Elminster Must Die_ The Sage of Shadowdale - Ed Greenwood [146]
“We’ll ask the questions, woman,” Narulph started to growl from behind her, but an older man loomed up over the many who were still holding Storm down and said heavily, “I command here, Lady. Sir Eskrel Starbridge, now the ranking highknight of Cormyr. And you are—?”
“Storm Silverhand,” came her reply. “Named Lady Highknight Protector of the Realm by Queen Filfaeril, and confirmed in that office by her husband, the fourth Azoun—which would seem to make me the ranking highknight of Cormyr, Starbridge—and before that ennobled as Marchioness of Immer-dusk by Baerovus, when he was king. I was also Lady Envoy of the Dales to the second Palaghard, and Lady Envoy of Cormyr to the Dales to the second Rhigaerd.” She arched her neck to look up and back behind her, and added in a murmur to Narulph, “So if I were you, sir, I’d phrase my questions rather carefully.”
Hands were letting go of her in careful haste, though someone was heard to mutter, “She could have all manner of magic—”
“Yes,” Storm replied with a smile. “She could, couldn’t she? However, highknights and wizards of war of Cormyr, if the Forest Kingdom is anything to be proud of at all, you should dare to treat all women as ladies until you have cause to treat them in any lesser manner—not treat all strangers as dastardly foes until you know better. I certainly trained highknights, not to mention more than a few young noble lords, who behave in the more noble fashion. When did all of you go astray, I wonder?”
“Lady,” Starbridge began slowly, “it is not our intent to antagonize you or offer offense, and I apologize for how matters between us have begun. Is there anything we can do to make amends?”
“Several things,” Storm replied with a smile, getting to her feet. Aside from what was left of the robe and jerkin clinging to her shoulders, most of her torn clothing fell away from her, but she seemed not to notice. “Let’s begin by telling me plainly what you’re doing here. The last time I glanced at a map, Shadowdale was not, in fact, within the borders of Cormyr.”
“Lady, we seek Elminster. We are to bring him to Suzail as swiftly as possible.”
“Then you’re in luck. He’s there already. In the royal palace, if nothing’s gone awry. And I must return to him as quickly as I can. Which brings us to the second thing you can do to make amends to me.” She strode to Starbridge and held out her hand. “Yield to me your teleport ring.”
Starbridge held out hands that bore no rings at all. “Lady, I have no—”
“You can dispense with lying to me, too,” Storm told him crisply. “I speak of the ring in the little bag inside your tunic, that’s hanging from the inside of your collar. In return, I’ll tell you the name of a man in Mistledale who owes me much coin, and the word that will therefore make him freely give all of you superb fast mounts for your ride back to Cormyr.”
Starbridge’s face had gone flame red under the gaze of the war wizards, who were regarding him with frowns.
“How came you by a teleport ring?” Mereld asked Starbridge softly.
“It belonged to Queen Filfaeril,” Storm replied before Sir Eskrel could say a word. “The highknights have had it in their keeping ever since her death, thanks to her foresight and wise wishes. And my carrying them out.”
“Lady,” the wizard Lemmeth said in a low voice from behind Mereld, “you’ll appreciate how difficult it is for us to believe all of this.”
Storm nodded. “I do. Your disbelief is quite understandable—but a serious failing in a wizard of war, wouldn’t you say?”
She turned back to Starbridge. “The ring, sir.”
Eskrel Starbridge seemed to be struggling with himself. He glared at her, face shifting through a variety of not-quite-readable expressions, then tore open his collar, plucked forth the little bag she’d spoken of, and produced the ring.
Storm took it stepped forward and kissed him full on the mouth, put an arm around him and waltzed her way around behind him as he was still blinking in astonishment, stepped back—and was gone.
Leaving the Cormyreans