Author's Note: Hello everyone. This story is one I've been working on for a while now. I don't know when it will be finished or anything like that. I hope someday to get this story published. So please, read and review. I'd really like to know what anyone thinks about it. ~Dete

Disclaimer: Everything in here is my original work. Please don't take without permission, etc.

Chapter 1

It was getting late in the evening as the lone rider crested a hill and pulled his horse to a halt. There, just about a half a mile away, spread the ocean. The sun was a large ball of red-orange flames, turning the clouds dark shades of purple and pink as it slunk lower in the sky. The bright colors reflected off the gently rolling waves as they crashed against the sandy shore. After a moment, he turned his horse, heading for the coastal village of Murdock that was situated in the bay, and the last town before one reached the borders of the land.

And a small village it was. Most of the houses were made of worn stones and wood, built to try to withstand the storms that came in from the sea and down from the mountains only a few miles away. The largest buildings in the village were a supply warehouse, the town hall, a jail, an inn, and a tavern. There were maybe thirty or so other buildings, including homes and little businesses. So maybe not small, but not near as big as some of the cities and towns he had been to in the past. All in all, a nice, quiet little town. Perfect for someone who didn't want a lot of attention from certain types of people.

The rider pulled his horse in at the tavern front, deciding that a warm meal was his first priority. He would find the inn after he was done. The sign hanging from the overhanging roof had a picture of a red rose with a few sharp looking thorns on it. He looped the reins of his horse over a rail and dusted himself off as he pushed open the door. A bell rang, announcing his arrival and he groaned inwardly. However, to his relief the room was nearly full and no one seemed to pay any attention to him as he moved towards the bar.

It seemed to be just another normal evening for the folks here. People were settling down after a day's work. A few card games were going in the far corner. From the sound of the groans someone was losing very badly. A young woman was smiling from behind the bar as she joked with a customer and poured a few drinks to be passed around to others who were waiting. She turned to the newcomer, still smiling.

She had the most startling violet colored eyes he had ever seen. The color alone was new. Her hair tumbled to her waist in deep burgundy waves. In the light from the lamps he could see gold highlights shimmer as she moved. Her lavender dress was spotless, if a little wrinkled from her work.

"Hello, stranger. Welcome to the Rose and Thorn. What can I get for you tonight?" her voice was welcoming. She blinked once, startled by his own appearance was well.

His blue, red-flecked eyes scanned the shelves behind her. "Wine, please." He said as he sat on a stool. He quickly brushed his long white, red streaked hair away from his pale face. He fished in his pockets until he found a faded red bandana. Using it, he covered all of his hair, except for a few stubborn strands.

"Here you go." She placed a clean, pewter goblet on the oak bar in front of him. "This is Murdock red, the best we have here. The weather and soil just a few miles inland is perfect for the grapes used to make it. We're lucky about that." She smiled again as he took a sip.

It really was good. He nodded his approval. "What do you have to eat tonight?" he asked. His stomach growled loudly in response.

The girl's smile widened and she giggled. "Well, the cook made a beef stew with veggies in it, but I think I can go and wheedle some bread, meat and cheese for you, if that sounds better."

Oh, cheese! He looked at her as if she had said the magic word. "Perfect!" he was very enthusiastic in his reply. She giggled once more and then disappeared behind a blue curtain hanging in the doorway to the kitchen. While he waited, he turned and surveyed the room.

It was quite large. There was a stone hearth against the far wall that warmed the whole area. A dog rested on a rug in front of it, watching the patrons with one open eye. The tables were a mixture of origins, but looked sturdy enough. The chairs and stools seem to match. There were a few paintings and some antlers from a couple animals hanging on the otherwise empty walls. Lamps hung from various places on the ceiling, lending more light than the fire could. Everything had a very well kept look.

The barmaid returned and set a pewter plate in front of him. He snatched a piece of the cheddar cheese and stuffed it down in one bite. Oh bliss! He forced himself to make the rest of it last. He also made a note to see if there was any way he'd be able to buy some to help boost his supplies. At least for as long as it would last.

The barmaid moved away to greet some new customers, leaving him to finish his meal. He kinda liked it here. No one was asking him why he was there, what his business was, or where he was heading. That was nice. As much as he enjoyed being part of a group, around strangers he would rather keep his distance. It was just a habit he had developed over the thousand years he had lived so far. Being immortal tended to have its drawbacks, he thought wryly.

He turned his attention back to his meal, which was already gone. And he was still hungry! He turned to look for the barmaid. He waved to catch her attention and she walked over, still smiling.

"Need something?" she asked.

"How about refills on both?" he indicated the plate and goblet.

She nodded and picked them up. "Sure thing."

Within a few moments both were returned to him. She grabbed a damp cloth and began to tidy up the counter area. The noise in the room was steadily increasing as more of the townspeople came in. One man came and sat on the stool beside him.

"You'd better chase them all out before too much longer, Rhane." He stated. "I think there's a storm coming down from the mountains."

The barmaid turned and listened, then nodded. "How full is your inn?" Rhane asked.

"All full." The man replied after a drink. "We had two more ships pull in this evening."

The barmaid, Rhane, turned to the newcomer. "Well, I have an extra room upstairs, if you didn't get one at the inn. It'd be better than nothing."

He nodded his thanks to her. "Where can I put my horse then?"

"There's a stable out back. Just go around the side and well, you can't miss it. Biggest building back there." She gestured towards the back of the room as she spoke.

"What about the owner? Will they mind?" he asked.

The innkeeper laughed and Rhane smiled. "Will they mind? She is the owner!" the inn keep laughed harder. Rhane turned to help some more customers and gave them the warning about the incoming storm.

The stranger rose from his seat and returned to where his horse still waited. He led it around the side of the building. The barn wasn't hard to find at all. He settled his horse in an empty stall. After a quick grooming, he found some oats and filled a bucket with water. It would do for now. He didn't really plan to stay the whole night, just until the storm was done.

Saddlebags on one shoulder and pack over the other, he returned to the front of the tavern. To the north of the town he could see the dark clouds and the tell tale flashes of light within them. Even the air smelled of rain already. A gust of wind kicked up and ruffled a few strands of hair that escaped his bandana. He watched as leaf as it tumbled down the street.

It vanished.

The stranger blinked.

A lone figure stood at the end of the street. The stranger felt a tingle run up his spine. In another heartbeat, the figure was gone. He turned and went inside the tavern, a feeling of familiarity in the back of his mind.

Rhane greeted him again and lead him up the stairs at the back of the main room to the second floor. She opened a door directly across from the top of the stairs. Inside was a bed, a small table, a single chair and a window covered in faded curtains. There was half a candle on the tabletop. But the bed was made and looked clean. And really, after sleeping on the ground for the past couple of nights, anything was better.

"Well, it's not much, but it should do." She shrugged. "It's definitely not Jand's inn."

"It'll do fine." He dropped his packs on the end of the bed for now. "How much for the night?"

She shrugged again as she started down the stairs. "Not much, I guess. I don't let people stay here too often. I'll figure it out in the morning, after I see how much trouble you cause yet this evening." She grinned over her shoulder at him.

He chuckled and returned to his seat at the bar to finish his meal. By the time he did, nearly everyone had left and the storm was rolling in. He offered to help clean up, not liking to just be sitting and watching. She had him go around the room, close the shutters on the windows, and bolt the door. The cooks came out of the kitchen and between the three of them, they had everything cleaned in no time. He really only got in the way. He noticed that Rhane kept glancing worriedly at the door and windows as she worked.

"I made sure they were closed tight." He stated.

"Wha…?" she blinked. "Oh yeah. It's not that. I was just thinking." She waved good night to the cooks as they climbed the stairs, heading for other rooms.

"Do you mind me asking what you were thinking about then?" His tone was curious. He didn't really want to go to bed ignorant of something that could be important.

"Well…" she paused and sat down at the bar, leaning back against the counter. "There have been a couple of these sudden storms like this. Maybe about once a month for the past four or five months. But each time, something strange has happened."

He sat down at the table directly across from her. He tilted his head to the side a bit. "Strange? How so?" He asked.

She fidgeted. "People disappeared..."

He raised a pale eyebrow. So. People disappeared during a storm. Well, there were several explanations for that. Such as being caught in a rip tide and drowning, unable to be heard over the incoming storm. The list could go on.

"…from their own homes." She finished her thought. "My best friend was one of them. She was in her room, getting ready for bed. All her parents heard was the glass from her window break, a snarling animal and her scream. There was no trace of her or the animal when they reached the room."

He sat up straighter. Suddenly the currents of the storm felt…wrong. He hadn't been paying any attention to it, thinking it was just another storm. A second later he blinked, shaking it off as he watched the worry on her face from his reaction.

"Probably nothing to worry about. Was there a man she was in love with that her parents didn't approve of?" She nodded in response. "Well, then they probably used the storm as a cover to leave and have their own life. I wouldn't worry about this storm."

She seemed to disagree with him, but didn't press it. She hopped off the stool and headed for the stairs. At the bottom, she turned to look at him. "I don't even know your name…"

"Oh! Excuse me for that. I totally forgot." He smiled as he stood and made a low bow to her. "I'm Galen Thames."

"Rhane." She answered as she turned and disappeared up the steps.

He watched her go. After a moment he settled back into the chair. Eyes flitting from object to object in the room, as fast as his thoughts raced through his mind.

*****

A/N: So, there is the first chapter. I'm going to wait and see if I get any reviews before I post the next one. But that one needs some work still, so it'd be a bit anyways. Well, hope you enjoyed and please leave a review, whether to point out an error or whatever. Thanks for reading! ~Dete