He rapped on the door a second time-Maybe they hadn't heard him the first time. The woman who answered his summons, he recognized immediately. Her vaguely northern peasant's face had just enough elven influence to make her attractive. She probably agonized in front of the mirror about her nose, though. The thought made Ammon smile in spite of himself.
Lillith smiled in return. She hadn't seen her husband behind her or his reaction to their visitor-He turned sharply and ran past the baby's crib in his bedroom, grabbing the first blade in the rack and running quietly to the back door. "Good Morn," she addressed the tall man in a tailored black leather tunic topped with a long ebon hooded cape-The hood was thrown back to reveal a shaved head and finely etched runic tattoos. His pale gold eyes, though not overly friendly, did not convey the malevolence that she'd seen in them on Mount Galardrym.
Lil's face lit up with recognition. "It was you... there on the mount. I... I thought it was Rolan, but... you stopped the fire giant king." Her eyes widened with fear.
Her visitor looked to his left, stepped back, and held his hands out to show that he was unarmed. "Stay your blade. I mean you no harm," he growled, showing no fear. "Ammon Jerro, at your service young lady." He swept into a well practiced courtly bow.
"Rolan," she smiled in apology to her visitor, "stand down, love. Master Jerro helped me... helped us on mount Galardrym. Without him, we wouldn't be here."
Her bewildered husband hung his head and took a hesitant step back before lowering his sword. He appeared reluctant to lower his guard completely.
"There's no shame in defending your home, young man," the warlock was admiring Rolan's readied blade as he spoke. "I would've been disappointed in you if you hadn't braced me. Being suspicious of strangers is no vice." Straightening his shoulders, he turned to Lillith and cleared his throat. "On to business-I'm here to speak with the Lady Knight-Captain. My time is limited-My business is more than urgent."
"Come in then, please, Master Jerro," Lillith ushered him into the sitting room and turned back to Rolan. "Could you fetch Tiernah? I think she's with atara'rim at the bakery by now." After she'd sent her husband on his way, she ran to the crib in their bedroom.
Lillith returned with a bundle that could only be a child. "Master Ammon Jerro, please meet our little one, newly arrived, Melyanna Edgewater. She wants to offer her thanks, as do I," she said solemnly, holding her little one so he could see the tiny face nestled in the soft blanket.
"May I," he asked, taking the newborn, careful to cradle her head in the crook of his elbow. Seeing the child's reaction to the light, he turned away from the window, careful not to turn his back to her mother. "She isn't cyanotic, is she," he asked, looking up with some concern.
Lil's smile was a trifle nervous. "At first, I was worried about her... darker shade, but there is some Ilythiiri blood in the family. Ai'tara tells me she's fine-That she may be a true half-drow. It sometimes will skip a generation-Only time will tell."
He was unconsciously rocking her-She was almost asleep. A similar moment from long ago now came unbidden to him. Another newborn that he'd held that was so very much like the one he cradled. The only difference was a matter of names-Then she was named Shandra, now her name was Melyanna. So long ago, his mind drifted. He looked up at the half-elven woman who was watching him intently. "There is also another possibility; Have you ever heard of a mystic half-drow?" His eyes caught hers.
She noticed how near his eyes were to hers in color at that moment. Though startled, she had a ready answer; "Isn't that a half-elf transformed later in life? Usually at majority. They aren't born with dark-elf features," she replied, thinking, Fathers never really do forget their own children, do they? She wondered at his ease with a strange infant. Rolan is my child's father, but who is my...
"Yes, it is," he agreed, interrupting her thought. "What happened on the mountain leads me to conclude that there is a mystic connection between you, this child of yours, and the daughter of Araushnee-Lolth, if you will." He looked down at her babe, deep in thought. "Aside from her darker cast, is there anything unusual about her?" He peeked inside the blanket and smiled. "She's asleep," he murmured.
"She has a Liantelle, just like mine, on her back," the new mother mused. "It is strange, though... for most of my life, my tattoo was ebony-The spider's body is as big as my thumb." She held up a hand to demonstrate. Since returning from the mountain, its body and legs are traced with a fine silver line. Melyanna's mark is silvered too-It was never all ebony, like mine was. Ai'tara pointed it out to me after her first bath.
"All the more reason to keep an eye on her... on you both, if I may. You are of special interest to me. If you ever have need of me, call, and I will come." It was his turn to be thoughtful. "Well, it's time you put her down to bed, she needs her sleep," he said, passing the child back with a tenderness unlike his rough appearance.
"Master Jerro, you were there with us. What happened on the mount?" It was Rolan, who'd returned from his wife's errand-The Knight-Captain would be there shortly.
They were once again in the Edgewater's sitting room. The warlock scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Let me just tell you that those re-animated fire giants were not going to prevail... your... goddess and I were... are not at odds in this, like some... others would have you believe. We both have our reasons for helping you, I suppose." He seemed reluctant to say any more.
"The moon elf boy, Gale, did you see him?" she asked with some concern. "We don't know where he went or what happened to him."
"The boy?" He was again sorting through dim memories. The one who was a conduit for a most incredible display of power. Where was he? ...THINK. Ammon sighed in resignation-He didn't know. "I honestly can't say. The last I saw of him, he was foolish... he was charging after you," he pointed at Lil's husband, "you both disappeared-I didn't see either one of you after that." He turned to the front door as if he'd heard something. "After I made sure you were safe, young lady, something or someone gated me back to my room in the Inn at Crossroad-Something or someone who wanted me gone," he said with a shrug.
"Ammon, just the man I wanted to see." Tiernah opened the front door and held it for E'len, who was loaded down with the makings of their next meal. "Come into the kitchen, sup with us. We have much to discuss, you and I." Her smile of welcome was genuine.
Elder Mayne was finishing up some correspondence in his office when his clerk tapped on the office door and entered. "Please forgive the late hour, Elder, I have a most urgent despatch. It bears a crown seal-I fear it cannot wait. Strange, though," she'd stopped at his door, "the courier didn't wait. He said that no reply was necessary."
"Thank you, Juni," his reply was distracted. He'd been waiting for word from the crown. Rumors of war and an increase in taxes had raised tensions even in his small village.
A missive from Lord Nasher was not unexpected. Refugees from the south bore tales of woe as they passed through. The stain of shadow on the swamp known as The Mere of Dead Men was spreading. Their Lizardfolk allies, natives to the wetlands, had been patrolling the road past West Harbor. Just within the last ten-day, word was passed that Batha, their leader, had suspended patrols and reinforced Highcliff's south gate. No one doubted the lizardfolk's valor, but he refused to risk his troops on routine patrols that had become unsafe. A few skirmishes with an unknown rival in the darkness were enough to convince him to act.
"I will see you on the morrow," the Elder dismissed her, breaking the seal on his Lord's message. "Gods preserve us," he muttered as he read. "It was bound to happen..."
"Anything I can do?" Juni inquired. She'd lagged at the door out of curiosity. "It's the war, isn't it?" Her intuition was usually dead on.
He sighed. "Aye, it is," he affirmed. "My lord has issued an order to evacuate." He read on-The silence was drawn out. "The city of Neverwinter and all points south of Crossroad Keep are to send their inhabitants to the north and west. All militia units report to the command at Crossroad for the common defense."
"What do you want of me?" she asked, knowing that the parchment she'd just delivered was the end of their lives as they knew it.
"We'll need to round up the militia," he was thinking out loud, "Send Sergeant Milton here to me and dispatch a runner to Lady Lasshiva-She will see to the lizardfolk. Tell the harbormaster, I will meet with him as soon as he can get here. There is too much to do... Juni, lets go."
"My compliments to the... cook," Ammon said. He winked at Rolan's mother and piled the plates he could reach onto his. "It has been an age since I've sampled anything as good." He surprised everyone at the table by carrying his collection of tableware to the sideboard where they'd be washed. He worked with hands that had a grace that belied their size. "and now, to the purpose of my visit." He returned to his seat, held up the wine bottle, refilled E'len and Tiernah's, then his own glass. "As you well know, My Lady Knight-Captain, our next step in the war with the Guardian is to re-forge the Sword of Gith."
"I'm not sure that we have enough shards," Tie was pensive. "Jacoby and Edario both agree that the sword is made of an alloy that is beyond their ability." Those two 'smiths were Crossroad's best-She knew they should look elsewhere for an answer.
The warlock snapped his fingers and scoffed as a thought occurred to him. "I have news of the shards," he said, shaking his head. "Just after you returned here, the Gith and I penned another copy of the Hosttower's list of True Names. One was for her, the other for me. We were just finishing up, the ink barely dry, when a battered patrol returned with news of a shadow reaver encamped less than a day's ride from the keep." He paused to watch the Knight-Captain.
"So..." Tiernah raised an eyebrow. "don't keep us in suspense," she prompted.
He frowned, looking around the table, drawing them out. A sly smile lit his face. "They worked," he intoned with no emotion. "In a most spectacular manner." He seemed to enjoy their unease. "The Gith, most graciously, allowed me to recite first. We alternated reciting the names until the very last one-He was mine." The warlock was thoughtful for a moment. "It appears that invoking his True Name isolates the reaver from the Vale-He cannot re-generate. It requires more study," he mused, showing his frustration.
"That is good news," the Knight-Captain was relieved. "Too bad we don't have the Guardian's True Name," she lamented.
"I don't believe it would work, anyway," he looked at her sternly. "Still, we do have the protection of the Statues of Purification... but I digress. The last reaver had a shard, the largest one so far. The Gith feels, as do I, that we do have enough shards to re-make the Silver Sword. The question that remains-How?"
"Bad news," it was Rolan, out of breath. "The Elder has an order from the crown-Highcliff and all points south are to evacuate. An army of the dead are marching north from out of the Mere. We have to be out by sundown tomorrow."
The warlock got to his feet. "With that, we'll thank you for the hospitality and make our way to the keep." He turned to Tie. "Knight-Captain, when you're ready, I can gate us back right away."
E'len's smile was sad. "Let's get packed," she sighed in resignation. "We should be ready to leave when your father gets back." She embraced Tiernah and kissed a cheek. "Diola lle, seler'rim. Namaarie, tenna' ento lye omenta."
Tie returned the affection with a kiss as well. "Lissenen ar' maska' lalaith tenna' lye omentuva," she wished for her moon elf sister and her family. The Knight-Captain reluctantly turned to her room to begin packing-Ammon Jerro was waiting.
The morning was cooler, a bit unseasonal for late summer. Isilme'len took a long look around with a feeling she'd forgotten to pack something. Most of her furnishings and household items were in a freight waggon that had left after dark last night. It was bound for a company trading post to the west of Waterdeep, safely out of the path of the advancing army of shadows.
Her son, Rolan and his wife and babe, left with the waggon after a whirlwind of inventorying and packing. They left reluctantly after getting a promise that the elders would leave at sunrise. It seemed the younger ones didn't feel as much of a pang of regret at being forced to leave. One day, when their roots ran deeper, they would understand her feelings.
"Did you forget something?" her husband asked from their front door. He was carrying something in his arms, hiding it from her sight.
"Not that I can think of..." she called, nothing of import came to mind. He's locked the door, she thought with affection. Old love-old habits. She couldn't keep from smiling. Her smile widened as he walked slowly around the house, making a final inspection. He can't leave until it's right, she thought, shaking her head in amused resignation.
She waved as two waggons in succession passed by. The Edgewaters would be one of the last to leave. The Elder, still taking his duty seriously would leave last, to be sure no-one was left behind.
As she waited for her husband, her thoughts turned inward. When this war ended, as all wars do, would her home still be here? They could always rebuild. They just had to survive.
Her mind wandered to the discussion at the dinner table yesterday. The shadow war was centered around the woman who called her sister. Why the Knight-Captain had taken the time to come here to Highcliff when she was needed at Crossroad Keep spoke of purpose-A divine hand at work. Lillith, Rolan, their child-Melyanna, Tiernah, and even the mysterious warlock, Jerro, were all players on this stage. The memories of last month's trials, like distant dreams, had faded away to be replaced by new ones; The shadow army from out of the mere was in Tiernah's path now. At the end of the Knight-Captain's path, the King of Shadows waited. A thought haunted E'len. It made no sense to her-Maybe her sister would understand; Laleen's love will win the day.
"Make preparations for getting under way." Her husband's weight rocked the wagon, breaking into her waking reverie. "It's not a parrot, but it'll have to do," he said in mock severity as he passed the something he'd been hiding to her.
"Moonbow," she exclaimed with pleasure, gathering up her lost pet. Looking into the familiar's brown eyes, she asked, "Lle au', Manka nae lle?"
"Had to lock up," he grumbled, not put out at all.
"Not you," she said, holding up her pet. "Her... but I'm glad you made it," she teased him.
"Hummpf," he replied, starting the team with a slap of the reins.
She took a last longing look at their home and turned away. "Tenna' tul' re san', she murmured.
Grey Co. Elven Translations;
atara'rim-dear mother.
ai'tara-little mother(Sehanine's Heavenly Starsinger mid-wife.)
Liantelle-Little Spider(A spider tattoo given to Lil and Melyanna by Eilistraee, daughter of Araushnee-Later named Lolth, spider queen of the Drow.)
Diola lle, seler'rim. Namaarie, tenna' ento lye omenta.-Thank you, dear sister. Farewell, until next we meet.
Lissenen ar' maska' lalaith tenna' lye omentuva.-Sweet water and light laughter till next we meet.
Lle au', Manka nae lle?-You again, where were you?
Tenna' tul' re san-Until tomorrow, then.
A/N Effusive thanks to my friend Wyl for his help in editing.