"That is undoubtedly true, my friend," Celedhan said, his look softening, drawing a quiet chuckle from the others. "I'm sure the men under your command would attest to as much."

Akaru sighed, seemingly taking some comfort in their understanding. Unsaid by him, however, was a very personal danger he himself had felt the girl presented, or that the feeling yet lingered. Then, he continued.

"We bound her, deciding that she must be brought here to Lund for questioning. And it seemed to us that our long quest for knowledge had been answered.

"From that place, we began making our way west, and soon discovered that we were followed by her people, who were calling our her name . . . `Rhia.'" He said the name almost sadly, and if the others had known it, in some manner conveyed that he echoed the saying of that name.

"On the seventeenth night, we rested atop a broken hillock, watching and listening, wondering if we were yet followed. There we decided to make camp.

"Upon awakening we found to our dismay that the witch was gone, having been released by her guards who were seduced and amazed by her voice.

"We were about to set out to recapture her when we were set upon by a large band of rock-gnomes, larger and fiercer than any we had ever seen. Stil the elf and several of the men were overwhelmed and hacked upon by these vermin. And in our hearts, if any doubt had remained, I confess we did blame the witch for this occurrence.




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