Chapter 6: Finding Peace with the past
#6 of Fates of War
Vedrits been through so much....
Yes, I finally got chapter 6 up. Enjoy!
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Chapter 6: Finding peace with the past
It was nearly a year since that day, and it was continuously on Vedrits mind. The test was hard, and lasted roughly two months. Vedrit learned a lot about himself, his mentor, and the other two apprentices.
But a few days before a carriage came, a terrible accident occurred. They were on the mountain side, Vedrit forgot what the lesson was, when a deep, foreboding rumble shook the mountain, and everyone ran from an avalanche, and regrouped at the camp. Tiania never showed.
It seemed like so long ago, but not even a year. So much changed, and Vedrit was kept so busy, time was all but meaningless. Now Vedrit was in Draconian lands, working with Mirrna and Wern, subtly prodding the Draconians to end the war between the Raven and Narior in favor of Narior.
It was very warm and sunny in the town Vedrit was at, the quaint little town of Irn. It was the southern-most Draconian settlement, with a wide river snaking down the center, where trade goods were shipped down. For being a Draconian town, Vedrit and his companions were not out of place. Traders were common, bidding for valuable trading contracts. Vedrits story was that he was sent before the merchant to find trading partners, Mirrna and Wern were under other covers.
During his first few days in Irn, Vedrit was practically lifeless from the loss of Tiania, though it had been a couple months since. Regardless, Vedrit paid attention to his duties, and his first task was to make a friend amongst the Draconians. It was easier done than Vedrit thought it would be. While Vedrit was wondering the town, a light-brown dragoness by the name of Ryin, despite the complaints of her golden-brown brother, Artia, Ryin invited Vedrit to their house, insisting seemed too forlorn for his own good.
Ryin wore a plain leather top, supporting her well-endowed chest, and a near-white skirt, that also left little to the imagination, but not so much so that it displayed too much.
Artia wore a gold arm-band and a loin-cloth of the same near-white color.
"What brings a down cat such as yourself so far out of his home?" Ryin asked as they sat in the front room of a very well furnished house, on large and sturdy furniture.
"I'm searching for trade deals for merchants I work for." Vedrit said after a sigh.
Ryin looked at him, as if he answered a different question than what she meant
"Why are you so sad?" she asked and sat next to him, putting a scaly arm and wing around him.
Unsure if he was ready to talk about it to a stranger, Vedrit said nothing for a moment, and was met with silence. Ryin wasn't going anywhere without an answer.
"I lost someone very dear to me, not long ago." Vedrit said quietly
"Oh, how unfortunate!" Ryin hugged Vedrit to her, much to his surprise, "Please, stay here. I and Artia will help you through your grief. Merchants can wait."
Vedrit was torn. It felt wrong to use Tianias death for this, but his Ranger training told him that everything is a tool to be used.
Ryin, and a reluctant Artia, became Vedrits Draconian contacts. He learned quickly the culture of Draconian and how tradition dictated they treat outsiders or weaker beings. Tradition was very important to most Draconian, and there was a tradition for nearly everything. Vedrit learned as much as he could as quickly as he could, and, without realizing it, acting like a Draconian was becoming second-nature.
"Kilor," That was the name Vedrit was using, "You have been here for several months. Artia thinks there is something bad going on." Ryin said one evening at late-dinner-before-bed-snack, the last of the eight meals.
"I have heard that Ravens are stopping Narian merchants from coming into Draconian lands." Vedrit said, feigning worry.
What Vedrit said was no lie. Whispers of the same story had been spreading like wild fires, and was nearly taken as fact, though no one could prove it, as no merchants have gone missing.
"To lose your job would be horrible! Do you have a home to go back to?" Ryin asked
Vedrit shook his head, "I never get the chance. Always off to one place or the next. The longest I've been in my home town was a night." Vedrit lied, telling the story he had practiced.
"You lead a very sad and lonely life, Kilor." Ryin said, again moving to sit next to Vedrit and put an arm and wing around him, "If there is something I could do, anything to make your life a little better..."
Wern and Mirrna, staying in an inn not far, giggled quietly in their room, whiskey, beer and being alone together making them giddy. The had been in town for as long as Vedrit, but hiding and watching, though more hiding than watching. They remember the avalanche, but they still had each other, and so weren't tortured by it like Vedrit was, and only knew a portion of his hurt. Regardless, they were enjoying each other on this mission. It was a bit romantic, going off to a far away land together, trying new things, telling each other how much they loved being together.
"Mirrna," Wern said as they sat on the floor, resting against the wall, "If you could wish for anything, what would it be?" he asked, looking to Mirrna with a smile.
"What a silly question!" she replied, faking a shocked look, "I would wish for you!" and tackled Wern, starting off another fun-filled night.
Vedrit lay in his bed, the memories of the day he lost his love keeping him awake, the lamp on the table casting a low light.
"Kilor?" came a voice from the doorway