CYRON (Completed)

Chapter 31 -S.

The Vooran Rangers were on the move. They were travelling through a lightly wooded forest. The party was quite large. The rangers were escorting survivors they'd saved from a battle. It was the reason they were here on Medrad to begin with. Most of the elves were on horseback. Those who were on foot were only so because they had given up their steeds for the old and sick among the survivors. There were at least a thousand and three hundred survivors in all. They constituted both men and centaurs. The Vooran Rangers were four hundred in number with exclusion of the four commanders.

Turen and his commanders rode beside the party, next to the middle of the procession. A stretcher had been constructed of wood, fitted with wheels and harnessed to horses. Lying on the stretcher was Sunibe. Sheets had been put down to keep her comfortable. She had gained her color back, but she was still weak. Chidum rode next to her. Klex was recovered and ready for anything once again.

"I'm so sorry I can't sense Mayu," the shaman spoke. "I know it bothers you."

"You are my concern for the moment, Sunibe," the half elf replied with a smile.

"I promise I will sense her out and you two will be together once I fully regain my health. I won't be the one who keeps young love from blossoming."

Elieh smiled at her words.

Sunibe eyed him. She loved teasing him and Mayu. They hadn't known each other long, but they were like a family; a little family.

"I just want us to get off this continent and back to Gartos," said Elieh.

"Your father and his rangers have turned from the Elven kingdoms," Sunibe informed him.

"I know," he replied. "They had good reason. All these survivors we lead to safety today would be without help if he had followed orders. They would be dead."

"Turen, the merciful," Sunibe stated.

Chidum smiled and looked at his father and his commanders. They chatted happily as they rode.

"They are his family."

"No, you and your mother are his family," Sunibe corrected. "His rangers are but his brethren."

"I hope one day I can be like him."

"Well you are both Elvenkind thus it will be quite the time before your father needs any replacement."

"I would never dream of replacing him," Chidum replied immediately. "Turen Seldar cannot be replaced."

Sunibe watched him. There was a glow in the half elf's eyes as he spoke of his father. The respect he had for that man, the reverence, the near veneration. Chidum loved his father, his race and his ancestry; he did not hide it. The half elf's face suddenly sank. He was unhappy for some reason.

"What is wrong, Chidum?" asked Sunibe.

"What if....." he swallowed. "What if Mayu...."

"What if Mayu what?" asked the shaman.

"What if she is dead, Sunibe?" he finally blurted out. "You said you were chased by several shamans. What if one of them killed her?"

Sunibe didn't reply. She wanted to say Mayu was alive, but she wasn't sure of that and if the shamans had nearly killed her and had captured Chidum then they could so easily have killed the girl.

"Your silence speaks volumes, Sunibe," Chidum stated. "You fear what I do."

"I wish I could say she is okay, but I do not want to build false hope, Elieh," she explained.

"It will be as it will be," he murmured. His mood was dampened. The joy was gone. His heart ached.

"At least the spell to remove the Karman tattoo is almost completed." Sunibe hoped by those words she could make him happy.