Elea wandered about her room for a couple of days. She felt odd, distanced from everything - as if she were in a dream. She wondered at herself and her reactions. 'Shouldn't I be upset, sobbing? Am I so cold hearted that I do not have tears for the man that I had grown fond of? The man that I had poured my heart out to a week before?'
She stopped. "No. I didn't pour out my heart to the man. I poured out my heart to nothing, a shell. He never heard me." The slow fire burned in her heart and mind. She was angry at his death. Angry that he had never heard her words. Angry that he had left her after promising that he would not.
The fire burned hotter, brighter in her soul. She was hurt, angry and confused. Without conscious thought, a decision was made. "Tower, do not let anyone know I've left." She stole through the tower to the stables. Elea left, in the middle of the night, with no knowledge of where she was going. Just that she was leaving. Trying to flee her anger and sorrow.
*
It was three days before anyone discovered that Elea was gone. Two days after Elea had been told of Britage's death, Ballarius had been called away on a mission that he could not postpone. Since Elea had stayed in her rooms, keeping to herself, only staring into the fire or singing soft, sad ballads, Ballarius had figured that it would be safe to complete his mission and return as soon as possible.
When he returned three days later, he went to see Be'ornhelm and asked about his ward. Be'ornhelm had not heard from his Mistress in the five days since Britage's death. Greeted by the unusual silence from the Tower when they inquired about her, both Ballarius and Be'ornhelm where understandably concerned. They were even more concerned when the Tower would not tell them where she was.
After a bit of debate and logic, Be'ornhelm hit on an idea and asked the Tower what the Mistress' last command was and when. This is how they discovered that Elea had been gone, to parts unknown, for the last three days and that she had instructed the Tower to not inform anyone of her leaving.
Valaria and Donnan were called in and told what had occurred. The four of them sat down to decide what to do about it. Both Ballarius and Be'ornhelm knew that Elea was an explosion waiting to happen. Valaria was most concerned with the fact that Elea had not cried at the knowledge of Britage's death.
Donnan wanted to go after Elea. She was his best friend and partner. Much to everyone's surprise, Valaria had vehemently forbade it - not only of Donnan, but of Ballarius and Be'ornhelm as well. When questioned why she felt this way, she explained: Be'ornhelm was her Majordomo and assistant. It is his -duty- to care for her in a paternal manner. Ballarius was her Watcher. It is also his duty to watch for her. And there was no chance of anything more between them. Donnan was her best friend and she still loved him. She could not have him and all he would do is remind her Britage.
Valaria, then volunteered to seek out Elea, herself, and make sure the young bard was safe. She was the most acceptable person of the four because she was a woman and understood Elea in a way that the men could not. After much consideration and some debate, the men agreed. Though, should Elea be in danger, Valaria was to call in help immediately. Valaria agreed and left to find Elea.
*
Elea was drinking heavily in the Deer and Stein inn. This was not the only tavern she had been in for the last three days, but it was where she had a room for her clothing, lute, pack and horse. She had been through a number of the local taverns, causing havoc with her careless words and cruel use of beauty.
Pitting man against man for her attention, splitting up couples for amusement, drinking, carousing, singing and gambling, Elea had purposely caused two bar fights and had several of the females in town extremely angry at her for stealing their men for a time. Then, when she was bored, she would drop them for someone more entertaining and interesting to her drunken, angry mind.
She was angry at the whole world. Angry at Bretonius for being her father and getting stuck some place she could not help him. Angry at Donnan for getting married. Angry at Valaria for existing. Angry at Ballarius for following Destiny. Angry at Britage for leaving her after his promises of always being by her side. Most of all, she was angry at herself was her weaknesses and because of her inability to feel anything for Britage's death.
Right now, she was having several men arm-wrestle for her. The winner got a kiss from the well known and lovely bard. She cajoled and sweet talked the men into trying their hardest in the competition, causing tempers to flare, and occasionally, fists to fly. She casually pondered the competitors, deciding which one she would bed, should she feel like it. Idly, she choose a handsome young fighter named Ehern. She knew the serving wench had been eyeing him for the last half hour...
*
Slowly, she opened her eyes. By the Gods, she felt like a drum beater from a slave galley was pounding away in her head. She blearily looked around the room. She was still in a tavern. Which tavern? The Broken Hinge. Vaguely, she knew that a lot of time had passed. Days. Four days. Hazy images of various bars, one or two fights, two lovers, a lot of drinks and a woman cold-cocking her floated through her mind as she squinted into the setting sun.
Then she realized that she was leaning up against a man, who had his arms wrapped about her, one hand possessively cupping her breast. They were curled up in one corner of the tavern. She searched her mind to figure out who it was. Twisting a little, she was relieved to see Ehern, though, she could not quite remember how she got from him to that Elf merchant and back to him again. She supposed that it did not really matter.
Ehern stirred, waking up a bit, kissing her neck and openly fondling her breasts. Suddenly, Elea realized the awful scents she was smelling were coming from her. She smelled of dirt, alcohol, sex, sweat and unwashed clothing. On top of it, she could smell Ehern's scents as well. Her patience snapped. "Would you stop pawing me!" she demanded crossly.
Ehern blinked and winced with a bit of a puppy-dog hurt look. He looked like his head hurt him as much as hers. Elea then remembered that he had defended her against a couple of ruffians that did not want to take "No." for an answer. She took pity on him then. "I'm sorry. I'm tired. I stink. My head hurts and I need a bath. I'm just crabby."
He nodded. "It's OK. I'm feeling a bit of the same, too. They have a nice tub over at the Beer and Stein. I have room there, too. They'll left us use it." Ehern smiled a crooked smile at her as he stood and offered a hand to help her up. "C'mon. I'll scrub your back for you."
Elea smiled back, knowing that Ehern meant well but also wanted to have her in the tub, too. He was very male in that fashion. 'What the hell. He's not a bad partner and he did save me from those assholes. He deserves to get laid.' She thought and nodded. "Sure. I'll let you scrub my back and my front if you want." It was a half-hearted attempt at a flirt but that was all she had left after six... seven? days of carousing with very little sleep. He would be lucky if she did not fall asleep in the tub during their tryst.
Ehern helped her up and escorted her out the door. She saw some knowing winks from his friends and a glare from one of the wenches. Feeling pluckish, Elea paused in the doorway to give Ehern a passionate kiss. Then she smiled smugly to herself as they walked out into the evening's dusk.
Walking close to her side, Ehern strutted like a rooster with a prize hen. Elea could only imagine what she must look like and really wanted that bath. She barely listened to Ehern's words, listening more to the tone of his voice as she guiltily realized that it, and he, somehow, reminded her of Britage. She pushed that thought away as she heard Ehern yell "ELEA!!" and shove her hard to the road.
The two of them went tumbling to the ground in a sprawl of arms and legs. Elea looked up and saw the familiar black arrow, Drugar's Needle. Suddenly, she was reliving Britage's death all over again. Only, this time, the arrow had pierced Ehern's arm, splattering most of the acid to the ground. For a moment, she was frozen in horror, then she looked to where the arrow had come from.
She saw him. A black clad Dwarf across the street on the rooftop. They looked each other in the eye, it seemed, as he hurriedly added another bolt to his crossbow and began cranking it. Without thinking, she hissed a command and magic missiles burst forth from her fingertips, striking the dwarf in the crossbow and chest. She paused long enough to look at the nearest person. "Get him to a doctor, now!! I will cover all expenses. Do it NOW!"
She turned back to the Dwarf who had now become the focus of all her anger. He was the object of her vengeance. He would pay for all of her pain and there was not one damned thing he could do about it. She saw him decide to cut his losses and run. As soon as he hit the street, she cried "HOLD!!" and amazingly enough, he did. In the back of her mind, Elea figured that the power of the staff or her sword helped her.
As Elea advanced on the Dwarf, she saw him pull his sword and ready his defense. He moved very slowly in the Hold spell. She held out her right hand. "Gaxis!" she hissed softly, eyes boring holes into her enemy. She ignored the murmurs of the onlookers as they saw the sword seemingly appear from no where into her outstretched hand.
Then, the Dwarf could move again and the two of them attacked each other fiercely, knowing that it was a battle to the death. They seemed evenly matched for a short time, but then, it became clear at Elea would win. With all of her anger and pain pushing her, she struck again and again, ignoring the blows the Dwarf landed on her, until finally, she decapitated him, the head rolling a few feet away.
Elea looked around and saw a large number of townspeople watching. She whirled towards the largest group, magewinds stirring her hair and clothing. Using the power of her Bardic training, she raised her voice loud. "I did not start this but I WILL finish it! ANY that harms me and mine will pay! And, I WILL avenge Britage's death to the LAST MAN! I promise you all that. Go and spread the word! I want the bastard who keeps sending these assassins to know that I am hunting him! His life is mine! I did not start this, but I swear, by the stars above, that I will end it!" Elea slammed Gaxis into the road, causing it to crack for about five feet in each direction. Then, she turned and looked at the headless body of her enemy.
For the first time, the people of Midmeadow saw a hint of the power and potential of this young bardic mage. The power within her spirit and passions of the woman's mind. It was a frightening thing to see for those who did not understand. Those who knew more about the elfmaid suddenly understood the pain and anger she had shown in the past week. Her rash, chaotic actions and hurtful words. Most everyone slunk away about their business before the City guard could arrive to question them. Several slipped away to report the evening's events to their Masters. One stayed to watch the scene, sensing that it was not done.
Elea stared down at her dead foe. Dead. The dead enemy would not bring back Britage. It did nothing to fill the emptiness inside her. It did nothing to free her hidden tears. "WHY?!" She yelled at the uncaring sky and sunk to her knees beside the dead Dwarf. 'Why does it have to be like this? Why did Britage have to die? Why...?' Questions, questions and more questions. With no answers. She stared unseeing at the dead body.
Valaria, who had been hidden in the shadows, watched. Unknowing to Elea, it was she who had stopped the Dwarf from escaping by slowing time around him. It was something Elea would never need to know. Valaria had watched Elea's self destructive actions and words for the last two days. She could see the rage and pain in everything the bard did. Now, watching Elea kneeling in the middle of the road in such grief, Valaria could stand it no more.
Suddenly, there was a hand on Elea's shoulder. Looking up, she saw Valaria kneeling in front of her, amber eyes brimming with tears. As they stared at one another, it was not Valaria, wife of Donnan or Elea, Bard and Heir to the Council of Seven. It was just two women connected in an instinctive understanding, both knowing the loss of the heart.
The dam that had pent up Elea's tears broke as the two women pulled each other into a tight hug. Elea sobbed uncontrollably, letting out all of her feeling for Britage and how his death had hurt her. It was a few minutes before Elea and Valaria could compose themselves, drawing back from each other for a moment.
Elea reached out to gently touch Valaria's tummy. "Your babies. You can't be here. It's not safe." She looked around for signs of danger.
Valaria nodded, sniffling. "I know, but I couldn't leave you here like this. I just couldn't."
Elea looked at her for a moment, not able to think of what to say. A familiar male voice interrupted her scattered thoughts.
"Ladies, Elea is right. It's time we go home. " His voice was a little strained with concern.
Elea sensed Ballarius behind her. She saw Valaria's surprise at Ballarius' appearance and knew it was not a set up. She nodded, rising to her feet and pulling Gaxis easily from the road. "I'm ready."
Valaria looked at her brother. "How...?" She began.
"We'll talk about it in the tower." Ballarius smiled at his sister. "I'm taking us home." With that the two women, the dead body and Ballarius disappeared from sight, leaving only a blood stain and a crack in the road to mark that night's violent, passionate event.
No one noticed that one person made a few more notes on the paper and then literally faded into the shadows, returning to whence they came.
Continue on to: 17. Ties That Bind.