A Mischievous Tale of Magical Mayhem

2 | Bandits and Brambles

The moment the strange elf vanished, Ben hopped down from the boulders and went to Tallon, wrapping him in a hug. "Are you alright?"

Tallon touched the spot where the knife had nicked his skin. "I'm not hurt. Just a little shaken. It could have been much worse; the forest is where I am sharpest, and yet we were taken unawares."

Ben shivered. "Did you hear what he asked me? Why would he be suspicious of Esilunians?"

"My mother's people are extremely reclusive," Tallon explained as Ben grabbed his shirt and dressed himself, "and distrustful of outsiders. But elves—especially High Elves—don't practice slavery, though they'll take prisoners during war. That another elf would accuse Esilunians of smuggling fae is... concerning. Hopefully this 'Erianthus' will explain himself when we see him again."

Gathering the rest of their things from the stream's bank, they returned to the wagon, where they found Maisie in a fine mood.

Straightening from where she'd just added fuel to a crackling fire, she dusted off her hands and greeted them with a bright smile.

"Hello, me lads. I hope yer both hungry; I've started supper, and..." Seeing their expressions, she trailed off. "Is everythin' alright?"

Tallon shook his head and smiled. "It is now. Good news, actually—we found the healer."

Surprised, Maisie blinked and set her hands on her hips. "What? What'ya mean ye found 'im?"

"We'll tell you while we eat. What are we having?" Tallon asked, ravenous after a cold bath and a brush with a knife-wielding stranger.

"Bean and wild mushroom stew," she announced, tapping her wooden ladle against the pot. "Ben ain't been eatin' meat since we left Springwood, but there's plenty ways to cook without it and still make a hearty meal."

Tallon's smile became rather fixed, but Ben brightened. The legumes were among the precious provisions Aeslin's people had supplied them with, and he'd taken a liking to them. Tallon, meanwhile, never felt full without a proper serving of protein, and found the beans disagreed with his digestion. Fortunately, Maisie was an excellent cook, and the stew was delicious.

As they ate, Ben and Tallon told Maisie of their encounter with the strange elf, and she touched her scarred brow self-consciously.

"I've so seldom seen a mirror these last months, I nearly forget I have it, sometimes. Then I catch a glimpse o' meself, and..." She sighed. "Lords, I'd love to be rid of it."

"And you shall," Tallon assured her. "Perhaps even by this time tomorrow."

Her mood lightened again, and the meal passed pleasantly.

As daylight faded, Ben began to worry, for they'd not seen the animals since before their chance encounter with the elf. Tallon assured him they were fine, as he'd checked in with Scamp through their link, but Ben continued to fret. The wolf, wingerret, and arborean all had minds and wills of their own, and all were wild in their own way, but he fretted nonetheless.

He was about to go out in search of them when Fann returned, licking his chops. Ben grimaced at the traces of blood on his snout, but accepted a wolfy kiss as he scratched Fann's ears. Scamp flew to Tallon's shoulder, proudly displaying a field mouse she'd caught on her own, and which served as her supper. Sprout disentangled itself from the fur on Fann's back, plopped to the ground, and ran to Ben, squeaking excitedly. Its head leaves looked a little worse for wear, and Ben set it in a bowl of water, fresh from the stream as he listened patiently to its unintelligible speech.

When the meal was done, they banked the fire and turned in for the night, taking turns on watch. In the morning, they made a quick meal of dried fruit, nuts, and tea, before erasing the traces of their camp. With the wagon loaded and Starlight hitched up once more, the party moved off, following the banks of the stream in the direction Erianthus had pointed them.