The Bard of Faith Part 1

Outside of Stormy Elder in the town of Leafcell

In the year of our Lord, 1435

 

The town of Leafcell was a small place to live, but not small enough not to be on a map. It was in fact, on the map of the Realm and well known for being a lovely small town with a lot of cells to throw troublemakers in. The Lord of the town was known to have a heavy paw when it came to the law and didn’t mind putting anyone in the cages. It was believed the Lord has even once said he would throw the Emperor into a cage if he broke any of the laws.

                The place was so well known for having a hard enforce of the law that Ariana Skykeepers, a thief, wasn’t going to try her luck at stealing anything. The fact she was holding back on stealing anything made Raven Sunnight very happy.

                He was a Knight of the Realm and a member of the Lionheart Company, a Guild of heroes for hire. The same Guild Ariana was a part of due to Raven. They were friends, and for the most part partners on any quests the Guild sends them on.

                A Guild they were trying to get back to at the moment but had to stop in Leafcell to wait out a storm. They grab a room at the only Traven in the place. It had no name because it needed no name, but the sign outside did have a cage on it.

                Ariana cherry fur with hints of blonde in it was being warmed by the fire she was sitting beside in the small Inn. Raven with his black hue matching his name sat to her right eating a roast and drinking some apple ale.

                Ariana yawned watching the lighten and rain dance outside the window. She dropped her chin in her paw wishing beyond anything that something would happen. They have been locked in the Traven for the last three days because the storm had come from the Black Dragon Sea. If the storm had stayed at sea, it would be classed as a Hurricane, but now, it had hit the land it was stuck over their heads. The storm was making Ariana unbelievable depressed.

                “You should eat,” Raven said staring at her plate.

                “I don’t want it,” She said in a monotone sighed.

                “Is the storm really making you sad?” Raven asked taking her plate for himself.

                “No,” she said dropping her head into her arms on the table, “being bored is making me sad.”

                “Enjoy the storm,” he said grinning with the food in front of him. He loved storms, always had and always will. There was something great about them and most of all calming to him. His father would tell him when he was a child that their mother also loved storms. He guessed Raven got his love for the rain from her.

                “I can’t,” Ariana said. “I hate the rain.”

                “Why?” Raven asked.

                “I don’t want to talk about it,” she huffed at him.

                “Come on,” he said nudging her a little. “Why do you hate the rain?”

                Ariana stared at him for a moment and said nothing.

                “Not going to tell me, huh?”

                “Nope,” she said. “It’s a sad story, and I hate talking about sad things.”

                “Fine, fine,” Raven said stuffing his face some more.

                “Ah, I wish something would happen,” Ariana groaned.

                “No,” Raven said looking at her hard, “no, you don’t. The last time something happened to us we ran into a child who turns out to be a gargoyle, that wasn’t fun.”

                “No, it was not,” Ariana said with a heavy sighed missing Lona, but she couldn’t tell Raven about it. Once, they left Bree, they left Lona behind, and Raven was done with it.

                “So,” Raven said drinking down his ale, “we don’t wish anything to happen until we get home, yes?”

                “Yes,” she said with a flat stare forward.

                “Good,” Raven said placing his paw on his full belly.

                “This is boarding,” Ariana said, “just want you to know.”

                “I know,” Raven said and once he was done saying the words the door to the Traven open with a chipmunk with a Sea Red cloak rushed into the Traven, shutting the door behind her and shaking off the rain before heading for the counter.

                Ariana and Raven watched the chipmunk asked the Keeper for the room trying not to feel the eyes on her. They were the only squirrels in the whole place, and it was the first chipmunk they had seen since being here for the last few days.

                The Keeper gives her a key with her saying a soft, “Thank you.” Then turn to look at Ariana and Raven as they nodded at her. The chipmunk was a deep black like Raven, and it was odd to see a black chipmunk at all. In fact, Raven nor Ariana could think of seeing one before in their lives. Chipmunk was rare in the Realm no one was sure where they came from when they were born. They can be born from normal squirrels but if both parents were chipmunks than the child was going to be on as well.

                “Hi,” Ariana yelled at her from across the room.

                “What are you doing?” Raven whispered at her with a sideways glanced.

                “Making a friend,” Ariana said. “Hey, come and join us.”

                “Don’t do this to me,” Raven whispered as the chipmunk headed for their table.

                She stopped at the table and softly asked, “Are you sure?”

                “Very,” Ariana said with a big smile knocking Raven.

                “Yeah, sure,” Raven said pointing at the chair. “And your name is?”

                “Lacey Flyblaze, The Bard of Faith,” she said sitting down.