SUMMARY: "The House of Leaf and Star was customarily a serene place..."
DISCLAIMER: The setting and characters belong to Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. I'm making no money off of this.
CONTINUITY: This takes place after Book 3 of The Obsidian Trilogy, When Darkness Falls, and contains a large spoiler for the end of the trilogy.
NOTES: Sometimes I write stories that anyone can understand, whether or not they're familiar with the canon. This is not one of them.
The House of Leaf and Star, in the Elven city of Sentarshadeen, was customarily a serene place, especially since Prince Sandalon had grown enough to acquire proper manners. Ashaniel had just settled into her favorite parlor to a cup of a new tea she'd discovered and a moment to contemplate the wall weavings of a sylvan glade when a distant sound caught her ear.
With a sigh, Ashaniel put down her tea and stood, making her way toward the room assigned to her five-year-old daughter Idalia. As she entered, Idalia's nurse, Lairamo, who had once watched over Sandalon, looked up from where she knelt by Idalia's bed.
"I See you, Lairamo," Ashaniel said quietly, ignoring the tearing sobs of her daughter.
"I See you, Lady Ashaniel," Lairamo said.
"I believe that if you were to visit with Indrusel, he would likely have a fresh cup of Autumn Spice tea and the fruit pastries you are fond of." Ashaniel smiled to show she was not upset.
"Indeed, I believe you are correct, milady." Lairamo dropped a curtsey and left.
Ashaniel sank down on the edge of the bed and considered the small form that lay atop a silken blanket depicting one view of the Flower Forest. When her daughter was born and they had realized whose soul had been born into the princess' body, it had not escaped Ashaniel's notice that it would be a challenging task. Even as an adult, Idalia had not been noted for her pliancy and it hardly seemed likely she had been more pliant as a child. And yet...Idalia continued to challenge those around her, even beyond what anyone had expected.
"It would be good hearing to know," Ashaniel said, drawing Idalia into her lap, "what has caused you to make such sounds instead of napping as your nurse has bid you."
Idalia looked up, sobbing once more, her wide violet eyes rimmed with red. "I want Jermayan," she said, heaving another sob.
"All of us would benefit from his presence, but you know that he is on his way to speak with a newfound colony of dragons and will not return for another sennight. I assure you that when he returns, he will visit with you before he does aught else."
Indeed, Ashaniel thought with some asperity, probably even before he made his formal report to Andoreniel. But after thinking his love lost, he could hardly be blamed for such actions.
"I want Jermayan now," Idalia said, pouting.
Ashaniel smothered a most unqueenly sigh. "Vestakia would be delighted to be in your presence, Idalia. She is not so close to her birthing time that she would not enjoy a game of xaique."
"Don't want Vestakia." Idalia said, crossing her arms.
"Kellen could be enticed to come, I feel certain." Ashaniel wondered how this small child could be so much more aggravating than her son had been at the same age.
Idalia pushed herself off her mother's lap, sprawling on the bed. "Don't want Kellen! I want Jermayan!" Her face screwed up in an expression much more human than elven.
Ashaniel was about to suggest a visit from Idalia's father when something entirely unexpected happened:
Idalia vanished.
Ashaniel was so shocked that she did something she could never have predicted, tilting her head back and screaming. It was only for an instant before she regained control, but it was enough to bring two servants and an Elven Knight to the room at a run.
The Knight, Ornentuile, had his sword out, but as soon as he'd entered the room and found no enemy, he sheathed it in a swift motion. "I See you, Lady Ashaniel," he said with commendable calm, considering that it seemed his queen had lost her mind.
"Idalia is gone," Ashaniel said, chin high. "I will be conveyed to my husband now while you begin the search."
"At once." The Knight said and was gone. The two servants took her by the arms and helped her to her suddenly unsteady feet.
Andoreniel, to Ashaniel's relief, immediately dropped into War Manners, enabling her to tell her story quickly. Andoreniel's face never changed, but their centuries together allowed her to see the chill in his heart. Immediately, he dispatched a runner for Kellen Knight-Mage and Lady Vestakia.
"Between those two, if there is evil to be found...it will be done," Andoreniel said.
Bowing her head, Ashaniel assented, but she felt further speech was impossible until Kellen and Vestakia had arrived.
"I See you, Lord Andoreniel and Lady Ashaniel," Kellen said breathlessly as he stalked through the door, barely at a polite pace, followed by his lady wife. Despite her advanced pregnancy, Vestakia's pace was hardly slower than her husband's.
Waving his hand, Andoreniel signed that such courtesies as he normally enjoyed could be dispensed with. "Tell them what you have told me," he said to Ashaniel.
She repeated her story, watching as Vestakia paled and held her husband's hand. Kellen seemed hardly to notice her, so focused was he, but Ashaniel knew he must be equally concerned for the fate of his sister.
When Ashaniel was done, Kellen and Vestakia exchanged glances. "I have felt no sign of taint," Vestakia said slowly, "but we cannot be certain that my powers remain. After all, at least some were removed at the end of the battle."
Kellen frowned. "If there are still Demons, I find it hard to believe the Wild Magic would take away such a useful gift. In any case, I have felt nothing through the Wild Magic, no sense of alarm, no call that there is somewhere else I must be."
Ashaniel looked up at that and Kellen bowed his head to her. "Lady Ashaniel, I shall go join the search and bring all my powers to bear, but the Wild Magic seems to believe that nothing is wrong."
"Thank you, Kellen Knight-Mage." Andoreniel bowed his head in dismissal, and Kellen strode out of the room.
Ashaniel held out her hand and Vestakia came to sit by her side. "You know he'll do everything he can," Vestakia said.
"I do. But I fear nonetheless."
Vestakia smiled and patted her belly. "I understand."
Hours passed and councilors and knights entered and left, servants brought tea and warm bread and a light supper. Still there was no word.
Ashaniel wracked her memory for any sign she might have missed, any clue that might lead them to her daughter. But she found nothing.
She tuned out the murmuring of the others in the tent, finding the speculation painful to her ears, which yearned to hear the sound of her daughter's voice. But a name, yes, one name caught her attention: Armethalieh.
The name was uttered by Morusil, not an elf she generally considered foolish, although Ashaniel thought she might make an exception in this case. Turning in her seat to face him, her voice cut through the room like a sword. "It would please me to learn what reason there might be to accuse our new allies, the High Mages."
Morusil, the faded plague scars standing out against his skin, held his ground. "My queen, I make no accusations where none is warranted. Yet it must be considered that magic has been done here that none know how to accomplish. Yes, Arch Mage Cilarnen has proved himself, but there are many High Mages who stood aside. Who can say that Anigrel was the only traitor in the city?"
It was not intended as a question, of course. Of course. But Ashaniel stood, drawing her robe about her. "I can say, Morusil. And I do say. Let no insinuations be made in my presence until we know what has happened. I will have no war on my conscience."
After that, the room was quieter. When Ashaniel sat down, Vestakia took her hands and held them for a long time, trying to keep them warm.
There were several loud voices outside and Ashaniel's heart rose. Ornentuile strode in. "Lord Andoreniel and Lady Ashaniel," he said, obviously still in War Manners. "I bear word that Ancaladar has been sighted in the skies and he should be here shortly."
Ashaniel closed her eyes. To have to bear such news to Jermayan was a graver task than she'd been set since the Endarkened forced her to flee her home in order to protect her son and unborn daughter.
"Bring him here as soon as he arrives," Andoreniel ordered.
Ornentuile bowed and left with the same haste as he'd arrived.
The time until Jermayan arrived seemed interminable and even Andoreniel's boundless calm seemed frayed at the edges. Ashaniel herself felt like a rug that had laid too long at one hearth without repair, as if one wrong step might rip her in two.
The voices outside grew louder and then Kellen entered, followed by Jermayan, carrying...Idalia?
Idalia was snuggled up against him, but looked up as they entered the room. "Mama," she said, "I looked and looked and there he was! I found him!"
"Indeed you did, my dear," Ashaniel said, smiling as Jermayan put her down and she ran over for a hug. Over Idalia's head, she considered Jermayan, whose usual calm was unsettled. "It would be good hearing, Jermayan, to know the circumstances that bring you back to us so soon."
He bowed. "I am ever at your service, Lady Ashaniel. Indeed, I am not certain I can tell you much. Ancaladar and I were taking a short break when we heard Idalia call our name. I can assure you that both of us were quite startled to witness her running across the open field toward us."
"Indeed, we can imagine," Andoreniel said as Idalia came to hug him as well.
Jermayan shrugged one shoulder. "She was tired and hungry, but otherwise unharmed. We thought it wise to return with her at best speed, in order to learn what might have caused her appearance."
"I'm afraid," Kellen said, "we won't be of any help there, since--"
"She is a mage," Ashaniel found herself saying, considering her daughter.
Everyone except Idalia turned to stare at her, shocked into silence by both her interruption and her words.
Ashaniel took a breath, considering her new insight from all angles. "She is a mage," she said again. "It is the only logical conclusion."
Jermayan's lips twitched. "Logic is not what it once was, perhaps."
Ashaniel sent him a quelling glare and he subsided. "She is unharmed and herself seems convinced that it was through her own actions that she found you. Why would any creature of the Dark fulfill her wishes and move her across the land to find you?"
Kellen nodded. "Very true." He came to stand by Vestakia.
Jermayan bowed his head, conceding the point. "However, I feel compelled to point out that I am myself a mage, and I know of no spell that does what she did. Else we should have done so in the final extremities of the war, rather than sacrifice Idalia."
Andoreniel tilted his head, beginning to see what she was getting at. "Ah," he said, "but if you had, Idalia would remain human."
Jermayan shifted slightly in place, as if his legs had buckled and then steadied. "That would mean--"
Ashaniel smiled. "The Wild Magic's work is convoluted, we know. It is not so impossible to think that it should have executed this final twist and given Idalia not just a mage's powers, but new powers."
"I believe," Andoreniel said, "that the Wild Magic might consider Great Queen Vielissar Farcarinon's Price paid, and the magical birthright of the elves might be returning."
A servant brought Jermayan a chair, none too soon, as he sat down in it with much less than his usual grace. "To show such power so soon..." Idalia ran over and climbed into his lap and he pulled her close.
"Oh my," Kellen said.
"Yes." Ashaniel sighed. "I believe the work of raising Idalia has gained a new complexity."
--end--