wings of Revenge
Chapter 1: Beginnings
The Myffarian forest was peaceful and silent, as the true animals went along with their lives. That is, until the hurried, heavy steps of the exhausted young woman resounded through the forest. Running, running, running, running far from the person, from the predator in the skies... But the hunter was too swift, too smart. An arrow was shot, and as the woman fell in a pool of her own blood, green cat eyes staring in shock at the shaft piercing her lower back and stomach, the killer stood over her.
"Your death begins our victory, healer."
"You haven't won quite... yet." whispered the assassin's victim. She died with a bitter smile on her face.
*******
A knight's keep was hardly the best place for a young lady to live in, even if said young lady was a squire. As the eldest, and only child of a lineage of great lords, Gwynneth of Kindan's knighthood should have been assured, but for her gender. Gwynneth was indeed a very feminine girl. She had long, frizzy black hair, bright green eyes, a thin, narrow face, and despite her five feet of height and her mere sixteen years of age, she had a lithe, womanly figure. She was kind, and had a certain touch for healing, and was, in short, the typical 'ideal' woman.
Except for her family's tradition and her open mind. Once Gwynneth became a page and started learning history and fencing, she started questionning the values and ideas she was raised with. The quickest to go was the woman's inferiority complex. Shortly afterwards came the turn of Christianity and all of the superstitions that came with it. Gwynneth had also, defying all human limits of endurance, learned to become a very good healer. The reasoning was to atone for all the deaths she would cause as a Knight, and if her Knighthood was denied her, she wouldn't be out of a living.
The King's court declared her a heathen, and dumped her on a man they were starting to detest, as he was having entirely too much success with the ladies. Sir Eoin, was also, possibly, the man that got injured the most in the King's court, as his conquests often provoked jealousies, and jealousies oft lead to duels.
"Master Eoin, you must be more careful. I won't be eternally here to care for your wounds. I do plan on becoming a Knight one day." she nagged, as she finished dressing the young man's bloodied arm expertly.
"Knighthood doesn't suit healers of small stature, squire. Your beauty and kindness is better suited to a bride's dress." Her master smiled ruefully at her.
"Pride and competence, no matter gender, should be displayed in the colors of Knighthood. And in a culture where women are regarded as inferior, marriage would weaken my position in court. An' I ever marry, it will be after knighthood and the securing of my position. Your effort was a valiant one, but in vain." retorted Gwynneth saucily.
"Then you will remain my squire, and decline my offer of marriage?" asked the Knight, getting up from his chair.
Gwynneth laughed nervously in reply. She backed away from her master anxiously.
"Surely you jest, milord. There are plenty of prettier, sweeter ladies in Dublin! Why settle for a coarse man-lady when any other woman will have you?"
Sir Eoin started advancing on her, backing Gwynneth into the wall.
"Why settle for gold when I can have all the brass I want?" spat the man. "True love is reasonless and blind." he took a last step foreward.
Gwynneth stepped back, tripping over the low windowsill, and falling out of the tower. Just her luck she HAD to have fallen off the last floor of the tallest tower of Sir Eoin's keep. Her body went rigid, however, when she realised she wouldn't survive the drop. She was going to die! Or at the very least break a leg, and knowing the incompetent doctor Sir Eoin hired, who knew whether it would ever be the same, or if her career as a Knight would even survive her being out of action for a time! But wait... All the time she was thinking this, she hadn't been falling. Oh, yes, she was still upside down in the air, but she was curiously still, and carried away with her interior monologue, she hadn't noticed the strange stiff panic of her master. Indeed, surprise and horror must have frozen him solid, as he neither moved nor spoke. However, as she was still suspended in midair, just out of her petrified master's reach, and still quite a far ways from the ground, she was less concerned with said petrified master.
"You will not survive this fall." commented a monotonous alto voice, startling Gwynneth frightfully, effectively interrupting her thoughts. She looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but could not find it.
"Do you want to live?" inquired the voice from right behind Gwynneth. Gwynneth turned her head, still upside down, and suddenly was looking into deep almond slanted magenta eyes. She would have jumped, if she had been on the ground. Further examination would reveal the person belonging to those eyes to be a woman with a pale face, framed by sunset colored hair, and elongated, pointed ears.
"Of course I want to live! What kind of question is that?!" snapped the flustered squire.
"That's good. Makes things easier." stated the woman matter-of-factly.
"Makes what easier? Who are you and what is happening?" demanded Gwynneth.
"If you want to live, don't ask questions. I'm not asking for much, only a small service." retorted the woman in irritation.
"And what, pray tell, may that be?" inquired Gwynneth suspiciously.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something!" answered the mysterious lady, and with that, Gwynneth blacked out.
*******
The true birds sang their spring songs, the wind whispered sweet nothings through the young leaves of the trees. On a bed of leaves lay Gwynneth, still and unconscious. Gwynneth awoke with a splitting headache and cursed at her change in surroundings.
"I am still breathing..." she said, calming down, "I must allow her that much credit."
She noticed that a pack containing bandages and healing gear, as well as a change of clothes, a hunk of cheese, loaf of bread, and gourd of water, and beside it her longsword, had been placed beside her makeshift bed, waiting for her to wake up. On top of the pack was a note.
"I hope these will be useful to you." Unmistakenably, the author of that anonymous note was the lady from before. Gwynneth spat in disgust. If that woman could work magic, why couldn't she do it properly?! Now was not the time to get pissed, however.
Furthermore, two paces from there lay the embers of a dying fire, and another mound of leaves, another pack, and a cloak could be seen on the opposite side of the fireplace. A bucket of water was placed near the fire as a precaution.
"Oy! So you're finally awake, honey!" called a voice from behind Gwynneth.
"Why must everyone I meet sneak up on me?" muttered Gwynneth, turning around to see who this new person was.
A tall woman dressed in a loose green shirt and breeches, over which she wore white gloves, boots, a chestplate and shoulderpads trimmed with black was striding towards her with the silent gait of a wildcat. Her extremely long dark brown hair was tightly tied back in a ponytail, and her bangs framed her tanned face and small, dark eyes well. Her voice was low and almost masculine sounding, and her whole manner reminded Gwynneth more of a man than a woman, as did the shoulderpads to give her the appearance of one. She carried a pile of wood in her arms.
Padding next to her was a creature with the majestic body of a young lionness, and huge elegant eagle wings, folded to the sides, as they weren't being used, and the head of a girl who couldn't be more than twelve. That head had long golden hair and fair skin, and a catlike grin on it's face. The magnificent beast had a sling full of firewood around its neck.
When the pair arrived, the woman immediately untied the creature's sling, sat down on a rock conveniently near the fire, and began feeding it with her kindling. The lion-beast, rid of her sling, contentedly siddled up to the woman, made herself comfortable, and started purring loudly.
"Who are you? Where am I? And what is that beast?" Gwynneth was a bit miffed at the pair for having lost interest in her so easily.
"Relax, sweetheart!" drawled the woman. "You're among friends... Or at least people who won't kill you. The name's Samantha Brownfox. I'm an adventuring mercenary. And this sphinx," she added, momentarily glancing at the girl-beast, "Is Kitty. Don't ask me to pronounce her real name."
"I'm her cat!" added the sphinx, as if daring Gwynneth to disagree.
"As for this place... You're in the world of NovAtlantia, on the lost continent of Myffar." continued Samantha.
She spoke in a relaxed drawl, but she had an accent Gwynneth couldn't quite place... Her vowels were longer and rounder than seemed normal... And it was odd, but every time she heard someone talk, even herself, her headache came back with a vengeance... But she hadn't had wine since Spring Equinox... "But let's talk about you." drawled Samantha casually, as she leaned back against Kitty's rump nonchalantly, pillowing her head with her hands.
"Me?" asked Gwynneth, confused.
"Yeah, you, gorgeous! I don't know more about you than you know about me, so why don't you tell me how you came to just appear out of thin air, you and your... stuff!" snapped the mercenary.
"Appeared out of thin air?" repeated Gwynneth.
"Are you a parrot, beautiful? Yeah, you appeared out of thin air!" answered the woman in annoyance.
"You could have taken a less vindictive tone with me." sulked Gwynneth, "However, I will answer your question. My name is Gwynneth of Kindan, and I am squire to Eoin of Tara, and an accomplished doctor. I come from a world that has only been referred to as 'The Earth'. I don't supposed NovAtlantia and Earth are one and the same?"
"Dead wrong, toots." smirked Samantha, "But go on."
"I accidentally fell out a window." Gwynneth deadpanned.
"No kidding?" asked Samantha incredulously.
Gwynneth didn't bother to answer. Instead, she went on with her story: "Time seemed to stop, just when I thought there was no hope of rescue. A woman with sunset hair and eyes, and elongated, pointed ears asked me whether I wanted to live... And before I knew it, I was waking up right now, and seeing you approach."
"Magella." spat the woman. Her dark brown eyes burned with dislike at the name.
Gwynneth raised an eyebrow.
"The Elven Matriarch and self-proclaimed 'Guardian' of Life and Fate and Destiny and all that crap. All anyone really knows about her is she's a terrible meddler, and that she's obscenely powerful. No one trusts her all that much." explained Samantha.
"The reason I'm hanging around this hellhole, and that I was, in fact here when you appeared can be traced back to her as well. You see... I was adventuring in the world of Taliatha, minding my own business, when along comes Elhaz. Elhaz is the Dark Elven Patriarch and Magella's flunky since... like... forever. So he comes to bother me, and tells me destiny has need of me... O'course, that's just a pompous way of saying: 'Magella needs you to be part of her scheme!' And then he tells me he'll transport me here, where I'll have to wait for a few days, and someone will show up at the camp, and then 'all will be revealed!' My ass! Doesn't give me any say in the matter either! Before I know it, I'm here, carrying a pack full of supplies, in front of this fireplace. Inside is a note: Wait here. In any case, now that I'm here, I don't really have a choice. I don't suppose you will 'reveal all' to me?"
Kitty looked at Gwynneth expectantly, making the poor squire nervous. She fiddled with her collar for a moment.
"I would love to 'reveal all' as you so adequately put it, but I have no more knowledge of her plans then you do."
Samantha abruptly stood up, startling Kitty, and poured the nearby water bucket onto the flames in the fireplace. She then picked up her cloak and swung it over her shoulders. She scattered the rocks of the fireplace, and covered it in the leaves that she had been using as a makeshift bed.
"What are you doing?" asked Gwynneth, puzzled and alarmed.
"Taking down camp! It's been days since I've seen a town, and there's no use staying here anymore. You coming with us?" answered Samantha as she slung her pack onto her shoulders.
Gwynneth strapped her longsword on, and slung her own pack on.
"It would be folly not to accept such a gracious invitation." she commented, as she scattered the leaves that had served her as a bed for a few days.
*******
Gwynneth was fed up. It had been days since she'd last seen Sir Eoin's fort and she was tired of hiking. Reflecting upon this had led to the troubling conclusion that she had been spoiled back home, where she had her own horse. She'd had plenty of time to think. And the more she thought, the more she realised things didn't add up. Samantha and Kitty had funny accents, yet they were speaking Gaelic perfectly. If this was indeed a different world, it seemed likely that there would be a different language. She mentionned this to her tall, boyish companion.
"Mind spells." Samantha had answered breathlessly, concentrating on the path in front of her, "Magella's an ace at them. She probably shoved the entire Novatlas language into your head. It's normal not to realise you're speaking a different language at first. I've had the experience with Old English. My head was ringing for days afterwards. Was yours?"
"Yes!" Gwynneth panted. She'd noticed that Samantha liked to show off her knowledge. Maybe that was why this Magella had dragged her out here to be with Gwynneth.
"Will you please tell me more about this magic?" the short girl breathed presently. "I'm afraid that magic is rare where I come from."
"Magic? Don't tell me you don't have at least some notion of how spellcasting works? Alright, sweety, here's the deal. To be able to cast any kind of magic, you have to have some gift. There are lots of different types of magic. See, there's elemental magic and it's offshoots: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Light, Shadow, Ice and Lightening. Apart from that, there's Dark magic, Mind magic, and healing magic, as well as spell magic, which is a general mage gift. Those are the common gifts. The rest are very specialized and rare, and it would be impossible to decribe it all to you. So, in order to cast a spell, you have to have the gift. Most spellcasters only work with one of these gifts. Occasionally, you'll find one with two, even three of these. It happens that there is someone with all of the gifts, except for spell magic. Spell magic, you have to understand, is very different from the other types of magic. Most of the other magic is basically channeling and shaping energy taken from different sources in different ways. Spell magic is more sophisticated. It takes years of study to become a spell mage. Let's stop for a breather, shall we?" Samantha stopped, and slumped down to the ground in exhaustion. She took a gourd from her pack, and drank deeply from it, letting out a satisfying sigh as she did so. Gwynneth followed suite and sat down as well.
"Is this common knowledge here?" inquired Gwynneth curiously. At that question, Samantha looked vaguely puzzled.
"It used to be, before the Clan Wars, I believe. I don't know anymore." came the answer.
"I didn't know that, Samantha. Being a native of this place myself, I'd say that it's not common knowledge." added Kitty.
"You're so knowledgeable about everything here, yet you claim you've never been here?" Gwynneth asked Samantha.
"Haven't. But I've always liked to study. I like books better than I like fighting, actually." answered Samantha, a woman in tough armour, and a mean-looking sword at her belt.
"Oh reall-" Gwynneth had started, before Samantha shushed her: "Shut up. Listen."
Gwynneth fell silent and listened, but this only served to irritate her, as she did not hear anything of interest. Kitty's long, pointed and elongated ears were twitching, Gwynneth noticed, and both she and Samantha seemed to be in concentration. Samantha's ears were twitching too. The squire noticed for the first time her guide's elongated ears, covered in a fine layer of soft, brown down, where at it's pointed tip, the down darked to black. Gwynneth didn't have time to puzzle further, as the taller woman finally slumped from her upright position.
"Well?" the healer asked impatiently.
"Little girl crying over someone she calls Grith. Said person seems to be seriously hurt. From the extent of the poor girl's dismay, I'd say 'Grith' won't last the night." answered Samantha nonchalantly. This caused a shock to Gwynneth's system.
"How can you speak so calmly?! I have to go to this person. I might still be able to make that little girl's worries be in vain!" she exclaimed, jumping up, swinging her pack onto her back and starting out.
"Yo Gwyn! Injured person: That-a-way!" called the older woman, jerking her thumb in the opposite direction. Gwynneth was already ten paces ahead almost before Samantha could finish her sentence.
After a kilometer of rushed running, Gwynneth was about ready to give up, and convince herself that Samantha had led her on a wild goose chase. She finally stopped to regain her breath for a moment, and the respite allowed her two companions to catch up with her.
"That zeal of yours will be the death of us all!" complained Samantha, panting. The taller woman and her sphinx were both in sweat, a fact that intrigued the squire, though she had matters of a higher priority to attend to.
"You weren't lying to me, were you?" asked Gwynneth skeptically.
"You think I'm having hallucinations? You just listen! Even you should be able to hear the girl's whines now!" snapped the older woman wearily.
"Grith! Hold on Grith! Whitegrith! You have to!" And sure enough, Gwynneth did hear the voice of a little girl. Her faith and strength restored, she was off again.
*******
A/N: Okay. Just to tell you before you continue, when I write more chapters. Contrarily to my other story, this one is written exclusively by me, although Magella and Kitty are Wolfwitch's creations. You see, we will be doing a lot of including eachother's characters since most of our characters are from the same universe. Besides, sometimes the potential for comedy is just too much to resist. Yes, I'm NOT entirely bereft of a sense of humour! As a side-note, I'd like to mention that Samantha used to be one of my least favorite characters, back when I only had six or seven. Meeting Wolfwitch forced me to develop her, and see what she's become? I'm so proud of myself!!!
Wings of Revenge
Chapter 1: Beginnings
The Myffarian forest was peaceful and silent, as the true animals went along with their lives. That is, until the hurried, heavy steps of the exhausted young woman resounded through the forest. Running, running, running, running far from the person, from the predator in the skies... But the hunter was too swift, too smart. An arrow was shot, and as the woman fell in a pool of her own blood, green cat eyes staring in shock at the shaft piercing her lower back and stomach, the killer stood over her.
"Your death begins our victory, healer."
"You haven't won quite... yet." whispered the assassin's victim. She died with a bitter smile on her face.
*******
A knight's keep was hardly the best place for a young lady to live in, even if said young lady was a squire. As the eldest, and only child of a lineage of great lords, Gwynneth of Kindan's knighthood should have been assured, but for her gender. Gwynneth was indeed a very feminine girl. She had long, frizzy black hair, bright green eyes, a thin, narrow face, and despite her five feet of height and her mere sixteen years of age, she had a lithe, womanly figure. She was kind, and had a certain touch for healing, and was, in short, the typical 'ideal' woman.
Except for her family's tradition and her open mind. Once Gwynneth became a page and started learning history and fencing, she started questionning the values and ideas she was raised with. The quickest to go was the woman's inferiority complex. Shortly afterwards came the turn of Christianity and all of the superstitions that came with it. Gwynneth had also, defying all human limits of endurance, learned to become a very good healer. The reasoning was to atone for all the deaths she would cause as a Knight, and if her Knighthood was denied her, she wouldn't be out of a living.
The King's court declared her a heathen, and dumped her on a man they were starting to detest, as he was having entirely too much success with the ladies. Sir Eoin, was also, possibly, the man that got injured the most in the King's court, as his conquests often provoked jealousies, and jealousies oft lead to duels.
"Master Eoin, you must be more careful. I won't be eternally here to care for your wounds. I do plan on becoming a Knight one day." she nagged, as she finished dressing the young man's bloodied arm expertly.
"Knighthood doesn't suit healers of small stature, squire. Your beauty and kindness is better suited to a bride's dress." Her master smiled ruefully at her.
"Pride and competence, no matter gender, should be displayed in the colors of Knighthood. And in a culture where women are regarded as inferior, marriage would weaken my position in court. An' I ever marry, it will be after knighthood and the securing of my position. Your effort was a valiant one, but in vain." retorted Gwynneth saucily.
"Then you will remain my squire, and decline my offer of marriage?" asked the Knight, getting up from his chair.
Gwynneth laughed nervously in reply. She backed away from her master anxiously.
"Surely you jest, milord. There are plenty of prettier, sweeter ladies in Dublin! Why settle for a coarse man-lady when any other woman will have you?"
Sir Eoin started advancing on her, backing Gwynneth into the wall.
"Why settle for gold when I can have all the brass I want?" spat the man. "True love is reasonless and blind." he took a last step foreward.
Gwynneth stepped back, tripping over the low windowsill, and falling out of the tower. Just her luck she HAD to have fallen off the last floor of the tallest tower of Sir Eoin's keep. Her body went rigid, however, when she realised she wouldn't survive the drop. She was going to die! Or at the very least break a leg, and knowing the incompetent doctor Sir Eoin hired, who knew whether it would ever be the same, or if her career as a Knight would even survive her being out of action for a time! But wait... All the time she was thinking this, she hadn't been falling. Oh, yes, she was still upside down in the air, but she was curiously still, and carried away with her interior monologue, she hadn't noticed the strange stiff panic of her master. Indeed, surprise and horror must have frozen him solid, as he neither moved nor spoke. However, as she was still suspended in midair, just out of her petrified master's reach, and still quite a far ways from the ground, she was less concerned with said petrified master.
"You will not survive this fall." commented a monotonous alto voice, startling Gwynneth frightfully, effectively interrupting her thoughts. She looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, but could not find it.
"Do you want to live?" inquired the voice from right behind Gwynneth. Gwynneth turned her head, still upside down, and suddenly was looking into deep almond slanted magenta eyes. She would have jumped, if she had been on the ground. Further examination would reveal the person belonging to those eyes to be a woman with a pale face, framed by sunset colored hair, and elongated, pointed ears.
"Of course I want to live! What kind of question is that?!" snapped the flustered squire.
"That's good. Makes things easier." stated the woman matter-of-factly.
"Makes what easier? Who are you and what is happening?" demanded Gwynneth.
"If you want to live, don't ask questions. I'm not asking for much, only a small service." retorted the woman in irritation.
"And what, pray tell, may that be?" inquired Gwynneth suspiciously.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something!" answered the mysterious lady, and with that, Gwynneth blacked out.
*******
The true birds sang their spring songs, the wind whispered sweet nothings through the young leaves of the trees. On a bed of leaves lay Gwynneth, still and unconscious. Gwynneth awoke with a splitting headache and cursed at her change in surroundings.
"I am still breathing..." she said, calming down, "I must allow her that much credit."
She noticed that a pack containing bandages and healing gear, as well as a change of clothes, a hunk of cheese, loaf of bread, and gourd of water, and beside it her longsword, had been placed beside her makeshift bed, waiting for her to wake up. On top of the pack was a note.
"I hope these will be useful to you." Unmistakenably, the author of that anonymous note was the lady from before. Gwynneth spat in disgust. If that woman could work magic, why couldn't she do it properly?! Now was not the time to get pissed, however.
Furthermore, two paces from there lay the embers of a dying fire, and another mound of leaves, another pack, and a cloak could be seen on the opposite side of the fireplace. A bucket of water was placed near the fire as a precaution.
"Oy! So you're finally awake, honey!" called a voice from behind Gwynneth.
"Why must everyone I meet sneak up on me?" muttered Gwynneth, turning around to see who this new person was.
A tall woman dressed in a loose green shirt and breeches, over which she wore white gloves, boots, a chestplate and shoulderpads trimmed with black was striding towards her with the silent gait of a wildcat. Her extremely long dark brown hair was tightly tied back in a ponytail, and her bangs framed her tanned face and small, dark eyes well. Her voice was low and almost masculine sounding, and her whole manner reminded Gwynneth more of a man than a woman, as did the shoulderpads to give her the appearance of one. She carried a pile of wood in her arms.
Padding next to her was a creature with the majestic body of a young lionness, and huge elegant eagle wings, folded to the sides, as they weren't being used, and the head of a girl who couldn't be more than twelve. That head had long golden hair and fair skin, and a catlike grin on it's face. The magnificent beast had a sling full of firewood around its neck.
When the pair arrived, the woman immediately untied the creature's sling, sat down on a rock conveniently near the fire, and began feeding it with her kindling. The lion-beast, rid of her sling, contentedly siddled up to the woman, made herself comfortable, and started purring loudly.
"Who are you? Where am I? And what is that beast?" Gwynneth was a bit miffed at the pair for having lost interest in her so easily.
"Relax, sweetheart!" drawled the woman. "You're among friends... Or at least people who won't kill you. The name's Samantha Brownfox. I'm an adventuring mercenary. And this sphinx," she added, momentarily glancing at the girl-beast, "Is Kitty. Don't ask me to pronounce her real name."
"I'm her cat!" added the sphinx, as if daring Gwynneth to disagree.
"As for this place... You're in the world of NovAtlantia, on the lost continent of Myffar." continued Samantha.
She spoke in a relaxed drawl, but she had an accent Gwynneth couldn't quite place... Her vowels were longer and rounder than seemed normal... And it was odd, but every time she heard someone talk, even herself, her headache came back with a vengeance... But she hadn't had wine since Spring Equinox... "But let's talk about you." drawled Samantha casually, as she leaned back against Kitty's rump nonchalantly, pillowing her head with her hands.
"Me?" asked Gwynneth, confused.
"Yeah, you, gorgeous! I don't know more about you than you know about me, so why don't you tell me how you came to just appear out of thin air, you and your... stuff!" snapped the mercenary.
"Appeared out of thin air?" repeated Gwynneth.
"Are you a parrot, beautiful? Yeah, you appeared out of thin air!" answered the woman in annoyance.
"You could have taken a less vindictive tone with me." sulked Gwynneth, "However, I will answer your question. My name is Gwynneth of Kindan, and I am squire to Eoin of Tara, and an accomplished doctor. I come from a world that has only been referred to as 'The Earth'. I don't supposed NovAtlantia and Earth are one and the same?"
"Dead wrong, toots." smirked Samantha, "But go on."
"I accidentally fell out a window." Gwynneth deadpanned.
"No kidding?" asked Samantha incredulously.
Gwynneth didn't bother to answer. Instead, she went on with her story: "Time seemed to stop, just when I thought there was no hope of rescue. A woman with sunset hair and eyes, and elongated, pointed ears asked me whether I wanted to live... And before I knew it, I was waking up right now, and seeing you approach."
"Magella." spat the woman. Her dark brown eyes burned with dislike at the name.
Gwynneth raised an eyebrow.
"The Elven Matriarch and self-proclaimed 'Guardian' of Life and Fate and Destiny and all that crap. All anyone really knows about her is she's a terrible meddler, and that she's obscenely powerful. No one trusts her all that much." explained Samantha.
"The reason I'm hanging around this hellhole, and that I was, in fact here when you appeared can be traced back to her as well. You see... I was adventuring in the world of Taliatha, minding my own business, when along comes Elhaz. Elhaz is the Dark Elven Patriarch and Magella's flunky since... like... forever. So he comes to bother me, and tells me destiny has need of me... O'course, that's just a pompous way of saying: 'Magella needs you to be part of her scheme!' And then he tells me he'll transport me here, where I'll have to wait for a few days, and someone will show up at the camp, and then 'all will be revealed!' My ass! Doesn't give me any say in the matter either! Before I know it, I'm here, carrying a pack full of supplies, in front of this fireplace. Inside is a note: Wait here. In any case, now that I'm here, I don't really have a choice. I don't suppose you will 'reveal all' to me?"
Kitty looked at Gwynneth expectantly, making the poor squire nervous. She fiddled with her collar for a moment.
"I would love to 'reveal all' as you so adequately put it, but I have no more knowledge of her plans then you do."
Samantha abruptly stood up, startling Kitty, and poured the nearby water bucket onto the flames in the fireplace. She then picked up her cloak and swung it over her shoulders. She scattered the rocks of the fireplace, and covered it in the leaves that she had been using as a makeshift bed.
"What are you doing?" asked Gwynneth, puzzled and alarmed.
"Taking down camp! It's been days since I've seen a town, and there's no use staying here anymore. You coming with us?" answered Samantha as she slung her pack onto her shoulders.
Gwynneth strapped her longsword on, and slung her own pack on.
"It would be folly not to accept such a gracious invitation." she commented, as she scattered the leaves that had served her as a bed for a few days.
*******
Gwynneth was fed up. It had been days since she'd last seen Sir Eoin's fort and she was tired of hiking. Reflecting upon this had led to the troubling conclusion that she had been spoiled back home, where she had her own horse. She'd had plenty of time to think. And the more she thought, the more she realised things didn't add up. Samantha and Kitty had funny accents, yet they were speaking Gaelic perfectly. If this was indeed a different world, it seemed likely that there would be a different language. She mentionned this to her tall, boyish companion.
"Mind spells." Samantha had answered breathlessly, concentrating on the path in front of her, "Magella's an ace at them. She probably shoved the entire Novatlas language into your head. It's normal not to realise you're speaking a different language at first. I've had the experience with Old English. My head was ringing for days afterwards. Was yours?"
"Yes!" Gwynneth panted. She'd noticed that Samantha liked to show off her knowledge. Maybe that was why this Magella had dragged her out here to be with Gwynneth.
"Will you please tell me more about this magic?" the short girl breathed presently. "I'm afraid that magic is rare where I come from."
"Magic? Don't tell me you don't have at least some notion of how spellcasting works? Alright, sweety, here's the deal. To be able to cast any kind of magic, you have to have some gift. There are lots of different types of magic. See, there's elemental magic and it's offshoots: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Light, Shadow, Ice and Lightening. Apart from that, there's Dark magic, Mind magic, and healing magic, as well as spell magic, which is a general mage gift. Those are the common gifts. The rest are very specialized and rare, and it would be impossible to decribe it all to you. So, in order to cast a spell, you have to have the gift. Most spellcasters only work with one of these gifts. Occasionally, you'll find one with two, even three of these. It happens that there is someone with all of the gifts, except for spell magic. Spell magic, you have to understand, is very different from the other types of magic. Most of the other magic is basically channeling and shaping energy taken from different sources in different ways. Spell magic is more sophisticated. It takes years of study to become a spell mage. Let's stop for a breather, shall we?" Samantha stopped, and slumped down to the ground in exhaustion. She took a gourd from her pack, and drank deeply from it, letting out a satisfying sigh as she did so. Gwynneth followed suite and sat down as well.
"Is this common knowledge here?" inquired Gwynneth curiously. At that question, Samantha looked vaguely puzzled.
"It used to be, before the Clan Wars, I believe. I don't know anymore." came the answer.
"I didn't know that, Samantha. Being a native of this place myself, I'd say that it's not common knowledge." added Kitty.
"You're so knowledgeable about everything here, yet you claim you've never been here?" Gwynneth asked Samantha.
"Haven't. But I've always liked to study. I like books better than I like fighting, actually." answered Samantha, a woman in tough armour, and a mean-looking sword at her belt.
"Oh reall-" Gwynneth had started, before Samantha shushed her: "Shut up. Listen."
Gwynneth fell silent and listened, but this only served to irritate her, as she did not hear anything of interest. Kitty's long, pointed and elongated ears were twitching, Gwynneth noticed, and both she and Samantha seemed to be in concentration. Samantha's ears were twitching too. The squire noticed for the first time her guide's elongated ears, covered in a fine layer of soft, brown down, where at it's pointed tip, the down darked to black. Gwynneth didn't have time to puzzle further, as the taller woman finally slumped from her upright position.
"Well?" the healer asked impatiently.
"Little girl crying over someone she calls Grith. Said person seems to be seriously hurt. From the extent of the poor girl's dismay, I'd say 'Grith' won't last the night." answered Samantha nonchalantly. This caused a shock to Gwynneth's system.
"How can you speak so calmly?! I have to go to this person. I might still be able to make that little girl's worries be in vain!" she exclaimed, jumping up, swinging her pack onto her back and starting out.
"Yo Gwyn! Injured person: That-a-way!" called the older woman, jerking her thumb in the opposite direction. Gwynneth was already ten paces ahead almost before Samantha could finish her sentence.
After a kilometer of rushed running, Gwynneth was about ready to give up, and convince herself that Samantha had led her on a wild goose chase. She finally stopped to regain her breath for a moment, and the respite allowed her two companions to catch up with her.
"That zeal of yours will be the death of us all!" complained Samantha, panting. The taller woman and her sphinx were both in sweat, a fact that intrigued the squire, though she had matters of a higher priority to attend to.
"You weren't lying to me, were you?" asked Gwynneth skeptically.
"You think I'm having hallucinations? You just listen! Even you should be able to hear the girl's whines now!" snapped the older woman wearily.
"Grith! Hold on Grith! Whitegrith! You have to!" And sure enough, Gwynneth did hear the voice of a little girl. Her faith and strength restored, she was off again.
*******
A/N: Okay. Just to tell you before you continue, when I write more chapters. Contrarily to my other story, this one is written exclusively by me, although Magella and Kitty are Wolfwitch's creations. You see, we will be doing a lot of including eachother's characters since most of our characters are from the same universe. Besides, sometimes the potential for comedy is just too much to resist. Yes, I'm NOT entirely bereft of a sense of humour! As a side-note, I'd like to mention that Samantha used to be one of my least favorite characters, back when I only had six or seven. Meeting Wolfwitch forced me to develop her, and see what she's become? I'm so proud of myself!!!