The Silver Sphinx

 

“Air traffic in the city of Sigil may only take place within the designated air corridors.

This restriction does not apply to the griffon riders of the Harmonium when performing their duties."

City Ordinance of Sigil

 

 

Third Guild Day of Savorus, 126 HR

Erin had to admit to herself that she was a little nervous as she entered the Barracks together with Da'nanin, her second-in-command and consort. After all, Sarin had invited her to his headquarters personally, and he had never done that before. On top of that, he hadn't given any specific reason, which was doubly uncharacteristic of him. When Da'nanin joked that he would certainly arrest her because he had found out about the Blue Jay, she had been tempted to believe him for a moment. She had actually felt a certain sense of anxiety, but also a joyful excitement. After all, that would have been an extraordinary experience. But in that case, Sarin would certainly have given her that special reproachful look as soon as they had entered the reception hall. There, however, they were greeted warmly by the concierge Diana, who asked a young half-elf named Jostos to take them to the upper floor. That was a welcome experience, too, because Erin had never set foot on the upper floor of the Barracks before. Although she had already held a few politically relevant meetings with Sarin tête-à-tête and had also met with his wife Faith on several occasions, they had always met in one of the ground level auditoriums – but mostly outside the Barracks, either in the Festhall, the Hall of Speakers or one of the upscale restaurants in the Lady's Ward. She didn't miss the fact that Da'nanin looked around with the same interest as she did, and he couldn't help but innocently ask Jostos if there were also interrogation cells on the upper floor where suspects could be kept for a while. Erin playfully nudged him in the side and he laughed heartily. If Jostos found their behavior strange, she hid it perfectly, because she just smiled politely and appeared neither amazed nor irritated. Perhaps she had already learned not to be surprised by Sensates, thanks to Naghûl's more frequent visits to the Barracks lately. Erin, on the other hand, was a little taken aback when she realized that the triaria didn't lead them to Sarin's office, but to one of the four corner towers. These were comparatively low, only one floor higher than the two-story Barracks, but relatively spacious in diameter. At the top, they offered a beautiful view over the Lady's Ward. Although the Barracks themselves were not particularly high compared to other faction headquarters, they were located on a hill, from which one could easily overlook the surrounding area. Her colleague Sarin was waiting for them here. Da'nanin bowed deeply before him, while the paladin, as always, kissed the hand she offered him.

“My dear Sarin, I am thrilled about your invitation,” Erin said with a smile. “Even though I have to admit that I hadn't expected to meet up here on one of the towers. Tell me, to what do I owe the honor of this invitation?”

“Well, you will surely remember that I mentioned a present on the occasion of your factol's day,” he explained politely. “But I said I couldn't hand it to you.”

“Of course I remember!” She felt the slight, welcome tickle of anticipation, definitely one of her favorite feelings. ”And I assure you, I've been more than excited for the last two weeks.”

He cleared his throat apologetically. “Yes, I know it's actually been two weeks since then and I've been tarrying. I could make excuses about having a lot on my plate, but who among us hasn't? Nevertheless, that is no way to behave towards a lady, so please forgive me.”

“Oh, don't worry, Factol Sarin,” Da'nanin interjected with a slight grin. ”You've increased the anticipation, and things that she can't have right away have a greater appeal for Erin per se.”

“Is that so?” A brief smirk crossed Sarin's lips and he scrutinized her with a look that was surprisingly difficult for her to judge. It might have been a mixture of amusement and the making of a mental note. Oh yes, despite his often so direct, almost brusque manner, he noted as many useful details for himself as most other factols – maybe even more. She had never been more certain of this than she was at that moment. Maybe he didn't use this information nearly as much for intrigue and scheming as other colleagues – including herself. But she would never make the mistake of ever underestimating how skilled he was at the kriegstanz. And she could tell from his look that he sensed her thoughts. So she playfully nudged her companion Da'nanin, to steer the situation away from any kind of politics and back to the core of their faction philosophy: a new experience.

“Really, Nanin,” she said jokingly. ”Don't tell all my secrets.”

His tiny wink confirmed that he had made the remark deliberately. Of course. She had to smirk inwardly. If you knew that someone else knew something, you could use that to your advantage. Not that she had such plans for Sarin. There was no reason to see him as anything but an ally at the moment. Neither was she completely sure that she could manipulate him - surprisingly. But still, no unwarranted step by her consort in the grand scheme of the kriegstanz. For a brief moment, she regretted that she was so deeply involved in the politics of Sigil and the factions that she was holding such thoughts even now. Of course, that was also the main reason for the power she held in the Cage. One couldn't have light without shadow, a lesson she had learned long ago. But she tore herself away from these thoughts and turned back to Sarin.

“But I must admit, I am very curious and excited. Especially since you wrote that I should choose clothes that are as practical as possible.” As if to prove that she had taken his advice, she pointed at her ochre trousers with the high boots and a simple walnut-brown tunic. However, she had insisted on the pine-green puff sleeves and the bronze shimmering lace trim on the hems. “What are you up to, hm?“

“Come.” He smiled. “I'll show you.”

He led them a short distance across the platform, in the direction of a flat building that had been erected near the crenelation, facing the courtyard. Now Erin also realized which of the towers they were on. It was the Griffon Tower, from which the griffon riders of the Harmonium started their air patrols. She looked at Da'nanin and the gleam in his eyes confirmed that he had recognized it too. The building to which Sarin was leading them was a flat structure made of simple granite, from which she now actually heard a bird-of-prey-like scream: the call of a griffon. The Harmonium's factol didn't enter, though, but circled around the shelter, then stopped near the battlements. There Erin saw a magnificent griffon, with a white body and silvery-gray wings. The impressive creature was already saddled, and at its side, Erin could spot Sarin's daughter Marinda, checking the buckles on the girths.

 

 

The paladin pointed at the griffon as he approached and put a hand on its neck. “May I introduce?” he said. ”This is Silverfeather, the lady griffon who has been at my side since I earned the right to ride a griffon about twenty years ago. She is extraordinarily fast, intrepid and a loyal companion to me through many battles.”

The griffon nudged him with her head in greeting and then looked at Erin and Da'nanin.

The factol of the Sensates beamed as she approached. “Greetings,” she turned to Silverfeather, knowing that griffons could understand the spoken word even if they didn't speak themselves. “I've seen Sarin on your back more than once, and it's an impressive sight every time.”

The griffon craned her neck a little, and Marinda laughed.

“She likes that,” she said. ”Griffons like to be praised, you know.” Silverfeather screeched briefly, but Sarin's daughter grinned. “Don't act so outraged, I'm right.”

“There's something to that,” Sarin agreed with a smirk. ”Lady Erin, I'm sure that a woman like you has certainly ridden a griffon before. However, I dare say: not in Sigil on the back of the one belonging to the factol of the Harmonium. Therefore, I thought it might be a gift to your taste.”

“Oh, it is!” Erin said excitedly. “It's a wonderful gift and, above all, a very surprising one. I must confess, I really didn't expect anything like this.” She looked at Silverfeather again with enthusiasm. ”I've heard that the griffons of the Harmonium are very attached to their riders. Will she carry me?”

“You heard right.” The paladin nodded in confirmation. “And to make sure that everything goes smoothly, I will of course accompany you.”

She turned to him, her expression a mixture of surprise and excitement. “You mean the two of us ... fly together?”

“That is the plan, my lady.” He took a brief bow. ”If it is all right with you, of course.”

She placed a hand on his forearm, a gesture she had adopted towards him during the past few months and which he now accepted without the initial slight tension. “Sarin, it's not just fine with me, it's a pleasure,” she assured with a smile. ”The Harmonium's and the Sensates' factol, flying on a griffon's back high above Sigil ... Now that's an extremely welcome experience.”

“I'm relieved,” he replied. “And as long as none of the flying SIGIS reporters are up there, we can certainly be relaxed too.” This remark seemed to call something to his mind, because he turned to her consort Da'nanin. ”Oh. You don't mind, do you, factor?”

The half-elf smiled. “No, don't worry, my lord. Not at all. On the contrary, I must confess that I envy my consort.”

“I had a feeling you would say something like that,” Sarin replied with a hint of amusement. “And of course decency demands that I don't leave you standing here alone in the meantime. My adjutant Amariel is preparing another griffon inside right now.” He pointed to the low building from which the raptor calls were coming. “If you wish, she will be happy to take you on a sightseeing flight.”

Erin smiled when she saw the sparkle in her companion's eyes. It was reassuring to see that the past few years, filled with a lot of faction politics and kriegstanz in Sigil, had in no way diminished his sense of adventure or his enthusiasm.

“Factol Sarin,” he replied, “You have no idea what a pleasure this is. I will of course accept the offer.”

The paladin nodded. “I thought so. My daughter Marinda will show you where to find Amariel and the griffon.”

The young woman gave a salute, which, judging by the critically raised eyebrow of her father, was a bit too careless for his taste. However, he said nothing more, but dismissed her with a curt gesture to show Da'nanin his ride.

“Please follow me, factor,” Marinda asked. ”You should know that Amariel actually rides a pegasus that she found as a foal and raised herself. However, she is also familiar with Stormwing, the griffon of Legate Tonat Shar. So you don't have to worry about taking a flight with her on his back.”

While Da'nanin followed Marinda to the griffon shelter and asked curiously about the story of the pegasus foal, Sarin had taken over Silverfeather's reins from his daughter and approached the lady griffon. Now Erin could also see that the griffon was equipped with a double saddle in which two riders could sit one behind the other. Sarin gently stroked Silverfeather's left wing, which she then folded in a little to give Erin more space. The paladin held the stirrup for her and offered her a hand to help her mount. Although she would have been able to get up on her own without any problems, she appreciated the gallantry of his gesture. After she was sitting in the front saddle, Sarin handed her the reins, but did not mount yet, instead looking back at Marinda and Da'nanin. When he was sure that they had entered the shelter and were therefore out of earshot, he looked up at her, a bit more serious than before.

“Oh no.” She frowned. “I know that look all too well. I have a hunch you're about to say something I won't like.”

He sighed. “You got me. Yes, I wanted to say that we should talk again about the matter with Mallin.”

“I think I've already made that pretty clear,” she replied with a hint of annoyance. ”I said I would rather go naked into a snake pit than work with that man.”

She could see that he was trying hard not to imagine this statement in too graphic a way. He cleared his throat briefly. “Lady Erin, believe me, I have not forgotten the colorful description of your refusal. However, Mallin has now approached me three times, more or less openly, on the subject of the prophecy. I have fobbed him off every time, but I did not feel comfortable doing so. After all, the Mercykillers are an allied faction.”

“Maybe of you,” Erin replied, unable to prevent herself from sounding a little snippy. She took a deep breath and immediately softened her tone. ”I'm sorry, Sarin, but please understand that this is a sensitive matter for me. And if our information and the conclusions we have drawn from it are correct, then other factions would be involved as well. I wouldn't mind the Signers and Guvners, but the Fated? Rowan Darkwood? By the Blades of the Lady, no. And I'm also not sure if you want the Free League on board?”

“I'm not saying that we have to work together as closely as with the Athar, the Ciphers and the Godsmen,” Sarin appeased her. ”But I should at least talk to Mallin, although I would rather not do that without your consent.”

She sighed and stroked Silverfeather's soft fur with her right hand. “All right, Sarin, I'll think about it. I promise. But for now, I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't tarnish this truly wonderful gift with such topics.”

“You're right.” He bowed his head briefly in apology. “Please forgive me, this was not the best time.”

“Apology accepted,” she replied as he swung himself into the saddle behind her. “As compensation, you can fly some rounds with me above the Hall of Records and make a few Takers nervous.”

“Lady Erin.” He smiled. ”Did you just ask me to abuse the authority given to me for Sensate mischief? I'm lost for words.”

She laughed and waved it off jokingly, then Sarin urged Silverfeather on with a short command, and soon they were floating high above the City of Doors on the lady griffon's back.