Passages from the Book of Sorrows; Pt. 5

[Aphanteus]

Chronicles of the Half-elf continued

And the half-elf came into the House of Sorrow, and all was well. For there he was in want of nothing, neither food nor drink, and all was provided for him. Neither did he fear for his life, for lo, he was under the protection of his priestess, the nightbringer and all the gathered faithful. Nor was he in want of a friend, for there was one who had become precious to him, more precious than life itself. And he put quill to page and recorded the dreams he had dreamed from the day of his birth. And it was good.

And he knew joys that he scarsed believed. For received praise for what he wrote, though he had been a slave. And he received honor for his dreams, though they were not his own. And he received love. And it was good. For he knew peace and comfort few could cherish as he did. But above all, he knew the love of another. And such he had never known before. And it was good. But such is not meant to be, for such is not as it is.

And in the fulfillment of time, he put his quill down, and he rested from all his work. Yet did another dream come to him, so that he arose and made his work complete. And he rested in peace and comfort in the House of Sorrow in the arms of another. And it was good. But such is not meant to be, for such is not as it is.

Yet in time did his heart trouble him. For with the writing of the Holy Words did his dreams cease, and came no more. Thus he walked the shadows, deeming himself sightless and deaf, unable to reclaim the blessing of his Goddess. So did he turn to the flesh of his precious one, that he might find hope in his blindness. And so by her words and her love was he renewed, never knowing of the light that crept into his soul. He esteemed her the very likeness of the Goddess on Faerun again. And in peace was he made undone.

In wisdom did the time of his proving come. And in wisdom was his task given. That he might show himself faithful, he was to take the life of another. And this he made so. With the help of his lover he made it so. For lo, he knew that it was mercy, that the suffering of another be brought to its end, and thereby make known the sins of the Countenance of Brightness, who was with our Goddess from the beginning of times. And this he made so. And thus did the unmanifested wisdom of the Lady darken the life of the half-elf. For though he was found pleasing to the task giver, the madness of the Moon moved through others so that he must flee from the House of Sorrow. Yet did the Light of hope shine in his breast, for he desired to run away with her whom he deemed more precious than life itself. But such is not as it was meant to be, for such is not as it is. In sorrow were they parted, and in sorrow does he remember that night. And lo, though he must depart from the House of Sorrow, yet does his heart abide there to this day.

So did the haf-elf depart from the House of Sorrow. In the company of two faithful did he flee. And they did treat him poorly. And they esteemed him no better than a servant of the Moon, for such he was. For in the absent of dreams and food did he dwell on her, that most precious love, more precious than life itself. For he was overcome with grief, remembering the fragrant scent of her flesh, the soft lavender of her eyes, the gentle white of her hair, the dusky dark of her throat, the tender song of her voice. With such was his mind and heart consumed so that lunacy began to reign, and he was undone.

And his fellows beat him, that the loving-kindness of the Goddess might be remembered. And they did treat him rudely, and no better than a dog, that he might have the words of his dreams known to him. Thereby was the love of the Dark Goddess regenerated within his breast and the half-elf reconciled to his faith. Yet, his grief did not depart, and it was very good.

Thus did his superiors abandoned him is a corrupt city, for there he did find that she was destined for the gallows and could not depart. With tears he prayed in silence, for he was utterly alone. He sought means by which to secure her release, but alone, he found none. In desperation he sought out the jailers that he might know more. And there he found others seeking her release. With gladness he walked with them, if only she might be made free. Though in time, he came to despise one, hating him above all others. But that she might be made free, he kept such knowledge unto himself.

In shame was his impotence made known to the half-elf, for though he sold all that he had that he might purchase her release, it was all for nought. For the hated one was able to secure that which he could not do, and at a greater cost than he could yet pay. For though the half-elf sold all that he had and became beggardly, the hated one gave over two friends to the slavers. And the half-elf's worthlessness was made known to him. And his life became of no account.

And thus, once she departed free from the tower, the half-elf set his heart toward a goal, that he might not set his face toward her. And at hearing the word he had so longed to hear, he turned and departed from that city. For he strove that he might remember no more. Yet in the absence of her presence on his mind, hatred, loathing and regret came to dwell in his heart. Such had he not known since the days of his youth, as when his life was the property of another. And the life in his eyes began to dull, as when his life was the property of another. Thus did he walk in the shadows. In desperation and loss he wept no more.

[Burt]

Good stuff!

Though uh, I hate Sharrans and stuff...those bastards!

[Misty]

Wow. Still powerful to read after all this time!



I always loved this:

For he was overcome with grief, remembering the fragrant scent of her flesh, the soft lavender of her eyes, the gentle white of her hair, the dusky dark of her throat, the tender song of her voice. With such was his mind and heart consumed so that lunacy began to reign, and he was undone.

But hey, I like my vanity stroked, too

Great stuff Aphanteus!