∞ Chapter 5.

"You heard the woman, Mr. Manservant." Jak said as he climbed out of the caravan with Ves's boots. Barnas' face was red and his fists clenched, which made him look comical. His bald head reminded Jak of a boiled egg, what with the way steam was nearly coming out of his ears. He could just imagine it. "Give em here and sod off, you little prick." Barnas grumbled, snatching the boots from his grasp.

Jak straightened his back and walked over to the man, who still stood seething and glaring at him. Barnas was a meaty man, and certainly tall, but Jak was not a little prick.

He looked Barnas in the eyes, standing before the man in silence for a time before speaking. "You heard the entire conversation, so I shall not reiterate what Ves said. I've agreed to travel with you guys until we reach that Midshear place, at which point I will gladly sod off, as you put it." Jak said.

Barnas grunted. "You better not get any funny ideas about her kid. She's way outta your league. Just don't get in our way, and fuck off once we get back to civilization and we won't have a problem." Barnas said.

"You were way nicer to her when you sparred with her last night. Tell me egghead, were I a woman, would you then treat me differently?" Jak watched with some satisfaction as Barnas' already red face turned an even brighter red. "It has nothing to do with that." Barnas said through gritted teeth. The man clenched his fists and Jak could tell that he really wanted to punch him. Jak smiled frostily.

"You'd do well to contain your anger with me. I wouldn't wish to damage the lady's Manservant." Jak said, walking past Barnas who still stood holding Ves' steamy boots sputtering and growling like a wild animal. The reason for why the man had to take care of the Ves womans boots was beyond Jak, but he didn't care enough to endure talking to either of them more than necessary at this moment.

He half wished that Barnas would've attacked him since felt a rage burning slowly inside of his heart. It had been so ever since the fall of Sirion, and the rage hungered for release.

He had much to do, much to discover and most important of all, he had a revenge to plot. First though, Jak figured he'd go to this Midshear place with these people. Then if he made his way from there to Nandorwin, the nearest port city to Sirion, he could begin his search for Sienna. Make sure she was fine, settle down, gather a resistance and fight back against the rebels. But he'd have to be subtle. He... Jak paused in his musings.

A woman in an elegant dress emerged from a caravan. She had medium length brown curly hair, green eyes, hazelnut skin and freckles adorning her high set cheeks. "Greetings." Jak said, nodding to her. She nodded back, but did not reply, stepping down and walking over to the campsite.

"Hold on now, don't you know it's impolite to ignore someone?" Jak said as he walked after the woman. As Jak said this, a few others emerged from the caravans. Three men and another woman who looked to be in her 50's. If he had to guess her occupation, he'd say she was a cook.

"Mina's a mute, so stop bothering her, new guy." A gruff man in strange ring-mail armor said. He carried a single-headed axe and a mace, both of which were strapped to his belt.

"I see. That's unfortunate. I'd hoped to converse with a more reasonable individual and she looked like she might fulfill such a criteria." Jak said as the gruff man walked up to him and extended a hand. Jak stared down at the hand, raising an eyebrow at it.

"Oh I remember now. My apologies." Jak said. The man gave him a funny look, as if Jak wasn't quite right in the head. This was an obscure traditional greeting used by the men and women of southern Dorwine, those whose might was mostly derived from a mastery of weapons and not sigils and the arcana.

History of the lands had been taught to him by an incredibly short man with a wiry moustache and strangely sagging face. He'd been incredibly longwinded and dry, droning on and on in a nasal voice, so the lessons were distant. Still, such knowledge would now become useful, so his years with the man hadn't been a total waste of time.

Jak grasped the mans proffered hand, and squeezed as he'd been taught one should do in such a circumstance. The gruff man winced, but then he grinned.

"Bloody sands, you're a strong bugger aren't ya. Name's Morgan." He said.

He smiled back at the man. "Call me Jak."

He noticed that the mature woman and the two men had begun bustling about setting up a cauldron over the fireplace. One of the men hefted a woodcutters axe and went off in the direction of the woods, which was to say he just walked away from the camp.

The other man followed behind him, but carried no axe. Instead, a bow was slung across his back, and he carried a quiver of arrows in his hands.

"Okay Jack. What's someone like you doing all the way out here by youself?" Morgan asked. Jak shrugged. "Why don't you go ask Ves and her manservant. They seem to know much more about what I'm doing out here than I do myself." Jak said flatly.

Upon hearing Jak call Barnas a manservant, Morgan began howling with laughter, slapping his meaty thighs and laughing. Even the Mute woman named Mina was smiling, and had turned to look at Jak. "Bugger me silly that's funny. Calling Barnas a manservant. Hah! I'm sure a B rank explorer such as he would be ever grateful for such an upgrade." Morgan said, still chuckling.

Jak had no idea what an explorer was, nor what the ranks signified, but he was reluctant to betray his ignorance since it seemed like something everyone should know.

"For how many moons have you been a mute Mina? Is it a recent thing?" Jak asked. He was interested in the woman who wore such an elaborate white garb in the wilderness. The dress was striking due to the blue rose embroidery that spiralled down from the chest area, and was an unusual choice of garment if one wished to travel the wilds. He figured there was some reason for the dress, not just the womans fashion sense preventing her from donning more sensible clothes.

Mina shook her head, looking a little regretful. So it wasn't a recent occurance, Jak nodded to himself. Then perhaps...

"I hope you don't mind me telling him this." Morgan said, and Mina nodded.

"When Mina was 13, some noble fucker tried to rape her. She fought back and he didn't like that, so he went and got the magistrate involved." Morgan said, spitting on the ground to make his displeasure known. Jak frowned.

"In the end, the bastards cut out her tongue, then healed her with magic and exiled her from the city." Morgan said. Jak shook his head in disgust, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who was the judicarus overseeing this travesty? I must have him punished appropriately." Jak asked. Morgan's eyes glazed over for a second before he shook his head.

"I've got not a fucking clue what you're spouting, my man. City magistrates be responsible for local rulings, not this so called Judicarr- whatever you said." Morgan replied.

Jak felt awkward having this conversation without including the woman in question. Getting a sudden idea, Jak turned to Mina and caught her attention before rattling off some handsigns which he hoped she might recognize.

[It would be remiss of you if you hadn't acquired some way of communicating with other people by now. After all, it must've been atleast 5 years since you were 13. You look like a fully fledged woman now, not some spindly teenager.]

As soon as Jak had begun flourishing his digits, Mina's eyes widened and a smile spread across her face. Morgan on the other hand just stood there with a blank stare. The woman did not disappoint, duly responding with handtalk of her own.

[Surprise: You know handtalk? Laughter: Actually it's been a bit longer than 5 years. And I'm glad to see you're up and moving. You didn't look so hot when V brought you back.] Mina replied. Her eyes shone brightly, and she nearly jumped up and down. She was obviously happy that he could communicate with her. So was he. Mina didn't seem like a pain in the ass, unlike Ves. Jak flourished his digits again. [Well, my education was not cheap, and my parents spared nothing when it came to me. In that I was fortunate. In other ways, unfortunate.'Desire to change topic'].

Mina reminded Jak of a giddy girl receiving her first Hrakash on her 2nd naming day, what with the way her eyes shone and the way she bounced from one foot to the other, her dress swishing back and forth.

Beside Jak, Morgan frowned. "Well I'll be damned." He mumbled. "I'm gonna go hunt with Torkan and Keith, later." Morgan raised his hand, turned and left.

He turned back to Mina, who had calmed down a bit, though her eyes still shone with the light of enthusiasm.

[Well Mina, pleased to make your acquaintance.] Jak replied, still using handtalk.

[Likewise, Jack.] Mina replied, dipping into an elegant bow before her hands flashed, frantically drawing symbols with her long thin elegant fingers. She nearly fumbled fundamental handtalk symbols in her enthusiastic rush to talk with him, which was kind of adorable.

[I am Mina Bluerose of Rothinia, priestess of tomes and a rank 6 intermediate level magus. I am also the healer of this explorer's group.]

"It's been years since last I used handtalk, so you'll have to excuse my rustiness. It's not a skill I've had to use often." Jak said. "Not like my fingers hurt or anything." Mina smiled again. It was a heartwarming smile.

[It's fine to just talk, it's my tongue that's broken not my ears, so as long as you keep that eye pointed in my general direction then we should be good.]

"Oh I don't believe that'll be too much of a challenge." Jak said, winking.

[Stop trying to make me blush. I'm probably more than 10 years your senior, you know?]

"You look younger than me though? I placed you near 18, possibly in your early twenties."

[Laugh: Oh no, I'm 27 and you look like you're 17 or 18. I was right about you. You're a strange one alright.]

"I'm 25, and I look older than my age. The desert's not known to be kind to a persons skin." Jak said with a shrug. Mina's eyes widened, then she frowned.

[I don't understand. You look like you're as old as V, maybe you got a couple years on her, no more. Also, desert?]

Jak ran a hand through his hair. He'd like a bath. It was getting greasy.

"Maybe I'll tell you about the desert later. I have many stories you might be interested in as someone from the Dorwinian dominion. But you're starting to make as little sense as those two knuckleheads, what with your talk of my apparent youthful appearance." Jak said, but even as he spoke, he had an idea of what had happened to him. He just didn't want to recognize it.

[Laugh: Don't let Barnas catch you calling his lady a knucklehead. If you doubt my words though, go find a mirror when you reach Midshear and you'll see.]

"Why not call her a knucklehead? She's quite pushy and stubborn." Jak replied. Mina smiled and nodded her head. [V has always been a stubborn one, but I love her like my own sister. Don't get too carried away badmouthing her. I know a sigil or two to make a man beg for mercy: Joke]

Jak raised his eyebrows, wondering what sigils the woman was referring to. He smiled.

"In any case, you seem to know how I came to be in this camp and Ves was rather difficult last night. Mind enlightening a poor little Jak as to how he came to be in this caravan of travelling... explorers?" He asked, cocking his head and wiggling his eyebrows with a smile. Mina nodded with a smile of her own.

[Amusement: Apparently, V carried your unconscious body all the way from the ancient ruins near the edge of the corruptor's lair back to our camp. That's a good couple hours trekking through dense forest wilderness with nary a path to follow. She was quite exhausted when she arrived, but satisfied I think.]

"I don't understand why you find it amusing, nor why she'd find satisfaction in performing such an act. She's probably regretting her choice to bring me here. I think the woman is fed up with me and wants me gone, though I gather that she's quite friendly with you and Barnas?" Jak said.

Mina nodded. [V's nice once you get to know her.] Jak frowned, having a hard time imagining a friendly Ves, and frankly he didn't really care all that much about the woman. He may or may not owe her some sort of dept for her bringing him here, other than that he'd be glad to be rid of her and the egghead in Midshear.

"The manservant was following her around when she went to explore the ruins, correct?" Jak asked and Mina nodded, smiling again when Jak called Barnas a manservant.

"Then would it not have been easier for that big chunk of meat to carry me? Not that I'd prefer being carried by a big ol' sweaty eggheaded barbarian like Barnas. I'll take a small sweaty female over that any day of the week." Jak said, chuckling.

[Laughter: You're a funny one. Strange but funny.]

"So Ves carried me to the camp and the rest's history? I don't get what the big fuss is about."

[Amusement: V has always wanted to carry a man in a princess carry. I think she was very satisfied that the man she happened across was quite the looker. I got to know her when I was apprenticing as a healer. One day my teacher said that a young girl would be joining our class for the day because her master had to run a few errands. Little did I know that the aforementioned master was none other than ArchMagus Gideron. The girl was very shy and timid, but she was so smart. I looked over at her notes once and couldn't understand half of it.]

Mina paused. [Hesitance: I'm not boring you with talk of my friend, am I?]

Jak shook his head. He hadn't heard of this ArchMagus Gideron before, so perhaps he was a trump card that the rebellion had kept hidden or something. Worth looking into later.

"Not at all, though I find it hard to believe that Ves has ever been shy and timid."

[She was lonely when she was a kid. The way she was raised was harsh for one of her standing. We write letters back and forth and she's been learning handtalk for some time now. Unfortunately she's not yet as proficient in it as you are. Puzzlement].

Jak spotted the woman he had rightly identified as the cook, pouring water into the huge cauldron along with some strange and colorful chunks of vegetables that Jak didn't recognize. His stomach growled at the prospect of food and Mina smiled.

Jak glanced up at the clouds floating past above before sitting down beside Mina.

"I have a good friend too. Funny story. When I was about 12, my training got alot harsher all of a sudden and the masters much more strict." Jak ran a hand through his hair, wondering whether his friend was okay. What happened to the ship she was on? Hopefully Dorwine's armada hadn't been mobilized aswell? His heart sank at that thought, but he shook his head. No, he wouldn't entertain the notion that she might be lost at sea, already food for the fishes.

" I had to spend most of my waking moments studying languages, politics, economics and all manner of combat tactics and strategies, along with more practical hand-on lessons of course, and I am sure my waking moments substantially outnumbered those of others. All in all, the 12 year old me got quite annoyed with having to constantly train and study, so he ran away from home!" Jak chuckled, remembering the uproar that his little escape had caused.

Mina listened with interest, her hands flashing a quick question.

[These events occured in this desert of yours?]

Jak nodded.

"I met her on the street after my haphazard escape from the pal- from my home. She was a poor demin urchin wearing little more than rags, very dirty smelly rags. She assisted me in hiding from the guards and on a whim I took her to get washed, then brought her to a drapecloth and served her a feast fit for a ruler. You should've seen how wide her eyes were when the dancers popped out." Jak laughed. "For a moment, I thought she'd faint on me. Thankfully she stayed upright. We've been friends ever since..." Jak trailed off, his thoughts once more returning to Sienna.

[Concern: You seem worried about her. Is she in some sort of trouble? Maybe something the church of Rothinia can help with?]

"My education must've been less all inclusive than my trainers claimed it to be, since I haven't even heard of the church of Rothinia. And yeah I'm worried about her alright. She left on a ship and I don't know whether or not she made it to port. I don't even know how much time has passed and I keep thinking, what if she's shipwrecked on some island somewhere, or bobbing helplessly in the middle of the damn ocean clinging to pieces of driftwood and waiting for rescue that will never come. Thus my determination to reach Nandorwin and discover the fate of my dear friend." Jak balled his hands into fists trying to contain his rage with the rebels. How dare they take from him what he loved.

Truth be told, right now he was more concerned about Sienna's current state than his revenge, for he knew that revenge was inevitable, simply a foregone conclusion waiting to happen. It was not a question of if, but when.

There could be no other course for him but revenge. The alfr would pay, the rebels would pay. He would break them all. He would...

Mina grabbed his shaking hands with hers, pulling them together and then holding them up to her heart, staring him right in the eye.

He was kind of shocked at this gesture of hers, but accepted it, taking a few deep breaths to calm and steady himself. He had to keep a cool head lest he become prone to mistakes, and that would not do.

Once he'd calmed down a bit, he gently pulled away from Mina. "It's unsightly for me to lose myself like this, it's just that the situation..." Jak said, trailing off. He truly had no words to adequately describe how he felt right now. He had nothing left. Nothing.

[I'm sure your friend is fine. If you give me her name and a description, I promise I'll send out an official writ to look for and rescue this friend of yours if at all possible. The church of Rothinia has quite an extensive spiderweb of informants so it'll surely be fine. Don't show me such a sad expression, I liked you alot more when you were joking and winking at me.]

"Must be my stomach. I get grumpy when I'm hungry, and it feels like I haven't had a bite in years. Truth be told, this cook woman of yours with her big black cauldron and huge wooden spoon kind of remind me of the old Krim hedgewitch story from Dorwinian folklore." Jak said. [Laughter: Her name's Tifana and I assure you she isn't some child eating, broomstick flying witch, but quite a good cook and a fully fledged explorer, as are the rest.]

"Looking forward to tasting this strange smelling food." Jak said.

During his conversation with Mina, the men who went out to hunt and gather firewood returned, prepared the meat and chucked it into the cauldron. Before Jak knew it, the cauldron already bubbled merrily away, releasing a mouthwatering scent. Tifana wielded the giant wooden spoon to great effect, stirring the cauldron and throwing various spices into the boiling water.

The smell made his mouth water as the spices sharply stung his nose. He swallowed his saliva, waiting with bated breath as Tifana the food witch conjured up something that smelled truly wonderful. [Laughter: You look like you've never had food before. Close that jaw of yours before it hits the ground Jack.]