Vierdre

It’s been a while since I have had time to sit and write any short stories. I made the decision to go back to school a few months ago and with that came online summer course. Being ahead of the game though, I was able to write a new background for a DnD character that I created. Vierdre is a young elf. He looks completely Drow, but is actually 1/2 Drow, 1/2 Wood Elf. Anyway, enjoy.

…

It had been a long day and Vierdre was exhausted. It was always more tiring when he had to actually be himself. He had been in neutral clothing when he showed up. No one could tell for sure if they should use sir, or ma’am. That was the way he liked it when approaching a tavern keeper about performing.

It was the only place in town to earn coin, and it just happen to be lady’s night. He hated the strict confines of wearing a suit, but the suit along with the deeper voice drove the women wild. He’d sung the love songs with just the right amount of seduction. The women were all swooning over him, trying to touch his hand, or even his pant leg, just to say they had.

He didn’t mind women; he’d even lay with one if she had a pretty face. However, all the masculine things they normally required was just too much for him. Vierdre sighed as he drifted off to sleep. All he wanted was a place where he could belong; pass the days until he could be with her again. Falling asleep with that in mind, he dreamed of his family.

His mother had been a disgraced priest of Lolth, having lost favor with the Spider Queen for reasons unknown, Geltana had fled. She had made her way to the surface, and with gentle guidance from Eilistraee had found a clan of wood elves that graciously took her in. It wasn’t long before she caught the eye of the clan story teller, Corwyn. Some within the clan had frowned at the relationship, but the elders blessed it and soon after that Vierdre was born.

Vierdre had been born with his mother’s cosmetic traits, black skin, silver hair, pale colored eyes, though where his mother’s eyes were a pale green, his were violet. However, he had his father’s build, with a very slender and lithe body. Everything had been fine as a very young child. His mother taught him a few spells, while his father taught him the art of performance. He quickly learned how to play the lute using it quite effectively to spin tales for the other children.

As he matured though, he became an outcast. His delicate features did not lend to being hunter, which made most of the guys turn their noses up at him. Having grown into his beauty the girls would often throw dirt, or fruit at him, jealous that he had more beauty than they did. Vierdre started to spend more and more time in the confines of his parents’ tent. Bored with always being alone, Vierdre would weave stories to himself using clothing from both parents to act out each character.

After doing this for several weeks, Vierdre finally admitted to himself that he felt more confident when he was wearing his mother’s dresses. The problem was, she had a bulkier build, so the dresses didn’t fit him properly. Wanting to know what it really felt like, Vierdre waited until everyone in the clan had fallen asleep, before he snuck away, traveling to the nearest town.

It was mid-day before he reached the bustling town, and despite how the sun bothered his eyes, he managed to slip into the crowds almost completely unnoticed. He went into several clothing shops browsing what they had. He felt a little awkward when he reached for the lavender dress that had caught his eye. Looking around though, he realized no one was paying any attention to him. Vierdre took it back into a changing room carefully putting it on. The dress felt perfect. It hugged his upper body, falling loosely around his legs. The back of the dress almost touched the floor, while the front went just below his knees. Finally convincing himself that it was ok to have it on, he turned and looked in the mirror.

He was startled by what he saw, but what made him jump was the voice that came from the top of the dressing room. “You know it will look even better if you let your hair down.” Looking up, he saw an elven girl about his age with olive skin and bright blue eyes looking down at him. She was smiling. He gaped at her for several seconds before he reached back and took his hair out of its pony tail. Vierdre ran his fingers through it allowing it to frame his face.  “Oh, I was right,” the girl squealed. “You look even more gorgeous now. Would you want to be my date for the night?”

Vierdre tried to form some sort of response, but found he didn’t know what to say. The girl finished climbing over the top of the fitting room and landed gently next to him. Seeing her full form now, he could see that she was dressed in a suit. He found himself blushing as he realized he found her quite attractive. “No one else wants to go with me because I hate wearing dresses, but it seems like we might fit together.”

Vierdre found himself looking at the ground stuttering incoherent words. This made the girl giggle. “I… uh… I don’t have the money to buy it. I … I was just looking…”

Before he could say anymore the girl pulled him out of the dressing room. “Don’t worry, I have coin,” she said as she pulled him to the counter. The human woman working the counter smiled at them.

“I see you found a friend, Kaonna.”

The girl started nodding. “Yes, ma’am I did. He’s perfect. How much for the dress?”

The woman smiled ringing up the sale. The girl placed the coin on the table, before turning back to Vierdre. “Come on, else we will be late.”

Vierdre wasn’t able to get a word out before she drug him out of the store. They were halfway through the market place before he was able to get any words out. “I… I don’t have any shoes,” he said. The girl just giggled, looked down at his feet and nodded her head. Lavender, sandaled heels appeared on his feet. The heels weren’t more than a half inch and they were the same width at the shoe.

“There you go,” she said with a smile before pulling him along again. Vierdre was speechless. He was also surprised with how easy it was to walk. He’d never had shoes like this before. They continued on for several minutes before she finally stopped in front of a set of gates that led to a very large mansion. Vierdre stared at it in awe, completely unaware of what the girl was saying, until he heard a soft giggle. “This is my plus one, my boyfriend…”

“Vierdre,” he finished as she looked up at him. He was too stunned to do anything else. “Did she really say boyfriend?” he wondered. He had heard the term used before in the clan, but that was usually used to describe someone that had been seeing each other for quite a while. He had just met the girl. “What was her name?” he wondered to himself.

“Alright, Kaonna,” he heard the guard saying. “You know your parents won’t like this.”

If Kaonna, replied he hadn’t heard it, before she was pulling him through the gates. He had been a little too stunned when he’d heard the mention of parents. What was this girl getting him into? She must have known he was getting nervous because Vierdre felt her give his hand a gentle reassuring squeeze. He was surprised when he realized how much it made him relax.

Once inside, he found himself among a throng of people. They all seemed to part though as she walked through the crowd. Accustomed to the whisperings of his clan mates, Vierdre could hear the whispers of the gathered crowd as they passed by. She’s in a suit again. Her parents will be disappointed. Kaonna’s date is gorgeous. Sad her parents won’t let them be together. She will never be fit to lead. If Kaonna heard any of them, he couldn’t tell. Vierdre did manage to see that off to the far left was a stage, with instruments sitting, waiting to be used.

They were only halfway through the crowd of people when a microphone noise came from the direction of the stage. Kaonna stopped long enough to look in that direction as did Vierdre and everyone else. An elven couple with olive colored skin stood there waiting for everyone to quiet down. Once it was quiet the elven male stepped forward speaking into the microphone. “I regret to inform you that the band who was to perform tonight was a no-show. I also regret to inform you that our daughter has not…”

“I’m here father. I’m here,” Kaonna shouted as she made her way to the stage still dragging Vierdre behind her. The crowd parted as she spoke letting her threw. Vierdre could see the looks of disgust on her mother’s face, though her father seemed to look somewhat relieved.

“My beautiful daughter, I see you have a friend.”

Kaonna started nodding. “This is Vierdre. He’s my boyfriend,” she announced proudly.

Vierdre found himself blushing which meant he missed the mother’s look of disgust and her father’s look of surprise. Kaonna was still holding his hand though, giving it a gentle squeeze every now and then which helped him stay fairly calm.

“Welcome Vierdre, I am sorry it is under these circumstances; the party will have…”

“I can play and sing a bit,” Vierdre interrupted. He could feel his anxiety rising as he spoke. Vierdre wasn’t sure why he interrupted Kaonna’s father. He’d never had that type of confidence before. Kaonna’s father started to look him up and down, sizing him up. Vierdre was surprised that he stood there confidently and didn’t try to hide or hunch his shoulders like he had done previously in his clan.

“Very well,” her father finally said. “See if you can entertain us.”

Vierdre nodded, walking up on stage, he took hold of the lute. He knew how to play all the instruments there but he was most proficient with it. He strummed the lute getting a feel for it, and quickly decided to do a number that required the higher end of his vocal range. He played and sang, earning vocal approval from all that were there. Kaonna got up on stage with him, dancing and sometimes singing along to the chorus. The evening went well. With each song Vierdre sang, he found his confidence growing. By the end of the night Kaonna’s father had invited him to stay in one of their guest rooms.

Vierdre had every intention of going back to his clan the following morning, but Kaonna wanted him to go out and explore with her. Being similar in build, she let him borrow her clothes. He enjoyed the more feminine look of the clothes, which Kaonna said she only ever wore to please her mother. He also enjoyed how no one in town gave them but a passing glance, and that glance was usually just in recognition. He finally felt comfortable, so when invited to stay once again, he readily accepted, offering to perform at dinner. That soon became the arrangement. Vierdre was allowed to stay in a guest room at the mansion and in the evening, he’d perform for whatever guests, Kaonna’s parents were receiving.

Kaonna and Vierdre soon became quite close. They both enjoyed how they could be themselves around one another. They also seemed to compliment each other in everything they did. The only time either of them were ill at ease was when they had to go out with Kaonna’s mother. She insisted that Vierdre wear a suit and her daughter be in a dress. The two would comply to keep the peace, but they both hated it. Her father though was much more easy going allowing the two to express themselves as they pleased.

Six months had passed before Vierdre thought of contacting his parents. He sent word to them that he was ok, and had a place to stay. Instead of them just sending a message back, they showed up at the mansion one day just as Vierdre and Kaonna were leaving. The interaction had gone well. He was surprised that his parents hugged him and expressed how much they missed him. They hadn’t even seemed phased by the fact that he was in a skirt that stopped just above his knee, and a floral top that hugged his torso.

“I’ve never seen you look so happy,” Geltana said. “I’m so glad you found a place to fit in.” His father said much the same thing, and both adored Kaonna. So, he didn’t think anything of it, when Kaonna invited his parents to go with them, nor when she asked if his father could help her with something; leaving Vierdre to sit with his mother.

Geltana was more than happy to sit with her son. She was proud of him for having embraced his beauty and told him so as she described the world she had come from. “Beauty is how the men of my former home raised their status. You my son, would outshine them all.” Vierdre couldn’t help but smile, as his mother started to French braid his hair. She found a couple lavender-colored flowers nearby and placed them within the braid.

Geltana had just finished when Kaonna came back with Corwyn, all smiles. She took Vierdre’s hand asking him to come with her. She had some things she needed to talk to him about in private. Vierdre could feel his anxiety rise at her words, but a gentle squeeze of her hand calmed him as they walked, leaving his parents sitting together in the grassy area.

They didn’t walk long before they come upon an area near a clear stream that was filled with flowers. “This place is beautiful,” Vierdre said as he gazed in awe at the beauty around him. It wasn’t until he felt a gentle tug on his hand that he turned to find Kaonna down on one knee and a ring in her hand.

“Vierdre,” she started, “these past few months have been amazing. You compliment me in every way. I’ve never been around someone that makes me feel so confident and loved. I never want to lose you. Would you marry me?”

Vierdre was stunned at first as a smile crossed his lips and tears spilled onto his cheeks. “I would be honored to marry you,” his voice came out high pitched as he felt himself choking up. Kaonna smiled, slipping the ring on his finger before raising to her feet and kissing him. It was the first kiss they shared and it took Vierdre’s breath away.

In the next two months they started to plan the wedding. Vierdre’s parents and Kaonna’s father were very helpful and supportive. Kaonna’s mother however stayed in the background scowling. All the talk of what dress Vierdre was going to wear, and how Kaonna’s suit would match was starting to make her sick. She grew to despise her husband for encouraging their daughter in such fantasy’s as to be anything other than the young lady she needed to be.

Kaonna’s mom knew she had to do something to get their daughter off her destructive path, so one evening, she slipped a poison in her husband’s drink. By morning he was gone. Kaonna grieved her father’s death, though she found comfort in Vierdre’s arms. At least, until her mother found them. Vierdre had only two choices, stay and suffer the same fate as Kaonna’s father, or he could leave the town, never to return. He had an hour to make his decision.

Vierdre immediately went to the room that had come to be his over the past several months and started packing everything away. He didn’t know what else to do. Kaonna had stayed with her mother arguing with her, threatening to leave with Vierdre. She had just turned to go pack her own things, when a mage come out from the shadows. Kaonna felt magic wrap around her, bracelets forming on her wrists. “You will not be able to cross the town limits,” her mom said once the magic was complete.

“You are a horrible person,” Kaonna screamed before running out of the room. She ran into Vierdre part way down the hallway. He tried to console her but he could barely keep himself together.

It was several seconds before either could say anything, and Kaonna was able to speak first. “Go Vierdre. Wait at the town limit. I will meet you there shortly.”  All Vierdre could do was nod. He did as Kaonna had asked. He went directly to the town limits and waited for her. When she finally showed up, her wrists were raw and she was carrying an antique looking lute.

Kaonna tried to walk past Vierdre crossing the line that was the town limit, but pain racked her body and pushed her backwards. Vierdre wrapped her in a hug trying to ease her pain, but Kaonna wouldn’t let him see her cry. She pushed him away and held out the lute. “This belonged to my grandfather. Please take it.”

Vierdre accepted the gift she offered feeling ashamed that he had nothing to give her. “I will figure out a way to leave her. Go where you need to go. As long as you have that lute, I’ll be able to find you.”

Vierdre only nodded. “I will take great care with it, and wait as long as it takes.” 

They said goodbye, and Vierdre went on his way. He moved slowly, looking over his shoulder as he reached the top of the hill. Kaonna was still standing there. When he looked at her, she waved. He waved back, and then watched her turn, heading back into the town.

Vierdre woke up with tears in his eyes. It had been fifteen years since he said goodbye to Kaonna. He had tried to send word to her, but he’d heard nothing. The women he’d met since then were nothing compared to her, but how could he turn them down when a free meal and room waited with them. The more he traveled and entertained, the more he realized though, no one could fill the void Kaonna had left. He had even had a few men, but even they did nothing for him.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, Vierdre got out of bed packing up his things. He put on the old Lavender dress Kaonna had bought him and carefully put the antique lute in his pack. He stared at the worn note that lay inside the lute. He’d found it when he had settled down to sleep the first night away from Kaonna. He could recite it now word for word.

Vierdre,

My mother will not win. I will figure out how to break these bonds and when I do, I will find you. I’ve enchanted the lute. As long as you have it with you, I will be able to find you. I don’t know how long it will take, but please, don’t give up on me. Until I see you again, my love.

– Kaonna

 He could still smell her scent on the paper. “I hope you come back to me one day, my love,” he whispered closing the bag. He walked out of the tavern and into the early morning light, leaving town longing to head in the direction of his love. Instead, he forced himself to wander further away from his love, doing the only thing he knew he could do to keep her safe.