A/N- I am soo sorry I haven't updated in so long. My calendar seems to hate me, but I've been keeping the storyline in the back of my head. Here goes nothing! Oh, btw, I've typed up a Chammuran dictionary.
Chapter Six- Gift of a Friend
Several days later.
Evvy gasped as the border gate of Yanjing and Gygonxe rose up on the horizon. It was a monstrous creation of gray granite. Evvy could feel the rocks' hard magic call to her. She lunged over the edge of the wagon she was riding on and reached out.
"Whoa, dalaga. You'll fall right out of my cart," said the farmer in the front seat.
Briar grabbed the back of Evvy's tunic and hauled her back into the cart. "Apologies, tao," he said in smooth Chammuran. "She's never seen the border gate."
The man smiled sagely. "My son was like that the first time he saw it too. I started taking him along to the souk with me as soon as he was old enough to help the customers. Say," he added. "What are you doing around these parts? I've never seen you and I've made this journey enough to know most of the regulars."
Briar let the lie roll off his tongue. "We're taking my aunt to the Circle temple. She's been unwell for a while now." He nodded to Rosethorn, who was sleeping in the back of the wagon. Even with dye on her face, she was still paler than either Briar or Evvy. This worked to an advantage, however, as Briar could explain why they were traveling across the border.
The farmer frowned. "The Circle Temple? I've heard that there's a war brewing between the emperor and the Temple. You didn't hear it from me, but I'm told the emperor wanted the Temple to. . . to swear some sort of fealty to him. He wanted them to. . . back his army, and they refused." He shivered, then kissed his left thumbnail for luck. "You never heard that though."
Briar nodded and climbed into the back of the wagon with Evvy and Rosethorn. He pulled Evvy close and whispered in her ear. "We're going to get off soon. I don't want the border guards to remember us riding through with the farmer. Wake Rosethorn." He clambered back up next to the farmer. "Tao, my family and I are going to get off soon, if you could stop. You don't need our trouble."
The farmer blinked in confusion but nodded and steered the wagon to the edge of the road. "Alright friend. I've barely known you, but you have a good feeling about you. I'm rarely wrong about such things. May Lailan bless you and yours."
Briar hopped off the seat and helped Evvy and Rosethorn down before grabbing their packs. He hurried back up to the man and slid a gold cham across the seat. "Many thanks." He thought for a moment and them pulled a small iron token out of his pocket. It was stamped with a spiral on one side and a leafy plant on the other. "If you're ever in need of help, go to a Circle Temple and give them this. They will help you as best they can." The token was a miniature copy of a mage medallion, and it could be redeemed for services and goods at the Circle temples.
Them farmer held the token to the light and paled. He knew the token's meaning. "Gods' speed and blessing," he murmured before his horse began trotting down the road.
Rosethorn glanced at Briar. "What did you give him, boy? It was something special by his face."
"A gift. . . in case he needs help."
Rosethorn frowned, but accepted Briar's answer, then swung her pack over her shoulders. "Let's go. I want to get into Gygonxe before dark."
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