Betrayal Most Foul

***The following is an excerpt from the collected tales of the Sisterhood of Phaedra, Lady of Love. It was found and collected in the year 347 AE, hidden in the basement of a Temple of Phaedra that was apparently destroyed during the Sundering. It was returned to the clergy of Phaedra and is on loan to the Knights, please treat it gently, it is to be returned to the Clergy in Caer Ashwynn when you are finished with it.***

Sagacious recognized the flowing script, written by one of his fellow knights, probably Loremaster Xian. Sagacious grinned at the vision of a gigantic muscled half-orc wearing tiny wire-rimmed spectacles and delicately writing via candlelight. Despite his quiet and reserved demeanor, Sagacious knew that he did not want to return the book in poor condition to the Loremaster. He smiled quietly to himself and took a sip of tea, listening to the relaxed snores of Scarlett and Isobel as they slept. He focused on his work, reading softly aloud to himself.

"And so it was that the New Gods were announced and met with the royalty of The People." Aha, so there it was again. "During the visit, some anger was heard between Father and Son, despite the love that they bore for each other. In the argument, the son slew the father, and Annatar Liadon took his first descending steps into madness." Hmmmm. So, Annatar was a murdering psychopath BEFORE his ascendance? Good to know.

He continued to read. "With the best of intentions, his companions who also become Gods, lied and concealed his sickness. Shaylee, who would be The Mother, was but mortal still, and she was led by the seductive whispers of Mercy to conceal his awful deeds. It was decided that the New Gods to Be were to confront the evil of The Sheeda and The Other who had come to consume Arbre." Sagacious repeated that sentence, confused. He had never read either of those terms, and he wrote the names Sheeda and The Other in his notebook. He read on.

"And so it was, despite the bonds of love which were very apparent between this group, especially between He Who Would Be King and the one called Mercy." There it was again. Why point out that bond? He absently looked at the illustration, presumably done by this same Sister. It depicted a group of varied heroes, easily recognizable as Shaylee, Annatar and the others, showing Annatar alone, reaching out towards the group with one outstretched hand as they turned away. Except for one figure, a human woman in a grey cloak. She held one hand on her belly and another reached back towards Annatar. Sagacious felt his heart rate increase as he looked closer and read on.

"Always a trusting Soul, the Mother was not yet as wise as she would be. She left He Who Would be King behind to protect the Kingdom. The coup happened very quickly after they left, those chains of love turning quickly into burning hate and betrayal. The Lady teaches us that one can very easily lead to another, there is little difference between Love and Hate." Ain't that the truth, Sagacious thought cynically to himself.

"The Mad King began with the ranking Castellans of each Court, summoned the Archfey themselves, whose Pacts with the Elven courts had ever ruled this peaceful land. There, he broke the pacts and slew them all with iron-infused magics. His takeover of the Elven Kingdom was complete, and Annatar was the singular leader of its very angry people. He fanned the flames of dissonance, there were many in the land who were angry with the humans of Vael's expansionist Empire, and we of Phaedra shed many tears as war was declared. Darkness took the land and the hate that had begun to fester in the heart of the King took deep root there." The illustrations now depicted The Mad King in more recognizable attire, blazing white robes and a thorny crown atop his handsome and delicate face. A legion of Elven warriors, faces twisted with rage, flowed around his form seething towards the reader with blades drawn.

"His old friends confronted him on the plains of old Vael, as the Sheeda and their awful Other Queen seeped into the world. They called him a betrayer and vile thing, and what remained of his heart broke at that point." The illustration now focused on his handsome face, twisted into an enraged and pained expression. "All but Mercy. She who Loved the monster."

Okay, now we are getting somewhere Sagacious thought. This was the Emergence itself, the battle where the heroes had ascended to Godhood. Everyone on Arbre knew this part of the story.

"In the aftermath of that confrontation, Annatar was defeated. Not yet a God, but still immensely powerful, he in his hate stood before the newly ascended Mother, and faced her judgment. He and all of his followers who joined his mad crusade were named Dark Elves, and they were cast out. Many among the group called for his death instead of exile. But it was quiet Mercy who plead for lenience."

A non-descript woman in a grey cloak was shown standing between a chained Annatar and The Mother. One hand in the air defensively, the other again depicted on her stomach. Sagacious raised an eyebrow and circled the drawing, throwing all caution to the wind. If Loremaster Xian was angry, so be it. This was huge. The Sundering! There were NO records of the actual event, and Elves were generally hesitant to speak of it, outsiders had never heard this part of the story before.

"The Mother felt then the presence of Phaedra, as the Goddess of Love strengthened the bond of love, giving Mercy much persuasive power in that moment. 'Shaylee, though you are wroth and rightfully so, too much blood has been spent. More blood will not solve it. For me. For who he used to be, exile is the better choice than Death.' The impassioned cries of Mercy fell upon The Mother's heart, for she too had love for her former Castellan, and she wavered, Mercy sensing that weakness chose to press her case." Sagacious' hand shook as he read and continued to take notes. What WAS this? He gasped deeply as he read the next sentence, THIS was why Mercy was involved!

"For the sake of my child, Shaylee.' Cried Mercy to her friend, and Phaedra felt the love between Mother and Father, she knew it to be true." WHAT? "The Mother was still wroth, but chose the lenient path. Exile was the kinder choice and so it was done. The Dark Ones were cast from the lands of the Sun, so that The Mother would not have to gaze upon them. The Mad King was banished to the edge of the Astral Sea, doomed to the torments of the Archfey who had survived, to suffer the consequences if his sundering of their ancient pacts. Thus it was cast in stone, the Fates of the Mad King and Mercy forever entwined by the babe in her belly."

Sagacious stared at the page and re-read the sentence many times. She was with child when The Emergence had happened, and when Annatar had lashed out, severing the Tapestry of Fate, THAT was the part that Mercy was hiding! It all made sense now! It wasn't an artifact at all, it was alive! And half of it- he looked at Scarlett's peacefully sleeping form - lay right there.

He whistled softly and shook his head, trying to put the puzzle pieces together. Obviously, Mercy would be taking steps to cover this part of The Story, and it made sense why Annatar would too. But what to do with this knowledge? He heard the cries from above "Land, ho!" as the ship must have come within visual distance of Caer Ashwynn. A warning bell sounded on the deck above them, some sort of danger being signalled. He heard cries of "Storm!" as the boat began to rock and toss heavily.

He kept his footing and did not hear Isobel until she stood behind him, hands wrapping around his midsection for balance. Her voice, when she spoke, seemed sad and reflective. "You just had to keep reading, didn't you, Angelface?"

"Of course I did. Listen, I discovered something! Something that -" His voice stopped sharply and his eyes grew wide. He looked down and saw the ancient tome had been covered in ink during the waves' pummeling of the ship. He couldn't catch his breath and when he reached down to wipe the ink from the page, he found it warm, red and sticky. A sharp pain began in his lower left back and a cold numbness began to spread through his body, his mind catching up to what was happening. Isobel's breath was hot and smelled of cinnamon in his ear, "So that The Garden may Grow." she pronounced gravely, tears choking her words, "I'm so sorry Angelface. I didn't want to have to do this."

He shoved her away from him, hands seeking the thin knife in his kidney. Feverishly, he began to call upon his healing magics to staunch the flow of his life's blood from the wound, and he could feel it wasn't enough. "Izzy? Why? What?" Was all he could manage as he fell hard to the floor, knocking the table over, the crash seeming to stir Scarlett from her slumber. "Scarlett, run! Get out! Get to the Temple of Phaedra!" He then turned his blazing blue and platinum eyes upon his betrayer. His knees began to buckle as he raised a hand, glowing with power.

Isobel dove to the left, using the table as cover, as a blast arced out from Sagacious' hand and struck the wood with some violence. Above them, the cries of sailors began to get louder, and a wind began to howl around them as a raspy voice called out from the storm to Scarlett and Scarlett alone. "Where are you, my lover? I will find you…."