Chapter 15

Monday April 3^rd

The Meeting

The weather that had held this entire weekend continued to hold, unseasonably warm for this early in spring. The skies clear, the winds still. The kids at the ranch continued to take advantage of it to be out and play and explore. The adults keeping a much more watchful eye, the less than 2 weeks since the “Night” not being enough for any except the youngest to be over the losses. The raiders, rustlers, and unusual things that had been seen or heard of all added to the quiet stress.

Bull spent the day continuing work at the forge, while Tom continued working with his animals. Alex began working with the men who wanted to learn how to fight.

Sam met Jessica and Nessa at the ranch, and they left for the meeting. The ladies in a buckboard and Sam on Tair. The ladies had told him to head towards Indian Prairie, McCalla Creek. They set off to the ford, Sam whistling up his dogs.

Their travel while tense was without incident as they went to the ford and crossed. They made it to the bend in McCalla Creek. The sheep ranch located there was a wreck. The main building was only half standing and badly burned. One barn was totally destroyed the other almost intact. They pulled up short of the barn that was still standing and Sam pulling his carbine called out asking for survivors. When he got no answer Sam did a quick search of the barn, house, and ruins of the other barn. The only survivors found were two sheep. They did not know if they should feel relief that the attackers used guns or worry that the sheep wars were about to restart.

Getting back in the wagon they continued following the creek west. A couple of miles later they came to a log cabin, one of the older ones in the valley. The owners had sealed the building’s main floor as during the time of the Indian wars. Sam again came close and called out for survivors. Again, there was no answer. They decided not to check at this time so they could make the meeting.

The group continued their journey. The land started to rise though they were still in mostly open prairie when they heard the dogs get in a scuffle. Sam looking over could see they had disturbed a nest of the jackalope. They all seemed to be the smaller variety, so he just kept an eye out as they rode towards the woods. The dogs caught up with them as they entered the woods, they had bloody muzzles and some small scratches but seemed happy.

As they followed the creek upstream, entering the lightly wooded area the shade felt refreshing after the unseasonal warmth of the sun. As the woods grew thicker, they looked for a place to park the wagon and tether the horses. Finding a likely area, they decided that leaving the draft horses in Tair’s care would be sufficient, no need to tether or hobble any of them. Sam ordered the dogs to stay back also. Ironhawk tilted his head looking at Sam who again gave his dog the command to stay.

Sam and the ladies continued up the creek. After about 30 minutes of walking Jessica called to Sam for a stop. There on the south side was a tree that did not belong. Sitting right in the middle of three hemlock grew a white ash. It looked well established not like brand new growth. The small stand had to be at least 6 maybe 7 years old. Sam turned to ask where to go but saw the ladies huddled together whispering. He went back to scanning the woods as he waited, but the ladies told him they needed to go south past the stand into the woods’ Sam shrugged and they started into the forest.

As soon as they got past the stand the stillness that seemed to enshroud the rest of the world lifted, small animal noises and bird songs being heard. This sudden return to normalcy did nothing to relax Sam’s mood, instead making him even less at ease. They had gone about 30 yards in when they found the clearing. A clearing which caused Sam to pause as Jessica and Nessa quietly entered. While the clearing was open to the sky, the midday sun seemed muted, almost like it had become dusk. The trees seemed to have a gentle glow, in the middle of the clearing sat a table, with a white cloth draped upon it. Two, beings, one, the smaller stood but 30 inches tall and had to be the ugliest, not a child with that beard, had to be a man, Sam had ever seen. The other, Sam caught his breath, the other stood a good inch taller than his own 6’5” and in her bare feet while he wore boots. Silver hair braided in the front and thrown back over her shoulders to join the loose hair that hung below her shoulders. Her body encased in a slivery mail, a helm of the same metal on the table. Her face, pale and the lightest of blue eyes which struck him senseless for a moment He was brought out of it by the liquid sounds of her voice, her voice almost singing in a language he did not know,” אני רואה אותך Hevakhemel” and Guides reply” אני רואה אותך Bean an chrainn.”

The humans looked back and forth between the angel and the elf as they looked tensely upon one another. There was a brief, not a conversation but almost ritual lasting minutes, or no time at all. The humans could never be quite sure which. The elf then inclined, such a slight movement of her head could not be a bow, her head “join me at the table that we may talk, please” That please seemed almost forced. The ugly man was missing, and the refreshments had gone with him, or had he and they been there at all? As they joined her seated at the table, the elf continued, “Names have power. Saying some names under the open sky is less then a good thing. Call me Lady, for I am a Lady of our court, the one these two serve” pointing to Jessica and Nessa. “If I may I would call you Sir as your rank is knight. Is that acceptable?”

 “Yes, Lady, that is acceptable. I see you know my advisor, shall that be what we call him here?”

 “He is close but chooses not to parley here.” Lady replied. “We did agree to safe passage until you leave the wood.”

“Lady that does not reassure my heart, but I am here to find what it is you have sent these and their companions to seek from us.”

The elf smiled, her teeth slightly pointed, almost cat like. “We seek shelter and an alliance for those who belong to us, and yet are caught in the conflict on this side of the veil. For this conflict is not ours, we were forced from this plane long ago, but one in which we find your side more aligned with ours.”

Sam thought. “I am unable to speak for all people, even all who are worshipers.”

The elf held her hand up stopping Sam mid sentence.

“Names Sir, names, do not use that name here, we need not that attention.”

”Fine. I can only speak for those given into my charge, but I am charged with protecting the innocent and if this is truly not their war, they are innocent.” Said Sam. “Allies are always needed, so though it is not their fight they will aid our fight, am I correct?” Continued Sam.

“It is not our fight, for neither side is friend to us, and your adversary would not respect our neutrality. So as my ruler would say, enemy of my enemy and they are the bigger enemy.” The Lady answered.

“Will the people we take in aid in our defense, and offense, as true allies, when needed?” asked Sam.

 “We will so instruct them, but as with all you humans you do not always listen, we will no more force them, than you are forced.” She replied.

“I agree that if they act as true allies, aiding in the creation, upkeep, protecting and provisioning of our refuge, and aiding our people in offense where they can. we, the people under my orders, shall do the same for them.” Offered Sam.

“I agree to the terms and the spirit of those terms” Said the lady, “To seal the agreement let all of us agree..”

The screen showed words that they all spoke together.  “By the powers we owe fealty to, as we have agreed in the words we have spoken, so let it be.” As the words were spoken the weight on each felt heavier and heavier, in the soul, until the last word was spoken, and the weight lessened.

The elf spoke “sir, as you return to your place, my protections shall be added until you cross the ford nearest your place. It shall aid in a safe return. Stop and pick up the sheep you left as you go by, let those yearlings be used as they are being gifted to you for. Ladies, on the second Saturday, hence, take this” she handed a scroll to Jessica, “recipe and prepare a stew for the meal. It shall be served at midday and evening. This shall be a sign of our aid.”

“Thank you, Lady” Jessica bowed.

“Now it is time for us all to return to our places, before we are found out.” The elf said.

The elf stood and turned, as she did the hillside behind her began to glow a soft green light, and a door revealed itself, that ugly short man they had seen before came out of the door followed by two others, Sam first thought being each was more ugly than the other, save there was no ugliest. Shuddering he and the women turned and left, quietly. As promised, while the heat and quiet that held the day were still there, the return trip held no new issues to check on. They arrived back in time for dinner with the ranch and Sam met with his men and his family after the meal to explain the meeting and what was agreed to.

אני רואה אותך: I see you

Bean an chrainn: Lady of the Tree