A weary traveller returns

[Gold xxx]

It has been nearly a decade away, and her heart races a bit as she returns to Rhydin. Glancing around quickly, hidden beneath her hood, she notices the many changes in the town she once knew so well.

Tired from the road, she breathes a heavy sigh of relief to see that the Red Dragon Inn is still open. Quietly she steps in with her entourage, and orders up rooms. She pulls the gold from beneath her tunic and passes them across to the Inn Keeper.

She signs the book.......Gold xxx.

Exhausted, they head up to the rooms for a bit of rest.

They can relax now.

They are in Rhydin.

[Gold xxx]

As the sun peeks through the window, she rises....anticipating the day's physical preparation ahead.

As a former Baroness and holder of the 13th ring, she hopes her return to the dueling rings will be triumphant....but the only way that will be so is if she is ready.

Heading to a quiet spot she discovered on the way into town, she considers how much she still has yet to do. Her head spins around remembering some of the old faces and she wonders who she will see.

She sends her servant off with her beloved sword, to have it sharpened and ready for her return to the ring.....whenever that shall be....

[Gold xxx]

Passing by the cork board, she glances up at the current standings for the Duel of Swords.

Her face lights up a bit, relieved to see some familiar and much missed names....remembering their faces.

Softly, she reads some of the familiar names out loud....lightly touching the paper when she sees the names written there.

"G'nort.....Tiny Topaz....KAREN! "

These are just a few of the old timers who brighten her smile.

She has a lot to work on with her technique.

She heads to the swordsmith who readied Sanctuary, her beloved sword. The glimmer and sharpness of the sword is once again apparent. She pays him with a few gold dinars and heads out into the daytime air to continue her sword practice. Sheathed upon her waist, the familiar feel of Sanctuary brings a rush of fond memories.

[Gold xxx]

Winding her way through the streets she heads back through town. Passing through the market square she briefly glances at the items on sale there, knowing she is not quite ready to add anything to her possessions.

She passes the cork board again and decides the time is right to send a missive to G'nort, the standings keeper and an old friend. She scribbles a short note and flags down a young boy. She asks the boy if he knows who G'nort is and he nods his reply. She offers him a coin to take the message to him, and promises another if there is a response. She tells him where to find her.....between the Red Dragon Inn, the Dueling matches, or the Great Helm Tavern where she is headed next to get a square meal.

The missive says:

G'nort, it is so great to hear that you are alive and well! It has been nearly a decade since I left Rhydin and am looking forward to dueling again. I hope to fight again this week and I hope that I am found worthy for reinstatement as a Warlady. Time will tell.

She signs it, "Goldie" for it was this name that everyone knew her by. As her senior, she feels certain that G'nort will still see her as young even though she has aged a bit. She no longer goes by the term Goldie as she feels it lacks the maturity and wisdom she has gained in her years of travel abroad.

[G]

He sits at his desk in the Golden Ivy when there's a knock on the door. Without looking up he sighs and calls out. "Come in."

The door opens to reveal Lina, who steps inside and up to the desk. She smiles, shrugs and without a word slides the note in front of him.

"So, what's this?"

"It just came for you. From the Great Helm, by courier." She keeps her smile and steps out with a smirk.

He rolls his eyes and reaches down to open the note. Glancing through it he did manage a smile.

"Ah, another old duelist returning. This pleases me." He reached down to pen a response of his own.

"Goldie,

It pleases me to see you have returned. I am sure that there will be no problem with you dueling and I hope to see you in the rings as well. At this time I have reinstated you at the rank of Warlord, which makes you eligible for the coming Tournament. There are plenty of places for you to stay, if you wish. Either the Red Dragon, the Great Helm, or the Golden Ivy are able to house those wishing to stay. Feel free to make use of these resources.

Welcome back,
G'nort."

He tucked it into an envelope and called Lina back in to send it out with the next available messenger, then proceeded to continue his work with a smile.

[Gold xxx]

The boy waited outside of the Golden Ivy, eager to return word to Lady Gold. He knew if he brought the reply in a timely fashion he would be sure to get extra coin from the Lady. He took the envelope from Lina and ran straight away across the bridge and through town, bumping and jostling a few of the residents on his way. A few times he turned to apologize and smile before running off again.

He returned to the corkboard, where he last saw the Lady. Stretching to prepare for her workout, she was close by in one of the gardens adjacent to the Red Dragon Inn.

When she spied the boy coming, she hurried to read the response. Her face lit up as she read it. She took a few coins from a pocket sewn into her sash and tossed them to the boy, a fine price paid for a boy to run. He smiled as he took the coins, offering his services anytime she needed them.

Barely able to contain her excitement she tucked the note away and resumed her workout, more rigorously than ever. She hoped to be ready by tonite......