"And what is that?" murmured Amlaruil, reading the answer in his eyes but needing to hear the words.

"Yours," he replied. "Only yours."

"For this night," she agreed, taking his hands and drawing him down with her to the forest bed of deep, green-velvet moss.

"No," Zaor said softly. "For all time."

In the months that followed, Amlaruil fulfilled her promises of that night in ways that astounded even her most avid supporters.

She left the Towers at last, traveling Evermeet with a small Circle of magi and testing the sons and daughters of both noble and common houses. Those who showed talent were accepted for training, regardless of birth.

This did not please all the elves, particularly those scions of the powerful Gold elf families who felt that they had already lost enough. Amlaruil had a ready answer for these restless and disgruntled young elves. In a planned confrontation, during the midsummer gathering at the Drelagara meadows, she brought a Circle of magi in mock spell battle against the powerful war wizard Yalathanil Symbaern.

Though all understood that the magical jousting was meant as entertainment, the power of Yalathanil's magic staff, demonstrated before a large gathering of wizards, magi, and nobles, had the effect that Amlaruil desired.

Magic items, she insisted, were not merely family treasures to be hoarded. They were an important part of elven culture, a legacy of all elves. She pledged the support of the Towers to any adventurers who wished to recover elven artifacts from the ruins of lost elven civilizations, and to artisans who would create new ones. The result was a flurry of activity, and the harbors of Leuthilspar bloomed with ships sailing eastward to reclaim the glories of times past.

Inspired by the High Mage's example, the elves began to pursue the magical arts with renewed fervor. But as Amlaruil was soon to learn, nurturing the strengths of the elves was an easy matter. Dealing with their failures was quite another.

As the clans vied with each other for power in magical matters, the children of noble houses were increasingly urged to excel. There were some children sent to the Tower who, in less enthusiastic times, would not have been there. Chief among these was Rennyn Aelorothi.

The young Gold elf was rapidly becoming a problem. Like many of his kin, Rennyn was proud and even arrogant about his high birth. But unlike most elves, he had a barrier about his heart that kept him apart from any sort of deep communion. The Aelorothi clan was determined that their son become a High Mage, yet the intense sharing of the Circle magic was utterly beyond him.

For a while, Amlaruil tried to occupy Rennyn's talents elsewhere. But he disdained to learn the bladesinger's art from Shanyrria Alenuath, claiming he would not apprentice himself to a Moon elf. He showed some promise with battle spells and simple illusions, but as his training progressed it became clear that he simply possessed an unusually small amount of talent for any sort of magic.

Demand for places in the Tower was high, and elves of great promise waited for their turns. The other High Magi began to clamor for Rennyn's dismissal. But Amlaruil was unwilling to do this, and not just for fear of alienating the powerful Aelorothi family. She saw much to value in Rennyn. Although his skills were not those highly prized by the elven culture, she began to envision a role in which he could excel.

The day she called him to her private rooms, Rennyn came before her with the stiff pride of one who saw his fate approaching and was prepared to accept it standing tall.

"You know that I am dedicated to the service of these Towers, but I will be the first to admit that they are not all of Evermeet," Amlaruil began, putting the young elf immediately off guard. "There are other important tasks to be done. I think that an elf of your talents might do better for himself by looking beyond these Towers."

"And what talents might those be?" Rennyn said with bitterness. "I am a failed mage, however you wish to gild me with your golden words!"

"Not so," Amlaruil countered. "You have gained facility with many types of magic. You have not the makings of a High Mage, I agree with that, but with a little assistance from the right devices, you could accomplish any magical task you might need to undertake."

She took a ring from her hand and gave it to him. "There is a looking glass on the wall behind you. Put on the ring, and imagine that you need to speak with a forest elf, a stranger to you."

The elf gave her an incredulous look, but did as he was bid. He turned to face the mirror, only to pull back, startled by the strange face that gazed back at him. His own face, albeit copper in hue and swirled with green and brown tatoos, stared out from the glass with inscrutable black eyes. The familiar golden hair had darkened to brown, and was ornamented with weavings of feathers and beads. Rennyn lifted a wondering hand to touch his face, looking surprised anew as his reflection followed suit.

Amlaruil smiled. "The ring's magic suits you well. You have a natural talent, Rennyn, for being other than what you appear. I have seen you charm an elf maid with a smile, convince a soldier with a few bluff words that you are his comrade and friend. And yet-forgive me-you are never touched in turn. You hold yourself apart from those you easily befriend, and give only and precisely what you chose to give. And in truth, the elf maid and the soldier would not know you from each other's description."

Amlaruil leaned forward, her face earnest. "I have in mind for you a role in which you can truly excel. While it might not sound as grand as a councilor or a war wizard, it is every bit as important to Evermeet. I want you to be the eyes and ears of the Towers. You will travel, both on Evermeet and to distant lands, and send me word of such things as we here should know."

"You would have me be a spy?" he said, more in astonishment than disapproval.

"A hidden diplomat," she agreed. "You have fine judgment and excellent discretion, and if ever these talents should fall short of the task at hand, your fighting skills are impressive and should more than fill that gap. Your first task is an important one, something I would not entrust to an elf of lesser talents."

Amlaruil stood and shrugged off her mantle. The silken folds of her gown clung to her rounded belly. "As you can see, I am again with child," she said serenely, her hands framing her belly as if cradling the life within. "Before the winter is past, I will bear twin sons to King Zaor. They will be raised in secret fosterage with my distant kin, and trained among the warriors of Craulnober Keep. You will accompany them as their guardian and bodyguard, and see that they are delivered safely. None must know of their identity, or yours." Amlaruil smiled at the astonished elf. "Would I give you a task so near my heart, if there was another better suited?"

With effort, Rennyn stopped gaping. "And the king?"

"Zaor knows of my choice, and approves it," Amlaruil told him. "When you have done this, you may sail for the mainland. The ring you wear is also an elfrune, a device of my creation. I have enspelled it so that you might speak to me at will. It will also transport you magically, instantly, back to Evermeet in times of grave danger. I will show you how to use these powers. But first," she suggested, "show me the guise you will use when you go to Craulnober Keep."

Rennyn turned back to the mirror. A faint, sardonic smile lifted his lips as he confronted his changed image. He was now a Moon elf warrior, white-skinned and silver-haired. His frame was heavier, almost human in appearance, and his arms and shoulders gave promise of daunting strength.

"Forgive me, lady," he murmured, "but I doubt my parents would approve this transformation."