Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [89]
The trio stood in a courtyard before the tall, smooth cone of Blackstaff Tower. A twenty-foot wall loomed behind them. Neither structure had any visible doors, gates, or windows. Both of the Harper's companions surveyed the archmage's home with intense interest.
The solid wall of the tower blurred for a moment, and the archmage stepped out to greet his visitors. Danilo sped through the introductions. Khelben Arunsun proved himself a master of diplomacy when he received the news that the rogue elf Elaith Craulnober was his nephew's partner.
"Welcome to Blackstaff Tower. Please join my lady and me for midday meal. We have much to discuss, and can talk while we eat."
Elaith responded with a cryptic smile. "A pleasure deferred, Lord Arunsun. If you'll show me the way out, I have inquiries to make.'' After promising to meet Danilo at a tavern the following day at highsun, Elaith slipped through the wall's invisible door.
"It's a long story," Danilo said dryly, nodding his head in the direction the elf had taken.
"It'll wait Now, what have you two got?"
Over a midday meal of lentil stew and smoky cheese, Danilo filled his uncle in on the events of the last several days. Vartain gave the archmage a brief summary of the encounter with the dragon, and he went over the scroll's contents in detail. He then offered his profile of the sorceress.
"Our enemy is a bard and a mage of considerable power. She is a speaker of Middle Sespechian, which means she is either a specialist in obscure dialects, or a native of Sespech who is at least three hundred years old. She is also a skilled riddlemaster, and the wording of the riddle suggests that she is-or at least was at one point-a Harper."
Khelben nodded, his face grim "Some of the altered ballads suggest that you are right about the last point. This bard was seen in Sundabar, you say? Is she an elf?"
Danilo shook his head. "No one who saw her could say one way or another, but the age Vartain suggests makes it seem likely. Wyn seems to think she is, too. Why do you ask?"
"I can think of one person who might fit this pattern. Iriador Wintermist was the daughter of a famous elven minstrel and a human baron of Sespech. She was a noted mage and an up-and-coming bard. She joined forces with Finder Wyvernspur's band and traveled with him for a time. By all reports, she fell in battle during the Harpstar Wars."
"A half-elf, eh? What did she look like?"
"Iriador was a famed beauty with brilliant red hair and vivid blue eyes. She was very slender, not much over five feet in height and delicate of feature. If she is alive today, even with a potion of longevity she would no doubt appear ancient. Three hundred years is very old for a half-elf."
"That's not much to go on," Danilo said ruefully, rising from the table. "We've got to alert Krьos Halambar. If we can keep this sorceress from entering the site of the barding college Ollamn, perhaps we can purchase a little more time. At the very least we can have the shop watched for someone who fits that description. Vartain, you're the one to handle this. Come, I'll see you out."
The riddlemaster walked with him in silence out of the tower and onto the street. "If I may ask, why do you entrust this mission to me?" he asked.
"You see things most men miss," Danilo said with no thought of flattery.
"In recent days, I seem to have missed a great deal," the riddlemaster in a glum voice.
Danilo looked at him sharply, for such introspection seemed uncharacteristic of Vartain. "Actually, your accuracy is astounding. You've a remarkable mind. Never have I seen anyone with your breadth of knowledge or attention to detail. I've noticed that when you do miss something, it is because you are too involved with sorting through facts and fitting things together. If I may ask, how would you define 'humor'?"
Vartain looked puzzled by the apparent change in topic. "Levity, that which is lighthearted and amusing."
"Well that's good, as far as it goes. I've got another definition: humor is looking at the broad picture,