(BEST VIEWED FULL SIZE!) Bellikor continued. "With a bit of testing I can tell you more about these spells." Aranée raised a brow. "You have unusual knowledge of magical arts." A cloud crossed his normally placid face. "Well... Yes... One never knows what can be learned in the course of time." He avoided her eyes and began mixing powders and liquids in a number of small vessels. He tested each object in turn, and at length turned to face her. "The spells are no less remarkable than the items themselves." He held up the earrings and necklace. "Very strong physical protection for the wearer, probably a human spell. Have you had any... miraculous... brushes with physical danger?" She thought back to the Packran lion and nodded. "And this..." He held the headband. "Cognitive discernment - recognition of situations, possible actions and potential outcomes. Probably Elvish in origin." He lifted the dagger. "Most unusual, a very rare Dwarven spell: Swiftness and sureness of action." Aranée was dumbfounded. "What does it all mean?" He sighed. "These objects are of rare workmanship and materials, products of many different lands and races, infused with powerful magic. I doubt that anybody could have enough wealth and power to purchase them - if the owners would even sell them. No, it can be only one thing: They were gifts to your mother. Gifts to someone quite extraordinary." Aranée paused, then looked at him. "I have other things that... affect me strongly, although I do not know why." She held out a scrap of parchment and her Elvish sword. He examined the scrap. "Perhaps a diagram? Common Elvish script - can you read it?" "A childish riddle, a rhyme... gibberish... but oddly compelling." He nodded and lifted the sword. He looked at her in wonder as he applied his reagents. "You ARE full of surprises. This is mithral too - Elvish mithral: Not as durable as the Dwarven variety, but still quite strong and light too. The sword is of course Elvish, ancient, with the same unusual script as the book." His brow furrowed. "It too has a spell, and most puzzling it is. Drow in nature! But applied somehow... by human hands? I have no idea what it does." He sat back. "I just remembered something I once read... just a moment." He pulled a ladder to the shelves, searched a bit, removed a dusty tome and returned to the table. "Yes... here it is..." He opened her book and compared the first page to something in his volume. He looked up with a shocked expression. "My dear, I am sorry to be forward. Do you have any decorations on your body, there since earliest childhood?" She placed a hand on her lower abdomen and nodded. He stood very formally and bowed to her. "M'lady." Ignoring her astonished look, he tapped her book. "This is a High Elf Book of Judgment, only ever touched by royal hands. And that means YOU M'lady... are also High Elvish royalty." --- TO BE CONTINUED! View the series in sequence for the entire story. After struggling so much with the last one, I can't believe how easily this went together - and I'm actually quite happy with the results. The only postworking on the image itself is to touch up her hair and give her a bit of blush. PLEASE leave your comments or criticisms - your words keep me going! Image and story © 2009 by Larry Hodge