Having spent countless minutes, hours and days in the Lok-ri library, Drayke emerges once again for the dark corners of the vault filled with books. His well maintained chain armor had been placed aside many days ago. His dusty flowing gray cloak had been cleaned and still hangs from the hook that he placed it on a couple weeks back. In fact the only thing that separated his appearance from that of one of the servants bussling throughout the Keep was the t'lenarians that hung from his hips. Several mentioned it might be more comfortable doing research without them, but Drayke never set down his t'lenarians for any reason. They were an extension of himself. They are what gives him his identity.Walking down the hall with his shoulders slightly slumped, Drayke was feeling the long days of research weighing down on his shoulders, Drayke pushes the twin doors open that led to the main hallway. His muscles are stiff. His steps are heavy. Even the sparing sessions with Aedin are beginning to weigh heavily. The search for his past was more difficult than any journey he'd ever make. It was like the hallway itself was beginning to push in on him. The tiled pathway leading to the Main Hall and entertainment and relief found therein was getting longer and longer. The tiles seem to grab his every foot fall and soak it in like the ground after a light rain. Shaking his head, he wiped away the silver hair that had fallen loose from the tie on the top of his head. It was then he noticed something was wrong. The pictures hanging from the walls were not as they should be. Something was amiss and he couldn't place his what. That was until he finally rounded the corner to find Vorgen's semi cold corpse staring back at him. With a flash his hands were to the hilts of his t'lenarians to pull them out. However, instead of coming loose from their sheathes, the hilts came loose from the blades. His prize and only link to his past was now broken in his hands. And the Thaelostor of this great and noble house was slain only a few feet from where he sat reading his books. Reading his books, instead of protecting this house, like the Lady had commanded him to do.It was then that the flash steel erupted off to his left. Spinning around, Drayke turned just in time to take the spearhead in the shoulder. Pain erupted from the wound as he could feel his life force being sucked out of him. It was then that he looked up through his burning eyes; eyes that flashed like silver fire. What he saw next stole the little strength that he had left. Standing before him were two figures. The first a short red skinned foreigner holding in his left hand one of the t'lenarians that Aedin had sparred with yesterday. Its edge now coated in blood that only could be one persons. In his right held a bow that bore marks of a certain scout of the Lok-ri family. Next to the Irekei stood a tall broad shouldered Northman. On his right shoulder was slung a huge many notched axe. In the grasp of his left hand was the flowing once bright locks of the Voice of the Gods. Her once hued skin had grown pale and white. The blood that once flowed through her veins was caked to the side of her head, now dry.The Irekei spoke the words of a language he had no idea how to understand. With a nod its large companion through the Voice to the floor and grabbed his axe with two hands. Drayke could do nothing but watch as Aramina's body bounced once and moved no more. The Irekei bent down and pulled out a small object from the pouch on his belt. As the axe descended down upon his now prone form, Drayke saw what the Irekei held. It was the finger of the Thaelostor of this house. Upon it still bore the crest of the House Lok-ri..
Jumping out of his seat, Drayke crashes down onto the floor next to the table full of books before him. As tomes and scrolls scattered in every direction, Drayke rolled backwards and was up on his feet. Looking around the room, Drayke pushed his t'lenarians back into their sheathes, shook his head and chuckled in spite of the nightmare he just had. He had researched well into the night and his body now ached. Drayke walked over to the large window that shone out onto the garden and looked outside. The morning was pushing towards midday and the sun was bright. Thinking that it was time to get some air and close the books for a day, closed the curtains and made his way downstairs. Walking down the hall with his shoulders slightly slumped, Drayke was feeling the long days of research weighing down on his shoulders, Drayke pushes the twin doors open that led to the main hallway. It was then he stopped and realized that this looked the same way as his dream. Deciding to take another way in order to not tempt fate, he made his way around another way to the gardens.Aramina took pride in the way the garden looked. It was one of the ways she communed with the Lady. Rounding a corner, Drayke nearing ran straight into Voice herself. Drayke quickly retraced a few steps and offered his hand down to Lady Aramina. He startled her and she had fallen off of her stool.Giggling slightly, Aramina took his offered hand and made her way to her feet again. "Thank you, Drayke." Noticing the look that the ranger wore, Aramina asks, "What bothers you, Drayke? You look forlorn and lost. Tis not a look that I can allow in my garden. Either change it now or leave." The sparkle in her eyes shown that the sharp tone was just a ruse masking the playful intentions."Well M'lady. I've spent a long time looking for my link to House Lok-ri. I am not a scribe. I have had more cuts from parchment in the last three weeks then I've had cuts from a sword in the last three months. Every trail that I have followed has come up empty; every tie loosened before I found a hint of proof. Vorgen has told me that it was up to me to find the link and I just can't find one. The Great Lady has sent me here for this I am sure, but I just don't understand why I can't find the answer. I am sorry, M'lady for the look. I'll try to not let it get me down.""Well, have you asked for help yet?," the Lady asked. "Does every hunt come up easy? Does every trail open up wide and clear? I think not. Braialla has given you the skills to track any animal through the woods. Think of this as a different kind of animal. Tell you what, let me finish up here and I'll be up to give you a hand. Now I really must get back to my watering." With a smile, Aramina turned and sat back down on her stool marking the discussion to be at an end."Thank you M'lady. Any help will be most welcome." Drayke turned and headed back to the library upstairs. No animal had been able to escape his tracking ability before and he wasn't going to let this one.
Over the next week, Aramina and Drayke spent most of their time scouring through the library looking for any detail however minute to the names and places that Drayke knew about. Anything that would tie him to this House. It was the morning of the fifth day and Drayke was snapped back awake by the shout of glee from across the table. Aramina was running around table with a now yellowed scroll in her hands. She placed the old tattered parchment down in front of Drayke and pointed to a paragraph about two thirds the way down. Drayke bent low to the faded parchment, lightly pushing away Aramina's hair that hung down over his shoulder. Laughing lightly to himself, Drayke began to read:"It was during the battle of the Valley of Glimmerwood that Javedenteriel battled back the horde of trolls found within. His t'lenarians shone brightly in the light of the golden sun. Their reverse curving blades moved in perfect tune with the flow of his song. His t'lenarians though unusual in make spilled the blood of the entire troll hunting party. The Crest of House Lok-ri stood bright on the pommels of the entwined hilts of his blades. Great was this day and great was the fame that Javedenteriel brought to the glory of House Lok-ri."Drayke's hands were shaking. The description was a perfect match to Drayke's t'lenarians. Could it be that this was the true name of Drayke's father? Could this finally be the link that he had searched this whole time for?"Who.. who.. who is this Javedenteriel? The t'lenarians that he wielded that day must be the ones that I have. I wonder why the Crest was removed from the pommels, but this has to be the link that I have been looking for. This elven bladeweaver must be one of my ancestors. Could it be that he is my father?"Smiling brightly the Princess of Lok-ri Keep tried to hold Drayke down before he could fly away. "This is the proof you were looking for. Gather the information and make your way to Vorgen's study. I'll try to find Alexei and Turien. We should be able to present this to them this afternoon." With that, Aramina was rushing out of the room. Leaving Drayke to soak in every word of the scroll before him.
Aramina had gathered the other Irmaelin within the next several hours as Drayke went back to his room and changed his house clothes in for his normal, familiar chain tunic and hunting clothes. Making his way downstairs, Drayke walked with renewed vigor to the Thaelostor's study. Waiting for short a while, made longer by the reason for the gathering, Drayke jumped when the door finally opened. Sara jumped at the sight of Drayke standing right out the doorway. Moving off to the side, Sara allowed Drayke to enter and silently closed the door behind him.Once within the room, Drayke might as well have walked right into the middle of a Temple of the Cleansing Flame recruiting meeting. The strength from his legs again almost left him. Sitting on high backed chairs behind a large table made of dark Ashwood, the Irmaelin all had their eyes focused on the ranger before them. Drayke walked in and looked to them all one at a time. He ended with Vorgen, who promptly nodded for him to begin."Thank you all for coming together so I can tell you about what I.. err.. we found," motioning at Aramina. "It is a small account, but one that I hope shows you the thing that links me to House Lok-ri." Over the next several minutes Drayke read the account from the scroll that Aramina found. Upon finishing, Drayke looked up from the scroll and looked at the faces of Irmaelin. Hoping to find a group of smiling faces, Drayke was taken aback to only find one, Aramina's. Drayke awaited their response.It was Vorgen that spoke. "It seems you are correct. The account that Aramina found does indeed describe your t'lenarians perfectly. May I see them please?" Vorgen paused and motioned for the t'lenarians to be placed on the table before him. Smiling, Drayke did as he was told at once. Unsheathing the blades, Drayke placed carefully placed them in front of the group.Vorgen leaned closer to the blades to examine the open spot on the pommel. "There are a couple things though, that don't match up. First of all, Javedenteriel, my father's spymaster, and member of the high council, lived at a time that does not match up to you account of your father's age. Secondly, by the account that was read by you, his t'lenarians had the crest of House Lok-ri here in the pommel. I know, crests can be removed, but I can not think of any reason a member, let alone a member of the high council would remove the crest. And lastly, if my memory serves me correctly from the last time I read the lineage, Javedenteriel did not have a son." Looking for Alexei's nod of agreement before continuing, Vorgen posed, "If this is indeed the case, how did your father come into possession of Javedenteriel's sacred blades."Drayke felt if Braialla was tearing apart again. Vorgen's words were slowly tearing apart everything that he had believed and worked up to. Standing up straight, Drayke looked directly at the Thaelostor. "My lord, I have no answer for you about that question. I know my father to be a noble elf. He died protecting a elven village from the evils of this world. He would never do anything to harm a fellow kin. The protection of the People is what he lived for. It was what Braialla had called him, like me, to do."It was Alexei that spoke up this time. "Vorgen, the lineage is true. Could it be that Javedenteriel met with an untimely end and Drayke's father took possession of the blades?" Drayke had to use his entire life's lessons of patience and inner calmness to keep from exploding right then. The evidence before him was very condemning, this was true. However, he couldn't bring him to doubt what he knew of his father. Alexei continued, "I suggest that a further study is done by someone other than Drayke about the history of this blade and who was due to inherit it upon Javedenteriel's death."Vorgen nodded. "This sounds like a very sound plan. Why don't you look into it and see what you can find Alexei. For now, this meeting has ended. We will convene again, when Alexei has something more for us. Drayke, I am sure you understand that the t'lenarians will remain in Alexei's possession. As you mentioned, the blades are an heirloom of the House Lok-ri and until your heritage is proven, however bleak it looks at the moment, the t'lenarians will remain in the safety of the House." Vorgen stood signaling the end of the meeting and motioned for everyone to exit through the door.Drayke nodded at the Thaelostor's word, though he barely heard what he was saying. It was the gentle hands and voice of Aramina that brought energy to Drayke enough to leave the room. For the first time in several decades that he walked more then a couple paces from this beloved t'lenarians. Aramina was talking to him, but nothing was registering. Aramina led him to his room and sat him on the edge of the bed. For the next several hours, she stayed in the room with him until Drayke eventually drifted off to sleep.
It was the next morning that a light knock stirred Drayke from his slumber. Sara walked in with a steaming bowl of stew with some hard rolls on the side. Motioning for Drayke to eat, Sara points at the a small note sitting on the side the tray. Having acknowledged the note, Sara quietly made her way out of the room.Eventually Drayke stood up and walked over to the tray. The events of the last several days had left him with a huge headache. He felt like a minotaur used his skull for head butting practice. Grabbing one of the rolls, Drayke picks up the note and begins to read it:"Drayke,I hope you are able to join us at the Main Hall today to get back into some sort of normality. I know that yesterday was difficult on you, please forgive me, but I cast a simple sleep spell on you. I figured you could use the rest. Again, I hope to see you up and about later today. Oh, sorry about the headache. The spell normally is placed on an enemy, so it has a pretty nasty side effect.Mina"Rubbing his temples, Drayke picks up another roll and chuckles in spite of himself. Saying a quick prayer to Braialla, Drayke gathered what was left of his things in order to leave the Keep in case Alexei's study came up with a discrediting result. He would not stay at the Keep if his father in some way dishonored this family. He would not think ill of anyone, but he wouldn't be able to stay.
During the next several days, Drayke did his best to keep things as normal as he could. He went out hunting with Valcu for venison several times. He helped Aramina in her garden hauling dirt where she needed it. He tried to do the same things he always did. Except for one thing; he did his best to avoid being in the presence of Aedin, Areja and the other bladeweavers. To talk about his missing t'lenarians was something he was not sure he was ready to do. He thanked the Lady that never once was his bladeweaving skills were called upon. If one of his fellow elves were harmed because he wasn't able to stand with them with his.. no.. Javedenteriel's t'lenarians in hand, he would most definitely leave the Keep without even waiting on the word of Alexei. At evening feast of the third day, Vorgen approached Drayke as he was talking to Liahn and motioned for Drayke to follow him, "Could you come with me, Alexei is done." Excusing himself from Liahn's presence, Drayke followed Vorgen through the keep and then to the same door that he had been led through several days earlier. Following the Thaelostor inside, he was greeted by the other three Irmaelin sitting in their chairs again. Hoping to glean a hint from the faces of those sitting before him, he looked their faces. It was when he saw the frowning face of the Lady Aramina that his hopes went down. Keeping a straight face however, he awaited Alexei's word. The room was the same as it was a couple days ago. The only difference was a rolled up piece of cloth in the middle of the large table.Wondering what was inside, Drayke thoughts were brought back when Alexei stood and produced a large piece of parchment. "As it was previous discussed, Javedenteriel, occuring to the official lineage, did not produce a male heir. He had two daughters according to the official lineage, Alaustria and Jeavnor. Upon the Turning, the House of Lok-ri was scattered. This is where the official records stop. Javedenteriel according to history was not one that like to have things recorded about him. Being the spy master of the Thaelostor of that time, Laentar, it is reasonable why he didn't want a lot of things recorded with his name on it. Because our family was scattered there is nothing written down about what happened to him or his children. Hopefully someday we will be able to track down either word or remaining members of this family." Alexei pauses briefly before continuing. At this point, I was sure that Javedenteriel was killed and his possessions either stolen or sold. I am not saying that Drayke's parents were the ones that did it, but some how his father ended up with Javedenteriel's t'lenarians. By all accounts by Drayke, his parents were as noble as what we've seen from Drayke himself. However, there was nothing that officially tied things together."There was a audible sigh coming from Aramina, Drayke, and even Vorgen at this time. Alexei, with a very stoic and solemn face, continued. "There was one thing that didn't make sense to me. In the long tradition of Bladeweavers, every weaver will name a successor to his t'lenarians. Eventhough the official practice is not going on today, due to the Tree of Life, most Weavers will write down or document in some way who would get the blades in case of demise. This is more for tradition than anything any more, but traditions are something that we, elves, hold dear.Neither of his daughters took up the art, so they were not the successors. This left a very big hole that needed filled. Which led me to this." Alexei holds up another rolled up scroll. This one was a little different however. For on this scroll was affixed the seal of a Thaelostor, but not Vorgen. Upon seeing the seal, Vorgen stood and held out his hand to take the scroll from Alexei. Alexei handed the scroll to Vorgen and then sat down."This seal is my father's." Vorgen took a moment to run his fingers along the edges of the seal and closed his eyes. While everyone waited for Vorgen, Drayke tried to remain calm. The findings did not look good. Alexei, one of the best scribes that House Lok-ri had, was unable to find the link needed for Drayke. How was he supposed to find it.Vorgen opened his eyes again and promptly cracked the seal and unrolled the parchment. Taking a few moments to peruse the contents, Vorgen's eyes narrowed and then looked up at Drayke. Not saying a word, Vorgen held out the old parchment to Drayke and asked him to read to the council. Not understanding, but willing to obey any command the Thaelostor issued, Drayke took the scroll and started to read outloud:"By word of the Thaelostor and Lord Laentar Lok-ri, I hereby issued an order for Executives to be sent on a mission of outmost secrecy. This mission is so secret that the names of those elves undertaking this mission will be stricken from all accounts in the Lok-ri records. With times such as these that elves are being persecuted and hunted down, we are sending forth a small number of Executives whose sole mission will be to gather information and send it back to the House. They are never to mention their ties to the House under any circumstance. Many enemies of not only House Lok-ri, but all elves in general, will do everything to stop this mission from occuring. This account will be the only one to name the members by their true names. Three of the members of this mission are members of the Bloodless: Bakis Shadowleaf, along with his wife Alycyn, Freah Strongbow, and Veris Greystag. Two members of the troupe are Bloodkin: Braevan, Son of Tolerian Lok-ri, and Quixvyr Lok-ri, son of Javedenteriel. Along with Quixvyr will be his wife, Kylena, and their son.,"Drayke choked on the next word as he tried to read it. Holding back the moisture that attempted to creep into the corners of this eyes, Drayke looked up at Aramina. Upon seeing her warm smile again spread across her face, he steeled his emotions and continued: "and their son, Drayke. May Braialla bless their mission for if the mission were to fail, the fate of the House Lok-ri is very uncertain at best. All members will take on new identies and forego all marking and associations with the House Lokri. May the Lady make there paths safe.The scroll is signed with two signatures. The first is Javedenteriel Lok-ri, Spymaster. The second is Laentar Lok-ri, Thaelostor."Upon finishing the scroll, Drayke looked up at the Irmaelin and awaited there word. It was Vorgen that rose and begen to speak. "Well.. It seems that your long journey is finally at an end. However, there is one thing that still must be cleared up."Vorgen paused as Drayke took a short intake of air. Pulling up on the thread that bound the roll of cloth on the table, Vorgen loosened the roll, exposing a pair of unusual looking t'lenarians. "The one thing that I had to clear up was that empty spot on the pommels of these fine weapons."Looking down at his t'lenarians Drayke saw the crest of House Lok-ri resting back where it should have been the whole time."Welcome home, Drayke Lok-ri. Take up your t'lenarians and take your place as a Bloodkin of this House."