Billiams Beginnings~

[Dash_Rogers 130]

Blessed into life,

Tolta, 17th of the Suns Smile, 27~

The quickly setting sun sends the last, sharp, red/orange, rays of Itnans sunlight through the Monastery stained glass windows, illuminating the stories told within, then passing into the temple, intensely lighting it, then slowly dimming out as the sun is pushed off the sky scape by the force of the moon and night sky. The moon had made a full cycle. It had left them, and came right back.

Eagerly waiting at the Cloud Temple Monastery, Just in front of the alter, Florie Sandydowns stood, with her hands at her chest fiddling with the doily like dress of hers at her neck while Mungo Fairbairns sat lazily at a forward pew, happy for his friend but tired of waiting and not much at all amused for what they were waiting for.

Finally, the bookshelves parted, slower than normal, making little noise but stone sliding over one another crushing grains between them, and a monk walked out carrying a small, tightly bundled, blanket that nearly filled her arms, but not quite.

"Tis the one of the largest halfling babe I've ever taken care for." The female monk whispers to the new mother as she hands Billiam over carefully, not to wake him.

Florie Tears up uncontrollably with an overwhelming smile, gently taking her baby into her arms. She tries to speak but is completely unable to and instead nods four times to the monk as thanks, holding her baby tight to her chest still being conscious and thinking not to wake him. She looks onto her baby with glazed over eyes still wet with tears, watching him yawn in her arms. She takes note of his pudgy size then whispers to him...

Mungo gets up with a feeling of accomplishment and helps get Billy into into the knapsack on Flories back, built for the soul purpose of carrying Billiam Sandydowns.

Florie turns and hugs Mungo and says while holding him, "Thank you for guiding me here, now lets go home." They turn to the monk and bow deep, as she does the same, then they turn and walk down the aisle and out the large, human sized double doors...

The travel back was just as daunting as the one getting here, but this time, they met another halfling, who happened to be at the temple and on his way to The Vale as well. One more party member means more company and there is safety in numbers. His name was Quaton. It seemed that Flories presence has turned him into a nervous wreck or he is just always like that but the entire trip he was falling over himself and making a general fool out of his name. In any case, he provided great entertainment.

The three moved south on the path to the human kingdoms out of the Cloud Forest to the Eastfields. Nothing special here as nearly all of Asulon knows what this looks like, but they took a stop in Riven to be different since this night it began to rain, and Mungo was a man who always had a plan and solution. They did not enter the gates of Riven but instead halted at the stables where Mungo climbed into. Florie takes this break to check up on Billy and move out of the rain while Quaton starts up a conversation. Mungo walks out of the stable with three ponies and a wide smile. Quaton claps and Florie nods in approval. Quaton Hops right on to his stead, with some trouble but succeeds. Mungo jumps right onto his without haste or trouble but forgets all about Billy. "Do ya mind helpin me climb me stead Mungo?" Mungo jumps right off and walks over to Florie. She extends Billy from herself, pushing him into Mungo. Mungo holds the thing away from himself looking at billy like he is some other worldly creature but is not at all disgusted and instead looks at him with uneasy kindness. As soon as Florie is on her saddle, Mungo fits the baby back into the knapsack wrapping him in tight then quickly flies up on his own pony and leads the charge out.

It was not long since they rode away from Riven that Florie heard an unsettling sound, the clicking of a spiders mandibles. Mungo was leading in front, Flroie in the middle and Quaton taking up the rear when she heard and turned her head looking into the woods, but saw nothing. She ignored it thinking it was ignoring them as well, except she was wrong and it was more than just a spider. Just then as she turned her head back to where they were headed, an arrow flew past Quaton and her head. Quickly the two turn, Mungo oblivious. What they see was of one of the worst evils of this world. Unquestionably the rarest beasts in the land, a Spider Jocky! It moved down from the trees in an enraged pursuit! They two cried out in fear and and galloped away after Mungo for safety. Perhaps it only intended to chase them out because as soon as they crossed the bridge back to The Great Forests of Midonia, the jockey was no longer in sight behind them.

From then on, the travel was mostly easy. They rode the horses through the valleys below and around The Greywise Mountains that soon turned snowy cold, passing the human kingdoms till their horses reached the desert lands west of Hanseti, where they arrived upon The Tent of High Lord Reynard of the House Lycian. There, they took a small rest, mainly just Florie, for Billy had accumulated waste in his loins and also grew hungry. She fed him her own brand and was soon ready to set out. It was also at this time that the moon abandoned the sky and made way for the sun once again.

Mungo told them that the small ponies would have too hard a time trekking through the sands and that from here on they should carryon by foot. Twas a short walk across the dunes though and no at all unpleasant and soon enough, the road was found again leading to lush lands once more but again the path was interrupted by spiders feasting on a dead traveler. Mungo stopped us, had us turn around, and climb the hills to the road on the other side.

They moved through another small desert, then drastically, the biome changed on them. The Three had now entered The Snowy Mountains. One minute, their halfling feet were steamy hot, the next was ice cold and yet they press on. Perhaps this is the reason halflings dislike to travel.

It was all well worth it for soon after they crossed the iced over ocean, they planted their feet into The Vales overgrown, lush, and forgiving meadow grass. One final obstacle was quickly averted when Mungo threw together a raft to float Billy across when they all had to swim over the river. A short walk later, the three were home at last! They heard cheers all around welcoming the newborn home.

Next story- Den Mother.