[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

“And what makes you think that, my lord?” Isokla asked, all too sweetly in reply to Ydalon’s perception comment, “It seems almost as though… you are disquieted with your own gender. First there is the fool mercenary and you say that he is male and cannot help it, and now this?” her eyes narrowed, “Could it be you acknowledge the fairer sex as being superior?” She arched a silvery eyebrow and smiled, as though to take the sting off her words.

“If I am vocal,” she spoke softly, “It is to instruct and educate, and besides, if they are focused on my words, their attention is otherwise diverted.” The girl spoke absently as she examined Ydalon’s star chart, frowning, “So this is what we came for? Most… interesting. I had not mentioned this before, but I have… some knowledge of the stars. Astrology, Astronomy, Mysticism.” she smiled, still not looking up as she intently stared at the chart, almost as though memorising it. “I do not know how much you know, nor how much you claim to or conceal, but… this chart. There are points missing. See? Here and here?” she pointed to two blank spots on the map, “On a normal chart, they would make up a star formation, under a name of say, ‘The Serpent’, or perhaps, ‘The Wagon’, or ‘Barrow’, yet this one is missing.”

She paused, frowning as she recalled distant memories, “We need to find a clear spot, one night – up here, with nothing obscuring the view. I do not know if any solstices are associated with this, but… this is but one small piece of the puzzle. It is… interesting. If I were to wager a guess, I would say that bits of this have been blotted out deliberately. I cannot tell you how old this is either, nor how accurate.” Isokla sighed, “If you wish for me to travel with you, I shall, my lord. Perhaps I shall be of some use… and besides, I’m curious as to what you plan. I ask though, that we avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Taking life is never good.” Silently she added under her breath, ‘But even a healer has to know when to kill a cancer, and there are many, many cancers in this land. These Lords of Vision are just one such cancer. Perhaps this Ydalon is another. We shall have to see.’

Outwardly, she smiled and rested her hand on Ydalon’s shoulder, “You have done well, leading them this far, my lord. And for one so young… all the others are your superior in years, but perhaps not experience, and not one of them stepped up to the task of command. You are to be commended.”

Ignoring the rabbit comment, Isokla asked softly, “And what now, my lord? What plans have you?”

[ 01-24-2006, 05:28 AM: Message edited by: Calaethis Dragonsbane ]