Halamshiral was a mess. The rest of the country was too, Avishan supposed. As if he’d needed convincing. All the humans were cooped up in the walled palace, leaving the elves to see to their own selves in the wider sprawl of the city. Of course, they’d taken all the best fighters with them when they’d gone.
But the Blight had been upon them for more than two years now. He supposed a castle that big might have stores beneath it. Some source of water, too. But as he sat lookout with a handful of the other men, he couldn’t fully turn his mind from wondering at it. Great lords and ladies starved like anyone else, and he couldn’t see how they’d be getting to the fields.
Ah, well. After twelve mind-numbing hours, it was time to go find Ru. He whistled for Kay and made the long walk back to the inn, never quite at ease until Lirulin made it back as well. Avi took the roll and had a big bite. This stopover had its benefits. The food was plain but there was enough of it – for now, anyway. He’d regained a little bit of the conditioning he’d lost.
And it was nice to see Lirulin with color in her face again. Anything to not feel like he’d doomed them both to a slow death in the wilds when he’d gone with the Wardens that day.
“Not today.” He croaked, voice a little strangled from forcing down the dry roll. Reaching out, he picked up one of the potatoes and began to help with the peeling. The skin fell away from his pocketknife in an even spiral. Kay sniffed at it dubiously, then took it in his mouth and walked away with it.
“We’ll have to decide soon. Whether we’ll winter here or press on.” Truth be told, he didn’t like either option. Crossing the Frostbacks in winter was a madness. So was staying in this city when there was no sign that the darkspawn would relent.
But the Blight had been upon them for more than two years now. He supposed a castle that big might have stores beneath it. Some source of water, too. But as he sat lookout with a handful of the other men, he couldn’t fully turn his mind from wondering at it. Great lords and ladies starved like anyone else, and he couldn’t see how they’d be getting to the fields.
Ah, well. After twelve mind-numbing hours, it was time to go find Ru. He whistled for Kay and made the long walk back to the inn, never quite at ease until Lirulin made it back as well. Avi took the roll and had a big bite. This stopover had its benefits. The food was plain but there was enough of it – for now, anyway. He’d regained a little bit of the conditioning he’d lost.
And it was nice to see Lirulin with color in her face again. Anything to not feel like he’d doomed them both to a slow death in the wilds when he’d gone with the Wardens that day.
“Not today.” He croaked, voice a little strangled from forcing down the dry roll. Reaching out, he picked up one of the potatoes and began to help with the peeling. The skin fell away from his pocketknife in an even spiral. Kay sniffed at it dubiously, then took it in his mouth and walked away with it.
“We’ll have to decide soon. Whether we’ll winter here or press on.” Truth be told, he didn’t like either option. Crossing the Frostbacks in winter was a madness. So was staying in this city when there was no sign that the darkspawn would relent.
02-06-2025, 03:00 PM
