Shadowed Meetings

[adaun]

"It is a rather long story one that we dont' have the time for today, but yes I am there becuase of my brother..." Adaun said while Patryas poured her another glass of wine.

"thank you." Adaun said as she took the glass from him.

[Patryas]

"Your brother. I have not seen him since we were children. All of our childhoods hold bitter memories for us. I recently learned that your old employer was my mother," Patryas said.

"I had not known she was still alive," Patryas confessed, as memories of his mother came back to him. His wine goblet began shaking from his anger.

He moved the thought of his mother aside.

"I am sorry," he said as he sipped more of his wine. He then reached in his tunic and brought out his special vial and poured some into his wine.

[adaun]

"Your...Your... Mother?" Adaun said dropping her glass. She dropped her hand to the hilt of her sword and stood. She suddenly understood why she was here, he was exacting revenge and that vial, that vial was the antedote to the poison in her cup. Her mind wheeled as she stumbled backwards in a fog.

[Patryas]

Patryas looked on in confusion. What was wrong with her? This was most odd in deed. A thought crossed the back of his brain. Ah, yes. She killed his mother. She thought he was trying to kill her. How amusing. A smile came to his face, but he quickly removed it.

"Do not worry, my dear. If you had not killed that worthless shrew, I would have, sooner or later," he said as he finished his glass and poured another.

[adaun]

Adaun looked at him not sure if to belive him or not. What gain does he get from killing me? She thought. Nothing, he gains nothing, in fact he would lose footing with the house he just helped. She smiled appologeticly as she sat back down.

"Please forgive my outburst, but this is Neriak." She said with a kind but cold tone.

[Patryas]

Patryas regarded his company with a smile. He picked up her wine glass and refilled it yet again. He will have to send her a bottle, since she liked the vintage so much.

“Of course, how could I forget? Anyone not from the house of Seladria is capable of anything, it seems,” he answered back with sarcasm in his voice.

“Forgive my lack of compassion and my sense of humor. But much draws my attention in this city. It’s inhabitants quarrel with each other, while other threats not known to us grow outside this hiding place we call our kingdom. It is good to know that the remnants of your house still linger in this city. I often wonder why you and your brother do not reinstate your house?” he asked, almost cryptically.

[adaun]

"I doubt that will happen, Phelan has Married into the house O'seth. I didnt' even know Phelan was alive until a few months ago. The threat is growing outside of Neriak before long Neriak will be attacked, but no one will belive it. Not that they would ever be able to agree on anything anyways everyone is so busy backstabbing one another that their eyes never leave this city. It would suprise me a great deal if the council ever spoke of anything havign to do with all of Norath." Adaun said.

[Patryas]

He wickedly grinned at her opinions of the council. She was partly correct, but how little she understood. Like many of the blind fools in this city. He wondered if she knew of which threat to the Tier'dal he spoke of. The Tier'dal could handle any physical threat with ease.

"My dear, you know little of the power of your family name. The eradication of your house was the first major house quarrel. Before that, it was minor houses and individuals who had their private wars with eachother. The want for power in this city is a greedy and lustful want."

"And as for the O'Seth's. He is, if I have heard correctly, the first male to stand up against the rule of the women in that family in a long time. Your brother's only connection to that house is his child."

He looked at how much she had grown since they were children. A very strong woman. If one were a historian of the houses of Neriak, they could see she was a Seladria.

[adaun]

"Lady Nikki doesn't seem very fond of Phelan...ever.... Phelan won't leave his child though, if he would then him and Kalysta would have ran away together I think..." Adaun trailed off, she hadnt' meant to say so much, she knew nothing of his motives for asking these questions. Adaun looked to her wine and decided that she had drank enough for now.

" Our house has been dead for over 20 years, no one even remembers it let alone recognizes it. " Adaun said.

[Patryas]

“Quite,” he slowly replied.

She did not believe his words about her family. That is one thing about we Tier’dal. We speak little, but we remember much. He had heard what he wanted to know. He was right about her. She had no interest in reinstatement and she did not trust him. He had figured she had some fondness of childhood in her heart. He heard a knock on his door. One of his servants hurried to the front door. Thengar walked into the main room. He was a little surprised to see Patryas entertaining a woman. Thengar shot Adaun a second look. She looked familiar to him. Patryas was annoyed that his visit with Adaun was going to be cut short.

“I am sorry our visit was not as nice as I hoped it would be. If you would excuse me, I have another guest. Some other time perhaps,” he said to her coldly, not looking her in the eye.

He slowly started to walk her to the door.

[adaun]

Adaun looked at this new "guest" and wondered what he was doing here so early in the morning. Patryas was up to something she knew but what, that was what she wanted to know. He started walking her to the door, she instantly assumed her feminine walk, her hips swaying from side to side.

"Yes perhaps another time." Adaun said just as coldly not looking at him as she spoke. She looked at Thengar instead when she spoke, looking him up and down quite openly and smiled at him as she passed by.

"Oh and Patryas....Next time please don't send a messenger that is such a coward." Adaun turned and continued swaying her hips as she walked away.

[Patryas]

He smiled at her choice of words as she left. They might have worked for lust-hungry foot soldiers. He watched her walk away. He wondered if the swaying of the hips was for his benefit or for Thengar’s. Peculiar. It was clear now. Phelan was the key. He knew she lacked vision.

“What was that about?” Thengar asked him when Patryas came back into the main room.

“We are but kings and pawns my father told me. Leaders and fools,” Patryas said quietly to himself.

“Nothing. The woman was nothing, Tell me. What news do you bring?” Patryas replied.

[Patryas]

“Well, I’m afraid the council will be behind in its duties what with the death of the Grand Denouncer. Much will have to be done and discussed. There is a hush in the air in this city. As if some major change is coming. I have tried to find out as much information as I could, but no one is talking,” Thengar told him.

Patryas’ back was to him, he was pouring Thengar a glass of wine. He smiled to himself at Thengar’s comments. He removed the smile when he turned around and handed him his wine. Thengar quickly drank his wine.

“Perhaps something has them scared. Such is the life of a politician. I wonder if you would give up the duties of a shadowknight to be involved with your crooked council all of the time?” Patryas asked him.

Thengar smirked at his question.

“But you however have done the opposite. Following your father’s example. You have given up politics entirely,” Thengar answered him while laughing.

Patryas smirked back at him.

“Living in this city you cannot fully escape politics. Everyone in this city has a hidden agenda. You have more important things to do, Thengar. Do not let me keep you. When you have time, please stop by,” Patryas said.

“Very well. Good day, Patryas.”<br>

[Patryas]

Patryas sat down at his desk to write a letter to his childhood Phelan. He did not want to scare away his old companion.

My dear Phelan,
I have heard of your exploits of late. I wish to help you and to see how you are doing. Please meet me at the well in the center of town this afternoon. It will do me good to see you again.

An old friend

The silent master lurked into the room.

“My lord, Phelan has not left the city. I believe he is staying because of the child.”<br>
The silent master gave his report and left just as quickly as he had arrived.

Patryas sent for a messenger to send the letter

[Patryas]

Patryas paced in his study. Memories of his childhood mixed with the processes of the council along with the events that had taken place in the past week. His plans were entering crucial periods. He decided that he would get ready to go meet Phelan.
As he walked down the hallway, he felt a presence with him. He tried to shrug off the feeling, but it grew.

As he walked into his room, an unseen force felt like it grabbed hold of every organ in his body and squeezed. He was pulled off the ground, his feet dangling above the floor. He desperately gasped for air. Every time he moved his arms about in a flailing motion, immense pain shot through his entire body. His bones felt as if they were being ground to dust. His blood boiled in his veins. His skin felt like it was melting and dripping off the bone.

A black figure appeared before the tortured delf. It moved in slow, but horrifying movements. It made short, guttural noises as it neared Patryas. He knew who had paid him a visit. He shut his eyes before the figure came any closer. Negative, evil energy pulsed from the being. It’s eyes were small slits of a sickly green glowing light. Pure hate had come to see him. As it spoke, it’s voice sounded like it came from the pit of hell, the echo of it’s voice sounded like a thousand screams of the damned.

“My servant,” the figure said slowly.

The words hit Patryas like hundreds of icy needles. Patryas had now lost muscle control and his whole body hung limply in the invisible force that held him up. His mouth hung open and he drooled onto the floor. Blood began to seep from his nostrils.

“You have done well. However, I am afraid that you forget to seek my council every now and then. Beware the one you bring into your plans now. His family has always possessed the quality that I loathe to see in my children. A sense of morality. If you are to be successful in the goals I have laid out for you, you will need to break the spirit of my people. This next one is the beginning. Do not fail me, servant of darkness.”<br>
With each word the figure spoke, Patryas’ body quivered and spasmed with pain. As the figure faded away, Patryas was slowly lowered to the floor. When the invisible force was completely gone from his body, he violently vomited all over the floor. He made no effort to get up. He merely lay in the pool of his own blood and vomit. He wouldn’t be able to move for a couple of hours. What terrified him the most was he knew that this was not the last visit.