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iv. Clarissa was awake. She was astride a small horse, and was riding overland with the large group of armed warriors. She was still tired and felt ill, and she was unsure how long she had been asleep. The weather was warm and it seemed early in the day. In the distance she could see other groups marching and parading back and forth. There was a faint smell of smoke in the air. "Hi there!" a voice said. Clarissa turned, and met the gaze of one of the riders. He was a young man, surely only a few years older than herself. She remembered him as being among the group at the fortress, and was surely the youngest there. He had ridden over from the edge of the group. Clarissa noted that he was quite handsome and had short curly brown hair. His attempt to grow a goatee was laughable, though! "Hello." she tried to smile. "My name is Mahaern, and I come from Gran March, what is your name?" What name did she think up? Clarissa hesitated in answering, "...Melina." "Melina, nice to meet you!" He offered his hand. Clarissa thought this awkward. She had not ridden a horse before, and was amazed she was still upright. She offered her hand back and Mahaern shook it warmly. With this, she relaxed a little. "You seem..." Mahaern began. "She has been drugged!" came a voice behind them. They turned and saw the stern look of Gleeson. He continued, but in a softer voice, "A sign of the Slavers, I am sure!" Mahaern looked aghast. Gleeson cantered over and gently used his hand to push Clarissa's forehead back, looking directly into her eyes. "I believe you have been feeling tired, dizzy and perhaps a little nauseous. Am I right?" Clarissa nodded, feeling frightened. An angry look passed over the face of Gleeson. Clarissa could see that Mahaern also looked unsettled. Gleeson pulled his horse and the one that Clarissa rode to a stop. He placed his hand on her forehead and passed it over her face as he began to chant softly. Clarissa felt herself as if waking from a deep but pleasant sleep. The dizziness resolved and she was suddenly alert. Mahaern fidgeted. "You think we are working for the Slavers, Gleeson?" "Maybe. I am sure some of our colleagues are part of that vile organisation, even if it is only one. Be on guard, novice." With that, he nodded ahead as their horses moved onward. Clarissa looked forward. Gleeson was looking at the head of the group. Riding slightly ahead of the others were Nev Ironbar, Romanar, Ehlranth and Dinizael. Clarissa remembered their names, but couldn't remember what they had said to her back at the fortress. She had a thought and pushed her hands into her pockets. Her money was gone and her wrist hurt! She wore a new knife and short-sword at her belt. She drew the short-sword and began waving it around in the air. "Whoah! Put that away before you cut yourself!" The voice belonged to another of the riders who was riding over. He rode alongside Mahaern. Clarissa saw a look of respect pass from Mahaern to this newcomer. Gleeson had ridden off to catch the attention of his colleagues. It seemed to Clarissa that there were groups of friends within the bigger group. "I think that Gleeson suspects that we might be working for the Slavers, master Alupo!" Clarissa looked at Alupo. He was a few years older than Mahaern, but still had the look of youth about him. She saw that he carried a broach with an unusual distorted mask on it. The symbol of the Laughing Rogue! "So what if we are? This is a good chance to wipe the Coast clean of some of those vile hordes of orcs and gnolls and whatever else. You should be glad of the chance to be involved in this!" Mahaern smiled and Clarissa saw that he too was wearing a broach, but she didn't recognise the rune on it. Was it... a deck of cards? Clarissa saw that they were playfully embracing each other while talking and giggling under their breath. 'MEN!' thought Clarissa. 'They are all the same!' She spoke up. "Hey, where are we and who are all these others?" "A round of introductions seem in order," spoke Alupo loudly and with a laugh. "Well, up ahead and out of sight are Cylene Saxinus and Dennis O'Berrin, our capable scouts." Clarissa nodded, at once charmed by Alupo's flair. "Taking the lead are our dull taskmasters. You know Nev Ironbar, and the others are Romanar the mirthless, Dinizael the chaste and Ehlranth the incurably bound-up." Clarissa and Mahaern had begun to laugh with this as they rode together. Some of the other riders nearby had presumably been listening and began to laugh also. Alupo hadn't stopped, "... under the table, I can tell you... bunch of ponces, all of them! Anyway... I'm sorry, what was your name?" "Melina," smiled Clarissa, in between her fits of giggling. "Melina! Such a nice name! Over there, you have Lav Kivelar, servant of Kord..." Clarissa turned and saw the slender and handsome warrior that she remembered from the compound. He smiled at her and she blushed in spite of herself. "... Riding with him is Aridena, servant of Kelanen..." Clarissa recognised the starburst of swords. A fit and tanned young woman, again a few years older than herself, smiled back. She turned to Alupo and scowled at him. Alupo continued, "ahem... riding over there by himself is Tafcho, the wandering aesthete of the West" Clarissa looked at the sober, clean shaven thin man that Alupo was directing her to look at. She stared at his golden skin and luxuriant hair. He seemed to be the only one in the party not wearing any weapons. What is an aysthet, she wondered? Alupo didn't give her a chance to ask, "...you know Gleeson? His companions are Eremanay and Mary Hunter, also of the City of Dyvers." Clarissa looked toward them, and saw them looking back... with sad looks on their faces. "I am Alupo, wandering spokesperson for the way of Olidammara..." He winked at Clarissa and she found herself blushing again, "... and this fine young man is Mahaern, budding young specialty priest of Rudd the duellist, and my apprentice." Mahaern piped in at this point, obviously stirred by the enthusiasm of his master, "don't take that too seriously, Melina. I can still tell him to ZOG OFF if I want to!" Clarissa relaxed a little more, as she was surrounded by laughter. She looked ahead and saw the four taskmasters look over their shoulders and scowl at the group. She was able to see that Dinizael was holding something round and orange. Was it a crystal ball? Why would it have a colour... she wondered to herself. Alupo continued, "The other six riders..." who were scattered in and among the group, Clarissa saw, "... I don't know by name. I expect that a some wine will loosen their tongues though." Clarissa looked at them. All shifty and mean looking, these riders. "...and to answer your other question, we are riding over land and will soon be reaching the outskirts of the Suss Forest where we will soon embark on our Orc hunt !" Alupo had raised his voice toward the end and a cheer went up from the group. Clarissa saw and heard Alupo mutter something under his breath, "...never a bard around when you want one..." "So, you are a local?" It was Mahaern, asking a question. "Uh, yes, yes a local." replied Clarissa. "Ah..." "Thanks for caring." Clarissa flashed her warmest smile for him. Now he did blush! She patted him playfully on the lower back. A nice opener as was her custom. Not too intimidating, always showing an interest. Besides, it is a good way to pick pockets openly. Clarissa thought on this idly as she pocketed the contents of his belt pouch. Up ahead the grasslands slowly gave way to light groups of trees and before long the gloom of the Suss seemed to challenge them to enter. Dennis and Cylene had rejoined the group. They are in love, thought Clarissa, judging by the way they were looking at each other. Groans and rolling of eyes from other members of the party seemed to confirm her suspicions. "Are we on track?" asked Nev Ironbar. "Yes." replied Dennis, Cylene and Dinizael, almost in unison. "Then let us proceed." Obviously not shy about his convictions, he had already started for the forest edge. As they entered the woods, Clarissa had just about caught up with the lead. She was close enough to hear Dinizael whisper under his breath, "I have a bad feeling about this..." To be continued... Questions and more questions (in which we see Clarissa get taken for a ride)