Chapter 2

Covarla woke from a nightmare to find that she was safe in a room she didn't remember ever seeing before. Her grief was partly replace by anger directed towards the person who had killed her mother and father. She wanted to find out who had killed her parents and to see that her parents were avenged. She thought that it might ease her sense of loss a little.

Covarla went into the adjacent room to find a woman sitting at a table. The woman was young, at the most she could have been a year more than Covarla's eighteen years. She had loose dark brown hair that hung just above her shoulders. The woman had piercing blue eyes that seemed to stare into one's soul. The other woman was dressed in a simple blue woolen dress that was quite a contrast to the shirt, pants and boots that all of Master Huyett's students wore, male and female alike. The woman seemed to be totally unarmed except for a small belt knife.

"I don't believe we've met," said Covarla politely. "I am Covarla Kyshu, swordswoman in training. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I am Adria, a sorceress," replied the woman. "I recently moved here after inheriting this house for a relative. I'm sorry for the loss of your parents. I know what it is like, losing one's parents. My own mother and father died in a magic accident when I was very young. I stayed with my Aunt until I left to become a novice at the Crystal Tower. Do you have any relatives here?"

"No. My parents came here after they were married. My mom is from around here, but she was an only child and her parents died a long time ago. I'm not sure where my father is from. I think its somewhere north of Selea and Litiz."

"There are only two places north of Litiz," stated Adria thoughtfully. "Rheems and some unorganized and mainly unexplored territory controlled by one faction or another. Even so, that's very far away."

Covarla nodded. She had only a slight curiosity about what her grandparents were like. They were strangers to her, though.

Adria studied her for a moment before she spoke again. "Do you have any idea why your parents were killed?"

"I don't know. My parents were only craftsmen, my mother was a weaver and my father was a merchant of oddities. Everyone in the village liked them. They weren't a threat to anyone. I don't know of anyone who had a grudge against my parents. They rarely even left the village and then only to sell some items that weren't selling here. By the looks of the house, someone came and was looking for something. They probably didn't find it and killed my parents when they wouldn't tell where it was. It just doesn't seem reasonable though. My parents would never steal anything from anybody, nor did they have anything of value. It doesn't make sense to me, but I intend to find out who killed them and what they were looking for."

"Well, you certainly haven't lost your wits from this," Adria commented dryly. "I can understand your need for answers. How do you plan to get them, though?"

"I'll probably talk to Master Huyett today and see if there was any clue as to who it was that killed my parents or where he was from. If there is anything in my house that can help me, I'll follow it until I get the answers I need."

"I don't think you should sleep in your house until you find those answers. Whoever killed your parents may return. If they can slip into a village during daylight, it would be even easier for them to return at night. You will be protected in my house until you leave because of the warding spells I have placed around it." When Adria noticed the confused look on Covarla's face, she explained the spell. "Only certain people may enter and only when they mean no harm to me or those I choose to protect."

"I suppose you're right there. The person that killed my parents may come again, looking for whatever it is they thought my parents had. But, before they do return, I think we should search the house ourselves and see if we can find what was being searched for. How about it, friend?"

Adria smiled at being called friend. Covarla was certainly getting to like the sorceress, she was open and honest and had quite a mind.

"That sounds reasonable, but I don't know if we will find anything at all. It could be that the person only thought your parents had something he wanted and that they didn't really have anything."

"That is what we are going to have to find out," replied Covarla. She was quite determined to get revenge.
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A little while later they entered Covarla's home. Master Huyett and the village council members were already there searching for clues. The flowers and tapestry had been cleaned up. The chairs and books were back in their places. Her parents' bodies would be at the temple being prepared for the funeral that night.

Master Huyett greeted her and Adria when they entered. "We have almost finished searching the house. So far we have only found this," he said as he handed her a piece of cloth. "I need to talk to you in private, stop by my house later." With that he left the house.

Covarla examined the piece of cloth. She didn't know much about cloth, but the black scrap of fabric seemed to be of an odd material, not one that she recognized. She passed the cloth to Adria, who seemed to be a bit more worldly.

Adria seemed to stare intently at the fabric. After a second or two Covarla felt the unmistakable feel of magic being used nearby. It was like a soft wind against her skin, seeming to stir every hair on her body and make her shiver slightly.

Then the feeling stopped and Adria looked up. "The cloth was made in Selea. The man who wore it was last in Litiz and came through the mountain pass." She smiled at Covarla. "Looks like we know where to go now. When do you want to leave?"

Covarla thought for a few moments. She would need to get her horse out of the stable at the school and gather up some spare clothes and supplies. "Tomorrow morning will be good. Can you be ready by then?"

Adria nodded. "I stabled my horse at one of the inns and haven't fully unpacked yet. Is there someone who can take care of our houses while we're gone?"

Covarla nodded. "I'm sure there are plenty of people who wouldn't mind. I'd better go gather up some things. I'll see you later."
Adria waved at her as Covarla walked up the stairs to her room. The village council members were just finishing their search. Marcus, the head of the village council, approached her.

He said, "We only found the piece of cloth that Cear gave you. I'm sorry we couldn't be of more help." Marcus left with the other two officials that were helping search, Savil and Jaron.

Covarla gathered her backpack and saddlebags out of the closet along with a few changes of clothes. She scurried around the room looking for her brush, mirror and small collection of jewelry along with the other things she wanted to take with her. She gathered up the few things for her horse that were kept in her room along with her small bow, arrows and her throwing knives, which were quickly tucked into sheathes hidden in her clothes.

Then Covarla grabbed the bags and went downstairs to search for more supplies, such as horse fodder and other food stuffs. Finally after a couple hours of searching and a quick trip to the marketplace, she paused before the door to her house with her bags in tow. This would be the last time she would be in her house for a long time.

Sighing, she latched the door shut after closing it. She walked over to Adria's house and wandered inside. Adria didn't seem to be home. Probably out getting supplies, too, Covarla thought to herself as she set her bags and bow in the room Adria had lent her. Might as well see Master Huyett now, before the funeral. I wonder what he couldn't tell me in front of the village council members.

The village of Amaranth itself was located in the southern part of Para. It sat between two hills that were surrounded by a somewhat hilly plain. Amaranth had a small stream of travelers passing through it on their way to the main temple in a remote village a few days away. To accommodate the travelers there was a daily market in the center of the village and plenty of inns and stables to house them and their animals. A small temple to the goddess Aria, who was worshipped all over Para, was located on the top of the hill.

The school was located near the temple and stretched out to accommodate it's practice arena for fighting and the riding area along with the main school buildings where all students were taught history and other things. Master Huyett lived in a small house near the school so that he could be easily accessed by the students from other villages.

His house came to view shortly after Covarla crossed the market. Another student was just leaving. Covarla nodded at Rahn when she recognized him, then entered Cear Huyett's house.

Master Huyett was sitting at his kitchen table drinking some tea. "Please sit," he said indicating a chair across from him. There was a small package wrapped in cloth on the table next to him.

Covarla sat and waited for him to finish his tea. She studied the picture on the far wall. It was of a young couple and a baby. They looked vaguely familiar, but the background of the picture was completely foreign to her. Covarla sat pondering the picture until Master Huyett spoke.

"The reason I asked you to come here," he said softly, "is to give you this." He pushed the small package across the table to her. "This belonged to your parents. They asked me to keep it safe for them. I believe it is what their murderer was after, though I'm not sure why.

"You see, Covarla, your parents weren't from here. Your mom was from Litiz, but her parents were from the capital of Para. I knew them, before they died in a fire, and her until she moved to Litiz.

"I don't know where your father was from, but I do know that they had to leave where they were living. There was some trouble in his family and they had to protect your life. They came here because it was a remote village with only a little bit of traffic through it. I guess whoever they were running from spotted them when they were away and followed them here.

"The only reason they even left was because they figured that after seventeen years no one would be looking for them anymore. I guess there are still people looking for them. You might want to keep that hidden," he said pointing to the package.

Covarla nodded absently. She was trying to understand all that Cear had said. Suddenly her eyes wandered back to the picture on the wall. "That's my parents and I," she said with surprise.

Cear nodded. "That was drawn by my wife when you first came here. She was quite an artist." He looked out the window. "It's almost time for the funeral. Take care Covarla."

Covarla nodded and followed him up the hill to the temple. She had tucked the packet into her belt pouch so she wouldn't lose it. She couldn't help but be extremely curious as to what was so important that someone would kill for it.

Two funeral biers were set up in the field behind the temple. The view was spectacular. You could almost see the mountains to the far north of the country past the vast plains and forests. Most of the villagers were there, or at least all that could get away from their work.

The crowd parted as the head priest and his assistant walked toward the biers. Two acolytes followed behind them with two light torches. Covarla wandered why anyone would want to wear one of those baggy white roes. They would probably hinder you a lot if you had to fight.

The priest motioned for silence. All eyes turned towards him. "We are gathered here to send Mara and Kahl Kyshu to the realm of the goddess. May Aria grant their souls peace."

The priest and his assistant they turned and took the torches from the acolytes and light the biers. The fragrant smoke rose high up into the sky and drifted out over the plains. The sun had begun to so the sky and smoke were turned brilliant colors.

Slowly the priests left and soon the people left too. Cear Huyett was the last to leave besides Covarla. Before he left he told Covarla that he would have someone get her horse ready before dawn. Covarla stood there for awhile watching the smoke drift into the stars. Finally, when the smoke stopped, Covarla turned and walked slowly and silently back to Adria's house. Tomorrow would be a very long day.
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