“That is none of your concern… human,” a gravelly voice drew their attention to another entrance into the vast chamber, and the dark cloaked figure immerging from its shadows. “You don’t belong here!” Suddenly muscle-wrenching pain shot through Courynn’s body, driving him to his knees, as the elven lich turned his gaze upon him, leaving a horrified Nymara to rush to his aid only to be overcome herself. “No… Andaerean… this is my sister, Nymara,” Calastra moved to shield them as she pleaded with the baelnorn. “She and her companion are only here because they thought I was in danger.” Relenting in his attack, the ancient star elf, looked to his pupal with a far kinder expression; “Very well my young apprentice. But my charge is none of their business, it’s my responsibility… and mine alone!” “My only concern is for the safety of the Yuirwood and those that dwell here,” Courynn gasped as the pain slowly ebbed from his body. “I meant no disrespect.” Andaerean turned an appraising eye on the young human, impressed that he’d recovered sufficiently to speak so quickly. His only real experience with men was over two thousand years ago, when invaders from across the Wizard’s Reach threatened their boarders, prompting his kin to abandon this realm for the sanctuary of Sildeyuir. Then they’d been regarded as little more that barbarian brutes, but this one showed a remarkable inner strength and spoke respectfully, so perhaps they’d evolved over the last twenty centuries. “You still don’t belong here,” the baelnorn announced, though with less of a bitter edge to his gravelly voice. “However, I will allow you to linger outside to visit with my apprentice if it is her wish.” “Thank you Andaerean,” Calastra declared thankfully. Ushering them from the chamber and back to the surface, she took every opportunity to ‘accidently’ fondle Courynn’s muscular arms. She’d never seen a human before and was fascinated with his rippling muscles, which elven men didn’t have. Once outside the tower ruins, she pulled her sister aside and questioned; “Who is he… and where did you find him?” “His name is Courynn and he found me… just after I came through the menhir,” she explained as they two moved a discrete distance away for privacy. “I would never have found you if it weren’t for him. He swore to help me find you with no thought of the danger or any reward for himself. He’s the best man I’ve ever known.” “What do you think father would say about you allying yourself with a human?” the younger sibling smirked capriciously, her tone implying that she suspected their relationship was more than just cordial. “Father’s never even met a human… and nether had you until just now,” Nymara replied, though her cheeks reddened a bit from embarrassment at her sister was implication. “All he knows of them is tales from two millennium ago when our people fled their intrusion into Yuireshanyaar’s boarders, which cast them as barbaric invaders no better than orcs. Courynn is nothing like that. He’s kind, thoughtful, brave and loyal… he truly is the best man I’ve ever met… and I don’t care what father would think of my relationship with him.”