Journal Part I

Journal Part II

Journal Part IV

The Reading

I am writing this after some time, as I haven't had the time or the strength to write. Let me start at the kidnapping. I was taken by a band of Nalfein ordered by my mother to bring me back to the camp and stay in jail. They had heard from some pathfinders that I was on the way to Icemule once again and they intercepted Valentrus and I on the road. As they took me back I was crying and they beat me until I didn't cry anymore. I was bound with some sort of rope and they were very cruel telling me that I was going to learn my lesson for running away. I don't think I had been so scared in all my life. They got me back to the camp and I was put in a cell once more, this time with two guards watching me. Joallia came into the room with that dark cape over her eyes again It turns out she wasn't dead, after all.. She lowered it down from her and her eyes appeared to be becoming slitted, either like she hadn't slept much or had been in the dark too long. Regardless she looked tormented. I looked closely at her this time, with her dark hair and eyes, and her pale pale skin. I looked nothing like her, in fact I looked a lot more like my Sylvan mother. She laughed softly at me and my bruises and she leaned close to me. She blames me for all the pain she has now, and the need to go into the darkness. She says when I was born, I was a failure from the beginning because I should have been a boy.."If you had just been a boy, none of this would have happened" she hissed close to my ears. She's right. Later that evening after Joallia had managed to make me feel completely useless, Varilus came to my cell. He was looking much more healthy and he smiled at me as the guards let him in and he sat down next to me. We talked about life and everything that had happened and he leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. I truly believe looking back at it now that he felt remorse for his actions, and that he was being led by Joallia through most of the things he had done. He whispered, "I love you, Ilvane" and it was then that Joallia arrived. Seeing the tears in his eyes she glared at him. "You are weak and pathetic!" she spit at him. "You are useless as well, and it is time for your death." She gazed up into the heavens pulled a dagger from her sheath and plunged it deep into his heart. She looked at me with complete hatred and said "You are next, Ilvane." She pulled her veil back over her head and left me with my fathers body. I cried for what felt like hours over my fathers body. My hands were covered in blood from trying to stop the bleeding, but I knew he was already not breathing. It was my fault, it always has been. I fell into a fitful sleep that evening and mid night I heard a whispered, "Ilvane," from the window of the cell. It was Rhianon again and she said it would only be a minute until she would get me out. I heard her tell the guards that my mother wanted me moved to the cell underground and that she had personally been told to take her to assure she didn't escape. It worked because she was let in easily and she grabbed my hand tightly . It was at this moment she turned her head and saw the body of her dead father on the ground. She let out a mournful wail and fell against his body sobbing. " Oh Daddy!". She sobbed…She looked up at me for a moment then back down at her fathers body. "My mother, wasn't it?" She looked as if she had been faced with something that she didn't want to see and her eyes widened as she looked at me. I really thought my heart would break. "It was her, " I said softer than I thought my voice could get. Rhianon cried and walked away for a moment. She grabbed my hand again and took me out of the cell into the dark of the night. "You are all I have right now Ilvane, be careful." She led me to a horse she had set aside and told me if anyone asked to say that she was Rhianon being sent on a mission to Icemule. I really didn't think anyone would believe it until she handed me her cloak. "Go quickly, and be careful!" As I sped off on the horse back to Icemule, I couldn't help but thank Ronan I had met her. I got back to Icemule early in the morning and I found Valentrus. I must have looked terrible but it didn't matter because I just wanted to make sure that he knew what was going on. I went to sleep that night imagining that I would be safe forever from my mother. Sometime while I was sleeping, Rhianon came to town to warn us of the coming of Joallia and some other Nalfein to kill Valentrus and I. I wanted to stay in Icemule, but Valentrus though it would be safer for me to hide in a sylvan village with some friends of my adopted parents. I didn't like it much there, it was too crowded and they wanted to teach me domestic things. Many of them knew my parents well, and they tried hard to make me feel at home, but I wanted to be with Valentrus. I sneaked out one night when no one was watching and joined up with the group of elves helping Valentrus defeat the Nalfein. I hid myself well when he would come around, and I know even today he doesn't know I was there. When word came that Joallia had come to town, Valentrus went out to find her with his blessed blade and prepared for battle. I quietly hid in the trees behind him and it was then that I saw my mother. She was in a fit of rage, and she didn't notice me at all. Valentrus came up with his sword drawn and I held my breath because I was afraid she would kill him. She chanted what seemed to be a soft curse and she turned around just as he got to her. She raised up her hands in a magical gesture but instead her hand struck his blade and it knocked her back. She looked down at the bleeding hands in shock and she let out a sad whimper. It was as if every bit of darkness was removed from her if but for a moment. I don't know if Valentrus saw this or not, but I saw a dark shadow pass over her as this happened and then she looked up to the sky with a wail. She cried out, "I have failed you, my lord…" With that she took her bloodied hands and plunged her dagger into her heart. As Valentrus walked over to see if she was alive, I fought back tears of pain and mourning for my mother. I was afraid to step forward because I didn't want Valentrus to see me, so I waited until after he left. I walked over to the body and held her head in my hands. From that moment on, I pledged to fight against Luukos with all I had within me. I have seen what he could do to people, and how his promises of power had changed lives, and it is my vow now to stop him any way I can.