Daenara's Circuit
~Chapter 1~
© Debbie Sutherlin

(Portrait by Debbie Sutherlin)

The sky was leaden and held promise for staying that way for the rest of the day. A bitter wind blew the bare tree limbs, making them wave their skeletal fingers. Daenara pulled her cloak closer and tried to urge the weary horse on. Her companion was seated on the back of a magnificent, gray-brown unicorn. Rocky was his name and he seemed right at home here. At this moment Daenara envied him his shaggy fetlocks and thick, shaggy coat, topped with the massive mane that hung down past his neck. "How much farther Pelham?" Daenara asked when she felt her fingers begin to tingle with the cold. Removing her gloves, she cupped her hands and blew into them, then rubbed them together mercilessly. Getting some feeling back, she quickly thrust them back into the leather gloves.

"Up there is the first signpost. We should be there inside of an hour." "Thank you, Pelham." The beautiful blonde dipped her head back down into the large collar of the cloak. 'For my first circuit duty I would get stationed in this place in the dead of winter!' Daenara thought with frustration, she wanted the assignment down in Derrico. It was a lame assignment granted, but working out boring trade agreements would be much preferred over freezing herself to death ! Suddenly, Daenara sat up straighter. A lone hawk cried in the distance making a daring dive for something in the fields beyond. The cowl dropped away from her face completely unnoticed. Daenara's hopeful eyes searched the horizon all around her. "Looking for something, Dae?" Pelham asked.

"Oh...just wondering where the hawk came from." She replied evasively. "Ahead of us." Pelham looked at the tall blonde riding next to him with questioning eyes. He and Dae were in the Academy together as youths. Now they were grown, he hoped Dae would come to one day see him as something other than her 'friend'. He became very hopeful when Astrafal recommended her for this assignment. Pelham had been on this circuit for three months before returning to the Academy with the news of the disturbance.

Daenara looked disappointed when she saw nothing and slumped back down into her cloak. Pelham was one of only three young men at the Academy that was tall enough not to be dwarfed by the statuesque Daenara. Pelham was one of the few people who knew how embarrassed Daenara was over her height. She had gone to only two dances at the Academy. The first time with Pelham and the last time accompanied by her father, since he had attended her graduation. Pelham was not a handsome man by any means, but he continued to hope Dae would love him.

"Daenara, would you like some of this? Really, it WILL make you feel warmer." Pelham offered her the small flask again. This time Daenara relented and took it from him. He smiled broadly at her. Daenara smiled back at him. "Hey, these two families warring isn't just a ruse to get me up here to freeze, is it?" Daenara teased her friend. Pelham grinned and shrugged. Daenara took another draught of the bitter, burning liquid. She had to admit, once down it did start making her feel warmer. She handed the flask back to her grinning escort.

"Dae, if I could, I would have brought you in a carriage with blankets piled high on top of you. To keep your delicate body warm, since you won't let me have the pleasure!" The big man began to laugh uproariously. "Pelham, if you don't stop, I shall make your saddle grow a bed of thorns!" Dae replied sternly. The unicorn turned to look at the woman sitting the horse beside him. "Only on the top of course, dear Rocky. I shouldn't want to injure the WRONG party!" Daenara exclaimed, then broke into a grin too. The strawberry roan unicorn nodded his head up and down as if he agreed. Daenara laughed. "Give a guy a break Dae, you can't blame me for trying!" Pelham replied with a mischievous grin. Suddenly the cry of the hawk sounded nearer. Daenara's eyes instantly went to seek out the hawk sailing the brutal winds. Pelham's face fell. 'What has Dae all concerned over hawks, all the sudden?' The big man asked himself with frustration. 'It has a strong pull on her heart, whatever it is.' Rocky replied in unicorn mindspeak. 'I wonder what happened while I was gone?' Pelham replied to his bonded. "Pelham, which estate are we going to stay in this evening?" Daenara asked. "The Marcham estate. Altana Marcham is the matriarch of the family and a feisty gal at that. She is the biggest problem. The other family members do what she says, period. She is going to be one terrible challenge for you Dae. I almost wish Astrafal had chosen someone else, but then I wouldn't have had you all to myself for several months either!" "Pelham, you are incorrigible! Now, you must tell me everything you know about her again, just so I get the details straight." "Dae, we have been over this so many times in the last two weeks I feel like I could repeat it in my sleep!" "Pelham, I MUST be prepared. If Altana Marcham is as much of a challenge as you say, I need all the help I can get! I must find something as a bargaining point with the woman or I shall fail in my mission." "I don't know about all this talk stuff anyway. Seems like sometimes a good fight is what people really need to settle themselves down." "Pelham! Everything cannot be settled with fists and swords. Rocky, how do you put up with him sometimes?!" Daenara replied, her frustration well evident.

"He feels the same way I do most of the time! Come on Dae, let's not get in an argument out here. Take another swig of this." Pelham offered her the flask, Daenara declined with one gloved hand. "No thank you. I think I can make it now. However, I may have frostbite on my toes if we don't get there soon." Daenara clucked to the shaggy mare beneath her and urged her forward. As she rode she watched the sky now and then for any more signs of the hawk. 'If only...' Dae thought to herself, then angrily shoved the thought away.

Pelham watched Daenara out of the corner of his eye. She continued to scan the sky now and then looking for the hawk it seemed. 'What in the world has Dae so interested in hawks?' he wondered to himself. 'Whatever it is...it has a great pull on her concentration. We may need to find out in order not to jeopardize our mission.' Rocky's mindvoice replied firmly. Just then, small compact snowflakes began to fall. Pelham frowned at the frozen precipitation. "Great Czar's beard! Come on Dae, we need to push that little mare harder. We could be caught in a blizzard very soon if we don't get moving!" "She is exhausted Pelham. I'm trying my best." "She could use a little help." Pelham looked over at Daenara with meaning in his eyes. "Pelham, you know I don't use my Wyn ability for just anything!" Daenara replied, mildly shocked at his inference. The small flakes now were falling in vast numbers and the landscape was taking on a foggy look.

"Dae, do it now! We don't want to be caught in a white out. I'm serious, our lives could be in danger!" Pelham's tone of voice became deadly serious. Daenara suddenly understood, he was not joking or asking her to do this lightly. She pulled the cowl and her cloak closer. The slight fuzziness of her mind from the spirits did not impede her, she simply pushed through and beyond it. Gathering her concentration she began to draw the energy force of the wind and water itself and when she felt she had pulled a significant amount she pulled her gloves off and placed her bare hands upon the mare's withers. She poured the energy she gathered down into the weary little horse. Suddenly the mare's steps became livelier and she started to prance. Daenara almost fell out of the saddle, suddenly too weary herself to adjust to the rapid sidestep the mare made. Pelham was ready though. He anticipated Daenara's disorientation having been around the Wyn for so long at the Academy. His strong hands grabbed her arm so she didn't lose her seat. Rocky kept in step with the frisky mare and finally was able to calm her.

"Good job, Dae. Now, can you hold on? Let's pick up this pace." Pelham and Rocky stayed alongside the weary Daenara and Rocky matched his canter to the mares. Soon they were clipping down the muddy roadway. Ice crystals were starting to form in the indentations of hooves that had long since passed on the dirt roadway. The snow was now falling in a steady manner. "The estate is just ahead Dae! We made it and it looks like none too soon!" Pelham shouted to her with great relief. The exhausted Wyn barely raised her head to look at the massive stone entry gates. The large stone building beyond was barely visible. The snow was falling heavier now. She kept the mare following the shape of Rocky and Pelham ahead of her. Shapes began to move out of the white to take the reins of her poor little mare. Suddenly the white seemed to just envelope her.

Pelham turned as the stable hand yelled for him. Daenara lay on the ground. Sliding off of Rocky in one fluid movement Pelham stepped over to her and swept her up into his arms. The stable hand stared at him and shrugged. Pelham said nothing but turned to the main door of the big house and climbed the steps with Dae in his arms. 'Rocky, I'll be back as soon as I make sure Dae is cared for.' 'The stable hand is showing us to the shelter. I will be fine. Remember they know about me. They won't mistreat me.' 'Learned their lessons the last time did they?' Pelham chuckled to himself. Rocky had to convince the stablemaster of this house he was NOT a horse the first time they arrived at the Marcham estate. A very prim middle-aged woman opened the door and gasped as she took in the situation. She quickly held the door open and at the same time ordered someone nearby to go prepare a bed for Daenara. "Uen Pelham! Take her to the third bedroom on the right down this hallway. Gingsa grab blankets on the way and get Albe to start a fire in there now. GO!" She ordered rapidly.

Daenara woke to the crackling of a fire and several blankets piled high on top of her. As she looked around the room she was in, she saw Pelham sitting in a chair by the fire. His head leaned up against the wing of the chair and his eyes were closed. The soft snoring coming from him, assured her he was only sleeping soundly. Near the fire also sat her rather wet leather boots. Daenara sat up and realized she still had on her riding dress. She was confused, but she rapidly figured out what must have happened.

Rising and taking one of the more manageably sized blankets she wrapped it about her shoulders and moved over to the fire. "Pelham?" She asked softly. A rather odd cut-off snore came from her companion and he suddenly sat up. "What? Oh, Dae...how are you feeling?" He asked sudden worry creasing his brow.

"I am fine, Pelham. Just used a bit more energy than I had left after the distance we had ridden. Has Lady Altana come yet?"

"No, the Housemistress Jezele had you brought in this room. I'm sure the Lady Altana has been apprised of our arrival and your condition."

"Wonderful. Well, I hope I have not destroyed the entire mission with my foolishness!" Daenara grumbled.

"Dae! Don't be so hard on yourself! We got here just as the snow got really bad. You did what you had to do to get us here alive."

"Perhaps." Daenara looked intently into the fire. For a fleeting moment she saw the shape of a hawk in the flames. Her heart leapt for that brief second before being put back into place. She shook her head and turned to her companion.

"I will need to change and become presentable. What time of day is it?"

"Time for the evening meal in just a bit. I'll go get settled in my room. Of course I could stay here and guard my Lady's gorgeous backside whilst she changes!" Pelham grinned mischievously at Daenara. Daenara with one graceful movement swept the blanket from her shoulders and covered Pelham with it. He brushed it off with one arm and dropped it to the floor.

"Only in your dreams! Now go change so we may try to salvage some of the Uen Roug reputation! By the way, how would you know I have a gorgeous backside?" Daenara asked him pointedly, her hands placed on her hips and wearing an expression of dramatic shock on her face. Pelham blushed then looked up at her. Seeing she was teasing him, he grinned.

"In my dreams love, in my dreams!" Pelham stood up and stretched his entire 6'2" height. Putting an affectionate arm around Daenara's shoulders he hugged her.

"Seriously Dae, I was worried. You DID fall from the back of your horse."

"Ah, well I trust it was a graceful fall?" She asked, looking back up at him.

"Alas, I missed it. You chose to do it with my back turned. You do that a lot you know. I'm beginning to feel left out!" Daenara laughed and patted his muscular chest.

"Well, you are in the thick of things now! Come on, let's get dressed, I am hungry!"

"I could just turn my face to the wall. That way you would be safe."

"Are you kidding? I'd be in much more danger with you IN the room! Now go before I think up something ornery to do to you!"

"Oh baby, please!" Pelham grinned at her. Daenara shook her head and bent to retrieve the blanket from the floor. Pelham stood with his arms crossed over his chest, watching her bend over. Daenara stood up and shook the blanket out. Turning to see Pelham grinning at her, she wagged her finger at him.

"I'll turn your bed sheets to stone in the night if you don't behave yourself!"

"You are a cold woman, Dae. Make sure you don't make your grand entrance without me!"

"I promise Pelham, now will you go?!"

"With great reluctance, my lady. Only with great reluctance!" Pelham smiled at her and walked to the door.

"Dae, seriously...I want you to be careful. They have had one incident of sneak attack this fall at this estate."

"That's why I'm here, is it not? Don't worry dear, you know I have a healthy set of lungs and can use them if need be." Daenara reassured him. He exited and closed the door. Daenara dropped to the chair Pelham recently vacated and stared into the fire.

"Valorin, where are you my love? I scarce seem to be able to function at times, I long for you so. Please, come back to me safe! Please, my beloved?" Daenara whispered into the flames, her heart torn with yearning.