Drumwe Isles

chapter 32

A group of strangers wandered through the brush and into the meadow. There was four of them from what Acoris could tell, and they maintained a safe distance so far, eyeing Amra with confusion.

He took note of the two men and the two women. They were obviously warriors, and most of them appeared to be from Dillac, as per their pale complexions and light coloured hair. Though upon seeing the snakelike tail of the blonde warrior, Acoris could not be sure they were from anywhere on Drumwe's Isles at all.

He drew his bow at the ready and aimed directly for the dark haired man's head.

"Halt, who the hell are you lot?"

Acoris' crips and deep voice held weight in the still air. The group started to glance around, apprehension growing in their shoulders. Finally, the snake man caught glimpse of Acoris and pointed him out to the dark haired man.

Upon seeing Acoris' bow and arrow, they all drew their weapons.

"Wot are you doing, sir?"

"Yes, why draw weapon on us, we've done nothing to you?"

"Nothing to me, yet."

The larger of the warrior women chuckled, her long red hair swaying.

"Anyhow, that's my companion down there, and I cannot let you harm her."

The raven haired man looked to Amra and nodded.

"We don't intend to hurt her, sir."

Acoris tsked impatiently.

"Sure you don't, your weapons are only drawn for aesthetic purposes."

The man sighed and tossed his sword onto the ground.

His tall friend looked aghast, horrified.

"Cael, what are you doing?"

"Put your weapons down."

The smaller women threw hers down, raising two pale hands for Acoris to see.

The snake afflicted man looked irritated beyond all hell, but followed his companion's instructions nonetheless.

The man known as Cael turned to the large woman finally.

"All of you."

She shot him a downright venomous glance before dropping her warhammer with a hefty thud.

"If I die in this forest, I will make sure you die with me."

Cael shrugged before turning back to Acoris.

"There, we've no means to harm you, anyhow you're the one with range weapons."

Acoris held the bow strong in his hands. This Cael fellow was obviously their leader but he couldn't figure how or why it was so. A Taudor man in charge of Dillac soldiers was not altogether very fitting, and they had obviously come in search of the tree. Not to mention, where did the snake tailed man come into play? No, their group dynamic did not make sense to him.

Amra was still far too deep in her trance to figure what was going on around them and Acoris had to think for both of them now. If he shot Cael, the others would charge Amra in retaliation and they were only so far away. He was confident he could shoot two of them before they got to her, but he had no idea of the snake man's speed or stamina. As for the large woman, she was another matter too.

Acoris hissed at the predicament. If Amra died in these woods, the only heir to Fallburne's king would be long gone. Not only did that leave Fallburne in danger of being leaderless in a time of war, but it also rendered the current King of Fallburne in a state of emotional turmoil. No, if Amra died here there would be very grave consequences for all of Fallburne.

"You've come for the tree."

Cael shrugged.

"Reckon so, yeah."

"We cannot let you take the sap yet."

"Yet?"

Cael sensed the faintest hint of a bargain and Acoris could tell. The man did not seem eager to harm either him or Amra, and he had been level-headed so far. Knowing that at the very least he could kill three of the four of them before they got to Amra comforted him. He supposed he could jump down and dash towards her in hopes of killing the fourth before they did her in, though doubtful. At the very least, if they died here today, it would be after killing all of their enemies.

"My companion, she has a gift."

"What sort of gift?"

"She can convene with the spirits of the forest."

The snaked tailed man's brows furrowed.

"Ahh, so that's what the glowing is about then."

"Yes. She is asking them if Dillac can have the sap to try and avoid war."

Cael made a gesture of agreement.

"Avoiding war is preferrable."

"To you warriors?"

"Why not?"

"Avoiding war would leave you lot out of a job."

"Nonsense, a fine lad like me always makes for a good house husband."

Acoris grinned despite himself and the smaller woman punched Cael's arm roughly.

"You oaf, you're to get us killed."

Her whisper was hardly a whisper at all and went to deaf ears on her companion.

"I will not kill you unless you try to harm her."

Acoris tilted his head towards Amra for a reference point.

"Are you lovers?"

The large woman's voice held no hint of malice, in fact it was rather flat and lifeless.

"Lovers? An Elf and a Druid? Woman, are you mad?"

"Stranger things have happened."

Acoris shook his head.

"We are friends, good friends. I care for her."

"Right, well don't shoot us, and we will not harm her. Anyhow, she's the one of us that can talk to the spirits and I can't imagine that's a fight we'd win otherwise."

"What fight?"

"A fight against spirits."

Acoris nodded.

"No, likely not."

They were quite clearly at an impasse until Amra left her trance. The warriors knew they wouldn't make it out of a battle with the spirits were they to kill Acoris and take the sap. And Acoris knew he couldn't kill all of them without risking Amra in the process.

So, they waited.

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