"You want me to do what?"
"You heard me Malark. You have been requested to be the personal guard of the honorable Healer Felosial at least until her appearance at the Solstice Ball in three months."
It was an autumn day three months prior to the reunion between Malark and Meira. The town of Greenest was in the middle of its major harvest, it's second after the Blue Dragon attack that had caused devastation throughout the village.
Three men sat in Governor Nighthill's office in Greenest's Keep. The first was the respected Governor himself, patiently waiting for his highly valued wizard ally to pick his jaw up off the floor and perhaps partake in some of the wine he had been served. It was quite delicious, and his farmers had worked quite hard on the vintage. The governor was quite keen to brag on the achievements of his people.
However, that would have to wait as the Storm Mage clearly wasn't processing his new request well. "Let me get this straight…. You asked me to come here and meet with Liosin, not for Harper or Order business, but to play babysitter to one of the most popular names in the Elvish world right now? Why me? Why her? Just….. Why? And for that record why are you two involved?
Liosin sighed and decided to skip over the rest of Malark's rambling questions to tell the story instead. "You're wrong, this is Harper business in a sense. While I know you're not one of our faction, you are an ally, and a useful one (when you're not rambling like a child)."
The monk then pulled out a report from his robe and started to read it off, "Last winter, the Noble Elven Lord of the Frostshear mountains, a highly decorated war veteran and extremely influential and celebrated figure for high elves everywhere, was losing his battle to a virulent disease. This disease was associated with an over concentration of the Garic Root in his system. While some cases of this have occurred naturally, many in the Lord's court suspected poison. This was never proven."
As was typically the case when Liosin read reports, the mood in the room changed and despite the confusion he showed earlier, Malark was a professional. This was clearly not some farce or prank pulled on him by some two high ranking friendly allies, but a serious business with potential murder involved. Malark had heard the dramatized version of the Lady Felosial's revival of the Lord, but nowhere near the level of detail Liosin's trained Harper agents could provide.
"No known sufferers of Garic sickness have survived a full three-month illness. The Lord had used magic and his most decorated healers to keep it at bay but was unable to find a long-term solution. Then the Lady Felosial, previously a minor noble serving as a representative of the Mother Abbot for Eldath Goddess of Peace, came before the court claiming a message from her Goddess had led her to aid the Lord in his recovery. Within two weeks, Felosial was successful in driving back the plague and had been hailed as a new elvish hero."
"The Lady has since been elevated to the highest possible status of nobility and the Lord now acts as her Patron. Rumor is that he even has a shrine to Eldath in his private chambers (though unconfirmed). Her techniques and depth of magical talent have extended far beyond the singular illness and her travels to various hospitals have saved dozens of lives." Liosin read the final line with a wry grimace "Her potential connection to the poisoning as a means of elevating herself was investigated, but no connection was found between her and the Lord prior to her 'vision'."
Liosin rolled up the scroll with finality and then looked into Malark's eyes expectantly as he asked the next obvious question. "How did that lead to me becoming her bodyguard?"
The governor then continued his explanation "All in good time, my friend… do try the wine, won't you? That's a good chap." The governor reached into his desk and pulled out a letter written on elegant parchment with the remnants of a wax seal that Malark recognized vaguely as Elvish. "It's not the most simple and direct of circumstances but the Ball in question is taking place in Elturel as you may have heard. Because of this, protection in some form was requested from the Order of the Gauntlet. Uroath is going to be providing the muscle from the outside but as you know, Uroath just speaks for the Order, no others really hold any sort of direct rank. While the order believes all their rank are quality, they couldn't offer some nameless soldier a chance to guard the most talked about Healer of the Realm."
Malark nodded in acknowledgement; Uroath was a good man, gruff and proud. He also would stand out like a sore thumb among elvish royalty, and clearly didn't find the idea of hobnobbing with royals and their ilk appealing. The governor seemed to agree as he continued "So the decision came down to you or your party members. You were three recent inductees that already have done the badge proud. Your exploits against the Cult of Tiamat gained yourself and the Order some pride and word travels fast, especially with that song on everyone's lips." Malark groaned when he heard the word "song" and internally cursed Mataman and his guitar.
"Zuriel may have been a good choice, he's a cleric like her and would be a more than acceptable guard. But he was not able to be contacted and seems to have been sent on some sort of mission from Thor. One could only hope he comes back in one piece. As for your half-orc friend Thad….. well let's just say this operation requires at least some delicacy…. He would simply kick down the door and bellow at the top of his lungs that the party had begun upon his entrance." Malark chuckled at the recollection of his friends and did have a moment of sadness as he missed travelling with his party.
The governor continued, obviously excited about his inclusion into world events "But you were the clear choice here. Not only did you represent the Order of the Gauntlet alongside them, but you've served in court before! Your magic should keep not only Felosial safe but impress even the most hard-nosed of high elves. And finally, your elvish bloodlines and experience with their customs makes you the obvious candidate."
Malark rolled his eyes subtly at the last bit. His bloodlines were anything but pure elvish and most High Elf nobles he encountered had written him off as a bastard, though a useful one. He managed to impress and befriend a few, but he still had seen plenty of upturned noses in court. Liosin noticed the gesture though and while the dry witted monk wasn't necessarily the most sympathetic, he let it pass without comment, doubtlessly already knowing of Malark's less than stellar treatment.
"So, you need me on guard duty for one night? Keep her safe and don't piss off the high and mighty? That's no problem, it should be quite the interesting event and you know I'm happy to help."
A slight awkward silence greeted this as the Monk responded "It's not quite that simple, the retinue of the Lady is very strict about any new guard, attaché, escort or even assistant that is going to be spending any time with Felosial. They will want to vet you completely and have you ingratiated with the party. The Order wants this too, acting with them will show solidarity and high status, rather than just acting as hired 'muscle'."
Malark didn't miss the dig at his lack of imposing strength, and the look he gave Liosin promised some retort when they both weren't in front of the overly excited and positive Governor. The illustrious gentleman who was now raising his fancy parchment in the air with glee before passing it over to Malark. "Not only that but the Lady Felosial herself wants to meet and get to know you! She has requested personally that you join her company immediately in order to properly bond before the ball!"
The wizard couldn't help but smile at the Governor Nighthill's excitement; clearly the Governor was seeing not the arduous task ahead but only the honor and prestige it was bringing to all parties involved. He was a good man and deserved some positive news after rebuilding his town back to what it used to be before the Cult and their Blue Dragon sacked it. While he needed to go over the gritty details, he could do that out of the earshot of the man who just thought he was doing him a great favor.
"I gladly accept, sir. Liosin and I will make sure I'm ready and we'll meet up with the Lady immediately."
The Monk and the Wizard took their leave of the Governor and walked through the keep into the monk's makeshift office, past two inconspicuous guards who Malark recognized as Harper agents.
"So, give it to me straight Monk, how much of a pain in the ass is this going to be?"
Liosin sighed and raised an eyebrow at Malark but didn't hesitate to answer the question. "It will be difficult, as Elvish nobles always are. There's whispers I don't like surrounding this event and what's worse they seem to be so mixed as to be complete nonsense. It's likely someone will try to interfere with the ball and I've heard the words elvish rebels, poison, assassins, magical attacks, and all manner of other rumors that make my life difficult. And now yours."
"Thanks for that." Malark walked away from the desk in which the two gathered and looked out the window of the keep, out towards a village he had seen nearly up in flames. "I wish you had found a few of the others though. If it's as bad as you make it sound, I could use the backup. I get that you couldn't find Zuriel, but surely Thad could have played some role. Not to mention the three of my friends you have under your banner."
Liosin shook his head again. "The nobles wouldn't stand for Thad to be anywhere near them, charming as you and I find him. Daesenriel sends her regards… well she said "don't die" which seemed quite affectionate for her. But she's working another mission right now, and that one "actually pays" her. Selenite is like Zuriel, untraceable after she disappeared into the wilds. And Mataman….. do you really want Mataman there?"
"Absolutely not, on that we agree. He would either bring them to tears with his music or somehow end the night with both of us in shackles about to be executed. Either way it would draw way too much attention and it seems we're going to be getting enough of that as it is."
"Agreed. By the way, he heard about your latest exploits…" A strange foreboding feeling took Malark but he shook it off.
"Why do you sound like you're about to tell me someone died? I suppose I'm not surprised my adventures in Daggerford were the subject of a Harper report. Your spies are everywhere, and I suppose it was a battle of some note, considering how infamous Hookhand was."
"Well…. He didn't really give a damn about the pirate. He was more interested in the fact that you seem attached to some half-elf wench."
Now the feeling was back and amplified to a full-blown shiver down his spine. "Why don't you just tell me what you're dancing around. What did that bard fool do?"
"…. He wrote a song about you."
Silence hung in the air and a crow took the opportune moment to caw loudly outside the window, emphasizing the discomfort of the two men as they pictured their overly mischievous ally singing about the Wizard's love life. "Should I ask…"
"He says he'll be calling it 'The Stalker and the One that got Away'….." The crow added another opportune noise, followed by a stiff gust of wind as Malark felt his life flash before his eyes. Decades of building up a stalwart and respected reputation, only for a spectacularly talented asshole to destroy it with what was sure to be a hit song. Despite not worshipping any specific deity, Malark sent out as many prayers for mercy as he could possibly conceive. Hoping beyond hope that Mataman would at least change the title.
As the awkwardness passed, the two men resumed their planning and discussed what Malark would need to know before attending the ball. The wizard would join his charge's pilgrimage through the Sword Coast area and protect her alongside her attendants for three months until the Solstice Ball. After the ball, Malark would handle Felosial's travel back to her homeland and then return to Elturel to report and earn some much-needed rest. It seemed like a large arduous process, and more than once Malark was tempted to find Emerald in the stable and ride like the wind for Daggerford to purchase his boat. Surely Liosin couldn't find him and give him annoying requests if he never stopped sailing….
But in the end, Malark wrapped up the meeting by agreeing to all the terms, resigning himself to more service to some perceived "greater good". As he wrapped up his written orders with a sigh, Liosin noticed his lack of enthusiasm and attempted to cheer him up.
"Look I know this was sprung up at you out of nowhere, and you probably have three places you'd rather be." (A room at an inn and purple hair immediately sprung to mind, but no that wasn't an option now) Malark nodded along. "But at least I can promise you that you'll have company to make it a bit better."
At Malark's curious raised eyebrow, Liosin exited the room smiling and calling for a guard. Two minutes later there was a knock on the door and Malark's face split with a grin as a towering elf with yellow skin and a light green beard walked into the office, carrying a similar looking scroll.
"Thamior? How in blazes did they drag you into this mess? How the hell are you? Do you know the Lady? What have you been up to since Baldur's Gate?"
The wood elf let out a reedy laugh that lingered like a breeze, interrupting Malark's stream of queries. "Questions, questions questions, boy. You never do change eh? I hear life's going to be interesting for the both of us so don't worry, you'll get the answer to all of them. But from what I hear, Liosin's got us setting off on the road come sunrise! We got more important things to do till then."
Clapping the wizard on the shoulder amicably, the wood elf cleric Thamior turned them both to the window to watch the sunset dip over the horizon. "We have one more night of freedom left before we start this job. You know what that means? Celebrating like it's our last" Malark answered with a smile, enjoying the view.
"Tomorrow…. Begins a brand-new adventure!"
