With the Tides in Hindsight (Day 283)

Sarah pursed her lips in annoyance, clearly aware of Brea's clumsy attempt to steer the conversation away from her faux pas.She must have been distressed enough to overlook it for the time being, because she spoke up after a moment. "She's--I don't know. She's a bit shorter than you, but maybe a little taller than me. She was wearing a long thick cloak of all things. . . She was definitely overdressed. I don't know how she made her way here wearing that thing. She should have passed out from the heat by now. Where could she have come from?"

That did sound strange. Brea imagined the woman must have been traveling for some time, but if she'd come from a place where the weather might have been appropriate for a thick cloak, then she would have been traveling for a long time indeed. It didn't seem feasible for a woman alone, no matter how strong. 

"I can see why that would be unsettling," Brea ventured. "but you seem. . .a little upset. Did you speak with her?"

Sarah shook her head somewhat frantically.

"No? She didn't say anything to you? Did she threaten you?" Brea added the last part with a deadly grimace.

"No! No, she didn't talk to me. I didn't want to. . .say anything to her."

"I don't understand, Sarah. So she's wearing some weird clothes! That doesn't make her a dangerous intruder." 

"She. . ."

"She what, Sarah? Just tell me. She didn't talk to you or anything, so what did she do? Did she kill someone?"

"No, she didn't kill anyone--at least as far as I know. I didn't see her do anything like that."

"Well, at least there's that," Brea shot back sardonically. "It just wouldn't do to have a murderer in our midst."

"How about a sorcerer?" Sarah asked. Her words were a joke, but she sounded as serious as Brea had ever heard.

"Oh, yeah," Brea replied. "That could be worse, I guess. Let's stop joking around, though, Sarah. What did this woman do that has you so spooked? I'm worried about you, honestly. Just tell me what's going on."

"I'm serious," said Sarah, her voice lowering to a choked whisper on the second syllable. "She's a sorcerer, Brea. She--I saw her do. . .things. I was going to try to help her, but she. . ."

"Come on, Sarah. . . I'm usually the one that takes things too far. Let's be serious now. I believe you're upset. Don't take advantage of that right now."

"If you don't believe me. . ." Sarah sighed. "J--just follow me, okay? I'll take you to her. We'll have to maintain a safe distance, but. . .it's definitely true. I'm telling the truth." 

A sorcerer. They certainly weren't a common sight in this part of the world, but Brea had heard tales of their exploits. In some places sorcerers were heavily regulated and controlled by local governments. In others, they ran wild and destroyed towns and cities. They made their own law and controlled key areas all over Illatha. Sorcerers were not welcome on the plains--but that was just as well. It was not common anyone ever came to this place willingly anyway. It just didn't fit. There was no reason for a sorcerer to be here--especially not one dressed for cold weather. Just what was going on?

Sarah had to have been mistaken. She's been under a lot of stress lately, Brea reasoned. There as likely a grain of truth to her story, but she could have easily gotten confused. Although Brea found it difficult to construct a scenario that made sense based on the information she'd been given, she was confident that everything would make sense when she met this woman. It had to be a misunderstanding, right?