User blog:Illsanona/Learning of Father...

The noonday sun beat down mercilessly, baking the fallow fields surrounding the road that wound through Westfall. Perspiration tracked its way down the dust caked face of Illsanona, who was in extremely deep thought. Barely paying any attention to the road, she contemplated over some disturbing news. "I have a rogue for a father," she mulled, ''"How can that be, when I have the blessing of the Light at my fingertips? All my life I was taught that the Light abhorred such acts of wickedness that a rogue brings, and as such that the progeny of rogues, warlocks, and others of such ilk were cursed to be shunned from the Light." ''

As she kept on walking, lost in her train of thought, a glimpse of shadow moved among the edges of the fields that kept pace with her. "Maybe by what I was told by my foster father is wrong? That the Light is more forgiving than by what he's told me? That must be, because I don't feel cursed. I feel the power of the seals hovering about me; that wouldn't have happened if I was damned to be dead to the Light," Illsanona mused. As she came to this powerful conclusion, she realized where she was. Illsanona had wandered for hours down the oven-baked road, her fever-fueled dilemma silently guiding her to Sentinel Hill.

"This is where my father said he'd had left me, based on the letter I received from him," Illsanona mumbled to herself. Mouth suddenly dry, she reached for her warm waterskin on her belt as the knowledge that it was hotter than the Dark Portal finally sank into her mind. Weak with thirst, she tried to pull the waterskin from her belt but passed out from the grueling sun. As she fell, a dark flash of shadow flitted over to her to form into a humanoid shape, catching the unconcious paladin before she hit the ground. Sad eyes looked down upon her sunburnt face, and Icar mumbled a little prayer, "O Light, despite all my sins, I ask for one boon: Heal my daughter of her madness."

Cool dappled shadows played about Illsanona's face, and the sounds of the sea were gentle upon her ears. Weakly struggling to get up, she felt the icy touch of water upon her sun-cracked lips. Greedily she grabbed at the cup to quickly gulp the water, but a feminine voice calmly spoke to her, "Shush, darling, drink it down slowly. You don't want to hurt yourself." Illsanona obeyed, and resisted the urge to down the water as fast as she wanted to. Soothingly cool water gently eased the parchedness of her throat, and Illsanona finally opened her eyes. Peering about, she noticed that she was in bed near a large window overlooking the ocean. Peering out passed the window, she could see a lighthouse silently standing guard over the cove. As she turned her head, she saw the lady sitting next to her with a gentle smile on her face. "Hello, dear" the lady said, and with a shock of strange recognition, Illsanona fainted.

As Illsanona revived a few minutes later, she looked over at the lady, who was now putting away linens in the closet. ''"You look like me!" Illsanona exclaimed. "But who are you?" "What a way to greet your grandmother, child" the lady retorted, "Without a proper thank you or even a hello!" Illsanona's grandmother turned around to face her grandchild with a warm smile. "But no matter. You are lucky to still be alive. Your father found you and brought you to me while you were wandering in a fever dream. Welcome home, Illsanona." The lady walked over and sat next to her on the bed. "Wha...what do you mean, you're my grandmother?"'' Illsanona stated. "How is it that you know me, and my father? He was here?" Illsanona backed away from her grandmother, drawing the sheets up to her chin for protection.

"Shhh... please, don't get excited. You've had it rough for the past few days" her grandmother stated."Yes, your father was here, and no, he didn't remain. He followed after you when he found signs of the battle that you were in and was poisoned. He finally found you in Westfall, and caught you as you collapsed from the poison. He brought you quickly to me, and then left. He cannot abide my presence, but seeing that you are his daughter he brought you to the safest place he knew." Illsanona then vaguely remembered seeing a male face before she passed out, but the details were so sketchy she couldn't recall his features.

"So where am I, and who are you?" Illsanona exclaimed, still nervous but feeling a little bit more calm about how she got there. "You are in my cottage on the cliffs overlooking the sea in Westfall. That's the lighthouse of Westfall out there," her grandmother stated. "I am your grandmother, Daphne."