Mielikki's Most Honored
he
three squire/acolytes stood before the High Sister and leader of the
High Knights of Mielikki being reviewed for their own upcoming
knighthood. The High Priestess was outfitted for both war and worship
as are all of the Knights. High Sister Sandril Ravenhair wore studded
leather armor, and carried an assortment of weapons: a longsword on
each hip and a two-handed sword strapped to her back, but also, as a
sign of her faith, she wore a green surcoat with an inch width of
yellow trim along the outside edge. This belted, knightly symbol
signified the season: white with green trim for winter, green with
yellow trim for spring, yellow with red trim for summer, and red with
white trim for autumn.
The three half-elven, female squires (only female half-elves, and an occasional human, were able to become Knights of Mielikki) were dressed in identical robes of green with yellow ribbing around the edges of the hoods, sleeves, and hem, but this was where the resemblance ended. The shortest and smallest of stature of the young knights-to-be was Ellin Lighteyes, the scholar of the three. Her common looks, short, brown hair and plain eyes of matching color gave her a slightly mouse-like appearance (both of her fellow acolytes thought that if she actually did anything with her hair it would improve her looks tenfold, but she believed that a person shouldn't be judged by her looks, but instead by her personality and had continually refused).
She was the daughter of an elven wizard, and a long-dead human adventurer--the father she had never known. She had grown up with the elves, but frequently had visited the human cities of the central part of the Vale and had become acquainted with her human half in this way. In both societies she had been discriminated against; many of the humans had shunned her outright and the elves had felt sorry for the "half-man." This had begun her interest in the other worlds brought to her through books, and later in her interest in gaining knowledge in general. The Knights had brought her to the faith of Mielikki with no trouble at all.
The second of the half-elves (known as Celner DeMet) was the warrior of the company. Stronger than most men, she was also the tallest and weightiest of the three young women, but she was redheaded, blue-eyed, and gorgeous. This ethereal beauty caused the turns of many male heads--much to her embarrassment.
Celner was the well-loved daughter of two half-elven farmers living on the plains along the Rega near Elvenhome. Her farm chores had strengthened her body and slimmed and beautified her already naturally lovely figure. She had already had an affinity for fighting and a faith in the Goddess of Forests when the Knights found her.
The final young maiden was called Jathlyn Forester. She was one of the deepest believers of the worshippers of the Lady of the Forest, and the most outgoing. Everyone liked her; she flirted with every man who caught her fancy (and her shoulder-length blonde hair and alluring gray-green eyes didn't hinder her in the least) but never seemed to get attached to any of them and other women found her endearing and dependable. At first she hadn't been allowed into the faith because of her flirtatious natural--celibacy was required of this sect of the nature Goddess. She was soon found to be less physically aggressive than many of the others, especially when it came to sporting with males.
Jathlyn's parents had both been adventurers, but had died soon after her birth on their way to the village of Middleton--hoping to buy a home to raise their daughter in. A companion of theirs, known as Ander Handaxe and the lone survivor of the orcan attack, had taken the young child to Stronghold. Here, he had given the child to an innkeeper and his wife to raise. The couple hadn't been what the big-hearted warrior had expected: both had been ill-understanding of their adopted daughter's feelings. Jathlyn had found solace in the quiet understanding of the forest (thus Forester) and had already been very faithful to the Lady of the Forest, when Sandril herself had discovered her and had successfully argued for her cause when the council of clerics had decided she wasn't suitable for Knighthood.
The reason for the presentation of these acolytes was that they had spent their required three years in training and now was the Time of Testing. The Time of Testing was the final trial to be brought into the only warrior-priest sect of Mielikki's faithful. There were two parts to the testing: one part tested the ranger skills that they had been taught and a second that tested the individual faith of the women being tested. The Test was the most rigorous part of the training remaining for the squires. Their ranger skills would be tested in single combat. The creature fought would be searched out by each applicant individually (or come upon by the will of the Lady). The combat wasn't the most arduous part of the Test, surprisingly. All the hopeful young women had to prove their faith by finding and befriending a unicorn--the symbol of the Lady of the Forest and the steed ridden and befriended by every Knight. If anyone failed--which most didn't--it was in this second segment of the testing.
"I have viewed and approve of these three acolytes," the High Sister said formally, "Sister Ariss, please have the acolytes outfitted and readied for the Ceremony of Parting."
A tall, thin Knight emerged from the shadows of the natural cave, which was home to the Knighthood of the Lady, and led the candidates to the outfitting cave. The small cave contained several racks whose wooden pegs and shelves held weapons and armor of all sizes and shapes. She selected and passed out the weapons which she knew the young women had been trained to use. Jathlyn was given a pair of matched longswords, a dagger, and a composite short bow with two dozen arrows as weapons and leather armor and a large shield for protection. Celner received studded leather armor, a medium shield, a warhammer, and a battleaxe. Ellin excepted leather armor, a large shield, a bracket of twelve daggers for throwing, and a pair of curved scimitars.
"Your Unicorn's Horns will be given to you during the Ceremony of Parting," Ariss said after the weapons had been given to their individual owners.
The young women returned to their Spartan rooms to don their new gear. When they entered each found a surcoat matching the High Sister's and new traveling equipment, such as foodstuffs, blankets, and the like, laid out on their narrow cots. After undressing, each struggled into their stiff, new armor--with their individual problems. Ellin's leathers fit properly, but she wasn't used to the weight of the--usually considered light--leathers and her weapons hung too heavily at her sides--she almost was positive they would wear her out in no time. Jathlyn found the weight to be much more agreeable, but found the leather armor clenched a little too tightly around her ample bosom and she also couldn't get her bow to hang comfortably at her back. This thing's going to beat me to death within a half day's time. Celner found the armor to be light and comfortable to wear, but she couldn't find an easily reached place to hang her new battleaxe. I'm going to have to contort myself just to reach it. All three strapped their shields to their backs atop their already-stocked backpacks and then adjusted their surcoats to remove the ever-present wrinkles. They met in the hallway outside their small, now-even-emptier cells, and walked to the cave mouth together.
All the Knights on premises (only two people other than the four involved in the Ceremony) gathered outside the Lady's Cave to see the trio off and watch the Ceremony of Parting. The three mentors of the acolytes stood together to the right of the High Sister. Each was holding a spear of great length upright before them. The long spears had strong, mithril-silver heads and were of the best quality available without enchantment. This long spear was known as the Unicorn's horn and was the symbol of the order. Every Knight carried one on their individual mounts and used it in their first attack whenever possible.
The trio exited the cave and stopped before their gathered elders. After a moment of silence, Sandril Ravenhair asked the final question.
"As you leave the protection of the Lady's Cave, will you be alone?"
The trio each invoked the response individually, "Mielikki will accompany me on my life's journey until its end and beyond." Then, the Ceremony gained a lighter attitude with all the already-knighted sisters saying good-bye to the three and wishing them luck. After everyone had said their farewells, the three teachers hugged their individual students and passed them their new Unicorn's Horns.
"Good luck on your quests, Little Sisters," Sandril said with a warm, friendly smile, "Now be on your way, the sooner you complete your journeys, the sooner you join the order."
Ellin's Tale
Ellin Lighteyes left The Lady's Cave and headed east alone to fulfill her quest for Knighthood. The Elvenwood in which she traveled was a vast forest to the West of the River Rega and contained its share of monsters and Darkkin, but she decided she wanted to spend some time traveling. Ellin had decided early into her squirehood that she would fight whatever she came upon first for the fulfillment of the first part of the Test. She didn't have much strength and had never fought anything except for the Sisters during mock battles while she had trained. Her Mielikki-granted spells would help her in her battle and she planned to depend on them as much as her daggers and scimitars.
She traveled for four days' total, crossing the Rega on the second morning, and reaching the Darkkin-held Wetlands just after midday on the fourth day. After reaching these dire marshes, she had little trouble finding an adversary for completion of her first part of the Test.
It was soon after she entered the area of the Wetlands, that her enemy showed itself. A large, ugly head peered over a small, nearby tree and released a pent-up yell before charging through. The eight-foot ogre didn't have any problems navigating the heavy ground cover--knocking over the tree in its charge. Luckily, Ellin had been carefully watching her immediate surroundings and was able to set her long spear for the charge just before the ogre reached it. Her snarling attacker wasn't able to completely dodge clear before the broad head of the spear stabbed into its midsection. The ogre, far from finished, swung its heavy club at the crouching newcomer; who in her fear almost forgot to duck under the blow. Ellin quickly rolled backwards as she drew her two scimitars and came to a stand several paces behind her last position. The ogre grunted as he removed the spear from its side and took a huge step forward, swinging as it came. Knowing she wouldn't be able to block the stronger creature's blow, Ellin tried to dodge left, and screamed as a glancing blow smashed a bone near her shoulder. As she fell onto her left side, she was able to cut the monster's hamstring and was pleased to see its left leg collapse under its huge bulk. She, then, slipped the scimitar under the nearby ogre's chin and up into its small brain, ending its life.
Before getting up, she cast a cure light wounds spell on her shoulder to re-knit her broken collarbone, and praised the Lady of the Forest for her survival in her first encounter with death. That didn't turn out how I planned, the more experienced half-elf thought, Next time I'll plan for all contingencies. She was slow packing up her bags because of her shaking hands.
This area doesn't lend well to the presence of unicorns. I'll head back west to the Elvenwood and the forests along the way, Ellin mused as she tried to hurriedly finished packing and then left the area as if chased by a dragon.
Ellin's journey took her across the Rega just north of Lac Dettirn where there was a small forest in the center of the plain located between the Rega and the Elvenwood. As she grew near the "island wood," she felt a faint stirring in her insides that she couldn't describe--even to herself. She knew it was a good feeling, but it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. This place was somehow right. Her speed increased with this new sensation.
The shadows at the edge of the forest soon enveloped her in their comfortable blanket. It took only a moment for her eyes to adjust--and then the young half-elf saw him for the first time. He was ivory-white and had a bluish tone to his mane, beard, and the small tufts of hair just behind his aqua-hued hooves. This sea-blue was reflected in the flowing shadows and highlights along his strong flanks and legs. The single horn could only be described as a creamy mixture of blue, white, and silver which spiraled to an elegantly deadly tip.
A warm, bass voice came into her mind as if someone was speaking from the inside of her head, "I've been waiting for you, Companion. I am called Sea-Runner. What are you known as?"
The young Knight stammered, "I . . . I am called Ellin Lighteyes, . . . Sea-Runner. May I mount, or is it too soon?"
"The Lady decided upon our meeting long ago, my friend. I am your steed until our parting, which will be upon either of our deaths. You may mount and then we should travel to Our Lady's Cave and tell the rest of the Honored of Mielikki. Also, we have to get my Horseshoes of the Zephyr." Sea-Runner seemed excited about this last statement and crouched slightly to hurry Ellin's mounting. After Ellin had mounted, Sea-Runner barely waited for her to get settled before leaping off in the direction of the Lady's Cave.
Celner's Story
The Celner didn't have as much of a problem searching out her adversary. She had spent months planning for this day and was planning to kill some creature that was worth destroying, not just whatever came her way. She had finally chosen an enemy worthy of her attention two months ago. The beast was near the town of Middleton to the North of the Cave. She didn't know what type of creature it was because none had returned from its lair as yet to speak of it.
The journey north was short and she was in Middleton by noon on the day after the Ceremony of Parting. She entered the small, unwalled city by way of the east-west road running through it. She had learned of the monster's threat from the Sisters of the order, who in turn had learned from the Protector (as the mayoral position was known in Middleton). Her first stop was the Protector's office, where the Protector's assistant told her that the creature's abode was to the Southeast of Middleton in a small glade that was now overrun by thick fog and darkness at all times of the day and night. Celner thanked the young, female halfling, and departed with plans to reach the glade before sundown.
The journey there took much less time than expected and she stood before the small glade in only an hour. The glade measured less than six paces across and only about ten paces in length forming an oval of sultry blackness surrounded by rolling fog that disappeared into the shifting darkness. She circled the glade silently several times; listening carefully for any sounds that would identify the creature within the evil-smelling glade.
After getting nothing from her observations, she readied her shield on her left forearm and held her spear before her. The oily fog grew up around her as if she were wading into water and the darkness blotted out her vision completely. The sound of her footsteps seemed dull and distant in the thick fog and she couldn't place the direction from which they were coming even though she knew they were directly under her. Only her breathing and thumping heart were as audible as usual and in her excited state both sounded at least twice as loud as they normally were.
A growl faded through the fog seemingly from every direction. She was instantly on guard trying to find the source of the deep-chested sound with her nose (having given up on her other senses). She felt a brush of air on her right cheek and quickly ducked away--not actually seeing the claw, but its passage was clearly defined in her well-trained mind. After backing away a pace, she stabbed out with her Unicorn's Horn and was glad to feel the spear contact with something. She quickly pulled the fine-honed point from her unseen assailant and slashed again; this time much lower hoping to knock the creature's legs out from under it. This second attack only served to swirl the murky vapor.
She again felt the soft breath of air that comes before an attack and flattened herself on the moss-covered ground. This time a much larger form passed over her and she was able to raise her spear and use the beast's own weight and momentum to impale it. The blackness disappeared instantly as the dead form fell on her. The gray light that suddenly filtered through the evaporating fog allowed Celner to see the body of the werewolf transform into its true human shape as it died. I'm glad I used the silver-headed long spear, Celner thought relieved, werecreatures aren't affected by normal weapons.
The now-bloodied cleric-ranger pushed the naked body of a female human off herself and waited for the fog to completely clear. When the fog had dissipated to only a handsbreath along the ground, she began searching the glade for anything of interest and hopefully some treasure. Her interest was quenched in the form of a small, leather-bound book that turned out to be a diary or journal of sorts written by the werewolf soon after the woman had first been infected. Celner sat down beside the small, crude, single-person, wooden shelter and read from the only page ever written.
Day of Wintry Parting
I am Lessa Darramon, daughter of Sanath and Julla Darramon, cleric of Lathander the Morninglord, of the Temple of Rebirth located in the western City of the Dettirns. I have started this journal to tell any who read it that I thank them for my final demise. It may seem strange to thank someone for killing me, but my life has been cursed since my infection.
It began several days ago when a werewolf somehow reached our area of the city. I was able to destroy the beast, but was infected in the process. I showed no signs for several days, but when I first killed, it was too late to save me. I told none of my fellow priests and left--they are probably still searching for me. I had horrible visions of my first kill--I'll not go into depth on the subject. I traveled north without supplies and slept without shelter every night before reaching this grove; hoping for my death. When the fog and darkness began to appear I knew it was too late to ever return--that's why the shelter exists at all because during the day I needed some shelter if not during my thankfully-unremembered nights.
Again most-loved stranger, I thank you for my death. I hope that you are some handsome young man. Well, that doesn't really matter--just that the matter is done with and I am at rest. Mayhap, My Lord Lathander will grant me rebirth.
Celner found herself crying after finishing the single page. I will help the Morninglord along, she decided, Mielikki help me. She ignored the bits of treasure she saw lying in and around the wooden hovel and found an extra set of dirty clothing to dress the young woman's body with. After the difficult procedure of clothing the limp corpse, she hoisted the body to her shoulders and began walking in the direction of the Lady's Cave, emotionally numb.
The hours seemed to go on and on. Celner found it was difficult to travel any distance while carrying a corpse. She had to stop every hour to rest of a quarter of that time. Luckily, it was only five hours into the first day when Mielikki's favor touched her.
She heard the faint pounding of hooves in the distance and felt a sensation of coming fulfillment. The only feeling similar to this that Celner had ever experienced was the only time she had been kissed--for reasons of physical love. She stopped and turned to see a pale, white unicorn with golden, cloven hooves and a shining, creamy-gold horn.
The huge male unicorn came to a stop about a pace from the burdened, young woman, and used its telepathy to ask, "Lady Mielikki has sent me to help you, my rider. Lay the cleric's corpse across my back and walk beside me."
Before moving, the tired half-elf began speaking, "I am Celner DeMet. What are you called, my beautiful steed?"
"Celner DeMet, a beautiful name," the young male mused before thinking to her, "I am known as Sillmeran the Younger. Don't include 'the Younger,' it only is there to keep me and my grand-sire separate in conversation, and more seriously--I really don't like it."
Celner smiled slightly at the silent complaint and lifted the body onto his broad, heavily muscled back. Their journey continued on toward the Lady's Cave, each silently hoping that someone would be able to bring life back to the cleric's still form.
Jathlyn's Tale
Jathlyn was confident that hers would be the simplest quest because of her deep belief in Lady Mielikki--but the Watcher Over Rangers had greater plans for her and, as she would soon learn, would Test her harshly. She began like many of the others throughout history; leaving alone after the Ceremony of Parting and heading whatever direction her feet took her--in her case due south. She had decided upon this route in the previous weeks when she had heard of the ills faced by her unknown elven kin.
After traveling only a day, she walked into a glade which held four hungry-looking wolves. Alarmed, she readied herself as they turned on her, until a booming voice from the surrounding forest yelled, "Get back!" Riding the tail of his words, a very tall man wearing a flapping cape of bearskin and heavy, hide armor all but flew into the small clearing and attacked the wolves. The flail he used swung up and down cracking the skulls of the black-furred hunters. The battle was soon over with the untouched man smiling over the crumpled bodies.
"Thank you," Jathlyn stammered finally seeing the man in full. He was one of the tallest men she had ever seen and one of the strongest. He had a furious presence emanating from him that Jathlyn found interestingly attractive. The man moved toward her with a beaming smile. When smiling, she knew this was the most alluring man she had ever seen.
"It was good sport," the well-tanned hunter said, "I am Randith Dartain. What do you go by and why are you traveling alone in the Elvenwood? It is not the safest place for a beautiful young lady such as yourself."
"I am called Jathlyn Forester," the half-elf said, blushing, "I'm here on a quest for Knighthood in the order of the Knights of Mielikki, Lady of the Forest."
A Mielikki wench, Randith thought with a barely noticeable hardening of the eyes, The Beastlord hates them and so do I. Oh, but they also must remain untouched by a man--that I will strive to change instead of killing her outright. And then I'll kill her, when she knows she's finished in the order.
Then he spoke again, "Where are you headed?" The priest of Malar the Beastlord's smile was sincere--in its own way. The clergy of Mielikki and Malar had been at war for as long as the Gods themselves had been created by the hand of Ao and Randith's smile was perfectly natural. It was the smile of a hunter who had his prey in sight and knew that it would be an easy kill.
"I'm going south toward Elvenhome to see if the elves need the help of a young acolyte of Mielikki. I need to destroy an evil creature and then search out a unicorn to officially join the Knighthood."
The priest almost chuckled at the irony of her last statement, but he changed the need for laughter into speech, "Does a beautiful acolyte need a traveling companion?"
Traveling companions weren't exactly against the Testing rules--just companions who were also members or acolytes of the order. "Any company would be greatly appreciated, Randith Dartain."
Randith had been gathering increasingly more of Jathlyn's attention over the past week as they had traveled together. The moment of action would be coming soon and he awaited it with great anticipation--mainly because the act would better him in the eyes of The Beastlord, but her beauty didn't hurt at all. A small smile graced his face as he noticed Jathlyn's cloudy-green eyes staring at him admiringly. Yes, I will definitely enjoy this, he thought to himself as he made sure he put on a good show for the admiring young woman while he cut firewood for that night's fire.
For the past three days, Jathlyn had felt her body react to Randith's purposeful, but seemingly unintentional, advances. At first, she forced these feelings below the surface, but within the last day and a half, she had begun to doubt the celibacy rule of the order and had begun performing her own brand of masterful flirtations. An exceedingly expressive smile of appreciation here or a not-so-hidden meaning there were all that were needed by this young woman to add to her wonderful looks to grasp a man's attention.
It only took another day for Randith's charms to have placed her fully under his sway. As the midday sun forced its way into the high canopy of the elven forest, Malar's servant knew he only needed to choose a time to end her existence. It must be tonight, the impatient priest thought, Tonight, I will destroy her--both in the eyes of her retched goddess and in a completely physical nature. The travel for the rest of the day was accompanied by a sense of heightened anticipation on the part of both of the companions. Jathlyn felt something in the air of the forest that seemed to wait upon her and watch her, not in a malevolent way, but only with a sense of sad surveillance; like someone who already knew the outcome but could do nothing. Randith's anticipation was a more primal and ancient need that would soon be fulfilled as every animal felt in this, the season of new growth.
For Jathlyn, the afternoon was a web of interlacing thoughts and feelings that seemed to be brought upon by nothing. The doubts of the early days of the journey with Randith plagued her throughout the afternoon and into the early evening, but as sky darkened in the East both the confused musings and the strange watching presence disappeared as the nocturnal beasts began their nightly hunts. She began noticing Randith's attentiveness, and aware of his now-obvious flirtations as the sun slipped below the line of the horizon.
By the time they had set up camp, the acolyte made her decision, she would only go as far with Randith as acceptable by the order (which was quite far--if you only read the words not the implications of those same words). I love him, the young cleric-ranger kept thinking to herself, but if anyone was listening they would have known that she was convincing herself, not emphasizing something that she knew was true and was surprised to discover or was extremely happy to know and was in a continual state of bliss.
Jathlyn settled the pack beneath her head and pulled up the blanket to keep out the damp chill of the spring evening. After a few seemingly long minutes (at least to the nervous young woman) Randith came to her and slipped beneath the blanket on top of her. She reached up and wrapped her arms about him, and whispered, "I love you."
"I don't think that Malar, the Beastlord, cares if you love me or not. But be sure of one thing: I don't," the evil priest of Malar said with a cruel smile. Thoughts raced through Jathlyn's head as she tried to pull away, but the hunter was a strong man. She struggled throughout, but in the end he succeeded in forcing her vow to be broken.
After getting up, Randith casually walked to his large pouch on the other side of the fire and took out his Claws of Malar. "Now that you have had your hopes of becoming a 'Sister,'" the word 'Sister' came out of his mouth as if it tasted like uncooked meat, "I will end any other hopes that you've ever had." He pulled the Claws onto his hands and walked back around the fire toward her. His clawed, right hand scythed down toward her throat and was met by one of Jathlyn's longswords. He never saw the other as her right arm pushed its tip up through his lower abdomen and into his throat. Anger burned in his eyes as he felt his life flowing from him, and his left hand weakly lashed out at her throat. He came up short, and his Claw of Malar cut shallow troughs on her still-exposed abdomen. The three wounds began along the left side of her rib cage and extended down to a point just above her right hip.
Jathlyn pushed Randith's still form off her legs and pulled herself backwards along the ground toward a tree behind her. He was planning to betray me from the moment we met, the ashamed woman thought to herself as she pulled her torn clothes close against the diagonal wounds on her stomach to stop the bleeding. Later, as her confused thoughts subsided, she pulled away the ripped garments and placed her hands directly on the wounds. She murmured a healing spell and the three scratches closed, but instead of becoming a smooth patch of skin as if nothing had happened, it became smooth, but where each of the claw-marks had been a streak of reflective gray exactly the same color as the claws appeared. I, obviously, won't be allowed to forget this, Jathlyn said with tears in her eyes, As if I would ever be able to forget it without this reminder to help me anyway.
She sat shivering against the tree until the Morninglord's rose glow touched the sky to her right. Her tears had run out hours ago and now she rose in silence and walked to her pack where she took out another change of clothes and put them on. She gathered her things: including the longsword that she had left logged in the body of the evil priest. That was the last time she touched the body or Randith's things--she left all of them in the small clearing that they had camped that previous dusk. Finally, Jathlyn put out the fire with the pile of soil she had removed for their pit and replaced the topsoil as Mielikki wanted. I am finished in the order, but I will still follow the ideals set down by Mielikki in the past.
Jathlyn didn't know where to go now that she had broken the rules of the order. After walking away from the rising sun for a time, she decided that she would return to the Lady's Cave to inform High Sister Sandril of the reason for the failing of her quest. She turned from her westerly march and began moving north. Her route took her directly toward the Lady's Cave, unlike the meandering route she had taken with Randith. This path would take her only two days if she traveled constantly throughout each day from dawn to dusk without rest for food at midday, which she would eat on the move.
Jathlyn traveled throughout the day, considering what she would do with herself now. By the time the sky was darkening in the West and the stars were beginning to come out, she had decided what she would do with her life. I will still follow the rules of Mielikki as if I were still a Knight, Jathlyn whispered to the night sounds of the forest with confidence. Her decision made, the half-elf pulled the blanket up over her and adjusted the pack that she used as a pillow.
She was awakened at dawn by a voice entering into her sleep-shadowed mind, " . . . Sister. Wake up, my Rider. Sister Jathlyn . . . Good, you're awake. I'm know as Steelscar."
"Why are you here? I'm not in the order anymore. My oath of celibacy is broken," Jathlyn told the unicorn. As she sat up, she studied the beautiful creature before her. Steelscar was a gleaming white unicorn with mane, tail, and hooves of the same coloring. Her only flaw was a scar, from which the unicorn's name came, located along the female's right flank, it was a reflective gray in color. Jathlyn's scars matched the color exactly, and seemed to be made by the same sort of weapon.
"Yes, my scars are the same as yours. I was hunted by a band of Priests of Malar during one of their random hunting frenzies led by one of their Huntmasters. I was wounded, but I overcame them in the end," Steelscar thought to Jathlyn, "You have been allowed back in the order by Mielikki herself. That is if you swear to be the champion against the horrors of the followers of the Beastlord."
"I have already sworn that for myself, Steelscar, but that doesn't mean that I am still in the order. Why does Mielikki want me? I've broken one of the primary vows. I want to be a member of the order, but I don't want to be one without consent," the flustered, confused Jathlyn stated quietly, but firmly.
"There if one more thing that Mielikki allowed you back into the order for, but only she knows exactly what it is," the moonstone-hued unicorn thought, "Would you like to mount and ride to the Lady's Cave now?"
Without answering, Jathlyn mounted and Steelscar sped off in the direction that Jathlyn had been traveling. It only took a few short hours to reach the Lady's Cave on the back of the swift-running unicorn. Upon reaching the Cave, Jathlyn and Steelscar were met by High Sister Sandril and the other sisters present (including Ellin and Celner, who were both full sisters now). "I'm glad that you made it. We were worried that you wouldn't," Sandril said with a warm smile and a warmer hug.
A young, redheaded human wearing an acolyte's robe stepped out from behind the small group of sisters and stood at Celner's side. She stopped and smiled at Jathlyn, "I'm Lessa Darramon, a cleric of Lathander, the Morninglord. Celner killed me and thereby saved my life. I'll explain that when we have some free time later."
After getting hugs all around, Jathlyn led Steelscar into her area of the indoor stable, brushed the mare down, and made certain that she had enough feed and water. After whispering a goodnight to Steelscar (who would receive her Horseshoes of the Zephyr in the morning) Jathlyn of the Honored Knights of Mielikki retired to her sparsely furnished cell to say her prayers of thankfulness to her Goddess and to sleep off the effects of her taxing and emotionally trying journey. Before she drifted off into a deep sleep, she heard a thought sent from Steelscar just before the mare fell asleep on her feet, "My rider, I have to let you know what I have smelled on you. You smell like a mare carrying a foul."
A Midwinter Child
A final, agonized scream echoed along the passages of the Lady's Cave as the newborn girl was pushed from her exhausted mother's body. Lessa, acting as midwife, cleaned the child as it started to cry. "She has no problems with her lungs, Jathlyn," the smiling cleric of the God of dawn and beginnings said to her now-close friend. A faint, silver glow shone from the corridor along the line of cells. A beautiful woman, who was dressed as one of the order, walked into the cell and smiled sadly down at Jathlyn.
Jathlyn looked up at the woman with a warm smile on her face, "I know what you are here for Most High Sister Mielikki. Take my child. I knew that she was a diva even before she was born. I also know that she is as much or more your daughter as she is mine. Take her, My Goddess. May you love her as much I would have." The only thing that betrayed her sadness was a single, perfect tear that ran from the corner of her left eye down onto the birthing blankets and, upon reaching them, mingled with the blood of the birth.
"Thank you for understanding, Jathlyn," was all the melodious voice of the Goddess of the Forest said before taking the diva-child from Lessa's arms and carrying her out into the cold, winter weather. Those watching only saw her green and brown forest cloak fade into the whiteness of the snow-blanketed forest outside her Cave. The soul thing that could be heard was the young solar's crying in complaint at begin taken out into the cold which faded with Mielikki's image.