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<blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 4599349" data-attributes="member: 2323"><p><strong>[PLAIN][Interlude #1] Reconnect at the Wedding[/PLAIN]</strong></p><p></p><p>"The bride looks beautiful," Del assured his friend and mentor as the father of the groom stole a moment from the social necessities of his son's wedding to stop at their table. They were in one of the larger banquet rooms at the Janissary Guildhall. Colorful tapestries hung from the ceiling and all of the wall sconces were lit. It was a warm and festive feeling… a reprieve from the recent troubles Barnacus had experienced.</p><p></p><p>It still seemed strange to Del that the festivities were not taking place at the castle, but with the city in the state it was of late few people got near the King. Hasding Island was completely blockaded by Elcadian naval vessels making sure that no one could bring plague to His Majesty again. It was a sound strategy, he knew, but it was causing rumors to spread. In the short time he'd been back in the capital he'd personally heard a human commoner assert that King Haermond had gone mad from his sickness and had locked himself in his own dungeon!</p><p></p><p>Cadeus Thurgood settled into the chair, fidgeting with his finery. "She does at that." Then he added in a conspiratorial whisper, "But her mother has us all fit to be tied! If that's any indication of what's in store for Geoff… the gods save him!" The men chuckled and Del excused himself to fetch a round of drinks for the group.</p><p></p><p>Cade’s gaze followed the man he had raised as a son as Del wove his way through the crowds. The compliment had been sincere enough, but Cade knew the effort it must be taking for Del to participate in the celebration. It hadn’t yet been two full moondances since word had reached the janissary guild of Ledare Eelsof’faw’s untimely death. The news had hit Del particularly hard, and was evidenced in his face even now. Cade looked away and toward a handsome, middle-aged elf seated at the table. "I see you two have reconnected?"</p><p></p><p>The elf smiled warmly and inclined his head. Long, thick, dark hair was pulled stylishly back, leaving a widow’s peak in the middle of his forehead. His clothes were exquisite, from his family's finest collection Cadeus would guess, although he was sure that Deandra would know at a glance. His wife had an eye for fabrics that Cadeus couldn't match. Still, he thought it a fair assumption to make; Maleko Maltalia always seemed to be superbly dressed with not a wrinkle in his clothes or a hair out of place. </p><p></p><p>"Yes it’s great to see Del again," the elf explained. "The janissaries of Barnacus have provided excellent service to my family, and we owe them a great deal. I owe them my life.” Cade nodded. Frequent caravan attacks had always plagued the kingdom's border. Over the past few years the Home Legion's efforts had curbed some of the violence. Since the plague, however, road bandits were once again wreaking havoc on an already fragile trade industry. And the Legion was stretched far too thin to do much more than occasionally stanch the flow of gold from the merchant guild's coffers. It was not a good situation.</p><p></p><p>It surprised Cade a little that the wedding was going as well as it was. Many of the local burghers had closed up shop and fled the city weeks ago. And those that remained in town were ill-tempered at best. The Maltalias, it seemed, were one of the few families who seemed to harbor no ill will toward the king and his janissaries these days.</p><p></p><p>Maleko continued, “When Del approached me and wanted to speak, I sensed something was troubling him. I would do anything that I could to help him. Not only am I indebted to him, but I consider him to be one of the most honorable men I have ever encountered… a credit to his training and to you. Is there trouble with his family?"</p><p></p><p>"No trouble," Del interrupted depositing several overflowing tankards of ale on the table. "Let's not distract from the proud father’s momentous occasion." He handed Cade a drink and then gave Maleko a look that the cleric immediately understood. </p><p></p><p>“Of course… to the bride and groom!” Maleko toasted. The men drank heartily, each one noticing as Del drained his tankard and reached immediately for another.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Later that night as Maleko returned home, he heard footsteps approaching swiftly behind him and a jolt of fear shot through his body. Quickly he turned, glancing over his shoulder only to be relieved to see it was only Del.</p><p></p><p>“Maleko, I wish to speak with you,” Dell boomed as he trotted to catch up to the elf. Maleko did not mind having an escort walking at night. He had reason to be nervous. </p><p></p><p>In the time since his first abduction he had grown much more cautious. After the second abduction he had learned of the cruelty of men. That time he had used his magic to “disappear” from the caravan and had hoped to escape. Only the fact that a bandit had seen him vanish allowed them to catch him. The man had threatened, yelling into the dark, “I will kill one of your merchants each minute you do not show yourself.” Unfortunately, it took one minute for Maleko to see that the brigand was not bluffing, so he had little choice. He could not bear to see another of his employees die because of his inaction. That life would forever weigh on his conscience, he feared. </p><p></p><p>“Your company is always welcome, Del. What words do you wish to share with me?” Maleko inquired. </p><p></p><p>“I heard from Cadeus that you were no longer working for your family; that Grey House had employed you,” Del spoke carefully. </p><p></p><p>“That is true. I would not want everyone to know this, but I trust you may already know Grey House is in disarray. All the senior members are missing. Abernathy, who looks after the estate, has given me this,” Maleko said and unveiled a bracelet, encrusted with eight gems. He offered it to the janissary and Del saw that one of the gems was aglow with a feint orange light. As the circlet moved in his fingers, the glow seemed to shift from gem to gem, always glowing brightest toward the southwest.</p><p></p><p>“All of the members of Grey House have disappeared," Maleko said as Del returned the bracelet to his thin hands. "Several unfortunately have met their demise, but many have an uncertain location. This is the assignment I have accepted. I am to discern what has happened to the members.” Maleko had a look of uncertainty that he quickly tried to cover with a thin smile. </p><p></p><p>Del nodded, taking it in. He knew that Ledare, too, had been working for the Grey Company. But whether or not she had still been under their service at the time of her death he did not know. The fact that the entire Grey House had uncertainty surrounding it was startling news. And Del suddenly found himself needing to find out more.</p><p></p><p>“One of my comrades who participated in your rescue worked for the Grey. She spoke very highly of them. Ledare Eelsof’faw … You may recall her.”</p><p></p><p>“Indeed I do. When you were rescuing me, she jumped a mile when I cast Web on the baddies who were escaping,” remarked Maleko. He kept the feeling that she had been more than just Del’s comrade to himself adding only, “My sympathies.”</p><p></p><p>Del looked off into the darkness. “I left Awad to become a janissary. And I’ve spent years stamping out small evils.” He paused, searching for the words. “I was good at it. Better, even, than I might have been at home working the shipyard. It was the life I thought I was meant for… making a difference.” He was quiet. </p><p></p><p>“Suddenly it all seems meaningless…” he said at last and his words trailed off, dragged down by the weight of emotion in them. Maleko waited a moment to see if he would continue, but his companion seemed lost in his own thoughts. The elf sighed.</p><p></p><p>“As you may know life for an elf is long, and we generally pursue many interests. My father has his business and his human wives to keep him busy. My life has... well, not been quite as fulfilling," Maleko said. "Being an elf... well, mostly elven at any rate... with an extended life span when compared to humans or even half-elves... our interests often change over time.” Del still seemed wrapped in his own thoughts as he looked off down the street toward the sea. Light was spilling out of the Needle and Thread Tavern some blocks away, but that was the only sign of life along the route.</p><p></p><p>"I have worked at being a merchant with my family, which made me a good fortune. It allowed me to explore my gifts as a sorcerer… until I fell in love. Her name was Alana. She worshiped Nethlar and my love for her drew me to him as well. I so admired her and the followers of Nethlar’s desire for knowledge and truth." for a moment, Maleko's own voice thickened with memory, but he'd reconciled himself with his wife's death years ago. He went on, "Well, as mixed marriages go it was great, but not meant to last forever. She passed on decades ago. I then wished to adventure after her death seeking escape. Father thought me naïve and foolish. He was right.” Maleko smiled in the darkness.</p><p></p><p>“I had a run in with unscrupulous adventurers and well…. was only saved when my father paid my ransom. I lost any trust I had for humankind there and then." His mouth twisted as if he'd bitten down on something bitter. "Well, I then moved on to the safe profession of teaching and working for father only occasionally. Teaching was rewarding for a while, but after a score of years… I find myself yearning for more out of life. With the recent closing of the school due to the plague, this latest opportunity seemed a logical and serendipitous choice."</p><p></p><p>"I do wonder myself why I was approached for this job and questioned Abernathy thoroughly on the matter. Poor man lost everything: his masters, his family, everything except that sweet, but ill mannered dog that follows him around incessantly. I-" Maleko stopped in mid-sentence, feeling suddenly that he'd given Del more of an ear-full than the janissary wished for. The half-elf was too diplomatic to say anything, of course, but Maleko sensed something in Del's demeanor nonetheless.</p><p></p><p>"Forgive me. I ramble so. It must be the wine," the elf said, stifling back a feigned yawn. "We shall continue tomorrow? Breakfast tomorrow at the Five Elements? Considerably after the rooster crows.”</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>“This gift from Abernathy, how will it help you locate the Grey Members?” Del asked the next morning after the serving wench, Maggie, had brought him another tankard of ale. They sat in the common room of the Five Elements Inn. The early morning crowd had cleared out, and only a handful of patrons were lingering. Maleko thought that Maggie had been especially attentive to them at first, trying, it seemed, to catch Del's eye, but had eventually given up when he gave her no notice and now she virtually ignored them. The two men had spoken lightly of other things during the breakfast meal, but Maleko sensed that it was all leading up to this.</p><p></p><p>“The glow indicates the direction of the closest coin. The strength of the glow indicates how close we are.” He demonstrated, turning the bracelet in his hands. As it had last night, the glow remained steadily pointing to the southwest no matter what direction the object was turned. The glow seemed rather weak in the light of day, however. “We are nowhere near where this coin is. I asked the Abernathy to accompany me, but he insisted he is too old and grief stricken to be of any good in the field. He takes the loss of each member of the Company very seriously and had felt a connection to some of the new members who had perished. He said they were really a good, eager bunch overall and feared that their inexperience may have led to their deaths.” Del's face darkened at that and Maleko thought perhaps that he spied wetness in the half-elf's eyes, but then they hardened again.</p><p></p><p>"I worry for Abernathy and have asked father to look in on him from time to time," Maleko added and Del took a long draught from his mug. Maleko wondered, fleetingly, if the man was drinking to bolster his nerves or if this was always his way.</p><p></p><p>“What would you say to some company on your quest?” Del asked suddenly. He didn’t give time for an answer before continuing. “I’m a fairly experienced tracker, and I’ve some skill with a sword.” He suddenly felt foolish and smiled. “The truth is, I’d be abandoning my post, which is a serious offense. That could make things… difficult down the line.”</p><p></p><p>“I would be honored Del, but what about your career, your family name? Why not just ask for a leave of absence?” Maleko asked belatedly realizing by the look on Del’s face that he needed to lower his voice. Del shook his head in response.</p><p></p><p>“Given all the recent trouble, the king has restricted any extended leaves. Cade pulled all the strings he had just to get me home for Geoffrey's wedding," the half-elf said sullenly. "No. If I'm to join you it will be outside the scope of my duties. But whatever Ledare was pursuing for the Grey Company, it was with a passion that went beyond even her janissary duty. She was involved with something really big - bigger than anyone knew, and she believed in it wholeheartedly. And if I can carry that banner now, then I have to do it. Even if it means leaving one cause to take up another." Then his voice dipped lower and he said into his mug, "I owe her that."</p><p></p><p>Maleko nodded, his mind racing ahead. “I fear traveling alone could be dangerous, but I have ways we can avoid much trouble if necessary. I think your sword and my sorcery will be a good team," the elf said eagerly. "We can endure the elements through my magic, or hide from trouble if we choose not to fight it.” Maleko secretly hoped he could avoid such conflict. “I can also heal wounds when I pray, although I fear Nethlar may have forgotten about me in the years since I left the clergy.”</p><p></p><p>“You seem to have served his cause well in other capacities. The priests of Nethlar value the truths of history which you have taught,” Del suggested and Maleko nodded. </p><p></p><p>“We can take two of my father’s horses and leave tomorrow. It is best he not know that you are accompanying me, of course. I do not wish to have my family involved in any conspiracy. No offense,” Maleko kindly inserted.</p><p></p><p>“Of course. None taken,” Del replied, his face showing the conflict he felt between choosing his personal needs over his sworn duty. This was not a decision he had come to easily. He had run away from one life long ago, in pursuit of something. And here he was about to run again. But what else could he do?</p><p></p><p>“It’s done then. I will meet you before sunup tomorrow,” he announced firmly, clunking his tankard down on the tabletop loud enough to draw curious glances from the other patrons. “I have a few things to take care of before that.”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Jon Potter, post: 4599349, member: 2323"] [b][PLAIN][Interlude #1] Reconnect at the Wedding[/PLAIN][/b] "The bride looks beautiful," Del assured his friend and mentor as the father of the groom stole a moment from the social necessities of his son's wedding to stop at their table. They were in one of the larger banquet rooms at the Janissary Guildhall. Colorful tapestries hung from the ceiling and all of the wall sconces were lit. It was a warm and festive feeling… a reprieve from the recent troubles Barnacus had experienced. It still seemed strange to Del that the festivities were not taking place at the castle, but with the city in the state it was of late few people got near the King. Hasding Island was completely blockaded by Elcadian naval vessels making sure that no one could bring plague to His Majesty again. It was a sound strategy, he knew, but it was causing rumors to spread. In the short time he'd been back in the capital he'd personally heard a human commoner assert that King Haermond had gone mad from his sickness and had locked himself in his own dungeon! Cadeus Thurgood settled into the chair, fidgeting with his finery. "She does at that." Then he added in a conspiratorial whisper, "But her mother has us all fit to be tied! If that's any indication of what's in store for Geoff… the gods save him!" The men chuckled and Del excused himself to fetch a round of drinks for the group. Cade’s gaze followed the man he had raised as a son as Del wove his way through the crowds. The compliment had been sincere enough, but Cade knew the effort it must be taking for Del to participate in the celebration. It hadn’t yet been two full moondances since word had reached the janissary guild of Ledare Eelsof’faw’s untimely death. The news had hit Del particularly hard, and was evidenced in his face even now. Cade looked away and toward a handsome, middle-aged elf seated at the table. "I see you two have reconnected?" The elf smiled warmly and inclined his head. Long, thick, dark hair was pulled stylishly back, leaving a widow’s peak in the middle of his forehead. His clothes were exquisite, from his family's finest collection Cadeus would guess, although he was sure that Deandra would know at a glance. His wife had an eye for fabrics that Cadeus couldn't match. Still, he thought it a fair assumption to make; Maleko Maltalia always seemed to be superbly dressed with not a wrinkle in his clothes or a hair out of place. "Yes it’s great to see Del again," the elf explained. "The janissaries of Barnacus have provided excellent service to my family, and we owe them a great deal. I owe them my life.” Cade nodded. Frequent caravan attacks had always plagued the kingdom's border. Over the past few years the Home Legion's efforts had curbed some of the violence. Since the plague, however, road bandits were once again wreaking havoc on an already fragile trade industry. And the Legion was stretched far too thin to do much more than occasionally stanch the flow of gold from the merchant guild's coffers. It was not a good situation. It surprised Cade a little that the wedding was going as well as it was. Many of the local burghers had closed up shop and fled the city weeks ago. And those that remained in town were ill-tempered at best. The Maltalias, it seemed, were one of the few families who seemed to harbor no ill will toward the king and his janissaries these days. Maleko continued, “When Del approached me and wanted to speak, I sensed something was troubling him. I would do anything that I could to help him. Not only am I indebted to him, but I consider him to be one of the most honorable men I have ever encountered… a credit to his training and to you. Is there trouble with his family?" "No trouble," Del interrupted depositing several overflowing tankards of ale on the table. "Let's not distract from the proud father’s momentous occasion." He handed Cade a drink and then gave Maleko a look that the cleric immediately understood. “Of course… to the bride and groom!” Maleko toasted. The men drank heartily, each one noticing as Del drained his tankard and reached immediately for another. Later that night as Maleko returned home, he heard footsteps approaching swiftly behind him and a jolt of fear shot through his body. Quickly he turned, glancing over his shoulder only to be relieved to see it was only Del. “Maleko, I wish to speak with you,” Dell boomed as he trotted to catch up to the elf. Maleko did not mind having an escort walking at night. He had reason to be nervous. In the time since his first abduction he had grown much more cautious. After the second abduction he had learned of the cruelty of men. That time he had used his magic to “disappear” from the caravan and had hoped to escape. Only the fact that a bandit had seen him vanish allowed them to catch him. The man had threatened, yelling into the dark, “I will kill one of your merchants each minute you do not show yourself.” Unfortunately, it took one minute for Maleko to see that the brigand was not bluffing, so he had little choice. He could not bear to see another of his employees die because of his inaction. That life would forever weigh on his conscience, he feared. “Your company is always welcome, Del. What words do you wish to share with me?” Maleko inquired. “I heard from Cadeus that you were no longer working for your family; that Grey House had employed you,” Del spoke carefully. “That is true. I would not want everyone to know this, but I trust you may already know Grey House is in disarray. All the senior members are missing. Abernathy, who looks after the estate, has given me this,” Maleko said and unveiled a bracelet, encrusted with eight gems. He offered it to the janissary and Del saw that one of the gems was aglow with a feint orange light. As the circlet moved in his fingers, the glow seemed to shift from gem to gem, always glowing brightest toward the southwest. “All of the members of Grey House have disappeared," Maleko said as Del returned the bracelet to his thin hands. "Several unfortunately have met their demise, but many have an uncertain location. This is the assignment I have accepted. I am to discern what has happened to the members.” Maleko had a look of uncertainty that he quickly tried to cover with a thin smile. Del nodded, taking it in. He knew that Ledare, too, had been working for the Grey Company. But whether or not she had still been under their service at the time of her death he did not know. The fact that the entire Grey House had uncertainty surrounding it was startling news. And Del suddenly found himself needing to find out more. “One of my comrades who participated in your rescue worked for the Grey. She spoke very highly of them. Ledare Eelsof’faw … You may recall her.” “Indeed I do. When you were rescuing me, she jumped a mile when I cast Web on the baddies who were escaping,” remarked Maleko. He kept the feeling that she had been more than just Del’s comrade to himself adding only, “My sympathies.” Del looked off into the darkness. “I left Awad to become a janissary. And I’ve spent years stamping out small evils.” He paused, searching for the words. “I was good at it. Better, even, than I might have been at home working the shipyard. It was the life I thought I was meant for… making a difference.” He was quiet. “Suddenly it all seems meaningless…” he said at last and his words trailed off, dragged down by the weight of emotion in them. Maleko waited a moment to see if he would continue, but his companion seemed lost in his own thoughts. The elf sighed. “As you may know life for an elf is long, and we generally pursue many interests. My father has his business and his human wives to keep him busy. My life has... well, not been quite as fulfilling," Maleko said. "Being an elf... well, mostly elven at any rate... with an extended life span when compared to humans or even half-elves... our interests often change over time.” Del still seemed wrapped in his own thoughts as he looked off down the street toward the sea. Light was spilling out of the Needle and Thread Tavern some blocks away, but that was the only sign of life along the route. "I have worked at being a merchant with my family, which made me a good fortune. It allowed me to explore my gifts as a sorcerer… until I fell in love. Her name was Alana. She worshiped Nethlar and my love for her drew me to him as well. I so admired her and the followers of Nethlar’s desire for knowledge and truth." for a moment, Maleko's own voice thickened with memory, but he'd reconciled himself with his wife's death years ago. He went on, "Well, as mixed marriages go it was great, but not meant to last forever. She passed on decades ago. I then wished to adventure after her death seeking escape. Father thought me naïve and foolish. He was right.” Maleko smiled in the darkness. “I had a run in with unscrupulous adventurers and well…. was only saved when my father paid my ransom. I lost any trust I had for humankind there and then." His mouth twisted as if he'd bitten down on something bitter. "Well, I then moved on to the safe profession of teaching and working for father only occasionally. Teaching was rewarding for a while, but after a score of years… I find myself yearning for more out of life. With the recent closing of the school due to the plague, this latest opportunity seemed a logical and serendipitous choice." "I do wonder myself why I was approached for this job and questioned Abernathy thoroughly on the matter. Poor man lost everything: his masters, his family, everything except that sweet, but ill mannered dog that follows him around incessantly. I-" Maleko stopped in mid-sentence, feeling suddenly that he'd given Del more of an ear-full than the janissary wished for. The half-elf was too diplomatic to say anything, of course, but Maleko sensed something in Del's demeanor nonetheless. "Forgive me. I ramble so. It must be the wine," the elf said, stifling back a feigned yawn. "We shall continue tomorrow? Breakfast tomorrow at the Five Elements? Considerably after the rooster crows.” “This gift from Abernathy, how will it help you locate the Grey Members?” Del asked the next morning after the serving wench, Maggie, had brought him another tankard of ale. They sat in the common room of the Five Elements Inn. The early morning crowd had cleared out, and only a handful of patrons were lingering. Maleko thought that Maggie had been especially attentive to them at first, trying, it seemed, to catch Del's eye, but had eventually given up when he gave her no notice and now she virtually ignored them. The two men had spoken lightly of other things during the breakfast meal, but Maleko sensed that it was all leading up to this. “The glow indicates the direction of the closest coin. The strength of the glow indicates how close we are.” He demonstrated, turning the bracelet in his hands. As it had last night, the glow remained steadily pointing to the southwest no matter what direction the object was turned. The glow seemed rather weak in the light of day, however. “We are nowhere near where this coin is. I asked the Abernathy to accompany me, but he insisted he is too old and grief stricken to be of any good in the field. He takes the loss of each member of the Company very seriously and had felt a connection to some of the new members who had perished. He said they were really a good, eager bunch overall and feared that their inexperience may have led to their deaths.” Del's face darkened at that and Maleko thought perhaps that he spied wetness in the half-elf's eyes, but then they hardened again. "I worry for Abernathy and have asked father to look in on him from time to time," Maleko added and Del took a long draught from his mug. Maleko wondered, fleetingly, if the man was drinking to bolster his nerves or if this was always his way. “What would you say to some company on your quest?” Del asked suddenly. He didn’t give time for an answer before continuing. “I’m a fairly experienced tracker, and I’ve some skill with a sword.” He suddenly felt foolish and smiled. “The truth is, I’d be abandoning my post, which is a serious offense. That could make things… difficult down the line.” “I would be honored Del, but what about your career, your family name? Why not just ask for a leave of absence?” Maleko asked belatedly realizing by the look on Del’s face that he needed to lower his voice. Del shook his head in response. “Given all the recent trouble, the king has restricted any extended leaves. Cade pulled all the strings he had just to get me home for Geoffrey's wedding," the half-elf said sullenly. "No. If I'm to join you it will be outside the scope of my duties. But whatever Ledare was pursuing for the Grey Company, it was with a passion that went beyond even her janissary duty. She was involved with something really big - bigger than anyone knew, and she believed in it wholeheartedly. And if I can carry that banner now, then I have to do it. Even if it means leaving one cause to take up another." Then his voice dipped lower and he said into his mug, "I owe her that." Maleko nodded, his mind racing ahead. “I fear traveling alone could be dangerous, but I have ways we can avoid much trouble if necessary. I think your sword and my sorcery will be a good team," the elf said eagerly. "We can endure the elements through my magic, or hide from trouble if we choose not to fight it.” Maleko secretly hoped he could avoid such conflict. “I can also heal wounds when I pray, although I fear Nethlar may have forgotten about me in the years since I left the clergy.” “You seem to have served his cause well in other capacities. The priests of Nethlar value the truths of history which you have taught,” Del suggested and Maleko nodded. “We can take two of my father’s horses and leave tomorrow. It is best he not know that you are accompanying me, of course. I do not wish to have my family involved in any conspiracy. No offense,” Maleko kindly inserted. “Of course. None taken,” Del replied, his face showing the conflict he felt between choosing his personal needs over his sworn duty. This was not a decision he had come to easily. He had run away from one life long ago, in pursuit of something. And here he was about to run again. But what else could he do? “It’s done then. I will meet you before sunup tomorrow,” he announced firmly, clunking his tankard down on the tabletop loud enough to draw curious glances from the other patrons. “I have a few things to take care of before that.” [/QUOTE]
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