[Solo] An Adventurer's Life...

[Vaeron]

He sent a letter back to his home, in the fortress of the Gilded Lily, where he was surrounded by women of no low beauty and quality.

It took him an hour to ride to an outpost where he knew eventually a scout from the Lily would come. Supported as he was by two of Elthas' elven guards he looked awkward and rather posed as he extended a hand with the scribbled note, sealed without a signet. The recipient of the letter - a young human archer by the name of Ellierda, raised a brow as her fingers formed around it. Her eyes glanced to the two elves, who sat on their steeds a respectful distance from Vaeron.

"You are not coming back with me?"

"Tell Philomel that I will return when my business here is done," Vaeron spoke in a low, deep voice. "There are friends here I believe we can make. Potentially future allies."

Ellierda eyed up the guards, then raised a brow but nodded to the mage. "If that is what you wish, Vaeron. Though I would suggest you return soon, as the Matriarch is anxious for your whereabouts."

"The letter will explain it all," Vaeron replied, before spinning his massive horse around and heading back in amongst the trees. With his back to the Lily girl he returned back to Elthas' lodgings, the home of the elf with a betrayer for a father.

Over the next few days Vaeron helped where he could. He gained a familiar sense of trust with some of the elves, although the one who had poised an arrow towards him on their first meeting seemed to constantly be in the periphery of Vaeron's vision. The captain who had first persuaded him to come to meet Elthas spoke kindly, however, and gave Vaeron a dignified amount of trust. The human mage learnt that he was called 'Dierdon' and had a wife who lived back in a small farmstead, along with his son. Vaeron revealed to Dierdon that he had a daughter himself, though nothing more of it beyond that in terms of facts and names, and did definitely not reveal that he was of male inclination.

Sitting down with Elthas an evening later, Vaeron found it time to address his concerns. He had stayed because of the passion of this elf, because of the clear difficulties he was going through. Stress lined Elthas around the eyes and anxiety was in almost every movement. What little good Vaeron could do in the fortress was dust compared to the great swathe of fortune he might be able to bring here. Elthas had seen the way that the mage was able to wield his dagger and bow, and know of the energy that ran within Vaeron's blood.

Besides, Vaeron was not a stranger to elves.

"What are your plans now, Elthas Belthasar?" he addressed him with dignity and forthrightness. "I have only a few more days in which I can aid you, and clearly you have been struck by a particularly defining blow."