#Kalithil Silverthorn

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Void Bolt Ch 7

Another chapter collaboration with @devsash and @thebiganvil.

Chapter 6

~Larson’s Clothiers~ Wynne swept the last of the scraps up and tossed them into the waste bin. She threw an irritated glance at the two empty work stations. Returning to the counter, she pulled out the order book and started to review the next day’s tasks. Mehe stepped into the shop, looking around. He nodded at Wynne. "Anas is still recovering," he said. "He'll be back once he's better." She looked up at him, with only the smallest shred of sympathy. “Fine. At least I know where the fel he is. Unlike the other one.” She closed the book over-dramatically. “Never should have hired that little flake. She didn’t even bother showing up today.” Mehe's lips thinned. "She's ill," he said simply. "I'm here to inform her fiancé. Have you seen him?" Wynne scowled. “No. He picks her up at the end of the day. Tell her I expect her back tomorrow. Can’t have both of them out. If he’s recovering, she has to be here.” She scooped up a gown and placed it on Niqi’s table. Mehe's eyes narrowed. "She's in no condition to work." From the doorway came a troubled voice, “She’s what? What are you talking about?” Mehe glanced around at the voice. Seeing the Kaldorei man, he nodded in acknowledgement. "Ælithil, I presume. Niqi is ill. Anas and I are looking after her at our place in Elwynn." “Ill? What the fel does that mean? She was fine two days ago.” "There's been an incident." Mehe's eyes flickered towards Wynne. "I'll explain on the way." Ælithil eyed the Ren’dorei for a moment, noting the subtle glance towards the shopkeeper. Looking at the sour-faced woman himself, he said, “Yeah, let’s do that.” Wynne snorted. “Probably scared herself looking at a wall.” Mehe glared at her, his gloved fingers twitching. "This way," he said to the other man. He stalked out of the shop in the direction of the Trade District without a backward glance. Ælithil stared impassively at Wynne just long enough to make her uncomfortable, then turned and followed the Ren’dorei. Mehe paused at the arch exiting the Mage Quarter, waiting for Ælithil to catch up. "Bloody woman," he muttered under his breath. “Agreed. Niqi told me I can’t kill her though.” "So did Anas." He shook his head and started walking again. "Niqi was in Stormwind yesterday. She was looking at a few places for them to set up shop when she was accosted by a damn human." Ælithil froze. “...accosted?” Mehe nodded grimly. "She managed to escape and called Anas for help. I came here and took her back. She's very badly shaken by the ordeal." Suddenly frantic, Ælithil seized the smaller man by the shoulders and cried out, “Where is she? Take me to her!” Mehe hissed, his eyes flaring purple as his Gloomblade dropped into his hand by reflex. Startled, Ælithil drew back, looking confused. The Ren'dorei took a deep breath before dismissing the shadowy dagger. "Don't do that," he growled, his eyes returning to their pale blue as the weapon melted away. "Bloody hell. Are you trying to make me hurt you?" “Uh...sorry. Look, just take me to her, ok?” Mehe nodded. He raised his taloned finger, drawing it down in a quick vertical slash. A dark line followed in its wake before opening into a Void rift. "This way," he said before stepping through. Ælithil eyed the gaping violet aperture uncomfortably for a moment before taking a deep breath and stepping in. Mehe emerged from the rift before the door of the cottage. Glancing around, he spotted Goldeneyes standing near the garden, a bowl of food in his hand. He was chewing absently as he eyed the herbs, apparently lost in thought. "Enjoying a late lunch?" Mehe asked. The Sin'dorei man looked up, his gaze darting to the portal behind Mehe. His expression darkened. "More Greythorns?" Ælithil emerged from the rift and let out an obviously-held breath with a loud whoosh. Shivering slightly at the touch of the Void, he looked around the garden, his eyes resting on the blood elf stuffing his face. The face identical in all ways but color to his Ren’dorei guide. “What in the fel fucked bullshit is this,” he breathed. Goldeneyes stared at him in shock. "What the hell?" "Ælithil, this is Goldeneyes. He's me... from another world." Mehe waved a hand, closing the portal. "Goldeneyes, Ælithil Silverthorn, Niqi's fiance." The Sin'dorei's lip curled in disgust. "Silverthorn? Is that what you're bloody calling yourself now?" He set the bowl on the windowsill before planting himself in front of the door. "No. He's not going in there with Anas." Ælithil looked in confusion between the two near-identical men. "Wha...other world? What?" Mehe sighed. "Another world like ours but different. Like Draenor and Outland." He turned to the Sin'dorei. "Now let us in so that he can see to Niqi." Goldeneyes scoffed at the Kaldorei. "You may have deceived these people with your dark arts, but I'd know that face anywhere." He folded his arms, glaring at the taller man. "No way in hell am I ever allowing you in the same house as my mate, Greythorn." Frowning, Ælithil muttered, "But the Greythorns are decendents of my brother..." "Do you think I'm a bloody fool?" Goldeneyes snapped. "Drop the act, Greythorn. Everyone knows who you are." "He's not a Greythorn," Mehe said firmly. "The Silverthorns are a Kaldorei family." Niqi cried out in her sleep, "NO!" The sound broke Ælithil from his confusion and he rushed forward, heedless of the blood elf blocking the doorway. The Sin'dorei's hand rose, steel glinting in the sunlight. Mehe leaped at him, his own dagger dropping into his hand out of thin air. He blocked Goldeneyes's stab, their blades meeting with a clash. Unconcerned with the infighting, Ælithil bowled both men over as he tried to reach his beloved within. Mehe fell atop Goldeneyes with a grunt, his Gloomblade vanishing. The impact knocked the dagger from the Sin'dorei's hand as well, sending it clattering some distance away on the floor. Goldeneyes tried to shove Mehe off, forcing the Ren'dorei to grapple the older man to a standstill. "Let go, damn you!" the Sin'dorei spat, his eyes blazing as he tried in vain to twist free. "You don't know what he's capable of!" "Do you think I'd bloody spare him if he tried to hurt my mate?" Mehe demanded coldly. "He's here for Niqi and nothing more. Now stop this." He released Goldeneyes and stood, grimacing at the pain in his shoulder where Ælithil had knocked him over. The Sin'dorei rose as well. He straightened his shirt, his lips compressed in anger. "If anything happens to Anas, it's on you," he snapped before storming back to the garden. The noises from the outer rooms sent Niqi into a full panic. She fought her way out of the blankets, falling from the bed. Her eyes flared purple as she scrambled into the corner of the room. Making every effort to pull herself into as tight of a ball as possible, she covered her ears with her arms. "Oh gods...he found me...he's here...please..." "Niqi!" Ælithil bellowed. Not knowing the layout of the home, be barged around the central table and started to open doors. "Æl?" she choked out, shaking uncontrollably in the corner of the room. The whispers roared in her ears, drowning out much around her. Ælithil burst through the bedroom door. Seeing her curled in on herself in the corner, he immediately went to her side and knelt, holding out his arms to her. Anas started awake from the din. "Mother Moon. What's happening?" he mumbled, looking around blearily. “Oh gods, Æl!” She buried herself in his chest, weeping. Anas sat up at once, his gaze snapping towards the pair. Pushing the blanket away, he rose a little unsteadily. "What happened?" he repeated, his brow furrowing as he stepped closer. "What is it, little one?" Ælithil wrapped his arms tightly around his betrothed. Glancing over his shoulder, he gave the tall Kal'dorei a look that said in no uncertain terms, "I have this." Niqi shook in his arms, clinging to him. “Æl, Anas and Mehe...they’ve...they’ve helped,” she choked out. Anas halted at Ælithil's look. "It's okay, little one," he said kindly. "Ælithil wants to look after you, so I won't get in the way." He bowed towards the other Kal’dorei before sitting back onto the mattress, looking down at his hands. Ignoring the other man, Ælithil brushed the hair from Niqi's face and spoke softly to her. "What happened, Tiny?" She held onto him tightly. Taking a slow, deep breath, she quieted herself a little. "I was looking at...at one of the shop options that Anas and Mehe had found. I came down from the upper level and I walked straight into a man...he...he was um.." She swallowed hard, tears rolling down her cheeks. "He wouldn't let me leave....he..." her voice grew pained, pinched. "Tore my dress down and he...he" Ælithil's jaw clenched convulsively.  He took a few deep breaths, very obviously doing all he could to stay in control. In a low tone, he asked, "Did you know him? What did he look like?" Niqi shook her head, sobbing. "He was big...brown hair...he smelled like old beer." "Old town?" Mehe stepped silently into the room and went to Anas's side. Noticing the Kal’dorei's downcast eyes, he placed a hand on Anas's shoulder. "Back to bed," he murmured. "You need your rest too. Ælithil will look after her." "Along the Canals..." She turned to look over at the two men by the bed. "Mehe knows where. Anas and Mehe..." she sniffled, "They've been taking care of me." Looking back over his shoulder slightly shame-faced, the young Kal'dorei said softly, "Thank you. Both of you." "It's the least we could do for her." Anas's brief smile seemed forced. Mehe simply nodded curtly. He lightly pushed Anas down onto the bed and drew the blanket over the him. "Rest. I'll deal with this," he said gently before turning back to the duo. Niqi pulled away from Æl and crawled over to the bed. She knelt beside Anas and kissed his forehead, tears still rolling down her cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Rest. I can’t...can’t do this without my brother.” Anas brushed her tears away. "Don't cry, little one. You know I'm always here for you," he said soothingly. "I'll try, brother,” she said softly. “But you need to get better. Æl will take care of me so you can." She moved back to Ælithil and kissed him gently. Ælithil returned the kiss, then stood, looking uncomfortable. He looked at the two men, unsure of what to say. Niqi held tight to him. “Thank you for helping me feel safer. I am sorry if I caused extra trouble.” "You're never any trouble to us, Niqi," Anas said, stifling a yawn. "Let him rest." Mehe waved the pair to the door. "Come," he said before stepping out. “All right, Mehe,” She nudged Æl towards the door, glancing back at Anas, worried. “Wait, what about the attacker,” Ælithil asked. "We'll talk about it outside," Mehe said firmly. "Now come." Niqi released her death grip on Æl’s waist and took his hand, pulling him from the room. She led him to the table and sat down. Ælithil followed, but with obvious reluctance. Mehe closed the door behind them. "I went back to the place, but the human was gone," he said, turning to face Ælithil. Niqi pulled her knees up, her eyes going dull. “I hurt him. He’s going to find me...” she quavered. His brow furrowed, Ælithil asked, “We don’t know anything else?” Niqi shook her head. The pale Kal’dorei have Mehe a questioning look. "I didn't find anything when I returned there." The Ren'dorei frowned. "If anyone found him, they're skilled enough to cover his tracks." Ælithil heaved a great sigh and looked at the floor. For a quiet moment he said nothing, then simply muttered “damn it all” nearly too low to hear. Without preamble he stood upright and marched out the front door. Once in the open air he called out in a voice a whisper above his normal tones, “An’da, I need you.” Niqi slipped from the chair, following behind him, unsure what he was doing. As he said it, he looked around, tilting his head slightly as if listening for something. Mere seconds later, the air became electric and there was a violet flash and a whooshing sound. When the air cleared, two figures stood before the young Kal’dorei. Another Kal’dorei male, taller even than Ælithil, festooned from head to toe on blue and gold finery. He gleamed in evening light. Beside him, her hand resting on his arm, a Kal’dorei woman, round faced and pretty, with a cascade of ocean-blue hair and a dress to match. Mehe blinked at the new arrivals. "Who are these people?" “Kalithil and Lilybeth Silverthorn,” Niqi whispered. “Æl’s parents.” Her eyes were wide. The tall Kal’dorei glanced around, his eyes falling on each person before him in turn. When he looked at the ren’dorei, his gaze lingered a moment, his eyes shining behind his helm betraying mild curiosity.  He nodded at Niquisse and then turned his attention back to Ælithil. “My son, what is wrong?” Niqi offered the pair a deep curtsey. She forced a smile as much as she was able.  Lilybeth tipped her head to the side, noting Niqi’s odd attire. She moved to the small Ren’dorei, wrapped her arms around the girl and looked to her son. “Æl? What happened?” Grimacing, Ælithil replies, looking back and forth between his parents, “Niqi was attacked in Stormwind. By a human. I don’t think it has anything to do with whoever hurt Kali, but I’m not sure. This was different. Her...ummm,” here he hesitated, his jaw clenching and his face going red hot, “her dress was torn.” Niqi whimpered, turning a deep violet in embarrassment. “Elune above, did he...” Lily found herself unable to finish the question, hugging the girl tighter. “He tried, My Lady,” Niqi looked at the ground, mortified. Mehe watched them silently. He caught sight of movement out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head slightly, he glimpsed Goldeneyes glaring daggers at the group of people. The Sin'dorei said nothing as he retreated back out of sight. Ignoring this, Ælithil continued, “Niqi hit the bastard with something. She hurt him.” Pointing at Mehe, he said, “this one...uh, his name is Mehe, he rescued her. He went back and looked for the human. Says there was nothing there.” Lilybeth turned to face the Ren’dorei watching them. “Mehe? You did that for Niquisse? How can I repay your kindness?” She bowed her head to him in gratitude. Mehe shook his head. "I'd gladly help Anas's sister... and my friend." Kalithil, having watched the exchange silently, now spoke, “Lily, take Ælithil and Niquisse away from here. Have Tindomiel look at her, be sure she is unharmed.” His head swiveled until his gaze rested on Mehe again, and he said, “You will take me to the scene.” Lilybeth bowed her head to Mehe again. "Please give Anas my best. He has always been kind to me." Niqi stepped towards Mehe. "Thank you. I..I will get these clothes back to you once I have cleaned them. Could I get my bag? And...you can get rid of the dress. I don't think..." Mehe nodded at Kalithil and Lilybeth. "I will," he said before turning to Niquisse. "Where's your bag? And I'll get rid of it." Niqi winced. "In Goldeneyes's room..." Mehe nodded again. "I'll get it," he said before disappearing back inside. “No,” interjected Kalithil suddenly, “give the clothes she was wearing to me. I will dispose of them when they are no longer useful.” There was no audible response from within, though Mehe emerged a few minutes later with the dress and the bag. He handed the torn garment to Kalithil and the bag to Niqi. Niqi placed a hand gently on Mehe's arm. "Thank you for the past two days. Especially helping me through the night." Her eyes teared up and her lips pulled inward, forming a pinched frown. Lilybeth's hands began to glow softly as she raised them, runes appearing in sequence along the ground. A shimmering portal appeared before her and she motioned for the young ones to follow her through. "Come dear. Let's get you cleaned up and home." Mehe nodded, offering Niqi a small smile. Raising his taloned finger, he opened another Void rift before turning to Kalithil. "This way," he said simply. Lily led Niqi into the portal gently, calling for her son to follow. Kalithil looked at the ebon tear intently a moment before giving Mehe an appraising look. He whispered, “interesting...” as he stepped through the rift. Mehe followed him though, emerging right before the steps leading up to the door. "This is it." He waved his hand and the rift snapped shut. Kalithil stepped inside slowly, his head swiveling to take in the space. His brow furrowed as if he could will the events to reveal themselves to him through concentration alone. Calling back over his shoulder he asked, “And you found no traces?” "Nothing." Mehe glanced around. "Why?" Kalithil began to pace around the room. At regular intervals he bent down and traced a rune on the floor with his hand, each of which would glow with a soft blue light when complete. He spoke as he worked, saying, "No traces indicates a presence of mind and attention to detail one does not expect from a would-be rapist." Mehe's eyes narrowed at this display of the arcane, though his face remained otherwise impassive. He watched the mage work in silence. Kalithil glanced in Mehe’s direction and stood up, a curious expression on his face. “Why do you look at me like that,” he asked. "You're a mage," he said flatly. "A Kal’dorei mage." “Obviously. Why is that an issue?” He shook his head. "Just get on with it." Kalithil shrugged and returned to his preparations. He spiraled inwards, creating a concentric ring of lines and runes. Laying the torn dress in the center, he stepped back and surveyed his work. “This should do.” Mehe took a step back and turned to peer out of the window at the passersby. Muttering arcane words, Kalithil held a hand over the runic circle. The runes on the floor shone brighter at his words. Quietly he said to his companion, "You're going to want to watch this part." Mehe glanced back at the Kaldorei, pursing his lips. Nevertheless, he did as he was bid, keeping an eye on the proceedings. A flickering began in the space above the circle of runes. Kalithil, watching it with a furrowed brow, commented, "The world has a memory. But that memory fades. The greater the span between diviner and event, the greater the loss of detail. Here we have a rare opportunity, this happened not two days past, and naturally, the dress helps as well." As he finished speaking, a ghostly figure could be seen stumbling backwards within the circle. A Ren'dorei female, Niquisse, followed by a human male who seized her dress and leaned in, snarling unheard epithets. Kalithil watched impassively for a moment, then twitched a hand and the image froze. "I don't think we need to see more. I have fixed this face in my mind." Turning to Mehe, he asked, "Have you?" Mehe's eyes flickered over the human's features, noting his clothes and the expression on his face. He nodded briefly. "Very good. If you see him, inform us." "Hmm." Mehe turned away from Kalithil and the figures to scan the room. Whomever had concealed the human's tracks was good. Probably a professional. "Is that a problem?" Mehe arched an eyebrow. "Are you quite finished?" he asked mildly. "Seems to me your future daughter-in-law could use some support from you right now." "She has my son and my wife, she will be fine." "Good. Then we've nothing more to discuss."  He stepped past the mage, making for the door. "If you intend to go after this man on your own, I would advise against it." "I'll keep that in mind." Mehe opened the door. "Shorel'aran, mage," he said before stepping out. Kalithil, amused, called after him, “Your call, of course. Your service to my family will not be forgotten.” His only answer was the soft click of the door as it closed. Outside, Mehe shook his head in irritation as he disappeared through a Void rift back to the cottage.

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Oh my gosh, I cannot even begin to express how wonderful this is. It is such a perfect representation of Kalithil and Lilybeth. The stone that seems so ordinary at first, slightly off, far from perfect. The cagework form around it in the shape of a blooming rose, containing the raw power and magic and focusing it. And the way you portrayed Kalithil’s sanctum is wonderful. Plus all the beautiful hints to the two of them just tickles me so, so much.

Thank you so very, very much. I love it. It’s amazing and wonderful.

Cynosura

   Lilybeth Silverthorn wasn’t always the wife of the ancient Kal’dorei sorcerer, Kalithil. She was once his student. Though she tried and tried, she often struggled to work the spells with the grace and control that was required. Her master saw it, and decided on a solution. Cynosura, The Focus. Crafted by his own hands to help her contain her raw power.    An excerpt from the story:    For tense moments, there was no sound or movement, then she heard a metallic tinkling sound. Without realizing, she had squeezed her eyes shut. She cracked them open to see something hanging before her. On a silver chain, a pendant hung a few inches in front of her eyes. Fine silver cagework enclosed a smooth, milky round gem. The silver-work was beautiful, but the gem at first seemed unimpressive. That is, until a shaft of light from one of her lanterns hit it, just so. When that beam of light struck, flecks and striations of green, blue, and violet lit up within the gem, transforming it. She sat utterly still, just staring at it, completely lost.    “Call it Cynosura,” came his resonate, slightly gravelly voice behind her, “It means The Focus.” You can read the full story here, as written by @forosuul, who owns Kalithil. http://silverthorn.house/lilybeth/focus-bandu/   I had the absolutely pleasure to design and paint the ‘Cynosura’ focusing pendant as a prize art from the Second Brigade Contest, awarded to @TindomielSilverthorn for 2nd place! The Brigade supply box which contained the prize looked like this -

https://sta.sh/02flat306v91    Painting this piece was a treat! And getting to depict a piece of Kalithil’s sanctum was also a lot of fun. I hope you enjoy the final piece ! :)

[thebiganvil]

Vengeance

A light rain had made the old dirt road muddy and slick.  Despite this, the scaly cat-like felsabre had no trouble thumping deftly along the worn trail.  Off the faded road, hidden by the ever present mists, creatures of shadow and fog gave the road a wide berth, its current occupant keeping even their ancient hunger at bay.

Noting the reaction of the mist creatures, the felsabre’s rider wondered for a moment if he should chosen a different mount for that day.  The fel was part of him, be didn’t even notice its presence any more, but by all accounts, the one he sought would be unhappy with it.

Nothing for it now, he thought, and no matter anyway, there was fel enough in his gaze that the cat was but icing on the cake.

He crouched to let a frond of low-hanging bamboo pass over his head, and then he saw it; the old log house set deep in the forest.  It sat beside a still pond, and the mist creatures also gave it wide berth.  Swarms of fireflies danced around, as if on eternal patrol.  He pulled back the reigns, just slightly, just enough to let his mount know what he wanted.  She slowed quickly down to a walk.  She raised her head and sniffed the air twice, then padded forward slowly.  Coming fully through the shrouding mist, he spied the one he’d come to see.  A figure stood to one side of the structure, with a large uprooted tree trunk before her.  Stripped of it’s bark and branches, it stood as if waiting.  The one before it studied it carefully, as if trying to see the shape underneath. An ear twitched, and she turned.

A kaldorei female, tall and lithe, wiry muscle corded underneath pale magenta skin.  Her violet hair was short, but longer than when last the rider had seen it.  She was dressed in simple clothes, trousers and  shirt, with sandals on her feet.  When she realized the identity of her visitor, she turned fully around and then bowed low.

“Forosuul Silverthorn.  I thank you for coming.”  She stood up straight and added, “I was unsure if you’d received my message.”

Still mounted, he nodded, replying, “I did. I came as soon as I was able.”

“Will you join me inside?”  she said, gesturing to the door of the house.  He nodded, but cast a curious eye on the upright trunk.  “Master Bruised Paw used to stand here when welcoming visitors,” she said, by way of explanation.  “He will do so again.”  She then went indoors.  Choosing not to pursue further answers, he shrugged and slid from the back of his felsabre, whispering in its ear as he did so.  The demonic cat bounded off into the bamboo to amuse itself.  Then he followed the woman into the house.

Inside, it was as he remembered it.  Bed, weapons hanging on the walls, a stove, and a table.  The woman had moved in and changed almost nothing.  As was customary here, he pushed the boots from his feet, setting them by the door.  On the central woven rug were two cushions, he lowered himself onto one.  The woman stood by the small table, preparing her tea service.  She did so with rigid ritual precision, murmuring to herself as she did so.  His keen ears picked up the substance of her mutterings.

“You ask forgiveness,” he said, mater-of-factly. She hesitated slightly in her ritual motions, then nodded stiffly.  Again, he said no more, and simply waited.

Eventually, all was ready to her satisfaction, and she brought over the tea service, lowering herself gracefully to the opposite cushion.  She laid out cups and poured the tea with the same deft precision.  Once poured, she gestured to the two cups, indicating he should choose one.

Smiling wryly, he picked the one on the left, saying, “Reassurance against poison in the tea.”

“Just so,” she replied, taking up the second cup and sipping its contents.  “None of my other visitors commented on it.  I wondered if they understood.”

“Eli did, but she is too polite to say anything.  The others likely did not know what you were about.”

“Polite?”

Grinning, he replied, “Aye.  She plays rough but she has courtly manners ingrained into her.  She won’t admit it though.”

“You know her well?”

“Very.  We fought and worked side by side for many years.”  He looked thoughtful a moment, then added, “Well, many years as humans might see it.”

“Hmm.” She watched as he took another sip of his tea, waiting patiently.  He smiled at her impassively until she asked, “Aren’t you curious about why I asked you to visit me?”

Grinning, he answered, “Of course.  I figure you’ll tell me when you’re ready.”

Narrowing her eyes slightly, she said, “It’s about Master Bruised Paw.”

Looking surprised, he replied, “Is it?  I thought you wished to speak to me about my House.”

Shaking her head, she answered, “Nay.  That matter is immaterial until others are dealt with.”  As she spoke she rose and walked to the bed.  Reaching over it, she removed a simple sword from a rack that adorned the wall there.  Turning back, she returned to her cushion and knelt.  Her visitor had gone stiff, every muscle ready to spring. Her lip curled ever-so-slightly, almost mocking.  She said, “Am I so frightful?”

Relaxing despite himself, he laughed and said, “I’ve seen how you move.  I’d be foolish not to make myself ready.”

“I mean you no harm.  The sword is for you.”  So saying, she held it out, laying the blade across her forearms.  He simply looked at her, confused. “I killed Master Bruised Paw.  Unjustly. Murdered him, if you want to put a fine point on it.”

“I am aware.”

“I give you the option of carrying out justice for him.”

Forosuul was shocked to silence.  This was the last thing he would have expected.  His host simply waited, eyes downcast, arms outstretched with the sword bared across them.  Finally, he replied, speaking slowly and deliberately, “I am not a magistrate, Estelæth.  Or a nobleman.  Nor anyone who metes out justice.”

“Very well.  You may call it vengeance if you like.”

“Vengeance can take many forms.  Your death is not required for this one.”

Looking confused, Estelæth could only stammer, “But…what…”

“Put that thing away, Estelæth.”  Frowning, the woman obeyed, setting the blade to the side.  He went on, “Tell me.  When you came for Master Bruised Paw.  Did you ambush him?”

“No!”

“You didn’t sneak up on him?  Try to trick him?”

“I did not!”

“Then how did you kill him?”

“I challenged him honorably!  And I defeated him easily!  My skill…”  Her voice trailed off, becoming uncertain.

“You won.  You beat him.  You.  A student.  Defeated him.  Easily, as you say.”  She nodded, still looking confused.  “He was the finest Master of the art in generations.  Were he alive today.  I do not know if I could beat him.”

“But you..”

“He allowed you to kill him.” Estelæth’s jaw dropped open at this. Clearly the thought and never occurred to her. “Master Bruised Paw was very deliberate.  He did little by accident.”

“But why?  Why would he want to die?”

“I didn’t say he wanted to die.  Maybe he just thought it was his time.  We’ll never know.  But he must have seen something in you.  And I will not dispute his wisdom.”

Sighing heavily, Estelæth said, “What, then of your vengeance?  What form will you give it?”

Forosuul stared at her evenly.  He did not speak for a long time, simply holding her eye.  For her part she returned his gaze, unflinching.  After a long time he seemed satisfied and nodded, saying simply, “You will live.  You will serve me.  And you will find a way to cross the gulf that separates you from your granddaughter.”

“Serve you?” she questioned.  “Not your House?”

Smiling slightly, he replied, “Maybe a little of both.  For now, we will keep this quiet.  I may call on you from time to time and ask you to do something for me.  Until then, stay here, meditate, find your place.  And find time for Niire.”

“You have a strange notion of Vengeance, Forosuul Silverthorn.”

“Living is harder than dying,” he said sagely, before narrowing his eyes and asking,. “Why the fel do you do that?”

Blinking in confusion, she replied, “What?”

“That name thing.  Always saying the full name.  You do it every time.  Why?”

“Oh.  Uh….It is just good form, good manners.  You don’t address someone familiarly unless you are close to them.”

“I know a lot of really old kaldorei, you know, none of them do that.”

Shrugging, she answered, “It is the old way.  Ways may have changed.  I have not.”

“Hmm..fair enough.  I was merely curious.  Maybe someday we’ll be on a first name basis.”

“As long as I serve you, that will not be true.”

Throwing up his hands, Forosuul laughed and said, “Kalithil is going to love you.”

Looking more confused, she asked, “But…why?”

“Because he is an ancient bastard who loves people kissing his ass,” he said, behind a huge grin.  As he finished speaking, he rose to his feet suddenly.  “I have places to be.  I’ll stop by from time to time.”

Still reeling and confused, Estelæth could only reply dully, “Very well.”

“Think on what I said.  If Niire visits, make time for her.  For now that is enough.”  So saying, he strode out the door and let forth a whistle.  A deep growl sounded from the bamboo jungle to the east, and his felsabre bounded from the mists.  Swinging into the saddle, he looked at Estelæth once more and nodded, then wheeled his mount around and thundered away.

Estelæth watched as he rode away, until his form was swallowed by the ever-present mists.  After he was gone, she breathed deeply and gazed around.

This is a good place to live, she thought.

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Lily researches a lot. She is often making discoveries that others have not, purely because it is a passion for her. Unfortunately, Lily is also a train wreck at time.

Please excuse the spelling errors. We both type way to fast for our own good.

Kalithil belongs to @thebiganvil

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Look at Kalithil! Look at him! He’s so amazing. Perfectly captured, down to the finest details. Thank you so very much for your amazing artwork @shadowpriestart.

The attention to detail did not go unnoticed. And your extra creativity has added to our stories and mental imagery of the home.

…Commission: Night Elf Mage… Long time without posting anything. Had an obligatory trip, computer problems and on top of that, I was sick but now it’s ON again! To all the people waiting, sorry for the delays, I’m trying my best to keep up the pace. Thank you all for your patience. Here is a scene I made for @tindomielsilverthorn of her husband’s @thebiganvil character Kalithil, a night elf mage deep in research and study/practice of the arcane in his library. Commissions closed until April 20th. You can send me a note or an email to ask for info and I’ll respond to you as soon as I can, usually saving a slot for you in the queue and getting back to you on the day I’m ready to do your request.

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Iasea Storyline

This story is getting fairly long, with many chapters, so I thought I should make a post with links to each chapter :)

Multiple chapters are a collaboration with @thebiganvil and @devsash. 

1. Assault on the Cliffs

2. Found

3. Coming Together Part 1

4. Coming Together Part 2

5. Retrieval Gone Wrong

6. Tension and Release Part 1

7. Tension and Release Part 2

8. Tension and Release Part 3

9. Tension and Release Part 4

10. To Safety

11. Time to Heal

12. The Houndmaster (written by @thebiganvil)

13. The Argument Part 1

14. The Argument Part 2

15. The Argument Part 3

16. The Other Side

17. Calling a Truce

18. Matriarch & Patriarch

19. An Ally for the Enemy

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Lamella

“These are beautiful!” Lilybeth turned the scales over in her hand, the iridescent shimmer glowed in the moonlight. Each one was a little smaller than her palm, rounded in a perfect curve. They looked, at first glance to be delicate. But when she picked one up, she found them to be flexible and very tough.

Dæsin laughed, his deep voice rumbling as he watched his friend. “They make for excellent armor. Light, strong, and they aren’t too rigid. That allows for more freedom of movement. I know several hunters that wear it as protection because it’s also distracting to their prey.” He selected another and started stitching it onto the piece he was crafting. The hope was to reinforce a kilt for a young shaman.

Lily scooped up a handful and started layering them over her skirt. “If I could have a dress that shimmered like this…” she squealed excitedly at the idea. “Wait…no! I could make the cloth! And then Æl’s sweetheart Niquisse…She could make some unique things! I wonder if I could just, maybe, do…I know!” She stood suddenly, her azure curls swirling around her. A moment later, she blinked across the bridge and off to the storeroom.

Dæsin sat there, steadily working. He shook his head. No matter how long he knew her, nor what happened to her, she always came back to this. Exuberant, wildly frantic when an idea struck her. Over the past couple of years, he had missed her. All of the things that happened had dimmed her light. But she was coming around finally. She was Lily again.

A flash of violet appeared next to the large man and she stood there with an armload of lavender silk. Her hair was tussled, strands covering her face. Dæsin stood and brushed them out of the way. “All right, Lily. What is all this for?” He reached out and took it from her, shaking out it’s length. “This is a lot of silk.”

Lily bounced on her toes, her eyes wide with excitement. She sat down next to his pile of scales. Dangling her feet in the pond again, she yanked the edge of the silk until he released it. “I was thinking…if I did something like this..” She spread it out over her legs and started laying the scales onto it in a overlapping pattern. Once she had covered a large section, she looked up at him. “Wouldn’t that be beautiful cloth? If it could move and sway like the silk?”

“Well yes, of course. But the scales are too rigid for that, Lily. Even if I split them for you, it’s not going to do what you are thinking.” He sounded almost sad that he couldn’t help her. “There’s no way to stitch those to your silk there and have it be what you want it to.”

“Stitch them? Oh Elune, no. I’m going to transfer the pattern to the silk.” She brought her hand up and chewed on her lip. She whispered to herself as a soft glow appeared. Lowering her palm over the cloth, she passed it back and forth over each layer. When she was finished, she picked it up and shook the scale away. “Well, shoot. That didn’t work!” 

Dæsin ran his fingers over it. “Well, the pattern is there. But it didn’t capture the colors at all.” He shrugged. “It’s still pretty, Lily. And it’s not something anyone else would have.”

“Wait!” she yelled. Her hands flashed and a small portal appeared next to her. She reached in and glass jars could be heard moving around. Pulling her arm back through, she held a small jar of powder. “Ground iridescent shards! This should do it!” She frantically lined the scales back up. Once they were in place, she started her spell again, but used her right hand to sprinkle the dust onto the scales as she did. 

She didn’t anticipate the powder finding its way to her nose. She was halfway through when it happened. She felt a tickle, followed by the pinch. She tried to stop it, but she sneezed before the spell cut off. The sudden jerking motion resulted in the entire container pouring out at once in combination with a surge of arcane energy. Several sneezes followed behind, each accompanied by a bright violet flash. When everything stopped, the air was cloudy and crackling. 

As the dust slowly settled, she heard Dæsin gasp. Lily tipped her head to the side, wondering what could be the issue. His mouth slowly worked before his voice found him again. “Ummm, Lily?”

“Yes, Dæ?”

“I think you may have a problem.” He pointed to her lap. His eyes were wide and panicked. 

She followed his gaze and gesture before realizing what had happened. Her eyes quickly matched his, though her expression was one of fascination. Her hands came down, running over the shimmering lavender and blue scales. She moved her feet, no, wait, was that a fin? “Oh gods…” She pulled at the scales, desperately trying to remove what should have been fabric. “Dæ? Did I? Oh Elune!” She started pulling at them harder in her panic. “Dae! Do I have a tail? I have a tail!” She cried. 

Dæsin pushed himself up and grabbed her hands. “Lily…Lily! Stop!” He barked. She shrunk back and stopped moving. He softened once again, now that he had her attention. “Just stop for a moment. Ok? I don’t want you to hurt yourself.” He picked her up and  moved her into the water. “You need to keep it  wet or it will crack. Now…what do we do?”

Lily looked over to the tower, her eyes fixed on the stained glass window that was positioned over the desk inside. She took a deep breath and magically amplified her voice. “Kal?”

[tindomielsilverthorn]

I love it! Bdiebdichu nrffhghfvhtfhufv they are so perfect! Thank you @krystal-klear-art ! We love it so, so much.

This is my Kalimè Silverthorn on the right and @thebiganvil ‘s Ælithil Silverthorn on the left. They are the twin children of Lilybeth and Kalithil Silverthorn. How beautiful are they???!!!!!

A stained glass commission I did for @tindomielsilverthorn - it’s been a while since ive done one of these, I forgot how lovely but painstaking they are <3

[tindomielsilverthorn]

15. Portal

Kalimè stared at the shimmering portal in front of her. She swallowed hard before closing her eyes and stepping forward. No matter what she did, they still made her nervous. Some memories are just hard to shake. When her foot hit the ground on the other side, she cracked an eye open and looked around. All seemed as it should and she let out the breath she had been holding in.

Some Months ago

She and her mother had been planning a shopping trip. They had poured over their lists, discussing every shop and crafter they would visit. Lilybeth’s eyes shone brightly at her, with a twist of her hand, the portal opened. Kalimè grabbed her bag and stepped through. The next thing she remembered was hearing her mother’s cry. 

They were out in a field, Lilybeth and Kalithil seating on a blanket with food all laid out. Lilybeth’s face was filled with horror and Kalithil had turned to look the other way. Looking down at her hands, she saw she was now holding a ball in her hands. Her twin brother Ælithil was standing across the field from her looking equally confused. He was dressed in fighting gear, covered in mud. She sat down on the ground with a heavy thump.

“Oh for fel’s sake! No! You said it was done, An’da! How old were we? How much time did we skip?” Ælithil’s voice was dripping with anger. Kalimè stared at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. He stormed over to his sister. Placing a hand on her shoulder.

“You were 22 when we arrived today,” Lilybeth said, barely above a whisper. “And now?”

“Twenty five. Three years then. Gone.” He tried hard not keep himself calm and level, but it wasn’t working.

Kalimè sat there, quietly mourning another loss. It meant that this time, her parents did not remember her right of passage. They had missed the ceremony completely now. They had been so proud of her as she laid there, still as possible, while the tattoos were tapped onto her face. Nine hours the permanently mark her for life. 

Two years of fighting against herself before coming to terms with who she was. She had railed against her lack of magic. Angry at her inability to be like her parents. Her uncle had worked with her a little, exercises to showcase her speed and agility. Almost no one could keep up with her, certainly not her brother. But then, he was too busy discovering girls.

She slowly stood and moved toward her parents. She wrapped Lilybeth up in her arms, “It’s all right Min’da. We’ll get it. This time skip was much shorter than last time.” She looked at Kailthil, her eyes hopeful. “Right An’da? You can figure it out. You always know what to do.” She reached for his hand, but he didn’t take it. He just looked off into the distance, not saying a word. The realization that she was back to this point with him was the hardest. The father that would willingly embrace her was gone again. 

She looked back at her twin, who was still seething. He turned and walked off, muttering to himself. This skip had made him angry. The same with the last one. Unlike the previous skips, these two, he was shaken in a way she didn’t understand.

Present

Kalimè made her way through the city after finishing her errands. Turning the corner, she stopped. She stood in the long hall, portals lining the wall. The question was, could she ever feel comfortable with them again?

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Kalithil.

Kalithil is actually my husband’s character. @thebiganvil. What question on the list would you like to ask? He’s an intriguing man.

Here’s his answers for you:

 01. Full name: Kalithil Silverthorn 

 02. Best friend: Lilybeth 

03. Sexuality: Straight 

 04. Favorite color: A combination of Blue & Gold 

05. Relationship status: Married 

 06. Ideal mate: Intelligent, bold, vibrant. 

 07. Turn-ons: Knowledge 

08. Favorite food: food is fuel, nothing more 

09. Crushes: Lilybeth 

10. Favorite music: the sound of arcane power traveling the ley lines 

11. Biggest fear: oblivion 

12. Biggest fantasy: I am living it 

13. Bad habits: keeping secrets 

14. Biggest regret: not saving Silea 

15. Best kept secrets: so, so many 

16. Last thought: “that was close” 

17. Worst romantic experience: I do not have bad romantic experiences 

18. Biggest insecurity: I do not understand the question 

 19. Weapon of choice: The Quiraji staff he acquired during the War of the Shifting Sands 

20. Role Model: a mirror

[tindomielsilverthorn]

New Concerns

The late afternoon sun began to streak into the western window of the Tower. The brilliant colors of the stained glass created shapes on her face as she lay in bed sleeping. She had been in bed most of the day. He watched her sleeping as he worked at his desk. At first it was beautiful, but the longer she stayed there, the more concerned he grew. This was not like her. Usually she would rise by lunch and begin her daily tasks. Today, she had gone back to bed.

Wrinkling her nose, she turned her back to the glare. A quiet sigh escaped her as she pushed the covers back. She sat up at the edge of the bed, grabbing her robe. She pulled it up over her head, shivering. It was so cozy burrowed down in those blankets, but she needed to get up. “I am sorry, Kal. I have slept the day away. Again.” She raised her hand, a soft violet glow wrapping itself down her hair, plaiting the long blue locks quickly. She rose and moved to his desk.

“Still tired?” the older man asked. He put down the book in his hands, watching her carefully.

“I guess between my work at the Treasury, our experiments here, and our trips to Argus, I am overdoing it.” A grin worked its way across her face. “Our extra activities are taking the last of my energy I think.” She wrapped her long arms around him, burying her face in his robes. “I’m sure I will adjust. It’s only been a few days.”

Kalithil furrowed his brow. Something still wasn’t right about all this. He brings his own arms around her, resting his cheek on her head. He sighed and smiled at her. “I’ve been working on our next step to stabilizing the divination. I am hoping to test it out soon.” He looks down at the desk, indicating his notes. “But you will need to be able to handle it. This is going to require a lot of energy from us both. I’ve asked Tindomiel to come over and help with that. I hope you don’t mind.”

The girl’s face beamed at him. “Mind? I love seeing her! She’s so nice to me and she makes you feel better every time the two of you talk. Oh, Elune! When is she coming! I need to get dressed! And tidy up the Tower. Do we have anything for her to eat? You should have woken me up! I cannot entertain the Scion on short notice. Shit!” She started scrambling around the room, shots of violet bursting from her, placing things where they belonged. A chuckle behind her made her stop. She turned and he was softly smiling at her.

“She’ll be here around dinner, so about an hour. And she insisted on bringing food, so you don’t need to worry.” He crossed to the dressing area, pulling out her purple and blue gown. “Wear this one.” He placed it over the back of the chair and returned to his desk.

Lilybeth moved to the chair, picking up the embroidered garment. “Why this one?” She looked over at him, curious.

“Because it’s what you were wearing the first night we were together. As mates rather than Shan’do and Thero’shan. It reminds me of your stubbornness. Which is why all this,” he gestured to the changes she had made in the Tower, “has happened in my life.” He voice grew soft. “When my Lorlillui changed everything.”

Her eyes softened as she smiled at him. He didn’t always show how he was feeling. Or talk about it so readily. But when he let her in without prompting, it made her melt inside. She pushed her nightgown off her shoulders and it fell to the floor in soft ripples of silk. Raising the other over her head, she placed her arms into the sleeves and pulled it into place. A gentle tug on the lacing made it wrap her curves in the right places. She moved to the bookshelf, pulling down three volumes. Thinking for a moment, she put one back and selected another. The soft fabric swirled around her legs as she moved back to the bed.

His eyes had not left her since she had begun to change. At times he still didn’t believe that she was really there. Something still didn’t sit right with her reasoning about how she was feeling. He had asked Tindomiel over to give them both a bit of help. But he also wanted her opinion on Lilybeth’s condition. She had been working far too many hours in time suspension. It was not wise to brush it off.

Tindomiel arrived carrying a basket over her arm. She smiled as she moved her way up the long ramps within the Tower. It was nice to see how Lilybeth had changed things. Brighter, cleaner, and feeling much more like a home than the dusty old stones. She tapped on the railing below, calling up to them.

“Come in, Tindomiel!” cried out a cheery voice. A grinning face appeared above her. “I’m so glad to see you! You should have brought everyone. We could have had a family dinner.”

“Well this isn’t really a social visit, dear. Besides. Sometimes something more intimate is nice.” The silver-haired woman looked over at Kalithil’s worn face. She nodded at him and climbed the last ramp up to the top level. “I brought dinner, how about we eat and talk a bit?”

Dinner was filled with meandering small talk and delicious food. As they sipped their tea, Tindomiel moved to sit next to Kalithil. She placed a hand on his shoulder, golden tendrils flowing from her fingers. They wrapped around him, his whole body relaxing as the warmth spread down to his bones. Smiling, she pulled her hand off and planted a kiss on his cheek. She took a moment and smoothed out her long white gown. Walking over to Lilybeth, she reached out a hand. “Come. Show me what you’ve been working on.” She pointed to the stack of books on the bed.

Lilybeth smiled, using the older elf’s hand to stand up. She led her over and plopped down. “These are nothing very special. Just some texts on portals and augmentation of runework…”

Tindomiel let her chat away as she placed a hand near her. She moved slowly, trying to find a hint of what might be the cause of the girl’s exhaustion. Her eyes flashed suddenly, her face full of shock, tears springing up immediately. She dropped her hand down onto Lilybeth’s shoulder. Rather than thin tendrils, she wrapped her in a blanket of brilliant golden light. The young Kaldorei fell silent, closing her eyes and sighing gently. Tindomiel wiped tears away and composed herself. When she was finished, she whispered something into Lilybeth’s ear.

“Are you certain?” Her eyes began to fill with tears.

“Yes. You need to stop spending so many hours at the Treasury. You need far more rest than you realize. You can continue, but no more than two hours a day. I would prefer you do less, but I know you will not.” She took a soft cloth from her pocket and wiped Lilybeth’s face off. “I will let the two of you talk. This is complicated and I don’t have answers for you on what should be done.”

Her voice was quiet, shaking. “Thank you. I…I just thought I was working too much.”

Tindomiel brushed a lock of hair from Lilybeth’s face. “We’ll figure it out. Don’t worry too much.” She crossed back to her things, gathering them up. She crouched down beside Kalithil, embracing him. The worry on his face was evident and his fear was beginning to overwhelm her. “Go talk to her. I’ll come back tomorrow. I need to look some things up.” Before he could say anything, she left. Her soft sobs could be heard as she descended the Tower.

He moved to join Lilybeth on the bed. She sat there stock still, staring at window. Taking her hand in his, he waited a moment. “Lorlillui? Talk to me. What did she tell you?”

The girl turned her face to him, searching for answers. Barely audible, her mouth formed the words. “It didn’t work.” He tilted his head to the side, confused. “Alsa’s potion. It didn’t work. Kal, I’m pregnant.”

Kalithil blinked and laughed suddenly. With a flourish, he swept her up in his arms, spinning her around.

Artwork by @averysmallbird

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Kalithil’s history.

[tindomielsilverthorn]

The Young Ones Meet, Part 2

(Part 1)

(A Collaboration with @thebiganvil who owns Ælithil. He’s so cute!)

“I'm sorry...I have heard about the beautiful Silverthorns all my life,” she said, awestruck.

He looked at Niquisse oddly. “All your life?” He looked quite confused. “But you are Quel’dorei...well, from that stock at least.”

She blushed. “My family...we were once part of yours.” Ælithil narrowed his eyes in consternation. “It's a lot to explain, I honestly don't understand or know much of it.”

Very quietly he said, “You’re a cute little thing but you aren’t making any sense at all.”

Niquisse flushed purple. “I know. I am sorry.” She took a steadying breath. “The Greythorn family split from the Silverthorn line many millennia ago. If I understand the history correctly, Kalithil Silverthorn fathered many children.”

Ælithil blinked, shocked to have his father’s name stated so openly by a complete stranger. “Uh...well, um...yes, that is true.”

“And our line split away.”

“But...how did you…” at a loss, he gestured towards her. “How are you like this?

“Like what? Tiny?” She giggled at hime. “I told you, I really don't know much. The only other living member of my family is telling me things a tiny piece at a time.”

“And who is this other person? Is he....what is it you people like to call yourselves?”

“He is...well, that's complicated. But our family name is Greythorn.”

“No, I mean….” He shook his head and gestured at her again. “Tiny elves, whatever.”

“Oh! We are Ren’dorei,” she laughed nervously. “Void elves in the common tongue.”

“Huh...so you don’t think of yourself as Quel’dorei any more.”

Niqi looked down at the table, her eyes dimming. “Oh, I was, once.”

“But not any more?”

She lifted her hand towards him, showing the purple tint to her fingers. “Things have…changed.”

He held up his own pale hand. “Looks almost like you are coming home,” he whispered. Without thinking, she placed her hand against Ælithil’s. He closed his fingers over Niquisse’s. “Still tiny though,” he grinned.

Niquisse blushed. “I suppose I am. I’m sorry I don’t know how to explain the changes. Gilræn doesn't tell me much.”

“Gilræn? This is your relative?” He slowly lowered their hands down to the table, but didn’t release hers right away. “What's his story?”

“He's...well, I used to call him cousin, but that's not right. I met a man two nights ago. His name is Tellanon? He provided me with some information and...well, he's more like my ancestor.”

Ælithil looked hopelessly lost. “Tellanon is your ancestor,” he asked incredulously.

“No...Gilræn is.”

“OH...uh...sorry. You’ve got me a little confused,” he responded, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

Niquisse winced, “I do that to people.” Ælithil chuckled ruefully as she sipped her wine again, closing her eyes and savoring it. “So, Gilræn's a mage, apparently he wanted to study alongside Azshara's followers. That went poorly, he told me. He admits that it was not the best decision.” Ælithil’s face showed that he was trying very hard to make sense of all this. She frowned. “I am really bad at this.”

Nodding emphatically, “You really are. Just…terrible.” She laughed lightly. “Good thing you’re pretty.” Niqi stopped laughing and blinked at him. He grinned wide.

“I can't decide if that was a compliment or an insult,” she stated. Ælithil chuckled, putting her nerves at ease. “Let's just say that...well, I'm still figuring it all out.”

“Ok, ok...so, this Gilræn, he wanted to learn from, as you said, ‘Azshara's followers’…” he reiterated. She nodded at him. “Now, when you say that, I am going to go out on a limb and assume you do not mean the Naga.”

“Oh…” she stammered. “Um, no.”

“You are talking about the old Highborn, the Kal’dorei that became the Quel'dorei after the Sundering.” She nodded again. “So this Gilræn person...was...there...for that.”

She tilted her head to the side. “You seem confused.”

“You understand that was a very long time ago, right?”

“I do,” she smiled. She took another sip of her wine. “When I asked Gilræn how old he was, he said it is a very large number. And that he doesn't recall it any more. He is…,” she fidgets slightly, cutting herself off.

He looked at her face, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

Her ears drooped, “I am not sure if I am supposed to say,” she murmured. “It's his secret that he has kept for a long time. Who he is.”

His mouth opened and closed twice. “...but you already told me his name.”

“No…I…um..” She looked around nervously before releasing a heavy sigh. “He's...he's Kalithil's son.”

Ælithil face lost what little color it had. “…w…what?

Niquisse looked immediately regrettful. “I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you!” Ælithil’s jaw dropped open as he found himself at a loss for words. “What did I say wrong?”

“His…son?”

Niquisse nodded slowly. "One of the first?” She pulled her legs up, squeezing them to herself. The tendrils about her neck twisted and curled tightly. Wonderful job you are doing there, child. You’ve managed to upset another one, the whispers hissed at her.

Ælithil’s eyes opened even wider. He whispered hoarsely, “He would have been Kal’dorei once. He sailed east with the highborn remnant and became…” He pointed at Niquisse again. She nodded, looking at the table. He stared at her, completely dumbfounded. “The silverthorn spreads its branches further than we ever imagined….”

“I am sorry to have upset you,” she apologized sullenly.

He blinked, finally snapping out of it. “No, Niquisse, you did not upset me. Shocked me, sure.”

Uncurling herself, Niquisse refilled their glasses. “You can call me Niqi, if you like.”

Ælithil smiled slightly. “Family calls me Æl. And I guess that’s what you are, many times removed.”

Bolstering her herself, she reached up and brushed a stray hair from Ælithil's cheek. He looked down, coloring slightly. “You have the most captivating eyes...No one in my family had eyes of that hue.” Ælithil full on blushed, looking away self consciously. “Am I embarrassing you?” She felt guilty, unsure of what she should do.

“Yes, damnit...I am normally a little better at this,” he smiled wryly. “Out of practice I guess.”

“Well, I am not usually good at this,” she offered. “It seems we have brought out something new in each other.”

“You seem to be handling it pretty well,” he shrugged.

“Are you kidding? I feel like I am shaking all over! I'm not sure what it is but…I'm nervous, only…not?”

“What are you nervous about?”

Very softly, she replied, “That you won't like me.”

Ælithil blinked, surprised. “Why would you be nervous about that?  You don’t even know me really."

“And I...well, you...Oh fel!” She covered her face with her hands, her long tendrils curling up her arms. The tips of her ears darkened.

He grinned wide. “Ok, now we're even,” he teased her, chuckling. Niquisse laughed lightly. “So, did you say that you and this Gilræn are the last of your line?”

Nodding, “The very last.”

Ælithil frowned, looking at Niquisse intently. “That's a shame.”

Niquisse blushed under Ælithil's gaze. “Yes...it is,” she whispered.

“You and he have no plans to..um..continue the family?”

“With him? No! Oh, Light…” She shuddered. “I like him about as well as I can, but until the other day, I thought he was my cousin. And now…well no. Not even now. He keeps things from me. Holds me apart.”

Ælithil frowned. “So your bloodline will die out because of this.”

“The bloodline could continue. With others,” she started. Ælithil arched an eyebrow. “If he or I were to…um..." Niquisse suddenly felt very self conscious, turning a deep shade of purple. Ælithil bit his lip to stop himself laughing. “Not that I am trying to...didn't mean…” He sat there, grinning. The young Ren'dorei buried her face in her arms, dropping them down onto the table.

Ælithil leaned in and whispered, “You’re cute when you're flustered.”

“Great, Niqi....some first impression you make.” she muttered, her voice muffled under her arms and hair.

“You really did.”

Niquisse peeked out at Ælithil. “Now you're making fun of me, aren't you?” Ælithil held up a thumb a finger, a hair's breadth apart. “Ugggghh,” she replied, putting her head back down. Ælithil laughed, and so did she, despite her attempts to not. Turning all manner of colors, “All right, I am making a complete fool of myself.”’

  He chuckled. “It's kind of endearing, actually.”

“It is?” Her voice was soft, gentle.

Ælithil nodded, smiling. His eyes twinkled at her. “What does it take to get you to relax?”

“I...um...I usually read or...have some wine in the bath,” she offered, lifting her head up. She pushed her hair back from her face, smiled at him. Looking at his face a moment she realizes that he has raised both eyebrows. Her eyes went open wide. “Oh, you meant....oh fel…”

“Well I can't follow you there.”

“Maybe we could go for a walk? Somewhere pretty?” She took a few shuddering breaths, desperately trying to calm herself. “If there is such a place in this city.”

“Oh, there's a few.”

“Will you show me?”

Ælithil smiled. “Surely. You mean now?”

Her eyes dimmed slightly. “Did you not?”

“Fine by me,” he offered.

“You meant another time...I'm sorry…” she looked away, distraught.

Ælithil sighed with exasperation and stood. Grabbing her hand, he hauled her from the chair. “Come on,” he urged, pulling her towards the stairs. She set down her glass and allowed him to lead her. Once outside, they began to walk through the Mage Quarter. “This district is actually one of the loveliest in the city.”

“I had noticed that,” she smiled. I am just, I’m following him without even considering what could happen. Why am I so captivated by this man? 

“Especially if you know the quiet spots,” he winked. She blushed at him. His eyes trailed down to her, the way her hair shimmered with vibrant blues and deep indigo. She’s not like anyone the other girls. But this whole thing was her idea. So…just show her around. See what happens. “There’s a few I could show you some time. But I have something else in mind tonight.” He flushed a little, seeing her eyes widen. Why do I keep doing that?

They wandered through and took the tunnel out towards the canals. As he nudged her forward, Lion’s Rest came into view. The sound of running water and wind rustling through leaves quickly drowned out the noise of the city. The smell of the sea air blew in as they came to the overlook. Salt and fresh, carrying a bit of the green earthy smell of the gardens below them, it was a welcome change from the food and alcohol laden air of the pub.

(Part 3)

[tindomielsilverthorn]

Traditions Prompt

Describe a tradition that is important to your character and why.  

The Silverthorns lost a great many of their traditions as the House had dwindled over the years. However, the ones that have been rebuilding have forged a new one.

Please bear in mind, this is House of Silverthorn head canon. Feel free to ignore it if you don't like it.

Three years ago, Lilybeth Starblossom approached Kajeda Silverthorn to seek permission to give the baby (though it turned out to be twins) the Silverthorn name. This was in direct opposition from Kaldorei tradition of the child bearing the mother’s. Kajeda agreed, delighted.

Tindomiel, on Lily’s behalf, went and requested formal permission for Lilybeth and Kalithil to marry and for Lilybeth to take the Silverthorn name. It is unusual in Kaldorei society for a couple to wed at all, given their lifespans, they often drift apart after the centuries or millennia. And for her to change her name was unheard of unless she were formally adopted into the family.

Kajeda placed a condition upon it. They were to follow an ancient troll tradition. Both Lilybeth and Kalithil were to cut all of their hair off. It then was to be allowed to grow to at least their waists. This was to give the couple time to be certain that marriage was truly what they wanted. Then, during the ceremony, their hair was again to be cut off and woven into a braid together, forever binding them as one.

You are welcome to read the wedding ceremony here:

New Traditions

Now it is the tradition of all couples in the House of Silverthorn who wish to wed. This tradition holds a particular meaning to Silannah who was at the time the condition was made, mate to Kajeda. She never had the chance to fully admit how much she truly loved Kajeda before her death. Now years later, as Silannah plans to marry Gilræn, she holds tightly to Kajeda’s wishes, honoring the woman who brought her back to life, to her home, her family and eventually, her new love.

The Haircut

[tindomielsilverthorn]

💜 = Does your muse date others based on their appearance or personality, or both?

Oh this one is fun!

The Silverthorns are all effected by a spell on their bloodline called “The Pull” that draws the to one another. If they are far enough apart in the bloodline to be an advantageous match, it will cause any feelings of attraction to be extreme. So to a point, appearance does matter as all Silverthorns are white-haired and nearly white skinned.

Tindomiel was never attracted to anyone truly until she met Forosuul. The Pull pushed them towards one another. But for her, she could see that he was a very good man at the heart of him. Caring and generous, bold and someone worthy of her trust.

Lilybeth, not being of Silverthorn blood, does not fall under the Pull. For her, she was absolutely attracted to Kalithil based on his personality, and in no small part, his wealth of knowledge.

Silannah cares less for appearance and more for a person’s character. They need to be strong of mind, bold and willing to put up with her incredibly stubborn nature.

Dæsin is a bit of both. He fell for Alsabe because she seemed so very genuine, but he will not deny he found her intoxicating to look at.

Eliân? She just wants sex. Unless the person has bad hygiene, she really doesn’t care.

Kalimè fell completely for Estelæth’s looks when she was a teenager. She had the mother of all crushes on the woman. As luck would have it, they ended up being paired together. Este was meant to train Kali, and after a time, they ended up completely in love.

Niire is oddly attracted to her hairy dwarf mate. She never expected it to be so. But after getting to know him, his gentle way of being won her over and she allowed herself to really see him. It was all over at that point.

Niquisse is a looks girl. She was over the moon for how attractive Ælithil is. The fact that they get along so well is a major bonus.