3: Trials by Fire

Tanjee looked to Myth with a hopeful gleam in her eye. She found this whole things to be absurd and the sooner the Prince cleared things up, the better off they would be. When Myth questioned Aeolis’ motives and his ability to be the commander of the Home Guard, Tanjee felt as though he championed Kwinn to the point where the head of the court would see Aeolis’ attempt to undermine everything and let Kwinn go.

But when Aeolis began to point out certain things, Tanjee realized her brother was not as dumb as she thought him to be. He was a master manipulator and knew how to say just the right words to twist things all around. Tanjee just hoped that somehow the court officer would be able to see through the veil Aeolis was putting up.

When Aeolis’ mentioned the possibility of Rayann being a saboteur, Tanjee looked to Myth and saw those emerald eyes take on a murderous look. Swallowing hard, she looked to Aeolis then to the courtesan. There was no saying how this was all going to end, other than Aeolis’ head on a plate if Myth had his way. But when the courtesan turned his attention to Kwinn, Tanjee looked to the human ranger and gave him a small smile of encouragement.

It wasn’t fair. Kwinn was getting pulled into the middle of a political, nightmare, tug of war and Aeolis knew it. All she could hope and pray for now was that the court saw Kwinn for what he really was. A man who was just as concerned about the citizens of Krynn more than he was worried about who was visiting the city of Sylvanost.

Ceridwyn made her way to the Dueling Grounds. She had no knowledge of what was transpiring after her departure, and as such she moved forward with the idea of training with Rayann. She sat in the middle of the grounds on a solitary chair, her back to the entrance. All the other magi had cleared the area and watched from the sidelines, unaware of what was going on. Ceridwyn meditated on the magic around her, she felt the presence of its movement, swaying like a path of water, constantly in motion. In that river she could feel Rayann approaching and she spoke to Rayann’s mind.

~ ‘Greetings Rayann, the first part of our training together is to no longer refer to Kali is Shulamite. She is Kali, daughter of you and Myth’Alas, the more we put that into our minds, the more we will keep clear what exactly is at stake here. My suspicion is Rorie is going to exploit the mind link between he and Kali. He has most likely shared all the wonderful benefits of a mind link with her but he might not have told her that it can be used against her as well. He is probably keeping this a secret because he might need an ace in the pocket to protect himself against her should things go wrong. Evil has a tendency to turn on itself, and if Kali turned on Rorie it could prove most dangerous for him. Rorie is smart enough to see this possibility and I am certain he has placed the necessary counter measures in place to prevent Kali accessing the areas of his mind he doesn’t want her, or you in. Obvious options are if you turn her, and help her see the truth, she could attack his mind. As I said, he will have prevented this. In addition he will be able to attack her mind directly, and therefore shut her down in an instant. One possibility I see is you might be able to interact with Rorie’s mind through Kali, if you can gain access to her mind, which is not going to be an easy task what so ever. It also puts you and she at incredible risk, even a millisecond of time is all Rorie will need to flay her mind to ribbons. You are much more mature and aware of the dangers of having access to another’s mind, Kali is not.

The way I see it is we need to shut things down through his mind rather than Kalis and then worry about their magic. I know that sounds backwards, and perhaps it is, but I think that is precisely why it might work, because he may not be expecting it. Of course, there’s always the chance that he does expect it, and we are going to end up in a magic brawl. I won’t lie to you, I don’t think we can counter them long enough to achieve victory, so we must move quickly when the confrontation starts. You are a fast caster but your daughter and your brother are as well. I am not. For you and I to work together is going to require us to practice, and talk empathically to achieve any sort of chance against them. The disadvantage to this is that we will need to take the time to communicate to one another where as they will be able to work instantly. We also have the strength of numbers on our side, when Myth’Alas formulates a plan, and we have Kwinn involved, we may be able to sway things to our advantage.’ ~

Ceridwyn suddenly went silent, and Rayann could almost feel her slow, deliberate breathes. Suddenly there was the feeling of Ceridwyn’s heartbeat in Rayann’s chest, and a feeling of warmth, suddenly her voice entered Rayann’s head again, ~ ‘Unless this works.’ ~

Rayann would know Ceridwyn was smiling despite the fact that she couldn’t see her face. There was a new connection that was suddenly shared between them and Ceridwyn stood up and turned to look at Rayann. ~ ‘Our minds are not one, but we can move together through the magic around us. It’s not easy, and it will take a considerable amount of my strength to keep things aligned, however this might give us an edge. If I concentrate on the defensive magic, and you concentrate on the attack so we know our roles, we might be able to create synergy between us.’ ~

Her voice rang out to the magi gathered along the out ring. “I need some assistance. Please shield yourselves and tap into the power that is concentrated in this arena. There will be full power casting, so please be ready to accept this. Yes, it is dangerous, but dangerous times require dangerous methods.”

She turned and looked at Rayann with a smile. “Ever sparred? They will be the targets. The energy of this place will allow the shielding I cast to protect ourselves to be extra strong, but you still need to remain aware, you won’t be invulnerable. I will attempt to keep this bond between us active, we won’t be able to think as one, but it will enable us to have a sort of ‘sixth sense’ about what the other is doing. It’s not much, but it’s something. Practice will determine if it will work.”

For Rayann, hearing and feeling all that was happening around them, things would begin to become clearer as to how Ceridwyn was able to move up through the ranks of the white robes so quickly.

When Rayann stepped into the Deuling Grounds, she noticed Ceridwyn was alone, in the center, with her back to the entrance. As Rayann glanced around she saw that the other magi had moved to the sides to observe. For some reason, Rayann suddenly felt as though she were going out for her Wizard Trials again and a sudden feeling of apprehension filled her. But when she heard Ceridwyn’s voice in her head, Rayann began to relax. Nothing was going to happen here she couldn’t handle.

Or so she thought.

Listening carefully to what Ceridwyn was explaining; Rayann let her mind think about what Ceridwn was saying. Using Kali’s mind (and Rayann was more than happy to refer to her daughter as Kali rather than Shulamite) as a trail to follow to get to Rorie’s just might work. In fact, it was so far out of the normal way of thinking that it had more of a chance of success than failure.

~I could not agree more with you, Ceridwyn. Our daughters name is Kali….not the name given to her by a hate filled uncle. And your idea of getting to Rorie through Kali’s mind is so out of the ordinary that it could work and work well. I would have to work quickly for as soon as Rorie knew what was happening, he’d do all he could to shut everything down, including Kali. I would have to somehow block the link he has with her…. Or sever it entirely which could be extremely dangerous for her. It’s something I will have to work on…~

As Ceridwyn went silent, Rayann knew the mage was up to something. A hunch, you could say, but Rayann had always followed her gut instincts. When Rayann began to feel Ceridwyn’s heatbeat in her own chest and the feeling of warmth that seemed to be exuded from Ceridwyn filled her, Rayann gasped softly. Unable to stop the smile that eased onto her face, Rayann nodded outwardly.

~I believe you just might be on the trail of something here we would be able to use as a tactical advantage for us against them.~

As Ceridwyn turned and smiled at her, Rayann nodded and smiled as well. Almost instantly Ceridwyn would feel the gathering of magic around Rayann as she readied to cast her first spell. While being on the attack wasn’t something Rayann was entirely used to, she knew she had best get used to it for the sake of saving Kali’s life and the lives of countless citizens of Krynn. It was strange having Ceridwyn so closely aligned with her but she took comfort in knowing she was not alone right now.

~Let the fun begin~

There was no humor in Rayann’s words and in the blink of an eye her first spell was set forth as a bolt of pure energy erupted form her hand and headed straight for one of the observing magi on the sidelines. Before the bolt was finished, her next spell was released and another bolt of pure energy shot out towards the opposite side of the room.

Ceridwyn concentrated as she felt the magic leave Rayann, and then the second cast came so closely behind it Ceridwyn almost thought they were the same spell. There was a tingling sensation in her spine as she felt the power of the magic Rayann was wielding, she had never felt anything like it. She cast her protective spell and a beautiful shimmering globe of golden light surrounded the two of them just seconds before several blasts of magic hit the shield like a tidal wave. There was a dozen of the magi around the room casting against them, more than Ceri had expected, but never the less, she was up for the challenge.

She felt the spells hit the shield and she pushed hard to reinforce the spell with magic. The drain was already exhausting and she felt weak. Trying to maintain the magic link between her and Rayann as well as keep up a defensive shield over two people was no easy task, especially considering that she had never done it before. She grit her teeth as she saw a second wave of magic coming towards them and recoiled as the explosive magic slammed into the shield like a siege engine. Rayann would hear her audible gasp as the impact took place, and through the magical bond would feel that Ceridwyn was buckling quickly under the shockwaves.

~ ‘ Rayann, I…’ ~

A third wave of eight searing light spells collided with Ceridwyn’s spell and the shield fell. The casting around them stopped instantly as the other magi in the room ceased their attack quickly gathering to make sure Ceridwyn was alright.

Ceridwyn lay on the floor, her face was pale and her lips were red from where she had bitten down right before passing out. Her body was limp, but she was breathing. After a long moment she gasped and her eyes fluttered open. Looking up at Rayann she spoke barely above a whisper… “This is going to take a lot more training than I thought.”

Rayann would be able to clearly understand, Ceridwyn was a mage of the council, and though she could cast, she was not conditioned for battle. What was to Rayann the very beginning breathing exercise of a workout brought Ceridwyn to her knees, and try as she might, her physical body could not take what her spirit was willing to put out, and her body gave way. Ceridwyn slowly sat up with the aid of two of the male magi and she looked at Rayann with slight sadness in her eyes, “I am sorry. This is going to take longer than I thought, and unfortunately we don’t have time.”

Rayann was readying another spell when the other magi hit Ceridwyn’s shield and caused it to collapse. With the spell so ready to go, Rayann had to let it go and at the last minute changed it and as she forced her hands up quickly, a rainbow erupted in the room illuminating the place in the many different colors. It was a harmless spell meant solely for the brilliant light effects it produced.

As Ceridwyn collapsed, Rayann was quickly kneeling by her side. As the petite Elf slowly began to regain her bearings and was aided by two of the male magi that had gathered around, Rayann smiled reassuringly and took Ceridwyn’s hand in her own. This place had called Rayann for a particular reason and Rayann had an idea as to why. It was time to test her theory.

~You’re simply out of practice, my magi sister. But I believe I know what may be causing the problem. You’re relaying upon your own energy to maintain your shield. When Rorie and I worked together, we were able to tap into each other’s energy so therefore when one began to grow weak, the other was able to make up the difference. It was what gave us the strength to endure and while it may sound as though we would both grow weak faster, that wasn’t the case. But the magic that flows all around us is a source of power that is never ending. It has nothing to do with being ambient but that which the Gods have blessed this beautiful world with.~

Without realizing it, Rayann had reverted back to using only her empathetic communication only. Looking over at the male magi that helped Ceridwyn to sit up, she tapped him on the shoulder and spoke to him.

~You there. Come with me. I want to show Ceridwyn what I’m talking about. I want you to create a shield like she did while I cast. What ever you do, don’t let the thing down.~

The male elf was confused and surprised to hear Rayann’s voice in his head but he merely nodded. Rayann waved her hands for the others to get back to where they belonged. There was a great deal of concern etched on their faces for Ceridwyn but Rayann tried to reassure them all would be OK.

The male elf was on Ceridwyn’s right and Rayann was on her left. Rayann gestured for the Elf to turn around and put his back to her then she did the same thing. Closing her eyes for a moment, Rayann took several deep breaths. When the male elf heard her voice this time, it sounded….ethereal.

”When I tell you, create the shield. Ready. NOW!~

The male elf created a protective shield around the three of them and Rayann fired off one bolt after another. Her casting was so fast the other magi were having trouble keeping up with her but they were able to throw several spells at the shield to try and knock it down. The male elf began to tremble and he yelled at Rayann.

“I…can’t hold it….any longer!”

That was when something happened no one had seen before. Rayann took a small step backwards and felt her shoulder touch the male elf’s. The male elf suddenly felt a wave of energy flow into him and it felt as though he were standing in a river as the current rushed past him. Rayann fired several more bolts and the male elf’s shield was reinforced enough to withstand the different spells cast at them. Finally Rayann ceased casting and bowed her head closing her eyes and held her hands up as a gesture for the others to stop as well.

When all spell casting has ceased, Rayann lifted her head and stepped away from the male elf. Without the aid of Rayann’s energy he didn’t have the stamina to hold his shield up and had to let it drop. He felt weak and soon joined Ceridwyn as she sat on the floor of the training grounds.

Rayann slowly opened her eyes and looked around and felt her legs grow shaky. With a small stumbling step Rayann sat down next to Ceridwyn and took the elf’s hand in her trembling one. She was a little winded but over all, Rayann was no worse for wear. At least it appeared that way. Smiling, she nodded to Ceridwyn and the male elf that was looking at her with a wide eyed gaze.

~It’s been a while since I was able to do that with someone. I’m a little out of practice myself. We will practice again tomorrow, Ceri…..when you’ve rested.~

Ceridwyn listened as Rayann spoke, but she was not really sure of what Rayann was telling her. Obviously they had all heard of the twins’ ability to cast with mesmerizing speed and still maintain their energy for longer than any other magi on Krynn. She felt the dizziness in her head and managed to get herself to a chair as she watched and listened. Rayann spoke to her with new authority, and it was obvious to Ceridwyn that this human mage was much more than met the eyes. As she directed and then ultimately demonstrated, Ceri was caught in a state of disbelief. This must have been what it was like when the twins were at work. She could fully see the connection when Rayann and the elf made contact, and it was something unique to Rayann, a trait given to her by the gods themselves.

Ceridwyn nodded her head and spoke with a weak voice once the demonstration had concluded. “Truly what I have just witnessed was a divine gift, there is no question. It was always spoken of, this amazing technique of casting that the Padraig twins were capable of, but your demonstration makes things so clear to me now. I didn’t think it was possible to make that connection with any mage you wished, but perhaps, this is the compensation the gods have granted you despite the broken mental bond, maybe this is the key that will unlock the door and give us a way in. It is a gamble, but Rorie may think this ability is lost, in fact, I am certain he won’t have tried it with Kali, he is a dark mage now, set on a path of personal gain, and he won’t share what he has with anyone. Rayann, I think you have uncovered exactly what we need.”

Ceridwyn leaned her head on Rayann’s shoulder as she breathed deeply. It was the type of thing old friends did, but here was Ceridwyn, only friends with Rayann for 24 hours, making that gesture of loyalty and friendly love for her.

She spoke again; there was a slight lilt of joy in her voice. “I am going to need rest. I say we try this again tomorrow.”

Ryann hadn’t considered she had formed a similar bond with another magi the way she had with Rorie to aid in the others ability as well as her own casting. When Ceridwyn pointed that out to her, Rayann blinked. Perhaps it was the way the Gods compensated the broken link she once had with Rorie. Of course the mention of her brother and the path he was now on brought a sad look to her eyes and Rayann nodded, smiling sadly.

~Perhaps. I never really considered what I was doing only knowing it was what I SHOULD be doing. Like an instinct.~

When Ceridwyn leaned her head on Rayann’s shoulder, Rayann was a little surprised by the gesture but she smiled all the same and leaned her head onto Ceridwyn’s. When she heard Ceridwyn’s tired voice, Rayann chuckled softly and nodded her head.

~I promise you, tomorrow is a new day and with each new day comes new hope. If I can restore that hope in this way, then I will work with each and every magi here who would be willing to try it.~

The male elf that Rayann had used in the demonstration finally got the strength to stand and looked down at Ceridwyn and Rayann. He was still a little in awe and just a hint of fear showed in his eyes. Finally he turned and went to join his fellow magi and Rayann heard them whispering amongst themselves.

~Hope I haven’t damaged any possible professional relationship I would have with them.~

Finally she lifted her head and slowly got to her feet offering Ceridwyn her hand so she could get to her feet as well.

~How about that cup of tea you so enjoy? I know I could go for one myself right now.~

Ceridwyn could not help but chuckle as she heard Rayann’s words about ruining a potential professional relationship. She spoke in missive, ~ ‘I am sure these magi are surprised to see you here more than interested in forming any relationships. Hopefully they can see past their noses now that they know what you are capable of. Haughtiness is lost on me.’ ~

She felt Rayann move and adjusted in kind to compensate for her head rest being gone. When Rayann offered her hand Ceri smiled warmly and nodded her head. “Yes, honey brewed tea sounds delightful.”

She took Rayann’s hand and stood to her feet, the strength was returning to her legs and she began to walk with her new friend. It was odd seeing them, the human standing so much taller than the very petite elf mage, but then Rayann was taller than most average elf females, so it was more the oddity of a human in Silvanost that caught the attention of the Elves. Ceridwyn spoke again in missive to Rayann ~ ‘Don’t let their stares bother you, the Silvanesti have a long way to go when it comes to realizing the error of their ways. The unfortunate thing, and what makes my heart bleed is that none of them see that they are wrong, and we simply don’t know what we don’t know.”

Rayann did notice the looks she was receiving from the magi and when they left the Dueling Grounds the looks she received from the citizens of Sylvanost. Ceridwyn’s words did help a little but she knew the people of this beautiful city didn’t necessarily approve of her and Myth’s relationship. Still, she tried her best to be friendly and smile even though the gesture wasn’t returned in kind.

~It’s not like Myth’Alas and I were looking for this to happen between us. In fact, when we first met, I didn’t want much to do with him. Even though I thought I had saved his life I still didn’t want to be all that close to him. I mean, he certainly doesn’t give one the impression he is all that…..approachable. But….when you spend a lot of time alone with someone, you eventually get to know them on many levels and what I found with Myth’Alas was he was not as…..hard….as he presented himself to be.~

As they walked along, Rayann looked all around the beautiful Elven city and took a deep breath.

~I had a feeling we should come here. Myth’Alas wasn’t all that open to the idea but he wouldn’t tell me no. He understands my decisions aren’t made on a whim and are many times driven by the direction I get from the Gods. I knew coming home would be difficult for him but I also knew he couldn’t move forward until he faced his past. Part of his journey home is done but there is still one more mountain he must climb before he can find the peace he so needs.

There was a pause as Rayann moved past some Elves as she walked with Ceridwyn.

~He has yet to meet with his father. Alone. Nor has he met with any other member of his family. I know not who his family is as he’s never really talked about them with me. I know he has at least one sibling and I get the strong impression it’s a brother, but other than that, he has kept that part of his life very private. I’m sure he would tell me if I ask but I have learned there are some things Myth’Alas needs to breech the subject himself without prodding.~

The elves of the court wanted to hear the ranger's side of things, it was all happening quickly. Kwinn was shocked to see his oak fighting stick in the court, he had not carried it since before he entered the city.

Drawing in a good breath the ranger took his turn.
"This is my fourth time traveling in the lands of the Sylvanestri and I have never come to these lands without permission and I have always come with friendship in my heart. Like this time I have never come to these lands alone, I have always traveled with elves or friends of the Sylvanestri. I am no pawn of the dark queen and I have no talent for magic, I am a simple ranger. It is true that I have never been to this city before, I make a meager living as a guide and a trader and my business has never lead me to Sylvanost. But I have always been an admirer and a friend of all elves, I respect your ways and have even come to learn much of your language. I do not fully understand the threats you face, I have only begun to grasp the power of the enemy of the Sylvanestri. I am not the enemy, I came with the best of intentions."

Kwinn looked at Tanjee as he spoke these words, his gaze lingered for a long moment.

"I have taken no actions to harm any elf or human while I have been your guest, in fact I have not even carried any arms whilst in the city. I arrived here with a lame arm and was worse for wear but your best healer fixed me up and I am grateful for that.

In my time working with Aeolis and the other elves of the Home Guard I did what was asked of me, I enjoyed being of use to the people here. I set the devices and snares to the guards specifications, I have lived in the wilds for most of my life and these things are my field of expertise. I left no area open for intruders, I am no saboteur. I would never repay your healing and kindness with betrayal and I would never willingly let your enemies pass to do you harm."

Kwinn's eyes drifted back to the courtesan briefly but they always found Tanjee again.

"I told Aeolis a day ago that I desired to help and even though a black cloud hangs over this fine place that I would stay and help the Sylvanestri, I could not have known what he would have me do. There was no sabotage and no malice. I stay because it is my choice, despite the lack of hospitality by the guard and the accusations by Aeolis I still desire to help, some people here are more precious than gold and I would give all to keep them safe."

The ranger had said his piece, he lifted his head high and faced the courtesan again.

Tanjee listened to Kwinn as he spoke and never took her eyes off him. His words fell on the ears of all the Elves who had gathered for this hearing. She’d heard of Kwinn even before she laid eyes on him and nothing anyone said about him was negative. In fact, there was nothing but praise for his tactics he used and the respect he showed the forest.

When Kwinn got done saying what he needed to say, Tanjee looked to the hearing officer and saw his eyes were boring into Kwinn’s. Tanjee knew what the man was doing and felt some hope build within her.

Swallowing hard, Tanjee then turned her attention back to Kwinn and Myth. She could see Myth was practically seething at her brother and while she was angry at Aeolis for this, she hoped the Prince would not challenge her brother to a fight. If he did, her brother was in more danger than he realized.

Holding her breath, Tanjee waited to see what the outcome of this hearing – and Myth’s reaction – was going to be

The hearing officer listened to what Kwinn said. He let his gaze settle in Kwinn’s and narrowed his gaze ever so slightly. Finally he nodded.

“We will take all that has been said into consideration. You will have our ruling soon.”

With those words, the hearing officer and several other courtesan’s rose from their seat and walked out of the room. Whispers rumbled throughout the room but no one spoke aloud about anything they were thinking.

Tanjee was ready to scream in frustration and at her brother but she could do nothing but stand in the middle of the three guards that surrounded her. Several times she found her brother and glared at him.

Aeolis seemed to be bored although from time to time, he did look around to see the faces of those gathered. His gaze settled on Tanjee and he saw the way she glared at him. He smirked but nothing more.

After what seemed like forever, the officials walked back into the room and took their seats. There hearing officer spoke when things grew quiet again.

“The allegations leveled against you are serious, Kwinn and cannot be taken lightly. However, without proof of your actions, we cannot charge you with any crime. With that being said, we are releasing you from custody but we respectfully request you make your presence and where abouts within the city well known. You are to remain within Tanjee’s domicile unless she wishes to have you removed. If that is the case, then you will be escorted out of the city.”

The hearing officer looked over at Tanjee.

“Tanjee….what is your decision?”




Tanjee looked over at Aeolis who merely glared at her. Holding her head high and squaring her shoulders, Tanjee then l ooked to Kwinn.

“I would be honored if Kwinn would stay with me.”

The hearing officer nodded.

“Very well then.”

He turned his attention to Aeolis then.

“Aeolis, it is your responsibility to make sure your men are aware of their surroundings at all time. I would suggest your men and maybe even yourself, do some intense retraining to insure our safety is not compromised.”

He turned then to Myth.

“Prince Myth’Alas, we thank you for your input on this matter. Now that this matter has been cleared up, we are adjourned. Welcome back, your highness. It is good to have you back.”

As the officials stood from the seats to walk back into the room away from the others, Aeolis smirked once again. Everything he set out to do had been accomplished. Seeds of mistrust had been planted now it was just a matter of time before they took root and grew. All he had to do now was wait for the time when he could plant even more seeds of discontent.

As the guards released Tanjee she ran towards Kwinn and practically jumped into his arms, hugging his neck tightly and kissing his cheek.

“I knew you would be cleared. Anyone with half a brain would see you could never hurt any of us. My brother needs his ass kicked.”

Kwinn smiled as Tanjee came to him, he held the woman tight returning her kisses. As she expressed her relief Kwinn watched Aeolis leave the chamber, a smile on his smug face.

"Half a brain, or half a heart." Kwinn mumbled as he held the she elf close.

"Thank you Myth for standing with me, I am sure it made all the difference.' Kwinn said to the prince.
"I would not have taken banishment from the city very well." Kwinn smirked as still held Tanjee.

"And you my lady, I have been sentenced to stay in your mother's house with you as my keeper, a fate worst than death!" The ranger said with a chuckle.

Kwinn watched as Aeolis and his men exited the hall, for a person who had lost the battle he seemed confident that he would win the war. Kwinn was sure that his backbiting was nowhere near finished.

And what to do with such a foe? Kwinn could certainly not come to blows with the brother of the woman he was learning to love. What if the snake forced his hand? Kwinn could do this elf no harm, how do you do battle with such an adversary? Kwinn did not feel comfortable with dealing with Aeolis on his level, there must be a better way. For the time being the ranger hoped that the truth would be his shield and that most of the Elven people here would see through these deceptions.

The ranger shook off these gloomy thoughts and had one more question for the prince.
"Do you suppose I could have my staff back?"

Myth simply crossed his arms waiting for the verdict to be handed down. Much as he had expected the matter was settled quickly and without incident. Judging by the look upon Aeolis' face Myth wagered it was what the ranger captain wanted. In the game of deception Aeolis was a rank amateur compared to the politics and maneuverings of the dark court. However this by no means meant Myth could underestimate the young commander. Doubt had been seeded among the people about the human but clearly he was not aware of the amount of suspicion he had drawn upon himself. The recommendation that Aeolis and his men brush up on their training would not go unnoticed.

With a sigh Myth unfolded his arms eyes held steady on Aeolis. The ranger fired off a smug sneer on his way to the door and Myth could only offer a warm pleasant smile in return. His attention shifted to Tanjee and Kwinn as he picked up the staff and examined it carefully for a few moments. Myth's nose wrinkled slightl yas he looked at the weapn. Spinning on his heel he approached Kwinn and Tanjee. He was patient and waited to be acknowledged.

"I think you will find your staff precisely where you left it when you arrived my friend. While this staff is a convincing look alike it is missing some key details that tell me it is yours... I am going to be taking it to Rayann and Cerdiwyn to look at this evening. Someone took the time to put a spell on it to hide details from those assembled. This is made easy because only Aeolis' men touch evidence brought in. ?"

((I looked back to confirm no one actually went for the staff.))

Myth offered a grin before he was tapped upon the shoulder. Turning he looked down at a messenger boy who had an envelope. Myth simply nodded taking the item in hand. He looked at the handwriting and closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh. The letter had his father's seal on it which told Myth exactly who it was from. Tucking the letter away Myth smiled at the two and began to head for the doors. "Well let us be on our way. There are still many things to do. Can't spend to much time fighting in the courts with a blow hard."

Ceridwyn listened as Rayann walked with her. She nodded and spoke again to Rayann in missive, it was her preferred method but it also allowed the conversation to remain private.

~ ‘Unfortunately the politics of royalty can hinder the emotions, and it gets in the way of real love and relationship. I am glad I didn’t grow up during my early years in that system. Nim’Sul took me in when I was young, but I had a good foundation and feel I was gripped in a better reality. It was still quite a shock to come into that system, though I was not as immersed in it as others I was still around when court was gathered. Nim’Sul was a great Mentor in that he found the proper balance and made sure that we had a buffer against the politics. It was especially crucial to my development having been raised as a weaver. We had a very simple life, there was no bickering and jockeying for position and power, we simply worked hard and lived as happily as we could.

Myth’Alas was born and raised a prince, so he is going to have those quirks that come with being raised in that environment. Honestly, I don’t judge him for making the choice he did, if it was me, I might have done the same thing. A chance to go pursue your own path outside the confines of what was proper or traditional, don’t get me wrong, what he did was not right, following the Dark Queen was not a good choice, but if one was to step back and look at the whole picture, the decision makes sense. ‘~

Rayann would be able to pick up on the fact that Ceridwyn was more a “real” person than any other mage she had ever met. She saw life from a different perspective and through unique eyes. She had been on both sides of the track, not from the perspective of the wealthy alone. Almost every mage, including Rorie and Rayann, came from wealthy and prestigious families. Having a Mentor was an expensive ordeal, and though the Magi took care of themselves and their future protégé’s, there was still an ideal and a snobbery that came with the art. Most poor children with a talent for magic were overlooked and became wild sorcerers, learning magic as they went and manipulating the river of magic not through following a god but learning to control the elements. Ceridwyn was one of the ‘lucky’ ones, taken under the wing of a powerful wizard and forged into something formidable.

Ceridwyn’s face changed slightly and she stopped, pointing to the royal court house. She spoke again in missive to Rayann.

~ ‘Isn’t that Myth and Kwinn standing on the steps?’ ~

Tanjee laughed softly as Kwinn made his ‘sentence’ sound so bad and squeezed his neck again. Finally she released her hold around his neck and stood beside him holding his hand and looked to Myth.

”Thank you. I feel if not for you, things would have gone very bad for Kwinn. I will be eternally grateful.”

As Myth examined the staff, Tanjee furrowed her brows. There was something….different…..about it. Finally when Myth said they would find the staff right where it had been left, Tanjee’s eyes grew wide.

”It IS right where you left it. I remember now when I awoke this morning and found you gone, I looked for your things to see if you decided to leave but when I saw everything still where it was placed when we got here, I knew you were still here, somewhere.”

Her brows furrowed then and she shook her head.

”Aeolis was not always like this. I do not know what has happened to him but the Aeolis I knew growing up is not the same one I saw today. It seemed as though he changed overnight shortly after you left, Prince Myth’Alas. What ever his problem is, I wish he would get over it and be done with his eternal bad mood.”

As the runner approached Myth and handed him the envelope, Tanjee recognized the seal and glanced up to see Myth’s reaction. Seeing him close his eyes and sigh deeply, Tanjee looked at Kwinn and smiled then saw something catch her attention. Seeing Rayann and Ceridwyn approaching, she nodded towards the women as she spoke to Myth.

”It looks as though Ceridwyn and Rayann have gotten to know each other very well. I am glad to see the two of them together. Ceridwyn always seemed as though she needed a good friend.”

She looked to Myth then.

”I knew your returning and bringing the Mage with you was going to be a good omen. Despite all that has happened, I still feel that way.”

Rayann loved listening to Ceridwyn. She was a breath of fresh air in an otherwise stuffy environment. To hear of her humble beginnings and see how far she had come under the careful eye and gentle hand of Nim’Sul lifted Rayann’s spirits. It still weighed heavy upon her that she and Myth were so easily manipulated and ultimately were the ones to kill the mage. Rayann knew she would find a way to somehow make up for the wrong they had done. It was the only way she could see to possibly lift the guilt from her heart.

To hear Ceridwyn didn’t hold Myth’s choice to leave the city in his youth against him was a huge relief. While Myth had been cleansed it still didn’t mean everyone had forgiven him for making the choices he did. Nor did it mean they were ready to forget either. Still, Rayann had a feeling that with someone like Ceridwyn on their sides the road ahead of them wouldn’t be all that rough.

Rayann enjoyed communicating with the Elf Mage this way. In fact, Rayann much preferred this form of communication and was quite certain she would be using it more often than not from now on. Besides, what ever she would have to say verbally would hopefully be taken more seriously than if they heard her voice all the time. She knew Myth wouldn’t mind either. In fact, she knew he preferred to communicate with her non verbally. More information could be passed between them without having to wait for a time when they would be in private.

As she walked with Ceridwyn, Rayann felt the magical current moving all around her. While she had never forgotten it was there, she had forgotten just how special that feeling was and took a great joy in being able to truly feel it all around her again. So much so that a smile eased onto her features and refused to leave. At times, Rayann would hold her hand out to feel the current move past her hand just as a person would do in a current of water.

When Ceridwyn pointed out Myth and Kwinn to her, Rayann looked to the Elf Prince and smiled brightly. Already her mind was reaching out to him and even before her voice was heard in his mind he would feel the warmth of her presence.

~It looks like all went well for Kwinn. At least, from the way Tanjee looks it did.~”

Her smile faded slightly as Rayann picked up on something about Myth and her brows furrowed slightly by the time she and Ceridwyn reached the three..

~What’s wrong, Myth?”~

Myth's mind was mulling over his options in dealing with both Aeolis and meeting with his father. As had become habit his mind was wandering in a million directions. To many things were happening so fast he could scarcely keep track of it all. However that was how life operated. One did not have the luxury of choosing when they could be inconvenienced by life.

Having felt Rayann's presence before Tanjee had even spoken Myth had already been looking in her direction. Every since they had made that connection that one night several months ago he had noticed he could feel her presence. This in and of itself was not unexpected but the distance at which he could feel her seemed to expand with time. It was a curious thing but it was not often he thought about it closely. Pushing the matter aside he made a note to speak to Rayann about it later.

He put on a friendly face as the two mages drew near and he was not surprised by the questions put forth. His emerald eyes had a slightly haunted look in them before he spoke aloud. "Father has requested my presence this evening and has extended the request to include any guests I see fit to bring."

There was a mental sigh from Myth as he continued to speak only to Rayann mentally. "There are apparently a great many matters he would like to discuss with me. It would seem my presence here has stirred up many nests but has brought great relief."

Ceridwyn walked with Rayann to where the others were. When Myth spoke she nodded gently and spoke.

“Then the time of restoration is upon you. Wounds will be reopened and it will be painful, but once the infection under the scab is cleaned, healing can truly begin.”

She noticed that Myth began talking to Rayann in missive rather than aloud, it was understandable given the circumstances. She turned to Tanjee and smiled, “Greetings to you Tanjee, I am Ceridwyn. I know who you are but we have never formally met.” She looked up at the ornately designed building that served as the royal court and with a slightly puzzled look on her face she spoke to the group, “Why are you three standing on the steps to the courts?”

Tanjee smiled at Ceridwyn and bowed her head respectfully. When asked why they were on the steps, Tanjee furrowed her brows and snorted rather unladylike.

”Seems as though someone was trying to make it look like Kwinn here had attacked one of the Home Guards. We had to clear the matter up so Kwinn would be free to move about the city. Well…..with his escort of course.

Tanjee noticed Myth and Rayann seemed to be in their own world and she knew they were communicating without using verbal words. Turning to look at Kwinn again, Tanjee smiled even more.

”I knew Kwinn would never do anything like that to anyone. If it hadn’t been for the Prince, I’m not so sure the outcome would have been the same.”

Her smile faded then and she furrowed her brows again.

”And my brother was being such a pampas ass about it all. I wish what ever it was that has caused him to turn so….bitter….would leave him and give me back the brother I used to have.”

Rrayann glanced down at the paper Myth held in his hand then back up into his emerald eyes.

~The first of many hurdles has been cleared, Myth. The rest will not be easy, but at least you’ll know what to be prepared for when you reach them. And I’ll help you along the way. Besides, they may not be as tough as you think when you finally reach them and instead of having top leap over them, you’ll just be able to step over them with ease. But I’m sure your father is anxious to meet with the son he hasn’t seen or spent time with in a long time.~

Reaching out and giving Myth’s hand a gentle squeeze, Rayann smiled and nodded ever so slightly. When she heard Tanjee mention something about her brother, Rayann turned a concerned look upon Tanjee and Kwinn. She had only heard bits and pieces of the conversation between Tanjee and Ceri and wanted to hear what took place

”What happened between Kwinn and your brother?”

When Tanjee explained all that had taken place, Rayann blinked then looked to Myth before looking at Ceridwyn, Tanjee and Kwinn.

”I knew Aeolis was bitter but I didn’t think he’d ever stoop to this sort of thing.”

Ceridwyn listened as Tanjee told of Aeolis’ deeds and her brow furrowed ever so slightly. “I think it would be stating the obvious to say that something is askew here. I have sensed darkness since my arrival, and it is not the warped dark magic, it’s an energy of bitterness and jealousy. I am suspicious that…”

She stopped talking and stared off into the distance, she almost seemed to be in a trance. After a minute she blinked and looked back at the group, blushing slightly.

“I think it might be best if we have a look at that weapon. May I have it please?”

Myth turned his attention to Tanjee and Cerdiwyn as they began to discuss things. Myth's brow furrowed slightly as Cerdiwyn mentioned the feeling she had upon returning to the city. "I had a similar feeling about things upon entering the city proper myslef a few days ago. The home guard commander's attitude has some deep rooted issues."

Myth had almost forgotten he was still caring the staff and held it out to Cerdiwyn as she had requested. There was an ill intent lacing the enchantment on the object. It showed that the caster lacked a deeper understanding for the fine arts. A persons intent could act like a signature in an enchantment just as easily as putting a mark upon a blade. Releasing the weapon Myth folded his arms watching with interest.

Rayann listened to Ceridwyn and after heing what Tanjee said, it was clear Aeolis had some issues but from what Tanjee was saying, the change was rather a sudden onset than a gradual change. And if anyone would know Aeolis best, it would be his sibling. The fact Ceridwyn felt that tug of darkness about the city made Rayann think there was something far greater than just someone with an ill temper and jealousy at work here.

When the Elf mage seemed to go into a trance like state, Rayann quirked a fine brow. Obviously the elf had picked up on something. What exactly Rayann was unsure of just yet, but one thing was for certain, they just might be getting to the root of Aeolis’ actions and demeanor.

As Ceridwyn took possession of the staff, Rayann watched closely to see what the mage might be able to reveal to them. Glancing at Tanjee, the she elf also seemed to take a vested interest in what was about to happen. Rayann could see the concern and inkling of fear that crossed her face.

Ceridwyn took the weapon, it was heavy, and she had to adjust and grab it with both hands. Rebalancing the weapon awkwardly made it obvious she had made a good choice in not following the path of being a warrior. She looked at the object, running her hand up and down the length, her slender fingers caressing it gently. “Objects can hold secrets,” she said it more like a question than a statement. Kneeling down, she placed the weapon on the ground and reached into one of the hundreds of hidden pockets within her robes. She removed a small purple satchel and opened it. The contents glittered softly in the light of Silvanost and she removed a pinch, holding it above the weapon. Closing her eyes and concentrating, Rayann would immediately pick up on the movement of magic around them, followed by the whispers of the spidery language of the ancients.

The reagents in her fingers sparkled and she released them looking down as they made contact with the weapon. Instantly there was a light blue glow and she looked up at Myth, then to Rayann, the obvious sign of an enchantment coming into view. Her eyes drifted to all the people present and she spoke, “everyone pay attention…” She turned back to the weapon and waved her hand over it slowly as she hissed the language of magic again. A rippling effect began around the weapon and the enchantment began to dissolve away revealing a simple stick. The wood was obviously harvested from just outside the city in the very forest that surrounds Silvanost. She looked up at Myth and then shifted her gaze to Kwinn.

“Kwinn, it is obvious you were set up, and unfortunately we know by whom, but our words won’t be enough proof to present to the judges.” She stood up and handed the stick to Myth. “It is apparent this was harvested recently, and just outside the wall.” She turned to Kwinn, “Can you take us to where you set your traps? If your work was altered we might be able to find the location of where this was cut, I have a strong feeling it was harvested close to where the crime was committed. The enhancement done to this stick was a simple one, it’s almost frightening that he thought the spell wouldn’t be able to be broken, or perhaps he didn’t expect things to go this far. My suspicion is he assumed the prejudice of the Silvanesti and the presentation of a lookalike weapon would be enough to have you convicted in a few minutes, and then the “evidence” could be destroyed before it was discovered to be a fraud.”

She turned and looked at Tanjee with sadness in her eyes, “Tanjee, I am sorry, but your brother has dark intents, however I am not convinced he is acting independently. There is a sense that something or someone, may be manipulating him, perhaps even without his knowledge.”