Present:
"I see," says Ani'ca, "so where did you go next?"
"My turn to ask a question," says Lheora. "I want to know why you didn't know where I was all this time. Even if you can't follow me anymore, the history of those I was with should have shown you!"
Ani'ca looks uncomfortable and doesn't reply. Lheora glares at her, then stands up.
"Very well. I shall leave then!"
"Wait!" cries Ani'ca. "Don't leave. I need to know what has happened to you."
"Why is it so important, Ani'ca L'key?"
Lheora's voice is dangerously low, and she does not sit down again.
"We can not watch where you are. Lady Hyjora has forbidden us to watch the land you are in and Lady Salya has assisted her."
"But they still let you talk to me?"
"The border of land and sea can not be controlled by either of them."
"So the entire land passes unrecorded?"
"The Lady has said that we will still receive the history but you will not be in it. Though we do have some records containing 'Lora of Sandar'. I had not realised your disguise was so good as to fool the Gods."
"It isn't," agrees Lheora. "One of them saw right through it. Maybe it's because other races can't see through it. It would make sense that the Gods would only censor my real name."
"That does sound right," agrees Ani'ca. "Will you continue now?" she adds plaintively.
"Very well, but I would be far happier if you had told me this sooner!"
I returned to Sandar and decided to continue traveling in my human disguise. I also disguised my harp to look smaller and older, just in case one of those guards managed to describe it.
On the road heading west I met a group of licensed performers who look at me very disdainfully and asked to see my license. It seemed like a good time to try out a new piece of magic I'd been thinking about.
"Of course," I agreed, opening my bag and showing him a blank piece of parchment.
"I do apologise," he said, handing back the paper. "We meet so many vagabonds out here. I didn't quite see your name, what was it?"
"Lora."
"Delighted, may we have the pleasure of your company while we travel the same road?"
"Of course."
"Very good."
"I hope we won't meet any of those centaurs," I spoke quietly, "I've heard some dreadful rumours about them!"
"No need to worry, miss, they'll not come near a large group on a main road!"
"Well that's a relief."
Pompous lout!
"Not to worry. So where were you travelling to?"
"Actaully I'm travelling from the east, my mother was ill and I was trying to get her to move further west. It is very dangerous near the border, you know."
"Ah, and did she listen?"
"Sadly, no. but I will return in a few months perhaps she will change her mind."
"Most of the eastern villages have been abandoned already. Or they are inhabited by theives and mercenaries."
"Mercenaries?"
"Dishonourable soldiers who work for money, mostly outlaws from the other lands."
"I see."
Anyway, I'll not bore you with his tedious conversation. We shall let it suffice to say that I learned more about Sandar in that single week (and it felt much longer) then I had in the rest of the time I'd been there!
I was very glad when we reached a major crossroad and I could claim to be going another way. By the time I was alone again, I had begun to think that the centaurs weren't so bad after all.