Bard's Tale 03 - Miriel

"What about you?" Mindal asked.

"Tahna and I are tasked with hunting down the man who did this to her."

"I want help you do that!" Reison said, his face grim.

"Reison, I asked you to trust me. This is part of that. When people are raised from the dead, they forget the trauma of their deaths. It's the mind's way of protecting them, so they can cope with a shattering event. Miriel, though, endured torture and abuse for weeks and weeks. He's an evil high priest, and his name is Karst. That monster literally broke her spirit and her mind because it was all too much for her to bear. Much of the spiritual damage has been healed, and I've cured her insanity. But Miriel still has awful memories that she will have to come to terms with. She may not even be able to abide being touched by any man for a while. As I said before, respect her wishes, and don't take it personally. Tell your father, too. It's not you and it's not him, and if she does withdraw, she needs to come to that same realization, and you can't force it. Only gentleness, love, and patience can help. You can best support her by being there for her, and by telling her that you love her and how much you missed her."

Tia put her arms around his hips, drawing him close as she looked at him. "Princess Theodonra Moramorian, ruler of Brotava, will be arriving in a few days to visit Miriel, and offer her some help. Many of her people call her Dr. Theo. She is a gifted and skilled healer. Tahna and I will return as soon as we can, and introduce ourselves properly to your parents. And then the four of us will need to talk." Leaning up, she held him tightly as she kissed him. "If it's not too much trouble, would you and Mindal mind collecting our gear? It's time for us to go."

Reison kissed her, then hugged her even more tightly. "All right, Tia. And... thank you. You've given me back my little sister!"

"Like I said, Reison. She's our sister now, too."

Tahna and Mindal nodded, smiling at him.

While Tahna monitored the sleeping girl and Tia gave prayers of thanks for their successes thus far, Mindal and Reison quickly packed up all their gear.

Ready to travel, Tia asked Reison to describe where his parents lived. The street and location.

Once she was satisfied, Tia cast another warding circle, this one much smaller. Then she opened a magic gateway into the heart of Wood Haven, the capital of the Kingdom of the Wood Elves. Reison marveled at it. A giant circle, its borders covered in the palest of blue flames that generated no heat, only light.

At Tia's gesture, Reison and Mindal went first, followed by Tahna, carrying the sleeping girl. Once they were all through, Tia closed the portal.

Around them were trees, tall and enormous around the base, some surpassing seventy or eighty meters in height, and many at least ten meters wide. Some houses on the ground abutted the great trunks. Many more homes were built high up in the branches, with great circular stairways within the tree leading upward. High above them, the canopy of leaves sheltered most of the ground, yet let in the light of the morning suns in scattered blocks of bright yet diffused gold and pale green light. Somewhere in the distance, high above them, voices sang in wood elven.

On the street, however, a few elves halted, gaping at magic and their arrival. One or two suddenly dashed off.

To the sisters, this area appeared to be residential, with a few specialty shops nearby.

Shaking his head at the reactions of the elves, Reison walked up to the door of a single level wooden dwelling built around a huge tree trunk. Out front was a sign in both grey and wood elven. 'Rare Books, Whisper Wind, Proprietor.'

The door jingled when he opened it. Stepping aside, he held it while the women filed in.

A male voice called out in wood elven, "Hello. I'll be with you in a moment."

The women waited for him to lead the way deeper into the shop. Reison strode forward. "Father? Mother? I'm home!"

Coming into the shop from a room in the back, a tall grey elf appeared, looking about. "Reison? Is that you? Where are you, son?"

Striding around the display case, the young man held out his arms, and the elf embraced him. Openly showing affection, he grinned and hugged him tight. "I've missed you, son!" Turning his head, he called toward the hallway. "Medhbh! Come here! Our boy is home!"

Then the elf took in the women. "Hello. I'm Urthel Whisper Wind. You must be friends of my son. Welcome--"

"What are you bellowing about, Urthel?" A middle-aged brunette with intense blue eyes pushed aside the curtain to stand beside the elf. "Reison? Reison!" Yanking him into an embrace and peppering his cheeks and forehead with kisses, she started crying. "It's so good to see you! I've missed you so much! And these are your friends? They're all women, Reison. Just what have you been up to?"

"Mother. Father. These are my wives. This is Tia, Tahna, and that's Mindal."

"Wives!" Medhbh exclaimed.

His father raised his eyebrows. "Three wives, son? And who's the fourth? She looks like..."

He pulled back the blanket partially covering his sister's face. "It's Miriel, Father. We've brought her home."

Medhbh pushed her way to Tahna and cupped the girl's face. "My baby! My baby's home! Where did you find her? What happened? She... she looks like she hasn't aged a day!"

His heart nearly overcome with emotion, Urthel went to the window and flipped the sign to show the shop was now closed, then turned the bolt home. "Follow me."

It wasn't lost on the women that tears spilled down his face as he calmly led the way deeper into their home. Medhbh hovered by Tahna as they followed the elf. Mindal sought out Tia's hand, and the priestess gave her a reassuring squeeze as they pulled up the rear.

Pointing to a large couch, Urthel indicated Tahna should lay Miriel there. Medhbh quickly sat at the end so that Miriel's head rested in her lap. Urthel stood there, anxious and somewhat at a loss for words. Medhbh stroked her hair, suddenly weeping in joy at the return of her girl.

"Why is she still asleep?" Urthel asked his son.

"It's only temporary," Tia replied. "She was badly hurt, Mister Whisper Wind, over a long period of time. Tortured and abused. She will need time to heal and adjust. Reison and Mindal can fill you in. Unfortunately, Tahna and I must depart immediately. We'll return as soon as we're able. Tahna?"

"Wait!" Urthel said, and by the bark of command in his voice, the priestess and monk paused. "You can't just leave now. We need to hear what's happened. How did you meet? You're married to my son? And how did you come to find our daughter?"

Tia gave him a smile, indulgent and grim. "Reison and Mindal are remaining behind to explain things. They will answer your questions. Tahna and I must bring the man who did this to justice. I put Miriel to sleep as she was confused and panicking. She will wake soon, and will need familiar faces to comfort her. Doctor Theo will be here within a few days to help with further healing. I hate to be rude, but we really must leave."

Urthel started to protest, but there was something about the look in Tia's face that told him volumes. A man used to command, he recognized that she was more than the young woman she appeared to be. "Go, with our heartfelt blessings. And thank you."

Quickly exiting the shop, the two sisters stepped out to the street. Tia quickly cast the protective circle.

"Where are we heading?" Tahna asked.

"Malganna."

"Caloren States?" The monk noticed a score or more of armed wood elves hurrying up the street toward them, their chain armor and spear tips glittering in the suns light, their faces decidedly unfriendly. She loosened the pair of sais on her belt, just in case.

"Yep." Chanting the spell, the portal winked in, grew, and formed before them, it's borders flickering with power.

"They're going to have a mess soon."

"Karst is alive and he very likely has another girl-child captive."

"Then we need to kick that bastard to the ground and rip his balls off and stuff them down his pie hole."

"Pie hole? Is that a slang phrase for a mouth or rectum? And where did you hear a phrase like that?"

Together they stepped through the portal and a second later, it vanished with a muted shushing noise.

* * * * *

It was just past dawn when the priestess and monk stepped onto the stone road outside the mountain city Malganna. The city abutted the Skyreach Mountains, and was an important source of mineral wealth for the nation. Being one of the core cities of the Caloren States, with a population of over ninety thousand, the tall walls and fortified gates were impressive.

Some of the dozens of early travelers gave the new arrivals a wide berth. Such a powerful display of magic wasn't to be taken lightly. But seeing that the two women made no overt move to throw death and destruction about, they quickly moved about their own business.

The guards at the gate, though, took a different stance. Blowing whistles, troops mobilized and weapons were drawn. Soldiers lined the walls and platoons formed up in front of the gate.

"What's got their panties in a wad?" Tahna muttered. "You'd think they'd never seen a high priestess travel by spell before."

Tia grinned at her sister. "You know, most of them wear stays, and have never even heard of panties."

"And I am forever grateful to the duchess for all the pairs I own. They are very comfortable. The phrase 'stays in a twist' doesn't have the same sense of poetry. Still, the question's the same. What are they in a snit about?"

The priestess laughed. "Panties in a wad? Pie hole? Has Mindal been giving you bawdy poetry again, little sister?"

The monk gave her a smirk. "Want me to share?"

Nearly a full company of soldiers had assembled before the gate, blocking the entrance.

"I just might at that," Tia replied. "I like a little smut now and then, just like the next woman, especially if it's good. Pictures are nice, but the story has to be good."

An armored officer on an armored horse called out to them. "Identify yourselves at once. What are your intentions here?"

Tia sighed, then cast oration. It wasn't nearly as loud as command oration, but it was enough to carry her voice without having to shout. "I am Tia Whisper Wind, a high priestess in the service of the Lawgiver. My companion is Tahna Whisper Wind, Mistress of the East Wind, a warrior monk also in service to the Lawgiver. We bear a Death Warrant for the evil high priest of Set known as Karst."

"There is no one by that name here. Besides, the church of Set is outlawed. Entry denied."

Tahna frowned. "How the blazes does he know who or isn't within the city? Either he's deliberately being an ass or he knows the man."

Tia snapped back an answer. "The Religious Concord of 1827 guarantees access to all cities by priests and warrior monks of the Lawgiver in pursuit on criminals guilty of mortal sins. The Concord is law throughout all of the Caloren States. The same compact guarantees egress to priests of the gods of the Kemer and Hellene peoples for the same purposes."

"This is a Kemer-controlled city. Entry denied!"

"We are on church business and you have no authority in this matter! And, last I checked, the church of Set was still outlawed with the Caloren States. Do you still deny us entrance in pursuit of our lawful duty?"

"Entrance denied! Now begone!"

"Please let me hurt him," Tahna begged Tia.

Ignoring her sister, she announced, "I hereby inform you that I am also Minister Without Portfolio to the Kingdom of Tildor, and both of us have diplomatic status. Your refusal is duly noted and a complaint will be reported to the Caloren High Council. However, I have been commanded to pursue this warrant by my goddess, and I do not need your permission to be here or to do my duty. I also don't need to enter your city to bring Karst to justice!"

The soldier raised his sword. "Ready crossbows!"

Hands on her sais, Tahna growled, "Is he serious?"

Tia cast circle of judgment. Without the movement, it defaulted to a twenty-meter radius circle of protection around the two women. Tia herself could only be struck by enchanted missile weapons, but Tahna, even with her speed and dexterity, might be injured.

"Fire!"

Nearly a hundred bolts shot forth, only to fall harmlessly to the ground.

Digging out the Death Warrant, the summary page detailing Karst's crimes against Miriel Whisper Wind, she handed it to Tahna. "Death Warrant is hereby served," she intoned. "Please remain beside me, sister."

The monk scanned it, froze, then read it again. "He ate her after he murdered her? Oh, goddess! You had to watch him do that?"

"Keep reading. There's more," Tia told her quietly.

Tahna gasped at the final charges. "I've never seen a Death Warrant with five separate capital charges before. And the last? Black magic torturing her soul after death, attempting to turn that girl into an undead monster? Watching him die is going to feel so righteous."

From near the gate, the officer bellowed out, "Stop your illegal spellcasting immediately!"

Tahna gave the Caloreni soldier a baleful glance, muttering, "You already tried to kill us, you stupid prick. Keep doing what you are doing, and you are just going to piss me off."

Tia ignored him and continued her chanting.

"Halberdiers! Prepare to charge!" Lightning bolts from three spellcasters on the city walls shot down, only to hit the barrier and diffuse harmlessly into the ground.

When she was finished, four aerial servants hovered before them. Tia turned solemnly to Tahna, as priestess to warrior-monk. "Command them and carry out the Warrant."

Caloreni trumpets blared and men lowered spears, charging toward them.

Showing the aerial servants the portrait, Tahna growled out, "This is your target. Spirits of the air, by right of this divinely sanctioned warrant, go forth into the city of Malganna and find Karst, high priest of Set, seize and bind him and bring him to us for summary judgment and execution. If there is any sentient being prisoner or imprisoned on the premises where you find him, free them at once and bring them here as well. If you are unable to free any prisoners, return here, ready to show us their location. In the Lawgiver's holy name, you are so commanded! Go!"

Flying up, the four burly air elementals streamed up into the air, easily passing through the barrier. Once they ascended to forty meters, they shot over the city walls, bypassing the gates entirely.

Seconds later, the first platoon of soldiers crashed hard into the invisible barrier. And promptly fell down, trod upon by the men charging in behind them.

"So far you've been exceedingly nice to them, all things considered," Tahna muttered. "I hope we going to kick their asses? Because after reading that Warrant, I really want to hurt someone, and that jerk officer is nearly at the top of my list of people who need a serious ass-kicking."

"Maybe. The more he does, the more tempted I am. We're still on the diplomatic high ground here. I don't think the Lord Marshal of Caloren will take kindly to our treatment, and I'd prefer not to put her out by killing a company of guards."

Tahna suddenly grinned. "I forgot about her. Are you sure we're not kin?"

The Lord Marshal was Elaura Tasa Landers, paladin and saint in the Ba'lorian church. She not only served the Lawgiver, she possessed one of the fabled Swords of Rondar, and was arguably the canniest general in the world. She had risen to Lord Marshal during the Humanoid Wars of 2022-2025, when Malganna, Ameroë, and Seagate were besieged by armies of goblins, orcs, hobgoblins, and bugbears. During the Civil War of 2044-47, the Lord Marshal had successfully defeated the monarchist forces and become a hero for many soldiers and much of the common citizenry. The Lord Marshal was old but still very hale.

Tia shook her head. "Wish we were related, but Dad says no. Not even shirt-tail cousins. Landers means farmer, and there are a lot of unrelated farmers out in the wide, wide world."

Tahna winced at one of the pile-ups. "Ouch. That's gotta hurt."

They watched the men recover. Some were injured and were helped off the field by their comrades. Next, mages came up and began trying to break the magic protecting them. Dispelling magic, though, was based on power and degree. It was a fifty-fifty chance of success, modified by whichever one was the stronger caster, and by how much. The greater the difference in power between the contending spellcasters, the less of a contest it was. Mages in the employ of city guards were usually journeyman-level, and Tia's power dwarfed those arrayed against her.

"What do you want to do in the meantime?" Tahna asked, keeping her eyes on the activities. "Want a bite to eat?"

"No. My stomach is still queasy from earlier. Let's do some mental chess. You take white."

"Okay. King's pawn, d2 to d4."

"Queen's knight pawn, b7 to b5."

"The Dragon variation again, Tia? All right. Queen's pawn, e2 to e4."

* * * * *

Reison and Mindal quickly informed his parents how they met and got married. His mother thought they were all too young, at which point both Mindal and Reison broke out into laughter.

"I fail to see what's so funny," Medhbh complained.

"They're... um, older than you are, Mother. A lot older," Reison informed her with a grin.

"It's a good thing you smiled when you said that," Mindal told him. Then she kissed his cheek, squeezed his arm and leaned against his shoulder affectionately.

Both parents looked at the bard, eyebrows raised. Mindal looked every bit like a vibrant young woman barely twenty years old.

"I'll be sixty-five this July 17," she said.

"I'd better remember that date. What are Tia and Tahna's birthdays?"

"What? No, that's not possible," his mother insisted.

"Magic, Mrs. Whisper Wind. Tia turned seventy-five on January 12. Tahna will be seventy come September 21."

Urthel looked at Mindal thoughtfully.

Medhbh looked perplexed. "Youth magic? That's really expensive. Well... how will you live? And where?"

"Reison wants to go to the College of Music and become a bard. We're going to buy a house in Sharaton-Charlottesville. Tia wants to start having babies right away." Then she nudged Reison before adding. "It sounded like a good idea, so me, too. So far, he's doing a great job trying to make it happen."

Reison blushed furiously at the looks from his parents,, then he grinned at Mindal.

"What!" his mother sputtered.

Urthel gave his son a measuring gaze.

There was a sharp knocking at the shop door out front, but they ignored it. After all, the sign in the front window said they were closed.

Mindal continued, giving Reison a nudge with her shoulder. "Yepper-doodle. I think Tia wants to pop them out yearly for awhile."

"Yearly? Like more than one or two?" he asked, surprised. "For how many years?"

"Tia didn't really say, but she implied a lot. Maybe enough for you to have a backup choir by the time you're ready to enter the music school. You have a lot of work ahead of you, boyo."

"How many do you want?" he inquired further.

Mindal shrugged. "I don't know. Two or three? I haven't decided yet. We can talk about it later. If you want more than that, though, you'll have to persuade me."

"I think you're too old for my boy," Medhbh announced with a glare.

Reison frowned. First Mindal was too young, and now she was too old?

Urthel looked sternly at his wife. "Medhbh O'Hara Whisper Wind. I'm three hundred and sixty this year, and you are going to be forty-one. Let's not bring up the issue of age. You will lose that argument."

The knocking at the front door became an insistent banging.

With a sigh, Urthel rose to his feet and exited.