The Count of Castle Rock

Chapter XLI- Stones and Madness

After a quick breakfast the expedition breaks camp and strikes out north. The autumn colors of the Felah Forest slowly fade to varying shades of brown. The density of the forest's massive trees thins as they traverse ever widening clearings. Brush becomes sparse as does grass. Soon the strong ancient trees become grey, withered, and crooked. As they pass the last healthy looking trees they step out onto a muted plain that stretches out for a great distance. Even the sun, which has beat upon them since entering the forest weeks ago, hides its face behind a veil of grey slow-moving clouds. The temperature drops quickly and the expedition changes back into their warmer kingdom attire. By noon, they traverse muddy tracks as often as sickly grassland.

With nightfall approaching their path leads to a bog stretching to the limits of their vision. Stunted and crooked trees jut out of the fetid waters in sporadic clusters. A muck covered path cuts a swath through the stagnant waters. The air stinks of decay, the remains of large reptiles littering the water's edge and acting as nest for colonies of swollen flies. The beauty of the forest has died and from its corpse has risen The Hag's Swamp.

Leesa, Luis, and their free dancer guides agree navigating the bog will be an easier task attempted during the day. Wisely, the expedition backtracks until they find a comfortable place where the biting insects haven't laid claim and to set up camp . After the tents are erected and firewood is gathered, Leesa sits so Olivia can comb out and rebraid her hair.

"Leesa," Olivia begins innocently, "are you having intercourse with Hans?"

"Not right now!" Leesa blurts out, unprepared for the question.

Alice bursts into laughter as she walks by. Leesa covers her face, quite mortified.

"Did your mother teach you how to have intercourse? When I listened from my secret place, the ladies of the kitchen back home said it's your mother who is supposed to teach these things."

Leesa turns slightly to look back at Olivia. The half-elf hums to herself as she takes a dollop of hair grease and oils Leesa's scalp. She gently turns Leesa's head so she can continue the hair work.

"My mother died when I was extremely young. I don't really even remember her. All I have are the stories Jesse and Father share with me, and a pair of photos."

"Oh, that's nice," Olivia says, giving Leesa's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

It doesn't feel nice to the city girl who grew up wishing she could remember the sound of her mother's laugh.

"I never met my parents. A man kept me to clean his chamber pots for a while. He says a Tusker sold me to him for a loaf of bread and a bottle of ale." Olivia shudders then giggles, sinking into her child persona. "Hey, can I play in your hair?"

Leesa fights the urge to jump away before the unstable half-elf did something irreversible. Instead she pats Olivia's hand soothingly, like Jessica would when a bad day left Leesa in need of comforting.

"No," she says, feigning calm. "Maybe you can sing me a song."

"I love music... if only I'd brought Black and White. They could have carried my piano."

"That would have been nice."

"I'll bring them next time."

Eventually, Olivia grows tired of singing and finds something else to distract her and Leesa finds herself with a bit of private time. Juanita is running the guards through combat drills, so Leesa decides to do the same. Retrieving the knife from inside her boot, she slowly goes through the first forms of the free dancer morning folk dance.

Imagining the feliruu drums playing by the river's edge, she begins to jump and twirl. She adds a slash, hack, or thrust where it feels the most organic. The more comfortable she becomes with the motions, the faster she moves. Soon her heart is racing and she is covered in sweat despite the chill air.