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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Funeris" data-source="post: 2725100" data-attributes="member: 22792">Chapter 4: From Here to There Concluded“What important matter draws two elves from their forest homes and into the lands of the Enemy?”  Cassock smiled as he shifted the topic of conversation; small talk and dancing around the issue was quickly growing stale to him.  Mialee batted her eyelashes and smiled but kept her lips sealed.  “Surely, something has happened,” he added while drawing a sip from the warm coffee Mialee had been kind enough to share.      “Maybe something has happened,” she agreed enigmatically.  “But that doesn’t mean it concerns you, good priest.  I’m certain you can’t be all that interested in our affairs, and if you were I’d have to question your motives and allegiances.”  The elven noble’s grin held a finality that the Priest of Cael was quick to ignore.  His lips parted to interject but her voice prevented the verbal coup de gras.  “And did you hear the thunder last night?  I could’ve sworn it sounded like a massive beast roaring.  And the horrible weather—”        “It was just the weather,” he annoyingly broke in.“But aside from this wonderful shelter we are so kindly sharing with you, perhaps we could be of some service to whatever quest brings you so far south.  If nothing else, we may hold a bit of useful information.”  Cassock returned an enigmatic grin as he added, “especially with the Inquisitors so nearby.”  Cassock slouched back to appraise the elf’s reactions:  her left eye twitched uncomfortably as she looked away.  He knew the thought of the enforcing arm of the church within a day or two’s march had to be unsettling to any group outside of Ara’kull’s “good” graces.    Mialee quickly ran over her options.  With the unseasonable weather, both elves would likely be trapped with this band for at least another day.  If they did hold any useful information, well, it may be worth the risk.  Especially, she thought, if the whole story and need were trimmed to just a few vague details.  “Very well, if you won’t let the subject drop I guess I’ll tell you.  We are searching for a priest.”    “What luck,” Cassock laughed heartily.  “I am a priest.”    “And I’m sure your intentions are wholesome but you are not the priest we are searching for.  We look for a priest of the Mother.”    “Of the mother?”  Cassock’s laugh vanished as he remembered the unsavory circumstances surrounding Spinum’s joining of the party.  “You mean a druid?”  The priest noted the mage skulking closer as the words danced from his mouth.    “Yes, if I must be so blunt.  There is a druid that resides within this wood.  We have been sent for his advice.”  Mialee quieted as the mage slid into a seated position next to her.  His beady eyes trained upon her and for a moment she felt utterly naked.  She glanced away, coughing to cover the uncomfortable silence.  “His name is Orange Leaf and I would imagine he would be hard to miss.  He’s a half—”     “Troll,” Spinum finished.      “Ah!” Mialee shrieked.  “Maybe you will be of some service after all!  Do you know where he is?”      “Yes.”  Cassock spoke softly.      “You are allied with that monster?”  The mage questioned; his tone shrouded by anger.  All of his injuries throbbed to the forefront of his memory as if they had never healed.      “He is no monster.”  Mialee stuttered.  “He is a good priest and he might be able to aide my people.”    “No he won’t,” the priest muttered again.    “What would you know of it?!” the elf barked.    “Well, my lady, I know dead men rarely have aide to offer to the living.”  Cassock sighed.      Mialee’s eyes opened in shock.  “But—but you said you knew where—”    “I know where his corpse is, yes.  But I doubt it would be much use to you even if we could find it again buried under the snow and rain.  We passed the body along the way,” Cassock thought about adding that it was where they had picked Spinum up.  But, that seemed unnecessary.  If trust was what was being built, a little detail like that could topple the foundation.    “But—” she stammered, “how?  Why?  Who?”    “That, I do not know,” Cassock released quickly to circumvent Spinum’s own answers.  “We found his body within a ring of death in this forest.  The ring had to be at least sixty feet in diameter.  Nothing was living within its perimeter.”  Spinum opened his mouth but Cassock forcefully repeated, “Nothing.”  The mage closed his mouth.    “And…did it…did it looked like there had been a fire?”  Mialee asked and knew she should have held her mouth closed.  Cassock’s eyebrows raised as he nodded in affirmation.    “How would two elves from so far north know such a detail?”  Cassock’s eyes narrowed knowing the solution before it was spoken.    Sighing, Mialee softly whispered, “Because two of our young priests burst into flames—seemingly spontaneously.  That is why we have come so far south; to question a few of the druids outside our settlement.”    “You speak too much and too openly!” Zayda accused.  The ranger had slid quietly through the opening, drawing none of the speakers from their discussion.  Her hood was down, her porcelain face tinged with red and eyes ablaze.  “And to speak so openly with the enemy!  They cannot be trusted!  They are the rapists and murderers of our blood.  Deceit flows through their veins.  IT is their legacy.”    “Zayda, you are overreacting…”    “No I am not, your highness.”  She bowed in mock respect, the anger still in her face and eyes.  “We will say no more to you.”  Snatching Mialee by the shoulder, the ranger dragged her across the foundation to an empty corner.      From across the structure, Spinum and Cassock could barely make out the hoarse whispers—the sound of Zayda admonishing Mialee.  “Well mage, I’ll tell you one good thing that has come of this.”  Cassock smiled genuinely, sipping a bit of the warm brew.    “And what’s that?”    “Now I can trust you.”  The priest laughed a short triumphant laugh causing Spinum to frown slightly.  “So, would you like to hear of the True Path of Righteousness, the Path of Cael?”-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------    The next morning dawned late, the sun creeping above the eastern mountains slowly as if afraid to show its warming face to the white blight of snow, water and ice.  A stiff breeze was blowing southward into the foundation.  Quietly, the flickering embers died; their warming energies released into the cold fury of the wind.The party had gathered in the doorway, preparing their gear and listening while the two elves bickered yet again.  They had fought all night long in their sharp murmurs; just quiet enough to allow the others the rest they needed.  “Enough of this,” Mialee commanded.  Raising her voice, “This is my expedition.  I decide where and when we go.  You are only here to protect me.  And I need no protection from our new companions.”  Zayda’s lip quivered with resentment before bending into a condescending smirk.  “Cassock of Cael,” Mialee shouted, turning and realizing that the party had not yet exited.  “We will be heading north as well.  I think it would be beneficial that we travel together.  What say you?”Bowing his head reverently he spoke, “I think that would be a marvelous idea, my lady.”“Excellent.  We know of a gracious family in the north that would be more than happy to restock your party for its travels.”  Mialee grinned; Zayda stamped her foot in frustration.“Which family?”“Have you never heard of the Ladies Llywellyn or their magnificent manor?”  The elf’s eyebrow rose with delight at the possibility to educate the priest.“It does sound vaguely familiar.”  Cassock pulled out his father’s map searching for the location of the manor.  “But it…is not on my map.”“It would not be,” Mialee answered.  “It is probably the greatest shame of the King.  Never in the history of the manor, nearly one thousand years, has the keep fallen.  Not to the King, not to the Black Magus before him.”  As the party journeyed north, Mialee kept their spirits high with her stories of failed attempt after failed attempt of seizure of the grand manor of Llewyllyn.  Zayda dragged behind the main group, still unhappy and untrusting.  Cautiously she watched for enemies…enemies behind every tree and shrub and snowdrift…</blockquote>

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