‘Allalanllea, Iam duty bound to ask you to surrender. Queen Snowbelle has asked meto arrest you and return you for trial as a traitor to Argenta.Jobmaster Xentos is here on behalf of Queen Beatrix as a neutralobserver.’ stated Sanson over the public mindlink heard by all theCrin present.
‘I refuse tosurrender and since we are on neutral territory this close to thegateway you have no authority to arrest me.’ repliedAllalanllea.
‘She is quitecorrect.’ stated Jobmaster Xentos joining the conversation. ‘Yourtreaty obligations forbid you from doing anything.’
‘Thank youJobmaster Xentos, I will advise the Queen that we saw you but wereunable to arrest you owing to the fact you were in neutralterritory. May I talk to you privately?’ asked Sanson.
‘You may.’Allalanllea replied and waited for Sanson to switch to a privatemindlink.
‘Why have youleft Argenta? The palace is in turmoil. The Queen has becomederanged. She trusts nobody now, not even me. I have a Crinminder!’
‘I am sorrySanson. The Queen has been getting more mentally unstable for sometime. I stayed to protect the Princess but now she has left hermother to follow her own fate. I have learnt that my family inMoonmist is being threatened by some unknown mischief. Strangethings are happening both here and in Moonmist. I am neededelsewhere. I wish you well.’
‘We have foughtwell together.’ said Sanson somewhat sadly.
‘I shall missyour wisdom but my duty lies with Queen Snowbelle. Farewellfriend.’ And the mindlink went dead.
Allalanllea wasmoved by the Battlemaster’s words. Crin were not known for havingany emotions and he had never called her a friend before.
She teleportedup the hill out of sight and changed to look like an Elendari malemessenger in traveling attire. She waited an hour then impatientlyreturned to the road.
She nodded toLlalacea and passed into the keep. The officer there casuallyexamined her authority and waved her onward and she was allowed towalk through to the gateway unimpeded.
Above thegateway was a sign in several languages.
SOUTHERN GATEWAYENTRANCE.
The toll is a magicitem of value not less than 500gold per person. Ask an officer forgroup rates. If you do not have the toll, do NOT enter thegateway.
YOUR LIFE WILL BE ATRISK.
If you areunsure as to the value of your item ask the staff for a valuation.The cost of the valuation will be 10% of its value paid in gold.All travellers use the gateway at their own risk.
Allalanlleastepped into the cool dark gloomy gateway tunnel. It was about 10paces wide with walls of rough-cut grey rock similar to that whichone might see in a mine. Above her and set in equal intervals every50 paces off into the distance hung dim yellow magic globessuspended on wires from the darkness above. The floor was coveredwith a fine coating of grey rock dust which swirled around herfeet.
She eliminatedthe glamour that she had earlier cast upon herself and createdlight on herself, which illuminated a circular area around her for10 paces with a yellow glow.
She repeated acalming mantra twice and set off down the tunnel at a steady paceneither fast nor slow. Her almost silent footsteps seemedunnaturally loud and her heartbeat thumped like a drum. Shesubconsciously counted her steps knowing that about a thousandwould see her to the other end and safety.
Midway she cameupon a cream coloured sandstone carved statue of a dragon with itsforelimbs holding a tray. The figure stood about twice her heightwith the tray about shoulder height. As she approached it a magicmouth requested in several languages that travellers place theirtolls on the tray and wait.
She examinedthe contents of her bag containing a number of magic items she hadbrought with her and selected one which would fetch considerablymore than the toll and placed it upon the tray. Moments later itvanished.
She waitedtensely for several minutes then she heard a rustle to her rightand a huge black spider the size of a bull covered in fine brownhair came into view. It had six luminous forward facing eyes and anenormous pair of fangs.
‘You dare topass through my domain traitor!’ said the spider usingmindspeak.
‘HelloLlanlorian.’ said Allalanllea calmly. ‘I have a need to pass. Youmay not be aware but strange events are occurring on both Mudrunand Moonmist. Some already believe that prophesy of the Time ofChaos is upon us. If it is then our whole species on Moonmist maybe in danger of perishing. I am not yet convinced and wish to seefor myself what is happening.’
‘I have beentold that our people have been involved in attacking and killingpeaceful Elendari, that my own sister was killed and displayed likea trophy in the Queen’s Palace, that the Royal Wizard himself haslost the confidence of the Queen. Is this not very strange as ourpeople have always pledged themselves to be neutral and in allmatters impartial.’
‘You speak asif you care.’ replied Llanlorian venomously. ‘Yet it was you thatcaused the death of the King, the loss of the gateworld Argenta andthe shame and humiliation of our people. Were those acts neutraland impartial?’
‘I had myreasons for what I did at the time and I believe them to be just asvalid today. I did what was necessary to ensure the survival of theyoung Princess Miranda who is one of our kin.’ repliedAllalanllea.
‘Are you sayingthat she is Llanllean?’ asked Llanlorian surprised.
‘Yes. She isalso the only one of our kin that is a Priestess of The Lady.’
‘But her spiritaura did not show that last time I saw her.’
‘Her spiritaura was disguised by me when she was young and altered again byThe Lady when she was made a priestess.’
Llanlorian wasquiet for a while as she considered the ramifications of thisrevelation.
‘Does mybrother know?’ she asked suddenly.
‘Yes. Llaloraxhas known all along. He was the one who swore me to secrecy.’
‘By The Powersthis has been a closely kept secret. Why have you revealed it to menow?’ asked Llanlorian.
‘Once we wereclose friends and it hurt me greatly to keep the reasons of myactions hidden from you and others.
