He felt her forehead but all seemed normal. "Come, let me help you up."
She took his arm, rising to her feet. The woods began to sway, so she closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, then letting it out slowly.
"I'm fine," she announced. "Let us proceed."
Athgar turned to Raleth. "Lead on," he said, "and show us this Runewald of which you speak."
"Is your companion ill?" the hunter replied.
"Just something I ate," said Natalia.
Harwath shook his head. "Skrollings will eat anything. They should know better."
Raleth punched his brother in the arm. "That's no way to show our hospitality. Show them the way, Brother." He fell in beside Athgar and Natalia as the younger man led the way. "You'll have to excuse Harwath. Your woman is the first real skrolling he's ever seen."
"You have no contact with outsiders?" asked Athgar.
"Not generally, and when we do, it usually means a fight."
"You're at war?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes," said Raleth, "but it would be better if our king explains."
"You have a king?"
"We do, King Eadred. The villages are united under his leadership. He resides in Runewald. Would you like to meet him?"
"I would," said Athgar. "I've never met a king before, let alone a Therengian one."
"Did you say you were from Athelwald?" asked Raleth.
"I did. Why?"
"You are not the first person we've met who hails from that distant place."
Athgar's heart skipped a beat, and he felt Natalia's grip on his arm tighten. He tried to sound uncaring, but his voice betrayed his emotions. "Who else have you met?"
"A young woman, about the same age as you, along with an old crone."
"Skora?"
"Yes, do you know her?"
Athgar turned to Natalia. "It looks like you'll get a chance to meet her after all. Who is this other woman? Is her name Ethwyn?"
"No," replied the hunter, "Melwyn. We found them wandering in the woods last fall, nearly dead from starvation. We assumed they had escaped from the knights, but it turns out they were from across the mountains to the south."
"They are from my village," said Athgar.
"Wasn't Melwyn once betrothed to you?" asked Natalia.
"Yes," he replied, then fell silent.
"And you left her for this skrolling?"
"It's a long story," Athgar said, "and Natalia is far more than just an outsider; she is a powerful mage."
Raleth took a step to the side, putting some distance between them. "A mage, you say?"
"Do not fear, we are friendly," said Natalia. "Have you no mages in Runewald?"
"None," said Raleth, easing back into position. "It is forbidden."
"By who?" asked Athgar. "Your king?"
"No, by long tradition. Have you no knowledge of our ancestors?"
"Very little, I'm afraid," said Athgar. "As I'm just now realizing, Athelwald was quite isolated."
"Then you will, no doubt, be interested in meeting our bard, Dunstan."
"You have a bard?" said Natalia. "How marvellous."
"How is it you came to be in these woods?" asked Raleth.
"We are searching for a place called Ebenstadt," she answered. "Do you know it?"
His face darkened. "Indeed I do, but it is a place that is best avoided."
"Why is that?"
"They seek to destroy us."
They emerged from the forest to see the village laid out before them. It was surrounded by a small fence, little more than waist high, designed to keep animals penned in more than for protection. The houses were all constructed from wooden planks, much different from the wattle and daub Athelwald had used, and yet the thatched roofs were the same, giving the place an eerie familiarity.
Pigs rolled around in the mud while a couple of scraggly-looking sheep bleated. Athgar was reminded of home, and yet the general mood here was unsettling. In his own home, the villagers would have welcomed strangers, but here there were looks of contempt thrown towards Natalia, doubtlessly due to her pale skin and lack of grey eyes.
"Athgar? Is that you?" The voice was unmistakable. He turned to see Melwyn, his betrothed, rushing across the ground. She ran up to him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug.
"By the Gods," she said, "it's good to see you."
He took her arms from around him and held her at a distance, sadness on his features. "It's good to see you too, Melwyn."
"What is it?" she asked. "What's wrong?"
He glanced over at Natalia, but she was staring at the ground.
"I have bad news," he said. "It's about Caladin. I'm afraid he's dead."
The words stunned her. After Athgar's failure in the hunt, Melwyn's father had broken off their engagement, settling on the much more successful Caladin as a match for his daughter, but then the slavers had come. Athgar had found him chained to a sinking ship as a galley slave, and it was his Fire Magic that had ended the young man's life. He would have perished alongside his old rival had it not been for Natalia.
Melwyn straightened. "I feared as much. Still, it is good to see you, Athgar. Fate has brought you to me once more."
"No," he said. "I am bonded now."
"Bonded?"
"Yes, married, to Natalia." He took the Water Mage's hand in his. "I met her in Draybourne."
"She is a skrolling," said Melwyn, her look of distaste easy to read. "And in any event, Athelwald was destroyed. Who conducted the ceremony?"
"The Orcs of Ord-Kurgad."
A look of relief washed over her face. "Then it is of no consequence. We are building a new life here, Athgar. You and I can be a part of that. It is a new beginning for our people."
"Natalia is my future," he insisted, gripping the mage's hand tighter still, "and I will not have you speak ill of her."
"This is not over, Athgar," the woman swore. She moved closer to Natalia until they were face to face. "You have not heard the last of this, skrolling!" Melwyn turned, storming off.
"Well," said Raleth, "it appears she still holds a torch for you."
"That ship has long ago sailed," said Athgar. He saw the look of confusion. "Sorry, it's an expression I picked up in Corassus."
"Never heard of the place."
"Nor should you have."
"Let me take
