Detric awoke with a start. His sleep of late was often troubled, but last night perhaps most troubling of all, not because of any dream or vision. No, he was troubled because he had the most restful, relaxing sleep in years. He hadn't slept like that since..... Detric shook it off, of all the things to become nervous over, a restful sleep?
He arose and walked outside, Jaci was still sleeping, that was odd, she usually was awake well before him. Oh well, let her sleep, she only slept when she needed it, no need to disturb her.
Walking outside, he glanced over at the hut belonging to his sons, then looked again. Crimthann was standing near the door, Alsandair and Anshelm on either side of him. That was odd... Crimthann never beat him up, that old halfling relished his sleep, and... Anshelm appeared deep in prayer, what was going on?
“Crimthann you old lout, wh-” He stopped short as Anshelm looked up seemed to stare into his very soul
“Your sons have gone north” The elder priest spoke, his voice quite solemn. “You and I both know what must come to pass, the prophecies of old have been set in motion”
Detric, without another word, turned and walked into the forest. Crimthann moved to follow him, but Anshelm stopped him “He must be alone with the Source for a time, do not worry, he will not leave without you”
Detric returned to the village after hours alone in the forest, he didn't know what lay ahead, but he knew what he must do. As he strode back into the center of the village, his heart was both warmed and saddened by what he saw.
Jaci, Crimthann, Alsandair, Isibeal, and Caoilte, a Warrior-Cleric, disciple of Anshelm and close friend of his sons, stood waiting for him. All but Isabeal were packed to travel, and he saw his gear packed at Jaci's feet. He walked up to the group, smiled warmly and spoke, “I see Anshelm has spoken to each of you, we travel for the Will of the Source once more”
“And Isabeal, who shall watch her?” Jaci asked him, her eyes showing that she both knew and feared his answer.
“She comes with us, the Source wills it”
“But she is a youngling, surely she would be safer with our friends here!?”
“My love, noone is safe outside the will of the Source, she travels with us, the Source will guard her” Detric feared a brewing argument, but his Jaci accepted it, she was clearly unhappy, but she knew the wisdom of his statement, and who could blame her, placing her youngling in the hands of faith?
The village clerics gathered and blessed them, and the group was off, a days journey or so behind his sons
“Perhaps if we took horses, we could catch up to them?” Alsandair spoke
“No my friend, we are not to catch them simply to follow, until the proper time”
Alsandair thought to ask what the Source had spoken to Detric, what he knew, what they were walking into, but decided, considering past events, he'd rather not know
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Aedan awoke with the dawn, as had become his habit. Two seasons had passed since he and his brother had left home to venture north, and he somehow sensed that the city he would arrive in today was his destination. He didn't need the Source to tell him his brother was gone, but he didn't understand why, Artegal had been his faithful companion, what would cause him to leave. He looked around, he saw no signs of a struggle, simply that his brother had packed up in the night, and was gone.
He felt the sudden overpowering urge to press on, he had learned from his father, and even more these last two seasons, to recognize and follow the Will of the Source, whatever the reason for his brothers disappearance, it must not slow him, The Source willed it, he must continue on.
As he packed up camp, he heard someone approaching on the road behind him, and turned to see..his father, mother, sister, and his friends Crimthann, Alsandair, and Caoilte!
Jaci ran to him and hugged him “My son, where is your brother?”
“He left during the night, I know not where or why”
All but Crimthann missed the look between Detric and Caoilte, he knew that look, and he did not like it.
“We must go on, into the city, Artegal must follow his own path now” Detric spoke, his words heavy
Aedan was glad to see his family and friends, and excited to know that this leg of his journey was nearly done, but he felt a new feeling, a heaviness he had never felt. Why was his brother gone, and where to, what had his father and Caoilte so on edge, and Crimthann, why was he suddenly so silent? Normally the jovial clown of this tight group, he had gone from overjoyed to see Aedan, to silent, suddenly on guard. Even Jasmine, his mothers normally fun loving panther, was suddenly on edge, perhaps reacting to Jaci's sudden change of demeanor. And why had Isabeal come along, his parents never brought her on long journeys, if they both went, they left her with a friend in the village, she was still a youngling! Aedan was deep in thought as they approached the city, trying to figure out what exactly he was walking into, but the Source only told him where, not why or what. He turned to ask his father, but Detric and Caoilte had dropped back and were walking a bit behind the rest of them, his father looked weary, not a travel weariness, but a sort of weary he had never seen in his father before, his steps were heavy and...
His mother wrapped her arm around him and gently pushed him onward, she knew the confusion her son was feeling, she had been in his shoes many years ago, wondering what the two clerics were discussing, and had seen enough to know that, until the proper time, it was better not knowing
In her heart, she knew that the Source had brought them here, and that evil waited to resist whatever plans the Source had for them, and for her son
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They entered the city around midday. It was a large city, Crimthann knew it immediately from Conall's old stories. “Caley, more amazing than Conall described!” he exclaimed. He had expected it, but wasn't certain until seeing the great walls, they were in the great city of the north, capital of the Nortlind empire, and birthplace of Conall.
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