The Mist's Maiden Part 1

Lrrakla walked along with the caravan, the soft conversation of the maritarimorphs (mushroom people) were a comforting buzz in her ears as she continually scanned her surroundings. She had her hands slung behind her neck, her elbows up in the air, in a very casual pose, but her hand was very close to the hilt of her fish hook shaped sword. She was starting to get a little tenser as the journey continued. They had been followed at times. It didn't really make sense for the barbarians to attack this small shipment of rice. Her hair brushed against her hands. It wasn't normal hair as most people would think of it. Her hair was made up of layers of the fern like coral in all colors within her coral scheme, which consisted of blues, greens, and yellows. Lrrakla was a Korallimorph, or a coral person. She had coral formations growing out of her back, and coral growing over the top half of her right arm in a pattern that almost looked like a tattoo. Her eyes were a blue-green with specks of yellow throughout. Her clothes were made out of a thick dark red silk, ornamented with decorative scales from other fish people. Her top was one sleeved with the sleeve on the side that didn't have the coral. She wore shorts finished off with a pair of leather boots that came to mid calf. She wandered back towards one of the leaders of the shipment.

"I may have to go to the bathroom soon," she said casually looking over at him. He turned to look at her oddly before seeing the hidden meaning.

"I see. Try not to be too long. If you take too long we'll have to stop the shipment to wait for you."

Lrrakla nodded and continued walking, casually making her way to the edge of the shipment. She heard a noise and slipped into the surroundings. She moved quickly and soon caught sight of a person who she quickly cornered. She was surprised to see that it was a maritarimorph. Why would one of their own be following the shipment. His skin was white. His head was bowed slightly, his mushroom cap covering his eyes. Lrrakla drew her sword, though he hadn't done anything. He didn't move.

"Why were you following this shipment?" she demanded.

"Protection."

"That is what I was hired for," replied Lrrakla. The man stayed silent.

"Who are you?" she asked curiosity overtaking the fierceness her features had when she had first confronted him.

"The Wanderer of the Mists."

"The very wanderer who the maritarimorphs (mushroom people) warned me against when my mission started? Why should I trust you when even your own race doesn't?"

He stayed silent before slowly raising his head revealing his eyes that had been hidden by his mushroom cap.

"They do not understand."

Lrrakla felt herself relax unwittingly at how sincere he sounded. She stared back into his eyes and a moment later she sheathed her sword, having a very strong feeling of the man standing before her. It was moments like this she really appreciated her ability to read people really well.  

"Very well Wanderer. I can see there are some personal issues between yourself and your kind that I will not dig into, however I still have a few more questions for you though I have to get back to the shipment. Will you be around when we stop for the night?"

He simply nodded before vanishing into the mist.

"Quiet," she observed to herself while walking back to the shipment. "But then I wonder how many years he's wandered the mists alone?..."

As she returned to the shipment she went straight towards the leader she had talked to before.

"What was it?" he asked dropping the pretense of her bathroom visit.

"The Wanderer," she replied.

He sneered. "I hope you shooed him away. We don't need his help."

"I'm going to talk to him when we stop for the night."

"But why?" he protested, the disgust clear in his voice.

She leveled a glance at him. "Because I am not about to scare away a possible ally of the Jade Blade," she replied before walking forward ending the conversation.

Lrrakla had taken a particular interest in the maritarimorph's struggle against the invaders when one of her mission's a few months back had taken her to a ruined village. In the remains of a burnt house she found a little girl sitting by her dead parents. She had turned to look at Lrrakla with large eyes but she wasn't crying.

"Mommy and Daddy won't wake up," was all she said. That little girl had stuck in Lrrakla's mind ever since and whenever missions came up to protect the maritarimorph's she jumped at the chance no matter how small the money was. That was how she came to protecting this shipment of rice. She allowed herself to relax slightly now knowing who was following the shipment. It would be a few hours before night fell and she would be able to talk to the Wanderer again. She allowed her mind to wander and it landed on the Wanderer. Her mind spun with questions. He was more than interesting. She was looking forward to that night when she would get to talk to him.