The Temptation of Elminster

clearly before the rain of magic missiles tore into him, hurling him against the door. His body was still shuddering as something snatched the peg away and hurled the door open, spilling him into the dim interior, and something else drove an axe at his head, hard.

It struck his spellshield with a shower of sparks and glanced away, numbing hands that were too small for it and making their owner sob with pain. Without thinking El reached out and placed a healing on the small, barefoot slip of a girl who was trying not to cry … and became aware that an utter silence had fallen.

He drew his hand slowly back from the one he'd healed, seeing an intent face above a tightly clutched and dusty dagger, close by his left ear…and an equally intent face, over the ready-held wand, just out of reach to his right. Long and tousled silver hair adorned all three heads, and all three of the faces, even in their dirty, alarmed, and childlike state, were breathtaking in their beauty.

'How is it you know our names?' the eldest one… with the wand…asked him fiercely. 'Who are you?'

'Mystra told me,' Elminster replied, giving her a grave smile, 'and sent me to do for ye three what thy mother now cannot.'

'Our mother's dead!' the girl with the wand told him fiercely.

Elminster nodded. 'Ye're Ambara,' he said, 'aren't ye?'

'Nobody calls me that' the girl told him, tossing her head angrily. Gods, but she was beautiful.

'Ye're Ambara Dove, four summers old,' El said gently. 'What would ye like me to call ye?'

'Dove,' the little girl told him. 'And that's Storm. She can talk a little. Laer can't, yet…she just cries.'

'She needs changing,' El observed gravely.

'We all do,' Dove told him severely, 'after the fright you gave us. What we need most, though, is something to eat. I can't be wasting this precious thing'…she waved the wand with the air of a veteran battlemage… 'blasting down any more little birds and beasts that make us sick to even look at them … and the things I know are safe to eat are gone'

'I'm not a great cook,' El told her.

Dove sighed. 'Why'd Mystra send you, then?' she asked rudely, then pointed with the wand. 'We use that bit of the stream, below the stump, to wash, and drink from up here. You change Laer, and I'll go hunting. Storm'll be…'

'Watching you,' Storm said suddenly, putting out a hand to take firm hold of Elminster's beard. 'Shielding Laer. Be nice … like your beard. Nice.'

Elminster grinned at her, found that he had a lump in his throat and tears threatening to burst forth. He swept them all into his arms and wept openly, knowing just a little of what a long, hard road lay before these three little ones, down the long years ahead.

Laeral gurgled with pleasure at being so close to the man who'd banished her pain, but Dove swatted him matter-of-factly on the side of the head and snapped, 'Stop that cryin.' Night soon, and we've got to eat.'

Elminster's tears turned to a chuckle, and suddenly he was rolling around on the dirt floor with three laughing, tumbling girls locked onto his hair and beard.

How many years was he going to be doing this?

The roast lizard was just bones and scorched scales and a pleasant smell, now. His crushed-berry sauce had been crude but a beginning, and he'd discovered that none of the girls had enough clothing to keep them warm as they slept, to say nothing of decent…but that his cloak would easily furnish three blankets just large enough to wrap them in. The sun was going down, and as El stared up at the twilit woods, he saw Mystra's dark eyes gazing down at him from among their tangled branches.

He stared into those eyes of deep mystery, as they sent him silent love and sympathy and fond admiration and sent back a silent prayer for guidance. He did not move until it was fully dark, and true night ruled the land.

A small hand captured one of his. Gods, but they could move silently, these three…or stealthily enough that an insect chorus could cloak their noises, at least.

Elminster looked down and whispered, 'Shouldn't ye be getting off to sleep?'

Dove pulled at his hand.

'Uncle Weirdbeard,' she said insistently, 'it's dark time, and I can't sleep until I know you're on guard against the wolves and all…else I have to stay up with my stick. I'm tired. Hadn't we better go in?'

He stared at her, found tears swimming in his eyes again, and quickly looked up at the brightening stars overhead.

'Sir,' she asked almost sternly, pulling on his hand again, 'Hadn't we better go in?'

El sighed, gave the stars a last look, his heart full. He knelt down, gave her a gentle kiss and a smile, and said, 'Yes, I suppose we should. Why don't ye lead the way?'