Among the Birches *NaNoWriMo 2013*

On The Road to Trenton

Kya was awake again with early dawn and nearly sprinted downstairs for a bowl of porridge and to pay the proprietor, who had woken early, too, but with a dreadful hangover and a sharp sense of loss at having missed his chance with his dancing partner from the night before.

"Aren't you going to stay another evening, Kya?" he asked, cupping one hand over his forehead and gently rubbing it.

"Business calls me elsewhere, I'm afraid." 

"Must be some business, I suppose," the man let his voice trail off, and sipped from a goblet full of water. 

"I will be here until about noontime, I'd think," said Kya. "And I thank you, as always, for a delightful stay at the Black Spruce."

"It's my pleasure. I always like having you Islanders come; you're so polite and neat. Shame that one of your fine women won't come make an honest man out of me." he laughed in a rather defeated-sounding way.

Kya didn't bother to tell him of the disappearance of her people. She just nodded.

"Say, how is it that you are alone, as I am?" he asked. "You're a fine elf maiden, from the looks of you..."

"Elves are not like men. It matters very little if I am beautiful or not; we are each allotted only one mate and are lucky to find them at all, since they could lie anywhere in the world. I simply haven't found him, if indeed he lives at all."

"You know, you folk may have it right. I sure have had no luck with the several women I've tried to woo." 

"Like that woman last night?"

"Aye, just like her."

And then he turned away to wake up the busboy and arm him with mop and bucket full of sudsy water.

By this time, the groaning of floorboards upstairs betrayed the awakening of the guests. Kya figured that it would be a fine time to speak again with Nicholai and Lavin; she decided all at once that Nicholai may go with her, if he wished, if only to find Jasper. Then she and Jasper would travel west and seek Gerzin in the barren plain of Fratyra that lay just over the wide and roaring river of the same name.

"Nicholai," she called quietly to no one, "you may come, but let us make haste! For one of great speed leads us."

And she bounded up the stairs, rearranged her possessions and gathered them up in her pack, and went to knock at Lavin and Nicholai's door.

"Come in, Kya," said Lavin's clear voice.

"Lavin-- Nicholai. I must leave very soon, but I came to tell Nicholai yes, if you still desire, you may travel with me.  As for you, Lavin, I hold great gratitude to Providence for having you here... May we meet again soon and under pleasant circumstances! But be warned and aware; pray for me and my people."

Nicholai's things were packed already. He shared a sorrow-filled hug with Lavin, promising to return and travel with him once more and, besides that, during the trips to see even more wonderous sites than those they witnessed. He fastened a scimtar to his back, next to a napsack filled with the sort of food humans preferred-- roasted nuts, dried fruits, sandwiches wrapped in large leafs-- and pragmatic tools of every sort plus a blanket, change of clothing, and a wooden flute. A musician. Perhaps we shall get along quite a bit better than I thought.

Soon, both Kya and Nicholai were heading down the wooden staircase and, after bading the owner and his sleepy busboy farewell, crossed over the threshold and out-of-doors. The human stopped briefly on his way along the main road to purchase a kind of croissant being sold by a tired-looking young woman at a stall. The streets were littered with confetti and streamers; obviously, the last night had been one of reverly.