His armor, fine and soft as silk, lies with a girl who lost her faith.

Walisra went back to her chambers and locked the doors. She did not want to go back to the temple, but the emperor had come out of the Jagged Palace and ordered her to leave. She lay on her plush bed and looked at the ornate walls of her chamber. She hated it. The large bas relief of the goddess Fredaine on the wall seemed to frown through her seductive sneer.

Fredaine, drow goddess of seduction, sexual passion, rape, and prostitution held no love for Walisra and she held no respect for the goddess.

Walisra remembered the day she was made high priestess. She was only sixteen. She was stripped, blindfolded and taken from her home. When the blindfold was removed, she was tied to the bed. The room was filled with men and Fredaine priestesses performing sexual acts in front of her eyes.

She fought and shook, she was repeatedly raped by dozens men while Fredaine priestesses fondled her breasts, licked her body, and laughed. Over the next weeks of her 'initiation' she was forced to learn as many sexual positions with as many partners as were willing.

Her main teacher was the Veiled Knight called Verien. It was only after months of Verien's ministrations that she learned he was her own brother.

She was devoted to this perverse goddess for many years, until Ty'Aero arranged for her to be a regular bedmate for the emperor. Of course, Kirisatt had no interest in her. The emperor allowed her to meet the Ancient Captive.

Everything changed after that. The Ancient Captive was kind, and made no move to molest her. She felt peace for the first time in her life.

Walisra looked at the statue. Fredaine floated over an ooze, on a leaf, naked. The goddess' long hair fell to her feet and dipped into the ooze, Ghaunadaur, her father. Resting on the goddess' shoulders was a long snake. The snake's tail wrapped around one arm. The head part of the snake wrapped around the other arm and reared it five heads above the goddess' upturned palm.

The legend said that Fredaine was formed from a drop of blood from Corellon Larethian that fell directly on the body of Ghaunadaur. Ghaunadaur created Fredaine and sent her to Arvandor to seduce the son of Corellon, Vhaeraun. Fredaine was successful. But, Ghaunadaur did not count on Fredaine being consumed by lust for Vhaeraun.

Fredaine attempted to save Vhaeraun from his mother, Lloth's, wrath. Lloth cocooned her and dragged Fredaine to the abyss. The goddess lives as an eternal prisoner of Lloth. Painfully, eternally forced to couple with Lloth's minions. Forced to create the venomous whips, for the use by Lloth's Priestesses, from her own body. In eternal torment and eternal pain, for the sake of her pure lust.

"Disgusting. You could escape any time you wanted, but you linger in torment wanting your dear Vhaeraun to come save you. How can you desire him so much, and have no concept of what love is."

Walisra stood and walked over to a dress dummy. On the dummy was a fine, dark blue tunic. It did not belong to her. She, as a Priestess of Fredaine, was never allowed to wear any clothing save for the sash around her hips.

The fine tunic was actually a suit of armor. The mithril rings were so tiny and fine, that they looked like knitted cloth rather than metal. The armor was lined with a thin, fine leather that felt as soft as butterfly wings. It was light as a feather.

Walisra put it on and breathed in the male scent that still permeated the leather. It made her feel like The Ancient Captive was with her, protecting her from the horrors of the temple brothel.

"Thank you, Lokteruost. Thank you for helping me sleep."

##########

Verien smiled as he saw Katla and her companions walk out of the Wine and Spirits.

"That has to be the little whore that Ty'Aero wanted his hands on." he thought as he strode smugly to cut into her path.

Katla, ahead of her companions, pushed through the crowd. She wanted to get back to the safe house as soon as possible. The many shocking occurrences left her weary. She wanted to go cry, in private.

At home, in Straankeep, she would always go to the mausoleum to cry. There was a statue of Corellon, sitting on a couch with his left arm resting on the arm of the couch, the face of the statue buried into its left arm. The right arm of the statue hung limply. It made the statue look like it was crying, so Katla felt she was not crying alone. She missed home, and the quiet of that mausoleum.

"Ouch," she said as she nearly fell over Verien.

"Oh I am so sorry, Milady. I was trying to get your attention, but you seemed to be far away. Here let me wipe off your tunic."

"Who are you?"

"I am Verien, a servant of Master Ty'Aero. Do I have the honor of addressing Lady Katla Wisteria?"

"Yes. What does your master want?"

"He is most concerned for your safety. He told me to make sure you had safe accommodations during your stay.

"I assure you," Lodo said as he stepped behind Katla and put his hands on her shoulders. " Her 'highness' is very secure. I am here to make sure of that."

"And who are you?"

"Her chaperone. She is in comfortable lodgings and has plenty of protection. Tell your master that."

"I will do so. Thank you, Lady Katla. I will tell him you are safe."

Verien quickly made his way through the crowd towards the Academy of Black Wizards.

"That was close!" Kunne said, "That was Verien. Master of the Veiled Knights. They are the local thief and assassins guild. All members are also clerics of Vhaeraun, so they have magic as well as stealth on their side. Lady Katla, perhaps you should stay in the safe house for a few days."

"I agree," Tharros added.

"Well let's get out of this here crowd and be gettin us to the safe house. Me bones are tired." Thelvin said.

##########

"Milady! I am so glad you are back!" Solonund Brasher said with a sly smile.

"If you didn't spend so much time in the brothel, you might wake at a decent hour. Remember, you are still indebted to my father, don't forget that you are only a servant to me."

"Of course, Lady Katla. So what did the old bat have to say, Lodo?"

"The old 'lady' told us a riddle to find the belongings of the Ancient Captive. "Lodo said as he perfectly repeated the riddle for Solonund to hear.

"Well, I have an idea about where the armor might be."

"And where is that?"

"The brothel. Which also happens to be the temple of the goddess Fredaine. Most of the prostitutes there are not there of their own free will. The priestesses feel that they have no where else to go. It's pretty sad really."

"Well that narrows it down a little. How many priestesses are in residence?"

"Actual priestesses, about twenty."

"Since you seem to best suited for the task, with that raging libido of yours, you will find out which one of the priestesses might have the armor."

"I can already make a wild guess, and she ain't going to be cheap. The prostitutes told me that the High Priestess has slowly been refusing more and more clients, no matter the huge amount of platinum they offer. So far the only one she has been sleeping with on a regular basis is the leader of the Veiled Knights, and the Emperor. One of the prostitutes told me that Walisra, the High Priestess, rarely even attends temple functions. "

"Then, Solonund, arrange for a meeting with her. See if she will come here."

"This is my kind of job." Solonund said with a grin as he headed out to the Temple of Fredaine.

##########

Solonund returned several hours later. He was sweating profusely because he forgot that the oozes strolled the streets at night.

"That was a close one. There was this green thing following me as I got into the slum. I thought I would never be able to loose it."

"Never mind that, what did this Walisra say to meeting us?" Katla said. She was the only one in the safe house still awake.

"Well, I talked to her for a little bit before this irate Drow male tossed me out. He was all angry because I didn't pay her the audience fee of 5000 platinum. That is what she charges just to talk. If you want to do anything else, she puts another fee on top of that. I didn't ask what that fee was, but I ma sure it was pretty expensive."

"Get to the point, Solonund."

"Right. She won't meet us here. She wants us to arrange for another place to meet. She says she won't be able to make it this far into the slums without someone to carry her. She has never worn shoes in her life, and the rubble will tear up her feet. She is only available in the evenings, because she spends her days at the Jagged Palace, at the emperor's command. That means trying to avoid the oozes that the priests of Ghaunadaur let out every night. I was trying to think of a good place when the drow male barged in to 'take' her."

"I am sure Lodo and Kunne can think of a good place once he wakes up tomorrow. Take reverie, it will be a long day, for both of us. "

###########

Solonund repeated what Walisra had told him to the rest of them who were trying to solve the riddle.

"That presents a problem." Kunne said. "We need to talk to her in a place where no stray ears can send word to Ty'Aero or Kirisatt. I don't know of many places that information merchants, or the gold golems don't frequent outside the slums."

"No wonder your resistance movement is so stalled." Lodo commented, "Well, Kunne, are there any possible places outside the slums to meet her."

"I know," Korko Rass, Kunne's chief lieutenant in the resistance piped up. "Perhaps the grand bathhouse. Walisra has a private mineral bath in one of the big tubs there about twice a week."

"That will be more expensive than trying to hire her to come here, Korko. The 5000 platinum just to get a private 'audience' with her and on top of that, the 500 platinum the water merchant charges per person to use the larger baths. We are barely able to afford the 50 he charges for clean drinking water."

"I can afford that, so can Lodo an Katla an Tharros. We made us a bundle when we took out that Underdark city. " Thelvin bragged.

"An entire city?" Korko said.

"Yep. It weren't too hard though. Drow that lived there already tore it up good before we got there."

"The meeting at the bathhouse seems like a good idea then. Since she frequents the place, it should not look too suspicious. She does take customers when she bathes?" Lodo said.

"As far as I am aware of."

"Solonund. I would like you to go back to the brothel, in disguise this time. It will make you look less suspicious. Use your tattoo magic." Lodo ordered.

"I will give you the platinum for payment." Katla added. "Kunne, when does she return from the Jagged Palace?"

"I know that," Solonund cut in," two hours before dark."

"Then it is set. Hopefully she will accept. Kunne, do you know what the armor looks like, exactly?" Lodo said.

"I do," Solonund cut in again," Like a dark blue cloth tunic. She has it on a dressmaker dummy in her room. I saw it."

"Let me read your mind with one of my spells, Solonund. I may be able to make a fake in case someone sees it missing. I also will prepare a spell to keep the ears out of our business at the bathhouse." Lodo said.

##########

Walisra lounged in the huge warm bath. She looked around the tiled room nervously. If Verien found out about this, her life would be forfeit. Yet, she knew she had to take the chance. She wanted out of Myth Fredaine. She wanted to see what the sky looked like without the filth in the air overhead. Seh wanted to see what the moon really looked like. She wanted to be free to worship the gods of the Seladrine. Death was worth all she risked.

The blonde elf with pale green eyes, whom she had talked to before and a blonde half elf dressed in black, walked into the room with the bath, along with several other male companions.

Walisra gasped with fear. She did not expect more than two males, and certainly not of varied races.

"Am I to be punished then?" She said as she lowered her eyes.

"No, I just thought we would start with dinner first." The blonde half elf said as he weaved a spell. A wall and a door appeared against one of the side walls.

"A wizard?" She said with surprise. "You are the one the rumors have been speaking of. The one more powerful than Ty'Aero."

"I am not sure of that, but I have my moments. Come, dinner is waiting, and I want no stray ears listening to the 'delightful ' sounds." the half elf said as he took Walisra's hand and led her through the magic door.

Tharros stepped forward and put a robe over her shoulders as he Solonund, and Thelvin followed close behind. Tharros closed the door behind them once all had entered.

"I Am Lodo Ben Arris Celestide, Arch Mage and former King of Brenvar, until I abdicated the throne to one of my younger brothers. Please, sit down." He said as the other three men rushed around and acted like servants.

Walsira looked at the food that was presented to her. She started stuffing her face quickly.

Lodo looked at Walisra with shock. He didn't think her manners would be that bad.

"Slow down. you have plenty of time."

"I am sorry, forgive me. You see, the Emperor and Ty'Aero, became angry because I did not attend the last high ritual in the main temple. As punishment, Ty'Aero has not allowed food in the temple for a week, and ordered any priestess caught out on the streets without permission to be arrested. I have had very little to eat for a week."

"That is disgusting." Tharros said.

"There are a lot of things disgusting about Fredaine."

"To the point. Walisra, you have something we are in need of. Something very special. We are willing to pay handsomely for it."

"What is it that you want?"

"Solonund tells us you have the armor of The Ancient Captive on a dress dummy in your room. We are in need of it."

"No, I will not let you have it!" Walisra said as she jumped up from her seat. "It is precious to me! It is the only thing I have that smells like him. The only thing I have that reminds me of his gentleness and kindness when I can not visit him!"

"You visit him!"

"Yes, when Ty'Aero sends me to the Jagged Palace to tempt the Emperor. Kirisatt waves me away. I spend time talking to the Ancient Captive for as long as I am allowed. He is a wonderful person. My life is torment when I am away from him."

"So, you are in love with the Ancient Captive?"

"No, it's not like that. He is the only person in my life I can call a father. If there was a way I could free him, I would."

"Then listen, Walisra. We know how to free him. We know of all of the keys to his bonds. We have one of them already. It is our goal to free him as well. If you help us, I promise, we will make sure you and he are freed from this torment." Lodo said.

"How can I know you are not lying to me?"

"You don't, but I am certain that you can trust me more than the emperor. I will meet with you in your chambers in the next couple of days, unless you want to meet here, in my pocket mansion. Believe me. We are here to release the ancient captive and destroy this place. "

"We do this for the sake of a friend, whose heart has been torn to pieces." Tharros added.

"Fer a girl who don't be wantin to live with what she is thinkin is shame." Thelvin said.

"For a dear lady who has more power within her than she gives herself credit for. He is her only hope for her to regain herself." Solonund added, "Her happiness is tied to the freedom of the Ancient Captive. She will not be satisfied until it is done."

"I will give it some thought."

"You can stay here and have as much to eat as you like. It is perfectly safe here."

"Thank you, for your kindness."

Walisra believed they were talking about her instead of Katla, but it did not matter. If this group of heroes could help her free Lokteruost, it was worth the risk. She decided she would not just give them the armor. She would become one of them.

##########

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