Sight Seeing

While Mathlyn uses a scrying device to see events from afar, the Lossasidhe princess, Syndi, meets an unusual individual.

29.

Sight Seeing

 

“What is it?”   Mathlyn asked the sentry as soon as he was ushered into her presence.

“Your Majesty, just after sunset, I saw what looked to be smoke coming from the middle of the Faesidhe forest.   It is quite a distance off and I estimate it could come from the Clearing of the Ages.”

Mathlyn sat up in her chair, “The Great Tree!  Something has happened!” 

Turning to her granddaughter Nansea, she commanded, “Child, bring my scrying ball.”

The Sylvan girl ran from the room and returned moments later with the crystal ball.    She also brought Alis and Aeric with her, as well as their daughter Abigae, who held the Dullerm’s baby, Aidan in her arms.   

“Your Highness, what has happened?”   Aeric asked.

“I hope to find out right now, Sir Aeric.   All of you gather around me and we shall see together.”

They went around the table and crowded near the Inion Sidhe lady.    Mathlyn chanted a few activation words and then spoke the words ‘Faesidhe Tree’.   The image that appeared in the crystal ball caused all of them to gasp.    The great tree was on its side, engulfed in flames.

“Yesh Silimherum!   The Great Tree!   Oh no!”   Mathlyn’s eyes were as wide as saucers and she gripped the edge of her chair tightly.

“Amilyo, what happened to it?”   Nansea whispered to her Grandmother, wrapping her arms around her for comfort.

“I do not know, child!”   Mathlyn peered closely at the scene, scanning it for clues, “The Faesidhe do not seem to be armed " I don’t think this was an act of war.”

“Queen Mathlyn, it could be an act of sabotage.” Aeric suggested, “There are those among the Faesidhe that are rebellious to Westmark’s control of the forest.”

“Yes, but I don’t think they would destroy their most revered tree for any reason, Sir Aeric.”

“I’d like to see if our people are alright.”  Alis said, thinking of her son and her friends.

“That might give us some clues.”   Mathlyn agreed, and waving her hand in the air in front of the crystal ball, she spoke the word, “Aedric.”

The scene changed, but only slightly.   Her grandson stood in the Clearing of the Ages with those who had gone with him on his quest.    He was speaking to a group of Faesidhe noblemen, all who looked quite upset, and some very angry.    Alis and her daughter counted those they could see.

“Aaron’s there, next to Aedric, and there is Gamel and Snoe.    Mutt, Lord Matt and Allea are standing behind them.    And… is that Alleania?”   Abigae asked her mother, and Alis nodded, “I think it is.   Odd; she didn’t go with them.    I don’t see Amala and the Bugbear, or Sintore.”

“Queen Mathlyn”, Abigae started to ask the Inion Sidhe lady, but she was already waving her hands and said, “Amala Dullerm”.

The scene changed to a dark, smoke-filled cavern.    At first they didn’t recognize any of the four figures, for all of them wore masks over the lower parts of their faces.

“That’s Eleazar and Aurei.”   Aeric finally said with confidence, “And the Bugbear is likely Carn.    Since you asked to see Amala, Queen Mathlyn, that would leave that girl in the dress with the plate armor over it.”

Alis seemed skeptical, “That isn’t Amala " she wouldn’t be caught dead in a dress, and look at her hair, it is very long.   Amala’s is short.”

“I can find out.”  Mathlyn said, and while waving her hands over the crystal ball, she spoke, “Move in closely to clearly show Amala Dullerm’s face.”

The scene changed, and again it showed the long haired Drow girl.   Though she wore cloths wound around her nose and mouth, when the scrying device zoomed in, they could tell that it was indeed the tomboy.

“What in Yesh’s name has happened to her?”  Nansea asked aloud.

“They’re in the Underdark.” A girl’s voice said from the doorway and they looked over to see Pennlys, one of two daughters of Uyuit the Drow.

“Pennlys, come here, child.”  Mathlyn beckoned her over to them, “You’ve lived in the Underdark " can you tell where this scene we are seeing in the crystal ball is located?”

The girl glanced at the image for a long time.

“I’m not certain, but I can tell you it looks like the passage that Matron Alleania would sometimes take to spy on the harvesters of Dart’loxinchu in the cavern where it is found.”

“What makes you think that, child?”   Mathlyn asked the Drow girl.

“Well, I went with father once when he and Howst accompanied Matron Alleania to see how House Meddis was doing since they had control of the bark.     I remember that the passage was very winding and curving.”

“You have seen the cavern, haven’t you?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.   The great tree grows in the middle of it, shedding off white bark.”

“Pennlys, we just saw a scene where the Great Faesidhe Tree has been destroyed and was burning.”

“The Great Tree?!”   The girl exclaimed in alarm.

“Yes, child, and we don’t know why or how.   Perhaps the Dragon burned it.”

“Is everyone alright?   My father---“  She hesitated, tears welling up in her eyes.

Mathlyn spoke the name of her father, Alleania’s servant, Uyuit, and the scrying device changed to show the Drow male standing on a battlement with others, including Sir Alvis, Zeatt and Howst.

“There he is.”   Pennlys sighed in relief, “They are looking over the outer walls of House Ar’Rilla, onto the street.”  

“From their expressions, they seem grim, but not anxious.”   Alis said as she peered over Mathlyn’s shoulder.

The Inion Sidhe lady agreed with a nod, “I would say that their expressions are of those after a battle has ended.”

“But what happened?”   Aeric wondered aloud, and they all shared his interest.   With no other way of finding out, they just stared on at the scenes that Mathlyn brought up and hoped that they would piece together what had happened.

 

***

 

Syndi was in pure bliss as she walked up and down the streets of Westmark.   For nearly an hour, she had relaxed while seeing all the various races, and now she found the mixture exciting and interesting.

Glancing around, she suddenly was drawn to a figure standing in the middle of the busy street, holding a square piece of wood with a  paper on it, and a bit of coal " or something"in his other hand.   

He stood staring up at an airship docking station.   She had just learned what the strange structure was, earlier this afternoon and apparently she wasn’t the only person who was fascinated with it.

 

For a few moments, she watched the man as he sketched the structure.   He looked like either a Sylvan or High Elf.   He wore the green hooded cloak of the Sylvan people, but his clothing seemed to be the style of some of the High Elf Rangers that she had seen milling about the streets as she wandered around.

He was certainly an Elf from his pointed ears and thin frame, but he seemed quite tall and his brown hair was short, yet uncombed.    

Most noticeably, he was oblivious that he was an obstacle standing in the middle of the street.    He did not hear any of the rude remarks from some that had to walk around him.

All he seemed focused on was drawing the tower.

 

Syndi’s curiosity finally spurred her forward.   She waited until the traffic on the street subsided slightly, and then tromped through the snow and mud until she was standing behind him.     Still he didn’t seem to notice her.   If she had been an assassin, she could have stabbed him and easily slipped away before he would have noticed.

Standing on her tiptoes, she looked over his shoulder, to see the drawing.    To her surprise, it wasn’t a typical artist’s sketch, but seemed to be a very precise rendering, complete with notes and arrows pointing to various parts of the structure.  

She squinted slightly, trying to make out words from his very sloppy scrawl.  

“It’s in Drow.”   He said, without any other indication that he had seen her or was talking to her.

“Uh…what?”   She asked, unsure if he had been talking to himself or to her.

“The script you are trying to read is in Dark Elven.   That’s why you can’t read it.”

“Oh… I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be nosy.    I just had to see what you were sketching.”

“I’m sketching the Docking Station.”

“Yes… I know that.”

“It’s a wonderful structure " the Dwarves designed it and the humans built it.   But there is just one problem with it.”

She waited for him to elaborate, but when he didn’t, she finally said, “What problem does it have?”

“Steps.”

“Steps?”

“Yes, exactly 96 steps, to be precise.”

“- And this is a problem?”

“If you are in a hurry or are embarking on a journey carrying baggage, yes indeed.  It needs an elevator.”

“A what?”

“An elevator… oh, you probably have no idea what that is, do you?    It is a platform or a cage that rises and lowers from floor to floor to quickly take people to different levels of a building.”

“That sounds interesting.   Are there actually such things?”

“Aeropolis has several of them, most of them in the Wizard’s quarters.    They are not cheap to craft, but they do make life easier.”

“Have you seen one?”   Syndi asked the strange young Elf.

 

He smiled slightly and turned to her, revealing a very intelligent face and deep, wise brown eyes, “I helped construct one.”

“You did?   Really?  Are you a wizard?”

The young Elf laughed as if the question was extremely ridiculous, but at the same time flattering, “Goodness no!   I am only an apprentice… or more accurately, I was only an apprentice.    My master is dead.”

“Oh no!   What happened?”

“He was the grand master of the Practical Magic wizards in Aeropolis, so of course that stirred up Torrin’s wrath.   Several of my master’s servants were demi-humans, and then there was me, his apprentice.    My master was arrested on the first day of the persecution.   He had bidden me to conceal myself and flee with the refugees which he knew would soon be leaving, and this is what I did.”

“How horrible!  They killed him?”

“Yes, when he wouldn’t reveal where he kept his scrolls and spellbooks or tell them where  his servants and I were hiding.”

“He died protecting you?”

The boy nodded grimly, “Yes, in a way, he did.    But I honored his life’s work by taking all of his papers and books with me.    It was his will that I do this.”

“Did he have a lot?”

“A vast library.   I took it all.”

“How did you take it with you when you fled?”

The young Elf smiled, “Simple: I kept it in my pocket.”

 

Syndi looked perplexed, and he reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked like a small coin pouch, “It’s all in here.”

“How?   It is too small for even a small book.”

“It is called a ‘bag of holding” and this one belonged to my master.     It is one of the largest ever crafted.    It displaces space, magically.   This bag could hold the contents of a fairly large castle, quite easily.”

“Really?”   She asked, amazed.

“Sure; take a look.”   He pulled the strings open and she peered through the opening.    It was like she was looking through a small hole into a vast warehouse or cave.    She could see bookcases and books every place she looked.

“Amazing!”  She whispered.   She was so enthralled that she did not see that the boy now was looking at her from head to foot.   Only a shy smile betrayed that he approved of what he saw.

“I’m hoping to continue his work.    I was nearly complete in my apprenticeship.”

“So you are one of those ‘Practical Magicians’ that I have heard of?”

“Some prefer the title ‘Practical Magic Engineers’.”   He somewhat awkwardly extended his hand to her, “My name is Muld Mozzil.”

She shook his hand, “Um, I’m Syndi.”

“Nice to meet you, Syndi.    Are you a refugee?”

“Not exactly… I’m here with my parents on… family business.”

“I understand.” He said, “Private matters, no doubt.”

“Somewhat.   My sister died at the hands of Earl Redburr’s forces.”

“I am very sorry.    Many have similar stories.    Were the two of you close?”

“Not close enough.   Now I will never get that chance.   My parents came here to meet with the Duke and Duchess to find out what happened.”

“I don’t know if your folks will get that chance.   Duke Eleazar and Duchess Aurei are said to be on a mission to the Underdark.”

“The Underdark?”  She acted surprised, though she had overheard General Luca tell her parents this much before she had left the meeting.

“I share in your surprise.   But I have heard rumors that there is a vast army invading the home of the Drow, and that Westmark is the prize that Redburr’s masters demand of him.”

“How would invading the Underdark achieve this?”

“I imagine he intends to send two armies from two different directions, to overwhelm this city.  One from the south or east, and the other from underneath them.    There is said to be a network of inter-connected caves beneath the ridge of hills and mountains that run north to south through Northmarch. ”

“So Redburr’s rebellion was part of all of this?”

“Most people think it was, yes.   Queen Eioldth’s death was very tragic.    Was your sister a member of her court?”

“She lived in the palace.”  She replied, not wanting to reveal her relationship to Eioldth.    She loved just having a casual conversation without all the polite titles and fake respect.

“She was lucky to have been one of her ladies in waiting.”  He replied, assuming this is what she meant.

“Did you ever meet Queen Eioldth?”   Syndi asked.

“No; sadly, I never met her.    It was my intention to go to King’s Reach, with the first convoy of refugees from Aeropolis, and then offer the Queen my abilities " as meager as they are"to help make life more comfortable through Practical Magic.”

“How long have you been here?”   Syndi asked the odd young Elf.

“A few weeks.   We came by the southern highway, hoping to avoid any trouble with the legions loyal to Torrin’s teachings.    But when we arrived here in Westmark, we learned that Eioldth had been killed by one of Redburr’s wizards.”

“So what did you do?”

“We all decided to stay here.   The Dullerms have been gone most of the time that our convoy has been here.    But everyone has told us to stay.   I plan to try to arrange a meeting with the Duke and Duchess when peace returns.    Hopefully, they will need a Practical Magic Engineer to work for them or one of the guilds in town.”

“How have you spent your time while waiting?”

“Well, I decided to learn all I could about Westmark.   I had figured that there would be next to no Practical Magic here, but to my surprise, they actually have quite a bit of Practical Magic in place already.   That is certainly encouraging, for I have asked around and they do not have a Practical Mage or any Engineers here.”

 

“I’ve never really seen many Practical Magic items.”   Syndi admitted.   Her parents were not fond of the use of magic for mundane reasons.    She suddenly felt really backwards and rustic.

“There are several nice applications of the art, throughout the city.   I’ve nearly completed my survey of them.   Would you be interested in seeing them?   I could explain to you how they are crafted.”   He fidgeted, seeming to have used up all his courage in asking her this.    Syndi looked up the street and thought she could see the Orc lieutenant walking her way.    She’d have to rejoin her parents if the Orc saw her. 

“Sure!”  Syndi replied with a smile, “Show them all to me.”

“Really?   All of them?   Okay!” He seemed surprised, but pleased, “Where do you want to start?”

“How about the other end of town " then work our way back here… if that is not too much to ask.”

“No, not at all!”   Muld smiled nervously, “I really didn’t think anyone would be interested in all of it.   Shall we go?”

“Yes.” The Princess responded, as she verified Lieutenant Lysa’s identity while watching her slowly coming toward them.

“Follow me, then.”  Muld said, and he took off at a fast walk, with Syndi at his heels.

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[Elina]

"You Majesty, just after sunset, I saw what looks to be..." The "you" ought to be "your," I believe, and "looks" could be changed to "looked."
"I’m not for certain..." You can leave out "for."
"...where I and his servants were hiding." This should be "...where his servants and I were hiding."

[Eddie Davis]

Thank you again, Elina.