Of Oaths..... (Part 4)

[Nilan]

“What oath do you speak of, Hand of Vhaeraun?” Dlavizz asked with interest. “what oath have you made?”

Nilan proceeded to tell of the oath he had sworn to the grey elf ranger, Llandrien. He explained how they had come to meet and how he had hoped to gather information regarding the god touched weapons, the moonblade among others. The oath had been Llandrien’s price for that information and for future information the ranger would share. To the assassin no price was too high if it would aid in the destruction of Azoun’tvorl and the survival of his people…even one at a cost too high for him to pay.

The High Priest listened intently before speaking, “And you chose to bind yourself to this Elf ranger, instead of using a pawn to find the information for you?”

Nilan narrowed his eyes suddenly, “I bind myself to none but Vhaeraun. I stated I merely gave an oath.”

“You give false oaths?” came the inquiry, “Oaths are indeed binding unless they are false.”

Nilan held the High Priest’s gaze and responded, “I gave no false oath, and I plan to honor it.”

Dlavizz nodded. “What did you promise him, Hand of Vhaeraun?”

“He claims I defiled an Elven relic, the amulet that Gurns wears. He and his Queen desire retribution, or so I gather.” Nilan paced and then gazed up at the High Priest. “He wishes that upon the end of this battle, that I return to him to Evermeet to face ‘justice’ as he calls it, for tainting this relic. In exchange for continual shared information necessary to this battle, I swore to him that I would return with him to the Elven city.”

“Did you do as he claims?” the High Priest asked.

Nilan folded his arms proudly before him. “I do not believe I have tainted it,” he stated, “I only touched it. If that alone means I defiled it, then I did.”

Dlavizz grimaced, “Why did you touch an Elven relic?”

Nilan felt as if the inquisition was already beginning. He was used to chastisement by the High Priest and had often bore it well. Inwardly, he reminded himself of that as he careful chose his words. “I had hoped to allow Vhaeraun to touch it, to perhaps learn something from it…commune…I…I tired something.”

Dlavizz frowned and Nilan accepted the sting of each well hurled chastising word. The assassin did not lower his gaze, respectfully accepting his punishment. He couldn’t help but be the least bit grateful that it came in the form of spoken words rather than a backhand or a fierce lashing.

When he was finished, Nilan uttered in a soft whisper, “Do you think I tainted or defiled it?”

“I am no expert in Elven relics, Velg’larn,” Dlavizz replied, “You intended to place Him upon it, however.”

“The relic is fey,” Nilan hastily answered, “And we are as much fey as the grey elfs!”

Dlavizz raised his hand “No, we were one people, once. No longer.”

Nilan began to respond but the High Priest silenced him, berating him angrily, “You learned nothing but that Trobriand could tell you were touching the amulet, and he took another shot at you!”

“At least we learned that he could control the bard’s body and gain access to his portals. A pity it would have been if we discovered that on the battle field while fighting the Vile One!”

Dlavizz took a step toward the assassin and Nilan could feel the anger radiating from him. He stepped back as the High Priest fixed him a cold stare. “It is a good thing you are learning about Azoun’tvorl’s host and its layers”

Nilan didn’t take his eyes off of Dlavizz. “Yes,…I know…and I know had I not be you’d be taking pleasure in flaying the skin from my back for my insolence.”

“You constantly give me cause to flay you for insolence,” Dlavizz responded, “Yet He has asked otherwise from me, so I follow His wishes.”

The two stood in silence for some time and it was Nilan who spoke first. “After the battle is won…the oath I gave…does honoring it serve Vhaeraun or our purpose in the greater scheme…”

The High Priest held his gaze intently. “If you break your oath, Hand of Vhaeraun, that will stay with you forever.”

Nilan nodded and replied solemnly, “I…I can not break it…if I run, I betray not only myself but our people…if a step can be made in living in the Night Above then I must take it for our peoples. I can not run. Can you understand that?”

“Do you take me for an oath breaker, or an oath keeper, Hand of Vhaeraun?”

“Oath keeper, of course, my lord,” Nilan responded.

Dlavizz nodded, “I would not have been permitted to make alliances for the Darkside army if I were not an oath keeper.”

Nilan nodded.

Dlavizz held the assassin’s gaze, his tone sincere. “There are uses for oath breakers and oath keepers. The only counsel I can give you is that once you have made that decision, all other decisions will be shaped from it.”