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.The conversation with Elaith Craulnobur had convinced Danilo that Uncle Khelben was right: the moonblade was the key to finding the assassin.Danilo wished he could simply tell Arilyn what he knew of the sword's history, but to do so would dispel his facade.Since Arilyn seemed so distracted, Danilo took it upon himself to keep eyes and ears alert for danger.For all its riches and splendor, Waterdeep had been carved from a wild and dangerous land."The Savage North," spiteful southerners called the area, and they were not far wrong.To the north and west of Waterdeep lay noble estates and rich farmland, but the southern path took Danilo and Arilyn into wilderness.As they reached the brush and pines that formed the far edges of the Ardeep Forest, Arilyn reined her horse to a stop."We make camp here.I'll hunt, you tend to the horses." Without waiting for a response, the half-elf swung herself down from her saddle, armed herself with a small bow and quiver, and disappeared into the trees.As he set up camp, Danilo tried to devise a manner of broaching the subject of the moonblade.He considered and discarded one idea after another.Danilo groomed and tethered the horses, then gathered some stones and ringed them.After piling wood in the circle, he trimmed two forked sticks to the same length and thrust them into the ground on either side of the campfire, planning to roast whatever Arilyn's arrow brought down.Something about the act of preparing a campfire gave him a jolt of inspiration.He had collected bits of information about Arilyn like pieces of a puzzle, and the prospect of fire gave him the final, crucial piece.He sat down near the stone circle and waited for the half-elf.When Arilyn returned to camp with a pair of partridges, Danilo rose and continued with his chores.He threw a few sticks of wood into the circle, then he reached into his sack for a bit of flint.Keeping his movements slow and exaggerated, he stooped down and pointed the piece of flint at the stone circle.Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the half-elf stop cutting a branch from a bush and fling out her hand as if to stop him.Deliberately taking no notice of her, Danilo murmured, "Dragonbreath." The flint in his hand disappeared and bright flames burst from the wood, sending a spray of golden sparks into the night sky.After the initial burst, the magic fire immediately settled down and became a cozy, crackling blaze."Didn't I tell you not to do that?"Danilo rose and turned, hands in pockets, to face the furious half-elf."You might have," he drawled."I can't imagine why, though.""I don't like magic fire, that's all." Arilyn settled herself crosslegged on the ground and began to prepare a spit.She removed the leaves from a branch and started to whittle the end of the green stick into a sharp point."Can I help with anything?"The half-elf tossed the partridges to Danilo, indicating that he was to pluck the birds.The nobleman briskly set about the task.When the spit was ready, Arilyn glanced up."Aren't you done with those birds yet?" she asked sharply.Danilo handed her the first partridge.The half-elf spitted the bird and rather gingerly put the stick over the fire.It was as good an opening as any."Really, my dear," Danilo said as he busily plucked the second partridge, "don't you think that your aversion to magic fire is a little foolish?""Foolish!" Arilyn's eyes flared.She sat down and wrapped her arms tightly around her knees."You are a fine one to use such words.Everything is a game for you.Magic is for parlor tricks, the Harper Assassin is merely a subject for your third-rate songs.""Perhaps 'foolish' was an unfortunate choice of words," Danilo said.Seeing that the second partridge was ready, the half-elf took it from the nobleman.Removing the spit from the fire, she put the second bird to roast.When her task was completed she turned to Danilo again.Her face seemed more composed, but her elven eyes burned with anger and remembered pain."Magic fire went awry during the Time of Troubles.Many died, many good people…" Her voice faded away."Someone you knew?" Danilo asked softly.Arilyn nodded."I traveled at the time with a group of adventurers called the Hammerfell Seven.One of them was a mage.She attempted to use a fireball spell against an ogre.The whole party went up in flames.Except me, obviously," she concluded bitterly."I wonder why you escaped?"Arilyn ignored his question."I don't suppose you've ever seen magic fire used in battle.I have.The devastation war wizards create is beyond imagination.You should see what Thay's Red Wizards have done to parts of Rashemen, or what the Alliance's mages did to the Tuigan during King Azoun's crusade against the barbarians.But then, none of the Waterdhavian nobility thought the crusade important enough-" Arilyn broke off and hurled a stick into the fire."You are so pampered, so protected, so comfortable.You can't possibly understand me, so don't sit in judgment and pronounce me foolish for fearing what you cannot possibly fathom."For several moments the only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the cry of a hunting owl."Perhaps you're right," Danilo conceded."I know little of an adventurer's life.I am, however, somewhat of an authority on women."His comment surprised an exasperated hiss from Arilyn."I don't doubt it.Your expertise means little to me.I am not a woman, but an elf.""A half-elven woman.That's close enough.""Really.Do you care to share any of your profound insights?" Her sarcasm was as sharp as a dagger's edge."If you'd like," Danilo said casually, and he pointed to the moonblade."Take that sword, for example
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