Chapter 14: Kitchen Duty and Nosy Priests

The journey to Highmoon from Bristar went without incident. The trio were unusually quiet on the first day, each absorbed by their own thoughts. Violet fretted over the magic gift she was now burdened with and how to gain control over it instead of reflexively using it. Before they left Bristar, Ailluin had warned her that her newfound abilities were fueled by chaos and, as such, they would prove difficult to control if they could be at all. His warning did nothing to bolster her already shaky confidence.

At the heart of her struggle was the, to her, obvious conflict between this new power and the gentle, but weak, magic that she had practiced her entire life. That magic had been based on the natural order found in the world around her. There was a pattern to it. A comforting steadfastness. Basically, everything her new magic was not. Despite Ailluin's opinion on the matter, Violet could not see how using it would not drive a wedge deeper into the gap that had already developed, separating her from the goddess.

Ailluin had also provided Violet with her own mount, saying the brothers could return it for her. The horse, a roan gelding named Malikai, had a calm personality and a smooth gait that put her at ease in the saddle. Content to follow Sirialle and Belia, the twin's horses, he required little guidance from his rider, giving Violet plenty of time to stew in her thoughts.

On the second day, her companions seemed to snap out of their reveries, and became more talkative, though avoiding the subjects of Violet's magic and their impending mission. Instead, they spent the rest of the journey educating her about Faerun, its geography, history, and notable inhabitants. Violet immediately forgot most of what they told her, but that wasn't the point. They strove to distract her and themselves and for the most part succeeded.

Nighttime was a different story. Violet struggled to stop worrying long enough to go to sleep and her dreams were full of disturbing images. In some, she was pursued by Allaysie and an army of gnolls, in others her grandmother scolded her for accepting gifts from the fae, blaming Violet for all that befallen including the untimely deaths of her and Violet's mother. Sometimes she dreamt of losing control of her magic and killing everyone around her, including the Tamaval and Tamirell. Each morning, she woke up far from refreshed and, by the time they reached Highmoon at the end of the third day, she was practically a zombie in the saddle.

Tamirell hesitated before mounting his horse.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" he asked a listless Violet.

She had come out to see them off, dreading the departure of her only two friends. And, yes, despite his foul moods and sharp comments, she counted his brother, Tamival, as a friend.

"Yes," she told him. "I just need some rest and I will be just fine."

Tamival snorted from the back of Belia, "no, you won't be fine until you can rid yourself of that gods-cursed pendant."

"Brother...," Tamirell warned.

"It's okay," Violet interrupted. "He's right. I won't be truly alright until then, yes. But I will be okay here until you guys are done with what Ailluin needs of you."

She gave into her impulse and hugged Tamirell. He stiffened at first in shock, but then relaxed and hugged her back.

"Take care of yourself, Violet Byrne," he admonished her. "Stay out of trouble until we get back."

"That's not likely," Tamival quipped. "Trouble has a habit of finding her."

Ignoring him, Violet watched as his brother mounted. Before he turned his horse to leave the yard, he pulled a small pouch out of his tunic and tossed it to her. She caught it easily and was surprised by the weight of it. By the feel, it contained coins. Violet looked up at him questioningly.

"I know you have no money," he said. "It's not much but it should do you until we return."

"I can't take your money," Violet protested, stepping up to his horse and holding out the bag.

"Yes, you can, and you will without arguing," he said firmly. "It's not wise to be in a strange place without coin. You never know when you'll have need of it."

"But…,"

"Say 'thank you' and take it."

Violet bit her lip before softly saying, "thank you."

"Was that so hard?" he teased with a glint in his eyes.

"Be careful," she said, looking up at him.

"Always," he grinned down at her then turned his horse. Looking back at her standing in the stable's yard, he said, "we will be back to see this through to its end."

With that, he and Tamival cantered off. Violet watched them until they turned a corner and disappeared from her sight.

"If there is an end," she said out loud.

At her feet, Chi-Chi mewed mournfully.

The scroll from Ailluin that she presented to the high priest of the Oghma secured her a room within the temple grounds and access to the library. In return for room and board, she was assigned to help in the kitchen every other day. A fair exchange, Violet thought.

Her room, on the second floor of the living quarters, was barely large enough for the narrow bed and small dresser, but the common area downstairs was spacious and comfortable, and most of the priests and acolytes gathered there. For the most part, they were friendly towards Violet, happy to answer any questions and offer suggestions for her reading. Once word got out that she wasn't from Faerun, she became almost a celebrity and spent more time answering questions about Earth than asking them about Faerun. Even Chi-Chi was welcomed by the priests and acolytes, many pausing in their daily tasks to pet the cat or sneak her treats.

The library was disappointing. Used to libraries in Vancouver and having an image of a massive medieval castle library in her mind, the thirty-foot diameter tower with bookshelves arranged in spokes around a central, spiral stair, was less than impressive. Even though the tower consisted of six floors, only three were dedicated to the library. The other three floors served as rooms for visitors to read and study the books they paid to examine. Few outside the priesthood enjoyed free access to the tomes housed in the tower, a fact that was made abundantly clear to Violet the first day she ventured into the library by the priest on duty there.

Even with her access, he followed her around and hovered over her as if he expected her to destroy his precious charges at any moment. After she explained what she sought, he was more than happy to find the books and scrolls for her and bring them to her in one of the rooms.

More disappointing than the library itself was the profound lack of books about magic. Most were histories depicting magical events like the Time of Troubles or the more recent Spellplague or biographies of various wizards and sorcerers. There was little literature about the nature of magic and how it worked in the world. After a few days spent futilely searching for something more substantial about it, Violet reluctantly conceded that Ailluin had been correct and decided to follow his advice and pursue general studies about the world instead.

Violet's first day helping in the kitchen, she was assigned to preparation, cleaning, peeling, and chopping vegetables and herbs for the cook's recipes. At first, she was surprised at how much food was being prepared; there were less than a dozen priests and acolytes living at the temple. When she asked, she was told they also provided meals for the visitors to the library and for the poor of the city. Violet was impressed that the same food was prepared for the poor that was being served to the others. Knowing the recipients of all the food, Violet felt better about her duties and chatted amicably with the other help in the kitchen.

The acolyte assigned to the washing was a gangly teenager from a local farming family that had had too many children to feed. Given the choice of going hungry during the upcoming winter and becoming a priest of Oghma, to him the choice had been simple. Here at the temple, Domni was not only well fed, but he had a room all to himself, something unheard of in a family with seven children under the same roof.

The cook, Marta, ruled the kitchen with a firm but fair hand. While her recipes were not inspired, they were tasty, filling, and, most importantly, easy to produce in large quantities. Aiding her in her tasks were three girls from the village, Hilde, Ada, and Flora. Ada and Flora were giggly and flighty but hurried to complete their assignments under the watchful eye of Marta. Hilde was older and quietly serious about her duties in the kitchen. It quickly became apparent to Violet that she was hoping to replace Marta when the older woman retired. From the way she and Marta worked together, the cook fostered that hope.

During her second week in the kitchen, Hilde failed to show up for duty. It was unlike Hilde to miss work. The five-person crew – six if you included Violet – rotated with a second crew, headed by a cook named Bernice, every other day, so that all had days to themselves throughout the week. Since Hilde had begun working there two years ago, she had not missed a single day, not even for illness. Concerned, Marta sent Domni to find out her sister and ask what was going on. Though she lived outside the city in the forest with her sister and mother, her sister worked at one of the inns.

Within minutes, Domni was back with news.

"Her sister isn't at work today either," he panted.

"They must both be sick then," Marta said to the others. "We will just have to make do until she comes back. Violet, you've been promoted for the day. You're in charge of the bread."

For the rest of the day, Violet measured, mixed, kneaded, and baked bread using Marta's basic recipe. By the end of the day, her arms felt like limp noodles and her shoulders ached, but it had been an enjoyable change of pace. That night, for the first time since she was attacked by Allaysie, she fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit her pillow and slept through the night.

The next day, Violet asked about getting a journal of some sort as a replacement for her lost grimoire. After being warned that copying any of the contents of the books from the library was forbidden, she was directed to a priest that provided supplies to the acolytes. The simply bound book she was given had enough blank pages to last for a while. Taking it back to her room, she spent the afternoon writing down everything that had happened to her so far and the wild magic spells she could remember.

Two days later, on her off day from kitchen duty, she sat on a shaded bench in the gardens within the walls of the temple, writing about her encounter with Allaysie and sketching a before and after picture of the creature.

"That's a good likeness," a priest said coming up to look down on the page. "Most artists miss the second row of teeth."

Violet looked up at him, "you recognize her?"

He shook his balding head and sat beside her, "not that particular one, no. Just hags in general."

"You're saying this is a hag?"

"Absolutely. Did you not know?" He seemed genuinely surprised.

"No," she admitted. "I've read about them, but I've never seen one before."

"For someone who's never seen one, that's remarkably detailed."

"Oh, no," she laughed. "I certainly saw this one. Up close and personal." She held up her still healing hand, "I even have the scars to prove it."

He took it in his, turning it over to view the unharmed palm, "she must have been angry."

"I would say so," she smiled. "I had something she wanted and wouldn't give it to her."

Releasing her hand, he said, "you'll have to tell me about it sometime. I consider myself somewhat of an expert on monsters and like to document as many encounters as possible."

"I thought everybody here already knew my story," she said with a self-conscious grimace. "It had spread through the temple grounds within a day of my arrival."

"Forgive my ignorance," he smiled, "I've been away for months and only just arrived back this morning. I'm Jael."

"Violet," she responded politely. "It's nice to meet you."

"And I you," his blue eyes twinkled. "Maybe you will join me for dinner tonight to tell your tale? I would rather hear it first-hand than second or third."

She had told her story so many times, she was beginning to tire of repeating it, but perhaps Jael had something to offer in return.

"I'll make you a deal," she told him. "I will tell you my story and answer your questions if you will answer some of mine."

"My dear, I live to share my knowledge," he laughed. "I would be delighted. It's a deal."

She laughed with him, "then I will see you at dinner. I've heard it's going to be Bernice's famous mutton loaf."

Jael made a face as he stood to take his leave, "that's one thing I didn't miss while I was gone."

Violet paused at the door of the common dining room and smoothed down her skirt. Tonight, it held more people than she had seen in the few days she had been at the temple. A babble of voices spilled out into the hall where she hesitated. She didn't know why she was loath to enter, after all, she had been longing for companionship just before her untimely departure from her world. Here she was, surrounded by people that she didn't have to hide her magic from, that accepted her, yet she still felt like an outsider. Maybe it was the way conversations died whenever she entered a room, or the curious stares she was always catching aimed her way. Maybe it was all in her head, she chided herself.

"Ah, there you are," Jael called out from the bottom of the stairs. "I was late and worried I had kept you waiting."

"Oh, I just got here," she assured him as he approached.

"Hum," he peered through the doorway, "it appears to be a busy night. We might have trouble finding a table. Come," he held out his arm, "let us venture forth into the fray."

Put at ease by the priest, Violet placed her hand on his arm and let him escort her into the room. This time, when the conversations quieted and the stares came, they were aimed at her companion. She could hear his name being repeated through the groups.

"Jael!" an extremely short and stout man thundered, standing, and nearly knocking over his chair. "You owe me a drink."

"Vorn!" Jael yelled back, guiding Violet through the crowded room. "You're the one that owes a drink."

They arrived at the table and the two men laughed and clasped hands. Jael was tall and towered over Violet, but he was lean and wiry. Vorn was considerably shorter than Violet but broad as a heavy-weight pro wrestler. His dark hair was shorn close to his head, but his beard was long and wild, reaching almost to his stomach that threatened to burst out of his fine brocade waistcoat.

"I was hoping you would show your face before I had to leave," Vorn said, slapping Jael on the back.

"If I had known you were here, I would have stayed away," Jael replied, his grin belying the statement.

"Come, sit," Vorn gestured at the two chairs already occupied by across the table from him. The men quickly rose, nodded in greeting to Jael and Violet before finding another table. When they were seated, he looked at Violet then back at Jael, "and who is this beauty?"

"Violet Byrne," she replied before Jael could.

"Violet," he rolled her name around on his tongue before nodding as if deciding it was alright for that to be her name. "I am Vorn Irongut, one of the greatest Harpers of this era."

He looked at her expectantly.

"Harper?" she asked. "I'm not familiar with that term."

At Vorn's look of dismay, Jael laughed heartedly. "Finally! A lass that doesn't swoon at your feet when you tell her you're a Harper." He laughed until tears gathered in his eyes. "You should see the look on your face."

Vorn frowned at him before turning back to Violet, "are you daft? Who in the Dales has not heard of the Harpers? Everybody from here to Waterdeep and beyond knows of us."

"Apparently not," Jael chortled, slapping the table.

Violet held her hands palm up, "nope. Never heard of you," she said blandly.

Jael's laughter died down while Vorn continued to frown. Dinner was announced and the room erupted into chaos, as everyone rushed to the sideboard to fill their plates.

Through the den, Jael turned to Vorn, "Violet has quite the tale she has agreed to share with me about being attacked by a hag." He turned back to her, "if you don't mind Vorn hearing it also?"

She shrugged, "as long as I only have to tell it once and you hold up your end of the bargain."

"Absolutely," he proclaimed. "A deal is a deal, after all.

The took their turn at the sideboard getting their dinner and returned to the table. The room was much quieter with everyone occupied with eating instead of trying to be heard over each other.

"Why are there so many people here tonight?" Violet asked. "I don't think I've seen more than a dozen since I've been here."

Jael looked around at the thirty or so people eating around them, "it looks like there's quite a few Harpers dining."

Vorn nodded, "we are on our way through to meet a party of elves and continue on towards Myth Dranor. There's a handful of militias traveling with us as well."

"Myth Dranor?" Jael set down his fork. "Does this have anything to do with the uptick in the attacks that are happening across the Dale Lands?"

"We aren't supposed to be talking about it," Vorn told him, looking around at the nearby tables. "Supposedly, it'll panic the locals."

"Since when am I just a local?" Jael challenged.

"You're fine," Vorn pointed his fork at Violet, "she's not."

Violet leaned forward and pitched her voice so that only they could hear her, "I'll let you in on a little secret." She paused and mimicked Vorn's look at the other tables, "I'm not a local either."

Before either could reply, a chair scraped the floor as it was pulled up to their table and a woman dropped into it.

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?" she asked, looking at the three with a slight smile curving her lips.

The woman was slim with delicate features and raven-black hair cut short to expose her pointed ears. Violet assumed she was an elf.

"Milya," Vorn rumbled, "you are interrupting

She shrugged, "so?"

Jael chuckled, "well met, Milya. It's been a while."

"Too long," she nodded. "Who's our new friend?" her sharp blue eyes appraised Violet.

"Milya, this is Violet," Jael answered. "Violet, this is…,"

"Milya, one of the greatest Harpers of this era," the woman interrupted him to complete the introduction.

Violet's lips twitched with a smile, "pleased to meet you. I feel overwhelmed being at the table with two of the greatest Harpers of this era. Even though I still have no idea what a Harper is," She couldn't contain her smile at the last.

Milya's eyebrows almost disappeared into her hairline, "what…,"

Jael cut her off, "let's not go through this again." He looked at Violet pointedly, "you were going to share your story with us?"

"Ah, yes," Violet answered and proceeded to repeat her story yet again. At this point, she thought, it might be expeditious to write it down and have it printed into a pamphlet and just hand those out to the curious.

"So, I am just learning all I can about Faerun while I wait for Tamirell and Tamival to finish what Ailluin has tasked them with. Then we'll be bound for Waterdeep to find this Elminster if he hasn't returned to the Dalelands by then," she concluded.

Silence followed the end of her tale around the table. She looked at each of the trio, trying to judge their reaction. Vorn had put down his fork and knife and stared at her in wonder, Jael contemplatively, and Milya with a slight smile.

Vorn was the first to break the silence, "if I wasn't bound for Myth Dranor, I would join you on your travels. This has the makings for an epic adventure that will be talked about for years to come."

Milya nodded in agreement, "no doubt. Alas, our duty calls us elsewhere."

"If I'm not mistaken," Jael put in, "I believe Violet's two elves are bound to the same destination as you two. If that is true, then maybe there is a way to do both. None the less, as a priest of Oghma, I am bound to the pursuit of knowledge, therefore I am compelled to accompany Violet on her quest to return to her own world. If you will have me," he asked with a slight bow of his head.

Violet was truly overwhelmed by the offers of these three strangers she had just met.

"Of course," she told him. "Though it may be a lot more boring than you would hope. There may be no way for me to go home. This might just be a wild goose chase."

"Do not be so ready to give up hope," Milya told her firmly, "or else you will find yourself defeated before you even start."

Jael nodded, "she's right. As long as you retain hope, there is always a chance."

"You're right, it's just that sometimes it feels like too much, that's all." She turned a smile on Vorn, "now, tell me about Harpers. I'm assuming it has nothing to do with music."

"We are the protectors of the realm," he proclaimed proudly. "Once, there were hundreds of us holding back the scourge of evil, protecting the innocent, keeping the roads and trade routes safe, fighting for the…,"

"For the love of…," Milya groaned. "You sound like you're recruiting the woman!" She turned to Violet, "what he means is we get sent to some village or town that nobody has ever heard of, then spend the next six months investigating who's stealing goats or embezzling from the local temple."

The two bantered back and forth on the duties and responsibilities of the Harpers while Violet and Jael listened with amusement. Obviously, this was an ongoing thing between the two Harpers. Soon the people seated at tables around them were drawn into the conversation, each choosing a side and just adding fuel to the fire.

Happy to no longer be the center of attention, Violet sipped her wine and relaxed, laughing at particularly humorous descriptions and stories. After a while, Jael leaned close.

"I think my part of our bargain will have to wait until the morn," he told her. "This could go on for a while."

"I think you're right, but I have kitchen duty tomorrow so it will have to be the next day."

"Then I will seek you out in two days' time."

At her nod, he returned his attention to the other two at the table and Violet went back to her drink thinking this was much better than her nights alone at home.