A Strange Mix

[Wilkens]

" ive always been one, my parents joked that i was born one.

when i was little i used to heal all the animals around halas.

i used to cry when the young warriors killed the rats, it took my father a long time to tell me that the rats were a bad thing and still i keep trying to heal them when i see them running around hurt.

but now i know that sometimes that one has to kill to keep alive. but i still dont like it.

i prefer to travel and help others out in their adventures.

its the only way that i will be able to see all the things that i have heard the elders speak of.

when i was young and it was too cold outside i used to sit with the elders and listen to their stories.

i used to go to bed at night dreaming of the adventures that they had.

i was wondering how much of your back ground did you know? "

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

She smiled slightly as she listened, but in the end, she looked away from her and down a bit. She had never thought to ask about her birth family. She had always been content with what she had had.

"Nothing, really. I grew up wi the dwarves. Me mother adopted me, she was an elf. Me father was a dwarf, and me uncle another shaman. I never learnt anything of my birth folks outside the fact me birth ma was killed." She explained, slightly ashamed of the fact she knew little about her blood born herritage.

[Wilkens]

:: chevonne looked at ahamae and wonders what she should tell her.

she realizes that if it was herself that didnt know she would rather hear it all than to go on not knowing anything.

also, she is her cousin, or at least that is what the elder told her ::

" well i have a story to tell you. let us set up camp and i will tell you "

:: chevonne and ahamae set up camp and get ready for the night and supper as well ::

" well, like i told you. i used to sit and listen to the elders all the time.

and i had this one elder i used to sit by and listen to all the time.

he was my grandfather, he had one story he said he had to tell me that it was extremely important.

one day a few seasons back an elf showed up in halas with a barbarian babe in her arms.

she went from household to household with this babe but no one would take the babe from her.

but before she could make it to my grandfathers home she was seen talking to a dwarf and left halas never to be seen again.

it wasnt long after that some hunters came into my grandfathers home and told him of the death of his youngest daughter, Yvonne. she was found by the river and it was obvious that she bled to death.

Yvonne was recently widowed, her new husband was killed by gnolls that were trying to sneak into halas.

she also had a young babe, a girl that hadnt been named yet, there was supposed to be a ceremony when she hit her sixth month but Yvonne dissapeared.

some say she was crazy but my grandfather wouldnt hear of it.

he would tell everyone that she was grief strickon and why shouldnt she be, she lost her husband.

no one connected the babe that the elf brought into halas and Yvonnes babe until a few days later when they found no body of a babe and the gnolls near by were killed and no babe was found there either.

my grandfather told me that i had a cousin out in this world somewhere and that i should go and find her.

i asked my mother about the same night he told me and she told me yes, that what he told me was true.

that my fathers youngest sister was killed and her babe went missing.

she didnt think that the babe survived because it was so young at the time.

ever since then i sat wondering about this cousin and who she is and where she could be now.

i dont know if she is alive or if she is dead. "

:: with that chevonne stops talking and stares into the fire thinking of her beloved grandfather. i hope i did right grandfather, i hope this is your missing grandchild and my cousin ::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae listened to Chevonne's words with her eyes wide. Her mother had told her that she had tried to find her true family before Dagget had found her in Halas. She thought for a long time, silently, as she too, stared into the fire. Was it possible? Everything seemed to fit so perfectly. Outside her adopted family, no one had been told the story of how she was found.

Yes, it all fit. Her eyes widened again at the realization and she turned her head to look at Chevonne. "Chev," She said, shortening her name. "Me ma told me something like that... I was the babe found by the dead woman near the river."

She waited, not knowing what Chevonne's response to this new information would be or weather or not she would simply be shunned again. Still, her hopes rose. She had possibly just found a new light.

[Wilkens]

:: chevonne looked at ahamae and wonders if she her cousin.

when they were washing up she tried to see her wrists cause if she was her cousin she would have the same marking as she does. ::

" i have to show you something, it is a mark that my father and his siblings had, and i have it.

i have been told that my grandfather had it as well. "

:: chevonne takes off her bracers and shows ahamae her left wrist.

clearly on it you see the symbol of halas, the hammer.

just like the one that spins in the center of halas. ::

" the family is an important one in halas and for some reason we are all marked with this hammer.

if you are one of ours then you too will have this mark. "

:: chevonne stares at ahamae and hopes beyond hope that she is the missing cousin.

then that will mean the prophecy will come true. something that she kept from ahamae and everyone else too.

there will be a time and place for her grandfathers last words to her. ::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae looked at the mark and then at her bracer covered wrists. She hadn't payed much attention to her wrists. Slowly she pulled the bracers off and studied them closely. She hesitated a moment, then held out her wrist.

On her left wrist, just below her hand, was the symbol of the hammer. The mark had always been with her, but she had never payed much attention to it's shape before then. She didn't speak. She didn't know what she could say. All she knew was that now, she was part of a family again. And this time, it was a family she had been born into.

[Wilkens]

:: chevonne stares at ahamae's wrist with joy. ::

" you are the missing cousin. and to think that you were living in morad not far from us this whole time.

oh such happiness for our family now.

once our travels are done i will have to take you to meet your aunt and uncle, my parents, they will be overjoyed to see you.

our grandfather im sorry to say has passed away, he died this past winter.

but he never gave up hope that we would find you.

we are the only ones in our generation. my parents couldnt have any more children after me.

and the other aunt is a spinster, she says she never found the right man to marry, i think that no man wants to marry her cause shes too irritable.

and the other uncle is engaged to be married. hes future wife is a bit of a ummm twit, shes loveable tho. i hope they dont have children i would hate to see what they are like.

i am so glad to have found you, i have waited for this day for so long.

you must tell me what it was like to live among the dwarves. what was your life like, were you loved, treated kindly.

we have so much to talk about but we have the rest of our lives to do it in.

i am sorry to ask so many questions when you probably have so many to ask yourself.

please, if you want to know anything about our family ask away.

:: chevonne sits back and is excited at the fact that it was she who found her cousin. and she can hardly wait to take her home to the family so she can take her place amongst them::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae smiled slight and told about her life with the dwarves, her mother's murder, and her resolve to rid the world of any evil that she crossed paths with. She had thought talking of her mother would cause her sadness, but in light of her new found family, she could not dip into low spirits at that moment. Once she was done telling of her past, she began to ask questions of her own.

"Do you remember my mother or father?" She asked.

When Chevonne said she remembered her mother a little but not her father, she grew curious.

"What was she like? And our grandfather? What was he like? I have so many questions, I don't know where to begin." She sighed slightly. "I'd like to learn as much as I can about our ways, since I don't know them. So, to make all my questions short, can you just tell me everything?" She laughed, not noticing her accent had disipated.

[Wilkens]

" oh where to start, well about your mother, i can tell you this much.

she was very loving, she couldnt wait for the day for your birth.

against the old wives tales she started on your babes clothing as soon as she found out that you were coming.

the old wives tales say that if you start on the babes clothing before the babe is born then its bound for bad luck but your mother just smiled and went on with her work when she was told this.

and for your father, he was a fierce warrior, he was always out fighting so i never did get to know him too well.

our grandfather, he was the greatest fighter ever, well next to our fathers that is.

but in his time he took on many foe and never feared for his life.

he became the most known story teller in halas.

many would come from afar to listen to his stories.

i dont know what else to say right now, my head is a jumble.

i want to tell you everything all at once. but how about this we will continue this talk as our travels go on and when we are done i will take you home and we can have the elders talk to you there.

and my parents as well, for they have much to say if one is patient enough to sit and listen.

let us stop for now and sleep on the joyous knowledge that we have found each other and will have many adventures in the future. "

:: with that chevonne laid down upon the hides she had set up for her bed.

earlier when she noticed that ahamae didnt have the proper bedding among her things she brought extra and set up a bed for her after ahamae made hers, without her knowledge of course.

as she fell asleep she thought of the prophesy that her grandfather told her.

" two female shamans from our family would go out in the world with a group of people of many races and destroy a great and mighty evil.

they will be victorious but the road to this will be full of treachery, sadness and anger. "

chevonne wonders now what her grandfather meant by this but soon she will know the answer to this.

they both sleep unharmed by the animals of the night. ::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae slept, her dreams coming and going as they had since she began her journey. She had gotten over the nightmares of her mother by then and was well on her way to healing that wound. Yet still, her dreams gave her trouble.

Ahamae stood upon a rock over looking many people. Below her were people from every race, ogres, dark elves, trolls, humans...Elves and Erudites..all of them from the faction she now belonged to. She looked around her, wondering what they were all doing there.

Then she saw the monsters they fought, strange to her, but powerful, very powerful. She could not see them clearly, there was too much chaos around her. Warriors, Paladins, and Shadowknights attacked from the frontlines. Rogues used their sneak attacks from behind, the bards playing their ancient battle songs to boost the spirits of those fighting.

Rangers attacked with swords and volleys of every possible range they could think of. The casters of the realm stood upon rocks and small dunes, their powers being called from the heavans and smiting the enemy upon the ground, their pets joining the fighters in full combat. She and the rest of the medics stood off to the side, healing the wounded as quickly as they could.

Someone fell. It seemed as if her spirit left her body, swooping over those on the battlefield to go to the fallen comrad. Her heart grew heavy. She saw the face of someone. Someone she was certain she knew, that she cared for. A scream sounded and she was once again at her body. She looked to find someone younger than she was, a girl, being attacked by the shadows they fought. The girl was a caster of some kind.

Ahamae screamed for help, trying to get to her. No help came. She rushed to try and help the girl, but she fell before she could reach her, burried under the weight of a mighty weapon. "Nooo!" She cried.

Ahamae woke with a start, gasping for breath as her eyes flew wide. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead and her body felt cold. Colder than she had ever been before. She let her head fall into her hands as she tried to clear her mind of the dream, but it refused to go away. Why was it that she could not forget it? All of her other nightmares went away as soon as she woke. So why was this one staying with her?

Her body trembled. So much chaos. So much death. Who was the person she had felt so much sorrow for, the one she could not see clearly? Who was the girl that died, and why had she felt so much pain when they had? Were they someone she had forgotten? Or were they people she had yet to meet?

Her mind raced as she moved to prepare a fire and breakfast. She moved absentmindedly, still trying to figure out her dream. That was all it was, wasn't it? It was just a dream, right? She shook her head to answer her own questions. No. She had had nightmares, but never about anyone she did not remember. So what was it, then? A vision? Was it possible she had seen a glimpse of her future?

Ahamae looked into the flames of the fire as she sat back, done with the preparations and putting the meal over the fire. So many things left unanswered. So many questions, so little time. Why. Why could she not have a peaceful sleep? She had wondered it all before. It was not the first time the dream entered her mind. She had it almost nightly, every time she slept. But why?

[Wilkens]

:: chevonne awoke to the smells of eggs and meat cooking.

she almost thought she was at home until she felt some snow fall on her face.

she pulls the hides down from her face and sees her cousin staring into the fire.

she wonders at the frown on her face but decides that when ahamae is ready to tell her what is bothering her she will::

"smells good, i am sure starving this morning. you had me thinking i was at home again.

well, untill some snow fell on my face that is. "

:: chevonne smiles at her cousin hoping to cheer her up some ::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae snapped out of her trance and looked at her cousin, smiling weakly at her. "I learned how to cook at a young age."

She hesitated a moment, wondering if she should keep her dream to herself or if she should tell her. Finally, she decided that for the moment, she should keep things to herself. She did not want to ruin a friendship that just got started.

[Wilkens]

:: chevonne looks at her cousin and decides to keep quiet about the prophesy, there will be time to tell her that ::

" well cousin what shall we do or where shall we go today. we have lots of places we can visit and lots of people to see."

:: chevonne gets up and sits by the fire waiting for the food to be done, the smell is driving her crazy. she was never one that could cook. ::

[Lainelru Mistwielder]

Ahamae thought a moment as she turned the meat and eggs so that they would not burn. "I would like to see my family." She said after a while. "Now that I know I have some, I would like to get to know them as much as possible."

She sat back slightly and sighed, heavily. Thoughts of her dream were still in her mind.

[Wilkens]

" then that is what we shall do, as soon as we finish eating and cleaning up our camp.

and after you meet them i would like you to take me to meet your other family.

the ones who took care of you and taught you your ways. "

:: chevonne was almost drooling at the smell of the food that ahamae was cooking.

it reminded her of her mothers cooking, something she hasnt had in quite awhile.

it will be good to be going home. ::