A Bard's Story: Here There Be Dragons

Chapter Sixteen

Kat approaches the traveler's impromptu camp as they're eating breakfast the following morning. "Are you really headed for Ranstead today?" she asks.

"Leyha and I are, at least," Kehdem says. "Jes?"

"We sent a message to the yelet by comstone," Jes says. "But I have to go back."

"Ash?" Kehdem asks.

"I want to go with you," Ash says. This prompts Jes to ask him a few questions in dwarven, which none of the humans follow very well. When they are finished, Ash says, "I will go with you. But I cannot stay."

"We aren't staying in Ranstead," Leyha says. "We're probably headed back to Talerin, if we can find someone to take us."

"Talerin, that is where the dragons were, xî?" Ash asks.

"Yes," Leyha says.

Ash says a few more things in dwarven to Jes; Jes nods. "I will go to Talerin," Ash says.

"Right," Kehdem says, then he turns to Kat. "So it looks like that's two humans, one dwarf. We'd be happy to have more company, to Ranstead or further."

"Just to Norassi for me," Kat says. "I have a nice little place there. I can put you guys up for a night, if that's the time of day we end up there."

"That would be lovely," Kehdem says. "In the meantime, do you have a map of the area? Unless — Ash, do you know how to get to Ranstead?"

"No," Ash says.

"Would you rather directions?" Kat says. "I know the way."

"I hope you don't mind that the only way we can repay you for guiding us is with pleasant company," Kehdem says.

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find a few inns between here and there where you can pick up a little coin."

"Inns are usually where we spend money," Leyha says.

"What, a bard like you? I'd think that even in the South the kind of fame that goes along with that kind of glory would mean a free night here and there." Leyha just shrugs, so Kat says, "Well, I'll certainly be working the inns. You can join me if you'd like — say you're a Southern poet, tell some of your foreign tales, and I'm sure you'll get a few coins."

"Why do I have to say I'm a poet?" Leyha asks. "Why can't I just say I'm a storyteller?"

"Here in Riverwood it might not mean much to anyone, but in Ranstead, and certainly in Norassi, a storyteller is just a failed poet. You can call yourself a storyteller if you want, but you won't be doing yourself any favors."

"If you say so," Leyha says.

"I do," Kat says with a grin. "Well, if you're really leaving, then I should get my things together. Shall I meet you here in an hour?"

That's more time than Leyha, Kehdem, and Ash need, so they nod. Then Kat heads off, and the others quickly finish breakfast and take down their camp. Not long after they've said their goodbyes to Jes and watched him disappear over the crest of a hill, Kat returns.

"Ready?" she asks.

"Lead the way," Kehdem says, and then they're off.

#

The journey to Ranstead takes three weeks, as promised, and they stop at a few inns along the way. At the first one, Leyha decides to sit out, and so Kat is the only one to introduce herself as a poet. Even so, the whole party is treated with surprising respect. After night falls, when the other guests have gotten their beer and stew from the innkeeper, Kat rather unceremoniously climbs up onto a stool and begins speaking, shouting a little to be heard over the din.