The Sword of Truth (Legend of the Seeker) IC

[Hagazussa]

Meeru gave Ellynara a careful smile, he dared to hope but that was about as much as he allowed himself right now, he dared hope.
"Well yes it is a catalyst for me as well, gestures are not part of the magic itself, not for me either, but it helps my mind focus on what I am doing."
The young wizard agreed, then he turned his attention to the old herbalist.
"I think your stories are inspiring Lady Mydeena. I also agree with Ellynara that everyone is looked for someone to love, to make them feel valued and appreciated, it is part of being human."

Mydeena smiled as she nodded.
"Yes everyone is looking for love, but not everyone is lucky enough to find it, and if they do not everyone is lucky enough to keep their loved one for the rest of their life."
The old herbalist nodded again at the sorceress words.
"I also thought they would need a Rhal to make the magic around a Mord-Sith work, but like I said child I have no idea how they do it, they are not telling the people, but work they do."

Meeru go a fearful and slightly bitter look in his eyes at that as he ruefully nodded.
"Oh yes, I can testify that the Mord-Sith's Agiels do indeed work...they work...perfectly."
Meeru shudders as if cold then he looked sadly down.
"Indeed they work."
He muttered again.

[Ezmeralda]

Ellynara rubbed her chin, "It must be another wizard that's powering it. I can't think of anything else that would. I will have to investigate. Cautiously, of course."

She laid a hand on Meeru's arm, "I will find a way, Meeru. I promise you that, and I do not break my promises." she smiled at him reassuringly.

[Hagazussa]

Meeru nodded, the wizard was frightened but he got his fear under control and swallowed a few times before speaking.
"I know Ellynara and I hope you manage to do it, I do think that ten wild horses could not get you to change your mind once you have set it to something."
The young wizard gave a slight grin.
"You give me hope and I thank you for that. Forgive me for being a burden."

Mydeena had been looking at Ellynara and Meeru she to nodded.
"Well they are powering the Agiel somehow, and that is just a fracture of what is wrong in D'Hara, there is an evil here I can feel it in my bones, but since I do not have any proof, just the mutters of the street, and not many pay a old woman's repeated rumors and feelings much heed, and perhaps that is just as well."
The old herbalist muttered then she shrugged.
"For what it is worth I do hope you are able to help Meeru young sorceress, he is a kind boy and deserves better than what he is getting."
Mydeena nodded towards the now enchanted tincture in the sorceress hand.
"Now is there anything else I can do for you, I am a shop owner and you are my customer so it would be rude to just talk and not ask after all, and while old I have not let my manners go with the brown hair I once had."

[Ezmeralda]

Ellynara smiled at him and shook her head, "You are not a burden, Meeru. You are a friend and I certainly couldn't leave a friend like this. I only wish I didn't have to go all the way to Aydindril to get you help since I don't have much authority here myself. I'm sorry."

Ellynara frowned, "I will look into it. And no I agree with you, Mydeena. Something strange is certainly going on. For instance, this tournament to decide the next ruler of D'hara is foolish. Who knows who could end up as the winner...We could have a man who butchers his own people or a slide or any number of awful people." she shook her head, "The Mord Sith would be the least of anyone's worries."

She nodded, "I will help him. One way or another."
"Besides, what I asked for from before, no I don't think so. Unless there's something you want, Meeru? She shifted the weight of the jar to be held with one hand and reached for her coin purse with the other, "By the way, do you want me to pay for that now or the next time I come? And how much would this be?" she asked, indicating the bottle.

[Hagazussa]

Meeru gave his new friend an warm smile of thanks but he did not say anything, he was unused to kindness so the sorceress being willing to do so much for him made him feel...well truth to be told he did not know how to feel. When Ellynara asked if there was anything else he wanted from the herbalist's shop he shook his head.
"No Ellynara there is nothing, and besides you have been more than generous already."
Meeru gave a smile again then he glanced down at the floor, he was not sure how to deal with his kindness showed towards him, but he was grateful for it, very grateful.

Mydeena nodded to Ellynara's words about the tournament.
"I agree that it is a unwise idea, but do not let the Mord-Sith hear you say that, I mean here we are so afraid of magic users that we torture them left and right and then we invite anyone with the gift to come here and beat the life and sense out of one another and the one who manage to kill the other will be our new leader, that just seam unwise to me, would it not have been better to either try to track down the linages of some of Lord Rhal's ungifted children, yes they where dangerous and most of them where killed but a few escaped, or if there are no decedents of Rhal left then our nation will need a new noble family to lead us, one chosen based on intelligence and integrity."
Mydeena shrugs then she shake her head.
"I fear though that if you think the D'Harans do not listen much to a sorceress then they will heed the advice of a old herbalist even less."

Mydeena looked at the bottle in the young sorceress hand then says.
"I take fifteen copper coins for that, but you can pay now or when the soap you asked for is done, it do not matter your kind are usually honest I have found, I do not mind if you pay later."
Mydeena gave Ellynara a smile then added.
"Besides I am a healer, it is not the joy of coin I practice my craft for, it is the joy of helping people, the coin I earn is just so I can live and pay younger, stronger hands to pick my herbs for me. I go outside of the palace for the simple and easy to get things often enough, but I am not much for climbing mountains or wading through swamps anymore I fear."
Mydeena grinned as she adjusted some bottles of various content on he shelf to make them look neat.

***

Early the next morning Miridan stood outside of his small house and watched it with a strange sorrow in his eyes, the old wizard had gotten used to the quiet life of this village and he did not like to leave it behind, but then he always knew the day would come when he had to lead Callum out into the world to begin his quest and besides it might be good for him to visit the Wizard's Keep again and catch up with some old friends. Miridan checked that his saddle bags and bedroll was properly tied to his horse and then he took up an apple from his pack and stood eating it in the first, golden rays of a pale sun while he waited for his grandson to get here so the boy could take the first, tentative steps towards his great, but dangerous destiny.

[Ezmeralda]

Ellynara smiled at Meeru, she noticed him looking down and lightly raised his head with her hand, cupping his chin, "This is nothing, Meeru. Money is just money. I can earn more." she shrugged.
She reached into her coin pouch, pulled out ten copper coins, and handed them To Mydeena, "Thank you, Mydeena. Here, I will give you the rest once I return. Is there anything you'd like me to bring back for you? There's quite a few herbs near the road from here to Aydindril."

"I agree, although they must be gifted. Otherwise the bond will not work. Then again maybe that'd be a good thing. And maybe they would consider my words if I were not so young. Richard trusted my mother with his life, so perhaps everyone else would too, to a degree at least. Right now I'm just too inexperienced and naive in most people's eyes. And I suppose what they'd see as shy considering all I do is read and practice my magic." she chuckled.

[Hagazussa]

Mydeena took the coins the sorceress tossed to her and put them away in the coin purse in her belt.
"Tell you what, if I make you a list of some herbs I need, if you can find them for me I will fill the rest of your order for free and the two next ones."
The old herbalist offered with a smile.
"Herbs from the Midlands, and especially from the areas where the barrier used to be can be hard to get by these days."
Mydeena nodded then she said.
"As for the Mord-Sith I doubt the younger ones will listen to you, Meeru here's Mistress might, Ulyssia is a smart woman, but she do not have that much influence among the rest of them, she is to young. What I would recommend is that you talk with some of the old ones, some of those who where alive when Lord Richard ruled and knew him. Now there is not allot of them left and most of them are at least nearing fifty years old and very few Mord-Sith live that long. Lord Richard freed the Mord-Sith, some left after his death and have lived normal lives, but some remained, and a few of them are still in service today, and these Mord-Sith do have influence over the other ones and while some of them are still cruel, they at least begun to learn what kindness was under Lord Richard, they might see this tournament for the foolishness it is and then bing your advice to the others."

Mydeena tapped her lip as she considered then she added.
"In fact I might have a way to give you a reason to speak with one of them. I have a delivery to make to one of them, Alaine, she have asked for some herbal salves and teas to be delivered to her rooms. Now Alaine is nearly 55 years old, she was alive when Lord Richard came and begun to rehabilitate the Mord-Sith, she served under him for several years and she have been outspoken about how the younger Mord-Sith have been reverting to their old ways. Now mind you Alaine is still and Mord-Sith, and she do keep a...sorceress as a pet, but she have been treating her captives better than most and she might be you best bet to have someone listen to you."
Mydeena tapped her lips again.
"If you wish you could come with me when I make the delivery, or I could give you the salves and the teas and you could deliver them for me, that would give you a reason to speak with her."

Meeru looked sad when Mydeena spoke about how short lives most Mord-Sith had, he obviously was thinking about Ulyssia and despite all she had done to him there was worry in his dark blue eyes.
"I hope my Mistress will live longer than most of them do."
Meeru mutters in a whisper, which was a strange wish, for only by Ulyssia's death would his magic be freed from her, she would have the ability to control him until he drew his last breath.

[Ezmeralda]

Ellynara smiled, "No complaints here, Mydeena. That's quite a deal. I can't guarantee everything on the first trip, though, I won't be able to go too far out of my way, but I'll certainly stop and grab whatever I can for you, though. Write me up a list and I'll see what I can do for you. I travel that road a lot, so I'll keep checking different areas around the road each time."

"I will deliver them for you, if you wish. Or if you want to come, that is fine, too. You could smooth the process since she knows you well, but I think I could manage it on my own. Plus, if Alaine knew Richard she probably knew my mother, too. Perhaps she knows some stories of them. The Mother Confessor, too.

Ellynara patted Meeru on the shoulder. She heard the gist of what he muttered being so close and all. "Your mistress is strong, young, and smart. I'm sure she will have a long life. And if I have my way, she'll have a happy one with you." she smiled at him.

[Hagazussa]

Meeru seamed relieved by Ellynara's words, despite all that had happened he loved his Mistress, and while he did not know if he could ever fully forgive her, he wanted the best for her and yes...if Ellynara had her way and he could have a long, happy life with Ulyssia at his side, the way they used to be then forgiveness or at least accept would come and he would like that, such a life would be a good one indeed. Meeru however was not so sure as the sorceress that it could be made to happen.

Mydeena quickly scribbled some notes on a piece of paper, it was herb names and short descriptions of them and where they where most likely to grow.
"Do not worry about going out of your way for the herbs child, that is not needed, just take a few if you come across them, here is a list of what I need."
The old herbalist handed the sorceress the list of herbs and she gave the young woman a smile.
"Also since you are interested number five on the list had magic, if dried and brewed into a tea and drunk before bed it will give a pleasant dream about a family member who have passed on. Now I do not know if the herb set you into contact with the Good Spirits or merely bring out a memory but needless to say the tea is in high demand in either case. It should only be used once a year however any more and it just lead to nausea, that is the normal use for the herb, traditionally it is used to harmlessly cause someone to purge if they for example have digested poison or in other ways need it."

Mydeena took a cloth satchel from behind her counter and handed that to Ellynara as well.
"This is the salve and herbal teas that Alaine wanted, I think perhaps that if you are going to speak about something political you should talk with her alone. You might think me a coward dear child but I am to old to get much involved, I do not want the wrath of the younger Mord-Sith brought down over my head."
Mydeena smiles then add.
"I do not know if Alaine knew your mother sorceress, but I say there is a good chance that she did, I know she served as bodyguard together with several others for the Mother Confessor on several occasions though. Now you do not need to make this delivery, but if you wanted a chance to talk with an old and respected Mord-Sith who might listen to you views this is the best way I can think of to get that chance."

[Ezmeralda]

Ellynara nodded, "I'll do my best, then. If you think of any more, don't hesitate to write them down, too. I do not mind." She smiled at Mydeena. Ellynara looked down the list, stopping at number five. "Interesting. It would be nice to see mother again. Father, too. Even if it was just in a dream." she glanced at Meeru, "Do you remember your family, Meeru?"

She shook her head, "No, not at all, I understand." she smiled at her, "And I will do it. A simple delivery isn't too demanding. Besides, whatever stories or input she can provide would be well worth it. Where are her quarters?" she asked, tucking away the cloth satchel and the little piece of paper.