When it came time for the family meeting, Chloe, Kaaldar and her grandmother Lilah arrived at the Faydark wizard transport spires early. Chloe had asked her Mother to meet them at the spires when they arrived. Lilah gave both Chloe and Kaaldar a High Elf illusion, and then put on the illusion of a gypsy.
When Chloe's Mother came down the path, the 'gyspy' asked her, ''Remember me?'' ''I do,'' answered a wary-eyed Momma. ''Want to see me as I really am?'' and with that, she returned to her inky self. This startled Momma Rose, to which she said, looking at Lilah's elaborate dress and hairdo, ''Wow, you're beautiful, for an inky!'', rather amazed. Lilah laughted, and waved her arms, turning into an almost equally elegant High Elf. She then asked, ''Are we ready, everyone?''
They proceeded down the path. It seemed strange to Chloe to be walking down these paths. It was as if at once as though she'd never left, and as though it had been ages, perhaps only in a dream, that she'd ever set eyes on this land. She looked at her husband, wearing the same illusion he'd had when they first met, and detected a little nervousness, but also a little wide-eyed wonder at places he'd never seen before.
The fours of them marched through the gate, through the leafy passageways, past a beautiful pond, with its leafy walls, and entered the fishhouse near the pond. Chloe's Mother found the table where the rest of her family sat and joined them.
General Jyleel looked large, almost kingly regal, as he sat at the head of the table, where Chloe's brother and sister also sat. Chloe had rarely seen him without his armor, which was always polished to a gleaming finish.
Dinner was ordered, and then conversation began. Jyleel proudly announced, ''I am so proud of our daughter Lisa. She has reached level fifteen as a Paladin, following in my steps, hum-m-m. She will fight well against the evil Tierdal armies,'' Jyleel beamed.
Kaaldar couldn't keep quiet. ''Do you really know anything about the Tierdal?'', he inquired.
Chloe's young brother, Peter, declared rather loudly, ''Well, for one thing, they're Eeeee-vil! Another thing, they're Ug-g-g-g-ly! And another thing, their god is the Prince of HATE. They're cruel just for the fun of it!'', feeling himself to be quite knowledgeable.
''And you know this HOW?,'' Kaaldar asked, turning to face the young Elf. ''EVERYONE knows that . . ,'' he insisted.
''Have you known any Dark Elves? Have you studied the doctrines of Innoruuk? Until you study them, how can you be sure what you've been told is correct?'' Kaaldar implored, doing his best to remain calm.
Nearly everyone felt as though they'd choke on the fish before them.
Lisa looked at Kaaldar with a look of pure distain, ''From just what gutter did you pick this piece of slime up? Your taste in men STINKS!''
''Is it time to do a group Memory Blur?''Lilah wondered to herself. ''No, better Kaaldar should have his say.'' She let things go for the present.
In an attempt to change the subject, Momma Rose said, ''Did I tell you all about the new pottery classes I've begun taking? I'm having a great deal of fun with it.''
''That's nice, Rose,'' Jyleel said. He looked as uncomfortably discontent as he could, as if his armor were too tight.
''So are you past skewers and on to pots, yet?'' Chloe asked, with forced cheerfulness.
''Yes, I've just made my first pot! It wasn't even lopsided, almost perfect!'' Rose said brightly, but with a descernable edge of nervousness.
''I'm sure it's a beautiful pot, Momma,'' Lisa said in Fierdal Elven, with more than just a hint of malice gleaming in her eyes as she glared at Kaaldar, who didn't understand her.
''Skill in pottery is very good to have,'' Gramma Lilah answered in perfect Fierdal, with not a trace of an accent. To carry off the illusions, an Enchanter should know the languages which match them, indeed.
Kaaldar did his best to hid his irritation. He remembered Chloe's earlier words, ''no 'jibber', 'jibber'.'' Yes, he did understand, and he'd make sure not to do that to Chloe.
Meanwhile, he nervously hoped they'd not ask him any questions.
''Isn't the High Elven ''Keepers of the Arts'' the very best school for the magical arts, Kaaldar? The inkies STINK at magic, don't they?'' Lisa asked, a twisted grin on her face. Kaaldar knew only enough Fierdal to answer ''Yes?'' rather hesitantly, hoping that was the correct answer.
Returning to Common, ''You don't REALLY know what I'm saying, do you?'' said Lisa, with a voice that boiled with hatred.
''No, I don't friggen ass understand what you're saying!'' retorted Kaaldar loudly in Dark Elven. Its hard consonants seemed to reverberate off the walls.
Everyone's mouths dropped to the floor. Kaaldar was about to cry, but his anger was greater. Speaking again, in Common, his voice trembling with passion, he declared, ''You whiteys are always saying we Dark Elves are all about Hate. You are not even aware of how much hatred you hold, and how positively virtuous you feel in having such!''
''You do not even see the irony in this,'' he said, continuing. ''So when we react with defending ourselves, you call US vindictive. Where, I ask you, is the justice in that?'' Turning his face to each of them, he asked, ''Can any of you tell me that?''
The High Elves, mostly in shock, stared at him open mouthed. Lilah kept a guarded expression, while Chloe looked at Kaaldar with love and great pride.
Finally, young Peter broke the silence, ''Show me your face, inky!'' ''I would, but your HATE filled guards would kill me!'' Kaaldar crisply replied.
The General stood up, and spoke, ''I believe this meeting is now adjourned. Chloe, take your boyfriend out of here before I kill him myself!''
''You don't understand him, none of you. He speaks the truth, you should know . . ,'' Chloe said, as she quickly ushered hime out. Her grandmother knew her own way out, and gestured to Chloe's Mother to follow her, which she did.
The four of them, proceeded as rapidly as they could past the heavily armored guards, and went almost breathlessly to the path that led to the wizard's spires. Beyond that, they'd be safe.
''I thank you, Lilah, so much for all you've done. It was good to see the old town and my family, some of whom I'll not likely see again . . ,'' Chloe softly said. Her mother also said, ''I thank you, too,'' and even reached out to give Lilah a hug.
It did Chloe's heart good to see that embrace, and she rushed over to hug her Mother, ''I so wanted not to lose you . . ,'' she broke out sobbing.
''You'll always be my daughter - inky, half-inky or whatever, you'll always be my daughter,'' Momma re-assured her sobbing daughter.
''I, too, want to thank you,'' Kaaldar reached out his hand to her Mother. ''It means a lot to have friends and family.''
Chloe's Mother walked over to him and hugged him, ''We'll leave those who can't understand where they're at, but maybe in time, they will learn,'' she affirmed.
''I, too, shall keep that hope alive,'' Kaaldar smiled as he embraced her. ''It has been a good day!''