Chapter 23

When they enter the inn Gwenh watches as Toshiro and Cael go upstairs. I think this will be hard for him, it is hard to go against what you have believed to be true your entire life. If any gods aid us, please look over us all.

Looking around the main room, she begins to look for Latara. If nothing else, this dance will at least help to ease my mind from all our worries. I wonder what will be there? I suppose I'll find out sooner or later, perhaps sooner then later though.

Then Gwenh remembers that Latara said she would leave someone at the Temple to guide Gwenh and Kyrial to the Dance. The night clerk - a human male - will happily open the trapdoor for the two, and the drow guards at the bottom of the stairs will courteously bow as they pass into the hall leading to the temple. At the temple, a young dark elven maiden will take them through some winding tunnels to a moonlit glade on the surface, to the west of town.

In the moonlit glade are perhaps thirty women, all unclad. Most are dark elves, but there are a few surface elves as well. Three sit to one side, making music on a harp and two flutes. The rest engage in a frenzied dance about a large bonfire. There are no set steps, it seems, with each dancer responding to the music in a personal manner. White and silver hair whips about in shining pale clouds and sweat-glazed ebony limbs shine in the firelight.

Far from silent, the dancers croon or sing or shout as the mood takes them. The effect, far from dissonant, is of a somewhat eerie, multilayered song expressing hope and fear and love.

Gwenh watches the dancers and wonders what sort of dancing it is they're doing. Feeling out of place in the midst of the worshipers she scans the area, looking for a familiar face. I hope their goddess doesn't disapprove of me being here. This is strange, we never worshiped this towards our god. Strange...

Both Latara and her mother Faeryl are among the dancers. Like all of the others, they are naked. Faeryl leaps and twirls with wild abandon to the music, a wordless song flowing from her throat. Her long white hair is unbound, tossing with her movements like a wave. Gwenh can see no pattern to her dance, save that it seems like it was formed to fit the music perfectly, but it is also obviously spontaneous. Latara moves more cautiously, with fewer wild gestures and whoops. She seems caught up in a pattern of rhythmic steps she repeats in time to the music. Rather than her mother's swooping melody, she prefers to voice a low chant in time to her steps. She seems a little self-conscious, and not as uninhibited as the other dancers. The half-elf just does not move with the same grace as the dark elves who whirl about her.

Watching Latara, Gwenh is suddenly filled with abit of sadness for the girl. She is a halfbreed, not truly one of these women, no matter how much they all accept her. She has a right to be self-consious, I know I was around my silver kindred when I found out the truth. But it's best to forget those things. I had almost forgotten what it was like to be almost different, I've gotten soo used to being completely different from all I've met... Walking towards Latara, Gwenh taps her on the shoulder as she dances.

Many of the dancers, and indeed, the music, falter when Gwenh walks in. The fact that she's clothed and not dancing throws them momentarily. Recognizing her from earlier in the day, they smile and continue to dance. Odd behavior for a Blessed, perhaps, but not dangerous.

Latara is startled when Gwenh taps her, coming up out of her chanting and dancing as if from a trance. "Gwenhwyfar! You've come! But you're not dancing!" A few glares float that way, and even Faeryl casts a stern look. "Please, let's get away from the fire, we're in the way if we're not dancing. It disturbs those praying."

"Of course." Gwenh follows Latara away from the fire. "My apologies, I've never been to a dance before. I wasn't sure what to expect."

She looks towards the fire and wonders what this goddess is and what she really does stand for. "Tell me, Latara, would it suprise you if I said that I have never met any of this faith before?" She pauses for a moment. "I was sheltered from the world for a long time, then thrust into it, some things are still new to me, but on the contrary, things that I'm used to may startle others." She pauses again and tries to think of what to say. "I'm not like any other elf that you've met, blessed or unblessed...Please, explain everything about this ceremony to me so that I can participate." She looks at Latara, her gaze sinsere.

Latara shakes her head. "After the library, um, no, I'm not too surprised. I thought maybe you were a silver in the service of the Lady, but..." She looks at Gwenh with her odd orange eyes. "I mean, it was pretty clear you were one of the dragons in that story. I've never met a dragon before, and for that I thank you."

"Eilistraee is the daughter of the Spider Queen, Lolth, Mother of the Drow, and Corellon Larethian, the leader of the elven gods. She didn't follow her mother and brother into darkness, but she didn't stay with her father in the lands of light, either. She followed the dark elves, calling to them, trying to convince them that they should return to the Night Above."

"There was a great war, the Sundering, long, long ago, when all elves lived here above. Lolth corrupted the hearts of some of them, and their evil ways were the cause of the divide. They lost the war, and chose to follow their banished goddess into the underworld. Eilistraee calls them back to the surface and the light. She celebrates joy in life, a good hunt and a good feast, dance and song, and the beauty of a fine sword. These few here have heard and heeded her call."

"The goddess is said to have silver hair, and she often blesses her most faithful servants with silver hair as well. So when I saw you, right near our temple, and being an elf with silver hair, well, I just assumed... but you're not an elf after all. Not," she hastens to add, "that only elves are welcome. Lady Silverhair welcomes all good-hearted people who enjoy living life."

"This dance is one of the ways we pray to her. Ceremony is just too strong a word... the musicians play what comes into their hearts, and the dancers dance what comes into theirs. As elves, they do have the advantage of several decades of improvisation experience." Her voice is slightly bitter at this last. Latara has barely had two decades of life.

She shrugs. "You just... dance. And sing, too, if it comes to you. We usually go unclad - it's freer that way. But if it makes you uncomfortable, you wouldn't have to. Actually... um... you're not a member of the faithful and you're here... maybe..." Her eyes suddenly go big and she stares at Kyrial. "If you're not of the Maiden... is she?!" She scrambles back and looks like she's about to cause a scene of some kind.

Latara is getting frightened by Gwenh's silence, and Kyrial worried. A few dancers pause to look their way. Finally, Kyrial is forced to speak up.

"I've heard of the Maiden," she said. It was even the truth. "I want to learn more." Also true.

"But... but..." Latara stammers. "She didn't know, and you were with her."

Kyrial shrugs, trying for innocent nonchalance. "But I knew I would have a hard time gaining entrance without her company. I guess I was right."

"Oh." Latara frowns. Something still felt wrong, but it was slipping away. "But..."

"Please, may I dance now?" The drow slips out of her clothes and concealed weapons and lies them carefully aside. "This is right, isn't it?"

"Well, yes..."

"It is so good to finally be among people I do not have to fear," she sighed, trying for wistfulness. That was true, too. She didn't really think the saps would hurt her. "To finally escape from down Below. You won't turn me out, will you?"

"Well, no..."

Kyrial cried out some random thankful phrase and twirled away to dance with the others. That was too close for comfort. If it had been anyone more experienced than the little bastard girl, there might have been problems.

Latara stares after her, stammering, "But... but... um... Gwenh, is everything OK? Should I tell Mother?"

Gwenh shakes her head. "No, I think it's all right. I've been travelling with Kyrial for some time... can you tell me more about your goddess?" And so the two continued to talk until the Dance was nearly done.

As the dance comes to a close, takes Gwenh by the sleeve, and whispers to her "Don't you think it's time we should leave?" Before I go insane at this inane behaviour?

As Gwenh reluctantly nods, Kyrial politely declines any invitations to further spend time with them that night, on the excuse that her comrades would be worried for her. Well, they would be, except for Falling Leaf. She knows better.

Outside the Temple, Kyrial takes a deep breath and sighs to herself. M'Lady of the Underdark, I shall have to donate something worthy for thee, in thanks. We shall wipe them out for you, AFTER my mission is over. Thinking things over What should I use as donation? Kyrial and Gwenh head back to the inn.

Before going to bed, Gwenh waits for Latara and ask her if she wants to join them.

Latara is quiet for some long moments. First, she was a desk clerk and really had no idea how she'd fare adventuring. Second, there was her mother, who would want her to stay on with the temple. Third, they were going to Ehosia, for goddess's sake, where a half-elf - hell, half-drow - would probably get stoned to death on sight. All the same, there was a certain appeal and romance to it...

"I would love to, Gwenhwyvar, if you were going anywhere but Ehosia." She looks a little pained and a little ashamed, perhaps afraid of being called coward. "The eyes, the hair, the skin, the ears - I stick out like anything! The Ehosia thought police would be on me in seconds, and then they'd move on to you and your friends. Not," she adds, "that you can't probably handle them. But some of them" or some of me "might get hurt in the scuffle. But," her eyes light up, "when you're done, and you've stopped them, maybe you could stop back this way? I'll try to learn something useful, maybe some of the Rites of the Maiden, and then I could go with you and help. Do you think, maybe, that would be okay?"

Gwenh smiles at Latara. "Of course. Take all that time you need before you leave here. Besides, when I stop by next, I should have more time to stay, then perhaps I could teach you how to ride dragons." With that she headed towards her room, or the hotel, don't know where she is, before leaving she turns. "Bye Latara, I'm sorry I couldn't show you a dragon, I promise I will next time. May your goddess' blessing be opon you."