Ditto Fountain I

[Bother Eustace]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Tristan was gnawing on a roasted chicken leg when Evewen sat down by the fire, complaining as usual about her relationship with her mother. "Well, I hope you do find him, or else everything we did today was a whole lot of work for a whole lot of nothing. A ransom for the girl is about the only thing that makes this all worthwhile." He swallowed a piece of meat, and grinned at Sephora's daughter, wagging the chicken leg at her while he spoke. "Besides, I'd think you'd be glad about it. A chance to get away from Sephora for awhile. You've got to look on the bright side; I like to think myself an optimist in that respect."

[Chloë Máiréad]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"That doesn't make it any better, you know..." Evewen said as she sliced a piece of meat off the carcass with her knife. She stabbed it and lifted it to her mouth.

When she was done chewing, she spoke again, "I'll find her father...and I'm going to look for Isla, too. I might as well, considering I'll be looking all over the country."

Most of the bandits had met Isla, but a few had only heard about Evewen's twin sister. They knew, however, that she was not to be talked about, unless you wanted to deal with Sephora. Evewen rarely obeyed the rules laid down by her mother and on this matter she didn't intend to obey either.

She lifted her hand to finger the leather cord, which held an emerald ring, at her throat...only to find that it was gone. Her eyes widened a fraction as she looked at the ground, behind her and beside her. It was nowhere to be found.

With a slightly distressed gasp, she stood and walked toward her mother's lodgings. She opened the door and asked, "Almost done? I want to get a move on before it gets any colder." Evewen asked her mother as she looked all over the floor. She couldn't see the necklace and ring anywhere, which meant she must've dropped it in the forest or at their captives' camp.

"Saddle up a horse and then come back. I'm almost done." Sephora said, not bothering to look up.

Evewen shut the door and ran across camp to the post where they kept the few horses they owned. She saddled up a black stallion; he was the fastest horse they owned, but also the most wild. Out of the many bandits that had ridden him, Evewen was the one he trusted the most. When she was done putting on his tack, she took an apple from a bucket and fed it to him, rubbing his neck.

Where could it be? I have to find that ring! she mentally thought herself, leading the horse through the camp. It nickered and shook his head. Bandits watched her, but mostly they lazed about or did their daily duties. Evewen stopped inside the tent she shared with Quill and grabbed a thick cloak. The nights would get chilly and she needed more protection. When she was done with that, she grabbed some other necessary provisions before walking toward Sephora's make-shift home.

Sephora was waiting outside her door, the piece of parchment folded and tied closed with a thin black ribbon. "Be quick, my daughter."

Evewen nodded, taking the letter and sliding it into a saddlebag. She mounted the horse and then looked at her mother, "I will."

Sephora slapped the horse on the rump and he started off with a quick walk which soon led into a gallop. However, once they were far enough away, Evewen slowed him and began looking on the ground, hoping to find the ring glinting in the dim sunlight.

[lover of narnia]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"The Hunters...." Susanne trailed off, her eyes glazing over, and a deeply painful expression crossing her face. "I don't even know much about. I never even saw them as they chased me. They were always moving shadows. But the man who raised me told me they were ruthless men, who kill those they see as threats." She swallowed, trying to remember things from her childhood she rarely thought of anymore. "They seem more like demons to me, then humans." she muttered under her breath, before continuing out loud "I don't know why they want me dead"

[Chloë Máiréad]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne frowned, but said nothing.

Finally, she placed her hands flat on the ground and said, "We won't let them hurt you." Shyanne looked at others, hoping they would back her up. She didn't quite know where the statement had come from, but she was just as afraid of being found.

~~~

Madam Sephora joined her fellow thieves at the fire and poured herself a cup of tea from the kettle that was steeping in the coals. "How are our little captives, hmm?" She hugged the copper mug in her hand and took a slow sip.

~~~

An exasperated cry escaped Evewen as she looked at the ground. Where is it?

The horse was trotting now and Evewen knew they were nearing the camp where they had found the others. Pulling on the reins a few moments later, she slid from the horse's back and quickly walked toward the camp.

She looked left and right, searching with careful eyes. Finally, her dark eyes lit up and a relieved smile spread across her lips. The ring was there on the ground, by the rock where she had tied the young man up.

Evewen walked toward the ring and picked it up. She began to tie it around her neck, tighter this time, but still keeping it long enough to hid under her shirt.

[eustacegirl]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund said, "Micah and I have been trying to protect her. Did we succeed? No!"
He tried rattling the bars and yelled to any guard who would hear, "I demand you get us out of here! Or else I will break the bars myself!"

[Bother Eustace]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

A sudden noise from the woods outside peaked Micah's curiosity. He could immediately tell from her glance that Telwyn had heard it too; the sound of a horse, relatively nearby. Micah motioned toward the entrance of the cave, and slowly slid his sword out once again as he crept out.

Standing about a dozen yards away was a woman with dark hair, her back turned to them. She had a horse with her: meaning she could easily dart off long before he could find out who she was. As he tried to get a better view through the trees, she suddenly turned her body and face enough for him to catch a startling glimpse of her very familiar face.

"Isla?" He called suspiciously, recognizing her quite clearly as the woman he had met in town only an hour or so before. What is she doing here?

-------

Tristan heard one of the prisoners making quite a racket. He chuckled to Sephora, "They seem to be making themselves very comfortable, wouldn't you say?"

[eustacegirl]

(delete this post, please)

[lover of narnia]

Vayond: The Shadowed hunters

Susanne smiled over at Shyanne, grateful for what she had said. She was thankful for having friends who had helped her when she needed it, but the danger was hardly past and they were far from safe. Now, imprisoned in a dark pit that was damp and cold, and guarded by bandits who weren't inclined to be kind or feeling, she felt afraid. The bandits who had taken them captive didn't know what the Hunters were. They didn't know that the ruthless men who were hunting Susanne and her friends, could slaughter them all if they chose. Susanne felt tears brimming her eyes and she looked over at Shyanne "I'm so sorry for getting you all into this"

Edmund then jumped up and began rattling and yelling loudly.

"Please don't do that Edmund, it will only make it worse for us all" Susanne said.

[eustacegirl]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters


Edmund turned around, feeling sweat drooping form his hair. He pouted then walked over to his friends. "Then what can we do?"

[Chloë Máiréad]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Isla? Evewen froze, as shock registered on her face. She spun around slowly, lifting her hands to show that she didn't have a weapon. She narrowed her eyes at he man, but didn't recognize him.

It was obvious that the man knew her sister, but how? "Tell me where Isla is." Her voice was forceful, showing that she wanted a quick and honest answer.

~~~

"Oh, I do hope they stop their noise soon. I never can sleep when people are shouting to be released. Such a racket." Sephora said, taking another sip of the steaming tea.

"Have they had some dinner? That will keep them quiet for a good amount of time, I'm sure."

~~~

Shyanne looked at Susanne. "It's not your fault. If I hadn't ran away from my father, I wouldn't be here. You didn't make me do it; I made a choice. As we all did."

"We wait," Shyanne said to Edmund, her face looking tired.

[eustacegirl]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund asked, "Why did you run from your dad? Is he bad?"

[Bother Eustace]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

The answer he recieved from the woman he had thought was Isla stunned Micah into silence for several moments, as he re-examined her face. He moved closer; she still looked amazingly like Isla, only he now saw she was wearing completely different apparel. "I saw her in town, not more than an hour ago," he answered.

Wait, why am I answering her questions, and not the other way around? He wondered, since he felt she was the one who owed him an explanation. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

[Chloë Máiréad]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne let out a slight chuckle, though it lacked true mirth. "No, my father is wonderful, when you're bending to his will, that is."

"He's a very wealthy, doting, busy, well-liked man and he treats me like a princess, but he is more interested in furthering his wealth and position than he is in making the wishes of his daughter's heart become reality." Shyanne said, her voice sounding slightly bitter.

~~~

Evewen watched as the man observed her. A slight smile spread across her lips. She knew that her sister, Isla, and her had looked identical when they were younger, but she wasn't sure if the similarities had continued as they grew older. As teens, they had played tricks on people too many times to count. With a twin, robbing and thieving was easy and almost like a game.

Finally, the man voiced two questions.

Evewen thought for a few moments about what to say. "I'm delivering a letter to Lord Henrik." She motioned toward the horse. "It's a very important letter and I was told not to stop, but I smelled the smoke and wondered if anyone was here."

She crossed her arms, trying to hide the ring from his view.

[eustacegirl]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters


Edmund asked, "And what might those wishes be?"

[Chloë Máiréad]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne cleared her throat, looking at Edmund. "There are few who know them and I wish to keep it that way. If everybody knows one's wishes, they'll never come true and I don't know what I'd do if they didn't..."

[eustacegirl]

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund swallowed, glad to see Shyanne's more vulnerable and kinder side. "Well, I wish I could be of assitance. Instead I'm stuck...in this cell." He found a rock and scraped at the brick wall.