"I shall go off to my den," Ancaladar said once that had been accomplished. "Perhaps there will be… food… soon," he added hopefully.
"I shall bring you bullocks from my herd as soon as I can," Jermayan promised. He hefted the saddle to his shoulder; though it was comparatively light, it was bulky, and he was glad it was only a short walk to the House of Leaf and Star.
"Then I shall leave you now," Ancaladar said. He rose to his feet and trotted away. The unicorns followed, pacing him until he took off.
Jermayan and Idalia gazed up at the House of Leaf and Star.
"At the very least, I'd say they know we're coming," Idalia said, hefting the strap of her medicine chest higher onto her shoulder.
* * * * *
THE door was opened by an Elf that Idalia could not remember having seen at the House of Leaf and Star before. Taranarya was a textile weaver some of her designs covered the cushions and pillows in the guesthouse that had been given to Idalia and Kellen when they had first come to Sentarshadeen.
It seemed like a very long time ago.
"I See you, Taranarya," Idalia said.
Taranarya regarded the two of them as if they had just sprouted directly out of the ground.
"We have come to see Andoreniel," Idalia added, when Taranarya did not say anything.
It was, of course, perfectly possible and within the scope of the complex code of Elven Manners for Taranarya not to "see" Idalia, and simply close the door in her face. But though technically that was permissible, it very rarely happened in practice.
"I See you, Idalia," Taranarya said at last. "I See you, Jermayan," she added. There was a pause. "Be welcome in this house and find comfort at our hearth." She opened the door wider and stepped back.
It was quite the most grudging welcome Idalia had ever received among the Elves, but Taranarya probably did not wish to admit there was sickness in the House of Leaf and Star though anyone who could not guess why she was here instead of her cousin Talminonil was thick-witted at best. Talminonil had served in the House of Leaf and Star since before any of Idalia's grandparents had met. She hoped that Talminonil was… well, that things weren't as bad with Talminonil as they could possibly be.
Taranarya conducted them to the Room of Fire and Water. By the time they'd reached it, two more servants had arrived to take their heavy outer clothing and Ancaladar's saddle.
The Room of Fire and Water was one of the formal receiving chambers of the House of Leaf and Star, and as such, had been designed to be as much to be a work of art as simply a place where guests were welcomed. As the name implied, the room was designed to be a marriage of fire and water. At one end of the room was an enormous fireplace in the shape of a red-gold dragon, whose enormous tile wings covered the entire wall of the room. At this season, the dragon-hearth naturally contained a well-built fire, and the flames leaped and danced in the dragon's belly.
Of course, the dragon did not bear a great deal of resemblance to an actual dragon. It was much too round and cheerful something the Elven artisan who had designed the room was undoubtedly aware of. And real dragons certainly didn't breathe fire, or carry furnaces in their bellies. But dragons certainly did radiate heat, just as this dragon-hearth was doing, so in that sense, the symbolism was quite accurate.
At the opposite end of the room there was a fountain, and here the room's colors were deep vivid turquoise and violet, the intense saturated hues a perfect complement to the red-golds and vermilions that surrounded the dragon. Here, a column of water bubbled high into the air, falling back into itself and down into its catchbasin. The glittering motes of color caught within the water were tiny fish-shapes, all made of glass, for living fish would not have been at all happy living in that turbulent water.
The walls between the fountain and the hearth were covered with a mosaic Elvenware seashells mixed with natural ones at the fountain end, glass tiles at the hearth end in which the two sets of opposite colors reached out and blended together in perfect harmony, like a vibrant sunset.
"I shall bring tea," Taranarya said. It was obvious that she felt that the room's elaborate beauty would occupy them for some time.
"We have come on the wings of the wind," Jermayan said urgently. "And so our words enter the realms of suitable discourse like summer storms into an orchard, tossing the boughs about and shaking loose the fruit. Yet I believe it is with cause, for I know that which you do not wish to relate. Kellen has told me what he has learned from Rochinuviel, and so you must understand that we already know much of what has happened within these walls. I beg you, do not delay us."
Taranarya regarded him as if he had shouted curses at her. It might not seem so on the battlefield, but to the ears of a gently-bred Elven artisan, this was plain speaking indeed, and it was obvious Taranarya had never heard anything like it in all the years of her long life. She stared at Jermayan for a long moment in shock, then curtseyed deeply and rushed as quickly as she could without seeming to from the room.
Jermayan and Idalia looked at each other.
"That certainly went well," Idalia said, after a moment.
"Perhaps we should have brought Kellen with us, to apply his courtly manners," Jermayan said ironically. "But I would truly feel more serene were I to know at once of the health of Andoreniel's Counselors, and have speech of them, and that is a thing neither cups of tea nor sweet cakes can provide."
"I see that Kellen's influence has been pervasive indeed," Idalia said, though she shared his feelings.
If Andoreniel was as ill as Kellen had implied, in Ashaniel's absence the Elven Council was all that was left to govern the Nine Cities. Tyendimarquen, Morusil, Ainalundore, Dargainon, and Sorvare had advised Andoreniel for centuries. Morusil and Ainalundore, at least, had advised Andorieniel's father Arinaldariel before him.
If all of them were sick, or dead…
But to Idalia's immense relief, before she and Jermayan actually came to the point of searching the House of Leaf and Star themselves for answers, Taranarya returned, bringing Morusil and, inevitably, a large wheeled cart covered with savory dishes with her.
The oldest of Andoreniel's Counselors leaned heavily upon a carved wooden staff as he walked into the room, and his steps were slow and hesitant. He seemed to have aged several centuries since Idalia had seen him last, though it had only been a handful of moonturns, and his ivory-pale skin was now marred with the ugly purple scars of plague.
"You should not be out of bed!" Idalia gasped, rising to her feet to help him to a chair near the fire.
Morusil chuckled faintly. "My dear Idalia, the Shadow's Kiss rested on me very lightly indeed, and that some sennights ago. Indeed, I was considering participating in the Winter Running Dance this year, for the first time in quite some time. But come. I am sure that you have news for me, and I will tell you what I can. Meanwhile, surely there is time to eat and drink." He raised a hand though he was dressed in Council robes, he wore no rings, for they would have fit him far too loosely now and Taranarya curtseyed once more and departed, closing the door to the Room of Fire and Water behind her.
They settled beside him around the fire, and Idalia laid out the tea-things upon the table, for despite his protests, Morusil looked far from well. Out of respect for his years, Idalia poured tea while Jermayan prepared them all plates from the rather hearty selection of delicacies.
Nevertheless, Morusil came quickly enough to the point.
"You come in a good hour, Idalia, for the Shadow's Kiss lies heavily upon us here. My old comrade Ainalundore has gone to the trees, and Sorvare with her. Only Tyendimarquen, Dargainon, and I remain, and… we do not know if Dargainon will recover. As yet, Tyendimarquen has not fallen ill, thanks be to the grace of Leaf and Star. But Andoreniel has not been so fortunate."
"That much Kellen has told us," Jermayan said. "He sent us here from Halacira, where he has destroyed the last of the Enclaves of the Shadowed Elves. Redhelwar follows, to await orders at Ondoladeshiron. Artenel prepares the caverns to become a fortress, for if we are to shelter the women and children of the Wild Lands, we must have shelter to offer them."
Morusil nodded. "It is a plan that contains both good and ill within it, yet I do not see how we can abandon our friends and Allies. Still, I would give much to know how Kellen intends them to reach this shelter. The unicorns tell us that travel will be impossible in the Wildlands until after Kindling, at best; in the High Reaches, it may be late spring, or later. And that is only without considering fear of attack. Yet I know that Their creatures already roam the Elven Lands and fill the Lost Lands."
"And Tyendimarquen believes the best course of action is to sit and do nothing," Idalia guessed, "and let everyone who isn't an Elf fend for themself. Well, it's too late for that. Lerkelpoldara has been completely destroyed. Deskethomaynel and Windalorianan have been evacuated, and the survivors have regrouped at Ysterialpoerin. The Shadowed Elves may have brought Coldwarg, Deathwings, and a few other things in through their caves and past the wards, but if the wards in the north haven't already fallen, they're going to fall soon, and then you'll have Ice Trolls and Frost Giants here. They move slowly, and they have a mountain range or two to cross, but they'll reach Ysterialpoerin eventually, and then they'll destroy it just as the Coldwarg and serpentmarae did Lerkelpoldara. Only they'll wipe out three cities, not one."
"And should you tell him so, Tyendimarquen will insist the army return to defend Ysterialpoerin to the last Knight," Morusil said, seemingly undaunted by the catalogue of disasters that Idalia related to him. "Yet Redhelwar already knows the threat they face, and he has left them."
"There is plague at Ysterialpoerin, just as there is here," Jermayan said. "So far, by the Grace of Leaf and Star, it has not spread to the army, and Redhelwar wishes to preserve his force. Further, Kindolhinadetil can only feed so many, and the refugees are a great tax upon his reserves. It was thought wise to bring the army to the War City instead."
"It would please me greatly were I to be allowed to know why it was Redhelwar chose to do such a thing," Morusil said mildly.
"Kellen suggested it," Idalia said bluntly.
"Then it is the Wild Magic which guides Redhelwar. I find no fault in that, though no doubt Tyendimarquen will try hard to raise some objection. It troubles me that Ysterialpoerin is left undefended, however."
"Kellen believes and it has been shown to be the truth that They are attempting to draw our forces in many directions at once, scattering us so that we may be more easily destroyed, while They gain the power They need to launch Their final attack upon us. Though we now know what They mean to do, without Andoreniel…" Idalia shrugged helplessly.
"The King must live, so that he can rule," Morusil said. "There is no one in Sentarshadeen indeed, in all the Elven Lands who would not give up their life for his. All our arts have only held the Shadow's Kiss at bay, for it rests as heavily upon him as it has upon anyone I have seen. Can you, with your powers of healing, do more, Idalia?"
"I can try, Morusil. Fond as I am of Tyendimarquen's optimism and good cheer, I do not think he should speak for the Elves this year," Idalia said.
"Nor do I. In times of peace, his good counsel provides excellent balance. But a balance is composed of many sides."
"I have brought several remedies with me," Idalia said. "We have had some success with them at Ysterialpoerin. And perhaps there will be more that I can do."
For all our sakes, I hope there is.