XIII - The Plot

Fen did not look down, but neither did she look directly at her father. She had seen enough petition days to know that no average citizen of Mournhold was brave enough to stare the king straight on, regardless of how faithful they were to Almalexia. Instead, she kept her eyes carefully trained at the hem of his robe, her breath warm inside the scarf.

XII - The Day of Lights

She emerged out of the Temple into dazzling afternoon sun, and for a moment Fen had to stand and admire the sheer beauty of the city. Trees covered with pink flowers lined the courtyard, and the sweeping green marble walls shone with resplendent light as the sun struck them. The air was sweet and pleasantly cool, gently rustling the flowers in the trees and making the banners that hung around the Temple’s doorway flutter halfheartedly. Fen slowly descended the sweeping marble stairs to where Julan waited.

XI - Almalexia

The sun had just risen when Fen and Julan set off into the sewers for what she hoped was the last time. Hler had told them that the Mazed Band could be found in a passage underneath the Temple that had just been cleared, so they traversed through the familiar dark tunnels until they found the passage he had indicated. They met little in the way of opposition – two or three liches and several oversized rats, but nothing overly threatening.

X - The Shrine of the Dead

Fedris Hler greeted them with the same curiously unsettling grin when they delivered the news of the goblin army.

IX - An Unusual Army

Julan was waiting up anxiously for her in the Winged Guar, and though he looked relieved as she entered, he seemed to sense that she didn’t want to talk. He left Fen alone, and she went straight to bed, willing her mind to forget the hopelessness of her situation.

Holidays

Today Fen and Julan will be celebrating the New Life Festival with the rest of Tamriel. Julan will probably get drunk.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Celestina :)

VIII - The Common Tongue

Delitian was far from pleased by Fen’s report.

“They’ve all escaped? All three?” he said incredulously when Fen told him. She nodded, her throat tight. “I don’t believe this,” the captain muttered, rubbing his eyes. “There must be a leak here at the palace. Did you give anyone else this information?”