Dusty Trailwalker

The sweet sounds from the piano lazily drifted through the room. Casually the notes caressed the sundry patrons of the Serendipity, helping each into a place they individually wanted to be. Rosey played songs that seemed appropriate for the situations she observed from her elevated perch. Her being was such that not playing caused a build up of emotions that found release through the fondling of the black and white ivories found on a keyboard.

Casey just sat at this point waiting for either Mike or Gabe to reply in response to her story. She had just related to them the story of her banishment to earth as it related to the Great Rebellion.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dusky Trailwalker continued to walk the now muddy trail, as he had for the past twenty three days. Fortunately the rainstorm was only four days old. His elven cloak and dragon skin cap kept him relatively dry, but did nothing for the cold. He hated cold. It reminded him of his service as King Geishlahan's captain of the guard. Fifty seven years of dedicated service with only ice drake scars and several medals for winning a handful of skirmishes against the mountain trolls to show for it. The northern frontier was no place for an elf, let men guard those outposts. Elves are made for the forest and plains, with some even suited for the waterways of Urth. Regardless Dusky was now his own elf and could come and go throughout the lands as he wished, or so he thought.

The horses were upon him from around the bend before he really had a chance to react. Normally he would have heard them well before they saw him, but the rain and his preoccupation with the cold took all Dusky's concentration. Regardless th reason, the ditch from which he extracted himself was still full of cold water and a wet season's worth of gakage. Now from head to toe and from outside to bone Dusky was soaked. which only made the cold worse. King Geishlahan's was never like this.

Methodically he continued down the trail. Only now he was paying more attention to his surroundings. He did not recognize the garb worn by the horsemen, but men at arms were a dime a dozen in these troubled times. Whatever evil was afoot in the lands of Urth seemed to draw men from corners only talked about in stories, until now.

Slowly as Dusky topped a rise in the road an inn became visible through the rain and fog. He could also see a small village, half a day’s walk in a small vale beyond the inn.

" Friendly Waters", Dusky spoke as he read aloud the inn's placard. "We shall see."

Pushing the outer door open and then shut behind him Dusky was struck by two things first the smell of a delicious stew simmering over the fire and a fist that caught him square on the jaw .

" That's fer spookin' my horse ya damn sneak thief.", added the gentleman who'd stunned Dusky with a sound uppercut.

" Who the hell are you?", Dusky asked raising himself off the floor and rubbing his jaw.

"You damn near made my horse throw me back 'ere on da road."

"Well then let me apologize and introduce myself." Dusky said as he bowed slightly.

Suddenly Dusky pinned the man to the foyer wall with an arm across his throat while the other held a wicked looking dragon sabre below the man's nose.

"Name's Dusky Trailwalker, and I'll cut your heart out and feed it to you and your buddies if you ever touch me or another elf again." With that Dusky let the man down, sheathed his sword, and sauntered into the common room.

Ambling from behind the bar, Phae greeted the elf with a hug before he was half way across the floor.

“Good to see you again.”

“Good to finally have some down time Phae.”

“Have a seat. What can I get you?”

“Flagon of ale to start.”


“ We were sent to make sure you were ok, Casey. I think we have a report to give to Father.” Mike said as he pushed his seat back from the table and stood up.

“Don’t come back unless it’s my time guys. I’m here for the long haul and I won’t have you two poisoning anyone against me.”

Gracefully, hardly touching the floor the two ‘brothers’ left the warm confines of Serendipity.


“I’m glad I was able to find you.”

“I told ya I’d always be there Phae. What’s up?”

“I’m thinking to make some changes Duse and you can help with it.”

Nodding his head slightly in contemplation of his friend’s word Dusty Trailwalker swallowed the first slug of what will turn out to be an interesting round.