A Rojuun council of six members sat at a long, half-rounded table. There were benches on either side of the chamber and a podium at the center of the floor in front of the council. Chairs were arranged on the floor behind the podium for Rojuun and humans to sit while waiting for the council to call them. It was to these that their escort motioned for them to sit. A few Rojuun and a couple of humans sat on the benches, but for the most part the chamber was empty and quiet. Everything was spotless and the room smelled clean.
Tathan sat down thankfully as the guards waited for a signal to approach. He had managed to walk there, but still felt dazed. Liselle sat next to him, putting a hand on the side of his neck in concern. When he turned to smile at her thankfully, he felt energy flowing into him from the hand. It was like a cool drink of water and a refreshing breeze all at once. Tathan breathed deeply as his mind cleared a bit more.
There was a great deal of concern in Liselle’s soft grey eyes. She was looking into his intently, trying to gauge his condition. He smiled in reassurance, and focused on her, wordlessly letting her know he was alright. A breath of relief escaped her lips and she relaxed a bit.
He looked down at his bare foot. It appeared mostly normal again. In fact, a few scars from past escapades were gone. Tathan pulled it up and set the leg on his other so he could take a closer look. Liselle raised a bemused eyebrow and whispered, “Did I put one of the toes in the wrong place?” Tathan stuck his tongue out at her and rolled his eyes. She covered her giggle with a hand.
“No, the scars are gone,” he whispered back. They were gone, even the one on the pad of his big toe from when he had cut himself on rocks in a stream during childhood. Tathan wiggled his toes and whispered again. “The skin feels soft and new. It was tender walking on the cobblestones, plus I don’t have any more calluses.”
Liselle’s eyebrows were lowered dangerously. Still whispering, she said, “Well, next time I’ll try to do a better job of healing your foot when it’s half gone. I will also strive to do a better job of putting back the calluses and scars.”
“Peace, cousin. I’m not complaining, only remarking in fascination at how amazing the healing was,” Tathan smiled at Liselle apologetically. The glare lessened and she gave a short nod.
One of the council members waved over the two Rojuun guard members. “What is it, Captain Henrrr?” the council leader asked. She was an older Rojuun woman wearing ornate, olive-green robes filigreed in gold and silver.
“Sergeant Niirrii has new information regarding the previous matter. He has told me that the humans behind us,” Captain Henrrr indicated the companions, “may know something more of the events. I felt it important to bring them before you.”
“Very well. Proceed,” the council leader said with a motion of her hand.
Sergeant Niirrii stepped to the podium. His lower voice was gruff, much in the way Sergeant Soam spoke. The upper voice rang clearly through the room, providing an extraordinary contrast that caught the ear. “My squad normally does not patrol, but did so when the standard watch responded to a previous disturbance near the lakeside wall” he said in formal tones. There was a great deal of respect and dignity in his voice directed toward the council.
“An exceptional amount of magical energy was gathered in the merchant plaza of the city. Upon seeing the signs, my squad moved rapidly in that direction.” Tathan noted to himself that the sergeant did not say specifically what the signs were. Sergeant Niirrii continued speaking, using gestures to define his statements when useful. “We reached the plaza to see a crowd of people gathered in a wide circle. Upon breaking through the circle we witnessed the human in dark armor with sword out, aimed at citizens that surrounded him.” The sergeant indicated Sir Danth.
“The woman and the purple haired man were kneeling over an injured man . . . who is currently examining his foot,” he said, indicating each of the companions in turn. Tathan looked up from his newly healed foot to see everyone staring at him. He blushed, stopped wiggling his toes, and put his foot back down on the floor, ignoring Liselle’s giggle.
The sergeant sighed before turning back to the council. Tathan thought it was the first time he had ever seen one of the Rojuun sigh before. “I believe the armored human was keeping the crowd back so the woman could concentrate on healing the man. He did put his sword away as soon as we entered the circle, showing peaceful intent.” The council members nodded approvingly at this. That was one small relief to Tathan. Explaining Sir Danth would be difficult.
“The woman was the one using magic,” the sergeant told them, indicating Liselle. “It was strong healing magic. She had already begun by the time my squad arrived. I witnessed her completely heal a wound in the man’s side. When she was done with that, the woman healed his foot, which appeared to have been eaten away by some sort of acid.”
Tathan noticed that the sergeant didn’t mention the mending of the clothes and hoped that it wouldn’t be brought up. If Liselle was too impressive to the Rojuun, they might want to keep her. He wouldn’t allow that.
One of the council members on the far end spoke. “Was it the foot he was examining a moment ago?”
“Yes, your honor,” the sergeant confirmed. “That was the foot. His injuries are completely healed now.”
“Remarkable,” the council member replied. He appeared to be genuinely impressed, which was not something Tathan wanted.
Sergeant Niirrii continued with his story. “As the magic used was for healing, I considered it to be benign and for the good of another, therefore did not choose to press charges or execute the woman.” That was a bit of a relief to the companions to say the least. “Due to the severity of the injuries and the fact that they looked as though they might have come from battle, I chose to bring the man here in order for him to explain.”
“Very wise,” stated the council speaker. “Yet Captain Henrrr tells us that you have information about the events of another incident. How does this relate?”
Sergeant Niirrii nodded. “Yes, your honor. Upon arriving here, I noticed guards outside of these chambers and spoke to them. They informed me that the injuries of guards in that incident were of a magically induced acid that ate through skin and bone,” he explained. Then he turned to Tathan and pointed. “The injuries fit the description of the damage done to that man’s foot.” He turned back to the council. “It is possible he has information regarding the attack.”
All eyes turned to Tathan, including those of his companions. They seemed just as curious about what had happened. Tathan sat there, trying to decide how he was going to explain things and how much to tell.
“You will be pleased to approach the podium and address the council, human,” the speaker informed Tathan. The tone was agreeable but commanding. The Rojuun considered humans to be a servant race, but treated them so well that most humans who lived with Rojuun preferred them to human kings and rulers.
Tathan moved slowly to the podium. He still wasn’t too steady on his feet, plus the bottom of his foot was raw from walking on new skin. It also gave him time to think a little more about what he was going to say.
“State your name to the council, human,” the speaker ordered. Her voices were powerful and commanding. It was easy to understand why she was in a position of power.
“My name is Tathan,” he told them simply. He wasn’t going to volunteer extra information at any point.
“Do you have a last name in the way of humans?” the speaker asked. It caught Tathan by surprise because most Rojuun didn’t seem to care.
“No I do not,” Tathan lied. He did have a last name, but made it a point not to tell anyone. Tathan hoped they wouldn’t push the issue. He also hoped Liselle wouldn’t give away his lie. Though all the times he had spoken for the group, she had never given anything away and many times had come to him afterwards to ask about details of his conversations in order to learn. It made him feel guilty that he was teaching deception to his innocent cousin, but at the same time, he knew it could help her in dealing with danger and people in general.
“The first question I will ask you, Tathan Human, is how you received your injuries,” the speaker said. “You will give a brief statement to begin with. If details are needed we will ask for them.”
“The cuts in my side were from a giant squirrel. The damage to my foot was caused by a sorceress casting a dark spell aimed at Rojuun guards.” Tathan did add one more piece of information. “It only hit my foot because I was at the edge of the spell’s effect. I jumped out of the way to avoid the worst of it.”
The council members, as well as the sergeant and captain, all stared at Tathan. It was as though they didn’t know what to ask next. The council speaker cleared one of her throats, causing everyone to turn their attention to her. “Tathan Human . . . I have decided that we will need details after all. The first detail we need is . . .” she trailed off, looking at the others who either shrugged or frowned in thought. “One of the guards injured in that incident mentioned a giant squirrel. I must say that I am curious . . .” Other council members nodded in agreement.
Tathan took a deep breath, considering how to describe it without sounding crazy. “Well . . . I was shocked when I first saw the creature.” That part was true, but he didn’t know how to explain the rest.
“That is understandable.” The speaker waved for him to continue, leaning forward in her seat. “Go on.”
“It was in a vacant house I passed near the lakeside wall. The door was partially open and curiosity got the best of me.”
“What were you doing in the Lakeside District?” Captain Henrrr asked suspiciously. He was standing on Tathan’s right with both sets of arms crossed. Sergeant Niirrii was on Tathan’s left with the top set of arms folded and the bottom set resting casually on knife hilts.
Sometimes it was better to admit to a lesser offense to hide something larger. “I was going to sneak up to the top of the wall to look at the lake awhile.” He didn’t think they would execute him for going to the top of the wall as it was only frowned upon, not against the law. If they tried to persecute him for it, he would use the rest of the story as a bargaining chip.
“Humans should not be on top of the walls,” the captain stated officially in case Tathan didn’t know.
“I’m not worried about that, Captain,” the speaker informed him, waving off the offense. “I realize that a few humans do so anyway, but as long as they don’t cause trouble I don’t feel like wasting efforts punishing them.” Captain Henrrr bowed his head in acknowledgment. “Now, Tathan Human, continue your explanation.”
“There was a good deal of debris in the house. It took my eyes a moment to adjust, but when they did, I saw black fur in the corner. It had a large, fluffy tail like a squirrel, but I didn’t make that connection right away.” Tathan’s manner had become less confident. He crouched a little and his eyes were wide as he explained. Tathan had mastered the ability to make people believe what he wanted them to. It wasn’t just words, but expressions, movements, and inflections in the voice that altered the opinions of those who listened.
“Are giant squirrels common above the caverns?” a different council member asked.
“No. I’ve never seen one before anyway.” Tathan turned to his companions who all shook their heads.
“I see. Continue,” the council member said.
“It was asleep at the time, but a woman in a black cloak came through the kitchen door and addressed him as Steve.”
“Steve?” another council member asked. “Is Steve a common name for squirrels?”
Tathan ignored Liselle’s muffled giggle. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately. “No. I don’t think most squirrels have names, and those that do . . . well, I don’t know if they’re named Steve.”
“I shouldn’t think they would be,” the council member suggested to the others. “Steve seems a simple name for a squirrel, even by human standards.”
The council speaker waved him off. “The commonality of squirrel names is not at issue here.” She turned to Tathan. “The woman called the squirrel by name, and then what happened?”
“The squirrel rose to its hind feet. The size of it surprised me and I stood there dumbfounded, truly.” Tathan held his arms out wide. The reactions ranged from disbelief to sympathetic nods. He continued, “Then the woman and the squirrel spotted me. I thought about going back out the door, but Steve the Squirrel attacked!” Tathan crouched down dramatically. The council members all leaned forward, and even the guards listened intently.
“I moved at the last second, but it wasn’t fast enough,” Tathan said in low tones. “Its claws weren’t normal, they were razor sharp and cut my side. It hurt so much I thought I was going to die.” The last word was a loud whisper, eliciting gasps from some of the council members.
“Go on, go on. What happened then?” Sergeant Niirrii encouraged him.
“The squirrel hit the wall behind me. I thought it was going to kill me. That’s when things got worse!” Tathan’s eyes were as wide as they had ever been and a look of intense fear crossed his face.
“Worse?” the council speaker exclaimed in wonder.
“Yes. The woman, she began casting a spell. Steve ran behind her to get out of the way,” Tathan replied very seriously.
“Steve ran behind her when she began to cast a spell?” the council member who had been concerned about the name asked in amazement. “That shows a level of aptitude not commonly found in squirrels. I have a couple of them in my garden and I’m certain they aren’t that intelligent,” he told the other council members. Two nodded in agreement.
“Yes. When I saw that, I realized that I probably didn’t want to be around for the spell, so I ran in the only direction available to me, which was the stairs.” Tathan moved his hand up as though it were going up a stairway. Everyone followed the gesture. “As I reached the top, the woman finished her incantation. Green and black tendrils burst out, reaching for me as I desperately ran, clutching my injured side, but I managed to avoid them just barely.” He spoke dramatically, his voice taking on a hypnotic cadence.
“That is very fortunate for you,” the council speaker informed him. “We have reason to believe she is a very powerful, magic user.”
“I believe it too,” Tathan agreed fervently. “It made me feel weak when the tendrils got near, though it could have been the cut in my side too.” He grabbed his side dramatically as though still injured. The Rojuun reacted sympathetically to the gesture. Tathan straightened somewhat and continued. “I ran through a door and jumped out of the window, which was luckily open.”
“You jumped out of a second floor window?” another council member asked. She was the other female Rojuun on the council and appeared to be significantly older. “That sounds very dangerous, especially as you were injured. It is my understanding that humans are somewhat fragile.”
“I’m physically agile and strong and I tumbled upon landing,” Tathan reassured her. “It still hurt a lot. I knelt on the ground trying to catch my breath. “Luckily I was in possession of a ring of invisibility rewarded to me while working for the Garrrn Family.”
“That was very fortunate. You activated it at that point, yes?” asked the speaker. None of them seemed to think it unusual that Tathan had a powerful magical ring. In any human kingdom or court, that would have been the first thing asked. Many nobles may have even tried to confiscate it for themselves.
“Oh yes. I wasn’t certain it would protect me though. The gash hurt my side and blood was leaking onto the ground. I was invisible, but gasping loudly while trying to gather enough strength to run away,” Tathan explained.
“Does the ring hide sound and smell or only sight?” a council member asked.
“Only sight,” Tathan admitted. The council member nodded. “I was able to get up and stagger away, but the squirrel jumped out of the window and chased me.” Tathan crouched dramatically again. It looked like he was going to dart off. “I started running, but the sorceress cast another spell, which tried to follow me around the corner.”
There were no interruptions, the audience was entranced.
“The spell didn’t reach me. I believe it had a limited range. Steve the Squirrel chased me after the spell was done. He came around the corner and leapt toward me.” Tathan jumped and landed in a predatory pose. “I couldn’t run anymore, so I turned and pulled my sword, ready to defend myself.” He made the motion of drawing the sword, but was wise enough not to actually pull it out of the sheath. “The sorceress called for Steve to stop for some reason. I don’t know why. Then three guards came from a side street. They didn’t see me as I was invisible.”
“Did you make an attempt to alert them,” Captain Henrrr asked.
“No. I didn’t even consider it. I was still staring at the squirrel. It had nasty claws. Plus it would likely have confused the guards if I had said anything while invisible.” Tathan shrugged.
“Hmm,” the captain considered, but didn’t look happy. “You should have released the invisibility and surrendered instantly to the guards. We would have sorted things out and given you medical attention sooner,” he informed Tathan seriously. “From what we know of the injuries, the damage to your ankle could have been fatal. Two of those guards died. The other was healed in time, but came very close to dying as well.”
Tathan had known the injuries were serious, but not how serious. There wasn’t anything he could say, so he just stared contritely at the captain.
“What can you tell us of the spell, Tathan Human?” the speaker asked. The council members were still leaning forward, eager for the rest of the story though they did a good job of being solemn. A few even managed frowns.
“When the guards came into the street, they ordered the woman to stop casting magic. Instead of doing that, she began casting another spell.” Council members shook their heads in disapproval at that statement. “When the woman began casting, Steve the Squirrel jumped over my head and ran off.” The council members nodded as it confirmed information they already had.
“I guess the guards let Steve go because the sorceress seemed more dangerous,” Tathan said, shrugging. “They put up magical shields toward the spell, but the spell was like a wave of water that came back and hurt them from behind.”
“You said you were at the edge of the spell?” the council speaker asked. “Did you put up a shield?”
“I was on the edge,” Tathan confirmed with a nod. “I have no idea how to cast a shield. I’m not very good with magic, so I jumped to the building next to me and hung on for a moment. It wasn’t enough to escape completely.”
“I see. What happened then?” she asked.
“I yelled out, but nobody could see me. The guards were on the ground hurt and the sorceress was running away. I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t think clearly. My cousin, Liselle,” he said, gesturing toward her, “knows some healing and I only thought of getting to her.”
“Were you still invisible?” the captain asked.
Tathan nodded. “I was. I made it to the plaza, calling out for her then collapsed. I don’t remember turning off the invisibility, but I must have at some point.”
“I will have your cousin approach the podium now.” The council speaker motioned. When Liselle did so, the speaker asked, “Is it true that you have healing magic?”
“Yes, though it exhausts me to use it,” she answered. Tathan looked at her closely. She did look tired. Her skin was pale and dark circles had appeared below her eyes. He became concerned for her safety at that point.
“And how did you discover that your cousin, Tathan Human, was injured?” the speaker asked.
“We heard him call my name. Vevin was able to remove the invisibility so I could see him and begin healing his wounds,” she told them. There had been witnesses, so Liselle didn’t feel comfortable trying to hide the fact that Vevin could do magic. It was exciting being devious but also nerve-wracking. Sometime Liselle wondered why everyone couldn’t just be honest with each other.
“It took everything I had to heal him and I had to draw a great deal of power. I’ve been told not to use too much magic, but I couldn’t let him die.” Tears welled in her eyes. If she had been a few minutes later, he would have died. She was also shaking from the exertion. Sleep and food would be useful at that moment. A deep breath calmed her. She was stronger than that.
The speaker smiled at Liselle. “Sergeant Niirrii has stated that you were healing. That is a benign use of magic and is acceptable. There is no penalty for such.” She turned to Tathan. “You are not to go on the wall, Tathan Human,” she said sternly, each of her voices lowering an octave. “The next time you see an open door on a vacant house, alert the guard. Do not investigate it yourself, no matter how capable you may believe yourself to be.”
“Yes, your honor,” Tathan agreed readily.
“The details that you have told us match what we know, therefore your story is believed. In addition, you have filled in many details that were missing. The one thing I would have you tell us is who the woman and squirrel are. Do you know this?” she asked Tathan.
“No, your honor. I’ve never seen either of them before. A human-sized squirrel would be a difficult thing to hide and would be talked about by anyone who saw it,” Tathan replied. They agreed with that point. A couple of the council members chuckled. Tathan liked it when Rojuun chuckled. It was a fascinating sound. “The woman is a complete mystery to me. She has deep green eyes though,” Tathan said introspectively.
“Deep green eyes?” the council speaker asked. “That is an interesting observation. A woman tries to kill you and the one thing you noticed was the depth and color of her eyes?”
Tathan blushed. Even Liselle looked at him curiously. “Yes . . . well . . . they were interesting. I felt as though I were falling when I looked in them. That was just before she began casting.” It was way more information than Tathan meant to give. He still wasn’t thinking clearly.
“I see. Are you aware that your hands are shaking, Tathan Human, as are those of your cousin,” the speaker asked him.
Tathan hadn’t realized that. The edges of his vision were getting dark. Normally he would fight it off and try to clear his head, but it seemed like a good time to pass out. It might even impress the council, he thought as he fell backward. The darkness overwhelmed him. Only the quick reflexes of Captain Henrrr kept him from hitting the ground hard.