“URGK!!”

Gery, Paladin of the Fellowship of the Red Knight, did his best to keep his attention on the road around them, while his sister visited the bushes. It was just in the last couple days that she had started becoming ill. While it was not a serious illness, it was best to be cautious. They were in the wilds, after all, not in a capitol city, where they might have easy access to a healer, or at least an apothecary.

“You all right, sister?”

His sister-in-arms as well as by blood, Balde, groaned as she returned to the road, wiping her mouth. She went to her pack, and took a sip from her enchanted waterskin, before spitting on the ground at her side. “Yeah, sure. Just wonderful. Something must have disagreed with me.”

“Well, I told you not to mix those mushrooms with your rations last night. What were you thinking, honestly? I’m surprised you’re only this sick, and not needing magical healing to keep you going!”

“Gery, you’re my brother and I love you. However, if you do not shut up, the next time I’m feeling sick, I may mistake your bag as the bushes.”

“Fine, fine,” Gery said, deciding that discretion was the better part of valor in this case. “At any rate, are you good to ride? We can go slow this morning. We’re only a few miles from Halfgate, so a leisurely pace will still get us there by nightfall, with a few hours to spare.”

“That sounds good,” Balde said, as she swung up into her saddle. There was a moment’s silence, broken only by the clop, clop, clopping of their horses’ hooves against the ground, then she looked his way. “Sorry, Gery. I don’t know what’s come over me.”

“Don’t worry about it, Balde. We’ve been on the road from Breledo for four tendays. And it hasn’t been easy traveling, either, even without you getting ill. Passing around the Trollsweat Swamp is enough to make anyone sick to their stomach, from the smell alone. And that’s not counting the goblins that tried to ambush us. You wouldn’t be human if you weren’t a bit cranky.”

“Still, thank you.”

“Anyways,” Gery said in a huff, trying to change the subject of conversation. “If’n you’re not feeling better by the time we get to Halfgate, we’ll see the healer while we’re stopping at the mission, and get them to take a look.”

They kept their pace slow for a while, speeding up a few hours after dawn, as Balde’s stomach quit trying to revolt against the motion of her steed. It was a couple hours after midday when they finally reached the entrance to Halfgate, the little town on the road from Breledo to Trenia. They turned their horses towards the small chapel that served as a mission for the servants of the Red Knight, as well as other gods that were aligned with her. It wasn’t much, but it at least offered a comfortable bed, clean water, and a cooked meal, which was always welcome when on campaign.

More importantly, however, it offered news.

“Hail, friends, and welcome to the Triumph Creek Chapel! What brings you here from distant lands?”

A priestess, barely more than sixteen winters old, if he had to guess, greeted them. She was dressed in temple robes, but, as with all servants of the Red Knight, she carried a weapon on her belt, even now. Hers was a simple one-handed short sword, but it looked well-maintained, and well-used. Gery nodded to himself. That was how it should be.

Balde spoke first, “We are on errantry, and we greet you, cousin. I am Balde, and this is Gery, Paladins of the Lady.”

“Well met, then, cousins. I am Hannah, and I have attended this chapel since old Captain Ginderal was called home by the Lady last year, protecting Halfgate from goblin raiders. He saved the town, but not before giving his life in its defense.”

Gery nodded. “Trading one life for many, most of them innocents, is a fine end. A warrior could not ask for a better passing than that. And you have taken on his mantle since?”

“Yes,” Hannah nodded. “I’m young yet, I know, but I’ve learned the basic healing spells, and I can fight. Not so well as the Captain could, of course, but still.”

“Well, if that is the Lady’s move, then who are we to gainsay Her?” Balde smiled. “We, all of us, are pieces on her board, after all, going where she wills us. But enough of such things. We’ve traveled long, while seeking clues as to the prophecies shared to those of all faiths. Might we have a bit of food and the news?”

“OH! Yes, of course! I’m so sorry, I was so pleased to see others of the Fellowship that I’ve forgotten all my manners!” The priestess bowed, and then waved them in. “Come, there’s a common room in the residence we can use to sit, and while the daymeal has been put away, I have some fresh bread made, and butter, and I can put a kettle on for some tea?”

Balde nodded. “That would be fine. We’ve been on the road for some time, eating mostly rations, as the inns were few and far between. While they fill the belly and keep you on your feet, they leave something to be desired, in most respects.”

Hannah smiled as she led the way to a room that combined kitchen, dining hall, and sitting room all in one. “Well, you’ll have no need of your rations while you are here, cousins, I assure you.” She went to the small kitchen area, and pulled some butter from the pantry where it was kept cool, and brought it, and a platter with some bread and cheese to the table.

As she turned back to set a kettle of water upon the enchanted fire, she said, “As for the news, it is all concerning the possible leads of the prophecy, as you might guess. Most of the news, as the sendings and messagers tell it, is fairly dull. No sign of trouble. Which reminds me. Which verses of the prophecy were you looking to find? Mayhaps I can set your mind at ease.”

Gery nodded as he tore off a piece of bread from the loaf, and buttered it. “We are traveling north, to Trenia, and the glacier beyond, hoping for information about fire coming to the sea of ice. We passed on some information we got, but another team was closer to Northport, and the lands beyond, so they can investigate that lead.”

Hannah shook her head. “Sorry to say that I haven’t heard ought of that one. However, I can tell you what the Fellowship has learned of two other parts of the prophecy. First, the elven kingdom of Silverwood is in ruins, as part of the siblings rivalling. One apparently turned to demon worship, and unleashed a plague upon her people. The death toll is horrible, and it is uncertain whether the country will ever recover.”

Balde blanched. “Oh, no! That’s terrible! We came from Breledo, and there was no word of that when we left!”

“Yes, our only news on that comes from our people in Thedra. They’re not as… reputable as paladins like yourselves, but they put the Lady first, and honor her. They say that the new queen is purging anyone who was tainted by her sister’s corruption.”

Gery shook his head. “Sad times, sad times indeed. But what of the other verse?”

“Ah, well, you know the one about the forced marriage at the turn of winter, and it marking a cursed age and the return of monsters? Well, it seems that, far to the south and west, Chalranis, the white wyrm that took up residence in the frozen volcano ruling over the Aurilblood Jungle, went to Sinbara, jewel of the southern desert, and stole the Emir’s eldest daughter to be his bride. Since then, monsters have begun spreading in the desert, as the Wyrm defends his prize.”

Balde cursed. “Damn, I shudder to think what tortures the poor girl must be enduring. And yet, there is little that we can do, so far from those lands.”

Gery nodded. “Indeed, sister. We must continue with the strategy that the Lady has laid out for us, and seek what answers we may.”

The sounding of the kettle cut off their conversation there, and Hannah hopped up from her seat to take it off the fire. “Well, for tonight, at least, you can rest easy, and let go the burdens of your campaign.”

Balde smiled once more. “And praise be the Lady for that. Perhaps my stomach will settle some, without rations abusing it for a day.”