Chapter Seventy Nine
The spymaster for Gulnan Galgandar, Second in Line for Patriarch, huddled in his tree a good long distance from the city of Coushar and awaited a Whisper of the Wind with so fear. He could only hope it would co soon for the longer a reply took to return, the more likely the insane sli would have done so truly horrific damage to the city. It was too soon for a reply, the sli only likely just having reached the city.
His timing was never really impeccable, he had no Skill for it, but working as a spy and planning events were always a vital process to being a spy, and his sense of ti had grown more skilled. When his sense of ti told him the sli had arrived, the tension began to form, slowly and without much concern. It will take so ti for the defenders to… He blinked in shock when a Whisper of the Wind settled before him with a pop.
The sli is dead. The eccentric killed it within a bell… no… within a single long breath. Send it.
The spymaster breathed, fear rushing through him, then horror, then fear again, then worry, then finally hope. His master was putting him up against a man who could easily kill a Boss sli almost instantly and while he was terrified at that the thought of pitting himself against such a man, so small hope welled up within him that there might be a possibility that the eccentric could protect his family against the beast that would soon co. But even as he thought that, despair welled up again, dashing the hope. No one has ever beaten one! The despair vibrated for a ti before a small pebble of hope struggled up beneath the despair. But… maybe he can drive it away! Honey… please… please be watching!
He had no aningful thod to communicate with his wife and children but to use Whisper of the Wind. But he was no fool to ever do so. The sight of a wind fairy traveling over the city walls during a monster tide from outside would draw way too much attention. Even Gunlan had explicitly demanded he never send a Whisper on the Wind while the tide was active. He could not understand how Gunlan could send him a Whisper on the Wind without alerting the rest of the clan mbers, but he'd found so thod. However, even with his position as spymaster, he'd been unable to duplicate the feat.
Despite that, the spymaster was no fool, and he had his own options and plenty of preparations. He hadn't survived by being a fool. He reached into the neck of his shirt, pulling out a small necklace with a dallion attached to it. He leaned against the tree carefully before reaching down and grasping the dallion in a two handed grip, pinching it between thumbs and forefingers of both hands. He then snapped it forcefully, a blue corona of power flashing slightly for a split second while the mana in the dallion went wild and flashed outward. The mana evaporated shortly after, gone.
He breathed a deep sigh, then turned to look deeper into the forest. Through the deep old trees, he saw his target. He breathed deep once again, then leapt across the trees towards his target. At least I can pick the smallest and weakest… maybe… please, honey… be safe!
* * *
The wife of the spymaster was a simple woman, satisfied with her place but more than happy that her husband was capable of making a significant improvent on their lives, bringing in wealth that was unmatched by her neighbors. Still, she found it a helpful padding and preferred to remain a ho of simple ans. It wasn't a matter of humility or pride or being a good neighbor and not rubbing in her good fortune. She simply preferred a simpler lifestyle and the simple things. And so, there was little in her ho to mark it as much more than what it was: a common ho for a common family albeit within the inner city.
If there was sothing uncommon about her common ho, she could only point to two things, and one wasn't truly about her ho. That, she wore around her neck, a simple reminder her husband had given to her to profess his love but sohow also as a ssage. Her husband had never explained anything more than to keep watch of it cautiously. When her husband had set it in a hidden drawer, she'd grown quite frustrated and demanded he find a way to make it easier for her to keep watch of such a thing. It beca a keepsake and a favored necklace shortly after that. She still chuckled with so humor when she saw her husband copying her a few days later. But, she loved him and made no note of it, simply glad that she was able to help him.
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The second thing was quite an expensive, expansive, and hidden basent room, complete with a secret entrance only she and her husband knew of. The entrance was quite convoluted and tricky in its design. She'd never complained or pressed her husband for what he did, but seeing this had almost driven her to ask. A simple shake of his head no was enough to let her know he could not and would not say. She knew this. She'd known of this ever since their marriage, but this event had almost brought it into conflict. Hearing his 'no' and seeing the pained but blunt stubborn refusal to explain in his eyes was enough to silence her and she simply smiled when he'd explained it. She kissed him instead, smiling up at him, and his grateful return smile was all she needed to know. Her grin grew at that, and since then, the secret basent had remained empty and secret to all but them.
Today proved different when blue power flashed before her, mana erupting from overuse and exploding outwards in a wash of light and power. When she pulled out her necklace and looked down at it, fear had spiked through her heart for a mont before she quickly took a deep breath.
"Kids! Let's go!"
"But mom! Why do …"
"Do not make speak again! Get your blasted fool selves into the kitchen now! There is work to be done."
The kids complained, loudly, until they saw the secret passage. Then they grew deeply excited. So of the older and more thoughtful ones looked at each other in concern as they all ferried food down into the basent. It didn't take long until they'd disappeared into their bolt hole.
* * *
Telnia woke with a groan in a strange but very nice if ostentatious room in ulvan style. She felt the echo of pain and suddenly ca awake. How was I hur… mory returned like a hamr on an anvil and she felt her face flush with embarrassnt, then anger, then thoughtful consideration. He is… strong! So strong! My father's n were not wrong.
Telnia sat up. She looked around, finding her staff around her with her healing slave standing at the head of her bed. Her mories were weak and she couldn't rember much beyond attacking and suddenly… nothing.
"Tell what happened!"
"You bravely attacked the insulting…" her butler cut off.
"Enough. Speak exactly what happened."
Her butler bowed and began again, asured, "I am uncertain. I only know you struck him and suddenly you were on the ground. I have never seen anyone move so fast. I am uncertain what he did. You thrust as you normally do, directly towards his chest and he imdiately charged you as well but I do not know what he did. You simply flew backwards from him like he had struck a doll. Then you hit the ground and rolled before coming to a stop. I feared you were dead."
Telnia frowned at that. Her staffs' digits were quite low, but to have an attack co so swiftly that one could not see. And how did he dodge my strike? I am certain I did not land my hit. I felt nothing on the strike. Is my strike so weak that I cannot even hit him?
Telnia pondered for several more monts while her staff awaited her, as was only appropriate. After her thoughts ca to a natural end, she beca aware once again of her new location.
"Where are we?"
"We are the guests of the Galgandar clan at the behest of the First in Line for Matriarch and the Matriarch. Both were there with the eccentric and offered a small villa for your…"
"They were there?!"
The butler bowed again, "Yes, mistress. The two ulvan were the Matriarch and her daughter."
"And you did not warn ! You fool! Who are you to fail so fully!?" Telnia stood from her bed and stalked over to the man, striking him several tis with the flat of her blade. She was kind, as always, and her strikes found only soft flesh so as not to harm bone. I must always be a good master and think of their frailty… but the utter foolishness! Her anger spiked even as she realized how completely he had failed her and she struggled to keep her anger from being abusive against her man. She succeeded, but decided the man was in need of more expressive punishnt, offering another couple blows with her hand this ti.
Her anger spent, she grimaced and stared around the room, "What is the ti?"
"Late, mistress. The sa evening," the healer offered.
"Good. Get out. Prepare for tomorrow. Everything must be perfect. I must bend this eccentric to my will for he is worthy of teaching . Go. Prepare."
Careful to prepare herself, Telnia spent significant ti in the shower. He is a man, I will capture him!
The next morning was long, as she knew it would be, but she also knew her greatest strength was to prepare her beauty. Her focus was greater and will firr than she'd ever had before.
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