The Lead Crown: Ch 3a, "By the Spirits" (Pt 3)
Tranquil Waters: The Lead Crown Ch 3-3, By The Spirits
Kesst had heard stories whispered in the shadows of the taverns he'd passed through... stories of what would become of people who were drugged. In some stories, innocent maidens would find themselves with child; in other stories a careless traveler would awaken missing one or more body parts; the darker stories told tales in which the victim didn't awaken at all. What all the stories in common shared was that everyone who had been drugged awoke bleary eyed and confused-- Kesst, however, did not find that to be true in his case.
The dragon sat up immediately, taking in his surroundings with acute senses and a clear mind. He was in a yurt, much like the one the party had been using, and yet it was distinctively different at the same time. Rather than straw-covered ground, this new structure had a canvas floor covering everywhere except for the fire pit, which was in the direct center of the room. The fire itself was burning low, but it, and four lit oil lamps provided plenty of light by which gaze about the room.
Cross-timbers were just over head height and bundles of drying plants hung down from them, giving the interior of the yurt a pleasant aroma of herbs tinged with something the dragon couldn't quite identify, but the scent grabbed his attention and wouldn't let go. Kesst sniffed the air and identified the origin of the fragrance: a thick black, tar-like substance was bubbling in a brass pot beside the low flames of the fire pit. He would have approached it for further inspection if not for the movement from off to the side.
It was the Lehsunian bear Kesst had seen before he'd lost consciousness. The man was seated on a cloth pad of some kind that was adorned with beads, "You haven't tried for the door yet... that's a good start."
Kesst's reply was direct, "What do you want with me?"
The bear chuckled, adjusting the spectacles that perched atop his snout, "From what I understand, it was you and your companions who wanted to meet with me... so I believe that should rightfully be MY line, wouldn't it?"
The dragon scowled, his wings moving to stretch reflexively, but they failed to do so, entangled by something. He felt a momentary stab of fear, and the beating within his chest picked up pace, "What did you do to me?"
The bear remained seated, and pantomimed the directions he offered, "Reach behind yourself and feel for a leather strap at the middle of your back. Take hold of it in your talon, hook a claw through the loop, and then pull up."
Still doubtful, Kesst nevertheless complied. He reached behind himself, realizing for a moment that he wasn't wearing his cloak. Quickly overcoming that frustration (the bear already knew of his wings regardless), the dragon found the strap the shaman spoke of and slid his index finger through what felt like a metal grommet. He hadn't expected to feel anything metal amidst the leather... not from something belonging in a tribal village anyway. His question was direct, "What did you put on me?"
The Shaman sipped from a steaming ceramic cup of liquid before answering, "It's called a Wing Catch. Well... a modified one, at any rate."
Still scowling, Kesst pulled the leather strap and the light pressure that held his wings against his back suddenly relaxed and both of them spread immediately. He glanced to the Shaman, who was smiling around his mug, "I... don't understand. What is this?"
The bear set the cup down then grunted, getting to his feet. He approached slowly, and took a seat closer, but still out of arm's length. He smiled at the dragon, "The Church used Wing Catches decades ago to restrain flying prisoners... that is a modified version that will make it easier to conceal your wings when you're in questionable company, but it can release them in mere seconds if there's need."
Kesst raised an eye ridge as he regarded the Shaman. The dragon slowly folded his wings again and felt the leather cord pull his finger back. Letting go of the grommet, Kesst wasn't able to see what happened, but he felt his wings hug tighter against his body, and the strap secured itself back in its starting position with a barely audible 'click'. He was so surprised, he repeated an earlier question, "What do you want with me?"
The Shaman laughed, "I am only looking to help, my boy... just help."
Kesst gave the bear an appraising glance, "I haven't met many people who--"
His response was interrupted by the very firm smack of a palm against the wooden supports of the yurt's doorway, followed by a deep voice hailing loudly, "Oani, Shi-Pani!"
The greeting was accompanied by a much quieter, snickering tone declaring "Hee hee... that rhymed too!"
Tobias informational tone was readily recognizable, "That's a name, Sanmer... it means Metal-Eyes in the tribal tongue."
The Shaman smiled, and noted quite pleasantly to the dragon, "Forgive me a moment..." at which point he stood and approached the flap covering the entrance to the yurt. For a split second Kesst considered running but that chance quickly passed and he instead took the moment to locate his cloak and threw it on before their host could invite everyone inside with a welcoming, "Please, come in."
As the Shaman moved the flap aside, the rather large floor plan began to grow quite cramped; Roaring-Flood, the ever-impressively-sized fisherman came in first, followed by Sanmer. Next were Tobias and Enarork, followed by Theo. Nicholas came in last, but not before spitting off to the side of the entrance. If not for the fact that everyone sat in a semi-circle facing the Shaman, the dragon would have felt a little claustrophobic in the space provided... and it also helped that Sanmer sat on Roaring-Flood's knee.
Kesst remained off to the side, but not without being noticed. Nicholas spotted him almost immediately, "Oh... there ya are, kid... geez... next time give us a heads-up before ya go runnin' off."
The Shaman spoke up before Kesst was required to, "Kesst and I were chatting about many wonderful topics... it has been years since I had the opportunity to speak with a dragon."
Tobias was very quick to jump on an obvious trait, "You're this tribe's Shaman... but you aren't one of the Tribals..."
The aging bear stood up immediately and presented a paw to Tobias, "Professor Julius Blackburn... at your service." The prong horn, and the ermine beside him both took in a quick inhale of breath, and froze. The Shaman raised an eyebrow, paw still outstretched, "Is everything alright, gentlemen?"
Nicholas rolled his eyes, "So much for scholar manners."
Tobias recovered first, clasping the bear's paw with both of his own, shaking it vigorously, "Oh, my goodness... THE Professor Blackburn? Truly?"
The bear smiled pleasantly, arm still being wagged about in the antelope's grip, "Yes... the last time I checked."
Tobias continued gushing, "Oh... my blood is all aboil... never in a dozen years would I have thought I would meet Professor Julius Blackburn... you'll... you'll have to excuse me... I am all light-headed... THE Professor Blackburn... right here... with me..."
Nicholas rolled his eyes, and added in a distinct falseto, "Well bless my laced doiley, I do believe I may be a'faint with disbelief and--" the falseto ended, "who in the bloody-hell is Professor Blackburn?"
Theo's scowl was immense for such a short scholar as he turned to face the sailor, motioning to the bear, "Professor Blackburn was the foremost scholar of tribal ways and lifestyle. He has written no less than eleven discertations on--"
"You look a lot healthier than some of the more expensive busts I've seen of you." Sanmer announced to the Shaman, reclined on Roaring-Flood as if the bear were his own personal armchair.
The Shaman spoke up, holding his free paw up, "Please, gentlemen, I'd prefer my work to speak for itself... there's no need to--"
"I can't believe I'm in a tribal village with Professor Blackburn." Theo looked like he was going to hyper venteliate.
The bear tried again, "If we could just--"
Tobias FINALLY let go of the Shaman's paw, "...but you disappeared over ten years ago!"
Whether anyone else heard the Shaman's whisper, Kesst certainly did: "And they always seem to wonder why."
The chaos within the tent continued for almost a half an hour. Although Kesst was not usually one to weather a storm of social interaction, he was actually quite comfortable with his back to the yurt's wall, attention focused almost exclusively on the Shaman who, as it turned out, fell into his position with the tribe quite by accident, and enjoyed the life so much that he never bothered looking back. The story was, in fact, quite lengthly, and took up an entire hour after the initial settling-down period.
Tobias and Theo were correct in that the bear was some kind of very important scholar. Based on the few things Kesst had heard of the Shaman, he was so good at understanding the tribals that they made him a mystic. Although the dragon was certain that there was an interesting story there, all Professor Blackburn had to say on the topic was, "I was studying the ancient rites of the people with their shaman, and after he died, they informed me that I was the only one who was able to take over for him... I had been chosen to be the new Shaman."
That, in and of itself, ended up resulting in another round of questioning from both Tobias and Theo, interrupted only when Sanmer piped in with his own question, "What can you tell us about the Two-Souls guys and the Bonding Stones?"
That single question got the attention of the Shaman... and the other two bears. All three exchanged glances, and Kesst wondered if they were ever going to get down to the business of asking about a remedy for Tobias' cough. The prong horn, however, seemed suddenly transfixed on having the question about the Two-Souls answered as well and, despite his continued cough, urged Professor Blackburn to explain exactly that.
The Shaman sat in silence for several long moments, even longer than it took him to pick up his mug and take a deep drought from it. When he finally did speak, his words were direct, and very to-the-point. He reached into his tunic and pulled out a gemstone hanging from around his neck: a Bonding Stone. "I can do more than tell you... I can show you."