realms of the other peoples surrounded the five kingdoms and within them he guessed things would be the other way around. It would be those with some human ancestry that chose to live apart from the others. There was no actual danger to them though. No one would cause harm to those of mixed blood simply because of their ancestry. But still, he guessed that they had always felt unwelcome, and the wilds outside of the cities and towns had become their home. Strangely, nothing had changed for them, even though the dryads at least worshipped Artemis as one of their principle goddesses. Even now that the Goddess had descended and her priests ruled the five kingdoms, they still found themselves unwelcome by the temple and the wilds were still their home.
But their mixed blood often granted them abilities that helped them to survive in the wilds. The ability to remain unseen was the usual one. Satyr's and dryads were naturally good at that. Fauns were too, and more than that they were fast. He had once seen a faun run, every bit as fleet of foot as a deer. A strange thing when they walked so awkwardly.
He discovered when he first got a good glimpse of her that his visitor was a dryad and was tempted to draw his blade there and then. Dryads were seldom seen in the five kingdoms. They had their own realms further away, the closest being Inel Ison which lay far to the east. It was in fact so far that to get to it not only would you have to travel across the eastern border of the Rainbow Mountains where he lived, but then traverse the entire Enteria Regency to the east of that as well. That was four hundred leagues at least. A very long journey for someone on foot.
The realms of the other peoples of the world were even further away. By some perverse act of Tyche the five kingdoms were completely surrounded by the realms of the satyrs, dryads and fauns. Not that that was a bad thing or that the humans had any trouble with the other peoples. But generally the races didn't have that much to do with one another. There was some trade, some diplomatic contact, but not much more. So only those of mixed blood were normally seen in the five kingdoms – though he understood that in Vardania to the west there were some faun villages. Of course, Harvas Greens the nearest realm of the fauns was just north west of Vardania. But it wasn't the dryad's race that bothered him. It was her allegiance and the reason why he had wanted to draw his sword.
When the Goddess had first descended and brought death to the cities of the five kingdoms, many had asked the dryads for help. Many had fled to their lands, Inel Ison to the east and Pariton far to the north. They had asked for them to intercede. They had begged. After all, the dryads were known to be worshippers of Artemis. If anyone could placate the Goddess they thought it would be them.
But nothing had come of their pleas. From what he understood the dryads had expressed sympathy but not much more. And they hadn't accepted any of the refugees. But then Artemis was one of their goddesses and they only had three; the Mother who some said was their name for Hera, the Father who many thought was really Zeus, and their daughter the Huntress. They simply could not be enemies of the Goddess even when she had transformed from a well loved deity into a monster. They might not be Artemis' allies in this monstrous attack she had unleashed upon the five kingdoms, but they were still friendly with her. That made the dryad unfriendly with him. It might make her an enemy.
She was a strange looking woman. But then, dryads were a strange looking people. Not that he had seen many during his days. There weren't many of them in the five kingdoms. A number of mixed blood, but not many pure bloods. And the difference between their half blood children and them was as always greater than he was prepared for.
Her skin was like living bark. It moved and bent like flesh but it was the colour of
But their mixed blood often granted them abilities that helped them to survive in the wilds. The ability to remain unseen was the usual one. Satyr's and dryads were naturally good at that. Fauns were too, and more than that they were fast. He had once seen a faun run, every bit as fleet of foot as a deer. A strange thing when they walked so awkwardly.
He discovered when he first got a good glimpse of her that his visitor was a dryad and was tempted to draw his blade there and then. Dryads were seldom seen in the five kingdoms. They had their own realms further away, the closest being Inel Ison which lay far to the east. It was in fact so far that to get to it not only would you have to travel across the eastern border of the Rainbow Mountains where he lived, but then traverse the entire Enteria Regency to the east of that as well. That was four hundred leagues at least. A very long journey for someone on foot.
The realms of the other peoples of the world were even further away. By some perverse act of Tyche the five kingdoms were completely surrounded by the realms of the satyrs, dryads and fauns. Not that that was a bad thing or that the humans had any trouble with the other peoples. But generally the races didn't have that much to do with one another. There was some trade, some diplomatic contact, but not much more. So only those of mixed blood were normally seen in the five kingdoms – though he understood that in Vardania to the west there were some faun villages. Of course, Harvas Greens the nearest realm of the fauns was just north west of Vardania. But it wasn't the dryad's race that bothered him. It was her allegiance and the reason why he had wanted to draw his sword.
When the Goddess had first descended and brought death to the cities of the five kingdoms, many had asked the dryads for help. Many had fled to their lands, Inel Ison to the east and Pariton far to the north. They had asked for them to intercede. They had begged. After all, the dryads were known to be worshippers of Artemis. If anyone could placate the Goddess they thought it would be them.
But nothing had come of their pleas. From what he understood the dryads had expressed sympathy but not much more. And they hadn't accepted any of the refugees. But then Artemis was one of their goddesses and they only had three; the Mother who some said was their name for Hera, the Father who many thought was really Zeus, and their daughter the Huntress. They simply could not be enemies of the Goddess even when she had transformed from a well loved deity into a monster. They might not be Artemis' allies in this monstrous attack she had unleashed upon the five kingdoms, but they were still friendly with her. That made the dryad unfriendly with him. It might make her an enemy.
She was a strange looking woman. But then, dryads were a strange looking people. Not that he had seen many during his days. There weren't many of them in the five kingdoms. A number of mixed blood, but not many pure bloods. And the difference between their half blood children and them was as always greater than he was prepared for.
Her skin was like living bark. It moved and bent like flesh but it was the colour of
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