Spellfire - Ed Greenwood [19]
"Ah, Master…" Narm began, looking ahead.
"Aye?"
"Well met, lord of the elves," Narm said hastily,
"and lady most fair. I am Narm, apprentice to this Mage Most Magnificent, Marimmar. We seek Myth Drannor."
Marimmar blinked in surprise and beheld a tall, dark-haired male elf who bore both wands and sword at his belt. The elven warrior stood beside a human lady of almost elfin beauty-dark eyes, a gentle mouth, and a slim, exquisite figure-who wore plain dark robes. They stood together in the middle of the old, overgrown trail Marimmar had been following and showed no signs of moving aside, though both wore polite expressions and had nodded courteously at Narm’s salutation.
Marimmar cleared his throat noisily. "Ah-well met, as my boy has said. Know you the way to the City of Beauty, good sir?…" The elf smiled thinly.
"Yes, I do, Mage Most Magnificent." His voice, low and musical, was faintly sarcastic. His eyes were very clear.
Narm stared in wonder. This seemed an Elven lord like the old tale spoke of.
"However," the elf continued, gently and severely,
"I stand here to bar your way to it. Myth Drannor is not a treasure-house. It is today a sacred place to my people, even now that most of my kin have gone from these fair trees. It is also a very dangerous place.
Devils have been summoned to the ruined city by evil men. They patrol the forest even now, not far beyond where we stand."
"I am not a babe to be frightened by words, good sir," Marimmar snapped. "We have come far to reach Myth Drannor before it is plundered, its precious magic lost! Stand aside, for I have no quarrel with you, and would not harm you!" Marimmar urged his pony forward.
"Back your mount, mage," the lady said calmly, "for we have no quarrel with it." She stepped forward. "I am Jhessail Silvertree of Shadowdale. This is my husband, Merith Strongbow. We are Knights of Myth Drannor. This is our city, and we bid you politely be gone. We have the art to drI’ve you back, Marimmar. Make us wield it at your peril."
Marimmar cleared his throat again. "This is ridiculous! You would tell me where to pass and where not to pass? Me?"
"Nay," Merith mocked the mage's florid speech.
"We but inform you of the consequences of your choice in this matter, good mage. Your destiny remains in your hands." He smiled at Narm, who had backed his pony away.
Marimmar looked around and discovered he stood alone. He harrumphed and turned his mount.
"Perhaps-ah, there is something to your warnings. I shall direct my quest for knowledge elsewhere for now. But know this! Threats shall not stay me-nor many others, who even now seek this place with far more greedy intent than I-from exploring Myth Drannor, when the opportunity proves more-ah, auspicious. My art may open me a way that you cannot gainsay!"
Merith smiled. "It is said that a man must follow where his foolishness leads," he quoted the old bardic saying mildly.
"Safe journey, Narm and Marimmar both," Jhessail added, her eyes alight with amusement. Narm could see no less than three wands at her belt. Marimmar saw them too and nodded curtly to the knights as he wheeled his pony.
"Until our paths cross again," he said loudly. The Mage Most Magnificent spurred his mount into a canter, tearing past Narm like a whirlwind. His young apprentice turned and saluted the elf and the lady mage with courtesy and a smile, then trotted off in his master's wake.
The two stood and watched them go. "The old one is too much the fool," Jhessail said thoughtfully. "He will turn about and come by another way and meet his doom."
Merith shrugged. "One less arrogant fool to swagger his art, then. He was warned. I hope he doesn't drag the young one