From: Thorr-kan, the White Minotaur, and Horde Father-Confessor
Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [Roaming] Heart ot Heart
Date: 26 Aug 1993 23:22:56 GMT
Message-ID: <25jgkgINN71p@news.gac.edu>

The woman across the glade was slight of stature and build, being even shorter  
than Thaddius and extremely thin.  Light brown hair fell about her shoulders  
and reaching for her waist.  Sunshine glinted off of her skin, skin the color  
of newborn leaves.  Midnight blue eyes focused on the bard as he melted to a  
smile of surpassing charm.

The Lady motioned again.  "Come, faerie-kin.  Sit with me and tell me of  
yourself.  It is not often that we get visitors such as yourself. "

Being the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, Thad complied.  He hastened to  
Her side and began telling his story:  "I was born in the Empire of Humanity  
following the Undead War.  My mater was a human priestess of the healer, my  
pater was an elven forester.  We were not well off, but most of my childhood  
was a happy one. "

"While my family loved me, I had a difficult time dealing with the locals,"  
Thad continued.  "No one ever seemed to wonder what life was like beyond the  
village; I did.  There was a hunger in me for new experiences, new horizons."   
The bard is silent for a moment, remembering.  "Lady, do you understand such  
hunger?"

The Lady nodded and smiled.  "So when the clergy of Chan-Da'all entered your  
life, you became a Seeker?"   Relief at Her approval washed over Thaddius.   
Encouraged, he continued.  

"I was young and impetuous.  In me, the discipline necessary for serious  
clerical study did not exist.  And I hungered for contact just enough to avoid  
the life of a sage.  Instead, I began travelling about, seeking knowledge of  
people and other places.  My companions were many and varied, some good, some  
not.  But the knowledge I brought was always of use to my brethren; my  
eccentricities were deemed harmless."

A slow grin crossed Thaddius's face.  His voice lowered in wonderment.  "Then I  
fell in with a group unlike any other.  They were a mixture of personalities  
and races unlike any I had ever seen.  Their tales spoke of marvels and wonders  
beyond any I could imagine."  Wonderment glowed in half-elven eyes and awe  
fills his voice.  "And in their number was a lady, beautiful beyond belief..."

Here, Thad stopped momentarily.  Something was missing, something was wrong,  
somehow.  A burning sensation spread from his left hand.   Raising it, Thaddius  
noticed one of his rings beginning to glow.  Shaking his head in puzzlement,  
the bard-priest went on hesitantly.  "Her name was Ellen.  She was a holy  
warrior serving the One.  Never had I beheld such a vision."

The half-elf turned to the Lady.  Suddenly her beauty seemed lessened,  
diminished somewhat.  WIth a start, Thaddius realized she was a dryad.   His  
eyes narrowed, "She is my betrothed.  Neither trickery or threats shall turn me  
from her.  Get out of my mind."  

Slowly, the burning ceased.  The dryad nodded approval and replied, "I beg  
forgiveness.  Over the millennia, I have come to distrust strangers.  This is  
merely my means of gathering information."

Thad nodded in reply but remains guarded.

The Lady went on, "Your love does you credit, as does your loyalty.  But if she  
means so much, and your Joining is so close, why do you stray so far?"

The question startled Thad greatly.  Flustered, he answered, "It is a rite of  
man-hood...no, I simply felt the need for space."  Silence for a bit., "Innate  
wanderlust?"  He thought some more, then whispered sadly, "No, it was fear that  
drove me away..."

Laughter made him glance up, angered at being mocked.  "Mortals!" shouted the  
Lady.  "You provide endless amusement."  With an effort, She calmed herself.   
"No, Thaddius Farsinger, look into your heart.  Come to understand yourself.   
All your life, you have sought, depending on others and moving  at their whim.   
Even among companions, you never felt truly tested."

"Listen to me, Thaddius.  You undertook this journey to prove yourself fit and  
self-reliant.  Only after acceptance of one's self can a person truly prosper  
in a Joining.

The half-elf pondered this for a great while.  'Perhaps,' he thought, 'perhaps  
I am not as heartless or cowardly as I feel..'

The Lady gathered his attention again. "I had though to ask your aid," She said  
when he faced her again.  "But  you already have commitments.  I will not keep  
you from your beloved."

A particularly grim look crossed the bard's face.  "Your trouble has already  
sought me out.  It has become a personal threat now.  If I can be of  
assistance, honor and decency bid me to offer it."

"Are you certain?" She asks.

The half-elf nods.

"Thank you.  Now, let me tell you of a time when the world was young and of my  
brother, a creature known as Thorne..."

-Thaddius Farsinger
"The easiest person in the world to deceive and the hardest to please is  
yourself."

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Sometimes, those you love most are the ones you have to leave behind.
Matt Cutter, e-mail to mcutter@nic.gac.edu OR mcutter@vax2.gac.edu
Gustavus couldn't afford my opinions if they wanted them!
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