Guild Wars_ Ghosts of Ascalon - Matt Forbeck [95]
“Our relationship was … complicated,” said Dougal. And more than a little undefined, he reminded himself. They had sparred and argued and made up several times even before the memorable night when they had decided to leave Ebonhawke. And after they had left the city, Vala had been supportive and caring, more so than she had been earlier.
Was there, Dougal wondered, more going on with either woman than he had thought at the time? It would not be the first time he had misread another’s thinking.
“I think the news was unexpected for her,” said Dougal at last. “She knew that the rest of our platoon were dead. I told her as much, and she had a chance to deal with it. To find out that I had married Vala and she did not know about it, that was sudden. She will come around. I hope.”
“I hope as well, and the sooner the better, for all our sakes,” said Ember, and moved into the darkness once more.
They ran into another fence and followed it along under the moonlight to a latched gate, then passed through it into another field, this one with shorter grass and fewer weeds. They walked for about ten minutes, then Gullik froze.
“What is it?” hissed Riona, behind them.
“Something is moving out there,” said Gullik.
The asura scowled and looked westward. “I see it, too: several somethings.”
Dougal and Ember had doubled back by this time and the five stood clustered together. To the west, dark shapes, heavy and blocky and as long as the norn was tall, were framed against the lighter grass. As they watched, one of them shifted and let out a soft lowing noise.
Dougal let out a breath of relief. “Cows. Of course.”
“Cows?” said Kranxx, as if it were suddenly a new factor in his calculations.
Dougal almost laughed. “It makes sense. We’re in a pasture, after all, and we’ve been moving though gated fences.”
The tenseness in the group went out of them in single breath.
Ember explained, “Charr are mostly carnivores. Most of our land is cleared for ranches, and slaughterhouses dot the landscape. We grow feed for the winter. Cattle, sheep, hogs, dolyaks, and devourers all keep the legions moving.”
Gullik chuckled and scratched his chin. “I wonder if—”
“No,” said Kranxx, “you will not tip the cows.”
The norn snorted and said, “You never let me have any fun.”
More seriously, Ember said, “We are cutting across more settled terrain, and the moon is going down. We should find a safe haven for the rest of the night.”
In the end they found a feed barn, one used to shelter and supply the herds in the winter months, but for the moment open-sided and disused. They would not risk a fire, but the remains of the last season’s straw felt as good as the best bed in Lion’s Arch.
“Ember,” Dougal said, “when we first met you, you mocked my story of the Foefire. Now’s your chance. Tell us the truth about the Foefire.”
The charr snorted. “You don’t need truth. You have your own lies. You don’t need mine.”
“The more lies, the better,” said Dougal.
Riona raised an eyebrow at Dougal, the friendliest gesture she had made in the last twenty-four hours. “Are you saying the legends of our heroes are nothing but lies, Dougal Keane?”
“The last time I went to Ascalon City, I only knew one version of what happened with the Foefire,” Dougal explained. “I didn’t talk to any charr about it. So,” he said, speaking now to Ember, “I want to know what you know.”
Ember snorted through her snout and ground her teeth as she thought about this. “All right,” she said, “I will tell it as I know it, but I will refuse to mute any