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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 7425695" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 162As the visitors made their way into the elven city of Tal Nadesh, they were greeted by one wonder after another.Glori didn’t remember much of the city from her last visit.  She had only been there a few times, the most recent after the death of her parents, when she’d hardly been paying much attention to her surroundings.  While the village where the Leliades family had lived had technically been a part of the elven kingdom, theirs had been a border settlement, relatively distant from the shining sun of Tal Nadesh.The city spread out to cover as much territory as Severon, but that was where the similarity to the human metropolis ended.  The buildings were either made of white stone or woods that were almost as pale, but they never crowded together, and even the humblest cottage had a design that drew the eye.  The architecture tended toward tall and narrow structures, with turrets and spires that looked almost impossible, that should have collapsed under their own weight.  But even the remarkable buildings were not the most striking part of the city.  What impressed Glori the most was the landscaping, the beautiful gardens, parks, and orchards that spread everywhere she looked.  There was no grid of streets like in Severon, but rather a latticework of paved walks and gravel trails that wound through a sculpted world of natural color and living greenery.A small river wound through the city, and the elves had put it to work as well, diverting streams that fueled tiered waterfalls and beautiful fountains, some formed to look natural while others sprouted water from elaborate sculpted designs.  There were some that made Glori want to stop and stare.But there were other features that drew her attention as well, and reminded her of why they were here.  The soldiers were one.  There weren’t many, and most were placed in ways that kept them out of casual view, but there were enough that they were never out of sight of at least one cluster.  There was also the subtle way in which space was made for the diplomatic party.  They saw elves, groups and individuals going about their daily business, but none of them approached their group or came close enough for even a brief encounter.  A few did stop to look at the party as it passed, and Glori wondered what they saw.Glori kept scanning the crowd for any sign of Majerion, though she doubted she would find any.  Clearly, he had just been there to see her and to be seen by her.  She remembered that he had a talent for evading detection.  She would likely only see him again when he wished her to.Javerin remained ahead with the bulk of their escorts, engaged in an ongoing conversation with Advisor Lendelaine.  Kosk and Embrae walked behind her, with the last two of the elvish party trailing behind as shepherds—or watchdogs, perhaps.  She toned out the chatter from ahead when she heard Kosk clear his throat softly.“Princess?” he asked.“It’s just an honorary title,” Embrae replied.  They were speaking quietly, but Glori could just make out the words without making it obvious that she was trying to listen in.  “I am something like thirty-first in line to the throne or something.”“Still, you might have mentioned it.”“It was not something I chose.  It doesn’t mean anything.”“Clearly it does to them,” Kosk said.The two monks didn’t say anything more as they continued their procession into the city.  Their destination was about half a mile from the teleportation circle, on the edge of a copse of tall trees.  The stone buildings were clearly all part of the same complex, but again were spread out and connected by paths that wound through carefully tended gardens.  They crossed a stream and continued over a walkway that passed a dozen rock-lined pools in which colorful fish swam placidly.  Glori spotted a pair of peacocks on one of the lawns, and there were other birds in the trees that chirped as they walked past.“Must be a beast keeping all of this clean,” Kosk muttered.Lendelaine took them to a cluster of three neat stone cottages that backed up almost to the edge of the woods.  “I hope that you will find these quarters comfortable,” he said.  “Princess, obviously you will want to—”“I will remain here with the embassy for now,” Embrae interjected.Lendelaine looked almost physically pained, but he inclined his head and continued, “There will be a reception and dinner in a few hours to formally welcome you to Tal Nadesh.  The cottages contain an assortment of attire that I believe you will find suitable.  Kaesla here will be remaining nearby, just let her know if there is anything else you require.”“Thank you, Advisor,” Javerin said.  “I will say again that if there is anything that can be done to expedite the process of these negotiations—”“I will pass on your concerns,” Lendelaine said.“Until this evening, then,” Javerin said.The members of the reception party departed along one of the paths, all save for the elvish woman who was obviously to be their minder.  Trying not to be obvious about it, Glori tried to determine if there were guards or any other watchers nearby.  She finally gave up on it; from what she knew of the elves their sentries could be a stone’s throw away and she wouldn’t see them if they didn’t want to be seen.  That meant that the ones she’d spotted earlier had meant to be seen.This was going to be a long trip, she thought.“I believe I would like to get some rest,” Embrae said abruptly.  Before any of the others could comment she went into one of the cottages.  It looked like each one had at least a few rooms and Glori doubted there would be any issues with crowding.“A sound idea,” Javerin said.  She went into the second cottage.  After a shared look Glori and Kosk followed her.The interior of the cottage was furnished in a simple style, though everything looked to be of exceptional quality and craftsmanship.  Javerin went over to a couch near the hearth and settled into it, though she waited until Kosk had closed the door firmly behind him before speaking.  “Something on your mind?” she asked.“What did you know about Embrae’s… status?” Kosk asked.“Why, all of it, of course,” the wizard replied.  “Why do you think she’s here?”“What makes you think she’ll help you, if she’s a member of the royal house?” Glori asked.  “In fact, why did she agree to come here with you?”“I suppose you’ll have to ask her,” Javerin said.  At the looks the other two gave to that statement she added, “Look, it’s obvious that she left her homeland of her own accord.  You can already see that this is going to be a difficult negotiation.  Anything that can help to grease the wheels is welcome.”“What kind of leverage do you have over her?” Glori persisted.Javerin’s eyes narrowed, but Kosk said, “I imagine the Apernium asked Abbot Anaeus for a favor.”  The wizard didn’t confirm the comment, but she inclined her head slightly toward the dwarf.  “We are all on the same side here,” she said.  “Even the elves, though they might not see it that way at first.  We are all facing a shared threat, and we are not the only ones seeking access to the Libram.  The two of you are here because you have personal experience with that threat, and can hopefully communicate it to our hosts.”“The elves might understand more than you think,” Glori said.  “Remember Starfinder?”The dwarf nodded.  “I don’t remember seeing that name in your report,” Javerin said.“She was a wizard who hired us to locate a Mai’i artifact, back in Crosspath.  That was the first time that we—the four of us, Xeeta came later—met and worked together.”“Ah, yes, the magic stone of the Eth’barat,” Javerin said.  “I do not see how it is connected…”“Starfinder was an elf,” Kosk said.“There are many elves in the world, and not all are connected to the power of Tal Nadesh,” Javerin said.  As Glori opened her mouth to speak again the wizard quickly continued, “I understand your concern, and share it.  Any nugget of potentially relevant information is useful to our cause.  The elves obviously have their own agenda, and we would be foolish to forget that.”“Did you know that the king and his court would be on vacation when we came?” Glori asked.“No, but I’m not surprised,” Javerin said.  “King Gevalaine rarely meets with outsiders.  That’s a practice that most of his predecessors have shared.”“Is this Advisor fellow related to him somehow?” Kosk asked.  “Or do all of the elves here just have similar-sounding names.”“The members of the nobility are all connected in some manner or another,” Javerin said.  “They place a great deal of emphasis on status, with elaborate rituals designed to save face or undermine a rival.”“Not so different from humans, then,” Glori pointed out.“You seemed quite impatient, earlier,” Kosk said.“All part of the dance,” Javerin said.  “We are here, so we have to play the game by their rules.  I would be shocked if we actually got to the topic of the key in the first week of our visit.”Kosk muttered a curse under his breath at that.  “We may not have time for too many games,” Glori said.“We will have to do our best to move through the preliminary steps as swiftly as possible,” Javerin said.“What exactly do you want us to do?” Glori asked.  “In between the receptions and dinners, that is.”“They won’t keep us prisoner here, but just be aware that everything that you do, everything that you say, outside these walls will be monitored.  Probably everything in them as well, but that cannot be helped.  But you should feel welcome to mingle, to meet people.  I understand that you have a particular talent in that area, Miss Leliades.”Glori thought again of Majerion, and how little he had changed, outwardly, at least.  “I understand.”“And you, Master Stonefist?”“I don’t suppose they brew good ale here,” Kosk said.  “I guess we’ll have to make do.”“Indeed.”“And what about Embrae?”“She is her own person,” Javerin said.“That wasn’t what I was asking,” Kosk said.“Nevertheless, that’s all I can tell you,” Javerin said.“All right,” Glori said.  “I suppose I’ll go see what is considered proper formal wear here.  I just hope it isn’t petticoats, I hate those.”She gave Kosk a subtle look as they were leaving.  The two of them went to the third cottage, which looked to be laid out in similar fashion to the other two.  Glori went to the window of the front room and pulled back the curtain to look outside.  Kaesla was sitting in the shade of a nearby plum tree, reading a book, but she didn’t see anyone else watching.“So, what do you think?” she asked Kosk.“I think there’s only one person here that I trust,” the dwarf said.  “And I think we should watch each other’s backs while we’re here.”“They’re hardly friendly, but do you think there’s danger here?” Glori asked.Kosk shrugged.  “Why not?  There’s been danger everywhere else we’ve gone.”  He rubbed his jaw.  “I need a shave.”As he headed into the back rooms of the cottage Glori remained at the window, looking out into the bright sunshine of the day and thinking.</blockquote>

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