Entry 17: I shall wear midnight

Dear Diary,
 
It’s been five long years since I last wrote in this diary. Not that I’ve neglected keeping a journal—just this one. The day we said goodbye to our companions from Tarn, I set it aside. Now that we've reunited, it feels fitting to pick up where I left off.
Five years ago, almost to the day, we left Liliana at the gate to the Feywild, and we all went our separate ways. Today, we finally had our long-awaited reunion. We chose Erna’s Wish, the tavern in the Foregate district, for our get-together. Feyris, who has been working there and now owns the place, closed it just for us.
 
We were expected there at eleven in the morning. While I arrived on time, I was sure most of the others would show up hours early. Punctuality has never been their strong suit. My dear brother, of course, has the excuse of having to travel half a day to reach Keralon, so he arrived the evening before.
 
The anticipation buzzed in my veins as I prepared for the reunion. The memories of our adventures and the bond we forged kept replaying in my mind. I couldn’t help but wonder how much everyone had changed and what stories they’d bring.
Erna’s Wish stood just as lively and warm as I remembered, now glowing with a sense of belonging thanks to Feyris’s touch. As the clock ticked closer to eleven, I took a moment to savor the calm before the storm of laughter, tales, and perhaps a few tears. It was time to reconnect with the past and embrace the present, together once more.
 
When I arrived, right on time, my heart warmed at the sight of my old companions from Tarn already gathered. All except for Ileas, who had let us know he wouldn’t be joining—he’s found a good life with his clan.
 
As a trained witch, I notice things others miss, subtle gestures and fleeting looks. Luke rushed to embrace me, his enthusiasm undimmed by the years. Yet, in the midst of his hug, I caught Alistan's confused and slightly worried glance at my choice of dress. Gael welcomed me with a genuine smile, and so did Dadroz, though his smile was just a veneer, masking the deep curiosity typical of those who walk his path.
 
The greatest change, however, was in Liliana. Like Gael and Dadroz, she smiled, but there was a hint of cold detachment beneath it. Her once dark, lustrous waves had turned to white, her eyes now an icy blue, reflecting the effects of her time spent in the realm of the Winter Queen. But the transformation didn’t stop at her appearance. I could sense an internal shift, a hardening, likely the result of her prolonged exposure to the fey.
 
As we settled in, the air buzzed with the energy of our reunion. The tavern, closed for our private gathering, felt like a cocoon of nostalgia and new beginnings. Feyris had transformed it into a warm haven, the perfect backdrop for our stories to unfold once more.
 
“I see you have not brought a new companion,” I said teasingly to Luke, my voice tinged with genuine affection.
 
Luke grunted, “not this time sister”
 
As we sat down, the conversations flowed easily, punctuated by laughter and exclamations of surprise. Each of us had changed in ways both big and small, but the bond we forged in our shared adventures remained strong.
 
Despite the joy of the reunion, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Liliana’s transformation was more profound than she let on. Her time in the Feywild had left an indelible mark, and I wondered how it had truly changed her. But for now, I pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the here and now, reveling in the company of my dear friends.
 
I kept my observations to myself, of course, and after Luke pushed a glass of wine into my hand, I decided to sit back and listen. He regaled us with amusing stories about his romantic entanglements over the past five years, his animated recounting of his escapades with Lyra drawing hearty laughter from the group.
 
In the middle of one of his tales, the door swung open, and two heavily armored men stepped in. For a tense moment, we braced for trouble, but then they moved aside, and Elsa strode in, looking as if she had just come from court. Which, as it turned out, she had. She greeted everyone with polite hugs, accepted a glass of wine, and took a seat.
 
Elsa’s transformation was as remarkable as Liliana’s, though in a different way. Her years of training at a finishing school had prepared her for a life as a courtier, and she had embraced this role with grace and poise. She mentioned hearing about some of us at court, her gaze lingering on Luke, implying it might not have been flattering news.
 
Our conversation was abruptly cut short by the sound of fighting outside. Moments later, one of Elsa's guards was knocked through the door. A smile spread across my face as Dorr appeared in the doorway, looking as rugged and determined as ever. The guards had tried to refuse him entry, but he wasn't having any of it. Elsa dismissed her guards with a wave of her hand, and I pushed a large tankard of ale into Dorr’s hand before hugging him tightly.
 
"Dorr, it's good to see you," I said, pulling back to look at him.
 
"Likewise," he replied with a grin, taking a long swig from the tankard.
 
With everyone finally gathered, the atmosphere in the tavern shifted to one of celebration. We shared stories, laughter, and a sense of camaraderie that time and distance had not diminished. The years had changed us all in different ways, but the bond we shared was as strong as ever.
 
The topic then shifted to the war with the Fenhunter. Both Alistan and Dorr recounted their experiences in the battle. When I mentioned that I had been there as well, Alistan seemed puzzled. I clarified that I hadn't fought but had arrived afterward to help heal the wounded and bury the dead. What I didn't mention was that I had tended to both sides, not just Keralon's. It was on that fateful day that I met two of my dearest friends, Zem and Saphira.
 
Luke, predictably, focused his attention on Elsa, while the rest of us engaged in small talk. Suddenly, the town bell started ringing in a sequence that signaled an alarm. This was highly unusual, so we all rushed outside to see what was happening. As people pointed toward the north gate, I sent Fiachna into the sky to scout ahead.
 
The sight through Fiachna’s eyes sent a chill down my spine. A large army was marching toward the gate, bearing the colors of the Fenhunter. The only plausible explanation for how such a force had approached undetected was the use of powerful magic.
 
Panic gripped the town as the bells continued to sound their urgent warning. The streets filled with townsfolk, their faces etched with fear and confusion.
 
My companions, ever eager to assist, rushed to the gate and offered their help to the overwhelmed guards. Watching Alistan negotiate with the guards, I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia. Despite the years that had passed, some things never changed. However, the guards, bound by protocol, insisted that since we weren't part of the army or the knights, we should return home.
 
Sensing the futility of the argument, I suggested, "Let’s allow these men to do their duties and head back to the tavern."
 
When we arrived, Elsa was gone—undoubtedly back to court to help manage the crisis. Dorr and Feyris were perched on the roof, watching the unfolding events with keen interest. We joined them and spent the next few hours observing the Fenhunter army as they set up camp a safe distance from the city.
 
After a while, Feyris suggested we head back inside to enjoy some of the food he had prepared. The atmosphere shifted as we indulged in his delicious meals and listened to Alistan’s stories. One tale, about a cursed tree and some dark fey, had us all engrossed until a sudden knock on the door interrupted.
 
Feyris went to check, only to find no one there. Alistan, ever alert, caught a sound coming from the kitchen. We exchanged wary glances and followed the noise, hearts pounding with anticipation.
 
When Feyris went to check the kitchen, he found Vern Skald leaning casually against the counter, sampling some food. Vern, a former knight turned Herald of the Outer Rings, the hedge knights, looked up and grinned.
 
"Alistan," he said, "just the man I was looking for. And I need to speak with Dadroz and you," he added, turning to me. "You're all aiming for positions in the outer circle, correct?"
 
The mention of our ambitions piqued our interest. Vern's expression grew serious as he explained his urgent mission. With the arrival of the Fenhunter army, he had a critical task for us. We were to sneak out of the city and uncover the true reason behind the army's presence—without provoking a war.
 
We accepted without hesitation and began devising a plan. Our first challenge was escaping the city, as the guards would never allow us through the gates since we weren't knights. Dadroz suggested two possible routes. One was through tunnels rumored to exist beneath the graveyards in Huntington. The other involved paying off a ferryman in Fishtown to smuggle us out.
 
While I would have preferred the tunnels, as they also gave us a guaranteed entry back into the city, the majority voted for the ferry. When we arrived in Fishtown, we noticed people in a panic. I tried to calm them, assuring them that the hedge knights would keep everyone safe and that they should all just go home. Alistan and Liliana joined in, and our combined efforts were enough to spread reassurance through the crowd.
 
At the harbor, we found that the guards had already locked it down, preventing anyone from going out or coming in. Since this was Dadroz’s territory, we left the task of finding a boat or someone to take us out to him. Dadroz, with his knack for navigating the underbelly of the city, would know the right people to approach.
 
While he searched, I wanted to send a message to Zem and Saphira, hoping they might have insights about these new developments. However, I feared the village was too far to reach without Luke’s magic, which hadn’t fully recovered since our ordeal with Seraphine.
 
In the end, Dadroz secured us a boat and found a bugbear willing to ferry us across the river and back into the city. After a few failed attempts by our illustrious thief to reach the boat undetected, Luke and I stepped in. The guards were wary when we approached them, and one of them even fired a crossbow at me, grazing my arm. I quickly wove a suggestion spell, sending him home. Luke charmed the other two, convincing them we were there to secure the boats.
 
With the guards now cooperative, we secured our boat and headed out onto the river, moving under the cover of darkness. We aimed for an easily recognizable spot far outside the city—an old oak growing on the riverbank. When given the message by Fiachna, the bugbear would return to pick us up there.
 
As the bugbear sailed back toward the city, we set up camp near the ancient oak, its gnarled branches stretching out like protective arms. The night was quiet, save for the occasional hoot of an owl and the rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze. We gathered around a small fire, the flickering flames casting long shadows, and discussed our plan for the morning.
 
"We need to find out why this army is here without provoking a conflict," Alistan reiterated, his eyes reflecting the firelight.
 
Dadroz nodded, "We should start by observing their camp. See if we can find any clues."
 
"I'll send Fiachna ahead to scout," I said, stroking my familiar's feathers. "She can give us a bird's-eye view of the camp."
 
As we settled down for the night, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were on the brink of something monumental. The presence of the Fenhunter army so close to Keralon was more than just a military maneuver—it was a harbinger of change. With our minds set on the task ahead, we drifted into a restless sleep, ready to tackle the problem of the army at dawn.
 
1st of Nuan, 126 Era of the Tree