We quickly finished our breakfast, took our serum, and got dressed. We had a Master plan. May told Greer that we were teleporting out for a bit and she summoned the portal with words Janiver had given her.
We apparently weren't the only ones with the same idea that morning. Coming out on the other side of the portal, we walked in on Margrin and Janiver so to speak. Both women screamed and Margrin was attempting to cover himself as I retreated back through the portal. May wasn't far behind.
“Oh my élois, Tendil! I'll never unsee it!"
Greer be damned! I locked the door as fast as I could, grabbed May by the arm and … fifteen minutes later, we were relaxing in bed with visions of rutting Elves temporarily forgotten.
“Come, Love. Time to get moving. We'll have to face them sooner or later. At least you get to leave this evening. I shall be stuck with them."
“Why don't you just come with us, Darling?”
"Oh, three’s plenty, Tindel. Besides, I haven't the patience for stealth. I prefer a loud frontal assault."
“You mean like I made just a few min….”
"Tindel, stop! First of all, everything isn't a joke or material for a joke. Secondly, I'm not as open about things as you are. I may never be. So stop being a child, please.”
I might have mentioned it earlier, but I can be a little slow sometimes. I also kid around too much. That can be a poor mixture at times and I was mortified that I had upset May so.
"May, I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies. I honestly never want you to hurt or be uncomfortable. Ever. Especially by my hand. Or mouth as is typically the case. I love you more than life.”
She kissed me sweetly and we just held each other for a bit, lying there in the early morning heat.
The sound of eight bells woke me again. I guess I had drifted off. May was dressed at the table in the sitting room, pen to parchment, scratching away furiously.
I put on a robe and rang for Greer to get me some more coffee and a cold pear juice before joining May.
“What are you writing, Love?”
Without looking up, she said "I'm just making notes. Keeping track of some important names and whatnot. What were the names of the Syndicate people you met in Kruklig?”
“Ah, let's see, the contact, the High Elf, his name was Imgrist, Imgrist Ferylyón. The Syndicate boss was the Orc, Shamrog Yurk. Ravin Yurkiz is the name of Brevid’s father if you don't already have it in there. Those are the important names at least.
May, I have an odd question for you. In the case of Imgrist Ferylyón, for example, if he dies in a place like Kruklig, with no Necropolis, what do they do with the body?”
"Well, My Love, if he hasn't made arrangements, he'd likely be dealt with as local custom dictates. In Kruklig, by Orc custom, they have a place outside the city where he would be placed on a scaffold and the vultures would eat the corpse. After a week or so, they bury the bones in the ground. Unmarked.
If he made arrangements, he may go to the Sand Elf Necropolis, or even back to Nez Clar?. Is that what you wanted to know, Darling? Why such morbid thoughts so early?”
“Because I'm Human, Love. We're a morbid species. If I die will they put me to the pyre here?"
“You mean within the next few days I suppose since you'll be immortal soon? Yes, Dearest, and then your bones placed in an ossuary in the Royal Crypt. Unless you would like to make other arrangements?"
“I don't know. That Orc thing sounds interesting. Sorry. Yes. May, that would be my wish. To remain here, near you. I'm sorry I joke so much. It just makes life seem more fun to me, but I get that it could be exhausting for you.”
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“If it were that exhausting, My Prince, you wouldn't be my prince. Don't change yourself. Okay?"
“I feel I'll have to remind you of this moment many times in the future."
“Back to work, Dear. Hurry and get dressed. The others will be here soon."
I gave her a quick kiss, “I believe I have time for a quick bath before they arrive. I'll be right back."
Sometimes it felt good to just take a quick dip in the baths. There was a cold bath that was fairly small and regularly unoccupied. I found it so on this trip as well. An invigorating plunge and back out into the early summer morning heat.
But someone joined me this time. It was an older Elf, a Gray Elf. I would put him at over 800 easily.
“Good morning, Sir. You may have it to yourself momentarily. I was just getting out."
“A minute of your time, Your Majesty?”
"I guess it's hard to avoid detection when you're the only Human around,” I laughed. "What may I help you with, Sir?”
"My name is Hevist, Hevist Hevistyón. You may recognize the name. My grandson was Lieutenant Alvil Hevistyón; we met briefly at his funeral."
“Yes, Sir, I remember you now. I'm sorry, those were very hectic days leading up to the war, as brief as it was. Are you well, Sir?"
“Yes, Your Majesty, I'm fine. I just come with a matter of concern, I believe. You see, I run a large apothecary on the Boulevard, Hevistyón’s as a matter of fact. We get customers of all sorts, from doctors and common folk to Witches and Wizards.
One of our customers you are likely familiar with, Shindur is her name.”
Well, that got my attention. "Yes, what about her?”
"She buys an excessive amount of amber, but insists on only buying that with inclusions. Most unusual.”
"You mean you sell the included amber to the general public?”
"Some people prefer it for magical purposes I guess.”
"How do you get it?”
"We harvest it ourselves regularly. My three sons and some of their children. It's easy to find in the North Woods if you know where to look.
But, anyway, Shindur. She's been coming in recently with strangers. Other Elves, but not from around here. Yesterday, she was with a Fire Elf gentleman. They have to have traveled quite some way. East of Swalesia.
The day before, she came with a Sun Elf woman. Just very odd goings on. Perhaps I'm just too distrustful. But the Shindur woman is not what she seems. Around these others she doesn't seem like a good person at all. I just wanted to let you know that I feel you should keep an eye on her.”
“Did you get names of these others, by any chance?"
"She called the Fire Elf, Shardish. He looked to be a warrior. The Sun Elf was a Warlock. I could tell from her jewelry. She was called Ahmerni. Cruel eyes in a beautiful face, that one. Oh, and there was a third, a Sand Elf, Jinfar was his name I believe. Also a Warlock.”
“Hevist, Sir, don't speak of this to anyone. Please. It's a matter of security for the realm. Understood?”
"Of course, Your Majesty, of course.”
"You've been incredibly helpful. Just try to keep your eyes open. Anyone else you see her with, come straight to me. Can you do that?”
"Certainly, Your Majesty. It's my civic duty."
“Thank you again, Mister Hevist. Remember, silence. Now I must take my leave. Good day, Sir"
When I finally made it back to our rooms, Waldinor said that everyone had already gone through the portal, and that the Queen was mad at me. She wouldn't be after my news.
As I walked through the portal, I cut them off before I could hear their complaints about my promptness.
“Before you all let me have it, I have two more names for your list!"
May’s scowl turned into a question mark.
“What do you mean, Dear?"
“I met an old apothecary at the baths. The grandfather of the young lieutenant for whom you gave the eulogy, May, remember? Well, one of his frequent customers is Shindur who is already on the list.”
"Yes, I remember, Tendil. Go on.”
"Well, she's been in his store recently with a couple of strange Elves. They were in there buying only included amber. He said he and his family go to a place in the North Woods to gather it. Could it really be that easy, May?”
"Well, no, Love. It shouldn't be. The trade is supposed to be limited to Royal resources now. He must know a place off the beaten path. I'll have someone look into it and bar the area from the public. But do go on with your story, Tendil.”
"The first visitor was a Fire Elf, a warrior looking fellow from Mister Hevistyón’s description. The name was Shardish.”
May was scribbling furiously in her stack of parchment.
“The next was a Sun Elf female. He said he could tell she was a Warlock by some jewelry she was wearing? Ahmerni was her name. And there was a Sand Elf male, a Warlock named Jinfar. I've told him to come to me if he gets any more names or has any information. I didn't want to say anything then, but we obviously need to confiscate the apothecary's stash of included amber. Tell him it's an issue of it being too poor of a quality to sell or something of that nature.”
"This is excellent work, Love. We can put a chokehold on their plans if we cut off their supply of included amber.”
Janiver asked, “I wonder how many of them Carca recruited. We were limiting it to Warlocks. I know I was advised against that and party strength and whatnot, but that's all we ever saw recruited. I'll research these three and have something for you before you leave this evening."
May said, “Let's get some work in before lunch at least. At least some light sparring."
And we did. Nothing said about the incident that morning with Margrin and Janiver. Thank the gods. Let that moment die in peace.