Si'Dhuen of Trefrost Spire

4

Si'Dhuen was packed and ready to leave the city within the week. Being his first real venture away from home, he wasn't quite sure what to bring. Due to his ignorance and arrogance, he ended up departing with a large and cumbersome caravan of two wagons, a carriage and five servants. It was an odd traveling group, and he and his companions were told as much at almost every village they stopped in.
Unfortunately for Si'Dhuen, many of his "supplies" were not long lived, lost to carelessness on the road or seedy merchants looking to profit. Several fruitless months into his search, the caravan was reduced to a single wagon and two servants.
Si'Dhuen seethed in frustration, reviewing all of the useless informants he had met. Months of wandering up and down the coast had generated no useful information. The trip to the east of the Lowe Slate Sierras was equally as fruitless. This did not sit well with him. He did not expect much from the villages and smaller townships where the wagon stopped. Many of them were too small to warrant a temple, let alone a library. But to have come up empty for the entire trip was something he did not expect, and this wandering began to wear on him.
The wagon made it through the northern pass in the mountains just as night began to fall. Up ahead, one of Si'Dhuen's servants spotted a grouping of lights up ahead on the road. They all knew this to be a village with a small inn. Grateful at the sight, they wearily rambled toward the lights, eager for the night's rest.
As they settled into the inn, preparing for a meal before turning in for the night, one of Si'Dhuen's servants asked for a word with him in private.
"I apologize, my lord," the man began, "but I must beg you to have me return to Trefrost Spire. I can no longer continue on the road like this, and I am sick with worry over being separated from my family for so long." The servant wore an exhausted expression, his eyes glistening with sadness.
Si'Dhuen examined his man for a moment, pity seeping into his eyes.
"It would pain me to see you go," answered Si'Dhuen, "but I understand your reasoning, Gustov. You may take your leave for Trefrost Spire. I would have you stay for one more night, however. It would be better for you to begin your return in the morning, after some time to prepare."
He then reached into his pocket and handed the man some gold. The servant took it gratefully, then turned to arrange a meal and rooms for the group.
As he was turning away, a small human child tumbled across the room, knocking into Si'Dhuen by accident.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir," said the child, looking up from the ground. "My sister and I were playing a game, I didn't mean to stumble into you."
This disturbed the elf. He was unhappy with the lack of respect he received the further he got from Trefrost Spire. Many this far from the city failed even to recognize his nobility.
However, given his exhaustion and the current disappointment in his search, he decided not to educate this youngling.
"Just be careful next time, child," he offered in response. "Luckily, you've done nothing to hinder my search for knowledge. You may not be so lucky next time." He wore a smile, but he finished his statement ominously.
"Search? What are you looking for, sir?" asked the child curiously. "I'm surprised someone like you can't find the thing you're looking for." He had risen from his spot on the floor and now looked into the elf's face with friendly intent.
Si'Dhuen sighed, and started slowly, "I'm certain you can be no help to me, child. If every deposit of arcane knowledge in this land has failed to reveal to me the secrets of necromancy, then I doubt you can direct me to the mysteries of the dead." He spoke arrogantly, and started to turn away with a smug expression. But, he paused when the boy spoke again.
"I've never heard that name before, necromadey, or whatever. But, my papa tells me about the witch in the forest that has scary things for friends. Things that smell really bad, with green eyes and that used to be other, less scary things. My papa says that she turns everyone she finds in the forest into her scary friends with some evil kinda magic," said the boy. He wore a hard expression, as if trying to recall every detail of this story with extreme effort. When he finished, he appeared pleased with himself, if a little nervous of the idea of a forest witch.
"Evil magic," Si'Dhuen whispered to himself. His mood turned quickly upon hearing this. Nothing the child mentioned was familiar, but he was certain that he had finally found a lead. The arcanist in Trefrost Spire had been convinced that necromancy was evil, afterall. Kneeling down on one knee, he quickly and excitedly began to press the boy.
"Tell me child, of what magic and forest do you speak?" he inquired of the boy. "I need you to tell me all you know, I even have gold for your assistance!"
The boy gazed curiously up at Si'Dhuen, who was still taller than him on a knee. The boy started again wearily, ill at ease with Si'Dhuen's sudden excitement.
"Ok," the boy began slowly. "I can tell you, mister. It's not much though, 'cause my papa tells my sister and I to stay away from the forest. Not that it matters, it's way too far for us to walk to!"
The boy paused for a moment and screwed up his face, mustering a great effort to recall what his father had told him.
"Ok, so papa said the witch lived in a secret part of the forest," said the boy. "Some place called the Umbral Grove. He said it was really far and really dark, so it's hard to walk through. Most of the roads go around, though. I guess people don't like that part much."
The boy then looked up, apparently spent in his effort and knowledge. Si'Dhuen smiled, retrieved a gold coin from his pocket and placed it in the boy's hand.
"Thank you, dear child," he said, still smiling down at the child with great appreciation. "I believe I am finally making headway with my search, all due to your invaluable assistance."
"That's ok, mister," said the boy, looking wondrously at the gold in his palm. He pocketed the coin and looked back up at the man with a smile. "My name is Gareth, by the way."
"Thank you, young master Gareth. I am Lord Si'Dhuen of Trefrost Spire. I will remember your aid well," said Si'dhuen extravagantly, drawing himself up in a dignified stance.
"Whoa," whispered the boy, struck suddenly with awe. He continued to stare with wide eyes as Si'Dhuen rose, bowed slightly and strode past him to retire to his room. Alone at last, he dressed for bed and mounted the large bed he had to himself and drifted off to a satisfied and well earned sleep.
Rising early the next morning,  Si'Dhuen and his last remaining servant, Lessandra, bid farewell to Gustov and collected their wagon to continue their journey.