Merda looked at her apprentice carefully. "Are you sure that you want to do this my child?" she asked quietly. The woman-child just shook her head in silence, the look in her eyes conveying that she had learned all she could from the elderly gem cutter, and walked out the door of the cottage. The woman smiled to herself. By the time that Gnome even figured out that she had been robbed by her own student, the elf known to all as T'hem, would be long gone. It served the self-righteous old biddy right though. The only reason that she had kept T'hem around in the first place was to do all of the little work, but that just made her all the better. It was still going to take some time but she knew that eventually everyone would come seeking her steady hand. Until then she could provide for her mother and herself the best way she knew how, with nimble fingers and outwitting the authorities.

T'hem took the long way home, carefully shedding her disguise as she went. It just wouldn't do for the guards to find out that she was a criminal, especially Dalliri, the one that had been eyeing her. She had to admit, he was kind of cute in a dark sort of way.

As she approached they went through the normal banter and they allowed Tavae the apprentice apothecary through without to much ado. The only reason that the guards were so needed now was because of the rumors of the drow amassing a new army. That little mountain that appeared a few years ago was the spark of the rumor and the attack on her village several months ago added fuel to the fire, and add to that that idea that dragons were involved...well needless to say that everyone was slightly on edge.

She strolled down to the small apartment she and her mother shared. Her father had mysteriously disappeared during the attack on the village, leaving them alone to find their way to one of the larger cities and safety. Ever since he had left Nilon, her mother, had been continually deteriorating of some mysterious illness that no one could identify. Once she reached the door, it opened before she could even laid a finger on it.

As usual her mother had known she was coming and in her own mysterious way opened the door for her daughter. "Hello nana." Tavae whispered as she hugged the frail elven woman. "I see my master is visiting again, any leads on her sickness?" She did not relatively care for the elder elf, but she figured the she would do with him the same thing she had with that misguided gnome.

"None yet, young one, but I haven't given up the hope that something will turn up," he smiled, "and now I must be going. I trust you will be back at work tomorrow as we previously discussed?"

She would never forget the heated argument they had when she told him that she needed some time away from him and the close quarters where they worked together in. It had ended with her walking out and him yelling at her back, "Fine take two years for all I care." That is precisely what she did and couldn't care less if he took her back or not. "Nana, are you well? He didn't try anything did he?"

"No Ta he did not, you need not be so worried. But there are some things that I must tell you and there is not much time to do so, take me to the scrying room dear. There is no easier way than to show you."

Tavae picked her mother up and took her up the skinny stair to the attic room where she hadn't been in a long time. Then she watched, astounded, as her mother seemed to get a renewed strength and called forth an image into the room.

A big white dragon circled ominously overhead. It craned it's head strait up and the next thing everyone knew it was raining giant chunks of ice. Those who were outside ran for cover but it did not help. The falling ice ripped through the roofs of the buildings.

The scene shifted to a group that Tavae recognized as their family. She could only make out a few of the words that were being said because there was no audio with the scene. What she got was mainly from here mother's side though... "You cannot...never come back...Tavae needs you...I..." he touched her face at that point and shook his head. Then he ran of into the woods. A few minutes later a quicksilver streak burst into the sky and began chasing the white dragon off. It was too late though. The village was in ruins and there was nothing to rebuild. The survivors gathered what they could and trudged back to the main city...

The image dissolved and the room returned to normal. Nilon was breathing rather erratically. Nana are you okay?"

"Come closer little one...cough...I haven't much longer." Tavae moved closer. "That streak in the sky was your father." Nilon rasped. "The story of how we met is a long one and I have not the strength to tell it. Suffice it to say that we were meant for each other. He is still alive and he loves you like no other for you will be his only child by me." Nilon paused to catch her breath.

"But nana I..."

"Please do not interrupt. There is no cure for my disease. It is the will of what ever or whom ever you believe in that I should pass on. Your father will know, but go see him for both our sakes it has been too long since you have seen him. There is more...cough...hack...I am not of this world. Wheeze...huff...huff... the abilities I have are born of another galaxy...keep to your studies and you will eventually find out. I would have trained you, but it is against the code. I suggest you find another of my kind...there were more that came with me...huff ...but we separated after a short time so not to draw attention to ourselves."

"Nana you should..."

"Rest? I do not have the time." Nilon reaches into her robe. "Take this," she hands Tavae a six inch cylindrical device. "Wear this on your belt. When you find one of them they will know who you are." Tavae did as requested and when she looked back up her mother had disappeared. Tavae kneeled there with an incredulous look on her face. The news she was processing was just a little too much...her father a dragon...her mother from another realm...and then her mother just disappearing like that...it was all unreal.

So unreal that she never heard the uninvited guest invite himself into the area of he house that was forbidden to guests. He looked around the room and when his eyes fell upon Tavae he said, "You killed her. Your own mother! I've seen experiments gone awry but never have I seen such a blatant disregard for life." a calculating glint entered his eye. "However I could overlook this if..." Tavae looked at her teacher like he had two heads.

"I didn't..."

"Sure you did not child, everyone knows of your desperation to save your mother. Why is it you believed that you could save her when the priests could not? All they could do was delay the inevitable and you went and destroyed even their work," he accused, " but like I was saying, I could overlook this incident if you do as I tell you."

"I will do no such..." "Now child do you honestly think that the little guard that you've been making eyes at will want to bed down with a murder?" As she formulates a reply he gets as close as he dares, "I also know of your other pursuits. Did you really think that I would let you go without keeping an eye on you? Merda may be very interested in finding out where her prize gem went."

He reaches into his pouch as she answers, "I think you are absolutely crazy old man."

"I know better than you do child, I have been in the trade longer than you." he smiles, "Look at your wrist child." She does and there is a smooth gold band set with seven tiny, flawless gems.

"What?"

"Consider it your betrothal gift...last nights events will remain our secret if you become my wife."

"I would never..."

"Too bad then the bracelet remains and you will be my slave then...of course no one else will find out. Come." Tavae lurches to her feet in spite of herself. Following the old elf out of her home and to his shop. No one they passed remarked on them. They had been seen together several times the past two years she had been gone. He had made sure of that.