Within (Walk Through Shadows Book One)

Chapter Sixteen

After saying their goodbyes the trio flew to Haelan's estate. Deamol and Alasdair spent the rest of the morning there gathering supplies while Haelan went over reports with the captain of the guard and issued orders to be followed while he was gone. Old clothes were obtained from the garrison. All three knew it would be safer to avoid flaunting their station though it would be impossible for them to appear that they belonged in the borderlands. They were clearly pure blood faeries and therefore an oddity in that part of the realm. The borderlands were mostly inhabited by mixed breeds of several varieties.

Alasdair could barely contain his impatience as the afternoon passed slowly. Once the supplies had been gathered he spent his time in the treetop garrison with Deamol, playing cards with the off duty guards. In the relaxed atmosphere he was teased mercilessly, which he accepted with a wry smile. It didn't bother him that they poked fun at him. He knew that many of them were unmated and if they could most would trade places with him in an instant. When Haelan came to collect him for the evening meal the guard made a few parting remarks about being lovesick.

Alasdair smirked at them. "Lads trust me, when you find a woman like Isabelle you'll never want to let her go."

"Why did you then?" One of the younger guards asked. An older guard jabbed him in the ribs.

Alasdair raised his hand to stop the older guard from silencing him. "It's a fair question." Alasdair looked at the one who'd posed the question. "Until our laws change it was the only option. When was the last time a human was allowed to reside within our borders?" The older guard nodded. "Once I've found a solution to this problem I'll see about getting the laws amended."Haelan nodded to the guards as Alasdair turned for the door and the two of them leapt from the courtyard to glide down to the balcony off the castle's main dining room. 

Conversation during the evening meal was mostly making plans for the search. Alasdair took in all of the information Haelan volunteered about the current state of the borderlands quietly. Not much had changed in his absence. It was still as uncivilized as when he had been there last. With no ruler to govern the area the residents had not benefited from the purchases made in the human realm. Haelan had made some inroads with the settlements closest to his lands but his influence could only reach so far. The wood elves, who wielded a great deal of influence were strong proponents of keeping anything human out of the realm.

That was the core cause of the current unrest. Many of the elves that inhabited the elven province had gradually accepted the newer technology the faerie had brought into the realm, as had the dwarves. But there had been a large number of elves that had left the province and took up residence in the wilds of the borderlands. The largest issue was the borderlands stood right between the faerie and elven territories. It gave the dissenting elves the perfect opportunity to limit trade between the other races which they had been taking advantage of with increasing frequency in the months prior to Alasdair's release.

Alasdair knew it was not the most opportune time to be wandering around there looking for someone but with the baby due to make her entrance into the world shortly after the new year he didn't have a lot of time to wait. When Haelan suggested giving it a few months Alasdair shook his head firmly and vowed to go on his own if he had to. Haelan relented with a shrug. His older brother had always been impetuous but this didn't feel the same. There was something Alasdair wasn't telling him.

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They started the search in the western part of the borderlands and moved from settlement to settlement systematically. They followed rumors and whispers, paid bribes, faced silence and suspicion. After two weeks of getting no closer to finding the healer and Alasdair's growing impatience Deamol was grateful for Haelan's easy going nature. Not to mention his charm and knack for diplomacy.