Chapter 16 - Prelude in Shadow

The mask she wears, the breath on hold,

A tune that binds, of fate foretold.

Yet in the dark, when laughter fades,

It’s only death that darkness braids.

Ever since Elanor had been called to the woods by the spirits, she felt a certain lightness in her step. It wasn’t literal, but more spiritual, if she had to describe it.

Knowing your path in life leads to a sort of clarity that many could not claim to possess.

One early morning, while the fog still covered the land, she was awoken with a gentle shake.

Sapphire stood over her.

“Get your gear,” she said, “your final test begins now.”

Elanor wiped the sleep from her eyes and bolted up. She packed two sets of civilian clothes, her instruments, and her assassin leathers. Then she donned the loose-fitting traveling clothes she had made for herself.

Tailoring and leatherworking were among the skills they all had to learn at The Widow’s Shroud, and the traveling clothes she had fashioned left room in the folds for her daggers and a few vials of poison and health potions.

At first glance, she appeared to be a wandering musician, hardly worth a second glance. Except maybe for her beauty. Definitely not a threat. Yet, in her reach at all times were all the deadly tools she needed to defend herself.

When she had her travel bag ready and her bow slung over her shoulder, she found Sapphire waiting in the training yard.

Aranach was there too, also packed and ready to go.

“This is your final test,” Sapphire began. “As I said, it won’t be easy. Two days’ travel from here is a small village called Gravelthorn. Here is a map. Study it. You can’t take it with you.”

They looked at it for a few minutes and handed it back.

“There’s a minor noble there who has been marked for death. His name is Baron Tharos Drelmont.”

She put her hands on each of their shoulders and looked them in the eyes.

“Find him. Kill him. Make it look like an accident. Bring his signet ring as proof. Still on his finger. And return to the Shroud. You have seven days. Any questions?”

Elanor thought a moment.

“What did he—”

Sapphire stopped her.

“That’s one question we don’t get to ask. I’m sorry. Know this: the Umbral Thread only accepts contracts on those who are truly deserving of their fate. The contracts are researched and verified before they are accepted. Your only job is to execute them.”

She chuckled softly.

“Both the contract, and the one marked by it. Any more questions?”

“How do we find him?” Aranach asked.

Sapphire smiled.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“That’s up to you,” she said. “The missions only give a name and the place where the mark was last seen. The rest is up to you. But in this case, he’ll be there. Now head out. See you in seven days.”

Elanor shouldered her bag and nodded at Aranach.

Without another word, they turned north and ran through the woods toward the Shroud exit.

It had been four years since either of them had left. And if Elanor was being honest with herself, she was just as excited about taking a life worth ending as she was about going back out into the world again.

She looked up at the trees.

Does that make me evil?

“Nooooo, chiiiiiild of sooooong. Sooometimes rot must be cleansed for rooooots to take hoooold. Yooooou are doing the woooork of naaature. Beeee saaafe, yoooung one.”

The ancient wisdom settled into her bones like warm honey. Her doubts dissolved, replaced by quiet certainty. This wasn't about bloodlust or cruelty. It was about balance. With her mind now solely focused on her task, she picked up her pace.

Aranach noticed and smiled as he ran faster to catch up.

Exiting the Shroud well before the sun broke the horizon, they saw the road was clear and continued running west.

They both had Endurance over 100, and that gave them enough stamina regeneration that they could basically run at a fast jog for as long as they needed to.

They decided to cover as much ground as possible before dawn, when merchants and other travelers would require them to slow to a more leisurely pace so as to not attract undue attention to themselves.

Late that night, they spent fifty quills to stay at an inn where they could bathe and rest. They slept for four hours before waking, taking breakfast flatbreads to go, and heading back to the road.

By mid-day, they’d already arrived at Gravelthorn. The town wasn’t nearly as small as Sapphire made it sound.

But then again, she’d seen more of the world than Aranach and Elanor had. Arriving in mid-day instead of evening gave them a number of advantages.

First, they were able to find lodging. The largest inn in the village had only one room, but they carried on as if they were lovers traveling together, and they were just so sweet that the innkeeper gave them half off the normal rate. Twenty quills a night for as long as they wanted to stay.

As they were about to head up the stairs, Elanor noticed a stage in the tavern.

“Do you have a bard who plays here?” she asked.

The innkeeper laughed.

“This town is too small for any bards to even bother,” she said.

Elanor opened her sack and took out her flute.

“I’m a bit out of practice,” she said, “but I’d be glad to play tonight. If you’ll have me.”

Aranach stepped forward.

“She’s one of the best you’ll ever see,” he said. “We’ll play for free if you’ll include our meals. How does that sound?”

The innkeeper was overjoyed, and hugged them both.

“I’ll get the word out right away! Please, go relax in your room. Dinner begins before last light. We can feed you first and then you can play while the guests are dining. That ok?”

Aranach and Elanor agreed and headed upstairs. Elanor took a bath while Aranach walked around the town a bit.

She eased back into the hot water and felt the tension in her muscles melt away.

She closed her eyes and started humming a tune. It really had been a long time.

A bard had visited the Shroud a few months back, and shared a few modern tunes with her. She decided just to sing those. Allovian ballads wouldn’t be welcomed here in Namarien.

At least she had the old classics to fall back on. She put a full set together in her mind, and by the time the water lost its warmth, she was ready.

She toweled off and got dressed in her bardic outfit. This was a new ensemble she’d made herself. Sapphire had been kind enough to send out for the turquoise dyed silks and muted golden trim. The bodice dipped low, baring her collarbone and more, and the design left her midriff exposed.

Her skirt was of the same design but flowing and looser. The look was alluring.

She looked at herself in the standing mirror.

…and hard to take your eyes away from. She had to admit it. She looked incredible.

Her focus was interrupted by a whistle.

“You look amazing,” Aranach said.

He strode over to stand behind her in the mirror.

“He’s going to be here tonight,” he said. “Just confirmed it. I met the mayor and suggested he invite the local nobility including our target, and he ran off to do so.”

She looked up at him.

“You really are good at the agent thing, aren’t you?”

Aranach laughed.

“It was my first time using the skills of the Silverhand, but I’ll tell you one thing. If it’s always going to be this easy, it almost feels unfair.”

She finished brushing her hair and layering her robes. Then she carefully inserted her daggers and vials in the folds.

She picked up her lute and flute, and nodded to him.

They headed down the stairs to start what was to be an eventful evening.