Episode 26: Into the night by moonlight

Everyone was waiting in the tavern for Isabelle and Orlaith when they arrived. Arthur nodded at Isabelle when she entered, then glanced around at the others. "Everyone ready?"

There were nods of assent.

"Good. Obviously the enemy has better transportation than we expected; I suspect magic. We're leaving immediately so that the magi here can shut down all access to and from the outside world. As for us, the merchants have readied their wagons so that we can join with them for a short ways before splitting off. Hopefully the enemy will lose track of us. We're headed for the supply camp at the southeast corner of the forest in order to take out their boss and disrupt the supply train. Any questions?"

There was a scratching at the front door and a meow.

Arthur glanced towards the door and nodded, and one of Max's men opened the door just far enough to let in a beam of moonlight (Moonlight? But it was still overcast and raining. . . .) and a silver-furred cat.

The cat jumped up onto the bar and strode down to a point halfway along it, watching the gathering watching it. It sat down facing them, and a shimmer of moonlight later there sat a beautiful woman wearing a sleek, silver dress. Her hair shone like the moon now instead of being night black, but Isabelle still recognized her from the afternoon meeting at the tavern. The lady spoke: "Hullo, Arthur, Maximilian."

Arthur nodded. "Hullo, Em. Come to see us off?"

"If I may." She looked enquiringly at Max.

Max snapped to attention and inclined his head. "The bar is yours, my Lady."

"Thank you." She smiled for a moment, bathing the room in a soft, silver glow. Then she slid down from the bar, turned to face it, and lifted a pair of trays that had not been there a moment before. She turned and offered the silver goblets thereon to the assembled adventurers. "Drink up!"

They each took a goblet and did so. The ambrosia was smooth and silver, much like everything else having to do with that mysterious Lady. It had no taste, yet tasted more wonderful than anything that Isabelle had ever drunk before. It was also highly invigorating. As she put her empty goblet down, Isabelle glanced once at the strange hostess. When she looked back in front of her, the goblet was gone.

The Lady smiled. "May luck be with you."

Arthur looked at her sidelong. "I'm sure you will." He rose and grabbed his pack. "C'mon, people, we've got a war to win!"

They all grabbed their equipment and slipped out into the night.

End of Season 1.0