Hello, Everyone!
Last time, our dear Mary had a magical tattoo, which turned out to be way less scary than she thought. Then, she and Agatha went back to the rest of their party, Aurum made a teleportation circle and they finally headed towards Orswald.
They stepped out of the teleportation circle and found themselves in a small room. It was dark and cold, the walls were made of stone, and the light of the magical circle faded under their feet.
Aurum made a light and they were able to look around. Strange magical contraptions stood by the walls, reminding Mary of the devices in Sylvanas’ laboratory. She didn’t have time to think about them, though. The room was so crowded--with five people and three horses--that they could barely turn around.
Aurum kneeled by the door and used his thieves’ tools to pry it open. Soon, like champagne bursting out of its bottle, the group spilled into the next room.
It was bigger and better furnished. It looked like a bedroom, with lots of reds and browns draped all around. A small Frinkeltong flag stood on the nightstand. Mary smiled. The castle butlers had surely prepared the room for her coming back. That was so sweet!
Walking out of the room, they were suddenly met with the sound of chatter and laughter. They were now standing on the platform overlooking the main hall of the castle. About fifty people--men, dwarves, half elves and other--sat on the large table in the middle of the room, having a meal, talking excitedly and toasting for various things. The moment Mary and the rest of the group went on the platform, the noise died out and all eyes affixed on them. Ambrister, one of the two butlers, stood up and raised his hand in a ceremonial manner.
“The Masters of Orswald have come home! Prost!” he called out.
The people toasted and went back to their meal. Ambrister came up the stairs to meet them.
“Good day, my Lords, my Lady,” he said politely. His manners were as pristine and impressive as they could be. “I am glad to meet your companions as well.”
Agatha and Tesaya nodded.
“Thank you for taking care of the teleportation circle,” Mary said. “If it wasn’t here, we’d be in big trouble.”
“We’re sorry that we come unannounced,” Bruno added.
“There is no need to apologize, Master Brunost,” Ambrister said. “Orswald is here for you.”
The butler started giving a report about the fortress’ current state. Bruno was listening very carefully but Mary was suddenly distracted as her eyes caught a glimpse of two familiar faces among the tables downstairs.
Talking to the other butler, Albert, there were Moira and Dalia! Mary screamed in joy and rushed down the stairs to meet them.
The moment little Dalia noticed her approach, she gasped and darted towards her. She wrapped her tiny arms around Mary’s waist and squeezed her, whispering her name, and Mary returned the hug, twirling the girl in the air.
“I'm so happy to see you both!" she said when she got to Moira. "How are you here? How have you been?”
“We’re doing better," the woman said. "We arrived a few weeks ago, but we’re still getting used to the place. Back in Belfast, Dalia couldn’t stop talking about you, and when Mr. Ferenc told her you had a fortress, there was no way that we weren’t coming. Ambrister assured us it wouldn’t be long until you three gave Orswald an unexpected visit.”
She paused and held her eyes on Mary, with the soft gaze of someone who was beginning to see something familiar under the surface.
“You really are Meridia,” Moira said, finally. “Aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Fate is an astonishing thing!”
She stood up and wrapped Mary in a warm hug. Mary laughed and squeezed her tight. They stood like that for a long time before they separated.
“You… you knew my parents. You knew them both!” Mary said. “Tell me everything!”
Moira invited her to their table and they sat down, heads held close together. Albert took Dalia aside to let them speak freely, and started reading to her from a storybook. Moira looked at them for a few seconds before moving her gaze back to Mary.
“Your mother was my best friend,” she said. “Her parents were merchants from Pamagos, and they used to come to Myth Adofhaer very often. We became friends as soon as we got to know each other.”
“What was she like?"
“She was wonderful! Had an unusual sense of humour, at least by Myth Adofhaer’s standarts. Liked to joke around and tease people. Some liked her for that, others avoided her, but everyone had an opinion. There was no way to be indifferent.” She smiled, as if remembering something funny. “Your father had an opinion, too. A bad one, at first."
“How come?" Mary exclaimed. "He didn’t like her?”
"I wouldn't say that. But she shattered his fragile male ego.”
Moira sighed.
“At the time, your father considered himself to be an outsider in the city. Dalia told him that nobody was going to like him if he didn’t stop feeling sorry for himself.”
Mary gasped. Moira chuckled at her astonishment.
“It took him some time to see the truth in her words,” she continued, “but he got over it, eventually. Nobody knew when he'd changed. He and Dalia started seeing each other more when she was in the city, and each time, he was like a new person. And then, one day, he asked her to marry him. He was already a grown man, and he’d accepted his good and bad qualities. He’d stopped looking for ‘his destiny’, and he even joked that he looked good in white. They got married soon after.”
Mary scoffed and frowned at the table.
“I’m surprised that the elves didn’t interfere with his choice,” she spat out. “Balaine Endoras sounded like they wanted to control every facet of his life.”
“Oh, sure, in his teenage years they probably did. After that, however, they seemed to have left him alone.”
“Oh?”
“I don’t know any details, but around his eighteenth year, Halas was pretty much an independent person. He was given a suitable living space and all the means necessary to get by. You shouldn't think that he lived in misery.”
Mary lowered her eyes. She’d imagined her father’s life as a nightmare, but it seemed that it wasn’t so. Yes, he wasn’t allowed to leave the city, but… his life was there. Why would he want to go?
“A few more years later, Dalia got pregnant, and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Meridia. The three of them were so happy together!” Moira smiled at the memory, but then her face darkened. “Alas, their happiness was short-lived. Dalia disappeared. A few more girls followed her fate. Poor Halas, he was so grief-stricken! One day, maybe two months afterwards, I learned about his passing. All questions concerning his death were turned away, as the information was considered classified. But everyone who knew him, mourned him greatly.”
Mary lowered her eyes, suddenly feeling ashamed.
“What’s the matter?” Moira asked.
“I was… unfair!” Mary muttered. “When I learned of Halas’ death, I was so angry! I yelled at Balaine Endoras, accusing him of everything that had happened. I knew it wasn’t his fault, I felt that he was telling the truth when he said he cared for Halas, but… I couldn’t stop myself.”
She buried her hands in her hair.
“And now… Now he’s dead, and I can never tell him that I’m sorry.”
Moira’s face went white. “Dead?!” she whispered. “Balaine Endoras?! How?”
Mary's heart skipped a beat. Of course Moira wouldn't know about Endoras' passing! How would she? It's not like she was able to get news from the elven city, out here in Orswald…
"I'm sorry that you had to find out this way," Mary said. "He was murdered."
No need to give her all the details, she thought. His missing head, for example, would just upset her even more.
"I pray to Corellon that he’d be reborn soon!" Moira said, making a subtle religious gesture.
Mary pursed her lips and stared at the table. She didn't want to have to tell Moira that her Elder had lost his soul, too, the same way her husband had.
Thinking about the husband, however, made her remember something.
"He had a family, right?" she asked, already fearing the answer. "He did tell us that he had a wife."
"Yes, he did," Moira said. "A wife and two children."
Mary took a look at Dalia, quietly drawing a picture with Albert on the nearby table, and swallowed hard. So, Endoras' children were now orphans, too.
"How old are they?" she asked.
Just then, a familiar voice took her out of her thoughts.
"Ooh! A wedding ring? Albert, you sly fox! Who's the lucky person?"
Aurum was leaning on the butler, patting him on the back and grinning widely. Tesaya was standing next to him, much more reserved, but smiling nonetheless. Some of the surrounding dwarves were giving her--an elf--the stinky eye. She didn't seem to mind.
Albert's face was quickly reddening and Mary found it a bit funny, considering how stoic and stiff he always was. She remembered seeing a wedding ring on Ambrister’s finger as well. Either their butlers had a double wedding recently, or they… well, married each other. It was sweet either way.
"Come on, Aurum, let's go get some fresh air," Tesaya said and dragged the bard towards the courtyard.
I told you! Orswald is a wonderful place. I didn't expect to see Moira and Dalia there but it was such a pleasant surprise! Mary has been dreaming of learning more about her parents, and what better way to do that than to ask someone who's been THERE, with them???
I love it!
Anyway, see you next time, for the last part of this chapter.
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the Chapter Guide, the Glossary and the Map for the series. You're welcome!)
An important disclaimer: Mary Windfiddle's story is my notes from a D&D game turned into a narrative. All the worldbuilding and NPC encounters belong to our DM, and all the actions of the other main characters (Aurum, Bruno and Agatha) belong to my co-players. My contribution to the story is only everything Mary-related (actions, reactions, inner thoughts), as well as the writing itself.