Chapter 19

Taking a seat, Toshiro motioned for Leaf to take one as well. After she does, he leans foward and begins. "I know you are not happy with this detour. I am not entirely crazy for it either, but something is definately wrong around here and I think the Oghmans may need help. And in helping them, maybe we can gain a bit of assistance from them as well."

A server interrupts, bringing drinks neither ordered. "On the house," he smiles. "For friends of the Blessed." He sets down a small white ceramic cup and a matching jug before Toshiro. He presents Falling Leaf with a fluted glass which looks like a lily filled with a clear amber fluid, then departs. Toshiro is pleased to note his drink is sake of very high quality, served slightly warm like at home.

Leaf takes a tiny sip, pauses, and nods, satisfied that there is nothing but mead in her glass. She takes a longer sip and her eyes go momentarily wide, focused on nothing. Her hand closes on the edge of the table in a spasm, but just as quickly she recovers. She sets the glass to one side. Toshiro is rather reminded of the time she first laid eyes on Cael.

Toshiro shifts in his seat and asks in a low voice. "Leaf... are you quite alright? Is there something I may do?"

"No, and no," she says abruptly. "I am recovered, however." More meditations tonight, surely. Second should not have tried to come through like that. She glances at the delicate fluted glass. Not only was it elven mead, it tasted like Zanzar's mead from home. Perhaps the sensory associations triggered the lapse...

While pondering these issues behind her flat eyes, she keeps up the conversation. "You think these human priests can help us? Are they all like the one travelling with us?"

"No," Toshiro replied as he pondered her question. "Oghmites are generally good sorts, most are a bit neater than Byrgund though." Sipping at his own drink, he continued. "They are very dedicated to knowledge. Most would be mortified by what is going on with the 'pirating' of books. I expect any help we can give will get us some in return."

'Leaf falls silent, eyes flickering about the room, thinking over this last bit of information. He keeps saying that... either it is true, or he wishes it to be so. Knowledge is valuable, if it is useful... perhaps these humans will know something about their fellows to the South. A quick risk-benefit analysis files through her brain. A single "Bookworm," laughably incompetent hired help, perhaps a few dealers-of-stolen-goods. Unknown buyers at the end of the chain. Unknowns are risky. But... if rooting out this worm is all that is required, it is unlikely that we will have to deal with them.

In return, perhaps some unspecified help or information, perhaps useful, perhaps not. What information would be useful? She had her list of targets. She knew the Ehosian culture like it was her own. What else was there to know?

It leapt at her suddenly. "Do you think," she asks Toshiro slowly, "that they have much knowledge about magic? Old magics, as you humans reckon, in particular?"

Toshiro answers her after a moment. "Yes, they might. Some followers are Bards who have more of an understanding of the arcane magics. Then again a priest might know some due to a interest in such."

Falling Leaf makes a noise which can only be described as a grunt. "Then perhaps there is a value to this journey after all. So, how do you propose we help these priests? We might find the man who buys the books... or go straight to their temple, to find this 'Bookworm.'" She thinks it over. "I prefer to strike directly at the root of a problem, generally, but I have no information on this target. Indeed," she starts abruptly, "he is not a target."

"So that you know now... I will not kill him, save in defending myself if he should be so foolish as to attack me. I doubt that you intended that end. But you should know this: I am an executioner, not an assassin nor a murderer." Her face is blank as always, as if the weather were the topic of discussion, as she continues: "Many will say those distinctions are too fine. What it means to you is this: I do not select my targets. They are chosen for me. I have no desire to kill any but those. I will not kill any but those, or in the defense of myself. Perhaps in defense of companions," she adds thoughtfully.

Toshiro considers her words and weighs them in his mind for what hey say. "Falling Leaf, I think finding the root of the problem is the only true way to stop the flow of knowledge from the temple. However, the 'fence' will possess knowledge that will help find the main culprit. I think the best way to consider this side trip as a way of ensuring the ultimate goal is attainable."

"I do not expect you to kill the culprit; he or she will prove more useful bound, gagged and turned over to the Oghmites. As to your training... it similar to that of my cousin's," Falling Leaf raises an eyebrow.

Toshiro continued, "though more restrictive in some ways. Do not worry about my thought on it; I have no room to even consider condemnation...." The other eyebrow joins the first.

"I should like to meet this cousin." Her voice is flat, giving no particular emphasis to the statement. She found it highly improbable that a human's training could approach a dae faroth's. But if this was indeed the case, a threat assessment would have to be made.

"And he you, I imagine," Toshiro replies. "Ryo is quite good at his 'profession' and is considered to be the best among those whoe walk the shadows.... I digress. My cousin would most likely be interested in yourself as much as you in he; He nor I, to my knowledge, has ever heard of an elven ninja before...."

Falling Leaf files away the word "ninja" as a possible human analog to an dae faroth. Even the descriptive "those who walk in shadows" is close to an elven epithet for those of her profession: "those who strike in shadow," although the elven word for "shadow" allowed several interpretations, few of them complimentary.

And then the others returned with the desk clerk, and other matters demanded her attention.