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Date Posted: 13:03:30 01/02/02 Wed
Author: Laurel
Subject: You found me!
In reply to: Ravin 's message, "In search of Laurel" on 11:33:25 01/02/02 Wed

Laurel wondered how it was Erlic knew so much about assassins in the first place, but she decided it wasn’t really an issue right now. He was probably right. From what she knew of assassins, it was highly unlikely anyone of them would simply react; rather, he or she would dutifully sneak back to their superior to explain the situation.

She wasn’t too happy about the tribespeople. Erlic made it seem as if he was quite certain Alakbar’s former captives would harm, perhaps even kill, some of the people living in the caves. If this were true, then Laurel was quite convinced it was their responsibility to at least inform the people of the coming possibility of battle. After all, it was they who had freed Alakbar, thus setting off the assassins in the first place. It would be cowardly and intensely dishonorable to simply run off and leave dealing with the enemy to their kind hosts.

Before she could voice her opinion on the matter, Erlic was distracted by a frightened scream. She watched warily as he jumped to his feet and headed for Marz and Tristan’s cave, Isobel soon following his lead. However, when the other woman stopped at the entrance and hovered uncertainly before returning to the campfire, Laurel decided it must be a personal problem. She relaxed, deciding she was acting just a tad bit too jumpy for her tastes. Well-bred women who were in complete control of their senses did not jump to wild conclusions just because the threat of being attacked by desert assassins hung continuously in the air.

After a few minutes passed, she decided not to wait for Erlic’s agreement on the matter of informing the tribespeople of the eminent danger. Instead, she got to her feet and marched confidently toward the central cave, where two men clothed in wild cat pelts and holding large spears in their right hands stood guard. A pretty, slightly faded tapestry depicting what appeared to be a hunt of some sort hung covering the entrance.

“I must see Kima,” she said, standing before them with her hands on her hips. The two exchanged a glance before turning to give her mostly toothless smiles. “Well?” she asked, getting a touch annoyed when they made no other move to reply.

“This woman most strange,” the man on the left finally said. He was looking everywhere but at her. “Come to ask for Kima, Chieftan of Uzandamak, most powerful of desert nations, as if she was man.”

“Maybe woman is thinking she is man,” the other replied, and the two started guffawing loudly, apparently greatly amused.

“Fine!” she snapped, giving an indignant stomp with one foot and unconsciously tossing her hair. “I don’t need to talk to some silly man, anyway! Perhaps, gentlemen, you might be so kind as to point me toward one of his wives—if it’s not above you to speak directly to a woman. I wouldn’t want you to jeopardize your great manhood in front of all your little friends!”

The two actually looked slightly embarrassed, although it wasn’t clear whether their command of the common tongue was apt enough for them to understand all that she said. They seemed to get the gist of it, anyway.

“Sheera, fourth wife, tending fire,” the first man said, pointing toward one of the smaller cook fires situated a few feet from the main one where most of her friends were gathered.

“Thank you,” Laurel answered, smiling sweetly. “Now, was that so hard?” She lifted her chin at them and glared before turning around and hurrying over toward the woman they had indicated. It took her some time, (Sheera barely spoke any common at all), but eventually she managed to convey the general meaning. After her initial shock, the girl assured Laurel that she would inform her co-wives of the matter, and if none of the menfolk chose to do anything about it, that the women of the tribe would at least be prepared for whatever might occur.

Satisfied that she had done what she could, Laurel decided to go check on Ravin and see if he were still practicing his letters in his cave. When she got there, however, she saw that it was empty—well, at least empty of its current occupant. Letters and misspelled words were scratched all over the dirt, stretching from the cave entrance to the very back, although there was a little clear space where Ravin must have slept. She tried not to laugh at the awful inaccuracies, but eventually she couldn’t help giving in. He wasn’t around to hear her, anyway.

“I suppose I could do a lot better, right?”

Her laughing ceased abruptly, and she whirled around to stare at Ravin in surprise. Before she could think of an excuse for her actions, he went on, apparently not having noticed. He explained that he and Rowan thought she ought to look out for Tia, since the girl’s vision was still somewhat impaired. Laurel at first thought she was an odd choice for the task, but then she realized she was really the only choice. Erlic had already appointed both Ravin and her brother to stay up front, while he himself brought up the rear. The majority of the other group members were rather young and tended toward acting somewhat rash at the most inopportune times, or else she would have suggested Corum, since he seemed to take a liking to the young thief. Isobel was mature, but they still didn’t know her that well. Val was available, but perhaps Erlic had plans for him, too.

I’ll bet the fool doesn’t even fancy himself the leader, even if he does act the part, she thought, smiling ever so slightly. She turned her thoughts away from Erlic and glanced at Ravin, who was offering her a sip from his flask.

“Oh,” she said, trying not to wrinkle her nose at the thought, “Ah, no thank you, Ravin.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “I am…not inclined towards strong alcohol. Though I appreciate the gesture.”

She indicated that they should start to head back out, giving one last look at the words scratched into the floor, still trying not to laugh. “You’re trying too hard, that’s all,” she said at last, deciding by now that he must have noticed her amusement. “I should think you ought to be only concentrating on memorizing the alphabet before moving on to conquering whole words.” She shrugged, oblivious to the disappointment Ravin was probably feeling at having to put off his private letter to Kyri. “I only showed you a few names because I thought you’d be interested. If you want to, that is, if you truly think you’re ready…I suppose we could begin with a few simple words.”

They both looked up again as they passed Alakbar, who was grinning at them from ear to ear for some reason. She turned her head just a little and saw that his spear had landed dead center in the large tree he’d been aiming for. After hearing what Ravin had said about the young man, she gave him a somewhat stiff smile before moving on.

“Can he really read minds, do you think?” she asked Ravin in a hushed whisper. “I’m afraid I’m no mind mage myself. Haven’t the slightest idea how to protect my own thoughts. Well,” she added, feeling slightly embarrassed, “Perhaps I have an idea, but I still don’t really know how. I wonder who would?”

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