Chapter 2
Blackstaff tower way well have been the most recognisable edifice in Waterdeep. Tall and imposing and famous for being home to no less than two of the greatest magic users to walk the realms. Khelben 'Blackstaff' Arunsun and Laeral.one of the silver sisters and Lady Mage of Waterdeep. However, the two Harpers descending from the carriage not ten paces from the tower were not overly impressed. Visits here had become common and habit, as Danilo would always point out, breeds contempt.
The wall simply seemed to swallow them as they walked forward knowing full well the arch mage (and his probably his partner too) was watching their every move. Once inside they were met by one of the apprentices and guided up to Khelben's rooms with the simple explanation that they were expected.
As they entered his room Khelben was hurling a lightning bolt to blast something through what appeared to Danilo to be a dimensional portal. With another hastily spoken word Khelben cast a spell firmly closing the inter-dimensional doorway.
"Shocking, how rude some of those daemons can be isn't it?" he said with a rueful, yet mocking grin. "Danilo?" asked Khelben. "I do not recall asking you here!"
"Really, uncle, that's just too much when I have your note right here!" He flourished the piece of paper but kept it, Arilyn noticed, out of the arch mage's reach. Khelben, however, was not being denied. "Serro," he muttered, holding out his hand, and the paper flew into it. He read it at a glance and shook his head exasperatedly. "Dan, this is over a year old! You know that, stop acting the fool, as there is no one here to profit from the performance!"
Danilo only flashed one of his most winning smiles but almost didn't manage to hold it when he saw Arilyn's face. She showed little but seemed to be somewhat saddened by the revelation. "Arilyn?" asked Khelben. "Did you get my message for you?" she turned to the mage at first surprised and then with dawning realisation. "Danilo has it," she announced. "I do?" he exclaimed, and then on seeing them both flash him the exact same disapproving frown he swiftly produced the other folded letter. Just as Khelben was about to take it Arilyn asked if she could read it again. Khelben seemed a little taken aback but agreed to it.
Arilyn,
I will need to speak to you at once; it is about Elaith Craulnober. For obvious reasons, and for the less obvious also, do not bring Danilo with you. He would simply attempt to get in your way or try to help, which would amount to the same thing in this case. Needless to say telling him not to get involved is about as effective as commanding him to never let you out of his sight for the next year. For his own good, do as I say. Come swiftly.
Blackstaff
"I will say much about Elaith's daughter, but we must never refer to her by name, not even here," said Khelben, taking back the letter and with a word, destroying it. Arilyn had noticed Danilo had carefully re-pocketed the older letter apparently for future use. "You taught her to use Elaith's sword and now she is doing so. The moonstone in the blade was re-awakened only last month." Seeing the shock he had caused both of his listeners, Khelben added, "Even I was unaware of this till but days ago." Turning then specifically to Arilyn and purposefully away from his nephew he addressed her. "I thought you, as you have trained her, would be best placed to go to her. She is not far from here. Reports say she is still in Skullport, even. But she is being followed. Someone wants her dead and I want you to protect her. You have my trust, Harper approval, elven blood, moonblade experience but most of all Elaith Craulnober has not objected to your name when I put it to him." Arilyn nodded. "But of course. I understand completely."
"And I understand that she'll need back up, if you're taking this as seriously as your tone suggests," cut in Danilo. Turning to him both were not too surprised to see him pulling from a small pouch a well crafted sabre and strapping it around his waist to hang off his thigh in the latest town style. "This is to deal with moonblades and Craulnobers, neither of which.." began Khelben. "I have worked with both before!" snapped Danilo in a voice very unlike his own. For an instant his eyes grew hard, something Arilyn could not remember him ever doing in her presence before. No matter his facial expression, no matter his body language, his eyes always carried his happy, soft, humorous side. They always carried his spark, but they didn't now.
Danilo took a breath and then it came back. With his wry grin returning as if he had never let it fall he reached into his pouch one more time and drew out a large wide brimmed hat in sky blue and lilac. "Well" he said his jaunty smile stretching now to full magnificence. "This hat will cap it off nicely!"
It was much later in the day, and though he had tried, Danilo hadn't really got Arilyn to speak with him. It wasn't just the seriousness of the mission, either, that he knew. Arilyn and him had been on missions hundreds of times more dangerous than this. Missions involving the killing of the Lords of Waterdeep themselves or the misuse of Arilyn's moonblade possibly presenting the awful thought of the downfall of Evermeet, last bastion of the elves. Arilyn had been involved in a full-fledged war when she had gone to save the wood elves in far off Tethyr. So it wasn't that. Unfortunately, he had a nagging feeling it was something to do with the letters, but he was hoping he wouldn't have to admit that even to himself. Anyway, it was Arilyn who was supposed to be blunt and get things out in the open, he was sure she would do so and soon. He was to be proved right.
They stopped briefly in a drinking house after they had entered the lower streets of Skullport. Here Danilo got a drink and Arilyn some food; she wouldn't touch what they had to drink, and neither would Danilo if they hadn't been on a mission. "It is part of my wet and weary traveller routine," he had explained. But once he sat down opposite his partner he saw she was going to talk with him. Whenever she did that it was about one of two things. The mission, or them. Arilyn had a very forthright view of their relationship; it was one of the reasons Danilo loved her. Besides the fact that upon first seeing a picture of her he had asked, "Besides being the future mother of my children, who is this beauty?" Danilo was a little more cautious with her than she with him. That was because whether Arilyn (or even Danilo) liked it or not he was forced to be a man of many layers. It was the life he had been allotted as well as the one he had been chosen. Nothing was unknown about Arilyn; most of what people got to see was written in plain sight down her moonblade. She was dedicated to service, to her blade, her Harper pin, and her heritage. Danilo knew that she was even more than that, she was his friend and his lover and despite the flippant tone he had used to his uncle upon first seeing her beautiful image, he still knew she was the future mother of his children.
"Why did you take my letter?" she asked. Ouch! That's not good, he thought to himself. "Well." he said, stalling for a moment to think. "All letters that get sent in come to me first."
"Even if they are sent by Khelben?" asked Arilyn, her tone level as a steel blade. "Of course," responded Danilo.
"Why didn't you give it to me?" she asked quickly, but Danilo had already prepared this answer. "I had just placed it in my pocket upon receiving it, so I didn't realise it was yours till later and then we were at my uncle's."
For a moment she paused, it was possible. She had only seen him pocket it folded and bring it out folded. "Why, then, if not to follow the summons of your uncle, did you fake the miscast and leave the party?"
"Because I saw you get your letter!" he answered with a smile, "You must know I keep an eye on you, my dear!"
"Indeed, I do know it," she responded in an unamused tone refusing to rise to his constant tries at humour. "Dan, you are lying to me!" she finished.
That took him a little aback, he hated it that she could come out with statements like that which despite their being true had no proof to them, yet. But she would never let the fact that she hadn't caught him in a lie stop her from announcing the truth. She could see it in him and he could see something in her. She was sad, pained even, that he had lied to her, again. It wasn't really his fault, Danilo argued internally. I have been a secret lord of Waterdeep and a Harper, not to mention personal agent to the Blackstaff himself. I have to live secretly.
"I thought you had decided to only have one face with me, Dan." she said. But her voice lacked its usual fire and conviction. It sounded more like a question than a statement, as if she was unsure what he had once told her. He reached out to her, but she avoided his touch. He couldn't stand it; she wouldn't flinch because she did not fear what he or anyone else could do to her. She didn't react; she only carefully thought out and did as seemed her right; well, that was not always possible for someone in his position. "You see," he said. "You lied too."
She was about to refute this because she never lied to him, or to anyone for that matter. But then she saw him pointing to the last of the elven runes on the naked blade of her sword. His face was tight and she could see his pain, enough to match her own. She had been struck that he had once again played her for the fool trying and succeeding in hiding his true actions and thoughts from her. But she realised some things festered between them that he thought was her fault. "I explained that," she said quietly. Daring him to tell her to abandon that duty of hers that he most disliked. The duty that separated them so often taking her south to the woods of Tethyr.
"You lied then," he said quietly. "You said, 'It is no more, because it is not needed'. If you do not trust me enough to let me touch, even your hand, then to what purpose those words." She was going to answer something to the tune that he should not be stupid or so unfair. She had been intending to point out that he was wrong to compare what she had said then, which only he by his actions had made untrue and what he had done so purposefully.
But she said none of these things, because he acted first. "If you will judge me evil, I will rather trust to your blade. You look to it for everything else, why not let it deicide my fate also?" With that he swiftly touched the hilt of her moonblade, before she could react. No one but its wielder may handle an active moonblade. The moonstone in the pommel flashed dully and Danilo was flung to the ground. With a cry she was beside him and holding his limp form. This was not the first time she had feared him dead and she was not a woman without control. Yet for an instant she wanted nothing more than to rip her moonblade from its place on her hip and throw it into the abyss for hurting him.
In seconds though she realised though terribly hurt he was alive and in no mortal danger. Some of her desperate concern at losing the only man she truly considered her friend to death was replaced by familiar exasperation. What was he thinking? That the moonblade could be touched as if it had no moonstone in it? No; he was not so foolish! Or was he? Her thoughts were jumbled so that she could barely think and her emotions were out of her usual calm elven control. 'This is how it must feel to be you, Danilo,' she thought to herself. She could not prevent a slight smile at that thought, and then he chose that moment to open his eyes.
"If they are all as pretty," he murmured, "I'll take two!" She laughed and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up. Once on his feet he swayed dangerously and his eyes rolled out of focus. "Wow, another one already, that was quick," he managed, and then with a sloppy smile fell, guided by Arilyn into a chair. After a moment he managed to down the rest of the glass of whatever it was he had been drinking. This seemed to stiffen him and help recall some of his senses.
"I am sorry," he managed. "I will stop having your letters intercepted and sending you fake ones to put you off track." His face took on its more down cast hue. "It's just, don't like Elaith above half. In fact I heartily dislike him!" Every word he spoke was still slurred not with drunkenness but by the simple fact his energy seemed drained. He could barely lift his head. Finally propping himself up on one arm using the weight of his head to hold the arm in place he managed to be able to look at Arilyn. "There's still two of you," he said "Not that I'm complaining, mind!" She laughed at this and won an answering grin from him.
"Yes, I hate your intrigues and disguises, almost as much as you hate my sword," she confided.
Before Danilo really could think about what he was saying he was agreeing with her. "Yes, I know. You hate them but you know I need 'em." Then he fell asleep, the pain or simple lack of strength too much for him to consciously handle it. His last word half formed, he slipped into the oblivion of sleep.
"You hate it," she said quietly. She stroked her hand over the well- smoothed pommel of her moonblade as she spoke. "But you know I need it!"
Blackstaff tower way well have been the most recognisable edifice in Waterdeep. Tall and imposing and famous for being home to no less than two of the greatest magic users to walk the realms. Khelben 'Blackstaff' Arunsun and Laeral.one of the silver sisters and Lady Mage of Waterdeep. However, the two Harpers descending from the carriage not ten paces from the tower were not overly impressed. Visits here had become common and habit, as Danilo would always point out, breeds contempt.
The wall simply seemed to swallow them as they walked forward knowing full well the arch mage (and his probably his partner too) was watching their every move. Once inside they were met by one of the apprentices and guided up to Khelben's rooms with the simple explanation that they were expected.
As they entered his room Khelben was hurling a lightning bolt to blast something through what appeared to Danilo to be a dimensional portal. With another hastily spoken word Khelben cast a spell firmly closing the inter-dimensional doorway.
"Shocking, how rude some of those daemons can be isn't it?" he said with a rueful, yet mocking grin. "Danilo?" asked Khelben. "I do not recall asking you here!"
"Really, uncle, that's just too much when I have your note right here!" He flourished the piece of paper but kept it, Arilyn noticed, out of the arch mage's reach. Khelben, however, was not being denied. "Serro," he muttered, holding out his hand, and the paper flew into it. He read it at a glance and shook his head exasperatedly. "Dan, this is over a year old! You know that, stop acting the fool, as there is no one here to profit from the performance!"
Danilo only flashed one of his most winning smiles but almost didn't manage to hold it when he saw Arilyn's face. She showed little but seemed to be somewhat saddened by the revelation. "Arilyn?" asked Khelben. "Did you get my message for you?" she turned to the mage at first surprised and then with dawning realisation. "Danilo has it," she announced. "I do?" he exclaimed, and then on seeing them both flash him the exact same disapproving frown he swiftly produced the other folded letter. Just as Khelben was about to take it Arilyn asked if she could read it again. Khelben seemed a little taken aback but agreed to it.
Arilyn,
I will need to speak to you at once; it is about Elaith Craulnober. For obvious reasons, and for the less obvious also, do not bring Danilo with you. He would simply attempt to get in your way or try to help, which would amount to the same thing in this case. Needless to say telling him not to get involved is about as effective as commanding him to never let you out of his sight for the next year. For his own good, do as I say. Come swiftly.
Blackstaff
"I will say much about Elaith's daughter, but we must never refer to her by name, not even here," said Khelben, taking back the letter and with a word, destroying it. Arilyn had noticed Danilo had carefully re-pocketed the older letter apparently for future use. "You taught her to use Elaith's sword and now she is doing so. The moonstone in the blade was re-awakened only last month." Seeing the shock he had caused both of his listeners, Khelben added, "Even I was unaware of this till but days ago." Turning then specifically to Arilyn and purposefully away from his nephew he addressed her. "I thought you, as you have trained her, would be best placed to go to her. She is not far from here. Reports say she is still in Skullport, even. But she is being followed. Someone wants her dead and I want you to protect her. You have my trust, Harper approval, elven blood, moonblade experience but most of all Elaith Craulnober has not objected to your name when I put it to him." Arilyn nodded. "But of course. I understand completely."
"And I understand that she'll need back up, if you're taking this as seriously as your tone suggests," cut in Danilo. Turning to him both were not too surprised to see him pulling from a small pouch a well crafted sabre and strapping it around his waist to hang off his thigh in the latest town style. "This is to deal with moonblades and Craulnobers, neither of which.." began Khelben. "I have worked with both before!" snapped Danilo in a voice very unlike his own. For an instant his eyes grew hard, something Arilyn could not remember him ever doing in her presence before. No matter his facial expression, no matter his body language, his eyes always carried his happy, soft, humorous side. They always carried his spark, but they didn't now.
Danilo took a breath and then it came back. With his wry grin returning as if he had never let it fall he reached into his pouch one more time and drew out a large wide brimmed hat in sky blue and lilac. "Well" he said his jaunty smile stretching now to full magnificence. "This hat will cap it off nicely!"
It was much later in the day, and though he had tried, Danilo hadn't really got Arilyn to speak with him. It wasn't just the seriousness of the mission, either, that he knew. Arilyn and him had been on missions hundreds of times more dangerous than this. Missions involving the killing of the Lords of Waterdeep themselves or the misuse of Arilyn's moonblade possibly presenting the awful thought of the downfall of Evermeet, last bastion of the elves. Arilyn had been involved in a full-fledged war when she had gone to save the wood elves in far off Tethyr. So it wasn't that. Unfortunately, he had a nagging feeling it was something to do with the letters, but he was hoping he wouldn't have to admit that even to himself. Anyway, it was Arilyn who was supposed to be blunt and get things out in the open, he was sure she would do so and soon. He was to be proved right.
They stopped briefly in a drinking house after they had entered the lower streets of Skullport. Here Danilo got a drink and Arilyn some food; she wouldn't touch what they had to drink, and neither would Danilo if they hadn't been on a mission. "It is part of my wet and weary traveller routine," he had explained. But once he sat down opposite his partner he saw she was going to talk with him. Whenever she did that it was about one of two things. The mission, or them. Arilyn had a very forthright view of their relationship; it was one of the reasons Danilo loved her. Besides the fact that upon first seeing a picture of her he had asked, "Besides being the future mother of my children, who is this beauty?" Danilo was a little more cautious with her than she with him. That was because whether Arilyn (or even Danilo) liked it or not he was forced to be a man of many layers. It was the life he had been allotted as well as the one he had been chosen. Nothing was unknown about Arilyn; most of what people got to see was written in plain sight down her moonblade. She was dedicated to service, to her blade, her Harper pin, and her heritage. Danilo knew that she was even more than that, she was his friend and his lover and despite the flippant tone he had used to his uncle upon first seeing her beautiful image, he still knew she was the future mother of his children.
"Why did you take my letter?" she asked. Ouch! That's not good, he thought to himself. "Well." he said, stalling for a moment to think. "All letters that get sent in come to me first."
"Even if they are sent by Khelben?" asked Arilyn, her tone level as a steel blade. "Of course," responded Danilo.
"Why didn't you give it to me?" she asked quickly, but Danilo had already prepared this answer. "I had just placed it in my pocket upon receiving it, so I didn't realise it was yours till later and then we were at my uncle's."
For a moment she paused, it was possible. She had only seen him pocket it folded and bring it out folded. "Why, then, if not to follow the summons of your uncle, did you fake the miscast and leave the party?"
"Because I saw you get your letter!" he answered with a smile, "You must know I keep an eye on you, my dear!"
"Indeed, I do know it," she responded in an unamused tone refusing to rise to his constant tries at humour. "Dan, you are lying to me!" she finished.
That took him a little aback, he hated it that she could come out with statements like that which despite their being true had no proof to them, yet. But she would never let the fact that she hadn't caught him in a lie stop her from announcing the truth. She could see it in him and he could see something in her. She was sad, pained even, that he had lied to her, again. It wasn't really his fault, Danilo argued internally. I have been a secret lord of Waterdeep and a Harper, not to mention personal agent to the Blackstaff himself. I have to live secretly.
"I thought you had decided to only have one face with me, Dan." she said. But her voice lacked its usual fire and conviction. It sounded more like a question than a statement, as if she was unsure what he had once told her. He reached out to her, but she avoided his touch. He couldn't stand it; she wouldn't flinch because she did not fear what he or anyone else could do to her. She didn't react; she only carefully thought out and did as seemed her right; well, that was not always possible for someone in his position. "You see," he said. "You lied too."
She was about to refute this because she never lied to him, or to anyone for that matter. But then she saw him pointing to the last of the elven runes on the naked blade of her sword. His face was tight and she could see his pain, enough to match her own. She had been struck that he had once again played her for the fool trying and succeeding in hiding his true actions and thoughts from her. But she realised some things festered between them that he thought was her fault. "I explained that," she said quietly. Daring him to tell her to abandon that duty of hers that he most disliked. The duty that separated them so often taking her south to the woods of Tethyr.
"You lied then," he said quietly. "You said, 'It is no more, because it is not needed'. If you do not trust me enough to let me touch, even your hand, then to what purpose those words." She was going to answer something to the tune that he should not be stupid or so unfair. She had been intending to point out that he was wrong to compare what she had said then, which only he by his actions had made untrue and what he had done so purposefully.
But she said none of these things, because he acted first. "If you will judge me evil, I will rather trust to your blade. You look to it for everything else, why not let it deicide my fate also?" With that he swiftly touched the hilt of her moonblade, before she could react. No one but its wielder may handle an active moonblade. The moonstone in the pommel flashed dully and Danilo was flung to the ground. With a cry she was beside him and holding his limp form. This was not the first time she had feared him dead and she was not a woman without control. Yet for an instant she wanted nothing more than to rip her moonblade from its place on her hip and throw it into the abyss for hurting him.
In seconds though she realised though terribly hurt he was alive and in no mortal danger. Some of her desperate concern at losing the only man she truly considered her friend to death was replaced by familiar exasperation. What was he thinking? That the moonblade could be touched as if it had no moonstone in it? No; he was not so foolish! Or was he? Her thoughts were jumbled so that she could barely think and her emotions were out of her usual calm elven control. 'This is how it must feel to be you, Danilo,' she thought to herself. She could not prevent a slight smile at that thought, and then he chose that moment to open his eyes.
"If they are all as pretty," he murmured, "I'll take two!" She laughed and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up. Once on his feet he swayed dangerously and his eyes rolled out of focus. "Wow, another one already, that was quick," he managed, and then with a sloppy smile fell, guided by Arilyn into a chair. After a moment he managed to down the rest of the glass of whatever it was he had been drinking. This seemed to stiffen him and help recall some of his senses.
"I am sorry," he managed. "I will stop having your letters intercepted and sending you fake ones to put you off track." His face took on its more down cast hue. "It's just, don't like Elaith above half. In fact I heartily dislike him!" Every word he spoke was still slurred not with drunkenness but by the simple fact his energy seemed drained. He could barely lift his head. Finally propping himself up on one arm using the weight of his head to hold the arm in place he managed to be able to look at Arilyn. "There's still two of you," he said "Not that I'm complaining, mind!" She laughed at this and won an answering grin from him.
"Yes, I hate your intrigues and disguises, almost as much as you hate my sword," she confided.
Before Danilo really could think about what he was saying he was agreeing with her. "Yes, I know. You hate them but you know I need 'em." Then he fell asleep, the pain or simple lack of strength too much for him to consciously handle it. His last word half formed, he slipped into the oblivion of sleep.
"You hate it," she said quietly. She stroked her hand over the well- smoothed pommel of her moonblade as she spoke. "But you know I need it!"
