A Bard's Story: Here There Be Dragons

Chapter Twenty-One

The first snowfall in Talerin that year is nothing more than a few flurries that come a scant week after the latest dragon attack. They're a symbol of hard times coming in more ways than one. Amer and Sefert take the snowfall as an omen that they should head out in search of Leyha and Kehdem, despite the fact that they still haven't tracked down a proper map of the north.

"We've got mounts," Amer says after he's told Oren and Geri that they'll be leaving. "At worst, we'll be gone a month and then we'll turn around. And who knows, maybe we'll find those two. They were on foot — they can't have gotten that far. And if they do come back..."

"We'll let them know where you went," Geri says, nodding.

"Just as long as they don't come after us," Sefert says.

"Why not?"

Amer laughs. "We'll end up running in circles trying to find one another," he says. "And even if we have got the advantage of mounts..." He shakes his head. "If they come back, tell them to stay. We'll be back in the space of two months."

Oren thinks that seems awfully optimistic, given that two months from now will be the end of December and the height of snowstorm season — the exact time of year that convinced Leyha and Kehdem to stay in Talerin the first time. Not to mention that other Southerners have promised similar things, but as yet have failed to deliver.

"We'll tell them," Geri promises. "If they come back here, of course."

Amer nods. "Thank you for your help," he says. And then he and Sefert head off down the road and away from Talerin. As Oren and Geri stand watching them fade into the distance, they are joined by Tosun.

"You're not going anywhere, right?" Geri asks.

"Not yet," Tosun answers, and while it's a promise, it's also somewhat hollow. Oren can clearly hear what he's not saying: not yet, but someday. It makes him wonder, What are we going to do when the Holy Order leaves, and town treats us like outcasts for helping them?

And then Oren nearly laughs at himself. Geri's always been an outcast, so the change will only something different for him. Not to mention that what it really sounds like is another good excuse for finally getting out of Talerin.

"Good," Geri says. "We need more snow than this, right?"

They're quiet for a moment, and then Tosun asks Geri, "Your sister likes poets, right?"

Geri squints at Tosun for a second — it's a major change of subject, and a strange one at that — but then he nods. "She does. Very much, in fact. I mean, I do too, but not as much as she does. And anyway, poets don't normally come this far south."

"At the docks there was word of a poet headed south, looking to make Talerin the last stop on his tour," Tosun explains. "I just thought that she might like to know about it...

"Why don't you tell her yourself?" Oren suggests. "She'll be coming over for supper."

"Oh, so you boys are staying tonight?"

They both nod.

"Great! You can help me. We've got a shipment coming in from the capital and I need some help carrying it all back."

Oren and Geri let out moans that Tosun steadfastly ignores. He doesn't get very far down the road before the boys fall in like behind him as he knew they would, and the trio heads into town.

#

The real snow comes just barely a week after the first flurries. It's a Friday evening, and the inn is boisterous with the sounds of the Holy Order and travelers alike. Oren is perfectly happy in the hubbub, content to sit close — but not too close — to the hearth and watch the crowd. A traveling poet has in fact done Talerin the honor of making it the southernmost stop on his tour. The rebuilt inn is particularly welcoming on such a night, and Oren doesn't want to leave it. Thankfully, Geri agreed to fetch his sister while Oren gets to enjoy a night that is almost like so many nights before dragons came to Talerin.