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Mielikki sat silently within her Grove. Around her, the forest hummed and rustled with life. Less than a dozen paces away stood a unicorn, watching the goddess intently. Mielikki was oblivious, so focused was she on the object within her hands. She held a small, cut gemstone up to the light, turning it so that the facts flashed as she pondered it. While the sapphire she held had no flaws it was quite small and appeared to be worth little value. Of course, Mielikki knew that the true value of the stone lay within it.

"Such a small stone to carry such a heavy weight," she mused aloud, spreading her hand wide to let the gem settle into her palm. The stone winked at her as she considered it, and the soul inside of it.

Such a small stone to have such a high cost as well, Mielikki reflected. Not that the drow who resided within it had any idea of the price that had been paid by the goddess that had saved him from becoming a part of Kelemvor's wall. Eilistraee's loss had served as a strong reminder to all that even now, even the gods themselves were not necessarily safe.

Eilistraee's loss had been the catalyst which had allowed Mielikki to claim the gem for her own. Corellon Larethian, who had taken charge of Eilistraee's followers, had been less than interested in taking on the wayward drow who had not been a follower of his daughter … nor of any god. It was because of this that Mielikki had been able to claim the stone, and the soul within for her own. It had been easy. Much easier than she had expected. Too easy?

To Mielikki, the ease with which Corellon had given up the stone was a bit unsettling. Perhaps he knew something that she did not? Perhaps. she thought darkly. Perhaps Corellon Larethian knew how much she would need to rely on help in the coming days. Her thoughts drifted back to her short meeting with the elven God. Had his smile been a touch too knowing? Was the look he'd given her one of curiosity, or of concern?

Mielikki pulled her thoughts away from their grim path and back to the gem she held, and to what it was that she needed to do. She focused her attention on the stone in her hand and set to work.

"Let us hope that the father is like the son." She whispered to herself as she made a gesture that would take her inside of the stone, to see the spirit trapped there.

If not, then perhaps it was already too late.

~~~

Zaknafein Do'Urden sat cross-legged, staring out at the featureless plain in front of him. Somehow, this life after death had turned out to be quite different than he had expected. From his earliest memories until his death he had believed that all drow were inescapably tied to Lloth, and that the dark goddess would have control of his soul for all of eternity. Upon his death, he had expected Lloth to reach out and reclaim his soul again. Instead, he had somehow found himself here in a vast and unchanging world. To Zaknafein the space was a sanctuary. Here in a vast, unchanging world, Zaknafein had experienced the first true idleness he had ever encountered.

Zaknafein felt some sense of smugness in having evaded Lloth's clutches, though he was unsure of how it had happened, nor if he was the only one to escape. Zaknafein was the only one in this world and completely isolated from anyone who might have carried news on the happenings of the outside world. Well, nearly alone anyways. He had found company once, when the spirit of a visiting priest had come to visit him. It was on this occasion that he had learned of the outside world, and had been aided in speaking with his son.

Quietly, Zaknafein uttered his thanks to the priest for his mercy, and for the news he had been given. It was through this priest that he learned his son, Drizzt had escaped and found the surface world, leaving the Underdark as Zaknafein never had. That experience had been a relief and he was profoundly grateful for it, however …

Zaknafein resisted the urge to stand and pace, knowing that no matter how far he walked nothing he saw would change, nor would the motion provide any sort of relief from his emotions. Knowing of the world, and that his son was still alive in it, speaking with him had re-awakened Zaknafein's hunger for more. He wanted see his son again, to know what was happening and to follow his adventures, even if he could not interact with him. That was the safer dream. The other one, which Zaknafein tried not to think too much about, was to be there, at his son's side, and to live once more.

To be able to affect the world of the living again … for that he would give almost anything.

"Almost anything?"

Zak was on his feet in an instant, his hands automatically going to the places where his swords would have rested as he spun. Before him stood a woman of incredible beauty. She was lithe and graceful, with russet hair and brown eyes. She appeared to be human, but the feeling of power about her revealed what she truly was. Zaknafein bowed his head and dropped to his knees, then raised his gaze to meet that of the goddess.

"Does being apart from your son grow bring you that much sorrow?" she asked gently, an expression of kindness that seemed genuine.

"Only because I cannot be there for him," Zaknafein replied, not bothering to ask the goddess why she knew his thoughts. Instead he scrambled to think of a reason why a goddess, especially one from a world he'd never traveled to would be here to see him. "My apologies goddess, I do not know your name."
She laughed, a silvery sound full of merriment and benevolence. "I am Mielikki."

Zaknafein's jaw dropped. The goddess his son followed had come to visit him? He tried to form words to speak, but found himself unable. Uneasily, he sat down once more. The goddess took a seat as well, sitting uncomfortably close.

"Why are you here?" Zaknafein blurted. The goddess looked at him sharply, and Zaknafein thought for a moment that she would punish him for his insolence.

Instead, she simply looked away and spoke softly. "I came to ask of you a favor."

Zaknafein jumped up, uncomfortable with her closeness and began to pace back and forth. "Ask a favor? In my experience goddesses take what they want, they don't ask."

"This one does," she replied, her voice still surprisingly even and calm. "My ways are different than the ways of your people. Is it so hard to believe that?"

Zaknafein shot her a look. "I have met one goddess, aside from yourself. That one killed me once, then had me brought back as a puppet under her control to kill my son. I think I am entitled to a bit of disbelief."

"Two actually," Mielikki corrected.

Zaknafein stopped.

Surely you have not forgotten, a voice echoed in his head. With it came a strange feeling of power and strength that he had nearly forgotten, and had assumed did not exist. Zaknafein felt faint. "That was you?" he asked in a voice that shook.

Mielikki shook her head. "That was Eiliastrae." She studied his face for a moment then sighed. "You may as well sit down. This is going to take some time to explain well."