Aliane crouched into a lush spot of growing witch hazel. She carefully inspected the plants for any imperfections and began to harvest what she needed. She placed the newly harvested witch hazel in her pouch and turned around to her black mare. “Shall we go back to Elyowen, Vanya?” She asked in a soft tone.
The mare, which was grazing, stopped and nickered at her owner. Aliane swiftly mounted the horse and began her journey back to her village.
Her long black and blue streaked hair blew in the wind as the mare picked up speed. Her lavender eyes darted around her surroundings for any oncoming threats. Aliane adjusted herself on the horse’s saddle and prompted the horse to go faster. The horse obeyed her mistress and picked up speed. Aliane was comforted as she heard the sounds of a waterfall signaling to her she was close to home. Aliane arrived into Elyowen with a few minutes to spare before she had to be at the healer’s quarters. She dismounted her horse and grabbed the reins to pull her into the barn where everyone’s horses where. “Good girl Vanya.” She said as she gave the mare a carrot.
Elyowen was a very elegant and wonderful place to live in. The entire village had been carved out of what used to have been a stone deposit. It had taken many craftsmen several years before the village was completed. The village was very open with private rooms for every person to use. The waterfall in the background and the lush vegetation gave the area a very mystical mood. The waterfall emptied into a river filled with fish and other creatures.
Aliane breathed in the fresh air that was given off of the trees and set out to finish her mission that had caused her to go searching for the plant in her pouch. She ran lithely up the stone stairs to the medics quarters and threw open the doors. The medics appeared before her quickly. “I’ve got what I was sent to get.” She said hastily as she unhooked her pouch and gave it to the healers quickly. The medics went to work with preparing the witch hazel. They grounded it up into a powder in a bowl and added some water to the mixture, creating yellowish paste.
“I’ll take it from here.” Aliane said with authority as she moved to the side to take the bowl from them. She quickly headed towards the patient who they were treating and gasped at the sight that met her. Thalion lied on a soft cot with bandages of crimson around him. He had been seriously wounded by a wyvern while he was out scouting the area for any trespassers. Aliane removed the crimson bandages from his leg and stomach and gently applied the paste to the wounds.
He flinched from the slight sting of the witch hazel but, Aliane held him down so he wouldn’t reopen his wounds. “There.” She said as she watched the wounds with a careful eye. Her lavender eyes looked into his grey ones and she smiled gently. “You are very lucky that I knew where this witch hazel was growing. If I hadn’t you would be in some very serious pain.”
Thalion lied still on the cot and chuckled slightly but, winced from his wound on his stomach. “I thank you my lady.” He said reverently. Aliane’s porcelain skin turned bright red from the formal use of her title and she had to turn around to try to gather her composure. She turned back around and cleared her throat.
“I really don’t like people using my title, but since you used it to show your appreciation I’ll let it slide. I must bid you farewell and may your wounds heal quickly.” Thalion nodded his head and started to stare outside to the open gardens.
Aliane left the medics quarters and headed to the city hall. Her father, main elder of the city, had wanted to see her when she had finished with her quest. Her blue-grey cloak billowed in the wind as she picked up speed towards the council meeting area.
Guards opened the stone doors of the meeting area and as she came in she bowed to the elders. She stood straight up when she heard her father calling her name.
“Aliane, we need you to set out on another mission. It is extremely important and we trust you can do it.” Aliane’s face grew serious as she realized just how honest her father was being. She nodded and waited patiently for her father to finish. Arthion looked at his daughter and sighed. “Aliane.”
He spoke.
Aliane watched as her father’s green eyes showed the hesitation that normally wasn’t there. “What is it my lord?” She asked curiously. Arthion cleared his throat and continued.
“We need you to gather a list of ingredients that will be difficult to find. Our people are getting sick and you are our only hope to collect the ingredients for the cure.” Aliane stiffened. Her people never got sick. That was how they lived so long. The only way for her people to die was to be slain. She nodded immediately accepting the quest.
“I’ll do it!” She said with determination. “My people need my help and I will help them.” Arthion looked at his daughter with admiration and surprise. “I shall leave at once. I will take Vayna with me and I shall gather my supplies.” Her father nodded and signaled her to come closer.
She obeyed and moved closer to his stone throne. Arthion stood up and hugged his daughter to himself. “Be careful my child. Who knows what dangers will await you on this quest.” He kissed her forehead and let her out of his grasp. She nodded and bowed again.
“I will not let you or the people down father.” She said passionately. She turned away from her father and ran quickly out of the council meeting room. She gathered her weapons, some herbs, food and water, and her spell book. She ran down the steps of her home and ran to the medics’ quarters to get the list. She said goodbye to everyone there, and with the list in her pouch, ran to the barn to mount her horse Vayna.
“Come on girl, we are going to have the adventure of our lives.” She said as she shook the horses’ reigns and left the village she had lived in for the past 1,250 years of her life. Aliane’s wavy hair and cloak blew in the wind as she and Vayna gained more speed. She quickly left the Inifer forests and three hours later had ridden into the harsh mountains of Devaneir. She decided to let Vayna rest by what appeared to be an oasis but, with her senses she could tell that the water was poisoned. She instinctively grabbed her bow and an arrow when she noticed a trail of blood and the carcass of a mountain bear. She let Vayna rest for a bit and ran towards the bear’s carcass.
“Poor thing.” She said quietly. She observed the bear for what had killed it and could easily see what had done it. Someone had thrust a sword through its heart. Aliane began to try to get some more information from the bear’s carcass and tried to bite back her tears. The bear had just had cubs and now those cubs weren’t going to make it. She hit the ground hard with her right hand, leaving a large dent in the ground.
She listened closely to her surroundings and could easily hear a voice scream at someone.
“You WILL marry my daughter!” It was a woman’s voice she heard and she quickly gathered her stuff and ran towards Vayna. She brought out her spell book and casted a spell of levitation to raise her and her horse up the mountain safely. Once she was on the cliff safely she rode towards what appeared to be a small shack with sheep around it. She decided to investigate and see if anyone knew what had happened to the bear. As she got closer the scent of two different bloods met her nose, that of the bear and someone else.
