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Home » Great Library at Hoeth » Book of Tales » Tales of Si'anelle » A Further Telling of the Tale: Sebekneru Prince of Battles, Chapter Five: The Lines are Drawn: The Council Within the Tower
| A Further Telling of the Tale: Sebekneru Prince of Battles, Chapter Five: The Lines are Drawn: The Council Within the Tower |
| - by Lady Si'anelle |
The fact that she did now stand within a room within a stone built tower did barely register upon Nimine for all that she would of long habit detest being so enclosed. Urgently called as she had been to this meeting of commanders and fresh from losing her arguement with Helene Orcslayer she was in no mood to discover that her fosterdaughter had fled alone into the night and did have the Banepearl with her. With the dust of the road on her cloak and still wearing her helm and armour that she had worn during her seven years of service to her Everqueen, the itch of too many days dirt on her skin did in no small measure serve to heighten her sense of annoyance.
"And did none pursue my fosterdaughter?" she did now demand her hands on her hips, her eyes hard as she directed her question to Sindinath Swordmaster.
"Even now a search is being made Nimine Starbrow," the Swordmaster did tell her. "A full thirty of Sebekneru's women have gone in company with Talieth Mistborn and the giantess to search this valley for the Lady Ae'thenal."
"So now we do have the Banepearl's keeper lying ill within this tower and without the Banepearl. And Ae'thenal who is but the keeper's companion now lost to us and with the Banepearl in her charge," said Nimine as she did draw out a chair at the great raw azed slab of wood that served for a table. Only she did not yet seat herself with her fellow commanders and remained on her feet. "The matter is urgent indeed my Lords, for while Ae'thenal my fosterdaughter is able to handle the Banepearl without suffering harm she cannot wield its power save in the slightest fashion," she did further say. "If any Orcish raiding party should come upon her in the night and overwhelm her...." And here Nimine did struggle to force down the sudden moment of distress that did almost steal her nerve from her, "...the Banepearl might well this night find a new keeper."
"That cannot come to pass while the Lady Si'anelle still does live Nimine Starbrow," Sindinath Swordmaster did tell her then as he did sit his chair both his hands folded upon the table. Perhaps it was her annoyance that did cause her to think his tone was shaped to mock her ignorance. Though if the Swordmaster did have his knowledge of the Banepearlfrom the Loremasters of Hoeth, she herself did have it from the many nights she had heard Si'anelle and Ae'thenal cry out in their haunted dreams. And the long hours that she had sat with her fosterdaughter weeping in her arms.
Smoothly as any Bretonnian diplomat in the face of this Swordmaster who did think her to be no more than an unschooled and low born captain of a mere handful of she-Elves she did now shift tack to ask a different question.
"You have said my Lord that Sebekneru does lead the search. Is our host still ignorant of the Banepearl?" she did ask as she did now rest her hands upon the table. She had already noted that Bronwyn was not with them and could easily predict that the Half-Elven woman was with Jean-Marie in the chamber below this one keeping a watch upon Si'anelle. "I do know it as a certain truth that Bronwyn Half-Elven did take great care in her parley with Sebekneru this day not to make a mention of our exile and the reasons that do lie behind it."
Cedwyn did clear his throat then, "I do think Nimine that our secret may be well worn after the public testing Sindinath Swordmaster and Talieth Mistborn did make before the eyes of all within this holdfast's compound." From her long years in Arhaindir Moonhand's service Nimine did know Cedwyn well enough to know he was displeased for all his mild sounding tone. "If a test did need to be made of the Lady Ae'thenal, could not it have been done at another place and in secret my Lord?"
The flat of Sindinath Swordmaster's hand did fall upon the table then. "No it could not Cedwyn Brighteye," he did say as he did rise to his feet proud and tall in his long platemail coat of bright Ithilmar. "I do think your sense of loyalty to your Lady and her childhood companion does serve to cloud your judgement. I have watched these two as they have reaved their way across the lands of the Bretonnian king; - they do glory in the power that the Banepearl does gift to them, - and do live their lives in despair until such time as they do ride out to reave again. This day it did become plain to me that as the Banepearl has worked to quash the healing given in Athel Loren the urge to reave has risen again within them; - and this urge when it is expressed at last shall be this time the more terrible."
"They do kill Orcs, Goblins and Skaven my Lord," Nimine did say cold voiced as she locked her gaze with the Swordmaster. Might well she be low born, but her rank and authority as a captain of her regiment had been hard earned in Arhaindir Moonhand's service and she would not meekly yield before any high born Lord; - even if he did hold the right to name himself a Swordmaster of Hoeth. "Also my Lady and my fosterdaughter have slain Gor and Ungor; - and in the aftermath they do suffer true. But at no time have I seen upon them the urge to reave among Elf or Humankind."
"Not as yet Nimine Starbrow," Sindinath Swordmaster did say then. "But that time shall come, for all that your Lady and your fosterdaughter do call on Isha's name and pray to Isha each dawntime." With a sharp gesture he did silence her protest even as she did open her mouth to speak. "The Banepearl is more wicked a thing than you did ever face upon Finuval Plain Nimine Starbrow; - greatly old and wrought with power by the Lords of Chaos to destroy Elf-kind. And your Lady and your fosterdaughter are but two who were innocent, not knowing even the name of the love they did hold one for the other."
Her face now of a sudden cold Nimine did sit down on the chair she had drawn out, but Sindinath Swordmaster had not finished yet. "Chaos does but need one flaw Nimine Starbrow and it shall work upon it tirelessly to make it serve its ends."
In all this Peledym had kept his silence, and now he did speak. "My Lord, if a true love one for the other and prayers to Isha are not a shield to these two, what hope can we have in this World? I have joined with you but a short time, but I also have observed these two as they do struggle against the wickedness that does attempt to possess them. I do say that we must trust and hope that innocence and love is indeed a sufficient shield to Chaos's dark work. For if we do not the Lords of Chaos have indeed already claimed the World for their own."
On hearing Peledym's words Nimine would have sighed aloud, for she did in truth hold a liking for the Gladerider champion in her heart. And was glad that he did hold a view that was so well a match for her own.
"Their love is an unatural thing between them Peledym Ashleaf, and this is the seed that Chaos does work upon," Sindinath Swordmaster did say in response his eyes hard and at that Nimine did swiftly find her feet.
"Before Isha, love is love Swordmaster," she did say in anger. "It is you who do cast dark seeds." And now she did strike the table as Sindinath Swordmaster had done. "We do nothing useful here; - I do go now to rouse the she-Elves of my guard and we shall join our search with that of Sebekneru's women."
Taking herself towards the chamber's door Nimine did not hold any measure of suprise that it was Peledym who reached to open the iron bound portal for her and that Cedwyn was now close at her side. Pointedly she did cast her eyes back at the Swordmaster who did still stand alone by the rough hewn table.
"You forget Nimine Starbrow, that your Lady does still lie in the chamber beneath," he did tell her. "Without the Banepearl she is vunerable."
"And do you forget that Bronwyn Half-Elven and Jean-Marie d'Quenelles do stand watch upon my Lady my Lord," she did say in reply. "My Lady is not so vunerable at present as you might think." For Nimine did still hold close in her memory the day that Bronwyn Half-Elven of Nuln had bent the knee upon a battlefield well littered with Orcish corpses, and sworn before her Lady Si'anelle that in Isha and Sigmar's name she would give of her service to her for as long as she did draw breath. And also in her fashion Jean-Marie d'Quenelles had sworn service to her Lady, though perhaps not with such a dramatic landscape about her while she had asked the Lady of the Lake to bear witness to her oath.
"As you have said my Lord, while my Lady Si'anelle does live the Banepearl can find no new keeper for itself. And furthermore Alarielle of Avelorn was the most careful to instruct me before our exile did begin that the Banepearl shall like as not ever remain ungiven while my Lady is still quick with life." With that as her parting words Nimine did now hasten with Cedwyn and Peledym down the flight of stone steps beyond the door and she was glad indeed when she attained the night air and could taste a good clean breath of it.
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