The day was early, around the hour of terce. A week had passed since Tomos agreed to contact the Burgomaster of Narber. Reilyn, Garrin and the five soldiers were waiting together in Reaper’s Paradise. It was well before the tavern’s open hours, therefore, no patrons were present. 

Linda was sitting next to Nia, chatting her up. Nia, initially standoffish, had mellowed slightly and was chuckling at Linda’s humour. Catrin was humming and polishing her lance, Jac and Emyr were having a jovial conversation, and Daffyd was flipping through his magic texts while making sure his concoctions were in order. Garrin was reading a small book, while, beside him, Reilyn was staring down at his left hand with his lips twisting in a grimace. 

Rena came down the stairs, grabbed a tankard of milk from the bar, and walked over to Reilyn. She sipped her milk, looking at the hand he was glaring at, “What’s wrong?” 

Shaking his head, Reilyn outstretched his arm away from Rena. Opening his hand, he squinted and called out, “Kympere kur talma, kea cadiu!” |Take your form, my blade!| From Reilyn’s palm outward, the hilt of a sword began to appear, but, as its curved blade began to grow, it fizzled into nothing. Reilyn groaned and glanced up at Rena, “I’ve been pouring over these texts.” He pointed to a couple thick books beside him, their titles engraved; ‘The Art of Illusory Magic’ stacked upon ‘Imagination is Your Creation’. “But I can’t seem to get this to work.” 

The Eyll girl frowned. She stepped towards the books, looking one over, then picking it up and flipping through it. Felix, who was curled up beside the books, startled and readjusted himself. Reilyn raised an eyebrow as he watched her focus on the text, he spoke after a few moments of quiet, “Do you also use magic?”  

Rena let out a nervous laugh and set the book down. She shook her head, looking at the floor, “I can’t read, so…no.” 

“I’m sure I can teach you.” Reilyn shrugged, “If you want.” 

“Yes, please!” Rena grinned, her eyes lit up. 

At the table next to them, Garrin set his little book down and had turned to watch Reilyn and Rena’s conversation. He rubbed his hand on his chin, stroking his stubble, and spoke up, “You’re trying to make an illusion sword? That wouldn’t do anything.” 

Reilyn crossed his arms, “You misunderstand Let’Hal magic.” He frowned at Garrin, “As long as the one seeing the illusion perceives it to be real, it will do real damage.” Garrin squinted back, clearly not convinced. “If I can figure out how to do this, I won’t have to carry a weapon on me, and I’ll be even more versatile in combat.” The Eyll sighed. 

“Hmm.” Garrin grunted and picked up the illusory magic tome. He flipped through it with lowered eyebrows and a pout as he tried to scan and understand the pages. “I’m not really good with all this magic stuff, but-” He paused. Reilyn looked Garrin over, tilting his head, curiously. “What if the one casting the spell also has to believe the sword is real?” 

“That actually…makes sense.” Reilyn’s brows furrowed as he bit his lip, “When did you get so intuitive?” 

“I have my moments.” 

The Eyll leaned towards Garrin, looking down at the little book the large man was previously glued to. It was titled ‘The Complete Morgaan Wordlist’. “Why are you reading a dictionary?” 

Garrin blushed, set the magic tome down and roughly grabbed his little book, tossing it into his satchel. “I’m trying to expand my vocabulary.” He crossed his arms and turned his gaze away from Reilyn.

A sudden bang on the tavern door echoed through Reaper's Paradise. Everyone turned towards the sound and Linda stood, walking over to open  the door. She let Tomos inside, the Burgomaster walked past her, giving a polite nod. He was holding an unfolded letter in his hands, after walking over to the head of a large table, he set it down near the middle. Reilyn, Garrin, Catrin, Nia, Daffyd, Emyr and Jac stood from their chairs and surrounded the table. Linda and Rena retreated behind the bar counter to give the group some privacy. 

"The Burgomaster of Narber got back to me yesterday. Hence, why I told you to meet here." Tomos cleared his throat, "He told me all he could of Myrddin Lu Griffyid." 

Reilyn stared eagerly at Tomos. Garrin spoke up, "What was he able to tell us?" 

"Myrddin runs the brothel there. He's also known for being a skilled magic user, and wearing colourful robes. So, he'll be easy to spot." Tomos paused to scan through the letter. "His father is the late Griffyid Lu Osain." 

"That was…" Catrin gasped, "The old Taltou'Rex." Tomos nodded in response. "It happened before I was born, but I'm from the Taltou region." Reilyn looked at her with a puzzled frown. "He lost his position because he was caught laundering money. If Myrddin is his son…he probably had a rough time growing up. They were exiled from the region, and lost their home completely." 

Reilyn rested a hand on his hip and leaned over to see the letter more clearly. "You name your Rex after the region, I forgot about that." 

Garrin looked over at the Eyll, "They rule each region, similar to a Burgomaster to a town." He gestured to Tomos. 

"Thanks professor, I'm aware." Reilyn glared at Garrin, "Tey'Omus has a very similar system. The Rex are just named for the Eyll they lord over." He looked back down at the letter. 

"Sorry," Garrin ran a hand through his hair. "I didn't know about that." 

Reilyn smirked, “One difference, though.” He looked back up at Garrin. “We don’t have a Bryneus to act as a king. The Eyll Rex just meet as a council to make decisions.” 

“That’s…interesting.” Garrin muttered. 

Reilyn shrugged, “Guess we’re just better at getting along than you lot.” 

“Anyways.” Tomos raised his voice, speaking over Reilyn and Garrin while giving them a stern look. “That’s all he could tell me. Myrddin is shady. Definitely a dangerous man. If you accept this job, to go after him, I’ll pay you double the quid from your last job.” 

The soldiers looked quietly between each other and then back to Tomos. Reilyn took a step away from the table and dragged his eyes across everyone. “I know we don’t really know what we’ll be running into. And I know it doesn’t look good.” He closed his crimson eyes and took a deep breath. “But knowing what they’re doing…how many people they’re hurting…I can’t just do nothing.” 

Silence enveloped the room for a moment. Jac sighed, nodded, and walked towards Reilyn. “I didn’t become a soldier just to sit back when someone needs help.” He held out his hand to Reilyn, his dark green eyes gleaming. Reilyn grasped Jac’s hand and they shook. “Of course I’m in.” He stood beside the Eyll and looked back at the rest of the group.

With a stern look, Catrin followed and put her hand on Reilyn’s shoulder. “I don’t care how dangerous this is. It’s the right thing to do.” She glanced at the remaining who hadn’t come forward, her eyebrows raised. 

Emyr strutted over. He crossed his arms and grinned down at Reilyn, “Let’s go show those bastards a thing or two.” He smacked his hand against the hilt of the large sword strapped to his back. “They won’t have a chance to nab any more kids.” 

Daffyd grimaced and bit his lip. “I…s-said some things out of line last time.” He slowly made his way towards Reilyn. “But I know now, it’s not the magic you use, rather, how you use it.” He shakily held out his hand to the Eyll. “And I a-agree with you.” Reilyn smiled and shook his hand. 

“Just me then?” Nia noted everyone staring at her. She put a hand on her hip and walked up to the group, stopping in front of Reilyn. “I don’t think I care anymore about where you’re from. Elf or not, you have a point.” She patted Reilyn on the shoulder and moved to stand behind him. 

Garrin grinned down at Reilyn, “That sounds like an outlandish yes.” 

Reilyn snickered, “Outlandish? That’s a big word for you.” 

“Thanks, I learned it a few minutes ago.” 

“I can tell.” 

Tomos shook his head. “Well. That’s that. I trust you’ll be ready to leave tomorrow by terce.” 

—

Late in the night, well past matins, Reilyn was out by the palisade. He looked up at the stars blanketing Pembroke, and the silver moon shining down on the town. The sheep pen in front of him, he leisurely walked forward and petted the sheep, enjoying the cool breeze and dark sky. Felix was nestled on his shoulder, wrapped up in the raven feather cloak. 

From a tree beside him, Reilyn heard the hooting of an owl. The sheep he was petting bleated, surprised. He turned to see a snow white owl sitting on a branch. The bird stared at him with wide eyes, puffing its feathers and tilting its head. “Nee, gaeilve.” |Ah, hello.| He greeted the owl.

“Gaeilve.” A voice replied. Reilyn startled and turned swiftly to see an Eyll woman approach him, the owl flew to her outstretched arm and perched on it. She looked about a head taller than Reilyn, similar to Linda’s height. Her body was slender but her arms were toned, Reilyn noted the quiver of arrows on her back. Her free flowing silver hair went down between her shoulder blades as it framed her face. Her lavender eyes stood out against her dark grey-blue skin. The mysterious woman was dressed practically, a long white tunic with gold embroidery, a gold sash, black fingerless gloves that reached her elbows, black heeled boots, and a short purple hooded cloak lined with white fur. 

Reilyn crossed his arms, stepping away from the sheep, and raised an eyebrow. “Yane…pebo’wod ute tebyrum.” |Well…this is a surprise.|

Graceful, calculated, and stoic, she walked towards him and looked him up and down. “Mwsen’ku untia ute melator?” |Are you a traveller as well?|

“Dihi.” |No.| Reilyn shook his head. “Mi’mwoae quon’cawitus re’mwsen. Kyaut, migo tebogita pebei mi’clybeo ute gobmum caic drync.” |I used to be. But, I think I have a home here now.|

“Ynovu.” |Interesting.| The woman stroked her owl. The owl fluffed its feathers and shook its head. “Ku kyven re Tey’Umbra?” |You’re from Tey’Umbra?|

Reilyn nodded, “Quont honlis ku, migo paraemo?” |Same as you, I presume?| She also nodded, her expression unchanging. 

The mysterious woman turned to leave, “Migo botae faci paresse re taigis kea ruiter.” |I’d better be on my way.| Her owl hooted as she walked away.

“Ghibere!” |Wait!| Reilyn called after her. She stopped walking and tilted her head slightly in his direction. “Kyr mwod kur anome?” |What’s your name?| 

She turned back away from him, and resumed leaving. “Ystas’mwod peba ku quont bot’yscyr dondo ros ro’haesum gweru, Reilyn’da.” |Perhaps you’ll find out when we meet again, Master Reilyn.| 

Reilyn stood unmoving, his body tensed, his hands shaking at his sides, as the Eyll’Una woman disappeared into the night. “Caum…yscyr ku kea anome?” |How…do you know my name?| He whispered after her.