The Masked and the Moonblade
By Mask
Chapter 1
Arilyn shook her head in exasperation. Danilo was once again flouting his 'absolutely amazing' abilities with magic. Unfortunately, in Arilyn's opinion, he was doing so by transforming the flower he was wearing into various 'other' things. He had entered the ball with one of those carefully over stupid smiles of his, which had put her on her guard. While it pained her that he insisted on hiding from the world who he was and what he could do, in an inner part of herself she had to admit it made her laugh too.
Danilo just then accidentally transformed the flower into what Arilyn recognised as the end of a wyvern's tail. Despite the fact that most of the surrounding women only knew it was a scaly appendage and had no knowledge of the deadly poison it contained, many took the chance to swoon and shriek. Danilo, making himself look as flustered as possible, quickly reverted the scaled point to a dead weed. "Don't want to make this party too lively, now, do we?" he asked his companions in a hopeful voice. Those who were not tending to frightened ladies laughed, as Danilo was well known for his incompetence and sense of humour. It seemed that no matter his follies he could always put on them a comic turn and it pleased the bored upper classes of Waterhavien society as much as anything else could.
Arilyn got the unpleasant feeling someone was watching her and so with her usual speed and grace executed a perfect and smooth about-face. Behind her staring at what would have been the back of her head was Lady Thann. Danilo's mother was one of the few in Waterdeep's high society that knew of her son's infatuation with the half-elf Arilyn Moonblade. Not only did she disapprove of her son, even be he her younger son, marrying a woman whose only heritage was her sword, but also she was not even human. Lady Thann knew well how such a child would fare in the society of the nobles of Waterdeep. If she could, Arilyn felt sure she would order Danilo away from her, using the fact that Arilyn was a known Harper and therefore dangerous. However, she knew, as did Arilyn, that beneath his foppish foolery, miscast spells and badly sung ballads, Danilo was serious about one thing.
Arilyn raised an eyebrow at her critic and shot her a look of defiance. She could not be intimidated and she wanted Lady Thann to be very aware of that. Then she turned and as she did so he caught her eye. In that brief moment as their eyes met and parted she saw he had been watching her little silent interchange with his mother. She saw for a moment the Danilo she knew when they were on Harper business on the open trails. The one who was as bright as he was bawdy and as sharp with a sword as with his wit. But no sooner had that brief moment past than the fool of the Thann's had reappeared. At social events such as these Danilo didn't even wear a weapon, though many of the prigs of fashion did, fancy rapiers for which Arilyn had no patience. At her side swung her ever present sword, her moonblade for which she had taken her second name.
It was a moonblade with many gifts, some of which she did not know the fullness of their extent. It protected her from fire, warned her of danger even throughout her sleep, it held the key to the elfgate a portal to the secluded home of the elves and of course the elf shadow. A part of each elf that had held the blade was contained within it and could be summoned forth to fight beside the current bearer in times of great need. It had many abilities and was a weapon of great power, but as Arilyn looked at the final sigil on the blade she could not but feel a little relieved that it did not glow. This was the power she had forged into the blade, with the fires of her life. It was the embodiment of a promise made to the wood elves that whenever they were endangered the holder of the moonblade would go to their rescue.
It had replaced another. Arilyn didn't want to think it had replaced Danilo, but looking at her human partner she could not but notice his look was darker of late than when she had first known him. Danilo had for a short while been able to share her touch of the moonblade, share its ownership. It had recognised him as it did her and not hurt him when he touched it. But she had taken that away, for his own good and to help the elves whom she loved dearly. Once again, though, she looked deeply into her partner; he could no longer hide from her, as he once had. To her, as to no one else his emotions were a song to be heard even if he would try covering the pages of his heart. Danilo once had taken the moonblade before he had been allowed to by her adding a power to her blade. He had done it for her risking his life and suffering much pain for it. It had been the same with them he risked his life in loving her and suffered even now much pain, but she knew he would stand with her when others would flee from her side.
This reverie was shattered, however, as she felt a slight tug on her arm. Moving with the elven grace of her heritage she turned and snatched at the paper even then floating to the floor. The messenger had already departed, Arilyn seeing little more than a flash of green and gold silk. She unfolded the parchment and read it swiftly.
Danilo,
Upon receiving this missive leave what ever you are doing and report at once to the Blackstaff tower. I would not bother Arilyn with this if I were you; I think this may be a job for you alone.
As ever your uncle,
Kelben
Arilyn's eyes narrowed; if the message had been for Danilo alone then why had the messenger left it with her? Unless he had dropped it? But Arilyn did not think such a coincidence was possible. Someone wished her to know what was happening between Danilo and the Blackstaff. Looking up she thought she saw Danilo flip a inch of paper into his pocket, but could not have been sure.
"And now for my finale!" declared Danilo. He pulled out of thin air some kind of small hoop and then by whistling into it made it grow. Soon it became apparent that it was not the hoop growing but a bubble containing his whistles was emerging from the hoop. The bubble got larger and larger and began to change colours. The would-be bard was having trouble to keep whistling, while his mouth showed a tendency to laughter. The bubble grew larger and larger till it attracted the attention of almost everyone in the Grey Salon. Then without warning it suddenly burst and Danilo's whistling burst forth with amplified volume and all at once. Worst of all the bubble splattered itself all over its creator, magically missing everyone else in his close surroundings. His beautiful clothes covered in a sticky film of gold, Danilo smiled and then let that fade as he looked down.
"Ruined!" he exclaimed. "And Eastern said, he would never make the equal of this dinner coat. It takes three men to dress me in it, it fits that well!" Danilo laid a hand over his eyes and allowed himself a slight sniffle. Then as if just realising he touched the top of his head with the same hand. "Oh, no!" he said aghast. "Not my hair, not my hair!" turning about him, his face comically distraught, he begged leave of everyone in the vicinity claiming he had been called away on urgent business and fled rather than walked from the room.
Once he had collapsed in his carriage outside the grounds main gates he burst into heartfelt laughter. "Interesting evening," came a voice he knew well from the darkness of the seat opposite him. "Arilyn!" he exclaimed, seeming honestly surprised. He muttered some quick words and the gooey film of golden slim disappeared from him and all he wore. At that though, he seemed to remember to make light of the situation. "Sometimes, my dear, I forget you are an assassin, after all. May I suggest magic for all your cleaning needs, draws blood out in a jiffy!" His smile was engaging but Arilyn was in no mood for his pranks, indeed she rarely was. "Can we dispense with Disasterlo Thann and have Danilo for a moment?" she asked. He grinned, "But of course, now which Dan." he began but stopped and his smile disappeared at her dark look. "What is it, Arilyn?" he asked concerned. "Why didn't you get me as you left?" she asked. "Why?" repeated Danilo. "Because I thought I could handle any number of highway who may or mayn't try to stop my coach; err. how do I say it, going solo." Arilyn stared at him in silence for a few moments longer. Danilo finally shrugged. "Okay, you beat it out of me, I just didn't think." However Arilyn remained silent, which slightly unnerved her partner; he didn't like it when she used this method of interrogation. She knew him well enough to get him to finally talk himself into telling her what she wanted to know. 'My, my, isn't this complicated' thought Danilo to himself.
Arilyn, however, had had enough and thrust the letter from Khelben into his hands. He took it, read it and then looked at her with a strange expression. "Here's me thinking you little more than an assassin when you're an accomplished thief, too. We really must tell my mother the good news!"
"Danilo, stop!" commanded Arilyn.
Glancing up at her now angry face the nobleman and Harper nodded. "But how did you get this most delight. well, interesting letter?"
"Where is yours?" asked Arilyn abruptly.
Danilo looked surprised for an instant, even a little dismayed, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out an identical folded letter. "Oh," he said, "I see." Arilyn nodded, "Do you understand it, though?" Danilo shook his head. "Uncle must know that once I'd gotten the mission from him I would have come straight to you." Arilyn looked at him and caught his eyes trying to find any guile in them. Whatever she saw, it seemed, didn't satisfy her either way, as she shook her head and looked back at the letters. The rest of the drive was uncharacteristically silent.
By Mask
Chapter 1
Arilyn shook her head in exasperation. Danilo was once again flouting his 'absolutely amazing' abilities with magic. Unfortunately, in Arilyn's opinion, he was doing so by transforming the flower he was wearing into various 'other' things. He had entered the ball with one of those carefully over stupid smiles of his, which had put her on her guard. While it pained her that he insisted on hiding from the world who he was and what he could do, in an inner part of herself she had to admit it made her laugh too.
Danilo just then accidentally transformed the flower into what Arilyn recognised as the end of a wyvern's tail. Despite the fact that most of the surrounding women only knew it was a scaly appendage and had no knowledge of the deadly poison it contained, many took the chance to swoon and shriek. Danilo, making himself look as flustered as possible, quickly reverted the scaled point to a dead weed. "Don't want to make this party too lively, now, do we?" he asked his companions in a hopeful voice. Those who were not tending to frightened ladies laughed, as Danilo was well known for his incompetence and sense of humour. It seemed that no matter his follies he could always put on them a comic turn and it pleased the bored upper classes of Waterhavien society as much as anything else could.
Arilyn got the unpleasant feeling someone was watching her and so with her usual speed and grace executed a perfect and smooth about-face. Behind her staring at what would have been the back of her head was Lady Thann. Danilo's mother was one of the few in Waterdeep's high society that knew of her son's infatuation with the half-elf Arilyn Moonblade. Not only did she disapprove of her son, even be he her younger son, marrying a woman whose only heritage was her sword, but also she was not even human. Lady Thann knew well how such a child would fare in the society of the nobles of Waterdeep. If she could, Arilyn felt sure she would order Danilo away from her, using the fact that Arilyn was a known Harper and therefore dangerous. However, she knew, as did Arilyn, that beneath his foppish foolery, miscast spells and badly sung ballads, Danilo was serious about one thing.
Arilyn raised an eyebrow at her critic and shot her a look of defiance. She could not be intimidated and she wanted Lady Thann to be very aware of that. Then she turned and as she did so he caught her eye. In that brief moment as their eyes met and parted she saw he had been watching her little silent interchange with his mother. She saw for a moment the Danilo she knew when they were on Harper business on the open trails. The one who was as bright as he was bawdy and as sharp with a sword as with his wit. But no sooner had that brief moment past than the fool of the Thann's had reappeared. At social events such as these Danilo didn't even wear a weapon, though many of the prigs of fashion did, fancy rapiers for which Arilyn had no patience. At her side swung her ever present sword, her moonblade for which she had taken her second name.
It was a moonblade with many gifts, some of which she did not know the fullness of their extent. It protected her from fire, warned her of danger even throughout her sleep, it held the key to the elfgate a portal to the secluded home of the elves and of course the elf shadow. A part of each elf that had held the blade was contained within it and could be summoned forth to fight beside the current bearer in times of great need. It had many abilities and was a weapon of great power, but as Arilyn looked at the final sigil on the blade she could not but feel a little relieved that it did not glow. This was the power she had forged into the blade, with the fires of her life. It was the embodiment of a promise made to the wood elves that whenever they were endangered the holder of the moonblade would go to their rescue.
It had replaced another. Arilyn didn't want to think it had replaced Danilo, but looking at her human partner she could not but notice his look was darker of late than when she had first known him. Danilo had for a short while been able to share her touch of the moonblade, share its ownership. It had recognised him as it did her and not hurt him when he touched it. But she had taken that away, for his own good and to help the elves whom she loved dearly. Once again, though, she looked deeply into her partner; he could no longer hide from her, as he once had. To her, as to no one else his emotions were a song to be heard even if he would try covering the pages of his heart. Danilo once had taken the moonblade before he had been allowed to by her adding a power to her blade. He had done it for her risking his life and suffering much pain for it. It had been the same with them he risked his life in loving her and suffered even now much pain, but she knew he would stand with her when others would flee from her side.
This reverie was shattered, however, as she felt a slight tug on her arm. Moving with the elven grace of her heritage she turned and snatched at the paper even then floating to the floor. The messenger had already departed, Arilyn seeing little more than a flash of green and gold silk. She unfolded the parchment and read it swiftly.
Danilo,
Upon receiving this missive leave what ever you are doing and report at once to the Blackstaff tower. I would not bother Arilyn with this if I were you; I think this may be a job for you alone.
As ever your uncle,
Kelben
Arilyn's eyes narrowed; if the message had been for Danilo alone then why had the messenger left it with her? Unless he had dropped it? But Arilyn did not think such a coincidence was possible. Someone wished her to know what was happening between Danilo and the Blackstaff. Looking up she thought she saw Danilo flip a inch of paper into his pocket, but could not have been sure.
"And now for my finale!" declared Danilo. He pulled out of thin air some kind of small hoop and then by whistling into it made it grow. Soon it became apparent that it was not the hoop growing but a bubble containing his whistles was emerging from the hoop. The bubble got larger and larger and began to change colours. The would-be bard was having trouble to keep whistling, while his mouth showed a tendency to laughter. The bubble grew larger and larger till it attracted the attention of almost everyone in the Grey Salon. Then without warning it suddenly burst and Danilo's whistling burst forth with amplified volume and all at once. Worst of all the bubble splattered itself all over its creator, magically missing everyone else in his close surroundings. His beautiful clothes covered in a sticky film of gold, Danilo smiled and then let that fade as he looked down.
"Ruined!" he exclaimed. "And Eastern said, he would never make the equal of this dinner coat. It takes three men to dress me in it, it fits that well!" Danilo laid a hand over his eyes and allowed himself a slight sniffle. Then as if just realising he touched the top of his head with the same hand. "Oh, no!" he said aghast. "Not my hair, not my hair!" turning about him, his face comically distraught, he begged leave of everyone in the vicinity claiming he had been called away on urgent business and fled rather than walked from the room.
Once he had collapsed in his carriage outside the grounds main gates he burst into heartfelt laughter. "Interesting evening," came a voice he knew well from the darkness of the seat opposite him. "Arilyn!" he exclaimed, seeming honestly surprised. He muttered some quick words and the gooey film of golden slim disappeared from him and all he wore. At that though, he seemed to remember to make light of the situation. "Sometimes, my dear, I forget you are an assassin, after all. May I suggest magic for all your cleaning needs, draws blood out in a jiffy!" His smile was engaging but Arilyn was in no mood for his pranks, indeed she rarely was. "Can we dispense with Disasterlo Thann and have Danilo for a moment?" she asked. He grinned, "But of course, now which Dan." he began but stopped and his smile disappeared at her dark look. "What is it, Arilyn?" he asked concerned. "Why didn't you get me as you left?" she asked. "Why?" repeated Danilo. "Because I thought I could handle any number of highway who may or mayn't try to stop my coach; err. how do I say it, going solo." Arilyn stared at him in silence for a few moments longer. Danilo finally shrugged. "Okay, you beat it out of me, I just didn't think." However Arilyn remained silent, which slightly unnerved her partner; he didn't like it when she used this method of interrogation. She knew him well enough to get him to finally talk himself into telling her what she wanted to know. 'My, my, isn't this complicated' thought Danilo to himself.
Arilyn, however, had had enough and thrust the letter from Khelben into his hands. He took it, read it and then looked at her with a strange expression. "Here's me thinking you little more than an assassin when you're an accomplished thief, too. We really must tell my mother the good news!"
"Danilo, stop!" commanded Arilyn.
Glancing up at her now angry face the nobleman and Harper nodded. "But how did you get this most delight. well, interesting letter?"
"Where is yours?" asked Arilyn abruptly.
Danilo looked surprised for an instant, even a little dismayed, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out an identical folded letter. "Oh," he said, "I see." Arilyn nodded, "Do you understand it, though?" Danilo shook his head. "Uncle must know that once I'd gotten the mission from him I would have come straight to you." Arilyn looked at him and caught his eyes trying to find any guile in them. Whatever she saw, it seemed, didn't satisfy her either way, as she shook her head and looked back at the letters. The rest of the drive was uncharacteristically silent.
