Evensong for the Seekers

Sound of the bells resonated in the air, as the Moon Terrace was finally falling to sleep. Curfew approached, as the dragonborn guard started their night patrol. For a mere four hours, streets would be empty, besides the patrols that guarded them. Or they should have been, but restlessness didn't leave Ilphinidia, and it drove her to go outside for a moment longer. She had wrapped herself to a dark purple cloak, which in the darkness of the night looked empty thanks to her dark complexion, besides her green eyes, colored like very first spring leaves.

Her eyes looked down the street to the wawes of the sea covered in the moonlight. The light of the moon felt gentle and comforting to her eyes. Yet the familiarity of the scene in front of her made her melancholic. Just street corner away, she knew. She sneaked next to the wall and stepped through the gates to the Plaza of Gods. Last candles were fading out, as she gently walked towards the temple. Her steps let a gentle echo that danced in the empty courtyard. She was lost in her thoughts as she climbed up the steps while she reached for the key under her cloak. Hopefully, her sister wouldn't miss it before dawn.

First, she thought it was just wind. But as she was to open the door, she woke from her thoughts and heard it. A voice echoed from within the walls, dark and melodic, to a tune familiar yet still so strange. For a moment she panicked and opened the door in haste. But as the doors opened, she stopped. Listening to the echo that danced in the corridor, the recognition hit her. Fear turning in to disbelieve, she silently moved towards the voice. Air was still filled with the sweet scent of incense.

"Numil?"

She was right, as much as the realization puzzled her. He sat there, in front of the altar of the Dark Dancer, his But white hair open and draping neatly on the stone floor. If he was surprised, he didn't show it but continuing humming his tune that gently moved to the air. His voice was well trained and controlled, yet there was something raw in it. A beautiful sound it was, but it had something that made it one think of a magnificent bird locked into a cage. You can hear its talent and grace, but behind bars, it just feels strangely hollow or incomplete.

He would only stop after finishing the verse, and would slowly turn his head to see her. with moonlight from the window, you could see the first silvers on the old elf's hair, and even in his blood-red eyes, Ilphy felt she could sense a sliver of weariness he hid under his well-maintained smirk. "Evening," he added for good measure as the scales on his brow bone got raised with his eyebrows, making the gesture seem even more defined.

Ilphinidia felt foolish. She knew the other drow was about a foot shorter than her and no way in a position to hurt her, yet she felt tiny and naked in his presence. "Why are you here from all places? I thought you were fed up with religion, and now you sneak in to temple in the dead of night. It isn't even a holiday of any sort." She tried to answer the smile and find her usual, unstoppable confidence, but for some reason, it had been particularly hard to capture today.

He sensed it, she knew. And his reply just confirmed it. "While I wouldn't want to doubt the legitimacy of your intentions, I must comment that I wouldn't be so sure that you are here at the expected point of time either," Dezzner 'Numil' Shadowblade replied with needless complexity, probably just to amuse himself. He measured her calmly with his eyes. "Would you wish me to move?"

"I could call the guards on you for breaking an entrance," Ilphinidia reminded.

"I take it you are here for your Evensong?"

"I take that you are not going to answer any questions?" Ilphinidia sighed sharply.

"Quite frankly, my dear, I doubt you like my answers, so why to bother with replies then?" Older drow raised to his feet with great amusement, stretching himself. There were ceremonial cut marks on his arms, Ilphy noted, something she hadn't seen on him in ages. The situation was more than just curious.

Ilphinidia shifted her weight from one leg to another in almost uncharacteristic irritation. She had genuinely believed that this was the one place she could be alone in this hour, and now 'uncle' was here. At this point, she would have preferred a burglar. He made her feel uneasier than ever. "So, you are going just to leave?" she asked in disbelieve.

"I suppose that means you are going to have strong feelings about will I or will I not do so?" With the grace of a cat and way more regally than anyone should have been allowed, Dezzner made space on an indent on a wall meant for candles and other equipment and sat on it like it was a throne meant just for him, looking irritatingly elegant while doing so.

Ilphinidia let out a hiss of frustration. This nosey little snoop was the last thing she needed right now. She looked away, trying to count to ten and calm her breath. Her thoughts were messy enough as they were.

For a moment, it was silent, but eventually, Ilphinidia turned to see her tormentor. He was still there, smiling like a fox, but his eyes looked tad bit more gentle, and he had tilted his head, observing. "So," Dezzner continued after the pause. "I take it I will be seeing you tomorrow in the library then? Mr. Donaevel has already confirmed his participation, and I have been getting a picture you have been working as a team on these matters." It was hard to say if he was still salty about the whole duel thing. Could've been one of the reasons why he was now so eager to tease, Ilphinidia thought sourly.

The question made Ilphy increasingly more uncomfortable. "I am not sure; I might need to deal with some other business," she dodged. "It's not like they really need me there, magic is not specialty anyway." She noted her tone was turning needlessly harsh, as her all efforts of trying to be casual slipped through her fingers.

"You left the party in quite a rush, I noted," Dezzner added softly. "You are awfully busy, then; I take it?"

Ilphy stood quietly, avoiding the gaze of the blood-red orbs. She felt tongue-tied, the unrelenting glare drilling hole to her head and uneasiness tightening her chest. "I am FINE." She said, though, for him or herself, he wasn't quite sure anymore. She felt that even the image of the Goddess was staring at her.

Silence fell again to the room. Ilphy focused her attention to falling dust that floated towards the floor, barely visible of the gentle beams of moonlight. The stillness was broken by a soft, almost conceding sigh. As Ilphinidia raised her gaze, she saw how the regal drow professor had raised his hand and was reaching towards her in a slightly awkward manner.

She felt her chest tighten as she was suddenly filled with surprise. Hesitating, she took a step forward. Embarrassed and awkwardly grateful, she moved towards Dezzner, like a scolded child that had just been forgiven. Very, very carefully, she reached her arms and wrapped them around her old friend. She felt how his muscles tightened first uncomfortably; this time, he didn't even hide it. But soon he calmed down, wrapping a single arm around her and resting it on her back. It made you feel he was there, but that you could have escaped from his reach anytime if you so chose. It was that same, quirky, brotherly hug she remembered receiving when it really mattered, like after the death of the mother, or after father had left.

For a moment, Ilphinidia just buried her eyes to his shoulder, merely breathing for awhile. He seemed to allow it. "You do know that if he causes you too much trouble for you, he will regret the day he was born?" Dezzner checked casually. With Dezzner, you never knew if he was serious or just joking.

"No need," Ilphinidia sighed. "He... He is a good man, I think. It's... it's just been overwhelming, that's all", she ensured, though she wasn't sure about it. "I don't know. Sometimes... sometimes it's just too weird, you know?"

"You can always just walk away," Dezzner suggested gently. "If this fellow is too much for you, you can always walk away."

"I'm not so sure about it," Ilphinidia pondered. "She wants me to follow him to the depths. I couldn't say no to Her."

She couldn't see it, but she felt how Dezzner turned his head to see the image of the Goddess. She could imagine the skeptical stare on his face. "Are sure that is really what she wants, and it's not just misinterpretation?" HE was trying to sound polite to her, even when she sensed he didn't necessarily want to, but she decided to appreciate the gesture.

"I am sure," she said with slight irritation. "Once you hear the summon, you just know, ok?"

He tensed a bit again but didn't push her away. Ilphy sighed again, then lifting herself voluntarily. "I'm sorry... Just... Just stress, I suppose." Yes, maybe it was just stress? Who really knew at this point, the last few days had been so odd. "Yay, Underdark," she added sourly at the end, trying to lift the mood.

"You said it, not me," Dezzner confirmed, straightening his clothes.

"Well, at least your new students don't need to go," Ilphy tried. "You seem to have your hands full with mister grumpy face, and not sure if the place is safe for the girl to travel."

"Indeed," Dezzner answered practically but didn't make any eye contact.

Ilphinidia frowned, observing her friend for a while. "You are really worried about her, aren't you?"

Dezzner shrugged. "She is a well-mannered, talented young lady. It would be a waste of resources to let some curse consume her before her time. She would be much more useful for her environment alive than death, don't you agree?"

Ilphy smiled and huffed. "I suppose it as your majesty says." She tilted her head. "Just one of your mentoring duties, then?"

"Indeed," Dezzner verified in his theatrical manner. "My duty as the professor in our fine institute is to make sure that my students have a bright future in front of them, and we take great pride in our capabilities to elevate our communities."

"And you totally just didn't see her and her friend, felt like they were some lost puppies in a basket and dragged them home to be scrubbed and fed," Ilphinidia added with more snarky, amused tone.

Dezzner huffed in a dramatic manner like his heart would be gravely wounded. "Oh yes, my noble heart goes for the weak, lost, broken, and the wicked. It's my honor and duty to guide those that travel in the darkness, help the moon guide them and shadows cover their tracks, it would be a great sorrow to me to see these fine budlings wither before they blossom. Are you happy now?" He stared at Ilphy sharply. "This is a serious matter; there is nothing to giggle about it, girl!" He reminded with a severe tone.

Ilphy snorted. "You could just show it sometimes."

"But I do," Dezzner scoffed, devastated in an almost theatrical manner. "It is not MY fault if no one else is paying attention." He wawed his hand on the matter in a diminishing way, shaking his head.

Ilphinidia sighed and silently chuckled. "I suppose it isn't," she agreed, knowing the pointlessness of disagreeing at this point. She pondered. "I take you came here for a purpose, and that I won't be getting it out of you. And I doubt you finished evensong yet, knowing how much you two probably have to catch up."

Dezzner scoffed. "Oh, doubt she listens to me anyway."

"Well, maybe we should do it together?" Ilphinidia suggested. "Maybe it would help your message. And you get home sooner; I bet Allie already expects you back home if she hasn't already sneaked up on you."

"You know I don't sing in public," Dezzner reminded her.

"This isn't public," Ilphy reminded him back. "Think it more as a collaboration."

Dezzner looked reluctantly. "I'm am NOT a circus monkey."

"I know," Ilphy ensured. "Just one time. I don't tell anyone. No loss of face."

"Singing doesn't make one's face melt," Dezzner pointed out but was now simply stared down. "Oh, well, I suppose this ONCE."

Ilphy smirked and nodded, stepping in the middle of the room. With a deep breath, she gazed at the sculpted face of the Dark Dancer and then nodded to her friend. Reluctantly at first, but soon getting stronger, Dezzner continued his song. Ilphinidia joined him with her own, pairing it with her dance.

In the dark of the night, the two humming voices joined to a song, to share their hopes and fears with the moon, as the moonlight washed the streets of Moon Terrace.

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Set after the Looking For Answers, Session 29: "The fundraiser party". Little teasery epilogue from the GM to my players. <3