She couldn’t understand the words
he sung, the lyrics were all in Dwarvish, but the melody was hauntingly beautiful.
She could only imagine what it was, it sounded like a funeral dirge but it
lacked any true sadness. The low slow tones intoned an awe and respect. The
large man’s voice was stunning, the gruff and gravely way he spoke belied his
tenor, which was a magnificent baritone. The man’s deep voice and powerful
lungs caused the words he sang to reverberate through the Cleric. She stared at
him, eyes wide as he sang a song of triumphant lament, completely ignorant to
what any of the words meant.
Jekyem vir arbeid till virm
dying solgylag niden de darkened pits, vir dig pag til virm eigen grave sah
virm sons kag seh daggern's lys
Annice shivered at the words. That
was the choruc, Wilhelm had repeated those words three times now. She could
pick up on a few words she understood, an overlap between the Dwarvish and
Common tongues. Dying, darkened pits, how could a soft so beautiful be about
such horrors. She furrowed her brow and shifted closer to the man, who was lost
in song and showed no sign of noticing her. His voice rose slowly, coming
louder and yet deeper still. The sonorous melody cast into the winds and over
the plains, the back of Annice’s mind screamed at her about the Ogres hearing,
but it was drowned out by how the song caused her heart to flutter. She was so
transfixed that when Wilhelm came to a low rumble and stopped, she exhaled a
breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Wilhelm turned to her at the exhale.
“That was… beautiful.” She said in
a whisper.
“Oh, thanks.” Wilhelm smiled
sheepishly, obviously not expecting the compliment. “Sorry I just got lost in a
moment.”
“No need to apologize.” She smiled
and shifted to sit next to the man. “What is it about?” She tilted her head and
grinned. “I don’t exactly speak Dwarvish.” Wilhelm chuckled at that.
“It’s an old Miners song.” He said,
shifting to lay on his back, hand cupping behind his head as he stared at the
stars. “Bout doing the rotten and dirty job of digging so yer kids don’t have
ta. Bout toiling to build a better future. A future where yer kids ain’t miners
but Heroes and Legends.”
“I see.” Annice let the silence
hang in the air for a moment. “They’re a noble people.” She finally added.
“Yeah they are.” Wilhelm smiled. “Most
all of em would do anything to make sure tomorrow was better for the next of
us. Even throw away their lives.”
“Thank you for the song Wilhelm.”
Annice leaned forward and pecked the man on the cheek. Wilhelm turned his head
and placed a hand on the cheek, somewhat surprised. “You’ve done a great deal
to ease my spirit.” She stated, slowly standing. “So I’m going to make use of a
settled mind and get some rest.” She smiled gently and headed into her tent.
“G’night, Annie.” Wilhelm furrowed
his brow, not entirely following what happened. All he did was sing a song. He
shrugged, if she was calmed that was good, now all he had to do was calm
himself.
Annice sat in her tent, pulling herself
free from her armor and garments. She reached to her pack to extract her
bedroll and felt something slick and cold, fingering the object she withdrew
the mirror Nim had given her, the Mirror of Far Speech. Annice had almost
completely forgotten that she had it, which she kicked herself for. It would
have done her some good to have spoken with Nim after the bandit encounter.
Though spoken might have been the wrong word, helplessly blubber at? On second
though maybe it was good she had not sought out the High Priestess. Though now
in the morning she rode to what was almost certainly death. She held the mirror
and stared at the reflection in it, Annice tilted her face back and forth
seeing the exact face she always did, though feeling as though she had aged half
a lifetime.
“Home.” She spoke into the mirror.
The reflective surface started to
shimmer and ripple like a stone thrown into a fresh pond. Then the intensity
grew and the surface roiled and twisted, spinning into a small maelstrom.
Annice had half a mind to throw the thing from her tent but a moment later the
surface settled, and her own refletion shifted away like smoke in a strong
breeze and Nim was staring back at her. The old gnome was in her bed clothed
and yawned visibly, obviously being awoken by the twin mirror she now held.Annice
could hold them back no longer, and tears formed in her eyes at the sight of
the old woman.
“High Priestess!” She sobbed.
“Child!” Nim called out, worry
etched in her face. “Annice what is wrong?”
“Oh High Priestess, I fear I may
have made a terrible mistake. This..” She stuttered and her breath hitched, “This
is nothing like I imagined it would be. I watched a man die.” She let it out in
a harsh whisper like it was some terrible secret, Nim’s eyes went wide at the
revelation. “And what’s worse? I don’t know that think it was wrong to do.” Annice’s lips trembled and she wiped at her
tears with her palm. “I think I may have angered Syrene, I think I am being
punished.”
“Annice, Annice, shhh.” Nim cooed
at her, trying to settle her down. “I may not agree with this journey you are
on, but I will not let you balk at your convictions so easy. You told me you
believe Syrene sent you on this path, correct?”
“I did.” Annice said, taking a few
deep haggard breaths to calm her urge to sob.
“And do you still believe that? Do
you still believe that you are meant to protect this man you follow?” Nim asked,
leaning into the mirror to lock her gaze with Annice.
“I don’t know.” The half-elf said,
shaking her head. “I don’t… know.”
“Annice. You will speak your truth
to me.” Nim said forcefully. “You believe that Syrene asked you to look over
the Gladiator, Wilhelm the Unyielding.”
“Yes.” Annice whispered.
“Hmmm?” Nim stated flatly, turning
her ear to the mirror.
“Yes!” Annice nearly shouted out,
sniffling and wiping her nose immediately after.
“Holy quests are seldom easy,
child.” Nim stated. “The Gods put upon us tasks that will challenge us not just
physically, but spiritually, morally. Your Goddess wants this man looked after,
for whatever reason that may be, you must do it. This man who died, Wilhelm
killed him?”
“Yes he did.” Annice swallowed.
“And did he do this slaying in
anger, malice, hatred?” Nim asked.
“No he was defending us both.” Annice
said. Nim nodded solemnly.
“It is to be mourned as Peace Lost.”
She shook her head. “Wilhelm is not of our faith, his god, if he has one, may
not look at the loss of life as we do. You will have to steel yourself for it’s
eventuality. Save who you can, and trust that Syrene loves you.” She smiled.
“Thank you, Nim. Thank you.” She
whispered. There was a long moment of silence, and then another… Eventually Nim
spoke up.
“Is there something else, Annice?”
She inquired.
“I just wanted to say” She started,
faltering over her words. “How much I appreciate you High Priestess, how you
cared for me and nurtured me as a Cleric. I love you, Nim.” She said it with
sadness in her eyes, Nim picked up on it.
“Annice what are you not telling me?”
She looked worried.
“Nothing that would help either of
us sleep, Nim.” Annice said, a somber smile appearing on her lips.
“Annice” Nim started, her brow knit
into deep concern “Annice please tell me you are safe.”
“I am safe where I am now, Nim.” Annice
started to put the mirror down.
“Annice I do not want these half-truths,
tell me where you are right no-“ Nim’s voice broke as Annice released the mirror,
breaking the spell.
If she lived through the next two
days, she would call the woman and ask for forgiveness. Right now, however,
Annice was very tired. There was an eerie sense of contentment in the woman, a
weight lifted from her shoulders and she was easily able to slip into her bed matt
and find a restful position. In her mind Wilhelm’s song was sung again for her
and was joined by Nim’s words of assurance, the two carrying her to a slumber. She
slept deep, deeper than she had in many days, the rest was well needed and
earned. Annice dreamt of large green eyes watching over her.
“Annie wake up.” Wilhelm called,
and Annice came to a startled wake as the large man shook her. As her eyes
opened she could tell dawn had not come yet.
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