Elminster's Daughter - Ed Greenwood [142]
"And so you wrap this sorrowful 'I must do thus and so for the protection of others' explanation around yourself like a cloak and prance through life wenching and using everyone who comes within reach as if they were your personal chambermaids, hmm?"
"Fair enough," Elminster said calmly, stepping back to pour two large tankards of tea, "I suppose I do. Armed with this knowledge, ye'lldo-what?"
Narnra stared at him, chin balanced on her knuckles, and said, "Ask you again: Why did you leave Maerjanthra Shalace, after wooing and bedding her?"
"To answer ye properly," the Old Mage replied gravely, "I must know the answer to a question of my own. Have ye ever seen this before?" He dipped a finger into his steaming tea, drew a complicated symbol on the table between them with its wetness, let her gaze at it for a moment, and swiftly wiped it away.
Narnra sat back, strangely excited. "No-no," she said, frowning, "I don't think so. Wait. A jewel Mother crafted… and wore as a pendant, for a time. Why?"
"Tis a symbol of the goddess Shar," Elminster murmured, "who among other things works against She whom I serve."
"Mystra. You mean… what do you mean?"
"All gods and goddesses work through mortals. Shar is one whose manipulations are legendary. Deservedly legendary."
Narnra frowned. "You think Shar was using my mother to influence you?"
El nodded.
"But that's ridiculous! That's-"
"What happened. I was in thy mother's arms, tongue to tongue, eye to eye. I felt the darkness slide into her and reach for me. So did she and whimpered and clung to me the tighter. I thrust her away and departed out the window, glass and frame and all, as fast as I could move. Had I remained, I'd have been taken or Mae-rjanthra would have been consumed in Shar's hunger to corrupt me. Rather than bearing ye, thy mother would have been left a crumbling husk."
Narnra stared at him. "So you went away, and my mother had me. Are you saying I'm consecrated to Shar-a creature of the Mistress of the Night from birth?"
"No," Elminster replied gravely, "or I'd have blasted ye to ash when first I read thy mind. Only created creatures and those born of the gods or their avatars or beings the gods spend much time mind-meddling with while yet unborn come from the womb 'belonging' to this deity or that. All the rest of us are free to choose our faith-influenced by any who may try to sway us, of course. Ye are Narnra Shalace, free to choose. Shar-or Mystra, for that matter-could possess and control thy body but would burn it out in hours or days by the very might of their manifestation. Failing that, ye're free to choose as ye will. I am not free. Bound to Mystra am I-but Mystra desires all mortal creatures to possess the freedom given them by personally wielding magic."
"A sword in every hand," Narnra muttered. "Which inevitably leads to much spilled blood."
El bowed his head. "The highest price of freedom is always its misuse by many."
Narnra turned away. "Mother seldom wore that pendant," she murmured to the tea-shelf, running her fingers along it as if answers were going to sprout helpfully among the jars.
Elminster kept silent, waiting.
His daughter turned around and looked at him in clear challenge. "What if I tell you now that I defy your moral claptrap, Father, and go my own way, stealing and thieving and never speaking to you again?"
"That's thy choice, and by Mystra's grace ye're free to make it. I'll still give ye those baubles I spoke of, my promise of welcome here whenever ye desire it, my friendship if ye'll have it, and my fond regard even if ye don't."
"And if I fling all that in your teeth, meddling old wizard?"
"That will be my loss and sorrow," Elminster told his tankard quietly.
"Damnyou, old man!" Narnra said, hurling what was left of her tea into his face as she sprang up. "Damn you!"
Elminster sat with tea dripping off his nose and beard, and replied calmly, "My damnation happened centuries ago the first time-and again some