Patrols led by Captain du Triel, his daughter and others had departed to reconnoiter what happened to the goblins and their allies. Silverleaf had went north, and Sir Etienne named provisional commander of the Calder Keep. In that time Elemix, Emmeline and Tiffanie had returned with Rivanon to Uzec along with three goblin prisoners the Lady had chosen to bring with. Upon arriving, Sister Tiffanie made her way to the Temple to find her wife.
On the way there, Tiffanie espyed a woman he recognized entering a nearby inn. She wore black and purple heavy winter clothing with raven’s feathers. From the look of it, she seemed to have just arrived in town as well. She disappeared into the inn.
Typhon slowly followed the familiar figure into the inn. Watching where she sat, Typhon went to the bar and ordered two drinks. She approached the figure in black and purple, and asked, “Do you mind if I join you for a drink?” Typhon then set down the wine she had ordered for Morgan, and moved to sit down across from her.
“You are back,” said Morgan. “And just in time apparently. Thank you for the drink, Sister., please take a seat. How are you today?”
“I am well,” Typhon said, as she took the seat across from Morgan. “I am feeling pretty good, having just been in battle not long ago. So how are you doing?”
“Well. It seems much is at peace in the world. It is a good time to be alive. I suppose your life has been jumping from one adventure to another with little time to rest? For my part I have been told to find you. Your true adventure nears. Perhaps not this year, but soon.”
“To which adventure do you speak,” Typhon replied. “The one where I finish Khord’s quest, or the one where I hunt down and kill half-brother. “Typhon said that last with a sly smile.
“Yes,” she said cryptically. “In any event, we are part of a larger story, one where you for once in your life have time to take pause and enjoy what you have earned. At least for a short time.”
“You know I hate it when you guys are cryptic,” Typhon said with a smile. “You are right though, for a short time, I can relax for a while. At least until spring.”
Typhon sat back, and took a drink of her ale before continuing. “How have your journeys been?”
“Revealing, saddening, maddening. It is as it is. I can tell you that a mutual friend of ours sends greetings. He asked me to deliver the following message to you: ‘the snow priestess is found and her goal enhanced and emboldened, she will in near time, deliver your dearest blood her freedom.’ Does that give you solace?” Morgan asked.
“Yes it does,” Typhon replied with a smile. She then touched the bear claw necklace without thought, and then the smile faded while in thought, then it came back.
Taking another drink, she asked, “Care to join me for a meal?”
“Of course.”
They gave their order to the waitress and when she left, Morgan asked, “you keep attending to your totem. What is on your mind?”
Typhon glanced at the totem before she said, “When we were in Storovan, one of their priestess did something in payment for a service our group did for the city. Her name was Matilde…” Typhon regaled Morgan of the events that happened with Matilde and her sister, Thora, and the terrible things that happened to Matilde.
“…upon seeing what happened to her when she reappeared to us. I knelt down, and with her own blood, swore a blood oath to seek out vengeance for what had happened to her. When you said that my sister will be free, it did bring me happiness. But thinking of where she currently is, I will still travel there to finish the blood oath that I swore. It is just one more thing for me to do when I travel to Snowmor,” Typhon said.
“Just to be clear – I never said your sister will be free. I said those that seek her whom you sent to seek her are emboldened though our mutual friend and will therefore try to free her despite the danger. They are very different things. Just as your blood oath must be fulfilled. But that I cannot help you with. Your sister being free helps you focus on what must be done. Your group’s actions have put a positive wrinkle what was envisioned, hence you have time to rest and enjoy life for a precious moment. That is our gift to you. Once that moment passes, you will be embroiled in bloody constraint to bloody constraint to suffering and pain and torment and yes revenge on many persons. Challenges you have never, ever, been presented with and decisions you will need to live with for the rest of your life assuming you have a rest of a life. Are you ready for that?” she asked.
Morgan put her hand up to halt the conversation as the waitress delivered the food. When she left, she added, “are you ready?”
“I have always felt that I will die in battle,” Typhon said. “It is up in the air what that will happen, tomorrow, 5, 10, 20 years from now.” Typhon shrugged.
“I can tell you this. I will with all my being, finish what I have started.” Typhon looked at the food, then said with a smile, “But enough of that for now. Let us eat, and relax. I’m sure we have both earned it.”
“You have and will. that I know.” said Morgan. She tried her dish and said, “you know the owners really know how to make a good stew. I almost miss it when I am away. By the way, there is a rumor mill going on about a miracle pregnancy conceived from two women. Would one one of the two?”
“I may know something about that,” Typhon said with a smile. “Someone pulled in a favor, and I was gifted with being male again for one glorious night.”
“Wonderful. You see, there are good things in this world. Good for you and congratulations! A child is a wonderful thing. I hope to have one someday myself.”
She ate some more stew. In the dim light, which is how they always seemed to meet, Typhon could see she looked younger as Ahrien said, but her eyes were old and intelligent.
“I have a question for you,” she asked. “You need not answer it if you do not wish, I do not mind. When we first met, you were hesitant, but open to my suggestions, and while skeptical gave my words a listen. The same cannot be said of your two other compatriots whom I know suspect me of malevolence. Have you come around to seeing us, or me in particular, as friend or see us more as a nemesis?”
Typhon tore off a piece of bread, dipping it in her stew as she thought of her answer.
After taking a bite, she said, “You are correct in that I was hesitant in trusting you and your group. I still am slightly, but that doesn’t mean I will not listen to what you or the others have to say. I like to listen to different opinions before I try and make a decision. I may or may not choose correctly, but it will be my choice.
“Whether that makes us friends or enemies, I’ll let you decide. But I would rather have a friendly conversation, then an angry shouting match.
“Does that help to answer that question for you?”, Typhon asked.
“Speaking of angry shouting matches, your colleague Elemix is on his way here. I do not believe that they approve of me, or you speaking to me. That said, you may wish to go before he gets here. I’m afraid I will have to hurt his ego to help him – not sure why yet, but it is what it is. However, if in the future, you wish to ask me the burning question you wish to ask, know that I have been given leave to answer you – once Khord’s will is secure. Is that fair?”
“That is fair,” Typhon replied before getting up from the table. “I wish you well in your endeavors, and hopefully your conversation with Elemix goes well.”
“He is a wizard, and a young and powerful one at that. How can the conversation not go well?” she said with undisguised cynicism.
Typhon extended her hand to shake Morgan’s, “Farewell for now.”
She took Typhon’s hand, “Farewell. I will let you know when Thora is safe if I can. I foresee we will meet again before the week is out in any event. Take care.”
Typhon then left the tavern to head to the temple, in search for her wife.