An Oath to Mida

“There is Mida’s work yet to be done,” said I, looking about. “Should Mida smile upon her warrior, I shall one fey return. ”

“In truth?” asked she, rising also to her feet. “I would not care to believe that we should never see one another again. ”

Most anxiously did the small female stand, looking to me for an assurance that she would find herself able to believe. I smiled in memory of our odd, short friendship, and placed my hand upon her shoulder.

“We shall surely meet again,” said I, “for Galiose has not seen the last of me. Once he called me a trial imposed upon him for his sins, and such shall I prove myself to be.”

At her smile of amusement, I walked to where my clan covering lay, thrown aside by Nolthis three feyd earlier, and donned it. Clan colors give a Midanna a sense of belonging, the knowledge that her sisters shall ever stand by her side. In clan colors do Midanna enter battle eagerly, for they fight to Mida’s glory and to the glory of their clan. No sword was there in Nolthis’ place, therefore I took no weapons save the dagger, which Inala had used to free me, placing it in the leg bands about my right leg. Snuggly did the dagger fit so, and so it should have. For many kalod had I worn a dagger so, before the coming of the males of Ranistard. A long length of leather lay in a corner, seemingly forgotten by Nolthis, and such did I also take, for there were yet the walls of Ranistard to scale. As I turned from coiling the leather, I saw that Inala had replaced the provender and the renth within the pack.

“You must eat upon your journey,” said Inala with a smile, “and no need is there for you to begin upon uncooked meat with such as this available. Care for yourself, Jalav, for I feel that your journey will not be an easy one.”

She looked upon me with true friendship, and such did I also feel for her. Small city slave-woman though she was, easily might she have been welcomed as true Hosta. I placed the coiled leather within the pack, and then looked upon her most sternly.

“Speak to no one of your coming here this fey,” I ordered as war leader to warrior. “Galiose would not be quick to forgive such an action, and Nolthis would surely seek revenge. Should you find yourself at the mercy of Nolthis, with Galiose, in his anger, uncaring, little comfort would the thought of my freedom bring you.”

A shiver made her small frame quiver, and a brief look of fear crossed her features. “I had no thought of the matter in such a way,” she replied unsteadily. “I shall be sure to say naught of my visit.”

One last time did we each place a hand upon the other’s shoulder, and then I took the pack and went toward the door. It’s swing revealed the darkened corridors free of life, therefore did I see Inala upon her way before taking to the shadows. Upon a previous occasion had I left the dwelling of the High Seat unobserved, but the difficulty then was slightly greater. None were there about within the pink stone of the dwelling, no other foot trod the blue floor cloth, yet when I had passed sufficient torches in silver sconces and sufficient blue silk upon the stone of the walls, the window twice left ajar was ajar no longer. Firmly had it been shut against the tears of Mida, and firmly did it remain shut against my efforts to open it. Nearly had I decided to seek another means of egress from the dwelling, when my eyes fell upon a small bit of metal upon the window. The metal pushed down against the window, refusing it movement, and no further effort than a touch of a finger freed the window from its grasp. Easily, then, I climbed through to the bushes without, and no longer saw Jalav a captive to males.

Long was the way to the vicinity of the city walls where they nearly touched dwellings which might be stood upon, and much difficulty did I find with the tears of Mida. Cold and penetrating were the rains, immediately soaking my clan covering and hair, and quickly setting me to shivering. Never before had I felt rains of such a coldness, for beyond the Dennin river to the south was the air sweet and warm, the rains gentle and refreshing. The north held much cold within it, the rains contained small bits of ice, and my back howled from coming in contact with such. Some protection did my hair provide, yet not enough to bring an easing of pain, and with difficulty I pulled myself and pack to the metal-topped city walls, and thence to the ground below. Nearly did I meet the ground more quickly than I had intended, for the rains turned the leather slick and difficult to hold, yet the knots I had placed within the leather proved themselves worthy, and at last I stood in rain and darkness, without the walls of Ranistard. Regretting the need to take the time, yet nevertheless taking it, I coaxed the leather down to where I stood, then moved away from the city of hate.

The driving rains disallowed even Hosta eyes to see what lay about, yet had I memory of the area from when my warriors and I had gone seeking the third of Midas Crystals. Many hind travel to the south lay the forests which stood between Ranistard and Bellinard, and such was the direction in which I wished to travel, yet would it be unwise to be found in the open, should Nolthis come upon kan-back hunting me. I, afoot, would have little chance of remaining uncaptured, and surely would the males ride directly south in pursuit of me. Wiser would it be to walk north, to the beginning of forest there, for in that direction safety lay no more than a hin or two away. Easily might I observe Ranistard from there, for the gate lay clear to its view, and should the male Nolthis ride forth, I had only to await his return to begin my journey in greater peace. So had I seen the matter, and so would I see it done.

Many hind was it before I had attained the first of the trees. Keeping true direction in the raging storm had proven well nigh impossible, and quickly had I lost all sense of where I stood. My strength, far from adequate, had imposed a further burden, and surely would I have been completely lost had not Mida lit the skies before me in an instant of anger, showing that the forests I sought lay well to the left of my direction of travel. Cold, wet, aching and weary, I stumbled toward my briefly revealed goal, and at long last were there the looming shadows of giant trees about me. Some distance farther did I force myself before I sought shelter, and then Mida truly smiled upon me. In the darkness and rain, I tripped upon an unseen obstacle, and slipped to my hands and knees in the mud. Unsure of whether I possessed the strength to rise again, I put my hand out to the trunk of the tree beside me, discovering a small hole in the trunk, with hollow behind it. Easily had the rains found all beneath it, yet was the hollow surprisingly dry, offering shelter from the elements. No sooner had I lain myself upon the ground in the hollow, than all things faded from sensing.

The sounds of the children of the wild roused me, and achingly I peered out of my shelter to see that the rains had ceased, and a thin golden light streamed down through the trees. The light stood close to its highest, and by that did I know that I had not slept, but lay unconscious the time. Hosta do not sleep past first light, yet had I lain as though dead the while, and perhaps such was not far from truth. Still did I feel the cold most sharply, and to my greater pain had some strands of my hair attached themselves to my back. With one motion, I wrenched them free, then groped with shaking hands for the skin of renth, and drank deeply. Then, and only then, was I able to force myself to feed upon a small bit of the nilno.

At last I crawled from the hollow, marking its location as I looked about, for there had I left the pack, and there would I return come darkness. In no way had my strength grown, as I had hoped it would, however that could not deter me. Ranistard had not been watched as it should have been, and such would delay me yet further. Feyd must I now spend watching for the return of those who might have already gone, yet perhaps the time might be spent restoring myself. The way to the lands of the Midanna was long, and no easy trek would it prove to be. Best I begin when most able, for many of the children of the wild give no more than a single chance at survival. Only those who are able may take advantage of the chance.