Prologue
"Not everyone can find the Lands of the Dreams of Men, and of those who do, not all are worthy to enter. Nasht and Kaman-Thah are extremely diligent in their duties. But there are backdoors. Most are temporary, remaining open for only minutes or moments at a time, but occasionally someone is lucky, or unfortunate enough to find one, and pass through."
-- The Dreamlands for Dummies, Aislinn Síle
Sir Differel Van Helsing pushed her way through the underbrush of the forest. Around and above her she could hear Them hunting her, baying like hounds searching for the scent of their quarry. They were relentless; no matter where she went or how she tried to evade Them, she frustrated Them for only a short time. She was alone; the other members of her expedition had sacrificed themselves to allow her to escape, as had the bodyguards who accompanied her. She had tried to summon Vlad, but she couldn't get through to him; something blocked her. Her only resource was her greatsword Caliburn; her army semi-automatic pistol would be useless. But for all its advantages, even Caliburn had its limitations.
A sharp jab of pain shot through her left hip. Grimacing, she stopped and placed a hand under her jacket over the wound. When it subsided, she withdrew her arm and examined her palm. The glove was covered with flesh blood; the wound was bleeding again. They had done that to her. She wasn't sure what it was, but she suspected she knew. If she was right, she was finished unless she got it removed, and soon.
A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she raised her face to let the light rain splash it to revive her. It also helped to cool her burning skin, at least a little. She could feel her legs waver; between the fever and the loss of blood, she was rapidly weakening. She would collapse in a short while if she couldn't find some way to get away from Them, and locate some shelter from the weather. She opened her eyes and gazed at the sky through a break in the oak canopy. It was overcast, gray, and dismal; a miserable day by any standard, but especially foreboding to her. Sunlight would have dispelled Them, but under such a sky They could remain out after dawn, though in a weakened state. Even so, They were still strong enough to tear her apart.
She forced herself to continue; it became increasingly difficult after each rest break, which came more frequently. She had to fight to resist lying on the ground and taking a nap; she was convinced she would never wake up. She had long since discarded her cravat so she could breathe easier; her belt would be next, soon. She wished she could take off her jacket as well. The fever made it stifling, but she knew that without it the combination of cold air and rain would sap the heat from her body and dangerously chill her. Though her fatigue quelled her appetite, she felt a desperate thirst that the little rain she could swallow did not quench. The thought that she might not make it popped into her mind. She tried to squelch it, but it stubbornly refused to be banished.
A dark shape hurtled, screaming, out the trees. She caught a glimpse of a shadowy, cadaverous face with long dark hair streaming behind it, its eyes glowing like red LED torch bulbs and its mouth gaped wide, as it flung its arms out towards her, its clawed hands grasping to seize her. Without thinking, Caliburn appeared in her hand; she swung out of reflex, catching the apparition in the shoulders. It gave a bloodcurdling shriek as it exploded into a cloud of fine ash. Differel cried out herself as agony pierced her side. She stumbled to her knees, using Caliburn to keep from falling on her face. She grimaced hard enough to squeeze tears from her eyes. As the pain subsided she realized that the exertion had caused more damage.
Through the haze of her weakness she heard the collective wailing as They zeroed in on her position. She had to move! Supported by the sword she pushed herself to her feet and looked around. Through a screen of trees she spotted a copse of saplings. It looked dense enough to hide her without being too dense to penetrate to the center. She had no illusions that it could stop Them from entering, but she had no choice; if she stayed in the open They would get her for sure. Besides, if she got inside before They arrived, she might be able to stay hidden long enough to recover some of her strength.
Using Caliburn as a crutch, she hobbled to the edge of the thicket. The trunks of the saplings were supple enough for her to push them aside, yet strong enough that they snapped back into position as soon as she let them go. Using Caliburn as a lever, she pried the wall open and forced her way through. She almost fell into an open space, and when she recovered she was surprised to find the middle of the copse empty except for roots entangled on the ground.
She stumbled away from the border, in case any of Them came through, but then she realized that she didn't hear Them anymore. Even as she puzzled over that, she heard a rapid staccato of noise, as if a tape reel of recorded voices was being rewound, mixed with howling shrieks. She glanced at the opposite side and spotted a thin dark figure, with long hair and two glowing red eyes.
She had only one chance: if she acted fast, she could destroy it before it raised an alarm. Lifting Caliburn over her head, she summoned the last reserve of her strength and charged her enemy....
Day 1
"Many people use the Lands of Dream as a respite from the cares and stress of their everyday lives; others as an opportunity for a fresh start with a new life, or a chance to live out heroic or villainous fantasies. For some it is a paradise, for others a living nightmare, for most simply a second home, but as with anything else in life, the Dreamworld is what we make of it."
-- The Dreamlands for Dummies, Aislinn Síle
Eile made her cautious way up the game trail inside the Enchanted Woods. It terminated at a large thicket, and she knelt down to examine the spoor of the jum'puk. In the time she and Sunny had been coming to the Dreamlands, she had learned to be a pretty good tracker. Despite the dim green forest atmosphere, she could see the tracks clearly. They looked really fresh, only minutes old. The jum'puk had probably hidden itself inside. Looking over her shoulder, she signaled to Sunny to work her way around to the other side. Her partner nodded and stepped off the trail, nocking an arrow in her composite bow. A third of the Zoogs that flanked and followed them went with her, while another third went the opposite way around. Jum'puks were a rare delicacy, and when the Zoogs learned that one was in the vicinity of their village, they volunteered to help with the hunt. Sunny could bring it down with one shot from her bow from a distance, saving the Zoogs the need to ambush and overwhelm it.
She signaled to the Zoogs still with her of her intent to enter and flush the jum'puk out for Sunny to shoot. The lead Zoog glanced at her, its nose tendrils wriggling, and she knew it understood. She stood up and drew her sword, then stepped up to the thicket and began beating at the shrubs and saplings. She pushed her way forward as the Zoogs climbed through the branches. It was tough going; the plants grew quite close together, but she was able to force the slender trunks apart, and her armor protected her from whatever cuts and scratches the tougher twigs would have given her. She just needed to watch out for branches whipping at her face.
Unexpectedly, she pushed through the screen into a small clearing inside. As she paused to get her bearings, the jum'puk reared up on its hind legs and crashed through the ring of plants in flight.
"Sunny! He's on the move!"
The Zoogs with her howled and chased after it, and from what she heard they were swiftly joined by their brethren. She then heard the twang and whoosh of Sunny firing an arrow, and the sharp thud as it hit something.
"Got 'im!" Sunny shouted. Eile grinned; there'd be good eating at the feast that night.
Movement to her left caught her eye. She turned and saw a dark figure lunge at her, swinging a huge sword. She spun around and just managed to get her sword up in time to block the blow, but it was so strong that it pushed her back.
"Aaagg! Sunny, help!" The figure swung on her again. She barely fended off that attack as well, and the figure pressed her, coming at her too fast for her to strike back. It hammered at her twice more, and the last time she tripped on a root and fell backwards onto the ground. Dazed for a moment, she looked up as the figure towered over her, the sword raised over its head. It was then that she recognized the Caerleon Order uniform, and saw the round, wire-rimmed glasses and long light gray hair.
"Differel?!"
The British blueblood didn't seem to recognize her, however, and chopped down with the sword, which she realized had to be Caliburn.
"Jesus!" She rolled out of the way just before the greatsword bit into the earth through the tangle of roots and thick, horny ground cover. The force of the movement pulled Differel off balance, and she pitched forward, falling on her face beside her. She struggled weakly for a few moments, then lay still.
Eile just stared at her, unable to believe she was really there, when a crashing sound broke her out of her revere. Gripping her sword, she turned and saw Sunny step through a tunnel she made in the thicket, bending the shrubs and saplings out of the way with her magic. As soon as she entered the clearing, the plants snapped back into shape as she nocked an arrow and pulled the string, but she hesitated when she spotted the prone aristocrat.
Sunny relaxed the bow and ran up to Eile. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah." She turned towards Differel. Sunny went around the other side as she turned her over.
"Oh my fabulous gravy! What's she doing here?"
"How the hell would I know, ya ditz? All I do know is she tried ta brain me with Caliburn."
Sunny gave her a shocked stare. "You didn't...did you?"
She shook her head. "Nah, she tripped over her own feet."
Sunny knelt beside Differel and shook her. "Differel? Differel, wake up."
She stirred and mumbled, but didn't open her eyes. Sunny pulled off one of her gloves and felt her forehead.
"Son of a--she's burning up!"
Eile had been examining her torso. "No wonder; check this out." She pointed to a large, red, wet stain on her left side just above the hip.
Sunny lifted the jacket hem and ripped the trousers fabric. "She's gotta bad wound here, and it's bleeding! We've gotta get her back to the village."
By that time the Zoogs had entered the clearing, surrounding them, and approached the aristocrat. "Who be'st this?" the hunt leader asked.
"It's someone we know from the Waking World," Eile explained.
"She's hurt and needs attention!" Sunny added.
"She art a stranger, and a trespasser. We claimest her as our rightful prey."
Eile knew what that meant. Zoogs liked to eat people, especially women. As friends, she and Sunny were in no danger, provided they didn't violate any laws or taboos, but in the eyes of the Zoogs Differel would be no different from the jum'puk. Out of deference to their sensibilities, the Zoogs took no captives whenever they visited, but neither would they pass up a helpless victim.
Her temper flared. "Now look, you bloodthirsty little fuzzball, you promised ta behave yerselves whenever we were around!"
The Zoog looked at her. "She wilt come to no harm so long as you remainest with us."
"But you'll serve her for dinner as soon as we're gone. Nuh-uh, nothin' doin'. We're taking her with us when we leave."
"You art free to depart now."
"But she needs treatment and rest before we can take her back to Ulthar!" Sunny said.
"If you takest her to our village, she wilt become ours to do with as we please."
"Look," Eile tried, "I'm sure she didn't mean ta trespass. Besides, she's in no shape ta cause trouble."
The Zoogs all stared at her and Sunny in what she thought was a crafty manner. "If we allowest you to givest her sanctuary in your dwelling, will you be'st responsible for her behavior?"
She knew what that meant, too. If Differel did cause trouble, the Zoogs could eat the two of them as well as her. And they consumed their captives alive.
She glanced at Sunny, who nodded.
She looked at the hunt leader. "Yeah, sure, you gotta deal, buster."
The Zoogs didn't say another word, but they turned and scampered out through the thicket.
"We didn't have a choice, partner," Sunny said, standing up.
"Yeah, right. Just remember that when they're gnawin' on our bones. Here, help me pick her up."
They got Differel settled on her shoulders and Sunny opened another path through the thicket. Once they were out, she went to retrieve the jum'puk before they headed back to the Zoog village. It was located in a clump of several dozen oaks, with a central clearing for public gatherings, and a border of cleared ground to mark the boundary and serve as both a safety buffer and a killing zone. Like almost every other tree in the forest, they were taller than redwoods, more massive than sequoias, and older than creation, and quite possibly conscious and aware. Their canopies were so huge that they tended to merge, forming a nearly unbroken ceiling covering the entire woods, with the only light provided by bracket fungi that glowed an eldritch phosphorescent green growing on the gnarled, steel-hard bark, and even then the interior became no brighter than twilight. Breaks that allowed sunlight to reach the ground were few and far between, except where a rare tree died and fell over, or the forest's inhabitants removed the trees and underbrush. The village grove was bathed in and surrounded by sunlight, though the trees still managed to create a ring of shadowed gloom. The Zoogs lived in burrows under the trees, but their dwellings extended up inside the trunks rather than deeper under the ground. The primary entrances lay among the roots, but at various places along the trunks exit holes had been gnawed through the wood, usually at the bases of large boughs, so they could scamper between the trees without having to descend to the ground.
Being friends of the village, they were allowed to come and go as they pleased, though they usually sent word ahead so the Zoogs would know not to take any captives. However, after they had saved the village from being destroyed, the Zoogs adopted them and let them build a dwelling of their own, essentially a tree house. Sunny had designed it, with some input from their friends, but Eile had to admit, it was a cozy little bungalow, and surprisingly elaborate. The entrance was a rope ladder that ascended three stories up a lone tree to an open, covered verandah that surrounded the trunk. A rope bridge then stretched across to a larger tree, terminating at a deck attached to the main building. That contained a front parlor, a sitting room, and a kitchen with an eating nook. Three other detached buildings sat at different places and somewhat different levels, and served as the bathroom (complete with shower, hot tub, and toilet), their private bedroom, and a guest bedroom. The structures were surrounded by porches, and a couple of terraces were set up for outdoor activities. Everything was interconnected by walkways, stairs, ladders, and climbing ropes. The Zoogs had full access, though they usually respected their privacy, and helped to keep the place clean and free of vermin and pests. But she didn't put it past the little sneaks to rifle through their stuff when they weren't around.
Sunny dropped the jum'puk on the ground for the Zoogs to take care of and climbed up the rope ladder to the veranda like a squirrel, then sprinted across the bridge as Eile continued along on the ground. The architecture was partly defensive. The veranda tree stood isolated from the others in the village, too far to jump from. Though the house was vulnerable to attack from the air or surrounding trees, a ground attack could be spoiled by pulling up the ladder and cutting the bridge support ropes. If necessary, Sunny could also use the veranda as a sniping platform to shoot arrows or hurl spells.
When she reached the patio, Sunny attached a platform sling to a crane and pushed it away from the edge, then lowered it to the ground with a pulley system. They had used it after the house was built to raise furniture, personal items, and other things up into the trees from the ground. They hadn't needed it since, but they kept it intact for just such a circumstance. As soon as the sling touched the ground, she rolled Differel off her back and laid her on the platform. For a moment it looked like she wasn't breathing. Started, she felt for her pulse, and Differel squirmed and murmured as her chest expended.
She sighed with relief, then stood and waved at Sunny, who hauled the sling up. She ran for the rope ladder and climbed, with less alacrity than her partner, then rushed across the bridge to help. Sunny was stronger than she looked, especially in her arms, shoulders, upper chest, and back from her archery practice, but she wasn't as strong as Eile, and besides, Differel was heavier than her stature suggested. In any event, with her help they had Differel raised in no time. Eile picked her up, holding her cradled in her arms, and carried her as she followed Sunny to their bedroom. The guest bedroom was on a higher level, accessible only by a ladder, whereas the main bedroom was almost at the same level and connected by a ramp.
As soon as she laid Differel on the bed, Sunny pushed her aside and started undressing the aristocrat, using her dagger to cut away any clothing she couldn't just pull off. Eile stood behind her to one side and watched, waiting in case she needed anything. As soon as she had the blueblood naked, Sunny examined her thoroughly, from head to foot. But from where she stood, Eile could clearly see the red, inflamed, bleeding wound in her side.
Finally, Sunny stepped back and took off her plumed hat and gloves. "That's the only thing I can find wrong with her, but it's pretty bad. It's a deep puncture wound and it's infected. That's why she's delirious with fever. We've gotta get her to Ulthar for antibiotics and proper treatment, or it's gonna go septic. If that happens, she's a goner!"
Eile felt her heart sink. She couldn't carry her all the way to town. "Can it wait a bit?"
"We hafta start soon if we wanna make it back before dark, but, yeah, we can wait an hour or so. Besides, I wanna clean and dress her wound."
"Good, 'cause I'm beat. I wanna rest and have something ta eat, then figure out a way ta lug her around without havin' ta carry her."
"How about a travois?"
"Huh, yeah, that'd probably work."
"Okay! You stay with her while I boil some water and collect towels and bandages." She took off her jacket and dropped it with her quiver and bow. "Be right back, partner." And she skipped off.
Eile glanced down at the blueblood and wondered why Sunny hadn't covered her, but then she figured that, considering how high her fever was, she probably wasn't in any danger of getting chilled. The woman was a few inches taller than either of them, but with a slimmer, almost boyish, figure. Even so, she knew from experience that her body was fit, tough, and strong despite the lack of obvious musculature. Though more pallid from her illness, she had a smooth medium-tan complexion, and that long, flat, stringy smoke-gray hair was unmistakable.
She leaned down and slipped off her glasses. Though closed, she remembered those wide, almond-shaped, slightly Oriental eyes being cloud-gray. The aristocrat was in her early-mid thirties, and her bullet-shaped face, with its prominent cheekbones and sharply pointed chin and nose, had a quiet matronly beauty that wasn't marred by her current condition. She always figured she must have been a real looker when she was their age.
She laid the glasses on the small table where they often had breakfast along with her sword, and took off her belt and gloves before slipping the scale armor hauberk off over her head. If they were going to leave again shortly, she didn't want to change out of her leather armor suit, but she wanted to be more comfortable. Her boots followed a moment later, and then she stood beside the bed, gazing at its occupant.
She had a hard time believing she was really there; it just seemed so incongruous, like serving caviar at a tailgate party. In the Waking World, Differel Van Helsing was the director of Britain's premier monster-hunting organization, the Caerleon Order. She was the direct descendent of Abraham Van Helsing on her father's side, made famous by Bram Stoker for his defeat of Dracula. Except, he didn't actually killed the vampire, but took him as a quasi-slave, to serve and protect the Van Helsing family until he was released, destroyed, or the bloodline went extinct. Her mother, however, was descended from a daughter of King Arthur through a direct matrilineal line, and Differel had inherited the ability to summon the greatsword Caliburn, more famously known as Excalibur. Besides which, she was a crackerjack pistol marksman and a master sword duelist and dagger fighter, as well as an expert at commando-style hand-to-hand combat and dirty street fighting. As a member of the British aristocracy, Eile figured no one had blood bluer than hers, except maybe the Queen. From their previous two encounters, her impression of the woman was that she was officious, arrogant, and condescending, with a nasty temper, but there was no denying her dedication to duty, her courage, or the conviction of her beliefs.
She took a moment to collect Differel's discarded clothing and stuff it in a bag. She didn't think twice about Caliburn; she knew the sword would have disappeared as soon as she fell unconscious. Something odd about her belt, though, caught her attention. She recognized the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting dagger in a small scabbard, but the other items seemed strangely out of place. In a pouch she figured would have held extra pistol magazines, she found instead a double-handful of sling shot. In a holder that would probably have carried a heavy flashlight, there was a short, stout billy club or belaying pin. In another pouch she discovered a compass, but the pouch itself looked like it would have held a GPS tracker. A number of other items were the same: Medieval counterparts to modern equipment, but the most curious item of all was the strange handle sticking out of the gun holster. When she pulled it free, it turned out to be an antiquated, muzzle-loading pistol, very much like a flintlock, but of a different design and more ornate.
She wondered if it was loaded. After placing the belt in the same bag as the clothes, she walked outside and pointed it at the tree. She pulled the trigger and was startled when it went off with an explosive bang, spraying sparks every which way as the ball embedded itself into the trunk, splitting bark and throwing wood splinters in all directions.
"What the heck are you doing?"
Looking back towards the main building, she saw Sunny standing at the foot of the ramp, holding a bowl of steaming water with towels thrown over one arm and a pack hanging from the opposite shoulder.
She blushed, feeling foolish, and waving the gun in the air. "I found this in Differel's belt and I wanted ta see if it was loaded."
Zoogs collected around, above, and below them, attracted by the sound.
"It's alright, fellas, Eile's just making a fool of herself. There's nothing wrong."
Eile gave her a dirty look as she stared back with an admonishing leer, but she came up the ramp as most of the Zoogs moved off. However, a few remained, probably curious about their visitor.
She followed Sunny into the bedroom and watched her wash the wound well before she covered it with a dressing from the pack.
"Lift her up for me, please?"
Eile sat Differel upright so Sunny could wrap bandage gauze around the aristocrat's middle. After she tied it off, Eile laid her back down. Though she squirmed, moaned, and babbled throughout the procedure, she didn't wake up.
Sunny covered her with a blanket, and watched her with a look of maternal concern. "How'd she get here?"
"She must've come through the Cavern of Flame like everyone else, then went off the trail and got lost."
"But we've never seen her here before."
She shrugged. "She lives on the other side of the world; we probably sleep at different times. This might also be her first visit. You remember what Líadan said, different people find the Dreamlands at different points in their lives."
"Yeah, maybe."
"How else can you explain this?" She showed her the gun.
Sunny's eyes grew wide behind her granny glasses. "She was carrying that?"
She nodded. "Along with other stuff, none of it modern. She must've picked it up in the Cavern. The only thing that resembles the Waking World is her uniform." She went over to the sack and dropped the pistol into it. "The weird thing, though, is that everything she carried was like Dream equivalents of Waking World equipment, or as near to it as possible."
"You think maybe she was outfitting herself for an adventure here?"
Before she could reply, she was interrupted by a wavering, high-pitched keening, like the wail of a siren. An instant later, Zoogs began hurtling past the windows through the branches, all headed in the same direction.
"What's going on!?" Sunny cried.
She retrieved her sword. "You stay here! I'll find out."
She rushed outside onto the balcony. Wave after wave of Zoogs swept past the building, heading away from her, but large numbers scrambled over the roof and around the walls to settle on the eaves and the railing of the porch, and collect around the door and windows.
"What's wrong?"
"Kouricaun hast invaded the village," the closest replied in a perfunctory manner, then glanced at her. "Remainest inside; we shalt protect you."
"Yeah, alright." When she retreated back into the hut, she saw Sunny had collected her bow and quiver, and had put on her gloves.
"The village is under attack; we're ta stay here."
She nodded, and removed and nocked an arrow. Eile figured her dagger would be better in close quarters, but she probably felt more comfortable with the bow in her hands.
She looked around the room. "There're too many windows ta watch all at once."
"I can pick off anything that tries to get in; just don't get in the way."
"Heh, I hear that."
A staccato shriek of jibber-jabber sounded from outside the window beside the door. When she turned to look, she saw half a dozen diminutive creatures attacking the Zoogs. They looked like dwarfs, with ropey jet-black hair and beards, but they had the legs and hooves of goats. One of them broke away from the rest and leapt up onto the window sill, gibbering a mile-a-minute as it grimaced in a furious manner and waved a huge knife around.
She raised her sword and roared at it; it brandished its knife and screamed back. She charged it, and it jumped straight up over her head to grasp one of the ceiling beams.
"Cripes! Come back here, ya little--"
It shrieked back at her, then began jumping around the room, leaping from ceiling to wall to sill to table to chair to bureau like an out of control super ball, all the while screaming nonsense.
"Dammit, hold still!"
"I've got 'im!" Sunny raised the bow and drew the string.
"Then nail the little freak!"
Sunny seemed to hesitate, and the Kouricaun landed briefly above the bed before dropping down towards Differel, its knife raised. Sunny released the string; the arrow shot out, hit the Kouricaun in the chest, and transfixed it as its momentum threw it backwards out the window.
"What took you so long?"
She gave her a 'well, duh' look as she fitted another arrow. "Its target was Differel. Why waste time trying to follow it when I could just wait for it to make its move?"
Eile blinked in surprise. "...Can't argue with that!"
Two more appeared at opposite windows. Sunny drew on the one closest to Differel while Eile charged across the room, ducking under her aim; she felt the arrow slip across the back of her neck. She heard the Kouricaun behind her scream as the missile struck it, and she swung her sword as the one in front of her threw itself at her. She sliced through its body and it dropped to the floor. Three more ran in through the door. Sunny dropped the first two; the third came too close to shoot at, but she whacked it across the face with her heavy, hard bow, and Eile chopped down on its head.
They stood in the middle of the hut, back-to-back, waiting for the next rush, but no more appeared, and after a few minutes, a Zoog peeked in and said, "They art gone; we hast driven them off."
They looked at each other over their shoulders, sighed with relief, and collapsed to sit on the floor, their backs still pressed together.
"Close thing," Sunny said.
"Yeah."
"We hafta get outta here."
"Yeah." It seemed obvious to her that the Kouricaun were after Differel. The longer they stayed, the greater the likelihood of another attack, which would put the Zoogs in danger. Not to mention themselves, if the Zoogs decided the attacks constituted Differel causing trouble. Still, it would've been nice to catch a nap first.
She stood up. "Alright, I'll make the travois while you fix something ta eat and get her ready. With luck, we should be outta here in an hour."
Sunny crinkled her eyes and smiled. "Sounds like a plan, partner."
With the Zoogs' help, Eile cut off dead branches and lashed them together with hemp rope into a triangle with an open apex, then fashioned a leather shoulder harness to suspend the two main long poles under her arms for a better grip and easier dragging. Cross pieces stabilized the frame and served as a base over which to spread a blanket. Despite their agreement, any suspicion she had that the Zoogs might try to double-cross them and take Differel were allayed when the village leaders came to see them off.
"We wishest you a safe journey," the chief elder said, "and we shalt pray that your friend recovers. She art of no further interest to us, being as her infection renderests her inedible."
"Heh, thanks, we appreciate it." Still, she never considered that the Zoogs would be that finicky. In any event, she figured their good wishes were meant to obscure the fact that Differel would be more toothsome to them after she got better.
When the travois was ready, she and Sunny collected their clothing and gear, along with the food Sunny prepared, and they lowered Differel to the ground. They didn't have time to clean up after the attack, but the Zoogs assured them that they would take care of it. They did, however, strip the soiled linen off their bed and, along with the towels Sunny used to clean Differel's wound, placed them in the wash basin in the bathroom for later disposal. Afterwards they laid the aristocrat on the travois, covered her with a blanket, and secured her so she wouldn't fall off. Eile lifted the apex of the frame and settled the harness on her shoulders, and they headed out, with the Zoogs forming an escort. Aside from her quiver of arrows, Sunny only carried the sack containing Differel's clothes and equipment, and a bag containing the food she prepared.
As it turned out, hauling the unconscious aristocrat down the trails was harder than she thought it would be, even with her enhanced strength. The travois almost certainly made it easier, but pretty quickly she started wishing it had wheels. The trails were little better than byways through the vegetation with the plants stunted by constant use. Even so, there were relatively thick clumps in places as well as exposed roots, and the foliage crowded in on the sides and overhung, obscuring the way. Sunny did most of the work pushing past them, but Eile still had to force her way through. The heavy friction of the ends of the frame poles running over the ground made dragging the travois more difficult, and to make matters worse the poles kept getting caught, requiring Sunny to free them. Even the path that led to the edge of the Woods from the foot of the Seven Hundred Steps that descended from the Cavern of Flame, though wide and level with hard, compacted soil, was covered with small white stones that glowed a very pale blue in the green atmosphere, creating a rough surface. Sunny frequently volunteered to spell her, or at least help her pull, but she refused each time. She needed Sunny to watch out for danger, and she had to be alert to do that effectively. She did, however, come to resent the fact that her partner had such an easy time, even eating her share of the food, while she couldn't stomach the idea.
As such, she felt ecstatic when they finally reached the edge of the Woods, or would have if she wasn't so tired. Once they got clear of the trees, she set the travois down in the shade of the forest and collapsed in a heap on the ground as Sunny said goodbye to the Zoogs.
"Sunny, wait!" she called out, when her partner started down the grassy slope towards the River Skai. Sunny stopped and look back, and she added, "I need a breather."
Sunny walked back to her, looking pissed. "I told you! You should've let me help."
She shook her head as she breathed hard. "You couldn't have stood it for long. Besides, we can't both be exhausted. One of us has gotta have enough energy ta fight back, and you've got the advantage with that bow."
Sunny smiled and crinkled her eyes. "Right you are, partner. You want something to eat?"
She shook her head again. "Just water."
Sunny handed her the bottle. "Drink as much as you want, we can refill when we reach the Skai."
She popped the top and started guzzling. She planned to do more than that, like soak her head. She wished she could strip and take a swim, but they had to get Differel back to Ulthar as soon as possible, and Sunny was the exhibitionist, not her.
Sunny kept watch as she rested. "I wonder if Shadow's around?"
"We weren't supposed ta meet her 'til tomorrow morning, so I doubt it."
"It'd be nice having her company."
"Heh, it'd be nice having a legion!"
"A century would probably do."
"I'd settle for a squad. Right now, we're sittin' ducks."
"Why would you need a squad?"
They both turned in the direction of the new voice, and watched as their feline friend ambled towards them through the short grass.
"Hey, Shadow!" Sunny cried. Shadow-Stalker stopped abruptly and seemed to wince while Eile grinned. The curmudgeonly huntress barely tolerated Sunny's touchy-feely friendliness. Instead of coming closer, she bounded over to the travois and sniffed at Differel.
"Who's this?"
"She's a friend of ours from the Waking World," Sunny explained.
"Hardly a friend," Eile mumbled.
Shadow backed away as she sneezed, shook her head, and licked her nose. "She's very sick." As if in agreement, Differel muttered, squirmed, and rolled her head.
"Yeah, we're tryin' ta get her to Ulthar."
The cat looked up at them. "What happened?"
"We're not sure," Sunny replied. "We were out hunting with the Zoogs, when we just sort of stumbled upon her. She's been wounded somehow, and it's become infected."
"Wounded?" The cat perked up her ears at that.
"We're not sure how," Eile picked up, "but while we were at the Zoog village, a buncha Kouricaun attacked, trying ta kill her. They might've attacked her after she arrived, and she became lost trying ta get away from them."
"Kouricaun do not attack Dreamers as rule," Shadow replied, her tone skeptical, "unless they attack them first."
"Like we said," Sunny added, "we don't know what happened, but we think she may be in danger."
"I agree. I can go on ahead to Ulthar and ask the Council for protection."
"We'd appreciate it," Eile said.
"With any luck, I may even be able to arrange an escort, at least part of the way."
"Thank you!" Sunny gushed.
"My pleasure." Shadow made to leave, but then hesitated. "By the way, you assume she is a Dreamer?"
Eile looked at her in surprise. "Yeah, so?"
"I cannot say you are wrong, but she does not smell like one." Then she turned and ran off.
"What did she mean by that?" Sunny asked.
Eile shook her head. "Beats the livin' crap outta me, and I'm too tired ta think."
"We hafta keep moving, partner."
She sighed, resigned, and nodded. "Yeah, yeah." She stood up. "Give me a hand, will ya?"
Sunny helped her to settle the travois on her shoulders. "Tell you what, we'll take a longer rest by the river, give you a chance to eat something. How's that?"
"Okay by me. At least it's downhill from here."
The journey to the river wasn't as bad as that through the Woods. Despite dragging the travois through the meadow, the grass actually carpeted over and smoothed out any defects in the ground, and made it more slippery, so the effort was far less exhausting. She was still tired when they reached the river, but she felt she could get her second wind. She did soak her head as she planned, and that helped to restore her appetite. She ate her share of the food while Sunny wetted down Differel's face and offered her water, which she accepted. By the time they started off again, she felt better, more rested, and figured she could make it to Ulthar after all without dying of a heart attack.
The road that followed the river to the village of Nir was hard, smooth, and even, clear of debris and vegetation. The land was also level, and she found dragging the travois as easy as over the meadow. She still needed to stop frequently to rest, but the work did not tire her out as before, and the stops helped her to maintain her stamina.
It was during one of those breaks that Sunny mentioned something odd. "Have you noticed how quiet it's gotten?"
They were sitting on rocks by the side of the road in the shade of some apple trees, drinking. She looked over at her partner, but realized she was right. The birds had stopped singing and cheeping, the yaks and zebras in the pasture had stopped snorting and lowing, and even the insects had stopped buzzing and chirping.
She stood up and looked around as she drew her sword, while Sunny imitated her and nocked an arrow. "Something's not right." Sunny nodded.
Suddenly the farm animals took off and stampeded towards Nir as a shadow, a big one, passed over the road. She and Sunny looked up, and saw a dragon wheel around to make another pass.
"Sweet Jesus!" She recognized the type; she and Sunny had encountered them before, in the Thorineach Hills behind them to the east. They weren't very large, just the size of a horse, and they didn't breathe fire, thank goodness, but they were particularly nasty.
"What's it doin' out here?" she shouted as Sunny ran into the middle of the road and took aim. Though the Hills were not far away as the dragon flew, that type preferred to stay very close to home, where they could ambush mountain goats and sheep, and where there were plenty of trees to hide under from larger dragons and other predators. Though the meadows and plains of The Six Kingdoms had plenty of game and livestock, it was much too open for their comfort, and they were vulnerable to human hunters.
"Who cares?!" Sunny fired as it passed overhead, but it evaded at the last second and the arrow only passed through a wing membrane. "It's after Differel!" She nocked another arrow.
Eile stepped back towards the blueblood and stood at her feet, following the dragon's flight with her eyes. Sunny fired again, but missed as the beast swerved left behind the trees. It seemed to her it was circling them, looking for an opening to strike. That wasn't usual behavior; they normally struck from ambush, diving straight out of the sky.
Her suspicion was confirmed when it came around the trees: it had dropped lower, skimming barely six feet off the ground. Sunny loosed another arrow; it ducked its head and the missile flew between its ears and over its body. Squealing with surprise, she turned and threw herself face down on the road as the dragon soared over her, snapping its jaws, before it turned towards the tree. It came straight at her, shrieking for the first time, then banked away as it passed her, snapping as she swung her sword at it. It flapped off, gaining altitude, and rolled back on itself to dive at them. Sunny rose up on one knee and took aim, with an arrow gripped between her teeth. She fired the first, then nocked and fired the second. The dragon avoided the first, but Sunny had anticipated its maneuver and the second arrow struck it in one wing shoulder. It screamed, but didn't break off, and Sunny threw herself backwards. It swiped at her with a front paw, knocking her hat off. She collapsed onto her back and didn't move at first.
"Sunny!" She feared the worst as her gut seized. Sunny lifted her head and looked at her, waving to show she was alright. She almost fainted from relief.
"Look out!" Sunny squealed, pointing up the road. She turned in time to see the dragon hurtling at her, its jaws agape. She gripped the sword with both hands and swung it like a bat with all her strength. The flat of the blade caught the dragon on the side of the head and knocked it off balance. It twisted away, flapping furiously, and rose into the sky.
Sunny stood and ran over to her. "We've gotta stop it somehow!"
"I'm open to suggestions--cripes, here it comes again!"
The dragon wheeled and started to drop, as Sunny readied another arrow. Eile glanced at the quiver and saw she only had a few left. She hefted her sword and took a couple of steps off to Sunny's side. Maybe if she could bash it again, Sunny could get a clear shot at the base of its neck.
It had barely begun its descent, however, when a three-foot arrow flashed in from their left side and struck it in the base of the tail. It screamed and rolled, almost losing control. Eile knew that that was a vulnerable spot, due to major arteries that ran the length of the tail on either side, but the arrow must have missed them, because while hurt, the dragon was not incapacitated. It righted itself and dove straight at them, but while it was distracted, Sunny had aimed and fired, and the arrow hit it in the collarbone just below one arm shoulder before it had a chance to evade. At the same time, a second arrow flew in from the side and impaled the hip. She glanced to the left and saw down the road a figure dressed in Japanese traveling attire, holding a huge bow.
However, the dragon kept coming. Sunny launched another arrow that struck it in the upper chest on the opposite side of the first hit. Moments later, a third arrow swept in and transfixed the beast through the lower neck. Blood spurted from the wounds on both sides and the dragon just dropped out of the air, but with its forward momentum intact. It hit the ground, bouncing and tumbling towards the trees. Sunny threw herself to the right as Eile spun around and dropped on top of Differel to protect her. She heard the dragon skid along the ground and crash into the tree, and she felt apples fall and hit her head and back.
After a few moments of stillness, she looked up and saw the dragon crumbled against the trunk. It had missed the travois by inches.
Sunny came around the body. "Are you alright?!"
She stood up, nodding her head. "Yeah, fine. Geezus, that was close!"
Sunny crinkled her eyes, smiled, and giggled. "You seem none the worse for wear." Then she sobered and her smile turned warm. "I'm glad you're okay, partner." She leaned forward, kissing her on the lips.
She could see over her shoulder as their savior jog into view. "Ixnay, ya ditz! We've got company."
Sunny turned, and recognized her in an instant. She skipped out into the road to meet her, and bowed low.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Yamamoto-san!"
"Stop showing off, ya spaz!" Eile admonished.
Ulthar's resident geisha samurai bowed back, the faintest of wry smiles on her face. "Dō itashimashite, Howaitoraion-san."
The woman bowed to her as Sunny retrieved her hat. "Konnichiwa, Yūkan'na-kokoro-san."
She nodded back. "Welcome, Tokoyo." It wasn't that she had no respect for her, who was in fact a friend, but unlike Sunny, who was something of a social chameleon, she felt uncomfortable emulating gestures she was unfamiliar with, and she had no desire to inadvertently give offense.
"Your diction has much improved," Tokoyo told Sunny, in her calm, quiet voice. Eile didn't know anyone else who could keep her emotions under such iron control, not even Medb hErenn, and whereas the former queen was merely enigmatic, Tokoyo was positively inscrutable. She had never seen her let herself go, not even in private, and she could maintain control even when heavily inebriated.
"Domo arigato."
"We're glad you came along when ya did!" Eile said.
"I was on my way back to Ulthar when I saw the tracks."
She frowned, puzzled. "What tracks?"
"I know!" Sunny pointed down at the ground. "The scrape marks left by the poles."
She looked and saw that the two main poles had left parallel white scratches in the road's hard surface.
"Huh, I never considered that."
"As I came up the road," Tokoyo continued, "I soon saw the two of you ahead of me. You were walking slower than myself, and I expected to catch up eventually." She then looked over at the travois. "Who is this?"
"She's a friend of ours from the Waking World," Sunny said.
"Not really." Sunny gave her a disapproving look, but did not object.
"She's hurt real bad!" Sunny explained as Tokoyo went over and looked down at her.
"You are taking her to Ulthar?"
"Yeah, she needs medical attention immediately!"
Tokoyo turned and walked back to them. "Would you permit me to accompany you, and escort you and your charge to safety?"
She felt relieved, like a burden had been lifted off her back. She was hoping Tokoyo would volunteer, but didn't want to ask in case she had urgent business of her own.
Sunny beamed with a stupid grin and gushed. "Hai! Dozo!"
Eile bowed. "We would be honored, Yamamoto-san." Tokoyo lifted an eyebrow ever so slightly, but she favored her with a small smile and bowed in return.
As Sunny helped set the travois on her shoulders, Tokoyo drew her wakizashi and approached the dragon's head, but when she reached it she turned and looked back at them. "May I?"
Sunny waved a hand. "Be our guest, it's your kill."
Tokoyo bowed, then bent over and grasped one of the ears.
They left as soon as Tokoyo finished cutting off the ears and stowing them away in a travel bag. With the samurai guarding them, Sunny insisted on helping with the travois, and Eile relented. She stood behind her, just in front of Differel's head, and lifted the frame. Eile doubted she could do much good pulling, but at least she took some of the weight off her shoulders. In fact, she found the going much easier. She mentioned it the next time they took a rest.
Sunny gave her a 'well, duh' look. "You shouldn't be so surprised. After all, we're partners, and together we can do anything!"
Eile glanced at Tokoyo, who returned a small lopsided smile. While normally she found Sunny's claim ridiculous, there were times, like now, when she almost believed it was true.
What also helped was that Tokoyo took it upon herself to correct Sunny's response to her offer, stating that she simply translated English words into Japanese with no thought to proper Japanese grammar. She gave an impromptu language lesson and encouraged Eile to join in, which took her mind off her exertion.
Eventually they reached Nir, and took time to eat at an outdoor café. Despite the urgency, Sunny was concerned that Differel might get overheated. It wasn't a hot day, but the sun was strong, and she had virtually no protection. Sunny wanted to give her a chance to cool down, and while Eile and Tokoyo ate, she sat with the aristocrat in the shade of the building, wetting her face and giving her water to drink. In the end, Eile wasn't sure what good it did, but it kept Sunny busy and it offered her some relief from her anxiety.
As they prepared to leave, she spotted Shadow coming up the road, followed by a clowder of eleven cats. At the head she recognized Ahjidamoh. She figured he must have volunteered to lead the escort squad.
When they reached them, the cats halted and Ahjidamoh sat upright on his haunches. "It is an honor to serve," he said in a dignified tone. She got the impression that if he could, he would have saluted.
"Thank you!" Sunny gushed. "But we hafta get going, I wanna arrive before dark."
Ahjidamoh settled on all fours, gave an ear-splitting yowl, and the squad dispersed, only to surround the travois, three behind, two on either side, and three in front, as the big cat fell in beside Eile opposite Tokoyo. Shadow ran off to scout ahead.
As they started out, Ahjidamoh said, "I have been instructed by the Council of Elders to inform you that they have granted your request for protection."
"That's good," Eile replied, "'cause we were attacked by a Thorineach dragon on the road."
"And Tokoyo saved us!" Sunny squealed.
"Well, you need no longer fear physical attack. As long as your friend remains in Ulthar, we shall watch over her until the danger has passed."
"She's not exactly a friend." She felt Sunny thump her on the back. "Ow! Hey, stop hitting, ya butthead!"
Sunny made no reply, and she realized she didn't need to, because she couldn't hit back or defend herself.
The last leg of the journey went faster than she expected. She wanted to get home as much as Sunny, and with her help she didn't have to exert herself as much. Besides, with the cats escorting them as well as Tokoyo, she felt more comfortable and could concentrate on just hauling the travois and covering the distance. They still took rests, but fewer than they had before, as the sun crept lower in the sky towards the mountains to the west.
They finally arrived at Ulthar in late afternoon. As they approached the entrance, she wasn't surprised to see a group of people and cats waiting for them. She figured that as soon as Shadow reported to the Council, the cats would have been out spreading the news, and those Humans who understood them would have informed the rest of the non-feline population. As they got closer, she began to make out individual persons. Of the cats, the only one she recognized was Laoise; she figured the others were either Council members, officials of some kind, or legionnaires. The four humans, however, were unmistakable. One was Jer'd, a young soldier, and beside him stood Aescalypses the Physician. Next to them was Mephitis the Apothecary, wrapped in a cloak, which hid most of her features, but Eile caught glimpses of her barbed tail lashing in agitation between her legs, and as usual her draconian feet were bare. Behind them waited Bettie Stivic, a fellow Dreamer and a friend of theirs from the Waking World, dressed in her Elvira costume.
However, Eile felt surprised and disappointed that Medb wasn't among them.
When they reached the reception party, the cats escorting them dispersed into the town accompanied by those who had come with Laoise, but Ahjidamoh greeted the female cat while Aescalypses and Mephitis went to examine Differel. Sunny gave them a summary of what she knew and what they had done for her.
"I will leave you," Tokoyo said to Eile, "now that you are in good hands. I will come by later to see how she fares."
She made a short bow. "We're in yer debt, Yamamoto-san."
She bowed back. "Jā mata ne, Chīmu no On'nanoko." She then walked on into the town. She nodded at Jer'd as she passed him approaching the travois.
"Mistress Braveheart," he said with a nod, "Burgomaster Kranon sends his compliments and has instructed me to assure you that the town militia is at your disposal. I personally pledge that we shall stand ready to help you defend your charge. I will place two guards outside your house and increase patrols through your district."
"Thanks, we appreciate that. And tell Kranon we're indebted to the both of you."
He nodded again and glanced at Sunny, a wistful look in his eyes, before he turned and hurried off to fulfill his promise.
Laoise and Ahjidamoh came up to her once he left. "And I wish to inform you," Laoise said, "that the Council has authorized a contingent of legionnaires to watch and guard your house against intrusion and attack, for as long as you need us."
"I personally shall pick the best from the garrison," Ahjidamoh added.
"I was hopin' Mayv'd be here. Have you guys seen her around?"
"Not for some weeks," Ahjidamoh replied.
Laoise said, "We can send out messengers to look for her, but it may take some time for her to return.
"I understand; if that's the case, then it can't be helped. Thanks, guys, Sunny and I are grateful. Tell the Council and Her Majesty we'll be at their disposal for any task they need doing in the future."
"So has it been said," Laoise concluded, "so let it be done." And she and Ahjidamoh scampered back into the town.
She looked over at Bettie and gave her a tired grin as she approached, blowing some bubble gum. "Hey, what's shakin'?"
The bubble burst and she pulled the gum back into her mouth. "Hardly anything compared to what happened to you two. Quite some adventure this time, huh?"
She shook her head. "Tell me about it! And it's just gettin' started, too."
"You need help?"
She sighed, relieved. "I was hopin' you'd volunteer. Yeah, we'd really appreciate it."
Bettie grinned. "Just give me an hour to change and pack a few things."
"We won't need you 'till morning, so no hurry. And there's something else you can do for us, too."
"Name it."
"Could you go to the Temple and ask Atal for magical protection?"
Bettie grinned again and nodded. "Sure thing. I'll take care of it right now." She blew a new bubble as she turned away.
Eile twisted around to look behind her. Aescalypses had finished his preliminary examination, and he looked at her and Sunny and nodded. Sunny turned back to the front and they started off for their house as the physician and Mephitis followed. She noticed they both had bags over their shoulders, most likely carrying their instruments and potions, respectively. They drew a crowd as they went, mostly of cats following along, but also people came out of their homes, inns, taverns, and shops to look at Team Girl and their sick friend. None followed, but many wished Differel a speedy recovery, and Sunny thanked each and every well-wisher.
Their Dream-home sat on the edge of the town square. When they arrived, they found two guardsmen, both women, standing on either side of the front door. They snapped to attention and saluted as the small party stopped in front of the house.
After they untied Differel, Sunny got the door open as Eile picked her up and carried her inside. The Fear Dearg sat perched on the fireplace mantle, his clay pipe clamped between his teeth, but he stood up as soon as he saw the unconscious aristocrat.
"Faith and Begorrah! And what be this, now?"
"No time to explain!" Sunny said. "Just go heat some water."
"Yerra! Sure, and so I can." He stepped off the mantle and disappeared in mid-fall.
Aescalypses directed them to take Differel out into the backyard, where there was still plenty of light and he could work without fear of creating a mess. Sunny retrieved a clean sheet and spread it over their picnic table before Eile laid Differel on top. She removed the blanket as Sunny went back inside to fetch the hot water, and she watched Aescalypses remove his chlamys and pestasos, and take instruments out of his bag while Mephitis shrugged off the cloak and began removing bottles from hers.
As soon as Sunny returned with the water, he set to work, with her helping him. He examined the blueblood from crown to toe, front and back, checking her eyes, probing her body with his fingers, and using his instruments to investigate all her orifices. He cut away the makeshift bandage and inspected the bloody discharge on the dressing, including sniffing it, which turned Eile's stomach. After washing the outside of the wound, he studied it carefully before flushing it with hot water. She stood ready to hold Differel down, but while she squirmed and moaned, she didn't have the strength to try to get up.
Mephitis handed him a bottle filled with what looked like an iodine solution, and he rinsed the wound with the liquid several times, followed by several washes of alcohol. Eile figured that had to sting, and Differel did struggle a bit more as he did it, but still not strong enough to disrupt his activity. He inserted a finger and felt around, then smiled. Eile figured he didn't feel anything. He flushed the wound again with more alcohol, and finally washed it out thoroughly with lots of water. Only when he was satisfied the wound had been disinfected did he wash his hands and take another bottle from Mephitis. He poured some of the oily contents onto a fresh dressing and laid it over the wound before wrapping it in gauze to hold it in place.
After he washed and repacked his instruments, and put his chlamys and pestasos back on, he handed Sunny the bottle of oily liquid. "Change the dressing daily and apply fresh medication to each new pad."
"Thank you. Will she be alright?"
He smiled. "She has no other injury and there was nothing in the wound. Provided she is kept quiet and warm, the dressing changed regularly, the wound cleaned when needed, and fresh medication administered, she should fully recover in due course. The crisis should pass in a few days, a week at the most, but be watchful for a relapse."
"We will," Eile said.
Mephitis presented a leather pouch to Sunny. Eile knew what it contained: an herbal tea with strong antibiotic properties.
"At first, give her as much as she will take. After her fever breaks, give her a cup-full a day, but no more."
Sunny nodded; they had used it before. "How soon will it break?"
"It should within two days, but it may take as many as three or four depending upon how far the infection has spread. Nonetheless, it should be reduced after one day."
"Thank you both!"
"We'll settle up after she's better," Eile said.
"We will see ourselves out," Aescalypses said as Mephitis covered herself with her cloak. "Send word if there is any change for the worst." And they left through the gate in the fence.
Eile picked up Differel and carried her up to the third floor into the better of the two bedrooms in the back. She waited while Sunny turned down the bed, and then laid her in it. Sunny covered her with the sheet and blanket, and finally collapsed in the chair. Only in her case, Eile knew it was emotional exhaustion rather than physical.
"Tough day, huh."
Sunny nodded. "And it's not over yet. I wanna just sit here for a little while. You go get cleaned up and changed, then collect the blanket, sheet, and old bandage, and dump them in the fire pit. Oh, and if you see the Fear Dearg, ask him to bring up some fresh water."
"I'm right here, Lassie," he said, popping in on the window sill. "And it would by my pleasure, now." He tipped his hat and disappeared again.
She put a hand on Sunny's shoulder. "You sure yer gonna be alright?"
Sunny looked up at her and smiled as she patted her hand. "I'll be fine, you just take care of yourself."
"Yes, dear." She ginned and Sunny giggled.
Before she did anything else, she went out front and dragged the travois into the backyard. She removed the blanket they used to cover it, collected the other items discarded during Aescalypses's treatment, and threw them all into a stone-lined pit in the back-right corner. She then went back inside and up to the master bedroom, where she took off her hauberk and suit of leather armor, laying both on the bed with her sword. She'd store them away later. She slipped on a robe and headed for the bathroom. Since they had been gone for a couple of weeks, there wouldn't be any hot water. She didn't look forward to washing with cold, but then again, she often did when they were out adventuring. Besides, she could take a long hot bath in the morning after Bettie got the water heater going. She shrugged off the robe and hung it up, filled a bucket, and retrieved soap, a washcloth, and a body towel, before stepping into the tub. She then proceeded to wash herself, scrubbing only the grimier spots and just wiping the rest of her body down. After drying herself off, she slipped the robe back on and went to relieve Sunny.
"Yer turn."
Sunny stretched and stifled a yawn as she left to carry out her ablution.
Eile noted that a pitcher of water sat on the table next to the bed. She poured some into a mug and offered it to Differel, who took a couple of swallows. When she wouldn't take anymore, Eile poured what was left back into the pitcher and lit a couple of lamps, then retrieved the bag that contained her clothes and equipment. She dumped the contents out onto the floor and sorted through them. The clothes were a total loss, what with the blood and pus, various rips and tears, and where Sunny cut through the material, and she put most of it aside except for a sleeve of the jacket. The rest she examined carefully, hoping it would tell her something that could explain how the aristocrat came to be in the Dreamlands, and why she was there, but all she discovered was that her glasses were missing. Gathering it all up, she placed the items in a small chest at the bottom of the room's armoire, except the pistol. That she carried back to the chair, and after she sat down she looked it over again and again, as if it held all the answers.
Somehow, she was pretty sure it did.
After a little while, Sunny returned. She had taken longer to clean up, and Eile saw why. First, she had changed into the casual clothes they wore when not out adventuring. Second, she carried two bowls on hot pads.
She handed one to her. "Careful, it's hot. Sorry it's just broth. I didn't feel like cooking, and all I needed to do was zap this." Eile knew she meant that literally, using her magic to heat it up.
"That's fine. I didn't feel like eating a big meal anyway."
Sunny sat on the end of the bed and glanced at the pistol in her lap. "So, wha'cha been doing?"
"Tryin' ta figure out what the heck's goin' on with her. I've got the feeling that if we can figure out where this came from," and she laid her hand on the pistol, "that would tell us the whole story."
"I thought you said she got it in the Cavern of Flame?"
"I thought so too at first, but I just looked through her stuff again. They're all substitutes for Waking World items, like I thought, but only a few seem like the kinda stuff you'd bring along on a mission. Or at least I'd think there'd be better substitutes."
"Soooo, why do you think she has it?"
She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, and I'm too tired ta think."
Sinny smiled and giggled. "Me too."
"That reminds me, I couldn't find her glasses."
"Oh!" Sunny stiffened and her eyes grew big. "I put them in one of my pouches!" She put the bowl down on the floor and skipped off. Moments later she returned with her belt. She opened a pouch and pulled out a mass of cotton, then started to unroll it.
She stamped a foot. "Oh, poo!"
"What is it?"
She held up the remains of the frames, broken into three pieces.
"Huh, must've happened when the dragon knocked you on yer butt."
"Oh, hardy-har! But at least the lenses are still intact." She held one up in front of one of her eyes. "We can have Bettie take them to the spectacle maker tomorrow."
"Yeah, well, don't lose those, or she'll be as blind as a bat."
Sunny nodded as she slipped the lenses into a shirt pocket. She then returned her belt to their bedroom.
When she came back, Eile asked, "So, what're we gonna do about watching her?"
Sunny picked up her bowl. "I'll watch her at night and you can relieve me during the day."
"Why that arrangement?"
"Well, as tired as we both are, you're more so because of all the work you did. I can stay awake with coffee, but you really should get some sleep. Of course, then I'll sleep during the day, which means I can only watch her at night."
She grinned and shook her head. "Heh, yeah." Sunny's logic followed its own rules, but she could be convincing nonetheless.
Eile stood up. "Alright, I'll go ta bed." She went over and put the pistol on the desk. "You finished?"
"Yeah." Sunny stood up and handed over her bowl. "And would you start boiling some water?"
"Sure thing." They kissed. "Good night."
"Good night, partner." And Sunny settled into the chair.
Eile paused in the hall to light a lamp, then went down to the kitchen on the first floor, carrying it to light her way. She dumped the remains of their supper into the waste bucket, and set the bowls to soak in the sink. She filled the big kettle and placed it on the stove, lighting a fire to start it heating. She then went around checking to make sure the doors and windows were all shut and bolted.
"Sure, you needn't worry, Lassie," the Fear Dearg told her from his perch on the mantel as she passed through the front parlor, "I'll watch over all in this house, now."
She smiled and nodded before she headed upstairs. He could be a pain in the neck, what with his mischievous antics and practical jokes, but he was loyal to a fault, and she had no doubt he would do exactly what he said.
She looked in on Sunny, and saw her giving Differel water, so she left them in peace. In their bedroom she hung up her armor on its scaffold in the wardrobe, along with Sunny's travel outfit, and put away the sword and bow in the adjoining exercise room. Finally she turned down the bed covers, extinguished the lamp, slipped off the robe, and crawled into bed, covering herself with the sheet.
She hoped it wouldn't take too long for Differel to recover. She didn't feel selfish, though waiting for her to get better would interfere with their adventuring, and even afterwards having her around would cramp their sex life. The real problem was they didn't have much time before they would return to the Waking World. If she hadn't fully recovered by then, she'd be helpless, and even if she did, who knew how long it would be before she would wake up and return on her own? She'd be stranded, with no one to help her learn how to get by. If Medb had been around, she'd be able to watch out for her, but god only knew where she was.
As she drifted off to sleep, Eile just hoped she'd return, and soon.