Fineghal. 'It's been a year since I've seen my home. When you vanished for days and days, I started to get restless. I knew Maerchlin was close by, and I wanted to see how Kestrel and Eriale fare.'
'A year? It didn't seem so long,' Fineghal mused. 'But I forget that a year means so much more to one of your age than it does to me. I scarcely noticed.' He returned his attention to Aeron, his piercing gaze holding the young forester's eyes. Imperceptibly the elf's detachment relaxed. 'Not all was well?'
'No. Kestrel's house was empty. They weren't there.'
'Ah. You fear they've come to grief?'
'I can't see why they would leave. Kestrel's not wealthy, but he's got everything he needs on his lands. Raedel must have imprisoned him or driven him away, and Eriale, too.' Aeron sighed. 'Probably to get back at me.'
'They don't have kinfolk somewhere else?'
'No,' Aeron replied. 'Kestrel was the last of his family. He lost his brothers in the rebellion of thirteen years ago. And Eriale, of course, has no one but her father.' The more Aeron thought about it, the more concerned he was. 'There's something wrong here. I've got to find out if they're all right or not.'
'If you even set foot in Maerchlin, you're likely to be clapped in irons,' Fineghal pointed out.
'I don't care.' Aeron had had a glimpse of his old life when he visited Kestrel's house. Now that he thought about what might have happened in his absence, he felt as if he'd left them to face his enemies by fleeing into the forest. 'If Phoros has hurt Kestrel and Eriale, I'll make him answer for it. They've done nothing wrong.'
'Raedel's father may not hold Kestrel and Eriale.'
'Well, I have to find out, don't I?' Aeron stood and kneaded his hands together, gazing up at the narrow band of stars shining overhead. 'I'll go back tomorrow, late in the day. Someone will know what's happened.'
Fineghal sighed and stood. 'I agree that you must find out whether your kin are in danger, but you won't help them at all if you fall into Raedel's hands. I know a spell or two that may be useful for slipping into Maerchlin without revealing yourself. You told me that Kestrel's house looked as if it had been empty for some time, right?'
'Yes, that's right. Several weeks, at least.'
'Then another day won't hurt. I'll teach you the spells you need to know, and you'll be much safer.'
'Would you come with me, Fineghal?'
The elf shook his head. 'Aeron, I'll travel to the edge of the forest and watch for you, but I don't think I should set foot in Maerchlin. In the first place, I am still recuperating from my fight in Villon. Secondly, if it becomes necessary for me to confront and defy Lord Raedel, he'll hold all elves to blame, if not the Maerchwood itself. I might be able to topple one spoiled noble, or maybe two, but if all the lords of Chessenta were to come to Raedel's aid against the elves who remain in these lands, we wouldn't stand a chance. If my actions gave Raedel or any other Chessentan lord the excuse he needed to invade the Maerchwood, I could bring ruin to this place.'
'Then this is something I must do myself,' Aeron said.
'The night is still young. I will begin by showing you the charm of invisibility. If you are careful, this may be all the magic you need to enter Maerchlin and leave again unharmed.' Fineghal reached into his pouch and produced a cloudy, translucent piece of quartz, marked with a complicated symbol. 'Here. Examine the stone, Aeron.'
By the time dawn grayed out the stars, Aeron was able to cast the spell of invisibility competently, if not comfortably. Despite his fierce desire to strike out for Maerchlin immediately, the need for sleep overwhelmed him, and he was forced to rest a few hours in the early morning. When he woke, he found Fineghal sitting cross-legged on a boulder overlooking the icy pool at the foot of the small cascade. The elf stared absently into space, lost in the endless halls of his ancient memory. He stirred slowly as Aeron approached. 'Fineghal? Are you well?'
'Merely tired, Aeron. Let's use this afternoon to transcribe the charm of invisibility to a glyphwood, so that you will have a permanent record of your own. Then, tomorrow or the next day, you can study a new spell.'
'Fineghal, I don't have time for that.'
The elf looked away, watching the play of the water upon the rocks. 'Another spell may be the difference between success and failure in your endeavor, Aeron. If it turns out that you needed the extra preparation, you'll regret your haste now.'
Aeron forced a shrug. 'We'll see.'
Fineghal rose smoothly. 'Your human side is too strong, Aeron. Haste will be your undoing someday. Very well, let us go. Baillegh!' With an anxious yelp, the white wolfhound appeared, prancing with eagerness. The old elf ran his fingers over her head with a sad smile, shouldered his slim satchel, and followed Aeron out of the dell.
By now, Aeron could travel nearly as swiftly and silently as Fineghal himself. Ignoring Fineghal's reservations, he loped north and west along hidden trails, approaching Maerchlin by a circuitous route. They reached the edge of the village by midafternoon. The day was hot and overcast, and the gray skies threatened a violent storm before long. Beneath the eaves of the forest, Fineghal caught Aeron's arm. 'Remember, if you cast the charm of invisibility, you will be invisible to the eye only. You can still be detected by sound, smell, or touch. If you attempt to harm someone, or if you cast another spell, the charm will fail. Good luck. I will wait here for you.'
'Don't worry, Fineghal. I'll be careful.' Aeron gave the wizard a reassuring smile. He hopped the fence that surrounded Kestrel's homestead and gave the place a cursory search. At first he thought that nothing had changed from his last visit; the barn was still empty, and there were no chickens or goats in the farmyard. But by the house, a deerskin was strung on a frame, scraped and drying, and the small smoking shed was acrid with recent use.
With some trepidation, Aeron entered the house but found it empty. No one was home at the moment. Could Kestrel and Eriale have returned? Many of their small belongings were missing, but others remained and showed signs of use. He thought it over and decided to question the neighbors. Old Toric, down the lane, had always been a friend and had little love for Lord Raedel.
Aeron turned west and trotted across the open fields to the farmer's house. Toric's fields seemed in good shape; it had been a good summer for the crops so far, with sunshine and rain in the right proportions. He glanced around furtively, but no one was near, so he rapped on the farmer's door. 'Toric? Shiela? Anybody home?'
Shiela Goldsheaf, wife to old Toric Goldsheaf, opened the door and peered out. She was a stout apron-clad woman of middle years, blessed with the ability to talk incessantly about even the most trivial matters. 'Aeron? I never thought to see you again! Where in Faerun have you been?'
'Hello, Shiela. I hoped you could tell me where Kestrel and Eriale have gone.' Aeron glanced up and down the lane. 'May I come inside? I'd rather not be seen here.'
'Of course, of course! Come in, quickly. Why, it's been a year that you've been gone now! So much has happened. The old lord, he's fallen ill, and young Phoros is pretty much in charge at the keep. Kestrel-well, Kestrel is in the castle's dungeon. But Eriale's-'
'Aeron! You're back!' Eriale rushed up and caught Aeron in a strong embrace. 'Where have you been? What have you been doing?'
'I was going to say, Eriale was released a few days ago, and she's staying here with us while she cleans up Kestrel's cabin,' Shiela continued. 'And I was going to add that she was here right now, but I see that you've found that out for yourself.' The matron ushered both Aeron and Eriale into the cluttered interior of her home, pulling up a couple of stools by the hearth.
Aeron looked from Shiela to Eriale. It was good to see human faces again. Eriale … he hadn't realized how much he had missed her. Kestrel might have been a father to him, but Eriale was both his sister and his best friend. He missed her direct honesty, her wit and dry humor, even the shape of her face. 'I can't stay, Shiela. Raedel's men still have a warrant for me. You're at risk as long as I stay here.'
'Oh, hush!' Shiela snapped. 'Answer Eriale, young man. She's been beside herself with worry.'
Aeron drew in a deep breath and replied, 'I'm still staying with the friend I met last year, Eriale. I'm sure you remember him. I've learned a lot in a year. I can read and write in both common and Elvish, and my. . other studies are going well. But there's so much more for me to learn. Even if I could come home, I think I'd stay where I am.' He returned his attention to Eriale. 'Now tell me what's happened in Maerchlin.'
Eriale glanced up at Shiela. Her face lost some of the enthusiasm she'd shown at seeing Aeron again. 'Father's been imprisoned in Raedel Keep for almost three months now,' she said quietly. 'I was thrown in the dungeon, too, but they let me go on Midsummer.'
'Why did Raedel arrest you?'
'Phoros was very angry with Father and I for helping you to escape Maerchlin, but the old lord wouldn't allow
