The Zelkaven Sword: Chapter 3

Just three days after they had left, Darian and his friends rode into the village that Vaylien was living in.  Darian looked around to see if he could spot her.  When he did not, he headed to the nearest tavern to ask where she might be.  Upon entering, she was sitting at the bar having a drink.

Vaylien was approximately 5' 5" and fairly muscular.  She had black hair down to the middle of her back pulled back into a ponytail and blue-green eyes.  She wore brown pants, a cream colored tunic, and black boots.  Just below the sleeve of the tunic, a blue and black ink tribal tattoo could barely be seen.  She wore a silver broadsword sheathed at her side, warrior style.  She also had a bow and quiver with arrows strapped to her back.  Darian approached her openly, knowing it was dangerous not to.  "Hey, how's it going?"

Vaylien turned around, "As best as can be expected.  So, did you bring her?"

Darian, assuming she meant his wife, answered, "No, Rhian does not take well to traveling and I would not want to see her hurt in a fight."

Vaylien rolled her eyes, "No, I meant the wolf."

At this point, Shakita entered the tavern, saw Vaylien, and ran over and gave her a big hug saying, "Oh my god, Mom."

Vaylien, stood there with her arms up, looked at Darian and said, "Who the hell is she?"

Darian smiled and answered, "That would be Shakita."

"Um, ok, if you say so Darian."  She continued to stand there, positive that this was a trick.  Shakita stopped hugging her just then realizing she was acting like a little kid again.

"Sorry." Shakita smiled.

Vaylien smirked and nodded her head.
Darian smiled, "I tried to explain it to you, but it's kind of hard to put it into a letter.  This is Shakita.  Can we go somewhere where we can talk in private?"

"Yeah, I know of a place where we can go, just don't get any ideas."  She started to walk towards the saloon.

"No, no ideas what so ever."  Darian answered, remembering he is married as he followed her.
When they walked into the saloon, she headed straight to the back where the stairs were almost hidden.  Once up the stairs, Vaylien's room was four rooms down on the right.  Shakita followed behind but stayed out of the room.

Once inside the room, Darian smiled, "Nice place."

Vaylien smirked, "I told you no ideas, Darian. Now, what was it you wanted to talk about? "

"Oh, right, forgot for a sec." Darian teased. "I had a sort of vision.  Apparently I am the god Vasilis's son.  I'm still not completely sure I understand, but, it does explain a few things."  Darian was still fairly confused about his parentage.  "He has asked me to find the Zelkaven Sword.  I have some ideas on where to start but I want your oppinion."

"In your vision did it feel like time stopped around you, or was it more like . . . a dream? "

"I couldn't tell the difference, I was unconscious."

"Then all you can do is trust your instincts."  Vaylien looked at Darian and knew he wanted to explain the "vision, so she gave him her attention with a look like, out with it already.

Darian explained his "vision and about the fight with Warlock and the rathoul.  "I'm not sure about this Valretia person, but we should probably check it out.  But I also think there should be some clues to the swords whereabouts where it fell.  Where do you think we should start? "

She recognized that the name was that of a druid and said, "Darian, go to your brother and ask him about this name."

"I'm not quite sure I trust him anymore."

Vaylien got angry with him, "Related or not, he is still your brother.  Ask."

"All right, I will ask.  But first, "  and here Darian called Shakita in.  He looked at Shakita and said "It is safe in here." Shakita trusting Darian entirely, shifted to her wolf form.

Upon Vaylien seeing this, "You couldn't explain this to me in your letters? Knowing what I am?  This is what you had trouble with? You could have just said she is just like me, I would have understood that, Darian.  No, you had to say, 'she's changed' . . . how was I supposed to get that? "

"I wasn't thinking straight that day."

Vaylien walked to the door, and said, "I need a drink.  Are you two coming or not? "

Shakita shifted back and hopped up,  "I'm definitely coming."

Darian just shook his head and followed.

"So you let her drink, and she hops into random peoples arms . . . good one."

"No, she does not get alcohol . . . and she did know you."

"Still random, I did not know her . . . well ok, recognize her."

"I'm not gonna argue the point."

Once they got to the tavern, Darian immediately noticed that Tevick already seemed fairly drunk.  He muttered to himself, "Just great, not a few minutes into town and he's already smashed, " and shook his head.
"And these are the type of people you travel with, Darian?  Oh how lucky I am to be traveling with you.  How safe I'm gonna feel if I need somebody to watch my back? "  Vaylien said in a mellow sarcastic tone.

Darian just shook his head, thinking, could this get any worse?

At this point, Tevick turned around and saw Darian, "C'mere buddy . . . wanna drink?  And who's the lady friend? "

"You call me a lady friend as if I'm a whore!  You think Darian could be that lucky? Or even you? "  Vaylien was very angry.

"Maybe I could, how would you know if you never tried with a real man? "

Darian stepped in here, "Tevick, shut up!  The last thing you want to do is make her angry."

"She's only a woman.  What harm can she do? "  Tevick was completely unconvinced and very drunk.

Vaylien walked up to the bar, asked for two drinks, and while Tevick was not paying attention, kicked his barstool out from under him, "See, you really should pay attention."

Darian quickly grabbed Tevick and drug him outside.  "You are lucky she didn't kill you.  Go get the horses.  We're leaving soon."  Darian returned to the bar and Vaylien.  "I never should have brought him.  He's more trouble than he's worth.  I'm gonna go talk to Azul."

Darian headed to where Azul and Jerith were sitting at a booth,  "Azul, do you know someone named Valretia? "

Azul looked up at Darian,  "Yes, she's a druid.  She travels a lot, but she should be heading toward the town two towns away to the west.  If we leave today, we should meet her when she gets there in about six weeks or so."

Darian headed back over to Vaylien, "Azul says Valretia should be in a town west of here in about six weeks.  Seems to be a six-week ride from here as well."
"And we're waiting for what? "

"Tevick to get the horses . . . um . . . I'm gonna go see about the horses."  Darian headed out of the tavern to the stables.  As he entered the stables, he saw that Tevick was passed out.  Darian tossed water on him to wake him up and started getting the horses ready.  Once the horses were ready, he took them out of the stables and headed back over to the tavern.  Tevick followed behind quietly, but not completely awake or sober.  Darian walked back into the tavern, "Ready whenever you are."

Vaylien, Shakita, Jerith, and Azul walked out of the tavern.  All of them mounted and set off at a trot.  Darian wanted to get to the town as soon as possible.