The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was the heavy weight atop me. The second thing I noticed was that my neck and right shoulder were rather damp. Turning my head just a bit, I saw Grenwin's sleeping face a few inches from mine. She looked
rough, and I was sure there was a reason for it. Best to let her sleep, I think.
I relaxed, letting my body go languid while I mentally shifted towards
planning. Possibly some plotting, a dash of madness-
Must be more rattled than I thought. At least the bed was comfortable!
Closing my eyes, I figured I must be safe here, wherever here is/was. My sword was atop my pack leaning up against the wall, so we weren't prisoners.
Wow, I feel
great, honestly. Like I've had a full night's rest for the first time in a
while.
Anyway,
plans.
Hopefully we'd be able to make contact with the forest giants, head back home… Wait, what about
Saidar?
I didn't feel any overwhelming urge to reach out for it, just a minor 'maybe a little hug' impulse I was able to tamp down. I couldn't find it anyway, and I reasoned there was probably some reason for that. Nothing else in my arsenal had been affected, and it really went to show just how
reliant I had been becoming.
Problem was, I
needed it. Not the addictive part talking, but the practical. With the Power I can do
anything I need to, using threads of
saidar in place of proper tools. If it were gone for good… Well, no, I don't think it was. I couldn't describe how I knew, but it wasn't that I'd hurt myself in my confusion. I think, anyway.
Saidar just wasn't here, for some reason. Like I'd entered a windowless house where the light of the sun was prevented from shining.
My eyes, to continue the metaphor, were perfectly fine as far as I could tell. I just would have to leave the house, first.
When we got back, I could start taking apart the variable fighter. I'd been scared of doing something wrong, but as long as I follow the procedures outlined in the manuals and keep a close log of whatever I do, anything I do should be repairable. It's disassembly, not destructive analysis.
Once the vehicle is taken apart, I'll put most of the components through the recycler. I wasn't sure about the reactors, as they had some exotic components that might not play nice with the fabricator, but
everything else should be fine.
I should do the same with a tablet and a flashlight, come to think. I wanted to learn what made those work the way they did, and there might be something useful there. I know the flashlights had some sort of wireless power system, and if I figure out the basics, I can start on a basic network.
At this point, my personal desire for advancement and protection outweighs my desire to leave the local culture unchanged by advanced technology on the level of electronics, at least until it was reasonable to introduce. Hell, someone might beat me to it and figure it out on their own time!
Anyway, with power comes artificial lighting, a wireless network, and such a ridiculously vast list of
things we can do that I'd end up tiring myself out. Might was well think about it while I enjoy being so
relaxed.
***
Four hours later
"So, let me get this straight." I said, taking a sip of the delicious tea Elder Hamgwyn had produced alongside breakfast.
We all sat around the table in the Ogier's(!!!!) living room. Finding out about Ogier had put what happened last night in better perspective. Turned out, I hadn't been as safe or careful with my use of
Saidar than I thought I'd been. The moment I had been cut off from the Source by the
stedding, I had reflexively reached for anything I could find- Until I was, as far as I can tell, trying to hug the light in my personal constellation. Turns out those are
hot. Grenwin had described the burns I'd been breaking out with and it sounded like something I should be grateful for my enhanced healing for dealing with.
"I collapsed, Ygdis found a couple of Ogier forest-tenders, you were led back here, where Elder Hamgwyn was kind enough to extend his hospitality." I bowed deeply in my chair towards the distinguished elder. "Thank you, once again. If there is anything you need of me, ask and I will try to deliver."
Hamgwyn gave a polite and surprisingly proper bow in return. "It is no trouble for me to host such interesting guests. Please, continue."
"Right," I said, looking Gren in the eyes. "Thank you. You carried me and kept watch over me." She had been fast asleep when I had awoken in the early hours of the morning, clutching me hard enough that I hadn't been able to escape. Not that, if I was being honest with myself, I wanted to get away.
The woman nodded, "I was- No," She stopped, giving me an interesting sort of half-upper-body bend that could have been a bow, sort of. "I'm just glad you're up and walking."
I could sense, somehow, that she'd been terrified. "I'm sorry for scaring you, and everyone else. Thank you, Ellir, you brought us to safety. Ygdis," I stood, walking around the table to give the younger woman a firm hug.
She was stiff and laughed awkwardly over my shoulder. "What did I do to deserve this?"
I released her. "You proved I can really count on you, when it matters. You remembered most of why I wanted to come here, even when I didn't tell you specifics. While I was down, you still did the work I was planning on, without prompting. If you want a reward for being this cool, let me know, yeah?"
Ygdis gave me a shining smile. "I'll think of something. Everything else came together, I didn't do much."
Elder Hamgwyn chose to fill the resulting empty conversational space. "Now, Maia, about your request."
I turned my attention fully toward him, "You mean you do know something useful about the Others?"
"Useful is relative, but there are some works that discuss them." He indicated the small pile of books he had laid out on the table, all sized for Ogier hands, yet with nearly impossibly fine print. He pointed one out, "This is
Ice and the Magicks of the Walled Lands, originally penned by Elder Flemont over, hm, two and a half thousand years ago. Within, she discusses the Others and their affinity for…" He blinked, "I am sorry, am I boring you?"
I shook my head, ignoring the snickers from my friends. "No, no. You said, ah, magics?"
"Magicks, yes. It is a very general field of study, not dissimilar to the noble Philosophies. The Others, specifically, have not been
observed performing magick as such, yet still seem closely linked to various magickal phenomena. Elder Flemont describes a localized blizzard, temperatures dropping far below that which is lethal for Ogier and Man alike. This,
Obscure Creatures, is another of Elder Flemont's works, and within the Others are described as, yes, 'Ice given the form of Man and the disposition of, ahem, ants."
The giant man shrugged, "I have little else for you."
"Ants?" Grenwin asked with curiosity. It was a good question, I thought.
"Oh yes, as odd a comparison as it may seem. She described a short observation she was able to preform from within the safety of the
stedding, in which she learned that they do seem to maintain some form of communication between each other, audible as…" He trailed off, tapping his nose in thought. "Ah, the sound of a frozen lake snapping. You know the sound?"
We all nodded, and I know I was missing the point.
"They communicated, you see, but beyond that Elder Flemont saw little signs of
individuality. Amongst the four she watched, they were of the same shape, the same shades, produced the same noises, and wielded the same weapons. The comparison to ants, you see, comes from the manner by which the leader of the group relayed orders."
"How was that, then?" Grenwin asked.
The elder took a long sip of his tea before answering. "They didn't. Rather, the one she identified as the leader maintained a group of wights nearby, while the other Others split off from the group from time to time, returning with more wights or objects without rhyme or reason. They acted almost as part of a whole, four individuals making one entity."
I sipped my tea. Something very close to a chai in flavor, with a touch of citrus.
"This is fantastic tea, Elder Hamgwyn." I told the man appreciatively.
"It is a blend cultivated by
Stedding Tsoshu over generations. I expect our fungal parchment is as finely regarded by our brothers and sisters as we recognize their contributions to the culinary arts." He blinked bushy brows.
"Why didn't the Others come into the stedding?" Grenwin asked bluntly, refusing to look at me for some reason. Her face was red enough I was worried she was breaking out in a rash, but she'd said she was fine.
Ygdis nodded excitedly, "Yeah, why?"
"We do not know," Hamgwyn said simply. "Whatever their cause for remaining beyond the borders of our
Stedding, it is not absolute. This," He pushed forward a third book, carefully bound in leather and smaller than the others, "Is a journal of a Night's Watchman who sheltered with us for an evening. He was being pursued, you see, and while we offered respite…" He blew out a long breath, sighing. "It was before my time, but the event was clearly described."
He cleared his throat, taking on the air of relaying ancient words to us.
"The
Atishi entered our village last night. We gathered that they gained access to Elent's dwelling without alerting the watchful Ogier. By some means that evades us, they bled the Watchman dry, leaving only his blood as evidence of their, and his, presence."
He took a breath, returning to his normal cadence. "This journal belonged to the ranger, discovered to have been placed within the mattress. He must have been desperate indeed! Alas," he flipped the small book open, "it is written in a code I've been unable to discern the cipher for. It's merely a hobby," he said slightly defensively, "though you are welcome to take this. A thing of men returned when requested. Yes, fitting."
Glances were exchanged around the table as I pulled the small journal towards me. Gently, I flipped it open, looking through pages of gibberish, with peculiarly fine drawings of fantastic creatures and plants. I stopped at a particular sketch, thick lines of some dark pigment stretching large across the page. It was night, I gathered, and there was a sinuous pale shape stretching across the sky. It was long, like a snake, yet had a peculiar pair of arms and legs, the former ending in oddly clearly defined human features.
Huh.
Closing the book, I spent a moment catching back up to the conversation.
"The
stedding aren't safe, then." I said, "The Others can enter if they want. Obviously, harboring a ranger was enough provocation for them."
"He must have found something, then!" Ygdis declared, "Maybe he wrote it down. Why else would he hide that where he knew it would be found? Why hide it at all?"
"He knew they were coming for him, possibly even that night," Grenwin reasoned. "Maybe he didn't know exactly how long they would take to catch up, so he hid the journal first thing, just in case. If he was able to leave, he could take it with him again."
Nodding, "I'm inclined to agree. Maybe that wasn't exactly what happened, but it's close enough to the truth to work with.
"Yes, of course." Hamgwyn said idly, "You're welcome to take these books with you. I only ask that you treat them with care."
"We will," I replied, gathering the small pile together.
"Thank you. Now, I have a question for you, regarding something your young friend told me last night." The large man proffered the teapot, refilling our cups and accepting our murmured thanks with gusto. Locking his gaze on mine, as though studying my reaction, "You lead First Fork, and First Fork is seeking improved relations with us. Will you stop at only our
stedding, or will you deal openly with the others of my people?"
I blinked, "I didn't even know you were
Ogier. Now that I do, we're absolutely going to be trying to establish contact."
He took a moment, then nodded seriously. "Then perhaps you may solve an ongoing problem we have. You see, with the hostility of the land, travel between
Stedding is long and dangerous. If First Fork proves itself as a reputable actor, we will likely request assistance in communication and travel between our homes."
The table went silent, and I was completely flummoxed. "Yes?"
I cleared my throat, "I mean, absolutely, this is acceptable. This plays into something I have an interest in, the propagation of communication devices and methods across these lands."
He took a bit of
valongar, examining the small pastry. "It has been a very long time since we have last had contact with many of our people. There are young Ogier who have never met any from another
Stedding. I do not wish to enter the twilight years of my life watching this slow decline continue."
Ellir stood, coming around the table and giving the Elder a solid hug. At least, it looked solid enough, though the size difference lent a distinctly comedic air to the sight.
"I'd like to help you, then." I said, "Ultimately, I want to stop the hostilities between our peoples in general. We are too alike, have too much to offer each other, to be at each other's throats."
He nodded, "Reprocity is a fundamental principle, indeed. We will take it one step at a time, yet for now," He gave Ellir a pat on the back, then extended his massive hand toward me. "Allies, and friends. You will always be welcome in my home. All of you," waving to everyone with his other hand.
Taking his hand, I gave it a firm shake, at some bemusement from Hamgwyn. "You're welcome under my roof as well, and when we return to First Fork, I'll let it be known that all Ogier are welcome. We'll explain what and who you are, as a people, and stop this stab-at-first-sight thing."
Again, the oddest sense of
change came over me. Riding atop the wave of history, buoyed onward, my only choice was to continue lest it catches me beneath, crushing me.
With pleasantries exchanged and trades made, we exited the
Stedding with an honor guard- That is, the Elder had sent for someone specifically to accompany us home. Problem was, he was a bit quiet, more interested in talking about books than anything concrete or practical. Still, Jini was friendly enough, still a youngling, or so the Elder said.
The moment we passed the borders of the
stedding, I felt
Saidar once again. Reaching out, it embraced me like an old friend who it had missed, and I felt complete again.
As a test, I stepped back and forth through the
stedding, getting used to the way the Power vanished and reappeared. I
would not be caught by surprise like this again!
Gateway open, a few steps taking me home. Introducing Jini was
fun, the responses from everyone ranging from shock and awe to terror. Nothing violent, and I made it
very clear than anything done to the young Ogier would be done tenfold on the perpetrator, and that he was under my personal protection. It wasn't an aegis I'd had to use before, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
I set him up a cozy house in town, not too far from anything, and done in the traditional style. For the most part, he told me what he would like, aside from some futureproofing regarding plumbing. The result was so starkly similar to a Hobbit's house that I had a little jolt every time I saw it, expecting the occupant to be half as tall as I, not
twice as tall! The scale kept throwing me off, and I wasn't the only one.
Finally done, I found myself collapsing on some comfortable sitting cushions in Grenwin's house, alongside the woman herself and Ygdis.
We were all happy enough to just exist in the moment together. I felt, at least, that whatever came next was something we could handle if we worked together.
