The Story:
Rhillan

"Hey, there, wake up!"

Kauria moaned softly, wondering where she was. Faint lingering of an odd dream remained. Had she fallen asleep? When? How? She wanted to lift herself off the ground, but was too weary and dulled with sleep. Someone was standing over her, gently coaxing her awake.

"There; now you're up," the voice said, and she identified it as male. Gedry? No, she thought, Gedry's voice is much lighter. Then who was it? She quickly jerked open her eyes.

A gaunt-looking man was looking down at her. She could only see his outline; his body obstructed the rising sun. She blinked a couple of times, clearing her vision of encrusted sand and dirt. She managed to raise herself off the ground slightly.

"Who...?" she questioned, startled at the sound of her voice. It sounded weak and tired; not at all like herself! For a moment, she thought that someone else must have been speaking for her.

"All in good time, girl..." the man said, trying to help her sit up. "Or should I say, young lady?" he amended, getting a better look at her. "You're all beaten up; what is a girl like you doing like that in the middle of nowhere? No, don't answer. You need something to drink; you're obviously dehydrated."

She mumbled thanks, still too dazed to think. Her mind was slowly reorganizing itself; she remembered the storm and her long walk and finally how she collapsed, unable to walk any longer. "Had to hide..." she whispered to herself, still collecting her thoughts, gazing at the man who had taken pity on her.

She could see him better now that he wasn't in the sun. He was deep tan, a mark of a trader, and dusty brown hair topped his head. He had a friendly face, though somewhat somber and at that moment full of concern for her well-being, and he had an easy way about him. She guessed he was around ten years older than she. He had left her side a moment to fetch something to eat, and he now returned.

He handed her a metal cup, full of water. She gratefully accepted the drink; she had a desperate thirst. A brief warning from the trader reminded her to be judicious in how quickly she drank, but even a few sips did much to sate her.

He sat patiently with her on the side of the road while she regained some of her strength. He said little, merely watching her. She didn't mind; she had very little to talk about, and she did not want to answer any questions to why she was traveling alone and without food or drink.

"Thank you-" she began hesitantly. Could she trust him? Did she have much choice?

"Rhillan," he supplied. "And you...?"

She considered telling him her real name. Instead, she gave the first name that came to her. "Talle."

He smiled. "Let's get you up, Talle. You can't sit here all morning." He lent her his hand and helped her up. She made a futile attempt to dust herself off, nearly toppling in the attempt.

He caught her before she fell. "You do look affright," he commented. "How long have you been out here? Surely you couldn't have been walking through the storm a while back... although that would explain a few things."

Kauria nodded ruefully. "My horse ran away with my supplies..." she admitted. "Tal-" she paused, catching herself. "Tam was still rather young. I've been walking since."

He frowned. "Two day's walking without food? And no one saw you?"

She shook her head. "I guess not."

"Well," he said, "were are you going? You can't travel alone in the state you're in... you're barely standing." He glanced to his cart, where his beast were getting restless. "I'm heading for Farlin, a trading post near the border. There's sure to be some traders going to your town."

Her eyes lit up. Near the border? "That will be fine," she hastily agreed. "Thank you so much. . . Rhillan," she added. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come along."

He grunted softly. "It's nothing," he assured "Now, let's get going. I'm already late to arrive." He helped her to his cart, and sat her beside him in the front while he grabbed the reins of the pair of cart horses.

Rhillan, she soon found out, was two days behind his traveling caravan. Their last stop had been at Delin, where the storm caused a delay in the delivery of some cargo. He volunteered to stay behind and wait, as the Carullian group was anxious to leave before the upcoming anniversary of Ajir's New Rule.

He questioned her about where she came from, but she avoided answering directly. She eventually told his she had to meet someone going to Carul, and that she didn't know how long she had before he'd be gone.

"But your Emperor only allows a few Carullian traders to cross the border," Rhillan said, perplexed. "Is he a trader? Maybe I can help you find him."

"Perhaps," Kauria conceded, but she knew Rhillan had a point. Gedry and she had planned to escape together; she didn't know how she was going to cross the border now.

He offered to share his food with her, but wouldn't let her eat much after her two- day fast. He talked quite easily with her; he hadn't look forward to two more days traveling by himself. Rhillan talked about his caravan, and how long his family had been trading in Ajir.

"The Rhenries have been trading in Ajir for generations," he informed her. "We know almost about as much about Ajir's history and legends as we do of Carul's. We're very fortunate that the Lord of Delin obtained permission to allow us to continue our trade." He whistled at their luck. "It's too bad no one talks about your country's history since the New Rule; it's very interesting. I was born a eleven years before your Emperor's rule, but my mother told me the stories she learned." He glanced at her. "Say, you're about the right age. Where you born before the New Rule, Talle?"

Kauria nodded. "My mother was one of the last people to evacuate Crowns before the Emperor took over," she told him. "I was only a few days old then."

"Did your mother work at Ajir Palace?" He scrutinized her, examine her features. "Perhaps one of the banished nobles?"

She shifted under his gaze, and he quickly looked away. "I... I don't know, actually," she conceded. "She died not long after."

Rhillan looked chagrined at his question. "I'm sorry," he said. "Who raised you, then?"

She shrugged, not willing to admit to much about her past. "An orphanage," she replied simply. Rhillan nodded.

"I remember the Emperor's take over quite well," he continued with his thoughts. "My trading van had just left Crowns. There were dozens of old rumors that something significant was about to happen, but no one expected the Emperor Torrel to take over. Have you ever been to Crowns?"

Kauria shook her head. "No, but I had a friend been there lived there. He said it was a gloomy place and he was glad he left."

The trader nodded agreement. "Very gloomy, but also a very busy place. Was it the same friend you're meeting?"

"Why do you ask that?"

He shrugged. "Just the way you talk about him, it sounds like you were close, especially if you're willing to travel to Farlin for him." Rhillan smiled. "What's your friend's name? It might help us find him."

Kauria glanced to the side of the road. She felt she could trust the trader, but she was reluctant to mention Gedry, in any case. She once again wondered if he were safe.

"Gedry Juso," she answered, deciding that Rhillan had to be trusted. She had nothing left to lose. "He's a messenger."

Rhillan frowned slightly, shaking the reins on the horses. "An Empirical messenger?" His tone was carefully neutral, Kauria noticed. She hesitated.

"Just a messenger," she answered. "From Havelin."

"Oh," Rhillan relaxed slightly. "How long have you known each other?"

"Long enough," Kauria sidestepped the question, having a good idea what Rhillan was thinking. It was the same thoughts she had originally about Gedry when he said he was an Empirical messenger.

He nodded again, his eyes on the road. "Not that anything's wrong with the Emperor's messengers," he said amiably. "The Emperor has done some good for the Ajir, hasn't he?" He glanced at her quickly. "He's regulated trading and you can't say there's much crime these days, can you?"

He spoke once again in such a neutral tone Kauria felt she was being tested. "He's very efficient," she answered truthfully.

"Of course," Rhillan continued, "you wouldn't remember before he came."

Kauria frowned momentarily at the edge of bitterness in Rhillan's voice. Well, she wasn't a fan of the Emperor's either. She pushed her thoughts ahead, wondering what it would like in Carul, with Gedry, and no Emperor....