“I see you brought home a stray,” Keya’s dulcet tones were thick with a capricious taint as she turned a chair from the neighboring table and sat, uninvited, beside Mykal. Myst had fully expected to be greeted with suspicious glares, but was more unsettled by Mykal’s distraction by the minstrel performing an elven ballad. The moment they entered, he seemed to recognize the voice lilting above the murmuring rumble of the tavern, and strained to catch a glimpse through the throng that gathered around her. By the time they had gotten tankards of mead and settled into a small table by the back wall she had finished the ballad to rousing applause. Standing to take a bow, she caught sight of the unusual couple and made a bee-line for them. “I’m no ‘stray’,” Myst growled, scowling at the conceited invader. Then, turning toward Mykal, she inquired; “Someone you know?” “Myst… this is Keya Moonglamaer,” he replied, his lack of amusement clear in his voice, “a friend… with a very poor sense of humor.” “A ‘friend’,” Keya taunted with feigned indignity, “is that all I am… now.” Myst eyed the half-elven woman appraisingly as a pang of jealousy surprised her, and had to admit that she was a stunning beauty, with coppery auburn hair in a wedge cut, sparkling jade green eyes as well as a fair, bronzish complexion due to her wood elven heritage. Although she had only known Mykal for little more than a day, she felt a stronger bond with him than anyone other than her mother, who died when Maerimydra burned, but she was still startled by the resentment she felt when she realized that he had most likely been intimate with the alluring minstrel. “Maybe not even that… if you can’t behave,” he warned, his tone making it clear that he did not appreciate her insulting his companion. In truth, it hadn’t been that long since they had shared much more than just adventures. They had parted company on good terms, their chosen paths leading them in different directions… but he had always assumed they would enjoy each other’s company again someday. “Wait just a minute,” Myst interrupted their repartee as the implications of Keya’s surname suddenly dawned on her, and she queried; “Moonglamaer… as in the boarding house?” “Yes… Hacathra is her mother,” Mykal revealed, casting a knowing look between the two beauties. “Not that she’s proud of it,” Keya grumbled with a humorless smirk. Her mother refused to even speak of her father, and none of the other Moonglamaers, or the boarding house staff, were any more forth coming, nor accepting of her. If it hadn’t been for her talents as a bard, a vocation few wood elves were suited to, but held in high regard non-the-less, she would have likely been disowned when she came of age. “So… you’re no less of a ‘stray’ then I am,” Myst provoked with a sullen chuckle. Now she understood why the beautiful minstrel had been drawn to find solace in Mykal’s company… she was just as much of an outcast! ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** When I started this series its undertone of racial tolerance wasn't as topical as it has become in recent days, and I actually started these additional parts weeks before the recent incident in Charlotte. But fiction has always been a medium for bringing social issues to the fore-front. ****************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Additional Credits: * Victoria 4.2 by DAZ3D * Adventurer for M3 by DAZ Originals and Moyra at DAZ3D * Courageous for V4 & Courageous Unimesh Fits by Daz Originals & Ravenhair at DAZ3D * DMR Totem Cloth by Daz Origins, Danie & marforno at DAZ3D * Fearless by DAZ Originals & Moyra at DAZ3D * Magik Poseable & Conforming FX Figures by Daz Origins at DAZ3D * Mystic Hallow by LaurieS at DAZ3D * The Woodgoddess by Anna Benjamin & ElorOnceDark at DAZ3D