Saga 14- An ELven Guide to Saradush (avoid the wine)

Finding myself alone at the gates of Saradush, I took a moment to decide what needed to be done. Raven had dragged me into a side-street, prompting fears of imminent ravishing, but I was sent away with a lingering taste of her lips and instructions to meet her outside the town hall at midday, but that was four hours away, so I was trying to figure out what supplies I needed when a familiar curly haired druidess grabbed and took me supply shopping

An hour later, a bemused onlooker would have seen a comely elf marching to the gates followed by a handsome young sylvan almost crippled beneath what seemed like twenty leagues of rope, enough potions to revive Netheril, and gods know what in manner of spell components.
I was wondering whether Minstra harboured suspicions of packbeasts in my ancestry when we reached an actual one, and I was able to stand straight again. She thanked me for my ‘gallantry’ (You’re welcome, Lady Conscription) and decided to go shopping for herself. I escorted her to the market, which seemed to amuse her, and then made my merry way to a fletcher, who attempted to beguile me into paying triple for a quiver of rather sub standard arrows. I cursed the lack of elven tradesmen in Tethyr, but then again my people are quite unpopular here, and I was receiving plenty of glares.
Undaunted, I settled a decent price, and headed for another building I’d earmarked for later exploration, the great cathedral of Selune. The priestess on duty welcomed me warmly, aiding me in my devotions, along with the other people present, a young noblewoman who gave me an intrigued glance, a guardsman who gruffly muttered his prayers before donning his helmet and leaving, and a young man who dropped a handful of coins into a box of collections for the poor. The priestess, a woman named Diana, took one look at the state of his clothes, and ushered him into the clergy’s section for a meal he obviously needed. She gestured for me to follow, the moon talisman around my neck apparently enough to grant me free passage anywhere in the temple.
We dined heartily on a roast boar, delivered that day by a caterer who also followed the Moonmaiden, and a strange drink composed of both wine and milk which was strangely satisfying. The rest of the clergy were present, and presumed me for a guest until Silverstar Diana introduced me with the same title. I tried to explain that I’d never been officially ordained, but the man at the head of the table-their leader, I presumed- waved my words away, and addressed me as Silverstar Vanya throughout the meal.
For the sake of the other guest the conversation was kept to non-religious matters, and I found myself learning more about Tethyr and its society than I had discovered in the cloistered environment of my home. The discussion was pleasant and light hearted for the most part, one exception being when a cleric further down the table passed a judgement on the troubles between human loggers and the sylvans of the forest. Being a guest, I was prepared to let the words go, but the abbot sharply reprimanded the man, who ate the rest of the meal in a chastised and even embarrassed silence, and even came to me afterwards to beg my forgiveness. There was a real sense of camaraderie and openness about the group, something I’d only ever experienced with Starshadow. This realisation brought back memories of Raven’s desire to meet me later, but upon questioning, I was informed that there were nearly two hours to midday bells, so I relaxed again. The table split into smaller groups of quiet chats, and I ended up temporarily unengaged, catching snatches of others’ conversations instead.
“…in trouble. The nobility and royal family find themselves less and less popular every day…”
“…prices risen again! My furniture was hugely expensive. Wood is becoming a commodity now it’s more difficult to obtain…”
“…sucked dry. That’s the third this month. The Guards are searching for a culprit, but its getting dangerous to walk the streets after dark. They’ve also found stray dogs and cats in the same state, and have linked them to the murders.”
“Silverstar Vanya?”
I realised I was being addressed, and turned to find Diana and the abbot watching me.
“Silverstar Vanya, we were wondering how you came to the Church of Selune? It seems odd for an elf to worship a human deity.”
I explained to them my reasons, and how I’d been introduced to, taught, and inducted into the faith by a visitor to my homeland, a woman named Star who claimed descent from planar stock, and referred to herself as an ‘air genasi’

The abbot, whose name I sadly forgot, urged me to return to the temple again soon, and, as the meal had by now ended, I was escorted back to the cathedral proper as the result of the clergy returned to their tasks.
Diana (who had escorted me) also urged me to return, and then performed a blessing on me, and I left the temple relieved of burdens I hadn’t even known I was carrying.

I had just made it back to the marketplace when my name was called, and a flying pile of linen, feathers and soft skin crashed into me, knocking me against a wall.
“Daie! Hello! Where’ve you been?”
“Hello, Maron. I was at the temple. What about you?” I pulled myself upright, and shook the brick dust from my clothes.
“Shopping. Look what I got!”
She lifted the flap on a pouch at her belt, and a grey head poked out and mewed at me.
Letting the cat out of the bag, she informed me that its name was Shade. It seemed odd to me that a winged elf would adopt a traditional hunter of birds, but when Shade lashed out at a strap on my belt, causing it to tear and litter it’s occupants across the ground, I realised that the cat suited my mischievous friend perfectly.
Maron enquired as to whether I’d eaten, and when I replied in the affirmative she looked so crestfallen that I assured her I could easily eat again. She passed a comment about Raven rubbing off on me, the literal truth of which turned my brown skin crimson, then taking me by the arm she half-led half-dragged me to an eatery. While she sedately fed, I drank the wine we were sharing, idly thinking that this was my fourth glass in two hours, before the bill came, I paid it (an odd trick of Maron’s, but one which I truly don’t mind) and we were off again, this time shopping for dresses. Maron tried several on, and asked my opinion of each. As you will guess, I maintained an almost perpetual blush during this period. As she changed back into her usual finery, I spotted a dress at the back of the shop. Long and sleek, of the darkest possible blue, I realised it would fit Raven perfectly, and not only that, but she would look magnificent wearing it.
I was just thinking this when arms were wrapped around my neck, and Maron’s head dropped onto my shoulder.
“What are you looking…Buy it.”
“What?”
“Buy her that dress, Daie.”
Enquiring after the price (Maron firmly pushed me to the seamstress to do so) I was twenty gold short. Maron slipped the required amount into my palm.
“Call it payment for bearing with me this afternoon, and buying me lunch.”
I protested. Lunch had been maybe a handful of coppers. Twenty gold was a lot of money. A packmule cost that much. I’d only brought about two hundred gold from home, and it’s taken me two years to get that. And I was rich.
She refused to take the money back, so assuring her I’d pay her back, I pecked a kiss on her cheek without realising it, and bought the dress.
The seamstress folded it neatly, and I carefully stowed it in my pack.
When we left the shop, Maron looked me straight in the eye, and told me that I should find Raven while we were still in Saradush, and take to the tavern again, and give her the dress. Truthfully, I assured her I would, and with a hug we parted ways.

Again as I crossed the marketplace I was intercepted. A very tipsy looking Skip dragged me into a pub where Tycho and a few other of my fellow mercenaries were drinking, and had been for a while. As I took a fifth, or maybe sixth, things got hazy now, glass of wine, it occurred to me that everyone was dealing with the mutiny and subsequent deaths in their own ways- Minstra was keeping busy, Maron was spending money feverishly, even helping my romance, Tycho and Skip were drinking, and Raven, Raven was meeting me…
At my, seventh? Possibly ninth glass of wine (of many bought for me by the guys) I realised that Starshadow’s mascot, and Slayer of Dranald was becoming very popular. I was on my…I don’t know…glass when I remembered Raven again. Another inquiry into the time revealed I was late. Damnation!
Saying my goodbyes, I leapt from the tavern and into a wall. Apologising to it, I more carefully headed towards the town hall, trying ever so hard to walk in a straight line. Eventually I arrived, and seeing Raven leaning against a wall, arms crossed, halted unsteadily before her.
She took one look at me, and forced a clear vial between my lips. I swallowed to avoid choking, and felt the dampening lift from my head, and my sobriety return. As I began to apologise profusely, she lifted a finger to my lips, silencing me.
“It is fine, Daie. I expected a few to visit the tavern, although I didn’t think you would be one, but of course Dranald’s slayer would be very popular today. Indeed, you’re starting to grow on me too” she finished with a smile, and dropped her hands to mine.
“So, have you eaten?”
When I groaned, Raven nodded approvingly.
“Good, so have I.”
She bent to pick up a scroll case beside her, then frowned.
“Can I put this in your pack?”
I nodded, and silently cursed myself as she pulled a folded mass of dark silk from the top of my bag.
“Daie, I wasn’t aware that you wore female clothing.”
The dress unfurled, and Raven gasped.
“It’s beautiful” she murmured.
I shrugged “It’s yours”
Her jaw dropped, and for an instant I caught a glimpse of her as a child, an innocent girl being given a gift. As suddenly as it appeared, it’d gone, but her eyes shone with a light I’d never seen before.
Still, I know exactly which Raven it was who broke my clumsy grin with a kiss, lighter than elven pastry, and soft as her own embrace.
I heard a wolf whistle from behind me, but I didn’t pay it any mind. I opened my eyes, and saw that she’d never closed hers. Her expression lightened when I opened them, obviously I had made a faux pas there, but she must have let it go, because she ended the kiss and ran her hands through my hair, still holding me tightly.
“Thank you Daie” Raven breathed.
I muttered something incomprehensible, unable to pass words. She folded the dress as carefully as if it were a newborn, and gently replaced it in my pack. She then took my arm and led me away in search of a tavern.