[Deliverance Day] Kidnap Job

The knight errant seemed to enjoy his kindred's enthusiasm, "I would if I could, brother. But maybe later. For now, I am to take you to see my lady. She awaits just this way, if you would."

With a gentile motion, the knight escorted Talysn down an alley and around the bend to a small door set in a wall. With a rhythmic knock and musical password, the door swung on silent hinges and the knight motioned for Talysn to cross the boundary.

The courtyard beyond was like stepping back onto a Sol'Dana street. Hexagonal cuts of rose quartz hued stones formed pathways through the vibrant green gardens, which were in turn lined with the purest white loose rocks. Instead of the ugly, ramshackle architecture of Vynne, Talysn found himself surrounded by the elegant flow lines which mark elven buildings as their own. Flying buttresses and slender pillars supported the main building, as well as a wide awning of a translucent material which, despite being almost see-through, blocked out the harshest rays.

Beneath the awning, sitting at a pure white wooden table and reading a book, was an elegant, sharp-featured elven woman in flowing white and gold robes. The faintest lining of green told her allegiance to the current Queen. Brushing her blonde braided hair back, the woman smiled as the knight approached her, whispered something in her ear, and took up a position behind her as sentinel.

Taking a moment to scrutinize the newcomer, she too spoke in the elven tongue, "Ah. You must be... Talysn, is it? Please, come." Setting the book down, the woman pointed to a chair just opposite herself.

A bemused smirk crossed the elven woman's face. While she was not old, her features were already beginning to tell a tale of experience. Time amongst the other races had worn her features, though they still carried some sharpness.

"My name isn't important." the maiden replied, "But since you've done the courtesy of giving me your name, I shall grant you to know mine. I'm Ministress Dennel; and I've been sent all the way from the Sanguine Court in Xael Aulaan." Her knowing eyes settled on Talysn. "Your friends and family there say you're one of the best trackers in the Fae Wilds, which I hope extends to this side of the world, as well, because we need your help in tracking and returning one of our own back to the fold."

With a gentle touch along the spine, the tome on the table cracked open and pages spun as though trapped in a breeze. At last the gilded pages settled and stopped on a relief image of a figure that looked like a figure of terror. Ragged, torn cloaks covered the figure and the armor beneath, with a plague doctor's mask shrouding the face.

"Their name is Lavander." Dennel explained. "They're a priest of our most sacred faith, but has been battered, bruised and abused by the people here for too long. We need you to find her and bring her home."

Dennel looked a shade annoyed by the line of questioning, but not surprised by it. It was as though she wanted to avoid having any more discussion than was necessary.

"Not running, so much as shirking duty." Dennel explained. "They're a priest of the Fates, yet choose to spend all their time with blasphemers and heretics. A lifetime among the people of this world has been cruel to them - left them, on more than one occasion, broken and discarded like a child's toy." There was a touch of sympathy in her tone, "They've had a harsh life, and the Fates have done all they can to push them in the right direction. But now, we must give them a more direct nudge in the way of home."

Fixing her cloak, Dennel added, "How you bring them back is up to you, but we want no harm done to them. If you think they'll listen to reason, by all means do so. If you must take more... extreme methods, we sanction that as well. The method doesn't concern us so long as they are brought back here so we may guide them home."

In an effort to quash all further questions, Dennel put one more nail into the conversation, "Do this, and we will grant you whatever boon is in our power to give."