She was there again. Back in His bed. Once again He raped her, looking at her with dead eyes, while cold hands held her down. But this time it did not end. Forever and ever it seemed to continue, an eternity of pain, fear and humiliation. His chill laugh echoed through her head as He impregnated her with His child. Tanara could almost hear His terrible voice again, a voice that drove all thoughts of resistance from her head. Then she was running...running away from Him and His evil presence. Running along endless twisting corridors. No matter how far or how fast she ran, every time she turned a corner, He was there. Standing there looking at her, like she was His property. His expression told her exactly what the punishment for...a woman's voice pulled Tanara back from the world of her nightmare.
She sat up with a shock, wondering where she was and who the old crone kneeling before her was. Tanara had never seen anyone so old, so withered and frail. The woman's hair was long and white as snow, her skin wrinkled like an old prune, but her eyes held no trace of the senility Tanara would have expected. "Who...who are you? And where am I?" she asked in a quavering voice.
"In answer to the first of your questions, I am known as Adjel in these parts." Something about the old woman's tone of voice suggested to Tanara that she should know that name. "I expect ye have heard of me afore, if ye have come up from the south."
It does seem familiar...then it came back to her. She had been talking with the innkeep of the last village she had passed through about her journey north. The innkeep had shaken his head when he learnt she would be crossing the mountains, and had warned her about an old witch who was rumoured to live there. "She is called Adjel, and a fouler demon is never to be heard of." The man had regaled her with tales of missing children, lost hunters and other misfortunes in the mountains; all of which he had said was the fault of the old woman sitting in front of Tanara. She sounded like a member of one of the demon-worshipping cults from my homeland then, but most of them would have killed any lost traveller they came across, so I doubt she belongs to them. Tanara's mouth dropped open as the memories returned.
"Humph. So ye have heard of me then, I take by your reaction. Well, ye should know that whatever you have heard is lies. I do not eat babies for breakfast, and then dine on lost hunters for supper. I am naught but a poor old woman, living alone in these mountains, ever since my husband passed away and my sons left. I came upon your dying form a short distance away from my cottage and brought ye and your wee babe back here."
"My son! How is he?! Let me see him!" Tanara cried, her heart full of worry for her young child, starting forward towards Adjel, though the movement drove lances of pain into her bruised body.
"Hush, now lassie. He is not well, though that is no surprise after all ye've been through. He has a nasty cough that refuses to leave him, despite my strongest herbs. He sleeps over by the fire, and I would thank you not to wake him."
"He is alright otherwise though?" Tanara asked, fearful of the answer. How will I cope if anything happens to him? He is my life, my reason for living...I pray to any power that can hear me to protect my son.
"Apart from that he is fine, lassie, but we shall have to let time take its course. The same applies to ye as well lassie. Ye were but moments from death when I found ye, and ye have been in a fevered state these past two nights."
"Two nights!" she exclaimed, before continuing in a calmer tone of voice, her mind numbed by all she had been told. "I...I...don't know what to say...thank you, thank you for saving both our lives."
A smile touched the old woman's face, softening her harsh features somewhat. "Hah...what else could I be doing now eh? I could hardly leave ye both to freeze now could I? Anyhow, enough yapping...ye need to eat young lady, to help recover your strength after all ye've been through."
The old woman hobbled over to a large cauldron that hung over the fire, and removed the iron lid before removing a large bowl-full of some delicious smelling stew. The wave of hunger that overtook her at the sight and smell of the stew surprised Tanara. How long has it been since I've eaten a proper meal? The last few villages had barely had enough food for themselves, and no desire to share any of that with a passing stranger. She wolfed down the stew the old woman handed her and once her hunger was satisfied she took a long look around at her surroundings.
She was in what appeared to be a small hut, very reminiscent of the houses of her people. But her floor is covered in rushes, which look far more comfortable than the rough wooden floors of the Clan. The walls were covered in a range of hunting and trapping equipment, though some of the weapons had obviously not been used for a long time. I wonder if they were her husband's... There was also a range of tools for skinning and preparing animal carcasses. They are slightly different to the ones I am used to though - I have never seen a bone scraper with such a long handle...I wonder if it makes it easier to use... When she had lived with her father's clan Tanara had enjoyed the skinning and preparing of animal hide and dying it into a wide range of colours. Dar did not approve of my leather working - he could never stand the idea that I could be better at something that he, though who ever heard of man preparing leather? It has been so long since I have had chance to practise my skills though, I hope I have not forgotten how. Judging by the number of animal pelts scattered around it seems that she must be very skilled. I wonder if she knows any new techniques... It had been a long time since Tanara had been able to think of such mundane things and she revelled in the chance.
"I see ye looking at my furs with interest dearie," Adjel said suddenly, causing Tanara to jump slightly. "Do ye have any skill in that area?"
"I do...though it has been a long time since I have had the opportunity to practise. It was over a year ago that I last worked leather." Tanara's face was covered in a small smile as she recalled happier times, when she had been taught all the various ways of curing and preserving leather by her mother and her aunts.
Adjel laughed. "A year may be a long time to one as young as ye, though it is but a moment to me. Besides which, it is not a knack ye can forget either. Ye should have plenty of time over the winter to do some, so do nay fret."
"Over the winter..." Tanara said with a growing sense of disbelief, "I cannot stay here all winter. I must leave, and head northwards to find my brother."
Adjel rolled her eyes and shook her head at Tanara's words. "Did yer brush wi' death teach ye nothing at all? To travel in these mountains in the heart of winter is to risk death, even for the strongest man. A young lass and her wee babe would stand no chance at all. You will have to wait 'til spring afore ye can leave."
"Spring," Tanara said, in a weak voice, as she felt her world collapse around her. I cannot afford to wait until spring, for who knows where Tlaman will be by then - but if I do not wait, I will die and my son with me. If it was only the Bhaalspawn I carry who was at risk, then I would not hesitate, for that 'child' does not deserve to live. But I cannot and will not risk my son's life - he is everything to me. "Spring," she said again, still unable to fully comprehend this fact. "How long until spring reaches these mountains then?" she asked, fearful of the answer.
"About five months lassie, I am afraid. Do not look so glum though, ye and yer son are more than welcome to stay here with me, for I could use the company."
"Thank you," Tanara replied in an empty voice. Five months...I will be six months pregnant by then. I hope I will still be able to continue on in my search for my brother, for I do not fancy giving birth to this...thing...on my own.
It seemed to take forever for the five months to pass in the Cloudpeak Mountains, and Tanara grew afraid that winter would never loosen its harsh grip on the area. She started to watch each day for signs that spring was coming and felt her heart leap with joy when the icicles hanging from the outside of the small hut began to melt. Spring is on its way at last, and I can prepare to leave this place, and continue on. I will be sad to leave Adjel, for she has been so kind to Somonas, and myself; but I must find my brother. Maybe after I have found him and dealt with this abomination I carry I can return here and visit Adjel again. Adjel was sad to see her leave, and asked her stay, but Tanara was resolute. She would find her brother, and to do so she must head north. Before she left, Adjel gave her an old necklace that had been in her family for generations. "This should rightly be passed on to my eldest daughter, but I though I had four children, not one of them was a girl. So I give it to ye lassie, and ask ye to keep it, and pass it on to your eldest daughter, whoever she may be. Keep it to remind ye of the old woman in the hills."
Tanara smiled as she remembered her response. "I shall need nothing to remember you by Adjel, for your kindness has saved my life and I will think of you forever. I have nothing from my own mother, but you have been like another to me, so I will keep it to recall you both. And one day, I will pass it onto my daughter." Adjel had smiled one of her rare smiles then, and with eyes full of tears had bade Tanara to be on her way, and wished her good luck in her quest to find her brother.
