The Honey Gatherer's Fate

1208, Spring

"Dead beasts floating down rivers. Not very common. And apparently it happened here a few times. Perhaps the incident is related to the ring we are looking f or. Do you think it might be prudent to check upriver," Frederic asked Alain. "Maybe we can find the cause of these deaths - both animal and human."

Alain agreed that an expedition might be useful, so over the winter plans were laid.

Come spring, the company was ready. Frederic, Leporideas and Lilia were all going, as were their guards, Rico, Tanya and Conrad. Etienne and Alain were planning and leading the expedition.

Frederic wanted to investigate the woods where the forest dwellers had dissappeared. Alain had done a little preliminary checking on one of his trips to see Tonio and the ghost, and learned that two men who usually came to the town had not been seen for some time. One was Bee-Jean, the honey gatherer; the other was Jean Grosbras, who foraged for heather and bark and suchlike things and, Alain suspected, was also a poacher.

They were both itenerant, having no fixed abode, but it was well known that they usually worked on the south side of the river. Thus the company decided that instead of heading upstream to Venosc, crossing and returning to Boug-d'Oisans, which was their usual route, they would instead work down the south side of the river. It would take longer but would let them pass through the area where the two missing men lived and worked.

As the company formed to move out, Alain called Etienne to the side. "My skills in the woods are limited at best. My thought is this large an expedition will attract attention. If the man has become more beastial, he will likely stay awa y although his curiosity might draw him out. I think it best if you range in th e woods a little way from us scouting, occasionally coming back so we know you a re okay. You will likely see him long before we do."

Etienne nodded and stretched out his back, before slinking off into the woods to scout ahead.

Lilia, hearing the plan, shrank out of sight into the brush as much as she could. Tanya stuck close to Lep and followed his lead.

The company moved out down the valley, fairly quickly; this was well known territory. It wasn't until they reached the river, about noon, that they put their new plan into effect. Here they turned west, rather than east toward Venosc, and Etienne began to range further afield. Frederic found his spell useless almost immediately in the forest.

The company moved toward the ruins, making a rudimentar search for the honey gatherer and the heather gatherer, or indeed for any sign of human activity. It was only about five or six miles to the ruins, but it was through deep forest and the grogs at least were burdened with heavy packs. Even so, they expected to arrive by dark.

Late in the afternoon, Etienne, ranging ahead broke into the clearing on the side of a slope which was covered in heather. Something caught his eye, a slightly too regular shape on one edge of the clearing. He looked closer and saw a rough lean-to, dilapidated and beginning to collapse. With that to spark him, he made a more thorough search and found one of the missing men. He was crumpled by the base of a tree on the north end of the clearing and had clearly been dead for some time.

With an eye to his surroundings, Etienne kneeled down and took a closer look. Had the man been killed by man or beast? were there any signs or tracks? After a cursory look so as to not disturb the scene, he would get the others.

Although he was not a man of science or a chirurgeon, Etienne had seen violent death before, and his examination showed no sign of wounds inflicted by the hand of man. The body had been well gnawed by the woodland creatures and yet he saw no sign of injury upon it.

Rising he returned to the main body and told them what he had seen. Soon the entire company had joined him in the clearing.

"I do not see what killed him, perhaps it was old age," the fisherman said. "Were the rumours that he had merely disappeared?" Etienne asked Frederic. Etienne shuffled about nodded to the lean-to, and began walking over to it.

"Yes, there was no indication of why they disappeared," Frederic responded, rubb ing his chin.

Etienne stopped and turned back to Frederic, "His death could be by mysterious means. Check his hand for signs of a ring. Perhaps he found it and the ring itself caused his demise. The heather gatherer might have found him before us."

A quick examination showed no ring on his hand at this point.

Frederic concentrated and gathered his meager arts of Intelligo Mentem trying to determine what was in the remains of the mind of the man whose body lay before him. His body shivered in concentration and a vague impression of pain came over him, many sharp points of pain.

Leporideas cringed at the reaction of Frederic's body. Upon hearing of the sensation Etienne postulated aloud, "The honey gatherer, bees...this man was stung to the point of death?"

Alain looked shocked. "Is that even possible?"

Etienne looked to their hare companion and the magi who spoke with the dead and stated simply, "There is little I believe that is not possible."

"I once heard my mater Katerina speak of beasts that have been warped by magical auras," Frederic stated, "but never saw such a beast myself. Perhaps these bee s were altered by magic, wether purposely or by natural aura."

Etienne went to examine the lean-to. Estimating injuries on bodies was not something he was good at, but years spent living in the wild gave him a good sense of what a shelter was good for and how long it had been empty. This one had been unused for quite a while, almost certainly all of winter. He guessed that the lean-to had probably been last used in the previous summer sometime.

It was a pretty well constructed shelter, though. Etienne thought the heather gatherer had probably used it as a more or less permanent base in the woods. It was near the heather, of course, and was well positioned to catch the winter sunlight. A few homey articles attested to the nature of the structure: a pot hanging from protruding branch, a bed of what had once been soft heather, now dry and crackly, and a small axe resting in the corner.

The body gave up little enough detail to Etienne's eye. The clothes had been torn by the scavengers who had been at the body, so there was little to be learned there. Something did occur to Etienne, though, and he turned back into the heather, seeking something. Eventually, he found what he was looking for. One cannot cut heather without a knife, and there was none near the body. A knife lay fifty feet away, near the other end of the clearing. It was rusty, clearly it had spent the winter exposed to the elements.

Etienne assessed the surroundings around where the knife was found, looking for heather. Perhaps the man was tending to his craft, when bees or whatever attacked him appeared. In his haste to escape, he dropped the knife and fled succumbing to the taker of his life where he now lay. It was possible he surmised and presented it to the others.

"That seems the most likely event. Perhaps something can be done on the spot wh ere the knife fell to reveal more of this mystery," Alain said.

Leporideas chanted an incantation and visibly seemed at ease (for he usually emoted a nervous jumpiness at all times) in the surroundings.

Frederic rested for a few moments. When he regained his wind, he knelt near the body, and began casting another spont.

The spell would not be an easy one, since the body was so old, but Frederic made the attempt anyway, and a sudden insight into the nature of the spell let him execute it far better than he expected he would. Even so, there was only the faintest flicker at the edges of his perception. Yes, he was convinced that some poison or toxin from an animal had played a part in the man's death.

They decieded they learned all they could and, as the light was beginning to fail, they continued toward the ruins.

The light had gone by the time they reached the ruins, and as the sun set Leporideas spell faded as well. Tonio had a small campfire going, though, which guided them in. He challenged them at their first approach, then welcomed them cheerfully enough. His beard had grown long and he looked unkempt but healthy. Alain took note of the state of the supplies he had brought and was satisifed that they were adequate.

Tonio had a pot near the fire and offered to reheat the pottage for them if they were hungry.

Leporideas sniffed at the pot and asked if Tanya wanted any. Etienne greeted Tonio and made small talk before telling him what they had seen.

"Dead where?" When they explained again where it was, Tonnio nodded. "I don't go there much. No reason."

"The man, a heather gatherer by trade, appeared to have been killed by bees. And we have heard of a beekeeper that has gone missing, coincidences we believe tied to the ring," Etienne told Tonio. "Have you seen a beekeeper?"

"A honey gatherer? No I've not seen such a one. The bees do not seem to cluster around here," he indicated his dwelling.

"If he has the ring, I would expect him to avoid this place. But the body of th e heather gatherer gives us a point of origin for the search. Tomorrow we will have much to do. It might not be a bad idea if some of us also went to town to gather information and help fight the current rumors," Alain said.

"Agreed," Frederic stated. "Although I would probably better serve in the wilderness as the... normals dont take well to me."

"Aye," echoed Etienne. "Who feels called to go to the town, I can do so," he asked.

Leporideas stepped forward gingerly and offered his services a bit reluctantly.

Lilia smiled. "Ah, now this is a task in which I may be able to be of some help. I will go."

Alain returned her smile. "I was hoping so. Of us all, you have the most socia l grace and poise. Etienne, do you plan to fight this thief immediately upon di scovery or would you wait for assistance, situation willing? I'm debating wheth er I should be under your feet or Lady Lilia's."

Lilia blushed at the praise. "You'd hardly be underfoot to me, Alain."

"In my youth there would be no question," Etienne mused behind a smile. "But the years have forced wisdom upon me, the fact that this thief may possess the power of demons will temper my ire. A peaceful resolution is best for us all, Lady Lilia may need the greatest protection if this ring can sense the danger she brings to its discovery."

"In that case, I will accompany Lilia to town with a small party. The rest shou ld follow Etienne's lead while he searches. When you find him, try not to confr ont him. Once we return, then we can turn the full wrath of Lakehome upon him i f required." Alain frowned. "I feel as if I'm forgetting something."

"Perhaps you should all put your heads together -- those who went to the ruins the first time -- and see if you can pull enough detail from your memories to aid in our current quest. I know so little of that trip, but you may know more than you think."

And so to bed.

In Town

They reached the ferry crossing a little after noon and by early afternoon were in the town proper.

Alain looked at the town before them. "We should spend some time just listening. Is there a place where the town folk gather that we would not be out of place? We will also need lodging, unless you wish to risk a trip back in the darkness. What do you two think?"

"There is a family friend here. We have stayed there before and I am sure we can stay tonight. Conrad, you were with me last time... would staying at Helene's family home suit you?"

"Whatever you wish, mistress," he said formally.

Lilia noted Conrad's unusual coldness and gripped his arm companionably for a moment. She hoped it would ease his apparent discomfort of his surroundings.

"I fear listening in on casual conversation is not within my capabilities here," she said to Alain. "I have spent too much time looking for pigeons and talking to locals to sit unnoticed in a public room. You might have better luck without me ... though I would much rather think of you in the comfort of a good house with good food." She looked at him a little wistfully.

"But it is your choice, and you should probably make it before the villagers see us together and we have no options."

Alain pursed his lips as he thought. "I had forgotten how small the town is. I believe I have accompanied you here before; on our way to see the bishop. I doubt enough people would have forgotten me. Perhaps it is for the best that we approach this more openly. I'll go into town once we have announced ourselves at the manor. That will give you a chance to catch up with your friend without me creating ackwardness."

"Conrad, do you feel confident seeing to your Mistress's safety in this town while I rove about?"

Lilia was mildly disappointed not to have Alain's company, but smiled winningly at Conrad.

"Of course, my lord," said the grog.

"Excellent. Then I shall know she is in safe hands," Alain said. "Shall we make our way to the manor then?"

The three headed for the manor house. At the gate, they were greeted by a guard who knew them from their previous visits. Thus it was without delay that they were brought into the main hall and told that Sir Rene and Helene would be informed.

A few moments passed, and then a voice spoke from behind them, from the door to the courtyard. "Bonjour Alain," said a voice from his past. He turned and beheld a man he had last seen on the burning sands of Palestine, a comrade-in-arms though not a close friend. The name came after a moment, Mathieu d'Averril. d'Averril was a big man, not overly bright but a good soldier, Alain recalled. A man of faith, but the practical faith of a warrior. He did not run wild as some of the Crusaders had done, but neither did he live like a monk. He was dressed casually in a bliaut, though armed with a sword, and leaned insouciantly against the doorway.

Alain took in a breath as he turned, hoping it would help him maintain some calm. He smiled upon seeing his old comrade. "Bonjour Mathieu. You are looking well. How have you been?" d'Averril had not used Alain's real name upon greeting him. He hoped that was a good sign.

Matthieu shrugged. "Things have been looking up lately. I've taken service with Sir Rene here. I am surprised to see you here, though. They told me of a Sir Alain du Lauvitel, but I did not dream that it was ..."

"I took up a quiet life upon my return from the Holy Land," Alain interrupted. "But I do find myself still called to arms occasionally. But I am being rude. Allow me to introduce my companion, Lady Lilia. Lilia, this is Sir Mathieu d'Averril, a brother-in-arms from the Crusade."

"I am pleased to meet you," said Lilia with a nod and a smile.

"A pleasure, Lady," said Mathieu. "Helene speaks of you often. Alain, we must find a a time to speak. We have much to say to each other, I'm certain. But here comes, Helene."

Indeed that lady was approaching, and with a bow, Mathieu departed.

"I see you met Mathieu," said Helene. "My father is lucky to have him. He's taken over the training of the guards in a most competent fashion. Hello, Lilia my dear. Alain." She offered her hand. "What brings you down from your gloomy old haunts?"

Alain took her hand and bowed his head slightly. "We have become concerned with the rumors of murders and strange occurances that have made it all the way to our small village. Lilia and I thought it prudent to discover if there is truth in these before they stirred too much trouble."

"Well said, Alain," said Lilia. She gathered Helene's hands in hers. "And, of course, when I knew this investigation would take us to your village, I took it as good excuse to come see you, my dear friend. Now, before we get back to the business of being 'gloomy,' tell me what is new for you."

Helene filled in her friend on the gossip from the various manors and courts, mentioned several times how glad she was to have Sir Mathieu around now, and finished by repeating some of what they had already heard about the disappearances.

Lilia noted a possible romance between her friend and this Sir Miathieu and stored it away to ask Alain about him later. For now, she wanted to find out what she could about the missing men.

"Ah, yes. But we have heard about the disappearances. What do you think of them? Have you heard anything else? Anything ... interesting? Rumours?" Lilia appealed to her friend's weakness for gossip. After all, even the most farfetched notion might have a grain of truth or a clue in it.

"Well, it's nonsense of course, but some of the pesants think it is curse laid by, well, you and your companions," said Helene.

Lilia was shocked into silence for a moment.

"Nonsense, indeed," she said, "but such rumours could cause problems for us. Helene, will you keep me apprised of anything you hear -- even if you think it might be upsetting? We need to gather information to solve the puzzle, but people may not speak with us if they believe we have cursed... anyone."

"Of course. Lilia," she said hesitantly, "You could make such a curse, though, couldn't you?"

"Dear Helene, I could make such a curse as well as you could go off to war. While it might be possible to train either one of us to such uses, it is unlikely and the truth remains that we are NOT capable of such without rigourous instruction and a certain malice of intent."

Helene looked somewhat dubious at Lilia's protestations, but let it go.

Helene and Lilia chatted for another hour or so and ate a light meal, while Alain found a quiet corner on the wall to think. As dusk turned to dark, they retired.

Meanwhile back in the forest ...

"Stay alert," whispered Etienne to the others watching Leporideas move effortlessly through the forest. The little man had prepared them to watch for a sign that he had sensed a hive nearby so they kept one eye on their guide and the other on their surroundings.

Etienne focused on the woods and signs of any human, for he suspected the honey gatherer to be nearby.

Leporieas suddenly halted. Ahead of them a large chestnut tree which had fallen and crushed an opening in the surrounding forest. The tree was perhaps six feet across at the base and nearly sixty feet high. It had been down for some time, Leporideas could tell, and many of the smaller branches at the top had collapsed. The trunk, however, was still mostly intact, though several cracks and holes were visible. It was in these hollows that the bees had made their homes; the entire tree was gently swarming with busy creatures.

Silently Leporideas pointed toward the tree and signaled the presence of bees. Gently he craned his neck to examine the tree closer, was its felling natural?

Quietly Leporideas began to recite an incantation that he hoped would calm the swarm. Etienne slowly moved over to Frederic and Tanya, and whispered "I know not if these creatures are enchanted, so they may behave strangely."

Leporideas, as confident as he allowed himself that the spell would provide protection, approached the tree cautiously.

The bees seemed to be congregating most heavily around a large hole in the tree trunk just a short way up from the root. He was pleased to note that his impromptu spell was warding the bees away, at least thus far; as he slowly advanced they gave ground.

The little man indicated for the others to stay distant as he went closer to the hole to investigate hoping to look inside.

Tanya watched anxiously, fighting the urge to follow and protect.

Frederic seemed interested as to the success of the ward, but was still cautious of the swarm.

"These bees dont seem very agressive," Frederic stated. "They seem like normal bees."

Leporideas saw, as he approached, that the entire hole appeared to be clogged with bees. His sharp ears picked out an unusual sound from the mass; beneath the buzzing was the sound of ... labored breathing?

"There is," he said aloud, "someone, something in there!" Leporideas threw caution to the wind and approached the hole hoping that his ward would hold. Gently he tried to part the swarm as he reached within, taking care that to agitate the bees with forceful movements could cause them to overcome his spell.

Frederic seemed a little nervous. He had dealth with demons. He had delt with maddened mundanes. But he has never dealt with a swarm of bees. "Thats ok," he thought to himself.

As Leporidas approached, the mass of bees stirred. A figure rose from the hole and it was a moment before they realized that it was human. It was covered by a flowing garment of bees, an even at a distance it was obvious that some of the bees were of unnatural size.

The thing made a strange buzzing sound and the bees around it began to swarm in response to the creatures's evident agitation.

"Aiieeeeeee!" shrieked Leporideas while fleeing into the woods.

Etienne took a step back and drew his twin shortswords, wondering what good they might do against sorcery such as this.

Frederic drew his sword. "Lets charge it now" he suggested to Etienne, "get it over and done with. Clearly this creature is in pain and should be put out of it's misery, and the vis from his body be added to our stores."

Tanya wavered for a moment between the fight and Lep, then followed Leporideas.

Frederic made to charge the creature and Etienne went with him. A few steps behind came Rico. The creature opened its mouth and vomitted forth a stream of bees at Frederic, a step in the lead. The swarm of bees covered the magus who stopped his charge to scrape and slap at the bees.

As Etienne and Rico reached the creature they found themselves constantly distracted by the now swarming bees. Etienne landed a sword blow on the creature, but was uncertain how much damage it did since the bees covering it softened the blow.

Again, the bee creature belched forth bees, this time onto Etienne. The hardened fighter ignored the swarm to press his attack.

"We should... go back?" she asked.

Another vomitted stream of bees began to crawl over Rico. The old grog screamed as they crawled around his head and face and begin to sting. He fell to the ground swatting madly at the creatures. Etinne ignored them as he stuck again at the creature, who dodged away.

Frederic mastered himself and drew his sword moving in to help Etienne.

In the woods, Leporideas stopped to consider Tanya's comment, then nodded, and the two headed back toward the fallen tree.

Etienne found himself surrounded by even more bees and stopped to clear them from his face, while Frederic landed a blow with his sword, again cushioned by the bees. Etienne screamed horribly and redoubled his efforts.

Tanya readied her spear and stepped between Lep and the bee man. She watched Frederic and Rico for a moment, trying to guage what she could do. Motioning Lep to stay back, she moved to the side perpendicular to Frederic of the bee man and took a few steps back to take a good thrust at the bee-laden creature with her speer.

Taya with her spear was the next target for the vomitted stream of bees, but she boldy ignored them stepping in to thrust with her spear. The bee thing grunted as the point struck. Leporideas cast a spell and a nearby branch swung down to strike, but it narrowly missed the thing. Frederic pressed his attack but missed as the thing buzzed away.

As the thing hopped and buzzed, a stream of bees flew toward Leporideas, and although his spell seemed to repel some, his concentration, never strong, was broken. Frederic and Leporideas flailed at the bees, while Tanya suddenly doubled over as if she had swallowed one. Etienne, blood streaming from a ruined eye, slashed at the thing which took a cut as it leaped away -- and into the path of Rico who had fought his way up to his knees and who now lunged forward, piercing the thing with his sword.

With an inhuman cry, the thing collapsed forward, pulling the sword from Rico's grasp to lie still on the ground. Within a few moments, the bees had ceased their completely unnatural behavior, although they were still swarming fiercely. Leporideas spell was sufficient to repel them from him, but the others thought a retreat off into the woods a short distance would be wise.

There, they took stock of their situation. Etienne was covered with bee stings and could barely move as the toxins raced through his system. His right eye had been stung several times and was a bloody, swollen mess. Frederic had been stung a few times, but was relatively unhurt. Tanya had paid for her service, too, and was breathing harshly from the sting or stings of the bee she had swallowed. Rico was covered with huge numbers of stings and as they watched lapsed into unconsciousness. Leporideas alone was unscathed.

Tanya began ministering to the wounded, while Frederic cast several spells to aid Etienne. Tanya was able to do nothing for poor Rico, who moaned in his sleep as the poisons continued to work their harm.

Frederic attempted to replicate his success with his spell to remove the bee's poisons and tired himself out casting the spells. There was not any dramatic effect, but it seemed to help a little.

Leporideas, far more skilled in the arts of Animal, followed Frederic's lead in attempting to cleanse his companions bodies of toxins. The effect was immediately obvious on Rico, whose breathing eased, although he was still in bad shape.

Since his bee ward should remain until sunset, Leporideas then decided to investigate the body. Tanya, of course, accompanied him. Leaving the others to rest, the pair madfe their way back toward the clearing.

From a distance of thirty feet, the swarm still looked extensive and Leporideas told Tanya to wait. He moved forward slowly and gingerly, and as the bees grew more and more numerous, Tanya was able to see the outlines of the ward. Leporideas would take a small step forward and leave a space empty of bees behind him, while in front of him the open space would diminish to less than a foot. Then the bees would fill in behind him and in the space of a few seconds as they flew erratically around, the space in front of him would grow until he was again standing in a relatively bee free space perhaps a foot and half on all sides. Then he repeated the process.

Proceeding carefully, it took him ten minutes or so to cover the thirty feet to the fallen creature. The bees were clustered most thickly there and as he kneeled to the body another full minute passed before the swarm dispersed enough for him to begin an investigation. He realized that unless he lay down by the body, only a portion of it would be with his ward at any moment, so he chose to start at the head and work down.

The creature was, underneath it all, human. Or, he guessed, it had been human. They eyes looked unnatural and multi-faceted, and the face was oddly bloated. The entire body in fact, seemed swollen. There were no sting marks, but the body was swollen as if it was full of the toxin. A few rags of clothing hung to the body. A faint smell of honey rose from the corpse. On the middle finger of the left hand, there was a ring embedded in the flesh, which had swollen around it. The ring was a heavy golden band with a knotwork pattern on the surface.

Leporidaes perked up at seeing the ring. This must be the artifact they sought, gently he reached out to touch the bloated body on the hand, fearful that it would spring to life and attack him.

The small man set upon removing the ring, knowing it would not slide off he held his breath and chose to chop off the digit.

The flesh parted easily under his knife and bled only a little since the man was already dead. A little more work and the finger was free of the hand and a moment later, the ring was free of the finger.

Slowly he threaded the ring onto his blade and backed away from the creature. With deliberate strides he made his way back to the group, taking care to not lead any bees to their haven. As he came within earshot he held the ring out, "I have found the ring."

Frederic appeared relieved that the ring was found. Now Tonio was free of his h onor pact with this ghost and could return home to the safety of the covenant.

"Did the body contain any vis," Frederic asked as Lep returned. "If not, I can check later when the swarm disperses more and after I have rested.

"I did not check," he responded somewhat discouraged that he did not think of such a thing. Setting the ring down before the others, he said "I do not know its powers so touching it might bring danger." To Frederic he answered "My ward against the bees will continue to last, I will go check for vis and let you know what I find." Carefully, he waded back into the swarm zone to check for vis.

Etienne struggled to a seated position and squinted through his good eye, "the ring, is it wise to give such a powerful thing to a ghost? I know Tonio is bound, but to unleash such powers into one's hands that can control it..." he trailed off as he laid back down tired.

"You mean if the ghost had lied to us and is not the original owner," Frederic asked. "Then we might be giving it a powerful weapon to wield."

From his back Etienne spoke, "Or the ghost is the original owner and the ring was taken from him as punishment for deeds against all that is sacred. There is much we do not know, I do know that what it did to the honey gatherer and to us is evil."

"Yes, agreed. Might I also suggest we wrap the item in cloth as a precaution," Frederic asked. "We may have to fight the ghost if we feel giving the ring back would be unwise. And Tonio who feels the ghost is honorable might not like us attacking it. I personally dont understand it myself: why he worries of a soul thats been dead for many years."

Leporideas returned and told the others what he had found. "The creature, or man looked to live in the tree while under the mantle of bees. There was nothing else there, that I found." The little man looked about and craned his head as if to listen around them. "I do not know if it is safe to stay here, can we travel?"

"I am merely fatigued," Frederic responded. "But Rico here is quite wounded. I would not want to travel very far with him."

After some debate, it was agreed that Leporideas and Tanya would hasten to Bourg-d'Oisans to inform Lilia, Alain and Conrad of what had happened. Rico would not be moved, so Etienne would return to the ruins alone.

While Frederic tried to make Rico comfortable, Etienne hurried back to the ruins. Tonio greeted him with alarm, "Where are the others?"

"They are safe," said Etienne trying not to sound too curt. "We ran into trouble, Rico is wounded and cannot be moved. I have come for some supplies." The former bandit hoped his own wounds did not provoke Tonio to greater concern as he hurried about to collect what they might need.

Tonio seemed torn by indecision. "How far away are they?" he asked as he helped Etienne gather supplies.

"Not far, but I should hurry." Etienne did not wish to worry Tonio, but due to the circumstances he did not feel comfortable telling the man about what happened and what they found.

"Then I'll help you," said Tonio. "The chief will be safe alone for a while, and I do have a duty to Frederic."

"You intend to return with me?" asked Etienne coming to a stop from gathering the supplies.

"Yes. Look at you! And Rico, my old friend is hurt! And Frederic my old charge is in danger!"

Etienne turned to face Tonio fully for the first time. "My God," said Tonio, "your eye!"

Etienne reached for where his eye had been and touched the dried ooze upon his cheek. "It, it is not as bad as it looks," he lied. His mind raced as he thought of the consequences of letting Tonio come upon their camp especially in their current condition, if this spirit had somehow bonded with Tonio then he might sense the ring's presence. That was an event that he could not allow to occur, "I understand your concern, but what if Alain, Lilia, and Conrad return? We need you to stay here and tell them of our plight." The tired fisherman looked Tonio in the eye and said, "I swear to you, I will do my best for Rico and Frederic."

Tonio sized up Etinne and apparently decided that the "fisherman" outranked him. "Very well." He bent to help Etienne finishing his packing then watched as the wounded ex-bandit loped off for the makeshift camp where the others were.

He arrived shortly before dark and found that little had changed. No further danger had presented itself and Rico lay against a tree while Frederic sat nearby.

Quietly Etienne brought the supplied over to Frederic. "Here, this is all I could gather." The fisherman kneeled down and spoke in a whisper. "Tonio is worried, and wanted to come with me. I feared that the ghost would learn of the ring. Is there anything your kind can do to guard us from such magic?"

"Do you mean to protect us from ghosts," Frederic asked. "It is possible, altho ugh I am have very little knowledge in that area."

"Aye, that or keeping the presence of the ring hidden. There was something about Tonio, I don't know," Etienne looked weary. "Something that caused me concern, as if he sensed something about it."

"Yes, I have had the same concern about him since he decided to stay in such a wretched place," Frederic empathatically responded.

"Then we must wait," said Etienne.

While Tanya and Leporideas made an uncomfortable camp near the ferry, Frederic, Etienne and Rico made an only slightly more comfortable one near the fallen tree.

The concern, of course, was with Rico. He was an older man, in his forties, and had aged prematurely it seemed. Now, he was badly wounded and far from help. His natural inclincation toward morbidity was given full reign and he was convinced that his time had come. His breathing became incraasingly labored as the night progressed and several times he cried out, waking the others who feared that he was dying. But, come morning, he was still alive, though not well.

	*		*		*		*

"It does, thank you. You look fresh. I trust your rather solitary evening suited you." Niceties accomplished, Lilia passed the butter and got down to business.

"I believe I will call on the nobles we know today. They might have some information or insight on the 'curse,' and it doesn't hurt to strengthen what social bonds we may have. Is there anything you need me for today?"

Alain thought for a moment. "I think you are likely to find more than I. No, I think it best if I stay out of your way. I will see if anyone else will speak to me. I think I will also find time to speak with Sir Mathieu, to see what he has heard and believes. It is always best to know where you stand with the local knights."

"A tack I would not have thought to take," Lilia said with a smile. "Shall we meet for dinner mid-day and compare notes, then?"

"A good plan. However, we shouldn't plan to spend too much time here. Etienne will not wait forever if they find our mysterious ring thief. They will need us soon." Alain smiled. "But I'm sure we have a little time to enjoy the trappings of a civilized life."

"Comparing notes is nothing short of sensible, and if it calls for a foray into the civilised life, so much the better." Lilia enjoyed the friendly, playful banter, so unlike the near-constant tension their lives dealt them.

"I will meet you back here in a couple of hours."

She set off to her investigation, calling on those who knew her family and the local merchants who might be impressed by her bearing. Turning on all her charm, she made gossipy, light inquiries, not wanting to cause suspicion or fear.

Lilia was moderately well known in the town, since many of the covenant's supplies came from Bourg-d'Oisans. She quickly found that her reception had cooled in many places, and was grateful for Conrad's stolid postition at her side. The merchants were still friendly and deferent as they should be, the silver produced at Lauvitel that passed into their hands ensured that, but the peasants crossed the street to avoid her and several spat and made a sign against the evil eye.

The townsfolk, with the superiority of the urbanite, made light of the peasants' reaction, telling her they were simply ignorant. "A few peasants get drunk and fall in the river, and suddenly we're cursed," laughed one. "After all, you've got a church and no witch can take Mass. It's a well-known fact," he pronounced sententiously.

Lilia smiled warmly, saying, "I thank you for your charitable logic," while thinking it might not hurt to take in a mass -- publicly -- while they were there.

She looked at her progressive ally thoughtfully. "Do you believe the ill occurrences of which I inquire have been broadly blamed on our community? Have you heard no other solutions to the riddle?" She listened thoughtfully to his answer, then, with a tilt of her head and an encouraging smile, asked his most worthy opinion on the cause and cure of the strange goings on.

"Well," he said, obviously pleased at having his opinion asked. "Strange things do go on in the woods. It's a well known fact. But from what I hear, you have a village up there and a church. That's hardly the woods, is it? The woods are filled with brigands, it's probably just brigands. They've taken up in the woods before. The Lord should raze those ruins, actually."

"His will be done," Lilia replied. She thanked him for his time and went to meet Alain.

For his part, Alain sought out the tradesmen, laborers, the manor guards, and anyone else who would speak to him at more than just the polite level used by those addressing the swordbelt and spurs instead of the man who wore them. He knew the information would be sparse, but he tried anyway. About mid-morn, he sought out Sir Mathieu.

Alain's investigation yielded much the same result, although the men-at-arms did think there was something funny about some of the deaths. They were more inclined to blame ghosts and the hermit at the old ruins than the Lakehomers. Though, since the missing were not of the city, they didn't weep too many tears over their fates.

Alain then asked about affairs in town and if the new knight at his lordship's manor had made much of an impact on local affairs.

The guards seemed to like Mathieu well enough, and certainly respected his skills. He hadn't seemed to have affected local attitudes much, still being considered an outsider by most.

As the sun rose, he found Mathieu in the courtyard working with a few of the guards. Alain watched for a moment as Mathieu drilled them in sword and shield work on foot.

He waited for a break in their training before he approached. "There is a technique of rolling the shield up and out you might consider showing your charges," he said to Mathieu. "It covers your head without restricting your view. I've found it helpful when fighting on foot."

When he had the knight's attention, he said further, "Would you have a few minutes to speak with an old comrade?"

"Of course. Show us your technique first, though," said Mathieu.

After another few moments of work, Mathieu left the men with a smile and a few words of encouragment before taking Alain inside and sending a servant for water and wine. "And what would *you* like to discuss, Alain of Lauvitel?" he said leaning ever so slightly on the last word.

"I would like to discuss a few things in fact, but first I believe I owe you an explanation," Alain said. "The man you knew some years ago bore the same face but a different name than I do. That man is dead. After all, that is what he sought in the Holy Land: his own death. I am different; changed.

"I am only a warrior now because it has always been my way. I am more than that. I know peace for the first time in many years. It might annoy our village carpenter than I am in his way, but I craft things with my hands and that gives me joy. My friends and companions do not know of my past. I'd rather they not know."

Alain took a drink and waited for Mathieu's reaction.

The other man watched him carefully then spoke. "I am content here, Alain. The daughter of Sir Rene favors me, I hope to woo her and wed her." Alain knew that Rene had no living son, so Helene would make a very desirable match. "There is no reason for me to spoil your fun.

"So tell me," he continued. "What *is* going on at Lauvitel, I've heard many rumours and stories. Helene is convinced that her friend Lilia is a witch or something."

"Nothing quite that exciting, I fear. The community is mostly fishermen and peasant farmers who wished to have a little parcel of land all their own. Lilia is a scholar. I traveled with her some time ago as she gathered folk tales and histories of the area. All very boring stuff," Alain said.

"There are a few more, studying and writing. A couple had no social graces, but that hardly marks them as anything but annoying. Deep down, they are good people looking to avoid the distractions of a city."

Mathieu seemed to accept Alain's explanation. "Still, I should ride out to see you with a patrol some time. Get the lay of the land."

"Certainly. And then you can critique me on how I train my charges," Alain said.

Shortly thereafter, Lilia entered the courtyard, Conrad near behind her, for her meeting with Alain to compare notes.

As they rested and had a light repast, there was a commotion at the gate and a few moments later, Leporideas and Tanya came into the courtyard and hastened toward them.

"Lady Lilia," Leporideas got out through gasps of breath. "We found it, the ring, but at a heavy price." Leporideas looked to Alain and added, "we had no choice but were forced to engage the creature." Bending at the waist, Lep tried to catch his breath and reached out to bring Tanya forward.

Tanya lunged forward to catch Lep and support him.

Lilia listened to Lep's story. "We should go to them. They could use healing, protections and -- I daresay -- companionship now. Alain, I found patchy rumours and wild, fantastic stories here, but very little useful information. Was there anything you found here that would compel you to stay in town?"

Alain thought of his conversation with Mathieu and shook his head. "You will ne ed to have a serious discussion with your companions upon our return. There is nothing more I can do here." His emphasis on the word 'here' was ambigious.

Leporideas looked confused at the exchange but was able to say, "We should leave soon."

"I shall gather my things," Alain said.

"Me too," said Lilia.

Alain, Lilia, Leporideas, Tanya and Conrad gathered their things made their excuses and set off.

As they made their way back, Etienne spent much of the day making their makeshift camp as comfortable as possible, which is previous career had well suited him for. By nightfall, there was a fire and more comfortable bedding as well as a rough shelter from wind, sun and rain.

The next morning, Rico seemed no worse, but little better. Midmorning, the rest of the company arrived having made an early start and good time.

A visibly tired Etienne greeted them with swords drawn, and lowered them upon recognition seeming to beg them to let him collapse and rest. Despite the void where his eye once sat, there was a look of joy upon his face as he held out a hand to Alain. "It is a blessing to see you again," the irony not lost on Etienne, "we could have used your arm, but we survived."

"I only wish I could have been there," Alain said. "Was it impetuosness on our part that started the fight or was it unavoidable?" While he spoke, Alain put his small amount of medical training to use. With Eti enne's permission, he checked the ruined eye. "I wish I'd been here sooner too. " He saw the other wounded and began to roll up his sleeves.

Lilia, too, began to minister to the needs of her wounded comrades.

Etienne nodded to Alain and spoke. "The little one," he nodded toward Leporideas who was helping Tanya unpack, "led us to this area. He sensed the bees and approached the tree. He said he heard someone, something inside. It was a creature from the depths of accursed nightmares. Neither man, nor beast but a corruption of God's creation. He, it commanded bees and they attacked us." The fisherman tried to remain still as Alain examined him.

"Together we killed whatever it was, and we found the ring."

"It was the other missing man," Frederic continued. "I believe he may have been corrupted by the rings power and therefor transformed into the beast of bees. Now we fear what it would mean should this 'corruption' fall into the hands of t he ghost."

Frederic was relieved the troupe was back together. After greetings were made, he brought up the issue with the ghost. "So the current worry is that the ring is a powerful artifact, and the ghost will use it's power should we return the item. If this is true and it does not release Tonio, I fear we would be forced to combat the creature and the controlled body of Tonio, a friend I have known for some time now." Frederic looked at the troupe, hoping for suggestions, as he h ad none.

By this point Alain had finished dealing with Rico's wounds, and his hard-won knowledge of medicine had proved useful. He pronounced Rico ready to be moved.

After some consideration, Lilia cast Restoration of the Defiled Body, and Rico was able to rise for the first time in days.

"The corruption is because of the ghost, remember? This was caused by his curse . When we replace the ring in his grave, this corruption will cease. You aren' t stalling about returning the ring for personal reasons, are you?" Alain asked as he wrapped up his small healing kit. "We must end this curse. We must bury the ring with the Iarl. To do otherwise risks bringing that curse down upon all the residents of Lakehome."

"Is that an accusation," Frederic asked offended. "I was nt the first one to voice this concern I'll have you know. And there is no proo f that whatever turned that man into the beast had anything to do with the ghost . In fact, he only wore the ring, which suggests to me it was the ring that cau sed his demise, not the ghost. After all, the ghost presumably does not know wh ere the ring was at the time. All I want is Tonio back. And all I am saying is that we may have to fight the ghost anyway. So be prepared."

Etienne could feel the tension, hoping that the dissension was not being wrought by the ring. "There is concern, Alain, that the ring's power could be used by the ghost to bring great evil upon all the lands. To hand something of such power over to one such as the spirit could prove foolish."

"I will go with you right NOW and bury the ring MYSELF." Frederic turned and be gan to head towards the ruins. He looked back at the troupe, "Come on, I'll sho w you. It is after all my friend and comrade that is on that hill. And it is h e who behaves strangely by insisting on living in such an unhealthy place. I ha ve had my concerns from the beginning and even now I believe he may still be con trolled by the ghost. If we bury the ring and the ghost leaves, fine. Believe me I hope that I AM wrong and you are right. But if the ghost takes the rings a nd uses it against us, I was the voice of reason."

"Come on," Frederic waved his hands in anger.

Leporideas shrunk back from the harsh tones and made his way over toward Frederic. "Wait, if you feel so strongly I will go with you." The little man looked to the others, hoping that cooler heads would prevail but if not, then it was better for few to be put in danger than everyone.

"I would never put my own interest above the safety of my friends," Frederic ins isted.

Alain sighed. "You aren't going to accomplish anything by storming off except g etting more people killed. We all ventured out here to free Tonio and be rid of this situation. And while I have not known him as long as you, I call the man 'friend' as well. Try to think, Frederic. Remember what the Iarl said about hi s grave goods. There was a curse upon them and those who stole them. Wait... Who holds the ring now?"

"Storming off? I want to go and bury the ring as you suggested, to be done with it once and for all. To prove to you that I have no alterior motives. I can u nderstand you distrusting me, for I am still fairly new to the covenant. But te ll me, why do you distrust me so much and yet take Iarl's word as if it were set in stone?" Frederic lifted the cloth that wrapped the ring and tossed it towar ds Alain.

Alain allowed the ring to hit the ground and put his foot over it. "I don't dis trust you. I barely know you. But I worry now only because I fear you are acti ng irrational. You remind me at the moment of a commander I knew in Acre. His bravery was brought into question and he proved himself by rushing to meet the Infidel with his company in tow. Death was all they met upon that field.

"But I trust the word of the Iarl because he has thus far given me no reason not to. He could have enslaved Tonio to hunt the ring but he did not. He could ha ve slaughtered us while we prepared his new grave, but he did not. With the pow er he can exert over that site, he could have done so easily. To my knowledge, he has only been active since the bandits originally disturbed his grave and sto le his artifacts. Why do you call into question the veracity of a man who has d one nothing but keep his word, even if it was from beyond the grave?"

Alain took a breath. "I'm not saying we go into this with blind trust. I just think you are worrying a problem larger. We are on thin ice and I would not wis h to insult the Iarl or let loose a wider curse when our name is already slander ed on the lips of peasants and noblemen alike."

"Why not bury the ring away from the ruins? It might be less accessible to evil spirits off in the woods away from us, away from Tonio and away from the ghost's habitat."

"While it would be a safe thing, that wouldn't really satisfy the curse. I believe our agreement was that we would return the ghost's grave goods and he would release Tonio from service. To satisfy this, we would have to bury the ring with the body of the Iarl... our ghost," Alain said. "I wish we had a priest with us."

"I merely brought up our concern, Alain," Frederic responded. "You responded to that concern by suggesting that I was 'stalling for personal reasons'. Now you deny the mistrust? And now you speak of what I was suggesting in the first pla ce, that we discuss our concerns. This has offended me and I insist someone els e carry the item," Frederic pointed to the cloth under Alain's foot.

"You offend too easily, Frederic," Alain said. "And I am seeking compromise now , which is why I suggest we talk about your concerns. But no, I did not show yo u mistrust earlier? I merely asked a blunt question. If you choose to take off ense, that is your right. I guess it never crossed you mind to study this item to learn from its power? Or do I just not understand those who weild power? I thought I did, but I obviously have much to learn still."

Alain removed his foot from the cloth. "I will not touch this cursed thing. If Frederic wishes not to carry it, someone else will have to."

Frederic sighed. "Perhaps I do offend too easily. I assure you that my only in terest is getting Tonio back. As for studying the item, I would fear to let wha t happened to those two men happen to myself or my friends. I would prefer to g et rid of the item one way or the other." "So, someone said burying it in a different place then?"

"I believe I did," said Lilia, "but it seems there may be good reason not to. I am not as familiar with this..." she waved her hand vaguely, "...as you are. Y ou may have to keep your own counsel."

"It is good that there are more of us," Frederic said, seemingly calmed down. " The ghost proved to be quite a foe last time. Let us hope that Iarl does indeed keep his word. Tonio seems to trust him, assuming that he isnt controlled by t he ghost. Although Alain did make a good point in that the ghost would use Toni o for retrieval if that were the case."

"On the same token, why would Tonio stay at the site and not attempt to find the ring himself? He serves no purpose by staying there, does he? But if the ghos t does indeed control him, as I fear, maybe this effect is limited and will end if Tonio leaves the ruins, which would explain why Tonio has stayed there - perh aps the ghost is controlling him. Maybe what is really happening is that Tonio is being held ransom until we return the item."

"Didn't Tonio stay to guard the grave out of a sense of duty toward the Iarl?" Alain asked. "That is what he told us before we originally parted company. Ton io has not been trapped at the site, after all. He has hunted game to feed hims elf and sought water of his own. I suspect when he said he would release Tonio, the ghost intended to release him of this duty and not some sort of mystic cont rol.

"This man was a powerful leader in life. I suspect he still bears the gifts of leadership in death. I am willing to admit that I know nothing of the magical a rts, but I do know a thing or two about duty, loyalty, and leadership. Mayhaps we are looking to hard for a magical cause when something as simple as charisma could explain the situation. I know from personal experience that a strong lead er can influence a man in ways he never sees. And that is the only magic I know ."

"Well, I see no alternative than to return to the ruins and complete our part of the bargain. Anything we can do to prepare ourselves? I would not recommend b ringing Rico or anyone else who has been badly injured," Frederic suggested. "I say we approach in the morning, which would allow us amble time to uncover and recover the grave before sundown. Beyond that, I have no further suggestions." Alain found himself a fallen tree and sat. "Digging a man's grave a second time is not something I ever guessed of my life after..."

"Then we are agreed," Frederic asked. Frederic was very quiet for the rest of the evening.

After another night's rest, the company rose and prepared to return to the ruins. They made Rico as comfortable as possible in anticipation of their return, and then set off with Frederic carrying the ring, well wrapped in scraps of cloth.

Shortly, they approached the ruins and were hailed, as usual by Tonio. "Where is Rico?" he cried in his bad Latin. "He has not succumbed to his injuries?"

"He is on his way," called out Etienne, "moving slowly, but moving." The fisherbandit rubbed his back and staggered slightly.

Tonio looked relieved.

Frederic looked at his companions, not sure wether he should start in or not. " We have the ring, Tonio," he finally said. "We wish to fufill our part of the b argain."

"You have recovered it? The Iarla will be pleased," said Tonio. "It should be buried with him."

"That is what we came to do so that later you can return home with us," Frederic replied.

Etienne spoke up in a whisper, "Is there a ritual that needs to be done, Tonio?"

Tonio looked a little confused, "I don't think so. The Iarla wants his possessions around him. His bones are buried, so all that should be needed is to return the ring to his hoard."

With a sigh Etienne turned to Frederic and Alain. "If there is danger in this task, I will be of little use due to my injuries. I accept the mantle." The one-eyed fisherman held out his hand for the ring. Frederic gave Etienne the ring still wrapped in cloth.

The company set to work to unearth the bones of the ancient chief, Alain knew precisely where to dig since he had reburied him the last time.

The process was somewhat anticlimactic. Alain and Tonio excavated a section of Myrddn's torso, where his hands were clasped across his chest. Once the hand was cleared, they stepped back and Etinne, somewhat trepidatiously, placed the ring on one of the hands.

Nothing happened. After a few moments, Alain and Tonio returned to Etienne's side and covered the skeleton with earth.

Frederic asked Tonio if he wished to return to the Covenant now, and Tonio shook his head. "First, I want to wait until nightfall and see if the Iarla is satisfied. And after ... I like the Iarla. If I leave, someone will come and disturb his bones again. You have guards and friends aplenty. He has no one."

"So you choose to waste your life away for this dead man? That makes no sense T onio. We recovered the ring so you could leave."

"I could have left before, I chose not to," replied the grog. "He has been a good friend to me."

"I am not so sure. I think he has control of your mind. The winters will claim you many years before your due. Leave with us now! Return in one months time if you feel the same way! Your duty is to your friends and comrades, not to som e ghost that chooses to haunt a desolate place!"

"Very well," said Tonio. "Though I dislike leaving him alone."

Frederic seemed suprised at this, as if expecting resistance. "Excellent," he s aid after a pause. "I see no reason to remain here any longer," he turned and s aid to the rest.

"I wish to remain until the morning," reiterated Tonio, "to see if the Iarla is satisfied come nightfall. And ... where is Rico? You said he was coming behind you, but it has been hours! Perhaps he is lost, we should go seek him."

"Very well," Frederic responded reluctantly. "We will go find Rico and then wai t here to speak with the Iarla." Frederic looked at the rest of the troupe for agreement.

Lilia smiled in relief. "I am glad we can put your concerns -- and the Iarla -- to rest before we leave. I am happy to camp here tonight."

Tanya looked at Lep expectantly.

Sheepishly Leporideas spoke to Lilia, "All this still causes me concern. We must certainly tell the Convenant about this, if you could only see the man who had been corrupted by the ring. Is there something we could do to ensure the safety of the tomb? For this to happen again would be tragic."

"This place has acquired a reputation with the people of the village and I doubt any of them would willingly travel here. Outsiders or bandits might seek shelt er here, but the original grave was disturbed by weather and not the hands of me n," Alain said. "I will make it a purpose to patrol this place then. I have no power or authority to... wait. What if we did? This land is owned. Perhaps.. ."

Alain thought for a moment, but his face grew grim. "No, that is a dumb idea."

"Why not," Frederic asked. "We could just send Tonio out here to check on it once in a while. Then he could visit with his ghost friend , if I am wrong and thats truely what he wants that is. And if something is dis turbed, he could come back and fetch the rest of us."

"Alain, did you have another idea?" Lilia asked. "And perhaps Tonio could lend some guidance. He does have some history with the situation and may provide some insight. Tonio?"

Tonio shook his head, "I just don't like the idea of leaving his grave open to desecration."

"I understand, and think that a very worthy sentiment. Patroling and guarding are not my forte, but I agree with Lep that the Covenant should be made aware of the situation. Not only is there the possiblity of damage to our reputation and the problems that could bring, but if simple physical protection isn't enough, we have the expertise among us to place the Iarl under the aegis of Lakehome."

"I'm afraid the grave will be open to desecration like any other. I'll widen my occasional patrols to encompass these ruins. Beyond moving his grave, I don't have any other ideas," Alain lied.

"And the one who had the ring is now dead. He wont come back," Frederic encouraged.

Alain and Conrad went to fetch Rico and he and Tonio had a happy reunion, jabbering at each other in rapid-fire Italian. The gist seemed to be that Tonio thought Rico was too old for this and should retire, and Rico was beginning to agree, but who would lead the grogs if he did? Rico for his part thought Tonio should return and perhaps become the Sargeant, but Tonio was uncertain.

In any case, as night fell, the companions prepared for what it would bring. Soon after dark, by the light of the campfire, they saw a mist seem from the ground over the Iarla's grave and slowly take on form and, possibly, substance. Once fully formed, the Iarla walked over to them with, of all things, a smile on his face. On his hand, they saw a ghostly representation of the ring they had taken from the honey-gatherer. The Iarla spoke in ghostly tones but with the confidence of authority. "You have returned my property to me, I thank you. You have done as you said you would, you are a clan of honour."

Alain stood as the ghost approached and listened to his words. "We are pleased that you might rest again. Know that Tonio and I will do our best to see that your grave is not disturbed again."

"And I am grateful, peaceful rest is all I desire. The thief, he has been punished?" asked the Iarla.

Etienne spoke up, "Yes, the man who stole your ring has been punished and paid with his life."

"We were forced to kill him," Frederic responded. "He had been taken hold of by magic and was more beast than man. It was a dire situation."

"The beast within brought forth for all to see." The Iarla nodded in approval.

"Unfortunately we were too late to prevent the beast from taking another's life, a heather gatherer," Etienn added with sadness.

"It is no surpise to find that a grave-robber is also a murderer," said the Iarla sententiously.

"I am glad that you are settled by the return of your ring," Frederic stated ner vously. "May Tonio here be allowed to return home with us?"

"Why do you ask me?" asked the Iarla with every appearance of surprise. "Tonio may do as he wishes."

"Good, good," Frederic responded. "He would like to visit you on occasion, if y ou approve. We would also like to check in from time to time, to ensure your gr ave remains undisturbed." Frederic waited for a response.

"You are all welcome to visit," said the Iarla magnanimously.

Frederic looked to the rest with satisfaction. Lilia smiled back at him.

The night passed quietly, without incident. In the morning, the company gathered their things and began the trek back to Lauvitel.

Etinne, not as young as he once was, healed but slowly, save for his eye. Rico, did recover, but retired from active service. Nearly fifty, he was half-blind, partly deaf and as a result of the extensive bee poisoning could hardly walk forty of fifty feet before his breath began to come in gasps.

As promised, Tonio remained at the Covenant for a month before seeking out the magi. "I find," he said, "that I have grown quite attached to the old Iarla and dislike leaving his resting place unguarded. The lifestyle out there is far more appealing than I had thought it would be, too. Although, I confess, a few more comforts would not go amiss. I would like to return."

"Then you may leave if that is what you wish," Frederic stated. "I will keep my word on this as promised. I'm sure the rest would not mind if you returned eit her permanently or to visit. And if you need a warm bed in the winter, I'm sure that option would remain open for you was well." Frederic looked at the others to see if they agreed.

"Of course, Tonio. You should follow your spirit. And as far as I am concerned , you will always have a community with Lakehome."

"And please consider spending the winters here," Frederic added. "I am sure the Iarla wouldnt want you to get sick. He seems like an honorable one after all. I was wrong about him." Frederic sighed. "Also, be weary of any townsfolk. They already think your the cause of their problems. Really Tonio, I fear for your safety. I like our new Lakehome friends, but you and Rico are all I have left from home. And the spirit will still be there long after all of us are dead. You will not be able to look after him forever. But it is of course your choice."

Tonio nodded his understanding.