Hammer and Feather Ch. 22-32

"Not entirely apart." Syvezar gave him a wide smile, "and not all of the gods agreed. The older gods sometimes go among their people, concealing themselves, because they miss them and Odos never left. He conceals himself but he lingers with his poets and clever thieves. His miracles are often overlooked but I don't think it bothers him. He's where he wishes to be."

Ninnien smiled tearfully.

An elf peered into the large tent of wounded, "Lord Syvezar? Edun has asked you to come to him."

Syvezar walked quickly out and Cyran felt a little bit of relief at the break.

"As young gods, they won't stop us from helping. We have to learn our own lessons, and in this time of need I don't think they'll fault us for flouting a few of the rules." He blinked as he turned and looked into Syreilla's grinning face.

"I didn't agree to anything, did you? Did they say their children were bound by the rules? From what I understood they just agreed amongst themselves." She clapped his shoulders and looked around, her smile fading. "I have something that might help, do you have anything I can lay power on for you?"

Cyran broke into a smile, "I'm glad to see you safe! Your husbands will be as well. Syvezar has been helping me heal these people. As for holding power... Belthamdir gave me this," he pulled the crystal with its golden strings from his pocket. "Once I held it in my hand I could speak their tongue!"

She gave him a flat look. "I didn't know they could do that. I'm going to have a word with the clever boy, he sent me thieving from the elven gods not speaking a word of their language."

Ninnien broke into nervous laughter and Syreilla gave her a flash of a smile. "They were angry about that for a while. But now that I've stolen their stones back I think they may have forgiven me."

"You took them back from the goddess-"

"Rielle is no longer a goddess. For her betrayal of her people and the other gods, she's nothing at all."

"The goddess of love-" the elf woman looked aghast and Syreilla lifted her hand and cut her off gently.

"She was never a goddess of love. She was a goddess of desire, vanity, and deception. A goddess of love would be more concerned with your heart than your bed. She'd have shown you all the beauty that lasts and most of it is beauty you don't see with your eyes. Love is merciful, pure, and peaceful. A new goddess, a good goddess, will rise to fill the need. You'll see. She'll be all you could have hoped for."

He couldn't help but feel a swell of pride and affection. "Cousin, when you show your gentle side you are-"

"When I show my gentle side people forget I'm the goddess of righteous vengeance. If I had started out setting fires instead of trying to speak to people this war would never have gotten started." She made a terrible grimace and Ninnien began to laugh.

Vedhethrah and Syvezar rushed in, the dragon nearly knocking Cyran aside as he stalked over to his wife. "Syreilla! My treasure, you are not permitted to leave your dragons." He crushed her into an embrace and made a low rumbling sound of warning.

"It wasn't intentional-"

"You sent Syvezar back to the elves and you returned to lay wards alone. That was intentional," Vedhethrah growled.

"You're right. That was my fault." She sighed, "I didn't think. I'm not used to taking one of you with me everywhere and I will try harder to remember, but I'm fine, beloved. The only thing I've never been able to get myself out of is that damnable black lake." Syreilla gently pulled away from him and grinned impishly, "But if you want to be picky, I think I did have one of my dragons with me the whole time."

From down her front, she fished out a coin and showed it to him. Vedhethrah broke into a smile and showed Syvezar who had come to put an arm around her back.

"The old sigil."

"Yes. Edun gave it to me. I don't have many treasures but I cherish that one more than anything else."

"More than your talons?" Vedhethrah eyed her with a growing smile.

"More than my talons, beloved. But while I have them I've been using them. I have some power to give Cyran and Syvezar so that they can continue their work." Syreilla stole a kiss from the slightly sour-looking dragon and took back the old sigil. "Do you have something-"

Syvezar held out his hand with the ring and she laughed with delight.

"It suits you, beloved."

She held her hands over Cyran's stone and Syvezar's ring and closed her eyes. Cyran felt the stone warm in his hand as if the sun were shining on it.

When her eyes opened, she grinned, "Some of that was stolen and some of that was a gift from Nimphon. He said I'd know who to give it to. I did keep a little power back for myself, but if you need more, tell me and I'll give you what I have left."

"You-you met Nimphon?" Ninnien's eyes went wide.

"Several times. I like him. He's reliable and kind. I gave him a stone boat for his lake." Syreilla smiled as Vedhethrah pulled her closer again. "You can mourn a life cut short, but you should know that Nimphon takes care of them on the other side of his black lake. They're safe once they cross the water."

She glanced around, "Is Baduil still watching over Edun?"

"Edun is watching over Baduil." Syvezar corrected her. "Your raven was wounded trying to protect Nali."

"She's safe. I sent her home with Orsas." Syreilla started pulling on Vedhethrah. "I want to see my bird."

The pair left and Cyran glanced at the wry smile on Syvezar's face. "Cousin?"

"She's pleased to see us but she doesn't understand why we were worried."

"She's the Golden Rook. How many times did Uncle Odos point out that she's fearless?"

The elf woman beamed. "She's wonderful. She may be a thief but she's generous and kind."

"I'm almost certain she stole the boat she gave Nimphon," Syvezar spoke wryly and Ninnien laughed.

"Nimphon knows a good heart when he sees one." The elf woman smiled and shook her head, "And I feel lighter now, knowing..." Ninnien swallowed and wiped at a tear, "He looks after the living as well."

"We will use his gift as he intended." Cyran smiled warmly. "Let us return to our labors, cousin."

*Twenty-nine*

Nali climbed quietly out of her bed and started down the stairs. The dwarf she strongly suspected was Khiril Orefinder had brought her home and she'd spent every moment since trying to think of a way to go back and help Lady Rook. She'd snuck out once and things had gone well, if she tried again perhaps it would too. And this time she had a better idea of what to take.

"Don't even think about it." Sirruil's amused voice came from the darkness of the kitchen.

"Father, I just-"

"Back to bed with you, Nali. I know you want to help Lady Rook, and we'll think of something, but you're not sneaking away like a thief in the night again."

"Yes, Father." She made her way back up and began getting ready for bed this time.

Something nagged at the back of her mind. She'd have heard it if her father had opened his door. Hers had been oiled and she still had to open it a certain way to make sure it was quiet. His always made a sound. He'd gone to bed hadn't he?

In her nightgown, she slipped out of her room again and past her brother's room to Sirruil and Razi's. As carefully as she could she opened the door a crack.

Someone sat bolt upright in the bed.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, I just-"

Sirruil climbed out of bed and opened the door as Razi lit a lamp. "What's wrong?"

"I... It's nothing."

"If it were nothing you'd be in bed." Razi smiled and beckoned for her to come in.

"I told you she'd be up in the night." Sirruil smiled and sat on the bed.

"I was going to try to sneak out and find a way to help Lady Rook." Nali felt her face flushing. "I was dressed and I went to the kitchen but you were there, Father. You sent me back up to bed."

"It was a dream." Razi gave her a warm smile.

Nali shook her head. It hadn't been, she was sure of it.

"Or it was Orefinder looking after you." Sirruil grinned. "He might be a little less of a trickster than Odos but he has his moments."

"What do you mean?" Nali glanced at the doorway.

"Grandfather used to tell stories about the times he did all kinds of little tricks. He never could in the mine, my mother would have dragged him out by his nose hairs, but Khiril is just as clever. He makes less pointless mischief, he turns it to better things like sending a man the wrong way so that he meets his future wife or scares them back down the way they came, grinning at them in the dark, to avoid trouble."

"If Lady Rook needs help-"

"If Lady Rook needs help, someone will give it to her. She wanted you to be safe. I remember when I was very young," he pulled her to sit on the bed next to him, "I used to ask my mother, I used to beg her, to let me come with her when she left the mine. She said no every time. Not because she didn't miss me but because she would worry too much about me to do what she needed to do.

"If Orsas Fellforger opened the door to bring you home, you were in a dangerous place. Lady Rook needed you safe more than she needed you there."

"Master Orefinder said he thought she had a plan." Nali let them both embrace her. "He said she made a wager..."

"Lady Rook is like my mother." Sirruil grinned, "If she makes a wager it's because she already knows how the dice are going to fall. Trust her that sending you home was the right thing."

Razi walked her back to her room and tucked her in as if she were Raduil's age, giving her a kiss on the head. Worry about Lady Rook, about Edun and the elves, danced around in her head. She must have fallen asleep because Razi woke her for breakfast, but she felt as if she'd barely slept at all.

Nali ate quietly and when Sirruil was preparing to go to the library, instead of helping Razi clean up as she usually did, she squared her shoulders and started after him.

"Nali?" Razi called after her.

"I can't help you clean up today, Razi. I need to find out what it is I should be doing." She stopped and glanced back and forth between the baffled dwarf woman and her smiling father. "There's something I should be doing, I can feel it."

"I know that feeling." Sirruil waved for her to come along. "I'll stay with her, my love, and we'll come home for lunch."

Her father laughed as she forged ahead of him toward the library. She stopped just inside the door. Something wasn't quite right.

"You're bringing your daughter today, Sirruil?" One of the priests gave her and her father a curious look.

"She has something to do for Lady Rook."

"She's a child. Even if-"

Nali held up her hand and turned back toward the door, closing her eyes. "It's not here." Taking a breath she tried to think about where she was supposed to be. A thought popped into her mind. "Where are the ravens?"

"I'll take you there." Sirruil gave her a measuring look. "Unless you want to take Syreilla's Eye."

"No, you need that, Father." She gave him a rueful smile, "You might need it very much very soon. I think something is coming."

"It didn't do anything when he looked at a map." One of the other priests came closer with a frown. "Why-"

"I don't know. It's just a-a feeling."

"The overactive imagination of a child." The priest smiled and shook his head, "Send her home, Sirruil."

"For a priest that belongs to Khiril Orefinder you're not very sharp." Nali folded her arms and stuck her chin out. "Even the elves understood that I'm Lady Rook's priestess. Orsas Fellforger called me 'Nali Rookfriend' and I've stood under her banner. I have work to do and I'm going to borrow my father for the day. I'm not asking."

Someone in the back of the library muttered into the silence after she spoke, "That's how you know one of Lady Rook's."

Someone else stifled a laugh but the priest in front of her wasn't amused.

"I'll take you to the ravens, Nali." Sirruil was grinning when she glanced over. He'd put the circlet on. "You're my task for the day, that's clear."

"Sirruil-"

"Talk to Juddri Grimgrip if you need matters explained to you, Toreven. I don't argue with the Eye." He guided her back out and toward the guardrooms. "The ravens are kept up above the watch rooms. If you have to visit them often you'll want to meet Khadom Ravencaller."

"I don't know if I'll need to, I just know I need to now."

They made their way up, and she couldn't bring herself to pay attention to the banter between her father and the guards the closer they got. She managed to push the hatch up and open herself and climbed up to the partly open overlook filled with warm nests and watching ravens.

Nali looked at them all carefully, "Lady Rook sent me. She has a task for you."

Several perked up and hopped onto perches, tilting their heads and looking as if they were listening intently. She closed her eyes and took a breath. "You're supposed to go out and see something. Find something. Someone."

"Who?" The voice startled her.

As she jumped and opened her eyes, the birds began to chide the grey-haired dwarf who'd spoken. He made soothing sounds and stepped back.

"I'm not sure."

"Where is your raven? You had one, didn't you?" He frowned at her.

"Baduil, yes, but he wasn't mine. He belongs to Lady Rook." She closed her eyes and rubbed her face, "This would be easier if he was here."

An elderly raven came out of its nest and landed on her shoulder. The weight felt comforting. Absently, she reached up to stroke its chest. "She wants them to go out and look. They're supposed to find someone and bring back a message. I think they'll know what they're looking for when they find it."

"My ravens are good birds but they aren't-"

The birds that had been listening to her took flight and the elderly raven on her shoulder made pleased sounds adjusting a few strands of her hair.

"They understood you." The dwarf blinked at her.

"They understood what Lady Rook wanted." Sirruil came all the way up with a smile. "Khadom Ravencaller, this is my daughter, Nali Rookfriend. She may be young but Lady Rook has claimed her as a priestess."

There was the sound of footsteps on stone and an out-of-breath dwarf with brown hair came around the outer corner, "I saw..." He blinked at Nali and the raven on her shoulder.

"You saw Nali Rookfriend send out the ravens on Lady Rook's command." Khadom patted his shoulder. "This is my grandson, Khurum. Will you be coming up to visit the ravens often, Nali?"

"I don't know. I'd like to." She gave him a wry smile. "I miss Baduil. Lady Rook was scolded for sending him to stay with me. Orsas Fellforger had given her permission to send him to look in on me, but not too often."

"And he came and roosted with you." The old dwarf grinned.

"She said she only sent him once, for twenty years." Nali glanced at her father who broke into laughter.

"That sounds like her." Sirruil kissed her on the head and then stroked the raven. "That sounds like my mother. She and Lady Rook were a lot alike."

"What did Fellforger say?" Khadom shook his head with a smile.

"That he'd remember that the next time she gave him a favor."

Both he and Sirruil laughed.

"Was there anything else Lady Rook wanted you to do?"

Nali took a deep breath and looked around. "Wait. They'll be back."

"Then we wait. I'll go get our lunch from Razi if you need to stay that long."

*Thirty*

Elves looked up in surprise as Syr made her way to Edun's tent, half dragging Vedhethrah. She gave them a smile and a curious look as they whispered among themselves.

"They thought you were captured." Vedhethrah stopped her at the tent flap, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her still for a moment. "As did I."

"I told you, I haven't found anything other than Nimphon's black lake that can hold me, beloved. They tried to seal me in and failed."

The flap in front of her opened and an elf looked at her in disbelief, "You did more than just escape, Lady Rook."

"I usually do. I don't like it when people try to confine me and I like it to be very clear that crossing me is a bad idea. No one fucks with mine twice and if you fuck with me directly you'll be grateful when I let you die."

She put on her widest, maddest grin. The elf blinked and then shuddered.

"Where is my Baduil? And is Edun-"

A fluttering of wings and the sound of Edun's laughter cut her off, she smacked at Vedhethrah's hands and pushed past the elf to go into the crowded tent. The raven was perched on Edun's shoulder adjusting his feathers.

"He was injured but I think I was able to heal him completely, Lady Rook." Edun gave her a relieved smile. "He insisted that I not call for you unless I was in dire need. I'm grateful you're back and safe. Where is Nali?"

"That's exactly right, Edun. Nali is safely home in the mine. Itia, the False Rook is dead, and so is Rielle, the former goddess of desire, vanity, and deception." Syr gave the stunned priests and priestesses a faintly amused look, "I think I understand elves a little better now knowing you mistook her for a goddess of love. A real one will rise now that there's no pretender blocking her way. When you see the difference you'll understand."

"How do you kill a god?" One of the priestesses looked at her with amazement.

"Eithagar!" Two of the others hissed at once.

"It took more power than I'll ever again possess." Syreilla grinned at her. "I had to borrow Nimphon's stone to do it. He's not one to lend it out often."

The curious priestess broke into a smile, "I didn't know Nimphon could do it either."

"You'd be amazed at the things he could do if he decided he wanted to."

"He is the King of the gods." A priest inclined his head. "And for good reason."

"Of the elven gods." Syr gave him an impish grin. "I suspect that's why my grandfather, Atos, had some difficulty joining them. Kings don't like to bow." She gave Vedhethrah a mischievous smile and the dragon bent to kiss her neck.

"I need to speak with you alone, my treasure."

"Let me make sure my Baduil is-" She laughed as the raven flew to her outstretched hand. Running her hand over him and looking for anything that might have been missed she gave Edun a warm smile. "You did a good job. Thank you for looking after him, Edun."

"I drew from the feather to do it." He smiled shyly. "I couldn't let him suffer."

Syreilla gave him an impish grin, "I always keep a little in my sigils for those I love. I told Nali she doesn't need to worry about where to draw power from to cast a ward in her own defense as long as she has her feather. The same is true for you."

"Nali." Baduil gave her a curious look.

"She's home and safe." Syr sighed, "And no, she doesn't still have her feather. It was taken from her."

"They can harm you with it." Vedhethrah gripped her more tightly.

"They can't."

"You were clever. You made them give it to Ahevhethrah." Edun grinned. "Your grandfather is proud."

"He should be bursting with pride in Cyran and Syvezar. I am."

She dipped her head as he laughed delightedly and it resonated with her grandfather's laughter.

"He is. All of his grandchildren fill him with pride and joy."