Forest Keep 2
#4 of Forest Keep
Chapter 2 - lost and found (edited 12/10/08 for font correction and version update) Cill awoke next morning feeling refreshed and looked around her lair, though spacious it was still bare and she felt it needed some attention. Looking down at her paw, she saw the wadded hanky within looking rather sad, so tugging it off she placed it on her bed, thinking about the male human. Her curiosity was aroused about him, but giving a little shrug, she slipped out of her lair. He would not be back she thought before she went looking for something new to brighten her home. James woke early as the light streamed in through the windows of his room, walking over to the basin he poured chilly water into it from the ewer and carefully washed and shaved. He did not want to give a bad impression on his first day of training. Pulling on his newly dried clothing, he suddenly remembered something and fumbled hastily in a pocket... It was gone! The handkerchief Lady Caroline had given him as a favor before he had left for the keep. This was terribly bad luck, not to mention the fact he treasured the hanky as it reminded him of her graceful form, sultry voice and the scent of her perfume. James searched rapidly through all his equipment and clothing, surely it was there somewhere! Down in the Bailey a horn sounded to summon the novices. Cursing his bad luck, James ran down the stairs and fell in with the rest of the trainees who seemed a motley group of rough looking men who looked him over with interest born of boredom. He was younger than most of them he realized and looked less beaten up. "Who's this then?" someone asked quietly... At twenty James was younger than most to start serious training He realized he would be in for some difficult moments as the men took their measure of his ability, and rightfully so when the man you were training with today could be guarding your back tomorrow. Cill silently darted round towards the base of the keep. She did not usually approach this close but she was looking for something else like her mirror and this was where she had found it. She looked up startled at the sound of ringing steel from within - had they seen her? She relaxed when no humans appeared; looking over the junk thrown from the keep, finding a small table with three legs she quickly carried it away to her lair placing it in a corner. Some dragons could read and write and while she had a good education and could read some runes, she wanted to be able to learn more about herself and her magic, which was still weak at her age. However, it would grow the more she used it and as she matured. She pouted a little at the speckled mirror, her hoard had barely begun but she told herself it would be better once she learnt how to shape shift and become invisible as her parents could do. James grasped the sweaty hand offered to him as he lay on his back, winded. "Ya over-extended your sword-arm again" the man chuckled, "ya don' need to bury ya sword in my gut to kill me. Just deep enough so it doesn't get hung up when ya try and pull it out" Wiping the sweat from his face James nodded "I was trying too hard I guess" he chuckled. "Tis a common error" the large knight said with a grin showing beneath the bushy mustache "I'm Joseph, Th' keeps man-at- arms though ya can call me Joe". James shook Joe's hand as they dismissed for the day. He had barely had time to register names and faces before they had started on the hardest training he had ever experienced. He was shaking with effort by the middle of the day and could barely lift his sword as he trudged back to the mess. "Damn boy" chuckled Joe "ya not have been worked that hard before? Ya'll get used to it or keel over..." James nodded, "I expected as much, I'll get used to it... I have to if I want to become a knight someday" Joe frowned a little, "Hope ya haven't got the idea tis all runnin' off doin' good deeds an rescuin' princesses from towers" James laughed as he took a drink of water from a flagon on the table "I'm not that young", he chuckled, giving the man a punch on the shoulder. "Protecting the king's roads and people is enough for me". Tipping up the flagon, he poured the water all over his head, prompting a laugh from Joe whereupon he tipped another flagon over Joe's head then danced out of reach as the man spluttered and laughed. "And who will protect the people from ya?" said Joe as he wiped his face clean. The water having cooled him off nicely "lets have some lunch and ya can fill me in on ya story". James realized Joe was sounding him out for the others novices, and they would all know his history within a day or two Sitting in the mess, he told Joe a carefully edited history of his life in London, being taught to fight by his father and uncle and his aspirations of becoming a knight. He mentioned his father's urgent desire of seeing him return a proper knight and gaining the hand of a fine rich Lady. As a knight, he would receive a parcel of land and serfs to till it and grow crops. He could not do this in his current state of impoverished lesser heir. The youngest son of an earl had to work for a living these days, especially as he had two older brothers above him. Joe listened closely to what was said and what wasn't being said. He could see the lad had potential. It was in his movements and accuracy on the training grounds but it would take a few years of battle practice and actual combat to hone the skills he saw. "Lad, I can see ya tired, take the rest of th' day off and let ya'self recover, walk the keep and learn th' forests around as that's where we do a lot of patrollin'" Joe put his tankard on the table and continued. "Bandits and highwaymen seem ta spawn alon' with the mushrooms and there's nothin' like havin' a fat rich man complainin' to the King about lawlessness to make things uncomfortable around here" James nodded tiredly and went back to his room. He suddenly remembered about his hanky and sat down, remembering his last day's movements. The lake... his eyes widened as he recalled the dip he had taken before arriving, it wouldn't hurt to check the spot. There would be time for another swim too, he grinned to himself, walking painfully down the stairs he asked the groom to saddle his horse and swinging himself up he trotted off into the forest. Cill pottered round her lair, plugging small holes in the wall with moss and making sure it was weatherproof with no leaks or seeps. She glanced out the door at the sun and decided to head down to her lake; it would be just the right temperature for a leisurely soak and swim. Carefully making her way down the hill towards it, she was startled to see the same horse cropping the grass while the human marched up and down the edge of the pool where he had placed his clothing the previous day. She could hear him muttering under his breath as he stooped over now and then while brushing the long grass aside as if looking for something. Cill sucked a talon as she considered, her magic was weak but perhaps she could do something. Maybe if he found what he was looking for he would go away properly this time. She came to an abrupt decision; ducking down in a bed of reeds, she sent a questing thought out to the human. *Who are you and what are you looking for?* She almost burst out giggling as the human let out a yell and fell into the water, his arms windmilling in surprise. He sat up spluttering in the shallows and looked round frantically for the source of the mysterious voice. "Who's there?" He sounded angry thought Cill, stifling another giggle. *What are you looking for?* she asked again, a little more quietly this time as James strode from the pool, wringing out his shirt and wiping duckweed from his hair. He was surprised and scared, voices from the air were not in his usual experience and he was a little unsure. "My name is James from the keep, I dropped a pocket handkerchief here yesterday' he shouted as he looked round. Cill picked up a brief image of the small fabric square she had collected *why ever do you want that?* she asked, *It smells funny and doesn't look useful at all* Curiosity colored her tone this time and James decided there was no malice in the voice. "It is precious to me", he explained, "It was given to me by one I hold dear". Cill nodded to herself *If you find it will you go away?* she asked James. *This is my lake you're getting all messy you know*. James picked up the feminine hint in the voice and let out a laugh "I'm sorry... I did not know it was yours... There were no signs... Why can't I see you?" *Because I don't want you to*, came the petulant reply. *Wait there and I will get your 'handkerchief' for you* James looked round slowly but saw no movement nearby. He scratched his head; this was turning into a very interesting day. His curiosity had been fired and was itching to get a look at who - or what ever was addressing him. She mentioned the lake he thought to himself; perhaps she was a Naiad or water nymph. Or a sultry siren. Luring males in to be drowned in murky waters while they sought to make love to them. Suddenly his reveries were broken by another inaudible mental intrusion *I have your handkerchief... If I give it you back... will you stay away?* That doesn't sound like an evil spirit seeking a soul, he thought, more like a scared woman wanting to be left alone. "I shall do as you bid though how shall I repay you for finding my favor?" he asked the empty air aloud, feeling somewhat foolish as he did so. Cill's acquisitive instincts suddenly flared up, she could ask for something nice for her lair! Her common sense overrode it firmly *Whatever you feel worthy*, she murmured back to him... *Now... You must close your eyes... and no peeking!* James fumbled quickly in his pouch, grabbing the first coin he felt against his fingers and placing it next to him. One of his few gold pieces lay beside him upon the grass, glinting invitingly in the sun. "Close my eyes?' he thought to himself, she could do anything to him in that state. Still when one was dealing with eldritch powers that had seemed benevolent for now, it paid not to question them too closely or provoke them. Kneeling on the ground cross-legged, he closed his eyes. "Alright... I promise... no peeking," he said, exercising a restraint that was usually unknown to him He took a deep breath and remained in place as something like a warm wind swirled around him. He caught a hint of a spicy musk as it wafted past while something fell gently into his lap. He had to fight hard not to open his eyes, *alright . . . You can look now* Cill's voice filled his head once more, his eyes snapping open he looked down, and there was his ladies hanky although with a large tear through the middle of it. Looking beside him, he saw the coin was gone and with a grin, he made a bow towards the lake. "Thank you my lady", he called, "should you wish my services please leave some sign and I shall respond" Cill gaped at the shiny coin in her paw, her first piece of gold! She felt a surge of pride and thought about her response. *If you see a black feather in the oak tree by the start of the road... will you come and talk to me again?* She felt it could not hurt to have a pair of ears and eyes in the keep. He had proven he could be trusted after all... and he had gold as well her mind whispered as her tongue flicked delicately over the precious metal, testing the quality. "I look forward to it my Lady," James said "may I know your name?" he waited expectantly, fearing an answer wouldn't be forthcoming as names had power over some beings. *I am Cidiliana Mor Dracalar* the melodic reply came, *but you may call me Cill... Now... be on your way...* James grinned to himself, an odd name yet elegant in its way, climbing onto his horse he clicked his teeth to encourage it to a trot and returned to the Keep Riding slowly and thinking quietly he recalled the oddly spicy scent that had wafted around him so lifting the hanky to his nose he took a sniff. Yes... That same scent was there too, displacing his lady's perfume. It stirred him in an odd fashion, making his heart pound, and chuckling to himself, he wandered back through the gates of the keep, water still dripping from his clothing as the gate guards snickered behind his back. Cill lay on her back upon her bed, running the gold coin through her talons. Watching it glint in the firelight as she played with it. He had not seemed too bad for a hairless ape, she thought to herself, giggling quietly as she remembered how he had looked falling into the lake in his clothes. The coin had his scent on it also, more pleasant than the smelly cloth she had returned to him. Why would he pay so much for a piece of cloth? She wondered...Especially one that smelt so odd! She smiled to herself and let her mind drift... Calling her mother to let her know the good news *Hello Mama!*she smiled mentally. Her mother smiled back warmly, wondering what had her daughter so pleased. Perhaps the male had returned. *I have gold!* Cill said with a note of triumph in her mental image *Oh my... Where did you find that?* Her mother asked carefully. *It was a gift,* Cill said proudly, lifting the coin so her mother could see it through her eyes, *the male gave it to me*. Nodding to herself in satisfaction Carlina silently grinned; giving hoard gifts was a typical courting gesture by a male. However, rarely would they give gold at first but perhaps he was a wealthy dragon with a large hoard. *Is he nice dear?* she asked quietly *He seems to be. Although a bit clumsy. He fell into the pool when I spoke to him,* she giggled again at the memory. Her mother frowned to herself. A drake should not be clumsy even when caught by surprise. *Well, just be careful of yourself and be nice to him, Even if he is clumsy*. Cill nodded, a little surprised at her mothers comments, be nice to him? She gave a mental shrug and said she would before rolling under the soft coverings of her bed and going to sleep with her paw tightly clutching the gold coin while her dreams filled with James's voice and his scent remained in her nostrils.