The Home Stone

“This is Brianna,” said the queen with a big smile on her face. “This is the one you came for.”

The young girl seemed to be a bit confused, as Raven probably did not tell her why she had come for her. Handing her the letter, the young elf girl looked at Roma and then to her queen. She then reread the letter before she spoke.

“Why am I needed,” she began. “Clearly this is for the army to work out and find the stone. I can’t see what I can do.”

“I don’t know either,” answered Roma, “but I’m sure that Shannon will explain everything to you when we meet up with her.”

“I still can’t see why I have to leave here,” she continued. “Who will look after my grandmother? She isn’t doing too well these days and needs constant care.”

“Don’t worry about your grandmother,” the queen broke in. “She will be well taken care of. Now go and get your things together and come back here as soon as possible. You leave tonight.”

The urgency of the queen’s last remark, took Roma by surprise. She had thought that she would get some sleep before heading back out again. She did not even have the chance to see this great underground city. I’ll have to come back if I can, she thought to herself, as she was escorted out of the room and to another, where she could freshen up and where all of her weapons were laid out on a table. Then some food was brought in and after the meal, she was escorted to where Brianna was waiting. There along with twelve Drow elves, they left the city. Only this time without bonds and hood.

Sometime shortly after Roma left the Great Hall, Brianna caught up with her and Raven. Dressed as the other two, in forest garb, the young girl followed Raven and Roma outside of the great city. Turning south the three headed towards the coast. It was a short walk through the trees along a narrow path that led them to a pier hidden by trees and protected from the sea by natural breakers. There docked sat an elven Man-O-War, much like the ones Roma had seen in Evermore.

Quickly they were hustled on board and taken to a large cabin below. Upon boarding, Roma noticed that the twelve other elves were already on deck and waiting to help cast off the lines that held the ship at the dock. Roma asked Raven how a ship this large could have been called on to dock so quickly. Raven replied that the ship was already here and taking on supplies. Since its job was to keep pirates from raiding other merchant ships it was going in the same direction as they were so with a small detour, it would bring the troupe to Aan and drop the at Summerhill. From there they would be on their own with only the twelve men to protect them. Then raven turned to Brianna and asked if she had brought the item from the letter with her. She nodded that she had and then the three entered the cabin.

It was a large room with three beds and a table with four chairs. A large chest of drawers, with two water urns and two wash bowels set on it. The only light came from two small portholes and a few unlit candles that lay on the table. Each chose a bed and lay down. When they awoke they were already far out to sea with not a sign of land in sight. The sun was beginning to set when there came a knock at the door. Opening it Raven was told that the evening meal was ready to be served. All were hungry and needed no further invitation and went straight to the galley to eat. The meal was simple and consisted of boiled potatoes and fried fish that had been caught fresh that same day. Washed down with some fine wine the three returned to their cabin and went to sleep.

The next two days were uneventful and the three friends basked in the warm sunshine and ate some of the Drow’s best food that they had to offer, but on the third morning just after the sun rose in the sky, loud noises and shouting up on deck woke the trio. Dressing quickly the three made their way up on deck. Soldiers were running to their stations and sailors were busy trimming the sails and shouting orders to other sailors to ready the catapults. Jumping out of the way, Roma managed to see what all the fuss was about. There on the western horizon she could just make out the tall masts of a ship. It was coming right at them. Then someone shouted at the three to get below and that the other vessel was a pirate ship. Rushing back down the stairs the three girls decided that they would let the men and sailors fight this battle and watch as much as they could from down below. Straining their eyes to be able to see the oncoming battle, the three had to stand on chairs to look out of the portholes.

As the pirate ship drew closer, the elven vessel opened fire with its mighty catapults. The first volley was to find the range and then they opened up with heavy round balls to crush anything and anyone it came in contact with and then they fired a round of fireballs that set the other ship afire. The pirates tried in vain to use their own catapults, but they were smaller and did not have the range that the mighty Man-O-War had so it quickly broke off the battle and sailed away. From her porthole, Roma could see the pirates working feverishly to quell the flames, but their efforts were in vain and soon she saw them leaping into the water as the ship began to list and moments later sank from view.

The elven ship did not try to rescue the men in the water and left them to their fate. When the three came on deck they found the men all cheering and slowly getting back to their work. The soldiers checked their weapons and the sailors trimming the sails and the captain shouting orders to get under way again. It was not until dusk when the first signs of land came into view. At the evening meal the captain told Raven and her group that they would reach the harbor of Summerhill by early morning, so later that night after a few more drinks the trio went below and packed their things for the next morning’s disembarking.