The Eldars

44

The next day the group is shown the way to the main hall where food is provided for the hungry group. After that the leader of the dwarves speaks with the travelers and Teondae gets to have his time as a valued member of the team.

The negotiations last throughout the day. The others sit quietly as Teondae talks, or as Montani thinks, manipulates, the dwarves. Apparently the time communing with the earth spirit helped him a lot. As the day continues Teondae is able to get the entire dwarven council on board with the alliance. Something that had been thought impossible earlier.

Afterwards Montani plays for them all and it works its magic throughout the hall. "It is like the magic of the land, her playing is." Mant hears one young dwarf comment as they leave the hall.

Mant had never thought about it that way. But he'd seen Teondae nod to the comment so he guesses that it is fairly close.

"Young Eldar prince, do not be troubled if you cannot hear my music." Mant twirls around to face the one addressing him and finds himself face to face with a beautiful woman. "Not all do and of all the races the Eldar have ever been the most stubborn. Humans have forgotten, but the Eldar intentionally pushed me away. Once long ago the Eldar heard and used the song as freely as the Vacar. Open yourself to my music, don't turn away from it. You've come close more than once and here my music abounds. You will not reach your full potential if you don't open yourself to my music."

"And if I cannot figure it out?"

The woman smiles sadly, "In the coming times the defenders of good will need all the help they can get. I think you know what will happen if your full potential is unmet."

"How? How do I find the music?"

The woman smiles once more, but this time with a slight mischievous look to it, "Ask the young elf to help you meditate. He too is looking for my music." With that she disappears as Montani comes up and puts her arms around Mant.

"She only gives instructions to those she favors."

"She told me to meditate with Leean," Mant says confused.

"Then you should talk to him and ask him if you can join him. Do you even know how to meditate?" Montani asks looking at Mant as they move towards their room.

"Not really, I often go to a quiet place to calm myself, but I think meditation requires more than just that. I really don't know." Montani smiles at his confusion.

"You can talk to him about it tomorrow, Teondae will continue the boring discussion on the alliance, but there is no reason for you and Leean to be there at this time. I think this other is more important for us, at least the part you play."

Montani sits quietly listening to Teondae and the earth music. She doesn't see the little spider come up to her or even feel it's bite she is so caught up in the music. It isn't until she tries to stand that the venom from the little spider makes itself known.

Teondae manages to catch her as she falls. She is barely breathing and it is becoming labored.

One of the dwarven elders notices the bite of the spider and turns horrified eyes to the Vacar Prince. 

Teondae sees the look, "What is it?"

"She's been bitten by an arbita, one of the most deadly spiders in the known world. We have wards, but still some manage to sneak in."

Teondae adjusts his hold on Montani, getting a better hold he looks hard at the elder, "What can be done for her?"

"Prepare her funeral," another on the council states flatly. "There is no cure for an arbita bite."

Teondae starts swearing viciously as he hurries from the room. He takes Montani to her room and sends someone for Mant. He lays her down gently. He hopes that Montani is correct in her telling that he too can heal.

As Mant comes tearing into the room Teondae is deep into his trance, listening to the earth telling him what he must do. As he is told he takes his hands and a glow spreads above them. That glow spreads out as he goes over the sleeping human, until she is encased in the purple glow. 

Leean is holding Mant back to keep him from interfering with Teondae. Mant watches closely, both what Teondae is doing and what is happening to Montani. He is the first to notices that Montani stops breathing and he falls to his knees in despair.

"All is not lost, prince. Now is the time for my child to shine. He has been instructed on what to do," Mant hears the voice of the woman, and this time her music surrounds him without him having to search for it. He doesn't see it, but the woman smiles in satisfaction.

Teondae works to rid Montani's body of the poison. She starts breathing again. Teondae's eyes open wide in shock and a small smile finds it's way onto his face. Montani has her own secrets she's been hiding. When he's done with his healing he steps away exhausted.

Leean helps Mant to stand. "She'll be fine, Mant. She just needs rest and when she wakes she'll need food and water."

Mant stares at the Vacar incredulously, "I saw her breathing stop."

Teondae nods, "Yes, but only for a short time. Go to her now, she'll want to see you as soon as she awakens." Before he leaves the room Teondae adds, "After this we leave for Malinor, correct?"

Mant is a bit distracted, "Yes."

Teondae smiles bigger, "Good. Better plan on a long stay there. She'll need it."

With those words Teondae leaves needing his own refreshments and rest.

Leean follows him confused by the cryptic words of the vacar.

"Teondae, is there something we should know?"

"Leean, my friend, when the time is correct all will be made known. But winter is coming up and we will need to be holed up as well. She is going to make this winter a very nasty one. We won't be able to travel. I think staying in the shining halls of Malinor as good  a place as any to spend the winter."

"Even over that of your own home?" Leean can't believe what he's hearing. He didn't think that the vacar would ever choose anywhere over his own home.

Teondae gets a faraway look to his eyes and a wistful smile on his lips. "Sometimes necessity overwhelms us with it's own desires. Malinor, is a good place for us to be. It is where they need to be for some time. The winter we might not see much of our friends, but do not-"

"Son of the sky, my son, some things are not for others to talk about. Teondae is correct, Malinor is where it will be necessary for them to be." The female smiles at both of them. "You've done well, Teondae. Now you know how, you will be called upon to use those abilities in the future."

"Is her state of your doing?" Teondae demands.

The female smiles the smile of a woman that holds secrets, "How could I control that? You both should rest now."