Dearest Alia,
Our situation has much changed since last I wrote you. The carefree life of a wanderer seems to me a mystery. Only a few days ago, the road was wide and open to me, I could go anywhere and do anything. My sword was my coin for passage to any realm of the five kingdoms, now it is my leash. A man may be able to wield his sword for any cause he sees fit, but once the blade has struck, he is bound to the repercussions of that blow, however great or terrible. The ravener who had employed us alerted us of a bounty on hobgoblins who had been raiding Ivor trade caravans owned by a Lord Wayden. Lord Wayden is the chief trade master of Camdella, and has quite an empire between Lionne and Alk'Hara. I'm surprised we haven't encountered his people in Andmar. My companions and I set out for the trade routes where the attacks were happening and encountered the beasts. I had only heard of Hobgoblins and goblins before, but the two creatures are very different but both equally disgusting. A Hobgoblin stands about the size of a man and is covered in fur, possessing sharp clawed hands and wicked fangs. their ears are pointed like that of a dog or cat and they smell terrible. We slew quite a few of them and tracked them to their layer, killing their leader and a small goblin, who was particularly nasty. The battle was fierce and Korrick, the dwarf nearly died. But this battle was nothing compared to what we found in this dank and accursed cave. The same letter which we had strove so hard to recover for the ravener only a few days before.
The letter was addressed to this hobgoblin chieftain from a well known Shiek Fenrasha. The Shiek had ordered this hobgoblin to attack only Ivor caravans in a clear act of war. We returned across the desert toward Camdella without the pomp of heroes but feeling as though we were instruments of evil. Having saved this very letter which had caused so much hardship. Upon return to Camdella things were set in motion. Luckily this Lord Wayden is a good man and does not desire war Between Lionne and Alk'Hara but as I write, we are about to embark toward this Shiek's manor and discern the truth, if things go badly we may need to take the man's head, something I'd rather avoid. Well my sister, I hope that this finds you in good health, and that fortune favors you more than it has favored me these past few days. I will write upon my return. And please tell our mother and father that I am alive.
All of my love, Arren
Meldin let the letter fall to the desk, and smiled to himself. Also lain upon the dark wood of the desk, maps of Alk'Hara. If Meldin was correct, and he always was, then Arren's sister, this Alia was leaving to find him on their ship, the Couatl. Good, this would save him much time, let the girl find him, in Meldin's long years of experience, he knew that it was much easier to let others do the looking, especially if the quarry wanted to be found by them. Meldin quickly slipped out of the small wooden office and headed toward the docks. On the way he stopped at a tailor's and purchased a well cut jacket of the latest fashion and a pair of new boots, bade of the softest leather. He slipped down an alley way and changed, throwing his travel worn shoes and old vest in a refuse heap, then walked back into a street, bumping into a wealthy looking merchant, engrossed in conversation with what looked to be a ship's captian.
"Hey watch where you're going you bloody get of a merfolk's---"
Meldin turned around and gave the yelling man a stern glare, letting his hand stray to the weapon at his side.
"Beg your pardon my lord, I ment no offense!" the merchant said immediately as his eyes crossed with Meldin's. Good, the jacket and boots had done the trick. He had to admit he cut an impressive figure, fully 6'6'' with the added hight from the Danmirian heels, and well built to boot. The green and gold in the coat accented his straw blonde hair and sea blue eyes. The wonderful thing about being an Asimar was that you were seemingly beyond reproach. Full humans were always so terribly nieve, the Couatl would think they were taking a young lordling as a passenger to Alk'Hara, and with the wealth of the entire Vex family at his disposal, they'd be certain.
Meldin continued walking until he found it, the Couatl. An older ship, of Danmirian design to be certain, but very well mantained. It was larger than he'd expected, with a hold that could contain thousands of gold in merchandise, it seemed that the Illiathan family invested most of their money in this one ship, and thus far it had payed off. He looked up at the prow of the craft, a winged serpent resembling a dragon was at the prow, looking over his head like a reptilian sentinel, couatl were supposed to be good luck, though few knew what they were. A beautiful vessel to be sure.
"Can I help you?"
A woman's voice.
"Yes, I'd like passage on your ship, I hear you're leaving for Alk'Hara." Meldin looked the woman up an down. She had a stern yet beautiful look about her, with pale skin and dark hair. Alia Illiathan was a more beautiful woman than he'd heard. He wondered if it'd be as easy to slip into her bed as it would be to slip one of his many daggers in her brother's back...
"That could be arranged my lord." She said with an interested look on her face.
It looked like he would have an entire voyage to find out.
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