"Ogres don't bathe, Irzen," Alyson said flatly. "It's what makes them more effective at being foul."

"Good point," Irzen nodded in agreement.

"Is everyone well?" Willow asked to no one in particular, "Is anyone injured?"

"I'm good!" The Swordsman replied as he returned his sword to his sheathe, "I hate to say it. But now I think we know why there are no wardens or rangers in this part of your woods, Willow. They were either recalled to your capital or creatures like this guy got them."

Alyson made her way down to the body of the dead ogre and searched for anything that might help. In a crudely made pouch, she found a piece of tanned leather with strange writing on it. "Hey Irzen, I found something in a language I'm not familiar with. Looks like orchish or under common. My guess is that they're orders of some kind but I'll let you take a look at it."

"Okay, let me take a shot at it," The Swordsman walked over to the Elementalist and accepted the tanned leather. Irzen read the Under Common word for word and openly sighed, "It's this Ogre's marching orders. Gruumasht ordered him and his ilk to scout the land, kill as many Elves as they could and bring back their heads as trophies. Simply put, the more Elves they kill, the more Elven heads they bring back, the more they get paid and the higher their rank will be."

"I'm not impressed," Irzen handed the tanned leather back to Alyson, "I've seen an incentive system like this back on Earth. America to be precise. The Old West. During the Lincoln County Wars, hired gunfighters were paid for every saddle they brought back to their paymaster. The saddles were considered proof that a gunfighter had killed an opponent since it was easier and cheaper to bring back a saddle than a dead body. That's all this message is, nothing more than that."

"A gunfighter?" Willow turned to Alyson and Irzen to seek an explanation for the term.

"A gunfighter's weapon looked this," She told the ranger drawing a gun shape in the loose dirt. "The shaft was hollowed out for a piece of rounded metal, usually marble sized to fit in the shaft along with some explosive black power that was triggered by a flint lock mechanism to create a spark. The rounded projectile would be blasted out at high speed hitting the target, hopefully downing whoever was on the receiving end in one shot."

"Yeah, think of an arrow being fired from a bow at a faster speed than a Human or Elven eye can see," Irzen surmised for Willow.

"Oh!" The Prince nodded in acknowledgement, "The wonders of your world never cease to amaze me, my friends, but we should rejoin the others. They might need our help should any more of these things be lurking about."

"I'm on point," The Swordsman returned to his previous position and began to lead the way back towards the others.

"Right behind you with Caliaphy. This thing is really starting to stink the longer we stay here." The elementalist said hiking back up the hillside.

"I agree," The Prince covered their rear as they moved away from the dead Ogre and back towards the spot where the Elves were hiding.

***********

"My name is Elbereth," The elven girl wiped the tears away after watching the Bronze Man heal her parents wounds and anyone else that was hurt. "We lived down in the valley but the horde came to conquer and enslave my people. We're heading to the capital north of here and almost made it until we were cut off by the ogre."

"Elbereth, that's a pretty name," Serna smiled, "Well, you don't have to worry about that Ogre. I have friends like the Cleric here who will be taking care of that mean, nasty monster soon enough. You will never see that Ogre again, I promise."

Serna turned to Lazheros, "She called you 'Amandil'. What does that mean?"

"It means cleric in elven, Serna. Her name means queen of the stars. A rare and beautiful name not usually given unless her purpose is yet to be fulfilled." The Bronze Man sat down on a tree stump watching the two of them talk.

"Wow! Queen of the stars," Serna spoke in a wistful tone, "That IS a beautiful name."

Elbereth giggled and darted over to her parents for a moment before coming back over to Serna and Lazheros.

"So, who are your parents?" Serna asked Elbereth attempting to engage the child in idle chatter, "And what kind of work do they do?"

"My parents grow and maintain the winery here in the Southern Valley. Our king has favored my family's wine for many years." The elven girl pointed out her parents to the shield maiden, who had eaten their fill of the generous food and drink provided by the Bronze Man.

"Any extra food and drink is yours to keep, Mellonamin." The bronze man bowed slightly to the other elves.

"Diola lle," Elbereth's father told him.

"A winery? Nice!" Serna smiled, "Before I became Serna the Shield Maiden I used to be Serna the Servant to Baroness Meleranti of Deeping Dale. She had a winery too below her palace and I used to retrieve bottles of wine for her all the time. And they also had barrels of wine as big as a house."

Elbereth gave the shield maiden a confused look not knowing how to respond and looked to the cleric for an explanation.

"Serna, the winery Elbereth is referring to are vineyards spanning a few hundred yards that surrounded the winery itself. What you're referring to is the wine cellar that the Baroness would ask of you to retrieve when she had guests visiting her in Deeping Dale." The bronze man told the shield maiden.

"OOOOHHH!" Serna smiled as she nodded her head, "Now I understand."

The Shield Maiden then asked somewhat sheepishly, "We heard that there are rangers and wardens who protect this valley. What happened to them? Do you know? Where did they go? And why weren't they here to help you and your family?"

"The wardens and rangers protect and patrol the furthermost regions of North Haven. They're supposed to send word if there are invaders like the horde," Elbereth told the shield maiden, "I do not know what happened to them, Serna. We heard a loud roar from the advancing horde into the valley and..."

"Serna, that's enough asking for now. Let her be with her parents for now, please." Lazheros said quietly.

"I'm sorry," Serna apologized to Elbereth, "I'm always asking questions and getting chatty when I meet new people. I just need to learn when to stop, like now. But are there any questions that you would like to ask of us?"

Elbereth stayed near her family for now and merely nodded a silent reply to the over eager human girl. The bronze man offered some of the water to the shield maiden to drink, "They will ask their questions when they feel comfortable, Serna. For now just keep watch for the others to return."

"Okay," The Shield Maiden gladly took the water, drank some of it and waited until the others returned.