4

1379

By

Denise Hemmingway (aka Silke Rahn and Nedylene Rahn)

Lunar Temple, Nec'Perya d'l'Drathir, Nether Mountains Faerûn Flamerule 1379:

Nedylene Rahn felt the pain in her very soul. Something told her all was not right anymore. She looked up to see a vestige of her elder sister before her, but she seemed in distress. Arolan Mistrunner her wood elf husband and father of her latest child, a boy they named for a friend of theirs, Elisgard, stood by Nedylene's side. Elisgard and his twin sister Qilué holding his hand watched the bereavement encompass their mother. They could only stare on in painful confusions as they too felt the loss of a dear loved one.

"Nedylene what's wrong?" he said.

"My sister!" she cried out in heart wrenching pain. Nedylene watched the vestige began to fade away staring sadly at her with her hands reaching for Nedy as if asking for help. 'What's happening to my sister?' she shouted out in tearful grief. Nedylene felt her heart began to ache with a pain that tore her to her soul. "My sister with whom I share the blood of Corellon is gone!" cried Nedylene loudly. Nedylene's pain was worse than that she felt when she lost her half-human sisters Ursula and Sabine. Arolan took her in his arms and eased her down to the floor of the Lunar Temple of Nec'Perya d'l'Drathir. He looked worried. His wife was in great pain and seemed to be deeply devastated.

Suddenly the interior of the Temple glowed brightly with a light that even made Arolan shield his eyes. The most handsome Elf he ever saw stood before the two of them. In his very soul and being Arolan knew the Elf before him. Suddenly Nedylene began to become a shade of dark brown and her hair changed to black. She seemed to be in some pain as the transformation began. Arolan held her in his arms as she turned from a Drow back into the true form of the Dark Elf. He looked over at his three half-Drow children as they too began to change. His and Nedylene's oldest daughter, Beth short for Elizabeth, had fallen to the floor of the temple with her siblings and was spasming in pain as were her brother and sister. They were turning brown and their hair into a brown so dark that it almost was black.

Arolan looked up at the seven foot tall greatly handsome Elven male standing over him and Nedylene, "Why Father of Elves, why? What is happening to my family?" His voice was almost breaking from the anguish he felt over their pain and torment.

"Arolan from this day forward you are the guardian of my daughter. She is heir to Eilistraee's place in the Seldarine if she so chooses. I will leave it up to her," spoke Corellon Larethian. He then knelt down next to the Soul Bonded Elven couple an ran his hand through Nedylene's now silky black-brown brunette hair telling her to shush and that all will be calm soon.

Looking at his daughter Corellon quietly said in a loving voice, "Nedylene's portfolio will be that of Eilistraee's before her death along with protection and healing when she chooses to ascend. Until then she will be my servant here and work with you and Elisgard in guiding the Tel'Quessir of this Vale. The Ssri-tel-quessir or as the Humans call them Dark Elves are redeemed if they lack the taint of Wendonai's blood. Nedylene's line was of Miyeritar and thus free of this taint and as they were victims of the Dhaerow, not Dhaerow themselves." Corellon then knelt down to his half Dark-Elven daughter and whispered to her, "Sssssh… Sssssh… now there my daughter rest easy I will always be here for you. What protects you from my estranged wife will guard you now and until you ascend. Your children will follow you into the House of Larethian and from then on your line will be known as Arabrahel or Daughters of the Gods. Sssssh… Sssssh… now rest and relax, let me your father ease your burdens."

"Why do you ask this of Nedylene? Why would you ask for our children?" Arolan asked looking at Corellon in confusion crossed with pain and worry.

"My child, your children are my grandchildren and their mother is my last and youngest daughter. Nedylene and Eilistraee were close so close that Nedylene was a Defender of Eilistraee. Had Eilistraee know what was to happen this day Nedylene would have been there to hold her sister's essence instead of Qilué Veladorn and then I would be morning the loss of two daughters instead of one," Corellon said stroking his daughter's hair lovingly as a father would.

"Eilistraee sacrificed herself to save her people from her mother's vileness. Nedylene in her own way is like her sister though more prone to contemplation before action. She is the closest thing to a lawful goddess the Elves will have once she chooses to ascend and assume her place in the Seldarine," Corellon's voice was now filled with pride as he looked down at his daughter. "I shouldn't have listened to that human god from the plane of Olympus, Zeus. He said that to father half-mortal children was fun and he still does it from time to time as there are some worlds that still worship him and his family. I should have stayed with Vlondril and helped to raise Nedylene, but no I let my duties drag me away from my family. Angharradh, my queen, called me away and I had to leave Vlondril to raise Nedy alone." Arolan saw that his god was truly saddened by the loss of his elder daughter and was now here to comfort the last of the direct descendants of his.

Nedylene was still in the state of reverie Corellon had placed her in when Elizabeth, Elisgard, and Qilué each awoke and looked in wonder at their new continence. Their skin was brown like seasoned leather and their hair the color of iron wood. Arolan looked back down at Nedylene and she too took on a similar look. He looked at his children and their once pale blue eyes were now a soft shade of hazel. It was his youngest daughter that asked, "What's happened father?"

It was their grandfather that answered, "I've lifted the curse from you, and your mother as well as all who are left of the Miyeritari tribe and those Ilythiiri that had not been tainted by mixing with the blood of the Demon Wendonai and his fiendish friends. You are now as your ancestors were my grandchildren." He looked at the now calmly resting form of Nedylene, "I also lifted it from your mother the last adult living heir to the throne of Miyeritar."