Elfsong

by Elaine Cunningham

  “Wait a minute—she works for the Harpers?”

  “I didn’t say that.” The archmage fell silent. “Now that your assignment is complete, Dan, we need to discuss the next step in your career.”

  Danilo nodded and leaned forward. “I’ve been meaning to speak with you about that. I’ve been talking to Halambar, and we’re discussing the possibility of rebuilding the barding college in Waterdeep. A number of renowned bards have expressed an interest in the project As you can imagine, many are none too happy about their recent role in the city’s troubles. They wish to repay Waterdeep, and you as well, Uncle.”

  “I see. And what would your role be in all this?”

  “For some time to come, very little. I will help fund the college—my ballad performances are quite the rage these days—but with the Harpers’ permission I would like to devote most of my time to the study of elfsong. Perhaps when I have learned the art, I will teach it to others.”

  “You did well enough the other day,” Khelben said. Despite his gruff tone, unmistakable pride shone on his face.

  Danilo looked intently at the archmage. “You’ve worked with me for many years, Uncle, and you expected me to become a wizard. Tell me truly, are you disappointed that I did not chose to follow in your footsteps?”

  The archmage shrugged. “What’s another wizard, more or less?”

  “Really,” Danilo persisted.

  “Really? All right then; I think that the only way you could follow me more closely would be to walk in my boots—while I’m wearing them. On the whole, I’m not in favor of that idea”

  “I’m not sure I understand,” Danilo faltered, puzzled by his uncle’s uncharacteristic levity.

  Khelben reached under his desk and took out a large, square box. “This ought to explain matters,” he said, handing it to his nephew.

  Danilo lifted the lid and took out the black, veiled helm of a Lord of Waterdeep. He stared at it in silence.

  “Well, try it on!”

  The Harper shook his head. “I don’t want it,” he said in a hollow voice.

  “Who does?” Khelben said wryly.

  “But I’m not fit for the task! What do I know about governing a city?”

  The archmage’s face turned serious. “More than you might think. Do you trust Elaith Craulnober?”

  “Of course not,” Danilo said, looking startled by the abrupt change of topic.

  “But you worked together, and effectively. The ability to form an alliance between disparate individuals and groups is a rare and important one.”

  “So? Any festhall owner in Waterdeep can do as much. You’d be better seeking your spare Lord in the House of Purple Silks!”

  “This is not the only reason for your induction. There’s more,” Khelben said, in the tone that signaled a lesson to come.

  The Harper sighed. “There always seems to be.”

  “There is an old saying, ‘Let me write a kingdom’s songs, and I care not who writes its laws.’ Of recent months we have seen how true this can be. Bardcraft and government cannot be separated, for without bards we forget our past and lack the perspective needed to evaluate our actions. Even the dark humor of Morgalla’s art grants us an important new way to judge how our decisions are perceived.”

  “And likewise, were it not for the turmoil and intrigue of lords and kingdoms, and the heroic deeds that spring from these, we bards would soon be out of business,” Danilo admitted.

  “Except for love songs,” Laeral said, batting her silver lashes in a parody of flirtation.

  Danilo grinned at the roguish mage. “Even so.”

  “There is also the matter of Balance,” Khelben added quietly. “Although her methods were misguided, Iriador—Garnet, if you will—was not entirely in the wrong. In our concern for the well-being and safety of Faerun, the Harpers have not tended and nurtured the bardic arts as we should have.”

  “Doesn’t changing a bard into a politician continue that trend?”

  “Not at all. You will still be a bard, but as a Lord of Waterdeep you will also have the power to ensure that this barding college becomes a reality.”

  The Harper thought for a long moment, staring at the black helm in his hands. “Now that I’ve finally chosen a path for myself,” he said slowly, “I’d hoped to devote myself solely to bardcraft Elfsong is demanding, and I’ve much to learn.”

  “So? What’s to detain you? Every other Lord has a profession, ranging from tavern keeper to courtesan.”

  “Now that you mention it, this new role could yield some interesting material for new ballads,” the Harper mused.

  Khelben snorted. “Just see that you keep your facts straighter than you did in the Shieldmeet ballad!”

  “Done.” Danilo rose to his feet. “Now that my future’s settled, I’ve got more frivolous things to tend to.”

  After a quick stop at his townhouse, he made his way, laden with gifts for a tiny elven lady, to the elven temple. Lady Azariah would soon be officially acknowledged as Elaith’s heir to the moonblade, and although Danilo would not be able to attend the exclusively elven ceremony, he wished to pay his respects betides. The elven toddler had stolen his heart at first sight.

  Danilo nodded to the temple guards and made his way down the long corridor toward Azariah’s nursery.

  “What are you doing here?” demanded a familiar voice behind him.

  The Harper turned, peering over the pile of gifts at Elaith Craulnober. Dan had not seen him since the day of their battle, for the elf had been long in recovering from the poison. Danilo noted that Elaith’s angular face was even thinner, and that his skin was so pale that it nearly echoed the pale silver of his hair. The fighter was clad in the simple white robes of the temple elves, but Danilo did not doubt that a few weapons were hidden among the folds. The moonblade, however, was not at Elaith’s hip.

  “I’m not visiting you, that’s for certain.” Danilo glanced down at the elaborately carved and painted hobby horse in his arms. “This toy pegasus is a tribute for Patriarch Duirsar,” he said solemnly.

  The elf’s face softened. “Azariah’s nurse said you have visited her frequently during my convalescence. I hope she is not permanently warped by the association,” he said, falling back into his customary acrid tone.

  “I can see that you’re back to normal,” Dan replied. He resumed his walk toward the baby’s room. Elaith fell in beside him, and the Harper cast a sidelong look at the elf. “Would it delay your recovery if I told you that your assistance against Lady Thione’s thugs probably saved my life?”

  “By several days, at least,” the elf replied tartly.

  “In that case, I’m so glad I mentioned it. If your recovery needs a boost, perhaps you should consider joining Vartain. He has more or less taken up residence in Mother Tathlorn’s House of Pleasure and Healing. Having discovered fun, he seems determined to make up for years of deprivation. By the time you get there, he’ll probably need to avail himself of Mother Tathlorn’s healing services at least as badly as you do.”

  Elaith grimaced. “I’ll pass. Cavorting in Vartain’s company is hardly an appealing prospect What of the others? What is the spellsinger doing of late? I had hoped he would sing at the ceremony for Azariah.”

  “Wyn plans to travel east, to accompany Morgalla back to her people,” Danilo explained with a sigh. “I shall miss her. She has been my houseguest since Shieldmeet Now that she has overcome her aversion to singing and dancing, my townhouse has become a popular dwarven salon. The cost of mead has been staggering, but I’ve become acquainted with nearly every dwarf in Waterdeep. I’ll definitely miss her,” he repeated. “For a time, I thought she might join the Harpers.”

  “She has all the annoying, steadfast traits of the breed,” Elaith agreed. “On the other hand, meddling is not something that comes naturally to the little diggers.”

  “Dwarves do seem to lack a certain requisite curiosity,” Danilo agreed cheerfully. “I’m not troubled in that respect, so I
’ll just jump in and ask why you’re not wearing your moonblade, after all the trouble you went through to awaken it”

  Elaith was silent for a long moment. “By elven law, it is the right of any to decline the honor of bearing a moonblade. That honor will fall to Azariah, when she comes of age.”

  “I’m not sorry to hear that. Frankly, you’re trouble enough without such a sword.”

  The elf’s amber eyes glinted with the sharp humor he so often turned on others. “It’s so comforting to be understood.”

  There was little Danilo could add to that. “So what is next for you?”

  “As soon as my health permits, I will take Azariah to Evermeet. There she will be prepared to meet the magic sword’s demands.”

  “She will be fostered there?” the Harper asked, wondering whether the lawful elves of Evermeet would allow the rogue to make his home among them.

  “Yes, she will become a ward of the royal court. But I will spend as much time on the island as my affairs permit”

  Elaith’s amber eyes burned with longing as he said these words. Danilo was happy about the elf’s homecoming, but he privately wondered whether someone on the island kingdom should be warned about the criminal element soon to be among them.

  “And what of you? Now that all the excitement is over, I imagine you’ll be getting back to the life of an idle young lord?” Elaith asked with silky sarcasm.

  Danilo smiled wryly and dumped the pile of gifts into the elf’s arms. “That cuts it fairly close.”

  Whistling the melody to one of his off-color songs, the Harper headed toward Blackstaff Tower. Before Morgalla left for the east, Danilo mused, he really should arrange to have his own secret tunnels dug connecting his townhouse with the meeting spots favored by the Lords of Waterdeep. As luck would have it, he had excellent connections among the dwarves.

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  About the Author

  Elaine Cunningham was born several centuries after the decline of bardcraft. Undaunted, she pursued from a very early age her love of stories and song. She started reading folklore and mythology at the age of nine, and her fascination with this field continues to grow. She received a bachelor of music education degree and spent several years teaching and performing. A mezzo soprano, she also has studied piano, classical guitar, bass viol, and lute. Although she has been away from music for a number of years, she recently taught preschool piano classes at a local college and hopes to resume her own studies, inspired in part by the time she spent with the bards of the Forgotten Realms.

  Her first novel, the Harper story Elfshadow, introduced Danilo Thann and Arilyn Moonblade, who also made an appearance in the anthology Realms of Valor. Elaine also wrote The Radiant Dragon, book four in the SPELLJAMMER® Cloakmaster Cycle.

  Elaine is a transplanted New Englander undergoing yet another uprooting. She lives with her husband, Billy, and their two children, Andrew and Sean, in a cat-infested home filled with books and computer stuff. Family hobbies include bike rides, hiking, going to movies, and haunting bookstores. In her spare time, she reads omnivorously, bakes world-class cookies, and writes bad poetry. She has a perverse fondness for lute music, Italian opera, political cartoons, and sick puns.