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| Alliance Part 2 By Jadell |
| "Jadell?" Aleutin whispered softly as she entered her friends room. "Is it time?" Jadell asked quietly from a dark corner of the room. "Aye. If we do not leave now it may be days before we can get away without drawing the attention of those in my court that we wish to evade." "Let us depart then, for I am ready." Jadell step up into the light of a moonbeam that shown through the window. She wore little more then what would be called 'Court' attire. "You are not armed?" hissed Aleutin in surprise. Jadell chuckled softly. "Old friend, you forget that I am a mage as well as ranger. I am never unarmed. But fear not my weapons and armor are placed where I can get to them after we leave your city. I fear it would call to much attention to our wanderings should I be seen in your company in full battle regalia." "Jadell, you think more and more like your husband everytime we talk. Which in this case is probably a good thing. Perhaps I should follow suit.....though I think not, we have not the time for me to secret my gear in an advantageous location. I am not even going to ask how you did it under the watchful eyes of my court." "Take these," Jadell handed Aleutin a set of very delicate clothing. "Put them on and hand me your gear." Jadell raised her hand to silence Aleutin's protest. "Fear not by the time you finish dressing your gear will be with my own." Aleutin grinned somewhat dryly and quickly followed Jadell's instructions. Watching her friend quietly cast a very minor transportation spell on her armor and weapons as she dressed in more courtly fashion. A spell so minor that in a city alive with magic not even the most dilegent of spies would notice its almost non-existent power signature. "Intrigue is a daily course in my court and I thought myself somewhat adept at such doings. You, however, make me look like a novice." "Yes, well like you said I think more and more like Bane each day. Believe me he makes even the most devious of politions look like novices. Now, since we are both dressed like Ladies of the Court shall we take a walk out the front door to enjoy the night blooming floors of your cities many gardens?" Aleutin laughed heartily. "Let me guess...shall we start with the Garden of Fedarine near the Waterfalls of the Moon or shall we end there?" Jadell grinned widely. "Both!" A short time later Jadell used a similar transportation spell to move them out side the Elvin city. "That Jadell will be noticed." Aleutin pointed out as they quickly dressed in their armor. Jadell in blackend chainmail that almost looked like Elven Chain but was in fact far lighter and far stronger then ordenary Elven Chain. Not that Aleutin's forest green suit of Elven Chainmail was anything to be ashamed of, far from it, the suit was one of the most powerfully enchanted sets in all of Elvendom. "It can not be helped. The minor relocation spell can not handle living matter with any degree of delicacy. Getting dropped on our heads from the tree tops is not the I plan on starting this little adventure of ours. Besides the magic of the Moon falls will foul up anyone trying to keep watch on either of us long enough for us to be long gone." Jadell replied as she slid her duel swords into the scabbards that crossed her back. "Its a long walk..." "Who said we were walking out of here?" Jadell asked as she watched Aleutin sheath her own sword on her left hip, and a long knife on her right. When she had finished Jadell placed her left hand on Aleutin's shoulder and muttered three arcane words egta ecrnante naurgank daroabes sagcr, in a language so old no one really knew precisely what they ment. Well.....almost no one. A few breaths later Aleutin found that they were standing at the Gates to the Dwarven City of Kanguran in the Seaboard Crag Mountains. A good hundred and eighty day ride from the Elven City of Glenmalden. "Jadell are you..?"Aleutin turned quickly to study Jadell expecting to find her severly drained of power from the enormus amount of energy needed for such a long distance teleport spell, only to find Jadell grinning at her with one eyebrow raised. "By all the Gods!" she gasped. "Jadell I know our teachers of magic claimed that you would one day become a powerful mage but.... I know elven mages that are thousands of years old that do not have the kind of power to cast that spell and remain untouched by its drain!"' "I am not Elven, Aleutin, and Lycans have been on this world far longer then any other race other then Dragons and there is some debate on that issue, but my point is magic to Lycans is almost like the air we breath. I know, I know the legends claim that for Elves as well but we are the older race and as far as I know the only race save for the Dragons that under go the Trials of Magi." Jade shuddered. "Believe me when I say that though Elven Magic is unsurpassed by any of the younger races it is eclipsed by that of the Dragons and Lycanthropes. And I am of Clan Raven...no other Lycan clan can equal us in magical talent and power." "I still.."Aleutin broke off as she noticed column of dwarven warriors headed their way from the gates of Kanguran. "We have been noticed." "Aye. It would be best if we waited here...Silveraxe may be our friend but it is long since either Elven or Lycan ambassadors have been... shall we say warmly welcomed in Dwarven lands." "Silveraxe would not carry on her Uncles animosities." "No...but is she the true ruler here is the question. Fireblade was well liked as the regeant among the dwarven people. He might not have made the transfer of power to Silveraxe as thoroughly as it should have been. She is after all the first female ruler of the Dwarves in over three hundred years." Aleutin nodded. "Aye and though she knows she could ask either of us for help, in the long run it probably would not make things any easier for her if Fireblade chose to make his animosities well known." "Greetings travelers." a red haired, male, dwarven warrior called as he aproached them. "What brings you to Kanguran and who be yee?" "I am Emporess Jadell NightSong of the Lycan Empire and this Lady Aleutin, Queen of the Elven Lands. We wish an audience with War Leader Silveraxe. We are old friends." "Indeed we have heard tales of your time with Silveraxe. Why do yee call her War Leader? Her brother Hammerhand is War Leader of Kanguran." "Hammerhand? We had heard that he was killed. There were rumors of assination at the time. Its why Silveraxe returned home early from her time as Ambassador to the Lycan Empire." Jadell frowned slightly. "Aye at the time that Silveraxe was sent for it was thought that Hammerhand had been killed by traitors. She returned just in time to prevent it from becomming fact and not mear rumor. Please follow me and I will take yee to Hammerhand and Silveraxe they are in the council chambers." "Our thanks." Jadell said as they followed the red haired dwarf into the city. "I am pleased to hear that Hammerhand is alive and safe. Silverlaxe was very distressed when she heard that he was dead." "May we know your name, Sir Dwarf?" Aleutin asked. "I am Stormblade, son of Hammerhand." Jade chuckled. "It never ceases to amaze me how time passes so quickly without one even noticing. The last time I heard of you, your aunt had just received word of your birth. By the heavens that must be over 25 years ago." "More like 29 years." Stormblade grinned, eyes sparkling mischieviously. "Wait here while I announce yee." he directed as they stoped before enorums stone doors. Without waiting for their reply he stepped through the doors and announced them before the dwarven council. "Jadell...Aleutin?" a deep but defiantly female voice shouted from beyond the doors. "Bring yee scrawny hides in here immediatly! Stormblade yee dont keep friends waiting in cold drafty halls." Jadell and Aleutin laughed and strode through the doors to find themselves almost knocked to the ground as a silverhaired female dwarfed barrled into them hugging them fiercely. Her older more sedate brother followed her. "Be yee come in Peace or War?" he demanded gruffly, earning his sisters immediate ire, which Jadell and Aleutin quickly broke up by answering truthfully. "We come in time of war and trouble for all the people of this world but in Peace with Dwarves." "Stormblade tells me yee asked for 'War Leader Silveraxe' be it my sister yee seek or the War Leader?"" Jadell and Aleutin shared a troubled glanced. "In truth War Leader Hammerhand we may be seeking both." "That does not bode well...we dwarves may not be as wordly as the Lycans and Elves but we are not blind to the evil that threatens all the good races of our world. Unlike humans we will provide yee with what help we can give." Hammerhand sighed wearly. "Come we five will speak in private before we seek the councils words." he motioned for Jadell, Aleutin, Stormblade and Silver axe to follow him into a smaller room behind the stone throne of the Dwarven War Leader. To be continued. Jadell NightSong |