Disappointed, Kaylan sighed, “I see…” Kaylan contemplated it for a moment.  “If you are not a Tale Weaver, then why is history telling one of your ‘gifts’?” she asked.  Kaylan could not hide the frustration she felt over the confusion the woman created with her statement or at the possibility that this crazy old woman may not actually have the vital pieces of the story for which Kaylan had so hoped to discover.  While odd and intriguing, this hag was no more than a manipulator that used Kaylan’s inquiry as a way to save that stupid outspoken young man’s life.  It did not explain how Vatia knew she was searching for the dagger even though the weaver hadn’t mentioned it directly.  Come to think of it she hasn’t mentioned anything directly.  Everything has been inferred.  She thought about the young man for a moment and wondered why Vatia would take such a chance.  So Kaylan asked her, “Your disrespectful friend waiting back at the inn, are you two related?”  Kaylan watched her reaction carefully for any signs of deception.  If Kaylan had any doubts, this woman’s life would end tonight along with all of her legends and tales.

Vatia shook her head slowly, “No Madam Marshall.  His father is dear to me and I try to look out for them both.  He is no more related to me than I am to you,” she smiled slightly.  “He, like his father before him, has a tendency to speak his mind too often – and often to the wrong person.  Romaca has a good heart and he means well.  His wife gave up the ghost during the Salamander Plague when Xander was five.  Romaca tried to do right by Joslen to raise their son to learn the family tanning business.  It was unfortunate for him, however, that he had a dispute with a fur trader from the Crystal Cliffs almost twenty years ago.  The fur trader accused him of tanning different hides that were of a lesser quality than what the trader had left for him.  Their case was brought before the Marshall.”  Vatia paused.  Kaylan calculated the time quickly and knew that her father would have been the Marshall at that time but she did not interrupt.  She just listened intently.  Vatia’s voice grew solemn as she continued, “The Marshall listened to the argument from both sides and determined that the trader was in the wrong.  He was labeled as a liar and a cheat.  The sentence for such crimes, as you are well aware, is the removal of one’s tongue.” 

Vatia’s eyes misted and she whispered, “Sometimes death is a more desirable and just sentence.”  She sighed as she reflected momentarily upon the memory then continued, “Romaca, as good a man as he was, could not leave well enough alone.  He was not satisfied with the sentence due to the fact that he had lost several patrons already just on the mere chance he might cheat someone.  He gloated of his victory over the trader and for a little while felt vindicated.  Alas, word of his gloating reached the Marshall,” Vatia paused briefly then continued again.  “Your father felt that Romaca’s behavior was unseemly and thus sentenced him to have his gloating tongue removed as well.  Xander was nine at the time and was not old enough to understand the reasons for the results that transpired that day and thus, harbors no love for the Marshall.  Those of us that witnessed the trial have done what we could over the years to help them out.  As a community we have raised Xander but we failed to ever be able to truly explain why Romaca’s actions were wrong and the ramifications those actions had on everyone’s lives here.  To say the least, Romaca was a changed man.  He lost interest in his tanning business, socializing, eating, sleeping, even living in general.  There was a time when I had to remove Xander from his care because there was none.  Xander hadn’t eaten in at least two days, possibly more.  Eventually, things improved but Romaca was never the same man that he was before that fur trader stepped into his shop.  It was almost as if losing his ability to speak was justification for losing his will to live.”  Her voice trailed off as she finished.

Kaylan didn’t know what to say.  Actually, there wasn’t anything she could say.  Given the same circumstances she might have done the same thing.  She knew her father to be judicious in his decisions and rarely made a hasty one but even this seemed slightly rash for him.  If it happened twenty years ago, then Bruhndahl would have been Marshall for seven years already.  She couldn’t even justify his actions as a reasonable error in judgment due to lack of experience as a Marshall.  Perhaps she could ask her father about it upon her return to the Port.

Kaylan stared at the mug of wine in her hands for what seemed like hours then she said, “I would like to know about Haedis and the dragon dagger.  He was the last of the Marshalls to carry it but no one seems to know anything of how he managed to lose it nor does anyone seem to know where it is now.”   She had never spoken so bluntly about the dagger previously and she was unsure why she felt compelled to be so forthcoming with this mysterious weaver.  Vatia just smiled and nodded her head again. 

“I know of what you seek.  I cannot tell you where to find the object of your search, only how to find it.  The map I provide is only in your mind.  It cannot be committed to a physical rendering as many of the places no longer exist.  However, if you are as intuitive as I perceive you to be then you will not need a physical map.  Heed this warning.  You must be prudent, Madam Marshall, in your questioning of folk around these parts.  What you request is a dangerous subject and no station is high enough to prevent accidents from happening.  These woods are dense and the mountains high.  Folk have been known to be lost for months with no one the wiser for it.”  She stopped long enough to measure Kaylan’s intuition.  Satisfied that Kaylan comprehended the essence of what she was explaining, Vatia continued, “I know the tale of which you have asked.  I will tell it to you but you must not interrupt.  I apologize in advance if I say something that offends you; I am simply retelling the story as I know it,” she sighed as if it gave her terrible pain to retell the tale of Haedis.   Then she began.