Chapter 2: Cantha

[Cat]

Kaineng Harbor

The girls looked at the docks with excitement. "We will be there soon! I can’t wait to see Uncle Caleb and Amy" said Angel.

"I can", muttered Ice under her breath. She remembered Amy from long ago as a spoiled, difficult child.

On the other hand, Cat and Kenzie remembered Amy as being a fun rowdy child, always into mischief.

The ship the girls were on would be leaving again shortly, this time bound for Amnoon. In fact, the outgoing passengers were already on the docks. Well, well, thought Ice, isn’t he the handsome one. A young man on the docks caught Ice’s attention; he was in attire she was totally unfamiliar with. She turned to one of the deckhands and asked about it.

"Oh, he is a ritualist" the deckhand replied, "That’s what they wear".

The girls picked up their packs and walked onto the docks. Ice tried to catch the young man’s eye as she went by, but he seemed very preoccupied with his thoughts. A little annoyed by her lack of success, she trailed after her sisters down the dock.

Cat had asked for directions at the fishmongers by the docks, and the sisters walked towards their relative’s estate.

As they entered the courtyard of the estate, they heard Amy’s loud voice, and their uncle’s frantic words. "Amy, please calm down."

"Don’t you DARE tell me to calm down!" Then they heard a resounding crash.

The girls looked at each other in amusement. It had been years since they had been to visit here. In fact, it was right after Amy’s mother had died, before their own father had left. Amy had a temper even then, as a small child.

"You would have thought she might have grown out of that temper by now" Cat chuckled. "Maybe we should rescue Uncle Caleb from Amok the destroyer of fine pottery." Kenzie grinned at Cat and nodded. They quickly trotted into Amy’s room, picked her up and carried her to the fountain in the courtyard. Amy landed in the fountain with a splash.

"That should cool you off" they laughingly said. Angel looked on in shock while Ice laughed so hard she couldn’t stand up.

Amy sat in the fountain with a shocked expression on her face. Her father looked as he didn’t know whether he should laugh or run. He decided to run, "good to see you girls" he said, "make your self at home" he called as he ran out the door towards his office.

Amy looked at her cousins and finally grinned. "I will get even you know", she said.

"We know" smiled Cat; "I still remember the frogs in our beds from last time we visited."

As a child Amy had always rebelled against her privileged upbringing, and would sneak out to catch frogs, snakes, well, most anything that couldn’t escape from her. The last thing she wanted to be was ladylike. Ladylike to her meant sheer boredom. She was immensely grateful to have her cousins here. The only one of them that was ladylike was Ice. She could tolerate Ice if it meant Cat and Kenzie were there. Angel was so little when they last visited she wasn’t sure if she would be enjoyed or tolerated. She would soon find out.

[Cat]

Cantha

The girls quickly adjusted to their new home. It was a very different life than they had before. On the farm they worked while they weren’t at school. Here, they only had their lessons as responsibilities.

The girls had no problem convincing Uncle Caleb to let them get the training they so craved. They were separated during the days receiving training appropriate to their natural talents. Each night, however, they returned to the Mackenzie home and excitedly shared their experiences. Kenzie suggested that they teach each other as much as they could of what they learned. You never know what will come in useful, she declared. To her surprise, even Ice agreed. So they all learned what they could about the skills of a monk, ranger, warrior, elementalist, and ritualist.

During the seasons when there were breaks from their lessons, they traveled from the city to the countryside. The Mackenzie country home was where they remembered visiting the most from those early years. Amy, Cat, and Kenzie remembered roaming the country side as children. This was where Amy’s mother’s family lived, and where her parents had met.

Amy had no more temper tantrums, so Cat and Kenzie became very curious about why she was so upset the day they came. When they finally asked her, she only looked sad and insisted that she didn’t want to talk about it.

"If you change your mind, we will listen," they said.

She smiled and said, "I don’t think I will change my mind, but thanks."

Unfortunately, the girls’ innocent questions caused Amy to begin thinking of the reason for her outburst that day. She had distracted herself by throwing all her efforts into her lessons both at school and at home with her cousins. Now, on holiday in the country, with no lessons, and with too many reminders around, she couldn’t seem to distract herself from her thoughts.

She thought back to when they first met. It was right after her cousins had gone back home from the last time they had visited, and she was roaming the countryside alone. She was bored without Cat and Kenzie there.

She saw a boy in a clearing, he was calling spirits, the same kind she had seen in her dreams. Curious, she approached him.

"What are you doing?"

He smiled and said, "Just practicing."

"I’ve seen those in my dreams," Amy said softly.

He looked surprised, "Can you call spirits", he asked?

"I don’t know."

"Maybe I can teach you how…want to try?"

"Sure", Amy said. And so they spent the next few weeks practicing the ritualist spells.

"You have a natural talent for this", the young boy told her.

"It seems I do", she smiled at Asuir. "Thanks for teaching me."

"My pleasure," he replied.

And that’s how the two became friends. She was sad when he left; he was only visiting his cousins, but was pleased to hear that he lived in Kaineng, the same as her.

As soon as they returned to Kaineng, Amy asked to visit her friend. Her father refused to hear of it.

"But why can’t we see each other", Amy demanded once again.

"They don’t live around here", her father replied. "They live in the merchant district."

"I don’t understand why that matters", said Amy.

"Just do as I say", her father replied.

Amy stomped off to her room to throw things. After a few satisfying crashes, she went back to ask her father again.

[Cat]

To be a Lady or Not to be a Lady?

Amy continues to think of her past……….

“Why oh why do I have to do this?’ Amy pouted.

“I have let you have your own way long enough”, her father replied. “You must take your place in society in a few short years. You must marry well”

“I must do no such thing” Amy declared. Finally Amy gave in and agreed to help host her father’s business party.

“Don’t worry” he said. “These are the merchants I do business with. They won’t notice any mistakes. I will make sure you are ready before you mingle with your suitors families.”

Amy looked at her father and stubbornly declared: “I want no suitors!”

Her father looked apprehensively at Amy, “please don’t throw any china” he said, “we need it for the dinner.”

The evening of the dinner, Amy was properly attired, and on her best behavior, and bored beyond belief. As she looked longingly at the door to the private area of the home, a young man noticed her.

She looks familiar, he thought. As he walked over to get a closer look, he caught Amy’s eye. She looked puzzled at first, then her eyes widened in recognition.

To her father’s chagrin, Amy ran over to the young man and practically tackled him. “Asuir! It’s you!” She exclaimed in delight.

Everyone around them began laugh at Amy’s unladylike greeting. As her father watched in dismay, Amy deserted the party leading Asuir by the hand to the courtyard. They picked up their friendship as if there had been only days, not years, since they last saw each other.

He promised he would never leave me Amy thought sadly, and then he left to work in Amnoon.

He left the very same day her cousins came to live with her.

[Cat]

Back In Kaineng

“Why can’t I go with Kenzie and Cat?”

“Your place is here” her father replied.

Amy saw no reason to stay behind with Angel and Ice in Kaineng, while Cat and Kenzie left for Amnoon. “What if they need my help in Amnoon?” Amy was determined to go to Amnoon, for more reasons than accompanying her cousins. But she wasn’t willing to go completely against her father’s wishes, at least not yet.

“Why Amnoon?” asked Ice. “I’ve heard that it’s not a very pleasant place.” She was very puzzled that her two older sisters both were so set on going there.

“It will be a good test of our training”, said Kenzie.

“Yes, and we can help out Uncle Caleb, his caravan to Augury Rock needed more guards,” Cat added.

Ice couldn’t help but feel there was more to it than that. Uncle Caleb had many places where they could put their training to the test. Almost all of them, in her opinion, were more pleasant than Amnoon. “But why Amnoon?” She asked again. “Why not Lion’s Arch?”

“I have my reasons”, said Cat.

“As do I” Kenzie replied.

So Amy, Angel, and Ice stayed in Kaineng with Caleb, while Cat and Kenzie boarded the ship bound for Amnoon.

[Cat]

Amnoon

Cat and Kenzie had a few days in Amnoon before the caravan left for Augury. They went their separate ways during the day, each about their own business. Finally the caravan was ready and they left for Augury Rock.

“I hate to admit it but Ice was right about this place” Kenzie muttered. She was tired of the sand and heat and most of all the scarabs.

“It isn’t so bad”. Cat actually didn’t mind the desert. She was fascinated by the dune lizards.

When they were nearing Augury Rock the caravan was attacked by a group of fierce beasts. As Cat attempted to evade them she slipped in the sand. To her surprise a nearby dune lizard sprang to her aid.

Once the beasts were chased away, the caravan continued. To Kenzie’s utter amazement, the dune lizard followed Cat.

“A very odd pet you have there, Cat”

Cat grinned at the lizard. “I hereby dub thee Igor”, she said.

Cat and Kenzie were amazed at the crowd of people in Augury Rock. Everyone was selling something it seemed. Their Uncle’s merchants began hawking their goods. Kephet’s refuge, 10 K said one. Brohn’s Staff 30 K said another. Some were speaking in languages the girls couldn’t understand.

Kenzie wandered over to someone who looked reputable and began asking the same question she had in of several people in Amnoon. “Have you seen a man named Mackenzie? Or a guild called something Meadows?”

Cat had trailed along behind Kenzie and looked at her in surprise. “Kenzie!” “What!?”

Kenzie looked at Cat….”Ahhh…well. I was going to tell you later.” And then she told Cat what she knew.

Cat shook her head in disbelief. “I should have told you what I found out myself.”

Kenzie ruefully said…”well at least we know the entire name now”. Unfortunately, no one they questioned in Augury had heard of Scars Meadows.

After a few days in Augury Rock, the caravan returned to Amnoon laden with new wares for Kaineng. The girls asked around Amnoon, again they had no success.

Disappointed, they boarded the ship bound for Kaineng.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Prodigal son and The Mackenzies are stories that are connected.
This part of the Mackenzie story intersects with the Prodigal Son story here : www.rodguildsite.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=asuirlore&action=display&thread=1181479837

[Cat]

As the two stories are connected.....you should be sure to read the previous Prodigal Son story and these before continuing with mine:
www.rodguildsite.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=asuirlore&action=display&thread=1181479945
www.rodguildsite.proboards46.com/index.cgi?board=asuirlore&action=display&thread=1181480194

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The Mackenzie Home: Kaineng

“Asuir? Asuir?“ Angel gently touched the young man’s face.

“Wha?” he opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.

“Hi.” Angel smiled at the young man.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Asuir tried to sit up.

“Just rest,” Angel said. “I’m Amy’s cousin” “You were hurt but you will be fine now”

“Amy?!” “Where is she?”

“She is resting in her room”. “She wouldn’t sleep until she was sure you were going to be all right.”

Just then someone brought in a tray of food.

“You should eat now. Do you need any help?”

“No, I can manage, Asuir said with a smile”.

Angel left him to his meal and went to check on Amy.

When she returned to see if Asuir needed anything else, she saw her Uncle Caleb talking to him. She stopped in the doorway and turned to leave, but noticed that Asuir was getting distressed. She frowned and turned back to chide her uncle for disturbing her patient.

“Asuir, you must not tell Amy why you left.”

“I have no intention of telling Amy why I left.”

Angel stopped in shock. As her uncle told Asuir again why he was inappropriate for his daughter, Angel shook her head in disbelief. Once she had heard enough to feel she had the gist of the story, she headed straight for Amy’s room.

“Amy, wake up.” “There is something I must tell you.”

Ice sauntered in the room and heard the entire story. When Amy sprang out of bed and sprinted for the door in anger, Ice moved uncharacteristically fast and tackled her. “What do you think you are going to do?” Ice inquired.

“I’m going to throw that vase at them” Amy declared.

“Not a good idea.” Ice laughed. “I don’t agree with what they did, but they had your best interests at heart.”

“They aren’t the boss of me,” Amy muttered.

“Right,” agreed Ice. “But tell them that calmly.”

Amy looked at Ice. “Ok, ok…I see your point.” “You can let me go now.” “I will talk to them calmly.” She walked towards the door then turned and looked at Ice. “Then, I will throw the vase at them.”

[Cat]

A Decision is Made

Kenzie and Cat returned to their Uncle’s home.

Angel was amazed by Igor, Cat’s dune lizard. “He’s so cute!” she declared.

Ice raised her eyebrows and then looked at Amy and chuckled.

“Who is this young man coming for dinner?” Cat inquired.

“My friend, Asuir” Amy looked at the gateway. “There he is now.”

Asuir entered the courtyard and stopped as he saw two unfamiliar faces. Then he continued to where the girls were sitting. “Hello, you must be Kenzie and Cat. Amy talks of you often.” He smiled at the girls.

They talked about their escapades as children and then went in for their meal. Afterwards, the talk turned towards more recent events.

Kenzie and Cat had decided that they would tell Ice and Angel why they went to Amnoon. As they were relating their stories, Asuir looked on in surprise.

“I’ve heard of Scars Meadows”, he said.

“When?” “Where?” “Who told you?” “Where are they?” The girls all talked at once.

So he told them of how he had met Dahnel and what Dahnel had said of Scars Meadows.

The girls talked excitedly of this news. It didn’t take long for them to make up their minds to go to Scars Meadows themselves.

“I’m going with you.”

“Amy?! No, I forbid it” Caleb looked alarmed.

“You will not forbid me, father.” Amy looked at her father calmly, “No tantrums, and no concessions, I’m simply doing what I want.”

The girls went to their rooms to pack.

Asuir looked at Caleb sympathetically. “Mr. Mackenzie?”

“Yes, what is it Asuir?”

“Don’t worry, I will go with them. I will protect them.” Asuir said with a calm determination.

Caleb nodded at Asuir, and then chuckled.

Asuir raised one eyebrow inquiringly.

“How do you know they won’t be protecting you, Asuir?”

Asuir laughed. “Well, then we will protect each other.”