...Sadness For Everyone

                            By:

                         Fox Cutter

    Chapter 7

"What brings you to the City?" The wolf, hir name was Sarah,
asked. Sie was the leader of this little group of farmers.
There had been introductions all around, but I had forget
the names of the others already.

"We are traveling to see the Senate." I answered, shifting
the position of my pack as we walked. This was the first
real conversation we had gotten into for the past few hours.
I think they were some what scared of Ren and I because we
appeared to me elves.

"It's quite a distance from here if you plan to walk." Sie
commented, "it may be wiser to take the train, but I do not
presume to tell you how to travel. Though would it be
permissible to ask why you are seeing them?

I shrugged, making a mental note about the train. "We have
some business with them dealing with some trade they have
been doing."

Sie nodded, crossing hir arms behind hir back. The others
behind us were carrying all the torches, so our hands were
free.

Silence descended once more as we started up a small hill.
Farms lined each side of the road, each of the fields filled
with long waving stocks of grain.

Every now and then I would see a light in the distance, some
times flame, other times electrical. Once I even saw a sort
of tractor by the side of the field. From what I had seen I
would say this world was on the same technological level as
Earth was thirty years before. Just that it seemed to be
isolated to different areas, some had more, others had less.
Off hand I was say it was some kind of culture thing.

Once we stepped over the crest of the hill, our destination
was spread out below us. It wasn't a very large city, maybe
three miles accost in sort of a circle. The center of which
looked to be a wide open park, now filled with large tents.

Most of the streets were dark. The main one's that lead from
the edge of the city to the center were light though, mostly
by touches. A few electrical lights glowed in places, but
they could be counted on one hand.

"Nice city," Ren commented as we had all stopped to look.

Sarah nodded, "Yes, the lighting by touches is traditional
for the Festival. Usually it's much brighter."

"Of course," I said with a smile, "I think that would make
sense."

Sie waved a hand at all of us as sie started walking again,
this time at a brisk pace. "Come now, that's been enough
gawking. We're going to be late for the Start of the
Festival if we wait much longer."

We started walking again, matching hir pace. Ren keeping
right by my side. "I hope they don't expect us to take part
in this." He whispered to me, loud enough that I'm sure it
was meant for Sarah to hear.

I shrugged. "I don't mind if they ask us to do something," I
answered, keep my voice to the same volume he had used.

He rolled his eyes and keep walking, fixing his eyes
forward. The man was really started to get on my nerves. His
attitude seemed to be getting worse every time he opened his
mouth. I think that if he didn't shape up it would someday
cost him his life.

Maybe Jadith could work it out of him over time. It really
wasn't my concern after this little trip was over. During it
though, if he got out of line any worse then he already
have, I would make sure he knew it.

As we started to enter the city, I noticed there were
various peddlers along the street. This far from the center
of the city they were pretty thin, but I could see more
gathering farther down the road.

Sarah drifter back, taking a torch from one of the others.
"If you like, I will show you a place you can stay at until
you can continue on. It will give you a place to go if you
don't wish to be involved in the festival." Sie smiled at
Ren as sie said this, making sure he knew sie had gotten his
message.

Ren just snorted, returning hir smiled with one of his own.

"That would be a good idea," I said, "we could drop our
stuff off there before we go into the Festival." I said this
with a smirk directed to Ren. He just acted like he didn't
notice.

Sie smiled again, turning off down one of the dark side
streets. "Follow me, I know a place you can stay without
much difficulty."

We both followed hir as sie lead us through the side
streets. We moved generally towards the center of the town,
but never really getting into the crowds of people. Finally
we came to a large stone building, about three stories tall,
one of the biggest in the city.

"This is the Temple of Khur for the area. If it doesn't
bother you to stay in hir place of worship that is." Sie
said, pushing open the door.

"Not at all," I answered, following hir inside. The building
was dark, with the exception of one light glowing in the
back, beside what looked like an alter in the dim light.

Sarah put out hir touch, resting it just outside the door,
then started walking towards the light area of the room.
Half way there a Lynx Theriamorph came out from the back.
Sie was dressed casually, but from Sarah's reaction to
seeing hir I could guess sie was the local equivalent of a
priest.

"Welcome my guests," the Feline said, meeting us half way,
hir arms spread open in a greeting. "What can I do for you
on this night of merriment?"

"My friend and I were hoping to have a place to sleep for
the night," I said, stepping closer.

Sie nodded, looking over Ren and myself. "We don't usual
have Elves visit us in this part of the world, so I have no
rooms that are fit for your tastes."

I chuckled. "They are not as high as you have been told. We
will be happy with any room you could provide us with as
long as it has beds."

Letting out a nervous sigh, sie smiled. "Very well, I have a
room you can take then. Come with me and I'll lead you to
it."

"Thank you," I said, then turned to Sarah. "Thank you for
bringing us hear as well, your kindness is appreciated."

Sie blushed deeply in hir ears, bowing hir head a bit. "My
pleasure."

I returned hir bow before turing back to the priest. "Lead
on my friend."

We were taking up a pair of stairs onto the third floor,
then lead into a large room that took up most of the forward
part of the floor. It had half a dozen beds along the wall,
the end of each one projecting into the room. The front
facing wall was made up of almost one large window mounted
in the stone work, with just a few brick pillars separating
them into pains.

"I think this is a little much for just the two of us." I
commented.

Sie shook hir head. "Oh no, this is the normal room where I
put our guests, your more then welcome to use it for as long
as you stay in the city."

I nodded. "Thank you again, this is more then generous."

Sie smiled, walking back towards the door. "My pleasure."

Once the door was closed the only light in the room was
coming from the windows. We had a good view of the festival
from this far distance. Raised above the rest of the city
like we were we could look down on most of the festivities.

I dropped my pack onto the floor, walking over to the window
and looking out onto the people below.

Ren walked over to one of the beds in the room, laying down
on it and looking up at the ceiling. "So, are you planing to
go out and join the crowd?" He asked.

I shrugged, turning away from the window. "You never know, I
just might. It's either that or wait for morning."

He propped his head up on one hand and looked at me. "Did
you noticed they seem to be afraid of us?" He commented with
a slight smile.

I nodded, "And you love it don't you?"

He chuckles. "Of course, though you seem to be annoyed by
it."

I shook my head. "Not really annoyed, but it does concern
me. Freighted people some times attack, not as often as they
cower, but it still happens."

Ren shook his head in disappointment.

"Don't get me wrong," I continued, "I know that being feared
can be a boon. Here and now it makes it far less likely
anyone will find we're not what we appear."

He smiled. "What a nice recovery, it almost makes up for the
first commented." He sat up on the edge of the bed, leaning
forward, his arms resting on his legs. "So, tell me, what
was your nightmare about?"

I shook my head. "Do you really want to know?"

"Of course," He said with some eagerness in his voice, which
was reflected by the smile on his face.

"There isn't much I can say... I had an encounter with Ruhk.
Sie seems to have decided we are to be hir newest servants.
Apparently sie can't get out into the multi-verse anymore."

He rose his eyebrows at that, losing some of his smile.
"Anymore? You mean sie's gotten out before?"

I chuckled. "Didn't you pay attention? When the envoy said
Ruhk had been to Oria's world, that was the literal truth. I
remember Oria had mentioned it some time back, I just never
really placed it until last night. I've also meet hir
before, many years ago."

Ren frowned. "Sie is trapped though, sie can't go back out
into the multi-verse, right?" He sounded slightly worried as
he ask the question.

"I would hope so for right now, but in the end I wouldn't
put any money on it." I answered as truthfully as I could.
"Sie told me that sie was currently trapped, but that sie
would get around it. I'm not sure if I believe that or not,
I think it would be safe not to."

Fireworks exploded outside of the window, showering the room
in light, casting shadows into all four corners. I turned
back around to look out into the city. Music was starting to
grow from the crowed in the city center. "The festival's
started," I commented dryly.

"So it has," Ren said, suddenly right next to me. We both
pulled back a bit as another burst of fireworks light the
sky above us.

He grimaced, rubbing the side of his neck where he had been
attacked at.

"How is that healing?" I asked, grateful that the
conversation about Ruhk had ended.

"I checked when I woke up. It's healing nicely, though it's
going to leave an ugly scar."

I smirked, knowing what to say to cheer him up. "You did get
it in battle. So you can at least brag around it."

He laughed softly. "There is that..." He said, trailed off a
bit on the last syllable.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

He sighed, looking out at the festival below us, leaning
forward, once hand resting on the glass. "I think he did
something strange when he drank from me. I'm not sure... but
I think he let me feel how he felt as he was drinking.
Amplifying what I was feeling at the same time."

I frowned.

"It's been burned into my mind. Every time I think about
what happened I get those feelings again." He shivered
slightly. I'm sure that if he had fur there would have been
a viable ripple up the length of his spine.

"Once we get back home, you might want to find some way to
get them blocked out." I commented, "It's not a nice thing
to do, it leaves a hole in your mind, but if it's the only
way to deal with it you might just have to go for it." I
sighed. "I can recommend someone if you feel you need it."

He nodded, not saying anything else. Just staring out the
window at the people below, his eyes though a bit unfocused.
I guess he was contemplating what had happened so far.

I left him there, walking to one of the beds and sitting
down. So far this had been a long trip, and it felt like a
running battle from the word go. It had only been less then
a handful of days but we've keep running into opposition.

I stretched out slowly, working up from my toes to my
fingers. It was a technique that Oria had tough me a few
days ago, and it worked well to relax all the mussels as you
stretched. I hoped that sense we only had a few more days of
travel before we reached the Senate, maybe less if we took
the train, that we wouldn't be attacked any more.

Another set of fireworks exploded outside, casting Ren's
shadow out accost the floor. He still hadn't moved from
where I left him. I wondered if he could fall asleep
standing up, and if he had actually done it.

Then, proving me wrong, he steeped back, tiling his head
upwards to look at the sky. He looked back down at the
festival then back up once more.

"See anything interesting?" I asked.

He waved a hand at me to tell me to be quite, moving to once
side and looking up higher.

With a sudden yell he dove against he stone floor, pressing
himself below the windows. As he did a blur of motion moved
in front of the building, and with a suddenly blast of fire
and noise the glass of the windows exploded inwards.

I jumped behind the bed, pressing myself low as the glass
landed above and around me. So much for no more fights.

   To Be Continued...

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This story is (c) 1998 by Fox Cutter, hardcopy reprints
limited to one a person, all other rights reserved. This
story may not be distributed for a fee except by permission
of the author, and this copyright notice may not be removed.
Elena and hir world is (c) 1998 by Chris Bradford.