Letter from a lost love...

[Kalysta]

::::A single sheet of parchment flutters down a deserted side street. Dancing and bobbing on the wind, it is caught by a young mercenary by the name of Wilkens::::

My Dearest Aerista,

Love of my life, if this letter finds you well, my heart will weep with joy. After last night, and how angry your father looked as he tore you away from the window, I knew you would not be able to meet me.
Mother told me once of a technique for enchanting parchment so it will fly on the wind to the one it is meant for, and so, i pray the wind carries this to your heart from mine.
Never did I believe there could be such utter happiness in this world, such a feeling of unity between two mortal beings...

My time grows short here, and I hear footsteps on the stair, so I will close by saying this:

I love you, and those three words have my life in them.
Yours Always,
X

[MerriMekko]

::: hmmm, aerista, i know this name. where did i hear it before. ah yes, the young druid. she has a love. very interesting...i had better put this in my pouch, i think i will make a special trip to find her. :::

[Kalysta]

:::Sitting by the window in a small outdoor cafe in Qeynos, we see a small druid, slowly stirring her coffee, lost deep in thought. On the table before her is a piece of parchment, a quill, and a blotter full of ink:::

"I'd give anything to hold you again, my love..." she whispers to no one in particular "you were taken from me, i didnt get to say goodbye... I wonder now if you thought of me as often as i did you..."

::::The druid girl turns back to her parchment, slowly dipping the quill in the jet black ink, she continues her writting:::

.... but my heart beats through my entire body and is concious of only you. I belong to you, there is really no other way of expressing it, and even that is not strong enough....

::::pausing for a moment, she turns to look at the road before her::::
"Many miles to travel still..." she thinks

Before she is able to return to her writing, she notices a small dot on the horizon, moving in at an enormous speed. As the dot grows larger, she feels she might recognize the person it is rapidly becoming.....

::::Wilkens runs up to the table Aerista is sitting at:::

"I found something that i think belongs to you."

Before Aerista has a moment to think, off Wilkens goes- and in quite a hurry too.

"what is this..." she wonders as she opens the slightly crumpled parchment before her.

A gasp escapes her lips, and almost immediately she begins to cry. The handwriting is quite recognizable, but she wonders how it can be...

"This may have been written awhile ago..." she thinks, wiping the tears from her face with the hem of her robes, "but perhaps it wasnt... could he still be alive?"

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

(Aerista hears a voice in her mind)

:::: Never, never give up hope :::::

[Kalysta]

:::Aerista's SL::::

She sat at the small table for nearly an hour before the barkeep prodded her.

"Time to go little elf..." he said in a gruff voice, "we're closing up for the night."

Aerista stood, still silent, and drained the last of her pint. Her head ached terribly, but it was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

As she made her way back to the inn, wobbling back and forth, she noticed a small delf standing off the side of the road in the shadows. He approached her, and as he did, she raised her staff in preparation for a fight.

"I mean you no harm!" he squealed, shielding his face from the staff's glowing tip, "I come seeking the druid named Aerista. I have word from my mother."

"Speak then," Aerista said, sounding slightly annoyed that any delf would have business with her after...

"My mother, she is a powerful seer. And what she has seen is for your ears only, elf. We cannot speak here, it is not safe. Come, we will away to your room at the Four Centaurs."

And with that he darted off toward the inn on the hill. Aerista followed, still shaken by the whole idea of a delf seer predicting for her. It had happened before.. but that was to see if their paths were starcrossed, and the seer had been terribly wrong...

Once back in the room, the delf locked the door and stood just off center of the window, peering suspiciously at the darkened street below.

"..Now what is this all about." Aer said, becoming weary and lying down on her cot. "Ive had alot to drink this eve and I wish not to wait much longer for sleep, so please, hasten with your explanation..."

The delf cleared his throat and began, "As I said, my mother is a great seer in Neriak. Many of the high society types come to her to have their fortunes read. All has been well, but late last night she came to me and told me i must journey here to find you."

"Yes, yes..." Aer said, "we've been through this part of it, on with it now delf... i grow weary and need sleep."

Her impatience went nearly unnoticed, save for a glint in the young delfs eyes that seemed familiar somehow...

"...as I was saying, my mother says she saw a vision of you, two nights ago, and until last night, she didnt know what to make of it. She said to tell you, she knows your pain, and the injustice which caused it. But wants me to warn you..."

"Warn me? of what? The worst they could do to me has been done... my love - murdered, my family-exterminated - WHAT MORE CAN THEY DO TO ME?!?" she cried.

"...all is not how it seems, Aerista. The one you loved, the one whos name no delf is allowed to speak, he is not dead... or so says my mother. She has seen him, in her dreams, and he wanders alone in darkness. You must be careful. He is not as he once was, my mother is sure of this, for she knew him in the before time."

"So you mean to tell me.... hes not dead?" she asked, calmly trying to wrap her mind around what had been said.

"Yes, he lives... "

"But where? how? I saw him killed, i felt his heart stop beating.... I held him as he died."

"Aerista, stop thinking in terms of life and death, for a delf there is no real death, only rebirth until your lifes journey is complete. And therein lies the real danger. "He" has been reborn to a darker path, Aerista, and he is not the one you loved before. This is all i can say, the sky brightens, i must get back before i am noticed to be gone..."

And with that, accompanied by a loud pop, the young delf disapperated in front of her - leaving her to lie awake, pondering what this all could mean for her, for him.... and for them....

[Kalysta]

She didnt slept at all that night, despite how weary she was from all the travelling. The young delf's words of warning, still fresh in her mind as she watched the sun break the darkness on the horizon and rise slowly up into the ever lightening sky. Only one word was on her mind - Zaerin.

It had been a long time since she had spoken that name, and though it was foremost in her mind now - it was much harder to say.

'A better question would be, how could you forget me?' a voice somewhere behind her fumed, causing her to turn quickly, staff at the ready, scanning the room for its source.
'oh, Aerista, you simple girl... put away that :::laughs:: toy of yours, Im not with you... yet. But i grow stronger, and I am coming back to claim that which IS mine... your heart.'

"Bu-but Zae-" she stammered, but was quickly cut off

'But NOTHING! You promised we would be together! You promised no harm would come to me at the hand of your father... you left me behind, Aer, but I came back to you, just as I promised... and soon, when I am able, we will meet... in the druid ring as we planned.. and we WILL be wed - even your father cant stop me now...'

And with that, the awful voice fell silent. Aerista lay down on the bed, her head reeling with the events that had just taken place... who could she talk to? Who would even understand such a thing as this? Who could even help her against such evil...

With the last of her strength drained from casting protection charms on all the doors and windows, nooks and crannies of her small room at the inn, she collapsed on the bed, exhausted, and cried herself to sleep curled in a small ball.

[Kalysta]

The next morning, Aer woke feeling as though she hadnt slept at all. The strange conversation lingered in her head, and weighed heavy on her heart...

"If he is alive still, and if he intends to do what i think, he will have to be... stopped." she thought sadly, "but who can? His power was great when I loved him, and im sure - his being a dark elf- that it has only grown in his anger..."

As if answering her question, there came a loud crash outside her door. Startling Aerista from her thoughts, she cautiously crept toward the door, staff glowing and at the ready.

"Who.. whos there?" she called out, in a vain attempt to sound strong and sure.

The only answer was the silence on the opposite side of the now cracked door.

Bracing herself for a fight, Aer crept closer to the door, her hand hovering over the simple silver handle as if unsure what to do next. In one quick movement, She flung the door open and cast a root spell on the surprisingly empty hallway beyond.

The look of puzzlement on her face slowly abated as her focus was drawn to a pice of parchment nailed to her door. She gently took it off, so as not to rip anything, and began to read...

"We is knowing yoos mite need sum help leetle elfling. The bad one yoo is looking fur is gud strong and yoos cant do it alone... look fur us in Freport if yoos want to bash him gud..."

Though unsigned, the crude handwriting and obvious spelling mistakes made it evident to her that she had been contacted by some type of Ogre or Troll. Her better judgement told her to stay, to seek the help of her elven brethern, but somehow - deep inside - she had a feeling this is what was supposed to happen.

"I will need an evil mind to traverse the evil lands Zaerin is sure to be hiding in.." she thought, "so perhaps i would be wise to seek out these ... helpers."

With her mind decided, she packed what few things she had aquired on her travels and bid farewell to the comfort of her protected room. Stopping only to pay the bartender and restock her supplies, Aerista set out for Freeport to seek the one who had offered her his assistance...

(this is the part where someone evil *hint hint Zug or Rha* should pick up the tale in Freeport... im not really sure where this line is headed - i know it ends in either mine or Zaerin's death, so feel free to do whatever you all feel to it...)

[Slyfoot M'Zors]

( I would be happy to step in for ya, but sounds like Rhab or Zug should do that. Let me know if you need the help of dark elf who knows the dark lands and the power of hatred and love)

[Rhabuka]

(Sorry been away from the boards for a few days! But I can work soemthing up... )

[Kalysta]

(lol me too, but go for it.. i figured i'd open this one up to anyone who wants in, i can always alter the line afterwards if it doesnt flow right.)

[konku]

(great letter so far Aerista... keep up the good work, can't wait to see the rest of it!)