Champions of Serenity :Gathering the Circle

Chapter 41

Five strangers, travelers, entered the Giant’s Club and fell into chairs around a large table close to the door. One of the men looked like a walking bear, one looked like a kid and the last looked like a bard. Two women traveled with them, both looked like mercenary guards, probably for the bard. They ordered stew, bread, and ale. They spoke quietly among themselves about their travels.

Dina had taken their order and although she didn’t know them by name, that part of her that was Tris was awake and aware and wanted to go with these people more than anything. The Dina part didn’t understand and that frightened her. Rolfe noticed and pulled her back to work in the kitchen, not sure which of the strangers had bothered the girl but knowing he owed it to her to protect her from now on.

In the kitchen, Dina was finally able to understand Tris’s need, but now she was trapped with no way to get to the strangers to let them know it was her. Then she figured out a way to do it. She served up the second helping of stew the group had ordered and sprinkled a little extra seasoning into it. It wouldn’t hurt them, the opposite in fact, but it would change the taste of the stew enough to catch the attention of at least one of them. Both Tris and Dina were counting on it when they handed the tray to Jena to serve them.

A few minutes later, an outburst from the main room brought Rolfe into the kitchen. “Dina, did you do anything to that stew you just sent out?”

Dina looked confused and shook her head. “No, Rolfe. I used a clean ladle as the other one got dropped, but that is the only thing I did differently this time. Why?”

“The strangers are claiming you are trying to poison them.” Rolfe said, still a little stern.

Lizzie laughed. “Rolfe, you know better than to think that Dina would have a thought of her own, especially after what happened….” Rolfe nodded, relief on his face that his wife would vouch for the girl.

“Dina, come out with me then and let’s get this over with.” Rolfe led Dina out, standing with one arm protectively over her shoulders.

Jehro looked at Airidon and Fini and Shrina. Tyra kept her eyes on the dark haired girl before them; she appeared too simple and possibly unable to put two thoughts together at a time.

The other customers were all waiting for the outcome of this confrontation. Most of the men quietly gathered up knives and whatever was close to hand to help defend their simple barmaid and their friend’s inn.

The man that looked like a bear stood up and towered over both Dina and Rolfe. He looked Dina over and put on a sly grin. He reached out and touched her hair very briefly.

“You will not touch my girls, Mister. I don’t care how much gold you have.” Rolfe said and pulled Dina behind him. “You have seen her and now know that she can’t have done what you are accusing her of.”

Fini crossed his arms and shook his head. “No, Mister, I don’t know that. I don’t know but what the simple ones are the most dangerous. And this stew tastes different than before and I’m not going to eat it unless I see her take a bite first.”

Dina shrugged, not understanding what the big deal was. She stepped forward and took the spoon from Jehro’s hand, one he was offering. He was able to get a longer feel of Dina’s skin and his face grew somber. He nodded to Airidon as Dina took a healthy bite from Fini’s bowl. “See, Mister, I ain’t never done what you says I done.”

“Well then, Missy, why don’t you make it worth my while and we’ll call it fair?” Fini said, wiggling his eyebrows in what he tried to get to look sensual but only managed comedic.

“Now wait here….”Rolfe started.

“Sorry, but we don’t have a choice….”Airidon started at the same time.

All hell broke loose as the men from town tried to jump the companions. Shrina gathered Maryilee and held a dagger to her temple. Silence fell as Maryilee screamed.

“Okay, now that I have your attention, I want to thank you for your hospitality and care given to our sister. But we are taking this girl with us now and if you try to stop us, you will get hurt. Just so you don’t get any ideas, I’m going to take this girl with us until we get out of town. Have a nice evening.”

Shrina backed up as Fini picked Dina up and threw her across his shoulder. The others picked up the gear and then left the inn, keeping the enraged town folk at bay with the threat to Maryilee. Tris wasn’t very comfortable slung over Fini’s shoulder and she didn’t think it could be too comfortable for him either with her struggling but she wanted down.

In the woods outside of town, Shrina turned Maryilee around to look at her. “You were a friend to our sister, for that, we thank you. I know you don’t believe it now, but this is the way it must be. Since I wish to repay your kindness with a like kindness, I will tell you, leave Savine, tonight, or you will die. The Would-Be Emperor will attack this village in less than a day because of the shelter you gave our sister.”

“Who is she?”

“Her name is Trisinda Jaqukwen. She is chosen of Serenity and she is a Demon and an Elf. She is also the sworn enemy of the emperor and he would stop at nothing to get his hands on her.” Airidon said softly as Fini gently lay Dina down. “Tyra, Jehro, help Fini. I have a feeling this is going to get ugly.”

“He’s already had her, once….for about two weeks solid.” Maryilee whispered in a shaky voice. “She was innocent and she hasn’t been the same since.”

Jehro moaned as he relived some of those memories in unlocking Tris from the spell Dreybrenic cast on her. “She sees you as a friend, Maryilee; take our advice and get out of Savine. Tell those who you wish…but don’t stay too long or it will be too late.” Jehro said and then a loud popping sound and a flash of brilliant black light flared.

As they all watched, the dark hair lightened and the body thinned and grew longer. The simple peasant clothing changed into green and purple tunic and leggings and a blue cloak. A staff appeared on the ground next to her. As she lifted her head, the brown eyes changed to blue tinged with green.

“Thank you, Maryilee. You have my undying gratitude.” Tris then looked at the others, wary of what she would see. The memories of their parting were still painfully close to the surface.

“Tris, please…” Shrina said, offering a dagger to their leader. “I would pledge to you as chosen leader of Serenity’s Champions.” She then notched her palm and allowed three drops of her blood to fall on the back of Tris’s hand.

The others held their breath, waiting. “Thank you for rescuing me. And next time you want to pledge to me, Shrelannasha, don’t use blood, especially when I’m fighting a blood lust.” Tris lifted her hand to her lips and her tongue snaked out and when it went back into her mouth, the blood was gone. “We need to leave; Rolfe has started to send out searching parties. Anyone know a place we could go?”

“I have a friend in Meckadon and that would be the last place Handsome would expect us be.” When no one else offered anything, Tris pulled her magic around them all and the trees suddenly became a back alley in the capitol city of Sandeenai. “Now, you will have to excuse me, I need to hunt. Jehrones, go and get a place for us to stay and then meet me back at this spot in four hours.” Without waiting for confirmation, Tris vanished to hunt down her blood lust.

Jehro led the others around to the main street and down a couple of blocks to an inn called the Iron Whistle. He greeted a barrel-chested, short-legged man with deep brown hair and laughing grey eyes like a long lost brother.

Hervin Gessup, the owner, laughed when Jehro offered to pay for a night’s lodging. “Sorry, Jehro, but I still owe you a week’s lodging free for that item you helped me recover. You and your friends can have the rooms for the night as well as meals and we can call it even. What does your other friend look like so I will know her when I see her?”

“Don’t worry about that, I’ll go out and meet her. And thank you for the rooms and private lounge. I’m sure that we will have the best of service from an old dog like you.” Jehro said, slapping Hervin on the back and then leading the way to a suite of rooms and private lounge.

A few minutes later, Tris burst into the private lounge just as the others had finished setting up their rooms. She was pale and trembling, her eyes bordering on green and her skin had an unhealthy yellow-grey pallor to it.

“Tris?” Airidon asked softly, guiding her to a bench and sitting down with her.

“The others….need…..returned…..” Tris tried to say more but between the pull of Debra’s world and the blood lust, words came hard.

“Others? What is she talking about?” Shrina said and started to feel a little dizzy herself. The whole group sat down as the room appeared to spin around them.

Sheagnek looked around at the gathered gods and goddesses in her library. “It is time. With the return of the others, the prophecy is closed to change and open for fulfillment. The other two are both on the way to Meckadon and will join up after this return trip. It must be fast and we must help as we can. This will be the only time that the Champion’s bodies will be affected by the switch to each world. After this, only the minds and hearts will be affected, much like we when we travel on Sandeenai and on our own planes at the same time.”

“So this is it?” Chaos said, holding a parchment in his hands. When he received the nod from his sister and daughter, Sheagnek, he opened the scroll. Frowning, he studied the different items in the prophecy and scowled. He then looked around the room and found all the different parts as they hung and sat about the library. As he worked out all the meanings he scowled more and more. “When did…”

“Chaos, I don’t tell you how to do your job, please don’t tell me how to do mine. This prophecy is a master-piece of works and the Father and Serenity both agree with all I have done; even the little tweaks and extras I added.” Sheagnek added a little defensively.

Serenity stepped forward. “All is good and soon it will be time to give my gifts to those of Sandeenai. The gifts have already been given to those on Earth. It had to be so they wouldn’t die in the catalyst that made all this possible. I shall love well and look after those now entrusted to my care.” Serenity looked at each of her brothers and sisters and sons and daughters and smiled softly. “It is time.”