Ryllinn was in what she liked to refer to “her” grove, composing a sonnet about the morning. Strumming the thin strings of her lyre, she hummed a melody and suddenly cocked her head as she heard movement behind her. Smiling, she turned to see someone from her father waiting patiently to be acknowledged. The young elf set her lyre down on the stump she had been sitting on and moved to meet him.
“Yes, Garethar, what does father request assistance with this time?” she said in a velvet soft voice, stopping her gliding only about a pace away from the messenger, who, for all of his training in arts of battle, looked to be uncomfortable with her closeness. The elf princess was quite beautiful, rumored to be one of the fairest maidens for miles around. Her long, chestnut hair fell in ringlets past her slim, white shoulders, framing an oval face with sparkling green eyes. Ryllinn knew this, and grinned wryly. “He found something in the forest, didn’t he?” She sighed and waved a slim hand in the air. From the base of the stump came floating on gentle, wizardly air currents, a hide-bound book that looked to be centuries old.
“Korlarrin has requested that you assist him at once.” Garethar said, finally finding his voice. The attractive elf maiden smiled and patted him on the shoulder as she glided past, holding her tome of knowledge.
“I’m sure he did. Thank you, Garethar, for telling me promptly.” She said in that same velvet voice as she left the young elf relieved at the absence of her presence.
***
Zaknafein was not altogether surprised when the elven scouts found him. He knew that his short time upon the surface had not allowed him to practice adequately the skills of concealment and camouflage in a different environment than the shadowy Underdark. The three wood elves stood, bows at the ready as one stepped forward and talked to him in Common.
“You are a stranger here, you will have to come with us and visit with our king.” The elf told him, motioning to his two associates. “My men will see you safely into our city.” Zaknafein stood there impassively, his face a blank mask.
“You will allow me passage.” He said in fluent wood elven, seeing the apparent shock in their eyes as they realized that he spoke their language. “I mean you and your people no harm as long as you leave me alone.” He told them calmly, noticing suddenly that he was now surrounded by elves, as he had apparently not seen them in the trees, his Underdark eyes not yet used to seeing things like that on the surface. Zaknafein did not like that one bit, and readied to draw his twin swords, crouching low to the ground. Suddenly, the drow felt a small sting and he fell into a blackness that could only be perfected by the ebony of his homeland. Unfortunately, the prolonged exposure of his armor to the sunlight had weakened it enough to allow the tranquilizing dart to slip through and inject it’s sleep poison into his system.
Swiftly giving the orders to bind him gently and bring him to the village, the elf scout leader melted back into the forest to announce the arrival of a drow to his king.
***
Ryllinn was speaking with her father when the scout leader came back to report. Shocked, she questioned her father about the proper treatment of the drow.
“Did you really have to put him to sleep? If he was trying to reason with you, then why could not you have talked him into willingly accompanying you instead of drugging him?” She exclaimed, emerald eyes flashing, showing her anger about the situation. “Just because he is drow does not mean that we must automatically assume he is bad.”
“He was going to draw his weapons.” The leader said, trying to justify his position, meeting the gaze of the elf princess with the stoic gaze of his own gray eyes. “We did not want to fight with him, as he seems to be one of your father’s honored guests.” Sniffing derisively, Ryllinn shook her head.
“You are too quick to judge that which you do not understand.” She said smoothly, patting her hair back into place and picking up her lyre. “I will go out and meet your scouting party, if you will have me to do so.” She said to Korlarrin, who nodded, dismissing the elf. After she had gone, he turned to his scout.
“You have done what you thought was best, and I will respect your decision.” The elf king told him. “It would do you better next time, however, if you would wait a while before you react negatively.” The scout nodded and left the king, who sat back and sighed. He should have sent Ryllinn out on the scout party. She had yet to understand that you sometimes must react in anticipation of the first blow, rather than waiting until it is struck.
***
The troop of Vhaeraun-loyal thieves flitted through the shadows, towards the city of Skullport. They had just been recalled from a commission to serve another’s interests, and were greatly intrigued by what they had heard. Someone wished to pay them to exterminate another drow, which, while not necessarily of their credo, was intriguing, for their contact had made it clear that he was an enemy to their way of life. Thus intrigued, they traversed the lands towards their contact in Skullport, in hopes of further serving their god of shadows.