Layout Doll Base by Silindor

They Story

Forward

I wrote this as practice- I was obsessive over using chapter breaks at the time, and my chapters were always really small, so Seond has absolutely no chapter breaks. I apologize if it gives you a headache. :)

Seond

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Two eyes. Deep blue eyes. Large, liquid purple eyes. Eyes that saw all. Eyes that had seen pain, joy, happiness, and sorrow. Eyes that saw all. They closed. Long, silvery lashes. They opened. In them was reflected a full moon, a grassy clearing, a silver pool. They shut again. And then-

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

The world was silent. It was still an hour to dawn, and the world was not yet awake.

It was dawn. The world was beginning to wake.

It was an hour past dawn. Most of the world was waking.

Dawn had come and gone three hours ago. Just about everybody was awake.

It was an hour to noon. Only one person was still asleep.

It was about noon, and that person still would not wake up.

Standing in the person's room, you would have encountered a strange site. Sunlight streamed through lacy curtains, the rays illuminating the room in a golden glow. The room was a simple room, on the second floor of a well-to-do inn. The walls was some yellowish wood, probably cedar. The only furniture was a black-painted nightstand and a matching bed, upon which was a tangle of covers, which emmited a snoring sound, presumably from the person sleeping. On one side of the room was a door leading to a small washroom, and across from the window was another door, which led to the hallway, which led to the stairs, which led to the common room of the inn.

More about the person; nothing could be seen but a single arm and hand, as the rest of the body was covered by a large, rumpled blanket. The person made a large, odd-shaped lump on the bed. Other than that, nothing could be told about the person.

Suddenly, a loud knock sounded on the door. There was no reply. The knock sounded again, even louder. The person in the bed rolled, still hidden under the safety of the blanket. Again someone knocked, and this time yelled,
"Dyeldin! Get up, you lazy slob! It's near noon, and Filkantis is makin' a lot o' noise!"

The person- Dyeldin- groaned, and slowly got out of bed.

Dyeldin had an interesting appearance. His hair was white as newly fallen snow, with the exception of a black streak at ether side of his head. Despite his white hair, he looked young, about twenty in human years. His mouth was currently yawning, but looked like it was inclined to smile. His eyes were blue-grey, and full of laughter, even in this half-asleep state.

He sat up in bed, his feet dangling over the edge, and stretched. As he did, bat-like wings opened and flapped several times, before folding again. He then stood up, and a grey-green spiked tail landed on the floor with a thud. For clothes, he was wearing faded blue canvas pants and nothing else.

Dyeldin intched his rump and stumbled over to the door. He yanked it open, revealing the knocker. It was a human, her light brown hair curling in soft tendrils down her back. Her skin was pale, but was slightly tanned, and her hands were those of a working woman. Her bright green eyes danced as she said,
"Finally awake, are ya? 'Bout time! I was about ready to march on in there and yank them covers off myself!"

Dyeldin smiled sleepily. "Why didn't you, Yula? I would have been delighted! I'm always happy to awake and see a pretty face!"
The human, Yula, laughed. "Of course ya are, Dyeldin! You's always ready to see me! Now, ya missed fast-break, but luncheon will be in a couple o' minutes. Are ya gonna get up for it?"
"I suppose I will. Not a chance I'll sleep now a pretty thing like you have woken me up!" Dyeldin sighed. "By the way, what was that you were saying about old Filkantis?"
"He's makin' a fuss, as per usual. I got him to quiet down by saying you's comin', but you'd better go before he gets noisy again."
Dyeldin nodded. "I suppose I will. Well, Yula, if you will excuse me, I must make myself presentable, and visit Filkantis. See ya at luncheon!"
"See ya, Dyeldin!" Yula said as she headed to the inn's common room.

Closing the door, Dyeldin turned around to survey his room. He sauntered over to a pile of clothes in the middle of his floor. Pulling up... something that was fairly clean, he yanked it over his head. The something was apparently a white shirt, with lace ruffles at the sleaves and down the front. Dyeldin then attached a lace ruffle to his collar, and exchanged his pants, the new ones having- you guessed it!- ruffles at the bottom. These pants were knee length, so that the ruffles could spill over the top of his worn black boots, and were a brilliant periwinkle blue. Dyeldin then ambled over to the washroom, and wandered over to the porcelain wash-stand. He reached for a bottle labeled "Hair Stiffener", and poured a large ammount onto his hand. He then used the stiffener to mess up his hair. When it was in a sufficient state of disorder, he wiped his hands on a cloth, and left his room.

Dyeldin wandered down the hall until he came to a door bearing the number "16". Dyeldin lifted his hand to knock on the door, but before he had time to, and gravelly voice from inside called,
"Come in, Dyeldin!"
Dyeldin opened the door, and asked, "How did ya know it was me, Filkantis?"

Filkantis was an interesting fellow. At a glance, he looked old; his skin was weathered, scarred, and pitted, and large chunks of his hair were missing. His eyes were completely white; he was blind. He was skinny, and gave the impression that he had once had more meat on his bones. In actuallity, Filkantis was about fourty-five, and his deformaties were due to a terrible fire that had killed his family. This fire had also changed his mind. He was insane, although it could also be said that he was very good at predicting the future and seeing things that weren't there. People claimed that because he was an earth Fae, the fire and done terrible things to him.

"Aah!" the human mage exclaimed. "Dyeldin, I knew you were coming! When did you get here?" Dyeldin shook his head in amusment. Filkantis was definately mad.
"I got here the same time you did, two nights ago," he said patiently. "So, I here you were being noisy. How many times do I have to tell you? You can't make too much noise, or they'll throw us out!"
"No they won't!" Filkantis argued. "The girls would complain. They like you."
Dyeldin smiled. Filkantis was insane, but his ramblings generally could be understood, and he was usually fairly blunt. "Master and Mistress Miltrid would be happy to get rid of us. Master Miltrid thinks I'm a lazy slob, and Mistriss Miltrid thinks I have a bad influence on the serving girls. And as they are the owners, so they can throw us out!"
"Quite yer whinin'! And you are a lazy slob, Dyeldin. And I had every right to 'make noise'! I foresaw somethin', and thought I should tell you!"
Dyeldin sighed. It was only noon, and Filkantis had already claimed to have a premonition. Premonitions were something only the Sylins Fae had. Not aerth Fae. But Filkantis was crazy. "What happened in this premonition?" Dyeldin asked Filkantis.
"Well," Filkantis began, "there was this girl. She was real pretty. The kind you would like, Dyeldin. And she was in trouble. So you should go save her."
"Right. How about I have lunch, and then I go look around for a bit? Sound good to you?" Dyeldin suggested. Filkantis nodded. "Good. See ya later, Fil..." Dyeldin realized he'd lost Filkantis's attention.

Filkantis was now greeting the wall, and talking to it like a friend.

Dyeldin strolled down the stairs and into the common room of the inn. A plaque on the wall proclaimed, "The Running Nymph, est. 1433". Dyeldin smiled at the sign. The Running Nymph didn't have the look of a building that had been around for fifty years, let alone five hundred and fifty! But the older the inn, the better the reputation, and the Miltrid's needed all the help they could get.

Dyeldin motioned for one of the serving girls to come over. She was very pretty, wearing a rose-coloured dress that complimented her strawberry blonde hair. She looked like she had nymph blood somewhere in her. Her eyes were a pale blue, just the right shade for a watyr Fae.

"What can I get you, Dyeldin?" the girl asked.
"What do you have, Tirosa?"
"We've got fried fish and baked pheasant," Tirosa said.
"Ok, I'll have... the fish. And a glass of ale."
"Ok." Tirosa huried off towards the kitchen, throwing Dyeldin several glances. Dyeldin grinned at her. Tirosa was a nice girl. And so pretty. It was too bad Mistress Miltrid forbade the serving girls to date...
"Say the name of a Daemon, and he will come," people said, and that was certainly true of Mistriss Miltrid. All a person had to do was think her name, and there she was. A pity really; she definately did nothing to beautify the room. Mistriss Miltrid wore a brown dress with what seemed like thousands of frills on it. Her hair, now more grey than brown, was done up in a tight bun at the back of her head. Her mouth was inclined to frown, as it was doing now, in the direction of Dyeldin.

Dyeldin smiled his most winning smile and said, "Mistriss Miltrid, you are looking lovely today, as usual!"
Mistriss Miltrid looked at him like someone would look at a locust. "Are you dead yet, you lazy slob?"
Dyeldin tried again. "I must say, this inn is the best in the county! How do you and Master Miltrid take care of such a large and wonderful inn?"
"The trick is that we get rid of hooligans like you."
Dyeldin searched his mind for another compliment. "Dinner last night was wonderful! The recipe you used was truly inspired! Did you invent it your-"
"Are you done yet?"
Dyeldin sighed. Why did he even bother? "Is there something I can help you with, Mistriss Miltrid?"
"Yes!" she said. "You can get that stupid lunatic out of this inn! He's always makin' a fuss, and next thing you know, no one will come here because that loony is always wakin' the customers."
"Don't worry," Dyeldin said soothingly. "I talked to him this morning. He knows that what he did was wrong, and he won't do it again."
"Ha! You always say that. But I'm a good person, so I'll give you one more chance. Just one, mind you! And mind you keep your eye of my girls!"
Dyeldin nodded. "As you command, Mistriss Miltrid!" With a loud sniff, Mistriss Miltrid turned on her heel and strode back to the kitchen, glaring at Tirosa, who was carrying Dyeldin's order of fish.

Tirosa smiled sympathetically at Dyeldin as she placed his meal on the table. "Here ya go, Dyeldin! Fried fish, and a mug of ale, just like ya ordered!" With a fearful glance towards the kitchen door, Tirosa lowered her voice and asked, "What was Mistriss Miltrid talkin' to you about?"
"The usual," Dyeldin answered. "Filkantis is too loud, and I'm a lazy slob, and I should be gone. And she tried to kick me out again, but ended up giving me one more chance."
Tirosa nodded. "Well, I'd best be gettin' back to the kitchen. Enjoy you meal!"
Dyeldin smiled. "I always enjoy my meals when you bring them, Tirosa!" Giggling, Tirosa dashed to the kitchen.

Dyeldin ate his food quickly. He still had to wander around outside to make Filkantis happy. But the food at the Running Nymph was good, one of the reasons Dyeldin stayed here a lot, and, as usual, he ended up eating slowly, savouring the food.

As he ate, Dyeldin watched the other customers. It was nearing an hour past noon, so most of the patrons had left. Most would have left this morning after breakfast, except for the odd farmer who was here for the day with his family. But those farmers had left in search of bargains at market, and the only remainers were slackers like Dyeldin. There was the aerth Fae, Ilikan the Imamu. Ilikan was the son of a rich and properous merchant, and so spent his days at the Running Nymph playing cards. Dyeldin had a feeling that at the rate Ilikan was losing money, his family would not be rich for very long. Playing cards with Ilikan was the Kitch-Resh Enin-Low, who had married an heiress, and owned an orchard outside town. The third member of the card game was the bard Kingyel, a draigin like Dyeldin. Kingyel wasn't techinically a slacker, just a talentless bard. He did spend a lot of time working on his songs. And he was fairly rich. For no apparent reason, Dyeldin was the only slacker in Killsfield that wasn't wealthy.

Dyeldin looked down at his plate, startled. It appeared he had finished his lunch. He got the attention of a nearby waitress, an imamu named Kildra. Kildra was very different from Tirosa. Tirosa was pale-complexioned and beautiful. Kildra had probably been pretty once, with her chocolate-brown skin and thick black hair, but she had caught the pox two years ago when it swept through Killsfield, and it had left her face scarred. A pity, that. It gave Mistress Miltrid an excuse to pick on her. Mistress Miltrid was always saying that Kildra ought to be greatful Mistress Miltrid "took her in". Dyeldin thought Kildra would have been better off on her own.

"Hi, Dyeldin. And how are you on this fine day?" she asked, her voice lilting slightly.
"Great, Kildra. And the meal was great."
"Can I get ya anything else?"
"Nah, I'm full."
"So did ya here the news?"
"What news?"
"Lenda in the kitchen is sayin' the Lord of the Hythe was chosen t' be the High Priest of Chaos."
"There's always rumours like that. I never believe 'em."
"But this one's real! Lenda had it from her cousin, who had it from his best friend, who had it from his niece, who was there when it was announced."
"Right. Don't believe everything you here, Kildra!"
"But the last High Priest up and died all of a sudden, and there is need of a replacement!"
"And with luck there'll never be one. Then the Daemon can argue with each other and fight, and leave us alone."
"The Daemon do leave us common folk alone, Dyeldin."
"I suppose." Dyeldin knew it was useless to argue with Kildra when she had her mind set. "Hey, I've got to be off, but can you do me a favour?"
"Sure."
"Can you check on Filkantis, and see that he eats something. Be firm, mind you, or he won't. And if he asks about me, say I went out to see if I could find the girl he saw in his "premonition", ok?"
"Ok. See ya around!" Kildra picked up the plate, and went towards the kitchen.

Dyeldin sauntered up the stairs, and opened his door. Everything had been misplaced! The maids had come in, and cleaned up the pile on his floor! How was he supposed to find anything, with the maids always dashin' in and tidying the place up? Sighing, Dyeldin searched the room for his bandoliers of weapons. Finally finding them, he slipped the two chest-belts over his shoulders, and checked his weapons. On one were five throwing stars, and two double-bladed throwing knives, and on the other were three throwing stars, two single-bladed throwing knives, and a morning star. Checking to make sure the morning star, a spiked ball on a chain, was securly in place- it wouldn't do to have it come loose- Dyeldin headed for his door, down the stairs, and out the front door of the inn and into the down of Killsfield.

Killsfield was a small town, with a population of about a hundred or so Fae, mostly humans, with the odd imamu and manu thrown in. There were also a couple fyre and wynd Fae, but no watyr or sylins Fae. But then the watyr Fae had to live near water, and Killsfield was a farming community, and the sylins Fae were a reclusive lot.

Dyeldin strolled down the street, greeting some and being glared at by others. The others were generally males in the prime of their life and mothers. Both had reason to glare at Dyeldin; he was the most popular young man around, at least with the woman-folk of Killsfield. Dyeldin had given up trying to get along with the young men. They didn't want to hang out with him. They would rather have their mock duels and dream of travelling to distant lands and marrying princesses. Dyeldin didn't bother to tell them he had been born in a distant land, and had lived there for fifty-four years. The aerth Fae had short life-spans, and knowing that Dyeldin was eighty-three would only make them hate him more. Especially when they found out that Dyeldin was only eighteen or so in "draigin years".

Dyeldin strutted about for about an hour, but didn't see any damsels in distress. Figuring he had better things to do, he wandered over to the road leading out of town for one last check before he went back to the Running Nymph to flirt with the girls. And today he could flirt! It was Aerthday, and Mistress Miltrid would be visiting her daughter, who lived across town, and Master Miltrid would be down at Lender's Food Market, looking for news. Nothing important ever happened on Aerthday, which was why Master and Mistress Miltrid chose this day to go out. And that was why Dyeldin chose this day to stay at the inn for the afternoon.

There was apparently nothing interesting on the road. There were very few people coming in and out of Killsfield today. Dyeldin looked up towards the sun. Mistress Miltrid might not have left yet. It was still fairly early. Deciding that he still had a few minutes, Dyeldin spred his wings and jumped into the air.

Dyeldin rarely flew. When he did, the men looked at him loathingly, and the woman begged him to bring them into the air when he landed. Dyeldin preferred to be alone when in flight. It was the only time he could be alone, and it gave him time to think. He never really had anything to think about, though, and he wasn't much of a loner, which was why he rarely flew. But even at the age of eighty-three, Dyeldin's heart still raced when he took off, just like it had the first time he flew.

Gazing down at the road out of town and surrounding country-side, Dyeldin noticed a glint of copper in a wheat field. Currious, he swooped down for a better look.

Filkantis was right! A girl was injured. She was a Kitch-Resh; Dyeldin could tell from her hair, which wasn't really hair, but fire, glowing softly. It looked like she was Gai’sho Té; she wore the plated metal skirt of one. Dyeldin carefully landed on the ground, and walked up to her.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" he asked. The woman stirred. She was alive. "Do you need some help? I guess that's a stupid question." Dyeldin bent down beside her, shaking his head at his foolishness. Carefully, he turned her over, and saw that her eyes, while bleary, were open. Her face was scratched and bleeding, and a trickle of blood ran down from her mouth. "What happened to you?" Dyeldin asked. The girl looked up at him, and opened her mouth as if to say something...

And passed out.

Dyeldin started to pick her up- and stopped. He wasn't sure, but he thought her flaming hair might be dangerous. But he had to get her to a healer. Dyeldin looked around for something like a leaf to use to see if her hair would burn him, and then noticed the ground. The grass she had been laying on was unburnt. So he should be ok. Hopefully. Gritting his teeth, Dyeldin picked the Kitch-Resh up. She wasn't very heavy. That was good. His wings should support both of them. And her hair was safe to touch.

Dyeldin flapped his wings, and pushed off from the ground. Flying was harder. He supposed that made sense; his bones might be hollow like a bird's, but he doubted hers were. At least his wings were strong.

Dyeldin flew straight to the village hospital. He then landed, and pushed the door open. Once inside, he laid the fyre Fae on a couch and went in search of the healer.

The healer was a pleasant woman, a manu by the name of Yilaine. She was about thirty-five, with golden skin and thick black hair, which she wore in a coil on top of her head. She wore chiefly burgandy dresses, although today she wore a mahogany brown skirt and a plain white blouse. When she saw him, she said,
"My my, Dyeldin, I never expected to see you in here! I hope it's not Filkantis!"
"No, not Filkantis," Dyeldin assured her. "It's about a Kitch-Resh I found lying in a field."
"Well well, that's not something I here everyday. Is she ok?"
"I don't think so. I thought maybe you could take a look at her?"
"Yes yes, that I can. Bring her to room 5, will you?"

Dyeldin nodded, and went to get the girl. Picking her up, he carried her to room 5, and laid her on the clean white sheets. Yilaine walked through the door, carrying her medical bag. She took one look at the Kitch-Resh and said,
"My my. She's a sight, ain't she? I guess I'd best see what I can do for her."

Yilaine motioned for Dyeldin to take a seat in a chair next to the door, which he did. Yilaine then proceeded to check her patient over. Once finished, she turned to Dyeldin.

"Well well, the good news is that I can help her, but the bad news is I don't know how much. She can be healed, but she might have little or no memory afterwards. And I would like to know who did this."
"Ok. When will she be better?"
"Um... um... It depends on her body's resistance to my magic, but it will probably be a couple of days before she's alright."
"Ok. Well, get crackin'! I'd better go see Filkantis. He's probably turned the inn upside down while I was out."
"I aggree. I aggree. Well, I'll be seein' you, Dyeldin!"
"'Later!"

Dyeldin left the hospital and hurried back to the inn. Hopefully Mistress Miltrid would be late getting home. Then he could make up for lost time...

Luckily, the hospital was close to the inn, so it was only a few minutes before he had raced upstairs to tell Filkantis that he had found a girl, who was probably pretty when she wasn't bloody, and that the girl was ok. Filkantis was delighted by the news, and proceeded to tell his bedpost so.

Shaking his head, Dyeldin went downstairs in search of the serving girls. He saw a group of them huddled around the fire. He could see Tirosa, and Yula, but not Kildra. She was probably in the kitchen. Dyeldin sauntered over to see what about the fire was so exciting.

Tiina-Mee, the only Kitch-Resh serving girl, saw Dyeldin, and giggled, causing all the other girls to turn towards him. Giggling, they turned back to whatever they were looking at, and one of them said something. Then, just as Dyeldin got close, they scattered.

Dyeldin sighed at the site of their interest. It was Halina, the Miltrids' daughter. So Mistress Miltrid hadn't gone to visit her today. A pity. And Halina was here. Even worse. Halina owned a small dressmaker's shop across town, but was unmarried, despite her unnatural beauty. Dyeldin had never understood how such ugly parents could have such a beautiful daughter. And Halina was part of the reason Mistress Miltrid hated Dyeldin; Halina liked Dyeldin, and everyone knew it. Dyeldin had dated Halina about two years ago, but, because Dyeldin was an adventurer, it hadn't worked out. But Halina still liked him. Most people thought that Halina would be the one to end Dyeldin's adventuring days. Dyeldin thought most people were insane. He liked Halina, but she had to grow up. She was nineteen, and not very mature. Luckily, she rarely visited the inn.

"Hello, Halina," he said cautiously. If Mistress Miltrid entered the room and saw them talking...
"Hello, Dyeldin! It's so nice to see you! How have you been? Why don't you ever visit?" She pouted prettily.
"I've been travelling, Halina. Didn't you know? I am an adventurer."
"Why do you always travel? If you got settled down and got yourself a decent job Mother and Father wouldn't mind you seeing me."
"But Halina, I like adventuring. And we decided that it wouldn't work out between us, remember? Two years ago."
"We can always change our minds."
"No, I really don't think it would work."
"But-"
"Give it up, Halina! We broke up, and we will not get back together! I believe it was your idea."
"I changed my mind."
Dyeldin sighed. "Look, Halina, you're a wonderful person, and I like you, but not in that way. You're still young. Go find someone else. I'll be ok with it. You said yourself that I'm too responsible sometimes."
"But... Dyeldin, I came to visit Mother for two reasons. The first was to discuss something with her. The other was to tell you."
"So what is it?"
"Mother said that either I choose someone to be my husband or she'll choose for me. I have until the end of this month."
"So choose someone."
"I have."
"I didn't mean me! How about Likile, the baker's son? He's nice."
"But I like you!"
"Look, Halina, let me spell it out for you. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to date you. Besides, I'm too young to marry."
"You are? You don't look it, with your white hair. Barely any black-"
"God of Beginnings, give me strenght! Halina, the draigin aren't like humans! We have white hair when we're young, and it goes black with age."
"Oh."
"And one more thing. I'm eighty-three. I will live to be about three hundred and sixty! I'll still be young when you die of old age!"
"You are? And you will? But... Dyeldin..."
"It's over, Halina. It's been over for two years. It never would have worked out anyway."

And Dyeldin walked away, feeling terrible. He kept telling himself it was true, but he couldn't get rid of the feeling that he had been horible to Halina. At least she probably understood. Hopefully...

Dyeldin went to his room, shut his door, and picked up a book. Maybe that would take his mind off things. He didn't feel like flirting with the girls. Not after telling Halina about his life-span. But he couldn't concentrate on the book. He kept thinking that in fifty years or so, they would all be dead. Tirosa and Yula, Halina and Kildra. Even Master and Mistress Miltrid. And Filkantis, and the Kitch-Resh girl. All of them.

Dyeldin tried to read, but couldn't. Eventually, he fell asleep. When he awoke, it was sunset. Dyeldin yawned, stretched, and went towards the stairs, thinking about supper.

He was stopped at the top of the stairs by Yula. She was glaring at him.
"Halina's crying," she informed him. "She has been all afternoon, ever since you talked to her. What did you do?"
"Uh... nothing." Dyeldin tried to look innocent.
"Nothing shmothing! What did you say?"
"I... uh... told her about... how long I'll live, and how..." He trailed off.

Yula thought what he'd said over. "Ok, so she didn't know that draigins live longer than most folk, and you told her?" Dyeldin nodded. "I see. Well, I suppose she had to learn... But you could have been nicer!" Sniffing loudly, Yula stomped off.

Dyeldin thought over the conversation in his mind. Be nicer? How? He'd tried to be nice, hadn't he? No, he hadn't. He supposed he deserved to be yelled at. Composing himself, Dyeldin went to the common room.

He sat at his usual table, and waited to be served. No one came. Dyeldin scanned the room, looking for the girls. There they were, huddled around Yula. She was no doubt telling them of his conversation. The girls then split up, seeing Mistress Miltrid coming. Mistress Miltrid gave Dyeldin a glare, then walked up to Yula. It wasn't long before Yula started telling Mistress Miltrid the story. Finally, Mistress Miltrid nodded, and stalked off to the kitchen.

The girls still were walking over to Dyeldin. He decided they were still mad at him. Maybe a little flirting... No, that wasn't right. Not now, after he'd talked to Halina. Maybe when she left. Maybe. But not now. Not when Halina was in the kitchen, crying her heart out.

"Can I help you?" The voice shocked Dyeldin. He looked up to see Mistress Miltrid standing there, and not glaring at him.
"Uh... Yes, I would... uh... like to... order dinner." Dyeldin had a feeling Mistress Miltrid was about to yell at him for upsetting her daughter.

But Mistress Miltrid surprised him. "We have leftover fish, or steak. Which would you like?" Dyeldin looked at her suspiciously. She hadn't mentioned... Maybe she was going to poison him.
"The steak, please."
"Alright." She turned to go, then stopped and looked at him. "By the way, thankyou for talking to my daughter." Then she strode off. Dyeldin wondered if he'd imagined it. Mistress Miltrid thanking him?

A moment later, she returned, carrying a steaming plate of steak, beans, and mashed potatoes. Dyeldin eyed it suspiciously as she set it down. Was it poisoned? Probably not. That would be too obvious. And it looked and smelled to good to be poisoned.

Dyeldin ate quickly, trying to avoid notice. Unfortunately, that wasn't possible; everyone knew him, and his wings, tail, and white hair made him stand out in a crowd. He was still the most exciting thing in Killsfield. He was exotic, from far away, while everyone here was a farmer. So even when he was trying to avoid attention, he got it. The women were still glaring at him, and the young men were obviously enjoying themselves. Then there were the children; they were extremely curious, and were always bugging him. Dyeldin liked children, but they weren't very smart; they couldn't tell that he wanted to be left alone. When he was done his dinner, Dyeldin gave up trying to avoid the little guys and talked to them.

"Dyeldin, tell us a story!" one little six-year-old girl by the name of Prililla demanded. Dyeldin nodded.
"Ok, Prilie. What do you want it to be about?"

All the kids looked at each other and started arguing.
"Gai’sho Té!" one little boy yelled.
"Beautiful princesses!" argued another little girl.
"No! I get to choose!" said Prilie, hands on hips. "I want to hear a story about... about the fyre Fae!"

"The fyre Fae..." Dyeldin quickly drew to mind everything he knew about them. "Well, I don't know too much about them, because they're really secretive. But I have been to Kitch-Resh Mountain!"
"Wow!" breathed one of the youngsters.
"Yes, wow. I was travelling one day, when I came across a Kitch-Resh." Dyeldin started making up a story. "This Kitch-Resh had lost her fur. So I offered to help her get home. She aggreed, and we travelled across the world, all the way to Kitch-Resh Mountain. We fought all sorts of evil people, but we made it, and when we were at Kitch-Resh Mountain, she turned to me and said, "Dyeldin, I am eternally greatful to you. And I am related to the Kitch-Resh king, so if you ever need anything, just ask me, and I'll see that you get it." And I said, "Well, I've always wondered what the homes of the Kitch-Resh look like." so she walked into Kitch-Resh Mountain, and I followed her."
"You walked into the mountain?" Prilie asked, her eyes wide.
"Yes, I did. Now, you might not know this, but Kitch-Resh Mountain is a volcano. So when I got inside, it was really hot. But I kept following the Kitch-Resh, until we got into the very center. And there I saw there village. The houses were made of rock, and they had huge fans inside, so they didn't get too hot. And the girl I was following went to this huge castle, and went inside, and walked over to this magical fire. She then stuck her hand right in the flame, and you know what happened?" The children shook their heads. "Her fur all grew back, until she was as furry as a kitty-cat."
"Then what happened?" asked a little boy.
"Then I met the King of the Kitch-Resh, and he thanked me for bringing back his relative, and then I left."

The kids, happy that they'd heard a story, all hurried off, chattering, to tell their parents.

Dyeldin thought of the Kitch-Resh he had found this afternoon. Maybe she was getting better. Dyeldin decided to go check. It would be much more interesting than hanging around here.

Even though it was early summer, the nights were still cold, as Dyeldin discovered as he stepped out the inn door. Quickening his pace, Dyeldin strolled over to the hospital, and opened the door.

Yilaine was in the main room, sitting at her desk, reading a book. She looked up when Dyeldin entered.
"Dyeldin! Well well, this is a pleasant surprise!"
"Hi, Yilaine. I had nothing to do, so I thought I'd come see how the Kitch-Resh is."
"Well well, you're in luck! Aparently she's had little or no magical healing before this, because she didn't have any resistance. So she mostly better. She's awake, if you want to go talk to her."
"That's great! I guess I'll go find out who she is. Do you know who attacked her?"
"No no."
"Then I guess I'll ask her that too."
"Dyeldin, I should probably warn you-" Yilaine began, but Dyeldin had already sauntered off.

Dyeldin knocked twice on the door. From inside, someone yelled, "Come in!" Dyeldin opened the door, and stepped inside the room.
The Kitch-Resh looked much better. The cuts had been healed, although the healed skin had no fur over it. Her flaming hair had grown, and was slightly more red. Her eyes were no longer glazed over, and had returned to the normal eyes of a Kitch-Resh, black with a glowing red pupil. All in all, she looked healthy.

"Who are you?" she asked. Her voice was high, like a cat's would be, if cats could talk.
"I'm Dyeldin. Dyeldin Tyrie."
"And what are you doing here?"
"You might not remember me from this afternoon, but I'm the one who found you in the field."
"I see. For that, I am grateful."
"So what's your name?"
"I am Kira-Lye, of the Kitch-Resh."
"I guessed as much. Are you also Gai’sho Té?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Well, I've travelled a bit, so I've seen their clothes, and that's what you're wearing."
"No, I'm not Gai’sho Té."
"Ok. Um, Kira-Lye, do you know who attacked you?"
"Yes."
"Great! Could you tell me? I want to make sure they don't do it again."
"I wasn't attacked."
"Huh?"
"I am a mercenary. I was fighting, and someone hit me from behind, and knocked me unconcious. When I awoke, I was here."
"You were almost concious in the field. You opened your eyes. Don't you remember?"
"No."
"Oh. Well, I guess it doesn't matter who hit you."
"Indeed."

A rather ackward silence ensued. Dyeldin tried to think of something to say. He couldn't come up with anything. Finally, Kira-Lye broke the silence.
"So, Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, tell me, why did you bring me to this healer's place?"
"Uh... You were in trouble, and I thought you needed some help, so I helped."
"But why? We do not know each other, and you owe me nothing. For all you knew, I could have been a bandit."
"I took my chances."
"But why?"
"I... don't know."

Dyeldin just didn't understand. Why had he helped her? He just had. Like any person would have, if they'd found her. But Kira-Lye didn't understand that... It didn't make sense. And Kira-Lye looked baffled by his response.

"Well, Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, it seems that you are very different from me. You are a rare person. You are one of the truly viruous people left in the world."
"No, I'm-" he began, embarressed, but she cut him off.
"Yes, you are. Do not try to deny it. And, Dyeldin Tyrie, I feel I am indebted to you. I feel I must repay you."
"It's ok; it was nothing."
"No, it wasn't. If I had found you dying in a field, I would have left you for dead. As I said, you are a rare person."

At that moment, Yilaine came in. "Kira, I'm sorry to interupt you, but you need to rest; the magical healing will have taken its toll on you. I'm sure you can visit with Dyeldin tomorrow. Besides, Dyeldin is needed elsewhere. Filkantis is being noisy again," she told Dyeldin in answer to his questioning look.

"Well, I'd best be off. I got a lot to do," he said. "Bye, Kira-Lye."
"Farewell, Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin," she said.
"Oh, and one last thing; it's Dyeldin. Not Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin. Dyeldin."
"As you wish... Dyeldin," she said, smiling.

Whistling, Dyeldin headed back to the inn.

Once there, he was bombarded by young females. They were all certain that he had been mean to Halina, and no ammount of persuading could convince them otherwise. Finally, Mistress Miltrid rescued him... sort of. The moment she drew him away from the girls, she began threatening to throw him out. Dyeldin assured her that he could solve the problem, and went to see Filkantis.

"Filkantis, what are you thinking? You'll get us thrown out!"
"No I won't," Filkantis argued. "Besides, this is important!"

Dyeldin eyed Filkantis warily. Filkantis sounded more sane than usual. Dyeldin wasn't quite sure that was a good thing; last time Filkantis had sounded sane, he had gotten Dyeldin arrested.

"Oh, don't worry, old boy!" Filkantis said, sounding more like his crazy self. "I won't do anything to you! I just wanted to tell you you've made a mistake."
"A mistake?"
"Yes. You haven't found her."
"Found who?"
"The girl. The one I told you about. You said you had. You lied."
"But I was just talking to her!"
"You may have been talking to a girl, but it was the wrong one."
"I see. The wrong girl. So there's another damsel in distress out there?"
"Yes."
"Um... Filkantis, it's late, so how 'bout I look into it tomorrow."
"That will have to do..." Filkantis then turned to the window. "Dlina! There you are! I've been looking for you..." Dyeldin left Filkantis's room. The man was still clearly insane. Dlina was his younger sister, who had died in a fire when Filkantis was about twenty. Filkantis's parents had died in the fire as well. Filkantis had been in the house at the time, but had managed to get out, losing only his sight. And his mind.

Dyeldin opened his door, and started when he noticed someone sitting on his bed. One of the serving girls! Had they no decency? Come to think of it, Dyeldin didn't either, but still, they shouldn't be visiting him at this hour of the night!

He stepped into the room and lit the lamp. It was Yula. She looked very pretty. Working hours were over, so she had changed into a different dress; yellow, and very low cut.
"Hello, Yula. And to what do I owe this visit?"
"I came to apologize for the way the girls have been acting. I don't think they all knew about... your life-span."
"They don't?"
"No, they don't. Remember, not all of them have been to far off places like you have. I don't think any of them have travelled. So they don't know much about you, other than that you're... exotic."
"Really? Gosh, I wish I'd known sooner. I would have told them..."
"Of course you would have."
"Honestly! I would!"
"They all hate you now."
"I'll live."
"Well, Dyeldin, I just thought you should know. And I think you should talk to them."
"I suppose I could talk to them... Well, thanks for telling me, Yula."
"Anytime," Yula said as she left.

Dyeldin then changed, and got into bed. He sighed. Too much to think about. And why was Yula always the one to tell him things? Why didn't the other girls tell him anything? It had to be something about how the female mind worked. Dyeldin didn't think he'd ever understand.

Then next morning, Dyeldin again woke to Yula banging on the door. "Get up, you lazy slob!" she called. It was her usual morning greeting. Dyeldin groaned, and got up. He pulled the door open, and looked at Yula.
"Why must I wake up?" he asked, bowing deeply. "You disturbed my dreams."
"Why do I care?" was her response.
"I was dreaming of the most beautiful being in the world: you!" he said flirtatiously.

Yula grinned. "I should have known! Well, it's time for you to go see Filkantis. As usual, he's making a racket." Fluttering her eyelashes at him, Yula waltzed off down the hall.

Dyeldin shut the door. He quickly got dressed, messed up his hair, and made sure that his pile of junk was on the floor in the center of the room. Then he strolled over to Filkantis's room.

Filkantis was chatting with a coat lying on his bed (he thought it was his mother) when Dyeldin entered. Filkantis apologized to his "mother", then turned to Dyeldin.

"Have you found her yet?"
"Found who?"
"The girl. The one that's in trouble!"
"But I-"
"No, you didn't. Now get out there and find her!"

As Dyeldin left the room, he wondered why Filkantis was so demanding. The man was insane!

The serving girls served Dyeldin breakfast, but it was a touch cold, which told Dyeldin they were still mad at him. When was the last time they were mad at him for more than a day? He'd have to remedy that!

By the end of breakfast, all the girls were happy to be around Dyeldin, and Halina was practically forgotten.

After breakfast, Dyeldin got his bandoliers of weapons, told Filkantis that he was going, and left. He explored for a bit, just like yesterday. He found no one. So he thought he'd spread his wings and fly. That was how he'd found Kira-Lye.

He thought he should visit her. Maybe find out where she was from. And why she wore the clothes of Gai’sho Té. That would no doubt be an interesting story.

There was no one out there. No dying Kitch-Resh in the fields today. Filkantis was insane. He was probably wrong. It was just coincidence that he'd found someone yesterday. Shrugging, Dyeldin landed and walked over to the town square, to see what the latest news was.

The town square was noisy at the best of times, but today it was even noisier. Curious, Dyeldin asked the blacksmith, Master Likehisn what was happening.

"Didn't you hear?" Master Likehisn asked. Dyeldin shook his head. "There's a new High Priest of Chaos!"
"I heard a rumour yesterday."
"Well, it's true! There's people from out o' town that say announcers have been to all the big cities, announcin' such things! So it's gotta be true."
"I don't believe everything I hear."

At that moment, the mayor, Master Isnelisk walked over.
"Dyeldin," he said, "would you mind flyin' over to Mylare City? Folks are sayin' there's signs posted over there, an' I wanna know if this here rumour is true."
Dyeldin thought it over, and nodded. "Yeah, I'll go. I haven't been to the city in a while anyways."
"How long'll it take ya?" Master Isnelisk asked.
"Uh... I'll probably be back 'round sundown."
"Sounds good."
"Well, bye. See ya at sundown!"

Masters Inelisk and Likehisn stepped back, to make room for Dyeldin's wings. Dyeldin spread them, and flapped, lifting himself off the ground. Waving, he flew off towards the coast and the city of Mylare.

It was a pleasant journey. Dyeldin was an adventurer at heart, so he loved to travel. And this journey was a great one! It was an hour and a half to the coast- too far to fly there unless he was going somewhere else, unfortunately. But it took a horse two and a half hours, and a person walking could take twice that! So whenever the people of Killsfield wanted something from the big city, they sent Dyeldin.

Dyeldin followed the coast for another hour or so, until he came to the city of Mylare. Mylare was called "the big city" by the people of Killsfield, but in reality, it was small, with only about five hundred people. It was more like a large town than a city.

Dyeldin liked cities. He wouldn't live in one for all the water in Ilwi, but they were nice places to visit every couple months. And there were lots of people he didn't know, which was decidedly better than Killfield. Dyeldin knew only a handful of people in Mylare, and the rest were strangers. Any draigin would like a place where they were a stranger! Dyeldin wasn't sure how the humans managed- they were always travelling in groups- but perhaps they just liked being around people. Who knew?

Dyeldin flew about the city, enjoying the feeling of being able to fly without being hated. By the end of a half-hour, he had met at least ten other draigin, who wanted to know all about him. Two had lived in Mylare, but the rest had come here to learn more about the rumours that were circulating the globe.

It turned out that this Xzaephare, Lord of the Hythe, was the new High Priest of Chaos. No one knew much about him, though. Most of the Draigin Dyeldin talked to were from small communities not unlike Killsfield. The two that were from somewhere bigger had only heard the rumour second-hand from somebody else.

Finally, realizing that no one really knew anything, Dyeldin flew over to a tavern by the name of "The Boisterous Beer". Shaking his head at the ridiculous name, Dyeldin landed, and wandered in.

It was still day, but the tavern looked exactly like a tavern should look, with dark corners, a dim fire, and a man cleaning glasses behind the bar with a dirty rag. Looking up, Dyeldin saw the ceiling beems were covered in dust and cobwebs. It was dim, dirty, and had the air of a place where Daemons hung out. Perfect.

Dyeldin realized he didn't have a cloak with him. Not good. Oh well; there were plenty of Fae who had been known to do certain illegal things. He would just act like a mercenary. Mercenaries were the type to hang around places like this, but being travellers, they wouldn't be regulars. Hopefully people would fall for it...

"We don't serve yer kind 'ere. Git yerself out!" said a deep voice behind Dyeldin. Dyeldin turned to see what was presumably the owner, a large Daemon. He was a Hythe, like the new High Priest; he had midnight-blue skin, and thick black hair, which he wore in a horse's tail. He wore a dirty grey tunic, stained with what looked like blood, and baggy brown breeches. He had a goaty, which looked ridiculous on him, but Dyeldin thought he'd rather not tell the large man his beard looked funny. He had thick spikes coming out of his neck, and his bare arms had many, many tatoos. His feet had two large toes, and one smaller one, all with claws at the end, and he had a long, spiked tail. He probably weighed about three hundred pounds, and he was about six and a half feet tall. Dyeldin felt very, very small.

"A'm a merc'nary," Dyeldin said in a low, rough voice. "Lookin' fer work. Thought this place might know a few likely cust'mers." The Hythe nodded.
"Aye, we've got the type 'ere. But I never figgered yer type'd tern merc'nary." Dyeldin shrugged.
"A man's gotta make a livin', no? So, am A aloud in?" The Hythe nodded again.
"Yeah, ya are. Me name's Laetchler Ksilil. 'Ow cin I 'elp ya?"
"A... an ale," Dyeldin said, glancing at the bar. So long as he didn't actually drink it...
"Ilin! One ale, now!" Laetchler Ksilil yelled at the bar man. The man- Ilin- nodded, and poored an amber liquid into one of the semi-clean glasses.

"So, d'ya know eny news? What about that new High Priest?" Dyeldin asked as he sat down at a table. Laetchler Ksilil sat down in the seat opposite Dyeldin, and thought for a moment.
"Well, I din't know too much, me bein' jus' a 'umble bar owner an' all," he said thoughtfully, "but I do know a bit. This Xzaephare, 'e'll be good fer ya an' mey, as 'e's bin known to turn a blind eye to... unlawful things, like the two o' us do." Dyeldin nodded- he hadn't expected anything else- but Laetchler Ksilil wasn't finished. "But I 'ear 'e also chats with them lawful Fae, and don't bug 'em if they leave 'im alone. O' course, there are some Fae species 'e'll try an' wipe out, just like the last 'Igh Priest, but I doubt 'e'll do much. Though he may get ridda them Failine, mind ya." Dyeldin nodded again- the Hythe generally hated the Failine.

"Hmm... So, d'ya think he'll be buggin the draigin or what-not?" Dyeldin asked. As long as his race was safe... Although the Failine...
"Yeah, 'e won't be botherin' them. Yer race is too small to do much. By the way, 'ow d'ya manage bein' a merc'nary, bein' 'ollow-boned an' all?"
Dyeldin shrugged. "Practice."

Before long, Dyeldin had figured out that the bar owner didn't know too much about this Xzaephare, so Dyeldin excused himself and walked outside. Once out, he breathed deeply. Nasty places, taverns. He'd rather go to a good Fae-owned inn anytime!

Dyeldin stuck around 'til about six, but it was getting late, and he still had to get back to Killsfield. So he quickly walked over to a foodstand, bought some dinner for the journey home, and took off towards the coast.

He had been flying for about half and hour before he saw something odd in the water. He wasn't quite sure what it was, as he was up too high, so he swooped down to get a closer look. He could see something golden moving back and forth with the water... There was something blue and slightly translucent... Dyeldin flew down closer and closer...

It was a girl.

She was probably a naiad; her hair was too dark for a nymph, and too light for a mermaid. She'd aparently been knocked out. Dyeldin lowered himself close enough to grab her, then pulled her out of the water. Looking around, Dyeldin saw a nice grassy cliff top. He rose up in the air, and deposited the naiad on the ground.

She stirred ever so slightly, but didn't wake. Dyeldin carefully shook her, and she gave a small moan. Sighing, Dyeldin yelled, "WAKE UP!!!"

The naiad opened her eyes blearily. "Wh- What's happening? Where am I...?" She looked around. Seeing Dyeldin, she struggled to get up. Dyeldin quickly hurried to assist her. "Thankyou," she said.

The naiad looked at Dyeldin. "Sir, who are you, and where am I?"
"I'm Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, and you are about half and hour from Mylare, on a clifftop."
"Pardon?"
"I said-"
"I know what you said! What am I doing on this clifftop?"
"Um... I was flying back to the village of Killsfield, and I saw you lying unconcious in the water. So I pulled you out and put you here."
"Oh."
"Ok, my turn for questions. Who are you, and why were you unconcious."
"I am Llwenna Illw of the Naiads, and I was caught in a storm last night."
"I take it you hit a rock?"
"I would assume so. I was being tossed by the waves, when suddenly... I was sitting up here on this cliff."
"Ok..." Dyeldin realized that Llwenna Illw was rather pretty. Could she be the girl...? It couldn't possibly be coincidence! First Kira-Lye, now Llwenna Illw... It was just too weird.

"Well..." Dyeldin said slowly. "You look a mess, so I think I'd better take you to see a healer." Llwenna Illw nodded. "We aren't that far from Mylare-"
"No!" Llwenna Illw interupted.
"But... why? It's not to far..." Llwenna Illw shook her head.
"I... I can not go there."
"Why not?"
"It is nothing that concerns you," Llwenna Illw responded.
"Ok, but it's two hours to the nearest town."
"I will be alright for that time."
"Ok."

Dyeldin carefully picked the naiad up and took off. At first, Llwenna Illw clutched him very tightly- no doubt she was afraid of heights-, but in time, she lessened her hold. After about an hour, she had gotten over her fear enough to talk.

"We are up terribly high."
"Of course we are."
"Why don't you fly closer to the earth's surface?"
"When I fly, I'm intending to be in the air, and there's no point if I'll only be a few feet off the ground."
"Oh. How is it that your wings can support both of us?"
"I'm hollow-boned, like a bird, and you don't weigh much."
"I see. If you're hollow-boned, why do you wear weapons like a fighter? Surely your bones would break in a fight!"
"I only have about two weapons that aren't meant to be thrown, and I use those as a last resort."
"Facinating."

Llwenna Illw stopped talking, and the two flew in silence for another half-hour. Then-
"What were you doing in Mylare?"
"The mayor of Killfield asked me to see if the rumour about a new High Priest was true."
"Killfield?"
"A town I've been staying in."
"Is that were we are now going?"
"Yeah."
"Are there many draigin there?"
"Many draigin? I'm the only one. There's also three Kitch-Resh's, and a couple of half-breeds. The rest are Aerth Fae."
"I see. So there aren't any Watyr Fae?"
"Nope."
"And why do you stay there?"
"I used to be an adventurer, but I picked up this crazy human in my travels. We wandered a bit, but the War got too big, so we settled down."
"How long have you been there?"
"I dunno. About three years."
"When are you planning to leave?"
"No idea. Why?"
"I was just wondering."

The sun had just set when Dyeldin and Llwenna Illw arrived at Killsfield. Dyeldin carried Llwenna Illw over to Yilaine's place, and put her down on the couch in the main room, promising to be back in a moment.

It didn't take Dyeldin long to find Yilaine.
"Yilaine, you'll never guess what I found!" he said.
"What what? You found something?"
"Uh-huh. A girl."
"Another one?"
"Yep. She's a naiad, named Llwenna Illw."
"Well well, ya don't say! Bring her to room 4."
"Ok."

Dyeldin retreaved Llwenna Illw, and brought her to room 4. He then lay her on a bed, and Yilaine began to check her over.
"I'll be visitin' Kira-Lye," Dyeldin told Yilaine as he left the room.

Kira-Lye was lying on her bed, reading a book. When she heard Dyeldin, she looked up.
"Hello, Dyeldin Ty- Dyeldin," she said, barely remembering to only use his first name.
"Hi, Kira-Lye. How're you doin'?"
"I am doing well. Mistress Yilaine said I may leave tomorrow."
"That's great!"
"Indeed. Dyeldin, I've been wondering, why do you speak like these village peasants? You are a draigin! We both know that all draigin are educated."
"I've lived in Killsfield for about three years, and they were all upset when I first showed up, because I'd been to distant lands and I'd been educated and such. So I just started pretending to be like them."
"Interesting. So, why are you here? Did you come just to visit?"
"Actually, I found this other girl who was lying as if dead."
"What a coincidence!"
"No kidding! And the weird thing is that my friend, Filkantis, is a Human, and he's crazy, and he was claiming to have visions of an unconcious girl. When I found you, I was wandering around, trying to find this girl, so he'd leave me alone. Then I found you, but he said you weren't the one. So today I went to Mylare, and I came across a naiad lying unconcious in a tidepool."
"That's a bit strange."
"Yeah..."

At that moment, Yilaine came into the room.
"Dyeldin," she said. "Dyeldin, I've checked over Llwenna, and she should be alright. She just need sleep. She can probably leave tommorow, at the same time as Kira."
"Cool."
"Now, have to found out about that High Priest yet?"
"Yeah. We've got a new one. Which reminds me, I'd better go tell the mayor. If you'll excuse me, ladies." Giving a very fancy, fluriousing bow, Dyedldin left the hospital.

It took Dyeldin only a few minutes to tell Master Isnelisk the news. Master Isnelisk thanked Dyeldin for flying into Mylare, and then told him he'd better go to the inn, as Filkantis was, as usual, being annoying.

"Dyeldin, you are leaving!"
Dyeldin sighed. "Hello to you too, Master Miltrid."
"I mean it this time!"
"But without me, there will be almost no guests-"
"Have you even paid?"
"I'll pay when I leave-"
"Which will be tomorrow!"
"What did I do this time?"
"You broke Halina's heart, Filkantis disturbs the other guests, you flirt with the serving girls, and you've never paid!"
"But-"
"No buts! I think you've stayed here long enough!"

Sighing, Dyeldin went to visit Filkantis.

"What did you do this time? Master Miltrid's pretty annoyed!"
"It's not me. It's you. He found out that you're eighty-three. He's worried that you might stay here forever and ever and ever."
"Oh. Well, I guess we've overstayed our welcome. Oh, and I found another girl. And she's definately pretty! She's-"
"She's the wrong one."
"Alright then, what does this girl look like?"
"She has purple skin-"
"Purple skin?"
"Yes. And white hair, and blue eyes, and a horn-"
"A failine?"
"Yes."
"Ok. I guess we'll go look for her when we leave. And we could escort those two other girls home. That'll give us something to do."
"Are you sure you want to escort them?"
"Yeah. Why?"
"There are two paths we could take. We could do what seems to be the right thing, and help the failine, the Kitch-Resh, and the naiad-"
"How did you know she's a naiad?"
"- but if we do, there will be great danger, and some may die. If we simply move to another town, we will live long lives, though we will never help the world. But we will not suffer death."
"Uh... yeah... Filkantis, you're just being spooky. You can't foresee anything! You're a human!"
"I have many powers, boy."

Dyeldin gave up, and went to bed.

The next morning, he was again wakened by Yula yelling, "Get up, you lazy slob!" Dyeldin complied, and, with a sigh, packed. After half an hour of packing- he had to find a lot of stuff, which was scattered in every direction- he headed to Filkantis's room, to find Tirosa helping the crazy human. On his way to the common room for breakfast, Dyeldin met up with Mistress Miltrid.

"Good morning, fair-"
"Dyeldin, I want you gone by an hour past noon."

Dyeldin looked at a clock. It was 12:30.
"But Mistress Mil-"
"I don't care."
"What about break-"
"Out. Now!"
"Yes, Mistress Mil-"
"Do it. Talk later."

Dyeldin went back upstairs, to find his bags neatly layed out by his door. He put on his bandoliers of weapons, attached his pouches, and told Filkantis to hurry up. He then went to the hospital, to see who Llwenna Illw and Kira-Lye were doing.

First, Dyeldin went to see Kira-Lye. She was adjusting her metal-plaited skirt.
"Hello, Dyeldin," she said when he entered.
"Hi, Kira-Lye. Whatcha up to?"
"I am preparing to leave Killfield."
"Really? Well, I just got kicked out of the inn- don't worry, I didn't do anything bad. The owners just don't like me. So I've gotta leave Killsfield too. Wanna travel together?"
"Perhaps. What about the naiad. She and I were going to leave together."
"She's welcome to come. I was just about to invite her, actually."
"Then I would be delighted to travel with you, Dyeldin."
"Great! Were to?"
"First I want to return to that field, to see if I can find my sword."
"Ok."
"Then where to?"
"Llwenna needs to get to her home."
"Ok, we'll drop off Llwenna. Then what? D'you wanna go to Kitch-Resh Mountain next?"

A spasm of fear ran briefly across the Kitch-Resh's face. But it was gone so quickly Dyeldin wondererd if he'd imagined it. Her face loooked solidly stoic.
"No," Kira-Lye said. "I do not wish to return to... my home. Not yet."

Dyeldin shrugged. It was her business what she did and where she was welcome. If Kitch-Resh Mountain wasn't one of the places she wanted to visit, that was her business.

"Well, I guess we'll just wander around, then. I'll go tell Llwenna Illw."
Kira-Lye nodded, and started went back to rearranging her metal-plated skirt.

Llwenna Illw's door was shut. Dyeldin knocked twice, and Llwenna Illw called, "Come in!" Dyeldin opened the door, and found Llwenna Illw carefully plaiting her long golden hair.

"Ah. Dyeldin Tyrie."
"Just Dyeldin, Llwenna Illw."
"Very well. Then you may call me 'just Llwenna'."
"Ok. So, me 'n my friend, Filkantis, will be travelling with you girls for a while, ok?"
"Have you spoken yet to Kira?"
"Yeah, just a second ago."
"Very well. I suppose we may travel together."
"Great!"
"So who is this 'Filkantis'?"
"He's a human mage. His family died in a fire some ten years ago, and he was the only survivor. He's crazy."
"I see. Is it safe to travel with him?"
"Don't worry about that. He mostly just 'talks to dead people'. And claims he can see the future."
"I see. I suppose he's safe enough."
"He's had very little fighting practice, anyway, so we'll be quite safe."
"Alright. When do we leave?"
"I dunno. When do you want to leave?"
"How about in the half-hour?"
"Sounds good. I'd better go get Filkantis. Bye for now!"
"Farewell."

Dyeldin hurried over to the inn. Filkantis was sitting on the ground a couple feet from the door, with Mistress Miltrid watching him.
"Dyeldin, neither you nor him are ever welcome in this inn again! You are a-"
"Of course, Mistress Miltrid!" Dyeldin cut her off, bowing deeply. "Fair lady, what ammount do I owe?"
"Pardon?"
"How much money do I owe your husband and you for staying at this fine inn for two years?"
"Hmm." She pursed her lips. "Three-hundred and sixty time two times three is... two-thousand, one hundred, and-"
"Isn't there a special rate for me, because I've stayed so long?"
"Hmph!" Ok, I'll round it down to two-thousand copper coins."
"Right." Dyeldin went through his pouches. "Can I pay you in gold?"

Mistress Miltrid eyed him. "And where did you get the gold?"
"I do have a life. I got the gold the old-fashioned way: work."
"You know how to work?"
"Unfortunately. Or at least, I did. So, let's see, two-thousand divided by five is four-hundred, divided by ten is... Fourty gold coins."

Dyeldin carefully counted out fourty shining goldn coins into Mistress Miltrid's outstretched hand. She looked at them carefully, as if to see whether they were real, but, finding nothing to critisize, mearly frowned. Dyeldin shrugged. They were real. He knew that. He had no reason to give Mistress Miltrid fake coins. He wasn't a con artist.

Dyeldin then took Filkantis by the hand, and walked back to the hospital.

Llwenna and Kira-Lye were sitting on a bench outside. Llwenna was chatting happily, and Kira-Lye was listening. Llwenna then saw Dyeldin.
"Dyeldin! There you are! Are we ready? We have a long ways to go before we reach our destination."
"Yeah, I'm ready. Oh, this is Filkantis. Filkantis, this is Llwenna Illw of the Naiads and Kira-Lye of the Kitch-Resh."
"Delighted to meet you!" Filkatis said. "This is my sister, Dlina." Filkantis gestured to a nearby tree. "And these are my parents, my mother Rinetta," (another tree), "and my father, Kindolis," (a rock). Llwenna and Kira-Lye looked questioningly at Dyeldin, but he just shrugged.
"Well, shall we be off?" Dyeldin asked the girls. They nodded, and the group set off for the field where Kira-Lye had been found.

It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, the birds were singing. It was a little warm, true, but it was springtime, almost summer, so that was to be expected. Hopefully it would be a good summer...

There was little chance of that, of course; the new High Priest of Chaos presented a bit of a problem. There would no doubt be a bit of a fight, and the Fae would complain, but it wouldn't affect people like the citizens of small villages like Killsfield. It probably wouldn't even affect most city folk. Only adventurers, mercenaries, and travellers. And, of course, soldiers. Dyeldin would have to find a place to stay once he was done escorting the women home. He didn't want to get caught up in the fight.

The four soon arrived at the wheat field where Kira-Lye had been found. The golden sheaves blew gently in the wind. Dyeldin suggested they split up to save time, and all aggreed. Due to the war that they knew was coming (and the opponents Kira-Lye had been fighting, who were no doubt near here), they aggreed to go in pairs. Somehow (Dyeldin wasn't quite sure how), Dyeldin ended up with Kira-Lye.

"So, Dyeldin Ty- Dyeldin, where was I found?" Kira-Lye asked him.
"Over there," he replied, pointing towards the center of the field.
"Then let us go. I would like to be on our way before nightfall."

They walked in silence for several minutes, until they came to the center of the field.
"There's a patch of blood, so I guess that's where you were," Dyeldin said, pointing to a place where the wheat was crushed and stained crimson. Kira-Lye nodded, but didn't say anything.

They searched the area for a good half-hour, until finally they heard,
"Dyeldin! Kira! We have found it!" It was Llwenna.
"We're over here!" Dyeldin called. "In the center of the field!"

A few minutes later, Filkantis crashed through the wheat. Llwenna followed closely, in a more stately manner.
"I found it!" Filkantis told them proudly. "It was hidden underneath the ground."
"Someone burried it," Llwenna said, in answer to Dyeldin's blank stare. "I don't know how he found it..."
"I sensed it!" Filkantis boasted proudly.
"Right, of course you did," Dyeldin grinned. "Now, shall we be off?"
"We may leave now," Kira-Lye told them.

As they walked, Kira-Lye examined her sword, to make sure it was still in good condition. Dyeldin didn't know why she bothered. It clearly had magic powers. The blade was a dark steel, with some Kitch-Resh words embossed into it. The handle was made of some copper-coloured metal. Set in the pomel was a large red gem: a ruby, or a garnet. The blade was huge, but Kira-Lye handled it with such ease that Dyeldin suspected it was lighter than it looked.

"So, Llwenna, where d'you live?" Dyeldin asked.
"The Palace of the Nine Tides," the naiad replied.
Dyeldin was impressed. "The Palace of the Nine Tides! That's the royal palace of the merfolk!"
Llwenna nodded. "I am an ambassador for the Naiads in the Court of Nine Tides."
"Wow! That's really neat! So, should we take you to the Palace of Nine Tides?"
"I only intend to go as far as the Palace of the Sifting Sands. I was on my way there when the storm hit."
"Ok. Where is the Palace of the Sifting Sands?"
"It is on a beach along the Blood Coast. If we don't stop to often, we should reach it by noon tommorow."
"What is the Palace of the Sifting Sands?" Kira-Lye asked.
"It is the royal palace of the naiads," Llwenna replied. "It is made of pale sandstone, set on a beach where the sand is white and clean. My Lord, Wllo Ywnell XXVII, sent for me. He wanted me to go on a diplomatic mission of some kind."
"Wllo Ywnell XXVII? Wllw Ywnell the twenty-seventh?" Kira-Lye asked disbelievingly.
"Yes."
"Gosh, his parents were original!" Dyeldin commented sarcastically.
"I am Llwenna Illw XXXIII."
"Oh."

They walked in an awkward silence for about five minutes. Then the silence became less awkward. But they stayed silent.

They stopped only once, around four in the afternoon, to get a snack out of their pouches. Once it was out, they started walking again, eating at the same time.

They didn't consider stopping until night was falling. It was dusk, and it was getting too dark to see. The were in an open meadow, though, and while they didn't think the Forces of Chaos would be attacking, they didn't want to risk it. Kira-Lye, who was accustomed to darkness, said she saw a forest about a half-hour away, and the others (with the exception of Filkantis), whose eyesight wasn't quite as good, still thought they saw a darker patch, so the group agreed to stop once they reached it. Kira-Lye's hair glowed enough for them to not trip, and they really didn't want it to glow and give them away in an open field.

Kira-Lye's estimate turned out to be a little off, as they reached to forest after three quarter-hours, but the forest proved to be just what they were looking for; it was dark, with thick trees and foliage, and it was quiet, but not too quiet, as there were birds, mice, and other nighttime animals. The four hurried in, and started looking for a place to stay the night.

Llwenna sensed a stream, and, deciding that water nearby would make their camp wonderful, they group followed it, hoping to find a less marshy place. The walked for another quarter-hour before they found one.

They had noticed it was getting quieter, but they all assumed it was because it was getting later, and because it was so dark. The full moon sent beams of light through the trees, creating a spooky atmosphere. Then they came to a clearing. The moon was bright. The stream met up with a pool, with a perfectly smooth bottom made of a single bowl-shaped piece of white marble, lined with perfectly round pieces of amethyst. The grass shone in the pale light of the moon. The trees surrounding the mystical place where thick and green, huge pine trees, dark and magnificent. In the center of the clearing lay a girl.

A Silence Fae.

She had purple skin, the colour of the sky at dusk. Her hair was like a horse's mane, at the back of her head, not the sides, and white. No, not white: silver. But a pale silver. A silvery white? It glowed, at any rate. She wore a dress the colour of twilight, that was made of spider-silk. She had an eerie, other-worldly feeling.

And she was drowning in her life-blood.

A pool of deep purple liquid was accumalating beneath her. Her skin was turning ashen. She was about to die.

The four Fae stood still for a moment, revelling in her beauty. Dyeldin was the first to come to his senses.
"Quick! Help her! She'll die!" he yelled. That brought the others out of their reverie, and they all crowded around the Fae.

Dyeldin carefully picked her up. He didn't hear the sound of broken bone shifting... He'd have to be careful, though. Turning her over, he could see the wound that was killing her; a long, deep gash in her belly. Dyeldin carefully picked her up, and took her over to the pool. They would have to clean the wound... Ripping a strip off her already frayed silken dress, Dyeldin used the soft fabric as a cloth, dipping it in the water, then placing the cloth on the wound-

And the wound healed.

It was as if it were magic! It probably was, Dyeldin reminded himself. The pool had the look of magic. And it didn't matter, Dyeldin hurredly bathed the gash in the mystical water.

When he was done, he set her on the grass. How long would it take her to regain conciousness? She'd lost a lot of blood-

Her eyes fluttered open. She had long, silvery lashes and deep blue eyes. Dyeldin could have sworn he'd seen her somewhere before. But where...?
"What has happened?" the woman said. Her voice was fairly high, soft, and commanding. Dyeldin had the feeling that no matter how loudly he was talking, if she talked in her soft voice, he'd hear.
"I- I don't know, milady," Dyeldin answered respectfully. "My friends and I," he indicated the other four, "were planning on stopping for the night, when we came across this clearing. We found you in the middle, dying. Then we cleaned the wound with water from this pool, and you were healed."
"Ah, yes," she said softly. "Water from the pool. Indeed, that would heal me. I thank thee, Sir... What is your name?"
"I'm Dyeldin Tyrie, of the Draigin. This is Llwenna Illw of the Naiads, Kira-Lye of the Kitch-Resh, and Filkantis of the Humans."
"I am pleased to meet you. Very pleased indeed. I am Ierala- Iera of the Failine."

Dyeldin noticed the slip, but assumed she had her reasons, so ignored it. Instead, he asked, "What did this to you, milady?"
"Just Iera, please," the Failine told him. "I am not a lady any- I am not a lady. And it were the Hythe."
"The Hythe? But I thought they'd be preoccupied, what with the new High Priest and all."
"Lord Xzaephare has united them under one common goal. His rule is absolute."
"And what would that goal be?"

Iera's eyes told him before she said the words. "He wishes to destroy the Fae."

"Destroy the Fae! That's impossible!" Kira-Lye burst out.
"Not impossible. Improbable. But he shall do it," was the cool reply.
"Then I must warn the Watyr Fae!" Llwenna said suddenly. The others all nodded (with the exception of Filkantis, who was relating the events to a tree).
"Yeah, you'd better do that," Dyeldin agreed. "We'll set out at first light tomorrow." Hearing them protest, he added, "We can't go on. We're all dead tired. So we'll rest, and start out fresh tomorrow at dawn."

Kira-Lye nodded stoicly, and walked over to the edge of the clearing. She then lay down, and closed her eyes. Llwenna shot Dyeldin a furious look, but lay down beside Kira-Lye. Filkantis plopped himself down, said goodnight to the tree, and fell asleep, snoring loudly. Dyeldin walked over to the pool, lay down beside it, and fell asleep.

He dreamed of large, deep blue eyes, framed in heavy, silvery lashes.

And the next morning, he didn't remember.

Dyeldin was the last to wake the next morning. He woke to the words, "Get up, you lazy slob!" Dyeldin, out of habit, got up, preparing to flirt with Yula- and blinked. Then his brain started working, and he remembered where he was.

"Ha! I can wake you too, boy!" Filkantis told him happily. "Thought you were back at the Running Nymph, did ya?"
Dyeldin moaned. "What time is it? Is it even morning?"
"It is an hour past dawn," Llwenna informed him.
"Nope, definately not morning!" Dyeldin said.

Llwenna grinned. "Well, it's time to be up and about, so hurry up! You still have to eat! Now go wash your face," she pointed to the pool, "and I'll give you food."
"Wash in that? I'll probably turn into a frog or somethin'!" Dyeldin protested. Llwenna shrugged. "Women!" Dyeldin yelled as he walked over.

"You won't turn into a frog. The pool's magic only works in a time of need," a soft voice said as Dyeldin knelt down beside the pool. Dyeldin jumped.
"Iera! You startled me!"
"I am sorry, Dyeldin Ty-"
"Just Dyeldin. And it's ok."

The Failine looked at him oddly for a moment. "Why do you not speak in the manner of your people?" she finally asked.
"Whadya mean?" he said, confused.
"Most draigin use a more... learned vocabulary, as do most other Fae. But you, Dyeldin, speak in the manner of human peasants."
"Uh... I just spent two years in a village that only had about five non-aerth Fae. So I'm just used to speaking like them, I guess."
"I see. I suppose you will return to your old manner of speach in time."
"Yeah, I guess..."
"So tell me, Dyeldin, why did you leave this small village?"
"The owners of the inn didn't like me. And they kicked me out. So I figured I'd take Kira-Lye and Llwenna home, then wander around a bit."
"Even with this war?"
"What war?"
"The war between the Daemon and the Fae."
"That's not really a war anymore. Well, I guess it is now, with this Lord Xzaephare guy, but I didn't know that when I left."
"You have picked up more than just the villagers' manner of speach."
"Whadya mean?"
"Humans are great lovers of self-delusion. They always want to believe that the world is a better place, that everything is alright. They tell themselves that a war is not a war if there are no battlefields, no armies, no flags and standards. But this is not so. I know this. I know that even though there are no official battles, there are killings, which are quickly ignored and forgotten. I know that men go to work, never to return. I know that women go to visit a friend, but never make it. I know that children go outside to play, but never see their mothers again. And, Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, you know it too."
"But-"

"DYELDIN!!! What's taking you?" Llwenna called.
"I'm just talking to Iera!" he yelled back.
"Don't be ridiculous! She's sitting right here!"
"No she's not. She's-" Dyeldin stopped. Iera wasn't standing beside him. She was sitting beside Llwenna. "She was here..." he said slowly.
"She's been here with me since you woke up! Now hurry up! I want to go warn my people of the danger!"

Dyeldin, not knowing what to say, just nodded, and quickly washed his face.

And Iera watched him, smiling a little. He would do. He would do very well.

Dyeldin finally got to eat. Breakfast turned out to be the stuff called "meal-food". It was made of the some sort of bread that kept well, didn't go moldy, and was as hard as a rock unless soaked in water. The bread had bits of fruit, vegetables, and meat cooked into it. It was really rather discusting, but it had it's advantages: it kept indefinately, contained all important nutrients, and was cut into convenient blocks, which good be stacked, and were just the right size to fit into a pouch.

After breakfast, the group quickly cleaned their camp. When they were ready to leave, however, Dyeldin realized something.
"Iera, what are you going to do?" he asked the silins fae.
"If you mind not, I shall come with you. I could speak to the various species, and explain all that has passed, is passing, and shall pass."
"Uh...?"
"I will come and inform the Fae of Lord Xzaephare."
"Right. Ok then, we can be off!"

And they headed out.

The walked for about three quarter-hours until they came to the edge of the forest. Before them was the coast. It was a nice day, with a slight breeze, but not too windy or cold. There were a few clouds, sadly in the direction they were travelling, but the weather didn't seem to awful. The sun was out, and the waves looked quite pretty, breaking of the white sand.

They walked without stopping. Kira-Lye and Llwenna chatted. Llwenna was telling Kira-Lye about the Palace of the Shifting Sands. From what Dyeldin overheard, it sounded like a nice place. Filkantis was chatting to his "sister" who was apparently walking with them. Dyeldin shook his head in wonder. Filkantis still claimed to see things.

"Who is the human talking to?" Iera's soft voice made him jump.
"I think his sister."
"Pardon? I don't see anyone."
"Filkantis's family died in a fire some years ago, and he survived, but he's raving mad. Thinks his family is still alive, and that he can talk to them."
"I see."
"He also thinks he can see the future. Which reminds me, he predicted I'd find a damsel in distress a couple days ago. That was the day I found Kira-Lye lying unconcious in a field. The next day, Filkantis said she was the wrong one. Then I found Llwenna. Again he said she was the wrong girl. Then I found you. Weird, huh?"
"Indeed. But perhaps he does have some powers that can not be accessed by the Aerth Fae."
"Whadya mean?"
"Perhaps he gained these powers because his elemental power is earth, and yet he somehow melded with the power of fire. This caused something in his powers to go awry."
"I'd agree with you, but then he should have fyre powers, not silins powers."
"Indeed. How curious."

They walked in silence for a while longer. Dyeldin noticed with disgust that the clouds had covered the sun. Not long after, it began to rain.

And around noon, they came across the burnt ruins of the Palace of the Shifting Sands.

"No!" Llwenna cried, dashing over to the charred remains. The others ran after her, but did not catch up until they reached the Palace. Llwenna was trying to move the sandstone boulders, looking for survivors.

"No! Come back! Is anyone there?! Can you here me?! Please, someone, answer me!" Dyeldin gently pulled Llwenna away.
"I don't think there are any survivors," he said quietly.
"There must be! They can't all be dead! They're alive! This is a joke! A horrible, horrible joke! It has to be! It has..." Llwenna succumbed to huge, hiccuping sobs.
"Maybe some escaped," Dyeldin told her, trying to calm her. "Some must have. And not all the Naiads would have been here. There would have been some in the Palace of the Nine Tides and the Palace of Drifting Lilies."
"But... But..." Llwenna struggled to get back at the ruins. "Let me go to them! My family! I have to help them! They're alive! They must be! I know they are! They wouldn't leave me! They wouldn't..."

Dyeldin held her, calming her. There were several more outbursts, but, finally, the outbursts took their toll, and she fell asleep.

Dyeldin carefully lay her down on the ground, and walked over to the rest of the group, who were looking at the ruined palace.
"What did this?" he asked them.
"Fyre Daemons, I suppose," Kira-Lye said.
"No, that's not possible! The rock is burned!"
"If the fire were hot enough-"
"It would melt the rock. This rock is burnt, as if it were made of wood. And the sand is undamaged. If the fire were hot enough to melt rock, it should be hot enough to melt sand."
Iera nodded. "I feared this. My people learned that the Daemon have some new way of casting spells," she told them, answering their questioning looks.
"Right, well, let's see if there are any survivors, shall we?" Dyeldin suggested.
"You won't find any, boy!" Filkantis informed him. "They're telling me that none survived, and they think we should go warn the Courts of Nine Tides and Drifting Lilies."
"They who?"
"The naiads."
"The-? That's ridiculous! You just said they're all dead!"
"Their spirits stayed behind, in the hopes that a Spirit-Talker would come, so that they can relay their story."

Dyeldin thought this over. He wasn't sure what to think. If only they had a real Spirit-Talker...

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" Iera suggested.
"How?" he asked her
"I am not a good Spirit-Talker, but I have some skill. Perhaps I could verify Filkantis's story?"
Dyeldin nodded. "Do it."

Iera closed her brilliant blue eyes. When they opened again, they were not the same; they were perfectly white, but glowed with a silvery light. She cried out something in a long forgotton tongue. Then she turned to the Palace of the Shifting Sands, and spoke softly, in her commanding voice, asking the spirits of the dead what had happened.

Dyeldin wasn't sure, but he was thought he heard something. A wail. Or was it the wind? There it was again! Or not. He wasn't sure...

Iera spoke with the spirits for some time. Finally, she closed her eyes again (they'd been open for the entire conversation) and turned to Dyeldin.
"What Filkantis says is true. They are all dead. Every man, woman, and child. Now we must leave. They say that there is nothing we can do for them; that it is too late. They ask us that we go warn the other Watyr Fae, and then that we stop Lord Xzaephare."

Dyeldin nodded, and went over to where Llwenna was lying. He thought about it for a moment, then turned to the others and said, "Let's not wake her. She'll wake up soon enough, and while she sleeps, she doesn't have to suffer with... all this. I can carry her." The others nodded in agreement, and Dyeldin picked up the sleeping watyr fae. She was so pretty... She had seemed so sad earlier, but now, sleeping, the anguish had vanished from her face. She was much more beautiful asleep.

Dyeldin knew the place where the tunnel to the Palace of the Nine Tides was. The Palace of the Nine Tide was an underwater palace, and was connected with the land by a tunnel which went under the water, keeping the visiting fae dry when they travelled. Dyeldin had considered going to the Palace of the Nine tides once, but the guards at the entrance of the tunnel told him that only those with "official diplomatic business" could enter.

It took most of the day to reach the tunnel. When they arrived, they were stopped by two young, scared guards. They were Naiads, which Dyeldin guessed was the reason they were terrified.

He was wrong.

"Halt!" said the shorter, plumper one as they drew near.
"Where do you think you're going?" asked the taller, skinnier one.
"We are on our way to the Palace of the Nine Tides," Dyeldin responded. "This woman," he nodded his head (he was still carrying Llwenna) towards Iera, "knows something important."

The two guards eyed them suspiciously. "And what has happened to her?" the short one asked, pointing to Llwenna.
"She was greatly distressed by the destruction at the Palace of the Shifting Sands-" Dyeldin began.
"What destruction?" the tall guard interupted.
"You don't know?" Kira-Lye asked, shocked.
"Know what?" questioned the short guard.
Iera looked at the two guards sadly. "I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but the Palace of the Shifting Sands is no more. It was destroyed by Daemon forces."
"What?!" yelled the short guard.
"Impossible!" exclaimed the tall one.
"Look, missy, if you think this is a joke-" began the shorter naiad, but his companion interupted him.
"No, Llillin, I see it in their faces. They speak the truth. Are there any survivors?"
"No," Dyeldin said quietly. "I'm sorry."
"What? No, there have to be some survivors!" argued Llillin.
The taller guard shook his head. "No, Llillin, they have a silins fae with them. They would know. There are no survivors."
"How can you take this so calmly? Our families are dead! My parents, and you parents, and my sister, and your brother, and my girlfriend, and you wife-"
"I know. Now is not the time for grief. Event are happening, and we must right them. Llillin, we must let these fae past. They must tell the Court of the Nine Tides."

Llillin nodded, and stood aside to let them pass. As Dyeldin walked through the gate, the taller guard turned to him and said, "Be warned; the tunnel is flooded. Some places... Be careful."

Dyeldin nodded, and the five fae set off through the Tunnel of the Nine Tides.

The flooding was apparent almost immediately; there were a good three inches of water starting about about a quarter-hour in. The water was slowly getting deeper. After an hour of walking, Dyeldin started to get worried. They had at least two days of walking, and the water was now level with his knees. They were likely to drown!

The walk was rather boring. The tunnel was made of sandstone, and was quite unremarkable. The only light was cast by Kira-Lye's hair. The only one who knew anything interesting about the tunnel was comotose in Dyeldin's arms.

Some time later (Dyeldin had lost track of time), Llwenna awoke. It took them a few minutes to explain everything to her, but she seemed alright. She was definately upset, but she was alright. She told them that there was nothing interesting about the tunnel, but she could describe the Court of the Nine Tides. The group agreed.

"The Court of the Nine Tides was founded some 2000 years ago," she began. "It was orriginally composed of a select group of merfolk, called the Council. At this time, the merfolk were a democrasy, and they elected new Council Members every five years. But then the war started, and, so as to preserve their way of life, the Council elected to have a single ruler, who would have the power to make all the final decisions. But they were fearful that this leader would abuse the power they give him, so the Council cast a spell, binding the leader to the people and the ocean. This spell used the power of Merdrom, which is divided into nine sects, each sect called a "tide". Thus, the leader was bound to the Nine Tides."

"The first ruler of Merdrom, Yiloo Kirite, was a firm but just merman. He always took the people's best interests to heart. His succesor, Ooia I'ie, his daughter, was the same. It was at this time the Council, which now served as the ruler's advisors, elected to always have a male ruler succeeded by a female one, and vice versa."

"After five-hundred years, however, things changed. Ioo I'ie's great-great-great-great granddaughter, Ia E'ian, was tired of the Council, who still had great power. So Ia the Destroyer used her power to give the power of choosing the Council Members solely to her. The Council that Ia chose was composed of the richest, most powerful merfolk. And so intrique, manipulation, and lies entered the Court of the Nine Tides."

"But Ia, however horrible she was, did not make the final push from democrasy to monarchy. She, like all her predecesors, was bound to the Nine Tides. Her son, Ieoo E'ian, got around this; he had the Council vote on whether or not to continue this tradition. The Council was made of his friends, and so the spell was not performed. And so Ieoo the Terrible started a Reign of Terror."

"The Reign of Terror is interesting, but it is a long tale, too long to tell now. And so I will skip it. Let it suffice to say many merfolk died. Finally, however, the rebels, who called themselves 'I'oo' after their leader, Lady Ie'e'ae I'oo, killed Ieoo. Lady Ier'e'ae then took the throne, but chose not to be an emperor, like Ieoo. She called herself a Minister Prima, rechose the Council Members, and changed laws. She gave the merfolk the power to vote for Council Members, and the Council Members voted for a new Minister Prima every ten years."

"Ie'e'ae's laws lasted one thousand years, but then Minister Prima I'io I'oo, Ie'e'ae's descendant, chose to change the laws slightly. He took from the Council the power to change Minister Primas, and decreed that the Minister Prima could only be changed if there was an unanimous vote from the Council, and all the merfolk would choose the next ruler of Merdrom, which would be a king or a queen. If a ruler died, the throne would go to their eldest child, unless the Council elected to end the dynasty, which would take a three-to-one vote for the change."

"And that's how the merfolk are currently ruled. Unfortunately, the Council has again become corrupt, and the current ruler, Queen Ie'e'ae I'oo IV, is not so much a queen as a puppet. I have met her though, and she shows potential; she is still young, barely over fifteen, and so barely old enough to make decisions without permission from the Council."

Dyeldin would have commented on the story, but a mouthful of salt water prevented him from doing so. The group had been very interested in Llwenna's story; they had not noticed the increasing ammount of water.

Filkantis didn't seem too bad. He was wet, to be sure, but he would manage. Iera looked alright, although she seemed upset to find herself waist-deep in water. Llwenna, of course, didn't mind a bit. Kira-Lye, however, was holding up her fiery hair, apparently worried it would go out. Dyeldin was alright at the moment, although if his wings got wet...

And the water level continued to climb.

Several quiet hours later, the group found what was apparently a stop. There was a raised niche, just big enough for the group to sleep in, as well as a tunnel leading off it, which went straight up, revealing the sky. Night had fallen, revealing a bright moon, and thousands of tiny stars. The five fae quickly clammored up into the niche (with the exception of Iera, who somehow climbed gracefully), and lay down, exhausted. They fell asleep almost immediately.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Eyes. Two large, brilliant blue eyes. Framed in heavy silvery lashes. They blinked twice. Only eyes. No face. Two eyes, superimposed on a brilliant clearing, bathed in silvery moonlight. Two eyes. They looked at him. They were knowing, regal eyes. They knew something he didn't.

Something about him.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin yawned. All the others were, as usual, bustling around. Filkantis had just called him a lazy slob. Everything was normal.

He'd just spent a night getting sleep, like any other. A night where he, like all the other draigin, didn't dream. Draigin were imune to dreams.

The first thing Dyeldin noticed (besides the fact Llwenna was looking at him flirtatiously) was that the water had risen. It had risen a lot. Seeing Kira-Lye eye it nervously, Dyeldin said,
"Kira-Lye, I was thinking of flying for a bit. Want me to carry you?"

Kira-Lye said nothing, but gave him a look of immense gratitude.

"Anyone mind if I Shift?" Llwenna asked. Seeing their blank looks, she added, "When I Shift, I go from nymph shape to mermaid shape."
"Good idea," Dyeldin said. "I imagine you'll be able to move easier that way."
"I could probably carry someone," Llwenna commented after she was done shifting.
"Iera or Filkantis?"
"I do not know-"
"I could use magic to transport myself," Iera interupted. "I know a spell which will let me transform into another creature. I could change into a... a fish, or something of the sort."
"Great! And there should be enough water... Alright, Iera, Llwenna, go Shift or Change or whatever. I'd better warm up."

A quarter-hour later, they had left. Dyeldin was flying, carrying Kira-Lye piggy-back. Llwenna had Shifted; her long legs had become a graceful blue tail. Filkantis was sitting on her back, as if Llwenna was a horse. Iera had Changed to a dolphin, or so she claimed; she had the right shape, but she was slimmer, and had purple-tinged skin, and large, blue eyes, framed in heavy silver lashes.

They covered much more ground. The tunnel had been sloping down a bit, as it spanned the ocean floor, and by what they thought was midday, the tunnel had gone up. This should mean the water level would lessen slightly. It had to; at the very middle of the tunnel, the water had nearly reached the ceiling, and Dyeldin had had to swim, as there was only about six inches of water. Kira-Lye's hair had gone out at the end, but she had managed to pile it on top of her head, and most was still intact. She told them that her hair should regrow in a few days, and she didn't look too bad...

About eight hours after the center of the tunnel, the group reached another rest stop. They considered going on, but Llwenna told them they were still a couple hours away from the Palace of the Nine Tides, so they opted to sleep, and arrive the next morning.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

The Eyes. Two deep, brilliant blue eyes. More of a face. Skin the colour of the sky at dusk, still semi-transparent, enabling him to see the clearing. But he could see skin. Perhaps tomorrow night...

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

"Wake up, you lazy slob!" Filkantis yelled. Dyeldin woke up immediately. He would have to remember not to get up when someone called him a lazy slob...

They ate a quick breakfast of meal-food, eager to start the walk and get out of the flooded Tunnel of the Nine Tides.

It was nearly noon (or so they guessed) when they finally saw the end of the tunnel. It was apparently sunny outside. Unfortunately, the end of the tunnel was apparent long before they reached it. About an hour before, in fact.

The group emerged from the tunnel, blinking. It had been so dark in the tunnel, but now they were in a sun-filled courtyard. The walls were marble, the ceiling glass (to let in the light). A large pool filled the center of the room. Little niches in the wall held exotic plants, vases, and other ornaments. It was very... pretty.

A man trotted forward. He was a naiad, his wavy blonde hair cut short, just above his ears. He wore dull green canvas pants, and a heavy wollen emerald-green tunic with a badge over his heart. (The badge had a piece of kelp crossed with a spear, the symbol for house Ioo.) On his feet were polished black boots.

"May I helps you, Masters, Mistresses?" he asked. His voice was deep and comanding.
"Master Yilsh, I have urgent news for Her Majesty," Llwenna said, stepping forward (she'd Shifted back to 'nymph form' right before they left the tunnel). "And it's something you should know too. The Palace of the Shifting Sands has been destroyed. There were no survivors."
"No...? No, that's impossible! It is solid sandstone! It couldn't... No, it is. I see it in your eyes. Lady Illw, might I escort you to Her Majesty?"

The group followed Master Yilsh through the maze that was the Palace of the Nine Tides. The entire palace was made of white marble, with glass ceilings, to let in the sunlight. In every room was at least one pool, presumably so the merfolk could communicate with the naiads. Looking into one of the pools, Dyeldin saw a room below, which greatly resembled the room they were currently in, except that they other room was filled with water. The underwater part of the Palace of the Nine Tides was exactly the same as the above-water part.

After roughly five minutes of walking, they came to a huge door. It was solid gold, beautifully carved.

Master Yilsh quickly told the herald who they were, and what their business was. Nodding, the herald motioned for two strong-looking naiads to open the door.

The room wasn't what Dyeldin expected. Rather than a large, marble room with a glass ceiling, it was a large, marble room with a glass ceiling and a glass floor. The floor was lower than the one outside; there were glass stairs, which brought the group level with the merfolk, who could only breathe water. A strange-looking system of cups and tubes (all glass) was on the wall which separated the Queen of Merdrom from the group.

The herald walked over to the glass tube-system, picked up a glass cup, and said several things in the language of the merfolk. The language was made entirely of vowels, or so Dyeldin gathered. The glass tube-system was apparently a way of communicating. The herald then said their names into the glass. The Queen nodded, and started talking.

The Queen was young, only about fifteen, like Llwenna had said. She had pasty skin, as did all merfolk, who never surfaced, and so never saw the sun. Her hair was dark blonde, almost brown, and woven into an intricate design, which was pinned firmly to her head. Her eyes were steel grey, and large, but determined. She had a long, silvery tail, the same colour as her eyes, and wore a sleeveless silver shirt, which ended just above her belly.

"Ie-oo-ia-ae-io-oo-i?" Queen Ie'e'ae asked.
"I-ii-oo-ai-ei-io," the herald responded respectfully.
"Ie-oo-ia-ae-oo-i-o?"
"Ii-oo-ae-iia-ae," Llwenna said into the glass tube-system. Turning to the group, she added, "I'll translate."

The Queen said something, and Llwenna began translating. "She wants to know why we've come. What our important news is." Llwenna said something. The Queen looked upset. "She's really sad. She grieves for the loss. Now she wants to know how I escaped." Llwenna quickly explained to the Queen. "She want to know how it was destroyed." More strange words. "She says she thanks us for telling her, but if we'll excuse her, she must go prepare her people to face this danger, for it will surely come." The Queen then rose from her throne, everyone bowed, and she left.

A servant (not Master Yilsh) came up to them. "Masters, Mistresses, Lady Illw, if you will follow me, I will take you to your quarters, where you may eat and rest." Without waiting for them to say anything, the servant turned and walked off, the group trailing behind him.

Dyeldin approved of his room. It was apparently designed for draigin; a large window in the ceiling let him out to fly, if he wanted. But he didn't. Not right now. At the moment, he just wanted to get something to eat, and, more importantly, sleep. He kept waking up early... Stupid travelling. Whenever he was out exploring the world, he always had to get up early! It just wasn't fair!

Yawning, Dyeldin lay down on the bed, fully clothed, and fell fast asleep.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Two eyes. And skin. Dusky purple skin. more of the face. A nose. Small, but not unreasonably so. Only small when compared with her large, luminous blue eyes, eyes framed in heavy silvery lashes.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyledin woke up to the oddest sound. A knock on the door, and someone saying politely, "Please wake up, Master Tyrie. Your presence is requested."

Dyeldin was momentarily confused- they didn't call him a lazy slob!- but figured he'd better get up. Blinking, he got up, walked over to the door, and pulled it open.

The knocker was a nymph, a beautiful nymph. She was thin- a good breath of wind would knock her over!- with long white-blonde hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin. She smiled flirtatiously, and said, "Master Tyrie, if you would get ready, the Ambassador wishes to see you." Dyeldin nodded, glanced at a mirror, and, seeing the state of his hair, excused himself for a moment. He quickly ran over to the mirror, used a bottle of Hair Stiffener to make his hair stand up properly, and walked over to the nymph. She looked rather amused (most girls were, when they saw him "fixing his hair"), but didn't comment. "This way, please," she said simply, walking off down the hall.

Dyeldin was lost almost immediately. He never liked palaces. It was too easy to get yourself turned around. Draigins were sensible; their "palaces" were composed of a bunch of treehouses, joined together by rope bridges. Because of the way they were built, the palaces were just straight lines, with the first "story" of each treehouse being more of a hallway, and the second story being the actual room. It only got confusing in the biggest castles, where there were as many as six levels (one level being composed of a single line of bridges and two-story treehouses). But the merfolk apparently liked long, twisting halls and confusing maze-like passages.

Finally, the nymph deposited him at a large marble door. Promising to wait for him, so as to escort him around afterwards, the nymph pointed to the door. Nodding, Dyeldin entered.

Llwenna sat at a desk, writing something. Hearing Dyeldin, she looked up, and, seeing him, she stood up, saying, "Dyeldin! There you are! I have a lot to tell you."

She looked a bit upset. "What is it?" Dyeldin asked. Was she going to start crying again...?
"The merfolk have told me I must go."
"Pardon?"
"I said-"
"I know what you said! What do you mean? Why?"
"They fear I am too close to the... problem. They feel I will be easily... upset, and distracted. They are telling me to take a vacation. A long vacation."
"Oh. Llwenna..."

"It's not fair! I'm alright! There's nothing wrong! I'm just a little upset!" There were tears streaming from her eyes. "Who wouldn't be upset? My home was destroyed, my friends and family are dead, and... and..." She started sobbing. "I-i-it's n-not f-fair! I-I-I w-want t-t-to h-help! I-I'm f-fine!"
"Of course, Llwenna. You have every right to be upset. But maybe if you leave, you could find a way of... um..."
"G-getting revenge?" She hiccuped. "I-I want t-to k-kill that L-Lord Xz-Xzaephare! Th-that st-st-stupid-"
"Of course you do," Dyeldin cut in. "I'll help. But how can you get revenge if you're here? If you go out into the world, maybe... Maybe you'll find out something about him, and... I dunno, but I'm sure it'll work out." He could see why the merfolk wanted Llwenna to take a long vacation.
"B-b-b-but..." Llwenna could barely speak through her tears.
"It'll work out. Really. Now, why don't you... sleep on it. Get some ideas of what you'll do."
"W-will you... help me, D-Dyeldin?"
"Of course. Now, get some sleep."

Dyeldin hurredly left the room, before Llwenna could start sobbing again.

The nymph was waiting outside Llwenna's room, as promised. "I heard her. I think the merfolk are right, you know."
"So do I," agreed Dyeldin. Searching his brain for something else to talk about (such as flirting), he said, "So, what's your name?"
"I am Ilina," the nymph replied.
"Well, Lady Ilina, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Ilina giggled. "I'm no lady, and the merfolk would be shocked if they heard you!"
"Do you see any merfolk?"
"Well, I... No, actually, I don't." She giggled again.
"So they'll never know."
"I suppose. So, Lord Tyrie-"
"Just Dyeldin."
"Very well. Lord Dyeldin, where would you like to go? I could take you back to your room, or perhaps show you around the castle, or...?"
"Hmm. I suppose you could show me..."

Dyeldin was looking foward to the rest of the afternoon. Alone, with a beautiful nymph named Ilina, who would love to show him around...

That evening, there was a large banquet, in honour of "the deceased". Dyeldin found that his clothes had been cleaned (But by whom? He had been with Ilina all afternoon!), so Dyeldin got dressed in his best clothes: a white lacy shirt, lacy white knee-length blue breeches, a blue tailcoat with gold buttons, a huge, lacy cravatte, and a beautiful belt, with embossed pictures of birds on it. His hair had gotten flattened that afternoon, due to... circumstances, so he had to destroy it again.

Ilina was waiting patiently at his door. Dyeldin noticed that her hair looked a bit messier than it had when he'd left Llwenna's room. She also looked gigglier. Was gigglier even a word? Dyeldin wasn't sure...

Dyeldin mentally shook himself. He was being silly. He had better things to think about than whether or not gigglier was a word. He had to remember how to act in court. It had been a while. This could be interesting.

This could be fun.

Dyeldin got to the banquet hall about ten minutes earlier than he had to. That was good. He had time to practice.

He was pounced upon by a female almost momentarily, as he knew he would. For some reason Dyeldin had been unable to fathom, women found male draigin attractive. Perhaps it was that draigin usually spoke in a more cultured manner, or that they were fancier clothes than the other species. Dyeldin had never seen a watyr fae in lace.

The female summoned her friends (how, Dyeldin wasn't sure, as she hadn't even turned towards them), and the girls all crowded around Dyeldin, asking him a thousand questions. "One at a time, please, ladies!" Dyeldin protested.
"What's your name, my lord?" one naiad asked.
"Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin," he replied.
"How long will you be staying here?"
"I have no idea."
"How old are you?"
"Eighty-three."
"I though draigin had white hair. Why do you have black streaks at your temples."
"Too much stress."
"Will you dance with me?
"Maybe later."

All the others immediately worked out his dancing schedule.

Dyeldin finally escaped, and sat down at his place at table, feeling confident. It was easy to speak like a cultured draigin. All he needed was practice.

More people were arriving, and sitting down at the table. It was a large table. Very large. It could easily sit a hundred fae. Seeing the number of people in the room, Dyeldin understood why it was so big.

Someone sat down beside Dyeldin. Turning to face them, Dyeldin found himself looking at a beautiful female draigin. She had hair as white as snow, and grey eyes. She was probably in her late seventies. Her hair was a cascade of ringlettes falling down her back. Her form-fitting, sleeveless dress was silver, with white lace sleeves, and lace covering the bottom. Dyeldin couldn't see, but he imagined the lace sash was tied in a large bow at her back.

"By the wind and the sky, pleased, friend, I am to see you," she said in Draigallian, the language of the draigin.
"Likewise, pleased, friend, I am to see you," Dyeldin said, returning the traditional greeting.
"Ryelnon Ligno, I am called. Called what are you?"
"Dyeldin Tyrie, they call me. Dyeldin is the name of my friends' use."
"Friends I wish us to be. Therefore, call me Ryelnon you must."
"Why here are you?"
"Ambassador, I am. And why here are you?"
"Come with the Naidian Ambassador, I did. And come too I with a human, a Kitch-Resh, and a Failine."
"Exciting, your life must be."
"Sometimes, I disagree with you can not. But now, disagree I must, for horrid was our travelling."
"See the Ruins of Shifting Sands, you did?"
"Alas, so did I. My heart did bleed, say I must."
"A trajedy, it is. But good of it will come, perhaps."
"How figure you this?"
"The danger, we now know. Prepare we now, for danger now comes. If destroyed the Palace of the Shifting Sands was not, know not we of the danger."
"True, that is, yet wish I that knowledge lives payed not for."
"Agree I do."

Their conversation was then momentarily interupted by the arrival of dinner. As was the custom for draigin, they spoke of nothing unpleasant while eating (it is believed among the draigin that speaking of unpleasant things during dinner will upset the stomach). Ryelnon had recently be to Draigall, the home of the draigin, and updated Dyeldin on the latest news.

"Throw many parties, the chieftain does," she told Dyeldin during one of the soup courses. "Wasting the money, he is. Learn more responsibility, he must."
"Young he is. Seventy-two, only- Yes?" he asked a servant who had come up to him.
"My mistress sent me. She wishes for me to inform you that she will be leaving very early tomorrow morning, and-"
"Who is your mistress?"
"The Lady Illw. As I was saying, she shall leave early tomorrow, and therefore suggests you do not linger here too long."
"Yeah, yeah, I guess I'll leave early. Thanks for the message." The servant left, and Dyeldin turned back to Ryelnon. "Wrong, something is?"
"Like humans you do speak," she said slowly. "This is why?"
"Live I did among humans for years. Learn their ways, I did."
"Comfortable around draigin you shall be no more, I fear. I see this already, and meet we did a short while ago."
"Perhaps, but ways can be relearned, which do I will."
"... Perhaps."

The dinner ended far too soon for Dyeldin's liking. Figuring he still had a little while, he stayed for a few dances. And a few more. There were some male draigin here, and one of them invited Dyeldin to his room for a few drinks. Dyeldin, looking at a clock, figured he had about an hour, and accepted. He stayed a bit later than expected, but wasn't completely drunk, and managed to make it back to his room...

He was awoken (bright and early) by Ilina, who, thankfully, didn't call him a lazy slob. Instead, she called, "My Lord Dyeldin? Are you awake?"

Hearing the voice of a beautiful young woman, Dyeldin woke almost immediately. "Yes, my lady," he said, opening his door and bowing low. She giggled.
"Lady Illw has sent me to make sure you're awake, as she intends to leave within the hour. You are to accompany her?"
"Alas, I must," Dyeldin said melodramatically. "Terrible, I know, but I fear the Lady Illw needs accompanying. Do not worry, I shall return with all due speed!"
Ilina sighed. "I suppose she does need her friends. Well, you ought to hurry. You shouldn't keep her waiting!" Dyeldin nodded, and shut his door.

It didn't take long for him to get ready. He had to change (he'd gone to bed in his clothes), mess his hair, and get on his weapons. His clothes had not yet been unpacked. Finding a bottle of kill-pain pills in his bag, he took one, hoping to ease the pounding in his skull. That done, Dyeldin gathered his things and went to find Llwenna.

Ilina showed him to Llwenna's room, clearly distraught over seeing him go. Dyeldin shrugged. It was probably better for her that he went. Nymphs had short life-spans, even shorter than humans. She would only live to be about fourty. Considering she was probably about ten (nymphs aged quickly), she didn't have much time left.

Llwenna was sitting at her dresser, brushing her long, silky, golden hair. Seeing Dyeldin, she quickly pulled the sides back in a half horse-tail, held together with a comb made of a creamy shell. She then picked up her bags (she had a few more than Dyeldin), she nodded to him, and walked out the door. She looked like she had been crying.

Kira-Lye had just arrived at Llwenna's room. She had somehow pulled her hair back in a long horse-tail (how, Dyeldin wasn't sure, as her hair was burning as brightly as ever). She still wore the clothes of the Gai’sho Té. Belted to her side was her sword, gleaming in the light. She said hello to Llwenna and Filkantis, who had just arrived, talking to his bag (or his mother). She ignored Dyeldin. Dyeldin wasn't quite sure what he'd done, but past experience proclaimed that if a woman wasn't talking to him, it was something he'd done. He'd have to figure it out.

Iera was the last to arrive. She looked beautiful in a silken lilac dress. Now that he thought of it, Dyeldin didn't think he'd seen her last night. Strange. She seemed like the type to fit right in during parties. Maybe she was tired...

"Well, shall we be off?" Llwenna asked. They nodded. Llwenna turned and walked off, leaving the others to trail behind her.

Dyeldin barely noticed the magnificent marble arches and brilliantly lit pools. He was concentrating on Iera. She walked regally, ignoring everyone, as if they were beneathe her. Maybe she was a Failine of some importance. That would explain her attitude. That would also explain her indifference to the group; Failine traditionally withdrew themselves from the world, preferring mediation to communication, silence to laughter.

Rather than take them through the waterlogged tunnel, Llwenna led them to a dock, telling them that the merfolk had graciously provided it, in hope of keeping them from getting wet. Dyeldin was very grateful. His wings didn't work as well when wet. Kira-Lye also looked thankful. Her hair had grown back, but...

It took only a day to reach land by boat. That could be because of Llwenna's sailing abilties- or it could be because Dyeldin, a Wynd Fae, had wanted to reach the shore quickly. Either way, they returned to dry land swiftly. Leaving their boat at a small marina, they headed off for the local inn.

This was a small town, about twice as big as Killsfield. It was also fairly close to Killsfield, and the citizens of Dyeldin's old home sometimes came here to hear the news. Thus, Dyeldin knew where the inn was, and, as he knew the innkeeper, he managed to get them a decent rate to stay the night.

Dyeldin put his and Filkantis's stuff (and Filkantis) in the room the two were sharing, and went down to the common room for dinner. Kira-Lye later joined him, but none of the others did. To his dismay, Kira-Lye preferred to eat in silence, rather than talk.

After dinner, Dyeldin sat back in his chair, looking at all the people. There were a few villagers, who gathered here every night. There were also several merchants, some which he knew, some which he didn't. There was a human who was clearly not a villager; he had the look of a mercenary, and the 'respectable people' avoided him. Other than him and the merchants, there were no travellers.

Suddenly, the door opened, emitting a gust of wind into the room. Everyone looked up from their ales and card games to see a cloaked person, about the height of a small aerth fae. Seeing none of the distinguishing features of any other fae (the fae had no wings, no horn, no tail, and wore pants, not robes), the people went back to what they had been doing. Dyeldin, bored, continued to watch them.

The innkeeper, a round, jolly man, went over to the newcomer and asked if he could help them. Apparently the person only wanted a bed for the night. Gold exchanged hands, the innkeeper went back to the kitchen, and the newcomer looked around for a seat.

The only seat available was one near Dyeldin (Kira-Lye had left some five minutes before), so the newcomer walked over. Dyeldin was hidden in the shadows (he had lucked out, and gotten the table in the dark corner), so the newcomer couldn't see him until they had reached the table.

"Dyeldin?" the newcomer- a woman- asked, surprised.

It took Dyeldin a few seconds to recognize the voice. "Halina? Is that you?"
"Aye, it is. What are you doing here?"
"Your parents kicked me out."
"I heard about that. But why haven't you travelled farther?"
"I was escorting a naiad home. The Palace of the Shifting Sands had been destroyed-"
"The Palace of the...?"
"The Naiad Palace. Anyway, it had been destroyed, so we travelled along the Tunnel of the Nine Tides-"
"You travelled along the Tunnel?"
"Yeah, and they we got to the Palace of the Nine Tides, and Llwenna was really upset, so the merfolk asked us to leave, so Llwenna wouldn't disturb anyone, and so she could grieve and all, so we came here."
"Wow! Dyeldin, you seem to have travelled everywhere!" By this point, she'd removed her hooded cloak.
"Well, I am an adventurer. So why are you here?"
"Do you know Restof Lilintyre?"
"Uh... He's the innkeeper's son, right?"
"Yes. Mother wants me to marry him. I told her no. So she sent me here, to meet him, in the hopes that I will consent."
"That's awful!"
"It wouldn't be a problem if my boyfriend had returned my love!"
"Not this again! Look, Halina, we've been over this! I'm eighty-three! Much too old for you! And anyway, I have things to do. We're really different-"
"Excuses! We aren't that different!"
"Yes, we are. I'm a draigin!"
"So? It doesn't- Who is that?"

Dyeldin looked to the direction Halina was pointing. She was pointing to a handsome young human male who had just emerged from the kitchen.
"That's Restof Lilintyre."
"Oh! If you'll excuse me, Dyeldin..." Halina hurried over. Dyeldin was no expert on such things, but he thought she had fallen in love. Or at least lust.

Good! That's keep her off my tale, he thought to himself. He was a bit upset, though. He supposed he'd gotten used to her obsession...

Shrugging- she was better off like this- Dyeldin went to his room.

Bright and disgustingly early the next morning, Dyeldin woke to the words, "Get up you lazy slob!" Today, the shouter was Llwenna. She looked extremly amused.
"Filkantis says it's the best way to wake you up," she explained. "Now hurry! We have a lot to do!"
"But we don't even..." Llwenna was gone.

Dyeldin sighed and got up. Much to his dismay, his hair refused to stand up. But he was stubborn, and nothing would stand in his way. Fifteen minutes and half a bottle of hair-stiffener later, he was ready.

When he got to the common room, Llwenna looked at him strangely. Or rather, she looked at his hair strangely. Why didn't women like his hair? Maybe it was because it was so different than the other draigin; male draigin generally had their hair in neat horse-tails, complete with ringlettes. Dyeldin thought his style was better. And it took less time. Usually.

Filkantis was happily chatting to a chair. That was good; he wasn't going to disturb anyone for a while. Llwenna was sitting at a table, quickly eating her breakfast. Kira-Lye and Iera were no where to be seen.

Halina came over as Dyeldin sat down at the table. "There you are. I'm surprised you're awake at this hour."
"Yeah, well, Filkantis and Llwenna decided to take a leaf out of Yula's book," he said, grinning. "I am doomed to be called a lazy slob forever more."
"That's because you are a lazy slob."
"True. So, what was Restof like?"
"He's nice and funny and charming and..." Halina sighed dreamily. "He's so handsome!"
"So you'll leave me alone?"
"Don't worry, you'll always be my love."
"Damn! Well, I guess I can't have everything." Dyeldin grinned. Surprisingly, so did Halina.

"Mistress Halina?" a deep voice called from the kitchen. It was Restof.
"Yes?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes.
"Would you like me to... show you around, or something?" The fool was clearly smitten with her. "I could show you all the attractions, or maybe I could... I dunno. Something."
"I would be delighted," Halina assured him. Restof looked estatic. "I'll be there in a moment!" Halina turned back to Dyeldin. "I'll be seeing you sometime, then?"
Dyeldin nodded. "Yeah, hopefully. Bye, Halina."
"Goodbye, Dyeldin of the Draigin."

Halina hurried over to Restof, looking beautiful as always. Dyeldin almost pitied the man. He had to deal with Halina. But better him than Dyeldin.

"Shall we be off?" Llwenna asked. She looked ready to go.
"Where are Iera and Kira-Lye?"
"Kira was up early, and she's outside. I don't know where Iera is. The room to her door was locked."
"Well, I still have to eat. When I'm done, then we can leave. Not before. Got that?"
"But... the hythe..."
"Don't worry. They won't go anywhere."

Dyeldin quickly ordered a bowl of some mush the serving girl called poridge. It was definately mush. Not really food. Digging in, Dyeldin found that it tasted as bad as it looked. Looking up- perhaps it wouldn't taste bad if he couldn't see it- he was surprised to find Iera sitting at the table.
"Hello, Iera," he said, recovering from his shock.
"Hello, Dyeldin. I trust you slept well?"
"Yeah. And you?"
"I did."
"Why don't you order something to eat?"
"I am not hungry."
"Ok, but you will be later."
"Perhaps. Dyeldin, I thought I should tell you, you are in danger."
"Really? Aren't we all?"
"You are in worse danger than others."
"What d'ya mean?"
"The Hythe. They do not yet know you, but Lord Xzaephare does. He does not know when you will find him, but he knows you will, and he knows you will try to kill him."
"Huh? How do you know...?"
"Because... It does not matter. I only know that the world will perish if you do not kill him, and-"
"Dyeldin! Are you done yet?" Llwenna called from the stairs.
"Just a moment, I'm talking to-" Dyeldin noticed Iera standing beside Llwenna. He turned to look where she had been sitting moments before.

The chair was empty.

"Yeah, I'm ready," he said. There was something odd about Iera...

He would figure it out.

They walked all day. They didn't even stop for lunch; they ate it while walking. They continued to walk when dusk fell. They just kept walking and walking and walking. Finally, Dyeldin had had enough.

"Llwenna, we can't reach the capital today! It's impossible! And we have to stop for rest!"
"But... We're so close-"
"No we aren't, and you know it! Now, we're going to stop here. Not stop in two hours. Stop now."
"But... We can't... We must-" Llwenna yawned.
"You're as tired as the rest of us. So let's stop now. Sound good everyone?"

Everyone nodded. Except Kira-Lye.
"I don't think... We are in Gai’sho Té territory. If they find us..."
"What's the problem with that? They usually ignore travellers."
"Yes, but... I don't think we should stop anywhere so open."

Dyeldin looked around. They were in the middle of the forest. He couldn't see more than five feet away, the forest was so thick.
"I don't think that's a problem. They won't see us. So what is it?"
"Nothing. I suppose, if we're quiet-"

Something clicked in Dyeldin's brain. "The Gai’sho Té don't like you, do they? Is it your clothes? They look like the clothes of a Gai’sho Té-"

Kira-Lye's stoic expression wavered, showing something else: fear. "They don't like me, but it's... something else. It doesn't matter. I just don't want to meet them..."
"Right, I get that. But they won't find us here. We're hidden."
"If you're sure..." Kira-Lye's stoic expression returned.

They set up camp, not starting a fire, as they didn't want to worry Kira-Lye. Dyeldin wished the Kitch-Resh would just tell them what was wrong. Maybe she was Gai’sho Té, but had a disagreement with them or something. That could be it...

Dyeldin slept.

And dreamed of a dusky purple face, with large blue eyes and silvery lashes.

Dyeldin didn't remember the dream of course, but not because he was meant to forget. He would have forgotten it if he was meant to remember.

Anyone would if they were to wake to a spear point digging into their throat.

Standing over him was a Gai’sho Té. She had long, wavy blonde hair (naiad blood, he guessed) that was tied in a horse-tail, reaching to her waist, but was clearly human. Her eyes were the color of cold steel. Her skin was tanned and weathered. She wore clothes similar to those of Kira-Lye, but in steel and black; a black leather shirt, which was sleeveless and didn't cover her belly, black leather breaches, steel plates coming off the bottom of her shirt to protect her belly, and stell plates coming from the top of her breaches, making a knee-length skirt. On her feet were knee-high black leather boots. Her belt was black leather with a steel buckle. She definately had a colour theme.

She had a long, fourteen-foot spear in on hand, the tip of it biting into Dyeldin's neck. Strung across her back was a huge sword, plain but well-made. She had the same expression (or lack thereof) that Kira-Lye had.

"Who are you, and what is your business?" she asked quietly.
"I am Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, Lady Gai’sho Té, and-"
"Who are these?"
"My companions. We are on our way to find the Hythe."
"And why do you seek Daemons?"
"They have destroyed the Palace of the Shifting Sands."
"So have I heard. Why do you search for the Hythe?"
"We are after revenge?"

The Gai’sho Té thought this over for a moment. At last she said, "I always thought the long-lived races thought things through. If I were a human, and not Gai’sho Té, I believe I would regret to find I am wrong. As it is, I find myself mistaken. Perhaps meditation shall clear my mind. But not now. Now I must decide what to do with you."
"Why? Aren't travellers supposed to be safe when they pass through Gai’sho Té lands?"
"Most travellers. But one of your... companions makes things different."
"Ok... I guess."

The Gai’sho Té removed her spear point from Dyeldin's neck. Getting up, he noticed that the others had been enduring similar problems. Except for Kira-Lye. It seemd that none of the Gai’sho Té would go near her.

Strange, that. The Gai’sho Té afraid to go near someone?

"I am Ketalissa, First Master of the Gai’sho Té," the woman introduced herself. "These are my companions, other Gai’sho Té. And what are your companions' names?"
"That's Llwenna Illw of the Naiads, Filkantis of the Humans, Kira-Lye of the Kitch-Resh, and Iera... Iera of the Failine."
"Iera...?" Ketalissa walked over. She stared intently for a moment. Then she gasped. "Is that you, Ierala-"
"Just Iera, Lissa."
"I thought you were... Oh!" A look of understanding came over Ketalissa's face. "You are, and these... I see. Well, this changes everything." Turning to the Gai’sho Té, Ketalissa said, "I know this woman. She is a friend. The Calm is telling me I should let these travellers go." The Gai’sho Té nodded.

Dyeldin was confused. "Huh? What's going on?"
"You may go, Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin. As may your companions, Filkantis, Llwenna, and Iera- Iera."
"And what about Kira-Lye?"
"I do not know who you speak of. I see no other."

Then she and her Gai’sho Té stepped back, and disappeared into the shadows.

Dyeldin looked at Kira-Lye. "What's going on? Why didn't she see you? I don't get it."
"It does not matter. We have leave to go. We should continue on. We have much walking to do." Kira-Lye then turned and walked off. Llwenna looked surprised for a moment, but shrugged, and hurried after. Filkantis went next, discussing the Gai’sho Té with a tree.

This left Iera and Dyeldin.

Dyeldin turned to Iera. "While we walk, we have to talk about something."
"Very well."
"Now, I know you've been talking a lot to me recently, but the moment I look away, you're gone, and there's proof you've been elsewhere. How?"
"The how is not important."
"Ok then, why?"
"You have been chosen, Dyeldin. You must complete a task. And I must see that you complete it."
"What task is this, and who chose me?"
"I did."
"Dyeldin! Taking lessons from Filkantis, are you?"

Dyeldin didn't even bother to tell Llwenna he was talking to Iera. He knew she wasn't beside him anymore.

The group walked all day, and long into the night. Dyeldin tried to talk to Iera several more times, but she always vanished. It was very annoying. And it was always like she hadn't been there. He remembered talking to her, but... How did she do it?

It bothered him all day, and into the night. And it kept him awake when everyone else slept.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Two eyes. Beautiful, blue, deep as eternity. Long, silvery lashes. A face, purple like dusk. Beautiful. Beyond compare. But recognized. Seen somewhere else... Somewhere...

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin yawned. Those words. "Get up you lazy slob!" They had woken him up again today. Kira-Lye had said them today. If Iera ever said them...

It didn't matter if Iera said them. He didn't care. Why would he care? She was just a Failine. A rather confusing Failine. He didn't like her more or less than anyone else. But if she said them, that would make everyone... It didn't matter. She would. He knew it.

As they walked, Iera told them about their destination. They would arrive in two to three days. They were headed for the Presidio of Diablerie, the stronghold where Lord Xzaephare lived.. It was made of black marble, and home of the largest temple to the Goddess of Chaos. Most of the citizens were Daemons. The High Priest of Chaos ruled the Presidio of Diablerie, with the help of a council, called the Kystorotch. The Kystorotch was made of ten Daemons, five men and five women, who voted on matters of the city. If there was a tie, the High Priest was called to vote. Otherwise, the High Priest had very little to do with running the city, although he could overrule the Kystorotch if he so chose. In days long past, the members of the Kystoroch were chosen by the High Priest, who was told in his dreams who to choose by the Goddess of Chaos. Nowadays, however, becoming a member of the Kystorotch had less to do with dreams and more to do with money and connections. It was rumoured that Lord Xzaephare was going back to the old ways, though. Perhaps that was a good thing.

On the other hand, now the Daemons payed more attention to money than anything else, while in the old days, they spent all their time fighting and killing Fae.

They walked for two days. At dusk on the second day, they could see the city, but it was still several hours away. Iera suggested they wait until daylight to enter, and they all agreed. No Fae would be out where Daemons could get them at night.

"We ought to have some kind of sentry duty," Dyeldin commented. All nodded. "Two at a time? I'll go first."
"I'll watch with you," Kira-Lye vollunteered. Iera and Llwenna vollunteered for second watch. Dyeldin nodded.
"Everybody else, get some sleep."

Dyeldin and Kira-Lye sat in silence for some time. Finally, when everyone else was asleep, Dyeldin said, "I don't suppose you'll tell me why the Gai’sho Té hate you."
"They do not hate me."
"Of course. They can't hate you, because you don't exist. What's up with that?"
"Nothing."
"Uh-huh. Well, it's your business, but I'd like to know if it's going to get us in trouble later."
"There will be no trouble."

They sat in silence for several minutes.
"Maybe you will reveal your secrets?" Kira-Lye asked. "Why have you been immitating Filkantis? Why have you been talking to nothing?"
"It probably sounds crazy, but I've been talking to Iera. And I remember talking to her, but... It doesn't make sense. And it's kinda weird, 'cause I can also remember walking and not talking to Iera. It's like I've lived that one place in time twice, and I talked to her once, but... It just doesn't make sence."
"Perhaps Iera has the power to command time."
"Huh?"
"Perhaps you are living that spot in time twice. Maybe she talks to you, then goes back in time and doesn't talk to you."
"But then how would I remember?"
"I... don't know."
"Kira-Lye, it's a lovely theory, but something doesn't work out."
"Indeed. I suppose she might tell you someday."

They sat in silence for several more minutes. Then,
"Dyeldin, you can call me just Kira."
"Uh... Ok." Dyeldin could think of several things to think about, but that topic was rather... random.
"A Kitch-Resh is known by only their first name only by those they deem close friends."
"So you're saying we're friends?"
"I think we are. You helped me, for no reason other than I... needed help. I am very grateful."
"It was nothing."
"You can say that if you like, but it wasn't nothing. If our places had been reversed, I don't think I would have helped you."
"You're just saying that. I'm sure that if our places were reversed, you would've done the same as me."
"I don't think so."

Several more minutes. It was getting late. Dyeldin was getting sleepy. Kira yawned.

"Perhaps talking will keep us awake," Dyeldin suggested.
"Perhaps. What should we talk about?"
"Um... What'll we do after we get rid of Lord Xzaephare?"
"I do not know."
"Will you go to Kitch-Resh Mountain?"
"No."
"Why not? What do you have against it?"
"I... The same reason the Gai’sho Té... do not see me." Kira's voice sounded odd. She sounded very upset.
"Ok... So the Gai’sho Té don't like you, the Kitch-Resh don't like you... Wow, your life sucks!"
"Indeed."
"Hmm... Well, you should go find somewhere else to live. Maybe some other race will take you in."
"I doubt it. The other Fyre Fae dislike Kitch-Resh."
"What about some other Fae?"
"I couldn't possibly live with Watyr Fae, the Silins Fae wouldn't allow me to live with them, and I have tried living with Aerth Fae. They didn't like me."
"Why not?"
"I am a sell-sword. They don't believe there's honour in that."
"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. What about the Wynd Fae?"
"I doubt they would like me."
"Oh come on! The draigin would like you! The draigin are travellers, most people think we're less-than-honourable, so we don't judge others, and... I'm sure it would work out."
"Perhaps. But I think I simply have no home."

Several long minutes passed.
"So, Kira, why did you come with us?"
"Pardon?"
"Why did you come with us? You didn't have to. We went to the merfolk palace, and we're going to do all sorts of crazy stuff. You don't have to come, you know."
"I should go with you now. It would be... dishonourable not to."
"I suppose. But why did you come with us in the first place?"
"I... I felt I... I suppose I..."
"Can't think why?"
"Um... No, actually, I don't know why. Perhaps my honour would not let me abandon someone who had saved my life. That must be why. I owe you what the Kitch-Resh call a Gai'Të Mis, a Debt of the Life."
"Meaning?"
"I am honour-bound to travel with you until I have repayed the Debt, that is, until I have saved your life."
"But... what if my life never needs saving?"
"Then my decendants are bound to your decendants."
"Oh."

Dyeldin thought about that for a while. Something was odd. Something didn't fit. Kira said it was a Debt, but... He couldn't see her face very well, but when she didn't know why she was following him, her hair had intensified, as if it were... blushing.

Was there something she wasn't telling him?

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Silence. Complete, utter quiet. Two eyelids, framed with heavy, silvery lashes. They blinked twice. The irises were a deep blue. Again, they blinked. A dusky-purple face, surrounded with flowing silvery hair, a main of it, cascading down her back. Again, the eyes blinked.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

"Dyeldin! Wake up, you... What was it?"
"Lazy slob."
"Dyeldin, wake up, you lazy slob!"

Dyeldin groaned. Filkantis had said it, Kira had said it, Llwenna had said it... Tomorrow, Iera would say it. He could feel it.

"I thought you said it woke him up!"
"He groaned. He's awake."
"He's taking his sweat time about it! We could have reached our destination by now!"
"Don't ya worry, Llwenna. It'll work. Just wait."
"I'm waiting."
"Ok... Dyeldin, get up!"

Dyeldin sat up with a yawn. Curse Filkantis; he knew Dyeldin too well. It wasn't fair!

"We're going now!" Llwenna informed him. Dyeldin looked at her sleepily.
"I haven't eaten yet."
"Too bad. You shouldn't have slept in. Let's go."

They set off. Iera was leading, walking sedately and imperiously. Were all Silins Fae that... aloof? Then was Llwenna, looking very determined. Foolishs girl. Next was Filkantis, chatting with someone only he could see. Dyeldin was fourth, stumbling along as best as he could; he was not quite awake yet. Last came Kira, keeping a sharp eye out, the very picture of rear guard.

They walked all morning. If Dyeldin hadn't insisted, they wouldn't have stopped for lunch. After lunch, they started up again. Around mid-afternoon, Dyeldin gave up stumbling and started flying.

When he finally landed, he faced the disapproving glares of his companions. He looked at the curiously. What had he done now?

"What did I do?"
"Flying?" Llwenna asked.
"Uh... Yeah? Is there something wrong with...?"
"Is there something wrong? Is there something wrong?" Llwenna's voice rose an octave. "Flying over us, moving so fast you had to keep coming back... We could be there already!"
"But you lot can't fly..." Apparently it was the wrong thing to say.
"But you can! And you can cary someone! I know you can! You could have carried us, one by one, to our destination... I can't believe it!" She then stomped off.
"Someone could have seen you," Kira said calmly. "Be more careful next time." Then she hurried off after Llwenna.
"My sister says she could see you a mile away!" Filkantis informed Dyeldin. The draigin smiled.
"Tell her I'll be more careful next time." Filkantis nodded and hurried off to chat with a rock.

Dyeldin looked at Iera. She still looked grave and aloof, but her eyes were twinkling.

"You gonna lecture me too?" Dyeldin asked her.
"I believe you have been lectured enough," she said calmly, but Dyeldin had the feeling she was laughing inside. "And of course, flying is highly entertaining," she added, taking Dyeldin by surprise.
"You've flown before? How?"
"A draigin I once knew often took me flying," she explained. Dyeldin was... astonished. A Silins Fae that spoke with species' not her own... The world was upside down.

"Dyeldin! Get over here! Help me convince Llwenna she needs to sleep!" yelled Kira. Dyeldin sighed.
"Shall we- Iera?" She wasn't there. Where had she gone... There she was, across the clearing... How odd. He knew she'd been here! But there were no footprints in the dewy grass...

He was getting very confused.

It didn't take long to convince Llwenna that they needed to stop for the night. That settled, Dyeldin started sorting out who got what watch. His was second. Drat. It would be cold... Kira volunteered to be his partner, which he found a little odd. Maybe it had something to do with that guy-tay-mees thingy. Kitch-Resh were strange folk.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

The wind rippled through the moonlit clearing, making small waves in the thick grass. All was silent. A woman stood there. She turned to him, her deep sapphire eyes blinking once... Twice... Long heavy silver lashes, matching opalesent wavy hair... A single, curled crystal horn, jutting up above two perfect silvery brows...

"Dyeldin," she said softly.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin had the weirdest feeling. Like he'd just seen something important... He dismissed the feeling. Stupid feeling. Besides, he had second watch. He had to pay attention.

Kira was silent, saying nothing during the watch. Dyeldin nearly fell asleep several times. It was so quiet. Silent...

"Wake up, you lazy slob."

Dyeldin woke up. Immediately. Those words... He'd never thought he'd hear them coming from Iera. He stared at her incredulously.

"Yes?" she asked. Her voice was completely emotionless, but her eyes danced.
"You... You called me..."
"Yes I did. Now get up!"

Women could be downright confusing at times.

"We'll be there 'round lunch- Oh, hello, Dyeldin. Why are you up?" Kira looked rather surprised.
"I... I..." Seeing Iera sitting there, looking so calm... She had been there all along. He knew it. "I got hungry," he said instead."
"So something can wake you up. There's some food over there." She gestured to a small pot. Dyeldin looked in curiously. "It's just porridge. It won't kill you." Dubious- how could people eat food all mashed up like that?- Dyeldin dished some into a bowl.

"So, what're you talking about?" he asked them, sitting down.
"Our plans," Llwenna replied. "Kira says that we should reach our destination by noon."
"Yeah, I guess we're that close... Dammit."
"What is the matter?"
"I was hoping to avoid the fighting."
"You should've listened to me, boy!" Filkantis said suddenly. "I told you, didn't I? I said that if we protected Kira and Llwenna, we'd meet up with a Silins Fae and get caught up in the fighting! And you didn't believe me! I hope you feel like a fool now!"
"Oh yeah..." Dyeldin was perplexed. How on Seond...? "I guess you were right, Filkantis. Some day you'll have to tell me how you do it."
"Do what?"
"How you can predict things so accurately."
"I just see the future, that's all. Don't worry, boy; only a few are as special as me."
"Yeah..." Everone was raising their eyebrows sceptically- except for Iera, of course; she never looked anything but calm. "Well, I think I'm done breakfast. Shall we be off?"
"But Dyeldin... You haven't started..." Kira protested. Dyeldin looked at the mush guiltily.
"Don't worry; I'll be fine."

They set off, in the same order they'd been walking in the day before, except that today Llwenna was leading, walking much faster, something Dyeldin hadn't previously thought possible.

They were mostly quiet. No one wanted to talk when they were so close to the center of Daemon power. It was said that the hythe's powers of diablerie enabled them to hear human thoughts.

And then, just a little before noon, they arrived.

The Presidio of Diablerie, Home to Xzaephare, Lord of the Hythe and High Priest of the Goddess of Chaos, was a grand sight. Thousands of small black buildings and hundreds more of onyx towers made the groups stop and gape. The city was on the sea, and should have been breath-takingly beautiful, glistening in the sun as it was. It was beautiful, but in an iniquitous, evil way. The sight sent shivers down Dyeldin's spine.

"So... Shall we?" he asked after several minutes. The others looked at each other, and nodded slowly- except for Iera, of course, who looked completely unfazed. How could she look so calm? Even Kira looked shaken!

Fae frequently came to stay (and sometimes live) in the Presidio of Diablerie, so getting in probably wouldn't prove too much of a challenge. It would be getting close to Lord Xzaephare that would be difficult. And getting Iera in; she was a Failine, one of the species that Lord Xzaephare wanted to extinguish. Fikantis was a human, and humans were easily suceptable to influence, so no one would think twice of him following the Paths of Chaos. Kira was a sell-sword, and there were many naiad temptresses, so Kira and Llwenna would be able to get in easily. Draigin were prone to travelling, and no one ever thought much of them anyway, so Dyeldin was good. But Iera...

Iera looked... different. One moment she had looked like a failine, with dusky-purple skin, a silvery mane of hair, liquid blue eyes, and a crystaline horn, and the next moment... She was a large bird (Dyeldin wasn't sure what species) with dusky-purple feathers on her body, silvery tailfeathers and headplumes, liquid blue eyes, and a crystaline beak. Interesting...

There was nothing left to do but enter the city.

"Halt!" called out one of the gate-guards, a rather nasty looking Hythe. He was also apparently rather important; his midnight-blue skin was decorated with many black tattoos, which Dyeldin knew were a sign of status amoung the Hythe. Lovely. Dyeldin and his group halted.

"Hello," Dyeldin said politely. One of the first things he'd learned: Never anger a Hythe.
"Hello, Sir," the Hythe returned. "What is your business here?"
"I came to visit," Dyeldin replied. "I'd heard that the Presidio of Diablerie was a fascinating place."
"And your companions?"
"The Naiad is my girlfriend, the Human is a good friend of mine, Kitch-Resh is a sell-sword whom I hired to protect us," Dyeldin said smoothly, thanking everything that was good that he'd had the sense to come up with a story during the walk."
"And the bird?"
"My pet," Dyeldin answered dismissively. "I won her in a game of poker a few months back."
"Alright. Do the increased number in visitors, I would like to ask that your friends and yourself leave within a week so as to keep the Presidio of Diablerie as uncrowded as possible."
"Will do," Dyeldin promised as they went inside.

"Your girlfriend?" Llwenna asked as soon as they were out of earshot.
"I had to tell him something," Dyeldin pointed out. "Would you rather I'd said you're my courtesan?"
"But still..."
"Be quiet, Llwenna. He might be able to hear us," Kira interrupted. "Dyeldin came up with a good story, and that's that. If he hadn't, we might not have been able to get in, and then you might never have gotten your revenge." Llwenna glowered, but remained silent.

First Dyeldin found them a semi-respectable inn. He wanted to have somewhere to rest before they did anything. The rest of the group seemed to like the idea too. Once they were safely holed up in Dyeldin's room, they began making plans.

"I figure we ought to get some rest today and tonight," Dyeldin said. "We'll start looking for Lord Xzaephare tomorrow." Everyone nodded.
"Perhaps we should watch him a bit before we strike," added Kira. "That way we'll no his habits."
"Yeah," Dyeldin agreed. "So, what are we gonna do then? Llwenna?"
"Um... I don't know," Llwenna admitted. "I hadn't really thought about it."
"Ok... Any ideas?"
"Kill him." Everyone looked at Iera in surprise. "He must be stopped. If he isn't..."
"What do you know about him?" Dyeldin asked. "You mentioned something before..."
"I know much, but I must not reveal it. I am sorry. If I do... I must not."
"So what can you tell us?"
"He is evil. His plans are to destory the Fae. And he will succeed. Trust me. He must be stopped."
"Ok..." Dyeldin thought that over. "So how do we kill him?"
"They Hythe are hard to kill," Iera told them, "Lord Xzaephare especially. If he sees all of you coming at him with murder in your eyes, he will call a guard. But he is sometimes overconfident when fighting a single opponent."
"So... Only one of us can fight him?" Llwenna asked. Iera nodded. "I'll do it!"
"No, Llwenna. You don't know how to fight," Kira pointed out. "Let me; I have nothing to lose."
"Yes you do," Dyeldin argued. "Kira, you still have your life. Don't waste it."
"Then who will fight him? You?"
"Actually, I have an idea..."

Dyeldin carefully explained his plan. The group thought it over, and finally agreed. It would be risky, but... It would have to work.

That settled, the group separated, most to their beds. Dyeldin included. He was tired...

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Two liquid blue eyes, framed in heavy silvery lashes. Dusky-purple skin, and a wavy silvery mane. A single spiral horn, like a piece of crystal, jutting out from her forhead...

"Dyeldin," she said. Her voice was soft, but he heard every word. "Listen carefully. There is something I must tell you."

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin woke feeling decidedly odd. If he didn't know it was physically impossible, he would have said he'd just had a 'dream'. But he couldn't have a dream! Draigins were immune to dreaming!

"Dyeldin!" Dyeldin groaned, got up, and opened the door, to see Llwenna standing there. "Come on! You've overslept; it's already eight o'clock. We think we know where Lord Xzaephare is."

Dyeldin suddenly felt very awake.

Lord Xzaephare was not anywhere where the public could see him. He was hidden away in the Temple of Chaos. But they could reach him. It wouldn't take long for them to break into the temple...

It was time to put their plan into action.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Later that evening...

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin crept carefully up the stone stairs and into the temple. It was dark out, but his white hair made him very noticable. But no one was outside now. No one would be outside after dark in the Presidio of Diablerie. Not even a Daemon.

Lord Xzaephare should be inside the temple, performing some sort of evening rite. The plan was simple. Dyeldin just had to sneak in and attack...

The temple was dark and gloomy, sending chills up Dyeldin's spine. His footsteps echoed loudly, and Dyeldin thought he heard a bat shriek. It was an eerie place. Fitting, for a Temple of Chaos.

Finally Dyeldin came to the center of the temple. Lord Xzaephare was in the middle of the room, standing in the center of a circle of candles. The glow illuminated the room, casting eerie shadows, and Dyeldin took a moment to look at the Daemon he was about to attack.

Lord Xzaephare was tall, nearly eight feet tall, and powerfully built. The muscles in his midnight-blue skin rippled as he moved, and Dyeldin felt a stab of envy. About ninety percent of Lord Xzaephare's skin was covered in onyx geometric tattoos, which were beginning to glow a bright gold as Lord Xzaephare began his dark rite. Lord Xzaephare's onyx hair was cropped short, and there was none on the top of his head, so his hair was hard to detect from the inky tattoos. It could have been a black ring around three quarters of his head. He had a thin ebony mustache, and a small obsidian goatee, which only made him look more diabolical. His ivory fangs gleamed brightly, contrasting with the rest of his appearance. Lord Xzaephare's only clothes was an inky-black toga, reaching just above his knees. Overall, Lord Xzaephare looked diabolical.

Taking a deep breath, Dyeldin took his weapons- a double-bladed throwing knife and his morning star- of his bandoliers, and attacked.

As he leapt out of the darkness near the door, using his wings to keep him slightly above the ground and give him an advantage of height, Dyeldin saw Lord Xzaephare's eyes widen. The Daemon muttered something to himself as he brought up a iniquitous-looking steel trident, which Dyeldin barely had time to avoid. Using his wings to carry him higher, Dyeldin surveyed the room. Not a bad place to have a fight, really. Taking careful aim, Dyeldin threw the throwing knife, which Lord Xzaephare nimbly dodged. He was quick, considering his size; Dyeldin had to give him that much grudging credit. Pulling out a throwing star, Dyeldin threw that. It clattered on the floor, Lord Xzaephare having leapt out of the way again. Seeing that there was no way he could throw a weapon and have it have any effect, Dyeldin swooped down, hoping to catch Lord Xzaephare unawares. Lord Xzaephare brought up his trident instantly, and the very tip pierced Dyeldin's wing. Gasping in pain, Dyeldin landed.

"Silly Draigin," Lord Xzaephare said. Dyeldin tried to catch his breath. His wing hurt. "Dyeldin Tyrie of the Draigin, I am afraid that you are failing. You had best hope Ieralalyn can return and-"
"Huh?" Dyeldin was most confused. Lord Xzaephare knew his name, and talked about this Ieralalyn- who was she?- and could anticipate his every move.
"But of course. How foolish of me. Ieralalyn will not have told you yet. A pity. I would have liked to gloat a bit. Ah, well, we can not have everything, can we, Dyeldin? I suppose I'll just have to kill you." Lord Xzaephare lifted his trident, and began to stab down at Dyeldin.
"Monster!" Dyeldin stared in surprise at Kira. She wasn't supposed to attack until Dyeldin had injured Lord Xzaephare! And her face was not calm; it was twisted with rage.
"Ah, Mistress Kira-Lye, I believe?" Lord Xzaephare asked in his sophisticated voice. "So nice of you to join us." Suddenly he thrust his trident at her, catching her off-guard. Her face, finally betraying her emotions, showed shock and fear. "What the matter, Mistress Kira-Lye? Afraid? I thought Gai’sho Té did not feel fear."
"I'm not Gai’sho Té," Kira murmured. She might have said more, but got distracted when Dyeldin leapt up and attacked Lord Xzaephare, ignoring the pain in his wing. Unfortunately, his morning star got tangled on Lord Xzaephare's trident, and Dyeldin had to drop it. Lord Xzaephare then spun, caught the hilt of Kira's raised sword- she'd been about to attack- and yanked it out of her hand.

Suddenly Dyeldin heard singing. It was mysterious, otherworldly. What...? Then he stopped caring. All that mattered was the voice. He would do anything for it. What did it say? It said-

"Nice try, Lady Llwenna Illw, but it won't work," Lord Xzaephare interrupted, breaking her spell. Llwenna stepped out from behind a collum, looking upset. Dyeldin's mind cleared, and he remembered. She had the power to control others with her voice. Why hadn't it worked on Lord Xzaephare?

Filkantis suddenly stepped out, and cried out something in a language Dyeldin didn't understand. What on earth? Filkantis was supposed to stay in the inn! But then Lord Xzaephare's eyes widened, and Dyeldin knew Filkantis had done something (although Dyeldin wasn't exactly sure what).

"But... You're a human!" Lord Xzaephare spluttered. "What on earth? This doesn't make sense!"
"I have powers you can't even imagine, Boy," Filkantis said coldly. Dyeldin frowned. It was all very confusing.
"You weren't here before! What happened? And how...? How did these dead get here?"
"Boy, they are the ones you've killed. They want revenge."
"But they're dead! The dead can not touch me!"
"Not while you're living."
"What?"

Then Iera stepped out of the doorway.

Her sapphire eyes were blazing, and her crystaline horn glowed. Lord Xzaephare looked both shocked and... scared? It couldn't be! But he was!

"Now, Lord Xzaephare, you will die," Iera said softly.
"True, Lady Ieralalyn, I will. But, in essence, so will you. And because of this, I may yet get my chance to rule all and destroy the Fae."
"Perhaps." Iera then lowered her head, charged, and impaled Lord Xzaephare with her horn.

But not before he'd stabbed Dyeldin.

As she charged, Lord Xzaephare threw his trident at Dyeldin with all his might. Dyeldin, who was feeling quite discombobulated, didn't notice until it was too late. Even then... There was something protruding from his chest... Why didn't it hurt...? Everything was getting... fuzzy... And dark...

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

Dyeldin groaned. Every muscle in his body hurt! And his wing... Opening his eyes, he was surprised to find the world fuzzy. It soon cleared, though, revealing his current location.

He was in his room in the inn, a small, white-washed, windowless place containing a bed (on which he was lying), a small table holding a lamp, and a chair. The chair was currently occupied by Iera. She was reading a book, but quickly put it down when he groaned.

"Dyeldin! You're alright?" She sounded worried.
"Yeah... Ow. What happened?"
"Lord Xzaephare stabbed you. I managed to heal you somewhat, and your wing is almost as good as new, but... You'll have a scar, I'm afraid."
"Meh. How long have I been here?"
"Two weeks."
"Oh... The Daemon haven't kicked us out for killing-"
"They don't know. I intend to keep it that way. They just know Lord Xzaephare died recently."
"Ok..." Dyeldin's head hurt. A lot. But he was starting to remember a bit about that night...

"Iera..." he said, choosing his words carefully, "Why was Lord Xzaephare calling you Ierala... Whatever it was." Iera sighed.
"I have not been... completely honest. I am a bit more... important than I let on. I... I am- was- Ieralalyn Alionne, Ruler of the Failine."
"Was?"
"Many years ago- to me- my race was nearly completely wiped out by Lord Xzaephare. There was only myself and a few others left, and we were about to be exterminated. So I chose to go back in time and destroy Lord Xzaephare before I got a chance."
"Oh." Dyeldin digested that piece of information. "So... You did what you set out to do. I guess you're sort of happy now." Iera smiled.
"I suppose. But the threads of time are complicated, Dyeldin. It is not as simple as some might guess. You see, I remember that time, but now that Lord Xzaephare is no more, I no longer have a reason to go back. But if I do not go back, I will not be able to alter the flow of time and stop Lord Xzaephare."
"Uh... So you're saying you have to go back in time again so that you were there when you needed to be... Hang on a second! You're caught in an infinite loop!" Iera nodded.
"Yes, Dyeldin, I'm caught in an infinite loop. I am forever doomed to repeat my actions. But it was the choice I made. If I had not, my race would be extinct, as no doubt would the other Fae."
"That's... awful." Iera nodded again, sadly.
"Yes, it is awful. But I had to make a choice." Dyeldin then thought of something.
"So... Did you already know me?"
"Yes, Dyeldin, I already knew you. As I already knew Kira, Llwenna, and Filkantis."
"Huh..." Dyeldin thought for a moment. "Do we always do exactly the same thing?"
"No. The Fae are ever-changing. Your final plan never seems to be the same twice."
"Cool. Do you change much? Are you always the same?"
"No. Sometimes... Sometimes we are better friends."
"Ok..."
"You need to rest now, Dyeldin. I will answer all your questions another time."
"Ok..." Dyeldin wanted to ask her more, but her eyes caught and held his, and he began to feel sleepy...

When he awoke next, Kira was sitting in the chair. She looked immensely relieved to see him.

"Dyeldin! You're awake! I was getting worried."
"I'm fine, Kira."
"You almost died..." Kira looked upset. Dyeldin wasn't quite sure why. Maybe that Gai'Të Mis thing.
"Well, I feel fine now. How is everybody else?"
"Iera is fine, obviously, I'm fine, Llwenna is finally having her long-overdue mental break-down, and Filkantis is still batty."
"Long-overdue mental break-down?"
"She didn't mourn before. She was too preoccupied with revenge. Now she can mourn, and begin to heal her inner wounds."
"Ok..." Dyeldin didn't see how mourning would help, but no doubt Kira knew what she was talking about.
"Iera asked me to tell you that once you're feeling better, she wants your help with something."
"Ok."

Kira then got up and left the room. Feeling like he'd slept a week- two weeks, actually-, Dyeldin got up, changed into something clean, "fixed" his hair, and went downstairs.

Llwenna was sitting at a table with Filkantis. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she'd been crying, which she probably had. Filkantis was telling her about his family. Kira was in a distant corner of the common room, sharpening her sword. Iera, calm and collected as ever, sat near the door.

Everyone but Iera was glancing at him and Iera apprehensively. Dyeldin was getting worried.

"Dyeldin, would you mind helping me with something?" Iera asked. From the tone of her voice, Dyeldin had a feeling something was wrong.
"Uh... Sure. What do you need?"
"I need to... I have to go back in time now, and return to my loop."
"Oh." Dyeldin felt rather depressed at the news. "How can I help?"
"I need to get back to the spot where you found me, and I wish to get there quickly. I do not like long farewells."
"Ok... You want me to fly you there?"
"If you would not mind. Your wing should have healed by now."
"Ok. Do you want to go now?"
"If it would not be too much trouble."
"Alright. Why don't you say goodbye to everybody while I get my stuff."

Dyeldin raced up the stairs and grabbed his bandoliers, which he had left on the floor near his bed. Then he hurried back down, just in time to see Iera giving a farewell hug to Llwenna.

"I'm ready," she said softly, walking out the door. Dyeldin went to follow.

"Dyeldin!" Dyeldin turned to look at Kira. Llwenna and Filkantis were across the room, quite blatantly avoiding looking at Kira and Dyeldin.
"Yeah?"
"I... I... I love you." Then Kira rushed up the stairs, without so much as a backwards glance, leaving Dyeldin feeling very confused.

Scratching his head, Dyeldin followed Iera outside.

Iera was lighter than she looked. That much was apparent to Dyeldin the moment he picked her up. Good; he wasn't too sure how well his wing had mended. Carefully, he flapped his wings a few times, then leapt into the air, Iera in his arms.

She didn't talk for a long time. In fact, she might not have talked at all if not for Dyeldin.

"So... You said you used to know a draigin who took you flying. Would that be me?"
"Yes."
"I see..." Dyeldin thought for a moment. "You also said that sometimes we were better friends. What did you mean?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm going soon." Dyeldin had a feeling she wasn't telling the truth- not the whole truth, anyway- but didn't press her. Her past was her business.

The flew in silence for a while. Dyeldin couldn't think of anything to say. He was trying to figure out what Iera had meant- he wouldn't press her, but he could guess. But she was so confusing... Looking down, Dyeldin realized she had fallen asleep. He grinned. He must have taken her flying a lot. Too bad she was going; if he'd known, he would have taken her flying more. She was very nice

Speaking of nice, what did he think of Kira? Hearing her say she loved him... It wasn't like the serving girls at The Running Nymph, or Ilina, the nymph-girl from the Palace of the Nine Tides, or even like Halina. Kira was nice enough, he supposed, and she wasn't giggly, which was a plus, but love... He didn't love her. He didn't think he loved anyone...

Then it hit him. He knew what Iera meant.

He felt like an idiot.

Iera didn't wake until Dyeldin began to descend. He tried not to wake her- he didn't want to talk with her at the moment, after his new discovery- but she woke on her own. Dyeldin gently set her down on the ground

"We're here..." He felt rather... melancholy. Which made sense, given his new-found knowledge.
"Indeed. I have one more thing I need you to do."
"Right." Dyeldin then took a deep breath. "But first, will you tell me... What did you mean by 'better friends'."
"I told you, it doesn't matter. Why do you ask?"
"I was... thinking." Iera frowned slightly.
"Then... Oh!"
"So what did you mean?"
"Sometimes... Sometimes we were lovers." She finished the last bit in a rush.

Dyeldin wasn't sure what to think. He'd thought that not being sure was bad... This was worse. Lovers? That suggested long-term. He wasn't good with long-term relationships. And with a failine? His world was upside-down...

Looking at her, Dyeldin really couldn't blame himself, though. She was gorgeous. And she was a wonderful person, and... He sounded lovesick. But she was so beautiful...

Without quite knowing what he was doing, Dyeldin kissed her.

~**~**~~*~~*~*~*~~*~~**~**~

It was the next morning before Iera mentioned her need to return to a previous time. Dyeldin really didn't want her to go, and told her so.

"Iera... You don't have to go, do you?"
"If I do not, we will never meet, Dyeldin."
"Oh..." Dyeldin couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Oh, and Dyeldin, I believe I mentioned that I need help with something..."
"Yeah?"
"Do you remember what I looked like when you found me?"
"Uh... Covered in blood, I believe. Why- Wait a second! Are you saying...? No! I won't! I refuse! Iera, I-"
"Dyeldin, I need a plausible reason to be with you. You are a wonderful young man, and will rescue me. But you tend to distance yourself too much, in an attempt to save women from you. Here." Iera handed Dyeldin a knife. "Please, stab me. Now."

Taking a deep breath, Dyeldin complied.

Iera watched impassively as her lilac blood spilled onto the ground. She was so calm... Closing her eyes in meditation and magic-preparation, she took a deep breath. Then she began to glow a faint lavendar.

Opening her eyes, she looked at Dyeldin. That look... Blue eyes... White lashes... Where had he seen that before?

Then he remembered.

And then she was gone.

Dyeldin looked around at the clearing. So calm, so peaceful... Just like the dream. But she was gone. Perhaps she would be meeting him soon... He should be along in a few hours... And then maybe they'd fall in love sooner. It really wasn't fair that she'd had to go; time was being stolen from her. But she was doing what she deemed right...

Sighing, Dyeldin spread his wings, and took off into the sky.

The End

Author's Note

Oh my goshness... It's done. Over. No more. I'm so sad... *cries* I already have ideas for the sequel, though, so never fear! Now if only I could get reviewers... If you've read the story, go to the main page and tag me! Give me your opinion! I don't know how many people have read this story, but I want to know! I'm going to go edit it now, and fix it up and make it all purdy... I'm working on a better title. My current 'better title' is "Seond: Temporal Echo". When you email me, tell me what you think!

Edonil, also known as Pamela

---