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.”
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