down on a log beside Flint. He drew his knees up close to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, resting his chin on his knees. 'Don't stop on my account,' he said, 'I'm listening.'
The fire crackled and spit sparks into the air as Selana resumed her tale of the sea. 'On this Day of Redemption, we assembled in the sand plain outside the city for ceremonies and festivities. I was to sit at my father's side on the coral sled as he greeted the citizens. But when the time came, I was nowhere to be found. My father could not delay the ceremony, though he was furious with my irresponsibility. He dispatched the captain of his bodyguard to search for me.'
Wide-eyed, Tas blurted, 'Where were you? I bet you were in danger!'
Selana smiled wistfully. 'Yes, but not so much as my cousin, Trudarqquo. He was only eight years old and had wandered off before the ceremony. My aunt, sister of my father, was distraught and sought my help in finding him. This was some hours before the ceremony was scheduled. We searched widely for him in the coral shelves where he had been playing, but found nothing. On a hunch, I swam back to the city, to a deserted region where we were forbidden to go. Like children everywhere, of course, young Dargonesti are drawn to such prohibited places. And there I found him, exploring and playing at being Nakaro Silverwake on his epic quest.'
Almost in spite of himself, Tanis was being drawn into her tale. Selana reminded him much of Laurana, the daughter of the Speaker of the Sun, with whom he'd been raised. There was genuine warmth in her, behind the haughty, selfish demeanor.
'By this time, I knew the ceremonies had begun, and that I would be scolded by my father. We hurried to return, but as we passed an abandoned building, I smelled the unmistakable odor of sharks, our mortal enemies. I peeked into the building and saw there three great white monsters, gathering no doubt to waylay and kill some Dargonesti and stain our holiday. But they had spotted Trudarqquo as well, and burst from their cover bent on killing.
'With their awful teeth slashing and their massive tails pumping the waves, they thrashed through the water after the terrified child. They hadn't seen me, and that gave me a tremendous advantage. With my most powerful spell, I created six images of myself and surrounded the creatures with them. I made myself look as ferocious as possible and moved as if to attack them. Thinking themselves outnumbered, the sharks fled-directly toward the celebration!
'I chased them the whole way, and when they burst into the festival ground, pandemonium ensued. My people are not warlike, and the sharks, in their frenzy, dove into the crowd for cover. Fortunately, my father's bodyguard is very well trained, and they immediately closed in. Within minutes the sharks were driven away from the crowd and killed. No one was seriously hurt.
'With the bodies of our enemies dragged away to the kitchens, my father resumed the ceremony with me at his side. During his address, he publicly proclaimed me 'Shark Chaser.' It was the proudest moment of my young life.'
'Wow, what a story! Can't you just see it, Tanis?' Tasslehoff nearly burst with excitement. 'Sharks thrashing through the crowd as the soldiers close in, images of Selana darting everywhere. That would have been something to see.'
'It certainly would, Tas,' agreed Tanis, stretching his limbs. 'You're quite the adventuress, Princess.'
Though it was hard to tell in the flickering firelight, and all the harder because of Selana's fair complexion, Tanis thought he saw the sea elf princess blush. 'Life beneath the sea is beautiful and majestic, but often harsh as well.'
There was a brief, almost awkward silence, then Tanis volunteered, 'I'll keep first watch.' The night was warm, but a gentle spring breeze, blowing from the still snow-covered mountains to the east, gave a slight chill to the air. Tas climbed into the low limbs of an aspen tree and fell fast asleep inside his furry vest, hugging his hoopak. Flint curled up before the fire, his shaggy head on a mossy rock, cap pulled over his eyes. Selana turned her back to everyone, drew her cape about her, and slept in a protective cross-legged position that looked downright
uncomfortable. Tanis pulled his blankets around his shoulders and settled in for the watch.
The moon was nearly overhead two hours later when Tanis tossed a handful of pebbles up into the tree to wake the kender. Tas sputtered awake and slipped good-naturedly from the tree to take his turn standing watch over the group.
Two hours after that, Flint awoke less cheerfully, and the remainder of the night passed uneventfully.
Little was said during the morning march. It seemed to Tanis that Selana was even more withdrawn than before. He had hoped that telling her tale last night would make her feel more a part of the group, but she seemed less inclined to share anything, as if she were embarrassed by her self-revelation. While he knew the endless walking was very tiring for her, the half-elf found her snooty attitude annoying.
When they paused for lunch, Selana settled herself wordlessly several yards from the group.
'Excuse me, Princess,' Tanis called stiffly, 'but do you think you could rouse yourself and fetch some water for our lunch?'
'If there's one thing I know, it's water,' she retorted. Glowering, she snatched the small pan from his hand and half stomped, half limped toward the sound of rushing water.
Flint put a hand on the half-elf's forearm. Gray eyes probed the young elf's troubled face. 'What's gotten into you, Tanis? You don't usually have such trouble getting along with people. You've been downright rude to the princess on several occasions.'
Tanis shook his head. 'I know, Flint, but sometimes she reminds me so much of Laurana and her stuck-up, royal ways.' Laurana, Flint knew, was the daughter of Tanis's guardian, Solostaran. Her selfish love for Tanis had caused the trouble that made him leave his native Qualinost. 'After so many years, I'm surprised that type of woman can still make me angry.' He rubbed his face wearily.
'Someday you'll resolve your differences with Laurana,' predicted Flint. 'Selana and Laurana do have a great deal in common, not the least of which is an aristocratic elven upbringing,' he agreed. 'But don't punish one for the other's mistakes.'
Lunch was assembled and waiting twenty minutes later, but Selana had not returned. After another twenty minutes, Tanis was irritated, but the elder dwarf was growing concerned.
'I'm sure she's fine, Flint,' said Tanis. 'She'd give a blast on the conch shell if she weren't.'
Working on his maps in the warmth of the sun, Tasslehoff's head snapped up. 'Uh, she probably would if she had it. I meant to give it back last night, really I did, but then we all fell asleep and it slipped my mind. I'll give it back first thing when I see her.'
'She probably got near the stream and just couldn't resist taking a swim,' Tanis suggested reasonably, trying to quell his own growing concern. He trotted over the uneven, hilly turf next to Flint and Tasslehoff as they followed the sound of running water. 'Haven't you noticed the way she's been splashing her face with water from her wineskin?
They pressed through some prickly shrubs and burst upon the stream bank. Selana was nowhere to be seen.
'Maybe she came upon the creek at a different point,' suggested Flint. Without being asked, Tasslehoff ran some distance down the stream to the right, Tanis to the left. They rejoined Flint but could report nothing.
The dwarf was on one knee, examining the marshy ground near the stream. 'Look at these,' he said, pointing. 'Here are footprints the size of Selana's.'
'What are those?' Tas asked, directing their gaze to a confusion of animal prints surrounding hers. 'They look cloven hoofed.' He glanced up, puzzled. 'Goats? Selana ran off with a herd of goats?'
Flint and Tanis's glances met and locked knowingly. 'Not goats. Satyrs. They like elves and women and, especially, elven women.'
Instantly, off in the near distance could be heard the melancholy wailing of reed pipes. Tanis tried to issue a warning, to clap his hands over his own ears, but the gesture came too late. He had heard the tune of a satyr pipe and was instantly charmed.
'What's that exquisite melody, and where is it coming from?' asked the bewitched half-elf, his eyes glazed over.
Smiling serenely, his keen dwarven ears cocked, Flint pointed his thick finger to a grove of aspen trees downstream along the river's edge. 'I believe the music is coming from over there.'
