When She Was Good
----
Talos was home once again, atop a saddle as he rode along the Imperial highway in the chill and unforgiving wind. The trio of Talos, Vex, and Casiama had already ridden almost one-hundred miles in just four days, leaving the bustling metropolis and its acrid stench for the pleasantries of pine trees and but a hint of snow in the air. Grey clouds hung over them for the entirety of their journey, but had not yet graced the horse's hoofs with their sympathic gift.
Talos and Vex rode side-by-side, their horses just at a trot for now to let them rest from their previous half-mile gallop. Casiama rode far ahead from them pretending to scout ahead, but secretly rode alone to enjoy the pleasant songs of nature instead. A beautiful red-and-black bird tweeted its tune cheerfully for the princess, and she returned the favor with a smile of absolute glee. Casiama's head swayed gaily, her long brown hair draping sensually over her shoulders as she smoothly rocked in the saddle. She was home as well.
The humans either did not recognize or care for the tune, for they had instead turned to conversation and a hint of sport. Vex had shared one of her inventions with Talos, a complex toy she'd created to please the sons and daughters of lords. She could be seen throwing a small, golden orb into the air, which produced a glowing river of golden flakes behind it as it soared skyward, twisting this way and that as it ascended weightlessly.
Talos held up a forefinger then opened his palm, wordlessly telling the orb that he was ready to catch it. It immediately fell towards him, pushing against the world's pull magically to fall at a quarter the rate it should have. He caught it simply with a childish smile, then tossed it back to Vex over his shoulder enthusiastically.
"You know, this thing is pretty amazing!"
"You know, it's designed for children!" Vex exclaimed, imitating the wonder in his voice sarcastically. Talos tilted his head side-to-side, pursing his lips.
"Ah," Talos sighed. "There are moments I forget I'm not one, honestly."
"That's because you're a man," Vex sneered, tossing the ball into the air, "and all men fail to mature properly. It's why only us women are granted the spark."
He pondered on it, grinning when he caught the golden ball again. He tossed it into the air a moment later, his eyes following it skyward as it danced on the wind.
"You're lucky, then. Because if there
were
sorceressers, I'd wager they'd put you all out of business."
Vex laughed nasally, opening up the palm of her hand for the toy. "
'Sorceressers?'
You dolt."
"What?" Talos shrugged.
"It'd be
'sorcerers
' moron. You drop the feminine tail,
then
affix the masculine," Vex explained as she threw the ball with the flick of a wrist. "What does Cass see in you, Talos? You're just as idiotic as all the rest."
He grinned. He thought of replying to her kindly, but decided to boast instead to win an argument that didn't matter. He caught the golden orb without looking at it. "She says I'm perfect just the way I am. Oh, and Alanna does too," s
upposedly,
he thought. "Double oh,
they
decided I could see both of them at the same time."
"What?!" Vex exclaimed, only briefly containing herself before descending into raucous laughter. Talos shifted uncomfortably in his saddle, his gaze drifting towards Casiama riding far ahead of him. She glanced towards him, easily picking up Vex's laughter, and smiled before turning away a second later.
"Talos, there's no way they did!" Vex retorted wildly before laughing once more.
"Did too. Ask Cass," Talos responded childishly, throwing the orb as far forward as he could. It danced skyward and then hovered still, its golden trail now emanating from it lazily as it waited to be called again. Vex was howling with laughter, and had added the slapping of her knee to the ensemble.
"Could you imagine?!" she exclaimed through her snickering. "You wouldn't come out alive! 'Oh, maybe I'll get my mind disintegrated today'," she mimicked in a deep, insulting tone. "'Even better, I'll get an arrow to the lung instead!'"
Talos glared at her as she insulted his ideal lifestyle, then felt a pang of nervousness. He spoke once Vex had mostly calmed down, which took quite the effort from the sorceress.
"How would I smooth it out?" he asked seriously. Vex glanced at him, then restrained herself from laughing.
"My gods, you're serious," she said. He nodded. "I would... have no idea, Talos."
"Pretend you're in her boots, then," Talos offered instead. "What would make it work for you?"
Vex pursed her lips, staring off into the sky to ponder. She almost had forgotten the Heaven's Orb floating above her and opened her palm, summoning it back towards the ground. She disabled it, then almost put it in her pack before deciding to offer it to Talos. She handed it to him.
"Keep it," she said flatly. Talos' face lit up with a grin, and the orb was immediately placed in his saddlebag. Vex knew he'd get more use out of it than her, and she could make another with a couple silver's worth of material.
"I guess I'd just want to be kept in the know, ensure there were no secrets hidden from me. I can't imagine it
working
, but perhaps they're less jealous than I am," Vex said.
Talos mulled it over, wondering how that would even be possible with an enchantress in the mix. He wished he could speak with Alanna, now that he knew. "Thanks, Vex," he replied, more for the child's toy than the advice. Vex continued her train of thought, nervous that she was wrong.
"Don't rely on my ideas, though. Ask them instead. Every sorceress is different, and we're a little full of ourselves in one way or another," she explained. Talos rolled his eyes, failing to see the connection. Alanna had no faults that he knew of, other than youth. "Just tread carefully between their egos and don't pick sides," Vex added.
"Uh huh."
"Yep. It's simple, really. Just don't be
you
," she sneered. Talos decided to let it slide, knowing she meant well under it all.
"Let's get moving," he said instead. Talos urged his horse into a gallop once more.
--
A few days later, Talos, Casiama, and Vex found themselves in an inn in Taranto, a small barony situated half-way between Evora and the Imperial capital. Not many travelers frequented these roads during the harsh winters of the northwest provinces, and the inn tonight was no exception to that rule. The winds of winter had picked up intensely in the past couple days, and their travel had been slowed siginificantly.
The party was now situated around a table as they discussed their task, feeling concerned that there had been no sign of the one they hunted for the entire trek.
"We need to find another farcaster so we can triangulate the connection, Talos," Vex explained. "Racing around with nothing to go on is
not
working." Casiama was left shaking her head.
"I thought you said that there weren't any more," Talos replied.
"There might be. We could always get hints from the Catrionan library, I'm sure."
Talos twirled his boot knife through his fingers, contemplating the correct answer for the situation. He
was
of a mind to change course, feeling that Rayya would have likely shifted her destination a week ago once she realized she was being followed. He would have, anyway. And he had taught her much...
~~
Two years ago, Talos stepped through the streets of Tor Delara in the Duchy of the Spear, guiding his chestnut horse through the wide main avenue of the city. He was just returning from a contract in Seagard, where he had been hunting some mountain trolls who had ventured too closely to a lord's manor.
It had now been eight seasons since he had dropped Rayya off in Catriona for her schooling, and she had grown strong since then, he knew. The girl was capable of reaching out to him across vast distances now, capable of conversing with him even if he was on the other side of the Empire. Her constant communications had kept a wanderer planted. Kept him on track. He ached to see her again.
He had intended to stay in Catriona to wait for her, originally. But a wanderer quickly fell into old habits, and a man roamed the Empire for two years without purpose. He knew it wouldn't last this time, and longed to see his daughter once more.
I'm free!
Talos heard a familiar, feminine voice flow across his mind. He responded in turn, beaming to hear from her again.
That's great, Rayya. I'm in the far north right now, but let's meet somewhere in between. Say, Renassus? Do you know of it?
He waited a moment for her response -- long-distance telepathy took its time, after all -- and absentmindedly stumbled into a food cart. Talos realized he shouldn't be walking and communicating with someone so far away at the same time, and stepped to the side of the path.
I do. I can't wait to see you, Talos. Ride Sofia with haste, and give her a pat on the rump for me. I'll be there in two weeks.
Two weeks? Talos would have to cover at least thirty miles a day, each day, to make the distance. Yet he smirked, and knew Rayya was worth the effort. Why spare the horse?
I will. Be safe, Rayya.
~~
