Thanks to everyone for staying with "Child of Light" up to Chapter 10. Glad to know I'm still being read, and followed.
Also, thank you Enilas for the encouraging review and putting me on your alerts, and again thanks to voltagelisa for another review and continued correspondance. Hope you all enjoy this!
Fort Locke, at her first glimpse of the great fortress looming up upon its great plateau, Phaedra stopped, utterly staggered by the sheer scale of it, by far the most massive structure she had ever seen. A vigilant guardian set above a steep curve over the trade route, it was surrounded by palisade walls, thick, heavy trunks of wood bound together by strong iron. At its centre a great keep, a single massive tower, rounded, thick, and built of vast blocks of roughly-hewn stone towered above even the heights of the wall, casting a shadow over the road. Its thin windows gleamed with flickering torchlight from within. Phaedra shook her head with disbelief, how long could it have taken to build? How many men? No wonder Neverwinter dominated this region of the Sword Coast, with so impressive a fortress to keep any enemy at bay. She would be safe here, not even the ferocious Astral creatures would be able to get to her within this fort.
"Impressed huh?" Neeshka smiled brightly at Phaedra's side. "Really Fort Locke's nothing, obviously you haven't got around very much at all."
"No actually," Phaedra admitted. "I'm from West Harbour, in the Mere."
"Ah, I knew it!" Neeshka nodded, satisfied "I recognised your bow, pure Mere wood, just as I thought" Khelgar glanced at her, darkly suspicious but if she noticed, she ignored him "It's a big part of what I do, find out things about people, notice small details and piece them together."
"There's a reason people want to keep that sort of thing secret," Khelgar snapped. "Lass, I think you should reconsider this, like I said something's not right about her."
"Hey!" Neeshka snapped, her eyes flashing "I don't know what happened to the two of you, but I sure as the Hells wasn't involved at all!"
"So, do you know the Hells well then?" Khelgar growled.
"I've never actually been there," Neeshka rolled her eyes impatiently. "What exactly do you think I am?"
"Khelgar," Phaedra sighed before the dwarf could reply "There's absolutely no reason to be so suspicious; just leave her alone" Not that she minded Khelgar's input, when it was sensible enough, but she really was the one who was travelling to Neverwinter herself, and she wasn't about to let whatever Khelgar had against Neeshka endanger what she had to do, or stop her helping someone else along the way because of some senseless prejudice. Khelgar snorted, but fell grudgingly silent
"Thank Tymora" Neeshka sighed melodramatically "Do you two want to get to the Fort before nightfall or not?" They quickly moved on, the reminder of the night gathering was a spur to action. The cool, thin mountain air was quickly darkening even as they walked up a rough stone road which led up onto the plateau, and to the vast gates of Fort Locke.
Close up, the fort might have been even more impressive, the palisade wall was thick and strong, it looked practically impregnable to Phaedra's untrained eye, and the logs used to make it were so massive they must have been brought from far away, perhaps even from Neverwinter Wood, nowhere in the Mere did trees grow so strong and tall. The gates stood wide open, two great doors of thick, dark wood and iron bindings drawn back from the wall, with great rusted, iron hinges that curled backward, holding the vast gates so that they stood backward. As Phaedra, Khelgar and Neeshka stepped up to the gateway, three men emerged from within the fort itself, taking up a position to meet them at the threshold before they passed in within the walls.
Two of them were ordinary Greycloaks, rank and file volunteers to Neverwinter's standing army, in the same uniform as those they had met on the road, though these two looked much more disciplined, but the third wore a surcoat and cloak of pale blue, marked in white with the sign of an eye, the symbol of Neverwinter herself, he was a commanding figure, who drew her gaze immediately to his steady, stern eyes. As she looked at him, Phaedra was struck by a strange sense of familiarity…though she could not place him immediately. He was a tall man with a stocky build, wearing the heavy armour over his shoulders as though it were a light burden, he was evidently well accustomed to its weight. His thick brown hair was drawn back from his forehead, his slightly harsh features held a considering frown, his dark eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Well met," he said at last in a voice obviously trained to command. "I am Marshal Cormick, of the City Watch of Neverwinter."
"Cormick?" Phaedra gasped. By Lathander; she should have recognised him right away! Cormick was something of a local hero in West Harbour, a son of the village who, like Lorne Starling, had left the Mere behind in search of adventure, and had eventually found a place in the City Watch of Neverwinter. As Phaedra remembered it, he had once been a great friend of Bevil's brother, but where not even Retta and Bevil knew whether Lorne was alive or dead, few in the village weren't aware of Cormick's exploits in the famed city. The commanding figure who stood before her now was older, harsher, than the young man she remembered, but there was such a sense of familiarity about him that she wondered that she could not have placed him right away. "It's me Phaedra Blake, Daeghun's daughter." For a moment she wasn't sure he would remember her, she had only been about ten when he had left West Harbour, then a somewhat awkward child obsessed with her magical learning and archery.
"Daeghun's fosterling?" Cormick started with disbelief, for an instant he studied her intently, then a slight smile of recognition touched his lips, and the harsh angles in his face brightened suddenly, a sight that was intensely familiar, so much so that Phaedra's imagination was cast back almost six years, and for a moment she saw West Harbour as she had known it then "By Tyr, and I wondered for a second there where I'd seen you before" Cormick continued, at once quite informal "Welcome to Fort Locke, Phaedra, sorry about the welcome, since Commander Tarn disappeared we've had to question everyone who comes through here." He turned to one of the soldiers "Tell the Lieutenant I can vouch for this one. She's no danger" he ordered, and the two men saluted briskly and walked off in the direction of the keep in the centre of the fort.
"I knew it'd be a good idea to tag along with you," Neeshka whispered in Phaedra's ear. "Looks like you have just the right connections."
"Well then," Cormick said, gesturing into the fort "You'd better come in." Phaedra walked over, followed closely by Neeshka and Khelgar, at once she glanced all around the interior of the fortress. Within the palisade wall there were a couple of rough buildings, an armoury, a barracks, and a tavern, by the looks of them, all built out of the Mere's rough wood. But among them were numerous small tents and makeshift shelters, obviously hastily and recently set up. The entire complex was about half the size of West Harbour, and within its heart the great tower, the stone keep of the fort loomed, grey and cold before the encroaching night. The streets were almost empty, as twilight fell, but there a few of the Greycloaks and civilians still wandering through. "Refugees" Cormick pointed out the tents "Their homes have been destroyed by lizardlings, or bandits. Most of them have nowhere else to go, and until the High Road to Neverwinter is safe, I can't let them go on to Neverwinter. Things are a mess here right now" The people who were clustered around the shelters looked destitute, thin and cold, with nothing but a few paltry possessions clasped lovingly about them.
"Isn't there somewhere they could stay?" Phaedra asked, horrified. Many of them reminded her of the people of West Harbour, what they could have been had the battle gone worse than it had. Cormick scowled.
"Lieutenant Vallis insists there isn't room," he spoke the name and title with thinly veiled disgust. "And I don't have any authority here," He shook his head. "Ever since Commander Tarn disappeared, things have gone from bad to worse. Its Vallis who won't allow the patrols, he's obsessed with statistics, probabilities, not a grain of honour in the man."
"Your Commander disappeared?" Phaedra gasped, what? Another mystery?
"About a week ago," Cormick nodded gravely. "He was with one of the patrols we lost and Vallis, who's now acting commander, won't lift a finger to find him. I say he's just waiting to pronounce him dead so he can take permanent control. But…that's enough of our troubles here. How is your father? And the village?"
"Cormick," Phaedra murmured desolately, looking away from him for a moment as all she could think of was that awful night. "We were attacked, three days ago."
"Hells!" Cormick swore, utterly shocked. "West Harbour attacked. How? Why?"
"They came out of the Mere," Phaedra whispered, feeling tears sting her eyes as she recalled it. "Creatures, I've never seen before, burning and killing. The militia managed to fight them off, but people died."
"Gods, I told Vallis this would happen!" Cormick snarled, slamming his fist into the walls of the keep shaking with fierce anger "Cyric's Blood! Damn him!" But then at once he seemed to recover something of himself, and the habit of command settled over him as he turned to Phaedra once again "Phaedra, you have to tell him about this." He instructed "Vallis can't just ignore this kind of thing"
"But you think he might?" Khelgar noted.
"I don't know with the lieutenant," Cormick scowled darkly, considering it. "People are just numbers to him, but these are Harbourmen, my people!"
"I'll do whatever I can," Phaedra promised sombrely. Whatever else there was to this, the village would be much safer with the patrols started up again, safer from any other kind of attack, so she would work toward convincing the lieutenant in any way she could.
"This doesn't make any sense," Cormick groaned. "West Harbour..." He shook his head, as though unable to imagine it. "I'll arrange an audience with Vallis right away. Maybe he'll listen this time."
"Witch!" A rough voice suddenly cried, ringing across the courtyard, and Phaedra turned, shocked. The sergeant who had been threatening Neeshka, the one who she had stunned to insensibility just outside Fort Locke, stood in the doorway of the tavern, obviously a little unsteady on his feet. His face was contorted with hatred, his finger raised to point straight at her, at Phaedra. "She's a witch!" He staggered, gripping the side of the door to steady himself, before making his unsteady way over to them, though within a safe distance.
"Gods, here comes trouble," Neeshka sighed.
"What is this Sergeant?" Cormick scowled disgustedly.
"She's one of the bandits, that half-elf witch!" the sergeant snarled, slurring the already almost indecipherable outburst "She attacked me and my men just outside the fort! Spells flying everywhere, I barely made it out alive!"
"Get back to the barracks soldier," Cormick ordered, gripping his sword. "You're mistaken."
"I don't take orders from some Hound Marshal!" the sergeant snapped, his unsteady gaze flicking over Cormick, pointing shakily to the Marshal "She attacked me and she's one of the bandits! I've already sent to the Commander! She's going to be hanged!"
"Really?" Cormick squared his shoulders belligerently.
"Yeah!" the sergeant hissed. "You've got too uppity, Hound! Get back to the city, and leave this Fort to us! That witch is going to pay!"
"Stop!" Phaedra shrieked, appalled, enough that he should even show his face again after what he had tried to do, but to accuse her! "How dare you! You attacked me, now you lie about it!"
"Enough!" At once a voice rang across the courtyard, commanding, authoritative, Phaedra fell silent, as did the sergeant, and Cormick, and they all turned, gazing just up the hill to where the keep stood monumental, but its central gateway stood open and from within a man was striding imperiously, obviously the one who had spoken, his hand raised as though he could impose order upon them at will. He was tall and dignified, his silver armour gleamed in the twilight, polished to perfection. His surcoat and grey cloak were immaculate, his silver-blond hair and beard carefully trimmed, his profile was high and domineering, as he spoke again it was with a clear, cultured voice "I received a rather garbled message from you, Sergeant." He addressed the man standing in the shadow of the tavern first. "What exactly did you mean to accomplish by disturbing me for some tavern brawl?"
"No sir, this isn't a brawl sir!" the sergeant protested vehemently, executing an unsteady salute "This half-elf, she's a witch, working for the bandits, the one who attacked me and the others!"
"I see," the man, who Phaedra realised must be Lieutenant Vallis, turned to Cormick and her. His cool gaze alighted on the Marshal, there was no overt contempt in it, but somehow his every movement, and expression, seemed loaded with arrogant disregard. "Ah, Marshal" He smiled thinly "Somehow I knew you would be involved in this disturbance"
"That man is a drunkard and a liar," Cormick snapped. "This woman is a friend, a fellow Harbourmen, I know she would not attack anyone."
"How quaint Marshal" Vallis raised one pale eyebrow "I shall take your considerations into account, but this is a serious accusation, and this sergeant did indeed return from a routine drill wounded, along with several others who claimed with some conviction that a half-elf sorceress attacked them on the road"
"It's true Commander!" the sergeant put in, swaying drunkenly "She's a bandit, a liar, and a filthy witch!"
"Silence Sergeant" Vallis ordered with cold disdain, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I have no sway over how you spend your hours of leisure, unfortunately, but if you ever show up to drill in this degraded state I will personally flog you. Now get out of my sight, I need no more from you." The man balked, scampering off without even remembering to salute.
"With all due respect Lieutenant, we have more important things to discuss than this ridiculous accusation" Cormick began straight away "Phaedra tells me…"
"No Marshal" Vallis's clipped tones cut across his "The woman has been accused, and the accusation must be dealt with. Discipline, order and efficiency, then we will have leave to discuss your important news"
"Sir," Phaedra put in before Cormick could respond, the Marshal looked about ready to explode. "I didn't attack that man, I was only defending myself."
"So would anyone say, innocent or guilty, would they not?" Vallis tapped the ornate blade at his side "Why should I believe you, a waif emerging from the midst of that cursed swamp, over one of my own soldiers?"
"This is nonsense!" Khelgar snarled "If Phaedra attacked them, how come none of them were killed? How come they got off with nothing more than a few scratches?"
"I only used the most basic spells I could," Phaedra added levelly. "To stun, not to kill."
"Perhaps," Vallis folded his arms, surveying her with apparent coolness, though behind that his eyes glinted with keen discernment. "Or perhaps you merely meant to bind them to your service as slaves to your magic? I have heard tale of such dark powers."
"What?" Phaedra gasped, shocked. "I don't even know how, I'd never…!"
"Lieutenant," Cormick interrupted, keeping his voice under control with some apparent difficulty. "The prejudice against arcane magic has given rise to many wild stories."
"Be that as it may, there is still the question of how and why this woman made the journey thus far!" Vallis' voice rose with indignation, he evidently did not like being questioned "How did she make it through the pass safely? I have it on the best authority that the bandits watch that route constantly, waiting for someone just like her! If she isn't working for them, how did she make it through alive?"
"Though I would never use my magic to enslave anyone." Phaedra fought to keep her voice calm and reasonable, to keep it from trembling, could they truly hang her if they thought she was lying? "I can use it to ensure my safety. I and my companions were concealed for the journey"
"Concealed?" Vallis echoed with consideration "Then how did my men see you, to attack you?"
"Sir, magic does not last for ever" Phaedra answered "I assumed I would be safe that close to the Fortress, but your men had other ideas"
"A tenuous story…at best" Vallis remarked "That does not explain why you have come here at all. It is rare for Harbourmen to emerge from the Mere is it not, the good Marshal notwithstanding of course"
"My uncle lives in Neverwinter, Duncan Farlong." Phaedra answered carefully, better to tell the truth, or at least in part, somehow she suspected that letting the Lieutenant know about the shards was not the best idea "I'm going there to visit him, to help at his inn in the docks."
"I know Duncan," Cormick nodded. "He runs the Sunken Flagon" Vallis glanced up, considering for a moment.
"Your story has its strengths," he said at last. "But, I cannot allow myself to be quite convinced."
"Lieutenant!" Cormick cried frustratedly "Put an end to this farce! West Harbour was attacked and you have a duty to it and all the other Mere settlements! You must start the patrols of the hills again!
"How dare you presume…?" Vallis began hotly, fuming, but then he suddenly stopped, breathed deeply, and the flash of anger fled his even, imperious features while that same, thin, humourless smile touched his lips "I wonder," he said after a moment's pause. "What is your opinion on the matter Sorceress, I assume the Marshal has informed you of our difficulties"
"What…?" Cormick began.
"People are in danger Lieutenant," Phaedra answered quietly, but Cormick instantly fell silent when she spoke. "They rely on the Fort's protection. Please, start up the patrols."
"Under the leadership of my predecessor Commander Tarn, we lost three patrols, and I still don't know to what." Vallis said, suddenly he was all charm, his clear voice even, gallant. "We also, of course, lost the Commander himself, he chose to lead the third patrol and vanished along with it; since I took on his duties my own policy has been clear, conserve our resources and men by suspending our patrols. We have therefore the perfect chance for you to prove not only your innocence in this matter, but also to persuade me that I should listen to you on the delicate matter of these patrols. What I need you to do is to find Tarn, or proof of what happened to him, of course. If you do, not only will I release you without the slightest difficulty, but I will also recommence the patrols the moment I do so."
"You want me to find your commander?" Phaedra asked, startled by the change in Vallis' demeanour.
"At the very least some solid evidence as to what happened to him," Vallis nodded lightly. "The confusion in the matter has caused some…minor hysteria. Of course, it remains a mystery, one I should like to see solved before I commit further men to the area."
"This is low even for you Lieutenant!" Cormick, unable to contain himself any longer, snapped contemptuously. "You know as well as I do…"
"Don't you want to find out what happened to Tarn, Cormick?" Vallis said with cold triumph "This woman and her little band seem more than capable, even if the wild rumours about undead are accurate."
"Undead?" Neeshka whispered earnestly "Err…I'm not so keen on them"
"I say bring them on" Khelgar tapped his axe, a satisfied smile touched his lips
"Exactly my point," Vallis smirked with satisfaction. "They're raring to go."
"And what's to stop me from just running off once you let me go?" Phaedra asked, Vallis' offer made sense, but she frankly didn't trust him. What reason did he have for trusting her?
"Nothing, except the minor inconvenience of me posting your description to Neverwinter" Vallis gave a delicate shrug "But I'm sure an adventurer of your obvious calibre can deal with that, if you're willing to abandon the rest of the Mere villages, including West Harbour. You leave without giving me proof of Tarn's fate, and I will never begin the patrols. I will, eventually, be granted full sovereignty over this fort whether or not you help me and rest assured my policies will remain unchanged, unless you convince me otherwise."
"This is a task for Greycloaks, for trained soldiers!" Cormick protested "You can spare the men!"
"Men this able young woman bested with minimal effort." Vallis countered "Whatever happened to the patrols, she can handle it I'm sure. So, Sorceress, Cormick's unfounded misgivings aside, what do you say?"
"Very well," Phaedra decided. "I'll do it." Every day the Greycloak patrols delayed, the villages of the Mere, and the surrounding farms were in danger. Not all of them were as well-defended as West Harbour, and there were rumours of a lizardling migration, how many more would be driven into the hills as the refugees who thronged in the Fortress did? And if the bandits were as powerful as it seemed, they would be in grave danger, unless the Greycloaks did what they could to protect them.
"Excellent," Vallis smiled with triumph, but the smile once again did not reach his cold eyes. "See, Cormick, she's quite confident." Cormick scowled, but, biting down whatever reply he had, continued to glare to the Lieutenant with venom in his gaze. "The Commander and the three patrols all vanished in an area just north of the large ridge on the old road. There is little of interest there, apart from an old graveyard from the last war, but no doubt you will be able to divine something from the place. And please, do make yourself comfortable in the camp for the night. Once you discover Tarn's fate, I expect an immediate report." In a single fluid motion he turned to leave, glancing back for a second, though it was clear this audience was over. "Good luck, Sorceress," He said softly. "If the rumours are true you may well need it." With that, he glided back towards the stone keep and was gone.
"That's hardly very reassuring," Neeshka said at last, once the Lieutenant had vanished for good "Are we really planning on searching for three missing Greycloak patrols in some graveyard infested with walking corpses?"
"Are you scared fiendling?" Khelgar taunted.
"If you had any sense you'd be too" Neeshka snapped "This isn't some seedy tavern brawl we're talking about! If that pompous ass back there was right these are walking corpses we're talking about, they don't die easily, at least not again…"
"I don't like the game Vallis is playing, and the fact he's chosen to involve you in all this" Cormick said concernedly, to Phaedra alone, as the other two continued to bicker "And I can't help but believe there's something to those stories about undead, three patrols don't just disappear without anybody even knowing what happened."
"I don't have a choice Cormick," Phaedra answered. "I just hope he keeps his side of the bargain."
"That's what I'm worried about," Cormick scowled. "The man's a snake, that's for sure," He sighed. "The inn has a little room left, since it looks like you won't be heading out until tomorrow. Follow me."