IV The Song of Sylune IV

Deep within the cavern, the old copper scaled dragon lay on his bed of treasures he had gathered over the years from foolish Zhentarim and Red Wizards who entered his lair and tried to destroy him.

His large belly lay on top of a pile of gold coins and gems. To some, he was known as Gorstag. Next to the copper dragon, there lay a little girl. She had brunette colored hair, blue-grey eyes that were closed while slept, and wore a small white colored robe. Her name was Galandria, and she was his adopted daughter.

Gorstag's large ears picked up the sound of battle coming from outside. Many times, the dragon's ears had picked up the sounds of sword clanging, and magical fires, and this was no different. When the sounds were over, Gorstag waited for the victor to venture into his cave where he or she would find death if they were hostile towards him.

The copper scaled dragon turned his head towards the entrance, his eyes spotting two halfling wearing torn winter clothes. This is odd, he said to himself as the halfling were slowly walking towards his lair.

The male appeared to an ordinary looking halfling. His brown hair and clothes were a mess. Yet, Gorstag sensed something about the female, that seemed very powerful, and very dangerous.

Bowie and Hannah quietly walked through the caverns, making it into the dragon's lair. The halfling bard stopped as he looked up at large mounds of gold and gems, then his eyes spotted the copper dragon, whose large eyes were gazing back at him. Hannah smiled as she gently placed a hand on Bowie's shoulder and looked up at the dragon.

"Halflings, how unexpected," Gorstag grumbled softly, as not to wake Galandria. He leaned his large copper colored head towards the two halflings. "I heard the sound of battle from outside, and was just curious as to who was doing battle, and yet here I find two halflings, and could probably guess the reason why they have entered Gorstag's lair. You must want something if you traveled up these mountains."

Hannah was the first to speak," Yes we do Gorstag. We seek the Philosopher's Stone." Gorstag made a shushing sound with his large lips and glanced down at the little girl. "It is to help my father," she added with a whisper.

Gorstag nodded his large head and looked at Bowie. "And do you also seek the Philosopher's Stone to help her father as well?"

Bowie nodded his head, and answered with a whisper," I met this woman in the forest, where she was singing. From that moment, I fell in love with her. When she told me of her quest to get the stone, I knew I had to help her."

"Very touching," Gorstag said, nodding his large head. With a movement of his long tail, he dug into one of the large piles of gold a few feet from where the little girl was sleeping. He smiled as he pulled his tail from the large pile of coins. At the end of the tail, was a small black stone.

"Though I have no real use for this, but I just can't give this away for free," Gorstag said softly, setting the stone on top of his head. "I will need something in exchange for something as rare as the Philosopher's Stone," he said calmly, then smiled as he thought of an idea as he looked at Bowie.

The halfling bard had heard about copper dragons having a special taste for riddles, stories, and jokes. He wondered what Gortag would ask of them.

"Since you talked about singing in the forest, perhaps you could sing me a song. The both of you. Sing me a duet, and if I enjoy it, then I shall give the Philosopher's Stone.

Bowie and Hannah looked at one another lovingly. He wasn't sure what kind of song the dragon would enjoy. Truthfully, the only songs Bowie knew were Harper ballads and songs about the Seven Sisters. In his mind, Bowie had thougt of a couple of songs he wanted to try.

The halfling bard asked," Do you know any songs about the Seven Sisters?"

After thinking about it one moment, Hannah giggled, and whispered," Eldest of the Seven."

Bowie had a confused look on his face, wondering how Hannah could have heard of that song, but his heart told him to trust her. He reached into a small sack, pulling out his silver harp, then looked over at Hannah, who smiled softly at him, then averted his eyes back at the harp. He quickly examined each string, making sure he didn't pluck a certain few that would cause a magical effect to go off. Taking a deep breath, Bowie plucked the strings of his silver harp and began singing in a passionate voice...

The Eldest of the Seven, she lived her life to the fullest, training with mages in the east,

She dwelt among Red Wizards, Witches and Wu-jen mages, in other lands,

In her travels, she found a powerful scepter, that helped her turn into a beast.

She gave it to Azuth, then settled in Shadowdale, and found a worthy man.

She watched her beloved dale grow into the ages,

Defending it against tyrants and evil sages.

The dragon nodded his head, then looked at Hannah, who sang in a beautiful voice...

In the fires of a dragon, Sylune gave her life for her beloved dale, a loss the city could not bare

Her body may have perished in the fire, but her spirit lives on,

Those in Shadowdale, remember her great deeds in the tales they share,

If we sing of her deeds and her life, then Sylune Silverhand will never be gone

Bowie continued to play his harp, and joined in with Hannah...

Sylune, we share your memory with those who would hear your tale,

Oh how you gave your life to save your beautiful dale,

Though your body was burned by the flames, your spirit lives on,

If we sing of your memory, then Sylune you will never be gone.

The bard stopped playing his harp, and both he and Hannah stopped singing. They looked up at Gorstag, who had shed a tear. He looked down to see Galandria continuing to sleep, then back at the halflings. "That was about Sylune Silverhand. There are many songs written about her, but my ears have never heard that particular tune before. Where did you learn it?"

Bowie took a breath and looked up at the dragon. "I wrote it myself. Her sister Storm Silverhand is my teacher, but Sylune helps me with some of my magical lessons. I admire her greatly and wrote the song in tribute to her. Its not the best song written about Sylune," he said softly, his eyes slowly looking down.

Hannah wrapped an arm around Bowie while Gorstag shook his head. "No, it probably wasn't the best song written about Sylune, but it was filled with passion. It also earned you the stone I hold in my tail."

The copper dragon's long tail lifted the Philosopher's Stone off of his head, and placed it in Bowie's hand. "I shall remember this ballad you both sang to me, and sing it to those who come into my cave. Now go and save your father." He stopped to look over at Bowie, then continued," As for you master halfling, I see some great things in your future. Your teachers have taught you well, but only you can truly take your destiny where you want it to go."

Hannah smiled as she and Bowie began to walk from the cavern. They both turned and waved to Gorstag, who had closed his eyes, humming the tune the halflings had just sang for him.

The bard sighed as he looked at Hannah, as felt a sudden exhaustion coming over him. His eyes getting heavy, and he looked at Hannah, who was holding him into her arms. Bowie smiled and drifted off to sleep.

Bowie's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself outside on the grass next to a small cottage in an open grassy field. He found himself dressed in a white silk shirt with fine leather pants. His Harper pin that he had hid in his armor, was now pinned on his shirt.

He slowly sat up, then saw Hannah, who now wore a long green dress, standing the on cottage's small porch. "Hannah, where are we?" he asked softly. The beautiful halfling walked down from the porch and up to Bowie, pressing her lips against his, then holding him close.

"We are outside my father's cottage," she said softly, looking into his eyes. "I gave him the elixir from the stone, and he is now sleeping for the rest of the evening."

Bowie stopped for a moment, a little confused about how the elixir from the Philosopher's Stone had actually worked, yet he lost his concentration when Hannah kissed him once more. There was still one question Bowie had on his mind.

Once they broke the kiss, he asked, staring into her eyes," How did you know the words to my song? I mean, it was just something I was working on a few days ago. I never sang it to anyone before."

Hannah sighed softly, a sadness was slowly forming into her eyes. "For many years I have watched you in Shadowdale." Seeing the confused look on the halfling's face, she added," There's something you should know about me Bowie. I'm a daughter of the goddess Yondalla."

Bowie nodded, remembering the fight at the cliff. "Yes, I saw you casting those clerical spells. You must be a pretty powerful priestess."

She shook her head and whispered," No, I'm actually a daughter of the goddess. Sometimes gods enter the world as avatars. They couple with mortals, and sometimes children between the mortal and the god's avatar are born. My father in there, is a champion of Yondalla. During the Time of Troubles, she met him here, and they...," she stopped for a moment, trying to think of what to say, but Bowie held her close.

"I understand," he said softly, then added with a sad tone," I guess this means you won't want to run away with me and get married."

Hannah kissed his lips softly, and shook her head. "Since the first time I watched you perform a song in front of Storm, I loved you Bowie. Nothing would make me happier than to run away with you to get married. To have a family with little Bowies and little Hannah's running around. Nothing would make me happier than that. However, I must take care of some things with my mother. She was still pregnant with me when she returned to godhood, she gave birth to me, and I inherited many of her powers as well as immortality. I live with her one the plane of Green Fields, and I was sent here to help my father I decided to use this chance to meet you for the first time, to hold you and kiss you. Yet now, I must go back, and help her with the matters that need attending to." She stopped and looked into Bowie's eyes for a moment, then continued," You will have many battles in your future, and though I will not be there fighting at your side, I will watch over you."

She quietly reached inside of her dress, and presented a small amulet for Bowie. It was attached to a gold chain, and the centerpiece was a golden circle with a cornucopia etched in the middle. "Its the symbol of Yondalla," he said softly, looking at Hannah.

"It is to remind you, that I will always be with you Bowie, and that I am waiting for you. Whether you meet an early death, or find a way to gain immortality, I will come for you, but you must wait for me until then. "

"I think I can do that," Bowie said calmly, kissing her warm lips softly.

Hannah quietly took Bowie's hands into her' hands, and together they danced once more under the dark blue sky. The sounds of harps playing filled the area and together Hannah and Bowie stepped gracefully around the open field.

They would dance together for another hour, then lay in each other's arms until the morning.