Role

Chapter 3

Everything that _____ knew about Asteli changed after Conren died. The
vivacious sister that had sung to the Inn patrons in a haunting mezzo was
gone. Left in her place was a specter that was prone to violent rants against
the Empire - which often ended with her throwing bottles of beer across the
length of the bar to shatter against the kitchen doorframe. Asteli couldn't
change Conren's fate, but she could damn well gnash her teeth and ensure that
*everyone* in Hamsah Mu'tazz knew of her pain.

Tisus and Melirene spilled into the Inn one evening, winded and injured. Their
brother was limping and the once-delicate Melirene was cursing up a blue
streak as blood oozed from a cut on her forehead. Tisus pulled himself to the
bar and drank a few shots of whiskey from the bottle before turning to Asteli,

"Stel, it wasn't the Empire."

He ducked as a bottle narrowly missed *his* head, but managed to continue
speaking as Melirene stepped between the pair, shooting a frustrated look at
her older sister. Tisus had been working in the shadows for months to get
answers. None of this was his fault.

"I mean, it was... but it was a cadre of Fortress mages trying to kill the
Dread Lord. There was a fireball and..."

Tisus left it at that. Did it really matter whether the spell was from an
invoker or the Dread Lord? Conren's corpse was out there somewhere, with
cracked and blackened skin buried in a pit with all the other Imperial
hopefuls that died for the cause. ______ looked up in time to see Asteli lift
up her arm in preparation to throw another bottle. She hesitated and mumbled a
brief apology before taking a bottle up to her room and slamming the door.

The next morning, Mother found a letter from Asteli stuck to the dining table
with an ivory hairpin. The eldest sister had decided to join the Village and
defend the brave mage-slayers with her songs. It wouldn't be enough to bring
back Conren, but it might make a difference. Father was relieved, Mother was
distraught. Tisus and Melirene practically abandoned the Inn, leaving ______
to console Mother as their Father worked himself to the bone.

A year later, another letter arrived. This time ______ intercepted it. Tragedy
repeated itself once more and the threshold of the Inn turned into a makeshift
shrine for the departed. Asteli had perished in defense of the other
Villagers. The Commander had scribbled a hasty line of gratitude and promised
to honor her name as he 'scalped the mages that plagued Thera'. Of course,
Asteli's name was nowhere to be found - she was simply 'the valiant bard'.