Heirot

Tenele paused her approach, so the woman would not retreat anymore. She suspected Athraka meant vampire... "Yes, the Athraka is my husband..." Tenele replied warily, not really sure what that meant for her safety now. "Look, if you just give him back to me, I'll take him and we'll go. I'll find the answers I seek somewhere else. I'm sorry to have bothered your people."

Ilthe paused and studied the outsider carefully. "If you come here in peace, why do you bring an Athraka to our homeland? He can bring only sickness. You say you seek a cure, yet you bring only contamination to this place."

Tenele frowned. "He doesn't spread his sickness," Tenele took a step forward and forced herself to stop. "He's a servant of the Queen Sinead, a good vampire." Tenele tried not to wince at the word good. "I am Tenele Raider, eh, Dracul.... Raider... I'm Tenele, Queen's Maiden to her majesty. We are good people, loyal people. I should have came to you alone, I understand that. You can set him free, I'll send him to wait at a cabin we just came from. If you permit it, I'll stay behind to seek the knowledge you may have about my family..."

Ilthe shook her head. "Our people have supported your queen in the past, but we do not belong to your kingdom. She may choose to ally herself with Athraka, but we will not. They are not to be trusted. The dead must not walk; they are incapable of human emotion and responsibility. They can only be dangerous."

Tenele frowned at her. "He may be what some would consider dead, but he is very much alive. He loves me, he is capable of human emotions." Tenele glanced down. "Coming here was a mistake. I apologise again. I am leaving, and I will be taking the Athraka with me." Her green eyes flashed open to the elf. "I will seek the answers to my questions from the source, and maybe Attara will grant me the answers. Please, let me pass."

Ilthe observed her thoughtfully. "Your words are difficult to believe. Moreover, one does not simply ask questions of... Attara..." she murmured, noticing the resemblance for the first time. "It is not for me to release you. The Elder wishes to meet you." At her side, the boy stared at Tenele in fascination.

"Please take me to him, then," Tenele whispered. "I do not wish to prolong any discomfort your people might have at my husband and I being here."

"You must swear an oath of peace," Ilthe said firmly. She held out a strip of leather tied with hawk feathers. "If you are to be peaceful, show it by taking this."

"I tend to be peaceful," Tenele whispered, slowly stepping forward. She took the leather cord between her fingers and drew it back towards her. "I swear I mean you no harm."

For the first time, she showed Tenele the shadow of a smile. "Good. Come," she said. When she left the hut, the forcefield faded away and allowed Tenele the freedom to leave. She led her across a large wooden Deck. At the edge was a very long and narrow hanging bridge. Heavy ropes lined the edges to stabilize it, but it was still precarious, especially at hundreds of feet above the forest floor. Ilthe stepped out onto the bridge and began casually walking toward the platform at the other edge. The structure barely even swung as she crossed it.

Erom lingered back with Tenele, watching her curiously.

"Oh," Tenele muttered, holding onto the rope and looking down. "That's rather high, isn't it?" She put one foot in front of the other, walking behind Ilthe at some distance away. She eventually gathered the courage once she knew the bridge wasn't going to sway too much under her, and increase her pace.

"You're pretty good at this, for a leyap," Erom said.

Ilthe glanced back at them sternly. "Erom, for the last time, to your studies."

The boy frowned as they made it to the other side of the bridge. They were now on a huge platform that seemed to be central, as some 20 or 30 more bridges strung from its edges in every direction.

"Fine," Erom muttered, leaving them reluctantly.

Ilthe led Tenele across the platform to a large structure that appeared to be some sort of meeting hall. It was huge and circular, but the ceiling was open in the middle. As they stepped in, there was a large round fireplace, currently unlit, at the center of a wood-floored room. The walls of one side were lined with books. On the other side were tapestries depicting scenes of Attara protecting her followers.

A middle-aged elf with long silver hair, much like Tenele's, rose from the desk where he was writing and walked toward them.

"I have brought her, Hakom."

"You have," he replied, almost ceremonially. "Thank you."

She stepped back, aware she'd been dismissed, but she hesitated. "The girl wishes to save her brother. She claims he is cursed."

He considered this a moment and nodded his understanding.

Ilthe still didn't go. "She claims the Athraka as a husband," she said, an uncomfortable undertone in her voice.

Hakom stood very still. "I see," he said ambiguously. It seemed like something very important was concerning them both, but they didn't vocalize it. "Thank you," he repeated.

This time, she bowed and left them alone.

Hakom turned to Tenele. "You have come far. You have come deliberately?" he clarified of her.

"I have," Tenele replied. "From Lowight. The queen sent Vladimir, the Athraka, and I to help the cathedral near Hepian. It was under attack. After we pushed back the forces, we headed further north. My brother is ill... He is dying. My father... died from it. We have reason to believe that it is a curse, but the only connecting factor that I can see is my mother." Tenele lowered her eyes. "Unfortunately my mother was adopted as a Queen's Maiden when she was found abandoned without parents. She was an elf..."

Tenele wasn't sure if, or even if she should, explain that her mother was possibily the woman depicted in the tapestries. Her green eyes flickered to them, examining the woven threads. The woman in them seemed powerful, regal, and Tenele resented her.

"I don't know how to get the answers I seek, because I don't know how to tell you who my mother is. My mother was called Ariena, but she may have gone by a different name... at a different time." Tenele felt silly. That would make no sense if her mother was found as a child. How could this man help her?

"I fear I may be wasting your time with my rambling."

Hakom blinked at her. "Ariena..." he said. "This name holds a special significance for our people. Do you understand what it is?"

Tenele's eyes fluttered up. "Special?" Tenele swallowed. She didn't want to know the truth. She didn't want clarification. It only made her angrier, and sad. If it were true, than the Goddess Attara was her mother... A goddess could come and go as she pleased, and never once visited her.

"The God, Verin, hunts me... because he thinks my mother is the Goddess Attara," Tenele whispered faintly, but elves have very good ears.