Shadows from Suzail

The red-haired captain of the Queen's Blade strode up to Aaron in a splendid uniform. Tall and lean, with a mustache and goatee, bright eyes, and a slightly receding hairline, he pulled out a chair, sat down, and fixed Aaron with a stare.

"Aaron Sallyan. Son of Viscount Manuel Sallyan. Your father was once a knight commander of the Purple Dragons and a hero of the kingdom. He fell beneath the walls of Tifantom during the Time of Troubles. In recognition of his loyalty and courage, His Majesty Azoun IV granted the Sallyan family one more generation of its viscountcy. That makes you The Last Salian. Barring the unexpected, the family name and title end with you."

Hendry ordered a gin from a server. Fine crow's-feet lined the corners of his small eyes. "Your family has an honorable history, and both your parents were fine people. But this is official business. Would you answer a few questions?"

Miss Cleric's expression shifted.

A moment ago, she had been looking forward to seeing Aaron squirm. She had not expected the Queen's Blade to open by suspecting him of conspiring with the Dark Sun Prince to murder his companions.

Impossible! How could that be possible?

They had spent little time together, but Miss Cleric's own senses told her Aaron was not that kind of person. Besides, Lady Silverstar had performed a Miracle for him, and he had even met the Lady of Silver, Selûne, herself!

"Captain Hendry, are you sure you haven't made a mistake—" Eleanor was on the verge of rising to challenge the Queen's Blade captain's motives when Aaron held out a hand, signaling Miss Cleric not to speak.

He studied the aggressive Hendry and considered why this was happening.

The Queen's Blade was a notorious intelligence organization in Cormyr. It had been founded by the legendary warrior known as the Purple Dragon, former king Azoun IV.

Azoun IV had been crowned king of Cormyr in 1336 Dalereckoning. Under his rule, the kingdom had reached unprecedented heights and entered a period of sustained prosperity. With the aid of the legendary royal archmage Vangerdahast, Cormyr had grown stronger than ever. During the Tuigan Invasion, it had led the great northern alliance of the Realms to victory over Yamun, Khan of the invading nomadic empire. King Azoun IV had personally taken Yamun's head on the battlefield.

But as a forceful king, Azoun IV had naturally consolidated power. In Queen Filfaeril's name, he established a secret organization called the Queen's Blade to watch the kingdom's nobles and commoners alike and keep the populace under tight control.

The Queen's Blade stank up its reputation for blocks around. People paled at the mere mention of it.

Nobles and townsfolk had protested bitterly more than once, but Azoun IV's prestige and ability were too great. Their objections had been suppressed.

A few months earlier, the great king and legendary warrior had perished alongside an Ancient Dragon in battle. His youngest daughter, Alusair, had been left to rule the kingdom as regent.

Aaron had expected to be questioned. The mission had failed, his two companions were dead, and he alone had survived. An investigation was inevitable. He simply had not expected the Queen's Blade to arrive so quickly.

He had thought that if he made it back to Suzail, he would at least be safe for a while.

But now it seemed the enemy was not only in the King's Forest. The enemy was inside the kingdom, inside the order of knights, even inside Suzail, the kingdom's very heart!

The questioning began right there at the dinner table. Hendry asked; Aaron answered.

"...So, according to you, the Warlock's attack caught you off guard because you were careless, while the other side came prepared?"

"Yes, the other side had clearly prepared with great care. But I don't believe we were careless. The Warlock was second-rank Elite, and he had a squad of Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Ogres, and Goblin Worg riders."

"Do you believe you bear primary responsibility for the attack?"

"I followed my orders to investigate."

"Did the deaths of War Wizard apprentices Hicks and Volk have anything to do with your successful escape?"

"Hicks told me to run. He gave his life to cover my escape. Volk died in the initial attack, before the fighting even began."

"Can you explain how you escaped such a powerful enemy force?"

"I received guidance from the Lady of Silver. Her whispers led me to safety."

"Do you have evidence?"

"Yes."

Aaron glanced at Miss Cleric. Your turn.

Honestly, this man! Using my Lady as a shield again! A vein stood out on Eleanor's forehead. Miss Cleric had no choice but to briefly explain how she had happened upon the unconscious Aaron, taken him to the Lady of Silver's altar in Seabury, and performed a Miracle through which Selûne's divine power had healed the wounds to his soul.

Sure enough, Hendry's brows drew together when Eleanor finished. That was not the answer he had hoped for.

With the Church involved and a Cleric to corroborate Aaron's account, many of Hendry's leading questions were off the table.

"You have no Sorcerer bloodline. How did you gain Sorcerer abilities?"

"I don't know either, but I believe they must be a gift from the Lady of Silver."

"Did you deliberately flee toward an altar or clergy so they could testify for you?"

"I wasn't thinking about that at the time. I heard the Lady of Silver whisper, and she told me to run that way."

"Since you received help, why did you abandon the mission and return to Suzail instead of pursuing the Warlock?"

"The Lady of Silver instructed me to."

"Are your newfound spellcasting abilities connected to the Warlock you were tracking, or to his Patron?"

"I believe they are a sign of the Lady of Silver's favor. They have nothing to do with the Dark Sun, the Warlock, or his Patron."

"Viscount Sallyan, blaming everything on a Deity is irresponsible."

"I'm only stating the facts."

Hendry asked several more questions. Unable to find an opening, he finally put away his quill. "Very well. Thank you for your cooperation, Viscount Sallyan. I'll submit the entire conversation to Her Highness Alusair for her decision."

With that, the Queen's Blade captain took a large golden key from his pocket. "I apologize for interrupting your dinner and rest. Under the princess's regulations, we'll cover your room. Please enjoy all the services offered by Tamah the Fair, the innkeeper."

"All of them? Even if I drink my way through Tamah's entire cellar tonight?" Aaron took the large key, felt its weight, and laughed.

"Of course. The royal household will reimburse it all. You just need to give some thought beforehand to how you'll answer Her Highness's questions, as you did today." Hendry slipped an arm around Aaron's neck and whispered in his ear, "This is a rare opportunity. The Flower of the Sunken Sea! Don't say I never helped you."

"A suite. A double room." The Queen's Blade captain patted Aaron's shoulder and winked, wearing an expression any man would understand. "Don't forget your brother once it works out."

Aaron caught on at once and returned the suggestive smile. No more needed to be said.

So the rumors were wrong! The Queen's Blade isn't so unpleasant after all!

Hendry Higginson, was it? I'll remember your name.

After dinner, Aaron spoke to Ferrara and the others. They agreed to set off at nine the next morning.

He took Miss Cleric by the sleeve and headed upstairs. "Come on. Let's go up and rest."

"Who said I was going upstairs to rest with you? What are you doing?" Eleanor struggled angrily against his grip. "I'm not sharing a room with you."

"Shh. The Queen's Blade probably hasn't gone far. I'm thinking of our safety." Aaron leaned close and whispered, "Let's get inside first. I need to discuss something with you. It isn't safe out here."

As Aaron drew near, that pleasant scent of his washed over her again, dispelling the inn's cold, damp smell of mildew.

The large golden key spun between Aaron's fingers. "The noble suite comes with a free hot bath. You can soak as long as you like!"

As expected, Miss Cleric's resistance weakened considerably.

In the Realms, a hot bath was no simple thing. Without developed boiler technology, heating that much water took plenty of fuel, time, and effort.

"Besides, I wouldn't feel safe alone in such a big room. Miss Eleanor, I need your protection. I really do!" Aaron pressed his palms together in supplication. "Without you, I honestly wouldn't know what to do!"

"Even if you put it that way..." Eleanor still hesitated. Miss Cleric watched him warily, a little resistance remaining. "But we're an unmarried man and woman. It wouldn't be proper to share a room."

"We aren't an unmarried man and woman. We're humble servants of the Lady of Silver! Dear friends, brothers in arms, the closest of companions!" Aaron's glib lines came one after another. When Eleanor still looked uncertain, he added, "Or do you lack confidence in your abilities, Miss Eleanor? Do you think a second-rank Elite Cleric like you could be overpowered by a first-rank Apprentice Sorcerer like me?"

At that, Eleanor's whole bearing changed.

"Fine, then," Miss Cleric said softly. "Perhaps it's for the best. The Queen's Blade won't let any opportunity slip by. You're favored by my Lady and need protection."

Charm successful!

Aaron gave himself a mental thumbs-up.

Charm magic in the Realms? No good.

Slaanesh's charm magic? Now we're talking!

Our Slaanesh charm magic is just too good!

Aaron used the large key to open a room on the third floor and looked over its furnishings.

At a large roadside coaching inn like this, the standard overnight accommodation was a long communal sleeping platform with room for twenty or thirty people. Ferrara's group, for instance, had taken spots there for just one silver coin each.

One step up was a farmer's room: two beds and a bucket of water in the corner, for two silver coins.

A merchant's room had a table and chairs alongside the beds, a clothes rack, and even a window!

The noble suite bordered on luxurious. It had a private bathroom, a sitting room with a sofa and long table, a carpet, and a separate bedroom. One night cost five Golden Lions.

Hendry had saved Aaron a considerable sum. The viscount had started with twenty-five Golden Lions, but twenty had gone toward asking the barbarian woman to find him a set of weapons at the Seabury Open-Air Shrine. He had little left.

As for Miss Cleric, she could not have had more than ten Golden Lions on her. Aaron guessed she had fewer than five. Judging by her frugal habits, she did not seem like a cleric with money to spare.

They entered and sat on the sofa. Aaron called a server to arrange hot water for a bath, then asked casually, "Do you want to go first, or should I?"

"I'll go first." Eleanor sat stiffly on the sofa, her knees pressed together.

She watched Aaron casually remove his outer robe and chain mail, revealing the clothes beneath. He undid the buttons at his collar and leaned back comfortably, seemingly oblivious to her presence in the room.

Miss Cleric could not help swallowing.

The Lady of Silver does have good taste. He really is quite...

"I'm glad you kept your temper and didn't fall for Ferrara's group's trap." Aaron smiled serenely, his voice mild. "If you'd made a move inside the Kalan Inn, things would have become troublesome."

Miss Cleric stared at him. Then realization struck. "You heard?"

"I did." Aaron tapped his temple. In the dim room, lit only by candles, his eyes shone like an endless blue sky, bright and unfathomable. "Do you think that Rogue did it by accident? No. He meant to provoke you."

"I thought there was something wrong with that lot from the beginning!" Miss Cleric took off her robe as well and hung it on the rack. She sounded displeased. "Then why did you invite them to travel with us?"

"Yes, I knew from the start that something was wrong. For one thing, a mercenary band with sixteen warriors out of eighteen people is strange. Ferrara and Montero are both second-rank Elite adventurers, and the other fifteen are Apprentice-level adventurers. They still had supplies. Why rest out in the wilderness? How did one Bugbear and a few Goblins leave them in such a state and get into their cargo?" Aaron interlaced his fingers over his stomach and smiled. "None of it makes sense. With their supplies and strength, couldn't they have reached the Kalan Inn?"

"Now that you mention it..." Eleanor fell into thought. "Could it be that they weren't headed for Suzail?"

"No, they were headed for Suzail." Aaron shook his head. "Think about it. If they weren't, they'd have had no reason to stop out there either. Nor would they have been so delighted when I proposed traveling together."

"Miss Eleanor, think carefully about how they behaved after meeting us, how they acted before entering the inn, the Rogue they deliberately sent to test you, and the notice at the inn's entrance. Can you draw a conclusion?" Aaron led her patiently through his reasoning.

Miss Cleric thought for a moment. Then a disturbing answer occurred to her. "You mean they're... smugglers?"

"Exactly!" Aaron snapped his fingers in delight. "The two of us stumbled right into their trap!"

"They're smugglers from Zambia. They happened to run into Her Highness Alusair's decree requiring proof of identity and employment. That caused serious trouble for a group smuggling goods under the guise of mercenaries. The princess's decree is strict, and they couldn't obtain an adventuring permit on short notice."

"So they set a trap out in the wilderness, hoping to lure someone in and find a way to get a permit."

"But they didn't expect a noble and a Cleric. That pair isn't easy to deal with, and the aftermath would be worse."

"I saw that. While they hesitated, unable to decide what to do, I offered to travel with them and help them out. I'm a viscount and a Purple Dragon recruit. Of course I can issue them an adventuring permit. To them, I was a piece of driftwood appearing before a drowning man. They had every reason to grab on."

So that's it! Eleanor finally understood, but a new question immediately arose. "Then why did that Rogue..."

"Because you were an unknown factor." Aaron gave a faint smile. "Clerics aren't Paladins, but plenty of them are stubborn all the same."

"Tch!" Miss Cleric first clenched her fists in frustration, then looked at Aaron with fresh eyes.

There's more to him than I thought!

"You may not understand why I want to help them." Aaron sank back into the sofa and closed his eyes. "If I don't, desperation will drive them to take risks. They'll kill someone out in the wilderness, then another person, perhaps many more. In the end, with no other way out, they'll become bandits."

"Ferrara, Montero, and their people are at the point where they could slip past the bounds of morality. All I have to do is give them a hand so they don't give up on themselves completely and become robbers who kill for their loot. Of course, I'll take my rightful payment too: twenty percent of the proceeds from their cargo." Aaron opened his eyes again. "That is my way of doing good."

Slaanesh's power did not rely on plans, logic, and schemes the way Tzeentch's did.

But Slaanesh understood human nature.

"As for you, dear Miss Eleanor, I always trusted that you wouldn't do something regrettable in a fit of anger." Aaron's expression turned serious. "That's why I didn't interfere."

"Why?"

"I know you, Miss Eleanor. We've known each other for years. You're a devout cleric of the Lady of Silver. You wouldn't let your actions tarnish her name." Aaron winked at Miss Cleric. "So you would get angry, but you wouldn't hurt anyone over it. Ferrara's test was doomed to fail."

Miss Cleric froze.

Does he really know me that well?

Aaron said no more. He wanted to give Miss Cleric time to take it in.

"...Aaron, you really have changed," she said at last, studying him anew. "You were never so... radiant before. So charming, or so clever. I can imagine how popular you'll be when you return to Suzail."

Charm successful!

"Well, that's everything explained. Why are you still wearing your veil?" Aaron feigned displeasure. "It seems you still don't think of me as a friend."

Miss Cleric nodded and reached up toward her hair. "All right. It isn't as if you haven't seen me before."

Aaron immediately focused all his attention on Eleanor.

The main event of the evening was about to begin!