Days 233 - 234 (211th - 212th)

Day 233 (211th):
A sound knock awoke us. Lisa opened the door to find Rajar and Janesh standing at our door.
"We are packed, Majors," Lisa reported crisply, "We shall be down momentarily."
Rajar humphed while Janesh nodded and said, "Your horses are saddled and waiting. Please, be as swift as you can."
We promised to be quick and they marched away. The door closed and our traveling clothes appeared upon our bodies. We laughed at our "swiftness" and grabbed our gear. I thought about taking us through kirlan, but dismissed it as showing off and we walked quickly down to the front of the cloister.
Rajar was still giving instructions to his officers when we arrived. While his face was unchanged, I saw his attitude shift between surprise and annoyance.
"He commented to others that seven girls would take 'forever' to be ready and is annoyed that he was wrong," Alice mentally informed us.
Janesh was pleased at our speed and tried to aid us into our saddles, but we got there before him. Rajar's mirth at Janesh's failed chivalry broke through his stone-faced mask.
"These are not courtly women, Janesh. They fend for themselves. I have even heard they are killers, having slain an assassin and a King," Rajar teased Janesh, "When we get home, you can have all your courtly women to flex and preen before when they praise you. Let us be on the road."
Rajar's group were on our right. Janesh's formed up on our left. We seven rode in no particular order. We heard the cloister's bells ring far behind us as we headed to Crialas.
As we rode, I noticed the shifting emotions from our escorts. Most found this duty beneath them, but reminded themselves that the Royal Couple had ordered this and resolved to fulfill their duty. One kept returning to Rajar's comment about us being killers and watched us warily. I, finally, got bored with their inner debate and watched the countryside as we rode. The cleaned area was huge as we did not reach the perimeter until early evening. The contrast was a shock. Even the soldiers remarked about the perfect edge formed in the snow.
An evergreen tree straddled the perimeter. One side was thick, full, and a rich green. The other was thinly covered, patches gone, and more brown than green. Sarah felt bad for the tree and galloped over to it, in spite of our escort's protests. She jumped off her horse and gave the tree a great hug. I could see her pouring all she had into it, willing and wishing it to be whole and healthy. While she managed to regrown a bit of it, she would not do it all alone. Drawing swords, we pointed them at Sarah and gave her our aid. The soldiers gasped when they saw the sickly side erupt with new growth. Neither Sarah nor we quit until every needle of that tree was strong and healthy.
It was decided, by whom I don't know, to make camp inside the perimeter, saving the crossing for dawn. Sarah was spent, leaning on her horse for support as we walked away from the tree to our emerging campsite. No one spoke to us. We were given food and water by silent elves. Their minds, however, were a hive of thoughts, buzzing about in near chaos.
After sunset, while light was still in the sky, we felt a presence approach us. The soldiers noticed us looking the same direction and followed suit. They drew weapons as a beautiful woman entered the light of our fire.
"You don't need those," she told them in a voice as soft as rustling leaves.
They fought her influence, but failed. Weapons clattered as unresponsive hands dropped to their sides.
"That's better. Sit now, I wish to talk with these ladies," she gently ordered.
The male soldiers sat immediately. The female soldiers fought to remain standing, but could not and sat beside their fellows. Satisfied that they would not interrupt, she turned to us.
"I wanted to thank you. I have been asleep since the sickness reached this area. The healing of half of my tree woke me, but I have been in pain from the other half. It is probably my pain that drew you to me. Now that my tree is healthy, I have the strength to venture out and continue the healing. Many will benefit from this, I promise."
"You are welcome," Sarah blurted, "I did feel your pain and knew it had to be healed. I'm just glad my sisters trust me to know I wasn't being foolish."
We and the dryad laughed. Her laughter sounded like rain hitting a canopy of leaves. The soldiers continued to watch in silence. We asked if she had need of anything.
"With a healthy tree, I have all I need. Safe journey, Sisters. By your hands, this land will thrive."
She walked into the growing darkness. I felt her until the instant she went into her tree. At that moment, the soldiers were released from her magic and in control of themselves again. Rajar fumed, as did his group. Janesh and his conversed in whispers, occasionally looking at us over each others' heads. Spent, Rajar and company said a terse good-night and went to their bedrolls. We decided to turn in as well. Janesh and his two were still talking when we went to sleep.

Day 234 (212th):
"Awake now!" exploded in my head.
I rose up to find Rajar and company slinking through the flickering light of the dying fire. Evil intent hung over them.
I raised my hand and said, "Freisia, si es discora."
They became still. My words had woken the other soldiers and my sisters. Janesh stoked the fire until we could clearly see the other three. They were not just standing like someone caught in the act of a crime, but were actually frozen in the position they were in when I spoke. Try as they might, the trio could not move an inch beyond that position. Fortunately for them, they had both feet on the ground when they froze.
Janesh spoke to Rajar harshly, "Major Rajar Skyflame! Explain yourself!"
Rajar tried to speak, but could not move lips or jaw to respond. Janesh turned towards me and indicated for me to release them.
I raised my hand and spoke, "No freisia."
The trio stumbled as they were set free. Janesh's party clasped irons on them to prevent them from fleeing or fighting. Janesh stood, waiting for Rajar's explanation. Rajar struggled against the irons for a moment, then began his tirade.
"We were going to kill them. Can't you see that they are too dangerous to allow in the presence of our royalty? That...that thing from the tree! It bewitched us! Made us slaves to its will! If they release such a creature upon our King and Queen, who knows what damnation shall follow? Release me so we can end their threat and chop down that fiend-infested tree!"
Janesh said nothing. Rajar continued to curse us, our swords, our birth places, and parents. Finally, when he could speak no more, Rajar looked at Janesh, pleading with his eyes. Janesh, still and silent the entire time, fished a clam-like case from his belt pouch.
"It grieves me to do this, but I must report your activities to our King and Queen. They will decide your fate."
Rajar croaked a protest as Janesh opened the case and touched some points inside it. As he did, we seven gathered behind him to see at what he was looking. Another elvish soldier appeared in the mirror-like interior of the case.
"Royal Palace of Crialas, state your business," his voice sounded small from the case.
"Major Janesh Waterdancer to speak with the Royal Couple immediately," Janesh responded.
"You realize the earliness of the day, Major? They are still asleep," the other chastised.
"It is highly important. It concerns the Seven Sisters," Janesh countered.
"Oh! I see! Yes, right away, Major," the other soldier disappeared and only a curtain was visible.
A moment later, two tired-looking elves entered the mirror's area.
"Janesh? What's wrong? Why are you rousing us?" the male of the pair spoke roughly.
"My pardons, you Majesty, but three of your guards have attempted to take the lives of the Sisters," Janesh sadly reported.
This woke the pair fully, "They tried what? Why?" demanded the King.
Rajar began hoarsely yelling, "They summoned unnatural creatures! They are dangerous and must be destroyed!"
The couple looked at each other. There was no sound as they spoke. After a few silent minutes, they turned back to face us.
"Major Janesh, those three are to go to Neratal. There, they will be dealt with accordingly. Rajar Skyflame, you and your fellows are ordered to report to Neratal as soon as possible. If you are not there by the end of the week, you will be hunted down and killed if need be. You are keeping your ranks, for now. Any other mischief from you and that will be removed," the King ordered through the case, "You are to leave where you are now and proceed to Neratal."
The irons were removed and the trio gathered their gear and mounted their horses. With one last look of pure hate, they rode off to the north.
"Major," the Queen spoke at last, "please explain the events that prompted their actions."
Janesh told them about the tree, our actions, the dryad, her effect on them, and her promise. The Royal Pair spoke to each other again, without sound projected to us. They reached some sort of conclusion and, again, the Queen spoke to us.
"Major, please tell the ladies the full truth of how our land became like this. Leave nothing out. Hopefully, they can use that knowledge to aid in our recovery."
"Yes, you Majesty. We shall be to Crialas at all speed," Janesh bowed to the case and closed it.
As we gathered our things, mounted our horses, and had a ration breakfast, Janesh told his tale.
"I am not sure what you were told, but this is the full truth. Crialas was founded with permission from all the Mortal Realm powers on top of a naturally occurring portal to other realms. From Crialas, one can travel to places of wonder and horror. Every year, the King, Queen, or pair renews the contract with the other powers. This keeps the other realms from bleeding into this one. Only blood kin to the original founders can renew this pact. When they, then Prince and Princess, disappeared in Brimgrove, that left only the ailing King to continue the agreement. At his passing, the chancellor tried to explain to the powers the problem we were facing. They did understand, but would not modify the arrangement. High and low, all Crialas was searched for any remaining kin the the original Fifteen. Those that claimed they were kin were not accepted by the powers and could not renew the pact. This made finding our King and Queen even more important.
"When the first year without the renewal passed, no one but the most sensitive noticed a change. It was not until almost a decade has passed before real concern was evident among the people. This is when the wild stories began and the blaming started. Beyond Crialas, all was unchanged. Audoahrn remained untouched for nearly fifty years after the last renewal was performed. The edges did not see any problem for about one hundred years. Since the change was so slow, no one noticed until something radical happened. Fountains spewing blood, mud, or something vile. Cattle, sheep, or other livestock being born with some deformity. Crops growing strangely or not at all. These were the usual indicators of a problem. By the time the outlying areas noticed something odd, the stories and theories rampant in Crialas seemed logical and plausible. Some places cast out all but elves. Some imposed nigh impossible rules and codes of conduct. Some became extremely militant and tyrannical. A few went the other way, embracing the change as something holy and gave themselves mind, body, and soul to it. Those places are avoided by just about everyone else. We are also avoiding most of them. Unfortunately, we have to travel through Scarnac and Orda. One is militant while the other has given in to the change. Our royalty hopes you can do here what you accomplished in Selvis. Starlight is certain you can. The dryad from that tree is the first fey any have reported seeing in almost two hundred years. Our royalty has called, summoned, and invoked every power they could name. Not a one responded. Either they sleep like that dryad said she did, or they have left and cannot return."
Janesh became silent, radiating pain of failure and lost hope. The other two mirrored his emotions. We rode a couple of miles in silence, allowing them to compose themselves. As Rajar had woke us before dawn, this silent time was a dawn ride.
We had left the cleaned perimeter during Janesh's tale. Sarah closed some to handle the shock of re-entering the taint. Lisa cringed a bit. Set was sad at the loss of "furries" outside the perimeter as was Dawn. Bo, again, was hard to read.
Janesh coughed to gain our attention, "Ladies, to your right is Nelac, a town we shall avoid at all costs. I will save you the details of that place."
Looking in the direction he indicated, I saw a town with a great shroud over it, the snow was grey around it. Set sniffed the air. He twitched and shuddered.
"Kayla, I need to sneeze, badly."
"Take off, fly from the horses so nothing bad happens," I instructed him.
He jumped from the saddle. Janesh and company looked at him oddly. When they turned to me, I explained. We watched him spin and roll in the air. Finally, he let loose a "pow" that sent him straight backwards, shooting a ball of flame forward. We could not help but laugh. Set returned to our saddle.
"That was not fun. I hope not to do that again."
Out loud, I said, "If you need to, just take off. We don't need any hard feelings because of an accident."
The others agreed. We joked about future occurrences and possible outcomes of those times. It made the time pass much more pleasantly.
We passed another couple of towns before sunset. Choosing a spot out of sight of any town, we set up camp. As we shared rations, the question was voiced about why the theories began.
"Outside of the palace, very few people knew about the ritual. To tell people that something was not done that they never knew was done in the first place would do no good. We tried to explain as best we could, but it was for naught. Since the change was so gradual, they did not know that what they saw as a sudden event has actually begun years earlier. They focused on what was different today as opposed to yesterday. People were killed. Animals slaughtered. Property destroyed. All in an attempt to return to what they believed was normal yesterday. When that didn't work, they went back further, exiling or killing whole races, eliminating untold property and livestock, and, some, imposed massive rules to try and keep their version of order while the ones who gave into the chaos became anarchists, disposing of rules completely."
We could tell this upset him and his group. He composed himself and continued.
"People begged the Palace for aid. The chancellor tried to explain about the ritual, the Mortal Realm powers, and all. They refused his explanation. Crialas became nearly abandoned. Those who did not believe him left and refused the authority of the chancellor and Palace. Each city has become an authority in itself, ruling independently of the Palace. This is also why we are avoiding nearly every city. Some would hang us as traitors at worst while, at best, we would be denied in others."
We accepted his explanation. By now, it was late, so we settled in to sleep. The guards were leery about having no one on watch until we reminded them of seven entities who never sleep.