It Never Rains In Southern Kolanda




Carrot and Marron Glace walked through the 

city streets careful to avoid stepping in one of

the many fresh puddles the recent storm had left

behind. It had rained hard the past few days, 

the bad weather attributed to the imminent birth

of Lord Regener's Gameru. Just last night the 

entire city had been liberated from his evil

machinations. No longer would beautiful young 

women be in danger of being fed to that vile 

loathsome dragon.

 

"Do you think this is a wise decision, brother?

Lila conspired to kill her older sister," Marron

asked.

 

"Relax Marron. After I rescued Laura, she and I had a heart to heart. She doesn't blame Lila one

bit. Regener held an almost hypnotic control 

over her."

 

"There's a lot of healing to be done between thetwo of them. I hope we are doing the right 

thing."

 

"No diggity, no doubt! What better way to forget

one's troubles than to spend an evening with twoof Spooner Continent's most eligible bachelors?"Carrot exclaimed.

 

"You didn't have to do me any favor by bringing

me along."

 

"C'mon bro. You need female companionship once 

in a while. Laura's a total babe. I had a good

mind to date both sisters, separately of course,but I'm looking out for my lil brother! Lila is

my date, Laura is all yours. You can thank me 

in the morning!"

 

"Carrot, we're going to behave like gentlemen."

 

"Speak for yourself, dude."

 

Marron sweatdropped.

------------------------------------------------

 

Lila Barton stood on the bridge with her sister,

Laura. They both wore their best Sunday dresses,intent on looking nice for their heroes. Lord

Regener had tricked them both, pretending to 

love Laura, using Lila as his pawn in luring the

Sorcerer Hunters to him. Laura forgave her young

sister the night before, talking to her well 

into the wee hours of the morning. Lila had 

cried, seemingly unto she had no tears left,

her sister holding her in her arms and rubbing

her back. Although Laura had forgiven her 

instantly, it would take a long time before she 

could forgive herself.

 

"There they are," Marron indicated to Carrot.

 

The two brothers joined the two sisters on the

bridge.

 

"Hello Carrot," Laura smiled, looking at the

young man who had single handedly infiltrated

Regener's castle. He had almost gotten himself

killed in the process of trying to rescue her

from her cage above the nesting pit.

 

"Laura. Lila. This is my brother, Marron."

 

The mage bowed slightly to Laura. He then took 

her delicate hand into his and kissed it.

 

"I'm Laura Barton, Lila's sister. How do you 

do?"

 

Lila had already met Marron, including the rest

of the Sorcerer Hunters.

 

"Carrot's the one who set this thing up," Lila

said with a smile. She still wore her hair in 

double ponytails, but looked more feminine since

she wore the dress. "So what do you have in mind?"

 

"We could have you guys over to the house for

dinner," suggested Laura. 

 

"Nonsense," Carrot said in a mature voice. "We

are taking you fine ladies out to the best place

in town. It's on us, of course."

 

Carrot didn't tell them that the village elders

had promised to "comp" any future meals the 

hunters had if they returned to Colanda for any

reason.

 

"What kind of food do you guys like?" Lila asked.

 

"Anything healthful," Marron replied. "Where do

you recommend?"

 

  They settled on Rita's Ristorante, an elegant

place for fine dining. Chef Rita made every dish

herself with the upmost attention and careful-

ness. Each entry was prepared with the finest

ingrediants, many grown or raised locally.

Rita, a raven haired woman of forty with olive 

skin and an ever present smile, greeted and 

seated them personally. Her daughter Rachael,

a prettier younger version of the chef, poured

ice water into their glasses. Carrot regretted

not dressing better, unused to dating, much less

casual. Marron looked clean cut and dapper in

his white tunic and purple sash.

 

"Hey Laura," smiled Rachael. She obviously knew

the Barton girls, being local and all. 

 

Laura grinned at the waitress. "Hey Rache. This

is Marron Glace and his brother Carrot."

 

Rachael flashed the two brothers a grin. Both of

them were quite good looking to her. 

 

Rita then told them what the dinner specials

were and assured them she would fix whatever

wasn't on the menu as well.

 

"Hmmm," mused Lila. "The sea bass sounds pretty

good."

 

"I'll give you all a few minutes to decide,"

Rita said then headed for the kitchen.

 

The place had a very comfortable feel to it.

To Marron, it felt like being in someone's

house, in their dining room. It had a nice

ambiance to it, intimate and an ideal place to

take a date.

 

"Here ya go," Rachael set down a basket of warm

bread sticks and butter as well as tiny bowls of

key lime sherbet. "Ready to order drinks?"

 

"Lila can't drink, I don't know about the rest

of you," stated Laura.

 

"Sis!" protested Lila with a frown. She felt

slightly embarrassed.

 

"Silly! You get tipsy on one glass," Laura 

laughed.

 

Lila tapped her sister's leg underneath the

table, conveying her displeasure.

 

"A bottle of Merlot," Carrot requested.

Rachael nodded then went to retrieve a bottle 

from the wine rack behind the bar. She uncorked

it then poured a little into Carrot's glass.

 

He tasted it and gave an approving nod, so she

filled everyone elses.

 

"Hey Marron, looks like they have everything

from Soul Food to Oriental stir fry to Fondu!"

Carrot commented.

 

"Rita's quite the gourment. She's traveled all 

across the continent learning the local dishes,"

Laura explained to them.

 

"Her chicken fajitas are out of this world," 

mentioned Lila.

 

  A look of bemusement swept across the older

sister's face. Being with her sister and the

Glace brothers felt good and normal. It was hard

to fathom that the two brothers were responsible

for killing Lord Regener. One didn't come across

the legendary sorcerer hunters on a daily basis.

Laura had witnessed Carrot in action; he had 

risked his life trying to rescue her. The cage 

she had been placed in had been suspended over

the Gameru's pit. She shuddered thinking how 

easily she could have fallen into it. Both girls

owed Carrot their lives.

 

"So...what do you guys do for fun?" she asked,

first looking at Carrot then Marron.

 

"I know Carrot here prolly has a girl in every 

port," smiled Lila. "Don't you?"

 

Carrot chuckled. "A gentleman never tells!"

 

"Actually this is the first double date we've 

ever been on," Marron admitted. "In our line of

work we are rarely able to socialize with the

people we serve."

 

Lila felt bad while Carrot felt embarrassed. He

hoped their opinion of him didn't lower.

 

"What do you like to do, Laura?" Marron asked.

 

"We have a horse named Juniper that I'm trying

to train," she replied. "I like to garden, 

arrange flowers and design clothes."

 

"My sister's quite talented," agreed Lila. "You

should come see our place."

 

"What do you two do for a living?" asked Carrot.

 

"I work for the village elder, sorta like his

assistant," answered Lila. "Laura does all the

things she likes."

 

"Times are a little hard. Lord Regener helped us

out," the other said softly. "He gave us needful

things."

 

Speaking about the sorcerer so soon after his 

death was difficult. It still shocked her to

recall being his captive. He had totally fooled

her into thinking he actually cared for her and

all. It hurt so bad that she had been so easily

had. As had Lila. Laura vowed never to trust 

another sorcerer again. Ever.

 

"Regener's assets will be divided among the

families of his victims. You included," Marron

promised.

 

Laura looked down. "I want nothing of his."

 

Rachael returned and took their orders. "All

entrees come with soup or salad plus a side

and choice of vegetable."

 

"The bridge is one of my favorite quiet spots,"

Lila mentioned, trying to lighten the mood after

they ordered. 

 

"There are lifesized sculptures in Kindred 

Park," Laura told Marron. "You might enjoy

seeing them."

 

"Indeed," he replied with a smile.

 

Rachael set down bowls of matzo ball soup for

the four of them. She also placed a huge wooden

salad bowl in the center of the table. Laura

scooped portions of it into each of their 

smaller ones. 

 

"Ich!" winced Lila. "I hate olives!" She picked

them out one by one.

 

"You can put them in my bowl," offered Carrot.

He held it out to her.

 

Lila smiled and did so. It felt strange and nice

doing normal things with normal guys



 

  Chocolate peeked inside one of the restaurants

windows, a frown formed on her lips when she saw

how well the foursome got along.

 

"I think I'm gonna be sick, Tira," she said with

disdain.

 

Tira looked up at her sister. The pink haired 

girl was crouched low, hoping not to be seen.

Chocolate always seemed able to coax her into

going along on things. "Why's that, sis?"

 

"How can Darling go out on a date with that

little schemer? Heck, she tried to kill her

own sister! She distracted you long enough to

let Regener get the drop on you."

 

"Lila wasn't in her right mind," Tira said

half-heartedly. 

 

"Nonsense!" Chocolate snorted. "She was blinded

by love, not under any type of mind control, 

just her own jealousy!"

 

"Carrot means well, I suppose..."

 

"If she tries anything, I'll...." Chocolate let the sentence hang.

 

"Are we gonna follow them all night?" Tira

wondered. "Perhaps we should find something else

to do."

 

"Now way."

 

"Marron should be able to keep Carrot in line."

 

"You heard Darling. He may try to ditch them."

 

Tira understood Chocolate's misgivings. Lila had

led the team into a trap. Her misguided love for

Regener had prevailed over all moral sense. Yet,

Carrot had shown what looked like compassion.

 

 

Chocolate could not see what Carrot saw in the

scrawny tomboy girl. Not an egoist, but she knew

that she was much more attractive and sexier 

than the younger Barton girl. 

 

Tira knew that Lila had deduced that both she

and her sister were in love with the same guy.

That it was Carrot could not be more obvious.

So Lila was hurting them both and knew it!

 

Marron saw Chocolate out of the corner of his

eye. He pretended not to notice, hoping she

wouldn't stir things up. Things had a way of

getting violent where she and his brother were

concerned.

 

For the record here is a little table of what

each person ordered:

 

Carrot: Veal Parmigian with linguini. Fresh

spinach.

 

Lila: Cajun chicken with Spanish rice. Glazed

baby carrots and mac-n-cheese.

 

Marron: Surf and Turf with cauliflower and baked

potato.

 

Laura: Corned beef and Cabbage.

 

Dinner was both enjoyable and delightful.

 

"Whoa, I'm stuffed," Carrot said, leaning back 

in his chair.

 

The others felt so too. Rita's seven course meal

had been one of the biggest they'd eaten since

Thanksgiving. Even Laura's repasts with Regener

had not been as filling.

 

Rachael bused their plates while Rita came out

to chit chat.

 

"Delicious as always," smiled Laura. "I really

loved the cheese sauce you put on the cabbage!"

 

"The best veal I've had in a long time," Carrot

told the chef. 

 

"Excellant meal," Marron nodded.

 

The foursome declined dessert they were so full

and said their goodbyes.

 

"Shall we?" Carrot offered Lila his arm as they

left the restaurant.

 

She happily took it. Marron seemed hesitant to 

do the same with Laura, but she simply grinned

and took his arm like the other two.

   

   It was only a short stroll to Kindred Park,

one of the nicest spots within Kolanda. The 

lush green foliage and lawn still held much of

the water from the previous days' rainfall. The

shiny petals on flowers glistened with droplets.

Despite his age, Carrot's eyes lit up when he

saw the huge obstacle course complete with rings

monkey bars, climbing poles, uneven bars, tires,

balance beams, and rope ladders.

 

"Let's check it out!" he suggested, grabbing her

hand and running towards it.

 

"While they do that, how about we look at those

sculptures?" Marron said to Laura.

 

"Lila, we'll meet you back at this bench in a

half hour," the elder called to her sister. She

watched her scramble up the rope ladder with

Carrot.

 

Chuckling, Laura walked down the cobblestone 

path with Marron.

 

"Your brother is such a free spirit," she

observed. "His enthusiasm is infectious."

 

"Carrot is still a kid at heart sometimes,"

the mage agreed.

 

"I can't believe he's the older of you two.

You seem much more mature, no offense."

 

"None taken," he smiled. "The thing about

him is he has a weakness for girls."

 

Laura giggled. "When he was rescuing me,

he had the wherewithal to hit on me right then

and there. Almost got himself killed."

 

"My brother has faced danger many times. He has

an uncanny luck on his side."

 

Laura showed him a few lifesized statues of

famous poets and authors and the founder of the

city. They read a number of plaques which gave

some background into the history of Kolanda.

She paused at a chained off exhibit, a statue of

Regener himself, expensive marble, finely

detailed. Marron recognized the smug smile, the

cocksure eyes.

 

She looked at the thing in horror, a flood of

memories hitting her like a tidal wave. Regener

had courted her, made her feel special, promised

her the world and more. She remembered how he 

had told her he loved her then the terrible 

shock of finding out she was just fodder for his

pet dragon.

 

   Laura broke down, the awful experience again

hitting home. She hadn't had time to let it all

sink in. The shock had dulled her emotions the

past couple days. Sinking to her knees, she 

covered her face with both hands. Pain and hurt

began to overwhelm her. Marron stood nearby, his

head slightly bowed. Many times he had seen the

result of how evil sorcerers ruined the lives of

the parsoners. He had never been able to shut it

out completely. Even if his reign of terror had

ended, the anguish it caused would take a long

time to get over. Some scars never fully healed.

The circumstances behind this case especially

troubled him. Laura was a beautiful person 

inside and out. Seeing her weep was something he

could not abide. Kneeling beside her, the mage

draped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

Laura buried her face into his chest, her tears

staining his soft white tunic. Call him distant,

call him aloof, but never call Marron Glace

insensitive.

 

"I wish I had never met him," she sobbed 

bitterly. "I was such...a fool..."

 

"It's not your fault," he stage whispered.

 

"I should never have trusted him..."

 

"Regener will never hurt you again."

 

"...I...I'm glad you killed him..."

 

   Carrot hung upside down while holding onto a

pair of rings. his legs straight and together,

emulating a gymnast. That took considerable arm

strength, thought Lila. After seeing him

literally climb a chain with his bare toes, she

knew this playground was child's play to him.

He had hit on her when he had first arrived in

town, she thinking him to be a "dirty old man."

He had corrected her saying he was a "dirty

young man!" But there was more to him than met

the eye. He had turned out to be a sweetheart.

No wonder Tira and Chocolate were both in love

with the guy. Lila hoped she hadn't caused any

more hard feelings by agreeing on this date.

 

"I hope you don't strain a muscle or something,"

she said cheerily.

 

"Naw, I gotta work off all those calories," he

smirked.

 

A light rain began to fall, but Carrot was used

to the bad weather by now. He didn't mind 

getting wet again. A distant thunder rumbled.

 

"Looks like we may have to go back inside soon."

 

"I can deal with that," he winked suggestively

at her.

 

"What about our siblings?"

 

"Oh yeah," said Carrot. It was nearing time to

meet up with them back at the designated spot.

"Let's catch up to them."

 

He did a forward flip from the rings and made

a flawless landing.

 

"They make a nice couple, you know," Lila 

remarked.

 

She and Carrot jogged back to the bench. Their

jaws dropped when they saw Marron holding Laura

in what looked like a "compromising position".

 

"And they say I rush things!" Carrot quipped.

 

"Hey guys," Lila said softly, knowing Marron and

her sister must have been aware of their 

presence by now.

 

Laura looked up, her eyes red.

 

"You okay?" Carrot asked.

 

She nodded. Marron handed her a tissue and she 

dried her eyes. Both got to their feet.

 

"It's about to storm again," the older brother

said. 'Maybe we should take this indoors."

 

"Okay," Marron consented after Laura gave him a

positive nod. "One last thing before we go."

 

The long haired magician took out an ofuda,

spoke some foreign word then hurled it at the

statue. Upon impact, the thing exploded into 

tiny pieces.

 

"Good riddance...again," Laura said darkly.

 

   They went to a tavern called "Janes" which

happened to have open mic that evening.Several

locals went about performing their own songs or

reading original poems. Carrot and Lila shot

pool, played darts, and cards with some of the

latters friends. The two girls even coaxed the

two brothers on stage to karaoke "Bohemian

Rhapsody."

 

   After that, they went back to the girls'

place and met Juniper. They sat on hay bales

inside the barn, swapping friendly stories.

Carrot and Marron took turns relating some of

their more memorable exploits. 

 

"Wow," said Lila, stifling a yawn. "You guys

really have a hazardous job."

 

Laura looked at her watch. "Goodness it's way

past midnight!"

 

"We should be going," Marron said. "We will be

leaving shortly after dawn."

 

Carrot eyed Lila, but chose not to make a

suggestive proposition. "Can I have a hug?"

 

The two sisters each gave him one. 

 

"Thanks for everything, Carrot."

 

"Take care, Lila...Laura..." he grinned 

lopsidedly.

 

Laura bashfully stepped close to the other one.

"It was nice meeting you, Marron. Perhaps...

you could come back to visit sometime?"

 

"Perhaps," he afforded her a small smile. 

 

 

 

   The two left the Barton place and headed down the rain soaked road. 

 

"So..." Carrot turned to Marron. "What'd you 

think?"

 

"I had a good time," he answered guardedly.

 

"Laura's a real hottie, ne?" the older winked

at the younger. "Musta felt good holding her?"

 

"She sought comfort, brother. That's it."

 

"You've got lipstick on your collar."

 

"Where?" gasped Marron.

 

Carrot punched him playfully in the arm. "See?

Girls aren't so bad to hang out with after all!"

 

"I never said they were," the mage spoke 

defensively.

 

"We gotta hook up more often. Doesn't have to

be sisters, maybe friends."

 

Marron gave no response to that last comment.

 

"So would you do her?" Carrot asked about Laura.

 

"Brother..." he sighed.

 

They crossed the bridge where they had picked

their dates up earlier. Waiting for them on the

other side were Tira and Choclate.