The Tale of Tarrance

Tarrance's Respite

They had travelled for days. So many that Tarrance had lost count after the first week, not that he was paying much attention to the passage of time. Conor had become a fine travelling companion and he, along with Orla, had taken Maria, Kerrie, and himself under their wing. What should have been arduous had instead become something of wonder and learning the like of which Tarrance hadn't been able to imagine before experiencing it.

Conor and Orla had taught them all so much about magic, woodcraft and how one could be used to complement the other. Kerrie wasn't even left behind in these lessons.

"It might be a bit harder for you but that's no reason not to know," Orla had explained while crouching over a wet pile of twigs that would be a fire a moment later.

"And you might notice something those mana-heads might miss," Dara added with his ever-present good nature as he returned with even more wood, dry this time, for the fire.

It was a shock to Tarrance to learn that Dara had no magic of his own but he learned quickly enough that it didn't slow the man down. His eyes were the sharpest of the group and he knew more about the woods and their ways than all the rest combined, save Bedwyr himself.

Bedwyr for his part was as pleasant as the rest of his party when spoken to but those occasions were few and far between. The sight of the man had become an uncommon occurrence for Tarrance, he still hadn't had the opportunity to thank him for freeing them from the clutches of Bishop Renworth, and the future that promised.

"He's not the best with strangers," Conor had explained when Tarrance had yet again failed to pin the man down after a night at camp.

"Doesn't he ever rest?" Maria asked clearly worried for the man.

"Usually he's better," Conor answered with a placating tone, "but when he feels he has something, or someone, in need of protecting he pushes himself that bit too hard."

"Thankfully Andras is about to keep an eye on him," Kerrie added.

Andras being a slightly more common sight than Bedwyr, effectively functioning as a liaison between the group's leader and the rest of them. Making sure that everyone knew what they needed to while also taking care of their stubborn leader.

Despite the strange situation of it all Tarrance found he had little to complain about. Learning new spells and little tricks he could do with his magic had been an experience Tarrance thought he would never have. Using it so openly was like a dream, talking about it doubly so, and learning so deeply about something that had been held at arm's length for so long was something he wouldn't trade for the world.

And it was Dara who surprised him again with his depth of knowledge when it came to 'the gift' as the Aurelian openly referred to it. He had taught Maria and Tarrance more in the time they travelled than either of them had uncovered their entire lifetimes but it wasn't the knowledge that was the best gift he gave them. It was how easily and openly he, a man without the gift, could be with them.

There was no fear, no worry, no dread, not even jealousy. To see someone without magic look upon you without any reservations or fear, well, it was an experience that Tarrance never knew he needed. The man's ease with it all also seemed to rub off on Kerrie.

Sure she was fine with Maria's and my magic but it was seeing her grow more comfortable with everyone else's too, Tarrance reminisced seeing apprehension slowly morph into wonder on Kerrie's face with each day, and display of magic, that passed.

"Come on Tarrance," the voice of Conor roused him from his reminiscing, "it's not far now."

While Tarrance had an idea that they were heading to someplace safe for them, somewhere for the Aurelians to rest their weary heads, someplace to refresh their supplies and themselves, he had no idea where, or how such a thing could exist within the borders of the Empire. If you believed the church, then there was no way such an enclave could be possible, not when it belonged to the so-called pure chosen people of Orros.