12 Jul 2019

The Elf's Prisoner - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Previously:
Jyslyn made some key discoveries.
Inn of the Foxes, Silver Trailings, outside the Realm Below the Mountain
Once the elves returned to the inn, the group gathered in Kazimier's room.  Leomund stood beside Nyssa, who sat in one of the room's two chairs.  Kazimier claimed the second chair, sitting near the knight.  Wren and Jyslyn sat on the bed, the latter in her new dress.  Leomund worked at not staring at the dark elf, succeeding most of the time.  For her part, Jyslyn didn't notice the young squire's furtive glimpses.

"We have some news," Kazimier said.  "Whether it's good or not is up to you."

"My feeling is that it's a mix," Nyssa said.  "First, the Niceans now know the fate of their ambassador.  It's hard to tell whether they're relieved, angry, or overjoyed."

"We may have forced them to cancel a war footing build up," Kazimier added.  "The Minister didn't indicate anything to us.  To be fair, the Niceans were a new addition to everything we have discovered."

"Second, we did get a reply from the dwarves.  They sent their missive to the embassy for the Seven Dominions, not to us."  Nyssa held up the scroll from the Realm Below.  "The meeting is tomorrow morning, back in the Realm Below.  We may have an third person with us, the ambassador from the Seven Dominions.  She received the scroll on our behalf."

Wren held up her hand.  "Is she someone we can trust?"

"Excellent question, lass."  Nyssa shrugged.  "I have no idea.  I've never met the woman before today, and a mere knight seldom gets involved in matters of state at that level."

"She was upset that she didn't know that Nyssa was here on official business," Kazimier said.  "But, she did come out to us instead of destroying the missive.  Can we trust her completely?  No more than before we started our investigations.  Can we trust her to not be involved?"  The elf looked over to Nyssa before continuing.  "I would say yes, for now."

"That, I can agree with."  Nyssa turned her attention to Jyslyn.  "And I understand that you have some news, too, lass."

Jyslyn cleared her throat.  "I do, yes.  Earlier this afternoon, I went back to the Canal District in search of the thieves' guild."  The dark elf took a deep breath, releasing it slowly.  "Yes, this was done after I was told it was too dangerous and not to go.  However, I did discover that the thieves' guild here has been infiltrated.  My people have their hooks into members of the guild here.  One is also involved with the conspiracy, though he believes that he has the control.  To be frank, my brother can be a gullible, short-sighted fool when he puts his mind to it."

Nyssa stared at the dark elf.  "Your brother, lass?"

"My brother, yes.  He's not here on the behalf of my familiy's new Matriarch.  His goal is to overthrow the Council of Matriarchs, unify my people, and conquer the world under his banner."  Jyslyn forced a laugh.  "He has never understood the meaning of the word, 'subtlety'.  Even if he's successful, the Sundered Chasm would be in a state of chaos for at least a generation as the power structure reforms.  And, yes, he is looking forward to that.  He's fallen in with a cult of the Defiler."

"That's just lovely, lass."

"My brother also let slip a few names.  He expected to be able to take me back to the Sundered Chasm to let my sisters deal with me, so he didn't have a reason to be careful.  Not that he ever has reason."

Wren rubbed Jyslyn's arm.  "I won't let him take you anywhere."

"I know."  Jyslyn patted Wren's hand.  "One of the names was for the thief Wren shot; Oswin.  He collected the guild's take from the beggars, which is how I found him.  Biala - my brother - used him as the contact within the guild.  The other name my brother dropped was Sesserine, but that was all he said about this person.  I don't recognize the name."  She looked at the others in the room as they pondered the name.

"Can't say I've heard the name before, either, lass," Nyssa said.

"This Sesserine may be higher up in the conspiracy," Jyslyn said.  "Oswin, the thief, was more afraid of her than my brother.  Biala's exact words were, 'Sesserine can go hang.'  He must have seen her as a rival, but, as I said, my brother's a gullible idiot."

"He may well be, lass, but that does tell us something about this Sesserine.  Two, if you hadn't noticed.  You called Sesserine, 'her', lass."

Jyslyn nodded.  "My brother did, too."

"What's the other thing?" Wren asked.

"Sesserine is the woman we need to find," Nyssa answered.  "She's not doing the dirty work; she's directing others.  She may also be as smart as a sage or a wizard.  After all, she seems to be playing your brother, Jyslyn."

Kazimier nodded in agreement.  "We just have to figure out where we can start our search."

"I doubt she was at that tavern where you found me, Kazimier," Jyslyn said.  "That was the guild's.  Anyone meeting someone like Oswin would be noticed, unless that anyone found a different way in, like through the roof."

"Wouldn't that be noticeable from outside?" Leomund asked.

Jyslyn gave the squire a sly smile.  "Not if you're good at using the shadows."

Wren stretched.  "Wouldn't this Sesserine be a thief, though?  I mean, she knew that Oswin thief and your brother."

"Not necessarily," Kazimier answered.  "A thief wouldn't have the access to the likes of the Cleaven Eye gnolls or the Gashed Axe Horde without being in charge of the guild.  At that point, she'd have her hands full managing the guild's operations."

"For a priest, lad, you know a lot about how thieves' guilds work."  Nyssa nudged Kazimier with her elbow.  "You could be right, though.  The type of person it takes to work through a guild of any sort isn't one to dabble elsewhere.  It takes too much attention away."

"Agreed."  Jyslyn nodded.  "Is it safe to say that she wouldn't be caught in a guild-controlled tavern?"

"Safe enough for now," Nyssa answered.  "Sesserine would also need a location that would allow her to get messages."

"The Canal District is good for that," Leomund said.  He snapped his fingers.  "I just placed the name!"

The group stared at the young squire.  "Spit it out, Leo," Nyssa prodded.

"It sounds like it's from the Southern Lands," Leo said.  "It doesn't sound quite right, though.  I just can't place the correct name.  Ma'am, do you remember that delegation that came up from the Southern Lands two or three years ago?  You had me watching over the children."

Recognition dawned on Nyssa.  "I do, yes.  Go on, lad."

Leomund racked his brain, trying to remember the details.  "What was the name of that girl, the one who just would not listen to anyone, not even her parents?  She was a right terror, always getting into everything and leaving grand messes whenever she wasn't shrieking at the top of her lungs and scaring the chickens."

"Severine," Nyssa said after a few moments of thoughts.  "She was from Upper Tivala."

"She sounds like a brat," Wren said.  "Do you think she's the one responsible?"

Leomund chuckled.  "She was maybe ten years old when she was the instrument of chaos back home.  While I wouldn't put it past her, she's too young.  I can't see a thief or Jyslyn's brother taking her seriously today.  Ma'am, we should warn His Majesty to keep an eye on her when she comes of age."

"I'll take the suggestion under advisement, Leo."  Nyssa laughed at the memories.  "She was a holy terror, though."

"What do the people of Upper Tivala look like?" Jyslyn asked.  "Would they stand out like I do?"

"It would depend on the time of year.  Winter, when few people here get out in the sun, they would, with their dark tans.  Now?  It'd depend on the Tivalan.  Some have far darker skin than anyone else here, summer or winter."  Nyssa nodded to Jyslyn.  "For humans.  Others, though, are far fairer of skin.  We'd be able to tell them apart in the winter, but not now."

Jyslyn bit her lower lip as she thought.  "That doesn't really help us right now."

"No, but it's a start," Kazimier said.  "Here is what I suggest.  We leave Sesserine for now.  Jyslyn, what the chances your brother will try looking for you?"

"He'll make the smallest effort he can so he can stay focused on his current goal.  We can't linger here for long.  He may send a message to my sisters, but it will take time for them to send anyone else here for me."

"Good.  That means we can ignore him for now."

"Wait, lad.  What happened to her brother?" Nyssa asked.

Kazimier looked over to Jyslyn before answering.  "He escaped."

"I stopped Wren from shooting him," Jyslyn added.  "He's an idiot, but he's family."

"I understand, lass.  Family, even one that fights against itself all the time, is still kin."  Nyssa adjusted her skirts.  "Go on, Kazimier."

"As I was saying, we ignore Sesserine and ignore Jyslyn's brother, at least for now.  Instead, we focus on our meeting with the dwarves.  We're all going."  Kazimier held up a hand to keep the dark elf from protesting.  "Yes, even you, Jyslyn.  And it's not because of what you did today, if that's what you're thinking."

Jyslyn folded her arms across her chest.  "Mind reader."

"I know people.  I want everyone there to convince the dwarves that the problem is bigger than just the Seven Dominions, just Wildwood, and just the Realm Below.  If dark and surface elf can work together, then the dwarves will know there is something they need to pay attention to."

Nyssa laughed.  "And we don't have to tell them that the lass here is a refugee and not a real representative.  I like you're thinking, Kazimier."

"What happens after we meet the dwarves?" Wren asked.

Kazimier got to his feet.  "That's when we look for this Sesserine."


Next Week:
Meeting the dwarves.

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