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Home » Great Library at Hoeth » Book of Tales » Tales of Si'anelle » A Further Telling of the Tale: Sebekneru Prince of Battle, Chapter Thirteen: Taileth Mistborn
| A Further Telling of the Tale: Sebekneru Prince of Battle, Chapter Thirteen: Taileth Mistborn |
| - by Lady Si'anelle |
After she had seen how Ae'thenal of Avelorn had fared with her trial, and also observed how the High she-Elf had managed the act of satisfying the black giantess Sebekneru, Taileth Mistborn permitted herself a small smile. She did know all too well that the Banepearl's servants and their two unlikely companions named her their enemy; save that before Mother Isha she was no such a creature.
Quietly now she nodded, Ae'thenal had done well, proving again that she did own a peerless brave spirit in the face of danger. A quality that did no doubt well suit her to her task of being the Lady Si'anelle's helpmate in their shared exile. For while still in Athel Loren she had sensed their paired roles as the Banepearl's keepers. The Lady Si'anelle's task the relentless and constant battle against the Banepearl's wickedness; the Lady Ae'thenal's task the outward fight against those who did threaten their keeping of the Banepearl. And here was the paradox, for outwardly it did seem that the Lady Si'anelle was frail and ill, fated ever to be imprisioned by her despair. While the Lady Ae'thenal did seem to be the stronger of the two, given to be the more lightly touched by their fate and the seemingly more dangerous with her warrior's nature. Though if any did think this to be truth they could not be more in error. For Si'anelle of Avelorn did own power enough beneath her hand to rule all the World if she did so choose; and for this reason she, Taileth Mistborn, enchantress of Athel Loren, was glad that the Banepearl was no longer in her hand. The question now, was how might she might work to keep this so and still prevent the Banepearl from falling into evil hands.
While she had been biding her time food had been brought to Ae'thenal and so for a further while she stood apart and watched her eat. As to Sebekneru's women they were not disposed to seeking the company of a Wood Elven enchantress whom they did not trust, and this did suit her well. However events were not standing at a pause, and even now her enchantress's senses were informing her that a large Orcish force was gathering within the forest. Soon all too soon this plowed field would become a battleground; save that the final dancers in the rite had not yet arrived upon the stage.
Sighing now she pressed her hands to her face. Oh this was so dangerous, events did move and all might yet fall in disarry. Silently she cried, 'Where are thou Sindinath of Hoeth; where have thee gone when I do have need of thy well trained mind?'
By the time Ae'thenal had broken her fast Taileth Mistborn did know she was fretting at every departed minute. Perhaps it would have been the better afterall to have sealed the two High she-Elven still living within a tomb, and the Banepearl with them. Save that Ariel herself had forbidden that course for all that Sindinath of Hoeth had forcefully argued for it. And here she did sigh burdened with her regret; - at the least the pair would have been safe from all harm beneath the wards and enchantments laid upon their tomb. And they would have been entombed together their friendship unsullied by any perverse taint.
When the captured Goblin was brought squawling and protesting into Sebekneru's presence by two of her Norsca women she loosed another sigh and drew the nearer. This farce might well serve to satisfy the black giantess as to the present danger that was all about them, except that she herself could inform her the better than this unruly greenskinned creature might. As she came to stand two paces from where Ae'thenal sat at her ease upon the furrowed ground Taileth sensed the feral woman Lu'uk's eyes upon her from where she still squatted immodest in her nakedness at her huge leader's feet. Quietly now she did incline her head towards the woman, sensing well the quality of the Wild Hunt that lay about Lu'uk as if it was her true garment. Of this one most of all she would need to take care, for mute tongued as she might be, she was as wise in the magics of the forest as any first level Wood Elven mage.
Now it was Ae'thenal that turned her head to study her. And that face in which two cool and appraising violet eyes were set was more fair to look upon than any natural form. 'Oh yes Ae'thenal I do taste the blood upon you that you did win within the forest,' Taileth did say silent within herself. 'I do see the reward upon you that the Banepearl has gifted to you for these kills. Beware child, for to dance within the pit with daemon kind is dangerous for all thy faith in Isha's grace.'
In reply Ae'thenal did blink her eyes the once, then she looked away her gaze now on the wriggling Goblin held fast in the two Norsca shieldmaidens' hands. Plain enough Ae'thenal was still annoyed with her for naming her a, 'foolish child' in the face of her most serious made offering of the Banepearl to her. Though for that she would make no apology, not when to accept that challenge would mean an instant and terrible death, which would end the test before it had begun.
"Since you've come back you kin be useful witch." Raising her head Taileth saw that Sebekneru's hand was raised in her direction, a finger level pointed at her. The giantess's fierce green eyes watching her through the eyeslits of her great bronze and silver helm. "You speak the Gobbo tongue?" was Sebekneru's following question of her.
Inclining her head she replied, "I do." This was a skill she did have, though not a one she did bear with pride.
"Then be useful for the first time since we set out witch. Ask the Gobbo how many of his kin are lurking up in them trees." Again she inclined her head before she framed her question in the Goblin's uncooth tongue; - and was rewarded by the creature spitting at her and then a following sullen silence while it dangled firmly gripped by both its arms.
Sebekneru was already drawing back her hand to strike the Goblin when the Lady Ae'thenal uncoiled from where she sat and came forward to rest upon her knees the Banepearl cupped in her right hand. Now she held that hand out towards the startled Goblin. By the various expressions that were hastening across his mishapen face it was plain that he had seen Ae'thenal before this but had not recognised her until now.
"Spikh," the Lady Ae'thenal said to him, which was the word, 'speak' in the Goblin tongue. And the words that now tumbled from the Goblin's mouth did flow at such a rate that Taileth did find herself hard pressed indeed to translate them all in a coherent fashion. Not that the Goblin was entirely coherent in its speech such was the level of its terror. Though the gist of it was plain enough, the Orcish tribe's shaman had been possessed by a dream in which a great black orb of power had promised glory and riches to the tribe if they were daring enough to bring war to Sebekneru's lands and take the orb from the two she-Elves that had its keeping. Though since the Orcish shaman had not long after survived the fury of the dream the Orcish host that had been raised was not as great as it might have been and was no more than a large raiding band in its numbers.
And with that torrent of uncooth speech now at an end and while the Goblin was labouring for breath in the aftermath Ae'thenal did speak again, her teeth bared and her gaze upon him such that the creature did void its bladder. "Nartzded ve cum ya?" she asked of him as she did draw the closer despite the foul stink rising from the terrified creature.
"Do the Undead come?" was the translation Taileth now did give to Sebekneru while her eyes remained on the Lady Ae'thenal. This sudden ability to speak the Goblin tongue could only be the Banepearl's work; which did cause her to be afraid. For the wicked thing did only give shift to aid its servants if this did suit its purpose. And since the Banepearl had been the agent to bring both Orcs and Undead here to the Borderlands then what evil schemes had it set in place?
If the Goblin's speech had been a torrent before now it was a great flood. It seemed that this was a most uneasy alliance between the Orcs and the Undead and was not a choice that the Orcs did prefer, nor care for overmuch. The Orcs and Goblins' role in the alliance was that of being the host's forward scouts, except that the Orcish Warlord had decided that he would not wait as he was suposed to do and did intend to attack before the Undead could arrive at their more slow and shambling pace. And before the Goblin finally panted into silence, it did several times insist that not a one of the Orcs or Goblins of the raiding band (and this did include itself), did know the reason why the Undead had but yesterday been standing waiting for them on the old Dwarven road when they had been on their way here.
Her questioning done Ae'thenal now rose to her feet, her next words were spoken in the common tongue and served to suprise them all. "Release the Goblin and permit him to go free."
Of an instant a fulsome curse burst past Sebekneru's lips and all the women with her did also loudly voice their disagreement. Some going so far as naming Ae'thenal a halfwit and a fool. Except that all Ae'thenal did say in the face of their protests and insults was, "Soon there will be blood enough to soak this field; let the Orcs have the slaying of him should he be sufficiently mazed in his wits to return to them." Then she did make a strange movement of her hands as if they were a bird in flight that flew towards the morning sun, saying, "Frek," or 'free' in the Goblin tongue before she did go to stand apart from them.
It was Helene the Orcslayer who broke the silence. "The one who shall bring luck in battle to us Sebekneru," she did say as she stepped to grip her leader's arm and a soft murmuring rose from her Norsca comrades as they did nod one towards the other. "He shall be the mercy gift to the Hag goddess who may do with him as she wills."
With a sharp sniff Sebekneru did now look about her before her eyes came to settle upon the Goblin who had been most watchful all through these events as he had hung by the arms in the two shieldmaidens' grip. "Better dead," was her word upon the matter, though Taileth could see well enough that the giantess would permit the Norsca women their strange custom rather than dispute with them. A nod of Sebekneru's head did seal the matter and now she stood aside, a daughter of Araby who did have no part to play in this outlandish rite.
Swiftly the shieldmaidens fell upon the Goblin and pinnioned him to the ground the greenskinned creature shrieking as if he did expect to be now relieved of his skin while still alive. And it was the wolf woman Lu'uk who came forward and bent over him to mark his forehead with a runic symbol. Cutting the mark deep into the Goblin's skin while he did struggle and writhe, using a small copper bladed knife to perform the task before she did rub a dark pigment into the wound. That work done she stood erect and clapped her hands but once then raised her hands towards the sky.
Taileth did not know what she did expect to happen at this the conclusion of the rite, save that the daughters of Norsca did seem to be satisfied for they let go their hands that held the Goblin down; and needing no further encouragement the Goblin sprang up from the ground and fled, bounding across the field as if he was pursued by a daemon host. And at the sight of it the shieldmaidens did all laugh and slap one another upon their backs, which Taileth supposed did mean they now perceived him as being hunted by their fierce Hag goddess.
Going now to where Ae'thenal stood by herself she asked, "Did the Banepearl also teach you this?"
With her eyes upon the distance Ae'thenal did quietly sigh, "One life less for the Banepearl to claim Taileth Mistborn. No the Banepearl did not teach me of that Norca rite; I did merely wish to be merciful before I must take up my sword again and ride to battle."
"But the sign you did make towards the sun did have significance to these Norsca women," she did now insist as she laid her hand upon Ae'thenal's arm.
"Perhaps in a dream I did see myself make such a sign," was all the reply the Banepearl's lesser servant would give to her before she did sofly say, "Isha," once and suffer punishment for that defiant act.
A vision? If that was true Taileth did know she had her doubts. Though this was not the time in which to dwell upon it, for events did swiftly move and soon the Orcs would press in with their attack. Like a waking dream her enchantress's clear sight now did gift her the unfolding of the next hour and how it would be; - save that as she saw it all as if she was a bird flying on dark wings above the plowed field there was the barest glimpse of herself she could not fathom...........
"My Si'anelle does come Taileth Mistborn," Ae'thenal did say to her then with the absent quality in her eyes that did mean her friend was bespeaking her. "Soon very soon that which does seek us shall draw in and we must be ready when it does come." Silence claimed her tongue thereafter and she did say no more, but merely stood at her ease with the Banepearl in her hand while the sun did climb higher above the plowed field. The landscape seeming to be at peace, save that in the forest behind them no bird did sing, nor had so much as one of Sebekneru's people come forth this morning to work the land. |
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