Dave Skinner's Blog, page 8
December 10, 2014
The Adels - Part 8
Part 8 of The Adels has been posted. 917 words.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 8Grandmother Adel returned to consciousness slowly. Although she was now aware of her surroundings her mind was still foggy. She couldn’t seem to think clearly. She was struggling to open her eyes when she heard someone speak.“Wake up you old hag,” the voice said as she felt herself pulled roughly into a sitting position. She was still trying to open her eyes when she was shocked by a slap across her face.“Wake up, I said!”Adel managed to open her eyes. There was a man squatting in front of her. His hand was raised as if to hit her again. She instinctively tried to pull away, but only managed a slight movement. Her body did not seem to be doing what she told it. Instead of striking her again the man grabbed her chin in a brutal grip. She winced at the pain. She tried to say alright, but realized that there was a mass of something in her mouth.“Don’t try to speak you old witch. Just sit there and listen.”He released her face. She tried to raise her hands to rub at the pain, but they were bound tightly behind her back. Her arms felt like pins were pricking them, and her body hurt in too many places to catalogue.“Nod your head if you understand what I am saying,” Wolf Blackheart continued.Adel nodded as best she could.“Good. Behave yourself, or I will hit you again. Understand?”Adel nodded again. Beyond the man she could see other men setting up a campsite. As her senses cleared, she could smell food being prepared and wood smoke.“I have food for you. You will eat it. We don’t want you dying before your time although judging from your looks you are well past your time. Tomorrow morning we will visit a faery ring and you will help us find the hidden gold. I will keep hold of you at all times, so don’t try any of your witch magic on me. One false move and I will spill your guts. Now, I am going to pull the gag from your mouth. If you try to speak I will cut you like this, only worse.”Adel felt a searing pain run down the side of her face. She tried to scream, but the gag prevented sound from escaping. When the pain had passed she felt a rough hand on her chin, as the gag was pulled from her mouth. Then a bowl was held to her lips, and a warm liquid was forced on her. She swallowed dutifully as each mouth full was delivered. The food was followed by two meager sips of water, before the gag was forced into her mouth again. The man left. Adel tried to think, but she felt clarity slipping quickly away. More drugs, was the only thought she managed.*** Wolf Blackheart motioned for Kent, his second in command, to follow him as he left the old woman. Kent cleaned the blood from his knife and slipped it into its sheath. He was hoping that Wolf would explain in more detail what was going to happen tomorrow, but he knew better than to ask. His predecessor had asked too many questions, and had died with his tongue cut out. Wolf stopped by the edge of the clearing their campsite occupied. Kent hurried up to him.“Tomorrow morning I want you to select three men. The four of you are to hide around the campsite, and wait to see if anyone is following us. You know what to do if they are.”Kent smiled wickedly showing his rotten teeth. “Kill them.”“Wait until the sun is directly overhead. If no one has shown up by then quick march along our trail and join us at the ring.”“One thing though, Boss. If you start before we arrive could you save one for me. I have a hankering to kill me a Leprechaun.”“I’ll see what I can do, now, how about some food.”
With that the two men moved off to the fire. Neither took notice of the small, red breasted, songbird perched on the branch above their heads. With a jump the bird left its perch and flitted off through the trees.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 8Grandmother Adel returned to consciousness slowly. Although she was now aware of her surroundings her mind was still foggy. She couldn’t seem to think clearly. She was struggling to open her eyes when she heard someone speak.“Wake up you old hag,” the voice said as she felt herself pulled roughly into a sitting position. She was still trying to open her eyes when she was shocked by a slap across her face.“Wake up, I said!”Adel managed to open her eyes. There was a man squatting in front of her. His hand was raised as if to hit her again. She instinctively tried to pull away, but only managed a slight movement. Her body did not seem to be doing what she told it. Instead of striking her again the man grabbed her chin in a brutal grip. She winced at the pain. She tried to say alright, but realized that there was a mass of something in her mouth.“Don’t try to speak you old witch. Just sit there and listen.”He released her face. She tried to raise her hands to rub at the pain, but they were bound tightly behind her back. Her arms felt like pins were pricking them, and her body hurt in too many places to catalogue.“Nod your head if you understand what I am saying,” Wolf Blackheart continued.Adel nodded as best she could.“Good. Behave yourself, or I will hit you again. Understand?”Adel nodded again. Beyond the man she could see other men setting up a campsite. As her senses cleared, she could smell food being prepared and wood smoke.“I have food for you. You will eat it. We don’t want you dying before your time although judging from your looks you are well past your time. Tomorrow morning we will visit a faery ring and you will help us find the hidden gold. I will keep hold of you at all times, so don’t try any of your witch magic on me. One false move and I will spill your guts. Now, I am going to pull the gag from your mouth. If you try to speak I will cut you like this, only worse.”Adel felt a searing pain run down the side of her face. She tried to scream, but the gag prevented sound from escaping. When the pain had passed she felt a rough hand on her chin, as the gag was pulled from her mouth. Then a bowl was held to her lips, and a warm liquid was forced on her. She swallowed dutifully as each mouth full was delivered. The food was followed by two meager sips of water, before the gag was forced into her mouth again. The man left. Adel tried to think, but she felt clarity slipping quickly away. More drugs, was the only thought she managed.*** Wolf Blackheart motioned for Kent, his second in command, to follow him as he left the old woman. Kent cleaned the blood from his knife and slipped it into its sheath. He was hoping that Wolf would explain in more detail what was going to happen tomorrow, but he knew better than to ask. His predecessor had asked too many questions, and had died with his tongue cut out. Wolf stopped by the edge of the clearing their campsite occupied. Kent hurried up to him.“Tomorrow morning I want you to select three men. The four of you are to hide around the campsite, and wait to see if anyone is following us. You know what to do if they are.”Kent smiled wickedly showing his rotten teeth. “Kill them.”“Wait until the sun is directly overhead. If no one has shown up by then quick march along our trail and join us at the ring.”“One thing though, Boss. If you start before we arrive could you save one for me. I have a hankering to kill me a Leprechaun.”“I’ll see what I can do, now, how about some food.”
With that the two men moved off to the fire. Neither took notice of the small, red breasted, songbird perched on the branch above their heads. With a jump the bird left its perch and flitted off through the trees.
November 26, 2014
The Adels - Part 7
The Adels Part 7 has been posted. 1,929 words.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 7She was right. With the log gone, Bray was able to muscle the cage back enough to climb up over the roof and escape. When he reached level ground he saw Adel and the Far Darrig engaged in conversation a little ways off. He had never had a problem with little people, but he understood they were unpredictable. Leave well enough alone was the wisdom of his people. He wondered about the aversion that Adel seem to have to them. What use was a talent when it terrified you?Instead of joining them, Bray studied the story being told by the tracks around the cave. He concluded that a large group of men had left the area on foot, along with one cart drawn by a donkey or pony. Not all had left. He found the dead body of a one-armed man a short way into the trees. He also found where a large man had stood with a smaller body sprawled on the ground in from of him. It appeared that the smaller body had not been moving, but it had been picked up and placed in the cart. Tracing the route they had followed took him to where Adel and the woman were seated. She looked up at him as he approached.“Well warrior, do you know what happened here?”“I believe so. Men on foot with one cart have passed on in this direction. I believe they have Grandmother Adel in the cart. I don’t know if she is injured or simply incapacitated somehow. What information can you add, Lady?”The Far Darrig seemed taken aback by his question, but she recovered quickly.“You seem to be accepting the fact of my presence with little difficulty. Are you familiar with my people?”“Far Darrig, no, but we have Hobs where I grew up. I have a small familiarity with them and their ways, although none were as beautiful as you, My Lady.”Bray hadn’t planned to say the last part, but he found it almost impossible to control himself in her presence. Despite the fact that he could hardly look away from her, he did notice the look of anger that flashed across Adel’s face. “And where is the place you grew up?” she inquired.“I was raised by the Tawshe.”“But you were not born Tawshe, is that what you are saying?”“Yes, I was born in Nadia.”Her eye brows rose slightly at his admission. “Nadia! Then you are Bray the wanderer, the son of Prince Argon. The Hobs speak highly of you. My name is Amadella, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Do you know that Nadian assassins are searching for you?”“I have been told as much, but you didn’t answer my question, is there information you can add?”“I have already told Adel about what I have seen. She can tell you as you return to the village. I must leave now,” she said as she stood.“Why would we return to the village?” Bray asked.“The village is where this Adel belongs, and your assistance is not required. My people will take care of the men.”“I cannot agree to that,” Bray stated flatly. “I made a bargain with the villagers to return the old woman to them, if possible. I agree that Adel should go, but unfortunately she doesn’t wish to return.”“She is too valuable to be endangered unnecessarily, but she must be accompanied through the cave. I have told you that my people will resolve this problem. Your help would be redundant. Take Adel back to the village.”The last was accompanied by a compulsion to comply. Bray had to use all his willpower to remain still, and not immediately turn back along the trail. He stood still while his mind whimpered for him to comply. The compulsion seemed to push harder and grow colder. It buffeted his face and chest. He could feel it seep deeper into his being, corroding his resolve, pushing inward until suddenly it was stopped by opposing warmth that radiated into his body. It started where he could feel his knife scabbards touching his back. It spread out from there, pushing back against the cold compulsion, radiating warmth, expelling the cold. A new compulsion began, a compulsion to hold his knives. One hand held his bow, but the other slipped to his back. As his hand closed on a knife handle the cold compulsion disappeared. “Nadians and their bloody blades,” Amadella huffed. “So be it. I will accompany you both until this is finished. Now, we should go. The men are almost a half day ahead.” She bristled off down the path. Adel and Bray followed. “What did Amadella tell you?” Bray asked.“She told me she had seen the men who took Grandmother. They have her in the back of a cart. She seemed to be unconscious. Amadella wanted to know if I knew what they wanted. I told her that they had asked questions about Leprechaun gold when they were in the village.”“Anything else?”“She asked all sorts of questions about you. I couldn’t tell her much except your name. You aren’t very forthcoming about yourself.”“We have not had a lot of time to talk, have we? We can do that when we camp tonight. There are lots of questions I would like to ask Amadella.”“Why are you so interested in her?” Adel huffed.“I am interested in everything. A friend once asked me what could be more important or fulfilling in life than the search for knowledge. I am more interested in the Far Darrig then in Amadella herself, although I must admit the compulsive magic she uses on people is interesting, and the fact that my knives counteract it is even more so,” Bray continued to himself.“What do you mean by compulsive magic?” Adel asked.“She tried to compel us to return to the village. It was all I could do to refuse her. Didn’t you feel anything?”“Nothing. Well, maybe a little itch on my forehead, but nothing like what you are suggesting.”As they walked Bray was watching the tracks of those who had gone before them. He saw that they were split into two groups. Some of the footsteps had the tracks of the cart’s wheels on top of them while others, the majority, came after the cart. He also noticed that Amadella didn’t leave any tracks. He could see exactly where she was walking ahead of them on the trail, but when he reached that point there was no evidence of her passage. What Adel had said was also in his thoughts.“Adel, what exactly is the nature of this gift that you share with your Grandmother? You said something about knowing the little people didn’t you?”“I am not really sure what our gift does. Grandmother Adel negotiates with the little people when they come to the village to trade. We trade fish and crafts for their vegetables, grains, and medicines. She has had me sit with her a few times. I sense the little people coming before they arrive at our village. I thought that was the gift. My mother says that Adels have to negotiate for all the villagers or we would just give our fish away.“I don’t like them. They are magic and they scare me. I don’t want to be an Adel,” she admitted.“I have always found that if you treat the little people fairly you have nothing to worry about. I am not familiar with the Far Darrig, but the Hobs that live where I grew up were fair traders, but I have also heard that Sirens force men to do their bidding.”“How do they do that?” Adela asked.“Sirens appear as beautiful, lustful, maidens. Men who see them are drawn to them and end up doing everything they ask. I have heard stories of young men who have died of old age in the service of a Siren. My teachers believed that the attraction was a compulsive type of magic although in my experience a woman can make a man do anything she wants.”“You said Amadella tried to compel us to return to the village. Does that mean she is a Siren?”“I don’t know if all Far Darrig have the same magic as Sirens do. That is one of the questions I would like to ask her when and if we camp tonight.”“What do you want to ask me?” Amadella injected.Bray hadn’t even noticed that she was no longer ahead of them, or that she had stopped walking which she must have because now she was beside them. Her ability to do that made Bray nervous. How do you protect yourself against someone who could do that? What if all Far Darrig could do the same thing?“I was wondering if we will have to camp tonight, and if you have any idea where they are taking the old woman or why?” Bray answered.“You were also wondering about Far Darrig’s ability to compel. Is that not correct?”“Yes it is, but I was going to reserve that question until later.”“I have been thinking about it, and I believe it all fits together, so I will answer it now.” Amadella replied.“The Far Darrig possess the ability to influence the feeble minded, I include humans, especially male humans, along with other species, in the shade of that specific tree. It is magic, and as such is not infallible. Over the centuries we have encountered some women who could not be compelled. They are always named Adel. We are happy to find them because it means we can trade fairly with them. Fair trade with equals is more enjoyable than compulsive gifting. We consider the Adels to be our friends.“The Adels have also developed an ability to sense our magic. We believe it has come about due to our association with them, but I suppose that is neither here nor there. Suffice it to say that these Adels have both gifts. They can sense our magic, and they are immune to our compulsions. In fact, anyone who is in direct contact with an Adel is also immune to our compulsion — similar to what contact with your Nadian blade did. I believe that is why Grandmother Adel has been taken by these men. They plan to use her to locate my people, and then force us to give them our treasure. The magical deception we usually use with the gold will not work if one of them is in contact with her.“I believe she is being taken to the ring at Garandal — a faery circle is what you call it. If this is true then we will have to camp tonight. I will know more later today. If it is the Garandal ring we will have to travel faster tomorrow. I don’t imagine that will be an issue for you, Bray. I will make a potion for Adel to help with her stamina.”“I don’t want a potion,” Adel announced.“I can respect your wishes, but it means that we will not arrive in time to save the other Adel. You should turn around now and save yourself a trip.”Amadella didn’t smile but she was feeling smug. She felt she had manipulated them into following her wish for them to return to the village, but Adel surprised her.“All right! I will accept the potion.”
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 7She was right. With the log gone, Bray was able to muscle the cage back enough to climb up over the roof and escape. When he reached level ground he saw Adel and the Far Darrig engaged in conversation a little ways off. He had never had a problem with little people, but he understood they were unpredictable. Leave well enough alone was the wisdom of his people. He wondered about the aversion that Adel seem to have to them. What use was a talent when it terrified you?Instead of joining them, Bray studied the story being told by the tracks around the cave. He concluded that a large group of men had left the area on foot, along with one cart drawn by a donkey or pony. Not all had left. He found the dead body of a one-armed man a short way into the trees. He also found where a large man had stood with a smaller body sprawled on the ground in from of him. It appeared that the smaller body had not been moving, but it had been picked up and placed in the cart. Tracing the route they had followed took him to where Adel and the woman were seated. She looked up at him as he approached.“Well warrior, do you know what happened here?”“I believe so. Men on foot with one cart have passed on in this direction. I believe they have Grandmother Adel in the cart. I don’t know if she is injured or simply incapacitated somehow. What information can you add, Lady?”The Far Darrig seemed taken aback by his question, but she recovered quickly.“You seem to be accepting the fact of my presence with little difficulty. Are you familiar with my people?”“Far Darrig, no, but we have Hobs where I grew up. I have a small familiarity with them and their ways, although none were as beautiful as you, My Lady.”Bray hadn’t planned to say the last part, but he found it almost impossible to control himself in her presence. Despite the fact that he could hardly look away from her, he did notice the look of anger that flashed across Adel’s face. “And where is the place you grew up?” she inquired.“I was raised by the Tawshe.”“But you were not born Tawshe, is that what you are saying?”“Yes, I was born in Nadia.”Her eye brows rose slightly at his admission. “Nadia! Then you are Bray the wanderer, the son of Prince Argon. The Hobs speak highly of you. My name is Amadella, and I am pleased to make your acquaintance. Do you know that Nadian assassins are searching for you?”“I have been told as much, but you didn’t answer my question, is there information you can add?”“I have already told Adel about what I have seen. She can tell you as you return to the village. I must leave now,” she said as she stood.“Why would we return to the village?” Bray asked.“The village is where this Adel belongs, and your assistance is not required. My people will take care of the men.”“I cannot agree to that,” Bray stated flatly. “I made a bargain with the villagers to return the old woman to them, if possible. I agree that Adel should go, but unfortunately she doesn’t wish to return.”“She is too valuable to be endangered unnecessarily, but she must be accompanied through the cave. I have told you that my people will resolve this problem. Your help would be redundant. Take Adel back to the village.”The last was accompanied by a compulsion to comply. Bray had to use all his willpower to remain still, and not immediately turn back along the trail. He stood still while his mind whimpered for him to comply. The compulsion seemed to push harder and grow colder. It buffeted his face and chest. He could feel it seep deeper into his being, corroding his resolve, pushing inward until suddenly it was stopped by opposing warmth that radiated into his body. It started where he could feel his knife scabbards touching his back. It spread out from there, pushing back against the cold compulsion, radiating warmth, expelling the cold. A new compulsion began, a compulsion to hold his knives. One hand held his bow, but the other slipped to his back. As his hand closed on a knife handle the cold compulsion disappeared. “Nadians and their bloody blades,” Amadella huffed. “So be it. I will accompany you both until this is finished. Now, we should go. The men are almost a half day ahead.” She bristled off down the path. Adel and Bray followed. “What did Amadella tell you?” Bray asked.“She told me she had seen the men who took Grandmother. They have her in the back of a cart. She seemed to be unconscious. Amadella wanted to know if I knew what they wanted. I told her that they had asked questions about Leprechaun gold when they were in the village.”“Anything else?”“She asked all sorts of questions about you. I couldn’t tell her much except your name. You aren’t very forthcoming about yourself.”“We have not had a lot of time to talk, have we? We can do that when we camp tonight. There are lots of questions I would like to ask Amadella.”“Why are you so interested in her?” Adel huffed.“I am interested in everything. A friend once asked me what could be more important or fulfilling in life than the search for knowledge. I am more interested in the Far Darrig then in Amadella herself, although I must admit the compulsive magic she uses on people is interesting, and the fact that my knives counteract it is even more so,” Bray continued to himself.“What do you mean by compulsive magic?” Adel asked.“She tried to compel us to return to the village. It was all I could do to refuse her. Didn’t you feel anything?”“Nothing. Well, maybe a little itch on my forehead, but nothing like what you are suggesting.”As they walked Bray was watching the tracks of those who had gone before them. He saw that they were split into two groups. Some of the footsteps had the tracks of the cart’s wheels on top of them while others, the majority, came after the cart. He also noticed that Amadella didn’t leave any tracks. He could see exactly where she was walking ahead of them on the trail, but when he reached that point there was no evidence of her passage. What Adel had said was also in his thoughts.“Adel, what exactly is the nature of this gift that you share with your Grandmother? You said something about knowing the little people didn’t you?”“I am not really sure what our gift does. Grandmother Adel negotiates with the little people when they come to the village to trade. We trade fish and crafts for their vegetables, grains, and medicines. She has had me sit with her a few times. I sense the little people coming before they arrive at our village. I thought that was the gift. My mother says that Adels have to negotiate for all the villagers or we would just give our fish away.“I don’t like them. They are magic and they scare me. I don’t want to be an Adel,” she admitted.“I have always found that if you treat the little people fairly you have nothing to worry about. I am not familiar with the Far Darrig, but the Hobs that live where I grew up were fair traders, but I have also heard that Sirens force men to do their bidding.”“How do they do that?” Adela asked.“Sirens appear as beautiful, lustful, maidens. Men who see them are drawn to them and end up doing everything they ask. I have heard stories of young men who have died of old age in the service of a Siren. My teachers believed that the attraction was a compulsive type of magic although in my experience a woman can make a man do anything she wants.”“You said Amadella tried to compel us to return to the village. Does that mean she is a Siren?”“I don’t know if all Far Darrig have the same magic as Sirens do. That is one of the questions I would like to ask her when and if we camp tonight.”“What do you want to ask me?” Amadella injected.Bray hadn’t even noticed that she was no longer ahead of them, or that she had stopped walking which she must have because now she was beside them. Her ability to do that made Bray nervous. How do you protect yourself against someone who could do that? What if all Far Darrig could do the same thing?“I was wondering if we will have to camp tonight, and if you have any idea where they are taking the old woman or why?” Bray answered.“You were also wondering about Far Darrig’s ability to compel. Is that not correct?”“Yes it is, but I was going to reserve that question until later.”“I have been thinking about it, and I believe it all fits together, so I will answer it now.” Amadella replied.“The Far Darrig possess the ability to influence the feeble minded, I include humans, especially male humans, along with other species, in the shade of that specific tree. It is magic, and as such is not infallible. Over the centuries we have encountered some women who could not be compelled. They are always named Adel. We are happy to find them because it means we can trade fairly with them. Fair trade with equals is more enjoyable than compulsive gifting. We consider the Adels to be our friends.“The Adels have also developed an ability to sense our magic. We believe it has come about due to our association with them, but I suppose that is neither here nor there. Suffice it to say that these Adels have both gifts. They can sense our magic, and they are immune to our compulsions. In fact, anyone who is in direct contact with an Adel is also immune to our compulsion — similar to what contact with your Nadian blade did. I believe that is why Grandmother Adel has been taken by these men. They plan to use her to locate my people, and then force us to give them our treasure. The magical deception we usually use with the gold will not work if one of them is in contact with her.“I believe she is being taken to the ring at Garandal — a faery circle is what you call it. If this is true then we will have to camp tonight. I will know more later today. If it is the Garandal ring we will have to travel faster tomorrow. I don’t imagine that will be an issue for you, Bray. I will make a potion for Adel to help with her stamina.”“I don’t want a potion,” Adel announced.“I can respect your wishes, but it means that we will not arrive in time to save the other Adel. You should turn around now and save yourself a trip.”Amadella didn’t smile but she was feeling smug. She felt she had manipulated them into following her wish for them to return to the village, but Adel surprised her.“All right! I will accept the potion.”
November 18, 2014
The Adels - Part 6
For those who have been waiting with bated breath and everyone else, The Adels-Part 6 has been posted. 1,113 words.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 6“It’s a cage,” Adel stated.“Yes it is,” Bray agreed.They had stopped a short distance from the mouth of the cave because something was not right. The sun light streaming into the cave was broken into rectangles where it illuminated the walls and floor. Bray had figured out what it was before Adel spoke, but had not bothered to explain it to her. He was more interested in what lay beyond the cage. Were the abductors still close? Were they carrying bows? Were they laying in ambush waiting for whoever came to the mouth of the cave? It would be a simple thing to shoot people as they attempted to squeeze between the stone and the cage if that was even possible. He held Adel back when she started forward.“Let us make sure no one is waiting out there.”“Why would they wait around?”“Why use the dog?” was Bray’s response.Adel considered this, but moved on to a question of her own.“How will we know if someone is out there waiting?”“By using our senses,” Bray answered as he crept forward and took up a safe position just out of sight of any possible observers.He motioned Adel to silence then stood quietly observing the landscape beyond. He stood motionless for as long as it would take a large cooking pot of water to boil on a good fire. Although his eyes roamed back and forth across the area he was not expecting to see someone hiding in the underbrush or amongst the trees. Instead he watched for movement, watched for animals suddenly startled, listened for unnatural sounds, or the lack of natural sounds. He detected nothing inapposite.Adel was concentrating so hard that Bray’s sudden movement forward startled her. She made a small sound in her throat, and then embarrassed she snuck a look at Bray. He didn’t react. He simply continued closer to the cage, presumably to examine it.“Do you think we will be able to move it?” she asked.“It appears that they have jammed a log between the back of the cage and the dirt wall, so I don’t think it will move easily.” With that he proceeded to shake and heave the cage. Adel couldn’t help but notice the muscles of his arms as they bulged. He was able to move the cage slightly to the sides, but unable to move it back from the mouth of the cave. He tried to lift it, but realized that the cage sat slightly under the cave’s roof making it impossible to lift without moving it backwards first. The gully leading to the cave made it impossible to move the cage sideways for more than a hand span or two.The cage was made of thin metal straps interwoven vertically and horizontally. Its rough construction left different sized openings all around. The weave on the back wall was tighter than that on the side walls, but both left openings too small for him to fit through. The weave on the roof was looser than that on the walls, with larger openings, but still too small for him to squeeze through . . . although.“Do you think you could squeeze through those openings if I lifted you up?” he asked Adel, indicating the cage roof.She considered the possibility, tilting her head first one way then the other before she answered, pointing to an opening in the second row from the back edge. “I think that is the largest. I can try.”Adel dropped her small pack, and positioned herself below the opening before she lifted her arms above her head. The top of the cage was at her wrists with her arms stretched up like that. Bray squatted behind her, placed his hands — palm side up — beside her feet, and then had her step onto them..“Here we go,” he announced as he started to lift.Adel was as light as her slim build suggested. Her body rose up through the opening until it stuck with both arms and her head part way through. Bray lowered her back down, and they tried it again with one arm raised and the other not. She was able to squeeze through that way. She had to wiggle a bit to get her hips and behind through but she made it without many scrapes. She stepped off of Brays raised hands onto the top of the cage, and then climbed down the back wall. Bray passed their packs out to her.Adel was digging away at the place the log was jammed into the dirt wall while Bray tried to force his end up and away from the cave when they heard the sound of a throat being cleared.Bray was probably more startled than Adel because he hadn’t heard anyone approaching. He was even more startled when the person suddenly appeared at the mouth of the gully and started walking towards them. She, most definitely a she, was one of the little people, probably a Far Darrig in his opinion, although the tales usually referred to them as male, but if there are males then there are probably females also he reasoned. She was dressed predominately in red with flashes of green showing here and there. She wouldn’t have been much taller than a child, and judging from the way his body was reacting to her she had some Siren blood in her ancestry.“I have to talk with you, Adel, but I am judging that you want to free your friend first. Am I correct?”Adel seemed to shrink away from the creature as it approached, but then she steeled herself, stood straighter, and answered. “Your help would be greatly appreciated, but you mustn’t get your beautiful cloths dirty. I can finish digging this out.”A laugh like the tinkle of bells escaped from the woman’s smile. “Oh, how sweet, I was told you were a darling, and now I see for myself, but not to worry I will not be digging.” With that she made a sweeping hand motion. The log dissolved into smoke, and floated away on the breeze.“Now come, my dear, let us find the sun again and have a talk,” she announced as she took Adel’s hand to lead her away.“But my friend is still stuck.”“I am sure your friend can free himself now. He looks quite competent, and we should talk privately. What I have to tell you is for Adel ears only. It would be —.” her voice faded away as they both disappeared up the gully and over the rim.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 6“It’s a cage,” Adel stated.“Yes it is,” Bray agreed.They had stopped a short distance from the mouth of the cave because something was not right. The sun light streaming into the cave was broken into rectangles where it illuminated the walls and floor. Bray had figured out what it was before Adel spoke, but had not bothered to explain it to her. He was more interested in what lay beyond the cage. Were the abductors still close? Were they carrying bows? Were they laying in ambush waiting for whoever came to the mouth of the cave? It would be a simple thing to shoot people as they attempted to squeeze between the stone and the cage if that was even possible. He held Adel back when she started forward.“Let us make sure no one is waiting out there.”“Why would they wait around?”“Why use the dog?” was Bray’s response.Adel considered this, but moved on to a question of her own.“How will we know if someone is out there waiting?”“By using our senses,” Bray answered as he crept forward and took up a safe position just out of sight of any possible observers.He motioned Adel to silence then stood quietly observing the landscape beyond. He stood motionless for as long as it would take a large cooking pot of water to boil on a good fire. Although his eyes roamed back and forth across the area he was not expecting to see someone hiding in the underbrush or amongst the trees. Instead he watched for movement, watched for animals suddenly startled, listened for unnatural sounds, or the lack of natural sounds. He detected nothing inapposite.Adel was concentrating so hard that Bray’s sudden movement forward startled her. She made a small sound in her throat, and then embarrassed she snuck a look at Bray. He didn’t react. He simply continued closer to the cage, presumably to examine it.“Do you think we will be able to move it?” she asked.“It appears that they have jammed a log between the back of the cage and the dirt wall, so I don’t think it will move easily.” With that he proceeded to shake and heave the cage. Adel couldn’t help but notice the muscles of his arms as they bulged. He was able to move the cage slightly to the sides, but unable to move it back from the mouth of the cave. He tried to lift it, but realized that the cage sat slightly under the cave’s roof making it impossible to lift without moving it backwards first. The gully leading to the cave made it impossible to move the cage sideways for more than a hand span or two.The cage was made of thin metal straps interwoven vertically and horizontally. Its rough construction left different sized openings all around. The weave on the back wall was tighter than that on the side walls, but both left openings too small for him to fit through. The weave on the roof was looser than that on the walls, with larger openings, but still too small for him to squeeze through . . . although.“Do you think you could squeeze through those openings if I lifted you up?” he asked Adel, indicating the cage roof.She considered the possibility, tilting her head first one way then the other before she answered, pointing to an opening in the second row from the back edge. “I think that is the largest. I can try.”Adel dropped her small pack, and positioned herself below the opening before she lifted her arms above her head. The top of the cage was at her wrists with her arms stretched up like that. Bray squatted behind her, placed his hands — palm side up — beside her feet, and then had her step onto them..“Here we go,” he announced as he started to lift.Adel was as light as her slim build suggested. Her body rose up through the opening until it stuck with both arms and her head part way through. Bray lowered her back down, and they tried it again with one arm raised and the other not. She was able to squeeze through that way. She had to wiggle a bit to get her hips and behind through but she made it without many scrapes. She stepped off of Brays raised hands onto the top of the cage, and then climbed down the back wall. Bray passed their packs out to her.Adel was digging away at the place the log was jammed into the dirt wall while Bray tried to force his end up and away from the cave when they heard the sound of a throat being cleared.Bray was probably more startled than Adel because he hadn’t heard anyone approaching. He was even more startled when the person suddenly appeared at the mouth of the gully and started walking towards them. She, most definitely a she, was one of the little people, probably a Far Darrig in his opinion, although the tales usually referred to them as male, but if there are males then there are probably females also he reasoned. She was dressed predominately in red with flashes of green showing here and there. She wouldn’t have been much taller than a child, and judging from the way his body was reacting to her she had some Siren blood in her ancestry.“I have to talk with you, Adel, but I am judging that you want to free your friend first. Am I correct?”Adel seemed to shrink away from the creature as it approached, but then she steeled herself, stood straighter, and answered. “Your help would be greatly appreciated, but you mustn’t get your beautiful cloths dirty. I can finish digging this out.”A laugh like the tinkle of bells escaped from the woman’s smile. “Oh, how sweet, I was told you were a darling, and now I see for myself, but not to worry I will not be digging.” With that she made a sweeping hand motion. The log dissolved into smoke, and floated away on the breeze.“Now come, my dear, let us find the sun again and have a talk,” she announced as she took Adel’s hand to lead her away.“But my friend is still stuck.”“I am sure your friend can free himself now. He looks quite competent, and we should talk privately. What I have to tell you is for Adel ears only. It would be —.” her voice faded away as they both disappeared up the gully and over the rim.
November 15, 2014
Chapala Arrival on the Day of the Dead
Chapala ArrivalWe arrived in Chapala, Mexico on Sunday November 2nd, in time for the Day of the Dead celebration. Four blocks of the main street were closed off at the Lake Chapala end. We were tired from a 4 AM flight and two time change — daylight savings time and a time zone — but we just had to experience it.Fortified with a delicious meal, another delight of the country, we walked a few blocks to the main street. By the time we arrived the celebration was in full swing. Displays were setup, shoulder to shoulder, along both sides of the street. All the bars and restaurants were open as well as the church and the cultural centre. They also contained displays. The street was jammed with people, both participants and observers.
Almost every display had at least one person in costume and with their face painted. Many observers were taking the opportunity to pose for pictures with them. Laurie was clicking pictures at every display. She is an artist so you see She loves it when she can source for free.I had seen pictures of the Day of the Dead shrines, but it was great to see them up close. The typical displays had elements laid out on the ground and some type of elevated backstop. The ground covering consisted of thin strips of coloured paper, flowers, candles, and in some cases photographs all arranged in pattern like crosses and pathways.
My understanding was that the shrines were created by family members to celebrate the life of recently passed relatives and in many cases I believe that was the situation. It became apparent that not all the displays were of that nature. Either the celebrated individual was a relative from the past or they were famous people who the participant must have wanted to celebrate.I reached that conclusion when we came across a shrine dedicated to a person called Frida. I guess both Laurie and I were getting the same impression because she mentioned the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo de Rivera. As soon as she said it, I saw the resemblance in the painted face of the woman manning the display. To me she looked exactly like a Frida portrait.
I believe the city also got involved in the displays. There were a number of large costumed statues along the sidewalks and along the walkway by the lake. Close to evening there was a dance performance.
As evening settled and the light of the day slipped away, the candles in the displays were lit and the shrines took on a whole new perspective.
We walked back along the lake to our flat, happy to have experienced the Chapala Day of the Dead celebration, and please to be here. Exhausted by our early morning flight, we crawled into bed early, and slept like the dead, but without the costumes.
Buenas noches.
Almost every display had at least one person in costume and with their face painted. Many observers were taking the opportunity to pose for pictures with them. Laurie was clicking pictures at every display. She is an artist so you see She loves it when she can source for free.I had seen pictures of the Day of the Dead shrines, but it was great to see them up close. The typical displays had elements laid out on the ground and some type of elevated backstop. The ground covering consisted of thin strips of coloured paper, flowers, candles, and in some cases photographs all arranged in pattern like crosses and pathways.
My understanding was that the shrines were created by family members to celebrate the life of recently passed relatives and in many cases I believe that was the situation. It became apparent that not all the displays were of that nature. Either the celebrated individual was a relative from the past or they were famous people who the participant must have wanted to celebrate.I reached that conclusion when we came across a shrine dedicated to a person called Frida. I guess both Laurie and I were getting the same impression because she mentioned the famous Mexican painter Frida Kahlo de Rivera. As soon as she said it, I saw the resemblance in the painted face of the woman manning the display. To me she looked exactly like a Frida portrait.
I believe the city also got involved in the displays. There were a number of large costumed statues along the sidewalks and along the walkway by the lake. Close to evening there was a dance performance.
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As evening settled and the light of the day slipped away, the candles in the displays were lit and the shrines took on a whole new perspective.
We walked back along the lake to our flat, happy to have experienced the Chapala Day of the Dead celebration, and please to be here. Exhausted by our early morning flight, we crawled into bed early, and slept like the dead, but without the costumes.
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Buenas noches.
November 13, 2014
The Adels Part 5
The Adels part 5 has been posted. Only 561 words.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 5Wolf Blackheart stood at the side of the trail and watched his men trudge by. He had five men in the lead, followed by the cart containing their food supplies and the old woman. The donkey pulling the cart was moving well, and the ten men bringing up the rear were keeping up — no stragglers — they would make his planned distance easily before dusk. Another half day tomorrow would see them to their destination. Then the fun would begin. Blackheart had to admit he was looking forward to the fun. He liked to kill. It made him smile. They had given him the name Blackheart for a reason, and he had kept the name because he felt it suited him. He had other features that could have led to other names. He was a big, powerful, man. He was fast. He was handsome. He turned heads when he walked by. He was more intelligent than anyone else he had ever met. Any of those characteristics could have been adopted as a name, but the characteristic that stood out the most was his cruelty. Wolf felt that when his crimes eventually caught up with him, and they cut his heart out they would find it was black, devoid of light and goodness. Yes, the name Blackheart suited him.***Someone else felt the same way about the colour of Wolf’s heart. As the column of men moved off down the trail there was a twinkle of light beside a large oak tree, siting off by itself, overlooking the cliffs and the water. A figure seemed to step out of the trunk of the tree. It was short; coming to no more than a normal person’s chest in height, dressed in a long red coat that almost brushed the ground. On its head it wore a red cap from which strands of red hair were trying to escape. As the creature watched the column of men trudge away up the path it placed its hand on its hips. An action that pushed the coat open exposing soft green leather breeches tucked into red leather boots, and topped by a soft green silk blouse. The action also exposed the fact that the watcher was female and beautifully proportioned.
Amadella had been sitting high in the oak tree enjoying the view when she had seen the caravan approach. Normally she would have ignored their passage, but something had drawn her attention. From her vantage point high in the tree she could discern a glow coming from the bed of the donkey cart. As the cart passed below her she made out a person, obviously a prisoner, within it. Although the dirty bandana over the eyes and mouth obscured the person’s appearance, the glow told Amadella the captive was an Adel. Now at the bottom of the tree, she lifted her hands, holding them cupped before her. Her lips moved as she spoke quietly, and finally she lifted her cupped hands to her face and blew into them. In the next instant there was a red breasted song bird resting there. Whispered instructions were given before the bird launched itself into the air. It was soon lost from sight. Amadella strolled off towards the cave to the village. Her people would be warned. She had other information to gather.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 5Wolf Blackheart stood at the side of the trail and watched his men trudge by. He had five men in the lead, followed by the cart containing their food supplies and the old woman. The donkey pulling the cart was moving well, and the ten men bringing up the rear were keeping up — no stragglers — they would make his planned distance easily before dusk. Another half day tomorrow would see them to their destination. Then the fun would begin. Blackheart had to admit he was looking forward to the fun. He liked to kill. It made him smile. They had given him the name Blackheart for a reason, and he had kept the name because he felt it suited him. He had other features that could have led to other names. He was a big, powerful, man. He was fast. He was handsome. He turned heads when he walked by. He was more intelligent than anyone else he had ever met. Any of those characteristics could have been adopted as a name, but the characteristic that stood out the most was his cruelty. Wolf felt that when his crimes eventually caught up with him, and they cut his heart out they would find it was black, devoid of light and goodness. Yes, the name Blackheart suited him.***Someone else felt the same way about the colour of Wolf’s heart. As the column of men moved off down the trail there was a twinkle of light beside a large oak tree, siting off by itself, overlooking the cliffs and the water. A figure seemed to step out of the trunk of the tree. It was short; coming to no more than a normal person’s chest in height, dressed in a long red coat that almost brushed the ground. On its head it wore a red cap from which strands of red hair were trying to escape. As the creature watched the column of men trudge away up the path it placed its hand on its hips. An action that pushed the coat open exposing soft green leather breeches tucked into red leather boots, and topped by a soft green silk blouse. The action also exposed the fact that the watcher was female and beautifully proportioned.
Amadella had been sitting high in the oak tree enjoying the view when she had seen the caravan approach. Normally she would have ignored their passage, but something had drawn her attention. From her vantage point high in the tree she could discern a glow coming from the bed of the donkey cart. As the cart passed below her she made out a person, obviously a prisoner, within it. Although the dirty bandana over the eyes and mouth obscured the person’s appearance, the glow told Amadella the captive was an Adel. Now at the bottom of the tree, she lifted her hands, holding them cupped before her. Her lips moved as she spoke quietly, and finally she lifted her cupped hands to her face and blew into them. In the next instant there was a red breasted song bird resting there. Whispered instructions were given before the bird launched itself into the air. It was soon lost from sight. Amadella strolled off towards the cave to the village. Her people would be warned. She had other information to gather.
November 6, 2014
The Adels-Part 4
The Adels-Part 4 has been posted.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 4There wasn’t any conversation between the men as they traversed the cave. Ramos led the way with Gerard behind him and Bray at the rear. The villagers were thinking about what might lay ahead of them, and trying to remember the lessons they had received about using a sword. Bray was listening carefully. He thought he had heard a sound ahead of them some time before, but he wasn’t sure. Although Ramos and Gerard were not talking, their passage through the cave was noisy. They brushed against the walls in the narrower places. Their swords brushed rocks and walls almost constantly. If there was something ahead of them in the cave it was doing a much better job of moving silently.Most of the cave they traversed was like a narrow tunnel. In places it widened into galleries, branched off into other channels, and in two places it had been joined by a stream that appeared from and disappeared back into the cave’s wall.After some time, Gerard pointed to a mark scratched in the wall and informed Bray, “Half way.” The mark was barely visible in the pale glow that emanated from the walls. Bray had expected to have to use torches for light, but the walls gave off a weak luminance that made it possible to see without the use of fire. Bray had asked about it, but his companions had no answers.They had travelled perhaps half as far again from the half-way mark when Ramos stopped suddenly. Ahead of them, where the cave curved to the left they saw the back of a person stepping out of the gloom. It was a woman and she was moving slowly and softly backwards towards them. Although he couldn’t see her face, Bray could tell by her posture that she was terrified. He dropped his pack silently to the ground. He was going to string his bow, but there wasn’t time as an echoing roar sounded ahead of him. The young woman spun around and ran towards them, as a huge, wild looking dog sprang into view. Its eyes were red rimmed and full of hate. There was blood on its chest and saliva dripped from its jaws. The cave was too narrow for swords, so Bray grabbed his knives as he screamed “down!” to those in front of him. The dog sprang. The young woman, who Bray had recognized as Adel, fell to the ground and curled into a ball. The beast’s leap carried it over her. Directly ahead of Bray, Gerard had dropped face down to the ground. Ramos tried to pull his sword, couldn’t, and at the last moment tried to turn away. The dog’s jaws clamped onto his shoulder. Bray heard the sound of bones breaking and flesh being torn as he ran along Gerard’s back and slashed a knife downward across the dog’s face, barely missing Ramos’s head. The dog released his hold with a howl of pain. Ramos crumbled to the ground. Bray sprang forward; both knives flashed in short arcs, too fast to follow. The dog opened its mouth to scream its anger. Bray drove a knife up from under the jaw into its brain. The dog collapsed. Bray’s second knife went in through an eye, followed by a circular movement that maximized damage — habit more than necessity.He withdrew both knives, cleaned them on the beast’s coat, and returned them to their scabbard before he turned to Ramos. Gerard was already attending to him, so Bray turned his attention to Adel who remained curled in a ball on the cave floor. She flinched when he laid a hand on her shoulder.“It is alright, girl. The beast is dead. You are safe, but what are you doing here?”“I have to go with you,” Adel said as she climbed back to her feet.“You have to go, why?”“I don’t know why, I just have to. There is a compulsion on me that I don’t understand,” Adel admitted.Bray didn’t question her about it, but rather turned to examine Ramos’s injuries. It didn’t take long to realize that he would have to be returned to the village. Gerard was of the opinion that Adel should take him, but she was physically unable to support him, so the task fell to Gerard.“You should accompany them, Adel,” Bray suggested, but she refused.“I have a part to play in finding Grandmother. I can feel it. I have to go, if you don’t take me with you I will just follow behind.”Adel didn’t understand that Bray would never leave her on her own. It was something he was incapable of doing in the same way that he couldn’t abandon the search for the old woman. Not abandoning a person or a promise made, was ingrained in him through circumstance.“As you wish,” he said as he gathered up his pack, “but do as I say, and we will travel without talk until we are out of this cave.”
They travelled silently and carefully for the first while until Bray was certain there were no more surprises waiting for them. Then they picked up the pace. As they walked, Bray wondered about the men who had abducted the older Adel. Releasing the dog into the cave was clearly an attempt to stop anyone from following them, but they had a substantial head start on any pursuers, so why go to the trouble. You don’t get a dog into the state that animal had been in by simply releasing it into a cave. Clearly the animal had been tortured and starved for some time before it was let loose. That suggested forethought, planning, and more time than was available after the abduction itself. Furthermore, it suggested more men than had been so far identified. While three men had been involved in the abduction there had to be more dealing with the dog. That was the only way the timing worked. How many men he would be dealing with was unclear, but the fact that they would be close by was obvious. The attempt to stop the pursuers suggested that. You don’t go to that bother if you are planning on putting great distance between you and your pursuers.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 4There wasn’t any conversation between the men as they traversed the cave. Ramos led the way with Gerard behind him and Bray at the rear. The villagers were thinking about what might lay ahead of them, and trying to remember the lessons they had received about using a sword. Bray was listening carefully. He thought he had heard a sound ahead of them some time before, but he wasn’t sure. Although Ramos and Gerard were not talking, their passage through the cave was noisy. They brushed against the walls in the narrower places. Their swords brushed rocks and walls almost constantly. If there was something ahead of them in the cave it was doing a much better job of moving silently.Most of the cave they traversed was like a narrow tunnel. In places it widened into galleries, branched off into other channels, and in two places it had been joined by a stream that appeared from and disappeared back into the cave’s wall.After some time, Gerard pointed to a mark scratched in the wall and informed Bray, “Half way.” The mark was barely visible in the pale glow that emanated from the walls. Bray had expected to have to use torches for light, but the walls gave off a weak luminance that made it possible to see without the use of fire. Bray had asked about it, but his companions had no answers.They had travelled perhaps half as far again from the half-way mark when Ramos stopped suddenly. Ahead of them, where the cave curved to the left they saw the back of a person stepping out of the gloom. It was a woman and she was moving slowly and softly backwards towards them. Although he couldn’t see her face, Bray could tell by her posture that she was terrified. He dropped his pack silently to the ground. He was going to string his bow, but there wasn’t time as an echoing roar sounded ahead of him. The young woman spun around and ran towards them, as a huge, wild looking dog sprang into view. Its eyes were red rimmed and full of hate. There was blood on its chest and saliva dripped from its jaws. The cave was too narrow for swords, so Bray grabbed his knives as he screamed “down!” to those in front of him. The dog sprang. The young woman, who Bray had recognized as Adel, fell to the ground and curled into a ball. The beast’s leap carried it over her. Directly ahead of Bray, Gerard had dropped face down to the ground. Ramos tried to pull his sword, couldn’t, and at the last moment tried to turn away. The dog’s jaws clamped onto his shoulder. Bray heard the sound of bones breaking and flesh being torn as he ran along Gerard’s back and slashed a knife downward across the dog’s face, barely missing Ramos’s head. The dog released his hold with a howl of pain. Ramos crumbled to the ground. Bray sprang forward; both knives flashed in short arcs, too fast to follow. The dog opened its mouth to scream its anger. Bray drove a knife up from under the jaw into its brain. The dog collapsed. Bray’s second knife went in through an eye, followed by a circular movement that maximized damage — habit more than necessity.He withdrew both knives, cleaned them on the beast’s coat, and returned them to their scabbard before he turned to Ramos. Gerard was already attending to him, so Bray turned his attention to Adel who remained curled in a ball on the cave floor. She flinched when he laid a hand on her shoulder.“It is alright, girl. The beast is dead. You are safe, but what are you doing here?”“I have to go with you,” Adel said as she climbed back to her feet.“You have to go, why?”“I don’t know why, I just have to. There is a compulsion on me that I don’t understand,” Adel admitted.Bray didn’t question her about it, but rather turned to examine Ramos’s injuries. It didn’t take long to realize that he would have to be returned to the village. Gerard was of the opinion that Adel should take him, but she was physically unable to support him, so the task fell to Gerard.“You should accompany them, Adel,” Bray suggested, but she refused.“I have a part to play in finding Grandmother. I can feel it. I have to go, if you don’t take me with you I will just follow behind.”Adel didn’t understand that Bray would never leave her on her own. It was something he was incapable of doing in the same way that he couldn’t abandon the search for the old woman. Not abandoning a person or a promise made, was ingrained in him through circumstance.“As you wish,” he said as he gathered up his pack, “but do as I say, and we will travel without talk until we are out of this cave.”
They travelled silently and carefully for the first while until Bray was certain there were no more surprises waiting for them. Then they picked up the pace. As they walked, Bray wondered about the men who had abducted the older Adel. Releasing the dog into the cave was clearly an attempt to stop anyone from following them, but they had a substantial head start on any pursuers, so why go to the trouble. You don’t get a dog into the state that animal had been in by simply releasing it into a cave. Clearly the animal had been tortured and starved for some time before it was let loose. That suggested forethought, planning, and more time than was available after the abduction itself. Furthermore, it suggested more men than had been so far identified. While three men had been involved in the abduction there had to be more dealing with the dog. That was the only way the timing worked. How many men he would be dealing with was unclear, but the fact that they would be close by was obvious. The attempt to stop the pursuers suggested that. You don’t go to that bother if you are planning on putting great distance between you and your pursuers.
November 5, 2014
The Adels-Part 3
The Adels Part 3 has been posted. It is a short one.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 3 At the top of the cliff, Wolf Blackheart stood with the old woman lying in the dirt at his feet. He had carried her draped over one massive shoulder for the whole trip through the caves. This was not a problem for a man with his enormous strength, although the closeness of the cave had been problematic in places. Her hands and feet were tied, so she had to be carried. She was gaged and drugged as well. Wolf Blackheart was a very careful man. He planned everything to the last detail. His attention to detail was what had allowed him to succeed in every twisted scheme of theft and deception he attempted, even when killing was required. It was his obsession for careful planning that kept the old woman drugged, tied, and gaged. He didn't know what other powers she might possess, and there was no reason to let her speak or make unnecessary movements. He had once seen a Wizard pluck a knife from another man's sheath and plunge it into the man's throat with nothing more than a casual gesture of his hand. Wolf Blackheart took no chances, even with old women, but especially women with strange magic-like abilities. The dog attacked his men's spears again, as they tried to force it to the back of the cage. Its ferociousness surprised him. A week ago, when he had locked the dog into the cage it had been nothing more than an overly-large, mangy, mastiff. Now, after a week with little food, and continuous tortured from jabbing spears, the animal was completely mad. When he had returned with the old woman, he had set his men to moving the dog's cage into position. One man had gotten too close and the dog had torn his arm off. Unable to stop the bleeding, Wolf had killed the fool. Now, after this venture he would have to recruit someone else to take his place. Maybe he would try to get someone just a little smarter this time. It might save him some work over the long term. The men had finally managing to muscle the cage into position at the mouth of the cave. Wolf smiled. He wished he could witness the look on the villagers faces when they came across the dog in the cave, well, if he was lucky he might hear their screams, but that would depend on how soon they sent someone after him, and how soon his men got the cage positioned, which was taking longer than it should. He yelled at the men to motivate them.This end of the cave was accessed from a small gully that water had eroded out of the earth over the years. The gully was as deep as he was tall, but only slightly wider than his shoulder span. In some places it was even tighter, and his men had to chip away at the walls in those places to get the cage through. Once in place, the cage would effectively seal this entrance until the villagers managed to get some tools up here to dismantle it. That and meeting the dog in the cave was going to stall any pursuit for days, he hoped.A man couldn’t make it through the openings in the cage. They were too small. The end wall of the cage would have to be broken by a smithy, and the narrowness of the cage would make it difficult to swing a hammer properly in the same way the narrowness of the cave would make it difficult to swing a sword. Whoever met the dog in the cave was going to be sorely surprised.His men finally got the cage into position. One of the new recruits coiled up the rope that was tied to the top of the removable cage door, and threw it up to Kent who had positioned himself above the cave entrance. Kent took up the slack on the rope, and then with a quick hand over hand motion pulled the cage front up and away. The men with the spears backed away from the cage. The dog watched them warily for a few minutes without moving.“Use the spears to push him back,” Wolf roared. “We don’t have all day.”Two of the men started towards the dog with their spears raised, the dog backed away from them until it was out of the cage and into the cave. It continued to back away until it was lost in the blackness within, then with a growl it was gone. Wolf smiled again. The cave had barely been wide enough for the dog to turn around. A perfect plan he thought to himself. Now, let’s get that gold.
“Get the cage moved up tight to the entrance and make sure it is under the overhang,” he yelled at his men again. He picked up the old woman and carried her over to the cart.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 3 At the top of the cliff, Wolf Blackheart stood with the old woman lying in the dirt at his feet. He had carried her draped over one massive shoulder for the whole trip through the caves. This was not a problem for a man with his enormous strength, although the closeness of the cave had been problematic in places. Her hands and feet were tied, so she had to be carried. She was gaged and drugged as well. Wolf Blackheart was a very careful man. He planned everything to the last detail. His attention to detail was what had allowed him to succeed in every twisted scheme of theft and deception he attempted, even when killing was required. It was his obsession for careful planning that kept the old woman drugged, tied, and gaged. He didn't know what other powers she might possess, and there was no reason to let her speak or make unnecessary movements. He had once seen a Wizard pluck a knife from another man's sheath and plunge it into the man's throat with nothing more than a casual gesture of his hand. Wolf Blackheart took no chances, even with old women, but especially women with strange magic-like abilities. The dog attacked his men's spears again, as they tried to force it to the back of the cage. Its ferociousness surprised him. A week ago, when he had locked the dog into the cage it had been nothing more than an overly-large, mangy, mastiff. Now, after a week with little food, and continuous tortured from jabbing spears, the animal was completely mad. When he had returned with the old woman, he had set his men to moving the dog's cage into position. One man had gotten too close and the dog had torn his arm off. Unable to stop the bleeding, Wolf had killed the fool. Now, after this venture he would have to recruit someone else to take his place. Maybe he would try to get someone just a little smarter this time. It might save him some work over the long term. The men had finally managing to muscle the cage into position at the mouth of the cave. Wolf smiled. He wished he could witness the look on the villagers faces when they came across the dog in the cave, well, if he was lucky he might hear their screams, but that would depend on how soon they sent someone after him, and how soon his men got the cage positioned, which was taking longer than it should. He yelled at the men to motivate them.This end of the cave was accessed from a small gully that water had eroded out of the earth over the years. The gully was as deep as he was tall, but only slightly wider than his shoulder span. In some places it was even tighter, and his men had to chip away at the walls in those places to get the cage through. Once in place, the cage would effectively seal this entrance until the villagers managed to get some tools up here to dismantle it. That and meeting the dog in the cave was going to stall any pursuit for days, he hoped.A man couldn’t make it through the openings in the cage. They were too small. The end wall of the cage would have to be broken by a smithy, and the narrowness of the cage would make it difficult to swing a hammer properly in the same way the narrowness of the cave would make it difficult to swing a sword. Whoever met the dog in the cave was going to be sorely surprised.His men finally got the cage into position. One of the new recruits coiled up the rope that was tied to the top of the removable cage door, and threw it up to Kent who had positioned himself above the cave entrance. Kent took up the slack on the rope, and then with a quick hand over hand motion pulled the cage front up and away. The men with the spears backed away from the cage. The dog watched them warily for a few minutes without moving.“Use the spears to push him back,” Wolf roared. “We don’t have all day.”Two of the men started towards the dog with their spears raised, the dog backed away from them until it was out of the cage and into the cave. It continued to back away until it was lost in the blackness within, then with a growl it was gone. Wolf smiled again. The cave had barely been wide enough for the dog to turn around. A perfect plan he thought to himself. Now, let’s get that gold.
“Get the cage moved up tight to the entrance and make sure it is under the overhang,” he yelled at his men again. He picked up the old woman and carried her over to the cart.
October 29, 2014
The Adels-Part 2
The second installment of The Adels is posted.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 2
As Adel prepared food for the stranger she was able to watch him from her window. She found him pleasant to look upon. He was at least a head taller than her. The sleeveless leather jerkin he wore was stretched tight across a broad chest, and his arms were well muscled. Adel had noticed scares on them earlier. His face was what drew her attention. In her limited experience she would consider him to be handsome; in fact he looked exactly like the hero of her fantasies, longish blond hair, beardless, square jawed, deep blue eyes, and a smile that made her knees go weak. She took a deep breath that shuddered a little bit when she inhaled. He also seemed nicer than the other three visitors from a few days ago. They had made her shudder in a different way although their leader had also been handsome, but his eyes and his smile had been cold.*** Bray saw the young girl reappear from the doorway she had entered, and make her way carefully to where he was sitting. She carried a loaf of bread tucked under one arm. In her hands she held a wooden platter containing dried fish and two mugs. Bray helped her unload the items to his stone table. She pulled her eating blade from its sheath at her waist. As she cut pieces of fish and bread Bray gathered both cups and obtained water from the well. "My name is Bray," he offered. "And my name is Adel," she responded as she handed him a pieces of fish and bread. "Adel seems to be a popular name here. Didn’t you say the missing woman was named Adel also?” "We are both named Adel because we both have the gift of —" she bit off her words. “Yes”, she finished abruptly before proceeding to eat. Bray followed her example. The food was tasty. The fish was spiced and the bread was fresh. They ate in silence until the portions she had cut were gone. Bray declined her offer for more. Food had been shared; the village had met its obligation to a visitor, custom dictated that he only eat a little no matter how hungry he was. "What gift do you and Grandmother Adel possess?" he asked when their food was finished. The expression on her face changed. Her brow wrinkled slightly. Her eye lids dropped minutely. A normal observer might not have noticed the change. *** Adel was torn. She wanted to answer him. He seemed very nice, and she trusted him, but she had been warned about telling strangers about this. Still, she told herself, she had to be sociable to a guest. Custom told her so, and anyway, she knew this young man was trustworthy. She could feel it. "We are both known to the little people," she admitted a little reluctantly as if expecting him to draw away, or meet her statement with laughter. "The little people you say. How interesting. What types of little people exist around here?" Looking relieved, Adel, instead of answering his question asked one of her own. "How many different kinds are there?" "There are quite a few actually. I was taught that they are all different types of faeries. We have Hobs and Brownies where I grew up. I once saw Nymphs on Maidensland Island, and I have been told that there are Water Sprites in the delta of the Lazy River around Marshtown, but I've never seen them. I have also never seen Far Darrig, Clurichauns or Leprechauns, but I am sure they all exist, and probably many more that I have never heard of. So, what kind do you have around here?" "I believe they are Leprechauns, or at least I heard someone call them that once. Our villagers refer to them as little people. I have only seen them thrice." "What did they look like?" "Helooked like an old man with a long beard. At first that is what I thought he was, but then I realized he was much closer than I thought, and therefore was much smaller also. He was about the size of my brother who was eight cycles old at the time. He was dressed in green pants and shirt, a red coat, and a red cap. Does that sound like a Leprechaun to you?" "It sounds like either a Leprechaun or a Far Darrig, but it is hard to tell because of the colour of the clothing. Leprechauns usually dress in green while Far Darrigs always wear red coats and caps. You will have to ask the next time you meet one." "I don't want to —" Adel started to say before she was interrupted by the arrival of two men. "Hello, is there something we can do for you, stranger?" Bray had been watching the men approach. The man leading was large with a barrel chest, thick neck, and substantial arms. He sported a large bristly beard on a weathered face. The second man was smaller and older, but he also looked well acquainted with hard work and sunshine. Bray stood when the larger man spoke. "I certainly hope so, sir. My boat's rudder snapped on me two days ago during a storm. I was hoping I could find a replacement here." "I thought it might be something like that, so I brought our wood smith with me." He indicated the second, older, smaller man. This is Tad. My name is Burton. I am the village leader." Bray introduced himself and shook hands. Both men's hands were strong with sure grips although Tad's were bent slightly when he relaxed them. Bray wondered if it was the results of shaping the wood or age. 'Why don't we take a look at your boat, and see if we can help." When Bray made to pick up his packs, Adel spoke up. "I can watch that for you," she offered. Bray handed her his backpack, but kept his other package with him. This action wasn't missed by Burton or Tad. "Thank you, Adel. I appreciate it," Bray said and then followed the two men towards the wharf. As they walked Burton nodded at Bray's weapons in their sealskin wrapping, "Fighting man I take it." "I have fought, but I’m not a soldier if that is what you mean. I'm just a wanderer." "How do you make a living?" Tad asked. "Doing any work I can find. I’m happy to trade labour for food, lodgings, or whatever else I need." They arrived at Bray's boat. Tad stepped down into it warily. Bray didn't blame him. The boat was old and worn. There was water in the bottom. He had traded five days of wood chopping for it because he had been tired of walking. It had started leaking the second day out, not enough to make him worry, or at least not worry a lot. It didn't take Tad long to make an evaluation. "This boat will need re-chalking as well," he stated. "I can fix you a new rudder. I have the necessary wood. How will you be paying?" "I was hoping there was some work you might need help with," Bray answered. Burton took over the bartering as they walked back towards the well. "If you are any good with those weapons there is something you might be able to do for us. An old woman who is very important to our village has disappeared. There were three men here for the last two days, but they were also gone this morning. We think they have taken her." "Why do you think they took her, as opposed to her having wandered off?" "Grandmother Adel would not wander off. She is old, but she has all her faculties. There was also a suggestion of something not right in her home; nothing was broken, there wasn't a mess or anything, but her walking stick was still in the house, and she wouldn't go anywhere without it. Also, the only exit from the village is through the cave that leads to the top of the cliff. It is too difficult a climb for her these days." "Why would three men take an old woman away from her home? That is what I’m having trouble understanding." When Burton didn't answer Bray tried a different question. "Young Adel told me that she and Grandmother Adel shared a gift. Does that have something to do with your theory?" "Negotiating with the little people is the gift that the Adels share, Burton admitted reluctantly. Young Adel has been warned about idle talk on this subject, but she cannot seem to understand that all people are not to be trusted. She mentioned it to a stranger who stopped here a few moons ago, and then these latest visitors seemed to already know it. They were asking questions about Leprechaun gold almost right from the start. I am surprised Adel mentioned it to you. I scolded her last time, and some other people have already blamed her vehemently for Grandmother's disappearance. "We need someone to go after the men and get Grandmother back. We can send two men with you, but this is a fishing village. Those men were armed while we have only a few men who can handle a sword and a few bows for hunting when —"
Burton was interrupted by what sounded like a vicious animal fight coming from the top of the cliffs above the village. Brays mind catalogued the sound as canine, dog maybe, or wolf, but whatever it was, it was angry.
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 2
As Adel prepared food for the stranger she was able to watch him from her window. She found him pleasant to look upon. He was at least a head taller than her. The sleeveless leather jerkin he wore was stretched tight across a broad chest, and his arms were well muscled. Adel had noticed scares on them earlier. His face was what drew her attention. In her limited experience she would consider him to be handsome; in fact he looked exactly like the hero of her fantasies, longish blond hair, beardless, square jawed, deep blue eyes, and a smile that made her knees go weak. She took a deep breath that shuddered a little bit when she inhaled. He also seemed nicer than the other three visitors from a few days ago. They had made her shudder in a different way although their leader had also been handsome, but his eyes and his smile had been cold.*** Bray saw the young girl reappear from the doorway she had entered, and make her way carefully to where he was sitting. She carried a loaf of bread tucked under one arm. In her hands she held a wooden platter containing dried fish and two mugs. Bray helped her unload the items to his stone table. She pulled her eating blade from its sheath at her waist. As she cut pieces of fish and bread Bray gathered both cups and obtained water from the well. "My name is Bray," he offered. "And my name is Adel," she responded as she handed him a pieces of fish and bread. "Adel seems to be a popular name here. Didn’t you say the missing woman was named Adel also?” "We are both named Adel because we both have the gift of —" she bit off her words. “Yes”, she finished abruptly before proceeding to eat. Bray followed her example. The food was tasty. The fish was spiced and the bread was fresh. They ate in silence until the portions she had cut were gone. Bray declined her offer for more. Food had been shared; the village had met its obligation to a visitor, custom dictated that he only eat a little no matter how hungry he was. "What gift do you and Grandmother Adel possess?" he asked when their food was finished. The expression on her face changed. Her brow wrinkled slightly. Her eye lids dropped minutely. A normal observer might not have noticed the change. *** Adel was torn. She wanted to answer him. He seemed very nice, and she trusted him, but she had been warned about telling strangers about this. Still, she told herself, she had to be sociable to a guest. Custom told her so, and anyway, she knew this young man was trustworthy. She could feel it. "We are both known to the little people," she admitted a little reluctantly as if expecting him to draw away, or meet her statement with laughter. "The little people you say. How interesting. What types of little people exist around here?" Looking relieved, Adel, instead of answering his question asked one of her own. "How many different kinds are there?" "There are quite a few actually. I was taught that they are all different types of faeries. We have Hobs and Brownies where I grew up. I once saw Nymphs on Maidensland Island, and I have been told that there are Water Sprites in the delta of the Lazy River around Marshtown, but I've never seen them. I have also never seen Far Darrig, Clurichauns or Leprechauns, but I am sure they all exist, and probably many more that I have never heard of. So, what kind do you have around here?" "I believe they are Leprechauns, or at least I heard someone call them that once. Our villagers refer to them as little people. I have only seen them thrice." "What did they look like?" "Helooked like an old man with a long beard. At first that is what I thought he was, but then I realized he was much closer than I thought, and therefore was much smaller also. He was about the size of my brother who was eight cycles old at the time. He was dressed in green pants and shirt, a red coat, and a red cap. Does that sound like a Leprechaun to you?" "It sounds like either a Leprechaun or a Far Darrig, but it is hard to tell because of the colour of the clothing. Leprechauns usually dress in green while Far Darrigs always wear red coats and caps. You will have to ask the next time you meet one." "I don't want to —" Adel started to say before she was interrupted by the arrival of two men. "Hello, is there something we can do for you, stranger?" Bray had been watching the men approach. The man leading was large with a barrel chest, thick neck, and substantial arms. He sported a large bristly beard on a weathered face. The second man was smaller and older, but he also looked well acquainted with hard work and sunshine. Bray stood when the larger man spoke. "I certainly hope so, sir. My boat's rudder snapped on me two days ago during a storm. I was hoping I could find a replacement here." "I thought it might be something like that, so I brought our wood smith with me." He indicated the second, older, smaller man. This is Tad. My name is Burton. I am the village leader." Bray introduced himself and shook hands. Both men's hands were strong with sure grips although Tad's were bent slightly when he relaxed them. Bray wondered if it was the results of shaping the wood or age. 'Why don't we take a look at your boat, and see if we can help." When Bray made to pick up his packs, Adel spoke up. "I can watch that for you," she offered. Bray handed her his backpack, but kept his other package with him. This action wasn't missed by Burton or Tad. "Thank you, Adel. I appreciate it," Bray said and then followed the two men towards the wharf. As they walked Burton nodded at Bray's weapons in their sealskin wrapping, "Fighting man I take it." "I have fought, but I’m not a soldier if that is what you mean. I'm just a wanderer." "How do you make a living?" Tad asked. "Doing any work I can find. I’m happy to trade labour for food, lodgings, or whatever else I need." They arrived at Bray's boat. Tad stepped down into it warily. Bray didn't blame him. The boat was old and worn. There was water in the bottom. He had traded five days of wood chopping for it because he had been tired of walking. It had started leaking the second day out, not enough to make him worry, or at least not worry a lot. It didn't take Tad long to make an evaluation. "This boat will need re-chalking as well," he stated. "I can fix you a new rudder. I have the necessary wood. How will you be paying?" "I was hoping there was some work you might need help with," Bray answered. Burton took over the bartering as they walked back towards the well. "If you are any good with those weapons there is something you might be able to do for us. An old woman who is very important to our village has disappeared. There were three men here for the last two days, but they were also gone this morning. We think they have taken her." "Why do you think they took her, as opposed to her having wandered off?" "Grandmother Adel would not wander off. She is old, but she has all her faculties. There was also a suggestion of something not right in her home; nothing was broken, there wasn't a mess or anything, but her walking stick was still in the house, and she wouldn't go anywhere without it. Also, the only exit from the village is through the cave that leads to the top of the cliff. It is too difficult a climb for her these days." "Why would three men take an old woman away from her home? That is what I’m having trouble understanding." When Burton didn't answer Bray tried a different question. "Young Adel told me that she and Grandmother Adel shared a gift. Does that have something to do with your theory?" "Negotiating with the little people is the gift that the Adels share, Burton admitted reluctantly. Young Adel has been warned about idle talk on this subject, but she cannot seem to understand that all people are not to be trusted. She mentioned it to a stranger who stopped here a few moons ago, and then these latest visitors seemed to already know it. They were asking questions about Leprechaun gold almost right from the start. I am surprised Adel mentioned it to you. I scolded her last time, and some other people have already blamed her vehemently for Grandmother's disappearance. "We need someone to go after the men and get Grandmother back. We can send two men with you, but this is a fishing village. Those men were armed while we have only a few men who can handle a sword and a few bows for hunting when —"
Burton was interrupted by what sounded like a vicious animal fight coming from the top of the cliffs above the village. Brays mind catalogued the sound as canine, dog maybe, or wolf, but whatever it was, it was angry.
October 25, 2014
The Adels-Part 1 (new format)
Tales of the TawsheThe Adels-Part 1 Tears were streaming down Adel's face as she ran out of the meeting house. It hurt to hear people say that Grandmother's abduction was her fault. She hadn't told that scary Blackheart person about Grandmother's special gift. Sure, she had told the other traveller from the time before, but she hadn't told anyone since then — after Burton had told her not to. I should run away she thought as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked out across the harbour and the breakwater to the sea beyond. The thought of travelling across the sea scared her, as did any thought of leaving the village, but all morning there had been something inside her, urging her to do something different.A flash of white from off shore caught her attention. A small boat was out there. It wasn't one from the village, all their fishing boat were in the harbour, their crews attending the village meeting, and anyway, this craft was too small to be a fishing boat. She straightened her shoulders, wiped more tears away and headed back into the meeting house. She had to inform Burton that someone else was coming. Bray, saw the village because of the rainbow. He was watching for a place to make repairs to his failing boat. Settlements along the north shore of the South Lake were rare. Huge limestone and dolomite cliffs that rose dramatically straight out of the water lined this part of the coast. A stretch of beach where a small craft could be pulled up was extremely rare, finding a harbour and a village was almost unheard of, but there it was. Bray maneuvered the oar he was using as a tiller, a very poor tiller he would have admitted if asked, and directed the small sailboat out of the wind until the sail sagged. Quickly he unlashed the rope securing the sail, dropped it, and sprang forward to secure it to the cross beam. Then, he carefully untied his makeshift tiller. It would have been inconvenient to lose the oar over the side and have to fish it out again, inconvenient and embarrassing. He could live without that. He was certain of two things; he had little skill where sailing was concerned, and he was being watched from the shore. Villages that don't keep watch don't survive, then again, there were far fewer raiders and pirates around since the battle at Waysley. He tried to look semi-professional as he fitted his oars into place, settled himself, and started rowing for the harbour's entrance. The swells seemed larger as he neared the mouth of the harbour. Their action attempted to throw the stern of the boat first one way and then the other. He had to fight to keep in the centre of the narrow entrance, but once inside the harbour the water grew calm. He rowed the rest of the way to a sheltered wharf. Looking around as he went. There was a short area of beach beside the wharf where he supposed boats in need of repair could be pulled up. The wharf itself was made of timbers stretched between piles of large boulders, and topped with rough cut lumber. It wasn't very long, maybe the length of two of the larger fishing boats currently bobbing on the smooth water. There were five boats in the harbour. Considering that the sun was only a quarter of the way up the sky he was surprised to see so many boats at anchor. Common sense told him that they should still be out fishing, most of them at least. If one or two had been lucky with an early, substantial, catch they might be back to unload, but not this many. Fishing villages were never that profitable, although this one did look well-tended. The village itself was made up of maybe thirty small buildings sitting on a narrow rock shelf that jutted out from the base of the cliff. As he drew closer to the wharf, he saw that the shelf was only wide enough to handle a single row of the houses, which were stretched out on both sides of a small stream that seemed to flow from the cliff face. It emptied into a central well-like structure, and then continued out through a channel in the front. The village water supply he supposed. Some distance above the stream more water exited the cliff face in a fine spray that sparkled in the morning sunlight — the source of the rainbow that had caught his attention.Most of the buildings looked like houses, although he identified a bakery and a smithy located close to the water supply. The final building on his right was larger than the others, and the only people in evidence appeared to be clustered around it. A meeting place he assumed by the size and appearance, with a meeting in progress. No one was on the wharf, but he was able to tie up without problem. With both ropes tied off, and his belongings thrown onto the wharf's plank surface, he was tidying the excess of his ropes when he noticed a figure break away from the group of villagers and run towards the pier. Bray was finished with his ropes and standing easily when the runner arrived.The way the figure ran, its build, and its haste informed Bray, well before it arrived, that this was a youth. He identified the runner as a young girl when she arrived. He estimated her age at twelve cycles. Her tunic was worn. Her legs were long and thin, and her chest was undeveloped, but her face brought a smile to his lips. Her body might not have developed yet, but her face had left the little girl behind, and formed into the beauty of a young woman, with a straight nose above a slightly sensuous mouth, full of straight white teeth. Intelligence was obvious in the large blue eyes which were currently appraising him. Bray added more cycles to his age estimate, a woman in a girl's body, he thought. "Welcome to Rainbow, stranger," were the first words she spoke. "Our head man is dealing with a disappearance. He bids you to wait by the city well until he is free. I am to take you there and wait with you . . . and offer you hospitality." She suddenly blushed and stammered, "In the form of food and drink of course." "I would appreciate the hospitality in whatever form it takes," he responded with a smile. She blushed, but answered his smile with one of her own. Bray picked up his pack, slipped it onto his back, and then picked up his weapons which were rolled in a waterproof, sealskin package. The young woman looked questioningly at that package, but didn’t say anything about it. In a larger town Bray would have taken the time to fasten his weapons about his person before continuing, but he didn't see the need here. His sword, knives, quiver, and bow may not be readily at hand, but he could still protect himself against anyone or anything he was likely to meet here, after all he was a trained Tawshe warrior. As they neared the end of the wharf he asked his guide about the disappearance. "Grandmother Adel is missing," the girl answered. "If it is your Grandmother who is missing you probably want to be with your family. I can wait for the Headman alone if you want to go." "She isn't my true Grandmother, that is just how people refer to her because she is older than everyone else, way older than everyone else. My true grandmother says Adel was old when she was still a girl." "Could she have wandered off," Bray asked although he didn't see how that could happen. He didn't see a path leading away from the village, in fact, the only obvious path appeared to lead to the mouth of a cave located beside where the stream exited the base of the cliff. They had arrived at the city well where Bray found a number of large boulders positioned for socializing. "If you will wait here I will attend to some refreshments," the girl informed him.
He nodded his agreement, and she strolled away to a house three down from the stream. Bray located a large bolder that would serve as a seat and a table, dropped his pack, sat down and looked around. An oven in front of one building identified the bakery, and a kiln identified a potter’s. Each was a combination dwelling, both workshop and home. The smithy's shop appeared to be a separate building. The villagers were still all milling around by the large building. It was easily the biggest of all the structures, but the construction method looked to be the same. All the buildings had stone walls which seemed to be built without the use of mortar. Frames for windows and doors were rough cut timbers as were the roof supports he could see. Doors were also made of wood while windows were covered loosely with animal skins. The construction indicated that this village had been here for many years, three or four generations Bray guessed.
He nodded his agreement, and she strolled away to a house three down from the stream. Bray located a large bolder that would serve as a seat and a table, dropped his pack, sat down and looked around. An oven in front of one building identified the bakery, and a kiln identified a potter’s. Each was a combination dwelling, both workshop and home. The smithy's shop appeared to be a separate building. The villagers were still all milling around by the large building. It was easily the biggest of all the structures, but the construction method looked to be the same. All the buildings had stone walls which seemed to be built without the use of mortar. Frames for windows and doors were rough cut timbers as were the roof supports he could see. Doors were also made of wood while windows were covered loosely with animal skins. The construction indicated that this village had been here for many years, three or four generations Bray guessed.
The Adels-Overview
The Adels is a novella length story I wrote to flesh out some concepts and characters for a new series I am writing called Tales of the Tawshe. Last week I put out half the story on this blog as The Adels-Part 1. I realized that the sections are much to long in that format, so I have reformatted the story into 16 smaller segments and will be putting them out over the next weeks.
For those who would prefer to read in larger installments, the novella is available in two parts on my website under the Tales menu entry at www.daveskinner.ca Enjoy.
For those who would prefer to read in larger installments, the novella is available in two parts on my website under the Tales menu entry at www.daveskinner.ca Enjoy.
