Dragon's Egg - Act III

With the fight finished, I watch with care the trading of words between the Gnoll leaders and members of the party. I have my own views, but prudence forces me to hold my tongue. That and the last time I conversed with a gnoll, things didn't end well. Though I keep my hand close to the hilt of my sword, just in case things become 'heated'.

I spy Liadan and Keit finishing their task of handling the fallen foes and returning to our group. I carefully depart from the discourse and meet up with them. "How are you two holding up," I asked when they

 

Liadan

I try to push back my worries and doubts as I return to the village. I have more important things to do than worry about myself. Gisla needs tending -- I think I still have some goodberries left, though I'm not sure how many. And we need to discuss our next move as a group.

What is this 'we'? whispers a voice in my mind. You are here for Cadell alone, remember? You have no obligation to the company he keeps.

But I do, I tell myself. As long as he is with the company, I don't dare forsake him... at least not without telling him first of my reasons to. If Oercus demands it of me, I must appease Him. But leaving would break Cadell's heart, and I cannot bear to hurt him when he is still grieved by so much. Not after I gave up so much just to be with him.

I'm so distracted, I don't notice Hall until I've almost walked into him. I sidestep quickly, murmuring an apology.

 

Aliron remains hiding and watching.

Bressel moves along the cliff edge following the path he he took to find Aliron.
He will go into the woods enough to conceal his movement.
Then will find a place to make a temporary camp.
His goal is to find some place to sheild him from the wind.
When he finds such a place he will dig a fire pit, to lesson the likelihood of someone seeing his fire.

 

Something stirs in the back of my mind and i feel a prickle rise on my skin. His emotions are chaotic, but despite that a smile lights my face.

"Batos!" the wolf barks when he spies me, and rushes forward into my arms. His fur is damp and he is a patchwork of earth and dead leaves, but at least he's alive. I don't know what i would have done if he'd died. Batos whines and buries his face in my shoulder, relaxing once he senses that there is no immediate threat to us. But the battle has left us all weary, and with new scars. We need time to rest. Both mentally and physically.

At that, i look up to see Hall and Liadan a little further off. Liadan seems adgitated, though with her back to me i cannot say for sure. "We are fine. But i think it would be best if we all had a good night's -or is it day's?- rest." I stand up as i speak, directing Batos toward the forest. I want nothing more than the silence of the trees -the comfort only the wild can give me. Being with the group for so long had gotten me used to being around others again, but i still needed some alone time once in a while.

Keeping one hand on my companion's back, we head for the shadowy boughs of the forest.

 

Liadan

Baldhart calls to me, and I look over, then move in her direction. "What do you need?"

Maybe I should speak with Baldhart about my concerns... she seems to have had no trouble choosing between her goddess and other parts of her life.

 

Liadan

I follow Baldhart, listening to her explanation as we walk. "Is a First Aid spell what you're thinking of? I have just enough left in me for that, and no more."

When we reach Gisla, I look her wounds over, then carefully lay my hands on Gisla and cast the spell.

((Not sure if I need to roll for this or not. First Aid is in Liadan's spell list, so it shouldn't need a WIS check, but I've looked over the Magic thread twice now and I don't see another die to use with it, like the d8 for Cure Light Wounds. Help?))

 

Liadan

"May I join you?" I ask, looking up at Baldhart. Some time alone in the kitchen would be opportune, if she'll accept. I hope she won't say I should rather be with Cadell. I do think I should include him in this conversation, but... not yet. He has enough to deal with as it is. Then again, he might join us of his own will anyway, after seeing to it that Llucheden is tended to.

 

Liadan

I smile at Baldhart's words. "Maybe that's the point of the taste, to make sure people only eat them at need."

I'm quiet for a while, then say, "It must be nice having an agent of your goddess with you at all times, to keep you on Her path."

I suppose I am meant to be that agent with regards to other elves, being a cleric... but what good is that here, with so few of my kind, and even fewer who would serve Oercus? Keit follows Brynhild, Cadell has no affiliation with any deity, and I cannot be sure of Ankari or Aliron. I wish Oercus would speak to me through someone like Nissa; then I might have a better understanding of what to do for Him.

 

Liadan

I nod slowly, mulling over her words. Serving with joy... that is a vital part. Maybe that's what I'm missing... But how can I be joyous when I'm so torn? Things were so easy in Aelwyd Eirian, with my people and my beloved alike beside me. Baldhart has Nissa and Gisla beside her even here, away from her home... Who do I have?

"You mentioned earlier having to choose between your goddess and your family, that aiding Ghendra was shameful to them. How did you make that decision so quickly? What will you say to your family when you return?" I don't want to say 'if', even knowing that there is a chance Baldhart will die at some point on this quest.

 

Liadan

I nod again. When my head is down, I spot a silver coin someone left on the counter. I leave it be, though I wonder who left it.

"I imagine serving a goddess of battle is easy in these turbulent times," I say. "Betula is our lord of battle. Oercus is more focused on protecting forests, mainly those that elves dwell in. Which makes it a little difficult for me in this place." I attempt to laugh, but it wavers in my throat.

I look up at Baldhart again. "The truth is... I fear I've lost my way. Despite my prayers, Oercus is silent on the matter of what I should do now that I am exiled, and Cadell is bound in this quest to protect Burnbright. You know I came through the elf-gate for Cadell alone. But I fear that, given Oercus' hatred of any race that is not elven, He may instruct me to depart from the company, and from Cadell. I would not ask Cadell to break his word for my sake, nor would he ask me to defy Oercus for his. What then are we to do?"

 

Liadan

I sit down next to Baldhart, listening quietly as she explains about Nissa and Brynhild. When she asks about Oercus, I sigh. I wish I had some tea, to occupy my hands and mouth while I think of how to word my response.

"It is true that Oercus hates the other races," I say. "His followers are strongly encouraged to avenge any wrongs done by them against our own people. My former queen and her people are no exception. Even those who do not follow Oercus tend to mistrust other races at best, and despise them at worst. For hundreds of years, I was no better. Any mortal who dared harm our woods, I would capture and keep for a sacrifice to my god. He demands the lives of the guilty, so long as they are not elves themselves. When I could not find a transgressor, I would pay my tithe in emeralds, which are also acceptable to Him.

"When humans arrived in our wood and made the settlement of Dunhold, I saw at first a prime opportunity to sacrifice those who would harm us and our wood. But they did not do so, at least not voluntarily. Any harm that came to our people from them was because our people had struck first. Self-defense is no cause for true guilt. And so I left them be.

"Things changed further when the Lady and her orcs attacked, and for the first time my people were urged into alliance with the humans. It was Cadell who began it, and urged others to follow in his footsteps. The truce took hold, though not everyone was enthused about it. I was indifferent at first, until I saw their lack of healers. Only two with the relevant magic, and one herbalist in the whole castle. So I offered my services as they were needed, and for their part the humans accepted me gladly, despite knowing whom I served.

"It was in that time I grew to a better understanding and appreciation of mortals, though I continued to serve Oercus. I did wonder if things would truly go back to the way they were after the Lady was defeated, and to some extent it did. I think that Oercus tolerated such dealings for our people's sake, and was quite content to hate them again when the truce was no longer needed. As many of the elves did as well. Myself, I was not indifferent as before, though I made little effort to go among the humans or interact with them, save when Cadell would visit.

"And now..." I clench my hands in my lap and sigh. "It was love and hatred both that drove me here, in a manner. My love for Cadell, and my former queen's hatred of his worldview. Also Fachtna, who sought to cull the supposed trouble at its source, and would have killed Cadell to do so. Had he succeeded and not died himself, I think he would have gone on to harm the humans as well."

Cadell

I bring Llucheden into the stables of the Spear, making sure the stablehands will care for her, then wander inside to the common-room. It is empty, but voices drift out from the kitchen. Liadan speaks of life before our exile. I cannot help but to listen. My name crops up more than once. Finally I move to the door, and step inside when Liadan pauses, just after telling of the reasons for our exile.

Liadan looks up, a blush coming to her cheeks. "Cadell... how long were you listening?"

"A while," I say, smiling to reassure her. "It seems you have a lot on your mind."

She nods, her head lowering. "I had meant to tell you, discuss this with you... I just wasn't yet sure of how."

I tilt her chin up with my stump. "No matter. We can discuss it now. For my part, I had a thought... perhaps a way of compromising."

"Compromising?" she repeats, unsure.

I nod. "In a land where we are the minority, it makes little sense to serve a god who would pit you against the rest of the population, save only a handful. Not to say that you should cease to be a cleric entirely," I say, holding up stump and hand as she gasps in horror. "I simply think that Oercus is not the best deity for you anymore. Our world has changed, and so have you."

She looks away, her brow creasing in thought. I can see the dread in her eyes, as well as understanding. Finally she asks, "But which god?"

"Fraxinus?" I suggest. "He tolerates other races much more. You already favor archery, and the only thing you would need to sacrifice is deer."

She laughs tremulously, wiping her eyes. "I never expected an agnostic would be interested in giving spiritual advice."

I smile and shrug. "Not aligning myself with any one god allows me to see them all objectively. It's always worked for me."