Edda considered the man’s words carefully, frowning inconsideration. I do not wish to cause trouble, he said. This came as quite a surprise, considering the great deal of trouble that lay dead behind him in the grove. He seemed rather persistent however, and his desire to travel north – for whatever reason – seemed an earnest one. The woman looked up at the sky and sighed. Though it was dark under the thick canopy of trees, the faint light of the sun could be seen past the clouds as the afternoon began to slip away. It would not do to linger here.
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Closing her eyes, she considered his offer to fight. He seemed to have considerable skill with a blade. The simplicity of his words and apparent lack of care over taking lives could be useful. He did not seem the type to ask questions. A man of his stature would make a poor assassin, but if her feelings were true then all she would need was a sharp blade and someone to swing it – nothing more.
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Edda snapped her head back down to give the Au Ra a steady look. “I may yet have a use for you,†she said. She pushed off from the tree and turned to face down the hill. Her ankle stung in protest but she was not unfamiliar with such pain. Looking over her shoulder, she spoke once more to the man. “This way.â€
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She did not check back to see if he followed as she made her way down the hill. There was a noticeable limp in her gait, though she suppressed it as best she could. There would be time enough to fix it later. Edda bit her lip as she hobbled down the slope, reaching out to passing trees to support her weight. As she came upon the road, she stopped to look and see if anyone was coming in either direction. The coast was clear, and she stepped into the road.
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Fallgourd Float was not far, though it was obscured by a bend in the road. It was only a fifteen minute walk – twenty in her current condition – and doubtless the fastest way to Coerthas. But would it be the safest? Edda tried to peek her head around the bend to little avail. Attempting to traipse through Fallgourd with a feral Au Ra would be dubious at best.
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Edda did not turn to look over her shoulder at the sound of another emerging into the road. “Beyond the bend is a small town – the fastest way across the lake,†she began. It seemed the easiest route to her, but for the now non-confrontational Xaela she was not so sure. “Follow the river southeast and the nearest crossing is in twenty malms, give or take. The choice is yours.â€
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So she said. Getting him through Fallgourd would be difficult, but not impossible, depending on how well he planned to cooperate. It was a long stretch between Fallgourd and the nearest settlement in Coerthas, and stopping for supplies sooner rather than later would be ideal. However, fighting breaking out was very much a possibility, and Edda could hardly imagine just how disastrous that would be.
Â
Closing her eyes, she considered his offer to fight. He seemed to have considerable skill with a blade. The simplicity of his words and apparent lack of care over taking lives could be useful. He did not seem the type to ask questions. A man of his stature would make a poor assassin, but if her feelings were true then all she would need was a sharp blade and someone to swing it – nothing more.
Â
Edda snapped her head back down to give the Au Ra a steady look. “I may yet have a use for you,†she said. She pushed off from the tree and turned to face down the hill. Her ankle stung in protest but she was not unfamiliar with such pain. Looking over her shoulder, she spoke once more to the man. “This way.â€
Â
She did not check back to see if he followed as she made her way down the hill. There was a noticeable limp in her gait, though she suppressed it as best she could. There would be time enough to fix it later. Edda bit her lip as she hobbled down the slope, reaching out to passing trees to support her weight. As she came upon the road, she stopped to look and see if anyone was coming in either direction. The coast was clear, and she stepped into the road.
Â
Fallgourd Float was not far, though it was obscured by a bend in the road. It was only a fifteen minute walk – twenty in her current condition – and doubtless the fastest way to Coerthas. But would it be the safest? Edda tried to peek her head around the bend to little avail. Attempting to traipse through Fallgourd with a feral Au Ra would be dubious at best.
Â
Edda did not turn to look over her shoulder at the sound of another emerging into the road. “Beyond the bend is a small town – the fastest way across the lake,†she began. It seemed the easiest route to her, but for the now non-confrontational Xaela she was not so sure. “Follow the river southeast and the nearest crossing is in twenty malms, give or take. The choice is yours.â€
Â
So she said. Getting him through Fallgourd would be difficult, but not impossible, depending on how well he planned to cooperate. It was a long stretch between Fallgourd and the nearest settlement in Coerthas, and stopping for supplies sooner rather than later would be ideal. However, fighting breaking out was very much a possibility, and Edda could hardly imagine just how disastrous that would be.
