It was certainly becoming warmer, Deklitch thought to himself as he sat in his study. Tiberious, his little hypalynx, was still asleep in its little basket, twitching every now and then as the little critter dreamed hypalynx dreams. Across on the other side of the foyer of his house was the room in which his housekeeper and gardener slept, and in the room next to them, in a room that was formerly a visitor's room, slept Jepprek Ranskan, the young page turner that the Compendium had sent to him.

Dek's house only had one guest there with him at the moment, a Kyranian merchant by the name of Cyradin Lawabel. Cyr and Dek had met as children, when Dek was a member of the Black Butterfly Rovers and Cyr was travelling with his mother. Years later, when both were adults, they met once again, when a fortuitious wind blew Dek into the business premises of Cyr and Raw, and the two young men recognised each other after a few moment. By this time, Dek had long since left his Black Butterfly Rover days behind and had joined the Compendium, and was working his way through the ranks. They met a few times between then and now, with Cyradin and his nephew, Raworaan having come to visit Deklitch's house on two past occasions. This time, however, Cyradin came alone, which was concerning to Dek ... but Cyradin was in no mood to talk about it last night, and Dek let his questions drop and permitted his friend to be put to bed by Khierah.

Khierah was Dek's dwarven housekeeper, who was from the Susilgerim clan of dwarves and she mothered all who came to stay at Dek's house, including Dek himself, to within a nail'sbreadth of their life. Her husband was Riordan, an elf of the Arthyron tribe of elves, who maintained the yards for Dek and grew various kinds of fruits and vegetables and other plants. Theirs was a peculiar relationship, one that was barely tolerated amongst either the Susilgerim and Arthyron, but one that didn't matter to Dek. All he cared about was that they were extremely well credentialled and experienced at gardening, housekeeping, cooking and mercantile activities, their personal lives were just that ... personal and not his, or anyone else's, business. He didn't even care much for the 'Mismatched Lovebirds' name that was given to them by many around.

"Master Hardin," that was Khierah who was standing at one of the doors into his study, "I've made you a cup of cha'ah. Master Lawabel is asleep as is Master Ranskan. Do you need Master Ranskan?"

"No, let him sleep, Khierah," Dek replied, having long since given up on getting either herself or Riordan to give up the 'Master' or mistress when they spoke to either Dek or any of his guests, "Please ask Cyradin to see me in here when he rises, I have questions for him about last night and his nephew. Tell Riordan that I'll send Jepprek out with him to help in the gardens. Time out under the sun will do wonders for him."

Khierah swore under her breath in Thergerim at that, and stamped out of the office, muttering as she went. Dek smiled and returned to his work, the dwarfess didn't like the sun, 'Mezaril' she called it, and it was the one thing that got her going. He returned to his work and waited for the arrival of Cyradin.

"Khierah," Dek called out, "come in here, please."

The dwarf was there in a few blinks and she said, "yes, Master Hardin?"

"Cyradin and I are heading south. We need a ship. Send Jepprek down to the docks to secure us one," Dek said, "speed is more important than comfort in this."

"Yes, Master Hardin," she said.

Then outside Dek's house, there came a commotion. Dek picked out the voices of individual elves he knew, in addition to the voice of one of the druids, Steferin the Blue. The druid was calling out Dek's name. Dek said to Cyradin to excuse him, while Dek headed out to see what the commotion was about.

There were nine elves in addition to the druid and one of them seemed to be carrying an object carefully. The other elves stayed away from that one. Dek noted, not without concern that some of them were magic users from amongst the elves, and they all had distressed looks on their faces.

"What is it," Dek asked.

"This washed ashore near Tyrling," Steferin said, "us druids felt that it needed study but that it was unhealthy for the druids. So we brought it to these learned ones."

"Só galnós reollán glásáj, Styáey'isyrór," one of the elves said, and motioned for the elf who carried the object to come forward.

"The rock gives sorrow, elf friend," Deklitch repeated for the benefit of Cyradin, taking a few blinks to translate.

"The Magi should study the rock in Ximax," the same elf said, "take it there. Remove it from our presence."

Deklitch took the rock, which looked to him like a sapphire that was finely cut. He didn't know what either the druid or the elves were meaning, but if they were worried about it, that was enoguh for him. He looked at Cyradin and said, "come with me to Ximax, we'll do what we can to locate your nephew, but this is important too."

Cyradin nodded and followed Dek to the port and boarded the boat for the trip to Xaramon Province and Ximax.