Zhaneal's usual 'quiet places' had all been replaced in a single day... When Devion's Deacon cried out that a temple was built. Now, whenever she needed a quiet moment, that was where she went. What others might find dizzying or disconcerting, Zhan saw as playful challenges to perception...

And challenges make you think...

Thinking was something Zhaneal didn't find herself sharing with others about (unless they were one of her better friends)... Until recently. The Junior Guardian Corps seemed to be taking up an awful lot of brain power! Even with the JGC members having taken up the Toy Store project as something close to a Corps Project, the young elf found herself making lists of what to do when. Luckily, there were adults all over doing their best to ensure that she got at least a little bit of play/personal time every day. Zhan thanked Devion Himself (and Andelas and Azhiraz too) that the King and Queen appointed Keeper Morgaine as the JGC Advisor and allowed Avillonia to mentor her in the Church while she commanded the Corps! If she didn't have their help... And the assistance of every mentor so far in the program... Zhan was sure she'd be exhibiting some nervous twitches and ticks or something just as icky! There were notices to write (and have corrected by tutors and acolytes), there were ceremonies to design (and have corrected by mentors and more acolytes), she had tests and ranks to plan and work through (and have corrected by advisors and even more acolytes) and so on and so on and so on-and-on!

Never before had the young elf really entertained thoughts about exactly how much work went into beginning something that you wanted to last... Like a church or a magus tower or an army or a kingdom! The JGC was important to Zhaneal for more reasons than she could count and she wanted it to last so that the young people in Verminasia would have solid grounding and education. With those, they'd grow to be strong leaders, stronger defenders of their home and the tightest extended family Algoron would ever see. The Corps would succeed... If only she didn't die from brain mushing after all this thinking!!!

Life was also presenting the young cleric with a few challenges to deal with. Sitting in the middle of Aunt Avillonia's Library (it seemed strange after all this time to all of a sudden begin calling her mother... So 'aunt' it would remain), Zhaneal looked at the piles of books she'd spent days combing through. It all began when she and Nactonees sat with his mother, Ursah, listening to a list of potential baby names. What had struck Zhan as odd was that the list held long names and short ones... Ursah called them 'proper' elven names. When questioned about it, she explained that these names held special significance in the ancient elven tongue... One might mean 'beloved' while another signified 'strength' or some other virtue. That got the young cleric worrying... What did her own name mean and was it a 'proper' elven name? Gently, Ursah explained that Zhan's name held very traditional elven elements so not to worry... But no matter how much this child ever assured someone she wouldn't... Worry didn't stop until she was sure.

Thus a hunt had begun, to find the meaning of her name... To discover if it was something that would make her a 'proper' elf in eyes of those whose respect she craved... To discover what her mother, so long gone, had hoped she'd carry through life or become. Though some might have looked on it as a frivolous quest, Zhaneal asked many she thought might have some knowledge... From Songmaster Baruch to Magi in the Towers to her own Aunt. That was when Avillonia pointed out the older parts of her collection of tomes, scrolls and journals. Somewhere in one might be the answer to her questions, she'd assured Zhan. Looking around now at the books, the elf childling wondered... Did my mother see something in me? Is my name some clue as to what I might be capable of? Is it a hint at where my life will take me? Or is it some elaborate game type puzzle?

No matter... Devion likes tricks and this was one challenge Zhaneal would fulfill.

Finding her name in the books made for many long nights and Zhaneal was sure she'd finally found a lead in one that might tell her what she so eagerly wanted to know. The library searching could not take up all of her time though... Being summoned out of her page turning by the King's own call took priority.

King Andelas called out through the Castle's halls, "All healers... Come now to the Throne Room"

Setting books aside, Zhaneal dashed from her table in the Castle Library and headed straight up the Tower steps, taking them sometimes three and four stairs at a time! When she got there, she was shocked speechless at the sight. People were calling out to Ursah... Ursah who'd been held in a cell in the Vallenwood and now seemed to be home! But... If they needed healers... Oh no, Zhan thought, not the baby!

Rushing into the room that usually fascinated the young cleric, Zhaneal's eyes fell on Ursah's body, she lay there covered in filth and blood and bruises. The Ka'vanth Matron clung to a bundle in her arms, weakly calling out her husband's name, her son's name and for the baby's cries. Without a thought, Zhaneal fell to her knees at Ursah's side and began praying with all her heart and soul to Devion. Her hands began to pulse and glow with a soft healing energy while another, a priestess she couldn't take the time to do more than greet, began administering her own healing and potions. A corner of Zhan's mind began to register the outraged whispers around her... Comments on Ursah's wounds and bruises, the conditions she must have been held under and the horrible treatment received... And that place in her mind whispered it's own outrage..." They call themselves followers of the light... And commit such dark acts against a mother carrying a baby in her belly???"

It was getting a little crowded around Ursah's battered body... Healing was coming but with so much damage done, more than two healers were needed and finally arriving. Someone must have noticed the change in Zhaneal's expression, because the next thing she realized, she was holding the bundled blankets in her arms. Ursah's son, for a boy-child he was, stirred only a little and his body was so very small. Zhan's heart started breaking right there and all she could think of was to get over by the windows, out of the way of all the bustling adults. Give this little elf a chance to be under the sky or at least closer to it than surrounded by the crush of everyone's worry.

Her prayers to Devion became quiet songs sung in a hushed voice. Devion, Ruler of Mischief, would protect and aid this child, He had to... All children saw mischief as a natural thing, coming out of play... He wouldn't turn away from another chance at bringing a bit more of His favorite things into the world. Zhaneal's faith was rooted firmly in this trust and through that belief, she urged the baby in her arms to breathe, to take her strength if he needed, to take years she had yet to spend if needed... All so that he might live. Her lulling songs urged with whispers for the baby to one day grow and reach for the stars in the sky and teach them to play tricks and games with each other, through them, to gain his dreams and desires. When tiny gurgling noises joined in with her song, someone, some healer it must have been, left Ursah's side long enough to refresh Zhan's energy and lend her own prayers to aiding the little life in continuing.

The Shalonesti would not count this child as another victory for he would live if Zhan had to give her own life to ensure it. They'd almost done it again in her mind... They'd almost turned another dark elven child who committed no crime except to be born into an orphan. Not again...

When assurances broke Zhaneal's near-trance that Ursah would rest now, the young cleric looked around the room. There was no adult who would not be busy doing something! Obviously the King and Queen needed to find out more about Lyan being traded for two dying elves to take their place in captivity (oh, and that burned Zhan as much as seeing Ursah and her child so close to death... How dare they further tear the family apart!?) . The Ka'vanth would want to watch over their Matron and the others all were leaving to see to other duties or try and do something more to make things better. Zhan was in the way and quickly took herself down the Tower steps until she stood near the War Room only to realize she was still holding the baby!

Zhaneal wrinkled her nose, trying to think. "Well Boo? Now whats? " the young cleric said to her wolf-friend, "If we are gonna makeds sure that th' baby don' leaves us an' go t' Devion's playgrounds, we're gonna needs... Stuff!"

And stuff they got! From her toy chests in Avillonia's house, Zhaneal grabbed doll blankets, bottles and her oversized toy cradle. These would be a good enough start, but the bottles wouldn't work, not if she needed to keep food for the baby fresh. That was when a new idea struck her, what about one of the JGC decanters she'd had made up at the metalsmith's shop? It's magic would ensure that milk wouldn't spoil... And the question of where she'd get milk from was answered before she had a chance to ask! Tulla saw the trio walking back toward the castle and kindly poured her own decanter's milk into one of the Junior Guardian Corps containers. There... She thought... Got everything we'll need... Except maybe...

Oh well... Figure out what's missing when she gets to it, a good enough motto as any for now!

Zhaneal carried the baby off to Devion's new temple! It would be quiet there, and if anyone really wanted to find her, that seemed like a logical place to look. And... None of the tree elves living in the Vallenwood would look for a Ka'vanth newborn under Devion's watchful gaze (if a gaze really could be counted on from that tricky darkness inside the statue's cowl). Prayers would be heard anywhere she said them... That's what all of the acolytes taught her... But maybe He'd hear them more clearly in His temple? Moments after arriving, Zhan began those prayers in earnest. But before she could start, she took that blood soaked blanket and set it aside in favor of things that had once swaddled her dolls. Warm clothes from Aunt Avi's bathing room soothed the babe's skin as she gently wiped him clean. After wrapping the little one in warm, lemon-scented blankets, Zhaneal kneeled with him in her arms... To ask a god to give one small life a chance.

That was when she realized something very important... Up to this point, no one had said anything about the baby's name! All she knew for sure was that his surname would be Ka'vanth like the rest of his family! How could she continue through the night asking Devion, the Lord of Mischief, to heal this child if she couldn't ensure that her prayers would not turn into tricks of some kind someday? The acolytes and tutors were very strict on that point in her lessoning... Never leave an opening, or you might end having a prank turned around on you! So far, there was no opening because her prayers had been entirely focused, but now, there were too many chances that her prayers might be interrupted... And at that moment, a bit of mischief could be turned on her intentions. Well then, for now, she'd need to give the baby some name... A secret one maybe... One only he, she and Devion Himself would know...

And weren't secrets the best first game a little child learned? Devion would like that idea, maybe... He'd at least understand why she needed it, right? Looking down at the baby, studying his eyes, Zhaneal realized that the baby already had a name inside... All she needed was to use that one! Tiny whispers in the back of her mind shared the secret he already held... And Zhan's prayers to her Lord commenced.

Laying next to Zhaneal in the quiet of Devion's temple on one side was a pile of papers with drawings and notations, all for the proposed Toy Store in Verminasia. She usually took still moments to doodle up some new idea or perfect some already standing toy for the store... Building blocks with letters were already in the finished design pile, as were the chalk and slate details and the sketches for a stuffed teddy bear. On the other side of the young cleric, a doll cradle rocked as a large white wolf nudged it with her nose. Inside that, lay a sleeping baby wrapped in pastel colored doll blankets. With a voice hushed an echoing though the temple, Zhan sang lullabies to the Ka'vanth infant to soothe him into deeper slumber.

Others should be coming soon...

Corwan arrived in Devion's temple shortly after Ah'Luetan did, the former to check on his friend after her sparse messages and the latter to check on the baby who's hold on life seemed so tenuous. It occurred to Zhaneal that she'd be trying to reassure everyone who asked for days to come that the baby wasn't going to die and that he'd grow stronger. So it seemed almost surprising that Ursah's Advisor seemed distracted by Corwan's presence and his calling himself 'friend' to a dark elf. But the White Robe apprentice was almost used to explaining to people that their 'odd' friendship in others' eyes was none of their affair. He must have said something that satisfied Ah'Luetan because he turned his attention back to the infant. Hoping for some hint, Zhaneal listened through the dark elven scribe's prayers to Mencius as to the name they would give to Ursah's child... But none came and eventually the Ka'vanth Advisor left to return to his Matron's side. Corwan left soon after to return to his Tower for another set of lessons in magecraft.

A silent wish hurried Corwan along on his way in her own mind... He wanted so much to succeed and as the first people-friend she had (not counting the numerous animal companions and toy-buddies), she did not wish him failure. Zhaneal knew in her heart that the friendship could never be as much as Corwan silently wanted, but she could try and hold on to that bond already shared within proper bounds. If only he could keep from being brainwashed by others, maybe they wouldn't end up fighting again.

Alone again with the baby and her wolf-friend, Boo, Zhaneal began to again take stock in her preparations for their comfort for the night. Recalling the decanter full of milk, the young cleric needed an inventive way of feeding her infant charge. Moments later, an idea struck! She'd take a nipple from one of her doll's baby bottles and put it on the spout of her JGC decanter. When not drinking from the 'bottle', Boo could keep it warm by keeping it tucked beneath her chest while she rested next to Zhan. Time to test the creation... With a field trial. Turning the baby's body in close to her, Zhaneal began to feed the childling, trying to keep her positioning similar to a more natural feeding for when Ursah could do this herself. To keep the baby suckling on the bottle, she caressed softly with a single fingertip the cheek right near the tiny baby mouth. And the most pleasant surprise came for Devion's mischievous cleric when a small baby hand wrapped little fingers around that caressing touch. For now, she'd let him cling to her hand if that's what it would take for him to also cling to life.

Eventually, the Ka'vanth must have gotten Ursah settled and ensured she would not be rushing off to save Lyan when she most needed to rest and heal, because Nactonees would not have left her side if that were still a risk. Zhaneal was very happy to see him enter Devion's temple in search of her and the baby sleeping lightly in an oversized doll cradle.

After simply drinking in the sight of him for a moment, Zhaneal shook her head and realized why he must have come. "Hellos, Big Brother," she whispered so as not to wake the elven baby, "want to meet your baby brother?"

Following her voice and the sweet smell of lemons that seemed to forever cling around Zhan, Nactonees settled next to them and smiled a worried, tired smile. Zhaneal removed the baby from his place in her cradle and held him out so that he could get to know a little of his newest family addition. His fingers caressed the cheek of his baby brother as he asked the obvious questions... Would the baby survive? Would he grow stronger? Was she all right? All were easily and joyfully answered. Yes, he'd live and grow strong if Devion's healing energy was any sign of the child's blessings. As for herself, Zhan was good at hiding most of her own lagging energy by focusing for a moment on feeding the youngest Ka'vanth with her improvised bottle. Cuddling up closer to Nac's side, she could give over to the quiet joy that Zhan always felt when focused on someone she cared about. Some sense of her contentment must have leaked out because Nactonees noticed... His whispered words did more than simply compliment and thank her for her attentiveness... His hushed comments hinted at their future as well.

Zhaneal wanted to ask more, but Baruch's entry into the temple cut her questions short. He wished to bask in the quiet of Devion's temple as well, but before he did, again Zhan gave assurances that the new Ka'vanth would live. What seemed odd about Baruch's comments though was that they seemed to follow Zhaneal's own impressions. Devion had something in mind for this baby... That was part of why He saved him... Maybe the child already belonged to Him the way Zhan had when she was so little. Only time would tell?

Such musings though ended for a time when Nactonees took note of Zhaneal's flagging strength. He urged her to rest, that he and Boo would watch over them both and if the babe needed anything, she would be awakened. A short nap is all she would allow herself, but it was hard to argue around yawns... And a little nap couldn't hurt...