Next Chapter: Dame Aylin's travels leads her to Reithwin where the lord and his daughter are in mourning and the assistance of Selûne is needed.
A few years after the attack on the Selûne temple, Aylin finds herself outside a town in the Western Heartlands. Forgoing her armor (which she can easily will into being on her body – thanks to a lot of training) to travel in simple clothes through the blistering heat, Aylin thoughts drift to promising town beyond the tollhouse. Settled along the river Chionthar, Reithwin has a temple to her mother and thankfully a nice tavern and distillery, The Waning Moon, which is calling her name after she settles an issue her mother requested her to handle. Aylin's desire to enter the town wanes slightly she stands outside a tollhouse as two younger men accost her for the toll to enter the town.
Standing nearly half a foot or a foot above the two men (one which seems to be shaking in his boots) running the tollhouse Aylin contemplates turning around and just flying into the town elsewhere. But her mother sent her here and if there is to be a toll to carry out her mother's will, she will pay it.
With a huff she pays the two gold pieces to get access to the town and just to show off taps into her radiant soul to fly into the town. Above the buildings she watches as the townspeople mill about – as boats are loaded with casks and casks of different drinks from the distillery. As she continues to fly towards the temple, she takes watches more of the people who were oblivious to the woman flying above the streets.
All except one – a woman with shoulder length black hair standing in front of a gravestone just outside the temple hands fallen from where she had previously held them in prayer. As their eyes lock on each other the woman's mouth opens in shock and Aylin feels her heart pound at the beautiful appearance. The paladin knew if nothing else she would introduce herself to the woman once her work at the temple was complete. At least that was the plan until fate had other ideas.
She hears the woman yelling, "Watch o-" as she collides with the temple which she swore was a little further away. The wings dissipate with her focus gone and what she swears is the sound of her mother laughing. The 20-foot drop sends pain up her ankles as she lands on her feet, but it isn't nearly as painful as the blow to her ego.
The sounds of footsteps rushing has Aylin praying to her mother to have literally anyone else except the woman to come and check on her. Looking up Aylin curses not having a potion of invisibility as her eyes lock on the woman who reaches out to place a hand on Aylin's arms to help keep her steady – not necessary unless Aylin dies of embarrassment. This touch and the worried expression on the woman's face sends Aylin's heart fluttering.
It's at this close range, the aasimar can see that the woman is a half-elf a dead give-away with her ever so slightly pointed ears. Her eyes – gods those eyes- look like the moonlight from her divine mother. The beauty mark along her temple and jaw draw Aylin's attention as much as the pendant around the woman's neck.
'Of course, she worships Selûne,' Aylin mulls as she wonders if just leaving the town and forgoing her mother's request would be enough to save her from her ever-growing embarrassment or if this would cause her to break her oath as a paladin.
"Selûne's light. You had wings. AND you flew into the temple. Are you ok? Here," the woman's voice comes out rapidly as her hands start to glow before a pulse of healing magic removes the faint pain Aylin felt in her ankles. As the divine healing magic fades from the woman's hands, Aylin can see a blush forming on the woman's cheeks as her hand lingers well past the fading of the glow.
" ," the woman all but says the phrase together as she runs away. Confused Aylin watches as the woman continues to the stairs and seconds later she can see the woman continuing her jog towards Moonrise Towers.
"Dame Aylin and I could have sworn I heard Isobel," a young priest of the temple says as he approaches her, "Priest Eldon saw you flying in and sent me to come and retrieve you."
"Lead the way," Aylin says as she makes note to remember to ask about Isobel – if nothing but to thank her for the healing. As she follows the young priest, she glances at the gravestone Isobel was standing in front of. Atop with owls and adorn with many constellations with a detailed moon in the center above the name and date – only three months ago, Aylin knew from the design that this was a high priestess of her mother's.
Melodia Thorm
Beloved Wife and Mother
"Mertin said he heard Isobel with you before he arrived," Priest Eldon, a short (who wasn't short when compared to Aylin's over six-foot figure) halfling man, said entering the room.
"I assume this means you talked to her about requesting an -," Aylin held up a hand to request Eldon stop.
"Priest Eldon, up until Mertin said her name I didn't even know what to call her. She saw me land and came to check on me – I guess I looked like I needed some assistance after the long flight," Aylin lied (if only to again save herself from embarrassment) but with a glance she knew Eldon didn't believe her entirely.
"But my mother told me Reithwin was in need of assistance and I'm here now," she said quickly to turn the conversation back to the topic and to avoid the lingering question in Eldon's eyes. But even thinking of the woman kept her heart fluttering.
"Of course, Dame Aylin. Reithwin finds itself without its high priestess after the Priestess Melodia's sudden illness and death. We tried everything but it eluded any divine or naturalistic healing methods. As you are aware following the death of a high priest or priestess the highest-ranking paladin must assist the temple in selecting the new leader of the temple. In this case, we can't even get an audience to-,"
"What paladin denies an audience with the clerics of their own temple? Tell me their name and I you will get your audience," Aylin says with a bit of irritation at a paladin refusing to do their duty to the temple. She stands waiting for the Priest's response as he sighs, "Lord Ketheric Thorm, my lady, husband of Melodia and Isobel's father. Which is why I was hoping you talked to her upon your arrival to hopefully save you a trip to Moonrise Towers."
'Well, you were hoping to introduce yourself,' Aylin could almost hear her mother telling her.
The walk to Moonrise Towers was a relatively short one. It would have been shorter if she used her wings but Aylin worried that she would either: a. get shot at by some random guard surprised to see something flying to the towers – or b. repeat her embarrassing incident from earlier which surely would kill her this time (certainly there is only so much embarrassment one person can handle before they just spontaneously die).
After announcing her reason for the unannounced arrival to the towers to the captain of the guard, Aylin was led to the main audience chamber. Like the servants in the palace and even some of the guards, the room reflected an aspect of mourning. Aylin inspected the bookshelves and art around the room which mostly reflects a family deeply rooted in both the founding of Reithwin, in worship of Selûne, and even a surprising selection devoted to different brewing methods common in the area.
Mid-inspection of a beautiful painting of a small fishing boat on the Chionthar the door to the room opened.
"Captain Bryn was aware my father wasn't entertaining an audience so I will have to ask you t-" the familiar woman's voice started talking before abruptly stopping. Aylin turned to see Isobel mid-sentence and suddenly with a lack of words and a blush immediately rushing the half-elf's cheeks.
"While I am here to see your father, I believe an introduction is in order to begin with," Aylin feels a smile on her face as she extends a hand out to the other woman. Seeing the other woman not extending a hand, Aylin retracts her hand and gives her most respectful bow.
"Dame Aylin, Sword of the Moonmaiden, at your service. Madam," Aylin questioned to the woman who's face started to resemble a fresh tomato due to her blush.
"Isobel," the woman whispers before repeating again in a slightly louder voice. The woman's blush resides slightly as she gestures to chairs at the single table. As Aylin sits at the table, Isobel exits the door briefly before returning with a tea set.
"I hope you don't mind. I was going to have tea anyway and after your morning I thought you may want some," Isobel says as she gently places the set on the table before pouring a cup and placing it in front of Aylin. She finds herself giving a chuckle before standing to pour a cup for Isobel – the priestesses and priests would slap her if she forgot this simple respectful act. She places the cup and saucer in front of Isobel who resembles a tomato yet again.
As the two start to drink their tea while avoiding eye contact Aylin feels the fluttering in her heart again. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Isobel looking with sadness to a small portrait of a woman nestled in a part of the bookshelf. The uncanny resemblance reminds Aylin of her purpose for being here.
"Lady Isobel, I know you and your father are in mourning. The lost of your mother may have an impact on the temple but that pales in comparison to the pain you and your father are feeling," Aylin gently reaches to place a hand on Isobel's arm upon seeing the tears forming in the corners of the half-elf's eyes.
"I-," Isobel starts before closing her mouth quickly as tears stream down her face, "the temple wants to replace her so soon." The fluttering in Aylin's heart stops as she feels it break a little at the woman's sorrow.
"It's okay to grieve, Isobel. No one wants to replace her. Gods know even Selûne mourns the lost of one of her most holy. My mother only seeks to allow her light to provide comfort to people," her other hand lands to cover Isobel's much smaller hand. Realization hits her with the same power of her flight into the temple earlier. This is why she is here. Not to only handle the choosing of a new cleric leader but to comfort one of her mother's worshipers. Especially this one she was enamored with at first sight - something so obviously reciprocated.
Isobel leans against Aylin's shoulder and she wraps an arm around the mourning woman. By her mother's light she will protect Isobel.
Next Chapter: Aylin and Isobel's relationship soars above the skies of Reithwin and beyond.