A Wilderness Road Archive 1

“I cant undo your bonds so I have to,” slightly apologetic at the dilemma she would spoon it over slowly so as not to spill. While he asked questions she would raise up the cup to his lips so he could take a sip. T was crisp clear water as if from a spring. Perhaps there was one nearby.

Bringing the cup down and spooning him out another couple of bites she would explain, “You must have made Bartholomew angry for him to have brought you here,” she lowered the spoon back into the bowl, “We don’t steal from those who cannot afford to give a little. Nor do we take much in that case and some even donate. Traveling merchants and such.”

Picking up the glass again she tilted it towards him adding gently, “This isn’t the life we imagined but to go back to the city would mean we would have to reintegrate and here we are free. We grow our own food and have fresh water. We only take for what we cannot make.”

They had some livestock but very little that could be seen from where he was. A cow mooed in the distance and he might hear the clucking of chickens in the lull of the conversation.

When he half complimented her food she smiled her flushed face lighting up with the gesture, “I made it myself.”

Some of the children had noticed him now and were sneaking peeks from behind the nearest building which was about 20 feet away. They were giggling and one of the boys was whispering to his friend into his ear.

Bertha looked almost sympathetic towards his plight at first worrying that him being brought her was a mistake. Bartholomew even now was arguing with the council of elders who said that taking him had been such. When he had refused to pay he should have been allowed on his way, they would not court danger by a ransom. That was until he explained his attitude, that the elf had not allowed him to speak a word before barging forth with an explanation that he could not be touched. Insolence deserved payment but it was still a worrisome thing to consider that they would now either have to keep their word or let him go and either could be dangerous. Bertha was about to make it even more so momentarily.

“Bart has a way of doing so and likely from what I’ve heard you really gave him no chance,” she spoon fed him another bite. They may have turned into thieves of a sort but they were not cruel and unkind. That was until he started to mess up her name and she corrected him again, “It’s Bertha.” Then began his rather insincere speak about how they shouldn’t hold him for ransom because they would be angry and his tears. She may have been a simple woman but she clearly wasn’t fully a fool. “I’ll pass along your message.”

She stood hastily some of the remains of the soup slopping on to the ground when she grabbed the cup, “I suggest you face him with more sincerity.”

Bertha was a woman that would be true to her word when it came to passing along the message to Bartholomew. Light being low in the sky his meeting would be postponed until the next morning when clearer heads prevailed and after Vith had a moment to reflect upon the actions that had brought him here. No matter how he pleaded with the villagers they would give him but a sympathetic stare and move on quickly. A few children took to creeping ever closer as if it were a game. They knew no better and were quickly shooed by their parents who did not wish them to come to harm. They knew not what the elf was capable of but they knew their home was a fantastical place and it had been crafted by such creatures who may be capable of so much more than they could imagine. Shouldn't he also even in a lowly state have the ability to do wonderful things?

The sun began to set in the distance lowering over the horizon and signaling the day's end. Fires were started to keep out the cool and yet Vith did not feel it setting into his skin. A breeze could reach him but the prison itself tempered the air forcing it to lower to a suitable temperature throughout the night. It was perhaps why he was not offered a blanket or any other items to keep him warm.

A young girl would begin to approach his cage after most had left the hustle and bustle of the main square that he could just see through the homes. She held a bar of some granola that had been baked together with honey and the smallest amount of cocoa that was available to them. She slipped past the building rushing her tiny feet carrying her swiftly and silently for the blades of grass dampened her passing.

Pausing a few feet from his cage she seemed awed by his smooth and light skin, by the curve of his cheek and the brightness of his eyes that though they were not full of the stars reflected them. She held the granola in her left hand while her right waved to him signaling a greeting. She spoke not a word the little bird of a girl silenced but approaching the last few steps. She broke off a small piece of the granola and held it out as if asking for approval wide brown eyes of a doe looking to him, innocent and sweet.

The little girls wide eyes were trained upon him like a cat who had found some great curiosity that it could not help but explore. They were broad the brown resembling chocolate that had been melted and would stir the heart of any man much less the elf who attempted to hide the fact that he could not possibly have such a thing at times. When he spoke of not hurting her she appeared to be giggling mouth open and broad and shoulders shaking slightly but no sound emerged from her lips. He leaned forward within the bars and she approached them but did not move them aside not knowing how the adults had done so. A very little hand stretched outward slipping just far enough inside in order to give him the piece she had torn. Bringing it back she would break off another while he offered to teach her words. She smiled sweetly but shook her head at his offer instead holding out another piece of the granola to him stretching on the tops of her toes her forehead pressed up against the small trunks that held him in place.

Far from the peace of the small village there had even a very angry drow making her way towards to relieve them of a certain elf. Vith was not some prize of hers but nor could she fully insist on him being her companion. He simply was necessary and that was it. Or at least that was what she was muttering under her breath at him being captured by a band of vagabonds that had sent only one man to deliver a ransom. One who'd been captured easily and held no regard for his own life refusing to share the location of the village only sharing that they'd captured him. It had taken much of her restraint to simply knock him unconscious and leave him across her horse as she began the arduous task of finding their path. Not a difficult one per-say, their numbers leaving very little secrecy, but following Vith who had been riding a horse of pure wind to where he met the band of merry men had taken some time.

Approaching in the darkness her vision allowed her to see in the blackest night and her hearing alerted her to danger that was hidden beyond that. Men took breaths that were low, deep, but pulled air from around them like animals at times. Leaving her horse some distance before the sentries began she used a make shift litter to drag her captive until it would alert the others due to the noise and the tracks, which she hoped to be gone well before morning light. Carrying him once they reached a point where they could not he was an awkward package but drow strength knew him to be light even if unwieldy.

Coming upon the edge of the barrier she felt the magic first. Deep seated in this place and given strength by the forest itself. Attempting to cross it she was met with an invisible wall and looked not unlike a mime as her hands graced the edges. It did not sting or otherwise discourage her but it would not allow passage and sentries often walked the inside edges from her observations. She could not remain but close enough to monitor how many times they circled while placing a gag on the one with her and tying him to a tree, up in the branches, while she sat farther along the same branch. When he awoke she threatened him half-heartedly with slitting his throat should he attempt to alert his fellows asking yes or no questions to which he simply shook his head.

Discouraged but not put off of the task she would rescue him if only because he had became her responsibility in the short time they had known one another. Or at least that was what she told herself in her mind for there she could lie to herself.

He spoke warmly to her and it brought out the widest smile and when he asked if she was unable to speak she nodded once and made a gesture to her throat. There were small concessions that the village had made in her communication and she was taught to read and write but had not brought anything with her to communicate with him. Hanging on his every word she watched his lips move but could not draw a correlation between the beauty of his voice and his face. It was impossible in her eyes and when he spoke of the stars she did not see them above but in the twinkle of fantasy he had brought to this small corner of the world.

Recognizing his sadness her inability to speak had made her proficient in other ways. Watching and listening she read peoples faces like a book and when he spoke of home she could not help but feel his own sadness. Wide eyes almost wild with his own grief she stretched through the bars and they gave slightly sensing her sincerity as a small hand cupped the side of his cheek. No words were needed for her to express all that she needed. 

Withdrawing to break him off another piece of the granola he made an offer that made her smile so brightly her cheeks lit up with a blush of excitement. That was until a voice hollered in the distance, "Bree!"

Glancing back behind her she squirmed slightly in place, if she was caught her when she had been told expressly not to come she would be in big trouble. Breaking off the last half of the treat she extended it to him a voice once again calling the name that was obviously the girls. Drawing back she could not help but take one last look at him even as she rushed off to the feminine voice calling her name.

Myra was still perched in place and unable to see Vith from her current position. Moving around the barrier might allow her a glimpse at his location but it also put her in harms way. Being discovered by the sentries would pit her against more than she cared to tangle with. Her current spot allowed her an open view of the way they passed back and forth. She could use that, she stiffened at the thought, no, she couldn't, it was a forbidden magic for a reason. Making sure the courier was completely unconscious she would slip down. Having remained up there for a while she believed she had a solution after watching the local wildlife. She heard a woman calling a name out into the darkness and saw the lights dimming for the night. Risking patrolling now would be easier and she circled it until she saw a flash of flaxen hair in the distance. The great tree that Vith was kept in was some distance from the village and some from the barrier. Greatly exposed it was left in an area where it could be watched without much attention paid as there was not much by it. It would take at least a hundred yards to reach it in the barrier and there was still the problem of men walking around the outside occasionally.

A few deep breaths and she stood tall and strong and reaching out passed through the barrier. Once she made entry, Vith's back to her, she would clasp the inside of her wrist and glance up to the sky. Clouds covered the moon and the stars but they were cumulus and the fluffy type that many pointed out shapes in. Even if they covered the moon its edges would still light them giving a silver lining that Vithkun might not see at the moment. Until he could not even see that. The world became dark to him as if his eyes were blind of sight the dim pale light once there had receded into a moonless night where even the stars refused to shine. Pitch black it felt suffocating against his skin as if he were being brushed with the darkness and it wanted to invade his lungs. Every breath might be his last until it wasn’t. It cleared his sight returning but only to the edge of the cage until the shimmering of snowy hair came from beyond the bars. His vision released a few feet farther it was as if he were in a bubble of moonlight translucent edges keeping the reflection it within while the rest of the world was lost to him.

The expanse at which she held this magic could not be kept long but she would not need it but for the few moments it took to break him loose. Passing the trunk of the tree where the roots split out to keep him prisoner she circled around him and as she released his section drawing back the shade that surrounded him she would speak, “I’m here,” as she stepped through the shield around him bending down on one knee as to be eye level.

Vithkun's relief was evident the way he looked at her through the bars undeniably one of joy at seeing her face. She was here to free him after all and his situation while perhaps not dire was close enough to it that she could feel his hesitation. The villagers had not seemed too terribly hostile from her position perched for part of the day but that depended on the threat to their home. Both of them were quite a bit of a threat together having independent knowledge of their location. Had Vith been ransomed the hand off would not have occurred at their base of operations so to speak. The afternoon had given her insight into their very fabric of life and though it had taken a small girl to break Vith it had taken only one glance from her to know these were a simple people who wished only to continue living. A goal most creatures could relate to.

Crouched before the prince she listened to him blather on something of a smile reaching her features. The man was most likely going to get himself killed by that big mouth his constant monologues enough to make anyone want to turn his head a little far and yet in the silence of the day she found she enjoyed his manner of speaking even if it was rather verbose.

"Only you would make light in such a situation," she gave him some small praise even if it seemed to not be as she approved of him searching for the silver lining she had extinguished, "But I must admit it is good to see you."

"-Alive."

Tacking on that last part she did not want him believing he meant more to her than he did. He was a valuable chess piece on her board, certainly no longer a pawn but not the king to her own queen. Perhaps a knight, capable of unique movement and centered in the lore of legends.

His plan had already occurred to her to attempt to reach through the bars. At least freeing his bindings might be sufficient if nothing else. She commented not on his words about the spell as bringing up its rather horrendous past would be poor talk for the short time they had. Besides her concentration could only last so long with the babbling brook before her that spoke so sweetly.

"The barrier is unique to the village, I watched for some time as birds flew in and out, deer walked past it without any regard for the nature of it. It was not until I spotted an eagle diving for a mouse that I discovered the essence of it. Those who wish no harm may enter freely, passing in and out of the barrier as they wish."

The bars of his cage held no such regard for her lack of ill will for the instant she touched them it felt as if she had reached into a fire. Hissing she drew back her hands looking at the palms. Unharmed physically it was perhaps only to discourage her. Despite the pain she attempted once again to reach through only to have them collapse on her wrist and hold her in place. Her expression grew grim but she did not cry out. Drawing back it released her, "It appears that I am not going to be able to free you in such a manner."

Glancing behind her she could see through the pitch that surrounded them. No one yet had figured their way out here, after all it seemed only as if the clouds had covered all the light. A few carried torches and she gave them leave to see as far as they might usually allow. Placing limitations, however, only made it that much more difficult to keep the spell in place.

"There has to be some way," she murmured glancing about for something that might be useful.

“They also had no intention of freeing you,” if there was a trick to it she had to assume it was like the outside barrier. Elves tended to think things were funny when they contraindicated what they were supposed to be, “I cannot supersede that no matter hope I might try for my intention cannot change.”

Slamming an open palm against it frustrated by the rotten luck of elves and drows she did not leave it there for the stinging. He brought up the length of the spell and she shook her head, “Not long, I am modifying it quite heavily now and the strain is already felt.”

She’d drawn power before entering but she would not express from where but her expression seemed pained almost at having done so, “Will they take you out of here to use the facilities?”

His agreement on elves being annoying made her smile. Not the cautious ones she'd given him so far where they barely reached her eyes but one that traveled upward and crinkled the corners as she let out a half silent chuckle at it. Then he was mentioning his superior diplomatic skills again and she had to keep herself from rolling her eyes instead focusing them on him. He had a way of being infuriating and yet kind in the same moment and she'd yet to figure out if she could handle one for the other.

"Did your superior diplomatic skills land you in here to begin with?" The courier had been a little forthcoming about the elfs rather annoying habits. Vith may have been dressed well but the rest of his belongings were at camp indicating he traveled with and had very little. He might have passed easily otherwise and observations today of the village carried a great weight. These people were not vengeful nor did they require more than enough to survive. In the years to come they may increase their longing but for now it was peaceful enough.

She glanced back, one of the guards was coming near and she could not remain next to him if she were to allow the man to see properly. There was little time to agree to much else. The sun would rise soon as well. Waiting another night had not seemed prudent but time had been short to start. "Alright," she slipped away behind the great tree positioning herself where even Vith could not see her.

One of the men carrying a torch would break the concealment around him causing it to widen by twenty feet towards him even if it was dim. The man seemed not worse for wear or aware of his predicament. Myra behind the tree took in a deep breath, it'd been over ten minutes and she was covering a large area and preventing it from becoming worse. Holding it back was more difficult than casting it and she dug her nails into her palm. She was losing her grip on the spell itself and were she to be spotted she would face the same fate as Vith.

“And is this your new throne?,” thoroughly amused at his words if not the situation itself. He gave her no opportunity to reply further as it was necessary to move out of the way if their plan was to work. Standing back to bark she drew in long deep breaths savoring each one the air around her clearer for her spell and reminding her of the depths of the earth that she had traveled. Holding it in as the guard approached though she could not see his expression she could correctly assume that it was one of scowling at the very way in which Vithkun spoke. After all the man had a way of infuriating her quite easily.

The guard whose expression matched the one behind the tree guessing about it did not appear likely to agree to take Vith out of the cage itself. Then again he did not want to be the one cleaning it and had Bertha discovered it was him who had ignored the elf’s pleas he would have most certainly have been the one sent off to do that duty as well.

“Very well,” his sour expression transferred to his tone as he reached forth and split the branches that held him within. Undoing one section of the rope from one side he’d add shortly, “And no funny business.”

“Clark,” he hollered over his shoulder. The elf had his hands held apart for a reason, no other prisoner was kept like that, another man came over and with a short explanation he would take the lead from the elf’s other hand. It took a few extra moments to do so and Myra was taking deep breaths keeping the spell alight around them.

The two would draw Vith out of the cage and once their backs were to it Myra would walk around. Clenching her teeth she extinguished the light of their torches. Darkness once again overcame Vith and he could hear a slight scuffling and two very loud thunking sounds. His ropes would go slack and he’d be free to move his arms at his sides without the pressure of them being held outward. He was encased again in a bubble of light from the torches and he could see Myra dragging the men off into the cage itself. Tossing them in like old loafs of bread she’d approach the elf.

“That was fine acting, your highness,” she was teasing as she looked to the knots at his side. They wouldn’t come easy and they needed distance before morning but he could barely walk with the way it was, “We need to clear the barrier and then I shall attend to those.”