"A Dwarf, a Wizard and an Elf Meet in the Woods."
Part II – Silver Tree
Chapter 19 – An Unwelcome Guest
The elf sat in the crook of a large beech tree, now mostly bare of leaves so late in autumn. She had scant cover as she waited for the man below her to move on. Thankfully, the dark and cold of a near-winter night were enough to keep the roaming guard huddled in his furs, shoulders hunched and head down.
The man soon moved off, continuing his rounds.
Daelynn stepped out onto a long branch, which bent slightly under her weight. Effortlessly, she walked along the limb, each step bringing her nearer the second-floor balcony that was her goal. She had judged her route well. The tree branch, previously jutting high above the balcony, bent just enough to offer her an easy path into Baron Hesh's residence.
Slipping onto the balcony, Daelynn sought the cover of shadows as the branch snapped upwards, losing its few remaining leaves.
"What's dat?" A startled, rough voice called from the darkness below her and many yards to her left.
Raising her hand to her mouth, the elf mimicked the rasping call of a magpie.
"Just a birdie, Owen. No need to be frightened", laughed a guardsman from the dark yard below.
"Shaddup!"
"Quiet out there!" This last shout must have been from a senior guard as the two bickering guardsmen fell silent.
Daelynn remained perfectly still for several minutes - a skill acquired long ago under the persistent, and at times painful, coaching of her old, beloved Master.
The yard below remained quiet and dark.
It took the count of five slow breaths for her to pick the lock on the narrow wooden door that separated the small balcony from the room behind it.
No light. No sounds. She slipped inside.
Daelynn's darkvision kicked in, allowing her to make out details of the room. Someone's bedroom. Likely one belonging to a trusted servitor of the Baron.
Soft, flickering light from under the door indicated to the elf a hallway or room lit by torches.
The elf quietly crossed the room and pressed a long, elegant ear against the cool, smooth wooden door. No sounds. She slowly opened the door a mere crack and peeked out into a hallway. No, not a hallway - a narrow gallery. The peristyle gallery ran around the entire second floor of the residence. Slipping out of the room, Daelynn moved to a shadowed recess that held a tall decorative vase, wider and taller than she. Craning her neck around a side of the monstrous vase, she could see and hear people moving about down below.
A quick check along and across the gallery showed her that each of the four sides sported several doors separated by dark recessed alcoves. Each alcove held a peculiar piece of artwork, consisting mostly of large vases, and solid or skeletal carved geometric shapes. To Daelynn's mind, in the flickering shadows created by infrequent torches placed along the walls, the latter looked grotesque.
Using shadowed stretches of the hallway, Daelynn flitted from alcove to alcove, making her way to a set of double doors on the far side of the gallery. On her one previous visit to Silver Tree decades ago, and well before Baron Hesh had taken over, the then Marshal of the Marches had used that room as an office. It was likely that Hesh used it for the same purposes. She thought a little snooping through baronial correspondence was definitely in order!
Loud laughter from below prompted Daelynn to quickly step behind another odd sculpture. The evening meal was drawing to a close and she suspected that servants might soon climb the stairs to the second floor to carry out any workday tasks they had left undone or return to their rooms for the night.
She peeked around the angular shape and was in the process of stepping out from behind it when a peculiar shimmering in the air several yards down the walkway caught her eye.
Throwing herself back, Daelynn hugged the block of cool stone, not daring to move. It could have been a trick of the light, or hot air from a nearby torch displacing cool air from the gallery. Or, maybe a reflection of some sort.
She carefully drew a small mirror from her sash, positioning the polished steel so that she could see down the hallway. There! It was hard to make out but she was sure a man-sized shimmering was moving down the gallery away from her.
Daelynn muttered several words she had promised her father, almost two centuries ago, that she would never use.
Was she watching an Invisible Stalker? Thank Tymora for not stepping out into the hall sooner!
Did Arital Hesh, or one of his hirelings, have the ability to summon air elementals to act as sentries? This could get tricky.
It was difficult following the shimmer in her mirror as it floated along the gallery. Daelynn kept losing it as it transitioned from shadowed to torchlit areas. When it was far down the east wing of the gallery, the elf snuck a peek around the entirety of the gallery. No one, and as far as she knew, nothing, was near. But how long before it returned?
The area in front of the door to what she presumed was the Baron's office was well lit. If she were a corrupt baron, she'd make sure the doors to her study were locked. She'd need time and darkness to attack the lock. She had to put out the torch on the wall beside the doors before she could be attempt entering that room.
Daelynn stepped out of the alcove and cast Darkness. An inky globe appeared, completely blocking out any light from the torch by the double doors. From a distance her darkness spell would look like an unlit part of the hallway. She moved quickly, entering the ebon sphere.
Her darkvision was useless, but so too was the Stalker's, if that was what she had seen. She had heard that Invisible Stalkers were notoriously untrustworthy. As a summoned being it would follow its orders to the letter, but would do nothing beyond what it had been called forth to do. She hoped that, from a distance and to the Stalker's eyes (if it had eyes?) a darker patch of shadow in a hallway was not a concern.
Feeling along the wall the elf quickly found the torch by sensing its heat. Below the torch, attached by a short chain, she found the snuffer. She had noted that one hung from most sconces in the residence.
Reaching up, she doused the torch. A soft hissing and a lessening of heat told her that the it was out. Not at all inconvenienced by the total darkness surrounding her, she scurried back to her hiding spot and dispelled her Darkness spell.
No alarms. No shouting. No roaring windstorms.
Peering out, she saw the torch, now extinguished, smoldering. Shadow covered the doorway to the Baron's study. Nice, friendly shadows.
Slipping back out into the hallway, the elf approached the double wood doors. She spent a half minute examining the area in front of the doors. No obvious traps or alarms. She gingerly pressed down on the ornate latch. Locked.
A quick check over her shoulder showed no sign of anyone on the second level. That did not guarantee that a Stalker was not nearby. The shadows should offer her some protection, but best to hurry. She pulled tools out of her boot and set to work. The lock, well maintained and of excellent craftsmanship, was not easily picked. Finally, with a soft clunk, the lock's interior bolts slipped aside. No sound from within the room. Daelynn pulled the door open a crack. No light. She squeezed inside, pulling the door shut behind her.
Staying crouched, Daelynn duckwalked over to the right, putting her back against a bookshelf. She slowly straightened up.
The room was well-ordered. A large desk sat in front of a wide window. The drapes were not drawn and the brazier was not lit. Cold seeped in from the windows, chilling the room. Walls of worked stone sported a few paintings and bookshelves. The shelves, mostly filled with boxes of what appeared to be documents, reached to the ceiling.
Daelynn pulled a heavy rug up against the doors, then slowly walked across the room to the desk. Moving behind it, she closed the heavy drapes. That was better. With no light from the evening sky entering the room her darkvision took over. Sitting in the Baron's hard chair she placed her hands on the desk top.
Daelynn examined the desk. No drawers. No hidden compartments. She rose from her seat, about to methodically search through the office, when she caught herself. That would take time. She doubted she had much of that.
Stop thinking like a Herald and more like the thief you used to be, she told herself.
The Baron was corrupt. Rumour and her own investigations had determined that his illicit incomes were from many sources. Such things required records. Where would a crook keep his ledger of any and all illegal transactions? Nearby, of course. He'd want his accounts easy to hand.
Sitting back down she let her lavender eyes unfocused and lazily drift across the room. What was she seeing? What was she not seeing?
The ceiling was plastered. No rafters to search. The boxes of documents? Not likely.
What did the room have to tell her?
Two sets of bookshelves against the north and south walls, set apart by a few paintings (tasteful) and large tapers (unlit) sitting in wall brackets. Paintings, bookshelves and candles on each wall sat opposite their counterparts. Very tidy and dull. A small niche on the north wall by the window and near to the desk held a finely carved statuette of a leaping stag on a marble stand. Across from it, to the right od the desk, the south wall was bare with another taper set in a wall bracket.
That was odd. The nook to one side of the desk did not match the flat wall on the other side. The statuette did not match the candle, and the taper itself was not only unlit but was new. Unlike the other candles in their brackets, there was no sign of wax drippings on the candle itself, on the bracket, or on the floor beneath it.
Daelynn walked over to the taper. It sat just above eye level. She reached out, carefully running her fingers over the wax and the metal bracket. Removing the candle, the elf twisted the bracket to the left. A barely perceptible grinding of stone on stone came from behind the wall. A small section of the stone wall beneath the bracket and at waist height, slid aside.
Releasing the bracket and putting the candle aside, Daelynn knelt down and peered inside the hidden recess. Two small wooden shelves held a cloth bag as big as her fist, a stack of coins, a teardrop shaped jewel, and a leather-bound book.
Hunkered down in front of the hidden treasures, Daelynn pulled out her light coin, as reading by darkvision was next to impossible without the use of special inks. There were numerous entries in the book written in a very simple code that the trained Herald deciphered in moments.
If her interpretation was correct, Baron Hesh's control of things unlawful both in and beyond the Marches was extensive. Bribery, extortion, graft, numerous taxes - all found their way into the baronial treasury. Merchants, crafters, guildsmen – all paid a substantial fee to the Baron, which allowed them to operate. It looked like anything and everything that passed through Silver Tree was subject to some sort of tax or levy. Wines, foodstuffs, livestock, grains – nothing was exempt.
No wonder everything was so expensive here!
Daelynn replaced the book and examined the stack of coins. Ten gold Rainthars from one of the southern realms. Each was twice the size of the standard gold coins used in the kingdom, and of high purity. A small fortune.
The bag held gemstones. Another small fortune. She left the jewel untouched.
Daelynn had the proof she needed, but what to do with it?
As a Herald, she could call a meeting of Hesh's baronial council over his objections, but his supporters likely controlled any vote. Send or take word south to another barony or to the King's forces at Borsa? All that would take time and she was uncertain how far and how high Hesh's reach extended.
Stroking the leather cover of the small ledger book in her hands, she was contemplating more direct action against the Baron when the distinct jangling of metal accoutrements from outside the window caught her ear.
Extinguishing her light coin, she stepped quietly and quickly to the window, moving the drapes a smidge so that she could see outside. In the yard below, illuminated by a crescent moon and reflected light from other windows in the residence, she saw a half-dozen armed men gathering below her.
Crap! That left only the hallway for an escape route. But keen elven ears now picked out the sound of booted feet on stairs.
Replacing the journal, Daelynn straightened the other items in the compartment and twisted the bracket, closing the secret door. She set the taper back in place.
Running on tip-toes the elf rifled through several boxes of papers, making it obvious to anyone that they had been searched.
The handle of the one of the doors to the gallery was slowly turning.
Daelynn placed herself in the center of the room, one hand holding her knife, several throwing stars in the other. She crossed her arms and closed her eyes.
Bright torchlight flooded into the room as the double doors were yanked open. A half breath later the elf opened her eyes, her vision unaffected by the sudden change from darkness to bright light.
Two stalwart men-at-arms dashed into the room only to stumble over the roll of carpet that Daelynn had place against the doorway. Crashing to the ground, the cursing men became a hindrance to others trying to enter behind them. But not to the Stalkers.
A faint but tell-tale shimmering filled the doorway. Sweeping her left arm wide, Daelynn released four razor sharp shuriken, then immediately leapt forward and to her right, slashing viciously with her knife. Her blade cut through something at each pass. Not flesh but not thin air either. A harsh keening, like a cold winter wind, filled the room.
Daelynn was about to cast another Darkness spell when a fierce gust of wind picked her up, slamming her against the wall. She struggled against the unseen force.
More shouting as men piled into the room. She needed to release her spell! Pushing off from the wall she raised an arm against the sustained chill wind that buffeted her.
Another Stalker struck her from the side.
Two opposing maelstroms held the elf immobile. The forces pressing against her increased, pushing the air from her lungs. She could not speak. Could not make a sound. She was surrounded by air, buffeted by air, and yet could find none to breathe. Her knife fell from her hand, her head drooped, and her body went limp, but still the Invisible Stalkers continued their punishing assault.
Over the rushing sound of wind, a voice barked a simple command.
"Cease."
The two Stalkers stopped their attack. The elf's body fell to the floor.
The man who had commanded the Stalkers walked over to Daelynn. Of middling height, with straight black hair and a greying beard, neatly dressed in hunting togs, he knelt beside the elf, placing a hand on her throat. After a moment he straightened and addressed the gathered guardsmen.
"It seems our unwelcome guest still lives. Barely. Place her in a cell in the pits and do make sure she is uncomfortable."
Looking at the boxes of parchment and scrolls scattered across his office, Baron Hesh shook his head.
"Beasley!" He barked. An elderly man in worn robes scurried into the room from the gallery.
"Light the candles and stoke the brazier. Then leave. I have work to do. Come back in an hour and clean up this mess", the Baron snapped at the servant.
"As for you three." Touching an amulet pinned to this left breast the Baron turned to the faint shimmers in the air before him. "Ah, only two now? She got one you, eh? Well, you can join your friend back in whatever corner of the Plane of Air it is from which I summoned you. Your servitude ends, for now. Leave here!"
With twin popping sounds echoing in the room, the Stalkers vanished.
Once his servant had completed his duties and left the office, Hesh secured the doors and opened the secret compartment. Coins, gems, and ledger were still there. He sighed in relief, but that relief was short-lived.
By Beshaba' Breasts! The Maid of Misfortune was toying with him. He had stopped two Herald's from acquiring proof of his dishonest dealings. But what to do now? One Council Herald disappearing in his barony was plausible, but two? The 'killed by bandits' ploy would not work again. The next official from Capitol to call on him would be an Inquisitor. And they travelled with a retinue.
Hesh had hoped to leave Silver Tree two months ago, but the first Herald had shown up days before he was to set out for the coast. He'd paid a lot of coin to take care of that problem. Then there were issues with the wagons, followed by a goblin raid and, just as things were quieting down, a second Herald turns up!
These delays meant a late date for sailing from Borsa. He might not even find a ship to hire this late in the season! He'd have to buy one.
Hesh sighed. He'd need a few days to finish loading wagons and make travel arrangements. After that, there was just a Herald to remove.
He stroked his beard. What else?
Ah, yes! His spies said the Herald had arrived in Silver Tree in the company of two others. Were they her friends, court lackeys, or had they simply met along the road? Best not to take any chances. He'd have them questioned. If he did not like their answers, then the 'bandits' would leave two more victims to be mourned.
A/N: Invisible Stalkers (well, any and all creatures, as well as magic) are used/altered as this writer needs to suite the story and not game mechanics. Apologies to purists.