Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [123]
A portly, dark-skinned man with a look of extreme satisfaction on his black-bearded face strolled into the room. The noblewoman's heart plummeted when her eyes settled on Lord Hhune.
Lucia threw herself into the young man's arms. "Caladorn, you love me! You cannot do this to me. If only you'll listen, you'll know that I-"
He broke off her despairing plea with a simple shake of his head, then took her shoulders and gently put her away from him. "No more. I am breaking the law by allowing you to go. You know as well as I the penalty for impersonating a Lord of Waterdeep." Caladorn took her hand and bowed deeply over it "Farewell, Lucia."
The young man turned to Hhune, who was studying Lady Thione with an unreadable expression in his black eyes. "The Knights of the Shield are neither welcome nor tolerated in this city," Caladorn said. "I have been instructed to say that you must never return to Waterdeep. Shieldmeet is a time of truces: you would do well to be far from these gates when this day of peace is over. Remove your thieves and assassins, and the city is prepared to honor its trade agreements with your shipping guild."
"You are most generous, Lord Caladorn," Hhune said in inscrutable tones. "I accept your offer and will comply with its terms. And as the elf requested, I will see my countrywoman safely out of the city."
The young man bowed and turned away, quickly disappearing down the stairs and out into the market-bound crowd. With him went the last of Lucia's hopes. She wondered if he understood the sentence that his mercy had imposed upon her. She had no illusions about her fate in Hhune's hands, and she turned her gaze to the Tethyrian's face.
"Well, let us be off," he said evenly. "We've a long journey ahead."
Moving like one who slept, Lucia followed the guild-master down the back stairs and into the carriage that waited there. Lord Hhune's mood-which was neither the gloating triumph nor the violent rage she would have expected, but a cynical and perverse amusement-terrified her.
"What will you do with me?" she asked in a low voice.
"I thought it might be entertaining to bring a member of the hated royal family back to Tethyr," Hhune mused, his black eyes glittering as he regarded her. "It is fitting, is it not? After all, you should be paid in coin of your own choosing."
With those words, the Tethyrian tapped the glass on the front of the carriage. The horses lurched forward on the long road southward.
*****
As soon as the elven priests took Elaith into their care, Danilo and his friends hurried toward the marketplace. The Harper was relieved that his task was completed, but he could not be at ease until he learned the full extent of the elfsong spell's reversal. If Khelben had not recovered when the spell was lifted, the Harper's victory would be incomplete and empty.
There was little standing room left when the trio arrived. A firm hand settled on Danilo's shoulder, and the Harper looked up into the grave, handsome face of his friend Caladorn. Relief flooded him.
"Mystra be praised, you're all right! I can't tell you how glad I am that I was wrong, Caladorn."
"You were not wrong," the young man said softly. "I was, and I wish to make peace with you." Danilo took the hand offered him and clasped it briefly. "The Lady Laeral has told me all that has transpired, and your part in it," Caladorn concluded. He smiled faintly. "Finally, Dan, you have a bard's tale that is worthy of your talents!"
Before Dan could question him about Khelben, Caladorn hurried off into the crowd. With a deep sigh, Danilo turned his attention to the platform. Soon Lord Piergeiron and fifteen masked and robed Lords proceeded in and seated themselves on the raised platform. Murmurs rippled through the crowd, silencing immediately as Piergeiron rose to address the assembly.
"Good people of Waterdeep. It has been a long and troubling day, and much has happened