Summary
First of all - I am missing MarsCon. If you are there, you had better be checking out the Dementia Smackdown!

On to other things. This week I decided that rather than focus on getting another blog entry up, I would provide a summary for what has come to pass in the story. Most of the loose ends are tying up, and it seems like a good spot to provide for a slight break that would allow me to summarize. This is appended to the previous story summary and picks up where that one left of. If you have been keeping up with the story, this will all be review for you, but reading through it might remind you of some details that you forgot.

This set of episodes begins with Velash trying to arrange to have himself added to Faelyn’s hunting party. Visiting a high ranking officer in the military, he calls in a favor. The officer, who has some unrevealed history with Velash, grants the favor but advises extreme caution. Velash leaves in a hurry and is a veritable whirlwind as he is packing his belongings. Velash’s manservant Tillian is picking up after him and making sure his master is appropriately prepared.

In the woods, Isen returns to his people with Nik. He is severely wounded and near collapsing from the pain. He quickly explains about Nik’s abilities and then is brought to the medicine hut. There he is cared for and his wounds dressed. While he is lying there, a Wilder from another tribe with a cat tattoo comes to visit him. Her name is Tessi and she is called a panther runner. She tells him secretly that Nik must be killed and would never help the Wilders. Isen sends her away, but as she is exiting she tells him that the boy will die. He can either help, or die too if he gets in the way.

Not far behind are Rienna and Elliena. They tracked Isen to his village, killing a Wilder guard along the way. They scout out the village, knowing that a frontal assault would be suicide and assuming that the Wilders would not be willing to simply give Nik up. At one point, the hut where they are keeping Nik seems to be completely abandoned, so Rienna climbs up the side of it and drops through the smoke hole in the top. She sees Nik lying on the floor staring into space. She tries to rouse him, and is barely successful. They try to sneak away, but are seen by the Wilders. Elliena comes to their rescue, holding a Wilder captive at the point of her spear. When the Wilders begin to advance anyways, the two sisters and the boy take off at a sprint through the woods trying to get back to their horses. First Elliena drops back to try and hold them off. Then, Rienna follows suit, hoping she can give Nik enough time to get away. Rienna is quickly overwhelmed by the Wilders, beaten into submission, and limply carried back to the village.

Velash, Faelyn, and Faelyn’s men find the horses tethered at the edge of the woods. The trail is easy to find and follow. While they are walking, there is a fair amount of tension amongst the group as they show their universal disdain for Velash. While Velash is scouting ahead with Bental, Nik bursts out of the woods ahead of them with several Wilders close on his heels. The two men fight the first couple of Wilders, but realize it is a lost cause, so they turn and run. They reunite with the main force of Faelyn’s men, and together they are easily able to repel the remaining Wilders. It is the Wilders’ turn to flee, and the troop sets out after them at full speed. In the chaos, Nik manages to get away, but Velash chases him down. He learns that Nik was traveling with Elliena and Rienna, and asks him to stay where he is until he is able to return. When he gets back to the troop, he lies and says that the boy got away.

Meanwhile, Uima and Pui are on their ship and sailing north. They were hired by the man in the black death mask to smuggle a box out of Curand and take it north. They ask no questions and fulfill their duty. The man takes the box to the fortress of a ruined city. He never removes his mask and guards willingly grant him passage. Once he is in the throne room alone, a woman appears out of the shadows. Sallista talks to him, referring to him as her pet and asking that he remove the mask. She calls him Idoredad and gently caresses his face. She thanks him for the package and asks that he personally make sure that Nik is killed. She comments that their master would not be pleased if Nik managed to survive. They open up the box, and sleeping inside is a young woman curled up. As they are talking, they are interrupted by a messenger. Sallista changes her image so that she looks like an old king before the messenger is admitted. She eventually dismisses them both and looks at the sleeping girl once again.

She is joined by an older man who talks about taking her place. He too changes his image so that he looks like the older king that Sallista was playing the part of moments before. In response, Sallista changes her image to look like the woman trapped in the box. Using a secret passage, she sneaks out of the castle into the city and makes her way to the docks. On her way she is assaulted and barely manages to get away. She is climbing into a boat when her pursuers are stopped by Uima. They pull away in the rowboat, boarding the ship that is still anchored in the bay.

Back in the forest, Faelyn and his men catch up to the group of Wilders dragging Rienna back to the village. They are able to win the fight, rescuing Rienna and also taking a few Wilders captive. The plan is to arrange for a trade. An emissary is sent ahead while the rest of the troop conserves their strength in case the Wilders come out in force. They meet in a clearing and agree to the trade – Elliena for the three Wilders. The happy reunion is short-lived as Faelyn wastes no time in binding Elliena to make sure she can’t get away. As they are making their way out of the woods, Rienna ducks away to go tend to Nik while Velash stays with Elliena to make sure no accidents happen. She is brought back to the capital and is immediately imprisoned within comfortable quarters. She is treated with respect and given a place to stay befitting her noble station, but is not allowed to leave the rooms.

Rienna meanwhile takes Nik back to her cabin and hides him there. She tends to him as best as she is able. Velash rides out to her to let her know how Elliena is faring. The trial will not be for a few days, but Velash does suggest Rienna visit her sister in the meantime for comfort. He says he will do everything that he can to try and prove her innocence.

And that should catch you up.