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The scent of the incense filled the centaur village.
Outside of their homes, centaurs had returned to their homes, each lit up an incense stick in some sort of funeral ritual.
He had heard from a few humans that Madi and he were lucky that the centaur would bring their request up to the elders. Although several before them had begged and pleaded, the centaur's hadn't considered those people's offers so kindly.
"You must have said something right," one of the older human's said. He looked strong despite his age. Maybe because of the constant work from his sentence.
"Yes. Maybe so," Andelin said, not wanting to mention the war with the scorpion centaurs.
[Do the elders come to speak today? This is another plot escalating roll, this time at -3. Roll = 3 - 3 = 0; No, also ...
2, Touch, 4, Smooth
10, character quality; 9 personality
Something about personality and smooth, I'll discard the smooth part and try something else]
[I'll also roll for a story idea for the first time. 9+10 = 19
- Daring - a bold leader sets out to obtain an object from or to fight against a powerful adversary.
I'll say that whatever killed that centaur - maybe after coming in contact with a contagious illness or disease which causes personality change before death - requires obtaining an object, a substance, to help heal. The centaur village is upset over this and it has recently spread to several more.]
While working later that evening, Andelin overheard from several that the illness is spreading.
Andelin kept sweeping the cobblestone floor, pretending as if he wasn't hearing anything important.
"You missed a spot over here," point one of the muscular centaurs towards the doorway. Andelin turned towards them and quickly hurried over to the spot.
The other continued. " They say he behaved crazy before it overtook him. They think that a root which grows in the clefts may cure the disease."
Andelin finished sweeping, looked off in the distance to see Madi weaving with several other people. He quickly finished sweeping the area, dumped the waste into a pile outside, and made his way to her.
She did not have a happy face at the moment. Andelin began to sweep around near her. He felt like he was doing something wrong, although he had to mention what he had learned - to warn her.
"Madi," he whispered, though he continued to focus on picking up dirt, straw, and clumps of mud on the stone below him.
He could see out of the corner of his eye her head turn to look at him. She then returned to weaving. "Anything new, " she whispered back.
"Just to let you know, there is a sickness going around."
"That's bad."
"Keep quiet about it."
"Okay."
He coughed and then moved off to sweep in other spots along the cobblestone path.
[Another plot based roll at -2. Do they come the next day? 10-2 = 8; Yes, however they want the two to help out and substance to help cure the disease as a test]
The next day, one of the centaurs came down the path calling out his name. It was Nefron. Andelin moved towards the centaur. His face wasn't smiling as it had since their capture and journey here.
He spoke with a unusually serious expression. "The elders are ready to see you."
Maybe they had a chance.
The gray hair and maned elders - about a dozen - stood in front of them at some distance, four guards armed between them. Some were studhes (studs) and some were markoes (mares). A few of them seemed uncomfortable, some even not looking at him directly.
"Leader Theda has informed us that you have a request." spoke one of the elder stud, who held a long staff which seemed to lean on to help keep his upper torso erect.
Andelin quickly spoke before Madi, " Yes. We have offered instead of serving our sentence helping to maintain the feed to serve it in a common defense with the humans against the scorpion centaurs."
Immediately many of the elders began to speak with each other. Andelin couldn't hear what they were saying.
Andelin rubbed his face and temples trying to ease the slight pain that throbbed in his head.
"Why should we trust fighting with you? How do we know that we can trust you?"
Andelin knew that they had to give them a reason to trust them. He was slightly unsure of what to say. His muddled thoughts went back to last evening overhearing the guards.
He took a deep breath and hoped for a good response. "We can help you find the root to cure the disease that is spreading among you. That can be a test of our intention."
A few of the centaurs that wouldn't look at him before now turned and looked towards him.
They spoke among themselves slower this time and without as much argument occasionally glancing at either him or Madi.
"Maybe they will give me my use of powers," Madi whispered to him.
He just nodded back. He wasn't really concerned with powers, but having her powers back would help if they were to find the root.
The answer came quick enough. The quickness of response took his breath away.
"Very well," the main elder said
A few moments went by and they seemed to discuss more details. One of them walked off down the hall and disappeared.
Nefron and Kado, they motioned forward. Nefron and Madi's centaur walked forward. They joined into the discussion. Kado seemed to shake his head often. He would look towards Madi and seemed to argue more.
Madi seemed to shrink back at his stare.
Soon all of them were nodding in agreement.
"Nefron and Kado will continue to be your escort while under sentence." With that Andelin saw Nefron elbow the other, Kado in the side. Kado somewhat snared at Nefron, who halfway grinned.
"My powers?" Madi asked.
The leader of the elders said a name he couldn't hear and motioned over one of the elder mares over who had a long smooth thin blue torso robe.
After a briefly conversing with each other, she made her way towards Madi.
She said a few things to her. Madi noded once in agreement.
The centaur mare began to mutter words while circling her hands in the air - almost like she was holding something. Silver speckles seemed to materialize in the air. Andelin slightly dropped his jaw and watched wide-eyed. She seemed to scope the sparkles from the air and pulled it to her lips.
Then she motioned her to come to her. She grabbed her by the shoulders, said a few words to Madi and then pulled her towards her and kissed her upon the forehead. The sparkles seemed to move and transfer to Madi's forehead and briefly should a glowing lip mark.
Soon they both smiled and the lady centaur went back to the group of elders.
"She did not give a full blessing. Her blessing is temporary this time. You will have three days to get the roots or the power use will cease once again in our lands."
Another elder who had disappeared earlier stepped forward bringing forth a parchment.
"This is what the root that we are looking for looks like. It grows in a cliff area from the
derman bush. We haven't been able to get any since several scorpion centaurs took over that region of our border."
Andelin studied the drawings intently. He noticed the leaf patter, the shape of the bush and the various features, and even the coloring which had been painted on the image.
"Where are the cliffs located?" Madi said.
"Nefron and Kado know the region and will take you there. How well you four get along and successfully achieve getting the root will determine how much we will trust you. Ten bags of roots will be needed for now and in the future."
"Our weapons?" Andelin asked.
"They will be given to you as soon as you are outside the village."
[To be continued]
