The Crusade For Stones

Rocking back and fourth, back and fourth. I could feel my face turning green, as I ran to the edge of the little ship. I had been on the damn thing for weeks, and the whole time all I could hear was the rambling of the dwarves. The salty sea water air was making me sick, not only did I have to endure the smell, but the taste was always in my mouth. There he was. It was not a surprise that he would be in my way. “Red.” I acknowledged as I nodded my head. “Remove yourself from my sight ye wench!” came his reply. I rolled my eyes as I couldn’t help but notice he was fairly attractive, tall and muscular with hazel eyes and silver hair despite his young age. None the less this human ranger was in my way. “Don’t you cause enough problems Red? Move or I will just vomit on you!” He glared. "You are here for no reason and are not needed! Go back to the forest and annoy the others. We left to get away from the likes of you!"

I had had enough! I felt my anger rising up inside me. He didn’t know anything about my real reasons for following these men. I glanced over at the sorcerer Erix, he was laughing at my pain, as usual. I felt the longing as I looked at him, the deep need that I had to hide as best as possible. None of them would understand how much I needed him. I couldn’t control my rage, I reached over to push Red off the ship and hopefully be done with him. But me being only a small half-elf woman, and him being almost twice my size, all I accomplished was giving him a good laugh.

Through Red’s laughter I could sense something wrong, I glanced around to see what had changed. I saw the glint of a knife, and turned again to Erix. He looked calm and cool (as usual) as the knife was being held to his throat. The man doing so seemed to be demanding something of him that the sorcerer wasn’t willing to part with. I couldn’t see much of him, for he was covered head to toe in a dark cloak. “How dare this man!” I thought to myself, “He has no right to take what is mine!” Something had to be done, but I could tell by the look in Erix’s clear white eyes that I should not interfere.

The boat came to a halt, and I tried to make my way to the strange man who was holding my life in his hands. Just as I got to them, I noticed a line of dwarves all marching off the boat. “What is going on here?” I tried to ask over the roar of footsteps, and indistinguishable talking. I saw the mouth move, but heard no words. Red stepped in as usual. I’m sure he was asking all kinds of ignorant things that no one could hear, or would care about. There were only a few dwarves left on the boat, carrying their mining equipment and their belongings with hope of a new life in their eyes. I decided getting off the boat would give us more room to talk and listen, so I squeezed my way into the line hoping the others would follow.