After the stable master had returned Andra was setting about preparing the wagon when Moona finally waddled her way over.
“Well, breaking the rules with that hood-” Moona started but was cut short as Andra turned around and she caught her words in surprise. It was Andra’s cloak and Shuran in the swaddling but was Sulura’s head on the shoulders. “What the name of Hell’s Mouth is goin’-”
Andra signaled for Moona to keep quiet. “I was drawing attention and needed to remove my hood. It would attract more attention if those already weary saw my true self, so I adopted the last face I could remember seeing in this land that would work.”
Moona suddenly saw the truth of it and with a bit of apprehension accepted this…for now. “Right then, what is with the wagon?”
“I needed to cover for a mis-hap, I will explain later. This does seem to work better though and we received a very good price since the trade is slow just now.”
Moona looked at Andra or Sulura or whatever this thing was and shook her head. She then turned to a couple young stable boys running past. “You two, how’d you like to earn yourselves a few coppers?”
The boys eagerly took the coin and ran off to retrieve the various purchases Moona and Andra had made earlier.
Upon their return, Moona gave them each another copper to help load everything up and they were soon on their way out of Middleton.
Soon after they were well enough away from town, Andra replaced the cloak hood and with a shimmer the illusion was gone.
Moona moved up front in the passenger bench, pulled out her pipe, stuffed it with some of the crawler vine she purchased and took a rather large draw before exhaling and addressing Andra. “All-righty then, now that the shock o’ seeing the face of a dead woman has left me, what in the name of DAMKIANNA is goin’ on?” Moona bluntly demanded.
“I will explain but please keep it down as we are still passing a few travelers heading to town, and Shuran needs to rest.” Andra whispered gesturing back into the wagon where Shuran slept in upon a makeshift bed of sheepskins.
“Fiddle the travelers, and that boy ain’ woke up since we left the stables, which is odd, and why is he so big already?” Moona asked with more concern now than irritation.
“I shall start from where we parted ways in the market square.” Andra retold the events as they occurred and about Shuran sharing power. It was at this point Moona finally interrupted.
“You mean to tell me our little sprat back there can what, juice you up or something?” Moona asked flatly.
“Something like that. There are stories about such abilities but they have not been documented since long ago during the breeding program’s final generations, before the Lalli Mah. There is no other explanation I can think of. The transfer is also why he sleeps now as it takes a toll and he must rest to recover. When he awakes he will be ravenous.”
“What about his growth?” Moona asked.
“It is rather rapid but not unheard of in multi-blood spratlings. I expect it will come and go before tapering off,” Andra finished.
Moona just grunted and took another draw from her pipe and smiled. “Good stuff this creepy vine, or whatever it’s called.”
“You know we ain’ discussed where we’re headed,” Moona said.
“I think it best we head for the eastern settlements or perhaps in the Northern regions,” Andra started. “There is no doubt that the Order will be sending out searchers for you. They’ll have wanted a witness but not a loose end.”
“I hate to disappoint them creepy goons but this old woman ain’ spreadin’ the word o’ what they did. Folks ‘ll find out soon ‘nough and I don’ need to be leavin’ no trail for them to follow,” Moona simply said.
“As far as headin’ northeast I think I know a good place to be settlin’ in for a while.” Moona continued to tell Andra of her old cottage in the woodlands outside Birchshire.
Moona had not been at her old home in many years, but assured Andra it would still be there and attended by someone she trusted well enough. Moona had been the local herbalist and brewer. She only left when she had been called to Rivenwood to attend some local outbreak and she stayed there for many years and began moon mothering the local women folk.
The folks of Birchshire were a friendly enough bunch and most kin stayed put and settled new farms or found a trade in town so everyone knew everyone. Moona gathered she could figure out a cover for why an old woman would be coming back after all this time with a swaddled sprat. It would be at least a couple moon turns before she showed up, and had time to think it all out.
***
Telalsu walked the streets of Middleton questioning merchants looking for information on an old woman who would have been through within the past cycle. So far his inquiries were amounting to nothing. Most of the people of Middleton kept to themselves and were leery of strangers asking questions. It did not help that Telalsu was a rather imposing and quite frankly, frightening looking man.
His skin was like rice paper, both white and translucent. His coal black spiky hair and black eyes set in a hard angled skull left no question of his allegiance to Chaos. Common folk did not welcome Chaos into their lives so they avoided its followers like plague. The one thing they will not be able to resist is an Inquisitor of the Council.
Once the Inquisitors are sent out, these tight-lipped pheasants will have no choice but to loosen their lips. Telalsu was about to give up for the present, when a merchant at the far end of the market road caught his eye and then walked behind her wagon. As Telalsu walked behind the herb laden wagon the woman spoke without looking in his eyes.
“An old woman was through these parts not 2 days ago,” the herbalist reported. “She bought various supplies and met up with someone, a younger woman at the stables before leaving town in a wagon. I never saw the young woman myself.”
“Is there anything else?” he prodded sensing there was more.
“Yes. The younger woman had a small child maybe a few cycles, no more than a moon old. Also the old woman paid me in silver moons.”
Telalsu smiled and handed the woman a small purse of coin, leaving her with a look of shame but stashing the coin without hesitation.
***
It was a good four days trip until they would reach Two Bridges so Moona decided to make use of the time. “So Andra, I am guessing you guardians are a secretive lot and all, but what can you tell me of the Foresworn and what is going on now?” Moona asked after they had traveled well out of Middleton and were on the road toward Two Bridges.
“I will tell you what is important and only what I can,” Andra sighed.
Andra began retelling the events that happened when the first group of hunted mixed-bloods formed and made their escape from persecution. When the ANZILLU trials were well under way, a large group of mix-bloods who later called themselves the Foresworn or Forsaken, decided to leave the lands of Aurderia and held meetings to figure out where to go.
After many visions and expeditions, the group heard tell of lands far beyond the Great Sea they later called Foresworn Territories. These lands were on no known map as no one had ever been there or ever returned from searching for land beyond the seas. No one living, that is. Through far seeing and other magic weaving the Foresworn were able to locate these lands and used a great magic and much energy to move the first group of refugees to their new home.
Over the next hundred years a secret group from the Foresworn took to traveling back to Aurderia seeking others who wished to escape. This group would send them back to the Foresworn territories by way of a rough and perilous route over the Orenthal Mountains and around the Northern most point of the Great Sea. A few other routes had been found over the millennia however none are without risk.
Using magics and the essence was far riskier without enough power and most who tried did not make it. For that far of a trip back then it took a large group of great power to work such a travel spell. This was long before the creation of source stones, Abnu Emuq. When this group finally found and aided all they could easily find, they formed the Guardians. Guardians travel throughout Aurderia and help the Foresworn and their offspring, whom have not been found, or have not felt the need to leave.
“You said Foresworn or their offspring; aren’ they all offspring?” Moona asked.
“Many of the first Foresworn may still be.” Andra responded.
Moona nearly choked on her pipe. “The first ANZILLU happened many millennia ago.”
Andra understood her reference and simply answered. “I am offspring and not from the original to flee. I was birthed in the Foresworn territories long after the first exodus.”
The rest of the journey to Two Bridges passed without incident. Andra and Moona took turns driving the wagon along with the various tasks involved with stopping to rest the animals and looking after Shuran. Andra told Moona all that the Guardian knew of Shuran and the prophecy, which was no more than Moona already knew from Sulura’s visions.
In the four days it took them to reach Two Bridges, Shuran had grown more to appear the age of a spratling of at least six moons. He slept less and all of his attention was spent on watching Andra as though he were studying the Guardian.
Two bridges is a small trading town situated between two river crossings where the Napalkua River forks off toward Academy Lake to the East and New Draven to the South. The Town is sparsely settled as it is mostly inns, taverns, shops, and rented market stalls. Although there can be hundreds to thousands of people in town at any given time, most are travelers, and traders who come and go throughout the market seasons.
The full time artisans, innkeepers, and tavern owners and their workers and apprentices make up only a small part of the population. The town is laid out in a grid system with cobbled roads running East-West with a few North-South streets and dirt alleyways. The town is relatively safe due to the proximity to the Capital New Draven and the city soldiers are men of the Aurderian Guard.
The Aurderian Guard, or Lands Guard as they are commonly referred to, are responsible for maintaining order in larger cities throughout Aurderian Baronies during times of peace. During times of war the Guards return to the ranks of the Protectors of the Realm and local order becomes a matter for each city to manage like the smaller towns and settlements. Even though Cities have a magistrate like all other towns, the position is mostly for show and holds no actual power to enforce law.
Just before arriving at the first bridge that heads over to the town proper, Andra shifted appearances to resemble Sulura. Days ago Andra and Moona agreed that to stow the conspicuous multi-colored cloak of a Guardian for a simple grey cloak would help keep up their facade. So the Three made their way into Two Bridges with wagon and Yack in tow.
Four days on the Barron Road took its toll on their meager supplies. They would need to restock dried meats, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and anything else they could find; but only enough for the five-day trip to Dravenport. Once at Dravenport the plan was to sell the wagon and animals then barter travel by ship to the coast East of Birchshire.
When they finally entered town, they left the wagon and animals at the nearest stables for tending and headed into the square. They decided to stop at an inn named the Barking Troll for some fresh hot food and cool drink before re-supplying. They entered a nearby inn that looked clean and were seated and served tankards of cider and bread while the server went to the kitchens to get them plates of food and fresh milk for Shuran.
Moona took the time to light her pipe and relax on the padded bench. They spent an hour in the inn delighting in fresh food and drink before paying and heading out to the market. As they headed to the door Andra stopped and turned around quickly nearly knocking Moona to the floor.
“What in the… what’s gotten into you?” Moona squawked.
“Inquisitors!”
In the door walked a thin ancient looking man robed in grey with a bright red and gold treaded emblem embroidered on the chest. It was a Griffin in flight clutching a bundle of thatch in its claws. This was the official seal of the Aurderia Great Council. At his sides stood armored men with the same seal embroidered on their shields; the Land’s Guard.
Moona’s face flushed white as death when the word ‘Inquisitors’ finally registered in her overly relaxed mind. “Oh fiddle me, we need to move our rumps outta’ here!” she whispered, eyes wide with fear.
She grabbed Andra by the wrist and whirling around, heading to the back of the common room they had previously supped. Located in the back was a draped off area Moona had noticed men and serving wenches entering and leaving earlier. Without ceremony she pushed Andra, carrying Shuran, beyond the skins partitioning the room and followed.
Shuran chose this as the first time he cried. Moona rushed and taking him in arms began rocking and shushing, trying to quite him.
“What witless wench has brought a squallerin’ sprat in here to disturb our gaming?” A squat old man yelled from a table at the far end of what must have been a betting parlor. The man got up to approach the new arrivals, and source of his consternation.
Just then Moona rounded on the man without skipping a beat pushed Shuran into his arms and said, “Clap your trap Codger, we got trouble with a capital C-H-A-O-S!”