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From the personal accounts of Labrinnon Kor'Tahlvis Aderi

Amid the darkness that has consumed my life, her radiance is brighter than the fullest moon. At times, the pain of not being able to be with her becomes overwhelming. I would give up everything; go back to working in the silver mines as a slave, if it meant spending the rest of my life with her.

I first met Valanandra shortly after being rescued from the gnolls. Athanasius Areti had offered to train me in the arcane arts, and let me stay in a small room above his library. Valanandra was his niece. She came regularly to visit her uncle, and when my lessons were done we would spend all of our free time together. We found a secluded creek nearby and would spend hours sitting on the bank; talking, laughing, and sometimes just listening to the water as it made its way over the rocks in the creek. Occasionally one of us would steal a kiss, but it went no further than that. She was innocence, something the mines had stripped of me long ago, and I loved her for it.

All too soon my time with Athanasius Areti came to an end. Now it was time for me to go out into the world and continue his work. I had been given a special gift, and I was determined to use my magic to protect others from horrors like those that had befallen my family.

The night before I was to leave, Valanandra came to my room. For the first time, we gave ourselves to each other. I remember climbing out of bed afterwards, my mind racing with thoughts of where tomorrow might lead me. As I stood at the window staring into the night, I heard a gentle rustle behind me. Turning, I saw Valanandra awake, watching me. She lay there illuminated by the moonlight, her eyes sparkling like two fireflies. I felt like I was being torn in two. Part of me was swimming in the overwhelming joy of our love, while another part screamed in anguish at knowing that I had to leave her. She arose and came to me. One look into her eyes and I knew that she felt the same pain. Gently she held me in her arms, kissed me, and whispered a single word in my ear. "Forever."

The next morning, as I prepared to leave for Lyrenn, Valanandra came to see me off. She gave me a small leather pouch, and told me that it was so I would remember her. Inside was a water-worn pebble from the creek, a lock of her hair, and a small slip of vellum with a single word written in her flowing hand. "Forever."

I returned to Torioth last year to seek admission into the Thainar and to visit Valanandra. I had thought it impossible for her to be even more beautiful that when I left her, but indeed she was. We returned to our old ways of spending our free time down by the creek, but now we did much more than just steal kisses. When it was time for me to return to Perelinn to join my companions, I promised her that I would return soon.

I did in fact return soon. After some very dangerous turns of events in Perelinn, my companions and I were told to travel far to the north. Knowing that this would be my last chance in some time, I returned to Torioth. I went before the Thainar high council to undergo the Si'Eral and then went to see Valanandra. I told her I was only there for the day, and that I was going away, possibly for a very long time. She begged me to marry her, but I told her I couldn't. Not now. I made a promise to her, that when I returned, we would get married. We would move to my land in Grengon, and there we would live.

Forever.

-- From the personal accounts of Labrinnon Kor'Tahlvis Aderi