I like to walk through the night's rain. The moons, hazy pools of colored light bleeding into the clouds.

I wish I could see the stars.

The city walls seem faded and unreal, the rain washing away the layers of dirt and grim, down to the polished black stone that blends into the thick night until all you can see is a nimbus of towers and light hovering in the air like some enchanted crown.

I get into the line behind an open wagon filled with barrels and crates. The drayman turns to look, his features hidden inside a stone coloured cloak. His two land lizards dozing in the mud of the road.

Before him is a small scattering of peoples, all huddled and hunched against the rain. A large caravan at the head of the line waits by the half opened gait. Its driver yelling at the wet and miserable guard.
"If any of my stock gets sick 'cuz of the damp and I'll have your job!"
The guard rests a halberd rested against his shoulder and waves a handful of sopping papers at the caravan. "Look, the regulations say you cannot take slaves into the city. You're going to have to unchain her before I can let you in."
"Its not a slave for drax's sake. Its a bleedin' animal and one that's too dangerous to be letting run round loose!"
"I'm sorry, there is nothing I can do. If you'd like to wait until second rise you can talk to..."

A land lizard opens one large, clear eye as I walk past. He watches as I walk to the caravan before losing interest and slipping back into sleep. In the back wall of the caravan, out of sight of the guard or driver, there is a small, barred window. Peering through into the pitch black inside, I can hear the rattle of chains and a child softly crying.
"Help me." pleads a voice from the darkness.

The driver is yelling again. "Armitas is going to kill me. I was suppose to be here yesterday. I have the purchase order right here. See, the 'Zandu Menagerie'."
"I can see your point but I'm just the night watchman, I don't have the authority to make those kind of decisions."
"Then find me someone who can!"
"I am not waking up my supervisor in the middle of the night over something like this."
"I don't care if you have to wake the Sultan himself, just get me someone who will....."

I let my hand slip into my shoulder bag. Feeling around, my fingers close around a sealed bottle of thick glass. Pulling the stopper I let a few drops fall onto the window bars and watch as they bubble and steam. A loop of black chain slides out of the window and this too I melt.
For an instance I think I see two embers of blood red light flare in the darkness of the caravan.

The back of the caravan explodes in a hail of wood and iron, knocking me flat into the mud. A shadow black, lean, feminine form leaps over my head as someone in line begins to scream.

The caravan driver never even realizes what is happening before the Bane's claws rip through his neck.
The next instant it is over. The Bane is gone, melted into the night, carrying her grisly feast with her. Someone in the line is crying, mixing with the frightened bleats of the land lizards.

I stand, wipe the mud from my robes and walk through the city gates. Just inside, the shaken guard, another man's blood on his face, grabs me by the arm and cries, "What in the name of Oblivion did you do Sindaran? Are you insane?"
My eyes meet his and I hold him there as the magical words spill forth from my tongue and caress his soul like the lullaby of a mother. He sleeps.

"Not yet." I whisper softly.

Well that's part one, hoped you liked it. Sorry there isn't much to build on yet, but with any luck it'll expand in later stories.

For the record both Josik and the Bane are PC's.

Part II A Long, Strange Day
Part III Let Sleeping Sindra Lie
Part IV Blood in the Garden
Part V Memories and Fireworks
Part VI Little Converstations

Next: Tiilin's Story

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