Dance Macabre: Tales from a Cursed Land

VI: The Crone of the Swamp (1/2)

It had been two months since they had left the domain of the Lady of the Lake. The only things the Lady had been able to tell were that Rachian had indeed come to the island ten years ago and that a young woman had come for him some time later. She had waited at the trading post instead of crossing the lake, so she didn't know more about her.

Thalassal had had long discussions about magic with Raviel's brother – who had called himself Nightwind. The other elf had also stayed with him, not having any money for a room in the inn. He had struck the necromancer as intelligent, ambitious and driven by something. Whatever he had been looking for he had kept to himself. And then one day, when he had gotten a letter from someone waiting for him at the other shore of the lake, he had just packed up his belongings and left without hesitation.

None of these hints had really led them anywhere. The trail went cold right at the trading post on the lakeshore. With no better leads to follow, Raviel decided to continue asking around. Saska didn't have anything against this arrangement, as they could also earn some money taking bounty jobs while on the road. Alone, he wouldn't have even dreamed of slaying monsters for living, but Raviel really was strong. He could have been better in figuring out what they were chasing in the first place, though. The elf was still a stranger to this realm, and it showed.

On the bright side, Raviel also attracted so much attention due to being a stranger and an elf that almost nobody thought to check his little shadow's wrists. To avoid accidentally showing the tattoos, Saska tied bandages over them. Overall this was much better than sleeping in whatever shelter he could find and struggling every day to earn enough money to pay the Viscount's dues. People might stare at them, but they didn't drive them out of town on first sight.

Right now, though, his tattoos were clearly visible – as were those of most people around him. The past three day he had spent with the Outcast caravan settled near the town where he and Raviel had stopped to rest. Because no matter what other people thought, Outcasts –knew- things. Nothing happened in this world that the servants of the Viscount would not somehow be aware of it.

No, they didn't know where Raviel's brother might have gone after leaving the Lady's domain. It had happened too long ago, and one elf was not significant enough either. But they did know about someone who might be able to locate him.

"Thank you very much for having me," he bowed to the matron of the caravan. Outcast leaders were usually the eldest and wisest of the group, whether that was a man, a woman or a couple.

"It was no bother at all, my boy," she replied. "Wouldn't you stay a little longer? You're such a good, hardworking child." She leaned a little closer. "My granddaughter seems to have her eyes on you too."

Saska smiled and scratched his neck. They hadn't seen the mark on his face yet, and everything had gone almost too well during these days. It was a tempting offer to stay, but he really couldn't. "I'm sorry. There's someone the Viscount told me to accompany, so I have to go." He bowed again. "I wish you all fortune on your travels."

"And yours too, Saska. Be well and be safe."

When Saska returned to the inn they were staying at and asked the innkeeper about Raviel, he learned that the elf had gone out with some pretty woman. He felt a little jealous. It would have been nice if he had been able to hook up with a girl too.

His hand gingerly touched the bandages covering the mark around his right eye. He could not. Because of being an Outcast, because of being disfigured like this, because...the curse following him took everybody he loved away.

He took the room key and asked the innkeeper to tell Raviel he had returned once the elf was back. Then he headed to the room and flopped on his back on the bed. After a while he closed his eyes and tried to reach out to Raviel.