5: Family Ties

Kali listened, laying her head back on the couch and looking at her mother with interest. As she spoke of the places Kali saw the images flashing in her mind and she couldn’t help but smile, seeing the landscape her mother was describing. She could see the sadness in Rayann’s eyes as she spoke of Rorie, and Kali felt a slight bit of sadness as well. She had wonderful memories of spending time with her Uncle. The training she grew up under was brutal and demanding, but she and her uncle did manage to steal away moments. Even though she knew that much of what she was taught to her was a lie there was one thing certain in her heart, he did love her, at some level he had true feelings for her, his niece.


As Rayann grabbed her hand, Kali welcomed her mother’s touch and revealed at the connection. She felt that the grip was loose, so Kali gently tightened her grip, non-verbally telling her mother that it was ok to be sad and vulnerable, ironically it was her mother saying the same thing to Kali.


“You miss him don’t you? It’s understandable, there is an amazing warmth he brings to a room, even in his pursuit of power and dark magic, there was something about him, a Charisma that simply couldn’t be denied. I wish I had known him before, to know him as you knew him, as I feel you knew him. He is truly plagued by the Dark Queen, but I wonder if there is any light left in him.” She paused a few seconds and then for voice came, a little weaker, “I miss him too mom.”


She exhaled slowly and sat up, scooting closer to her mother and laid her head on Rayann’s shoulder. The warmth she felt was welcoming and a comfort to her. They sat in the silence for a while, and she focused on her mother’s breathing and the gentle thump she felt in her chest every time Rayann’s heart beat. It was the strangest sensation feeling her own heart, and then her mothers, and then her fathers. It was like a small indicator that everyone was still alive, still close. She smiled wearily and inhaled deeply again, it was the type of inhalation that occurred when one was content, when nothing could harm you or pull you away.

“I know it’s a dark thought mother, but why did you severe the connection with Rorie? I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but in light of what we are going to face soon I think it would be good to hear the whole story. Now that I know everything, the story of his turning to evil and why things make a lot more sense, but I want to hear your side of the story.”

It was Rayann’s turn to withdraw. S Kali rested her head on her mother’s shoulder she would feel the wide open connection she had with her mother slowly closing. The relaxed posture Rayann had for the time while Kali rested her head on her mothers shoulder quickly tensed. When Rayann realized what she was doing, she berated herself. How could she preach about being open with her daughter if she was pulling away from the very person she wanted to be close to?

Knowing Kali had picked up on her change, Rayann closed her eyes and concentrated. Slowly that connection began to open up again and what Kali felt was such a profound sadness that it was almost suffocating. Taking a deep breath, Rayann once more shared the images of what happened prior to making the decision that ultimately drove the twins apart.

~First of all, Kali, you have to understand that what I did was completely unintentional. I thought what I was doing was what was best for Rorie. He was injured so badly. I didn’t think he was going to make it. Even as the healers worked on him they were uncertain if he would survive his wounds. It was the hardest decision I made at that point in my life. To leave the only person I had ever known all my life, who was a part of me, literally, behind…..~

Even with her mind missive, Rayann found it difficult to continue for a moment. Squeezing her eyes shut tight she swallowed a few times then continued.

~….I was merely trying to prevent his ability to locate me so easily. I didn’t know what I was doing was severing something that was irreplaceable. If I had known that, I would have found another way. But I wouldn’t have changed the fact I continued on. Something, deep in my soul, told me I had to keep going. That to stop and wait for Rorie to recover was time I didn’t have.~

Rayann didn’t realize it but as she conveyed what happened between her and Rorie, she held Kali’s hand a little tighter. When she realized she had quite a grip on her daughter’s hand, she loosened it a little so it wouldn’t be quite so tight.

~And yes….I do miss him. Very much. If there was any way Rorie could return to his former self, I would give anything for he had, as you say, a charisma about him that was just impossible to ignore. And he always found ways to make me smile even when it was the farthest thing from my mind. And he could do so with just a smile of his own. If things were different, there’s no doubt in my mind he would have been the type of uncle that would have been the best anyone could ever ask for. And then some.~

Kali could feel her mother closing up, and she understood. She knew that it wouldn’t be a permanent closure between them, if there was one thing Kali understood it was keeping your thoughts to yourself. She sat up as her mother made a facial gesture indicating she was disappointed with herself and she put her hand on her mother’s face. “Mom, it’s ok to keep things to yourself. Honestly, I don’t blame you, the sadness that I can feel in you is overwhelming, and I understand, to have that sort of a connection with someone must have been hard to let go of, especially when that chances of it ever being reestablished where nil.”


Kali pondered these things in her heart and a seed was planted. She could feel it in her bones like an ache in the dead of winter; Rayann would never be able to kill Rorie. No matter what, the past would prevent her at the moment of truth. At this point, Rorie was among the most powerful ambient casters. With Kali removing herself from the Dark Queen’s army there were only three left that could lead the charge, Rorie, Nicodemous, and …. She paused, her mind went blank and she closed her eyes. She didn’t even want to think of him, her “teacher”, the one with the mirrored eyes who slayed her mind every day. He had taught her valuable skills, but it was through the use of constant pain and fear.

“Mother, I may not understand what you did completely, but I know you well enough to know that your intentions must have been good. There is no evil in you, not with the paths you have walked, it would have been impossible for evil to exist within you.”

She leaned forward and hugged her mother tightly, and she began to well up as she felt the increasingly growth of sadness within Rayann and she spoke, her voice barely a whisper in her mother’s ear… “I love you mom.”

Rayann looked at Kali and knew her daughter understood. She also knew Kali knew, just as Rayann did deep in her heart, if she were faced with killing Rorie, there was no way she could. He was her brother, despite everything. When Kali hugged her tight and told her she loved her, Rayann felt the wave of loss she felt since realizing what happened to Rorie cash over her.

She cried as though she were mourning the death of her brother for in essence, that’s exactly what it was. There was no way, in all of Krynn, she could save Rorie unless he made the choice himself. Even then things would forever be changed between them and she knew she would never have that closeness she once had with him.

Rayann’s tears flowed like rain and she was helpless to make them stop. But finally, they did. But not until almost two hours later. And by then, she felt exhausted. She wiped her eyes and sniffled softly then looked over at Kali and nodded slightly.

~Thank you, Kali, for not thinking your mother is a babbling idiot. Not since I found out what happened to Rorie was I able to…..anyway….I think we’ve done enough for one day. We’re both exhausted. Why don’t you see if you can find Nol? I’ll wait here for your father. He’ll be done soon, I’m sure. Perhaps we can have a wonderful dinner together tonight.~

Kali stayed put with Rayann as she grieved. It was hard for her, knowing the history that existed, it was as if the more she got to know her family, the more complex things were getting. As her mother spoke to her she had lost track of the time. When she looked outside and saw the sun was high she turned to Rayann and responded, “Nol is occupied for the next few days, he couldn’t say what, but from the tone in his language is was high level business. It’s funny, I still have no idea what he does or where he goes… I suppose someday when it’s relevant he will tell me.”


She smiled and stood, giving a hand to her mother to help her up too. “Dinner tonight sounds lovely, I will go explore the city a little after I take a much needed nap.”

She smiled and leaned in, hugging Rayann tightly, “I will see you at dinner.”

She turned and walked out of the room and ascended the spiral stairs that took her to her room. The room was comfortable and inviting, especially the bed. The tiredness she was feeling seemed to become overwhelming, there was no thought of it will she was engaged in conversation with Rayann, but now that all of those matters were off her mind the only things she could focus on was getting rest and recovering from the spell casting. Her honey blond hair was barely on the pillow before she drifted to peaceful, restful sleep.

Ceridwyn walked hurriedly through the streets of Silvanost. She made her way towards the quarters of the city guards. It was almost like a secondary fortification within the city walls. The area was surrounded by a tertiary smaller wall with enough height to keep an individual from climbing easily, but was by no means designed as a strong defensive feature. As she entered the gate the two guards looked up idly from their position and simply nodded her through.


Her face was reflective of the deep contemplations she was currently mulling over, though unless anyone got low enough to look under the pristine white hood that was draped low over her face they would never know it. This whole strategy of attacking the Silvanesti was vexing her, but she was feeling like she had made significant progress with the exorcism yesterday. As she made her way towards the Captain’s quarters two guards instinctually began to move and block her entrance. She looked up and when the two saw who it was they immediately snapped back to their positions and saluted her. She stopped in her tracks and looked at them curiously and furrowed her brow, why on Krynn would they salute her? She simply nodded and walked past them, reaching down and turning the ornate doorknob she entered Aeolis’ home and spoke softly, “Aeolis, it’s Ceridwyn…”

Rayann smiled at Kali when she mentioned Nol. It was obvious to her the girl was taken with the dragon and rightfully so. The humanoid form he took was quite impressive. And his gentle nature was something Rayann could relate to as well and knew that was what Kali needed right now.

Embracing her daughter again, Rayann inhaled deeply then kissed Kali on the cheek and stood up when Kali did. Walking to the door that led to the stairs that would lead to her rooms, Rayann bid her daughter a restful sleep than walked over to the balcony that overlooked the Myst Isle. The clouds had cleared for the most part and she was able to see more of the beautiful island today.

The shimmering of the sun reflecting off the gold and silver bodies of the dragons as they flew across the sky reminded Rayann of the way the sun sparkled off the waters of a lake. Or the ocean. She hadn’t been to the shore very often but the few times she had been she remembered how peaceful and tranquil it was to hear the waves as they lapped at the soft sand.

With a soft sigh, Rayann sat down in the terrace swing and watched the dragons coming and going from the beautiful city. Knowing her daughter was fast asleep, she took a few moments to herself to think about all that had occurred over the past few days. It was such a strange sensation. The ups and downs of her emotions made her think of the dragons as they flew through the air with their acrobatic moves.

She went from being so utterly elated to the pits of despair in almost the same instance. It was a wonder she was even still sane at this point. All she could do was focus her concentration on the fact she had Myth. No matter what. He was the anchor that held her steady in the rough storms she was experiencing. She only hoped there was someway she could do the same for him.

Pulling her legs up into the swing, Rayann curled up and let the gentle sway of the swing relax her. The gentle breeze felt heavenly and she closed her eyes as she let the worries of the day melt away for a few moments. With a soft, silent prayer to Lunitari for granting her this blessing of getting to know her daughter, Rayann, like her daughter, was soon resting peacefully as she waited for Myth to finish his meditations.

Since his sister had all but drained herself bringing him back from the brink of death, Aeolis had yet to emerge form his quarters. How could he face these people? HIS people? He’d let himself grow weak and in doing so allowed something so horrible take over his body that he paid dearly for such foolishness. The creature had used his physical body to sustain itself and when it left him, Aeolis was all but dead. And he should have been.

He was barely aware of anything except Tanjee’s voice and even then he was screaming at her to let him go. That he didn’t deserve her grace. But no words uttered past his lips. He was even too weak to speak to the only member of his family he still had left. And even after treating her the way he did, she refused to turn her back on him.

His men treated him with respect but they also gave him strange, wary looks. Not that he blamed them, really. He’d treated them just as terrible as he had Tanjee. In fact, he couldn’t think of a single person he’d treated with respect and dignity for a long time. What memories he had were hazy but in all of them, he could practically feel the sarcasm drip from his tongue.

When the door opened, he expected one of his men to be bringing him something again so he never bothered to look up from the book he was reading but when he heard Ceridwyn’s voice, he instantly snapped his head up and looked at her from across the room for a long moment. The shame he felt was clearly written on his face and in the depths of his light green eyes. Slowly closing the book, he rose to his feet then bowed respectfully to her before he stood upright again.

”I am glad to see you are doing well, Ceridwyn. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?”

Respect and sincerity replaced what had been sarcasm and spitefulness. His eyes still refused to meet hers as he cast his gaze more to her waist then anything. It still amazed him, though, how this petite Elfess could have performed such a great task. But he did know one thing, he would be eternally grateful to her.

She looked at Aeolis as he stood. He was gaunt and his eyes were circled in dark skin. Obviously the strength was sapped from his body but he looked like he was recovering well. She removed her hood as he approached and she smiled as he spoke in his normal voice. “There is no honor in my visiting, but I do appreciate the kind words. It is good to see you are recovering Aeolis. Please sit, you need to rest. I will go get us some honey tea and we can talk.”


She waited until he had sat back down and she went to the kitchen. It took her a few minutes but she returned with a silver tray containing a pot and two cups. She poured him a cup of the tea she had prepared and then one for herself. Sitting across from him on a second chair she sipped her drink and looked at him over the rim of her cup before speaking. Her face was warm and welcoming Aeolis would see no indications of anger or contempt in her eyes.


“I have addressed the council of White Robes and spoken directly with the Speaker of the Stars. You have been cleared of misdoing and won’t be taken back to the dungeons after your recovery. We still have absolutely no idea what it was that possessed you, but we do know it was sent by the Dark Queen herself and was being controlled by Shulamite the Dark. Shulamite has broken with the Dark Queen and started on the road of learning who she really is. She is now aligned with Lunitari, as is Rayann…. her mother.” She paused and watched Aeolis, she knew he didn’t know this news yet and she was watching his reaction. “Once Shulamite lost her connection to you and the creature within you, it became autonomous, a free agent if you will. The nature of this creature was what caused you to attack me. While Shulamite controlled it she could keep these malicious attacks from happening, but when the creature was unleashed, so were its inhibitions. I do not hold any acts of aggression towards me against you Aeolis, you were not acting of your own will, in fact it’s a miracle you are still alive. I knew going into the dungeon that you had at best a 50/50 chance at surviving what I was going to do, but you are strong, both in body and in spirit. It is by the grace of the gods you are still sitting here.”


She sipped her tea again and stared at him with her deep, chestnut brown eyes. She was studying him, knowing that he was clean of the creature she wanted to see what choice he would make now that free will was truly his again.

Aeolis watched Ceridwyn as she moved about his own home fixing herself, and him, tea. He was a proud Elf and didn’t take kindly to having her wait on him but he also knew his strength was not where it should be yet. As she sat down across form him, he let his eyes take in her delicate features before casting his gaze away from her again. The tea was a welcome distraction and he sipped it thoughtfully.

When she told him the news of what had taken place with Shulamite and the Speaker of the Stars, he blinked and looked over at her. All of this news was as though he had been living in a fog for a while, and in fact, it was exactly what had happened. He knew who Shulamite was. Her face flashed before his minds eye in some of the many hazy memories he had but to hear Rayann, the white robed human mage that arrived with Myth, was her mother….he couldn’t hide his shock in that news.

”Shulamite….is Rayann’s….daughter? But….Rayann is…was…a white robe? How could her daughter turn against her like that?”

Before Ceridwyn could answer, Aeolis held his hand up to keep her from answering.

”Who am I to ask such a question? If anyone should know how something like that can occur, it is I.”

He made an attempt o smile but it was more like a grimace instead. When the Elfess mentioned about the fact he had a strong spirit, he shook his head in disagreement then.

”I was weak minded, Ceridwyn. If I had been of a strong spirit, then we would not be sitting here talking about this. I let my jealousy and distaste for the human race be used against me and allowed that….thing…to take possession of me. And it is by the grace of Mishikal and my sister I am sitting here now, sipping tea with you.”

The look on his face grew concerned then.

”I have not seen Tanjee. How is she? Will she be alright? I heard the guards speaking of how weak she was when Kwinn came to get her.”

Ceridwyn listened and let Aeolis say what he needed to say. All this was a process and she was willing to take the role of listener for now.


“Stop underestimating yourself Aeolis, there are none, NONE on Krynn that could have been strong enough to resist what happened to you. If you continue to devalue yourself and hide behind the notion you weren’t strong enough to be something that is impossible to be then you will only draw yourself away from your potential. It’s the choices we make when we are broken and there is no time to make them that define who and what we are.”


She took another sip of her tea and set the cup down on the saucer as she began to speak again, “Your sister is fine. She is resting from healing you. Honestly it is more the emotional sapping then physical. Casting healing is not like magic. Healing comes from the goddess directly through a disciple, but it does not strain you physically. She is finally letting the emotions out that needed to be dealt with years ago. She grieves for your spirit so strongly it drains her physically. She loves you very much, and you need to make it a point to let her know you know that, whether you want to return the feelings or not.”


She looked at him and her delicate features seemed all the more fragile under the power of the lanterns in the room. Her eyes seemed almost black in the low light and her face reflected the deep thoughts she was sorting out. Finally she spoke again, “Our suspicion at this point is that Silvanesti is being targeted by the Dark Queen. When you are better and ready to discuss things more formally we can go down that path. Because of your position you are potentially an integral part of what needs to happen, but the choice will be yours to sulk and moan about how you weren’t strong enough to resist a demon living inside you, or harness the knowledge from this hard lesson you have just learned. Ultimately the choice is yours, but know that what you have gone through will most likely pale in comparison to what is coming… for all of us.”

Aeolis listened to what Ceridwyn said about his sister and he seemed to relax a little knowing Tanjee was alright. He looked down at his cup and the liquid within for a long moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet and subdued.

”How could I not love my sister? Even before all of this…mess…she was the only family I have and I found comfort in her presence. And I will be sure to let her know I still find comfort in her presence.”

He deserved the words Ceridwyn spoke to him. He could only lie around in self pity for so long before he had to make a choice one way or the other. He slowly lifted his gaze to look at the Elfess once more and furrowed his brow.

”I want to do all I can to help the people. It is the least I can do, Ceridwyn. And when I finally regained my strength, I will be able to face anything. Of that I am certain. But as for motives of the Dark Queen….I am not sure I will be much help to you there. What memories I have are hazy at best. I feel as though I have been in a terrible nightmare for a very long time and am just waking to find a new day. I suppose that is not too far from the truth. But again, I will do all I can to help with trying to find out why we are being targeted.”

His brows furrowed again and he seemed to drift off as though he were concentrating hard on remembering something. Finally he looked back at Ceridwyn and the dark circles around his light green eyes seemed darker.

”I do remember one thing. I remember hearing the soft, female voice of Shulamite saying something about the first people created of Krynn will be first in…..something. But I cannot recall the word. I am sorry. I wish I could offer more. Perhaps I will remember more and I cn tell you then.”

Ceridwyn listened and her face softened slightly. She did feel compassion for him and what he was going through, but she had her own prejudices to deal with as well, specifically against those who lived in royalty. She brushed her own feelings aside and smiled slightly when he said he loved his sister, no matter what the Dark Queen had done, she had not beaten his compassion out of him.


“I don’t expect you to remember everything, or even anything for that matter. I am sure that your mind was farmed rather than a relationship of sharing having been established. Anything that needed taking was taken, and nothing was given in return. As I said Aeolis, you are not to blame for this, hence the clearing you from all wrong doing.”


She listened as he spoke about Shulamite and slightly raised one of her delicate eyebrows. Her eyes narrowed slightly and she leaned forward as he spoke. “First in…”, She leaned back and looked at Aeolis, clearly lost in thought. “Don’t strain yourself Aeolis, but if you do remember, please let me know at once. We are baffled as to the strategic importance of Silvanesti, but my suspicion is we are being targeted more for political reasons. If the Silvanesti, who have chosen to segregate themselves from society are destroyed it will send shockwaves that Tahkisis can hit whom she wants, when she wants. We have portrayed ourselves as the most powerful, capable race on Krynn, for those who believe it the fear will set in, for those that don’t feelings of ‘they got what was coming’ will set in and create division. Strategically it makes more sense to seed those psychological effects as opposed to being a good jumping point for further invasion.”


She leaned back in her chair, heavily. For the first time Aeolis would see her, slightly vulnerable, unsure of what to do next and lacking a plan. She brought her hand to her chin and rested the weight of her head on her palm, trying to sort this all out and figure out where to go from here… it was a vulnerability she rarely showed, especially to those whom she tried to show her strong side.

As Aeolis watched Ceridwyn he saw a side of her he’d never seen before. Or that he just didn’t notice, at least. He knew of her background and knew she didn’t come from the more privileged part of Silvanost yet she had become one of the most revered mages in not only the Elf world, but in all of Krynn. He suddenly realized his admiration for her had been there for quite some time but he was too self absorbed to even consider it. That’s when it dawned on him.

Ceridwyn was on to something. His tactical mind began to think like the soldier he was and as Ceridwyn sat contemplating, Aeolis began to look at the bigger picture. Slowly he sat forward then looked over at her. While the dark circles around his eyes were more defined, the clarity in his eyes could not be dimmed.

”That is it. The fall out from her destroying the Elves would cause a ripple effect. As you have pointed out. But I ask you, what is the greatest weapon one can wield in war?”

At Ceridwyn’s puzzled look, Aeolis spoke quietly.

”Fear.”

Scooting a little further to the edge of his chair, he explained.

”If she were to were to destroy the Elven Nations, she would be sending the most powerful message of all to the people of Krynn. If she could so easily rid the world of the first people, the people who had always endured through everything else, what is to stop her form destroying all other nations? Dwarven? Human? Plainsmen? Nothing. Her def….”

Aeolis stopped in mid sentence and looked at Ceridwyn as though he were frozen in time. His eyes grew wider and he spoke the word whisper soft.

”….defeat. The first people created of Krynn will be the first in defeat.”

He swallowed trying to rid the sudden dryness his mouth and throat felt. Blinking, he looked over at Ceridwyn again.

”She means to scatter us to the winds….like the leaves in autumn when they fall from the trees.”

Myth stood with his blade out before him eyes closed listening to the silence around him. His body cocvered in a sheet of sweat as he stood motionless feeling the breeze around himslef. Slowly he relaxed his stance sheathing his blade as he opened hsi eyes. His meditation and practice where complete and he felt substantially better than he had earlier in the day. Looking at the sky over head he frowned slightly noting he had probably spent to much time here.

With blade in hand he made his way back to the door that indicated the room he would share with Rayann. His first order of business was to take a quick bath to clean the odors of his exertion away. Afterwards he found himself more appropriate attire than his breeches and bare chest. He chuckled thinking that Rayann would not mind herself but he did not feel it appropriate to galavant around half dressed in front of Kali. He kept with his black trousers and boots fishing out a deep purple shirt and a crimson vest.

Satisfied with his attire he put Blue Moon in its place at his side and entered the main area to join Rayann and Kali. He felt Rayann close but after several moments he could tell Kali was elsewhere. Following that familiar bond Myth emerged onto the balcony and looked at Rayann with a smile. Emerald eyes fell upon her and in the light of the day she looked radiant as ever. All his worries seemed to melt away when they found times of peace. He was ever grateful for this.

Finally he cleared his throat grabbing her attention before taking his seat on the swing next to her. "I take it the practice has taken it's physical toll on Kali?"

A woman clad in red robes paced pack and forth in front of a fire. Her hair a vibrant flame red hung loosely around her shoulders. Crimson eyes were focused on some unseen presence in the room. The tone of her voice indicated that she was clearly agitated and it was made more apparent as she threw up her arms.

"The attack on Sylvanost was an absolute travesty to put it mildly. Only a handlful of troops at best made their way through the portal before that damn black robe had his ass handed to him by his sister."

She turned around and the flames of the fire seemed to grow and diminish with the woman's agitation."

"I knew that man's personal vendetta would lead to trouble. In fact I even expressed an extreme concern about proceeding so quickly with the attack after the girl's identity was revealed so early. Mage's with grudges always miscalculate their opponents and blow their advantages. And don't even get me started on his pet pupil. He spent all that energy collecting and molding that little chit and now not only has she discovered the truth of her origins but she has completely fallen off the face of Krynn."

Frustration was evident on the woman's delicate features as she dropped into a chair with a audible huff.

"All this posturing and lesson teaching is rediculous. I would have raised the city to the ground in a night without hesitation. Those pointy eared little snot nosed elves would never have known what hit them, but that is probably why I wasn't asked to help out. bah...."

She reached out taking a glass into her hand sipping the contents. The roaring flames of the fire seemed to diminish significantly as the drink improved her mood. Grumbling she sat the glass down and closed her eyes listeneing to teh roar of the flames.

She listened as he spoke, nodding in silent agreement, and her heart suddenly felt very heavy as everything she was dreading suddenly became the truth. “She means to use our own prejudice against us… what better weapon to wield than the one that is already in place, and easily used.”


She stood and began to pace the room, her flowing white robes bellowing behind her. The worst part about all this is that is this plan was successful not only would it mean the defeat of her people, it would also mean a complete annihilation. For this plan to truly have the shockwave Tahkisis was planning for it would mean complete and utter ruin, Silvanost was a strategic target because it was the epicenter to a campaign of genocide. She felt a pain in her chest and she clutched at her robes, sitting down. She was breathing heavy and she whispered… “We have done this to ourselves, we have given her the very tools she needs to defeat us…”


She lifted her gaze to Aeolis and shoke her head gently, “After the Kinslayer war, so many hundreds of years ago, it was foretold that we had begun the path towards our own destruction, there are many in our ranks that would rather see us defeated than united, prejudice that spans dozens of generations is not easily weeded out. It is doubtful that our nations will ever be united as one again, but perhaps we can unite long enough for the common good both internally and externally.”


She sat a long moment in quiet contemplation, her thoughts drifting like a ship with a snapped mast head, hopelessly fluttering and shifted by the ocean. She took in a deep breath and looked intently at Aeolis, her eyes locked on his like a predator, “This is what division does, it brings destruction. Now we have to not only fight an external war with a dark force but an internal war of politics. The Speaker of the Stars and the Speaker of the Suns have not occupied the same space in all of the history of Krynn, not to mention that everyone in both those factions look upon the Kagonesti Elves as a bunch of savages! Ironic isn’t it that the original Elves are the ones who get treated the worst?”


She buried her face in her hands and took in a deep breath, looking back up at Aeolis as she exhaled and shoke her head… “Nobody said life was going to be easy huh?”

Her fire wielding was almost as dangerous as her temper. He could only sneer as she berated the minions that always seemed to scatter like roaches after one of her tirades. He approached her, bowing unnecessarily in an almost mocking manner and stood upright to look her dead in the face. His voice was dark, like a starless night and he addressed her directly, “Always funny to see them grovel just before the lecture ends, even when they had nothing to do with what you are talking about.”

His iridescent sleeves shimmered as he began to pace around her, the image of her reflected in his mirrored eyes. She didn’t fear him like most of Tahkisis servants did, and he almost found this an alluring and attractive feature. There was the constant tension of how to break her, yet he didn’t want to. It was like the cat that plays with the mouse until it dies, yet she was no mouse by any stretch of the imagination, if anything he was glad he didn’t have to face her on the battlefield for as dangerous as his use of shadow and death was, she could match him with her ability to play with fire.

“Don’t underestimate Kali, she may look like a flower but she has thorns. She is young but I have trained her too and I can assure you her abilities are far beyond the norm. Even Rorie feared her, why do you think he kept her so close? I tend to agree with you on the issue of magi with vendettas however, it was a stupid idea to send them in so early. Nim’Sul wasn’t even dead 24 hours and Rorie insisted they press the advantage because the Silvan would be disorganized and grieving, but if there is one things the Elves have it’s heart. I don’t know what he has that the queen continues to trust him, a broken mage coasting on the gifts of the Dark Queen, it’s disconcerting at best.”
“My concern is more on how to deal with Myth, he knows too much about the positioning of our plan. Sure he didn’t know that we were invading his Father directly, but he knows the tactics of the queen and we need to shift gears if we are going to defeat him, that too is a matter which is not an easy endeavor.”

He turned and looked at Piramay, the flaming red hair cascading down her red robes was deliciously dangerous and he waited to hear her thoughts on the matter.

Rayann knew the moment Myth stepped out onto the balcony. While she may have been asleep but with the bond they now shared, it was impossible for her not to know when her beloved was close. When he cleared his throat and sat down next to her, she stretched like a lazy feline and moved so she could settled against his strong but gentle form.

Stifling a waking yawn, she rested her white head on his upper arm and nodded to his question. Her hand slid under his arm and her fingers gently laced with his own while her other hand reached across her and rested gently near his elbow. Tilting her head back so she could look up into his handsome face, she gave him a soft, sleepy smile.

~Yes, but not in the way you would think. It seems our daughter has taught herself how to braid ambient and divine magic together in a way that does not make me feel ill or cause harm to the natural current of magic that flows through Krynn. The unfortunate outcome is the physical drain upon her body. Perhaps when she teaches me to do this as well, we can learn a way to do it so that it is not quite so taxing upon our bodies.~

Rayann could feel the peacefulness that settled over Myth and she smiled again as she looked out over the island from the height of the tower she shared with her family.

~We also did some soul searching as well, mel’amin. It was good for both of us. And I’m glad we were able to get to know each other a little better. She’s looking very forward t enjoying a dinner with us.~

Tilting her head back once more, Myth could see the hint of moisture in Rayann’s eyes but the happiness and love that shone through that moisture told him everything.

~It’ll be our first dinner together….as a family.~

Rayann felt her emotions welling up again and she swallowed hard then looked out over the sky to watch the flying dragons as they came and went in their daily business. She grew very quiet then and even Myth could tell there was something that was bothering her. Finally she let her voice drift through his mind once again.

~What happens now, Myth? Now that we have Kali with us? Will we have to endure her kidnapping again? Will I even give birth to her now? I don’t see how I can’t.~

She tilted her head back again and her lavender eyes settled on his steady, emerald gaze.

~I want to give you a family but I’m so scared something will happen to our children. As it already has.~

Aeolis, tired but refusing to give into his tiredness, sat across form Ceridwyn and gave her a leveling look.

”In the end, Ceridwyn, we are all Elves. It does not matter what nation we hale from. When we were first created, there was no Silvanost. No Qualinost. No Kagonost. We were, as we are still today, just Elves. Politics be damned. If they cannot see what danger they pose to themselves in this matter, then we gather what forces from each nation we can and make a stand. If those in the political arena refuse to look past their noses for the good of the people, then perhaps they deserve what is coming to them. But they cannot say we did not warn them.”

He leaned back in his chair closing his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and looking over at her.

”The proof they need is right before their eyes. We present this to them, unpolished, and they cannot ignore the facts. If they do, then we will do what we can to warn the people who can make a difference, despite what the Speakers say. In the end, it will all come down to who wants to live and who will be foolish enough to stand by and do nothing.”

Ceridwyn looked back at Aeolis, her gaze almost full of anger, “What has brought on this change so suddenly Aeolis? You who were among the chief of the politicos who sought to keep us segregated from the rest of the world! To fan the flames of prejudice and keep what you have while others suffer! To keep Silvanesti secluded and ‘safe’ from the outside world! You are so wrong, we are not just Elves, we are the living of all of Krynn! Human, Dwarf, Kender, Elf, we must ALL come together and protect the lives we live!”


She stood up, her tiny frame not even close to being intimidating but fire burned within her eyes. “No offense Aeolis but words are not enough for me to simply believe you have changed. For over a hundred years I have watched you and your actions, ten minutes of conversation is not enough to convince me.”


She turned and paced angrily, her features becoming all the more alluring and mesmerizing the angrier she got. “I find it hard to believe that a brush with death is enough to change a lifetime of habit and discarding that which does not serve your needs. I have been presenting my case to the Speaker ‘unpolished and he HAS ignored the facts’ they all have! ALL OF THEM! They have never been able to see past their noses as you put it, and neither have YOU! They can say we didn’t warn them because they always point the finger and lay the blame and it doesn’t matter how much time or energy you commit to the cause THEY SEE WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE!!”


Her voice echoed through the house and she fumed as she looked at him. She wanted to believe that someone could change, but hundreds and hundreds of years of dealing with Elf stubbornness had her convinced otherwise. She stood like a statue, frozen in her anger, boring a hole into his eyes with her own. Aeolis would have never seen the diplomatic, political veil drop from Ceridwyn in this matter. The hundreds of years of frustration had finally boiled over and here she stood before him, shaking with rage, bare and open without all the stoicism and formality to bottle it behind.

Wrinkling her nose slightly Piramay sat down her glass when Fifth appeared. The rats were scattering to their hovels quick to not draw her ire. A small smile spread across her lips as she considered incinerating one of them for fun, but she resisted the temptation. Good assistants were hard to come by and harder still if you made a habbit of randomly offing one on a whim. She reached into the fire as Fifth spoke and pulled her hand back once more holding an orb of flame in her hand. Her eyes focused as she rolled it around while paying attention tot he mage's words.

"I would be a fool to doubt the girl's abilities. Beneath that pretty little skin of hers is one of the most potent mixtures of blood one could imagine. One half is a long line of mages and most recently a line further gifted by the three gods of magic. The other half of her bloodline belongs to a man that is nothing short of a paragon of his race. While her training is extensive she is nothing compared to the threat she could eventually become."

Her mind now shifted to Myth, the fallen prince that had regained his place. She had only seen the elf on a couple of rare occasions and she grinned devilishly as she remembered thinking of ways to get hold of his crimson mane. Quickly she composed herself returning to the conversation at hand.

"Rorie is kept around becuse of the threat he could be if he ever found away to restore his natural gifts. The bond with the twin may be gone but their individual gifts were still quite potent..."

She took another drink from her glass setting it aside still rolling the ball of flmae idley in her free hand.

"As far as dealing witht hte prince that as you say is going to be no small task. His sword skills were far above average even before he trained under that swordmaster who crafted him into one of our best assassins. His threat to our plans has less to do with what he knows which I am told is not much. What we have to be concerned about is what he can do for his people. I have watched through the eyes of the spies. The ceremony those elves put him through absolved him of his transgretions. His actions at the tower and again at the gates of Sylvanost have given his people hope. Hope they haven't had since we orchastrated the death of the crown prince."

She grew silent for a time and shook her head.

"He will have to be dealt with in time but it is to soon. We have to wait for certain events to unfold before we can move on him thanks to Rorie. Unfortunately killing him to soon eliminates the daughter. Time still flows and the mistress even as displeased as she is with things now would be more so if we accidently prevented the girl's birth. She was involved with to much to allow her to fade away. To many things could be changed as a result."

Aeolis let Ceridwyn rant at him. Not once did he flinch for he deserved every bit of her angst. He watched as she paced back and forth seeing the beauty of her firey nature coming through, slipping past the diplomacy he’d always seen in her. He wondered why she’d never let this side of her come through before and realized he wasn’t the only one changing for the better right now. All he could think was he wished the Council of Wizards and the Politicians could see her now. When she was done, he remained silent for a few more moments. When he finally did speak, his voice was like soothing water as it flowed gently over rocks.

”Who better to give as an example than me, Ceridwyn? You have the right to question me about rather I have changed or not. But you do not have the right to question me about my motives. I agree I was one of the loudest nay sayers about allowing our kind to mingle with other races. That goes without saying. But what happened to me over these past few months….I cannot explain. To be held prisoner within your own self and not be able to stop what you see happening….it sickens me to no end. I do not expect you to believe my words. I expect you to see for yourself with my actions.”

He looked away from her for a moment and swallowed before he turned his tired gaze back upon her dark orbs.

”It was my own prejudices, as you so pointed out, that allowed this evil to overtake me. Had I been more open minded, I would not have been so easily targeted. If that is not the message we need, we MUST convey t the people, then I do not know what is. If the Speakers will not heed our cries for unity, then we go to those who will. There are others, like you,….and me….. who believe we have committed the greatest sin of all by not becoming a part of the world around us. And by that, I mean learning from the other races on Krynn. It is time we took matters into our own hands, Ceridwyn. If we do not, who will WE then blame? As the humans are so fond of saying, it is time to put up or shut up.”

He gave her a small smile then.

”My sister has done more than healed me, Magi. She has shown me that we are beings set upon this world to co-exist with others. Far too long we have turned away from others who have just as much to give to us as they have to gain from us. It is time for us to turn to them. It will not happen over night, but eventually we will join enough of Krynn together to finally push back the darkness that threatens to overtake our world. And the world that the others belong to as well.”

Fifth watched her as she spoke, and he nodded in agreement as she concluded. “Truly we are in a bit of a paradigm shift, Rayann’s death was to be timed before the birth of the child to prevent upsetting the events, but now that Kali is in the hands of her parents again, it complicates matters. One can only ponder the unnatural tip of the scale that will be created when the child is born now that she already exists.” He smiled a sinister grin as he thought of the deformity of nature that was bound to take place. Catching himself he turned back to look at Piramay, nodding his head gently.

“I beg your pardon, the potential of how horrific this is going to be has my mind wandering away with me.” She could see the look on his face, it was obvious the necromancer in him was bubbling to the surface and extremely interested in what would unfold. “My feeling is it is best to let Rorie deconstruct himself, the string is pulled and he will be frantic to regain favor with the Dark Queen. All we need to do is sit back and let him unravel the whole ball of yarn. He is mad with passion for power, there is no check in place now that Kali is gone, he has nothing to offer the queen anymore. He is going to have to go on his own steam and yes, though his powers were once significant the only link he has to magic is Tahkisis, and she is going to dangle that carrot in front of the donkey’s nose with extreme malice.”

He turned and looked at Piramay again, his face twisted in a smile, “Once Rorie is out of the way, the road will be open for us to finish things in our own special way.”

She looked at him sharply. He was right, but he was still wrong, at least as far as she was concerned. “You are right in one regard Aeolis, your actions will speak volumes, and in the interest of fairness I will watch you to see what you decide…. and I will help you.”

She bit her lip slightly, the taste of her words slightly bitter, but it was the people of Krynn that mattered and she would do what she could to protect life. She stared at Aeolis, not saying anything but it would be clear to Aeolis by her facial expressions that she was highly conflicted at the moment and that her passion had made a rare appearance and her emotions were very turbulent at the moment.

After a long while she sat back down and looked over at Aeolis. She inhaled deeply and calmed herself, picking up her tea and drinking it again. “So what do you propose Aeolis? I have over a hundred years of failing in this matter behind me so obviously none of my ideas are working…” He might have caught it, just a glimpse for the briefest of nano-seconds, the sparkle of playful sarcasm that lingered behind her eyes.